By Tope Banso
Now and then when some things happen, people take comfort in saying that it is God’s will. Why not? God is Omnipresent, Omniscience and Omnipotent. However, why the last assertion is correct, the former is not. To say that everything that happens is the will of God is a religious statement, not a biblical truth.
People lie against God that everything that happens is His will. That God knows about everything, has all power and is present everywhere does not mean that everything that happens is His will. God has created man as a free moral agent; man has the power to make choices. God won’t violate his right.
If a driver chooses to get drunk and kills people, how is that the will of God? If a man gets angry and pulls out a gun and kills his neighbour, how can that be the will of God? If a husband or wife gets angry and stabs the spouse to death, how can that be God’s will? If a woman goes to commit abortion and kills her unborn baby, can that be the will of God?
Can the foolish decision of someone, such as investment in a Ponzi scheme, be the will of God? If a student fails to attend classes and study and fails his exams, should that be regarded as God’s will? How can all the senseless killings going on in different parts of the world from wars, violence, and all kinds of crises be the will of God?
If corrupt government officials divert public money into their accounts, is that the will of God? If politicians subvert the will of the people and massively rig elections to gain power, do you call that God’s will? Is terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, rape, or armed robbery also the will of God? If all of this is the will of God, then we shall be praying against His will if we ask Him to stop them! In other words, we are asking God to go against Himself or His will, which He will not. If everything that happens is the will of God, then there will be nothing like sin.
Many times, we fail to address the real issues and just swallow the bitter pill that everything that happens is the will of God. That’s a lie against God. That also does not help human beings to accept responsibility for their actions and hold others accountable for their wrong actions or sins.
Indeed, the Bible says all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). This scripture has been wrongly interpreted to mean everything that happens is God’s will.
This scripture simply means that no matter what happens, negative or positive, God will cause everything to turn out well for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. It doesn’t mean that any negative thing that happens is His will or everything that happens will work together for the good of everybody. It will work only together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
If everything that happens is God’s will, why does the Bible classify some behaviours as sin? If everything that happens is God’s will, then David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent killing of her husband, Uriah the Hittite, was God’s will (2 Samuel 11,12). The killing of Naboth by Jezebel and attempt by her husband, Ahab, to take over Naboth’s vineyard must have been God’s will (2 Kings 21). That would mean they didn’t sin.
However, because these two cases and several others in the Bible were not God’s will, God judged the characters involved. Amos 3:6 says, “If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?” (New King James Version). The word calamity here refers to the punishment of sin.
In other words, punishment of sin is from the Lord. It is also in this light that we must understand Isaiah 45:7 where the LORD says, “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things” (New King James Version). Again, calamity refers to the punishment of sin. God does not do evil, but He punishes evil. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9b). Nevertheless, the soul that sins must die (Ezekiel 18:20a). Whatever anyone sows, he shall reap (Galatians 6:7).
Nobody should blame God when he reaps what he sows. Nobody should use the will of God as an excuse for the evil or sin he has committed. No one should hide under the “will of God” to perpetrate evil or injustice. Evil or injustice happens, and God is aware of it, but He is not the author. It is not His will. It would be an injustice to punish evildoers for doing God’s will if everything that happens is His will. The oppressors or the wicked should not use “everything that happens is God’s will” to justify their actions. They should not tell their victims that what they’re going through is God’s will for them. That’s a wicked religious statement.
Although God knows about everything, has absolute power and is everywhere. He’ll judge sin. He’ll work all things together for the good of His children. However, don’t always fold your hands and accept everything as God’s will. We live in an imperfect, sinful, wicked world. We must confront evil.
Everything that happens is not God’s will although nothing is hidden from Him. Also, when people suffer the consequences for their actions, they should admit it and not blame God for it as His will for them. It’s not everything that happens that is God’s will, although He’ll work all things together for the good of His children because they love Him, and they are called according to His purpose.
Talking about the rebellious children of Israel, the LORD said they walked “to go down to Egypt, and have not asked My advice, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!” (Isaiah 30:2 New King James Version). That was their own choice, not the will of God. “Therefore the strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame, and trust in the shadow of Egypt” (verse 3 New King James Version). That was the consequence of their choice.
People can suffer from the consequences of others’ bad choices or wrong decisions. In addition, Satan has not ceased from his work on the earth. He is a thief. He wants to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a).
Avoid making bad choices so that you don’t suffer the consequences. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). You won’t be a victim of anyone’s bad decisions or wrong decisions and every plan of Satan shall succeed against you in Jesus’ name.
Don’t always accept everything as God’s will and do nothing about it. We live in a fallen, broken, sinful world. We must confront evil. Jesus taught us to pray in Luke 11:2: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (New King James Version). This further shows that everything that happens is not God’s will. Humans must work to ensure God’s will is done on earth.
The Word of God tells us the will of God. Study your Bible to know His will. God can also reveal to individuals His will for them that is not written in the Bible. Pray to God. Ask for the will of God and do it. God will not do anything inconsistent with His character. We should pray that His will should be done but that does not mean it will come to pass by being idle and not performing our responsibilities.
Sometimes people credit the devil’s works to God as His will! This serves as a consolation for them or a description for any occurrence they don’t understand or cannot find reasons for. But it is not everything that people say is the will of God that is.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Whatever is contrary to Your will for my life, family, ministry, business, I nullify it; I reject it. It will not stand in Jesus’ name. Father, let Your will be done. I will not be a victim of evil perpetrated by anyone or a victim of anyone’s bad decisions or wrong choices. Neither will my loved ones be. Exempt us from all evils. No plan of Satan shall succeed against us in Jesus’ name.
This is wisdom for living, and it’s worth sharing. Please share.
(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
▪︎ Pastor Banso heads Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria & can be reached at cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com;
Tel No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523;
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