A Life Fully Relying on God

There is no single formula for living wholly dependent upon the Lord. All I can offer you is what God has been teaching me in this area. He has shown me two ways where I must give him full control.

First, I must be convinced that the Lord is anxious and willing to make his will known to me, even in the smaller details of my life. I must believe that the Spirit who abides in me knows God’s will for me, and that he will guide me and speak to me. “When he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth…. He will glorify me: for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:13-14, NKJV).

Maybe right now you are in the midst of some affliction, perhaps one that has been caused by a hasty decision. Even so, the Lord promises you, “Your inner ear will hear my Spirit speaking to you, ‘Go that way. Do this. And don’t do that…’”

Secondly, we have to pray with unwavering faith for power to obey God’s direction. Scripture says, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-7). When God tells us to do something, we need power to stay the course and obey him fully.

Many of us pray, “Lord, I know what you told me, but I’m still not sure that was your voice speaking. I’m not sure I’m spiritual enough even to recognize your voice. Please just open or close the door for me on this matter.”

That is not the faith response he’s looking for from his children. You can pray for hours or even days at a time, but if you don’t pray with faith that the Holy Spirit will guide you as Jesus has promised, you will never have the mind of God conveyed to you. He waits until he sees you’re committed to accepting whatever he says, and to obeying it without question.

Trust that God speaks to his children, and then obey his direction as soon as you receive it. This is how we live in full reliance on God.