For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not of evil, to give you hope in your final outcome (Jeremiah 29:11, The Amplified Bible). Our Lord is in fact the Divine Planner. And anything that He created is good and perfect (Genesis 1:4,10,12, 18,21,25; James 1:17).
We can think of Father God as an Architect. A very competent architect will be paid well for his expertise in seeing or imagining something that is not yet there and expressing it into a blueprint.
An architect's blueprint is detailed. Amongst other things, in a blueprint, you will see the depth of the building foundation, shape and size of the rooms, and thickness of the walls. In planning the blueprint, the architect will also consider the interior design of the building—for instance he has thought of the lighting, flooring, and paint color for the wall. All those are clearly printed in the blueprint of the house or building.
A competent architect is also capable to make use of an awkwardly located land and still build a beautiful and adorable house. For instance, an architect is able to plan a house on a pentagon shape of land that is as wonderful and comfortable as a house on a square shape of land.
After the plan is ready, an architect will work together with the carpenters to build it. If our Father God is the Architect then we are His carpenters.
Father God has a good and perfect life plan for us. If we come to Him and work for Him, then we can build our life according to His plan. As carpenters, we cannot build anything without a plan or a blueprint. We cannot just buy all the building materials and start building on the land. Psalm 127:1 says, Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.
We may be able to build, however it will be in vain. The Word of God doesn't say that the house (symbol of things in our life, e.g. household, health, career, ministry) will not be built. The house may be built, however if the Lord is not behind it then chances are it will fall apart when storms come (Matthew 7:27),
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not of evil, to give you hope in your final outcome (Jeremiah 29:11, The Amplified Bible).
Our life plan is with God. "How do I know that plan if it's with God? Isaiah 55:9 says that His mind is way too far from mine."
Exactly true! Truly wrong thinking!
That verse in Isaiah 55 has long been misunderstood. Let's read carefully: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteousness man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:7-9).
To whom God speaks in those verses? The Lord speaks to the wicked and the unrighteous, those who don't know Him and don't obey His Word. Those people don't know God's promises for them.
In Isaiah 55 (read verses 1-13) the Lord invites mankind—whosoever—to come to Him and get His plans and choose His ways so that they can enjoy an abundant life.
Verses 8-9 actually says, Hey, leave all that you've planned for your life and the ways you've chosen to live. My plan is far more perfect than yours, and My ways are much more better than yours—it's just like heaven and earth.
Do you see that? We have misunderstood Isaiah 55, especially verses 8-9 all these years. Because of this misunderstanding, we often say, "Well, I don't know what God wants. How can I understand His ways?"
We usually say this when we want to sound spiritual. In fact what we want to say is, "I'm too lazy to find out what God wants. Besides I don't have time to read the Bible and pray so that He can let me know."
Don't get upset with me! That's exactly what I said before I understand the Word of God. However after I do, I found out that how I can know His plan and ways if I never read the Bible.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). The Scriptures written in the Bible are not just writings inspired by the Holy Spirit. Those Scriptures written in the Bible is Father God Himself!
How can I say that I know God if I don't know His Word? That's impossible! The Lord says that His Word is Himself and that His plan is with Him. Therefore if you want to know His plan and His ways, you must read the Word of God in the Bible.
To find out His plan and His ways, make sure you know Him through His Word. I say to know Him, not only able to quote the verses. The Lord says His people perish for lack of knowledge, not for lack of quoting (Hosea 4:6).
The other reason why God asks us to leave our own plan and ways because He has blessed us with what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).
For what God has prepared for those who love Him cannot be seen, never been thought of and imagined before, that's also the reason He says that the righteous shall live by faith and not by sight (Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7).
When you make Jesus the Lord over your life, Father God makes your body His house. In this world the Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in our spiritual life.
And I pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:16-17).
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come (John 16:13).
But the Comforter, which is the Holy ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth! In Matthew 6:33 Lord Jesus says, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness [truthfulness]. Then in John 17:17 Jesus says that His Word is righteousness. It means that we can only get to know God through His Word that is His righteousness [truthfulness] if we have the Holy Spirit through new birth.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).
The Father has revealed His plan and His ways to us through His Spirit. So, if we want to know what His plan is and what we should do to live according to His plan, we should fellowship with the Holy Spirit. That fellowship may be done by reading His Word, listening to sermon, meditating the Word, and praying (including praying in tongue).
Remember that, in Christ, the Father has blessed us all blessings in heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). I believe those blessings are the plans that bring peace and hopeful future as promised in Jeremiah 29:11.
We don't receive a spirit of the world, but of the Lord, that we may know what the Lord has blessed us with (1 Corinthians 2:12). Intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truths concerning work, mate, finances, children, health, etc.
Intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit will lead our steps. The Lord orders the steps of a good man (Psalm 37:23). Living by faith pleases Him (Hebrews 11:6). When we live by faith, we hear and obey His Word. Consequently, our steps are ordered by Him.
Intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit will make us find the Kingdom of God and His righteousness—just as His instruction in Matthew 6:33—that He may add all the things that the gentiles seek into our life.
In other words, this kind of fellowship will put us into the perfect position to receive from God. Does that mean we don't have to work? Of course we still have to work. Faith without works is essentially dead (read James 2:14-26).
Intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit will enable us to receive revelation knowledge of the Word and also ideas, concepts, and insights on what to do in the natural. After we receive it all, we have to do it. If we do our parts in the natural by faith and keep on doing it consistently regardless the real situations and conditions, we shall reap the harvest (Galatians 6:9).
If we continually renew our mind with the Word of God (Romans 12:2), eventually our will, emotions, and thoughts will be in line with those of the Lord's.
I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons (Psalm 16:7). Train yourself to be obedient to the your spirit voice. Don't be afraid of making mistakes! The Lord did not give us the spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).
Even though you hear wrong and make wrong decision that makes you stumble and fall, His hand will hold you and He will never let the righteous to fail (read Psalm 37:24; 55:22; 121:2-5; 1 Peter 5:7). Fear not, believe only!
If you hire a well-known architect (that you have to pay him handsomely) to build your house, will you let that architect submit his blueprint or will you give him your blueprint? Of course you will let him work hard to build the best for you.
Our Father, the Divine Architect, has a good and perfect plan for you. You don't even have to pay Him. All you need to do believe and confess that Jesus is His Son and make Jesus your Lord.
You can come to Him with a messed up life, and He still can give you a hopeful plan for your future. One thing only He asks of you (and me): to be obedient. We must cooperate with His Spirit to do whatever His Spirit reveals to us in our heart.
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great (Luke 6:47-49).
Three simple steps to build "a house" according to God's plan is come, hear, and do what He tells you do.
It is not easy to let God work in our life. You know why? As building a house in the natural, everything will look messy, dusty, and it's uncomfortable to be at the site. However a good architect will spend much time at site to control the construction process. The same thing with God, His eyes always look upon us and His hands uphold us.
Have you ever seen a carpenter goes on strike because they can't "see" what is printed in the architect's blueprint? Of course not! A carpenter knows that his duty is to build by obeying the words of his superintendent according to the instructions of the architect. The carpenter doesn't stop working because his working environment is dusty, hot, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous. He will keep doing his part until the architect says "It is finished!"
If you go on strike and stop doing your part, because of the inconveniences you experience during the construction process, then the divine beautiful plan will not manifest for people to see and admire.
If you stop working with Him in the middle of the process then His glory will not be seen upon you. Your life will be just the same as the life of those who don't know the Lord Jesus. When people of the world go into recession, you go along with them. When they fear, you do too. When they are unemployed, so you are. When they are indebted, you are just the same. If your life (and mine) is like that, whom of the world wants to know and follow the Lord Jesus?
Let God build your life. Let Him be the Lord over your life by adding all that you need into your life.
Come to Him to hear His Word and find out His plan and His ways. Don't just come to Him to complain! Stop treating God as if He's a Customer Service staff.
Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday (Psalm 37:3-6).