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Sermon Series: Lord, Teach Us To Pray
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Romans 12:2 … what is that good, acceptable and perfect, will of God. ”
Hebrews 6:3 And this we will do if God permits.
C.S. Lewis said, “Every prayer in the universe falls into two categories:
Your will be done or my will be done ”
I. THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD.
Romans 12:2 … what is that good, acceptable and perfect, will of God. ”
Perfect carries the idea of being complete, of something’s being everything it
should be
God’s perfect will means no plan of ours can improve upon the plan of God
Nothing can be added to it, nothing can be taken from it.
Perfect means to reach the goal that was originally intended by almighty God.
II. THE PERMISSIVE WILL OF GOD.
Hebrews 6:3 And this we will do if God permits.
The permissible will of God is what God permits.
Permissive will is God’s allowance of circumstances to occur, whether good or bad,
He allowed or permitted it to happen.
If we make our own decisions, and He allows it as His permissive will, the outcome
will prove why it was not His perfect will in the first place.
III. THE PERFECT WILL VERUS THE PERMISSIVE WILL.
God’s perfect will was the innocence of man.
Genesis 2:25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
God’s permissive will was the fall of man.
Genesis 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they
were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
God’s perfect will is the salvation of man.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord … is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should
perish but that all should come to repentance.
1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge
of the truth.
God’s permissive will is the condemnation of man.
Romans 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart,
You are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his
righteous judgment will be revealed.
God’s perfect will for couples is marriage.
Genesis 2:24 . . . a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
and they will become one flesh.
Matthew 19:6b “…Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.
God’s permissive will for couples is divorce.
Matthew 19:8 Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts
were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.
Job 1:9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
Job 1:10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and
around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands,
and his possessions have increased in the land.
Job 1:11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will
surely curse You to Your face!”
Job 1:12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power;
only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence
of the Lord.
Job 2:4 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that
a man has he will give for his life.
Job 2:5 But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and
he will surely curse You to Your face!”
Job 2:6 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”
Job 2:7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with
painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you,
that he may sift you as wheat.
Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail;
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall
shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive
the very elect.
Romans 8:34 “… It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even
at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Why does God permit it?
Luke 22:32 “… and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
IV. CHOOSING GOD’S PERFECT WILL OR GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL.
2 Kings 20:1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the
prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord:
‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’ ”
2 Kings 20:2 Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying,
2 Kings 20:3 “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in
truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.”
2 Kings 20:4 And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court,
that the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
2 Kings 20:5 “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the
Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your
tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord.
2 Kings 20:6 And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city
from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake,
and for the sake of My servant David.” ‘ ”
2 Chronicles 32:24 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he
prayed to the Lord; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign.
2 Chronicles 32:25 But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him,
for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah
and Jerusalem.
J. Vernon McGee writes:
“This may seem like an awful thing for me to say, but Hezekiah should have died
when the time came for him to die. Three tragic things took place after God
extended his life; he showed his treasure to Babylon, He begat a son, Manassah,
who was the most wicked of all kings,…and His heart became filled with pride…
You see, it might have been better if Hezekiah had died at God’s appointed time.”
So often the perfect will of God comes to the rescue of the permissive will of God.
Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that
I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life,
that both you and your descendants may live;
Deuteronomy 30:20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His
voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days;
