Question One: What do I want? Question Two: Where will I do it? Question Three: How will I do it? Question Four: Who will do it? Humans through history have struggled with understanding God’s will. Some Christians are called in overt and obvious ways to a new adventure. For some, the leading of God is subtler. What are the details of your life right now? First off, I must say that it’s more than okay to make careful observation of your personal circumstances which can tell you a lot about what God wants for you. You may have a strong desire to live an agrarian life, but your personal circumstances may make that an unlikelihood and you have to accept that. However, circumstances change, often in a timing that is even better than you could have planned. Just because God may not open a door now doesn’t mean He won’t show you another path to buying land. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit The same Spirit that enabled the Apostles to perform miracles and bring dead people back to life is the same Spirit that dwells in every believer. If the Holy Spirit can perform divine miracles, there’s no reason why the Spirit cannot communicate with you through a host of means. Be sure you’ve dealt with the sin in your life and confessed and repented so you can hear the Lord clearly through His Spirit. Most believers can sense the leading of the Holy Spirit, so pay attention to what God is telling you regarding land through His Spirit. Some things we already know about God’s will Probably one of the most underestimated means of understanding God’s will for our lives is to obey what we already know to be God’s will. Much of this is revealed in God’s word recorded for us as a guide to Him. God will communicate directly to you through the Bible. You have to spend time in it and meditate on what God is teaching and revealing therein. Biblical principles are found when studying God’s word and this is applicable when we’re seeking to head down a new path. The truths of scripture are there to be applied to the notion of buying land under God’s will. Yet, sometimes people move faster than God wants us to. Though there may be consequences and repercussions, rest assured that no matter what you do, you will not thwart God’s will for your life. God can still use you and the circumstances that you put yourself in for His purposes. Finally, sometimes the answer isn’t no, it’s not now. We need to be patient, which can be difficult when you want to get started on your own piece of ground. Seek wise counsel If you would readily ask an old timer about gardening tips, why wouldn’t you seek wise counsel from those we observe are godly people? Wise counsel doesn’t tell you what you want to hear, but usually will relay how to see God working in one way or another that may be relevant to your land purchase decision. Don’t seek out “yes men” when seeking godly input from others. You want people to ask probing, hard questions of you. If you can’t answer them, then you may not be ready or this may not be the time. Godly counsel helps you come to a conclusion on your own based on questions and shared insight that are gleaned from God’s word and their having walked with God for a while. When you seek wise counsel about buying land, don’t prejudice their thinking or guide them into a mindset. Don’t color things as you describe them to others in order to elicit a desired response. Finally, the person you seek counsel from has no responsibility for your decision. If your plan goes south, you can’t blame the person who helped you make a decision to move forward. How has God created you? This is not one people usually think of when they are determining God’s will. But realize this. The omnipotent, all-knowing God who created you did so in a unique way and brought you up through unique and common life experiences. These things go into forming how God created you. One writer put it this way, “pay attention to how God has wired you.” This means, has God created you for an agrarian life? Has God created you so that you can joyfully garden and preserve food and manage property? What about handling livestock? If you are afraid of farm animals, maybe this life isn’t for you. Knowing a bit about who God made you to be and where He is molding and shaping you even today can help you see God’s path for your life. This isn’t an exhaustive examination about how to determine God’s will when it comes to you buying land. But, it’s a place to start and apply to your daily living. The one thing I have intentionally left out to finish this series out is the power of prayer. Even if you did none of these things I’ve outlined above God can still reveal His will for your life to you, including whether you should buy land or not. This takes place during your time of individual and corporate prayer. Your communion with the God who created the universe – a grace that is beyond my comprehension – is your chance to ask God directly and to hear from Him directly. Don’t go it alone in prayer, either. Ask others to pray so that God may reveal His will when it comes to you making a land purchase. Answering the question if buying land is God’s will must be bathed in prayer before you buy, during the purchase process and after you take possession (praise and thanksgiving).  ]]>