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Recent discussions led me to think about this topic, the will of God. Years ago, when my wife and I had just graduated from a Bible College in England, we were working with a group of young people and asked to share about God's will. At that time we were going though a time of decision and found some wise words in the Old Testament of the Bible:
8 I will instruct you and teach you in
the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the
mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled
by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you. Psalm 32:8-10 (NIV)
At that time we understood that to mean we must use our own understanding and not be blindly led like mules who have no understanding. Today I would say the same.
Many people when they pray to God finish off by saying, "but your will be done". I have heard many a prayer being uttered with the following pattern: Please God do this, but if not, your will be done. Now I don't know how you feel, but that to me is assuming that God will primarily disagree and not give what is requested. Such a prayer request simply cancels itself out.
Tell me, if someone came to you and asked you for something like that (and many people do), would you know if the person was serious or not? For example: "Would you have time to help me? If not it doesn't matter." Now compare that to someone asking for help who really is desperate and needs that help right away: "Would you have time to help me - please - I need your help."
When people ask God for something then immediately withdraw with such a SAFETY SENTENCE, do you think God takes them serious. This is the God who tells us to have faith. This is the God who says you WILL receive what you ask for if only you BELIEVE.
So what is God's will? Why do so many people insist on placing qualifiers on God's promises. They say you can't ask for that, or request the other, or that's not according to God's will. They are so sincere in trying to protect God's interests that they INVENT excuses for God why He doesn't need to answer our worldly requests. But God does not restrict these promises in any way.
We are told by John that if we ask anything according to His will he will hear us (1 John 5:14). And what is according to His will? God's will is exactly what God says. Ask anything believing. (See my article on Faith for a closer look at this.)
Do you follow this? God has made it explicitly clear through His ancient servants, and many of His servants today, that His will is for us to ASK BELIEVING and to RECEIVE. This is what the will of God is. He wants to give us what we want. I believe God does not put any restrictions on WHAT we ask for because through the asking and receiving by faith we learn two things:
1. We learn to consider others in our asking.
2. We learn to ask for bigger and better things - growing from faith to faith.
Many of the same people who pray self-canceling prayers also criticise and reject modern day teachers who teach faith in connection with the Law of Attraction, thus cementing their disbelief in God's promises. Faith is independent of religion or theology. To ask and believe is a universal provision available to anyone who has a need or desire. Ask believing and you will receive. Its what the Bible says. It is only people who add the complications.
Faith then is God's will. Ask anything, no limits, no restrictions, no exclusions. I also believe that when anyone begins to learn this faith that they will also become aware of these great truths of the universe, the laws which have been put in place. God is not dumm. He knows that when you tap into this energy of thought and faith you will discover more and more of the Divine Energy made available to us.
Some of you may disagree with those last few comments, but you can't deny that God's will is to ask believing.
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