Become A Leader

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. (Pro.14:34, NKJV)

Our country's greatest need right now is obviously leadership. Like Dr. John Maxwell will always say “everything rises and falls on leadership”. We need leadership at all levels of our national life and all tiers of government. We need leaders in our business terrain. We need leaders in our schools. We need leaders in our churches. We need leaders in our homes.

There is a tendency for us however to think that the subject of leadership is for those that are up there or only politicians, but I want you to realize that this discourse is about you and I. We are not talking about someone else's responsibilities or failures. We are talking about the expectations for you and I, because we are all leaders in our own rights, at one point or the other.

Everybody is a leader. You have leadership potentials locked up inside you and you can exert a measure of influence, to some degree, wherever God might have placed you. The change can be sparked by one who is willing to make it happen. Most times multitudes are not needed to bring about the necessary social change - the multitudes are mostly won over by the resilience of one who is willing and ready for change. The destruction of moral values and societal structures in this part of the world are traceable to bad leadership. When we look at the history of this nation, dating back to the 60's, we realize that this nation has just never been able to go farther than its leaders have gone. A body cannot move faster than its head. The values and principles of a nation depend largely on the leader. This holds true also for a family. If something goes wrong with the person who is meant to be the head of the home; something goes wrong with the family. Business organizations are no exception to this truth.

Leadership can be defined as the ability of one person to influence many people to achieve worthwhile goals. The key word is influence. When you discover the power in leadership, you will want to be a leader because leadership multiplies your effectiveness and puts your success on the geometric level. The essence of leadership could be best captured in the words of D.L. Moody, “I would rather put ten men to work than do the work of ten men”. The cheapest way to multiply your life is to become a leader and to be able to raise other leaders after yourself. Your effectiveness in life will never rise beyond your leadership ability. When God wants to carry out a change in a society He does not use institutions, He uses persons. All He needs is a leader who can mobilize other people to create the needed change.

Generally, when you talk about leadership, all that comes to people's minds is the old belief that only a few people are born to rule, others are born to be followers. Some people have said leaders are born and not made based on some philosopher's view points. It is unfortunate that leadership, before now, had been built on that premise. In some parts of our country, there is a belief that some people are born to rule and others are born to follow. But the truth is that everybody is born to lead. There are people who are not making any attempt to lead because they do not believe they have the potentials to lead.

Have you ever influenced anybody to making a decision? Have you persuaded anyone to join you on a cause or an assignment? Then you are a leader. Leadership guru, John Maxwell said “if no one is following you, you are on a walk, but when you have someone following you, then you are a leader”.

The implication of this is that we all lead at some point of our life. So, we are leaders!

Whether you are aware of this or not, you have been placed here to solve problems for this nation because uncommon leaders solve uncommon problems, and become an inspiration to others in the process. You did not plan to be born at the time you were born. Now that you are here, there are challenges we are facing in this nation that you can do something about in your own little way. You were born to solve a problem and in the bid to solve these problems you become an inspiration to some other people. You have all it takes to take this nation to the next level and make her a pride among the comity of nations.

In becoming a leader you need a guiding vision. You need the ability to see ahead to know where we have to go. You need a clear picture of the future. This is one of the critical qualities that separates a true leader from everyone else. Every leader all through history has had this attribute work for them. You have to be able to see a better future for yourself, for your family, for your organization, and for this nation. Anyone who cannot clearly articulate the vision of a better future is not worth following. Our future is in our picture. Dream of a new Nigeria.

Secondly, you need a definite purpose. This is the stuff leadership is made of. Leaders are crusaders. Crusaders are people who are willing to lay down their lives for a cause. Understand that if you do not stand for something; you will fall for anything. The greatest leaders of all time are those who broke beyond selfishness to do things that affected many people. If you expend all your spiritual, physical and material resources on yourself alone, you have made your life cheap. On the long run, it is what you do for others that counts. Stand up for what is right wherever you are. Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down. Do something this week that can make Nigeria better.

Thirdly, you need a recreated mind. The reason Prof. Dora Akunyili is having a lot of problem with the re-branding thing is because the solution to the ills in Nigeria is beyond human theories and models - there is a need for all of us to return to our Creator and understand that there is something much more important than this transient existence that we have . The solution is not re-branding but recreation - our minds need to be renewed into a new way of thinking. Life is too short, and no matter how long you live you will die one day and be face-to-face with God in judgment.

If our minds are recreated corruption will be a forgotten story in Nigeria and the political leaders will know they were elected to serve and not be served.

I still believe in the vision called Nigeria, and I strongly believe it will work. A day is coming when the Green Passport will be the most sought-after passports ever. A day is coming when Nigeria will become an envy for the nations of the world. A day is coming when corruption will be history in our nation.

Nigeria will Succeed!

The Devil Wears Prada

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15)

I am a strong believer in Life’s Lessons, and have heard God spoken to me on several occasions through the seemingly minutest things in life. I know that there is a lesson in everything around us if only we try to pay attention to the ‘voice within’ that guides us through life and helps us from running into errors and things that might hurt us.

I would have titled this article something different than this. I am not very sure if it will really make sense for those who are not movie goers or have never been interested in labels before. But the more I ponder on the words of Jesus, the more this title resonated with me so strongly. So, finally I decided to put pen on paper and scribble this thought for you to consider.

I hope it will bless your heart (because it did mine!).

For those who have not seen the movie, I have captured the basic story line:

“Miranda Priestley, of "Runway" magazine tears up the landscape as a demanding fashion editor. She is a terror to everyone who is around her as is quickly depicted in the opening scenes of the movie. Her first assistant strives to please her and tries to emulate her, but one can sense that she is not quite as hard as she tries to put on. Into this mix comes a young woman, Andrea Sachs, who knows nothing of the fashion industry, has never read the magazine, and doesn't know who Miranda Priestley is. She only sees this as a stepping stone to another journalism position. Showing no fashion sense and immediately scorned by everyone, Miranda nonetheless hires her as the second assistant. When Miranda demands that she obtain the next unpublished Harry Potter manuscript, you can sense that she is trying to force her to quit, but it makes the young woman dig in to please her boss. With the help of one of the magazine's fashion editors, she gets a complete makeover and a new security. However, with her new appearance and the demands placed on her, she starts to lose her friends, family and her live-in boy friend. As she is whisked away to Paris with Miranda and faces all of the glamour that could be hers, including a flashy if not artificial freelance journalist, she is forced to make the decision of where she wants to be in her life”.

Truth is there is an Andrea in all of us, lurking around to show up at any slight opportunity! We must be willing to conquer this monster that drives us to such tiring length in life.

It is astonishing how our choices in life can drive us to do amazing things. How we can be drawn into making choices that might turn around to haunt us in the most bizarre way. How these choices of ours can make us throw all caution in the wind just because of what our hearts seek to be pleased with. How we risk relationships because of the ‘I-want-it-at-all-cost’ attitude that we have developed in our lives. It can be frustrating to see how we want more of what we already have. There is the insatiate cry within us that screams so loud ‘I WANT MORE!’ We are all driven by the sin of covetousness, which a man of God calls the sin of our time, even though it is hard to accept.

Solomon, the man of wisdom, tells about the leech that always want more, and the four things that are never satisfied: the grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not filled with water and a raging fire (Pro.30:15-16). What a vivid picture painted in on the canvass of wisdom!

It is equally dangerous when our dreams over-clouds our judgment to do what is right. It is much more dangerous when those dreams deter us from knowing the difference between what is good and what is not – when we think that whatever is convenient or conducive for us is right and permissible, and we convince ourselves that as far as it pleases me and makes me feel good then it is good.

How wrong? Because the devil wears prada.

Unfortunately, our lives are not really built around our fantasies; they do not consist of the things we think we own; they are not dependent on the vagaries of this life – things that are today here and by tomorrow they are nowhere to be found – things like fashion, style, wealth, beauty etc. Things that are transient and short-lived.

Rather, they are built upon much more enduring things that will outlive us and consist of those things that are concrete in nature and have lasting values. They consist of things that are done to reach out to the world around us rather than what we indulge ourselves in. For the mind that is rich and deep with the understanding of the ways of God, these things are the things that pleases God.

The Fundamentals For Successful Living
Jesus captured the essence of living successfully in this life, when He summarized one of His greatest sermons by this grand statement: “…take no thought for your life” (Luke 12:22). In other words “DON’T TAKE YOURSELF SERIOUSLY!” Learn to live life fulfilling the desires of the One who created you and formed you in your mother’s womb.

Jesus also gave us the fundamentals for achieving the statement He made in verse 22 of Luke chapter 12 in the verses following (Luke 12:23-40):

1. God Will Take Care of You.
God is committed to your well-being and will always take care of what you will eat, drink and wear. You need to believe this however difficult things might seem at the moment. If He cares for animals and plants, then He is committed to your matter.

2. Seek The Kingdom of God.
The things you pursue in life betrays and exposes who you are. Your heart will always go in the direction of what it treasures. So, when you seek after the things that will gratify your flesh, you are carnal. When you seek after the things that edifies your spirit, you are spiritual.
Are you seeking the kingdom? Please check your passion. Check the things you love to do. Check the places you love to go. Check the people you hang around with (Col.3:1-3).

3. Be Generous.
The one who gives to the poor becomes a creditor in the book of God (Pro.19:17), and will always move the heart of God to do the unusual in his situation or circumstance. The generous is not taken lightly by God; he is always on God’s mind (Acts 10:1-4; Ps.112:5).

4. Be Ready.
Interestingly, our motto as Christians is similar to that of the Boys’ Scout: “Be Ready”.
We have been called into warfare, and it will be a disaster if what we are doing in the battle field is to chase butterfly (2Tim.2:4). We have been called into a serious business, therefore we need to be battle-ready at all times.
We are also to be ready for His coming. It is more imminent than ever. All the things happening around us are saying one thing: “He’s coming soon!” Sooner than we can ever imagine. Therefore, we need to be ready and not caught unawares (1Thes.5:2; 2Pet.3:10).

My prayer for all of us is that the devil will not steal us away from the truth that we have. Let us embrace the light that we have because it will come in handy in the darkness that pervade our world and help us to make the right decisions.

Come And Dine

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps.16:11).
“They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Ps.84:7).

There is a challenge in the body of Christ today – we have robbed ourselves of the pleasure in His presence. Most of us come to the presence of God weighed down by our present predicaments and problems; never realizing what the presence of God actually means -- the presence of God is a place of pleasure; the presence of God is a place of strength; the presence of God is a place of fun; the presence of God is a place of great encounters and great meetings (Heb.12:22-24).

Treasures Worthy To Unearth
In John 21:1-12, a remarkable story was recorded by John, the beloved, that reveals some great treasures to unearth and that will stir us to loving His presence more in our lives, so that we may be able to say like David said in Ps.84:1-2 “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God”.
I would love for you to stay with me as I share the revelations in this twelve verses that the Holy Spirit ministered to my heart:

1. Vs. 1 – God Defines The Point And Place of Encounters In Our Lives.
“After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias...”
He selects and handpicks people, places and times as the backdrop for the painting of our experiences and encounters in life. Someone once told me, “you can forget stories, you can never forget encounters”.
The setting for this great encounter according to our text is the Sea of Tiberias, which is also the same as the Sea of Galilee (Jn.16:1).
The meaning of Galilee is “circuit or a wheel”. Oh, how apt this is, because at this point in the life of the disciples they were experiencing a cycle – they were back to where they started from! To them it seem as if three (3) years of their lives have been wasted, just chasing shadows and very unproductive. They went back to the fishing business they had always been known for.
It is interesting to know that God can choose the most frustrating time of our lives for an encounter. He loves to show up when the cloud seem darkest and gloomy.
Just like He does in our lives, He chose the Sea of Tiberias as the place of encounter and an unforgettable experience in the lives of dejected and hopeless disciples.

2. Vs. 1 – He Is Always There At The Right Time.
“After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.” [Emphasis mine]
He showed Himself AGAIN to the disciples (this encounter was actually the third time He would show Himself to the disciples after He rose from the dead. He showed Himself more than twelve (12) times in all to His disciples after his resurrection, at different times):
(i) To Mary Magdalene (Jn.20:14-17);
(ii) To the disciples when they stayed behind shut doors for the fear of the Jews (Jn.20:19-21);
(iii) After 8 days specifically to erase Thomas’ doubts (Jn. 20:26);
(iv) To seven (7) of His disciples (Jn.21:1-8) – where we are studying from now;
(v) To the two (2) disciples on the road to Emmaus (Mk.16:13-32);
(vi) To His disciples to buttress the claims of the other two (2) disciples on the road to Emmaus; and to also teach them (Lk.24:36-42);
(vii) To His disciples when He gave them the promise of the Holy Spirit, and shortly before His ascension (Acts 1:3-7);
In 1Cor.15:5 Paul revealed five (5) more encounters that may have not been recorded in the Gospels, and which may have possibly occurred after His ascension:
(viii) To Peter;
(ix) To the twelve (12);
(x) To 500 brethren;
(xi) To James; and finally
(xii) To Paul himself.
(xiii) We can also add His revelation to John (Rev.1:9-19)
He is also revealing Himself to us! Hallelujah! He shows up in our situations when we think that all hope is lost.
But, why would He show Himself? I have three reasons:
(a) To give you undeniable proofs that He exists (Acts 1:3);
(b) To reassure you that He is still there; and
(c) To create a sense of eternal intimacy with you.

3. Vs. 2 – Fellowship Can Be Lost When Your Hunger For Him Is Lost.
“There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.”
The Bible says there were seven (7) disciples there at that time – 5 named and 2 unknown. The truth here is that loosing fellowship with God can happen to anybody – Pastors and spiritual leaders are not immune from it; church workers and members are not either. We are all susceptible to it – what can keep you going is to continually have a hunger for more and more of God. Don’t give any room for the devil to keep you away from God. Seek to know more about Him daily for yourself. The deeper you are in Him, the broader your life will become.
Bishop David Oyedepo puts it this way, “seek to know and your world will know you.”

4. Vs. 3 – When You Are Frustrated With God, You Loose His Presence.
“Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.”
The great Peter, the one who was given the keys of the kingdom, got so frustrated that he said “I go a fishing”! He returned to what he was delivered from – he allowed the ‘Galilee syndrome’ work negatively for him: he went round in cycle. He literally went back to his vomit (Mat.12:43-45). He was frustrated with the whole thing, and even with his Master and he lost every sense of purpose and direction.
Don’t let your frustrations drag you away from His presence.

5. Vs.4 – When You Loose Touch You Become Oblivious of His Presence.
“But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.”
Jesus was present yet they did not know it was Him. How sad? The same Jesus that they had been with for three (3) years, sharing every moment of His earthly ministry! Jesus had become just another stranger to them. They have lost touch with His presence! How sad?
The greatest catastrophe in life is to be oblivious of Christ’s presence in our situations, especially when we need Him most.
David has a grasp of this when he said in Ps.42:1-2 – “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”
I have discovered that our preoccupations and proclivities can deny us the privilege of Jesus’ visit or an encounter with Him in our lives and situations. Most times we forget that He camouflages our circumstances in calamities and catastrophes. We are too engrossed with what we are going through that we forget He is there through it all.

6. Vs. 5 – His Love Is Overwhelming.
“Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.”
In spite of their shortcomings Jesus still called them “Children” (“Friends” in another version – NIV).
This shows the heart of the Master towards you and I (Ish.49:15-16 ). He loves you – we are not making it up. That’s exactly how it is!

7. Vs. 6 – His Ridiculous Instructions Can Produce Miraculous Experiences When Obeyed.
“And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.”
He told them to throw the net at the right side of the boat and be ready for the catch of their lives. Jesus was proving to them that without Him they can be nothing (Phi.2:13). He was proving to them that He has the power to make it happen for them. He has the power to make it happen for you too!
Another important truth here is that most times the solution to our problem is just at the circumference of the problem itself. What will redeem you will always be around you or come through you. In other words, the solution to your problem is as close as you can imagine (Eph.3:20; 2Kings 6:6; Exo.15:23-25).
Don’t give up too soon; your victory is close by! Closer than you can ever imagine!

8. Vs. 7 – His Love Produces Revelations In Our Lives.
“Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord…”
The disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, it is the Lord!
What a relief to know Jesus is with you all through the time to make it happen for you. His love produces revelations in our lives (Eph.1:15-23). Therefore, when you love you automatically grow in wisdom, knowledge, understanding and revelation (2Pet.1:8). This love must be two ways: vertical and horizontal. That’s the sign of the cross! Love for God and for other people (1Jn.4:20-21).

9. Vs. 7b – Sin Makes Us Ridiculous.
“...Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.”
Our sin causes us to make irrational decisions when we try to cover them (Pro.28:13).
When we try to cover our sins, we would require more sins to do that, and more to cover them, and on and on it goes. It makes no sense at all not to be real with God Who sees and knows everything.
Like the song writer said, “Just as I am without one plea but that your blood was shed for me…” Jesus wants us to come just as we are – no pretences.

10. Vs. 8-11 – There Is Always A Prepared Table In His Presence.
“And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, and hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.” [Emphasis mine]
There is always a prepared table only if we learn to stick with Him (Ps.23:1-6) and we can only access His prepared table through the knowledge of Him -- and what He is capable of (Phi.3:10). This knowledge is inexhaustible!
Notice also verse 11 – there were many fishes yet the net was not broken!

11. Vs. 12 – You Are Invited.
“Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.”
There is an invitation to everyone and anyone today – Jesus is saying to anyone who cares to hear, “…come and dine”. Jesus is inviting you to the greatest party ever!
Ps.34:8 – “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him”.

Nurture Your Dreams Into Reality

Every plantation begins with a seed; and every great life begins with a dream (Job 8:7). Life operates by the seed-faith principle (John 12:24). Dreams are like seeds that can only survive when they are rightly and deliberately cultivated. Dreams are not enough, cultivating them is the key. Dreams are not just enough, we need to learn how to nurture those dreams into reality.

The kingdom of God operates in direct contrast to the kingdom of the world. Like Rod Parsley will usually say that “the kingdom of God is diametrically opposed to the kingdom of the world”. In God's kingdom, the way up is down. The only way to grow strong and tall is to have a deep root. You can only succeed when you learn how to function in life through the application of the principles of God's Kingdom to life.

DREAMS ARE NOT ENOUGH, CULTIVATING THEM IS THE KEY!
How can you nurture your dreams into reality? How can anyone bring to life and physical manifestation his/her dreams in life? This is what we intend to answer by this article.

1. Acknowledge that God is the giver of dreams, and that through Him we have the grace for the fulfillment of dreams (Pro.3:5-6; 30:5).
It is a shame today that we have grown with so much narcissism and self-centeredness that we have left out God in our pursuits, convincing ourselves that we can do it all on our own.

Many motivational speakers today have not helped the matter - they have built a voracious appetite for self-seeking ambition. A lot of people do not know the difference between ambition and vision (this we hope to treat in the future edition).

2. Your Obedience will commit God's integrity.
Obedience guarantees success in life (Ish.1:19). We cannot always want it our way and think we can make so much of a success out of life. There are established principles in life that the Maker of all things have put in place for us to work with. When we avoid the wisdom of God, we risk failures in life.

The systems of this world has proven to us that there is nothing here - it is simply characterised by failures. The current global economic recession is a proof that when men seek their ways, failure is very imminent. Let us go back to our Maker and Creator!

3. Your Love For God is critical to becoming whatever you dream to be.
When you have your root in His love, you have stepped your feet on the realm of His ever-increasing life (Ps.97:10). You cannot have a heart for God and not make a mark on earth. This truth has been voiced over and again by ministers of God from one generation to another.

Truth is many who influenced and changed their world were people who touched a cord in God’s heart. They were people who simply reechoed what was in God’s heart.

When you win His heart, He makes available His best for you. The quality of your love for Him determines the quality of your destiny (Pro.8:17,21).

What I tell a lot of people who are in pursuit of happiness in life is very simple, and would love to also share it with you: “When God becomes your priority for living, prosperity becomes your lifestyle.”

4. Learn to be a Sower by nature.
Your dreams were given to you not for your own sake but because God sees an opportunity for many people too to find definition through the right expression of your dreams.

The life of Joseph is always an excitement and a motivation for me personally. He saw an opportunity to invest his life for his generation, and generations yet unborn. Listen to what this great man said in Genesis 45:5: “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life”.

No prayer for prosperity get answered until you become a sower and a giver in life (Gen.8:22; Pro.11:24; Eccl.11:1-4).

Every spiritual investment will go into an eternal record. God never ignores the good we do to the people around us. He definitely will not forget your good deeds either.

5. Your Environment should not determine your success.
Don't mistake your condition for your portion. Understand your portion through the revelation of His word so that you can deal adequately with your condition. I believe in environmental possibilism rather than environmental determinism - “I have what it takes to influence my environment.”

6. God delights in Diligence.
Stop fantasizing about prosperity; put your hands in a venture. Until you work, you are not fit to eat (Pro.19:15; 22:13,29). Even Jesus, our perfect example worked (Jn.9:4)!

When God created man He created him to work (Gen.2:15 - “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it”).

7. Learn to water your dream seed with Praise.
Until you become a man of praise, you cannot become a praise on earth. Praise releases the forces of prosperity into every seed (Ps.67:5-7; Pro.18:20; Heb.13:15).

Praise is a spiritual device that provokes God's action. Praise is a sacrifice that reaches God's heart and causes Him to use his hands (Jer.33:11).

Many dreams lack the presence of the Giver, so they lack the ability to produce results. I encourage you to allow God into your dreams in life.

My dear reader, the summary of all that we have shared here is that dreams are not just enough, you must learn to cultivate them with these principles outlined above. As you do so, I guarantee to see you at the top.

...In Jesus Name

Many of us need to know what Jesus meant when He said we should pray in His Name. What He really meant was not that His name should be a mere religious appendage to our prayers. The name of Jesus is much more than an endorsement or a seal to prayers. Remember that His name has been highly exalted above every other name (Phi.2:9-10). Therefore, it is imperative for us to know (or probably have an encounter with) the potency and efficacy of that name.

In the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13, one would see clearly that Jesus never attached His name between or after the prayer. I am very sure you would want to ask “why then do we pray in Jesus name? Why would Jesus Himself say that God will grant every request we make in His name?”

This is much deeper than a lot of us really understand or can comprehend. Therefore, I will allow these questions form the basis of this article and encourage us to do away with religion and get us to have a clearer understanding of God’s word because “…the letter kills but the Spirit gives life” (2Cor.3:6). Religion cannot lead us anywhere because Christianity is a way of life (the highest form of living).

My admonition is that if we must come to the understanding of this matter, we must do away with religion (in its entire ramification). Praying in the name of Jesus is likened to someone given the authority by a rich man to withdraw some money from his personal account. Withdrawing the money requires more than going into the bank and telling the cashier: “Mr. so and so said I should withdraw some money from his personal account.” You can agree with me what the outcome of this encounter would be. The fellow needs to produce a proof of the order mandating the bank to pay him the sum in question – which usually comes in the form of a cheque slip. He needs an identity proof as the bearer also.

In like manner, when we pray we need to be aware of the authority in that name and our identity or relationship with that name. Hence, for someone who is not genuinely born again and who obviously does not have a real relationship with that name, it is a sheer waste of time. The name of Jesus is like any other name in the mouth of such an one. There is simply no authority backing it up.

Some have a misconception of the role praying in the name of Jesus plays in the answers to prayer in that they see the name of Jesus as a medium, and that angels come, collect the prayer and place it before God who has the prerogative to either answer or not. This is very much untrue!

In the first place Jesus is not a medium (but a Mediator) and no angels take our prayers to God any more in this dispensation. Angels are regarded as “ministering spirits, sent forth for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Heb.1:14). They are ministering spirits FOR us and not TO us. This simply means that they have been created to serve us. The era when angels take prayers to God and bring answers to prayers from God are past. Now we have a better promise through the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus, which takes us right into the presence of God. Hebrews 10:19-20 says “having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh”.

Little wonder why the prayer of so many are unanswered today because they still operate in the Old Dispensation, and like Daniel their prayers are being held-up by the ‘Prince of Persia’ who is standing up to ‘their angel’. Let us wake up to a new realization and allow our prayers become more effectual, pulling down strongholds of the enemy in our minds and creating the desired future for lives and ministries.

Jesus Christ in John 14:6 clearly stated: “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” No man can get to God except by Jesus. This means that it is only in Jesus that we have “the permit” to God. Jesus is the access to God – when He is not in a life, there is no way that life can reach God. It is virtually impossible to reach God without Jesus. No one can reach God apart from Jesus (The Message Bible). This is the picture Jesus was trying to paint in our hearts when He encouraged us to ask anything in His name (Jn14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24, 26).

The story was told about a soldier who had been granted permission to seek a hearing from the President, during the American Civil War, as a result of family tragedy. He wanted to request exemption from military service. However, when he arrived at the White House he was refused entry and sent away. He went and sat down in a nearby park.

A young boy came across him and remarked how unhappy he looked. The soldier found himself telling the young lad everything. Eventually the boy said ‘come with me’. He led the dejected soldier back to the White House. They went around the back, none of the guards stopping them. Even the generals and high ranking government officials stood and let them pass through. The soldier was amazed.

Finally, they came to the presidential office. Without knocking, the young boy opened the door and walked straight in. Abraham Lincoln, standing there, turned from his conversation with the Secretary of State and said, “What can I do for you Todd?” Todd said, “Dad, this soldier needs to talk to you”.

This is exactly what Jesus does for us – He gives us direct access to God so that He would bend His head to listen to us. He takes us right into His Glory - where the angels may not reach or approach; where we can express our deeply felt desires in prayer. Thus, when we pray in the name of Jesus, we are praying ourselves right into the presence of the Most High.

Understanding Times and Seasons

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
(Eph.5:15-17, KJV).

Circumspect comes from two Latin words which mean "looking around." The Greek word carries the idea of precision and accuracy. "See that you walk carefully, with exactness" is the meaning. The opposite would be walking carelessly and without proper guidance and forethought. We cannot leave the Christian life to chance. We must make wise decisions and seek to do the will of God.
Eph.5:14-15 are related. Paul appeared to be saying, "Don't walk in your sleep! Wake up! Open your eyes! Make the most of the day!" It is sad to see many professed Christians "drift" through life, like sleepwalkers, who never really make the most of opportunities to live for Christ and serve Him. Paul presented several reasons why we should be accurate and careful in our walk.

1. It is a mark of wisdom (v.15). Only a fool drifts with the wind and tide. A wise man marks out his course, sets his sails, and guides the rudder until he reaches his destination. When a man wants to build a house, he first draws his plans so he knows what he is doing (Lk.14:28). Yet, how many Christians plan their days so that they use their opportunities wisely? True, we cannot know what a day may bring forth (Jam.4:13-17). But it is also true that a planned life can better deal with unexpected events. Someone said, "When the pilot does not know what port he is heading for, no wind is the right wind."

2. Life is short (v.16a). "Buying up the opportunity - taking advantage of it." An old Chinese adage says, "Opportunity has a forelock so you can seize it when you meet it. Once it is past, you cannot seize it again." Our English word opportunity comes from the Latin and means "toward the port." It suggests a slip taking advantage of the wind and tide to arrive safely in the harbor. The brevity of life is a strong argument for making the best use of the opportunities God gives us.

3. The days are evil (v.16b). In Paul's time, this meant that Roman persecution was on the way (1Pet.4:12-19). How foolish to waste opportunities to win the lost when soon those opportunities might be taken away by the advances of sin in society! If the days were evil when Paul wrote this letter, what must be their condition today?

4. God has given us a mind (v.17a). "Understanding" suggests using our minds to discover and do the will of God. Too many Christians have the idea that discovering God's will is a mystical experience that rules out clear thinking. But this idea is wrong - and dangerous. We discover the will of God as He transforms the mind (Rom 12:1-2); and this transformation is the result of the Word of God, prayer, meditation, and worship. If God gave you a mind, then He expects you to use it. This means that learning His will involves gathering facts, examining them, weighing them, and praying for His wisdom (James 1:5). God does not want us simply to know His will; He wants us to understand His will.

5. God has a plan for our lives (v.17b). Paul alluded to this plan (Eph 2:10). If God saved me, He has a purpose for my life, and I should discover that purpose and then guide my life accordingly. He reveals His plan through His Word (Col 1:9-10), His Spirit in our hearts (Col 3:15), and the working of circumstances (Rom 8:28). The Christian can 'walk carefully and accurately because he knows what God wants him to do. Like the builder following the blueprint, he accomplishes what the architect planned.