DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER / MATTHEW 7:21

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Matthew 7:21

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Faith in Action: What it Truly Means to Do the Will of the Father

Have you ever stopped to consider the weight of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21? He sounds a powerful, sobering alarm: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

It is easy to use the right religious vocabulary, attend church, and check off the boxes of a Christian lifestyle. But Jesus makes it emphatically clear that entering the kingdom of heaven requires something deeper: carrying out God’s purposes and desires.

This naturally raises a critical question for every believer: If obedience is required, does that mean we earn our way into heaven? Absolutely not. Let’s dive into what it truly means to live out the will of the Father.

1. Grace is the Foundation, Not Our Effort

Spiritual salvation can never be earned by our own works or merits. Scripture anchors our standing before God entirely in His mercy:

Faith and Repentance: Forgiveness comes when we admit our sin, turn from our own way, and submit to God’s direction.
The Ultimate Sacrifice: Our redemption is made possible solely by the grace and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, who gave His perfect life to pay the ultimate penalty for our sins (Matthew 26:28).

We do not obey to get saved; we obey because we are saved.

2. Obedience is the Evidence of True Faith

If grace covers our sins, why does Jesus place such an emphasis on doing the Father’s will?

The obedience demanded by Christ is an ongoing result of true salvation. It is our love-response to what He has already done. Think of it this way: True faith always produces a changed life.

Yet, even this obedience is not powered by our own sheer willpower. It is God’s undeserved favor, love, and help—His grace—that enables us to live by His standards. This means we must continually pray for that grace, receive it daily, and actively put it into practice. This is why the New Testament repeatedly challenges us to put sin to death and present our lives as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2).

3. God Gives the Power to Obey

You are not left to struggle through the Christian life on your own strength. Because of the gift of God’s Holy Spirit, we are fully capable of doing His will when we follow Christ with all our hearts.

As Ephesians 2:8-10 reminds us, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Salvation is a complete package: God doesn’t just forgive our past; He empowers our present. As Philippians 2:13 beautifully states, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.”

4. Grace Requires Our Active Response

While God gives us the strength and ability to overcome sin and obey Him, His gift of grace does not cancel out our need to act. Grace is not passive. We must intentionally respond to God’s gift with active cooperation.

We are always free to rely on ourselves, refuse to pray, or reject the life of obedience. But a vibrant, personal relationship with Jesus thrives when we actively choose—day by day, decision by decision—to align our hearts with His.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the beautiful, unmerited gift of Your grace. Thank You that my salvation does not rest on my own fragile efforts, but on the finished, perfect work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Lord, search my heart today. Forgive me for the times I have offered You lip service instead of true obedience. I do not want to just cry out, “Lord, Lord”—I want my life to reflect Your lordship. I pray for an outpouring of Your grace and Holy Spirit today to align my desires with Yours. Give me the strength to put sin to death, the wisdom to recognize Your promptings, and the courage to act according to Your good purposes.

Help me to live as Your workmanship, walking fully in the good works You have prepared for me. May my faith be visible, active, and deeply rooted in love for You.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

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