Decision Making and the Will of God

Decision Making and the Will of God

Dear Lord, today I am trying to make what I consider a big financial decision today, and want your input. What I don’t want is to use this time for me personally, because this is read by so many others. I want to bless others, and I realize that I may not make the perfect decision here.

Dear child, share with everyone the steps I have given you.

OK. You gave me:
1. The peace test: Do I have peace in my spirit about the decision?
2. The morality test: Is it a moral, ethical, and legally sound decision?
3. The spouse test: Does my wife support the decision?
4. The mentor test: Do my advisors and mentors support the decision?
5. The Scriptures test: Is there anything in the Bible that goes against that decision?
6. The failure test: If the decision completely fails, does it cause major harm to anyone or anything?
7. The prayer test: In my two-way prayer and meditation time, do I get any specific promptings of the Holy Spirit?
8. The emotions test: Am I being logical and are my emotions under control; am I being objective about the decision?
9. The wisdom test: From the intellectual gifting God has given me, does this decision make sense?
10. The due diligence test: Have I done my due diligence and taken enough time to explore the opportunity.
Wow Lord Jesus. There are a lot of hurdles that the decision has to jump through. But this is a great filter for decisions. Can you give me some scriptures to back up all of this?

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16 NIV

And

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 1 John 4:2 NIV

Lord, so what I get from this is:
1. Whatever decision I make, make sure I glorify you in the process and,
2. I need to have the mind of Christ, then
3. I will be able to discern what is good and pleasing to you.
4. Your perfect will for me involves my relationship to you.

NOTE: Here is some pastor’s sermon’s notes on the subject. He has 12 questions to ask ourselves:

1. Is this thing that I am considering contrary to any of the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, or to the spirit of the New Testament as far as I know? In other words, is there something forbidding it in God’s word, in the New Testament especially?
2. Is it something I can do with a clear conscience?
3. Is it something I can do for the glory of God?
4. Is it something I can do in fellowship with Jesus?
5. Can I ask God to bless me as I do it?
6. Will my doing it, blunt my spiritual edge in any way?
7. Will it be spiritually profitable and edifying to the best of my knowledge?
8. Would I be happy if I were found doing it at the moment when Jesus returns to earth?
9. What do wiser and more mature brothers think about it?
10. Will my doing it bring dishonour to God’s name or ruin my testimony, if others know about it?
11. Will my doing it cause others to stumble, if they know about it?
12. Do I feel free in my spirit to do it?
By Zac Poonen, Pastor, Christian Fellowship Church, Bangalore, India

Dear child, Zac is a very obedient follower of me, and you can rely on this list as a good way of making decisions.

Thank you Lord for that, and for helping me find Zac’s list. It is better than mine.

Dear child, the list that I gave you is mine.

Fair enough Lord. Using both lists will give me great help in how to make Godly decisions. I will use both checklists to make this decision that I have coming up. Thank you Lord.

Your aspiring servant,
Daniel M.
14 April 2023