Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.
I have been asked many times how I was able to lose over 80 pounds over the last four years and keep it off. Also, how I was able to come back from the effects of a stroke in that same amount of time. I have explained on numerous occasions that I had to developer a ‘Not Negotiable’ attitude within the lifestyle changes I made. My decisions to stick to what God had been teaching me during my time of healing and recovery is the difference maker in my life. Isa. 30:21a Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go.”
The hard choices I had to make – exercising every day, and eat only real food – had to become a not negotiable stubbornness within my heart. I can eat whatever junk I want, but choose not to. I can lay around like a lump on a log, but I choose not to. I can justify and rationalize laziness in all areas of my life, but I say “No, this is not negotiable. I will live and thank God for the second chance He gave me.” I heard a character in a movie say, “Get busy with living or get busy with dying.” I decided this was good advice and I decided to get busy with living. God willing, I will keep choosing life.
One of the reasons people slowly fall back into old bad habits is because they have let their guard down and negotiated their will away for the cravings being dangled before them. Compromising becomes a way of getting through the maze of countless decisions everyone has to make on a daily basis. Eventually, the body dictates what it wants and negotiates its’ will away by reasoning that it is easier to just give up and lay down. This is a lie of the enemy of our soul. We can do better than submit to mediocrity.
When Satan was tempting Jesus in the desert, he tried to get Jesus to negotiate outside of God’s plan for the redemption of man. Matt. 4:8 Again, the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. God’s plan was a mystery hidden in Christ. Satan’s plan was pathetically obvious and short-sighted, as usual.
Even though the devil recognized Jesus as the son of God, he did not really believe Jesus could win the redemption of man from the position of a human being. Satan was used to seeing man compromise and see them negotiate their will down to a piece of bread or anything prohibiting a life-threatening situation. Job 2:4 Satan replied to the LORD, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life.” The devil was not accustomed to having someone step forward with a not negotiable heart. Jesus was that man and the one to demonstrate to us how to overcome the temptations of the evil one – through God’s word and our not negotiable will.
When we come to the realization that we have been paid for in full through the blood of Jesus, by the Lord of lords and the King of kings, we too will develop a heart attitude of a not negotiable standard. When we believe we can overcome the cheap and disingenuous negotiations of the devil, we will not fear raising our banner Jehovah-Nissi – The Lord is my banner. Ex. 17:15 Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means “the LORD is my banner”).
When we finally decide to wave the banner of our God high and forcefully over our heads, we will become men and women of God who will not negotiate with sin. When life offers us cheap short-cuts around the will of God we will bravely say, “No! This is not negotiable.” I admonish each one of you who reads this to give it an honest try. Shout from your heart, “I have been paid for in full by Jesus my Lord and my will is not negotiable!” Blessings Saints.
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