Understanding God's Will: Authority Through Prayer
Summary
In our journey of faith, understanding the distinction between God's unconditional and conditional will is crucial. God's unconditional will encompasses those things He has sovereignly decided to do, irrespective of human actions or decisions. These are the divine plans that unfold according to His ultimate wisdom and purpose. On the other hand, God's conditional will involves those things He has agreed to do based on our actions, reactions, or lack thereof. This is where our spiritual authority comes into play, particularly through the concepts of binding and loosing.
Binding and loosing refer to the authority given to us to forbid or permit certain things within the scope of God's conditional will. This means that we have the power to influence events on earth by aligning our actions with God's predetermined conditions. When we pray, we are not merely engaging in a casual conversation with God; we are exercising a significant spiritual authority. Our prayers can stop certain things from happening or authorize divine intervention in our lives and environments.
The Bible emphasizes the importance of asking in prayer, highlighting that if we do not ask, we do not receive. This is because asking is a condition of God's will. If we fail to meet this condition, it is not because God is unwilling to give, but because we have not fulfilled the requirement. Therefore, we must approach prayer with the understanding that it is an authoritative posture, a means to bring into reality what has been predetermined in heaven.
We must not take for granted the authority God has given us. Instead, we should utilize it to access all that God has determined to allow when we meet His conditions. By doing so, we actively participate in shaping our lives and environments according to His divine will.
Key Takeaways:
1. Understanding God's Will: God's unconditional will is His sovereign plan that unfolds regardless of human actions, while His conditional will depends on our responses. Recognizing this distinction helps us align our actions with His divine purpose. [00:23]
2. The Power of Binding and Loosing: Binding and loosing are spiritual authorities given to us to influence events on earth. By exercising this authority, we can forbid or permit things in alignment with God's conditional will. [00:51]
3. The Importance of Prayer: Prayer is not a casual conversation but an authoritative act that can bring heavenly realities to earth. It is a means to exercise our spiritual authority and align with God's will. [02:01]
4. The Condition of Asking: The Bible teaches that asking is a condition for receiving. If we do not ask, we do not receive, not because God is unwilling, but because we have not met the condition of His will. [01:19]
5. Utilizing Our Spiritual Authority: We should not take for granted the authority God has given us. By meeting His conditions, we can access all that He has determined to allow, actively participating in shaping our lives and environments. [02:35]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:23] - Understanding God's Unconditional Will
[00:36] - Exploring God's Conditional Will
[00:51] - The Concept of Binding and Loosing
[01:04] - Exercising Spiritual Authority
[01:19] - The Condition of Asking
[01:34] - The Power of Prayer
[01:45] - Influencing Earthly Events
[02:01] - Prayer as an Authoritative Act
[02:19] - Aligning with God's Will
[02:35] - Utilizing Our Given Authority
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 16:19 - "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
2. James 4:2 - "You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God."
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Observation Questions:
1. What are the two types of God's will mentioned in the sermon, and how do they differ? [00:23]
2. How does the concept of binding and loosing relate to God's conditional will? [00:51]
3. According to the sermon, what role does prayer play in exercising our spiritual authority? [02:01]
4. What is the significance of asking in prayer according to the sermon, and how does it relate to receiving from God? [01:19]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding the distinction between God's unconditional and conditional will help believers align their actions with His divine purpose? [00:23]
2. In what ways can the authority to bind and loose influence events in a believer's life and environment? [01:04]
3. Why might the sermon emphasize the importance of not taking prayer casually, and how does this perspective change the way one might approach prayer? [02:01]
4. How does the condition of asking in prayer reflect a believer's relationship with God and their understanding of His will? [01:19]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a situation in your life where you might have misunderstood God's will. How can you better discern between His unconditional and conditional will moving forward?
2. Think of a specific area in your life where you need to exercise the authority of binding and loosing. What steps can you take to align your actions with God's conditional will? [00:51]
3. How can you transform your prayer life from a casual conversation to an authoritative act that aligns with God's will? What practical changes can you make this week? [02:01]
4. Identify a specific need or desire in your life that you have not brought to God in prayer. How can you make asking a regular part of your prayer routine? [01:19]
5. Consider a time when you felt powerless in a situation. How can understanding and utilizing your spiritual authority change your approach to similar situations in the future? [02:35]
6. How can you encourage others in your small group or community to recognize and utilize their spiritual authority in prayer and daily life?
7. What is one practical way you can remind yourself of the power and responsibility of prayer in your daily routine?
Devotional
Day 1: Distinguishing God's Unconditional and Conditional Will
Understanding the distinction between God's unconditional and conditional will is essential for aligning our lives with His divine purpose. God's unconditional will refers to His sovereign plans that unfold regardless of human actions, reflecting His ultimate wisdom and purpose. In contrast, His conditional will depends on our responses and actions. By recognizing this difference, we can better align our actions with God's divine purpose and participate in His plans for our lives. This understanding empowers us to live intentionally, knowing that our choices can influence the unfolding of God's conditional will. [00:23]
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to discern whether you are aligning with God's unconditional or conditional will? How can you seek His guidance in these areas today?
Day 2: Exercising the Power of Binding and Loosing
The concept of binding and loosing is a profound spiritual authority given to believers, allowing them to influence events on earth in alignment with God's conditional will. This authority enables us to forbid or permit certain things, effectively participating in the unfolding of God's plans. By exercising this authority, we can align our actions with God's predetermined conditions, impacting our lives and environments. This power is not to be taken lightly, as it requires discernment and alignment with God's will to be effective. [00:51]
"Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 18:18, ESV)
Reflection: What is one situation in your life where you feel called to exercise the authority of binding and loosing? How can you ensure that your actions align with God's will in this matter?
Day 3: The Transformative Power of Prayer
Prayer is not merely a casual conversation with God but an authoritative act that can bring heavenly realities to earth. Through prayer, we exercise our spiritual authority and align ourselves with God's will, allowing us to influence events and circumstances. This understanding of prayer as a powerful tool for divine intervention encourages us to approach it with intentionality and faith. By doing so, we can actively participate in the manifestation of God's will in our lives and the world around us. [02:01]
"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." (1 John 5:14, ESV)
Reflection: How can you transform your prayer life from a routine practice to an intentional act of spiritual authority? What specific prayers can you offer today to align with God's will?
Day 4: The Necessity of Asking in Prayer
The Bible emphasizes the importance of asking in prayer, highlighting that it is a condition for receiving. If we do not ask, we do not receive, not because God is unwilling, but because we have not met the condition of His will. This principle underscores the necessity of approaching God with our requests, trusting that He is willing to provide when we fulfill this condition. By understanding the importance of asking, we can approach prayer with confidence, knowing that our requests are heard and considered by God. [01:19]
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific request you have been hesitant to bring before God? How can you take a step of faith today by asking Him for what you need?
Day 5: Utilizing Our Spiritual Authority
We should not take for granted the spiritual authority God has given us. By meeting His conditions, we can access all that He has determined to allow, actively participating in shaping our lives and environments. This authority is a gift that enables us to influence the world around us in alignment with God's will. By utilizing this authority, we can bring about positive change and fulfill our divine purpose, knowing that our actions are supported by God's power and guidance. [02:35]
"Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you." (Luke 10:19, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you actively utilize the spiritual authority God has given you to influence your environment? How can you ensure that your actions are aligned with His will and purpose?
Quotes
God has an unconditional will and a conditional will. God's unconditional will are things that he is going to do regardless of what anybody else says or does simply because he has sovereignly determined to do it, but his conditional will are those things that he has agreed to do based on our actions, reactions, or lack of action. [00:11:00]
One of the things his conditional will will respond to is the authority given us to bind and loose. Binding and losing means forbidding or permitting. Within God's conditional will, he has authorized us to stop certain things and start certain things based on our submission to his authority and that he will act and back us up in our decisions. [00:42:00]
That is why the Bible says if you don't ask, you don't get because one of the conditions is that you ask, and if it's based on the condition of asking and you don't ask, it's not because he didn't decide to give it, it's because you didn't meet the condition of his conditional will. [01:22:00]
Do you know how much authority is in that, that you can actually stop things from happening or create or authorize things to happen that you need heaven to intervene on simply by your prayers exercising spiritual authority because you are in contact with God? [01:37:00]
So don't take prayer casually, don't take it as just a throw-in conversation with the Almighty. Take it as an authoritative posture that God has given you and me to bring into earth what has been predetermined in heaven once we exercise authority that has been designated to us by God. [01:58:00]
Binding and loosing means that we have a lot to say about what happens on earth, in our lives, and in our environments. Let's not take for granted the authorization given us. Let's utilize it to get all from God that he has determined he will allow to take place when we meet his conditions. [02:25:00]
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