Two Important Steps to Getting a Word from God
By Rick Warren
“Trust in the Lordwith all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).
Perhaps you’ve had a quiet time — when you get alone with God and read the Bible — where a verse that you’ve read a hundred times suddenly jumps out at you, and you think, “I’ve never seen that before!” Or suddenly you see a new way to apply it, and at the end of the day, you find out it was exactly what you needed for that day. That’s a rhema. God’s Spirit took a general word to everybody and applied it to you in a personal and practical way.
Do you want to know the will of God or what to do in a particular situation? There are two important steps to take as you seek a word from God.
1. Confess any known sin in your life.
You say, “God, I don’t want anything to block our relationship. Forgive me for my sin (be specific). Is there any bad attitude I’ve got? Is there anything I’m doing that you want me to stop doing? Is there something you’ve been telling me to start doing that I haven’t?” Confess it, and make sure the channel is open to God. The Bible says in 1 John 1:9a, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” (NIV).
2. Commit the decision to Christ.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lordwith all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (NIV). In other words, don’t try to figure it out by yourself! Look to God for your understanding of what is going on, or what he wants you to do.
Stop and put yourself in neutral gear — that may take some time — and say, “God, about this problem or decision I’m facing — whatever you want is what I want.” That attitude is the attitude that Jesus had before he went to the cross, as he was in the Garden of Gethsemane and said, “Not my will be done, but thy will be done.” Confess your sin, commit your decision to Jesus, and then keep praying until you can follow Christ’s attitude about the situation.
And you can trust that God will make your paths straight.
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Talk It Over
Why is it important to apply God’s Word in a personal way, as opposed to just generally?
Why is it important to be specific when you confess your sin?
In what decision do you need to say, “Not my will but yours be done, God”? Pray, and ask God to help you have a Christlike attitude as you commit your ways to him.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Put Jesus at the center of your Christmas!
Many people step into the Christmas season run down and worn out. And by the time January rolls around, they’re so exhausted that they’ve completely missed the real reason for the season.
But there’s really no better time to recalibrate your heart toward Jesus than during the holidays. And Pastor Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose of Christmas, can help you fill your Christmas with more of God’s love and peace by making Christ the center of your life.
This resource shows you . . .
• What Christmas means for your salvation
• How to surrender to God’s will
• Practical steps to overcome discouragement
• Why we celebrate Christmas at all
• How Christmas can be a time to make peace with others
The Purpose of Christmas is our way to thank you for your gift below to help more people learn, love, and live the Word – so request your copy when you give!
From all of us at Daily Hope, may you experience God’s peace and joy this holiday season!
This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
