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This is a question that the Lord is asking at this moment, who is responsible for the results in your life? That question may sound rhetorical ‘who is responsible?’ And I pray the Lord will help us with a definite answer from the word this morning in the name of Jesus. This morning we want to look at “responsible” first. I am sure many of us have different answers; if we are going to go round right now we would have different responses to this question.
The word responsible talks about having an obligation to do something, it means you are responsible for that thing. And this morning we are talking about your life. Another definition is having control over something. It means you are responsible for that thing. Another one that I found very interesting is being the primary cause of something. It’s not just being the cause, but being the primary cause of something and so being able to be blamed or credited for it. So responsibility talks about accountability, it talks about you being answerable for something.
And the question the Lord is posing to us this morning is who is accountable? Who is answerable? Who is the one that has the primary cause; that can be blamed or credited for your life? That’s the question this morning. Who is the primary cause that can be blamed or credited for your life?
We are going to start our observation from Genesis 3:6-7, and then 9-13
We are familiar with this story but the Holy Spirit wants to highlight some very important phrases and words this morning.
Genesis 3:6-7 is the story of temptation and how man fell, but something interesting happened in the conversation between God and the man.
In verse 6 the bible says ‘so when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes’, –I want us to note here that this was the first time man was accountable and responsible. This is the first show, this is the first life that an account of responsibility or accountability was placed and I want us to note it very carefully, because it is the foundation of our discussion.
‘So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate’.
‘She took!’ Yesterday, I was teaching my daughter verbs and adjectives and we were giving several examples of how verbs are action, whatever you do makes it a verb and action word, whatever you see somebody doing makes that an action word and a verb. When I came across this, “she took” that means it was an action. ‘She took of its fruits’, she was the one responsible for this action, she was the primary cause of this. So let us note this; “she took of its fruit and ate.” These were actions carried out by the woman but remember that the serpent was the one that came and introduced the idea to the woman, but did the serpent carry out the action out? No!
So man is the primary cause, he is the one that is answerable, accountable for every of his action. Now you will see here that she took and ate then she also gave. The actions she carried out was by herself, the serpent did not interfere. What did the serpent do? Lure, sold an idea but when it was time for action, you will see that she was the one all the way and she gave to her husband with her and he ate, so he also carried out an action.
Now the following verse says;
Genesis 3:7 – ‘Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings’.
Let’s move to verse 9-13;
Gen.3.9: Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”
Gen.3.10: So he said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
Gen.3.11: And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree which I commanded you not to eat? – That was the question God asked them, and the next question without waiting for them to respond, ‘Have you eaten?’ have you eaten, have you taken an action? Have you done something, have you taken control over something that I have warned you against? from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”
Genesis 3.12: Then the man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”
Genesis 3.13: And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”– We are going to pause on that question, what is this that you have done? It’s interesting that God was not concerned about what the devil did. The first thing that God said is what is this that you have done? It’s about the action. He did not say what is this that you have heard? Because you could hear many things, He did not say what is this that you have seen? Because you can see many things but He said what is this that you have done? Because at the point of doing, is the point of being blamed or being credited for something. Before this time when she was still considering the fruits, while she was still hanging around the idea, when she was still observing the thing, it was not yet a problem. Until she did, until she ate, until she gave and he ate and God said what is this that you have done? The same way in our lives God comes to check.
I want us to see Proverbs 15:3. Because some of us would say ‘God comes to check, how?’ In Proverbs 15:3, the Bible says ‘The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good’. So at the time when she was that tree, the eyes of the Lord was there because the eyes of the Lord is in every place keeping watch. When they did it, God came, and God said what is this that you have done? Because when you were doing it, my eyes was there keeping watch. The same way, this is not just exclusive to Adam and Eve. They are examples for us.
Listen to Podcast: Who Is Responsible For The Results In Your Life?
God’s eyes are everywhere keeping watch on each and every one of us and watching what we are doing on a daily basis. And one of the interesting things about where we read is that when the woman was going to respond, she said in verse 13, ‘the serpent deceived me and I ate’. God is less concerned about it. Even though God punished the serpent, was the woman excused or Adam? No! Because for every of your action, there is a consequence, and the amazing thing is; we choose our actions, God chooses the consequence. You choose to do it. God is the one that credits you for what you have done.
So this morning in our observation we must note; actions are very important, actions are so important. Adam and Eve had the obligation of eating or not eating, and they chose to eat. They were left with a choice to determine whether to eat or not, but the consequence of death is the prerogative of God. So judgment is God’s prerogative, He is the judge, He is the judge of your actions. So you can say ‘why? But this person did this, it’s like the same thing and see how badly he was punished, and this other person did something, the same action, how come it’s not the same punishment?’
God has the prerogative, hear it today. When you get to heaven, you can now ask Him questions, but here on earth He has established it in His word, He has the prerogative of judgment. The choice He has given you is not a choice of judgment, it’s the choice of action. Choose your action, God chooses the judgment.
I want us to see Genesis 4; another interesting account there about Cain and Abel as the Holy Spirit sees us through.
3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell 6 So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 if you do well, will you not be accepted, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.
Genesis 4: 3-7 (NKJV)
‘If you do well’, –doing well talks about what? Actions! If your action was right, i gave you the opportunity to choose your action. If your action was right, I would have judged you well. And He said ‘if you do well, will you not be accepted?’- Will I not have judged you correctly? ‘sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.’
Gen.4:8 – Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
Now he killed his brother and God said to him, in Genesis chapter 4 verse10 – And He said, “What have you done? Did you see that question again?
‘The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.’-After he killed his brother, God came to him and said what have you done? So, God is always concerned about what we do. What we do is so important. God did not say what did you see? What did you hear? But what have you done? That was the question God asked him in verse 10. ‘The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground so now you are cursed from the earth.’
So now this is the judgment of God on Cain. God did not sit down with Cain to negotiate judgment and say what do you think I should do to you now that you have done this? That’s why when we enjoy the liberty of making a choice, don’t think God would sit down with you, you will now bring forth your strong reasons against judgment. It does not work. He owns the prerogative right, what does it mean? He has the exclusive right, to judge, whether to blame or to credit. So what you are responsible for is your action. And God is always saying what have you done? Because at the point where you do something, it’s like an immediate thing, you either bring down the mercy of God or His judgment. Once you have done it, there is no going back. As much as God loved Adam, He ate from the tree and was judged.
That’s why you, as a believer, born again, tongue talking, loved by God, once you step into sin and you break the hedge, what did the bible say? The serpent would bite! It’s about what you have done. You broke the hedge, so who is responsible for the results in your life? God loves you, yes! But God is a principled God. He is a God of order, He has set it in place for every of your action. After what happened and He swept off the earth with water, He said to Noah ‘as long as the earth remains, seed time and harvest will not cease.’
And the bible makes us to understand, that Paul planted, Apollos watered but God has the prerogative right for increase. That talks about judgment, talks about harvest so you determine the seed that you sow and God determines the harvest and God will not give you a different body of harvest from what you have down.
I want us to see a scripture very quickly, James 3:12: ‘Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives or a grape vine bear figs’
It says ‘can a fig tree my brethren, bear olives?’ It’s a question, ‘or a grape vine bear figs?’ I want us to stop in the A part. ‘Can a fig tree bear olives or a grape vine bear figs’ Can your disobedience produce the righteousness of God? Can your sin produce life? No! What you do determines what you see. And if you notice from verse 1 to verse 11 of this James, it was talking about the tongue, it says the tongue being the smallest member of the body does great havoc.
I want us to read James 3:5 it says; ‘Even so the tongue is a little member and does great things, see how great a forest a little kindles’. Then he went on and on to talk about how powerful our tongue is. Then he came to verse 12 and said ‘can a fig tree my brethren bear olives?
And Jesus also saying in Matthew 12:33-37;
Matt.12.33 – “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” I want us to note the order, in James 3 that we read says can a fig tree, now liken the tree to your tongue and He is saying can your tongue, what do you use your tongue to do? To speak words. It says can your tongue speak words that will produce a different result in your life? That’s why it says can a fig tree my brethren produce olive fruits? He said it’s not possible and Jesus is saying here, He said ‘either make the tree good and its fruit good’, its either the tree is a good tree that is the only reason why that tree can produce good results, good fruits. ‘Or else make the tree bad’ because as long as the tree is bad, it will produce a bad fruit. Make a tree bad and the tree will be bad for a tree is known, identified by its fruits.
I want us to continue this verse, it says in Matthew 12:34 – “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”. –Jesus now went direct, how can you being evil speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Then He went further to talk about it.
Matthew12:35 – “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things”.
Matthew12:36 – “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment”.
So you have the choice of speaking, God waits for you in judgment. You speak all you can and all you like, the prerogative of judgment lies with God because speaking is an action. What you do is your choice but the judgment of what you do lies with God. And He said in verse 37;
Matthew12:37 – “For by your words (actions) you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Jesus made it very clear to us, so who is responsible for the result in your life? God has a good promise concerning you, He has wonderful things written about you, but who is responsible for the results? Just the same way the serpent cannot bite except you break the hedge, the same way God’s protection cannot lift, when the hedge is secured. The same way the devil could not have made Eve to eat the fruit is the same way God could not have made Eve to eat the fruit. Who is responsible for the results in your life? “by your words you justified, by your words you are condemned”. Another way we can put it- by your doings you are justified, and by your doings you are condemned.
I want us to see Proverbs 12. Proverbs talks a lot about the power of our tongue.
Proverbs 12:18 “There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health” –so, the result of what that wise person says is health but he has to say it.
Proverbs 10:11 “The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked”.
And I love Proverbs 12:18-21;
18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health. 19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. 20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy. 21 No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil.
Proverbs 12:18-21 (NKJV)
So when you are speaking, when you are performing an action and you are producing something, and it says the produce of his lips shall be filled. So what you say, what you do will come back to you but how it will come back to you is the prerogative of God; very important!
And one thing I discovered in James 1:12 which I will be closing with. I am going to read from verse 12-18,
12 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him”.
13 – “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; -that the reason why I did it was because God was not there, the reason why I did this was because the heavens over my life was shut. Job was in a situation where it looked as if the heaven over him was closed, he was in pains, he lost everything, but Job did right by God. His actions were not contrary to his belief. His wife came and said ‘curse God and die’, but he replied and said ‘you speak like one of those foolish women, I know my redeemer lives’, and he stood in the place of obedience in the midst of his trials. So don’t say you are tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed”. -It was the desire of Eve that drew her away from obedience, she considered that the tree was good such that will make one wise and she ate of it. Note the last word in that verse “and enticed” so the better the devil can do for you is to entice you but he won’t perform the actions for you. You don’t say ‘it’s the devil that carried my hand and I just slapped my wife’. No! you slapped her, but you were enticed and you were drawn.
15 “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.
James 1:12-18 (NKJV)
So God does not tempt anyone, ‘this thing I am going through, this time is a wilderness experience’. We have so many names for so many things; there are different experiences in the life of a man. You know there is a wilderness experience, there is a valley experience, there is a mountain experience. All these experience is God that has put them there.
You can say all that to justify yourself. You are the primary cause, you are the one responsible for the result of your life. So you are the one that will determine what you are blamed for and what you are credited for. The bible talks about Jesus Christ our lord and savior it says “For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despised the shame,” At a point when it seemed the heaven was closed over him. He said “Father, Father why have you forsaken me?”, but He did not forsake the father. It looked as if it was his dark moments, He was alone, there was no angelic presence but he had a choice to make. He said ‘if it’s my will, I pray that you allow this cup pass over me nevertheless not my will but yours be done’. Why didn’t he give excuse, ‘Father why have you forsaken me? Since you have forsaken me let me forsake you’. That’s what some of us will do.
Like the temptation that the devil brought before Jesus, he said ‘jump for He will give His angels charge over you lest you dash your foot against the stone. And Jesus said ‘you shall not tempt the Lord your God’. I have the choice to make, if I choose to jump, its God choice whether He will allow me to jump down safely or He will hold me but I won’t tempt Him.
So, who is responsible for the result in your life? What you are seeing, what you are going through, who is responsible? You will say ‘God is tempting me, God is testing me, whether God is tempting me or chastising me, God is doing everything’ but you have the choice to make, you are the primary cause.
“By your words you are justified, by your words you are condemned”. Beloved brethren don’t be deceived, don’t let the devil entice you like he did with Eve, stay true by God in all of your actions. That’s what the three Hebrew boys did; Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They said “we will not bow, our God is able. Even if He doesn’t save us, we will still not bow.” They made a choice and God judged that choice by showing up in the midst of the fire. But it’s not God that held their head from bowing. Someone will say ‘God, I am about to bow, you know its fire, show yourself and hold my head from doing it’. You have a choice to make.
So when Joseph was confronted with fornication, God did not show up by fire and lightening. He ran! After he ran he didn’t say ‘God I just did something that is fantastic now, why am I going to the prison?’ But he obeyed until his glory, until God judged every of his actions and credited Him for it. Who is responsible for the results in your life? I pray the Lord helps us in Jesus name.
[Centre for New Dimension Leadership]
