HOW DO I KNOW GOD'S WILL FOR MY LIFE

 

Text: Colosians 1:9-11

This is the first in the series of posts that  seek to have a panoramic view of the new  testament in matters relating to prayer. It intends to unveil the mind of the early church when it comes to their discussions with God in prayer. What formed the basis of their prayers as compared to the prayers of believers today. So many prayers that are being offered by Christians today seem to be completely out of the context of Jesus' mind. 

The text reads: for this cause we also since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.

The matter of the will of God has become a very crucial matter, that the lord will have us meditating on it again and again. Many people are confused about how to know the will of God. They run from one man of God to another, from one spiritualist to another, from necromancers to palm readers all in the bid to know what they should do. Many run from one prayer house to another, from one pastor to another,  to pray for them, see vision for them, tell them what they must do or not do.  Some have even gone to the extent of worshipping these people as God himself. Some ended up in the hands of fraudsters and people who claim to know everything but actually know nothing. unfortunately, they neglect the main provision of God for the guidance they seek and rely on lies and shadows.  

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A look at the text again says, "for this cause we also since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. So the matter here is on praying for these believers to know the will of God in wisdom and spiritual understanding. Now, a look  at Hebrews 10:5 says, "wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me;  Verse 7: "then said I, Lo, I come ( in the volume of the books it is written of me) to do thy will , O God"

This shows that as soon as Jesus came into the world, he made a public announcement that he has been appointed to do the will of his father as it has been written in the volume of the book. This means that God's guiding principles are found nowhere else but in the volume of the book? Now the question is "which book? And Which Volume? Read also what it means to be born again

This volume of books is the bible. This is the manufacturer's manual, the handbook on the guidelines and laid down principles of how to operate in this life. God has magnified his word above all his name.  A look at Colossians 3:16 further instructs us on how to do this "let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another". Every man or woman who wants to do the will of God and also know the will of God can only do that by being rich in the word of God. Be rich in the word of God, so that everything you do will be an outflow of The word of God in you. 

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2Tim 2:15 further indicates this, it says "study to show thyself approved a workman who need not be ashamed but rightly dividing the word of truth"  This studying makes you approved in the will of God. There is no will outside his word. Heresy has thrived because people do not know their left from their right when it comes to what is written. Look at psalm 119:105, thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. This means that there is darkness all around in the world but the word of God becomes a lamp that lightens up our path showing us where to place our feet and where not to. If  a christian is not rich in the word, he will continue to  fall into traps that the enemies of righteousness have hidden against his life. But the word in us becomes a light that lightens up the dark path all around us. So today, if the world is in a shambles and everything has turned upside down it is because we have neglected the manufacturers instruction on how to live life here on earth.

 When the pharisees came to ask John the baptist who he was. He answered without mincing words; "I  am the voice of one crying in the wilderness", this is the word given in the book of Isaiah 40:1-5. This is where John the baptised referred to in the volume of the book, concerning who he was. He didn't need any soothsayer to tell him who he was, or in the words of a prophet or even the revelation of a vision. People were confused about John, but John himself knew who he was. He didn't wait for the world to label Him, he found out his personality from the volume of the book. The spirit of God confirmed it to him as he was studying the word, God opened his spirit to perceive that the  word was speaking about him.

This shows us where to find the will of God. For everyday living,  for everyday challenges we need not look elsewhere but in the bible to find out what God has to say. Jesus always referred to the bible each time he was confronted by Satan or any opposition. He pointed Satan to what is written, he pointed the Pharisee and Sadducees to what is written. He didn't act arbitrarily. He always fell back on what the scriptures have said. God therefore did not leave us in confusion about these things. How to know his will is written concerning every created thing and it is our duty to find out what he has ordained. When we neglect the word of God we live in perplexity, confusion, uncertainty and fear.

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The pattern for us in our everyday living is written in the volume of the book. From how to eat, how to relate with strangers, how to relate with God, how husbands and wives should relate, how parents should relate with their children, how to relate with friends, how to choose a life partner, how to settle differences, how to mange your business, how to deal with employers and employees, how to handle criminals and crime, how to handle money, how to deal with friends and strangers, how to handle sex, how to handle enemies, how to handle your thoughts, how to relate with government, how to handle your hygiene, how to handle even human waste etc are all in the volume of the books. If you are following them closely you will not walk in confusion, you will not walk in uncertainty, you will not walk in darkness.

The  challenge before  us today is to get into the volume of the books. Prayer houses don't have answers on how to live, even men of God who claim to see visions for you are limited.  Nowhere else can we find meaning and the way forward in every aspect of life but only in the volume of the book. I urge you therefore to make it a duty to delve into the volume of the book for daily revelations of the will of God concerning you life.

Prayer: father we thank you for not hiding anything from us. You have been faithful to unveil your mind to us throughout the ages. The secret things belong unto the lord but what he has revealed to the sons of men. You will never have us to be ignorant. Grant that as we meditate on these bible verses today you will show us the deeper things you want us to learn, concerning the discernment of your will. Renew our faith and grant us deeper expressions of love for you in Jesus Christ. Amen.