Week Eight of Our Journey To Freedom Defeating Satan and This World

Question for you today who is in control of your life? Are you at the wheel or are you allowing God to be in control? I am learning what it means to allow God to have His way in my life. I have to fight the urge daily to have it my way. Sometimes I think I can handle this alone but that is not what God wants no matter, how small the problem is or how big I think I am, I must allow Him to be in control. When I take the wheel and make the decisions it seems I end up lost, going in the wrong direction or crashing and burning.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Walking in the Living Word Ministries, a weekly podcast with your host, Pastor Mike Futrol.

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Thank you for joining us with this week of Walking in the Living Word Ministries. You know, we're on week eight of our journey to freedom, defeating Satan and the world. Our song this week is Have Your Way by Katie Nicole. Again, at the end of each video, we will post a link so you can listen to it and hopefully purchase it if you like it. Question for you today is who's in control of your life? Are you at the wheel or are you allowing God to be in control? You know, I'm learning what it means to allow God to have his way in my life. I have to fight the urge daily to have it my way. Sometimes I think I can handle this one alone, but that's not what God wants. No matter how small or how big I think I am, I must allow him to be in control at all times. When I take the wheel and make decisions, it seems like I end up losing, going the wrong direction, or crashing altogether. You know, the Bible drives home about God having his way in Isaiah 55, 8 through 9 says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. You know, God's unlimited thoughts are far greater than our unlimited our limited ability to comprehend them. The psalmist explained how precious to me are your thoughts, God. How vast is the sum of them in Psalms 139 17. God's thoughts and his ways don't always make sense to us, but we can rest in the knowledge that he is always good and therefore everything he does is good. Psalms 13, 6 and Psalms 105. You know, a beautiful passage in Isaiah 55, the Lord cries out to Israel to return to him and reminds them that only he can supply what they need. He then says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. And so he re- you know, this emphasizes that God's ways are the best ways. God's thoughts are the best thoughts. As a loving parent does things for a child that the child doesn't understand, likewise the Lord loves, guides, protects, and provides for us in a way we don't understand a lot of times. His thoughts are higher than ours. As an unlimited being with unlimited wisdom, God knows and understands things we cannot comprehend. We are wise when we bow to knowledge rather than demand what He what He does and do it our way. We need to do it His way. We live in a material world, so our natural focus is primarily on our physical needs and our physical wants. But when our thoughts are centered on everyday matters, we've missed what God wants to show us. He is beyond time and space. His thoughts are always on the big picture. Our thoughts are earthly, his are heavenly. Our thoughts are limited, his are unlimited and unsearchable. When God promised that all things work together for the good to them who love God and are called according to his purpose in Romans 8.28, his definition of good may not match ours. We may not see our struggles as leading to anything good because we can't see the future. We cannot know how God's work in our lives will impact ourselves and countless others. He sees the whole picture. We see only the frame. Lost in our lowly thoughts, we cannot fathom the higher plan of God. That's why we have to trust his character when we don't understand. You know, when God allows sorrow and pain to enter the lives of his beloved children, it's because his faults are higher than our thoughts. He intends to use our difficulties to produce the character of Christ in each of us in Romans 8.29. He comforts us in our troubles so that we can learn to comfort others in 2 Corinthians 1.4. His goals for us are higher than our goals for ourselves because his faults always have an eternal destination. Our experiences are small pieces in a giant puzzle that stretches across human history from beginning to end. We may not understand our part in the puzzle, but we can trust that God does. Proverbs 3, 5 through 6 is one of the most frequently quoted verses in the Bible, offering a foundation blueprint for a life of faith and divine guidance. You know, as we surrender to his plan, we set aside our earthbound thoughts and allow his higher thoughts to direct our paths. Proverbs 3, 5 through 6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, and all your ways submit to him, and he will make your path straight. This scripture encourages total reliance on God's wisdom over personal limitations, promising divine guidance for life's direction. You know, the key themes of breakdowns of Proverbs 3, 5 through 6 are trust the Lord with all your heart. This requires complete faith, surrendering emotions, anything that we hold on to, and allowing God's will to be in control. Lean not on your own understanding. Individuals are advised not to depend solely on their own knowledge, logic, or past experience, which can be flawless. Acknowledge him in all your ways. This means recognizing God and submitting to his will in every aspect of your life. Daily decisions, relationships, and challenges. He will make your path straight and direct your paths. The promise is that God will provide clarity, directions, and guidance, clearing obstacles to lead one in the right direction. Countercultural trust, in other words, the passion invites a surrender of control, which can be difficult but leads to finding peace and rest rather than anxiety. A promise of guidance. It suggests that when God is in the center, he will guide one's life story. Even though difficult times, the promise when these conditions are met, God promises to make your path straight or direct your paths. This doesn't necessarily mean a life without trouble, but rather a life with clear direction, promise, and spiritual stability. God can be trusted always, even when we don't understand. Trust needs to become a habit. So when things are difficult or without explanation, it's already there. We understand. The Bible shows us that we need to trust God and His plans for us. Proverbs 3, 5 through 6. But practically speaking, it's not easy to do. Did you know that the word heart means our thoughts, feelings, and emotions, things going inside our minds? The word a knowledge means to be intimate with God, and it's the same word used in Genesis for Adam and Eve knowing each other when they're with the result being a child? The human heart is filled with questions for God. Why? When? How? We often wrestle with faith because of these questions. How can we really trust a God we don't understand? How can we have faith when God's ways seem even cruel at times? When we try to comprehend God's ways, we become frustrated. His ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. His actions often do not make sense to our earthbound minds. We question God's ways when young people die. When tragedies strike righteous people, when the wicked prosper, see Psalm 73. So we beat on heaven's door with a demand for our answers, and no answer comes but this one my ways are higher than your ways. We can find comfort by reading through many of Psalms in the Bible. David was brutally honest with God, asking God to do some violent things to his enemies. He was never struck by lightning by sharing those rare thoughts with God. We instructed to cast our burdens on the Lord, and he shall sustain. He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalms 55 22. The word cast means to violently throw with force. This is how serious and important it means to cast our burdens on the Lord. He wants to hear from us. He desperately desires for us to share our burdens, thoughts, and feelings with him. David did. After you start sharing your raw emotions and feelings with God, you will experience a deep sense of peace. And his presence will be very real to you. Remember, when we share things with God, he listens and he does things for us. We need to sit back and listen for him. For me, after I shared my feelings with God, the Holy Spirit has brought Bible verses to my mind that directly helped me with things I was dealing with at times. I truly believe he will do the same for you. The key to finding peace uh with ways that we don't understand is in Psalms 131. My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty. I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quiet myself. I am like a weird weary child with his mother. I am content. A just child, a weary child does not understand everything his mother does. She may correct him, take him to the doctor for vaccinations, and tell him no when he wants something very much. But he trusts her and loves her because he knows she loves him. He rests on his mother in complete humility and trust in her superior wisdom and provision. That's what we must do with God, and his ways are beyond our comprehension. If we try to understand God's ways from earthly looking up, we won't find him any answers. Instead, God left us a clue in the word uh higher. His ways are not merely different from ours. They're just higher, better and superior. They exist on a grander scale. He parted the Red Sea because it fit his plan for Israel. And Exodus 14, 21 and Psalm 66, 6. He made the sun stand still so Joshua's army could defeat their enemies in Joshua 10, 12 and 13. He sent an angel to let Peter out of jail, Acts 12, 6 through 10. But he allowed Jesus, uh James, to be executed, Acts 12, 2. God has allowed some of his faithful servants to suffer terrible fates, even though he could have delivered them if he chose to. Hebrew 11, 32 through 40. Understand, he even allowed his son to die on the cross for each of us. But he chose to. When we try to make sense of these events with our natural minds, we won't get anywhere. Instead, God invites us to come with higher and learn to see life from his perspective. When God says, What I have said that I will bring about, and what I have planned that I will do, we may not know why God needs to do things a certain way, but for those who trust the Lord can rest in confidence that God is at work. The Bible gives us a little room for the idea of things happening by accident. Proverbs 16:33 and Psalms 37-23. In God's higher ways, everything happens for a reason. And we'll be woven into the fabric of God's good plan for those who love him. Romans 8.29. Understand God's ways are higher than our ways because his ways are always part of a bigger plan. We see only the small piece of the puzzle. God sees the finished work. The way of the Lord is not merely a set of religious routines or mool guidelines, but a lifestyle that reflects God's character and his expectations. The way of the Lord points to relationship with God built on trust and obedience. Proverbs 3 and 5 and 6. Walking in the way of the Lord requires surrendering human wisdom in favor of divine guidance. And knowledge in God's way is the best path for our life. Life involves a balance of work. Individuals make personal choices, but many choices to align their decisions with divine guidance to fill a higher purpose should be made. What personal action exists allowing God to have his way often means trusting him with major life decisions, seeking counsel through prayer, accepting that he works through all choices for ultimate good. Ultimately, many allowing God to lead involves acknowledging his influence in the daily life while taking responsibility for their own choices when they go in a different direction or choice than the one God has planned and intended for us. God's guidance for decision involves seeking wisdom through prayer, scripture, counseling, wise counseling, consulting wise counseling, trusting God without and aligning our choices with His will. Emphasizing our partnership where we choose, but He directs our steps. The way of the Lord is essential so that the Lord may work in our lives so He can give each of us what He has planned for us and not what we want. This connection between obedience and divine blessing is a recurring thing throughout scriptures. As seen in Psalms 128, one, blessed is everyone who fears the Lord who walks in his way. Are you walking making decisions in your life? Are you allowing God to have his way in your life? We must allow God to direct our decisions rather than take up the rams ourselves and direct our own lives. Yeah, so how do we get to the point that God is in control and not us? First of all, we pray about the decision, asking for clarity and wisdom. Second, we consult scripture for principles and guidance. Third, we talk with trusted wise individuals for their input. Fourth, we consider your motivations and have past experience informed choices. Five, we commit the decision and outcome to God. You know, as we close the gate by try using the five C's of godly decision making, offered in a framework for discerning God's will, commanding the scripture, the Bible clear instructions. What does the Bible uh specifically say about the situation? Compelling spirit, the Holy Spirit's inner guidance, a sense of inner peace or conviction from the Spirit, counsel of the saints, wise advice from mature Christians, seeking input from trusted spiritual, mature believers, common sense, reason and practicality, using logic, reason, and practical understanding to evaluate the decision, and circumstantial signs. Foresight on how situations unfold, observing how events, opportunities, and obstacles unfold are signs of thy freedom. No simple seed should be dominant. Instead, they offer multiple layers of confirmation. For example, an idea might feel right, compelling spirit, and it may make sense, common sense, but scripture may forbid it, commanding spirit, indicating it's not God's will. Taking all five in account helps avoid misusing one element, like only relying on feelings or knowing wisdom. That leads to more balanced godly choices. How do I let God take control of my life? Psalms 46.8 says, Cease striving and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth. The first step is learning to let go of control is stop striving. We don't have to strive to make our life a certain way. We just have to abide. How do I know that I'm making the right decision? To know if you're making the right decisions, slow down and notice how your body and mind respond. The right decision often feels aligned like relief, clarity, calm beneath the fear. If your choice honors your values, long-term needs, and not just turn short-term comfort or pleasure, you're likely on the right path. Here's a prayer of wisdom and peace when making decisions. We trust you, God, for generous wisdom, strength paths, peaceful hearts, all for your glory. How do we praise you for being decision-making, God? It's not our decision, but yours that make all the difference. We will plan, but we trust you to order our steps. You know, as we close the day, the whole part of this is trusting God to be in control, allowing Him to guide us, direct us, and following Him instead of us being at the wheel and making the decisions. I hope you can take a hold of that because so many times it seems like even in my life, sometimes I make the wrong decisions because I'm in such a rush to get things done. And sometimes I want it my way. So I do things a certain way. But when we slow down and allow God to focus on Him and allow Him to be in control and direct us, the decisions come out the right way, even though they may not be the decisions we want. So I again I thank you for joining us today with Walking in the Living Word Ministries. I look forward to seeing you next week as we continue this journey to freedom.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Thanks for joining us today on this edition of Walking in the Living Word with Act Mike Utah. We pray that you can get a lot of people.