MAKING RIGHT DECISIONS (2)

(Begin from the previous) http://invoiceunleashed.blogspot.com/2010/11/making-right-decisions.html

v. Never Go To War Where There Are No Spoils. Choose your battle wisely and make sure that what you fight for is worth the price you pay. Confidence in our ability to take good decision comes from within. It comes from faith, wisdom and self awareness. These are the motivators.

Fight without anything at stake is as futile as chasing the wind. Always ask yourself, “What would I gain by doing this?” The gains doesn’t necessary need to be selfish (which is the least), but let it have something productive to win, even if it has to be your own worthy contribution to mankind. Is there any gain to me or someone else in my care? “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:14)

Fighting a battle without spoil is like trying to get water to quench an empty mass burning to the ground. What have you got to save if there is no live in danger? Instead we should save our strength and energy for something else that is tangible. (1 Cor. 9:24).

It’s good to learn to use discernment and stay focused on our goals. Keeping your eyes on the prize God set for us will soon teach you there are some things not worth fighting for.

Case Study: Something motivated David before he when for Goliath (1 Sam. 17:26,27). God likewise has the whole world to gain before He sent His only Son. (John 3:16)

vi. Be Accurately Informed. Make sure you have all available fact before deciding anything. Assumption will inevitably lead to crisis.

Patience is perhaps the most difficult skill to practice when it comes to decision-making (Ps. 40:1).

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isa 40:31)

How do we remain calm and decide with patience even when pressure builds to an unbearable level. First, we must ask the right question, and must answer those questions based on the counsel of the experts (Matt. 7:7,8). Then finally, we must act when the time is right. Once you have asked and answered many questions, and have the confidence that you have most information available, then its time to act.

Even if the endeavor fail, you can relax in the knowledge that you did everything possible to make wise decision and then view it as an opportunity to learn something needed next time. In other way round, if it succeeds, you must remember the necessary steps you took so that you can repeat the process again next time.

Case Study: Before the miracle of feeding five thousand with a young lad’s lunch, Jesus worked on the available information. He first asked the question, what did was on ground? And based on that information He acted and cause multiplication. (Mark 6:37-42).

vii. Contemplate The Consequence. Consider all option and their possible result before acting on any of them.

We must learn to imagine the possible outcome of various options that we have at our disposal for any given decision. What kind of chain reaction will occur if we make this decision? How will it help fulfill or distract us from the main mission objectives? What will be its effect a year, two or five from now? Or even at the end of our lives?

When old, how would I remember this present decision? What kind of man will this decision have shaped me into by that time? How will my relationship with God be affected, with my family, friends and co-workers? Consider more “what if” questions and answers. “My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.”(Pro. 3:21-23).

Thinking through the potentials of consequence of our decisions often prevents more problems from coming. Long-term decision is always easy to make if we can clearly see the possible outcomes.

Case Study: Jesus knew the consequence of overturning the tables of the money changers and driving out those trading in the temple. He knew it will cost Him His life. No wonder He replied the Jews thereafter; “Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up” (John 2:13-21).

Shalom!

(To be continued)

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Excel D. Agboola (Pst.) is the Lead Facilitator of Newwine Missions Int’l Inc.Accra. Ghana. He is also the Country Director of Joel International in Ghana. If you have been blessed by this article, please share it with as many as possible on your friends list. We also enjoin you to keep praying for this ministry as our utmost desire is that you fulfill destiny and likewise make eternity with Christ Jesus.

MAKING RIGHT DECISIONS

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live”(Deut. 30:19)

Man was created as individual with freewill. God has set before us life and death (just the way He did for Adam an Eve in the Garden of Eden), but He urges us to choose life.

Even though our worldly minds have had so much practice operating freely that we surely don’t have to use any effort to think wrong thought, we deliberately need to continue assessing ourselves with God’s word to help us choose right thinking.

There are thousands of thoughts and beliefs that presented to us daily in which we are meant to take decision upon. The heart has to be renewed to follow after the spirit and not after the flesh. The wisdom for direction is only assessable through a renewed mind.(Eccl.10:10)

Permit me to share the following wisdom points with you as a guide to making life decisions.

i. Control Your Impulsiveness. Never make a permanent decision about a temporary situation. Learn to use self restraint and discernment.
Beware of the heat of the moment. Instead of reacting to situations, learn to respond to it. If you can keep your head above the water during the flood, then you will realize the opportunities available even in difficult and painful circumstances.
Certainly you can be angry at some situation, but also trust that there is a better opportunity opening ahead of you. As we don’t need play the blame game, so also we need not to be controlled by the moment.
It is always easy succumb to the convenience of impulsiveness. Look beyond the moment! “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Ps. 27: 13-14).

Case Study: Jesus took His time before answering the Pharisees who brought the woman caught in the act. (John 8:3-9)

ii. Beware Of Blind Spot! Make sure your emotions are not driving your decisions towards destruction. Emotional reaction can greatly hinder our ability to make effective decisions. Although we can’t separate emotions from decision making, nevertheless, it must not be the absolute measure by which we decide issues. Watch out for such emotions like anger, bitterness and envy with their great influence. Anger robs us of objectivity seeking for revenge when we should have being level-headed (Ps. 37:8-9). And after a long harbor of anger and hurts, it turns to bitterness (Heb. 12:14-15). Likewise, we need to beware of envy which has a way of associating with covetousness (2 Cor. 10:12). This makes you seek after what others have and not what is the best for you. “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:16 NIV).

Case Study: Jephthah took a decision emotionally without considering the blind spot which cost him the life of her only daughter. (Judg. 11:30-35)

iii. Delegate Your Confidence. Surround yourself with people who are wise and competent. Empower them to perform and refuse to be intimidated by their expertise. The circumference of our relationship circle determines how much ground we can cover. It easy to achieve more when in the circumference of the wise. Surrounding yourself with a gifted network of responsible expert is not always easy. It requires humility and confidence. Nevertheless, when we have done our best to have them around, we are free to delegate with confidence. (Pro. 13:20; 24:6). And after we have empowered them to make the decisions they are qualified to make, then we can trust their judgment since we have already discovered their trustworthiness. “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” (Prov 11:14NKJV)

Case Study: Jesus surrounded Himself with men from various field of life and empowers them to perform. He later sent them two by two to different cities He would later come because He has already discovered their trustworthiness. (Luke 10:1)

iv. Carefully Consider All Options And Accept Responsibility For Your Final Decision. Seek for wise counsel but sift it through your own heart before final decision is made. Pray for guidance. Do you remember the law of crossing the road? “Look left, look right and then look left again. When you are sure there is no sight or sound coming, quickly cross to the other side”. The simple rule means we must always double-check. Nowadays anyone can start a business, but it takes the wise to know when the time is right to start their kind of business. They talk to people, do research, and study the market and the competition’s products. And at the right moment, they seize the opportunity. Many often make decision without knowing all the options so that when they fail, they can have someone to blame.
Right decisions are as a result of careful analysis of all possible viewpoints and the initiative to act on your own selection.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28NIV)
Case Study: God at creation carefully considered all option before making the decision to allow Adam and Eve to live freely in the Garden of Eden. The probability of them eating the forbidden fruit was already taken into consideration. He took responsibility for it. He knew Satan will try them; hence He also has a plan up His sleeve to sustain His will and make a fool of the enemy. (1 Cor 2:7-8; 1 Peter 1:18-20)

Shalom!

(To be continued)

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Excel D. Agboola (Pst.) is the Lead Facilitator of Newwine Missions Int’l Inc. Accra. Ghana. He is also the Country Director of Joel International in Ghana. If you have being blessed by this article, please share it with as many as possible on your friends list. We also enjoin you to keep praying for this ministry as our utmost desire is that you fulfill destiny and likewise make eternity with Christ Jesus.

HEALING THE PAST WOUNDS

“As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Rom 8:36-37KJV)

Sometimes we wondered why Christian suffers. We ask why God allowed us to pass through some experience which has left us too hard a memory to delete. The truth of the matter shows that God is not making an experiment out of our lives and neither has He created us a specimen of trial and error. But rather through His love has made us an entity of settled destiny. Far before we arrived on earth is a purpose we are scheduled to fulfill. God’s heart desire is to reveal his glory in us as we locate and walk in the path He laid for us.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer 29:11 KJV)

Someone may be asking “If really His thoughts are good, then why the incident; why did He allow such things like these to happen to me?” In order to answer this question, we must first understand that God does not take pride in our sufferings - either past or present. He understood pains, and knows how you felt when passing through one.

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities…” (Heb 4:15KJV)

Moreover, no colourful and great destiny comes without a contest. When you decide to be somebody, everything is going to try and get in the way of your dreams. Trials will test the authenticity of that vision. Challenges will seek to change your mind. He who wins later depends on your personal decision. All these show you are on the path to greatness. You can only escape resistance if you are not moving. People who are doing nothing have nothing to worry about.

Jesus told a parable along this line in the book of Matthew chapter thirteen beginning from verse twenty-four. It was about a man that sowed good seed in his farm but was later discovered that someone else came overnight to sow bad ones with it. When the “Householder” later heard about it, His reply was outstanding;

“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matt 13:30KJV)

One unique thing about His plan and purpose for us is its security and certainty. God is the “Holder” of your destiny. No matter the storm that tries to wither, our safety to harbor is still guaranteed if we refuse to quit. If the destiny of the prodigal son it recoverable, how much more that which was stolen? Understand that where you pitch your tent matters most! Instead of sitting and seeking for pity, while not gather strength and stand up on your feet. Let go whatsoever the enemy has done in the past! You still have a great opportunity reserve in your future upon which God wants you to take right decision.

In every place where Joseph found himself, he was never dispirited. This has to do with how we conduct ourselves in every situation. Why do we need to hate ourselves when we have more than enough people ready to hate our good dreams? What wisdom is in joining hands with the enemy against our glorious destiny? Please be wise, move away from your past!

References: Isaiah 46:9-10, Isaiah 55:8-13, Prov. 23:18, Isaiah 41:9-13

Excel D. Agboola (Pst.) is the president of Newwine Missions Int’l Inc. Accra. Ghana. He is also the Country Director of Joel International in Ghana. If you have being blessed by this article, please share it with as many as possible on your friends list. We also enjoin you to keep praying for this ministry. Our utmost desire for you is that you make eternity with Christ in Jesus name.

DISCOVER DESTINY - MANAGING THE FORCES OF LIFE

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flows the springs of life” (Pro. 4:23 Amp.)

If I should be your prophet in the next few moment and you ask me what will become of your life in the nearest future, I will simply answer “It’s going to be great and outstanding!” And perhaps you begin to wonder how I know these since we have never met physically before. Well, my next reply is so simple. I know because that is what the Word of God said about you. The word of

God is a word of prophesy that is more sure than whatever from any other source (2 Pet. 1:11). Did you even know that whatsoever any man tells you in the name of prophesy must agree with God’s word if indeed such word is from God? Do you also know that whatsoever good news spoken either from God’s word or from His servant to you will only come to pass only when you think on it or see it coming to pass in your life? Very importantly, know that only what you keep your heart on takes root in your life.

“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them, not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them...” (Prov 4:20-22KJV)

We may be familiar with one of the functions of the biological heart as the organ that pumps and pushes the blood round the body. And as the blood circulates, it carries with it oxygenated blood which supplies energy to all the part of the body. This probably means, not withstanding the great importance of blood to man, its circulation is never possible without the help of the heart. Hence when the heart stops working, life also ceases flowing.

While the heart that the Bible refers to in this case is your mind (or your brain that you use in thinking and not the biological heart), it likewise shares the same nature with your biological heart. No matter the potency of the word of God spoken concerning you, you need this heart (your mind) to push it to every part of your life as you think and imagine it happening to you.

“Above every charge keep thy heart, for out of it are the outgoings of life” - Pro. 4:23 (Young Literal Translation)

This means your life will always go in the direction of your dominant thoughts, therefore you need to watch over its contents and guard it than any other thing that is guarded in your live.

Allow me to share with you my personal collections on managing this power that controls life.

i. Line up your thoughts with the word of God and good books. Think big because that is how God thinks. Always take your view from God’s eye view. Big issues become small while far places become nearer as we see from above and not from the ground. (Jere. 1:10-12, Gen. 13:14,15)

ii. Gain control over your emotions. Always avoid watching or hearing things that brings you negative emotions like fear, hatred, worry, discouragement, anger, anxiety, guilt, rejection, etc. Whatever takes away your joy will definitely sap life out of you. Is there anything that brings you love, appreciation, curiosity, excitement, passion, determination, confidence and contribution to life? Give the most of your mind to these. (Phil. 4:8, Neh. 8:10)

iii. The capacity of your mind determines what it has the ability to hold. Even in the midst of challenges, make it big and more flexible through seeing more possibilities than not. You can never gain mastery over any issue of life where you see impossibilities often. (Lk. 5:37, 38)

iv. Our thoughts are more of the product of our senses – what we see, hear and feel. Be careful about where and with whom you are located per time. (Ps. 1:1-3). Be informed that visions are greatly influenced by people and places.

v. New discoveries are products of view from different angles. Don’t always go with the crowd celebrating customs. Seek adventures! If majority is right, then majority would have being rich, happy, holy, saved and be fulfilled. A dream is the only way to alter your future and lay hold on a better destiny. (Luke 5:39)

vi. Stop seeing man as your problem; this perpetually puts you under their control. We loss battles not because the enemy is stronger, but because we are not strong enough. You might not be able to do anything about their abilities, but you can weaken them when you build and develop yourself beyond their capacity. Build up yourself through God’s word, right mentors, books, seminars and godly teachings. Only those who stop growing; keep groaning. (Pro. 24:5,6; 2 Tim 2:15; Eph. 6:10,11)

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh…Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:3-5KJV)

Can you imagine if everybody has to watch all the thoughts that go through your mind in a day on very big television screen? You will definitely disallow this. That means our conscience (which is the voice of the spirit) does alert us when our thoughts roams the wrong direction. It very important that anything we wish everybody should not watch on the “big screen” should immediately be cast down, or else may soon become a stronghold. (2 Cor. 10:5)

N.B: Excel D. Agboola (Pst.) is the president of Newwine Missions Internationl Accra. Ghana. If you have being blessed by this article, please share it with as many as possible on your friends list. We also enjoin you to keep praying for this ministry. Our utmost desire for you is that you make eternity with Christ in Jesus name.

DISCOVER DESTINY - WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTED END?

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer 29:11KJV)

It was God’s thought to duplicate a perfect replica of Himself called man, who will function in His capacity on earth as He does in heaven (Ps. 115:16). When God began creation, He begins with a thought and His thoughts are not only good but powerful and tangible. And when man was made in the image of God, he likewise carries the same ability to conceive and create incredible feats to an extent that God said “…nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined….” (Gen 11:6KJV). In other words, God meant man’s thoughts are as real as things.

In God’s mind is a complete success plan for all His creation. He knows the end of every individual far before existence, for He wouldn’t just start a work without knowing its perfect conclusion.

“…I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done…” (Isa 46:9-10KJV)

But along the line, this perfect plan became subjected to the position of man’s will when Adam and Eve agree to take side with Satan against God. The enemy came and sow tares with the good seed (Matt. 13:24, 25). All those words altered by the “Serpent” to Eve were all in a bid to change man’s thoughts and beliefs against His Maker. It was at this point that man rejected God’s plan for him and lost out in destiny. Ever since then, man’s redemption now depends on his readiness to realign his thoughts to believing God above all and submitting only to His will. (Rom. 10:10, Mark 11:23). In other words, destiny is lost without man going back to God (through His Son) and believes His words above any other.

Likewise in this way has God made provision for every contrary situation that man might find himself presently (Eph. 1:3). Just the way the first man took the decision to follow Satan’s thoughts through his words so also God has left us with the decision today to follow His thoughts through His words and recreate our destiny. God wants us to know His thoughts towards us right from the beginning and align ours to it. God will never force his good plans on any man; He only gives according to our expected end (Deut. 30:19). If a man’s thought believes his present contrary situation necessary, then such individual may have to suffer because that was his expected end. Likewise someone who believes there is no way of getting to the top except through human connection has also chosen an expected end which leaves God out of his case. My question is, what is the object of your hopes in that situation you are in presently? What is your expected end?

God has not change His thoughts towards man no matter who we are or what our condition may be, nevertheless before we can realize our desires, we need to possess an expected end that goes in line with God’s thoughts. No man can ever be better than his thoughts (Pro. 23:7). I often hear some people assumed destiny as something that God wants happened to man no matter what he do. I consider this to be untrue! Will a man has a piece of land to cultivate crops and after clearing it says; whatever God wants, let it grow on it? Surely something will definitely grow, but such is most likely to be what he will never be able to eat. If this perception had been true, then there will be no sure hope for the lost. I strongly believe that God did not create lives to be left to chances, wisdom demands our full responsibility toward our lives.

“As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man” (Prov 27:19NIV)

When our thoughts becomes far from God’s, we encounter blockages towards fulfillment of our desires (Isa. 55:6-8). There is a great impact thoughts have on destiny. In most cases, the barriers and limitations we are trying to break on the outside are right there inside of us. When people run their lives on assumption instead of complete knowledge, they journey with misfortunes. Assumption is the least form of knowledge. The level of knowledge that brought us to where we are can’t carry us beyond where we are. We need to change our thinking in order to change our lives.

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me….” (Matt 15:8-9KJV)

Most poor believers today believe prayer and fasting is all they needed to bring about all their breakthroughs. Truly prayer and fasting could bring God’s power, but if your thinking doesn’t go along with what you are praying, you may be playing without knowing. We can not travel within and standstill without; our inside will always compel our outside to adjust!

…to be continued.

DISCOVER DESTINY - THE CONSISTENCY OF GOD’S THOUGHTS

“Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee…” (Jer 1:4-5 KJV)

Creation did not begin with conception, it began with a thought. It is very important for everyone to know that existence began in the mind of God before its became physical manifestation. In the beginning, God said “Let us create man in our image, according to our likeness…” This statement is a product of His thought, His idea, which first exists in His mind. To confirm this, Adam and Eve were made the physical prototype of the perfect plan He had in His mind. And when God looked at them “…behold, it was very good.” (Gen 1:31KJV). But something occurred along the way;

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.” (Matt 13:24-25KJV)

There is something I will like you to note in this scripture; you may have thought that the man who planted is the same that the scripture refers to as “men” that slept. I don’t consider this to be so as many may have taught. The Greek word used for “a man” according to this scripture is “antroópoo” which means certain individual and which in this case I consider to be God – the Beginner of all things. Nevertheless, the Greek word used for “men” (that slept) is “antroópous” which is the plural or a collective word for man. The sleeping state is the falling state of man, God never sleeps and neither does He slumber (Ps. 121: 4). Note also that the scripture records that it was the servants who are meant to be watching that later came to report to the “householder” the incident that occurred while they were sleeping. This means after God has finished creating you perfectly in His mind, someone called the enemy distorted its physical manifestation because the “watchers” gave him chance to do so.

This understanding will help us answer some significant question that kept bothering most people’s mind. You may be wondering why you were created the way you are or why God allowed some things to happen which He should have disallowed. You may even be wondering why you lack certain things that make life comfortable and pleasurable for others. When the seed was planted, it was good seed. The planting state is the invisible (or thought) state while its shooting-out is what manifests it physically. Whatsoever is questionable in your life simply took place between these periods. But the truth remains that in God’s mind is a constant desire to give and make you the best because that is His original plan for you. His word says no matter how much the enemy tries to distort His plan concerning you; He is still bent on bringing it to pass only if you can understand the truth.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer 29:11KJV)

God is never against you! Mind you, nothing can change that original thought of His concerning you. Whatsoever He has purposed in the beginning can never be changed. That means your end is as sure as God saw it in the beginning.

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isa 46:9-10KJV)

Whatsoever you lack or lost today can never stop the sure glorious end that He has in mind for you. Nevertheless, there is one question you must answer; “What is my expected end?”, because no matter the mistake of the watchers in the past, the “Householder” is set to put you back again.

…To be continued