The Consent of the Will.
The will of man must be put on God's side for Him to work, and it is essential to maintain control over the spirit to follow God's will.
Watchman Nee emphasizes the critical role of the will in the relationship between God and humanity, asserting that both God and Satan require our consent to act in our lives. He explains that while the unsaved may be enslaved by Satan, they still possess the ability to choose, and it is essential for individuals to align their will with God's for divine empowerment. Nee warns against the dangers of a passive will, which can lead to being driven by external forces rather than guided by God's spirit. He illustrates the importance of maintaining control over one's spirit through the will, likening it to a kite string that keeps the kite steady. Ultimately, he encourages believers to actively seek and do God's will, following the example of Jesus.
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It is important to remember that both GOD AND SATAN REQUIRE THE CONSENT OF THE WILL. The will of the unsaved, even though it be enslaved by Satan is capable of choice. "Whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely." So man must put his will on God's side for Him to work. "If any man will to do..." God's part in giving you power to "will" is referred to in Phil. ii. 13. "It is God that worketh in you to will..." i.e., He works in you up to the point of your "willing"--He does not "will" instead of you. Man's will needs God's power to energize it. Apart from it, it is mere will-worship (Col. ii. 23). Paul said, "To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I know not." Man may also set his will against God's will"--This they willingly are ignorant of" (2 Peter iii. 5). The servant that knew His will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes (Luke xii. 47).
Now as to the danger of THE WILL OUT OF ACTION.
Passivity of will arises through a wrong conception of surrender. Romans xii. 1, gives the true meaning of surrender. "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service...that ye may prove what is...[the] will of God." To walk after the will of God the spirit requires a voluntary act of the will. Your will must guide or CONTROL your spirit. "The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets (1 Cor. xiv. 32). For instance, your spirit may go out into an ecstasy, or a strain, beyond the volitional control of your will. Then it goes too far.
YOUR SPIRIT MUST ALWAYS BE KEPT WITHIN THE CONTROL OF YOUR VOLITION. Reference has been made to the spirit being lifted, but when the spirit is liberated and buoyant, then the new plan of the powers of darkness is to drive your spirit, and drive your body. Some people are simply being driven on by the enemy--they are always in a strain, always on the stretch, running after something. It means that the spirit is being drawn out by the powers of darkness.
The Lord Jesus knew the will of God in His spirit because it was always in perfect poise--never strained, never crushed, never elated, never driven, never slow. When He was going to raise the girl from the dead, He was stopped on the way, and He had time to stay and attend to the needs before Him. The ideal is a spirit in perfect poise. It is in that condition you learn how to watch and resist the powers of darkness coming against your spirit, and forcing you on, or, more often, forcing you down.
The relationship of the will to the spirit may be illustrated by that of the string to the kite. The string of a kite, which holds it steady, is its power. The moment it is let go it is lost, and drops. The Lord Jesus walked in the will of God, by knowing it in His spirit and in His intelligence.
The reverse to the action of the will is passivity. When you find your will passive and slow in action you can bring it into action by saying "I have a will." Then having a will of your own, the principle to safeguard its action, is the Lord's own attitude and choice, "I seek not Mine own will."
May the Spirit of God teach us how to follow the steps of our Pattern, and like the Son of God so walk with God in seeking and doing His will, that we stand perfect and complete in all the will of God (Col. iv. 12).
Sermon Outline
- The Will and Its Importance
- The Danger of the Will Out of Action
- Maintaining Control Over the Spirit
- Safeguarding the Action of the Will
- Having a will of your own
- Seeking the Lord's will above your own
Key Quotes
“Whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely.” — Watchman Nee
“It is God that worketh in you to will...” — Watchman Nee
“I seek not Mine own will.” — Watchman Nee
Application Points
- Recognize the importance of your will in relation to God's will and put it on His side for Him to work.
- Maintain control over your spirit by keeping it within the control of your will.
- Seek the Lord's will above your own and be willing to follow it.