If you’re serious about fulfilling God’s will, you must have determination. One definition of determination is ‘to settle a dispute by an authoritative decision or a pronouncement’. Let’s apply it to one of our biggest problems – the daily battle between our flesh and our spirit. ‘The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh’ (v. 17 NIV). Remember, the definition of determination carries the idea of settling a dispute. This is important because if you’re going to commit to doing what God wants you to do, you will have to settle the never-ending dispute between your flesh and your spirit. So, how do you do that? By an authoritative decision or a pronouncement. Your flesh will always cause you to ‘go with the flow’ or ‘settle for the status quo’ unless your regenerate spirit says no. Joshua is a great example of this. Fearing that God’s people were getting caught up in the lifestyle of the surrounding nations, he told them: ‘Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’ (Joshua 24:15 NKJV). Because Joshua made an authoritative decision and a pronouncement, the Bible says, ‘The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!”’ (v. 24 NKJV). Question: in what area of your life today do you need to make an authoritative decision or a pronouncement?

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.