The Season of Positive Change by Afolabi Joshua - HTML preview

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Chapter 12

See beyond others

You are what you see and what you see works for you. The environment we belong to, the tribe we belong to and the society that houses us does not, most of the time see anything good in us. Do not forget what your eyes see is what your mouth speaks is what God hears. Twelve people representing each tribe of Israel were sent to Canaan to spy the land, but only two people saw victory, the remaining ten saw failure and disappointment. The fact is that your conception has power to make or mar you. Of a truth, only the two people who brought good testimony got to the Promised Land. What others saw killed them in the wilderness.

What you see in your business is the strength that your business will receive. Do not because somebody fails in something and conclude that you too will fail. Many at times the general perception of man is different from the idea, programme and plan of God for your life.

What I discover is that many people allow people to see for them because they are lazy in prayer. Seeing does not come without hearing. This means that when you see, God will tell you something about it. People accept the testimony of man at the detriment of God purpose and desire.

Two sons of the same mother saw differently in the scripture. Esau did not see anything about his birth because of what he was passing through. What was obtainable in isreal was that the first born as a male child in the family owned everything the family had.  Also, he served as the priest of the family in terms of family joint prayers, but Jacob saw the importance if that birth right. If not, there were other things he could have demanded from his brother.

And Jacob said; sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birth right do to me? – Gen 25:31-32.

A number of people sold the purpose of God to little and momentary challenges. They fail to learn from Paul in his letter to the romans.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:14

Endurance is needed at times to achieve the purpose of God for our lives. If Esau had exercised patience then, he would have been fed eventually and still maintained the purpose of God for his life. Jacob saw a clearer picture of what his brother did not see, he insisted that he (Esau) should swear to an oath.

And Jacob said, swear to me this day; and he swear unto him and he sold his birthright unto Jacob – Gen. 25:33.

What a costly agreement!

Joseph believed in what he saw that is brethren did not see. All efforts by his brother s to remove his focus from what he saw proved abortive. They did this by erasing the possibility of his dream coming true from his mind. His parents could not even see what God has revealed to him. Look, nobody can see better than you see, therefore, see something good for yourself.

There is a fact that what ones sees may attract opposition and attacks because it may not be in tune with what people want, yet one’s persistence will bring out unprecedented desired result. Joseph was sold, imprisoned and molested yet, he was unperturbed hence the realization of what he saw from the beginning. If you see failure in your trade, success cannot be achieved, and if you see success in your business failure cannot associate itself with it (business).

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fire but the king saw the appearance of the fourth person as the son of God. What a revelation!

Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And the three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego fell down bound into the midst of burning fiery furnace.  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste and spake and said unto the counselors, did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king. True, o king.

And he answered and said lo. I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the son of God – Dan. 3:22-25.

The implication of the above is that what the king SAW was the reason behind the success of the three Hebrews. It takes spiritual eyes to see differently. I can see you coming out of your problem any movement from now and I can see your business surviving the trial of this time. When you see aright in whatever position or situation you are, you will not allow anybody to pity you unnecessarily.

Job in his trial did not see himself dead in his tribulation. He saw another opportunity ahead of him irrespective of what the situation offered. He was unmoved by what his friend were saying. His friends saw a road of coming out of his problem closed, but he saw a diversion as an escape rout by God.

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease, though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; yet, through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant –job 14:7-9.

It is because you have not seen with spiritual eyes that is why your situation remains the same. Even if the situation proves stubborn what you see and your faith will work together for your way out.

Rachael at birth knew she was going to die and according to tradition in isreal that gave women power to name children, she named her son Ben-oni. The meaning if this name has bearing on what the mother was passing through at that moment – the son of my sorrow. However, what Isaac saw was different from what his wife saw. Immediately Rachael named the child, his father responded No! he shall be called Benjamin, the son of my right hand.

And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name ben- Oni: but his father called him Benjamin – Gen. 35:18.

Parents, what do you see about your children?

Jabesh was also a victim of this because his mother gave birth to him in sorrow. But he saw success through the power of prayer, and he achieved it. (1 chronicle 4:9-10).

David saw what his brethren could not see, that was why they accused him of being too inquisitive. They berated his presence with them at that time in the battle front, but he answered them, is there not a reason? The advice of King Saul could not either help the matter because he (King Saul) too did not see what David, the young boy saw. Note that it does not take a size, position, age to overcome but the conviction within you.

And Saul said to David, thou art not able to go against this philistine to fight with him for thou art but a youth- 1 Sam. 17:33.

A believer must see something unique in whom or what he /she believes. David was not bothered by the threat of the philistines because he has God who gives victory to his people.

Thus 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 Host, the God of the armies of Isreal whom thou hast defied – 1 sam. 17:45.

 I said earlier that, what you see is what your mouth speaks out. In addition, what you see also gives you boldness in your action because you are being backed up by the power of revelation in you. Let me quickly tell you that, the size of your problem is the measure of its collapse. The size of Goliath helped his fall. David was bold to tell him (Goliath) that, that day would be his last day on earth. This was so because he saw it ahead of the time.

So David prevailed over the philistine with a sting and with a stone, and smote the philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David – verse 50.

There are lots of mistakes people make when it seems God delays his promises concerning them. These mistakes have resulted in a lasting sorrow and a wound which may not be healed in time. Such people do not see future in the promise of God. They forget in a hurry what god told Habakkuk.

And the Lord answered me, and said, write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 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 – Habakkuk 2:2-3.

Abraham at a point could not see again the possibility of God’s fulfillment of his promise. He then took law into his hand. Perhaps it is better said that, his wife saw for him. Hence, her action in taking her maid to Abraham to fulfill God’s purpose. Beloved, I see you coming out of every problem you are in Jesus name.