“What is God’s will so that I can do it! If God would simply tell me what He wants me to do, then it would be so easy for me to do it.” Have you ever heard people say something like this? I have. Many people have shared such a thought in my Bible studies, counseling, or conversations. I suppose this is the question that all of us, as Christians, grapple with.

So, here are two questions that I want to challenge each one of us:

• If you knew what God’s will was, would you do it?
• If God said to you, “This is my will. I want you to do it,” would you do it?

Today, I want to share with you some passages in the Bible that explicitly state, “This is the will of God.” What you do with it afterward is up to you.

1. Rejoicing, praying & giving thanks

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

2. Doing the right thing

“For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.” (1 Peter 2:15)

3. Sanctification, especially of immorality

“For such is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor.” (1 Thessalonian 4:3-4)

4. Salvation of children

“Thus it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” (Matthew 18:14)

5. Salvation and discipleship of the elect

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that of all that He has given me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in him, may have eternal life; and I myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:38-40)

6. Praying for the lost to be saved and know the truth

“First of all, then I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men… This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

So, there you have it. You have heard it from God’s mouth. There may be other passages that may help us understand God’s will for us, but this is a great starting point. Jesus once told his disciples that his main purpose and passion in life is to know and do the will of God. He said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work” (Jn.4:34). How about you, do you hunger and thirst to know and do the will of God in your life?

These passages will help us to have some basic understanding of what God wants us to do in our lives. Would you be willing to commit to these things starting today?