Discover the will of God for you – Part 9

Elsewhere he prays that Christians will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, in order that they “might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work” (Col 1:9-10).

(3) Believers are called to pray that God’s will may be done (cf. Mat 6:10; 26:42; Luke 11:2; Rom 15:30-32; Jas 4:13-15); we must sincerely desire God’s perfect will and intend to fulfill it in our lives and in the lives of our families (see Mat 6:10). If this is our prayer and commitment, then we can rest assured that our present and future are in the protective care of our heavenly Father (cf. Acts 18:21; 1Cor 4:19; 16:7). However, if there is deliberate sin in our lives and rebellion against His word, then we must realise that God will not answer our prayers. (Ps 66:18; Prov 15:29; 1:25-31; 28:9; Is 1:15; Jer 14:11,12) We cannot expect God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven unless we ourselves are attempting to do His will in our own lives.

(4) Finally, we must not use the will of God as an excuse for passivity or irresponsibility with respect to His call to battle sin, evil and spiritual lukewarmness. It is Satan, not God, who is responsible for this present evil age with its cruelty, evil and injustice (see 1John 5:19; Jn 10:10), and it is Satan who causes much of the pain and suffering in the world (cf. Job 1:6-12;2:1-6; Luke 13:16; 2Cor 12:7). Just as Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), so it is God’s explicit will for believers to wage war by preaching the gospel in power and manifestation of the Holy Spirit and by standing our ground against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the spirit realm (Eph 6:10-20; 1Thes 5:8).

Further Definition Of God’s will
“The will of God.” God’s plan and purpose for His creation and for each individual. God does whatever He pleases (Ps. 135:6) and desires that all people do His will. Only people fully mature in Christ are able to do God’s will consistently (Col. 4:12; cp. Ps. 40:8). God’s will is always good, acceptable, and perfect (Rom. 12:2). Doing God’s will sustained Jesus for life (John 4:34). Sometimes, however, the will of God leads to suffering (Rom. 8:28; James 1:2-4; 1Pet. 3: 17), as it did for Jesus (Isa. 53:10; Matt. 26:39,42).

Christians are to strive to know the will of God for their lives (Ps. 143:10; Eph. 5:17; Col. 1:9; cp. Rom. 1:10). Christians are to discern God’s will through prayer (Col. 1:9) and also pray for God’s will for the world to be done (Matt. 6:10). Jesus counted those who did God’s will as His own family members (Matt. 12:50).