Seeking God's Direction through His Word
I'd venture to say that most of us are currently seeking God's input and direction for our lives in one way or another. We want to make good decisions, ones based on truth and His will. What better way to look than His Word?!
Seek God's direction and advice above anyone else's. Pray, read Scripture, listen well.
God is our authority!
Place God at the top of your decision-making process. Decide to care more about what He has to say than anyone else. Getting advice from godly friends is a great addition, but nothing beats hearing directly from the Lord.
Listen to the Holy Spirit!
That can be tricky sometimes, can't it? You may be wondering if you are hearing correctly. You have that gut feeling but is it your flesh or the Holy Spirit speaking? Honestly, I think sometimes we need to take a step back, get out of our own heads, and just wait for the Lord to speak.
Pray fervently for His answer. Pray that you would know exactly what's coming from Him. Pray, pray, pray! And then wait and listen.
Discern truth from lies!
Test everything to discern truth from lies. How do we know if a message is from the flesh or the Spirit? First, as I mention, we pray and trust God to answer. Secondly, we read the Bible to make sure the message lines up with His Word. God does not contradict Himself. He will not ask you do something He forbade in Scripture, for example.
Study Scripture to find truth!
The Bible is our source of truth. We need it to discern God's will every day. But how can you find answers to your personal situations in the Bible? It was written long ago and not specifically as a manual for your specific life.
It is true that the Bible doesn't specifically address your personal scenario. However, with a little brainstorming, you can locate some relevant truth to help you make your decision. For example, are you interested in a young man but not sure he is "the one"? You won't find a chapter about him in Scripture, but you can study admirable character qualities and see how he measures up.
Let's continue with this example. How do you find these character qualities? Consider the qualifications of an elder addressed in Scripture or the type of people whom God called "righteous". Do a word study on elder qualifications and righteous. The latter will give you a lot of Bible references. Be sure to narrow them down to passages that discuss character qualities or name a certain person "righteous in the eyes of the Lord". You could even do a character study on those individuals.
How to Study Topics in the Bible
This ministry is all about empowering you to study the Bible with growing confidence. Topical Bible studies are great - and this is just one example scenario for how to them in your life.
I've described a bit of the preparation stage of seeking God's direction through His Word. I encourage you to study each passage you find on your subject with care. Consider these free printables and it's accompanying step-by-step tutorial.
Topical Bible studies can not only help you seek God's direction through His Word, but they also open up a doorway to endless meaningful Bible study experiences. Learn about God, take a stance on a current event, find answers to theological questions, and tackle your personal growth goals.
I'll show you how to adjust the study process for each type of topic inside my ebook, Think Biblically: A Step-by-Step Tutorial on Studying Bible Topics That Matter to You. Get your copy and connect with God over the matters that are burning in your heart today.
What are you seeking God's direction on right now? How might Scripture speak into your decision? Tell me about it in the comments.
❤️Ellen
