[DAY 4 of 21] "The Journey To Your Restoration ~ Knowing The Will Of God"

“After this manner therefore pray ye, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)…..nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42)

What is God’s will for my life? This is an age old question that many have asked themselves at one point or another and some have even turned to spiritual leaders and mentors with the hope of obtaining an understanding of the will [plan, thought, road map] of God for their life. Far be it as it may, it is a legitimate question. I recall it being a question that I too struggled with to to gain insight into, until that is, one day back in 2005 when I was led to take a forty (40) day sabbatical and got deep into God’s word. After all, which child of God does not want to know the answer to this? It is a question of purpose – who we are? why we’re here, what God wants of us, from us, for us. It is fundamental to human existence.

The psalmist David was a man after God’s heart. He too had his many struggles, he had weaknesses in the flesh just like you and I, yet he dedicated himself to the service of God and above all else said, “I delight to do thy will, O my God:……” (Psalm 40:8) Our Lord Jesus Himself took such great pleasure in doing the will of His Father that even when the disciples were more concerned with the hunger pangs of the natural man (physical body) to feed it, Jesus said to them,
“My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34) The agonizing groans of the garden of Gethesemane, the hour when great drops of blood fell to the ground from His pores are yet other examples where Jesus could have absconded the will of God for His life but, in humble retreat, He said, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42) We see how His flesh man wanted to do otherwise than the will of God but His Spirit man understood His purpose here on earth and knew that it would be most pleasing to God the Father that He had done His will.

It is now evident the best place to go for discovering God’s will is in His revealed word. God gave us His word for all these things: “for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3: 16)

WHAT IS GOD’S WILL FOR ME?
The scripture has much to say about knowing God’s will. And today I will present you with at least three (3) answers to this age old question.

• God’s will is that we abound in all wisdom and spiritual understanding and bearing fruit in every good work. From the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians the word declared to us is this ~ “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. (Col.1: 9) It is not enough for us to simply exist here on earth without knowing God’s plan, His thoughts, and without having a road map of who, what, when, where, and how? We can only do God’s will and please Him by it when we know what His will is for our life. Added to that we need each other’s love, prayers, support and protection (watching each other’s back) In short without this kind of structural framework we are lost. 

• God’s will is that we be sanctified ~ conformed to the image of Christ.. “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification….” (1 Thessalonians 4: 3) God’s desire is for us to be sanctified and ‘sterilized by His word’ for purity in our hearts and minds. It is a process that we must all go through, and is not an overnight thing. Jesus prayed for us when He asked God the Father to, “sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) Romans 12: 2 deals with the issues pertaining to the mind in this way: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

• God’s will is for us to rejoice, pray, and be thankful. “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18) Why worry about the cares of this world when God’s will for our life is for us to rejoice. Not just for today but evermore. Prayer is not an occasional chore where we go to God only when we have a long list of ‘I want requests’ and where we do all the talking. Prayer is a two way communication, a dialogue between God and man. Individually we talk to Him but we must be willing to reciprocate and in turn listen to all what HE has to say to us. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, refrain from grumbling, murmuring and complaining and instead in everything give thanks.