By Pastor. Elijah Mutiso
Associate Pastor, Fedha Church KAG
James 4:3 NIV
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
There are prayers God can never answer like asking for a second wife, alcohol business to prosper, thieves praying before a mission.
1 John 5:14 NIV
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
Romans 8:27
and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Matthew 26:39 NIV
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Six principles of praying in God's Will
1. Surrender your personal desires
- As you seek God’s will, it’s important to be sure you are fully open to whatever God wants. If you have actually already decided what to do and are only coming to God so He can approve your decision, you are not really seeking His will.
- You may have something in mind that you think is best or that you want to happen. Don’t mistake your own thoughts, desires, and plans for God’s voice.
- To really understand what God is saying to you, be open to God guiding you in any direction. When your desire to follow God outweighs your desire for a certain outcome, you are ready to hear from God.
Colossians 3:2-3 NIV
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
2. Meditate on God’s Word
Psalm 119:105 (NLT) says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
- The Bible can light the way as you choose your next steps.
- When you make a decision, it should line up with, or at least not contradict, what God has said through the Bible. As you read Scripture, you will understand more about God’s character and be better able to know what He wants.
3. Spend focused time in prayer
- The most obvious answer to the question, “How can I know God’s will for my life?” is to ask Him.
- Turn to God in prayer and ask Him what He wants you to do.
If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you, for He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask Him; He will not resent it. But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to tell you. (James 1:5-6, The Living Bible)
- Making big decisions can cause a lot of anxiety and worry, but you can turn to God with all your fears and uncertainties. The Bible tells us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done” (Philippians 4:6, NLT).
4. Seek other people’s advice
- Major decisions in life need major consultations from the right people, it is wise to talk to your pastors and mentors to pray with you before taking big steps in life i.e marriage, business idea.
Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. — Proverbs 15:22
- Ask people you trust to pray about your decision. Follow up with them to see if they sense God’s leading in a certain way. It can also help to go through some or all of these steps with someone who can help you sort out everything you are considering as you make a decision.
- It is important to note, as you consult, you need to concern yourself more with pleasing God than pleasing people or following their advice. Seeking advice is wise, but don’t let someone else make your decision for you. Consult with your mind but keep your mind with God.
5. Consider your circumstances
- God can open and close the doors of opportunity in your life. You may have heard someone say, “God closed the door on this opportunity,” or “God was opening doors to give me the job.”
- God, not circumstances, should guide your decision-making. But God may use events in your life to point you in a certain direction. Sometimes, your decision is made for you. For example, when a job or college application is rejected, God has likely closed that door.
6. Think through your decision logically
God’s Spirit can direct your mind and reasoning. Sometimes Christians are so focused on hearing from God that they forget to use reason and common sense. E.g praying for a private jet without any knowledge of jets.
Just as the Holy Spirit can influence your emotions, He can also influence your mind.
Jesus promised that when the Holy Spirit came, He would teach us and help us remember Jesus’ teachings: “When the Father sends the Advocate as My representative — that is, the Holy Spirit — He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you” (John 14:26, NLT).
- The Holy Spirit helps us to understand God’s Word and follow God. As the Apostle Paul told the Galatians, “Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives” (Galatians 5:16, NLT).
- Using reason or pros and cons list is not unspiritual but using Spirit-filled reasoning and wisdom
- God created reason, and He gave us minds so we could use them. But as with all of the principles, you should not rely exclusively on this kind of logical exercise
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