YOU CANNOT GET BY PRAYER WHAT YOU SHOULD GET BY CHARACTER & OBEDIENCE

A man’s character is his fate Heraclitus Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States (US), said: “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”

As a clergyman, I have watched pitiably how people self-sabotage themselves by seeking spiritual solutions to character-deficit issues. They look around at everybody as suspects for their predicaments when their greatest demons lurks within them- their character.

What we often call our destiny is truly our character, and since that character can change, then destiny can be altered. Character is destiny.

Is prayer actually EVERYTHING? Many would begin to argue back and forth on this intriguing question, but my main purpose of writing this piece is not to get involved in arguments. Arguments don’t improve the validity of a ‘truth;’ they only determine how long it would take before you realise it.

Most people believe that we can pray ourselves to success and get away with virtually anything if we become a stickler to some prayer routines. There is no amount of spiritual penance that can substitute for character. Sometimes, you need character, not prayer.

Dutch Sheets said: “Prayer is not a check request asking for things from God; it is a deposit slip- a way of depositing God’s character into our bankrupt souls.”

British writer and politician, Thomas Macaulay (1800-1859), said: “The measure of a man’s character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out.” I have often said that what would ultimately destroy a man going to high places in life is not really the enemies that are waiting for him there, but the character that followed him there.

I want to emphatically underline the fact that this write-up is not meant to trivialise prayers in any way. I have observed that many people take character for granted, while overzealously tuning on into their spiritual mode.

We have become so spiritually in tune through prayers that we neglect the place of character and our relationship with people. Many are actually ‘heavenly’ bound, but with no earthly relevance. You can speak with spiritual eloquence, pray in public and maintain a holy appearance, but it is your behavior and character that will actually trigger the manifestation of all that God has for you.

You must learn to treat people with courtesy.
The Shunammite woman must have been praying for a child all through her life. By being hospitable to a man of God, she eventually got her much-awaited miracle. It wasn’t prayer that opened the door for her; it was her character. Assuming she wasn’t hospitable, she would have missed a critical miracle.

Many times, we pray, fast and bind demons that don’t exist when our real demons are just our greatly flawed character. Many have insulted people that were divinely placed and orchestrated to help them fulfil their destiny. Some people are keeping malice with their destiny helpers.

Treat people with respect. Treat strangers with courtesy. Never look down on anybody. God can use anyone to change your story.

Abigail Van Buren said: “The best index to a person’s character is how he treats people who can’t do him any good, and how he treats people who can’t fight back.”

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. The way we treat people we think can’t help or hurt us, like housekeepers, waiters, and secretaries, tells more about our character than how we treat people we think are important. How do you treat people?

One of the most impressive architectural feats and the greatest military defence project in history is the Great Wall of China. In 1987, UNESCO designated the Great Wall a World Heritage site, and a popular controversial claim that emerged in the 20th century holds that it is the only man-made structure that is visible from space.

Originally conceived by Emperor Qin Shi Huang (c. 259-210 B.C.) in the 3rd Century B.C. as a means of preventing incursions from Mongolians and barbarian nomads into the Chinese Empire, the wall is one of the most extensive construction projects ever completed.

History has it that when the ancient Chinese decided to live in peace, they made the Great Wall of China; they thought no one could climb it due to its height. During the first 100 years of its existence, the Chinese were invaded thrice and every time, the hordes of enemy infantry had no need of penetrating or climbing over the wall, because each time, they bribed the guards and came through the doors.

The Chinese built the wall, but forgot the character- building of the wall-guards. Though the Great Wall has over the years become a powerful symbol of the country’s enduring strength and spirit, but it has actually been a good reminder to the Chinese of the superiority of human character.

The Chinese realised much later that the best defence against the enemy is not a fortified wall, but a fortified character. Thus, the building of human character comes before building of anything else.

Prayer is not EVERYTHING! Build relationships, and don’t ever forget that God will always use man. Be mindful of your words and how you speak to people. Work seriously on your character and attitude towards life.

I want to say emphatically that character is not optional; it is sacrosanct to the future that God has planned for you. No matter where you place prayers, character matters. The greatest fraud in life is religion without character. A man without character is recklessly alive.

William Shakespeare captured it succinctly when he said: “The fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” Peter Schutz, the former chief executive officer of Porsche said: “HIRE CHARACTER; TRAIN SKILLS.”                        Back in the days when Germany was divided, a huge wall separated East and West Berlin.

One day, some people in East Berlin took a truck load of garbage and dumped it on the West Berlin side.

The people of West Berlin could have done the same thing, but they didn't.

Instead they took a truck load of canned goods, bread, milk and other provisions, and neatly stacked it on the East Berlin side.

On top of this stack they placed the sign:

 “EACH GIVES WHAT HE HAS"

How very true! You can only give what you have.

What do you have inside of you?
Is it hate or love?
Violence or peace?
Death or life?
Capacity to build or capacity to destroy?

What have you acquired over the years?
Team spirit or pull down architecture ?

"EACH GIVES WHAT HE HAS"

Think about it!
Please give out the good in you always.

MY PANTS ARE USELESS; I'VE ALREADY BEEN USED.

MY PANTS ARE USELESS; I'VE ALREADY BEEN USED.

...Abiodun Emmanuel Oyedele

The noise is everywhere. Ladies now walk around with fear, but not her. Anytime they arrive with another latest news, she is usually quiet, as though she is not affected by the whole noise. Sometimes she tries to talk to some of her friends around her, but the noise they make give her no chance of communicating her own perspective about the matter.

Everyone in her house have been discussing the subject over and over again, and they are even thinking of how to get a machine that would be able to dry their undies without them spreading the stuffs anywhere another eyes could see. She spreads her undies at the usual place without any fear, and walks around the street without ever getting worried about how to escape from the "pants snatchers".

She is too nonchalant when it comes to responding to trends. She is of the opinion that, being worried about the stuff is adding no value to her, and so, she pushes aside the fearful thoughts; walking so majestically like the daughter of The Owner of the land. But then, where has she got her confidence from? Why would she not be afraid like others are.

At some points, the news began to spread wider. Guys were allegedly reported to be breaking in to hostel rooms of students that were home for the compulsory holidays in search for the logo of a car brand. Yet, as soon as the news get to her, she would respond as though she was not a lady, and just wave it off her mind; changing the subject of discussion.

Meanwhile, she is the voice that sings in the early hours of the morning, when others are sound asleep. She is the one that others wake up to see studying "The Living Book" and laughing ecstatically in the Holy Ghost. She shakes the foundation of her house whenever she prays, that other ladies envy her for being committed to God. The truth is, most of these ladies that are protecting their undies are into relationships with the guys that need their underpants. She had been convinced over and over again to say YES to suitors who will spoil her with money, yet, she had refused to be spoiled. Many at times had she been referred to as proud, just because of her straight NO, whenever guys come to her to know if she would love to travel on the journey of love with them.

To the lover of trends, she is not very friendly at all, hence, those who want to be sincere with themselves can boldly testify of her kindness, friendliness, and display of virtues. The only accusation they usually hold against her, is that she had decided to remain on the boring side of life; where there are restrictions to what a person can do with her life. The kind of males that you see her relate with, are those other type of guys that have refused to respond to winks and openings; those ones that cannot touch her and spoil her with cash.

And just like they had always told her, the day finally came. She was returning from one of her friend's birthday party, with lots of cakes wrapped in her bag for those she promised back home. Of course, they didn't need to follow her to the party; for they had concluded that such a party would be too dry, and to them, "life would be missing". Walking home tired on her lonely street, two guys appeared before her from different directions. She startled, and got a bit confused. Before she could think of the question to
ask, one of them had already pulled out a gun, and was now pointing it towards her. "What do you want from me?" She asked without too much of confidence. The other young man brought out a parcel, and opened it to show her. "Take off your pants now, and have this money; lest we shoot this gun and waste you."

At that time, she found herself in the reality of all the gist that she ignored and never paid attention to. "Come on, remove the stuff and let us leave as soon as we can; you are wasting our precious time!" Still standing like a statue, she tried to silence her fears and began to mumble words that even her chin could not hear her speak. "Haha! Do you want us to waste you? We will just waste you, and still use your pants. Don't let us waste you, just give us the stuff in peace, take the money, and both parties just depart in peace". And that was how she gave a response that shocked the whole world.

"You can't waste me, for I am already a waste. Tell me, how can you kill with a gun, a lady that was nailed on the cross? My pants are useless; I have already been used."

Like morons, the two guys looked at themselves, and the one pointing the gun dropped his hand dead. "How can you be already used and you are still standing to tell us?"

Now with much more confidence, she moved closer as they moved backwards. "You see, I am a Living Sacrifice, Holy and Acceptable unto God. I have given my life to Jesus Christ as My Lord and Saviour, and I have offered my body unto Him as a Living Sacrifice".

The two guys could not believe their ears. They have never heard that before from any lady. No lady had ever resisted them with such level of audacity. They looked at her again, and could no longer stay. One of them gave her a parting shot; "I wish I had known this as a church boy. I wish my younger sister could respond this way last month; she would just had escaped death. We have approached many ladies, uncountable, with their Bible in their hand, they gave us what we requested for without wasting our time. You spoke to us today as though the whole Bible dwells inside you. Indeed we can't use you, for it is obvious that you had already been used".

*

 Wait. What do you think about the account given above? I'm sure you wanna ask me where it happened and the lady that made it happen. Well, to the best of my knowledge, it will happen when we stop spreading the fear, and start instilling the Faith. Enough of this fearful circulation of what is in vogue! I heard that it had even become a prayer point in some settings; "Oh Lord, keep the pants of all our ladies safe!"

What?! Enough! Let's teach our ladies Faith and not fear. Let's teach them good character, that they will stop falling into the hands of those that want to use them. Let's teach them contentment, so that they will not be carried away by money and possessions of men. Let's encourage them to carry the fire of God, and make them understand the authority of A Believer! For how long shall we continue to pray based on situations and not by the inspiration got from revelation?

Wise up believers! Let's exercise the authority that we have in Christ, and stop panicking about this noise that will soon fade away. Let's hold unto that which abides forever.
Your response to this post will go a very long way to reveal the category that you belong; whether you are a fear spreader or a Faith booster.

A Living Sacrifice cannot be used for any other sacrifice.

 MY PANTS ARE USELESS; I'VE ALREADY BEEN USED.

 ...Abiodun Emmanuel Oyedele
(c) January, 2019.