LIFE LESSON: God does not lead us by open doors

-


Closed doors are the reason I started  my journey of faith in Christ. Life did not get better. The closed doors did not open after committing my life to God. As a matter of fact things got worse for me to a point that  I am worse off financially now than I was before I started on this journey. 


My situation got so bad that people close to me and those watching my life from the sidelines have questioned whether God is in my story or have I been misled. Some have asked me this directly but I am sure everyone who knows my current situation is wondering the same thing.


I must admit I have been wondering the same thing lately ,as a result  I have been feeling discouraged and starting to doubt my faith until I heard  our Pastor who was teaching about walking in wisdom say “God does not lead us by open doors He leads us by his Word”. This stayed with me for the rest of the service. I don't remember anything else that was said. These words stuck with me and I was encouraged.


What does this mean?

This means in the Kingdom of God an open door is not a reliable indicator of God’s presence as much as a closed door is not a reliable indicator of God’s absence..The only reliable indicator of God’s presence or absence in any situation is his Word.


ALSO READ: God makes the most out of an empty vessel


As I was meditating on this I was reminded of the following Bible characters who were successful in their walk with God because they applied this principle when it mattered the most.:

  • The Israelites were able to cross over the Red Sea because Moses focused on what God was saying when they were stuck between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. He did not focus on the impossible situation they found themselves in and as promised God came through for them in a way only he can.

  • Joseph reached his destiny because when he was in a dungeon he did not focus on his circumstance instead he focused on the vision that was given to him by God in his teen years.

  • David would not have been called a man after God's heart if he had focused on his circumstances while he was in the desert running from Saul instead he focused on the promise on his life when Samuel anointed him future King of Israel. 

  • Jesus would not have defeated the enemy on our behalf if he had focused on what was about to happen to him on the cross instead of  focusing on God’s purpose for his life.


Circumstances should NOT dictate how we respond but we should let the Word of God dictate how we respond to circumstances. As difficult as this current season is to me and my family I will not let circumstances be an indicator whether God is in our story or not. I will let the Word of God be an indicator of his presence or absence in our story.

Popular Posts

LIFE LESSON: Prioritizing self preservation is not the will of God for us

-
Image
I used the phrase “Every man for himself and God for us all” to justify prioritizing my own desires over everybody else. This seems right, after all society tells us we are the most important person in our lives and self preservation should take priority over others. If self preservation ahead of everyone else was the will of God then on the day of our salvation God would have erupted us to heaven, but that did not happen. This is because God still has a reason to keep us here.  WHY WE WERE NOT ERUPTED ON THE DAY OF SALVATION The resurrection of Jesus Christ is an indication that the enemy of God has been defeated. This is the reality God wants to bring to the world through those who have accepted his invite for salvation. God’s plan is to bring this spiritual reality to the natural world using his children so that through them he can showcase his love and power and make an impact in the world so that many more could accept his invitation for salvation. MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE...
Read more

LIFE LESSON: Religion enables false teachings

-
Image
We have all heard or seen people being abused in the name of God. People have been made to drink petrol or eat snakes or in some instances they have been robbed of their hard earned money all in the name of God. Why would God allow this to happen is a question I have asked myself but never took it further and in fact I chose to put it off my mind. So when it was posed directly to me “ Why does God allow our people to be abused in his name” I realized that I can no longer put it off. I need to find answers to this question. I then did my introspection through what I have learned so far on my journey and here is what I have learned. THE BIBLE The Bible is an instrument through which God reveals himself, what he wants to do and how he wants to do it. He first introduces himself to us through the Old Testament where he reveals who he is (The Father) .In the New Testament he reveals what he wants to do (Jesus Christ) and he also reveals how he wants to achieve what he wants to do ( Holy ...
Read more

TESTIMONY : Dont pray hard, pray consistently

-
Image
Recently while searching for accommodation I went through 3 deals which all fell through at the last minute. After the 3rd deal fell through a friend asked me whether I have been praying and I said yes, and she advised me to pray harder. Pray hard is a phrase we commonly use, I have used this phrase or thought of it because of the belief that the harder I pray the more likely that God will fulfill my expectations. This belief is based on the assumption that God exists to fulfill my plans but in truth I exist to fulfill God’s plan on the earth. A plan that is meant to impact the lives of others and benefit me. No is also an answer  On the 4th attempt to find accommodation a deal was finally sealed. It is not in the location I would have personally chosen but a deal was finalized nevertheless When the other 3 deals fell through I really thought God was not hearing me or he had deserted me and truth be told I felt guilty because I thought I did not pray hard enough. Even though I...
Read more