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True Christian ministry is about knowing and doing the will of God. There is nothing else. When Jesus taught His disciples the method of prayer or how they should pray, He asked them to pray: “Your kingdom come, YOUR WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
And David also prayed to the Lord, saying, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!” (Psalm 143:10).
In heaven, only the will of God is done; so God expects the same to be done on earth by His children who are bought and washed with the blood of Jesus Christ. Christians must do the will of God just as the angels in heaven do. We must learn from David and pray to God to teach us to do His will.
The Greek word for “will” is “thelema” which means “wish” or “desire.” Thus, the “will of God” means the “wish or desire of God”. When we are asked to do the will of God it means we are asked to do what God wishes or desires. In other words, we must carry out God’s directives or the things God has commanded and promised.
But how do we know and do the will of God? There are three ways we may know the will of God. First, God’s will is generally revealed in the Bible. Secondly, it is known through the promptings of His Spirit who lives within us. And thirdly, the will of God is done as God orders the steps of people through life’s circumstances often without their knowledge.
An example can be traced to how Saul was sent to look for his father’s flock, but ended up being ordained king of Israel. Saul’s steps to the house of Samuel were guided by God to realise the will of God for his life.
Now, for the purposes of this study, we shall limit ourselves to the will of God that is revealed in the Bible for us to know and do. Knowing and doing God’s will is a necessity; it is a must if we mean to please Him.
There is no other way to please God except to do His will. We are not talking about doing His permissive will but His good, acceptable and perfect will (Romans 12:2).
To know and do the will of God, the Bible teaches us not to be unwise or foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:17). We can do this by diligently studying the Bible.
When we read the Bible prayerfully, attentively, slowly, repeatedly and meditatively, we will see the various desires and wishes of God. And when we do them, we will please God, and be called good and faithful servants fit for eternal dwelling with God.
To be continued…
By James Quansah
