*In His Presence Daily Devotional*

*5 Steps to making a right decision*
*Pastor Emmanuel Ogbechie*

_Joshua 9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,_

_4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;_

_14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD._

_15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them._

_16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours,_

To make a right decision, follow these steps :

*1. Pray first before making that decision*

The Gibeonites disguised themselves and pretended as though they had travelled from a far place to deceive the children of Israel into a covenant.

Joshua and the children of Israel entered into a covenant without first seeking God's guidance. The first step to making a right decision is to pray. Pray about the decision before taking a step.

_Proverbs 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety._

*2. Seek for Godly counsel*

Where no counsel is people fall into error that could cost them their lives or rob them of their destiny. In making decisions, it is important to note that your perspective of view will usually be blurred by the state of your heart.

For example; if you are trying to make a decision of who to marry and there is someone who you are already in love with. Most times when you go to pray, all that you will hear will be in the direction of how you already feel.

The chances are that you will be blinded by the love you already feel towards that person and will not be objective in your judgement.

Seeking Godly counsel will help you to get an unbiased view to the situation.

_Proverbs 19:20 says, 'Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.'_

When seeking counsel, what you should be looking for is Godly counsel. Not all counsel is Godly. Go to people who are more Godly and more spiritual than you to ask counsel.

Your pastors and spiritual leaders should be your first point of call for this purpose. The mistake many people make is that they go to their friends who are on the same spiritual level as they are or even less to ask for advise.

When your leaders or pastors give you a counsel that you are uncomfortable in doing, primarily because you already have a preset mind concerning the subject; be willing to obey them.

*Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.*

*Your purpose in seeking counsel is not to find someone who will endorse your already preset opinion.*

A fool's way is right in his own eyes but he who hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. In order words he who obeys what a Godly leader tells him to do is wise.

I pray the Holy Spirit will guide you in making the right decisions in Jesus name.

_Genesis 13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar._

_11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other._

*3. Do not make economic decisions at the expense of your spiritual life*

Lot made a decision to move to Sodom based on the fact that the plain of Jordan was well watered and was good for his cattle business. Sodom looked physically attractive. He saw prospects there.

The people of Sodom were wicked before the Lord but Lot didn't pay attention to that because he was more concerned about the economic benefits of moving there.

He ended up loosing everything he had because he made a decision based on greed and money.

Many people make decisions based on economic reasons but they never pay attention to the spiritual implications of their decisions.

Some people take Jobs and go into certain businesses that kill their relationship with God. Before they made such decisions they knew that they would no longer be able to serve God freely anymore because of the demands of such Jobs or business but they still go ahead because of the love of money like Lot did.

I encourage you to avoid such.

Some ladies and even guys get into relationship making this same mistake. They see clearly that the person concerned is not born again but because he or she has a good economic status they deceive themselves into saying that God will use them to change the person and they go into the relationship only for the relationship to end up drawing them away from their consecration to God. chic wedding collections in country and rustic style

Never make a decision to move to Sodom! Moving to sodom means making decision that takes up your time for God, breaks your focus from the things of God and so on.

*4.Take time to gather enough information and have all the details before deciding.*

Joshua made a covenant with the Gibeonites without having all the facts about them. The Gibeonites pretended as though they came from a far place.

They wore old shoes and clothes, took moulded bread for their vituals and succeeded in deceiving Israel because Joshua and Israel did not take time to investigate and get all the facts.

*5. Do not make a hasty decision*

Joshua and Israel made a hasty decision. Many people make hasty decisions because of perceived pressures.

Some make hasty decisions because they need money urgently.

Others quit easily and hastily because they lack longsuffering and patience.

Some single people make hasty decisions to go into relationships based only on what is presented before them.

They meet a person and in two weeks they are already in a relationship with the person. You need time to have enough facts before you commit to a decision of a lifetime.

If Joshua and Israel had waited for just three more days, they would have discovered that the Gibeonites lied to them.

Avoid being hasty!

Share with your friends!

Pastor Emmanuel Ogbechie
Diplomats' Assembly Church

For more life transforming messages visit us online at http://www.diplomatsassembly.co.za/index.php/diplomats-radio

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