TSIYON NEWS - Divine Will
Tsiyon Messianic Radio Newsletter - Vol 19.41 - 08/14/6024 TAM - 10/17/2024 AD
From Eliyahu
The ideal is to walk in the Divine Will. This, in fact, is what Messiah is looking for from us. In Matthew 7 He reminds us He will be coming again to judge the world. Notice the criteria He is looking for here:
"Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven [will enter the Kingdom]. Many will tell me in that day, Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works? Then I will tell them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity." Matthew 7:21-23
Calling Messiah "Lord", in other words, confessing Him in word, is not enough. Yeshua specifically says so above. The proof of your faith is in what you do - works of faith - specifically doing the will of the Father. Those are the people Messiah says will enter the Kingdom. James, the Lord's brother, explains; "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead." James 2:26
Notice that it is not just a matter of doing good. People who don't even know God can do good works, and sometimes do. Works of faith are not just good works. Works of faith are specifically good works which are the specific will of the Father for the individual child of God. Paul put it this way:
"For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)
In Messiah each believer is a new creation with specific works to accomplish that the Father has planned out in advance, for which He has prepared the individual child of God in advance. That is our purpose. That is what we were made for - doing the will of the Father.
This ties into a sort of quest that is set before each one who comes to Messiah. There are questions to be answered: Who am I? What is my true identity in Messiah? What obligations go along with that? How does my true identity impact my relationships with others? What are my callings and gifts of service? Of course, many other questions will arise as you seek to walk out His will for your life. All of this is part of your spiritual adventure.
One question you will be asking frequently is: What is the Lord's will for my life right now? The next question is: How do I get that question answered?
Certainly prayer is a good place to start. Very often, when someone prays with that question the Spirit leads them to Romans 12:1+ 2, which says:
"Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God."
Let's break this down. "Present you bodies a living sacrifice" means you are giving yourself to Elohim for His service. "Holy" means set apart to Him. "Acceptable to God" means you are striving to keep his commandments under the covering of Messiah's sacrifice. "Your reasonable service" means that your mind is fully engaged in your service to Him. These are all prerequisites along with two more. "Don't be conformed to this world" means cultivating a Biblical worldview and values in contrast to those of the world. "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" involves being transformed in the image of Messiah through focusing on the Word, putting it to work in your own life as His Spirit leads.
When you are doing these things your eyes are opened to see what His will is, and your mind and heart are aligned with His, "that you may prove" - that is test out in your walk, what is His good, well-pleasing, and perfect will for you. As you grow in all of this you will keep getting better at discerning His will and in doing it. His grace will cover your mistakes, while you keep moving forward in your transformation. This is the sanctification process.
Mind you, the Father's will is definitely 'big picture' in the ultimate sense. He sees the end from the beginning and His ways and thoughts are far advanced beyond our own. Beyond that, He is Sovereign over all. That means that since He created everything He is both able and entitled to do what He wants with any and all of His creation. This is not to imply that He is capricious in any sense. All of His Divine Will is within the bounds of His own perfection of character, whether the finite mind sees it that way or not.
So then, he [Elohim] has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. Will you say then to me, Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will? But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, Why did you make me like this? Or hasn't the potter a right over the clay..? (Romans 9:18-21)
Indeed, humans often judge God because they don't like something that He has allowed or willed toward themselves or others. Sometimes the Divine Will requires personal and costly sacrifice from one of His children for the sake of others. Many have held back or even turned away from the Divine Will because of this. Yet, why should they stumble when faced with self-sacrifice, when they know He didn't spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all ? Surely, the pattern of self-sacrifice in the interests of the Divine Will set by Messiah should tell us that any of His children could likewise be called upon to exhibit self-sacrifice, whether big or small. (Romans 8:32)
Actually, at some point, each of us will be tested on this issue of self-sacrifice for the Divine Will. Why do I say that? Because everything of spiritual value must be tested. As Scripture says, "each mans work will be revealed. For the day [of testing] will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man's work is." (1 Corinthians 3:13)
Tonight we will be live-streaming our next episode of Messiah's Mighty Men, entitled: Walk In The Divine Will. This dynamic panel discussion is sure to help you in your own personal walk with Him. This live stream will begin at Tsiyon.Net at 8 PM, Central. While this topic will be useful to everyone, it is especially focused on Messiah's men.
Eliyahu
Tsiyon.Org
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"In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good courage!
I have overcome the world." John 16:33