What a huge and yet unfortunately misunderstood truth, God’s will versus man’s will. The ‘versus’ here would be well illustrated by the LA Lakers versus the peewee 2 year old Upward girls team, if there is such an entity. It’s a no win contest. In fact, for mankind, it is an absolute loser. The Bible says that God “caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food: the tree of life in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Gen 2:9)
Then the Lord commanded the man, “from any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat from it you shall surely die.” (Gen 2:16-7) Well, Adam ate of the forbidden fruit and all mankind in the loins of Adam ate of it too, including you and me. We were in Adam and when he sinned, all who were in him not only sinned but became sinners. One disobedient act of man’s will resulted in the disobedience of all (Rom.5). Now, did God not know that Adam was going to sin? Was it not God’s will that Adam would sin? If it wasn’t, why did The Father slaughter The Son before this one offense against God? That would mean God would not only be non-omniscient, but God would have killed His Only Son hoping that Adam in his”free” will would sin so that His Only Beloved would not have been needlessly offered for all sin prior to this time. The peace that surpasses all understanding comes from coming to grips, accepting the fact and never letting it go, THAT GOD PRE-DETERMINES ALL. Nothing happens by chance. Nothing truly happens by man’s “free” will. Everything is bound up and held perfectly in the Sovereign Hand of God. For example, “the lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” (Prov. 16:33) He is behind “chance”. How can that be? DO NOT try to figure it out, just simply believe it, fear Him, and His powerful and infinite knowledge and praise Him for His name’s sake. Anything less and you’re wearing a number ZERO on the peewee team and Kobe Bryant (He is NOT God, by the way. He is a sinner. Maybe he needs to be redeemed by this All Powerful One, also? This only illustrates a point.) is getting ready to leap over you and slam-dunk! How about Proverbs 16:9, “the mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” In Genesis Joseph’s brothers’ wills were working evil, yet all the while God’s will prevailed as it was working for good. (Gen.50:20) In Ephesians 1, Paul says that he is an “apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God” (vs.1)…He chose us in Him (vs.4)…He predestines according to the kind intention of His will…He made known to us the mystery of His will (vs.9)… we have been predestined according to His purpose who WORKS ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL (vs.11)” In fact Paul uses He or Him (He did!, He chose!, His will!, He purposed!, He predestined!, etc.) 23 times from verses 4-13 and 13 times in verses 18b-23. Well what did man do after Adam? Ephesians 2:1 tells us plainly and clearly, “YOU” MAN WERE DEAD IN YOUR TRESPASSES AND SINS.” In John 1:13, the Bible says the regenerate born from above child of God was reborn because he wanted to; he, that is man, willed it. IT IS NOT what the Bible says, but it is what the world and unfortunately too many “churches” today say. It’s a lie! Verse 13 states that the regenerate “were born not of blood, NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD!!!” Hallelujiah!!! So, the question comes up, what do I do now that I am born again. Maybe a lesson from our Lord Jesus might help. “Not my will, but Thine be done.” (Luke 22:44) You see God, by faith has place us back in the garden and has given us a will again, a will that is free from guilt as we walk with Him, exempt from liability because of the finished work of Christ; it is voluntary, it is spontaneous, it is slavery to righteousness, it is ‘I want to’ not out of duty but out of pure and sincere love. In Acts 2:23 the Bible says, “this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, YOU nailed to a Cross by the hands of godless man and put Him to death.” And on, and on, and on… Warren Wiersbe in a recent message in Jonah said, ‘God’s will is not to be accepted or rejected, IT IS TO BE OBEYED. If not, God will break our will.” He gave an illustration of an unbroken colt. “It has all that power and will, but it is of no value to man unless it be broken!” God’s will to Jonah was His word (vs.1). Jonah was disobedient and in turn God didn’t speak to Jonah with a word, but came with a whirlwind, a storm that would break Jonah’s rebellious heart. He had to “die a deeper death, deep into the belly of a whale, in order for him to live a deeper life.” In the end, Pastor Wiersbe said “Jonah needed Ninevah as much as Ninevah needed Jonah.” God’s will is not just to save the lost, but to put His will into his children, us. Then, we can truly be free, in His will!