Your Next Move Matters

God makes a way for us when we choose to obey His Word and act on our faith.

Are you tired of your circumstances? Are you frustrated by your inability to break free in some area of your life? Do you wish things could be different?

The truth is, nothing in your life will change as long as you continue to tolerate it—especially the things you feel too tired, too overwhelmed, or too afraid to confront. You can complain endlessly about problems in your health, finances, or relationships, but complaining alone never produces change.

But you also need to know that the things you refuse to tolerate—things you are willing to confront and do something about—CAN be changed. You don’t have to remain stuck in your present circumstances, and it’s how you choose to react to your situation that makes all the difference.

You see, you’re the sum total of your choices—both good and bad. The decisions you make today will impact everything that happens in your life tomorrow. Actually, that’s very good news, for if you want a better future, you can pave the way with your choices today.

God has given us the awesome, life-changing power of choice. Every day, we can choose between God’s plans or the devil’s … action or inaction … productivity or laziness … faith or fear … wisdom or foolishness …  obedience or sin.

Years ago, I heard these compelling words, which I’ll never forget:

If you want to change your future, change your choices!

Not only do your choices affect your future here on earth, but they also determine where—and how—you will spend eternity. Even little changes and seemingly small choices can often bring huge rewards.

Yet too often, people simply blame their circumstances on someone else or on fate. They absolve themselves of all responsibility for the negative situations they now find themselves in. But how can you move into God’s Land of More Than Enough if you refuse to acknowledge the vital role your decisions have in making that happen?

June 21 is the first day of summer this year. Ready or not, a new season will arrive—and there’s absolutely nothing you must do to make it happen.

In contrast, I’ve learned over the years that it’s usually necessary to take action of some kind—to DO something—in order to enter into a new season of God’s blessings. Four diseased and desperate men discovered this in a very unlikely way in a story told in 2 Kings 7:3–14.

These men were at their wits’ end. They were lepers … outcasts from society … sitting at the gate of a city that was under siege … and they were starving.

Hope was nearly gone when these lepers finally got an idea. “Why are we sitting here until we die?” they asked each other (v. 3). They realized that if they just sat there and did nothing, they would surely starve to death. So they decided to take the risky move of going to the camp of their enemies, the Syrians. They reasoned, “If they spare our lives, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die” (v. 4).

When the four lepers reached the camp of the Syrians, they were shocked to discover that the camp had been abandoned. Their courageous step of faith—born of desperation—reaped an unbelievable harvest of silver, gold, clothes, and other bounty!

These men surely would have died if they had stayed at the outskirts of the city, grumbling, complaining, blaming others, and wallowing in self-pity because of their plight. But instead they took action—bold action—and entered into an incredible new season of blessings from God.

Steps of Faith

When we want to enter into a new season of God’s abundance, often He requires us to take a step of faith of some kind: a geographical move … launching into a new career … an act of forgiveness and reconciliation … or a season of prayer and fasting. As one preacher pointed out, “God’s doors of opportunity and blessing usually open with motion detectors!”

You see, while we’re waiting on God to deliver us from a difficult situation, He’s typically waiting on US to obey the voice of His Spirit and take action! So, as you pray for God’s intervention in your circumstances, make sure you’re also listening to His instructions on what you’re to do.

The Scriptures cite many examples of this principle:

• Abraham had to leave Ur and Haran and journey to the Promised Land in order to receive God’s abundance and fulfill his destiny (Genesis 12:1–4).
• Joshua was told to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land, but God also gave him specific instructions on how to do it (Joshua 3:7–17; 6:1–5).
• Naaman was told to dip seven times in the Jordan River in order to be healed of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:1–13).
• Job had to pray for his friends before the Lord would make him prosperous again (Job 42).
• The woman with the hemorrhage had to press through the crowd and touch Jesus’ cloak in order to receive her long-awaited healing (Mark 5:25–34).
• Jesus’ disciples had fished all night and caught nothing, but everything changed when they heeded His call to “put out into the deep” (Luke 5:1–11). When they later needed money to pay their taxes, He instructed them to find it in a fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:27).

In each of these cases, God’s provision came after obedience to His instructions. The same will be true for us. God’s healing power and abundance are unleashed when we faithfully respond to His written Word and the specific leading of the Holy Spirit.

As you are sensitive to the voice of God’s Spirit, He will show you the steps you need to take in order to experience your breakthrough. But you must not procrastinate, make excuses, or blame others for the difficult seasons of your life. God wants to give you the turnaround you need, but you can’t lose heart (Galatians 6:9).

Not Just Hard Work

Although the Bible warns against laziness (Proverbs 19:15; 24:30–31), hard work alone clearly doesn’t guarantee God’s abundance. You need your Heavenly Father to change the season you’re in: “He changes the times and the seasons … He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21).

Friend, the Lord wants to “strongly support” you today, but His promise is based on the condition that your heart must become “completely His”:

The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Just as God wants you to boldly claim promises like this, He also wants you to faithfully follow His conditions. One without the other simply won’t be effective.

Perhaps you feel as if you’ve worked hard … done your best … prayed … tried everything you know to try, and still your efforts seem fruitless.

However, remember that we serve a God who specializes in breakthroughs. In a moment of time, He can reverse your fortunes, ushering you into a new season of blessing and fruitfulness.

The Lord wants to give you His roadmap toward the breakthrough you need. No matter how dismal your current situation may seem, one word from Him can change your life forever!

Your partner in reaching the lost,

David Cerullo