In this brief series we have looked at what God’s will is, how we find it, what are the requirements for finding it and what things will help us find it. In this last piece let’s pull it together and see if we can at least begin to answer the question:
How Do You “Know That You Know”?
Here are two very key parts of the answer.
By Your Heart
Eph 6:6-7 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Paul tells us one way to be certain is to serve out of your heart to please Him and not out of your soul to please men; eyeservice as menpleasers. This same thought is found in Col 3:22 where Paul uses the example of servants obeying their masters. In serving the Lord out of our heart we avoid trying to please man, which always results in compromise. The idea also implies service when you are not within the site of your master. The word for servant in verse 6 above is doulos, which means bondservant. Remember that it was the bondservant who, after being set free by his master, desired to stay and serve his master of his own free will. It was then that the master would put a hole in his ear with an awl, marking him as a bondservant. That’s the kind of servant Paul is referring to here. One who, by choice, never wants to leave his master.
Those who are under involuntary service will only be obedient when the eyes of their masters are watching. On the other hand, one who is serving voluntarily can be trusted when the master is not there. The application for us is straightforward … we serve Him from the heart out of love and not the head out of obligation. Then and only then is a believer capable of receiving the peace that comes from “knowing that you know.”
By Your Peace
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
The peace Paul is referring to is that which comes from our union with our Lord. It is the peace that John describes: in John 14:27:
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
This peace comes when the Word of God indwells us. Paul goes on to use an interesting word to describe what we are to do with that peace; brabeuetoo. It literally means to be the “umpire” of your heart, thereby judging for one and against the other. In other words, the peace of Christ will render those decisions that need to be made and you abide by those decisions by following the path of peace. Remember that Jesus is The Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6) and He died to make it our peace. In verse 27 here Jesus is very specific to say that it is His Peace rather than just “well being;” shalom. This speaks of eternal peace versus temporal or that peace that is of the world and is fleeting. Interesting how He chooses to relate His Peace to an umpire in a contest; always keeping the game in check.
I cannot tell you the number of times the umpire has ruled within me and I chose not to follow the path of peace. Sometimes I just missed the call and at other times I heard the call and decided to ignore it. In each and every case, without exception, following the path of peace is the only option for a child of God. It is His most direct link with us as we move down the path of obedience. This peace is to govern or umpire over our mind to insure that we do not lose the victor’s prize. Can you imagine a baseball, basketball or football game without an umpire? The result would be total chaos, without any order whatsoever. We, like all athletes, may not always agree with the umpire’s call but we must abide with it if we are to continue in the game. How fortunate for us, in this instance, that the umpire never misses a call. I like what Albert Barnes has to say in his commentary on this verse:
The meaning here is, that the peace which God gives to the soul is to be to us what the brabeutes, or governor at the games was to those who contended there. It is to preside over and govern the mind; to preserve everything in its place; and to save it from tumult, disorder, and irregularity. The thought is a very beautiful one. The soul is liable to the agitations of passion and excitement– like an assembled multitude of men. It needs something to preside over it, and keep its various faculties in place and order; and nothing is so well fitted to do this as the calm peace which religion gives, a deep sense of the presence of God, the desire and the evidence of his friendship, the hope of his favor, and the belief that he has forgiven all our sins. The “peace of God” will thus calm down every agitated element of the soul; subdue the tumult of passion, and preserve the mind in healthful action and order– as a ruler sways and controls the passions of assembled multitudes of people.
Now, before we move on let’s go back to Col 3:15 and look at the verses that immediately precede it. Paul spends some significant time speaking of doing those things, which ARE the will of God:
- Set your affection on the things above (3:1-2)
- Mortify (kill) your fleshly intentions; fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, etc. (3:5)
- Put away anger, wrath, malice, etc. (3:8)
- Don’t lie (3:9)
- Put on the New Man (3:10)
- Put on kindness, mercy, humbleness of mind, meekness, etc. (3:12)
- Forgive one another (3:13)
- Above all, walk in love … which is the bond of perfectness (3:14)
This bond of perfectness is designed to unite the whole world. It is represented here like one piece of clothing that holds all the other pieces of grace together. Without love there might be other graces but they would not be held together in a perfect whole.
Now the last piece in verse 15 (a) says AND let the peace. When we are walking obediently in God’s will there comes a peace within that fills us with assurance. He even goes farther and tells us that the whole church is called to have that peace in their heart. That peace comes as each individual member walks together as one in the Body of Christ.
Ok, but there is still one nagging question that is hanging out there. How do I know if the peace I have is from God or if it’s just my mind being peaceful concerning the direction or actions I am taking?
Well, there is no hard and fast answer but let me suggest a couple of things (my personal opinion) to consider in answering that question:
- Trust God. If you are in tune with the things we discussed in this series and your heart is submitted and committed to following Him, then if you have made a wrong choice or taken a wrong action I am very confident that the Holy Spirit will find a way to disrupt that “peace” and get you on the right track. I have experienced this many times and it is in keeping with what God wants us to do. We need to always be moving ahead based upon what we believe (after seeking Him in prayer and the Word) is the direction He has set for us and trust Him to make the mid-course corrections necessary. And the only way we are ever going to hear those corrections is to stay in close touch with His voice; His Holy Spirit. God will not let the lamb that is seeking Him stray from the flock. He is ever vigilant and watching.
- Align your will with His. Paul has told us what His “perfect will” is and if we will constantly measure our actions and directions against that we will be on solid ground.
Rom 12:2 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.
And His good, and acceptable, and perfect, will are tied to His commandment:
1John 3:23-24 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Here are those same verses in the New Living Translation:
1John 3:23-24 And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.
If we are living out those two commandments — believing in Jesus and loving one another — we are going to be in a perfect place to hear the voice of the one who “lives in us.” As Paul said (Rom 12:2), it’s all a process; sanctification. And God is keenly interested in those who are diligently seeking His will for their life.
Look at 12:2 in the New Living Translation:
Rom 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
If we are living this life for Him then I have no doubt that He will most certainly take care of any false peace we have set in our mind and replace it with His peace:
Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
But, we need to remember that it is going to take the renewing of our mind in the process and therefore we need to be constantly on guard, weighing our decisions and actions based upon His perfect will and His commandments. And just so we don’t allow the enemy to beat us up and accuse us of failing we need to reflect on Paul. He reminds us that it is a process, a process filled with trial and error but with one goal in mind.
Phil 3:12-15 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
So in seeking God’s will for your life it all comes down to one thing. That same one thing that our eternal salvation is based upon; faith. Verse 15b sums it up … and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Seek Him, be committed and obedient and by faith trust that if you are “missing the mark” that He will reveal it to you. After all, He loves us and has a whole lot invested in us.