Page 8 - Good News May 2013 paper

ften when people say God has not the sequence of miraculous events that
revealed His will for their lives, what has brought me to the place where I am
Othey really mean is that they have now, the Hand of God and His divine
not heard an audible voice from heaven. Of orchestration are quite evident.
course there are moments when God
speaks in very dramatic ways, but more Today I preach to crowds of hundreds of
often than not, God reveals His will in a thousands of people. I lead an international
much less extravagant fashion, and it evangelistic ministry, and I have had the
often unfolds slowly, layer by layer over honour to lead more than ten million
time rather than in a single, earth- people to Jesus in our massive open-air
shattering epiphany. evangelistic campaigns around the world.
God never told me this was coming, and it
Consider Abraham, the father of the never would have entered into my wildest
Israelite nation, whom God called to "get dreams. But as I obeyed God's call one step
out of your country, from your family, and at a time, God's plan and purpose unfolded,
from your father's house, to a land that I layer by layer, with many confirmations
will show you" (Genesis 12:1, NKJV). God along the way. I have found that this is
asked Abraham to leave everything usually the way God reveals His plan: one
familiar for something completely step at a time.
unknown. God's call to Abraham did not
include specific coordinates, just a call to Jesus laid out a principle in Luke 16:10 that
GO. As Abraham obeyed, God revealed His is absolutely essential in the quest to
plan one step at a time. discover God's will for our lives. Jesus
said, "He that is faithful in that which is
If God revealed His ultimate plan for our least is faithful also in much: and he that is
lives from the beginning, we would often unjust in the least is unjust also in much."
find ourselves chasing a dream rather than God calls us to small things before He calls
following Him. God didn't want to just send us to great things. Many people want God
Abraham to his inheritance; God wanted to to speak audibly from Heaven and give
lead him there. In following God, Abraham them direction, yet they aren't following the
made an amazing discovery. The land and small directions they already have. If you
the legacy that God would give him was aren't doing what you already know to do,
something wonderful indeed, but there why should God give you more instruc-
was another reward that would make all tions? If you aren't being faithful in the
others pale in comparison. "Abram," the small things, why should God entrust you
Lord says, "I am…your exceedingly great with more important things?
reward" (Gen. 15:1, NKJV).
When you think about God's call and will
If you think you have it all figured out and for your life, don't think so much in terms of
you know exactly where God is going to where you will eventually end up or what
take you and how He's going to get you you will ultimately do. Instead, think in
there, be prepared for disappointment. terms of what God's will is for you right
God's will is never revealed in such a way now! What is in your hand? What does He
that it negates our need for dependence want from you today? As you follow Him in
upon Him. Ultimately, whether or not we obedience, step-by-step and day-by-day,
fulfil God's will for our lives depends on the picture will
whether or not we follow Him. In the end we become clearer and
will all discover that the real prize was not He will entrust you
the perfect career, wonderful spouse, or with more and more.
right education. The real reward for follow- Eventually the day
ing God is God Himself. will come when you
will look back on the
The full revelation of God's will rarely many steps you took
comes as a sudden epiphany. He calls us in faith and obe-
to see if we will follow even without dience, and you will
knowing all the details. When He sees that see how the Lord
we take a step of obedience, then He gives carefully and strate-
us the next step. gically orchestrated
each one in a way
Recently in an interview I was asked how you never could have
God had shown me that it was His will for engineered in your
me to be doing what I am doing in Ministry. own strength or
I think the interviewer was hoping to hear wisdom.
that I had a vision, a dream, or heard an [Live Before You Die,
audible voice that gave me specific Daniel Kolenda,
instructions. But my answer was quite Christ for all Nations, Daniel
different. I told him that as I look back on www.cfan.org]. Kolenda