How to do God's will

“[May... God]... equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:21
It’s a question all of us ask, some of us more frequently than others: “How can I do God’s will?” It’s something we know we should be doing, but something that is often so elusive. In general terms, God’s will is revealed to us through His Word. His will is that we would live in close fellowship with Him, in unity with each other. His will is that the unsaved would come to Him for salvation (something that we have the privilege of being involved in, through sharing the gospel and witnessing to people). His will is that we would be conformed more and more into the image of His Son – the process of sanctification.
So many times we try to do all this in our own strength, and fail miserably. Paul experienced this: “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not hte good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing” (Rom. 7:18-19). If that’s you today, then hopefully this verse will provide some encouragement. God doesn’t expect us to do His will in our own strength. That’s why He equips us, through the power of the Holy Spirit – without this, we can’t do anything. He gives us the resources, the abilities, and the opportunities to do His will. It is the Holy Spirt who works through us to accomplish God’s will (Phil. 2:13). All we need to do is be obedient.