Understanding Selfwilled Men
I want to teach what it means to be a self-willed man or a self-willed woman. The Bible gives qualifications for a bishop or a pastor or a leader of a church. I want to focus in on one of these today. The Bible says a bishop or pastor must not be selfwilled.
Titus 1:7
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Biblical Qualifications for Pastors
For a bishop must be not selfwilled. Many people who think they are great have no idea what selfwilled means. They don’t know how to study the Bible for themselves. They take the word of a great deceiver and just believe anything that man says.
They drank too much Kool aid. “Drinking the Kool aid” is an expression that means to blindly accept a dangerous or foolish idea. This phrase is ironically used to refer to accepting an idea because or popularity or peer pressure.
The Danger of False Accusations
And that’s what people do. They make false accusations. They lie. And they accuse people of being selfwilled that are doing their absolute best to do God’s will.
I want you to see the strategies of the devil, the deceptions, and how this works.
People who falsely accuse people of things are usually talking about themselves.
I want to give you an example. Let’s say there’s a man who wants to be a pastor, wants to lead soul winning efforts, wants to preach the Gospel every day, wants to preach and teach God’s words, cares for the people, loves the people, and does his absolute best for God.
One of the requirements to be a pastor, as you see right there, is not selfwilled. This is an important requirement. Not selfwilled.
Defining Self-Willed: What Does it Mean?
Let’s see what that means since people don’t what that means. Let’s take a look at the definition in an English dictionary.
Self willed means governed by one’s own will. Not yielding to the will or wishes of others. Not accommodating or compliant. Obstinate. Another dictionary says, “Stubborn or obstinate willfulness, as in pursuing one’s own wishes, aims, etc.”
So, let’s actually use our brains that God gave us and think about this.
The Conflict Between Personal Will and God’s Will
We have our own will. We have the will of the pastor of a church. Are those the only two wills? Let’s say I have my own will. The pastor of another church has his own will. Are those the only two wills we have to think about? No.
We’re forgetting the will of someone far greater and far more important than both of those men. We have the will of God. But some people forget the will of God. Some men lift themselves up to be higher than God. Their will is the most important of all in their own eyes.
Case Study: A Pastor’s Role and Responsibilities
Let’s say a man is the pastor of ten different churches. I’m not sure how, but let’s just say he’s pastoring 10 churches all over the country and in different countries. Somehow he is in 10 different places at the same time. And let’s say the 10 churches send him all their offering money.
Again, this is just an example. But this pastor is high and lifted up because he’s running 10 churches and getting paid. He has power over all those people. He loves it. He loves the money. He gets what he wants when he wants it.
He can’t be in 10 places at the same time so the churches suffer because they don’t have a pastor that is there locally with them in person. Some of the churches that he supposedly pastors never sees him for months and even years. He’s a stranger to them. But somehow he thinks he is the pastor of those 10 churches.
The Will of God in Church Leadership
Is this the will of God for those churches? Is there an example of this within the Bible? Is there a pastor taking care of 10 different churches all over the world? No. The Apostle Paul wasn’t the pastor of the churches. He helped the churches. But he wasn’t the pastor of any of the churches.
So, let’s not forget the will of God. What does God want?
Remember, a self-willed man is governed by his own will. A pastor or a man that wants to be a pastor should yield to the will of God no matter the circumstance. It doesn’t matter if that pastor is going to lose money. He yields to the will of God.
And we can find the will of God within the Bible. The Scriptures reveal God’s will through his commandments.
1 Timothy 3:1
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
A Good Work: The Desire to Be a Pastor
Now, let’s say a man meets all the qualifications to be a bishop or a pastor. They are all listed in 1 Timothy Chapter 3 and Titus Chapter 1. A man meets all the qualifications.
One of the qualifications is that he desire the office of a bishop. He wants to be a pastor. He is saved. He preaches the Gospel. He gets people saved. He knows the Bible. He teaches the Bible. He meets all the qualifications.
Is this a good thing? Or is this a bad thing? Anyone who is for God would want the man to become a pastor. Why? Because this is God’s will.
The will of God is for there to be more pastors leading churches all over the country and all over the world. Just one small church can win thousands and thousands of people to Jesus Christ. The will of God is for everyone to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ everywhere.
Why More Churches and Pastors are Needed
For example, this church is nearing 500 salvations since we got here in October 2024. If we weren’t here, those 500 people wouldn’t be saved. Do you think God’s will is for us to be here? If you say no, then you don’t understand God’s will.
False Leadership and the Love of Power
Does God want churches with pastors leading those churches in person? Let’s be clear. A man can’t lead a church for months and years and not be there with the people. That’s not a pastor. You can call it whatever you want, but that’s not a leader. A leader who is never there, isn’t a leader.
A man who barely goes soul winning isn’t a leader in a church. A church of God is one led by the pastor. A church of God is one that goes out and wins souls to Christ. You don’t just leave the people out there on their own.
God’s will is for people to be saved. Who does that work? The local church. And a local church is led by a pastor who is there with them.
The Selfwilled Pastor: A Modern Problem
So, we have this man who greatly desires the office of a bishop or a pastor. Not for himself. That’s the entire point of the Bible. That’s the entire point of love. We want good for others. We don’t simply care for ourselves and forget everyone else. We don’t just worry about our own belly. We follow God’s commandments and that is love.
We aren’t in this for the money. God will take care of that. He cares for us.
So, we have this man who wants to be a pastor. There’s a pastor out there who doesn’t believe that to be a good thing because he loves all the glory. He loves all the attention. He loves his kingdom. He always assumes someone is doing something evil. He thinks someone is after him when someone isn’t. Why? Because he is like that himself. He’s after others.
He thinks everyone should follow after his will. And his will is to have more money to eat more food. His will is to take care of himself. This is called self willed. If not, why would this man think it evil that another man desires the office of a bishop in the local church.
A Selfwilled Man Who Wants to Follow God’s Will???
Do you think it’s evil for a man to want to be a pastor? Do you think it’s evil for a new church to get started? Do you think it’s evil for a church to be in every city all across the country? Do you think it’s evil for new churches to be started with men who love God and do his work.
It is a good thing to want to be a pastor if you are doing it for the right reasons? If you are not selfwilled but you desire to do God’s will, then you are doing it for the right reason.
1 Timothy 3:1
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Hey, this is the word of God. A man meets all the qualifications. He wants to be a pastor. But another pastor doesn’t want that to happen because he would lose money if he sent him to one of the 10 churches. He wouldn’t get all the money from the church if someone else takes over as pastor.
“Let’s Twist the Bible So It Benefits Us”
So what does he do? He creates the office of evangelist, which isn’t in the Bible AT ALL, not even close. That’s the definition of self willed. A man comes up with his own way of doing things to feed his own belly. It’s not for the good of the people. It’s for his good.
“Well I’ll make a new office so I can be THE PASTOR of 10 different churches and get paid from all of them.” Now remember, this is just a fictional story. The 10 is just a random number I came up with. But it’s based on a true story.
Pastors all over the world are self willed so they can feed themselves. But they act like it’s the will of God. It’s not.
Breaking Promises: A Sign of Self-Willed Leadership
Doing the right thing is the will of God. Making an oath to someone and then breaking it is a serious sin.
Zechariah 8:16-17
These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
The Importance of Keeping Your Word
God’s will is for us to follow through on a promise that we’ve made someone. “And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor.” When a man did nothing wrong to another man, don’t imagine evil in your hearts against your neighbor. When another man makes a promise to a man and doesn’t follow through in that promise, that’s a false oath.
“And love no false oath.” Why? Is it God’s will or a man’s will to make a promise and then break that promise to a man who did nothing wrong and only good to that man who broke the promise?
It is God’s will for a man to become a pastor. It is a good thing if that man meets all the qualifications. It is not God’s will for a man to break a promise.
Self-Willed Men and the Consequences of Dishonesty
So, who is self willed in that situation? It’s the lying pastor. It’s the man who didn’t want to lose money over doing God’s will.
A man who is self willed, who always gets what he wants, thinks he can do whatever he wants. And he can. But God is watching. God knows what happened. You can’t hide from God. You can’t hide what’s in your heart from God. So that man can break his promise, but there will be consequences. But especially don’t call the other man self willed when you are the one who is self willed.
And definitely don’t deceive all the other people into thinking you are the one who did right and the other man is the one who did wrong. Get real, man. You got them all drinking that special drink you concocted. It’s amazing.
Not telling the full story. Having everyone assume something else happened. Spinning everything to make yourself look good. Calling another man self willed. That’s a false accusation. That’s a lie. That’s trash. “For all these things that I hate, saith the Lord.” Don’t be a lying scum bag. No integrity. No honesty. AT ALL.
You want to think a pastor would keep his word. You want to think a pastor that you loved and trusted wouldn’t lie. You want to think he’s a good man. But then he shows himself.
God’s Commandments vs. Self-Willed Leadership
Self willed is putting your will above the will of God.
The requirements for a pastor is not self willed. Why? Because God doesn’t want you running a church if you aren’t going to seek his will. Especially he doesn’t want you running a church. Especially he doesn’t want you deceiving people. Especially he doesn’t want you seeking after your own will.
Let’s say I made you a promise. In two years, you get this. In two years, you get to choose this or that. Just come with me for two years. You can have this. You can have that. And you believe me because you thought you could trust me. You wanted something good. You wanted to do the work of God. And let’s say you did. You worked hard. You did everything I wanted and more.
When the two years gets closer, you ask me about the promise I made to you. And I just change everything. I break my promise to you because I tell you I can do whatever I want. And I can.
Selfwilled Men Who Lie and Make False Accusations
But God is watching. And God will punish. No fear of God in breaking promises to people who loved you.
Now, if I broke that promise to you, would you believe me when I make you another promise right after I broke that promise. “Well, I told you two years, but I’m changing it to three years.” But you said two years. “Well, I changed my mind. Now it’s three years.”
Would you believe me? I promise you it’s three years now. Well, I just lied to you once. I just broke the promise. Now will you believe my next promise? Of course not. Why would you?
If you make promises to people, God’s will is for you to keep your promises. Keep your word.
Pastors Breaking Oaths
If someone breaks their word, I’m definitely not going to believe them again. I was born in the day but not yesterday. The good thing is God never breaks his promises. Self willed men break promises. Men who follow after the will of God do not break promises.
Why are the promises broken? Self willed. Maybe the man wanted to do right when he made the promise but then we saw he would lose money, he changed his mind and broke the promise. Putting money first is an evil thing to do. The love of money is the root of all evil. The man might have to stop buying expensive food all the time.
So, listen, a self willed man loves his will over the will of God. God’s will is in the Bible. If a man is doing his absolute best to follow after God’s will, don’t stop that man. Don’t break your promises to that man. Don’t be a selfwilled man and then accuse him of what you do.
People Stop Believing Your Lies
Don’t expect to be able to lie to a man, to break promises to a man, and then think that man is going to believe your next lie. You showed yourself. Liar.
And then when the man tries to leave quietly, you make false accusations. God knows the truth about it all. And you will pay for your lies.
Proverbs 14:15
The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
I would rather go to a pastor who has integrity. A man who keeps his word. You can keep deceiving the simple. The simple believeth every word. Even when you lie, they believe your lying words. You’ve lied to them so many times and they believed it so you know you can keep lying to them. It works so keep doing it.
The Love of Money from a Selfwilled Pastor
The love of money. The love of controlling people with money. Pastors doing this.
The prudent man looketh well to his going. I’ll choose a better path. I’m taking no part in this love of money.
Proverbs 22:3
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
You can stay around that lying pastor, that self willed man. A prudent man foreseeth the evil. It can take you a while at times. Sometimes you want to think a man is a good man. Please God, let this man be a man I can trust. And you want him to be good. You even talk yourself into it after you’ve seen proof that he isn’t a good man.
The Kool aid is good. But you have to stop drinking it. It’s going to kill you. But we go soul winning. Hey, just because someone goes soul winning, it doesn’t mean they are good. But yes it does. Hey, wake up. No it doesn’t.
A Prudent Man Doesn’t Continue with a Liar
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself. The simple pass on and keep going with that lying leader of theirs. Hey, wake up. Don’t be simple. Don’t be punished. He doesn’t care about you. Take a look. He’ll do the same thing to you as he’s done to countless others.
Now, take a close look at that verse on the screen. Proverbs 22:3. See it, right? Proverbs 22:3. Now look at this one:
Proverbs 27:12
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
God repeated himself with the exact same words. Must be important. Prudent means cautious. If someone in a position of authority lies to you and breaks a promise, this just means they believe themselves to be higher than the commandments of God. They should know those commandments. You would think they do. But they don’t.
And they don’t care. And they have no fear of God. Hey, see the evil. It’s right in front of you. Wake up.
The self-willed pastor doesn’t meet the requirements. Not selfwilled. Not after money. Not after food. Not after his own belly. But he helped me. Yeah, for his own benefit. If he wasn’t going to benefit himself, he wouldn’t have helped you. Do you not see that? He tries to keep you happy for his own benefit. If you weren’t benefiting him, he would never care for you.
God loves you without benefiting from you.
Final Thoughts: Seeking God’s Will Above All
Now, I hope you understand what it means to be self willed. You want what you want and you don’t care what God wants. For a pastor, their will needs to match the will of God. More pastors are a good thing. You shouldn’t want less pastors because you lose your 10 churches and the money from them and the power over the people.
You shouldn’t want less churches with actual pastors leading the churches. Why would you want that? Wouldn’t you want good pastors leading good churches? If not, ask yourself why?
It’s got to be you. It’s got to be your self will.
Me? I’ll help someone get a church started in any part of this world if there’s a good man wanting to lead that church. And I’ll get no benefit for it. I’ll do it anyway. It can cost me. I can lose things. And I’ll still do it. You know why?
Because that’s the will of God. Not my will be done. But his will. We put him first. And he takes care of everything. Oh, you might lose a little money. You’ll be alright. I thought you worked for God. He takes care of you. O ye of little faith. Follow after God. Stop following yourself.
Don’t do everything to benefit yourself. “Well I’m not doing that because that won’t benefit me.” That’s self willed. That’s self love. That’s caring only for yourself.
That’s not what God wants. That’s not his will. That’s your will. Selfwilled men.
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