Posted on 05/22/2022 11:59:02 AM PDT by metmom
“‘“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”’” (Matthew 6:10).
Two polar opposite views of God’s will can cause Christians to have faulty understandings of prayer and the accomplishing of God’s purposes. On the one hand, some see His will as absolutely deterministic—whatever will be, will be. They either pray little at all, figuring the divine will is inevitable, or they are resignedly obedient, praying for God’s will simply because He tells them to.
Neither approach to prayer demonstrates faith. Viewing God’s sovereignty in a fatalistic, prayerless way robs us of the joy of aligning our wills with His and seeing His will done as we pray in faith. And praying with passive resignation leads to a weak, unexpectant prayer life. It is one that doesn’t heed Jesus’ instruction in the parable of the persistent widow: “He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart” (Luke 18:1).
Other believers overemphasize the role of human will and see prayer as mainly a way to twist God’s will to their own desires. They think of God’s will as what He dispenses from His cosmic vending machine—they get whatever they want by inserting a claim on one of His promises. But our Lord rejects such a false, man-centered concept throughout the model prayer. Genuine prayer focuses on God’s name, God’s kingdom, and God’s will. The emphasis remains on the Father. God is sovereign, but Jesus tells us to pray that His will be done (cf. James 5:16).
Ask Yourself
Which of these two misunderstandings has been the hardest for you to counteract? Which one do you find yourself gravitating toward in your usual dealings with God? How has this led you to defeat and discouragement in your walk with Christ? What would you gain from embracing a more biblical mind-set?
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.
Studying God’s Word ping
Genesis 50:20
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
God is Love. God is Truth.
God wants us to love Him, believe His Truth, understand and follow what He tells us (God’s will).
We have a choice do God’s will or reject God and do our own will.
It is hard to be humble and listen to God when it is seems easier to follow our own opinions. Jesus showed us how to be humble.
God is Love. God is Truth.
God wants us to love Him, believe His Truth, understand and follow what He tells us (God’s will).
We have a choice do God’s will or reject God and do our own will.
It is hard to be humble and listen to God when it is seems easier to follow our own opinions. Jesus showed us how to be humble.
Other believers overemphasize the role of human will and see prayer as mainly a way to twist God’s will to their own desires.
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We overemphasize our will to twist God’s will and the the author uses James 5, which basically states that a prayer of faith is powerful.
James 5:15and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
This begs the question: was it God’s will to heal before the prayer of the faithful? And, was Elijah twisting God’s will to do what he wanted or was it God’s intention already and Elijah had no part in it?
The author contradicts himself and then uses scripture as proof of his contradiction
God chose to do his work through man who was given sonship and led by the Holy Spirit. God tells us in scripture how to be sure it’s God’s will.
Phillipians4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will. be with you.
Did Jesus do anything on his own or did he submit to the will of God through the leading of the Holy Spirit?
Do believers have the same Holy Spirit that led Jesus dwelling in us?
Research what it means to be called a “son” in the Jewish culture
After living with the “fatalistic” view for decades, I learned that we can pray to God and He really does listen and answer. We can trust Him. That has brought so much ongoing marvel and joy to my life. Thanks to Lord Jesus.
It’s easy to fall into extremes.
The enemy would like to discourage us from prayer and whatever it takes, he’ll do.
I’ve been praying to pray continually throughout the day, speaking with the Lord. It is a stress buster. Eventually I would like to do prayer and fasting. I’ve heard that helps one focus even more on God.
Whether alert and mentally directing physical activ[ty, or moving into the sleeping state, perceiving the Holy Spirit's influence is "listening" with spiritual discernment learned with Him. Sometimes it is intense, without other distracting elements, closeted; or it may be the constant thread as one processes through the acts of living with the lightly applied Spiritual leading on daily decisions.
This kind of life in the spirit is unavailable to the individual not regenerated with the Spirit Indwelling, Who is instant to advise.
Passing through the world sensing God's mainly unspoken but impressing direction IS, like a strong breeze, praying in one's heart.
There is no promise for it to be a component of the unsaved individual's logical and/or emotional decisions, waking or sleeping, with sad outcomes often a consequence.
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: . . ." (Psalm 66:18 AV)At the beginning, beg of The Father to be willingly totally possessed by Jesus and His Spirit, and thus be ever pardoned and saved as a never-rescinded gift; then with it, pray and be heard.
"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:5-7 AV).
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