Lesson 57

What do we ask God when we pray the Third Petition?

What is God’s will? Jeremiah 23:28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. his Word is preached purely

What is God’s will? 1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. all people believe in Jesus

What is God’s will? 1 Thessalonians 4:1,3 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more…It is God’s will that you should be sanctified… all people live holy lives

Key Point #1 The most important aspects of God’s will are that the gospel be preached purely, so that all will believe in Jesus and be saved, and that all will live holy lives to his glory.

Who wants to keep God’s will from being done? Genesis 3:1-6 1.

Genesis 3:1-6 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Who wants to keep God’s will from being done? Genesis 3: the devil wants us to doubt God’s Word

Who wants to keep God’s will from being done? 1 John 2:15-16 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does— comes not from the Father but from the world. 2. the world wants us to ignore God’s Word

Who wants to keep God’s will from being done? Galatians 5:17,

Galatians 5:17,19-21 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want…The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Who wants to keep God’s will from being done? Galatians 5:17, our sinful nature wants us to disobey God’s Word

Key Point #2 The “unholy three” (devil, world, sinful flesh / “DWF, inc.”) want to keep God’s will from being done.

How, then, can God’s will be done among us? John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

How, then, can God’s will be done among us? 1 John 3:8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. to break the power of our enemies

How, then, can God’s will be done among us? 1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. to strengthen our faith

How, then, can God’s will be done among us? Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

How, then, can God’s will be done among us? Ephesians 6:10-18 to keep us firm

Key Point #3 God’s will can be done among us only when God breaks the power of the unholy three and also strengthens our faith and keeps us firm in his Word as long as we live.

John says, “I think the devil is the most powerful of the unholy three because he is an evil angel.” How would you respond?

Some people think that the longer a person is a Christian, the less dangerous the sinful nature becomes. Let’s say such a person says to you that her sinful nature could not harm her nearly as much as the devil could because she has been a Christian for more than ten years. How would you respond?

Explain how the world tempted each of the following biblical persons to act contrary to God’s will: a)Peter’s denial of Jesus when the people in the courtyard said they knew he was Jesus’ disciple. b)Judas’ betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. c)Lot’s choice of the Jordan plain and living near Sodom.

Sometimes the unholy three try to get us to hate Jesus, sometimes to ignore him, and sometimes to stop believing in him. Which is worse? Explain your answer.

Randy wondered whether it was okay to pray that God would put a stop to drug dealers in the United States. Randy’s pastor said that it would be okay, because we pray that all the time in the Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer. What did he mean?

Since it’s God’s will that all people believe in Jesus, why doesn’t he just make everyone believe in Jesus? Since God’s will is that the gospel be preached purely, why doesn’t he just keep people from ever telling lies about his promises?

Becky says, “We keep praying, ‘Your will be done,’ but the devil still seems to be doing more and more harm, not less and less.” How would you respond?

Search the Hymnal… What hymns in the Commitment section of Christian Worship express one or more of the thoughts of the Third Petition?

Lesson 57 I ask that God will help me to do his will rather than the will of the “unholy three.”