An opinion poll was conducted recently with the focus on views and preferences about change. The survey sought to knowhow daring people can be, in moving from a routine exercise to a completely different one, especially with an uncertain result in view. Though it was conducted randomly, the sample population was carefully chosen to represent different groups of people. The topmost response was the concern of possibly incurring loss or misfortune. People were betrayed by their emotions, fearing some nonspecific danger, they chose to back out, rather than give the new exercise a shot.
As I thought about the anxiety displayed by people in this opinion poll, I was disturbed about how they could be so scared of a mission yet to be embarked on. I asked myself the following questions: Would there have been a faster way to travel if the thought of inventing an aeroplane was horrific? Would communication be this easy across great distances if the telephone and internet were so much dreaded that we stuck to the traditional means of sending human or bird messengers? Also, would there be salvation and eternal hope, if Jesus was not willing to die for the world, because He considered the possibility of not having a single person accept him as Saviour, a risk too great?
In this article, I am highlighting three lessons from the lives of few people who saw some manoeuvrings and identified them as opportunities instead of misfortune. The unique commonality was their approach or first moves. They were spontaneous moves devoid of anxiety or apprehension; they were filled with hope, expectation and high optimism.
1.A momentary setback is not an indication of a wrong move
While you are on course, you may experience a setback, challenge or delay; never mind, it does not suggest that the move was wrong. Paul’s missionary work was punctuated with some prison experiences. Some Bible scholars argue that Paul could have avoided at least one of those prison experiences, if he took heed to the warning of Prophet Agabus that he would be bound in Jerusalem. However, his trials and imprisonment afforded him the opportunity of appearing in major palaces in his time, captivating the attention of world rulers who were then kingdom or empire rulers. He witnessed to them the testimony of the good news. In Philippians 1:12-14(MSG) for example, Paul stated“I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the Christians here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah”.
- Consistently affirm and maintain your Vision
The events that led to Joseph becoming the Prime Minister of Egypt started out very dangerously, and filled with life-threatening activities. In Genesis 37:5,when Joseph shared his dream with his parents and his jealous siblings, his siblings hated him the more. As you may be familiar with the story, after he shared two of such dreams of greatness with them, they got enraged and ganged up to kill him. After he was sold into Egypt, Joseph remained unwavering in his faith, and refrained from sinning against God. He was eventually imprisoned then moved to the palace in Genesis chapter 41.
Joseph never mistook the opportunities ahead for a misfortune waiting to unfold. For some others, it may appear to be too risky sharing and affirming such revelations. Even if we are bold to share our vision with others, we may be intimidated to continually affirm what God has revealed to us, especially if we are scolded the first time. But in Joseph, we see a fearless and focused individual who was ready to follow as the Lord leads.
- God will manifest His will when you move (act) in obedience.
In Acts 16: 9-40 (GW), Paul’s obedience to God’s instruction led to an unprecedented move of the spirit with signs and wonders. People gave their lives to Jesus, and the demon possessed was let loose. Though they were thrown into prison after being openly beaten and humiliated, this led to massive conversion of souls through the earthquake experience in the prison where Paul and Silas were jailed. When Paul set out to obey the instruction in the vision at night, he never had the inclination that events were going to turn out such that they will stand before magistrates to witness Christ and convert a soldier with his family.
“During the night Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia. The man urged Paul, come to Macedonia to help us. As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we immediately looked for a way to go to Macedonia. We concluded that God had called us to tell the people of Macedonia about the Good News… One day when we were going to the place of prayer, a female servant met us. She was possessed by an evil spirit that told fortunes. She made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes… Paul became annoyed, turned to the evil spirit, and said, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! As Paul said this, the evil spirit left her. When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities in the public square. In front of the Roman officials, they said, these men are stirring up a lot of trouble in our city… The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered the guards to beat them with sticks. After they had hit Paul and Silas many times, they threw them in jail and ordered the jailer to keep them under tight security… Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the jail. All the doors immediately flew open, and all the prisoners’ chains came loose. The jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open. Thinking the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul shouted as loudly as he could, “Don’t hurt yourself! We’re all here! The jailer asked for torches and rushed into the jail. He was trembling as he knelt in front of Paul and Silas. Then he took Paul and Silas outside and asked, Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved? They answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved. They spoke the Lord’s word to the jailer and everyone in his home. At that hour of the night, the jailer washed Paul and Silas’ wounds. The jailer and his entire family were baptized immediately. He took Paul and Silas upstairs into his home and gave them something to eat. He and his family were thrilled to be believers in God…”
When God orchestrates such moves termed ‘risky’ by humans, there is always an expected end, or a future plan; the results are always dumbfounding. Therefore, rather than becloud your mind with the thought of misfortune that may be associated with a nudging by the spirit of God, forcefully advance with the thought of enormous possibilities.
Adeyiga Awomuti
In our previous articles we emphasized that all life begins from the seed. That seeds are weapons of greatness and Gods faithfulness has ensured we all have seeds.
Most of us however don’t recognize seeds or have limited seeds to just money. Money is a seed but other seeds produce money. Seeds are of various types, everyone sows seeds and your seed is given freely to you as a gift from God. Now your dream, vision, purpose, and future are tied to the planting of one seed. So let us explore different kind of seeds that have produced a harvest of the future many desired.
- The seed of kindness. : Gen 18: 1-15
Each time I read the above passage, my spirit is deeply moved. Please read it right now. Have the following background about Abraham.
- He was a very rich man
- He had over 318 trained men in his house
- He had the capacity to chase 4 kings
- He was childless
- He was almost a 100yrs old
Bible records that one evening he saw 3 strangers (v2)
He ran to meet them- he recognized the opportunity to show kindness. He understood the seed of kindness and recognized those men as good soil to sow his seed.
Now what manner of kindness did Abraham display?
*He ran to meet them,
*He bowed with his face touching the ground,
*He called them sirs,
*He ordered for the best of everything and to crown it up
*He served them HIMSELF.
Abraham just had to be blessed. In return for this act of kindness and generosity to strangers and fellow men Abraham received the miracle of 99years. He was blessed with a son. His seed of kindness gave him the harvest of a son. In showing kindness to people we might entertain strangers unawares.
Friends, show some kindness. Show plenty of kindness. Every child, man and women you meet is good soil to sow the seed of kindness given to you freely by God. Be kind to everyone you meet. That means compassionate and tender hearted. Listen to “ordinary” men like Joseph; interpret their dreams for them…tomorrow they will recommend you before the king. Be kind to a king’s son like David and tomorrow he will tell you when to leave the country. Do something undeserved for someone today. The more of yourself you give to people the more of people and God you receive. You are on your own is not the code of great people. Get interested in people…mourn with those that mourn and rejoice with those that rejoice. Do somethingpersonally for someone.
-emmanuel aladenusi
Spread the message Bible Reading: Hebrews 3:12-19
Dearly beloved, for the past five months, we have been sharing on the topic ‘recognizing the will of God’. We were joyous to receive mails and calls from some of you who testified of how the Lord has enriched you via this message. Also, two gentlemen gave similar testimonies which we would like to share with you; they said they decided to read the whole series again and the understanding they got was marvelous.
We were not surprised to hear this because it was a singular message that came in different sections and reading them together will foster a better understanding. We would like you to emulate the attitude of these two gentlemen and read the message at a time, most especially our new subscribers.
To read a complete series of ‘Recognizing the will of God’, just scroll down.
Romans 15:14 (GW) reads “I’m convinced, brothers and sisters, that you, too, are filled with goodness. I’m also convinced that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to instruct each other”. In God’s perspective, you do not need to be a Pastor or Bishop before you can enlighten others. Every Christian should be found in the business of encouraging one another. You will come across many believers who are ignorant about ‘knowing God’s will’ and we admonish you to teach them. Spread the message. You have what it takes.
Lastly, the Bible says in James 2:17 “God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense” (MSG). So, practice what you’ve learnt. Let your life display excellence at all times because nothing less than that is expected from you.
We love you and we are always willing to help …
tope aladenusi
Seek ye first … relationship with Him …
Bible Reading: Acts 27:9-44
One of the Pastors who have been very influential in my spiritual growth is Rev. Ade Adebayo. He is popularly known as Revo. If you do not love God’s word or you are nonchalant about the miraculous, a meeting with him will challenge your position. I use to attend the Church he oversees i.e. Mercy World Outreach, Ilorin, Nigeria. During those times, I saw him gave copious and accurate words of knowledge.
The most fascinating of them was when Revo gave ‘a word’ concerning me on a subject I had never discussed with anyone. It was a common thing to hear Revo make a statement like ‘there is someone here, ABC thing is going on in your life, and the Lord is saying you should do XYZ thing’. One day, I summoned courage and went to Revo to inquire how he is able to swiftly discern things by the Spirit. His explanation was insightful. One of the striking things he said was ‘when I see it or hear it, I just know that it is God’.
I love that statement. Do you know why? It’s because many other matured believers I have discussed with made similar statements. They may not normally give words of knowledge like Revo, but they just know when God is leading.
One characteristic of intimate couples is that they are able to communicate effectively without speaking; a wink of the eye can pass across a message. Sometimes by just looking at the face of your spouse, you can tell that (s)he is implying ‘it is time to go home’. If someone asks you how you were able to know that, I will not be surprised if you say – “I just know”. How are couples able to decode their body language easily? Did they attend a kind of ‘communicate-without-speeches lecture’? Not really. That is just an attribute of a close relationship.
We are about closing this series and my advice to you is that you ‘seek first to cultivate a good relationship with God, and after that, ‘recognizing His will’ will be added unto you. As you grow in grace and in the knowledge of God, you bask in an atmosphere where you just get to know that … ‘this is God’s leading’.
– tope aladenusi
When the time is right
Bible Reading: Acts 19:8-13
There is a right time for everything. When we fail to act at the right time, we make what is right to appear wrong. When we are convinced God wants us to embark on particular course, it is wise we make sure that we step out at the right time. Visions are always for an appointed time.
I’m sure Moses was not familiar with this when he killed an Egyptian (Exodus 2). God revealed His will to him by placing it as a desire in his heart. Moses hated discrimination. He was also going to be an instrument in the deliverance of Israelfrom Egypt. So when he saw an Egyptian hurting an Israelite, he did not wait for the right time. He murdered the Egyptian. But when the right time came, he led the entire Israelites out of Egypt without hurting a fly. When we want to use underhanded means in order to fulfill God’s will, it may be an indication that our timing is wrong.
Conversely, I’m convinced Apostle Paul understood this concept. God had told him to preach the gospel to the gentiles. One day he attempted to fulfill this mandate inAsia, but the Holy Spirit prevented him from going there (Acts 16:6). Paul exercised patience and went somewhere else. However, when the time was right, Paul went toAsia to fulfill his mandate. Guess what happened? Bible says “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. God worked unusual miracles through Paul. People would take handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul’s skin to those who were sick. Their sicknesses would be cured, and evil spirits would leave them” Acts 19:10-12(GW).
God’s timing is never too early or too late. It is perfect. Sometimes it may not be according to how men expect it. The whole world may be saying that age is not on your side and you are yet to be in a relationship, but you will experience an unusual miracle at the right time. It may be difficult to break even in your business and you are on the verge of doubting God’s leading. But relax, after you have undergone this training period, your returns will be surplus to the point that thousands of people will be benefiting from it. Dearly beloved, press on in the right direction because when the time is right, you will experience an unusual miracle.
– tope aladenusi
Choosing the means of confirmation
Bible Reading: Judges 6:25-40
One of the challenges faced by many Christians is that they want to be sure they are led by God before they make a move. This is good. In our previous messages, we highlighted some ways of getting confirmation to a perceived ‘leading of God’, e.g. agreement with God’s word, inner peace, prophecies of other believers etc. However, there is a way some Christians like to get confirmation that may not be too appropriate. This style was copied from Gideon. Let’s read about his story:
“Gideon said to God, “If this is right, if you are using me to save Israel as you’ve said,
then look: I’m placing a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If dew is on the fleece only, but the floor is dry, then I know that you will use me to save Israel, as you said.”
That’s what happened. When he got up early the next morning, he wrung out the fleece–enough dew to fill a bowl with water!” Judges 6:37-38 (MSG)
So it is not surprising to see some brothers say “Lord, if you want me to marry that sister, let her say “hi” to me after church”. Some business men will say “Lord, if you really want me to enter into that business, let that investor visit me again in my office”. Do you know how these sound to me? It’s like Judas Iscariot saying “Lord, if you really want me to betray Jesus, let the High Priest accept the deal of paying me a huge sum after the betrayal”.
What Gideon did may be appropriate in his time because of the level of knowledge they operated in. Moreover, God was not leading them by default like we enjoy today. Something you should also note is that the Bible says the devil is the ‘god of this world’ and so he is able to quickly arrange the circumstances you desire to see as a confirmation. Imagine that when Jesus was fasting in the wilderness, he said ‘Lord, if it is your will that I break this fast, let there appear a loaf of bread’. Of course, the devil will appear and say ‘Since thou hast the son of God, command this stone to be made bread’.
Although we may have used such methods before and it worked, we need to exercise caution as it is highly susceptible to the devil’s exploitation.
– tope aladenusi
Exercising the virtues of faith and obedience
Bible Reading: Acts 8:26-40
In June 2005, God gave me an instruction concerning something he wanted me to do in 2007. By my own projections, I felt it would be too early to make that move and I tried to express my fears. But He said, first obey what I’ve said and after that you will see why it is necessary and you will get to know the next step to take.
Sometimes the way God leads us is similar to driving a car in the dark with your headlamp on. You are able to see only about 100 meters clearly. It is after you’ve moved further that you can then see the next 100 meters. However, some believers do not like it that way. They want to know every tiny detail of what will happen to them from now till they leave this world. But God will always give us the privilege of acting by faith, believing in his ever-present support even when we have no definite word about the end result.
Sometimes God reveals something that will happen in the far future and it is left for you to take steps of faith daily in order to get there. When He led the Israelites out ofEgypt, the best they knew was that they were heading to a promise land. They were not aware of the red sea, the drought, or how they would react when they meet other nations on their way.
Other times, God tells you the next step to take to a destination you may not be fully aware about. A typical example is shown in the verses below (Acts 8:26-30 – MSG)
“… God’s angel spoke to Philip: “At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road … He was riding in a chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit told Philip, “Climb into the chariot.” Running up alongside, Philip heard the eunuch reading Isaiah and asked, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
Phillip had to pass through a series of obeying God’s leading till he got to the point where he knew exactly what God wanted him to do. Verse 35 says “Philip grabbed his chance. Using this passage as his text, he preached Jesus to him”. God will always present us with the privilege of exercising the virtues of faith and obedience even as we desire to recognize the will of God.
– tope aladenusi
Using circumstances to label God’s will
Bible Reading: Acts 8:1-8
A brother once came to me for counseling. He said he was convinced God wanted him to embark on a particular project but all his efforts to actualize it had yielded no result. He then asked this very common question: If it is God’s will for me to do it, why am I experiencing difficulties along the way? Many Christians have found themselves in similar situations. They throw away God-given projects just because they experienced some difficulties along the way. In fact, I’ve noticed that when some believers share their difficult experiences in the projects they have embarked upon, the next suggestion you will most probably hear is – “may be it is not God’s will for you to do it”. Adversity is now popularly regarded as an indication that you are walking out of God’s will. Usually, this is not true.
Favorable circumstances don’t always mean you are walking in God’s will. For example, things went well initially for the prodigal son – His father granted his request; he traveled safely abroad; he met nice friends as soon as he landed in another city. But what was the end of his story? Similarly, Jonah was having a swell time until he found himself in the belly of a fish – he had a safe trip to Joppa even though God instructed him to go to Nineveh; when he got there, a ship heading to Tarshish was waiting for him; while on the ship, he was having a sound sleep in the midst of a raging storm. So the fact that things seem to be going on well now is not a sound basis for confirming that you are in tune with God’s will.
In like manner, unfavorable circumstances may not necessarily mean you are out of God’s will. Sometimes they even accelerate the fulfillment of God’s will in your life. The brothers of Joseph were the ones who attacked him, though they indirectly hastened his advancement towards the throne. Apostle Paul suffered betrayal from some of his closest pals in ministry. When the early believers were preaching, Bible recorded that they ‘faced a great wave of persecution’. Sometimes such circumstances are necessary to show and strengthen our conviction even as we walk in the will of God. Proverbs 24:10 says “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small”.
May be you should look back into your life to identify those areas where you easily chickened out from divine guidance/projects just because you faced a difficulty. If it is not too late, get back on track. Refuse to be a victim of circumstances. Instead, let the word of God be a lamp to your feet (Ps. 119:105) and ‘the peace of Christ guide you in the decisions you make’ (Colossians 3:15).
– tope aladenusi
The litmus test in labeling God’s will
Bible Reading: Colossians 3:9-17
As a student, I remember the first time my science teacher came to the class to coach us how to differentiate between an acid and a base. Among all the points she gave, the most fascinating was when she dipped a moist litmus paper into an acid and immediately it turned red. Right away, I felt like having a bag of litmus paper so I could apply this indicator on any liquid I see. Many believers have asked the question similar to – ‘how do I really know that it is God’s will?’ I wish I could hand them a bag of “God’s will litmus paper”. Although such a thing does not exist, there are two powerful indicators that can easily let you know if your heart messages or the prophecies from other believers are in line with God’s will:
- Is it in agreement with God’s general will revealed in Scriptures? – A young vibrant employee once took money from his company’s purse to donate to the poor and when he was accused of stealing, he said he was led by God to do so. Whereas the bible says “steal no more” whether your intention is wrong or right. A Christian lady once described her fiancé like this – ‘oh! You need to meet him; he is such an amiable, charming and caring gentleman. Though he is not a Christian, I believe God that he will change soon’. Whereas II Cor. 6:14 (GW) reads “stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners?”
Let’s learn from Apostle Peter. In II Peter 1:17, he narrated that he was present at Jesus’ baptism when a voice sounded from heaven saying ‘this is my beloved son’. However, in verse 19-20, he said beyond the voice, we have ‘a more sure word of prophecy in the scriptures’. It is very unlikely that God will lead you to do something that contradicts his will and nature as revealed in scriptures. So if we do not have a thorough understanding of scriptures, we will be ranking very high in the list of gullible Christians.
- Is there peace in your mind: There are times when it is not an issue of black and white, but it is of cream and white? For example, “don’t marry an unbeliever” is so clear in scripture. But amidst all believers, who exactly should you marry? In such cases where you want to know what is right for you among the goodies around, thenColossians 3:15 (GNB) gives a perfect instruction – “The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make”. As a matter of fact, I believe that all other ways God leads believers have a way of working in line with peace in your mind as a confirmation. Where there is unrest and anxiety in your mind, it may be an indication that you should exercise caution. Although sometimes we have unrest as a result of fear and not necessarily because God is saying ‘No’, it is good that we always draw a line between the two.
I believe if you make use of these two indicators, it will help you a lot in telling if a message is from God. In situations where it still appears difficult to label God’s will after using these indicators, then you should apply patience. This is because for every genuine Christian, it’s just a matter of time for you to get back to the right track.
– tope aladenusi
God’s leading through other believers
Bible Reading: I Thess. 5:13-21
As I was about to write this piece, I remembered that when I was in my teenage years, I was very concerned about my future and so I visited a prophet to make inquires about it. He made predictions about some things that will take place in my life. Although some of those things came to past, it doesn’t stop my action from being a gross expression of ignorance. Why? Hebrews 1:1-2 (GW) says – “In the past God spoke to our ancestors at many different times and in many different ways through the prophets. In these last days he has spoken to us through his Son”.
If we had existed before Jesus Christ, it would be very valid to run to a prophet when you want to know the mind of God, because that was the way God related to his people. But after the glorious death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, things have changed. The mind of God has been revealed in Jesus Christ and we have unlimited access to it if we have received Him. God said in Hebrews 8: 10-11 (MSG) “This time I’m writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts. I’ll be their God, they’ll be my people. They won’t go to school to learn about me, or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons. They’ll all get to know me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great.
Wow! We will get to know Him firsthand thereby making it easy to know His will firsthand. God does not want to breed spiritual toys that are jumping from one prophet to another seeking to know his will, but he desires to have matured Christians who are enjoying the provisions of redemption by getting to know him and his will firsthand.
Does this mean you shouldn’t listen to prophesies of other believers? No. Am I trying to say you should despise the inspired messages of your pastor? Never. I just want you to know that you have the privilege and responsibility of knowing God’s will. Any other message that comes from other believers should serve as a confirmation and corroboration to what you already know. It is a secondhand means that should be thoroughly examined before it is accepted most especially when there was no initial conviction on your part. The Bible says “… Don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good” – 1Th 5:20-21 (MSG).
But how do you examine your hearts’ messages and the ones from other believers to be sure that they are actually from God? The answer and many more insights will come your way in our subsequent messages.
– tope aladenusi