I have touched on this title in the past but I am lead to expound more on this topic.
It is a great tragedy that men look up to certain men as their source of their desired future / achievement. I believe this is a trap and scheme of the devil and a form of unbelief that cause the heart of the son of men to depart from the Living God.
This syndrome has marred some many believers' destinies and I believe God that you will catch a spiritual understanding and approach to God’s divine intervention and the role of man.
Until God becomes your last bus stop, the struggles continues, let look into God’s Word and see what God has to say about this particular topic
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. (Jer 17:5-6)
Note in verse 5: trusting in man is one’s heart departing from God, just as doubt in Heb 3:12
What are the outcomes of trusting in man instead of God?
He shall be like the heath in the desert: This speaks of dryness, emptiness in your life and around you because what actually enrich a man are not his labors but God’s blessing and approval. If God say you will not prosper, then you will not. When trust in man, you are automatically disconnected from His Blessings. In John 3:27b a man receive nothing except it be given him from heaven
He shall not see when good cometh: According to Eccl 9:11, what we become in life, our accomplishments and successes is not just a product of our skills, understanding, knowledge, strength or wisdom but a function of timely opportunities – open doors by the Lord. The bible said when you trust man, you will not see when goodly things come – this mean you will not have the Seeing Eye and the hearing eye to capture opportunities that God has prepared for you.
Curse be that man: the first most dangerous result of this is in verse 5a- Curse be the man, it disconnect a man access to fruitfulness and productive and bring about unprofitable labor, no result to equate the labor invested.
When the man Adam failed, the ground was cursed for his sake and he had to sweat to eat, he planted good seeds but he got both crop and weeds. Deu 28 expanded on the curse of not following God’s Instruction, also in the Ten Commandments that was delivered to God’s people, the first law was you shall have no other God except Me.
God has never wanted His position in the lives of His people to be replaced by something or someone. My bible said in Eccl 10:8, that he that break the edge, the serpent will bite. Throughout scriptures, anytime Israel departed from God, they incurred God's judgement.
Let examine certain men in scriptures that relied on the strength and mean of men
In 2 King 1: Ahaziah was sick due to his fall from his bed chamber, instead of relying and inquiring from the Lord, he sent his messenger to inquire from Baalzelab – god of Ekon whether he will recover from the sickness
Hear what the Lord told him through Elijah
But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
(2Ki 1:3-4)
When you turn from God and focus on man, God will see it that you fail, God said in Jer 17:5 Cursed is the man
Also in 2 Chron 16, Asa sought the help of Benhadad, King of Syria to help him against Baasha, King of Israel that came against him. At the end of the day, king of Syria helped him and the king of Israel left him
Later the Lord sent Hanani, the seer unto Asa saying
And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. (2Ch 16:7-9)
The only way to maintain your glorious destiny is to focus your heart on God, because by strength shall no man prevail. Know this: no man can help you, except God allow it or permit it. In John 19:10, Pilate told Jesus “Knowest thou not I have the power to crucify thee and have power to release thee?” But Jesus answered him
Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. (Joh 19:11)
What Jesus was saying was: you don’t have the capacity to help except God gave it to you.
In verse 12 of the same John 17, Pilate desired to set Jesus free but he couldn’t because the power was not granted to him from above, even although in the physical, it has the power but he couldn’t use it (v 11)
I don’t care the people know, the friends and well-wishers that surround you, if God is against you, then nobody will help or assist you because the heart of kings are in His hands. My bible said that He shall overturn it until He turns it to who He want to have it.
In Gen 40:14-15,23 Joseph help a fellow prisoner to interpret his dream and told him to remember him when his position is restored but what happened in verse 23 of the same chapter, the Word said
Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him. (Gen 40:23)
The butler didn’t just forget for few days or month. The word said in the following verse (Gen 41:1)
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. (Gen 41:1)
Nobody remembered Joseph not even the butler until the time the Lord appointed for him.
In Gen 41:8,9-10: the King had a dream that troubled his spirit and that was a message from the Lord – on how to prevent the coming famine in the Land (it is was part of God’s plan to elevate Joseph), it was then the butler remembered him.
It is was God’s work and it was validated in Psa 105:16-20
Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. (Psa 105:16-20)
No man will remember you, except God, the King of kings remember you.
In my life, I always sought to live a burden free life – trying within my power and reach not to become a concern or burden to anybody. This even extends to the point refusing some free favors and paying for service rendered to me. In addition, I am ashamed to beg or ask for help when I have nothing to offer you in return. This has made to depend on God 100% and I can tell you, He has never failed.
I dare you to stand with God 100%, it may look like it over, it may look like you are about to crash, but you wouldn’t, I speak from experience of my walk with God and from scriptures.
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. (Psa 34:5)
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. (2Ch 16:9)
A certain pastor, normally say “it is not over until it is over” Many people declare a case over when it is not actually over. Mary and Martha, declared the case of their brother over but it was not over. In the physical it may looks like it is over but friend, my bible said that the things we see are temporary. So it is not actually over until it is stamped in the realm of the spirit.
God is too big to fail you; your case will also shrink away in His presence. All you need is a Word from God, that case is not too big for God
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
(Psa 29:3-9)
I repeat again: you can’t stand with God 100% and be confounded, many people in the body of Christ claim to be looking up to Jesus but are actually look up to their parents, brother or someone they know they help. God will never intervene until He you are with Him 100%
But Why?
The reason is not far fetched, according to Exo 20:5, 34:14, God said that He is a jealous God and that His Glory He wouldn’t share with any
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, … (Exo 20:5)
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Exo 20:3)
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: (Exo 34:14)
For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. (Deu 4:24)
Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, (Deu 5:9)
All this scriptural references points to the fact that God is truly a jealous God, He don’t want anything that will contend for His Worship, praise and glory in the lives of His people. It is all or nothing (Absolute or nothing).
God will only intervene in that case when only and only Him will take the glory. Many people will causally say, “Yes, God will have the glory” but in real sense, God will get 60% of the glory; human connection will take the rest. If He can’t have 100% of the glory, then count Him out.
It is not “I thank God for so and so person” but “I thank God for God”
Do you know why God choose the weak things of this world especially the weak and feeble men to be His servant and why He chooses non entities to command exploit in the world.
The answer is simple and among other things, 1 Cor1:29 answered it
That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1Co 1:29)
God is not interested in 70/30 Share of the glory, He doesn’t want anybody to partake of the glory, He wants it alone. Most time after ministering to people, God has been faithful and validates the faith mandate with testimonies following, after everything those ministered will approach me to thank me, I will always point them to God, that I was just a messenger.
Many genuine ministries has robbed themselves of divine backing because of they steal God’s Glory, the same glory He said He wouldn’t share with any.
God forever know that the glory of every healing and testimonies wrought through me will always return to Him because My security and confidence is in Him, I don’t have an identity without Him. All have I am today is God and I will forever serve Him, even if He stops blessing me.
In 2Chron 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is PERFECT toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. (2Ch 16:9)
Note the word “perfect” that means complete, absolute. This means that God manifest Himself strongly on behalf of those whose heart is completely fixed on Him.
My Spiritual Father Dr David O Oyedepo said that God told him that whenever he is looking up to man, he should never claim to be looking up to Him.
What then is the Role of Man?
The role of man in divine move and intervention can’t be ignored, God always use human instrumentality to achieve His purpose and plan on the earth. The Word said that He stir up the heart of men toward His purpose; remember that the hearts of kings are in His Hands.
We must strive to focus our heart on God and be open to the men God sent our way. You may wonder? is the glory not shared when man is involved, no if the man is God’s vessel of supply.
- The vessel may not be aware of God’s Hand in the whole process.
- That obedience by such a person will open door to the next level for that person
Let consider the Zarephath’s woman, God used the woman to provide for the need of His servant and by that singular act of obedience, God saved the woman and son from death via starvation and sustained that woman and son all through the famine.
Tell me who will the glory go to: Elijah?, no he needed provision. The woman?, no she had little and was about to be starved to death after the meal. So who will the glory go to? “God and God alone”.
Lets examine another act of God:
In 2King 7: God said through Elisha “To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria”
How did God confirm His Word, by raining flour from heaven, no? He appointed certain nobodies vessels – 4 hungry lepers.
He made them to go to Camp of Syrians provoked by a risk taking attitude
If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: IF THEY SAVE US ALIVE, WE SHALL LIVE; AND IF THEY KILL US, WE SHALL BUT DIE. (2Ki 7:4)
So God helped His People through 4 lepers that needed help also. So by God, both needs were meet. Also in Esther 5:14, Haman and his friend and wife have planned to kill Mordecai the next day. Everything was in place
Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made. (Est 5:14)
In Esther 4:16, Mordecai, Esther and the Jews were in a fast, but how did God delivered Mordecai. That night Haman made the plan, the king couldn’t sleep
On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. (Est 6:1)
The Word didn’t say, he didn’t want to sleep but He couldn’t sleep that is he didn’t have the power to sleep because there is He that siteth in the circle of the earth and doing what pleaseth Him, the One that giveth His beloved sleep, the One that speaketh and no one asketh Him what doeth thou, that is God – took away sleep from him.
Think about it, he commanded that the books of records of chronicle should be brought to him and they were read before the king. Yes, he couldn’t sleep, there are other administrative issues and work to attend to, why choose to be listening to books of records. God did it because the hearts of kings are in his hand.
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Pro 21:1)
You know the rest of the story, how Mordecai was decorated and honor within the realm, if not he would have been death.
My point is this: if your heart is on God, and then God will use someone that you may not know to accomplish his work.
I had a challenge in the early days of university years, God sent a young man that I don’t know or have meet from Port Harcourt a city in Rivers State, Nigeria. According to the man’s record, he wanted to collect a certain document and he arrived around 9pm at night. He didn’t know that He was the appointed vessel, he thought he came on his own business (which he did partly) but I knew he was the vessel appointed because God told me.
What then is the Balance
Always remember, that God knows your heart, you may wondering, how do I know when my heart is on God or man. When I was studying the Books of Kings, the Lord gave me the answer:
“Where do your heart go to when crisis arise, on Me or on man”
Many Christians in business, whenever their businesses are not favorable or the market is going down, you will hear them complaining. This is a clear pointer that their trust in their business, stock instead of God.
It is not bad to think about your business and investments – in fact I am huge fan of constructive and creative thinking (one of my hobbies) but we must be careful, lest it take God’s place in our heart.
In 2014, I was studying from God’s Word- how God supplies for His Work and His servant – He said to me “The vessel of supplies may change but the Source remain permanent” I later asked Him why? He said “To keep the heart of His people on Him instead on the channel”
Don’t be found guilty, yes God might blessed you by giving you a wonderful idea and you pursue it and you are rich today, never and never shit your heart from God to the business. If you do, you are heading for tragedy.
God spoke to me from Math 6:33 – if you serve Me, Money will serve you but if you run after money, you will be pierced with many sorrows. Where is your heart?
I conclude in this manner, with this scripture verse
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! (Isa 31:1)
The word woe means grief, unfortunate happening, distress that occurred due to misfortune. Don’t Mar your destiny, God is still showing Himself strong on behalf of those who heart are perfect toward Him.
Also to approach this issue from a logical perspective, think about this: there are over 7 billion people in the world today, we are advised to make friends and connect with people with the intent that you never know who will help you.
The funny part is that many buys into that advice. My question is this - How many people do you think you can know in your lifetime and how may do you think can help you. Life and human interaction has proven: that help is not always with the people you except help from.
Your destiny helpers are few right connection, but the question who are they and where are based ? I don’t know but I know there is One person that can connect you to those right people He has appointed for you and He can make everyone even your enemies to be at peace with you.
Personally, I think knowing one person that give you access to many is a huge investment and asset. I leave you to decide. Where is your heart ?
Remain Blessed
Jesus is Lord