Doing God’s Will
George Stiekes
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:17
In this series, we have been concentrating on the WILL OF GOD. For the Christian, there really is no excuse for not knowing the will of God for it is so clearly revealed in His Word. Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse wrote that it was impossible for a Christian who wanted to know the will of God for his life not to know it. However, just knowing the Word of God is not enough. Jesus said, He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, AND WILL MANIFEST MYSELF TO HIM (John 14:21).
Question: Do you love the Lord? Jesus said, If ye love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:15). Another closely related question: Is Jesus truly Lord of your life? If He has that position of authority in your life and you truly love Him, there will be no question about doing His will. And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say (Luke 6:46)?
If you truly love the Lord, you will search out His Word and you will love Him which will then result in your obeying the Word of God.
The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself and His will to mankind. If a believer cannot obey God’s instructions as revealed in His Word, there is no way that God is going to provide further revelation. Obedience brings further direction from God in the believer’s life. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God … And a curse, if ye will not obey … (Deuteronomy 11:26-28). When you are out of the will of God, your decisions will often create problems instead of solving them. The way gets harder.1
Before going to the Word of God, pray and ask Him: Teach me, O LORD, the way of Thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end (Psalm 119:33). Then seek out the commands and the principles in the Word of God that God desires we follow. As you make these applicable in your life and yield yourself to being used for God’s glory, the Spirit of God will reveal further instructions.
Caution: Simply because you desire something strongly does not necessarily mean that it is God’s will. The Word of God must always be your guide and it is crucial to recognize that the will of God can never be contrary to the Word of God. His will is always in accordance with His Word. Just because it feels good or seems right does not make it right. Again, the Word of God must be given the position of final authority.
There are a number of other factors that can be considered when making life’s major decisions These would include such things as ability, common sense, personality, desire, opportunity, open and closed doors, and contentment.
God has given you a will with which to choose His will, but, He will not force you to do His will. Out of the will of God, there is no such thing as success and in the will of God, there is no failure. King David’s wrong thinking got him into serious trouble but when he humbled himself before the Lord in repentance and humility, the Lord instructed and taught him in the way (Psalm 32:8). God is so gracious to His children when they choose to know and do His will. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11).
May God guide and bless you as you seek to do His will with your whole heart.
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.
- Warren Wiersbe, With the Lord, p. 328. [↩]