Have you ever lost your keys? Spent time looking for the remote? Ran out of clean clothes? Neglected to do something important? Forgot a friend’s birthday? Paid a bill late because it got lost in a pile on your desk?
All of these problems are the result of a lack of order in your life.
Have you ever tried to get a coke out of a machine that was “Out of Order?” You put money in, but nothing comes out. When your life is “Out of Order” you will no longer be productive. God finds it difficult to bless someone whose life is “Out of Order.”
Recently I visited a friend’s house. His life was completely “Out of order.” Dirty dishes filled the sink. Half-eaten sandwiches were growing mold on the kitchen counter. The toilet was filthy. A huge pile of dirty clothes was on the floor of his bedroom. Unpaid bills sat unopened. He had allowed the insurance on his car to expire. He is an extremely talented individual, but his lack of attention to details made his life miserable. Because of the absence of order in his life, he was struggling with depression and lack of motivation.
One of the greatest secrets of success in life is order. Order makes me happy. In my house, I like to have a place for everything,and I keep everything in its place. This eliminates wasting time looking for my keys, my cell phone, or my wallet. I like having clean carpets, an empty kitchen sink, and a neat desk. When things are in disorder, I become stressed out.
What is order? Order is the organized arrangement of every detail in your life.
Why should we increase the order in our lives? Order increases your wealth…your favor…your success…your happiness…your rewards…your self-esteem…your self-worth…your productivity. Order determines what goals you meet or fail to achieve. Order will move you to new levels in your life. Order brings promotion.
God is a God of order. Throughout the Bible, we see how much God values order. God is an organizer. He plans everything. According to 1 Peter 1:20, the plan of salvation through the blood of Jesus was premeditated “before the foundation of the world.” Before the prophet Jeremiah was even born, God had a plan for his life (Jeremiah 1:5). God put the marriage supper of the lamb on the calendar over 6,000 years in advance.
Creation provides evidence of God’s passion for order.
The opposite of order is chaos. In the beginning of time, God hovered over the deep and brought order. Wherever God is, He brings order. Mike Murdock says, “Chaos in marriage is caused by a lack of God. Chaos in government is caused by a lack of God. Chaos in your finances is caused by a lack of God.”
Evidence of God’s passion for order is found in the majestic dance of the planets of our solar system…in the way our bodies are wonderfully made…in every detail of creation. God operates through organized systems.
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…” (Romans 1:20 NKJV). The theory of evolution teaches that everything happens by chance. Evolution is Satan’s diabolical plan to hide God’s passion for order. Deliberate design requires that there be a Designer.
Two examples of God’s ordered design is your eye and your ear. “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both” (Proverbs 20:12 NKJV). In your eye there are over one million microscopic optic nerves that match up with a fiber-optic cable in your brain. This precise and delicate match-up is what allow you to see. Under my computer desk there are dozens of cords that I have to plug into the right holes in order for my computer, printer, and fax machine to work. When I moved my computer, it took me over an hour to get every cord back in its proper place. Yet, in your eye God has plugged in over one million tiny cords to their proper receptors so that you can see.
In your ear there are three tiny bones that work together perfectly in conjunction with your eardrum to allow you to hear. How could these small bones evolve so precisely? If even one bone was missing or even slightly smaller or bigger, you would be unable to hear.
God Loves Order
God’s obsession is order. – Mike Murdock
God delights in order and He expects His children to be organized.
* Noah was given precise guidelines on building the ark. “Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks” (Genesis 6:14-16 NKJV).
* Moses received specific instructions on how to build the tabernacle. “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it” (Exodus 25:8-9 NKJV). God gave instructions concerning the material to use for the tabernacle, the precise dimensions, and even the formula to be used for the sweet smelling incense.
* The priests were told the proper way to offer sacrifices.
* The high priest was instructed to enter the Holy of Holies in a certain way.
* Moses was instructed to hit a rock to produce water. But later, he was instructed to speak to a second rock. When Moses disobeyed this small instruction, it cost him his chance to see the Promised Land.
* God gave Joshua specific instructions for overcoming Jericho. God’s instructions were to:
- Walk around the wall once each day for six days.
- Remain quiet while you walk.
- On the seventh day, walk around the wall seven times.
- Shout and blow the trumpets.
Jesus was ordered. He made his bed every day of his life. At the tomb after his resurrection, the cloth was folded. You don’t do that unless it has been your habit your whole life. You can imagine the angels waiting for him to finish. Right after Jesus achieved his greatest victory, he stopped and took time to fold the clothes he was wearing.
Heaven values protocol (another word for “order”)
Once I was invited to play golf at a country club. I showed up wearing shorts, the same attire that I wear to play golf at the discount golf course in my hometown. The country club refused to allow me to play because they have a “dress code” for playing golf.
If you were to visit the White House, you would be given detailed instructions on how to maintain proper protocol around the president of the United States.
Heaven has a dress code (white robes) and proper protocol that must be followed. We are instructed to “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4 NKJV). To gain an audience with the King of Kings, you must follow proper protocol.
When you get to heaven, do you think you will see a candy bar wrapper laying on the gold streets? Do you think the angel who is assigned to meet you at the gate will be late? Will God have your mansion ready in time?
Biblical characters reveal the benefits of order.
Solomon’s Wisdom Brought Order to His House
Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. Let’s look at how wisdom was manifested in his house. “Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions…And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers and their apparel, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her” ( 2 Chronicles 9:1-4 NKJV).
Look at what the Queen of Sheba noticed:
- His wisdom. Solomon’s wisdom was visible in the way he did things.
- The house he had built. His house was beautiful, luxurious, and well made.
- The food on his table. The food he ate was perfectly prepared and delightfully arranged.
- The seating of his servants. His servants sat in order.
- The service of his waiters and their apparel. She noticed their clothing. They were all dressed the same.
- His cupbearers and their apparel. The cupbearers had their own uniform as well.
- The entryway to his house. Even the doorway to his house was a manifestation for his oppression with order.
When there is a lack of order, there is confusion. The Bible says, “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace…” (1 Corinthians 14:33 NKJV). The Greek word that is translated as confusion in this verse means disorder. Some churches have services where no one on the worship team knows what songs will be sung. The pastor does not know what he is going to preach. No one is assigned to take up the offering. There is confusion throughout the entire service. How can God move in a church that is so disorganized?
Order increases anointing. When the Corinthian church was out of control, Paul instructed them, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40 NKJV). The Corinthian church majored on the spiritual gifts but they were in danger because of their lack of order. Paul writes two full chapters of instructions to help them get their spiritual gifting in order. Paul does not tell them to stop functioning in their spiritual gifts, but he does say to get it in order.
The anointing on your life will increase as you increase the order in your life. Disorder decreases the anointing, order is a magnet for more anointing. Order is more important than anointing. People ask God for more anointing but what they need is more order.
When I visit a church, I can usually tell how well it is doing by how clean the foyer is. If the front of the church has lots of overgrown weeds, then generally speaking, the church is not flourishing and growing. If the platform has lots of random cords laying all over the place, then usually the music is not very anointed. But, when I enter a church that is clean and in order, then I can tell that God is going to move in that church.
Part of Paul’s ministry was setting things in order. “…the rest I will set in order when I come…” (1 Corinthians 11:34 NKJV). I heard one preacher say he does not like to study. He just gets up and says whatever God puts in his heart. This is a sign of disorder in his life. The anointing is just as much in the time of preparation as it is in the spur of the moment.
Paul instructed the Corinthian church to put their finances in order. “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem” (1 Corinthians 16:1-3 NKJV).
Order is created through Paul’s instructions concerning:
Who: Everyone is to give.
What: Everyone is to give “as he may prosper.”
When: Everyone is to give on “the first day of the week.”
Where: Everyone is to give towards those suffering from famine in Jerusalem.
Why: Everyone is to give in advance so that Paul does not have to receive a collection when he arrives.
How: After everyone is finished giving, the offering is to be taken to Jerusalem, accompanied by “whomever you approve by your letters.” Paul asks for names of qualified people to be submitted in writing for his approval before they are trusted with the money. This documentation was due diligence on his part.
Paul sent Titus to the island of Crete to bring order. “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you” (Titus 1:5 NKJV). Some things in Crete were lacking; they were incomplete and missing. By increasing order, Titus was able to speed up the work of God on Crete.
Order allows you to fulfill instructions. God usually gives us one instruction at a time. It is useless to ask God for a new instruction if you have failed to obey His previous instruction. Once you complete one step, He will show you your next step. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23 NKJV).
Order brings revelation. “And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:23 NKJV).
Order proceeds multiplication. Jesus asked the multitudes to sit down in groups of fifty before he multiplied the bread. If you want to multiply, put what you have in order.
More Benefits of Order
“My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you” (Proverbs 3:1-2). Three rewards of order are mentioned in this verse:
- Length of days– Each of us have exactly the same length of day (24 hours or 1440 minutes or 86,400 seconds) so why does this verse say God will increase the length of your days? When your life is in order, you increase your efficiency and productivity. This will give you extra seconds, minutes, and hours to accomplish more for God.
- Long Life– By following God’s laws, you increase your time on this earth. An orderly approach to exercise and diet will literally allow you to live longer.
- Peace– An increase in order will decrease the stress in your life. A clean kitchen and an organized desk will give you a feeling of contentment and peace.
Additional thoughts about order
- Order saves time. Lack of order wastes time. Did you ever lose your keys? Is your closet in order? Your socks? Your notes? Your library?
- Order minimizes the challenges in your life. Many of the problems people face in life are not caused by Satan, but by a lack of order.
- Order brings accurate knowledge of your affairs.
- Order increases your productivity. Lack of order robs you of productivity. Order creates time saving ideas and policies.
- Order attracts finances. Money does not attract order, rather, order attracts money. Order always comes before increase. Increase does not bring order. Order brings increase.
- Order is the secret to long-term success. Anyone can look good for a short time, but if you want to maintain success, you have to be organized. It is hard to go where you need to go when you do not know where you are.
- God blesses order. You can’t get too organized for God. God is not obligated to bless you when you are out of order. Everyone wants God to do more…but they do not have the capacity to handle more because there is a lack of order in their lives.
- Order brings divine connections into your life that will increase your influence.
Drawbacks of Disorder
1. Disorder produces stress. “Where are my keys?” I yelled at my wife. They were supposed to be in my bedroom drawer but they were not there. I was scheduled to have an important meeting but since I did not have my car keys I was going to be late. After searching the whole house, I finally found them on the kitchen table (right where I had accidentally left them), I jumped in my car and raced off to my appointment. On the way, I broke multiple traffic laws because I was late. It was only the grace of God that I did not receive a ticket.
2. Disorder leads to strife.In the example above, my wife Jessica had not moved my keys, but I yelled at her anyway because of the stress I was feeling. Because I yelled at her, suddenly, our marriage was full of strife. She yelled back, “I never touched your keys!”
3. Disorder creates anger.I left the house angry at Jessica because she had yelled at me. My anger was completely unjustified because I had yelled at her first.
4. Disorder robs you of productivity.I was planning to arrive at my meeting ten minutes early so that I could mentally go over my agenda for the meeting and be well prepared. But, since I was late, the meeting did not go as well as it could have.
When I am in an atmosphere of disorder, I do not feel like working. If my desk is cluttered, I often get distracted or discouraged before I even begin on a project.
Environment is important. Staying in a nice hotel gives me a different feeling then staying in cheap dirty hotel room.
5. Disorder leaves you with less time.Since I arrived late, I had less time with my important friend.
6. Disorder creates confusion.“For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work”(James 3:16). Another time, I was scheduled to have a meeting with someone. They did not show up. Later I received an e-mail where they apologized for writing down the wrong time and the wrong date for our meeting in their planner.
7. Disorder raises questions about your integrity.We were working with a crusade director in a foreign country. We asked him to provide receipts for all his expenditures. Because of his disorder, he was unable to give us receipts for over half the money. He said he had lost the receipts, or forgotten to get them, or was waiting for someone else to give the receipts to him. Because he did not have the proper documentation, we suspected that he had stolen the extra money. He may have been completely honest, but his disorder planted doubt in our minds. We never worked with him again.
About Daniel King
Evangelist Daniel King, D.Min is on a mission to lead people to Jesus. He has visited over seventy nations preaching good news and he has led over two million people in a salvation prayer. To support King Ministries in our quest for souls, click here!
