HELEN SANDERS
11-21-2024
THE FREE WILL OF MAN

God created man in his own image, spirit, soul, and body. God gave Adam and Eve the free will to choose his will or their own will.

When Satan rebelled against God and chose to be his “own God” he not only lost his position of covering the throne of God as the “anointed” cherub [Ezekiel 28:14], he lost his relationship with God. He also deceived a third of the angels in heaven that chose to follow him instead of God. Satan chose “his will” over God’s will.

In Isaiah 14:13-14 we see what was in his heart. It says, “For thou hast SAID in thine heart, I WILL ascend into heaven, I WILL exalt my throne above the stars of God: I WILL sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; 14 I WILL ascend above the heights of the clouds; I WILL be like the most high.”

He wanted to replace God with himself, but as we see in Isaiah 14:15, “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” His pride became his downfall, and pride will be our downfall also.

We can never take the place of God. When we choose our will over God’s we reap the consequences just like Satan. God wants mankind to love and serve him as a choice, not as a demand. He gave mankind the free will to choose. Joshua 24:15 says, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Serving God has always been a choice. It is up to us to surrender our will to his, or to turn our backs on him and deny him. When we go with God and his plan we may have trials, tests, and temptations, but He will be with us through them all. His way and will for us is always the best.