This is the will of God!


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We believe that God’s will is revealed in His Word, that is, what He wants us to be and to do He already said in the Bible.
God leads us through His written Word. … Whenever you see the phrase “This is the will of God” in Scripture, you can count on it: that's God's will. You also know that to disobey is to reject His Word. [1]
First, it’s God’s will for us to be saved. [2] “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4. Emphasis added.) Of course, Paul wasn’t saying that all will be saved. What the apostle said was God “wants everyone to be saved” (NLT). But, He won’t force people to put their faith in Him. We also read this in 2 Peter 3:9b, God “is patient toward [us], not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (Emphasis added) God commanded people to repent (Acts 17:30). Not to repent is to rebel against Him. 

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Second, it’s God’s will for us to be controlled by the Spirit. “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:17-18, emphasis added). To be filled with the Spirit is to be controlled by Him. As we obey God, we depend on the power of the Spirit to be able to do so.

Third, it’s God’s will for us to be holy. “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, NLT. Emphasis added.) Being holy is “a state of being set apart from sin to holiness.” (The Macarthur Study Bible) To live a holy life is to live set apart for or devoted to the Lord.

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Fourth, it’s God’s will for us to be worshipful. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Emphasis added.) So, if we tend to worry or to complain, then we are not doing the will of God. 

Fifth, it’s God’s will for us to be submissive. “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” (1 Peter 2:13-15. Emphasis added) That does not mean blind submission to authority. For example, we can disobey the government if they command us to do what the Bible forbids or they forbid us to do what the Bible commands. However, we are to obey the government such as following traffic rules or paying our taxes.

These are just a few of the “will of God” verses in the Bible. Of course, we don’t always have to see the phrase “will of God.” If it’s a principle or a precept in the Bible for us, that’s His will for us. We should obey what is revealed in the Word as we seek what is not revealed in it. According to Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Emphasis added) When we obey what is already revealed, then we will be in the right position to decide on what is not revealed. 

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“Will of God” Step

Review the “will of God” verses cited above. If you would rate yourself 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) in each of them, which got your highest score? The lowest score? What are you doing to move on to the next level in obeying God’s will in your life?

NOTE: This is Day Two of the devotional guide (Volume 1, Issue 8) of our church, Filinvest Community Christian Fellowship, for the message on “Pass It On! (Part 3)” last April 19.  

 [1] Charles Swindoll (2012, September 12), “How Can I Discover God's Will?” Insight for Living Ministries, retrieved from http://www.insight.org/. Emphasis added.

[2] Another book that helped me regarding this topic is Dr. John MacArthur Jr.’s Found: God’s Will (CO: David C. Cook, 2012). iBooks.


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