I must admit that it was hard for me to write this one. Especially because I am in a season when I desperately want the answer to be Yes. It feels like if I write this blog, I have self-sabotaged my desires. Speaking of desires; From the previous blogs I have written you can tell that one of my passions is cars. I got to test drive the new Land rover defender and I must say it is a good machine. I get to drive very nice cars, but ownership is another story. My desire is to own these machines but not at the expense of my salvation.
The Word says,” For it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure. Maybe my desire should have been shoes or socks so that it is easily attainable. Truth is I do not know why I love cars and whether because I love them, I should own many of them. I think that what the last year did for me is to set my priorities. It will mean nothing to own a land rover defender and lose my salvation and my family. I would like to drive that car with my wife and children at my side, without that I would rather walk.
What you are believing God for must first be in His will for your life. Being a father is teaching me a lot of who God is to me and His will for me. It is my Father’s will that I should at least have the basic things in life. Food, shelter and clothing. I heard a man of God say, “it is not a testimony to say that I have finally built my own home at the age of 65. It is error!” Some of the things we think are the impossible or let me say big miracles should be the very basic of what all families should have. Their own home, the ability to feed the family and to clothe the family all year round. The Word says a good father is one that leaves a good inheritance for his children’s children. As the song says my God is a good, good Father. So, what qualifies a NO from God? What is not in His will for you.
Back when I was in high school it was the trendy thing to finish high school and go the United States for university. Since my three older siblings had gone to the States, it was only fitting that when I finished high school, I should have gone to join them as well. My desire was to go but it was not the will of God for me to go. I never got to go; I only see it on television. Looking back if I had gone, I would probably not have been born again. I would never have met my wife. My boys would not have existed. But I thank God that He said no. If I could go back in time and change anything, I would not change anything. For even the mistakes I made God has given me beauty for ashes. He is still the God of Jacob as much as He is the God of Israel.
Secondly, I believe that God will say no when whatever you are believing him for is for selfish or evil reasons. God will never give you something that will steal, kill and destroy the fruit of the Holy Spirit in you. Let me clarify something, there is what God gives you and there is what the devil gives you. Remember when Jesus had come from the desert after 40 days of fasting, the devil offered him many things and that is because he can deliver that which he his offering. Yes, the devil can give you what you desire selfishly to further advance the agenda of his kingdom.
Believe it or not, our lives are a walking testimony to the world. We overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony. No one know the intention of man’s heart other than God. So, if my intention to get the Range Rover is to finally drive down to any function where all of my naysayers are, just to show them that I have made it then my motive is wrong. But if my intention to get the Range rover is to drive my family to the Mara with a car that cannot only do off-road driving well but also provide the power and speed on tarmac roads then my motive is pure.
Ultimately God has given man free will. The choice between death and life, good and evil is solely ours as humans to make. The choice of every believer should be based on trust on our Father in heaven. That is why in the Lord’s prayer there is a section that says; “Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So even if God says no, trust that God has the very best intentions for us as his sons. They that trust in the Lord shall not be put to shame.
God bless you.