32526 Studying God’s Word

Studying God’s Word can make a difference in your life! When you study God’s Word you will gain deeper insight into who God is and what He wants to do in your life. Each time you approach God’s Word in study, you need to pray for God’s direction and then, observe, interpret, and apply what you are reading.

“Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you; collect my counsels and guard them with your life. Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. That’s right—if you make Insight your priority, and won’t take no for an answer, Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours; you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.”  —Proverbs 2:1-5, The Message

The reason you need to study God’s Word is to gain deeper insight into who God is and what He wants to do in your life!

 Study is more than just reading.  Just as reading the Bible involves more intentionality and thought than hearing it, so studying it requires more intentionality and thought than reading it. 

One way that you can achieve good results from your study time is to write down what you discover. Reading is faster than study and gives you the overall picture, but study requires that you think and remember. Yes, this is more time-consuming … but it will be worth the effort!

There are actually several ways you can study the Bible:

  • A word (such as grace, faith, love, sin)
  • A single verse (such as Hebrews 12:1, 1 John 1.5)
  • A passage or chapter (such as Ephesians 1, or Ephesians 1:15-23, Proverbs 3)
  • A book (any of 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament!)

A 4-Step Process

Before you begin your study, consider this 4-step process to help you gain the most from your time in God’s Word.

Step 1. Pray

Ask the Holy Spirit for insight and understanding! Open yourself up to what God wants you to see in His Word today.

Step 2. Observe

As you study the word, or verse, or passage or book you’ve chosen, you are looking for answers to the following questions?

  • What does it say?
  • What does it reveal about God?
  • What does it reveal about having a more intimate relationship with God?
  • What does this teach me about faith, hope and love?
  • What new insights can I obtain about my new identity in Christ and how God has designed me?
  • How does God want me to depend on Him for wisdom, strength, special abilities, and resources?
  • What does this reveal about how God will meet my needs and accomplish His purposes?
  • How can I resist Satan’s schemes and seek refuge in God from evil?
  • How does God direct our steps toward the fulfillment of His specific plan for our life?

Not all of the study that you do will answer every one of these questions, but they provide a good framework for your thought and reflection.

Step 3. Interpret

As you read and think and reflect, consider “What does this mean?” Here a few other questions to help you identify the meaning of what you are studying:

  • Is this passage to be interpreted literally or does it contain figurative words, phrases, or expressions?
  • How does the context for this passage help in understanding its meaning?
  • What other scriptures help to clarify or amplify the interpretation of this passage?
  • What point is this trying to make?

Step 4. Apply

Here is the bottom line: What am I going to do with this new insight and understanding?

Specific Suggestions

Studying a Single Word

It is actually much easier to study a verse when you are first starting to study the Bible. If you choose to study a single word, you can use online searching or you will need a good Bible concordance which contains single words and a list of the verse where that word is used. What you are looking for is the different ways that word is used and what is being communicated.

Studying a Single Verse

Approach #1

Begin by reading the context of the verse … what comes before it and after it.

Next, ask yourself, “Who is speaking, to whom, and what is the situation?” 

Visualize yourself in the situation and customs of that time and place. If possible, read in several different translations of the Bible (this is easy to accomplish with on-line resources such as BibleHub.com). 

Look up key words in the dictionary and write down their definitions. Ask questions from the “Observe” step described earlier in this lesson. Make notes! Take your study through the Step 3 and Step 4 processes!

Approach #2

Another way to approach a verse study is to look at each word individually within the verse.  Here is an example using the first phrase of Psalm 118: 6, “The LORD is with me.” With this approach you the verse down the left side of your paper one word at a time. In some ways we are crossing over into the “Meditate” process of experience God’s Word, but it is important to remember that all of these approaches interact with one another … not one truly stand alone! As you look at the first word, write down as much as you can about that word. Then take the second word of the verse, and spend time thinking and writing about that word, and so on until you finish the verse or phrase.

The Lord the mighty, almighty, creator, sovereign, loving, glorious God. He is for me! “Is” — means right now, presently, an absolute certainty

“For”— purpose, goal, God knows me!, god has my best interests at heart, He is on my side, He knows what is best for me

“Me”— means personally, not in general, but specifically, by name.

It is awesome and exciting to contemplate “me” having such
intimacy…with God Himself!!

Approach #3

Read the passage in at least two different versions of the Bible and then write what it means to you personally.

Studying a Passage or Chapter

First, read the entire chapter. Next, make an overall outline of what you have just read. Then, give it a title. Now, determine which verse is most meaningful to you at this time in your life. Finally, consider what challenge you see in the overall passage.

Studying a Book

In many ways, the study of a book is similar to studying a passage or chapter, there’s just more of it at one time, but the process remains the same. Another great way to study a book of the Bible is to go through a study that has already been put together! These are available at various online sites or through a Christian book store.

32527 Memorizing God’s Word

There are five basic ways for you to grow in your knowledge and experience with God’s Word: Hear it, read it, study it, memorize it, and meditate on it. Memorizing God’s Word has tremendous benefits.

One of the most important reasons for memorizing Scripture is because our memories are short.  Research has shown that after 24 hours you accurately remember:

5% of what you hear

15% of what you read

35% of what you study

57% of what you see and hear

100% of what you memorize

Noted author, and counselor, Henry Brandt, once wrote: “I still consider Bible memorization the single most important aid in my Christian life and in my counseling.”

Dawson Trotman, past president of the Navigators said, “I know of no form of intake of the Word which pays greater dividends for the time invested than Scripture memory.”

In Matthew 4:1-10 we actually see Jesus overcoming Satan’s temptations by using scripture. He probably didn’t have the scriptures in written out form … he was using them because he had learned them as a child and could recite them! 

Here’s the story:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”

Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.”

Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” (NLT)

It’s actually easy to memorize verses: 

  • Start with one verse. 
  • Write it down if possible.
  • Repeat it several times.
  • Say it in your own words. Identify why it is important.
  • Repeat it to a friend or family member.
  • Think about how you might apply it to your life.
  • Once you have it memorized, review it every day for 30 days.

It will be yours to take with you wherever you go! 

Here are a few verses for you to memorize to get started!

“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” – Psalm 119:9, 11, NIV

 “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” – Deuteronomy 11:18-19, NLT

“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” – Colossians 3:16, NLT

“I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-29, NLT

People often say “I just can’t memorize things.” But that simply is not true! We memorize information all the time for business, sales presentations, stock market quotes, sports, and daily commitments. Athletes memorize whole play books, team standings, player stats, etc. It’s not memory that is lacking, it’s motivation.

32528 Meditating on God’s Word

As we’ve considered the different ways for you to grow in your relationship with God by hearing, reading, studying, and memorizing His Word, we’ve actually also been meditating on His truth, which is the focus of this lesson.

Meditating involves taking a prayerful, serious approach to reflecting on a specific verse or passage.  

As you’ve learned how to listen and read and study and memorize, you’ve also been meditating. But in this lesson we’re going to specifically focus on mediation as its own discipline.  There really is no better way to grow in your relationship with Christ than to meditate on God’s promises throughout the day.  Whenever something stressful happens (and it will), you can think about a verse that applies to your situation.  Meditating means you are giving extended, careful thought to God’s Word with the intent of conforming your life to His will. Meditating on God’s Word will result in knowing Him intimately and being obedient to Him in everything. 

Two questions to consider whenever you are meditating on a passage of scripture:

  1. What is the meaning of this verse or passage based on its context?
  2. How can/should this verse or passage affect my life?

Use these two questions right now as you consider Philippians 4:6-7: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (NLT).

Make sure your roots are deeply planted in God’s Word …

David Berkowitz was transformed because he replaced man’s viewpoint with God’s viewpoint. And, he believed God’s viewpoint! He meditated on God’s truth!

There really is no better way to abide in Christ than to meditate on God’s promises throughout the day.

Psalm 1:1-3 says, “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (NLT).

 Make sure your roots are deeply planted in God’s Word …  just like a tree that survivesand grows and bears fruit, because its roots tap deep into the soil below.

What are you presently doing to help your roots grow deep into God’s Word?

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.
I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.
I have kept my feetfrom every evil path so that I might obey your word.
I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taughtme.
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honeyto my mouth!
I gain understandingfrom your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. (NIV)

Promises:

Luke 6:45 says, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart” (NLT).

Meditating means thinking deeply about something. To meditate is to focus your thinking on something specific. It means to ponder, reflect, or mull over. You do it long enough that something changes (attitude, purpose, conviction) and then you will have the perspective and wisdom to get up and make changes. In other words, it causes life change! 

It is enormously important to think rightly and to have God’s perspective and discernment about everything, including money, Jesus, sin, marriage, sex, divorce, obedience, kids, work, honesty, trouble, myself, the future, and a host of other things. Think like Jesus thinks, have His mindset. Meditation on God’s Word will help you to do that. But …. it will take planning and time. If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen.

J. I. Packer in Knowing God said: “Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, thinking over, dwelling on, and applying to oneself the various things that one knows about the works, ways, purposes, and the promises of God. Its effect is to humble us as we contemplate God’s greatness and our own littleness—to encourage and reassure us as we contemplate the unsearchable riches of God as displayed in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

So meditate, but don’t meditate on your problems, your irritations, your hurts, and/or your enemies. Rather, meditate on the truth of Scripture! The purpose is of meditation is life change. You want to experience God! Meditate until you not only understand it, but can’t wait to apply it! 

22970.001 Sovereignly Unique

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us a new in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
(Ephesians 2:10)

Have you ever wondered why you were born now and not 500 or 1000 years ago? Why did God place you into a particular family, culture, and country?

God created you for this particular time and place so you would have all the right traits, experiences, and relationships to accomplish the purpose he has for you. Despite how you may feel about where you are in life right now, he has great plans for you. Plans for which he uniquely designed you.

It is important to understand that while God loves you more than you can ever imagine and is committed to your well-being as seen from his perspective, you are meant to fulfill part of his master plan. God does not exist to fulfill our plans; we exist to fulfill his.

The journey to fulfill that purpose can be done in fear and anxiousness if we choose to go it alone, or with confidence and peace when we trust in him to take care of the circumstances of life. This may seem harsh but it is critical you understand that God is God and you are not.

The prophet Isaiah explained it like this, “O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand” (Isaiah 64:8).

You were created to do the good things that God planned for you before you were even born. Your life has a purpose. Your life matters. You are significant.

Our Lord never asks us to decide for him; he asks us to yield to him—a very different matter.
— Oswald Chambers

Perhaps you are thinking, “Yeah, God may have had a plan for me but I have royally messed that up by the mistakes I’ve made.” Yes, you may have made mistakes, but that doesn’t disqualify you from still fulfilling God’s purposes. Through his foreknowledge and sovereignty, his plan for you incorporates your mistakes. Think about Paul’s life before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was transformed from a persecutor of Christians into the greatest evangelist of his time. Romans 8:28 promises, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

So, what is God’s plan for your life? How can you cooperate with him to accomplish what he desires?

God’s plan for our lives is usually revealed progressively, one situation at a time. Obviously, most of us would like to see the entire road map now, but that is not how God operates. He wants us to walk by faith, taking one step at a time in the direction he is guiding us. Doing that without fear requires a close relationship with him that involves communication and trust.

God is the creator and we are the created. Each one of us is “God’s masterpiece,” custom-designed by him to fulfill his purposes. Our ultimate significance is determined by how well we fulfill the plans our creator has for us.

22970.002 Father Knows Best

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father.
(James 1:17)

Given a choice between good and best, almost everyone would choose best. But what is “best”? According to society, the best is whatever helps me the most quickly in my current situation. It produces favorable circumstances and accomplishes what I desire. However, according to God, the best is whatever helps me the most, not just for this moment in time, but forever. It produces favorable character and accomplishes God’s purposes.

Best is not the same for you as it is for me. It is not a universal one-size fits all package. The best is custom-designed by God. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth as you ask these questions:

Will this choice fit into God’s purpose for my life?

God created each one of us for a purpose and anything that interferes with that purpose will distract us.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
(Proverbs 19:21, NIV)

It is important to stay focused on God’s plans and purposes and not our own.

Will this choice align with God’s guidelines for life?

God created the universe and established the laws and principles for a harmonious life. When we choose to live contrary to those rules, we will encounter unavoidable problems.

Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the LORD your God.
(Deuteronomy 12:28)

God’s rules for life are like guideposts or guardrails. They keep us on the path to his best.

Will this choice pass the test of time?

The best is always determined by time. What is best right now may look very different a year from now or ten years from now. Circumstances change and so do people.

Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.
(Isaiah 46:10)

Our faithful God’s time frame for life is like a scoreboard clock that we can’t see. No matter what the score may be right now, the best is not obvious until the buzzer sounds and the game of life is over. God always sees long-range and guides us within that framework.

The bottom line? Only God can know what’s ultimately best. The purpose of our lives is clearly understood by him. Your time frame for life is completely visible to him. Only God is capable of orchestrating the countless variables of life into a journey that leads to his best for you now and into eternity.

“Waiting is the hardest kind of work, but God knows best, and we may joyfully leave all in his hands.”
— Lottie Moon

22970.003 God’s Timing

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1, NIV)

We live in a culture that demands instant gratification. We want what we want and we want it now! But God is never in a hurry.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD” (Lamentations 3:25–26, NIV). Is your hope centered in God as you patiently wait for him to rescue you from your current situation?

Waiting is difficult, especially when we see others taking shortcuts to achieve what we desire. But King David reminds us to, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes” (Psalm 37:7, NIV).

When we get what we want prematurely, we shortchange ourselves. It may not be apparent right away, but time always reveals the consequences of impatience.

God is in complete control of everything. Any delays are not because he isn’t able to make things happen faster. Rather, he has more he wants to accomplish in us and through us during a slower, more deliberate journey to the ultimate destination.

God sees everything that concerns us and has a complete view of our future. With our limited foresight, we can only base our judgments and decisions on what we know presently. Our assumptions about the future are only our best guesses. But God knows about the major changes that are coming around the next bend. Our faithful and loving God is more committed to our long-term happiness and well-being than to our immediate pleas for what we want right now. Because of our impatience, all too often we are willing to settle for something or someone that we know is less than ideal. But when we have accepted God as our guide, he steps in and stops us from trading away the far better future he has planned for us.

“You have a time-table, and God has a timetable. His is better than yours.”
— Criswell Freeman

To be impatient with God’s timing is to question his ability, goodness, and love for us. Psalm 27:14 tells us, “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” Best is always worth the wait.

22970.004 Doing Something New

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
(Isaiah 43:19, NIV)

You’ve probably heard it said that the definition of lunacy is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result. And yet, as creatures of habit, we tend to not want to try new ways of doing things.

God is constantly bringing about something new in our lives. The most dramatic change occurred when we invited Christ into our lives and were born again into God’s forever family.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new has come!
(2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV)

God uses change to transform us so our character will reflect the qualities that Jesus demonstrated when he walked on earth.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
(James 1:2–4, NIV)

“The amazing thing about Jesus is that he doesn’t just patch up our lives, he gives us a brand-new sheet, a clean slate to start over, all new.”
—Gloria Gaither

God uses change to transform our situations because he wants us to accomplish the good things and purposes for which he created us. He designed us with specific abilities. He placed each one of us in a particular family and environment. All so he can accomplish what he has planned for us.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
(Ephesians 2:10)

God uses change to transform our relationships because he wants us to experience and share the depth of love that is characteristic of his very nature.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
(1 John 4:11–12, NIV)

Learn to embrace change. Your life is in the hands of your heavenly Father who will lead you into a glorious future.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.”
(Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

God desires the very best for you and he has mapped out a perfect course for your life that will result in your utmost joy and fulfillment. Embrace the change, even though it may be difficult and is moving you beyond your comfort zone. Trust your heavenly Father. He knows what he is doing.

22970.005 Growing in Tough Times

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
(Romans 5:3–5)

Each one of us has experienced difficulties at various times throughout our life. Usually, these trials dominate a day, or maybe a week. But there are other times when we encounter a crisis that is life-altering. When that happens, we find ourselves walking through a valley so dark and deep we wonder if we will ever see sunshine again.

With every trial, we face the temptation to abandon God while the evil one whispers in our ear “Give up on God. After all, hasn’t he abandoned you?” But in reality, God is with us even in our darkest hours, regardless of what our emotions or demonic voices tell us. God knows what we are going through and reaches out his hand, not to save us from the situation but so we can walk through that valley with him.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
(Isaiah 43:2)

“Our loving God uses difficulty in our lives to burn away the sin of self and build faith and spiritual power.”
—Bill Bright

Adversity looks a whole lot better when you see it through your rear-view mirror. It’s only when a crisis is far enough in your past that you can see the bigger picture and appreciate the good that God accomplished through pain and suffering.

God uses adversity as a tool to refine us and increase our capacity for greatness.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
(James 1:2–4)

Perhaps the most difficult crises are the ones where we felt betrayed by those we trusted. God molds us and shapes us through trials. But when he has used others in the process, we can leave the valley shouldering bitterness toward them. As a result, in a sense, we imprison ourselves with unforgiveness.

Difficult life experiences shape us. Through those experiences, God allows us the opportunity to grow in our spiritual character so we reflect more on his values and strength. But it is our choice whether we allow that transformation to take place. If we harbor resentment toward God and others, we will leave the valley diminished instead of stronger.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
(Romans 8:28)

22970.006 Moving On

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 3:13–14)

Experiences from our past have a strong effect on our lives and our behavior. Great experiences can give us confidence and faith. However, sometimes tough experiences can make us bitter, fearful, and untrusting which can produce a devastating effect on our lives and our relationships.

Most of us have some history we would like to erase. How about you? Are you haunted by things you did—things you want to forget, actions for which you still feel condemned?

Before the apostle Paul became a committed disciple of Christ, he was a persecutor of the followers of Jesus. This was part of his history that he wished he could erase. And even after he became a Christian, he still struggled with his old nature and at times slipped into sin. Paul shares his struggle and Christ’s solution,

Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind, I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. (Romans 7:24–25)

He continues, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:1–2).

We need to see beyond the sins and mistakes of yesterday so we can embrace Christ’s promises for tomorrow. Today, accept the grace and forgiveness Christ has provided to us so we can be free to live the new life he has planned for us.

John, the apostle, explains it like this, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NIV).

“Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence.”
—Saint Augustine

We can’t earn God’s forgiveness. It is freely given by him when we acknowledge we have worked against him and ask him for forgiveness. Then he will remove “our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12).

God has an overall plan that is not thwarted by anyone’s mistakes. Negative experiences will be turned into positives for our future when we let God heal us and teach us what we can learn from them—allowing him to conform us to the image of Christ.

22970.007 Seek Divine Guidance

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
(Galatians 5:25)

God wants to guide you on your life journey, but do you know how to discern his direction? How do you separate what God is saying to you from all the other distracting messages around you?

First, prepare your heart to hear God.

By getting right with God

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NIV)

By surrendering your will to God

“We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.” (John 9:31, NIV)

By humbling yourself before God

“And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8, NIV)

By renewing your mind with biblical truth

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV)

By having a mindset of faith, trust, and expectancy toward God

“We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7, NIV)

By being patient and willing to wait on God

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14)

Second, monitor God’s channels of communication.

God directs our steps through his Word, the Bible.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105, NIV)

God directs our steps through the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13, NIV)

God directs our steps through other people.

“Make plans by seeking advice.” (Proverbs 20:18, NIV)

God directs our steps through providential circumstances.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20, NIV)

Third, make sure the direction is from God.

Does it comply with the directions given in God’s written Word?

“Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule oversee.” (Psalm 119:133)

Does it make sense when you use sanctified reasoning that is based on God’s truth?

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV)

Does it seem to fit with the surrounding circumstances?

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” (Ephesians 1:11, NIV)

Does it concur with the advice you have received from wise godly counselors?

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22, NIV)

Does it generate a supernatural inner peace and calmness that cannot be attributed to your circumstances?

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7, NIV)

You do not have to be able to answer “yes” to all of the preceding questions to confirm the direction as being from God. However, if you answer “no” to any of these questions, wait on God to give you more confirmation before taking action.

Fourth, trust God to guide you.

Believe God will give you the wisdom you need.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5, NIV)

Rely on God to show you the right way.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” (Psalm 32:8, NIV)

Expect God to confirm or redirect your steps.

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9, NIV)

Discovering God’s will and discerning his direction is more dependent on your relationship with him than a process of steps. He wants to guide you. Stay close to him. Hear his words. Notice his signs. He will reveal his plan to you at the right time.