DISCOVER DESTINY - MANAGING THE FORCES OF LIFE

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flows the springs of life” (Pro. 4:23 Amp.)

If I should be your prophet in the next few moment and you ask me what will become of your life in the nearest future, I will simply answer “It’s going to be great and outstanding!” And perhaps you begin to wonder how I know these since we have never met physically before. Well, my next reply is so simple. I know because that is what the Word of God said about you. The word of

God is a word of prophesy that is more sure than whatever from any other source (2 Pet. 1:11). Did you even know that whatsoever any man tells you in the name of prophesy must agree with God’s word if indeed such word is from God? Do you also know that whatsoever good news spoken either from God’s word or from His servant to you will only come to pass only when you think on it or see it coming to pass in your life? Very importantly, know that only what you keep your heart on takes root in your life.

“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them, not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them...” (Prov 4:20-22KJV)

We may be familiar with one of the functions of the biological heart as the organ that pumps and pushes the blood round the body. And as the blood circulates, it carries with it oxygenated blood which supplies energy to all the part of the body. This probably means, not withstanding the great importance of blood to man, its circulation is never possible without the help of the heart. Hence when the heart stops working, life also ceases flowing.

While the heart that the Bible refers to in this case is your mind (or your brain that you use in thinking and not the biological heart), it likewise shares the same nature with your biological heart. No matter the potency of the word of God spoken concerning you, you need this heart (your mind) to push it to every part of your life as you think and imagine it happening to you.

“Above every charge keep thy heart, for out of it are the outgoings of life” - Pro. 4:23 (Young Literal Translation)

This means your life will always go in the direction of your dominant thoughts, therefore you need to watch over its contents and guard it than any other thing that is guarded in your live.

Allow me to share with you my personal collections on managing this power that controls life.

i. Line up your thoughts with the word of God and good books. Think big because that is how God thinks. Always take your view from God’s eye view. Big issues become small while far places become nearer as we see from above and not from the ground. (Jere. 1:10-12, Gen. 13:14,15)

ii. Gain control over your emotions. Always avoid watching or hearing things that brings you negative emotions like fear, hatred, worry, discouragement, anger, anxiety, guilt, rejection, etc. Whatever takes away your joy will definitely sap life out of you. Is there anything that brings you love, appreciation, curiosity, excitement, passion, determination, confidence and contribution to life? Give the most of your mind to these. (Phil. 4:8, Neh. 8:10)

iii. The capacity of your mind determines what it has the ability to hold. Even in the midst of challenges, make it big and more flexible through seeing more possibilities than not. You can never gain mastery over any issue of life where you see impossibilities often. (Lk. 5:37, 38)

iv. Our thoughts are more of the product of our senses – what we see, hear and feel. Be careful about where and with whom you are located per time. (Ps. 1:1-3). Be informed that visions are greatly influenced by people and places.

v. New discoveries are products of view from different angles. Don’t always go with the crowd celebrating customs. Seek adventures! If majority is right, then majority would have being rich, happy, holy, saved and be fulfilled. A dream is the only way to alter your future and lay hold on a better destiny. (Luke 5:39)

vi. Stop seeing man as your problem; this perpetually puts you under their control. We loss battles not because the enemy is stronger, but because we are not strong enough. You might not be able to do anything about their abilities, but you can weaken them when you build and develop yourself beyond their capacity. Build up yourself through God’s word, right mentors, books, seminars and godly teachings. Only those who stop growing; keep groaning. (Pro. 24:5,6; 2 Tim 2:15; Eph. 6:10,11)

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh…Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:3-5KJV)

Can you imagine if everybody has to watch all the thoughts that go through your mind in a day on very big television screen? You will definitely disallow this. That means our conscience (which is the voice of the spirit) does alert us when our thoughts roams the wrong direction. It very important that anything we wish everybody should not watch on the “big screen” should immediately be cast down, or else may soon become a stronghold. (2 Cor. 10:5)

N.B: Excel D. Agboola (Pst.) is the president of Newwine Missions Internationl Accra. Ghana. If you have being blessed by this article, please share it with as many as possible on your friends list. We also enjoin you to keep praying for this ministry. Our utmost desire for you is that you make eternity with Christ in Jesus name.

DISCOVER DESTINY - WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTED END?

“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.” (Jer 29:11KJV)

It was God’s thought to duplicate a perfect replica of Himself called man, who will function in His capacity on earth as He does in heaven (Ps. 115:16). When God began creation, He begins with a thought and His thoughts are not only good but powerful and tangible. And when man was made in the image of God, he likewise carries the same ability to conceive and create incredible feats to an extent that God said “…nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined….” (Gen 11:6KJV). In other words, God meant man’s thoughts are as real as things.

In God’s mind is a complete success plan for all His creation. He knows the end of every individual far before existence, for He wouldn’t just start a work without knowing its perfect conclusion.

“…I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done…” (Isa 46:9-10KJV)

But along the line, this perfect plan became subjected to the position of man’s will when Adam and Eve agree to take side with Satan against God. The enemy came and sow tares with the good seed (Matt. 13:24, 25). All those words altered by the “Serpent” to Eve were all in a bid to change man’s thoughts and beliefs against His Maker. It was at this point that man rejected God’s plan for him and lost out in destiny. Ever since then, man’s redemption now depends on his readiness to realign his thoughts to believing God above all and submitting only to His will. (Rom. 10:10, Mark 11:23). In other words, destiny is lost without man going back to God (through His Son) and believes His words above any other.

Likewise in this way has God made provision for every contrary situation that man might find himself presently (Eph. 1:3). Just the way the first man took the decision to follow Satan’s thoughts through his words so also God has left us with the decision today to follow His thoughts through His words and recreate our destiny. God wants us to know His thoughts towards us right from the beginning and align ours to it. God will never force his good plans on any man; He only gives according to our expected end (Deut. 30:19). If a man’s thought believes his present contrary situation necessary, then such individual may have to suffer because that was his expected end. Likewise someone who believes there is no way of getting to the top except through human connection has also chosen an expected end which leaves God out of his case. My question is, what is the object of your hopes in that situation you are in presently? What is your expected end?

God has not change His thoughts towards man no matter who we are or what our condition may be, nevertheless before we can realize our desires, we need to possess an expected end that goes in line with God’s thoughts. No man can ever be better than his thoughts (Pro. 23:7). I often hear some people assumed destiny as something that God wants happened to man no matter what he do. I consider this to be untrue! Will a man has a piece of land to cultivate crops and after clearing it says; whatever God wants, let it grow on it? Surely something will definitely grow, but such is most likely to be what he will never be able to eat. If this perception had been true, then there will be no sure hope for the lost. I strongly believe that God did not create lives to be left to chances, wisdom demands our full responsibility toward our lives.

“As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man” (Prov 27:19NIV)

When our thoughts becomes far from God’s, we encounter blockages towards fulfillment of our desires (Isa. 55:6-8). There is a great impact thoughts have on destiny. In most cases, the barriers and limitations we are trying to break on the outside are right there inside of us. When people run their lives on assumption instead of complete knowledge, they journey with misfortunes. Assumption is the least form of knowledge. The level of knowledge that brought us to where we are can’t carry us beyond where we are. We need to change our thinking in order to change our lives.

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me….” (Matt 15:8-9KJV)

Most poor believers today believe prayer and fasting is all they needed to bring about all their breakthroughs. Truly prayer and fasting could bring God’s power, but if your thinking doesn’t go along with what you are praying, you may be playing without knowing. We can not travel within and standstill without; our inside will always compel our outside to adjust!

…to be continued.