One of the most common questions pastors and ministers get asked is, “What is the will of God for my life?” Those who want to please God want to take into consideration God’s will. A lot of bad decisions could be avoided if the will of God was taken into consideration. Most trouble, much heart ache, and disappointment could be avoided if the will of God was considered.

The majority of my ministry has been working with young people. The question more than any other that I have been asked is, “What is God’s will?”

• What college should I go to?

• What career path should I take?

• Should I date this person?

• Who am I going to marry?

• Where am I going to live?

Maybe you have asked these questions, and similar questions as an adult:

• Should I take this job?

• Should we have children, if so how many?

• Should I go back to school?

• Should I marry this person?

• Should I invest in this business venture?

• Should I move to another state to take a promotion?

I think all of us have been presented with these types of questions. And we’ve all been introduced to the fear, anxiety, and worry of answering these questions in connection to God’s will.

Listen to what Paul said concerning the Christian’s walk with God, and knowing the will of God:

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:15-20‬ ).‬‬

Our key thought for this study is about knowing God’s will for your life. However, as I studied this portion of text, it seems to ask this question in a different more effect way. Instead of asking “What is God’s will for my life,” it could be asked, “What is always God’s will?” From this portion of Ephesians five, and in the larger part of the letter, we can see what is always God’s will. If we can answer what is God’s will always, we can have assurance that we are doing God’s will. However, if what we are shown from this text is doing something other than that what God’s will is, then we may be ultimately not doing God’s will.

1. Walk in Wisdom

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” (Ephesians 5:15).

The Apostle Paul wrote much about the Christian’s walk. Often, we as Apostolic Pentecostals, are concerned with shouting and dancing. We place a lot of emphasis on whether or not someone shouts or dances in the Spirit. Those are responses to the Spirit’s moving in a church service, or time of prayer. On the other hand, we should be more concerned with how we live, or walk, according to the Spirit. The Spirit, as we will see in this text, should influence our daily walk more than it does our intermittent shout.

Paul extensively wrote about walking throughout his letters to the Christian churches:

• Walk in the steps of faith (Rom. 4:12)

• Walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4)

• Walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:1; Gal. 5:16)

• Walk honestly (Rom. 13:13)

• Walk by faith, and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7)

• Walk differently from the Gentiles or surrounding culture (Eph. 4:17)

• Walk in love (Eph. 5:2)

• Walk in light, and not in darkness (Eph. 5:8)

• Walk circumspectly (carefully) (Eph. 5:15)

• Walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him (Col. 1:10)

• Walk in wisdom (Col. 4:5)

The Apostle John added:

• Walk as Jesus walked (1 Jn. 2:6)

• Walk according to the commandments (2 Jn. 1:6)

• Walk in truth (3 Jn. 1:3)

The will of God will determine your walk, and your walk will determine God’s will for your life.

Here Paul says we are to walk circumspectly (Eph. 5:15a). The word “circumspectly” in the Greek means to walk carefully. Each step that we take in discerning the will of the Lord should be done with care and caution. This means to slow down and analyze your next step. Too many want to rush into doing something. They take very little time to weigh the pros and cons. They are led by impulse and not led by divine inspiration. Now, this is not to mean that we are to take every trivial decision and allow it to paralyze us. As we are going to see there are certain things we can do to help us determine God’s will in both the small and large matters of our life.

A. Not Foolish, but Wise

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” (Ephesians 5:15).

The first way to know God’s will is to discern if it is foolish or wise. It’s foolish to jump into any decision without planning and preparation.

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace” (Luke 14:28-32).

It is the wise man or woman who counts the cost, and gets counsel. To avoid, or neglect this is folly. The will of God is never foolish, and it will not lead to foolish living. Now, we must consider that some may think our living for the Lord is foolish. Critics may believe that our desire to live for the Lord, and not for the approval of man, is foolish. But our aim is to please God, and not man.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7)

Wisdom is found in fearing the Lord. This is not a fear of God’s retribution, or scorn. Rather, this is a holy awe of God’s wisdom, power, and attributes. It is a desire to worship God with your decision making.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

Just as wisdom is vital to decision making, it is the prayerful man and woman who receives it. Counting the cost, and getting counsel is well and good. However, getting on your knees in prayer and seeking God’s will is of utmost importance. If you want wisdom, and desire to avoid foolishness, then pray, count the cost, and seek wise counsel.

It is always God’s will to use wisdom and avoid foolishness.

B. Redeeming the Time

“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16).

The most precious commodity that we own is time. It is also the most elusive. You can never earn, or regain time. Paul says that believers are to redeem the time. The word redeem in the Greek is defined as “buying up.” Like a wise investor buying up stocks, the believer is to buy up the time they have been given.

Many are of the persuasion that they can earn more by working more. This is true in its essence. But you do use the resource of time, and even steal time away from something else. So you may earn more money, or opportunities, but you may have loses in other parts of your life.

It is always the will of God for you to not waste the valuable time you have been given. If the choice is to work more and not spend time with your wife, then it is a loss. If your decision means neglecting your children, then it’s a loss. If your choice means less time spent in prayer, bible study, and church attendance, then it is a loss in this life, and the life to come. Many have sacrificed families, and spiritual health for the sake of making more money, or having more opportunities to make more money. Or they have gobbled up spiritual opportunities by wasting away time on trifles.

Jesus said to store up for yourselves riches that cannot be eaten by moth, corroded by time, or be stolen by thieves (Mt. 6:19-20). Your spiritual health, and the family unit should be first and foremost in our decision making.

Why? Paul says “Because the the days are evil.” Bible commentator, Grant Osborne said, “If the saints are not exceedingly careful to be in control of their time, evil can insert itself and take over.” We mustn’t allow our time to be overcome by worldly pursuits. Our main pursuit should be to glorify God, and we can do that through doing His will.

It is always God’s will to put Him first in our time.

2. Walk in Understanding

“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).

Rather than walking in the ways of this present evil world, we are to be understanding knowing what the will of the Lord is. Fools ignorantly do not believe in God (Ps. 14:1). Paul says in Romans:

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21-22).

Fools ignore God in their unbelief, or they disobey God through their unrighteousness. Therefore, they do not understand the will of God, they are ignorant of it.

“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).

God has made Himself known through His creation (Ps. 19:1; Rom. 1:18-20). He has also made Himself known through His Word.

Consequently since God has made known His will through His Word, the best way for you to grow in wisdom is to grow in your knowledge of the Bible. To know the will of the Lord, you must know the Word of the Lord. The Lord speaking through the prophet Hosea said, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Too many well-intentioned believers are destroyed because they lack basic knowledge and understanding of God’s Word. Neglect of Scripture will undoubtedly lead to foolish decision making, and foolish living.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matthew 7:24-27).

It is always God’s will for you to know God’s Word. If decisions lead you away from the Bible, then it is not the will of the Lord.

A. Be Transformed, Not Conformed

In Romans Paul dealt with knowing the will of God:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

1. Present your bodies as a living sacrifice

2. Being holy and acceptable

3. Do not be conformed to this world

4. Be transformed in your mind

This is God’s will, and if you will understand this, you will be in God’s will. If what you are facing leads to compromising your holiness; if it means an acceptance of of the world’s thinking, then it is not God’s will for your life.

God’s will is for you to always be holy, not be conformed to this world, and be transformed in your mind.

3. Walk in the Spirit

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Paul uses a parallel between being under the influence of alcohol, and being under the influence of the Spirit. Perhaps you have seen someone under the influence of liquor. Drinking has an influence on a person’s behavior, temperament, and actions. A man who is quiet can become loud and obnoxious under the influence of strong drink. A moral man when sober, can become immoral with a drink. A man who is usually strong and stable could become a sobbing child under the influence of liquor. A filthy minded man who has come under the influence of alcohol can sing hymns that he was taught as a child.

A person doesn’t stay under the influence of alcohol perpetually. They have to constantly drink in order to get the same high or low they are looking for.

To contrast this Paul says we are to be filled with the Spirit. A person who has come under the influence of the Holy Spirit doesn’t behave the same way they used to. The man who was loud and obnoxious has become calm, cool and respectable under the influence of the Spirit. The man who was immoral can now become a man of character and morality under the influence of the Spirit. The woman who was angry and jealous, can become loving and kind under the influence of the Spirit.

Again, the parallel continues. Just a person cannot stay drunk, they have to continually drink to be under its influence. And if they are always drinking alcohol it effects their health and well-being. The believer that has been baptized in the Spirit, just as the Book of Acts portrays, must continually be “filled” with the Spirit. If you are to continually walk in the Spirit, you must be continually filled with the Spirit. Unlike alcohol, the Holy Spirit does not destroy health and vitality. No, the Holy Spirit gives life, and joy! This is not some second work of the Holy Spirit, or a second blessing. No, this is coming under the control and influence of the Spirit.

It is alway’s God’s will for you to be filled, and influenced by the Holy Spirit.

A. Speak and Sing

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

Those who are under the influence of alcohol usually say things they wouldn’t normally say. They lose all inhibitions. But the believer who is continually being filled with the Spirit has their speech changed too. Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Mt. 12:34b)! The Holy Spirit will give you a song in your heart, and a praise on your lips.

If your heart is under the influence of anything other than the Holy Spirit then it will lead you down many wrong paths. The heart is deceitful and no one can discern it (Jer. 17:19).

B. Praise and Worship

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

It is always the will of God for you to give praise and worship.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I’ve seen many saints go from exuberant worship to sitting in the back row with their arms crossed. Something has stolen their song, and robbed them of their praise. It can usually be traced back to a decision or choice that has hindered their walk with the Lord. Most don’t backslide over night. Instead it is gradual regression made over time through the means of bad choices.

If your choices steal your praise and worship, then its not the will of God. It is always God’s will for you to praise.

Conclusion

To summarize our study of Ephesians 5:15-20:

Always God’s Will

• It is God’s will to use wisdom and avoid foolishness.

• It is God’s will to put Him first in our time.

• It is God’s will for you to know and understand His Word

• It is God’s will to be holy, to be separate, and having transformed thinking.

• It is God’s will for you to be filled, and influenced with His Spirit.

• It is God’s will for you to praise and worship.

Never God’s Will

• If it leads to foolishness then it’s not God’s will.

• If it takes away your time spent for the Lord then it’s not God’s will.

• If it leads you away from the Bible then it’s not God’s will.

• If it causes you to compromise your holiness or convictions then it’s not God’s will.

• If it leads to being under the influence of anything other than the Holy Spirit then it’s not God’s will.

• If it keeps you from having a holy melody in your heart, or praising the Lord then it’s not God’s will.

Ask and answer these questions if you are searching for the will of God.