The litmus test in labeling God’s will
Bible Reading: Colossians 3:9-17
As a student, I remember the first time my science teacher came to the class to coach us how to differentiate between an acid and a base. Among all the points she gave, the most fascinating was when she dipped a moist litmus paper into an acid and immediately it turned red. Right away, I felt like having a bag of litmus paper so I could apply this indicator on any liquid I see. Many believers have asked the question similar to – ‘how do I really know that it is God’s will?’ I wish I could hand them a bag of “God’s will litmus paper”. Although such a thing does not exist, there are two powerful indicators that can easily let you know if your heart messages or the prophecies from other believers are in line with God’s will:
- Is it in agreement with God’s general will revealed in Scriptures? – A young vibrant employee once took money from his company’s purse to donate to the poor and when he was accused of stealing, he said he was led by God to do so. Whereas the bible says “steal no more” whether your intention is wrong or right. A Christian lady once described her fiancé like this – ‘oh! You need to meet him; he is such an amiable, charming and caring gentleman. Though he is not a Christian, I believe God that he will change soon’. Whereas II Cor. 6:14 (GW) reads “stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners?”
Let’s learn from Apostle Peter. In II Peter 1:17, he narrated that he was present at Jesus’ baptism when a voice sounded from heaven saying ‘this is my beloved son’. However, in verse 19-20, he said beyond the voice, we have ‘a more sure word of prophecy in the scriptures’. It is very unlikely that God will lead you to do something that contradicts his will and nature as revealed in scriptures. So if we do not have a thorough understanding of scriptures, we will be ranking very high in the list of gullible Christians.
- Is there peace in your mind: There are times when it is not an issue of black and white, but it is of cream and white? For example, “don’t marry an unbeliever” is so clear in scripture. But amidst all believers, who exactly should you marry? In such cases where you want to know what is right for you among the goodies around, thenColossians 3:15 (GNB) gives a perfect instruction – “The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make”. As a matter of fact, I believe that all other ways God leads believers have a way of working in line with peace in your mind as a confirmation. Where there is unrest and anxiety in your mind, it may be an indication that you should exercise caution. Although sometimes we have unrest as a result of fear and not necessarily because God is saying ‘No’, it is good that we always draw a line between the two.
I believe if you make use of these two indicators, it will help you a lot in telling if a message is from God. In situations where it still appears difficult to label God’s will after using these indicators, then you should apply patience. This is because for every genuine Christian, it’s just a matter of time for you to get back to the right track.
– tope aladenusi
