Infinite Fellowship Ministries

The Sovereignty Of God (Part 3) – The Decree Of God: Sermon By Apostle Gobanga

In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence), making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose).

[And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him, [He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth. In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will. 

Ephesians 1:7-11 (AMP)

[Earnestly] remember the former things, [which I did] of old; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose. 

Isaiah 46:9-10 (AMP)

The decree is the sovereign choice of Divine will.

There is no one who originated the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Godhead pre-existed before anything that was created. Creation is made for God’s pleasure and for His glory.

The decree of God is the sum total of God’s plans conceived in the womb of eternity past. They have everything to do with all manner of classification of events that emanate from the omniscience of God.

You cannot understand that decree of God void of His omniscience.

Three Facets Of God’s Knowledge:

1. Self-Knowledge Of God

It is total, perfect and complete.

Human self-knowledge is a fragment. Yet there is nothing that God doesn’t know about Himself. God is fully aware of His essence and His nature. Each person of the Godhead has the ability to know the unlimited capabilities of each other. They all share the same power and glory.

2. Omniscience

All knowing of all things outside of Himself. 

There are things He foreordained in His divine decree. There are also things that were not ordained in His divine decree. This omniscience is unlimited and very objective.

3. The Foreknowledge Of God 

It acknowledges the divine decree of God.

It is not a possibility but an actual fact of you as a saint and nature. Foreknowledge derives possibility in omniscience. It makes reference to believers. It is limited and objective.

The Mechanical Function in the Decree of God

He knows perfectly and eternally what is actual and possible simultaneously. This is possible in that He does not live in time but in eternity.

God’s knowledge has enlightenment. It is practical and not theoretical. It is constant. This knowledge is compatible in light of omniscience, which is consistent with His nature.

Our education system needs to impart knowledge that is compatible with the nature of each and every child.

The notion that there is knowledge that is above God is null. God’s knowledge is sovereign. Outside God, there is vanity and destruction.

Time and space can never limit the knowledge of God. To Him the past, future and present are all the same. That is why He is able to declare the future in the present.

God is not old. He is immutable. He knows all alternatives to history.

The omniscience of God knows every thoughts actions and decisions of all humanity and how they relate to each other and all possibilities therein. There is no such thing as ”what if’s” to God.

In the case of break-ups, God will allow them to happen regardless of whether you mention an alternative of them not being the ones who hurt you. They will also happen regardless of one’s thoughts of alternatives. One needs to deal with one’s person.

God can use other people to expose your weaknesses. His omniscience knows every thought and action that man takes. Take responsibility of all your actions – deal with yourself by going to the cross daily.

O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me. You know my downsitting and my uprising; You understand my thought afar off. You sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue [still unuttered], but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have beset me and shut me in behind and before, and You have laid Your hand upon me. Your [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high above me, I cannot reach it. Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. 

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be [the only] light about me, Even the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You. For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery]. Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them. 

How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I could count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awoke, [could I count to the end] I would still be with You. If You would [only] slay the wicked, O God, and the men of blood depart from me. Who speak against You wickedly, Your enemies who take Your name in vain! Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And am I not grieved and do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; they have become my enemies. Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 Psalm 139 (AMP)

The foreknowledge does not make anything certain but acknowledges whatsoever is certain. It acknowledges the certainty in the life a believer.

Unless something has been decreed, it cannot be certain.

The omniscience of God gives rise to the decree of God. The sovereignty of God gives rise to His omniscience.

Facts are not facts unless they are derived from God’s omniscience. They need to be viewed from a divine perspective; pragmatic in nature, processed in actuality and possibility in the womb of eternity.

The decree becomes the consummated (perfected) and integrated (executed) right of the sovereignty of God in human history.

A decree can never direct or cause an event. It is man’s will that causes the decree to come to pass. As such, we cannot blame God for our sinful acts. Just because you thought and acted doesn’t mean God decreed it to happen. The decree provides a bedrock of what will occur. God exercises His wisdom and factors in your thoughts and whether you will obey or disobey Him. Every cause is now effected by your free will – the choice after thought.

Not every believer will end up in heaven. It is every choice you make as a believer that will determine whether you partake of the Kingdom of God. Salvation is a free gift to be appropriated in fear and trembling.

God will never contradict His own nature. Everything He does is in concord with His nature.

The Election of God

The elect are believers – chosen for a particular privilege. Not every believer is elect because not every believer obeys God. Election is a function of obedience. 

Election is God’s complete agreement with His foreknowledge. You can only be part of the elect if you are walking in God’s foreknowledge.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 

1 Peter 1:1-2 ESV

The foreknowledge of God provides that given an opportunity, man and his free makes a choice to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ – an act of faith would occur in a season of time. 

Do not underrate anyone, as you do not know the future. God knew ahead of time every man that will make a choice to believe in Christ Jesus. To believe in Christ, you must exercise faith.

Pray for unbelievers that they may come to the knowledge of truth. There is a time appointed for everyone to come to Christ. We should never give up praying for our relatives who are not believers. 

The election of God is a function of predestination. It relates to the believer in the Church Age. Your union with Christ in so far as truth is concerned.

But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” 

2 Timothy 1:9 (ESV)

Predestination is not for Jews only but a spiritual reality in God.  Jews are them that have their hearts circumcised. Real circumcision is in the heart. Foreskin represents the sinful nature.

Through Christ Jesus, the wall of hostility between the Jews and the non-Jews was removed. God will have mercy on whosoever He will have mercy on. We are the seed of Abraham by faith and justification. 

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name The Lord. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 

Exodus 33:19 (ESV)

For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. 

Romans 9:15 (ESV)

But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. 

Exodus 9:16 (ESV)

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 

Romans 9:17 (ESV)

God allowed Pharaoh to submit to his machinations. He lifted His grace that would allow him to do what is good. As a result, Pharaoh did that which was in line with his wicked nature.

Salvation is by grace through faith. Grace is unmerited favour. Yet, there are people that even when you show them favour they do not do right.

If favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly and does not see the majesty of the Lord. 

Isaiah 26:10 (ESV)

The election of Jacob happened before they were born. Whatsoever Jacob did to Esau was his own choice in line with his nature. Rebecca exercised her choice in telling Jacob to undercut his brother.

According to God’s prophetic purpose, Jacob was the channel that the Messiah was to come from.

God also had a purpose for Esau. He was used to reveal Jacob. But Esau also made a choice to be wicked. He married a Canaanite woman which was forbidden then.

Sin cannot proceed from a holy God. It comes as a result from His permissive will where man wants to have his way. While He permits to exist, sin is Satan’s doing.

God’s decree is concerned about your state in time and in eternity. He does things after the counsel of His will. Even when we fall in sin, God orchestrates a way out but we often make the choice not to submit to the process God has ordained. When it comes to God, you do not have a choice on how He does it. You meet God on His terms not yours. 

We should love God in all times. Not when things are good and forget Him when they are bad. We should love God consistently and not out of convenience.

Shun your reputation and position when it comes to God. He does not care about these things. He cares more about your soul. David ran to God and wept bitterly in Psalm 51. He did not care if he was a king or not. He had committed sin and wore sackcloth as a sign of repentance.

Learn to submit to God at personal level and shun people’s opinion of you. 

I know that His thoughts about you are not evil but good – to give you an expected end. 

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

We need to seek the heart and mind of God not that of men.

Sin is present in the human race by His permission. It was within present in God’s eternal plan in light of the eternal covenant of redemption. 

There are things in light of purpose that factor in sin. For instance, the Tree Of Knowledge Of Good And Evil vs. the Tree Of Life.

All things work together for good. Good and evil, holy and sinful, right or wrong – all these do not hinder the purpose of God. It shall come to pass. 

After grace is lifted, the Lord also lifts the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit. This is what will happen after the rapture and will begin the revelation of the anti-Christ.

Without the Spirit of God, the heart becomes hardened. The Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, righteousness and judgment.

The Spirit of God floods your heart with moisture softening it. Where there is moisture, there is life.

After the hearts of men are hardened, He providentially orders things in line with the hardening.

Make the heart of this people fat; and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn again and be healed. 

Isaiah 6:10 (AMP)

In this case, whatever they were hardened unto to be the reason for their hardening.

Money is good. It is a medium of exchange and it answereth all things. But when you exalt money, God withdraws His Spirit and in the same void the spirit of mammon comes and occupies your life and it hardens you. You cannot even give to the poor or love offerings and support ministry.

In wrong relationships, God will use the very wrong person you are in a relationship with & they will be your influence in place of the Holy Spirit.