Decision-making is an essential part of moving through every day of our lives because our lives are series of choices. And the decisions we make determine our future. They affect whether we grow in our prosperity or delay what God wants for us to have—spiritually, mentally, emotionally, relationally, physically, financially and every other way. How critical it is, then, that we learn to make the right decisions, or what Brother Copeland calls “quality decisions,” because those are the ones that will move our lives forward.
Once, when Brother Copeland was fasting in regard to his weight, as he was praying and talking to the Lord about it, he heard God speak up on the inside saying, The decision is yours. I can’t make the decision for you. I provide the material, but the decision is yours. It was then that Brother Copeland realized not only how important our decisions are, but also that God has given us the power to make the best decisions.
If you haven’t always made the best decisions, or you want to start making even better ones, consider these 5 Quality Decisions To Move Your Life Forward, and implement them into your decision-making, starting today.
1.MAKE QUALITY DECISIONS TO GET YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE IN SHAPE
“Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”
(Daniel 6:3, KJV)
The Bible tells us that Daniel had an excellent spirit, so much so the king placed him in a position of “president,” along with two others, to reside over 120 princes throughout the kingdom. Such a promotion made the other presidents and princes attempt to find fault with Daniel, but the Word tells us, “They could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him” (Daniel 6:4, KJV). So then, they conspired to pass a law stating that no one could ask a petition of God or man for 30 days, and if they did, they would be thrown into the lions’ den. The good news of this story is that because Daniel didn’t let go of his excellent spirit, he wasn’t harmed.
Because Daniel refused to compromise, he maintained an excellent spirit. In the Aramaic and the Hebrew, the root meanings of excellence lend to the idea of abundance and pre-eminence. When you put the meanings together, the implication is that an excellence spirit is where the Spirit of God is preeminent in a person’s life.
Does the Spirit of God have pre-eminence in your life? Do you give Him first place? Do you refuse to compromise in your decision-making? Make a quality decision today to get or keep your spiritual life in shape so you, too, can have an excellent spirit.
2.MAKE QUALITY DECISIONS TO CHOOSE THE BLESSING
“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.”
(Deuteronomy 30:19, KJV)
God is going to get you for that! Most of us have said that kind of thing jokingly for years. We have somehow believed that God slaps us down with pain and punishment every time we sin. But that’s just not true. There are deadly wages for sin, but God is not the One who is doling them out.
You see, the Bible tells us there’s been a curse in effect for thousands of years. And the devil is the cause of it, not the Lord God. God Gave warning of it in Deuteronomy 30:19. After describing in detail THE BLESSINGS that fall upon those who followed God and the terrible suffering that would befall those who separated themselves from Him, He said, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”
Think of it this way; Curseville is out there. God Warned us about it and Urged us not to travel the road that leads there. But He has Given us freedom, and He WIll allow us to choose our own way. If we get on the road to Curseville and don’t get off of it, we are going to end up there. Is that because God sent us there? No! He urged us to not go.
The vital thing to realize is this: At any point of the journey—whether you’re on the road to Curseville or living right in the middle of it—God will Save you from it. He will Take you out of there and Deliver you. He will Deliver you from diseases, addictions, or anything else that’s been holding you captive.
Today if you find yourself on the wrong road and see destruction ahead, you can make a quality decision, to choose THE BLESSING. Just repent and get on the right road. Just commit your way to Jesus, and He will Deliver you from whatever may be holding you captive. You can begin by praying, “Lord Jesus, I’ve chosen the wrong road and right now I ask You to Forgive me. Today I choose life by choosing Your way. Please Deliver me from this bondage and fill me with Your Holy Spirit to make quality decisions. Thank You, Lord!”
Remember this: No matter what you have done, God doesn’t want to get you for it, He wants to Forgive you of it. He doesn’t want to slap you down; He wants to Save you and lift you up. Trust Him and let Him put you on the road of life today!
3.MAKE QUALITY DECISIONS TO PROSPER YOUR SOUL
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
(3 John 2, KJV)
One of the easiest traps to fall into in this life is to use the idea of God being Sovereign as a way of excusing ourselves from making the decisions God wants us to make. God is Sovereign, but He has Empowered us to make decisions. He has Given us His Authority in this earthly realm (Matthew 28:18-20). He has Assigned it to us to bring Heaven and earth together in this realm (Matthew 6:9-13).
While it’s good and right to want and pray for the will of God to be done, God has Put into our hands the ability to do everything His Word Tells us to do. Therefore, it’s incumbent upon us to get our souls in shape. Third John 2 tells us that’s our souls prospering is the will of God, but verse 11 tells us it’s our job—our quality decisions—to get our souls in shape and then maintain them.
“Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God” (KJV).
Our souls are defined as our minds, our wills, and our emotions. What are you doing to prosper each of these areas of your life?
For example, do you want to prosper your mind? Then read Philippians 4:8 and follow its instructions: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (KJV).
In the same way you can take Philippians 4:8 to heart, you can find verses to help you submit your will to God and manage your emotions. That’s prospering your soul.
4.MAKE QUALITY DECISIONS FOR YOUR HEALTH
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honour God with your body.”
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
It is vitally important that we get into agreement with God in every area of our lives and align ourselves with His Word. This is true regarding every facet of our lives, including obedience to God and taking care of our health.
When Brother Copeland was fasting in regard to his weight, he decided to look up every verse in the Bible that spoke of gluttony (overeating). What he found was that the word drunkard was in every one of those verses. At that time God had already Delivered Brother Copeland from smoking and from drinking, and he discussed that with the Lord. Naturally, he asked God, “How are You going to Deliver me from food?”
God Answered him saying, “I didn’t deliver you from breathing; I Delivered you from breathing smoke. I didn’t deliver you from drinking; I delivered you from drinking a particular substance. Now, what you going to do about all that sugar in those soft drinks?”
Brother Copeland’s true deliverance was in the Power God had already Given him to make the best quality decisions for his health.
Is there some quality decisions God wants you to make regarding your health? Is it time to change your eating habits? Is it time to take up walking or biking or some other way to exercise? What is God Prompting you to do to take better care of and honour Him with your body?
5.MAKE QUALITY DECISIONS TO GET OUT OF DEBT
“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
(Romans 13:8, KJV)
If you are drowning in debt, or just keep using it to get by, then it’s time to consider making quality decisions to get out of debt, once and for all. Now, before you start thinking it’s impossible, accept the fact that it may be—if you attempt to do it all on your own.
The best way to get out of debit is to get God involved in your finances; to invite Him in to do what only He can do. Additionally, to get God involved in your money is to start sowing and sharing some of what you do have, so He can Give you what you don’t have.
Malachi 3:10 is a promise: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (KJV).
If we’ll give God our tithe, then He promises to open the windows of Heaven and pour out a Blessing, to the point there’s not room enough to receive it. In other words, He’ll do the Supernatural for you. He’ll do the impossible for you, because what’s impossible with man is always possible with God (Luke 18:27).
What’s more, He goes on to promise us even more: “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:11-12, KJV).
And those are just the promises on tithing! God has promised much to those who give.
When you begin walking in these 5 Quality Decisions To Move Your Life Forward, your circumstances will begin to change and line up with the will and purposes of God. Don’t turn back, and you’ll be well on track to walking in everything God has for you!
