BIBLICAL BRIEFS 78
It is important for every believer to discern the will of God. According to the Amplified’s paraphrase of Col 1: 9, Paul prays: “[asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God ] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things”. One ought to be sure of one thing: it is more important to God that you are obedient than having heard God 100% right. Prov. 16: 3 is, therefore, one of the most important directional Scriptures in regard to how we hear from the Lord concerning our plans: “Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.” (Amp). Believers often miss the progression and order in this process. First of all, one has to “roll” your works before the Lord – the CEV declares this as: “Share your plans with the LORD.” The works are, therefore, the pre-work, the ground works, YOUR plans (Ex. 31: 4). You “roll” your plans before Him by means of prayer – almost like the Old Testament wave offering (Ex. 29:24, Lev. 23:20). The next step is that He makes your thoughts “agreeable” to His will. This means that He modifies/deletes/broadens/focuses your plans, in other words, he brings supernatural wisdom into the matter and thus also makes it His plan. Thus, “you hear the counsel of the Lord” (Jer. 49:20). Often there are many plans in one’s heart (Prov. 19:21), but Prov. 15:22 is on point when it says: “Without counsel, plans fail …” By means of this strategy, “your plans will be established and succeed”. Paul qualifies this process in Phil. 2:12-13 when he says: “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure”.
Dr Tom Gouws
