Winner Don't Quit

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WINNER,

DON’T

QUIT!

THE TRUTH ABOUT

STRUGGLE

JOSEPH KING

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 0-9774928-3-4

Published by:

Revelation Christ Publishing House

www.josephkingbooks.com

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Dedication

It is with great honor that I use this opportunity to dedicate this book to those missionaries of our Lord in Africa who have fallen to the hands of persecution and other mortal tragedies in pursuit of God’s will. The invaluable example of the Ugandan martyrs murdered by their king for refusing to renounce their Christian faith in the 19th_{century and the}

more recent loss of Bishop William Waqo of the Anglican Church of Kenya involved in a fatal plane accident together with leading government figures in pursuit of peace offers inspiration to those in our generation to persist in winning Africa for Jesus. In this cause, we have been shown winners never quit.

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Acknowledgements

I must of necessity applaud my Lord and tutor, Jesus Christ. Was it not for His commanding and yet gentle leadership, I would not even be alive to tell this story. When I almost committed suicide on the 2nd_{of December 1997 because of}

failure and defeat, He believed in me urging to begin all over again. Over the years I have learnt that none should fail, quit or despair. He made a fighter out of me that has put together this manual on victory. To Him be the glory, honor and power forever, and ever. Amen!

I also appreciate the strategic partnerships that He allowed me to work with. This work is a product of these collaborations. For one, my useful wife, Precious has been a pillar of strength constantly reiterating the promises of God whenever I was at difficult points during the writing of this script. I appreciate her gentle company and firm loyalty. There is also the mighty army at The Holy Church of Life who believed in me as I shared with them this vision and teachings. Many of there own personal struggles and accomplishments offer invaluable inspiration to me as I pastor them. I am blessed to be on there side.

Of course there are those who are outside my ministry who nevertheless have partnered with us. They are angels of grace. Of particular regard is the family of Professor David and Deborah Koech who have been exceptional in their kindness. Was it not for their generosity it is probable that the books would have had an even more difficult journey to African hands. Elsewhere, the marvelous benevolence of

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Dorothy Were (my mum) and her Irish and Scottish friends, namely – Bride Divers, Maura O’Brien, Mrs. Peoples and Mary Mc Andrew were the vital tools God used to enable the books attain international publication. I pray that God will share all good things and reward your generosity. No victory in battle is ever possible without kindness from loving quarters. I am glad that God positioned you in my way.

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PROLOGUE

Although he is acquainted with grief and familiar with sorrow (just the previous day his uncle had accused him of theft) yet nothing had prepared him for this moment of reckoning: So, gripped with fear and resigned to fate this middle-aged man considers the on-coming disaster. A danger more severe than any he has faced before. In fact one from which he has run away all his adult life.

Fast approaching is an armed multitude of warriors led by his age-old rival – his own blood brother, his twin. Neither his marriages, his fairly large family, servants nor possessions can save him at this critical hour. A quickly hushed up thought informs him that perhaps they may serve to appease the anger of his adversary. So, grudgingly he sends them ahead of him. But what if they don’t? The reality is that in this gamble he could loose it all. His brother is after all a ruthless tyrant with a wicked temper. And the possibility that the wound he inflicted upon him several years ago could still be fresh is not far fetched. To be sure, only divine intervention can save him in this hour. And so, dejected, desperate, afraid, and in real need of help he turns to his God.

Needless to say, the last thing he needs at this point is another problem. He wants answers. He wants to be saved. He longs for peace and quiet. God, on the other hand, has different things on His Holy Mind. God knows this troubled man better than he knows himself. He knows the man is a winner. A struggler. A victor. And God is not about to let him miss on this. So, with divine precision He ordains a fight. The stage is set in the night, in the middle of nowhere. With no one to assist or even cheer either of

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them God shows up in equal shape, seizes his opponent, and fights away. A surprised Jacob reflexes. He automatically assumes his actual self and fights this unwelcome stranger. He fights back with all he can master.

The wrangle is intense. The breathing heavy. The match is a long stalemate. It completes the night. By morning God is accomplished in His mission. Assured that dejection has been substituted with defiance, fear with boldness, anxiety with resolve, He readies for the kill: He tears a hipbone off the joint of His opponent and bids to leave. A prevailing Jacob objects unless he is blessed. God pronounces Jacobs victory and even changes his name to Israel. The old identity had suggested he was a fraudster, the new one declared he fought with God and won.

Having finished with this bout, and without pausing to relish in his new glory, he arises to grace the next event, for better or worse. He takes a painful step and limps. He shrugs and sighs. But with determination this rugged adventurer faces the morrow, come what or may. Something is different from yesterday. He knows who he is: A WINNER from the word “GO!”

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STRUGGLE FOR YOUR LIFE!

We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8

The contemporary lesson is simple: All triumphs begin with a trial. Today’s victors are more often than not yesterday’s failures. It cannot be emphasized enough that the world we live in is a harsh one (John 16:33): If we must gain, we must pain. From the time one (or anything) is born to the end of it there will be ups and downs, mountains and valleys, gains and losses, advances and setbacks. The weather is bound to change: There will be sunny days and rainy days, dry and wet seasons. Some days will just be dull. The eloquent philosopher, King Solomon, sums it all up when he declares that there is a time for everything under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

This punctuation of life with bright and dark shades is regulated by the constant of struggle. The reality is that those who will fight will more than often settle the score while those that idle by will certainly wither the fall. It is this element that distinguishes winners from losers. In this struggle of life winners never quit and quitters never win. This principle is not only universal or secular. It is also divine. Its spiritual utility in God’s purposes cannot be missed in the very words of the Master:

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“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.”(Matthew

11:12)

UNDERSTANDING STRUGGLE

And yet, few words or/and experiences bring confusion and require clarity like “struggle”. A lot of saints loose their joy and peace, some even their faith and love for the Lord once they are confronted with a struggle. As a result, many saints, and even ministers of the faith more often than not revile the experience. Sometimes during a crisis when I have prayed with my team I have heard one or two of them say unto the Lord, “Master, you have not called us to struggle.” In some cases, we have all said “Amen!” to that. I am sure you too have done the same. In these cases we hate to struggle.

Any struggle evident in the life of a believer has often drawn mixed or/and confusing responses from fellow believers. Sometimes the struggle in ones life has been understood to reveal that one is “operating in the flesh”, or “ doing something contrary to God’s will”, or even being “rejected” or worse still, “punished” by God. Thus, if a believer opened a business or married or bought a car and immediately begun to struggle the expected counsel he/she receives from friends (remember Job) is that he /she is “paying the price” of stepping out of God’s will or time. If one joined a ministry or assumed a new job and had a struggle, more often than not it is assumed that he/she was not called by God or was not planted by the Lord in that vocation. If the struggle is of

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a financial nature one may be arrogantly reminded, “Where there is a vision, there ought to be a provision.” The financial struggle is pointed out as a disqualifying factor.

GOD UNDERSTANDS STRUGGLE

And on it goes. People never quite seem to know how to respond to others in struggle. Should they embrace them? Or,

should they avoid them? Should they join them in their struggle? Or, should they avoid them and their struggle?

Fortunately for us, the good Lord understands struggle and how we should respond to it. Evidence is replete all over His word detailing the Lord’s expectations: He requires that we identify with those victimized by circumstances. This was His elaborate point in the story of the Good Samaritan. It was the essence of His Mission. He forsook His royal privileges to identify with a struggling creation (Philippians 2:6-7). And when He met lepers struggling with rejection from their society? He broke the law: He touched them (Matthew 8:2-3). He visited them (Luke 5:12-13). He healed them (Mark 1:40-42).

Throughout the bible this seems to be God’s way of doing things. In fact, in Isaiah 58 He castigates those who identify with Him in rituals and sacrifices and yet refuse to relate with those in struggle. Orphans and widows are clearly portrayed as having a soft spot in the heart of God. One can in fact say, herein lies the message of the bible. In it we are shown a God who cares for the underprivileged. A God the

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struggling nation of Israel counts on in battle, in exile, under siege, as slaves, and in the wilderness. A God that never forsakes. A God that never abandons. In His own words:

“I will never forsake you or live you till

the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:15, Deuteronomy 31:6)

That is the God we serve. The God of every struggle. No struggle can separate you from His eternal love (Romans 8:31).

SETTLING THE DEBATE

Unfortunately, this is hardly the way of men. Most people like it plain easy. No messes. Most hate to struggle and even those who struggle. To be sure, most would discriminate struggle: They can struggle for themselves and not for others. This was the irony Jesus found among religious leaders in His time that would rescue their cow from a pit and care less for the healing of another individual (Matthew 12:9-12).

An argument has to be resolved at this point: Those that claim that if God has ordained a path it will be devoid of struggle lie from the most naïve pit of hell. Those that promise that there will only be “peace” for the purposes of God in ones life should find a lot of Jesus’ words quite difficult to receive. It is He who in fact said, “I bring not peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). It is He who admonishes us to each carry his own cross (Matthew 10:38).

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It is possible that those who guarantee peace would have in fact killed the prophets. Prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel were irked by these kinds of prophets (Jeremiah 14:14-16; 23:16-21; 27:14-18; Ezekiel 13:2).

The same deceptive spirit is at work in the church today. Christians need to be careful to receive the full balance of God’s word. Those that promise a clear path to victory without any struggles tell a different testimony from the Prince of Peace. The truth, on the other hand, reveals that more often than not, righteous people, good people, obedient servants of the Lord will struggle. They will experience setbacks. In those difficult times precious saints ought to remember the Masters guarantee:

In this world you will have persecution but

be of good cheer I have overcome the world! (John 16:33)

THE STRUGGLE OF THE RIGHTEOUS

These immortal words of our savior echo my personal experience since I was called into the ministry in 1986. And in varied ways, it is also the experience of all the wonderful saints and servants of the Lord I know. In fact the story of all the prophets, apostles, the kings, and other scripture heroes/heroines attests of righteous, God-called, divine servants that struggled through while fulfilling the will of God.

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This book premises its teaching on the profit of struggle. It is a clarion call to believers, Christians, societies, and all to wake up to the challenge of life. Wake up from fear, compromise, complaint, and excuses, and meet your adversary eye-ball to eye-ball. You will discover that if you looked hard enough your fear is really afraid of your boldness. If you pushed hard enough you may topple your trouble. God has already prepared for your victory because He knows you are a winner just like Him.

The chief character from which I derive the lessons I expound here knew he was destined to win. He had the win in his heart before he got it in his hand. Right from the womb of his mother Jacob was conceived in struggle. His mother was barren and she struggled with the Lord for the fruit of her womb. It seems to me that God answered her by providing Jacob and a problem called Esau. God set the stage for Jacob’s first struggle right in the womb of his mother. Before his climatic wrestle with God in Genesis 32 (referred to in the prologue) Jacob struggled with his brother right in the womb. From birth to death Jacob struggled for his life.

Even though he was somewhat unaccomplished in the evening of his life with only one son that had really made it, out of a large bunch of twelve children, Jacob was not outdone. He made the best out of a bad situation: He blessed all his sons. He saw a powerful nation emerge from a dysfunctional family that had brought him pain from their deceit, violence, betrayal, and loss. Rather than be afraid for their future he chose to believe the best for them. There is no

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record that he left them any tangible inheritance. Perhaps we may presume that following the famine in Canaan and world over he had little of substance to bequeath his fairly large family. Nonetheless, he left them something more important, an inheritance whose legacy has survived to this day. He left them WORDS. Words of hope. Words of courage. Words to carry on the struggle. Words to help them overcome. Words that carried what we call blessings. One by one, from Reuben and Judah the eldest, to Joseph, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh, a determined veteran of struggle spoke victory to another generation (Genesis 49).

THE BOOK

As you hold this book you hold immense value. You hold words of blessings. Words that will uplift you. Words of promise and future. Words that will train you in your struggles. From the life of Jacob we learn invaluable lessons. Lessons I have transmitted in words that will speak victory to you and your family, your spouse, your relations, and your community. Embrace these words. Share these words. Use these words.

The key focus is really the struggle and its winner. Seven dimensions inform our lessons as I urge you to struggle for your life:

a) God knew Jacob was a winner

b) Jacob knew he was a winner c) Rebecca knew Jacob was a winner

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e) Laban never knew Jacob was a winner f) Aluta Continua: The struggle continues g) Stay in the game

From these struggles you are likely to find out a lot about winning. You will learn that quitters never win and winners

never quit. You will discover that God knows you are a

winner, that you are not alone in the struggle. God is not far from you. On the contrary, He is with you. He is the ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). You will find out that he has even ordained someone to support you in your struggle. However, it is also probable that you will meet opposition from others and possibly those closest to you. But this does not dispute the reality, which is – you are a winner.

Jacob’s testimony illustrates that you are a winner even when it seems no one knows, and even when you experience setbacks. He teaches that winning is not an event. It is the beginning, it is the process, and it is the end. It is an attitude. It is a belief. You have got to have it in you before you can have it all through and all over you. If you don’t see it no one will. Jacob’s struggles demonstrate firsthand the benefits of endurance, resilience, determination and patience. He shows us the virtues of prayer, faith, and covenants with Almighty God. Truly, Jacob’s school of struggle bears the motto: He who endures to the end will be saved! (Mark 13:13)

Beloved, everything you go through – school, family, career, marriage, ministry, or city, nation, and neighborhood,

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whatsoever – will ask you one question “Are you a

winner?” I believe you are. God believes you are. No looser

can get a hold of this book. Divine destiny elected you to read a winner book because you like Jacob are a winner from the word go to the grand finale. So, as you struggle reading enjoy winning: I am counting on you. WINNER, DON’T

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GOD KNEW JACOB WAS A WINNER

From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have planned that will I bring about;

what I have planned, that will I do.

Isaiah 46:11

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good

works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:28

What most people never realize and usually take for granted is that races are really not won in the end. They are determined from the beginning. And yet the Olympian sports fan with his holiday mood casual observations celebrates the grand finale in total disregard of the varied efforts of the participants before the race. True as it were that the finish is so vital (after all it tells the last story) it is not the only important aspect of the race. It is for this reason that ambitious Olympians cannot just relax till the next event.

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They will put more effort at it. They will train for the next race in order to secure another victory. Nevertheless, it must be pointed out that even more important than both the process-to-victory and the event-of-victory is the decision whether or not one will be in the next event. Without this vital decision, the beginning, there can be no process, and no event. Small though it may appear, relative to the climatic euphoria associated with winning, it is nonetheless the little hinge that opens the big door.

OMNISCIENCE AND DESTINY

It is in this regard that we must understand Jacob’s struggle and eventual victory. The beginning was vital, so crucial to the whole process and event(s) of his life. For Jacob’s story begun with God. Important to note therefore is that it was not a famous event that God employed to flag-off Jacob’s success. Instead it was when an obscure battle raged in the womb of a perplexed mother in Genesis 25:22 that the Lord revealed Jacobs eventual fortune. Out of two jostling babies the Lord, who sees the end from the beginning, saw two warring nations and predicted that the younger would emerge the winner.

Just how important is it that God knows? For one, you can rely

on His knowledge. After all, He is the omniscient one. And if He knows it, that is what it is. He has the benefit of eternal sight unlimited as it were by time dimensions. The scripture declares that He sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). He is the alpha and the omega (Revelation 21:6). The

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author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Moreover, He is not a liar. There is no lie in Him. The word declares, “Let all men be liars but let God be true” (Romans 3:4). God’s word and knowledge is reliable. He watches over His word to perform it (Isaiah 55:11). His knowledge is sacred and He assures us that if it were not so He would not have told

us (John 14:1-2). It means a lot when the scriptures affirm

that God has put His word above His impeccable Name (Psalm 138:2).

There are a lot of parallels in the scriptures to Jacob’s womb ordination case that confirm the sanctity of God’s knowledge. Like Jacob, Samson and Jeremiah were known while in the wombs of their mothers and their subsequent lives were a reflection of what the Lord had known from the beginning (Judges 13:2-5; 1 Samuel 1:11). Similarly, before a charismatic Jeremiah burned with God’s word, bringing down and raising up kingdoms with his fiery sermons God had astonished him in his youth with these revelations (Jeremiah 1:5). God confesses to have known it all while the prophet was still in his mother’s womb. More recently in the New Testament, both John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ were known while still in their mothers’ wombs (Luke 1:13-17; 1:30-33). And the events of their lives agreed with the words declared even before they were in the wombs of their mothers. In the case of our Christ, God foretold his birth and ministry more than a thousand years before His birth (Genesis 3:15).

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MANY ARE CALLED

Is this preordination experience peculiar to certain biblical characters? By all means no! God is no respecter of persons

and His divine omniscience is certainly universal in its application. If it applied to Samson, Samuel, and others, it is also your portion. Jesus implied this when He remarked that of all men born of women none is greater than John the Baptist. But he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he (Luke 7:28). Are you a kingdom believer? If so, God knew you even before you were in your mother’s womb. I am sure it will help for you to find out what He knew. My other book – The Value of a Name – contains information that is expressly intended to provoke one to inquire of the Lord as to ones identity and destiny.

I am forever grateful for all of scripture. But I must confess to a weakness: There are portions of the word for which I have more affection. One of my favorites is the elaboration on destiny by the Apostle Paul in the letter to the Romans in the twenty-ninth verse of the eighth chapter, which for your information is not specialized to a listed category of imminent personalities. Paul speaks for everyone when he asserts:

Those who God predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He

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The application is universal: God foreknew everyone. Genesis 1:26 confirms that He predestined that everyone be conformed in the image of Christ. And that image is not a looser image. It is one of a winner, of more than a conqueror. God has planned and purposed for everyone to win. In Jeremiah 29:11, God assures us of His good plans for us. Plans to prosper us and not to bring us any harm. Victory and prosperity is really our manifest destiny, our intended heritage so to say. Sadly, though, few arrive at the place God has prepared from the very beginning. Although many are called, few are glorified (Matthew 22:14).

FEW CHOOSE

This selection is not God’s providence as we have seen. Those that suggest that God in some way or the other has chosen some few to be rich/successful while many to wallow in defeat and poverty lie from hell. The reality is that men and women opt out of Gods arrangement. This is what the writer of Ecclesiastes means when in the twenty-ninth verse of the seventh chapter he reminds us that although God made man perfect, he has gone after many schemes. Many hear Gods call but few heed to it. Several times the Lord laments that they hear but do not understand, they see but do not perceive (Isaiah 6:9; Luke 8:10). The Apostle John records how even when God decided to come to His own, they nonetheless rejected Him (John 1:12). Others kill the message of victory. They kill the prophets (Luke 11:48). Yet others purpose contrary to the Lord and loose (Acts 9:1-19). This also seems to have been the fate of King Saul when he

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chose to sacrifice rather than obey (1 Samuel 15:15-23). As a result, he lost the throne of Israel.

Unfortunately, life is littered with too many wanna-be’s and has-beens that loose it just because they reject Gods way. The point they miss is that the Lord is firm on His ways and that they are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8). What many on their way to disastrous failure regard as foolishness is in fact the very wisdom of the Most High (1 Corinthians 1:21). And the purpose they engage in their hearts lead to destruction (Proverbs 14:12). So, the million-dollar question remains:

How does a God-known winner remain on the course to ultimate victory?

SEPARATION

One of the ways God employs for a winner to remain on course is separation: A difficult but necessary experience. Sometimes you may have to break camp if you must

breakthrough. A careful study of Jacob reveals that it was the

lonely moments of Jacobs’s life that drew him closer to God, and therefore his victory. It was away from his fathers shadow, running from his brother’s anger, and missing his mother’s counsel and compassion that God opened to him the gates of heaven (Genesis 28:12-17). Again, it was without the comfort of his belongings, the support of his wives, children and servants that God appeared and wrestled with him (Genesis 32:22-30). It seems as if God ordained Jacob’s feet to lonely places reserved just for the two of them. And it

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seems that these duo dates functioned as important turning points in the patriarch’s process to victory.

It is the way of God that great winners are trained in secret. This method can be observed in the testimony of the great prophet Moses: God was not content to use him while he was still confined in the palatial comfort and favor of Pharaoh’s dynasty. As a result, the author of the book of Hebrews tells us that Moses despised his privileges preferring to identify with the downtrodden of the Lord (Exodus 2:11; Hebrews 11:24-27). Nevertheless, he was equally rejected as a leader among the Hebrews (Exodus 2:14). And so, we witness an elderly, dejected and recluse man forgotten by both Pharaoh and his own kin nevertheless being chosen in the wilderness by God (Exodus 3 & 4). Again, we witness how God was not satisfied to mould a popular David. No sooner than the crowds had finished their chants of praise for the young hero than Saul was on his pursuit (1 Samuel 18:7-11). Alone in the wilderness Jehovah tutored him on leadership. Many would agree that his most inspiring psalms were authored in these trying times. And after all, it was without a cheer that he had learned to kill giants (1 Samuel 17:34-36).

All through the scriptures we witness heroes that God carefully chose and processed in secret. The novel account of Gideon is one that provides a lot of inspiration. Here was a young man, cowardly, alone, and helpless in the face of the adversity suffered by his people under the Midianites. All he did was spend the day pondering and dreaming of a God that did great things in the past. He did not even have faith

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for his day. And yet it is while he was in his own self-sentenced solitary confinement that God calls him to be a leader of his people (Judges 6:11-23). For all the lessons the scriptures provide on this experience yet no one in scripture, and we can assume in life in general, mastered and balanced the art of separation as well as Jesus Christ. So often our Lord abandoned the pressing crowds for the lonely heights of mountains and deserts where He was alone (Matthew 4:1-11; 14:23; 17:1). The lesson cannot be overemphasized that before He arose to the Highest Throne of Heaven and the worship of angels and the multitudes, He endured the loneliness of the cross (Matthew 27:46).

The point is: The further away one is from others the closer one will be to God. Before the reward is the price. Jesus’ words educate us when He cautions us that unless a seed falls down and abides alone, it cannot grow and bear much fruit (John 12:24). Other spiritual generals in the scripture elaborate this principle: Paul spent a number of years after his conversion alone in Arabia (Galatians 3:17); Elijah was alone at Mount Horeb when he heard the whisper (1 Kings 19:7-14); Elisha his servant was without the company of the prophets when he got the double portion (2 Kings 2:9-15). Contemporary world leaders of Gods people all attest to the benefits of separation. The remarkable prophet William Branham that carried the Lord’s healing virtue around America and the world in unprecedented revival meetings in his time regularly spent days and nights in lonely mountain hideouts seeking the face of God. Similarly, the world-healing evangelist Benny Hinn confesses to spending times alone before ministering in any of his world-famous

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crusade meetings. The results are consistent whether it is biblical characters, medieval ministers or contemporary world-famous evangelists’ separation leads to impartation, which in turn guarantees performance, victory and promotion.

A lot of saints like the Lord to saturate them with His anointing and wonder why they never get filled. The answer may well be that before being saturated with the anointing one ought to allow to be separated by the anointing. This was the marvelous experience the Holy Ghost shared with Jesus. After baptizing Him in the Jordan, the scriptures say He was compelled by the Holy Ghost to go into the wilderness. Following which, He returned filled with power (Luke 4:1-15).

COVENANT

The other way God ensures our victory is through the principle of covenants. He is a God of His word. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a covenant making and abiding God. The English dictionary defines a covenant as a binding agreement between two parties. Covenants are commitments made between two or more parties. It is possible that Jacob learned to make covenants with God from his father Isaac who in turn learned from his father Abraham. And with the benefit of hindsight we observe that God honored His part of the covenant. The scriptures declare that God loved Jacob and hated Esau. God’s love for Jacob bound Him to the patriarch. It guaranteed His commitment. And so we observe that at strategic times and

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places God honored covenants Jacob made with Him. A lot of the victories that laced the life of Jacob can be traced to the fulfillment on God’s part of His covenant pledges.

God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35). If covenant worked for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it surely will work for us. For one, we are the children of Abraham himself and therefore benefactors of every covenant privilege and blessings our God guaranteed our patriarch and his descendants (Galatians 3:7-9). But what is even more assuring is the fact that God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is not a man that He` should change His mind (1 Samuel 15:29). Once He has spoken His word is sacrosanct. He watches His word and it will not come back to Him void till it has accomplished that which it has been sent to accomplish (Isaiah 55:11). Moreover, He has kept His word above His Name (Psalm 138:2). Believers in this God can be rest assured that if they held onto their part of their bargain God is more than faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9). To be sure, there is no assurance compared with blessed assurance: It is a rock one can stand on (Psalm 18:2); a pillar one can lean on (Psalm 18:2); a refuge for our soul, the righteous run to it and they are safe (Psalm 18:10). It is in this regard that King David assures us; “I was young and now I am old but I have never seen the righteous forsaken and their children beg for bread” (Psalm 37:25).

And yet the present day believer stands on an even more assuring covenant than that of our patriarchs and of the prophets. I refer to the covenant God made with His only begotten Son Jesus the Christ (Hebrews 7:1-9; 8:6). In the

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covenant ceremonies of our fathers they offered animals to the Lord. Jacob is seen offering to the Lord the sacrifice of bulls, sheep, and birds (Genesis 31:53-54). In this latter covenant the Son of God offered His own life (John 10:15). Contrary to some widely held views that Christ’s arrest and crucifixion was beyond His control being as it were that He had been betrayed and handed over to the Romans, Jesus freely offered His life. If He had not desired to die He would have commanded the angels to His rescue (Matthew 26:53). He had avoided arrest before using supernatural means to escape when it was not yet time for Him to die (Luke 4:29-30). In other instances He simply avoided places where death awaited Him because it was not yet time (John 7:1; 10:39-40). It must be noted however that no other individual in history and since his death and resurrection spoke of their impending death with the clarity of Christ. Several times He alluded to His death (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31-32; Luke 18:31-34; John 12:20). Everything He said about His death happened as He said it would happen to the extent that one can say He willed for it to happen the way it did. A lot of the details of His death related to scriptural prophecies made long before He was born (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53). His closest aides discouraged Him from considering His death and He rebuked them (Matthew 16:21-22). Others just did not understand Him till after His death (Luke 18:34). After the resurrection of His friend Lazarus He ponders His own death:

“Now, my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour’?

no, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name! (John 12:27-28)

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And yet, His death was not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). His death was the sacrificial offering that sealed His covenant with God. That covenant, my beloved friends, was a triad as it was made to ensure our ultimate victory. It was a love truce in which an innocent man subjected Himself to death, even to the cross, so that we would be guaranteed victory in every aspect in life.

VICTORY IS YOURS

Thus said, nothing can defeat the believer if He knows and invokes the terms of this covenant. The truth is astonishing, too good to be true. In this covenant God made a covenant with a looser. And while in the former covenants God made the weak strong and the looser a winner, in the new covenant the dynamics are modified. God actually becomes the other party. He trades places. Instead of only making the weak stronger, God actually made His son weaker – almost unmentionable – so that we assume His strength. Rather than make the looser a winner, in the new covenant God actually weakened His Son so that we may have His victory. That is what the apostle Paul meant when he said that Christ became sin that we may be the very righteousness of God! (2 Corinthians 5:21) Unbelievable, yet it is the very love of God. Surely His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9).

So beloved, do not be afraid. Your victory is secure. You are a winner in Him. You are a champion in Him. The word actually says we are more than conquerors in Him (Romans

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8:37). No weapon formed against us can prosper. And any tongue that shall speak against us in divination shall be condemned (Isaiah 54:17). You my friend are awesome. I am glad to be your faithful servant. Please remember me in your kingdom. Are you feeling down and out? Alone and abandoned? Just remember the covenant. Remember the dear price He paid. Moreover, you are not alone because He promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will be with you always” (Matthew 28:15). And though it is true that in this world there is no gain without pain, remember He bore the pain. It may also be the case that in this world there is a lot of trouble, remember He overcame the world (John 16:33). Remember He knows who you are. You are engraved on the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:16) and are the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8). An awesome God has found common ground with you and is mindful of you (Psalm 8:4). Most assuredly, it is the Lords good pleasure that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well (3 John 2). Mercy, peace and love are yours in abundance (Jude 2).

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JACOB KNEW HE WAS A WINNER

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord,

make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

As a man thinks so is he.

Proverbs 23:7

Indeed the amazing wonder is that an awesome God has found common ground with man. The first time was way back in the beginning when He created man in His divine image (Genesis 1:27). Perfect man is the perfect imitation of God Almighty. In essence, man is a god (Psalm 82:6; John 19:34-36) with a free will God respects. As such God ponders the mutual creature and so draws near those who draw near to

Him (James 4:8). He will simply not impose Himself. He may

know that you are a winner but if you refuse to know it too there is very little even in His omnipotent power He can do to make you the winner that you are. In the book of Habakkuk He laments, “My people perish for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).

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It is not enough that God knows you are a winner. You too ought to know what He knows. Too often believers read the promises but refuse to receive them. They hear but do not perceive, see but do not understand (Isaiah 6:9). Sadly, just too many miss out on what the gracious One has made so available. One of the most tragic references to this failure on our part is captured by the eloquent writer of the book of Ecclesiastes when in the twenty-ninth verse of the seventh chapter he laments, “Though God made man perfect, he has gone after many schemes.”

Fortunately for Jacob he decided to return to the plan of God. He embraced what God knew. Rather than just hear and idly wait by He sought to cooperate with the word of God. He struggled for what God had predestined. Once having known what God knew, he was willing to go through the valley of the shadow of death. He abandoned his comfort zone. He bid good-bye to the familiarity of yesterday to confront the uncertainty of his tomorrow. More afraid of the stagnancy he suffered in his father’s house he preferred the perils of going forward. In the depth of him grew a restless nag that continuously bothered him to follow the lofty claims of an invisible God. Once God has spoken, once He has ordained, the Jacobs of this world will simply follow.

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YOUR LIFE IS YOUR CHOICE

Whether or not we will follow through on what God knows and has revealed is a matter of choice, plain and simple. Justification is reserved for those who follow through. The Shepherd has a table for only the sheep that will follow through the valley of the shadow of death. Jacob knew the repercussions of stealing Esau’s blessing. He must have weighed the pros and cons. On the pro-side, he would have to give up the comfort of his life with the possible risk of loosing his very life. On the con-side, he could preserve the status quo. He could stay in his mother’s kitchen, unknown to his father. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak: His spirit kicked to run but his flesh counted the cost as he debated his mother’s urgings. In the end, he lost his life and won.

The same dilemma dramatically confronted another generation: The Joshua generation. Having wondered in the scorching heat (albeit covered with the cloud of glory) of the wilderness the children of Israel were offered their greatest opportunity: The chance to enter the promise land. Spies were sent to survey the land and report back to an expectant mass of people. The majority of the spies returned with a losers report (Numbers 13:3-20). They conclude on impossibilities (Numbers 13:27-30). They balanced the ledger citing the goodness but exclaiming the danger. With persuasive maneuvers they convinced the entire mass of Israel to backtrack on the venture. But there is another side to the report. Two lone voices, Joshua and Caleb, speaking with fanatic resolve urged the masses with courageous calls

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to enter the land. They tear the garments and pronounce that the enormity of their ability is more than suited to the task at hand. They assure the masses that God will yield victory to them against the giants in the land (Numbers 14:6-9). In the end, the cowards took the day and God infuriated at their fear and disbelief invoked a cruel judgment: None of them, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, would see the Promised Land. They will all die in the wilderness (Numbers 14:27-30).

Just too many die at the valley of indecision. Most losers can trace their misfortune to this point in their life where they failed to make a decision or made the wrong choice (usually presented as the easier choice). The writer of the Proverbs castigates importunity when he observes that the sluggard does not plough in season so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing (Proverbs 20:4). Again he warns that laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry (Proverbs 19:15). In other words, one must avoid the “easy” ways and choose the means that will make a difference in their life. It all comes down to making the right choices. Joshua and Caleb avoided the easy route of complaining, blaming and murmuring and chose the means that would make the difference for Israel. Notice that in their convictions they did not dwell so much on the theology of their convictions. I am convinced that there is a time after walking the talk of faith that one is consumed by the mind of God. At this point, the plan that rules the heart is the purpose that prevails in heaven. Such people know they are winners and no obstacle on their way will convince them

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otherwise. Having embraced God’s will for their life the rest is left to time and effort. As such, the diligent knows he is a winner. He goes for it. On the other hand, is the sluggard clouded in fear, inertia and defeat. And both are right: The one that says “I can” and the one that says “I cannot.” It is all a matter of choice. They receive their expectations according to their faith.

IDENTITY

A comic but profound story is given in the book of Acts concerning the seven sons of a priest called Sceva. Having observed Paul’s ministry and his authority over demons in the name of Jesus they sought to cast out evil spirits from a demoniac. The demons in the man remarked, “Paul we know and Jesus we know, but who are you?” before thoroughly disarming the young imitators and beating them thoroughly (Acts 19:14-16). The lesson in the story is often missed. I do not think the essence of the account demonstrates the knowledge of the demons or any absence of power on the part of the imitators. Rather, the problem was chiefly one of identity. The young men simply did not know who they were. They had no testimony or experience. Real winners may be known by their good scores but that is not their sum total. The latter is where the true identity lies while the former is a publicity façade. As such, what you may know about the winner is only a partial reality of what he/she may be aware concerning themselves. So while we celebrate/envy the triumph the winner knows that his

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victory is a process and not an event. It is this process that defines his identity and not merely the actual event. The sons of Sceva sought to imitate the accomplishments of Paul and Jesus without carrying their cross. They wanted the triumph minus the trial. In other words, they were faking. And what is amazing is that the devil knows the real from the fake. The Paul they sought to imitate bore both pain and power. He had a testimony. The Jesus whose name they invoked gave up, came down, and gave all, before He arose in great power. Both while focusing on the end pressed through all circumstances to ensure their victory.

It is characters like these that own to self. Job in his misery confessed, “I know that my redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). Paul was never shy of an introduction that included both his esteemed position as an apostle of Christ but also the trials of his call among the gentiles (2 Corinthians 6:3-13). And Jesus publicly spoke of who He was (John 8:12). In my other book, “The Value of a Name” I deal exhaustively with the importance of ones true identity and how this facilitates winning in life. For one, knowing ones true identity renders a sense of freedom to an individual. It allows one to freely unlock ones potentials and to pursue ones highest ideals. It also enables one to be free from the trappings of public opinion. Finding out who you are liberates one to explore immeasurable potentials and guarantees one of divine packages God has commissioned to ones true self. I sincerely believe that there is a miracle with your name on it that will only actuate when you find out who you really are.

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Jacob learnt this in time. He saw God’s favor on him in spite of negative events. Something profound happened when God named him Israel, which meant he had fought with God and won. From then own, a lone fugitive with a loser mentality ceased to hibernate in fear and insecurities. He became increasingly aware of the significant role God had cut out for him. He sensed destiny and divinity had mingled to transform him from a run away brother to a father of a

nation. It did not matter any more that Esau hated him or

that he’d been cheated by his uncle or even that his father never cared for him. What was of concern was that he fulfilled the will of the one who had called him. It is that Jacob who at his deathbed sensed the grave need to anoint his sons one by one. Unbothered by the failures of all his children with the exception of Joseph, this veteran of struggle saw his rebirth as a nation according to the promise of God who had revealed to him who he was.

Its application to us today can be gathered from the theology of Paul who was an authority in these matters. In his letter to the saints in Rome the apostle states that though God loved Jacob he hated Esau (Romans 9:13). In those times the election was highly restricted. Today, we live in a period of abounding grace – whosoever will (John 6:37). In the new covenant you too can choose. Elect your victory. Elect your triumph. Treasure the score in your heart and move through the events of life assured of your glorious end. Just like in a functioning democracy, after the election the events are secondary. An elected leader rules through his term no matter the events. While the events may sway public opinion the election sustains popular rule. Let the opinions

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of others change but keep your election. Moreover, your identity has better possibilities under the covenant of Christ. In Him, there is now no more condemnation for all the old passes away and the new comes (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul was speaking for all believers when he said that we are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:31). My beloved friend, you can be assured that in Him you can do all things as He strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).

THE VALUE OF A NAME

It is amazing that for nearly half his life, the patriarch never really knew who he really was. The name Jacob that his father Isaac had called him had meant he was a fluke, a liar. It did not bear any resemblance with who God had said he would be while he was in his mother’s womb. God had said he would be a victor. So, for about sixty years this great individual went about his life with a wrong identity. Not until God fought with him and changed his name to Israel, which meant he was a victor, did he finally come to terms with who he really was. What is really amazing in this account is the implicit value given to the name of a person.

What is in a name? Is there any value in it? Or, was William Shakespeare right when he proposed that there is no value in it cynically suggesting that a rose by any other name would still be a rose? In my other book - The Value of a Name - I beg to

differ. I differ because there is critical evidence from the word of God that there is value in a name and in actually knowing who you really are. The scriptures prove this

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consistently with the most critical reference being the omnipotent name of Jesus as the vital name of the Messiah. On the contrary, what the first half of Jacob’s life teaches us, and also a significant part of the human tragedy, is a lack of knowledge in this regard. So many live in oblivion, marginalized because of a lack of proper understanding of who they are or what they should do or where it ends. I believe that when one finally finds out the truth concerning who they are they cease to be an outcast, a spectator, or a subject of everybody and everything. When you find out who you really are you realize that you are a peculiar person, uniquely designed for greatness. You realize that you are God’s everlasting dream in eternity that takes on reality on earth. And there need not be any difference between what God upholds in heaven and what you manifest on earth. Your name in heaven can be your experience on earth.

To be sure, the value of your name is really more than just your identity. It is not merely something by which one can be recognized or referred to. That would be an abuse for what God intended to be a most vital tool for the journey of life. What must also be avoided is the exaggeration of a name. Merely finding out your name does not guarantee a significant difference in your life. It is for this reason that you find people called Victor but in actual experience their life is a long story of defeat. A name is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. It is a sign, a very essential one, leading to a long-winded road of life. It is the sum total of your genesis, destiny, purpose and life. The account begins long before you are born and may actually conclude long after

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you are dead. Important to note is the fact that only God knows a names worth. He is after all the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. Without Him there would not be any identities, any names. He is the genesis, determines the destiny, provides the purpose, and sustains the life of all men and women. Seek to know Him, and how He knows you and you will discover that you are really a WINNER from the word GO!

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REBECCA KNEW JACOB WAS A WINNER

The Lord God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 2:18

Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is very helpful to me in my ministry.

2 Timothy 4:12

There are no lone heroes. Everyone needs some help. It is always interesting the way the children of this world have employed God’s wisdom for their own ends, many times perverting it. Almost every hero-movie features the star and a loyal assistant, usually a lady (if the action-hero is a man). From James Bond to Rocky Marciano the hero, however potent, is graciously enabled by a loyal lieutenant. Short of the sexual perversions some of these movies employ to help their story is the invaluable lesson: Everyone (even action-heroes) needs some help.

STAKEHOLDERS

These hero-assistants are stakeholders strategically placed to ensure victory. In Jacob’s case, one of his chief assistants was Rebecca his mother. And she proved vital in imparting the necessary hope in the hero. Usually the assistant will know something the hero or others do not know: A vital piece of

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information. Rebecca knew Jacob’s end from the beginning. She had the Lord’s word on it. It was she that had inquired of the Lord concerning the jostling in her womb. It was she who the Lord first revealed the destiny of Jacob (Genesis 25:22-23). This leakage of divine providence was God’s ordination of Rebecca as a hero-assistant. And so, when Isaac misfired Rebecca knew better. While Isaac was fascinated with Esau’s athletic prowess in the wilderness Rebecca nurtured a recluse Jacob. To be sure, Isaac was carnal. He was only bothered by what he felt, saw, touched and smelt. On the other hand, Rebecca was prophetic: She knew Jacob’s future was better than the present circumstances. Consequently, she accepted her place as the winner’s assistant according to the future God had predicted.

She played the vital role in getting Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing. Always strategically placed, she overheard Isaac in his dying moments intend to bless Esau as heir (Genesis 27:2-5). She knew this was not the course of destiny. Fitting her bill as assistant she encouraged Jacob to scheme for his rightful heritage (Genesis 27:6-17). It is this effort that resulted in Jacob being blessed instead of Esau (Genesis 27:27-30). And when the repercussions of this development threatened the hero’s life, Rebecca secured a safe haven – her brother Laban (Genesis 27:43-46).

Motivated by the revelations of a mighty God, Rebecca sought every means she could figure to ensure the purpose of God. She did not sit idly by. A cadre of struggle, she was determined to help in every way she knew how even when

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the realities of the day seemed to contradict God’s word. After all, Jacob was not the favorite of his father (who was a prophet of God). It would have made more sense if Isaac had confirmed God’s word. Instead, Isaac named her hero Jacob that meant a fluke, a liar and a supplanter. But Rebecca was unshaken. She held onto the word. She was willing to lose her marriage, risked dividing her small family, and was actually prepared not to see Jacob for the rest of her life if it preserved his destiny.

Consequently, we witness how Rebecca held onto the Lord’s choice. It became her choice. She was not just one with Jacob in the flesh they were united in the spirit. I am positive it was her prayer that brought heaven down to a lonely and afraid Jacob when he first reached Bethel. I can see her in the evening of her years still praying for a Jacob she had not seen in decades. It must have been her prayers that joined Jacob’s faith for the opening of Rachel’s womb. Rebecca tells you that someone is praying for you.

HERO-ASSISTANTS IN THE WORD

“Hero-assistant” is really my phrase for what the bible calls a “help-mate”. It was God’s intention from the very beginning that every hero is assigned a “help-mate”. Though Adam reigned supreme on the earth the Lord observed that it was not good for him to be alone. So He gave the man a helper – woman. Those that claim behind every great man is a woman can trace this wisdom to God.

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Consequently, one may observe that heroes throughout the scriptures had women assistants. Abraham had Sarah, Moses had Miriam, and Prophet Samuel owed not only his elaborate ministry but his very life as well to a praying mother. The role of women hero-assistants was even more pronounced in the New Testament. The mother of Jesus is perhaps the most celebrated case. We see her loyalty right from the savior’s birth to His wretched death on the cross. And just how did Jesus afford his travels? Dr. Luke reveals in the first verse of the eighth chapter of his gospel recordings that certain women supported the Master from the substance of their means. Among them was another famous hero-assistant in the person of Mary Magdalene. It is forever to be mentioned that Mary was the first person to really believe the oncoming sufferings of the Messiah before His death and even demonstrated this by anointing Him with fine perfume she had saved over a year (John 12:3). And while the Masters friends hid themselves following His death, again it was Mary who had the nerve and love to go to the tomb where they had laid His body. As a result, she delivered the first gospel after the resurrection (John 20:1-2). Apart from women, the scriptures speak of other hero-assistants. Notable among which are the angels of Almighty God. Our first introduction to them is following the fall of man when God positions angels at the east side of the Garden of Eden to guard the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). At this point we are made to see angels functioning as God’s assistants. And for the most part of the word of God they are. God has created angels specifically to minister to Him. There are angels that are constantly before Him ministering

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to Him in worship (Isaiah 6:2-4; Ezekiel 1:5-24; Revelation 4:8). However, angels do also serve God’s people even as they serve the Lord. There are angels that specifically fight for his people (Joshua 5:13-15; Isaiah 37:36). The most notable of these is the arch-angel Michael (Daniel 10:13; Jude 9). There are angels who deliver messages of the Lord to his people as was the case with Jacob while he laid his head at Bethel (Genesis 28:12-14). The most notable of these is arch-angel Gabriel (Luke 1:11-20; 26-38). Apart from fighting and delivering messages angels can perform other tasks as well such as serving food as was the case with Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-9) or removing obstacles as was the case in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:2-3). Jesus was indeed familiar with the ministry of angels. During his arrest He mentioned that it was possible, if necessary, for Him to summon 12 legions of angels to His assistance (Matthew 26:53). The point is that angels are available for the service of God’s people. You need not be a lone hero; heaven is at your side to back you up!

As moving as it is to consider the divine efforts at our disposal in the person of angels however, the most incredible assistant of God’s people is the Lord Himself. It is amazing to observe God at the service of men. There is an interesting reference to the Lord’s assistance given in the account of the Exodus. Following their successful departure from Egypt the Hebrew are challenged by the Egyptian army which is sent to recapture them. During the experience, the Lord’s angel that had been leading the Hebrews together with the Lord moves from the front of the mass of Hebrew to the back. Amazingly, the Lord follows

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suit in a cloud (Exodus 14:19). Together with the angel, God positioned Himself for their defense. Throughout that journey God also provided them essential services - shelter, warmth, food and water. Some of the names of God known by the Hebrew relate to the services He provides men. Thus, Jireh means “the Lord who provides”; Nissi means “the Lord who fights our battles”; and, Jehovah-Rapha means “the Lord our healer”. When Jesus was among us He demonstrated God’s ministry to man in the symbolism of washing His disciple’s feet (John 13:4-17). Ultimately, he demonstrated God’s service to man by offering His body as a sacrifice for the remission of our sins (Isaiah 53).

Before He returned to be with His Father in heaven, Jesus taught on another sense in which God would be at our service. Speaking to His disciples He introduced the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He mentioned that He would be our “Helper” (John 16:7). As a helper, the Holy Spirit would function as a counselor that would reveal God’s truth to His people. Studying the dynamic book of Acts reveals how the early church witnessed the incredible benefits of the Holy Spirit’s ministry. He was present to heal when they evoked the Name of Jesus (Acts 3:6-8). And when they were afraid, He emboldened them so that they fearlessly ministered in the Name of Jesus (Acts 4:31). There were even instances when He went so far as to transport them to and from places (Acts 8:39). The wonderful ministry of the Holy Spirit is still available for us and we suffer for nothing if we do not call on His assistance.

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ESTIMATE YOUR HELP

There are times in the struggle for your life that you just need help. Matter of fact, no one ever makes it without any help. It is indeed so wonderful that the Almighty has ordained precious assistants to enable us fulfill His will. We should be able to receive this help and cooperate with the assistants God avails. However, one must not confuse loyalty for perfection. Evidence in the word of God demonstrates that even those persons that God ordains to assist may cause more harm than good. The eternal example of Eve remains with us. Ordained by God to help man rule the earth Eve yet played the crucial role of causing man to lose his place on earth and in God’s plan. I am sure she meant well when she got Adam to eat the fruit but this loyalty was clouded by the imperfection of her counsel. Rebecca too demonstrates the aberrations of hero-assistants. Her loyalty to Jacob involved the hero in deceit, manipulation and fear. She tried to get Jacob accomplish in the flesh what God had prepared for in the spirit. Having heard that her husband intended to bestow his last blessing upon Esau she advised Jacob to disguise himself and pretend to be his hairy brother. She was so eager that Jacob gets Isaac’s blessing. Rather than involving Jacob in seeking the face of God so that this may be done truthfully she relied on deception. The scripture reveals that this was a stronghold in her life, perhaps even a generation curse. Her own brother Laban was a liar and a manipulator too. And it followed through Jacob’s children some of who were terrible liars. Rebecca reminds us that in spite of being loyal, hero-

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assistants have weaknesses that may cost the purpose of God.

Other hero-assistants in the bible demonstrate this dilemma. Sarah convinced Abraham to lie with her maid in a bid to fulfill God’s promise (Genesis 16:1). The result was a problem called Ishmael. David’s wife Michal who was useful in securing his relation with her father Saul later on criticized David for dancing in the spirit (1 Samuel 19:11). David was a man with loyal but problem – ridden assistants. 2 Samuel 4 details a highly dramatic story of his assistants murdering one of David’s enemies against his will. In verse 39 in reference to what his angry assistants had done he laments: “… though I am the anointed King, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me”.

In this case, David suffered the result of failing to correctly estimate the value of his assistants. Fraternizing with assistants must be carefully done. Short of this indiscipline coupled with loyalty is likely to claim the ranks in David’s reign. We observe how this weakness showed up in his family. His own son Absalom who David feared to discipline later on became disloyal and even overthrew him. Jesus must have had His estimations done when at the wedding at Cana He reminded His mother that the time was not right. Later on when she sought to get Him out of the meeting he placed her in proper perspective affirming that his brothers, sisters and mother are those who hear and obey His word. (Mark 3: 34-35). And when a fiercely loyal Peter rigorously objected to the talk of his death, an audacious Jesus responded in a most disciplining manner – “Satan get

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behind me” (Matthew 16: 23). In receiving the help, we must measure its value and continue to “test every spirit”.

BEWARE OF FAKES.

By now you are aware that the mission is not always easy. And the devil knows it. It is after all his work to make it as difficult as he possibly can. One means he employs is providing fake Rebecca’s, fake assistants. It is one thing for Rebecca to be imperfect. Dealing with a fake Rebecca is quite another thing altogether. They are two different people. For all the inadequacies of Peter and the disciples (many times the Lord wondered at their little faith) they did not measure to the evil of Judas Iscariot. Among them, yet He was never one of them. His mission was an assignment from hell. Fake assistants are dream – killers. They are children of perdition. They will lie and wait, pretend and even help till they bury the mission. Delilah is a good example (Judges 16:21). They will always provide seemingly more satisfactory than the others. Hagar is another: They will even serve you while carefully dropping words of doubt and fear in your life (Genesis 16:1-4). And then, they will be so close as to steal your miracle. Were it not for mercy and God’s grace, Sarah had literally handed over her promise to a fake assistant. Ultimately, they are disloyal. You shall know them by their fruits. Judas was always stealing from the moneybag before he betrayed the Savior.

However, “beware” must not be mistaken for “be afraid”. We are more than conquerors through Christ who

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strengthens us (Romans 8:37). As devious as the fake assistants may be they are limited in their ability. Remember, their father is the devil an already defeated person. Look at the end of Judas. Jesus pitied him saying, “It were better he had never been born” (Mark 14:21). Would have been better for whom? The Church? No. The church grew stronger in spite of his mission. And His absence was so quickly resolved. Better for Christ? No: It was appointed for Him to die for the redemption of man. With Judas or without him, the Lord was prepared to die. It would have been better for Judas because He will forever suffer the shame, the guilt, and the pain of betraying the Master.

Jesus was not afraid of Judas, He was aware. Sometimes the Lord allows them to inhabit our surrounding manifesting His glory. However, we must know when they should leave because if they don’t we will. Samson paid the price for failing to dismiss Delilah even after several warning of her intentions. A good indicator of this turning point is when your mistake begins to mock your miracle. When what has been disguised as loyal begins to despise the mission bid it good-bye. The day Sarah found Ishmael mocking her miracle – Isaac – she dismissed her mistake, Hagai (Genesis 21: 8). On the other hand, God is able to turn what was meant for evil to good as the case of David and Absalom demonstrates (2 Samuel 15-18). Absalom was a fake and David spared him because familial ties. His intentions to remove his father from the throne were known and reported to David. He pretended to provide counsel and care to the grievances of the children of Israel yet he used this means to depopularise his father. In spite of several warning and