I am sure that in the modern digital age, we are all accustomed to “Terms of Service” (ToS). They are those long, legalistic documents we scroll past as quickly as possible to click “I Agree” so we can access an app or a website. In our human-centric world, we too often try to negotiate the terms of our existence, our contracts, and even our relationships. We want to be the ones who define the boundaries.
Pastor Nelson Iheagwam presents a powerful truth that, when it comes to the Creator of the universe, we do not get to write the Terms of Service. If Jesus is truly Lord, we must serve Him on His terms, not our own.
The Error of Convenience Surrender
The greatest hurdle to spiritual maturity is the desire for autonomy; the “I did it my way” philosophy. We want the benefits of the Kingdom without the requirements of the King. We want to attend church when it is convenient, pray only when we are in trouble, and maintain a prophetic public image while harboring secret appetites.
Pastor Nelson tells us that this is a dangerous game. He points out that many believers think Christianity is a social club or a self-help program where they can pick and choose which parts of the Gospel to apply. But the God we serve is a Holy God. Holiness, by definition, implies a standard that is set apart from our common, worldly impulses.
The God we have been called to serve is a holy God. And because He is above us all, we serve Him on His terms, not ours.
Pastor Nelson Iheagwam
Discipline: The Total Surrender
One of the most striking points Pastor Nelson makes is the distinction between being “prayerful” and being “disciplined.” He quoted Proverbs 25:28: “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”
You can spend three hours on your knees in prayer, but if you leave that prayer closet and immediately indulge in gossip, uncontrollable anger, or lustful scrolling on social media, your “walls” are down.
Prayer is our communication with God, but self-control is the structural integrity of our spirit. Without control over our spirit, appetites, and emotions, we are “susceptible to the devil.” The enemy does not care how loud you pray if he knows your gates are wide open. To serve God on His terms is to realize that discipline is just as much an act of worship as prayer is.
There are verses in Scripture that speak softly, and there are verses that shout with striking clarity. Proverbs 25:28 is one of those verses, a mirror, a warning, and a call to self-mastery.
And it reads:
- KJV: “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”
- NIV: “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.”
Different translations, one message: Without self-control, your life is defenseless. And defenselessness always leads to destruction. This verse is not just ancient wisdom; it is a picture of your inner world.
In ancient times, walls were more than architecture; they were life itself. Because cities without walls:
- Could not protect their people
- Were vulnerable to attack
- Lived at the mercy of anyone or anything
- Had no sense of safety or stability
- Constantly suffered invasion, chaos, and ruin
Proverbs 25:28 is telling you this: Without self-control, your life is wide open to any emotion, temptation, impulse, or distraction that wants to rule you.
Anger invades, fear conquers, lust steals, pride floods in,
procrastination dominates, addiction takes territory,
bitterness sets up residence, bad habits dig trenches and build camps.Where there is no self-control, there is no defense, and where there is no defense, self-sabotage becomes inevitable.
Continue Reading: Self-Control or Self-Sabotage: The Message of Proverbs 25:28
The Danger of Unforgiveness
To illustrate how we unknowingly serve God on our own terms, Pastor Nelson points to the “Scotland Yard” of the heart, unforgiveness.
Referencing 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, Pastor Nelson explains that Paul urged the church to forgive so that Satan would not take advantage of them. In the Greek, “advantage” suggests a “cheat” or a “scheme.” When we choose to hold a grudge against a parent, a spouse, or a church member, we are trying to serve God while ignoring His explicit command to forgive.
10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven, if there was anything to forgive, I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,
11 in order that Satan might not outsmart us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NIV
This creates a spiritual contradiction. You are praying to God for direction, but your unforgiveness acts as a GPS for the enemy. While you are trying to move forward, the open door of bitterness allows the enemy to guide you into traps of offense and stagnation. To serve Him on His terms means forgiving not because we feel like it, but because He commanded it.
The Prophet vs. The Pattern of the World
In his sermon, Pastor Nelson went further to strike a sharp rebuke to the modern social media version of Christianity. He speaks of the irony of those who claim the title of “Prophet to the Nations” but post immodest or worldly content on Instagram.
This is the ultimate attempt to serve God on our own terms. It is the attempt to merge the sacred with the profane, but the Bible is clear on this: We can not serve two masters. If our private life, our appetites, is governed by the trends of the world, then the Lordship of Christ is merely a label, not a reality, at least not in our character and conduct.
True Lordship requires a mark! There must be a visible difference in how we handle our bodies, our time, and our influence. We serve a God who sees all, the Instagram post and the heart behind it, ALL!
Lordship: The Ultimate Surrender
The conclusion of the matter is simple yet profound: Jesus is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all. When we say “Jesus is Lord,” we are signing a contract where He is the sole author of our life, and His terms include:
- Holiness and Consecration: Setting ourselves apart from the world’s patterns.
- Self-Control: Guarding the walls of our spirit so the enemy finds no entrance.
- Humility: Being willing to be corrected and rebuked by those God places in our lives.
- Obedience: Doing what He says, even when it contradicts our emotions.
Read Also: Serving The Lord Isn’t An Activity Of Convenience; It’s Founded Upon Sacrifice
Read Also: The Labor of Love: Unpacking Hebrews 6:10 with Pastor Enoch Boamah
Read Also: The Exclusive Claim: Is Jesus The Only Way to God?
Conclusion
Serving God on His terms is not about legalism; it is about alignment. A train is only free to move when it stays on the tracks. When we try to serve God on our terms, we are like a train trying to drive through the forest, and we will eventually crash.
When we align our lives with His Terms of Service, we find the protection of a walled city and the peace of a surrendered heart. We move beyond the language of “why I could not” and into the power of a life that is truly governed by the King of Kings.
So, take a look at your life today. Are there areas where you are trying to negotiate? Are there open gates in your spirit? It is time to close the doors, silence the excuses, and serve The One and The Only Holy God on the only terms that matter: His!
