Mystery of His Will

“Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:” 
Ephesians 1:9

The Mystery of His Will is talking of the secret of God’s Will that is made known unto us. This will is what God has purposed in Himself. The mystery is the knowledge of the dispensation of the fullness of the times that God will gather in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and on earth, in HIMSELF.

Take note of some keywords in Ephesians 1:1-14.

Will
Ephesians 1:1 - Will of God
Ephesians 1:5 - Good pleasure of His Will
*That which He purposed in Himself. Vs 9
Ephesians 1:9 - Mystery of His Will
Ephesians 1:11 - Counsel of His Will
*That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His Glory

There is a will off God for your life. There is a good pleasure of God’s will for your life. God delights Himself, and is highly excited about bringing His Will to pass in your life. He has purposed in Himself to bring His will for you to pass, and He shall do it.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Jeremiah 29:11

God’s will for you is kept as a secret. It is a mystery. Likewise, God has a counsel for His Will for your life.

The counsel of God is that:
1) You should first of all trust in Christ, and
2) Become a praise of His Glory. He wants to showcase His Glory in your life. He wants His splendor to be seen by all in you. The counsel of God to you is, “Make sure that my glory and beauty truly radiate through your life, family, ministry, business, and in every aspect of your life”.

You are royalty. Think, act, walk, sit, dance, eat, dress, speak, and manifest like a king.

“And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Revelation 1:6

God’s highest calling for every Christian is the call to be a king and a priest for Him here on earth. We are chosen and called with a special calling, to show forth His praise before all.

Grace
Ephesians 1:2 - Grace to you
Ephesians 1:6 - Praise of the Glory of His Grace
*To be accepted in the Beloved
Ephesians 1:7 - Riches of His Grace
*Redemption through His blood
*Forgiveness of Sin

Now, to fulfill God’s will for our lives, we need His Grace. Grace is an unmerited favor. It is not by your strength, might or power.

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Zechariah 4:6
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
Titus 3:5

God’s Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Grace. He is no respecter of persons. He gives and shows favor as He freely wills.

“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:”
Acts 10:34

Glory
Ephesians 1:6 - Praise of the Glory
Ephesians 1:12 - Praise of His Glory
*We who first trusted in Christ
should be to the Praise of His
Glory
Ephesians 1:14 - Praise of His Glory
*The redemption of the
purchased possession to the
Praise of His Glory

When we are accepted by God in His Beloved, Jesus Christ, we become a praise of God on earth. Don’t forget that God glorified Jesus before men as His beloved.

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:16-17

The Glory of God’s Grace released unto us is made evident to all.

“And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”
Isaiah 40:5

Beyond the Glory of God’s Grace, we also have what Apostle Paul called the Riches of His Glory. The riches of God’s glory is brought into our lives when we are redeemed through the Blood of Jesus Christ. Our redemption is appropriated in our lives when we surrender our lives to Jesus on the day of our salvation. This is the day we become born again, and our sins are forgiven.

All the riches of God’s grace are released unto us because we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
Ephesians 1:3

When the Bible talks about the praise of His Glory, it is talking about the Praise of the Glory of God’s Grace.
Everybody around us and from afar, even from the ends of the earth shall see the glory of God's grace in us, and praise Him. Isaiah 40:5.

Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:13-14-Holy Spirit of Promise
*Sealed with the Holy Spirit of
Promise, having believed
*The guarantee of our
inheritance

When we believe in Christ Jesus, we are sealed with God's Holy Spirit. Jesus promised the Church the release of His Holy Spirit.

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”
John 15:26
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”
John 16:7
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
John 16:13,14
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

Thus, God's Holy Spirit was released over His Church since the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:1-4

And the in dwelling of His Holy Spirit in every believer is the guarantee of our inheritance in   Christ. This the assurance of our inheritance in Heaven and the New Jerusalem till eternity.

Now, let us look vividly at the Mystery of His Will, which is the knowledge of the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times.

Dispensation of the Fullness of Times
Dispensation:
- This is a plan, or the carrying out of a plan. God is the author of the Eternal plan. Ephesians 1:1
Therefore, dispensation is God’s plan for the ages, established and settled before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4.

Fullness of Times:
This is when God’s plan will be brought to completion. The fullness of times is expressed in two different contexts: Christ’s first coming, and Christ’s second coming.
1. Christ’s 1st Coming - Galatians 4:4
2. Christ’s 2nd Coming - Ephesians 1:10

The fullness of times in the original language literarily means “At the Decisive Moment”. That is, The Kingdoms, or World Empires, according to the book of Daniel in the Bible.

When Christ returns, He will gather together in one all things in Christ. The word that is translated “gather together” in most English translations of the Bible is actually a compound word in the original Greek that means, “gather together again” or “re-gather together” all things in Christ.

The great plan of God at the fullness of times will be carried out: in Christ, and through Christ. The original condition under the headship of Christ is perfect.

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”
Colossians 1:13-20

There was complete harmony in the entire universe. Everything was perfect. God is going to put all things back in the perfect state at the Fullness of Times, in Christ.

God is going to re-gather all things under the leadership of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Mystery of His Will, according to Ephesians 1:9, 10. This makes us to fully understand Paul’s words to the Corinthians.

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
2 Corinthians 5:19

God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. We also groan in ourselves, “We long for Heaven”. As sojourners, travellers, and aliens in this imperfect world, we look forward to our eternal home, and place of rest.

Summarily, we can say:
* God has an eternal plan - Dispensation
* In the dispensation of the fullness of times, Christ will come again.
* There will be a glorious restoration, the re-gathering of all things in Christ, when Christ returns
* All things; both Christians and the entire universe shall be redeemed in harmony. See Revelation 21 and 22

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
2 Peter 3:10-13

“And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:”
Revelation 22:3