THE WILL OF GOD

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible…. 

Colossians 1:9  NKJV

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 

Christians often ask the question, “how can I know God’s will for me?”  The Scriptures are filled with statements about God’s will.  They are far too numerous to try to make any complete reference to them.  So the question mentioned above is not out of order nor is it one that cannot be answered. 

Paul’s prayer for the Colossian church was that their character would be a testimony to their knowledge of the will of God.  But this testimony had a real content.  It was to be knowledge characterized by wisdom and spiritual insight.

It seems fair to me to apply this to all Christians and say all should have the knowledge of the will of God.  The understanding that God’s will for His people is something secret and only has a mystic revelation is as strange to Scripture as to say God’s will is not revealed.

Again Colossians 4:12 points the Colossian believers to their privilege of “standing perfect and complete in the will of God.”  I would find it strange to consistency of subject and intention for the Apostle to be speaking of something different from his subject in Colossians 1:9.

The will of God in this verse Col. 4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God,  has the same content and intent as Hebrews 13:21, “Make you complete in every good work to do His will.”  The understanding is becoming increasingly clear, that God’s will is knowable and that it is doable. 

Paul, speaking to the Thessalonian church makes this plain.  He writes in 4:3 exactly what the will of God is, “your sanctification.”  He follows with a description of ‘sanctification’ in VSS 4-12.  Read these verses carefully. 

Again in I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul tells the Thessalonian Christians how they can do the will of God.  They are to rejoice, pray always, and give thanks for all God’s supply.  We can see how the Thessalonians knew this.  They had Paul’s letter.  Our understanding of God’s will in these matters comes the same way.  We read Paul’s letter. 

In Romans 12:2 the will of God is described as good, acceptable and perfect.  But there is something even more clearly taught.  The mind of the believer must experience a makeover.  New content must be received and old content removed.  This is where the words of Jesus in John 17:17 “Sanctify them by your truth.  Your word is truth,” become so helpful.  How is the mind changed, the conduct transformed and God’s will known?  It is known by knowing the word of God and knowing God in His word. 

Look closely at Hebrews 10:35-36 ³⁵ Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. ³⁶ For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.  The will of God is doable.  What is the purpose of the Scriptures?  Our old and dependable confession tells us that God’s purpose in the Scriptures is two pronged:  “to know God and how to serve Him”.

This is as old as written revelation.  Moses in Deuteronomy 29:29 ²⁹ “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” gives all the content we need to direct those who desire to know the will of God.  Look closely into those things that are revealed in order to do them.  For there is great reward in keeping His law.

Psalm 1:2-3

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.