The only way to enter the kingdom of heaven is by knowing and doing God's will.

This strategy released the power of God in Jesus' life to destroy the works of the devil. This strategy gave Jesus the victory in the midst of the greatest testing and trial of His life. The Lord Jesus broke the power of death while He was in the grave and resurrected Him in power. This strategy enabled Jesus to defeat Satan and redeem men from sin. This strategy resulted in Him being given an exalted position and a Name that is above every name. Jesus KNEW the will of God and lived His life in complete conformity and obedience to it.

This same strategy...KNOWING and DOING the will of God...will:

• Release the power of God in your life to take authority over sin, sickness, and over all the power of the enemy.

• Make you victorious in every circumstance...every trial...every testing you face.

• Give you the ultimate victory over Satan.

• Give you the magnificent reward of a glorified body and entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

Without it, you will not succeed! It's as simple as that. If you don't use the same strategy Jesus used of knowing and doing the will of God, Satan will walk all over you. Your life will be marked by failure after failure. You will be defeated. Ninety percent of God's people today are floundering and falling apart at the seams because they don't know the will of God. They are in a state of confusion. They are unaware of the distinction between following their own wills and following God's will. They are walking in spiritual ignorance. Satan has been enjoying himself! Many Christians have become vulnerable because of not knowing God's will. When they come face-to-face with the enemy, they feel afraid. They become tense and waver. They are unsure of what to do. They lean on the arm of the flesh.

Many Christians are not living their lives according to God's will because they don't know His will. They are walking in rebellion. We are living in an age in which Christians are doing their own thing... following their own self-wills... thinking they are in right standing with God, and thinking they are going to make it into heaven. Jesus has clearly told us that those who do the will of God are going to enter heaven. He doesn't attempt to avoid the problem. He doesn't sugarcoat the truth and make it easier to swallow by saying, "As long as you are praying to Me and 'professing' and claiming Me to be Lord of your life"; or even, "As long as you are trusting and believing in Me as Lord," you will enter into heaven. He said that those who do the will of their Father who is in heaven will enter into heaven. For those who are watching, who are constantly seeking after Jesus and doing God's will, Jesus is coming back. In the story of the ten virgins, the five who didn't have their lamps trimmed and burning were left behind. In a parable concerning His second coming, Jesus said: 'And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes' (Luke 12:47). It is 'he that does the will' of the Father who is given eternal life (I John 2:17). Giving up your own self-will and following God's will is not an option. It's not something to be taken lightly. You must do it!

Matthew 7:21-27