Continuing from the concluding assertions of the last posting, one should ask, was God demanding of us differently from what was demanded of the Lord Jesus?  Let us consider the following scriptures, statements the Lord Jesus Christ made during His physical sojourn on earth:

Luke 22:42 (AMPC)—Saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done.

John 4:34 (AMPC)—Jesus said to them, My food (nourishment) is to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish and completely finish His work.
 
John 5:30 (AMPC)—I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord–but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.
 
John 6:37-40 (AMPC)—All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me]. For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will and purpose but to do the will and purpose of Him Who sent Me. And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. For this is My Father’s will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day
 
John 20:21,31 (AMPC)—Then Jesus said to them again, Peace to you! [Just] as the Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you…But these are written (recorded) in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of God, and that through believing and cleaving to and trusting and relying upon Him you may have life through (in) His name [through Who He is].

We have listed but a few of the scriptures showing the place of the will of the Father in the life of the Lord, as the basis of everything He did and grounds for the Father answering His requests. This cannot be different for us and gives the basis for the admonition of James 4:1-5 (TPT)—

What is the cause of your conflicts and quarrels with each other? Doesn’t the battle begin inside of you as you fight to have your own way and fulfill your own desires? You jealously want what others have so you begin to see yourself as better than others. You scheme with envy and harm others to selfishly obtain what you crave—that’s why you quarrel and fight. And all the time you don’t obtain what you want because you won’t ask God for it! And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires. You have become spiritual adulterers who are having an affair, an unholy relationship with the world. Don’t you know that flirting with the world’s values places you at odds with God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy! Does the Scripture mean nothing to you that says, “The Spirit that God breathed into our hearts is a jealous Lover who intensely desires to have more and more of us”?

Here’s food for thought for every believer! Is your asking based on fulfillment of your desires; desires that are predicated on this world’s values? These questions demand a sober reflection and a change of mindset in your prayer life! So, on what should our prayers be based? Before we answer this question, let us examine the ‘I will’ statements of the Lord as a starting point for knowing those things that are premium to God. Shalom.


Pastor Afolabi Oladele