We all have a default operating system. It plays a major role in how we live our lives, how we go through our day-to-day routines, what kind of energy we exert, and what kind of power we show up with.
When I say “default”, I'm thinking of the computer-related pre-selected option set by the programmer when no alternative is specified by the user. So whether you buy a Windows computer or a Mac, it’s already got some programs set up when you turn it on, ready to use, and you can modify or replace things later if you want.
Worldly Mindsets
Many of us are running on a default program that's average; its baseline is low and results in mediocrity, going through the motions day after day with no intention, no purpose, and no real energy brought forth.
The world has an answer for this with coaching out there to break this default operating system through things like mindfulness, the power of intention, and being purposeful.
You might have even heard of mindfulness training, as it’s now encroaching upon workplaces and even the Church.
Now don’t get me wrong, these things in and of themselves are not wrong or evil by default (see what I did there?). There’s some wisdom to learn in life, business, and our physical health, that we can get from the world and it doesn’t always have a chapter and verse in the Bible for it, and it is still true and worth adhering to.
However, we also need discernment.
Ultimately the root of earthly and natural wisdom originally comes from eating from the wrong tree in the Garden of Eden. When Adam (and Eve, but we’re focused on the men on this site) ate of the fruit, Genesis says it was out of the desire to be more like God in a good way that they partook of the fruit. It wasn’t specifically out of hatred for him and rebellion against God, but a misguided worldly/earthly desire to be better.
But it was a wrong mindset.
Just Because it Seems Moral and Logical Doesn’t Mean it is
You see, we have a way that makes sense to man, a way that seems right to us, but the outcome is death (Prov 14:12). Just because something appears to be good does not necessarily mean it’s from God, even if it is moral, sincere and has elements of truth wrapped within it.
So how do we avoid good decisions and instead make God decisions?
By changing our default operating system.
Acknowledging Him
I was recently spending some time with the Lord just enjoying time in His presence, and I was directed to Proverbs chapter 3 where a verse jumped off the page at me.
“In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” (verse 6).
You see, there’s a natural logical wisdom from below, and then there's also a heavenly wisdom from above. As Christian men with the Holy Spirit indwelling us, we have access to that wisdom from above. We’re to walk in this place where we're tapping into wisdom from another realm where we're choosing God over just what's good enough.
The biggest challenge we have as we make decisions is determining if something is good or is it God? These decisions can set the trajectory for our life, so we need to approach them with an intent of finding the will of God for our lives and not just operating out of an earthly wisdom by default.
So how do we break the cycle of default and interrupt this lower level operating system that just kicks in and takes over?
The Four Ds
Let me tell you a little secret: it's more than mindfulness for the kingdom-driven man.
I did a word study on the word “acknowledge” in the Bible and I found it's used in a variety of ways and there's a couple of words that we can substitute for it. One use of it in Scripture has to do with being aware; cultivating this awareness of God in our everyday life. So we could paraphrase it to say, “in all your ways, be aware of God. In all your ways, be acquainted with Him.”
One way to remember this is what I call The Four Ds.
In all your ways, declare the will of God, be diligent to seek out the will of God, be diligent to discern and to discover the will of God for your life. As you do that and you acknowledge him [by doing those things], he promises to make our paths straight.
Self-sufficiency and self-confidence have been the norm for mankind ever since the fall. Our nature, or our default position, has been to live independently of God. So when we talk about changing our default, we’re breaking the spirit of independence.
For the worldly man, this looks like doing whatever I want, even if using some intelligence and wisdom to my thinking, but not including God in the process or even basing my decisions in him. If I think something is what I should do, I'm just gonna do it and not stop to check with him.
We need to break out of the matrix or the framework you use to filter through your decisions in life, and apply those four Ds to seek to declare, to discern, define and discover the will of God for our lives.
If you're not doing those things and interrupting that pattern in your life and being intentional and purposeful, not just for the sake of it but to acknowledge the Lord's will, priority and placement in your life, then you are most likely running on default settings.
So how do we break the pattern? How do we rewire and create a new default operating system within us?
Below are a few practical keys with which we can acknowledge the Lord in everything we do.
Commitment
Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:3),
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this. (Psalm 37:4-5)
According to these two passages, we START from the beginning with our plans and thoughts committed to the Lord. Not after you’ve started, not after you make the decision, but right from the beginning.
Delight yourself in the Lord first, and the desires come. Commit your way to the Lord first, and commit your way for His glory.
The way I do this I have a morning ritual, a sacred space, and unfair advantage. If you're interested in that, if you're looking for a new program or a way to connect with God, that's deep, meaningful, practical and you wanna learn more about it then make sure to join The Unfair Advantage email challenge.
Don’t get Lazy In Trusting Him Ahead of Time
Though it’s true the Lord knows what you need before you ask (Matt 6:8), there’s a ditch we can fall into and say, “well, I don't have to pray about that, I can just make the decision. God knows that I need an answer to that since he knows what I need before I ask”, and we can use that as an excuse not to ask him.
However, despite the Father knowing what you need before you ask, we still are instructed to pray, to seek, to ask and to knock. Even though we know that he knows what we need, when we stop to ask and say, “Lord, I'm totally dependent on you. Father, I don't wanna go without you.”
It demonstrates to him how we are weak in and of ourselves, that we need him, we are surrendered, yielded. There's something about this that attracts God into your life, and where he can come in and he can bless your plans, he can establish your ways and make your path straight.
The world is independent. The worldly operating system is to muster up enough energy, strength, and will power, and assume “If I want it and willpower it, I can have it.
For us as kingdom men, submitted to the way of the Lord, we are in a surrendered position to him, and we do what he calls us to do, and we are fully dependent on Him.
Default wisdom is natural, earthy, and it can be demonic.
So acknowledge the Lord in everything you do! Acknowledge him at the beginning of the day, tell them that you're dependent on Him, tell them you don't want to go unless he goes with you. Admit to him you need him, and this will attract the presence of God into your life.
This is what a relationship looks like. I love my wife, but it's not enough for me to say, “hey, I already told you I love you once 17 years ago” I need to express that love continually. I talk to her regularly, I cultivate dialogue, and that's what the Lord wants from us too; he's interested in you.
He wants to know you, he wants to have a conversation with you, he wants you to spend time with him, and this is what relationship looks like,
If you haven't been living this way, fully dependent on God, showcasing these actions with your life, then it’s time to upgrade your operating system. It’s time to break some old worldly cycles and habits. It takes deliberate practice to be intentional about following and pursuing the will of God for your life, but it’s possible!
In closing I want to leave you with a quote that comes from a Greek philosopher which says, “We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” and
With that said, it’s time to raise the standard and change our level of training. Are you in?
Upgrade Your Environment
Are you constantly fighting through the GAP between where you are called to be and where you find yourself today? Then it's time to upgrade your spiritual operating system and your environment. That's why I've launched the Unfair Advantage email challenge.
Just click the link below and sign up, and commit to showing up. You'll get an email every day for 11 days straight. Some days there'll be a video that accompanies the email with a video training that I made specifically for you.
When you upgrade your spiritual operating system, you will step into your mission with power and learn to live dangerously the way God created you to.
So when you're ready, click that button, get in the Unfair Advantage challenge and learn how to step into your unfair advantage.
