Praying God’s will means being honest with Him about what we want in prayer, but also giving up our lives and the outcome of our prayers. Wanting our lives to align more with God’s will than with our own desires.
Pray the will of God
1 John 5:14-15 says: “And this is the confidence that we have towards him, that if we ask him anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that He hears us in all that we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. ”
This seems like such a crazy, cavernous promise. Pray according to the will of God, and your prayers will be answered.
God’s will is for us to know Him personally and live for Him. When we pray God’s will for our lives, we set aside what we want and desire and ask for what He desires.
The best example of putting aside your desires and praying God’s will is found in Luke 22 where Jesus withdrew from his disciples to pray. He knew he would suffer a horrible death for the sake of humanity. He prayed what a human being facing death might pray, but he yielded his will to the will of God. Luke 22:42 said, “Father, if you wish, take this cup from me; but not my will, but thine be done.
Definition of prayer
Prayer is a process of communication between us and God. He wants us to talk to him. It’s like making a phone call or sending a text message to your best friend – it’s direct communication with God.
Billy Graham answered the question about prayer in these words: “Prayer is a spiritual communication between man and God, a two-way relationship in which man must not only speak to God but also listen to him. It’s like a child’s conversation with his father. It is natural for a child to ask his father what he needs.
Definition of God’s will
The will of God (or Divine Will) is the idea that God has a plan for men (Jeremiah 29:11-13). This is the greatest discovery we will ever make – God has a purpose and plan for every human being; past, present and future. It has a general and specific purpose for each of us.
“There is a difference between God’s general will, which is His ultimate plan for us, and His will for specific people and situations. The first (general will) concerns our eternal life and the last (specific) concerns events which will not change our salvation”, Kelly O’Dell Stanley said.
When we want something, we will do it. God’s will is a little more complex because there is his “sovereign will” and his “moral will.”
The sovereign will of God: This is based on the fact that God is the creator of heaven and earth and has full authority to do or permit whatever he desires.
– “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power, and the glory, the majesty and the splendor, for all that is in heaven and on earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. » (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).
– “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever he pleases” (Psalm 115:3).
The moral will of God: These are His desires and commands revealed throughout Scripture.
– The ten commandments in Exodus 20 are probably the most well-known verses regarding His will for us. Yet the Bible is lots of other passages it tells us how to live.
– “Do nothing from selfish ambition or vanity, but with humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you must look after not only your own interests, but also those of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
Our job is to pray and seek God’s will in decisions. We then surrender our will to God, as Christ did.
Understanding God’s Will
The first step to understanding and applying God’s will in our lives is to want to do His will. Romans 12:1-2 reminds us that everything we do can be an act of worship of God.
“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God – this is your true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You will then be able to test and approve the will of God: his good, acceptable and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).
The best way to understand God’s will for your life is to choose to live your life as He commands in His Word. There are God-honoring ways to do your job, love your spouse, speak up, and care for your body. Submitting to God is worship to Him and it renews our minds so that we can understand God’s will.
Here are some verses where God reveals his will to all Christians:
– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us how to apply God’s will to our lives: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
– In the same way Micah 6:8“He has shown you, mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord ask of you? Act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with your God. ”
Praying God’s will in your life means submitting your life to His will. This means that you define your dreams, wants and desires because you would rather see His will and purpose come true than your own.
Christians tend to get stuck trying to understand God’s will for their lives. Too often we worry about God’s will for our lives, it’s like walking a tightrope: any mistake will lead us to disaster. But there are many Bible verses about God’s faithfulness to answer our prayers and guide us, so we don’t have to worry about “walking the tightrope.”
Below are some promises in God’s word that allay this common fear. And here’s more. The shepherd takes care of his sheep and guides them (Psalm 23).
– “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; submit him in all your ways, and he will correct your paths. »(Proverbs 3:5-6)
– “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. »James 1:5)
Heather Riggleman calls Nebraska home (Hey, it’s not for everyone). She writes to bring bold truths and raw faith about marriage, career, mental health, depression, faith, relationships, celebrations, and heartbreak. Heather is a former national award-winning journalist and is the author of Mama Needs a Time Out and The Word About Prayer. His work has been featured on Proverbs 31 Ministries, MOPS, Christian Women Today and Focus on Family. You can find it at www.heatherriggleman.com.
Photo credit: Unsplash / Ben White
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