THE WILL OF GOD

8 30 12 The Will of God  

Don’t forget to pray. 

Scripture: 1 John 2:17 (NIV) The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Note: Knowing the will of God is something that most Christians, those who are growing in the knowledge of God, would like to know. We know that revealing the will of God is a work of the Holy Spirit. If you are like me you pray often for God’s will to be revealed. This makes it sound as though God’s will is lost or hidden or cannot be known, but this is not the case. God’s will is visible and ever present and is revealed in His Holy Word, the Bible. Today, I would like for us to look at some of the things that are clearly revealed in the Bible to be the will of God.

1. God’s will is for all mankind to be saved, not wanting anyone to perish. The apostle Peter wrote in his letter 2 Peter 3:9 that even though it may seem that the Lord is slow in keeping his promise what he is really doing is exercising great patience and compassion so humanity will have adequate time to hear the gospel message. He wants everyone to hear the gospel, the life-saving message of Christ, because he doesn’t want anyone to be spiritually lost.  God’s desire is for all of mankind to be saved and for them to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4).

2. God’s will is for all mankind to be filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is the spirit-filled man or woman who worships God in spirit and in truth, the way that is pleasing to him. It is the spirit-filled man or woman who studies the word of God and is taught by the Holy Spirit. It is the spirit-filled man or woman whose singing and praise is pleasing to God. They are not just singing words. They affirm God’s truths through song and worship Him with gratitude in their hearts to God. Without the Spirit there is no acceptable worship, praise, or understanding the things of God.     

3. God’s will is for all mankind to be sanctified. Sanctification is our willingness to be dedicated to holy service to God and God alone. Our sanctification should be obvious to those who live around us. The sanctified individual will do the will of God and avoid anything that is evil, unholy or is not the will of God. The sanctified rely on the Holy Spirit’s teaching to equip and lead them into a life of transformation, a deep personal knowing relationship with Christ, a transformation that results in their becoming like him. (Rom 12:2)   

4. God’s will is for mankind to suffer if need be because of living a righteous life. Those who live in the will of God will be persecuted for their faith. Anyone who lives a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer, because they stand in opposition to the evil and ungodly lifestyles of those who are lost. Jesus was persecuted and ultimately put to death because he lived the “will of God.” If the world hated him it will hate us who are striving to live a righteous life in Christ. (1 Pet 3:17; 2 Tim 3:12).

5. It is God’s will for us to give thanks in all circumstances. We are to be joyful always and live in a continual state of prayer. (1 Thess 5:16-18) We often confuse the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness comes from things but true joy comes from a relationship, a relationship we have with God. You cannot have joy without Jesus. It is the joy of knowing Christ that enables us to give thanks in all circumstances; “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Ro 8:28; see also Jn 15:10-11).

The five things listed above are just a few of the things that are the “will of God” for all people. A believer having knowledge of these five things should have more than enough to work with to keep them growing and actively involved in their faith. Don’t struggle in prayer for God to reveal his will to you, instead go to the Scripture, study the word, and the will of God will be revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.

Did the Lord speak to you today?  Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.

Prayer:  What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!

If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david