Bible Studies

INTRODUCTION

Earnest believers want to know God's will for their lives, and so Paul prayed that his travels would be in the will of God (Rom 1.10), and asked others to pray for him too (Rom 15.30-32). Some aspects of His will apply to everyone; some apply specifically to you as an individual. You must obey the Bible's teaching about His will for all, or you really cannot expect Him to reveal His will for your personal circumstances. Now that you are a Christian, God wants your life to be lived, not "to the lusts (desires) of men, but to the will of God" (1 Pet 4.1-2). Like Paul and Epaphras, we should pray for each other that we might be "filled with the knowledge of his will" (Col 1.9), and that we might "stand perfect and complete in all the will of God" (4.12).

THE WILL OF GOD AS IT APPLIES TO ALL

• It is His will that everyone should be saved, and then fully understand the truth of God (1 Tim 2.4). See also 2 Peter 3.9.
• It is His will that every Christian should live a holy life, avoiding sexual sin (1 Thess 4.3: the word "sanctification" means "holiness").
• It is His will that we should all be grateful (1 Thess 5.18).
• It is His will that we should be model citizens, accustomed to "well doing", so that critics will be silenced (1 Pet 2.15). It is His will that we should live consecrated lives, behaving differently from those around us. In doing this we prove that God's will is "good, and acceptable, and perfect" (Rom 12.1-2).

THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOU PERSONALLY

• Paul was "an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God" (1 Cor 1.1). You will never be an apostle, but the Spirit of God has given you some spiritual gift (1 Cor 12.11). It was given by the will of God: know what it is and use it well in His service (1 Tim 4.14).
• Our personal circumstances are under His control, and sometimes He allows experiences that we would rather not have (1 Pet 3.17; 4.19).
• Our plans must take account of His will (James 4.13-17).
  1. Where we go: "into such a city".
  2. When we go: "today or to morrow".
  3. How long we stay: "continue there a year".
  4. What we do: "buy and sell".
  5. Why we do it: "and get gain".

Test your motives.

Do your plans coincide with God's will for you?

You may respond by saying, "How can I know what He wants?" No-one pretends that it is always easy to know, but here are some guidelines.

1. He will never lead you to do anything that is forbidden in the Bible. He leads "in the paths of righteousness" (Ps 23.3).
2. Have the right attitude: like Saul of Tarsus, be keen to know His will without having made up your mind about what you would prefer to do (Acts 9.6).
3. Pray, "Thy will be done" (Mt 6.10).
4. Allow the Holy Spirit to control you completely, (be "filled with the Spirit"). This will help you to "understand what the will of the Lord is" (Eph 5.17-18). Sometimes, a tentative step taken in good faith can be blocked by the Spirit (Acts 16.6-7). Be sensitive about that and avoid forcing things.
5. Don't expect to see the whole way ahead, for very often God leads a step at a time. Joseph and Mary are an example of this (Mt 2.13,19-20,22). We do not have the benefit of dreams, or a pillar of cloud or fire to lead us (Ex 13.21-22), but God does guide, and it is often looking back that we see the way He has led us.
6. If you are apprehensive about any step, be patient. God's peace should "rule" in your heart, that is, it should be a decider in the various issues of life (Col 3.15). Someone has said, "Darkness about moving is light about staying".
7. Circumstances can be a factor in knowing the Lord's will, but do not rely on circumstances alone. Jonah's circumstances seemed very favourable. He found a boat with a vacant berth, was able to pay the fare, and thereafter slept very soundly (Jonah 1)! But it was not the will of God!

PASSAGES TO STUDY AND QUESTIONS TO ANSWER

1. Read the following passages. They all refer to the Lord's commitment to His Father's will: Psalm 40.6-8; John 4.34; John 5.30; John 6.38; Matthew 26.42. Find where the reference from Psalm 40 is found in the New Testament (the Bible margin or a concordance will help).
2. Find a reference to "the will of God" in Hebrews 10. What does the verse tell us that we need, and what will we receive?
3. In Acts 13, find two references to David in relation to the will of God.
4. Read Ephesians 6.6. In what circumstances should we be "doing the will of God from the heart"?
5. Read Matthew 7.21. If someone is doing the will of God what does it prove?
6. Find another reference in Matthew's Gospel to doing "the will of my Father".
7. Find a reference to the will of God in the First Epistle by John (not John's Gospel), and also the phrase "according to his will".
8. Read Galatians 1.4. What has been done for us "according to the will of God"?
9. Read 2 Corinthians 8.5. Who gave themselves to the Lord …"by the will of God"?
10. Using your concordance, find out who said, "The will of the Lord be done". (Acts ).