Releasing

the
Giant
within
31 biblical gems on leadership and significance

Olaojo Aiyegbayo
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This entire work is copyright 2009 by Olaojo Aiyegbayo and released

under the terms of a Creative Commons U.K. (England and Wales)
Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/). Some Rights
Reserved.
 Content

The Secret of Success

The Clock and the Compass
Death by Comfort Zone
Burning the Bridge
Recognizing your Helper
The Sons of Issachar
Saying NO to Wrong Opportunities
Trials and Struggles
Open My Eyes
Strategies of the Rich
Waiting
A King‟s Rise and Fall
Running another Man‟s Race
The Little Foxes
Reproducing Mighty Men
A Tale of Two Kings
Facing Your Storms
Becoming a Person of Significance!
The King‟s Heart
Nehemiah: The Visionary Leader (1)
Nehemiah: The Visionary Leader (2)
Nehemiah: The Visionary Leader (3)
Nehemiah: The Visionary Leader (4)
Qualifying the Unqualified
Walking on Water
It‟s all about Belief!
Destiny Helpers
The Principal Thing
A Person of Excellence!
A Person of Excellence (2)
Know thy Self: The Power of Identity
 The Secret of Success
Proverbs 18:16 “A man's gift makes room for him. And brings him before great men.”
(NASB)

Benjamin Disraeli, a great British Prime minister, once said, “The secret of success in life is
for a man to be ready for his time when it comes.” In this quote, success is dependent on two
key things: (a) timing and (b) readiness.

A lot of us know about timing. We know about seasons and waiting on God‟s programme for
our lives. I will not go into divine timing today but will rather tackle the issue of readiness. I
believe this is the area where people miss out on great success in their individual lives. What
is readiness? I like a quote from Oprah Winfrey who said that luck is when preparation meets
opportunity. I see readiness and preparation as two sides of a coin. You can only be ready for
success when you are prepared for it.

Many people wait and wait and wait yet they seem to make little or no progress in life. They
then blame God for not delivering His promises concerning them. God is not a magician
neither a genie in a bottle.

The quality of your preparation will determine the quality of your performance. If you are not
prepared, you will not perform when your time comes and another will take your place. You
will only be announced when you both ready and prepared. Saul‟s servant announced David
as an excellent harp player because he had seen and heard David play the harp (1 Sam 16:18).
If David had not developed those skills then he will never have been qualified to perform for
the king.

David was promised the kingdom in his teens but didn‟t become king until he was in his
thirties. He spent about 15 years preparing for the throne. He developed his slinging skills
which enabled him to kill a couple of wild animals and Goliath (1 Sam 34-50). He developed
his music skills playing before his family and father‟s sheep initially until it qualified him to
play for the king. These same music skills made him a great worshipper and the Psalms
author. He had to develop his sword skills as a soldier which made him a great warrior (1
Sam 18:5). He developed his leadership skills in the army and as a fugitive which enabled
him to lead men. He learnt to rule by governing Judah for seven and a half years before the
rest of Israel came to him to rule them as well (2 Sam 5:3). His predecessor, Saul, wasn‟t
prepared for the throne hence his sad end. Remember the Israelites were ready for a king (1
Sam 8:19-20) but Saul was not ready for them (1 Sam 10:21-22) and both parties suffered for
it.

We look at a successful man and say „what a lucky man‟ or „God has really blessed him‟. We
single out the day of his breakthrough as a reference point but we fail to take into account the
time when this same man toiled late into the night, preparing in obscurity. His day of
breakthrough is simply the result of his previous days of preparation. There is no man who is
an overnight success; we just don‟t know the full story.
 The Clock and the Compass
Psalms 90:12: „Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom‟.
(NLT)

I love February. It is the best month of the year. You can argue that I am biased because it is
my birth month. You are probably right. Last Thursday (15 th) was my birthday. I clocked
another year with a thankful heart as I reflected on God‟s faithfulness over my life. My life is
like fine wine, it just gets better with age. Each year has been better than the previous one for
as long as I can remember. God is good. Don‟t get me wrong, my life has not all been smooth
sailing but the trials and challenges have made me a better man. In life I have not always
gotten what I wanted but God has always provided what I needed and that upon hindsight has
always been sufficient.

I like what Stephen Covey said about the clock and the compass in his book, First Things
First. He said that the clock represents what we do with and how we manage our time while
the compass represents our vision and direction by which we live our lives. The compass is
more important than the clock. Yet most of our attention is focused on the clock. The power
of the clock is so strong in this microwave generation where everything is judged by time.
We are so busy running life‟s race according to the clock that we fail to check if we are busy
running the right race. Time is meaningless if it lacks purpose and direction.

David wrote majority of the 150 Psalms in the Bible. But Moses is credited to have written
Psalm 90. Every morning I wake up, I personalise a simple verse prayer from this Psalm. I
pray God teach me to make the most of my time so that I may grow in wisdom. The compass
is God. He is your maker and director. And He is the only one who knows your purpose. He
has equipped you with the right talents, gifts and abilities to make you successful in running
your life‟s race. So when your life is on divine purpose (compass), when you are running the
right race then time works for you and not against you.

It is not how long you live that counts but how much impact your life makes on earth and in
heaven. Jesus lived a relatively short life (33 years) but his legacy remains. Methuselah lived
969 years and died with no impact.
 Death by Comfort Zone
Gen 11:31-32: “Terah took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai and his grandson
Lot and left Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But they stopped instead at
the village of Haran and settled. Terah lived for 205 years and died while still at Haran”.
(NLT)

Terah left Ur for Canaan and on his way there he got to Haran where he settled and died. He
never fulfilled his mission. He had a vision to go to Canaan but he got to Haran and got
comfortable there. He decided that Haran was good enough.
The enemy of the best isn‟t the bad but the good. It is so easy to be comfortable with good
things that they distract one from the best things in life. The good is the comfort zone. Your
comfort zone can be a place, a position, a level, a mentality, a career, an income or a
relationship which prevents you from growing and progressing.

It is interesting that when Terah died, God called Abram to leave Haran and gave him the
vision for Canaan. The original Canaan vision was birthed in the heart of Terah not Abram.
He never fulfilled this vision so his place was taken by his son and descendents. No man is
irreplaceable, remember Saul and Judas.

Any worthwhile goal will require you leaving your comfort zone and stepping out in faith.
Staying in your comfort zone is either a testament of fear or laziness. Procrastination has been
known to rob many of their destinies. The „I will do it tomorrow‟ mentality is a recipe for
mediocrity.

Yesterday‟s successes can be a trap if you are determined to make them your shelter instead
of stepping stones. Jacob on his way to his Uncle Laban‟s place encountered God at Bethel
but he didn‟t make Bethel his home. He celebrated the presence of God and went forth on his
journey. Some people will stay permanently at Bethel. David used his sling to kill Goliath but
he didn‟t get comfortable with this weapon as he progressed to the sword to kill other giants.

I know people in the UK who came from Africa with big dreams but got here and have
become comfortable and lazy. They have become so comfortable in the UK that they have
stopped making progress. They complain that time is passing them by and their peers are
leaving them behind. It is easy to take your eyes off what God has in store for you and get
seduced by present day luxuries that you miss your inheritance.

Comfort zone is a form of slavery or bondage. When an individual is stuck in a comfort zone,
they don‟t make progress or grow. They stagnate in this rut.
If you are not growing then you are dying. You were created to grow, know and show God‟s
glory but staying in a comfort zone is a slow death which robs you and the world of your
potential.
 Burning the Bridge
Luke 9:62: But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back
is not fit for the Kingdom of God” (NLT)

The story of Elijah and Elisha in 1 Kings 19:19-21 captures the essence of „burning the
bridge‟. The Bible said that Elisha the son of Shaphat was busy plowing a field with a team
of oxen. A simple man minding his business and suddenly the great prophet, Elijah, stepped
into his life. Elijah threw his cloak on Elisha and walked away. Elisha knowing the
significance of this action ran after Elijah and requested to put his house in order before
following him. Elisha then proceeded to slaughter his oxen and used the wood from his plow
to build a fire to roast their flesh. He shared the roasted meat with other farmers and had a
feast. Afterward he packed his possession and followed Elijah as his assistant.

Why did Elisha do this? He had to burn the bridge because he realised that as long as those
oxen and plows where alive and available; he was prone to return to them. You have to
remember that Elijah was public enemy number one in Israel at the time. He was wanted by
the authorities for dissent. By choosing to follow Elijah, Elisha knew that life was going to be
challenging and there would be many storms ahead. He knew that his present comfort zone of
farming would be very appealing when the trials and persecutions came. So he destroyed the
bridge back to his past.

The Israelites failed to enter into the Promised Land, Canaan, the land of milk and honey
because they still had a bridge back to Egypt in their hearts. Thus when they realised that they
had to fight giants (trials) to take hold of their inheritance, they panicked. They elected to
return back to Egypt, their comfort zone. They could not go forward because they could not
leave their past. This is the reason why Lot‟s wife became a pillar of salt. She could not leave
Sodom behind as she headed to safety.

Until you burn certain bridges to your past, you will not enter your tomorrow. Whatever you
are going to accomplish in ministry, career and life will only be successful once you are able
to let go of your comfort zone by burning the bridge back to it. Anything worth having will
require sacrifice. You can only face trials and challenges when you have determined that you
will not back down or run away from them. Don‟t let the devil cause you to miss your
inheritance like he did to the Israelites in the wilderness. Like Joshua be strong and
courageous because God is on your side.
 Recognizing your Helper
Gen 30:27: “Please don‟t leave me,” Laban replied, “for I have learned by divination that
the Lord has blessed me because you are here.” (NLT)

When God is going to bless a man, he will send a man to help him. Likewise when the devil
wants to destroy a man, he will send a man. Both will not do it physically. Men are
instruments in the hands of God and the devil. It is therefore important that your spirit is
sensitive to discern between God‟s helpers and the devil‟s agents.

The moment Joseph stepped into Potiphar‟s house; God‟s blessing came upon Potiphar‟s life.
Potiphar discerned that Joseph was from God (Gen 39:2-3). I am pretty sure that the moment
Potiphar imprisoned Joseph was the beginning of his financial and real estate decline. The
prison warden recognised the grace of God upon Joseph and kept him close. Pharaoh
recognised the anointing on Joseph and made him prime minister hence Egypt prospered. If
these unbelievers could discern God‟s sent helper (Joseph) then it is time to for you to be
sensitive and appreciate those people in your life that God has sent.

Laban begged Jacob not to leave him because he learnt by divination that God‟s blessing was
upon him because of Jacob. Be very careful how you treat people whom God has sent into
your life. The Bible says that some have entertained angels unknowingly. Discern such
people in your life; appreciate and treat them right because your breakthrough is tied to them.
If you chase them away you will regret it, I assure you.

Even in the case of relationships, God sends the man a helper in the form of a wife (Gen 2:18
& Prov 19:14). The Bible says that “the man who finds a wife finds a treasure and receives
favour from the Lord”(Prov 18:22). So even the woman who is to help her husband comes
with God‟s favour if she is of God (Prov 31). This is why Peter admonished husbands to treat
their wives well if they want their prayers to be heard (1Peter3:7).

A good indicator is to examine the people that surround you especially the people you call
friends and also if you have a fiancée or fiancé. Ask yourself these questions:

Am I myself when I am with this individual?

Does my spirit come alive when I am with this person?
Do I leave their presence happy or sad?
Is this person adding to my life?
Am I growing as a result of knowing this person?

Look at your life before this person or persons came into it. Has your life improved since
their arrival or are you regressing: spiritually, mentally, physically, financially, family wise,
socially? If you are not making progress in these key aspects of your life then it is time to
reassess your relationship with these individuals.
 The Sons of Issachar
Proverbs 22:29 ‘Observe people who are good at their work – skilled workers are always in
demand and admired; they don‟t take a back seat to anyone (MSG).

All the 12 tribes sent their mighty men to David when he was to be crowned King at Hebron.
The Bible said that 200 leaders, sons of Issachar, came to David: men who had an
understanding of the times and knew what was best for Israel to do. As a result of their expert
knowledge and understanding, their brothers were under their orders (1chron 12:32). These
men operated as consultants and counsellors to David and the nation. They were the Josephs
and Daniels of their time.

There has never been a generation like this before. The old rules and regulations from the
past don‟t work in this new dispensation. These are times of uncertainty and confusion. All
the structures that were dependable in the past have started to crumble. The church is unsure
how to deal with these global changes. It has buried its head in the sand because it is afraid of
being contaminated by the world. How do you help someone if you don‟t know them? A
doctor needs to understand his patient to be able to provide the solution. Until the church
understands the world and how it operates, it will remain a small knit community with little
or no impact on world affairs. It is time to let go of the cherished traditions and customs that
are irrelevant in this modern era.

When the Daniel and friends were taken as slaves to Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar said
„teach these young men the language and literature of the Babylonians‟ (Dan 1:4, NLT). And
„God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for learning the literature and science of
the time‟ (Dan 1:17, NLT). These men were trained to understand the times in which they
lived in. Daniel and Joseph succeeded in their generation because they had an understanding
of their times and could communicate these understanding to those in power. They fitted in,
though they were immigrants. Their understanding enabled them to be problem solvers in
their generation.

The kind of problems you solve will determine the kind of rewards you will get in life. Mike
Murdock said you will be rewarded according to the difficulty of the problem you solve for
others. A surgeon collects more than a carpenter because the problems he solves are worth
considerably more. To earn more, solve bigger problems. It is that simple. The world is
looking for problem solvers and the Christian faith is all about solving human problems.

The world doesn‟t care about your faith until it knows how your faith can solve its problems.
It needs men from the church who understand these times and can tell them what to do
concerning the future. These are the men who will be leaders of this generation. This
generation is looking for its sons of Issachar. The question is: are you one of them?
 Saying NO to Wrong Opportunities

Proverbs 16:25: “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death”.
(NLT)

This is our year of open doors. And open doors basically mean opportunities. Yet
opportunities come in two kinds: right and wrong ones. Most people have this assumption
that all opportunities are good. I wish. This is the reason Solomon said that “There is a path
before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (Prov 16:25, NLT).

There are some promises we are holding to, that God has revealed to us for 2007 and beyond.
And we are waiting on God to provide the opportunities to claim the promises. I will be
drawing upon David‟s life to illustrate how not every opportunity that opens up in 2007 may
be the right one for you.

David was anointed in his late teens by the great prophet, Samuel, to be the next king of
Israel after Saul. As you all know, Saul became jealous of David and decided to kill him in
order to preserve the kingdom for his own descendants. David went on the run with Saul on
his heels. One day Saul fell into David‟s hand and his men whispered to him “Now is the
opportunity! Today is the day the Lord was talking about when he said, „I will certainly put
Saul into your power, to do with as you wish” (1 Samuel 24: 4-7, NLT). David said to his
men, “It is a serious thing to attack the Lord‟s anointed, for the Lord himself has chosen
him”. He rebuked them and didn‟t allow them to kill Saul that day.

Another opportunity presented itself to David when he and his men chanced upon a sleeping
Saul. His aide said to him “God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time” and he
wanted to drive his spear through Saul‟s body (1 Samuel 26: 8, NLT). David refused this
open door and opportunity by saying that the Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has
anointed (1 Samuel 26:11, NLT).

David could have killed Saul and claimed God‟s promise for his life twice but he was wise
enough to discern that this open door or opportunity before him was the wrong one. He made
the choice to walk away twice because he realized that God would never have been glorified
if he had killed Saul. All the glory would have belonged to David and his triumph would have
turned to ashes. God rewarded his discernment and patience by giving David the throne and
blessing his descendents.

It is very easy to jump through the first open door and opportunity that comes our way with
great haste and excitement thinking that God has answered. Appearances can be very
deceptive. The enemy is a great counterfeiter.

This is the time to confirm by discerning if God is in this opportunity or this open door. There
are some doors that once you go through them; they close behind you, becoming trap doors.
As Stephen Covey said, we all have control over our choices but we have no control over the
consequences of our choices.
 Trials and Struggles
Rom 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose”. (NIV)

There is a big difference between trials and struggles in the life of a believer. I believe it is
because believers don‟t know the difference that they encounter frustrations. When God
decides to bless any man, the devil will come against such a believer and send him trials and
challenges. As long as that believer is in the will of God, he will succeed. The trials are
simply meant to develop his character and build his faith in God (James 1:4-5). But if that
believer is not in the will of God and places his hand on what God has not commissioned
him, he will struggle.

A believer who is facing trials and challenges in accomplishing his purpose need just to
persevere and he will accomplish it. A believer who is struggling will never break through his
struggles by persevering because he is not in God‟s will. All his persevering will not enable
him to break through. He could spent the rest of his life persisting but he will never rise
above mediocrity and he will die a frustrated man. His only solution will be to walk away
from whatever he has entered into. It is difficult to walk away from a perceived loss because
you have invested so much. We think about all we stand to lose and fight to salvage
something. If God is not in a thing, no matter how much you fight or persevere, it will make
no difference or move God to intervene on your behalf.

A good indicator that you are facing godly challenges not struggles is increase. As I pointed
out if God is with an individual, he will face challenges but he will also experience divine
increase. David and Joseph‟s lives are testimonies. David was anointed to be King in his
teens but didn‟t become one until his 30s. He was forced to become a fugitive and a rebel.
Yet the interesting thing was that despite all the challenges that David faced, he experienced
increase during those tough years. As a fugitive: men came to him to serve him, he had many
wives and children, and he acquired possessions and enjoyed influence even with Israel‟s
enemies. His trials developed his character to lead and he never experienced loss because
God was with him.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers in his teens and became prime minister at 30. His
13 years were equally as tough as David‟s but he also enjoyed increase and influence. He
found favour in Potiphar‟s house and experienced considerable influence in prison before
moving to the palace. Both men never once struggled but they faced challenges.

Anything that God‟s hand is upon will always prosper and grow. If something does not grow
or increase over time then it is not of God. Take stock of your life and ask God for counsel to
discern which aspects of your life are challenges and which are struggles. God does not do
struggles.
 Open My Eyes

Psalms 119:18: “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law”. (NLT)

To achieve success in life, you need open eyes. We can walk through life unaware of the
many opportunities that lie around us. These are pearls waiting to be seen.
David prayed “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law”. David wanted to see
new things in the Word of God. He knew that depending on his natural ability and sight
wouldn‟t suffice. He wanted insights that would change his life and make him a better man.
We come to church on Sundays to hear and see God in a new way. We come for a revelation
or two regarding our lives. We seek „open eyes‟. When we see, we become free and the devil
becomes powerless.

We don‟t see things as they are but as we are. We judge based on who we are. Our human
nature influences what we see and this usually leads us to error. God corrected Samuel
regarding the use of his eyes. Samuel saw Eliab (David‟s brother) and believed that he was
the chosen one because he looked like Saul. But God said that humans see and judge based
on outward appearances while He looks beyond the surface. Samuel could have missed God‟s
will if he was not in tune with God (1Sam 16:6-7).

Hagar and Ishmael were sent away by Abraham after Sarah complained about them. They
wandered aimlessly in the wilderness when they ran out of water. Hagar left her son in the
shade of a bush and walked away from him because she could bear to watch him die. The
Bible said God heard Ishmael‟s cries and sent his angel to comfort a crying Hagar. “Then
God opened Hagar‟s eyes and she saw a well. She immediately filled her water container and
gave the boy a drink” (Gen 21:19). I believe that the well had always been there but Hagar
and Ishmael could not see it. They would have died in the wilderness if God had not opened
Hagar‟s eyes to see the well.

God heard their cries for help and He showed up. We all have hidden wells of opportunities
and relationships around us that are waiting to be discovered. God is waiting for you and I to
be like David and Hagar. He is waiting for us to call unto Him to ask for His help and ask
Him to open our eyes.
 Strategies of the Rich

Proverbs 22:7: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender”.
(NIV)

The rich become richer because they employ some basic strategies. Pharaoh and Joseph
employed such strategies in the Bible which we can learn from and adopt as well.

(1) Seek competent financial advice: The rich become richer because they tend to
recognise and surround themselves with individuals who manage their finances for
them. They seek financial experts who teach them and grow their assets. Pharaoh
recognised that Joseph‟s financial counsel was valuable and profitable for him and the
country. He employed Joseph and empowered him to execute his financial plan. He
also rewarded him highly for his services. You might argue that you can‟t afford to
hire a good independent financial adviser at the moment. Neither can I, so I take the
alternative option of educating myself by reading voraciously personal finance books
on money and investments. You can also argue that you can‟t afford to buy such
books then head off to the public City library and access their free book collection on
the subject. I am always amazed why people ignore such a valuable resource as the
City library. It is free to register and loan books, use it.
(2) Save regularly: The rich are not spendthrifts or careless with their resources. The few
ones, who are, soon end up in the poor house. They are financially savvy to know that
the economy can be volatile so they keep their assets safe. Joseph knew that the world
economy would experience 7 seven years of boom and 7 years of famine so he
regularly saved 20% of Pharaoh‟s assets each year in preparation for the famine years
(Gen 41: 29-35). The common Egyptians who were not privy to this information
became spendthrifts during the boom years. They assumed that it would last forever.
It is important to cultivate a savings habit by putting aside regularly a certain
percentage of your income and this does require some discipline. I find the bank‟s
standing order to be very useful device in tackling this exercise. Since it is automated,
it saves me the hassle of doing it manually and the temptation to spend all my income.
Out of sight is out of mind.
(3) Invest wisely: The rich seek out investment opportunities which would make their
saved assets grow. The smart ones take calculated risks and usually invest in things
that they understand. Joseph recognised such investment opportunities when the
people came to him. He drew from Pharaoh‟s saved assets and traded with them. His
wise investments made Pharaoh very rich (Gen 47:14). Joseph acquired prime real
estate on the cheap (Gen 47:20-23), built an international business empire (Gen
41:57) and made Pharaoh, the largest employer of people in the country (Gen 47:25).
 Waiting

Psalm 27: 13-14:

13 I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD. (NIV)

Imagine this: you are standing at the bus stop and it is raining. You are waiting for your bus
with several travelling bags. Though under the shelter, the wind is blowing the rain in your
direction. You are shivering from the cold and hungry as well. It is dark and you can see a
bus heading your way. Excited, you gather together your bags and stick out your hand to stop
the bus. The bus driver looks and shakes his head as he drives pass the bus stop. You shout
out in frustration and throw your hands in the air because you know the next bus is due in 45
minutes time. Looking at the bus as it heads down the road; you wonder why today of all
days?

Waiting on God can sometimes feel like this. You believe God for something that He has
promised you. “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change
his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?” (Num 23:19,
NIV). Yet sometimes as you wait, you might see a shadow of what He has promised. From
afar you are excited because you believe your answer is on its way. You start to thank God
for answered prayers yet the bus just passes you by. You are disappointed, you are frustrated,
and you cry to God for an explanation. You hear nothing then you cry out even more. You
are now in a spot where you know that you need a miracle. Take heart because delay is not
denial. You assume that the bus which passed you by was going your way but God who
knows the future knows that that this missed opportunity is not His will for you. He has sent
your bus and it is on its way. Just trust God, the author and the finisher of your faith. The God
who has never failed you before will not fail you now. Take your eyes off your situation and
the missed opportunities and focus them on God because when you finally get your bus, you
will see why it took time. It will be the right one for you and God will take the glory.
 A King’s Rise and Fall
Proverbs 11:2: “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom”. (NLT)

King Uzziah‟s life is a story of two parts – humility and pride. This article focuses on how
these two factors were responsible for the rise and fall of a king.

(a) Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of
God. And as long as the king sought the LORD, God gave him success. (2 Chron 26:5,
NLT)
Solomon said in the Book of Proverbs that “true humility and fear of the L ORD lead to riches,
honour, and long life” (Prov 22:4, NLT). Uzziah was a man who became King at sixteen and
under the guidance of the man of God, Zechariah, humbled himself to seek God‟s face. The
lord was pleased with him because of his humility and caused him to prosper. He was
victorious in all his battles and his fame spread to even Egypt.
Humility is a state of mind that is well pleasing to God. Paul encourages us to be humble,
thinking of others as better than ourselves (Phil 2:3) and also to be like Jesus who in the form
of man humbled himself before God. This humility was responsible for His exaltation (Phil
2:5-10). Godly humility means focusing on God as the Lord and Master of your life because
of your respect for Him and His Word.

(b) But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. (2
Chron 26:16, NLT).

The Book of Proverbs states that “pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a
fall”. (16:18, NLT). Uzziah became power drunk and arrogant. He took his eyes off God and
forgot that it was God who empowered him. Pride is simply having an excessively high
opinion of oneself. The devil uses pride as a weapon to snare successful men. Uzziah‟s
arrogance led him to assume the office of the priest and enter into the sanctuary to burn
incense on the altar. God was furious with him and struck him with leprosy because of his
actions. The Bible does not record whether Uzziah humbled himself and sought God‟s face
and forgiveness. It just said that Uzziah had leprosy till the day he died and he lived alone in
isolation because of the disease. He was excluded from the Temple of God and replaced by
his son Jotham. He was not buried next to his ancestral kings but in a nearby field because of
his disease. Remember that “pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honour”. (Prov
29:23, NLT).
 Running another man’s race
2 Samuel 18:22-23: „But Ahimaaz continued to plead with Joab, “Whatever happens,
please let me go, too.” “Why should you go, my son?” Joab replied. “There will be no
reward for your news.” “Yes, but let me go anyway,” he begged‟. (NLT)

Every individual has a destiny to fulfil hence the reason why he was sent by God. He has a
race which he is equipped to run because of the talents and gifts deposited in him. It is his
calling which if successfully completed will be rewarded. Yet you find men running other
people‟s races because they refuse to run their own race.

A good illustration in the Bible is that of Ahimaaz (2 Samuel 18:19-33). He was one of the
messengers for King David when he was on the run from Absalom. When Absalom was
killed, Ahimaaz volunteered to deliver the news to the king. Joab the general refused to send
him and he said to Ahimaaz “No, it wouldn‟t be good news to the king that his son is dead.
You can be my messenger some other time but not today”. He then directed a man from Cush
to go instead to deliver the message to the king. Ahimaaz pleaded to go and Joab asked him
why he wanted to go since there was no reward for delivering the message. Ahimaaz insisted
on going and Joab finally relented by letting him go. The Bible records that Ahimaaz took a
shortcut and got to the king before the man from Cush.
When he got to the king, David asked him about the welfare of Absalom. At the moment of
test, he lied and said he didn‟t know what had happened to the king‟s son. Since he did not
bring any relevant news, the king asked him to step aside as he waited for the man from
Cush. Ahimaaz could not deliver the message because he didn‟t know how to break the news
to the king. The Cushite could and that was the reason why he was sent in the first place.

There are times in life when God will tell us not to run because there is no reward at the end
of it. We will hear God clearly yet stubbornly insist on having our way like Ahimaaz.
Sometimes because of our stubbornness; God will permit us to go. God has given us free will
and it is still up to us to choose to follow His instructions or to go our own way. Obedience
has its rewards and stubbornness has its consequences.
 The Little Foxes
Song of Solomon 2:15: ‘Seize ye for us foxes, little foxes -- destroyers of vineyards, even
our sweet-smelling vineyards‟. (Young‟s Literal Translation)

We all have character flaws which the devil seek to exploit. Character flaws are like little
foxes that destroy the vineyards unless you do something about it. The downfall of any man
is usually a character flaw that was left unchecked till it became a hindrance in the pursuit of
his destiny. There are some things that you need to deal with in your life before they destroy
you. Life is determined by little things. It is the little things that become mighty things. It is
the little things that make a man as well as destroy him. Today‟s trivialities become
consequential tomorrow.

Our flaws cause us to make mistakes. If you keep repeating the same old mistakes then you
are not growing. The only way you can grow and mature is to identify what works and what
doesn‟t work in your life. You can only change what you confront.

God always provides feedback and He usually sends it via people, circumstances, His Spirit
or His Word. His feedback tells you whether you are on the right course or not. The purpose
of God‟s feedback is to get us to examine ourselves (Lam 3:40). Socrates once said an
unexamined life is not worth living. A man unwilling to accept God‟s feedback is doomed to
fail.

I have made mistakes and stumbled along the way. I have seen sides of me that grieved me
and sides that made me smile. Yet I have learnt more about myself from my mistakes than
from my successes. Feedback from my mistakes has caused me to confront my errors. I have
realised my frailty and my humanity and seen God‟s mercy and grace. It is this that makes me
give thanks and stay humble.

You can‟t change yourself on your own, you need God‟s grace but you must willing to
change and willing to let God correct you. I like what Emile Coue said, “Everyday, in every
way, I am getting better and better”. I believe this should be our confession and testimony.
 Reproducing Mighty Men
Proverbs 27:17 „Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another‟ (NASB).

John Maxwell, a leadership guru, states that leadership is all about influence. The goal of a
good leader is to influence not coerce his followers. He should seek to inspire not impress his
people. There is a lack of good leaders hence the reason why there is a great demand for them
in both the church and the world.

The outcome of good leadership is the reproduction of other leaders. Good leaders are not
threatened by the accomplishments of their followers. It is their joy to see their followers
become better leaders. Reproductive leadership involves mentorship. Moses produced
Joshua, Elijah produced Elisha, Mordecai produced Esther and Paul produced Timothy.

David was a giant killer and he was able to reproduce other leaders who were also giant
killers in their own right, e.g. Abishai, Sibbecai, Benaiah, Elhanan, and Jonathan (2 Sam 21:
15-22). The Bible called David‟s top military commanders his mighty men. They were men
drawn to him because they believed in his godly vision and were determined to help him
fulfil it. People are drawn to leaders who they respect and desire to emulate (1 Chron 11: 10-
47).

Jesus was another leader who actively reproduced leaders. He worked with a lot of people in
his 3 year ministry but devoted most of his time developing his 12 disciples especially his
three key leaders. Reproductive leadership involves the investment of time and effort in
others‟ development. Jesus‟ influence was so strong that after his death, the Pharisees
marvelled at the wisdom and courage his disciples displayed and concluded that it was the
result of walking with Jesus (Acts 4:13).

According to Maxwell, “the only way you will be able to develop other leaders is to become
a better leader yourself”. God‟s directive is to be fruitful and multiply and my question is “are
you developing yourself and reproducing mighty men?”
 A Tale of Two Kings
Proverbs 20:21 „Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another‟ (NLT).

This article focuses on the leadership differences of the first two kings of Israel. The Israelites
went to Prophet Samuel to demand a king to rule over them. They wanted a king like other
gentile kings. God was not pleased with their request but he honored it by giving the people
the leader they wanted – Saul.

King Saul got the kingdom on a platter of gold. He was never prepared for the leadership
which he assumed. He had the appearance of a leader – the looks, the family background and
the charisma but he lacked the leadership character. The Bible reported that Saul hid among
the baggage on the day of his coronation and he hid most of his life. He lacked the confidence
to take on the challenges and responsibilities of power. His reign was destroyed by his
negative traits and temperaments e.g. stupidity, stubbornness, disobedience, unfaithfulness,
recklessness, pride, jealousy, anger, indiscipline, weakness, and fear. He appeared on paper
unlikely to fail but yet he failed spectacularly as a leader and a king.

King David got the kingdom as a result of his preparation. The art of shepherding in the
wilderness developed David‟s leadership ability. The trials he faced as a fugitive built and
refined his character. David never shied away from tackling leadership challenges. At the
time when David was anointed as the next king of Israel, he was a ruddy-faced boy who
lacked the leader‟s appearance but had the leader‟s heart. He was creative, inspiring, brave,
courageous, strong, vulnerable, kind, forgiving, prepared, confident, flawed, God fearing and
repentant.

You can rise above your limitations or character flaws. Every leader will be destroyed by
his/her character flaws if they are not dealt with. David made many mistakes but the
difference between him and Saul was that he always dealt with them and repented of them.
This is what separated him from Saul.
 Facing Your Storms
Mark 4:35 „That evening, Jesus said to his followers, “Let‟s go across the lake” (NCV).

Life is a journey and storms are part of it. They have their role to play in the maturity of a
believer. There are days when you feel all alone despite being in midst of a crowd. These are
seasons when you have to face your battles alone. Such times when you need to offload your
burdens and pains, your fears and sins at God‟s feet. Periods when everything you have tried
has failed and you feel cornered and scared. All you want to do is to cling to God in your
closet and say, “I will not let you go unless you change my situation”. During these seasons,
only God knows what you are going through because he created you and knew you before
you were born (Jer 1:5).

You will never know how strong your foundation is if you never face the floods of a storm.
James and Peter said that trials are meant to build our godly characters by developing our
dependence on God. Only God can help us during the storms. He warned us against putting
our trust in our own strength, or mere mortals like ourselves.

Jesus told his disciples to steer the boat across the lake so he could go minister at Gerasene. A
storm came up on the lake and the waves filled the boat. The disciples started to panic when
their efforts and skills failed to steady the sinking boat. They remembered that Jesus was on
board and went to him when it became apparent that their strength was not sufficient for the
storm. Jesus had given the word of faith, a promise, “Let‟s go across the lake”. The storm
came to test the spoken word. The disciples had depended on their own strength and wisdom
until fear overpowered them. They had to wake a sleeping Jesus and ask his help in facing the
storm that threatened to destroy them. The Bible said „Jesus stood up and commanded the
wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and it became
completely calm‟ (Mark 4: 35-41, NCV).

Jesus said bring your burdens to him and he will give you his yoke which is far lighter and
easier to bear (Matt 11:28-29). Don‟t underestimate God‟s power to save you or transform
your life. Don‟t settle for yesterday‟s anointing to sustain today. This is your season of new
beginnings. Don‟t hold unto your ashes when the Lord has beautiful gifts for you. Trust God
and let Him take you to the next level.
 Becoming a Person of Significance!
Prov 18:26 „A man‟s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men‟ (NASB).

Most people focus on what they lack rather than on what they have and complain that life is
not fair. Mike Murdock said that our significance in life lies not in our similarities with others
but in our point of differences. Why seek to be another man‟s carbon copy when God has
called you to be an original? Why give up your throne of uniqueness for the footstool of
mediocrity? God has created each of us individually with unique gifts, talents and abilities.
He has planted seeds in you that will bless your generation and establish you amongst your
peers. Though the gifts of God are without repentance; it is also easy to neglect them and
keep them buried within us. By doing that, we fail ourselves, rob the world and disappoint
God. We should aim to die empty and not take our best to the grave. The cemetery is the
wealthiest place because it contains many buried unfulfilled dreams, visions and destinies.

To avoid dying full, it is essential to spend time to discover what your strengths are. What do
you enjoy doing? What are you known for? These are pointers and clues. Our gifts are so
familiar to us that we take them for granted or despise them in comparison with others. You
will be surprised how many people wish they could do what comes easily to you. Once you
have discovered these abilities you need to spend time developing and honing them. You are
called to cultivate and perfect that which God has placed in you via discipline. Invest the
time, energy and finances necessary to grow.
There comes a time when you need to be a blessing to the world by delivering the fruits of
your abilities. As you do this, people will celebrate you and your gifts will cause you to stand
before great men. Remember that as your gifts open doors for you in high places; it is also an
opportunity to display the glory of God who has given unto you these gifts. Joseph and
Daniel always acknowledged that God supplied their abilities.
 The King’s Heart

Prov 21:1 „The king‟s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it
wherever He wishes‟ (NKJV).

There is no doubt that kings can be used by God to be our destiny helpers. These are
important men with the power and influence to open certain doors for us and they include our
bosses, parents, pastors, leaders etc. There are several Biblical characters that got the
opportunity to stand before kings, which led to the fulfilment of their destinies.

Esther stepped out of obscurity into the limelight because she found favour before King
Xerxes of Persia. Esther didn‟t seek the position of queen but God chose her for the role in
order to save His people. Joseph was promoted from prisoner to prime minister because he
found favour in the sight of the Egyptian king. The favour of God on his life unlocked the
heart of Pharaoh to offer him the second highest position in the land. The king's wrath is like
the roaring of a lion, but his favour is like dew on the grass (Prov 19:12, NASB). Nehemiah
was another man who stood before a king to make a bold request for his people. His prayers
for favour were heard and God touched the heart of the Persian king to grant Nehemiah‟s
requests.

The favour of God is essential to getting the favour of kings because He controls their hearts
and minds. Only He can open the doors of opportunity and grant you a favourable audience
with kings. The promotion you seek does not come from the east, west or south but from the
Lord (Psalms 75: 6-7).

Attempts to secure the king‟s favour without God‟s help will backfire because we are either
relying on our own strength or the strength of others. We suffer the consequences when we
take God out of the equation. God has warned us not to put our trust in princes, nor in the son
of man, in whom there are no help (Psalm 146:3). No one has absolute control of the king‟s
heart and mind apart from God. He chooses to soften or harden the heart of kings. He was the
one who hardened the heart of Pharaoh so He could punish both him and the Egyptians.
When we let God elevate us, it becomes a testimony and when we don‟t, it becomes a
tragedy.
 Nehemiah: The Visionary Leader (1)
Prov 29:18 „Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy
is he‟ (KJV).

Nehemiah is a biblical character noted for his visionary leadership. His life is a case study for
those of us interested in discovering and fulfilling our assignments. This is the first in a series
of articles that will focus on Nehemiah‟s life. I believe we can learn a lot from this cupbearer.

(1) The burden: Mike Murdock said in his book, The Assignment, that burdens tend to
birth visions. Nehemiah was burdened when he learnt that the Jews in captivity were
in trouble and Jerusalem was in ruins. He was troubled by the information that the
Bible said he cried for several days. Nehemiah took his burden for his people and
Jerusalem to the Lord through prayers and fasting. It was during this process of
releasing his burden to the Lord that God gave him the vision to rebuild Jerusalem‟s
city walls.
(2) The preparation: Benjamin Disreali said that the secret of success is for a man to be
ready for his opportunity when it comes. Opportunities come our way to fulfil our
destinies but if we are not prepared for them, they pass us by. There was a period of 4-
5 months between when Nehemiah got his burden for Jerusalem and the time when he
got his opportunity before the king. He spent that time preparing for the fulfilment of
his assignment by clarifying his vision with God and researching what he needed to
execute the vision.
(3) The timing: Timing is crucial factor in vision accomplishment. The Bible says there is
a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven (ECC 3:1). It is
very easy to confuse „God‟s now‟ with right now. God is a God of timing and
seasons. At the appointed time, King Artaxerxes noticed that Nehemiah looked
dejected and enquired the reason for his sadness. You see that Nehemiah didn‟t
approach the king about his vision but God caused the king to enquire and turned his
heart to favour Nehemiah‟s vision. God has a way of bringing to pass His divine
visions. He just requires us to trust Him and be sensitive to His leading.
 Nehemiah: The Visionary Leader (2)
Exo 4:10 „But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I‟m just not a good speaker. I never
have been, and I‟m not now, even after you have spoken to me. I‟m clumsy with words”
(NLT).

This week I will focus on the fourth key item based on the fulfilment of Nehemiah‟s vision.
Communication is a central element of leadership. It is the process of getting people to see
what you see and what is required of them. Communication is not everything but it is one
thing that can make or break a vision. There comes a time when you will have to share your
vision with others. It is important that you are able to communicate and present your vision
with clarity and simplicity if you are going to get their help and support. No one will help a
man whose vision is vague and confusing. People need to know where he is heading and how
he plans to get there. Nehemiah had a clear picture of his vision in his mind. He wanted to
rebuild Jerusalem‟s city walls and was able to effectively present his vision to King
Artaxerxes, and the Israelites.
His vision was understandable and compelling enough to inspire action. Gilbert Amelio said
that if a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then
having a message doesn’t even matter.

Joseph‟s dreams were simple and clear enough that his brothers and father didn‟t need him to
interpret it for them. They understood it immediately they heard it. Every great man or
woman who accomplished his/her vision had to be an effective communicator.
God gave Moses the vision to go back to Egypt to get the Israelites out. He complained that
he was not a good communicator so God sent Aaron to replace him as the speaker. But later
as Moses grew in confidence, he took charge of communicating the vision to the people. You
are robbed of your effectiveness if you are unable to communicate the vision or message that
God has given to you. This is why God was angry with Moses. No one can communicate
your divine vision or message better than you. You are equipped with the gifts to fulfil your
vision but you need to develop the skills to communicate it.
 Nehemiah: The Visionary Leader (3)
Neh 6:9 „They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for
the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”(NIV)

This week I will focus on another factor in fulfilling vision using again the life of Nehemiah
as the case study.

The opposition: Every divine vision is going to face opposition and trials. Just as God sends
destiny helpers to assist you to fulfil your assignment, the devil will also send dream killers to
thwart God‟s plan for your life. Nehemiah faced external enemies like Sanballat, Tobiah and
Geshem the Arab, as well as Jewish enemies like Shemaiah, Noadiah and Eliashib. There
were attempts by his enemies to discredit, ridicule, frustrate, alienate and kill him. These are
instruments that the devil will employ against the fulfilment of every divine vision. It is
always important that the visionary stands strong in the face of these attacks and put his/her
trust in God.

Nehemiah was a mighty man of prayer and he faced his opposition with the power of prayer
and action. The goal of his enemies was to stop the completion of the city walls and prevent
the fulfilment of Nehemiah‟s assignment. He refused to succumb to the threats of his enemies
and encouraged his followers to trust in the Lord when they became weary and fearful.
Nehemiah was bold because he knew that the author of his vision would work out everything
for his good.

God told Joshua at the start of his assignment to ‘be strong and courageous. Don’t be
terrified; don’t be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.‟ (Jos
1:9, NIV). The Bible states that if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small
(Prov 24:10). Both James and Peter, the apostles, tell us that the trials that come our way in
fulfilling our divine assignments are meant to build and not to destroy us. Nehemiah‟s trials
forced him to depend on God and when he completed Jerusalem‟s city walls in just 52 days
even his enemies were forced to acknowledge that God was on his side (Neh 6:16). My
prayer is that God fulfils His plan for your life despite the obstacles that come your way.
 Nehemiah: The Visionary Leader (4)
Heb 11:1 “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to
happen. It is the evidence of things we can‟t yet see” (NLT).

I conclude my series on Nehemiah by looking at the place of faith in vision accomplishment.

A vision is meant to stretch you and get you out of your comfort zone. Nehemiah had to leave
the luxury of the palace at Susa to attend to the ruins of Jerusalem. We remember him today
because he stepped out in faith and went after his vision. He sacrificed his comfort for his
vision. If he had decided that following his dream was too risky and stayed at Susa then I
would not have written about him today. History would have forgotten his name.

The act of leaving Susa for Jerusalem resulted in Nehemiah getting promoted from cupbearer
to Jerusalem‟s governor for 12 years. Achieving your destiny requires faith. It requires
trusting God to take care of you when you don‟t have all the answers or when you don‟t
know what is around the corner. If you wait till you have all the answers or resources before
you set out, you will never set out. God does not always provide all the answers; He just
gives you the instruction and the promise to take care of you as you follow His lead. It is
impossible to please God without faith.

I believe the opposite of faith is fear. Nehemiah refused to let his fears stop his destiny. He
was afraid to present his requests to the king but he trusted God to grant him favour. He
didn‟t know how the Israelites would react to his vision but he went to them with the
confidence that God would back him up. Mary Manin Morrissey sums it well when she said
“you block your dreams when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith”.

Nehemiah was risking it all but his confidence was not a gamble. He knew he had heard God
and was convinced that his assignment was backed by divine authority. God is only
committed to the things He has commanded. Nehemiah stepped out of his comfort zone into
his destiny. You must also do the same if you want to accomplish your vision.
 Qualifying the Unqualified
Ecc 9:11 “I saw something else under the sun. The race isn't [won] by fast runners, or the
battle by heroes. Wise people don't necessarily have food. Intelligent people don't
necessarily have riches, and skilled people don't necessarily receive special treatment. But
time and unpredictable events overtake all of them.” (God‟s Word)

I heard this quote a few weeks ago “God doesn‟t call the qualified; He qualifies the called”.
It was during the Victory Training session and it has been on my mind ever since. Most of the
major biblical characters who were used by God can‟t be described as the best candidates but
God chose them. They didn‟t always feel qualified or capable of accomplishing the task that
God had for them. They pointed out their limitations and listed their handicaps. They saw
themselves as unsuitable, but God qualified them.

An angel appeared to Gideon and called him a mighty man of valour. He was surprised by
this statement and shocked when God commanded him to deliver Israel out of Midian‟s hand.
He reminded God that his clan was the weakest and he was the least in his family. Even Saul
felt unqualified to be the king of Israel despite his physical appearance and stature. He
believed his family background was unworthy. David was the least amongst his brothers
likewise Joseph, yet God qualified them. Even Jesus, the son of God, was a carpenter‟s son.
The religious teachers couldn‟t accept that God would choose to come as a common
carpenter‟s son rather than as a powerful earthly king or warrior. This defied their human
logic and reasoning but it is easy to forget that God doesn‟t operate according to human
standards. He seeks and promotes people who the world has written off.

God bypassed qualified people to single out these seemingly unqualified ones. The
unqualified can‟t be proud because they are not qualified to be proud. The rejected are upheld
by God and the proud rejected by Him. God uses unqualified men and women because He
knows that they can‟t boast that they accomplished the task in their own power. They are
dependent on Him as they venture out in faith.

The world might call you unqualified but the fact that you are a son or daughter of God
means that you are qualified. Don‟t let the world‟s standard define you, let God‟s view of you
be your standard.
 Walking on Water
Matt 14:29 “So He said, “Come”. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he
walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was
afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord save me!” (NKJV)

God wants us to trust Him more and step out in faith. The Book of Matthew tells the story of
the disciples who in the midst of a storm on the open sea saw Jesus walking past them. They
were all frightened because they thought they had seen a ghost until Jesus reassured them that
it was him.

The other disciples decided to stay in the boat while Peter, the proactive disciple, requested
the permission to walk on water like Jesus. The boat is the comfort zone and to walk on
water, you have to step out in faith. Peter didn‟t step out until he got the word from Jesus to
leave the boat. God is only committed to the things He has commanded. As long as he had his
eyes on Jesus, Peter was fine but when he took his eyes off Christ; he began to sink.

The Bible states that Peter saw the wind boisterous and it made him afraid. The fear crippled
his faith and he started to sink. The devil‟s currency is fear while God‟s own is faith. Paul
exhorted Timothy that God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound
mind (2 Tim 1:7). Like Peter, you must always cry out for God‟s help when your faith starts
to falter. Jesus loves us and the Bible says He is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb
12:2)

Jesus asked Peter why he doubted him. He wants us to believe in him and entrust our lives in
his hand. Stepping out in faith in response to God‟s invitation will definitely be challenged by
the enemy. He will seek to crush your faith and get your focus off God. Resist him for he is
already defeated and you have the victory courtesy of Christ. So step out of the boat, in faith,
with your eyes firmly fixed on Jesus and not on your circumstances.
 It’s all about Belief!
Mark 9:23 “Jesus said to the father, “you said,‟ if you can!‟ All things are possible for the
one who believes.” (NCV)

Do you have a vision, a promise or a word from God that looks impossible? Are you
struggling to believe?

The Bible tells us of a man who brought his sick boy to Jesus to be healed. Jesus was away at
the time so the man asked some of his disciples to heal his son. The failure of the disciples to
heal the boy caused uproar from the Pharisees. Jesus arrived at the scene and asked the reason
for the arguments. The man reported that his disciples were unable to heal his boy and asked
if Jesus could. Jesus was unhappy that his disciples lacked the faith to heal the sick boy in his
absence. He then responded to the man‟s doubt in his ability to heal his son by saying „all
things are possible for the one who believes‟ (Mark 9:23, NCV).

The man then cried out, „I do believe! Help me to believe more!‟ It is all about belief. The
belief that God is able to do immeasurably more than you can ask or imagine.
God responds only to faith and Paul tells us in Hebrews that it is impossible to please Him
without faith (Heb 11:6). The power of God in us is handicapped by fear and doubt. Jesus
was unable to do many miracles in his hometown because they didn‟t believe in his power.

It is easy to get anxious when we are holding unto God for a miracle. We worry whether God
heard our request(s), when He will accomplish it and how He will do it. Yet all God wants is
for us to trust that He is capable of doing it for us despite our contrary circumstances and
doubts. God‟s delight is to be believed. What God has said to you will surely come to pass.
Hold on to Him and like Jacob; refuse to let Him go until you see the fulfilment of His
promises for your life.
 Destiny Helpers
Ex 4:27 “The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the desert to meet Moses.” So he met Moses
at the mountain of God and kissed him”. (NIV)

God usually sends three different types of destiny helpers your way and this is evident in the
life of Moses.

(1) The Jethros: It is important to have mentors in life. You can learn a lot from people
who have been where you are heading. They have the experiences and the scars to
share with you. Their counsel and wisdom will save you the frustrations and pain they
had to endure on their journeys. They can see further than you can and encourage you
when you are struggling. A mentor has something that you admire and lack but you
need to be discerning to locate the right ones. The good ones are great teachers. The
Bible tells of the word of advice that Jethro, Moses‟ father-in-law, offered him when
he noticed that he was in danger of burning himself out trying to single-handedly
minister to a whole nation. Moses was wise enough to appreciate the advice and apply
it which improved his leadership effectiveness (Ex 18).
(2) The Aarons: These are your peers. The ones who belong to your generation and they
are also the ones who know you best. Our closest friends fall in this category. The
Bible states that as iron sharpens iron so a friend sharpens the countenance of his
friend (Prov 27:17). He who walks in the company of the wise is wise but he who
walks with fools will suffer harm (Prov 13:20). It is important to choose wisely those
we keep as companions for their influence will play a determining factor in our
destiny for good or ill. Aaron was not only Moses‟ brother but also his closest ally
and friend during his leadership years in the wilderness.
(3) The Joshuas: The impact of a great destiny is leaving a legacy. It is a complete waste
if all you accomplished was to come to earth, eat, drink, make merry and die without
leaving a legacy. There is a generation coming behind you and it is important that you
influence them to be better and greater than you. Just as you have learnt from the
earlier generation (the Jethros), it is important that you build and train those who will
exceed your accomplishments. Moses equipped and developed Joshua to be a mighty
leader. Joshua was able to do what Moses could not which was to take the Israelites
into the Promised Land.
 The Principal Thing
Prov 8:11 “For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare
with her”. (NIV)

The Bible tells us that when God gave Solomon the opportunity to ask for anything he
wanted, he asked for wisdom. We are told that God was pleased with his request. According
to Solomon, wisdom is the principal thing. James asks us to pray for wisdom when we are in
need of it and God will give it to us if we don‟t doubt. It is supernatural wisdom that will set
you apart in this world because secular wisdom is limited effectiveness. We understand that
Solomon‟s wisdom was greater than any wisdom of the East, or any wisdom in Egypt. He
was regarded as the wisest man on the earth and kings sent emissaries to seek his counsel.
The Queen of Sheba came with difficult questions for him and nothing was too hard for
Solomon. She had to admire the wisdom of God in him.

Wisdom is a three in one package. It has two other components called knowledge and
understanding. Solomon also stated that “by wisdom a house is built, and through
understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful
treasures” (Prov 24: 3-4, NIV).

I believe that knowledge is all about knowing what to do in a given situation; understanding
is knowing the reason(s) for taking action and wisdom is doing it. A friend of mine recently
provided me with another structure: knowledge is the information; understanding is the
revelation and wisdom is the application.

The Word of God is referred to as the wisdom of God but you need to know it, understand it
and apply it. It is only by applying the Word of God that you get the results and therefore
become wise. James states that knowing the Word is not enough but applying it brings the
needed results. Wisdom is in the doing not only in the knowing and understanding. This is the
reason why Solomon said that wisdom is the principal thing and it is more precious than
rubies.
 A Person of Excellence!

Col 3:23. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for
men.” (NIV)

To stand out in life you have to live a life of excellence. As believers, God expects us to excel
in all aspects of our lives. He wants us to be like Him. We can attract unbelievers to accept
Christ if we exhibit excellence in our lives. The world is drawn to excellent men and women.
We study them to learn the secrets of their performance. What makes a Tiger Woods tick?
What separates Obama from his peers?

I believe that excellence speaks. You attain excellence when the result or quality of your
work speaks on your behalf instead of your mouth. You can blow your trumpet till you are
blue in the face but at the end of the day, you still have to deliver the results. You will be
judged and rewarded on the basis of the results of your work. Daniel was a man of
excellence. The Bible recorded that he served three kings and he was so good at his job that
his critics could not find anything to criticize.

Excellence is not achieved in one day; it requires a price. Most people are unwilling to pay
the price for the prize. They will rather settle for average, comfortable and mediocre lives.
This is reason why those who go the extra mile in life end up with the biggest rewards. Ricky
Minor sums it best when he said there is no traffic on the extra mile.

Excellence is a choice; you have to choose to live an excellent life. You have to choose to
pay the price for excellence. You have to choose to go the extra mile to be excellent when the
easier route beckons you to travel it. The price of excellence is hard work (Prov 21:5).

Those who accomplished great things in life didn‟t do it because they were better than their
peers but because they were focused on their priorities and worked harder than others. Let us
emulate these people and become trail blazers as well.
 A Person of Excellence (2)
There is a season you have to invest developing excellence in your field and there is a season
for demonstrating excellence. A person of excellence is a problem solver. Excellent people
have identified their niche in their fields and developed their expertise to solve problems
better than their peers. Life is all about problem solving, everyone wants people who can help
them solve their problems.

An employee is hired and paid to solve problems. This is his primary purpose and the
moment he stops fulfilling that purpose is the moment he gets fired. You are attracted to
people who can help you solve your problems and likewise avoid those who create problems
for you.

It is one thing to be excellent at what you do; it is another thing to demonstrate excellence.
People will only pay for excellence when they see its value to them. Excellence that doesn‟t
solve problems will not be rewarded or celebrated.

In this globalised world, excellence is the new passport. It opens great doors for you. There is
a fierce competition for excellent people because they are few. This is the reason why those
who invest in developing and demonstrating excellence are highly rewarded.

Mike Murdock said that you will only be paid in proportion to the magnitude of problems
that you solve. A man is paid £50 an hour and another charges £200 per hour because they
solve different kinds of problems. How much are you worth? You are paid based on the
estimate of your perceived value. Value is all about perception. The £50 an hour guy might
actually be better than the £200 an hour guy but his employers don‟t value him to be worth
£200p/h. Develop and deliver excellence in what you do and the world will come to you
bearing gifts.
 Know thy Self: The Power of Identity

There is an ancient mantra which states „know thy self‟. It is based on the premise of identity.
I believe that knowing one‟s identity is the foundation of growth. Knowing yourself helps
clarify your priorities and decisions. Your major life decisions are congruent with your
identity.

People rarely make key decisions that don‟t line up with who they believe they are. Identity is
the inner man (values, beliefs, principles, temperaments and traits) which controls the outer
man (words, actions and decisions). Everything we are meant to be and do is contained in the
DNA of who we are.

There is a drive to know our calling, assignment and strengths before first knowing who we
are. This is like putting the cart before the horse. Who we are clarifies what we do. It clarifies
our calling, assignment, strengths and destiny. Jesus Christ knew who he was before he
started his assignment. He had discovered his identity during his fellowship with God so he
was able to avoid the labels which others offered him.

The Bible records that because John the Baptist knew who he was, he refused to be labelled
the Messiah. He knew he was the announcer of Christ not the Christ so that helped him not be
jealous of Jesus when he discovered that his cousin was the Messiah.

Moses was a man caught in two identities – he had Jewish blood and Egyptian ties. He had a
choice; he could be an Egyptian or a Jew but he could not be both. Knowing who he was
helped him fulfil his destiny and give up the life of luxury he could have had.

David was a man who knew who he was and that influenced the decisions he made. He tested
the armour that King Saul provided him but refused to use it in battle because it didn‟t fit
him. Saul offered him his identity as a solider but David refused it because he found it
uncomfortable. He chose to stay true to who he was because it had worked for him in the past
and produced results. Refuse to let others make you into who you are not. They may have the
best intentions for you but sometimes what is great for others might not be the best option for
you.

If you don‟t know who you are then you will adopt some of the labels the world offers you.
You will imitate others and struggle to become who you were not meant to be. You can only
manifest if you know who you are. The Bible says that the world eagerly awaits the
manifestation of the sons of God but only those who know their unique identities in Christ
can manifest as the sons of God.