How God Guides His Children: Finding God's Will in Christ | Ephesians 1:3-14

How God Guides His Children: Finding God's Will in Christ | Ephesians 1:3-14

By Pastor Autry Watkins IV | Transformation Church | November 08, 2025

We have made finding God's will far more complicated than Scripture does. We treat it like a cosmic scavenger hunt, desperately searching for hidden clues about whom to marry, which job to take, or where to live. We've turned divine guidance into a source of anxiety rather than assurance. But what if the problem isn't that God's will is too difficult to find, but that we're looking for it in all the wrong places? What if God's primary will for your life isn't primarily about your circumstances but about your union with Christ? The Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians reveals something stunning: God's will and spiritual direction aren't mysteries reserved for super-spiritual Christians or dependent on fleeting feelings. They are yours—assured, certain, and secure—because you are in Christ. This isn't about discovering some secret divine blueprint hidden in the heavens. It's about understanding the breathtaking reality of what God has already accomplished for you and in you through Jesus Christ.

Watch the full sermon above

God's Will Revealed: You Are Chosen in Christ Before the Foundation of the World

Listen to the staggering words of Ephesians 1:4-5: "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will." Do you see what Paul is saying? God's will concerning you isn't something you need to discover—it has already been determined before time began. Before you took your first breath, before you made your first decision, before you sinned your first sin, God set His electing love upon you in Christ. This is where knowing God's will must begin: not with your questions about tomorrow, but with God's sovereign choice in eternity past. The cultural Christianity of our age has reduced God's will to a divine GPS system for life decisions. But Scripture presents something far more glorious and stabilizing. God's ultimate will is that you be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). His will is that you be holy and blameless—not through your striving, but through your union with Christ. This isn't abstract theology; this is soul-anchoring reality. When anxiety grips you about whether you're missing God's will, remember this: if you are in Christ, you cannot miss the ultimate purpose for which God chose you. Your justification, sanctification, and glorification are as certain as God's eternal decree. The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, "What is the chief end of man?" The answer: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever." That is God's will for you. Not hidden. Not mysterious. Revealed in Christ and secured by His blood. Everything else—every decision, every direction, every daily choice—flows from this central, unchanging reality.

Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. — Ephesians 1:4-5

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. — Romans 8:29

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. — Ephesians 1:11

Spiritual Direction Secured: The Holy Spirit as Your Guarantee

Paul doesn't leave us with merely the doctrine of election hanging in eternity past. He brings God's electing purpose crashing into our present reality through the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14 declares: "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." The Holy Spirit is not merely a helper for difficult moments or a divine influence for good feelings. He is God Himself dwelling within you, guaranteeing that every purpose God has for you will come to completion. The Greek word translated "guarantee" (arrabon) was a commercial term referring to a down payment that legally obligated the completion of a transaction. God has given you His own Spirit as the down payment on your eternal inheritance. This means your spiritual direction is not dependent on your ability to discern signs or decode circumstances. It rests on the indwelling presence of the third person of the Trinity actively working within you. The Spirit who raised Christ from the dead dwells in you (Romans 8:11). Consider what this means practically: When you open Scripture and find your heart stirred by God's truth, that is the Spirit's work. When conviction of sin leads you to Christ rather than despair, that is the Spirit's guidance. When you find yourself wanting to obey God even when it costs you something, that is the Spirit's power. We often treat spiritual direction like we're trying to tune into a faint radio signal, desperately adjusting the dial. But Paul says the Spirit has sealed you—marked you as God's permanent possession. The question isn't whether God will guide you, but whether you will trust the Spirit He has already given you. John Owen, the Puritan theologian, wrote, "The Holy Spirit's indwelling is not merely to help us with our problems, but to unite us to Christ and ensure we reach our final destination in glory." That's not just theology—that's pastoral comfort for every anxious heart wondering if they're on the right path.

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. — Ephesians 1:13-14

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. — Romans 8:11

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are come. — John 16:13

Wisdom in Christ: Where Divine Will Meets Daily Decisions

But here's where the rubber meets the road: How does understanding God's sovereign will and the Spirit's sealing actually help you decide whether to take that job offer, pursue that relationship, or make that move? This is where we need to recover a biblical category that our generation has largely lost: wisdom. James 1:5 promises, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." Colossians 2:3 tells us that in Christ "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." God's will for your daily decisions isn't usually revealed through dramatic signs or mystical experiences. It's discerned through wisdom—Spirit-empowered, Scripture-saturated wisdom that applies eternal truth to temporal circumstances. This requires us to abandon two opposite errors. First, the error of hyper-spiritualization: treating every decision as if God has one specific, pre-determined answer that you must discover or risk ruining His perfect plan. This turns Christian decision-making into paralyzing anxiety. Second, the error of secular pragmatism: making decisions based solely on what seems most advantageous to you, as if God's will were irrelevant to daily life. Biblical wisdom charts a different course. It says: God has given you a renewed mind through the Spirit (Romans 12:2), the wisdom of His Word, the counsel of mature believers, sanctified reasoning abilities, and the freedom to make God-glorifying choices within His moral will. You don't need to agonize over whether God wants you to have chicken or fish for dinner. But you should carefully consider, in light of Scripture and with the Spirit's help, whether a decision will enable you to love God and neighbor more fully, use your gifts for His kingdom, and grow in Christlikeness. The Puritan Richard Baxter wrote, "In most of our decisions, God has given us principles, not prophecies." Understand the principles of Scripture, apply them wisely through the Spirit's illumination, and make your decision with confidence that God sovereignly ordains both the means (your wise choices) and the ends (His good purposes).

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. — James 1:5

In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. — Colossians 2:3

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. — Romans 12:2

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. — Proverbs 3:5-6

The Freedom of God's Children: Released from Anxious Searching

Here is the liberating truth that flows from understanding God's will in Christ: you are free. Free from the crushing anxiety that you might miss God's hidden plan. Free from the superstitious approach to decisions that treats divine guidance like a Magic 8-Ball. Free to make wise, God-honoring choices within the broad boundaries of His revealed will in Scripture. Galatians 5:1 declares, "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Part of that slavery is the bondage of thinking God's will is a tightrope you must perfectly walk or fall to your doom. That's not the biblical picture. God's will is more like a father teaching his child to walk—delighting in every step, ready to catch you when you stumble, sovereign over every twist and turn of the journey. Consider how Jesus Himself prayed in Gethsemane: "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39). Jesus expressed His human desire, brought it honestly before the Father, and then submitted to the Father's will. That's the pattern for us: bring your desires, your questions, your uncertainties to God. Seek wisdom through Scripture, prayer, and counsel. Make your decision in faith. And trust that God is too wise to make mistakes and too good to be unkind. Will you sometimes make unwise choices? Yes, because you're still being sanctified. But even your mistakes cannot derail God's sovereign purposes for you in Christ. Romans 8:28 remains true: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." All things—including your misguided decisions, your faulty reasoning, your imperfect discernment. God is weaving even these into the tapestry of your conformity to Christ. This isn't permission for carelessness or presumption. It's an invitation to walk in the confidence that your heavenly Father is sovereignly guiding you, through His Spirit, according to His eternal purpose, and nothing—not even your own weakness—can separate you from His love and plan for you in Christ Jesus.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. — Galatians 5:1

My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. — Matthew 26:39

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:28

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. — Philippians 1:6

Application

So how do we live in light of these truths? First, stop treating God's will like a hidden treasure map and start saturating yourself in His revealed will in Scripture. The vast majority of God's will for your life is already clearly revealed: love Him with all your heart, love your neighbor as yourself, grow in holiness, use your gifts to build up the church, make disciples, pursue justice, practice mercy. Immerse yourself in these revealed priorities before obsessing over unrevealed specifics. Second, cultivate sensitivity to the Spirit's leading by actually walking in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). This means regular confession of sin, consistent time in God's Word, authentic Christian community, and a lifestyle of prayer. The Spirit's guidance isn't mystical; it's relational. Third, exercise the wisdom God has given you. Gather information. Seek godly counsel. Consider your gifts, circumstances, desires, and opportunities. Then make a decision and trust God's sovereignty. Ask yourself these searching questions: Am I seeking God's will more anxiously than I'm seeking God Himself? Do I trust God's sovereign control over my life, or am I trying to maintain control by discovering the 'perfect' path? Am I paralyzed by fear of making the wrong choice, or confident that God works all things for good for those who love Him? Is my decision-making driven by wisdom from Scripture or by anxiety and superstition? Am I willing to obey God's clearly revealed will while I deliberate on unclear decisions? Remember, the power to follow God's will doesn't come from your ability to discern it perfectly. It comes from your union with Christ and the indwelling Spirit who guarantees your perseverance. You are not saved by making perfect decisions; you are saved by perfect grace.

Christian, God's will and spiritual direction are yours in Christ—not as a puzzle to solve, but as a reality to embrace. You have been chosen before the foundation of the world, sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee, and given wisdom through Scripture and sanctified reason. You are not wandering aimlessly, hoping to stumble upon God's secret plan. You are walking confidently in the freedom of the children of God, guided by His Spirit, held by His sovereign hand, and destined for conformity to His Son. The question is never whether God will guide you. The question is whether you will trust Him enough to walk forward in faith, confident that the God who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). That is the heart-liberating, anxiety-destroying, soul-satisfying gospel truth about God's will for your life.

For Further Reflection

How has your understanding of "finding God's will" been shaped more by anxiety than by confidence in God's sovereignty? What would change if you truly believed God's ultimate will for you is secure in Christ?

In what current decision are you seeking God's guidance? How might the truths of your election in Christ and the Spirit's sealing change your approach to that decision?

What is the difference between seeking wisdom through Scripture and waiting for a mystical sign? Which approach have you been taking, and why?

Read the five self-examination questions in the application section. Which one most convicts or challenges you, and what specific step will you take in response?

How does understanding that God works all things for good (Romans 8:28)—even your mistakes—free you from decision-making paralysis? Where do you need to trust God's sovereignty more fully?