Executing the Father's Will in a Crisis
Greetings and good morning brothers and sisters. This is Dr. James Perry continuing with our series
where we seek to explore the deeper meanings of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the years,
the heavenly Father has revealed many revelations of spiritual truth to me, and I want to share them
with you. This morning we seek to understand the recognition and execution of the Father's will in
a crisis.
And now, sit back and listen to today's message.
The Recognition and Execution of the Father's Will in a Crisis
"And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying 'O my Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt.'" Matthew,
Chapter 26, Verse 39.
Brother and sisters, in recognizing and executing the Father's will in a crisis, it is helpful and
instructive to look at the example set by Jesus as he faced his greatest crisis in the flesh as the son
of man--his impending execution on a Roman cross. In this case, the human Jesus realized that he
was swiftly moving towards an event that would end with his being killed by a horrific means---
death by crucifixion. As had been his lifelong habit when facing any decision, he sought to know the
Father's will in prayer. But unlike other crises he had faced, this was a supreme crisis. His mortal life
was on the line.
In this situation, Jesus relied on his faith to recognize and execute the Father's will. Jesus was human
as well as God, and therefore his mortal life--like all mortal lives--was precious and to be protected
at all costs. So naturally he sought to find a way out of this painful prospect of dying on the cross.
He wanted to know if there was any acceptable way to escape the ever-tightening clutches of
impending death. Being and as a human, he considered the options open to him. He could give up
his claim of being a Son of God. He could repudiate his teachings; he could say that he was in error.
He could even just run away, leave the country. But the problem was not just to find any solution;
Jesus sought to find a solution that was also acceptable to the Father.
Three times he sought to find a way that was acceptable to the Father and three times he failed. But
each time he sought to find a way of escape, he also reaffirmed his decision to abide by the Father's
will. And each time he made that declaration of "not my will but your will be done," his faith secured
a firmer and firmer hold upon his divinity. With the final attempt, his human will became one with
the Father's will, and his divine nature gained supremacy over his human nature. There was a great
tension as his human nature ascended from the human to the divine. But this divine oneness in this
supreme moment perfectly resolved the tension; the divine nature gained absolute power over his
human nature. And all this was done by his faith and his desire to do the Father's will above all else.
In the contest of the human will submitting to the divine will, there was found no way to escape that
which was ahead of him. The fact that the march of life had turned to a deadly phase did not change
the Father's will. There was no escape found that was also acceptable to the Father. There was no
way out. He must go forward with his life--a life that was true, beautiful, and good. He could not
repudiate himself, could not divorce himself from his divine self, even in the face of mortal death.
Jesus' will combined with the Father's eliminated the fear of mortal death and filled him with the
consciousness of eternal life--spiritual invincibility. It paved the way for the human Jesus to realize
that the identity of the Son of man and the Son of God are one. The Father wanted him to live out
his life like all other mortals who must live theirs. He was setting the example for all times. It is the
Father's will that we live out our lives in its natural unfolding.
Further understanding reveals that in discerning and executing the Father's will in a crisis, first and
foremost, there must exist the attitude of seeking to know the divine will. The seeking of the divine
will can in an analogous way be compared to iron fillets being placed in a strong magnetic field.
Placing the iron fillets of the human will in the powerful magnetic field of the Father's will causes
the iron fillets to align with the magnetic field that is the Father's will and draws the iron fillets of
the human will towards the magnet of the Father's will. As the iron fillets of the human will continue
to seek the magnetic field that is the Father's will, the iron fillets of the human will are drawn ever
closer to the source of the magnetic spiritual field. And as the faith effort of the human will
increases, it becomes one with the Father's will, thus becoming the Father's will. The emotions
become calm and subjected to the divine will. The fight or flee stimulus associated with the fear
emotion is mastered. This union of the will then acts.
When contemplating the decision of conduct, as the human union with the divine will surveys the
options opened to it, it finally rests upon the option where no greater option can be conceived, and
this option is the Father's will. And this final attitude is not only supreme, but is also true, beautiful
and good.
This concludes today's message on recognizing and executing the Father's will in a crisis. We hope
you find something in this message to ponder and pray about as you go about your day. Until next
time, this is Dr. James Perry.
Inspirational Messages
By Dr. James Perry
Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done!
Executing the Father's Will in a Crisis
