Contents

Smashwords Edition License Notes

Introduction

Foreword

Introduction

1. Definitions

2. The Human Will

3. God’s Will

4. Independent Living

Afterword

Notes

About the Author Dean Chicquette

About the Author Linda Chicquette

The Human Will

And God’s Will

Dean Chicquette

Linda Chicquette

Man’s Will and God’s Will

IM Pocket Books

by Dean and Linda Chicquette

Copyright © 2008 Inner Management

All rights reserved world wide.

Order Number – IM-001

ISBN: 9780463845943

All rights transferred to

DLC Press 2019

from IM Pocket Books and by Dean and Linda Chicquette with all modifications, additions, or corrections.

Quotes from NASB, KJV, and DLT.

Copyright © 2019 DLC Press

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to www.Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

“The human will is but a chooser, and a loser if it thinks it can in any way cause good other than by exercising its decision in favor of God’s immediate and perfect will as it pertains to the event at hand.”

Dean Chicquette

Foreword

Who should read this booklet?

If you consider yourself a Christian or a believer in Jesus Christ, we invite you to read this booklet.

Warning

This booklet contains meat. You will need your spiritual dentures. If you have just begun your walk with Christ Jesus, then we suggest you do not read further. Put it back in the freezer. It may prove palatable sometime in the future.

What is offered herein is an opportunity to learn why your efforts to please God fail. If you have just begun your experiential walk with God you are most likely praising and loving God, not trying to please Him. Trying to please God is an acquired behavior. It usually comes with time.

The words, herein penned, are aimed at setting your attention back on the beginning—Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Introduction

What a bold thing to attempt to resolve centuries of banter on a subject so full of angst, such as the human will and the will of God. So, let us say that we have no intention in this booklet of resolving the issue. Our intention is to expose the Biblical and logical differences between the power and scope of these two wills.

Our desire is that you will be able to distinguish between God’s will and the human will when listening to others speak of duty and will, concerning God and His demands on our lives. Both wills have their scope and power, but each comes from a different source of motivation. To mix one up for the other can only produce perplexity, miscommunication, and even sin.

Before we continue further with our discussion, let us begin by defining human will and God’s will as they are used in this booklet.

Chapter One

Definitions

There are two definitions of will that can aid us in understanding the marked differences between the human will and God’s will.

Our first definition pertains to the human will: “The mental faculty by which one deliberately chooses or decides upon a course of action.” [1] We can choose one thing over another because of our bodily senses: hearing, seeing, touch, smell, and taste, and our propensity not only to differentiate, but to prefer. As humans we are able to think about what we are thinking. We think about our preferences.

Thinking about what you are thinking is called reflexive thought. It is the very faculty we call self awareness. That is, we are aware of our sensual data and thoughts about them.

We can think about them as substantial. The sensations may be attesting to objects in our environment: a train whistle, motions of people out the corner of an eye, or mental meanderings. But they are ‘known’ sensations.

The act of being able to know them and think about them is the act reflection or self reflexive thought. Because of this reflexiveness, humans can be described as “knowers, wanters, and choosers.”[2]

We know we want one thing over another thing because we have some perceived somatic need or lack. Let us say we are hungry, we see an apple and an orange, and we decide to eat the apple rather than the orange. That is the human will in action.

We will investigate much more on this subject in a few moments, but for now let us look at God’s will.[3]

God’s will is “…the power to arrive at one's own decision and to act upon it independently in spite of opposition.”[4]

It is free from the influence, guidance, or control of another; it is self-reliant, an independent mind.

Our working definition of God’s will is: acting without any outside influence or assistance.

At first glance the difference between God’s will and the human will seems indistinguishable, but as we will see, God’s will is unlimited. Humanity does not create the known universe, nor the things from which it can choose. In comparison to God’s will, the human will is nil.

Chapter Two

The Human Will

Remember, the human will is basically a chooser or a decision maker. Humans can decide a course of action. No one can say that humans cannot choose. Remember, to choose is better understood as deciding. We can decide. We can set a course, after decreeing a presence, by making a decision. But can we perform, that is, make that choice happen? Are our choices independent of any outside influence?[1]

Let us look at something Paul wrote.

“Reason this way within your selves. In fact reason the very same way Jesus reasoned in himself. Who, living in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal in kind with God, but emptied himself by accepting the shape of a slave and was caused to be found in the form, man. And finding himself in the external condition of a human, he abased himself and was made submissive unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8 DLT)

What does that have to do with the human will?

Notice, as a human, the divine in-dwelt one emptied himself of the need to be God or have God powers in order to behave as perfect man. His will, as man, was used to let God will His life experience.[2]

Being told to have this same mind in us really means that we have the right to have this same mind in us. What mind? Well, the same way of thinking, the same thought patterns, the attitude of the Son of God. We who are born anew[3] by the Spirit of God,[4] can consider ourselves as now being found in a form of God. Because of this we now have no need to seek to be “like God," but we can humble ourselves and be fully human, letting God’s will consume our human experience.

God says “Remember…I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me;” (Isa 46:9 KJV)

In contrast, note the mind of Satan; he wants (wills) to be like the Most High. He did not say he wanted to oust God. He liked what he saw—God, so much he wanted to be like God. In contrast, Jesus humbled himself even though he found himself God in human form, submitting to the will of God, even to the death of the cross, He became what God wanted, the firstborn of all creation.

Have you ever wanted to be like the Most High?

Satan said, “…I will be like the most High.” (Isa 14:14 KJV )

When you decide to be like the Most High, are you not deciding to be like God? If you have Jesus’s mind in you, you will not seek to become what you perceive you lack. Instead, you will, humble yourself to be totally available for God, that is, to be all He intends to be in and through you, as you, right now.

Because this injunction exists in Philippines, we can conclude that humanity can choose to let this mind be in them or choose not to let this attitude rule them.

Linda and I love the word let. Let it rain does not mean it will rain, unless it is already raining.

Chapter Three

God’s Will

For God to say, “Let it rain.” means you might as well get your umbrella. It is sort of like saying, “Let there be light.” And it was a ‘done deal.’

When God decides a thing, there is no ‘thing’ that can undo that decision. God has the ability to change His mind through human petitions which can interact in human affairs. Yet, God is bound to fulfill His word. Nothing can stop God. On the other hand, the human will, having chosen to take a picnic, can be damned by indigestion.

God has no indigestion.

Note in Matthew 1:9; Joseph decided to put Mary aside. God decided differently. Joseph’s decision failed. God had power to arrive at his own decision, and He acted upon that decision independently in spite of all opposition which included Herod’s decision to kill Jesus.

There really isn’t much more to say, other than we select God’s character because we as humans know, want, and choose. God also knows, wants, and chooses, but He creates what He chooses where we choose from what He has created.

If God wants a thing for humanity, humanity cannot thwart God. Oh, what about free will, you ask?[1] Yes, the human will can choose, but it cannot find the way to perform what is right, just, good, holy, temperate, or any other God-like characteristic. You do have ‘it’ in you, and because of this, you do not have a way to get it out. God is the one in you ready to get ‘it’ out. And, God will get it done through you even if it looks a bit odd.

You’ve got to love the Bible story of Samson. It was prophesied of him that he would defeat the Philistines. Well, things were not looking good. His next door neighbor, a very good looking Philistine woman got Samson into her bed. Now they were making love, not war. But God had his way. The Philistines and even their holy place were destroyed. Samson died accomplishing God’s goal, but the prophecy never said he would live through the act of defeating the Philistines. What looked like independent living was God getting things done God’s way through Samson.

Chapter Four

Independent Living

Remember, we consider independence as acting without any outside influence or assistance. Because we as humans cannot create the simplest foundation of choice, and all from which we choose comes from the infinite storehouse of God’s possibilities, we are totally dependent. By now you are tracking with me, that as Jesus did, we too should have no other mind in us but to let God do what He wants around us, in us, and through us.

If we fail to believe He is able, we cannot and do not walk, live, or act in concord with the Spirit. The will of God lives forever. One who is attached to God’s will lives forever. God’s will for humanity is to become attached to His Son through faith in His ability to transform all forms of death into life.[1]

Independent living is the lie of lies. We simply cannot act independently. Yes, even your desire to do evil. The acting out of evil in YOUR members is powered not by you, but by the eternal enemy of God. Of course, we know when our members behave and produce righteousness it is not us, but God.

It works both ways.

Afterword

In order to be considered God’s prophet, your prophesies have to be ‘right on’ 100% of the time. That means there is no room for error or growth.

Here is an illustration.

Give stones to a blind person. Set up several bells out and away a bit. Let that person plunk away at the bells. It will take time to home in on any one bell. No matter how honest the effort you are not batting 1000.

Here is the problem.

If you choose to do good, it is a law that evil will be produced.[1] For you have believed the evil one, who is urging you to be like himself, deciding to be ‘like God’ through exercising his will. That is the lie of the father of lies. Take a lesson. Lucifer, with all his powers and abilities could not pull it off. Don’t listen to him saying,

“Don’t listen to those Chicquettes. They are weaklings. They have given up. They want you to stop trying and trust God for everything. God is not going to burn up your works so only His works will be seen, appreciated, and remain. God wants your failures to follow you into eternity.

Don’t trust them, trust yourself. You can do it.

DO YOU!

God loves a good effort even though you fail. That is what grace is for, an excuse to fail. Now that you can fail (sin) and get away with it, try all the harder to do good and when you fail you’ll experience the grace of God and God wants you sense His grace, right?

Don’t listen to this gibberish of trusting God not only to author, but to finish your life. Ignore faith, trust, hope, love. Above all don’t love people like you love yourself. Make your choices better than anyone else’s, even God’s choices. Choose to be like God and make up your own mind.

Obey me and you will not die.”

Jesus prayed for you; see John 17:19-26.

Do you give yourself the luxury to think that the Father said, “No” to Jesus’s prayer? It is the union Father afforded us in Christ Jesus that perfects us, not our desires or efforts to be like God.

If we choose to let God be God in us NOW, and let God express Himself as you, right now, then your will works and you are walking in and by the Spirit of the Most High God.

Doing the flesh is NOT walking in the Spirit. If we walk in the will of God, His Spirit is at work in and through us, and we will not produce flesh results.[2] This is faith, and this type of faith must produce fruit. Choose God’s will, reviewed in Him and by Him in the moment, and if it is not flesh trying to gain stuff, give.

You can’t produce the fruit. But you can always choose to let God produce fruit.[3]

Do you want His joy? When you understand it is God’s will, you have that joy, you understand how to walk in the Spirit of God. You just agree with what God is doing.[4]

Let me end with the words of Jacob Boehme.

“It (God) is IN THEE. And if thou canst, my Son, for a while but cease from all thy OWN Thinking and Willing, then thou shalt hear the unspeakable Words of God,”

Hearing and Seeing God.

Notes

1. Definitions

1 Second College Edition of The American Heritage Dictionary, 1991

2 A phrase coined by author and speaker Norman Percy Grubb.

3 The word ‘will’ that signifies future tense in the English language is not the word ‘will’ of our present study.

4 American Heritage Dictionary, 1991

2. The Human Will

1 The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. No matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it. The saying is adapted from a line in “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns: “The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley.”

Dictionary.com

2 “Jesus therefore said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.” (John 8:28 NASB)

“Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.’” (John 8:42 NASB)

“For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say, and what to speak.” (John 12:49 NASB)

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe on account of the works themselves.” (John 14:10 NASB)

3 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: the original has passed away; behold, every thing has become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 DLT)

4 “He that believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; he that does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony which God has testified concerning His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life; he that does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I write to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:10-13 )

I encourage you to ponder this scripture until you KNOW you HAVE the Son of God. You will know when you believe. That is the point of these scriptures. You will know when you believe in the name Jesus (which means—Jehovah saves) when you stop trying to save yourself.

3. God’s Will

1 For me to be free in my choice I would have to be like God and make the choices from which I choose. This is not the attitude we are called to mimic. We are called to have the mind of Christ who chooses what God is choosing.

4. Independent Living

1 “The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17 NAS)

Afterword

1 “I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good.” (Romans 7:21 NAS)

“For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” (Galatians 5:17 NAS)

2 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” (Galatians 5:16-17 NASB)

3 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5 NASB)

4 “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:9-11 NASB)

About the Author Dean Chicquette

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Dean Chicquette holds a BS in Computer Science and an MA/ABS in Systemic Theory. His favorite things to do are reading the Greek New Testament with Linda, visiting friends, praying for others, playing music, writing, teaching, and attending Bible Study.

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www.itransformyou.com

About the Author Linda Chicquette

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Linda Chicquette holds a BS degree in chemistry and biology with a secondary teaching certificate. Her favorite hobbies are raiding New Testament Greek with Dean, teaching, playing with grandchildren, running, knitting, playing music, and attending Bible Studies and doing helps.

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www.itransformyou.com