The struggle of a believer’s life is a heavy one—namely, how to live in holiness throughout a long journey of life. It often feels as though we never reach the target; there are always failures and deviations. For this, there are two fundamental principles. First, it is we ourselves who make the choice—whether we choose this or that, and this is what is called the power of will. Our free will is mighty; it determines the course of our lives. Therefore, our lives are not defined by fate, but by ourselves—by the choices and decisions we make.
No one can stop a person who says, “I choose whatever is according to God’s will.” When that happens, our life is no longer about us, but about God. It is no wonder that such a person can write God’s history through their life. Look at the lives of Joseph, Abraham, and other heroes of faith. In fact, we should be able to live even more powerfully, because the Spirit of God now dwells within us.
Second, we need the Holy Spirit as our guide in life. If we fail, it is because we are not walking with the Holy Spirit. Our desire becomes weak because we are not filled with Him. If we truly love God with all our hearts, then nothing we enjoy should replace or overshadow the joy we find in Him. Personal pleasures must be “sacrificed,” just as Abraham offered Isaac, his beloved son, and this is not an excessive attitude, because from the beginning, we were created to be God’s delight. Imagine if Adam and Eve had not fallen into sin—they would have continued to possess God’s glory: the ability to always act according to the thoughts and feelings of God. Only in that state could the words, “The earth is filled with the glory of God,” be fulfilled. For God’s thoughts and feelings would be translated into human will, and there would no longer be any will that clashes with His.
In heaven, no creature has a will that opposes God’s will. Therefore, when we pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are essentially saying, “Lord, train me to become a member of Your Kingdom family who lives on earth with a will aligned to Your thoughts and feelings.” We are practicing how to live a heavenly life on earth. Will is something extraordinary—it can determine one’s destiny. The free will that led to Adam and Eve’s decision ultimately determined the fate of all their descendants, including us. Likewise, our will today determines our future—and can even affect the fate of our children, grandchildren, and those around us. Such is the power of human will.
Therefore, do not surrender ourselves to the corrupt atmosphere of the world. The prayer that Jesus taught, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” is not merely a phrase—it is a confession that we must be kept away from wrong desires. Do not look at things that do not need to be seen, because they will corrupt our minds and lower the quality of our will. Do not associate with the wrong people, for “bad company corrupts good character.” It shapes a false character and eventually ruins our behaviour.
How extraordinary humans are as God’s creation, given the honour and responsibility of having thoughts and feelings that can form will. Before the age of grace, people judged actions merely by “good and evil.” This state caused humanity’s downfall, for God’s standard is not simply good and evil, but what is in harmony with His thoughts and feelings.
The work of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ restores humanity to this divine standard. It is truly amazing! Yet we must begin again—starting from zero—because we often still miss the mark.
Do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly. The way God transforms us is part of His loving plan. The problem is that within us, there already exists a corrupted desire—what Scripture calls the sinful nature. When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, our status changes—from not being God’s children to becoming His children—but our nature is not yet transformed. Grace does not automatically change our nature; it opens the way for the process of renewal. Therefore, God disciplines us by giving us the seal of the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth. Through His guidance, we are shaped and renewed in our will, so that we may truly possess thoughts and feelings that are in harmony with the mind and heart of God.