There is much controversy today about having ‘free will’. True, we were given free will in the beginning, but that was given up when we turned control over to satan. When, exactly, did this happen?
It could not have been in the garden of Eden, for we read in Deut. 11:26-28 "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day; And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods which ye have not known".
We can see here that at this time, we at least had the possibility of a choice; that is, free will to choose. Then again in Deut. 30:19 we see; "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed shall live".
Each person will have to decide for themselves, not ‘if’ they ever gave up free will, but when they gave it up.
It would behoove each one of us to read carefully the curse which was put upon us by disobeying these commandments. But you say; How have we broken any one of these commandments? Do we not praise God daily in our devotion? Do we not pay a tenth of our income to further His work?
When you look to your horoscope to see what the day holds for you, or when superstition keeps you from walking under a ladder, or when you leave anything to ‘fate’, you have turned to other gods. What keeps you from walking under a ladder? Fear!! Where does superstitious fear come from? satan! Now, when a feeling of fear immobilizes you, where is your free will in this? There is none. You have sold your birthright for a bowl of pottage.
There is only one way to break the control over you of any one, including satan, and that is through or by humility. If someone demands anything from you, and you refuse, then usually a fight ensues, each one trying to control. However, if it is your employer, a parent, a teacher, a friend you want to remain friends with, or someone who could beat you to pulp, you can not reasonably refuse.
How do you keep them from controlling you? If you give in to their demands exactly, they are in control of you. If you must give them what they want, then do so, but add something to it. Give them more than they ask for. While you are not in control, you have also nullified the control of the other.
This is the reason for "going the extra mile", or "if they ask for your coat, give them your shirt also". While there is no way you are controlling them, you are at least remaining in control of your own life.
It has been said that life is a book, and the Bible speaks of the ‘book of life’. It is as if each deed we perform is written on a page of our own ‘book of life’. We each either write in our own book, or we let someone else write in our book for us. Rest assured that either you write in your own book, or someone else will do it for you.
Far too many people try to live their life as someone else thinks they should live. If we let our life be between us and God, and not between us and man, we would find things a lot easier. Is the majority of mankind actually too lazy to think for themselves? I firmly believe God made a better creation than that.
Everything can be so simple, yet we insist on making it so complicated. Regardless of who may tell you otherwise, all it takes to please God is to let your love flow out to all others, with no strings attached. If you cannot do that, then learn to do it. God made you a loving being, so do not tell me you cannot love some certain person. You may refuse to, to your own downfall, but to say you can’t is only lying to yourself.
This is the basis of all successful endeavors; remaining in control of yourself at all times. Understand this. No control is ever needed over people. Only situations need controlled.
World Government controls every person in the world, in the effort to control any given situation in the world. Do not be so naive as to think there is no world government. National Government controls every person in the nation for the same reason. Same with state government, city government, right down to job management. In every situation of control, satan is the controller of the controllers. This applies even and especially to Church Government.
World Government and National Government can have you killed, State and City Governments can have you imprisoned, but if you listen to any religious government, they will tell you they can do worse. They claim they can have you excommunicated, and cause your soul to spend eternity in Hell. This teaching is NOT from God. It is the teachings of satan. All of it.