What is God's will?

Whatever God would have to be — whatever is His good pleasure — is His will… Scripture speaks of it more as that which the person himself would have come to pass; and when we have the definite expression, "This is the will of God," we are immediately told what He Himself would have. Two verses may show this: (1) "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thess. 4:3); (2) "this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life" (John 6:40). When this is grasped we shall better understand the Scriptures which speak of God's will in different ways, at different times, and in different relations, for no one thing can be called the will of God to the exclusion of all others.

Sometimes the will of God is presented to us in Scripture as that which He desires His people to do, and at other times it is that which God has determined to do, and which will certainly be carried out in spite of all the opposition of the enemy and the failure of His people… The will of man is diametrically opposed to the will of God, and although God in His infinite wisdom allows man to carry out his will at the present time, the day is surely coming when God's will will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven.

How wonderfully these few words express the breadth of God's heart — of "God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth"! The breadth of His heart, and the extent of His desire for all people at the present time. In passing I would just observe that the word here translated "will" signifies desire or wish in the original, and not determination or decree. If it were the latter, none could escape being saved.

Rather we would earnestly seek to stir up ourselves and our fellow believers to more spiritual energy, and more constant purpose of heart in this blessed quest, that, having the glory of the Lord always before our souls, we may daily reach increasing measures of sanctification, displayed daily in growing likeness to Christ. This is God's own desire for us: "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thess. 4:3)… We cannot be in fellowship with the mind of God for His people unless our hearts respond to His desires.

While on earth the Son of God said to His disciples, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work" (John 4:34). What sustained the Lord Jesus in His path of service for His God and Father was the knowledge that all He was doing was for the will of the Father… In every moment of His holy and perfect life the Son had the Father's will before Him.

None of us need expect God to speak to us in the same way as He spoke to Elijah… God speaks to us now in the written Word. We are privileged to hold in our hands the complete revelation of God; moreover we have living within us the Holy Spirit, who delights to guide willing minds into all truth. So full and complete are the Scriptures that there is something there to suit every circumstance in which any believer may be found at any time. But we must be at home in the book of God, or obviously we shall be at a serious disadvantage in the hour of need.

Is it not through prayer, the expression of communion and dependence, together with the study of His Word, that we receive a confirmation or indication about the way we should go?… This means practically also that we have to take time in order to come to a conclusion regarding God's will in our lives.

Our will, if not surrendered to God, is self-will. And self-will is the root of all the sin, misery and unhappiness that has ever come into our lives… But God's Son came into this world to do His Father's will in love for us, that we might have rest and happiness. A will surrendered to God is the gateway to happiness.