Pastor Adam Gomez
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Scripture: Ephesians 1:1
Topic: By the Will of God
I love receiving hand-written letters. I have been sending hand-written letters to inmates for years, and so I receive hand-written letters in return. I challenge you to send a hand-written letter to someone this week. You may have to locate some notebook paper and an envelope, but it will be very special to the recipient when he/she receives it.
It has been said that more has been accomplished in history with pens than with swords. The letter from the apostle Paul to the Ephesians accomplished much.
Ephesians is full of doctrine and practical advice. The first three chapters of Ephesians focus on doctrine. The last three chapters of Ephesians focus on practical advice.
John Stott called Ephesians, “A magnificent combination of Christian doctrine and Christian duty.”
It is very possible that this letter, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, was making its rounds to some of the regional cities in Asia Minor. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Colosse, “Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea” (Colossians 4:16).
Quotes on the Epistle to the Ephesians
Watchman Nee said about this epistle, “Ephesians tells us what the Church is in Christ, God’s greatest work is not the creation of the universe, but the creation of the Church.” (Watchman Nee, Sit, Walk, Stand)
Spurgeon said about this epistle, “There is no book more full of doctrine and experience than this brief epistle. He who would understand the mystery of the Church, let him read Ephesians.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Sermon on Ephesians)
William Barclay called it, “The queen of the epistles.”
The Plan and Will of God
Ephesians introduces us to the plan of God or will of God.
The Wright Brothers (Wilbur and Orville Wright) had a plan. A powered airplane. Henry Ford had a plan. Affordable cars. Alexander Graham Bell. The telephone. J. Robert Oppenheimer. The A-Bomb. Levi Strauss. Jeans.
In this first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he emphasizes the will of God, or the plan of God, four times in verses 1 through 11.
Let’s identify the four verses that emphasize the will of God, or the plan of God, in these first eleven verses.
Verse 1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
Will — “thelēma” in the Greek. A determination, a choice from one’s own volition or purpose. An inclination from one’s desire, pleasure, or will.
Verse 5
having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
Good pleasure (or purpose) — “eudokia” in the Greek. Pleasure, good pleasure, intention, desire, purpose.
Will — “thelēma” in the Greek. A determination, a choice from one’s own volition or purpose. An inclination from one’s desire, pleasure, or will.
Verse 9
having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
Will — “thelēma” in the Greek. A determination, a choice from one’s own volition or purpose. An inclination from one’s desire, pleasure, or will.
He purposed — “protithēmi” in the Greek. To purpose or to set forth to do. NIV: “…he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ.”
Verse 11
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Purpose — “prothesis” in the Greek. A setting forth, an intention, having a purpose. Something purposefully placed, as in the articles in the tabernacle. They were purposefully placed in their locations.
Will — “thelēma” in the Greek. A determination, a choice from one’s own volition or purpose. An inclination from one’s desire, pleasure, or will.
Breaking Down Verse One
Let’s focus the rest of our time on verse one as we break down the topic of God's will.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
The word “apostle” here in verse one is the Greek word “apostolos.” An apostle is a delegate, an ambassador of the Gospel, officially a commissioner of Christ. The title of apostle came with the authority to perform miracles and drive out demons—power specifically given to them as signs to confirm their message and mission. In the context of Paul, it means that he was “sent by God.” To be sent forth with orders, first to the apostles, then in a broader sense to other Christians (Barnabas, Timothy, Silvanus). An apostle, in this sense, is as authoritative as a rabbi or an ordained teacher. An apostle, in this sense, is knowledgeable and able to teach and translate the Scriptures to show and prove that Jesus is the Messiah.
To be sent by God is no small thing. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God…” (1 Corinthians 1:1). Also in 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; and Galatians 1:1.
Not by the will of man. John explains that we were born again “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). John explained that we are born again by the will of God!
Paul was an apostle by the will of God, not by the will of man. Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).
What is the Will of God for Your Life?
What is the will of God for your life? As a pastor, the one question I am asked most is, “What is God’s will for my life?” I also get asked, “What is my purpose?” As believers, our peace is complete when we are assured that God has a plan for our lives. The absence of such knowledge delivers fear and anxiety. I have discovered that God rarely gives us the blueprints of the plan for our lives in full, but instead gives us the “next steps” and that in increments.
So, what is God’s plan or will for you and me?
God’s “General Will”
God’s “general will" is revealed through His word. Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” God’s will for all believers is that we are conformed to the image of His Son. This is an active, lifelong process. When we are conformed to the image of His Son, we grow in love, humility, patience, holiness, and obedience to God. When we are conformed to the image of HIs Son, we resist conformity with the world and begin to walk in harmony with God.
When we read the word of God, we not only learn God’s will for our lives in the positive (things we are to do), but we also learn God’s will for our lives in the negative (things we are not to do). There are things that we, as believers, do not need to pray about because the word of God has already taught us His general will for us concerning character and morality through the learning of the nature and character of God. Outside the specific guidelines in the Bible, God allows us “sanctified preferences.”
God’s “Specific Will”
God’s “specific will” for our lives is revealed through:
Three Essentials for Living in the Will of God
Pastor Adam gave three essentials for living in the will of God:
Most of the time we want a hint of God’s will for our lives so that we can decide whether or not His will fits our inclinations. When we finally understand God’s will for our lives, we must forsake our own desires, our own ambitions, our own will for our lives and submit, fully, to God’s will. When we finally understand God’s will for our lives, we go confidently towards God’s will, not caring any longer about our own lives, but only fulfilling the will of God.
Doubting your worth, or feeling inadequate, can also hold you back from stepping into the plans God has for you.
The apostle Paul wrote the following to the church at Philippi, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Scripture: Ephesians 1:1
Topic: By the Will of God
I love receiving hand-written letters. I have been sending hand-written letters to inmates for years, and so I receive hand-written letters in return. I challenge you to send a hand-written letter to someone this week. You may have to locate some notebook paper and an envelope, but it will be very special to the recipient when he/she receives it.
It has been said that more has been accomplished in history with pens than with swords. The letter from the apostle Paul to the Ephesians accomplished much.
Ephesians is full of doctrine and practical advice. The first three chapters of Ephesians focus on doctrine. The last three chapters of Ephesians focus on practical advice.
John Stott called Ephesians, “A magnificent combination of Christian doctrine and Christian duty.”
It is very possible that this letter, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, was making its rounds to some of the regional cities in Asia Minor. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Colosse, “Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea” (Colossians 4:16).
Quotes on the Epistle to the Ephesians
Watchman Nee said about this epistle, “Ephesians tells us what the Church is in Christ, God’s greatest work is not the creation of the universe, but the creation of the Church.” (Watchman Nee, Sit, Walk, Stand)
Spurgeon said about this epistle, “There is no book more full of doctrine and experience than this brief epistle. He who would understand the mystery of the Church, let him read Ephesians.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Sermon on Ephesians)
William Barclay called it, “The queen of the epistles.”
The Plan and Will of God
Ephesians introduces us to the plan of God or will of God.
The Wright Brothers (Wilbur and Orville Wright) had a plan. A powered airplane. Henry Ford had a plan. Affordable cars. Alexander Graham Bell. The telephone. J. Robert Oppenheimer. The A-Bomb. Levi Strauss. Jeans.
In this first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he emphasizes the will of God, or the plan of God, four times in verses 1 through 11.
Let’s identify the four verses that emphasize the will of God, or the plan of God, in these first eleven verses.
Verse 1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
Will — “thelēma” in the Greek. A determination, a choice from one’s own volition or purpose. An inclination from one’s desire, pleasure, or will.
Verse 5
having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
Good pleasure (or purpose) — “eudokia” in the Greek. Pleasure, good pleasure, intention, desire, purpose.
Will — “thelēma” in the Greek. A determination, a choice from one’s own volition or purpose. An inclination from one’s desire, pleasure, or will.
Verse 9
having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
Will — “thelēma” in the Greek. A determination, a choice from one’s own volition or purpose. An inclination from one’s desire, pleasure, or will.
He purposed — “protithēmi” in the Greek. To purpose or to set forth to do. NIV: “…he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ.”
Verse 11
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Purpose — “prothesis” in the Greek. A setting forth, an intention, having a purpose. Something purposefully placed, as in the articles in the tabernacle. They were purposefully placed in their locations.
Will — “thelēma” in the Greek. A determination, a choice from one’s own volition or purpose. An inclination from one’s desire, pleasure, or will.
Breaking Down Verse One
Let’s focus the rest of our time on verse one as we break down the topic of God's will.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
The word “apostle” here in verse one is the Greek word “apostolos.” An apostle is a delegate, an ambassador of the Gospel, officially a commissioner of Christ. The title of apostle came with the authority to perform miracles and drive out demons—power specifically given to them as signs to confirm their message and mission. In the context of Paul, it means that he was “sent by God.” To be sent forth with orders, first to the apostles, then in a broader sense to other Christians (Barnabas, Timothy, Silvanus). An apostle, in this sense, is as authoritative as a rabbi or an ordained teacher. An apostle, in this sense, is knowledgeable and able to teach and translate the Scriptures to show and prove that Jesus is the Messiah.
To be sent by God is no small thing. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God…” (1 Corinthians 1:1). Also in 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; and Galatians 1:1.
Not by the will of man. John explains that we were born again “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). John explained that we are born again by the will of God!
Paul was an apostle by the will of God, not by the will of man. Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).
What is the Will of God for Your Life?
What is the will of God for your life? As a pastor, the one question I am asked most is, “What is God’s will for my life?” I also get asked, “What is my purpose?” As believers, our peace is complete when we are assured that God has a plan for our lives. The absence of such knowledge delivers fear and anxiety. I have discovered that God rarely gives us the blueprints of the plan for our lives in full, but instead gives us the “next steps” and that in increments.
So, what is God’s plan or will for you and me?
God’s “General Will”
God’s “general will" is revealed through His word. Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” God’s will for all believers is that we are conformed to the image of His Son. This is an active, lifelong process. When we are conformed to the image of His Son, we grow in love, humility, patience, holiness, and obedience to God. When we are conformed to the image of HIs Son, we resist conformity with the world and begin to walk in harmony with God.
When we read the word of God, we not only learn God’s will for our lives in the positive (things we are to do), but we also learn God’s will for our lives in the negative (things we are not to do). There are things that we, as believers, do not need to pray about because the word of God has already taught us His general will for us concerning character and morality through the learning of the nature and character of God. Outside the specific guidelines in the Bible, God allows us “sanctified preferences.”
God’s “Specific Will”
God’s “specific will” for our lives is revealed through:
- A renewed mind (Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus - Philippians 2:5). Romans 12:2, “…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” When our minds are renewed, we resist cultural pressures, self-centeredness, and worldly values. When our minds are renewed, we identify false beliefs and unbiblical thoughts, replacing them with Biblical truth. When our minds are renewed, we surrender our thought patterns to God’s guidance.
- Providential circumstances. “Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them” (Acts 16:6–7). Open or closed doors may reveal God’s specific will for your life.
- Pastor Adam shared a powerful story from 2006 that perfectly illustrated how God opens doors. Back in 2005, Changed Forever Ministries was invited to organize a September 2006 youth event in Gadsden, Alabama. Although key leaders—including local pastors, the mayor, the police chief, the school superintendent, and prison wardens—were fully supportive, the plans just weren't coming together. That changed when Pastor Adam got an unexpected call: former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore wanted to meet him. After inviting Pastor Adam to his daughter’s wedding the next day, Judge Moore brought him home to get better acquainted and hear the vision for Gadsden’s youth. Shortly after, the floodgates opened. Local business leaders and officials flooded the ministry with offers to help. Through these divine connections, Pastor Adam was able to preach the gospel across nine public schools, two prisons, youth detention centers, several large churches, local Celebrate Recovery programs, a popular R&B radio morning show, and a major youth event at the East Gadsden Community Center baseball field. Week by week, God revealed His plan and overwhelmingly made a way.
- Prayer. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
Three Essentials for Living in the Will of God
Pastor Adam gave three essentials for living in the will of God:
- You must be a child of God.
- You must obey whatever has been revealed about the will of God for your life.
- You must be willing to accept the will of God.
Most of the time we want a hint of God’s will for our lives so that we can decide whether or not His will fits our inclinations. When we finally understand God’s will for our lives, we must forsake our own desires, our own ambitions, our own will for our lives and submit, fully, to God’s will. When we finally understand God’s will for our lives, we go confidently towards God’s will, not caring any longer about our own lives, but only fulfilling the will of God.
Doubting your worth, or feeling inadequate, can also hold you back from stepping into the plans God has for you.
The apostle Paul wrote the following to the church at Philippi, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.
Crossroads Church of Denver
WANT TO WATCH MORE?
WANT TO WATCH MORE?