“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” (Matthew 7:21). “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” Matthew (18:14). The word “will” is desires (Strong’s G2307; Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., 1890). It is the same word used in: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). More than just a desire, but a desire that one is determined to perform. To do God’s will is to do what God desires and is determined to do.

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34). Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19). What the Father desires to do and is determined to perform, the Son does. A desire is the thing one hopes for. Faith is hoping for something for which there is no proof. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). But Jesus said He did what He saw the Father do. Faith until we see, and hope once we see.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:3-4). Have faith (trust – put hope in without proof) in the Lord, and He will put desires into your heart. David said to feed on His faithfulness, and Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me” (John 4:34a). God puts the things He is determined to perform (His desires) into our hearts as desires. The rest of John 4:34 reads, “and to finish His work.” And to complete what the Father is determined to complete.

And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment (1 John 3:23). Jesus completed the desire of our Father. “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:14). Jesus died to be our salvation that we should not perish. The Father desires for us to believe in the Savior who He sent to us, and to love one another. If we trust in Him, He will put the desire in us to believe and to love.

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26). The fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22a). The Spirit of God, sent by the Son from the Father, testifies of the Savior and grows love within us. The will (the desires He is determined to perform) of the Father is brought to us by the Holy Spirit. “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:15-16). “These things I command you, that you love one another” (John 15:17).

© 2010, Tim D. Coulter Sr.