The Holy Spirit is the custodian of every act and doctrine in the Kingdom of God. In as much as preaching of the Gospel is not a bad thing to do, yet the Apostles were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word of God in Asia. When they wanted to go into Bithynia, the Spirit did not permit them (Acts 16:6). This may sound shocking to the ears of many, but the truth is that the Holy Spirit determines how God’s work is to be done on the earth, since He is the Omniscience-Knowing everything. That is why it is important for us to follow His direction at all times. As Christians we are only privilege to be used as instruments; that is why in Philippians 2:13 he says “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”. It is very risky to try distorting God’s original programme, by seeking permissive will. Moses, God’s great servant tried it and was forever barred from entering The Promised Land. It was God’s original plan to reveal to His people that things can be done/created through spoken words. Note that all these while, all the signs wrought by God through the hands of Moses and Aaron had physical act of labour attached to it (See Exodus Chapter 7, 8….12).
When Elisha, the prophet spoke about God’s will during the time of famine, the servant on whose hand the king leaned was in doubt, and by that singular act, he was excluded from partaking of the abundance provision (II kings 7:1-2; 7:18-20).
Too much of operating in the permissive will of God will not make one to get the best of life even as Christians. We are in a generation were people knowing the right things to be done, engage in begging God to permit them do wrong things, as if God is not aware of the consequences of taking such wrong path. The point is that to see the glory of God manifest upon one’s life without delay, it is expedient to always align with the perfect will of God, no matter the hurdles on the path.
Peter fell into this trap when he took Jesus Christ and said He should not accept the sufferings, death and subsequent resurrection. Jesus , having understood that it is God’s perfect will to suffer, die and resurrect on the third day, rebuked Peter saying” Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but of man”. (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33). Even Jesus in His earthly ministry during His prayer time in the garden of Gethsemane nearly shifted His stand when He saw the weight of what was about coming upon Him. The book of Matthew 26 vs. 39 has this to say “And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt”. Now, someone may ask, what would have happened if Jesus Christ did not yield to God’s perfect will to suffer, die and resurrect on the third day? The answer is: there would not have been any remission of sins or redemption to mankind.
From scriptures, the life of Joseph seems to portray a good example of a man who diligently aligns with the perfect will of God; and within a shortest period of time, his glory was revealed. In the pit, he was not discouraged, and in the prison, having been accused wrongly, he still maintained his joy. Friends, resting in the perfect will of God is what is required to experience timely glory.
etyudofia274@gmail.com