In September 2018, an earthquake beneath an island caused a tsunami (giant wave) to move toward the city of Palu, Indonesia. A man on top of a high building saw the wave coming. He shouted warnings to the people on the streets below, but most of them ignored him. More than 4,000 people died, and 10,000 were injured.
Ten years before (2008), the government had placed 22 floating buoys in the ocean with electronic sensors designed to send a warning if a tsunami came. However, during the next few years, the buoys were not maintained, and all of them stopped working. None of them sent a warning about the tsunami in 2018.
Communication with Our Commander
► What is something that is installed in every military vehicle?
Every tank, jeep, and plane has a radio. It is not a radio for soldiers to listen to their favorite music station, but a radio for communication.
Communication is essential to winning a battle. Soldiers in the battle cannot see the whole field of action. They may not know where their friends are and where their enemies are. They don’t know which direction they should be shooting, and which direction they should be moving, except by communication from the commander.
There have been many cases where soldiers have been killed by “friendly fire,” misdirected bullets from their fellow soldiers. There have been times when missiles and bombs have struck friends instead of enemies because of bad communication.
In modern warfare, it’s a common strategy to try to knock out the enemy’s communication center. The side that succeeds at that will probably win the battle.
We are in a spiritual war. The devil tempts and tries to deceive us. The world tries to pull us into its lifestyle and values. People around us sometimes hinder and discourage us from living for God. We are like soldiers in a hostile country, with only a few friends and many enemies.
God wants us to win the spiritual war. Prayer is our means of communicating with our commander.
Imagine a soldier in a battle who decided to ignore his orders and go on his own. He might do harm instead of good; he might fail to help people who are depending on him; and he would probably be killed or captured.
Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18).
This verse comes at the end of a passage where Paul illustrated a believer’s spiritual armor with the military armor of his era. He said that our enemies are not physical, but spiritual.
Maybe if radios had been available for soldiers at that time, Paul would have used them to illustrate another part of the equipment of the spiritual soldier—prayer. After describing armor, Paul said that prayer is to be used along with the spiritual armor.
While we are standing in battle against spiritual evil, we are to be praying, staying in communication with our commander. We are called to be vigilant in prayer, being watchful and perseverant.
God has promised guidance for those who will listen.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way (Psalm 37:23).
A follower of Christ does not make decisions the way people of the world do. Some people are guided only by their own desires and ambitions. They say, “I have to do what’s right for me.” They mean that they must consider their own desires first rather than letting other people control them. They think freedom means being self-centered. Christ’s followers are different because they want to please God and bless others with their lives.
Some people advise us to look inside ourselves for all the answers. They believe that our feelings and instincts are enough guidance for decisions. They encourage young people to ignore tradition and the advice of older people. They despise religious morality. This kind of advice is popular in modern Hollywood entertainment. They feature stories about a young person who succeeds by rebelling against authority and tradition to follow his own dream. They do not show the truth that such decisions lead to sorrow and disaster.
In some cultures, individual decisions are limited by the extended family or tribe or clan. Individuals are not expected to leave the region, change their occupation, pursue higher education, or marry without the approval of the group. The hardest change in that environment is for a person to change his religion. If a person becomes a follower of Christ and is guided by principles that his people do not understand, he may suffer persecution. A believer in such a situation must pray for wisdom and guidance.
We need God’s guidance all the time, and He is guiding us in ways that we are not always conscious of. He never forgets us, even when we are not thinking of Him. But there are times when we especially need to seek His direction and ask Him to help us see choices as they really are. God may want to change our course in an unexpected way.
► What are some times that we need special direction from God?
We should look for direction from God:
1. When making life-changing decisions: marriage, occupation, education, commitment to a local church.
2. When making practical decisions: job opportunities, where to live, large purchases.
3. When planning and doing ministry:[1] a person’s personal calling, where and with whom to minister, themes to preach and teach.
4. When participating in the life of the church:[2] how to worship, what to learn, what to give, how to be a part of the body of Christ on the earth.
[1]Acts 16:6-9 tells of special guidance that the Holy Spirit gave Paul and Silas during a missionary trip.
[2]The early church was conscious of the Holy Spirit directing their worship, guarding their doctrine, guiding them in solving problems, and empowering their message. See Acts 15:28, Acts 5:3-5, and Acts 6:10.
How You Can Better Discern God’s Guidance
(1) Stay close to God in prayer (Philippians 4:6). If much of your life becomes disconnected from your conversations with God, you are following your own inclinations and limited perceptions.
(2) Don’t trust your own reasoning more than definite scriptural truth. As the verse above says, “do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).
(3) Always obey what you know for certain to be God’s will. That will improve your perception. A person who is disobeying God’s Word does not really want God’s will because God expresses His will through scripture. If you obey only parts of what you know of God’s will for you, you will get more confused—the light will turn to darkness (Luke 11:35).
We know it is God’s will that we:
Take up our cross daily and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23)
Do right and speak the truth in our hearts (Psalm 15:2)
Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
Not despise prophecies (1 Thessalonians 5:20).
Test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Abstain from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22).
Be sanctified completely (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
And there are many other commands which are summarized in one word: love! (Romans 13:8-10). As we do what we know to be God’s will, many of our less important decisions become obvious.
(4) Be patient. You may need to wait while God opens doors and prepares situations for you. Don’t make decisions too soon because of impatience. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:7). Never do something you know is wrong because of a sense of urgency.
(5) Listen to good advice, “for by wise guidance you can wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory” (Proverbs 24:6). When God wants you to make a big decision, he will often show that to other important people in your life. If there are godly, older people who know you and care about you, you should not easily decide to do something they think is a mistake.
For Group Sharing
► Share an example of a decision that you know was directed by God. How did God show you that it was the right decision?
► It would be helpful if you could also share an example of a wrong decision. Did you fail to follow one of the five principles for being better guided by God?
Allow others to share similarly.
Errors to Avoid When Seeking God’s Guidance
The story is told that a preacher named Charles Stalker was praying one morning when God spoke to him and said, “I want you to go to China.” Stalker was amazed because he did not have contacts or money to go. The impression was so strong that he packed his suitcase and went to the station where such a journey would begin. There a stranger approached him and asked, “Are you Charles Stalker?” then went on to say, “I was sent here with a ticket to send you to China.”
► Is this the way that we should normally expect God to show us His will? Would there be a problem with a person expecting to find God’s will for his decisions in this way?
Some people expect supernatural directions for every decision they make. They ignore normal reasoning and circumstances, because they assume that God’s will might be opposite to all reasoning and circumstances.
It is wrong to insist that God must give supernatural revelation for our decisions because he often does not show his will that way. If a person ignores reasoning and circumstances, he may think he is getting direction from God when really he is following his own emotions or imagination.
Whenever something is clearly commanded or forbidden by scripture, we know the will of God. However, there are many decisions in life where we have alternatives that are not specifically commanded or forbidden. How can a person know where he should live, what job he should have, and how he should spend his money?
► Without special revelation, how can a person know God’s will for a decision that is not specifically directed in scripture?
Some people, because they expect that God’s will must be supernaturally revealed apart from reasoning and circumstances, find a nonrational method that they think God will use to give them directions. They may ask God to give a certain sign to show His will. Or they may open the Bible to a random verse that they apply to their situation.
More Practical Advice for Making Good Decisions
John Wesley gave some practical instructions on how to discern the will of God. He said that we know that God’s general will for us, revealed in the Bible, is that we be holy and that we accomplish good. Therefore, to make a specific decision, we must consider which option will most enable us to be holy and will maximize our effectiveness.
We learn from experience which circumstances are spiritually helpful for us and which are dangerous. Some circumstances are spiritually dangerous for anyone; others are dangerous for some people, but not for everyone. As far as we are able, we should put ourselves into the circumstances that help us be spiritually strong and should avoid situations that will bring us temptation (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).
By reason and experience, and by the advice of others, we can also discern which option will maximize our effectiveness.
God does not ordinarily show His will by special revelation. He expects us to apply scriptural principles as we reason carefully and examine the circumstances. The Holy Spirit guides us even when we do not realize it. For most decisions we should not expect revelation but pray for wisdom and understanding.
People who claim to receive special direction from God sometimes refuse to listen to other people (Proverbs 12:15). They may become angry when people question their decisions. They show pride and stubbornness rather than humility.
► A student should read 1 Peter 5:5-6 for the group.
Except in unusual cases, it is better for a person not to claim that God told him exactly what to do. When a person says that, it is difficult for anyone to give him advice or opinions. It would be better for him to say that he is trying to make the best decision with God’s help.
Besides the principles Wesley gave, when thinking about your options, consider:
1. Is it consistent with clear scriptural commands? God never wants you to disobey His Word.
2. Is it consistent with scriptural priorities? The Bible shows us the things that are important to God. Does your decision keep first things first?
3. Is it consistent with a realistic view of the circumstances? You should be able to see how God has been preparing your situation for this decision.
4. Is it reasonable? God may sometimes lead you to do something that does not seem reasonable, but if so, He will make His will clear. Never reject reason as a means of helping you discern God’s will.
5. Is it godly behavior? Don’t think that any situation is so exceptional that you can do something that would ordinarily be displeasing to God.
6. Is it consistent with loving others as yourself? Selfish motives will distort your discernment.
7. Will it have a good influence? What if others do as you are doing? Would that be good?
8. Is it confirmed by godly advisors? We all know how to find friends who will agree with us, but what would the people who seem the most spiritual and wise say about your decision?
When God’s will is something very unusual, he is able to make it known to you beyond doubt. An angel, or vision, or a burning bush has given certainty for some people in the past. God may simply give an inner assurance that is beyond doubt. But when no clear message from God has been received, you should follow reliable principles for discerning the right option. Don’t expect to receive special revelation for every decision. If you sincerely and prayerfully reason with the right priorities, God will be faithful to guide your decision.
In Romans 12:1-2 Paul wrote,
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
These verses show how a person’s spiritual condition affects his decisions. To find the will of God, one must first be completely devoted to God. A believer’s decisions contrast with the decisions of the world, because the believer is not conformed to the world but transformed and making decisions with a renewed mind.
Motives are the most important factor in discerning God’s direction. A person who seeks the will of God only so that he can decide whether or not to do it will probably become confused. If a person seeks God’s will according to scriptural and reasonable means, and with wholehearted determination to do it, he will not miss God’s will.
For Group Sharing
► Discuss some applications of Wesley’s principle. Some examples could be choice of friends to spend time with, options of employment, or a dating relationship (if unmarried). Consider, “Which situation will help me be holy and will maximize my effectiveness?”
► Some people cannot seem to maintain their Christian identity when they are with certain kinds of people, or in certain places. Consider examples.
► Other possible points for discussion:
The role of motivations in decision making
The error of waiting for a sign
The danger of trusting inner feelings too much
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for planning good things for me. I know that you are guiding my steps even more than I can see.
Help me to stay close to you in prayer. Help me to pay attention to the truth that you show me.
I want to be holy and to accomplish all I can for your glory.
Make my motives pure, so that they don’t lead me away from your will. Guide me through the wise counselors that you have placed in my life.
I want to trust you in every decision. I want to follow your will with wholehearted obedience.
Thank you for wanting the best for me.
Amen
Lesson 5 Assignments
(1) Study Proverbs 3:1-12. Write about the priorities, attitudes, and character described here. Write about how you personally can develop those characteristics. (You should write 1-2 pages in all.)
(2) Examine James 4:13-17. Notice God’s sovereignty over circumstances. What is the evil—the “arrogance”—that is referred to in verse 16? Write a paragraph explaining what this passage tells us about planning for the future.
(3) Write two paragraphs explaining the relationships between prayer and decision making. Answer these questions:
How should prayer affect our decision making?
What are some mistakes to avoid related to prayer and decision making?
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