Dharius Daniels - Smart Moves

Alright, well, we’re in a series in the Book of Proverbs, which is in a section of the Bible called wisdom literature. It’s titled «I’m Too Smart for This.» I want to know if the 11:45 feels like talking back to the preacher today. I want to read one verse found in Proverbs 12. Here’s what Solomon says: «The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.» Everybody, come on, say it! Say it to me; don’t say it to your neighbor. Say it for yourself! Say, «In this season of my life, I will only make smart moves.» Clap your hands if that’s your confession—smart moves!

Well, family, you know I like to curate and create axioms because I believe axioms help us remember truths. So, I want to LEAP into this lesson with an axiom today that can be captured in the following phrase. It’s coming on the screen, and it’s on the Change Church app and our website. All of our notes are there from each lesson at the end of every Sunday. Some decisions have the potential to produce a season. I should have gotten an amen right there! Some seasons have the potential to produce a cycle. Good decisions have the potential to produce good seasons, and good seasons have the potential to produce good cycles. But bad decisions have the potential to produce bad seasons, and bad seasons have the potential to produce bad cycles. Therefore, although all seasons are important, not all seasons are equally consequential. There are some seasons that matter more than others. I call these seasons «pregnant seasons.» Some of you might be thinking, «I’m in one of those right now!»

A pregnant season is a time in life where decisions are like dominoes, becoming defining moments for us and determinants related to our destiny. Throughout Scripture, we see examples of this because, when you find yourself in a pregnant season, pregnant seasons necessitate smart moves. I’m going to say that one more time: pregnant seasons necessitate smart moves. The Scriptures are filled with examples of people who made smart moves in pregnant seasons.

There is a woman who has a book of the Bible dedicated to her story. She’s a strong sister, a smart sister, a savvy sister. Her name is Esther. She grew up on the other side of the tracks. Orphaned and impoverished, she had to grow up quickly. She was raised by her uncle named Mordecai, and by God’s grace, she went from the pit to the palace. She ends up marrying a king of Persia. The Bible is very clear: she is enjoying this phase and season of her life. I mean, she’s in the palace now. She’s got maids, attendants, servants, chefs—she’s just living her best life! Can you see her? She’s very demure and cute, mindful—come on! She’s there, and then all of a sudden, she hears from the man who raised her.

Watch this! He’s not higher in socioeconomic status but is greater in spiritual stature. His name is Mordecai. He wasn’t called to be in the palace, but he had an anointing for those who were. He’s what we call a «king or queen maker.» Mordecai sends word to Esther, saying, «Esther, we’ve got a problem. There’s someone in the king’s cabinet, a hater named Haman. Haman is attempting to obliterate our people, and the king is unaware. Here’s what I need you to do: I know the king is temperamental, a narcissist, someone who is unbalanced and unstable, but I need you to use your influence to go to the king and tell him to put a stop to this. I know the king doesn’t care about us, but he cares about you. So, leverage your influence with the king and risk what God gave you to achieve why He gave it to you.»

Esther has to make a smart move here because she must love why God gave her a thing more than the thing that God gave her. We talk about her now, thousands of years later; there’s a book of the Bible dedicated to her name because, in a pregnant season, she made a smart move. It’s so good because, in pregnant seasons, you’ve got to make smart moves.

There’s a man named Noah who also made a smart move. The Bible clearly communicates that God tells him to build an ark before it rains. Noah has to decide whether or not to engage in prophetic preparation and build an ark when there are no signs of rain. Not realizing that your willingness to build the ark indicates that you believe rain is coming—it doesn’t take faith to build it when it’s raining, right? But it takes faith to build it before it rains. Can I give you two words before I go to my next example? Build it! Build it if you believe God’s getting ready to do exceedingly and abundantly. Build it! What’s the ark? The structure? Build it! Build it! Noah made a smart move; they called him silly while he was building it, but they called him smart when it rained. That’s so good!