Every day of our lives is to be lived for God’s purpose, according to His plan, and in obedience to His desires. But how can we be certain we are walking in His will, especially in times of difficulty, suffering, or pain? Each day is filled with decisions, and every choice is an opportunity to ask the Lord what He would have us do. In this message, Dr. Stanley shares principles from Scripture to help us evaluate our circumstances and decisions through the lens of God’s will. God assures us that whatever we experience, even our difficulties, can be redeemed for our ultimate good. We can know His will even in times of heartache and hardship, and we can thank Him for His empowering presence and unwavering love. For more messages from Charles Stanley, including this week’s broadcast, go to intouch.org/tv

if somebody should ask you the question

what do you Christians mean by the will

of God what would you say how would you

answer that question they deserve an

answer would you say the will of God

refers to the purpose of God the plan of

God the desire the heart of God if you

did that’s right God has a plan and the

purpose on desire for all of us and

oftentimes people never think about the

fact that God has a personal interest in

them they think God is just thinking of

this worldwide kind of things he the

Bible says you know once you trust Jesus

as your Savior your name is written in

the Lamb’s Book of Life so when you

think about your relationship to God and

we talk about the will of God we’re

talking about his purpose his plan his

desire for your life that is you didn’t

ignore you when you were born his

purpose his plan his desire for your

life and I wonder when is the last time

you ever stop to think now Lord where am

I in your plan where am I in your

purpose where am I in your will for my

life and what I want us to think about

in this message is can we be sure can we

be sure of God’s will and purpose and

plan for our life and when I think about

that I think about what he says in the

40th some in the 8th verse I didn’t like

to do your will oh my god your law is

written in my heart and I’ll think about

the people who sit in church week after

week you’re all kind of churches never

think about the fact of what’s God’s

plan not not just what’s what am I to do

today what’s the Oh what does God want

me to do in this particular situation

but what’s his plan what’s his purpose

what’s he trying to accomplish

my life did God just put you here just

to exist for a while they called you

home though

he has a purpose a plan and a will for

your life the question is can we be sure

and the answer is certainly we can and

when I think about that I think about

the people who go through difficulty

hardships suffering pain all kinds of

things and they have a right to answer

well God if you have a will for my life

how does all this fit into you will well

when you and I walking in the will of

God whatever he allows is for our good

that’s hard to take sometimes but it is

true and so when we talk about the whole

question of can we be sure yes we can be

sure so I want to talk about several

categories of God’s will and we’ve

talked about this before

so here the categories about God’s will

the first was this the predestined will

of God is his sovereign control this is

what he’s going to do what he’s going to

accomplish and nobody can stop it his

sovereign will his predestined will his

moral will for our life that is how he

intends for us to live the Ten

Commandments would be a good example of

that and they applauded to everybody

then his desired will that is what does

God desire for us in the Christian life

what does he desire for us from the

beginning and then his circumstantial

will that is what’s his will for our

life when we mess it up we want to live

a godly life then we must know how to

respond to the circumstances of our life

and so the last question is what’s his

immediate will that is what is his will

today in your life so when you look at

it you have faced for the decision about

your job whatever it might be you have

to make a decision about it you have to

make a decision about your morals you go

to work tomorrow and somebody passes

something to you and you have to make a

decision where you gonna turn it down

whether you’re gonna ignore it or

whether you’re gonna accept

it you have to make a decision for

example of how you relate to money Oh

what what happened yesterday or tomorrow

in other words every aspect of our life

is going to be scrutinized by the will

of God because remember this he’s only

chosen the best route if you say well

but I didn’t become a Christian to love

us for that’s ok

but the next 40 or 50 or 60 what about

his will for that and remember this that

you are knowing us perfectly knows how

we came into the world what our

advantages were what had disadvantages

were what our opportunities were what

our parents knew how they knew to raise

us or not raised us

all of that is a part of God’s wisdom

and knowledge and His grace and goodness

and mercy in working in our hearts

throughout our life but what is the will

of God for our life today his purpose

and plan so I want to give you a number

of statements they’ll help you confirm

in your own mind and heart

this is or this is not the will of God

so a test to confirm God’s will here’s

the first question

is this decision consistent with or in

agreement with the Word of God is this

decision you’re making is an agreement

with Word of God and you know I can

think of a lot of things that are not an

agreement of the Word of God that people

practice this is a part of a confirming

his will of your life and then is it a

wise decision and you say well how can I

tell whether it’s a wise decision or not

here’s how you tell listen carefully you

ask yourself the question of what are

the consequences if I do this and so

what will the consequences be not on

what I’d like for them to be what will

they be

they’re always consequences their

decisions whether we planted or not

whether we like it or not their

consequences that are unavoidable and

this is why we should teach our children

the grandchildren early in life that

their consequences to your decisions you

can’t make decisions without some

consequence

it may be a good consequence certainly

we hope so maybe not but it depends upon

your motive depends upon your

relationship to God they can watch this

think about this you living out the will

of God or out of the will of God every

moment of your life you’re awake you can

lie in the bed on Sunday morning and not

come to church what’s the will of God

his will is that you be somewhere

worshiping him and so we’re in his will

out of his will so what are the

circumstances things that we need to

consider in our life because your life

is affecting somebody else’s life no one

in here is living in a capsule you are

affecting in some degree in some way

somebody else’s life they watch you they

hear you they watch how you dress they

see how you act how you respond the will

of God his purpose and plan and desire

for your life we won’t live it up

perfectly but he has a will that’s for

our benefit as well as for the kingdom

of God so is it a wise decision what are

the consequences then number three can I

honestly ask God to enable me to achieve

whatever I’m going through with this

decision can I honestly ask him to help

me to achieve it so think about the last

big decision in your life did you ask

God about that decision you say what do

you mean big well you know what about

what a very serious decision is did you

ask him about it

or did you say well I’m gonna toss a

coin have foolish or did you say well

I’ve got three choices I’m gonna just

think about them and make a choice I’m

mature enough to make choices for my

life we’re all mature or maturing to a

point there are some decisions

none of us neither one of us is adequate

to make wisely without God’s direction

in help but the simple reason we live in

the world that’s supposed to God that

suppose the righteousness that suppose

godly decisions and so one thing you

have to remember decisions we make will

affect us no matter what we think

somebody says well you know

that just happened once yes that’s right

sometimes things happen once but have a

lifetime of a consequences then of

course do I have genuine peace a genuine

peace about this decision I’m facing and

one of those questions that comes along

with that is this is this the right

timing watch this carefully it may be

the will of God that you do or whatever

that may be but is it the right timing

and people make serious decisions that

costs very costly decisions because they

stepped ahead of God or but too late

these are all what’s his piece got to do

with it when you are walking in the will

of God and you ask him about a question

something decisions you have in the bay

when it’s his will he will give you a

sense of peace now you say what do you

mean by peace I mean there will be a

sense of quietness in your spirit

there will be no sense of irritation

going on within you there will not be

any crowding of doubts into your mind

you won’t be asking somebody else what

do you think when you have the peace of

God there’s this overwhelming sense of

yes Lord thank you Jesus yes yes yes yes

yes yes yes yes yeah and somebody says

well I don’t know that I’ve ever had

that feeling it’s because you haven’t

stopped to ask God Lord what would you

have me to do listen watch this

God’s not going to keep a secret from

you when you want to do the right thing

he’s going to show you what to do every

time and that should start early in life

and sometimes the less opportunities we

have in life early in life the more it

drives us to God and you know I grew up

with no father and so it drove me to God

very early in my life after I got saved

when I was 12 and I learned enough right

after I was saved to know that prayer

was the secret to everything and so I

learned to listen to God very early and

how did I learn to listen not listening

that’s for you that’s one way you learn

to listen is not listening and so what

happens you suffered the consequences

and if you’re wise you won’t take you

long to realize it’s always wise listen

to God he’s willing to speak to your

heart for you at 12 or 112 very

important and God will give us peace

when that’s exactly what we need and

then you have to ask yourself the

question is this consistent with the way

God works in other words well that way

he works in the scriptures through

different characters of the Bible can I

can I do this and know that I have his

approval listen if it’s consistent with

the will of God it’ll be consistent or

the Word of God so if you’re in the

process of making a decision and you

should teach your children very very

early in life that when they’re making

the decision before the mega decision

ask God about it you say well what does

that twenty year old kid know about

asking god I tell you I believe anybody

who genuinely wants to know the will of

God for their life God will show them

that you’re living in sin and distant

from him that’s a whole different

question what he’s going to show you is

easy it right with him

but the question is is this consistent

with what God says you so how will I

know that you turn to the Word of God

you should well I don’t know how to turn

I’ll tell you what I learned I had my

mother’s big Bible and had a big index

if I want to know something about

anything I get her Bible turn to the

index and see if I found a word that had

to do with what I was dealing with you

can find something about any subject and

so the question is is it consistent with

what God says and you can find out and

people say well you know what I think

this is okay is that what God said no

and sometimes the Word of God is so

explicit this is absolutely sin and

people say well I’m afraid about it I

think it’s okay

so sometimes I think people are afraid

to open the Word of God

because what it will do it will expose

your life he will expose your life if

you if you’re being obedient to God yes

you’ll know it if you’ve been

disobedient to God he will lead you to

the verses that warned you not to protec

in a particular area of your life then

of course does this fit Who I am as a

follower of Jesus Christ and that should

settle a lot of things does this action

fit Who I am as a follower of Jesus not

as a church member now there’s somebody

who claims to be a Christian but is a

follower of Jesus that is born-again

claimed to be saved by the grace of God

one of them is real does this fit that

does this does this fit Who I am as a

follower of Jesus Christ for example

this is my language fit that does my

dress fit that does my responses fit

that then my actions fit that that is

does it fit when you obey the Lord Jesus

Christ what’s going to happen is this

your actions are going to fit who you

claim to be so people who know you as

the follower of Jesus as a Christian

would they say have you well their

conversation fits that certainly she

dresses like that certainly he treats

people like that that is in other words

it’s real simple here’s what he says the

question is how do I act what do I say

how they’ll respond how do I address

since I’m a follower of Jesus does this

really and truly fit Who I am then of

course another question does this act

fit God’s overall plan for my life for

example let’s say you got saved and you

want to be baptized and you ask your

question it’s a simple one should I get

baptized no what does the word of God

say sure

should so another question about that

but then there’s those decisions like in

your office they’re having a big party

you know they’re gonna drink any corrals

and whatever it might be and you have to

ask god shall I go or not you shouldn’t

have to ask him because it is an

atmosphere you don’t fit in it’s an

atmosphere that you’re not comfortable

in so that must fit it doesn’t fit who

you claim to be and who you are and so

if I’m walking in the will of God

things are gonna fit if I’m not walking

in his will they’re not gonna fit

and so our mother told me some time ago

she said my daughter was getting ready

to leave and when I saw what she was

wearing I tell her there’s no way you’re

getting out of this house which was a

wise woman because what she was saying

is you don’t dress that way because

that’s not who you are that doesn’t fit

who you are and so there’s no

inconsistencies in the will of God so

you ask yourself the question well Lord

does what I do fit who I claim to be in

your family where you work or in school

or whatever it might be

does your action your conversation your

conduct fit who you claim to be ask

yourself that question

there should be consistency here’s her

ahh say I am is right but here’s what I

am and this is the way I probably the

greatest hindrance to the Christian life

is Christians acting other than who they

say they are a testimony our witness our

influence you teach your children and

your grandchildren how they are to

respond to situations and circumstances

is that the way you act and then of

course will this decision honor God if

you make a decision can you say that

it’s in keeping with the Word of God

that I can make this decision and when

are you nominees are when you

before you go to bed at night you don’t

have any this ruffling scuffling going

on in your heart because you obeyed him

listen carefully in the decision that

keeps you awake at night and you can’t

sleep you should ask you something

question why when you God brings

something to your mind don’t let it pass

without dealing with it do you know why

he does it to protect you watch over you

care for you because he loves you

you got no sin things into our life that

we don’t like to protect us from things

that he knows we wouldn’t like if we got

into it he’s a loving God he has the

best plan and the reason what do you

think people want to be we get on drugs

why do they become addicts or alcoholics

what is it going on in a person’s heart

that would cause them to drink so much

they can’t be themselves and know that

one of these days they could have an

accident or they can just die what is it

people are trying to cover up I can’t

answer that question

I won’t even attempt to try but I don’t

have to answer question for them you and

I have to answer the question for

ourselves is where we are is what God

has led us so far and my purpose and

plan is to be obedient to God through

the last moment of my life

and you can’t ever go wrong with that

then of course my question is will this

decision result in unrest and regret but

the rest of my life there are decisions

people make they never outlive they

never get over it they’re still talking

about it

in their letter years of life if either

how many times have I heard this if

either I F I da if I do if I’d have done

this if I don’t talk about that if

either just known about this

if either here father if either

and if I was usually end up with some

suffering a heartache hell regret of

some sort

think about this God has your very best

in mind he works to hit you to do the

right thing and if you ignore him there

consequences then can I expect God to

reward me for this decision think about

the decisions you make well thinking

about making can God reward you for

making that decision if you think about

it there’s some big-time serious

decisions you have to make in life

serious decisions that affect not only

you but other people so yes yourself the

question can I expect God to reward me

while treating her or him this way or

doing this or that I go in here they’re

a participating in this they can I

expect God to bless me reward me as a

result of that if you just think about

these sermons on the will of God it’s

all about obeying God it’s all about how

you live in your life it’s all about

what you’re going to do how you going to

think God has a plan the purpose and the

desire for your life and he’s all for

what’s best for you he’s all for what’s

good for you your name is written in the

Lamb’s Book of Life and he wants to keep

everything else right and you and I have

to decide am I gonna trust him with my

life

watch this think about this for a moment

you trusted him with your eternity you

were born again your name is written in

the Lamb’s Book of Life and you said God

I’m trusting you

that when I die I’m going to be in

heaven with you if you can trust God for

that which is an eternal decision can

you not trust him for daily decisions

that’s not nearly so important yes you

can God has a purpose a plan a desire

for your life you say well suppose I

missed about half of it

well is God disappointed well here you

were gonna miss half of it for Yvonne

so God isn’t disappointed he’s willing

to step into your life at any moment at

any place you’re willing to welcome him

and ask him to straighten things out God

I know I’m heading in the wrong

direction I’m asking you to forgive me

will you please give me direction for my

life at this point

Willie yes he will suppose you’ve

suppose you’ve missed but let’s say

three quarters of your life is gone and

nobody knows for that sir or not you can

be 21 and it’s true and you can be a

hundred in it sir whatever it might be

are you willing to say to him lord I

want your will I want you I want I want

your best plan for my life whatever that

is and I’m willing to surrender whatever

needs to be surrendered will it change

whatever needs to be changed but I want

your best would you be willing to tell

him that you want his best in your life

you will to change whatever needs to be

changed that’s the wisest decision you

can make Lord I want your will whatever

that requires and I want to live in it

the rest of my life let me tell you how

that starts if you have never trusted

the genes as we just Savior this is not

going to work it’s when you surrender

your life to him confessing your sins

repenting of them turning away from

surrendering your life to him then you

become a child of God then the two of

you from that moment on make decisions

together if you willing to listen but

right now you’re without Jesus you’re by

yourself

you can’t expect God to give you wisdom

if you’ve rejected his son

you may look out as you say

and do a few things right well you may

do really well as far as the world is

concerned but does the pay they come in

and you will have to give an account for

life and disobedience and rebellion that

paid off for you that made you rich made

you famous you you name it but all out

of the will of God all in opposition to

God’s purpose and plan for your life and

I remember this

you’ll never make enough money to pay

off God you’ll never be famous enough

that you’ll be accepted by God it’s the

blood of Jesus that cleanses us from sin

that makes us one of his children father

we love you and praise you thank you

that you love us enough to take personal

interest in our life and I pray that

every person who hears this message will

take it seriously eternal is serious

what is the truth that wherever they may

be at this moment

surrender their life to you as Savior

Lord and surrender their life Eve is a

habit as a natural part of their life

every day in Jesus name Amen

[Music]