Seeking God's Guidance
To make wise decisions, Christians must seek guidance from the Holy Spirit and trust in God's plan for their lives.
Charles Stanley emphasizes the importance of seeking God's guidance in decision-making, highlighting that God has a plan for our lives and is interested in every decision we make. He warns against assuming that God will prevent us from making wrong choices if we haven't sought His help. Stanley encourages believers to rely on the Holy Spirit, whom God has given as a guide, teacher, and helper, to navigate through life's decisions and follow the will of the heavenly Father.
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Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:1, 11 NASB)
Christians should make decisions based on this premise: God has a plan for our lives, and He is involved and interested in every single decision that we make. Therefore, when we make decisions, we come to our heavenly Father for guidance, knowing He always has our best interest at heart.
But sometimes we reason, This is what I want to do. If it is not God's will, then He will stop me. However, the Lord will not necessarily prevent us from doing what is not His will. He won't always come to our rescue, especially if we have not sought His help.
We make decisions every day of our lives, and to make wise ones, we have to learn the will of the Father. God has promised, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you" (Psalm 32:8).
Our loving Father provides guidance by giving every believer a pilot--the Holy Spirit--on board his or her life. In John 14-16, the Lord Jesus comforted His disciples as He prepared them for the time when He would not be with them physically. He promised that His Spirit would be their helper, teacher, and guide. In a similar way, the Spirit of God will guide us through the treacherous seas of decision-making.
Godly people want to do the will of their heavenly Father. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit living in you to guide and help with your decisions. Are you paying attention to His instructions?
Sermon Outline
- God's Plan for Our Lives
- Seeking God's Guidance
- The Role of the Holy Spirit
- The Holy Spirit is our pilot and guide
- He will guide us through decision-making
Key Quotes
“You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” — Charles Stanley
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you” — Charles Stanley
“He promised that His Spirit would be their helper, teacher, and guide.” — Charles Stanley
Application Points
- As a believer, you have the Holy Spirit living in you to guide and help with your decisions.
- You must learn to listen to and follow the Holy Spirit's instructions.
- Trust in God's plan for your life and seek His guidance in every decision.