The Greatest Battle: The Conflict Between My Will and God's Will
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Intro
Intro
Text - Luke 22.41-42
41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
Title - The Greatest Battle: The Conflict Between My Will and God’s Will
Background
Background
Jesus prayer in Gethsemane reveals a number of things to us -
first, man was created with a freedom to excercise his own will
second, there is a real conflict that is happening between man’s (free) will and God’s will
third, there is only one way for the confilct to cease - by the surrender of man’s will to God’s sovereign will
The human free will
The human free will
It is one of God’s greatest gift to man
it separates man from other forms of life
it identifies man with God
it was also the first of man’s faculties to be misused - to resist and disobey God’s sovereign will
“free” is not an accurate description
Right and wrong ideas about man’s free will
Idea #1 - Man is free to make his own choices without external influence or coercion [wrong]
many external factors (people, occasions, weather, news, ads) influence man’s decisions
Idea #2 - Man’s free will makes Him independent of God {wrong]
Man’s free will is NOT autonomous
the fallen man is captive to the devil’s will
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
The first man (before sin) was created to exercise his will to obey God’s will
Idea #3 - Man’s free will is not compatible with God’s sovereign will - either God is sovereign, or man is free to do he wills [wrong]
God’s sovereign will provides a space for man to exercise his will
Man’s created nature naturally limits the freedom of his will
compatibility does not require equality
compatibility means complimentary
Man’s free will is best understood together with God’s “sovereign will”
God’s will is sovereign - by virtue of His divine attributes - Omnipotence; Omnipresence, Omniscience
21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
10 Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.
God’s will is of various types
1.) Decretive will - God’s decree; things or situations that God has already determined from the beginning;
2.) Preceptive will - God’s precepts, or prescribed will; God will that are given to man to fulfill
Decretive will
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
Preceptive will
The 10 Commandments
3.) Active will - God determines what happens, in which man’s will cannot resist
17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”
18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”
20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
4.) Permissive will - God’s will that people may resist, but with consequences
the fall of man in the garden of eden
Israel’s rejection of the Messiah
who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.
30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.
Reasons why the “conflict” exists
Reasons why the “conflict” exists
Because man wants to use his free will to do things that contradict God’s will
in the garden, the first humans chose to disobey God’s command
20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.
Because man’s free will refuses to recognize that God’s will is sovereign
How the conflict ceases
How the conflict ceases
When man’s will surrenders to the will of God
When Jesus surrendered to the Father’s will (as He always did) He was able to face His suffering with courage, and peace, and even joy!
When we recognize we are appointed to the will of God
Example - Saul, the persecutor of the church.
13 came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him.
14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.
Let us follow Jesus’ example
He surrendered to the will of God
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
He seeks the will of God
30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
He delights in the will of God
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Do you know What is the will of God for your life?
Do you seek to understand the will of God over your life? Your business? Your money? your work/career? Your relationship? Your ministry?
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Is there a part of your life that you have not yet surrendered to the will of God?
Song
Sovereign Over Us
