Non-Negotiables

We are excited for God’s Word to us, because we are in a series that we just recently began called God’s Best. Everybody say, “God’s best.”

When we talk about the new year, we talk about resolutions or goals or things that we want to see happen in our lives. But as believers, how many of you know there are promises that God has made available to us? There’s a calling and a plan and a purpose that He has for each of our lives, and we want to see that plan come to pass. Amen? So when we’re talking about God’s best, we’re talking about keys and ways that we can position ourselves to receive from God and really see this be a year unlike any other.

How many of you know in our walk with God it should get better and better and better? Amen. Doesn’t Scripture say that He takes us from faith to faith, from glory to glory? Amen. So we want to continue to follow Him, to continue to grow in our relationship with Him, and to do the things that He’s called us to do. But sometimes we get sidetracked, isn’t that right? We get off track. We kind of lose our focus. We lose sight of who is the one that brings the best in our lives, and how we get there.

Maybe you’ve heard the expression before, “Everything is negotiable.” Anybody heard that? Everything is negotiable. But how many of you know that if we are believers in Jesus, and we follow Jesus, and we want to receive God’s best in our lives, that can’t be true? We really do need to have something called non-negotiables. That’s the title of the message today: Non-Negotiables.

What are the things in life that God has asked us to do? What are the things that God maybe has specifically asked you to do in order to grow in your walk with Him, to maybe grow in your marriage, to see increase or promotion in your career? What is it that God has asked of you? What are the non-negotiables?

If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Proverbs chapter 22. We’re going to be talking about these non-negotiables. In order for us to receive God’s best — how many of you know every blessed person understands there are just certain things that I need to do in order to follow the Lord, in order to see His best for my life? Are you guys ready to get into this this morning? Are we good? Okay, well, let me pray.

Father, we just open our hearts to you this morning. Lord, we thank you for your Word. We thank you, Lord, that your Word is power, that your Word is truth. Lord, as we come to your Word, we just open our hearts. We invite you, Lord, to speak what only you can speak — that you would speak to each and every person here by your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

You show me the path of life

So we’re talking about non-negotiables. How many of you know that we can’t just have a relative morality in life and honor God? There really are things that God absolutely does not want you to do, and there are things that God absolutely does want you to do. And there are things that God asks of us, things that He will speak to people who follow Him, that are designed to take you further in life — further in your walk, further in your calling, further in your family, in your marriage. There are things that God wants to do in your lives. Amen?

In fact, how many of you remember Psalm 16:11, where it says, “You will show me the path of life”? You show me the path of life. How many of you know nobody knows how to get you where you need to be in life more than God? He’s created you. He has fashioned you. He has good works for your life. And He knows more than anybody else how to get you where you need to be. Amen?

I think sometimes we treat the Word of God and the things that He says as though it’s just this black-and-white thing: “We’ve got to live by these, but everything else is fair game.” But how many of you know God wants to have a personal relationship with you? And when He has a personal relationship with you, there are things that He will speak specifically to you to get you where you need to go. Are you guys with me? So there are things that are non-negotiables for everyone, but there are also things that God will speak to you personally that are non-negotiables for you.

This is really important, because so often we just take this grand approach, saying, “Well, I obey the Ten Commandments, so that makes me a good person.” But how many of you know there are things that God wants to do right in your situation? Or things that maybe are detrimental to your life that you are participating in, and you don’t even know about it? We need God to show us the path of life. Amen. You show me the path of life.

So we need to position ourselves to hear from God, to receive from Him, and to allow Him to show us the adjustments that we need to make, so that we can live the life that He’s called us to live. Amen. He has a word for you. When we come together and have times just like this where we open His Word, how many of you know we’re not just reading a word for everybody? How many of you know the Holy Spirit will speak to you through His Word, a word specific for you? Amen. He shows us the path of life.

So I want to share this morning a few non-negotiables that believers should have. But I believe that as we’re talking about these things, the Lord is going to speak some non-negotiables to you — things that He is specifically asking of you, things that He wants to do to grow you in relationship with Him. Some of these non-negotiables may be reminders. Others could be adjustments that God is asking you to make in your life. But in order for you to fulfill your assignment, we need Him to show us how to live. Amen.

Are you guys with me this morning? Because we’re a little quieter than usual. Just a little. Even the babies are quiet this morning. We have a few babies in here. In fact, we have a couple back with us this morning with their newborn — can we just welcome them? But if the babies are going to be quiet, I need you guys to be a little louder. Can we do that? Okay.

Do it the right way

So we’re talking about receiving God’s best. We’re talking about non-negotiables. Number one: people who receive God’s best — here’s one non-negotiable for believers — they walk in integrity, and they do things the right way. They just do what’s right. Everybody say, “What’s right.”

Sometimes things can get a little gray, and we can say, “Well, if nobody notices, it’s okay.” Or, “If there’s no consequence to my actions, then it must be all right.” But how many of you know there is a way that is right — not just to people, but there is a way that is right to God?

Proverbs 22, verse 28 says, “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.” Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set. I was praying, and as the Lord brought me to this scripture I was like, that’s where we’re going.

Now, there are many ways that this proverb could be applied to our lives, but I want to share just one way that I believe this applies to us. When there was a new territory — I always kind of wondered how this worked out. When people would come to America, there was basically all this open land, and people would go and, I don’t know, just put a stake in the ground and say, “This is mine.” I always find that curious. But there was a time when there was so much uninhabited land that people would go out and put a marker and a border on the property that they would claim. I don’t fully understand how these borders were set, but at one point or another the borders were set for these areas and regions where a family would have a plot of land.

Well, how many of you know generations could go by? And after some time had passed, maybe it would be a grandchild or a great-grandkid, and that great-grandkid could say something like, “You know, I could use a little bit more acreage. I just want a little bit extra. I’m increasing. I’m growing. I’m just going to go ahead and take this marker and move it over here a little bit more. And yeah, I know that that’s my neighbor’s, but they’ll never know.” How many of you know God is saying that’s not right?

You see, we don’t remove what God has set in order. There is an order to the things that God has made — a structure, an order, a set of rules — and we can’t just go about changing them however we feel. God is saying that’s wrong. Don’t do this. There are things that God has mapped out, and God is saying that’s not how you’re going to live. There is a proper, appropriate, fair way that God has set things up. And God is saying, “Listen, in order for you to move forward in life, you don’t need to take advantage of situations. You don’t need to take advantage of people. You don’t need to do things even if no one would notice, even if no one else will see. You don’t need to make things happen for yourself.”

How many of you guys have ever heard the term, “You’ve got to look out for number one”? You’ve got to look out for yourself. If you don’t fight for yourself, nobody else will. But how many of you know we’ve got to understand as believers that’s not true? We have a good Father who loves us, who cares for us, and He’s the one that wants to make His promises come to pass in our lives. Amen. But so often we look to what we can do and how we can get ahead. How many of you know that as people of God, one of the non-negotiables that we have in our lives is to walk in integrity and do things the right way — that we would be people who put our trust in God?

Abraham waited for God to give it

How many of you remember when God told Abraham, “Go from your family to a land that I will show you, and I will give you that land”? Now, the interesting thing is that Abraham went, and he was dwelling in the land that God was going to give him, but it wasn’t his. He lived in a tent, him and his family, and he was mobile. God said, “I want you to go to the land. I want you to dwell in the place of promise.” But notice, it wasn’t his yet. In fact, it wasn’t his for another 400 years. And Abraham knew that it wasn’t his yet, that God hadn’t given it to him yet.

When his wife Sarah died, he needed a place to bury her. So he went to the people of the land and said, “Would you let me buy a portion of land so that I can bury my wife?” And the people of the land respected Abraham. They saw the blessing of God on his life, and he was such a great man. So they said, “No, you don’t need to buy this from us. Let us give this to you.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but in my human nature that wants what it wants when it wants it, and wants it now, I would hear that and be like, “Praise God! God is giving me the land!” But how many of you know God had so much more for Abraham than a small plot of land? He said, “I’m going to make you the father of many nations.” The promise was greater than what was in front of him. And Abraham knew it wasn’t people that were going to give him this plot of land. It wasn’t people that were going to make this happen. God is the one that is going to give it to me. “So no, I’m not just going to let you give me this land. Even though it seems like a good opportunity, even though this seems like it could be the fulfillment of the promise of God — no, God will give me the land. I need to buy this from you.”

Can you see the difference? Can you see the honor there? It’s so hard for us as believers sometimes. We encourage people: you need to position yourself, you need to hear from God. What is God speaking to you? What are the promises that He’s made available to you? How many of you would say, “I have heard God speak to me and give me a promise”? And so often, at the first opportunity or the first sign, we just assume that must be God. But how many of you know we need to ask Him, “What is your part, and what is my part?”

Abraham’s part was to dwell in the land of promise. God’s part was to give it to him. He wasn’t looking to people. He was looking to God. How many of you can see that kind of heart honors the Lord? I’m going to say it again: that heart honors the Lord — that we wouldn’t just jump at the opportunity in front of us, that we wouldn’t just jump and say, “Well, this is kind of an answer to prayer, so this must be God.” How many of you know even in the answers we need to ask, “Lord, is this what you’re doing right now? Is this what you have for me right now?” Oh, the honor that extends to Him, where He has full control of your life.

Because your life is not your own if you’ve given your life to the Lord. When you give your life to the Lord, He takes it. And I’m thankful that He does, because my life was condemned. My life was unredeemed. My life was doomed to destruction. But my life in Christ is with Him forever. My life in Him has an inheritance in Christ Jesus. Amen. So we give our life to Him, and how many of you know we need to honor Him with everything we have? Amen.

This is such a way to honor God, and this is what God loves. God loves when people honor Him, saying, “I’m not going to make it happen for myself. I’m not going to do it myself. God, I’m going to seek you. I’m going to listen to you. And even if I feel like this is the answer, Lord, before I move I’m going to seek you and ask you. I want to do it the right way.” Everybody say, “The right way.”

Proverbs 23:10 — I’m just going to repeat the verse — says, “Do not remove the ancient landmark” — notice — “nor enter the fields of the fatherless.” This is talking about taking possession of things from people that can’t protect themselves. Sometimes we think, “Well, if there’s no one to enforce this, then it’s okay. If I can make it happen, then it’s okay. God’s good. It’s okay.” But how many of you know God knows how you got where you got? God knows when you’re trusting in Him and when you’re just doing it in your own strength. We can reason it. We can try to reconcile it. But God is saying, “No, I want to be the one who makes my promises come to pass for your life.”

There may be dreams that He’s spoken to you. There may be promises that He has specifically highlighted to you, things that you’ve been declaring. And God is saying, “Don’t just jump at the first opportunity, because there’s an adversary that will also open doors and opportunities. No, you seek me. Let me lead you. Walk in integrity. Honor me, and do it the right way.”

I don’t know about you, but I love shortcuts. Anybody else like shortcuts? To the point where I would take my kids to school in the morning, and I would literally drive to school at least six different ways to find out what was the fastest way. I would time myself. I’d be pulling out of the driveway, and I’d take my phone and start the timer, and then I would do that route for a week and take the average. I’m kind of like that, where I’ve got to figure out the most efficient way to get where I want to be. But how many of you know when it comes to the Kingdom, the best way — really the only way — we can end up where God wants us to be is when we submit our hearts and our lives to Him and allow Him to lead us? Amen. Oh, that we would honor Him with our very lives. Amen. That’s good.

I will sing as long as I live

People who receive God’s best give thanks and praise at all times. At all times. Everybody say, “All times.”

Is there anybody else who will be in the middle of their day with a bad attitude for whatever reason? You’re just irritated, and the last thing you want to do is give thanks and praise. But there’s this little thing on the inside that is saying, “Look to me, and give me thanks.”

Psalm 104:33 says, “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.” I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. Notice, it’s not just when the worship leader says, “Let’s stand and let’s sing.” No, the psalmist is saying, “As long as I live, this is what I’m going to do. No matter what the situation, this will be my posture. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live — in the good, in the bad, through the ups and the downs, through the encouraging times, through the disappointing times. I’m going to sing to the Lord. Why? Because He is good. Because He has done everything for me. He saved me. He’s healed me. He’s delivered me.” Come on, if God’s done something in your life, say, “I will sing. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.”

The psalmist is saying, “Listen, this is a non-negotiable.” The only right approach for us to honor the Lord is to have a posture of praise and worship at all times. Now, does that mean we go around literally singing a tune all the time? Probably not. But how many of you know there is a way to sing and make melody to the Lord in your heart, where when you see things you say, “God, I thank you. God, I honor you. Lord, I praise you. I worship you. Lord, I exalt you”?

And I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I find myself in that mode of thanksgiving, I just start to sing. Anybody else? I’ll be walking around in a posture of prayer, and I’ll just be thanking the Lord, and then all of a sudden I just start worshiping. How many of you know that’s what the Father wants — that we would be people that sing at all times?

“I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.” Notice the psalmist is saying, “Listen, as long as my spirit and my soul and my mind are in this body, I’m going to sing praise to the Lord. I’m going to sing to Him.”

I’ve heard it said, and it’s true: this is the only time that we get to make sacrifice to the Lord, while we have our being. When we get to heaven, I think there will be many people who look back and say, “Oh, I wish I could have just given the Lord more — more of my time, more of my attention, more of my resources. Oh, if I would have just put Him first, what would He have done?” How many of you know this is the only time we get to make sacrifice to the Lord?

The Bible says to lift up a sacrifice of what? Praise. Why is that a sacrifice? Because you don’t always want to do it. Because there will be times where the last thing you want to do is to sing to the Lord. The last thing you’ll want to do is give thanks. In fact, many times you will be compelled to complain about your situation. You’ll be compelled to gossip and talk about someone because of your insecurities. But how many of you know the people of God need to have a non-negotiable in their life: “I’m not going to complain. I’m not going to criticize. I’m not going to be someone who talks about others. No, I’m going to be someone that keeps my attention on the Lord and sings to Him as long as I live”? Do you see this non-negotiable — that we would be a people of praise and thanksgiving? I will sing praise to the Lord at all times. Everybody say, “All times.”

Let God be God

We’re talking about non-negotiables. People who receive God’s best — one of the non-negotiables they have is they don’t take matters into their own hands. Sometimes we have a habit of taking the things that God is supposed to do, taking them away from Him, and making them happen ourselves. But people who receive God’s best allow God to be God. Amen.

How many remember David? He was a man after God’s own heart, and he became king over Israel. God chose David at a young age to be the king. He was a shepherd boy taking care of the flock in the field at night as a young boy. And it says that the prophet Samuel came and anointed him as king of Israel. But how many of you know he wasn’t king at that moment? There was already a king named Saul.

So David was going through life anointed as king, and there was already another king named Saul. And it got to the point where Saul knew that David would become king, and out of jealousy he wanted to have David killed. So Saul sent his whole army — the army of the king. Think about this: the special ops of the government in which you live has one mission, and that’s to take you out. That’s exactly what happened to David.

So David began to run from Saul. And one day he was hiding in a cave with his men, and Saul comes into this cave not knowing that David and his men were in it, and Saul was right next to David. Now again, I don’t know about you, but I would have been like David’s men, who were saying things like, “The Lord has delivered the king into your hands. Take him out.” And I would have been like, “Yup. It’s the Lord’s promise. It’s time.”

But how many of you know that’s not what David did? Because David recognized, “It’s not my job to make myself king. It’s God’s job to promote me. It’s God’s job to fulfill His promise. I don’t need to make this happen for myself.” And how many of you know David did become king, but he never had to lift a finger against Saul? In fact, it was the opposite. David honored Saul. When people would speak against Saul, he would say, “That’s not appropriate. He is the king of Israel. He is God’s anointed.” And I can only imagine people looking at David and saying, “But God anointed you!” Yeah, He did. But He will do that when He’s ready.

Can you see that posture? People who receive God’s best don’t need to look out for number one. They don’t need to make it happen for themselves. They trust that God will do His part. All I need to do is my part, which is usually just to walk in obedience, be faithful, trust in the Lord, sing a song of praise and thanksgiving, sing to the Lord all the days of your life, and watch God come through for you. Are you guys picking up what I’m putting down? Can you see how that trust and that faith honors God?

I know some people would say things like, “Well, the Bible says faith without works is dead.” But how many of you know that when we put our trust in God and say, “I don’t need to make it happen, God will make it happen” — that is faith that allows God to work, when we put our trust in Him?

Psalm 75, verse 6 says — the King James Version says — “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Promotion does not come from myself. Promotion comes from God. And those who are blessed by God, those who receive God’s best, understand that all good things don’t come from what I can produce. They don’t come from what I can make happen. No, the good things from God happen when I put my trust in Him and follow Him and allow Him to be God. You guys with me?

The Bible says the blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. Let me tell you, when you make it happen for yourself, you have to continue to make it happen for yourself. And there is no greater pressure, and usually no greater disappointment, than realizing everything I’ve done has been in my own strength. Oh, that we would be people that put our trust in Him, that receive the promises of God as yes and amen — that we pray and seek the Lord and say, “God, I know that you will do it. It’s not going to be what I can do. It’s not by my own strength, but it is by what you can do.”

How many of you know the calling that God has on your life is a supernatural calling from God? It cannot come from God if it was not supernatural, because God is supernatural. So if God has placed a calling on your life, it is a supernatural calling, which literally means you can’t do it. The only way we can do the things God has asked us to do is when we allow God to be God.

In one sense, how freeing that is. And in the other sense, how terrifying that is. Why? Because my life’s not my own. I’m giving up control to Him. I’m going to be someone who seeks Him, and when I hear God speak to me, I don’t need to just make it happen for myself. No, I’m going to follow and obey Him and be faithful to the things that He’s asked me to do until He brings the promise to pass. Do you see the difference?

This is so subtle, but this is so key. There are many in the church who champion people who make it happen for themselves, and we justify it and say, “Well, it must have been God.” And it wasn’t. That’s not God’s best. We have to position ourselves. Will He ask you to do things? Yes, He will. Oh, you better believe He’ll ask you to do things. And when He does, we need to do those things. But I’m not going to just make it happen and get ahead of God, even if it’s a promise He’s given. I’m not going to get ahead of God. You guys with me? I’m trying to explain this, but this is so key to receiving God’s best.

Jesus said in Matthew 23:12, “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” That’s Jesus.

Guard what you set before your eyes

We’re talking about non-negotiables. People who receive God’s best protect their heart. Psalm 101, verse 3 says, “I will set” — everybody say that — “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.”

Think about that: I will not set anything wicked before my eyes. Why is that so important? How many of you know there are two entrances into your heart: what you hear and what you see? And as people who want to receive God’s best — people who want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, who want to walk with Him, who want to hear from Him — how many of you know it matters what you put in front of you? It matters what you watch. It matters what you look at.

I’m not just talking about something random happening in front of you. That happens, where all of a sudden you’re just going about your time and then, bam. No, I’m talking about the things that you place in front of your eyes, the things that you put in your ears. Those things will affect your heart, and they affect how you hear the Lord, how you receive His best, how you walk in His promise.

How many of you know if you can’t hear what God is asking you to do, you can’t do it? That sounds really, really simple. But if you can’t hear what God is saying, then you can’t do the things that God has asked you to do. So we have to have ears that are tuned to the Lord. How do we tune them? We put the right things in front of our ears and in front of our eyes. We listen to the right things. We don’t put the wicked things in front of us — the things that bring darkness, the things that bring confusion. Let me tell you, it is almost appalling how many believers put so much filth in their eyes and so much filth in their ears, and they wonder, “Why can’t I hear God?”

It’s like a radio tuner. You remember those old-fashioned radio tuners? Everything’s digital now. My son loves to listen to music in his car. My wife recently broke his radio, and he is lost, so now he has to listen to the radio. Well, how many of you know you have to tune the radio to get to the right station? And if you’re off even a little bit, it sounds like static. You can’t hear it. Maybe you’ll get a little word, something, something, but you can’t fully make out what’s being said.

How many of you know the way that we tune our spiritual ears, the way that we tune our heart to receive the things of God, is by receiving the things of God — by putting His Word in front of us, by setting before us things that are righteous, things that are right, the Word of God, listening to His Word? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. So how do we hear God speak to us? We have to tune our hearts. And so we need to watch what we put in front of us.

There are some non-negotiables, some lines, things that we just have to commit to and say, “I’m not going to do this.” Not because it’s a commandment. Not because if I do it I’m going to go to hell. No, the reason I’m not going to do this is because I must protect my heart, because I want to hear the Lord.

Ask Him what He is asking of you

I remember we had an internship program a few years back, and some of those students were all at a prime age for being in relationships. They would love to date and to find their spouse. And we actually have a few spouses here today from that program, so I’m not knocking it. Apparently, if you want to get married, just come to church.

But I remember when we would walk these students through and talk to them — these were students that were wanting to seek the Lord. These were people saying, “I know the Lord has a call on my life. I want to follow the Lord and do what He’s asked me to do.” So when they would want to date someone or be in a relationship, we would always say, “All right, I want you just to pray, and I want you to ask the Lord, ‘Lord, how do you want us specifically to honor you with this relationship? What things do you want me to do? What are the habits, what are the guidelines that you’re asking of me?’”

Now here’s the thing: they weren’t the same for everybody. Did you know that? We said that earlier. How many of you know the Lord knows exactly what you need, and He knows exactly what you can handle, and He knows exactly what the parameters should be for where you’re at in life? Are you guys with me?

So they would seek and ask the Lord, “Lord, how can we honor you?” We can follow the broad strokes and say, “Well, as long as I don’t sleep with someone, then me and God are good.” But how many of you know there’s a higher level that we’re going for here? We want God’s best. So we’re not just going to do the bare bones here — just not live together, not sleep with one another, not do things that we know God doesn’t want us to do. No, we’re going to honor God with this relationship, which means I’m going to ask Him, “Lord, how can we position ourselves to receive a greater blessing? Because we want to start this thing off right.” You guys with me?

So they would pray, they would ask, and they would come back with things like, “We do feel like the Lord’s given us the green light to be in a dating relationship, to get to know each other, but we can’t hang out until after 10 p.m.” And I was shocked how many people would say, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, that’s way too extreme.” And here I am like a proud father: “Look at you! God’s speaking to you and leading you.” Look at you putting in place not commands, but a path of life that will lead them to a greater promise that only God can provide. They weren’t wanting to settle for the relationships that everybody else had, even though it was okay. No: “I want to honor God in this area of my life.”

How many of you know if there are places in your life where you want to honor God, I would challenge you: ask Him the adjustments that you need to make. They’re not going to be commands. They’re not always going to be like, “Well, if you do this you’re going to end up in eternal hell.” No, no, no. How many of you know God has asked you to follow Him? And when we follow Him, we do the things that go beyond just what is in the Ten Commandments. We want to be people who receive God’s best, who seek the Lord, who honor the Lord, and are willing to put in place some non-negotiables — not that we just invent or come up with. No, no, no: what is God asking of me in this area of my life? You guys with me? We need to do this in every area of our lives.

Somebody actually mentioned this when we were selling the life journals. There’s the daily reading plan, there are the places to journal, but in the front there’s actually a place for something called roles and goals. And I was astonished how many people actually filled that out, because I never do. Okay? But it’s a place where you can write, “These are my roles. This is what God has given me to steward well.” If He’s given you a family, that means I am a father — that’s a role. I am a husband — that’s a role. And for each of those roles you can set goals.

Now, those aren’t just goals that you come up with. This is what we’re talking about: they’re the non-negotiable guidelines — this is what God has asked me to do in this area of my life. So as a father, how will I allow the Holy Spirit to influence me to be a good father? In my marriage, as a husband, how am I going to allow the Holy Spirit to influence me and speak into my life to make adjustments so that I can be a good husband? Do you see this?

I think so many times we just try to navigate life kind of on a whim: “Well, I’m not committing any real sins. I’m just kind of doing my own thing.” But how many of you know that’s not how we receive God’s best for our lives? The way we position ourselves for His best in our lives is to say, “God, what do you want to do in this area of my life, and how can I make the adjustment? God, what do you want to do in my career, and how can I make the adjustment?” And I think you’ll be surprised what the Lord will say. Maybe the things that you thought were non-issues, He’s saying, “No, I want to bring a greater level of blessing to that area, but you have to do this. You have to make this hard adjustment. You have to make this transition.” Is this good?

We’re talking about God’s best. People have non-negotiables, and we’re talking about a few here today. But how many of you know these are just samples? As I started this message, I specifically said I believe that the Holy Spirit is going to begin to speak things specific to you. The things that I’m sharing with you this morning are non-negotiables for my life, things that I champion and believe in. But how many of you know just because it’s true for me, it’s not always true for you — unless God says it’s always true? There are things that the Holy Spirit wants to reveal to you, to speak into your life, so that you can make some adjustments moving forward to experience God’s best for your life, a blessed life.

So not only is this going to be a year of God’s best because we seek Him — we talked about this. Not only is this going to be a year of God’s best because we put Him first — we talked about that last week. No, this is going to be a year of God’s best because we actually are people who allow Him to lead us in every area of our lives. Why? Because I’m going to seek Him, and I am going to make the decision to make adjustments to the way I conduct myself, my routine, my preferences, my choices. They don’t have to make sense. No, if God is asking them of me, I’m going to do it. Why? Because He’s God. He’s created me. He’s fashioned me. He knows me at my most deep, inward-parts level. How many of you know there is no one you can trust more than Almighty God with your life? And so we need to seek Him. Are you guys with me? This is key.

Strengthen me to do it your way

So what I would like to do — we’re going to close our time, and I’m going to pray for you, but I’m going to encourage you to do this, because we’re closing up on our time. What are the non-negotiables that the Holy Spirit is speaking to you? Maybe you do go through the life journal. Maybe you do the roles and the goals, and you pray through that, think through that. But what are some things in your life where God is saying, “You’re not doing this, but you need to be doing this”? And what are things that you are doing where God is saying, “I don’t want you to do it that way anymore”?

How many of you know that’s a life that’s surrendered to the Lord? “God, what is it that you want me to be doing, and what is it that you don’t want me to be doing? And I’m going to set that as my standard, and no one’s going to talk me out of it. I’m not going to convince myself out of it. I’m not going to reason my way out of it. I’m going to stick to it.” And that we would ask the Lord, “Lord, would you strengthen me to walk this out? Would you strengthen me not to fall back in? Would you strengthen me not to just give in or get talked out of it? Would you strengthen me to do it your way?” Amen. This is a key — that we would let Him lead us in every area.

Let’s go ahead and stand together. I’m going to pray over you guys. I want to pray a blessing over you, but specifically that we would ask the Lord this: “God, what is it that you want me to do?” Can we have a heart that’s just surrendered to Him, that would say, “God, what is it that you want me to do? What things am I doing that you don’t want me to do? And Lord, would you give me the strength to do it?” Can we do that?

I’m going to pray over you. Let’s bow our heads. If you’re here and you’re just saying, “Lord, yes, do this in my life,” can we just lift our hands to the Lord?

Father, we thank you for your Word. We thank you for what you’re speaking to us today — that you are teaching us how to walk in your ways, how to be in a position to receive your benefits, how to receive your blessings. And Lord, I just declare right now over every person here that you will not only clarify the non-negotiables for their life, but Lord, that you will strengthen them by your Spirit to hold to those things — that they would see every promise that you have for them come to pass in their lives.

Lord, there are so many who are not walking in the promise because we aren’t seeking you the way that you ought to be sought. And so, Lord, I just pray, as we come to you, we ask, Lord, what is it that we’re doing that you don’t want us to do? What is it that we’re not doing that you do want us to do? And Lord, give us the strength to do it. Lord, I pray that as we seek you, you would speak so clearly the non-negotiables, so clearly, Lord, the things that you want to do in our lives in every area — in our marriages, in our parenting, Lord, in our careers, in our free time, Lord, in our calling. Lord, you have a perfect plan, and in order for us to receive it, Lord, we must walk with you. And so, Lord, we just surrender every area of our lives to you.

And if that’s you, just say, “Lord, I surrender to you. I surrender my life to you. Speak to me, Jesus, by your Spirit. Come speak to me and lead me.” In Jesus’ name, amen.

Transcribed from the message recording and lightly edited for reading.