Prepared
by: Pr.
Stephen Obwanga Email:obwangastephen@gmail.com
What is God’s will?
God’s will is for none of his children to perish
John18:1, 19 John 6:38-39 the
father’s will, it’s not for us to be sick, failures in poverty. He tell us in
the book of john that in that day you shall ask me nothing but whatsoever you
ask the father in my Name you shall receive only if you believe.
What happened to the children of
Israel in the book of Exodus 16:4-36 was that the Lord rained down the bread.
But the children of Israel grumbled to God for one meal, Here they were testing
God (Exodus17:2) this was not God’s will but it was a test to the children of
Israel (v4).
In Philippians 2:14-15 do all things
without grumbling, 15 if you don’t grumble; you will shine like a star.
God wants us to rely on the Sword
here we see that Joshua and the team overcame the Amalekites by the sword
Exodus 17:13.
For us the new creation, we are to
overcome the world by the word of God in us Joshua 1:8
God’s will is to give us rest Joshua
1:13
Ingratiate
(Grk)-Hold on don’t strike back live God
to deal with them/ the Wicked.
Romans 12:1–2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and acceptable and perfect.
The aim of Romans
12:1–2 is that all of life would become
“spiritual worship.” Verse 1: “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy
and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” The aim of all human
life in God’s eyes is that Christ would be made to look as valuable as he is.
Worship means using our minds and hearts and bodies to express the worth of God
and all he is for us in Jesus.
Those who believe in Christ Jesus
are already blood-bought new creatures in Christ. “If anyone is in Christ, he
is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
But now we must become what we are. “Cleanse out the old leaven
that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened” (1
Corinthians 5:7).
The Two Wills of God
There are two clear and very
different meanings for the term “will of God” in the Bible.
1. God’s Will of Decree, or
Sovereign Will
First of all, “the will of God” as
his sovereign control of all that comes to pass. Is the way Jesus spoke of the
will of God in Gethsemane when he was praying? He said, in Matthew
26:39, “My Father, if it be possible, let
this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
What does the will of God refer to in this verse? It refers to the sovereign
plan of God that will happen in the coming hours. You recall how Acts
4:27–28 says this: “Truly in this city
there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you
anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the
peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to
take place.” So the “will of God” was that Jesus die. This was his plan, his
decree. There was no changing it, and Jesus bowed and said, “Here’s my request,
but you do what is best to do.” That’s the sovereign will of God.
And don’t miss the very crucial
point here that it includes the sins of man. Herod, Pilate, the soldiers, the
Jewish leaders — they all sinned in fulfilling God’s will that his Son be
crucified (Isaiah 53:10).
In 1 Peter
3:17 Peter writes, “It is better to
suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” In
other words, it may be God’s will that Christians suffer for doing good. He has
in mind persecution. But persecution of Christians who do not deserve it is
sin. So again, God sometimes wills that events come about that include sin. “It
is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will.”
Paul gives a sweeping summary
statement of this truth in Ephesians
1:11, “In him [Christ] we have obtained
an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who
works all things according to the counsel of his will.” The will of God
is God’s sovereign governance of all that comes to pass.
2. God’s Will of Command
Now the other meaning for “the will
of God” in the Bible is what we can call his “will of command.” His will is
what he commands us to do. This is the will of God we can disobey and fail to
do. The will of decree we do whether we believe in it or not. The will of
command we can fail to do. For example, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to
me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the
will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew
7:21). Not all do the will of his
Father. He says so. “Not everyone will enter the kingdom of heaven.” Why? Because
not all do the will of God.
Paul says in 1
Thessalonians 4:3, “This is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” Here we have a very
specific instance of what God commands of us: holiness, sanctification, sexual
purity. This is his will of command. But, oh, so many do not obey.
Then Paul says in 1
Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” There again is a specific
aspect of his will of command: Give thanks in all circumstances. But many do
not do this will of God.
One more example: “And the world is
passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides
forever” (1 John 2:17).
Not all abide forever. Some do. Some don’t. The difference is? Some do the will
of God. Some don’t. The will of God, in this sense, does not always happen. Ex33:19
I will make my goodness be with you.
