#426: Fulfill the Will of God by Taking the First Step

Have you ever struggled to know the will of God and then do what He has called you to do? I know I have!

Especially as a young Christian, I frequently wondered, “What does God want me to do?” Then, when I had a sense of what God wanted me to do, I struggled to know what my next step should be.

Even today, years later, and supposedly a more mature believer, I am often uncertain about the will of God; what He is calling me to do, and how to do it.

So, I did a quick study to see how some people God used in the Bible responded to His call.

Here’s what I learned about fulfilling the will of God from Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Phillip.

Noah

In Genesis 6, we learn about God’s call on Noah. The world had become corrupt and full of violence. God decided it was time to stop it all by wiping out everyone except for the one righteous man, Noah, and his family.

God told Noah about His plan to flood the earth and gave Noah precise instructions about building an ark.

As soon as God finished giving Noah his instructions, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him” (Genesis 6:22).

God called on Noah to build an ark. No flood had ever occurred like what God described. Noah was miles away from the ocean. Yet, Noah immediately got to work fulfilling the will of God by doing what God called him to do.

Abraham

Abraham was a wealthy merchant living the good life with his wife and extended family in the land of Ur (south of present-day Bagdad). Ur was an influential capital city consisting of 100,000 people. Abraham enjoyed all the amenities afforded a wealthy merchant in a trading center.

When Abraham was 75 years old, God told Abraham to gather his family, pack up his belongings, and set out for a new land (Genesis 12).   God didn’t say where Abraham was to go, only that He would show Abraham the way. In return, God promised to bless Abraham and make him into a great nation.

Abraham’s response to God’s call and promise is recorded in Genesis 12:4a, “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him…”

Abraham, already an older man, gave up what he had known all his life to answer God’s call. He didn’t know where God was sending him or what would await him when he arrived. Little did Abraham know, his journey would take him 2,200 miles from Ur to the land of Canaan. He simply trusted in God’s promise and acted on God’s call.

Jacob

Jacob lived in the land of Haran, where his grandfather Abraham once lived. Jacob lived with his father-in-law, Laban, tending flocks of sheep and goats. God blessed Jacob, and his flocks grew larger and larger. Tensions flared between Laban’s sons and Jacob as they became envious of Jacob’s success.

God saw how Laban treated Jacob and told Jacob to leave Laban and go back to Canaan, his family’s land. God only promised He would be with Jacob.

Jacob brought his wives, Rachel and Leah, together and explained what God called him to do.

Jacob’s next action is recorded in Genesis 31:17-18, “Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels, and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.”

Jacob endured poor treatment from Laban and Laban’s sons for years. He had tried to leave Laban one time before, but Laban enticed him to stay. Eventually, though, when the time was right, God called on Jacob to leave. Jacob immediately gathered his family, belongings, and herds and set out on the long, arduous journey back to Canaan.

Phillip

Phillip was appointed as one of seven deacons over the young Christian church in Jerusalem. At this time, Saul terrorized Christians throughout the region and even stood by as Stephen was martyred. Persecution of the Church in Jerusalem increased dramatically following the killing of Stephen. To avoid the persecution, Phillip left Jerusalem and went to preach the Gospel in Samaria.

Many people were added to the church through his efforts. In fact, Phillip was so successful that Peter and John came to visit to see what was going on in Samaria.

At the peak of Phillip’s success in Samaria, God called on Phillip and told him to go south on the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza (Acts 8:26).

Phillip’s response to God’s call is recorded in Acts 8:27: “So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.”

God doesn’t tell Phillip anything other than to go south on the desert road. It is about 35 miles to Jerusalem from Samaria and another 50 miles down to Gaza. Phillip asks no questions about where he will end up or what he is to do once he gets there. Instead, Phillip fulfills the will of God by going when God commands.

The All-Important First Step

The similarity between Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Phillip is they all obeyed God’s call without question or hesitation.

Noah had no idea what a world-wide flood would be like. Yet, he endured years of hard labor and ridicule from friends and neighbors as he built the ark.

Abraham left everything and everyone he knew and all the comforts of home to journey to Canaan based on God’s promise to bless him.

Jacob packed up his wives, children, and all his household goods and began the journey back to Canaan just because God promised to be with him.

Phillip simply started on his journey to Gaza, knowing none of the details of God’s plan.

Each man ended up fulfilling the will of God because they took the first step of obedience to God’s call on their lives.

How often do we get a call from God and hold back, full of questions for God? Where am I going, God? What will I do when I get there, God? God, are you sure you want me to do this?

The way to know and fulfill  God’s will for your life is to take the all-important first step of obeying God and doing what God has called you to do!

More Articles

I have written many articles on obedience to God. You can find them by typing “Obedience to God” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are several of my favorites.

• #423: The Three Most Common Excuses Leading to Failure
• #385: Is the Path You Are on the Right One?
• #365: Do You Lead Like an Owner or A Steward?
• #345: Disobedience to God Always Leads to Lost Opportunities
• #299: 3 Take-Aways From the Life of a Harlot
• #277: A Compass Can Only Point You in the Right Direction…

Join the Conversation

As always, questions and comments are welcome. Have you struggled to know the will of God or to fulfill God’s purpose in your life? What is holding you back?

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Category: Personal Development | Obedience to God