You Always Have a Choice!
One of the many remarkable gifts God has given every human being is free will, which, for our purposes, means the power to choose. I realize that free will is a much bigger topic than I can fully discuss here in A Cup of Encouragement, yet I believe it is important to acknowledge that the Lord has placed this remarkable ability to choose within each of us. No matter who we are or what we face, we all have the power to choose. When we realize and embrace this truth, we can begin to radically change the way we live our lives.
The Lord spoke through Moses, declaring to the children of Israel—and I believe He continues to speak this to us today—when He said in Deuteronomy 30:19:
“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life!” (NKJV)
Remarkably, the God who will not force us to choose life is still the One who, through this verse, lovingly implores us to make the decision that will bring us life rather than death!
Certainly, the most important choice any human being can and should make is to receive God’s gift of eternal life by believing in and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. However, there are many other life-giving choices to be made, such as receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit and being water baptized. And those are just the beginning!
The adventure begins when we discover that every promise and every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4) is set before us as an opportunity to choose life. Choosing life, then, is simply choosing to believe the promises and words that God has spoken to us in the Bible. Jesus taught us this in John 6:63 when He declared:
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (NKJV)
Depending on how a person counts biblical promises, there are hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of opportunities to choose life. That is a lot of life-giving power available to all of us who are willing to believe.
And there is more wonderful news. As we choose life by believing and clinging to God’s promises, the “life” they carry within them has the supernatural power to transform every situation we face. Luke 1:37 declares, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Another translation makes it even more plain:
“For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.” (Amplified Version)
Yes, when we use our God-given power to respond to the Lord and choose life in the form of His promises, we align our thinking with His thoughts and open our lives to the supernatural working of God. Today, you already possess the God-given ability to choose life.
Are you facing an impossible situation in your life today? Is there something that seems too far gone, too dead, too impossible, or too painful to continue dealing with? I have good news for you: you have a choice!
The Lord is holding out the very same opportunity to you today: choose life by choosing to believe Him. Then ask Him to help you find a promise from His Word to wrap your heart around.
When facing that circumstance, declare:
“Today I choose the Lord, and I choose life! I will look for God’s promise concerning this situation and cling to His Word. For with God, nothing is impossible, and every Word from God has the power to accomplish what He has promised. Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to choose You, to choose life, and to see Your power bring life to all that I now entrust into Your care. I believe You will show me what to do and what not to do.”
Doing this gives the Lord a wide-open entrance into your life. I encourage you to keep the door open to Him by continually choosing to wrap your heart around His powerful, life-giving Word! Here Are Promises and Declarations that Will Help You Choose Life:
God loved us, so He gave His Son:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Jesus’ words concerning bad news:
Mark 5:36 (NKJV) “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken… He said… ‘Be not afraid, only believe.”
He will never leave you:
Hebrews 13:5b (Amplified Version) “For He has said, ‘I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!”
God will strengthen you:
Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
He has a plan for your life:
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
He is turning things around for you:
Romans 8:28 (NKJV) “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according His purpose.”
He answers prayer:
1 John 5:14 (NKJV) “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
He freely gives:
Romans 8:32 (NKJV) “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him for us all, how shall He not freely give us all things.”
He forgives and heals:
Ps. 103:2-3 (NKJV) “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.”
God’s Word fulfills Its purpose:
Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV) “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”