FERVENT IN SPIRIT: SERVING THE LORD !. ROMANS 12.11. BY THE WILL OF GOD. Introduction. To serve the Lord properly we need to be SURE of the WILL of God. David served his generation in the Will of God. Let us go back to the beginning of the chapter where we have our text:- Romans 12.2. "And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD." WE MUST BE CERTAIN OF THE WILL OF GOD. WE ONLY NEED GUIDANCE AT CROSSROADS. There are SIX THINGS which bring us into God's Perfect Will:- 1. PRESENT YOUR BODIES a living Sacrifice. 2. Make the body holy. 3. Ensure you are acceptable to God. 4. Render your reasonable service. 5. Don't be CONFORMED to this world. 6. BE TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your MIND (THINKING.) NOTE: Colossians 4.12. "Epaphras, who is one of you (a Colossian), a servant of Christ saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that YE MAY STAND PERFECT AND COMPLETE IN THE WILL OF GOD." Epaphras was a fellow-prisoner of Paul's at ROME and a servant of Christ. See Col.1.7. 1. WE MUST DESIRE THE WILL OF GOD. John 7.17. "If any man will do His Will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself." SEVEN TIMES our Lord claimed that he spoke only God's Words and as the Father directed. IF YOU WILL TO DO GOD'S WILL. Proverbs 3.5-6. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; AND LEAN NOT TO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." In Vs.5. TRUST = BATAH = TO CONFIDE IN SO AS TO HAVE NO FEAR. UNDERSTANDING = BINAH = Discernment, Discrimination. In Vs.6. IN ALL THY WAYS - begin, continue, and END every work, purpose, and plan WITH GOD. IT IS A SIN FOR A BELIEVER TO LIVE WITHOUT GOD. Obeying the instructions here, "It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones." As we received nourishment from our mother's womb before birth, our nourishment NOW depends upon OUR ATTACHMENT TO GOD. Without THE MARROW our bones would grow brittle and break, and there would be no growth. Our attachment to the Will of God is the very basis of our Christian GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. 2. WE MUST SEE THE WILL OF GOD. Psalm 37.5, 23. Vs.5. "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him AND HE SHALL BRING IT TO PASS." Commit = Galal = roll upon - repose upon. Vs.23. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and He delighteth in His Way." GOOD MAN; Nothing in the Hebrew for good. The word used for man is GEBER = a strong man, a mighty man, a CONQUEROR. Ordered = prepared, established. It is a delight to God to see you WALKING IN HIS WAY. James 1.5-6. "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upraideth not; and it shall be given him. BUT let him ask IN FAITH, nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like the wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." Lack = come short. Wisdom = cleverness, skill, knowledge, wisdom. IF you doubt you are like a wave, rising one moment, sinking the next. 3.WE MUST SEEK THE WILL OF GOD WITH CONFIDENCE. Proverbs 15.19. "The way of the slothful man is a hedge of thorns, BUT the way of the righteous IS MADE PLAIN." Proverbs 4.12. "When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straightened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not stumble." DO NOT ACT WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE. "That the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth." EIGHT EXAMPLES OF THIS: 1. Syrians - 1 Kings 20.28. 2. Jews - Isaiah 5.12-13. 3. People and priests - Hosea 4.6; 6.6. 4. Job. - Job 42.3-6. 5. Hezekiah 2 Chron.32.32. 6. Pharisees - Matt.12.7 7. Peter. Matt.16.22. Luke 22.23-24. 8. Paul 1 Tim.1.13. Acts 26.11. DO NOT HURRY. FIVE EXAMPLES: 1. Joshua. Josh.9.15. 2. Saul. 1 Sam.13.9-14. 14.24-45. 3. David. 2 Sam.16.4. 4. The prophet. 1.Kings 13.18-19. 5. Peter John 18.10. WHERE TO FIND GOD'S WILL !. 1/ IN GOD'S WORD. 2. Timothy 3.16. "ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE PERFECT, thoroughly furnished UNTO ALL GOOD WORKS." 1. ALL SCRIPTURE - not parts of it specially chosen. 2. GIVEN. (a) By God's audible voice. Exodus 19.19. (b) By angels. Acts 7.38. Heb.2.2. (c) By prophets. Acts 3.21. Heb.1.1. (d) By Jesus Christ. Heb.1.1. Rev.1. (e) By Apostles. Acts 1.2. Eph.4. (f) By Visions. Isa.6. Dan.7 & 8. Ezek.1. (g) By dreams. Dan.2. Matt.1.20 + 2.12. (h) By revelation. Gal.2.2. (i) By inspiration. 2 Tim.3.15-17. (Revelation = the unveiling of truths which before were hidden to man. The removing of a mystery.) PROFITABLE - To convince of TRUTH. DOCTRINE - Teaching. Translated REPROOF here - and PROOF or EVIDENCE in Heb.11.1. CORRECTION - to restore things to their proper place. INSTRUCTION - the schooling of man in righteousness. THROUGHLY FURNISHED - finish out - equip fully...that he should be able to do the WORK of Christ. 2/ IN THE MIND OF GOD. 1 Cor.2.16. (Note vss 14+15.) "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." WHO of natural men that live in the carnal, can know the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct the spiritual man?. WE mind the same things that Christ did. We have the same spirit. 3/ IN THE SPIRIT. 1 Cor.2.12. "We have received, NOT THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD, but THE SPIRIT WHICH IS OF GOD, that we MIGHT KNOW the things which are freely given to us of God." (We will develop this in our next study.) 4/ IN CIRCUMSTANCES. 1 Samuel 10.7. God told Saul "Let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do AS THE OCCASION SERVE THEE, for God is with thee." The context is very interesting. There were conditions:- God was with Saul AS LONG AS SAUL STAYED WITH GOD. BEWARE of letting circumstances ONLY be your guide. 5/ BY SPIRITUAL INTUITION. John 3.8. The witness in our heart. "The spirit bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. SO IS EVERY ONE THAT IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT. (As the natural man hears the wind, so the spiritual man hears the voice of the Spirit.) BUT there is more here:- A response to the moving of God. Israel moved with the CLOUD. Later they relied on the Urim and Thummim....no one knows exactly what that refers to. They ceased when Saul sinned. 1 Sam.28.6. "And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." LET THE PEACE OF GOD IN YOUR HEART DECIDE. Col.3.15. "And let the peace of God RULE IN YOUR HEARTS to the which also ye are called in one body, AND BE YE THANKFUL." RULE = BRABEVO = To be an umpire - arbitrator - director - governor. OTHER INDICATORS OF THE WILL OF GOD. Sometimes God guides by:- 1/ DREAMS. Matt.1.20. 2.12. There are SIX dreams in Matthew. 1.20. 2.12, 13, 19, 22. 27.19. 1.20. The Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. He had discovered that Mary was pregnant. He was a just man. He knew he was not responsible. In his predicament he decided to PUT HER AWAY PRIVILY - divorce her. He was not willing to make her a public example. IN A DREAM God revealed:- 1. The child was conceived of the Holy Ghost. 2. The child when born would be A SON. 3. He should call his name JESUS for he would save his people from their sins. CALL HIM SAVIOUR. THE DREAM WAS A REALITY. 2.12. The MAGI WERE WARNED OF God in a dream that they should not return to Herod. 2.13. Joseph - Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream and instructed Joseph to take Mary and the child and flee into Egypt. 2.19. When Herod was dead, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt - Go back to the land of Israel, those who sought the young child's life are dead. 2.22. On his return to Israel, Joseph heard that Herod's son reigned in his place and he was afraid to go back. BUT being warned of God in a dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee and came to Nazareth. (THAT THE SCRIPTURE MIGHT BE FULFILLED.) 27.19. Claudia Procula - the wife of Pilate - sent a message to her husband - "Have nothing to do with this just man, for I have suffered many things this day, IN A DREAM, because of Him." There are some 34 dreams in the Scriptures - 23 in O.T. - 11 in N.T. All of them are instructive and positive in their outcome. BUT DREAMS ARE NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE SOURCES OF GUIDANCE. Ecclesiastes 5.3, 7. Vs.3. "For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fools voice is known by multitude of words." Vs.7. "For the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities BUT FEAR THOU GOD." Numbers 12.6-8. "Hear now my words, if there be a prophet among you; I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision and will speak to him in a dream. MY SERVANT MOSES IS NOT SO, WHO IS FAITHFUL IN ALL MINE HOUSE, with him I will speak mouth to mouth." Job 4.12-18. ELIPHAZ - tells Job how in a dream he saw that God was punishing Job for his wickedness - THIS WAS A FALSE JUDGEMENT BY ELIPHAZ. 2/ BY ANGELS. Hebrews 2.2. The Word spoken by Angels was steadfast. Classic example in Numbers 22.22. "And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the Angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him." This was Balaam's experience. 1st time: His donkey turned out of the way. 2nd time: His donkey crushed his foot against a wall. 3rd time: His donkey fell down - Balaam beat the donkey and God opened the donkey's mouth and it spoke. The ANGEL WAS THERE TO GUIDE. Mark 1.13. When our Lord was tempted in the Wilderness, "Angels ministered unto Him." Angels spoke to the shepherds in Luke 1.11. Acts 5.19. An Angel opened the Prison doors for he Apostles. Acts 8.26. An angel spoke to Philip directing him to go towards the desert. Acts 10.3. An angel, in a vision, instructed Cornelius to go to Joppa and there meet Peter. Acts 12. 7, 8, 9, 10. An angel releases Peter from prison. Acts 27.23. An angel told Paul not to fear the storm, he would be brought before CAESAR at Rome. Angels are ministering spirits sent to attend the heirs of salvation. It is not their normal activity to intrude in the life of the believer - BUT God does use angels when the necessity arises. 3/ BY VISIONS. Acts 16.9-10. "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him saying, 'Come over and help us.' and after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go to Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to go and preach the Gospel unto them." There is a warning in Jeremiah 23.16. A TEST OF RELIABILITY. "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophecy unto you. They make you vain; they speak A VISION OF THEIR OWN HEART, AND NOT OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE LORD. THE QUESTION OF PROPHECY. What about guidance by Prophecy ?. NOTE: 1 Corinthians 14.3. "He that speaketh with an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the Church." 2 Thessalonians 2.2. "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from me, as that day of Christ is at hand." THREE THINGS WHICH DISTURBED THE THESSALONIANS:- 1. Pretended revelations. 2. Word - teaching, preaching, argument, fluent speaking. 3. False communications brought by false teachers. PROPHECY is good and wholesome when used correctly :- 1 Corinthians 14.3. "He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort." BUT NOTE THE CASE OF PAUL IN Acts 21. Vss. 4, 15. Paul was at Tyre. "And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days; who said to Paul, through the spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem." "And after those days we took up our carriages and went up to Jerusalem." Paul judged that his direct instructions were valid and discounted the words of people who were obviously concerned about his welfare. PROPHECY MUST BE JUDGED. 1 Corinthians 14.29. "Let the prophet speak two or three and let the other judge." 1 Thessalonians 5.20-21. "Despise not prophesyings. PROVE ALL THINGS. Hold fast that which is good." CLOSING REMARKS. a/ NOTE: Galatians 5.17. GUIDANCE IS CONTRARY TO THE FLESH. "For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; SO THAT YE CANNOT DO THE THINGS THAT YE WOULD." b/ 1 Peter 5.6-7. CAREFREE SERVICE IN THE WILL OF GOD. "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time; casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you. c/ Colossians 3.15. BE THANKFUL. "Let the peace of God RULE in your hearts, to the which ye also are called in one body, AND BE YE THANKFUL." THE WILL OF GOD CONFIRMED BY PEACE IN YOUR HEART. Copyright (c) 1996, Hedley Palmer. All rights reserved. ----------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/hpalmer/snotes: serve-2.txt .