The Will of God – in the Word of God

George Stiekes

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. (Joshua 9:14)

There are always those who somehow think that everything that takes place in their lives must be according to God’s will. As a result they actually miss God’s will in many areas. Have you ever felt like maybe you have missed God’s will somewhere along the way? To this day, I have considered that I may have missed God’s will with regard to some areas of my life along the way and at least with regard to one major decision in my life. When you find yourself on the wrong road, that is when it is time to get your bearings, turn around and get back into the will of God.

There are some Christians who feel that the will of God applies only to the spiritual realm of our lives. The fallacy here, of course, is the failure of not recognizing that once we have gained spiritual life through faith in Jesus Christ, then everything about our lives relates to the spiritual. The Christian that succeeds in both finding and doing the will of God is one that has discovered that there is no difference between the sacred and the secular. God’s detailed plans for our lives involve every aspect and His will is crucial to all our decisions and actions. His will provides us with everything we need for life and godliness (II Peter 1:3).

The Gibeonites feared the Israelites and devised a plan, disguising themselves to look like travelers from a far distant land. They requested a treaty with Israel and it was immediately granted.

This was a very tragic failure for God had forbidden His people to make treaties with people in the land of Palestine (Deuteronomy 7:1-5; 20:16-18). The leaders of the Israelites were deceived and they missed the will of God simply because they failed to inquire of the Lord.

It is God’s desire that we seek His will, that we trust Him with all our decisions. The psalmist wrote: He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD (Psalm112:7).

Jesus taught us to pray accordingly: Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). In prayer, our will is to be conformed to His will. The Israelites were responsible for the protection of the Gibeonites for years because they failed to seek the LORD. The prayer of the psalmist needs to be our prayer. Teach me, O LORD, the way of Thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight (Psalm 119:33-35).

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17)

God will never ask us to do something contrary to His Word. There is no excuse for being unwise considering the fact that God has given us His Word and He expects us to be obedient to the direction He has given us in His Word. The psalmist wrote: Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105). If we follow the light, we can be certain that we will be doing the will of God. There will be times when we may need some clearer understanding, but even then, we can pray as did the psalmist to ascertain the direction given. Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to Thy Word (Psalm 119:169).

So what is God’s will for your life today? If you follow His will as revealed in His Word, you should have no problem when it comes to understanding His will, even when it is not specifically delineated in His Word. There will be principles that will make the way clear. Note some clear directions that will relate to our daily schedules:

1. God’s will with regard to the believer being in submission to authority (Romans 13:1-7; Hebrews 13:7; I Thessalonians 5:12, 13; I Pet. 2:13, 15).
2. God’s will with regard to sanctification – being made holy (I Thess. 4:3-6; I Pet. 1:12-15).
3. God’s will with regard to work (Gen. 2:15; 3:19; Prov. 6:6; 10:4,5; 12:11; 13:4,11; Eccles. 9:10; Rom. 12:11; Eph. 4:28; II Thess. 3:10-12).
4. God’s will regarding marriage (Gen. 1:27,28; 2:18, 21-24; Prov. 5:15-19; 18:22; 19:14; 31:10-12; Mark 10:9; Eph. 5:22-33; Col. 3:18,19; Heb. 13:4a; I Pet. 3:7).
5. God’s will regarding the home (Gen. 2:18,24; Deut. 6:4-7; Prov. 5:18; 12:4; 22:6; 31:11,15; Eccles. 9:9; II Cor. 12:14; Col. 3:20,21; I Tim. 5:3,4; Titus 2:2-6).
6. God’s will regarding the church (Matt. 16:16,18; 18:15-17; Acts 2:47; 16:5; 20:28; Rom. 16:5; I Cor. 1:2; 7:17; 11:18; 14:12; 16:19; Eph. 1:22,23; 3:9-11; 5:23-32; Col. 1:18,24; 4:15,16; I Tim. 3:5; Heb. 10:24,25).
7. God’s will regarding worship (Gen. 4:3,5-7; Exod. 15; Deut. 6:5; Ps. 139; Isa. 43:10,11; John 4:24; 14:6; Rom. 11:33; 12:1; Col. 3:16,17; I Tim. 2:3-8; Heb. 4:14-16; 11:6; 13:15,16).
8. God’s will regarding service (Josh. 24:14, I Sam. 12:24; I Chron. 28:9; Ps. 2:11; 100:2; Matt. 6:24; John 12:26; Rom. 6:6; 7:6, 25; Eph. 2:10; Col. 3:24; I Thess. 1:9).
9. God’s will regarding making decisions (Psalm 32:8; 119:30; Matthew 6:10; John 16:13; Romans 12:2; I John 2:20, 27; II Peter 1:19).
10. God’s will for relaxation, fun and entertainment (Colossians 3:17; I Corinthians 8:9; 9:19, 22; Mark 6:31).
11. God’s will regarding friendships (II Corinthians 6:14, 15; James 1:17; 4:4; Proverbs 22:24; Proverbs 27:6; I Corinthians 15:33).

You can find direct statements regarding every area of your life or principles in the Word of God that will help you discover the will of God for every circumstance. You must keep in mind that nothing can be the will of God that is contrary to the Word of God.

---

George Stiekes held successful pastorates in churches in Michigan and Washington among other places. He currently resides in North Carolina and blogs at Reverent Reflections. We recommend his ministry and republish his material by permission.