Bible Study - GOD'S Will (1) - GOD'S Will and My WIll - Romans 11;33-12:2 - Ephesians 1 - October 13, 2019

Bible Study – GOD’S Will (1) – GOD’S Will and My Will – October 13, 2019


This is lesson one (1) in our series entitled “How to Know GOD’S Will.”


Our focus scripture is Romans 11:33 – 12:2; Ephesians 1:4-6.


Choose GOD’S will over your own will.


Choose means that a person has to make a decision. A choice is to accept one thing or concept over another. At center stage is our will versus GOD’S will. How do we choose? Let’s explore!


As we begin, we read that GOD made a choice before the foundations of the world for every human conceived “to be Holy and blameless in HIS sight.” This is because of HIS love for each of us individually and personally.


In my finite mind, the instant GOD’S mind thought over the eons of earth time all who would be conceived, GOD chose them to be HIS Spiritual Sons or Daughters. If that is true, then why aren’t all of the people of the world Christians? As I have written may times, GOD did not make the human race robots. GOD created the human race with the ability to choose. GOD chose us but do we choose HIM? Once we choose HIM through faith in JESUS, we still have our will. So how do we, as Christians reconcile our will with GOD’S will?


Let’s read Ephesians 1:3-6:

God’s Rich Blessings

³ Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

⁴ For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.^[b] In love^{[c] 5} He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, ⁶ to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.


The hallmark of the Christian faith is GOD’S mercy and grace based upon HIS love for us as humans. GOD first loved us and “predestined us to be adopted through” our faith in “JESUS CHRIST for Himself.” Why? It is because of HIS mercy “favor and will” and grace “unmerited favor/love” when we place our faith in HIS only SON JESUS.


Ephesians 1:13-14:


¹³ When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. ¹⁴ He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession,^[g] to the praise of His glory.


When we hear, receive and believe we are sealed by the HOLY SPIRIT as a guarantee that we have been redeemed from sin and eternal death and have eternal life. WOW! How about those who have never heard of JESUS? That is why we, who know the truth, go into the world and share the Gospel as led by the Holy Spirit. But GOD has HIS ways to reveal truth to all.


Paul touches on this in Romans 2:13-16:

¹³ For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.^{[d] 14} So, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, instinctively do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the work of the law^[e] is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts will either accuse or excuse them^{[f] 16} on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.


Some may say, “Then, why tell others about JESUS?” GOD calls Christians to share the Good News as led by the Holy Spirit.


Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:18-23:

¹⁸ I pray that the perception of your mind^[j] may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.

God’s Power in Christ

²⁰ He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens— ²¹ far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given,^[k] not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²² And He put everything under His feet^[l] and appointed Him as head over everything for the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.

GOD demonstrated HIS Power over every power when HE raised JESUS from the dead and that same “Immeasurable greatness of HIS power is in us who believe, according to the working to HIS vast strength!”

Now that to me is powerful - GOD’S vast strength flowing through us as Christians. Why aren’t Christians more effective? It is because Christians throttled GOD’S power down through unbelief. We earth size GOD’S power rather than knowing what Paul reveals in Philippians 4:13 “¹³ I am able to do all things through Him^[b] who strengthens me.”

Let’s keep looking.

Let’s read Romans 11:33-36:

A Hymn of Praise

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
How unsearchable His judgments
and untraceable His ways!
³⁴ For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been His counselor?
³⁵ Or who has ever first given to Him,
and has to be repaid?^[q]
36 For from Him and through Him
and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

GOD is sovereign! GOD is the source of all wisdom and power!

GOD is in control! Since this is all true, whose will should we honor, ours or GOD’S? What does it mean to be obedient to GOD’S will? Will we all quit our careers and become servants of GOD? Some maybe but GOD calls HIS Children to all sorts of careers including preaching, evangelists, missionaries, school teachers, plumbers, lawyers, mechanics, businessmen, medical personnel, carpenters, painters, laborers, farmers, ranchers, etc. All Christians are called to obediently serve GOD where they are planted.

What does GOD desire for HIS Children? Let’s read on -----

Let’s read Romans 12:1-2:

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.^{[a] 2} Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. 

The Apostle Paul admonishes Christians to willingly submit their earthly bodies/minds as a living sacrifice. A dead sacrifice cannot do anything and is subject to whatever meaning others apply to the sacrifice. But when a living sacrifice chooses to obediently serve GOD as GOD desires for him or her to serve, that is effective. Why? It is because from GOD’S authority and vantage point our time upon earth is maximized. GOD is pleased and HE considers, HIS Child through faith in JESUS, being a living sacrifice pleasing to HIM and an act of Spiritual worship.

Paul continues to admonish Christians not to conform to or molded by this world. But as living sacrifices we, as Christians, are to commit ourselves to be transformed by GOD. Christians are to allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to transform their minds from a world view to a Spiritual view. Why?

“so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Why? It is because as Christians fully yielded to GOD as living sacrifices and the renewing of our minds, the “Immeasurable greatness of HIS power is in us who believe, according to the working to HIS vast strength!”

Christians are to be a conduit to others as GOD directs their path through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Nothing is impossible! Why? It is because “Immeasurable greatness of HIS power is in us who believe, according to the working to HIS vast strength!” Let it flow!

Blessings!!!