HAVE A WILLINGNESS!
When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves— praise the Lord! …Judges 5:2
My heart is with Israel’s princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord! —Judges 5:9
“If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God, or I am speaking from Myself.” —John17:17
For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. —Romans 7:18
In the Lord’s prayer, we read this— “…your will be done…” Now, do we really have a willingness for His will to be done? Are we submitting willingly to His will? Are we willingly being what He wills? Are we willingly doing what He will? Do we pray, “Your will be done” as a rote prayer or truly with a willingness to desire His will to be done!
Praise the Lord when leaders and the people truly have a desire to do our Lord’s will willingly— when they offer themselves (Romans 12:1-2) and when they volunteer. This is when we find out if what Jesus was teaching is true— “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God, or I am speaking from Myself.” See, it is not just knowing about His teaching, it is willing, loving obedience that will prove His teaching.
There is a constant, moment by moment choice to make the right, godly decisions or to follow fleshly desires. “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want” (Galatians 5:17). Paul understood this conflict when he said, “For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.” Jesus even said to His disciples that ““Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). What is the answer? “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). The Spirit of God works through the Word of God to conform us to the Son of God for the glory of God. So, may we be like the wise man and not the foolish man—
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” —Matthew 7:24-27
So, let us have a willingness to, not only hear His Word, but to put His Word into practice. Yes, Dear Father, may this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. Yes, may we have this type of willingness for Your honor and glory. So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-816LEY-F9U&list=RD-816LEY-F9U&start_radio=1