Can God sell my house?
For those who know me personally, they know I say what is on my mind, based more upon logic than emotion, and they know I am a Christian. I write this knowing those who know me will get it, and hoping that those who don’t know me will not take this blog as offensive to our God.
As a REALTOR, I help two – three dozen families each year with the largest financial decision their family will face. Even outside of real estate, as a Believer, I hear the comment many times that if God wants it to happen, he will make it happen. Over my 9 years in real estate, yes, I have clients tell me that if God wants their home sold, then he will make it happen, regardless of my effort, regardless of the market, regardless of lenders, regardless of current price!
As a Believer, I completely know and trust that God can make anything happen. Anything! He made this Earth and all it’s resources and inhabitants, including us. He can do all things – Period! But God’s abililty to make something happen can’t be questioned when He doesn’t make something happen. Make sense? There is a difference between having the ability to do something and actually doing it.
One of God’s greatest characteristics provided to us as humans, is our free will. We have the free will to make a decision to follow Christ or not, why would we also not have the free will to make decisions that affect real estate, and other factors of our personal lives? The greatest gift provided to us is eternal life with Christ, yet God doesn’t make us accept Christ and follow His will. If God will not ‘make’ everyone accept him, and follow his every desire, as a dictator would, why do we sometimes throw it out there that God will make it happen if he wants to? What is more rewarding? Someone following you because you make them do it, or someone who chooses, based upon their own free will, to follow you?
Maybe I am what God has sent to you. To guide you, protect you, and to use my knowledge and expertise for the benefit of your family, based upon God’s desire? As Believers, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us, because we can’t do it on our own. The Holy Spirit helps us, everyday, with discerning what is the will of God. Do you believe that God puts people and activities in our path? Whether to benefit from that interaction, or sometimes to suffer from it! What about the Good Samaritan? Should the injured traveler have rejected the services provided by the Samaritan and waited for God to deliver him personally? I can see the injured traveler now, “No thanks, I don’t need your help. Let the blood continue to flow out. No, please don’t get me out of the wilderness and into safety. If God wants to save me he will show up himself.”
I am always nervous when I hear another Believer make comments, and act, on the theory that they can sit back and do nothing and God will make it all happen. God never tells us to do nothing. It is actually the opposite. Throughout the Bible, God’s people were directed to action! So why then, do Christians not listen to reason, or the current market data, or the professional opinion and direction of those who are possibly put in their path based upon God’s desire to help them?
As a side note, I guess this blog is intended for Christian clients. I would assume that if you don’t believe in God, then you aren’t making the comments about if it is to be, God will make it happen.
Without a doubt, I truly believe that God has provided me with opportunities in real estate to guide my clients according to His will. To provide them with honest intent for the betterment of their family, based upon their situation, without the influence of selfish desires on my part. This doesn’t mean that God can’t make your home sell regardless of price ,or condition, or the local market. Nor, as a buyer, get the perfect house for the incredibly low ball offer you submitted. God can do all things regardless of efforts, direction, or influence from a real estate agent, the local market or third party entities such as lenders, appraisers, and buyers. Trust me, I have seen some homes sell that it had to be God! There was no logical sense why that home sold!
The good news is that God listens, and there are actions we can take to help our specific real estate needs.
- Do pray for your house, whether it sells or not. Pray that every person who enters through your doors will sense God and will want to know him more. Pray for God to send buyers who will be blessed by living in your house and who will serve him. Pray that God will direct you to the right place for your own new home. “Come to my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me. You promised those who ask, would receive, those who seek, would find, those who knock, would have doors opened to them. Hear the prayers of your church, grant my requests, and pardon my sins. Amen.”
- Don’t succumb to superstitions or seek “luck”. These are shortcuts which attempt to manipulate God so you can control your own life. Know that God is on your side as you put him first. That’s a whole lot better than all the luck in the world.
- Pray that God will reveal Himself, and His will, to you. Pray that God will give you the discernment you need to make educated decisions based upon the knowledge of those supporting you.
- Don’t be embarrased to ask God for help with your real estate needs. God is thrilled that you asked for His help to sell your home. “May the Lord grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.” – Psalm 20:4.
- Know that God cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you”, NKJV. Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” NKJV. 3 John 2 “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” NKJV
Certainly there are many factors involved in selling a house such as current market, current pricing, state of the local economy, etc. But as far as praying for a house to be sold, quickly, at the right price is concerned, it’s all about unwavering faith, that God will provide proper discernment and direction according to His will. What matters most is having the faith that God hears and answers our prayers according to His will, and it is possible that God’s will is that the house is to sell based upon the current market activity, buyer demand, and professional instruction of a real estate expert.
So I don’t ‘preach’ to just clients, let me direct this to those who are real estate agents. The above holds true as well. Your success as an agent is something God could ordain without much action from you, but that is not likely. Success as a real estate agent depends on your desire and will, and definitely not solely on your skill. Seek discernment and direction from God on what you need to do to be successful as a real estate agent, not only to support your personal and family needs, but to serve the needs of those you come across and represent.
I had an agent of mine tell me one time that if God wanted her to close transactions, then God would provide her with clients and deliver transactions to her, without her having to do anything. She is no longer in the business. Maybe that was God’s will for her to not be in real estate. Maybe she missed some incredible opportunities desired by God because she wouldn’t put a little desire and will into her own actions.