Anthony Delgado has a wonderful wife and three children. Anthony directs Youth Ministry at This lesson is set up for an open discussion format. You can still teach through it if you do not want to do a large group discussion. In either event, there are still some small group questions at the end.
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul” (Psalm 143.8).
It can be difficult to discern the will of God especially when if comes to His direct interaction in our lives. We often talk about opened and closed doors as a metaphor for how God is working, but the application is far broader.
Sometimes I think of it like a cheesy 70′s game show. There are three doors. Behind one door there is a prize and behind the other two there is nothing. You get to pick one door to walk through. Often God will seal off two doors for us so that all we have to do is step out and take the open door and we receive the prize. Often He is far more ambiguous. He may have narrowed a decision to two or three open doors, but he is whispering to us to to trust Him on a certain path. He is the voice in the audience shouting door number three; if you will.
“Show me the way I should go.”
If we are going to respond to God—to worship Him—in all things, we must know what way God is leading us. We must know the will of God. We know what God’s will is through scripture, through circumstances and through wise direction.
OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD
“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5.16-18)
- Recognition. What is God’s will from this verse?
That we rejoice, pray without ceasing and give thanks in all things.
- Do it. Practically, how do you do God’s will from this verse?
It is God’s will that we train ourselves to be in a constant state of awareness of what God has done for us; that as a result, we would experience joy, which results in rejoice; That we would have a relationship with God—praying as a response to God which is worshiping and praising and giving thanks for all He has done.
- What to do about it?
Read God’s word and constantly be looking for the things that God is telling you to do in your life.
OPEN AND CLOSE DOORS
“On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. (Acts 16.13-15).
- What door did God open?
The opportunity to preach the gospel. They were simply looking for a place to pray and God led them to this group of women whom they could minister to.
- How did the disciples respond to the open door?
They preached the gospel to the women. They recognized the call of God and were obedient to it.
- How did God respond to the disciples preaching of the gospel?
He opened the hearts of Lydia and her family. He allowed the disciples efforts to be effective.
- Why did the disciples stay with Lydia and her family?
God opened the door! It was a common practice for the disciples to find a place in a new town where they would be welcomed. God clearly had his hand in this one. Were God to have led them to a different place or not opened Lydia’s heart to His message, then she would not have become a follower of Christ and would not have opened her home to them.
- What do we learn from this?
When God opens doors, we are to walk through them—to do what He is asking us to do. Too often we look at open doors as options. They are not. There is no gray area with God. You are either doing His will or not. Actions are either righteous or they are sin. There are really no options.
WISE DIRECTION
Read all of Exodus 18
- Why did the people come to Moses? (v. 15)
To inquire of God. They need to know His will. Moses provided counsel to the Israelites.
- What did Jethro do for Moses? (v. 18+)
He provided Moses with counsel by giving him a way to reduce the amount of work he was doing.
- What did Moses do in response to this advise from Jethro? (v. 24)
He determined it was sound advice and did what Jethro said.
- Who was Jethro? (v. 1)
His wife’s father and a priest—meaning someone who represents mankind before God.
- Would Moses have listened to just anyone?
Probably not. But, he had a long relationship with Jethro and was aware of the wisdom that God had given him.
- What do we do with this?
Seek out the counsel of fellow believers. I think it’s important to recognize that no matter how wise someone is, they can still learn from others. Moses was the head of Israel and wise beyond measure, but he still benefited from the wisdom of someone else. Maybe that is what made him the most humble man to ever live.
APPLICATION
There are three major ways that we see God’s will in our lives. We get God’s will through His word, from our circumstances and from fellow believers. We must first be able to recognize God’s work in these areas and then act in obedience as we encounter them. I could still see someone asking what to do with this. It comes down to this. Read God’s word, do what it says, seek wise counsel and then God will make His will clear; to which we respond in worship.
DISCUSSION (This is a longer lesson so you may not have time for discussion.)
How is obedience worship?
How is doing God’s will worship?
If God is opening the door for you to be a pastor or a missionary is it a sin to go another direction?
How do you know if God is opening doors?
Where can you find wise counsel?
(Don’t forget to download the Worship Lesson 4 Worksheet)