OVERSHADOW

4:18 AM MyWalkDownTheAisle 0 Comments



The word overshadow means to tower above or to cast a shadow over. 

Its Christmas and it is important to take another look at the Christmas story. I have read this story in the bible so many times, but this year something struck me and that is the word "overshadow". Luke 1:26-38 is an account of Mary's encounter with an angel who told her she would conceive and bear a son, whose name shall be called Jesus and he will be great and will be called Son of The Most High.
Mary then asked the question how all this events will take place because she was a virgin and the angel explained in Luke 1: 35:
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of The Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God"

Now here is my understanding, when there is a purpose to be birth, when God is set to carry out an assignment through one of his own, to carry out HIS assignment and purpose which supersedes every human comprehension, then there is a need for the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit! An empowerment from the Spirit of God! Just imagine,God needed for His Son to be birth in human form, the Holy Spirit came upon and overshadowed Mary to make it happen. Someone once said that overshadow means "to reduce the effect of your inadequacies, so that, that which you need to birth on earth can be done through the Holy Spirit"

I am reminded of the creation of the heaven and the earth in Genesis 1:2 "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" The word hover means "to suspend in the air", "to linger", "to tower over". What happened after this verse was that God spoke creation into existence, but there was a need for an hovering and an overshadowing!

Now this is where it gets really interesting, that same Spirit, that overshadowed Mary and Jesus was born, that hovered over  the surface of the deep and heaven and earth was created dwells on IN you and me!! wow!! we have something much greater! The power of creation dwells in us! isn't that amazing?. We need to live in the constant reality of this truth and exact the power within us!

My prayer is that this Christmas and beyond, The Holy Spirit will hover and overshadow us to birth God's will and purpose for our lives in Jesus name, amen.

Merry Christmas.
Yours in the Walk...

0 comments :

New Wine in New Wineskins

2:23 PM MyWalkDownTheAisle 0 Comments

Most of the time during wedding anniversary celebrations, people wish couples many more years together and pray for new wine in the marriage. For example;
"Happy anniversary, may God bless your marriage with new wine"

 New wine is often used in marriage related events or matters, it could be because Jesus's first miracle was at the wedding in Cana, transforming water to wine, when the wine finished. (John 2:1-12)
The important lesson here is that new wine needs new wine-skin.
Have you been praying for new wine in your home and marriage? If you want  new wine from God, then you need to prepare to be a new wine-skin
.
Lets look at Mark 2:22:"And no one pours new wine into old wine-skins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins and both the wine and the wine-skins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wine-skins".
This scripture explains that new wine can only be put in new wine-skins infact if you put new wine in old wine-skin, the new wine will burst the old wine-skin and both wine and wine-skin will be ruined. And no one will want to waste the new wine by putting it in old wine-skin right? infact both wine and wine-skin will be destroyed.
So when you ask God for new wine in your marriage, be sure to ask him for a new wine-skins too, because that is the only way you can sustain the new wine.
What are these new wine-skins?
God will work from the inside out, prepare for an overhaul. He will work on your mind through his word and teach you what steps and actions He wants you to take in your marriage. 

 Remember what Mary, mother of Jesus told the servants in John 2:5:

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” To have new wine-skins, be ready to do whatever He tells you to do.

Yours in the Walk.

0 comments :

IN HIS QUIVER...

10:55 PM MyWalkDownTheAisle 1 Comments


A quiver is defined as a container for holding arrows, bolts and darts usually put around the warrior. Have you felt at some point that there is more to what or where you are right now? Then you will find this very encouraging.

Isaiah 49: 1-7
"Listen to me, O isles and coast lands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The Lord has called me from the womb; from the body of my mother He has named my name.
2 And He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand has He hid me and made me a polished arrow; in His quiver has He kept me close and concealed me.
3 And [the Lord] said to me, you are my servant, Israel [you who strive with God and with men and prevail], in whom I will be glorified.
4 Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in empty futility; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense is with my God.
5 And now, says the Lord—who formed me from the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to Him and that Israel might be gathered to Him and not be swept away, for I am honorable in the eyes of the Lord and my God has become my strength
6 He says, It is too light a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors [of the judgments] of Israel; I will also give you for a light to the nations, that My salvation may extend to the end of the earth.
7 Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and Israel’s Holy One, to him whom man rejects and despises, to him whom the nations abhor, to the servant of rulers: Kings shall see you and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the Lord, Who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, Who has chosen you".

Moses was a Hebrew even though he grew up in the house of Pharaoh, he had a heart for the Israelites and as a result killed an Egyptian. Just when one thought God had raised a deliverer for the Israelites, God put Moses into hiding for a long period until the time was right.

David was a young boy when he was anointed King, but he did not become king until the age of thirty   (2 Samuel 5:4). He also went through a period of hiding and God preserved him until the time was right. So be encouraged when it seems like God has been preparing for so long and you seem to be in “hiding”. Let’s look at Isiah 49:2; “And he has made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hands he has hidden me, and He made me a polished shaft, in his quiver he has hidden me”. After the warrior spent so much time making, polishing and sharping, then he hid the arrow in his quiver, however, the great warrior knows when to bring out his best arrows from his quiver! Glory to God.

In verse 3 The Lord Spoke saying “You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified” and verse 6 explains that most of the time, God has a bigger plan! That it is too small a thing for Isaiah to restore just the tribes of Jacob, but God will make him a light for the Gentiles so that His salvation may reach the ends of the earth.  It is just a quiver season, in God’s own time, He will bring you out of hiding for his glory!

Yours in the Walk...


1 comments :

THE SHEPHERD'S SONG (PSALM 23)

10:01 AM MyWalkDownTheAisle 0 Comments

Psalm 23 is one of the popular psalms in the bible written by King David, but I recently took a deeper look at the Psalm and I was refreshed by the revelation I got from it and I will like to share them with you.

Only a good shepherd could have written that psalm. A good and experienced shepherd for that matter, a shepherd who knew how to take care of his sheep and David was obviously a good and experienced shepherd. He speared nothing, he killed every lion and bear that came and carried off a sheep and rescued the sheep (1 Samuel 17:34-35).

David had to be a shepherd before becoming a king. He knew how to tend a flock, he was committed to the job. As young as he was, being the youngest of eight sons (1 Samuel 16:10), his father’s heart trusted him most to care for the sheep, despite all the dangers surrounding the job, David ensured not one of the sheep was missing. This experience made him write Psalm 23 through the eyes of a good shepherd.

No experience is wasted. In fact, God speaks to us through our experiences. If David could take care of the sheep as much as he did, he knew that God who is greater can do much more. I think that’s why he started the psalm with “The Lord is my Shepherd…”  
I remember some time ago, after a long day’s work and taking care of the family, I lay in bed at night, thinking of those things I was trusting God for and wondering if He hears me as I drifted off to a deep sleep. Later that night, I heard my son call me from the next room, he called just once and I heard him from a deep sleep. As I woke up sleepily to attend to him, I heard a voice tell me “Todun, if you can hear that from a deep sleep, I can hear you. Besides I do not sleep nor slumber”. God used that experience to speak to me and I know we all have examples of how God used an experience or circumstance to speak to us.
And David’s experience as a shepherd came in handy when he wanted to face Goliath, he laid down his past victories and he conquered Goliath through the help of God.

Psalm 23 is the prophecy of what was to come in John 10:1-21. Jesus himself said He is The Good Shepherd and the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Please read John 10: 1-21.

There is only one shepherd and one sheep.  Have you wondered why David was the only one tending to the sheep out of all his brothers? That illustration speaks for itself! Jesus is the only good Shepherd! And do you know that the plural of sheep is sheep! Friends, there is only one Sheep, one body of Christ and one Church under God! John 10: 16b says “There shall be one flock and one shepherd”.


Yours in the Walk…

0 comments :

FRIENDSHIPS- LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF JOB (2)

12:29 PM MyWalkDownTheAisle 1 Comments

(Continued from previous post)

GOD’S TRUTH CAN COME FROM OTHER PEOPLE – ELIHU

In the 32nd chapter of the book of Job, another person was introduced, we do not know how long Elihu had been with Job or at what point he joined the other three friends of Job, but what we know is that he had listened to all of them speak and he had waited before speaking to Job because he was much younger than them all and we don’t know what relationship he had with Job. Elihu saw differently, he did not condemn and criticize Job like the other friends did, but he encouraged Job to stop and consider God’s wonders (Job 37:14), no wonder God spoke after Elihu had spoken! Have you ever spoken to some people who will encourage and help you have a change of perspective that will make you see God in the situation? Their words just sets a different atmosphere and your ears open to hear what God is saying. Everyone needs an Elihu! They might not be your friend, they might be younger or older, it is important to recognize the Elihus in our lives. People who see differently, people who will tell you the truth and God’s mind in whatever situation you are going through, people who are not afraid to tell you, you are wrong, regardless of age, status and class. 

YOUR RESPONSE MATTERS

When Elihu came into the scene in Job 32, the bible recorded that he was angry with Job and his three friends because their responses were not right.
Most studies of the book of Job tells a lot about Job’s righteousness and his faithfulness to God especially in a difficult time, but this does not mean that Job’s response was right. Job was justifying himself to his friends and to God and his friends also criticized him. Elihu told Job to rather justify God instead of himself and when God spoke in Chapter 38, God addressed Job’s questions with his greatness through the works of His hands and power. God showed Himself to Job, Job 42vs5: “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you”.

FOCUS ON GOD

Either as a friend or someone going through a difficult time, self-righteousness or justification, criticism or condemnation is not the way to go, rather choose to elevate God above every situation. When God finally spoke to Job, He didn’t start explaining to Job the reason why such terrible things happened, God didn’t justify Job’s righteousness and faithfulness, God only talked about HIMSELF and the works of his hands to show that He is the great God. This got me thinking, that maybe that is what God wants us to do in such down times and situations of life, that we should focus on how great our God is and elevate Him for who He is. In elevating God, you begin to see and hear what God wants you to do.  God asked Job to  pray for his friends and after obeying God’s instruction and God restored his fortunes twice as much as he had before.


Yours in the walk...

1 comments :

FRIENDSHIPS- LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF JOB (1)

10:19 PM MyWalkDownTheAisle 1 Comments

The story of Job is one of the popular stories in the bible, his challenges, his response and his comeback especially since God restored him and blessed him even much more than he was before he had his challenges. Most studies have focused on Job himself, but the book of Job also talks about his friends and the role they play in the life of Job especially during his challenges.

I have been studying the book of Job to learn about friendship relationships most especially on how to handle friendships during challenging times and also how to be a good friend during challenging seasons. We all go through difficult times and during this period, we pray and talk to our friends especially the close friends, so how do we respond to our close friends in difficult situations and how do we receive love and advice from friends in difficult situations? This month, I will be sharing some of the lessons God is teaching me as regards this topic and I pray that it ministers and helps someone that needs to read this.
GOOD INTENTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH

 Let’s take a look at Job 2 vs 11-13:
 “11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; for they had made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him. 12 When they looked from a distance and did not recognize him [because of his disfigurement], they raised their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe [in grief] and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky [in sorrow]. 13 So they sat down on the ground with Job for seven days and seven nights and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.”

Job had good friends, after hearing of his adversity, they left all they had, their family, their businesses, work and all to visit with him. The bible says they made an appointment together from their different places to sympathize and comfort him, imagine such friendship! And when they did not recognize him, they wept and they each tore their robes and sorrowed with him. In fact they sat there with him on the ground seven days and seven nights and no one spoke a word to him because he was in great pain. These were friends that understood the need to be present in the pain with their friend, they didn’t have to say anything. They didn’t just say “sorry for your loss” or “I feel your pain” and then leave, they mourned with him for seven days saying nothing, I can imagine them not eating too!

Eli, Bil and Zo were good friends with good intentions, so what went wrong? At what point did they miss it? God told Eli in Job 42 vs7-8:
7 It came about that after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. 8 Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him [and his prayer] so that I may not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job has.” 

In this verse, God told Eli, that they had not spoken of HIM what is right. There is an important message here, “most times in the bid of comforting our friends, we say the wrong things about God”. Job’s friends were Christians, they claimed to know God in their own way, but they said the wrong things. It would have been better if after the seven days of mourning, they hugged Job and sincerely told him they will be praying for him and actually do so. Good intentions are not enough, if you are going to say anything at all, it is important to say the truth about God’s word instead of blaming and laying accusations. This leads us to the next point;

COMFORTERS TO CRITICS

A lot of times we are quick to judge our friends during a difficult situation, we say things like “maybe you are being punished”, “what did you do?” “what is it that you are not telling me?”. In Job 4 and 5 we see Eliphaz rebuking Job, in Chapter 8, Bildad was urging Job to repent, in Chapter 11, Zophar also contributes by telling Job to repent, in Chapter 15 Elipaz accused Job of being foolish and in Chapter 18 and 20, Bil and Zo lectured Job on the punishments that befalls a wicked man. The comforting friends became critics and we see Job defending himself through his challenges. Job called his friends miserable comforters in Job 16 vs 2-5:
 2 “I have heard many such things;
Wearisome and miserable comforters are you all.
3 Is there no end to [your futile] words of wind?
Or what plagues you [so much] that you [so boldly] answer [me like this]?
4 I also could speak like you,
If you were in my place;
I could compose and join words together against you
And shake my head at you.
5 [But instead] I could strengthen and encourage you with [the words of] my mouth,
And the consolation and solace of my lips would soothe your suffering and lessen your anguish”.

It is wrong to criticize during a difficult time, as good friends, we should be careful not to throw stones at already broken pieces, this is a thin line we all often cross, from comforting to criticizing. 

HOLD ON TO YOUR VOICE, DON’T LET TRIALS SHUT YOU UP.

Job knew at some point that his friends had become his critics, he knew they were undependable. 
Job 6 vs 15-18:
“My brothers have acted deceitfully like a brook,
Like the torrents of brooks that vanish,
16 Which are dull and dirty because of ice,
And into which the snow melts and hides itself;
17 When it is warm, they are silent and cease to flow;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 The paths of their course wind along,
They go up into nothing and perish.
[Your counsel is as helpful to me as a dry streambed in the heat of summer.]”

Job was able to keep his voice because he knew his God, he was not allowed to be swayed around by friends especially during the most vulnerable time of his life. He held on to his voice, he spoke his mind and he refused to be put down by his friends. Vulnerable times, are the moments we have to stay true to our beliefs and the word of God, most of the time we find ourselves swayed by the opinions of others that might not necessarily be true. 

Job 13 VS 2-8:
 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2 What you know I also know;
I am not inferior to you.3 But I wish to speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to argue with God.
4 But you smear me with lies [you defame my character most untruthfully];
You are all worthless physicians and have no remedy to offer.
5 Oh, that you would be completely silent,
And that silence would be your wisdom!
6 Please hear my argument and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will you speak what is unjust for God,
And speak what is deceitful for Him?
8 Will you show partiality for Him [and be unjust to me so that you may gain favor with Him]?
Will you contend and plead for God?”

To be continued...
Yours in the Walk...


1 comments :

FLIGHT 101!

10:48 AM MyWalkDownTheAisle 1 Comments


As the plane finally settled in the clouds I had a little flashback to my college years, I can’t remember what year in particular, but I was having some challenges with one of my law classes and I asked a classmate to help me out and he offered to study with me, so we decided to meet at the library later that evening. His name is Wole Kunuji, actually, I am disclosing his name just in case he stumbles on this write up (Thank you Wole!). As we studied, he told me and I remember clearly “Todun, wave your hands downwards”, I did, and he said “did you hit anything?” and I remember saying “Yes! My legs, the table…” then he told me “Todun wave those hands upwards”, I did, “did you hit anything?” I said “No” and he told me clearly “Todun, it is crowded down there, there is enough space for everyone up there!”. I never forgot those words.

As I sat by the window in this plane, I looked down as everything I was familiar with became small, the houses, the trees, the hills and the mountains… And I remembered Wole’s words to me “Todun, it is crowded down there, there is enough space for everyone up there!” So here are a few lessons I am reminded of as I sat on this flight enroute to my destination:


Firstly, the plane uses more energy at the point of takeoff. According to a WorldWatch Institute publication, planes use the most fuel during takeoffs, and on short flights, as much as 25 percent of the total fuel is consumed during takeoff. The life lesson here is this, flying requires energy, most of which is used at the point of takeoff. So be encouraged as you are working hard on that degree, on that business, that marriage, that career, that ministry etc… It’s just takeoff time!

Secondly, there will be turbulence. A little after taking off, there is always that turbulence period as the plane tries to get to that altitude and stabilize in the air. At this point the seat belt lights are on and no one is allowed to move around for safety reasons. The life lesson here is this, seat and pray through the turbulence, it will soon be over as you glide through to the altitude God is taking you to!

Thirdly, some turbulent season may last longer than others, most of the time depending on the weather and the size of the plane. Weather conditions are external and uncontrollable which could make the turbulence last longer. But have you noticed that with the bigger planes, the effect of the turbulence is rarely felt?. You will feel the plane trying to stabilize but it’s not as bad as the small planes. Oh my! I remember my very first flight ever from Abuja to Lagos in Nigeria, it was a turbulent flight! I prayed and spoke in tongues (I think more out of fear than faith) all through the 45 minutes flight J. The life lesson here is this, there are external conditions you have no control over, just like the weather conditions. You have no control over the economic situation, but you can build your capacity to help you through the turbulence! Fly with a bigger plane! You will still feel the effects of the turbulence but not as much as flying a small plane.

Lastly, there are other planes flying too! Do you know that when you are on a plane, there are other planes flying at that same time too and might even be flying to the same destination? The fact that you don't see them doesn't mean they are not up there somewhere. So Wole was right, “there is enough space for everyone up there!”.

Have a safe Flight!
Yours in the Walk.



1 comments :

YOU CARRY GOD

1:57 PM MyWalkDownTheAisle 0 Comments

With Mother's Day in view, i find myself thinking of the Christmas Song "Mary did you know". It's a song with questions that set me to think....Here is the lyric:

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that  your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you!

 Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to the blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm the storm with his hands?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kissed your little baby, you kissed the face of God!

 Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb?
This sleeping child you are holding is the great I am!

Am sure Mary knew the child was special considering the events surrounding his birth, but did she know the extent of how special that child was? A part of the song that shakes me every time is "When you kissed your little baby, you kissed the face of God!" Ha! A feeling only Mary knows!! As Christians we know we carry something on our inside, we know Christ lives and dwells in us, but most of the time we forget the reality of this truth; that the God of all humanity, creator of the heaven and earth dwells within you.

Colossians 1:19 says " For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him" All of God was in baby Jesus!! Colossians 2:9 further says "For in Christ all of the fullness of the Godhead dwell bodily and YOU have been brought into that fullness" another version says you are complete in him. Colossians 1:22 says "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present YOU holy in his sight and without blemish and free from accusation."

Just like Mary, you might not know the extent or significance of what you carry on your inside, but just like the above song and scriptures reminded me "You carry God on your inside!!" So go and manifest!.

"Christ in you the hope of Glory" Colossians 1:27.

Happy Mothers Day.

Yours in the walk...


0 comments :

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )