God’s Will be Done

1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask –  we know that we have what we asked of him.
 
IN review, we have seen some of the 16 times John uses the phrase “we know” in this epistle. Here are two more: that he hears us…that we have what we asked of him. How do we know God hears and we have?
    The key to knowing both is to pray anything according to his will. Know then, that God’s will is his desires to fulfill his purpose on earth. Scripture teaches his desire is to draw people from all nations to him. God’s will is for his chosen people – his church today – to call on his name. God’s desire is for mankind to demonstrate God’s love and holiness to one another.
    In this view, God’s will for your life is to use his means of grace to instruct you on how to know and respond to his desires. This is to study Scripture, serve, share, pray, use spiritual gifts, etc.
    In addition, God’s will is for his church to be one (Ephesians 4). His will is to re-create this world one day. (Revelation 21-22) There is more. But I believe you get the point. To know God’s will is to know God’s purpose.
    Knowing his will, you will pray his purposes, to be done on earth. In faith, you will know he hears such prayers. In response, he will give you the means to do his will on earth. For example, you know peace in your life is God’s will. If, then, you pray, “God, help me bring peace to my family.” this is in his will. He will give you the words, the wisdom and the opportunity to represent Christ as a peacemaker in your home.
    Do you want your church to be more united? Ask God. It’s his desire, too. Do you want your country to be more righteous? Pray for righteous
leaders. This is God’s will, too. Are you eager for your own life to be more fruitful? Pray to bear kingdom fruit. This is God’s will, too.  
    You might ask, “If this is God’s will, why doesn’t he simply make it happen?” Essentially, the answer is that his will is also for you to trust him for all things. If he quickly and easily made all things right, we would have no need for him, would we? Too much ease, and we would do as we please.
    Know God will is to say, “Yes!” when you pray for his will to be done on earth – at his time and for his glory.
 
Life Thought: “‘Thy will, not mine, be done.’ The sweetest lesson I have learned in God's school is to let the Lord choose for me.” Dwight L. Moody