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Five Words That Can Change Your Destiny

by

Gene Steiner

VISION

In Joshua’s day, the Israelites needed to know that their leaders had a vision. What was true then is still true today! As the Bible says, “For without a vision, the people perish.”

Moses had just left the scene, and the setting demonstrated the need for Joshua to have a fresh vision from the Lord. He reviewed the track record of God's faithful provision for (and protection of) His people, the Israelites. He sought God, and received directly from the Lord the confidence that the Lord was with him just as He was with Moses. He then challenged the people to believe in God because of God’s track record. No purposeful destiny can be achieved without an underlying vision of God’s plan, a goal and purpose that can be comprehended, and a promise in which one can trust. Without such a vision, the people will perish.

DESIRE

Joshua confronted the people with the issue of desire. His words were, "if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve." Without the desire to serve a faithful God, the wrong choice will be made every time. Has God implanted within you a desire to make a wise choice? Each of us has to have desire before we can make that choice.

CHOICE

"Choose for yourselves this day!" Joshua commanded. He knew, and all of us must realize, that choices make the critical difference as to our destiny. Making a choice is like buying an airline ticket for a desired destination. You purchase your ticket based upon a having made the choice ahead of time of your specific destination. Few would want to board a plane if the pilot had not chosen to head that plane with its load of passengers toward the specific agreed-upon destination.

COMMITMENT

When Joshua confronted the Israelites, he suggested that they had to make a choice: "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve." He required that they each commit to following through on their decision. Joshua reiterated to the people his own choice for himself and his family and that was to serve the Lord, to hear and obey His voice and to commit to follow wherever the Lord led them. He sought all Israel to get on board with God’s plan. The same goes for us today. Are we willing to make that commitment? Once we choose, we must diligently stay on the path, stay on the road of obedience and commit to stay in fellowship with the Lord.

FOLLOW-THROUGH

Joshua's challenge to the Israelites emphasized serving as much as it did choosing. Without the serving, choosing is an empty eggshell; there is nothing to produce life. Each one was to be involved, to do his part, and then to follow-through for the good of the whole group.

Five words of destiny! The difference between a homeless man on the street and an executive with a six-figure income is in these five words: vision, desire, choice, commitment, and follow-through.

What vision has stimulated your desire, that now brings you to the point of choosing and committing to your destiny? Finally, are you following-through to do your part?

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