If God Wills
Overview
Living Under the Will of God
When Paul departed from Ephesus, he gave a brief but profound farewell: "I will return to you if God wills" Acts 18:21. Those five words—if God wills—capture a posture of trust that the believer is invited to embrace. If God wills something, it will come to pass; if He does not, no amount of planning, ingenuity, or grit can bring it about. Far from being a burden, this is a word of freedom. We are not the architects of our destinies, despite what our culture insists. Our times are in His hand Psalm 31:15, and as James reminds us, the proper way to speak about tomorrow is, "If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that" James 4:13-15.
Many Christians long for the kind of confirmation Gideon received when he laid out his fleece Judges 6:36-40. Yet God has not left us to seek signs in that way. "Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son" Hebrews 1:1-2. The voice of God is heard in His Word. To know His mind, we open Scripture.
It helps to distinguish two aspects of God's will. His decretive will is what He sovereignly declares—"Let there be light," the calling of Abraham, the coming of Messiah. Some of this is revealed in Scripture; some remains hidden. As Moses wrote, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children" Deuteronomy 29:29. His preceptive will is what He commands in His law and Word—do not steal, do not murder, "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. The temptation is to spend our energy chasing the hidden while neglecting what He has plainly revealed. Trust Him to lead you in the hidden as you walk faithfully in the revealed. Even Paul, eager to preach in Asia, was redirected by the Spirit to Europe Acts 16:6-10. God guides His people.
The opposite of resting in God's will is worry—the anxious effort to bend His will to ours. But Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy will be done" Matthew 6:10, not "my will be done." And here is the deepest grace: even our pride—our impulse to make our own will an idol—has been answered at the cross, where Christ died for our sins and washed us in His blood. That is grace far greater than any fleece. So rest. God is in control. Make your plans, hold them open-handedly, and say with Paul, "If God wills."
Transcript
The Bible tells us about a person by the name of Gideon. 0s
Gideon knew what the will of God was, but he just wanted confirmation. 5s
And so he said, God, I'm going to take this fleece of wool. 13s
I'm going to lay it on the ground. 18s
And in the morning, if this fleece is wet and the dry is and the ground is dry, 20s
then I will know indeed that you will do what you will say you do. 27s
Well, he lays down the fleece and the morning comes and that fleece is just absolutely soaked. 35s
He picks up the fleece and the Bible says he rings it out and it fills the bowl with water. 42s
But then the Bible says that Gideon says, don't be angry with me, God. 50s
But this time, how about I lay the fleece down once again. 59s
And this time now, if the fleece is dry and the ground is wet, then I'll know that 66s
indeed you will do exactly what you said you will do. 74s
And so he puts the fleece down and low on behold, that fleece is dry and the ground is wet. 80s
Now you read that story and you ponder that and you think to yourself about Gideon. 91s
As the thought of across your mind, that when you reflect on what Gideon did, that you just 97s
kind of say really? 102s
And really? 105s
God has already told him what he's going to do. 107s
That's very clear in the text. 109s
Gideon knows the will of God. 111s
He just wants this extra confirmation and God and His graciousness condescends here to Gideon, 113s
not only once but twice to confirm again and again what he has already said and said. 120s
And that's the grace of God, isn't it? 130s
So one can approach that text and say really? 136s
But is there a side of you that has ever when you read that text said really? 141s
Pius isn't there an appeal to be able to put down a fleece and to say, Lord, if it's wet 151s
or if it's dry, then I'll know the direction to take or I'll have confirmation about 156s
the decision. 161s
Isn't there an appeal to that? 162s
But love it, do not leave the service today, go home and lay a fleece down and do this. 165s
That is not the point, not at all. 172s
Because you see Hebrews the first chapter tells us exactly how God communicates. 175s
Now, since his son is come and the word has been given and that is not that way. 180s
Hebrews the first chapter tells us long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various 188s
ways by the prophets, read for example, a fleece. 194s
But then the scripture says, but in these last days, He has spoken to us by a son. 200s
One wants to hear the voice of God, one hears the voice of God in his word. 206s
That's where the voice is heard. 215s
But yet, the desire to know the will of God lingers, doesn't it? 221s
So is there a word of grace for us in that department? 230s
Is there a word of grace when we ponder the will of God? 233s
It's exactly what the text addresses. 241s
So let's study. 244s
We pick up in verse 18, chapter 18. 245s
The scripture says, after staying there for a considerable time and remember where was 249s
there that there was Corinth, right? 254s
The Bible tells us that Paul was there for 18 months preaching the word of God. 256s
So after staying there for a considerable time, Paul said farewell to the believers and 261s
sailed for Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. 267s
Priscilla and Aquila, they are wonderful friends of Paul, wonderful friends. 274s
They're tent makers also. 282s
And remember what did Paul do by trade? 284s
He was a tent maker. 286s
So Priscilla and Aquila, they also made tents and they traveled with Paul. 287s
Paul is a special place in his heart for Priscilla and Aquila. 294s
In Romans of 16th chapter, speaking of them, he says, they risked their lives for my life. 299s
In first Corinthians, the 16th chapter, Priscilla and Aquila had a church in their very home. 306s
They are close to Paul. 313s
They are dear friends of Paul. 315s
Next part of verse 18. 319s
At century, he had his hair cut for he was under a vow. 322s
So Paul must have made some type of vow. 331s
Do we know what the vow was? 333s
Nope. 334s
Bible doesn't tell us. 335s
He made some type of vow to God and then when the vow was complete, then he cut his hair. 336s
But when one looks at that and one says, well, where is this coming from? 344s
Well, that's really a Jewish custom. 348s
Or Paul's a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, of course. 351s
But he's simply using a Jewish custom here to express his thanksgiving to God. 354s
This is not works righteousness. 359s
It's not if I do these type of things I will be safe. 361s
No Paul is simply borrowing a Jewish custom here and expressing thanks to God. 364s
We go on. 369s
Verse 19. 370s
When they reached Ephesus, he left them there, but first he himself went into the 373s
synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. 379s
Remember that's what Paul does. 382s
He goes into town, where's the synagogue? 384s
He goes into the synagogue and he witnesses. 386s
Verse 20. 389s
When they asked him to stay longer, he declined. 391s
But on taking leave of them, he said, 396s
I will return to you if God wills. 399s
Then he said, sale from Ephesus. 407s
I will return to you if God wills. 410s
That is such a statement of freedom. 418s
If God wills something, it will come about. 426s
And if God does not will something, it will not come about. 431s
Our society is bent on this proclamation that you can form your own destiny, 438s
that you can simply speak it into existence. 446s
No. 452s
No. 453s
If God wills it, it will be. 454s
And if God wills it, it won't be. 456s
No amount of ingenuity on your part, no amount of planning, no amount of grit, no amount 460s
of whatever you want to fill in the blank is. 464s
If you think that you can somehow bring about your own reality that is not the will of God, 468s
you're mistaken. 477s
If God wills it, it will be. 479s
And if He doesn't, it won't be. 483s
Paul turns and says, if God wills, I'll be back. 489s
So if He wills, I'll be back. 497s
And if He doesn't will, I won't. 499s
There's freedom there, isn't it? 501s
There's freedom there. 503s
Well, one realizes that He is submitting them to the will of God Almighty. 504s
We hear that in Scripture. 511s
In Psalm 31, we hear, my times are in your hand. 513s
Your hand, you hold my times. 520s
You hold the reality. 523s
James writes in James the fourth chapter. 526s
He says, come now, you who say, today or tomorrow 530s
will go to such and such a town, spend a year there doing business, making money. 534s
Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. 541s
What is your life for your amissed that appears for a little while and then vanishes? 546s
Catch this. 555s
Instead, you ought to say, if the Lord wishes we will live and do this or that. 556s
If the Lord wishes, if the Lord desires, we can make all the plans in the world. 569s
And if it's not in accordance with the will of God, guess what? 576s
It's not going to happen. 580s
It's not. 581s
Paul says, Lord, we'll be back. 583s
If not, I won't. 586s
That's freedom. 589s
That's freedom. 590s
Paul lived this. 591s
In Acts 16, chapter, we read. 593s
They went through the region of Frigia and Galatia, 596s
having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 600s
Did Paul want to go into Asia? 606s
At that point, he certainly did. 608s
Did God want Paul to go into Asia? 611s
At that point? 613s
No, he didn't. 614s
Where did God want Paul? 615s
Europe. 617s
So guess where Paul went? 617s
He goes to Europe. 620s
Asia will come, but it wasn't God's timing. 622s
Paul may have thought it was absolutely perfect. 626s
Now, it was a perfect timing to go into Asia. 628s
And the Holy Spirit forbids him. 630s
Forbids him. 632s
You're not going to go there. 634s
That's submitting to the will. 636s
Look again, verse 21 of our text. 639s
On taking leave of them, he said, 643s
I will return to you if God wills. 646s
That's going to be a little deeper here. 654s
There's two really important terms with regard to the will of God. 657s
That's important to have a working knowledge of. 661s
The first is this. 664s
The decreeative will of God. 666s
The decreeative will of God. 669s
That's the declaring of God. 673s
For example, when God says, let there be light. 675s
There's light, right? 680s
God simply declares it. 682s
We see in Scripture, that's the will of God. 684s
For there to be light. 686s
God declared it. 687s
For example, God says, out of Abraham and Sarah is going to come this nation. 690s
And out of this nation is going to come the Messiah. 695s
That's written in, God's word for us. 698s
We see His decreeative will there. 700s
We see it then played out in the pages of Scripture. 703s
Now here's the thing about the decreeative will of God. 708s
It can be revealed or it can be hidden. 712s
See the one of the two? 717s
See the revealed or it's hidden. 718s
Dooderonomy, the 29th chapter, says this, 721s
the secret things belong to the Lord our God. 724s
But the revealed things belong to us and to our children forever. 728s
To observe all the words of this law. 735s
So God has secret things. 741s
That's His hidden decreeative will. 743s
God also has those that are not hidden. 748s
We see it. 750s
Let there be light out of this. 752s
People are going to come the Messiah. 754s
This great nation. 755s
We see that revealed. 758s
So the decreeative will then is either hidden or it's revealed. 759s
Here's a second term. 766s
The preceptive will of God. 768s
The preceptive will of God. 770s
That's the will of God that we know. 773s
We always know it. 774s
That's the will of God that's revealed in his law. 775s
So when God says, do not steal. 779s
We never have to ask the question. 783s
Is it okay for me to steal? 785s
What's the will of God on this? 787s
You see, when God says, don't murder, 790s
we know what His will is. 794s
That's revealed in his law. 795s
When God reveals, for example, through the Apostle Paul, 797s
in first Thessalonians the 5th chapter, 800s
when He says, rejoice always, pray without ceasing, 803s
give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God 807s
and in Christ Jesus for you. 814s
That's the preceptive will of God. 817s
There's the precept. 820s
We know it. 821s
It is revealed to us. 822s
There's nothing hidden about that. 824s
There is the will of God. 826s
So there's decreeative hidden and revealed. 828s
There's the preceptive will of God. 831s
That's always revealed. 833s
That's his law that he gives to us. 834s
Here's the thing. 838s
We can be so tempted, so tempted. 841s
To spend our time trying to discern what is the hidden, 848s
decreeative will of God and ignoring what He's revealed to us 853s
in His preceptive will. 858s
We can be so consumed with what is the will of God on this? 862s
Well, I have to somehow figure this out. 868s
Well, at the same time, we're ignoring what He's already revealed 871s
in His preceptive will. 875s
Here's the thing. 879s
We can be so consumed in trying to figure out the hidden, 881s
the creative will of God that we forget. 887s
That God will guide us to His will. 893s
You'll guide us to that. 899s
We can rest in that grace. 902s
Here's the thing. 907s
We can be so consumed with our will 911s
that we try and impose our will on His will. 916s
Remember the disciples turned to Jesus and they said, 924s
teach us to pray. 927s
Jesus teaches them the Lord's prayer. 927s
And what's the petition of the Lord's prayer? 931s
Thy will be done. 933s
Thy will be done. 936s
Who wants the temptation? 939s
Well, we're praying. 941s
Thy will be done to say, but really, my will, please. 943s
If God's just kind of come along, we've got it all written out 949s
in the flow chart here. 952s
We've got it all planned. 953s
We've got dates and times. 954s
We put a lot of effort into this. 955s
If God can simply jump on our will wagon here 957s
and bow before our throne. 961s
There's a temptation, right? 965s
And you see, what is the outcome of not resting 969s
in the will of God? 973s
The outcome of not resting in the will of God is worry. 974s
Because we are worried that our will 980s
isn't going to come about. 985s
But who's will to be want? 992s
Lord teaches to pray. 995s
And Jesus says, pray this way. 998s
Thy will. 1002s
Thy will be done. 1005s
Thy will. 1008s
If we thought God was gracious to Gideon, 1013s
my how God is gracious to us. 1017s
Because the midst are elevating of ourselves. 1021s
The midst are imposing of our will. 1024s
A midst are desperately trying to get God to do our bidding. 1028s
And on the cross, he dies for our sins, 1036s
including our pensioned to make ourselves 1042s
and our will and idol to which God and everyone else must bow down to. 1046s
And God sends His Son and pays the sin death and washes us 1058s
in His blood for giving us redeemed. 1065s
That's grace that far exceeds a fleece. 1073s
For now we have the Lamb of God who dies in our place. 1083s
Lloyd O'Reilly tells a story of a men's study group. 1097s
They had met monthly. 1102s
As they started to meet a theme for their group emerged, 1105s
and the theme was living under the management of the master. 1108s
It's a nice theme. 1113s
Living under the management of the master. 1115s
And when they would see each other at church or when they would see each other in the community, 1118s
they wouldn't wave, they wouldn't extend their hand. 1123s
They would put up their hand and go like this. 1126s
Because you see the four fingers in the thumb communicated a message. 1131s
It was a reminder. 1135s
And the message was this. 1138s
Remember, God is in control. 1139s
Remember, God is in control. 1151s
That is resting in His will. 1162s
People of God rest. 1172s
Rest. 1176s
Rest back in the arms of His will. 1181s
If God wills, I'll come back. 1191s
And if not, I won't. 1196s
Paul's words. 1201s
What a wonderful way to live. 1207s
Freedom. 1214s
Freedom. 1219s