FORGETTING THE PAST

I have earlier discussed about the importance of keeping a good attitude if you must soar higher in the journey of life. Today, I’m going to dwell more on FORGETTING THE PAST.

Like I said in my previous post, Isaiah 43:18 is revealing enough, emphasising, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old”. The past is meant to stay in the past. No man drives forward looking out the rear window. There is nothing else you need in the past, even if it was a successful past but to learn the lesson and trash the remaining.  Evaluate what works and intensify efforts to achieve more; learn from the errors, mistakes and the things that made you fall – avoid the pitfalls.

A past held-on to will destroy the future in view. Jesus said in Mark 2:22, “And no man puts new wine into old bottles: else the new wine would burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles”. That is simply telling you that when God gives you a new opportunity, a new chapter, fill it up with your dreams and not your mistakes and errors. God has made the days ahead, a fresh canvas for you to paint your future goals. There is nothing you can do about the past, but you have control over the future.

Your past has a great deal of influence over your attitude, which is a determinant of success. The poor attitude and low self-esteem of Mephibosheth in the Bible, is traceable to his inability to overcome his past (2 Samuel 4:4). The nurse appointed over him mistakenly dropped him at the sound of war; earlier before the accident, he had lost his father and grandfather on the same day. These multiple calamities dealt a big blow on his destiny, from that day, he was never the same again. His morale was killed, his self-esteem was drowned. That was the negative attitude that led him to Lodebar, a place of no pasture as it means. Lodebar was one of the worst Ghettos of that time.

In like sense, the helpers of your destiny may have failed you in the discharge of their duty, like Mephibosheth’s nurse. You may have grown up in an unfavourable home setting, your background may be something you are not proud of. Parental support to you may have been minimal or zero. These are not strong enough to rewrite your destiny against God’s original plan. If no one is available to help you, help yourself.

Have a fighting spirit, in each of us is a spirit with a great dream, struggling to free itself from the limitation of past mistakes, present circumstances and self-imposed doubt. You just have to free that spirit of excellence. John Mason said, “The best helping hands you’ll find are the ones at the end of your arms”. He is literally saying, after God, you are the best helper of your destiny.

I saw a powerful revelation in the Book of Isaiah 63:5. Isaiah was speaking in the spirit of Christ, he said, “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore MINE OWN ARM brought salvation unto me; and MY FURY, it upheld me”. There was none to help, then his own arm brought salvation to him, his fury held him up. He redirected his anger (fury) positively to effect a change in his life. He was neither angry at himself, nor anybody, he was angry at his circumstance and he did something to change it.

As much as you don’t need to wait for people to offer you help before you wake up to a challenge, also you don’t need anybody’s endorsement or permission to amount to something great in life; or to fulfil your God-given dream. Nobody has the right to speak negative words into your life, not even a so called “servant of God”. True servants of God are to speak words of hope and prophesy good things into people’s life. Prophecy has three fundamental purposes namely, to EDIFY, EXHORT and COMFORT (1 Corinthians 14:3). Anything order than edification, exhortation and comfort is nothing but an empty word that does not hold water. So don’t be bound by negative words that have been spoken into your life in time past. Words like “you cannot amount to anything”, words like “you can’t” etc. You can do all things through Christ that strengthens you. Treat the past as a springboard to launch you into a better future. I will see you at the top.

Shalom!

Ayodele Olufunsho-Godson

NEW BEGINNING

Ayodele Olufunsho-Godson

For every house is builded by some man ; but he that built all things is God. (Hebrews 3:4)

God is calling you to a new thing. I hear Him saying concerning you, “come up hither”. He is inviting you to a new beginning of great things to come.

According to the Bible text above, God is the builder of all things, however He needs available vessels to translate His dreams to physical form. Note that I said available vessels or people. God can never be stranded; if you refuse to align with His plan, he has one thousand and one available individuals ready to step out for Him at His beckons. He told Elijah that He had seven thousand in reserve who have not bowed their knees to idols.

This word is prophetic of the season. I repeatedly heard God saying, “NEW BEGINNING AWAITS YOU”.

God is calling you as an employee to being an employer of labour, he is calling you from low life to a higher life. He is calling you from good to better, from better to best and best to better still. You are on a threshold of a new assignment and a new phase.

This is just the right and perfect time to launch out into a new horizon and leave your fears behind you. You would never know how far you can go in life, until you take the first step in Faith.

Deep inside each of us is a spirit with a big dream struggling to free itself from the limitations of our past experience, present circumstances, and self-imposed doubts.

See what God is saying to you in Isaiah 43:19 (NLT), “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland“.

God said He has already begun, you only need to perceive with the eyes of your spirit, the new thing that is about to break loose on earth. You’re the chosen one appointed to translate it from the realm of the spirit to this material world. He said, “…do you not see it”?

PUT THE PAST BEHIND!

Another interesting advice that God gave in verse 18 of same Isaiah 43, is that you need to put your past behind you. Past failures, past successes, past achievement and accomplishments all have to stay in the past.

Everything in your past is now past and old. Therefore, remember not the former things. Let the thought of the new assignment and new phase ravage your entire being. Your best days are not behind you, but ahead of you.

WATCH YOUR ATTITUDE!

Your attitude creates your world and designs your Destiny.

What is attitude? It’s simply defined as, the mind-set or mental condition that determines our interpretation of and response to our environments. Attitude is our way of thinking. Leaders think differently about themselves and this distinguishes them from followers. You need to develop leadership thinking pattern. You have no table to pass any buck, take responsibility for everything. The buck starts and ends on your table. You can’t afford to fail. I pray in the name of Jesus, you shall not fail nor be discouraged.

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT).

Your thoughts creates your beliefs, your beliefs creates your convictions, your convictions creates your attitude, your attitude controls your perception and your perception dictates your behaviour.

No man has ever grown beyond his thoughts. Your life is what you think it should be. “As he thinks within himself, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7 NASB). Think on scriptural passages that will enlarge your mind and fan the embers of your passion for greatness.

CHANGE YOUR ASSOCIATION!

Join the company of the great. Read their books, listen to their messages, watch their videos. If you can make it to their company, don’t hesitate.

Anointing comes also by association. You belong in the top, you need to give up the bottom.

Myles Munroe narrated the story of a Lion that became a sheep by association. He remained a sheep until he found himself in the company of Lions, and eventually freed himself.

“The little lion got lost and was separated from his family as a cub. He was stuck in a patch of grass, and a curious Shepherd who heard his strange noise, which sounded like a kitten, went for his rescue. He was raised as one of the sheep in the Shepherd’s flock.

Over the next eight months, the Shepherd hand-fed this cub with fresh milk and kept him warm, safe and in a protective confines of his farmhouse.

The cub grew into a playful, energetic ball of shiny muscle. Daily, he was taken out to graze with the sheep. The little lion grew with the sheep and became part of the herd. They accepted him like one of their own and he behaved just like one of the sheep. The lion had become a sheep by association. He had lost himself and became one of the sheep.

Four years later, on a hot Sunny day, the Shepherd sat on a rock, taking refuge in the little shade of a leafless tree. He watched over his flock as they waded into the quiet, flowing water of a river to drink.

Suddenly, across the river appeared out of the thick jungle a large beast that the lion cub had never seen before. The sheep fled out of panic, as if under the spell of some survival instinct, leaped out of the water and ran towards the farm. They didn’t stop until they were all safely huddled behind the fence of the pen. The cub, who was now a grown lion also fled for fear.

Behold the beast was a Lion, who had succeeded in snatching a lamb from the fold. The Shepherd saw as he held the lifeless body of his catch in his mouth.

Seven days past, there was calm in the grazing field. The young lion, among the flock went down to the river to drink. As he bent over the water, he suddenly panicked for the image of himself reflecting from the water. He ran wildly towards the farmland for safety. The sheep did not run and wondered why he had. The lion wondered why the sheep did not run since he had seen the beast again.

After a while the young lion went slowly back to the water to drink again. Once more, he saw the beast (his own reflection in the water) and froze in panic.

While he tried to understand what he was seeing, suddenly, the beast appeared again out of the jungle. The flock dashed with speed toward the farmhouse, but before the young lion could move, the beast (the older Lion) stepped in the water toward him and made that deafening sound that filled the forest. The roaring frightened him.

The young lion felt that his life was about to end. He realized that he saw not just one beast but two – one in the water and another right before his face.

The beast came within ten feet of him and growled at him, face-to-face with the frightening power in a way that seemed to say to him, “Try it and come and follow me”.

In fear, the young lion decided to try to appease the beast and make the same sound. However, the only noise that came from his jaw was the sound of a sheep. The beast responded with an even louder burst that seemed to say, “Try it again”. After about eight attempt, the young lion suddenly heard himself make the same sound as the beast. He also felt stirrings in his body and feelings that he had never known before. It was as if he was experiencing a total transformation in mind, body and spirit.

Suddenly, there stood in the river of life two beast growling at each other. The Shepherd saw something he would never forget. As their sounds filled the forest, the big beast stopped, turned his back on the young lion, and started heading towards the forest. Then he paused and looked at the young lion again and growled as if to say, “Are you not coming?”

The young lion knew what the greater meant and suddenly realized that his day of decision had arrived – the day he would have to choose whether to continue to live life like a sheep or to be the self he had just discovered.

He knew that to become his true self, he would have to give up the safe, secure, predictable and simple life of the farm and enter the frightening, wild, untamed, unpredictable dangerous life of the jungle. It was a day to become true to himself and leave the false image of another life behind. It was an invitation to a sheep to become the king of the jungle. Most importantly, it was an invitation for the body of a lion to possess the spirit of a lion.

After looking back and forth at the farm and the jungle a few times, the young lion turned his back on the farm and the sheep with whom he had lived for years, and he followed the beast into the forest to become who he always had been – a lion king.

Just as the young lion knew that, to become his true self, he would have to give up the safe, secure, predictable and simple life of the farm and enter the frightening, wild, untamed, unpredictable and dangerous life of the jungle, you will have to leave the safe confines of being a follower if you are going to become a leader”.

Destiny beckons on you, don’t disappoint your Destiny. Welcome to a new world of greatness. It’s a new beginning. Enjoy every step on the journey in Jesus name.

Shalom!

– Ayodele Olufunsho-Godson.

SHINE YOUR LIGHT

Ayodele Olufunsho-Godson

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. [15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. [16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. Matthew 5:14-16

In the verses above, Jesus shared the secret of true fulfilment. Your life will never assume it’s meaning until it gives meaning to other lives. That’s the way we’re wired. Deadness to self is the secret of fruitfulness.

Let your light so shine before men by the good works you do. Jesus said it all when he advised His disciples that the greatest among them shall be the servant of all. Your present circumstance isn’t strong enough a reason for you to be selfish. Whatever state you are, there’s still a blessing in you that can change someone’s story for good. Shine your light for others to see.

Dr. J.H. Jowett says, “As soon as we cease to bleed,we cease to bless“. That’s a clear indication that in your pains you can gainfully touch lives. In his ark, Noah did not save the sheep and the doves alone, the serpents were there too. The story of his ark was summarized as an Act of Random Kindness (ARK).

A wise man said that, “if you’re dissatisfied with your lot, build a service station on it“. Draw virtue from your pains, and make it a source of strength for someone to forge ahead, you might just be walking into answer yourself. The Bible reveals that, wisdom makes one shine like the brightness of the firmament and turning men to righteousness makes you shine like stars forever.

Your worth is valued at how many lives you’re able to transform, not how much you have made in life. Be like a tea bag and not like carrot. Carrot goes into boiling water drawing from the water, only to lose it’s original strength, becoming marshy and weak. A tea bag on the other hand losses itself, pours out its flavour and changes the water. It leaves the situation better than it met it. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

At the age of 20, Steve Job started a business in his father’s garage. Ten years after, Apple was worth $2 billion. Then his own board of directors fired him from his own business. He was neither bitter nor irritable, he forged ahead. He understood the principle of bleeding but blessing. He built two more successful companies and sold them for billions of dollars. Apple realized they couldn’t do without him, they apologized and brought him back on their team. He restored Apple as one of the most successful businesses in the world.

Wisdom for greatness in life is in service. Jesus said the servant shall be the greatest. One thing I learnt from the message in Matthew 5:14-16, is that the candlestick is either on the housetop to give light to others or it’s put under a bushel. You’re like that candlestick. A bushel is a bowl. A simple fire extinguishing method is to cover it with a bowl. You’re either shining or your light is put out. There’s no middle way to it. When the LORD commanded the light of Zion in Isaiah 60, he said, “… Gentiles will come to your light and Kings to the brightness of your rising”. Your light is to illuminate the paths of saints, sinners and the Nobles of this world. So, shine your light and help somebody to find purpose.

Develop a selfless lifestyle. Enough of being consumed with yourself. Everything doesn’t have to revolve around you and your family alone. Joseph of old found his dream fulfilled by interpreting others dreams. Imagine if the butler had not benefitted from Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams, he would not have recommended him to Pharaoh – through whom Joseph became the prime minister in Egypt.

John D. Rockefeller became a millionaire at 23 and the first ever billionaire at 50. Then three years later at the age of 53, he became ill. The sickness was terminal. His entire body became raked with pain and he lost all the hair on his head. He could only digest milk and crackers, even though he could afford anything he wanted. An associate wrote, “he could not sleep, would not smile and nothing in life meant anything to him“. His personal highly skilled doctor said he would die within a year. Then God showed him the way out in a dream. He could barely remember the dream, all he knew was in summary, ‘we came into this world empty and we would not be able to go with anything’.

Immediately, he called his Attorney, Accountant and Manager and announced that his wealth be channelled into Hospital, Research and Mission work. The same day, he established Rockefeller foundation. This newly discovered divine direction led to the discovery of Penicillin, cures for malaria, tuberculosis and diphtheria. The most amazing part of the story is that, the moment John D. Rockefeller shone his light for the world to see, and began to give back a portion of all that he had earned, his body’s chemistry was altered so significantly he got better and healed.

A man who was predicted to die at 53 lived up to 98. God added extra 45 years to his days. Your life will take on a new meaning when you start giving meaning to other people’s lives. Remember, after all the losses and calamity that befell Job, the only thing he did differently was interceding for his friends.

Even though they were all miserable comforters (like he called them in Job 16:2), he wasn’t vengeful, irritable or annoying to them. He blessed them while bleeding himself. In Job 42:10 the Bible says, “And the LORD turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Before his fall, he was the greatest man in the East, after his restoration, he became twice greater, all owing to touching others lives. Shine your light! Look out for opportunities to change a life or lives for good and be on your way to greatness. Shalom!

– Ayodele Olufunsho-Godson

DELAYED BUT NOT BARREN

DELAYED BUT NOT BARREN

God said in Exodus that as you serve Him, He will take sicknesses away from you and ensure that none be barren in your land. Barrenness isn’t God’s will for you. It is an abberation from the norm. God issued His first ever instruction and said, “be fruitful”. You are not barren but only delayed.
Your delay however is for a purpose. God is preparing that womb of yours for noblest of children.

Check all of the women that were tagged barren in the Bible, they all gave birth to the greatest men of their times, except for Micah who died barren because she despised the praise of God.

Sarah gave birth to Isaac, the child of promise. He was the greatest of his time; even the king of the land sort to cut a covenant with him.

Rebecca begat twins in Esau and Jacob, they were referred to as ‘two Nations’. Jacob ended up as Israel, one of the Nations with the strongest military might till date.

Rachael was the mother of Joseph, who became a prime minister in a country that wasn’t his’.

Manoah’s wife gave birth to Samson, the deliverer of Israel from the hand of the Philistines.

Hannah was blessed with Samuel, who ended up becoming the greatest Prophet of his time.

Elizabeth was the mother of John the Baptist, of whom Jesus said, he was the greatest born of a woman.

All these women suffered delay, then God compensated them with noblest of children. Isaiah 54:1 and Galatians 4:27, say, “Rejoice o barren, and sing for joy thou that travaileth not, for more are the children of the desolate..”.
Galatians 4:7 even said much more are the children of the desolate.

Both scriptures are referring to quality before quantity. Hannah said, “she that was barren has born seven”. She wasn’t talking about the number of her children. She only had six children all together. Samuel, to her was seven among children. Remember, the women in the land said to Naomi, concerning Ruth, that, “your daughter in law is better to you than seven sons”. That is nobility. God will give you nobility for your desolation.

Get ready, you’re just about to experience an exponential increase; and to receive that child of promise for which God prepared your womb.

The only thing that is required of you now, is to develop an attitude of praise to God. In the book of Acts of the apostles, they were praising God and having favour. The set time of remembrance is also called the time of Zion’s favour. Take the steps of Faith, make the Devil mad and let God see your Faith in action. Because, as much as Faith honour’s God, God honour’s Faith.

Rejoice! It’s your time now. Enlarge your border, prepare your home, for you are about to receive heaven’s gift to the world.

Shalom!

– Ayodele Olufunsho-Godson.

YOU, IN THE HAND OF A DETERMINED GOD

When God is determined to better your lot. He moves Heaven and Earth in your favour. This is the best season of your life, because you’re just about to experience the supernatural to the second degree. Enjoy your reading!