Transcription downloaded from https://yetanothersermon.host/_/kc/sermons/56077/making-godly-decisions/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] Acts chapter 1 verse 20.

[0:11] The scripture says, It is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein, and his bishopric let another take.

[0:22] Wherefore of these men which have accompanied with us all the time that the Lord went in and out amongst us, beginning from the baptism of John unto the same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be witness with us of his resurrection.

[0:40] And they appointed to Joseph called Bathabas, who was surnamed Justice and Matthias. And they prayed and said, Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry, an apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

[1:06] And they gave forth their lots, and the lots fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Amen. Isn't it not interesting, there are no longer eleven disciples, there are now eleven apostles.

[1:20] God is moving us from one level of grace to another. In Jesus' name. Amen. And so we see how Judas was replaced by a man called Matthias.

[1:31] And the lesson that God will graciously teach us today is about decision making. And so we see that by the word of God, Peter knew that something had to be done.

[1:44] Whether it was supposed to be there and then, or later, the Bible doesn't tell us. Because we see that later, God adds, in Acts chapter 13, God adds a new apostle, which is Paul.

[1:57] Just as Jesus, on his own accord, through after prayer, chose his disciples, God, when he was ready to appoint another apostle, the Holy Spirit, in Acts chapter 13, said, separate unto me, Barnabas and Saul.

[2:10] But we have a situation of Matthias here. And so what is the Bible teaching us? And what can we glean from the word of God? We are all a summary of the decisions we have made, or others have made on our behalf.

[2:25] Not all decisions we made, but has affected us. When you were young, a lot of decisions were made on your behalf. Sometimes in your workplace, decisions are made on your behalf.

[2:36] Life, we are all a summary of decisions we have made ourselves, or others have made on our behalf. We cannot hide from decision making. Even not making a decision is a decision in itself.

[2:50] Not making a decision is a decision in itself. And so that means that, as believers, the effect of the decision we make is so much part of our lives that we have to learn how to get it right, particularly at core and significant points in our lives.

[3:08] It is very important. All of us, every day you are making decisions. Some decisions are important, some decisions are not so important. But we will every now and then come to a junction where we have to make important decisions.

[3:20] How are we equipped by the word of God through scriptural examples, in order for us to be able to say, we are prepared to make a decision like this. And I pray that God will speak to us.

[3:31] In Genesis chapter 3, we cannot hide away from the effects of decisions or choices. Genesis chapter 3. I think that aside God's redemption plan, this is one of the most significant decisions that has affected the entirety of humanity.

[3:48] Genesis chapter 3, verse 6. And the scripture says, Wow.

[4:10] Wow. But why is there a fast? Chapter 3, verse 1. It says, Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord had made.

[4:20] And he said unto the woman, Yea, has God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden. The woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, Ye shall not eat it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

[4:40] And the serpent said unto her, You shall surely not die. For God knows that the day you eat, your eyes will be opened, and that you shall be like him. And no between good and evil.

[4:52] And to our amazement, we can never get over it because we are all children of Eve. And the effect of a decision like this is still speaking in humanity.

[5:05] Not one generation, not two generations. Centuries after centuries. We all by God's, had it not been God's salvation planned for each one of us, this one decision by this one person is leading the entirety of God's creation in humanity to hell, which was not God's purpose for humanity.

[5:25] Meaning that decisions we make can either move us towards God's purpose and God's desire for our lives or move us away. Even though we were in the garden with the Lord.

[5:38] They had a special privilege of God having spending time. God came down in the cool of the day. So they had fellowship with God. Adam and Eve had fellowship with God.

[5:50] And God had told them, giving them the instruction, just as we have, know what to do through the scriptures. But then each one of us will be faced to make a choice, make a decision. How we do it will determine the next day, the next phase, the next how many years of our lives.

[6:08] Some decisions have lasting effects. We are not saying God is not a God of mercy. But one thing I found about decisions are that you have the power to make, but you don't have the power to decide the consequence.

[6:22] The only thing that is sure is the word of God. It's a forever, O Lord, I will be settled. It's a forever, verse 89. Forever, O God, your word is settled. It's only the word of God that is settled, will be fulfilled, cannot be moved, cannot be changed, and it will come to pass.

[6:37] Aside that, everything we don't have control over. You can make the decision. We have the power by God's grace. He gives us the liberty. He gives us the freedom to choose, to make a decision.

[6:50] But we don't have the power to decide. The effect, the consequence, or the decision, unless it's based on the word of God and in faith. That is the only guarantee we have as believers of the outcome of all the decisions we make, if the decisions.

[7:07] So today we'll be looking at how we make decisions as Christians within the framework of God. So we see the angel appear to Mary and a proposal was made to Mary in today's language that God has chosen you.

[7:23] or we don't know whether this proposal had been made to other people, other ladies. We don't know either, but at least we know Mary's story. And in that, in the same way, the similar encounter was offered to also somebody like Zachariah.

[7:38] An angel appeared to Zachariah, an angel appeared to Mary. But they had a response, the choice they make, how they respond to what God said, God's message to them, determine the outcome of their next step, their next step, and the step after.

[7:55] We can't not move away from making decisions. It's going to determine our next phase in life, the next, some of us, we can attest of the fact that you can remember exactly the time you had to make a decision concerning something.

[8:08] Particularly the day you had to give your life to Christ. You remember. I don't think, unless you are a child like a seven-year-old, you might not remember well. But most of us, the most significant decision we had to make in our lives to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, when salvation was offered to us.

[8:22] There's no way we can forget. But that singular decision has completely changed our lives. Completely changed our lives. And the word that was preached to you, the same word was preached to another person, did not mix it with faith and walked away from God.

[8:37] And that decision they made at that point in time would also reflect the effects of their lives. We cannot hide, run away from making decisions and making choices.

[8:48] life is full of choices. And that means that we have to be equipped to know how to choose rights, how to make the right decision. So in Acts chapter 1, as we read, we saw that a decision was made.

[9:02] Peter was educated by the scriptures we saw last week, God's even taught us. And we understood that because of the scriptures, he knew that another person was supposed to take his bishopric.

[9:13] And on that basis, they had to, how they made the decision was in their hands in terms of the casting of laws, which is more Old Testament.

[9:25] But they had received the spirit, but the spirit had not come upon them. So that one is a kind of a gray area. So we leave it there. The way they used to make the decision, we see it in scripture and we leave it there. God came to Abraham and said, I look at you, your name is Abraham, a childless man.

[9:40] And God makes him a proposal to say that, okay, I'm going to make you a father of nations. It was his choice to then say, yes, I agree. Yes, I'm happy to walk with you.

[9:51] Yes, I will do it. Yes, I will obey. Yes, I will do this journey with you. And we are always faced by those opportunities. When we read the scriptures, God is speaking to us.

[10:04] When we hear messages, God is speaking to us. God is consistently speaking to us, unveiling his plan for our lives in many ways, many dimensions. But it is for us to say that, God, I agree.

[10:15] We all know things that God has, and he's still speaking to us about, that we are supposed to make decisions. We will later on find out that indecision is very costly. Indecision is costly.

[10:27] But the first case I'm making here is, our lives are full of decisions that we have made. The outcome of the decisions that we have made, or we have not made, or others have made on our behalf.

[10:37] We cannot but be subject to the decisions we make. You had an opportunity. Whether you took it or not, it will determine the outcome of your life.

[10:50] So we see that God helps us. God really does help us in many ways to help us make the right choice. Fundamentally, the scriptures that we have, the scriptures that we read. It's not supposed to be read just so that we know, but it's also supposed to be lived.

[11:04] The scriptures are to be lived. The messages we hear are to be lived. It's not just for knowledge. Knowledge is good, but knowledge that is not lived, the truth that is not lived, will not benefit you.

[11:15] And so each one of us must make a determination, God help me, because this book must be life to me. The words I speak to you, they are spirits, not just spirit, but in this life as well. As we hear the scriptures, as we read the scriptures, on a daily basis, God is offering us life.

[11:30] It's whether we take it or not. The word of God is life to us. It is light for us. It shines our path. It leads us. It guides us. God offers us all of this, but it's whether we will say, yes, Lord, I agree, and I will go your way.

[11:47] In little decisions, in major decisions, we have to make that choice that, yes, Lord, I will do it your way. The key thing for a Christian, when we are at the point of making decisions, particularly significant decisions, is the biblical or scriptural framework under which we are going to make the decision.

[12:09] Matthew chapter seven talks about building your house on the rock and another building the house on the sand. And the one who built his house on the sand, when the winds came, when the rains came, it could not stand because it was built on sand.

[12:26] The sand could not guarantee the stability of the building. But then the scripture goes on to talk about another also built on the rock, which is the word of God, which is Christ.

[12:37] And the one, when the winds came and the rains came, they were able to stand. Why? Because of the foundation upon which, the framework upon which their house is built.

[12:47] In making spiritual things the framework of our lives, the Bible the framework of our lives, one of the key things we want to look at is this decision that I'm making, how is it going to impact me? Is it going to build me up?

[12:58] Is it going to be profitable for my work with God? Please, we are believers first. Believers before, you are a believer before a feminist, if you happen to be one.

[13:13] You are a believer before a mother. You are a believer before an employee, a business owner, all these other qualifications. You are a believer first, a believer in Jesus Christ.

[13:25] And if we say indeed we are believers, then the foundation of our lives is the scriptures, the word of God. There is no other foundation that can be laid other than Christ himself, that which has already been laid, which is Christ.

[13:42] If you build another foundation, there's no guarantee for your safety through this journey. And so don't let the enemy lie to you. Don't let the world lie to you. You can see people are building all kinds of things and it looks glamorous.

[13:56] But the scripture tells us that if it's built on the sun, the day of the wind is coming. The day of the rain is coming. And when it comes, it will not be able to stand. The world shows us a lot of things, things that look nice.

[14:08] Like when you look at Matthew chapter four, when the devil took Jesus, he took him to a high mountain to see all the beauty. It's not that the beauty didn't exist, but Jesus knew that I cannot make a decision like this to fall to this.

[14:21] Indeed, it was beautiful. Indeed, it was glamorous. But Jesus knew this is going to take me away from God's purpose for my life. So we are not saying we don't see the beauty of the world.

[14:31] We are not saying we don't see that there are things that can entice us. But spiritual things must be first considered when we are making decisions. They can present it to God to say, Jesus, I'll put it at your feet.

[14:43] And God can send a redemption plan just as Eve, when she made the mistake, God still had a redemption plan for each one of us. We may make decisions that are not the best, but it's when we came to the realization what decision we make after that.

[14:58] So you didn't make a right decision the first point, but when you came to the realization that this wasn't the right decision, what was the next decision you made? That is sometimes even more important. Because after miss, sometimes we miss.

[15:11] But when your eyes are opened that I have missed this, what do we do with it? Because the next decision we make is significant, it's crucial. Sometimes in this space of offense, you're offended as a human.

[15:26] But then you've realized that actually, I'm actually offended. I'm actually unhappy about this situation. What is the decision you're going to make after that? Am I going to stay in the offense and dwell in it and make a strong point?

[15:43] Well, I'm going to surrender it to Jesus to say, Jesus, I'm actually struggling about this matter. I need your help because I want to move away from this. Because some of us may have a reputation that you don't forgive easily.

[15:57] Yeah. Irrespective of what the Bible says about forgiveness, you have a reputation that like a bulldog when you hold on to something. Nah. That one is good for evangelism, follow up, and doing the work of God that nothing will stop you.

[16:15] So the spirit of nothing will stop you has a place. But please don't attach it to offense. Don't attach it to unforgiveness. Because if you do that, then we are really putting ourselves, sometimes you're offended.

[16:27] Offended by a brother, offended by a sister, offended by a leader, offended by a pastor, whatever, a parent, whatever. You've been offended. But when you come to the realization, because I've realized that a lot of people are living in the bondage of offense.

[16:40] Many people sit in church, we clap our hands, we dance, and do all that, that we are in line for God's blessing. But we take, for a strange reason, the blessing seems to never manifest.

[16:54] And it is within the depths of offense. Offense will come, but how we deal with offense will determine the outcome of the situation.

[17:06] Each one of us is one of the key things a lot of believers struggle with. Because you know, if you are not a Christian, you can decide to live a very insular life. You get a job that is fully remote. Mm-hmm.

[17:18] You do your shopping online. You do online dating. What else can you do from distance?

[17:29] There's so much we can do from distance. Yes, online education. You got your master's. You've got everything online. Yes. You know, you can have online, every friend, everything.

[17:43] But when you're a Christian, it's like, I have people in my life. Or people are in my life. Whether I invite them or not, we are family. We are connected.

[17:55] The nose can't tell their eyes, I don't need you. We can't do that. So that means that there's likelihood for us to be offended, particularly more so in church.

[18:06] Because some people choose to work fully remote, do online dating, online shopping, online everything, and stay in their houses for, pay their bills, everything, everything is done. Online. Even online, online church.

[18:18] Mm. Well, we found God for all our audience. Ha ha ha ha. But as a Christian, there will come a time that you would eventually have to start fellowshipping.

[18:29] And in your fellowship would come the opportunity for others to offend you. For you to be offended. And so Christians, as for offense, you just have to be ready.

[18:40] And know that it is part of the work, just like the way you are going to heaven. Of assurity, you are going to heaven. Of assurity, you'll be offended someday, sometime. And therefore, making a decision before the offense comes, of how, when it comes to us, how we relate with people on the basis of offense, will make a great difference.

[18:59] And for most of us, release us to the blessing that God has for us. But spiritual impact of the decision we make, is it going to build me up? Is it going to be profitable for me in terms of my work with God?

[19:10] Is it going to slow me down? There are decisions that we make that we cannot help, but it's going to slow us down in our work with God. Some of the things I've spoken about just as I'm speaking, offense.

[19:21] If I want to slow you down, you might say, hmm, yeah, I'll just do my thing. I'm not interested. Nobody should talk to me in this department. I've realized that three people are not nice to me. I'm going to only deal with the leader and two other people in the department.

[19:33] It's going to slow you down because when you go to your departmental social, all of a sudden, you are not happy anymore. It's going to affect you. It will affect you. You can't serve the way you used to serve because you are in the mood of, hmm, hmm, as for me, hmm, as for me, hmm.

[19:51] These people, they are not this. No, no, no. It has to be dealt with. Some decisions can slow you down. Decisions that you have decided who you are going to affiliate with and the person is not on as strong pace as you, it's going to slow you down.

[20:05] Certain relationships, it doesn't matter how desperate we are for marriage or for friendship. You can't enter those relationships. Why? It's going to slow you down. It will slow you down.

[20:17] And so when you are making some decisions, these things must be considered. So we see Gehazi has an opportunity to continue because the anointing was on Elijah.

[20:30] It's safely passed on to Elisha even with a double portion. So that was a good take. God's work is being done. God's purpose is being accomplished.

[20:41] It's still happening. Israel is in the safe hands of God because they have a prophet who speaks the word of God. The transition was smooth. We thank God. Okay, so there will come a time for transition.

[20:52] And the main person we see around the prophet Elisha is Gehazi. You know, so the fact that Elisha could give him his staff to go and perform a miracle tells you that even if there were other people in the school of prophets, this is the key prophet, sub-prophet, okay, this is the main one who is being prepared to take over, Elisha.

[21:13] But he had an opportunity to make a decision after Naaman has been cleansed. But he came with some goodies, riches. Just imagine how Jesus was taken to the mountain and was shown the riches of the world, the glory of the world.

[21:29] Naaman saw a small bit of it. It wasn't the entirety of the world, a small bit of it. Then how can Naaman bring all his riches from Syria? It couldn't be.

[21:39] He just brought a thank you for the prophets. And when Gehazi saw it, he said, my, oh, my. I mean, just learn from this.

[21:50] Even the prophets said, no, we are not taking this one. Just let it go. Why, oh, why? He felt the need that the prophets said, no, but me, just like Judas, the taste for things had not been dealt with.

[22:07] To make a decision that I am a protégé of the prophets, this is the kind of life I have to live. I may have to say no to some goodies in life. As a Christian, I may have to walk away from some office.

[22:21] Gehazi had not made that decision. He had not become resolute in his heart that if I'm going to be the next prophet of God in Israel, it will come at a price. I have to descale myself from some things.

[22:34] There are some things that must go. There are some things that I don't consider, I don't look at. They are attractive, but it's not part of my pathway of life. They are there, we recognize them, but when you look at where God is taking you and the life you have to live, I have to align myself accordingly.

[22:52] I may have a desire, but the desire doesn't have to be fulfilled, people of God. There's nothing wrong with being tempted, there's nothing wrong with that, but let's now put steps in place to make sure that we make the right choices when they come up.

[23:08] And so these things happen. Gehazi, it was nice to see, but the fact that the man of God you submit to has said no should have been enough to say that I do like it, but it's not time yet.

[23:21] And because of him not being able to make that decision brought a bondage on himself. It wasn't profitable for him. It didn't build him up. It actually removed him from God's plan for his life.

[23:31] So the decisions we make matter. David's life was, the beautiful plan God had for him was affected because of the last of the eye in locating Bathsheba.

[23:45] He didn't know that if he didn't go to battle, this was going to happen. Some people think that they suspect that he knew where Bathsheba lived or not, but the Bible doesn't say that, so let's not read into it. All we know is he didn't go for battle, he was on the rooftop and spotted Bathsheba.

[24:02] And we all know the results of that. That after Solomon, the kingdom was divided right after his grandson Rehoboam, but God had promised him that the kingdom would stay in his house forever.

[24:15] Thank God for Jesus. At least, he's the son of David and so an aspect, the spiritual aspect of it was fulfilled, but physically, he missed out on God's promise for him because of a choice and a decision he made.

[24:28] But we see another woman made a beautiful decision. He said, your people shall be my people, your God shall be my God, Ruth and Naomi. And as a widow, had no hope, just followed another widow to go to a land that she knew nothing of.

[24:42] But the most significant thing she said is, your God shall be my God. She understood that Naomi had a covenant and she connected herself to that covenant and made a decision that I'll follow this woman that doesn't seem to have any hope for me, but she has a certain God.

[24:57] She have a certain kind of people I will follow after that. And that led her to her, her beautiful testimony. And so we need to consider when it comes to making decisions, what is the biblical and spiritual framework we are operating under?

[25:12] Decisions, we have to be mindful that it doesn't feed our lusts. You know, you have a tendency of oversleeping. There's no sin in it, but it's stealing your destiny.

[25:23] The scripture says in Proverbs chapter 6, we read it not too long ago. A little slumber. And then, it's changing your story, not in a positive way.

[25:36] The scripture teaches us. So there's nothing wrong with sleep. I mean, it's something we all need. Some of us don't have enough. Some of us have a little bit extra, but we all need sleep. But you can know that it can be a lust.

[25:48] Some of us, you can oversleep. There are things we do. The Bible doesn't say we can't do, but it's feeding a certain lust. And that, the freedom we have in Christ.

[26:01] We have freedom in Christ. But when the freedom, you know, the motive behind expressing yourself in this freedom is to feel something that is the lust that you have. The Bible doesn't say don't buy some things.

[26:14] The Bible doesn't say don't live a comfortable life, even a luxurious life, as others would say. The Bible doesn't say that. But it gets to a point that you know this is a bit much. You get to a point that you know that this has become a bondage.

[26:27] You can't refrain yourself at every time. It's like you are piling upon, piling upon again and again. It's like you are buying things you don't need. One day I realized that if we call for donation, the amount of things we will get for Christians will be a shock.

[26:42] Like we want to make a donation to another country or to an orphanage or somewhere for evangelistic purposes. you have three white shoes and you are still buying another one.

[26:55] Yes. You have, I mean, you have so much but it's like you can't help yourself. You have to continue. You have to satisfy that lust that you have of buying all the time.

[27:08] You have freedom. The Bible doesn't say don't. And for those of us who is eating into our tithing and our offerings and are giving to the poor and are giving to honoring our parents, some of us, you know where the state of your parents.

[27:20] But, you might as well buy it for yourself. You are now, you are now getting out of coverage area. You're feeding a certain lust. So, you need to start considering those decisions.

[27:34] The next thing about decisions, am I being an example? The scripture says in Romans chapter 14 verse 12 to 15 that we shouldn't be a stumbling block to our brothers and also within the spiritual framework is the lordship of Christ being tempered.

[27:48] Jesus said he can't tell us everything in John chapter 16 verse 12 to 13. He said he can't tell us everything. However, when the Holy Spirit comes, he will teach us all truth. And so, the Holy Spirit is in our lives to make sure that the lordship of Christ is established and remains in our lives.

[28:03] And therefore, if the decision we are going to make is going to affect the lordship of Christ, then we need to watch that and we bring glory to God. So, this is all under the spiritual framework as a Christian when you're making a decision.

[28:16] Think about the spiritual impact that it will make on you. Is it building you up? Is it being profitable? Would it slow you down? Is it going to lead you into bondage? Is it feeding your lust? Is it going to be an example to other believers?

[28:28] Does it temper with the lordship of Christ and is it bringing glory to God? All these things are necessary to make sure that spiritually, biblically, we are making right decisions. Also, we have to pray.

[28:39] Philippians chapter 4 verse 6 said, be careful for nothing but in all things by prayer and supplication. With thanksgiving, let your grace be made known unto God. It matters. The Bible encourages us in Matthew chapter 7 verse 7. It said we should ask.

[28:50] It said we should seek. It said we should knock because those who ask will receive. Those who knock, the door will be open. Those who seek, they will find. And so, we are encouraged to do it. In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see that Jesus himself in Luke chapter 22 was beseeching God knowing that it was the will of God.

[29:07] This is the purpose for which he came, that he would die to save man. But in that season, in that most difficult point in his life, a decision had to be made.

[29:18] And he said, Lord, if it is your will, then, not my will, but your will be done. And in that point, both God and humanity won because Jesus made the decision that he would take the cross.

[29:35] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Just as Eve missed it in the garden with one decision. One decision Jesus made brought us all back into union and fellowship with the Father.

[29:47] Hallelujah. Your decisions matter. They matter and they make a difference. The next thing is to seek counsel. You can seek counsel from people in the multitude of counselors.

[29:57] The Bible says there's safety. We are reading the book of Proverbs. There's so much wisdom in how to live our lives, how to conduct our lives. So much wisdom. Wisdom as a man, wisdom as a woman, wisdom as a worker, wisdom as a parent.

[30:10] So much that we can glean from. You can seek counsel from the word of God. Seek counsel. How God has dealt with people. You see how God deals with people both in the Old and the New Testament.

[30:23] I like the Old Testament because it shows me practically how people walk with God. Because the New Testament may make one sentence but if you look at Hebrews chapter 11, it's all concise, condensed, but these are chapters in the Old.

[30:39] And so when I read the New, what it says is the New, I go and check, okay, practically, what does it look like in the Old? And I say, okay, this is how you do it step by step. I receive counsel. I know what to do.

[30:52] You can receive counsel from research. There are times somebody will come to a pastor and say, I am going to the oil fields.

[31:03] This is my qualification. What should I do? I say, hey, can you do a bit of research and bring more information because how can we make a decision like this for you? A bit of research will help have an understanding, have more knowledge about a subject you're dealing with.

[31:21] Read books. Read the Bible and read books. Read other Christian books and every other area you need counsel about. Read books. There's a lot of information and a lot of knowledge that you are trying to get from the person sitting next to you.

[31:36] It's even richer in the book. Somebody will summarize it for you but you have points, 10 points in the book but you refuse to open the book. Particularly, Christians because as far as we are concerned, oil has come upon us.

[31:52] We have the mantle. There's a powerful declaration and all these are ways God helps us and even sometimes gives us counsel and direction to make decisions but there are times that what you have received has to go and be researched.

[32:12] Daniel said, I understood by books. The book of Jeremiah told Daniel that the time for Israel's release had come. If he wasn't reading, you can imagine they would have continued to stay in bondage.

[32:26] Even with Peter's case and the apostles in Acts chapter 1 we just read. Because of the readings in Psalm, they knew that another had to take its place from reading.

[32:37] So if a fisherman is reading, a fisherman called Peter is reading and that he can be informed to make such bold statements because of reading, then for you that God has granted you grace to be a little bit educated, I think you are not making the most of it.

[32:57] Isn't it, people of God? From mentors, qualified people, spiritual people, depending on what you're looking for, a pastor, your pastor, your leader, your departmental leader, depending on what you're seeking counsel about, go to the right people.

[33:12] God can help you through that in making decisions. We see that the scriptures talk about a man with unique wisdom called Ahithophel.

[33:24] So the way he spoke was that God has spoken. So you see some people are exceptional in helping and directing. God has placed them in your life to help you when it comes to making decisions.

[33:36] Don't ignore it and don't be too proud to ask for help. Sometimes what you're looking for is in somebody's back pocket. So easy.

[33:47] They just know what to do. With spending a minute, two, three with you, you have a solution. A solution you've been praying about, you've been coughing about, you've been having sleepless nights about.

[33:59] Somebody has it like this in their hands. Don't ignore it. Don't ignore it. Point number four, don't let indecision steal your destiny. So I spoke about the story before that we'll get to indecision.

[34:12] In Genesis chapter 19, verse 26, verse 19, so it talks about Lot and his family. Sodom and Gomorrah was about to be destroyed and for the sake of Abraham, God sent angels to go rescue Lot and his family.

[34:31] And verse 17, it said, and it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, he said, meaning the angels had brought them out, he said, escape for thy life, look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain, escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

[34:47] Okay. So this is the instruction they received. Verse 26, specifically they said, don't look behind you. Verse 26, it said, but his wife looked back from behind him and she became a pillar of soul.

[35:06] Just make up your mind. This God thing is going this way. This is how we're going. Just make up your mind. Don't let in this, today, oh, am I in or am I out?

[35:18] Do I love the Lord? I am not so sure about God. Do I trust him or I don't trust him? Do I believe the word or I don't believe the word? Does prayer work or does it not work? This indecision is when you see somebody caught in there, in a limbo, it's sad because they are torn between and they are not making progress but there's a lot of tension going on.

[35:40] Indecision can even make you very tired, very stressed but you're not making any progress. If you are coming under extreme pressure but we are making progress, oh, praise to God, we are moving forward.

[35:54] But indecision is something you need to fight against. The scripture says that Elijah told them, why do you falter between two opinions? If you serve God, save him. If you serve Baal, save him.

[36:07] But this in-between, there are no gray areas, there are no in-betweens. Many people have been victims of indecision. Victims of indecision. Not having a, not putting in the work to be able to make the right decision.

[36:22] To be able to make the right choice. The scripture gives a very interesting example. Before God sent Peter to Cornelius' house in Acts chapter 10, it talks about a sheet came down that had all kinds of animals on it and that Peter looking at it, being a Jew, knew that he couldn't eat this because it was unclean.

[36:44] It looks like he was still stuck a bit in the Old Testament. At this time, the Holy Spirit had really come. But still, a few traditional things were bothering him and God showed him. And the scripture says something quite interesting.

[36:55] Verse 20. Verse 20, the scripture says that and the Holy Spirit told him to just arise. Because he was pondering, verse 19, he was pondering on what he has seen.

[37:05] He said, while Peter taught about the vision, the Spirit said to him, behold, three men are seeking you. Verse 20. And then it says that, arise therefore. So don't be sitting and be thinking.

[37:15] Some of us, we live in cuckoo land for too long. Cuckoo land. You have a vision of all the things you want to do, but there is never action. So you dream.

[37:27] You have big dreams. Big plans. Big ideas. They are good because we have a big God. But then we have to take steps.

[37:39] We have to move from the ideas into practical steps. Without that, oh, you will continue. Some of us, when people talk to us, they are very impressed.

[37:52] But they have been watching you for two years now. No action. And without the action, all your beautiful ideas, none of it will come to pass. Faith without action is dead.

[38:05] And so, the thing about indecision, please, believe God to deliver you from it. Some of us want to serve God in a certain way, but, it's like you're struggling to make the decision that, okay, enough, I'm going to do this.

[38:24] You've been sitting in the same job for 10 years. And you know, oh, yeah, I have to make a choice, I have to move. But the application doesn't appear on your laptop.

[38:36] Other things do. Football scores. Without fail, they appear. You know, every score, every team. This one was 2-3. This one was 5-4.

[38:46] This one was, I mean, people don't have to watch it. They just have to call you. You give them a full rundown of what happened with every game. Yes, notifications. I mean, some of us are, different things we are interested in, but they are not helping you make the right decision.

[39:04] You rather pour your time and your results into things that are not profitable. whilst you have serious matters in front of you, but you don't want to do what you need to do in order to make the right choices.

[39:18] You don't want to face them. You don't want to address them. People of God, God has a beautiful plan in the next step because he deals with that line upon line, precept upon precept.

[39:30] He moves us from one level of grace to another. Where you stand is not the best place God has for you. The next phase is beautiful. The path of the just shines ever brighter.

[39:43] So the more you stand still and don't move, I'm not talking about in the face of adversity, but in following God, you are delaying God's best for you.

[39:54] So please, people of God, let's fight against not making the right decision. Genesis chapter 11 verse 1 to 8, most of us who know this, talks about the story of the Tower of Babel and the scripture makes an interesting point saying that they determined that this is what they were going to do.

[40:17] Something that we haven't seen done at all before then, but the people with one language determined that they were going to do this. Wow. and that when God came down and saw what they were doing, God said, okay, this is going to happen.

[40:33] He said, these people can do this. They had made a decision, we're going to do this. We are going to build a tower into the heavens. It had not happened before.

[40:46] We are going to build a tower into them. Wow. And they didn't have any machinery, very primitive tools they would have. I don't know how. They are scaffolding, I don't know how they were going to put it up.

[41:00] I just, when you think about it, sometimes when you read a scripture and you actually take time to think about it, not just the story and how it sounds, but when you give it thoughts that how were they practically going to do this?

[41:13] But verse 5 says, and the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built it. And the Lord said, behold, the people is one. They have all one language.

[41:26] This they began to do, and now nothing will be restrained from them. He said, nothing. Absolutely nothing. Because they made up their minds they're going to do this.

[41:38] He said, nothing can stop them. God himself had to just scatter it. Because nothing on earth was going to stop them. If God doesn't scatter it, nothing will stop them. Sometimes you have people in your lives and the things they say doesn't reflect where you're going.

[41:54] The genuine conviction you have in your heart that this is where God is taking me. You can't be with them. You can't be one with them. You cannot be one with people who don't have a revelation of where God is taking you.

[42:07] Some of us have joined ourselves to wrong people. And you know God has said something about your life. But when the people you listen to all the time have a different language, they have a different language.

[42:23] You know I want to do this. You know God has called me to do this. But there are some people anytime you finish having a conversation with them, your heart is turned. You don't have the same language with them.

[42:34] That which you have purpose to do will not come to pass. the more you give your ear to them, the more you are being moved away from what God has said to do with you.

[42:45] One language matters. Find covenant brothers and covenant sisters who will stand with you and also believe God is taking you somewhere. They are convinced that what God has said concerning you.

[42:57] Sometimes somebody looks at you and say you don't deserve it. Whether I deserve it or not is what God is saying about me. Some Christians, good hearted, but they think you don't deserve it.

[43:09] They think how can you think like that? They are Christians, you may be in the same fellowship, but you can't have one language with them. You don't have one language with them. You can't build with them. It doesn't matter how offended they are when you have to move on.

[43:24] Yes, God is speaking to some people. You've sat at one place for too long because of the people you're communicating with. They don't have the same language as you.

[43:35] you cannot build with them. You cannot build with them. What you see, they don't see. What your heart tells you, God is telling me, they don't have it.

[43:47] We are of the same family, but we may not be on the same journey. many. Many have missed God's best because of some of these things that we entertain in our lives.

[44:07] People who bring you evil news all the time, please be careful. You can't go far with them. All the time, something bad has happened. You can't go far with them.

[44:19] They are not feeding your faith. You can't go far with them. They are not encouraging your walk with God. You can't go far with them. People lose it because of the company they keep and the people they give their attention to.

[44:33] Some of us, it doesn't have to be physical people these days. You have a lot of online people influencing you. They have determined that they are influencers and you are their victim.

[44:44] you are their victim. All the things that devil has put into them, they decided to influence you with those things.

[44:57] Some people have junk, junk, junk. The fact that they've done nice makeup, have good cameras, and have come on social media doesn't mean that you should allow them to influence you. You have heard so many women saying, we are rising men nowadays, and they don't take it anymore, and you listen to that over and over and over.

[45:17] Now, it's showing your attitude. It's beginning to show that, hmm, what is it? Why? Why must I do this? The things you've been entertaining and pondering on, one strange influencer, that is always the other time I say that, what I use to judge where somebody is becoming too close to me, that I don't know.

[45:37] Why are you popping up on my feed? The fact that you're popping up means I'm getting too close, I need to examine this thing. I've come to your page twice, three times, and now you have the liberty to just come.

[45:50] No, I need to examine that relationship. Yes, I need to examine that relationship. You don't realize you actually have a relationship with that person. The fact that it's not physical does not mean you don't have it.

[46:03] You have a relationship where you meet every Tuesday. It's an appointment you don't miss. because they release a video every Tuesday. You see, sometimes you are more faithful with that appointment than even with God.

[46:19] Because the video is quite tantalizing. They feed the things you want to hear. It's a good thing if it's something from scripture or whatever. It's nice. But examine who you have established this strong relationship with.

[46:32] This person you've never met before. It's speaking into your life on a weekly basis. Believers, examine it. If you're not of one language, you can't build with them.

[46:45] You can't build with them. And have faith in God. God is faithful. And when you're making decisions, sometimes we are crippled by fear.

[46:57] The fear of the unknown. But we know who holds the future. And so just having confidence in God, that he said he will not leave nor forsake us.

[47:08] That he is working all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. If this is what God has said concerning us, then he has to give us confidence in when we're making decisions.

[47:19] We have prayed. We have sought what biblical basis we're making this decision. We have prayed about it. We've sought right counsel. Now we step out in faith.

[47:33] We step out in faith. We step out in faith. Peter had the opportunity to decide whether to stay with the other disciples in the boat or step out in faith.

[47:47] And we see his testimony. And he stood out in faith and started walking, literally walking on water. And then the winds came. He saw it and he had to make a decision.

[48:00] Do I continue with the word? Or do I subject myself to what I'm seeing now? It can happen to all of us. The fact that we have made the first step in obeying God doesn't mean that the devil can't show up or life can't look a certain way.

[48:14] But just continue. Let's stay with it. Continue on God's word. Let's continue. Let's stay with it. And then it will only take us to Christ. It will only get us to the Savior.

[48:27] Because it was quite close. Jesus could reach out and help him. He was that close to Jesus. But he lost sight of the word.

[48:40] Who is Christ himself. He lost sight. And rather saw the storm, the winds. And the beautiful thing God was working out didn't end so.

[48:53] But we all learn from it. The scriptures are written for our learning. So that for us, we will continue in faith, looking up to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith, to get us to that beautiful place of testimony.

[49:10] We have confidence in the fatherhood of God. Jesus teaching his disciples said, when you pray, say, our father. He is a father first, before Jehovah's Sabbath, this, this, this.

[49:23] He's coming after you. He's doing this. He's going to avenge you. I mean, all kinds of it. He said, when you approach God, approach him as father, father, father. When children stay at home with father, they don't really care whether father's job is okay or not.

[49:40] Father literally has to look quite morose and call their children and say, look, this is what is going on. Even though the children normally wouldn't even take, they don't really care. Just provide.

[49:51] They want to switch the lights on. When they press it, it has to come. When they open the tap, they don't think, oh, how should we think about how when we open the turn the tap, how the water is going to come.

[50:02] They don't think about that. They don't have to worry. You, the parents, know you have to think about how to make sure all these things are in place. But the children don't. If they're living with their father, it's father's job to think about.

[50:16] You say, first approach him as father. Approach him as father. It's a father whose plans is to do us good and not evil. He has a beautiful plan for each one of us.

[50:30] He's a father. A father, of course, can't treat and chastise, but he's a father. He cares. He's a provider. He makes sure there's safety.

[50:43] He makes sure you are cared for and protected, you are provided for. That's a father. He's a father who even if the mother with a cycling children forgets, he said, I am better than that.

[50:57] I'm better than that. It's hard for a woman who is heavy because they have a young child to forget that their child needs feed. It will be so heavy and painful that you can't help it.

[51:08] You will remember. You actually will be calling for the child. Come and do something. Or you have to find a way of relieving yourself. This is the description he gives himself. Even if a mother like that may forget, I cannot, I will not forget.

[51:22] He's that kind of father. Jesus said, when you go to the Lord, don't approach him. You can call all kinds of accolades, but know that he's a father.

[51:36] Approach him as a father. You honor him and he never said, after thy kingdom come, he said, please don't forget to ask of your needs. He's interested in your needs.

[51:48] He's interested in where you are. He's interested in knowing your heart, what is burdening you. He said, cast, cast, just come and throw it at me. All your cares, just come and throw it.

[52:02] Cast it, all your cares upon me. For he cares. He cares. You know, when you cast something, you're not so particular. You just throw it. So when it comes to your issues, your burdens, just throw it like that to God.

[52:15] Father, it's in your hands. If you can't do it, then nothing can be done about it. I trust you. Have faith in God, people of God. Have faith in God. When you are faced with challenges, have faith in God that as we take steps, God is taking these steps with us.

[52:33] He's taking these steps with us. We are not left alone. We are not on our own. He's with us. He's with you. He's with us. In James chapter 1 verse 5, it talks about if you lack wisdom, ask of the Lord.

[52:49] He said He gives men liberally. He gives men freely. He's generous. He gives generously. When you are seeking wisdom, meaning seeking direction concerning a thing, you need a certain understanding.

[53:06] He said, but let him ask in faith, not withering. For he that withers is like a wave of a sea, driven by the wind and tossed.

[53:18] For let not that man think that he shall receive anything from God. The verse 7 is very strong. Very strong.

[53:30] He said that if you come to God, he that comes to God must believe that he is. He's a reward of those who diligently seek him. He said, if you come to God, please ask, but ask in faith.

[53:44] No wavering. You know what? When you look at the waves, those who like to go to the beach or whatever, if you look at the waves, it's so hard to have the wave fixed or replicate the same wave in the next move.

[54:01] When the wave comes next, it's going to be the same. It's so unstable. You can't fix it and you can't predict it. And it says that that man is like, what can I do with you?

[54:16] What can I practically do? You're not stable. When you want to feed the child, you want to settle the child, then you feed the child. The more the child is throwing their head back and doing that, the more it's likely that they're going to continue to be hungry until you settle.

[54:31] He said, have faith. Have faith. Because if you are this unstable, he said, let another man think. Don't even think it, let alone expect.

[54:43] Don't think it, don't even cross your mind that you receive, it's not to say something, anything. Wow. Is God opening your eyes to why some things may not have come to pass?

[54:55] because of wavering, because of not being stable, establishing your faith in him and trusting that he will do it and living in his hands? Sometimes you give things to God, you go and take it back and let me just tweak it a bit.

[55:10] Then you look at it and say, God, should I give it to you? Can you actually handle this? Are you sure, God? Are you really sure? Okay, I'll give it to you for 10 days. If you don't do something, I'll come and collect it back. We treat God like when you're trying to plant, have a young plant that is seedling, you're going to plant.

[55:27] The more you are uprooted to check, is it growing? Are the roots going down? It's not going to grow. Then you go back and you put it back in the soil in three days' time and say, I don't know how far these roots have gone.

[55:42] Let me just pick it up again, uproot it and check. Let me measure the length of this root to see whether it's actually doing well or not. It's grew but it's not enough. You go back down, let me check.

[55:55] You know that that plant is not going to survive. That plant is going to die. It's the same way when we leave things in God's hands. You go and collect it. You have three days, you haven't done anything.

[56:08] Okay, I'll give you two more days. Then you go and collect it and give it to your friend. I gave it to God, he couldn't do much. Is there something you can do about it?

[56:18] The Bible says that let no man think that. It's like God says, you're on your own. On this matter, I can't do much. Because you don't seem to trust me that I can deal with this.

[56:34] So you go try it out if you're able to do it. I nearly say praise to God, but it's like God speaking. It's not like praise to you. But then he knows. So he said, let no man think that we receive anything from him.

[56:48] But by God's grace, when we go and ask of him, knowing that he gives us, we will be strong in faith, knowing that he who has begun a good work will perform it unto the day of Christ.

[57:08] We are confident in this. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Amen. Praise the Lord. Our last scripture, the scripture that God has given us in this season, in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 57, it said, let's give God thanks.

[57:26] He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. In every stage of our lives when we have to make decisions, we are giving God thanks that we will always have the victory in Jesus name.

[57:43]  Amen. Praise the Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.