Step 1. Present Your Body
Romans 12:1“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
This is where you start in your search for God’s will. You present your body to God. My morning prayer as I start pursuing a walk with God goes something like this:
"Good morning, Lord. Here are my hands, my head, and my heart! I submit them to You. Use them to bring You honor and glory!"
Notice the word “therefore". One of the rules of Bible interpretation is that “When you see a therefore, check the context and see what it is there for!” The "therefore" in this verse refers back to Romans 11:29:
Romans 11:29 “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”
God has a plan for you and until you find out what it is you will be unfulfilled and unsatisfied. Notice that God doesn’t change His mind about it. Circumstances have nothing to do with it. Remember Jonah. As you look for what it is, you must present your body to Him. In actuality He already owns it. He already knows its weaknesses and sinful nature.
1 Corinthians 6:19,20“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."
Many people use the word "surrender" when referring to yielding to God. The Bible doesn’t use this word. The Bible uses the words "present" and “yield”. There is a difference. Voluntary presentation allows the retention of your own will. It just puts it in this way, the same attitude Jesus had in the garden: “Not my will but thine be done.” Jesus didn’t surrender. He presented himself willingly. It is moment by moment, day by day. Surrender is a onetime thing that after it is done, you have no choice left in the matter. We don’t surrender; we present willingly! God allows us to keep our will and through the Holy Ghost, sharpens and influences us to greater things for His glory! Notice also that it is done "by the mercies of God". Newer Bibles change the word "by" to "because". This changes the meaning of the verse. “By” is a continual acceptance by God. “Because” again shows a one time, in the past, receiving of God’s mercies. This shows the nature of God. God can only accept our vile bodies by extending much mercies presently! I have found that God uses broken, imperfect vessels.
Isaiah 42:3 “A bruised reed shall he not break…”
He only can do this by mercies! It is important to get this! Although you are commanded to be perfect, in reality, it is just a goal. You will never be sinless until Heaven. You must use God’s mercy and stay in fellowship with God by fighting personal sin and seeking God’s will.
God is a great God! What God asks for, I give Him, What I give Him, He sanctifies and uses. It is important to know that God doesn’t accept everything. Cain’s sacrifice was rejected. The reason was that he brought the wrong thing with the wrong attitude. No blood! He brought it as a show of his righteousness. God rejected it. When God called Moses in Exodus 4, He asked him, “What is that in thy hand? And he said a rod.” He had Moses throw the rod down and it became a serpent. Then He had Moses pick up the serpent and it became a rod again. When Moses obeyed and did what God said, God used what he gave Him and before long that rod played an important role in the deliverance of Israel and performed God’s will. It later was called “the rod of God” (Exodus 4:20, 17:9, Job 21:9)!
Be careful about imagining the will of God. I have come across missionaries that have “manufactured” a call of God. We all know about “Momma” called preachers. We are also aware of Satan called preachers! What I have found out is that God knows how to communicate with me. He speaks my language! He knows my heart! He does not contradict His word.
So the first thing to do in finding what God wants you to do is to present your body willingly to Him. “Here’s my hands! Here’s my feet! Take my eyes and ears! Use my feelings! Use all of my senses for Your glory!" Do this every day as God reveals Himself to you. Part of my morning prayer is that I submit my hands, my head, and my heart to His will! That takes care of the three parts of me!
1 Thessalonians 5:23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”