You Are Discerning: The Decision Is Yours
By Apostle Humphrey Mtandwa
Many people spend a great deal of time asking, "What is the devil doing?" Yet a more important question may be, "What decision am I making?"
The Bible shows us that the enemy is strategic, decisive, and persistent. Scripture describes him as "a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Yet not every setback, failure, or challenge in life can be blamed on the devil.
The world has undoubtedly been affected by sin. From the moment Adam and Eve yielded to deception in the Garden of Eden, humanity entered a fallen state. The enemy has influenced systems, cultures, and institutions, contributing to much of the brokenness we see today.
However, many of the struggles people face are not solely the result of demonic activity. Often, they are the consequences of decisions that have been made.
God has given humanity both authority and responsibility. James 4:7 instructs believers to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Notice the order. Submission comes first. Resistance follows. There is a responsibility placed upon the individual.
Likewise, Hosea 4:6 declares, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." The problem was not always the presence of an enemy but the absence of understanding.
Many people are praying for breakthrough while ignoring the decisions that would position them for that breakthrough. They pray for change while refusing to change their habits. They pray for restoration while continuing to walk paths that produce destruction.
This reminds us of King Ahab. Despite receiving prophetic warnings, there was something within him that recognized the danger ahead. Yet he chose a course that led to disaster. Discernment was present, but obedience was absent.
Discernment without obedience is dangerous.
Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not lean on our own understanding. It is not enough to recognize God's direction. We must also follow it.
Throughout Scripture, God consistently placed choices before people. Through Moses, He declared, "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19).
The power of choice remains one of God's greatest gifts to humanity.
I remember when I received an opportunity to write for a newspaper. At the time, I had lost my laptop. All I had was a phone. I could have focused on what I lacked and allowed excuses to stop me. Instead, I used what was available. I typed articles on my phone, edited them on my phone, and submitted them from my phone.
When I started online broadcasts, I did not have cameras, sophisticated equipment, or a professional studio. What I possessed was a conviction that the vision God had given me was worth pursuing.
Many people are waiting for perfect conditions before they take action. They are waiting for more resources, more support, or a better opportunity. Yet Ecclesiastes 11:4 warns, "Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap."
Those who wait for perfect conditions often never begin.
The difference between success and stagnation is frequently not resources but responsibility. It is not what you have; it is what you do with what you have.
Jesus illustrated this principle in the Parable of the Talents. The servants who were commended were not those who possessed the most. They were those who acted faithfully with what had been entrusted to them (Matthew 25:14-30).
Today, many people already know what they need to do. They know the conversation they need to have. They know the habit they need to break. They know the opportunity they need to pursue. They know the instruction God has placed upon their hearts.
The challenge is not a lack of discernment.
The challenge is obedience.
At some point, excuses must give way to action. Fear must give way to faith. Delay must give way to decision.
The future you experience will often be shaped not only by what the enemy attempted against you but by the choices you made when truth was revealed.
You are discerning.
You recognize the path before you.
The decision is yours.
