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God the Almighty Creator of all that is knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb.  He knew you!!!  Grasp that picture. You can count on it. I do!

Jeremiah was 21 at the time God spoke to him.

I am old you say, how can that scripture be for me?  We are all youths in the sight of God.  And, like Jeremiah we have a lot to learn. and, if we give our life to Him; He adopts us, makes us fellow heirs to the very throne He sits upon.  Co-inheritors with Christ. Can you grasp from that how much interest He has in your life? Can you see how much He wants to guide His adopted sons and daughters.

Where are we now, where we are going to go next?  Where are we supposed to be going?  What are we supposed to do when we get there?  We must make decisions in life; about relationships, marriage, children, use of time, jobs, homes, money, holidays, possessions, our giving, they all are very big things in our life.. It is important that we come to the right conclusion.

Okay let’s look at Psalm 32:8,9. God promises to Guide us, one way or another. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to have to wear a bit and bridle, though I some times I act like a bucking bronco.

John 10:3-5. Do you get the picture? He cares about you!. He wants to guide us!. He longs for us to discover His will.  Ephesians 2:10  

Turn  to Jeremiah 29:11. God is talking about bringing His people out of captivity. I want to give you a key to reading the Bible, don’t just read it see how it applies to you, put yourself in the picture you are seeing.  Like the Israelites in Egypt, what holds YOU in captivity? Your comfort places?

Turn to Isaiah 30:1-3  We need to consult with God.  GOD WANTS US TO CONSULT HIM

Jesus promises us He will call us by name and lead us out. John 10:14,15  says "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows me, I know the Father and I lay down My life for My Sheep."

Sometimes we make plans that seem God’s will, plunging headlong without asking God. It seemed right at the time, now we’re not sure what He will say.

Like it says in Psalm 25:14, God confides in those who fear Him. We need that attitude of humility and fear. Yet, Not the fear you run from, the fear you run to.

We are able to be with Almighty God, the power that stands between the very molecules of the air we breathe and the ones that hold this podium and that of our own body together. That’s the power we can now abide in.

Yet to me it’s not the fear of such awesome power, but, the fear of losing His presence in my life, that covering amidst the storms of life, those blessings that bring peace that passes understanding.

This little tattered New Testament has been with me in many serious and joyful times, hunting, in my garden, in foreign nations, on the ocean, in aircraft of many sizes. It has been sopping wet from the rain and the sweat of hard labor. Through it all it gave me what I sought, God’s living word.

How do we know the will of God and how does He guide us?

As I have been attempting to show you

The Bible discloses the truth. Some try to bend it. But, Jesus Christ is the living Word, and He is a strong and unbendable truth.

God will not lead us to anything contrary to scripture. Do not ask what He already answered. From the scriptures we know full well certain things are against God’s will.

Unless you trust God, He may leave you to your own devices!!!

He will not allow you to walk away from areas you need to deal with until you do.

Do not depend on letting the Bible fall open, reading eagerly to find what God is saying to you, hoping to find answers. While it often works, let His guidance come from a regular and methodical Bible study and prayer life. God will lead you to  scriptures that leap from the pages, the first true steps in gaining wisdom and understanding.. and to that of hearing God’s voice.

We most often think of Moses when we think of God guiding someone in the scriptures. Can you imagine what it was like to be Moses? Several times he asked God to put him out of his misery. Who could blame him? Imagine that many people complaining. He spent forty years with the pestering bunch, wandering around in the desert, eating nothing but bread off the ground and an occasional bird.  What a change for the Jewish diet.  And on top of that, every day a million people would come up to him and ask "Are we there yet?"

But, we have even more than the Israelites had. When Jesus left He sent a compelling Holy Spirit to help guide us. In John 10 and Acts 16, Jesus tells us His sheep know His voice and He will lead them. That’s us folks. 

Ask God to speak to you. It is mysterious indeed, to hear God speak. Some claim He will not, others claim He speaks in loud audible voices. Mostly God's voice is perceived.

When He answers you, share it. Never hide your blessings.. After a while you too will know His voice. If you profess to be His, He will guide you. Still, even if you don’t yet know His voice, the Holy Spirit does and He is your helper.

Sometimes I am perplexed, I hear nothing, or, His voice in me is easily drowned out by my own reasoning. That’s the way God made us, allowing our will to overrule His. Sometimes the answer comes through a good thought, a strong impression or feelings; but they all need tested.

Read 1 John 4:1, Does the answer bear fruit, is it found in love? Does it bring strength to your soul and to those around you. Does it encourage and comfort you? Does it edify you and your church? Does it bring the peace of God that surpasses all else?

God often gives us a strong desire to do something, working on your will to act according to His purposes. This can be an imagined fear for many.

Did you know that fear is the antitheses of faith, it keeps you from turning your life completely over to Christ. "Next thing y’a know I’ll be a missionary in darkest Africa," they say. They think of a worst idea and assume God will send them there. It’s not likely to happen, though if it has been in your heart it might.

God sent me to Africa on a 30-day mission trip. I never dreamed I would go on such a trip. But God in His infinite patience has taught me many things, and I along with my wife and six others answered God’s calling with, "Yes Lord, we will go."

I tell you this, as we surrender our will to Him His work in us often changes our desire to areas it should be. The entire Africa mission team can attest to that fact. Fear should be spelled False Events Appearing Real for a Christian. Don’t misinterpret butterflies in your tummy as a lack of God’s peace (or, fear). Sometimes Holy Spirit gives us a Holy excitement when we are about to testify or do works He called us to do. Test it out with scripture, you will find peace in your heart.

Suppose you have a problem that you need to talk to your doctor about. You say, "Doctor I have a number of problems concerning me I have a fungus growing under my toenails, my eyes itch, winter’s coming so I need a flu shot, I have very bad headaches, and a tennis elbow." Then you abruptly rise saying, "Sorry I must be off. thanks for listening."

The doctor might yell something but it probably would not be the answer you seek. So how’s God going to guide us if we fail to put our self in position to hear Him?

Sometimes He uses Prophecy. Sometimes dreams and visions, or angels.

As a small boy Samuel (1 Sam 3:4-14) heard God speak in his physical ears. He responded in the most important words a Christian can utter. "Speak Lord, your servant awaits."

God guided Abraham (Gen 18), Joseph (Matth 2:19),.. and Peter (Acts 12:7) by way of angels. He spoke through prophets and visions.  I myself have seen several visions.

Don’t be like some people so adamant about following God that they very rarely make decisions. God’s promises for guidance were not given to stop us from thinking; nor reading His word concerning countless daily issues. We should relinquish our human attitudes, not our minds.

His guidance is personal.  When we open up to His Spirit He communicates in our understanding. If you are confused:

Ask someone who knows the Bible better than you, someone impartial who has your best interest at heart.

Yet the decision is ultimately between you and God

James 3:17 says: "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering without hypocrisy, and the seed who fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

God often uses circumstances; but be here careful, not putting too much weight in them. Misguided prayers are fraught with that of asking God to open and close doors. While this sometimes works, and maybe more often than not; it in itself is dangerous and can lead you straight to sin.

Do not accept an open door as being His direction because it’s open; sometimes we need to persevere in spite of the circumstances, developing the strength to force a door open in faith. Sometimes doors opening too easily are temptations rather than opportunities. 

Be wary, the adversary prowls about like a lion seeking those to destroy.  God knows your whole person, Satan doesn’t but he sure knows your flesh (Sinful nature), and both can open doors and both can shut them.  Another big key: Genuinely knowing God’s character through a personal relationship with Him is how we truly know what God wants in our life.

What’s it like being out of God’s will? Many have learned the pain of being out of God’s will so well they cease to recognize it, establishing fear as the dominant force in their life.

Deuteronomy 28:65-67  "You shall find no ease and there shall be no rest for the sole of your foot; the lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, fainting of mind and languishing of spirit. Your life shall hang in doubt before you day and night, you shall worry and have no assurance of your life. In the morning you shall say, would it be evening! In the evening you shall say, would it be morning! Because of the anxiety and dread of your mind, heart, and sights which you see with your eyes."

Our job is to do four things.

First, submit to Him and refuse to follow human desires.

Second, allow God to intervene.

Third say, is it me? Am I overriding Holy Spirit again? Is it merely my flesh?

Fourth say, What Would Jesus do? Many times that takes care of the question.

God mysteriously works in many ways, hence we must learn the voice not the way it comes.

If you desire to know more about this Jesus Christ who loves you, and you want to ask Him  into your heart, receiving His Saving Grace please click on this Salvation Prayer

Please see: Who Is Holy Spirit?  Who Is Jesus?   Can I Be Saved?