Lord, what do You want me to do?
Many years ago, the hit song “Listen to Your Heart” came out.
Unfortunately, “listen to your heart” as a decision-making skill is where every person was before becoming “born again.”
Then after our spiritual birth, we became “a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Listening to the heart is where Saul of Tarsus was as well, before being saved. And Saul even thought he was doing God’s will, by torturing and murdering Christ followers!
So what does God say about listening to our hearts? You know, things like listening to our emotions and feelings?
Don’t “listen to your heart”!
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
(Jeremiah 17:9)
So God tells us that “The heart is deceitful above all things.” As in, your own heart will deceive you and trick you if you’re not careful!
So let’s be careful to not fall into the trappings of our own self will. That’s what the Bible calls the flesh, or self-willed life and it opposes the work of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-17)
Every Christian must learn to mature into this.
Many people make decisions based upon their feelings. Or their family or friends influence them. But let’s remember that Jesus is “Lord” and He wants to speak to us!
In Acts 9, as we see Saul of Tarsus meet Jesus, we see that Saul is now finally surrendered to Jesus. He’s now submitted unto Jesus as his Lord. And Saul is now ready to serve Jesus as Lord.
”So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
(Acts 9:6)
Saul said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Friends, that’s a really good question!
This is one of the reasons why we must spend quality time daily with the Lord and allow Him to speak to us. And again, let’s not fall any longer to the deception of our own hearts. (As I used to over and over!)
You see, our hearts will tell us one thing, but the Lord will convict our hearts onto His path and to follow Jesus.
As Jesus said in Luke 9:23 – “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
We usually ask God the wrong questions!
If we’re honest with ourselves, don’t we usually ask God the wrong questions?
I remember much of my prayer life was simply self-absorbed things that I wanted in life.
I was really looking to do what I wanted to do in life. To be a self-pleaser, but not a God pleaser. Ouch, that was me! Was that you too?
Some of the questions we usually ask God
Christian, whoever you are and wherever you live, I wish to pose what may be a new thought for you here today.
You see, many times we come to God asking Him for “permission.” Our heart may have deceived us, where we already have things figured out. And then our “prayer request” is not to ask God for His will to be revealed to us, but rather for Him to bless and anoint a decision we’ve already made.
There’s one huge problem with that though.
That’s not Biblical at all!
Again, that’s the life where self is “Lord” and we’re trying to ask Jesus to anoint our plans.
Rather, a more Biblical approach, as even seen with Saul in Acts 9:6 is to discover God’s will on a daily basis. Ask Him, “Lord, what do You want me to do today?”
Then, if and when the Lord shows you His plan, weigh it against Scripture. If it doesn’t match and agree with God’s Word then you must reject it.
What does the Bible say?
Weigh everything against God’s Word – not your heart!
”Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
(1 John 4:1)
”These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”
(Acts 17:11)
”19Do not quench the Spirit.
20Do not despise prophecies.
21Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22Abstain from every form of evil.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:19-22)
Friends, throughout God’s Word, we’re taught to “test all things.”
The only obvious objective thing we can “test all things” against – and not be subjective and fall to our feelings and emotions – is God’s Word!
Everything the Christian does should be matched up with God’s Word.
Once more, never “listen to your heart!” That’s horrible theology, and we must never get our doctrine from a worldly song.
The world says “if it feels good do it”
There was a time where everything I did as a Christian was because “I felt like it.” (ring a bell with anyone?)
However, as Christians we must train ourselves to learn to listen for the Lord as He convicts our heart one way or the other.
This takes time, takes much practice and patience but the Lord wants us to obey Him and His Word, not our feelings nor emotions.
So as we’re all learning to grow in God’s grace and in His ways (2 Peter 3:18), let’s listen for our Lord.
Let’s ask Him better and more Biblical questions.
After all, let’s remember the words of Jesus. “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8)
God is waiting for our surrender to Him.
If you haven’t yet surrendered to Jesus as your “Lord” then do so today.
And ask Him, “Lord, what do You want me to do today?”
Many times, He may simply convict your heart to walk with Him and talk with Him throughout your day. He wants to share His life with you, that He might bless you as you walk in His presence throughout the day.
Share this with someone who needs this.
Listen to the full message here.
~ Pastor Drew