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.

God will Always Provide

                                        Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

You cannot separate divine provision from divine guidance. Please see Psalm 23, Isaiah Chapter 48 verse 17, Matthew Chapter 17 verses 24 to 27, Luke Chapter 5 verses 1 to 9, John Chapter 21 verses 1 to 11, 2^nd Kings Chapter 4 verses 1 to 7, Psalm 1 verses 1 to 3, Deuteronomy Chapter 28 verses 1 to 13, 15 verses 1 to 6.

The wisdom in accessing abundant and overwhelming divine provision is obedience to God at all times coupled with absolute trust in God that He will always do what is right. It is that absolute trust in God that will make you obey God promptly without asking questions. Please see Proverbs Chapter 3 verses 1 to 5, Psalm 23.

Prompt and willing loving obedience coupled with absolute trust and confidence in God as well as belief in the power of God to do to always do the impossible always guarantees overwhelming abundant divine provision. Hagar in the wilderness – Genesis Chapter 21 verses 14 to 19; Isaac in Gerar Genesis Chapter 26 verses 1 to 33, take note of verses 12 to 14, the Israelites in captivity (Jeremiah Chapter 29 verses 4 to 14, Ezra Chapter 2 verse 68, Genesis Chapters 15 verses 13 to 14, 37; 39 to 48, 50 verses 18 to 26; Exodus Chapters 1 verses 7 to 11, 3 verses 21 to 22, 11 verses 2 to 3, 12 verses 35 to 36, 25 verses 1 to 8, 36 verses 1 to 7 (they continued bringing in gifts for the building of the tabernacle because they had more than enough to give).

Divine provision then is to a very large extent a function of obedience to God and divine instructions. Please see Isaiah Chapter 1 verse 19.

Abraham obeyed God and was divinely supplied with the ram for the sacrifice. Please see Genesis Chapter 22. Isaac sowed in a dry land and progressively became wealthy; in fact so wealthy that the Philistines envied him. The widow of the indebted prophet obeyed God. She could have despised and disobeyed the prophet’s instructions but she obeyed every one of them. She borrowed vessels, shut the door, took the seemingly insignificant jar of oil and began to pour into the many vessels including resulting in addition, multiplication, compounding and geometric increase. She further obeyed the prophet and marketed the products. Definitely, she must have entertained doubts concerning sales yet she sold and had more than enough money to live on.

Cash in on Opportunities

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The blind man who sat by the road begging near Jericho understood the full import of cashing in on opportunities. He realized that certain opportunities do not present themselves every day. He therefore took ample advantage of the opportunity of Jesus passing by him because he knew that Jesus in His earthly ministry may not likely pass by him a second time. He therefore utilized the one time life opportunity of meeting with Jesus Christ to achieve a life time goal of receiving his sight. Significantly, the blind man was expectant that Jesus would give him back his sight. He also believed that Jesus had the power and would be willing to restore his sight. If only he could come near Jesus. Fortunately for him, the great opportunity came as Jesus traveled to Jericho.

The blind man could definitely not see Jesus and he probably had no one to lead him to Jesus. Rather than lament and hold a pity party about what he lacked, he chose to utilize what he had in great measure – his voice and mouth to great advantage.

But he could hear and so heard the noise of multitudes moving around him. He asked people around what the noise was all about and they informed him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. What an opportunity! Though he could not see, he could shout. Definitely, Jesus could hear him. So the blind man raised his voice and cried out for mercy to Jesus. Though people tried to restrain him urging him to be quiet, he shouted the more to gain Jesus’ attention. Significantly, Jesus granted him audience and his life time goal was achieved as his sight was restored.

Beloved, the hitherto blind man had little or nothing at his disposal to deal with the challenge of visual impairment. But rather than blame anyone or circumstances, he worked at getting out of the predicament which made him a beggar.

Be You and Succeed

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Take off the silly mask and be yourself. Be the loving caring person you were created to be. Love gives. Think openness. Dream, love, do not give in to apathy. Joseph never stopped dreaming, never stopped loving. No wonder he emerged into the plans and purposes of God for his life

Be intimate with God, which is investing in a fervent relationship with God because that is the right thing to do. Do not pretend to be a Christian because your friends or family members are. Be a Christian because Christ died for you. Also, the one person you should know intimately is God who has power over everything. No one can stand against you when God is for you.

Follow through on God’s call for your life if you have the call of God. Do not imitate others in the quest for money. God is more powerful than money. Your present economic condition does not determine where you are going to. Rather, it is the call of God that you respond to that will take you to God’s ordained heights for you. The Biblical Joseph chose the call of God. He got to the top position and had money in abundance. Be the GIFT He created you to be to the world and bring His healing and blessings to all who you come in contact with. 

Do not pretend to be who you are not. Do not try to impress anyone. Be who you are. Be yourself. God assesses people on the basis of what He asks them to do.

Feast on the Word of God

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The beginning and end of success is the word of God engrafted in your spirit, soul and body. God gives and teaches us His divine principles for holy living in His word, and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As we learn, internalize and abide by these principles stated in His word, they become part and parcel of us, directing and guiding us, alongside the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. That is why the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119 verse 105 that your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

The word of God is dynamic and has power to transform a person on a daily basis. The answer to every challenge is in the word of God therefore fill your heart with the word of God and meditate on the word of God. If you hear instructions from God, trial and error will no longer be your portion in Jesus mighty name.  Please see Romans Chapter 12 verses 1 to 2. Therefore, feed on the word of God and you have wealth, the hidden riches of darkness stated in Isaiah Chapter 55 verses 1 to 5.

God watches over His word to perform His word and not out fears, worries and anxieties. At the beginning of the year, I asked God to help me sell a certain number of copies of my books, quite a large number determined by the Holy Spirit. Thereafter, I would always check my sales report to see if I was making that quantity of sales. A number of times, I was worried because I required the money from book sales to pay my bills. But somehow, God kept paying my bills even before they were due in addition to giving me material things that made people think I had so much money. As I reflected on why there were no sales, the Holy Spirit made me understand that I was looking at the wrong place, visiting the sales report dashboard. He told me to look at the word of God, His precious promises to me concerning book sales in large numbers. He told me that was where I would make the sales as I daily thanked God for His unfailing Word, meditated on that Word and prophesied the Word over my books. I then realized why I had not made sales and also why I had not experienced victories in some other areas. Rather than look at the word of God and internalize the promises of God and make them real in my life; meditate on them and prophesy them, I was looking at the circumstances that assailed me which were really nothing to God. I was foraging on dirt – anxiety, fears, worries, suspicion when my focus should be on God and His word that does not return to Him void. I repented before God and asked Him to help me look at His word, and to believe His word as well as prophesy His word over my life and situation in Jesus mighty name.

Gain Altitude

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

To gain altitude is to rise above certain levels beyond sea level. Planes gain altitude. So also do birds. In like manner, a person can also gain altitude in the journey of life. Such ascents could be spiritual, physical, mental or even financial. Therefore, gain attitude in knowledge, understanding, wisdom, relationships despite what the enemy whose major agenda is to prevent you from rising may do. Remember that believers are often targets of satanic opposition.

Altitude takes you ahead of the pack. One of the ways to gain altitude is to be financially resourceful and savvy so that you can manage financial resources to advantage and expansion.

Also make very determined and conscious efforts on a daily basis to become the global change agent God created you to be. Stop fighting battles that are not yours especially insignificant battles that will move you nowhere.

Use the current resources at your disposal to move from where you are now to where God wants you to be. One of such resources is the word of God. The word of God has the capacity to elevate you and take out of the dust and ash heap as well as obscure positions of life to significance, relevance, dominance, limelight, favor, wealth and abundant life that Jesus Christ purchased for you with His precious blood. Please see John Chapter 10 verse 10.  Jesus Christ used the existing structures and platforms of the religious establishment of the day. He taught the people in their synagogues, preached from boats, on mountain tops, from street corners, healed on the streets and cast out demons on the streets. He did not wait to own or rent cathedrals before doing the work of the kingdom. How about financial autonomy? Was He dependent on the tithes and offerings of the people? Not at all! The religious establishment of the day did not acknowledge and recognize Him as a Priest, Prophet or Levite so he was exempt from the benefits of the tithe. Also, Jesus did not request for such tithes. Yet, He led and fed not only His disciples but the multitudes who followed Him. He also did not shirk His civic responsibilities. He paid taxes. How did He make the money? He asked Peter to go fishing to get the money. This implies that you can make money from your skills, talents and areas of expertise. The women who supported His ministry with their money and other resources were an additional source of income.

Keep Your Gates Open

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession. Isaiah Chapter 60 verse 11.

There is a correlation between open gates and wealth, abundance, prestige, honor, favor.

Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call [thee] by thy name, [am] the God of Israel. Isaiah Chapter 45 verses 1 to 3.

Open gates symbolize progress while shut gates symbolize lack of progress, stagnation and retrogression. The people of Jericho probably understood this which explains why they shut the gates of the city of Jericho against the children of Israel enroute to Canaan. The closure of the gates in order not to allow the children of Israel passage meant that the children of Israel would wait endlessly and ultimately die of hunger and thirst without ever getting to Canaan. But God intervened in their situation and they made progress to Canaan.

When the enemy shuts out certain gates against you, it is for the purpose of frustrating you, bringing you to  appoint of doubt and sometimes unbelief and when you stagnate in doubt and unbelief, you retrogress into what the devil and his cohorts wants; which is absolute mistrust of God and His word so that you walk in the ways of the devil and become an enemy of God.  The ultimate purpose of this is destruction.

Divine Pathways to Fame 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

God is the One Who raises the poor and needy out of the dust, from obscurity and insignificance, dishonor and lack into limelight, significance, relevance, honor and wealth – Psalm 113 verses 7 to 8, 1^st Samuel Chapter 2 verses 7 to 10, Psalm 78 verses 70 to 72, 107 verse 41, 145 verse 14. Some biblical examples include Hannah, Joseph, Abraham, Daniel, Mordecai, Esther, Obed-Edom, Ruth, Rahab, Mary the mother of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene, David,

God raises the poor out of the dust. David was an unknown shepherd boy in Israel, the least of his father’s sons yet God in His infinite mercy chose to make David king in Israel, and gave him national and regional fame as time progressed. Psalm 78 verses 70 to 72, 113 verses 7 to 8, 1^st Samuel Chapter 16 verses 1 to 13, 2 verses 7 to 8, and Isaiah Chapter 43 verse 19.

God raised Ruth out of Moab, widowhood without children and money, obscurity and who knows what else would have befallen her in Moab to become the wife of Boaz, a significant and well known man of substance in Israel as well as the mother of Obed, who fathered Jesse, the father of King David. Ruth Chapters 1 to 4. In essence, Ruth, the unknown Moabitess became an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ – Matthew Chapter 1 verse 5.

Rahab also rose to limelight and fame by the grace of God after she sheltered and protected the two spies sent by Joshua to Jericho. The Rahab who was described as a harlot in Joshua Chapters 2 verse 1, 6 verse 17, 22, 25 is mentioned in the lineage of Jesus Christ as the wife of Salmon and mother of Boaz who married Ruth and fathered Obed, the grandfather of King David.

Esther, a Jewish captive and orphan in Babylon; living with her older cousin Mordecai became famous, royalty when she married King Ahasuerus, the then ruler of a vast empire that spanned Asia and some parts of Europe. Significantly, God raised her to fulfill divine purpose. It is also significant to note that everyone God raised out of the obscure situations and positions in life fulfilled divine purposes.

Divinely Wired to Create Wealth

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for [it is] he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as [it is] this day. Deuteronomy Chapter 8 verse 18 KJV

Great wealth resides in you because God gives you power to make wealth. In point of fact, you are a mine of untapped wealth – Psalm 23 verses 1 to 3. A mine is a hole or holes under the ground where mineral resources that are traded for big money reside. This means that a mine of untapped wealth is where wealth resides and that wealth has not been tapped. The question then is how should the wealth be tapped? Ask, ask God for the wisdom to mine the wealth – where, when, how and why. Stop hiding, get out of your shell, share what you know, start where you are and big if you choose to.

Secondly, God gives you power to make wealth because He wants you to be successful. Do failures make wealth? Definitely not! Why then would God give you power to create wealth if He created you to fail? God gives you the power to create wealth so as to help you succeed; so that you become a blessing to yourself; to your family, community, nation and the world. God created you to succeed. Dig into the recesses of your divinely endowed mental capacities and draw from the extravagant grace of God to make wealth to bless humanity.

Pursue Your Own Vision

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Every one created by God was created for a purpose and that purpose is the launchpad to greatness, success and prosperity. Divine purpose accelerates your path to divine wealth and the top. Therefore, find the divine purpose for your life and pursue it. If you miss out on divine purpose, you will miss a lot as money comes by doing the will of God for your life that is walking in His divine purpose for your life. Every profession has its own goldmine. So stop pursuing other people’s visions and pursue your own vision.

You actually undervalue your uniqueness by doing what other people want you to do and not what God wants you to do. If you follow your Maker’s prescription, you will be successful and wealthy.

It is also important that you focus on your area of strength – that is to say that you expend energies on what you enjoy doing effortlessly that is spiritually, physically, mentally and financially rewarding. This usually relates to the talent God deposited in you at birth and which you have been using unconsciously. But a more conscious use of it will alert you to the many uses it can be put to and how you can refine it to high accent. It is already in you. All you need do is to tap into it and you will function in it without maximum effort.