God’s Positioning System (GPS)

We started a series last week called ‘Life Bila Regrets‘, where we’re saying that we are the products of our decisions. Today’s decisions will determine tomorrow’s reality. Last week we looked at the first decision-making tool. Today, we want to look at the next critical tool.

Read Luke 22:39-46

In the passage we’ve read, Jesus was facing his toughest decision yet. He was in a terribledilemma. On the one hand he was committed to doing God’s Will which was to take on thepunishment for human sin. But on the other he knew that would cost him dearly, includingexperiencing the complete and utter separation from God, the Source of all life. There would bea huge cost to obeying God. And he wished there could be another way! And so our passagetells us that in his dilemma he resorted to what he had always done; prayer.

How does prayer help us when we’re facing huge decisions?

1. Prayer Establishes Connection

v.39 ‘Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives’

The most significant purpose for prayer is not to get answers to our problems but to bond with our heavenly Father. You see, prayer is a conversation with God. It sets up a connection between you and your heavenly Father. It’s a bonding time, where you confide your feelings, thoughts, joys, frustrations, struggles and questions to a trusted friend. And in the process, you establish a connection!

The amazing thing about God is that He’s not just any other friend. He has a birds-eye view ofmy life. He can see the road ahead of me. He can see where there are roadblocks and traffic letme know which routes are best to take home. In that way, conversation with Him is like having a divine GPS. GPS or Global Positioning System is a satellite navigation system is used todetermine ground position and velocity (location, speed, and direction) is helpful in selectingwhich road to pick.

As we make difficult decisions at the crossroads of our lives, we connect to our own spiritualGPS, God’s Positioning System to ensure we always make the right decision.

James 1:5 promises, ‘If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault’.

The bible tells us that God and Abraham were such good friends that when God wanted todestroy a city, he thought, ‘it would be unfair for me to do this thing without talking to my closefriend!’ Talk about connected! How do you establish such a connection? The secret is timetogether! When you spend a lot of time with anyone talking over issues it is almost given thatyou become CLOSE to that person. You get to know how they think, and what is important tothem. With time, you can even predict what they’re thinking about a certain issue.

As I read His word, as I speak with him about it in prayer every day, I learn to startdistinguishing His voice above all the clamor and misdirection. And when I’m at the cross-roads,my signal from Him is loud and clear!

Isaiah 30:21 says ‘whether you turn to the right or to theleft, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it’.

 2. Prayer Keeps Me From Wrong Turns

v.40 ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation’.

Twice in our passage, Jesus urged the disciples to pray against temptation. In every big decision, there is always a temptation to choose the easier path as opposed to choosing the right path. Jesus had struggled through this temptation himself. In Luke 4, the devil began a desperate attempt to get him to renounce this painful course of action. You don’t have to die; surely you can save the people by giving practical solutions like bread? Surely, you can ask God to save your life? This dying on the cross thing, it doesn’t suit you! It’s not your swag! There must be an easier way! Right from the beginning, he was determined to distract Jesus from his purpose.

Listen; the devil is determined to destroy your purpose! His goal is that in your day-to-day decisions at home, in the office or in the classroom, you will choose your way and stray from God’s way.

Proverbs 14:12 says ‘There is a path before each person that seems right, but itends in death’ (NLT). But Jesus was able to avoid the temptation to go his way. v. 42 ‘Father ifyou are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done’.

I love the way he kept it real with God. He knew that what God wanted was not what he preferred. And he didn’t try to hide that or pretend. But in the process of sharing his preferences, something was happening to him. The bible tells us that even though he dreaded what was about to happen, later on he was able to answer Pilate and the high priest with authority and confidence. His prayer did not change the fact that he was going to be crucified. But it changed his posture from a struggling person to a surrendered person. This is what happens when you Get Connected!

Just like God’s word calibrates our minds so we can understand what God wants, prayer tunesour hearts so that we are able to surrender to His will and purpose for our lives. Before prayerchanges my circumstances, it has to change me! Some of us here were so disappointed thatGod did not do what we wanted when we prayed that we forgot that God has a much bigger planfor us. That He sees the bigger picture! And that in His love for us, He is working out all thingsfor our good (Rom.8:28).

God ALWAYS answers when we pray. To some of our prayers, he gives the green light – or YES. Those are the prayers that are completely in tune with His will and in our best interest atthat time. To others He gives orange light for WAIT. Why? Sometimes because the answer isnot yet ready for me and He’s working on it, but other times because I’m not yet ready for theanswer – and He’s working on me! And I need to trust that He will make all things beautiful inHis time! (Ecc.3:11) And finally, he will sometimes give the red light – and say NO to our prayer.But even at such times, it is never out of malice but out of His love for us. The key thing thatkeeps me trusting even when I get a ‘wait’ or a ‘no’ answer is the trust that comes out of ourconnection. As someone once put it, even though I don’t always see His hands, I can alwaystrust His heart.

It’s Time to Get Connected!

GOD’S QUESTION: Will you be patient and let Me change you, rather than try to manipulate Me to get what you want?

 3. Prayer Gets Me To My Destination

v. 43 ‘An angel from heaven appeared to himand strengthened him’.

The disciples were asleep, ‘exhausted from sorrow’. There are those times that even those we expect to be there for us let us down. People we trust/look up to/who should know better. But even though Jesus was abandoned by his friends, in the course of His prayer, God sent an angel to minister to him and to give him strength to carry on and fulfill his difficult assignment. When we stop trying to force God to do things our way and begin to submit to and trust His leadership, He is able to strengthen us to face it. 1Cor.10:13 says ‘No temptation has seized youexcept what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be temptedbeyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way outso that you can stand up under it.’ God always has a way out. Sometimes it’s by changing your circumstances. And sometimes it’s by changing you! So once more,It’s Time to Get Connected!

I believe that God is inviting us to become people of prayer – friends who communicate with him regularly and often. People who are connected to divine wisdom through a habit of regular prayer. People who during the day, as they work out in the gym, before they enter a meeting, as they’re sending out a tender – they always take a moment to connect with their Father.

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