OPTIONS ARE IN FRONT OF YOU BUT…

What happens when we're in a season when we have options? What do we do? Because from a flesh perspective, if I have options, I'm going to legitimately look up. I'm going to choose the best possible option. If you are in a space where you have decisions to make, see, the enemy is going to try to come in this manner. See, when the enemy tries to throw you off your path, he's not just trying to steer you a little bit off. No, no, no.

The enemy wants you so off of your path that you're literally driving your your vehicle 120 m hour off of a cliff to the point where death is your only destination. Hallelujah. My leaders, let's pray. Heavenly Father, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Lord, I thank you for this time. I thank you for this hour. Heavenly Father, I ask that you would go before me right now, Lord God, and that you will speak to your leaders today, Father, prepare their minds, prepare their soil so that when they hear this word, Lord God, it produces a fruit 30fold, 60fold, 100fold.

Let them not hear this word today, Heavenly Father, and let it and it not impact them, Lord. Let this word impact them today, Lord God. Father, we want to focus this season and the enemy's been trying to distract Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, let us actually instead of opening our eyes and moving with the flesh, Lord God, let's close our eyes and begin to pray and move in the spirit. Lord God, this message today is about being in the spirit. So God, I ask that you will use me today to speak a word onto your leader today that's going to truly impact them. Lord God, Father, we want to be touched.

Lord, I need your words, not my words. to let me decrease as you increase. Heavenly Father, show me the words to say today that it may impact your leader today. I'm a firm believer that a life will be changed cuz we're about to get right back on track today. So, Father God, we even repent right now for anything that we've done today that went against your will, Lord. We want to say we apologize and we're sorry and we're turning towards you once again, Lord, so that we can go back to doing the very thing that you've called us to do. So, God, lead me today. guide me. Prepare this leader.

Ignite this leader after this message. Let something change. Let them not come in this message once again and leave the same way that they came in. Let something shake. Let something break. Hallelujah. So Lord, we just want to say that we love you. We thank you. And it's in your precious son Jesus mighty name that we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. My leaders, you right now are in a season where God wants you to close your eyes. And the reason why he wants you to close your eyes right now is because he wants you to discern more in the [Applause] [Applause] spirit than discerning in the flesh.

I was praying earlier today. I was going through my own warfare today. I'll be honest with you, I was going through a little battle. And the Lord revealed to me after I got on my knees and be to pray, he reminded me of the story of Abraham and the story of Lot. And as I'm as I'm thinking about it, I said, "Okay, God, what do you want me to see when it comes to the story of Abraham and the story of Lot?" So I begin to read. All right. And as I begin to read, my journey takes me to Genesis. Genesis chapter 13.

And in Genesis chapter 13, we see that Lot decided he was going to go with [Applause] [Applause] Abraham. God told Abraham in Genesis 12 to leave your family, leave your kindred, and go off into a land that I'm going to send you. I'm going to show you the land. I just need you to go. I need to start moving in faith in a direction. And as you're moving in faith in that direction, I'mma keep I'mma keep guiding you. I'mma keep making you. If you got to make it left, you're going to go left. You got to make it right, you going to go right.

If there's some enemies in front of you, I'm going to take care of the enemies, right? I called you to go to this great land. And so Lot decides he's going to come with Abraham. And Lot has so many stuff as well with him. Check this out. This is what Lot brings with him in verse 12. in uh chapter 13 rather of Genesis verse 5 and it said and Lot also went with Abraham and Lot what Lot had flocks Lot had herds Lot had tents. Okay. And it says this.

It says the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together for their substance was great so that they could not dwell together. Their substance was great. Abraham had so much resources, so much substance. So did Lot. Lot. Okay? And now where they were, they couldn't dwell together. And so here's a pivotal point in this message today is the fact that Abraham is now because of the conflict that's going on with the herdsmen. Okay, the herdsmen are getting into it with one another, Abraham is going to allow Lot to choose land. This is very pivotal pivotal because here's where the Lord led me to.

I want us to read this. So verse 9, if we read verse 8, "And Abraham said unto Lot, there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen, for we be brethren." So they're brethren. He doesn't want no strife. He doesn't want no arguing. He doesn't want no conflict. And says this in verse 9, "Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. If thou will take the left hand, then I will go to the right. If thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

So here we see with Abraham, hey Lot, if you want the left, take the left. I'mma go right. Hey Lot, if you like the right, take the right. I'mma go left. left. So now Lot has a decision to make. Here's how he makes his decision. Verse 10, it says, "And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of the Jordan that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou closestest unto Zor." So check this out. Lot is getting ready to choose Sodom and Gomorrah.

Okay, a city that we know was extremely wicked. Uh verse 12, check this out. Verse 11 it says, "Then Lot chose him the plain of the Jordan and Lot journeyed east and they separated themselves one from the other. In verse 12, Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom." He says, "But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly." Something I want to emphasize in verse 10. And Lot lifted up his eyes. And Lot lifted up his eyes. So here's my point.

Today during prayer, the Lord reminded me, I need you to close your eyes instead of opening your eyes. Right now, I need you to close your eyes instead of opening your eyes because I have some things that I want you to make. Some decisions I need you to make. And these decisions that I need you to make are not decisions that I want you to make from a flesh perspective. I don't want you to make a carnal decision based off of what you see right now. Lot was looking at the lot of the land. I love that name, Lot. And he's looking, he said, "Okay, this place is well watered.

Almost looks like the Garden of Eden." That's how beautiful the land was. It is beautiful cuz I'm out here in this place where it seems like this is where Lot would have been at. There's so much land out here. And I can just imagine as he put his eyes up, he saw, "Oo, look at them beautiful flowers over there. Look at the Look at the water that's going on down there. There's a tree next to the river. Oh my goodness. I can feed my cattle there. Okay, cool. We can I can put my tent there with my family. Okay, the herdsmen. The herdsmen, they can do that.

They can go out there. I can see it. So, everything makes sense to lot. I mean, think about it. If it was you and I, we had a decision. If I'm going to go forth, I'm going to choose the land that looks like the Garden of Eden. I'm probably going to choose like Lot if I'm moving in haste. I'm gonna choose what makes sense. You giving me my pick. I'm gonna pick the best of the best. But so here's the idea, though. When we lean in our own understanding, this is what it is. And we look up and we think that we have this thing all figured out.

We're actually moving in haste. It don't mean not to look up. It don't mean not to analyze. It don't mean not to do something that that logically makes sense. But what the Lord was reminding me today for the sake of this teaching and what he's teaching me and I'm just expressing to you was Michael, I know that right now you have a few things in your life right now that it it makes sense for you to do these things and I know you're looking at your circumstance.

You're looking at the situation and as you look up it seems like you should be doing that and it seems like you should be doing that and it seems like you should be going down there or it seems like you should be over there or it seems like you you should really be doing that. And matter of fact, if you do that, it's gonna look like it's going to yield this result. And and maybe that's just true. Maybe it will do everything that you think it's going to do. Maybe it will give you the enjoyment and the fulfillment that you think it's going to give you. Maybe it will.

But the question is, Lot, when you lifted up your eyes in verse 10, did you consult with God? Because at at no point, as I'm reading that scripture, did Lot go to God to make sure that this was the land that he should be in. I mean, he had options. And that's the thing. What happens when we're in a season when we have options? What do we do? Because from a flesh perspective, if I have options, I'm going to legitimately look up. I'm going to choose the best possible possible option. You put the ball in my hands, right?

See, it would have been different if if God told Lot, "Hey, what land are you going to choose?" No, no, no. Abraham is still a man who's just trying to solve a problem. And this man Abraham presents Lot with a decision. It's up to Lot now with the beautiful decision that he has to make to go to God. The reason I'm I'm here right now because the Lord has just been reminding me to remind you all too, my leaders who is watching this video. If you are in a space where you have decisions to make. See, the enemy is going to try to come in this manner.

See, when the enemy tries to throw you off your path, he's not just trying to steer you a little bit off. No, no, no. The enemy wants you so off of your path that you're literally driving your your vehicle 120 mph off of a cliff to the point where death is your only only destination. Sodom Gomorra was exceedingly wicked. I don't know if you can hear in the back. That's like a deer back here. Beautiful. Every time I come out here, there's a deer. I love that deer. I'mma name it. Y'all give me a name.

Every time the enemy knows you're about to make a decision, a decision that could bless your life. A decision that's possibly going to be increased. A decision that's possibly going to help you resolve a conflict situation in your life. a a decision that's probably going to solve a problem in your life, the enemy is going to also try to present things that look good. Because while we know that the enemy is also sub, we hate the enemy. We hate that demon. But the word also describes him according to Genesis as somebody that's crafty.

It's very crafty to create a answer based on human desires that the enemy knows we're going to choose based off of flesh. Like I I know if this person does not close their eyes and pray that just because of the flesh, they're going to choose this. He don't even have to try at this point. So I realize in my life right now, I can move a lot of times I can move with haste with some things. One of the things I've dealt with is lust. I can move in a way that's satisfying to my eyes. One of the things I had to also learn is submission and surrender.

I can move in a way that I'm leaning on my own understanding. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This makes makes sense. This it makes sense. What Lot did it made logical sense. But what the Lord is reminding me is this verse right here. We all know it, but I got to read it for the sake of this. And it's in Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3 reads this. It says in chapter 3 and verse 5, if you got it, let me know. It says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding." Y'all know this verse. We all know it. Very famous.

And it says in verse 6, "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." paths." So in all your ways Lot acknowledge him and he shall direct thy path. If Lot would have been say, "Hey Lord, thank you. Thank you for the opportunity that just came. Thank you for the fact that I get to choose my own land. Oh my gosh, this inheritance is about to be amazing. Lord God, thank you. But Lord God, I'm having trouble right now making a decision. And right now, this thing looks good that I'm about to do. The decision I'm about to make, it looks good. It's pleasing to my eyes.

But Lord, although it's pleasing to my eyes, heavenly father, Lord, which path would you have me take? And I guarantee you, the loving God that you and I serve, if we come to him in this manner, there's no way he's going to direct us to Sodom and Gomorra. Lot doesn't go to Sodom and Gomorrah if he does this. if if in all his ways he acknowledges him and allows the Lord to direct his step. And then it says this in in seven. It said, "Be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil.

Be not wise in thine own eyes, in thine own understanding, in thine own perception. Fear God and depart from evil. have reverence for God and depart from evil. But because Lot did not take a moment to just honor God at that moment, have reverence for the Lord at that moment, ask for directions at that moment, he actually led to a place that's exceedingly evil. And it reminds me, it reminds me of relationships. There was many times in my past where I'm making decisions before I got married to my beautiful wife McCle. Shout out to you, my love. Where I would make decisions based off of just this.

I didn't ask God if this individual was the right person for me to be with. I didn't ask the Lord. I just saw I saw physique. I saw curves. I saw what Lot saw. And I went down that journey. And a journey I shouldn't have went on. And this is not just in relationships. These have been things in career-wise. I seen the income. I seen the money that this was going to make for me. I had started making plans. I started having visions. I started making goals based on something that God never called me to jump into. How do I know?

I never acknowledged him before I got I jumped at the opportunity, but I never acknowledged him. And what I'm trying to say today is the Lord reminded me like, Mike, when you get up in the morning, first thing I need you to do is acknowledge me. First thing I need you to do is get on your knees and acknowledge me. Today, he had to remind me that because the first thing I did was when I got up today, I went to the gym. I'm going to be honest with you. I've been going to the gym every day resting at least one day a week.

But today particularly, I didn't get on my knees and just simply, "Hey God, lead me today. Hey God, protect me. Guide me. Lead me away from temptation." You know what I mean? Cover me, Lord. I didn't go to God and pray like I typically do, praying for others. I just got up this morning and the Lord had to rebuke me and remind me, hey, you going to have issues if you move like that. Don't God love me so much to not allow me to get into a routine and a habit of doing something that's not going to be for my benefit. benefit.

And what I'm saying today as the Holy Spirit is leading me to speak this word is that hey my leaders, it don't take nothing but a few seconds to acknowledge God in all our ways. It don't take nothing but to acknowledge God. Hey Lord, I'm about to make this decision. Hey Lord, thank you for this decision. Thank you for the opportunity, Lord. But guide me, please. If this is not you, Lord, remove it. But this is this is you. Hallelujah, heavenly father. And Lord God, I I I don't know how to make this decision right now. Lord, give me wisdom.

I need your wisdom cuz my eyes is telling me this, right? But Lord, your spirit may be telling me something else. So God, please, heavenly father, lead me today in Jesus name. It takes nothing but a mere moment to acknowledge God in all our ways to make decision. As I'm speaking to you, I'm reminding myself as well to, hey Mike, slow down sometimes because you do not want to make a lot decision.

So before you move forward next time, the idea of me saying close your your eyes is just saying, "Hey, talk to God real real quick." The idea of me saying close your eyes is me saying, "Hey, don't lean on your own understanding right now. Just close your eyes." That's it. Very simple message, but a powerful reminder because it's that split moment of decision that can lead us in the path where the enemy wants us to drive off a cliff with no fate or to drive in a land of milk and honey. That's the land of Canaan. Abraham is leaning on faith in Jesus Christ. He's leaning on faith in God.

He's trusting God for his path. Lot was leaning on his own understanding. He almost got his life [Music] [Music] taken. What will we do? Leadership challenge today. I want you right now to analyze a few areas in your life that you're about to make some decisions. Okay? Maybe you've made some decisions already, but what areas are you going to make decisions coming up real soon? Maybe today. What are those decisions? All right. And on a sheet of paper, this what I used to do before I stopped doing my leadership challenge. I'm going to bring these back. So, this is something, this is a practical application of this message.

Writing is a psycho motor neuroactivity which makes you have to lean in and you got to focus. So I want you to get a sheet of paper today and what I want you to do is write the top five things that you're about to make a decision decision in. And I want you to pray over these things and just ask the Lord for direction concerning those things. Okay, let's pray. Hallelujah. Heavenly Father, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Father God, we just want to acknowledge the name of Jesus right now.

We want to acknowledge the one who is able to direct our paths in a way that's going to bring life and not death. Lord, I rebuke the path of the devil right now. If there's anybody who is watching this video under the sound of my voice that the enemy has been controlling, I rebuke that devil right now in Jesus' name. We cast off those demons that have been trying to distract my leader based on things that just look good. Father God, I rebuke the decision making of Lot. If they've been making lot decisions, heavenly father, I rebuke that spirit right now in Jesus' name.

Father God, ignite them and remind them that even in the split moment when they're about to make even some of the most simple decisions to lean on you and just ask you, God, is this the right way that I must go? And some people right now are about to be making some big choices, some big decisions. Heavenly Father, I just right now want to come into agreement with them of just asking you, God, how do you want us to proceed forward? How do you want us Lord God? We need your wisdom. I don't need the understanding of my eyes, but I need the wisdom of God right now.

Father God, I pray that you impart your wisdom on this leader today so they don't make the wrong decisions moving forward, Lord God. We will not end up in a Sodom and Gomorrah situation in Jesus' name. Father God, I plead the blood of Jesus over this leader right now, Lord God, and I empower them, Lord God. I uplift them and I encourage them to continue to lean on the name of Jesus Christ. And Father God, Lord, I know you're going to do a mighty work. Heavenly Father, I know you're going to lead them in the right direction.

And Father God, I just pray that there's a spirit of peace on this leader as they begin to pray to you. And I begin to pray that there's a trust. If you told them to let something go off of that list, let it go. If you said yes, let them know that you said yes. If you said no, let them know that you said no, God. But Father, I'm praying right now that you make it very clear what they ought to do and what they ought to choose. Hallelujah.

Moving forward, somebody's life is going to forever be changed because they're not going to go towards the path of destruction that the enemy was trying to take them off. This video, hallelujah, in the name of Jesus, was to make a crooked place straight. Lord, I do believe that you have made our crooked ways straight today from this revelation, from this message. Father, I thank you for giving me this word. Father, I pray that this literally seed is planted and something grows out of this message. So, Father God, we just want to say we thank you for your love. Hallelujah. We thank you for your grace.

We thank you for your mercy, Lord God. It's in your precious son Jesus mighty name that we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. I love you, my leaders, but Jesus Christ loves you more. Hey, my leaders, do me a favor. If this message connected with you, I don't ask that you like this video, but I do ask that you share this video with at least one person that needs I'm trying to reach your contact. Let me be the mouthpiece to touch whoever's in your contact list. I don't care if they don't know Jesus at all. I want to connect them because this this is gonna connect with somebody.

Somebody has to hear this today. So, do me a favor. Share this video. See you on the next one. We out.