THE WORD

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THE WORD

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The Preaching Ministry of Ashley River Baptist Church

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Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God Part 1: God’s Will and Your Life Experience cannot be your guide.  The Scripture is your standard. (Malachi 3:6)  Jesus is your model.  The Holy Spirit will be your personal teacher. (John 14:26) What is God’s Will? Wrong Question: What is God’s will for my life? Right Question: What is God’s will? God’s will for your life is based on what He is doing in His world. Once you know God’s will, you know what you need to do and adjust your life to Him. The focus is on God, not on your life! Seven Realities of Experiencing God 1. God is always at work around you. 2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. 3. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work. 4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. 5. God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. 6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing. 7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you. Reality #1: God is always at work around you. Jesus is our model. Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.“ John 5:17 (John 5:19-20) Key relationship: Jesus is the model on how to Experience God. He did so out of / through obedience which was born out of Relationship. “…My Father…” How God is at Work: Trinity Whenever God is working, all three Persons of the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit are working. (John: 14:7-10) God Involves Us: John 5:17 We are His ambassadors. God is present to do His work through us. (2 Cor 5:17-20)

Jesus’s Example -The Father has been working right up until now -Now the Father has Me working -I do nothing on my own initiative. -I watch to see what the Father is doing. -I do what I see the Father already is doing. -You see, the Father loves me. -He shows Me everything that He, Himself is doing. Jesus said: “My doctrine is not mine” John 7:16; 8:28; 10:37-38; 12:49; John 17:8 “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” John 14:10 Jesus realized He could do nothing by Himself. With the Father at work in Him, He could do anything. How much more dependent on the Father are we? Apart from God, we can do nothing! "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 Your job as servant is to follow Jesus’ example- Do what the Father is already doing - Watch to see where God is at work and join Him. Key: Don’t expect the Assignment before you establish the love relationship. God is far more interested in a love relationship with you than He is in what you can do for Him. His desire is that you love Him. Spiritual gifts: If God calls, God will equip! God Himself was the Gift. John 14:10 A spiritual gift is a manifestation of God at work through You. The focus is on God. John 15:5 You cannot stay the way you are and go with God. God has to get you from where you are to where He is, so He tells you what He is doing. Summary: – God is always at work around you. – You need to see where He is at work and join Him. – The servant does not have the agenda—the Master does. – The question is not “What do you want me to do for you?” The question is, “What are YOU doing, Oh GOD?” 1 - The Bible is your guide for faith and practice. 2 - God has assigned the Holy Spirit to be our Teacher 3 - The right question is what is God’s will? 4 - Watch to see where God is working and join Him. 5 - God is always at work around you. God is at work. He wants to involve you in His work. He begins by pursuing a love relationship that is both real and personal. He then invites you to be involved with Him. If you want to experience God’s mighty power at work in and through you, you must walk by faith, make major adjustments, and obey whatever God tells you to do. Could God work in extraordinary ways through your life to accomplish significant things for His kingdom?