06/21/2022
We are meant to do the will of God, but do we know what that is, and if not, how do we come to know it? We can’t discern the entire will of God on our own, because it is too deep and broad for us, but He will show it to us in bits and pieces as His Holy Spirit guides us day by day in understanding, and obedience. We come to know it through prayer, studying His Word, and listening for His voice. We will know it is His will, not ours, by testing what we hear in this way.
“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.”
Romans 12:2 ESV
How often do we begin our prayers concerning God’s will with a predisposed idea of what His will is? How many times do we imagine that we want to do this, be that, or go to this place, and then ask God to confirm our desires as His will? We say that God has called us to do a certain thing, and yet we keep running into roadblocks trying to do it. There are two things that stand in the way of our doing God’s will; the first is that we have substituted our own will for His, and the second is that we aren’t obeying Him as we should. When we seek God’s will we should pray first that he show it to us, and then we should pray that He teach us how to do it as he wants it done.
“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!”
Psalm 143:10 ESV
Sometimes we receive a calling, or the revelation of what the Lord would have us do, and in the excitement of that moment we run off on our own to do it as we imagine He might want it done… but neglect to ask Him to show us the plan… the blueprint. A good example is how the Lord placed certain people in my life, He started with one, then two, then three, and I heard clearly that I should pray for them. I responded in prayer that I would do this, and then He revealed that I wasn’t supposed to pray for them for a day, or a week, but for the rest of my life. This took me aback, but I told Him I would obey.
So one by one I started praying for these men. First came an Ethiopian Evangelist, then a merciful Presbyterian Pastor who looked after the least of God’s children, and the third was a Southern Baptist Pastor who was a builder, and restorer of churches… a Peter. I prayed for them, and prayed for them, but when the first one came I was so concerned with praying for him every day that I forgot to ask “How would you have me pray Father?” So one morning as I was praying for this man it dawned on me that I was praying as I wanted, and not necessarily as God willed me to pray. That morning I asked the Lord to show me His will so that I could pray in it, and He did. Then came the second man, and God taught me how to pray for him, and once again when the third came. Some days there would be specific prayers that I would hear, but always there were two things I was directed to pray for… that their eyes be opened to God’s will for them that day, and that they would be obedient to it.
This is how each of us should pray. We should pray each day to know God’s will for us, How He would have us do His will, and then, in confidence, we can pray the other things that are on our minds. In this way our personal prayers will conform to God’s overarching will for us, and we will know that we can attach the seal of Christ’s name to them… the name Jesus.
“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”
Hebrews 10:36 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for joining us in our prayers, and for your Holy Word, so that we can test those things we hear as we walk in the world, and know your true will for us. Thank you Lord for making our road straight before us as we obey in doing your will, and for blocking our path when we begin to stray. Teach us to do your will, and to do so without reservation. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who we long to glorify. Praised be your name for revealing the pieces of your will that we need to know today, and for leading us as we do those things… faithful are you who provides us every resource, and clears every obstacle from before us as we serve you. Merciful are you who protects us from evil, and shields us from all temptation as the dark one attempts to confuse us and to lead us astray of your will. Glorious are you who by your love, and grace, have washed us in the blood of your Son Jesus, and forgiven us of our sins. Continue to transform us Lord, and to make us righteous in our obedience to your will. Judge us not by our everyday works, but in the works we do in accordance, and obedience, to your will, and plan for us. Hear us as we speak the name of Jesus, and find us worthy in Him of being called your children. Seat us in your presence with Jesus, and feed us the manna of your Word forevermore. Let us glorify you always in this way.
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV
Rich Forbes