This post is directed mainly to ministers; more specifically, ministers who are young in terms of age. I suppose that the will of God is the subject of many prayers of young preachers today, and rightly so. However, I also believe that many young ministers worry too much about the will of God.
The Will of God in the Minds of Many
People are often perplexed about, not what the will of God, but rather what they perceive it to be. People think the will of God is location. They worry themselves sick over whether or not to go here, or there. And yes, location is important. If God wants you in Ninevah, you better not go to Tarshish. But, there is really no need to sweat the will of God regarding location. To others, their greatest concern regarding the will of God is which job to take, or which decision to make, or something of that nature. These things surely need our attention, and oftentimes our prayers. However, these things often take care of themselves when we take care of God's will in our lives.
Some Things I Know About the Will of God
1) It is God's will for all mankind to be saved. II Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." So, if you are not saved, you are definitely out of God's will.
2) It is God's will for the church to be sanctified. I Thessalonians 4:3 - "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification."
3) It is God's will for each one to be thankful, giving God the glory. I Thessalonians 5:18 - "In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you."
4) It is the will of God that we live a life that is a great witness to the lost, putting to silence their foolishness. I Peter 2:15 - "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men."
5) It is the will of God that we suffer for well doing rather than evil doing. I Peter 3:17 - "For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing."
6) It is the will of God that Jesus Christ die to deliver us from this present, evil world. Galatians 1:4 - "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father."
What God Promises Concerning His Will
I worry very little about things such as, "Am I in the exact location the Lord wants me to be in?" The reason for my lack of worry is simply this: God Almighty has promised me that if I'll do the things that I KNOW are the will of God (the things listed above), He absolutely will lead me into the location in which He wants me to be. Consider:
1) Proverbs 3:5, 6 - "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he SHALL direct thy paths." Notice - When I acknowledge Him in all things by doing the things I KNOW are His will, HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEADING! Getting me in the location where I should be is God's work, not mine! Yes, if God speaks to me to go here or there, I must obey. We learn this from the story of Jonah. But, in the Bible, God very seldom lays out the entire course to the man of God; He just leads them. Consider Joseph of the Old Testament. The only thing that Joseph knew from what God showed him was that his brothers and father would one day bow to him. That was it! Then, God did the rest. Joseph did not have to pull one string to make it happen! He was cast into the pit, sold to Potiphar, falsely accused, thrown in jail, and eventually elevated to second-in-command. God did it all! All Joseph did was be faithful to God! The Bible says that "God was with Joseph," and we see clearly that God led Joseph every step of the way. Young ministers think they have to have their whole ministry laid out before they start! Not so! I do not need to fast forty days to figure out what the big picture is for my ministry. All I need to do is be obedient to God, be faithful to Him, and with no help of mine, God will lead me.
I don't worry about my salvation because Jesus is the Saviour; not me. I don't worry about current events because I am not in charge of them; God is. I don't worry about when the Lord will come because it is the Father's hand; not mine.
And, I don't worry about what location I should be in. I just strive to live in obedience to what God says, doing what I know is His will, and He is the one doing the leading!
The Will of God in the Minds of Many
People are often perplexed about, not what the will of God, but rather what they perceive it to be. People think the will of God is location. They worry themselves sick over whether or not to go here, or there. And yes, location is important. If God wants you in Ninevah, you better not go to Tarshish. But, there is really no need to sweat the will of God regarding location. To others, their greatest concern regarding the will of God is which job to take, or which decision to make, or something of that nature. These things surely need our attention, and oftentimes our prayers. However, these things often take care of themselves when we take care of God's will in our lives.
Some Things I Know About the Will of God
1) It is God's will for all mankind to be saved. II Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." So, if you are not saved, you are definitely out of God's will.
2) It is God's will for the church to be sanctified. I Thessalonians 4:3 - "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification."
3) It is God's will for each one to be thankful, giving God the glory. I Thessalonians 5:18 - "In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you."
4) It is the will of God that we live a life that is a great witness to the lost, putting to silence their foolishness. I Peter 2:15 - "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men."
5) It is the will of God that we suffer for well doing rather than evil doing. I Peter 3:17 - "For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing."
6) It is the will of God that Jesus Christ die to deliver us from this present, evil world. Galatians 1:4 - "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father."
What God Promises Concerning His Will
I worry very little about things such as, "Am I in the exact location the Lord wants me to be in?" The reason for my lack of worry is simply this: God Almighty has promised me that if I'll do the things that I KNOW are the will of God (the things listed above), He absolutely will lead me into the location in which He wants me to be. Consider:
1) Proverbs 3:5, 6 - "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he SHALL direct thy paths." Notice - When I acknowledge Him in all things by doing the things I KNOW are His will, HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEADING! Getting me in the location where I should be is God's work, not mine! Yes, if God speaks to me to go here or there, I must obey. We learn this from the story of Jonah. But, in the Bible, God very seldom lays out the entire course to the man of God; He just leads them. Consider Joseph of the Old Testament. The only thing that Joseph knew from what God showed him was that his brothers and father would one day bow to him. That was it! Then, God did the rest. Joseph did not have to pull one string to make it happen! He was cast into the pit, sold to Potiphar, falsely accused, thrown in jail, and eventually elevated to second-in-command. God did it all! All Joseph did was be faithful to God! The Bible says that "God was with Joseph," and we see clearly that God led Joseph every step of the way. Young ministers think they have to have their whole ministry laid out before they start! Not so! I do not need to fast forty days to figure out what the big picture is for my ministry. All I need to do is be obedient to God, be faithful to Him, and with no help of mine, God will lead me.
I don't worry about my salvation because Jesus is the Saviour; not me. I don't worry about current events because I am not in charge of them; God is. I don't worry about when the Lord will come because it is the Father's hand; not mine.
And, I don't worry about what location I should be in. I just strive to live in obedience to what God says, doing what I know is His will, and He is the one doing the leading!
