Decision and the Will
247
Impossibility Lies in Own Will—Our entire life is God’s and
must be used to His glory. His grace will consecrate and improve every
faculty. Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character; for if
you come to this decision, you will certainly fail to obtain everlasting
life. The impossibility lies in your own will. If you will not, then you
can not overcome. The real difficulty arises from the corruption of
unsanctified hearts, and an unwillingness to submit to the control of
God.—
The Youth’s Instructor, January 28, 1897
.
A Grand Soother of Nerves—The mind and nerves gain tone and
strength by the exercise of the will. The power of the will in many
cases will prove a potent soother of the nerves.—
Testimonies for the
Church 1:387
(1863).
Satan Uses the Will—When Satan is permitted to mold the will,
he uses it to accomplish his ends He stirs up the evil propensities,
awakening unholy passions and ambitions. He says, “All this power,
these honors and riches and sinful pleasures, will I give thee”; but
his conditions are that integrity shall be yielded, conscience blunted.
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Thus he degrades the human faculties and brings them into captivity
to sin.—
The Review and Herald, August 25, 1896
. (HC 153.)
Temptation Taxes Willpower to Uttermost—It is our privilege,
as children of God, to hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering. At times the masterly power of temptation seems to tax our
willpower to the uttermost, and to exercise faith seems utterly contrary
to all the evidences of sense or emotion; but our will must be kept on
God’s side. We must believe that in Jesus Christ is everlasting strength
and efficiency.... Hour by hour we must hold our position triumphantly
in God, strong in His strength.—Lt 42, 1890. (HC 124.)
Education of Children Not Like Training Dumb Animals—
The education of children at home or at school should not be like the
training of dumb animals; for children have an intelligent will, which
should be directed to control all their powers. Dumb animals need to
be trained, for they have not reason and intellect. But the human mind
must be taught self-control. It must be educated to rule the human
being, while animals are controlled by a master and are trained to be
submissive to him. The master is mind, judgment, and will for his
beast.—
Testimonies for the Church 3:132
(1872).
The Will to Be Directed, Not Broken—A child may be so trained
as to have, like the beast, no will of his own. Even his individuality