The will of God can seem elusive and enigmatic, but it really isn’t. God’s will is readily available to us in the pages of scripture. So, if you are wondering what the will of God is for your life, then you need to read your Bible.
What does the Bible say about the will of God?
The Lord wants His children to know His will so they can live with meaning and purpose, and bring glory to His name. Here are 4 things that God desires for every person on the planet.
The will of God is:
- Salvation – 2Peter 3:9
- Sanctification – Romans 12:1-2
- Submission – 1Peter 2:13-15
- Suffering – 1Peter 4:1-2
Salvation is the Will of God
2 Peter 3:9 KJV ~ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
If you want to be in the will of God, but have yet to become a Christian, then that’s where you need to begin.
Every person is born a sinner because of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden. (Rom. 3:23, 5:12) God is holy, and our sin separates us from Him. The penalty for sin is death and eternity in hell, isolated from God. (Rom.6:23)
By His great love, God made a way for lost sinners to be reconciled to Him. (Rom.5:8) He sent His only Son, Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again from the dead on the third day. (1Cor. 15:1-8) He’s alive today and seated at the right hand of God interceding on the behalf of believers. (Heb. 8:1, 12:2)
The Bible says that by God’s grace, through our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, we are saved. (Eph. 2:8-9) There is nothing we can do to earn salvation. We must be born-again. That new birth comes from believing the gospel and surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ as Lord. (John 3:3, Rom. 10:9-13)
Obey God’s will and be saved
1Timothy 2:3-4 KJV ~ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
God loves you and desires to have an intimate relationship with you. He wants you to be with Him for all of eternity. (John 3:16, 5:24, 17:3; 2Cor.5:17)
If you haven’t repented of your sins and placed your faith in Jesus yet, I encourage you to do so today! Ask God to forgive your sins, wash you clean, and give you new life in Christ. Profess your faith in the gospel and receive the gift of salvation!
John 6:40 KJV ~ And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Sanctification is the Will of God
Romans 12:1-2 KJV ~ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
After salvation, God starts to sanctify us, setting us apart from the world, for His purposes. So if you’re saved, the will of God for your life is sanctification. Sanctification is the means by which God conforms us to the image of Christ. He molds us into ministers of reconciliation.
Romans 8:29 KJV ~ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
John 17:17 says that it is the truth of God’s word that sanctifies us. Your decision-making becomes so much simpler when you put your choices up against God’s word. The option that leads you closer to the Lord and makes you more like Jesus is God’s will for you.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 KJV ~ For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.
Submission is the Will of God
1 Peter 2:13-15 KJV ~ Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
It is not a popular topic, but submission is the will of God for every believer. Whether we’re at home, at church, at school, at work, or dealing with the government, it is our duty as representatives of Jesus Christ to submit to authority.
Submission to authority cultivates Christ-likeness within us. It’s a spiritual discipline that grows us in humility and meekness and draws the lost to Jesus.
Our flesh won’t like it, because we naturally want our way, and we want it right now. But God has given us His Spirit to be able to obey His word for His glory.
If we want to be in God’s will for our lives, we have to surrender our own will. That’s what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed “not my will, but thine be done.”
Ephesians 6:6 KJV ~ Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Suffering is the Will of God
Ephesians 5:17 KJV ~ Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Contrary to what the world says, it is not God’s will for you to be completely comfortable and carefree. Suffering is part of the sanctification process of the believer.
There are many examples in scripture of God’s people suffering affliction and oppression. The children of Israel, King David, and Jesus are a few of the people in the Bible who faced adversity in accordance with the will of God.
Here are a few Bible verses that show suffering is part of the will of God for our lives:
- 1 Peter 3:17 KJV ~ For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
- 1 Peter 4:1-2 KJV ~ Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
- 1 Peter 4:19 KJV ~ Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Study the Will of God Yourself
Jesus spoke on the will of God several times in the Gospels. For further study on the will of God, use a Bible app like Blue Letter Bible to look those verses up and read the context.
Studying the Bible for yourself will give you a better understanding of God’s will for your life!
If you need help learning how to study the Bible, I have a free 17-page guide in my resource library that will give you the tools you need. Subscribe to Daily His Disciple in the box below to receive my blog posts and access to that guide and other valuable resources for your spiritual growth!
Here are some more articles related to the will of God:
God Isn’t Just Good, He’s Great!
5 Reasons You Should Trust God to Write Your Story
Having a Sober Mind for Spiritual Stability
10 Key Scriptures for Spiritual Growth (KJV)
Free Devotional in my Resource Library
Need tools for spiritual growth? Then subscribe with your email address to get access to my resources page.
It contains my “7 Days to More Peace of Mind” devotional bundle: 7 devotions, scripture lists, quotes, and poems, all on the topic of worry. I’m selling 7 Days to More Peace of Mind as an eBook on Amazon, but I’m offering it to my email subscribers for FREE!
If you want to get more peace in your life, then subscribe today!
The resource library also has my “How to Study the Bible” handbook. It’s a 17-page guide with step-by-step instructions, study sheets, study guidelines, and more! If you would like to dig deeper into the Bible, this free resource is for you!
I have also included other bible study worksheets, beautiful graphics, printables (like scriptures for a sober mind), bookmarks, and more. To tap into all the goodies, just enter your email address in the “subscribe” section of this page.
When you do that, you will get a confirmation email with the password to my Resource Library. Then you will also receive my blog posts in your email inbox.
Have you already subscribed to Daily His Disciple? Just email me and I will send you the link and password!
Products for Spiritual Growth by Kingdom Bloggers
I have to share some amazing products for spiritual growth with you! LeeAnn Fox at Kingdom Bloggers created digital prayer journals, Bible reading plans, and other beautiful items to help you get organized with your Bible study time. They are incredible! Here’s the link to check them out: Kingdom Bloggers Products
I’m an affiliate marketer, so a portion of the sales will go to help support my own ministry here at Daily His Disciple, but at no extra cost to you!
Get a “My Jesus Journal” for Spiritual Growth
I designed and published a tool to help Christian women to know Jesus more intimately.
My Jesus Journal focuses your time in the word on learning more about the Lord and cultivating a closer relationship with Christ.
Intended to be used alongside your daily Bible reading, My Jesus Journal has space to record the date, the scriptures you read, and lined spaces to write your observations about Jesus you saw in the text. The bottom of that page has a verse from the KJV Bible about Jesus. The next page has space to write prayers related to what you discovered in your reading. There are also extra prayer pages in the back of the book.
Mark 12:30 tells us to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, but we cannot love someone we do not know. The more time we spend intentionally seeking Jesus in the pages of scripture, the more we will know Him and love Him. My Jesus Journal aids us in our quest to learn and love and know Jesus more deeply.
Beautiful, portable, and affordable!
If you are looking for help to grow in your knowledge of Jesus, build intimacy in your relationship with Him, and deepen your love for the Lord, then My Jesus Journal is just what you need!
Beautifully designed with your spiritual growth in mind, I perfectly sized My Jesus Journal to fit into your purse, backpack, or diaper bag. You can grow on the go when you use wait times in the Doctor’s office, the carpool line, etc. for Bible study.
My Jesus Journal is extremely affordable, so you can purchase just one for yourself, or consider buying one for your entire ministry, to begin a season of seeking Jesus together.
It makes an excellent gift for any Christian woman in your life! Click on the picture to order today:
Looking for a guest blogger?
I was recently featured on the list of 75+ Fabulous Christian Blogs by Pray With Confidence! You can read that entire article here: 75+ Fabulous Christian Blogs
If you need a writer to contribute articles to your website or collaborate on a project, you can view my portfolio and my beliefs to see if I would be a good fit for your readers. Contact me at dailyhisdisciple@gmail.com.
My most recent guest posts: 7 “I Am” Statements of Jesus Explained and 8 Tips for Spiritual Growth
Pray With Confidence
Prayer is essential to knowing God’s will for our lives. If you desire a stronger prayer life, then check out Pray With Confidence. It’s a website for helping women overcome prayer obstacles, and I am one of the regular contributors. Here are some links I think will be a blessing to you:
3 Short Prayers for Spiritual Stability
Check out the prayer resources, Bible verses, and tough questions tabs as well. There are many great options for your spiritual growth!