3 Prerequisites To Knowing Where God Wants You

Can I share some good news with those of you who haven’t found your God-ordained passion or dream,  big audacious goal or one God idea or life mission? Here it is: God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get where God wants you to go. So that takes the pressure off of us.  But there are some necessary prerequisites to knowing where God wants you. Here they are…

#1 Prerequisite – A Relationship With Jesus

Many of my readers have already accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and acknowledged Him as Lord.  But if you have not made this important decision, most of what you read on this blog will have little meaning for you. Spiritual matters can only be understood by those who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them (see 1 Cor. 2:14).

If you don’t know for certain that you are a Christian or have doubts, now is the time to settle the matter and accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord.  Ask God to speak to you as you read the following Scriptures.

·         Romans 3:23 All have sinned.

·         Romans 6:23 Eternal life is a free gift of God.

·         Romans 5:8 Because of His love for you, Jesus paid the death penalty for your sins.

·         Romans 10:9-10 Confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead.

·         Romans 10:13 Ask God to save you and He will. 

To place your faith in Jesus and receive His gift of eternal life, you must —

·         Recognize you are a sinner who needs a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

·         Confess (agree with God about) your sins.

·         Repent of your sins (turn from sin to God).

·         Ask Jesus to save you by His grace.

·         Turn over the rule of your life to Jesus, letting Him be your Lord.

If you need help, call on a pastor or a Christian friend for help.  If you have just made this important decision, tell someone the good news of what God has done in your life. Email me at dseeley@winfluence.org  with your address and I will mail you a free Bible. Then find a church that teaches the Bible and will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus.

#2  Prerequisite – A Daily Time with God.

Can you imagine going on a trip across country without a map, GPS or road signs?  Even with a good sense of direction it would be very difficult to reach your desired destination.  Can you imagine going on a flight with a pilot who flew his plane by intuition?  You could expect to crash. Same with life. If you don’t spend regular time with God in His word you will struggle with knowing where He wants you or what He wants you to do.  You may often think God is distant or lack intimacy with Him.  Scripture tells us Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. You can enjoy intimacy with the Lord.

To know God and what He wants to say to you personally you must prayerfully read His word.  I hear people say that they spend daily time with God because they pray all the time…shower, car, while listening to music, on the subway, bus and at the office. This is good but to know God and what he has to say to you the Bible is a necessary part. And not just a devotional book or a book written about God or even a Bible study book that someone has written.  A devotion or a quiet time is spending time with the Lord in prayer and His word. Not just praying in your car on the way to work.  If you are in a Bible study ask the leader to personally teach you how to have a quiet time. 

Until we know how to have a quiet time we will continue to make decisions based on our emotions vs. what God wants us to do and also be dependent on others for our spiritual growth.  Even prayer regarding a decision will be influenced by our emotions  vs. the Holy Spirit.  A few years ago a pastor friend went to visit the wife of another pastor who was in the hospital with terminal cancer.  He casually asked her How has the Lord been speaking to you through His Word?  Long story short…the woman said she prayed all the time but admitted she had no idea how to have a devotion, no one had really ever taught her, nor had she ever heard anyone speak like  this.  Our friend spent time teaching her how this can be done and had a quiet time with her.  At her funeral the husband went over and said to our friend…Thanks for what you did to help my wife spiritually. She said her last 6 months were the best she had ever had with God. The husband shared this to encourage and thank the co-worker but our friend felt very sad that this woman in her 60’s, married to a pastor, did not know who to have a quiet time and hear God speak through His word. When we know how to have a quiet time we will know how to recognize the Lord speaking to us and our spiritual growth will come from this daily fellowship with God.

#3 Prerequisite – Short Accounts With God and Others

The Bible is very clear that if there is sin in our heart against God or another person God will not answer our prayer (Psalm 66:18, Romans 12:18, Matt. 5:23-24).  I had a friend who once said that spiritual maturity is not someone who never blows it but someone who is quick to confess and deal thoroughly with sin.  Immaturity is one who attempts to justify or excuse sin. 

Pride and a calloused heart will hinder us from keeping short accounts with God and others.  I believe if we are in fellowship with a Holy God we will be convicted on a regular basis of sin. If it has been a while since you felt convicted by the Holy Spirit check your heart to see if it has grown calloused. 

As you follow Jesus one day at a time, He will keep you in the center of God’s will.  The Holy Spirit will be your personal teacher and the Scriptures your source of authority.