Desiring and Doing God's Will for His Good Pleasure

It’s Palm Sunday, a time when we pause to remember and celebrate the day of Jesus Christ’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem; as he was now on the homestretch to accomplishing his Father’s will. It was now the time when the rubber meets the road, pedal to the metal. When his desire to do and accomplished God’s will would be tested to the max.

I don’t know much of what happened in biblical times other than biblical historical accounts, my reference is this present age that I and you are currently living in. It seems the world today wants to dictate what a Christ-like lifestyle should be, which is often void of its author and finisher or a misinterpretation and misrepresentation of who He is. Government and bureaucratic leaders implement policies contrary to Godly values; we see cultures and societies decline morally and become more secular.

Even many christian believers live their lives according to their own dictates outside of God’s will, purpose and plan for their lives…it’s like a “my way or the highway” kind of an attitude.

Paul’s impassioned letter to his fellow brethren at Philippi sought to remind them of Christ’s humility and obedience to God’s will even to the point of dying a criminal’s death on the cross; he possessed both the desire for God’s will, and the doing of God’s will; which he accomplished, and whom God exalted to the highest place of honor.

Php 2:6—11

Question, is there a willing desire in your hearts to do and accomplish God’s will for His good pleasure in your lives? Or are you living a life that’s Christ-like in name only?

Manifesting the Inward Working of Christ Outwardly

Philippians 2:12–13 NLT

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

We should work hard in living out our Christian faith

Jude 20–21 NIV

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Our obedience to God shouldn’t be taken lightly:

We should be ready to obey

There should be a realness or authenticity in our obedience

There should be a reverence in our obedience

God Is Working In Us

Philippians 2:13 NIV

for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

God is our source and supplier; anything of eternal value requires God-given resources:

He is the source of our faith

Romans 12:3 NIV

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

He is the source of our strength

Psalm 46:1 NIV

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

He supplies our every need

Philippians 4:19 NIV

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

God Gives Us the Desire to Do His Will

Before Christ entered our lives we did not possess an innate desire to do God’s will.

It is through divine inspiration that we have a desire to do God’s will.

Ephesians 2:12–13 NLT

In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

God Gives Us the Power to Do His Will

Acts 17:28 NLT

For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Left up to our own strength and devices we would epically fail to accomplish God’s will in our lives.

Romans 7:18–19 NLT

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

It is Christ who gives us strength by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, that empowers us to do the will of God.

Philippians 4:13 NLT

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

David’s Anointing:

We sometimes forget that before the battle and the victory, there is the anointing.

1 Samuel 16:13 NLT

So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

It was the Spirit in David’s heart that gave him the wisdom to face and fight Goliath, instead of fleeing.

1 Samuel 17:45 NLT

David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

How desperately and greatly we need the anointing of the Holy Spirit...

As Christians the Spirit is living in us;

When was the last time you asked for a fresh empowering by the Holy Spirit to face your giants?

Illustration: Brake Fluid

When the fluid becomes grainy and dirty and changes color, it’s time to change the fluid by flushing and bleeding the old fluid with new clear brake fluid.

When there is a lack of zeal or desire to do God’s will in your life it’s time for a refreshing from the Holy Spirit!

He equips us also.

Hebrews 13:20–21 NIV

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

What Does the Will of God Looks Like In Our Lives?

We should imitate the character of Christ in His humility.

Do everything without complaining or arguing.

Live a holy & godly life, allowing the world to see the light of Jesus Christ brightly shining in us.

Let your life be firmly rooted and grounded in the Word of God

Be a living sacrifice in offering your faithful service to God

What Awaits Us?

Just as Christ was exalted and glorified by the Father, so too shall we also be glorified.

If we faint not, our heavenly prize awaits us.

Then our joy will be made complete!