A House Divided Cannot Stand!

“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Mark 3:24-25

I was having some time alone with God when I came across the verse above and it made me stop and think. You know how it is. You can hear a particular scripture dozens of times with little impact and then other times it hits you right between the eyes. This was one of those occasions, when the truth of the statement came crashing home.
I realized that many times we are our own worst enemies. We get stuck (or at least feel stuck) because we are divided internally. Our desires, beliefs, decisions, words and actions are not in alignment and so we are like a house divided – we go nowhere. We can only make real progress in life when these elements line up together and with God.

For example, if you desire to honor God with your life, but then you believe the cost is too high, then you are a house divided. Or if you make a decision to follow God but then your words and actions are contrary, then you are also treading water. The Bible says that a double-minded man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Let me share a framework with you that I learned from Pastor Brian Houston of Hillsong Church in Australia to achieve what you want in life. First, understand that your decisions must line up with the desire God put in your heart. Desire and decision must flow in the same direction. You can’t desire a great business, for example, and can’t get out of bed. Because if so, your decision doesn't line up with your desire. Life is about decisions.

Next, you must be prepared to sacrifice for whatever it is you desire. Will you pay the price? In all matters of achievement, you must be willing to count the cost. You must be prepared to sacrifice what you are now for what you could become. Then you must take action! You can’t wait for the play to come to you – you’ve got to go to where the ball is. Notice the greatest athletes of all time. Do they stand around and wait for the action to come to them? Of course not, they constantly take action – they move to the ball.

Finally, be patient. Achievement always calls for endurance. In the Bible, the ones who inherit God’s promises are the ones who endure. God is faithful – He keeps His covenant for a thousand generations. God is for you. He desires that you fulfill the dreams He placed in your heart. It is time to stop the self-sabotage. Make a decision today in the direction of your God-given dreams and desires. Count the cost and then take some action, even baby, mustard seed-sized steps. Then just be patient and wait on the Lord. Once you are aligned with Him, it’s just a matter of time to receive your blessing!

Stop and quietly think about that today.