In 1 John 2:1 it says, "My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."
Now also look in John 16:7-8
"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when he comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment."
It is interesting to me that in different ways, both Jesus and the Holy Spirit are at work to be both our helper and our advocate. The Bible says that the Spirit even helps us to pray as we should. He intercedes for us when we do not know how to pray. And then it is Jesus Himself who is also our advocate. The word advocate is a legal term. It is like an advocate who speaks for someone in a court of law. He is your defender in God's court and he is also your defense because of what he did on the cross.
So many times, I may be unsure of how exactly to pray about a situation. I know what my will is, but I don't necessarily know what God's will is. It takes humility to acknowledge that your will may not be God's will instead of plunging ahead without waiting. Mistakes are made sometimes when we rush into something without asking God if this is his will.
I try to take the approach that I will pray and tell God exactly what my will is in the situation. Then, I will ask him to show me what His will. If it isn't the same, I will ask him to take that desire or plan from me. Or show me a different path that He does want me to take. And there have been times in my pride that I have rushed head first into what I thought was God's will and it turned into a disaster. But, even in that, God can often use our mistakes to teach us about his grace.
I had that happen to me about 6 months ago when I had a decision to make. I worked hard at the problem and an opportunity came up and I took it. It seemed to fit with my plan so well. Well, three weeks in I was wishing that I hadn't done that and waited. But, God still used the situation to teach me. Mainly he taught me that I needed to slow down and wait on Him and trust Him. God rarely shows up early.
I have found that what is true for me is true for a lot of other people. Most of we think if it is obvious to us it must be obvious to God. If this path opens us before us like the red sea parting then it must be of God. But, that is not necessarily the case. The Spirit of God is called the Spirit of truth (John 16:13) and it is this Spirit that is in you if you are a believer. The Spirit knows the mind of God and can reveal His will for your life. But, the disciples were not always called to take the easy road.
Some questions to ask if you are pondering God's will in a situation
1. Will this decision help me to fulfill what God has called me to do?
2. Will this decision call me to compromise my faith or witness?
3. Does this decision help me to honor Him and my family?
4. Will I use the talents and gifts he has given me if I make this decision?
5. Does this decision call for me to take a step of faith?
Now also look in John 16:7-8
"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when he comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment."
It is interesting to me that in different ways, both Jesus and the Holy Spirit are at work to be both our helper and our advocate. The Bible says that the Spirit even helps us to pray as we should. He intercedes for us when we do not know how to pray. And then it is Jesus Himself who is also our advocate. The word advocate is a legal term. It is like an advocate who speaks for someone in a court of law. He is your defender in God's court and he is also your defense because of what he did on the cross.
So many times, I may be unsure of how exactly to pray about a situation. I know what my will is, but I don't necessarily know what God's will is. It takes humility to acknowledge that your will may not be God's will instead of plunging ahead without waiting. Mistakes are made sometimes when we rush into something without asking God if this is his will.
I try to take the approach that I will pray and tell God exactly what my will is in the situation. Then, I will ask him to show me what His will. If it isn't the same, I will ask him to take that desire or plan from me. Or show me a different path that He does want me to take. And there have been times in my pride that I have rushed head first into what I thought was God's will and it turned into a disaster. But, even in that, God can often use our mistakes to teach us about his grace.
I had that happen to me about 6 months ago when I had a decision to make. I worked hard at the problem and an opportunity came up and I took it. It seemed to fit with my plan so well. Well, three weeks in I was wishing that I hadn't done that and waited. But, God still used the situation to teach me. Mainly he taught me that I needed to slow down and wait on Him and trust Him. God rarely shows up early.
I have found that what is true for me is true for a lot of other people. Most of we think if it is obvious to us it must be obvious to God. If this path opens us before us like the red sea parting then it must be of God. But, that is not necessarily the case. The Spirit of God is called the Spirit of truth (John 16:13) and it is this Spirit that is in you if you are a believer. The Spirit knows the mind of God and can reveal His will for your life. But, the disciples were not always called to take the easy road.
Some questions to ask if you are pondering God's will in a situation
1. Will this decision help me to fulfill what God has called me to do?
2. Will this decision call me to compromise my faith or witness?
3. Does this decision help me to honor Him and my family?
4. Will I use the talents and gifts he has given me if I make this decision?
5. Does this decision call for me to take a step of faith?
