Growing up and having four brothers, three older and one younger, makes for an exciting childhood.

Being raised by a single mother and struggling financially also provides you with many memories.

I remember coming home from school, being hungry, and getting something out of the pantry to eat, only to be told I was not allowed by an older brother.  So I would grab the phone, call my mom at work, and ask her if eating what I had chosen was okay.  It would make my older brother mad that I had done it because my mom would say she wanted me to have it.

Once she made known her will for me to have it, my older brother could do nothing to keep me from having it, even though it upset him.  My mom’s will was more powerful than his, resulting in my hunger being satisfied.

I share this to emphasize the importance of knowing God’s will for your life.  You see when we know what His will is, we also know what is not in line with it and can resist it, and we also know there’s no greater authority than His, and therefore what He decreed is for us cannot be denied us.

A believer in Jesus cannot make a proper authoritative stand without knowing the will of God.  If they are unsure of it being His will, they become double-minded about whatever they need to be resolute about. It becomes impossible for them to obtain what He desires them to get.

You see, the kingdom operates according to faith.  Faith works according to His will being made known so that once it is believed it came from Him, there’s authority to stand on.

When a believer isn’t clear about the will of the Lord, they cannot be bold in what they say or in making the choice they need to make.

Knowing the will of another person is not always a fixed reality.  It requires a relationship.  To understand what another person thinks and desires, you need to know that person; otherwise, you are making assumptions, and our conscience knows assumptions are not always reliable.

To walk in the authority you’ve been given as a believer, you need to walk in a relationship with Jesus to the degree you are familiar with His will.

If you believe everything that happens is His will, you will go through life putting up with many things you do not have to.  For instance:  I would never inject a syringe filled with cancer into a person; I already know I am nowhere near as good as God, so I do not believe that God ever gives a person cancer.  I also reject any idea that He permitted it to teach someone a lesson.

When my kids were learning to ride bicycles, I did not get someone to tempt them to ride out in front of a car so they could be hit, injured, and hospitalized so that I could ensure they got the lesson.  What kind of father would you consider me to be if I did such a thing?

This is why it is so important to know and be familiar with the will of God.  Having it settled equips us. It lets us know where we have authority as a believer in Jesus and how we can use that authority to take a stand in faith where it counts.  I encourage you today to take advantage of the relationship Jesus died for you to have and ask to know His will for you. Let the Holy Spirit show you what you need to know about this, and I am sure you will not regret it.