During World War II, General Douglas MacArthur needed his forces to cross a river.

And so he called the chief engineer and asked him, how long would it take for us to have a bridge in order to cross to the other side?

The engineer said three days.

He said, go ahead and draw the plans. That's the operative word. Draw the plans. Three days later,

MacArthur was getting very agitated, irritated. He hasn't seen the plans.

So he calls the chief engineer.

And he says, what happened to the plans?

And the chief engineer said, general, the bridge is already up, and you can cross it now if you want to.

But if you want the plans, you will have to wait a little longer.

We haven't finished them yet.

I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand if you identify with Douglas MacArthur when it comes to the Christian life.

For if I learned anything in my Christian walk, because I know that we as believers

tend to be so preoccupied with our plans. We get to be so focused on our plans. We tend to be so

consumed by our plans. And yet, God is at work work building bridges for the work of his kingdom.

God is at work opening doors for kingdom to go forward.

God is at work seeking men and women who would obey his will and obey his commission.

You see, we plan and we plan and we plan, but God is at work.

And in the last five verses of James chapter four, he gives us evidence number nine for faith,

for those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

These verses basically continuing the same theme of submission. Submission is a dirty word.

And yet, if we are to have power to overcome the three superpowers, the world, the flesh,

and the devil, we have no other option but to submit to God.

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