We Have Free Will

The above animation is based on a similar animation I found in a power point.

What is free will? What does it mean? Does it mean that we do not have our own will? Or does it mean that we cannot make our own choices? No. We are here to make our own choices or there would be no need to be here. So then what does free will really mean? If our mind consists of our identity, thoughts of evil spirits, and our conscience/God then it would be reasonable to assert that we are here to choose between the two. In effect, these choices reflect who we are. But, wait? If God is omnipotent and omniscient then why do we have to make these choices? If He already knows what we will choose? The answer to this is simple. It is our intellect that confuses the logic of it. God is within us as our conscience so of course He knows all. To address the issue of omnipotence we must first understand that just because God is all powerful does not mean that there are not things that He, of His own will, refuses to do. God wants us to love Him on our own accord. He refuses to force us to choose to love Him... even though He could. So we must first choose our predestined path before we can follow it otherwise we can choose not to follow it. Now, the question is, does God know exactly what choice we will make before we make it? Well, did He write the bible before the events transpired within it? Yes. So He does know what we will do before we do it, but He is not making our decisions for us, and furthermore, just because God knows the future doesn't mean that it's not necessary for it to occur. The reason we are trialed here is because God is teaching His children right from wrong. In the same way that we teach our children right from wrong and yes, sometimes we have to discipline our children to show them that they made a mistake. But what if we had never disciplined them? Would they make that mistake again? Definitely. The only difference between us as parents and God is that our heavenly father is omniscient. He knows how we will react to a situation, and He sees our heart. So then why do we get afflicted by Satan if God knows what we will do before we do it? Some children do not listen to their father but how would they know that was wrong if the parent were not able to provide an example of what happens when they do not listen? Then would it not make sense that we are afflicted with evil so that God can make us understand how bad it is to be evil? We are afflicted with evil even though God knows what we will do before we do it in order for US to learn to fight evil thoughts... so that we won't ever turn out like Satan did. Though there are some that will choose Satan. They are the tares. They belong to the wicked one. Satan rebelled against his father and said, "Forget you, Father. I didn't get my talents from you. They are mine!" Therefore, God is teaching those that will listen what NOT to do to Him through showing them the results of evil. How would we feel if our child denied us as a parent? It would break our heart.

I read several sites in which people were speaking about God like He is hateful and unloving but they are deceived. I took my daughter to the doctor to get a flu shot the other day. She begged not to go but I told her it was best for her whether she understood it or not. Then when she got the shot she was afraid but I told her it would be ok. It would be over as soon as she knew it but she needed it. After it was over she cried and buried her face in my shirt. I remember how protective I was of her and even though I hated that she was crying I knew that the shot would protect her.  Afterward, she didn't say, "Mommy, you were right" but she will be protected whether she realizes it or not. But I can rest assured that someday she will realize that I was only protecting her and she will grow in the knowledge that I taught her through that experience. I believe God feels the same way about us. We are here to learn that evil will only hurt us and we must turn to our father in order to be protected.

Our purpose here on earth is to learn to overcome evil with good...

That was everyone's purpose though there are some that reject the Lord and choose Satan instead...

We all go through a trial in which we will choose Satan or God--

God desires that we choose Him and overcome so that we may give our testimony (tell others of our experience and how we overcome so that we may give them knowledge so that they too may overcome because we have a significant influence on those around us).

The biggest lie Satan ever told us was that we are not capable of rising above his influence. And choosing good over evil. If that were the case there would be no significance to Jesus' coming. His goal has always been to get us to turn to Him, and we were given the Holy Spirit so that we may conquer Satan and rise above his influence. Once we received the Holy Spirit we were given all authority over the enemy. The Holy Spirit is not subject to Satan/sin.

Satan wants to prevent us all from overcoming because he wants to prevent us from defeating him in the power of the Holy Spirit and giving our testimony and this influencing others to do the same.

Because he wants to prevent us from furthering God’s kingdom on earth. He wants to prevent us from continuing the work of Christ as he does not want to see others healed and set free.

Once you overcome you will have the knowledge and wisdom to counteract Satan’s lies with truth and influence others to do the same. When you speak the truth it will set the captives free, their eyes will be opened, and they will see the truth whereas they were deceived before but because you come out of trial victorious you will be equipped to counteract Satan with truth in the power of the Holy Spirit and it will set the captives free.

That is why Satan fights so hard to prevent us from turning to God and coming through trial victorious.

We were all given gifts and callings from the Lord such as the gift of song, wisdom and revelation, intelligence, writing, etc

Satan fights in order to get us to utilize our gifts for him instead of God as our callings are without repentance.

He knows what gifts the Lord gave us.

As Satan knows all of our callings.

Satan knows we were all meant to expose his lies and defeat him with good so he fights to get us to choose to utilize our gifts for him instead of God so we will do his will of deceiving others rather than telling them the truth and setting them free.

....

Some are bitter toward God because He gave us the ability to make our own decisions and they believe He should have designed us in such a way that we had no choice but to listen to Him instead of this other bad angel named Satan because when we listen to him bad things happen.

The problem with the notion that God should have created us without the ability to choose not to listen to Him would be that if He created us in that way then we would lack free will because we would only have one alternative-- to listen to Him.

In addition, God also created us with the ability to choose not to sin. Because sin just = listening to Satan so we can of our own will choose NOT to listen to him. And listen to God instead.

I used to blame God for the evil in this world, but I wasn't thinking clearly. Because people make their own decisions and how would I feel if someone blamed me for the decisions someone else made?

This is the best way I understood why God allows evil: because WE are evil. The evil in this world is a result of our loved ones that CHOOSE evil, and God loves us so He does not want to destroy us.

All God/Jesus has ever done is love us and sacrifice for us. There is evil in this world because we choose it instead of God-- the reason I said instead of God is because God is 'good' and Satan is 'evil' therefore the evil in this world is the result of us that {choose} Satan/evil of our own accord.

Many say, well God is chastising us or whatever but God does not WANT to chastise us. Just like any parent hates to discipline their child. But when we CHOOSE evil we bring chastisement upon ourselves... if we would learn to listen to our father instead of Satan then there wouldn’t be any evil in this world.

God takes our bad choices and does the best He can with them-- to take what the enemy meant for harm and turn it into good. But it was our choice to listen to the enemy in the first place. All God does is help us benefit from our mistakes and constantly intercede for us in an attempt to lead us back to Him.

God/Jesus came to save us from sin/Satan and to heal us. That’s why He was crucified. So we could accept His love/sacrifice, be saved, become righteous in Him, and overcome evil in the power of His spirit because He did NOT desire that we remain in bondage to SATAN and thus afflicted with disease and other misfortune.

*Evil spirits put the same thoughts in everyone's mind.

They have put them in my mind before. 

Thus the reason I know exactly what to counteract.

But now that I know God personally I know it was all lies.

I was listening to Satan before. 

He had me confused. 

But he used my caring nature against me to do so. 

He knew I hated evil and so he thought if he could convince me that God was the reason for all the evil in the world it would keep a barrier between He and I. Cause he didn't want me to find out that he was the one responsible for the evil we experience. He didn't want me to find out that I could fight against the evil he causes... with God. Cause he knew that was exactly what I would do.

Satan always tries to deceive us. So we must guard our heart and mind in Jesus Christ. Because Satan will try to corrupt our mind from the simplicity of truth. At one point I got so confused that I had to make a conscious effort to remember how I used to think before I got caught up in all the lies, confusion, and false doctrines:

I knew that God loves us unconditionally-- and that He gave us the law to protect us from evil. I knew that only those that rejected Him went to Hell.

I didn't confuse things or feel condemned.

Because I knew that I love God and that He loves me.

And that I would never reject Him.

 {It's important to note that doubt and rejecting the Lord are not the same thing.

And turning away from the Lord is not the same as rejecting Him.

Doubt is something we all experience at times.

And we have all turned away from the Lord at some point.

But not all of us have rejected Him. Those that have rejected the Lord know that they have rejected the Lord. They hate Him and want nothing to do with Him. They knowingly renounced Him and they no longer have a conscience. If you have not done that and you have a conscience then He dwells in you as He is the source of your conscience}

But Satan will try to steal that simple truth.

So we always have to remain on guard.

And ask God to give us wisdom.

This advertisement came on YouTube for this movie about this woman that went mad after someone abducted her son. She went after them with a vengeance stating that they took the wrong kid.. and it didn't matter where they took him.. because she would follow them wherever they went. And I thought she sounded like me lol. Only it was my soul mate that was in a different kind of danger. But it's the same concept.

And I got to thinking about it, and I think it's a perfect illustration of God's love for us. And how He seeks us out. And chases us down. He is fierce. His love is fierce. There is literally nothing more intimidating or powerful. That’s why I’d love to see a stand off between two warriors: one good and fighting in love to protect another. And the other weak and evil.. fighting for no other reason than to lose the fight.

Good always wins.

Can you imagine if God's spirit/love manifested itself in everyone in that way. And everyone had that kind of love not only for their children but others. There would be no such thing as evil or pain if everyone listened to God

People don't listen to God the way they should. But when they do. And His love manifests itself. It never fails.

God never harms His children. His love is protective and good. But when we listen to Satan we end up inviting evil into our lives.. And evil does harm us. And God would love to tie us all up and keep us from listening to Satan thus harming ourselves and others, but He loves us too much to violate our free will. He wants us to choose Him of our own free will. And when we do. It conquers evil. Because no one is influenced by evil without first choosing it over God. It’s very important to understand that correctly because without that knowledge one can easily get deceived by Satan. What we must understand is this: He is love. therefore it cannot exist apart from Him. But since we are one with Him in His love we are experiencing it.

We have all chosen Satan over Him. And we all go through trial because He is testing us and trying to teach us to overcome evil. And even the most righteous person on earth has still chosen Satan over Him and needs to go through trial.

https://youtu.be/R-Ht8VRPRvU

Above is the link to the trailer I was talking about.

When I said that it's a perfect illustration of God's love for us... and how He seeks us out. And chases us down. I meant it's a perfect illustration of how He relentlessly chases after us our entire lives. Doing everything He can to get us to turn to Him.. and out of Satan's grasp. He even came to earth to die to release us from bondage to him. And any time that type of fierce protective love rises up in a person they are doing nothing more than listening to Him.

https://youtu.be/t_O5HDaNTSE?list=PLpSSJt--D0bbNmxvRrhIudRrnEQtKj7L7