The Price of God’s Will

It’s a go-to request for many Christians when you ask what they’d like prayer for in their life. “I’m just believing for God’s will in my life”, they say.  The thing I’ve found incredible and odd is how few of these people actually know what God’s will is for them.  Why would anyone request something when they have no idea what it is? I understand that they generally think it’s something good and that it’s good to ask for God’s will, but they really don’t even know if they want it. 

Now if you’re one of these individuals asking for something because you think you should but don’t really know what you’re asking for, don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. I’ve done the same thing. After all we come by it rather honestly because wasn’t it Jesus who taught us to pray for God’s will?  Let’s remind ourselves of this specific passage in which He is teaching His disciples to pray.  Matthew 6:10 “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Here are some of the unspoken challenges with praying for God’s will to be done.  First of all, if you don’t know what it is, how do you know when His will shows up?  Secondly, do you realize that God’s will is not your will?  That’s right!  You have a will and it’s not God’s will, so if you’re praying for His will to be done that means your will can’t coexist.  What am I going to do with my will?  Oh, that’s the real question now! 

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed a famous prayer in Luke 22:42.  “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”  Did you hear that?  It’s totally amazing!  Jesus the only begotten Son of God says, “Not My will, but Yours, be done.”  Jesus had an individual will apart from God the Father’s.  Jesus had to submit His will to Heavenly Father’s will. 

So, what is the will of a person anyway?  People often talk about someone’s inner strength being their willpower.  “Oh, Jimmy can’t say no to cupcakes because he has no willpower.”  I’ve heard parents talk about their children.  “Sally is a challenging child because she has such a strong will.”  So, at times this will of ours seems good and at other times it seems really bad.  Webster’s dictionary gives an interesting insight telling us that the will is the faculty of the soul by which it is capable of choosing.  Basically, it’s part of your God-design that enables you to make choices. 

Adam was made in the image of God and therefore possessed his own will, which means, he possessed his own power to choose. He and his wife Eve chose contrary to God’s will for them. They chose disobedience, death.  Jesus is called the Last Adam, or the Second Man.  He has His own will, His own power of choice.  Jesus used His will to submit to the Father’s will, bringing deliverance from the curse, and blessing on all who believe on Him.  Amazing!    

There’s a saying that “You’ve got to give up, to go up.”  Jesus gave up His will for the glorious will of God.  He gave up His life, to win your life and mine.  Based on this triumphant victory it’s pretty safe to say, everyone should want God’s will for their life, but you’ve got to know before you can go.  Know what?  You’ve got to know what God’s will is, and you’ve got to know the price - your will for His will.

When you read the Bible, you are reading God’s will and testament.  When you declare His promises out loud based on that will, you are activating it.  That’s why Jesus said what He said in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He was activating God’s will.  It was a legal decree and you can do the same.  What’s the price of God’s will?  The surrender of your will.  Don’t compete for control but surrender to receive His very best. 

Pray the Word:

Father God I authorize Your amazing will in my life right now by declaring, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done here on earth as it is in Heaven.”  Every day I read Your Word and discover Your will for my life is good, excellent, profitable, and loaded with peace.  Your ways are highways of pleasantness I’ve learned in the book of Proverbs.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life so I happily choose Your will Father God.  Jesus paid the price in full so my admission into Your Kingdom is simply the self-surrender of my will for Yours.  Here it is!  Jesus is Lord of my life, and I happily put all my trust in You.  To the glory of His Name.  Amen!