The Divine Will & Will-Power (Sankalpa / संकल्प)

Social researchers discovered that proficiency in any field of human activity is directly correlated to two virtues of the personality.  One is the intellect and the second is the willpower.  Now, the intellect is somewhat innate—there is not so much one can do to expand it.  But willpower is something that is very much in our hands. Ordinary individual in his own egoistic limits, follows in his aims governed by desire, habits of thought or obscure subconscious impulses.   
The central part of our body is mind. Mind designs our life. It is the chief architect of the life. Desires, intentions and expectations generates thoughts in the mind and in turn mind becomes the agent to mobilise our senses to fulfil them. Desire and will are different things altogether. 'Desire' is a longing for certain possessions, while 'will' is the power of determination (Sankalpa) without any motive whatsoever to enjoy anything. Desire is sensuality which pertains to the mind; Will-Power is the power of conscious being and is effective behind the workings of mind and body.
Behind the Will-Power, Divine Will-Power stands. To achieve successes in both, material world and spiritual life alignment of Human Will and Divine Will is essential. Divine Will creates in us the divine strength of impulsion, an illuminated and un-decaying force and flame described as the steed of the plenitude, which brings us that goo and carries us to that goal. By invocation of divine Will-Power, ordinary mind is transformed into intuitive & inspired mind which leads us into blissful state.
This article is attempted to highlight roles of the Will-Power or Sankalpa & Divine Will-Power and modus operandi to attain enlightened mind.
Human Will-Power:
Human Will-Power is the strong determination that ensures achievement of difficult goals or even plausibly impossible goals. Will-power has been termed ‘the greatest human strength. According to most psychological scientists, Human Will-Power can be defined as:

• The ability to delay gratification, resisting short-term temptations in order to meet long-term goals
• The capacity to override an unwanted thought, feeling, or impulse
• The ability to employ a “cool” cognitive system of behaviour rather than a “hot” emotional system
• Conscious, effortful regulation of the self by the self
• A limited resource capable of being depleted

 
Human Will-Power & Divine Will-Power:
Human Will gave the world its prosperity and glory. The Divine Will-Power which acts always with a perfect knowledge, divine wisdom and builds up the worlds. The divine will shall give us what we eternally have and what we eternally are. What we eternally have is God’s Concern, and what we eternally are is God’s Perfection and God’s Manifestation.
Swami Sivananda said: As the lower mind emerges into the higher, and the higher into that which is wisdom, the aspect of Divine or pure 'will' emerges as the power of the spirit, self-determined, self-ruled, in perfect harmony with the Supreme Will.
Paramhansa Yoganand said: Whatever your position in life, it is you who put yourself there. The human will, when led by ignorance, causes nothing but confusion and trouble; but if it is tuned in with wisdom, it is guided by the Divine Will. Constantly carrying a thought with dynamic will power will strengthen that thought until it becomes an outward force. When your will power is developed to that extent, you can control your destiny. Always be sure what you want is right for you to have, then use all the forces of your will power to attain your objective, continually keeping your mind on God. Your efforts will then be crowned with success. In order to develop will power, you must realize that behind your will is the will of God. As often as possible, determine to do one little thing which you think you cannot do. When you have accomplished that goal, go on to something slightly bigger. Keep on exercising your will power in this way. Use your will power in the routines of everyday life, in business, and in meditation. It is Will power that has created everything, even your body. The stronger the will, the greater the force of energy and the greater, consequently, the energy's impact on material events. A strong will, especially, combined with awareness of energy, can affect miracles. It can cure diseases, and make a person well. It can ensure success in any undertaking. The seasons are obedient to the man of strong will power and of deep faith.
Ramana Mahrishi said: It is true the divine Will prevails all times and under all circumstances. Recognize the force of Divine Will and keep quiet. 
Sri Aurobindo said: The ultimate spiritual source of our human Will is the Divine Will, which governs the world. We can immeasurably enhance the power and effectiveness of our human will by aligning it with the Divine Will. Will, as it is usually conceived, is the elaboration of a thought, to which is added a force, a power of fulfilment accompanied by an impulse to carry it out. That is the description of human Will. Divine will is quite another thing. It is a vision united with a universal power of realisation. Human Will is uncertain, often wavering, always in conflict with opposing wills. It is effective only when for some reason or other it is in accord with the Divine Will, as a result of Grace or Yoga.
Agni, the Divine Will:
Vedas affirms that Vedic gods in cosmic body are physical Nature-powers and in human body, the psychic conscious forces behind.  Adi Shankara explained that Hindu deities live or rule over the cosmic body as well in the temple of human body. The same deities were at once internal and external Powers of universal Nature, and they managed its expression through a system of double values by which the same language (Vedic Mantras) served for their worship in both aspects. But the psychological sense predominates and is more pervading and coherent than the physical.
 
The second most important Vedic Gods in Rigveda is Agni. The flame of Agni is the Divine Will-Power. Agni is the immortals in mortals, the divine power in man to fulfil their work in him. Agni, the divine force be kindled in front as head of the universal Power and human soul, will extend in harmony the effective inner action on the plane of the pure intelligence so that it may enrich itself there and attain beyond.
 
Agni as the light and flame of its far-extended existence, breaks the limitations of the material being and he is full of the joys of this new and rich supra-physical life. Now the third state, the free mental being, is to be perfected by a richly varied and luminous play of thought and word ending in the manifestation of the highest reach of the mental realms, the power of the supramental Light in the mentality; there begins the manifestation of the intuitive and inspired mind. Agni has to create the vastness and light and divinity of the Truth-knowledge and so crown with it the already attained free swiftness of force and wide range of life and enjoyment proper to the perfected and God-filled vitality.
 
Invocation & Manifestation of Divine Will-Power:
The divine Will is invoked to complete the manifestation of the divine powers after second state of soul when it has passed beyond the physical being and is full of the perfect energy of the vital plane.
 
The Rishi speaks of the birth of the divine Will by the working of the pure mental on the material consciousness. A state arrives in which man goes beyond the mere subtlety and fineness of the intelligence and reaches to a rich and manifold largeness of soul. Even though he is on right foundation, he needs a force greater than his to lead him; for largeness and multiplicity of soul-force and knowledge are not enough, there must be the divine truth in thought, word and act. For we have to attain beyond the enlarged mental being to the beatitude of a state beyond mind. Agni has the light and the force, the Word and the true impulsion, the embracing knowledge and the achieving power. He shall carry us towards the blissful state and the supreme good.
 
Agni, the Divine Will-Power generates the Maruts, the nervous forces of Life that become forces of thought; they, upheld by Agni, prepare the action of Indra, the luminous Mind, who is finder of the Truth and Right. Indra slays Vritra, the Coverer, dispels the darkness, causes Surya to rise upon our being and go abroad over its whole field with the rays of the Truth. Surya is the Creator or manifester, Savitri, who manifests in this mortal world the world or state of immortality, dispels the evil dream of egoism, sin and suffering and transforms Life into the Immortality, the good, the beatitude. The Vedic gods are a parable of human life emerging, mounting, lifting itself towards the Godhead.
 
A few Rigvedic hymns (with English Translations) are illustrated here regarding flame of Agni which gives birth to Divine Will-Power:
यो अध्वरेषु शन्तम रतावा होता तमू नमोभिरा कर्णुध्वम | अग्निर्यद वेर्मर्ताय देवान स चा बोधाति मनसायजाति || (Rig Veda I.77.2)
The learned person, who in the sacrifices is the priest of the offering, full of peace, truthful in thought, word and deed, is the giver of great bliss in yajnas (non-violent sacrifices) & giver of knowledge (Agni). He brings divine virtues and wisdom to men (helps in their attainment) as unite men with them with the aid of knowledge. 
स हि करतुः स मर्यः स साधुर्मित्रो न भूदद्भुतस्य रथीः | तं मेधेषु परथमं देवयन्तीर्विश उप बरुवते दस्ममारीः || (Rig Veda I.77.3) 
For he is the will, he is the strength; he is the effecter of perfection, even as Mitra he becomes the charioteer of the Supreme. To him, the first, in the rich-offerings the people seeking the godhead utter the word, the Aryan people to the fulfiller.
एवाग्निर्गोतमेभिर्र्तावा विप्रेभिरस्तोष्ट जातवेदाः | स एषु दयुम्नं पीपयत स वाजं स पुष्टिं याति जोषमा चिकित्वान || (Rig Veda I.77.5)
Thus has Agni possessed of the Truth been affirmed by the masters of light, the knower of the worlds by clarified minds. He shall foster in them the force of illumination, he too the plenty; he shall attain to increase and to harmony by his perceptions.
यस तवा हर्दा कीरिणा मन्यमानो ऽमर्त्यम मर्त्यो जोहवीमि | जातवेदो यशो अस्मासु धेहि परजाभिर अग्ने अम्र्तत्वम अश्याम || (Rig Veda 5.4.10)
O highly learned king, you are purifier like a fire, and with admiring heart we call upon you. I being an ordinary mortal and you being the immortal because of your glory know immortality of soul. I know emancipation along with all good people, those who are to be protected. Establish in us good reputation.
सुसमिद्धाय शोचिषे घर्तं तीव्रं जुहोतन | अग्नये जातवेदसे || (Rig Veda 5.5.1)
To the Will that knows all the births, to the Flame highly kindled, purely luminous offer a poignant clarity
तवाम अग्न रतायवः सम ईधिरे परत्नम परत्नास ऊतये सहस्क्र्त | पुरुश्चन्द्रं यजतं विश्वधायसं दमूनसं गर्हपतिं वरेण्यम || (Rig Veda 5.8.1)
Will who are by force created in us, you the pristine Power the pristine seekers of the Truth kindled entirely that they might grow in their being, the god in the sacrifice, who because he has the multitude of his delights establishes the all, domiciled in us, master of the dwelling, inmate supremely desirable.
अग्निर देवेषु राजत्य अग्निर मर्तेष्व आविशन | अग्निर नो हव्यवाहनो ऽगनिं धीभिः सपर्यत || (Rig Veda 5.25.4)
The Will is that which shines out in the gods, the Will is that which enters with its light into mortals, the Will is the carrier of our oblation; the Will seek and serve in all your thoughts
 
All of us have already attained degrees of will-power, the more the will-power directed Godward, the nobler the human being we shall become.