Page 42 Sharpening Your Spiritual Instincts There are three passages in the New Testament that shed light on the discovery of God’s moral will. When I walk through these texts, I find very practical instruction on the matter. The first one is Romans 12:1-2: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And 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. (NKJV) Paul writes to the church in Rome and exhorts the believers to offer their bodies to God as a living sacrifice. Herein lies an important spiritual principle. The Lord does not reveal His will to those who are unwilling to follow it. Jesus said, ,If any man will *is willing to+ do His will, He shall know . . . (John 7:17). ,If your eye is single [you have single devotion to the Lord], your whole body will be full of light (Matt. 6:22). Paul goes on to discuss the renewing of the mind. The net effect of offering our bodies as a living sacrifice and renewing our minds is that we will be able to ,prove or demonstrate the perfect will of God. This is a reference to His moral will as the context shows.
Job’s story demolishes the notion that we can avoid Satan’s attacks if we’re sufficiently strong, or skilled enough, or trained in how to wage war against Satan. No one was more spiritually fit than Job. Yet God allowed Satan to ravage him anyway – and there was nothing Job could do about it. Job finally prevailed in the face of Satan’s merciless assault, not because he found some secret way to beat the devil, not because he rebuked him or ordered him to desist, but because God was in control all along. He knew how much Job could bear. And He would not permit Satan to cross that boundary (1 Cor. 10:13). When Satan reached that limit God stopped him and his attacks ended.
John MacArthur