BCL friend Dave Ferguson posted on his blog an excerpt of a conversation he had with Perry Noble, who pastors NewSpring Church in Anderson, South Carolina. Ferguson asked him how he decides if an idea comes from his own entrepreneurial drive or from the Holy Spirit.
Noble’s three-part answer:
1. “Make sure it is an idea you can’t get away from.” – See if the idea sticks around and continues to surface in your imagination and conversation. If you can’t get away from the idea, it may be from God.
2. “Give it time.” – Don’t think you have to act on every dream. Do what Moses told God’s people to do, “wait”. Wait for other people to confirm. Wait to see it is confirmed in Scripture. Wait for it to be confirmed in prayer. If it is confirmed, it may be from God.
3. “If this fire is from God, He will pour gasoline on it.” – Ask God to help you see the world the way he sees the world. This can be painful, but it can also open your eyes to what God really wants. If the spark turns into a flame, it may be from God.
I especially like Noble’s advice to “ask God to help you see the world the way he sees the world.” I think that’s where it starts, and it’ll happen primarily through prayer and Scripture reading. If you’re already straining toward a true kingdom perspective, you can then trust God to confirm your idea through outward signs: open doors, encouragement from godly friends, and so forth.
If all the lights are green, go! Entrepreneurial drive or the Holy Spirit? I say both. When you’re letting God shape your perspective and desires, he will work through your entrepreneurial drive. We can never be too prayerful, but let’s not get carried away with second- and third-guessing. God is still in control.
How do some of you think about discerning God’s will for an idea or situation?
