That is Jesus saying, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” And from Scripture, we see that not only was His mind on His Father, but Jesus’ will was to do the will of His Father who sent Him. Like Jesus, our will should be to do the will of our heavenly Father.

We have been talking about the human soul since Pastor brought us into the subject, and we have heard several times that it contains our mind, will, and emotions, and I’ll add our conscience also. The mind is a processing center for the information we receive, not only visibly and audibly, but also information we receive by touch, taste, and smell. And Scripture tells us what must happen to our minds if it is to function in a godly manner. We are to renew our minds. We are to renew it, not God. We are to renew our minds so as not to conform to the values of our world, but to be transformed, so that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2 (KJV)

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

And God knows our inclination to let our mind wander. So he has given us filters for us to pass our thoughts through if we want to stay focused on doing His will.

Philippians 4:8 – New Living Translation

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.”

Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Those are the things where our filter for the thoughts that come to us should pass through. If they pass the filters, we can continue meditating on them. If not, dismiss them and move on to something else.

We are also told of the mindset we are to have.

Philippians 2:5 (KJV)

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

1 Corinthians 2:16 (KJV)

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.”

We have the mind of Christ, so that’s the mindset we should have. We are to have the mindset of Christ. So we know the mindset that God requires us to have.

But the mind cannot make us do right or wrong. Our will controls our actions. We know the things God requires of us, but unlike Jesus, we do not always will to do those things. Jesus’ will was to do His Father’s will. And we, too, should desire to do God’s will at all times, under all conditions. He created us with free will, so we can choose to do His will or choose to satisfy our own desires.

But God knows how to make us willing to do His will when necessary. God reasoned with Moses to get him to go and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt when Moses was reluctant to do so. God created a storm in Jonah’s life to get him to go to Nineveh, and though he was very reluctant, God eventually got him to do His will. And Paul surrendered to God’s will after Jesus confronted him while he was on the road to Damascus. And sometimes God removes leaders and replaces them with those He knows will do His will. He did that with Saul, as Pastor Rod ministered to us on Sunday. Saul did not do God’s will, and God replaced him.

1 Samuel 16:1

And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

God removed Saul and replaced him with David because God knew that Saul would not consistently do His will, but David would. So God replaced him with someone who would. God also removed kingdoms that were not doing His will. Israel was exiled by Assyria and was never allowed to return to their homeland. And Judah was exiled by the Babylonians, but they were allowed to return after 70 years.

God knows how to make people and nations willing to do His will. So what about you? What about me? What about us? Do we will to do God’s will? Are we willing to do what God desires of us? Or will it be necessary for Him to create situations to make us willing to do His will? Or will He have to replace us with others whom He knows will do His will? The easiest and best course of action for us is to do what God has commanded us, gifted us, and called us to do. We must will to do God’s will at all times, under all conditions. Amen. Amen.

Father, we thank You for this Word this that reminds us that You have a plan and a purpose for us. You created us to perform the good works that You’ve prepared for us. And You’ve given us all that we need, everything that is needed, to do what You’ve called us to do. All we have to do is have the will to do it.

So I pray that You would not have to replace us. You would not have to create situations to force us to do Your will; that we will do it with happiness and joy in our hearts, whatever it is that You call us to do, Father God, so that You can get the praise, the honor, and the glory. Continue to remind us of this. I pray in the name of Jesus.

And Father God, we thank You that we have this opportunity to bring our prayers to You. God loves us and loves us unconditionally. God is the omnipotent One who can do all things. Nothing is too hard for You. No purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. So with confidence, we come before Your throne with these requests.

And in advance, we say thank You for hearing and answering prayer. Thank You for comforting, for encouraging people, for opening doors, for delivering, for saving, for providing whatever it is. We know that You are able to do it. And we stand in advance, submitting each and every one of these important needs. This is my prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen, amen, and amen.