Unlocking Your Potential - Chapter 9 Key 8

Let your imagination be keen for success. The fact that you are a Christian does not mean you must be dull. God did not put dullness in your soul. You are made by God to create, to invent and to discover; you are to make your own world out of the mess the world is today.

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

Gen 11:4-5.

These people planned the unimaginable, yet, God felt disturbed by their imagination; knowing the power of their will. God, knowing what He placed in them and that no one could hinder them, had to interrupt them by scattering their language; if not, they would have accomplished their aim; even though it is ungodly. Do you know God would not have come down if the city they were trying to build was not challenging?

Nothing happened until they said ‘let us make’. In your life also, there are things that will not happen if you refuse to do your part. Do you know the airplane people now enjoy by the law of thrust was invented by the two sons of a Reverend? God dropped the great idea in them and they took steps.

Thomas Henderson had an idea that light could flow and that it can be harnessed; with this great idea, he tried but failed several times; yet he didn’t give up until he succeeded at last. When he was asked why he was not discouraged despite several failures, he replied he had never failed; he only discovered several times how not to do it. Despite what can be regarded as his challenge of little education and his hearing defect, God gave Thomas Henderson a divine idea when he became born again; this was to prove to humanity that God can use anybody who is ready to yield to Him.

Beloved, the colour of your skin is not a disadvantage; a black car will function as well as a white car; as long as they have the same engine capacity. The engine (Holy Ghost) a black man carries is in no way inferior to the engine (Holy Ghost) a white man carries.

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And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

Gen 11:6

If God could say nothing could stop these people who were unbelievers, how much more you that has the eternal life of God in you? What then should be strong enough to stop you from achieving your God-given ideas? Nothing will be impossible for you to do; as long as you don’t allow the enemy to make you think you cannot do it.

What was the secret of their strength?

a. Unity: the people were united in purpose. You also need to be united with your partner; with your husband/wife. Be united with the local assembly God has planted you in. Disunity destroys the strength of a group. Even in occultism, they bind themselves under an oath such that no member dares betray the other.

The fear of dying is what keeps some members from leaving the diabolical group. Their continuous stay is out of the fear of being killed. They may even agree to kill an enemy, yet, no one will hear of it; not even their spouses. Why? It is because they are united out of fear. If the ungodly can go this far, what stop believers from being united in purpose and vision; without fear or intimidation?

b. They had the same language: what does this mean? They had faith in the same thing. Etymology (the science of tracing words to its original source) has revealed that there are remarkable similarities between words. The etymologists also discovered that, at one time, all people spoke the same language before God scattered language. But thank God we all have the same language in Jesus; the language of faith.

God gave us the Holy Ghost so we can speak in tongues; we can speak in the mystery of God. Speaking in the Holy Ghost is not for cosmetic; it is for accomplishment, for praying accurately what cannot be prayed in the understanding.

c. They began to do: they started doing what they purposed to do. The fear of starting is what has kept many from achieving their dreams in life. Once the fear is conquered, you can be sure of finishing well as long as you are diligent in what you do. Remember, nothing will ever have a good end without having a start. This implies you will never end what you don’t start. Yet, it is amazing there are many people in the world who want to end without even starting at all.

People are afraid of failure; afraid of how long it will take. Yes, it may take long but with diligence, you will eventually get there. The ocean you see today is made up of an accumulation of several droplets of water; so if you don’t give up, no matter how little you start, you will achieve your aim one day.

When an axe is used to cut a fire wood, the wood may look hard and tough, but with continuous hitting, the wood will break eventually. It is not the last strike that breaks the wood; it is the accumulation of several strikes that breaks the wood. The problem with some people is that they are too much in a hurry to succeed. Such people forget that nothing is made suddenly. Even the Almighty God did not start and complete the work of creation in a day; He did it gradually. Beloved, if you refuse to give up, you will succeed.

And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly.

Gen 11:3

In the above Bible verse, the people were diligent and they almost achieved their ungodly aim, if not for divine interruption.

d. They had a keen imagination. Learn to sit down to think things through. Life is too short to have many friends. Though you may have several acquaintances, you need not have many friends so they won’t distract you on your way towards achieving your dreams. If your friends are too many and you are seen as being sociable, you may only have wasted your precious time and lived for nothing tangible.

Remember, no one will remember you for the cloth you wear or for the food you eat; you will only be remembered by the things you leave behind you. Think about your life on how to leave something tangible behind.

God was concerned because of man’s unlimited potential and capabilities to do all that was in his imagination. Beloved, you can also become whatever is in your imagination. Imagination is that part of man’s mind that creates picture which gives context to his action.

What can you imagine to do? Let your imagination be keen. Do not allow an unbeliever to steal your God-given idea because of I can’t. Can you imagine a great future for yourself? That was what Jacob had. His father-in-law changed his wages ten times to make him poorer. But the more he cheated him, the richer he became (Gen 31:7-10).

Don’t be afraid starting small. The reason for people’s failure is that they go out of their way to impress others. Don’t seek human praises.

Many have put themselves under unnecessary pressure because they want to impress others. Don’t acquire things you cannot pay for; don’t buy things that will spoil your future. Remember, life is in stages. Don’t envy what others have; enjoy whatever you have and one day, you will also have what they have.

Not having what they have doesn’t make you inferior; you are only different. People’s lives are in different phases and we all have different assignments; so stop being intimidated. Wives should not put their husbands under so much pressure as to push them to do what is beyond their faith; all in a bid to prove a point that you have “arrived”. Some have even denied themselves of sound sleep because of petty jealousy.

REFLECTION

The reason for people’s failure is that they go out of their way to impress others. Don’t seek human praises.