The Winning Chance (Part One)

"I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."
Ecclesiastes 9:11

The verse of the Scripture above rightly deals with the issue and the fact that time and chance has a good relationship with success in life. Many aspire to become successful and great in life, and would subject themselves to rigorous trainings to acquire skills and tools that would put them in front on the market place. The athletes trains hard to become a champion on the track, the soldiers train hard to win battles during wartime. But it’s time and chance that happens to them all according to the Bible.
What is now time and chance?
Time is a very essential factor in life; it is the measurement of life, it is the period of any given event. To acquire a university degree, a child begins from the elementary school; puts in time to study and grows from one level to the other in the process of time. But the Scriptures seen above shows that, it’s not in just what a person has acquired that brings success, the factors of time and chance plays a major role in the eventual success of the individual.
We have two different levels of times: there is the time as measured by men and their activities. This is Kronos and that which is measured by God is Kairos.
Kronos is time as measured by men from the time of birth to the time of death. Time used to acquire knowledge, skill, strength, etc.
Kairos is the timeless time; it is the timeline set in eternity and it’s unlimited, it transcend the natural timing of man.
Chance: this is the possibility of something happening, the occurrence of events in the absence of any obvious intention or cause.
I will call chance to be opportunity…

The truth is that, the verse of the Bible in Ecclesiastes 9:11 isn’t playing down on men getting better and being the best they can, as have been taught by some, but rather the emphasis is laid on the skillful, the strong, the wise, in relation with the time that would present an  opportunity to them.
The Scriptures says; “time and chance happeneth to them all” what all? If you will permit me to ask. This means All that are mentioned above in the verse.
The boys scouts slogan says; “be ready.” This simply means to be prepared for an opportune time. Sharpen your skills and wait!
"Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11:So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man." Proverbs 6:10-11

A careful look at our main Scripture would reveal that, the statement is not credited to those who have not developed any skill. It is a Scripture referring to men of skills, strength, wisdom, etc, and the opportunity that can be availed for them.
When a favour is presented to an unskillful man, he wastes the opportunity. Opportunity is available to everyone at a given time, but the one that is ready will take advantage of it.

THE WAY NOT TO RUN:

Many years ago I came to Lagos; the most populous black city in the world, in the most populous black nation of the world. The way of life of the people was strange to me. Everyone is in a rush in Lagos, running at the slightest alert, but soon enough I adjusted to the lifestyle. EKO!

The irony of this city is that a lot more people are running for the wrong reasons and very much ignorant also. I quite remember in 2001; September precisely. It was a Sunday evening and we were playing soccer in the church premises as part of our youth program when suddenly we began to hear loud banging sounds that shook foundation of buildings. There was panic everywhere. People began to run helter-skelter without knowing the direction where the perceived problem was coming from. We thought it was war! The loud banging continued for more than one hour.
At the end of the day, it was gathered that more people died out of ignorance than the explosion from the Nigerian army armory at Ikeja cantonment, Lagos. People out of fear, ignorance and shallow mind sets plunged themselves into deadly canal in Ejigbo; a community far from the actual position of the explosion.
Many people still live their lives in this manner. Many run the race they little or nothing about, never counting the cost of the race they get involve in, they do not even know where they’re headed to nor why they are in the race in the first place. Even when a man has a vision, wisdom teaches that; it should be made plain. Understand the vision, establish the feasibility and then RUN.
Part of your success in life depends on visibility and clarity. "It is not enough to start a church just because you prayed for the sick and he got healed." Have counted the process and seen the end?
Hab.2: 2, “And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

1. Do not run with an unclear vision. Half vision isn’t enough for the race of a lifetime.
2. Do not run because others are running.  Your timing may be different from theirs.
3. Do not run in the same direction with everyone. Their destination may be different from yours.
4. Do not run without asking questions. Good counsel can become handy like a map.
5. Do not run without a reason.
Migration birds know their time of flight and do not move because every other birds are flocking. They know their destination and therefore are focused on their goal.

WEAPONS OF ENGAGEMENT:

In spiritual warfare, there are only weapons of engagement and no rules of engagement. The devil does not deserve your pity. Remember that you are at vantage position and therefore must put all that are at your disposal to make sure you put the enemy where he deserves and belong. It is you who determines how the battle should go a d how it ends. You have all the power of heaven and earth on your side.

Mathew 28:18 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

This same power is available for me and you. It is the in the same capacity it was with Jesus Christ, that it is with us.

THE HOLY COMMUNION:
The Communion is one of the strongest ordinances given to us by Jesus Christ himself. It is the table of judgement on our enemies. It is the strong combination of body and the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus adjoined his disciples to e engage in the breaking of bread for his remembrance. The remembering of his complete work on the cross; that he that the son had died for is free from the snare of the enemy.
The Holy Communion when engaged as a weapon against the enemy, brings swift judgement against the works of Satan in the life of a believer.
There is this story about a woman who had been pregnant for over three years . She was feeling the presence of the baby in her womb, but no x-ray or scanning could detect it. She had carried on with this oppression for years until one day the Communion was administered by revelation, and that day she was delivered of a child. All glory be to God!
We have heard testimonies of how people's businesses the turned around by the ministry of the Holy Communion. People who were sick and left for dead got healed after partaking in the Holy Communion. Personally, l break bread with my family every first day of the week and we have seen the power of God revealed.

PROPHETIC INSIGHT/INSTRUCTIONS:
The Prophetic ministry is a strong and viable tool in engaging the enemy to his fall. Prophetic insight brings to the fore the plan of the enemy. God has in different occasions used his prophets to foil the plans of the enemies of His people Israel.

2Kins 6:11, “Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? 12And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.”

The same way God used His prophets of old, He is using them  now to our advantage against the enemy. Remember King Jehoshaphat, how the prophet gave instructions on how to win the battle against  seemly stronger opponents in 2Chronicles 20? Believe in the prophets of God!
It was through revelation that we were able to understand importance of destroying the idols of my grandfather’s house. These demonic influences had humiliated the family for decades. Death and poverty was a common identity, but thank the Lord for His mercy and grace.
If in your family there is a common misfortune that has ran through generations, you do not need a prophet to tell you that there is fire on the mountain if you are reading this book. It is time for you to arise from your slumber and engage the enemy in a recovery battle. It is time to reclaim your destiny. Sleep no more!
Mathew13:25,”but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.”

REVIVAL NOW!

The word revival is from revive, an English word  which is used to describe a state of awakening; to bring back to life that which was dead. It is to regain vitality or to make conscious that which is unconscious.

Rom. 14:9, KJV:For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

 For revival to be initiated, it means that the subject have been seen important and useful. A useless entity does not need to be revived.
God is counting on the Church for a great work of harvest of the last days. The angels are not going to do our work for us. It our duty to rise in the glory and power of God and make the change.
The Church is still as relevant as it was from the beginning and God is ready to do much more with her in this dispensation. Let’s be ready and expectant of the outpouring of His Spirit upon us(revival).

Eze. 37:1,:The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, 2:And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry… 10, So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

In the Bible, the Word revival appears about twenty times, and every time it appears, it speaks of the need for a true awakening of God’s people into a state of spiritual reality and dominance.
In spiritual perspective, revival is the reawakening of man from a state of spiritual dormancy to dominance. This included: resurfacing of the love of God, appreciating of the holiness of God, passion for the Word of God, and the body of Christ, praying, etc.

In the time of revival, the individual or the Church is separated and equipped for the assignment ahead. It is a time when God has preeminence in the agenda of man and the Church.
“Obedience precedes genuine revival “
Over the centuries, it has been recorded in books and the Bible of several revivals that shook the world for the Lord. These times afforded the Church the capacity to stand in the faces of adversaries and adversities. They were times of immense demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit.
The early Church received that presence of God which created a spiritual revolution in their time. Thousands of souls were being saved, unprecedented miracles were recorded and so on.

Acts 2:2, KJV:And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3, And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4,And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

“The insignia of the revival of the Church is the Holy Spirit “

We need a fresh revival of the Church in this age and times. We are living in a different season in the world history and are not ignorant of biblical prophecies concerning this times. It is therefore clamant for us to take advantage of the knowledge at our disposal and make the most of this season for the kingdom of God.
The Holy Spirit is always ready to pour himself upon the thirsty and the willing. He is ready to awaken the mighty power of God in us.
We need the fire revival; the type that would make us uncomfortable. The one that will push us to go and make disciples of all nations; that would lead us into fasting and praying, study of the Word of God and demonstrating the power thereof.
The Lord is waiting for the young people that will make history; people who will catch visions of the times and run with it. “ KJV:But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:”Acts 2:16-17
Hab.3:2, KJV:O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.