“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”

The first thing Paul prays for the Colossians is that they will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. The will of God is a great theme in Scripture.

“and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will”

Note the number of passages dealing with the will of God:

John 7:17, “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.”

We must be willing to do his will, sight unseen. We must be willing to do his will before we even know what it is. We say, “Well, I will consider whether the will of God fits my preferences, then I will do it.” No, God wants us to be willing to do his will no matter the cost.

God will leave us in the dark about his will if we are not willing to do it. God is willing to reveal his will to us if we are willing to ascertain it. We dare not say to God, “I would like a free, 30-day trial of your will. If I like it, I will do it.” We will never know the will of God in that case.

We cannot dictate to God the terms on which we will condescend to do his will. God does not have to make a deal with us. He does not need us; we need him. We do not bankrupt the will of God when we do not do it; we bankrupt ourselves. We cannot blackmail God.

Eph 5:17, “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

It is not enough to know the will of God; we need to understand it. We do not need a Ph.D. from our local university to understand it either.

Rom 12:1,2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

We cannot prove the will of God until we “present” or yield our bodies to God for his use. We cannot prove the will of God until we are free from the gravitational tug of the world.

Many other verses speak to the will of God: Mt 7:21;12:50; Acts 21:14;1 Cor 8:5;Heb 10:36;13:20,21;1 Pet 3:17; 2:15; 4:1,2 ;1 Jn 2:17.

Col 4:12, ” Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

Epaphras was completely in the will of God. He was not on the edge of it. He was dead center in the will of God. He was not on the periphery of God’s will.

Acts 13:32, “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption.”

David fulfilled all of God’s will. We feel that if we fulfill three-quarters of God’s will, we do fine. “That is a good average. Why should God ask for anything more?” What percentage of obedience do we want from our children?

Jesus did the will of God: John 4:34; 6:38-40; Mt 26:39.

Principle:

God expects us to do his will unreservedly.

Application:

Are you willing to do whatever God asks of you?