GO IN THY MIGHT SAYS THE LORD

‎In Deuteronomy chapter 3 certain events took place that could have been avoided had the leader been observant enough. Og, the king of Bashan, refused to learn from Sihon’s defeat, which ultimately led to his own destruction.
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‎Someone once told me that she loves to learn from those who have already navigated major life experiences. I quite agree with her, because what better way is there to learn? It is much faster – because a journey of many months or years becomes a narrative shared in just minutes or hours. Indeed, experience, they say, is truly the best teacher in life whether for the victim or listener. Events sometimes happen in other people’s lives, so that we can learn from them and avoid similar pitfalls.
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‎The Lord  declared he had given the Israelites the land to possess (Deut. 3 vs 18). What victory has been handed over to you that the enemy is just raging over? Step forward and take hold of it now! in Jesus name. What mountains have you successfully surmounted in the past? Remember to thank God for that and go forward to possess another and another and another…… for your inheritance is endless. If God has given you victory before, He is ready to do it again and He’ll do it again and again!
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‎Every mountain or challenge has foundational factors required for its resolution. Yes, the strategies may change but the basic factors still remain the same. They include::
‎- Acknowledging the sovereignty of God over the situation
‎- Prayer to God
‎- Faith in God
‎- Meditation on God’s Word
‎- Obedience to God
‎- Patience
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‎No challenge looks surmountable initially, we are therefore encouraged to brace ourselves and apply these core principles to overcome any obstacle, just as we have surmounted them in the past.
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‎Shalom 🕊️
‎Bimpe Lawal

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JOURNEY TO PERSONAL GROWTH AND DIVINE PURPOSE

‎In Life, we come in contact with different types of people along side their baggage.  While some are road blockers, some are access givers and others are set in place to display God’s glory. Whichever way it plays out, we must come into contact with them as catalysts for our personal growth and divine purpose.
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‎We sometimes spend months or years on a particular phase in life, whether consciously or unconsciously, such was the case of the Israelites (Deut. 2 vs 14). From personal experience, when faced with delays or limitations, the best thing to do is to identify that there’s a limitation and seek God for clarity.
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‎In all cases, we are told what to do – Whether to wait (because He wants to remould us and make us better), or repent of a particular sin like the Israelites and face the consequences, or because whatever is being asked for is not good for us at that moment, or it could be an attack from the enemy simply because we don’t know our authority in Christ (by not using the right Word of God to address the delay). In all cases, we have no power to determine the expiration date of the phase.
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‎In any of these phases, forgiveness is essential as a condition for advancement. ‘Forgive us oh Lord, as we forgive others‘ –Matt. 6 vs 12 (paraphrased). We must be quick to forgive others in order to advance or grow. Other hindrances to growth include offence, jealousy, gossip, destroying other people, strife etc.
‎Learning to yield to God (which never comes easy) will prevent us from yielding to any of these vices and pave the way for us to advance .
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‎Another essential factor is Trust. Trusting God, breaks down the wall of pride (the mindset of ‘I know what to do’ or ‘I can do it by myself‘). It means having to lean on Him for instructions, guidance and provision. Guardrails will be given in the form of cautions. This is all part of the ingredients required to mature us. Note that cautions were given not to meddle with the Moabites and Ammonites (Deut. 2 vs 16-19)  Sometimes, God gives and preserves outward blessings for wicked men, but He always has better things in store for His children.
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‎Another factor is contentment, we will be tested by this. Are we within the boundaries of God’s Word and instructions? Because it is very easy to go beyond the borderline due to the distraction of pleasing the flesh and not wanting to endure. There are other essential factors such as faith, love, submission or humility amongst others but they are not mentioned in this context.
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‎At the set time of advancement, the Lord will give wisdom to know what to do, courage and boldness to take possession and favor to get to the desired destination. Just because, God said it, it doesn’t mean it will automatically come to pass, we still need to contend for the promises and instructions as soldiers of Christ. it is expected that, we still have to work for it.
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‎Though we may be kept waiting long for deliverance and enlargement, it will come at last. For happy are those whom Jesus has delivered from the wrath to come. To them He has given His Spirit, hence, their inheritance cannot be affected by changes in earthly possessions or the shaking of kingdoms.
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‎Shalom 🕊️
‎Bimpe Lawal

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LEADERSHIP CRITERIA

‎In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses emphasized he lacked the capacity to bear the heavy burden of the Israelites’ complaints and problems alone, especially since they had grown immensely in number. His experience reflects a timeless truth, any leader who attempts to guide others without involving God will inevitably find the task too burdensome. Recognizing this limitation, Moses asked them to choose wise, understanding and knowledgeable men from amongst their tribes as leaders.(Deut 1 vs 13)
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‎Since then, the same approach has remained relevant across all spheres of life – where selection of leadership takes place.
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‎A leader’s performance is profoundly shaped by the people’s selection process. An exceptional leader is often the product of a discerning choice, whereas poor leadership stems from a flawed selection process.
‎Ultimately, the decision usually is in the hands of the people or the general public (such as voters in a democratic election, committee on a board or governing body appointed to choose a leader on behalf of a larger group).
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‎In every sphere of life, the quality of governance and direction is directly tied to the discernment of those who hold the power to choose. You may ask – What qualities must these choosers possess? – to make the right decision, they must possess the ability to discern Godly wisdom, alongside understanding and knowledge of the task (just to mention a few) in the candidates they are appointing, for this is very essential to any group, society or nation. For any leadership that lacks these qualities as a core, is bound to collapse.
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‎To truly understand these qualities, we must look to their spiritual foundations and search if it’s rooted in God – this car only be revealed to us divinely.
‎-  they must possess Godly wisdom, means they’ll have to have a deeper union with Christ – for wisdom is centered on him (Col 2 vs 3).
‎- To seek understanding is to gain insight and instructions into the task from God(Prov 4 v 1 & 7).
‎- And to seek knowledge is to possess the ability to discern the timing of events revealed by God through their intimacy with Christ. That is knowing what to do per time concerning every situation.
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‎Beyond these foundational traits, other qualities of a good leader highlighted are vision alignment with God and bravery to archive excellence in the long-run even when faced with a common challenge despite the uncertainty which may not be in sink with the ideology of the people at inception.
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‎In conclusion, when a leader possesses these qualities, he’s in alignment with God’s will thereby responding accurately to what God is doing per time. In essence, he won’t be out of season with God. Ultimately, the choices made by those leaders in authority – whether wrong or right will inevitably dictate the progress, trajectory and destiny of the families,societies,organizatios and nations they serve.
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‎Shalom 🕊️
‎Bimpe Lawal
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OCCUPYING DIVINE SPACES – REST & EXPANSION

‎Turn and take your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the lowland and in the Negeb and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. (Deuteronomy 1:7 ESV).
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‎In this scripture, God highlighted 6 distinct territories that He commanded the Israelites to possess. Relating this to our personal lives, we can dive into each space to understand what it represents for us today:
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‎  – The mountain of the Amorites been mentioned here denotes the people of God possessing their homes. Remember, permanent sheltering was their major challenge – hence, acquiring these spaces served as a major breakthrough for them. Rhetorical question:- what major challenge are we facing in this season of our life’s?  The Almighty God is commanding us to take charge and possess that which He has given unto us in Jesus name.
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‎- The second place they were asked to possess is the neighbouring places in the plain. This is basically imploring us not to be contained but to expand in possessing the treasures He has placed near us (in form of human relationships or capital, natural treasures, business opportunities etc) We need to recognize and develop these treasures that are placed around us.
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‎  –  To go in and possess the mountains and the low lands – every new level has its difficult and easy places. Just because something is difficult doesn’t mean God is not in it and just because it is easy doesn’t mean He is in it either. On this new level, seeking God’s consent for every decision should be our core focus, hence His approval gives us the courage and boldness to step forward. 
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‎- To go in and possess the south and seacoast of the territory:  since the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (Psalm 24 vs 1), God has made it possible for us to inherit everything on earth (Gen 1 vs 26 ), including the sea and its hidden wealth. This includes resources such as Food, Jewelry, Medicine, Oil and Natural gas, Sea salt, Copper, Cobalt, Waves harnessed to generate Electricity amongst others. We should pray for wisdom to harness and transform these resources for the benefit of all mankind.
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‎- The Land of the Canaanites: For a believer, entering Canaan is to attain a state of divine rest, which serves as our ultimate spiritual destination. However, the rest is not attained by human strength, but is given by God at His own will. In this state, battles are silenced, while abundance, peace, blessings, love, glory and all other goodness of God radiates through our lives showing to all that the Lord Himself has given us rest.
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‎- To possess the Euphrates river is to possess other or similar sources of food not found in the sea, to explore building materials, paper materials, boat materials and maximizing other opportunities generated by the rivers in our territories.
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‎In conclusion, there are countless blessings laying in and around us. To see and harness these opportunities as we move, we must ask for Godly wisdom and knowledge to deploy these resources effectively, both as a group (nation, family, congregation) or individually. For in every challenge lies in an opportunity waiting to be harnessed. Go forth in the might of the Lord, occupy, expand and flourish exceedingly. There are numerous blessings and opportunities waiting for you and I.
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‎Shalom 🕊️
‎Bimpe Lawal

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TIME TO MOVE

‎The Israelites had reached the end of their wilderness experience of 40years and were at a critical transitioning point in Deut.1 vs 6- 7 – where God instructed them to move forward having stayed in the wilderness for so long.
‎’A wilderness experience’ means so many things to so many people. However, no matter how you define it or how long it lasts – whether 10 years or just 2 months – know this: when God speaks, that season must come to an end.
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This births critical questions on what God is saying about our current wilderness experience – Is He telling us to build more faith, obey His leading, exercise more patience, or is it finally time to move forward? Many people will prefer the latter, but honestly speaking, there’s no use eating a half baked bread. If you are not yet matured enough, you will still need to stay where you are.
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‎Obviously the Israelites at this point had become grown and more matured, hence, launching into new territories was not an issue for God because He could trust them to handle His blessings adequately at a higher level.
‎Relating this to this present age, can you be trusted with the very breakthrough you’re asking for? Will pride set in when you finally receive or acquire it? Will you be selfish with it or be generous with it? Will you still be faithful with God when you receive the breakthrough? And will you use it for the good of all when you get it or are promoted? When God says we’ve been on a certain position, condition or phase of life for too long, it is not because He takes pleasure in our stagnation. No, It ultimately depends on our willingness to build our faith ( by trusting Him and His Word as faithful), obey His instructions, and patiently wait on His timing. The sooner we yield to this process, the faster and smoother our transition becomes

‎There’s a wise Yoruba proverb that says, “You can only be afraid of the sender of the message and not the receiver of the message”. In this spiritual journey, God is the Sender and the enemy is the receiver. What seems impossible to ‘Man’ is never impossible for God. Therefore, what territories, sectors, milestone, training, skill etc is God commanding you and I to take? 
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‎Yes, taking possession of new territories can be deeply uncomfortable because growth demands stretching. It is our obedience that births a bittersweet experience which ultimately yields an unexplainable joy once we reach the finish line.
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‎If God decides to release a territory, skill, project or something to us, it is because of His unfailing mercy and a recognition of our growth. We can not arm twist Him with our emotions, neither can we bribe Him to work on our terms. Ultimately, everything works at His sovereign will and  perfect timing. One thing for sure is that the earth is the Lord’s and it’s fullness thereof (Psalm 24 vs 1), and so are His promises to us- they never Everything, we ask for will be released to us in due time according to His will.
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‎Faith, Obedience and Patience are the 3 major currencies the Israelites transacted in with God, because He can’t be manipulated neither can He be influenced to do our biding, everything must align with His divine will. So, when He mentioned it was time to move in verse 6, it was truly in their best interest to move.  
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‎Like the Israelites, is it your time to move? Are you willing to exercise your faith, obey and wait or move when prompted despite the uncertainty ahead of you? Gird yourself with these 3 pieces of armor and move forward. Don’t be terrified of the threats of the enemy; instead move forward knowing that you have the greater one working inside of you.
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‎Shalom 🕊️
‎Bimpe Lawal
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THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY

‎While studying the introduction of this book, I was introduced to facts and knowledge I wasn’t aware off.
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‎1) Did you know the book was actually addressed to the new generation destined to possess the Promise Land ? That is, those who survived the 40 years of wilderness wondering. This speaks to you and I – to every believer – so long as you have a call or an assignment in life. And truly, everyone has an assignment or call in life. Speaking about assignment:-
‎ – Have you discovered yours?
‎- Are you living it?
‎- Are you still in Egypt, in the wilderness wondering, about to enter the Promise Land or in the Promise Land?
‎Every single person on earth is in one of these 4 phases of life in one or more areas of their existence (Career, Marriage, Ministry, Family).
‎2) After deciding where you fall in these categories as a survivor of the wilderness – that is, “a new generation“- the onus is on us to learn from the sad examples of our parents and strive to do better in those areas with the help of God through the Holy Spirit.
‎Obedience was highlighted and ‘still’ remains a major criterion for walking with God in order to progress and excel in life.
‎3) Finally, unlike the book of Leviticus, which speaks to ‘Priests’, the book emphasizes ordinary people – which, in this world, refers to everyday believers.
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As we study the book, let’s relate it to our life’s and highlight areas we need to be obedient, develop our faith and enter into our destined place of peace and abundance “The Promise Land”.
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‎Shalom 🕊️
‎Bimpe Lawal
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MERCY RECONNECTS

‎In Chapter 5 of the book of Lamentations, we see the once proud woman turned widow (figure of speech – for God’s children who were afflicted because of their sin) earnestly praying to God for mercy and grace and asking Him to turn to her.
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‎As God’s children, we are specially loved by Him and one thing most of us don’t know is that God never leaves any until they first leave him. If he decides to turn us to Himself in a way of duty, no doubt he will quickly return to us in a way of mercy. And If God by his grace renews our hearts, he will surely by his favour renew our days.
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‎Troubles may cause our hearts to be faint, and our eyes to be dim sometimes, but the way to the mercy-seat of our God is open. Note, IT IS OPENED TO ALL. As God’s special people, we must be careful not to allow dejection or gloom over take us despite any form of loss, neither should we grumble or murmur dissatisfaction against our hope in God. Because these things portrays doubt in God (faithlessness), hence, depriving us of our inheritance in Christ Jesus.
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‎No matter the gravity of the grief, sin or loss, it doesn’t change who God is, neither does it affect His throne nor His Sovereignty. (Lamentations 5 vs 19). Rekindle your hope today, for we surely know, that it shall be well in the end with all that trust in, fear, love, and serve the Lord, for He is faithful to perform His Word or His promises over that “case”. 
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‎Prayer:
‎1) In a time if grief and desperation may we not sell ourselves to our enemies in Jesus name.
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‎2) Heavenly Father, we ask for your forgiveness today against all murmurings and faithlessness we have displayed in the past. We ask that you help us focus on you despite the loss and grief (you can mention the case) and help us to stay true to your word of restoration and mercy over the grief( you can mention the case) in Jesus name. (Amen🙏)
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‎Shalom 🕊️
‎Bimpe Lawal

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OUR WORTH IN CHRIST

‎It is a profound tragedy when a gem loses its brilliance or a queen loses her worth. When stripped of value, a person often faces rejection, mockery, and isolation, transforming a once-celebrated crown into a heavy burden and a painful reminder of past glory. Yet, such a decline is never meaningless; it serves as divine punishment, corrective discipline, or a unique display of God’s ultimate glory.
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‎Therefore, when we mock or rejoice over someone enduring God’s correction, we inadvertently invite our own downfall. For pride naturally triggers the very same divine discipline we look down upon. This truth is highlighted in Lamentations 4 vs 22, where the proud queen—now humbled as a widow—is assured that her period of affliction will end, while God promises to punish the iniquities of her mocker, Edom, who represents all adversaries of the Church and the children of God.
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‎Ultimately, no one can fight for God, nor can anyone interfere with His sovereign decrees. When He chooses to discipline, no one can deliver; when He chooses to restore, no one can oppose. Mocking a believer under divine correction is a dangerous thing, for God is a righteous judge and a fierce avenger. He excels at disciplining His children in perfect love, yet He remains their ultimate defender against outside enemies.
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‎Therefore, we rejoice as God’s children in Christ as our Savior, for our worth is eternally secured in Him, ensuring that our moments of correction always end in restoration rather than ruin.
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Shalom 🕊️
‎Bimpe Lawal
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