Rom. 7:18 π Eph. 3:16 π Phlp. 2:13
But the believer thus co-operating with God in the use of his volition, must understand that the choice of the will is not sufficient alone, as we see by Paul's words in Rom. 7:18 : "To will is present with me, but to do...is not." Through the spirit, and by the strengthening of the Holy Spirit in the "inward man" (the regenerate human spirit - Eph. 3:16 ), is the liberated will desirous and determined to do God's will, empowered to carry out its choice. "It is God which worketh in you...to will," i.e., to enable the believer to decide or choose. Then it is "God which worketh in you...to do His pleasure" ( Phlp. 2:13; top ), i.e., energizes the believer with power to carry out the choice.
That is, God gives the power to do, from the spirit where He dwells, and by the believer understanding the using of his spirit, as clearly as he understands the use
1) of his will,
2) of is mind, or
3) of his body.
He must know how to discern the sense of his spirit, so as to understand the will of God, before he can do it.
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