FULFILLING PURPOSE BY THE WILL OF GOD

Most times the attitude we demonstrate both in prayers and services today is summarized thus: “Oh God, you can have a say, but let me have my way. Let it be my way. Let my will not your will be done”.

What a way to pray and to live! Whether or not such prayers and attitudes receive answers is not what I seek to underline, rather I am trusting God that by this word, we shall not only seek but also submit to His will. That we shall lay on the altars of obedience all our personal will; allow Him grind them (our will) in the mill of His will; Him redefining our pursuits and refocusing us on those things that truly matter>>Living for his divine will.

Some serve this generation by their own will, while some serve by the will of God. In the end the reward in eternity shall be to “He that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven” (Matthew 7:21). No wonder David’s testimony was, “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep...” (Acts 13:36a).

It is good to strive and be sure that the work we are doing for the kingdom in our small and little ways is “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:3).

One thing that was buried deep within the temptations of the devil in Jesus’ life was wanting to make Him (Jesus) to do things that were outside the will of God. If the devil cannot get you to do something obviously wrong, he presents another option that may appear not bad but not in God’s will. But alas, every presentation of the devil is laden with condemnation in the end.

Can you pray with me; “Lord, let everything and purpose in me and around me bow and bend to your will for my life in Jesus’ name”.

May God work in us “both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philipp. 2:13).

For we were born (of God) for one purpose: For I came down from Heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me.” (John 6:38). This is a mystery. Jesus despite being God still acknowledged that once you step on the soil of this world, firstly you must realized that you did not bring yourself here, but God sent you. Then secondly, no matter how “exalted” you are, you have to allow your will (no matter how good, beautiful, impactful they are) to be swallowed up by the will of God.

Even Paul admitted, “I, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by THE WILL OF GOD” (Upper Case mine. 2 Cor. 1:1, Eph. 1:1, Col. 1:1, 2 Tim. 1:1). Many of Paul’s epistles started on this note. The same way, let our lives and drive to fulfil our earthly purpose start on this note – BY THE WILL OF GOD.

God made you; He is the manufacturer. Your life is not here to stand a chance but to make a change. May God’s will prevail in our lives in our quest for greatness even as we remember that no man can be truly great outside God.

There are many pluses to being in the will of God, but I will show you just one here. Consider Abraham and Lot when the time of separation came. Lot made a choice of where he was going to dwell: “Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of Jordan was well watered (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah)”. So Lot chose for himself (Gen. 13:10, 11). He followed after his own will because it looked beautiful but the end was not beautiful. However for Abraham, God made his choice (Gen. 13:14-18). So, Lot was in his own will while Abraham was in God’s will.

Now, when the time came when God would visit, God came with 2 angels and visited Abraham. God visited him where He (God) asked him to stay (See Gen. 13:18 and 18:1). “And Abraham looked up and saw 3 men standing nearby” (Gen. 18:2a). When God finished with Abraham and it was the turn of Lot, something serious happened. Look at it closely: “The 2 angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city...and he saw them...” (Gen. 19:1). Now, let us consider: 3 people visited Abraham. 2 of them went on after that to visit Lot. What happened? I show you a revelation: After God and the angels finished with Abraham and it was the turn of Lot, God left!!! This was why only the 2 angels went to visit Lot. “When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, He (God) left” (Gen. 18:33).

LESSSON: WHEN YOU LIVE OUTSIDE GOD’S WILL, YOU SHUT THE DOOR AGAINST THE MINISTRATION AND VISITATION OF GOD. MAY WE NOT LIVE OUTSIDE THE WILL OF GOD...IT DEPRIVES PEOPLE FROM SOME VISITATIONS AND MAY DENY PEOPLE FROM HEAVEN.

(I have preached and taught many times on this insight about Abraham and Lot. There is a teaching on that titled: THE ALTAR-LESS LIFE. For the audio CD, you may have to make a formal mail request through drwilliams4j@yahoo.com)