Prayer Series 7.Thy Will Be Done

Prayer Series

Pastor E. Keith Hassell

“Thy Will Be Done”

Foundation Scripture:  Matthew 6:9-13

I.              Whose will is being done?

A.               John 1:12-13 NKJV “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

1.          Will of the flesh

2.          Will of man

3.          Will of God

II.           The Will of God

A.               Romans 12:2 NKJV “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.”

1.          The Good Will of God

2.          The Acceptable Will of God

3.          The Perfect Will of God

4.          Outside the Will of God

B.                The Will of God is being done in heaven

C.               We are to pray that God’s will be done on earth

III.        Is God’s will always done?

A.               It is the will of God for all to be saved (Matthew 18:14; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4)

B.                It is the will of God that we live holy (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

C.               It is the will of God that we rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

D.               It is the will of God that all come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4)

E.                It is the will of God to do mighty works among us (Mark 6:5-6)

IV.       The Importance of the Will of God in Prayer

A.               1 John 5:14-15 NKJV “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

B.                John 15:7 NKJV “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

C.               Examples of prayers God does not answer or choose to answer

1.          A prayer to curse Israel (Joshua 24:10)

2.          The disciple’s request to build a temple for Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:4-6)

3.          A prayer to call down fire out of heaven (Luke 9:54)

4.          A request by disciples for position in the kingdom (Mark 10:35-40)

5.          A prayer for a brother committing a sin unto death (1 John 5:16)

6.          A prayer with wrong motives (James 4:3)

V.          The Importance of Prayer and the Will of God

A.               Matthew 6:10 Jesus taught us to pray for God’s will to be done

B.                James 4:2 We do not have because we do not ask

C.               Colossians 4:12 Prayer that we might stand perfect and complete in the will of God

D.               Hebrews 13:20-21 A prayer that we might stand complete in every good work to do His will

E.                1 John 5:14-15 We receive when we pray according to the will of God

F.                Mathew 7:7-11 He who asks receives

G.               Matthew 18:19-20 Whatever two or three agree upon in prayer will be done

H.               John 14:12-14 Whatever you ask in Jesus’ Name will be done

I.                   John 16:23-24 Whatever you ask the Father in Jesus’ Name He will give

J.                  1 John 5:16 Asking for God to give life to a sinning brother

VI.       When to pray, “If it be Thy Will”

A.               No. 1:  When the will of God is not known

B.                No. 2:  During a prayer of consecration whereby we yield our will to the will of God (Matthew 26:42 Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane)

C.               No. 3:  Future plans

1.          Paul (Acts 18:21; 21:8-14)

2.          James 4:13-16 Our plans are subject to the will of God

VII.    When NOT to pray, “If it be Thy Will”

A.               When the will of God is KNOWN

1.          1 John 5:14-15 We can have confidence when we pray God’s will

2.          God’s Word is His revealed will

a               Salvation (John 3:16)

b              Healing (Matthew 8:1-3)

c               Baptism with the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13; Acts 2:38-39)

d              Provision (Philippians 4:19; Luke 6:38)

e               Wisdom (James 1:5)

B.                To pray “if it be Thy will” in cases where the will of God is known is to pray in doubt and unbelief

1.          Hebrews 11:6 Impossible to please God without faith

2.          James 1:6 If we do not ask in faith we will not receive

C.               To pray “if it be Thy will” in cases where the will of God is known is to attempt to shift our responsibility to believe over on God

VIII. Response to the Word

A.               No. 1:  God has a perfect will for our lives

B.                No. 2:  We must pray for God’s will to be done

C.               No. 3:  We must pray the Word of God which is the Will of God

D.               No. 4:  We must consecrate our lives to the will of God

E.                No. 5:  Are we yielded to the will of God today?