Spring Blaze: On Fire for the Will of God

I have been watching the winter trees of our mountains. They are all black skeletons against a blue sky, but I know mysterious life is moving inside them, powerful happenings, unseen. It’s really rather amazing that they will soon sprout and in weeks will paint the mountains all shades of green.

It’s spring in Georgia and it’s spring in my spirit after a long winter. For me also, there was Life at work all along. Now I am being awakened by the Spirit to a new desire for desire. I want to want what the Lord wants. And I believe He gave me a desire for new fire, fresh hope, and energy.

The match has struck a flame. It happened when I saw Carole’s copy of a book by Andrew Murray. On her coffee table, under another book, was God’s Will, Our Dwelling Place. It was almost buried, just peeking out, but Light was on it. So I looked for my copy, a newer printing but the same book I had read and loved (now titled Thy Will Be Done).

I should never think I have ‘already read’ a book by Murray. I should never let several years go by between reading his works. This one on God’s will I should read every year! His revelation, his anointed words are so rich and hopeful, so deep and simple – I will never ‘master’ a one of his messages.

As if I was reading it for the first time, the book was a divine fire that sparked a flame in my heart.

The Will of God Holds Enormous Blessings

Funny how God comes at you from within and without, around and about, to guide you into His treasure. One recent day, I was driving for a couple of hours and I kept thinking about the enormous blessings that are poured on those who will live for His will. As I began to think of all my blessings, I was overwhelmed with God’s outpouring to the smallest detail. And I cried out, “If only people knew the glorious benefits of being in the center of Your precious will.”

The will of God has been my song for a long time, but Murray, oh Murray! He reduced me to tears of repentance. I took communion more than once…

Along the way of reading, I had a ‘random thought.’ Ha! Or so I imagined! I have never looked into the Greek meaning of that word: will. “Thy Will be done.” I considered that I knew: His will is His law and His command, and it is rigid.

I went to Strong’s #2307 and the definition was shocking. The Holy Spirit blew His Wind on my little flame and a fire blazed in my heart! May it ever burn…

We humans share a primal suspicion that God’s will is the worst of all possibilities. We pray for the will of God with dread, or as a dear friend wrote:

“We lie to ourselves. We convince ourselves God just hasn’t spoken, because He hasn’t spoken what we are waiting to hear! When we are not surrendered and rightly related, we think we KNOW, and we just want God to consent to our decision. That is NOT prayer. That is NOT seeking His will. That is looking for a rubber stamp. That is I AM GOD, now do what I want.”

What the Will of God Tells Us About Him

The will of God is so lovely, so divine. Inside the center of His intention and under the heart of His desire is an open heaven, pouring blessings that overwhelm!

Ephesians 1:7-8 NLT
He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

Take a gaze at what the word “WILL” in the Greek tells us about our God!

“Will, not to be conceived as a demand, but as an expression or inclination of pleasure towards that which is liked, that which pleases and creates joy.

When it denotes God’s will, it signifies His gracious disposition toward something. Used to designate what God Himself does of His own good pleasure.”

An Offer, Not a Law: The Will of God

God’s will is an offer, not a law. You and I are free to refuse. He gives that freedom freely. Yet He is filled with His own good pleasure, in His secret plan for our delight and fulfillment. His desire/will is His great joy and pleasure FOR US, not to diminish but to increase us. Not to restrict but to liberate. God’s “WILL” expresses His great joy over us and His exuberant delight, when He can bless outlandishly. His will is intended to ‘please us and create joy!’

And as if that were not enough, He will Himself fulfill and perform His own will within our clay vessel. All He needs is true consent.

And faith in His goodness would help, too!

I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, even to the end.
Psalm 119:111 NASB

His decrees, testimonies, and statutes are HIS WILL!

I’m ready to incline my heart to the joy of loving the will of God. How about you? After all, He sent His Son Who “came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Jesus carries the same intention as His Father: our outlandish good!

Oh, I think I’ll go look up the Greek for abundantly!