How to Make Godly Decisions

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Grace House is a Spirit-filled, non-denominational church located at 389 Seville St, Florence, AL 35630, serving Florence, Muscle Shoals, and the greater Shoals region.

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Grace House – 389 Seville St, Florence AL

The following blog is a summary of a message preached by Pastor Eddie Lawrence.

Watch the Sermon HERE!

Making decisions is one of the most fundamental aspects of human existence. From the moment we wake up until we go to sleep, we're constantly choosing what to eat, what to wear, where to go, and what to do. While many of these choices seem trivial, some decisions carry monumental weight that can shape the entire trajectory of our lives.

The Three Greatest Decisions You'll Ever Make

Throughout life, three decisions stand above all others in their significance:

Life's Master: Who will you serve?
Life's Mate: Who will you marry?
Life's Mission: How will you use your life?

These choices require more than human wisdom—they demand divine guidance. Like Solomon, who when given the opportunity to ask God for anything, chose understanding to discern between good and evil, we need supernatural wisdom to navigate life's most important crossroads.

God's Promise to Direct Your Path

The foundation for godly decision-making is found in Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths."

This passage reveals three key principles:

Give everything to God (trust with all your heart)
Don't rely solely on your own reasoning
Include God in everything you do

When we follow these principles, God promises to direct our paths. He's not a dictator but a loving Father who wants us to know His will even more than we want to know it.

The Six Biblical Tests for Decision Making

1. The Lamp Test: Does It Align with Scripture?

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). The first and most crucial test is whether your decision aligns with God's Word. The Bible serves as both a lamp (providing light for the next step) and a torch (illuminating the broader path ahead).

To apply this test effectively, you must:

Read Scripture daily
Attend regular Bible teaching
Settle in your heart that the Bible is trustworthy

Like Martin Luther, who declared "my conscience is held captive by the Word of God," we must build our decisions on the solid foundation of Scripture rather than the shifting sands of human opinion.

2. The Guide Test: What Is the Holy Spirit Saying?

Jesus promised that "when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit serves as our internal guide, providing those "holy hunches" and inner promptings that alert us to God's direction.

The Spirit of truth always agrees with the written Word and with Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When the Holy Spirit breathes on Scripture, it becomes a fresh, living word (rhema) that speaks directly to your situation.

Pay attention to those moments when you're reading familiar passages and suddenly see something new. That's the Spirit of truth opening windows of revelation for your current circumstances.

3. The Umpire Test: Do You Have God's Peace?

"Let the peace of God rule in your hearts" (Colossians 3:15). The word "rule" here means to act as an umpire. God's peace serves as the referee in your decision-making process, blowing the whistle when you're out of bounds.

The key question is: Where is the presence of peace in this decision?

Even when everything else seems to line up—the Word gives permission and the Spirit is prompting—if you don't have peace, it may not be the right decision or the right timing. Don't run past your peace. Wait until that deep, settled peace shows up before moving forward.

4. The Counsel Test: What Do Wise Advisors Say?

"Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14). After checking Scripture, sensing the Spirit's leading, and finding peace, it's wise to seek input from mature believers who demonstrate spiritual fruit in their lives.

Choose counselors who:

Have walked closely with the Lord
Will tell you the truth, even if it's difficult to hear
Have experience in areas relevant to your decision
Love you enough to be honest

Remember, you're not asking people to vote on your decision, but to share wisdom from their own experiences with God.

5. The Faith Test: Are You Willing to Step Out?

"Without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6). Are you waiting for 100% certainty, or are you willing to take a step of faith? True spiritual decisions always require faith because God wants us to depend on Him, not just on our complete understanding.

Like the priests carrying the ark at the Jordan River, sometimes you have to step into the water before it parts. When you've applied the other tests and sense God's leading, you must be willing to act in faith, trusting God to do what you cannot do.

6. The Timing Test: Is This God's Season?

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Even when you know God's will, timing is crucial. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will redirect you, not because you're wrong about the destination, but because it's not yet time or you need to be positioned differently.

God's timing often requires patience. Sometimes it requires faith to wait; other times it requires faith to step out when you don't feel ready. Learning to discern God's timing is part of growing in spiritual maturity.

When All the Lights Line Up

Think of these six tests like navigation lights guiding a ship into harbor. When the Word gives permission, the Spirit provides direction, peace confirms the timing, wise counselors agree, faith is present, and the season is right, you can move forward confidently knowing that God will direct your path.

Remember that even when you miss it sometimes, nothing is wasted in God's hands if you're genuinely seeking Him. Mistakes become learning experiences that help you recognize His voice more clearly in the future.

Life Application

This week, identify one significant decision you're currently facing or will need to make soon. Commit to working through all six biblical tests before moving forward:

Search the Scriptures for relevant guidance
Spend time in prayer listening for the Holy Spirit's prompting
Evaluate your level of peace about each option
Seek counsel from mature believers you trust
Assess your willingness to step out in faith
Consider whether this is God's timing

Questions for Reflection:

Am I regularly reading God's Word so I can apply the lamp test effectively?
How well do I recognize the Holy Spirit's voice and promptings in my life?
What decision am I avoiding because I'm waiting for 100% certainty instead of stepping out in faith?
Who are the wise counselors in my life that I can turn to for godly advice?

Don't let analysis paralysis keep you stuck. God wants to direct your path more than you want Him to. Trust His process, apply these biblical tests, and step forward in faith when all the lights line up.