WILL – EXERCISING OUR “GOD-GIVEN" WILL,
(AN EXERCISE IN IMPROVING OUR “LIVING.”)
OUR WILL, just what role does OUR WILL play in our day to day living and the making of our decisions. Our WILL is a GOD GIVEN TRAIT that HE PLACED WITHIN US WHEN HE FORMED US IN THE WOMB OF OUR MOTHER! (SEE PSALM 139). Our WILL is a GOD LIKE TRAIT. When GOD stated “LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE,” HE gave us HIS OWN TRAIT to exercise our WILL in a FREE and unencumbered manner! Whatever else “MADE IN HIS IMAGE” MEANS, IT CERTAINLY MEANS THAT WE HAVE A FREE WILL JUST AS GOD HAS A FREE WILL. HE MADE US FREE TO DECIDE – TO MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS.!
In exercising our own FREE WILL, we are completely free of any influence in making our own decisions. At least we can be free. However, we often allow ourselves to be influenced by many factors both from outside and from within ourselves! When we make our decisions we need to shut out all other influences and concentrate on “WHAT DOES GOD LEAD US TO DO?” GOD NEVER FORCES HIMSELF ON US. However, we are always WISE to seek HIS WAY (HIS WILL) AND ASK HIM TO LEAD US TO THE VERY BEST DECISION FOR US (AND OTHERS) IN EVERY SITUATION! However, GOD ALWAYS leaves THE DECISION TO US TO MAKE!
A VERY SERIOUS MISTAKE MANY (PERHAPS EVEN MOST) PEOPLE MAKE IS TO ALLOW THEIR EMOTIONS TO DICTATE THEIR DECISIONS! THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ERROR TO MAKE! The reason is that our EMOTIONS ARE EXTREMELY FICKEL! As I am sure you can attest, our emotions go up and down and are controlled by many factors, including factors within us, from our circumstances, and from those within our circle of influence! DEPENDING ON OUR EMOTIONS TO GUIDE US IN MAKING OUR DECISIONS IS A SURE WAY TO DISASTER.
A second serious mistake made by many people is to allow other people to influence our thinking, our emotions, and consequently the decisions we make. We need to make our decisions in serious communication with GOD - THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US! JESUS stated in John 16:7-15, "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.(8) "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; (9) concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; (10) and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; (11) and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (12) "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (13)"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (14) "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. (15) " All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (NASU) GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US IS PRESENT TO BE OUR HELPER. NOTICE THAT JESUS STATED, (13) "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. *14) "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.” THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GUIDE US, IF WE ALLOW HIM TO DO SO! AGAIN, WE ARE FREE TO SEEK GOD’S HELP AND GUIDANCE OR, WE CAN IGNORE THE HOLY SPIRIT OR “TURN HIM OFF” COMPLETELY! THIS IS OUR DECISION TO MAKE!
To complicate the issue, our EMOTIONS will dominate our WILL unless we prevent them from doing so! How do we do this! This is where we must make a decision to allow our WILL to dominate the decisions we make in life! YES, WE CAN DO THIS! THIS IS WHERE WE MUST EXERCISE OUR FREE WILL TO GUIDE OUR LIFE AND OUR DECISIONS! AS WE DO THIS, WE FORCE OUR EMOTIONS TO BE IN SUBJECTION TO OUR WILL! THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR US TO TAKE, I CANNOT OVER-EMPHASIZE THE CRITICAL NATURE OF OUR CONSCIOUSLY AND VERY DELIBERATLY MAKING THIS DECIASION! THIS SINGLE DECISION TO CAUSE OUR WILL TO DOMINATE OUR EMOTIONS WILL DRASTICALLY IMPACT OUR DAILY LIVES. AND, WHEN WE TAKE THIS IMPORTANT STEP, OUR EMOTIONS WILL FINALLY “FALL IN LINE” BEHIND OUR WILL. THIS IS SO VERY IMPORTANT, THAT WE MAKE OUR EMOTIONS BE SUBJECT TO OUR GOD-GIVEN WILL! This is not an easy step to take. Our EMOTIONS are often so strong that they will completely DOMINATE OUR TOTAL BEING AND THINKING. However, we desperately need to bring our EMOTIONS under control. This can only be done by OUR DECISION TO EXERCISE OUR WILL TO HAVE DOMINION OVER OUR EMOTIONS. If we work at doing this our EMOTIONS will finally come INTO LINE UNDER OUR WILL! Understand that our EMOTIONS ARE VERY STRONG and bringing them under the control of OUR WILL takes time and much effort! However, if we persist our EMOTIONS WILL FINALLY SUBMIT TO OUR WILL!
The process of bringing our EMOTIONS under the subjection and control of our WILL is for many people a very foreign concept. Consequently, it is very difficult for many (if not most) people to actually accomplish. Our culture today seems to operate on our feelings (our EMOTIONS) instead of using OUR THINKING PROCESS (USING REASON, LOGIC) in the exercising of our FREE WILL TO GUIDE OUR DAY-TO-DAY DECISIONS OF LIFE!
Allowing our lives to be controlled by OUR FEELINGS (EMOTIONS) usually leads to a life filled with many bad decisions resulting in disappointment, discouragement, depression, and a life of “ups and downs.”
On the other hand, a life that is controlled by OUR WILL especially when we are genuinely seeking the GUIDANCE OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT, can lead to a life that is WELL ORGANIZED AND DISCIPLINED. Such a "well-lived” life can usually lead to a stable, well-adjusted, and satisfying life!
Can you do it – can you bring your life under the control of your WILL? Yes, you can! However, if you have been living your life largely based on your FEELINGS (YOUR EMOTIONS) THEN THIS CHANGE TO DISCIPLINE YOUR LIFE TO BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF YOUR WILL, won’t happen over-night! This process to bring your life under the control of your WILL will take some time! You will have to work at it. It is a process that will require discipline on your part. However, IT WILL BE WORTH THE EFFORT! BELIEVE ME, YOUR LIFE WILL IMPROVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ALSO SEEK THE GUIDANCE OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR EFFORTS.
My very best wishes and prayers for much success in your “new way of living” !!!
Pastor Gil Hammond (02-10-2025)