In every moment of our lives, we are confronted with situations that require us to make decisions. It’s not about what decisions we make but it’s about how we make our decisions and the choices we have to make our decisions. Every moment we have a list of choices from which we make our decision. The choices we make are influenced by our ability, understanding and preference. While we might assume that our decisions are determined by factors such as our education, financial situation and our background, the real truth is that our choices are shaped by our understanding, revelation, faith and what we know about ourselves.
Our decision is going to depend on the choices that we have and the emotional setting at any given moment. Man is an emotional being and 90% of the decisions that we make are not based on logic but on emotions. Emotions are a reflection of what we feel deep within our hearts, and they significantly influence our choices. Emotions are a fundamental aspect of our being. The decisions we make today have a direct impact on our future.
As children of God, it’s important to understand that God has already determined certain decisions for us even before we make our choices. The Bible tells us, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jer 29:11) God’s decisions for us are meant to elevate us, firmly root us and make us fruitful. These divine decisions, often referred to as the will of God or destiny, exist in the spiritual realm. However, it’s our responsibility, as humans living in the flesh, to bring these decisions into physical manifestations.
If we lack an understanding of God’s decisions for us in the spiritual realm, we may fall into the trap of making decisions solely based on our immediate circumstances, the words spoken by others, medical reports or our financial situation. Such decisions would then be shaped by our own knowledge, observations, feelings and understanding, which can be limiting. Many individuals devise plans based on their financial resources, available support, or medical advice and then seek God’s assistance in carrying them out. Nevertheless, this approach might not yield the full manifestation of God’s power. It is important to do things at God’s level to make God’s power manifest.
It’s a common misconception to believe that we can start at a certain level and then expect God to elevate us to the next one.
As we struggle to attain even our current level, we assume it’s unrealistic to think we can reach the level God has for us. But this is a wrong understanding. We need to first understand the decisions God has already made for us. Furthermore, we need to develop the faith and imagination required to achieve it. Imagination is a God-given ability and is very important.
Building our imagination and desire and aligning our hearts to accommodate God’s plan in our lives involves waiting in His presence until we receive power so that we can be lifted to the level God has for us. Our next level has to be what God has for us. We are not called to waste our time looking at the situation and doing something less than what God has for us and God doesn’t acknowledge that. This involves a period of waiting, followed by a decisive leap that aligns with God’s plan. God told His disciples to wait until they receive power and then do His work. We need to wait for that empowering moment and then make the leap to the platform designed by God for us.
It’s important to recognize that our decisions should not be based on our background, past failures, or limited understanding. Instead, we need to make our decisions in our time of prayer. These decisions may not always appear to align with physical reality, but they are rooted in what God has ordained for us, and God will not allow us to be disappointed. The source of our decisions should be received from the Spirit.
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” (1 Cor 2:9)
The above verse clearly states that it has been revealed to us by His spirit. It doesn’t say it will be revealed by our situations. As a child of God, we need to receive them from the spiritual realm.
DECISION MAKING IN THE BIBLE
The Bible provides various methods of decision-making:
- Prophets receiving divine guidance and conveying it to the people.
- The use of Urim and Thummim.
- The wearing of the Ephod, along with incense and worship, as a means for God to communicate.
- The practice of casting lots, a common method of decision-making.
Even in the New Testament, we see an example of casting lots when replacing Judas with Matthias after his death. It’s important to recognize that, even before a lot is cast or any decision is made, it has already been determined in the spiritual realm. Our responsibility is to understand and align with this divine decision
and accept it. Failure to align with it results in making smaller decisions that lead to a defeated life. Any decision we base solely on our own understanding is bound to be futile. This is why the Bible advises us not to lean on our own understanding. Instead, we should wait on the Lord to receive His power. When we make a decision in this way, it is bound to be more significant, adventurous, and achievable.
Proverbs 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.”
The lot can be cast but the choice made when we select one is from the Lord. This is an Old Testament experience where they pray in a spiritual atmosphere and pick the lot.
Proverbs 29:25-26 “25The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. 26Many seek the ruler’s favor, But justice for man comes from the Lord.”
When our decisions are based on the fear of man – the worldly system, we remain restricted and fail to rise above the limitations of the world. The challenges of the worldly system often evoke fear, and it’s important that we prioritize God’s vision for our lives above all else. Our passion should be the driving force behind our actions. When we receive a vision for our life, we must patiently wait in God’s presence, with desire until we have an inner drive that will propel us to ascend and soar like a helicopter. At that moment, we are ready to make a decision. While many may seek favor from worldly rulers, our ultimate victory comes from the Lord.
GOD’S DECISION ABOUT SAUL
The Israelites after they came out of Egypt were led by prophets and judges and did not have a king. However, they began to demand a king, which distressed the prophet Samuel, as they rejected the Lord. When Samuel consulted the Lord regarding the matter, God revealed that He would grant them a king to rule over them. The tribe of Judah was considered dominant among the twelve tribes. As Samuel inquired of the Lord, a man named Saul from the relatively smaller tribe of Benjamin approached him searching for his lost donkeys. Saul came to Samuel, the seer to check for his lost donkeys. God then revealed to Samuel that Saul was the chosen king. Samuel anointed Saul, and while doing so, informed him that his donkeys had been found, and he would be the king of Israel. Nobody knew that Saul was anointed.
The decision to appoint Saul as king had already been made in the spiritual realm before Samuel anointed him. However, it had not yet manifested in the physical realm. After some time, Samuel gathered all the Israelites to cast lots to select their king. Lots were cast among the twelve tribes, and Benjamin was chosen. They further narrowed it down to family heads, ultimately leading to Saul’s selection. What had been predetermined in the spiritual realm was now revealed in the physical through the casting of lots. They brought Saul and anointed him as king in front of the people.
Despite his anointing as king, many people rejected Saul due to his background, experience, and talents, as he hailed from the smaller tribe of Benjamin. The decision had been made and the anointing was conferred, but nothing substantial had materialized. Saul and everyone else returned home. Saul continued with his everyday work, plowing his oxen in the field.
After some time, enemies invaded the land, and the Israelites typically hid in forests and valleys to evade the plundering. No one dared to confront the enemies. When Saul received news of the enemy’s arrival, the Spirit of God came upon him, and the kingly anointing began to stir within him. This was the moment when he made a crucial decision. The decision had already been determined in the spiritual realm, and now, he was ready to act in the midst of his enemies. When we make decisions in alignment with the choices made in the spiritual realm, regardless of the circumstances, the Lord honors those decisions.
Saul made a bold decision. He took the oxen, cut them into twelve pieces, and sent a piece to each tribe, urging them to join him in war. He warned that if they refused, the same fate would befall their cattle. The fear of the Lord descended upon the people, uniting them as one force. Just a few days earlier, Saul had been despised, but now, due to the fear of the Lord and the anointing upon him, people rallied behind him.
Saul’s decisive action was not solely due to his own efforts but a result of the divine anointing upon him. Despite having just one sword among them, they defeated the enemies and pursued them, leading to a jubilant celebration. Saul was recognized as king after his marvelous victory. People built a palace for him and started serving him as king.
The decision regarding our lives has already been established, and the divine anointing is upon us. People may not recognize the decision and even we ourselves may not know about it. Even if we feel insignificant, isolated, or broken, it doesn’t matter. The decision is made and all that matters is whether we are waiting in God’s presence, empowering ourselves and growing in the decision made by God concerning us. We need to meditate on it and align with the decisions made in the heavenly realm. That will attract the power of God over our lives.
Let’s wait on the Lord to manifest the decision that the Lord has made!!