In this message, Dr. Stanley conveys an essential challenge from Scripture—will we choose our way, orGod’s? A closer look at the lives of Old and New Testament saints reveals the painful consequences of choosing less than His best. Disobedience carries a high price, but the blessings of obedience are without number.
God has made it very clear in his word
that he has a purpose and a plan and a
will for our life have you ever thought
about that in your life think about this
he knows only has a plan and the purpose
and a will for our life but he sent the
Holy Spirit to live within us in order
to make that plan crystal clear not only
to make the plan clear but also to
enable us whatever we face in life to
live out that plan you and I can not
look at someone else and say this is
God’s plan for your life God makes his
plan known to us individually sometimes
it’s clearer than at other times and
because he’s made a will and the purpose
and a plan for our life he has chosen
the best for your life whoever you are
wherever you are God’s choice is the
best that whether you choose to follow
that best or not is another question but
when I think about the Scriptures I
think about in this light life at its
best is a life lived in the will of God
that’s the best life now you have a
choice you don’t have to walk in his
will he has a plan the purpose or will
you don’t have to walk in it you can
choose to do whatever you choose but I
want to remind you one thing when you
choose to live outside the will of God
you choose to pay the price of
disobedience to God have foolish when
the all loving God has chosen the best
for you and you choose what is not the
best but what you think is the best I’ll
bring you the most enjoyment of the most
pleasure so when I think about all that
I think about oftentimes the painful
consequences that people go through when
their choices they make and then they
wonder why why does God bless so-and-so
this way and why does he allow this to
happen tomorrow
well we can’t always explain that but
one thing for certain if you know that
you’re living in the will of God he’s
gonna turn it to your good when you know
that you’re living outside the will of
God you’re gonna suffer the consequences
and I think about the title of this
message and I had to think about a long
time the title is this before you step
out of the will of God that’s the title
before you step out of the will of God
what the best consequences are having it
his way
the worst consequences having it your
way but most people won’t discover that
and understand that until it’s rather
late in their life so we’ve been talking
about the will of God the purpose of God
the plan of God for your life where you
have been where you are where you intend
to be and if you intend to make whatever
changes are necessary and all of that
God may have His perfect will in your
life from this point on does he forgive
us for the past yes is he willing to
pick us up where we are and lead us to
where he wants us to be yes he is so we
can’t change the past but we can change
the direction that we’re living in today
and the way we’re thinking what our
habits are where we intend to be in the
future we can change that because we
have the person of the Holy Spirit
living within us to enable us to make
any change that is absolutely necessary
so I want you to consider the
inescapable consequences of living
outside the will of God now you say well
that’s sort of what you think no no
these are not my opinions we’re talking
about the inescapable inescapable
consequences that happened in a person’s
life different people different
consequences as a result of living
outside the will of God as a result of
saying you know I don’t live my life my
way I know what I think I want in life
and I’m willing to go get it
I’m willing to have it at whatever price
it is but I want to live in my way well
you can have
your way if you choose but I want you to
turn to the book of Colossians
Colossians is one of the most beautiful
epistles informative epistles in the New
Testament and the Apostle Paul has been
talking about how to live out the
Christian life and he comes down to the
18th verse and he starts talking about
husbands and wives how they treat each
other with their children and so forth
and then he also talks about the
servants how they should be treated and
then he says listen to this beginning in
verse 23 of this third chapter of
Colossians whatever you do do your work
heartily that is put your whole heart to
it as for the Lord as if you’re working
for him rather than for men knowing that
from the Lord you will receive the
reward of the inheritance it is the Lord
Christ whom you serve and sometimes we
think you know we’re just doing our own
thing no the truth is once you’re saved
you and I become servants of the Lord
Jesus Christ and we must not forget that
every day we’re serving him and if you
don’t think about it and you don’t read
the border guard and you don’t pray in
the morning before you start your day
it’s not about you and your work and
your friends but the scripture says that
we are listen whatever you do do your
work hardly as for the Lord rather than
for men knowing that from the Lord you
will receive the reward of the
inheritance it is the Lord Christ whom
you serve now watch that did you see
that it is the Lord Christ whom you
serve when you wake up tomorrow morning
remember that whatever you’re doing
wherever you’re working
it’s Jesus whom you’re serving he’s the
one you give an account to now watch
this for he who does wrong will receive
the consequences of the wrong which he
has done and that without partiality
look at that verse for he who does wrong
will receive the consequences of the
wrong which he has done
and that without partiality and we’ve
been talking about his will his purpose
his plan and those are warning and the
warning is simply this you cannot live
outside the will of God and be happy you
may try and be successful you may be
successful in some areas but not when he
comes to the living and so he says
notice notice how he says it
he says for he who does wrong will
receive the consequences of the wrong
which he has done and that puts that
last phrase without partiality that is
it doesn’t make any difference what your
occupation is God some laws apply to
every single one of us the same way when
I stand before my given account for all
my opportunities and with the way I
responded when you stand before him you
give account to your opportunities and
the way you responded notice what he
says no partiality think about that God
is the impartial no partiality that is
I’m not going to get Bible something
that somebody else would and neither are
you
we stand before a holy God who’s given
us his purpose his will his plan for our
life and we will stand before him any
given account toy which reminds me of
this verse in Galatians 6:7 whatever man
shows the scripture says that he will
also read in his family among his
friends co-workers health faith whatever
it might be whatever we so we’re going
to read and then he says in numbers
chapter 3 32:23
be sure your sin will find you out that
is not some people but all of us so here
three statements no partiality we reap
what we sow and as sin will find us out
so we have a choice I can either follow
the will of God which is the wisest
thing I can do
oh I will choose to have it my way and
there is no partiality with God if I
choose to have it my way I suffer the
results you choose to have in your
‘we use of the results there is no
exception now what I want to do is take
you through a short journey on what it
means when you step out of the will of
God because what we’re talking about the
phrase the title is before you step out
of the will of God and so before you
step out of the will of God and let’s
look at it Adam and Eve had it perfectly
they could have been no additions and no
improvements in the Garden of Eden they
chose by an act of their will to disobey
God and to listen to the wrong voice and
the step out of the perfect will of God
where there was no want no issues but to
live in the presence of Almighty God
with his perfect creation and enjoy life
and enjoy each other forever but that’s
what they did then I want you to think
about the wickedness of Noah’s day a lot
of things went on
no matter man Eve don’t know us day and
then had totally resigned themselves to
live in the wild life the way they
wanted to live it he got so bad nasayaat
he said I’m gonna destroy the whole
thing but God found somebody no one who
decided to obey God and so God said it’s
gotten so bad I’m gonna wipe out
everything on the face of this earth and
start all over again you say well that
doesn’t sound very fair yes it is watch
this
there’s no partiality with the God we
reap what we sow more than we sow later
than we so you can’t change that Adam
and Eve had it perfectly their walked
away those they got so bad you got saved
him out of a society that was hard to
describe
then of course God chose a nation named
them Israel and they served
of years in Egyptian bondage and God
chose to save them out of Egyptian
bondage and then they walked through a
period of time when they received the
Ten Commandments and God was teaching
him how to live and how to worship Him
offering them the very very best they
disobeyed him they obeyed him they
disobeyed him but God has something in
mind because his purpose and plan and
will for their life was to give them a
land in which they could serve God
freely God would be their God he would
demonstrate his awesome love for them
because he chose them and so they had
the opportunity of taking the land and
so when the time came they said well we
don’t know about that
they’re giants in the land and they
began to take their eyes off God and
look at what they heard about they heard
about Giants and they heard about the
land and they heard about how fruitful
it was but they also heard that there
would be dangerous and some people would
lose their lives so God had a purpose
and a plan in the will they remember
this whatever purpose and planning will
God has for your life remember this you
have the omnipotence omniscience and on
the presence of God with you through
every single stage of your life did you
hear that well some of you did so
remember you have the purpose the plan
and the will of God his omnipotence
omniscience and I’m the presence to walk
with you through anything God has you to
walk through but they decided maybe it
won’t be as beautiful as Judgment all
these fellows tell it’s going to be and
so we’re not gonna do it they spent the
night we’ve been talking among
themselves I’m sure and doing what
rebelling against God because they did
not believe that God’s purpose God’s
plan and God’s will was best they
thought this was best you know what that
was best
about God said here’s the result 40 long
years back in the wilderness with all
the serpents looking for something to
eat all the enemies you going to face
and it cost them 40 years a whole
generation now think about that before
you step out of the will of God you
marked us now there is a price to pay
there is always a price to pay when you
step out of the will of God Canaan with
everything Almighty God could create for
them he created for them he would defeat
their enemies and they chose out of fear
and doubt listening to the wrong voices
they chose not to take his purpose not
to follow his plan not to believe in his
power to do it
40 years a whole generation died in the
wilderness because they thought their
plan was best let me tell you something
there’s a whole generation today who
have chosen to live in the desert chosen
to live in the spiritual desert chosen
to live without God chosen to live apart
from God not God’s purpose not God’s
plan not God’s will their own plan their
own will on their own purpose you can’t
improve on God he has a purpose a plan
in the will this isn’t somebody else’s
purpose planning will this is wholly
God’s purpose planning will for our life
to obey Him in the midst of a generation
of people who do not want to obey Him
who want to have it their way you read
the scriptures when you want it your way
and you don’t want it yards away you can
have it your way
his purpose his plan his will you throw
aside you know many people some of them
you work with someone maybe in your
family
some of your friends not God’s purpose
not God’s plan not God’s will their own
there is a consequence there is a panel
there is always a price of stepping out
of the will of God or ignoring the will
of God and so ice not taking you on a
short journey to show you that over and
over and over again the same thing now
let’s get into somebody personal let’s
say for example let’s say let’s take
Samson god bless Samson with also almost
miraculous power he gave him a secret
and he said to me must never cut your
hair then you cut your hair your loser
sir your strength and so the early years
of his life he defeated their wicked
over and over and over again and then he
met Delilah and so the enemy found that
Delilah and offered her a big price if
she’d find a secret over and over and
over again she tempted him and he turned
her down because God had a purpose and a
plan and a will for his life to beat the
enemies of God to defeat the enemies of
God and he had the power to do it and
you know the story and finally in a
moment of a weakness he told her his
secret his god-given secret cut his hair
she cut his hair where did he end up in
prison the next thing you know he was
blinded next thing you know he was going
round and round in a meal and then when
they brought him out to demonstrate his
defeat God used him in his repentance
attitude toward yard and he wrecked the
whole Coliseum bringing death to the
enemy he has purpose God’s plan God’s
will his life he was a symbol of
strength and power of God for godly
people and for whatever she offered him
it cost him everything God’s plans
perfect if I insist on having my will my
purpose in my plan I’m happy
at a price don’t forget this sermon
there is a penalty that is unavoidable
for ignoring Almighty God no matter who
you are there’s a penalty ignoring the
will of God and then there’s David we
know him as a shepherd boy tequila
Goliath and we know what a wonderful
young man he was and he was best friend
of the King son and we know so many good
things about David and how many parents
named their children after David and so
one day when he should have been out
with his soldiers fighting the enemy he
decided to stay at home and then Satan
set him up watch this carefully Satan
will set you up with whatever is
necessary to bring you down if you are
not purposed in your heart to live
according to the will and purpose and
plan of God so my title is what is it
before you step out of the will of God
think pray think think think
pray turn to God so he was walking
around in the evening happens to look
over the rail and sees Bathsheba down
there taking a bath he saw enough of her
that he couldn’t get that of his mind so
what did he do he forgot about God he
forgot about how blessed he was he was
he was nothing but a shepherd boy now he
was the king over all of Israel the
power to rule the whole nation of God
and for one night one look one call one
adulterous act he ruined his life
there is a price to pay when we ignore
his purpose his plan and his will for
our life then of course Jonah
decided that he was not going to do the
will of God he was not going to preach
to people whom he hated and so he takes
a boat ride
you can’t escape God and we think about
this story and we laugh God had a
purpose and a plan the will his purpose
planetware was that was Jonah I want you
to go to Nineveh and I want you to
preach the truth that they might be
saved
he was so prejudiced against Ninevites
that’s the last thing he wanted to do
and he chose foolishly just like people
do I’m not gonna do what God said there
and I’m just gonna take myself vacation
I’m heading out of here
many a men and women had chosen to walk
away from God to be swallowed up in a
lifestyle that they hate and almost
destroy them and oftentimes did and has
and so what happened when God brought
him to the point of death he escaped
from the whale and he couldn’t get the
Nineveh fast enough and then that
because there’s Peter Peter was one of
Jesus choice disciples strong great
fisherman
he’d seen miracle after miracle and the
night Jesus was taken and here he was in
the purpose and planning will of the
Lord and some little girl looked at him
and said I think you’re one of those I
think he one of those followers of Jesus
and he said no I’m not no I’m not and
the scripture says at this particular
moment and Jesus walked by and turned
and looked upon Peter and I’ll never
forget this phrase
the Bible and Peter remembered what did
he remember three wonderful awesome
indescribable years walking with Jesus
and seeing him heal and perform one
miracle after the other walking on top
of the water he’d fished on all those
years and he’s sitting I don’t know him
before you willingly knowing let’s step
out of the will of God you’d better
think 3 times at once can you say today
is best I know my heart I’m living in
the will of God it’s best I know my
heart I’m surrendered to him the best I
know my heart my witness my testimony
for others is good because I attempt to
live daily in his will and way in
purpose for my life a will a purpose a
plan he loves you enough to have planned
the best and the reason I go through
these particular persons is because I
want you to see there is a price there
is always a price there is a cost of
disobedience to God and you don’t have
to pay that price he says if we confess
our sins he’s faithful and just to
forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness we’ve all had
to claim that verse probably many times
but have you ever claimed the one that
called you whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved
have you ever responded to that verse
have you ever trusted Jesus Christ as
your personal Savior he doesn’t say you
have to recount all your sins you
confessed the fact that you are a sinner
that you’ve disobeyed God but you have
the privilege by the grace of God
and best thing that’s in asking him to
forgive you and then choosing such step
in the will of God doesn’t mean you live
a perfect life but it means by His grace
and goodness and love and mercy in hell
you can live a godly life because you
have the indwelling Holy Spirit there to
help you although we love you and praise
you that you have given us your precious
word as a warning as an encouragement as
a help as a source of strength the
source of healing made the truth of your
word sink deep into every heart that
hears may there be definite definite
clear absolutely unquestionable change
in the attitude and into actions of
every person who hears this who has
never trusted Christ as their Savior and
all of us who have would look at our
lives to see are we walking in the light
of the truth of Jesus Christ I pray so
dear God in Jesus name Amen
[Music]
you