Learning To Know God’s Will

Feature 2 – October 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Learning To Know God’s Will

Paul’s prayers recorded in Scripture show us how important it is to understand God’s will and to do it. For our encouragement and instruction, let’s look at one of those prayers, recognizing several issues related to this theme.

The believers at Colossae, a city somewhere in the middle of present-day Turkey, were always in the apostle’s prayers even though he was far away from them. He prayed that they might be filled with the full knowledge of God’s will, under His control, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Would this not apply to us as well?

This is what he wrote to them about his prayer: “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Col. 1:9-12 NKJV).

From this we may learn many things, of which I list seven:

1. We need to study God’s Word and meditate on it with an attitude of obedience. While doing so, God will teach us which areas of our lives need correction. He will cause us to become exercised about them (Jn. 7:17). Christ’s own example is set before us: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (4:34).

2. We should always pray (Lk. 18:1; Eph. 6:18). Prayer is the expression of communion and dependence. Through the prayerful study of God’s Word, we will receive instruction and confirmation about the way we should go.

3. The Holy Spirit, using the Word and responding to our prayers and those of others for us, will give us peace of mind as to carrying out God’s will.

4. When we read God’s Word with this mindset, His Spirit will exercise us and lead us on. Such reading will assist us in discovering more of God’s will.

5. Good advice given by others may be helpful, too, but those whose help we seek should themselves be living in close communion with the Lord.

6. As we consider their counsel and advice, we should compare everything with the Word, being led by the Spirit in our lives, not just pretending to be led by Him. Likewise, we may need to evaluate or re-evaluate our own thoughts. David’s prayer recorded in Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” When we make his prayer our own, it is a real help in this process.

7. It takes time, as we examine all before Him, to reach a conclusion regarding God’s will in our lives. “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isa. 40:31). If we do this, He will help us even in situations that we cannot go through a process as just outlined. He will be faithful to us when we are faithful to Him.

By Alfred Bouter

Take Time To Be Holy
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word. Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let Him by thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide. In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control. Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.—William D. Longstaff (1822–1894)