Make Right Choices For Your Destiny

Fresh Manna© by Pastor Tim Burt

Eph 1:11 NIV “In Jesus we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will”

There are so many things a good parent desires and works toward imparting to his children in this life, that it’s hard to name them all. Of course the most important of all for me was to help them learn to seek the Lord and draw close to Him through His Word and prayer. If they did that, the Lord would hold their hand and teach them all they should know and do as they live out their lives for Him. Isaiah 54:13 says, “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children’s peace.” To teach them to seek the Lord and draw close to the Lord through His Word and prayer was a matter of me making some serious choices in my life. Everyone learns over time that what you desire doesn’t happen by accident or just because you want it to. I would need deliberate guidance from the Lord on how to nurture my children in Him for this to happen. I started out by praying about this to the Lord. “Lord, how to I teach them about you? How do I get them interested in learning about you? How do I teach them to pray?” I had these questions and many more.

My first choice was to be willing to seriously seek the Lord in prayer and the Word for these answers. It wasn’t enough to want it. I had to do my part and seek God concerning it. That means there were things I’d needed to do. I believe that most people have good intentions and often hear the Lord’s voice about making necessary changes in their life. That is the beginning – hearing what the Lord wants us to do, but executing what He wants us to do is the next step. If I’ve ever struggled executing those choices, then I’d pray for His grace – His supernatural provision and strength to strengthen my will to carry out His will. As I did all these things, the Lord gave me the answers that were particular for Renee and I and for our family and circumstances. Each answer led to more decisions and choices to make. God would always do His part. He would then leave me the choice to do my part. You soon learn that godly living is about obeying the right choices that the Lord leads us to make. Right choices are how destinies are fulfilled.

One of the greatest controversies in the body of Christ is this: Does God make us walk out the plan that He wants for our lives or do we get to choose our own destiny? The truth is, we get to choose our own destiny. The Love of God gives us the freedom – even to deny Him or disobey Him – even though that would hurt His heart and our life. We aren’t robots. We are His children. It is important to know that. It is important to know that God, from before the foundation of the world, has had a destiny that He wants you to walk in. It is a destiny that He will try to lead you in, but it is not a destiny that He will make you live. That will be up to you. Before the foundation of the world, He knew every choice you would make. Whether you would obey Him or disobey Him. He used those choices to lay out His divine plan. He also knew Jesus would obey Him. Jesus was the anchor of His plan.

One of the clearest places in scripture where we can see this is in the book of Exodus. God desires to raise up Moses as the sole leader of the children of Israel. Moses is doubting himself and consequently doubting God over the issue. He ultimately gives Moses the freedom to turn Him down although it wasn’t God’s perfect will for Moses’ life. We read: Exodus 3:10-11 “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He tried to convince God He couldn’t aciculate himself good enough for a leader. God became tired of Moses excuses and let him have his way. Exodus 4:14 “Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and He said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you.”

God finally accepted Moses’ choice (excuses) and went to plan B. He brought in Aaron. In this verse you can see that God says that Aaron is already on his way to become involved in this plan. God already had Aaron coming BEFORE Moses had given God his choice. How could that happen? God already knew the choice Moses would make, but He still gave Moses the opportunity to make it and obey Him.

God gives the opportunity to all of us to make right choices multiple times every day. Sometimes they aren’t hard and sometimes they are very difficult and come with sacrifice and great effort. When temptation lurks to talk you out of right choices for your life, pause and ask God for the grace for help. It’s important to make the right choices. Even when your choice is as small as forgiving someone for an offense, they are important to our destiny. I believe our spirit man knows the answers in most cases. It’s just that sometimes they can feel torturous on our flesh, are pride or our ego.

To stay on the right road of your destiny means that you will have to pause and involve God consistently. It means you will have to learn to be strong by His grace and make those right choices again and again. When we do this, our lives will stay on the right track and we will ultimately glorify the Lord and keep the door open to our blessing. Be blessed walking out the right choices that feel so good after you make them!

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt
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