Proving the will of God

Do not conform any longer 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. Romans 12: 2

In order for our lives to be transformed and our minds renewed, we need an increasing revelation from God about who he is, what he wants to do and who we are as his children. Bill Johnson talks a lot about our need for ongoing revelation from God. He says, ‘I am convinced that the pace of revelation will increase very rapidly in these last hours of history.’

Our minds need to be renewed so we no longer think ungodly, unbelieving thoughts but think right things about God and his ways. In this season we are all aware of the need for intimacy and it is during these precious one-on-one times with God that we get to know our King and understand his ways. However knowing more is never enough. Bill Johnsons says, ‘To renew the mind we must not just think differently but live differently, in a new experience of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.’

God wants not just for our minds to be thinking Godly thoughts along Godly lines but also for our lives to be doing Godly things. He wants us to prove to ourselves that what he says is true. He wants us to KNOW that what he says is true by our own experience. Experience is vital.

Several years ago we took teams of young people (aged 11 to 16) on mission overseas and in this country. One of the best aspects of this was that young people began to know and prove for themselves that what God said is true. It was not enough to know that God is our provider. They learned to prove it by having to trust and ask him to provide the necessary money to go overseas. One young lady whose parents were on government benefits prayed and asked God for the money. One week at church there was a special collection for an area of the world in desperate need. She felt she should empty the contents of her purse which was not very much into the collection. The next day she got two large cheques through the post. Eventually she had all the money she needed and was helping support others. She had proved God’s will for her life.

Knowing God is a healer, provider, Saviour, restorer, miracle worker and so on needs to be proved. Revelation needs to be applied to our lives by practical experience. The world desperately needs the power of the King and the Kingdom being increasingly revealed by the people of God who know and have proved what his will is; to save, heal and deliver the world from sin and its consequences.