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Is it just a placebo?

~ bohlajee123 ~ Leave a comment

Many, if not all of us have experienced unfulfilled dreams, disappointments, broken promises, unmet expectations etc., at some point in our lives and in one or more areas. It could have been the loss of a loved one, a job or promotion, broken dreams or relationships, etc., that causes us to wonder, ‘Does God really fulfil His word? Or is the whole thing just some form of placebo?

I heard a young man tell a story of how his life turned around to become purposeful recently, and as I listened, I could see the invisible hand of God show up in many way all through the journey – making ways, causing the bad things to end up working for him etc. One key thing that this story reiterated was the fact that in as much as God can move people and situations to work for our good, we (you and I) have an extremely important role to play if we want to see God ‘come through’ for us.

Let’s take a look at a few popular bible stories to explore this concept.
1) The blood of the Passover lamb (Exodus 12) – When God was going to send the final plague on Egypt which was the death of the first born of every living creature, He instructed the Israelites to put the blood of the lamb on their door posts so the angel of death will pass over them as it goes around the land. Now, if the Israelites chose not to obey, there would have been no difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites the next morning. Goshen too would have been filled with wailings for the loss of their sons and the verdict would have been that God cannot be trusted and He doesn’t come through.


2) Crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14) – When the Israelites were by the red sea and Pharoah’s army was behind them, God parted the sea and told them to go across. Effectively, He made a way (like we sing) but, imagine if the Israelites chose not to step out in faith and walk on the dry land because they feared the walls on water on either side might come tumbling down any minute and kill them, or they were paralyzed with fear and just didn’t move, or … (fill in the gap). The likelihood is that the army would have eventually annihilated them and guess what the verdict would have been …


3) The Israelites and Canaan (Numbers 14) – When Moses sent 12 spies to check out the land God had given them, they came back and confirmed that the land was indeed everything God promised (their hearts desire) but, they had a ‘but’ – it came with a challenge that they didn’t think they could overcome. Hence, they focused on the challenge ignoring the reality of the promise being exactly what they hoped and prayed for. The result? The whole generation (except the 2 that said ‘let’s go at once, we are more than able to take the land’) died in the wilderness and didn’t walk in the manifestation of what was already theirs. God had promised it; it was staring them in the face; yet, they never laid hold of it and died without experiencing the fulfillment. Unfortunately, their disobedience led to a 40 year delay of the manifestation of the promise for Joshua and Caleb (the 2 that focused on the promise and were ready to act in spite of the challenges), as well as the generations to come.


4) The wall of Jericho (Joshua 6) – Unlike the generation before them, Joshua and the Israelites were ready to take the land even though Jericho seemed impenetrable. They were preparing to take the land when the ‘captain of the Lord’s army’ appeared to Joshua, and gave him a strategy that seemed absolutely useless to the human mind. Joshua had an option to either trust that strategy (God’s wisdom) or depend on his own mind and strength (human wisdom). Although God had already given them the land and caused fear to overtake the people of Jericho, the manifestation hinged on acting on the seemingly unrealistic strategy and this led to their seeing what God promised.


5) Naaman the Leper (2 Kings 5) – Naaman was a Captain in the Syrian army, was wealthy, smart, had ‘kingly’ connections, was influential but had a situation that all his wealth, wisdom and influence couldn’t solve. He was leprous. A maid who was part of the Israeli captives told him Elisha could heal him; so, he went to Israel and finally Elisha sent for him. However, instead of meeting with him, Elisha sent a message asking him to go and was in the river Jordan 7 times and his flesh would be restored. Naaman was furious at the instruction. He had an expectation in his head of how the healing should come and it certainly didn’t include washing in the river Jordan. “But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.” 2 Kings 5:11-12. If the story had ended there, it would have appeared that God was not capable of healing the leprosy since Naaman would have returned home the same way he left. Mercifully, his servants persuaded him to wash in the river and once he completely obeyed Elisha’s instruction, he got exactly what his heart desired – his flesh was restored.

When we pray for God to open a door and He does, do we have the courage to walk through regardless of the seeming challenges?
When we pray for God to send a helper and He does, do we recognize the person and embrace the helper with open arms or do we evaluate based on our perception of how the help should ‘be packaged’ and walk away from a divine solution/blessing?
When we ask for resources, and we wake up with an idea, some instructions, or He sends a person, do we act on it immediately; begin to list all the ways it might not work or are we quick to obey?

Don’t get me wrong, you sure have a brain to process things; but God gave you that brain (just like your skills, resources, breathe etc.) to help you work out His purposes. I hate to break it to you but what you call your life, is really not about you. It’s all about Him. So, once He says this is the way, you don’t use your brain to figure out if it makes sense, whether it’s practical etc. (most times as long as it is God, it likely won’t 🙂). Instead, you immediately apply your brain in conjunction with the Holy Spirit to come up with the strategy to make that thing a physical reality. It is your action of moving forward with a plan towards (not away from) what God has said, that shows God you’re ready for His partnership and then He makes all things begin to work to bring it to fulfillment. If you want to wait to see how it will work before you take the required action, the end of your story will likely be the verdict of ‘God does not come through’.

God ‘shows up’ for those who ‘show up’. Don’t miss out on great opportunities and answers to your prayers because those answers are dressed in ‘overalls’. Be careful when you put a ‘but’ where God had put a full stop and remember that your actions or inactions can also affect those who’s destiny is linked to yours.

I pray that where you have chosen not to follow God’s instruction or act in faith due to a challenge or because the solution didn’t come as we planned it to in our head despite the fact that God had brought the solution to you, may the mercy of God give you a second chance to retrace your steps, act on His word and walk into the manifestation of what He has promised so your joy will be full and your waiting will be over.

Remain connected,

Bolaji Ajayi

Is intellect all you need?

~ bohlajee123 ~ Leave a comment

In Acts 27, Paul is being transported to Rome to stand before Ceaser. During the journey, Paul warned of trouble and possibe loss of lives if they continued but the Captain and owner of the ship did not agree with Paul so the Officer believed them (afterall, they were the experts on this subject) and they continued on their journey. When they pushed out to sea, everything seemed great at first and even the weather seemed to favour them. ‘When a good wind began to blow from the south, the men on the ship thought, “This is the wind we wanted, and now we have it.” So they pulled up the anchor, and we sailed very close to the island of Crete.’ Acts 27:13 NCV. However, that joy was short-lived as a very strong wind came at them and that was the beginning of the end. Eventually, the word of God came to Paul a second time and he told them no life would be lost but everything else would. By the end of that chapter, they got to land and as Paul had said, and in spite of how much they used their skills to make decisions and save the ship, the ship got destroyed and only lives were saved.

This story is a great example of what Proverbs 3: 5-6 admonishes. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 NKJV”.


Complete dependence on skills and intellect alone can be costly mainly because as humans we have no idea about what’s ‘around the bend’. We can’t predict the next 5 minutes how much more the next year, 5, 10 or 20. This is why it is important to allow the One who has seen the end, who decrees the end from the beginning, the One who has times and seasons in His hands and who loves you more than you can ever imagine be a part of your decision making. A way might seem perfect based on your analysis of a situation but can I crave your indulgence to bring God in before you act so you don’t end up in loss and regret? “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 NKJV”

Can you trust that the One who’s thoughts for you are for peace and not evil, to give you an expected end; who formed you in your mother’s womb, has upheld you from birth and can carry you to your old age? (Jeremiah 29: 11 and Isaiah 46: 3-4).

He knows you know what you know. He is the one that gave you the intellect, wisdom, exposure, understanding etc., that you’re leveraging in your analysis yet He says acknowledge me in ALL your ways. Let God be able attest to your faith in Him by your obedience, trust and dependence on Him in your decision making and you will be the one in awe of how beautiful your life will turn out eventually.

Remain connected,

Bolaji Ajayi

Who or what is leading you?

~ bohlajee123 ~ 1 Comment

There was a woman known simply as the ‘Shunammite woman’s in 2 kings, who was hospitable to Elisha anytime he passed by Shunem. She made sure he was fed and eventually created a room for him to lodge in her house whenever he was in town. She was living a comfortable life – her husband had a business, many servants, she dwelled amongst her own people and she didn’t have a son. As the story goes, Elisha rewards her with a son, the same son dies and he brings him back to life.

4 chapters later in 2 kings 8, Elisha gives the woman an instruction “Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the Lord has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years. So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years.” II Kings 8:1-2

Now recall that at this point in time, this woman was well to do and there was no sign of a famine yet. Besides, couldn’t the same God that gave her a son and raised him from the dead preserve her and her household in Shunem if a famine did come along? She was in her ‘home country’, among her people. Leaving came with it the risk of losing everything they had worked for all their lives yet, she promptly obeyed the instruction and left.

This reminded me of God’s instruction to Abram. ‘Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.’
Genesis 12:1. Abram was already blessed in the land he was from a physical perspective yet God said leave.

Then we go to Isaac. There was famine in the land ‘Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.’ Genesis 26:2‭-‬3. From experience, Egypt made sense to Isaac when the famine hit because that is where his father Abraham went when there was famine in his days yet, God said stay in the place of famine.

In all three examples, there is one key theme – immediate and complete obedience to God’s instructions regardless what was happening in the physical or seemed logical. Being where God wants you to be per time because your sustainance is in the obedience. God’s provision is available to back His vision not our vision.

The Shunammite woman got back home after the 7 years of famine and God gave her favour before the king such that all her properties including all she would have earned on them in those 7 years, were restored to her (And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now.”II Kings 8:6). Abraham became the father of nations and Isaac sowed in the land during famine and was exceedingly prosperous that he became enviable – in famine. (Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. Genesis 26:12‭-‬14).

Many times, God’s instructions don’t seem logical or palatable but they are out of His love for us and to bless us. There is a way that seems right to man, but the end is destruction. Could God have kept the woman in her home during the famine and provided for her if he wanted it that way? I believe so. However, as a display of His love for her, He chose to keep her out of the experience whilst He chose to leave Isaac in the experience and demonstrate His love in the famine by making Isaac exceedingly fruitful.

Can we chose to trust God’s love and obey His instructions no matter how illogical they are? Quiet the noise (what people will say, what others are doing, how it makes you feel, what you think you might lose, misalignment with your own plans and thoughts etc.) in your soul and lean in to God’s heart to hear what He’s saying to you in the now and when He directs, please don’t hesitate, simply obey by acting immediately.

Remain connected,
Bolaji Ajayi.

God’s mercy

~ bohlajee123 ~ Leave a comment

In the book of 2nd Kings chapter 4, we read of the story of a widow who approached Elisha for help because her late husband’s creditors had come calling and were going to take her sons as slaves. Elisha asked ‘How can I help you? What do you have in your house?’ to which she replied a jar of oil. Elisha then had her borrow jars from neighbors and fill them all with oil from the small jar. Then she was to sell the oil, pay what she owed and she and her sons were to live on the rest.

This last instruction, is what I want to focus on. Yes, there was a miracle of the jar of oil filling many other pots and not running dry until there was no more pot to fill which is amazing. In addition to that however, the last instructions exemplifies how God answers our prayers in the sense that we always have a part to play. Let’s take a closer look at the instruction.

Sell the oil, pay what you owe and you and your sons live on the rest. Why didn’t God just cause money to flow so she can just take it and pay the creditors? Wasn’t that all she wanted?

In as much as God does not share His glory with man, He always wants us to participate in the process since we are in partnership with Him. So, He gives us a part in the ‘play’. So, on this stage of life, He will always act out His part but if we don’t act out ours, then we might not see the manifestation of the answer to our prayers.

So, imagine if the woman refused to borrow the pots from neighbors or pour the jar of oil into the pots or sell the oil, maybe because it didn’t make sense or she simply just wanted a quick fix and didn’t want to be involved in the process or it was too much work and would require a lot of effort that she didn’t think she could undertake? I’m almost certain her sons would have been taken as slaves, not because the solution wasn’t available but because she refused to participate in the process.

The other thing to note is that even though the woman was only concerned about her immediate need which was to settle the debts, God was focused on much more – the longer term. It’s like God was thinking, so, you pay off your debts and then what? What of tomorrow, and 5, 10, 20 years down the line? Your husband, who was your provider is no more so how will your needs be met? And instead of just answering her prayer, He did more than even she could ever ask or imagine. He provided capital to start a business that would sustain her family. She experienced the mercy of God, and many times, this is exactly what we need, God’s mercy!!! This is because most times we pray based on the immediate need we are focused on and we act like that is the ultimate need when in fact what the ultimate ‘real’ need is different from what we are asking. This is where we need to pray that the mercy of God will step in and help us pray aright and even when the answer doesn’t look like what we prayed for, we should trust it and the process provided we are certain that it is from God.

May God grant us the grace to completely trust Him and always do our part and may we experience His mercy in our prayer lives, especially at every decision point in our lives in Jesus name.

Remain connected,
Bolaji Ajayi

Who is your source?

~ bohlajee123 ~ 1 Comment

When someone walks out of your life (e.g. business, marital relationship etc.), willingly or unwillingly, and you begrudge them for leaving, your action or reaction suggests that you had unconsciously been depending on or had put your trust in that person as the one to meet whatever needs they had been meeting, or you felt they were supposed to meet in your life. The flip side of that means you had forgotten that your ultimate source is God who brought the person into your life in the first place.

So, instead of being angry, bitter or trying to force the relationship, look at it from this perspective – if God is really your source, and the person chooses to ‘stay out’, then He is able to bring someone else to fill that gap or meet that need. He has billions of options to work with and at least one of those will be malleable enough to be used by God to meet your needs as long as you are staying in alignment to His purpose and plans.

https://isaiah.bible/isaiah-46-11 is God’s promise to you as long as you’re walking in step with Him to fulfill His purpose. So hold on, you are not alone. God has got your back. He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you, and His word is true. He is incapable of telling a lie and He watches over His word to perform it. He has promised you the ‘what’. Leave the ‘how’, ‘by whom’ etc., to Him.

Remain connected,
Bolaji Ajayi

Lessons from the ‘Exodus’ – Part 1

~ bohlajee123 ~ 1 Comment

In the book of Exodus, we come across the story of the Israelites being in slavery in Egypt after times changed and there arose a Pharoah who did not know Joseph (Ex 1:8-11). It was during this season that Moses was born and after being raised in the Palace by Pharoah’s daughter and his mother, killing an Egyptian and fleeing to Midian, God appeared to him and commissioned him to go on His behalf to speak to Pharoah and get the Israelites out of Egypt.

When God spoke to Moses, the instruction came with promises “… I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’ Ex 3: 16-17, “And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed…” Ex 3:21-22. So, besides the pain they were going through in Egypt, the promises were added motivations to want to go with Moses to Pharoah to request their departure.

When Pharoah agreed to let them go, it is recorded that “…God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea…” Ex 13: 17-18. Turns out the wilderness was God’s way of protecting the Israelites from their “weakness”. God already knew that if they faced opposition, they might want to go back to their suffering (maintain status quo) even though He had already given them Canaan and had a clear plan to get them there.

God had another reason for taking them through the wilderness – to totally annihilate their oppressor so they never had to ‘look over their shoulders’ again wondering if they were been ‘haunted’ by the Egyptians. He hardened Pharoah’s heart so Pharoah chased after the them and eventually all the army of Egypt that went after the Israelites perished in the red sea. (Ex 14).

“…the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were very frightened; … Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? … Did we not say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians [as slaves] than to die in the wilderness.” Ex 14:10-12. This is an extract of the Israelites reaction/response when they got to the red sea and saw Pharoah right behind them. Let’s peel these back a bit.

In spite of the success they had just experienced, at the first sign of trouble, FEAR gripped them and they started to sing another tune. They were ready to go back to what they were accustomed to even though it was not palatable and God had something better in store for them.

Isn’t this what we experience even today? God gives us a promise (through His word, an inner witness, an idea, a dream, a vision, an experience etc.) and starts us on the journey to the promise however, in His infinite wisdom, He sometimes allows a “thorn”/”challenge” which has the tendency to derail us in the future, show up so it can be addressed now and not get in the way when we should be focused on taking over the promise.

Truth be told, many times the challenge is real, scary and overwhelming (feels like you are between the devil and the deep blue sea) and the easy thing to do is give up on the promise and return to status quo like the Israelites wanted to do. That “Pharoah” could also be things like old mindsets, fears, prior experiences, hurts, lack etc., that has a tendency to show up later and mess up our future.

However, there is another way to keep moving forward, not lose out of all God has in store for us or deny God’s power from being revealed (Ex. 14:31) and we see that exemplified in Moses. He affirmed his trust in God then cried out to Him for direction. God gave him the instructions to follow, and obedience to those instructions led to their deliverance and doom of the Egyptians. This shows that one of the ways we get out of ‘tight corners’ is faith in God, seeking His guidance and obeying all that He instructs regardless of how silly, impractical or inconveniencing it sounds.

One more thing before we move to another experience, imagine what would have happened if after God gave Moses the instructions, Moses did not obey for a myriad of reasons that seem reasonable and rational to him. I’ll leave this to you.

Prayer:

Heavenly father, I worship you because you alone are God, there is none other and you rule in the affairs of men. I ask that you forgive me all times and seasons I have ‘aborted’ your plans for my life. I pray that in your mercy, you will give me a second chance to make things right and walk in the fullness of all that you desire for me. Grant me wisdom, direction, courage, and strength to walk in total obedience to you in spite of what my natural mind thinks. Thank you for answering my prayers, in Jesus name I pray.

Stay connected,

Bolaji Ajayi

The Royal funeral and horses

~ bohlajee123 ~ 1 Comment

All across the world, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth has been one of the constants on television since the ceremonies began over a week ago. In many of the processions, the coffin has been carried along by horses with riders.

Now, a horse is a really strong animal. In fact look at how God himself described the horse in the book of Job – “Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane? Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting? It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength, and charges into the fray. It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against its side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground; it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. At the blast of the trumpet it snorts, ‘Aha!’ It catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.” Job 39:19‭-‬25 NIV. Even we humans describe a horse as aloof, challenging, fearless to name a few. Yet, it is this same animal, as strong and fierce as it is, that had been used countless times as part of the solemn processions we’ve seen in the last few days.

So, where is all that strength?
Where is all that fierceness?
It has become power under someone else’s control achieved through the ‘breaking‘ process.

You see, the horse is not born ready to be subject to anyone. For a horse to be ridden, it has to first be tamed (which is why even for tamed horses, they sometimes throw unknown riders off because that rider is not ‘their master’ or their master has not ‘given them the ‘go-ahead’ to carry the rider). So, how does ‘the master’ get this really strong animal to be obedient to Him? He/She ‘breaks’ the horse and believe me the ‘breaking process’ doesn’t come easy for either the horse nor it’s master. However, because the master has a purpose for the horse, he doesn’t relent even when the horse stubbornly doesn’t want to be broken. The process is repeated multiple times until the horse, as strong and fearless as it is, surrenders its will to the master. It is then, and only then that it can be used for the master’s purpose – even something as significant as being responsible for safely and gently carrying the Queen’s coffin from one location to another – walking solemnly for miles.

Isn’t this how it is with God and us? He has endowed you and I with our own unique abilities, opportunities etc. (strength) which is supposed to be used to fulfill His purpose. However, the only way we get to fulfill His purpose is to be completely surrendered to His will and that involves a process of ‘brokenness’ – totally and completely yielded to do the master’s will and not our will.

You see, the wild (unbroken) horse doesn’t mind being fed and sheltered from the elements etc., by the master but doesn’t want to surrender. However, without surrender, it is not fit for purpose and guess what, if a horse consistently refuses to be broken, it could potentially be substituted for another because the master has a need that has to be met. I pray you and I will not be like the wild horse – content to get blessings from God yet refuses to be broken and surrenderour wills to Him. Unbroken, we miss out on those wonderful parades (God’s divine purposes) that God has lined up for us.

Remain connected,
Bolaji Ajayi.

P.S.
There were certainly many broken horses available for use but these ones were specifically chosen. Could it be because they had reached a certain level of brokenness and could be trusted more than the others to immediately and completely obey?

Is it really dead?

~ bohlajee123 ~ 2 Comments

John 11 starts off with information about Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha being sick and the sisters sending for Jesus. Verse 4 tells us, “When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Yet Jesus stays 2 more days in the place he was (Vs 5 – 6 “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was”) and by vs 14, He tells His disciples that Lazarus is already dead “Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.”

One minute, Jesus is saying Lazarus won’t die and a few days later, He’s confirming he is dead. We know from the story that by the time Jesus got there, Lazarus had been in the tomb 4 days and Jesus was just 2 miles (3.2km) from where Lazarus was.

All of these seem like a paradox at this point and begs a few questions. So, indulge me for a moment. Try and forget you know how this story ends but you’re in Bethany hearing and experiencing all that is going on. At this point, some of the thoughts that might cross your mind could include the following:

  1. Jesus had lied when in verse 4 He said the sickness wasn’t unto death.
  2. Jesus’ love for Mary, Martha and Lazarus is questionable since He could surely have journeyed the 2 miles in less than 4 days to prevent Lazarus from dying in the first place and save them from 4 days of heartache. Besides, how do you intentionally wait 2 days because you love them (vs 5-6)?
  3. Jesus is not to be trusted and is bound to disappoint.

Fast forward to the later part of the chapter and we see Jesus weep in vs 35 after He saw Mary and all the Jews who were with her weeping. At this point, the people obviously figured He loved Lazarus but wondered why He didn’t get there on time to heal him before he died (vs 36-37). By vs 44, Lazarus is raised and Jesus commands to lose the clothes he was bound with and let him go. Subsequently, many people came to believe Jesus because of the raising of Lazarus from the dead (the son of man was glorified).

So, what do we do with all this information?

See, many of us are in the ‘tomb’ phase in one area of our lives or the other. God said something to you about a matter or a situation. There seemed to be a time where it looked plausible, but now that window has closed and you’re in that phase when everything ‘is’ dead. You analyze the situation and you can’t see how that word is going to be fulfilled. Yet, this story suggests that sometimes, because of God’s love for us, He allows things (hopes, dreams etc.) to ‘die’ around us and even mourns with us when we mourn those things. Doesn’t make much sense to the natural mind but isn’t that how it is with God? His ways are not our ways nor His thoughts our thoughts.

So, during the 4 days (yours could be hours, days, months or years) of ‘death’, what should we be doing? Job 14 vs 7-9 and Habakkuk 3 vs 17 – 18 gives us an idea “For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant.” (Job 14:7-9) “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Hab 3: 17-18.

Therefore, HOPE in the Lord, hold on to His WORD which is what brings back life to that dead situation and REJOICE in the Lord not in your situation. These are not easy to do but as you ask the Holy Spirit for help to act in faith, may you experience the resurrection power of God in your situation and may your story draw men to God and bring Him all the glory in Jesus’ name.

Remain connected to the vine,

Bolaji Ajayi

What impact is your sight having on your life?

~ bohlajee123 ~ 3 Comments

In Numbers 13, God asked Moses to send one leader from each tribe of Israel to explore the land He had promised them. Moses did as he was commanded, selected the 12 men and gave them the assignment to “assess the goodness” of the land. His instructions were simple. Are the people weak or strong, few or many, is the land good or bad to dwell in, is the land rich or poor, bring back some fruit of the land (evidence) etc. (Numbers 13:17-20).


The 12 men left as they were instructed, explored the land and returned after 40 days. They confirmed that indeed the land was ‘flowing with milk and honey’ – in essence it was a very good land, and they showed the fruit which had to be carried on branches because of its size. They also gave a report about the land and the people as instructed stating how fortified the city was and how big, numerous and strong the people were. (Numbers 13: 27 – 29). In effect, they did a good job bring back a factual report of the land they explored. If only they had stopped there…but they didn’t.


Caleb, one of the twelve spies obviously got very excited about the good he saw in the land that he motioned that they go forward and take the land immediately. He was not one to delay enjoying God’s promise to him. Enough of the wilderness experience. It was fun while it lasted but now that he had seen the possibility that existed in what God had promised, he was ready to lay hold of it immediately. This is when the trouble begins.


The remaining ten (excluding Joshua), immediately changes the narrative and focus solely on the ‘seeming’ challenge to the point where the challenge was all they saw. All the good no longer mattered even though they still had the evidence of the fruit. They magnified the challenge and the fear that came with that did what it knows to do best … ‘engulf your mind and stop you dead in your track’ and fear sure got its way in their lives. There was no moving forward for these ten. These men seemed to totally forget the good they had seen which was what God wanted to help boost their faith. All they saw was their inability to overcome the challenge ahead based on their evaluation of their physical and mental abilities. They sunk so deep to the point where they even imagined and concluded about what the people of the land thought of them – “we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight”. The same people that initially gave a good report of the land, turned around and gave a bad report of the same land (Numbers 13:31–33). How ironic!


Many of us know how this story ends. Even though God had promised the land to them, in fact given it to them, destined it for them, and they had also seen it, they did not partake of that destiny. The lost out on the blessing God had in store for them in the land because of what they chose to focus on and allow drive their actions.


Fast forward to the book of Joshua chapters 1 – 6. The Israelites are back at the same point but this time, they obey God’s instructions like ‘clockwork’. As they obeyed each instruction, they got another, and another and another until in Chapter 5 v 13, we see a man appear to Joshua but he’s not just a man, He’s ‘Commander of the army of the Lord’. God was so impressed with their faith demonstrated through obedience to His instructions that He had to make an appearance with sword drawn to demonstrate that He’s with those who trust Him and the battle was His. (As a side note, this reminds me of Abraham when he was about to offer Isaac and at that point God stepped in and swore to Abraham. From that point, and till today, we are beneficiaries of the blessing of Abraham. One man’s obedience to God, regardless of how ridiculous, unpleasant, unfamiliar or undesirable it looked is still blessing us today). At this point, chapter 6 then opens with the instructions on how to take over the city. Hold on, is this not what the ten spies were concerned about in Numbers 13? Yet, by the time the Israelites focused on God and His promise, and promptly obeyed His every instruction, the solution to the challenge appears. All they had to do was walk and shout. It had nothing to do with their strength, the number of their army, how they looked, their abilities or capabilities … none of that. The people of the land had already been paralyzed by fear and the wall was going to ‘come down’. God already had a way out. This was His promise to them and He knew how He was going to get it to them. All He needed was for them to believe. All they had to do was have faith demonstrated not in words, wishful thinking or prayer, but in actions of obedience to His directions. Their obedience led not only to the inheritance of the promised land, but also to seeing the hand of God move on their behalf every step of the way. They experienced miracles, divine favours, divine interceptions … Rahab hiding, Jordan parting, Walls coming down.


You see, God knows that we are mortals and our physical senses, environment, past experiences etc., typically get in the way of our trusting and believing Him (especially since most of the time what God promises seem impossible to the natural mind and even when it seems plausible, there just seems to be no way to get there). So, what does He do with us sometimes? As an act of love and benevolence to help our unbelief, He gives us a glimpse in any way He chooses (visions, dreams, words, our imagination etc.), like Abraham looking to the sky and being asked to count the stars (Gen 15:4-5), Jacob dreaming of a new breeding method (Gen 31: 10-13), An angel of the Lord visiting Gideon (Judges 6: 11-40), Mary getting a visit from Angel Gabriel about divine conception and the purpose of the child (Luke 1: 26-38), and the list goes on. And for you and I, He still gives us those glimpses. In visions, in dreams, through His word, through a message, through a prophecy, through our thoughts etc., if only we can truly pause to stay in His presence so He can reveal His plans to us. He wants to show us the vision for our lives but can we take the first step of “watching and waiting” in His presence? “I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected. 2 Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” Hab 2:1-3


Could it be that the challenge you see about what God is leading you to is only an obedience away from evaporating? Could that vision already be at the birthing stage and all that is left is that one final push of obedience to bring forth its delivery? Are you at the point of delivery and not even aware of it because just like the ten spies you are so focused on the challenges that you don’t see the miracle of the “new thing” that God is about to birth in and through your life?


God’s ways are surely not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. So, if you’re waiting for things to make sense, trust me, you’re in for a long wait and risk missing out of God’s will for your life even though He destined it. Walking into it is by choice not by force and the vehicle to laying hold of it is faith, demonstrated through actions of obedience even when it does not make sense. One generation of the Israelites missed it. Do you want to repeat their mistake?


As we evaluate our lives, if there is anything that we know that God has shown us or any promise in His word that we are trusting him for a physical manifestation of, I pray first and foremost that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened that we will truly know what the will of God is for our lives; that in every area that doubt has blurred our vision, that Jesus will help our unbelief and intercede for a second chance on our behalf; that we repent of our unbelief and cry out to the Holy Spirit for courage and wisdom to take the necessary steps in obedience even when we don’t see the full picture of how it will work out; and as we do this, I pray that our lives shall be a living witness that God indeed is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him because we shall be true expressions of His grace and glory even as those promises come to pass in our lives in Jesus name.


Remain connected to the vine,
Bolaji Ajayi

Where does your allegiance lie?

~ bohlajee123 ~ Leave a comment

When a football club buys a player, that player’s loyalty switches to that club. His allegiance is to the new club such that even if his new club is playing against his old club, His loyalty is with the new club. He does all he can to make the new club win and roots for the new club irrespective of longevity of time spent at the old club. Until, he chooses to leave the club or is bought by another club who typically would need to pay a higher price, his sole purpose is to do all the owner of His new club wants and fulfil his purpose.

Now, players don’t just get on the field to play games and expect to win. They spend time in training with their coach (appointed by the club owner) such that when they get on the field of play, they understand the plan and know what to do. The good thing too is that the coach doesn’t just leave the players on the day of play (because he already coached them). He is there by the sidelines, observing and giving them hints on what the play should be for them to win. The players also have to be able to discern the voice of the coach amidst the noise and also understand then codes being sent out by the coach to know what play is required (that understanding is a function of relationship).

Same way we should approach our walk in the kingdom as children of God. We were on another team, coasting in our sinful nature then God came and bought us. He didn’t just buy us with silver or gold, but with His own blood; His own life. Therefore, we are no longer our own. We have been bought with a price. Our complete allegiance should now be the our Saviour and the owner of our lives. Our focus (as long as we are His) should be to seek to know His will, understand our role in the game plan and play our part. To do this however, means we have to be in tune with him. There has to be a constant and ongoing relationship. We can’t walk with Him one day and walk by ourselves or with another ‘coach’ another day. He’s all there is and has to be.

Have you been bought by the blood? Live like it.

Selah.

Remain connected,
Bolaji Ajayi.