“Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good-pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself.” 

Ephesians 1:9 

Wait! What mystery? Did you know that God’s will was a mystery? According to this verse God’s will has been a mystery, but it has now been made known. Did you know that the mystery of God’s will has been made known to us?

There have been many things said about God’s will, and especially about God’s will for “my life” but I think we have missed something in our quest to find “God’s will for me” or “my life”. The will of God is God’s will, not mine. The will of God is what God Himself desires. Did you know that God desires something? There is something that God has desired from before the beginning of creation, this will and desire is actually the purpose of all eternity and all created things, and it is well pleasing to God, it is: “His good-pleasure”. God’s will, the desire of His heart is the source of His good-pleasure and His purpose for creating all that has come into existence. All of this, God’s will, good-pleasure, and purpose have been hidden in God Himself, UNTIL He made it known to us, and that is what this verse is saying!

Later on in Ephesians 3 we find these verses that help to give us some more light on what exactly this mysterious will is, “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;…..Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” (Eph 3:3-5, 8-11 Emphasis added)

These verses are basically the expounding of the verses in Eph 1 and specifically vs 9. There has been a mystery hidden in God from before creation. This mystery was not formally made known, but has been reveled BY the Spirit, and carried out or ACCOMPLISHED IN Christ for the fulfillment of God’s will (desire) and eternal purpose and THAT is what is well pleasing to God.

What is this mysterious will and desire of God? The Lord has been speaking and revealing this throughout the ages, but it was actually revealed clearly and fully in Jesus Christ. God’s will and desire is to be one with man! (John 17) You might say, now wait a minute how did you get that? Where did you get that? If you read all of Ephesians or all of scripture and the Lord is allowed to “enlighten the eyes or our hearts” we will see that redemption has a purpose that is bigger than just being redeemed. Forgiveness was not merely for the sake of being forgiven. We have been reconciled for a greater reason than it being a good idea. Salvation is not so that we don’t go to hell, and sanctification isn’t so we could look and do better! We have missed the point of all these things because of one reason, we do not know what “The will of the Lord is” (Eph 5:17) Salvation, redemption, forgiveness, sanctification, reconciliation all find there true purpose in the will and desire of God. Each one of these things we must praise the Lord for, but they were for a reason, they were brought about IN Christ, so that we ourselves would be brought into true, and lasting oneness with God Himself! “For through him (Jesus) we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Eph 2:18 God created man to be one with Himself, this is His will and desire, this is His good-pleasure, and His purpose for creating man both in His image and creating man period!

Here are a few verses that I once struggled to understand, but I believe they will help us here. “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” Luke 8:17-18 9 (Emphasis added)

Nothing is hidden except for it to be revealed, this is actually the law of sowing and reaping, but it holds true to God’s will and purpose. God has not hidden these things so that they cannot be found, they were actually hidden so that they could be found! And what is the key to finding them? What you listen to. What has your ear? What has your minds ear? As we spend time listening intently to the word of God the Spirit of God will reveal what has been hidden.

In Luke 10:21-24 we find these words: “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” (Emphasis added) Turning to the disciples He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”

There have been many things hidden in God before creation, but it is God’s good-pleasure to reveal these things (His will and desire) to His disciples (John 8:31-32, Matt 13:10-11). But this revealing must come a specific way, it must come by “revelation” (Eph 3:3). This is the work the Holy Spirit will do as we spend time meditating and giving special attention to the word of God. As we ponder and fix our minds upon the word of the Lord, the Holy Spirit will reveal what is actually being spoken by God in His word and what was always there, but hidden, will come to light and be made evident, it will be revealed! By spending time with the Lord in this way, we will come to know the hidden and deep things of God, His will and the desires of His heart, we will come to KNOW Him as He is and enter into LIFE abundant, we will know the abiding oneness that God Himself has desired and willed before the foundation of the world. “O What a miracle my Lord, that I’m in Thee and Thou in me, that I and Thee are really one…..O what a wondrous mystery.” (From a little known hymn)

I would highly recommend that you go and read John 17 with the thought of oneness, but before you do ask the Lord to open your eyes and ears and see what the Lord might reveal by His Spirit to you. “O Lord Jesus, I do ask for the revealing of the Father’s will and desire to us, Father pour out Your Spirit upon us that we might see You in Your word and know You as Life in abiding oneness with You. I ask that You would make us Your disciples in truth and cause us to hunger and thirst for Your word as the source of our survival and the place of fellowship with You continually. Thank you Father!”

~Ross Holdeman