Be Firm and Focused on the Decisions Pertaining to Your Faith

In this time and age, there are times that we have found ourselves in and out of faith. In this year, we have to make a firm decision and be focused in our faith in God. Today, God is calling us back to be a people who understand where they are going and what they are doing, as there are some places we cannot get as long as we are dilly-dallying and wavering in faith. Make a decision that you know where you are standing. People make firm decisions on what they want to do, as far as dieting, physical exercise, savings groups and so on are concerned. When it comes to God, how much are we serious on decisions we make on matters pertaining to faith?

The problem is not making the decision; the problem is maintaining the decision. Have you made the best and greatest decision there is to make, of making Jesus the Lord and Saviour of your life? Be assured that you are born again. Jesus is coming back again, not for a dotted church and wavering in their faith in Jesus, but for a church that is sure where they are standing, in Christ. We have to make a decision to live with the Lord.

Luke 15:11-32

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. ¹³ And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. ¹⁴ But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

 

¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, ¹⁹ and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

²⁰ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. ²³ And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; ²⁴ for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

²⁸ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. ³⁰ But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

³¹ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

The young boy had made a decision to leave home. Soon after he made another decision not to eat with pigs again, while his father had all the good things in his house. This year, purpose not to eat with pigs, but to remain in the house of your Father, who has all the things you need. Never be unsure of your faith in God.

1 Peter 5:8-10 (AMP)

Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. ⁹ Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset — rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world. ¹⁰ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.

In 2015, we cannot afford to be undecided. We better be sure, now or never. It is not a time we can stand in middle ground or no-man’s-land; we have to make a firm decision where we are. The matters of God are matters of a serious kingdom. For a while we have been having games in church; in 2015, there will be no games in church. Indecisiveness will have serious consequences. There are records of people found by the enemy, and were torn in pieces by the devil.

Study Genesis 3

Eve was found on the verge of indecisiveness. God had told them not to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. In that state of not fully knowing what God had told them, she found herself having a discussion with the devil, and being tricked out of what God had told them, and thus also causing Adam to fall. For this reason, fellowship with God was lost. We thank God for redemption through Jesus, of mankind. Eve found herself chatting with her enemy, about the business of her Father. What business do you have chatting with your enemy, about the business of your Father? May God help us to know who we need to chat with, and who we need to refrain from as far as the matters of the kingdom is concerned. If God leads you, detach from people who will hinder you from walking with God, or be a distraction. Men have to discern which relationship they are to have with God. If the relationship you have with someone makes you grow closer to God, studying the Word, praying and knowing Him more, it is worth your time; if not, it is not worth your time. Any category of people that is contrary to the word and will of God should be detached from, firmly.

Know the truth, and it will make you free, drawing you closer to God. Are you going to be firm in obeying God in 2015?

Study Judges 16

Samson was another man who was found in indecisiveness in guarding the secret and gift of God to him. Samson forgot that the hair he had was a crown of glory and honour from God. Are you decided in saying no to exposing the secrets of God to the world and to your enemy? Time has come that when we see people who are against the things of God, and are set to make us fall, we firmly tell them that we will not be argumentative on the things of God, e.g. why we go to church, fast, not drink or go to the club, study the word etc. We have no business justifying what we do to anyone, as we are doing it for God, not for men. Do not argue out and seek to justify what you are doing to people.

As we seek God in 2015, God will reveal deep things to you. Seek wisdom when God speaks to you, to know what is to be said publicly, and what should be kept a secret. Be careful with the secrets of God in your life. Sometimes we run to tell the brothers and sisters we were born with; if you are not careful, you will be shaved, like Samson. Be still and quiet, and let them see later for themselves. Where are you, in the secrets of God? Even at work, when you get word that you will be promoted, do not go around telling everyone; you will allow the devil to interfere with your miracle. When God reveals secrets to you through dreams, do not go about telling anyone.

Study 2 Samuel 11

David failed to be firm on one of his assignments. He did many assignments well, but failed in one area. While other kings were out there fighting, David was found watching a naked woman bathe. When you read Psalm 51, you see the pain he was in after failing to be committed to the assignment of God, as he was repenting. Disaster happens when someone is at the wrong place, doing the wrong things, at the wrong time, in the wrong way, with the wrong people. Remove your eyes from anything that is distracting you from fixing your eyes on the Lord.  When you stray your eyes from the Lord, Bathsheba will find you off-guard. Do not put yourself in a mess.

Study the Word more, and do the right thing. Fellowship with God more and seek Him more, during your free time. Read the Word and discover people who found themselves in indecisiveness,  doing things contrary to God’s Word. These things were recorded for us to get the lesson.  You will draw lessons from guys such as Lot and his wife (Genesis 19).

Still in the Bible, we see people who made firm decisions to follow Jesus, and God’s Word, unshakable from their faith in God. There are more who made the right decisions, in the Bible. Jesus is the perfect example.

Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³ Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

 

⁴ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

⁵ Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

⁸ Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”

¹¹ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Jesus remained very firm and focused, knowing Who He had come to represent. The same devil who tempted Jesus, not any bigger or any lesser, is the same one who tempts us today. Jesus had every reason to turn the stone into bread, and thrown Himself from the rooftop, and the miracles would have happened. Jesus chose not to, because it was not for God’s glory, but to fulfill the desires of the devil. He chose to do the right thing because of the Word of God. When the tempter comes, will we be found standing firm on the Word that was written? This is how we shall overcome:

Revelation 12:11

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Choose to stay in the Word, because when you speak the Word, every temptation and thing contrary to the Word will be overcome. It is possible some of us will fall to the devil’s trap, because their stomachs are so full, and their souls empty and void of the Word of God. When the tricks of the devil come, they have nothing to counter them. In 2015, let us make our stomachs less full, and fill our souls with the Word of God. Let us fill our lives and hearts with things that please God, as it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.

          

Psalm 46:1 (AMP)

GOD IS our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

If we want to be impenetrable to temptations too, we'd better make God our refuge and strength, and walk with Him. Jesus faced many temptations and trials, but He did not sin in it all. Have you made a firm decision not to fall to temptations, but stand in faith till the end? Jesus said He did the will of Him who sent Him, only. Whose will are you doing? Do not do the will of your pastor and other people, but do everything as the Lord leads and guides, and do things according to the will of God.

Study Exodus 2-15

After having an encounter with God, Moses made a decision to walk with God to the end. Even after Moses messed up, he still made it to heaven, as we see him appearing with Elijah on the mount of transfiguration to Jesus, in Matthew 17:1-4. He fulfilled the will of God to the end. In whatever assignment you have been given by God, the people who God has given you to minister to can even make you hate ministry, or even draw back and miss out on heaven. Moses never witnessed crossing over to Canaan, as he allowed the people he led to hinder him. Do not let men hinder you from accomplishing your purpose, or be drawn back from faith and miss out on heaven. Purpose that you will not miss out on heaven, nor on what God has called you to do. God called you to fellowship with Him, so fellowship with Him supersedes His assignment to us to men.

Galatians 3:29

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Like Abraham, we are friends of God. He walked with God, and through his faith in Him, he was firm in his friendship with God. He was so firm in his faith, that when God told him to sacrifice his son, he was ready to go all the way with it (Gen. 22). Are you so firm in your faith and friendship with God that when He asks you to sacrifice all you have to support the work of the kingdom, you will do so with no hesitation? Be so intimate with God, that whatever He asks of you you will do and give. In 2015, let us have a firm friendship with God, not as before as we used to, turning away from faith just because God seemed not to have provided for us, as He did for others and so on. Understand how God works, and no matter what happens purpose to serve and worship God, as He never changes nor ceases to be God.

Each of us who believe in Christ are Abraham’s seed and offspring. Like him, let us remain firm. Have you purposed to be God’s friend.? If we are His friends, let us not be found with His enemies.

Study the story of Joseph, and how firm he was in pleasing God, even when he was in Potiphar’s house, and in jail (Gen. 39-41). He was so firm in faith that he refused to sleep with the wife of the captain of the guard of Pharaoh, being a slave. He chose to continue with the life he was living, and refused to do that which displeases God. I pray that we will have many Joseph’s in 2015 in the house of God, who will refuse to do that which displeases the Father. Because of his stand, am sure Potiphar’s wife stood and watched as Joseph was removed from the prison and was made governor of the land. Do not be enticed with power or wealth. Discern and say that what you are carrying is so precious that it will not be contaminated by any man or woman.

1 Peter 5:10

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

After you have waited a little while, the Lord will come through for you.

Study the story of Daniel (Daniel 6)

Daniel was determined not to bow down to any other god, even when it came to a point of facing death by being thrown into the lion’s den. The promotion of Daniel came because he was firm in his faith (Dan. 6), same for that of Shadrach, Michech and Abed-Nego (Dan. 3). There is so much deception, devil worship, illuminati and so on today, even in the church. Brethren, be alert this year. You’d rather be burning in the fire of hunger and so on for one night, instead of going for short cuts; the fourth Man came through for Shadrach, Mishech and Abednego and He will come through for you too.

Read Joshua 24:14-31, and 1 Kings 18

Like Joshua, purpose to serve God through it all.

Jeremiah 2:11-13, 19

Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit. ¹² Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; Be very desolate," says the LORD. ¹³ "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns-broken cisterns that can hold no water.

¹⁹ Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that you have forsaken the LORD your God, And the fear of Me is not in you," Says the Lord GOD of hosts.

Revelation 3:15-16

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."

Wavering in faith will cause you to drawn out of faith. Be firm in your faith in God. Understand your calling and serve God out of love and faith. Do not be led by moods and feelings to serve or worship God, this year. Be led by love and faith. Purpose to do that which God has called you to do, in obedience, love and faith.

Choose to know God through His Word, praying, and fasting. Remain in the Lord, this year. 

This year, let us purpose and choose to daily dwell in His presence. 

Blessings. 

-- Pastor Mary Mugo. 

(04/01/2015 Sunday Service Sermon, Teaching Transformation Ministry)


Pastor Mary is a pastor at Teaching Transformation Ministry. We are located along the Thika-Ruai Flyover Junction (at the Thika Rd./ Bypass intersection), next to Eastgate Restaurant.