(OPINION) “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” – Ephesians 5:17
Did you know that God does not want us to remain ignorant of his will? Sadly, many professed believers remain ignorant regarding this because they don’t read God’s Word.
I am not going to list all the things that God says are his will for us as believers but there is one particular thing that I want to focus on today and that is the salvation of the lost.
I can’t tell you how many Christians I have heard in prayer or in conversation will say something to the likes of “If it’s God’s will my husband, my wife, my brother, or whomever can be saved.
Friend, I want to show you by the Word of God that it absolutely is the “will of God” that your loved one, friend, co-worker, or acquaintance be saved.
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”. 1 Timothy 2:3
Did you catch that? God desires ALL men to not only be saved but to come to the knowledge of the “truth”. What is the truth? It is that Jesus is the “Way, the TRUTH, and the life, and that no man comes to father but through him!
Then we read that the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
Here again, the Lord reveals that he is not willing that ANY should perish and that ALL should come to repentance. Many don’t know these wonderful verses that give them confidence in the prayers but sadly, have been taught false doctrines such as pre-destination or Calvinism that teach that God has created people to be destined for Heaven and others for Hell.
If this doctrine were true, the Lord would have not told us to “choose this day whom we will serve”. We wouldn’t be given a choice. But some will say, but brother Ricky, doesn’t God know who will accept him and who doesn’t? well of course he does.
He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, however, this does not eliminate the free will of the individual. We are not mere puppets but have free will to serve the Lord or not serve him on any given day, However, I am hopeful that today we will change someone’s prayer life regarding the unsaved.
Now this does not mean that everyone will be saved. We aren’t teaching “Universalism” here, Although it is God’s will for all to be saved many will not because they will reject Christ and free gift of salvation.
This is why the Bible says that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him SHOULD NOT perish but have everlasting life”.
It didn’t say they wouldn’t but that they should not because again, not everyone will believe on him but it doesn’t negate the fact that it is God’s will they be saved.
We can pray with assurance to know that it is the “Will of God” that those whom we are praying and interceding for be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth but the devil would like you to believe that they aren’t worthy, gone too far, or qualified to have the gift of salvation.
Lastly, I want to also leave you with an amazing passage that shows us that God not only wants you saved but your entire household!
In the book of Acts, Chapter 16, We read that at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them and suddenly there was a great earthquake so that all the doors of the prison were suddenly opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
And the keeper of the prison, waking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes.
And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.
Notice here that Paul instructed the jailer who inquired about salvation to not only believe for himself but that God also desired that his entire household or bloodline would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth as well.
Many years ago, I claimed this promise for my parents and prayed and interceded for them for years and my mother was the first to come to the lord after many years of living in prodigal living and in a backslidden state but God was faithful giving me a full-color detailed dream of her repenting and coming back to the Lord that was fulfilled 5 years later exactly as the dream was given to me.
My step-father was next and it took several more years but literally while on his death bed, he accepted the Lord and thus God was faithful but I has to remain in a posture of prayer and intercession quoting the Word and Will of God that they would be saved no matter how dark it looked and impossible it seemed.
It’s time we stop listening to unbelief and false doctrine that undermines the will of God. Get in your prayer closet today get a notebook and paper or your phone and make a list of those you want to see saved and come to Christ and begin to believe God for his word to come to pass over them! That they would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth!
