A Certain Place!!

"Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went and toward Haran. So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head and he lay down in that place to sleep"~ Genesis 28:10-11

The true blessing of God for you always lies in something or a place you are yet to discover. The bible says God leads us in the paths of righteousness for his name sake. He is the only one who can lead us to places where we will find our true birthrights. There is a divine mandate on your life and you need God to lead you to that place. The devil thought he was pushing you away from your destiny yet God used the occasion to allow you to stumble in the place you have desired for a long time. "This certain place" could be a revelation, business and educational opportunity etc you have been waiting for. Jacob after he run from his brother’s wrath came to a place and slept. There he had a revelation that was to change his life and set him on his true path to success. The bible states that Jacob had his revelation between Beersheba the place he was running from to Haran the place he had not yet reach. If he had known that in between the two places he was to come face to face with his destiny, he would have left his father’s earlier on.

Most of the time, the spirit of God prompts us to do certain things yet we fail to recognize his voice and even when we do we carry along with “the just in cases”. When God called the young Samuel and he could not recognise God’s voice, Eli the high priest taught him how to. In our time, the only source from where we can learn to hear the voice of God will be in his word. When God told Abraham to leave his fathers, all God wanted him to do was to go through Shechem for a “word” as this was to change him forever. In fact there is coming a day and a time when you will stumble into your “certain place”. 

If Jacob truly had the blessings of his brother Esau, why will God reveal to him such a powerful dream? Interestingly, the Abrahamic blessings began with Jacob. Sometimes people become so familiar with what is not theirs and never attend to their own. Mind your business!! Even when that which is not ours is demanded, we fight with every strength available to maintain it. If you insist on holding on to that which is not yours, you give God the permission to keep that which is truly yours from you.  

The bible is quite definite about the place Jacob stumbled and slept. It uses the word “that” very often to describe the specificity of the place as being of significance. There is a place called “that” waiting for your discovery and it is where your dreams will begin. 

Deal With It!

Ingratitude was something the Jews displayed without a thought. They complained in all manner of situations; the good the bad and the ugly. Moses could not enter Canaan because he allowed their complaints to eat him up. He ended up disobeying God at the waters of Massa and Meriba. He struck the rock twice instead of once and lost his chance of going into the promise land. He brought them out of Egypt by the mighty deeds of God yet lost out due to anger.

How sad that sometimes we forget that the little foxes have to be dealt with. Moses was faced with a situation but failed to see beyond and reacted instead of being proactive. Anointing is not seen except its being displayed in the various gifts of the Holy Spirit. Many often assume once you have the anointing that is enough. I am of a different opinion when it comes to the importance of character as opposed to the anointing.

Character is what people experience every day. Until it’s well developed, you will destroy many out of ignorance. Until your character is right, the anointing will just be for jokes. You will not see a significant impact from the anointing when your character is wrong. Moses was anointed yet had a character default that was to bedevil his entrance into the promise land. His environment created a situation which he lacked the necessary power to break free from.

Moses, Elijah and Abraham faced a situation and each reacted differently to it. Elijah chose death, Moses chose anger and Abraham chose instant gratification when the environment created a situation. Abraham might have received the promised son but left a great scar on humanity. Moses inspite of his toils never got to see the fruit of his labour. Elijah I believe could have faced Jezebel and destroyed her. Whatever plagued him was deeper than what the eye could see. A successful ministry that was born out of boldness and the power was brought to an abrupt end.

When Queen Vashti refused to honour her husband king Ahaseurus’ request she was banished. His elders advised that a law to be decreed to punish disrespectful women and he gladly acquiesced. When his anger subsided, the bible said he remembered Vashti but it was too late. The law had already passed and it prevented him from reinstating her. I Am learning never to react to a situation without due understanding of the process. Making a permanent decision by act, word or reaction devalues the purpose for which God gave you a position, opportunity, gift or talent.

In the face of grave and threatening situations, we really ought to be careful how we react. We serve a mighty God who has what it takes to bring change. Through his inspiration we can receive insight on how to control its effects and move onto greater heights.

Defining "You"

"Cogito Ergo sum": I think thefore I am” - Rene Descartes

Success or failure begins with the “individual”. Nothing will ever happen without your involvement. I have constantly emphasised the need for one to take time and understudy themselves. We find it easy being nice, doing a lot for others or going the extra mile for others but how many truly do so much for themselves? We have been conditioned by society to relate to others better than we have been thought to do for ourselves. For me, the true value of a person is discovered when they take time to understand themselves. It’s through this that they can conquer the hardships of life. True self- discovery can be equated to self- awareness. This reveals a pattern for success which when practised, leads the individual to the winning they desire. Human nature is such that we all hate losing but yet, at the same time we love winning.

The journey to being your best begins with "you". Patience is the hall mark as you embark on this journey. The sport of Angling to me seems daunting. Most of the time the angler has to wait for several hours before the fish bites the bait. Deep within the Angler is the desire to catch fish no matter how long it takes or how smart the animal might prove to be. Eventually, the one who dares wait gets the results. Providence often rejects us when we fail to maximise all the gifts and opportunities we have been blessed with but rather question its intentions by our fear and weakness.

Though there isn’t any nobility in copying, it seems it is the easy way out for most people. Finding one’s own path in this life and being guided by divine principles, gives peace than just following others because something worked for them. Things don’t work for everyone the same way.What worked for someone wouldn’t necessarily work for you. There is so much respect in being a pioneer. You have so much stored up within you and we should never forget the enormity of the work of artistry that went into creating us. 

To define you carries with it so much potency that if the average individual will spend time introspectively to search and ask questions, he will be furnished with all the possible answers. Countless number of people spend their lives worshipping others for their ingenuity, yet fail to make use or watch their opportunities go waste.

There seem to be a deep desire to win when raised in scarcity. Personally being raised with not so enough instilled in me the desire to define me and subsequently move ahead to win. I believe this is what has informed my desire to see my friends, congregation, and anyone I come across in this life win. It will be painful to go through life and never win at anything. It’s even more heart wrenching when you knew you could have won but never yielded when the opportunity arose. My mother instilled in me the value of understanding the power of oneself. She made sure I understood that anytime something holds you bound, you will never experience the fullness of what you could have become.

I am great not because a person conferred it on me, but because I am learning to understand who I am. You are truly great when you understand yourself! The greatest asset you have before you embark on any quest be it educational, financial or relational is you. God has been so faithful in not taking you away from you. The chaos we see in our world is mainly due to the right people doing the wrong things in the wrong places at the wrong time with the wrong attitudes. Only a few paid the price to understand themselves before engaging with the realities of this life.

The future belongs to those who understand these three controlling factors- Self- Awareness, Self- Upliftment and Self- Empowerment. This is what will hinge a person onto a foundation from which he can build an enduring legacy  of success. Personally my life has been afforded a legacy of recognizing that success can only be achieved when I am able to master these five components of life - dreams, values, fears, beliefs and strengths and weaknesses. 

Born for Such a Time Like this!

“For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time(if you don’t understand your season), then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed and who knoweth whether thou are come to the kingdom for such a time as this(to fulfil your purpose)(emphasis added)”.

                                                                                                        Esther 4:13-16

Her story is unique and daring. It is an example of an individual who was born for a particular purpose within her season. Hers’ is one that brought deliverance to a nation in exile. She nearly became lazy about her season and the purpose that came with it until she was prompted. Esther was a Jewish orphan in the care of his uncle Mordecai. Vashti the present queen misbehaved and no other punishment suited her better than being banished from the presence of the King and her royal estate given to another. A decree went out that the great King Ahasuerus was looking for a wife.

I am not sure of the thought Mordecai had concerning his niece, but it had to be a divinely inspired one, enough to send her into the beauty contest of her days. The bible describes her as being fair and very beautiful. It was divine enough for Esther to gain favour before Hegai- an eunuch. He gave her seven maidens to tend to her needs. The result, she won but that was just the beginning of the plans of God for her life.

The reason why she won was given a meaning by the plot of Haman to destroy all the Jews. Mordecai told Esther perhaps the reason why she became queen was not because of her beauty, but may be God allowed her into such a position in a season like that to bring deliverance to her people. Esther concluded by defining her purpose at the helm of the throne by asking for a united fast for divine revelation on what to do next. 

She defied the conventional law of the land that stated a person could only appear before the King when his sceptre had been lifted to you. She dared the law because she had empowered herself through prayer and fasting. The end result- Haman’s plot was nullified. The gallows he ordered prepared was used to hang him. The Jews were spared and victory was achieved.

When God allows us to live in a season it is because we have been chosen to solve problems. When we become aware, boldness to act is what follows. Your failure to understand the destinies of others are tied to yours will create a sense of lethargy and a lackadaisical attitude towards the season and the purpose God had destined for us.

Stone Achan!

“But the Children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accurse things for Achan the son of Carmi, the son Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accurse things so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.”

“So all Israel stoned him with stones and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. They raised over him a great heap of stones still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.”

    Joshua 7:1, 24-26

Achan and his subsequent demise truly epitomizes a nation or and individuals’ desire to do away with evil once and for all. Have you ever dealt with a situation and wished it never reared its ugly head again? It is similar to that of Achan and what he did but the implications were quickly realised and retribution swiftly passed.

God had always warned the nation of Israel regarding the spoils of war. Depending on the war, the people were either allowed to possess the spoils or refrain from it. God being a strategist understood that a young nation like Israel needed financial backing and often times will use war as a means of providing that need. Most of these accursed things were reserved under the name of God with the intention of it being used nationally when the need arose.

Achan had a problem which only exacerbated his situation; he was dealing with a spirit which has plagued many believers up until now- “the thievery spirit”. He was a thief who desired that which had been reserved for God. The spirit of thievery took over his senses when he saw the beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels. Though an individual’s doing, the crime became a national catastrophe and cost the nation in war. Achan’s inability to curb an insatiable desire created the worst generational curse that received instant justice. What did his sons and daughters do to be killed in cold blood? Nothing! Yet because of his inability to deal with this weakness in character, a whole generation was wasted.

The Israelites did not compromise when the Lord revealed the cause of their defeat. They dealt with the issue with severity. When Lazarus was commanded to come out of the tomb, he came out bound by grave-clothes. His motion was impeded as long as he was bound and was only free when it was taken off him. For leaders, I guess the greatest pain is to see someone struggle from that which they have been warned.

We struggle with generational curses and tendencies because the mind of a child believes that whatever the parent does is alright. My mother raised me and though old now, I still struggle with certain tendencies and “self -beliefs” passed on to me by her. This might not be necessarily true or applicable to my current life. I truly believe that if our parents had fought and buried some “Achans” in their lives, we probably will be free by now. I can go on and give you a list of casualties who had no one to deal with the “Achans” of their blood line.

The Israelites dealt with the issues of Achan first by identifying the problem and separating it. Then went further and stoned his entire family and possessions. They did not just end there but burnt him and his possessions and afterwards raised a heap onto it never to look back. It seems some of us have some stoning to do! Be it that unholy alliance, corrupt dealings, immoral sexual drives etc they all need to be taken through this process. It is only when we do this that consecration and victory over that which we use to struggle with will become real.

“Wilt Thou Be Made Whole”

“When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case he saith unto him, wilt thou be made whole?

“Jesus saith unto him, Rise take up thy bed, and walk.”

                                                                                      John 5:6, 8

Thirty-eight years at the pool of Bethesda? Take a minute and think on what you could achieve in thirty-eight years. I believe others had come and gotten their healing whiles he laid there waiting on the stirring of the waters. We are not told how old he was before being brought to lie by the pool. When asked if he wanted to be whole, the lack of the help of man became his answer. He had “the people syndrome”! He blamed everyone may be from the mother or father through to the siblings and forgot that after blaming every one, he still had to find a way to get out of that place. Jesus wanted to free him but he was so enamoured with “the people syndrome”. It took the gracious mercies and love of Jesus to identify and deal with his problem.

First Jesus asked him – will thou be made whole? A question signifying that his healing had everything to do with how “whole” he could become. Wilt thou be made whole- an opportunity for every one of us to ask how bad we want God to consecrate us. Wilt thou be made whole- a desire of the almighty God to close the chasm of separation. The question I ask everyone reading this book is the same as Jesus asked the man by the pool of Bethesda- will thou be made whole? If you are willing to be made whole, read on.

The answer that followed from Jesus was shocking. He actually spelt out the problem of the sick man and the solution for it. Just when he had spent time thinking of people as being his problem, Jesus revealed his real problem- the bed on which he was lying. The man had become so numb to the reality of life and the power of God to change things that the deception of his bed had caught up with him. Jesus told him to take his bed and walk. If you knew that the lifestyle, attitude, relationship was blocking you from walking in the power of God. Would you give it up for God?

Sometimes we blatantly know what the problem is but because of the familiarity coupled with the fear of losing ground, we refuse to accept the bed as being the problem. If we underestimate the bed we lie on, we will struggle with consecration. I hope as you take time to read this book, you will have the audacity to confront the bed on which you are lying on, be ready to fold it and subsequently walk free. The journey of consecration begins from here! This is where it all starts!

Association

“Do not be deceived, evil communication corrupts good manners.

                                                                                                        1 Corinthians 15:33

Psychology defines association as the connection between two events that results in learning. This means man who is by default associated to something, will eventually learn from it. Association is a natural phenomenon that begins without anybody’s involvement. Man is associated to the spirit, physical and the synthetics of this world. We are admonished by our parents, to choose the right friends because of the influence peers have over each other through relationship.

Everyone who belongs to any association adheres to the rules and regulations of that union. You can’t be a member from a distance. A typical example is that of real supporters of any major football team. You don’t support by word of mouth but through paying membership dues and being present at football matches. Association is everything in our world. Even though vision is given individually, its pursuit and subsequent achievement stems from the people we relate to. The book of Proverbs is full of what association can do to an individual.

Association denotes character and success. You cannot align yourself to fools and expect to be great. There are two types of association I believe that we all sometimes find ourselves in- negative and positive associations. David had the privilege of being associated to Nathan the Prophet, and was guided on the issues of the nation. The bible records how ordinary men and women became great under the leadership of David. David escaped from Saul only to be the champion of all kinds of people. In his troubles, people who were in distress, debt and discontented joined to make him captain over their lives. At some point they were called the Mighty men of David in the book of Chronicles.

Can you imagine if Saul had not chased David? All these would-be great men will never have become what the Lord had intended them to be. To me this is one of the greatest success story every written or told. Their greatness was in their alignment to David. Am not sure how you see this story, but I believe it should push you to question who you associate with. These men had a positive association and were never the same. Do the people you align yourself to have what it takes to help your gifts, talents, skills and abilities? If not then I guess you are in the right wrong company.

Judas walked with Jesus during His three years ministry and never achieved anything because of his negative attitude towards association. He was part of the twelve hand picked by Jesus but never understood the concept thereof. He never overcome his desire for filthy lucre which subsequently led to his betray of Jesus. Most believers behave similar to what Judas did. They only want the miracle but not the relationship. What they easily forget is that it is the relationship that sustains the miracle. Judas had a negative association with Jesus.

Many are searching for the right place, person or purpose to pursue. However one might define it, your relationship will determine how far you get in life.  The reason why many are dissatisfied and move from one place to another is because of the associations they have. Out of the many there could be one that deserves your investment of time, money and also attention. 

Remember whatever you are related to, by Psychological terms, you will learn from it. By so doing you add value to your life. You cannot desire the best when you are connected to the worst in thought, action and also in environment. Your life could be better if you can make that shift once and for all. Fear will keep you bound if you don’t break from toxic relationships. 

After all you can’t force friendship. Associations are built based on integrity and values. Whenever any group in an association become obsessed with only benefitting and not adding value, the purpose loses its significance. I trust it is time for you to re-evaluate the associations you find yourself in and become convinced either to leave or to stay and enhance its significance in your life.

Position Yourself Strategically

"And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out,and say,Jesus,thou Son of David,have mercy on me."~Mark 10:47 

Position yourself strategically sounds to me the very posture the blind Bartimaeus took in order to change his life once and for all. For sometime now, the Spirit has been urging me to shed a light on this subject. The difficulty however for many is to identify the usefulness of being positioned intentionally or strategically to receive of that which God can bring into their lives.

In our times, to win is to be very wise in what you choose to involve yourself in. The path of life is generously placed before you and what you'll do with it will determine who you'll become. However many unfortunate ones like blind Bartimaeus have found themselves struggling to make meaning our of their predicament. Yet I am a firm believer of the fact that God is still turning bad stories around in our times too. In the same place, Bartimaeus was reduced to a sub-human, there the Lord proved his love. Yours is not as bad as the devil wants you to believe. Its takes revelation to make the difference between where you are right now to where you're destined to go to. Interestingly, revelation from God knows no colour, background or situation but only a prepared Spirit. For there is a Spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty gives him understanding. 

What God might cause you to do will not make sense to the natural mind because it cannot receive of the things of the Spirit. In the Spirit of Bartimaeus was the revelation onto freedom yet in his outward was the evidence of his struggle. The only medium through which a person can break free from the shackles of life is through revelation. Bartimaeus caught the revelation that Jesus would be coming his way and wasn't prepared to remain the same. His Story is synonymous with that of the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years and also that of Jabez. Everyone of these identified the need to position or pray strategically in order to change their circumstances. Its really important we catch the revelation on what to do in order to move to the next level.

Bartimaeus' only means of asking for alms became the conduit through which he reached out to Jesus. His voice became the only available tool for his redemption. Many are echoes and not voices in this life. Their words contain no power, wisdom, revelation or conviction for it to be heard. He was so smart in calling out Jesus' name based on the titles the bible had given him. He knew Jesus to be full of mercy, and that he was truly the Son of David. 

When he started shouting, many tried to shut him up but let him off when he used the correct codes to reach out to Jesus~ Jesus, thou Son of David have mercy on me. He caught the attention of Jesus only when the right words were used. When Jesus called him, he cast away the old garment in order to embrace the new that was coming his way. Jesus asked him what he wanted to be done for him. Bartimaeus could have asked for money, power and many things people pray for even though they don't need it yet he asked for his sight because with his ability to see, he could get all that he needed to make his life better. Truly he was healed of his blindness after so many years of struggling and was free to exercise his God given ability just like any other human being on earth.

To position yourself strategically is to know where to be at a particular time, the words to say and to whom you have to speak to. With these in mind, plan the next move and decided to go for it. God is waiting on you to make the right move for Him to bless it.

Think On These

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear
is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness,                    
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually who are we not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people
won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine as children do.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And when we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
-Marianne Williamson

You Can Have It

"Your pace is legal. Some run, some walk, some crawl. Reward in life is for those that endure and finish."

I came across this tweet by a friend I follow and it really made sense to my everyday living. Many have been caught in the instantomatic idea of our time and do assume all things should be the same. The difficulty for most I come across has been the ability to accept they are unique and with that comes a different calling or purpose in life.If care is not taken, the tendency to measure yourself with the successes of others will leave you lame and unable.


The pressure of life increases with every passing minute. The greatest coolant you have will be the knowledge that your pace is legal. Its been mandated by God who created you and truly blessed you with everything you have.The steps of the righteous individual is ordered by God. Every place, situation, circumstance you will face in life is well planned by Him. To rise to the challenge of being you demands a deeper introspective search and also a recognition of talents, skills and abilities. I have always postulated whenever someone controls your money, knowledge and relationship, they will control your life.


Some run, some walk, some crawl but the reward of success in this life is for those that endure and finish well the race of life. Life is a race but learn to stay in your tracks and develop yourself. Never measure your future with that of any one living. At best learn from them... at most be yourself.God respects those who respect His ability to create a unique person like yourself. One walk at a time, one run at a time, one swim at a time and you will surely get to the place of your intended purpose. At the end of the day, society, friends and even your conscience won't be interested in what others did but what you did with your uniqueness. 

Divine Strategy: Pursue, Overtake, And Recover!

“And David enquired at the Lord saying, shall I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them and shall I recover all (emphasis added)? And he answered him Pursue, for thou shall surely overtake them and without failure recover all.”

                                                                               1 Samuel 30:8

The preparation of the heart belongs onto men but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. A man’s ways are pleasing to him but it is the Lord who weighs the Spirit. Alas the entirety of the ways of man and his desires are summed up by this powerful saying in Proverb 16:1. There is a divine strategy to help you become the total person you desired to be. Free from all the negatives of this wicked and painful world. There are only a few great ones who impact our world. This I believe is due to their adherence to the divine strategy of God for their lives.

Walking according to the divine strategy of God will mean to go through God’s education to attain the fullness of God for your life. It is costly yet if you are able to pay the price, victory for yourself and your generation is what is assured. The painstaking question will be whether if you arise to the challenge. God is prepared to give the tools you need in order to pay the price. We make decisions and live by them. Any decision you take, will be costly good or bad. To take a risk is a risk and not to is also a risk. And you can do so when you are convinced of the prize of higher calling. If you want the cake, then learn how to mix the flour, eggs, sugar, and butter and finally how to regulate oven.  

Jesus himself understood the purpose of having a divine strategy in place. He could not contend with God in the garden of Gethsemane about the cup of death. Several times he complained yet ended by giving into the divine strategy of God for his life. David understood divine strategy that is why he prayed in 1 Samuel30 with the exact words pursue, overtake and recover it all knowing that what you ask for, is what you will get. When you understand 1 Samuel 30 very well, to comprehend the value of being created for God onto the best of His doings is exhilarating. You will then muster patience to wait for Him to finish His good work in your life. There are three levels of the divine strategy which every believer should be familiar with- preservation, preparation and production.

Preservation

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp around me, my heart shall not fear: though war should arise against me, in this shall I be confident. One thing I have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple.

                                                                                                    Psalm 27:1-4

Preservation is the period where God shields you from the overtness of your gift or calling. He does this to prevent early death of the purpose He has chosen you for. Many at times we do run with the prophecy without understanding the directives.  Due to this immaturity, many easily lose the gift as they are deceived by the enemy. When David boasted of the Lord being his shepherd, he was also taken through the valley of the shadow of death to be trained. The end result was that his head was anointed with oil and his cup run over for goodness and mercy to follow him. There he was alone in the Desert separated from his family because of a few sheep yet it was in keeping the “few” sheep that the Lord taught him administration, worship and warfare whilst preserving him. These skills were invaluable later on for the career God had destined him for.

As a little boy, God took upon Himself to preserve Jesus from harm’s way. He commanded them to take Jesus to Egypt until the set time when the adversary has been dealt with. Herod wanted the baby dead because He was going to be king of the Jews. At twelve years He challenged the teachers of the law which was a premature launching of His ministry. Again God used His parents to save him until He was ready to launch him out.

Allow God to preserve you and do not try and spread yourself everywhere. It is the silent yet the most beneficial period in a person’s life. On a personal basis, the preservation period I am experiencing has afforded me the privilege of ministering to my talents, skills, abilities and other areas of studies. I am quite careful not to waste so much time with the dogs and swine of this life. God’s preservation is the best times for anyone who believes in achieving their destiny. The whole purpose of preservation is to create the value of having confidence in the Lord alone in order not to be afraid of what is waiting for you outside.

Preparation

I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined onto me, and heard my cry. He bought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my going. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise onto our God; many shall see it, and fear and shall trust in the Lord.

                                                                                                                Psalm 40:1-3

Preparation! Not the best of the periods for any believer if we will be honest. It is one of the most excruciating moments of a person’s life especially when the question of peer pressure and threat of living with failure comes to mind. Can you imagine Jesus had to remain silent for eighteen years before his ministry? The bible records that He went home with his parents and was obedient onto them. He learnt humility by the things he endured.

David when had slain Goliath and every saw a “king” in him had to run because it wasn’t his time. Interestingly, those were the times God used to bring the best out of him and gather ordinary men onto him. He could have killed Saul when he encountered the sleeping King in the cave but David knew what meant to wait and be prepared. He spared Saul because of the waiting spirit he had developed.

The anointing upon anyone is like the raw material. The factory of life and its encumbrances coupled with the word of God will be used to manufacture the best out of you. Character and attitude are the two most important components needed for the fulfilment of any vision an individual possesses. Until you begin to see as God wants you to, there will always be a delay in the manifestation of the vision. The anointing will take you there but your character will determine your longevity.

Moses, one of the greatest leaders histories will ever produce, had to go through forty years of preparation before being released. From a prince to being a fugitive of the Egyptian penal system for forty years, being called and used by God at eighty, changes were what he encountered. His preparation period had bred in him a divine level of maturity that when everyone around him had given up he could easily inquire on the Lord for his next move. Patience is such a powerful virtue that any one called onto greater works needs to pray for it. For preparation without patience only leads to a destruction and disgrace. Unfortunately we have too many impatient individuals in life who eschew the concept of preparation.  

Production

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixty fold some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

                                                                                                   Matthew 13:8-9

What sort of impact do you want to make in the world with the skills, talents and abilities that you have? Many at times I do hear people talk about the great visions and dreams they have and how they plan to achieve it. You meet them the next time and they have already given up on a dream they are yet to start. There are certain principles and natural laws which one cannot ignore with regards to using the divine strategy.

When the sower was out sowing, he never envisaged that some of his precious seeds will fall on rocky, patchy and thorny ground. His intention was to sow all in a good ground in order to reap well. But life has a way to thwarting dreams. As long as we don’t control the elements, our dreams and aspirations are subject to their buffeting. Regardless, God still sees potential in that which life wants you to discard and is well prepared to turn things around.

It is a privileged to be chosen of God for an assignment. There is commandment to go forth and be productive. What most fail to realise is that as long as it was God that sent you, the purpose will be achieved.  It is against the law of fruition for any individual with a seed not to be productive. Remember the story of the king and his three stewards? The one who complain bitterly of having only one talent was brutally dealt with when the King came back. What we are not told is that the king spent his time and effort to train them before handing over to them the talents. You can have the world’s greatest talent, skill or ability but if it’s not exposed to the right environment, you are doomed.  

How much fruit do you want to bear? The concept behind fruit bearing is not about the now but that which will transcend into the next generation.  They will be more blessed not about what we left them but what we leave inside them. You cannot leave the continuum of a vision to any successor if they don’t have a suitable inbuilt character to handle it. When the process is completed, the commandment that whatever you have should remain will do so. The Lord himself will give you the best successor, methodology and medium of expression in order for his name to be glorified. That is why I am encouraging you the reader to give it all to Christ and allow him to preserve, prepare and help you produce the best the world is yet to see.

HUMANS NOT CYBORGS!!

Cybernetics as a discipline intrigues me a lot. It is defined as the science of communication and control theory that is concerned especially with comparative study of automatic control systems. This is normally seen in the creation and manipulation of robots. I have always been fascinated by the way information is sent to the artificial mind of the robot for performance. Living our lives based on information systems is normal these days. (Click here to tweet this) Everything from what you wear and eat is now processed through the information highway. With the explosion of social medial with Facebook and twitter leading the way, information is constantly in your face. In just 140 characters, governments have been overthrown and lives have been changed. (Click here to tweet this). Ordinary people have gain prominence as they learn how to change their lives and that of others through the information highway.

Interestingly, almost every information is stored in the "SERVER" of a computer. It’s the brain of the whole computer network and it allows for the retrieval of information based on the correct CODES. The scientist who created this information highway never envisaged that the only thing destructive enough to crash the whole system will be a "VIRUS". (Click here to tweet this).

The human mind is just like the server. It will only allow you to retrieve the information you put in.(Click here to tweet this). Selah (pause and consider)! Now you understand why you behave, earn and relate to a certain groups of people? Now you understand why certain things attract you and others don't? What information are you feeding your server? You've heard them say garbage in garbage out? Well I beg to differ. Garbage in, garbage stays and reproduces unless it’s attacked violently with the right information. (Click here to tweet this).

When you allow contrary information to take charge of our mental computations, the contaminants or viruses contained in it will destroy the proactive word of God in us. (Click here to tweet this). Thus everything you produce will be affected. A good spring will not produce bitter water and vice versa. (Click here to tweet this). It’s a terrible and a dangerous thing to waste your mind.  Its about time you take charge of it. For Christians the word of God is the only recognised anti-virus powerful enough to fight viruses that find their way into our data bank- the mind.(Click here to tweet this).

Questions- Can you relate to this subject? How do you fight negative words? Have you benefited from changing your thought process?

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Yours In His Service

JOSEPH AKUOKO II

CARRYING THE EXTRA OIL

The difference between two people is the word extra. (Click here and tweet this). Am sure you are quite familiar with the word extra-ordinary. In simple terms it means something a bit more has been added to the original. In our times, an individual’s ability to win in life demands the input of extras.  Many will disagree with me but fear too has a positive factor. The stress that fear brings creates a sense of urgency that pushes us to fight and change our lives. The extra could mean spending a bit more time with your kids, reading more to improve your vocabulary, listening more in order to sustain the relationship, saving and planning more financially and praying for long hours.

God anoints in trickles and through a person’s faithfulness, much is released. (Click here to tweet this). Success is intentional and successful people have that “intent” to make it. The intent is what allows them to plan skilfully and strategically in order to get the results. Whilst everyone has given up, successful people put in the extra and this is what carries them through. Paul valued the extra in the work he was called to do and became a success. People who make it in life understand why they need the extra.

Having in readiness the extra oil will allow you to survive the turbulence of the enemy. (Click here and tweet this) In the face of adversity, the extra is what will bring the victory you need. It is a secret that keeps you in motion even when all is done.  It is what defeats the enemy and never allows him the last laugh. David picked five stones when he decided to face Goliath. In the immediate, it never made sense for David to pick five stones to kill just one person. You only read the bible further to understand that Goliath had four other brothers who were also giants and these will rise to terrorise Israel. Prophetically the five stones David picked meant Goliath and his extras had already been dealt with. (Click here and tweet this). David’s great men killed the four brothers of Goliath. The extra fasting, studying, practice will definitely yield the needed results.

Questions: What extras do you need in your life to make the difference? Why do you want to stand out? Kindly leave your comments on the blog.

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Yours In His Service

JOSEPH AKUOKO II

Until You Make A Move....

Goethe says that “until one is committed there is hesitancy, a chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless dreams and splendid plans, that the moment one definitely commits oneself providence moves too.” 

This is so true of the woman with the issue blood's life. She was fed up with her current situation and decided to confront the incarnate God once and for all. The moment one commits to an endeavour, heaven moves to aid them.

She was frail, smelly and sickly yet was determined to find the medicine to the disease that had plagued her for twelve years.  In her spirit was the revelation but in the outward was her struggle. Truly, her situation epitomized a tale of two cities. A brief account of her situation is given in the bible where we are told she had a continuous flow. It relates her struggle to overcome the continuous flow of blood which had become a canker. She had spent all her money on physicians but nothing changed.  Unfortunately, years passed and her condition worsened. Society had gagged her with laws but God was waiting for her to make the move in other to receive her break.Blood is life and as long as she kept on bleeding, she was dying slowly. She could have relented but something kept urging her on. This "something" that kept urging her on is within every creation of God. The desire to see ourlives become better is God-given. God never created man to be in dire and so when ever we are caught in such situation, the nature that hates being stifled is aroused.

One day she had the divine information that Jesus was in town. He came to heal, to show the path onto eternal life. Levitical laws or convention could not stop her, neither could the crowd around Jesus stop her.Remember he who has the gold, makes the rules. She had the current information to her healing and nothing was going to stop her. She knew two things will happen- either she receives her healing or remain the same and perhaps die without redemption. This resolve pushed her to demand her healing by any means necessary. Her boldness in the end paid off. She touched Jesus' hem and the blood flow ceased. For the first time in Jesus' live He is heard saying "virtue is gone out of me". She was healed of that which had deprived her of being a full human being.

May be if minor adjustmentS to your character, attitude, perception, prayer life and beliefs were made, you will make the move that will change your life. Too many of us are waiting on providence when their situations demand an urgent approach.

The moment you make up your mind to move towards the desire yo have, heaven will definitely provide you with the tools. When a person is able to identify their purpose in the now, you are given the dynamus to do more than you thought you couldn't.