Life Principle 10
If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will. (2 Chron 20:12)
If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will. (2 Chron 20:12)
Life’s Questions
What is God’s will for your life? Do you have an answer, or do you think, Good question! If He tells you what He wants me to do, please let me know. Perhaps you know how God is leading you in certain areas of your life, and you’re committed to following Him. However, there are other situations that you are facing in which you have no idea about what to do, and you wish that God would show you the right course of action. You wonder, why does God’s will seem hidden from me? Can I truly know what God has planned for my life?
Yes, you can! God does not hide His will from you. Rather, as Life Principle 10 states, If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will. So, what is going on? Why is God’s will such a mystery to you at this point?
What the Bible Says
Read 1 Kings 16:30–33. What kind of man was Ahab, the king of Israel?
*** Ahab was the seventh king of Israel. Through his wife, Jezebel, he brought the Phoenician religion to Israel. He set the deities of Tyre— Ba’al and Asherah—as equal with the Lord God and allowed Jezebel to kill the prophets and priests of God.
Read 2 Chronicles 17:3–4 and 18:1–3. Considering his values, do you think it was wise for Jehoshaphat to ally himself with Ahab? Why do you think he did so?
Read 2 Chronicles 18:28–34. How did God show Jehoshaphat that an alliance with Ahab was not His will (2 Chron 18:31-34)?
Read 2 Chronicles 19:1–3. How did God confirm that Jehoshaphat had done the wrong thing?
What had Jehoshaphat done that was pleasing to God? What idols need to be removed in your own life?
What It Means
We do not know why Jehoshaphat decided to ally himself with Ahab. It could be that he saw an opportunity to reunite the kingdoms of Israel and Judah as they had been under David. It could also be that he thought an alliance with Israel would strengthen his military position or increase his wealth. Whatever the case, he failed to seek God and depend on Him for everything, and it nearly cost him his life.
Life Examples
Read 2 Chronicles 20:1–30. What terrible threat was Judah facing (2 Chron 20:1-2)? How did Jehoshaphat react?
What was God’s message to Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20:15)?
Why do you think God refused to allow Jehoshaphat to participate in the battle?
God’s instruction to Jehoshaphat required a great test of faith. Do you think that Jehoshaphat learned his lesson about trusting God (2 Chron 20:18)?
What did Jehoshaphat instruct the people of Judah to do (2 Chron 20:20-21)?
When did God deliver the victory to Judah (2 Chron 20:22)? What is the connection?
*** You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. (Psalm 22:3–4)
Living the Principle
The battle is not yours; it belongs to God. What does this have to do with God’s will? It means that God’s will is His to communicate and fulfill. No matter what God reveals to be His plan, He will make sure that everything is in place for it to come to pass. Your responsibility is simply to obey Him right now. It is God’s right to exclude or include you from the battle as He so desires.
*** God knows precisely what it will take to get your attention.
Perhaps the reason that God’s will remains a mystery to you is that He is showing it to you one step at a time. Yes, God knows every detail of your circumstances and how they will all unfold, but He will not reveal them all at once. Instead, He will use this situation as an opportunity to teach you to trust Him. Unfortunately, if you are unwilling to wait for His timing and insist on having an answer about something specific, you are going to prolong your struggle and miss maturing in your faith.
Another reason you may think that God’s will is hidden from you is that you’ve failed to obey Him in some area. God has shown you what to do, but His command seems unreasonable or unimportant to you. Understand that you will not be able to move forward until you submit to Him in every area that He has called you to obey. Just like Jehoshaphat, you must surrender yourself to God completely, whether it means engaging in the battle under God’s leadership or watching what He is doing from the sidelines.
How will you live out Life Principle 10 this week? Are you having trouble discerning God’s will? Discuss how God may be trying to get your attention, whether through your restless spirit, an unusual blessing, unanswered prayer, disappointment, financial trouble, or affliction. Then spend time in prayer, asking God to draw you into intimate communion with Himself and to transform your life, so that you can affect the world for the sake of His kingdom.
Life Lessons to Remember
What is God’s will for your life? Do you have an answer, or do you think, Good question! If He tells you what He wants me to do, please let me know. Perhaps you know how God is leading you in certain areas of your life, and you’re committed to following Him. However, there are other situations that you are facing in which you have no idea about what to do, and you wish that God would show you the right course of action. You wonder, why does God’s will seem hidden from me? Can I truly know what God has planned for my life?
Yes, you can! God does not hide His will from you. Rather, as Life Principle 10 states, If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will. So, what is going on? Why is God’s will such a mystery to you at this point?
What the Bible Says
Read 1 Kings 16:30–33. What kind of man was Ahab, the king of Israel?
*** Ahab was the seventh king of Israel. Through his wife, Jezebel, he brought the Phoenician religion to Israel. He set the deities of Tyre— Ba’al and Asherah—as equal with the Lord God and allowed Jezebel to kill the prophets and priests of God.
Read 2 Chronicles 17:3–4 and 18:1–3. Considering his values, do you think it was wise for Jehoshaphat to ally himself with Ahab? Why do you think he did so?
Read 2 Chronicles 18:28–34. How did God show Jehoshaphat that an alliance with Ahab was not His will (2 Chron 18:31-34)?
Read 2 Chronicles 19:1–3. How did God confirm that Jehoshaphat had done the wrong thing?
What had Jehoshaphat done that was pleasing to God? What idols need to be removed in your own life?
What It Means
We do not know why Jehoshaphat decided to ally himself with Ahab. It could be that he saw an opportunity to reunite the kingdoms of Israel and Judah as they had been under David. It could also be that he thought an alliance with Israel would strengthen his military position or increase his wealth. Whatever the case, he failed to seek God and depend on Him for everything, and it nearly cost him his life.
Life Examples
Read 2 Chronicles 20:1–30. What terrible threat was Judah facing (2 Chron 20:1-2)? How did Jehoshaphat react?
What was God’s message to Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20:15)?
Why do you think God refused to allow Jehoshaphat to participate in the battle?
God’s instruction to Jehoshaphat required a great test of faith. Do you think that Jehoshaphat learned his lesson about trusting God (2 Chron 20:18)?
What did Jehoshaphat instruct the people of Judah to do (2 Chron 20:20-21)?
When did God deliver the victory to Judah (2 Chron 20:22)? What is the connection?
*** You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. (Psalm 22:3–4)
Living the Principle
The battle is not yours; it belongs to God. What does this have to do with God’s will? It means that God’s will is His to communicate and fulfill. No matter what God reveals to be His plan, He will make sure that everything is in place for it to come to pass. Your responsibility is simply to obey Him right now. It is God’s right to exclude or include you from the battle as He so desires.
*** God knows precisely what it will take to get your attention.
Perhaps the reason that God’s will remains a mystery to you is that He is showing it to you one step at a time. Yes, God knows every detail of your circumstances and how they will all unfold, but He will not reveal them all at once. Instead, He will use this situation as an opportunity to teach you to trust Him. Unfortunately, if you are unwilling to wait for His timing and insist on having an answer about something specific, you are going to prolong your struggle and miss maturing in your faith.
Another reason you may think that God’s will is hidden from you is that you’ve failed to obey Him in some area. God has shown you what to do, but His command seems unreasonable or unimportant to you. Understand that you will not be able to move forward until you submit to Him in every area that He has called you to obey. Just like Jehoshaphat, you must surrender yourself to God completely, whether it means engaging in the battle under God’s leadership or watching what He is doing from the sidelines.
How will you live out Life Principle 10 this week? Are you having trouble discerning God’s will? Discuss how God may be trying to get your attention, whether through your restless spirit, an unusual blessing, unanswered prayer, disappointment, financial trouble, or affliction. Then spend time in prayer, asking God to draw you into intimate communion with Himself and to transform your life, so that you can affect the world for the sake of His kingdom.
Life Lessons to Remember
- God always knows exactly where we are in our journey of faith (see Rom. 8:29–30).
- God is committed to helping us live out the specific plan that He has designed (see Jer. 29:11–13).