Executive Summary

This document synthesizes the core themes of a sermon on cultivating an experiential relationship with God. The central argument posits that while many individuals, including lifelong church attendees, rarely or never experience God, it is possible to cultivate a life where such experiences are more frequent. This is not a matter of chance but of intentionally aligning one’s life with a spiritual order—a “physics to the spiritual world.”

The most palpable way to experience God is to live within His will. Understanding God’s will, however, requires a shift in perspective. Citing theologian Dallas Willard, the document explains that God’s objective is to mature an individual’s desires (“wanter”) to the point where they align with His own. At this point of alignment, God can empower a person to do what they want because what they want is what He wants.

The sermon’s theological foundation rests on Romans 12:1-2, which outlines a two-part process for discerning God’s will. First, in response to God’s immense mercy, one must offer their life as a “living sacrifice,” an act of continuous self-denial that constitutes true worship. Second, one must actively resist conforming to worldly patterns and instead be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Only after undertaking these transformative actions can a person effectively “test and approve of what God’s will is.”

The primary obstacle to experiencing God is a mind and life conformed to worldly patterns rather than to Christ. To overcome this, a practical, 30-day challenge is proposed: read one chapter of the New Testament daily, not for knowledge, but to relationally understand the heart of God. Seeking God in this manner is presented as the essential prerequisite to finding and experiencing Him.

The Central Premise: The Possibility of an Experiential Relationship

The sermon is framed by the foundational question, “When was the last time you experienced God?” This question addresses the common reality that many people lack a tangible, personal experience of God’s presence, even within a religious context. The core assertion is that an experiential relationship is not only possible but can be intentionally cultivated. This process is not mystical or random but follows a clear spiritual order.

• A “Physics to the Spiritual World”: There is an established “way things work” when it comes to God. Just as the physical world operates under laws like gravity, the spiritual world has principles. The inability to experience God may stem from a misunderstanding or misalignment with these principles.

• An Illustrative Personal Experience: The speaker recounts a moment of overwhelming anxiety where he prayed a simple prayer taught by an elderly woman named Alice: “Jesus, I need you.” In that moment of vulnerability, he felt God’s peace wash over him, turning an ordinary shower into a “holy ground.” This experience, while not a daily occurrence, serves as a testament to the reality of God’s tangible presence.

The Core Principle: Aligning with the Will of God

The most direct pathway to experiencing God is to live squarely inside of His will. This, however, requires a proper understanding of what “God’s will” entails and how to align one’s own desires with it.

Dallas Willard’s Concept of the “Wanter”

The sermon introduces a key theological concept from Dallas Willard to redefine the pursuit of God’s will:

“God wants to get you to the point where he can empower you to do whatever you want.”

This statement is clarified to distinguish it from a “prosperity gospel” message. The emphasis is on the first clause: “God wants to get you to the point…” The objective is a process of spiritual maturation where God refines and reshapes an individual’s desires—their “wanter”—until those desires are in deep alignment with His own will. When this alignment is achieved, God can grant what the person wants because their desires now reflect His own.

Redefining the Pursuit of God’s Will

To practically align with God’s will, two conceptual shifts are proposed:

1. Shift the Question: Instead of asking the self-focused question, “What is God’s will for my life?”, one should ask, “What is God up to?” This changes the perspective from seeking a personalized directive to joining God in His ongoing work in the world.

2. Shift the Metaphor: Rather than viewing God’s will as a rigid, singular line that one must follow perfectly, it is more helpful to see it as a “circle” or a “yard.” God establishes a boundary of His will, and within that boundary, there is freedom to live and act. The goal is to remain within the “yard,” not to follow a specific path across it.

A Theological Framework for Knowing God’s Will: Analysis of Romans 12:1-2

The sermon provides a detailed analysis of Romans 12:1-2 as the scriptural guide to discerning God’s will. The chapter’s instructions are presented as the direct and logical response to the “extraordinary grace of God” detailed in the preceding eleven chapters of Romans.

Scripture (Romans 12:1-2)	Core Instruction	Explanation & Application
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”	A Life of Living Sacrifice	In light of Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice, the appropriate response is to offer one’s physical self as a continual, “living” sacrifice. This means repeatedly choosing to “die to myself, my needs, my desires, my wants.” This ongoing act of self-denial is defined as the essence of true worship, transcending song and becoming an imitation of Christ’s love. It manifests as a “shockingly generous” life.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world…”	Resist Worldly Conformation	A follower of Jesus should look different from the surrounding culture. This difference is not primarily about superior morality but about being guided by a radical, counter-cultural love. The defining mark of a Christian is not perfection but having “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13), which fundamentally changes one’s character and actions.
“…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”	Pursue Mental Transformation	This is an active process of replacing ingrained, worldly ways of thinking with God’s perspective. The analogy used is of repeatedly filling a dirty hot tub with clean water to flush out the sediment. The mind must be continuously washed with the truth of scripture.
“Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”	The Result: Discerning God’s Will	The ability to know and understand God’s will is the result of living a sacrificial life and renewing one’s mind. It is not a starting point but a consequence. This process aligns a person with the “way things work” in the spiritual realm, enabling them to experience God.

Actionable Directive: The 30-Day Challenge

To facilitate the “renewing of the mind,” the sermon concludes with a direct and urgent challenge.

• The Task: Read one chapter of the New Testament every day for 30 consecutive days. It is recommended to start with one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John).

• The Purpose: This discipline is the practical means of “filling the hot tub with clean water”—actively replacing worldly thought patterns with God’s perspective. The goal is not merely to complete a task or acquire more information.

• The Mindset: The central question to ask while reading is not “What do you want from me?” but “Who are you, God?” The aim is to know the heart and character of God, which in turn reveals His will. The focus must be on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of your faith.”

• The Urgency: The unwillingness to engage in such a foundational practice of seeking God calls into question the purpose of religious activity. Scripture promises that God will be found by those who seek Him with their whole heart. A lack of spiritual experience may be directly tied to a lack of genuine, wholehearted seeking.