Mankind possesses freewill and we are considered free moral agents, free to choose either obedience or disobedience. The concept of being either willing or unwilling to obey God is addressed in passages such as Leviticus 26:21, Deuteronomy 1:26 and 1 Samuel 15:9. The expression of will in the New Testament is addressed in passages such as Matthew 8:2-3, 22:3, 23:4,37, 27:34, Mark 1:40-41, Luke 5:12-13, John 7:17-18 and Acts 7:39. Each of us will be called upon to give an account of our exercise of freewill in the day of judgement (See Romans 14:12 and 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Our will is subject to our purpose, sense of direction or focus. Examples from the Old Testament include Genesis 6:5, Exodus 35:29, Ezra 7:16 and Hosea 5:11. New Testament examples include Matthew 26:41 Acts 17:11, 2 Corinthians 8:11-12,19, 9:7, Philemon 14, Hebrews 11:25 and James 2:20. If our focus (face) is toward God then our will is subject to His will. If we have turned our face away from God then it is the world and its ruler (satan) that will influence our will. (See Joshua 24:23, Jeremiah 7:24,26, 11:8, 17:23, 44:5, Philippians 3:18-19, Colossians 3:2, 1 Timothy 6:17 and 1 Peter 1:13)
We exercise our will on a continuing basis through the execution of choice and the making of decisions. In alcohol and substance abuse matters we choose whether or not to indulge our sinful desires on both a case by case (micro) or general tendency (macro) level. The fundamental choices we make at the base (macro) level will strongly determine the choice we make when faced with individual temptation (micro level). At one end of the spectrum, unless there is a desire to change and a decision to affect the change (exercise of choice) there will be no change. As the intensity of desire and the commitment to change increases so will both the likelihood of making sin advertent choices and the strength/capacity to carry through. (See Hebrews 12:4 regarding resisting sin to the point of incurring physical injury).
A realistic appraisal of our sinful actions and the path leading to consummation should reveal the point at which the path leading to sin was chosen as opposed to the path leading away from temptation. For instance, was a choice made to continue association with "friends" who were users and abusers rather than associating only with those whose face was set towards God? (See 1 Corinthians 15:33). It is understood that at some point an individual may be involved in a situation where the will (purpose, determination, etc.) is of insufficient strength and direction to seek the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13 and James 1:12-15). However, doesn't one usually make a series of predecessor decisions (choices) the outcomes of which will either lead one toward or away from such situations? The Biblical model always points back to the exercise of choice by the individual!
Concerning the exercise of choice let us look at various examples from the Bible addressing the topic.
H977. bachar, a prim. root; prop. to try, i.e. (by impl.) select: -- acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.*
(Deuteronomy 30:19 NASB) "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose (bachar) life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,"
(Joshua 24:15 NASB) "And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose (bachar) for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
(Joshua 24:22-23 NASB) And Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen (bachar) for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him." And they said, "We are witnesses." "Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel."
(Psalm 25:12 NASB) "Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose" (bachar).
(Psalm 119:30 NASB) "I have chosen (bachar) the faithful way; I have placed Thine ordinances before me."
(Psalm 119:173-176 NASB) "Let Thy hand be ready to help me, For I have chosen (bachar) Thy precepts. I long for Thy salvation, O LORD, And Thy law is my delight. Let my soul live that it may praise Thee, And let Thine ordinances help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant, For I do not forget Thy commandments."
(Proverbs 1:27-33 NASB) "When your dread comes like a storm, And your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come on you. Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer; They will seek Me diligently, but they shall not find Me, Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose (bachar) the fear of the LORD. They would not accept My counsel, They spurned all My reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, And be satiated with their own devices. For the waywardness of the naive shall kill them, And the complacency of fools shall destroy them. But he who listens to Me shall live securely, And shall be at ease from the dread of evil."
(Proverbs 3:31-32 NASB) "Do not envy a man of violence, And do not choose (bachar) any of his ways. For the crooked man is an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright."
(Isaiah 65:12 NASB) "I will destine you for the sword, And all of you shall bow down to the slaughter. Because I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not hear. And you did evil in My sight, And chose (bachar) that in which I did not delight."
(Jeremiah 8:3-6 NASB) "And death will be chosen (bachar) rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the places to which I have driven them," declares the LORD of hosts. "And you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD, "Do men fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not repent? "Why then has this people, Jerusalem, Turned away in continual apostasy? They hold fast to deceit, They refuse to return. "I have listened and heard, They have spoken what is not right; No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turned to his course, Like a horse charging into the battle.
G138. haireomai; to take for oneself, i.e. to prefer: -- choose.
(Hebrews 11:24-26 NASB) "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing (haireomai) rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward."
Direction, purpose and ensuing choices are not irreversible. While there is still life there is the opportunity for change. "For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion." (Ecclesiastes 9:4)
*All definitions are from A Concise Dictionary of the words in The Hebrew Bible and the Dictionary of the Greek Testament by James Strong.