The Will of God

The Will of God.  The will of God, as expressed in its various forms in the Bible (God’s will, the Lord’s will, the Father’s will, etc.), is a particularly large subject and a predominately New Testament phrase. From categorizing and grouping dozens of occurrences, ten broad aspects of God’s will become noticeable so much so that one might call the final roster a Top Ten List, or ten things that all Christians can know for certain about what God desires for their lives.

Whatever next step within God’s will that might be, we know—based on Scripture—at least ten steps that must be! By obeying these first steps of God’s will, may God illuminate all subsequent steps. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psa. 119:105).

It is God’s will that we:

(1)            BELIEVE in Jesus for the gift of eternal life. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:38-40).

(2)            BE TRANSFORMED by the renewal of your mind. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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” (Rom. 12:1-2).

(3)            YIELD to God’s dominion on earth as it is in heaven. “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’” (Matt. 6:9-10).

(4)            PRAISE God as his children for his glorious grace. “He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved” (Eph 1:5-6).

(5)            STAND mature and fully assured. “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God” (Col. 4:12).

(6)            BE FILLED with 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” (Eph 5:17-18).

(7)            PURSUE your sanctification. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor” (1 Thess. 4:3-4).

(8)            GIVE THANKS in all circumstances. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:16-18).

(9)            SERVE others from the heart. “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Eph 6:5-6).

(10)         EMBRACE your vocational calling. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:1).