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Knowing God’s Will Part 12: Lessons From Experiencing God
After my husband and I surrendered to ministry (see last post), the devil tried to redirect us. The enemy does whatever he can to stop us from adjusting to God’s plan. The song Sovereign Over Us comes to mind, especially the lines that say: “even what the enemy means for evil, You turn it for our good and Your glory.” This is where trust kicks in. Stop and listen to that song if you can. Scroll back to part 11 for a refresher on Reality 6 in the Knowing God’s Will series. Adjustment means sacrifice. Sacrifice costs something, for you and those around you. Earlier in my walk with Jesus,…
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Knowing God’s Will Part 11: Lessons From Experiencing God
Are you a planner like I am? Do you expect your plans to come to fruition like you thought? Sometimes, I prefer my plan to what God is putting before me. But when God interrupts, He expects me to make the adjustment to His plan. And sometimes His plan is much harder than mine! If you’ve been following this Knowing God’s Will series, you should see a pattern. If not, please start at Part 1 for clarification. After facing the crisis of belief alongside God’s invitation to join Him in His work, the ball rolls from God’s court to ours. The first 5 realities begin with “God” and His work…
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Knowing God’s Will Part 10: Lessons From Experiencing God
Start with Part 9 from last week, if needed, before reading Part 10. Read Reality 5: God revealed to Joshua and the Israelites what He was going to do as they took that first step, not what they could do. That is how God works through us as well, if we are following His purpose for our lives. Why does He work this way? He doesn’t need us to bring about His purpose. But, we grow to know Him more as we experience Him working in and through our lives. He pursues a love relationship with us that fits us perfectly (see Reality 2, Parts 3-4) as He involves us…
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Knowing God’s Will Part 9: Lessons From Experiencing God
NOTE: For realities 1-4 (Knowing God’s Will parts 1-8), please read earlier posts. What is your initial reaction when you know you’ve heard from God, but it doesn’t make sense? It’s beyond your capacity to do? It’s not in the area of you giftedness, strength, or comfort zone? Read Reality 5: “The first thing you do after you hear God’s voice is critical…what you do next reveals what you believe about God.” (Henry Blackaby) At this point you have to make a decision. Blackaby calls this a “crisis of belief.” Do you believe God can accomplish His will in and through you, or not? You have 2 options: obey or…
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Knowing God’s Will Part 8: Lessons From Experiencing God
How has God spoken to you lately? Remember Reality 4 from last week? As we continue to study the Word, we pray for clarity from the Lord. But what happens if we ask for one thing, & God opens a different door? Blackaby says when this happens, he finds God always has more to give than he asked for! He prays for God to cancel any request that is not His will! I love Priscilla Shirer’s version of this. We will see in Reality 6, when God works differently than we expect, we must adjust to His plan. Sometimes even His silence speaks loudly. Even Jesus had silence in the garden,…
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Knowing God’s Will Part 7: Lessons From Experiencing God
How does God speak into our lives today? In the Old Testament it was through burning bushes, prophets, casting lots, loud wind & gentle whispers. In the Gospels, God spoke through Jesus. From Acts to today He began speaking through the Holy Spirit. Remember…the most important thing is not how He spoke but that He spoke! God speaks in ways we can understand so we know Him & His plan. Sometimes I miss the fact that He wants a personal love relationship with me (See Reality 2) when I’m seeking His will about something. I focus on the earthly answer more than Him! See below words from Henry Blackaby. As…
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Knowing God’s Will Part 6: Lessons From Experiencing God
When you hear God’s voice, have you ever been challenged to walk out a Truth God reveals? It’s so sweet that God not only shows us His Truth, but He invites us to follow that Truth. And He absolutely expects us, at the moment He invites, to obey that invitation! Last week I shared Reality 3 (scroll back for Parts 1-5): God invites us to become involved with Him in His work. We start with watching to see where the God is working around us in the normal course of our day. Even Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. Another sweet thing God does, is He walks…
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Knowing God’s Will Part 5: Lessons From Experiencing God
Do you ever miss being a part of what God is doing around you? Since God is working everywhere around us (Reality 1), how do we know when we are supposed to be a part of His work? We want to serve, but where? Since this is part of a series, if you are just now reading, please check out parts 1-4 in this series, Knowing God’s Will that lead to part 5. Because God pursues a love relationship with us that is real and personal (reality 2), He desires that we become a part of His work on earth. The call to a relationship with Him is a call to…
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Knowing God’s Will Part 4: Lessons From Experiencing God
Have you ever considered whether you pursued God for a relationship or if He pursued you? We talk about “running hard after Jesus” and how we have to accept His offer of salvation, but have you thought about why? Or where it all starts? Reality 2 for Experiencing God is this: God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. (Please check out parts 1-3 in this series, Knowing God’s Will.) Our relationship with Jesus doesn’t start with us. It starts with God. Through the Holy Spirit our heart desires a Savior and seeks to walk with Him, but that is not of our own initiative. This…
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Knowing God’s Will Part 3: Lessons From Experiencing God
Do you ever wonder what God is doing? And when you feel led to serve Him in some way, do you wonder why? Because God is working all the time and in every place to bring His purpose into our lives. This is Reality 1 of Experiencing God: God is always at work around you. (Check out parts 1-2 to understand the direction for this series, Knowing God’s Will.) We see in the life of Moses how God worked to protect Moses’ life, show Him the slavery of His Hebrew brothers, lead him into the wilderness to shepherd sheep and then send him to Egypt to gain release for the Israelites so…
