Everything that happens in the world is not aligned with God’s perfect will. This is where we experience His “PERMISSIVE WILL”. God’s permissive will allows us to make some decisions that take us outside of His divine will.
In other words; God’s permissive will is what He allows to happen. He allows everyone the option of choosing right or wrong, spiritual life or spiritual death, being blessed or being cursed.
Most of what we see every day is under God’s permissive will. Like the building of a new house, falling interest rates, rising gas prices, the choices we make that glorify God, and the ones we make that do not honor God, are all within God’s permissive will, simply because He permits them to occur.
For example; when God created the world it was perfect in every way. There was no sin, no sickness, no limitation, no evil, and no wrong. But, just look at the state of the world today. His permissive will allows these things to go on for a time, but the Bible assures us that God is always working in the world for our ultimate good, and for his glory. God is always in control.
Israel wanted a king to rule over them rather than God, like all the other nations. Israel’s error was in their attitude, and their timing. But God heard their heart, and with strong warnings, God let them have their way, and He gave Israel Saul to be their king. God’s permissive will is evidenced by the fact that He allowed Israel to have a king even after warning the people against it.
All through the Bible the difference between God’s order, and God’s permissive will is brought out, and nothing ever happens outside of God’s will.
Mark it well; demons, evil spirits, even Satan himself, cannot function outside of God’s permissive will. As a matter of fact they are actually tools of the Lord, and cannot move apart from His permission.
“But why would God want tools like demons or Satan?” Great question - ready for the answer? God uses tools like demons, or Satan in order to provide mankind with an alternative.
Man must have an alternative in order for it to be a proper choice. God says, “I will give mankind a choice, he can either choose Satan, and his hellish henchmen, or he can walk with Me. The choice is that simple.” God will not force you to love Him, or to obey Him.
God permits each person to exercise free will, even in opposition to His will. But remember, God is ultimately sovereign over all that He permits.
