If this is a question that you have been asking, then I’d like to share some Scriptures with you that could give you some direction and provide an answer to your query.
Psalm 23:1-3
“ The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.”
Psalm 32:8
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
Psalm 48:14
“For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end."
Psalm 73:24
“You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 16:9 (Proverbs 20:2, Jer 10:23)
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Isaiah 58:11
“The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden; like a spring whose waters never fail.”
John 10:3-4
“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.”
James 4:15
“Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
After studying the Scriptures above, we need to spend time with God and listen to what He wants for our lives. The Swiss Bible Union paper confronts the things that God wants and does not want from us:
| What God wants for us | Things that God does not want for us | |
| Purity | Immorality | 1Thess 4:4-5 |
| Honesty | Fraud | 1 Thess 4:6 |
| Love | Indifference | I Thess 4:9-10 |
| Work | Laziness | 1 Thess 4:11 |
| Attention | Arrogance | 1 Thess 5:12-13 |
| Patience | Impatience | 1 Thess 5:14 |
| Gratitude | Contempt | 1 Thess 5:18 |
| Humility | Pride | Phil 2:3-5 |
Let us start with doing what we have known through the Scriptures as God’s will. For many of our questions, the Bible gives us an answer. By being attentive to the Word of God and the nudging of our conscience, we will be reminded to match our decisions with the spirit of Christ and His nature.
The Question: What Would Jesus Do (WWJD)? has its place here.
The aim is therefore to apply God’s principles which are revealed by the Spirit of God to our current situations and allow our decisions to be Biblically motivated.
Example:
Suppose you decided to buy a car. You wonder: Is it God’s will for me to buy a new Porsche?
At this point, I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions:
1. Why do I want to buy a Porsche?
2. How do you want to finance your car?
Many sports car owners want to stand out (status, pride) and/or they exceed the speed limits, making the streets unsafe (threat to life, violation of traffic regulations, pollution etc.). Perhaps, the realization should be that you cannot spend so much on a material item with sacrifice. Do you sacrifice the gifts that God has given you and act selfishly just to purchase an expensive itemand stand out in your community? The Bible, therefore, gives us clear answers to our questions.
So would you be able to buy a Porsche with a clear conscience, without showing off your car, making the roads unsafe or neglecting the Kingdom of God?
Next, I would like to give you an overview of principles. You can read these Scriptures and answer these questions before you make any decisions.
Does this stop me from emulating Christ? (1 John 2:6)
Am I conforming to the world? (Romans 12:2)
Do I have doubts about whether this is right? (Romans 14:23)
Will this break me spiritually? (Hebrews 12:1)
Has it taken me prisoner? Has this decision or object become an idol? (1 Corinthians 6:12)
Will I be glorified, rather than Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Will this cause my brother to stumble? (Romans 14:20-21)
Is this unproductive or inappropriate spiritually? (1 Corinthians 10:23)
I am incapable of living in God's holiness? (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Am I acting out of lust or do I have impure intentions? (2 Timothy 2:22)
Will it harm my body? (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Are my plans motivated by pride or selfishness? (Proverbs 16:5)
Have my priorities shifted? (Matthew 6:33)
Is my Christian testimony being threatened? (Romans 14:16)
Does this lead to impure or evil thoughts? (Philippians 4:8)
Does this include impure or bad images? (Psalm 101:3)
If you have answered yes to any of the questions, you need to recognize the fact that this matter is contrary to God’s plan for your life.
Finally, I want to briefly deal with an important question: Does God still lead and speak to us personally though the Holy Spirit?
Even today, God can still speak to us (John 10:3-4¸ Acts 8:29), and remind us of things that Jesus taught (John 14:26) and raise our concern on the attitude and positioning of our hearts (Luke 2:27).
We need the Holy Spirit to help us know God’s will. He enlightens the eyes of our heart(Ephesians 1:18), so that we can understand the reasons described in the Bible and learn to apply the Word effectively to our lives.
Written by Christian Pälchen
