THE WILL OF GOD CONCERNING SALVATION !

THE WILL OF GOD CONCERNING SALVATION: First of all, we know that saving the lost is God's will, because that is why Jesus came to earth and died. (John 3:16). "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (2 Peter 3:9). "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (Acts 16:31). "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house." I don't know of anyone who would pray for a loss loved one by saying, "Lord, if it is your will, save him or her." However, much of our praying for the loss is not effective. Why ? Because we do not come with confidence and boldness according to God's Word which is His Will ! Our text says if we come with confidence and boldness, asking according to His will, we know that God here us and we have the petitions we desire. It shouldn't matter what it looks like, or what someone is saying concerning the lost person or persons. What matters is what God's Word said, for it is the power of God unto deliverance, unto salvation, unto soundness, unto preservation and healing. That should be clear enough. However, our praying is too often in the natural realm rather than in the spiritual realm. We pray, "God save our loved one," and then we wait to see if God has answered our prayer ! If the person gets born again immediately, we believe God heard us. If he or she doesn't -- if we see no change in his or her life -- we automatically think God didn't hear us. This is walking by sight, not by faith, and the Word of God is the object of our faith. And walking by sight it only brings confusion. You might say, "I have prayed and prayed for my unsaved loved ones, and it seems as if my praying doesn't work." Return to God's Word and you'll discover why your prayer aren't answered: "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will [Word]. . ." There's no question that it's God's will to save the lost, however, God will not come against anyone's will. As we just saw from the Scriptures. The Word of God is the will of God. Therefore, if our request is in accordance with His will, we know we have the petitions we desired of Him as president possession. I once heard of a country preacher who, because of his limited education, never had an opportunity to pastor a large body of believers. Most of his pastorates were small community assemblies. However, he was in constant demand to hold revised was because of his tremendous soul winning. Wherever he went, a landside of souls resulted. He could go to a assembly where no one had been saved in years, and great number word excel Christ as Savior. When he was in his early 60s and still enjoying phenomenal success, he was asked the secret of his success. "It is a very simple thing," he said. "I just apply the same faith to see folks saved as I do to see them healed or to believe God for anything else. It never enters my mind to doubt that people will come to be saved. If God did,, I would resist it in the name of Jesus. "I pray, but not more than others the. I do see God, of course, but I attribute my success in soul winning to one thing: I have confidence the unsaved will come. By the faith I see the altar filling up with lost souls. And if the meeting doesn't go as well it should, I don't necessarily increase my praying about it; I just exercise more faith." This preacher was experiencing the confidence, the boldness, our Scripture text is talking about, because he knew the will of God in the matter. Some people, on the other hand, only look at the circumstances. They say, "No one came to the altar for salvation last week. They probably won't tonight, either." This kind of person is looking at the wrong thing. He or she may pray for souls, but he or she does not see them coming to Christ. They really don't have confidence that they will come. His or her faith is only in what he or she can see.