Build sustainably from within

In this episode, we explore a prophetic insight on living and acting sustainably from within. Drawing from Psalm 139:23–24, Isaiah 48:17, Romans 12:2, Philippians 2:3–4, Luke 6:45, Jeremiah 32:39–40, and Jeremiah 17:9–10, this message reveals that true sustainability does not begin on the outside. It begins in the heart, the mind, and our attitudes before God.

You will hear how the Lord teaches us to do what must be done today without using up tomorrow’s resources, and why sustainable actions flow from inward transformation rather than outward effort alone. This episode highlights the role of mindset, the danger of conforming to unhealthy patterns, the need for humility over selfish ambition, and the importance of aligning our outward conduct with the true condition of our hearts.

If you have been asking God for wisdom in how to live, lead, serve, build, or steward well, this message will challenge and strengthen you. It is a call to yield to the Lord, allow Him to search the heart, renew the mind, and establish a life that is fruitful, consistent, and enduring.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:10

A beautiful morning to you and welcome to this morning's expression of igniting your day. My name is Bami Deli Olomotova. The word for you this morning is build sustainably from within. Build sustainably from within. What the Lord showed me this morning is what I can describe as the prophetic use of scripture for contemporary solutions. The prophetic use of scripture for contemporary solutions. The Lord shared with me some things which I believe are valuable for everyday life. This was how he began. He began by saying to me, There is a sustainable way to do your things. For clarity, sustainability here means doing the things you have to do today without using up tomorrow's resources, so that what you are doing can live long. That was the foundation of the message. The Lord then gave me two scriptures. Try me and know my anxieties, and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Isaiah 48 17 as well in the NIV says, This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. The Lord said again, There is a sustainable way to do your things. As I continued praying, the Lord said to me, Sustainability does not happen from the outside alone. It begins from within. He then pointed me back to Psalm 139, verse 23 to 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. The Lord was showing me that sustainable actions, whether in finances, environments, relationships, leadership, work, ministry, medicine, or any other area of life, do not begin on the outside. They begin on the inside. Then he pointed out two things that affect sustainability from within. One mindset. Two, attitudes. Let's look at the first. The Lord led me to Romans 12.2 in the NIV, where the Bible says, Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, is good, pleasing, and perfect will. The emphasis was on this phrase, do not conform to the pattern of this world. The Lord re-echoed that phrase to me, conformity to patterns, that is, mindset. If sustainability begins from within, then one of the first questions you must ask is this Am I conforming to patterns? Are there patterns you are susceptible to? Are there default mental systems shaping your choices from within? The Lord is saying that if you want to take sustainable actions, the matter begins with your mindset, it begins with what governs your thinking internally. The second issue, attitudes. The Lord then took me to Philippians chapter 2, verse 3 to 4. The Bible says there, do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking at your own interests, but each of you to the interests of the others. This is where the Lord began to explain attitude. Remember the definition of sustainability that was revealed, doing what you have to do today without using up tomorrow's resources. Now look at the attitude required for that kind of life. Do nothing out of selfish ambition. That means in everything you do, do not think of yourself alone. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves. If you want to take sustainable actions, your attitude must be such that you do not do all that you do for yourself alone. Your attitude must be such that you value others, especially those who are coming tomorrow. Above yourself. This is very serious. This is very serious. Very important. Sustainable living is not merely a matter of planning, it is a matter of posture. It is not only a matter of systems, it is also a matter of spirit. It is not just about efficiency, it is about the heart that refuses selfish ambition. The Lord is saying that sustainability from within is affected by two things, mindsets and attitudes. The Lord then moved to sustainability from the outside. He showed me that sustainability on the outside follows sustainability on the inside. That is where Isaiah chapter 48, verse 17 becomes very important. The Bible says there, I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. The Lord said that sustainability on the outside happens because of what has already been established within. When the mindset has been renewed and the attitude has been corrected, then sustainable action on the outside begins to happen. It happens naturally. The Lord gave me Luke chapter 6, verse 45. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Sustainability begins from the inside. When the heart is right, what comes out of the life follows naturally. When the inside has been governed, the outside begins to reflect it. When the content of the heart changes, the expression of the life changes. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart. So the Lord was saying to me that sustainable actions on the outside do not have to be forced forever. No. If there has been true work done on the inside, sustainable actions on the outside will flow naturally. He gave me Jeremiah chapter 32, verse 39 to 40. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me, and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. I will then make an everlasting covenant with them, I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. Look especially at verse 40. I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. That's powerful. Powerful. When the heart has been addressed and the mind has been governed, sustainable actions do not just happen. It begins to stay. It becomes difficult to depart from it because the inward life has been aligned. So let us go over it again. The Lord says sustainability, that is, doing what you have to do today without using up tomorrow's resources, begins from the inside. He highlighted two things that affect sustainability within. One mindset, which he described through Romans 12.2 as conformity to patterns. Two, attitudes, which is described through Philippians chapter 2, verse 3 to 4, as refusing selfish ambition and valuing others above yourself. Then he showed that sustainability on the outside follows from that inward work. It happens naturally, according to Luke chapter 6, verse 45, and it becomes hard to depart from, according to Jeremiah 32, verse 39 to 40. At this point, friends, the question becomes, how should we respond? I do not know the precise context in which sustainable actions are required in your own life. I do not know how unique your situation is. But if what the Lord says to one, he says to all, then there must be a responsible action all of us can take. So the Lord led me to Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 9 to 10. The Bible then says, the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve. Before we pray, there is something in this passage that we must not miss. Read it carefully. I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve. Now here's the question. If the Lord rewards according to conduct, and if deeds are the actions we take, why then does he search the heart? Why does he examine the mind? If reward is according to actions, why search the heart? This tells me something very serious. The Lord is looking for the consistency of the heart with the action. The Lord is looking for alignment between the content of your heart and the fruit of your life. The Lord is looking for the genuineness of your outward expressions based on the content of your inward man. Actions matter, deeds matter, conduct matters, but intentions that power those actions also matter to the Lord. Your actions may be good, but the Lord still searches the heart. Your outward expressions may be admirable, but the Lord still examines the mind. Why? Because your heart posture matters. There are many things you and I do because we know we ought to do them. There are many things we do because we know they are required. But the question this morning is this: Are those things truly rooted in your hearts? Do those things truly have a place within us? The Lord is saying, friends, I reward according to conduct, I reward according to deeds, but I search the heart. That means he's looking not only at what is done, but at what powers what is done. So the message this morning is clear. There is a sustainable way to do things. There is a sustainable way to do your things. That sustainability does not begin on the outside. It begins from within. It begins with mindset. It begins with attitudes. It begins with a refusal to conform to patterns. It begins with a refusal to act out of selfish ambition. It begins with valuing others above yourself. It begins with allowing God to search the heart and examine the mind. When that inward work is done, sustainable actions on the outside begin to happen naturally. And not only naturally, it becomes hard to depart from. So, go before the Lord and ask him to help you. Ask him to search your heart. Ask him to examine your mind. Ask him to expose every pattern that makes you unsustainable at the moment. Ask him to uproot every selfish ambition. Ask him to shape in you the mindset and attitude that preserves tomorrow while obeying God today. Because the Lord is teaching us this morning that actions alone are not enough. The intentions that power those actions matter to him. Your heart posture matters. Your inward life matters. And if the heart is right, the life will follow. I believe you have been blessed by the inspiration and revelation shared this morning. I myself, I have been blessed. I look forward to coming your way again tomorrow. Till then, my name is Bami Deli, Orlando Toba. Have an amazing day ahead. God bless you.