The Key to Knowing the Will of God

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” JOHN 15:7

 

PONDER THIS

Have you ever wanted to know the will of God while, at the very same time, were not wanting to do the will of God? God is sovereign. If you want to know what God’s will is, you have to spend time with Him. God does not reveal His will to rebels.

The first step in knowing the will of God is to surrender. In John 15:7, Jesus says, “Abide in Me.” That's surrender. Have you ever totally, honestly, sincerely, with all of your heart, with every inch, with every ounce, with every nerve, every fiber, as much as is in you, said “Thy will be done”? Do you want to know God’s will? Abide in Him, surrendering your will to His.

The next step in knowing the will of God is to receive His Word. Jesus follows “Abide in Me” with, “My words abide in you.” That's Scripture. You take the Word of God as God's revelation to you—it is God's Word to you. Do you want to know God's will? Spend time in His Word! It is hypocritical to say we want to know the will of God, and yet do not study the Word of God to know what the will of God is. If you want God’s guidance in your life, spend time with Him.

What is your time with God like? What are some ways you can grow in spending time with Him?

In what situations do you want to know God’s will right now? How have you taken steps toward knowing God’s will so far?

PRACTICE THIS

Talk to someone mature in faith and ask that person what his or her time with God is like.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are You Abiding in Christ?

PRAY OVER THIS

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

 

PONDER THIS

Have you ever been on an airplane? Those things are so heavy. The airplane sits there on the runway, and the law of gravity just holds it there. But the pilot gets behind the controls and eventually, that airplane goes up in the sky. All that weight, all that luggage, all those people, all that steel. When that happens, has the law of gravity been canceled? No, but there is the law of aerodynamics, which supersedes the effect of gravity. When you get saved and right with God, your old flesh is still there. But there’s a new law—it’s the law of life in Christ Jesus that makes you free from the law of sin and death.

Suppose when I was on that airplane, I decided to step outside for some fresh air. The law of gravity is still there. As long as you abide in the Lord Jesus Christ, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus makes you free from the law of sin and death. There are a lot of people today who would like to have an experience that would free them from sin and eradicate the old nature. God will never allow it. Do you know why? He wants you to abide in the Lord Jesus Christ.

What does it look like for you to abide in Jesus?

What has been your experience when you do not abide in Jesus?

PRACTICE THIS

Put up a note in a place you see frequently to encourage you toward abiding in Christ.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Will You Run To or From Jesus?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Therefore, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” 1 John 2:24

 

PONDER THIS

When I was a little boy, my dad was in the Coast Guard. I lived in West Palm Beach, and he was stationed in Hope Sound, Florida. He drove a Model A Ford, and Hope Sound was about 40 miles from our house. Before he would go off to duty, he would tell my brother and me that we had yard work and other chores to do. We knew that when Dad came home, we had to report. Now, I must confess, I was not always very diligent in doing everything that my father told me to do. Sometimes I was and sometimes I wasn’t.

But if you know anything about Model A Fords, they have a peculiar sound. You can hear that sound about a block away. We’d be out playing baseball or whatever and we would hear him coming. If I had done what my dad had told me to do, when I’d hear that Model A Ford coming, I’d just take off running and jump on the running board. I’d reach in the window, hug his neck, kiss him, and it was a joy to see him. But there were other times when I heard that Model A Ford coming that I’d go the other way. Why? Because I had not been abiding, I’d not been obeying, I’d not been doing what he had told me to do. Similarly, when Jesus comes, I want to meet Him with boldness, I want to meet Him with joy. I want to abide in Him.

How does your life show that you are preparing for Jesus’ return?

If Jesus were to return today, would you be more likely to run to Him or from Him? Why?

PRACTICE THIS

Consider today how you might further prepare for Jesus’ return.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are You Bearing Fruit?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me”... 

(John 15:4)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Have you ever seen a fruit factory? No. You might have seen a shirt factory, but you will not see a fruit factory. You will only find a fruit orchard.

You see, there is no fruit without life. You’re not going to grow and produce the fruit of the Spirit unless you’re walking in the Spirit. The Bible says in Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” The only way that fruit is going to ripen and grow is in the right climate. Abide in Jesus.

ACTION POINT:

Are you abiding? Are you being fruitful? Ask God to show you where you need to make changes so that you are walking in the Spirit.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Why aren't there fruit factories?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing. John 15:4-5

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I’ll tell you one thing about fruit. You will never see a fruit factory. Now, you’ll see factories for making clothing, cars, and computers, but not a fruit factory. Instead, fruit is grown in an orchard. You see, there is no fruit without life. “The fruit of the Spirit is patience,” Galatians 5:22 says. You cannot manufacture patience. A few verses later it adds, “If we live in the Spirit, let’s walk in the Spirit.” The only way fruit is going to ripen and grow is in the right climate and with the right nutrients.

Just like we can’t grow bananas in Alaska, we can’t grow and produce the fruit of the Spirit unless we’re in the place where the Spirit can produce His fruit in us. And that place is walking and abiding in the Spirit.

ACTION POINT:

Read Galatians 5:22-25 today. You’ll never have patience until you abide in the Spirit. Even then, you don’t produce that fruit; you bear it. Jesus said, “You abide in Me, that My Word abide in you.” Then you’ll be fruitful.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How To Know The Will Of God

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you want to know the will of God in your life? Here’s a test: how much time do you spend reading the Bible? Do you think God really believes we want to know His will when we don’t take even 15 minutes a day to read the one book above all books that God has specifically written to show you His will, to reveal His will to you, to unfold His will to you? Your first step in knowing His will is the surrender principle—surrendering our will to His. Your second step is the scripture principle. Read His word, meditate upon it, share it, and study it. When you bow to His will and read His will, you’ll know His will.

ACTION POINT:

Commit to read God’s Word at least 15 minutes a day for 30 days. When the month is over, reevaluate what you have learned and ask God to help you be obedient to daily Bible reading from this day forward.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Abiding in the Vine

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

You’ll never see a fruit factory. Now, you’ll see factories for making clothing, cars, and computers, but not a fruit factory. Instead fruit is grown in an orchard. It is dependent upon life.

There is no fruit without life. The only way that fruit is going to ripen and grow is in the right climate and with the right nutrients. Just like we can’t grow bananas in Alaska, we can’t grow and produce the fruit of the Spirit unless we’re in the place where the Spirit can produce His fruit in us. And that place is walking and abiding in the Spirit.

ACTION POINT:

Read Galatians 5:22-25 today and ask God to help you abide in the Spirit to produce the fruit He desires in your life. 

LWF Adrian Rogers