“May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:9
The topic of the will of God and how it is experienced in the life of the born-again believer is a very extensive topic throughout the Bible of which this article can only talk about a few selective points of this topic.
The following is an excerpt from the Fire Bible of the definition of the will of God.
Defining the Will of God
In general, the Bible refers to the will of God in three different senses.
(1) In some passages, “the will of God” is another way of saying “the law of God.” For example, David uses the phrase “your law” equally with “your will” in Psalms 40:8, I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” Since God’s law instructs us in how we should live, the law may rightly be called “the will of God.” “Law” basically means “instruction” and includes the entire written Word of God. Therefore, God’s will refers to his plans and purposes for us and the world.
(2) “The will of God” is also used for anything that is expressed as God’s desire. This is what we call God’s “perfect will” because it is what God ideally wants for us–his best and highest purpose. For example, it is God’s revealed will or desire that everyone be saved. 1 Timothy 2:3-4
3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
(3) The “will of God” may refer to what God permits or allows to happen, even though he does not specifically cause or even desire it to happen. This could be referred to as God’s “permissive will.” In reality, much that happens in the world is contrary to that is not in agreement with, opposite of God’s perfect will. For example, God is opposed to sinful rebellion, lust, violence, hatred and resistance against him, yet he permits evil to continue for the present time. God does not force anyone to believe in him or to accept his Son, Jesus. It is our choice whether or not to entrust our lives to Jesus. We are free to refuse a personal relationship with him and remain spiritually lost and condemned for eternity.
Jesus and the will of God.
Jesus acted not according to His own will, but according to the will of the heavenly Father. John 6:38, For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. Jesus said doing the will of the Father is His nourishment, John 4:34, “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Luke states the greatest example of Jesus unwavering act of fulfilling God’s will when he quotes Jesus’ statement in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done”, Luke 22:42.
The Will Of God In Our Lives
For all Believers in Christ, who are truly and sincerely desiring to live in a relationship submitted and committed God; knowing and living in God’s will is of the upmost importance. We know among other things primarily this is accomplished through knowing the Word of God and recognizing the voice of the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us.
However, for new believers in Christ who are still immature and growing in their relationship with God, who are growing in their knowledge of the Word of God and are beginning to learn how it applies to their lives; find it the most difficult to know or discern the will of God. As previously stated, God’s will is expressed in His “Law” which is the Word of God. The importance of the Word of God in the life of a believer in Christ are clearly stated in the following portions of scripture.
Matthew 4:4, Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
Psalms 119:9-11, 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Psalms 119:105, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
In addition to knowing God’s Word, also knowing how to discern the Holy Spirit’s voice when He speaks to us is also important to know and live in obedience to God’s will. However, it is vitally important to understand what the Holy Spirit tells us will always be in agreement to the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will never contradict God’s Word.
John 14:26-27, 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Acts 13:2-3, 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 16:6-9, 6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.
In Mark 3:35 Jesus tells us another important point concerning a believer doing God’s will, “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” “Our Lord was not suggesting that believers ignore or abandon their families in order to serve God, but only that they put God’s will above everything else in life.”
The apostle and other writers of the New Testament all give us several different spiritual insights of the will of God in a born-again believer’s life.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
One major key factor of knowing and experiencing God’s will in our lives is when we are deliberately putting ourselves in a position to be transformed. This transformation Paul says is the “renewing of your mind” or transformation. The Greek word metamorphoō that Paul is using is the word from which we get the metamorphous, which is the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. This verb means to change fundamentally and completely from one state to another. It can refer to a physical transformation or to an inward change of character or mind-set. This transformation of a born-again believer is produced by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, prayer and relationships with other more spiritually mature Believers among other things.
Part 2
Colossians 1:9 NIV
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
The Apostle Paul in his opening prayer to the congregation in the city of Colosse states a very important point that should be a strong personal desire of every Believer in Christ in their relationship with God, for “God to fill you (or us) with the knowledge of his will”. This also an excellent point of how we should pray for other Believers. What does God use to accomplish this in a Believer’s life? It is “through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” which is the experiential knowledge of God’s word and through prayer.
Colossians 4:12
Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
Paul concluding his letter to this Church in 4:10-14 mentions six brothers in the Lord who were with him while writing this letter, all of which sends their greetings to this congregation. Paul tells the church how “Aristarchus”, “Mark” and “Jesus, who is called Justus” are “…the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.” However, Paul tells the Colosse congregation something very important about Epaphras, one of their own members who is with him. Just like the other five, Epaphras also sends the Colosse congregation his greetings, but Paul goes on to mention four very significant aspects of Epaphras’ prayer concerning the will of God in the Believer’s life.
First Epaphras was not just passively and quietly praying for the church but Paul describes Epaphras as “always wrestling in prayer for you”. Epaphras prayer for the Colosse congregation was not just once in a while but it was all the time. Second Paul said that when Epaphras prayed for the Colosse Church he wrestled with the endeavor to accomplish something. The Greek word Paul used to describe the way Epaphras prayed is agonizomai from which we get our English word agonize as to wrestle “fight, labor fervently, strive.” But what burdened Epaphras’ heart to pray this way for the Colosse Church? There was one main point, “that you (they) may stand firm in all the will of God”. To stand is to abide
“mature and fully assured.”
12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.
Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV
20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
In the concluding words of his letter, the writer of Hebrews in a prayer asks God to equip his readers “with everything good for doing his will, or God’s will. The Bible commentator Warren Wiersbe tells us how. “How does He equip us? By tracing this word katartidzo in the New Testament, we can discover the tools that God uses to mature and equip His children. He uses the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and prayer (1 Thessalonians 3:10) in the fellowship of the local church (Ephesians 4:11-12). He also uses individual believers to equip us and mend us (Galatians 6:1).
1 Peter 4:1-3 NIV
4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
1 John 2:15 NIV
17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 5:14-15 NIV
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.
Revelation 2:23 NIV church in Thyatira
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
