Joel means "Jehovah is God." Jo is a shortened form of Yahweh, Jehovah, and el is the generic word for God: We know Joel mostly because of the wonderful prophecy, in the second chapter of his book, regarding the coming of Pentecost: the pouring out of the Holy Spirit of God upon the earth, upon all flesh [Joel 2:28-32], That Peter preaches about in Acts 2:17. A decision is an opportunity to walk in God’s will, It’s a sharp, strict and vivid choice, the line between heaven of Hell, blessings or curse, good or bad, acceptance or rejection, success or failure, joy or sorrow. A man’s life is the sum of all decision they have made consciously or unknowingly. In fact we make over 2500 decisions and an average day. Some important and some not!
Joel talks of a scenario that he finds himself living in, Israel had rejected their God, Joel steps up to be the man that will awaken revival in Israel, Joel avails himself to be God’s point of contact in the land…
The valley of Decision
The greatest power that has been given into the hands of man is the power to make decisions for himself. The capacity of a man lies in his ability to make a decision, if you don’t make a decision you make a decision..
The bible multitudes are in the valley of Jehoshaphat, the valley of Decision but time and time again men fail to make decision worth destiny. Many find themselves in the confusion of what is right for them, Many of us have failed in an encounter to make a decision. We have been defeated by decision. From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, the decision that mankind made, through Adam, to disobey God, has led us all into that same condition of rebellion against God. As a result, every one of us will face our own valleys of decision.
Have you ever been challenged with making decisions?
“What should I fix for dinner?” “What should I wear today?” “Where should I invest my money?” “Who should I date?” “Where should I go on vacation?” “What career should I pursue?” “Should we move?” “What doctor do I select?” “Should we take the job offer?” “Is this the person I am to marry?” “Do I buy these shoes are those?”
LIFE IS FILLED WITH CHOICES, CHOICES THAT AFFECTS US EVERYDAY IN EVERYTHING WE DO, WHICH MEANS THAT EVERYDAY CHOICES IS NOT WITHOUT SIGNIFICANCE.
Now all of us are summoned to it, all of us. I am born into it. I cannot escape it. The fact that I live, that I breathe, that my heart beats, that my mind can think, throws me into a world of inevitable and inexorable choice. I am forced to live in a world of decision; and my life, your life is made up of those decisions that we make.
The first men’s calling and assignment is to make a decision, the men’s last assignment is to make a decision. Many have ran away from their calling, the world is in chaos because the power of decision has been denied by many.
In Hebrew, the word for decision is charuts.
Det 30:19-20 9 Heaven records every decision you make.
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou may love the LORD thy God, and that thou may obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Joshua 24:15
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, 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.
Every decision that does not reference the spirit of God, is an error in decision.
Bad decisions
2 Sam 24: 1-10
David sinned against the Lord in numbering the people of Israel? Going to war instead of depending upon God, he disobeyed the Lord, counting his forces as though he, and his arm, and the great army with him gains the victory when actually it is God that gives victory. the Lord sent the prophet Gad to him and said, "David, God gives you three choices: one, seven years drought; two, three months to flee before your enemies; three, three days of pestilence. Now you tell me the answer, the decision, so that I can return it to Him who sent me, the Lord" [2 Samuel 24:11-13].
David thought the judgment with short days would benefit him more, Man
short cuts have killed many..
Microwave decisions
2 Samuel 24:16-17. He goes up from the valley to the mountain to build an altar for the Lord
?Eve-to eat fruit. Gen. 3 - brought death.
? Lot chose Sodom. Gen. 13 – lost all he had.
?David chose to remain behind war and sinned
? Ahab chose Jezebel. 1 Kings 16-22 – much sin and wrong involved. The choice of the lust of the eyes
?Samson chose Delilah. Judges 16 – Lost power and finally death. ( Chose to redeem himself)- The choice of the flesh
?Rehoboam- took advice of young men. 1 Kings 12: 6 – Divided kingdom. The error of our generation, decision of wrong consultations.
?Judas chose money over Jesus ( The love of resources), The young ruler ( Luke 18:18)
?FELIX WAS IN THE VALLEY OF DECISION (Acts 24:22-26)
(Felix was a Roman procurator of Judea. He was a mean, cruel judge, accepting bribes. He held Paul in prison for two years, calling him often, hoping that Paul would give him money.) He was under conviction but was not ready for a decision
People Will Die Waiting for a Convenient Time. They want to be saved, plan to be saved, but not just right now, later.
?KING AGRIPPA ALSO WAS IN THE VALLEY OF DECISION (Acts 26:26-28)
(Paul, before King Agrippa, gave testimony of how he was gloriously converted. Paul brought Christ so real before the king that he was greatly moved.) Almost but still undecided; almost but left in the valley; almost but as far as is known it was a final almost and he was altogether lost to Hell. There are people in Hell who were almost persuaded but never made up their minds. He was convicted, but failed to decide.
Let the Lord Guide your Decision
?Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Trust – to lay upon, to rest full weight upon
Lean - It means to rest upon for partial support, You lean on something when you are not strong enough to stand alone.
Understanding - Don’t trust in your own ability to figure out your life. Lean instead on the Lord! Rest your weight on him! (Job 12:12)
The important spirits we need : Isa 11:2
2 Timothy 2: 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things
1 Cor 14: 20 Do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
Paul says when he prays in the spirit, his understanding is unfruitful
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Acknowledge - means to know deeply and intimately
1 John 2: 23 he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
Hosea 8: 4 They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them
Summary
There is a profound weakness in human nature. It is this: all of us have the tendency to blame somebody else for what we are, for the choices that we make. That’s a part of our fallen nature, our first parents did that [Genesis 3:1-6]. When Adam sinned, he blamed his wife, "The woman that You gave me, she led me to eat of the forbidden fruit." And the woman said, "It is the serpent, he deceived me!" [Genesis 3:12-13].
Destiny lies in two hands of decision
The valley of decision is before all of us constantly. And it is filled with roads, and crossroads, and crossings; there are ways that are narrow, and there are ways that are wide and broad. It is filled with lights, some of it red, some of green, some of it flashing. It is filled with every kind of allurement, and detention, and trial, and invitation. In that valley of decision where we are, God is; Jesus is; the Holy Spirit is; Satan is, and his legions. And we face those inevitable questions of life every day that we live. And however the judgment is of all of the nations and peoples of the earth, yet the responsibility of each decision is ours. It’s my own; it is my responsibility. How I am, the way I go, is due to my choice, my choice.
Decision Prayer
Our Lord in heaven, it is an awesome moment when we stand face to face with God. Oh, oh, what destiny determining decisions are made when the Lord calls and we answer yes or no. Our Lord we are praying that this night, this hour, this moment, this moment of decision, this hour of choice, Lord, Lord may it be one where the child, the boy, the girl, where the youth, where the father and mother, where the family, where the soul standing in the presence of Jesus says, "I do. God help me. I am on the way. I am coming to Thee, Lord. I am giving Thee my heart and my life and soul."
