You Can Turn Disadvantages into Advantages 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”⁵ “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites.”  The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”  But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment  but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, you can drive them out.” Joshua Chapter 17 verses 14 to 18.

The Israelites thought their lives would end any moment as Pharaoh and his chariots followed them in hot pursuit. Unknown to them, that would be the end of Pharaoh’s oppression of the Israelites in any form as Pharaoh and his chariots were drowned in the red sea. Please read Exodus Chapter 14 verses 13 to 16, 21 to 22.

The miraculous crossing of the Jordan illustrates the truth of God’ word; that with God, nothing is impossible. This also implies that you can easily cross any Jordan which stares you in the face if you choose to walk with God. Please read Joshua Chapter 3 verses 15 to 17.

With God on your side, you can also command the elements of creation to work in your favor when you are at a disadvantage. Joshua commanded the sun to stand still so he could finish a battle he was fighting and the sun actually stood still until Joshua and his soldiers were done fighting. Please read Joshua Chapter 10 verses 12 to 14.

You can also turn the disadvantage of small spaces into large spaces by taking on territories besides you. Simply, put, enlarge the place of your tent as Manasseh and Ephraim did in Joshua Chapter 17 verses 16 to 18.

Enlargement can also come through conscious and deliberate acts of fruitfulness targeted at multiplication in spite of negative prevailing circumstances. Despite being slaves in Egypt coupled with the harsh treatment the Israelites suffered from the Egyptians, the Bible records that they increased greatly because they were fruitful and they multiplied. Please read Exodus Chapter 1 verse 7.                 

You Can Turn Disadvantages into Advantages

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The woman with the issue of blood turned the long term disadvantage of the unceasing blood flow of twelve years into an advantage when she decided to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. Despite the shame and ridicule, she worked her way through the crowd and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. Twelve years of pain, shame and financial drain disappeared in an instant. Significantly, she was not ashamed to publicly admit that she was the one who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. The admission made her healing permanent. Please read Matthew Chapter 9 verses 20 to 22, Mark Chapter 4 verses 27 to 29, 30 to 34.

The widow of the indebted prophet is another case in point. She cried out when the creditor threatened to come take her two sons for debt bondage. That was what saved the situation as the Prophet Elisha to whom she cried gave her counsel on how to get out of debts and financial lack for the rest of her life. She was instructed on how to access resources, shut out distractions so she could produce products to sell and earn money. Please read 2^nd Kings Chapter 4 verses 1 to 7 for details.

Blind Bartimaeus literally took the bull by the horns when he kept shouting out the name of Jesus despite the hush hush from the people around him. As he kept shouting, Jesus turned to him and asked what he wanted. He requested for the restoration of his sight and was healed. Please read Mark Chapter 10 verses 46 to 52.

Zacchaeus was a very short man who desired to see Jesus. This would have been possible if the crowds who followed Jesus did not crowd him out of the view of short people like Zacchaeus. Rather than complain about his height disadvantage and how the tall people of his day were the only ones who had the advantage of seeing Jesus, Zacchaeus decided to think creatively. He would not be in the league of the people who complained about the tall oppressing the short with their height advantage. Zacchaeus chose to grow taller than the supposedly tall who obscured the short from seeing Jesus. Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree where he was heads above the tall. Significantly, Jesus noticed and gave Zacchaeus attention in addition to inviting Zacchaeus to entertain Him in Zacchaeus’ house where Zacchaeus could have the pride of vantage position to see Jesus clearly. Please read Luke Chapter 19 verses 1 to 10 for details.

Receive Strength 3

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The very many and very dry bones in the valley speaks of despair and hopelessness experienced by the children of Israel. But when God instructed the prophet Ezekiel to prophesy and breathe His life, power and strength into the very many dry bones in the valley- valley representing the nadir of hopelessness and dry bones representing in the valley representing utter despair and hopelessness; yet these same bones became a mighty army that rose out of the valley.

You also can become a mighty army if only you take on the strength of the Lord offered freely to you today by the Holy Spirit.

The Bible records that Judas and Silas (prophets in the early Church who were sent to the Church in Antioch) exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. This implies that they spoke words which kindled hope and life and comfort and divine direction to the brethren. Like the prophet Isaiah, these New Testament also had the tongue of the learned (Isaiah Chapter 50 verses 4 to 5) and therefore spoke to the people in words and possibly tones taught by the Holy Spirit. Please read Malachi Chapter 2 verse 7. That probably explains why the brethren were strengthened.   Their words, definitely prophetic  brought edification, exhortation and comfort to the brethren as instructed by Scriptures in 1^st Corinthians Chapter 14 verses 3 to 5, 12, 19, 26; 2^nd Corinthians Chapter 13 verse 10, Ephesians Chapter 4 verses 11 to 16, 1^st Timothy 1 verse 3 and 1^st Thessalonians Chapter 5 verse 11. Words which inspire faith and also strengthen faith in keeping with the injunction of Scriptures to edify rather than condemn are words which bring strength to people. Please read Romans Chapter 10 verse 15, 14 verse 19, 15 verses 1 to 2,  Isaiah Chapters 52 verses 7 to 9, 61 verses 1 to 4, Luke Chapter 4 verses 17 to 19, Ephesians Chapter 4 verses 29 to 32, Colossians Chapter 4 verse 6.

Receive Strength 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

In Acts Chapter 3 verses 1 to 9, and 16,  note verse 7, the Bible records that the feet and ankle bones of the lame man received strength and the man who had never walked from birth leaped up, stood and walked and entered the temple with Peter and John, walking, leaping and praising God.

Beloved, God is awesome. This man was daily laid at the gate of the temple called Beautiful to ask for alms. So close to the temple yet he had never been inside of the temple. Daily, he saw people go into the temple to transact real business with God, worship God, ask God for forgiveness, cleansing, healing, deliverance, provision, promotion, wealth, favor, children, peace in their personal, family, community and national lives; academic excellence and prowess, military prowess and success, you name it; yet he had never seen the inside of the temple. He had never come close to transacting business with God yet God was so near, was with him, sitting by and with him all the time, waiting for him to transact quality business, real business with God but Mr. Lame from birth knew and understood only one business; unfortunately the business which did not move him from point A to B; but kept him stuck in a spot where he daily lived on and at the mercy of those whose hearts responded to his daily pleas for alms.

He lived for and on the mercy and compassion of people – without alms; he could probably never survive simply because there was no strength in his feet and ankle bones. His entire life was subject to the mercy and compassion of humans and knowing that humans are sometimes subject to fickle mindedness and vindictiveness, the man’s daily bread was not always guaranteed. So his mental processes were always fixated on alms; let someone bless me with, please forgive my choice of words – peanuts to go through today. That is just all that I need today. After all, I will be back here tomorrow and someone will give me what I need tomorrow.

Pathetic and tragic is the fact that his mental processes could not rise beyond asking for alms on a daily basis to survive each day. But all that came to an abrupt end when God through Jesus Christ working through the Holy Spirit in the Apostle Peter intervened in the situation.