Leadership, Knowing God's Will
Proverbs 3:5-6
Initial Question
- What one question would you ask Jesus Christ?
- Importance of knowing and doing God's will for a committed Christian
Four Fast Facts
Fact 1: God Has a Plan and Purpose
- God's individual plan for each person
- Significance of being personally related to the Lord of the universe
- Scriptures: Ephesians 2:8-10
Fact 2: God's Will is Dynamic
- God's will is like a scroll, not a static blueprint
- Misconceptions about discovering God's will
- Illustration: Pinata ceremony
- Scripture: Isaiah 48:17
Fact 3: God Promises to Reveal His Will
- God is committed to revealing His plan
- Scriptures: Psalm 73:24, Psalm 32:8, Proverbs 3:5-6
Fact 4: Understanding Biblical Belief
- Two aspects of God's will:
- General instructions for all Christians
- Specific decisions unique to each individual
- Example: Decision-making in daily life
- Scriptures: Matthew 28 (Great Commission), James 1:2, 1:19, 2 Corinthians 6:14
Prerequisites for Special Guidance
Prerequisite 1: Become a Child of God
- Scriptures: John 6:28-29, John 10:3-4.
Prerequisite 2: Act on What You Already Understand
- Emphasis on prayer and obedience
Prerequisite 3: Be Willing to Accept Before You Know
- Example: Willingness to go to Africa
Principles for Guidance
Principle 1: Understand the clear teaching of the Word of God
Principle 2: Prayer
Principle 3: Circumstances (with caution)
Principle 4: Counsel of other Christians
Pitfalls in Seeking God's Will
Pitfall 1: Desire and God's Design
- Misconception that enjoyment means it's not God's will
- Scripture: Psalm 37:4
Pitfall 2: Subjective Confirmation
- Relying too much on feelings
Pitfall 3: Logical Implications
- God's will may defy logic
- Example: Abraham and Isaac
Pitfall 4: Using God's Will as a Wheelbarrow
- Manipulating God's will to fit personal desires
Pitfall 5: Taking Bible Verses Out of Context
- Importance of contextual understanding
Pitfall 6: Stress-Free and Problem-Free Misconception
- Examples: Abraham's journey, Job's friends
Pitfall 7: Previous Disobedience Doesn't Sentence You to Mediocrity
- Example: John Mark's redemption
Final Encouragment
- It is harder to miss God's will if you genuinely seek it
- God's commitment to revealing His plan
*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.
About the Contributors
Howard G. Hendricks
Dr. Howard G. Hendricks, known simply as “Prof,” directly or indirectly touched millions of lives in the evangelical community and beyond. For more than sixty years Prof served on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), where he taught more than ten thousand students. He served as the chairman of the Center for Christian Leadership for over twenty years. He also ministered in person in more than eighty countries. Through speaking engagements, radio, tapes, films, the sixteen books he authored and coauthored, countless journal and popular-market articles, his service on numerous boards, and his work as a chaplain to the Dallas Cowboys (1976–1984), his reach was and is worldwide.
His legacy, in partnership with Jeanne, his wife of more than sixty-five years, includes four children and six grandchildren. Holding large audiences enthralled at venues such as Billy Graham’s conference center or Promise Keepers’ stadium rallies, Prof would confide, “It’s wonderful to be here with you, but I have a group of delicious students waiting for me back at the seminary.”
Contributors
