The Unstoppable God
It's easy to think that our life is based on what we're choosing. We all have our own free will to make decisions to do what we want. To a point, it's true that we determine the course of our life, but that's not the only factor. God has a conditional will--these are things He does based on whether or not we make good choices. But He also has a sovereign will--these are things He does regardless of our decisions. God has already planned ahead of time a purpose for you to fulfill. He's not watching how you perform, how disciplined you are, and then He decides whether He does certain things. He's not watching what disappointments or bad breaks come your way, and then He'll pivot and come up with another plan.
The apostle Paul says, "You were chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything according to His will" (Ephesians 1:11)."Long before you were born, God laid out the plan and purpose for your life. His sovereign will is unstoppable. There's nothing you can do or not do to keep His sovereign will from coming to pass or to get God to change His mind. Just ask Jonah. He did exactly the opposite of what God told him to do, got in trouble and thrown overboard into the sea. God didn't say, "Too bad. You're on your own. You should have listened." God had a big fish waiting to swallow him and take him to the shore, as though He called an Uber. God was saying, "Jonah, My sovereign will is that you go and speak what I say."
And it's not just in negative things. When it's His sovereign will for you to be blessed, it's not dependent on what family you come from or from how much experience, talent, or education you have. The blessing will overtake you. You'll see favor that you didn't earn, you didn't deserve, you weren't born into, and you can't explain. God says it this way: "I know the plans I have for you, plans for good, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 15:11). "It's the unstoppable God carrying out the plan that He decided long ago."
You will face some ups and downs, things you don't understand, but you can stay in peace, knowing that it's all working according to His will. You're not at the mercy of fate or happenstance. "You don't have to worry about how something can happen or how you can get ahead. The sovereign God has already not only planned it, but He will make it happen. It's not up to you; it's up to Him. You can rest in His plan.
The apostle Paul says, "You were chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything according to His will" (Ephesians 1:11)."Long before you were born, God laid out the plan and purpose for your life. His sovereign will is unstoppable. There's nothing you can do or not do to keep His sovereign will from coming to pass or to get God to change His mind. Just ask Jonah. He did exactly the opposite of what God told him to do, got in trouble and thrown overboard into the sea. God didn't say, "Too bad. You're on your own. You should have listened." God had a big fish waiting to swallow him and take him to the shore, as though He called an Uber. God was saying, "Jonah, My sovereign will is that you go and speak what I say."
And it's not just in negative things. When it's His sovereign will for you to be blessed, it's not dependent on what family you come from or from how much experience, talent, or education you have. The blessing will overtake you. You'll see favor that you didn't earn, you didn't deserve, you weren't born into, and you can't explain. God says it this way: "I know the plans I have for you, plans for good, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 15:11). "It's the unstoppable God carrying out the plan that He decided long ago."
You will face some ups and downs, things you don't understand, but you can stay in peace, knowing that it's all working according to His will. You're not at the mercy of fate or happenstance. "You don't have to worry about how something can happen or how you can get ahead. The sovereign God has already not only planned it, but He will make it happen. It's not up to you; it's up to Him. You can rest in His plan.