Our Will, God’s Will
ICS Daily Devotions
Matthew 26:38-39 (NKJV) Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup be pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
When we go through challenging situations or face major decisions, such as changing jobs, relocation, marriage, choosing a university, or making a major investment, our souls can come under tremendous stress because we are stepping into the unknown.
Fully man and fully God, Jesus’ soul was overwhelmed with sorrow for what He had to go through. The extent of His pain was so great that He shed blood. Yet, Jesus was submissive to God by praying to the Father regarding His will. He followed the Father’s will though it involved paying a price. Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane with two wills but came out with only one will, the will of the Father.
Living for Christ is living a consecrated life where we choose to live out God’s will for our life, walk in holiness, and have the attitude of eager submission to God’s will. Our priorities will be the Lord’s, followed by family interest, personal health, position in the company, and remuneration. It involves laying down the rights to our own lives, truly desiring God to be Lord over us, and always seeking the Lord for His will and direction for our lives. It should cover every aspect of our lives, including choosing a life partner, managing our wealth, assets, gifting, and our career.
Jesus set a brilliant example of how we should pray to be in God’s will and have His leading in every major decision of our lives. When Jesus prayed, He did not pray to receive anything from the Father, but about becoming the sin sacrifice for the world. This is the only recorded prayer of Jesus where it says, “If it is your will”, and when He said, “Nevertheless not my will, but as You will”, Jesus was praying about the will of God for His life.
In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught us to pray for the Father’s will to be done on earth as in heaven. There is a heavenly plan for every one of our lives. He is the master craft man who has created each of us uniquely with different talents and gifts for a purpose. Therefore, if we want to know whether something is the will of God, we should pray the prayer of consecration repeatedly, where we seek the will of God for our lives and submit ourselves to God’s will, until God’s will is known.
Sermon Series: Unless Your Presence Goes with Us
