How do I know God's will?

© Rikschi

"...be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

Have you heard and/or said the following?

• "I don't know if what I'm doing is right. How do I know it's God's will?"
• "What is God's will for my life?"
• "How can I tell what's "good" from "God's best"?
• "What's God's will anyway?"

God's will isn't so complicated; It's actually quite simple. I'm going to break down the essence of God's will for you (Yes, I'm this nice).

Basically, you've been asking yourself the wrong question.
Instead of the questions above, try this:

If I make this decision, will it bring me closer to God or further away from Him?

1. The first thing you need to believe is God's will is always good (Eph. 2:10). You won't want His will unless you trust Him.

2. The only things that can cause us to wander astray from all of God is sin. Ally Spotts defines it like this:

Sin: Any thought, action or attitude  that is outside of God's will for you.

If the relationship you're in brings you closer to brokenness than wholeness, it's not His will. If the music you listen to fills your mind with impure thoughts, it's not His will. If the career choice you make is about making money, being popular or gaining any self-worth/merit instead of honoring God, it's not His will.
Your motives determine how closer you are toward God and holiness because motives influence your decisions.

3. God's will includes self-control & self-denial (even if it's just for a season).
Self-denial & self-control are always required with God. You want Him to bring you a life partner, you're gonna have to stop hooking up & watching porn. You want Him to answer if you're called to ministry, you're going to have to spend a lot of time in intimacy with Him.  You want to be a leader, you're gonna have to serve. You want Him to bless you in all you do, you're gonna have to be obedient. Girls, you want your fear of God to be praised, you're gonna have to stop being vain & flirting with guys. You want to live a life worthy of Him, you're gonna have to stop following & pleasing the crowd. You want Him to provide, you're going to have to stop spending $ on things you want but don't need. It's about sacrifice and delayed gratification. Why? Because we don't focus our eyes on the temporal. You might have to leave friends, change majors (even schools), habits and lifestyles.
There's a reason why the Lord tells us to abstain from things! Don't take part in what you know contaminates you.

4. Going against God's will leads to our destruction. We choose the temporal, what feels or seems 'good' now and we go for it. Deep down we know the ultimate consequence is a spiritual death, but we can't see past this moment so it feels okay. We end up empty, broken and unsatisfied. We become slaves to addictions and sin. We forfeit the chance of an abundant life because we refuse to sacrifice.

5. God's will for your life is holiness. How do I know? The evidence was on display on a cross (and later resurrected), 2,000 years ago. A lot of people think holiness is this legalistic form of prohibition. [You don't have shave your legs, cut your hair or wear pants, etc..] It's not! Holiness is basically that desire for God that makes you give up whatever hinders you from all of Him. Holiness is also intimacy. When we step into holiness, we step into who God called us to be. We get to be in a authentic relationship with the Lord that compares to no other!

To be a woman or man of God you must choose His will. You must be holy.

Your life should always point at Him if you're decisions bring you close to His will.

see, that wasn't so bad. If you want more insight about God's will, the Gospels & Paul's letters are great starters! You must stay in the Word in order to persevere in holiness. If you're currently struggling with sexual sin, Corinthians or Galatians is best for you (you're not alone, they struggled with it too).