THE CALL TO MISSIONS

IV. Guidance of the Lord

By applying Biblical principles, we learn how to follow God. Henry T. Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, and Claude V. King, in their revised and expanded book Experiencing God (1994 Edition, p. 34), give some of these Biblical Principles:
1. God is always at work around you.

2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.

3. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways.

5. God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.

6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.

7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you.
It is good to reflect on the seven principles. Principle four says that God speaks by the Holy Spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit guides each believer.

As indicated in principle seven, we receive guidance when we obey God. As we obey, we seek to become more like Christ. Jesus only did what his father told him to do (John 5:19,20). Christ was perfectly obedient, so he received guidance from the Father in all aspects of his life.

Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” ( John 5:19 NIV).

Notice that Jesus did only what he saw his Father doing. So Henry Blackaby suggests that believers look to see what God is doing in the world, and join God in that work. To be guided as Jesus was, we must submit our will to God as Jesus did. See Luke 22:42. When we are willing to submit all areas of our lives to God, God will lead us. He wants us to voluntarily follow, so he leads only as far as we are willing to go.

We can only be successful in missions to the extent that we follow God. This is why we look to see what God is doing. God’s work is not always easy to see. We may see God working in areas where the Gospel has already gone. People may be responding to Christ and churches may be growing. But in areas where the Gospel has not gone, how can we see God at work? As we spread the Gospel, we will see where God causes people to respond, and we can focus in such areas. We may have a plan for a particular type of ministry, and God may produce results in a very different way. We must be flexible in following the Holy Spirit as he leads us to successful strategies.

As we become more like Christ, we think in Christ-like ways. And when we think like Christ, we are able to know God’s will.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV).

To summarize some of the principles given above, the Lord guides us when we do the following.
  • Receive the Holy Spirit.
  • Obey God’s commandments.
  • See what God is doing, and join him in that work.
  • Renew our mind as we mature as Christians.
Principle number four by Henry Blackaby reads, “God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.” This principle lists the primary ways in which God guides us. I will expound on each of these ways in section A below.

Test Your Knowledge - Quiz #3

4. You can be guided by God when you:
     A) Receive the Holy Spirit
     B) Obey God’s commandments
     C) Renew your mind as you mature in faith
     D) All of the above

5. As you evangelize in areas not previously evangelized, you can see what God is doing by:
     A) Reading the Bible
     B) Following your plan for evangelizing
     C) Prayerfully testing evangelistic plans and see how people respond
     D) None of the above

6. Christians should look to see what God is doing in the world, and join him in that work because:
     A) Jesus only did what he saw his Father doing
     B) We can only be successful when we are in the will of God
     C) Jesus submitted completely to God’s plans
     D) All of the above

7. As we obey God and mature in the faith, we learn how to be guided by God because:
     A) Our minds are renewed so we think more like Christ
     B) We no longer sin
     C) We acquire more spiritual gifts
     D) None of the above

A.

Primary Means of Guidance

The Holy Spirit lives with each believer and guides each believer. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the other means that are available. Not all means are available in every place. Prayer is a means by which each believer can be guided. God speaks through the advice of those in the church, and in most places, a believer can find other believers to help in finding guidance. The Bible is available in many areas of the world, but not in all places. Hopefully, at least the missionary (if not others in a local church) will have a copy of the Bible. God can work through circumstances in any place, revealing his will.
 

 

1.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit aids us as we study the Bible, as we pray, as we seek advice from those in the church, and as we are confronted with circumstances in life. The Holy Spirit is our Counselor who teaches us all things. See John 14:26.

Often the Holy Spirit speaks to us in a quiet voice like the whisper heard by Elijah the prophet. See 1 Kings 19:12. Generally, the Holy Spirit does not speak audibly to us, but he may place thoughts in our minds, or give us a desire to take one action and avoid another action.
   

 

   

    Test Your Knowledge - Quiz #4

    8. The Holy Spirit communicates to us primarily through:
         A) An audible voice
         B) A quiet way—placing thoughts in our minds
         C) Miracles
         D) Dreams

 

2.

Bible

The thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament are the infallible and authoritative word of God. The Bible is the best place to look for guidance in Christian living. By studying and meditating on the Scriptures, we are changed—taking on the mind of Christ. And the Holy Spirit brings to mind Scriptures when we need guidance. See John 14:26. So it is very important to have a plan for regular study of the Bible. If you don’t have a copy of the Bible, but you have free access to the internet, you can access the Bible and print free copies of the “Net Bible” from the following website. Click on the following link:

http://www.bible.org/default.asp?scid=3

   

 

   

 

3.

Prayer

Prayer is two-way communication with God. We speak and we listen. We ask God for guidance, and then wait for his answer. Throughout each day, we can ask God questions like, “What do you want me to do in this situation?” Prayer should be sincere heart-felt communication with God.

Jesus taught us how to pray. See Matthew 6:5-15. In this passage in Matthew, Jesus said to pray in a humble manner, not trying to impress others by our speech. He taught us to pray to God the Father, giving him praise and honor. He said to pray that God’s will be done on earth. So we agree that God’s way is best, and we seek to obey his commandments. Every day, we ask that God provide for our needs that day. We ask forgiveness for our sins. Sometimes we may quote the model prayer offered here in Matthew 6, but as a rule, we pray in our own words. We privately confess our specific sins to God, and ask forgiveness. We also must forgive others for their sins against us. If we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. We ask God to protect us from the traps set by Satan.
   

 

   

 

4.

Church

The organized church includes all those who claim to be Christians, and who meet together to worship with other Christians. Within the organized church there are both believers and non-believers. The true church includes those who truly believe in Christ, and have received the Holy Spirit. God speaks through those in the true church.

Some in the church have the spiritual gift of prophecy—they proclaim the word of God. See Ephesians 4:11. God gives them a message relevant to their hearers. So we listen to pastors, to Bible teachers, to Christian counselors, and to gifted elders in order to hear a word from the Lord. We should test prophecy to see if it agrees with Scripture. See Acts 17:11. We know Scripture is inspired, but there are many false prophets in the world. So Scripture takes precedence over current prophecy. One way to identify false prophets is to observe their lifestyle and works—if their fruit is bad, they are false prophets. See Matthew 7:15-20.

It is good to seek the advice of mature Christians in the church. It is helpful to have such Christians as mentors. Such advisors can walk along beside us as we follow Christ, providing an example and encouraging us. We also should mentor others less spiritually mature than ourselves.

We seek the advice of mature Christians, but we shouldn’t ignore the words of anyone that God may send to us. God may speak through little children. Indeed, the kingdom of heaven belongs to such innocent children. See Matthew 19:14. Sometimes parents are amazed by the spiritual insight of their children.

The advice of Christians is valuable, but ultimately each of us must listen to God for guidance. The Holy Spirit may lead us to mission work that is not advised by our friends in the church. Typically missionaries seek the blessing of the church as they prepare for missions. See Acts 13:2. But God may call a missionary to service before others in the church know about such guidance. Later, the church may confirm this calling. It is incumbent upon a missionary to examine the Scriptures and listen to the Holy Spirit.

Each Christian is unique and each Christian has a unique calling. The work of various missionaries may be similar, but not exactly the same. Each Christian servant has a different set of gifts, talents, resources, life situation, culture, and mission field. So God uses people in different ways to expand his kingdom. Therefore it is important to avoid merely copying other ministers and ministries. Certainly we can learn from other Christians, and we should apply some of their successful techniques in our work. But we seek God’s guidance, not just the guidance of people.

God is against those preachers who steal the words of other prophets
. See Jeremiah 23:30. We can learn from other preachers. We can use some of their ideas. But God does not want us to merely copy the sermons of others. God wants us to listen to him and proclaim his word.
   

 

   

    Test Your Knowledge - Quiz #5

    9. You should go to the mission field to work only if:
         A) God is calling you to go
         B) Your pastor approves of your going
         C) You have been obedient to God from an early age
         D) All of the above

 

5.

Circumstances

Christians sometimes refer to “divine providence” as being synonymous with “divine guidance.” By the providence of God, means are provided to accomplish a mission for God. God may provide such things as training, spiritual gifts, or opportunities and then call a missionary to use such means to expand the kingdom of God.

Some Christians do not believe in “coincidence” (the accidental occurrence of events suggesting a causal relationship). They believe that God is in control of events, so they don’t think that coincidental events are accidental. So I coined the term “divine coincidence” meaning that God sometimes works in miraculous ways that may appear to be coincidental. For example, a missionary may need a specific amount of money to be able to serve in a mission field, and exactly when the money is needed, the money is miraculously provided.

Many Christians refer to some circumstances as “open or closed doors.” The Apostle Paul referred to an open door for his ministry in Ephesus. See 1 Corinthians 16:8,9. Certainly we should be aware of open and closed doors, but there is a danger in relying solely on circumstances in determining the guidance of God. God wants us to follow the Holy Spirit, and not look merely to circumstances around us. Paul wrote that while we are in the body, “we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV).

We don’t see the spiritual world unless God reveals it. The prophet Elisha’s servant saw that the King of Aram had sent an army to surround their city. The servant asked what they could do. Elisha explained that those who were with them were more than those who were against them. Elisha asked the Lord to give the servant spiritual sight, and then the servant saw that God had sent his angels in chariots of fire to overcome the enemy (2 Kings 6:8-23).

God may call you to be a missionary, and you may feel that circumstances are preventing you from responding to that call. You may not currently have the resources or abilities to serve. But if God is calling, he will provide the means for you to go.
   

 

   

    Test Your Knowledge - Quiz #6

    10. When you seek God’s guidance and you get different answers, which of the following sources takes precedence over the other sources?
         A) Your pastor
         B) Circumstances
         C) Bible
         D) An interpretation of tongues

B.

Other Means of Guidance

Go to the web site below and at the bottom of the web page, click on the link—“Free Sample Course Download.” This will download a 156-page course entitled “Knowing God’s Voice.” The course covers both the primary means by which God guides us (see above) as well as other means of guidance cited below. We do not endorse every teaching provided on the websites referenced as links. Rather, we provide these links as a source of useful information on topics that we address on our website.

From time to time, God has guided his followers in various ways listed below.
 
 

 

1.

Angels

There are numerous accounts of angels appearing to people in Biblical times (e.g. Genesis 18:2; Judges 6:11-22; Daniel 6:22; Acts 5:19; Revelation 1:1).

Angels are messengers that carry the word of God to prophets and to other people. See Daniel 9:21; Acts 8:26. Angels are ministering spirits, who care for those who will inherit eternal life. See Hebrews 1:14. Angels guard believers. See Psalm 91:11,12.

Some have encountered angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2). Generally people are unaware of things in the spiritual realm so they do not see angels. But there are accounts in religious publications of people seeing angels in modern times.
   

 

   

 

2.

Miracles

Supernatural events are recorded throughout the Bible. For example, God intervened in history by parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21), by healing the sick (Luke 9:11), and by defeating enemies (2 Kings 6:8-23).

Miracles are reported today. How can miracles provide guidance? Suppose a terminally ill person promises God to serve him as a minister if he is miraculously healed. So God heals the person. The person then keeps the promise, and enters the ministry. Perhaps God used the illness to lead the person into the ministry.

In the Bible, God used miracles to bring people to greater faith. Seeing the power of God, people were sometimes led to trust God in a greater way—to follow Him more closely. See John 9:25,35-38.
   

 

   

 

3.

Dreams

Scripture shows that God revealed his will repeatedly to people through their dreams. Some examples include Jacob’s call to go to Egypt (Genesis 46:2-4), Joseph’s call to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13), and Pilate’s wife receiving a warning that Pilate should not harm Jesus (Matthew 27:19).

The Bible teaches that in the last days, God will speak to people through dreams and visions. See Acts 2:17. Almost everyone dreams, and most of the time, God is not guiding people through such dreams. Scripture shows that those who are guided through a dream realize that God is speaking to them. In the same way, if God speaks to a person in a dream today, he will let that person know that he is guiding.
   

 

   

 

4.

Visions

A vision--or supernatural sight--may be a physical, mental, or spiritual picture that God provides. In Scripture, there are a number of people were guided by visions. Some of these include Ananias being instructed to seek out Saul (Acts 9:10-16), Paul being called to Macedonia (Acts 16:9), and Cornelius being directed to send for Paul (Acts 10:3-5).

Although visions are not everyday occurrences, we should not be surprised when God gives a vision to a godly person. At the same time, we should be sure that the instructions given in such a vision do not conflict with Scripture. God has given us many truths in the Bible. Comparing a vision with Biblical truth helps us to know whether or not our thoughts and visions are from him.
   

 

   

 

5.

An Audible Voice

In Biblical times, God sometimes spoke to people in an audible voice. He spoke at the baptism of Jesus (John 12:28,29), and when he appeared to Moses as a burning bush (Exodus 3:4-12).

Today there are people who suffer from mental illness or demon possession who claim to hear voices—even thinking they hear the voice of God. Satan wants to deceive people, and he may make them think they are hearing God.

There are also healthy, sane people who say they have heard an audible word from God. God may speak to some people in an audible way. At the same time, let us understand that this is not an everyday occurrence.
   

 

   

 

6.

Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues

Let us examine the tongues spoken in Biblical times. When God initiated the church in Jerusalem at the Feast of Pentecost, he sent the Holy Spirit to indwell believers. These believers then began to speak and people from various countries understood the speakers in their own languages. See Acts 2:6. The tongues at Pentecost were intelligible. In contrast, people in the Corinthian Church did not understand the tongues spoken there, unless someone interpreted the tongues. See 1 Corinthians 14:2. The tongues spoken in the Corinthian Church were not intelligible.

The Apostle Paul gave instructions regarding speaking in tongues that are not intelligible to most listeners.
  • He indicated that tongues are a valuable gift because he spoke in tongues more than the Corinthians. See 1 Corinthians 14:18. Such tongues edify (spiritually build up) the one who is praying. See 1 Corinthians 14:4.
  • Tongues are primarily private prayer languages, and they should be spoken in church only if there is an interpreter present to explain the meaning of the tongues. See 1 Corinthians 14:19,27,28. 
  • The church must not forbid the speaking of tongues, but only one person at a time is to speak in tongues. See 1 Corinthians 14:27,39.
Many people in the church believe that the gift of tongues is no longer given to believers. Some denominations do not practice speaking in tongues. Other denominations believe that tongues, like other gifts of the Spirit, are still given and are valuable today. Let us examine how tongues were used in guiding the church during Biblical times. The Bible teaches that God spoke through the one who had the gift of tongues, and a person with the gift of interpretation could interpret what was said so that the church was edified. So the interpretation of tongues guided the church like prophesy guided the church. See 1 Corinthians 14:5,6,13,31.

Paul prayed with his mind—using words that he could understand—and he prayed with his spirit—using words that he could not understand. See 1 Corinthians 14:15. Why would Paul pray in the spirit? Paul allowed the Holy Spirit to communicate words that he didn’t know. In the same way, when people are at a loss of words to pray, those who have the gift of tongues can pray in tongues, and the Holy Spirit will intercede “with groans that words cannot express.” See Romans 8:26 (New International Version). Perhaps the Holy Spirit also intercedes for those who do not speak in tongues “with groans that words cannot express.”

Christians each have different gifts, and many Christians do not speak in tongues. See 1 Corinthians 12:30. Paul urged people to seek the greater gifts—particularly the gift of prophecy, and especially to love each other. See 1 Corinthians 12:31;13:1-13;14:1.
   

 

   

 

   

    Test Your Knowledge - Quiz #7

    11. The Apostle Paul wrote that:
         A) Tongues are never to be used in a church service
         B) He personally did not speak in tongues
         C) Tongues that one doesn’t understand have no value
         D) None of the above

 

7.

Prophecy

A prophet (man) or prophetess (woman) is one who is inspired to proclaim the word of God—either by “forth-telling” the word applicable today or by “fore-telling” something that will occur in the future. See more information on prophecy under the heading “church” in section A-4 above.
   

 

   

    Test Your Knowledge - Quiz #8

    12. Prophets are those who
         A) Proclaim God’s word for today
         B) Foretell of future events
         C) Spoke during Biblical times
         D) All of the above

 

8.

Discerning Between Spirits

Some people have the gift of being able to distinguish between those who follow God and those who do not. See 1 Corinthians 12:12:10. Such gifted people are not easily misled into following the advice of false prophets. Scripture says that those who deny that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh are false prophets. See 1 John 4:1-3.

If someone claiming to be a Christian provides advice to us, we can test their advice by consulting with one who has the gift of discerning between spirits. And we can test the advice of the prophet by comparing it with Scripture.

If you are married to a godly person, it is often helpful to determine your spouse’s perception of a person offering guidance. It is more difficult to mislead both a man and a woman than it is to mislead one person.
   

 

   

 

9.

Wisdom

Some people have the gift of wisdom. See 1 Corinthians 12:8. This gift allows people to see things from God’s perspective, and to exercise godly judgment in making decisions.
   

 

   

 

10.

Knowledge

Those who have the gift of knowledge are able to retain much information that may be helpful in making decisions (1 Corinthians 12:8).
   

 

   

 

11.

Life History

I don’t know of Scripture that advises us to look at our life history to determine what we should do in the future. We may have taken a path in the past that is contrary to the way that God is leading us in the future. In such a case, following the path that we took earlier may lead us in the wrong direction. However, it may be useful to look at our life history to see how God has prepared us for the future.

For example, I was given training in how to deliver short presentations to groups of people. Immediately after finishing such training, a pastor approached me and asked me to make presentations to children during worship services. The pastor did not realize that I had just been trained for a job like the one that he was asking me to do. I felt that God was calling me to accept this ministry opportunity. After all, it was Scriptural to teach children the Bible, I was gifted in relating to children, and I had just received training.

How has God been preparing you for service? What spiritual gifts has he given to you? What interests has he put in your heart? What is your passion? What resources do you have that could be used in ministry? If you see that you are prepared for a certain course of action, pray that God will either confirm or deny that course of action.
   

 

   

C.

Measures to Avoid

There are some measures used to seek guidance that are not to be followed by Christians today.
 
 

 

1.

Chance (Casting Lots)

In Old Testament times, believers sometimes sought the guidance of God by casting lots (Leviticus 16:7-10). Casting lots was somewhat like flipping a coin or drawing straws today. There is one reference in the New Testament to casting lots (Acts 1:26). As explained on page 40 of the link http://freebiblecollege.com/ casting of lots was not used after the Holy Spirit indwelled all believers. God wants us to follow him, not to follow chance.
   

 

   

 

2.

Seeking a Sign (Laying Out a Fleece)

There is one instance in the Old Testament in which a man asked God to reveal his will by use of a sign. Gideon used a “fleece” to confirm what an angel had already revealed to him (Judges 6:36-40). He placed a wool fleece on the ground and asked God to let there be dew on the fleece and that the ground around the fleece be dry. Then he asked God to let the fleece be dry and the ground around the fleece be wet. If these things occurred, Gideon would know that God was calling him to follow the directions of the angel. God permitted this sign, but Scripture later teaches against asking for signs. Jesus said that it is evil to seek after signs. See Matthew 12:39. God indeed gives us signs to bring us to faith, but we are not to ask for them. See Acts 2:22.
   

 

   

 

3.

The Occult

Satan can give signs to mislead people. See 2 Thessalonians 2:9. He wants people to worship him and follow him. He utilizes various means of deceiving people through the occult. Occult practices include such things as astrology, fortune-telling, horoscopes, palm-reading, sorcery (magic), witchcraft, and Satan worship. The Bible warns against occult practices. See Deuteronomy 18:10-14. Practicing the occult is following Satan.
   

 

   

    Test Your Knowledge - Quiz #9

    13. Today God may want you to be guided by
         A) Dreams
         B) Flipping a coin
         C) Horoscopes
         D) Seeking a sign

D.

God’s Timing

When we ask God for something, he may respond in various ways; he may say “yes,” “no,” or “wait.” If we are seeking guidance in making a decision, we don’t want to delay when God gives us direction, but we don’t want to get ahead of God. See Psalm 5:3. Rather than being anxious, Scripture teaches us to be still and know that God is in control. See Psalm 46:10; Philippians 4:6,7.

While we are waiting for an answer from God, should we remain idle? Of course not! There is much work to be done that doesn’t require new instruction from God. The Bible instructs us to work, to provide for our families, to witness to non-believers, and to help the poor. We are to love God and love our neighbors. If we continue in obedience to the Lord, he will guide us in his time.

God’s timing may not follow our expectations! Moses spent forty years learning leadership skills in Egypt before he took action to help his fellow Israelites. Then he spent another forty years in exile from Egypt before the Lord called him to lead the Israelites from slavery. And he spent another forty years leading the Israelites as they wandered in the desert. And in the end, Moses only looked into the Promised Land—he didn’t enter. How many of us grow weary waiting forty years for some significant event or direction from God?

Abraham was a hundred years old when his child promised by the Lord was born. Circumstances would seem to indicate that Abraham and Sarah would not have the child, but Abraham trusted God. God has control over circumstances. There was no closed door to Abraham in this instance, because God had spoken to him, promising that Abraham would have many descendants through the promised son. See Genesis 12:2.
 
 

    Test Your Knowledge - Quiz #10

    14. You have waited for ten years for God to direct you in your career, and you don’t have a clear direction. You should:
         A) Know that God is not going to direct you in this area of your life
         B) Continue to seek direction from God
         C) Don’t do any work in the church until God tells you to
         D) Realize that you have not received the Holy Spirit

E.

Applying These Principles

How can we apply the principles in this module to receiving guidance from God? We can do the following.
  • Submit our will to God, asking him to take charge of our lives.
  • Rely upon the Holy Spirit, as we utilize the primary means available to us (Bible, prayer, church, and circumstances) for guidance.
  • As appropriate, apply the other means of guidance from Section B above.
  • Ask God to reveal his work to us, so that we may join him in that work.
We can assess our spiritual state. Do we have peace about what we are doing now? If we are sincerely seeking God’s will, God will not grant peace when we are not in his will. Jeremiah the prophet was called to prophesy, and when he stopped proclaiming God’s word, the word became like a fire in his heart and bones so he could not stop preaching . See Jeremiah 20:9. But if we are not seeking God’s will, we may mistake complacency for peace. We can be satisfied with the path that we are on, but we may not be truly following God. So let us pray that God reveals his will, and as we seek to follow him, we will guide us.

God guides us one step at a time. Prayerfully, we make plans in order to do many things—take a trip, marry, have children, build a house, start a business, and so on. Scripture teaches that some planning is needed. The Bible says that one should count the cost before beginning construction of a tower and one should decide if he could win a battle before confronting an enemy. See Luke 14:28-30. We should make plans, asking God to guide us as we plan. See Proverbs 16:3. Ultimately, the Lord decides the outcome of such plans. See Proverbs 16:9.

God often calls us to do something without revealing much of the future. God called Abraham to go to another land, without showing him the whole journey in advance. See Genesis 12:1; Hebrews 11:8. In the same way, you may be called to be a missionary, and God may not immediately tell you where to minister. As you obey the call to prepare for missionary work, he may then tell you to go to a particular country. When you go, he may then tell you to develop a particular type of ministry—say to a particular culture within that nation. God doesn’t burden us in advance with the knowledge of the whole journey.

Suppose you feel called to missions, but to go would cause you to break one of God’s commandments in Scripture. For example, you would have to separate from your spouse or divorce your spouse, who is unwilling to go to the mission field.
Should you go to a mission field without taking your spouse? No, you should pray that God will reveal his will to both you and your spouse. God doesn’t call us to break His commandments.

If we apply these principles of guidance, will we sometimes fail to recognize God’s guidance? Yes. We are human, and as humans, we all make mistakes. When we fail, the important thing is to turn back to God, and again seek his will.
 
 

    Test Your Knowledge - Quiz #11

    15. You feel called to missions, but you are afraid of public speaking and afraid of serving in another country. You should:
         A) Do what your parents tell you to do regarding this matter
         B) Continue to seek God’s will regarding your call
         C) Realize that you are not qualified to be a missionary in another country
         D) Ask God for a sign that will show you his will

    16. Today, God may use which of the following to guide you:
         A) Miracles
         B) Visions
         C) Bible
         D) All of the above

    17. The primary means of God’s guidance today does not include:
         A) Visions
         B) Circumstances
         C) Prayer
         D) Church

    18. Since God often guides us one day at a time, we should:
         A) Avoid making plans for the future
         B) Make plans and change them as the Lord directs
         C) Avoid praying for God to help us plan for the future
         D) Make plans and stick with them

    19. You have tried to follow God’s guidance and failed. You should:
         A) Realize that God doesn’t guide all Christians
         B) Again seek direction from the Lord
         C) Seek wise counsel from the church
         D) Both B and C

    20. Suppose you are married. You feel called to go to the mission field, but your spouse is unwilling to go. You should:
         A) Go without your spouse
         B) Pray that God will cause both you and your spouse to be in agreement with him
         C) Divorce your spouse
         D) None of the above

 

           

BACK TO OUTLINE »