Make A Decision

God has given you a tremendous power regarding your destiny.  It's a power no one can take from you.  No one can rob you of it.  No one can steal it from you.  It's during your time of making decisions that your destiny is shaped. 

Think back over your life, say for the last 10-15 years.  Can you think of a time when your decision altered the course of your life?  Was it altered for good or for not so good.  Did the decision lead later to celebration or regret?

Whether for celebration or regret, the life you're leading right now, is a result of the decisions you've made in your life.  It's in your times of decision when the direction of life is determined.  

You could be asking, "why am I focusing on decisions?  What does that have to do with my life in Christ.  Doesn't the Holy Spirit and God's Word guide me?"  Yes and no. 

Yes, the Holy Spirit and God's Word will guide you if you make the decision to allow them to guide you.  This decision will take your life in one direction. 

You can also make the decision that the Holy Spirit and God's Word won't guide you.  This decision will send your life into an entirely different direction.  

Or you could make a third decision. You could allow the Holy Spirit and God's Word lead you only at certain times. This would lead your life into a third direction.  It will cause you to live inconsistently and incongruently with God's desire for you.  But you could make that decision. 

You make decisions everyday. Some are conscious decisions, those you are aware of making. Some are subconscious decisions, those decisions you make automatically. Just like as most of an iceberg is under the water, most of your decisions are made in the subconscious mind, where you don't consciously make them. 

One study by the University of New South Wales, suggests we have less control over personal choices than we may have previously thought.  More than any other factor, it's your decisions and not the conditions of your life.  that will determine your destiny.  

An interesting thing about decisions, is you will make them whether you intend to or not.  For example, if you decide not to make a decision regarding your destiny or direction God wants to lead you, you've already made a decision. 

You've made the decision allow your circumstances to lead you.  One way or the other you will be making decisions.  Wouldn't you rather have more control over your destiny, by making good decisions?

You don't have to do the same things you've been doing for the last 10-15 years.  You can make a decision right now, at this second, to change the direction of your life.  That's power!

Your decisions are driven by your beliefs. Your beliefs are subconscious as well.  This is why you make so many subconscious decisions.  Your decisions are driven by what you believe about God, the world, your friends, your parents, your spouse, a blog you're reading.  You've developed beliefs about every area of your life.  

You have beliefs that are empowering beliefs.  These are beliefs that give you energy; they empower you to move forward. 

You also have disempowering beliefs.  These are beliefs that suck the energy right out of you.  These are the beliefs that hold you back from successfully moving forward in your life. 

Disempowering beliefs are limiting but they can also be destructive.  More of the body of Christ is affected by disempowering beliefs, than she realizes.  These disempowering beliefs are the main reason for many believers not making progress in their walk with the Lord. 

Some examples of disempowering beliefs are; I'm too old, I've never succeeded before so why should I now, good things always happen to others, no one else seems to love me so God doesn't love me either, I'm unloveable, I don't have what it takes, my family doesn't respect me. 

Do you get the idea?  Those disempowering beliefs could really hamper you in making bold, committed, quality decisions.  Some examples of empowering beliefs are; I'm intelligent, I am friendly, people like me, I like people, people are helpful, God loves me, God will help me.

Take a look at one contrasting empowering and disempowering belief.  First look at the disempowering belief, "God doesn't love me".  What kind of decisions do you think the person will make who has that as a disempowering belief?  

If you have that disempowering belief, how will that affect your decisions regarding seeking God prayer?  No one wants to spend time with or talking with someone who doesn't love them or at least like them.  What kind of decisions will you make about God leading your life?  Why would someone who doesn't love you have your best interests at heart?

Would you marry or trust someone who doesn't love you?  

Now, take a look at the empowering belief, "God loves me".  How will that belief affect the questions we addressed a moment ago.  

Now, being you would hold those beliefs subconsciously, the decisions you would make regarding God leading your life and spending time in His Word, would be automatic.  You wouldn't even think about them. 

Along with beliefs, the decisions you make will be determined by whether you are committed or only interested in something. 

Let's look at weight loss and dieting. The question could be asked you, "are you committed to weight loss and dieting, or are you merely interested?"  The body of Christ faces this question every day.

Have you ever wondered why there are Christians who are so excited about the Lord and growing in their walk with Him, while there are other Christians who are less enthusiastic about their walk with the Lord and don't grow very much?

The difference is in whether a believer is merely interested in the things of God or truly committed to Him. 

Let's go back to the dieting example,  You could have someone who says they want to lose weight.  They'll buy a couple of weight loss and healthy eating magazines. That person may even buy a book on dieting.  Then they'll try dieting for a week or so. But, they think that's not what they want, so they go no further.  That person was only interested in dieting and weight loss. 

Now take a look at another person. This person is excited about weight loss and healthy eating.  She buys a couple of magazines and buys a book or two on weight loss and healthy eating.  She may sign up for a class or two.  She's deeply involved in the class.  She keeps it up and follows her meal plan exactly. 

She does this for the next year.  Her friends then begin to remark about how great she looks and she now thinks about how great she feels. 

What was the difference with this woman?  She was totally committed to her new life.  In fact, she was so committed that she didn't call her eating plan a diet.  To her the word diet meant it was temporary.  She liked to think of it as her new lifestyle, something she would continue for her life. 

So, what's the difference between being merely interested in something as opposed to being fully committed to it?

When one is merely interested in something, they always leave themselves an "out". They say things like "well,if this doesn't work out, I can always try something else".  

The person who's totally committed, leaves no "way out", no escape.  You might have heard the story of an army who had to sail to attack the enemy they were fighting.  When they arrived, their commander set the ships on fire. The commander told his men to turn back and look at the burning ships.  He told them. there's no way back.  They would either be victorious or they would die.  Then ended up being victorious. 

The same holds true with committment regarding anything else.  Regarding your walk with God, are you merely interested or are you totally committed?

You will make decisions based on your answer to this questions.  Whether you're committed or merely interested will be based on your beliefs.  Your beliefs will drive your decisions.  Your decisions will drive the direction of your life and destiny in Christ. 

You have the power of making decisions.  Once you become aware of any negative or disempowering beliefs you hold, you can make a decision to change those beliefs. 

Those beliefs will change your decisions.  Your decisions will change your destiny.  

There's one major decision you can make right now.  Will you decide to allow God or yourself to shape your destiny?  Which one will be your guide?  Your answer will make all the difference in the world. 

You can change the direction of your life right now; by making one decision.  You can start a new course for your life right now...with one decision. 

That is power!

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