FMR develops youth ministry curriculum that is free to all local churches. Each monthly release includes a sermon series, small group guides, and supporting graphics packs that are original, practical, and ready to use.
INTRODUCTION
• Last week, we discussed how our actions help us walk toward God’s will.
• Today, we will explore how divine interventions help us discover His will.
• You are invited on the adventure of a lifetime.
• God wants to take you on a daring journey toward His will. He doesn’t leave you to fend for yourself in the middle of the wilderness though.
• God gives us guides, instructions, and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us discover His will on this adventure called life.
ILLUSTRATION: Discuss sibling rivalry — either in your life or how you’ve seen it play out.
• Sometimes the adventure of life contains a little conflict—even from our families.
• Sibling rivalry is a real thing. In most cases, it is harmless, but in the case of two famous biblical twins, it led to death threats.
• In Genesis 26, we are introduced to the story of Jacob and Esau. Their story is both disheartening and confusing.
• Their rivalry started on their very first birthday.
• The Bible said that when Jacob was born, seconds after Esau, he was holding onto Esau’s heel.
• Jacob was considered the baby of the family despite being the exact same age as his brother. Their split-second age difference came with a lot of baggage.
• Esau was considered the provider, while Jacob was just the cook. Esau was beloved by their father, while Jacob was beloved by their mother.
• Esau was promised the family fortune, while Jacob was promised...nothing. Ouch.
• As the young boys became grown men, Jacob found himself unhappy with life. Somehow and someway, he was going to get ahead of his brother once and for all. How did he do this?
• With a little bit of trickery and a costume. Jacob dressed up like Esau and convinced his nearly-blind father to bless him with the inheritance instead of his brother.
• It seems silly, but it worked. Jacob was given the inheritance blessing, and Esau was left with nothing.
• His twin’s betrayal made Esau as angry as a hornet.
• Since his life was at stake, he decided to murder his brother.
• Consequently, Jacob uprooted his life and disappeared into the wilderness without any direction or survival skills.
• That's where we pick up our story.
• As we journey with Jacob through the wilderness, the Scripture will uncover three ways God reveals his will to you.
People
• When God wants to reveal His will, He often sends people to guide you. Isaac, a patriarch of Israel and father to Jacob, sent Jacob off with some advice and directions.
• As far as advice goes, he encouraged his son to stick to his family’s religious beliefs by not following Canaanite gods.
• As far as direction, Isaac told Jacob exactly where to go.
• Resist the urge to overthink how God works in your life.
• God often uses the voices and opinions of others to influence your journey toward His will.
• Never underestimate the power of a wise person at the right time in your life.
• Yes, that person may be your parent. God leveraged the life advice of his father to lead Jacob in the right direction.
• The right people take you to the right place, but the inverse is also true.
• The wrong people can take you to the wrong place.
• That’s why Isaac insisted that Jacob marry the right person. If you desireto go to the right place, you need to surround yourself with the right people.
• Learn from godly mentors.
• Embrace your Christian community.
• Find friends who share your faith.
• God guides you through your sphere of influence while also guiding you through life’s situations. Let’s keep exploring the story of Jacob’s retreat into the wilderness.
Predicaments
• Jacob found himself in a very unpleasant predicament.
• His father had sent him on a journey through the desert to seek refuge.
• This advice was also attached to a challenge: Jacob was to take possession of the land.
• This meant he had to risk fighting, suffering, or even death.
• While his situation seems scary, it’s actually the safest place he could be. Why?
• Because God used difficulty to show Jacob his destiny.
• God placed Jacob right where He wanted him, even though he was on the run in the wilderness.
• It’s my hope that this reality makes your life seem less random.
• When you find yourself in difficulty, God may be pushing you toward your destiny.
• Maybe your rejection letter proves that God has a better school for you.
• Maybe your emotional turmoil is setting you up to pursue helping others.
• Maybe your move across the state is God’s way of putting new peoplein your life.
• If you are going through hard stuff right now, please pay attention to what God may be leading you to do next.
• There is always a reason for resistance.
• We talk a lot about purpose, but we often miss a valuable lesson.
• Your purpose is likely on the other side of a problem.
• God loves to use dilemmas for divine direction.
• Allow your present predicament to shape your purpose.
• Whatever you do, don’t stay still for too long.
• Ask God to reveal your next move. Through the Holy Spirit, things will start to look clearer.
• Speaking of that, here is our last and most important point. Let’s see what happens to Jacob in the middle of the wilderness.
Pursuit of the Holy Spirit
• I know things are a lot easier now than they were back then, but do you see what Jacob used for a pillow? A rock! Regardless, he miraculously managed to drift to sleep in time for God to interrupt his slumber with a supernatural vision.
• Vivid light blinded our friend on the run.
• Shaking himself awake, Jacob rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Looking to the sky, he saw a stairway to heaven with God at the top.
• In a booming voice, God announced that He would build a mighty country with Jacob’s descendants on the very land where Jacob was resting on a rock.
• What mighty country was God going to build? In the next few chapters, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel—the country that carries his name to this very day.
• Religiously, Israel is a big deal.
• Moses delivered the Ten Commandments to Israel.
• Solomon built the temple in Israel.
• Jesus walked the streets of Israel.
• While Jacob got to see a stairway to God, you have something better.
• You have the Spirit of God within your rib cage.
• Even in this very moment, He’s pursuing you and supporting you every step of the way toward God’s will.
• Walk in that reality.
• Live with that truth in mind.
• Whisper prayers, and the Spirit within you will get to work.
• When that fact hits you, everything changes.
LANDING
• On your journey towards God’s will, some mystery is inevitable.
• You’ll be at a crossroads.
• You’ll feel perplexed.
• You’ll feel like you’re lying on a rock in the middle of the wilderness.
• It will happen, and that’s okay. Just keep pursuing.
• People reveal God’s will.
• Your predicaments reveal God’s will.
• The Word reveals God’s will. The Spirit reveals God’s will.
• Seek godly counsel, pay attention to your life experiences, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.
• God will light up your path one step at a time.
TALK IT OUT
Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.
**Ice Breaker: **Go around your circle and share this week’s highs and lows. What was the best part of your week, and what was the lowest part of your week?
Q1: Tell us about a time when you and your siblings found yourselves in competition. How did it go?
Q2: What stuck out to you from the message?
Q3: Of the three ways God reveals His will, which is the easiest for you? Which is the hardest?
Q4:Tell us about a time when a difficult circumstance led you to a better place.
Q5: What can you do this week to be more in tune with the pursuit of the Holy Spirit?
Application: Identity 2-3 godly people who can speak into your life. Ask them to pray for you and invite them into decision-making in the future.
READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY
Proverbs 7:1-5
Philippians 4:8-9
Matthew 18:5-62
Corinthians 6:14-18
Acts 16:6-10
Luke 6:27-36
Proverbs 14:4-6
Do the following with each passage:
ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.
READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.
REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life andexperiences?
RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for waysto live out what you’ve uncovered.
INTRODUCTION
• Last week, we discussed how our actions help us walk toward God’s will.
• Today, we will explore how divine interventions help us discover His will.
• You are invited on the adventure of a lifetime.
• God wants to take you on a daring journey toward His will. He doesn’t leave you to fend for yourself in the middle of the wilderness though.
• God gives us guides, instructions, and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us discover His will on this adventure called life.
ILLUSTRATION: Discuss sibling rivalry — either in your life or how you’ve seen it play out.
• Sometimes the adventure of life contains a little conflict—even from our families.
• Sibling rivalry is a real thing. In most cases, it is harmless, but in the case of two famous biblical twins, it led to death threats.
• In Genesis 26, we are introduced to the story of Jacob and Esau. Their story is both disheartening and confusing.
• Their rivalry started on their very first birthday.
• The Bible said that when Jacob was born, seconds after Esau, he was holding onto Esau’s heel.
• Jacob was considered the baby of the family despite being the exact same age as his brother. Their split-second age difference came with a lot of baggage.
• Esau was considered the provider, while Jacob was just the cook. Esau was beloved by their father, while Jacob was beloved by their mother.
• Esau was promised the family fortune, while Jacob was promised...nothing. Ouch.
• As the young boys became grown men, Jacob found himself unhappy with life. Somehow and someway, he was going to get ahead of his brother once and for all. How did he do this?
• With a little bit of trickery and a costume. Jacob dressed up like Esau and convinced his nearly-blind father to bless him with the inheritance instead of his brother.
• It seems silly, but it worked. Jacob was given the inheritance blessing, and Esau was left with nothing.
• His twin’s betrayal made Esau as angry as a hornet.
• Since his life was at stake, he decided to murder his brother.
• Consequently, Jacob uprooted his life and disappeared into the wilderness without any direction or survival skills.
• That's where we pick up our story.
• As we journey with Jacob through the wilderness, the Scripture will uncover three ways God reveals his will to you.
People
• When God wants to reveal His will, He often sends people to guide you. Isaac, a patriarch of Israel and father to Jacob, sent Jacob off with some advice and directions.
• As far as advice goes, he encouraged his son to stick to his family’s religious beliefs by not following Canaanite gods.
• As far as direction, Isaac told Jacob exactly where to go.
• Resist the urge to overthink how God works in your life.
• God often uses the voices and opinions of others to influence your journey toward His will.
• Never underestimate the power of a wise person at the right time in your life.
• Yes, that person may be your parent. God leveraged the life advice of his father to lead Jacob in the right direction.
• The right people take you to the right place, but the inverse is also true.
• The wrong people can take you to the wrong place.
• That’s why Isaac insisted that Jacob marry the right person. If you desireto go to the right place, you need to surround yourself with the right people.
• Learn from godly mentors.
• Embrace your Christian community.
• Find friends who share your faith.
• God guides you through your sphere of influence while also guiding you through life’s situations. Let’s keep exploring the story of Jacob’s retreat into the wilderness.
Predicaments
• Jacob found himself in a very unpleasant predicament.
• His father had sent him on a journey through the desert to seek refuge.
• This advice was also attached to a challenge: Jacob was to take possession of the land.
• This meant he had to risk fighting, suffering, or even death.
• While his situation seems scary, it’s actually the safest place he could be. Why?
• Because God used difficulty to show Jacob his destiny.
• God placed Jacob right where He wanted him, even though he was on the run in the wilderness.
• It’s my hope that this reality makes your life seem less random.
• When you find yourself in difficulty, God may be pushing you toward your destiny.
• Maybe your rejection letter proves that God has a better school for you.
• Maybe your emotional turmoil is setting you up to pursue helping others.
• Maybe your move across the state is God’s way of putting new peoplein your life.
• If you are going through hard stuff right now, please pay attention to what God may be leading you to do next.
• There is always a reason for resistance.
• We talk a lot about purpose, but we often miss a valuable lesson.
• Your purpose is likely on the other side of a problem.
• God loves to use dilemmas for divine direction.
• Allow your present predicament to shape your purpose.
• Whatever you do, don’t stay still for too long.
• Ask God to reveal your next move. Through the Holy Spirit, things will start to look clearer.
• Speaking of that, here is our last and most important point. Let’s see what happens to Jacob in the middle of the wilderness.
Pursuit of the Holy Spirit
• I know things are a lot easier now than they were back then, but do you see what Jacob used for a pillow? A rock! Regardless, he miraculously managed to drift to sleep in time for God to interrupt his slumber with a supernatural vision.
• Vivid light blinded our friend on the run.
• Shaking himself awake, Jacob rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Looking to the sky, he saw a stairway to heaven with God at the top.
• In a booming voice, God announced that He would build a mighty country with Jacob’s descendants on the very land where Jacob was resting on a rock.
• What mighty country was God going to build? In the next few chapters, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel—the country that carries his name to this very day.
• Religiously, Israel is a big deal.
• Moses delivered the Ten Commandments to Israel.
• Solomon built the temple in Israel.
• Jesus walked the streets of Israel.
• While Jacob got to see a stairway to God, you have something better.
• You have the Spirit of God within your rib cage.
• Even in this very moment, He’s pursuing you and supporting you every step of the way toward God’s will.
• Walk in that reality.
• Live with that truth in mind.
• Whisper prayers, and the Spirit within you will get to work.
• When that fact hits you, everything changes.
LANDING
• On your journey towards God’s will, some mystery is inevitable.
• You’ll be at a crossroads.
• You’ll feel perplexed.
• You’ll feel like you’re lying on a rock in the middle of the wilderness.
• It will happen, and that’s okay. Just keep pursuing.
• People reveal God’s will.
• Your predicaments reveal God’s will.
• The Word reveals God’s will. The Spirit reveals God’s will.
• Seek godly counsel, pay attention to your life experiences, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.
• God will light up your path one step at a time.
TALK IT OUT
Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.
**Ice Breaker: **Go around your circle and share this week’s highs and lows. What was the best part of your week, and what was the lowest part of your week?
Q1: Tell us about a time when you and your siblings found yourselves in competition. How did it go?
Q2: What stuck out to you from the message?
Q3: Of the three ways God reveals His will, which is the easiest for you? Which is the hardest?
Q4:Tell us about a time when a difficult circumstance led you to a better place.
Q5: What can you do this week to be more in tune with the pursuit of the Holy Spirit?
Application: Identity 2-3 godly people who can speak into your life. Ask them to pray for you and invite them into decision-making in the future.
READ THESE PASSAGES IN ORDER EVERY DAY
Proverbs 7:1-5
Philippians 4:8-9
Matthew 18:5-62
Corinthians 6:14-18
Acts 16:6-10
Luke 6:27-36
Proverbs 14:4-6
Do the following with each passage:
ASK– God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down and inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you today.
READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.
REFLECT– on what grabs you. How does this passage personally relate to your own life andexperiences?
RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for waysto live out what you’ve uncovered.
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