Pathway to Victory

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Hey podcast listeners. Thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory and Dr. Robert Jeffress.

We're dedicated to bringing you bold biblical teaching that transforms your life and strengthens your walk with God.

And you can study God's word alongside Dr. Jeffress in person on the 2026 Pathway to Victory Cruise to Alaska.

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Have you ever witnessed the breathtaking majesty of massive glaciers rising from crystal blue waters or stood in awe as bald eagles soar over snow-capped mountains?

I want you to experience these unforgettable moments with me on the Pathway to Victory Cruise to Alaska, June 13th through 20th, 2026.

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Join Dr. Jeffress and the Pathway to Victory family for a spectacular seven-day adventure aboard Holland America's luxurious Koningsdam.

Indulge in elegant staterooms, world-class dining, and expansive decks perfect for breathtaking views.

Visit historic ports like Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, where wilderness and frontier history await.

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There's something powerful about connecting with God.

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And fellow believers in the majesty of his untamed wilderness.

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I truly believe this journey will refresh.

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You spiritually, physically and emotionally.

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Cabins are filling quickly, so reserve yours today. To book your spot on the 2026 Pathway to Victory cruise to Alaska, call 888-280-6747 or go to ptv.org now. Here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

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Hi, this is Robert Jeffress and I'm.

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Glad to study God's Word with you every day on this Bible teaching program.

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On today's edition of Pathway to Victory.

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Does God ever speak through supernatural revelation? He has in the past. He might in your life as well.

But if there's one thought I want to leave you with today, it's this: God does have a plan for your life, and it's a plan for which he will give you just the guidance you need. He will tell you exactly what you need to do each step of the way.

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Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that cards or horoscopes can't offer trustworthy direction.

But does God ever reveal his will for us in supernatural signs or providential circumstances? Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress explains the role of supernatural revelation in our decision making and God's will.

But first, let's take a minute to hear some important ministry updates.

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Thanks, David, and welcome to this Tuesday edition of Pathway to Victory. Even though it's many months away, I want to encourage you to make your plans to join us for the 2026 Pathway to Victory cruise to Alaska, June 13th through 20th. This isn't just any vacation; it's a thoughtfully designed Christ journey where believers can travel together while experiencing one of God's finest masterpieces in all creation. Alaska's pristine wilderness showcases the Lord's incredible artistry through towering glaciers, majestic wildlife, and breathtaking coastal beauty. So check out all the details at ptv.org.

Well, throughout this month, we're looking into a topic that confronts every believer every single day of our lives. Whether choosing a mate or choosing a career, how do we make decisions that truly reflect God's will? How do we decipher what He has in mind for us? To help you dig deeper into this important topic on your own, I've written a book called *How to Make Wise Decisions: The Joy of Discovering God's Will for Your Life*. In my book, I address 10 real-life scenarios, each one designed to demonstrate how to calculate God's best for you.

I want to send you a copy of my book today. It's yours when you include a generous gift with your request to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. We'll say more about how to receive my book later in the program, but right now it's time to get started with our next installment in this teaching series I've titled today's message: *Putting Out the Fleece Without Getting Fleeced*.

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Comes to discovering God's will for your life, reading the Bible and praying are highly overrated activities. Or so it seems. Don't look at me that way. You know what I'm talking about. You're facing a perplexing problem. You really want God's wisdom. And the pastor has just preached a message about how God speaks through his words. And so faithfully, you take the Bible and you begin reading the Book of Ephesians once a day, every day of that month. And you look through the Bible and search for an answer. But no answer is to be found in the Bible. Not even close to an answer to the particular problem you're facing.

So why not try Plan B, you think? After all, last time the pastor talked about prayer. God speaks through prayer, he claimed. Even the Bible says, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. And so you begin 20 minutes a day, every morning, on your knees, faithfully praying. "Lord, show me what you would have me to do." And even though that 20 minutes temporarily relieves the anxiety you're feeling, when you get up off your knees, you're still confused. You still have no direct word from God about His will for your life.

Well, if Bible study doesn't do it, if prayer doesn't do it, why not ask God for a supernatural sign? After all, you look through the Bible; God does reveal Himself through supernatural signs sometimes. Why not use a sign to determine God's will? That's the line of reasoning I used some years ago, with very disappointing results, I might add. Many years ago, I told the youth when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I was a youth minister here. A number of years ago, I was here on the staff of this church. I had always known God had called me to be a pastor. I'd been here about seven years, and I was really starting to get restless.

One day, a pastor of a large mega church in our convention called and said, "Robert, I'd like you to come to our church and be the executive pastor. You can run the church, run the staff, do all of those things." I thought, well, this is probably a way to get me closer to my goal of being a pastor, or at least I thought. So I flew to that city, met with a pastor, and he said, "Boy, I think this is going to work. We would like you to come now. You go back to Dallas, and I'll be back in contact with you after I work things out with the personnel committee."

Well, a few days turned into a few weeks. I heard nothing. Weeks turned into a couple of months. Still no word. One day, I remember it was a Tuesday afternoon. We were over here in our staff meeting over in the CEB building. It was one of those particularly depressing staff meetings. I remember being in that staff meeting, and I prayed while somebody else was talking. I prayed, "Lord, I can't stand this any longer. If you want me to go to such and such church, I need a sign, and I need it from you today."

Well, we finished the staff meeting. I walked through this sanctuary over to the old Criswell building, went up to my office, and there in my message box was one pink slip, a message slip. It was a message from that pastor. It said, "Dr. So and So called while you were in staff meeting and want you to call him as soon as possible." So I got into my office, dialed the number, and this is what he said. He said, "I didn't have any particular reason for calling you today, but I just felt impressed that I was supposed to call you. So I wanted to call and check up and see how things were going. I'm still working out things, but you'll hear from me soon."

So I hung up. I thought, man, what could be more of a sign than that? I went home ready to start packing my bags to make the move. Well, the pastor did call back as he promised within a few days, but not with the results I expected. He said, "Robert, I need to be honest with you. We're going through some tremendous turmoil here in our church, and I don't think it would be fair to bring you into this situation. In fact, I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to stay as pastor of the church." In fact, within a few weeks, he was gone as pastor of that church.

Why talk about being disappointed? Not only because I was confined to my present situation longer than I thought, but I thought, "God, what kind of cruel trick are you playing on me? I'd sincerely asked you for wisdom. I'd asked for a sign. You apparently gave a sign and then you pulled the rug out from under me." It was that experience more than 20 years ago that began me looking at the Bible to see what does God's word say about signs, circumstances, and the will of God?

Well, that's what we're going to talk about today as we continue our series Discovering the Will of God. We're going to talk about how to put out the fleece without getting fleeced. So if you have your Bibles, I want you to get ready as we look and see what the Bible says about using signs and circumstances to determine God's will.

Now, at first glance, the Bible seems to indicate that God does use supernatural signs and circumstances to determine His will. Let me quickly give you four examples in the Bible where God used a sign to confirm His will. First of all, turn to Genesis chapter 24. This is the story of Eleazar and Rebekah. Now you remember the story. Abraham was getting advanced in years. He already had his AARP card, and he began thinking about his future. God had promised to make him the father of a great nation. And yet his son Isaac had no children. His son Isaac had no wife for that matter. So Abraham said, "You know, we better get busy on this project."

The only problem was they were living in Canaan at the time, and Canaan was filled with Canaanite women. So Abraham calls his servant Eleazar and says, "Eleazar, I want you to get on a donkey, and I want you to go 500 miles back to the home country, and there I want you to find a bride for Isaac." So Eleazar makes the 500-mile trek back to the city of Nahor with the assignment of finding a bride for Isaac. Now, he gets to Nahor, and he decides to go to the local watering hole. And I'm not talking about a bar. I'm talking about literally a watering hole because that was the center of activity in Nahor. It was the place where everybody would come and get the water for their household and get the water for their livestock.

Now, this was back in the good old days when the women did all the manual labor, okay? And so it was teeming with women. I'm just kidding. Don't send any letters, okay? The place was teeming with all kinds of females who were there to get water for their houses. And so Eleazar looks around and he sees the place filled with SBNs. You know what an SBN is? A single brown Naharite, okay? He had all these SBNs around, and he said, "Which one is going to be the right one for my master's son Isaac?"

Not knowing what to do, he said, "God, give me a sign." And look at what he prayed in Genesis 24:12. "And Eleazar said, 'O Lord, the God of my father Abraham, please grant me success today.'" Verse 13. "Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now may it be that the girl to whom I say, 'Please let down your jar so that I might drink,' and who answers, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also,' may she be the one whom Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac."

Now he asked for a sign. Whichever person says, "Have a drink, and I'll also water your camels," she's the one. How did God answer? Look at verse 15. "And it came about before Eleazar had finished praying that, behold, Rebekah came out with a jar on her shoulder." Verse 17. "Then Eleazar ran to meet her and said, 'Please let me drink a little water from your jar.' And she said, 'Drink, my Lord.' And she quickly lowered her jar to her hand and gave him a drink. And now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, 'I will draw also for your camels until they had finished drinking.'" Eleazar asked God for a sign. God gave a sign.

Or here's another example in the Old Testament. Turn over to Judges, chapter six. Perhaps you've heard that expression that I used in the title of the sermon, "Putting out the Fleece." When we use that term, we mean setting up a test or asking for a sign for God's will. That phrase actually comes from this passage in Judges 6. Remember, God had said to Gideon, "Gideon, I want you to take a small army of men, and I want you to attack and conquer the Midianites. I want it to be a small group you take with you so that no one will doubt who did this great thing."

Well, before Gideon went on this suicide mission, he wanted to make sure that he was in the middle of God's will. And so he asked God for a sign. Look at Judges 6:36. "Then Gideon said to God, 'If Thou wilt deliver Israel through me as Thou hast spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that Thou wilt deliver Israel through me.'" Verse 38. What happened when he arose early the next morning? Verse 38. "And he squeezed the fleece; he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water, just like he had asked." God had given a sign.

But Gideon wasn't content with that sign. He wanted another confirmation. Verse 39. "Then Gideon said to God, 'Do not let your anger burn against me, that I may speak once more. Please let me make a test once more with the fleece. Let it now be dry on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground around it.'" And God did so that night, for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on the ground. Once again, God confirmed His will through a supernatural sign.

Well, some people would say, "Well, that's just the Old Testament. God doesn't do those things in New Testament times." Oh really? Turn over to Acts 1 for a moment. Acts 1. Remember, after the defection and death of the apostle Judas, the apostles needed another person to fill Judas' place. And so we find how they selected that person. Verse 24 of Acts 1. "And the apostles prayed, and they said, 'Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two Thou hast chosen.'" They had come down to two candidates. They needed to know which one is Your will.

Verse 25. "To occupy this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." When they finished praying, asking for guidance, but notice what they did next. Verse 26. "And they drew lots for them. And the lot fell to Matthias, and he was numbered with the 11 apostles." Now, casting lots was a lot like throwing dice in today's world. The process of drawing lots was this: they would take two smooth stones and they would place the name of each candidate on one of the stones. Then they would take both stones and they would put them in an urn, and they would shake it up and they would roll it. And whichever stone came out first, whichever name emerged first, that was God's choice. That's what they did. And God spoke to them. Matthias supposedly was God's will.

Well, some of you scholars over there are probably saying, "Pastor, wait a minute. All of these things happened before the coming of the Holy Spirit. All of these things happened before the Holy Spirit permanently indwelled believers. But now since that time, God's Spirit comes to indwell our hearts. We don't need supernatural signs like this, and we don't need God's supernatural circumstances to determine God's will. The Bible and the Holy Spirit are sufficient."

Now that would be true if it weren't for Acts chapter 16. Okay, turn over to Acts 16. Remember this story. Paul and the other apostles were on the second missionary journey, and they were trying to go into Ephesus and into Bithynia, and they kept having closed door after closed door. So they were in Troas trying to discover what they were going to do. Now look at verse 9 of Acts 16. "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A certain man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him and saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.'" And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

By the way, there was none of this still small voice going on here. This wasn't some impression Paul had. There was a vision of a man saying, "Come this way, come this way." Wouldn't you think maybe God was in that? Paul did, and he said God has shown us the way that we ought to go. Here are four instances in both the Old and the New Testaments where God used supernatural signs and circumstances to give His direction to His people.

Does He do the same thing today? I have to confess to you, I come from a tradition that says God did that in Bible times, but He doesn't do that kind of thing today anymore. Frankly, I don't believe that. I believe God can do whatever He chooses to do. God is not going to be put into any box we construct for Him. He can speak however He chooses to speak. The question is not can God speak through supernatural revelation. The question is, does He do that today, and is it the most reliable way to know the will of God?

And so today, in the few moments we have, I want us to search the Scriptures, and we're going to discover six biblical principles about signs and determining the will of God for your life. What does the Bible say about supernatural signs and the will of God? Principle number one is seeking supernatural signs is generally condemned in Scripture. Seeking supernatural signs is generally condemned in the Bible. You see, the idea of trying to discern God's mind or God's minds through a supernatural sign actually has its origin in pagan religions. Did you know that, by the way? That idea of Gideon putting out the fleece was not a sign of Gideon's faith; it was a sign of his lack of faith.

The fact is, God had already spoken to Gideon. He'd already provided sign after sign and word after word that he was to attack the Midianites. The fact that he asked for another sign, he knew he was risking the wrath of God. In Judges 6:39, he knew he was on dangerous ground. He said, "God, don't let your anger burn against me, that I may speak once more." Perhaps some of the harshest words about seeking signs came from the lips of Jesus Himself. Matthew 12:38. "And then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Jesus saying, 'Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.' You claim to be Messiah. We need a sign."

Verse 39. "But Jesus answered and said to them, 'An evil and an adulterous generation craves for a sign, and yet no sign shall be given but the sign of Jonah the prophet.'" If you read further, what Jesus was saying was this: "Your problem, Pharisees, is not a lack of information; it's a lack of obedience. I've already told you who I am. You have all the information you need. No more information is going to be given to you." And God usually condemns our seeking after a sign.

Why? For two reasons. Seeking after a sign, first of all, is a lack of faith. Most of the time, seeking a sign is a lack of faith. Most of the times that we want a sign, we're not really trying to get guidance from God. Many times we simply want to know the future. We want a sign from God so that we'll know what the future is going to be for us. That was true for me. When I asked God for that sign, there was no pressing decision I was having to make at that time. I was just tired of my present situation, and I wanted God to unravel His future plan for me so I could see what it was. God rarely does that. God is usually not going to give you a sign so that you can see the future.

And second, and more importantly, seeking a sign is condemned in the Bible because it is an attempt to force God to operate according to our timetable. Our terms, for example, maybe a girl will pray, "Now, Lord, if you want me to marry Gary, have him propose to me this Thursday on Valentine's." But now, what's wrong with her praying that prayer? "Lord, if I'm supposed to marry Gary, have him propose to me." Well, maybe God's will is for her to marry Gary, but maybe the timing's wrong. Maybe God has some other things He wants to do first before He gives that sign. Whenever we ask God for a sign, it's an attempt to force God to operate according to our terms and our timetable.

Principle number two, and this is so important: Supernatural signs in the Bible were truly supernatural. Supernatural signs in the Bible were truly supernatural. So many times we say we want God's will, but we already have a pretty good idea of what we want to do anyway. And so what we do is we'll ask for a sign that we know has a good probability of coming true anyway as a confirmation that we can do what we want to do. Haddon Robinson tells a story about a girl in the college department in a church where he was pastoring. She said, "Dr. Robinson, I'm really praying about whether or not God wants me to go skiing over spring break. And so I'm going to put out the fleece."

He said, "Well, now, exactly what are you going to put out to determine God's will?" And she said, "Well, if my father sends me some money in the mail, I'll know it's God's will for me to go skiing over spring break." He said, "Well, does your father ever send you money in the mail?" She said, "Oh, yeah, about three or four times a year." So he said, "Well, that wouldn't be that unusual then, would it?" She said, "Well, no, not really." He said, "Well, if you really want to follow the principle of getting in the fleece, why not ask God for a truly supernatural sign? Why don't you say, 'God, if you want me to go skiing, have the President of the United States write me

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I think you get the point. Sometimes a measure of exaggeration helps us get in touch with the truth. When God performs a miracle, it surpasses our wildest imagination. Well, maybe you're waiting on a miracle today. Perhaps you're truly searching for God's best in your life, eagerly anticipating his answer and getting nothing but silence in return. How do we respond in those moments of frustration when our priority prayers never seem to get past the ceiling? Does God really hear the cry of our heart?

These are questions I've answered in my book called *How to Make Wise Decisions*. I'd like to send you a copy today. Together we'll explore how to handle those awkward times when God is silent. My book, *How to Make Wise Decisions*, comes to your home with my thanks when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory.

Let me share one more word of blessing. I want to thank our Pathway Partners and all those who give generously to make Pathway to Victory possible. God has chosen to bless the ministry of Pathway to Victory, and it's because generous people like you have rallied with others to give Pathway to Victory a voice.

Right now, we're actively asking God to provide 50 new Pathway Partners to our family of monthly supporters. Maybe God's been nudging you to join hands with us as a Pathway Partner. You agree to give a monthly automated gift in the amount that suits you best. In the end, your role as a Pathway Partner accomplishes the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Your gift makes you a missionary of sorts, sending the good news of the Gospel into your city, your state, your country, and even the world.

Here's David to explain how you can become one of our 50 new Pathway Partners.

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If you're ready to answer the call and become one of our 50 new Pathway Partners, call 866-999-2965 or even easier, sign up online at ptv.org. Now, when you give your first Pathway Partner gift or when you give a generous one-time gift, you're invited to request your copy of the book *How to Make Wise Decisions*.

Now, when your gift is $75 or more, you'll also receive the complete audio series for *How to Make Wise Decisions* on CD and DVD. This would be a great resource to use in your small group Bible study or maybe your own personal time with God's Word. Again, call 866-999-2965 or go online to ptv.org. You could also send your request by mail. Write to P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222. Again, that's P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, TX 75222.

I'm David J. Mullins inviting you back Wednesday for Part Two of the message *Putting Out the Fleece Without Getting Fleeced* here on Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.

You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway Partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in His Word.

To become a Pathway Partner, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes. We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.