Covenant Series

In Agreement With God’s Purposes

Scripture:

John 5:30 “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

Introduction:

As the people of God, we are in covenant with Him concerning the precepts and principles of the gospel. Since we have accepted Him as Lord and not just savior, we are committed to His purposes, not just our own. That means that His plans and desires become our plans and desires. His will becomes our will. His way of getting things done becomes our way of getting things done. We don’t even come up with the ideas or plans to carry out what we believe to be God’s will.

I. My main goal as a covenant child of God is to seek to know God’s will for my life.

A. It begins with a prayer.

Matthew 6:9-13 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 1 0Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

B. We must develop an intimate relationship with the Lord if we are to know how God wants things done.

Isaiah 55:8-11 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

1. His ways are only found in heavenly places.

2. Once we find God’s way, we can walk in faith that what He desires will come to pass. He speaks His Word, we carry it out, and His purpose is fulfilled.

3. This is truly “on earth as it is in heaven”.

C. Jesus was so committed to the will of Father that Father’s will was more important that necessary food.

John 4:34 “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

II. Because we know the Father’s will is to bring heaven into the lives of people all around us we become men and women of prayer.

A. Jesus Christ is looking for people who will commit to work of the Kingdom.

Matthew 9:35-38 “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37Then saith he unto his disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”

B. There’s no need to wait, the harvest is ready now.

John 4:35 “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

C. As covenant partners with the Lord and with one another, we obey Him by committing ourselves to prayer for the harvest.

III. Father demonstrates His purpose with the question, “Who will go for us”?

Isaiah 6:1-8 “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3And one cried to another and said:  “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”

4And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5So I said:  “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” 6Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.” 8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

A. We will have to get our eyes off everything that prevents us from seeing the glory of the Lord.

B. Do we hesitate to come near the Lord for fear of Him revealing something unpleasant?

C. Whatever He reveals, He is ready to heal.

D. A meeting place with God will change us for eternity and launch us into God’s purpose for our lives.

IV. It’s time for me to agree with God’s purpose for me. To daily be with Him and to experience heaven on earth through that relationship.

Mark 3:14-15 “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:”