I have known the above scripture for years and heard it read many times. It was only a few months ago when I read it again, that the aspect of people giving into your bosom jump out at me. I have always been a bit self sufficient and often feel that we should work for what we want in life. If you grew up experiencing lack, then you don’t necessarily want to be in the position of expecting anything from other people. Some of this is about wanting to develop a sense of independence and learning to be resourceful. Within this idea is also an element of pride which says, ‘I don’t want to have to be dependent on anyone.’

There is also an element of not wanting to seem like a charity case. There are people who sit at the other end of this concept and are quite dependent. Some people actually expect everyone else to meet their needs and have a sense of entitlement. Some people act like the world owes them everything and find ways to manipulate others into meeting their needs. I am not prescribing either of these extreme scenarios, but the biblical principles of increase speaks to sowing and reaping.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7). If you are a person that is generous and faithful in giving, then it is not unreasonable to expect to receive. This is why the scripture says, ‘give and it will be given unto you.’ You may not always receive from the person that you give to. Furthermore, you are not giving because you want to get back. You give from a heart of generosity and because you have a desire to bless others. When you give from a good heart, God is faithful to reward your giving.

The understanding is that when we give, we give as unto the Lord and our reward comes from him. Start expecting to receive from God to meet your needs. Once you have been faithful in sowing, start to expect a harvest. God will use people to be a blessing to us and there is nothing wrong with accepting help. “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22).

A.P.-Y.

God called Abram to leave his country and his people and to go to a land which He had promised. “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). The bible does not give any reference to Abram asking God for specific details about where he was going. The bible says that Abram took his wife and his nephew Lot and set out for the land of Canaan. I wonder what questions Abram’s family had when he told them that he was leaving. The other interesting part about this story is that when Abram got to Canaan, there were people living in the land.

“Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him” (Genesis 12:7). What I recall from reading in the New Testament, was that people build altars wherever they encountered God. Abram built the altar in remembrance of what God said and to keep hold of the promise. God also promised Abram that he would be the father of many nations. This was although Abram still had no children at an old age.

Abram lived like he knew what God said to be absolutely true and with a desire to fulfil his destiny and purpose. His inner conviction allowed him to move when God said to move and to hold unto the promises of God. Like Abram, each of us are created for a specific purpose and destiny. We can sense an inner conviction about what we should be doing with our lives. Many people are deterred by the opinions of others and end up in careers and even marriages that they did not feel led into. It is dangerous to live your life based on other people’s opinions.

We do need spiritual guidance and wisdom from people who are mature in the faith. The guidance from others should only be obeyed as far as it lines up with what the word says. More so, there are things that we know that God has placed inside of us. There are inner convictions that we have from the Holy Spirit which we cannot ignore. The best place for each believer to be is in a place where we can hear from God for ourselves. As long as you are in the will of God and not living in deception, then follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. He will guide you into all truth and help you to live according to purpose and destiny.

A.P.-Y.

Earlier in this chapter after Elijah slew the prophets of Baal and called fire from heaven, Ahab told Jezebel what had been done. She sent a threatening message to Elijah which included a death threat, that she would end his life the next day. Elijah’s response is surprising given that he had just killed four hundred prophets of Baal. This was after he prayed and God sent fire from heaven. “Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there” (1 Kings 19:3). Most people assume that Elijah was exhausted after the amazing demonstration on Mount Carmel. Either way, Jezebel’s threats sent Elijah running in the opposite direction of his mission.

I am amused by God’s question to Elijah. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Of course God knew that he was scared and running away to hide. I believe the question was a rhetorical one and said to put Elijah in a place of self reflection. Before God spoke to Elijah, he allowed him to sleep and twice an angel brought him food. I am not sure what exactly made Elijah so tired and exhausted. May be it was Mount Carmel, out running Abah’s chariot before the rain or running all the way to the desert to get away from Jezebel. Either way, Elijah was tired and feeling a little bit sorry for himself. “It is enough; now oh Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (1 Kings 19:4). God listened to everything that Elijah had to say then sent him back to complete his assignment.

The other prophet who tried to outrun God was Jonah when he was sent to Nineveh. In Jonah’s case, he was being what we could call ‘straight up disobedient.’ God sent him to warn Nineveh, but he boarded a ship to Tarshish. Jonah must have forgotten that God made the sea, the earth and everything else in it. To summarise, a mighty storm came up against the boat, Jonah was thrown overboard, swallowed by a whale and vomited out on dry land. Listen to what God said to Jonah immediately after he was spat out. ““Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you”” (Jonah 3:2). There was no time for reassurance, debates or arguments. Just a repeated instruction to do what he was told in the first place.

Reading these stories in the bible let’s me know that there is no point trying to run away from God. I do not want to be swallowed by a whale or something far worst. I want to try my best to do what I was told to do in the first one place. The will of God is not always the easiest thing to do. What I do know is that being in the will of God is the safest place to be. Sometimes we need a break to rest and recover after a hard mission. We may need to cry, take a nap or eat one of our favourite meals. What we cannot do is run away from God, because there is nowhere to hide from him. Stay in his will. Stay in his presence and experience the peace which comes from staying in his perfect will.

A.P.-Y.

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah ran away to hide from Jezebel after she threatened him. After the Lord had strengthened and sustained him, he commanded him to anoint Hazael and Jehu as Kings over Syria and Israel. “And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place.” (1 Kings 19:16). As part of God’s succession planning, Elisha was to be anointed to continue after Elijah. Immediately after Elijah threw his mantle on Elisha, he sacrificed his oxen, cooked them and gave to the people and they ate. Elisha went after Elijah and became his assistant.

What amazes me is that when God told Elijah to anoint Elisha as prophet in his place, Elijah did not pour oil on Elisha’s head as was customary and decree a blessing over him. He did not speak over him saying, thus says the Lord, from henceforth, you are anointed to succeed me as prophet. All Elijah did was to throw his coat on Elisha, yet he knew exactly what it meant. The scripture says that Elisha was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen. This was twenty four oxen which suggests that he was ploughing a big farm. Regardless of how significant this job was, Elisha must have known what his calling was.

I believe that deep down inside, Elisha had a knowing and a conviction that he was called to be a prophet. Elisha must have had dreams, visions and knew that God had placed the gift of prophecy inside of him. He probably also knew that one day, Elijah would come to visit and this would signal his transition into the office of a prophet. After Elijah threw his coat on Elisha, he left his oxen and ran after him. He begged him to allow him to kiss his parents goodbye and then follow him. Elijah’s response was a strange one. “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” (1Kings 19:20).

Elisha took no notice of what Elijah said, but simply turned around, killed his oxen and followed Elijah. What do you need to dispose of in order to go after your calling and purpose? We know that Elisha followed Elijah until he was taken up into heaven. Elisha gained a double portion of the anointing that rested on Elijah as this was what he desired. None of us will live on this earth forever. None of us are made to occupy any positions until eternity. Assignments are for a season, a specific time and purpose. Once God determined that your assignment has come to an end, he will raise up someone else to carry on the work.

God will often identify your successor long before the end of your assignment, in order to allow for a smooth transition. In fact, God knows the end from the beginning and ordained things before creation. God loves order and for things to be done at the appropriate time and season. Leaders need to train another generation to follow after them and to guarantee succession planning. “Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity” (Titus 2:6-7).

A.P.-Y.

John wrote to the seven churches in Revelations the words of Jesus Christ, to bear witness before his second coming. John wrote to the church in Thyatira about their love, patience and endurance. Nevertheless, what was held against them was their tolerance of the spirit of Jezebel. “I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality” (Revelation 2:21). If we look back at the story concerning Jezebel in the Old Testament, this will give us some context into her character and personality. Jezebel was the wife of Ahab, who did more evil in the sight of the Lord than any King before him.

The scripture makes reference to Ahab’s marriage to Jezebel, being even more intolerable to God on top of his other sins. This is because Jezebel was a Sidonite who worshipped Baal. “He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria”(1 Kings 16:32). Jezebel encouraged Ahab to commit great depravity such as to set up Naboth, have him executed and take his vineyard. She also killed the prophets of God and established her own prophets of Baal. Jezebel also promoted the worship of Asherah which is the female goddess of fertility. As the name suggests, this god promotes sexual promiscuity and sexual immorality.

What we can deduce from the scriptures about the characteristics of Jezebel include; sexual promiscuity, control and manipulation, idolatry, a hatred of the prophets and the prophetic anointing, a hatred of spiritual authority and setting itself up as a true prophet of God. The Jezebel spirit will not submit to authority and if left unchecked, will destroy the church and ministry. God’s response to Jezebel and anyone who tolerates her is quite clear. “Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works”(Revelation 2:22). One of the forms of adultery which Jezebel commits is spiritual adultery, by polluting herself with other gods.

God is also clear about his response to her children or the seeds that flow from the Jezebel spirit. “and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works” (Revelation 2:23). We have to be discerning to be able to identify this spirit in operation. Once we identify it, we don’t tolerate it, but start to come against it in prayer and intercession. We have authority to trample on any spirit that exalts itself against God. There are times when this spirit needs to be confronted and commanded to come out of its host. The Jezebel spirit is stubborn, deceptive and manipulative and uses fear and intimidation to try to maintain control.

Thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph through Christ Jesus. We are not afraid of any of the strategies of the enemy. We are bold and fearless and we will bind on earth things that stand contrary to the will and purpose of God.

A.P.-Y.

Esau and Jacob were twins born to Isaac after he prayed to God to bless his wife with a child. From the womb, the two children wrestled and a prophecy was foretold about them. “And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger”” (Genesis 25:23). Jacob and Esau’s lives were characterised by rivalry and competition. Isaac loved Esau while their mother Rebekah loved Jacob. As was customary, the firstborn son would inherit the blessing of the birthright.

One day Jacob was making stew and Esau came in from the field exhausted. Esau begged Jacob to give him some of his stew and Jacob asked him to trade it for his birthright. Esau’s reasoning was that he was so exhausted that he was about to die from hunger. As such, what benefit was a birthright to him? Esau swore to Jacob by an oath and sold him his birthright because he despised it. Later on in the story, Isaac determined to confer the first born blessing to Esau because he was advancing in age. Jacob and Rebekah tricked Isaac into blessing Jacob instead of Esau.

Esau was angry when he discovered what they did and begged his father to also confer a blessing to him. “Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me”” (Genesis 27:36)? Esau’s anger towards Jacob may have been warranted with regards to his father’s blessing. However, he had no right to be angry about his birthright, because he traded it willingly.

I don’t think for a minute that Esau’s hunger was to the point of death. He allowed his emotions and the desire for instant gratification to cause him to trade something of significance. Was a meal worth loosing the birthright of the firstborn son and inheriting his father’s blessing? I am sure that Esau later had regrets about his earlier decision. Regrets are generally generated from looking in the rear view mirror of life. We cannot go back to yesterday and change the past. Like Esau, what then are we willing to trade in exchange for our precious souls. Is a night of pleasure worth a lifetime in eternal damnation? Will we trade instant gratification for something that has eternal consequences?

“Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Mark 8:37)?

A.P.-Y.

When Jesus was led of the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted, the devil tried different methods of tempting Him. His last attempt was to try to convince Jesus to bow down and worship him. Imagine the devil trying to convince the son of God that he was worthy of his worship. Jesus Christ on earth was the manifestation of God in the trinity. In order to exist in this realm, he had to take on humanity which included being tempted. The devil knew that if he could tempt Jesus into idolatry, then God’s plan for redemption would be thwarted.

“And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me””(Matthew 4:9). The devil tried to tempt Jesus with material possession. He is the god of the world and this is the lure which many people fall prey to. There is nothing wrong with wealth, but access to wealth through the world system, places us in the control of the devil. Since creation, the devil wants nothing more than to be in control of mankind. “He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”” (Genesis 3:1)?

The devil engaged Eve in a conversation to talk her out of what God had said. He further progressed to denying that what God said was true. “But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil”” (Genesis 3:4-5). He convinced Eve that God was actually holding back something from her and that if she did what he said, she would gain. The outcome was that Eve and subsequently Adam lost the dominion which they had over the earth. Guess who stood to gain from what they lost?

You guessed that right. The devil gained dominion as the god of this world. Because we live in a fallen world, many people come under the same spirit of manipulating and control. Unfortunately, some people aren’t even conscious that they are being controlling. They often feel a deep sense of insecurity and battle with difficult emotions. In order not to feel so insecure, these people will attempt to control the people around them. The unfortunate thing is that, even the act of controlling others does not appease their sense of insecurity.

We have to remain sober and vigilant to discern when someone is being controlling and manipulative. Pray for God to help you to maintain the mind of Christ so that you will not be pulled in by the spirit of manipulating. Also pray that you will not be used by the devil to try to manipulate and control others. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

A.P.-Y.

In 2 Kings 6, the King of Assyria sent an army of horses and chariots to surround the city where Elisha was staying. His aim was to seize Elisha the prophet as he was able to hear his conversations and warn the people of Israel. The king was confounded about his plots against Israel being constantly thwarted and learnt that Elisha was responsible. I am amused that he would send such a great army to seize a single prophet. Nevertheless, he was no match for the armies of God who fought for Elisha. It was Elisha’s servant who was anxious about the great army. Imagine being at the place with God where you are not even moved by a great army?

The army came to seize Elisha yet he was reassuring his servant. “Do not be afraid because there are more with us than are with them.” Many of us would instantly start to question the presence of God at the sight of the army. Some of us would even start to doubt or blame God for allowing the army to come out to kill us. Elisha was not limited by his physical senses but was able to perceive in the spirit. That is what separated Elisha from ordinary people. His ability to see beyond his reach and to see how God sees. He also prayed for his servant to see what he was seeing.

“Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17). Once the servant could see what Elisha had seen, he was also reassured. Elisha then prayed for the Lord to strike the army with physical blindness. He led them into Samaria before asking God to open their eyes again. Elisha didn’t allow the King of Israel to kill the soldiers but fed them and sent them away. They never came to raid Israel after this encounter with Elisha.

Elisha was very confident in God because he had spiritual sight and he knew that he was divinely protected. If we could only glimpse into the realms of the spirit, then we would see the host of armies that are defending and protecting us. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7). As long as we fear God and remain close to him, then nothing shall by any means harm us. The weapons will be formed against us, but they will not prosper. Keep your eyes on Jesus so that you can see Him fighting your battles.

“A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you” (Psalm 91:7).

A.P.-Y.

We read in 1 Chronicles 12 where David was in Ziglag to hide from Saul’s attacks against his life. Many mighty men of war joined David in Ziglag to support him and committed to fight on his behalf. Among the men who joined David were 200 men from Issachar who had understanding of the times. Their understanding gave them the wisdom to know what the people of Israel needed to be doing. I imagine that these men would provide great wisdom and discernment for David. While the other tribes provided men who were skilled in physical battle, these men were highlighted for their wisdom.

Their understanding would relate to the study and understanding of physical times and seasons. They would perhaps know the timing for crop season and harvesting and may have also known and understood weather patterns. Similarly, they would have been able to discern what God was doing and about to do in Israel. These men would sense that Saul had been rejected by God and David was soon to be King. Thus, their decision to support him was in alignment with what God was doing in Israel.

Solomon spoke In Ecclesiastes about times and seasons and referenced specific times: a time for birth and for death; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to break down and a time to build up. The main question is; do we understand our own times and seasons? Are we able to sense a move of God and know how to position ourselves? Do we know when God has said that we are in a season to sow generously? Do we also know when it is a season for harvesting? Moving out of alignment with times and seasons can cause great challenges for a believer.

We can be in a job where God has allocated a specified time for us to remain. Listening to the advice of others around you can force you to move on before your allotted time. The reverse is true as there are times when we have ended a season and we need to move on. Are we able to hear and discern what God wants us to do in each season? Let us pray and ask God for wisdom to understand times and seasons so that we can move in correct timing. Let us pray that we will remain in alignment with God’s purpose so that his perfect plan will be accomplished in us.

A.P.-Y.

John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus Christ and he was born about six months before Jesus. His birth was a miracle as his parents were advanced in age at the time of his conception. John’s assignment was to prepare the way of the Lord. “He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said”” (John 1:23). John also testified about Jesus declaring, ‘behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29).

After Jesus’s baptism, some of John’s disciples followed him and people also went to Jesus to be baptised. John’s disciples were perturbed as it seemed that the people were now going to be baptised by Jesus. “John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” (John 3:27). John reminded his disciples that he was sent ahead to prepare the way for Jesus. John knew that the time had come when his ministry would decrease and Jesus’s could increase. Perhaps John knew of his upcoming arrest and execution.

Either way, John did not feel threatened that Jesus was gaining more popularity from the crowd. He understood his assignment and knew of his purpose in helping to fulfil Jesus’s mission. It takes great humility to live in a way which prepares the way for someone else to follow after you. Many people struggle when it comes to succession planning because they feel threatened by others. The reality is that at times you may start a project or a programme and the time will come for you to hand this over to someone else. Some of us are starters and some are finishers.

Holding unto a position long after you have lost relevance can cause tension and stagnation. Many leaders struggle to identify someone to succeed them. The reality is that if an organisation can only exist when you are around, then that company is in trouble. The true success of any invention is its ability to continue to exist long after the inventor has moved on. One way to guarantee the longevity of anything is to train someone to continue the process. This can sometimes mean a change of jobs or companies. Selfishness causes some people to not want to share ideas or to transfer skills to others. We are called to equip others for the establishment of the kingdom of God.

“to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).

A.P.-Y.