Lesson Outline for Jun 25, 2026
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Goal – Understand discerning God’s will for my life – He doesn’t hide it from you
- How many of us say, “if I only knew God’s will for my life…”
- Would we align ourselves and submit to God’s will, or …,
- Do you put “guardrails” on how much of God’s will you want to walk in?
- God’s will for you is tied to His purposes and assignments
Hebrew and Greek Terms / Definitions
- will #H571 “emet” walk in faithfulness are stable, reliable, won’t waver; #G2309 “thelo” to be resolved, determined, to purpose, to delight in, prefer, to love doing a thing
- sovereign #H113 “adon” master, lord, king; Lord God; #G1410 “dynamai” power, capable and strong to do something
- providence #H6486 “pequda” oversight (as in overseer), care, custody, mustering
The green is the author’s notations in the verses below. Bold text added for emphasis
God’s Sovereign and Providential Will (Decretive)
It will occur
Matt 5:44-45 ESV – “44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Isa 46:9-10 ESV – “9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’”
Job 10:12 NIV – “You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.”
- God created mankind
- Father God’s providential will – Jesus Christ would go to the cross and redeem humanity, in the Father’s timing. God used man’s freewill to achieve His purposes (think Rom 8:28)
- God providentially allows us free-will “choice” – why? Without choice there’s no love
- God permits sin, while still hating sin; His permissive will allowed wicked men to place Jesus on Calvary
God’s Moral Will – His laws, commands and precepts (aka Preceptive Will)
God’s moral will applies yesterday, today and tomorrow
Ex 20:1-17 “Ten Commandments”
Matt 22:37-39 ESV – “37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
John 14:15 ESV – “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
- We can resist God’s moral will for our lives
- Abram’s choice was not aligned w/ God’s will – what happened; can this apply to us?
- Do you believe God’s moral law and will apply today?
- Disciples desire to walk in unconditional love; we set our will aside and submit to God’s will
God’s Dispositional Will
Think God’s “attitude” towards something; What pleases or displeases Him
1 Tim 2:3-4 ESV – “3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
1 Thess 5:18 ESV – “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Eph 5:15-17 ESV – “15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
Psa 143:10 ESV – “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!”
Rom 12:2 ESV – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Matt 6:10, 33 ESV – “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…, 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Jesus Christ Submitted to His Father’s Will
Walking in God’s will for our lives requires relationship and submission
Matt 26:39, 42 ESV – “39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” … 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Also, John 4:34; 5:30, 36; 6:38; 14:31; 17:4; Luke 22:42
Luke 6:46-49 ESV – “46 Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.“
- Knowing God’s will for our lives requires relationship and intimacy
- We must know Him and He must know us – Heb “yada” Grk “ginosko” – to know w/ intimacy
- Devotional love is steadfast, unconditional – requires action, is disciplined and committed
- Emotional love lacks discipline and commitment
- Men we must be devoted and committed to build a solid foundation
- Trusting in worldly success and systems is not a firm foundation
Discussion topics for you this week at home regarding God’s will: Abraham and Hagar; Moses murder of the Egyptian, and striking the rock at Meribah (Num 20); King Asa used a pagan king; Peter cutting off Malchus ear; Christian’s changing celebration/memorial date of Jesus’ resurrection from Passover
Last thoughts and considerations
- Don’t complicate God’s will for your life
- God’s will is – we submit our lives to Him for His best results
- As fathers raise children – what is your will for your children?
- As godly fathers we should use the same model. What do you want for your children?
- Our enemy tries to confuse us, complicate things and tell us to walk in our soulish desires
- Walking in God’s will requires relationship and intimacy – submission to God is a choice
- Intimate relationships require time, trust, submission, humility, denial of self
- Words spoken w/out commitment are emotional and soulish – emotional love lacks foundation and sanctification – it’s a “consumer mindset”
- Choices made on soulish emotion “mix” or defile God’s will
- Satan has a will for us – don’t walk or be trapped in Satan’s will – 2 Tim 2:26
- Our words precede action and render appropriate fruit – walk in the Father’s will!
Additional verses for self-study
God’s Dispositional Will – con’t
1 Thess 4:2-4 ESV – “2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor…,”
2 Pet 3:9 ESV – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Psa 143:10 ESV – “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!”
Rom 12:2 ESV – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Mark 3:31, 34-35 ESV – “31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. … 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.“
1 Pet 2:15-16 ESV – “15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.”
1 Pet 3:17 ESV – “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”
Parable of the Two Sons
Matt 21:28-32 ESV – “28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.”
- Prior to this Jesus Christ cursed the fig tree before entering Jerusalem – Israel had become a figure of religion, “spiritual” in form and function – all kinds of spiritual activities
- …, but lacked serving God, lacked power; lacked fruit of repentance
- After entering Jerusalem, Jesus cleaned the temple from the den of thieves
- The first son did the will of his father – he repented / changed his mind, went to the vineyard
- The religious leaders talked the talk, but did NOT walk the walk; they did not believe
- The Pharisee lacked discernment and followed their soulish hearts
