Verify Podcast

Several years ago, I read somewhere that it is no longer in vogue for believers to pray or seek for God’s will to be done in their lives, because as someone actually put it, “our wills now supersede God’s will”. I have also heard a believer being rebuked during a prayer meeting, for raising a prayer point that God’s will should be done in an area of his life that he was uncertain about. He was told that it was his will that mattered and not God’s will, and that any mention of God’s will, showed a lack of faith, and so, he should just pray for his heart’s desires to be done on that issue.

In looking at the bible’s position on this, I found that Jesus Christ, had a very different opinion! In Matthew 26:39b, among several similar verses of scripture, we see that even though Jesus had and expressed his own will, he prayed for God’s will to ultimately be done in his life. This could not have been an expression of a lack of faith, because we know that Jesus was without sin (1Peter 2:22).

The will of God is mentioned throughout the entire bible, and many times in the New Testament, where in different books, believers are instructed to actively seek, chase after, pray to understand and do God’s will. Col 1:8 for instance, is a prayer for God to give the believers in Colosse, complete knowledge of His will.

It is true, that God is interested in hearing and giving us the desires of our hearts, but remember that He expects even those petitions to be in accordance with His will!  (1 John 5:14-15)

Therefore, any teaching about a new dispensation in which we can place our will above God’s, glorifies self and puts us in a posture that is contrary to scripture. This is a dangerous place to be, as Rom 8:7a, tells us that the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God. James 4:15 also warns against putting confidence on ourselves, and instructs on the right attitude to keep, which is one that is focused on what God wills. This is not a popular message today, but it is God’s word.

I pray for myself and you my listener, that God will help us not to be so self-consumed in our daily lives, that we take the place meant for Him. May He make us in- tune with Him, so that His will matters above all else, and our wills align with His, Amen.