Praying and Doing God's Will

Beginning.......

Have you ever struggled trying to figure out what to do, what needed to be done and of course knowing and doing the will of God…????

Yes, we have been there...Perhaps you’re there today.

I’ve been there. Perhaps you’re there today. You’re seeking God’s will about some decision, and you simply don’t have clarity. Maybe these steps will help you as you press forward.

You’re seeking God’s will about some decision, and you simply don’t have clarity.

So reading through some devotions and my study Bible I thought this might be a good topic for tonight....

So reading through some devotions and my study Bible I thought this might be a good topic for tonight....

1. Be faithfully in the Word of God.

Be faithfully in the Word of God. I know this first step might sound too basic, but that’s the point: you’re not going to determine what God wants if you don’t put yourself in a position to hear from Him. Neglecting the Word won’t bring clarity. 

 I know this first step might sound too basic, but that’s the point: you’re not going to determine what God wants if you don’t put yourself in a position to hear from Him. Neglecting the Word won’t bring clarity. 

Joshua 1:8 ESV

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

The word is essential to knowing and doing the will of God. when we follow it we put our self in the position of hearing God.

2. Follow what you do know to do. 

The problem with most of us is not that we can’t figure out God’s will; it’s that we don’t obey Him in the things that are clear in the scriptures

An example of this might be avoiding sin, abstaining from those things that hurt and divide us from God.

So abstain from sexual sins, what about thoughts....

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

And remember , the word tells us to give thanks in all things..

(like giving thanks and avoiding sexual immorality—, ).

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

You know this week our church has experienced death, someone we love has lost a son.

:18

So let me ask a question, how can we give things in those circumstances?

What are other things that the Lord has told us to be faithful in?

Get someone else to pray for you and with you. Find another believer who can intercede for you. You don’t have to be the one whose voice says the words you want to say.

3. Deal with any unrepentant sin issues. 

I’m not sure we understand how much our ongoing sin hinders our following God faithfully. It blocks our prayers and hampers our fellowship.

It robs us of joy and risks the judgment of God. Moreover, it makes it difficult to hear God clearly. 

When we become stained with sin and realize it we can

1 John 1:9 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

On things I think about is the sin of Ai in the book of Joshua, and how one man kept the people of God from having victory over the enemies of God.

4. Be faithful to your last point of clarity. I trust you are where you are today because you followed God to that place and that work. If so, trust that God has you there until He gives you clarity in some other direction. 

Serve God in the present tense. This point, of course, connects with #4 above. Yesterday is gone, and God already has tomorrow in His hands. Leave tomorrow there – and be faithful today.   

Be faithful to your last point of clarity. I trust you are where you are today because you followed God to that place and that work. If so, trust that God has you there until He gives you clarity in some other direction. 

5. Be faithful to pray......

Serve God in the present tense. This point, of course, connects with #4 above. Yesterday is gone, and God already has tomorrow in His hands. Leave tomorrow there – and be faithful today.   

I have put this last, but honestly it is really important....

But how do we do this? Dont forget the Lord’s prayer. when the disciples asked Jesus how they should pray, one of the thoughts the Lord had for them in the module prayer was the simple fact

Matthew 6:10 ESV

10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Are we asking for His will, His kingdom, His purpose and plans to happen here on earth. Our prayers need to focus on HIs will for our life, His church and the work we are do for this to happen.

1 John 5:14–15 ESV

14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

I John 5:

A. What about when we struggle in prayer. Do you ever struggle in praying or feel like our prayers and going no farther than the ceiling?

Struggle through a short prayer, being honest with God. That is, a few words are okay . . . even if the words are, “God, I can’t pray right now.” He knows your heart, and He can hear your unspoken words in your emotions.

Get someone else to pray for you and with you. Find another believer who can intercede for you. You don’t have to be the one whose voice says the words you want to say.

5. Take a walk, knowing that Jesus is praying for you. That’s what and tell us. The exercise will be good for you, and the trust in the Word will strengthen you.

What do you do when you can’t even pray? 

Hebrews 7:25 ESV

25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Romans 8:34 ESV

34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

6. Just sit quietly with God and listen. It seldom hurts us to sit still, be quiet, meditate on God, and just listen – especially when we’re struggling. God has a powerful way of calming our soul when we just listen.

6. Just sit quietly with God and listen. It seldom hurts us to sit still, be quiet, meditate on God, and just listen – especially when we’re struggling. God has a powerful way of calming our soul when we just listen.

6. Just sit quietly with God and listen. It seldom hurts us to sit still, be quiet, meditate on God, and just listen – especially when we’re struggling. God has a powerful way of calming our soul when we just listen.

Ask the Lord to help you delight in Him—and leave the next steps in His hands (). When we know Him, the unknown is not nearly as troublesome. After all, nothing is unknown to Him.   

Ask the Lord to help you delight in Him—and leave the next steps in His hands (). When we know Him, the unknown is not nearly as troublesome. After all, nothing is unknown to Him.   

What steps have been most helpful to you?   

07/24/17 Steadfast Love

READING: , “How precious is your steadfast love, O God!” It is hard to fathom how much God loves us. We sing the simple words, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so,” and it’s right to understand His love with the…

July 24, 2017

In "Devotional"

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Decide if it’s a sin issue that keeps you from praying. If your pain is the result of your continuing in sin, you have no option but to confess your wrong and seek God’s forgiveness. God’s grace can reopen your prayer channel.

March 23, 2018

Get someone else to pray for you and with you. Find another believer who can intercede for you. You don’t have to be the one whose voice says the words you want to say.  

Meditate on the Word. If you can’t talk to God, let Him talk to you. Read some of the psalms, recognizing that you’re not the first person to wrestle through grief and pain. You might find that your listening to God makes it easier to talk to Him.

Write your prayer. I’m not a journaler, but I’ve found it helpful to write my prayer when I couldn’t speak it. Sometimes putting the words on paper also helps bring clarity to my hurting thinking.

What do you do when you can’t even pray? 

In "Blog"

03/12/16 No Counsel?

Heb

Hebrews 7:25 ESV

25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

READING:  Have you ever made a decision and later looked back to think, “I sure wish I’d prayed about that some more”? I suspect all of us have more than one story like that. The problem with that kind of story is that we don’t recognize we didn’t pray enough until it’s late in…

March 12, 2016

In "Devotional"

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2 Comments

📷DRUIE BLACKAPRIL 17, 2018 AT 8:47 AM

Dr. Lawless, thank you for your instructive and encouraging blogs. Related to this blog, I am finding that learning to be content is critically important. I realize this relates to point 4, but expands on it.

REPLY📷CHUCK LAWLESSAPRIL 17, 2018 AT 8:50 AM

Good point!

REPLY

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