War Of The Wills

Intro:

There is a war that is going on that most will never see. The war to follow Christ and His teachings or follow a path that we lay ourselves. The struggle is painful at times. It’s easy to think we know best when in fact the results of our actions prove otherwise.

Today we will look at a passage that shows us how this war between us and God plays out. Look closely as we see how Jesus confronts those who think they know best.

His Understanding Is Superior

John 7:14–16 NKJV

14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” 16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

Really listening to the teachings of Jesus will change you.

Listening takes intent.

Understanding takes the Holy Ghost.

Application takes devotion.

The doctrines of God are Holy and must be applied.

Doctrines:

Salvation = Eph 2:8-9

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Regeneration = 2 Cor 5:17

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Sanctification = Heb 10:10

Hebrews 10:10 NKJV

10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Justification = Gal 3:24

Galatians 3:24 NKJV

24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

His Glory Or My Glory

John 7:16–18 NKJV

16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.

Doing the Will of God requires self denial.

The hardest thing we will do is deny ourselves the spotlight.

We are wired to want what we want.

Denying ourselves the lime light will draw us closer to Jesus.

The Jews refused to see this.

Christians today fail to see it.

Walking in our will can lead to a gross misunderstanding of Holiness and Righteousness.

Example: Jews of today/Christians of our day.

Our will leads to pain and suffering.

His Will leads to love and peace.

Our Will Leads To A Perversion Of Reality

John 7:19–21 NKJV

19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” 20 The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel.

Jesus made it clear that they couldn’t keep the law.

Following their own will lead to a perversion of what was right.

Right living can only come from denying ourselves, understanding the teaching of scripture, and follow the leading of the Holy Ghost.

It can be a lonely place.

The road that leads to heaven is risky, lonely, and costly in this world, and few are willing to pay the price. Following Jesus involves losing your life and finding new life in Him.

David Platt

2. When one follows their own will, it’s easy to miss the miracles of God.

They marveled because of their lack of true understanding.

A vast majority of Christians today fail to see the hand of God working around them.

Commitment to the will of God - The purpose for which we are designed offers freedom to become the person we are meant to be.”

Dr. Rick Ivey

God’s Will Reveals Righteous Discernment

John 7:22–24 NKJV

22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

When we follow our will, our view of what is right is distorted.

The Jews had the law and still broke it.

Jesus challenged them to be consistent regarding how they judged.

He was pointing out that they within themselves couldn’t understand righteous judgment.

Not Following Jesus has real consequences in relation to what we see as right and wrong.

Looking through the eyes of Humanity will lead to a mixed bag of ideas of what is right and wrong.

Conclusion:

The Will of God is all that matters. We either line up with what God has deemed as right, or we fall into the trap of thinking we understand better than Him.