Kingdom Approach to Relationship - Rediscover and Understand Yourself in The Context of Relationship

·       The goal of this series is to enable and help us see ourselves as relationship beings according to God’s original design. Also to rediscover, understand ourselves and our place in the context of relationship through the lens of Christ. Our heavenly Father loves relationships (association between persons) and when He created man, he intended to have relationship with man. We will look at a few verses together that confirms this statement. Genesis 1:26-27 is one of such scriptures and it says;

Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV)

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

While so much can be said about these verses, I want us to see that, first, a desire to look like the person you are in relationship with, is a God-given desire. Secondly, a desire for relationship triggered the creation of mankind. Amen.

Genesis 3:8 (NKJV)

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Our Father’s desire to relate is so palpable, such that even in man’s fallen state, the Father Himself demonstrates a desire for relationship.

Leviticus 26:12 (NKJV)

I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.

Another scripture illustrating the Father’s unique desire to be amongst His people.

These are just a handful of scriptures re-echoing the truth that we serve a relational God and indeed, relationship is His idea. He wants to relate with us. He wants to relate with you! Have you ever thought about this? Sometimes, when we generalize this statement, it might cause some people to passively exempt themselves as one of the persons the Father seeks to relate with. God almighty, your creator desires to relate with you? He is actively and consciously pursuing you. Are you willing to honor His desire?

·       Another truth we must not overlook when it comes to relationship is that Man was designed to have relationships; first with God, then other humans.

Mark 12:30-31 (NKJV)

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

In terms of positioning, in this scripture, we see that God comes first, then man.

Genesis 2:18 (NKJV)

And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

Initially, when God created man, He related and fellowshipped very closely with Man. Later, God himself saw the need for man to not only relate with Him but also with other humans. Then God provided a helper comparable to Him. Amen!

The two main points we will like for you to go with today, are these;

-First, our heavenly Father loves relationship and when He created man, He intended to relate with Man.

-Secondly, Man has been designed to have relationships; first with God, then other humans. Amen!

Prayer For You

Father, we thank you for teaching us this season the significance of destiny and decisions. We understand that every decision made defines destiny. We are forever grateful for your word that provides us with the wisdom, knowledge and understanding to make spirit led and sound decisions. Through biblical characters, we have highlighted the outcomes of destiny defining decisions. Therefore, on the foundation of these understandings and revelations, we will grow and develop more excellent decision making skills. I decree and declare the following upon you;

-The decisions you make at every given time and season of your life will be in accordance to the word of God for you. Your abundance or wilderness will not be determining factors of your decisions.

-That you will make quality decisions that will produce quality results. No decision made from your end will be meant to be a quick fix for your situation but rather a decision that will stand the test of time.

-That you will praise your way through the challenges of life and not collapse under external societal, family, and work pressures in decision making.

-That you will live a life conscious of this truth that as someone who has accepted Jesus as Lord over your life, He remains king even in decision making. He will have the final say in your life.

-That whatever veils your decision making be taken away now in Jesus name.

-That by virtue of your understanding, you are rising up to a place where life and lifestyle becomes a formal event not a casual gathering for idle people. You will approach every situation including decision making with a sense of urgency and purpose, giving it your utmost best with the wisdom of God in you.

-Because you know that distractions are inevitable in decision making, you will live conscious of this truth and rise above distractions by not submitting to them as you identify them.

-That the Father will restore all that you have lost as a result of poor decisions made in the past and that He will grant you speed in this new season to accomplish all that you ought to, as you make the right decisions and implement.

-That you will not shortchange yourself and your destiny by living a lifestyle of disobedience.

-We call forth your destiny helpers that wherever, they are the Lord will align you and them this season so that you can receive the help you need. May your spiritual eyes be open to recognize them.

In Jesus Name, we pray. Amen.

Destiny Helpers! Their Role Vary

As we continue to look at the account of Lot and how he had to make a destiny-defining decision, we get to understand that at all times and especially at critical moments in our lives, God himself has not abandoned the destiny defining decisions to us. He helps us. In this dispensation, we have the Holy Spirit who is our Helper. We have the Word of God. We have the Father Himself. We have ministering angels and we have children of God divinely placed to provide us with the assistance that we need. Whether or not we identify these help mediums, does not take away from the truth that help has been readily made available.

When it comes to people as destiny helpers, pray and ask the Father to help you first, develop love for people. Then also pray that your eyes will be open to recognizing whom God has divinely placed in your path to provide you with assistance. What you do with the help provided is your decision. The angels provided help to Lot in many ways. They were bent on seeing him and his family saved the proper way but Lot decided otherwise.

The role of destiny helpers in your life will vary depending on your situation. Let’s examine a few from scripture:

There are people the Lord will bring into your life who cannot help you but they know someone who can help you. They are called divine connectors - they will connect you to the help you need. 2 Kings 5 - Naaman and the little girl.

There are others whom at critical moments in your life, provide counsel/advice that will forever change your destiny for good. Exodus 18 - Jethro and Moses

Another category of destiny helpers are influential people who will talk well about you in high places and as a result, unusual doors of opportunities will open up for you. Genesis 40 - Joseph and the Baker.

Also there are some faithful people the Lord may bring into your lives that will serve many purposes. People who will share your burden with you on your way to destiny. People who will hold the ladder for you as you continually climb up to a place of victory, encouraging you all the way through. And people who simply believe in your vision and will do all it takes to stay with you until your vision becomes a reality.

So, whatever the case might be for you, our goal is for you to see that even as you make destiny defining decisions, help is available. True enough the Father determines purpose and we determine our destiny. However, we are never without help and direction if we choose to yield to it.

Destiny Helpers! The Value Of People

As we gradually round up on this series, I will like to briefly talk about an aspect in our walk with the Father that is greatly debated but otherwise true. It is commonly termed Destiny Helpers. From a physical perspective, these two words have a connotation to imply that one is depending on a human being for help that they can otherwise get from God. And as a result of this thought process, many have wound up settling on a belief system that focuses on God coming to earth in order to meet their needs. It has caused many to have serious disregard for people.

We can bring some correction to this pattern from a kingdom perspective. Every person created by the Father is of great value. Whether or not you see value in a person is totally irrelevant to the truth that God created everyone. He gave thought to each and every person’s creation. He deposited a seed of potential and destiny within everyone. And because of this truth, I urge you to have a mindset towards people that separate their “who” from their “do”. What they are now and what they can potentially become. In a nutshell, purpose in your heart and condition your eyes to see beyond the physical.

Secondly, in the days when Jesus was on earth, He taught us how to live the kingdom lifestyle. He taught “people” how to live the kingdom lifestyle because people are that important. Otherwise, why would He leave heaven and come to earth for that purpose? As He lived on earth, He interacted with people like the disciples and many others. He blessed people and he was blessed by people. There were certain doors that Jesus could not unlock here on earth unless He followed the protocol of going through a man. One of such example is His baptism by John (Matthew 3:13-17). When Jesus met John at the Jordan and asked John to baptize Him. John responded by saying that instead, Jesus should baptize Him. Jesus responded by saying that it is proper for John to baptize Him in order to fulfill all righteousness. We are told that as soon as John baptized Jesus, heaven opened to Jesus. Amen. It was after this baptismal experience that Jesus’ ministry began.

Let’s take a look at another significant example that amplifies the importance of people, in this case, a man. When you read the account of Joseph of Arimathea in Mark 15:42-47, summarily, we are told that when Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea requested for the body of Jesus, wrapped the body and placed the body in a tomb cut out of rock. Amen. The role of Joseph here was very significant in the fulfilling of prophecy and in our salvation today.

Now, these are just a handful of examples emphasizing the importance of people, from God’s perspective and from the human standpoint. Before we continue next to talk about destiny helpers, I want you to begin now, by reshaping your thought pattern when it comes to people.

Destiny Defining Decisions Require Focus and Determination

Genesis 19:17 (NLT)

Escape to the mountains or you will be swept away.

There is a definite goal to a decision and there are expectations from decisions. At least, that’s how it should be. If you are in a place where you make decisions which are not definite, re-examine your approach. Amen.

When the angel instructed Lot and his family, there was an expected outcome and it was that they should end up on the mountains otherwise they would be swept away. Once you know what the expected outcome is, it makes it possible for you to fine-tune your approach. By fine-tuning your approach, you need focus and determination in order to accomplish. The least distraction can easily derail you and alter the end result.

Our world is full of many distractions that are purposefully placed on our path to cause us to lose focus even from those things that determine the future of our lives and our generation.

I will like you to examine your current state and begin identifying the distractions – the things that cause you to lose focus even when you make a life-altering and destiny changing decision. Did you know that even being weary is a distraction? You may say, well, I am focused despite what my environment throws my way but the fact that you give in to weariness is an indication that the enemy is approaching your situation differently. He may not use the very obvious situations to distract you.

My encouragement to you today is this, once you make destiny defining decisions in any area of your life, consciously focus and persist till the end. Do not let even your personal fears deter you. That was the case with Lot, he preferred the small place over the mountains. His fear caused him to be blinded to the benefits of the mountains and rather settled in Zoar with his children.

Do Not Compromise in Decision Making While in the Valley

Genesis 19:17 (NLT)

…in the valley.

The pressures of life have a way of determining the decisions we make. We are looking at a case in point right here with Lot and his family. The angel said don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” Realize that the instruction to not look back or stop anywhere was an instruction for the valley not an instruction for the mountaintop. Needless to say that mountaintops do have challenges as well, however, in this portion of scripture that was the advice, “do not stop or look back in the valley”. Sure enough, Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt (verse 26).

As we journey in life, what moves us from one point to another is a decision or series of decisions. Amen. Compromise is a tool the enemy uses to cause us to make hasty and mediocre decisions. Compromise is a tool he uses to cause us choose mediocrity over excellence; negligence over diligence; indifference over involvement; impatience over patience. And the list continues.

When we think of valley, we think of a low place. Symbolically, it could mean a low place in life, family, work, or a place where everything does not seem to be what you know it should be. Whatever the case might be, I encourage you child of God, do not allow your present valley to define your destiny. Encourage yourself in the Lord with all certainty, knowing that your situation is not permanent. There is a mountaintop ahead of you. The best you can do now is “do not settle, do not meddle, do not regret, rather, hold onto God’s promises for you, apply the principles and see results. Amen!

Knowledge Shapes Decision Making

It is often difficult to make an informed decision without information. Knowledge, well received and understood influences decision making and eliminates confusion.

Genesis 19:17 (NLT)

…And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”

The role of knowledge in every decision making are numerous.

Knowledge in decision making equips you with the necessary tools to make the best decision in a given situation. That was the case with Lot. The angel equipped him and his family with the necessary information needed for a safe escape.

Knowledge also gives you options in decision making. Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV), is an example of a scripture that equips you with both knowledge and a choice in decision making. It says, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live”. Amen!

 

Knowledge in decision making makes you accountable to God, to yourself and to others. For example, when we take a look at a scripture like Exodus 20:12 (NIV) – It says, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you”.

By honoring your parents, you are being accountable to God and your parents. Also, the accountability to yourself is that, you are living in obedience to a command. Amen.

 

Knowledge in decision making clarifies your participation in a given situation. John 3:16 (NIV) says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. Your participation is to believe.

Knowledge in decision making provides the opportunity for the individual to evaluate outcome and plan for change if necessary.

Summarily, all we are saying is that decision making structures your living and gives you the opportunity to evaluate outcomes and progress or lack thereof.