IN the will or in the way

Game/ icebreaker

Love this—this can be fun, sharp, and convicting without being heavy. Below is a ready-to-run game you can use in class, small groups, or even Sunday service.

GAME: “IN THE WILL OR IN THE WAY?”

Purpose

To help people discern obedience vs. compromise using real-life scenarios—biblically, not emotionally.

This isn’t trivia. It’s spiritual discernment training.

GAME SETUP (Simple)

Materials (choose your style):

Two large signs:

IN THE WILL (Yellow)

IN THE WAY (Green)

OR two sides of the room

OR two cards per person (yellow & green)

HOW TO PLAY

The leader reads a scenario.

Players decide:

IN THE WILL

IN THE WAY

They respond by:

Holding up the card

Moving to the side of the room

Or calling it out (for smaller groups)

After the choice, the leader gives a short biblical explanation.

Key rule you say upfront:

“This isn’t about intention—it’s about obedience.”

ROUND 1: WARM-UP (Clear-Cut)

Scenario 1

You serve faithfully even though no one notices or thanks you.

✅ IN THE WILL Galatians 6:9 – Do not grow weary in doing good.

Scenario 2

You stop serving because leadership didn’t acknowledge you.

🚫 IN THE WAY Colossians 3:23 – You work for the Lord, not people.

Scenario 3

You obey God even though it costs you relationships.

✅ IN THE WILL Smyrna-type faithfulness (Rev. 2:10).

ROUND 2: REAL LIFE (Gray Areas)

Scenario 4

You stay silent about truth so you don’t offend anyone.

🚫 IN THE WAY Pergamum tolerated what should’ve been confronted (Rev. 2:14).

Leader line:

“Peace at the cost of truth is compromise.”

Scenario 5

You serve, but only when it fits your schedule and convenience.

🚫 IN THE WAY Luke 9:23 – Take up your cross daily.

Scenario 6

You feel stretched, tired, and uncomfortable—but you keep obeying.

✅ IN THE WILL Smyrna endured pressure without quitting.

ROUND 3: HEART CHECK (Quiet & Convicting)

Tell them:

“These are personal. Answer honestly.”

Scenario 7

You justify disobedience by saying, “God understands.”

🚫 IN THE WAY Grace explains forgiveness—not permission.

Scenario 8

You choose obedience even when it delays your blessing.

✅ IN THE WILL Hebrews 10:36 – Endurance precedes promise.

Scenario 9

You tolerate sin in your life because “everyone’s doing it.”

🚫 IN THE WAY Revelation 2:15 – Pergamum’s mistake.

BONUS ROUND: SMYRNA vs. PERGAMUM

Say:

“Which church does this sound like?”

Scenario 10

Faithful under pressure, no applause, still obedient.

✅ SMYRNA – IN THE WILL

Scenario 11

Holds Jesus’ name publicly, compromises privately.

🚫 PERGAMUM – IN THE WAY

FINAL ROUND: THE MIRROR (No Answer Out Loud)

Read this slowly:

You love God. You serve sometimes. You avoid discomfort. You protect your peace. You delay obedience.

Pause.

Say:

“Don’t answer out loud. Just ask yourself—will or way?”

DEBRIEF QUESTIONS (2–3 minutes)

Ask:

Which scenarios were hardest to answer?

Why do gray areas reveal more than clear sin?

What did Smyrna do right that we often avoid?

OPTIONAL UPGRADE (If You Want Energy)

Keep score by accuracy, not speed

Let teams debate before answering

Ask someone to explain why they chose will or way

Lesson Starts Here :

"The Church that Serves" begins by asking a difficult question: Are you in the will of God, or are you in the way?. As leaders, we must recognize that being in God’s will does not always feel good, and being in His way does not always feel wrong. We must align our direction with His word, understanding that the will of God is about direction, not ease.

Dont judge gods will by outcomes or income.

Most of us were taught—without anyone saying it out loud—to believe this equation:

Good outcome = God’s will Bad outcome = I missed God

That feels logical. But it’s not biblical.

It’s emotional logic, not spiritual discernment.

We look back and ask:

Did it work?

Did it hurt?

Did I get what I wanted?

And then we decide whether God was in it.

Here’s the key truth:

Outcomes tell you what happened. Faithfulness tells you whether you obeyed.

God is far more concerned with how you walked than how it turned out.

Why?

Because outcomes are affected by:

Other people’s choices

Timing you can’t control

Opposition you didn’t cause

Growth that takes longer than you want

If outcomes were the test of God’s will, then:

Jeremiah failed

Jesus failed

Paul failed

The cross was a mistake

Can things still be “good” and in God’s will if the outcome hurts?

Yes. And Scripture proves it over and over.

The cross is the clearest example

From the disciples’ perspective:

Jesus was arrested

Beaten

Crucified

Buried

That outcome looked like loss, failure, and tragedy.

But Isaiah calls it “the will of the Lord to crush Him.”

The worst-looking outcome produced the greatest good.

So here’s the truth we have to accept:

God’s will can feel like loss before it reveals its purpose.

Why God allows outcomes we wouldn’t choose

Because God is shaping something deeper than comfort.

He’s forming:

Character

Dependence

Faith

Long-term fruit

Outcomes we like often change our situation. Outcomes we don’t like often change us.

Smyrna didn’t get relief. They got affirmation.

Pergamum got comfort. They got correction.

Only one was truly safe.

2. Smyrna’s Sacrifice: Serving through Scarcity. The church at Smyrna serves as the ultimate model for serving without substance—ministering faithfully even when they had nothing. Smyrna had:

No wealth

No influence

No protection

No relief

Serving through Scarcity is continuing to obey God even when something essential feels missing.

Serving through scarcity means trusting that obedience is never wasted, even when provision hasn’t arrived yet.

• Sincere in Suffering: Smyrna was a church defined by poverty, affliction, and slander. Despite their lack of outward influence or protection, Jesus declared them "rich".

What God considers rich. Faith, obedience, love, etc.

• Steadfast in Scarcity: Their faithfulness was not measured by comfort. They proved that serving when it hurts reveals our true character.

• Secured by the Spirit: Jesus did not promise them an escape from their pain; He promised them a crown of life for their endurance. Smyrna reminds leaders that no rebuke does not mean no pain, and hardship often means we are exactly where God wants us.

3. Pergamum’s Pollution: Professing with Peace-at-any-Price. In contrast, the church at Pergamum represents serving with settlement—attempting to lead while compromising the core values of the faith.

• Public Profession vs. Private Pollution: Pergamum "held fast" to the name of Jesus in a dangerous environment. However, they tolerated what Jesus hated, including false teaching and immorality.

• The Peril of Peace: Their compromise did not look like rebellion; it looked like "balance" or a desire "not to offend". They prioritized a comfortable environment over a convicted witness.

• The Problem of Permission: Leaders in Pergamum allowed compromise "among" them. This serves as a warning that tolerance can be disobedience in disguise.

4. The Leader’s Legacy: Laboring for the Lord’s Love. To get back to true service, leaders must evaluate their motives through the lens of these two churches.

• Poverty vs. Prominence: Smyrna was poor but rich; Pergamum was influential but compromised. Leaders must remember that success does not always mean you are right, just as hardship does not mean you have failed.

• Conviction vs. Convenience: If our service has cost us nothing in terms of comfort, convenience, or control, we are not serving—we are negotiating.

• Repentance vs. Resistance: For those who have fallen into the "Pergamum trap" of compromise, repentance is a gift that restores fellowship with Christ.

Conclusion: Choosing the Will, Not the WayWe are The Church that Serves—not when it is safe or easy, but when it is faithful. Leaders are called to choose faithfulness over comfort and obedience over approval. By opening our hands in total surrender, we move out of the way and step fully into the will of God.

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This is a powerful, convicting manuscript. You have a very strong theological foundation here—especially the distinction between emotional logic and spiritual discernment.

To make this better for a live presentation, I’ve restructured it to improve the "rhythm" of your speech. I’ve added rhetorical "hooks," created clearer transitions, and suggested "Stage/Screen Notes" to help you guide the audience visually.

Title: The Church That Serves

Theme: Choosing His Will Over Our Way

I. The Hook: The Question We Avoid

Start with a heavy pause. Let the silence lean in before you speak.

"Are you in the will of God, or are you in the way?"

As leaders, we often mistake comfort for calling. We assume that if we are following God, the path should be paved. But we must realize:

Being in God’s will doesn’t always feel good.

Being in His way doesn’t always feel wrong.

The Bottom Line: The will of God is about direction, not ease.

II. Deconstructing the Myth: The Outcome Trap

Use a screen or a whiteboard to show the "False Equation."

We have been conditioned to believe a lie. We’ve adopted a "Spiritual Math" that isn't found in the Bible:

The False Equation: Good Outcome = God’s Will. Bad Outcome = I Missed God.

We ask three dangerous questions to judge our ministry:

Did it work? (Success)

Did it hurt? (Comfort)

Did I get what I wanted? (Control)

The Correction: Outcomes tell you what happened. Faithfulness tells you if you obeyed.

God is far more concerned with how you walked than where you landed.

Consider the "Failures" of Scripture:

If outcomes were the test: Jeremiah was a failure.

If comfort was the test: Paul was a failure.

If "winning" was the test: The Cross was the ultimate mistake.

Key Truth: God’s will often feels like loss before it reveals its purpose. Outcomes change our situation; faithfulness changes us.

III. A Tale of Two Churches: Scarcity vs. Settlement

Contrast these two churches clearly. One had nothing but had everything; the other had everything but was losing its soul.

1. Smyrna: Serving through Scarcity

Smyrna was the church of "The Empty Hand." They had no wealth, no influence, and no protection.

The World’s View: Bankrupt and defeated.

Jesus’s View: "I know your poverty—but you are rich."

The Lesson: Serving through scarcity means trusting that obedience is never wasted, even when the provision hasn't arrived.

2. Pergamum: The Danger of "Peace-at-any-Price"

Pergamum was the church of "The Compromised Seat." They held the name of Jesus publicly, but they tolerated "pollution" privately.

The Trap: They mistook compromise for balance.

The Symptom: They prioritized a comfortable environment over a convicted witness.

The Warning: Tolerance of what God hates is just disobedience in a suit.

IV. The Leader’s Legacy: A Call to Audit

Bring it home to the leaders in the room. Make it personal.

If we want to be "The Church that Serves," we must audit our hearts using three metrics:

Poverty vs. Prominence: Are you more afraid of losing your influence or losing your intimacy with Christ?

Conviction vs. Convenience: If your service has cost you nothing—no comfort, no ego, no time—you aren't serving; you are negotiating.

Repentance vs. Resistance: In Pergamum, the "Way" was easy, but the "Will" required a sword. Repentance isn't a punishment; it’s the gift that restores your power.

V. Conclusion: Moving Out of the Way

We are The Church that Serves. Not when it’s safe. Not when it’s trending. Not when the budget is overflowing. We serve when it is faithful.

The Final Choice:

Will you choose the Will (the difficult direction) or the Way (the easy path)?

Open your hands. Surrender the outcomes. Step out of the way, and step into the Will.

Tips for your Presentation:

The "Smyrna/Pergamum" Slide: Use a simple T-chart on your screen. Left side: Smyrna (Poor but Rich). Right side: Pergamum (Influential but Compromised).

Voice Inflection: When you list the "False Equation," speak it with a slight tone of skepticism. When you read the "Key Truths," slow down and lower your pitch for authority.

Call to Action: End by asking the leaders to literally open their palms in front of them as a physical sign of "moving out of the way."

Would you like me to create a set of discussion questions or a "Leader’s Self-Assessment" based on this lesson to hand out?