WILL OF GOD

By Jemima Rayan

Living according to the will of God puts the 'stamp on our sincerity in serving Him'. The Bible talks about God having a plan for every individual (Jer 29:11) and if we seek His will, He will lead us into the fulfillment of this plan. No plan can be a better plan than God's plan. I mean, you can have 'peace in your heart, in the midst of persecution' if you are in the will of God. You can be 'happy in the midst of pain' if you are in the will of God. The Bible declares in Rom 12:2, that His will is good, acceptable and perfect.

Jesus Christ did the 'Will of God' when He walked the earth:

Jesus said," I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent me" (John 6:38). Our Lord Jesus not only talked about the will of God, but also did the will of God and said finally, "It is finished". He gave the utmost importance to doing 'the will of His Father in Heaven' than to anything else. The Bible says, 'He prayed the whole night'. Probably, He was praying for the 'will of God' to be done in His life and on the earth.

Jesus taught the disciples to pray: 'Our Father in heaven, ...Your will be done On earth as it is in Heaven. (Matt 6:9,10) In Heaven, God's will is always done but on the earth, we need to pray for the 'Will of God' to be done as each individual is given a free will.

Jesus considered 'doing the will of God' as food and family. Even in the final moments before His death, He prayed for the will of God to be done in His life.

Food: Jesus said, 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work' (John 4:34) Here Jesus says that His spiritual hunger had preeminence over his physical appetite. He gave the priority to the 'will of God'.

We all need food for the body. But it will not do any good if we are do not feed on the Word of God more than our bodily food. The Bible says, 'Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord'. (Mt 4:4)

Do you give top priority to the Word of God? Has the Word become more important to you, than food? Are you living by the Word of God?

Family: While Jesus was talking to the multitudes, His mother and brothers stood outside seeking to speak with Him. When someone said to Jesus about this, Jesus replied to Him,' Who is My mother and who are My brothers? ...Whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother" (Mt 12:48-50)

Jesus found satisfying family relationship in doing His father's will. How about you? Is doing God's will as dear to you as your own family?

Final moments: Before Jesus was arrested and crucified, He spent the final moments in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed, "O my Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done"(Mt 26:42). That was the most agonizing prayer he ever prayed. Jesus was not fearful of His bodily death. He was agonizing because His death was associated with the sin of the whole world. The Bible says, 'God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Jesus'. (2Cor 5:21) What a tough situation it should have been when Jesus said, 'not my will but Your will be done?

Are you in a very difficult situation today? If you are not able to discern God's will for your life, just pray this kind of prayer: ' Father, I want Your will above anything else. Please do not allow me to miss Your plans and purposes in my life'. This kind of surrender has the guarantee of His guidance.

How to know the will of God:

1. Word of God:

Almost everything you need to know about the will of God is in the Bible. David says,'Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path'. (Ps 119:105)

We need to ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate God's word in our own hearts. Quit seeking man's wisdom. Search the scriptures for your answers.

2. Prayer:

As you seek God's face each time, "the peace of God rules in your heart" (Col 3:15). This means that the 'peace of God is a regulator, so that when you violate the will of God, His peace leaves you and you have this inner turmoil, immediately discovering you are going against God's will.

Knowing God's word and knowing the peace that comes about through a constant relationship with Him are the best ways of knowing God's will.

There are other ways God reveals His will to us. He will show His will for you through dreams and visions (Acts 2:17, Joel 2:28,29, Is 1:1). He may send a godly counselor your way (Prov 19:20, 20:18, and 24:6). You can know His will through the inner voice of God (the still small voice) speaking to you (1K 19:12).

Not everyone who says to Jesus, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of the Father in heaven. (Mt 7:21) Jesus could say that 'He never knew you' if you do not do the "will of God". That is something serious. The key here is that we need to 'desire the Will of God' first. Then, ask God to renew your mind and help you 'do the will of God'. Then, you will soon see yourself doing the 'Will of God'. Amen.

"May the 'will of God' be done in your life. May His plans and His purposes be established in Jesus' name". Amen.