Are we just going through the motions? Are we on fire for God?
Goals of this lesson:
(1) Each believer in God will be able to demonstrate to a non-believer how God works in a broken world.
(2) Each believer will strive for a red hot passion for the Living God.
KNOWING the Will of God Requires us to view different aspects of His Will. These 5 aspects of God's will become more and more personal as we move from 1 to 5. We finally realize that God has a special place for us in the Kingdom, unique to our talents and gifts. We, therefore, cannot judge others as to how God has called them into service. All we can do is to encourage each other to love and good works.
May God help you to find His perfect will for your life.
(1) God’s Eternal Will: His Divine Purpose - His Ultimate Intention -God has an eternal will that He set before the foundations of the earth and that will ultimately reign on the last day. (Eph 3:11)
- Acts 20:27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
- Rom 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
- Eph 1:9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ.
- Eph 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.
- Col 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
(2) God’s Sovereign Will: His Permissive Will -God allows men the choice as to whom they will serve.
- Deut 10:10 Now I had stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as I did the first time, and the Lord listened to me at this time also. It was not his will to destroy you.
- Psa 147:4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
- Prov 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
- Prov 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.
- Acts 4:27-28 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
- Acts 17:26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
- Acts 18:21 But as he left, he promised, "I will come back if it is God’s will." Then he set sail from Ephesus.
- Acts 21:14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord’s will be done."
- Jas 4:15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that."
- Rom 1:10 And I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
- Rom 9:19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?"
- Rom 15:32 So that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.
- 1 Cor 4:19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have.
- 1 Cor 16:7 I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits
- 1 Pet 3:17 It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil
(3) God’s Perfect Will: His Moral Will: Intentional Will: His Revealed Will --This is how God wishes all humans to conduct themselves. This was messed up in the garden and now we have a path to restore His Will through our walk in Christ. (1 John 1:7)
- Ezra 10:11 Now make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.
- Psa 103:21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
- Matt 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
- Matt 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
- Mark 3:35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.
- John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
- John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
- John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
- John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
- John 7:17 If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
- Acts 22:14 Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
- Rom 2:18 . . . if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law.
- Rom 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
- 2 Cor 8:5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.
- Eph 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
- Eph 6:6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
- Col 4:12 Epaphras . . . is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
- 1 Thess 4:3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.
- 1 Thess 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
- Heb 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
- Heb 13:21 . . . equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
- 1 Pet 2:15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
- 1 Pet 4:2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
- 1 Pet 4:19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
- 2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
- 1 John 2:17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
- 1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
(4) God’s Selective (Circumstantial) Will: God’s Will in Calling and Gifting in His Kingdom --This is God’s specific will for one’s place in the Kingdom. Moses had a place to fulfill which was different from Aaron’s place. Elders have a place to fulfill which is different from deacons. You have a place and calling which may be different from the calling of your peers. Not everyone is given the same gifts or talents. Some are given 1 talent, some 5, and some 10 according to God’s Will.
- 1 Cor 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
- 1 Cor 12:11 But all these work that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
- 2 Cor 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother.
- Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
- Col 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
- 2 Tim 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
- Heb 2:4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
NOT in God’s Will --Not everything is in the will of God. (2 Peter 3:9 and Matthew 18:14). “So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
The idea that God has a detailed plan for your individual life which encompasses every decision you will ever make has no Biblical basis. Each day we make countless decisions; what to wear, what to eat, when to leave for school or work. Sitting around to wait for God to answer questions like what should I eat for breakfast would keep us at a very immature level of spirituality….never having to make decisions based on our personal faith and trust in God.
(5) God’s Interactive Will: His Active Will: Some actions/decisions require more prayer and even fasting and as we have seen in Scripture, God’s mind can be changed interactively
- Luke 18:1-5 Persistent widow
- John 16 – Ask in my name and you shall receive.
- James 4:2 “you have not because you ask not”
- James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
- 1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, ”
- Psalm 35:13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
- Daniel 9:3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
- Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
- God Repented and Turned aside or changed His mind (1 Chronicles 21:15, Amos 7:6; Jonah 3:10)
ALSO SEE: RED HOT PASSION FOR GOD
Application: Francis Chan lists 16 characteristics of Lukewarm Christians. I have condensed them to 14. For each example of Lukewarm describe a person who would be RED HOT for God. Use Transcend Chapter 4 to help you find these characteristics. I will give you an example on Number 1.
Lukewarm | On Fire – Red Hot Passion for God |
1. Go through the motions of Christian rituals 2. Give money while it is easy 3. Follow popular trends in society to fit in 4. Want to be saved from penalty of sin 5. Rarely share their faith with neighbors, coworkers, or friends. 6. Judge their “goodness” by comparing themselves to others. 7. Section off their time, money, thoughts and give Jesus some of those. 8. Love the thought of Jesus 9. Love others but do not seek to love or serve as much as themselves 10. Serve God and others with limits of time, money and energy 11. Think about life on earth much more than eternity in Heaven. Daily life is mostly focused on today’s to-do list. 12. Do whatever is necessary to keep themselves comfortable, safe, and secure. 13. Are slaves to being in control. Risking life, limb, funds, security for God is not part of their walk. 14. Are rich, consumeristic, relying on their retirement, savings accounts, and stored up possessions. | 1. Engaged, committed, involved in both assembly worship and daily praise & testimony for Christ. |
We live in a Privileged & Rich society. Christ said it will difficult for rich folks to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. When you are looking reflectively into God's will try to imagine that you are hearing His words for the first time. Try to imagine that each statement He makes warms your heart and that you can obey His will. Please watch these two videos:
Lukeware & Loving It (~38 Minutes)
Beekman House (2 Minutes)
HOMEWORK:
(1) Chapter 5 of Crazy Love and Chapter 5 of Transcend. If you did not participate in reading Chapter 4 of Transcend, you missed a great chapter.
(2) Sometime this week share your testimony with your Study Buddies so that you will feel more confident to share it in small groups in class next week. Start by describing how your life would be without Christ. Let’s tweak our skills in verbalizing the joy we have in Christ.
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