“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7: 21-23
I talked about the narrow way last week and said it is an invitation to a new lifestyle that Jesus offers. It is not an easy and pain-free road, but it is better and less painful than the alternative.
I’ve spent a big part of my life thinking that once I can get to the point where I can cast out demons, prophesy, do mighty works, and when I can say: “Yelelelemashiabosha!!!”, then I will definitely be among those who are qualified for God’s kingdom.
Well, I’ve been young, and now I am old enough to say that this is far from the truth. I understand this is a tough pill to swallow, especially for believers, and it wasn’t easy for me to swallow it either. However, if you are really about that Kingdom lifestyle, you would want to know what God is truly after.
Considering a text like Matthew 7:21-23 as shown above, it can really throw you into a spiral of confusion. Wait a minute! In Luke 10:17, didn’t Jesus send out the seventy-two? And when they came back, they said to Jesus: “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” To the point, Jesus said to them in verses 18-19, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” So why is it in Matthew 7:21-23, the same Jesus said that He will declare to those who prophesy in His name and cast out demons in His name to depart from Him because He never knew them?
Is Jesus contradicting Himself?
You see, many read Luke 10 and stop at verse 19. They have missed where Jesus also said to those whom He has given authority to trample snakes and scorpions that they should not rejoice that the spirits are subject to them, but they should rather rejoice at the fact that their names are written in heaven.
So, Jesus tried to draw His disciples’ attention to the most important thing about His kingdom. So let me put it this way: the disciples received power because their names were written in heaven. Therefore, a name written in heaven leads to power, but power doesn’t necessarily mean the name is written in heaven; that’s why we encounter verses like Matthew 7:21-23, which says, “…and then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
So, if the one who does the Father’s will is the one who will enter His Kingdom, as stated above in Matthew 7, and if His will is not nearly about casting out demons, prophesying, and doing mighty works, then what is the main focus of His will?
It is easy for Christians to major on the minor and to minor on the major. And it is easy for Christians to make a religion out of a verse. However, God has a way of making things simple for us when He says things like “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and will all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31.
Also, Scripture tells us in Jeremiah 9:24 that “God is a God who loves kindness, justice, and righteousness.” In fact, one of the psalmists said in Psalm 89:14, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” We also have the ‘Beatitudes’ in Matthew 5:3-12, which Jesus Himself preached. They focus mainly on Christian character and living. Then we have the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, which tells us how to distinguish the Spirit-led life from the flesh-led life.
Usually, we tend to focus on the external visible sins, such as fornication, addiction, adultery, prostitution, etc. Although we need to confess those sins to God and repent, we must not neglect the hidden sins, which are equally abominable before God, especially because they are not visible. We think they don’t matter; however, God says the state of our hearts matters to Him even more. Why? Because sick hearts and souls cause pain. They cause the innocent to suffer and even lose their life in some cases. Cain would not have killed Abel if he didn’t have a sick heart and soul. So, that’s why it matters to God. We don’t like violence in the world, right? We don’t like discrimination, racism, and all kinds of evil in the world, right? All these things are a result of sin-sick hearts and souls. That is why Scripture says in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” We must also guard the avenues to the soul, meaning we must be cautious of what we hear, see, say, touch, smell, and even where we tread. We must not be afraid to scrutinize our own behaviors. Do not be afraid to be your own police when it comes to the Word of God. When the Holy Spirit convicts you of something, correct it or change it. And if the enemy has his grip on you and you cannot turn from your wicked ways, be honest with God and ask Him to help you. He will do it; all you have to do is be honest and ask Him for help.
So, what is God’s will for us?
God’s will can be found in the following verses, but is not limited to:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (God’s Authority)
Matthew Chapters 5-7 (The Beatitudes)
Matthew 25: 31-46 (The Sheep and the Goats)
Mark 12:30-31 (The Greatest Commandment)
Romans 12:1-2 (A Living Sacrifice)
Galatians 5: 19-23 (Life by the Spirit)
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 (Living to Please God)
1 Thessalonians 5: 12-24 (Prayer Life, Spiritual Discernment and Sanctification)
I believe when we ask God to help us live out His Word, life becomes easier and more rewarding. There is no safer place to be than in the will of God.
And remember, you are more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens you!
SCRIPTURES
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5: 6
“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:40
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