BY ANY MEANS… THE WILL OF GOD! – PART 2

Posted on June 13, 2019 by .....

Romans 1:9- 10 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.”

“Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.” “What is God’s will for my life?” – Most Christians have asked a question like this. It may often be asked pertaining to mundane things or more significant things like one’s career, where to live, etc.

“Making request” – has the meaning of begging, Paul was desperate to know and to do the will of God for his life. – How about you? Are you desperately seeking God? Are you desperately begging God to know and to do His will with your life?

“if by any means” – Paul was willing to whatever it took to fulfill God’s will for his life. – ARE YOU!?

“now at length” – no matter how long it took to know and do God’s will, Paul was willing to wait. How about us? Do we willingly wait on the Lord, as the Bible commands us?

“I might have a prosperous journey” – Paul prayed for the Lord to bless his efforts for Him. – How about us? Do we have the kind of prayer life that we should have?

“the will of God” – Are we sincerely seeking the Lords will in all facets of our life?

“If by any means…. The will of God”! – Do we live by this thought, do we live by this statement, could this be considered the motto of our life?

So how can we live in harmony with the will of God? – Paul mentioned his desire to live in harmony with God’s will as he made plans to visit his brethren in Rome and as he prayed regarding such plans. Paul sought to find a way “by the will of God”. Paul’s comments in verse ten provide an opportunity for us to consider some thoughts related to the will of God, especially on how to determine God’s will for our lives.

“By any means…. The will of God”! – We should always seek to live by this thought and statement. “By any means… The will of God”!

FACETS OF GOD’S WILL

You have God’s proclaimed will – God has made His will known in many respects. (I Thessalonians 5:18 – In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. & 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:)

God has proclaimed His will through revelation by sending inspired prophets, by sending His Son, and by having the Spirit guide the Apostles in their writing and ministry.

That which is essential for us to know God has proclaimed through Scripture. (II Timothy 3:16-17 – All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.)

Then you have God’s Providential will – God acts providentially in our lives and that is implied in our text. (Romans 15:32 – That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.)

God shapes events, He moves events, He arranges circumstances, He gives us opportunity’s all by His will, in His timing.

For such a reason we are to pray regarding our future plans. (James 4:13-15 – Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.)
Our prayerful petitions are answered as it may suit the will of God. (I John 5:14 – And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:) We are to always pray to God and petition God according to His will and not our will or wants.
Isn’t this how our Savior prayed? Isn’t this how Jesus prayed, according to God’s will? The least we can do, is to follow His example and pray the same way.

Then there is God’s permissive will – God allows things to happen that are not necessarily according to His desired will. This can also be looked at in the fact God has given man a free will, God wants us to do right and live right and follow Him, but He will not make us do that.

People are allowed to sin and even hurt other people; this does not mean God is OK with it. God will eventually judge all men according to what they have done. (Acts 17:30-31 – And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.)

God allows people to do things that are indifferent to Him. This is again an example of allowing us to exercise our free will.

FINDING GOD’S WILL – How do we find God’s will?

We need to focus on the proclaimed will of God. We need to diligently study and learn what God has already revealed to us in His Word.
If we do not embrace and practice the revealed will of God how can you ever discover God’s specific will for our life?
There is much value to be gained by focusing on the already revealed will of God for our life. By focusing on it and diligently learning it, we will not be ignorant of what is essential for us to know and to do.
By focusing, learning, knowing and applying the already proclaimed will of God we will avoid tragic sinful mistakes and missteps in our life.
Seek the advice and pray of others. Proverbs 11:14 “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” & Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” If you want to make foolish decisions that go against God’s will don’t seek godly counsel; but if you want to make wise decisions in accordance with God’s will then seek out godly counsel. LISTEN TO GODLY COUNSEL! We need to also consult the wisdom that is found in the Bible; especially in books like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
Ask God for wisdom – we need to be praying diligently for the ability to discern wisely what God’s will is for us. (James 1:5-8 – If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.)
Wisdom is that God given spiritual insight that enables you to evaluate situations clearly, and helps utilize what options and abilities you have.
We need to be using such wisdom to eliminate what appears less acceptable; we need to choose the great instead of just the good.

COMMITTING OUR WAY TO THE LORD – Whatever we do we need to be doing it for the Lord’s sake. (Psalm 37:5-6 – Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.)

Make your plans subject to God’s will, both proclaimed and providential. (James 4:15 – For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.)
Give God permission to close the door you may be choosing if that is His will.
If God closes the door of your choice look to be providentially led to another door, eventually God will give you the desires of your heart and you will overwhelmingly desire to do that which is God’s will. (Psalm 37:4 – Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.)

SOME OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER – God is not like a train; He is able to run on more than one track. A choice may not be between good and bad, but between good and better. God can use us in many different ways.

Don’t think you need to choose right away, learn to wait on the Lord and learn to wait on His direction and will for your life. Learn to wait on the Lords timing, we may be in a rush sometimes, but we just need to submit and wait on the Lords timing and wait on the Lord to work it out His way and in His time. (Psalm 27:14 – Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.)
“If by any means…. (even if that means waiting) the will of God”!
Whatever you find to do for the Lord in your current circumstances, do that with all your might. Do not be lazy in any area of your life!! (Ecclesiastes 9:10 – Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.)
If you were once called to do something specific for the Lord and you think you might have blown it already, stop thinking that way. The Bible teaches us in those situations that we have a God of the second chance, a God that delights in using those people the world or other Christians might dismiss as worthless or unusable. Moses, Jonah, David, Paul among many others God miraculously used for His will and His service. God can and God will use anyone to do anything for Him. Don’t put limits on God and what God can do and who God can use. (Romans 11:29 – For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.)
We serve a mighty and all powerful God – God can and God will! God can do anything!
Do not limit God with your opinions, do not limit God with your traditions, do not limit God with your thoughts, do not limit God with your fears, Do not limit God! – God can and God will!
Trust the Almighty all powerful merciful loving God and eagerly submit to His will for your life!
“By any means… the will of God”!

Matthew Henry said this concerning verse Romans 1:10 and will of God “As in our purpose, so in our desires, we must still remember to insert this ‘if the Lord will’”

CONCLUSION: Our goal for our life should be to “…. stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12 and by any means pursue the will of God with our life! Our goal should be this, especially as this pertains to the proclaimed will of God and as much as possible to the providential and permissive will of God. We should keep the Words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ constantly in the fore front of our minds “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10. Remember Jesus also set the example for us and prayed “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” Matthew 26:39 &42. Are you seeking “by any means” to find and then to do the will of God?