Seeking the Will of God like Jesus

I am super excited that you are joining us for this series. We are Seeking God and digging deep. In the post,  Seeking God with a Heart Like Christ, we went through an overview of what Seeking God looks like. Beginning with seeking the will of God, we will look closely at the life of Jesus.

There is nothing more I want than a heart like Christ. Most Christians would say they want to have a better prayer life and be more like Christ. I am so grateful He is in the business of transforming our lives to be more like Him.

Change from the inside out is available and inevitable when we are truly in Christ.

Have you ever said to yourself, I just want to do the right thing. I just want to do what God wants me to do. I just want to do His will.

But.

I don’t know what it is. I don’t know what God wants me to do.

You may find many good answers to this.

• If the Bible doesn’t explicitly say anything about your specific situation, seek wise and godly counsel. (Great Answer.)
• Pray and when you receive peace about the situation, that is the route you should take. (Another good thing to do.)
• Pray for God to open doors and shut the ones to which He doesn’t want you to walk through. (God is great at leading the way.)

In the Father’s Will

Those are all great solutions, but what does it mean to be in the Father’s will. We see when Jesus talks to the woman at the well, that pointing her to Christ was the Father’s will. We also see what feeds or drives Jesus to do His Father’s will, which is to glorify Him.

Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. John 4:34 (BSB)

There is no one to better to look at then the Son of the Father, Jesus. Jesus was walking in the will of His Father. He was talking in the will of His Father. Praying in the will of His Father. He was moving and navigating His life, in the will of His Father.

Seeking the will of God is what we must do as Christians. But what does that look like?

We are going to look at three things Jesus did that we can do that are in His Father’s will.

On Mission

What I love about studying Jesus is that He is always on mission. The attempts to distract Him or persuade Him to be or do something else were very real. The temptation in the desert by Satan to try and get Jesus to fall for his schemes is battled with Scripture.

With all the power and wealth Satan could offer, The Word spoke and the battle was won. It kept Him close to His Father’s will and sent Satan running for the hills.

We also see Jesus constantly under barrage from the Pharisee’s to be anybody but who He truly is. The final nail in the cross was due to Him continuing to do the work of His Father.

Jesus knew when His time had come. In His life, He brought Glory to His Father. Through His death, He redeemed us to Himself. Through His resurrection, He made all things new including the opportunity for us to live eternally with Him.

When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. For You granted Him authority over all humanity, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him. John 17:1-2 (BSB)

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” John 19:28. (NLT)

Jesus' mission to come to earth, die on the cross, be raised again, to eventually be seated at the right hand of His Father spoke loudly throughout His ministry. He knew what He had to do and He was faithful to complete it. #SeekingGod Share on X

What does this mean for us?

It seems simple enough, but the reality is we are bombarded in this world to be anything but on mission. With us, the devil is trying His tactics to get us to wander in the wilderness with Him.

Why? Because our mission is also to bring Glory to the Father. How do we do that? By telling others about Him and pointing at His One and Only Son.

He offers us hope, freedom, peace, a future in His Glorious presence and that hope is what we are to share with others (1 Peter 3:15). It should be the fuel that drives us.

Obedience

I love the story of the time when Jesus went with His parent to Jerusalem for Passover. Maybe because it makes me feel better to know that even the parents of the Son of God, have panicked about losing a child and it helps me to not feel alone in this parenting journey.

Jesus was 12 years old and His parents had left the Passover festival and Jesus stayed at the temple. By the time His parents had realized He was gone, they were beside themselves and a day away. Shouldn’t they have known He would be about His Father’s business, even at a young age?

They were needless to say, a bit frantic. When they found their son, He obediently went home with them.

I don’t think it is a coincidence the Bible refers to children being obedient to their parents many times. Not because it is easy. Not because we want to but because we learn what it means to be obedient to the Father.  We learn what it means to be pleasing to someone outside of ourselves.

I can’t imagine raising a perfect child. I can’t imagine being a perfect child.

But Jesus was without sin. Tempted in every way just as we are — but without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

What does this mean for us?

You may be wondering to what extent are you to be obedient. Philippians 2:8 says

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death– even death on a cross! (NIV)

That was the extent of Jesus obedience. Does He call us to do that? We don’t have to die for our sins, but there are people every day that are obedient to Christ, even to death. That puts obedience in a whole new light, doesn’t it?

Obedience even in suffering makes us more like Christ.

Has He called us to that kind of life? I don’t know.

Our obedience means we follow Him. Jesus was talking to Peter and Jesus was explaining to Peter what kind of death he was going to have to glorify Him. He was telling Peter the cost of following Him meant death. Peter turned to Jesus and said what about Him? Referring to John, who was following them. Jesus’ reply was, What is that to you? You follow me.” (John 21:21)

We don’t know what obedience will lead to. We do know that it is up to God what the reward is and how it will turn out and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Submission

I left the best for last. I know this for me by far has been the hardest.

For anyone who has made the decision to follow Christ has had to go from being prideful and full of themselves to humbly submitting to the Lord. Share on X

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. 1 Peter 5:5-6 (BSB)

For me, this was the hardest part because I prided myself on being independent. I didn’t need anyone telling me what to do or say or how to talk or walk or live.

Submitting to God doesn’t just mean someone is telling you what to do, although, being obedient is essential.

Submitting to God means I am free from the bonds of sin that so heavily entangled me. It means I am free to have hope about my present and my future because it has been bought with the blood of Jesus. Share on X

It means peace in the chaos of life. The kind of peace I have found in nowhere and in nothing else. In submitting to God, He has room to make me more like Him.

We see such an amazing example of Jesus submitting to the will of His Father the night He was taken to the cross. If there was any other way, but Jesus knew this was the plan. Once again, His obedience and submission led to His death and glorifying God.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 (NIV)

What does that mean for us?

This may be your biggest stumbling block to a closer relationship with Christ or a relationship at all.

May we be the person that is able to rejoice in the freedom that is offered only through Christ.

It is not God’s desire that anyone remain lost. Because of our sin nature, pride being part of that, we are not able to come to a Holy God. That is what He is.

The separation that is between us can only be brought to a place of peace when we decide to submit to His authority over our lives.

If you have made a decision to follow Christ and you feel your relationship is strained. Ask Him to reveal to you what in your life is getting in the way. Ask Him to reveal to you what you need to submit and turn over to Him. Maybe it is pride, greed, envy, jealousy. We have to completely submit to Him as the Authority and Ruler of our lives.

If you have never submitted to Christ. Don’t waste another moment. He alone can offer peace in this life that surpasses our understanding of any situation. If you need to talk further, please contact me.

Personal Reflections: 

1. We were created for worship. Does this change your idea of submission and living on mission for the Lord?
2. What do you struggle the most with, living in the Father’s will?
3. Are you currently battling any of these? Are you ready to give them up and trade them for peace?
4. What do you find, in your current season of life to be most difficult to live on mission?
5. If you have not submitted your life to Christ, what are you struggling to give Him?

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