Gods will. there’s a controversial subject. many heated debates have ended unresolved over this one question of what Gods will is. i try to stay out of such arguments, but i have been faced with a few zealous brethren whose desire it was to straighten me out over certain matters. but it was too late for that, because i had already believed Gods word over traditional doctrine in those matters. well meaning people tend to get very upset if you dont agree with tradition over healing, prosperity, and protection. they will almost violently oppose the idea that, say, its always Gods will to heal. even though the Bible teaches this, and Jesus demonstrated it.
i have never been very religious. i would rather know what i believe, and know why i believe it. its like building on a rock. rain cant wash it away from under you, and wind cant blow you off it. so when i first began to see people drawing conclusions about Gods will based on past events and circumstance, and mostly guessing and speculating about what His will is, i knew i couldnt go through life that way. i had already settled it in my heart that the Bible is Gods word. it stood to reason, then, that His will would match His word.
the first thing i asked to know about was healing. was it always His will, or was it ever His will? i saw a lot of sick ‘believers’. immediately my mind went to the gospels, and the scriptures that quoted Jesus as saying ‘if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. I do as I see Him do’. ok, so i looked for examples of Jesus not healing some one, saying God wanted to teach them something from the sickness. i couldnt find any. every time someone came to Him for healing, He healed them.
i also asked Him if He really allowed the devil to teach us things. i was willing to submit to it, if it was how He wanted to do things. again He led me to three scriptures.
- first was colossians 2:15, which says that Christ spoiled principalities and made a spectacle of them publicly. in those days, when you conquered and enemy, it wasnt uncommon to parade them in cages to show your dominion over them.
- second was hebrews 2:14, which says Christ became flesh like us, in order to destroy him who had the power of death. the word used means to render entirely idle.
- third was 1 john 3:8, which says Christ also destroyed the works of the devil. the word used here means to loosen, like loosening ties in such a way they cant be used again.
then He asked me if He so dealt with the devil, and then also gave me authority over him, why would He then ‘allow’ the devil to do anything to me? in fact, how could He, if He already gave me authority over the devil? well the answer is He doesnt and He cant.
there is a lot more i can say about all this. a lot more. i have a post brewing about the book of job, which i will be writing soon.
but i just wanted wanted to say here that i have reasons for what i believe. i dont just take up a teaching because i like the teacher. it has to be true. there has to be something solid to put my feet on. it has to more than feel right, or seem to make sense, for me. neither do i try to make the scripture fit my world.
i decided a long time ago that the word of God was the final authority. it is what God thinks, what He has done, and what He believes. it is also my covenant of blood with Him. it always works.