Steve Lyston | Builders must count the cost

Building is a process that requires commitment, determination and the will to succeed. It also requires the right resources and the wisdom to know how to manage the resources to make the building process a success.

When it comes to building a nation, the builder must build for the benefit of the people, not to benefit themself. Never build ahead of the people, nor ahead of God. So every builder must ensure that he builds the people so that they can also be fully involved in the building process. The builder needs to identify the needs of the people, evaluate them against the resources available and build accordingly. For example, can you imagine if someone builds a house with the latest technology, but the people do not know how to use the technology to run the household efficiently? The result will be chaos.

Grace to build

Every builder must have God’s grace when they are building, whether ministry, political office or a nation. Similar to a contractor, they must construct according to the building permits granted and build only on the architectural foundation given. Architectural originality goes into the floor plan. We cannot be like the ­foolish builder in Matthew 7: 24 – 27. Every builder’s work will be tested by fire to see what materials have been used in the construction.

Every building plan must be clear to everyone within the society, and we must motivate those who read it to run with it (Habakkuk 2). We must receive the vision with patience and wait for it. It has an appointed time.

When building, you must listen to the voice of God, meet with Him regularly to see whether you are on the right track with your construction; because one may be building for himself and not for the people or the glory of God. Always listen for what he will say to you. Keep a journal of the things He will say. Write the vision and wait for God to bring it to pass.

You must build the people before the building.

Knowledge is power

If you give a man a million dollars without educating him, then he will squander it and be back to square one. Likewise, if a man borrows a loan, but does not know how money is managed, he will lose it all and the cycle will remain. You have to build with the right gifts.

Builders must always build for the present and future ­generations. We must build from an original plan, or it will fail. You must build with wise and loyal people.

Count the cost

Every builder must count the cost when building (Luke 14: 28 – 33). There will be profits and losses. If not, you will be mocked and it will be unfinished. You must recognise that you have to prepare for war. You have to keep a lookout for double agents also. Most builders are building today without counting the cost.

Prayer is key when building. Without prayer, you will not be able to discern that the person you think is a friend is not a friend, but is instead a ‘frenemy’. Remember that there are people in society who don’t want change.

Every builder must always demand social reform, especially among those you lead. Learn from Nehemiah. He dealt with oppression, high interest rates and taxation, and he called for an audit to deal with the usury that was taking place in the society. He called on the rich and the noble – VIPs – to help the poor and to cease oppressing them. He re-­established the principles of God and the morals within the nation. He prayed for the favour of the King of Kings. Therefore, no builder can be ­successful ­without the King of Kings!

Building takes a lot of sacrifice – planning, preparation and prayer. There must be a great deal of prayer taking place. Many builders today are borrowing the plans of other nations, not taking into consideration the culture, land surface, the people, or whether God has approved that plan. If we are going to walk in prosperity, we cannot build by our own strength, logic or intellect.

Be careful how you borrow to build. If not, you may end up being a tenant of the building rather than the owner.

Builders must count the cost.

- Steve Lyston is a biblical economics consultant and author of several books, including ‘End Time Finance’ and ‘The New Millionaire’.