Unlocked: Keys to Finding and Following God's Will

By Grant Ralston and Ryan Ralston

Unlocked has been written to assist young Christians navigate the difficulties of finding and following God's will for their lives. Unfortunately, in contemporary American Christianity, there is a lot of misinformation concerning this important subject, and we aim to provide a biblical perspective on this issue. In short, this book argues that God's will is more like a journey than just a single destination. It's not something that we will hopefully obtain in the future; it's something that we can accomplish right now! We strongly emphasize that God has most expressly revealed his will in the Bible. Too often, we neglect this divine revelation to our detriment. We must realign our priorities by focusing, first and foremost, on what God has already said about his desires for our life before we ask the hard questions about particular careers or potential spouses. Inevitably, every Christian will encounter various problems along this journey, such as insecurity, fear, and doubt. God has provided powerful solutions to these hindrances in the Scriptures, and we strived to unpack this biblical teaching in a helpful way. Unlocked will fill you with a greater desire to accomplish God's will for your life and equip you to better handle the challenges that will arise along this journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664224407

Grant Ralston

Grant Ralston lives in Bloomingdale, Georgia, with his wife, Katrina, and son, Aiden. He teaches at Butler Christian Academy and has earned a Master’s in Christian Studies from Luther Rice College and Seminary. Ryan Ralston lives in Bloomingdale, Georgia, with his wife, Beth. He is the pastor of Savannah Holy Church of God, the principal of Butler Christian Academy, and the president of Heritage Bible College. He also has earned a Ph.D. from Carolina University in Organizational Leadership.

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Copyright © 2021 Grant RalstonandRyan Ralston .

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by

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without the written permission of the author except in the case of

brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author

and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of

the information contained in this book and in some cases, names

of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

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and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are

models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2439-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2441-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2440-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021903390

WestBow Press rev. date: 02/24/2021

CONTENTS

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Introduction

Part 1: The Process

Chapter 1:   Enjoying the Journey!

Chapter 2:   What about the Bible?

Chapter 3:   Getting Guidance from God

Chapter 4:   Making a Decision

Part 2: Problems in God’s Will

Chapter 5:   Doubt: Is This God’s Will?

Chapter 6:   Insecurity: Am I Qualified to Do God’s Will?

Chapter 7:   Fear: What If I Miss God’s Will?

Chapter 8:   Satan’s Strategies: How Do I Discern the Devil’s Voice?

Chapter 9:   Wrong Turns: Can I Get Back on Track?

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

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We feel compelled to write this book because so many people, especially young people, are asking questions about God’s will. You probably are no exception. Have you ever asked yourself, Am I in God’s will? Maybe you tried to answer this question: How do I find God’s will? These questions are serious and deserve thoughtful answers. It is better that you are asking these questions than if you were asking yourself, "How can I not do God’s will?" The fact that you picked up this book to read signals that you are interested in finding and following God’s will. We are greatly encouraged by that, and we hope that this book will serve as a resource to help you serve God faithfully.

We have written this book, not only because of how popular the topic is, but also because of how misunderstood it is. For example, it seems that the will of God has become, in a sense, over-spiritualized. Everyday, non-moral decisions are treated as if eternal destinies hinge on them. Sorry, but your decision to eat a turkey sandwich for lunch does not have eternal consequences. In other words, it seems that many Christians think and talk about God’s will as if it is a mystery reserved for only the spiritual elite. This mysterious aspect to the discussion may excite certain individuals, but it creates unnecessary difficulties that will hinder your walk with the Lord.

Now, it is very important to know and obey God’s will. If we didn’t believe that, we would not have spent the time and money to write a book about it. However, some have become so obsessed with finding God’s mysterious, perfect will that they do not seem to be doing too much for God while they wait on God to speak clearly to them. Those who talk the most about the will of God don’t seem to accomplish very much for God. Many of these same people rarely have enough confidence that they are currently in the will of God. To them, the will of God is something in the future, not a present reality.

The will of God is not just to be viewed as something to be found in the future, but something to be lived in the present. You can live in God’s will today! This book is an attempt to let you know that God’s will is both knowable and doable. God is not playing hide-and-seek with you. He wants to reveal himself to you in such a way that you can walk confidently in his plan. You can be in God’s will today. And if you can live in God’s will today, then why can’t you live in God’s will tomorrow? Or for the rest of your life?

We pray that this book will be a blessing to you and that it will answer the questions that you have about God’s will. We hope that you will apply the timeless principles that are presented throughout this book. May your life be filled with joy, excitement, and peace as you discover and accomplish the plan that God has designed for you!

Part 1

THE PROCESS

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CHAPTER

ONE

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Enjoying the Journey!

In this chapter, we want to present three fundamental truths that serve as a foundation for our convictions on the will of God. Understanding these basic truths is an important requirement for finding and following God’s will. Once you grasp these essential concepts, you will be prepared to serve God confidently, doing what he wants you to do, where he wants you to do it, and when he wants you to do it.

Foundational Truth #1: The will of God

is a journey, not a destination!

Too many people talk about praying and finding God’s will for the future. It is almost as if they are waiting for God to show them where he wants them to be in a few years, and then they can figure out how to get there. The problem with this perspective is that it causes Christians to be lazy in their service to God. They sit idly by, watching everyone else accomplish great exploits in the name of Christ. They excuse their apathy by claiming that they are just trying to find God’s will. But God’s will is not a magical destination that eliminates all your problems when you locate it. It is a day-by-day process that requires continued reliance on his grace.

So, let’s look at an example to help you understand the point that we’re trying to make. Suppose that you believe that you have been called by God to be a missionary to China. However, you are only a teenager, so it is impossible for you to immediately fly there and begin working for the Lord. What do you do in the meantime? If you think that God’s will is just a destination, you probably won’t be very zealous for God until you get ‘in the will of God.’ On the other hand, if you accept that the will of God is more like an adventurous journey, you can be ‘in the will of God’ even before you fulfill your calling in China.

While you wait for God to take you to China, you can

evangelize your community and develop a prayer life

and be faithful to your local church and study the Bible.

What’s most important, though, is that you know where you are right now. You can’t really be too worried about obeying God’s will in ten years if you are currently living a life of sin. You must commit yourself fully to the Lord. Listen to what Solomon once wrote: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5,6). Notice that the promise of God’s direction depends on whether you are trusting him, not relying on your own brilliance, and acknowledging him with your actions and words.

Ask yourself these questions right now: Am I trusting in God with all my heart? Am I relying upon my own understanding? Do I acknowledge him in all that I say and do? Don’t skip over this part. Don’t rush past these questions without an assurance that you have an intimate relationship with God. And once you have established a close connection with him, you can know confidently that he will lead and guide your life.

Now, Solomon’s words paint a beautiful image for us. It forces us to imagine God’s will as a road trip. One thing is for certain about road trips: they generally take a long time. If you have ever been on a lengthy trip, you know exactly what we’re talking about. This is similar to God’s will. The will of God will not be finished when you become a pastor, or you marry the ‘right one,’ or you have a nice house and a good job. Each of these might be included within God’s will for your life, but as long as you remain a follower of Christ, you will be on the journey of God’s will for the rest of your life.

Many young people are surprised to find out that older Christians are also trying to discover the next steps that God wants them to take. But once we understand that God’s will is not a place where your problems will disappear, we shouldn’t be shocked that our parents, pastors, and youth leaders are still searching for what God desires for them. This glorious Christian sojourn will not end until we cross over into glory! So, you shouldn’t assume that once you get older, you will have everything figured out. You won’t. But because God doesn’t tell exactly where you