BEFORE THE SUNRISE

BY

BJ SAM

INTRODUCTION

Today, I find myself at a pinnacle many thought was unreachable. Casting my mind back to the early years when I first started out, I still clearly recall the intense opposition and humiliating rejection that was my lot before success eventually came my way. Yes, the weary days and dreary nights in the desert before the dawn of brighter days. The heat, the daily struggle, the hustle and bustle that I endured before the flower of my life blossomed and became beautiful. My journey helped me to realize that there is a STAR in everyone that longs to rise and SHINE. But we must bear in mind that even the blossoming and flourishing flowers that look so lovely and beautiful in the vine still have to decay before springing forth. Therefore, you cannot reach the Promised Land without passing through the desert. Likewise, diamonds don't just turn magnificently brilliant overnight; first, they have to go through intense pressure and heat. Know that it is not the same weight or size that goes through the furnace of fire that becomes a polished diamond. Don't be envious of anyone's success because you don't know the heat and pain they went through before their lives became beautiful.

The truth is, many people born to be celebrities died on the cusp of their big breakthrough. Often the most challenging and difficult moment in the life of a hero, superstar, champion, or celebrity is the moment before they emerge or gain true recognition. This is because the darkest moment of the night comes just before dawn. This is also the time that many give up, have doubts, misbehave or lose their benefactors. Some even die because the fire is hottest when the finest diamond is about to emerge.

_Before the Sunrise_ is written for those who aspire to be great, to prepare them to break records and accomplish great deeds that will amaze the world. This book is also for those who are already at the top and desire to maintain their position and relevancy. The aim of this book is to inspire growth, to uplift every reader by connecting with their dreams and aspirations, stirring their heart to its depths, and motivating them to take innovative actions that will propel into reality their visions which at some point may have appeared impossible.

This book will help every reader to take a deeper look into their innermost being and properly grasp the hidden beauty tucked away inside them. This will bring out that needed blueprint to help discover their gifts and better utilize them to fulfill their purpose on earth.

This book also explores the factors that hinder stars from shining. We are all born with a star, even though some stars shine brighter than others. In this book, you will find out why many people destined to SHINE magnificently don't often live to see the DAWN. Despite the fact that everyone is born to be successful, many are held back, while some are delayed and others are lost in the twilight, wandering in search of sunshine. For a number of reasons, few have the opportunity to see the outburst of their sunshine after a long, dreary night. One of the major reasons is because they were not physically or spiritually prepared. You have to realize that the closer you get to the peak of success in life, the stronger the forces of opposition you will encounter. You need power in order to rule the world or to be at the top in any field, so you must be strong if you really want to be a champion. Above all, discouragement is inevitable, so you must be prepared to go the extra mile if you really want to win the prize or wear the crown.

Dear reader, this book aims to show that no matter your flaws, you have something special to offer the world. There is a star in you, so you must reach inside and bring out that star, no matter how dark and dreary the night may seem. The star in you is what will attract people to you. It will make them celebrate you and embrace whatever you do. Matthew 2:10 says, "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."

You may not know how beautiful and special you are until you look into this book. Many diamonds are still in the dust craving to be brought forth because diamonds will never be cherished nor treasured while still in the dust. Do you see yourself as a DIAMOND in the dust? Dig deep and bring it to the limelight. Yes, the world is colourful, even breathtakingly beautiful but do you know that without sunshine, the world would remain in darkness? There was a time when the whole universe was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. This was until God declared, "Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God separated the light from the darkness".

Before my sunrise, I encountered a series of stormy and gloomy moments. This got to a point where I had to ask myself, how long I would wait for the sun to shine. Because the night seemed so long, I constantly looked through the window because I couldn't just wait to see the dawn—to see the sun rise.

If no parent would love their children to be poor, barren or suffer, why would God, our heavenly Father love his creation to suffer? Yet, many people, even those who refer to themselves as children of God, are unfruitful and languishing in sorrow and poverty. Why? It's all because they lack knowledge. Matthew 7:11 says, "If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father, who is in heaven, give good things to those who ask Him!"

God declares in Isaiah 5:13, "Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst."

This book will instil motivation in every reader and put those who may be stumbling back on their feet, and offer a beacon of hope to those who are about to faint or give up the fight.

The only difference between famous and successful inventors, leaders, businessmen, artists and others who are not famous and successful is not so much their talent, skin colour or level of education, but their shiny stars. There are many talented, gifted and hardworking people, yet they never break-forth, and never reach the limelight. Why? Their stars have refused to shine. HOW? WHAT IS THE WAY OUT? Flip through to find out. You will unfold some striking truths and secrets in this book that have been hidden for centuries. Matthew 11:25 says " At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes". Colossians 1:26 says "Even the mystery which hath been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints." This book will prepare the reader to overcome the challenges they will encounter on their way to greatness.

This book is based on my personal experience with revelatory knowledge from the Bible. It attempts to enumerate and explain reasons for delays and hindrances in the lives of many who aim for greatness. It also contains nuggets on _do's and don'ts_ for celebrities who intend to maintain their status all their lives. We all know that fame and riches can fade away in the blink of an eye. How many of the celebrities and millionaires that were famous ten years ago or even five years ago are still relevant today? Probably few.

If you had known and applied most of the secrets that are about to be unveiled in this book, you would have been miles ahead in life today and most likely, would not have missed out on the flood of precious opportunities that have eluded you in the past.

In this book, you will discover why even as beautiful as you are, no man has approached you for marriage. You will also discover why people just seem to endlessly despise you. It also includes lessons on how to couch your response to criticisms and denigrations, if you _really_ want your star to shine magnificently.

The last chapter of this book concentrates on the wonderful gift of music, including vital points that every emerging crooner, musician and lover of music ought to know. Again, the chapter tries to explain the reason why millions of people across the world who engage in music never make waves and never become stars, even though some sing very beautifully, and why others who write and sing junk are catapulted to limelight.

This book will bring careers of many people to full bloom and cause new stars to emerge. If you have been trying to reach the top but you keep falling, then flip through the pages to find out why and what to do. This book is aligned with God's principles in the Bible that applies to everyone irrespective of colour, race, belief, gender or profession. All the causes and solution to the problems of life is expressly written in the Bible. However, if you can carefully research and dig deeply into the things you've been taught outside of the Bible, you will realize how many lies you've been made to believe. For many years, I was misled but now I know the way. For many years I was confused, but now I know the truth. My eyes have seen a lot. I now fully know the difference between truth and falsehood. I am no longer deceived. I dare say, I cannot be anymore bamboozled by anybody.

I used to believe the longer you lived, the wiser you became, but I have come to realise that I was wrong, rather it is the closer you are to the Holy Spirit of God, the wiser you become. Long before I published this book, I shared the content with an elderly professor, whose grand children were older than me, but after our conversation the man was so amazed, he told me that he had never heard such words of wisdom and inspiration in his life.

David said in Psalms 119:99-100 "I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients because I keep thy precepts."

Ecclesiastes 1:10 says "Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time, which was before us." And Jeremiah 6:16 says "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is a good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said we will not walk therein."

Exodus 19:5 says "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine."

Deuteronomy 32:29 says "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end".

Job 36:11 says "If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures".

2 Peter 1:19 "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts".

Chapter One

YOU HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL IN YOU TO OFFER THE WORLD

You were born because God has a glorious and beautiful plan for your life. If you find yourself toiling and spinning round and round, it means that you have not discovered God's plan for your life yet. You came into this world for a purpose, and that is your destiny, and you can't fully fulfil that destiny until you get connected to your Maker.

There's something unique in you that the world is either waiting to hear, longing for or waiting to see. Make sure you discover it, polish it and showcase it; because that is what will make you a star. You were born to do one particular thing that no one else can do as perfect as you. You were born to solve one of the problems the world is facing today or one of the problems that will arise tomorrow. Don't be afraid. You can make it. You can reach a height that no one else has ever reached. God has given you a creative mind to do things that no one else in this world has ever done before. Don't limit yourself by trying to act like others; no matter the great things they have accomplished in life you can do greater and better. Therefore, go the extra mile and do one thing that the world has never seen, heard, perceive, nor imagine. Deep inside you, there is a diamond yearning to burst forth like a flower. If you are inspire to do what no one has ever done before, don't seek men's opinion seek for divine direction because men will discourage you. Everyone is born with greatness. Jesus explained in John 9:3 that even the man that was born blind was born that way for the wonders of God to be displayed through him.

You were not born by mistake even if your birth was as a result of rape or prostitution. God created you because you have an important role to play on earth. I have seen many physically challenged people; lame, blind, deaf and even dwarfs do wonders and have reached heights that amazed the world. Look around. You will see them. Don't be ashamed of who you are. Always believe you are special. Don't ever feel intimidated, no matter your shape, no matter your look, there is something special in you. People may mock you, they may laugh at you, but you can make good use of what made them laugh at you. The cliché is so true that if the world throws at you a lemon, make a lemonade out of it. If the lame, blind, deaf and dwarfs could astonish the world with incredible exploits, then you have no excuse not to make it in life. Therefore, brace up and face your fear and challenges, stop looking at your limitation. You can do something unique with your disability. So focus on your potential, you will surely smile if you give yourself that necessary push today. That your parents are not wealthy should not make you a failure. There's no height you cannot reach if you work hard and believe. You might not know what you are capable of doing until you give yourself a push. Who told you that you cannot make it? God has given you all you need to make it in life. You can create, invent, build, discover, and achieve what no one else has ever accomplished. Even if you have failed before, rise up and try again. Though no one believes you now, don't be afraid—no matter what they may say. Really, they don't matter, whatever they say does not count. But you do. You matter, you are important. And you are necessary. You have all it takes to get there, and you will get there if you believe. You'll make it if you don't quit.

If the blind, lame, deaf, and other physically challenged people could invent, create, compose poems and play music, why can't you? Many people believe that life has been unfair to them, they complain about everything and give different excuses for their failures. They complain about their colour, their height, their shape and their origin, but the Bible tells us that we all are fearfully and wonderfully made. Whatever you think you lack today, the truth is, if God had given it to you before now, it may just have gone into your head and led to your destruction. Your shape, colour or height is not a mistake. God knows what is good and perfect for you. No one is useless in this world unless they choose to be. You can only be useful when you realise your gift and potential and display it.

God said in Isaiah 60:1, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come," and repeated the same in Matthew 5:16 saying "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." That means there is a star in you.

God is able to turn your disability into ability, your shame to fame, and your failure to favour if you turn to Him today. Exodus 4:10-11 says "And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, who hath made man's mouth? Or who made the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord?"

No one is born by mistake or born to be a failure. Every child is born at a particular time to fulfil a particular destiny. It was not a mistake that you were born in that location. There is a reason why God allowed you to be born into that family. No one determines the time, place of his/her birth nor family to be born into. You can only decide your passion. You cannot decide your destiny, only our Creator decides our destinies. God has a purpose for every one of us.

There's nothing that anyone has achieved in life that you cannot achieve, just carefully watch their steps, the way they did it and repeat it, even if you fail the first time keep repeating until you master it or achieve it. But don't limit yourself by trying to act like others; no matter the great things they have accomplished in life, you can exceed their great accomplishments. Go the extra mile and do one thing that the world has never seen or heard or have ever imagined. God loves new things, which is why the psalmist writes "sing a new song unto to the Lord.'' Isaiah 43:18-19; says "Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing." Even Jesus Christ the Almighty despite all his earthly achievements promised us when he was about to leave the earth in John 14:12 "the works that I do shall you do also; and greater works than these shall you do." Therefore, if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ and you die without making an impact then, you have failed. Never count on your ability, you must always depend absolutely on the Holy Spirit because God will never show you things you can accomplish by your own ability, He will only show you things you can accomplish through His help. Jesus said in John 15:5; "for without me you can do nothing." That is why if God were to reveal to you His plan and vision for your life and you tell others, the natural tendency is for them to mock you and snigger behind your back. This is usually so because they do not 'see' what you 'see' neither do they 'know' what you 'know'. Above all, they do not understand the power of God nor the amazing benefits of faith in God.

There are two major gifts that God gives to every one of us irrespective of our colour, tongue or location before sending us into the world: talent and star.

Everyone is born with a star. When Jesus was born, people saw his star even from a far country and followed it until they located Him. In Matthew 2:22 it says, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."

Jesus prayed and said in John 17:24, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me."

Numbers 24:17 says, "I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob."

Joseph had eleven brothers, and he dreamt that the eleven stars of his brothers bowed to his star. Genesis 37:9 says "And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me."

Who is a star? A star is someone who excels or shines brighter than others. Just like stars in the sky, stars gives light and beauty to the world around them. There are many musicians but there are only few music stars, there are so many football players but there are only few star players. Many schools, families, and countries are known today just because of the stars that emerged from there. Many families and cities are not known today because no star has emerged from them.

There are local stars, national stars, continental stars and international stars. And the choices you make will determine the duration of your brilliance; and how you use your star eventually determines if you will shine forever or be doomed forever. Daniel 12:2-3, says ''And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever."

So, every star who uses their talent and fame to turn people away from God will be doomed forever, while those who use their talent and fame to turn people to God will shine forever. This means that they will reign on earth and reign with Christ Jesus when he returns in glory. Matthew 13:43 says "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear".

The best gift any celebrity or a star can give to the world is pointing them to Jesus.

A star is a celebrity and every star has fans or followers over whom they have much influence, either positively or negatively. Some fans can readily kill or die for their favourite star or celebrity: that is why the devil always seeks for stars with the promise of riches and stardom just to deceive them and use them to control their followers or fans because every star has the power to turn their fans or followers to either wickedness or righteousness. A star will say something or make a sign, usually coded, and their fans or followers will repeat the same, either evil or good. "If you use your talent to glorify God, God will use his hands to beautify your life."

Even in heaven angels are known as stars. The Bible says in Job 38:7, "When the morning stars sang together"; referring to the angels. Revelation 1:20 says "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. _The seven stars are the seven angels_ ". Lucifer was also a star in heaven but he fell because he attempted to exalt himself above the other stars of God. Isaiah 14:12, 13 says "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, _I will exalt my throne above the stars of God_ ". When Lucifer was cast down, the Bible says in Revelation 12:4, "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven; and cast them to the earth". So Lucifer convincingly deceived one third of the angels of heaven to rebel against God; and Jude 1:13; says "Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; _wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever_ ".

Glory is the brightness of a star. 1 Corinthians 15:41 says "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differed from another star in glory". The Bible also says in Isaiah 60:1, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee."Therefore, a bright shiny star could properly symbolize the reflection of God's glory upon a man; and according to Matthew 5:45; "God makes his sun (glory) to rise on the evil and on the good, and send rain on the just and on the unjust." This is why many unjust people also prosper in life. But you must strive to be among the just because Romans 2:3-7 says "And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and does the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his (God) goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life"

Though there is a seed of greatness or a star inside of you, but you can only shine when your light breaks forth. Isaiah 58:8 says, "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning."

No matter how talented and gifted you may be, without your star shining, no one will celebrate you. It is only your star that can bring your talent to the limelight. Many people are gifted and talented in music, football, and so on, but only a few are celebrated, why? Their stars make the difference. When your star begins to shine, you automatically become a force to be reckoned with. Many people will begin to act like you, talk like you, walk like you, dress like you, wear clothes with your name emblazoned on it, even those who are not your friends will claim they are.

Your gift or talent can bring you before kings and presidents but your star (glory) will make kings and presidents come to you. Matthew 2:2 says "for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Proverbs 22:29 says "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings." Isaiah 60:3; says "Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."

Everyone the world ever celebrated possess these two things: Talent and Star. So you need to ask yourself, what is my talent? God has endued every one of us with one or more gifts. Some people need to carefully approach God through prayers and Bible study to discover theirs, while others may need to go to school, partake in further training, and consistent practice to discover theirs.

In Matthew 25:15; the Bible tells us about the parable of talents. One was given five talents, another, two talents and yet another, was given just one. To each according to their ability. The choice is now the individual's to either utilise their gift(s) or bury them. Since the gift is already in you, what exactly do you need to do to bring it out? 2 Timothy 1:6 told us wherefore I put you in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in you. Also in 1Timothy 4: 14, we are encouraged to not to neglect the gift that is in us, which was given to us. So, what in practical terms does stirring up the gift of God in us mean? It simply means that we should be very conscious of the presence of God's gift in us and, we are to consistently demonstrate it in our lives with all our hearts. Therefore, if your gift is music, be passionate about it; let it be your major focus in life. Think about it every day, listen to and play music every day. Let your gift, whatever it is, become like a second skin to you. That, my friend, is how to stir up the gift in you. Deliberately choose to utilise your gift. If you diligently do so, you will surely go places and stand before kings. But whichever way, we will all give account of how we used our talents. Yours could be business, singing, writing, acting, fine arts, cooking, teaching, carpentry, speaking, engineering, law, leadership etc. Isaiah 45: 11, says "Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands."

Proverbs 29:18 says "Where there is no vision, the people perish". However, you would not be able to fully accomplish the destiny that God has for you without the help of the Holy Spirit because human effort has its limits.

Now, what is your talent? From where you currently are, how do you get to where your talent is needed or where it will benefit and bless others? If you are a gifted singer, your room shouldn't be the only place where your voice is heard. Kings and world leaders need to hear your voice; start by joining a church choir, polish your gift, read books pertaining to your field and so on. Many people are so gifted, but they lack good character, therefore, help is far away from them. No clients, and no supporters of their talents.

What do you aspire to become? What do you need to achieve it? How much information do you have about what you want to achieve? Will it ruin or bless others? Will God be happy with it? If your gift does not glorify God nor uplift, inspire and encourage others, it means you are either misusing your gift or you are simply in the wrong profession.

Most of the times that I've had to ask young people if they knew their talent; unfortunately about eighty percent of them have no clue. So if you don't know your talent, how can the world celebrate you? What will they celebrate you for? An eagle will always fly anywhere it finds itself even over vast deserts because an eagle knows its strength. Joseph was a slave in the land of Egypt but become the prime minister because he discovered his gift of interpretation of dreams. Most people are toiling and spinning round and round because they have not discovered God's purpose for their life or refused to embrace their dreams and responsibility. Just imagine if all excellence mentors, role models, world leaders, preachers, celebrities, singers, inventors ...who positively affected and added values to thousands and millions of lives never embraced their destiny and fulfil God's purpose for their life. What would have happened to the lives that they have profoundly impacted with their glowing light? What would have happened to those they have inspired and gave shoulders to lean on? Your obedience to God will take you to the height that no one else has ever reached. You don't need connections to reach the top, the word of God said that they that know their God shall be strong and do exploits. (Daniel 11:32).

God is not the reason why you are poor today; neither is your skin colour responsible. It is not even that inept and corrupt president nor your country of origin. You are the reason why you are poor. Where you are today and where you will be tomorrow is determine by your mind, your actions and choices you make. "Polish your mind today and the world will look for you tomorrow for a solution".

I have also come to realize that many white people have been visiting African countries because they see great treasures that most Africans do not see. No wonder, many African are rapidly emigrating to other parts of the world. They just can't seem to see the treasure that God has given to them, many even risk their lives by travelling through the desert and ocean. Countless African youths with great talents and potentials have died on the way. The strength, energy and resources they waste on their search for greener pastures as they travel through dangerous and hostile desert landscape is enough to start something profitable in their different countries across Africa. If you start something good in Africa the world will look for you. Africa is the richest planet in the world, but many Africans don't cherish nor appreciate what God has given to them, reason why there is abject poverty all across the continent. Many prefer what others have, to what God has given them. No matter how poor a country may be, there are always individuals who are financially successful. Therefore, millions can still remain in Africa, work hard and make something good for themselves and their families, instead of fleeing over to Europe and the United States. Realize this, if you form the habit of cursing and complaining about your country or the country you residing, you may find yourself struggling in that economy.

People who are casual and live a careless life usually lack vision. They do not have depth, neither do they think about the future or how to add value to their own lives. They generally live for now, for self and never seek to be creative or make life meaningful for others. They lack the visual ability to capture a beautiful picture of a bright future. If only deviant characters like rebels, terrorists, armed robbers and prostitutes realize that they are created to be presidents; first ladies and celebrities they probably may never contemplate wasting away their lives or going down the dark path. Don't allow anyone to kill your vision no matter how impossible it might appear. In Genesis 37:31 we read how out of envy, Joseph's brothers stole his coat of many colours but could not steal his vision. They sold Joseph into slavery, but he held on to his dreams and refused to live carelessly, even when he was tempted to sin in his master house. This is one reason why Joseph eventually became far greater than both his master who imprisoned him, and his brothers who hated him and sold him into slavery.

You don 't need to be at the top before the world will hear your voice, just start making an impact from where you are now, gradually the world will hear your voice. All the artistes, investors, scholars, pastors and other successful icons that the world is celebrating today, were once unknown but they refused to remain a face in the crowd and strove till they reached the peak. You can never be celebrated until you discover your talent. Your talent or gift will always mark you out and draw the attention of everyone to you. But without discovering your talent you will remain unnoticed, abandoned, and only a face in the crowd. Daniel 1:17 says "As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and SKILL in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." Daniel's skill brought him before the king and made him a world leader for many years. Daniel 2:25 says "Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation."

Daniel who came into the land of Babylon as a slave became a prime minister during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar, and continued during the reign of King Belshazzar. He was also chosen during the reign of Darius to become a president, even during the reign of Cyrus the Persian, Daniel was still among the world leaders. Daniel 2:48 says "Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.''

Daniel 5:29 says "Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom".

Daniel 6:3 says "Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.''

Daniel 6:28 says "So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.''

Joseph's gift brought him before the king. Genesis 41:14-15 says "Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it."

I still vividly remember the dream I had about Donald Trump becoming the president of the United States of America. It was months before the actual election in 2016 and no one I told about the possibility believed me. At the time it was quite obvious that the whole world had lined up behind Hillary Clinton and very few political pundits inside and outside the US gave Donald Trump any fighting chance of becoming the next leader. But I was convinced that God was on the side of Donald Trump. I was 100% certain that the dream would come to pass and so I began posting my conviction on the social media and today the rest is history. I've also dreamt that China would soon become the foremost economic world power, but there must we must pray because I saw a destructive conflict after which the flag of China was hoisted across the world. It may look impossible now but remember that many countries that were world power long ago are now feeble. God is visiting Africa very soon. I saw countries like Mali been beautifully reorganised. I also saw Nigeria becoming one of the most admirable and desirable countries in the world with Caucasians taking up Nigerian citizenship against the background of a very strong and buoyant economy.

The earlier you discover your talent the better it is for you. All that have ever been wealthy and famous actually discovered their talent at a very tender age. You can still recover all the years you have wasted only through the blood of Jesus Christ.

People with great destinies are people with great stars and death does not easily snatch them away, even if they are in a plane crash, or encounter arm robbery attack, or satanic attack. Many of their colleagues may die but they almost always survive because they have a great assignment to accomplish in life. Even in war films where you see thousands of people die, it is difficult to see the main actor die. Why? Because he has another important role to play. But if they keep refusing to fulfil their purpose on earth they will become vulnerable to all manner of attacks. Just like Jonah did and was swallowed by a big fish. God said in Jeremiah 29:11'' I know the plans I have for you, plans for peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.'' So there is God's perfect will for your life i.e your real assignment on earth. However, for you to fulfil it perfectly there are instructions to obey. God said to Abraham in Genesis 15 'As far as you can see I will give it to you.'' So you need prayer and the light of God's word to see the good plans and bright future that God has for you even in obscurity. Hebrews 8:5b says "See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.''

There is a pattern that is a vision of your destiny and purpose on earth that God will show you when you approach Him in prayer. And you must endeavour to follow it to the letter. God has also prepared a perfect spouse to help you. Genesis 2:18 says "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help-meet for him.''

Never forget that the world (Satan) also has a plan for your life, which of course, is evil. It is designed to make you end up in pain or hell. Satan can programme a wrong woman for an anointed man of God and if the man is not prayerful and discerning he may end up marrying the wrong woman. He can still do the will of God but cannot do the perfect will of God for his life. That is why Romans 12:1-2 says "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove (KNOW) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.''

For you to fully fulfil the destiny that God has for you, you must be born again, be filled with the Holy Spirit and marry the person that God has ordained for you.

Though the Bible said Proverbs 18:22 ''whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour of the LORD." But who is your wife? Your wife is the person God created to help you accomplished your destiny; so you must find her through prayer. That a woman is beautiful doesn't make her good for you. Proverbs 31:10; says "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."

You can only fulfil God's perfect will for your life when you offer yourself as a sacrifice to God. That is yielding yourself totally to God by obeying His commandments. God sent a message to Eli in 1 Samuel 2:30 saying "Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.''

1 Samuel 13:13-14 says "And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.''

There is always what you want to be and what God created you to be. You must know what God has destined for you, what God wants you to do, where God wants you to be, and follow it with all your heart and strength. The least you will become if you follow God's plan for your life is far greater than what you will become if you follow your own ambitious plan. I have seen people who were excelling in their career but suddenly realized that it wasn't God's plan for their life and abandoned all the benefits and everything they were enjoying and followed God's plan for their life. You must follow God's leading and be not carried away by the allure and ephemeral temptations around you. Not by what you hear or things you see. Don't be impressionable. Stay focused on God. Follow his leading. Consider Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:14. He declares ''I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus'' He strictly followed God's leading and was not taken in by every attractive thing he encountered. So, when you see A, You would not say I want A, and when you see B, You would not say I do not want A anymore, rather I want B.

A prophet once told me that though I was very good at music, God did not destine me to sing, I was so heartbroken, perplexed, and confused because music had always been my passion but I was not sure if music was my destiny. Another pastor in that same church told me never to stop singing that each time I sang, he saw HEAVEN OPEN. Three years later, while in the desert, I dreamt that I was destined to use my voice to bring glory to God. The devil can use anyone to discourage and hinder you from fulfilling your destiny. In Mark 8:31-33, he tried to use Peter, the closest person to Jesus, to discourage our Lord, from going to the cross, but Jesus told Peter to ''get thee behind me Satan'', referring to the demon speaking through Peter.

Knowing your vision is having divine insight into God's purpose for your life. Though many have received a great vision from God, they never reached out to activate nor fulfil the vision and the vision died. Some allow Satan to deceive them by believing that such dreams and visions are unachievable and thus never bother to make any attempt.

1Timothy 1:18 says "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightiest war a good warfare''

Proverbs 29:18 says "Where there is no vision, the people perish:" Have you ever asked yourself the question "What is my destiny or purpose for being on this planet?'' Your passion or ambition may not really be your destiny or God's purpose for your life. On the contrary, what you are passionate about may have possibly evolved from your experience, your environment, or what may currently be in vogue. It may even be something you enjoy, or something you noticed is profitable. You can also not rule out the influence of your mentors, parents or leaders. Your passion or ambition may be music, while your assignment on earth may be preaching. Though you may pursue that passion and be successful in it; that does not mean you are fulfilling God's purpose for your life. No university graduate with first class result will normally want to become a tailor, but that may just be God's purpose for your life. John 6:38 says "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." If people have observed a particular trait in you and repeatedly ask you "Are you a lawyer? Presenter? Artiste? Pastor? Singer? Tailor? Or engineer? Go and pray about it, it could be your destiny.

Are you in the centre of God's plan and will for your life? Many people don't have a passion for their call or destiny or God's purpose for their lives. That may just be the reason why they persistently try to run away from their call, just like Jonah did in the Bible and found himself in the belly of a fish and began crying for God's help. It is very easy to make it in life when your passion aligns with God's purpose for your life. If you are really gifted in what you do, you will always be willing to render your service with joy, even when you are not being paid for it. Your self-centred passion or ambition may bring you more money but with more problems; doing God's purpose will bring you satisfaction, joy, peace, and happiness. That you are working in a big company does not mean that you will richer than others working in small companies. Without God prospering the works of your hands you will find yourself working hard yet have nothing to show for it. I have seen people working in big companies with big salaries but their salaries are never enough for them. The always borrow and take credits from others before they received their payment while their colleagues are living in abundance. Though it could also be as a result of them not paying their tithes. Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." According to Hebrews 13:20-21, if you're doing God's will, He will grant you peace and make you perfect in every good work. If your passion aligns with God's purpose for your life you would not come into ruin nor ruin others, but if you're pursuing a self-centred life you can be sure it will be your undoing. Calamity will be the end result. Your self-centred ambition may bring you fame but God's purpose for your life will manifest God's glory through you. Matthew 5:16 says ''Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven".

Your self-centred ambition may negatively impact others and lead them to fall off the tracks of their lives, but if you strictly follow God's purpose for your life you will draw people to God's kingdom. Ephesians 5:17 says "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." Peter's passion was fish farming, while God's purpose for his life was to be a fisher of men. Jesus actually told him this from their first encounter in (Matthew 4:18-19) and (Luke 5:5-11), but after Jesus died, Peter returned to fish farming in John 21:3, probably because he felt he was unworthy after denying Jesus Christ thrice or just that he never really understood what Jesus told him. After Jesus resurrected, He called Peter and explained what He meant about him becoming a fisher of men in John 21:15. And Peter began to follow that revelation from the moment he received the power of the Holy Ghost in (Acts 2:14 -41).

There are times that God can practically make things hard for you by simply blocking your path to achieving a personal goal, if it is contrary to His will for your life. For instance, if God has a special assignment for you, and you keep disobeying, He could make it impossible for you to get a good job even if you're well qualified. Yes, our God can frustrate your efforts if you will not respond properly to His calling upon your life.

John 15:2 says "every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit". For some people to bring forth fruit, they need to be purged and pruned. Believe me, it is a painful experience.

Dear reader, what do you think makes you unique from others? That others did not make it does not mean you would not make it if you try. Just remember that you do not have the same destiny and definitely not the same finger print with them. I have seen people start from zero and end up as heroes. I have also seen people lifted up from rags to riches. Just diligently focus on your potentials; once you follow the blueprint for your destiny, your success is guaranteed. There's something special that God has prepared for every one of us, but you can only discover it through studying the Bible and yielding yourself totally to the Holy Spirit. The purpose of our existence on earth is found in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them.'' But to the spirit-filled born again individual, 1 Corinthians 2:12 says ''Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God".

A new phone normally comes with different applications, but you may not know the purpose of all the apps. To fully grasp their proper use, you may need to refer to the phone manual. The same thing applies to us. To know God's purpose for our lives, we need to go back to the Bible which is our manual and guideline; and prayerfully immerse ourselves in its principles. God reveals things to born-again Christians who fully yield themselves to the Holy Spirit and makes them wiser than Satan and his demons. Genesis 18:17 tells us that ''the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?'' Psalms 119:105 ''Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.''

1 Corinthians 2:7-8 says "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: WHICH NONE OF THE PRINCES OF THIS WORLD KNEW: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory".

Though Satan is the ultimate deceiver, thankfully, he does not know everything neither can he be in two different places at the same time. Satan has agents that go to and fro, seeking and gathering information for him. Satan can speak to your mind, John 13:2 says ''The devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him", Acts 5:3 says "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost,"

Satan cannot read your mind, he sees your actions, and can take a long time to observe you and tell your flaws, strength, and weakness. But for born-again Christians, 1 John 2:20 says "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.''

1 Corinthians 2:16 says ''But we have the mind of Christ.'' " John 14:16-17,26 says "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for the dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, informs us "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. BUT GOD HATH REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, and the deep things of God".

Everything you want in life is already in the Bible. But you need the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes to see clearly the solutions. Knowing God's vision for your life gives you the bright picture of your future. God can speak to you while you are reading the Bible, or by a direct prophecy from a man of God or even through dreams. Psalms 119:18 -19 says "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me".

When the Spirit of God revealed to me the greatness that God has prepared for me, I realised that only God could take me there, and that Satan lacked the capacity. So I stopped depending on people for anything. It was such that even when people helped me, I thank God for using them and I appreciate them for allowing God to use them as a source of blessing to me.

Many people are studying some particular courses in school just because their parents or friends studied the same course. Many a times such fellows do not bother asking God for direction. 1 Samuel 30:8 says "And David ENQUIRED at the LORD, saying, SHALL I PURSUE after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all". Today, many are making decisions without asking God for wisdom and direction. But when they fail, they either become resentful or call on God as an afterthought. Many parents just willy-nilly, force their children to choose the same career as theirs, not caring whether it was their wards' calling or not. Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths".

There's something unique in you that the world is waiting for. You have something special to offer the world. Proverbs 16:2-3 says "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established".

We are all born with gifts, but discovering it will help us to know the essence of our existence. Some discover theirs from a very tender age, some others while in school, or during a difficult time. There are some who discover theirs through dreams, visions, prophecies, reading the Bible, or during conversations with others. There is something that God has planted in you. It is a seed of greatness which is your gift or talent. 1 Kings 10:24 says "And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.''

Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths". So the best way to discover talent and achieve your dreams and aspiration in life is by putting God first in all you do and He will surely direct your path. Stop leaning on your own understanding, talk to your Maker today, because God has a lot in store for you. He is willing to take you to places that many heroes have never been. Do not seek to be a copycat, neither struggle to be someone else. Always dare to be what God has called you to be and not what you want to be or what others think you should be. This is because God has a better plan for you. You want to be like someone else because of the allure of their accomplishments, their glitzy and glamorous lifestyles, not caring to know about the numerous ugly and horrible things they've been through. Maybe God has destined you to be far greater and successful than that person. You have to know that what is the best today will never be the best tomorrow, so think big.

Ephesians 5:17 says "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is".

If you seek God in prayers He will unveil your gift and purpose on earth to you and empower you to accomplish it. And if you follow God's word and instructions, the world will follow you and celebrate you. Habakkuk 2:1-2 says "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Deuteronomy 28:1 says "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth."

_You are not too young to rule the world, pick up the gauntlet._ If you are prepared, then you are fit. Many believe that young people should have nothing to do with leadership in any form. That young people should not take on the needless responsibility of preparing to become champions, heroes, and superstars very early in life. Rather, according to this school of thought, they should wait until they are old enough before contemplating preparation for a future role.

The truth is, young people are never too early to prepare for their future. Whether it is sports, music, movies, politics, preaching God's word or whatever field they choose to excel. It is true that a preponderance of past heroes, icons and even contemporary ones, started preparing when they were very young. In the Bible, Josiah was just eight years when he became a king, - 2Chronicles 34:1-2. And 2 Kings 23:25 says" And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.''

Jesus was just 12 years old when he began to sit in the midst of the professors in the temple, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. Luke 2:42-49.

Jeremiah was very young when he received the call to become a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5-7). David was a youth of about 17 years when he fought and defeated Goliath, a giant who struck fear in the heart of the entire army of Israel. (1 Samuel 17:33, 49, 50). Before the age of twenty, David had killed a lion, a bear and a giant. So let no one despise your youth; (1 Timothy 4:12). Wherever your location, God expects you to make impact for Him. If you want the world to hear your voice, don't wait till you reach the top, start from where you are now and gradually the world will hear your voice.

Just as a seed it is your duty to cultivate and groom your talent or gift until it blooms. This requires dedication, discipline, and determination. Proverbs 18:16 says "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.''

You have to polish and perfect the skills God has given to you before God will bring you to the palace or limelight. So read, research, practice and pour all your time, passion, energy, imagination and creativity to develop the gift and talent that God has given you such that everyone will be seeking to listen to you and reckon with you because you have proven to be too relevant to be ignored. 1Kings 10:24 says "And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart."

That you are gifted or talented does not immediately make you a star. You must go the extra mile to become that expected star in your field. If others are practicing or training for 2 hours, you can go 30 minutes extra or much more. If others sleep for eight hours, you can sleep for seven, and use that one hour for reading, researching, rehearsing, practicing or praying. This is what makes the difference between a star and a superstar. This was the secret of one of the fastest and fittest former soccer player who used to play for 120 minutes without getting tired nor become weak. If you fail to assiduously polish your skill and talent, you cannot stand out among the best stars out there, meaning, you are not ready to go anywhere yet. And if God is not with you, then you are not going anywhere great in life. God has given you all it takes to be the best. He has given you all you need to make it, so don't give up, even when the task seems impossible. If you endure the pain today, you will reign tomorrow. 2 Corinthians 4:17 says "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

That you are strong, wise, cute, smart, skillful doesn't mean that you will be great. Many people are very hardworking but they are not always at the right place at the right time, so they often misses the opportunities that would have made them successful. So success is not always a result of hard work but a result of been at the right place at the right time. In Ecclesiastes 9:11 we read, '' I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."

The Bible did not say ''chances'' but ''the chance''. Opportunity doesn't come every day; just as no country conducts presidential election every day. "So use your time now to prepare yourself for the opportunity ahead. Have you observed that whenever a wealthy person, a music star or celebrity plummets and goes off the scene, 90% of them never rise again? The reason why many people often miss their chance or opportunity is that they never took time to prepare themselves. We all have time, even ample time on our hands, but ask yourself, ''what do I do with my time?'' That you are very fast does not mean that you will win the race, neither does being very strong mean that you will win the battle. And yes, that you are very smart does not mean that you will become rich.

Don't waste your gift, nor bury it in the ground. Fan your gift, until it glows and lightens the world. Matthew 5:14-16 says "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 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. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.''

Your gift does not really determine your reward, rather, it is the value you add that determines your reward. Don't ever feel too big to do small thing or start small thing. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.''

God only brings those who are prepared to shine, to the limelight. 2 Timothy 2:21-22 says "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart."

If you are unique, and good at what you do, people around you will notice and tell others about you, who, along the line, will tell the president about you. Kings and presidents will only seek for you if you have been diligent enough to polish your gift. Proverbs 22:29 says "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men". Queen of Sheba sought for Solomon after hearing of his acts and wisdom - 1Kings 10:6. King Saul sought for David after hearing how skilful David played music- 1 Samuel 16:18-19. King Pharaoh sought for Joseph after hearing of his gift of interpretation of dreams- Genesis 41:15-16. King Belshazzar sought for Daniel after hearing of his excellent wisdom and gift of interpretation of dreams- Daniel 5:13-14.

Millions of people have been musicians, inventors, legal minds, and medical scientists long before you arrived on the scene, but you can still make a difference. How? Because there's something special and unique about you. Some people are quick to envy, criticize and attack others who have the same gift (talent) as them. For example, some born again Christians accuse other believers of preaching prosperity, prophecies, speaking in tongues, healing, etc. They are probably ignorant of God's promise in Jeremiah 3:15 "And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding". When Jesus ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to many. Ephesians 4:7, 11, 12 says "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" Please, let me clarify. I am not saying that all preachings about prosperity, prophecies, speaking in tongues, healing, and so on are correct but, our number one priority should be winning souls for Christ.

When God chooses to show mercy, He does not consider how bad we have been, He only looks to his own goodness and faithfulness. Psalm 68:18 "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them". Can you see that God is so loving, He has also given gifts even to the rebellious ones?

Romans 11:29 tells us that "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance." That is, once God has given you a gift, either of singing, prophesy, leadership, or of eloquent and so on, they are irrevocable! God will never cancel, nor collect it back from you, even if you decide to misuse it. God is not going to offer you something, then turn around and change His mind. But there is a great consequence ahead, if you decide to misuse it. This means that you may end up in hell fire! Matthew 25: 14-30 tells us how a particular master gave different talents to his servants according to their abilities and went on a journey. But when the master came back, everyone was doing fine except the one who received one talent. Because he was envious of his colleagues who had more than one talent, he dug a hole in the ground, and buried his single talent. So the master ordered the unprofitable servant to be thrown into outer darkness, where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Whether you are a carpenter, an artiste, a lawyer, a politician, a business person, or a doctor, the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31 ''whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.''

Reach out for knowledge and broaden your horizon, but remember that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," (Proverbs 1:7)

1Timothy 4:13 says "Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine". People generally are averse to doing right, but they expect to get the right result. Success don't just happen. It comes after persistently doing the right thing. Many keep making the same mistake because they are obstinate and simply refuse correction. Hosea 4:6 says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for me". 2 Timothy 2:15 says "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Show me a successful person, who is well above his peers, and I'll show you a person who has access to knowledge and information. When you are not informed, great things will pass you by and others will steal your opportunities. So go to the library search the internet and read good books and articles that will help you to grow physically and spiritually. Knowledge is power. It is also life. Reason why many perish because they lack knowledge. If only suicide bombers and suicidal individual are privileged to know or just catch a glimpse of the riches and splendour in store for them, nothing will make them commit suicide: Most people commit suicide because they have no hope for tomorrow, knowledge brings hope.

On your way to greatness, there will be a lot of distractions from people around you just to make you lose focus. The devil will always propose evil to you, neatly and beautifully packaged. But if you have a divine vision of a great future, then you will need to shut your eyes and ears to many things swirling around you and keep your eyes on the goal. Jacob knew that he was born to be great, but never knew how to accomplish it. He initially thought he could achieve greatness by cheating and deceiving his elder brother and his father but it did not work out. Then he fled to the desert where he learned his mistake and returned to make corrections. Jonah knew God's vision for his life but decided to go in the wrong direction which landed him in the belly of a fish where he also regretted his mistake and cried to God for help. Moses was born to be a hero that God would use to deliver the Israelites from slavery, but he had a wrong strategy. Having killed, an Egyptian he fled to the desert where God corrected him. Joseph knew his vision, and refused to compromise, even when the devil proposed pleasure to him. He knew that he had a great future and was passionate to fulfil it. Many young people out there have great skills, talents and gifts but don't know how to use it. Many of them have great dreams and aspiration, but they don't know how to accomplish it. Why? Because they refuse to seek the face of God for directions and many irretrievably destroy their own dreams. Proverbs 16:25 says "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

There is no difference between the white and black. The colour is not the person. Your colour does not make you less or more important. In the Song of Solomon 1:6 King Solomon said '' do not stare at me, because I am dark, the sun tanned me." That you are white or black does not make you superior nor inferior. No one chooses where to be born, nor their skin colours. It is morally wrong to hold people in high esteem or despise them because of their skin colour. That is racism. You are to respect people because of their exploits and contributions to society. Therefore, esteem talents. But do you know that you're equally talented? All you need do is to discover yours and diligently trade with it. Romans 10:12 says "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek." i.e. There is no difference between white and black people.

What are you doing with your God-given talent? If you refuse to give your life to Jesus Christ, you will give it to Satan. If you refuse to give your tithes to God, you will spend it on Satan. How? Those who do not pay their tithes many times use the money to settle hospital bills or for solving problems. If you refuse to serve the creator, you will serve His creation.

lf you engage in bad immoral things and many are following you, it means you have a great star, but if you change course and begin to do right, many more people will begin to follow you. The Samaritan woman had many men in her life at different points, but when she became born again, multitudes followed her to Christ. John 4:39 says "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did."

Many youths out there are so intelligent, and gifted in the knowledge of Information Technology, but they are using it criminally for cheating, stealing and defrauding others. Young beautiful ladies are almost everywhere. But what are they using their beauty for? Sadly, for prostitution or other immoral acts that can never add value to their lives or to society at large. Some even destroy homes and other people's marriages through the crass misuse of their endowments. It is said that about 70% of the most beautiful ladies in the world are found in night clubs. Why? Ignorance! That's why. They minimize and cheapen themselves because they're blind to the great future that God has prepared for them. They pass through life without making use of their talent and end up as utter failures. So never blame God for not giving you some particular things you hunger for, because in all likelihood, you may just end up misusing them and it may just be your undoing. Jeremiah 17:11 says "As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. Proverbs 15:16 says "Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.'' Satan knew Jesus was the only begotten Son of God yet, he still tempted Him in Matthew 4:3 saying "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.''

Satan is doing the same thing today. You will hear people say things like "If you know you are a man, slap me!'' A seducer will tell a man, "If you know you are strong, try me" or" If you know that you are beautiful, use it to make your way to the top." Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:12 "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

What does success mean to you? Is it owning houses, fancy cars or having a lot of money in your bank account? Or is it having your face and name on all TV and radio stations, billboards, magazines, blogs etc? Or is it just using your God given skills, gifts, talent, position and possession to affect lives positively? Kindly ask yourself this question, "Why do I need that money? That fleet of cars? Those houses? That fame? Or that position? Is it to impress others and announce to everyone that you have arrived? Or to make a point to everyone that has ever mocked and hurt you? Or just to lavishly spoil yourself and your family? A man that will be successful will always desire to be a blessing to others, James 4:3 says "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts".

Many people are so selfish and so self-centred, they just want to acquire all the money in the world for self and family. God is willing to give you that fame, that wealth, even all the money in the world if that will bring glory to HIS name and not ruin you nor land you in hell. _When you put God first in all your quest, you will always come out best, no matter the test._

Fame, elevation and promotion only come from God, and there is an appointed time for each star to shine. Habakkuk 2:3 says ''for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.''

John 6:15 says "When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone". Why and what did Jesus go to do on the mountain? To pray and prepare himself. People who rush and fight for great position and recognition without being prepared and empowered, often end up as failures. Jesus used thirty years to prepare for his three years ministry. There is an appointed time for you to shine, but if you are not prepared, the time will come and pass and you are still struggling. At the appointed time, Jesus in John 17:1 ''... lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.'' Jesus said to Pilate in John 18:37 ''you said that I am a king. For this reason was I born, and for this purpose I came into the world.'' That is why Jesus remains the King of kings and will be forever and forever."

It is a good thing to dream big and to seek fame, but it's even much better to put God first and to ask for His will concerning your plans. This way, every other thing will fall in line for you. The world is waiting to hear your voice. Yes, you're a great star in the making, but you have to make a conscious choice by employing your gift for exploits that will amaze the world and draw attention to God and not to you. If you want to remain at the top, then you must always remember that God made you a star, not your fans nor your clients. Though God gave the gift of wisdom to Solomon but it was when Solomon decided to use the wisdom to the glory of the name of the LORD that his fame spread throughout the world. 1 Kings 10:1 says "And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.'' God created every one of us to show forth His glory and has given us everything we will ever need to be successful, but many have refused to acknowledge Him as God. So, God is constantly looking for people who will make His name known to the world.

One of the reasons why many hardworking people have not achieved their goals in life is because if they were to succeed, they would absolutely have nothing to do with God. Many celebrities and stars know that they reflect the glory of God, but they just refuse to acknowledge God, thereby ascribing to themselves the praise that belongs to God. Romans 1:21says "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.''

You can only shine when God's glory comes upon you and you will dethrone when His glory depart from you. Psalms 89 : 44, says "Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground."

Isaiah 60:1 says ''Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.'' So, you are not shining because you are the best, rather, it's because the glory of God is reflecting on you. You may ask, but there are many stars out there, who do not believe in God, how could God be the source of their shining? Matthew 5:45 tells us that God causes his sun to shine on evil people and on good people, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Pharaoh was chosen by God, yet, he refused to acknowledge God. Today, wherever people hear the name Pharaoh, it paints a picture of Satan trying to prevent people from being delivered from bondage. But God's divine purpose for Pharaoh was to use him to make known His name in the whole earth, but Pharaoh refused, and said in Exodus 5:2 "Who is the LORD that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.''

God said to Pharaoh in Exodus 9:16-17 "And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and _that my name may be declared throughout all the earth_. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?"

And we all know all the agony Pharaoh went through for his disobedience. 2 Timothy 3:5 says "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.''

David said to Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:46 ''This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.''

David's ultimate goal for victory and success was to make the whole earth know that there was a God in Israel. His purpose was not to show off. One of the reasons why many people fail in life is because of their selfish motive. They want victory, success, fame, and riches so that they can show off and brag and be praised by people. Matthew 5:16 ''Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.''

Genesis 40:8 tells us "And they said unto him, we have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And _Joseph said unto them, do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me them, I pray you.''_

Genesis 41:15- 16 says "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. _And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.''_

Daniel 2:27-28 says "Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; _But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, ...''_

If you refuse to use your gift, your talent, your possessions, or even your position to draw people to God, you will use it for Satan. The choice is yours but, there's a reward and consequence. So, if you have been misusing your talent, have a change of mind today. You can only be fulfilling destiny when your talent, gift or skills blesses others and glorifies God.

One of my favourite celebrity is the retired soccer player Kaká. The never failed to give God all the glory for his ability, talents and success. Even many celebrities who sold their souls to Satan are not as wealthy, famous nor successful as Kaká. Each time he scored a goal, he would lift his eyes and hands to heaven and thank God, at times he would pulled off his jersey to reveal an inner t-shirt with the phrase "I Belong to Jesus". He sees sports as his ministry. He said "God has given me a talent to use for Him, and I try to improve on it every day. I need Jesus every day of my life. Jesus said ''without me, you can do nothing" and I believe it".

Kaká also said "To those who already have Jesus: you have made the best choice and are in the best team. Go ahead. Do not give up. The fight is great, but we can only win being on Jesus' side. To those who have not yet surrendered their lives to Jesus: What are you doing being outside of this team? Come to learn the Word of God, come to know who God really is.''

I have come to realise that it is the Spirit of God that gives insight and wisdom. Whenever we study the Bible or pray, God always speaks to us, though many times, we do not recognize His voice. God often speaks to us in dreams, to instruct and give us directions that may prevent us from making choices that can ruin us. Yet, most of the time, we wake up and never remember these dreams due to evil powers trying to distract and mislead us. But if we always pray and read our Bible before going to bed, our spirits will be energized to consistently defeat these evil forces and we can then remember our dreams. This is because each time we study and meditate on the Bible, we are engaging in a spiritual exercise, and are becoming spiritually muscular. Galatians 6:17 says "From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." because ''when the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him." (Isaiah 59:19). That is why Jesus told us in Matthew 4:4 that "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God". Hosea 6:3 tells us to ''pursue the knowledge of the LORD. For His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth. Proverbs 20:15 says "There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.''

For some people their destiny may be to become a carpenter, a trader, a preacher or a mechanic, but they may just be too ashamed to embrace their calling because they think its beneath them and instead crave white collar Jobs. After probably toiling in vain for years or decades, they may resort to blaming everyone but themselves for their predicament. Some may point accusing fingers at their churches or parents, while others may just hold their spouses or governments responsible. Ecclesiastes 9:10 ''whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.''

1 Timothy 4:14 says "Neglect not the gift that is in thee. 2 Timothy 1:6 says "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee.''

Do you know that many of the beneficial inventions were made by people who never went to school or dropped out of school? They were mostly self-educated. Ditto with many courses that people go to the university to study today. They were created by people who never had formal education. So you have no excuse not to make it to the top. Let's be clear, I am not asking you to drop out of school. If you have all it takes to go to school and you refuse, you may end up serving your juniors.

There is a greatness in you that the world is waiting to see, though it does not yet appear how magnificent it would be. However, when the world begins to see the glimpses, they would be dazzled by its towering brilliance! Romans 8:19; says "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. People will only celebrate the extraordinary displayed by ordinary men. No matter how skilful you are, no one will celebrate you until you have a breakthrough. So, as long as you have breathe in you, please don't quit. There is still hope for you, even if today is a mess. It would soon be a hero story on every newspaper page, television screen, radio and on social media. Do you know that you are a shining star just moments away from the crown? So dare to stand out from the crowd, even if you have been knocked down by fear, discouragement, and opposition. You must bounce back right now, no matter how many times you have fallen or failed, because failure is not an option. The more punches you receive, the stronger you become. Therefore, get up, you cannot afford to give up. There is a place for you at the top. Stand fast. Endure. Think of the joy and crown ahead and withstand the pressure. One day soon, in the future, you will surely recall your lowest moments and smile, if only you'll rise up now and give your dreams and aspirations a greater shot. Try harder. Now is the time to push harder and give it your all, because a time will come when it may just be too late...

Many may have verbally abused you. They may have despised you and told you that nothing good could ever come out of you. I believe the time has come for these same people to celebrate you, so rise up and shine. That no one believes in your dreams does not mean you should quit, that others didn't make it, does not mean you would not make it, if you try harder. Do you know that even the earthly brothers of our Lord Jesus Christ didn't believe in Him until He died and resurrected? John 7:5-6 says "For neither did his brethren believe in him. Then Jesus said unto them, my time is not yet come." No one believed in Joseph's dreams but he refused to quit and endure till the dream came to reality. Before you ever win or lose, it starts from your heart. Matthew 15:19-20 says "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man''.

Proverbs 23:7 says "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. I have always known someday I would be great, even though, at age ten I had already found myself hustling and going to the farm to fetch firewood to make some money, going to the river to fish and sell, helping people to carry loads in the market for money, chopping grass for people and hawking on the street. I also worked as a security guard and even did house help just to survive and fend for my family, because my father died early. My mother suffered so much for us, hawking cheap products, doing laundry for others and cleaning toilets, just to put food on our table. But I never stopped dreaming and believing and pressing on even though most of my peers had gone far ahead. When I was at grade six, my age mates and friends had already finished grade 12. I didn't had the privilege of attending the best school in town, even the village school I attended was still a struggle financially: there was no money for text books. However, I borrowed text books from other students who had, but never cared to read. Then I would use kerosene lantern to read all through the night because we had no electricity in our mud house. Sometimes, I would go to neighbouring houses that had electricity or generator light. Some other times, houses with light were very far away from ours and I would walk the long distance, and find a comfortable place outside such buildings to read all through the night, many of the security guards observed me and pitied me. Yet I emerged as one of the best students in the whole state, always winning awards at quiz and debating competitions for my school. While growing up, many never wanted to see me, perpetually they mocked me, my younger ones and my mother, calling us all sorts of names because we were so poor. But today God has lifted us so high, that those who never wanted to see me now beg to see me. Some even travel many miles to attend my events.

CHAPTER TWO

The wilderness is a pathway to greatness.

You have to pass through the desert before entering the Promised Land. Between where you are now and where you need to be—the Promised Land—there's a desert full of thorns and scorpions. But be fearless and press on, despite the thorns and scorpions.

Luke 10:19 says, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Many, who are truly destined to shine magnificently, often die before the manifestation of their stars, because they are not spiritually fit or prepared. So you have to realize that the closer you are to the peak, the stronger the forces of opposition you will encounter.

1 Corinthians 16:9 says, "For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries." No matter what your gift, or talent, or career may be, when the time comes for your star to shine and for the world to hear your voice, embrace and celebrate you there will be opposition. Agents of hell will approach you, just like they did to Jesus in Luke 20:2, and asked, "Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? Or who is he that gave thee this authority?"

You must be able to boldly answer like Peter did in Acts 4:7-8, 10: "And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole."

Titus 2:15 says, "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee." But the truth is that without you having Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, these evil people can kill you or force you to accept them as authority, to rule and control your life and daily activities. Deuteronomy 7:21 says, "Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible."

Do you know that the blossoming and flourishing flowers that look so lovely and beautiful, go through decaying process before they could spring forth? So, most times, it gets ugly before it becomes beautiful. According to our abilities, each star must encounter trial(s) before shining magnificently. Anyone who collapses in the face of tribulation and watches as his star diminishes is not spiritually, mentally and physically prepared. If you desire to reach the height that no one has ever attained, then be ready to face the trials that come with it. Don't say "if only you know what I am passing through right now, you'll feel sorry for me," because, you are not the first person to experience whatever you are passing through today. Many had worse encounter and came out victoriously. God has wonderfully framed and fashioned you to overcome every challenge you will ever encounter in life. It's now your choice to win or lose. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it".

Joseph dreamt that the eleven stars of his brothers will bow to his star. But Joseph went through the heat first, as a slave, and then in prison to be tried, before his star could shine and become the prime minister. Psalms 105:17b-22 says, "... even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: To bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his senators wisdom".

God allowed Satan to tempt Job because God knew that Job had the ability to conquer. Job 1:12 says "And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand". Proverbs 3:11-12 says "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."

Most of the heroes, champions and legends that you look up to or celebrate today also failed severally at a point in their lives, but they refused to quit or give up. Peter denied Jesus three times but he repented and got back on track. Yes, even David committed adultery but he repented and moved forward. So if you have been held down by fear, failure, sin, discouragement, opposition, poverty or whatever, rise up NOW and push ahead.

Though the journey to the top is never a bed of roses, but with Jesus, you can achieve what took others a life time to achieve in just a year. You can reach the pinnacle that many thought unreachable. If you really desire to reach that high peak, quitting must never be an option, even if everyone is against your dream. Remember that without your enemy(ies) you would not really know the extent of your ability(ies), and without your opponent(s) you would not really know how to draw from your inner strength and withstand the pressure. Joseph said to his brothers who did everything to eliminate him "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." (Genesis 45:5). When you make it to the top, those who rejected and despised you will begin to tell others that they are your friends and family. At the very onset you might not be appreciated, but after the victory, everyone would have no choice but to celebrate you. So even if you fail, brace up and try again, there is no star you cannot reach. Just be committed to hard work and believe: you will surely get there someday. Though the mountain may appear too high to climb, but if you believe, you can fly far above the sky. And in the face of danger, you will only see the Promised Land not the giants.

Do you know that you're more than you think you're? Yet, you may still not know the extent of your abilities. Nor your capacity to resist pressure. Psalm 8:6 informs us that God has given mankind dominion over the works of HIS hands and has put all things under our feet. Reason why Samson, David, Benaiah and Daniel exercised their power of dominion over lions. They believed and knew who they were and what they carried. So what are you capable of doing? 2 Samuel 23:20 says ''And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:''

Isaiah 43:2 says "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Apostle Peter said "am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:"( 1 Peter 5:1)

God did not promise to keep us from passing through fire, rather, He said that He would strengthen us and be with us when we pass through the fire. 1 Peter 5:10 says "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." God said in Isaiah 48:10 "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction". God often uses trials to sharpen, polish and transform us from indwelling pride, and a sinful dirty life into a sparkling diamond that will radiate and reflect His ceaseless beams of Glory. Diamonds are formed under the most intense pressure and heat, where they are transformed from black dusty coal to brilliant and glittering clear crystals. That's why a diamond is the prettiest substance known to man. So you must be ready to endure the heat, the cutting, and the polishing; if you really want the diamond in you to sparkle magnificently. And you must never allow the heat to destroy your aspirations nor mar your attitude before your breakthrough. Strive for the best even if it requires pushing for victory under the pounding sun. Ignore the pain and discomfort. Forge ahead. You must leave no stone unturned. Those role models, those champions you're looking up to, do not have two heads. They're every bit as human as you. Not long ago, someone reminded me of how I used to deprive myself of food and had to spend my salaries on recording and promoting my songs back in the days. I did that then, because I had a very big vision. I was willing to go the extra mile to achieve my dreams, and today, I am so glad that God has granted my heart's desire. Whoever would have believed that I would come this far? All glory to Jesus!

No matter your background, your colour, or your geographical location, you will encounter trials and difficulties in life. To overcome decisively, you must involve God in prayer. Ask for His will and the lessons He would have you learn in the storm. Learn to be loyal in your relationships. Be a loyal follower or employee. Honour your leaders, even when you feel you're smarter, more intelligent or even older. Remember, God intentionally placed them above you.

Don't envy others their successes because you may not be equipped for the heat, pain and trial they went through before their sunrise.

Human beings are very stubborn. The Book of Job 33 from verse 19 tells us that for God to pull some of us back from certain destruction, He first gets our attention by allowing us to go through difficult situations. At times, it could be so tough that we may even lose our appetite for our favourite meals. But when we repent and pray to God, He restores our joy; we then begin to sing God's praises to everyone we meet, testifying how we have sinned, and how it almost ruined us, but God wonderfully stepped in to save us from apparent destruction.

1 Peter 5:10 says "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.''

Micah 7:9-10 says "I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

Jesus told Peter "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren". (Luke 22:31-32), When David was being punished for his sin, he told God, please "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee." (Psalm 51:12-13).

Hard times are just like a blink of an eye, knowing fully well that the transient pain and discomfort would eventually give way to a rapturous, endless joy. Moses refused the privileges of the Egyptian palace and chose a hard life with God's people, rather than enjoying the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; because he was looking forward to the crown ahead.

Lazarus, whom Jesus loved was so sick to the point of death that his sisters sent to Jesus saying "Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was." (John 11:3-6). Though Lazarus was already dead and buried four days before Jesus arrived but our Lord gave thanks to the Father "And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, loose him, and let him go." (John 11:43-44). Likewise, we all need to know that even in our darkest hours, God's glory will always shine. No matter how dark your night, always believe, always speak and dream of the bright side of life.

Psalm 119:71 says "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes". Many times people try to run away from God and find themselves in trouble just like Jonah. Jesus said to a man in Luke 9:59-62,"Follow me." But he said, "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God". Many times, Satan does not force people to serve him. What he does is to work on your WILL. Your WILL empowers you to make choices. For instance, if the devil knows that God would use you to do exploits, he would simply bring your way a secular job that would give you a jumbo pay and take away your time for prayers and fellowship with God. Satan knows that anyone who does not have fellowship with God through Jesus Christ does not have God in his/her life. Many people will wake up early in the morning and go to work without prayer and return very late in the night, weary and tired. Psalm 127:2 tells us "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." Any friendship, any work, any relationship or any other thing that takes away your time for God is satanic, I don't care how much money you earn from it. What will it profit you to gain the whole world and lose your soul in hell?

Jesus Christ was sent to die a painful death on the cross, and to save mankind from eternal destruction. But Satan offered Jesus a shortcut to glory devoid of facing the pain and agony on the way to glory. Thank God, Jesus refused. Though the agony and shame were not palatable, yet Jesus endured the pain and was given a name above every other name on earth and in heaven. If you take shortcuts to greatness, your life may well be cut short. When Satan offers you shortcuts to fame, wealth, power, success etc, would you accept them? Or would you sell your precious and priceless soul and bow to Satan in order to receive, these cheap offers? Or would you rather patiently wait for God's time? Habakkuk 2:3 says "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.''

Be strong and courageous, because discouragements and disappointments will come. Even our Lord Jesus at a point in his flesh became weary and Luke 22: 41 tells us that "Jesus went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened Him.''

There is something that God wants you to learn in every trial. Nothing happens by mistake, people may think they are humiliating you or frustrating you efforts. On the contrary, God may just be using them to prepare you for the throne. When people experience tough times, it should not always be attributed to sin. Remember the story of Job, the Bible tells us that he was a good and righteous man, yet, God allowed him to suffer tribulation. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were practically thrown into a blazing fire, but God came to their rescue. He was in the midst of the fire with the three Hebrew gentleman and they were all unscathed by the fire. Joseph too suffered adversity, not because of sin, but rather because he was an instrument in the hand of God to preserve life. He was hated because of his dreams, then thrown into the pit and later sold into slavery, then thrown into the prison before he became victorious. His siblings, who had hated and despised him eventually bowed down to him and looked up to him to meet their needs.

In John 18:10-11 Peter drew a sword and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said unto Peter ''Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?'' Peter was willing to do everything to prevent Jesus from going through the PAIN before His REIGN, because he knew that Jesus was the Son of God and He was sinless but Peter did not know that Jesus had to suffer and die a painful death in order to redeem a sinful world. After Jesus had suffered, died, resurrected and returned to heaven, Acts 2:4 says "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.'' That was when Peter realized that it was necessary for Jesus to die, in order to redeem the world. Acts 2:22-25. And it wasn't long after, Peter himself was also thrown into prison; Acts 12:3-7. And naturally, the very first night in the prison is always the most difficult moment in the life of a prisoner. It is very unusual for anyone who finds himself or herself in prison to sleep on the very first night, because they would be thinking about so many things, but Peter slept off soundly. It was like he was without a care in the world. He knew that God was in control. After he was rescued from the prison, he wrote in 1 Peter 2:19-21 "This is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps".

That God has called you today does not mean that you are flawless. More reason why God will take you through the desert, so that you will be loyal and not be filled with pride. God will never use anyone to do great exploits and wonders without first taking them through the desert or wilderness to train and prepare them. All the great heroes the world had ever celebrated went through the desert, Matthew 2:1, 2, 13, Revelation 12:1-6, Deuteronomy 8:1-9. Even John the Baptist, Luke 1:80 says "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the DESERTS till the day of his shewing unto Israel". Luke 3:2-3 says "the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins". Matthew 4:1 inform us "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil". Revelation 12:6 tell us "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God". Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David and many others left their comfort zone and moved into the wilderness or desert where they eventually discovered the essence of their existence and equipped to fulfil it. Hebrews 11:8 says "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Genesis 37:28 makes the same point "Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelite for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt". Hebrews 11:24-25 says "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;"

Wilderness or Desert is a dry quiet place with extremely hot temperature and harsh conditions, a place of separation from pleasure, distraction, parents, friends and loved ones. Yes, a place of testing, trials and temptation, but also a place of discovery, a place to confront hunger, danger and fear. It is a place where you will realise that you need God more than food to survive. Indeed, the desert is a place to change priorities and reshape your views, a place to identity your flaws, weaknesses and then be broken, remoulded, equipped, to receive divine revelations and instructions for your divine purpose on earth. It is a place where character is strongly remoulded, where pride and self - sufficiency are erased and replaced with humility and meekness. It's truly a place to learn total dependence and reliance on God, a place where God trains and prepares people for great assignments in life.

In the desert, the devil will tempt you with pride, Deuteronomy 8:2, Number 20:10. In the desert, the devil will tempt you with food, Luke 4:3-4, Deuteronomy 8:3, Genesis 3:6. Because when food is lacking the tendency is to complain even against God, just like the Israelites did in Number 20:1-5. In the desert you will have to cross over a stormy water. Exodus 14:9-16, 2king 2:1, 8, 9, Matthew 8:23-27.

Before the Israelites could reach the Promised Land, they had to deal with hunger, anger, sexual depravity, pride, and curses. Reuben was cursed in Genesis 49:3-4 because of what he did in Genesis 35:22. Though it was Reuben that sinned yet, the curse also spoke against his children, until Moses prayed in the desert "Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few." (Deuteronomy 33:6). While in the desert, seducers lured the Israelites to commit sexual immorality which led to the death of 24,000 Israelites. Numbers 25:1 says "And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab." Many Israelites died because they complained of food. Numbers 11:4 "And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, who shall give us flesh to eat?"

Your wilderness or desert experience could be a shift or change from the comfortable life to the hard and unpleasant life. For example, finding yourself in unexpected danger, problems, or even in prison. It could also be prolonged difficulties, sickness, Joblessness, being lonely or single for long, continuous exam failure, unhappy family, unfruitful marriage, rebellious children, the death of a benefactor or a loved one, divorce, serving or working under a difficult boss. Wilderness or desert experience could also be people fleeing their place of domicile for safety in the face of threat of violence. David fled for his life hiding in the wilderness of Ziph. Elijah also fled from Jezebel to the desert.

God allows some people to go to prison or desert just to preserve them from untimely death. If you truly want to see people with great talent and gifts, just step out into any desert, prison, ghetto etc. Many in this situation often believe that God has abandoned them, not knowing that God is actually polishing and sharpening them for great victories ahead. But because most of them are usually unaware of this, they allow Satan to lure them into prostitution, fraud and other sinful deeds. This is crass lack of vision. Yet, there is always that few that achieve greatness, regardless of how bad Satan may have beguiled them.

The devil always seek to kill everyone with great destiny before the manifestation of their glory, or push them out of the city into the desert or into danger or problem so that they may die prematurely. But many times, God allows it because He want to use the problem to fortify them, so that they will return trained, empowered and equipped to reign. Exodus 4:19 says "And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life". Matthew 2:19-20 says "But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life."

As you go through the desert, here is what the Lord has promised, "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." (Genesis 28:15).

God said in Zephaniah 3:19-20 "Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.''

When Jesus was through in the wilderness, Luke 4:14 tells us that ''Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about". Everyone who knew him initially was amazed, wondering "Isn't this Joseph's son, the one we have known since he was a youngster?''

Most people believe they can make it by themselves, until they fail and realise that they need God to make it. When you realise that you need God to succeed, that's the beginning of success. If you are filled with pride, God will take you through the desert, where you will humbly say Jesus without you I can do nothing. [John 15:5]. But "I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13). Because in the desert you will realise that you can only do the impossible through Christ Jesus. In the desert you will realise your weakness and accept that you need God's strength and grace to succeed. Many times failure prepares people for success. After God has taken you to the wilderness for training, your life can never remain the same.

Before Moses could begin a walk with God he had to turn around, which signifies repentance and also put off his old shoes which also signifies his old attitude, and mind set. Exodus 3:4-5 says "And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."

Acts 7:22-30 says "And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush."

In Exodus 2:12 we read how "Moses looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand." Moses initially thought that he could deliver the Israelites from their oppressors by his own strength, but he failed. Therefore, he had to flee to the desert where God trained him for forty years and prepared him to confront Pharaoh again. In addition, the same Moses, when he returned from the desert, became the meekest person on earth. Numbers 12:3 says "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth."

In the desert, Moses was made to understand that he could not succeed without God. Later in Exodus 3:10-11 God says to Moses ''come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" Moses humanly lacked the courage to face Pharaoh despite the fact that he was a prince, but after he had received power of God, he returned to confront Pharaoh without a hint of fear.

You can never be richer than what God has destined you to be. So you don't have to defraud, engage in money ritual or other ungodly acts to be rich. Jacob did not have to deceive his father nor cheat his brother to be great. God already destined him to be great. That was why Jacob had to spend twenty years in the northern Syrian city of Haran in the desert with Laban because he stole his elder brother's blessings. Jacob said in Genesis 31:38 "This twenty years have I been with thee'' Deuteronomy 32:9-10 says "For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.''

God used twenty years to instruct and train Jacob in order to change his deceptive mindset. Jacob could not live in peace for years because he was afraid that his brother Esau would kill him if he saw him. Even when Jacob ran to Laban their relative, Laban also deceived him; in Genesis 29:25 Jacob said to Laban, "What is this that you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?", In Genesis 31:7 Jacob told his wives "your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God did not allow him to hurt me". Jacob deceived his brother twice but Laban deceived Jacob ten times. Jacob never had rest of mind until he prayed and reconciled with Esau. In Genesis 32:11, Jacob prayed to God saying "Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children." In Genesis 33:4 "Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept."

God also made me pass through the desert of Mali to train me, to test and prepare me for today. You may not really know the importance of water until you find yourself in the desert. Even at sunset everywhere is hot. I used to bleach my skin, but when I found myself in the desert, the intensive heat of the sun darkened my skin back to my original colour. God allowed me to be hungry and destitute. I used to be very proud even cocksure, believing that my talent would take me to places and bring me before great kings. Back then, I placed my confidence on some very wealthy people I knew, but when I needed their help, they all gave me different excuses why they couldn't help me. In other words, they flatly turned me down. Proverbs 21:1 says " The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.'' So, no one can help you expect God touches their heart.

God will never present you to your world until He trains you. When I found myself in the desert, I learned to fully depend on God and trust Him for everything I needed. I was in a country where I could not speak their local nor official language and had no uncle, no friend, brother nor sister. That was when I acknowledged and said "Jesus, my life flows from you; I am hopeless and worthless without you" God stepped in and took over. I used to have a serious problem with anger and I suffered for it even in the desert and learnt to flee from anger. I was also tempted by seducers but God helped me. While in the desert, I encountered different temptations, many even twisted some portions of the Bible, just to lure me into sin. I knew that God keenly watched if I would fall or compromise because He had already given me the power to conquer. The wilderness is a pathway to greatness.

While I was in the desert, many people who were into illegal business mocked and made jest of me. They accused me of being averse to the good life, but I was determined to follow the right path in spite of the thorns and hardship. This was possible because I was once in a dangerous ghetto, the place was home to homosexuals, arm robbers, illegal dealers, prostitutes and every kind of miscreant. A place where you could do whatever you liked without a threat from the police, principally because many of them were also involved. I saw the weak and feeble being oppressed by the strong and notorious ones. Each time they planned to oppress me, God always miraculously prevented it. Thank God, the government eventually destroyed that place. While in the desert, I wrote a song which says ''the star will always shine, the eagle will always fly, anywhere, any time.'' Genesis 41:52 says "For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." Some people advised me to return to my country. They reasoned that I couldn't make it there. They claimed they had been there for decades and could not make it. I refused to agree with them because I was sure that God had his reason for allowing me to be there. I told them, the fact that others didn't make it did not mean I would not make it. The devil never wanted me to leave the desert alive, but God proved Himself, even when I fumbled, God still remained faithful. My _sun_ started to _rise_ in the desert and today I am as bold as a lion because God made me pass through the jungle so that I will be brave and humble. That is why Jesus said "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:4-5). I discovered the essence of my existence while in the wilderness. I asked God why am I here? And the response was "thus saith the LORD of hosts; after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations [which spoiled you:] for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye." (Zechariah 2:8). And God also gave me this scripture in my dream "And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." (Isaiah 58:11). And my dream soared even from that moment in the desert.

After Paul became born again, he was in Arabia, the desert area east and south of Damascus for about three years, where God trained and prepared him for the ministry. Apostle Paul said in Galatians 1:15-18 "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days."

What about David the shepherd boy. Everyone had forgotten him in the field but God did not. God was using that medium to train and prepare him for the future. Remember, he had to fight and defeat a lion, a bear and Goliath before he could wear the crown. He was destined and ordained to be king, but he found himself in a field with his father's sheep. It was while rearing the sheep that he fought and conquered a bear and a lion. This was because God was preparing him to fight and defeat Goliath a fearsome giant that struck terror in the hearts of the entire army of Israel. David said to the king "Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.'' (1 Samuel 17:36), he fought with Goliath and brought him down. Daniel, a man of prayer with a spirit of excellence became prosperous in a land where he was a slave. He was thrown into a den of lions and came out alive. In Daniel 6:22 he said "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you".

God desires to have a relationship with us. Reason why He always reveals his plan for our lives one at a time, so that we can always come back to Him to ask for the next step. If God were to give us all we need in life in one fell swoop, we would never depend on God anymore. God gave Moses power for signs and wonders, but did not heal him of stammering. So dearly Beloved, serving God doesn't mean that you will not experience difficulties. God has a purpose in all things, and has promised to be with you till the very end.

Don't ever despise nor speak against a true servant of God, even if he makes mistakes or because of his past. Deuteronomy 24:9 says "Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.''

Miriam was Moses sister, sent along with Moses and Aaron for a mission. Micah 6:4 says "For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.''

Miriam never believed that God could be angry with her and punish her. In Numbers 12:10, Miriam became leprous, ''as white as snow'' because she spoke against Moses, the man God.

Numbers 26:59 says "And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.''

God said in 1 Chronicles 16:22 ''Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.''

If you have ever spoke evil, or sued to court, or beaten any servant of God, you have put yourself and family members in a big problem. Go and look for them and plead for forgiveness because danger may be coming your way.

2 Peter 2:9-11 says "The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, "and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.''

You may have known or heard of people who did many wicked things like robbing, killing, or engaging in prostitution and other deviant activities, who still are able to live long unscathed and later become saved. It is because God has a purpose that must be fulfilled in their lives. He therefore, keeps them safe by His grace and mercy, until His will is accomplished in them. God will still use them no matter how bad they are or were. God uses people for His glory, regardless of their background, their past or present life. This is what the grace of God is all about.

Most often God uses individuals that everyone feels are inconsequential and unproductive; people that are despised, rejected and cast aside as failures. But God many times, use their flaws to confound the wise and the proud at heart. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 says "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence".

When God saves an armed robber, drug addict, prostitute, cultist, etc He will take time to train them and send them back to preach to their former colleagues. In Acts 10:15, God had to correct Peter when He said what God has cleansed and pronounced good, no one should call unclean, Romans 8:33 also says "Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies." So "Behold, you despisers, marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, A work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you."(Acts13:41).

Moses, who was rejected and despised by his kinsmen because he murdered an Egyptian for their sake, had accused Moses, "Who made you lord over us?'' But Moses finally became lord over them. Exodus 2:13, 14 says "And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion? "Then he said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" So Moses feared and said, "Surely this thing is known". Acts 7:35-36 says "This Moses whom they refused, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge? The same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years".

In Matthew 21:42"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? ". What disqualifies you before men is what qualifies you before God. What you think qualifies you before people is what disqualifies before God. God calls the unqualified and qualifies them. He calls the weak and strengthens them to do the impossible. God chooses the despised and makes them outstanding stars. God does not look at your past or present, rather, he looks at your future. Jacob, Moses, David, even Peter were not qualified yet, God chose them, "Thus says the LORD, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the LORD who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You." (Isaiah 49:7).

Jacob was a deceiver, yet, God still chose him. Moses was a murderer and a stammerer, yet, God used him to do great wonders on a scale the world had never seen before. David was an adulterer, yet, God referred to him as a man after His heart. Peter was a fisherman, an illiterate who even denied Jesus three times yet, our Lord committed His ministry into the hands of Peter as he ascends to heaven, "He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep." (John 21:17). We read in Acts 4:13 that when people saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and ignorant men, they marvelled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

Jephthah was a mighty man of valour but just because he was the son of an harlot, his brethren rejected him. However, when they were in deep trouble, they asked for his help. Judges 11:6-7 "Then they said to Jephthah, "Come and be our commander that we may fight against the people of Ammon." So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father's house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?"

Apostle Paul who was initially known as Saul was a perpetual killer of the followers of Jesus Christ yet, our lord chose him to preach the good news to the gentile world, "Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest "As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." (Acts 9:1,3-5), "But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:16,18).

"Then Zebul said to him, "Where indeed is your mouth now, with which you said, "Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?" Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out, if you will, and fight with them now." So Gaal went out, leading the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. "And Abimelech chased him, and he fled from him; and many fell wounded, to the very entrance of the gate." (Judges 9:38-40).

When the Israelites cried to God for a king and He told Prophet Samuel to anoint Saul as king "but some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace." (1 Samuel 10:27), but after God used Saul to give them a mighty victory, 1 Samuel 11:12-13 explains thus: "Then the people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, "Shall Saul reign over us?" Bring the men, that we may put them to death."

1 Chronicles 15:29 says "And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw king David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart".

Because of that 2 Samuel 6:23 says "Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death" .

No matter how poor you may be, never submit to your wife. Ephesians 5:24 says "Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.'' Therefore, even if your wife is a president, respect her as president whenever you are in her office, but at home, you must always be the one in charge.

No matter what you are going through now "Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off." Proverbs 23:17-18. You must be persistent. If Elisha had not been persistent, his master would never have asked him for his heart's desire. "Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." 2 Kings 2:8-9. This is clearly a lesson in persistence. Each time it seems to you as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel, just soldier on. Keep moving forward, even when discouraged, but trusting God that your breakthrough would come. Know what? It would surely come.

Jeremiah 1:19 says "And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee". Don't run away from your spiritual enemies, fight and overcome them in the name of Jesus Christ. In 1 Kings 19:1-3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life because his enemy Jezebel vowed to cut off his head and he was taken up by a whirlwind into heaven, but when he came back in the spirit of John the Baptist, he was still beheaded by the same spirit of Jezebel that was in Herodias, wife of King Herod. In Matthew 11:13-14, Jesus said "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come". And Mark 6:25-28 says "And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison. And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother". There are three powers that always rise against everyone with great destinies. These are powers from the sea, land and air. Remember, God has given us dominion over them when He created man i.e male and female. Genesis 1:28 says "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have DOMINION over the fish of the SEA, and over the fowl of the AIR, and over every living thing that moveth upon the EARTH". But man lost the dominion because of sin. However, the incomparable love and compassion of God through Jesus Christ redeemed man and all he had lost because of sin. But many Christians do not exercise this authority and dominion that God has given back to us through Christ Jesus. After Jesus suffered, died and resurrected, he said ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO HIM AND AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE HAS GIVEN THE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD. 1 John 5:4-5 says "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God". Christians should be the ones attacking the gate of hell and not wait for the gate of hell to attack them. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18-19 "I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven".

Ephesians 2:2 says "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." The power from air stood against the prayers of Daniel for twenty one days. Daniel 10:12-13 says "Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia". Ephesians 6:12-13 says "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in HIGH PLACES. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand". Psalm 91:5-7, 13 says "Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. "Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet."

Between where you are and the Promised Land, there's a stormy ocean you have to cross. Before the Israelites could reach their Promised Land, they came across it, before Elijah was taken to heaven he came across it, before Elisha received double portion of his master's anointing, he came across it, even our Lord Jesus and his disciples also came across the stormy ocean. The Israelites had to cross over many waters before arriving the Promised Land, Joshua 4:23 says "for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over". So if you are tired of being at Zero level, you need to jump into the ship and cross over to the other side, which is the Hero side, but be certain that there would be a storm. Joshua 1:10-11 says "Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, "Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, "Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess". Luke 8:22-25 says "Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was calm. And he said unto them, where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, what manner of man is this! For he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him". I believe that Jesus wanted to see what his disciples would say when they encountered storm, but all they could say was that THEY WERE PERISHING. When people encounter problems, instead of praying they will be cursing themselves. They fail to realise that God had given them power to walk on the sea. That's why when Peter saw Jesus walking on the sea, he was inspired to do the same and he did.

Marine agents are examples of powers from the sea. They walk around seeking for whom to seduce and If any one dare have sexual intercourse with them, the person's destiny is destroyed; only God can restore such destinies. Revelation 12:9 says "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him". We have to understand that the earth is divided into three parts which are land, air and sea. Satan and his angels were cast out into these three places. We must understand that marine spirits are the fallen angels in the sea. That's why Revelation 12:12 tells us that "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time". That's why just as God warned Adam and Eve about the forbidden fruit. God has reasons for each commandment or instruction He gives us, though we may not understand, but we just have to obey. God knows what is best for us. In Genesis 1:29-31, after God finished the work of creation, He heartily declared that everything he'd made was good. But in Leviticus 11:7 God warned man not to eat swine because it was unclean, why? Because of sin. Little wonder God also warned the mother of Samson not to eat any unclean thing- Judges 13:4, 7, 14. This was because the child was a special star with a special assignment. Again in Matthew 8:28-32, we see Jesus about to cast out demons from two possessed men, but the demons begged Him to send them into a herd of swine. Why swine? Because swine are unclean animals.

Many former Satan worshippers have confessed that they are responsible for most of the earrings, hair attachments, eyes lashes, artificial nails that many people use today. They also claim that once people put this on, they automatically invite demons into their lives. This is probably a major reason why people find themselves having sexual intercourse in their dreams.

Do you know that you each time you masturbate, commit fornication, adultery, or have sexual intercourse in your dream, something precious is taken from you? Why? Your virtues, glory, fortunes, riches etc are stored in your semen; this is why many do not excel, marry or have a stable marriage. Satan will do anything to make sure men masturbate, either by watching pornography, reading erotic books or magazines, fornication, adultery or practising homosexuality, either physically or in their dreams. Why do you think almost all movies, musical videos, TV Adverts, produced today have contents that will stimulate your sexual hormones? There are many music channels today that will never play any music video without a naked lady. Genesis 3:21 says "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." Question is, why have many women the world over, gradually, albeit dramatically, morphed from being decently dressed to wearing very revealing attires almost anywhere in public? Many more even eagerly dress to kill by showing off their cleavage everywhere they go. So, why reveal that which God covered? Avoid dressing skimpily or watching erotic programmes on TV, it's a sure route to hell. That's why Ephesians 6:14 tells us to "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness". What is loin? If you watch movies based on ancient Roman soldiers, you will notice that they always guide their private parts because that is the most important part of the body. So if you want to excel and live long, guide your loin.

The Bible tells us that human beings are made in God's image. Now, how do we know God's real image? Just look at a new born baby, that's the real image of God. Which means whenever we begin to add anything artificial to our image like tattoo, bleaching our skin etc, we are changing our original image. We are telling God that what He made is not good enough. After the fall of man, God directed man to only add things like clothes, shoes, socks, hats and ties to our image. Genesis 3:21 says "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." Ezekiel 24:23 says "And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet"

Many women have been in bondage for years until they removed their hair attachment, A lady bought a new weave on, and wore it, only to discover a few days later that maggots were all over her head eating deep into her brain. Do you know where the attachment on your hair came from? Many are from the sea. Many poor ladies who also cut their hair to sell often make enchantment against anyone who will buy the hair. Your head or your hair signifies your glory. 1 Corinthians 11:15 says "If a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her:". Long hair here is not talking about attachment but your natural hair. That's why when Delilah shaved Samson's hair, his power and glory vanished. Matthew 10:30 "the very hairs of your head are all numbered". If you ever dream of someone scraping your hair, it means they have tampered with the glory of your star. Long ago I dreamt of someone scraping my hair and someone else also had the same dream about me. I suffered severely that period and a pastor called me one day and asked me "Didn't you dream that someone scraped your hair?" I replied "yes sir" He went into intensive prayers to restore my glory. Many salons, both hair and barbing salons pack the hair of their customers and sell to the occult who in turn, make diabolic use of it.

Jeremiah 4:30 says "And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life."

In many riverine areas, someone will always die in the water at a particular month of the year. And so, most people living in the riverine areas always offer sacrifices to the powers from sea. Isaiah 18:1-2 says "Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!". Ezekiel 26:16-17 says "Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee. And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it!". Revelation 12:14-15 says "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a FLOOD after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the FLOOD". But God has promised us in Isaiah 59:19 saying ''When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him".
Ezekiel 27:32-34 says "What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea? When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall." A friend told me how he saw a woman coming out from the sea and stood by the road waving for a man to pick her up. Sadly, there was a man who could not control himself whenever he saw a beautiful lady. One day, he picked up a lady by the roadside and took her home, but while having sex with her, she changed to a goat. The guy started screaming but the goat changed back to a woman and commanded him to keep quiet and continue the frolicking. He did, and the lady turned to a fish and eventually disappeared. The guy was no longer normal, until he was taken to a church for a deliverance. Isaiah 27:1 says "In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea".

Have you not observed that many people always sleep in church during the preaching? It happened to me for many years till I discovered that it was a spiritual problem. This is the handiwork of Satan because he knows that the word of God is powerful and anyone who hears, obeys and acts on the word of God cannot be controlled by him. Hebrews 4:12 says "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The more you listen to the undiluted Word of God and allow it to pierce and shape you, the more powerful, and equipped you become. That's why Matthew 7:24-25 says "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock ".This is because _we_ know that at the name of Jesus, every knee must bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth". Luke 10:17-19 says "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through THY NAME. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you". Haggai 2:6-8 says "For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts". So you have to pray for God to shake the sea, land and air for your sake.

CHAPTER THREE

DON'T BE AFRAID, NOR COMPLAIN

The principal sin that always makes people destined for greatness to end their journey in the desert without ever seeing the sunrise or the limelight is complaining or murmuring. In the eyes of God, it is a most egregious sin. Complaining is not good and can never produce any positive result. In fact, it is a wholly destructive sin. There is always a well of water in the desert to sustain everyone, but it is only the thankful that will see the oasis or well of water. Genesis 21:19 says "And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.''

So no matter how rough and discouraging the journey to the top, please never grumble against God nor curse God. Numbers 21:4-6 says "And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died."

If you want to be a champion, expect thorns and scorpions on the pathway to greatness. There was a wall of Jericho hindering the Israelites from entering their Promised Land until they praised God and the wall fail down flat.

Malachi 2:2 says If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.''

One of the biggest things that hinder people from achieving their dreams and aspirations in life is fear. Luke 1:45 says "And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord". Fear is a deadly spear in the hand of the devil. He uses it to hinder and destroy great destinies. The Bible tells us that "God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." People are afraid and ashamed of what others will say if they do the right thing, but are very proud to do wrong because they want to appear important and look good to others. If only you can despise shame, you will surely reach the heights that others cannot reach. Hebrews 12:2 says "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, DESPISING THE SHAME, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God''. In 2 Timothy 4:7 Apostle Paul said "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:'' He boldly declared this because he was "not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:" (Romans 1:16).

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6). "Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief." (Matthew 13:58). Fear is the greatest hindrance to people's visions and aspirations. Your belief determines your strides, actions, and the height you will attain in life. If you don't believe in your dreams, no one will. Fear is the opposite of belief, that is why Jesus said severally "Do not be afraid; only believe, " (Luke 8:50, Mark 5:36).

Never allow anyone to deceive you that your dreams are too big to be achieved. Most local celebrities were destined to be global celebrities, but they limited themselves by doubt and fear. There's no height you can't reach, if you work hard and believe. Many people have wonderful dreams and aspirations but they cannot reach out to achieve them because they are afraid of one thing or the other.

About two million Israelites including men, women and children left Egypt, the land of slavery enroute to the Promised Land, but only two of them who were above twenty years got to the land that flows with milk and honey. Others died on the way and only their children eventually entered. They saw the mighty power of God in miracles, signs and wonders repeatedly, yet they doubted if God was really able to lead them to the Promised Land. They never reached the Land. God said in Numbers 14:21-23 "But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:"

Numbers 14:29 -31 says ''Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me. Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I swear to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised."

Psalm 78:41 says "Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." What you don't believe you can't receive, except God decides to show you mercy.

"Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, "Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead. And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained." (Judges 7:3). "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6). "But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe." (Jude 1:5). "Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of those things which were told her from the Lord." (Luke 1:45). The Bible said of Abraham that "He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." (Romans 4:20-22).

There is a height of greatness God has prepared for you, but you have to prepare yourself for it.

The road to success is rough and stony so Satan will always offer you an option to sin and deviate in order to escape the challenges and trials on the way. Although there was a road that could take the Israelites only a few days to the Promised Land, but they could encounter severe battle on the way and God knew that they would be afraid and return to sin and slavery, so God took them through the desert.

Exodus 13:17-18 says "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt".

There is no star you can't reach. You can become the hero of your dream if only you work hard and believe. You will surely get there someday, even if you have a poor background. Yes, the journey to stardom is no child's play. It is not a bed of roses, it is hard and tough, but Jesus can be your help, your strength and shield, if you ask him to. "But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." (Matthew 8:26).

Never allow the spirit of fear to flourish in your heart. God's plan is for your faith to activate His promises for your life while the devil needs your fear to hinder God's promises and purpose for your life. "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." (Mark 11:24). The moment you start seeing the obstacles between you and your Promised Land as giants and yourself as a grasshopper, you will lose your faith and faint on the way. So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing because of fear? Come on, rise up and make hay while the sun shines, because "He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame" Proverbs 10:5, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven, A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted" Ecclesiastes 3:1-2. Isaiah 12:2-3 also encourages us "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid; "For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation." Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. People may not embrace your dreams nor buy your ideas now but as long as you are following God's blueprint for your life, tracing the beacon, beloved, your victory is certain. You cannot reach the Promised Land or attain great heights with fear and doubt; Exodus 14:10-12 says "And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. Then they said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, "Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness". What you don't conceive in your mind and believe can never come into existence or reality. A man's strength does not lie in his physique, nor muscle but in his heart. If you cannot win in your heart then you can never win physically. When Goliath came against the Israelites, all the men of Israel saw him and fled; very scared, but David boldly confronted Goliath. Obviously, no one believed David could conquer the giant, but David believed in God and himself. Neither King Saul nor David's own elder brothers gave him a fighting chance. His brothers even looked down on him, not knowing that greater was He that was in David than he that controlled Goliath.

"Now Eliab his oldest brother, heard him speak to the men, and Eliab's anger aroused against David and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and insolence of your heart; for you have come down to see the battle "And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause? "And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. "Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth." (1 Samuel 17:28, 29, 33, 42, 43, 49). Philippians 2:13 tells us that "it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." So you must be persistent, consistent and passionate about your dreams, your vision and aspiration because persistence produces achievement, excellence and fulfilment. For instance, when I started singing in the choir, many will shut me up saying I was making noise but I never gave up. I persisted in spite of the inconveniences but today, what was noise yesterday is now pleasurable to many. Many are gifted with beautiful voices and really want to show people what they can do, but they are afraid to get on stage, afraid to face the crowd.

Before my musical explosion, I had participated in several competitions but was unceremoniously evicted many, many times, yet I refused to be intimidated because I knew where I was headed. Today, millions watch me on television because I followed my dream and I give God all the glory for divine inspiration. I still clearly recall the weary days on the street, the pain, and sometimes the frustration that was ever present. I never really thought I could become a celebrity. It was not easy, but I refused to be lazy and endured the heat and the disappointments. Now everywhere, people struggle for my CDs, because my vibes are not flimsy but inspired by the Holy Spirit. But you have to be determined because many will envy your glory because behind every victory there is always a story of misery.

Your dreams, your ideas, and vision that people ignore and reject today, may be embraced tomorrow. When they see your consistency and passion, they may ultimately become your ardent supporters. Everyone that is being appreciated, celebrated, or cherished today were once ignored, rejected and seen as mistakes, but today, they are held in high esteem. This is why you must learn to fly in the face of rejection, discouragement, opposition and fear.

The only reason why people are afraid of death or any other thing in life is because they don't fear God. If you have no fear of God, many things in life will frighten you. But if you fear God, even the devil will be afraid of you. The only fear you should entertain is the fear of the Lord, because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. Jude 1:5 says "I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.''

Psalms 25:12 to 14 says "What man is he that feareth the LORD? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant". Psalms 112:1, 3 says "Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD that delighteth greatly in His commandments. Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever".

Each new level requires a new test, when you express faith and resist fear, you will always succeed, but when you express fear, you will face defeat.

Psalms 27:1-2 says "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.''

Through faith many heroes subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, saw opportunities in their disabilities and turned what was meant to be a disadvantage to advantage. They stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, they became valiant in battle, and turned to flight the armies of the aliens. You can never achieve all these with doubt and fear. James 1:5-7 says " If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."

Many people are complaining about their location, and are relocating without asking God for direction. Reason why they almost always end up in disgrace, and are ashamed to return home, because their juniors would have gone far ahead of them. In Genesis 13:10 Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that Sodom and Gomorrah was very fertile and well-watered: a truly flourishing land, and so decided to relocate there. But he never knew that he would suffer loss and be kidnapped in the land which would eventually be destroyed. Genesis 14:11-12 says "And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed". That's why Proverbs 14:12 says "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death".  You have to be at the right place at the right time. Psalms 37:23 says ''The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighted in his way.'' There was a young man who has been singing in a very big church for many years, yet, there had been no recognition nor blessing for him financially. The day the general overseer of that church came into the country, God instructed him to bless the young singer. So, he called out the young singer while preaching, but he was nowhere to be found. Many people tried to reach him on phone but he was very far away. That was how the young man missed his blessing. Don't relocate without seeking God's presence for direction. There is a way which seems right to people, but the end thereof is destruction. Genesis 26:1-3, 13 says "And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I swear unto Abraham thy father; Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great.''

There was a pastor in West Africa who had served God for many years, but when religious terrorists began to kill Christians in that region, he and his family decided to flee from the country. Ironically, while running away, they met the same terrorist group who demanded that they either renounce and deny Jesus and live, or hold on to Jesus and die. The pastor chose to renounce his faith and deny Jesus, but not so his wife, who vowed, never to deny Jesus. In a strange twist of fate, the terrorist group killed the pastor and set the woman free. Where do you think the man is now? Hell or heaven?

Matthew 10:28, 39 says "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it". Proverbs 3:25-26 says "But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled". Proverbs 3:25-26 says "Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught".

Even if you are a pastor, bishop, prophet or evangelist, but deny Jesus Christ due to threats from terrorists, family, or spouse and die without asking Jesus for forgiveness, He will also deny you entry into heaven. Remember before the denial, Peter knew and accepted Jesus Christ. Peter said in Matthew 16:16 ''Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." and John 6:67-69 says "Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God". But Luke 22:31-32 says "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren". Many people have served God for years but due to opposition, suffering, poverty, and myriad of problems, they turned back. Ezekiel 18:24 says "But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die." Jesus said in Matthew 10:33 "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven". I believe that is one of the reasons in Matthew 7:22-23 Jesus said "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity".

1 John 4:18 says "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love". Matthew 10:28 says "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell''. So don't be afraid of opposition, people's opinion, failure, or even death. And if you fail, brace up and try again. Always have it in mind that on your way to greatness you will encounter wolves who will resist you from getting to your goal. Therefore, be strong and put on the shield of faith. Jeremiah 48:44 says "He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit ''.

Isaiah 51:7-8 says "fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation."

The devil always uses those things that people fear to torment them. Why are you serving God today? If God stops blessing you, would you still continue to serve God? Job truly feared and loved God, but Satan perceived that Job was also afraid of losing his children and wealth. Therefore, Satan thought that if Job was stripped of his children and wealth, he may just curse and die. God gave the devil access to tempt Job, and he immediately attacked Job's children and wealth, that is why Job said in Job 3:25 "For the thing which I greatly fear has come upon me, and that of which I am afraid has befallen me." But he never stopped praising God. There is always a great blessing after each storm, if only we would not , the blessings that would follow would make us forget all our pain. Before every breakthrough, there must be storms and obstacles, so whenever you are surrounded by storm of difficulties, it means there is a great opportunity within your reach. There are times things may be so difficult that you may not have money for food or have a place to lay your head, I have squatted in churches. Yes, there was even a time I used to sleep in a food canteen after they finish the business of the day. Sometimes, they may not close till 1 am long after mid night, but nonetheless, I kept my hope and dreams alive, confessing that I was a great blessing and wonder to this generation, many mocked and laughed me to scorn, but I never gave up. Therefore, hold on to hope, don't give up, and fight for your place in history.

All things are possible to those who believe. Matthew 17:19-20 says ''Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Deuteronomy 20:3, 4 says ''let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.''

Many stars die when they are about to be celebrated. The most challenging and difficult moment in life is when people are about to emerge as heroes, superstars or celebrities. This is the moment most people often give up or doubt, or faint. Some even die just before their big break! The fire becomes hottest when the polished and finest diamond is about to come out. The darkest hour of the night is the last hour before the dawn.

When your blessings and breakthrough are fast approaching, your struggles will be double. And if satanic agents try to attack or kill you and realize that you're prayerful or too strong for them, they may attack your next of kin who becomes the victim if not prayerful.

Israelites were slaves of Pharaoh. When it was time for their emancipation, God sent Moses to tell them He had heard their cry and would bring them out of the affliction of Egypt into a land that flowed with milk and honey. When Pharaoh heard about God's intention, he tremendously increased their work load. Pharaoh said in Exodus 5:9 "Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words". The edge of breakthrough is the most challenging and difficult moment in life, this is the moment most people born to be heroes or champions, die or give up. Some others may just succumb to doubt, misbehave, or lose their benefactor. Moses misbehaved when he was about to enter the Promised Land, Peter would have successfully walked on the sea but he doubted when he almost reached Jesus.

When Jesus was about to fulfil his purpose on earth, the journey became so tough, and difficult. Jesus said in Matthew 26:38 "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.''

The Bible in Matthew 26:39 tells us "And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

Nehemiah 8:10 says "for the joy of the LORD is your strength". Learn to avoid anyone who makes you sad, or discourages you. Tactically avoid people who make you feel that you can't make it in your chosen profession, or create fear in you whenever around you. Whatever upsets you and take away your joy will take away your strength and you can't triumph without joy or strength, Isaiah 12:3 says "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." When you lack joy, it affects everything around you. Joel 1:12 says "The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.''

The only way to come out of challenges of life or overcome the storm on the cusp of breakthrough is praise.

Even God does not listen to complainers. Deuteronomy 20:8 says "And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart."

No matter how difficult life may be, if only you can find reasons to be grateful and joyful, God will come to your rescue.

Psalms 51:8 says "Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.''

Proverbs 15:23 ''A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!''

Joel 1:12 "The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.''

No matter how strong you think you are, a moment will come when your strength would fail. At such times, basic things like praying, talking or even walking become an herculean task. All you need at such times is God's mercy. If you think that you can help yourself, then God wouldn't bother to interfere. When it seems to be end sing and remind God of His mercy and goodness and He will step down to make you reign. In the Bible we read how three nations joined forces to make war on Jehoshaphat King of Judah and the whole country united in seeking God's help - they came from all the cities of Judah to pray to God saying "O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee." 2 Chronicles 20: 12. And verse 21-22 told us "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth forever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

John 1: 29-30 says "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me." Suddenly John the Baptist the respected prophet whose food was honey found himself in the prison and Matthew 11: 2-4, 6 says "Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." When you are offended you become defend less. Since John the Baptist was offended and couldn't give praise to his heavenly father, Herod's daughter decided to danced and pleased his earthly father, and the head of John the Baptist was given to her. Matthew 14: 10 -11, told us that King Herod the tetrarch sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel. John the Baptist was offended with God and was beheaded.

After a while Paul and Silas were also thrown in the prison Acts 16: 25-26, told us "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed." The way out of every prison of life is praise, complaining will only worsened the situation.

No matter the pain you are experiencing today, God deserves your praise. Many destinies have been terminated in the midst of the fire or the desert because of complaints and grumblings and needless fear and doubt, Numbers 11:1 says "And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp".

Many fail to realise that before every breakthrough, there will always be storms and obstacles. They wonder how eagles fly so effortlessly high in the sky but do not realise that they could also fly in their chosen professions. Many do not just believe and so, wouldn't fly nor try enough. When in the midst of a storm, they cry and grumble. So much unlike the eagle. The eagle never complains, rather, it naturally and skilfully exploits the billowing stormy wind and glides over and above the menacing tempest. Don't fear the storm, it's only there to remind you that you are about to become a champion. And if you refuse to grumble and quit, know for sure that everything will blossom after the storm. Kindly take time to watch the American football match. You will notice that while a player is with the ball, the audience or viewers will be cheering while the opponent will pursue, surround and attack the player in order to get the ball from him. Nobody will attack a player until he is with the ball. The attack becomes more ferocious when the player is about to make a score. If your star is not shining, no one will attack you nor celebrate you. The Bible tells us about how Jesus was walking on the sea and Peter asked Him ''If you are truly the one, bid me to come to you on the water'' and Jesus told him to come and he also walked on the sea toward Jesus "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and began to sink, then he cried, saying, Lord, save me." Peter began to sink because he took his eyes off Jesus and became afraid. Hebrews 12:2 says "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Peter walked on water as a result of the Word of Jesus Christ. As long as you're walking in line with the will and word of God for your life, you can never sink except you begin to fear and doubt God's words for your life. This means that whatever God has promised you, please don't doubt it, no matter how impossible it may seem, God will surely do it if you believe.

King David said in Psalms 71:9 ''forsake me not when my strength faileth.'' Jesus came for His own, but His own did not receive Him, rather they despised and rejected Him. He was bound to carry a heavy cross because of our sins. At a point Jesus cried "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.'' Matthew 26:39. Yet, Jesus allowed himself to be humiliated and afflicted with pain and agony all alone, "about the ninth hour on the cross He cried out with a loud voice, saying, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?". Beloved, can you grasp the truth that even the almighty God forsook his precious and only begotten Son because He bore the sin of the whole world? God is too holy to behold sin, Habakkuk 1:13 says "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity". God had to take his eyes off Jesus at that moment, but our Lord persisted and did not give up. Therefore, to finish this race successfully with a beautiful smile on your face, you need God's grace. Why? Because you will encounter pain, obstacles and discouragement on the way. Many strong and mighty ones have fallen- they thought the race was for the swift, and the battle for the strong. As anointed and powerful as Moses was, he could not enter into the Promised Land, neither could he lead the Israelites into it.

So beloved take a step,

Don't be afraid nor dismayed,

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way.

Before my breakthrough, many said I was making noise. But deep in my soul, I knew someday the world would hear my voice. Moving from one radio station to another to air my demo, but many said NO until I pay for the airplay. So for years, I was running promo, yet, no one heard my demo until God stepped in and transformed me from a Zero to a Hero. Now on radio across the globe, they play my songs. So you do not have to wonder if discouragement is normal. Wake up from your slumber and sleep no longer. Never allow offenders to put your dreams asunder, even if they strike out at you like a peal of thunder repeatedly, always remember champions never surrender. That you are young or tender does not matter: just hold on to your dream. You may even go to sleep with hunger, do not worry, tomorrow will be better. Reach for the star NOW, even if it seems so far away!

Everything that will ever look beautiful must go through an ugly process. There is no victory without a battle. Satan is the ultimate deceiver. He always seeks to pass across a message to the unwary and ignorant: that God is unloving and unkind. So he brings problems, trials, poverty, sickness, bareness and so on across your way to make you think wrong and then tempt you to complain, deny Jesus, curse yourself, curse God and eventually die. That's why Satan asked God for permission to destroy all that Job had and that Job would curse God. Thankfully, in spite of all the trials, Job never cursed God. Satan then launched deeper and said to God in Job 1:10-11 "Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face". God granted Satan's request and Satan destroyed all that Job had. And Job said in Job 13: 15 though God slay me, yet will I trust in Him. But notice Job's response in Job 2:9-10 "Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips".

Some women are craftily intelligent, so, every wise husband should always prayerfully consider the opinions of their wives before making a decision. Job's wife told Job to curse God and die. Eve made Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. Abram's wife Sarai told Abram to have sex with their maid and Abram agreed, which led to the birth of Ishmael. This not only led to Sarai being despised by her maid, but also the ever lingering strive between the seed of the maid and seed of Sarai till today. God said of Ishmael in Genesis 16:12 that "he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. And Genesis 25:16, 18 says "These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria:"

Today, the descendants of Ishmael have migrated to different parts of the world and are often found in the northern parts of many countries, especially, in the desert areas. They often lack access to good education, and many wealthy people who want to cause violence often brainwash them and use them to carry out their operations. This is why rebels always strike from the northern part of many countries. Jeremiah 1:14 says "Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land." Go on the internet and search where, and who, are the descendants of Ishmael today, you will find out that all the countries where the descendants of Ishmael occupy are always at war.

Some women after experiencing barrenness for a period, subject themselves and their husbands to occultic powers like shamans, native doctors and other demonic forces which has led to the destruction of many lives and homes. 1 Kings 21:25 says "But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up". 1 Timothy 2:14 says "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression".

CHAPTER FOUR

GLORY DIMINISHERS

Many are so gifted and talented, but nothing good seems to work in their life. This is because their star has been tampered with, and thereby diminishes their chances of coming to limelight.

Once you glory (star) is strip off, your crown will taken off from you. Job 19: 9, says "He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.

Stars everywhere are either being cheered or criticized. People will always find one reason or the other to adulate them or attack them. Being a star has nothing to do with your education, stature, skin colour, background or geographical location. When it is time for your star to shine, you will be located regardless of your situation or position in life. You may be a farm hand, a prisoner or just pining away in a desert, your star would lift you up for all to see and be celebrated. Except if your star has been hijacked by Satanic Star Gazers through a few methods I will explain as you read on. Have you not heard or seen people who came from a poor background or fellows who were in prison become presidents, governors, ministers, queens and kings? Ecclesiastes 4:14 says "For he comes out of prison to be king, although he was born poor in his kingdom".

Your greatness in life depends on your glory i.e. the magnificence of your star. Psalms 49:16 says ''one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;''

It doesn't matter who you are, where you are, if you truly have a star, kings and presidents will look for you wherever you may be, even if you're in the desert or living in a mud house, God will still locate you and take you to the palace. 1 Chronicles 17:7 says "Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:''

Matthew 2:1-2 says ''Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Isaiah 60:1, 3 says "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising".

This means that you have to pray for the manifestation of God's promises that you have received either through dreams, visions, prophecies or the Bible. 1 Timothy 1:18 says '' according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightiest war a good warfare".

There are different types of stars based on their magnificence. Everyone is born with a star, but some stars shine brighter than others. Some people's stars can only shine within a country, while others can shine beyond many borders and countries. Many musicians are so gifted, but are only famous within their various countries. Jeremiah was a prophet to the nations, God said to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5 ''before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the NATIONS."

1 Corinthians 15:41 says "There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory".

Here is a profound truth: those who hate stars never become stars, and those who hate people because of their stars always end up begging.

The Bible tells us about Joseph's star in Genesis 37:9-11"And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, what is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him;"

Jacob had twelve children, each one with their stars but all the eleven stars bowed for the star of Joseph, which means that the star of Joseph was more magnificent than the others. When the time came and Joseph's star shone forth, all his brothers had no choice but to bow to him. Genesis 41:57 says "And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.''

And Joseph told his brothers in Genesis 45:13; ''and ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.'' Joseph's brothers were also born to be stars, but they ended up being servants because they hated Joseph for his star. Genesis 50:18 says "And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.''

The star or glory of a man is like a beautiful flower.

It is universally loved and admired, never to be rejected. 1 Peter 1:24 says "all the glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away".

Matthew 6:28-29 says "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.''

A plant without a blossoming flower will not attract attention nor admiration, so it is with anyone without a shiny star. It will not attract attention nor admiration. For a flower to bloom and flourish, it needs good nutrients i.e. good soil and water. Likewise for your star to shine, you need strength [power] and good foundation. Flowers can fade away, flowers can be attacked by insects and parasites.

We are all born with stars which are glorious in their own distinctive way. Each star only differs from or surpasses another in its brilliance. You cannot achieve any good thing in life without having a glory / star. Your star or glory attracts God's presence into your life, it attracts attention, admiration, favour, criticism, troubles etc. When you have a mighty star or glory, Satan will also seek to do everything possible to use you, so that others could worship him through you. He will work on your predilection for hubris, a basic human nature, by making you feel you are more important and superior to everyone else. He will tempt you to indulge in sin and thereby steal your glory. This is true because when a person perpetually indulges in sin, ultimately, the person's star, glory, honour or fame would transform to shame and the person would begin to experience all manner of difficulties in life. Hosea 4: 7 says "As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame." Just like when the glory of our first parents Adam and Eve departed and they were driven out of paradise (Eden) into a land of suffering and stress in Genesis 3.Also, when the glory of Samson departed in Judges 16, his eyes and strength were taken away from him, likewise, when the glory of Israel departed in 1 Samuel 4:22 "And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken".

Whenever a person's glory is hijacked or delayed from manifesting, Satan would many times convince the persons concerned to trade their souls for a great star. They would be beguiled and would not know that it is the same star Satan stole from them that he's now returning. The only snag is that their souls are now totally in the hands of the devil.

The occult is very powerful. The devotees sometimes are able to seize the glory or star of people with a promising future. They may even be able to cage the stars of children and astonishingly those of unborn babies who are still in their mother's wombs. The door to this evil may have been flung open by the sins of their parents. It is therefore necessary to pray for God to restore your original glory. Hosea 9:11 says "As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception." John 17:5 says "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was".

Jehoshaphat cried to God in 2 Chronicles 20:11-12 saying "Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.''

Job 20:15 says "He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.''

There are people with occultic powers who are able to see the glory or star of others ahead of the owners. Some would like what they see, others would become envious and do everything to diminish, tarnish or destroy the star. As soon as Joseph's brothers knew the meaning of Joseph's dreams, they planned to kill him because they could see his greatness ahead, Genesis 37:18-20 says "And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams". Acts 7:9 says "And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him".

If it were not for God's intervention, Joseph's brothers, out of envy, would have killed Joseph without knowing that he would be their benefactor in the future and would have all suffered and died of starvation. In Genesis 45:7 Joseph said to his brothers "God sent me before you to PRESERVE YOU a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance".

Even the wise men saw the star of Jesus far from the east and came to present him gifts but on their way, they met King Herod who told them that as soon as they found the child, they should let him know: what was he going to do or give to the child? He was planning to kill the child, but thank God, an angel appeared to the wise men and told them never to return to King Herod. The angel also told Joseph and Mary to flee with the child to another country, but when King Herod realised that the wise men did not return to tell him the where about of the child, he angrily sought the total destruction of all children below two years in his kingdom. Can you see the length a glory _Diminisher_ can go just to destroy the stars of others? That is why you will see many in the occult: witches, wizards and so on destroy their own children, wives, husbands and parents for fame and riches. Many a times there are people that must repent before you can reign or die before you can shine. Matthew 2: 20; says "Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. Exodus 4: 19 says "And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life".

2 Thessalonians 1: 6; says "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you". The Israelites were to only spend 400 years in the land of captivity but the enemy never released them until they cried unto God after 430 years. Genesis 15: 13, says "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years." God said in Exodus 3: 9; "Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them." Moses did all he could but Pharaoh refused to released them, Psalms 105:36-37 told us that God had to smote all the firstborn in that land, the first fruits of their virile powers before Pharaoh could released the Israelites. The devil doesn't have any good plan for you.

Many children were born with a great star but their parents allow death to terminate their lives at a very tender age. Matthew 2:13 says "the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him".

Proverbs 21:10 ''the soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.''

Sometimes ago, a woman delivered a child not far from our neighbourhood and many people came around to felicitate with the new mother. Many had good intention but the woman's elder sister was a witch and came with two other witches just to hijack the glory of the child. After giving the mother gifts, the first witch carried the baby in her hands, singing and playing with the baby. Unknown to the mother, she had taken half of the child's glory, the second witch also carried the baby and took away the remaining glory. But when it was the turn of the third witch, she realised that there was nothing left for her and became incensed, feeling like throwing the baby on the ground. To her, the baby was useless. It was just like a empty beautiful can. The mother, sensing something was wrong quickly took her child back and asked what the matter was. Angrily, she spilled the beans on her two friends and sang like a canary. It was a stunning moment. The people present responded on impulse and threatened to kill the witches if they did not return the baby's stolen glory. They promptly did. If the witches had gone away with their steal, even if the parents were to send the child to the best school in the world; the child would still never have made it in life; except by divine intervention.

Many parents ignorantly invite satanic agents to attack their children's stars by announcing to people that their children are very brilliant, smart, intelligent or when they foolishly advertise "how my children bought me these, and bought me that" etc. If you pray fervently, God can hide your star and your children's stars from evil eyes. Matthew 11:25 says "At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. ''If the devil had known that Jesus came to redeem the world, he would not have crucified Jesus. John 1:10 says "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not". That's why Jesus repeatedly told his disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Son of God until He ascended back to heaven. Mark 8:30 says "And he charged them that they should tell no man of him". Mark 9:9 says ''And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead".

Jesus said that "you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. ''Many live in fear and bondage and suffer needlessly today, because they lack knowledge, Joshua 1:8 says "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success". The little I know today is derived from God's word, Proverbs 24:4 says "By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches".

Glory _diminishers_ are stubborn enemies of progress. If you do not brace up, fight and defeat them with prayers, they will never let go until they put you six feet below, Proverbs 4:16 says "For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall''.

Anyone who joins a cult, must be ready to offer as sacrifice the person they love most. That means the person so offered must be killed by the cult. You may regret your actions afterward, but the person is dead and gone. In Matthew 27:3-5 After Judas Iscariot had betrayed and delivered Jesus to be crucified and he saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. He regretfully confessed" I have sinned, by betraying innocent blood." But the evil people replied Judas "What is that to us? Nothing! That's your problem, your responsibility" And Judas went and hanged himself. This is still happening every day. Remember Satan told man that he would become wiser after eating the forbidden fruit, but man became a fool, full of troubles after eating the forbidden fruit. Acts 23:12-13 tells us that "some Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy.'' The Egyptians never gave up pursuing the Israelites until they were drowned in the Red sea. Exodus 14:23, 28 says "And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them".

Everyone is born with a star or glory, but the devil always tries to diminish or delay the glory from shining. However, since the devil is a spirit and does not have a corporeal body to express himself, he's always looking for human or animal bodies to possess and carry out his operations, Matthew 8:28 -32 tells us how Jesus met two men possessed by demons coming from the tombs and were so violent that no one could pass that way but when the demons saw Jesus they shouted "Have you come to torture us before the appointed time?" and some distance from them was a herd of pigs feeding, and the demons begged Jesus, that "If you drive us out from these men, please, send us into the pigs" and Jesus said "Go!" and they came out trying to go into the pigs, but the pigs ran violently into the sea and died there. Can you see that even pigs, the dirtiest of animals would not have demons live in them, but would rather die? Yet, many today brag about being possessed by demons while eagerly using such powers to diminish or delay the stars of others from shining. It is unusual for a woman to be pregnant for one year, two years or even more. People do not realize that the reason for such incongruity in many cases, is demonic affliction. It is a practise whereby occult denizens fired up by the devil, seek to prevent such babies from being born because it has an outstanding glory.

Even many of the famous prophets working miracles today are sorcerers. If they place their hand on your forehead, they have taken your virtues and star. Acts 8:9-11 says "But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries". Acts 13:6 says" And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus."

God finished the work of creation in six days and rested on the seventh day. He declared that everything he created was good; and evil was clearly absent. However, God gave human beings the power and ability to also be creative. This is why great inventions and outstanding discoveries in medicine, science and technology have been the hallmark of the human creative endowments. Sadly, at some point, human creativity veered off a tangent, to the dark side, churning out wicked and evil inventions that are not pleasing to God. Ecclesiastes 7:29 says "Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. Psalms 106:29 says "They provoked him to anger with their inventions. Genesis 6:5-6 says ''And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.''

In Isaiah 34:16, God tells us to "search from the book of the LORD, and read: No one of these shall fail; No one shall lack her mate. For my mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them.'' God also promised us in Exodus 23:26 that no one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren, that He will fulfil the number of our days. In Deuteronomy 7:14-15 God said "Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness."

No parent in their right mind will want their children to suffer or be barren, etc. Therefore "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:11). 2 Peter 1:3,9 says "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." The book of Jeremiah 29:11 also echoes the promise of God to us "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end". But "Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee." (Deuteronomy 8:5). But due to sin we have fallen short of our original glory. If a mad woman who walks barefooted on the street, eating junks from the waste bin could be impregnated by a normal human being, then no woman ought to find it difficult to get married except her glory has been attacked. Some will rationalize why they are not married: wrong height, wrong shape, wrong background, wrong colour and so on. Now are they the only ones with such perceived negativity? Are the above mentioned truly negative constraints to getting married? I think not. Or is the mad woman better than them?

In the beginning of creation there was no hell fire, Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Hell fire came into existence after Lucifer sinned against God. Hell fire was not meant for mankind, Matthew 25:41 says " Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:''

Man decided to follow Satan to hell when man disobeyed God and obeyed Satan.

All Satan wanted before his down fall was to be like God. He said "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High." Isaiah 14:14, but he was utterly cast down. But Satan also desired for man to be likewise cast down and separated from God. Now, man was created in His very image and likeness of God with dominion power over the works of God's hands; and all things were put under his feet, including the devil. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Genesis 1:28. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Genesis 2:17. Psalms 115:15-16 says "Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.''

After his fall, Satan was angry and furious, and was going to do anything to make man fall as he did. But Satan is a spirit and had no body to express himself. He needed a body he could possess. That body, whatever it is, must be cunning, sly, and crafty. The serpent perfectly fitted what he needed. So working in the serpent, he beguiled Eve, twisting God's words and raising doubt in her heart. He deceived the woman thoroughly by saying, what God told you is not really true, God knows that the day you eat of that fruit your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God. Unfortunately man agreed with the devil, because he also wanted to be like God, not knowing that he was already like God. Immediately man ate it, man became a sinner and started running from God. Everything was intrinsically transformed, that even the lion and all wild animals that were hitherto obedient and harmless turned against man, including mosquitoes and insects; everything started working against mankind. That was how sin, pain, sorrow, suffering, famine and so on came into the world and so many good things were withheld from man. Everything that God made was good, beautiful and perfect until man ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Evil is like a wild fire; sin is like a virus and is ubiquitous. It continues to spread and destroy. This world used to be so beautiful and blissful without a speck of bitterness or hatred. At the beginning, before sin set in, the world was filled with harmony; everything created was so beautiful, even God saw that it was all good. There was never a reason to be sad or sorrowful; creation was inherently bright and colourful with its own purposeful pristine beauty that was spectacularly7breath-taking. The very work of the almighty God. The wonders of creation, indeed, the universe, are all a supremely attractive and humongous gift of God to humanity, a blessing, not at all meant to harm us, but the degradation and contamination of sin is now almost total that even insects attack us. God gave man dominion over all things on this earth, but sin has been our undoing; Sin has brought tears, pains, agony; separation etc. Now, each second, there are rumours of war, nations rising against nations, there is prevalent famine, pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places. Genesis 6:5-6 says "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."

The sin of homosexuality moved God to destroy and wipe off the entire twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone is the exact same practice people now proudly engage in, even in many churches, the world over. Romans 5:12 says "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" But in spite of man's disobedience, our loving, gracious and compassionate God still promised to send mankind a Redeemer and Saviour. From that moment Satan began to observe and seek to kill every first born or cause them to be cursed to prevent the Saviour of mankind from coming. He laid hold on Cain, the first born of Adam and used him to kill his younger brother. And when God finally sent Jesus Christ into the world, Satan observed it and killed all the children within the vicinity but Jesus escaped the raging slaughter. He still was to tempt our Lord Jesus as an adult in Luke 4:5-8 "And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, all this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve". Here, we read how Satan showed Jesus the glory of the kingdoms of the world and told Jesus that it was delivered to him. Note, that he did not say it was given to him. Who delivered the glory of the world to Satan? Adam and Eve of course, when they disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit. Yes, Satan tempted Jesus, but Jesus overcame him with the word of God and Satan left Him for a while. Eventually Jesus suffered and paid the price for the sins of mankind on the cross of cavalry and was buried and resurrected on the third day, making possible redemption and glory for mankind.

There are outstanding prophecies in the bible, for example Joel 2:28 says "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions". And Daniel 12:4 also foretells, that in the end time, knowledge shall increase. After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, knowledge has tremendously increased; now we are seeing new discoveries, inventions, technological breakthroughs etc. almost on daily basis. It took the children of Israel forty years to journey from Egypt to Canaan, but today you can travel from Egypt to Israel within an hour. Romans 8:32 says "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?''

The only difference between musicians, actors, and leaders etc who are famous and successful and those who are not, is not their talent or skill but their STAR. So what happened to the stars of those who are not famous? Job 20:15 says "He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly." this passage is indicates that there are people who swallow up the riches and glory of others.

Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God". You should have gone far beyond your present position if not for sin. Everything we will ever need in life has already been given to us by God, but sin is a big hindrance to laying hold of those promised blessings. That's why our Lord Jesus commanded us to pray without ceasing. When we pray, we unlock and possess our possessions. Obadiah 1:17 says "But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions". Barrenness in women, prolonged sickness, needless suffering and so on may just be an indication that the glory or star of such individuals have been tampered with, or it may be God using that affliction to make them repent from their sins so they can also correct others. It may also be God using what they are experiencing to demonstrate His mighty power and glory, just the way it happened to me. But bear in mind that Satan cannot hijack your glory nor touch you if you are not guilty of any sin. 1 John 5:18 says "We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him". Isaiah 59:1-2 says "Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear". 1 Timothy 1:18 says "This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,". Even if you are destined for greatness, but do not work hard and pray earnestly, the adversary can abort or hinder it.

No one is born without a star or glory. When we die God will show us the durable riches and magnificent glory he had in store for each and every one of us to enjoy while on earth, but many fail to lay hold on these riches because they lack knowledge, In Luke 19: 41-42 Jesus wept over Jerusalem "Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes". The glory of some people is enough to feed a country and lend to other nations. The Bible tells us that Joseph dreamt of greatness and glory while he was still of tender age and when the glory finally manifested after a series of trials, the nation of Egypt and other countries came to Joseph for food. Look at the world's richest people today, they can individually feed a whole country.

1 Samuel 4:21 says " And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The GLORY HAS DEPARTED.

When a person's glory is stolen or attacked, people will for no apparent reason begin to hate the fellow, even when the person is doing the right thing, or giving the right ideas, people will shoot down their thoughts and no one will take them seriously. Such persons will also experience near misses. For instance, when gifts or money are being shared or given out and it comes to their turn, everything would have finished, or they may just not be around at that moment. They will always be turned down by people who naturally, should be of help.

When a person's glory or star has been tampered with, no matter how skilful, gifted and talented they may be, no one will celebrate or embrace them. They may have wonderful ideas, great voices, or profound gifts, but when the opportunity comes for them to demonstrate it, something will hinder them, no matter how hard they try. Many people are far more gifted than the most famous musicians, or other celebrities being celebrated today, but they are unsung because the glory or star that should magnify their talents has been diminished. Most times they would bring Ideas, write songs, scripts, poems, articles, or even books for others who go on to become famous and wealthy. But when they try to write perform in their own names, no one will appreciate nor accept it. They may instruct others on how to write their exams with stunning success, but when they write for themselves, they will flunk badly. They may be the best in their classes, their families, at interviews orat their places of work, but would not be given the pride of place. I know of a very brilliant guy who was a genius right from a very young age. Throughout his school days, he led and taught others, but after his education, he found it extremely difficult to get a job. Why? Whenever he went for interviews, they would tell him he had already seen the questions before the interview. Why? Because he always had very excellent marks. And whenever he tried not to answer all the questions, he would naturally fail. Why do you think some people run mad or die on the day of their graduation from higher institutions of learning or on their day of glad tidings? Or on the day they get a new Job appointment? Or on the day of their wedding? Etc. Many times it is because malignantly evil spiritual enemies have foreseen that the glory or star of such fellows would shine and so, they bring a calamity on them.

Many celebrities are enjoying their parent's fame and riches. Proverbs 3:35 says "The wise shall inherit glory.''

If your glory has been tampered with, you may be very intimate with wealthy people, governors, even presidents and still remain poor. They may be nice to you, but will refuse to help you. They may even promise to help and never do it. I have seen a whole lot of people from wealthy homes: graduates, professors and so on, suffering and begging from those who came from a poor background and never went to school. I have also seen thousands of beautiful ladies, some even wealthy, searching for husbands for years, yet, ladies that are considered ugly, get married easily. Anyone whose glory has been hijacked, regardless of their qualifications or connections, would continue to suffer and search until they run to Jesus for total deliverance.

Many actresses, female singers, students and other women have sex with CEOs, directors, producers, lecturers etc just to get to the top or obtain good grades, but after achieving their aims, they almost always find it very difficult to get married because they are now very eager to get married, they fall into the hands of gold-diggers and gigolos who will further strip them of their money and dignity, and drop them like hot potatoes. This is because the glory that attracts a man to a woman for marriage has been diminished due to past indiscretion and misuse of their precious, most private anatomy. Jeremiah 4:30 says "And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.''

1 Corinthians 11:7 says '' the woman is the glory of the man." No matter how wealthy a woman is, if she doesn't have a husband, there's still something necessary lacking in her life, except if she is instructed by God to remain single. It is not beauty that attracts men to women and vise versa. It is the glory, if you have glory, you will be loved and favoured by everyone. You will appear charming to everyone who sees you and the opposite sex would crave to be around you, no matter how bad you treat them. They would endure the rough treatment with a smile regardless of their social and financial standing. And you may just be an illiterate, but they would rather have you than the president's son or daughter. Why? Because of your star.

If you carry a magnificent star, you will hear people say to you just as Ruth said to Naomi in Ruth 1:16 "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.'' Your star makes people love you and LOVE covers multitudes of sin, but if the glory gets diminished along the line, people will begin to see all the flaws that your glory was covering and begin to regret ever meeting you. They may part ways with you even if you've been long-time friends or been married for years. So whenever you notice people who used to love and cherish you now ignoring and avoiding you, then it is likely that your glory has been tampered with. Glory is like a magnet that attracts and pulls everyone to itself. Whatever they do will always be embraced, endorsed and patronized by people, even if their ideas, concepts or songs are whacky, flimsy and not up to standard.

Some people claim the bible supports poverty and point to John 12:8 "For the poor always ye have with you'' Yes, it's true, but It is a choice. God has given us all we need to be successful in life. It is left to the individual to make use of them. Deuteronomy 11:26-28 says "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God".

Deuteronomy 15:7 says "If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother": This implies that it is possible to have a nation where no one is poor. Poverty doesn't reflect God, God is almighty, He owns all the wealth and riches. Poverty simply reflects disobedience. Prior to the above verse is Deuteronomy 15:5 which says "Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day".

A parent with ten children would not want any of them to turn out a vagabond or poor. Such parent would therefore, do all in their power to ensure that they all have what they need to be successful. But if any of them refuse to utilize what has been given him, he may end up poor, wretched and a vagabond. God never destined anyone to be poor. Poverty is a choice, 3 John: 2 says "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 2 Corinthians 8:9 says "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." Matthew 7:11 says "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? " So how clearer can God make the point? It is so unambiguous!

People that are destined to lead, can't forever be subordinates. Anywhere they find themselves, either in a community, the larger society, a school, or even in prison, they will always find themselves in a leadership position. Joseph was a servant in Potiphar's house and became a leader, Genesis 39:4 says "And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house and that entire he had he put into his hand." When Joseph found himself in prison, he still became their leader, Genesis 39:22 says ''and the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it." Even when Joseph came out of prison, he became the leader of the whole country. Genesis 41:41-43 says "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt''. But today, Satan influences many to live contrary to God's plans for their lives. Many gossips were possibly destined to be great evangelists, lawyers, preachers, presenters on radio and television. Most of the security details to the rich and famous, assassins, cult members, etc were perhaps, destined to be senators, governors and presidents. Many people hawking old newspapers and books on street corners were probably destined to be teachers and lecturers, while most of the female house helps and nannies were most likely destined to be nurses. All native doctors were in all likelihood destined to be medical doctors, pastors etc. Peter was destined to be a fisher of men, but found himself in the fishing profession until he met Jesus Christ. Abram was destined to be a father of many nations, but was barren until he met God. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

In Luke 19: 41-42 Jesus wept saying ''if only you hath known what belong to you but now they are hidden from you.''

In Matthew 21:1-11 and Luke 19: 29:39 Jesus told two of his disciples to go into a particular village, where they would find a colt tied on which no one had ever sat. They were to bring it to him and if anyone asked them any question, they should reply that the LORD had need of the colt. They did just as Jesus instructed them. Immediately our Lord sat on the ass, a very great multitude began to celebrate Him, even the whole city was moved, saying ''Who is this?'' So there is something somewhere that needs to be untied before you can be celebrated. The glory of many have been tied down somewhere. Just as Jesus commanded his disciples, he has also commanded us to go and untie our glory from wherever it's been tied through prayers in the name of Jesus.

As a star you were born to shine. That is why Matthew 5:16 says ''let your light so SHINE before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in Heaven.'' But many are not shining. Why? Isaiah 27:5 tells us ''there is a face of covering cast over many people and a veil spread over many nation which God Himself will destroy.''

1 John 3:8 says "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil". Until you make the Bible your meditation, you will not fully know God's plans and promises for your life. Indeed, many perish because they lack knowledge, In Exodus 34:10 "The LORD said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you." 1 Corinthians 2:9 says "But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." Zephaniah 3:20 says "At that time I will bring you back, even at the time I gather you; for I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I return your captives before your eyes," Says the LORD." 3 John: 2 says "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." Jeremiah 33:3 says "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou know not."

Proverbs 4:18says "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.''

If you allow anyone either in the occult, or a witch or a wizard diminish your glory or kill you; they will be forgiven and granted access into heaven if they repent and accept Jesus as Lord and personal Saviour, Luke 18:1 tells us that ''we ought to always pray and not lose heart''; Jesus said in Luke 22:46 "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation".

CHAPTER FIVE

"YOUR GLORY CAN DIMINISH IF..."

If you have been working or pursuing a particular dream for seven to ten years without any sign of progress, it is either your star has been attacked, swallowed up or it's probably not your field. Many people have lost their priceless virtue while chasing after shadows.

A man's glory is like a fish inside a river. It is not easy to catch a fish with bare hands, so we improvise using other methods and materials like net, hooks, bait etc, the same applies to the glory owner and the glory _diminisher_. The devil is a master at observing our negative traits and using them to set a trap for us in order to diminish our glory.

I have come to realise that most ''glory'' or ''stars'' are being stripped off people in numerous ways. I was actually a victim for years and almost lost my life before I realised it. Like King David I cried out for God's mercy. Many talented people who find it difficult to reach the limelight or the peak of their careers, often compromise to get to the limelight or to raise the necessary capital outlay for their careers. What they do not realize is that the very act of compromise could counter the very will of God for their lives and thereby exchange or diminish the glory that should naturally catapult their talent to limelight.

If you are not guilty of any the following, then you should be among the most successful people in the world irrespective of your religion or colour.

1) PRIDE.

Pride is the principal sin that hinders many stars from shining. Isaiah 23:9 says "The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory.''

There is a time appointed for your star to shine, but if you are proud and will not humble yourself, your star cannot shine. 1 Peter 5:6 says "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.''

Many people are so gifted and hardworking but have nothing to show for it, just because they are proud. Proud people cannot go forward in life. "You can't reach the pinnacle if you are not humble". 1 Corinthians 4:7 says "For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?''

God is looking for servants to use, not masters. If you submit yourself to God, the world will stand in ovation for you. Psalms 23:5 says "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."

The more humble and meek you become, the more height you scale in life. Pride makes even your helpers to avoid you.

No matter how gifted and talented you may be, God still has 7000 others who are far better and gifted than you in the reserve. And if ever a day comes when you begin to feel you are too good, God will remove you and bring in the best. God told Elijah in 1 Kings 19:18 ''yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him". That God is mightily using you today, does not mean that you are the best; there are countless others who are far better off than you. 1 Samuel 15:28 says "And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.''

You are not more gifted than others, God could have used another person, so be grateful for being used by God. Even if you think that you are swifter than an eagle, stronger than a lion, remember that the mighty also falls and pride goes before a fall. Don't ever take the grace of God for granted. No matter how talented, gifted and anointed you are, never get to a point where you become arrogant, or proud. God knows how to cut people to size, He can in a jiffy raise another person to replace you, especially a person you think is inferior and incapable, can turn out to be far better than you. Read through the Bible you will see numerous examples. Lucifer quit worshipping God, immediately, God created man to take over. The essence of human beings is to worship God with our lives and what we have. When Moses failed and could no longer lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land, God promptly raised Joshua to take over from him. Why? Moses said ''ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?"(Numbers 20:10),''WE'' referring to himself and Aaron, which is PRIDE. Moses made it seem as if he was the one working wonders and not God.

Moses never believed God could disallow him from entering the Promised Land due to the love and anointing that God had bestowed upon him. Moses pleaded in Deuteronomy 3:24-28 saying "O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.''

Elijah the prophet of God did so much exploits in his lifetime. He prayed and there was no rain for three and half years, he prayed again and there was rain. He also prayed and fire came down from heaven. He erroneously thought he was the only one left alive among the prophets of God. However, because of a threat to his life, he became afraid and ran away to quit his assignment. He was scared of death. But God told him he was not the only prophet left and that He still had seven thousand prophets well and kicking. And since Elijah did not want to continue, he should go and anoint Elisha as prophet in his own place. 1 Kings 19:9-18

When Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ, someone else took his office and replaced him. Acts 1:24-26 says "And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen "to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. "And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles."

There are many other examples like that. So many people have failed who thought they were too gifted, brilliant, educated, and anointed to fail. So many preachers are in hell fire today because they thought they were too anointed to go to hell fire.

2 Chronicles 32:25 says" But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him."

2 Chronicles 33:10, 12 says "And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,''

"I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you." (1 Corinthians 4:14)

Proud people are averse to being bettered or surpassed by others. Their king sized ego would not allow it. They believe they're the best and that there is none other like them. They don't like anyone opposing their decisions whether right or wrong. Pride gives birth to many other sins; it produces anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, grumbling and ingratitude, even unbelief etc. Proud actions always attract curses from others, 1 Peter 5:5 says "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble".

Some people believe they know too much to be corrected, they are "professor know it all", Ecclesiastes 4:13 says "Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished."

Many are so proud. They believe their skills, gifts, talents, wisdom, education etc would automatically grant them success. What they fail to understand is that success comes only from the Lord; 1 Peter 5:6 says "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:"

Pride makes people believe they are special while others are not. They view others as inferior. It's the chief reason behind racism, tribalism etc. Proud people are always right and wise in their own eyes. Proud people always demand respect from people.

Let's face it, people almost always know when they commit every other sin but may not know when they become proud. Pride is a silent killer that many only come to know when they are challenged or accused by others or when they are down and out.

Proverbs 28:25 says "He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife". Proverbs 13:10 says ''only by pride cometh contention:" Proud people will lie and say what they don't know just to win an argument and to appear important. 1 Timothy 6:4 says "He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings".

Pride is not written on the face. But it's pretty obvious in the attitude. For instance some proud people argue a lot even with elders, parents, leaders, teachers, etc, they don't accept corrections, nor apologize easily even when they are wrong. They get angry easily when others make mistakes, denigrating and tongue lashing them. You hear them use words like "how dare you talk to me like that?" Who are you to talk to me?" Who are you to correct me?" Who are you to warn me?" What do you want to tell me that I don't know? " I am older than you!" I am too brilliant to fail!" I am too beautiful not to get married" I am too rich to be poor!" where were you when I was working for my money?" I am self-made!" Let me be, it's my life", etc.

God can use anyone to help you, so never despise people. All you need to achieve your goals in life may just be a single information that a mere cleaner has access to, but if you look down on that cleaner, he may not be encouraged to give you that needed information. Even those who are nobody in your eyes today, may end up being a big help to you tomorrow. God is able to use anyone, anything and any means to help you. Remember that God used even a donkey to get the attention of a wayward prophet. God made that donkey to speak! Yes! Numbers 22:28, 30.

2 Chronicles 32:26 says "Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.''

So the wrath or the anger of God is upon every proud person. But God can forgive all of our sins if we confess them and plead guilty. But too many people are so proud to accept wrong. We often prefer to blame others for our sins, our mistakes and misfortune in life. Adam blamed Eve for his sin and Eve also blamed the serpent for her sin. Moses also blamed the Israelites for his mistake. Moses said to them in Deuteronomy 3:26 "the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes". 1 John 1:8-10 says "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.''

Jeremiah 50:32 says ''the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up:'' Psalms 119:21 says "Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed". Psalms 119:78"Let the proud be ashamed". Proverbs 15:25 ''The LORD will destroy the house of the proud.'' Leviticus 26:19 says " And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:'' Proverbs 11:2''When pride cometh, then cometh shame.''

So every proud person is under a curse. And because I was so proud, I lived under a curse for years. The curse empowered Satan to afflict me for years till I refrained from pride. Though I was a prayer warrior, a generous giver and a soul winner who attended almost all the church services, yet, I was on one spot for years until a young man of God called me and told me that I should check myself for the spirit of pride. Never forget that pride is a major sin that destroys destinies and bring many great men of God down.

Exodus 32:9 says, ''And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff necked people". God expected them to be humble before entering the Promised Land.

The journey of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan land was originally meant to be for a few days, but eventually stretched to forty years just because they were a proud people and so fell into many temptations. Remember that during the time of famine, Joseph's brothers came from Canaan to Egypt to buy food several times. Genesis 43:2, 10 says "And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.''

Deuteronomy 8:2 says "And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these FORTY YEARS in the WILDERNESS, to HUMBLE THEE, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart.''

So if you reject humility, God will take you to the ''Jungle'' where you will be forced to eat humble pie, Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. (Daniel 2: 37) But shortly after, Nebuchadnezzar forgot the source of his power and Dominion, as he walked around the beautiful palace, he said "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? (Daniel 4:30). That is how he lost his mind and was driven away from living among men into the forest with animals for many years.

God said in Hosea 2:14 "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her". God always brings the proud to the desert or wilderness for discipline and correction, and then speaks to them comfortably, which was exactly how God dealt with me. In the desert, God told me that He hated pride and revealed to me that it was the only sin that made me fall into the numerous temptations and problems I went through. Pride pushed me into all kinds of sin that I am so ashamed to even speak of today. God told me that pride is the principal sin man and Satan ever committed. Remember, Satan fell because he wanted to be like God, and man ate the forbidden fruit because he wanted to be like God. I never knew it was pride that prevented my star from shining for so long a time until danger loomed in my life. When I had nowhere else to run to, Jesus came to my rescue. He took me through the ''jungle'' to teach me humility. My arrival on the musical scene was like a bolt out of the blue, people marvelled and still marvel at my success which is indisputable. Many wonder and seek to know the power behind my success. I tell them it is JESUS, but they wrinkle their nose and think me a fool. But the truth is that Jesus Christ is my source, my power and inspiration. Through His shed blood, my glory has been rekindled, even the devil trembles because I'm now unstoppable. And now I always ask God's help for humility, no matter the pinnacle He will help me reach in life.

Though long before I found myself in the desert, God had warned me repeatedly about pride. He sent many of His messengers to warn me, but it was to no avail. I clearly go to people I know will not tell me my errors. When I asked them if I was proud their reply was that they had not seen any trace of it in me. On the other hand, several others, who met me for the first time after seeing my attitude, told me I was proud. My usual response was, they were jealous of me. Many great men of God told me that God wanted to lift me high, but I was keeping myself down. Why? Matthew 23:12 says "whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." When I eventually humbled myself, it was the set of people I'd always looked down on that God used to raise me up. These feeble ones offered me a flight that all the top and wealthy people I used to look up to never offered me.

On your way to the top, don't despise anyone because you may meet your helper in an improbable form such as a stranger, a prostitute, a kid, a beggar, a widow, even a lunatic, an old person and so on. 1 Kings 17:8-9 says "And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.'' God will always place strangers and people who may seem to be nobody on your path to greatness just to help you achieve your vision and purpose on earth. They may give you direct help, or vital information to success. They may even recommend you to your helper, who could be the president, minister, director etc. So be careful how you treat people. For emphasis, your destiny helper and that nobody you despicably mistreat and look down on today could end up being a great help tomorrow. **ln** Joshua 2:2-5 God used Rahab, a harlot, to hide and save the lives of the Israelites that were sent to spy out the Promised Land beforehand. Many people are so quick to insult strangers and people they feel are inferior. Hebrews 13:2 says "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.''

There was a time that David lost all he had, even his wives were taken captive by his enemies and he never knew the direction they were headed. It was a dying stranger they met on their way that gave them direction. And David was able to recover all. 1 Samuel 30:1-.

I knew a man who unknowingly approached a deep deadly pit covered with grass. A little five year old child stood by the way and warned him against going ahead. If he had ignored the little child, what would have happened to him?

Isaiah 60:14 says "The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet".

So be mindful of the way you treat people you come across on daily basis, because everyone who crosses your path has a part to play on your journey to greatness. Many people are suffering today because of the people they have abused, insulted, cheated or jilted in the past. So take note, lest you say tomorrow, if only I had known. In life, we all need help no matter how little it may be, and we don't know where it would be coming from. So, don't ever look down on anyone, because you don't know who your helper is or who is going to be of help to you in future. Remember, no matter how skilful, gifted, mighty and wealthy you are, you will need a help one way or the other down the lane. Therefore, be careful the way you treat or talk to people you meet on a daily basis. A lowly messenger, driver, gate man, beggar, junior staff, cleaner could be of great help to you in time of need. A certain man named Simon a Cyrenian, helped Jesus, the one to whom all power belongs, to carry His cross to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, place of a skull, where our Lord was crucified. There was severe famine in the land of Israel and when it was time for God to restore and replenish them, He used Lepers. 2 Kings 7.

If you are humble, it will be hard to fall into temptation, because before any temptation comes, God would have spoken to you or sent someone to warn you, this aside from the fact that humility itself makes you a power house of obedience to the will of God.

1 Corinthians 10:12 says "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.''

Peter thought that he was too close to Jesus to ever deny Him. Peter didn't believe that he could deny the Lord Jesus Christ because he thought he was friendly, loyal and had conversed with Jesus, walked on the sea with Him, went with Him to a mountain and saw Him transfigured and also heard a voice from heaven saying, ''This is my beloved Son: hear him.'' So Peter thought he was strong enough and that nothing could make him deny Jesus Christ. But he eventually did, even though the Lord Jesus had warned him in Luke 22:31 saying "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: Peter himself had also boasted in Luke 22:33''Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death".

In Matthew 26:31-33, Jesus said unto his disciples, ''you all shall be offended because of me this night: Peter answered and said unto him, though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended''.

Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 26:34, ''Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.'' In matt 26:35 Peter said unto him, ''though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee".

At the end of the day, aside Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, Peter was the only disciple who fell into temptation and denied Jesus Christ thrice. Mark 14:71 says "he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.''

Pride makes people lie, because they want to cover up wrong doing and appear good or important. And many people have lied and lost great opportunities, helpers or spouse by claiming to be what they were not. If you are proud, God will always ensure you fall, because you believe you are flawless and too strong to fall. Matthew 26:41 says "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation". So check yourself if there's a spirit of pride in you and pray that you fall not into temptation. Jesus Christ said we should pray to our heavenly Father every day saying "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.'' Matthew 6:13.

1 Timothy 3:6 says "lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.'' That is the reason why God would never use anyone, until they are tested and trained. A proud person takes the glory that belongs to God and is convinced that success comes his way because of his talent and effort, effectively leaving God out of the equation. Judges 7:2 says "And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me."

Deuteronomy 8:17-19 says "And thou say in thine heart, my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish."

James 4:7 says "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.'' So if you don't submit yourself to God, don't expect the devil to submit to you, don't expect your wife to submit to you, and don't expect your children to submit to you. Many ladies want to marry and have their own homes but they don't want to submit to any man. Ephesians 5:24 says "Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.''

The almighty God does not need you. On the contrary, you need Him. Whatever you are able to accomplish is because of Him. He uses you because He wants to bless you. Read Ezekiel 28:2-19, PRIDE destroyed Lucifer, an angel who, a robe was prepared for, the same day God created him. He was the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, dressed in splendour, studded with jewels. He was blameless in his ways from the day he was created till iniquity was found in him, and God expelled him in disgrace from the mount of God because his heart became proud due to his beauty.

That is why Isaiah 14:12-14 says "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! "For you have said in your heart: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High''.

In 2 Timothy 2:22 the scripture warns us to flee from youthful lusts. But you will hear the proud Christian say "I can never fall into sin", "I am too holy to fall into the temptation of fornication and adultery", ''Even If she is naked, I can't fall".

Pride brews ego which makes people feel too big to accept their mistakes. It also makes people lie so as to cover up perceived shame. If you can remove pride and shame, you can make it anywhere. Many times, people will be in serious need but pride and shame will deny them their blessings. They may even be ego driven and arrogant to not accept a needed financial help, a particular job, or even refuse to greet, or reconcile with former friends or spouse just because what others will think or say is far more important to them.

No matter how mighty, brilliant or successful you become, always remember that a day will surely come when you will need someone to lean on, so don't ever despise people because they are poor, illiterate, or less privileged. Times change, and circumstances change. You may be on the mountain top today, and in the valley tomorrow, in John 21:18 Jesus said to Peter ''When you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.'' So we all need each other in one way or the other. The hand can never say it doesn't need the eyes, even beautiful and lovely flowers need the butterfly to survive and multiply.

1 Corinthians 12:20-23 says "But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness". Job 36:5 says "Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding". So Proverbs 14:21 adds "He who despises his neighbour sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he".

Every word that proceeds out of the mouth of a proud person starts with ''I, myself''. You will hear a proud person say "I made you what you are today".

But little do we know that most times when people stop helping others, God stops blessing them. Those you are feeding, clothing or helping today may just be the reason why God is still preserving or blessing you. God blessed and preserved the life of the widow of Zarephath and her son just because she was feeding Elijah. 1 Kings 17:10-23.

Your business may be flourishing just because of one person, if you sack that individual, your business may fold up or begin to encounter problems. God made Potiphar to prosper because Joseph was working for him. Genesis 39:2-3.

So don't ever say to anyone, "I made you, or without me you would be nobody today", because that's pride and you are ascribing the glory that belongs to God to yourself.

When you hear people say "with my qualifications? I am too big for that!'' That's pride. Even when such people are in serious trouble, they will refuse to call for help. Proud people always feel too big to say ''I am sorry, please forgive me''. Pride is at the root of unforgiveness. God says ''forgive'', but the pride in you will say "NO, God, you wouldn't UNDERSTAND". Unforgiveness is Satan's greatest weapon. It also gives birth to many other sins like bitterness, anger, hatred, envy and so on, which would immediately create a barrier between you and God, and make you vulnerable to any evil attack. Your prayers would not be answered, and without any doubt, your joy and peace of mind would flee. I heard the story of a young man who died of cancer because he was living in bitterness and refused to forgive the person who offended him. Even on his death bed he held on to unforgiveness. I know of a woman who carried pregnancy for almost two years because she refused to forgive her neighbour.

1 Peter 2:19-23 says "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously''.

If you will not humble yourself and endure the shame now, you will not be lifted up nor see the glory. There is always a shame and mockery before the glory. Philippians 2:5-9 says "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name...''

Jesus is clear that offenses will always come, so you must not allow insults to hinder you from entering the Promised Land. Pride gives birth to anger, you must not be angry when you are being corrected just because you think or believe that you know it all. Always apologize when you are wrong, and never speak evil about others or withhold information that will be useful to others. James 4:11 says "Speak not evil one of another, brethren''.

If you know that you are destined to be great, then you must learn to be humble, serve and celebrate others. If you are not humble and serve, you can never be served. John 13:3-5 says "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded''. Then John 13:12-17 says ''so after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know yet what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you". 13:16 ''Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them''.

Always be humble and loyal to your leader, your pastor, your boss etc. even if you think you are smarter, more brilliant, more intelligent, or older. Remember God saw you before placing them above you. 1 Peter 2:18 says "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward." If you really want to be a hero, then you must respect, listen and read about other heroes. Rejoice with those that are rejoicing, don't be jealous or envious because you feel you deserve better than the people around you that are prosperous. If you think you are better, there are many others who are much better than you. If you want to be applauded, you must begin to applaud others. You must know that respect is reciprocal.

Jesus Christ in Matthew 20:26-28 tells us that whoever desires to become great or lead, must start by being a servant, ''just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many''. Proverbs 27:18 says "Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; so he who waits on his master will be honoured".

2) ANGER......

When people get angry, they give Satan the opportunity to control them and steal their blessings.

Job 18:4 says "He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? And shall the rock be removed out of his place? 18:5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. 18:6 ''The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him''.

The hot temper of a man will eventually kill him. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. Anger is a very destructive emotion that the devil uses to tarnish and destroy the glory and destiny of many. In a second, anger can destroy all you have used many years to labour and work for, it can ruin your marriage, joy, happiness and all the good things you long for.

Job 36:18 ''because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee''.

The Bible declares in 1Timothy 6:16 that God is "the only immortality who dwells in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see". Isaiah 6 from verse 1 says "IN THE year that King Uzziah died, [in a vision] I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and the skirts of His train filled the [most holy part of the] temple. Above Him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two [each] covered his [own] face, and with two [each] covered his feet, and with two [each] flew. And one cried to another and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!".

Can you see that even angels have two wings for covering their faces while adoring God, but not so Moses? He did not have to cover his eyes to see God whose bountiful love and infinite mercy moved Him to tell Moses, "I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." (Exodus 33:23), Moses was therefore able to see God's back part, there was no doubt that Moses enjoyed a special relationship with God. He was beloved of God and the almighty wrought many signs and wonders through him, the ten plagues of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the victory and defeat over many nations, the gushing of water from the rock in a desert, the manna from heaven and the pillars of cloud and fire. Moses even stayed on the mountain twice, forty days and forty nights without food nor water and prostrated before the LORD for forty days and forty nights because the LORD was going to destroy the Israelites as a result of unbelief and rebellion. The same people provoked Moses to anger and he never entered the Promised Land. God so much loved Moses that He even afflicted Miriam a prophetess with leprosy for speaking against His servant. In Numbers 12:8, 10 God said ''I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper''. Deuteronomy 34 tells us that ''since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,, in all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.''

Proverbs 19:19 says "A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.''

God's perfect will for Moses was to deliver the Israelites from bondage and lead them to the Promised Land, but anger denied Moses entry to the Promised Land. It is just like a person destined to become president but after the election, he died. Moses pleaded in Deuteronomy 3:25 -26 ''I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.''

Likewise today, many have been prematurely killed, missed a life time of opportunities, missed their divine helpers and divine spouses and are now languishing in prisons or pining away in anguish because of uncontrolled and unnecessary anger. These are people who ordinarily should have been at the top of their professions, but are now crawling miserably in the mould. "I have seen servants riding on horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.''

Moses did God's will, but not God's perfect will because he didn't enter into the Promised Land, but thank God he made heaven. You have no excuse to angrily attack anyone with a weapon or kill, no matter the gravity of the offence. But you can report them to the police and destroy their occult objects such as evil altars, charms, amulets etc. 2 Kings 10:28 says "Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel". Ephesians 4:26 says "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:" Moses killed a man in Egypt out of anger, destroyed the first set of Ten Commandments tablets out of anger, and finally struck the rock out of anger, when God told him to only speak to it.

Proverbs 11:4 says ''Riches profit not in the day of wrath:''

People who are hot-tempered don't easily make it in life. Even if they eventually struggle to become successful, their anger would still be their undoing. Proverbs 19:19 says "A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again". So if you are intending to marry someone who is hot tempered, think twice, Job 36:18-19 tells us ''Because there is wrath, beware lest he take you away with one blow; For a large ransom would not help you avoid it. Will your riches, Or all the mighty forces, Keep you from distress?'' Proverbs 21:19 says that ''it is better to live in a desert than to live with a quarrelsome and hot-tempered wife or husband". I know a woman who was angry with her husband and waited till he came back home and added a sleeping tablet to his food and after the husband had slept off, she cut off his genitals. I know of a husband who killed his wife out of anger. I know a guy who used to beat his father whenever he was angry. It's impossible for that man to make any headway in life, because Ephesians 6:2-3 says "Honour your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

For many years I was toiling due to anger. Each time blessings were coming my way, the devil would use someone to provoke me and I would promptly respond by fighting. Such blessings meant for me, were diverted many, many times. This happened for years before I finally came to understand that I had a problem that was costing me my blessings. I had fasted and prayed for weeks, but each time I was about to end the fasting and prayers, someone would provoke me to fight, and I did. There were several instances during the course of the numerous fights that my phones got smashed. By the way, that was the only means by which people could call to help me. So after prospective helpers have called many times without access, they give up. Proverbs 27:3 says "A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool's wrath is heavier than both of them". Job 36:13-14 says "But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath. They do not cry for help when He binds them. They die in youth, and their life ends among the perverted persons". Proverbs 15:18 says "A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel". Do you know that it was the moment Jesus finished his forty days and forty nights prayers and fasting that Satan decided to tempt Him? Now, carefully observe what happens at the closure of each glorious and prayerful church services, you will notice expressions of anger by one or two members on their way home. In extreme cases, some may even take off their clothes and fight. In many instances, people do not understand the real reason behind their outburst of anger and even physical fight, just after a season of prayer and fasting. It is the devil. He does it to hinder blessings. He will aggravate and encourage aggressive actions on their part, and thereby frustrate the angel from delivering the blessing. It must be added that such negativity could easily repulse. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." This means that where there is violence, the Spirit cannot be there. That is why Jesus told us in Matthew 5:39-40 not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps us on our right cheek, we should turn the other to him/her also. "If anyone would sue us and take away our tunic, we should let them have the cloak also." Ephesians 4:31-32 tells us "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

I once had a beautiful Christian lady friend who was hot tempered, and each time she was angry, she would destroy and fling things away. It was such that no one could tame her, not even her mother. So each time men asked her hand in marriage, just before wedding, something would happen to provoke her to anger and in a rage, destroy everything around her. The fiancé or someone else would provoke her and she would flare up and display her destructive anger, which made the men to reject her. Eventually, she got married to a man who was already married, the kind of person she was not really crazy about. Why? Because of her problem with anger. Job 5:2 says "wrath kills a foolish man". Angry people always curse and don't forgive easily. When it comes to anger management and forgiveness, Jesus is our example. In spite of all the afflictions, He refused to fight back. Luke 23:34 says ''Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do''. If you don't retaliate when others attack you, God will fight for you and along the line their conscience will begin to trouble them and they will finally come back on bended knees to plead for forgiveness.

Whenever people quarrel, they must know that the devil may use the opportunity to stir up the spirit of anger, and before they realise it, there would be violence and someone may be wounded or killed. Afterwards, they would come to themselves and begin to regret their actions.

Anger leads to strife and unforgiveness. If you're aspiring to be great, don't seek to avenge yourself on those who have hurt you. It could hinder your progress in life. It happened to me, there was once a great position meant for me and all decisions were in my favour, but as an unforgiving and angry man, I was already planning how to punish those who'd offended me, when I eventually got the job. So on the day of the official announcement, someone informed me that there was a nation-wide strike by the workers union. I therefore, decided to stay back home not knowing it was a lie. The following day I was shocked to learn that there was no such thing. The interview committee felt disappointed in my failure to show up for the scheduled meeting, and therefore, gave the position to another candidate. And guess who? One of the fellows I'd been planning to punish if I finally got the job. I'd since learned my lesson. Proverbs 20:22 says "Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee". If Joseph had intended to revenge himself on his brothers, he would never have attained that position. Proverbs 24:29 says ''Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work". Many people are in prison today because they refused to forgive those who hurt them.

Psalms 37:8 admonishes us to ''Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; nor fret'' because they only cause harm. There are married couples today who should have no problem having children, but are still barren. Why? Because of strife and unforgiveness. It is the same with spiritual fruitfulness. Amos 3:3 says "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Proverbs 21:19 says "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman". This is the reason why some married men or women for that matter, would remain at work even after closing hours, without any desire to return home until very late at night. Not for any other reason, but a troublesome spouse. Such would rather stay outside till the partner is asleep. This has led to many issues of adultery, alcoholism, polygamy etc.

Anger always comes with negative and destructive words. This way, many lives have been destroyed. When there is strife and unforgiveness between the husband and wife, there cannot be peace, increase, fruitfulness and happiness in that home. And surely, God's promised favour on such a marriage would be a will-o- the wisp, even far flung. Proverbs 18:22 ''whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour of the LORD." What happens when you stab yourself? You will feel the pain, the same applies when you cheat, beat, or refuse to forgive your spouse. 1 Peter 3:7 says "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; THAT YOUR PRAYERS BE NOT HINDERED". People sought to provoke Jesus to anger, but He refused to get angry, Matthew 26:50-53 says "But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. "But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?"
1 Peter 2:21-23 also says "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth; "who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously".

Satan can use even children to provoke you to anger. As anointed as Elisha was, children mocked and provoked him to anger. 2 Kings 2:23-24 says "And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.''

Can you imagine a poor man named Shimei insulting and cursing a king in power saying ''Come out, come out, you bloody man, you man of Belial; look at you now - ruined! Pathetic old man.'' He even followed after the king and his soldiers on the ridge of a hill, cursing, throwing stones and casting dust on them. One of the soldiers told the king, let me go over and cut off his head, but the king replied, leave him alone. Read the story in 2 Samuel 16:7-13. So the devil can use anyone to provoke you and make you lose your focus and your blessings.

3) SEX....... Whoever has sexual intercourse with a demon possessed person is in jeopardy, the demon from the possessed person would be transferred to that person. That's why 1 Corinthians 6:16 tells us that when a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her. The two, it is written, shall become one flesh. That's why the book of proverbs warns that we should keep away from seductive women or men lest they destroy our glory and precious life. If you do not want to end your life in regrets, flee, because you can't scoop fire onto your lap without being burnt, that's exactly what you do when you commit fornication or adultery. Every cloth we put on ought to glorify God and beautify us. Exodus 28:2 says "And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty". But today you will see seducers walking the streets half naked, loitering in the mall, hanging out at every corner in town seeking for destinies to destroy, many champions have been victims.

If you have sex outside marriage, watch pornography, lust after the opposite sex, watch sexually laced programs, or masturbate, the devil will surely send a beautiful lady or cute guy to come have sex with you in your dreams in order to take away your sperm which is your seed of greatness.

Samson remained the most powerful man that ever lived. The Bible records how he killed a thousand men with just a donkey's jawbone, how he grabbed the entire gate of a city, together with the two posts and tore them loose, bar and all, hefted them on his shoulder, and carried them to the top of the hill. It tells us about how the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore a lion as he would have torn the young of a goat, and he had nothing in his hand. Yet, in spite of all these exploits, one woman name Delilah, destabilized and stripped Samson of his power and glory. His enemies overcame him and plucked out his eyes. Mind you, she wasn't the first woman in Samson's life. Before her was a harlot, Judges 16:1 says "Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her", But Delilah finished Samson.

When Joseph's brothers knew that he was destined for greatness, they tried to kill him but God used one of them to save Joseph's life. He was eventually sold into slavery. Joseph served as a slave for years in the house of Potiphar, his master's wife never took a second look at him until the time for his glory to shine. The beautiful woman suddenly desired to have an affair with him and daily approached Joseph for sex. Genesis 39:7 says "and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!'', but thank God that he refused, if he had accepted, he would have remained a slave for the rest of his life or died prematurely.

Many people will fast and pray for days, but on the day they will finish the fasting and prayer, the devil will use a beautiful woman or a handsome man to seduce and lure them to sex just to destroy all their blessings. When it is about time for your glory to shine, the opposite sex would begin to notice or admire you. No matter how hard you resist them they would never be discouraged. Because there is something attracting them to you, your star! But they only come to diminish your star. Satanic powers from the sea always seek to possess human bodies, and anyone who has sex with a marine agent has been initiated. ''What? Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh" (1 Corinthians 6:16). That's why some people always have sex in their dreams. This means the evil one has deposited strange things in their lives and withdrawn their virtues to the sea. Luke 8:30 says "And Jesus asked him, saying, what is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him". Now just imagine what would happen to anyone who has sexual intercourse with this kind of person possessed with about 6,000 demons. The person's star would almost instantly diminish or fade away, even if he is an international superstar, he would in no time be referred to as a former superstar.

You can't experience greatness without passing some tests. I failed a couple of times. Indeed, some of the tests almost cost me my life, but God's mercy spoke for me. The first one occurred after a man walked up to me and told me about my greatness that was about to spring forth; a few weeks later, I relocated to another town due to a severe trial I was experiencing at the time. It was there that I met a beautiful lady who did everything in her power to have a romantic relationship with me, but I avoided her till one December 31st night when she called me on phone by 11:30 pm. She wanted me to come and take her to the hospital because she was dying and no one was at home. Now, how did she know that I was at home? Even pagans go to church on 31st of December in that town. But I was in a bar drinking, instead of being in church for the watch night service. It reminded me of King David who stayed at home instead of being on the war front. 2 Samuel 11:1-2, 4 says "And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass in an evening tide that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her". And that was the beginning of pain and sorrow in the life of David. He truly suffered the consequences for his entire life. 1 Kings 15:5 says "David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.''

2 Samuel 12:11-12 says "Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.''

2 Samuel 16:22 tells us that King David's son Absalom, pitched a tent up on the roof in public view, and went in and slept with his father's concubines.

Anyway, I picked a motorcycle and sped to the lady's house. I announced my arrival and she came to open the door dressed only in a skimpy underwear. I was shocked and confused. She took me upstairs and before I knew it, I was in sin. It was later that I heard people shouting ''happy new year!''. I ran out looking for a church where I could partake in celebrating and ushering in the New Year. But it was too late. All the churches had already ended their watch night services. That was when I realised that the lady was sent to come and tarnish my glory. For well over two years, I toiled and struggled with nothing to show for it. I could not even afford a meal a day. After a series of prayers and fasting, a number of men of God told me that my glory had been restored and that I should be prepared for a great breakthrough. They however, warned me to be careful because according to them, the enemy had programmed another lady for me that may bring me down just before my breakthrough. I'd argued that I could not fall into the same sin a second time. But they reminded me of Peter, of his presumption and empty confidence in himself, yet, he denied Jesus Christ. They had also prayed God's mercy on me. Interestingly, less than two weeks after, I met a Christian lady in our church who began to bring me gifts and food each time we had a service. It was clear that something was in the air. We were becoming closer. One day I asked her a pointed question thus '' if a guy were to ask you he would love to marry you, but would first like to have sex with you, what would be your response?'' She was emphatic that she would tell the man to ''go to hell'', adding that she had met many men who were only interested in her body. Her response was so reassuring that my confidence in her went up a notch. I believed she was a good Christian. But I was wrong. Not long after, I realised she was the lady the men of God warned me against, but I found it so difficult to detach myself from her. A few days later, I had a show somewhere in her neighbourhood, and we finished very late into the night. I did not hesitate to pass the night at her place. But it turned out to be a real fatal mistake. I stepped into her house and was practically trapped. One night I was asleep beside her and then I just passed out. I did not wake up the next morning, besides, foam was coming out of my mouth and she began crying and wailing. Fortunately, the neighbour heard her cry and came. One of them quickly called a pastor, who immediately began to pray and decree '' let no one trouble him: for he bears in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ." Almost immediately, I came back to life. I really thank God for His mercy because many who were destined to be legends, heroes, or celebrities, had died untimely, never benefitting from His grace.

When I eventually left her house, I started struggling all over again. Between the time I spent in her house, and the time I returned home, my friends and colleagues had gone far ahead of me and were not willing to help me, rather they mocked me. Then, I pleaded for God's mercy, and went out to share my experience with others, advising them to avoid my mistakes. Thankfully, God had mercy on me and rekindled my glory through the blood of Jesus. Proverbs 7 warns us that we should not allow anyone to entice us with their flattering speech or lips or seduce us to yield to fornication or adultery, even if they say to you "I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love. For no one is at home.'' If you agree, an arrow will strike your liver. And you may not know that they have destroyed your life. After you lose everything, they will say to themselves '' Today I have paid my vows.".

You can never cast out demons with unclean hands. There was a pastor in my area who went to pray for a young girl who was possessed by a demon, but the demon spoke through the girl saying ''who are you to cast me out, when you just finished committing adultery?'' and the demon - possessed young girl slapped the pastor. Everyone was shocked and embarrassed for the pastor.

Proverbs 23:26-28 says "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait." If people are falling over themselves to please you, and to be associated with you, it does not mean you're extraordinarily special or beautiful or even attractive, it only means that you have a great star. It is therefore, your responsibility to keep your star untarnished. If however, you allow fans or admirers to lure you into sin, they will diminish your star and dump you. This is what happens to most male musicians; after their first hit, many ladies will begin to hang out with them, fawning over them and ever ready to give the men their bodies. Many of these women are agents of darkness sent to hijack the artiste's glory through sex and immediately they lure the musician, he will begin to struggle to make a hit without any success. These ladies will be the first to dump the artist. That is why many famous artistes fade away, except they cry to God for mercy. How many artistes have you seen that reign more than five years? Those who reign for more than five years do so, because their glory is so great and tremendous. If they continue to flirt around, their star or glory would continue to diminish until it peters out. Nehemiah 13:26 says "Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin".

1 Kings 10:23 says "So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom." 2 Chronicles 9:27 says "And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones". King Solomon made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem and when women saw these they easily were glued to him and he couldn't resist them, not knowing they came with evil intentions. Don't forget that he wrote the book of Songs of Solomon, which means he was also a musician. 1 Kings 4:32 says his ''songs were a thousand and five.''

Who could ever believe that King Solomon would go after Idols? But 1 Kings 11:4-5 says "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites".

You have to bear in mind that stardom comes with temptations. The Police have on occasion used women to apprehend notorious armed robbers. A lady once boasted to a guy that he could never make it in life just after they had sex. As at the time of writing this book, the guy is still struggling. There was a famous actor and a famous musician who were once wealthy, but the moment the actor slept with an upcoming actress and the musician slept with his fans, all their glory and wealth were diminished, Proverbs 5:20 says ''Why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?'' You probably have noticed ladies fighting over a particular guy and vice versa. Even if the guy were to be abusing them physically, they would still refuse to let go. They would rather accept the pain, than be separated from the man. It is simply because the guy has glory. If however, the glory gets diminished along the line, the ladies would begin to hate the guy and see different reasons why the guy does not deserve them.

1 Chronicles 5:1 says "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birth right was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel.''

What Satan could not do to harm you for years, he could do in a second- the moment you commit fornication or adultery. Read Numbers 23-25, and you will discover how Balak king of Moab offered forty-two (42) animals as sacrifice just to cast a spell on the Israelites and place a curse on them so that they would not be able to enter the Promised Land. Thankfully, he did not succeed. Why? Because God had blessed them and no one could curse them. But after they had invoked all manner of divination and enchantment on the Israelites and nothing seemed to harm them, the Moabites decided to seduce the Israelites to have sex with their daughters. In this they succeeded, and brought plague on the Israelites (Numbers 25:17-18). And immediately the Israelites began to commit fornication and adultery, GOD Himself was furious and his anger blazed against His own people and twenty-four thousand died.

Proverbs 6:23-26, 32, 33 tells us that ''God's commandment is a lamp, And His law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life. To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a seductress. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread. And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. Wounds and dishonour he will get, and his reproach will not be wiped away.''

(4) TONGUE.... (CURSES)

Matthew 12:37''for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.''

Everything you see in the world today, including the billions of planets and faraway galaxies came into existence through the Word. Genesis 1:2-3 says "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light". Hebrews 11:3 says ''by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible". God spoke and it all came into existence, and the same God created us in His own nature and likeness. So you can speak out life and death with your tongue. Everything you want to see your future become can be spoken through your words: your career, your dreams, your business, your marriage, your children etc., can be formed through the spoken word. Therefore, start speaking and confessing it now. Ephesians 4:29 says "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."

There is so much power in spoken words, in a moment, the tongue can set ablaze all you have used years to build. If you want to embrace long life and see your days fill up with the good things of life, you must refrain from speaking anything evil or hurtful. This is because a word out of your mouth can set you free and take you to places of honour, if rightly spoken. Likewise, a word from your mouth can ruin your joy, your marriage, your aspirations and everything you have ever worked for, if wrongly spoken. Proverbs 29:20 says "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him". Isaiah 33:24 says "And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick". Joel 3:10 says "let the weak say, I am strong.''

Remember it only takes a spark to set a forest on fire; and wells of water may not quench it, so is the tongue. Your words will always go and wait for you in the future, either positive or negative. Every careless and negative word that proceeds out of your mouth may come back to hurt you. Many parents cursed their children yesterday, and today, they are suffering the consequence. Many couples have cursed each other yesterday, and today, they are suffering the effect unknowingly. Words are powerful; so be careful of what you say. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation. Many people have experienced delay, been ruined, or jailed, or even missed a life time of blessings and opportunities, just because of what they said. Many people are also dining with kings today just because of few pleasant words that proceeded out of their mouths. Job 6:25 ''How forcible are right words! But what doth your arguing reprove?''

Luke 12:2-3 says "For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. "Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops". Matthew 12:36-37 "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment.''

If you are experiencing stagnation for years, it's possible that either the words of your mouth, the words of your parents, or words from others who are alive or dead are speaking against you.

Many parents whose mouths are filled with cursing and bitterness have used their tongues to ruin their children's destinies. The Bible tells us the story of how the mother of Jabez cursed him, because of the pain she went through while giving birth to Jabez. This made Jabez to suffer until he cried to the God of heaven because he instinctively knew that there was something that was wrong. 1 Chronicles 4:10 says "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." Afterwards the Bible confirmed that Jabez became more honourable than all his brethren, but before then he was known as sorrow. So, it is very important that you know the meaning of your name or the names you give to your children. This is because each time people call your name, they are either praying for you or cursing you, depending on the meaning of your name. 1 Samuel 25:25 says "for as his name is, so is he". That is why in Genesis 17:5 God had to changed Abram's name to Abraham, in Genesis 17:15 God also changed Sarai's name to Sarah and in Genesis 32:28 God changed Jacob's name to Israel. The meaning of some people's name are "snakes'', "bondage'', "sorrow'' etc, while some other names mean "blessing'', "favour'', "progress'' etc.

Why did Esther, an Orphan, a slave in the land of captivity suddenly become a queen? One of the major reasons is that the name Esther means "a star'', and stars will always shine anywhere they find themselves.

Isaiah 62:2 says "Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.''

Many people are suffering today just because their parents have cursed them knowingly or unknowingly. Out of the mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. Don't ever curse your children or loved ones, because the effect will always reflect on you. When the curse starts speaking against the children, such parent will begin to complain, pointing fingers, running helter-skelter for solution to a problem they created for their children.

Compare and contrast between two groups of children. The educationally disadvantaged ones who are always prayed for by their parents, and brought up in the fear of the Lord as oppose to those who are well educated, but always verbally abused and cursed by their parents. It almost always turn out that the group that is well educated, many times end up being subservient to those not well educated. Why? Because there is a world of difference between being daily showered with curses/negative words and being fervently prayed for. The tongue is inherently more powerful than the best education.

If you have been cursed by your parents, kindly go and plead for them to reverse it, but if they refuse, then cry to God, the Parent of all parents who alone can restore your fortunes. A few years ago, a man sought to experiment _the power that lies in the tongue_ , so he planted two flowers, wetting and adding manure to both. He began cursing one to die and almost simultaneously praying for the second to survive. After a while, the one he had been cursing died off, while the second one grew and blossomed beautifully. That was when he fully realized the weight and power that lies in the tongue.

James 3:8 says ''But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Luke 6:45 says "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.''

The devil does not have the ability to curse human beings, so he seeks to put evil words in the month of people and propels them to curse others. The devil will always tempt children to be disobedient to their parents. Unfortunately, when such parents become angry, Satan will move them to curse their children. Some parents are just fascinated with cursing their children, sometimes, for no apparent reason. At times, you hear parents angrily yelling at their children ''you shall not prosper'', "you shall not marry'', "you shall not bear children'', "you shall not have a good job.'' Etc these are evil spirits speaking through them. I went to my mother sometimes ago, and told her, please reverse every curse and negative words you may have pronounced knowingly or unknowingly upon me, and I am glad she did. You can't just imagine the blessings I started receiving from far and wide after that moment. Don't ever allow anyone who has rule or authority over you to curse you; your boss, your pastor, your teacher etc. It is extremely dangerous.

Matthew 12:37 says "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.''

A man wanted to get a huge reward from King David, he opened his mouth and claimed that he killed King Saul. Truth is, he knew nothing about how King Saul was killed, he however knew that David and Saul were enemies. But, instead of getting a reward, he was slain by a sword. 2 Samuel 1:10, 14-16 says "So I stood over him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord. "So David said to him, "How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" Then David called one of the young men and said, "Go near, and execute him!" And he struck him so that he died. "So David said to him, "Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, "I have killed the LORD's anointed."

David said in 2 Samuel 4:10 ''When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:''

Proverbs 15:1 'A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.''

Those that guard their mouth, keep their soul from troubles, because "the power of life and death lies in the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.'' The tongue is a fire, in a moment it can set ablaze all you have laboured for over many years. Yes, it can hinder you from entering your Promised Land, 1 Peter 3:10 says "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile". Proverbs 13:3- says ''He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: [but] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.'' Proverbs 21:23- ''whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.''

As you crave for success, be mindful of the vows and promises you make to God and people, because you must fulfil them, Proverbs 6:2 says "You are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth''. Numbers 30:2 also says "If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth." Jephthah was in the midst of a strong battle "And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD, and said, "If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering." So Jephthah advanced toward the people of Ammon to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hands. When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, there was his daughter, coming out to meet him with timbrels and dancing; and she was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter." "And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot go back on it.'' (Judges 11:30-32, 34, 35,). When Jacob was toiling and spinning he prayed to God in Genesis 28:20-22 "Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, "so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God." I shall give a tenth to you." And after God had answered his prayers in Genesis 35:1, God reminded Jacob of his vow to Him then in verse 3 Jacob said to his family "Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone".

I almost ran mad some years ago because of a promise I'd made to a young girl that I would marry her. The promise was tongue in cheek. It was a joke. After finishing school, we both went our separate ways, I never knew that she had taken my name to a coven to torment me for breaking my promise. Demons were sent after me to monitor and torment me by turning me to a lunatic. Twice I woke up from sleep screaming and misbehaving. It was such that no one could tame me. But thank God, my pastor perceived the attack and prayed for me. He also told me where the attack came from. Initially, I didn't believe it, because I could not recall promising anyone marriage. It was not until I dreamt and saw the lady pursuing me with a weapon screaming after me that I remembered that I jilted her. This is why Proverb 6:2 says "You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth.". Micah 7:5 says ''keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom". That is, be careful of the promises you make and secrets that you reveal to a woman who lies in your arms. Remember the story of Samson. Samson was a man who could not hide anything from women who find their way into his arms, even secrets he did not reveal to his own parents. Judges 14:16-17 says "And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, "Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.''

Just two chapters later Judges 16:5, 15, 16, 17 says "And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. 16:15 ''and she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. 16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; 16:17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.''

Don't ever allow anyone to curse you, even if they claim they are joking and playing by using negative words on you. They do not realise that those WORDS have impact on lives. 1 Samuel 17:43-45 says "the Philistine CURSED David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied". David did not allow Goliath to continue to curse him, he rebuked and attacked Goliath with the name of the Lord. So, whenever anyone intentionally or mistakenly curse you, you have to reject that curse in the name of Jesus, because Galatians 3:13 says "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" Each time you curse anyone or they curse you, don't take it lightly, because every spoken word will ultimately manifest, sooner or later. Most times when people curse or speak harshly, it is demons that are speaking through them.

Beloved, there's a time to keep silent, and there's a time to speak; (Ecclesiastes 3:7b), ''so therefore, my beloved brethren, let everyone be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:" (James 1:19). Observe the people who always talk before they think - There is more hope for a fool than for them. Proverbs 15:1- ''a soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.'' It is very unkind for a man to beat his wife, but women who are physically abused, should also learn to speak kind and loving words to their husbands, rather than retaliating with offensive and abusive words. Philippians 2:14- says ''Do all things without murmurings and disputings.'' Proverbs 25:15 says ''a soft tongue breaketh the bone' 'Proverbs 15:28 says ''the heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil thing.'' Ephesians 4:29- says Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Proverbs 29:11 says ''a fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise [man] keepeth it in till afterwards.'' The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.''

Psalms 59:12 say "For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.''

5)FOOD, DRINK or GIFT....

Proverbs 23:2 says ''Put a knife to your throat if you are a glutton."

Many people have lost their glory through food and gifts. Without any controversy, human beings are the only creatures God made in His own image. He not only gave them the power to dominate, but also the ability to be creative. Of all the animate creation of God, man is the only one that can engage in deep, creative thoughts. He is basically able to function like God albeit at a miniscule level. This is why amazing technologies like sophisticated aircrafts, supersonic spaceships, posh cars, bullet trains, skyscrapers, computers, along with diverse social mediums all attributed to human beings alone. Yet, all these astounding creativity pale into insignificance when compared to the awesome and ultimate creative power of the Almighty God. But shortly man lost this privilege till Jesus came to redeem man's glory that was hijacked by Satan through food.

Notice that before Jesus came and died there was nothing like cars, computers, phones, airplanes etc, because all the wisdom, skills and glory necessary were hijacked from man by the devil. Satan deceived Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and thereby exchanged their glory. That is why Satan told our Lord Jesus "that these riches, this glory has been delivered unto me''. Who delivered it to Satan? It was Adam and Eve from the moment they ate the forbidden fruit. When Jesus came to redeem mankind and collect the glory back from Satan, the devil still tempted Jesus with food by asking Him to turn a stone into bread. Thankfully, our Lord refused. He responded and said ''Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceed out of the mouth of the LORD.''

Many people are roaming about seeking for gifts from rich folks not knowing the source of their wealth. Proverbs 15:27 says "He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live." Some rich men share gifts, clothes, food and money to people in order to exchange their fortunes. In the Bible, we came to know that because of gifts, leprosy was transferred from a man named Naaman to another man named Gehazi and his future generations. 2 Kings 5:27 says "The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow". Many people speak enchantments into food or gifts and present them to others in other to exchange their virtues, glory, riches etc Therefore, you have to be very careful.

The Bible also tells the story of how Jacob exchanged Esau's birth right, which signify glory through food, Genesis 25:29-34 tells us ''Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary. Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright as of this day. "And Esau said, "Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?" Then Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. "And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright".

Esau sold his birthright to his younger brother, Jacob, all because of food. Isaac, their father, who was blind and about to die, sent Esau as the first son to go hunt and prepare the kind of tasty food he liked, so he could bless him before he died. But Esau had sold his birth right to Jacob, his younger brother. So, before Esau returned to present the meal to their father, Jacob outwitted him and took away all the blessings and when Esau finally showed up, his father Isaac said, "And who are you?" because he couldn't see any more, Esau answered "I am your firstborn Esau", then Isaac started trembling and shaking, and said, "Then who hunted game and brought it to me? I just finished the meal before you walked in. And I have blessed him. Jacob, your younger brother came here falsely and took your blessing and I have made him your master, and all his brothers his servants, I have given it all away and you will serve him." When Esau heard his father's words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry, forgetting that he sold out his birthright himself. Hebrews 12:16-17 says "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears". Many people use gifts and food to take away other people's glory.

Many have been killed because of food. Indeed, many have died of food and drink poisoning. Ever wondered why people have to wash their own plates and queue just to buy food from a particular canteen every day and out-rightly refuse to patronize other canteens? I once worked at a canteen which was not enjoying enough patronage, but before I knew it, the owner had brought in a native doctor to make her charms that would attract much more customers. After I quit working for her, I learnt of another canteen owner, who washed her private part and used the water to prepare food! Very disgusting and unhygienic, you would agree. Another one confessed to using her food to exchange customers' fortunes. Jesus had the power to turn the stone into bread but refused and said that ''Man shall not leave by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." So, put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony, because some food set before you are deceptive and dangerous delicacies. No matter how wealthy a glutton is, he will still disgrace himself in the public.

In 1 Kings 13:9-24, we read how a lion killed a powerfully anointed prophet of God because he ate where God warned him not to eat bread nor drink water. Many people eat anyhow, anywhere, without praying over the food. There are many accounts of women who prepare delicious meals laced with charms and enchantments only to give such to men to take away their glory or to make love to them. Some men are also known for equally partaking in such wicked deeds. They put drugs into drinks and give whosoever they want to rape or harm. Some people just want to eat everything they see. There are wives, who would complain bitterly or jump outside to compromise if there's no food in the house for a day. "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." (Daniel 1:8). Daniel rejected the best meal known to men in his days, because he didn't want to defile himself.

The Israelites cried for water, God provided. They cried for food, God provided. Yet, they were never thankful but continued grumbling and because of their intense crave for meat, God gave them the meat, but while they were eating the meat, God angrily destroyed them. Numbers 11:4-6 says "Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: "Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!.''

And God commanded Moses to tell the people, "You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the LORD who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, "Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?" But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was aroused against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very great plague." (Numbers 11: 19, 20, 33).

There was a time we had a variety of food and food stuff at home, yet, I would leave to go and eat at a particular food canteen at least four to five times daily. I discovered that even when I was sleeping, something would tell me to wake up, and go buy food there. And there were many canteens in that neighbourhood. I tried several times to stop or change to another canteen, but I could not. Later, I came to know that the woman who owned the canteen was evil and so, I prayed fervently and saw myself in a dream vomiting a lot of dirty substances. Ever since, I became prayerfully conscious of what and where I eat.

Many people were once rich, but today are poor due to alcohol consumption. Isaiah 5:11 says "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!" Do you know that many great presidents, kings, CEOs, and celebrities died through food and drink poisoning? Even in the Bible, Amnon was killed when he was drunk, 2 Samuel 13:28-29; the same with king Elah in 1 Kings 16:8-10. Do you know that there are evil spirits that control everyone who is drunk? Yet, many people foolishly rationalize what Jesus did by turning water into wine. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS ALCOHOLIC WINE, rather, it was unfermented juice. Proverbs 20:1 ''Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.'' So, flee from people who will readily buy you cartons of beer, but will never give you a dime. Trust me, they are not your friends and they don't like you. But don't blame them, just pray for them, because they are being controlled by an evil spirit. When you are drunk, evil spirits can possess and control you, and can make you blaspheme God, or rape, or even commit fornication, and adultery. They can also make you beat your spouse, or lose your job, have an accident, or even commit suicide. Just ask yourself, "What's the benefit in consuming alcohol?" The Bible is explicit that our body is the temple of God, so why poison your body with drugs, abortion, alcohol, bleaching, tattoo, fornication, adultery, etc. Proverbs 23:31-33 says "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things."

No sensible lady would desire to marry a drunkard. No one would entrust a great position or an important responsibility into the hands of a drunkard. A mere servant can kill or poison a drunkard to take over his wealth. 1 Kings 16:9-10 says "And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah. 16:10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.''

Isaiah 5:11 says ''Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!''

Carefully note what Habakkuk 2:16 says "Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD'S right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory." The Bible tells us that Lot was drunk and did not know what he was doing; which led to immorality (Genesis 19:30-38); the same thing happened to Noah (Genesis 9:20-26).

Gifts

You will notice that whenever a woman gives birth to a child, many people will come around to greet and give gifts to the child. But do you know that some of them are not always there to rejoice with the family? Some only come to take away the child's glory, by presenting gifts to the mother.

Your star makes people prefer you, choose you and favour you above others, even when others are more talented, more beautiful and better educated than you. Daniel 6:3 says "Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.''

If you ever noticed anyone who sells the same things as many others in the same place or market, but is the only one everyone is patronizing, it is either the fellow has a glorious star or, is wickedly using other people's stars to make profit. In one of the companies I worked for many years ago, there was a time we employed a guy who was struggling in life, but immediately he started work, virtually everything stopped working for those of us who were in the company before him. The fellow became the one meeting the needs of every one of us and we never knew that he had caged our glory and was using it to profit. I had a prospective business contract and dreamt of myself winning the contract, but on the day of the scheduled meeting, the guy gave me some money for transport fare, unfortunately, I got to the meeting and lost the contract. I never knew that the guy was bewitching every one of us in the company. The day the guy was sacked, we all started making progress. You have to be very careful of the people you receive gifts from, because many just want to use that medium to get you or change your perception of them. Deuteronomy 16:19 says "for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous." Daniel 5:17 says "Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another".

There's so much evil in the world today, because many pastors, law enforcement officers etc., are encouraging corruption, armed robbery, assassinations, and illegal businesses and soon, due to the gifts they have received from these people. Isaiah 1:23 says "Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them". Proverbs 17:23 says "A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment." Ecclesiastes 7:7 says "a gift destroyeth the heart." Ezekiel 22:12-14 says "In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD. Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it". 2 Chronicles 19:7 says "Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts".

6) PARENTS' SINS..

Many children have had their glory hijacked before their conception due to the iniquities and covenants of their forefathers with Satan. Hosea 9:11 says ''As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth and from the womb, and from the conception".

Many people are not excelling today, because they are living under curses, in Genesis 49:4, Jacob cursed Reuben, his first son thus: "Unstable as water, he shall not excel, Because he went up to his father's bed and defiled it,'' The curse was still speaking against his descendants many years after, until Moses reversed the curse in Deuteronomy 33:6 saying ''from henceforth, let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few." That is why you must know your historical background.

After I got born again, I remember how my father and mother were divorced. It was also then that I learnt that my grandmother also had divorced. I started praying against the error from repeating itself, because Galatians 3:13 says "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree''.

Matthew 27:25 says '' Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.''

Some people are suffering today because of the innocent blood that their fore-fathers shed. After Cain killed his brother Abel, God made him understand the magnitude of his crime by saying ''Cain what have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the ground." (Genesis 4:10).

Matthew 27:24-25 says "When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it." And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."

What do you think happened to the children of people in the above passage?

In many, many circumstances, the fathers have eaten a sour grape, but the children's teeth are set on the edge. Lamentations 5:7 says "Our parents sinned and are no more, and now we're paying for the wrongs they did". Numbers 14:18 says "The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation." It is very important that you know your historical background, it will fish out the root of your problems, Deuteronomy 32:7 says "Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew you; thy elders, and they will tell you''. Some delays in life, marriage, child bearing, and untimely death are due to foundational problems, Luke 11:51 says "from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation." And King David asked a question in Psalms 11:3 that if the foundation has been destroyed what can the righteous can do? Good question. The answer is in Jeremiah 1:10 where God said "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." God has given the righteous the power to pull up, tear down, take apart and demolish every wrong or evil foundation and build a new foundation on Christ Jesus the solid Rock over which the gates of hell cannot prevail. So, the righteous should pray and cleave to the blood of Jesus, "because we have a new covenant through the precious blood of Jesus, the blood that speaks better things than that of Abel." (Hebrews 12:24).

After becoming born again in Christ Jesus, you have to prayerfully uproot every evil altar your fore fathers had built in the past, and separate yourself from any evil dedication and covenants.

Judges 6:25 - 26 Says "And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.''

God told Abraham to leave his father's house, because they were idol worshippers, Joshua 24:2-3 says "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.''

Nahum 1:9 says "What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time." Try Jesus today, and see the end of your affliction.

My grandfather was a grand occult in the world of darkness before he died. As a baby, he tenaciously attempted to use me for blood sacrifice, but, thank God for my mother's prayers which destabilized his plans; they started attacking me while I was still in the womb. On the day of my delivery, they tried harder to kill me, but, God frustrated their efforts. My mother had almost finished pushing me out of the womb, suddenly, something pushed me back inside, but God proved himself. When I began to crawl, a demonic agent was consulted to snuff out my life, but he fell into the pit he dug for me. That's why my mother named me WONDER and Samuel. If I had not used BJ Sam as stage name, I would have used SAMMY WONDER. My mother's name is Grace, which in Hebrew is Hannah, and I am the first born, just like Samuel in the Bible. Indeed, we have many similarities. My mother also promised God what Hannah promised God.

While growing up, I came to know that my grandfather's children died in their prime, at very young ages. This also included my dad who died very early. This made me draw close to God to silence the innocent blood that was speaking against me. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, the limitation of untimely death was finally broken. Before then, I had escaped death several times. I was once electrocuted almost to the point of death. It happened when I tried to help someone pick up a high tension aluminium wire which fell in front of their house. Using a long stick, I lifted up the live wire, but somehow, the force of the electric current pulled me and began draining my blood. The fellows I was trying to help, fearfully backed away from me. Scared stiff, and in pain, I began to question myself: Am I going to die this way? Would my dreams and aspirations die just like this? Suddenly, God's mercy over-whelmed me and I used my other hand to hold another part of the wire, which miraculously didn't compound my situation, and I was able to shake off the wire. I was so weak and found no strength to walk, because I felt like all my blood was drained. I hobbled to a store and bought milk to drink before I could come back to myself. This was a great miracle, because a few years later, I visited someone in the hospital and saw people who were electrocuted by mere indoor wires, who lost part of their bodies. I also heard about incidents of others, whose cases were not as severe as mine, yet they died instantly. There was also a time I was sick almost to the point of death, but God healed and restored me. But from the moment I read in the Bible ''that by Jesus stripes, we are healed'', I declared that I would never be sick again! And forever, I can never be sick again!

Many people say ''Let me sin, I know that God will forgive me. Yes, God is kind and merciful but little do we know that God is also a God of fire and thunder. That's why Hebrews 10:31 tells us that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God". 2 Samuel 24:12-15 says "Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? Or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? Now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men". Genesis 9:6 also says "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man".

Why are you still suffering after you have given your life to Christ? Many times, people who were once prostitutes, killers, or did other wicked things still suffer, even after they have become born again. Why? Because Galatians 6:7 says ''Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.''

So, after giving your life to Christ, you have to seriously plead for God to take away all the consequences of your iniquities and the evil seeds you or your father's house have sown in the past.

Paul watched Stephen being stoned to death and after Paul became born again, he was also stoned to the point of death.

Acts 7:58-59 "And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.''

Acts 14:19 says ''And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.''

Have you wondered why many pastors' children are stubborn, or are vagabonds, or even flat out immoral? Though, many times, Satan tries to use them to distract their parents from doing the assignment that God gave them, but sometimes, it is actually a rehash of their parents' behaviour before they became born again. That's why some people will say, ''Why is it that after I became born again, I began to experience difficulties?" Fact is, when people plead for mercy, they will escape the consequence, but if their children do not pray against it, they will suffer for it. When David sinned against God by taking another man's wife, and deliberately allowed the man to die on the war front, he pleaded for forgiveness, 2 Samuel 12:13-14 says "And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die". And the same thing that David did to the man, David's son Absalom, also did to David in 2 Samuel 16:22 ''so they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.''

When Solomon sinned against God, 1 Kings 11:9-12 says "And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son".

Due to the numerous wicked deeds of King Ahab, in 1 Kings 21:21, God said to him "Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity". And 1 Kings 21:27-29 says "And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house."

YOU CAN SEE THE PROMISED LAND WITHOUT ENTERING; YOU CAN MAKE WEALTH WITHOUT ENJOYING IT.

It is one thing to make wealth and another to enjoy it. Many people made fame and wealth but did not stay alive to enjoy it. Some make fame and wealth but diverse problems, like sicknesses and diseases did not allow them to enjoy it. There are even others who make fame and wealth but find themselves in prison because of a particular crime committed; therefore, they can't enjoy the wealth. Ecclesiastes 6:2 says "A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honour, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction".

Moses saw the Promised Land but could not enter, "Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan. "Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there." "So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 34:1, 4,5). "As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labour--this is the gift of God. For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart." (Ecclesiastes 5:19-20).

There was once a severe famine in the land "Then Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: "Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria. So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, "Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" And he said, "In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it. Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. "Now the king had appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. But the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him." (2 Kings 7:1, 2, 16, 17).This is a classic example of how one can "see" a miracle or blessing and never taste of it. You must not just work hard and pray for wealth, but also pray for the power and grace to "eat" and enjoy the wealth. This is necessarily so because there have been documented cases of people who, having laboured so hard, and just on the cusp of their breakthrough, had something horrible happen to them or to individuals very close to them. Some mysteriously become disabled, go crazy or even die prematurely. May yours never be like that in Jesus name.

CHAPTER FIVE

HOW TO RESTORE YOUR LOST GLORY

God has given a STAR to each and every one of us irrespective of our parents' religion, beliefs, skin colour, or tribe before we came to this world. If however, you allow Satan to steal your Star through pride, sex, anger, food, gifts, curses, it is only the blood of Jesus Christ that can restore it to you again. John 17:5 says "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."

Many who are destined to be shining stars all over the world are still in darkness, working as slaves, while those that ought to serve them are riding on horses. Psalms 49:20 says ''Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish."

Glory is a like a gas cylinder filled to the brim, awaiting the right time to be used to bring forth light, unfortunately, many have carelessly switched open theirs and in the process wasted all the gas before the appointed time. And thereby live all their life glory-less and without any discernible achievements.

In Deuteronomy 28 God declared blessings on the obedient and curses on the disobedient, so Satan can only afflict the disobedient ones.

Isaiah 53:6 says "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all". Just like any good shepherd whose goat or sheep strays into another man's farm to eat the crops, he would go look for it. But meanwhile, what would the farmer do? He would catch the animal and tie it down till the shepherd comes to pay for the damage. This is akin to what God did when man irresponsibly ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. He sent Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, to come and die as a ransom for the sin of mankind. Unfortunately, a large swathe of humanity still prefers being tied down by the devil and living strongly delusional lives. Long before God sent Jesus Christ, He'd raised Moses to deliver the Isrealites from Egypt: a powerful picture of His desire to ultimately set man free from the clutches of sin and misery. Remember that for hundreds of years, the Isrealites were held in bondage and egregiously misused and abused by their Egyptian captors. Nonetheless, God finally delivered them from Egypt albeit miraculously. To the children of Isreal, Egypt was a place of suffering, abasement and humiliation: ironically they were barely out of its borders when they began to grumble, murmur and complain about their condition and desired to return to Egypt- the house of slavery. They conveniently forgot the miracles, signs and the wonders God worked through Moses. They obviously preferred slavery to freedom. Their reasoning had become warped and their speech incoherent. They'd been so long in slavery, their mind-set had fundamentally transformed to that of a perpetual slave. The Israelites said to Moses in Exodus 14:12 ""Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness". This is still happening all over the world today in spite of the pain and anguish Jesus Christ experienced just to redeem our glory and set us free, most of us still prefer suffering, by refusing to accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour, forgetting that our life is just a mere vapour which appears for a little while and vanish away, yet, many still prefer to worship the creature rather than the Creator.

When King David committed adultery, he realised that a virtue had gone out of him, he cried to God to ''restore unto him the joy of God's salvation; and uphold him with His free spirit." (Psalm 51:12). God will always give every sinner a space of time to repent, but if they refuse, then they will face the consequences of their sins, Revelation 2:21-22 says "And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds''.

James 2:20 tells us that ''faith without works is dead'', this does not mean that the believer would attain perfection and become flawless at the moment of salvation, but that his life and actions will begin to bear the fruits of righteousness. Crying and shedding of tears or feeling guilty does not always mean repentance. It is the change of mind, and accompanying actions that is the proof. Judas Iscariot cried, felt sorry but never repented, rather, he complicated the situation by committing suicide, Matthew 27:5 says "And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself." On the contrary Peter cried and repented, Luke 22:62 says "And Peter went out, and wept bitterly".

It must be pointed out that whoever commits suicide will end up in hell fire even if the person is a pastor, pope, bishop etc. why? Because your body is the temple of God and 1 Corinthians 3:17 says "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy" Ezekiel 18:21-23 says "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? Saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?".

Are you in bondage to masturbation or do you see someone having sex with you in your dream? If yes, you'll be delivered now by the blood of Jesus Christ just as I was delivered by the power in God's word as found in Psalms 74:13-14 "Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness."

Either you are the poorest in your environment or you are currently in a dust of shame, reproach, rejection etc 1 Samuel 2:8 tells us that "God raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory." So get set for a change of name, position and level.

No matter your errors and setbacks, if you can carefully retrace your footsteps and correct your mistakes, you can still recover your loss and have a successful end. The woman with the issue of blood had spent all she had and had gone everywhere for solution but had found no help until she met JESUS who healed and restored all she had lost. So you don't have to be afraid, all you need is faith and not fear, faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, Job 20:15 says "He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly." I don't know how long your glory and riches have been swallowed or buried, but I want to assure you that Jesus Christ is willing to restore all now. Lazarus had died and buried for four days, but Jesus said to Martha, Lazarus sister "Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40). I don't know how long you've been lost in the shade of night wandering for sunshine, or how long you have been stuck in limbo chasing the rainbow. There is hope for you today, God will unleash a glowing snow on your path and cause your star to shine in Jesus name. Psalms 103:10 says "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."

You need the power and the dominion in the blood of Jesus Christ to break every curse, covenant and yoke that is fighting the manifestation of your glory. Genesis 27:40 says "And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck."

No matter how bad you have been, Jesus is ever merciful. He is willing to forgive you, purify you and bless you. In Luke 15, Jesus told a story of a prodigal son who said to his father " I want all my inheritance as your son right now" and his father gave him his own share. He immediately got together all he had, relocated to a far country and there squandered all his wealth in wild living with strangers and prostitutes. After he had wasted all his money, there was a horrible famine all across that country and he began to suffer. It was so bad, he had nothing to eat. So he went to work for a citizen of that country, who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry and longed to eat even the corncobs in the pig slop, but he was not allowed to. Then he said to himself, 'How many of my father's servants have enough food to eat and spare, and here I am starving to death! I will go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men. So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to him, embraced and kissed him. And the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. As he was yet speaking, the father said to his servants, go quickly and bring out the best robe, put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Then hurry up, get a grain-fed heifer, kill and roast it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

Are you tired of poverty? Haggai 2:8 says "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts." "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33). Psalms 113:7-8 says "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people."

Today, God is calling, saying "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." (Isaiah 55:1-2).

Irrespective of your colour and background, God has given every human being glory or star, but once the star or the glory is stolen or diminished, only the blood of Jesus can restore it. Many religions across the globe, shed the blood of different animals even that of humans for sacrifice or other purposes. Some for good fortunes, positions, wealth, and some for cleansing or to please some deities etc. But the only BLOOD that can wash away our sins, redeem our glory and grant us fortune, bliss, wealth, positions, and eternal life is the Blood of Jesus Christ, the only sinless man that ever walked the earth. All you need to do to enjoy these benefits is simply to believe and accept His Sacrifice for all of your sins. Hebrews 9:12-14 says "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

1 John 3:8b says '' For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil," reason why you must not accept fear, no matter the circumstance in your life. God has promised that he will never leave nor forsake us, Joel 2:25 God says " I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you", 1 Samuel 30:8b says ''And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all." (2 Timothy 1:7), the blood of Jesus is able to wash and redeem your glory, Ephesians 1:7 says "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace".

Hebrews 7:25 says "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." When Jesus died, he descended into the lower parts of the earth to restore our glory and riches. Ephesians 4:8-10 says "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."

So I don't care how bad you have been, all I know is that you can never be too sinful and dirty for Jesus' blood to wash and make you whole. A lady said that she had sinned beyond repentance. It is a lie from the pit of hell, no human being can sin beyond the point of repentance, only Satan and his falling angels have sinned beyond repentance. Sadly, Satan has deceived human beings into believing that a level of wickedness could never be forgiven by God, but that is not true, Isaiah 1:18-19 says "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land."

God said in 2 Chronicles 7:14"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land". 1 John 1:7 says "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Paul killed many Christians yet, God forgave him. Please don't allow anyone or anything to hinders you from making heaven, be it your friends, family, mentors, Job, fashion, music, evil desires, evil attitude etc Mark 9:47-48 says "And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched".

Isaiah 40:5 says "And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."

All God requires from us is to first and foremost admit that we are sinners period. Have you noticed that when you buy a new stainless cooking pot, you could treasure it so much to even place it on your dress because it looks bright and is truly stainless but, after using it for cooking for a period of time, it becomes charcoal black and you will naturally keep it away from your dress, why? Because it will stain your clean dress! Same applies to our glory. At creation, man was sparkling new, he was innocent and glowing in beauty and glory but the moment he sinned he became stained and filthy, no longer fit to stay in the Garden of Eden; Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God". You may wonder, it was Adam and Eve that sinned, how did we all then come to sin? Romans 5:12 says "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."

But do you know that no matter how dark a pot could be, it could still be bright again if thoroughly washed with water, iron sponge, and detergent? The same applies to our glory, regardless of what may have happened to it. God is still willing to restore and redeem our glory through the precious blood of Jesus. 1 John 1:8-9 says "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness".

Secondly, believe that God so much loves you to send Jesus Christ to this world to die for you. John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Romans 5:8 says "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," Romans 8:32 says "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"

Thirdly, you must repent and accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, 2 Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance". You may want to ask "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8-10, 13).

You may say, "I am rich, I don't need Jesus." If you refuse to accept Jesus now or fear God today you will fear God on the day of Judgment.

Jesus made it clear to us in John 15:22 that if he had not come and spoken to the world, then we would not have been guilty of our sins, because we would never have known that we were wrong. But now you and I have no more excuse not to repent from our sin and call on Jesus to save us and redeem our glory. Even if you are a prostitute, armed robber, drug addict, cultist, or whatever, JESUS is willing to forgive and rescue you if only you will surrender all to Him. If you are truly born again, the devil cannot stop you. Of course, he can tempt you with sin, but you don't have to agree with him. You don't have to fall into sin. And if you do quickly confess it to Jesus, lest Satan uses your fault to delay your blessing. Therefore, don't be ignorant of the devices of the devil. So that he does not take advantage of your blessing.

John 12:42-43 says "Among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God". Today, many people believe in Jesus but are either ashamed or afraid to confess him publicly, some because of their position, title, spouse, background, or friends. But without believing and confessing Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, you cannot be saved. Romans 10:9-10 says "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" .Jesus said in Mark 8:38 "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels".

Now, If you are truly ready to accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour today and call on him to restore your glory through His precious blood, kindly say this prayer: Dear God, I come to you today in the name of Jesus, Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, I know and I believe that you died for me and was resurrected on the third day to save me. Today, I accept you as my Lord and personal saviour, please come into my life and reside in me, give me a new life, a new glory and divine insight. Please, write my name in the book of life, remember me in your kingdom, thank you Lord Jesus for saving my soul, all adoration in yours in your Mighty name I pray, Amen.

Congratulations, if you have prayed that prayer with your whole heart. "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." (John 5:14).

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT." (Romans 8:1). "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;" (John 8:31) "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8:14).

From henceforth, be bold, because the strength and power of Jesus Christ now flows in every part of your being; John 1:12 says "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." 2 Corinthians 8:9 says "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich".

Now that your glory has been restored, there is a crown waiting for you. However, the devil will always try to put obstacles on your way, that is why Hebrews 12:1-3 says ''Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."

You are not the only one who has ever encountered the same trials or temptations", 1 Corinthians 10:13 Says "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it", Hebrews 4:15-16 also says "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

When the hour for Jesus to be crucified was approaching, He said "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:31-32).And after He died and arose from the grave, He said "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (Matthew 28:18).And John 1:12 says "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"

Now that you have received Christ Jesus, This is God's promise for you, ''Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD. (Zephaniah 3:19-20 )"."Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves," (Ezekiel 37:12-13).

Matthew 2:1-2 says ''Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Even far from the east, people could see the star of Jesus shining and never stopped until they located Him, worshipped Him and presented gifts to Him. Therefore, declare that world leaders, presidents, and all your helpers shall see your star, hear about you, look for you and bless you this month in Jesus name. Your star cannot shine except the glory of God is risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1,3 says "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising" in Jesus name. The Bible declares in 1 Kings 10:24 that "all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart." Therefore, I declare all the earth will seek to hear your voice, wisdom and see you display the skills, gifts and talents that God has given you in Jesus name."

Deuteronomy 15:6 says "For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee."

When it is almost time for your star to shine forth, you will face a lot of negativity like rejection, pressure, may be starvation, or some other form of turbulence. This accounts for why many die or give up when it is almost time for them to break forth. The prince of the power of the air hindered Daniel, but Daniel continued to pray until his request was released to him. So you must pray that the powers from the air release all your glory and blessings that they have withheld. Also pray that they never succeed in hijacking the glory of your unborn children. Therefore, cultivate the habit of praying each night, I received most of these scriptures while praying and studying the Bible at night. '' Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation." (Luke 22:46). Most of the beautiful and horrible things are carried out in the night hour before they eventually manifest physically, Matthew 13:25 says "but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way'', God pronounced in Jeremiah 1:10 "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." , the spiritual controls the physical, before anything will manifest physically it must have manifested spiritually. The devil had been planning to destroy the faith of Peter, which is why Jesus told him in Matthew 26:40-41 "Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ''Proverbs 6:4-5 says "Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler". Proverbs 20:13 says "Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread". When you pray earnestly, you automatically become inflammable and untouchable, Luke 9:29 says "As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening."

Ecclesiastes 10:8 says "whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him".

Ephesians 4:27 tells us not to give a place to the devil. Now how do we give place to the devil? Through disobedience.

The greatest idols in the world today are mobile phones, internet and television. This has taken our time for reading the Bible, and fellowship with God. People spend twelve hours or more on the internet or watching television, but they can't spend one hour in prayer nor study the Bible. Many pray every second but see no result, because after their prayer, they do not keep watch and therefore always fall into temptation and sin against God, which hinders them from possessing their possessions. Jesus said "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation:" (Matthew 26:41).

CHAPTER SIX

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU WHEN YOUR STAR SHINES, WHEN FAME AND WEALTH COMES?

If you are successful or wealthy today, don't ever think it is due to your intelligence or your efforts, it is the blessing of the Lord. There are people who are far more intelligent and hardworking than you, and yet, are not successful nor wealthy. Deuteronomy 7:7 says "The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:"

Many celebrities soared so high to the sky and limelight yesterday only to tumble into obscurity, lost everything they had and fell from riches to rags. Some spent more than their income and became indebted and were forced out of their beautiful homes to the prison while some ended up living in car parks because they squandered all their money on alcohols, drugs, night club's, gambling, divorce settlements, bad investment, multiple cars, unpaid taxes charges and lawsuits settlements. There is nothing wrong in owning private jets, fancy cars and mansions, but if you spend one billion on yourself and can't spend at least one million on the poor around you then you are likely to become poor. Psalms 41: 1 - 2, says "Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth." The best protection you can give to yourself and finance is paying your tithes to God and giving to the poor. Have you realise that every billionaire gives to the poor? Many wise celebrities set up their own charity wings, schools or contribute to charities, NGOs for the relief of the poor, medical relief, aid to children etc which also makes them eligible for tax deductions.

Fame and riches are like gas in a hot air balloon, once it escapes it will be impossible to get it back. Many celebrities allowed their fame and riches to fade away in a blink of an eye. How many of the celebrities and millionaires that were famous years ago are still riding high today? Only few. 2 John 1:8 says "Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward".

Malachi 2:2 says "If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings".

Jeremiah 13:15-16 says "Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness".

So as fame and wealth comes, you must realise that:

Without the sunshine the earth would have remained in darkness,

An eagle would not fly without its wings,

A river would not flow without a source,

A flower would not have survived nor flourish with elegant beauty without soil and water,

No matter how mighty and strong a lion is, it could not devour its prey without its teeth.

Deuteronomy 10:12 says "And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. "

BE FAITHFUL, NEVER ALLOW ANYONE TO MISLEAD YOU.

When you are at the top, don't forget where you came from. 2 Samuel 7:8 says " Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel"

So when you get to the palace, don't forget how faithful you were to God when you were in the mould house. The devil deceptively proclaimed that man would be wise after eating the forbidden fruit, but man became a fool, full of troubles. Do not please your friends, mentors, pastors or even your parents only to displease or disobey the almighty God. The journey to the Promised Land that was supposed to take the Israelites just forty days from Egypt, took them forty years! Why? Disobedience! 1Samuel 15:23,24 says "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king. "Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice". Deuteronomy 15:5-6 says "only if you carefully obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command you today. For the LORD your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you." Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek". James 4:17 says "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin". "Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:23, 24).

Don't ever try to please people and displease God, it is very dangerous. Most people who become celebrities always start well, but when the fame and wealth comes, they begin to flirt, to be pompous, and back slide. Don't be lost in the crowd, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16). Some people claim to be indifferent, they are neither cold nor hot which is not possible, once you don't belong to Jesus, you directly or indirectly belong to the devil, in Luke 11:23 Jesus said "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters''. You cannot even serve two masters, you cannot go to church and also bow to any idol or visit any shrine, Matthew 6:24 says "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

This is a principal reason why many have been serving God and trusting Him for a particular blessing but have not received their hearts' desires. Nothing just seems to be springing forth. In many such situations, God knows that you trust him but the question is, CAN GOD TRUST YOU? After God has blessed you, will you still be faithful, loyal, humble, attend church services and serve God? Deuteronomy 8:2 says "And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not".

Solomon started well but declined along the line, 1 Kings 3:3b tells us that "Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David," verse 5 tells us how the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and said, "Ask! What shall I give you?" but all Solomon wanted due to his love for God was a understanding heart to judge the people of God, and discern between good and bad: which actually pleased the Lord "Then God said to him: "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice," behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. "And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days."(1 Kings 3:11-13).

God made King Solomon to surpass all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom, each man brought him presents: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year." (1 Kings 10:23-25), but after God had so much blessed Solomon, the same passion with which he loved God and built a house for God; he now loved many strange women and also built a shrine for each of them. He built just one for God and many for strange women. It is not possible for any man to love strange women and love God at the same time. Solomon had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; 1 Kings 11:3-4, 9says "For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. "So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice". May God not regret blessing you and me in Jesus name.

Deuteronomy 11:16,17 says "Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, lest the LORD's anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you". 2 Peter 3:17 says "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked" 2 Peter 2:21 says "For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.".

Satan can use anyone to discourage you from serving God. A spirit spoke through Peter to discourage Jesus from going to the cross to fulfil His mission on earth, but Jesus rebuked the spirit to back off. "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." (Matthew 16:21-23). Even if you discover that the person who is supposed to be your mentor spiritually or career wise belongs to a cult, don't be devastated or discouraged, remember 1 John 2:19 says "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.".

Years ago, a guy was given the assignment to come to the church I was attending and to lure me to take up membership of their satanic fraternity. The guy came and joined my department in the church. From that moment, things moved so fast that I still cannot explain how he became my best friend. After series of conversations, the guy got so much information about me, even my very personal plans and things that I couldn't share with any other person, I felt obliged to share with him; my plans to set up companies because I was expecting a very huge amount of money. He started by giving me good advice just to gain my trust and confidence and to perceive him as a very good friend. Suddenly, he began to tell me how he'd noticed my faithfulness and vigorous service for God but that I should not rely on God alone, but also try the other side. I saw a picture he took with one of the notorious satanic worshippers in Africa, all these were warning signals for me to pull away, but I didn't say a word. I, however, decided to go to the mountain to pray for a few days, but the guy tried to discourage me, saying he'd been there before and that it was not helpful. He then hinted he was going to visit the satanic agent that day, if I would not mind coming along. I immediately realized I should have rebuked him from the very first day like Jesus did to Peter when He said "get thee behind me Satan'', but I was trying to be respectful, even though I never for once took his advice and invitation seriously. Because I was not assertive in promptly severing my relationship with him, the man succeeded in taking my name to the occult world and terminated all my plans and hindered the money I was expecting. This was so because I ignorantly told the guy every step I took. There was a day we came to decorate and set up the church building for the next service; after we were done, we needed to go and have a quick change of clothes which were already dirty to return almost immediately to the church and since his house was nearer, I went with him to his house. He offered me a meal and I ate. Immediately, I began to feel strange. I knew that something had gone wrong but I somehow shrugged it off. In no time at all, all the huge sums of money in dollars that I'd been expecting were aborted. I had several dreams about death and revelations to flee from the guy but I didn't take any action. Yet, God in his unending love and mercy brought an opportunity for me to be relocated to another country. As soon as I arrived in the country, I dreamt that the guy was actually sent to lure me into a satanic fraternity, but, because he had failed to accomplish his assignment, his own life was now in danger. Shockingly, the man called me out of the blue, how did he know my new phone number? I'd wondered. With a perplexed, tremulous and troubled voice, I heard him croaking "I thought we were friends, so you left the country without letting me know? Now where are you"? I cut off the call immediately and blocked his number. For a long time after, I refused to pick up any unknown number because I perceived that he was in danger because of my absence. After a while, I prayed and separated myself from him and from whatever was in the food I ate in his house.

In John 10, Jesus said my sheep know my voice and will not by any means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. So don't allow anyone to mislead you, even if you come to know that your spouse, parents, intimate friends or pastors are doing evil, don't join them. Deuteronomy 13:6-8 says "If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and serve other gods," which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers, of the gods of the people which are all around you, near to you or far off from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, "you shall not consent to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him or conceal him;. Deuteronomy 13:1-3 says Even "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, "and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, "Let us go after other gods'--which you have not known--"and let us serve them, ""you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul." .It was because of the Israelites that Moses went to the mountain to speak with God, the same Israelites still persuaded Aaron, Moses assistant, to sin against God. Aaron listened to their evil advice, and when Moses returned "Aaron said, "Master, don't be angry. You know this people and how set on evil they are. They said to me, 'Make us gods who will lead us. This Moses, the man who brought us out of Egypt, we don't know what's happened to him." So be careful.

Adam was cursed when he agreed with his wife to disobey God. In Genesis 3:17 God said to Adam "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life". Ephesians 6:1 says "Children, obey your parents in the Lord". Everything your parents want you to do must be in line with the word of God. If your parents want you to serve idols or go into prostitution, armed robbery, etc and you agree, that's not obeying your parents in the Lord. That's why Jesus said in Matthew 10:35-37 "For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Luke 21:16-17 says "And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake".

1 Kings 13 tells us how God sent a young prophet with a message to another town and warned him not to eat bread nor drink water in the place. And he went and delivered the message and the king of the town stretched out his hand saying, "Arrest him!" and the hand which he stretched out became paralyzed, that he could not pull it back to himself, then he pleaded with the young prophet to kindly "Pray to your GOD" for the healing of his arm. And the prophet did and the king's arm was healed. And the king said to him, "Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward." But he said to the king, "If you were to give me half of your house, I would not go in with you; nor eat bread or drink water in this place. For God has commanded me not to. But an old prophet who dwelt in that land, said to him, "I am a prophet like you, and an angel of God has spoken to me, that I should bring you to my house, that you may eat bread and drink water". But it was a lie, unfortunately, the young prophet believed a lie, and as soon as he left the house, a lion met him on the road and killed him.

The same happened to me. There was a time several men of God warned me that the devil had programmed a lady for me, and the day I met the lady, I instantly knew she was the one they warned me about. I told her that some men of God had warned me against her, but she said that she was not the one. I went to tell my pastor who it turned out, never understood why other men of God told me to stay away from the lady. He told me that the lady was good for me, and I yielded not knowing that I was heading for destruction. But God was so merciful and sent a pastor, who came and prayed over my dead body and God brought me back to life.

So "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1). Revelation 13:13, 14 forewarns us that "He will perform great signs, and even make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. "And will deceive those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he has been granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived." Every miracle does not emanate from God. There are counterfeit miracle, signs and wonders. Beware!

Acts 16:16-18 says "And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour''. This lady was possessed by demons, yet, she was predicting correctly, and she was doing it for several days before Apostle Paul could detect and cast that demon out of her. So you could be attending a church lead by false prophets, pastors, and teachers for years without detecting they are counterfeits and hucksters except the Holy Spirit reveals it to you.

Matthew 24:24-25 says at the end time, which is the present time ''There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect''. Jude 1:4 says "See, I have told you beforehand." So be vigilant "For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ". Micah 7:5 says "Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with her who lies in your embrace, be careful of your words".

LEARN TO APPRECIATE!

When you get to the palace please don't forget those you left in the mud house.

Genesis 40:14 says "But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:"

Jesus healed ten lepers, but how many of them returned to show appreciation? Luke 17:12-18 says "And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger".

When the sun rises and brightens your days and everything in your life and around you blossom and flourish, please don't forget to express your gratitude to those people God used to groom, train, and coach you. Indeed, those who prayed, supported, and encouraged you, those who laboured with you when you were nobody, they must never be forgotten. People who believed in your dreams and visions when no one else did, those who were there for you when you were down and out, when you were rejected, weak, and poor, they must be appreciated. Those who shared their time, talent, ideas, and bread with you when you couldn't afford it, must never be dismissed offhandedly. Joshua 2:12 says "Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:"

David, before he became king over Israel experienced difficulties, opposition and threat to his life, but Jonathan, his friend, stood by him all through and when David finally became king he remembered Jonathan, who was now deceased, along with his family, and took good care of Mephiboshet, Jonathan's son whom he encouraged, "Fear not: for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, from henceforth you will wine and dine on the kings table as long as you live." 1 Samuel 9:7.

REACH FOR THE STAR!

Don't be carried away by the applause and ovation, there is still a better crown for you regardless of the crown on your head now. No matter the height you have attained, if you do not push for the next level, it will soon become irrelevant and forgotten. So you must be innovative and creative; indeed, you must consistently learn new skills and new things to improve yourself and your brand regardless of how gifted you may be or the peak you have reached. The moment you become myopic and complacent about your achievements, others will overtake you and you may just become outdated or irrelevant to your audiences, fans, supporters and clients.

Many go through eviction just because they lack great vision. This is not the time to relent in your effort, set a higher goal for yourself, where do you want to see yourself in the next ten years? What do you want to achieve in the next five years? What do you need to achieve these goals? How do you intend to achieve it? Because without setting goals to reach the next level of your career, you will be swept away by the wind of applause and people's adulation that before you know it, you'll be down the ladder struggling again.

It is much easier to make waves, or come to fame and wealth than maintaining them. Most artistes fall off the ladder of their fame or tarnish their professional standing when after riding the wave of success for a short while begin to compromise or take their eyes off God, the giver and source of the gift and wealth. But many erroneously believe that they will always remain at the top, not realizing that there are thousands out there, more gifted, yet, craving for the same opportunity. Don't be satisfied with where you are now, dare for more, enlarge your territory because there is still a whole lot in store for you. God said "as far as you can see He will give it to you." So how far can you see? Please don't be short sighted. Jeremiah 1:12 says "Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it." Don't limit yourself, reach for the star! Philippians 3:14 says "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

But remember that each level requires a new test, you can never be promoted to a new class without writing and passing a new test and exam. Most people have been on the same spot for years because they would not take a step forward out of fear of obstacles they may encounter to attain the new height. Go as far as you can see, and when you get there, you'll see beyond what you saw initially. Don't stop, keep pressing on in spite of the thorns and barriers.

Until you begin to thirst and hunger for greatness, you may never attain it. For years, I have worked hard just so as to stand out anywhere, I have also prayed hard to attain the pinnacle which people believe is unreachable, but I still believe that my current success is just a preamble. My best is yet to come. I have always dreamt and desired to be the best in my field; I have never compared myself to anybody, neither have I tried to be someone else. Though the world has seen crystals of diamonds and many other wonders of the world, and though the world has heard numerous wonderful melodious songs, but I believe that eyes and ears have never seen nor heard of mine before. Because I know that I am not a mistake, I was born to fulfil destiny, to be a wonder in this world, a blessing to many generations.

So never settle for less, go for the best. Look at what I am talking about in Joshua 17:14-18 "Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given us only one lot and one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the LORD has blessed us until now? "So Joshua answered them, "If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you. But the children of Joseph said, The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel."And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph--to Ephraim and Manasseh--saying, "You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot, "but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong".

Life will only give you what you work for, not what you qualify for. The children of Joseph demanded for a large territory and their request was granted, because they remembered the blessings their grandfather Jacob spoke on their father Joseph in Genesis 49:25-26 "By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brothers."

"And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a DOUBLE PORTION of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, THOU HAST ASKED A HARD THING: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so." (2 Kings 2:9-10). Elisha reached out for the STAR, he refused to attain the greatest peak his master attained but dared for the double portion, for those who witnessed and read the incredible exploits that God did through Elijah, it would be very difficult to believe that anyone else could have the double portion of it, yet Elisha dared ask for it and it was given to him.

Many people believe that because their mentors, CEOs, general overseers, heroes, Inventors, and others artistes were or are so great, no one else can surpass them in greatness. It is a lie. The Bible says that ''Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9). So you can be greater than whoever you are celebrating today or the world has ever celebrated, if only you believe and dare reach for it. Your desire is what God will give you, if it will not ruin you, the Bible says in Psalms 81:10 "I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it". If you are fasting and praying for a bungalow, it will be very difficult for God to give you a mansion, except if mercy speaks for you.

EXPECT ENVY

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, (Luke 6:22). James 3:2- tells us "For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same [is] a perfect man, [and] able also to bridle the whole body." So, if you want to be at the top then be ready to be the topic, either for good or bad. Let's face it, people talk. Those who love you will talk and those who hate you will do the same with passion. If you are aspiring to be great and famous, then, expect gossip, rumours, and scandals against your person, because people will try to make money off of your back by tarnishing your image and will be saying all manner of things against you. They will watch and monitor everything you do, even mark your steps by the moment, they will twist your statements just to embarrass and shame you. All these will be done to distract you, you must therefore, be brave and refuse to be intimidated. There are many people out there who are green with envy and would do everything in their power to bring you down. They do not care to know about your past struggles and pains and disappointments, all they care about is to viciously attack your character. Some may say outrageous things about you, even claiming to know everything about you. Some may even be name droppers, people you have never met before, fellows you do not know from Adam. Of course, many times they mean it for evil but God has a way of turning their mischief into good. The irony is that some unfounded rumours and scandals may just have unintended consequences and may end up giving you a wider exposure that will not only boost your persona but more profoundly, your career or profession. Indeed, some controversies favour celebrities and make them more famous, which is probably why many celebrities sometimes, create and generate controversies just to get people to talk about them.

For long I have toiled in pain, been drenched in the storm of pain, hoping and longing for a brighter day, when my sun will rise. By the grace of God when the time finally came for me to reign, no one could stop it because the Lord is my strength and defence. Sadly, many still do not believe that God can mightily bless people, so that when they saw the tremendous blessings and fame that God bestowed on me, they became envious.

John 15:18 says "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you". No matter how just you are, the moment you begin to step into the dawn of greatness, many will not believe that your greatness is genuine, they will imagine there is more to your success than meets the eye. Many will do things or say things intended to tarnish your image, but the Bible says of the righteous that "He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is established; He will not be afraid, until he sees his desire upon his enemies. "The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked shall perish." (Psalms 112:7, 8, 10). Even Jesus Christ, the only sinless man that ever lived was accused by sinful men of using demonic power to heal, Luke 11:14-16 says "And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marvelled. "But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons. Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven". That is why Jesus said in Matthew 10:25-26 "It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! "Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known."

David foresaw that one of the twelve disciples would betray Jesus, but God did not predestine Judas Iscariot to be the one to betray Jesus, Judah chose to and his evil intention led him to do it. "Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?'' This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it." (John 12:3-6).Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve disciples that Jesus gave power, "And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease." (Matthew 10:1), but Judas allowed the devil to possess and use him, "Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude." (Luke 22:3-6). Jesus said "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father." (John 15:24).

At a point in King David's life; his son, along with some of his armies, and counsellor conspired to overthrow him, 2 Samuel 15:14 says "So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword". 2 Samuel 17:1-2 says "Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. "I will come upon him while he is weary and weak, and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will strike only the king". Another man called Shimei also cursed and stoned King David, 2 Samuel 16: 6, 13 said "And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. "And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust". That is why you need to be surrounded with loyal people who will stick with you through the ups and downs, 2 Samuel 15:21 says "But Ittai answered the king and said, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be". So "Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you." (1 John 3:13).

But through thick and thin, you must be plain, be focussed and keep a clear conscience before God and be always ready to tell anyone who asks why you live the way you do with courtesy and boldness; so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They will end up realizing that they are the ones who need a bath. Don't be disturbed, remember that "A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones." (Proverbs 14:30).Peter 2:20-21 says "For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps".

1 Corinthians 6:7 says "Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?" 1 Peter 4:16 says "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter". Luke 6:27-28 says "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, "bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you."

How many disciples did Jesus have? Luke 9:1 says "Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases." and the next chapter (Luke 10:1) says" After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. At a point, everyone left Jesus, but the twelve remained with Him, John 6:66-69 says "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. "Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. "Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God", but at the end of the day Judas also left and betrayed Him, even Peter, a right hand man of Jesus, also denied Him but repented and retraced his footsteps.

So if you are aspiring to be a celebrity and newsmaker, then be prepared, because you will encounter betrayals, discouragement, opposition and gossip. 1 Peter 2:19-23 says "For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God." "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth; "who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously''. Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:12-13 "And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the off scouring of all things until now." In 2 Timothy 1:12 he said "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day". So be strong beloved.

RE-FRAME YOUR ATTITUDE

No matter how gifted and talented you may be, your attitude will determine the altitude you will reach.

No matter how gifted you may be, always remember that skill without good habit kills. There is always a characteristic stigma in everyone, no matter as how righteous you may claim to be. If only you will sit back, think deeply and be sincere with yourself, you will realise that there is one character trait or more that you do not like about yourself or that people do not like about you. It's called character deficiency. Until you realise it and deliberately work on it with the help of the Holy Spirit, it will keep delaying your progress. We acquire these negative, sometimes deviant characters inadvertently from our parents, our backgrounds, our experiences, our environment, our friends, or what we see and hear etc. Some people masturbate, rape, are always aggressive, because of the X-rated and aggressive movies they watch regularly or the environment they find themselves. Some people are selfish, filled with anger and have a spirit of revenge because of their past painful experiences, others gossip, drink, are gluttons, prostitute themselves, cheat, flirt, or rob, because of their upbringing, or friends. "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." (Proverbs 27:17), "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." (Proverbs 13:20).

You will deny Jesus if you try to seek for comfort in the midst of sinners. If you make sinners your best friends as time goes on you will see nothing wrong with sin. John 18:18, 25 says "And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. "And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not."

Romans 7:19 says "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do". Many people have good intentions, but their intentions never lead to good actions, they always fail to practice the good deeds they desire, but find themselves doing the evil deeds that they hate. If you are in this category, it is obvious you need the help of the Holy Spirit. If you do not shed away your bad attitudes and characters, they will bring you down, regardless of the height you have attained in life.

No matter how talented, gifted and famous you are, you must learn to discipline yourself. Be scrupulous about what you say, what you wear, what you eat, where you eat, where you go. Don't fight in the public. Learn to say NO.

Some characters are hereditary, for instance Abraham lied in Genesis 20:2 "And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, she is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah." His son Isaac, did the same in Genesis 26:7 "And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, she is my sister: for he feared to say, she is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon." When it was Jacob's turn, he lied to deceive his father and to take the blessing of Esau, his brother; Isaac asked Jacob in Genesis 27:24 are you my very son Esau? And he said, I am." And when finally Esau came back home in Genesis 27:35 Isaac said to him, his voice tremulous "Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing". Years later in Genesis 34:13 we read "And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully," but Joseph turned the table, he was determined not to sin against God and refused to commit fornication with his master's wife despite the insistence of the woman. He could have done it and lied about it, but he did not.

So you can make that fundamental change, you can put a stop to that particular bad trait, or character that is repeating itself in your family. That your father or mother was a thief, liar, idolater, polygamist, etc does not mean you should do likewise and continue the character trait. You can fast and pray, call to the God of heaven who will surely answer, Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Moses also inherited the spirit of anger from his father's house. Genesis 34:25-29 says "Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. "Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. "The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went out. "They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, "and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses". Genesis 49:4-7 says "Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel".

Unfortunately this is the family that Moses was born into. Exodus 2:2, 10 tells us "And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. "And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, "Because I drew him out of the water''. But the anger trait continued in Moses, and ended up stopping him from entering the Promised Land.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus said I will keep you in the hour of temptation. There's continuous conflict between the flesh and spirit, so pray without ceasing, and remember, the mighty can also fall, that's why Jesus often told his disciples "Pray that ye enter not into temptation." (Luke 22:40). The Bible also tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.", "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12). As anointed as Moses was, anger stopped him from entering the Promised Land. As powerful and anointed as Samson was, he allowed a woman to destabilize his destiny, Judges 16:1 says "Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her". His enemies attempted to use that opportunity to trap and kill him that day, but God saved him. Sadly, Samson never quit the habit, till he found himself on the lap of Delilah who finally ruined his life.

In 2 Samuel 3:1-5 David had more than two wives but when he realised that God had established him, he took more wives and concubines." And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David." (2 Samuel 5:12-13).The Bible does not tell us the number of wives and concubines that David had, but when Solomon became king, he decided to take 700 wives and 300 concubines. And all these women drew Solomon's heart away from God. But after his sexual misadventure and unnecessary hedonism, he came to realise that all was vanity. In Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 Solomon said "Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun."

Many could not enter the Promised Land because they murmured, grumbled and complained against the gracious and loving God. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you". The delay of your blessings and breakthrough could be linked to your ungrateful attitude, check yourself.

BE HUMBLE

1 Timothy 6:17 says "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

All the riches and good things of life don't count for much to those who are meek and humble. Matthew 5:5 says "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."

God is willing to give you all the wealth in the world if only you will not contend with his glory by depending on your education, wisdom, great ideas, beauty, talent, or hard work.

Many great and successful people including celebrities, gifted musicians, leaders, and preachers, are usually ruined because of their pride; they believe that no one else can do what they are doing. Jeremiah 9:23-24 says "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."

Your gift will make you great but, if care is not taken, it can lead you to hell. You must realize that God has a great assignment for you but the devil will do his best to deceive and persuade you to do wrong and be proud. And once you misbehave people looking up to you will also emulate you. That is why Jesus said in Matthew 18:6 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea".

Whatever your status or position in life today is not based on your ability. It is all of God's grace and mercy, so always be thankful and humble because there are many out there who are more brilliant, skilful, gifted and talented than you, who still remain stuck in limbo, yet to be discovered while many have long died unsung. Deuteronomy 9:6 says" Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people."

"For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; "a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. "When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest--when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;" (Deuteronomy 8:10-12, 14)

Due to the abundance of revelations Apostle Paul received, he was given a thorn in the flesh so that he would never be proud but humble. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 says "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Why do you always want people to greet you first? Don't you think that you have pride? Say no to pride, no matter the pinnacle you reach. Always learn to be humble because pride goes before a fall, don't ever take your eyes off the Maker and Giver of the talent you are exhibiting. The Bible is very clear about the source of every gift or talent. It declares that every good and perfect gift comes from above, that promotion does not come either from the east, west, or south but from God who is the Judge! He alone puts people down and lifts up others. We are expressly warned not to forget the Lord our GOD who gives us the power to make wealth. Revelation 3:17 says "Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing"--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked--" Obadiah 1:4 says "Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down", declares the LORD."

Proverbs 8:13 says "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way".

God has allowed only four nations to ever rule the world: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. These were revealed to Daniel long before they were manifested and later predicted by John the beloved in the book of Revelation. Daniel 7:17-18 says "These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever." Daniel 8:20-21 says "The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king." In the time of our Lord Jesus Christ here on earth, the Romans were the ones ruling the world. God gave them political power to rule over all nations. That's why the ruling council in Israel at that time said in John 11:48 "If we let him (Jesus) thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation." After these four nations, many other nations have attempted to rule the world but, they never succeeded. And many other methods have been proffered to unite the world, such as one currency, the football game, one religion, the United Nations etc yet, none has succeeded.

The world can never have one government again, because Daniel 2:41,43 says "And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. "And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay". The world can never have one government again, until Jesus returns, which will soon happen.

But Nebuchadnezzar, the first person God gave the privilege to be world president, became so proud because of his abundant riches and splendour and said "Is not this great Babylon that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honour of my majesty? And from that hour he was driven from men to live with the beasts in the forest and ate grass like cattle for seven years, that his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird until he realised and acknowledge that GOD the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."

God said in Jeremiah 27:6 -7" And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him."

Daniel 5:19 tells us "And for the majesty that God gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down."

Daniel 5:19, 20 says "But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, _he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him"._

Afterwards, Daniel 4:37 says "Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase."
God said in Malachi 2:2 "If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings".

David knew the consequences of not giving glory to God that is why David said in Psalms 108:1"O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory."

Proverbs 16:5 says "Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished", Proverbs 11:2 says "When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom." Proverbs 29:23 says "A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit." Proverbs 16:18 says "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall". Psalm 10:4), says "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts."

Jeremiah 50:32 says "The most proud shall stumble and fall, And no one will raise him up; I will kindle a fire in his cities, And it will devour all around him", Jeremiah 13:15 says "Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken", Obadiah 1:3-4 says "The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, "Who will bring me down to the ground?, "Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down," says the LORD."

That you are humble today does not mean you cannot be proud tomorrow. Though Moses was meek and humble; Ex. 3:11; 4:10; Num. 12:1-3, yet, he failed to demonstrate these virtues when the Israelites provoked him to the bone. God told Moses to speak to the rock, though Moses spoke but not to the rock, that's disobedience. Moses said ''ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?"(Numbers 20:10),''WE'' referring to himself and Aaron, which is PRIDE. Moses made it seem as if he was the one working wonders and not God. So we need to acknowledge and ascribe all glory to God at all times for all our possessions, good deeds, positions, etc Moses could not entered the Promised Land because he failed to acknowledge God as the source of the water in the presence of the people (Deuteronomy 32: 48-52). King Nebuchadnezzar was driven out of human society to live with wild animals, eating grass like an ox because he ascribed the glory that belonged to God to himself (Daniel 4:25-32).

Herod was eaten by worms, because he chose to put himself in the place of God. He sought to steal God's glory. Acts 12:20-23. If God has used you to work wonders or to help others, it is a very great sin for you to say "If it weren't for me, they wouldn't have made it in life or but for me, they wouldn't have survived", and so no, because you would be taking upon yourself the glory that belongs to God. Isaiah 42:8 says "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." God can decide to use anyone! That you're used of God does not make you more important than others. Mary wasn't the only virgin in Israel but, she found high favour to be the one to give birth to the Saviour of the world. That's why it is very wrong for anyone to worship or bow to the image of Mary. If you have been praying to Mary, repent now! In the Bible, a woman started praising Mary, but Jesus rebuked her. Luke 11:27-28 says "And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it."

So if you think your prayers reaches up to heaven by praying to Mary, you are doing yourself a great disservice, Luke 8:20-21 says "And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it."

FORGIVE

You must forgive those who discouraged, mocked, and despised you before your sunrise and move on. Do not seek revenge. It's obvious that they meant it for evil but you must realise that all things work together for good, which is reason why you finally succeeded in spite of your traducers. Matthew 6:15 says "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses".

Love covers multitudes of sin, so says the Bible. When you remember how much mercy and love Jesus showed you by laying down His precious life for you on the cross of calvary, you will really learn to never seek revenge nor hate anyone. Love truly covers multitudes of sin, each time you revenge against someone who hurt or offend you, just ask yourself "Is this the first time someone will do this thing to me?" If not, why then did you react so unkindly? Unknown to many, God sends His angels frequently to deliver blessings to us, but each time we react unkindly due to provocations from others, almost immediately, the angel will return to heaven with the blessings. Hebrews 13:2 says "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares".

Hatred stirs up strife: but love covers or forgives all sins. Are you finding it difficult to forgive someone who has hurt you so much? Why not buy a gift for that person? That would be very godly. In spite of all the evil that the brothers of Joseph did to him, did you know that he never sought revenge after he became great and had the opportunity to have his own pound of flesh? Genesis 50:15-20 says "When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him." So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying, "Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you. Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father. And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants. Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive''.

"He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. "But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes." (1 John 2:9-11).When you refuse to forgive others, you are hurting yourself and hindering good things from coming to you. If you nurture pain in a broken heart and refuse to forgive those who hurt you, after a while, the grief and pain could result to cancer or high blood pressure. So, try to bless them who curse you, do good to them who hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you. If they ask you for help, if it is within your power, please don't withhold that favour. Do not seek revenge, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay", says the Lord, "On the contrary: "If you find them hungry, feed them; if you find them thirsty, give them something to drink. What would it take you to forgive and let go? Of course, they did hurt you, but God's word tells us, that if we don't forgive others, our heavenly Father will not also forgive us our trespasses.

Many will claim they have forgiven their offenders, but, when they remember the exact offence or when they see the offender, bitterness fills their hearts, meaning that they have not really forgiven that person. Do you know that prolonged bitterness can lead to cancer? Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting your offender to die, unforgiveness and bitterness hinder people from reaching the very top. Joseph would not have become the prime minister in a strange land if he'd had bitterness towards his brothers, Job would not have been restored if he had been bitter towards God and his friends (Job 13:15).

Zechariah 8:17 says "And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD." Jesus said in Mark 11:25 - 26 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses, But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses"; Jesus also said " if while bringing your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go and reconcile with your brother, and then come and offer your gift''. This means that no matter how precious and big your financial gift, if you are holding grudges against anyone, you may just end up giving in vain, Ephesians 4:31 - 32 says "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you''.

Unforgiveness and bitterness will destroy your joy, happiness, and peace and may even lead to untimely death. Bitterness can make you see your spouse, your brother, your sister, your parents, or your friends as the devil himself. The irony is that the person who hurt you, may have repented and moved on with his life while you are still stuck in pain and bitterness. Some offenders may not even deserve forgiveness but, in order for you to experience God's favour, blessings, and forgiveness you have to forgive and let go; Jesus came for his own but his own received him not, instead, they slapped him, mocked him, rejected him, and spit on him and eventually nailed him to the cross, yet, he pleaded that His Father should forgive them for they did not know what they were doing,

"Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:15), "If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." (1 John 4:20-21).2 Corinthians 2:10 also says "Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."

GIVE, INVEST AND GIVE OPPORTUNITY TO OTHERS.

Luke 3:11 says "He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." Don't say "I work hard for my money, I can do whatever I like with it, " remember that many desire to work but have no hands or eyes, or legs, while some are on their sick beds. So " Remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth." (Deuteronomy 8:18). Hard labour does not guaranty success, it is the blessing of the Lord, Proverbs 23:4 says "Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom." Do you know that those who engage in the hardest physical labour are the lowest paid in wages and salary, while the few who trade in ideas or do the least arduous work earn jumbo pay?. The race is not to the swift. So if you are financially blessed today, it is not by your power, it is a blessing from God.

"Do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Hebrews 13:16). "If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs." (Deuteronomy 15:7-8).

Riches can disappear in a blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and fly off into the wild blue yonder. You are not expected to give money to everyone or to every cause, don't give your money to sponsor evil, don't try to help someone who God is not ready to help etc. "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." (Matthew 7:6). Giving does not mean stupidity or waste. Many will make wealth and all they will do is give to their friends and loved ones, sponsor them to all the night clubs and beer parlours in town and get drunk to stupor, that is not giving, that is waste. Do you know that this singular act will not have a lasting impression in their lives? But imagine if you were to give them the cash or use the money to solve a problem they may be going through, would it fade away from their memory? "Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags." (Proverbs 23:17-21).

Jesus said in Luke 16:9-12 that "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?"

A river that continues to receive from the source and refuses to release or give out will become dirty, stagnant and stinking, 2 Corinthians 9:10 tells us that "God gives seed for the sower and bread for eater. Each time you sow a seed your heart becomes emboldened with new and great expectations, God doesn't just take away from us, rather he takes from us to make for us, Genesis 2:21-23 says "And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. "And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man". Without God taking from man, God would not have given him a help mate and a companion. So, God will never take anything from us except he has a better gift to give us. No matter your gift, talent, educational qualification, possession or position, remember that it's the grace of God, and so use it to be a blessing to others.1 Peter 4:10 says "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

Proverbs 21:13 says "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard." God only responds to principles and not tears, "And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward." (Exodus 14:15). God does not have favourites but only responds to those who operate by His spiritual laws. This is why many Christians, even many so called men of God, die poor, because they keep receiving without giving out, whereas unbelievers are getting richer and richer by the day because they apply the principles of sowing and reaping. Luke 16:8 says "And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." Genesis 8:22 says "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease". Anyone who gives, will surely receive down the line. If you do not sow, you can never reap nor harvest, no matter your prayers and fasting. "There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty." (Proverbs 11:24)."By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son," (Hebrews 11:17)."Do not say to your neighbour, "Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it, when you have it with you." (Proverbs 3:28). "You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand." (Deuteronomy 15:10).

Go and find out the world richest people are all givers, the more they give the richer they become, at times they may even give half of their wealth to the poor, still they become richer and richer. Even if you are a pastor and you just keep receiving without giving out, you will become poorer and poorer, depending on church members to survive.

I have heard and read about many successful people and compared them to people who did exploits in the Bible and confirmed that they all applied the same principles of success, some subconsciously, while others did it consciously. Behind every success, there's a secret. If you discover the secret of other successful heroes and follow it earnestly you will end up like them.

For instance the two richest men that ever lived were people who were addicted to giving. 1 Kings 3:3 -5 We read how Solomon offered one thousand burnt offerings unto the Lord and the LORD appeared to him in a dream by night and said, ask whatever you want and I will give you. When Solomon saw that giving pleased God in 1 Kings 8:63 he offered to the LORD 22, 000 oxen and 120, 000 sheep; in total he offered 144000 animals to God as sacrifice. King Solomon decided to give to God what no man had ever given and God gave him riches and wisdom that no one has ever received. This was how Solomon became the richest man that ever lived, he was so immensely wealthy that gold and silver were as common as stones in Jerusalem, even all his cups were made of gold.

John D. Rockefeller is the second richest man that ever lived. As a young boy Rockefeller discovered the principle of riches in Luke 6:38 which says "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." So he began tithing from his very first salary and became richer and richer by the day, so he continued tithing and giving. Before he died he had given over $550,000,000 which was used to build schools, churches, hospitals and support the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ across the world.

Many people keep failing because they have bad motives. The best thing that anyone could ever possess is a good heart, without a good heart you can't even accept Jesus Christ nor accept to be corrected when you are wrong. Proverbs 4:23 says "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

Everything you will ever be is a product of your heart. So be careful of what you think, what you believe and what you ponder on.

There are principles that govern everything on earth: for you to be rich and become richer, you have to learn how to give. If you will not give now, then you also will not give when you have abundance, "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, in blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies." (Genesis 22:16, 17), "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).

Probably you have stopped being kind and good to people because you have helped many who paid you back with evil. You don't have to stop because God is the One that will reward you. And you do not know if the next person you are going to be kind to, will turn out to be your helper later in life.

Man's principle says save money in the bank, and you shall not lack, but God's principle says "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again (Luke 6:38) Therefore, which one will you obey? You must know that no matter how secured the bank, armed robbers can still break in and steal, or a severe economic meltdown can make the bank go under. But, if you give to the work of God, to the poor, and to widows, you are giving to God in heaven where your money is always secured, and you will never lack, if you keep giving. A generous person will continue to prosper; those who refresh others will always be refreshed. So, for you to maintain a steady increase in your finances, you must always give God ten percent of all your income and show kindness to the needy because those who give freely, always gain more, but those who withhold unduly, always come to poverty, Proverbs 28:27 says "He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses." Malachi 3:10 says "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it".

Jesus used only two fish and five loaves of bread to feed five thousand people, just imagine if the person that owned the two fish and five loaves of bread had refused to release it, would there have been multiplication and overflow? Matthew 14:17-21 says "And they said to Him, "We have only five loaves and two fish. He said, "Bring them here to Me." Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. "So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children''. You must learn to release what you have to get the abundance, because as long as you keep holding on to what you have in your hands, you will not be able to receive more blessings because your hands are folded.

Many Christians, even many Churches fast and pray continually, yet they are poor, WHY? It is simply because they are not givers. Give and you shall be given.

Don't ever say, I don't have anything to give, because you do! You can give your time, strength, idea, money, clothes, food, and children to the work of God. Even If you cannot feed a hundred people, at least you can share your meal with someone who is hungry.

When you have the opportunity to help anyone, do it immediately, without pending, because you may not have the opportunity again, and the next time you meet the person, they may be the one in a position to help you.

There is nothing you have today that you did not receive. Freely you have received, so freely give, because you cannot receive anything, except it is given to you from heaven. Jesus said that when he returns He would say those who have lived extravagantly "I was an hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: "Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me", and when the people would ask Jesus when did we do all these? Jesus would then reply "Inasmuch as you have done it onto one, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 6:2 warns that "whenever you give to the poor, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites in the synagogues and in the streets like to do, that they may be recognized, honored and praised by men. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full already."

Invest, because the cash may not always flow as it is now. Many were famous and wealthy a few years ago, riding the best of cars, patronizing the best of clubs in the world but today, they are nowhere to be found, because they failed to invest. Some have now resorted to begging from passers-by, friends, and people who used to look up to them for food, money and shelter in the past.

A person that will not share now, will never share when he is rich. A great leader is known by the footsteps he leaves behind, and the impact he makes in the lives of others. He will always go the extra mile to make others smile, even when it is not convenient. He may not be rich, but he will always demonstrate that he cares with kind words and empathy. He may even starve and deny himself to help others.

Success is not just making it to the top, it is also bridging the gap between you and your followers, such that when you are no longer around, your successors can carry on the good legacy. Many celebrities, icons, and legends died with their talent and skills without having anyone to succeed them. Jesus groomed and imparted to his disciples what he stood for and then told them, greater works shall you do. But many celebrities today are so selfish, they would not teach others their skills. The temporary absence of some pastors in just a normal Sunday service would be glaringly obvious. The service may just not go well, likewise the preaching of the word. There may even be some level of unruliness in the congregation. This may just be because of their refusal to train their followers on the necessity of true leadership and failure to impact the same spirit into them. Numbers 27:18,20 says "And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; 27:20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient." Apostle Paul said '' to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22). Even our Lord Jesus Christ desired all his followers to do more exploits than he did while on earth "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." (John 14:12).

If you are not willing to serve, then you cannot be served nor be a leader. 1 Kings 12:7 "And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants forever."

One vital attribute that keeps a celebrity relevant is if he/she is always on the lookout for potentials in others and tries to sharpen, groom and bring out the best in them. As these potentials blossom and flourish, they will keep referring to the person who groomed them as their mentors. These ones will pull you up or push you up when you should be descending. So always remember that success in God's terms is not the same as the world's.

Never despise or look down on anyone, because you don't know what tomorrow will bring. Those you are feeding today may end up feeding you tomorrow. If you look down on them today, you will look up to them tomorrow. Philippians 2:4 tells us to look out not only for our own interests, but also for the interest of others. We need to be kind to others even in our speech, by bringing out the best in people, not putting them down, nor cutting them off. Remember you were once like them but for the grace God.

Many leaders and pastors have gifted and talented people around them but, they will just refuse to groom them or give them the opportunity to shine because, they are afraid that they may outshine them or be more prosperous and famous if they assist them. They would rather prefer to invite or host an array of talented people from other churches or ministries.

Only a fool will withhold what he has learned from others. Your knowledge does not reduce when shared with others, rather, it increases. 2 Timothy 2:2 says "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." No matter how vast and skilful you may be, if you don't share the knowledge with others, the knowledge will perish with you. Imagine if the inventors of airplanes, cars, light bulbs, electronics, and other technologies never shared their knowledge with others. Their names and knowledge would have decayed and faded away. So what do you want to be known for? What do you want to be remembered for?

I met a Christian woman many years ago, whom God gave the wisdom of using herbs to treat and cure diseases and sicknesses. I was so surprised by her level of medical knowledge and expertise, that I pleaded with her to try and share the knowledge with a few other people, only for me to return a few months later to hear that she was dead. As far as I know, she did not share her knowledge with anybody. Sadly, she died with that wonderful gift. So don't be selfish and self-centred with whatsoever gifts, blessings, or skills that God has endowed you with. Some may say, but if I share it with others, less money will accrue to me. Even, if it is so, since it is your original idea, God can still give you more fresh knowledge. Meaning, there is still so much embedded in you, so let it out and ask God to give you more.

DONT CARRY PEOPLE WITH FEEBLE MINDS ALONG

Judges 7:2-3 says "And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand."

If you really want your dreams to come to reality, there are some people you need to keep away from your life. This is because they are encumbrances and will keep pulling you back. Psalms 1:1-2 says "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

Who do you seek advice from? Who do you confide in? Numbers 13:32-33,14:1-2 says "And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would God we had died in this wilderness!." People with feeble minds are short sighted, they complain a lot and are without depth, they do more of talking than acting.

Let's look at it this way: The Lord has promised to bless you, but there seems to be a delay, meanwhile, friends, doctors, loved ones, and other obstacles are forcefully telling you the opposite. Whose report would you believe or accept? Proverbs 23:9 says "Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words". Isaiah 53:1 says "Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?"

God may tell you that you will become the next president, but if you share it with shallow minded people or carry them along, they will mock and discourage you. They will explain to you why it is not possible. They will also remind you of your zero connection in the society. And not only that, but your lack of qualification and money necessary for a successful political campaign. On your journey to greatness, endeavour to carefully select people who share the same vision, dream, aspiration, and passion with you, don't ever carry everyone along indiscriminately. Genesis 12:1, 14 says "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:" but Genesis 12:5 says "And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son." He was told to never take anyone along except his wife but, he took Lot with him, and do you know what happened? Genesis 13:7-9 says "And there was a strife between the herd men of Abram's cattle and the herd men of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herd men and thy herd men; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." Genesis 13:14-15 says "And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever.". It was after Abram separated from Lot that God spoke to him again and gave him a more reassuring promise.

Numbers 11:16"And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. 11:25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease."

A talented football striker may score eight goals in a match but his team goalkeeper can ruin all his effort by conceding more than eight goals. So who are your team mates, friends and colleagues? Proverbs 14:20 tells us that "Wealth attracts many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend." Proverbs 19:4 also tells us that "The poor is hated even by his own neighbour: but the rich has many friends". Jesus had only twelve disciples, a small number by any means, whom He also called friends, yet, one of them still betrayed him. How many friends do you have? What gives you the impression that all your friends are innocent and none of them can harm you? Jesus said to his disciples "Ye are not all clean." (John 13:11).

Numbers 10:32 says "And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee." Many people will flock around you when your glory begins to shine, because they know that as your star shines, it will reflect also on them and they would be radiant and be blessed because of you. Imagine, if you were to be a close friend to Mr President, wouldn't your life be changed one way or the other? The same applies when anyone sins, the people around the person are likely to share in the consequence. Imagine the police invading a building to arrest a criminal only to find him among his friends who are innocent; will the police just arrest the criminal and let the friends go? There was a time I almost went into prison but, God intervened. A very close friend of mine travelled to a neighbouring country and from there called someone in the country where I domiciled. The two had an ingenious evil plan to hide cocaine inside some food stuff, hand it over to me, and I was to ignorantly take the narcotic to the motor pack and send it across to my so-called friend in the neighbouring country. In my innocence, I briefly wondered why this friend, whom I knew to be almost always broke, would buy that much foodstuff to send to himself. I really knew nothing about his nefarious plan.

Fortunately, God sent another person to me, who miraculously revealed what was in the foodstuff. I was shocked to the marrow and scared stiff. I immediately remembered that I'd dreamt about this incident, sometimes back, though I had not fully understood it, until it was physically manifested. But I'd prayed against the dream. God intervened and saved me from going into the slammer. Surely, I would have been arrested at the park.

As iron sharpens iron, so friends sharpen one another. Do not make friends with anyone who does not have the same dream and vision with you. If you mingle with drunkards and those who have hot-temper, flirt, practice idolatry, steal, cheat, smoke, beat their spouse, etc, as time goes on, you will learn their ways and get snared. As fame and wealth come, many friends will come around you, because glory is like a magnet, it attracts many friends, some come to complement your success but, some come to mar it. How do you differentiate them or tell their missions? Remember, they all will smile with you, but, that does not mean that they are happy with you. If you are not careful, those who seem to be the nicest may even be the ones to take advantage of you. They may even put poison in your food or drink, destroy your marriage, or lure you into extra marital affairs, or even into a secret society. Many of your so-called friends may bite your fingers, and deny you after they have drained you and dump you when it is obvious things are no longer rosy. Then you will be left alone to cry yourself to sleep each night, tears soaking your pillow without anyone to hold your hand and encourage you. But genuine and true friends will always stick with you through thick and thin in spite of the ups and downs, they will love and comfort you through all kinds of weather, and stick together in all kinds of trouble.

Try to build a strong relationship with those who believe in your dreams and vision; those who will be there for you anytime, any day. Indeed, you must seek to cultivate that special relationship with those who will encourage and inspire you to be strong and press ahead, people you can trust and share your burdens with. On the Journey to greatness; you cannot afford to take along with you people who have different vision, because they will become an hindrance to you. Genesis 22:5 says "And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you".

There were places Jesus went with only Peter, James, and John. And remember everything Jesus did had a purpose. Mark 14:32-33 says "And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy". Matthew 17:1-2,9 says "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." ."And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead". When Jesus was about to raise a particular young girl from the dead, he had to ask some people who were in the house to move out. Why? Because they did not believe in miracles, they were so faithless they began to laugh at Jesus, Luke 8:51-55 says "And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. AND HE SHUT THEM ALL OUT, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat".

I have pondered over why Jesus took only Peter, James and John with Him when he went to certain places. And I discovered that these three men had the mindset of achieving the impossible. They were willing to go the extra mile. Mark 10:35-41 tells us how James and John asked Jesus how they desired to sit, one on His right hand and the other on His left hand, in His glory. Wow! What a great aspiration and desire! Jesus said to them, you don't know what you are asking "CAN YE DRINK OF THE CUP THAT I DRINK? AND BE BAPTIZED WITH THE BAPTISM THAT I AM BAPTIZED WITH? And Jesus had already told them all the pain and suffering that He was going to go through yet, they still said to Jesus" YES WE CAN." What a great zeal and willingness, but when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

Peter was so much loyal to Jesus and willing to act like Jesus, and Matthew 14:26-29 tells us how the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea, and were troubled, saying, "It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear but Peter desired and dared to also experience the supernatural, so he said, ''Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water'' Wow! What great aspiration! Jesus invited him and he stepped out of the ship, and walked on water. What a great achievement. That is why by the time Jesus returned to heaven, these men had learned so much from Him to the extent that the rulers" saw the boldness of Peter and John, and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13).

Among the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ only Peter, James and John wrote epistles that are included in the Bible. 2 Timothy 2:2 says "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also".

FLEE FROM SIN

I have heard people say, "I don't care, it is my life!" But remember that many have traversed that path and are now in hell, while many still are on sick beds being consumed by deadly diseases.

Let's face it, temptations will come, but "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." (James 1:12). Many people believe that no one can be famous, or wealthy or successful without joining a cult, it is a lie! Psalm 24:1 says "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." But today, the devil is promising artistes and leaders' splendour and riches beyond imagination if they would just bow and worship him. Once anyone does this, their soul automatically belongs to the devil, but the scripture says "what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Joshua 24:15 says And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD". "Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Jesus said Revelation 3:10-13 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown." He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name." He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches". That everyone is doing wrong does not make it right, so dare to be different and stand out from the crowd. Matthew 7:13-14 says "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it." Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it". Hebrews 11:24-27 says "By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible".

1 John 5:18 says "We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him". It is the Spirit of God that makes born again believers do wonders and great exploits, but the moment they indulge in sexual immorality or any other sin, the Spirit of God will leave them, no matter how spiritual they may have been. This is because God is too holy to behold sin, so they will become a prey for the enemies, even candidates of defeats, failure and frustrations no matter how mighty, wealthy, famous they were. That's why Ephesian 4:30 warns "grieve not the holy Spirit of God." After David sinned against God, he remembered what happened to king Saul, how the Holy Spirit left him, so he cried bitterly and prayed to God in Psalm 51:11 saying ''Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your holy spirit from me". Samson the most powerful and valiant man that ever lived was utterly disgraced and became a laughing stock after the Spirit of God left him. And when the Spirit of God leaves a man, if he does not pray for forgiveness immediately, evil spirits or demons take over. Read 1 Samuel 16:14-15 you will see how the Spirit of the LORD left king Saul, and an evil spirit took over and began to torment him. These demons will keep diverting the blessings coming to you and you keep praying but nothing will appear to be working. These demons are responsible for the delays and problems.

When you keep sinning, you are breaking the hedge of God's protection around you and creating a barrier between you and God. Isaiah 59:1-2 says "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear".3 John 1:11 says "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God". You may have seen someone who has been indulging in sexual immorality yet he/she is still flourishing, it is simply because they have not yet slept with the particular lady or guy that the devil has assigned to hijack their glory. The moment they have sex with this demonic agent, they will become poor and lose their fame gradually no matter how mighty they are.

If after you repent, and God cast out the demons from you, and for any reason, you return again to your bad deeds, your case would be worse than before. The Bible reveals "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, "I will return to my house from which I came." And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation." (Matthew 12:43-45). "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." (Proverbs 26:11).

The devil will always suggest to your mind what God did not say. He will twist it to make you doubt, leave you confused and convince you to indulge in sin. The devil will never show you what you have, your great potential, but will delude you into wanting, even craving what others have. Do you know that human beings were not created to be sick or die? That is why God warned Adam and Eve not to eat the forbidden fruit, and that the day they eat it, they would die. This is because that particular fruit contained the seed of sin and death, besides, God is too holy to behold sin. The devil knew that God would have warned them, so he went to Eve and asked her '' did God say that you should not really eat the fruit? and Eve said "Yes, if we do eat it, we will die" and the devil said "You will not surely die, For God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil". Can you see how the devil deceived Adam and Eve into committing the same sin that he'd committed and was thrown down from heaven? Isaiah 14:12-15 says "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:" I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit".

Adam and Eve were wonderfully made in the very image of God, but the devil was angry because he was cast down from heaven while trying to be like God. He succeeded in getting Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Somehow, they were able to buy the misinformation that they would be like God, which was inherently superfluous. This is because they already had the image of God, and so were" like God". Because of this open disobedience, they were thereafter kicked out of the beautiful Garden of Eden, the land of eternal bliss into the land of sin and death, but thanks be to God whose infinite mercy and love for man sent Jesus to come and die for our sins and rescue us from eternal destruction.

Don't listen to the devil or have any dialogue with him. He is the master tempter, a liar and a murderer! He seeks your destruction at all cost. When he tempts you to go into sin, instantly know that he is lying and desires your destruction. The Bible says "Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" 1peter 5:8. He may even show you examples of sinful pastors, leaders or known mentors and try to convince you how sin really does not matter. It matters, because sin is grievous and poisonous and destructive. Remember, if you stray into sin, you must be prepared to bear the full consequence.

1 John 2:16 says "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world". The major magnet for sin are the lust of the flesh (food, clothes), the lust of the eyes, (Undressing the opposite sex with the eyes, covetousness, as Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 that if a man looks at a woman with lust, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart, and vice versa) and the pride of life is boasting and the feeling of self-importance. Genesis 3:6 explains what led Adam and Eve to sin. "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, (lust of the flesh) that it was pleasant to the eyes, (lust of eyes) and a tree desirable to make one wise,(pride of life) she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave Adam."

"And we have to realise this it is the end time and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen, which confirms that this is the end time." Purveyors of perversions and wickedness are not hiding their deeds any longer. They will use these things to entice and mislead many to the lake of fire! Be vigilant!

You can be the one to bring blessings and salvation to your family, even to your whole country. God said in Ezekiel 22:30 ''and I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.''

Isaiah 6:8 declares "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us?'' Ecclesiastes 12:1 adds "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth."

But many are saying let's enjoy our lives now, we will serve God later. It is people like this that are easily deceived by the devil and destroyed. God has called many people but a great majority consistently procrastinate, asking God to wait till they make enough money from secular work before they respond to the call. They don't want to serve God with all their strength, they want to serve God in their old age when they are weak. Deuteronomy 6:5 says "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.'' Today, God is asking, who shall stand up and take the gospel across the globe? But Satan is also doing his best to prevent people from serving God. He does not plan to go to hell alone, so he is doing all he can to deceive as many souls as he can, because he knows that he has just a little time. Ezekiel 3:18-19 says "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul". 2 Timothy 4:18 says "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen". Romans 8:38-39 says "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." In Matthew 10:22 Jesus said "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.'' In Matthew 10:33 Jesus said "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.'' 2 Timothy 2:12 says "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:" Luke 10:17 says "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name."

Many people prefer to serve the president either as stewards, security guards or in some other lowly positions than to serve the almighty God with their gifts and talents. People will always make excuses: What will my family eat? Who will take care of my mother, my wife and children? When will I have my own house and fancy cars? But Jesus challenges us in Matthew 6:33-34 "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself". Therefore, you don't have to struggle to make it in life, just begin to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness and continuously make it your number one priority.

But many believe it is in their power to amass material wealth and therefore make it a priority. Little wonder, they have scant regard for spiritual callings, but excessive love and adoration for mammon, for the things of this life \- things without eternal value. Just as it happened in Luke 14:18-21 "And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore, I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind".

Chapter SEVEN

THE WONDERFUL GIFT OF MUSIC

Music is so beautiful that all creatures respond to the rhythm. This includes flowers, insects, lunatics, birds, infants, fish, men and angels. I can't just imagine how lonely the world would be without the wonderful gift of music. Music enlivens the world and brighten our dark and gloomy days. Indeed, without the beautiful melody and harmony of music, the world would be so dim and boring. Music is so vital to our lives and well-being, its effect on our emotions is so tremendous: it for instance soothes and calms us even when we are angry. It is so because whenever there is a sound of good music we find ourselves in harmony with its rhythm or lyrics which instinctively and profoundly resonate with our lives, situations, experiences, trials, challenges, desires, feelings, or beliefs.

Music is one of the most beautiful and first gifts that God gave to mankind just to demonstrate to us the great importance of music to our existence. The Bible mentioned music right from Genesis 4:21saying "And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ".

Music brings joy to our lives and can also be a great remedy in times of hurt and pain. We need music when we are sad and when we are happy; and if only we can open up our hearts like flower to beautiful songs, we would experience from within us a refreshing beauty, blooming and flourishing like never before. The type of songs that precede from your mouth will determine so many things about you. Proverbs 18:20"A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled."

Music is a beautiful language that when well composed moves the listeners to ecstasy or tears either by the rhythm or lyrics.

Personally, I don't think this world would have been this harmonious and blissful without the wonderful gift of music. On several occasions, music has helped to resolve problems and chaos between couples, people, communities and nations. Music is a vital for our health, a vital remedy for many mental and emotional sickness.

Good music brings harmony to the universe and also connects the earth to heaven in unison. whenever there's a sound of good music, all creature and nature join in a majestic and artistic synchronization, moving men, angels and birds to sing along, even as mountains, (Isaiah 55:12) oceans and trees clap (Psalm 98:8) to produce sweet and melodic rhymes that pay homage to the profoundly creative mind of the ultimate Creator.

I truly feel very privileged to be among the few vessels through which sweet melody and the harmony of the spheres flow. I truly feel honoured to be a music maker. I owe all I am today and all I will ever be to Jesus my Saviour and King. I would never have been what I am today but for the grace of God: There many out there, who are much more gifted than me but are still wandering, aimless, nameless, and unknown somewhere in limbo- land, some have even died unsung, uncelebrated with their gifts. Again, I am not in any way better than them, it's just the mercy of God. I am really grateful to God for using me because He could have used someone else. I would rather use my songs and music to bring melody and joy to the lives of people and not be paid than being paid millions of dollars to ruin lives.

Several passages of the Bible especially, the book of Revelation, tells us how the saints and angels are singing ceaselessly before God in heaven to reveal to us the creator's great love for music, and since human beings are created in God's very image, we are also framed to love and have passion for music. This is why even little babies are excited and highly responsive to beautiful sound of music by shaking and moving their bodies to the tune. It's another reason why many parents use songs to comfort and cheer their babies whenever they are crying or happy. Parents also sing lullabies to make their babies/children go to sleep. It is also said that children who are exposed to good music are usually more brilliant and smarter than those not exposed to good music.

Music is one of the fastest and best ways to spread information. Music makes it much easier for us to remember instructions, specific teachings, and general information. It can also be used to remind us of the past. People can easily forget what they have been told, but they don't easily forget songs they have learned or listened to, that's why God told Moses in Deuteronomy 31:19 saying "Now therefore write ye this song for you and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me".

Good music brings people with different tongues and colour together and foster good relationship between them. That's why it is very difficult to find a good advert, a TV show or movie without a piece of music in the background. It's rare to find a very big gathering of people celebrating some events or regular church services without good music. Churches with good music always attract more people than those who do not have good music.

From research, I have come to realise that most songs that have touched the world and remain evergreen on the lips of many, are songs with pleasant universal themes such as love, nature, courage, gratitude, faith, victories, fearlessness, determination, bravery, honesty, racial harmony, family ties, friendships, humility, purity, incorruptibility and so on. But it is so sad that the trend of music today has evolved into a farce. It is shockingly becoming a highly deceptive medium for misleading people into wrong thinking and wrong doing. It is a medium that is very, very negative, toxic and morally destructive. Above all, it is spiritually deadly. There's been myriad of stories about how songsters and musicians have practically sold their souls to the devil just to become globally famous and phenomenally successful with financial networths running into hundreds of millions of dollars, aside an immensely growing and astounding cult of followers. Many talented artists and songwriters have deviated from creating good music to making sexually explicit offensive and bland songs that have no capacity to comfort, encourage or give joy. The truth is that each time such songs are relayed on radio, TV or on the internet, the message gradually percolates into the eardrums, the mind and the soul of the listener, especially, when played frequently. Listeners, naturally begin to sing along to such music subconsciously.

It is very important that composers use words of kindness, laced with love and encouragement in their compositions because music has the power to heal and to kill. Proverbs 18:21 says "Death and life are in the power of the tongue". Many young people have committed suicide, destroyed properties belonging to parents and government, have engaged in careless driving resulting to car accidents and other violent acts due to the influence of bad music. Remember wherever they tune their radio or TV to, all they hear are the same songs which could foster or stir up feelings of revenge, rebellion, pride, doing drugs, violence, anger, hatred, occultism, immorality, stubbornness etc. This is one reason why most youths are so disobedient to their parents and elders, even when you try to have a sensible dialogue with them, they will remonstrate that you are disturbing their peace. This is because music naturally has a strong connection to the heart of the listener and controls them. Do you know that our ear, heartbeat, respiration, mouth, and emotion respond to the rhythm of music? Have you observed that there are times when you hear a song, the melody just keeps ringing in your mind over and over again, even though you may not particularly like the music, the lyrics or the singer? At times you may find it difficult to resist or stop the tune from recurring in your head and each time this happens, the part of the soul responsible for gauging emotional drive becomes more activated, sending transcendent messages to all parts of the body. Even without fully grasping what is happening, we start snapping our fingers, nodding our head, moving our legs to the rhythm of the music. This is how music touches the listener's emotions and control their thoughts, speech, actions and behaviour. In the same vein, music can revive someone that is in a coma or in a semi-conscious state back to life if their favourite song is played repeatedly. This is because even in that state, their emotions can still connect to music and they can therefore, respond to the rhythm of the music.

If only we can constantly unfold our hearts like a blossoming flower, to inspiring and uplifting songs couched in God's words, we will find ourselves becoming champions, heroes, having blissful families etc, Joshua 1:8 says "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." Romans 10:17 says "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God". Likewise, fear, wrong beliefs, disloyalty, anger, unbelief, etc come as a result of listening to bad music repeatedly. If you keep listening to bad music or wrong people, after a period of time, you will begin to appreciate and accept what they say and adapt to it.

Though many people sing, only few are really gifted in music creation. There are people who sing just because they have a passion for music or just for pecuniary gains and yet, there are those who sing because they are gifted and passionate about music or just plainly destined to sing. What's the difference? The difference may not reflect in their financial status, but it would reflect in their uniqueness, consistency and longevity. Ephesians 4:7 says "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift". Therefore, those not gifted will give up and fade away when they encounter storms that come with the gift of music, while those destined to sing will spread their wings and fly above the storm. Those who are just passionate will write songs that appeal to the body of the listener, while those gifted will write songs that touch the soul of the listener. A gifted singer's voice is a world of treasure that will always move the listener to ecstasy or tears because the composition makes a profound connection with the heart and soul of the listener. People that are gifted in music don't have to go into séance to be inspired; they sing and compose freely any day, anytime, anywhere. Some gifted singers can sing wonderfully without even being trained to sing.

John 16:13 says "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come".

God speaks to us in our dreams and every gifted musician has the ability to receive inspiration for songs and can foresee what will later happen through their dreams, but then, only few often remember their dreams. That is why sometimes you hear musicians accurately foretell world events in their songs or conversations, though many times they never knew it would turn out to be true. Many would not remember until it comes to reality and then would belatedly begin to tell people how they foresaw it happening sometime back. Others may be sceptical or afraid to tell the world what they foresaw because even to them, such dreams may appear too unreasonable and unrealistic. 1 Chronicles 25:1 says "Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals:

That means musicians can prophecy. That's why Job 35:10 says "But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night."'

Many people dabble into music because they want to be famous and respected. Some others, who are into illegal businesses, go into music so that people would not suspect them. All they desire is just to record songs that will be a hit for a few months, circulating in all the clubs. That is why they find it difficult to compose or write splendid songs unlike those who are truly gifted in music.

If you are really gifted in singing, you will never be discouraged, or complain, or sing just for money or other pecuniary benefits but rather because it's a passion that gives you pleasure joy, peace and happiness, not just something you are forced to do, but that which flows naturally from you. 1 Peter 4:11 says "If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen".

There are music/songs that can corrupt and contaminate your mind. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." That's why in Ephesians 5:4 the Bible tells us not to listen nor sing about anything filthy. Also in Philippians 4:8 we are told that whatsoever songs we listen to or sing, has be true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God". This implies that in your listening, singing, performing of music etc do it all to the glory of God, because music is a wonderful gift from God, so whatever music we sing or listen to, should reflect the glory of God who created and blessed us with the gift.

Again, good music are songs with beautiful rhythm and heartfelt lyrics that connect and resonate with every listener's feelings, hopes and aspirations, moving them to ecstasy or to tears when necessary irrespective of the genre (style) and lyric. Good music evokes pleasant emotion of love, happiness, joy, awareness and can also restore.

It is very vital that every composer and artiste discover what makes him/her unique, and what he/she wants to be known for. Every composerartiste must strive to create a niche for themselves. But before you sit down to compose a song, consider what impact it will have on the listener. Then, the target group you want to reach out to, which could be further broken down to tribe, state, country, region, continent or the world. After this, you can do a market segmentation i.e. which categories of people would the songs appeal to? Is it children, youth, adult or everyone? If you want to reach the world then your lyrics must have a universal theme in order to connect with a larger number of people across the globe. Then find out how to get to where you aspire to be from where you are now.

For anyone to compose splendid and timeless songs, they need to think outside the box, take time to constantly study the Bible and occasionally visit beautiful sites such as the beach, waterfalls, zoo, gardens, mountains, hills, museum, orphanage, tourist centres. Believe me, the experience will immensely enhance your writing skills, like the amazing moments of the rise and fall of ocean tides, the melodious harmony from the chirping of birds, the colourful and beautiful flowers, the stress of climbing a hill or mountain and the time of rest at the peak, the cry and expressions on the faces of hopeless children etc. You cannot just imagine the feelings until you experience it.

There are songs for every season, occasion, place and purpose. There are for instance, songs for celebration, burials, children, adult, consolation, church services etc, and each song should be able to paint a picture in the mind of every listener. A glaring error I have noticed is that some songwriters often find it difficult to focus on the theme of a particular song and sail through. The first verse may talk about politics and next verse about love. What is the connection? If you have a song you cannot complete, keep it aside for some time so that by the time your brain would have been refreshed with new inspiration you can then complete it. If however, the song is urgent and must be recorded, then look for another good artist to feature or complete it for you.

There are also people who can sing outside of church services, like at wedding reception ceremonies, birthday ceremonies, burial events, thanksgiving events and other occasions, as long as the glory of God is reflected in their lyrics, motive, life, priorities, and passions. 1 Chronicles 16:23-24 says "Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations".

King Solomon had male and female singers who sang for him. He said in Ecclesiastes 2:8 "I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts".

I personally believe that God's profound love for the institution of marriage is the reason why He allowed the book of Songs of Solomon to be included in the Bible. But as a singer or a composer, God warns in Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers".

This denotes that you must avoid singing about anything impure, obscene, filthy, vulgar, offensive, vengeful, profane, abusive, depraved, evil, blasphemous, cursing, disgusting, vituperative etc.

Good music reflects God's glory and also uplifts, comforts, encourages, warns, admonishes, heals, soothes nurtures, nourishes, inspires, energizes, reminds, notifies, and edifies the listeners, preparing them to overcome challenges of life.

Though I started from the choir doing good music, but, along the line, I went off track, and abandoned uplifting music for flimsy, feckless music because that was the type of music that was selling at the time. I was able to write close to two hundred songs and recorded a few, though the inspiration would come as uplifting songs but, I would change it to flimsy ones. However, the moment I realised that it was not the style of music that we do that determined the success, but rather, the star in us, I began to perceive my calling in a totally different way. In tears, I burnt all the songs which took me over seven years to compose and I prayed to God to give me new inspiration and by the grace of God, between the space of two months I was able to compose more beautiful and uplifting songs than the flimsy ones I burnt.

Now, how many of the hit songs that you loved, listened to and danced to five years ago, would you still want to pick up and listen to today? Only few. Why? Because most of them were songs for a moment not timeless songs.

There are two vital aspects in song composition: the rhythm and the lyrics. The rhythm comprises the melody, harmony and pitch of the song, while the lyrics are the wording of the song. Many composers are so gifted in the composition of beautiful rhythm, but cannot write good lyrics to complement the rhythm and vice versa; that is why such songs do not linger long in the memory of the listener. The rhythm is what catches and draws the attention of the listener to a song, but the lyrics often determine how long the song will remain relevant. The one thing that differentiates quotes and, poems from music is the rhythm, to turn a poem to a song, all you need to do is to apply rhythm to it.

You can only write songs based on what occupies your mind or the information you have at any given moment, you cannot give what you do not have; so what is your source of inspiration? Is it the Bible? The Holy Spirit? Drugs? Demons? Your environment? Your experience? Your upbringing? Your relationships? Or the things you hear? These are some of the factors that will determine the content of your song. Eighty percent of my songs are derived from the BIBLE, reason why most of them are timeless, everything will pass away but the WORD of God will remain forever. And the Lord GOD has given me a song for each season, songs to those who are weary and happy; I have never written any good song without the help of the Holy Spirit, I am nothing without Him.

The Bible is the only book that covers all aspects of life. There is no theme you are looking for that you would not find in the Bible, still, you have to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes of understanding and show you wonderful truths you can make into songs. King David, the greatest composer of all times says in Psalms 119:18 open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from your law. " That is why 1 Chronicles 15:16 says "And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy". And 1 Chronicles 13:8 says "And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets".

The Bible says that your gift shall make room for you to stand before kings. David's musical gift brought him to the palace. 1 Samuel 16:17 tells us how King Saul said unto his servants, "Provide me a man that can play well, and bring him to me."

And David was the one chosen. 1 Samuel 16:23 tells us that whenever an evil spirit came upon Saul, David would take a harp, and play with his hand and Saul would be refreshed. However, there are people destined to sing strictly for God either in churches, at crusades or any other Christian gathering, just like Asaph and "Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God." (1 Chronicles 6:48). In 1 Chronicles 9:33 we read that "these Singers dwelled in the temple chambers, and were free from other services because they were on duty day and night." But today, it is sad to know that many who are gifted with beautiful voices and called to sing and glorify His name now use their voices to worship Satan for fame and money. It is a proven fact that if you're truly gifted in music, Satan can give you a litany of reasons why you should not sing in the local church choir, beguiling you into falsely believing that you are too talented for gospel music, but you do not have to agree with that line of thought.

When I decided to follow Jesus all the way, many said I was a fool, but today God has made my life so beautiful and they are all asking me for the secret. Whatever you desire in life, God is willing to give you as long it would not end up ruining your life, "BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU." (Matthew 6:33). A very simple instruction. I can still remember those days, when many who heard me singing in the church told me I was wasting my talent. They insisted that I should go out there, showcase my talent and make money, lots of it. But I told them that I was biding my time. Today, by God's grace, I have over taken them all, and they are still trying to figure me out. There's something each and every one of us need to do for Christ, irrespective of our field of career.

MUSIC MINISTRY.

God loves music so much, but, God doesn't accept all music or all musicians. You can't be living in sin and claim to be singing for God. God said in Amos 5:23 "Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols". It is not all music that we sing even in the church that pleases God. King Jehoshaphat knew this, and it is the reason why the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 20:21 "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever."

In normal circumstances, soldiers should be at the war front, but here, it was the singers. This is the chief reason why the King needed joyful and fearless people who will sing and praise God in front of swords, or bullets, in the face of danger, irrespective of their problems and challenges in life. And when they began to sing and to praise the LORD, God granted them victory.

Music that attracts the presence of God are songs that the words and instrumentals glorify God, and the singer(s) must be pure, singing in an orderly manner with joy and gladness. Jeremiah 33:11 says " _The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness,_ the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of _them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD"_.

Isaiah 51:3 says "For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; _joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody._

As a gospel minister, if the glory of God don't descend while you are ministering, it means either you are living in sin or there is an atom of sin where you are ministering. The sin of just one choir member can hinder the presence of God from descending. 2 Corinthians 3:17says "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty". So all singers and instrumentalists ministering ought to always be at peace, in unity and live a life of purity in order to attract the presence of God.1 Corinthians 14:40 says "Let all things be done decently and in order." 2 Chronicles 5:12-14 says "Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets: It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God."

Many gospel singers today just want to copy and repeat other musicians, they don't care to be creative or compose new songs. But the Bible tells us in all the following passages "Sing unto the LORD a new song" Psalms 33:3, Psalms 96:1 Psalms 98:1, Psalms 144:9, Psalms 149:1, Isaiah 42:10.

You ought to be leading the world, not following, if your inspiration and songs are truly divine. You are better than those you are looking up to, it's just that you don't know the value of the gift and talent that God has blessed you with.

Our voices are very important to God, that's why many times in the Bible we read the phrase "Lift up your voice!" Meaning the vocal should always be more prominent than the beat in our choice of music. Psalms 68:25 says "The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels". Personally, I embrace the music whose lyrical content glorifies God and edifies listeners but we also have to be very careful of our choice of beats because many beats have satanic origin, and such invoke evil spirits just as heavenly inspired songs would invite the presence of God and drive away evil spirits. For instance, in Daniel 3:10 "A decree was given that whenever they hear a particular beat which the king adopted they must all fall down and worship an idol which was a golden image." Just like in many countries today, whenever the national anthem is played everyone would stand still and suspend whatever they are doing in honour of the country. Also in 1 Samuel 16:23 we read how David would play a harp whenever Saul was distressed and Saul would become refreshed.

In 2 Kings 3: 14-16 Elisha asked for a musician to be brought in and when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him.

Satan is doing his best to completely take over the music scene. Why? Because he used to sing in heaven before he was cast down, he is angry and is willing to do anything to destroy musicians, especially gospel music ministers. Have you ever wondered why there is always fornication and adultery among choir members in many churches? The devil has used choristers to ruin many churches through sexual sin and many times pastors are complicit. This is one reason why musicians or anyone aspiring to be one need to be more prayerful. Let me be honest with you, the devil will come after you, but, God has promised to be with us till the end of the world. Every chorister ought to be monitored by a strict godly elder or a strong pastor; they must be rebuked sharply whenever they are wrong no matter how good or gifted they might be.

If you neglect the spiritual state of your choir members, then expect Satan to sneak in. The devil has used many choir members to ruin many churches and ministers. The choir is not a unit for everybody; every choir member ought to possess the attribute of a Levite (priest) which is holiness. 2 Chronicles 5:12 says "the Levites which were the singers". Anyone with an evil heart or habits should not be allowed in the choir, no matter how gifted, except they genuinely repent. For you to have a good choir or music group that will attract God's presence even when many people present themselves you must be very careful and prayerful, Matthew 22:14 says "For many are called, but few are chosen". You must be spiritually discerning to seek, chose, and appoint true worshippers who will worship God in spirit and in truth because God is seeking such people to worship Him as we read in John 4:23.

There is nothing wrong with employing or appreciating musicians who are dedicated and faithful in serving God, even if they don't ask for it. Nehemiah 11:23"For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day."

1 Chronicles 9:33 says "And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night."

Let's face it, many who claim to be music ministers today are not even born again. Each time they finish playing, they walk out of the church service or remain inside engaging in banter, pinging on their phones, or making noise while the preacher is preaching. Instrumentalists and musicians who use their gifts to serve God without asking for money always become more prosperous than those who are fixated on pecuniary gains.

James 2:19 says "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." Satan knows the Bible from cover to cover and can twist it to soothe your mind and make you believe that fornication, adultery, homosexuality, occultism, murder, illegal businesses, robbery, lying, alcoholic consumption, pride, anger and so on are not really sin, or are not as bad as people think. A drunkard would argue "Didn't Jesus turn water into wine?" if you remember, Satan tried to twist the word of God to tempt Jesus, but, our Lord also used the same word to overcome him. Proverbs 26:2 says "the curse causeless shall not come". So Satan knows that he cannot harm anyone unless he quotes a portion of the Bible that forbids what the person has done.

Everyone that is really gifted will either use their gift positively or negatively, either for God or for Satan. So watch out. But whatever anyone sows he/she will reap, you can't use your gift and talent to draw people to hell and go to heaven except you repent. Many celebrities died mysteriously because they chose to use their talent to promote lust, promiscuity, and Satan rather than glorify God with their God-given talent and brilliance. As many as have been given the wonderful gift of music, these must make the final choice of how they use it. You cannot be disloyal to GOD the creator and giver of good music and simultaneously be able to demonstrate _that_ gift joyfully and experience peace. This is why many famous celebrities live in pain and melancholy; it is because they ascribe the praise that belongs to God our Creator to a creature and to themselves. Psalms 28:5 says "Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up." If you refuse to appreciate the giver of the gift, you'll continue to depreciate. Luke 16:15 says "And he said unto them, ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Acts 12:21-23 says "And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, it is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost".

When you ascribe all glory and praise to God, see how lovely your lyrics would become, in Deuteronomy 32:2-3 " my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God."

The name of Jesus is the most powerful name in heaven and on earth. That's why the devil through his agents who own record labels and production companies forbid their artistes from using the name of Jesus Christ in their songs and movies. The same thing happened in Acts 4:18 "And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus".

Even many of the so called gospel musicians only use "Lord," they don't mention the name of Jesus in their songs because they fear Satan and desire to make more sales and collect more awards. Acts 5:40 says "And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." The world can only give you award only God give you reward. Observe artistes that have released up to three albums without mentioning the name of Jesus Christ in any of the tracks, and those who did in the past and suddenly stopped. Any keen observer would immediately know that there's something wrong somewhere. The only thing that makes other religions to hate Christians is the name JESUS. Don't forget Satan was a singer in heaven before he was cast down, so he still uses biblical themes in his compositions to beguile people and conscript them to his army. At times they may use "Lord," but don't forget that "Lord" could also mean a husband, earthly master, Judge etc, little wonder Jesus said "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22-23).

The Gospel simply means good news; The good news of God sending His only begotten son Jesus Christ to come and die for the sins of the world and to redeem mankind from eternal destruction. So you can't be singing gospel songs without a mention of the name "Jesus Christ" nor His birth, suffering, agony, pain, death, and resurrection in any of your songs, please don't get me wrong, I am not saying that you have to mention Jesus in all of your songs but, at least, the name of Jesus should be heard in your compositions. Do you know that many so-called churches governed by Satan have replaced the name of Jesus with other names; they don't mention the name of Jesus even when they pray. So the fact that a singer sings songs with biblical themes does not mean that he/she is a born again, because the only book that governs heaven and earth is the Bible.

Music is a very strong tool for winning souls to Christ, but many born again Christians has allowed threats to silence their praise. Do you know that 80% of all timeless songs were composed out of some painful experience of life? But 85% of the people God has called to be His music ministers have strayed into secularism because they do not trust God to meet their needs. The least you can become when you follow God wholeheartedly is far greater than the best you can be following Satan.

Before my sun rise

I was discouraged and despised,

But I patiently stuck to advice,

Energized to try knowing how time flies,

Now God has taken me to nice paradise,

So don't be enticed by evil dice,

Because they will soon demand for sacrifice,

Are you prepared to pay the price?

Don't be surprised because my eyes have seen a different slice,

Now I know the truth and lies,

No one can trick me to play dice,

Success is not by chance,

A word is enough for the wise.

MANY ARTISTES HAS BEEN RUINED BY PRIDE JUST LIKE LUCIFER.

People are prone to rejoice, or scream or cry whenever they watch their favourite music star or any talented singer perform on stage. There is no doubt that musicians are often more celebrated than other stars, inventors or even presidents, unfortunately, because of this, many of them usually feel they are superior to others and feel good about it. There are for instance, many singers more popular and celebrated than their pastors, who erroneously see themselves as more important than their pastors. They fail to realize that music is a wonderful gift from God, and no one can compose good music except given the ability by God.

Have you observed that about 85% of musicians, singers, choir masters, instrumentalists, often express pride in their actions? Satan will always give them reasons to criticize, grumble, to be jealous, gossip, envy, and hate one another. They will always see mistakes in others, argue, complain about the time spent in church, complain about the pastors etc. They often misbehave because they feel they are too gifted to be corrected, no one can do what they do, and they think that if they are not around, the ministration would not go smoothly. You will only find few musicians who use their God given voices to selflessly serve God in spirit and in truth with a pure heart. We shouldn't just serve God because we want to be blessed but we should serve God because we love Him. I have observed over and again that when people begin to tell an upcoming singer or chorister that he/she sings well many atimes they will begin to feel proud.

The Bible says that Lucifer, who is now Satan, was created with musical instruments in his body, Ezekiel 28:13 says '' the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created". Lucifer didn't create music. Lucifer was given a unique music ability to worship and glorify God and was probably given the opportunity to lead the heavenly choir, whose duty was to sing songs ascribing holiness, majesty, might, power, wisdom, honour, and glory to God. Each time he, and other angelic choirs sang, even other angels would join in rapturous delight and shouts of joy. Job 38:7 tells us that "when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.

Just like in concerts and churches today, where after the musicians or choirs have lead the people to ecstasy or worship God, a round of applause usually follows. This probably made Lucifer to be filled with pride as he began to feel that he was equal with the almighty God. This ultimately led to his down fall. Isaiah 14:11-15 says "Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."

When Satan decided to misbehave in heaven, it was angel Michael who told him, how dare you? and fought and defeated Satan because God is too mighty to fight Satan, Revelation 12:7-9 says "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him".

When Satan was cast out of heaven, God did not take back the gift of music from him, because Romans 11:29 says "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." So Satan is still using the gift that God gave him to ascribe praise to himself and lure people to sin against God. But if the devil has decided to misuse his musical gift, it does not mean you should follow in his footsteps, because there are consequences. Jude 1:6 says "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day".

Matthew 4:8-9 tells us that "the devil took Jesus up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory thereof; and saith unto Jesus, all these things will I give thee, if thou will fall down and worship me."

If Satan could deceive one third of the angels in heaven, and was even bold enough to tempt Jesus Christ to bow down and worship him, then no matter who you are, if you don't trust in God fully and give time to study your Bible daily, Satan can deceive you if you listen to him. Ephesians 4:27 says "Neither give place to the devil. Today, it is so sad that many musicians and leaders are now worshipping the fallen angel, Romans 1:25 says "who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen."

Many years ago, no one could boldly and proudly declare that they're witches/wizards or that they belonged to any cult, but today, the devil is busy and freely using music stars to promote and initiate people into different cults and secret societies. It's now so bad that people no longer see anything wrong in evil because the devil has painted and rebranded evil to make it look so beautiful; many leaders are now so proud to be representatives of Satan and many of them are using music stars to mislead the world and the world is fast embracing them, due to the effect of music on listeners. Today you will hear people say that a particular artist is their idol without realising that they are actually worshiping the artist by saying that. That's why the Bible warns us to "Keep our heart with all diligence; for out of it flows the issues of life," and evil communications corrupt good minds. All things are possible to those who believe, you can only believe what you hear or see.

However, if you accept _that_ satanic offer or voluntarily sign _that_ dubious satanic written contract because of worldly fame, your career may blossom magnificently, you may come into a lot of money just as they promised you, your business may soar into high heavens, you may even win a humongous lottery, but sadly, they have won your soul and you must initiate others into the cult.

In Proverbs 14:12 the Bible warns us that "there is a way which seems right to man but the end thereof is death and destruction." Satan's apples may look good, but, it is filled with poisonous worms. If Satan blesses you, he will surely take away all that gives you joy and demand the most important person in your life for sacrifice. Some artistes have exchanged their souls for fame and riches, forgetting that the scripture warns us that "What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul in hell where the fire never quenches." Satan cannot give anyone a star or make anyone shine. He can only steal or cage the glory of people when they sin and later would try to make them come begging for breakthrough, and if they play along, he would seize their souls and release their stars or fast forward their fame and riches; the fame and riches that would have come anyway, if only they had patiently waited for it. Indeed, the riches, untainted, would have been accompanied with profound and truly genuine durable pleasure. This is why the scripture says "the blessings of the Lord makes rich and add no sorrow to it." Jesus warns us in John 10:10 that Satan only comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy."

The devil uses beautiful things and attractive people to carry out his operations. Aside from man, the serpent was one of the most intelligent creatures God created, Genesis 3:1 says "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made". Do you now see why the devil chose to use the serpent to carry out his mission? Unfortunately, the consequence was catastrophic for the serpent. It could no longer walk upright, but began to crawl and became the ugliest and most cursed creature on earth. "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:" (Genesis 3:14). Satan told Eve, and by extension, Adam, that if they ate the forbidden fruit, they would become wiser, but after man acquiesced, he became a fool, deprived of his comfort, joy, and a blissful home, and so man began to die. Satan is still deceiving millions today, just like he deceived Eve and indirectly, Adam. If you allow him to deceive you because of the promise of fame and fortunes, he will lead you to hell. You will just be another foolish soul beguiled into self-destruction and unmitigated misery. Satan lures people into wicked deeds and practices, egging them on and encouraging them with that deceptive voice in their minds, screaming "No one is watching, do it, do it, do it! You're not the only one doing it, see, even your pastors, and mentors do it. God will understand, He's a loving father, He will always forgive sinners!" Sadly, many foolishly fall into sin, and gets choked up with the consequences. Of course, God will forgive them, but the stigma, the scar, the shame may never disappear. For instance, when a lady commits fornication and acquires HIV or ends up with unwanted pregnancy, Satan would mock her thus:" Did I force you into sexual sin? Didn't you enjoy it? So why are you blaming me?" And yet, there are some sins that may lead to immediate death, not giving the sinner any opportunity to plead for forgiveness.

Therefore, think about what would ultimately happen to those being used by Satan today. No matter how long you train a tiger or lion, they can never fully become a pet, they may pretend to be one for a while, but their feral nature would eventually come to the fore, and they may maul you to death. Those who sell their souls to the devil are like a ram prepared for slaughter. They may appear fresh and polished, but their souls are already in the clutches of the devil who can terminate their lives at will.

Today, most mainstream musicians are truly gifted, but, due to the evil covenant they have entered into, they are forced to only sing about sex, violence, drugs, and all sorts of junk, while the upcoming ones just want to join the bandwagon. That is why they sing songs that are empty, devoid of creativity, without conveying any positive message. But I advise artistes who want their music to stand the test of time to expand their horizons and dare to be unique and stand out from the crowd, because most of the songs produced nowadays cannot endure as they are all filled with infantile repetition of flimsy and lewd lyrics. The troubling reality is that no one is willing to go the extra mile to be versatile and creative.

The devil uses beautiful things and attractive people to carry out his operations. Do you think that female celebrities who go to concerts and events naked or almost naked, like what they are doing? They are seducing people to sin against God due to evil contracts they have signed with satanic agents and it is so unfortunate that their fans and the upcoming ones are watching and emulating them. Many fashion designers are satanic. Check the style of the clothes they design and what is written on the clothes.

THE PAIN BEHIND THE SCENE.

Many musicians pierce themselves through with pain and sorrow and engage in horrible things just to attain fame and get inspiration. Some even ingest demonic objects, make blood sacrifice, have sex with dead bodies etc, "But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;" (Job 35:10). The closer you are to God, the greater the inspiration you receive. Some musicians hear only the tunes and go ahead to compose lyrics to the tunes, while others hear only the lyrics then compose the tune to compliment it. But there are musicians who receive both tunes and lyrics either from their dreams or while bathing, praying, walking down the street, relaxing somewhere etc.

Many celebrities lack true knowledge. They often foolishly give their souls and happiness to Satan, just to enjoy unbelievable luxuries and power. But the aftermath is always horrible. They hardly sleep or have peace of mind, even their phones are usually often tapped to monitor all their calls by dark shadowy figures. It is sad that these wicked fellows are always out there preying even on unsuspecting artistes, who have by dint of hard work recorded hits, as they frantically seek to control them, rule over them and direct their daily activities. But the question is, if they are that powerful, why don't they just go and pick mad people off the streets and make them into superstars and then control them? These shadowy and occult figures are so heartless they practice burning children to an idol called Moloch and also coerce female celebrities under their control to abort their babies as a form of blood sacrifice. God repeatedly warned against this in the Bible. Leviticus 18:21 says "And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD."

Many songs became a hit, even won awards after the death of their composers due to a vow they made but could not fulfil.

Have you ever wondered why some artistes experience great and unusual sorrow, and pains and finally untimely death after a short exposure and riches? It is actually because most of them belong to secret cults, and so, directly or indirectly, they have been assigned a life span, usually not long. To find this out, listen intently to their last song or interview before their death, you will find out that they were always in fear of death because the devil only comes to steal, to kill and to destroy. The devil does not have the power to create any good thing; he can only destroy and cause misery. Listen, Satan cannot give you glory. James 1:17 says "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." And John 3:27 says "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." Satan can offer you riches, but he can never give you blessings. Whenever Satan gives you anything, he will also give you a difficult or impossible instruction to abide by. Many celebrities go to cemeteries every night to invoke demons. Many have been warned not to have sex for a long period of time. So most of the evil things you hear celebrities say and sing about are actually things the devil speaks through them. Sometimes, they might not like it, but they cannot stop it, because they have sold their souls to the devil. Therefore you must be extremely careful of which celebrity you emulate, because the moment you begin to act or sing perfectly like them, the same spirit controlling them, will begin control you as well. If it is not the spirit of God then it must be a demonic spirit.

If anyone advises you to do evil in order to make fame or wealth, it is because they have already seen your star and greatness, which shall surely blossom if you work hard, believe and patiently wait for your time. You may know of someone or may have been told of people who did rituals and made fame and wealth, please get this, it was not the devil that gave them the wealth, it is because they were destined to be famous and wealthy by God. All Satan did was to fast forward the process and he would not do it for free. Though at the onset, it may appear to be free, but Satan will always demand for a huge sacrifice down the road, a sacrifice you will not be able to pay, no matter how hard you try: it could be your mother, wife, children, or someone in your life. Satan is a thief; he only steals people's glory and souls through lies and deception. Just like he spoke through the serpent to deceive Eve, Satan uses those who have sold their souls already to approach and speak to others around them with the aim of conscripting them into the fold. If upcoming stars are not filled with the word of God, the satanic voice will keep ringing in their heads, and if they agree to sell their souls and to bow and worship Satan for fame and fortune, he will possess them and control everything they do. Satan will speak and sing through them and turn them to homosexuals and drug addicts, so that when their contracts and given lifespan by the devil expires, the media will say they were killed or were involved in an accident or that they died due to drug abuse or overdose. Remember that whatever good thing the devil gives you has an expiry date and he'll ensure you pay for it at the end of the day. Riches from Satan come with sorrow.

Many people have gone after blood money, but were rejected or never succeeded. Why? Because their stars had already been hijacked before then. If your star is not promising, the devil would not even bother about you, but if you have a great star, be rest assured that the devil will attack and subsequently seek to entice you to his side and then use you to conscript others. A star is like a magnet, it attracts others to itself, wherever you drop a magnet, other metals will be forced to leave their position to join it. Satan knows that if he could win the soul of a famous musician, pastor, or leader, he could also easily use them to win over their fans and followers. But most celebrities who make a deal with the devil to be famous and rich, never live long to enjoy the fame or the commercial success.

" _Be careful of who you make your role model or who you aspire to copy because it can powerfully, influence and control your life and destiny._ _What controls them will control you._ Even a great but careless servant of God is not immuned to such control, if his favourite music(ian) is worldly and secular. Stop listening to immoral music and quit watching dirty videos. They tempt, weaken or make you unnecessarily angry. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ". No matter how gifted or anointed your mentor may be, make sure you confirm if he/she truly follows Christ Jesus before you follow them. Whenever you listen, watch or read about your real mentor you automatically receive new insights and inspiration.

1 Timothy 6: 6 -10 tell us that "godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we would not carry anything out. But if we have food and clothing, we should be satisfied, because many who craved to be rich by any means necessary have fallen into temptation, and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into destruction. The love of money is the root of all evil: Some people, greedy for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through many sorrows. So dear friend, if anyone tries to entice you to do evil, do not give in to them."

It took me many years to shoot my first music video, I tried everything humanly possible at the time, but it seemed to no avail. Yet, I never gave up. In the midst of the difficulty, a satanic agent from a faraway country paid me a visit and offered me a shortcut to fame and stardom, because they'd seen my star. He told me that I could be far more famous and wealthier than the legends, heroes and established artistes that I was celebrating, which I already knew to be true. He then went on to tell me how most of the celebrities joined a particular occult group and what they gave in exchange for fame and wealth. I was momentarily shocked, but mulled over what I just heard. The fellow sized me up and concluded that it was obvious to him that I was not excited about his offer. He however, suggested that I should not worry, he could do the needed sacrifice on my behalf, but I must be willing to share the riches that would come thereafter with him. That was when I heard a voice saying repeatedly to me "The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it". (Proverb 10:22). That statement was like a catharsis that brought peace to my soul and I was able to completely reject the offer.

It was then I understood that if a man's star or glory has not been hijacked or swallowed up, it was just a matter of time for him to shine. I repeat again, you don't have to go into drugs, defraud people or exchange your mother, wife, children, or manhood for wealth. Artistes who join cults to become famous, may receive numerous awards and recognition, but they will still end up in everlasting shame and agony. They are just like weeds springing up in the sunshine, invading gardens, spreading everywhere, overtaking the flowers, but do not live long.

Do you know that about 70% of all evergreen songs still sung around the world today were composed by people who were not professional musicians? Therefore, it is not your lyrics or language or rhythm or melody or pitch or genre of music that makes your song a hit or makes you famous, it is your star or glory. I know of many green horn artistes with various songs in various languages, who wrote wacky lyrics and rhythm and melody, yet, made hits and became famous, and I have also seen many professional artistes with splendid songs, and strong connections to media outlets, and sponsors who are still struggling to make a single hit.

You can't reign with empowerment.

If you are not empowered, you are likely to become a victim. If you are not empowered, you can't reign nor rule. Jesus returned from the wilderness with the power of the Holy Ghost and began to reign. Luke 4:14 says "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the regions round about".

Presidents rule because they have political power. Luke 4:32 says "And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power."

Many songs became a hit, even won awards after the death of their composers due to a vow they made but could not fulfil. While some died because they were not spiritually fit or prepared. Therefore, to be famous and also rule, you need power; many appear muscular and physically strong but are spiritually weak and powerless, while some may appear weak but are spiritually strong and powerful. There are only two sources of power; God's power and satanic power. Now, you can only acquire satanic power by bowing down to Satan and surrendering your soul to him or you can receive God's power by surrendering your life entirely to God and genuinely accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Acts 1:8 says "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you". Remember that no one can cozy up to God and to Satan at the same time. You cannot afford to stand on the sideline; neither can you serve two masters.

To become a fully-fledged music star is not just limited to being gifted alone, but it is necessary to possess the power to resist opposing forces against your person and your destiny. 2 Chronicles 27:6 says" So Jotham became mighty, because _he_ prepared _his ways_ before the LORD his God. But of another person named Rehoboam, 2 Chronicles 12:14 says "And he did evil, because _he_ prepared not his heart to seek the LORD."

Every country or organization has its rules and regulations. People often become victims because they lack knowledge. For instance, if you want to become a music superstar, how much information have you gathered about the music industry? Even though God has promised the Israelites the land of Canaan as a possession, God still instructed Moses to send some men to go and checkout the land before entering. Numbers 13:17-19 says "And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds."

Also in 2 Kings 17:22-27 we read how the Israelites perpetually sinned against God and refused to repent. God had to remove them from their land and gave it to the Assyrians. The Assyrians who now populated the land continued to sin against God, thereby forcing His hand to punish them by sending lions into their midst to maul and destroy them until they learnt to obey the God of Israel.

The devil fights because he is afraid of what God would do in your life. There was a time that many dignitaries heard about me and a concert was organised just to hear and watch me perform so they could sponsor me. On the day of the concert, other artistes had performed, but when it was my turn, my compact disc would not play, the mixer would not work. I had to leave the event in shame. I immediately knew it was a spiritual attack because I had dreamt about it and forgot to pray against it. Before my breakthrough, there were lots of obstacles, but I didn't quit, I was always in the temple with my Holy Bible, making myself available, refraining from evil. And today, through the precious blood of Jesus Christ that was sprinkled, my glory has been rekindled, now all my enemies tremble because I am now unstoppable.

Satan knows that he has a very short time to deceive as many as he can. That's why when his demons saw Jesus in Matthew 8:29 they screamed fearfully " behold, they cried out, saying, what have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?". Revelation 12:12 says "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time".

So are you living in fear or bondage today because of the oath, covenant or vow you made with the demonic kingdom, cult or secret society? Jesus is willing to rescue you today, if only you will accept Him as your Lord and Saviour wholeheartedly and forsake all your sinful ways; because God said in Isaiah 28:18 "Your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand." In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God said "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land". If you accept Jesus with your whole heart, and never look back, no evil power will be able to harm you, because the Bible says in John 1:12 that "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name". And Luke 10:19 also says "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Because you have been born anew in Christ Jesus, notice 2Corinthians 5:17 which says "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new ".

The only thing that can give Satan access to hurt you after you've given your life to Christ is if you go back or look back, remember Genesis (19:17-26) God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and told Lot to take his wife and two daughters and to "Escape for their lives! And never look back lest they be destroyed. "But on their way, his wife looked back and she became a pillar of salt". And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62). The major thing that always makes people to look back after giving their life to Christ is the pleasure of sin they used to enjoy. Just like the Israelites on their way to the Promised Land. They said in Numbers 11:5-6 "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes". And the because of this attitude, the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. You may appear holy, saintly, and godly to everyone, but deep within you; you know that you are evil. 2 Corinthians 6:17 says "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,". So what do you have with you that belong to Satan? Jesus said in John 14:30 "the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me". You keep having bad luck, bad dreams, and nightmares because you still have something with you that belong to Satan.

1 Peter 3:13 says "And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

Listening to old songs tend to remind us of our past and may evoke past feelings and attitudes either positive or negative. You must renounce everything that rekindles your horrible past and fully surrender your body, spirit and soul to the Lord Jesus now. 1 John 5:18 says "he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." No matter how spiritual you may be, you will be become weak and even weaker, if you keep listening to ungodly music or any music sang by satanic agents, no matter how beautiful the song may be. Many Christians and pastors are in love with ungodly musicians and are engrossed in listening to their music, that explains why they find it so difficult to refrain from habitual sin, bad attitudes and living unedifying lives etc. Do you think Satan will sit back, watch you enjoy his music and walk away just like that? Ungodly music is like a poisonous gas, each time you listen to it, you are inhaling poison. Good music is like a sweet smelling savour, and can be likened to a pleasant sacrifice offered to God Almighty. Jeremiah 33:11 says "The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD."

Hebrews 13:15 says "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." That you are called today, does not mean that you will be chosen. "For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14). And after God has called and chosen you, you must endeavour to please Him. Matthew 12:18 says "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles."1 Corinthians 9:27 says "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away". Philippians 2:16 says "Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. "Matthew 7:22-24 says "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:"

"And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." (John 11:44). After you become born again, you need get rid of so many things that are not of God from your life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new". Luke 5:37 says "And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish." James 4:8 says "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."

In Deuteronomy 1:41-44 the Bible tells us how the Israelites sinned against God on their way to the Promised Land, and still wanted to go and fight their enemies, "but the LORD said to them, don't go, neither fight; for I am not with you; lest you should be smitten before your enemies." but they presumptuously insisted, and were greatly smitten by their enemies. Romans 6:1-2 says "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? But "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:9-10).

The whole world was once destroyed, but only eight people and the animals we see today survived that destructive anger of God. Before the destruction, God had sent Noah to warn every human being to repent and enter into the ark, because that was the only way to escape the coming destruction. But they all mocked him, wondering how rain could destroy the whole world. They probably reasoned that if the rain should even come, they would simply run to the mountains or hide on top of trees. But then, ordinary animals entered into the ark, while otherwise rational people refused to enter. And suddenly, the stormy, heavy rain came and destroyed the whole world, the flood submerged all the trees and mountains and after one hundred and fifty days, the waters were abated. Matthew 24:37-39 says "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

And now, God is warning humanity again, that He will destroy the whole world with fire and brimstone due to the sin and iniquity of mankind. He is warning that the only way to escape the coming destruction is to repent and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, but just as it was in the time of Noah, many are still saying that God is too good to destroy the world, some others still see it as scare-mongering, even as sheer fantasy.

I know you may have heard people say, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness," (2 Peter 3:4,8-11) Don't be surprised to know that many so-called Christian musicians/singers, bishops, pastors or even priests are not genuine followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that in the end time, "there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matthew 24:24).

Dear reader, I want to sincerely thank you very much for reading this book. I believe that through reading this book, you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour, therefore, I congratulate you and will quickly like to remind you of what our Lord Jesus told his disciples in Luke 10:23-24  "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

About the Author.

BJ Sam is an international recording Artist who brings joy, melody and brilliance to the universe through his captivating writings and catchy delightful music. His fans around the world reverie him as 'Sammy Wonder' due to his distinctive voice and lyrically touching songs. BJ Sam sings French and English in order to appeal to people across the universe and bring everyone in unison. His global fan base extends from Nigeria to the United States of America, Canada, the UK, France, Germany and now Australia where his music is now being played by adoring fans.

BJ Sam was born in Nigeria and left the country when his music career began to bloom. He was formerly a member of the IBC Choir; an international classical mass choir consisting of different professional Singers.

BJ Sam has become a force to be reckoned with on a global scale after releasing his hit single 'The Star Will Always Shine' in 2014 which grabbed the attention of countless Hollywood Music Supervisors. In 2014 BJ Sam signed a global music distribution deal with Africori UK in partnership with The Orchard. In 2014 BJ Sam also signed to DJ Central Records and Blue Pie Records USA formal a global Distribution and Publishing venture to get his music out to his global fan base.

BJ Sam music video for his hit song "Mon Amour" grabbed the attention of the 3rd most available television network in the word 'TV5Monde' which is based in France. And he was interview on their musical program 'Stars Parade' with over 80 million viewers worldwide.

The popular American film director Lloyd Kaufman, the co-founder of Troma entertainment, personally selected the same song "Mon Amour" as the Soundtrack for his Hollywood movie title "Heart of Fatness".

'Mon Amour' has also been featured on the Australian music TV show DJ Central in Season 5 which is syndicated all around the world to over 60 million viewers. Mon Amour's music video was also nominated for the best music video in Oregon USA.

After the release of 'Mon Amour', Hollywood music supervisors Suzanna Hilleary the president of Wacbiz fell in love with BJ Sam and his music and agreement was completed allowing this power house of music placement to represent and license BJ Sam songs for Hollywood Films, TV Episodes, Games and Web ad campaigns.

Companies such as Sound Pro Music Canada, XerciseLab Russia, Motion Manager Austria, and countless others has also licensed BJ Sam's songs for commercials, TV, Films, Documentaries and other media production.

BJ Sam's songs ignite playlists worldwide; 'Mon Amour' has been played on radio stations such as Somer Valley Fm UK, N.U.A Radio show across Europe, USA and Australia, Fairchild Radio 96.1FM: Canada, Cairns 89.1 FM Australia, KKID 92.9fm USA, Zone Radio FM South Africa and countless others. The radio plays are growing weekly and the love is flowing constantly from BJ Sam incredible messages of love and peace in all of his music.

Here are some of the great quotes received already:

_"What an emotive and powerful voice you have. Clearly talented."_ **Steve Williams, producer/engineer for Britney Spears, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones.**

_"I'm quite amazed at BJ Sam's writing, vocal & musical prowess & dexterity! ... As I've already stated, he is an extremely talented musician/writer – the kind of guy who this world is just crying out to hear, for he is a force to be reckoned with"._ **DJ Paula Frost, Kane 103.7 FM.**

_"I've listened to your tracks and I think they are arranged, produced and sung very well."_ **Eugenio Vicedomini, Flippermusic Italy Music Art Director.**

_"What a most delightful sound! ... B.J. Sam has created a song that is highly infectious – proving that he is an extremely talented musician/writer! ... 'Mon Amour' has to be one of the most perfectly balanced songs that I have ever heard"._ **Wayout Radio UK Programmer.**

_"Votre vidéo clip "Mon amour" est accrocheur"._ **PhilippeVannier, responsable Musique TV5MONDE France.**

"This is the most inspirational songs I've ever received. Sometimes people that make history long journey it very lonely ... we need more people like you in the world to keep inspiring others to be great ..

_I will have songs in rotation let you know when playing."_ **Sentoria Green Owner LIVE 105.5 Mobile Radio | Los Angeles, California | The Green Room Radio Show.**

_"We LOVE this song! We played it on The Basement Tapes with Nick & Bootsy last night, and would really like to hear more from BJ Sam!"_ **Bootsy, K-KID 92.9fm Missouri USA.**

Watch BJ Sam interview on 'Stars Parade' a musical program with over 80 million viewers worldwide on 3rd most available television network in the word 'TV5Monde' which is based in France!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG4I9WXghO8

Official Links:

E-mail: bjsam@live.com

AllMusic: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bj-sam-mn0003458885/songs

**BJ Sam Website:** http://www.bjsammusic.com ****

**Tidal:** https://tidal.com/browse/artist/5119408 ****

**Facebook:** http://www.facebook.com/bjsammusic

**Twitter:** http://www.twitter.com/bjsammusic

**instagram:** www.instagram.com/bjsammusic

**Airplaydirec:** www.airplaydirect.com/music/bjsammusic

**Lyrics:** www.musixmatch.com/artist/BJ-Sam

**France:** http://www.institutfrancaismali.org/bj-sam **/**

Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/bjsam

© 2019 BJ Sam Music

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