Which other scriptures emphasize the importance of doing God's will? Delighting to Do His Will: Psalm 40:7–8 “Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.’ ” In David’s own words—later applied to Christ—obedience is not grudging duty but a glad, wholehearted response to God’s revealed Word. Old-Testament Echoes of Obedient Living • Deuteronomy 5:32-33 – “So be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you are not to turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper…” • Joshua 1:8 – Meditating on the Law “day and night” positions us to “be careful to do everything written in it.” • 1 Samuel 15:22 – “Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and listening than the fat of rams.” • Psalm 143:10 – “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” • Micah 6:8 – What the LORD “requires” is active justice, mercy, and humble fellowship with Him. Jesus: The Perfect Model of Submission • Matthew 6:10 – Our first petition: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” • Matthew 7:21 – Entrance into the kingdom hinges on doing “the will of My Father in heaven.” • Matthew 12:50 – Jesus calls obedient followers His true family. • John 4:34 – “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.” • John 6:38-40 – Christ came “not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me,” securing eternal life for all who believe. • Hebrews 10:7 – The writer quotes Psalm 40, anchoring Christ’s mission in the same heartbeat of obedience. New-Testament Instructions for the Church • Romans 12:1-2 – Presenting our bodies as living sacrifices and resisting worldliness leads to discerning “the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” • Ephesians 6:6 – Serve “as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.” • Colossians 1:9-10 – Paul prays believers “be filled with the knowledge of His will… so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” • 1 Thessalonians 4:3 – “For it is God’s will that you should be holy.” • 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks “is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” • James 1:22 – “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” • 1 Peter 2:15 – Doing good silences ignorance; “it is God’s will.” • 1 John 2:17 – The one “who does the will of God remains forever.” A Unified Picture From Moses to the prophets, from Christ to the apostles, Scripture consistently presents God’s will as: 1. Clearly revealed in His Word. 2. Meant to be joyfully embraced. 3. The pathway to blessing, fruitfulness, and eternal permanence. Living It Out Today • Soak in Scripture daily; knowing God’s will begins with knowing His Word. • Choose active obedience over mere religious ritual. • Follow Jesus’ example—let pleasing the Father become your “food.” • Rely on the Spirit’s enabling; He leads us into practical, everyday obedience. |
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