The LORD will perfect that which concerns me (Psa 138:8)

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me (Psa 138:8)

The LORD always finishes what He starts. Men may start works that they leave unfinished; but, God always finishes what He starts. However, when it comes to His work in our lives, He can't perfect it without our cooperation. There are three essential things:

1. Absolute Trust and Confidence in God's Working
"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Phi 1:6)

Trust implies: (a) Faith in God's goodness and His work, to believe in Him even when everything looks the opposite. (b) Patience (James 1:4). To let patience do its work. To never compromise with anything that goes against the will of God.

2. Understanding of God's Will and Work in Our Lives
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Phi 2:12-13)

We can understand God's will and work in our lives through the living Word of God who separates the soul from the spirit (Heb.4:12) and helps us to discern the promptings of the Spirit (Gal.5:16,17).

In an unspiritual man, desires are confused and he isn't able to discern what is of the Spirit and what is of the self; but, in a spiritual man who is governed by the living word of God, and who is mature, the distinction is clear (Heb.5:14).

The spiritual man is able to see the work of God in his life. He knows that God is working even though it seems God is absent from the scene.

3. Casting all Cares on Jesus and Being Ruled by the Peace of God
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Phi 4:6-7)

When God's peace rules in our hearts and minds, the world gets puzzled because it can't understand this at all; God's peace surpasses all understanding.

When God's peace rules in our hearts, all doubts and fears of the heart are quelled and the boat sails softly, carried forward by the gentle breezes of the Spirit.

The spiritual man doesn't worry, doesn't unnecessarily hurry, but spends time in prayer with thanksgiving. And, when he does that he lays aside his will and submits to the will of God, and God perfects what He starts, He perfects that which concerns us.

How Do We Know If An Opportunity Is From God?

1. Usually, it should be clear; but, if there is doubt, then there are reasons to reconsider (Rom.14:23)
2. Sometimes the goal may be noble, but the opportunity not. Any opportunity that compels you to hurry ahead of God will land you in a crash (Jer.48:10).
3. It should not invite you to do things or employ means that the Bible clearly forbids. If it does so, it is not divine opportunity but temptation to sin (James 1:13).
4. It should not tempt God, i.e. it should not be something like "I will jump from the pinnacle, He will send His angels in time to save me, because His Word promises so" (Matt.4:6,7). It will lead to disaster.
5. It should not be forced by human whims, even so-called prophecy or divine leading, especially when you don't have peace about it in your heart. Remember how a young prophet fell prey to a lion because he disobeyed God by listening to the lie of a prophet (1Kgs.13:16-24). There is a reason why Paul mentioned that when He heard God's call, he didn't confer with flesh and blood (Gal.1:16).
6. It should not be governed by lust. James tells us that lust seduces and leads to sin. The leading of God is opposed to lust (James 1:14,15).
7. It should not attempt to deceive God's servants, thinking that they will not know. God has given them to watch over your souls (Heb.13:17). To try to hide from them facts out of shame or fear of disapproval may prove that the means are evil. It is against the Spirit of God. Remember Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:3,4, 9,10).

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Related
God's Will

God's Will

God's will is His desire, intent, and purpose.

Five Aspects of God's Will
1. God's Personal Will - The will of God that He accomplishes and which is uneffected by what any volitional beings do (Ps.115:3; Heb.6:17,18).
2. God's Prescriptive Will - The will that God prescribes for us to follow (1Jn.2:17; 1Thess.4:3). This includes both God's mandatory and prohibitory will (things that He commands us to do and things that He prohibits us to do).
3. God's Preferred Will - The will of God that prefers something over another (1Tim.2:1; Rom.12:2)
4. God's Permissive Will - The will of God that permits certain things, though they are not preferred by Him (Acts 14:16).
5. God's Pliable Will - The will of God that can be changed through human responses (Gen.18:23ff; Exo.32:11-13,14; Jonah 3:10)

How we can abide in God's will
1. Seeking God (Prov.28:5)
2. Seeking Discernment (Prov.2:3,4,5; Col.1:9; James 1:5)
3. Repenting from sin (2Cor.3:16; 1Jn.1:6-8)
4. Obeying God's Word - His Written Will (1Jn.2:17)
5. Renewing the mind (Rom.12:2)
6. Being Spiritually minded (1Cor.2:14)
7. Praying in the Spirit (Rom.8:27)

Knowing God's Will in Life (Rom.12:2) - Sermon

Text: Romans 12:2
Wednesday, July 13.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom 12:2)

Knowing God's will is important. It is not an option, but a necessity.

Jesus walked according to His Father's will. "Not as I will, but as You will" He prayed in the Garden of Gethsamane. He was led by the Holy Spirit and worked and taught by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1,2; 10:38). He has given us the Spirit so that we may walk according to His leading in our life.

For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (1Co 2:11-12)

There are three things necessary in order for us to be able to discern and be led according to the will of God:

1. Repentance from Sin
Which means turning away from sin, the world, and a carnal way of living.

Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.(2Cor 3:16)

Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:1). Repentance towards Christ the Lord is the entry door into the life and walk of the Spirit. As long as one lives a carnal and worldly life, one cannot expect to know the will of God.

2. Renewal of Mind

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom 12:2)

When we get soaked in the voices and influences of the world, we conform to it. The devil does his best to bombard us with such influences.

But, when we turn to prayer and meditation on the Word of God, it renews our mind. Remember, the Spirit never acts contrary to the Word of God. He confirms the Word and brings conviction according to it. He speaks to us through the Word of God. Jesus never spoke anything apart from the Scriptures. He always used to point to what was written and how it is fulfilled in Him. Unless our minds have become mature by exercises of the Word, we can't expect to receive the things of God.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1Co 2:14)
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:12-14)

3. Spirit-Filled Living

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.(Eph 5:17-21)

Being filled with the Spirit, praying in the Spirit, in tongues, fellowshipping with other believers, testifying, worshipping, and glorifying God through a life of faith and love are important in order for us to be receptive of and be sensitive to the Spirit of God. Unless we are Spirit-filled, we cannot expect to be led by the Spirit of God.

May the Lord grant us the grace to seek His will in His Word and live a life that is pleasing to Him!