Guidance in living the Kingdom life

Scripture for the year 2025 Matthew chapter 6 verses nine to 15, with particular emphasis on verse 10

Matthew 6:10 (NKJV) — 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

Theme: Living the Kingdom life and walking in the will of the Lord

It would be very challenging to find another practical issue regarding the Christian life more than knowing and doing the will of God

Whatever comes from our choices in life will be our responsibility, 'our fault'.

It is probably one of the most asked questions by the believer “How can I know Gods will for_____”

The scriptures in Ephesian chapter five verse 17 says

Ephesians 5:17 (NKJV) — 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

This statement carries a lot of weight in deciding whether we are living a life that truly matters, a life aligned with the very heart and purpose of our Creator.

Foolishness versus understanding.

What does it mean to be foolish in this context? It’s not necessarily about a lack of intelligence or making silly mistakes. Here, foolishness speaks to living without direction, drifting aimlessly through life, driven by fleeting desires and the ever-shifting tides of the world.

It’s about prioritising the temporal over the eternal, the superficial over the substantial. It's about living as if God, the architect of the universe and the author of our very being, has no plan or purpose for our lives.

And against this backdrop of potential foolishness, Paul issues a clear and compelling call: “understand what the Lord’s will is.”

This isn't presented as optional or for just the the super-spiritual

It’s a fundamental responsibility for every believer. To be a follower of Christ is to actively seek and strive to understand the direction He has for us.

But the question that naturally arises is: how do we, in our human frailty and limited understanding, grasp the vast and intricate will of an infinite God?

But before we go on to discuss the guidance, we must first of all consider two theological perspectives

The doctrines of adoption and the Sovereignty of God, the assumption that God guides only His children and that God exerts pervasive control over all human affairs

This control is perfectly compatible with human moral responsibility

According to J. I Packer in his book “knowing God”

“The entire Christian life has to be understood in terms of adoption”

Romans 8:15 (NKJV) — 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:4–5 (NKJV) — 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Similarly, when considering the sovereignty of God, can the christian be confident that God is capable of bringing to pass what he desires of us

There is no conflict therefore between human responsibility, moral accountability and the sovereignty of God

Ephesians 1:11 (NLT) — 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

J. I Packer would also lay some blame for contemporary Christians not being able to hear God at the feet of some Pentecostals, whom he says postulate that God would only communicate internally to the mind of the believer, or through a revelatory message, most often through the spiritual gift of prophecy

What may then be said in summary?

J. I. Packer again in his book “guard us, guide us”

"God guides us by means of the Bible's teaching, the exercise of wisdom, and the counsel of fellow believers, plus insights and ideals sparked within us by the examples of faithful folk past and present, and supremely by the virtues shown in the way that the Lord Jesus lived."

The guidance of God is not supposed to be the primary goal, but rather, to be a mature people in a loving relationship with God.

Firstly, we must recognise that God desires for us to know His will. He is not a distant, capricious deity who keeps His plans shrouded in mystery.

Through His Word, the Bible, He has revealed foundational truths about His character, His love, His justice, and His ultimate purposes for humanity. Scripture provides the broad strokes of His will: to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Within its pages, we find guidance on how to live a life that honours Him – through honesty, integrity, compassion, forgiveness, and a commitment to justice.

We meditate constantly on God's principles for life as set forth in the Scriptures, always striving to penetrate more deeply into their meaning and into their application for our own lives.

Quotes from Dalllas Willard

"Christian meditation, very simply, is the ability to hear God's voice and obey his word. It is that simple... The great God of the universe, the Creator of all things desires our fellowship. In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve talked with God and God talked with them—they were in communion." - Celebration of Discipline

"The purpose of meditation is to enable us to hear God more clearly. Meditation is listening, sensing, heeding the life and light of Christ. This comes right to the heart of our faith. The life that pleases God is not a set of religious duties; it is to hear His voice and obey His word." - Celebration of Discipline

"Guidance means the glorious life of hearing God's voice and obeying his word." - Celebration of Discipline

Understanding God's will involves a posture of humility and dependence.

We cannot approach this task with arrogance, assuming our own wisdom is sufficient. Instead, we must come before Him with open hearts and minds, acknowledging our need for His guidance.

As the Psalmist prayed, "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God"

Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.”

Prayer becomes an essential tool in this pursuit, a constant dialogue with our Heavenly Father, seeking His wisdom and discernment.

The Holy Spirit, the very presence of God within us, plays a crucial role in illuminating His will. Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:13).

As we cultivate a close relationship with the Spirit through prayer, study of the Word, and obedience, He begins to shape our desires, align our hearts with God's own, and provide us with an inner knowing and conviction regarding the path we should take.

God often speaks through the body of Christ, the church. We are not meant to walk this journey in isolation. Wise counsel from mature believers, those who have demonstrated a life of seeking and following God's will, can provide valuable perspective and confirmation.

We are alert and attentive to what is happening in our life, and in our mind and heart. It is there that God's communications come and identify themselves, whatever the external occasion may be.

We pray, and speak to God constantly and specifically, about the matters which concern us. Nothing is too insignificant or too hopeless to communicate with God about.

listen, carefully and deliberately, for God.

Ask God to inform you, in whatever way he chooses, if there is some hindrance within you.

Seek counsel from at least two people whose relationship with God you respect, preferably those who are not your 'friends' This may be done in a group setting if it does not concern an inherently private matter.

If you find a cause for why God's word could not come, correct it. Whatever it is. Mercilessly. Just do it.