Part 1. Understanding the general will of God in the church

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Ephessians 5:17.

It is a foolish thing (wherefore be ye not unwise), and the foolishness of the foolish Christians not to seek after knowing and fulfilling the will of God while they live. It is also a wasted life and existence on earth, notwithstanding the possessions and enjoyments of any earthlly blessings with its perishable glory, not to be made perfect and complete in all the will of God before passing to eternity – Epaphras, who is one of you,  a servant of Christ, salutes you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Colossians 4:12.

This is the cause of the condemnation of the unwiiling slothful servant and of his fellow pleasure lover servant: the unwilling slothful, not intrested to know the will of his master, he will not seek by prayer and fasting after them. The pleasure lover servant, though he knew his master’s will, but he refused to do and to accomplish them: instead, chose to invest his time and energy after the pursuits of pleasure and lusts of the flesh with the worldly people: both, though Christians, are destined for hell and destruction. Luke 12:42-48.

Man was created and placed on earth to seek after God (that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us. Acts 17:26), for the purpose of his being. This is his first step in his quest to know the will or the purposes of God during his brief time on earth, if by grace through Christ, he should found his way to God (John 14:6), for in Christ can man find his true purpose on earth: seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:6-9.

Those that are dead in sins and trespasess (unsaved sinners) are cut off from the divine life of God because they are not spiritually alive. Ephessians 4:14. It is practically impossible for them to know and do the will of God, except God quickened them from their present state of spiritual death into a new life of divinity through the new birth in Christ Jesus.

Those who are in the Lord, but are not mindful of the things of the spirit, and are neither walking in the spirit, but are mindful of the things of the flesh, and are walking after the things of the flesh, these also caanot please God, for they cannot be led by his Spirit into the will and purposes of God (Romans 8:14), having failed to set their affection on things above. Colossians 3:1. How can anyne be led into the will and purpsoes of God when their affection is not centered on him, and they are walking contrary to the conversation of the gosple life? Philippians 1:27. Worldy thoughts and ways are not God’s thoughts and ways, therefore such believer, whosoever they are, have failed of their spiritual responsibility to align and positioning themselves unto discovering the will and purposes of God.

In Christ, the believer is called upon to be mindful of his perseonal responsibility according to the text before us from the book of Ephesians Chapter 5 verses 17 to set himself aside in order to seek and to know, that he might do the will of God: whosoever they are – an apostle, a proohet, a pastor, a teacher of the word of God, an evangelist, a pastor, a medical practitioner, a nurse, an engineer, a bussiness man or woman, a tailor, a driver, a university lecturer or teacher etc.  In whatever field of proffessional life he/she should be found, there is a reason (divine purpose and will) he was called to that particular office or work life: this purpose should prayerfully be sought after, and should readilly be fulfilled.

Christ was once on the earth as the Son of man to fulfill the will of God (for I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. John 6:38): now that you are in the kingdom through the new birth through faith in Christ Jesus unto a lively hope by his resurrection from your former state of spiritual death to your present new life of divinity, you are to to fulfill divine purposes on earth, denying any interest, pursuits, praises and glory, both in your own life and in the life of other believers unrelated to the purposes, calling and glory of God in yours and theirs – for I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. Philippians 2:20-21.

Matthew chapter 6 verses 10 b  ‘thy will be done on earth as it is heaven’ was taught as a  reminder that there is something more important to God on earth as it has ever been the order of eternal routine in heaven – the full and complete execution of God’s will and interest. Angels in heaven, the twenty four elders with all the living creatures fulfils the will and pleasure of God. Also, are the winds, sun, moon, stars, birds and everything bow in submission to fulfill the pleasure of the Creator.

Though, so many of us recite the Lord’s Prayer every morning, how many of us fully understand its duty, its spiritual responsibility and the implications of the solemn declaration of ‘thy will be done on earth’ before God?  To start with, there should be a changed of lifestyle pattern according to the expectations of God (forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God….1 Peter 4:1-7) from us.

This is his general will for everyone called out of the world to live out his holiness before the people of the world as it is fitted or befitting the saints of God. Ephesians 5:3-7. This is your personal sanctification and our collective sanctification in the collective body of Christ, the church: furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7.

The redeemed and saved believers in the church are called to be saints (1 Corinthians 1:2), having been washed and sanctified or set aside for the Lord’s holy purpose and use. Individual member of the body of Christ must make sure to purge himself from all ungodliness and worldly lusts (Titus 2:11-12), not to abuse the godly, holy and kind affection of brotherly love towards one another for any lustful desire of self- gratification (let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affection one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another. Romans 12:9-10), to remain or stay as sanctify vessel, prepared for every good works for God’s praise in preparation for his celestial honor and preservation for eternity with God: otherwise, they might be used by the Lord, but at the end, be rejected and destroyed as vessels of dishonor, because God’s name has not been sanctified in their walk and ways or lifestyles in the world; they, being as workers of iniquity, shall be turned to hell. 2 Timothy 2:20-22.

The church is not a place to practice polygamy. It is not for adulterers and adulteresses, for them, God will judge. It is also not a place to tolerate the practice of promiscuous loose sexual life among the unmarried brothers and sisters. To avoid fornication, every brother should have his own wife, and every sister should have her own husband. The single sister should not be sexually manipulated or taken advantage over for her vulnerability: rather, she should be treated with all purity. The church is the assembly of saints, the holy city of our God, a city of truth without iniquity where God is expected to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. It is not the sanctuary of brothel where men and women freely exchange sex for recreation. 1Timothy 5:2.

Holiness in all manner of conversation is the first and major will of God calling and purposes for all and sundry in the kingdom, without which man shall see him. Hebrews 12:14.

It is the will of God that believers in Christ Jesus should be living daily to practice holiness in the way they speak (let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:29), practice holiness in the heart (blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8), practice holiness in their outward appearances and dressing (while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Who’s adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands. 1 Peter 3:2-5), practice holiness from the television programs they chose to watch at home (the light of the body is the eye: if therefore your eye is single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if your eye is evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22-23), practice holiness from the music they chose to listen and enjoy, practice holiness in their vacation time by using their holiday period to rest and to be alone with the Lord in a quiet or solitary place, instead of wandering around visiting places of interest or cinemas or opera concerts in the world of corruption and decay (I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2), practice holiness from the friend they have chosen to walk or associate with in the church (flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22), as it is written, as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:14-16.

It is expected of every believer in Christ Jesus to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:9-10. They should walk, live and to do things in the consideration of its outcome and effects on other believers (again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. 2 Corinthians 12:19), that by the example of their steadfastness in the Lord, others should be encourage and challenge to seek after the will of God, to do and remain in it, lest by any ungodly behavior or false Christians lifestyle, they should cause others to stumble, and it should become an unforgivable sin against them that do such things (but whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Mathew 18:6): even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:14.

Genuine and serious Christian with deep interest in knowing the will of God will not be content to sit down under the ministration of anyone without being led by the Spirit of God under certain conditions such as the soundness of the teaching or doctrine: (b) the personal testimony of the teacher or preacher.

It is obvious that the so called believers under the hands of the false teachers, pastors and other fake shepherds are being led by their own lusts as itching ears – self deceived believers (2Timothy 4:3), but not by God whose promise was to give them pastors according to his heart, which will feed you with knowledge and understanding to show you the paths of his ways and will. Jeremiah 3:15: (c) the nature of the spiritual food – milk, whether it is for babes or strong meat for the adults, as it is written, for whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them those are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. Isaiah 28:9-10. He will not give himself in submission to any pastor except it is the will of God for his healthy spiritual growth under the tutorial of the under-shepherd – and this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God. 2 Corinthians 8:5.

A Believer should be very careful on how he live his life, a city set on a hill cannot be hidden: (b) what or how he speak before other: (c) what he preaches or teaches, making sure not to corrupt or pervert the right way and the sound doctrine of the Lord, but to walk and live (for your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. Romans 16:19) circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, not to become an occasion of fall for any of whom Christ died to save, lest he be found guilty and condemn for the blood of any of his brethren he has corrupted and misled (wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Acts 20:26-27): whoso causes the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession. Proverbs 28:10.

Part 2. Understanding and pursuing the personal will of God for your life