YOUR DECISION, DETERMINES YOUR DESTINY, SUCCESS OR FAILURE

Tony C. Nwokolo, Publisher,
SUCCESS STORIES ONLINE

  Author, Publisher, Motivational Speaker, Trainer, Minister of God, Consultant,

 DECISION, DETERMINES YOUR DESTINY, SUCCESS OR FAILURE

(DECISION, JUDGMENT, CHOICE)

·         A double minded man is unstable in all his ways – James 1: 8

·     Whosoever have not found a worthwhile cause he or she can die for is not, fit to live – (Martin Luther King Jr.)

What is Decision?

In my own definition, it is the process and act of making choices and judgments. When you make a decision, you choose what should be done or which is the best or preferred out of various options, one decision can make you or break you. In fact, decision is so important and crucial; that it even determines whether one could make Heaven or Hell, become Rich or Poor, Successful or a Failure, Fulfilled or unfulfilled. The importance of decision-making cannot be over-emphasized, because it is truly the starting point of all achievement, success and fulfillment. Decision making is a process.

A case study on Decision

And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate; and they said one to another, why sit we here until we die? If we say, we will enter into the city, then the famine is the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now, therefore come and let us fall (move) into the host of the Syrians; if they save us alive; we shall live, and if the kill us we shall but die. – 11 Kings 7:3-4

In view of the foregoing scriptures, the four leprous men made a decisive decision and that particular decision did not only transform their life, social and economic status from the valley to the mountain top, from obscurity and irrelevance to fame and relevance. They transformed not only their own economic status from poverty to prosperity; they also transformed the economy of their nation from famine to abundance. The Most High God used those leprous men to confirm his word as declared by His prophet, validating the fact that God can use any body irrespective of the person’s position or situation to accomplish His will, at any particular time.

Those four men took a very bold and courageous decision, they said why sit here until we will die? They considered the following options and resolved, thus; if we enter the city there is famine in the city and we shall die there, and if we sit still here we shall die also. Now, therefore let us move forward into the host of the Syrians and if they save us alive, we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die.

It was Martin Luther King Jnr., which stated that, “whoever has not found a cause he or she can die for that the person is not fit to live.

Have you found a worthwhile cause you can die for? It is time to ask yourself that kind of hard questions, as those great men in the foregoing biblical passage asked themselves. I refer to them as brave men because that particular decision changed their status in life and in their nation; they became celebrities and heroes in Israel.

They asked themselves wise questions and decided immediately based on their answers to their questions. You have got to ask yourself such critical questions as those four men did; why sit you here, doing nothing until you perish? Why, continue doing that work, that business, that career or living that life that neither glorify the Lord God nor fulfill God’s purpose/plan for your life nor add value to the life of others? Why, continue living that sinful life style, when you know that it does not please God?

For you to make the right decision, as well as make a move in the right direction you ought to ask yourself those kinds of thought-provoking questions which those four great men asked themselves, which informed them to make the right decision that brought breakthrough to them and to their whole nation.

Decision Making is a Process

The process of decision making involves considering and pondering on various options and choices available, and then choose the preferred out of the available options. Those four great men had various options at that moment, but they were able to make the right and the wisest decision, which affected their lives and that of others positively.

They had the options either to return to their city or to sit there at the gate and die there or to enter into the camp of the Syrians (their enemies which were waging war against their country at that time, considering the options available for them to choose from, they took a critical decision and resolution and signed thus; “Now, therefore let us enter unto the host of the Syrians, if they save us alive, we shall live and if they kill us, we shall but die. They resolved to go forward instead of backward.

Therefore we ought to move forward and not to retrogress in life. We‘ve got to reach a point in life where we decide and declare like those four men; this is where I want to go or what I want to do, and if i perish, i perish. Until you are operating with a state of mind like that you are not ready yet. The problem with a whole lot of folks out there is indecision; sitting on the fence. A lot of people don’t really know what they want; they don’t want to be rich and they don’t want to be poor, some don’t want to make Heaven and they don’t want to go to hell. No wonders, it is written that you ought to be either cold or hot; the Lord said that if you are lukewarm, he will spew you out of his mouth.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, will I spit thee out of my mouth - Revelation 3: 16

From the foregoing scripture we can deduce that we have to decide to be either hot or cold.

Decision; the Determining Factor

Friends, you need to make bold and courageous decisions, irrespective of fears, doubts and unforeseen circumstances and go forward instead of standing still. You have got to go forward and do the thing you always wanted to do, achieve or become as long as it is worthwhile and glorifies the name of the Lord. It is high time you decide on which Career, Calling, Business or Project you want to pursue at this particular time, and the resolve to take the bold step towards achieving something great, worthwhile and the Almighty God will come to your aid.

No wonder the bible says in the book of Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Before all things (Physically, Spiritually, Materially Socially, Mentally, Financially, Economically, etc., can work together for our good according to God’s word, we must make a bold decision and take a step of faith first, and then the Host of Heaven would cause every other thing to work for your good. For instance, in that book of 2^nd Kings 7: 1 - 8, those four great men made the decision to advance into the camp of the Syrians, and as they were marching forward, the Lord took over and caused the Syrians to hear their foot-steps as the sound of great chariots and as the noise of great host, and the Syrians said one to another that King of Israel has hired against them the kings of the Hitties and the kings of Egyptians to come upon them and fight with them, therefore they arose and fled and left their tents, horses, and even their camp as it was, and fled for their lives and when the four lepers came into the Syrians camp they found no one in their tents, and they did eat and drink and carried away silver, gold, cloth, and later they went and informed their king and people and they came and plundered the Syrians.

So a measure of fine flour was sold for a Shekel (a cent) and two measures of barley was sold for a Shekel, according to the word of the Lord spoken through Prophet Elisha. But the captain which doubted the prophesy of the man of God, saw it but did not taste of it, because he was trampled upon by the stampede of the people rushing to grab their share of the spoil at the gate of Samaria.

When you make a decision and take a bold step towards the object of your desire. God will step in, because as fear attracts the devil, so faith attracts God and the Host of Heaven to make all things work together for your good - Anthony C. Josephat-Nwokolo,

It takes faith for you to make a decision and faith is the raw material which when applied produces whatever you want or desires. It’s high time you make up your mind on what you want to do with your life, talent, treasure and the time God has given you to spend in this world, as you prepare you and qualify for the next level (eternal life) hereafter in God’s kingdom.

It takes faith for you to make a decision and faith is the raw material which when applied produces whatever you want or desired

Decision a Product of Faith, Indecision a Product of Fear

Truly, for you to arrive at a decision at any point, you need to apply faith, as well as, ask the Holy Spirit of God to guide you to make the right decision and direct you to take the right steps. Therefore, i consider a decision already made as an applied and deployed faith.

In fact, decision making is one of the hardest and yet most paramount principle of success and fulfillment in life. That is why a lot of folks on this journey of life are often trapped at the juncture of indecision; they subject their life, dreams and purpose to indecision. Indecision is the state of a mind which has not been made up, and many are living at that dangerous state today, a lot of people spent all their life at that fearful and doubtful state of mind, at the crossroads, they have been there many years and they  are stagnant. Almost everyone has been a victim of this demon called indecision at one time or the other. Some people have been there for a year or two or for many years or months, check your self, do you entertain any element of indecision?

However, if you can break off from that strong hold of indecision today, it is still early. And the earlier, the better for you. A wise man admonished that, whenever you are at any crossroad (Point of decision) in life, it is better for you to decide and choose a particular way and follow it based on the facts you have, but if you still can’t figure out the right way you should follow, it is better for you to close your eyes and follow a way than to standstill at the crossroad, because it is risky standing still at a crossroad. 

Indecision a Product of Fear

Friends, don’t be one of the people out there that are spell bound at the juncture of indecision due to fear. Many people are at the crossroad of life, they don’t know whether to go front or back or to move eastward or westward and they are just there figuring what to do, and how to do it perfect without making any mistake. The fear of criticism and the fear failure has held them bound; they do not want to be criticized nor be held responsible for making any wrong choice, judgment nor mistake and they do not want to fail in anything. They want everything to be perfect before they can launch out or try something new. They want all the lights to be green before they can pull out on the road. That attitude is very risky and dangerous, its better you decide, try and fail than not to try at all.

It’s Better to Try and Fail

Brethren, I have come to understand over the years from my mentors and from experiences that it is better to try and fail than not try at all, because even if you fail, you can pick something worthwhile and valuable from where you have fallen and then move on. At least you would have learnt one way or method that did not work and continue with other methods that might work. A wise man says, that it is not failing that matters but staying where you have fallen. This is why God’s word tells us that; A just man falls seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall into mischief - Prov. 24: 16. Whenever you fail in any venture, you should not let that weigh you down, rather pick something valuable from there and run with it; you can even start consulting or coaching others, how they can avoid the mistakes you made in order to succeed in their own project or business. In other words, you have not failed, but you have learnt one method that did not work, and you then use that experience as the yardstick to develop another method or strategy that will work.

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft Inc., concurred that they launched out the first Microsoft Windows Operating System with some flaws, which they corrected in the subsequent versions. The problem with some people is that they want to be perfectionist; they don’t want to make mistakes or have any flaw in their products or services and in the course of trying to make everything perfect the project or service never saw the light of the day. It is wiser to decide and launch out and thereafter keep improving and perfecting the product or service, than not to launch out all.  That is why car manufacturers for instance always come out with a latest model as a result of improving on the previous model.

It is not falling that matters but lying down where you have fallen and throwing a pity party there, that makes one a failure – Anthony C. Nwokolo.

Whenever you find yourself over-staying at any crossroad on this journey of life, you should pause, ponder and consider the options available, and the values attached to each road and then resolve to follow the road that will add more value to your life and that of others, even if it seems longer, rough, hilly or narrow, as long as it does not contradict God’s word and His will.  And no matter how big the project seems or how far the journey seems, just decide and follow that road and The Host of Heaven would move and intervene in your favour and back you up.

Though your begin was small your later end shall be great  - Job 8:7

 Burn Any Bridge For Retreat, In Your Quest For Success.

I read an inspiring story about a captain of a battalion of soldiers, who lead a battalion to the battle field across a sea with a boat and after they have crossed over to the war front and alighted from the boat, the captain set ablaze the boat that conveyed them to the other side of the war zone, and addressed his solders and said; Gentlemen, as you can see the boat which transported us to this place have been set ablaze; that means that we have no means to retreat nor to surrender, we must win this battle, if we must return home alive or we perish here. Guess what happened? They won the battle, as a result of that singular decision and action of their leader, who provided no means for them neither to retreat nor to surrender. This is a strong and hard decision, and it led to their victory. It has been proven that when one makes up his or her mind, that he or she would not give up until he or she succeeds, you will observe that anything or anyone resisting the person would give way on its own accord, because they would be worn out. Until you resolve and decide to take action, even if it warrants to life or death, poverty or prosperity, shame or fame, you might neither be successful nor fulfilled in life. 

To Live You Must Decide To Die, To Gain You Must Be Ready To Lose.

Jesus Christ, tells us in the book of John 12: 25; He that loves his life shall lose it, and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

In order, to live you have got to discover something worthwhile and valuable which you can die for. Christ says He has power to lay down his life and take it up. Until you summon the courage to lay it down, you cannot take it up. No wonder, the bible tells us, “that except a seed of corn fall into the ground and dies, it abides alone, but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit – John 12:24. Jesus Christ attracted a whole lot of followers and believers today even 2,014 years plus after His death and resurrection, because He sacrificed His life.  He that loves his life shall loss it and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto eternal life – John 12:25. You have heard it all from the Lord of Lord and Kings of kings. Life is all about risk and you have got to take worthwhile risks in order to be great.

Enough of playing safe, sitting on the fence or standing still, watching others as spectators all the days of your life, It’s high time to decide and take action.

It’s time to trail the blaze, find your path and place in life and play your role therein; act your script according to the Holy Scriptures, which has been predestined for you by the Most High God.

How Do I Make Right Decision?

In order to make the right decision, the following principles and techniques must be applied.

1.    List the options available for you to consider in respect of the issue at stake, for instance, in order to achieve good Success, Happiness and Fulfillment; you need to answer the following questions which would help you to get started, decide and determine the kind of life you want to live and lead, they are: -

·         What do I want to become?

·         What do I want to do?

·         What do I want to achieve?

·         What would I want to be remembered for, after I am gone?

·         What would I like to share?

·         Who do I want to serve all the days of my life; God or the Devil?

·         Where do I want to spend my Eternity?

Take time to think and answer the above listed questions and be very frank with your answers; get a journal, an exercise book, or a plain sheet of paper and write out the questions and the answers below it one after the other. After answering and writing down your answers, the next step is to write down the REASONS you want to become, do, achieve, accomplish and share those things as a back-up to your answers.

Whenever I am opportune to share or teach these decision-making process principles. I always encourage and implore people to start by making the most important, significant and the wisest decision in life. That decision is so important that it is a determinant factor; on who you want to become here on earth and where you want to spend your life hereafter you have passed on. The decision you make today can determine where or who you will become in the next 10 years, as well as where you would spend your eternity; Heaven or Hell? The choice is up to you to make. 

Culled from the book, titled; 10 Commandments of Success & Fulfillment  -by-  Anthony C. Nwokolo

About the Author

Anthony C. Nwokolo, is the Managing Partner of Success Strategies Consulting & Solutions. He Leadership, Marketing and Business Growth Expert and Motivational Speaker. A certified Software, Web & Mobile App Designer & Developer, an ICT & E-Business Solutions Provider. He is also a Minister of God at The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Lagos. He worked with MFI & Associates (a consulting firm based in Lagos before establishing Success Strategies Consulting & Solutions in 2008. He has attended various programs and courses on High Performance Leadership, Sales and Management Training Programs oversea. Tony’s goal is to help individuals and organizations discover and maximize their potentials, achieve their dreams and goals, lead in their filed, as well as solve business problems by advising, empowering, inspiring, developing and deploying strategies, solutions, software applications and systems. Tony is an Inspirational Speaker, Bestselling Author, Entrepreneur, Software, Web & Mobile App Developer, Online Marketing Strategist, Writer, Teacher, God’s Minister, Consultant, Publisher, Success Strategist and Leadership Coach. He is a highly sought-after gifted and dynamic, Trainer and Consultant; he speaks to business staff, managers and executives. He is the Author of 10 COMMANDMENTS OF SUCCESS OF FULFILLMENT, Publisher of SUCCESS STORIES Magazine <www.successstoriesng.blogspot.com>, Producer and Presenter of SUCCESS STORIES RADIO & TV Programs, Founder, GOOD DEALS ONLINE STORE <www.gooddeals.com.ng> Developer, LEADERS E-LIBRARY APP., Developer, GREAT QUOTES MOBILE APP., Tony is passionate about identifying and fixing needs, a serial entrepreneur par excellence.

You can reach him via email : chiugo.nwokolo@gmail.com or via telephone: +234-806-829-6897