We all remember how stoked we were about leaving 2019, how everyone bellowed ‘Happy New Year’ at the stroke of 12 midnight on December 31st 2019. Little did we know that 2020 was going to be a roller coaster year. I wouldn’t sadden you with all the details; you know them and may harps, you suffered severely from the shortfall of one or more of these catastrophes.
Every one of us was impacted by the events of the past year in one way or the other. Indeed 2020 was a lesson in the case of the best laid plan of mice and men! But if you are reading this, you are not only a survivor, you are an overcomer!
So here we are at take-off – airport, train station, bus
terminal, sea port etc. whatever means by which you think you are journeying
through 2021, one thing is pertinent, who is at the helm of your affairs? What
is your compass? And where or what is your anchor?
One thing that kept me grounded through the past year was
the word of God and the Holy Spirit. As one item after another on my vision
board seemed to stare (or is it sneer) at me in mockery, there was an anchor
that held the soul; God’s Word!
So as I journey into this New Year not knowing what curve
ball the year would throw, Dare I dream again? Dare I make plans? Dare I have a
vision board? I dare say a resounding
YES!!!!!!!!!!
What gives me the audacity to dream again, hope again and
make plans again? A sure word of prophesy! Proverbs 3:5 &6.
What word do you have for the year? What has God dropped
into your spirit? Remember that the arms
of flesh may fail but we have an infallible God.
I invite you to dare to dream again, hope again and plan
again! Do not approach the year 2021 with fatalism; que sera sera.
Let me leave you with the different translations of Psalm
27:13
New International
Version
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the
LORD in the land of the living.
New Living
Translation
Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I am
here in the land of the living.
English Standard
Version
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in
the land of the living!
ANew American
Standard Bible
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would
see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
New King James
Version
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would
see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
King James Bible
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of
the LORD in the land of the living.
Christian Standard
Bible
I am certain that I will see the LORD’s goodness in the land
of the living.
Contemporary English
Version
but I know I will live to see how kind you are.
Good News Translation
I know that I will live to see the LORD’s goodness in this
present life.
NET Bible
Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience the
LORD’s favor in the land of the living?
Happy New Year once again and remember all we do is WIN!!!!!!!!!!
We hear these words every time a 365-day cycle is completed.
So many people start looking forward to a new year once the end of November rolls
up. It seems that folks forget that a new year is basically a new day just like
any other. The only difference being that it heralds the start of another
365-day cycle.
I listened in on a message by Pastor Temi Odejide(London
Lighthouse of House on The Rock) and he had this to say “ 2019 is not a
personality but a culmination of choices and actions”.
In order to make this relevant for all times I say “a year is not a personality but the sum total of your choices and actions”
One of such choices today would be reading this article to the end. lol. On a serious note that’s one habit you have to pick up this year. READ!
So as we rejoice that we have left an old year and come into
a new one, let us settle one thing: – the New Year would not automatically make
all the ills in our life disappear. If you bring your old self with the old (bad)
habits and choices into the New Year, by November ending you’ll be wishing for
another new year.
I attended a 7pm -10pm cross over service in my church and
then came home and logged onto two more services before praying and going to
bed.
As I lay on my bed meditating on all that I heard in these
services and regurgitating all that God had been dealing with me on, several
things came to the fore of my mind. Some of these things were from the cross
over messages I’d heard that resonated with what has been on my mind. I’ll
share them with you and hope it helps someone.
Pastor Godman Akinlabi of The Elevation Church (TEC) in Lagos made reference to this quote in the course of his message. He posited that if you must have new beginnings, you have to keep an open mind. (Bible Reference – Acts Chapter 10).
Do not hold on to preconceived notions about how life should work. Always be open to new thoughts, new ideas and new experiences. What if God wants you to change your line of work? Maybe you worked in the Stock Exchange last year and God wants to move you to Agriculture? What if you are a 45 years old female and he wants you to date and subsequently marry a younger man? What if you are planning to leave the country where you currently live and God says stay? Would you be willing to obey?
Are you ready to pioneer new moves/trends? The Wright brothers were willing to be seen
as weird. Many people told them that if God wanted us to fly he would have
given us wings… hmmmm.. Think about that!
Pst Poju Oyemade of the Covenant Christian Center Lagos stated in the course of his message that kings and skills go hand in hand. Kings are always attracted to skill. You cannot be mediocre and stand before kings! (Bible Reference- Proverbs 22:29).
This got me and left me almost sleepless all night. Not because
I haven’t heard this scripture or even taught a class or two on it. But it hit an already sore spot in me. I’d
been regurgitating and pondering Isaiah 60 verses 1 to 3.
Isaiah 60 King James Version (KJV)
1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen
upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the
people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon
thee.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of
thy rising.
Isaiah 60 The Passion Translation (TPT)
1 “Rise up in splendor and be radiant,[a] for your light has dawned,
and Yahweh’s glory[b] now streams
from you!
2 Look carefully! Darkness blankets the earth,
and thick gloom[c] covers the
nations,
but Yahweh arises[d] upon you
and the brightness of his glory
appears over you![e]
3 Nations will be attracted to your radiant light[f]
and kings to the sunrise-glory of
your new day.[g]
Bishop T.D Jakes made reference to this scripture and said “Gentiles come
to your light but Kings are only attracted to the BRIGHTNESS of your rising”
What have you been dabbling in on the “light” level? It’s time to take it
to the “Brightness” level.
A candle is a light but it doesn’t have the same brightness as a lamp. A
lamp is a light but there are different types of lamps and intensities of
brightness.
Unless you hone your skill(s) until you get to the “brightness” level, you
would continue to attract at best “Gentiles” You want kings to seek you out?
Rise above the “light” level. (Note to Self).
Some folks are not even in the “light” level yet; well you can start the
journey by rising. It’s never too late to learn a skill. Not too late to go
back to school. You can intern with a master in your field. There’s so much
help to be had if only you would arise!
I am sharing this from experience (I am multi-talented even if I say so
myself lol). You can be a jack of all trades but can you please be master of
one?
Hone that one skill that would open up auxiliary platforms that would
showcase your other skills and talents. This is where it pays to have the help
of the Holy Spirit.
Engage God’s presence and let the Holy Spirit lead you and tell you what that
one skill is.
In the short course of my life, I’ve discovered that when you trust in God
with all your heart and do not lean on your understanding, he takes you by the
hand and leads you in the way you should go.
Now when he shows you the way, it is your responsibility to do the work;
hunker down and get it right!
Conclusion
There’s so much I can say on this subject but let’s leave the rest for
subsequent posts.
My prayer for you this New Year is that by November, you’ll be taking stock of the giant strides that you’ve taken. Note however that it may need to start with baby steps.
May you not be looking forward to 2021 as a means of escape from the frustrations of 2020.
God is ever ready to do exceeding abundantly above all you can think or
ask. Are you ready to receive? Do you have the capacity to receive? In Bishop
T.D. Jakes’ words “can you stand to be blessed?
