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Date
5-STAR
Bible Study
Robert M. West
5-STAR
Bible Study KNOW GOD’s WILL
How to
YOU are the reason we do what we do here at Barbour Publishing. We promise that we will always use our God-given talents to produce content with you in mind—and that we will remain biblically faithful, no matter what. Thank you for being the heart of our business. © 2026 by Barbour Publishing, Inc. ISBN 979-8-89151-454-6 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher. Reproduced text may not be used on the World Wide Web. No Barbour Publishing content may be used as artificial intelligence training data for machine learning, or in any similar software development. Churches and other noncommercial interests may reproduce portions of this book without the express written permission of Barbour Publishing, provided that the text does not exceed 500 words and that the text is not material quoted from another publisher. When reproducing text from this book, include the following credit line: “From 5-Star Bible Study: How to Know God’s Will, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.” Scripture quotations are taken from the Barbour Simplified KJV® Bible, copyright © 2022, 2025 by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683. All rights reserved. Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.
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CONTENTS Introduction. . ............................................................ 9 1. Understanding the Will of God.............................11 2. Jesus and the Will of God.....................................41 3. Christian Living and the Will of God....................73 4. Discovering the Will of God.................................99 5. Suffering and the Will of God. . ........................... 127 6. My Will and the Will of God.............................. 149
5-STAR
Bible Study
How to KNOW GOD’s WILL “God’s will” doesn’t have to be mysterious. The Bible lays out many clear guidelines regarding what the Lord wants from His people—and this study will help you discover them for yourself. This 5-Star Bible Study provides all the tools you need to dig into scripture yourself, either on your own or as part of a small group. On the pages that follow, you’ll find • powerful study text from longtime Bible teacher Robert M. West • key passages from the fresh-yet-familiar Barbour Simplified KJV Bible
• bonus notes to provide further details on important topics
• thought-provoking questions for further consideration • ample writing space to capture your own insights
• bonus notes to provide further details on important topics—watch for bold text to direct you to a “For Added Context” insert nearby
How to Know God’s Will covers six key aspects of this vital topic: 1) Understanding the will of God, 2) Jesus and the will of God, 3) Christian living and the will of God, 4) Discovering Introduction
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the will of God, 5) Suffering and the will of God, and 6) My will and the will of God. Take your time with the scriptures and study text, contemplating the questions and writing down your observations. There’s no need to rush, and no schedule is attached to the chapters. Before you begin, pray for God’s guidance and then follow as He leads. Many of us have prayed, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” This study will help you find the answers you need—from God’s own Word, the Bible. Barbour Publishing
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Understanding the Will of God Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:17
From the time we are very young, other people tell us what to do. Our parents, teachers, and others—even older siblings— make many of our decisions for us. My three daughters, now grown, let my wife and me know their feelings about who was in charge by the first three words that they learned to speak: Mama, Dada, and NO! And so the battle of the wills began. Children instinctively want to do their will. They want to do what they want, immediately, without concern for what anyone else thinks. But children quickly become adults, and their turn to make important decisions arrives. As life becomes more difficult, many people actually hope for someone to tell them what to do. Perhaps that’s why you’re interested in the subject of God’s will. If so, you’ll be glad to know that God is willing and waiting to help you know His will, showing you answers and direction for your life. The answers you need are found only in God’s Word, and Understanding the Will of God
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it’s to the scriptures that this study goes. As you read, please keep an open Bible nearby. Check the references and consider what is said here to gain the full impact of what God has revealed about His will. God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). When we decide to look to God and His Word for help, there is no need to look any further. We will have arrived at the right place, and we will not be disappointed.
Our Reason for Being People frequently ask searching life questions such as, “Who am I? Why do I exist? Does my life have a special purpose?” For the best answers, we go back to the very beginning—and learn we exist because of God’s will. We are not the random products of evolution or cosmic accidents. God has specially created us, and those living in heaven praise Him for that: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). The psalm writer David also marveled at God’s creative work and honored God for his life, saying, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). We can join this chorus of praise, realizing that we also live and exist because of God’s will. The first question and answer of the Westminster Shorter Catechism—a doctrinal statement created in the seventeenth century to teach Christians the basics of their faith—addresses man’s search for purpose in existence: Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. 12
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For Added Context And before the throne there was a sea of glass like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four beasts full of eyes in front and behind. . . . And they do not rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sat on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sat on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created.” REVELATION 4:6, 8–11
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The subject of God’s will is important to Him. It is primarily for His glory rather than our personal satisfaction, success, or pleasure. If we are not careful, we can forget this important truth. Ephesians 1 states three times that God’s work of salvation— which is according to His will (1:5)—is also to the praise of the glory of His grace (1:6, 12, 14). The apostle Paul, who wrote the book of Ephesians, taught in the book of 1 Corinthians that we should always live to honor God: “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God” (10:31). If we search our hearts and discover that our primary interest in God’s will is self-centered, it may be that all we really want is God’s blessing on our will. But real Christianity holds that learning and doing God’s will is for His glory, not our own gratification.
Understanding God’s Will Ephesians 5:17, printed at the beginning of this chapter, commands Christians to “understand” God’s will. A little background to this verse should prove helpful. The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 4, begins a practical section that describes Christian living. Paul encourages believers “to walk worthy” of God’s call to salvation (4:1). The word walk is used repeatedly in chapters 4 and 5, referring to the way a person should progress in the Christian life. If we are going to say that we are Christians, we should live our lives in a suitable way, one that complements such a privileged position. This “worthy walk” of the Christian life is then described in the following ways: • A different walk, that reveals an extreme makeover from the godless and evil lifestyle practiced before one becomes a Christian (4:17–19).
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5-Star Bible Study: How to Know God’s Will
• A loving walk, similar to the kind of love displayed by Christ when He gave Himself for us (5:1–2). • An enlightened walk, which refers to developing a new moral and spiritual standard of living that is acceptable to the Lord (5:8–10). • A careful walk, taking advantage of opportunities to serve Christ as evil erodes society’s openness to the gospel, people’s personal interest in Christ, even the diligence of believers (5:15–16).
• An empowered walk, being under the Holy Spirit’s control as the source of strength to live this way (5:18; see also Galatians 5:25).
This is all connected to the subject of God’s will in Ephesians 5:17, where Christians are warned not to be “unwise” by succumbing to the world’s pressure and rejecting a Christian lifestyle. This is an important element of God’s will, and to “understand what the will of the Lord is” means to learn, accept, and practice these truths. Since we are actually commanded to understand God’s will, it stands to reason that God’s will can be known. This should encourage all of us—especially those who have great concern about their future.
Our Great Need The story of humanity is characterized by self-centeredness. Advertising tells us to “have it your way!” People want good health and plenty of money, green traffic lights and an open parking space. We want low prices—and no lines at the checkout. But real life isn’t that easy. The book of Job tells us, “Man who is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble” (14:1), Understanding the Will of God
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For Added Context See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of God. Ephesians 5:15–21
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5-Star Bible Study: How to Know God’s Will
and, “Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (5:7). We’ve all been born into a sin-cursed world and face lives of continual trouble. Our problems are compared to an outdoor fire with burning sparks constantly rising in the hot air—with the potential to spread trouble elsewhere. Jesus understood man’s plight when He saw that the people of His day were prone to wander, “like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). No one cared for their souls or provided for their deepest needs. They were alienated from God, and their lives were sinful. Today, most people—if they’re honest—will admit that they have felt like a sheep without a shepherd. They have complicated their own lives with far too many bad decisions. And yet the opportunities for making decisions just keep coming. Young people must think about furthering their education. Others are considering marriage and beginning their own families. Some couples are wondering how to maintain their marriages. Workers must adapt their career goals to an ever-changing economy. And still other people have had the devastation of serious illness or the death of a loved one forced upon them—with all of the choices that these hardships bring. Many of our challenges are external—from outside of us. But scripture also tells of our inherent desire to control our own lives—and warns us against ignoring God when making our plans. In the following verses, we find important encouragement to trust God’s guidance: • Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his steps ( Jeremiah 10:23). No one states our need more clearly than the prophet Jeremiah. When he saw the results of his countrymen’s continual bad decisions—choices that eventually brought God’s judgment in the form of the Babylonian captivity—he made the confession of Understanding the Will of God
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Jeremiah 10:23. The prophet knew that humans were born in sin and find it impossible to direct their lives in a way that ultimately produces blessing from God.
• There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12). Sin has affected man’s perception of right and wrong. Because of sin, people walk a dead-end road. Left to ourselves, we make decisions that seem right—but far too often we lead ourselves astray. In our bad choices, we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). Adam and Eve thought that eating the forbidden fruit was better than obedience to their Creator—and they lost paradise. Ananias and Sapphira convinced each other that lying was better than honesty—and lost their lives. Judas Iscariot calculated that thirty pieces of silver had more value than following Jesus—and lost his soul.
• In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did what was right in his own eyes ( Judges 21:25). In Israel’s history, the period of the judges was a dismal period of moral and spiritual decline because of people’s independent spirit. They “did their own thing.” This final verse of the book of Judges explains just why things were so bad at that time: When it came to making life choices, people looked to themselves instead of God and His appointed leaders. The ancient Israelites had more interest in doing their own will than doing God’s. Times of decision occur in all of our lives, and the question becomes, “Will we pursue our own will or the Lord’s?” We can all be thankful that our Great High Priest—Jesus, the Son of God— knows every detail of our lives and is sympathetic to us. The author of Hebrews had repeatedly found 18
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For Added Context Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he shall also reap. For he who sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose hope. Galatians 6:7–9
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God’s help, and because of Jesus’ trustworthiness, encouraged others to join him in approaching God with personal requests: “Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). It is a wonderful privilege to come near the great God, especially for His assistance.
God, who dispenses mercy and grace, has also put many promises in writing for our encouragement while we wait for His help.
God’s Great Promises Promises are only as good as the person who makes them. In God’s case, He is always faithful and completely powerful to fulfill His Word. God’s promises find a home in the hearts of His children as they discover through Bible study and personal experience that He keeps His word. The famed evangelist D. L. Moody said he knew an old lady who wrote the notation “T & P” beside verses in her Bible. The characters were shorthand for “Tried and Proven.” This woman had experienced God’s faithfulness to keep His word—and so can we. These “exceedingly great” promises are so called because they come from the great God, because they achieve great things, and because they reach all believers. They are also called “precious” (2 Peter 1:4) because they reveal God’s loving concern for our personal well-being. He was under no obligation to us but still gave these valuable promises out of His great grace, through Christ’s redeeming work. As we seek the Lord’s will and leading in our lives, we will come to view God’s promises as “exceedingly great and precious” as well. 20
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For Added Context Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue, by which are given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 PETER 1:2–4
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One well known promise concerns God Himself coming to our rescue when we fear the future: “ ‘Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.’ . . . For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Do not fear. I will help you’ ” (Isaiah 41:10, 13). This is a tender picture of the heavenly Father touching His children, calming their fears, and providing His help. And this is only one of many such promises in the Bible. Here are a few more from the Psalms. • The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His hand (Psalm 37:23–24). God takes great pleasure in overseeing and directing the lives of His righteous people. At times, even these people can stray from God’s path and fall—because they are not yet perfect. But when they sin, God is pleased to restore them. Then they can resume their journey of walking with God and doing His will. • Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass (Psalm 37:4–5). This promise involves a believer’s enjoyment of God—He delights in our way, and we are to delight in Him! This delight molds our desires to conform to God’s revealed will. As Saint Augustine prayed, “O Lord, grant that I may do Thy will as if it were my will, so that Thou mayest do my will as if it were Thy will.” Too often, we’re disappointed when God doesn’t seem to provide what we want. In those times, we need to trust in His goodness and wisdom, 22
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believing that He knows and wants what is best for us. And then we wait.
• I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you shall go. I will guide you with My eye (Psalm 32:8). From this psalm of penitence comes a clear promise about God: He is our instructor who teaches us His will. Viewing ourselves as students of God, we can humbly follow our guide, realizing we live in His presence under His watchful eye.
The psalmist clearly believed these promises—and responded with joyful confidence: “You shall guide me with Your counsel and afterward receive me to glory” (Psalm 73:24). Notice the progression of the verse: God leads His people through His Word (“Your counsel”) through this life. Then, when this life ends, we will experience a glorious reception by God in heaven! God’s will does have an ultimate destination. This contrast between life on earth now and life in heaven later is an important one. Time and again, we place far too much importance on this hectic, distracting life, neglecting thoughts of eternity. But the reality is that physical life is very brief. The question of knowing God’s will involves only a tiny fraction of our eternal existence. The apostle Paul makes the same comparison, saying, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). While living life on a sin-cursed earth, with all its uncertainties and sorrows, we must keep the promise of heaven and its incomparable glory in the forefront of our thinking. We’ll have a home there soon. When life on earth ends, so will our concerns about knowing God’s will. The day we enter glory, we’ll learn firsthand how God’s will is done in heaven. And since we’ll live to enjoy Him forever, we should begin now to learn what pleases Him. Understanding the Will of God
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For Added Context For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but because of Him who has subjected the same in hope, because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors in pain together until now. And not only that, but also we ourselves who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption—namely, the redemption of our body. ROMANS 8:18–23
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5-Star Bible Study: How to Know God’s Will
How Is God’s Will Done in Heaven? In response to their request, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1), Jesus gave His disciples a model prayer that we now know as the “Lord’s Prayer.” The third request of that prayer is for God’s will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven. God wants earth to be more like heaven, but we are far from that. To have a bit of heaven on earth means that we should do God’s will in our own world just as the angels and departed believers do God’s will in His presence. They perform God’s will immediately, without complaint or debate. They pursue His will willingly, joyfully, completely, constantly, and with unity. This is what we pray for ourselves and our world when we pray “Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth” (Luke 11:2).
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