Sermon Notes: August 9, 2026

Sermon Notes: Will — The Energy of Transformation

What Is Will?

In Unity, Will is one of the Twelve Powers taught by Charles Fillmore. Will is the spiritual faculty through which we choose, decide, direct, command, lead, and determine.

We all use our Will every day. The question is not whether we have Will, but what is guiding it. Are our choices being directed by fear, ego, habit, and old patterns—or by Spirit, truth, wisdom, and love?

Will is more than forcing ourselves to do something we don't want to do. Spiritual Will is the capacity to take an idea or inner knowing and move it into action. It is the power that says, “I choose.”

Will and Transformation

Change and transformation are not the same thing.

• Change often rearranges our external circumstances.

• Transformation changes us from the inside.

We can change jobs, relationships, homes, routines, or circumstances without changing our consciousness. Transformation happens when we begin to see differently, choose differently, respond differently, and live differently.

Transformation occurs when we stop allowing fear, resentment, unconscious habits, or old patterns to make our decisions.

“Will is the ability to choose, decide, command, lead, determine.”

Every choice helps shape who we are becoming. A small decision repeated becomes a pattern. A pattern repeated becomes a habit. A habit repeated becomes character. And character expressed over time helps shape our destiny.

Three Expressions of Will

1. The Undeveloped Will

An undeveloped Will can leave us:

• Unable to make decisions

• Overthinking everything

• Asking everyone's opinion

• Constantly making pros-and-cons lists

• Waiting until we feel completely ready

• Avoiding choices because we fear making the wrong one

Even indecision is a decision. When we continually refuse to choose, life continues moving without us.

Decision fatigue can also weaken our ability to make thoughtful choices. When we are overwhelmed by too many decisions, we may simply avoid choosing, choose what is easiest, or default to old habits.

The spiritual practice is to stop trying to force an answer from an exhausted mind. Instead, we can become still, pray, meditate, and ask:

• What is mine to know?

• What is mine to do?

• What is the next right step?

2. Ego-Centered Will

Ego-centered Will says:

• “I'm right.”

• “I don't care what the facts say.”

• “I've already made up my mind.”

• “My way or the highway.”

The ego is more interested in being right than being truthful. It seeks confirmation rather than understanding.

An example from the sermon illustrated how easily we can become attached to a belief even when reliable information shows that belief to be false. Spiritual maturity requires us to remain teachable.

A powerful daily prayer is:

“Reveal to me what needs to be revealed, and heal that which needs to be healed.”

This keeps us humble and open to greater truth.

3. Elevated or Spiritual Will

An elevated Will chooses from truth, wisdom, love, and divine principles rather than fear, impulse, or ego.

It asks:

• What is the truth here?

• What is best for all concerned?

• What choice aligns with my values?

• What action would love take?

• What am I being invited to become?

A strong Will is not one that can never be moved. A strong Will is one that can be guided by truth.

Developing the Power of Will: W-A-Y

Bil and Cher Holton offer a practical way to strengthen our Will using the acronym WAY.

W — Work the Principles

Unity principles are not meant simply to be spoken; they are meant to be lived.

If we affirm that God is everywhere present, then God is present in difficult conversations, uncertainty, disappointment, and challenge—not just in moments that feel good.

If we affirm that we are divine expressions of God, we must learn to stop treating ourselves as though we are unworthy, broken, or hopeless.

Our spiritual principles become powerful when we practice them in daily life.

A — Access Spirit

When facing an important decision, we often research, compare, ask friends, read reviews, make lists, consult the internet, or even ask AI.

But do we pray?

Do we become still?

Do we listen?

Spiritual Will includes making room for divine guidance. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is stop talking long enough to hear the still, small voice within.

Guidance may come through prayer, meditation, scripture, another person, a dream, an inner knowing, or a deep sense of peace.

Y — Yield

Yielding is not giving up our power. It is releasing our resistance and aligning with a greater wisdom.

Jesus expressed this principle in the Garden of Gethsemane:

“Not my will, but Thine be done.”

Yielding means trusting that Infinite Wisdom sees more than we can see. We may see only one page of the story while Spirit sees the whole book.

Sometimes our greatest transformation begins when we stop asking, “How can I make this happen my way?” and begin asking, “What is Spirit inviting me to know and become?”

The Power of Choice

We cannot control every circumstance or every person. We cannot determine everything that happens in our lives.

But we can choose:

• What thoughts we entertain

• What stories we believe

• How we respond

• Whether we remain open or close down

• Whether we act from fear or faith

• Whether we listen to ego or Spirit

• Whether we remain stuck in the past or move toward the future

Joshua's ancient invitation still speaks to us:

“Choose this day whom you will serve.”

Every meaningful transformation begins with a choice.

Maybe your next choice is to forgive. Maybe it is to set a boundary. Maybe it is to ask for help. Maybe it is to take better care of yourself. Maybe it is to release something that no longer belongs in your life. Maybe it is simply to stop allowing your past to determine your future.

Transformation does not happen all at once.

It happens one choice at a time.
One prayer at a time.
One courageous step at a time.

Our Power of Will is the energy that moves us from possibility into action and from intention into transformation.

Affirmation

I am a powerful expression of Divine Will. I choose from truth, wisdom, love, and Spirit. I release fear and ego, listen to my inner guidance, and courageously take the next right step. I am willing to be transformed.