This morning I continue our series entitled, “Standing on a Word from God.” This is Part 5. We are looking at the life of Abraham. God promised to make a nation from Abraham and Sarah. He promised to give them a child who whose descendants would bless the entire world. But after 10 years of waiting, Sarah came up with a PLAN B and she asked her husband to sleep with her servant. This caused a major problem back then and we are still dealing with this decision today. For this morning I will discuss the disfunction the decision caused in Abraham’s home. We will key in on the following verse:
(Gen 16:6 MSG)
“You decide,” said Abram. “Your maid is your business.” Sarai was abusive to Hagar and she ran away.
It was bad enough that Sarah came up with a crazy plan to have a baby OUTSIDE of God’s will, but Abraham had to agree with it and unfortunately he did. As soon as he slept with Hagar she got pregnant. What do you think happened next? Do you think they would live happily ever after? Do you think everything would go well for them? Do you think Hagar would happily and quietly have her baby and then give him over to Sarah? Of course not. Why? Because God was not in it. This was their plan, not God’s!
So what does this mean to you today? Two things.
1. Whoever is calling the shots has to pay the bill.
a) If it’s God’s will, then it’s God’s bill! This means that whenever God tells you to do something and you DO IT out of obedience to Him, He will have to deal with the consequences of what comes next. The decision was HIS and not yours. This gives you peace. When you know your life is not your own, that you are NOT charting your own course, and you are NOT doing your own thing, you can rest in the fact that God will have to deal with whatever comes next.
b) Wherever God leads, He feeds. Wherever He guides, He provides. If it is God’s will, then it is also HIS BILL!
c) God’s vision is also tied to His provision. If He tells you to do it, then He has to pay for it!
2. When you choose self over God, you will have to deal with the consequences of your decisions.
a) If God tells you to do something, He is obligated to bless it. The problem comes when we ask God to bless something He had no part in. If you do something that is clearly your will, then it will also be your bill. The results, good or bad, will be on you.
b) As soon as Hagar found out she was pregnant she started looking down on Sarah. Sarah took this hard. She went to her husband and said, “It’s all your fault that I’m suffering this abuse. I put my maid in bed with you and the minute she knows she’s pregnant, she treats me like I’m nothing. May GOD decide which of us is right.” Sarah was not concerned about God when she was making her own decision, but as soon as things took a turn for the worse, she then wanted God in it. Abraham said, “You decide, your maid is your business.” Abraham wanted nothing to do with the situation, although he had everything to do with it. Sarah blamed Abraham, Abraham blamed Sarah, and neither one was willing to take responsibility. Sarah took her frustrations out on Hagar and treated her so badly that she wound up running away. This is what happens when you choose to do something OUTSIDE of God’s will.
c) You will reap what you sow. If you allow God to lead, guide, and direct you, it may not always be easy, but God will be IN everything you do. While you will have challenges, you will also have the assurance that comes from knowing that You are doing the Lord’s will and since it’s His will, it will also be His bill. However, if you choose to make your decisions without the counsel of God (His Spirit, His Word, your Pastors, etc.), then you will not have His grace upon your decisions. When challenges come you will have to deal with them with your own strength and ability.
In closing, I want you to think about whatever decisions have you made without God that have caused you problems? In this moment, REPENT and determine to be LED of God from this moment forward.
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. My expectation is tied to Your Word and every Promise You spoken over me. My life is NOT my own. I am NOT the captain of my own ship. I am NOT charting my own course. You are my Lord. You are on my throne in my life. I am on the cross. I die daily. I only do what You lead me to do. I only say what You lead me to say. I only seek to perform YOUR WILL. Therefore, when’s it’s time to pay for the decisions, IT’s YOUR BILL! I am NOT a self-made man/woman. I am a God-made man/woman. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
