What if You Are Out of God’s Will?

How to Get Back in God’s Will

1 Kings 11,12

DATE: Aug 14, 2005 PM PLACE: BBC Ballincollig

I. Introduction (Ps 78:40,41)

A. Still continuing in our attempt to swap-out faulty aspects of our lives with the perfect life of Jesus Christ

B. But there is a tendency in us to “get out of the way” and backslide!

C. Somebody once said, It is easy to get out of the will of God. It is hard to get back in the will of God. He is right! But thank God it is not impossible!

D. The following thoughts are given to those who have slipped out of God's will because a anybody can take a wrong turn, a stubborn course and miss God’s perfect will for their lives!

E. First of all, What is God’s Will?

1. It is God’s perfect plan for your life – complete from start to finish

2. It is called, His way

F. What does it mean to be IN His will, and OUT of His will?

1. In His will means doing exactly what he said when He said do, and where

2. Out of His will is to do anything less!

G. How can a person find and then get right into the middle of God’s will?

1. First by obeying the clear directions in the word of God – the moral plan

2. Then by searching the Bible for helps to get you on track

3. Then by praying and asking for direction

4. Then by seeking godly counsel and direction

5. Finally, by waiting until God makes a way

a. Like with the red Sea

b. Like with the coming of Moses, and later of Jesus

H. How can a person get back into the will of God for their lives? Well, THAT is the question of the hour isn’t it? Can a person get so far out that they cannot get back? The answer is YES! It is called being cast away!

I. But let’s try and make sure that doesn’t happen with anyone here tonight!

II. Message - What If You Are Out of God’s will?

A. This morning we learned WHAT is God’s Will, and that just by obeying and following the Lord Jesus will get you smack-dab in the middle of God’s will

B. Here in 1Kings 11:42,43 and 12:1-4 is presented what is God’s Perfect will for young Rehoboam

1. It was God’s will and timing for Solomon to die (11:42,43)

2. It was God’s will for Rehoboam, Solomon’s firstborn to be king (11:43)

3. It was God’s will for the nation of Israel to be one nation – unified (12:1)

4. It was God’s will for the nation to face and pass the coming test (12:2-4)

C. So, How Do We get OUT of God’s Will (1Kgs 12:5-15)

1. Reject Right Counsel (12:5-8)

2. Seek Wrong Counsel (12:8-11)

a. ILLUS: Woman who always threw a stick up to determine which way to go – many time threw it over and over in order to get it to point in her own way

3. Think first about self and promotion and glory instead of God (12:10,11) – contrast with the words of the older men in 12:7 “if thou wilt be a servant to this people…”

4. Commit yourself to your decision (12:12-15)

D. How to Get Back IN God’s Will (1Kgs 12:16-24)

1. Resolve to do what it takes to get back (1Kgs 12:16-24; Rev 2:1-5)

a. Rehoboam tried to make things right, but he did it the wrong way – only thinking of HIS empire, not God’s people!

b. But, if the door is still open, go back through it. It may be very humbling to admit you made a wrong decision, but getting back in the middle of God’s will is best!

1) If the job is still open, the one who left may return.

2) If one has gone to the wrong school, go to the right school.

3) If one has entered the wrong profession, you can rectify that by entering the right profession.

4) If one is engaged to the wrong girl or boy, he can break the engagement.

5) If you have walked away from the mate that you should marry, then go back to them

6) If you have quit a job that you now know you should have stayed at, then go back and apologize, and try to get your job back!

7) In other words, if it is not sinful to go back, then go ahead and re-enter the same door through which you left the will of God.

c. Go back the way you came.

1) If you left the will of God when you quit paying your debts, then get back in the will of God by paying the debts.

2) If you left the will of God by hurting people, you should get back in the will of God by making reconciliation with those people.

3) Undo what has been done if it is at all possible, and go back to the will of God where you came out of His will.

2. Seek to go ahead and do the acceptable will of God (1Kgs 12:22-24).

a. The acceptable will of God now for Rehoboam was to be king of only two tribes – the best of all twelve have you!

b. Here is the principle: Many people find themselves so far out of God's perfect will that they can never get back in it.

1) If a person has married the wrong person, then there is no way to get back rightly in the will of God concerning one's marriage. God’s will is for you to stay married now and warn others not to make the same mistake

2) If a person messed around with drugs (against 1Cor 3 and 6) and it messes up their brain, then God’s will is that they struggle with the repercussions – it is God’s will

3) If you blow a great job because of too many late night TV sessions and laziness, then seek at least ANY other job to keep yourself busy and to pay your bills. It may not be the perfect job and God’s perfect will, but it will be acceptable to God

4) It would be wrong and sinful to not do anything!

5) If you messed around with sex before marriage and now are sterile or have STD’s, then the will of God is that you do not have natural born children – so adopt!!!

c. Many people today have blown their lives and their minds and their bodies, so they need to settle for the acceptable will if God – a place that is second best to what you should have been doing, but now is impossible.

d. At least you will be IN the will of God, and MAYBE God will move you closer and closer again to His centre!

3. Get close to someone in the perfect will of God (1Sam 22:1,2)

a. These men were a mess, and yet they heard of David and God’s call upon his life (God’s perfect will was first to be king, AND to have to run and hide both)! So they fled to him, and leaned on him, and let his closeness help them get back close as well

b. That’s what church and discipleship is all about!

c. This is very important. If a person's life has caused him to forfeit the perfect will of God, he may then be in the acceptable will of God, but perhaps he could accomplish more by working with someone in the perfect will of God and being a part of that someone's ministry.

d. God’s will so often is for people to work together

e. It may be a person is out of the will of God because they were trying to do it all alone, when God wanted them to grow, and develop and mature and do it along side someone else – as an apprentice, a team-mate

f. Help them stay in the middle of God’s will – make sure you don’t pull them down!

4. Work harder than others.

a. Folks, WORK is the secret to success.

b. If you find yourself unable to get back into the perfect will of God, you need to find the acceptable will of God for your life, and by working harder than those in the perfect will of God, you may certainly do much to make things better. You may even get as much done as the person in the perfect will of God. If for any reason you have forfeited the perfect will of God for your life, work that much harder to make up for the mistake and try to accomplish as much in life as possible.

c. Too many Christians just give up and jump ship, and return to the world, and drop out when God says, you blew it, but get up and let’s work a bit harder!

d. Jesus is worthy!

e. All of us know about athletes who are not as gifted with as many natural gifts as others, and yet accomplishes more. They may not have been the natural athlete; But instead, by hustle, practice, and hard work they oftentimes surpass the more gifted ones. This is also true in God's service.

5. Use your testimony to warn others.

a. If you have left the perfect will of God, admit it to help others avoid making the same mistakes.

b. Especially be a help to children and young people.

c. It is part of your testimony – be ashamed of your PAST, not your present, and certainly not your future!!!

6. Be sure you do not blame the cause (Philp 3:13,14)

a. In some cases your mate may be associated with your leaving the perfect will of God. But don’t blame your mate. This simply adds fuel to the fire and insult to the injury.

b. Knowing they pulled you down, or held you back is not the same as living in blame – instead look forward, and press forward

c. Do not lament the past, but be thankful. Take your medicine like a good boy and be thankful that a least something has been reclaimed and salvaged in your life now that you are living for God.

III. Conclusion

A. So you are out of the will of God. I am sorry. If possible, go about getting back into the perfect will of God immediately. If this is impossible, get right with God, have your life reclaimed for His service, and do His acceptable will. God can still use you. Let Him do so.

B. How can we make sure we don't miss God's will?

1. Be certain of what pleases God. (Col 1:10-12)

2. Do what God has said to do – clearly revealed will

3. Seek much counsel and advice from mature believers – not from your friends and peers

C. How to Get Back into the Will of God?