Reconciliation Ministries

God's Will - Part 1

GOD'S WILL....
In Colossians 1:9 - Paul prays for the church to "Be filled with a knowledge of Gods will..." He was praying for the Spiritual Development for the church in Colossi. The Goal is Spiritual development, indeed maturity and being like Christ in attitude, and in deed. Consider these three verse below and see the Goal....


THE GOAL- Christlikeness;
Gods desire for you and me is to be changed to be conformed to the Image of the Lord Jesus, as He says in
A. - Romans 8:29. "...to become conformed to the image of His Son...." He desires us to Mature spiritually.

The GOAL of Teaching and Preaching and Discipling
B . - Colossians 1:28 - "And we proclaim HIM, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom THAT WE may Present EVERY MAN COMPLETE in Christ. And FOR THIS PURPOSE I labor, striving according to HIS power, which mightily works WITHIN me."
.
The GOAL of the CHURCH.
"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
THE EQUIPPING of the saints, for the work of service, to the Building up of the body of Christ; until we ALL reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and BECOME MATURE".


SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND MATURITY comes from
1. - Having Spiritual Life. Only Living things have the Capacity to grow and mature. In 2 Peter 3:18, the believer is commanded to "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." Not only are we COMMANDED but we have the CAPACITY if we are alive to God through the Lord Jesus Christ...the issue is CHOOSING to do so, motivated by Love for Him. As He says in John 14:21 "He who has My Commandments and OBEYS them, he it is who Loves Me."


2. SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND MATURITY comes through APPLICATION to the Word of God
A. - 2 Tim 3:16
B. - James 1:25

3. SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND MATURITY comes through SUBMISSION to and COOPERATION with The Holy Spirit
A. - "Be being Filled with the Spirit." - Ephesians 5:18.

The Holy Spirit Resides in the Believer, and He wants to PRESIDE over the believer in thought, word and deed. This He does as we choose to allow Him to control us as we submit to Him and living in obedience to His Word - Colossians 3:16

B. - "So then my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT your salvation with fear and tumbling; for it is God who is a t WORK IN YOU, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." -Philippians 2:12-13.

The Believer does not Work FOR his or her salvation but because of what God did [Romans 8:2-3] the believer has the Capacity to Work out the Life God has placed within them.


4. SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND MATURITY comes from Beholding the Lord Jesus
A. - " 2 Corinthians 3:18

5. SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND MATURITY comes from God.
A. - 1 Corinthians 3:7 - "...but God who causes the Growth."

God desires us to be changed, He commands us to and by Choosing to obey what He says, empowered by His Holy Spirit we can. It’s been said, "you can’t teach an old dog new tricks." But I have news for you, we are not "dogs!" We can change and become and behave that which He commands and calls us to be...Mature in Christ! To do so we must Know how and what His will is for us...


Paul prays the believers be "FILLED with a KNOWLEDGE of His WILL,"- Let's look at this. The word "filled", …It is the Greek word 'Pleroo' …it means "to fill something up to completeness" To be DOMINATED by something COMPLETELY. To be CONTROLLED as demonstrated in these verses....

A. - John 16:5-6 -"Now I am going to Him who sent Me...because I said these things you are FILLED with Grief."

B. - Acts 5:17 - "Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Saducees, were FILLED with Jealously.

C. - Acts 13:52 -" And the disciples were FILLED with Joy and the Holy Spirit

Each of these verses speak of the people involved being filled, controlled or dominated by the emotion of Grief, Jealousy, Joy, or by the Person of the Holy Spirit. It means to be Controlled, dominated by something or someone. Paul uses the same word "Filled" in Colossians 1:9. He wants God's people to be CONTROLLED and Dominated by a Knowledge of God's will. Ignorance is not bliss in the Christian life!



"KNOWLEDGE"
Paul prays "I pray that they be filled with a KNOWLEDGE of His will..."

The "KNOWLEDGE " Paul prays for the believers comes from a word which means, "TO KNOW EXACTLY"... It speaks of a "Clear, Exact...thorough knowledge." "A KNOWLEDGE THAT INFLUENCES THE POWER OF THE LIFE." It is not mystical or hypothetical or hidden somewhere for you to strain to find, and at times become utterly frustrated and flabbergasted by your inability to know it. No, God is not like that! He loves you. He has given His Son to prove it and Preserved His Word that you may Know His Revealed Will for you!

True some people know Facts. But the Facts are Giving ultimately to Know Him and have Fellowship with Him and His people. The Facts of His Word are given that we may APPLY them to our lives and live by FAITH in the Son of God and the Word of God!


Consider what Gods Word says about "KNOWLEDGE."

Colossians 2:3 - "Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and KNOWLEDGE.

1 Corinthians 1:5 - "In Him you are ENRICHED in every way in wisdom and ALL KNOWLEDGE"

Philippians 1:9 - "And this I pray that your love may abound more and more in KNOWLEDGE."

KNOWLEDGE comes from His Word
A. - John 8:31-32 - "And you shall KNOW the Truth and the Truth shall set you Free."
B. - Romans 12:2 - "Be transformed by the Renewing of your minds."


2.THE PURPOSE OF KNOWLEDGE IS TO...
A. - To Know the Truth -2 Timothy 2:22, "...Knowledge of the Truth."

B. - To Know Him better. Ephesians 1:17 - Paul prays "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glorious Father may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may KNOW Him better."

C. -To Bring about CHANGED LIFE - GODLINESS, Titus 1:1 "KNOWLEDGE of the truth that leads to Godliness."

D. - THE PURPOSE OF THIS KNOWLEDGE? - Colossians 1:9-10, ultimately..."to live PLEASING to Him." God gives us this clear, exact, thorough and sufficient knowledge that we may APPLY it and ultimately in doing so we may know how to please Him...and to live pleasing to Him!

God wants us to be Filled, dominated, controlled by a clear, exact, thorough knowledge of His will in order to change our lives, conforming us to His Will, Word and His Son [Romans 12:2, James 1:25, Romans 8:29]

Paul prays they would be filled. Where they are deficiencies in their understanding. He wants that to be replaced with a clear, exact, thorough KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL, which is Revealed in His Word.



SUMMATION;
We have looked at the beginning of Paul's Prayer "to be filled with a knowledge of His will." We have seen that Gods will for you and every believer is to be Controlled and dominated by knowing exactly and accurately and appropriating His Revealed will as revealed in His Word..."


GOD'S WILL FOR YOU IS TO
1. KNOW His will-
2. BE CONTROLLED by His will
3. His Will is REVEALED IN HIS WORD.
4. His Will is Given that YOU may KNOW HOW and WHAT it means TO LIVE PLEASING to Him

To Do so- You must
A. - Read His Word,
B. - Obey His Word
Do You Have a Copy of His Word?... You do! Well that’s fantastic... now Commit yourself to Reading it...Submit yourself to It. And He will Transmit through you the very life of Christ and you will Live a life knowing and doing the Will of God and knowing how to and indeed doing such as to live Pleasing Him in the process.


APPLICATION # 1
- Gods' Will for you is to...
1. Be Filled, Dominated and controlled by a clear, exact, thorough Knowledge.
"To Know Exactly" the Truth of His Word which reveals His will, to what end? Ultimately that you may know how to LIVE each circumstance of each moment in whatever place you are, or whoever you are with a Life that is Lived to Please Him!



HOW CAN YOU LIVE SUCH A LIFE?
1. Start with the Truth you already Know of God's Word. Choose to OBEY what You KNOW of His Revealed will as is revealed in His Word.



WHAT IS NEEDED TO MATURE SPIRITUALLY?
God is the One who causes the Growth, by His Spirit, His Word and using His People in instructing and teaching. But He also calls us RESPONSIBLE for our part to pursue the means He has given to help us in our Growth, Prayer, other Christians and His WORD…So let me share some things to perhaps help you...in "Being Filled, controlled by a clear, exact thorough and accurate Knowledge of His will as revealed in His Word. To the end you may "KNOW EXACTLY" how to live your life in a way that PLEASES HIM, who works in you to do so!!



READING HIS WORD ON A REGULAR BASIS;
Sometimes it is hard to know where to start reading, and we often tend to jump from book to book and pick a verse here and there. I have a friend who has an exercise that may be of help to you in FAMILIARIZING yourself with GOD'S Word. Take a book of the bible, For example 1 John, there are 5 chapters in that Book. Begin to Read it at the first of the month. Read the five chapters daily and at the end of the month, you will have read the Book of 1 John 30 times through or whatever the number of days there are in that month!! Next read Philippians - there are 4 chapters...read it each day and by the end of the month you now have read it 30 times...within a few months you will have read several books, hundreds of verses, and the Holy Spirit will be free to bring back to your mind what you have seen. Once it goes in He can bring it back anytime, anyplace He chooses!

For a book the size of Matthew 28 chapters divide it into 4 months worth of reading...read 7 chapters a day for the month then next month move on to next 7 chapters till 4 month later you have read it though in portions up to 30 times!!

This will help you familiarize yourself with the Word of God, which reveals the will of God to you and for you.
You could Also pick a verse a chapter and memorize one or two a week.



APPLICATION #2 - God has given you His Word to help you Know Exactly what is His Revealed will for you.
His Word is given to Help you to
A. Grow and mature- 1 Peter 2:2,
B. "Build you up." - Acts 20:32


How can you choose to live pleasing to Him by being filled with a Knowledge of His will?

Read the verses below....

1. DESIRE to Know and Do His Will

2. DEVOTE yourself to His Word -Diligently - 2 Timothy 2:15
A. - To Know Him First- Luke 24:27
B. - To Obey His Word -
C. - To Grow in Discernment of right and wrong from His Perspective- Hebrews 5:13-15
D. - To be Fruitful for God- Psalm 1:1-3


3. DEPENDENCE upon the Holy Spirit
A. - As your Teacher.- John 14:16-17
A.- To Help you understand as you Read- 1 Corinthians 2:12 -14


4. DISCERN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE through the Word of God
A. - Philippians 4:8 -
B. - Hebrews 5:13-14


5. DO - Be a DOER of the Word.
A. - James 1:23-25


6. DELIGHT yourself in Him and His Word And as you Choose to Do what He says in it...you will DEVELOP and be Spiritually fruitful. Listen to what he says...in Psalm 1:2-3


"But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, And in His law he mediates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he prospers."


Development is a result of Delighting and doing God's Word, empowered by His Spirit who will change you, as you commit and submit to Him!


WHAT IS GOD'S REVEALED WILL FOR YOU TODAY?
Can you know the "will of God for you every day?" Sure, can!

See the message entitled "God's Revealed Will. Part 2"- In this message we will look at some elements of "God's Revealed will" no matter where you are or who you are...

God bless,
You are Loved and precious to the Lord Jesus,
Aidan

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