One place I don’t ever want to be in is in God’s permissive will. Some people say they live in God’s permissive will. I say that we survive in God’s permissive will. God’s permissive will is simply what God allows to happen in our lives. Why would you spend your waiting season surviving in a place that God is just allowing because His perfect will is not being done?
In my view, God’s permissive will is like a form of punishment. His permissive will may seem like the right thing until our capacity to survive it runs dry. In this place, God allows us to have what we prayed for because we refuse to accept what He desires. While you’re waiting for your prayers to be answered, it’s a good thing to learn to hear from God. You cannot choose to follow your own path. If you do, you’re going to be held accountable for doing things your way instead of God’s way. The survivalist experience of being in God permissive will is partly how God holds us accountable for choosing our own path instead of yielding to His ways.
When you don’t yield yourself to praying for God’s perfect will to be done, you open yourself to God’s judgment. And although God’s judgment may not kill us in the natural, we will find ourselves slowly dying spiritually. I’ve been there before. In fact, I will be transparent with you to help you understand how God permits things to happen even though they are outside of His perfect will.
I had a certain type of woman in mind that I wanted to date. I met a young lady who fit that description. From the outside, it seemed as if she possessed every one of my heart’s desires. I kept noticing things that were wrong, things I knew did not line up to what I knew to God’s perfect will for my life. But instead of hearing the voice of God and moving on, I chose to do my own thing. I felt as if I could change her. I thought that I was good enough to make my dreams come true without the help of the Lord.
Even though I knew that relationship wasn’t God’s will for my life, I ignored the warnings and allowed it to become more serious. That led to major heartache that lasted way too long. I knew that relationship wasn’t God’s perfect will for me. I knew I was outside the perfect plans God had for my life. But because I wanted to do what I wanted to do, I ended up in God’s permissive will.
A lack of patience will cause you to live in God’s permissive will instead of His perfect will. God’s perfect will is God’s pleasure. Stay there. Don’t get impatient and end up in God’s permissive will, which is man’s pleasure.
The good news about God’s permissive will is that He can even work that together for your good. He will sometimes allow certain things to happen to test your faith. God will allow certain things to happen just to see how faithful you are to Him. Have you ever had a time in your life when you knew that God was testing you? Did you pass the test? I hope you can answer yes, but if you answered no, what I am saying to you today will he blessings God has in store for you
Realizing that you were just surviving God’s permissive will is certainly a hindrance to receiving the blessings God has in store for you. Don’t allow your self-will to be the reason you live in God’s permissive will. Be careful not to find yourself being indifferent when it concerns God’s plan for your life.
Arrogance is a hindrance. You’ll find yourself in God’s permissive will before you realize what’s happening. Be obedient to the voice of the Lord. Failure to do what God says will place you in God’s permissive will. Failure to do what God has already told you to do will just delay your miracle. You already know what God requires of you, so act on it.
By faith, you have to trust that what you’re believing for from God is certainly on the way. But while you’re waiting, you cannot take matters into your own hands. God’s permissive will is not a joyful place to live. You will find yourself being happy in His permissive will for a season, thinking that it’s His perfect will. Then before you know it, you’ll be praying for a way of escape. Seek God for His perfect will, and when He reveals it, be obedient to Him.
Prayer Power for the Week of Sept. 2, 2018
This week, continue waiting on God to unfold His plan and purpose for your life while you focus on the vision, goal and plan He has already revealed. Continue to pray for our nation and its leaders. Ask God to provide godly counsel to our president and his advisers. Thank the Lord for giving him wisdom to make the decisions that need to be made. Remember our teachers and those working with them to provide education, protection and support for our children. Join with other prayer warriors to pray for worldwide revival, the peace of Jerusalem and soon return of our Lord. Read Psalm 122:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:8.
James Lasher 
Abby Trivett 
