Today’s message
Read and reflect
MESSAGE
Beloved, not every problem came to stop your progress. Some problems become partners in your progress.
It sounds contradictory, but Scripture is full of people whose greatest troubles eventually became vehicles for their advancement.
Joseph needed a palace, but strangely, his journey passed through a pit and a prison.
David needed national recognition, and Goliath volunteered to become his publicity manager — unfortunately, he discovered the arrangement too late!
Hannah wanted Samuel, but Peninnah kept irritating her until ordinary desire became desperate prayer.
Israel needed freedom, and Pharaoh's stubbornness created the stage upon which God displayed His power.
Sometimes the problem shouting, “I have come to destroy you!” does not realise that God may eventually employ it as a partner in your progress.
Romans 8:28 does not teach that everything that happens to us is good. Rather, it declares that God is sovereign enough to make all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
The problem may be evil, but God can overrule its intention.
JOSEPH — WHEN BETRAYAL BECAME TRANSPORTATION
Joseph's brothers wanted to remove him from the family equation.
They threw him into a pit and eventually sold him into Egypt.
They thought they were terminating his dream.
Unknown to them, they were transporting the dreamer closer to the geographical location of his dream.
Years later Joseph could say:
«“Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.”
— Genesis 50:20»
Imagine discovering that the people who tried to bury you actually helped move you toward your destiny!
People may have evil intentions, but they do not have the final interpretation of your story.
HANNAH — WHEN PROVOCATION BECAME A PRAYER PARTNER
Peninnah provoked Hannah continually.
She probably thought she was simply making another woman's life miserable.
But every insult pushed Hannah closer to Shiloh.
Peninnah produced tears.
Tears produced prayer.
Prayer produced Samuel.
Samuel produced national transformation.
Without knowing it, Peninnah became an unpaid partner in Hannah's spiritual progress.
Some people annoying you may be doing overtime in a department God never officially employed them to work in!
Don't allow bitterness to waste the pressure. Turn the pressure into prayer.
DAVID — WHEN GOLIATH BECAME A PROMOTION OFFICER
Before Goliath, David was largely known around his father's house and among sheep.
Then came one oversized Philistine making noise.
David killed him, and suddenly Israel wanted to know:
“Whose son is this youth?”
— 1 Samuel 17:55
Goliath arrived as an obstacle but ended up becoming David's platform.
The giant came to reduce David but accidentally introduced him.
Sometimes what stands between you and your next level is not merely an obstacle to remove; it may be the battle through which your hidden capacity becomes visible.
WHEN YOUR PROBLEM CHANGES JOB DESCRIPTION
Beloved, your problem may have arrived as an enemy, but God can change its job description.
The rejection can redirect you.
The delay can develop you.
The disappointment can deepen you.
The wilderness can train you.
The opposition can expose abilities you never knew you possessed.
The battle can introduce you to dimensions of God you would never have discovered in comfort.
This is why Habakkuk could declare:
«“Although the fig tree shall not blossom... Yet I will rejoice in the LORD.”
— Habakkuk 3:17–18»
That is mature faith.
Faith does not deny the empty field. Faith simply refuses to allow the empty field to become the final prophecy.
DON'T FIRE YOUR PARTNER TOO EARLY!
Sometimes we are praying:
“God, remove this problem immediately!”
And heaven may be saying:
“My child, calm down. I am still using it.”
Joseph might have prayed against the prison without knowing that someone inside that prison would eventually mention his name before Pharaoh.
David could have avoided Goliath without knowing that Goliath was standing between obscurity and recognition.
Your present difficulty may be uncomfortable, but never conclude your story from the chapter you currently dislike.
The greatest example remains the cross.
Friday looked like catastrophic defeat.
Jesus was crucified.
The disciples scattered.
The tomb was sealed.
But the cross that looked like Christ's defeat became the instrument of redemption.
Calvary teaches us that God can take what looks like the end and turn it into the beginning.
FAITH DECLARATION
Declare boldly:
“My problem will not bury my purpose. God will turn what was meant to hinder me into a partner in my progress. My pain shall produce purpose, my battle shall produce testimony, and this situation shall turn to me for a testimony!”
«“And it shall turn to you for a testimony.”
— Luke 21:13»
Beloved, not every problem came to stop your progress. Some problems become partners in your progress.
It sounds contradictory, but Scripture is full of people whose greatest troubles eventually became vehicles for their advancement.
Joseph needed a palace, but strangely, his journey passed through a pit and a prison.
David needed national recognition, and Goliath volunteered to become his publicity manager — unfortunately, he discovered the arrangement too late!
Hannah wanted Samuel, but Peninnah kept irritating her until ordinary desire became desperate prayer.
Israel needed freedom, and Pharaoh's stubbornness created the stage upon which God displayed His power.
Sometimes the problem shouting, “I have come to destroy you!” does not realise that God may eventually employ it as a partner in your progress.
Romans 8:28 does not teach that everything that happens to us is good. Rather, it declares that God is sovereign enough to make all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
The problem may be evil, but God can overrule its intention.
JOSEPH — WHEN BETRAYAL BECAME TRANSPORTATION
Joseph's brothers wanted to remove him from the family equation.
They threw him into a pit and eventually sold him into Egypt.
They thought they were terminating his dream.
Unknown to them, they were transporting the dreamer closer to the geographical location of his dream.
Years later Joseph could say:
«“Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.”
— Genesis 50:20»
Imagine discovering that the people who tried to bury you actually helped move you toward your destiny!
People may have evil intentions, but they do not have the final interpretation of your story.
HANNAH — WHEN PROVOCATION BECAME A PRAYER PARTNER
Peninnah provoked Hannah continually.
She probably thought she was simply making another woman's life miserable.
But every insult pushed Hannah closer to Shiloh.
Peninnah produced tears.
Tears produced prayer.
Prayer produced Samuel.
Samuel produced national transformation.
Without knowing it, Peninnah became an unpaid partner in Hannah's spiritual progress.
Some people annoying you may be doing overtime in a department God never officially employed them to work in!
Don't allow bitterness to waste the pressure. Turn the pressure into prayer.
DAVID — WHEN GOLIATH BECAME A PROMOTION OFFICER
Before Goliath, David was largely known around his father's house and among sheep.
Then came one oversized Philistine making noise.
David killed him, and suddenly Israel wanted to know:
“Whose son is this youth?”
— 1 Samuel 17:55
Goliath arrived as an obstacle but ended up becoming David's platform.
The giant came to reduce David but accidentally introduced him.
Sometimes what stands between you and your next level is not merely an obstacle to remove; it may be the battle through which your hidden capacity becomes visible.
WHEN YOUR PROBLEM CHANGES JOB DESCRIPTION
Beloved, your problem may have arrived as an enemy, but God can change its job description.
The rejection can redirect you.
The delay can develop you.
The disappointment can deepen you.
The wilderness can train you.
The opposition can expose abilities you never knew you possessed.
The battle can introduce you to dimensions of God you would never have discovered in comfort.
This is why Habakkuk could declare:
«“Although the fig tree shall not blossom... Yet I will rejoice in the LORD.”
— Habakkuk 3:17–18»
That is mature faith.
Faith does not deny the empty field. Faith simply refuses to allow the empty field to become the final prophecy.
DON'T FIRE YOUR PARTNER TOO EARLY!
Sometimes we are praying:
“God, remove this problem immediately!”
And heaven may be saying:
“My child, calm down. I am still using it.”
Joseph might have prayed against the prison without knowing that someone inside that prison would eventually mention his name before Pharaoh.
David could have avoided Goliath without knowing that Goliath was standing between obscurity and recognition.
Your present difficulty may be uncomfortable, but never conclude your story from the chapter you currently dislike.
The greatest example remains the cross.
Friday looked like catastrophic defeat.
Jesus was crucified.
The disciples scattered.
The tomb was sealed.
But the cross that looked like Christ's defeat became the instrument of redemption.
Calvary teaches us that God can take what looks like the end and turn it into the beginning.
FAITH DECLARATION
Declare boldly:
“My problem will not bury my purpose. God will turn what was meant to hinder me into a partner in my progress. My pain shall produce purpose, my battle shall produce testimony, and this situation shall turn to me for a testimony!”
«“And it shall turn to you for a testimony.”
— Luke 21:13»
Reflection
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Before you conclude that your problem has come to stop you, ask God whether He intends to use it to move you.
Joseph had his pit.
Hannah had Peninnah.
David had Goliath.
Israel had Pharaoh.
Jesus had the cross.
And somehow, under the sovereign hand of God, the obstacle became part of the pathway.
Before you conclude that your problem has come to stop you, ask God whether He intends to use it to move you.
Joseph had his pit.
Hannah had Peninnah.
David had Goliath.
Israel had Pharaoh.
Jesus had the cross.
And somehow, under the sovereign hand of God, the obstacle became part of the pathway.
Prayer
PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, in the name of Jesus, take every problem confronting my life and subject it to Your purpose. Let what was designed to hinder me become an instrument of advancement. Turn my rejection into redirection, my pressure into prayer, my battles into breakthroughs, and my pain into testimony.
As You turned Joseph's pit toward the palace, Hannah's tears into Samuel, and David's Goliath into national recognition, let every problem before me become a partner in my progress.
I decree according to Luke 21:13: This situation shall turn to me for a testimony!
In Jesus' name. Amen.
Your brother,
Prophet Dr. Abiodun Adesida
CAC IBUDO ONA ABAYỌ
0805 814 0045
Father, in the name of Jesus, take every problem confronting my life and subject it to Your purpose. Let what was designed to hinder me become an instrument of advancement. Turn my rejection into redirection, my pressure into prayer, my battles into breakthroughs, and my pain into testimony.
As You turned Joseph's pit toward the palace, Hannah's tears into Samuel, and David's Goliath into national recognition, let every problem before me become a partner in my progress.
I decree according to Luke 21:13: This situation shall turn to me for a testimony!
In Jesus' name. Amen.
Your brother,
Prophet Dr. Abiodun Adesida
CAC IBUDO ONA ABAYỌ
0805 814 0045