Do You Want to Live by Design or Default?
Written by Brigitta Tedja
Watch Ps Paul’s preaching here
Pastor Paul Tan continued with the #WakeUpCall series entitled, “Do You Want to Live by Design or Default?” This sermon explores how through a series of questions, one can make a choice and decision on how to proceed with life by living within God’s original design. Pastor stated that the answer is a question. Often times, when God asks you questions, He does not need the information because He already knows the answer. He asks because He wanted YOU to say it, because in answering, you can really grasp it.
Pastor observed in the Bible that whenever people asked Jesus a question, He answered the question with another question. For example, the lawyer asking what is the greatest commandment and Jesus giving the parable of the Good Samaritan and then asking him which one was the good neighbor? Another example was when a Pharisee asked if he was to pay taxes and Jesus asked whose name and face was on the coin. His answers came in the form of a question. In John 8:6, Jesus was set up by the Pharisees with the woman who was caught in adultery. According to the law of Moses, the woman should be stoned to death. Jesus wrote on the ground/dirt with his finger and asked who among them was without sin.
If you notice, most of God’s interactions with people are spoken with an interrogative mood, not the imperative mood. An interrogative mood is a form of a verb that is applied to ask questions like, “What do you see?” When Moses asked what he should do when he meets with Pharoah, God answered him with a question, “What’s in your hand?” God wanted Moses to use the rod to perform signs and wonders with it. God uses the simple things in your life but sometimes you cannot see or perceive it. You need to not only have sight but also have spiritual eyes to gain insight. Do not make things too complicated. Right now, God is asking you a question. Pastor Paul challenged us to answer the question by answering the following questions:
The Answer is a Question:
1. Where Are You?
God is asking where you are. When He asks a question, He doesn’t need an answer.
Wake Up Call: Don’t extend or prolong your hiding time
2. What Are You Doing?
What are you doing in the church, the CARE Cell, as a Christian?
What are you doing with the anointing/assignment God gave you for your life, ministry, church?
Ex: Elijah hid himself after doing mighty works against the prophets of Baal
3. What Do You See?
God asked the question to Jeremiah, Zachariah, Amos and wanted to hear their answers
Get a good perspective and gain insight
4. David and … Saul
1 Sam 17:33: “And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”
* This insult was not from the enemy but from his own group of people/friend.
-- Sometimes the voice that you need to shut down is not only the voice of Goliath but also from your own fellow friend who is moving in anti-faith.
In verse 38, David was unable to walk/fight in Saul’s armor. As a Benjaminite, Saul was designed to fight with his left hand and was skilled with a sling, but he rejected the design and hid it. Tommy Tenney stated, “David defeated Goliath not because he fought well but because he believed God well.”
So, do you want to live by design or default? His design of you was established before you were born, but maybe you missed the design and buried it due to challenges. It is important for you to receive Jesus and be filled and led by the Holy Spirit. In David’s case, it took a lion to awaken his design, a bear to confirm the design, and it took a giant to manifest that design to the nations.
You were designed by the Great Architect. He constructed you with unique specifications. Do not compare yourself with your neighbor, do not compete with fellow ministers, but complete. The Architect designed you well. You can withstand whatever challenges you are facing. God is saying: “I have put it in you before life’s challenges put it on you.” You will be given the anointing, strength, and capacity to handle any challenges. No challenge will be too big that you cannot handle.
When you live by default, you sow discord versus walking in unity (Eph 4:1-3), you grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:25-32), you follow the current trend (Eph. 5:3-7), and your life is not in order (Eph. 5:15-21).
When you walk in your original design, you are trusted and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Eph 1:12-14), you have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Eph 1:17), the eyes of your understanding become enlightened (Eph 1:18), and Christ in you is far above all principality, power, might, and dominion in this age and the age to come (Eph 1:20-21).
If you are honest and answer these questions and make the choice right now, it will lead you to the right destination and you will be prepared when troubled times come. Doug Stringer stated, “Revival comes by choice or judgment,” so do not wait until you are cornered. Only you can answer the question. Make a choice. You are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Know who you are and whose you belong to.
Prayer Points:
Pray to know where you are, know what you are doing, and have insight on what you see
Pray to reach out to God
Be honest with God and self
Stop hiding, stop wearing masks
Look to God, not to circumstances or situations
Pray for breakthroughs and deliverance:
Break the yoke and shake off the heavy burdens (family, school, career, businesses, etc)
The enemy cannot steal, distract, or delay God’s plan in your life
Declare that the joy of the Lord is your strength
Pray to know who you are
You are special and powerful
Do not listen to the enemy
Seek out insight
Pray for God to revive you
Quicken and reveal the design
Don’t underestimate what you have in your hand
Reset, recalibrate your life with the destiny and original design
Pray to keep on following God
Follow Him today, tomorrow, all the days of your lives (beyond the altar call)
Pray for CBC during our time of transition
Pray to secure the borders of Ukraine and for our troops who stand guard there
Know that you are loved and cherished today on Valentine's Day and always!