Prayer To Follow The Will Of God
Praying Within The Will of God
By Brad Andres
Praying within the will of God is a point of interest for most followers of Christ.
How do you pray within the will of God? How do you know the will of God? These are common questions which oftentimes receive a variety of answers.
One of the most direct passages which speak to these questions is quoted above. However, this passage offers an encouragement about prayers within Gods will. It does not directly tell us how to pray in Gods will, nor how to discover His will. However, it provides for us a reassurance that God is more awesome and supportive than we may already believe.
We are going to highlight pieces of this verse in order to bring a little more understanding into the idea of praying within Gods will.
Weakness
Our weakness is our ignorance. It is displayed by the fact that we have to ask questions in which we really do not know the answers to. In this passage, our weakness is proven in that we do not always know what to pray for. However, God has provided strength to aid our weakness.
Spirit
The main subject in this passage is not ourselves; it is the Spirit of God. It must be noted that the Spirit intercedes for us. Gods Spirit is not teaching us how to pray, but He is praying for us. This prayer from the Spirit often occurs without our knowledge of its happening.
Groans in the Old Testament referred to an unarticulated prayer from Gods people in their time of weakness, the desert wanderings. Their groans called out for Gods completion of his promise to bring them into the promised land.
Gods Will
Now the Spirit is calling out for the completion of Gods will in our lives. He is interceding for us, praying on our behalf, that Gods will be completed within a certain situation. Furthermore, God, who knows our most intimate needs and desires also knows what the Spirit is praying as it is perfectly in line with Gods will.
We have Jesus interceding for us on the right hand of the Father in heaven, and we have the Spirit interceding for us on earth. There is more prayer happening for us than we have the capacity to pray ourselves! In addition, this prayer is directed by Gods will!
Its almost a no brainer that the next verse following our passage is so encouraging:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
While this verse is usually given as an encouragement by itself for understanding Gods will, it is the completion of a larger encouragement on the prayer of Gods will! The word and is the connection of these verses, in other translations the word furthermore is used, which shows the idea of building upon the previous verses.
What We May Know
In conclusion, we may desire to know what Gods will is, and rightfully so. We should seek to understand Gods will in all situations. However, we are weak. A cognitive understanding of Gods will in all situations is not ly to be realized until we are made perfect with Him in the new age.
In the meantime, while waiting for the completion of His promise, we have the Spirit to intercede for us in full agreement with Gods will. Just as the Israelites longed for completion of Gods promise to enter the promised land with groanings, so too does the Spirit long with groanings for completion of Gods promise to see His completed work within us.
So while we may search for understanding of Gods will, we must be sure to rest knowing that God is on our side. He is helping us, His Spirit is praying for us, and everything is coming together as God is directing. Although we may not understand, we can know God is working for the positive in our lives.
How beautiful it is, that Gods will is being prayed for us, all while we have no clue of its happening. How awesome is our God, that He is providing for us beyond our scope of understanding!
Thank you God, for helping me in my weaknesses. I will continue to search for your will in all situations. But please, help me rest in the assurance that you are on my side.Let me find peace knowing that youre working on my behalf. Let me understand your will, but furthermore, let me understand that your Spirit is praying for the completion of your will in my life on a daily basis. Return soon Lord Jesus and finish your work in us, that we may be perfect and completely one together with you.
Amen.
Источник: //www.praywithme.com/praying-will-of-god.html
5 Verses to Pray when You Want to Know God’s Will – Counting My Blessings
Do you ever lie awake at night thinking, I don’t know what to do?
You have a decision to make, a problem to solve, or a path to pursue and you’ve prayed, oh how you’ve prayed but you don’t feel God is giving you clear direction.
So, you stare at the ceiling, weigh your options, plan to do more research in the morning, and pray again…
Father, I love you and I want to glorify you with my life. This choice is hard. There are so many possibilities and I have no idea what Your will for me is in the situation. Please help me. Guide me by Your Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.
And you try again, to get some rest.
Whew, I’ve been there. I’m guessing you’ve been there, too.
Because my most visited post is 5 Ways to Know if Something is from God which leads me to believe I’m not the only one who struggles sometimes with the specifics of God’s will.
So, I went digging to find verses that might help us know God’s “always” will . . . when choices are hard and life is confusing.
Proverbs 3:5–6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek His will in all you do,
and He will show you which path to take.
Father, forgive me. I’m quick to ask my friends for advice and quicker to worry; yet, I’m slow to turn to Your Word or come to You in prayer. Maybe trusting with all my heart is the problem. I’m sorry.
I want to surrender myself completely and trust that Your will for me always comes from Your love. Thank you for using this time to remind me just how very much I need You. And I do need You, Lord.
Help me, by the power of Your Spirit. Amen.
1 Timothy 2:3–4
This is good and pleases God our Savior,
who wants everyone to be saved and
to understand the truth.
Father, Your will for me is to know and love Your Son, Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Giver of Life eternal . . . Your gift so awesome and wonderful.
I’m humbled that Your will for me above all else is that I will cherish Your gift of an eternity with You through Jesus. In light of forever, my current circumstances seem less monumental.
Please by Your grace, help me keep an eternal perspective as I trust You with the details of my life. In Jesus name, Amen.
Romans 12:1–2
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice— the kind He will find acceptable.
This is truly the way to worship Him.Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform
you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Then you will
learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Father, I need Your transforming power to change the way I think and act. Your Word says You will show me Your good, pleasing, and perfect will and you change my heart and mind and make me a new person. I love that! Please continue to work in me and draw me close.
I love You, Lord and want to honor You with my life. Amen.
Hebrews 10:10
For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the
sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
Father, You make me holy through Jesus, setting me apart and showing me Your truth. Thank you! I am overwhelmed by your grace, mercy, and love. Humbled that You care so much about Your children that You willingly sacrificed Yourself for us.
Forgive me, Father, for ever foolishly believing I’m doing a good job enough to be declared righteous on my own. I can’t. I need You. I need Jesus. I need Your Spirit. Help me surrender to You and live under the glorious grace You so generously pour into my life.
Thank you, Amen.
Romans 8:27
And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying,
for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
And Father, when I get it wrong . . . which I do much of the time, I’m so very thankful for Your Sprit who pleads for me. Who knows Your will and knows exactly what I need. Thank you. You will never leave me alone to wander in the dark.
By Your grace poured out through Your Spirit, You fill me, provide for me, care for me, comfort me, and guide me. Thank you, Lord. Your loving presence meets my every need and with Your help, I surrender to Your will for me. In Jesus name.
Amen.
May my prayer each day be to humbly surrender to God’s will trusting His will is best for my forever and for my today.
What’s your favorite verse to pray when you need to know God’s will?
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5 Ways To Follow God’s Plan For Your Life
Matthew 4:19b-20 says, “’Follow Me (Jesus) and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they (Simon and Andrew) left their nets and followed Him.” God has a plan for your life and mine.
Simon and Andrew’s life plan with Christ started right in that very verse. How can you know what is God’s plan for your life? The Bible is chalk full of truth and wisdom on how we all can follow God’s plan for us.
As always, let us look into the inspired Word of God, the Holy Bible, for concrete answers.
Trust in God’s Judgment
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) This needs to be the first stepping stone in a believer’s journey. God had a plan for you before you were even born.
(Galatians 1:15) As believers, we can follow God’s plan for us by believing that He has everything in control and His sovereignty will guide us exactly where He wants us to go. Even right now, you did not arrive to read this article by accident.
God led you here, just as He will lead you on to other places whether it be a local/non-local mission, church function, soup kitchen, or homeless shelter. There are so many places to shine God’s love which is why He has a plan set out for each one of us.
If God impresses compassion on you for someone else, then let the Holy Spirit guide you to help that person, whether it is praying for them, feeding them, clothing them or spreading the good news of salvation to them.
You Have a Skill Set
How can you know what is God’s plan for your life?
One great way to see what God has planned for your life is to look at the skills that you have been blessed with. Exodus 35:30-35 has Moses speaking to Israel about specific men with specific skills that they were given by God to use for His glory.
God has blessed me musically, so I serve Him in the church worship team. Do you public speaking? Maybe consider being a preacher. Do you hands-on activities? Maybe consider missions or becoming a caretaker of the church.
If you aren’t already involved in your church, please consider the skills you have been given by God and see how you can benefit His kingdom.
Be in Prayer
Prayer is the way to stay connected with God through open communication. If you don’t know what God’s plan is for you, ask Him in prayer. “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will he hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.
” (1 John 5:14-15) When you pray that “God’s will be done” in your life, God “will” always show you your next step in His plan. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to, “pray without ceasing.” While trusting in God to lead us, it is important that we stay in contact with Him. God still yearns for a relationship with us.
As we honor Him in prayer, He will guide us according to His will.
Be Intentional – Stay Committed – IN LOVE
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned but have not love I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) You can be sure of one thing: God’s plan for you involves love.
You may be doing what the Holy Spirit has placed on your heart and mind, but if you are only active in your mind and leave your heart behind, then you are missing the point my friends. Be active in God’s plan while loving those that you are in contact with.
Keep your heart engaged in every opportunity you have to do the Lord’s work. “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8a)
Answer When God Calls
Any time that you see a need and you have the resources to provide, then answer the call. If God has placed a burden on your heart to love children, please consider adoption or a children’s ministry.
If God has placed a burden on you to love the elderly, please consider helping out in retirement homes (they love carolers!) or helping the elderly at the grocery store with their bags. If God has placed a burden on you to help feed the hungry, please consider serving in a soup kitchen or giving food items to a food drive.
There are so many places that all of us can serve. When God calls, He is serious. Matthew 25:35-40 says, “’For I (Jesus) was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.
’ Then the righteous will answer Him saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” You see, my friends, that whenever you serve another person, you are also serving Christ and answering the call. Matthew 25:41-46 says the exact opposite of the previous passage. It tells of how those who reject the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick and in prison will also be rejected from entering heaven because rejecting another human being is also rejecting Christ, himself. Please answer when God calls!! Whenever you ignore His call, you are ignoring Him! Whenever you listen and respond to His call, you are serving Him too!
Conclusion
These are only 5 of many ways that we can follow the plan that God has for us. I hope and pray that if you don’t know what God is doing in your life right now that you will spend time faithfully in prayer, asking our Father what His will is for your life. As always, I encourage you all to live a life worthy of the calling. God bless you!
Resources:
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
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