When Doubt Drives Our Decisions | Pastor Matt Keller

Let me give us a quick update so if.

You've been around Next Level for a little while here this

spring. You know that we are in the

process of purchasing the building on Metro.

Parkway here in Fort Myers that will expand our Fort Myers.

Property here at our. Fort Myers.

Location and so we are scheduled to close May the. 5th Come on

somebody. Cinco de Mayo, baby.

Let's go. Going to eat some chips and

salsa to celebrate. It's going to be awesome.

But, and all of you know that we have a couple that stepped up in

February. And with $1,000,000 matching

opportunity. And so every dollar that's given

between February 21st and the close of the building is going

to be matched dollar for dollar. So quick update.

On the million? Dollar match.

We are at 608,551. Come off somebody.

That's awesome. Yes, let me draw our.

Attention to the one. Because everyone matters, Amen.

And so, as we have said for 24 years, my wife and I in leading

our church. We've just said our.

Responsibility as your pastors. Is to make the need known the

opportunity. Known and then all of our

responsibility. As next level lights a made-up

term. As as people who are planted in

this House, all of us then have an opportunity, responsibility.

To go to our. Heavenly Father and say God.

Is from my house. What do you want me and my house

to do to participate in this? So if you've been holding out,

we're getting close. To the goal.

Line everybody, now's the time. So just wanted to give you an

update on that. Sound good?

Hey, we are in part three of our series called Don't let Doubt

take you out. Let's say it together, Don't let

doubt take you out. And I'm so thankful since Easter

that we have been tracking in this series where?

We're talking about how. Doubt and and.

Fear, worry and anxiety affect our lives.

And how we overcome it. Well, for today God's given me a

word because I want to talk about and look at a story.

In the Bible and apply it. To the decision.

Making zones of our life. If I had a title for the

message, I would say this when doubt drives our decisions.

Anybody come on, ever had fear and doubt interfere with the

decision looking at? Some of your outfits this

morning, I'm thinking maybe some of you.

It hit you. Just kidding.

Totally. That was not even notes, but it

was funny. Kind of an offense, a little

offensive. And now I'm doubting.

The decision to have said that a moment ago, See.

And that's how it works. That's how fast it can happen.

That's how quick it goes. No, we've all had that.

Haven't we all had moments in our life where where fear enters

into our decision making in big ways and small ways?

Maybe. Maybe you didn't apply for a job

that came available because you you were insecure.

You thought you said I'm not good enough for that.

Or maybe someone spoke up in a meeting.

Or in a classroom. Come on young people, on your

college campus or in your high? School or middle school?

And someone said something that you knew wasn't correct, but

instead of speaking to it and bringing truth to it, instead,

you just kind of let it go by. Why?

Because. Of because of.

Doubt or or fear. Maybe you've avoided A

confrontational conversation with someone out of doubt or or

fear. Maybe you've procrastinated.

Maybe it's just you're overthinking.

You've overthought a simple decision in your life.

Maybe for some of us, we've compromised.

Morally and when we. Look back at that.

Decision in our life. We realize it's because fear and

doubt started to drive our decisions and if we're being

honest. Today we all have.

Man, I know for me in. 30 years of ministry, leadership and 35

years of following Jesus. There have been so many times

throughout my life, so many occasions.

Where I've let fear. And doubt drive a decision.

Because the truth is, every time we let fear and doubt.

Drive our decisions. Come on, say it with me.

It never ends well. Every time we let.

Fear and doubt drive our decisions.

It never ends well. So today I want to look at a

story that's found in the book of Genesis about a man named.

Abram OR. You might know him as Abraham.

God changed his name, man named Abram.

Who let? Fear and doubt.

Drive his decisions and, well, it didn't.

Turn out very well. Here's what I believe I've had

just this weight on me leading into this weekend because I just

I have this sense and it during. Worship during first service.

God took. Me to a verse Joel chapter 3

Joel 3 · chapter mention

verse. 14 It's not a slide, it says.

This multitudes. Multitudes.

In the valley of decision for the.

Day of the Lord is near. In the valley of decision and I

just believe, I just have this sense that across our church

family today. There are.

Perhaps multitudes of us, hundreds of us, and you're in

the valley of a decision right now.

Big or small, you're facing a decision in your life.

Some. Area and I.

Believe God wants to use this word over the next few minutes

to speak to your heart. So come on, every location, can

we just open our hearts? To the Lord, Father, thank you,

Father, thank you that you're a faithful God.

Lord. You're a right on time God.

And Lord, I just believe in sense, even now, that there are

some who are listening. To me, maybe hundreds.

Multitudes, probably, who are in the.

Valley of. Decision.

And so God seated right where we are.

I pray you would. Speak to us, God, I pray.

You would anoint my words, and Lord, would you anoint the ears

of the. Listeners today may the.

Eyes of our heart be. Open that we might see what you

want to see. Want us to see from your word?

We pray this in Jesus name. And everyone who agreed said

Amen, Amen, Amen so. The person we're going to look.

At as I mentioned a moment ago, is is Abram and in Genesis

Genesis 11 · chapter mention

Chapter 11, let me kind of set this the scene.

For us, so God speaks. To Abram's father.

And he gives him a vision and he says, I have a land set out for

you and a people, and you're going to become a great.

People. And so Abram.

'S father sets out in Genesis. Chapter 11 to.

Genesis 11 · chapter mention

Go to this land. That God.

Was going to. Show them it was an unknown

land. He didn't even tell them.

In advance. Where they were going?

But the Bible says that Abram's dead actually, when he reached a

place called. Haran, which was.

Known as a place of comfort, he stopped and instead of seeing it

all the way through, he stopped in the land of comfort, and the

Bible says that he died in the land where he was comfortable.

Come on, Southwest Florida. He died, and that's a whole

nother message. So as Genesis 11 turns to

Genesis. 12 The man died. But.

The vision didn't die. And so the vision passes on to

the next generation, which is Abram, which is who we're going

to. Examine.

This moment for him. And in Genesis chapter 12, God

Genesis 12 · chapter mention

reignites this vision in Abraham's heart.

And he says, I'm going to go, I want you to get up and go take

your family, your wife, your possessions, your kids, take

everything and go to the land that I'm going to show you.

And so in faith. Abram steps.

Out and he goes. But once they get to this land,

all of a sudden, within a few short verses, a famine breaks

out. And when this famine breaks out,

stress comes on Abram and he's forced to then move his family

to Egypt for a season to to find relief from the drought.

Let's look at it the famine. Let's look at it.

Genesis chapter 12, starting in verse 10 says this.

Genesis 12 · chapter mention

Now there was a. Famine in the Land and.

Abram went down to Egypt to live.

There for a while. Because the famine was.

Severe. As he was about to enter Egypt,

this is where things start to come off the rails.

As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, I

know what a beautiful. Woman you are.

When the Egyptians see you, they will say this is.

His wife. Then they will kill me but will

let you live. Verse 13 Say you are my sister,

so that I will be treated well for your sake, and my life will

be spared because of you. OK, what time?

Out what is going on Abram and his.

Wife, their family are traveling from Israel down to Egypt,

riding in their whatever carriages or riding on donkeys,

whatever they were doing. And all of a sudden Abram starts

getting in his head. Then he starts thinking, Ma'am,

my wife is. Hot.

When we get to Egypt, they're going to think.

She's hot and all of a sudden he.

Starts spinning. Up.

Why? Because of.

Fear because of doubt. And then he looks at his wife

and he says, when we get there, tell them you're my sister.

OK? I've heard of some dumb husband

moves. But.

This one tops them. All what?

Abrams? Seriously.

What, brah? OK, we got to.

Break this down. So here's what I want to do.

I want us to break down the anatomy of this really poor

decision that was motivated and driven by.

Fear and doubt what happened maybe?

We want to jot. These things down.

Here's what happened. First of all, fear kicked in.

Fear kicked in. Abram's cruising along and all

of a sudden he lets his thoughts start to run away with him.

All of a sudden there's a famine.

Things are getting stressful, not enough food to feed me and

my family. Bills are piling up.

And all of a sudden we got to go to Egypt.

We need to relocate. All of a sudden, when the stress

goes up, all of a sudden for Abram, here comes.

Fear and fear kicked in. And man, we do this all the

time, don't we? We have a big meeting.

We lay awake nights before right middle of the night, we can't

sleep and what do we do? We're just laying there thinking

about, well, if this happens, then I'll do this.

Well, if they say this, then I'm going to say this and I'll just

worry just starts to, to flood our heart in our life, doesn't

it? Someone, someone comes to us and

says they need something and, and all of a sudden we feel the

pressure, we feel the stress. And so now all of a sudden we,

instead of doing the research and coming to a logical, good,

wise conclusion, we just, we rush to an answer.

We just, we just, we want to check it off so we'll feel

better. And so we just, we just rush to

an answer or just we just go for it.

Someone asked us to do something and we know that if we say yes

and we commit to that, that it's going to bring over commitment

to our calendar, to our schedule.

It's going to it's not going to be good for our family rhythm.

It's not. Going to be good in this.

Season, but we say yes. Why?

Because the stress. Because the pressure, because we

don't want to let them down. Stress comes on, pressure comes

on. Instead of doing what we know to

do, we get. In our head and fear kicks in

search. Stress.

And fear are running mates and you just need to know whenever.

There's stress. In your life here.

Comes fear here. Comes.

Fear we got to. Get this Whenever there's stress

in our life, here comes fear when stress.

Goes up. Fear comes.

In Have you ever? Noticed that.

We have. To start to recognize this.

So for Abram, fear kicked in. Then watch.

Here's what happens next. He creates.

Fictitious narratives he creates fictitious.

And when fear kicked in and Abram, he started making stuff.

Up Church, hands down. The number one thing fear tries

to do in our lives is get us to create.

Fictitious narratives. Abram.

Just starts making stuff. Up.

Did you see it in the verse? He says to his wife.

They will say watch this, that was.

Categorically untrue. But he said it.

As if it was true. And how many times do we do

this? Hey, Abe.

You don't know bro. You have no.

Idea what's going to happen when you.

Get there, but he's. Saying things, declaring things

as if they're true. And automatic.

Oh, they're. Going to say.

Maybe. Maybe not.

He doesn't know. And he's all the way down the

road to they're going to kill me and let you live.

They haven't. Even gotten to Egypt yet and

he's already dead and she's already been human trafficked.

Hey, Church. I want to say this as.

Gently, but as firmly as I know how.

We do this all the time. Oh.

We may not go as far as murder and sex slavery.

But we. Let fear and doubt create a

fictitious narrative all the time, don't we?

When stress goes up, here comes fear and the next thing you

know. You're making stuff up.

It's not even true, but it is true.

No, it's not and just. Because your favorite news

outlet says it's true doesn't mean it's true.

It's not. True, it's fictitious narratives

with our finances in our. Relationships in our marriage.

With our children in every area of our lives.

When fear kicks in this. Is where we go.

And This is why. We have to have Holy Spirit

self-awareness to interrupt this pattern.

That's why we. Talk about Holy Spirit,

self-awareness so much, and freedom.

Because we know without. The power of the Holy Spirit

speaking truth, real truth to us.

We will get caught in this. So watch.

Abram's fear kicked in. Led.

Him to start making stuff up fictitious narratives.

And then verse 13, look, so you say you're my sister so that

I'll be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared

because of you. What happened next?

He started having faulty actions.

All of a sudden. Abram starts making decisions

based on fear. And doubt.

And fictitious narratives. And all of a sudden he's going

to start to reap severe. Consequences because of it.

Look at his motives. Look at verse 13 again.

So you say you are my sister. Look so that I.

Will be treated well. What a punk.

Like. He's just being selfish.

Look at the second part though. Say you're my sister so that

I'll be treated well for your. Sake and my.

Life will be spared. Because of you, baby, I'm doing

all of this for you. Barf.

You're not doing it for her, you're just.

Scared and you're manipulating your wife?

Fear. Do you see it?

I'll make it go away in a second.

That's kind of funny though. That was a late ad, by the way,

and it worked it. Worked.

Love it. Look.

Verse 14 When Abram came down to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that

Sarai was a very beautiful woman.

When Pharaoh's officials. Saw her.

They praised her to. Pharaoh and she was taken into

his palace. He treated.

Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle,

male and female. Donkeys, male and female

servants. And camels.

But the Lord look at this inflicted serious diseases on

Pharaoh. And his.

Household because of Abram's wife, Sarai.

Terrible, serious diseases that. Was the result of his decision

verse 19/18/19 So Farah summoned Abram.

My. Translation, brah.

What have you done? Are you?

Serious. Why didn't you tell me she was

your wife? Why?

Did you say she's? My sister so that he took her to

be my wife. Now then.

Here's your wife. Take her and.

Go watch his fear. Kicked in.

He created a fictitious. Narrative that led him to faulty

actions that brought fallout. For everyone, Pharaoh.

Finds out. What Abram's done.

And he's ticked. In church, when we let fear.

And fictitious narratives, Dr. Our decisions, we end up way

off. Than we were way worse.

Off than we were before. And as I look my life over 35

years, 30 years of ministry, leadership, 35 years of serving

Jesus, as I look at my life. I'm just.

Telling you. I.

Cannot think of one time when. I let fear.

Drive my decisions that it turned out better than trusting

the Lord. I just can't.

I just can't, but I can show you.

Hundreds of times. When I've trusted.

The Lord, even if it. Didn't make worldly logical

sense. No, we're going to go.

With what God said, we're going to get a word from God.

We're going to hear from God. We're going to go with his word.

We're going to line up with this word.

We're going to do it God's way. I'm telling I could.

Tell you time and time and time and time and time and time and

time again. Where I've lined up with.

God's Word. And it's turned for my good.

Which is why. We have to internalize Romans

Romans 8:28

chapter 8, verse 28. That says.

And we know that in all things, everybody say all things.

We. Know that in all things,

including with your kids. All things.

Include your marriage. All things.

Includes your job and your finances, all things we know

that in all things look, God works for the good of.

Those who love him, who have been called.

According to his purpose, that's.

Us when we trust God, God works. It's all out.

So what do we do? Let me give you 3 thoughts #1.

We need to. Stop and pray before we make a

decision. What do we?

Do how do we interrupt this fear driven decision making in our

life? We stop and pray before we make

a decision. Church, we have to.

Slow. Things down in our decisions

when stress goes up, slow things down.

Come on, say that with me when stress.

Goes up slow things. Down.

Say it again. When stress goes up, slow things

down. Look at your neighbor and tell

them when stress goes up. Slow things down.

Why? Because our flesh.

Wants to speed things up, to find homeostasis, to find peace,

to find resolve. I just want to get through this.

Hold on, hold on, ask the Holy Spirit.

Slow things down when stress goes up.

Slow things down. Ask the Holy Spirit to check

your. Motives to search your heart,

because in that moment our flesh is crying out.

We have to slow things. Down I love Psalm 139.

If you want a memory verse, this is a great memory verse.

Verses 23 and 24. Search me God know my heart,

test me and no look my anxious thoughts when you feel anxiety.

When you feel worry and fear when you.

Feel doubt. Creeping in and you got.

A decision to make. Slow it down and ask the Lord to

search. My heart.

Search my heart search my heart. See if there's any offensive,

any offensive way in me. In other words, anything that

doesn't line up with your word. Any offensive way in me and

leave me in the way everlasting. What are we going to do?

We got to stop and pray before we make a decision #2 don't

make. Decisions in a vacuum.

How do we? Interrupt this doubt driven.

Decision making in our life. We have to make a decision, then

we're not going to make any decision in a.

Vacuum Proverbs. 11 I love this verse. 14 Where, where there?

Is no guide or yeah where there is no.

Guidance a people falls. But in an abundance of

counselors, look what it says, there is safety.

Another translation says In the multitude of counselors there is

great wisdom. What do we do?

We got to. Not make decisions in a vacuum.

We have to invite. Others.

In and then watch this. And listen to them but.

But isn't it true that? It is exactly in.

The moment of stress. And doubt and fear and the chaos

of we got to make this decision. That's the exact.

Moment when? We don't want.

To reach out to anybody and ask for wise counsel.

And we certainly. Don't want to listen?

To what they tell. Us to do, especially if it

doesn't agree with our flesh. But that's what we have to do,

slow it down, seek wise counsel. And some of you, I feel so

strong in my spirit. Some of you you are on the edge

of making a decision, a big decision in some area of your

life and the consequences. Of that.

Decision will not just affect you but.

Generations to come after. You and I am.

Imploring you. As your pastor, slow.

Down. And seek wisdom before you make

this decision, because it will alter.

It will alter. The rest?

Of your life and the lives of so many others.

Joel 3 Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision for the

day of the hear this. For the day of the Lord.

Is near. In the valley of decision, Oh

Jesus, don't make. It don't make it slow it down

seek. Counsel.

And listen. What do we do?

#3. We have to trust.

God's ability to provide over our ability to control.

We have to. Trust God's ability to provide.

Over our. Ability to control.

What's so fascinating to me about this Abraham story is that

literally the first just. 10 verses earlier. 10 verses.

God is speaking. To him.

Go to a land. I'm not even.

Going to tell you where it is, like I will show you later on.

And my man's just full of faith and he does it.

He'll obeys. And then literally.

Within a short period of time, 10 verses.

Famine. Hits a little stress comes on, a

little pressure comes on. And all faith is gone, and fear

and doubt are driving his decisions and his desire.

To control. Took over his faith church.

We cannot let that happen. Show me.

Someone who's got these three and I'll show you someone who's

spiritually mature this is. What the spiritual maturity

looks like trusting. God in the moment of decision.

That is someone. Whose life and.

Decisions. Look like.

Jesus. I just want to pray.

I just want to pray for for a few minutes here, multitudes,

multitudes in the valley of decision.

Lord, I believe that that's true of our church right now.

I believe it's true that there are hundreds of us, maybe

thousands of us, maybe, but, but regardless.

There's one of us. 1 by 1 by 1. Lord, I just believe there are

so many of us right now. And you?

Are in the multitude. You're in the valley of

decision, and this is the day of the Lord for you.

Your steps are ordered, Son. Your steps are ordered,

daughter. You were meant to be in this

place today to hear this word. And so, Father, I pray through

the power of your Holy Spirit. That you would speak.

Jesus, come and speak. Speak to.

Those in the Valley of Decision with their marriage speak to

those in the Valley of Decision with with a business

opportunity. With.

Someone you're in a valley of decision with a financial

decision. Someone you're in an abusive

relationship. Do I stay or do I go?

And the Lord is speaking to you right now.

You are valuable. You are.

Seen you do not. Deserve to be treated like this.

Draw a line in the sand valley of decision.

God has something different. Someone I felt this during

worship, during this service. You're you're contemplating

having an affair. And the Holy?

Spirit brought you here today to hear this message and to warn

you catastrophic consequences. Some of you, you're in the

valley of decision and and you have not sought wise counsel.

You've just gotten in your own head and you've just thought it

all through. And the Lord would say to you,

Son, daughter, seek. Wise counsel and listen.

Don't rush this. Decision.

God, we need you. God, we need you our.

Decisions determine our destiny and Lord, I just pray for my

brothers and sisters. God, I pray.

For them today. That you would give them wisdom.

Beyond themselves, Holy Spirit, that you would speak to them for

each one in the valley of decision today, God speak.

God. Direct us, God, keep our flesh

and our fear and our doubt far from our decisions, I pray.

In Jesus name. Amen.

Amen. Wow.

I want to speak to another group of people.

Maybe you're listening to me right now, one of our locations,

they're online. And you've never made a decision

to surrender your life to Jesus. I did that when I was 15 years

old. You're surrounded by people who

who have done that in their life, hundreds of us.

Thousands, but you've never. Done that.

You've never made the decision to surrender your life to the

Lordship. We would say the Lordship of

Jesus, letting Jesus be Lord of your whole life.

The Bible says it's it's a free gift, that he calls it being

saved set, bringing us salvation, that we can know what

it is to not have to try and figure this life out on our own.

But God actually. Promises that if we'll surrender

our life to him that he'll forgive us of our sin.

All of the stuff. We've done wrong in our life and

he'll, he'll begin a relationship with us.

The Bible actually says he. He calls his sons and daughters

of. God, did you know that you can

become a son? And daughter.

Of God, that's awesome. So I want to give us an

opportunity to do that. So at every location, can we

just bow our heads right now, just for the privacy of this

moment? Maybe you close your eyes.

If you've. Never surrendered your life to

Jesus, but you want to? I'm going to.

Count to 3. And when I hit 3 whatever room

you're in East Cape Coral downtown here additional seating

online family you can mention it in the chat I'm.

Going to hit. When I hit 3.

Will you just throw your hand up?

As an outward indicator of the inward desire that you want to

be saved, that you want to. To surrender your life.

To. Jesus say yes.

To him, if that's you right now, just do that 123, throw your

hand up. Awesome.

Thank you. Yeah, awesome.

Pastor Matt, That's me. Include me.

Keep it up. Just.

For a second, yeah, throw it up real high.

Awesome downtown location. Cape Coral East.

Family. Yeah.

Just throw it up. Pastor Matt, that's me.

I want to surrender my life to Jesus.

Wow. Wow.

Amen. Amen.

You can put your hand down. Here's what I want to do.

I want to lead us all in a prayer.

And if you lifted your hand, I want you to pray this prayer

from your heart. And God's.

Going to hear your prayer right now.

He's going to forgive you of your sin.

And he's going to. Begin a relationship with you.

So come on, every room, let's repeat.

This good and loud for all those.

Who lifted their hand so they feel comfortable?

Come on, let's pray. Together say dear Jesus.

Thanks for loving me, bringing me here today.

I acknowledge this. Moment.

That I'm a Sinner and I need a savior.

Thank you Jesus, for dying on the cross as payment for my sin.

I. Receive you right now.

Thank you for washing me clean, cleansing me of all my sin, and

beginning a relationship. Right now.

I surrender my life to you. Help me to.

Go your way. Because it is the best way for

the rest of my days. In.

Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Amen. Amen.

Wow. Hey.

Let's celebrate. That is if.

You just said yes. Just pray that raise your hand.

That's you. We have a gift.

We're. Going to put in.

Your hands. So at all of our locations, when

when we're done, we're going to sing here in a minute and then

we'll dismiss after that in a few minutes.

When we're done, go. To the next steps area at your

location. And walk.

Up to someone there. And tell.

Them I just said yes. And as soon as you do.

They're going to probably high five you and smile.

And cheer because we're fired up for you, because it's the best

decision ever. But then they're.

Going to put this Bible in your. Hands, we have English.

And Spanish. And.

On this Bible you'll see AQR code.

Scan that. QR code before you leave the

property because my wife and I have.

Recorded a series of videos that we.

Want to help? Text those to your phone over

the next couple of weeks so that you can start to make sense of

and understand more the decision.

You just made to surrender your life to Jesus.

Sound good? So we.

Want to help you put this Bible in?

Your hand, so don't. Leave your location without

grabbing. This Bible sound good.

Awesome. Hey, let me pray one more time

for his Father. Thank you that you're a.

God, who's bigger than doubt? And Lord you.

See where each of us are. In the valley of decision

facing. Doubt and fear.

In that moment, God, I pray that you'd give us wisdom beyond

ourselves in these coming days that we could make.

Decisions. And honor you that.

Line up. With your word that we might.

Live how you want us to live. And our destiny.

Can be different because of it. We pray this in Jesus name and

everyone who agreed with that. Prayer said.

Amen. Come on, let's celebrate Jesus,

everybody.