Introduction Destiny is characterized as the events that are pre-ordained or set to happen to you over the course of your life. Your design is a plan produced by God for your destiny before it is actually occurs. Making a decision is arriving at a solution that ends uncertainty or that settles a dispute. It is distinguishing between options, some big, some little, some good, some evil. You must choose between little things, such as a chocolate or vanilla ice-cream cone, or between great issues, such as which person shall I marry, which job shall I take, which home shall I buy? Decision-making is as important as making a plan. Many of us delay our destiny because we make the decision not to make a decision. WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF INDECISIVENESS? 2 Samuel 14:1-33 Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned his estranged son, and Absalom came and bowed low before the king, and David kissed him. (2 Samuel 14:33) INDECISIVENESS INCREASES THE POSSIBILITY OF BAD DECISIONS. Discipline is hard-and sometimes painful-work. David only made halfhearted efforts to correct his children. He did not punish Amnon for his sin against Tamar, nor did he deal decisively with Absalom’s murder of Amnon. He never took time to correct Adonijah. Such indecisiveness became David’s undoing. David avoided necessary confrontations with his children. But the consequences were disastrous. When we ignore sin, we experience greater pain than if we deal with it immediately. John 3:22-36 All who believe in God’s Son have eternal life. Those who don’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them. (John 3:36) INDECISIVENESS ITSELF CAN BE A BAD DECISION. Jesus says that those who believe in him have (not will have) everlasting life. To receive eternal life is to join in God’s life, which by nature is eternal. Thus, eternal life begins at the moment of spiritual rebirth. John, the author of this Gospel, has been demonstrating that Jesus is the true Son of God. Jesus sets before us the greatest choice in life. We are responsible to decide today whom we will obey (Joshua 24:15), and God wants us to choose him and choose life (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). God Knows the plans that He has for us. He authored them!!! Jeremiah 29:11 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. God has appointed events for each of us that leads to our destiny... Job 23:14
For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him. KJV So he will do for me all he has planned. He controls my destiny. NLT Ps 73:24 24 You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. NLT
Those appointments were determined from the beginning and He will accomplish everything that He has purposed according to the counsel of his will... Isaiah 46:10 God also declared that he has determined the end from the beginning. “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose” RSV Ephesians 1:11 Paul stated that the purpose of God is carried out “according to the counsel of his will” RSV Read and compare Psalm 119:89-91; Daniel 4:35 Our life span is determined and God's concern even extends to all his creation. Job 14:5, Psalm 104:14-30, Matthew 10:29 Matthew 10:30 Even the hairs on our heads are numbered. Furthermore, God’s plan extends to peoples and nations, for “he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17:26, RSV). God knows and even uses people’s evil acts for his own ends. God foreordains the events of nature and history, and even evil acts are subject to his control and are made to fulfill his purposes. For example, although Joseph’s brothers sinned by selling him into slavery, Joseph later said, “As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20, RSV). Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, but God used that sinful intent. Jesus said, “For the Son of man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” (Luke 22:22, RSV). On the day of Pentecost the apostle Peter said, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:23, RSV; compare Acts 4:27-28). Paul refers to God’s determining authority over Pharaoh’s acts (Romans 9:17). Revelation 17:17 says, “God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose” (RSV).