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(5) The informed, active, and disciplined use of means of grace is crucial to
bringing about spiritual formation into Christlikeness. Willard describes the overarching pattern
of spiritual growth and transformation by using the acronym "VIM." The initials stand for
vision, intention, and means, and these form the essential pattern for spiritual growth in each
dimension of our human existence. Willard writes, "If we are to be spiritually formed in Christ,
we must have and must implement the appropriate vision, intention, and means" [DW, 85].
The vision that must captivate growing disciples (or to use Willards preferred
term, "apprentices") of Jesus is that of living fully and completely in and for the kingdom of God
now and not just hereafter. That involves "partaking of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4; 1 John 3:1-
2) and participating by our actions in what God is doing now in our lifetime on earth" [DW, 87].
But simply having the correct vision is not enough. We must intend to fulfill or to carry out this
vison.
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But if the vision and the intention/decision to obey Christ are truly there, the apprentice
of Jesus will naturally seek out and apply the means to that end. And when we seek out such
appropriate means, "we are not left to ourselves but have rich resources available to us in the
example and teachings of Jesus, in the Scriptures generally, and in his people" [DW, 89].
These means include self-denial, which Willard understands to be the
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Willard argues that "knowing the ,,right answers . . . does not mean that we believe
them. To believe them . . . means that we are set to act as if they are true and that we will do so
in appropriate circumstances. And acting as if the right answers are true means, in turn, that we
intend to obey the example and teachings of Jesus the Anointed [DW, 88]. And intention "is
brought to completion only by a decision to fulfill or carry through with the intention" [DW, 88].