Thy Will Be Done
Completing His Plan - The Purpose of Prayer
"...[we] do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light." 1 Corinthians 1:9-12
1. Read 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 and worship along with David, the "man after God's own heart".
a. Read David's words of praise asking God to make them your own. (You might start by praying Moses' words, "God show me Your glory." Ex. 33:18)
b. What seems to be the desire of David's heart?
c. How does David's longing related to God's purpose for His people?
2. Read John 15:1-20. Remember "God so loved.... that He gave..." When we worship Him, we express our love by giving ourselves in surrender to His will. Look now at His will for each of us.
a. According to verses 12-13, what does He desire for us?
b. Prayerfully study vs. 14-20. Ponder the meaning of friendship, then describe the person who responds to Jesus and becomes His friend. (Is this you?)
c. Explain how it is possible for you to be and live as His friend?
3. Read John 13:34-35. When we live as God's faithful friends, what happens around us? Explain the process of fulfilling God's purpose.
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
4. Read Colossians 1:27-29. Paul, one of His intimate friends, shows his identification with the purpose of God.
27 "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily."
a. What is God's goal for us?
b. How important is this goal to Paul? (What actions prove his intentions?)
c. Which phrase identifies Paul's source of love?
d. (Personal) To what extent can you identify with Paul's purpose and longing? What actions in your life prove your sincerity?
5. Look at the natural expression of Paul's goal in ministry. From each passage, write the words that show His love and commitment to their growth.
Romans 1:8-10. "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you."
1 Corinthians 1:4-9. "I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Ephesians 1:15-19. "Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come."
Philippians 1:3-4. "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..."
1 Thessalonians 1:3-4. "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; "
1 Thessalonians 3:11-13. "Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints."
2 Thessalonians 3:5. "Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ."
a. What common elements do you see in these prayers?
b. What do they tell us about Paul's heart?
c. How well do they line up with God's purposes for His people: their completion, which leads to the expansion of His Kingdom here on earth?
Remember his longing:
Psalm 40:8. "I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.”
Matthew 7:21. "“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."
21 Thessalonians 2:13. "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
6. (Personal) Having looked at Paul's purpose and prayer-life, what did you learn?
How will you apply what God showed you?
7. Consider some of the people in your life for whom God and you share a burden. Ask God to show you His desire for them, then write the prayer that flows from His heart through yours. Expect Him to answer -- knowing He might use you to be part of the answer.