1. We must obey God’s clearly revealed will in his Word. When God says that his will for us is our sanctification (1 Thess 4:3) and for us to give thanks (1 Thess 5:16–18), we do not need to wonder what we should do. This is the first step in any serious effort to find God’s will for one’s life. It would be foolish to try to determine what vocation God would desire a person to pursue, whom to marry, where to locate, etc. when that person would refuse to do God's will as he has revealed it in the Bible.
There is more than enough for each one of us to work on in this area. Allegedly, Mark Twain once said, "It's not the things in the Bible I don’t understand that bother me, it’s the things I do understand." We need to be committed to obeying God’s will as it is clearly revealed in Scripture.
2. We must live our lives in conformity with Scriptural principles. A biblical principle is the crux of biblical truth. A principle is a statement of God’s authoritative truth that transcends time and culture.
Everything we do should have a biblical principle behind it. We should be able, if asked, to give a biblical reason why we do anything. If we cannot give a good biblical reason why we are doing something, that should immediately throw up a red flag as to whether that is a legitimate activity for a Christian. Everything that we as Christians do must be done to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31). We should be thoroughly biblical in our living and decision making. We should have a "Bible-soaked" mind (Col 3:16).
This biblical basis for life should saturate every area of our life and should not be jettisoned when we begin to discuss contemporary issues in the world around us or personal situations in our lives. We should not decide for or against a practice or ideal based simply on logic or, worse yet, sentiment. Rather, we should seek to have the “mind of Christ” on every issue (cf. 1 Cor 2:16; 7:40).
3. Our church, the local assembly of believers, plays an important role in helping us know what God's will is for our life. In our individualistic American society, we tend to downplay the part the community of believers plays in helping us know what we ought to do. The local assembly provides a forum for service and loving leadership to confirm one’s calling.
Both of these things can be seen in God’s calling of the first two missionaries from the church at Antioch in Acts 13:1–4.
"Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus."
Notice that the location of this "call" to ministry was a local church. Second, notice that these men were serving the Lord in their church when the "call" came. Third, notice that the church, upon accepting and confirming these men as called by God, released them from their assembly to do the work God had given them. Notice however, that the One who sent them out was the Holy Spirit.
A second representative passage shows how God’s will can be made known through the local body of believers. 2 Corinthians 8:18–19 describes how the churches chose one of their own to deliver a financial gift to other churches. This determined the "will of God" for this man.
"With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will."
Along the same lines, a man can claim that God has called him to be an overseer or a deacon, but that is not what gives him that office. The will of the assembly as they select and install that man points out the will of God.
In summary, two things should be noted: a believer ought to be involved in the service of his or her local church. Second, a believer ought to be submissive to the leadership of his church, because God has placed those men over him (1 Thess 5:12–13; Heb 13:7, 17). They can recognize and confirm a person's gifts and calling.
4. God gives unique gifts to each believer that equip him or her to serve. 1 Corinthians 12 makes it quite clear that God has given unique gifts (vv. 4–6, 8–10, 28–30) to each believer (vv. 7, 11) to benefit the entire body of believers (vv. 7, 25–26). Each person has a unique set of gifts and abilities that will enable him to fit perfectly into the role God has prepared for him. How does one know what gifts and abilities they possess? The church leadership can be of invaluable help in pointing out these things.
5. God places desires and aspirations in the heart of each believer. This is the most subjective part of all, but God gives a desire or "burden" to believers concerning how they will serve him. These desires ought not be taken lightly. We know that God places the aspiration to serve as an elder into the hearts of certain men (1 Tim 3:1).
2 Corinthians 8:16 speaks of God laying a burden for ministry to the Corinthians on Titus' heart. "But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you." While these things can be difficult to discern, it seems that God will give an unshakeable desire for service to those whom he wants to serve him.
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