STICK WITH IT - A Tale of Perserverance and Faith in your Vision

A deeply compelling story for all African youths. The road to greatness is paved with obstacles - Not obstacles to limit us, or stop us but aimed to build character and sustain the much desired greatness.

Hebrews 6:12We do not want you to become LAZY, but to imitate those who through FAITH and PATIENCE inherit what has been promised.(Emphasis mine)

Please read through this piece by Adegoke Nathaniel (One of Africa's finest youths in the making)

STICK WITH IT
I had always known I will own my own company. In September 2008 I started the Project People journey with nothing but £580 and a laptop computer. I was offered a desk at a family friend's law office on Opebi Road and that was the only thing I got for free. I had a big dream. I was young and passionate. I believed I could take on the world and nothing could stop me. In less than a month, reality hit. It became obvious that what I wanted to do will be pioneering and in many ways new to the environment I found myself. At this point, my feasibility studies, market research and business plan became completely obsolete and irrelevant. Bills were mounting, I didn't have client retainerships and every textbook wisdom just wasn't good enough.

8 years down the road, people see what we've accomplished and are filled with admiration. For this I'm eternally grateful to God. However, let me stress, it has not always been this good and I am not even close to the vision I had at the beginning. The journey has being everything but a walk in the park. I've been evicted from my office through a court order once, I've been betrayed by the closest people to me, my staff have stolen from me both intellectual properties and millions of naira, I've been lied on and I've had seasons when I couldn't pay salaries for 6 months. Once I've had to downsize from close to 40 staff members to just 8. I once sold my car to pay office rent, it was a BMW graduation gift from my Dad. I have seen it all. In the midst of this treacherous situations, I turned down inflated corruption ridden contracts from the government. I was invited by my former employers in the UK to come take up well paying 9-5 job. That as well I turned down. The vision and the many people on staff that look up to me for strength and encouragement made me stay.
We went International. We formed partnerships in the UK, Ghana, Qatar and South Africa. The dollar was at N118 when we signed the agreements, by the time it was due to redeem our commitment, dollar had jumped to N178. Tens of thousands of dollar was involved. We didn't foresee it and we got neck deep in debt. I was depressed but I did one thing...I stuck with the plan. I renegotiated the contracts, some of the partners were furious, I lost some crucial relationships but heck, I did what I had to do and stayed with the plan.

Photo: Otunba Adegoke Nathaniel

Process is tough. It prunes you, it tries your heart and checks your motives. It grinds you till there's no impurities left. God's presence is his promise, that presence doesn't mean you get to skip the steps. A man can't have a child in one month by making 9 women pregnant. Anything that will last and stand the test of time must go through the fiery fire of troubles and challenges. There is no free lunch in Freetown. Every glory must have a story of commitment and perseverance.

What do you do when you're shaken to the core and your resolve is tested? What do you do after you have done all you know to do and followed all the rules and still don't make the cut? What do you give after you've given your all and yet you fall miserably short? STICK WITH THE PLAN. 

Always have the vision in front of you and you'll be able to despise the shame and endure your cross. We are not there yet but we're on our way. Today is a million times better than yesterday but it is only so because I stuck with the plan. We will have a million reason to quit but if we look inward, we'll find a good enough reason to stay true to the course.

I pray for you my friend, your journey will be easier in 2017 and you will find peace in the places where you've been troubled.
Love.

ARISE AFRICAN YOUTHS - You are MORE than THEY

ARISE AFRICAN YOUTHS - You are MORE than THEY 

I have in recent times being led to do an extensive study of the African continent. A task I am beginning to take seriously. In my very small research done so far, I encountered something that is of great concern to me and may be a source of concern to the readers as well.

The aim of exposition is to provoke within the reader a desire to stir up within themselves every available resource in rising from the mediocrity currently plaguing the African continent.

This message is for the African youth – It is time to arise dear African youths. At the end I shall the visions I have received for the African youths. 

What is plaguing the African Nation is not new to nature and God is calling on us all to awake. Ephesians 3:10 says His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

Please read the passages below

Exodus 1:9

New Living Translation

He said to his people, "Look, the people of Israel now outnumber us and are stronger than we are.

English Standard Version

And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.

King James Bible

And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.

                       

From the 3 different translations we can see something here which I have deliberately italicized for emphasis. Did you know that the Children of Israel had the number and the might yet they were ruled by the lesser? Even the Egyptians acknowledged that they were mightier and also had the numbers. In economic terms, the population of a nation means a lot and can be used as a bargaining power to achieve so much.

How can a people so mighty and with a population so many that caused a great civilization to tremble be governed and enslaved so easily? What was it that went wrong with the people that they could not arise? Someone will say that it is God’s will that they remained in captivity. I agree that there was a prophecy for their captivity but is it also possible they could have risen up against the slavery in Egypt and demanded better working conditions? 

Let’s look at the prophecy again people

Gen.15:3 …Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there (NIV).

You see God did not say He will make them slaves, He said they will be enslaved and mistreated there. Though strangers in a foreign land, they will allow themselves to be mistreated there. Another aspect of the prophecy said 400 years but guess what, they eventually spent 430 years.

Exodus 12:40 Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years (NIV)

"God is not the author of confusion 1 Corinthians 14:33". "He is not man that He should lie… Numbers 23:19". "His words are yea and amen 2 Cor. 1:20" and in Isaiah 55:11 it says… “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

From the passage above God said 400 years yet they spent and extra 30 years. This was not God’s doing at all. God keeps His words as shown from many scriptures above – They were comfortable with their situation. The Egyptians had conditioned the minds of the Israelites to believe what they had was the best for them. Even though they were mightier, they could not accept it in their minds so they lived as servants instead of princes. They eat crumbs and begged for their daily living yet they were the source of restoration for Egypt through Joseph. 

Eccl. 10: says… “I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.” 

How sad when you imagine the picture of the Israelites then. Despite God’s vision to Abraham that his descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, they could have lived well in that land but alas, they allowed themselves to be treated like slaves because they saw themselves as slaves in their minds.

Now let us look at the picture of Africa and tell me how different the story is.

Continent	Number of Countries	Population
Africa	54	778,000,000
Antarctica	0	0
Asia	47	3,674,000,000
Australia plus Oceania	14	31,000,000
Europe	43	342,000,000
North America	23	483,000,000
South America	12	342,000,000

Source: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/math/tables/reading/continents/

From the above isn’t it amazing that Africa has the highest number of countries and the second highest population. Does it not amaze you that the 2 continents with the highest figures have been the most backward. Asia is now on the rise but where is Africa amongst the comity of Nations.

A few great feats have been achieved but when compared to the enormous potential of the African continent that is mere crumbs. Very much like what the children of Israel had. They were content with a few successes so they never went for more.

When you think of most negative societal vices, it almost appears that Africa is the reference point. Yet we are a people richly endowed, mighty and numerous yet we are like the prince walking and allowing others ride on horses.

How did we get here? What led us to our current state of almost near defeat? When you go beyond the shores of Africa and see the height of development, you begin to wonder if we were humans were created from different materials yet I can tell you we ARE ALL CREATED EQUAL. No one person is created superior to another whether white, black or by whatever color is named.

After getting used to slavery for many years, hear what the Israelites had to say of themselves when they were preparing to take over God’s promise.

Numbers 13: 33

New International Version

We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

New Living Translation

We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!"

They felt they were grasshoppers in their own eyes and because they felt so about themselves, they also assumed that was the way the people saw them. You cannot rise beyond the capacity of your mind to capture greatness. If your mind disagrees with you then you can do nothing. See what the bible has to say about the mind and progress.

Philemon 1:14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. (KJV)

Wow!!! Without the mind nothing can be accomplished. I refuse to blame our leaders in the continent though there is every reason to blame them but now God is stepping into Africa and wants to take the lead. He is coming to accomplish what only He can accomplish. The African youths must be willing to kill all the years of mental slavery and low self-worth and rise above and beyond mediocrity.

We must begin to re-condition our minds and fine tune it to accept the reality of our identity in God. We are not origins of Africa, we are originated from God Himself. We have the life of God in us. We have all being created in His image after God’s likeness Gen. 1:27. We have the likeness of God that calls the things that be not as though they were.

We are more than conquerors Romans 8:37. We have all it takes to rise above the state we are in right now. We don’t need to run to other countries to achieve our dreams. The land is not the dream achiever, it is the person. If you have that dream and believe in the vision God has placed in your heart, it won’t matter if you are in the desert you will SHINE and SUCCEED.

God has placed within us ALL the seeds of greatness. We must look to Him for help in discovering it. In the story of SIMBA the Lion KING after he had lost his way and had given up on his birthright, his father appeared to him and all he said was “REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE” – African youths remember who you are. You are sons and daughters of a great King. He is the creator of the Heavens and the Earth. He upholds all things by the word of His mouth. He is GOD.  

              

Friends, let us start proclaiming who we are and living the life God has ordained . Paul told Timothy don not let anyone despise your youth 1 Timothy 4:12. There is more to you than you know.

THE VISIONS

God has shown me that one day African youths will lift up their hands in praise of Jesus. There will be a revival that will sweep the African continents and the youths will arise. Visions will increase, destiny and life changing ideas will multiply. The next great inventions will come out of Africa.

I believe the above 100% because I know it will happen and that is why I am so passionate about African youths. I know there have been years of neglect. No one is looking in the direction of the African youths that is why God has sent me. There will be deliverance happening everywhere. Negative and destiny trapping habits are being broken, mental slavery destroyed and godly character is being formed. African youths it is time to Arise.       

Get ready for the revival - Great things are beginning to happen. Africa will arise, African youths will shine and praise Jesus. Join us at our meetings where we teach you to exceed your limits and unveil Christ to you.

There is a better version of us all in God.                

• Don’t belittle yourself                      
• Don’t look down on yourself                       
• Arise and shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord is rise upon you            
• Don’t let anyone tell you what you are not. Don’t even accept or listen to it
• Believe in God and see Him do awesome things in our life.                       

   

MASTURBATION – YOU CAN BE FREE

A silent torment in the daily lives of 4 in every 5 youths (Male and Female) alike. Not many are bold enough to ever bring this up in counseling yet they daily live their lives engaged in this habit. 

I know there is an internal struggle within – A struggle to stop this act yet for every resolution, it seems we only get ourselves stuck further in the mess. Many have tried different science proven methods to end this alas they find themselves thrown back in.

Friends, you are not alone – no you are not. Many including your dearly beloved have been held sway by this monster called Masturbation and the pain in it is that we have no one to talk to. We even feel less ashamed of talking about fornication with the opposite sex as compared to letting people know we silently gratify/indulge our flesh. 

Masturbation is a close friend to acute low self-esteem. It erodes your confidence and draws us further away from a sweet and passionate relationship with the Holy Spirit. Masturbation does not die with age as men in their 60’s and above still indulge in such according to statistics.

Marriage does not cure masturbation, abstinence does not cure it either. Running to the bathroom to take a shower does not cure it. Taking a long walk does not cure it. Crying and praying for forgiveness daily does not cure it – if anything the devil will use that against you. He will remind you that you are always asking for forgiveness and you should rather stop praying. He will show you scripture upon scripture to show you how angry God is with sinners and when you question such thoughts, he will tell you he is the Holy Spirit in you and as Jesus said he is bringing all things to your remembrance.

Why have I written this piece? – Well in simple terms GOD WANTS YOU TO BE FREE.

Can you truly be free from MASTURBATION? A very big YES!!! You can be so free you will wonder if it was the same you that struggled with it before. Everything you need to be free is right inside you.

How many steps do you need to follow in order to be free – GOODNEWS!!! Just a step (Yes that simple – Just one move and you are free forever)

Is there doubt within you right now that you can be free – I bet there is. It is the devil trying to discourage you (You are wondering how he is reading it at the same time you are - Is thatright? Don’t wonder long, he is the god of this world and have access to his domain as he wills until Christ defeats him finally and locks him in his reserved punishment forever)

So what must you do to be free? THIS IS IT…

GUARD YOUR HEARTS – Yes I really mean it (Guard what enters your heart)

Now you are annoyed but let me share somethings with you and then I will come back to the above.

How does MASTURBATION occur?

• You watch an erotic movie or scene and you play with your genitals
• You see an erotic image somewhere and then you find a lonely spot and play with your genitals.
• You remember some experience you’ve had sometime past and then to quell the urge, you masturbate.
• You become very emotional and then you remember that when you masturbate it goes off temporarily.
• You have some physical contact with the opposite sex and get turned on (Which is very normal) and then you quickly masturbate to quell the urge.
• You cant bring yourself to ask the opposite sex for sex and you have urges so you masturbate as an escape.
• You are not comfortable with someone seeing your nakedness and yet you have urges so you masturbate

The reasons are endless but look closely at the above and you’ll notice something – EVERYTIME you want to masturbate you have to make use of your mind. I mean you have to mentally picture the real thing otherwise you wont reach satisfaction.

DID YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO MASTURBATE HAVE A VERY STRONG MENTAL CAPACITY – Oh!!! The devil wont tell you that. Your mind is powerful that is why you can imagine the real thing and play with your body for it to happen. You are literally directing your brain to think it is doing the real thing.

SEXUAL urges are very normal – The whole anointing and prayers of this world would not take it away. God deliberately put it there but intends for it to be used at the right time.

So why have I said GUARD YOUR HEARTS – please follow me closely and let me show you what the devil has been doing through a few scriptures.

Col. 1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were ENEMIES IN YOUR MINDS because of your evil behavior.

Prov. 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Matthew 6:22 The EYE IS THE LAMP OF THE BODY. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Finally

Romans 1:28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.

There are many scriptures I could use to support this but I will stop here and allow you meditate on this.

So what MUST YOU DO – Guard what goes into your hearts and feed on something else that will build your hearts

Paul admonished Timothy to read, throughout scriptures we are admonished to put in God’s word in our hearts

Phil. 4:8 Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. (AMPLIFIED VERSION)

James 1: 21 So get rid of all uncleanness and all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls. (AMPLIFIED VERSION)

Friends, you cant free yourself save you control what goes into your minds. The devil cannot win over you except he knows he has gained control over your hearts. Even Jesus had this to say about the devil 

John14: 30 …, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

The devil had nothing on Jesus so he could not tempt him. Did you not notice that the only reason the devil could tempt Jesus during the fast was because He had three key things in Him

1. He was hungry so the devil tempted Him with food (If Christ was not hungry, it wont have been a temptation)
2. He was in the wilderness being trained by the Holy Spirit on His assignment and Sonship and the devil offered Him a quicker way out to jump and prove it (We don’t need to prove anything to the devil)
3. He was preparing to die and gain the whole world for Himself but again the devil came and offered him a quicker solution if only He would compromise by bowing down.

The three times the devil tempted Jesus it was because he had a sense of what Jesus came to do on earth and Jesus’ mind was fully set to accomplish them. Did you also notice the only way Jesus could win was by offering the devil what His mind was full of – The word of God.

MASTURBATION is of the devil but can only win over us as long as we give that spirit control over our minds. We have the authority to say no to the thoughts of the devil. Simply rebuke negative thoughts 

2 Cor. 10: 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Yes you can cast down evil thoughts. Please friends, try it even if briefly and taste the goodness of God. It truly works. No scientific method can stop this save the word of God fully implanted in your hearts. Do not give up when you fall – though the Righteous man may fall seven times but he will surely rise again. Keep filling your mind with the right things. Watch the kind of movies you watch, stay away from friends who use vulgar language, resist sexual books and contents. BLOCK FRIENDS on facebook and other social media platforms who constantly post sexual contents of any kind (remember if a hand cause you to sin you should cut it off). Pray always and yes!!! Talk to a MATURE PERSON (I would prefer your Leader in Church) cos not everyone can be trusted to guide you right.

Friends you can be FREE and if you need me to talk to you, have no fear – just email youngafricantalent@gmail.con or call 08034612363 (you can whatsapp as well)

I declare in Jesus name that every power of the devil competing with God and holiness in your hearts be terminated in Jesus name. I declare you free from all oppressions of the devil in your mind and In Jesus name I lose you from every mental torture and prison.

Olabiyi Olubunmi

Founder: Young African Talent

Mandate: Restoring The Desolate Heritage

To see African youths fully utilizing their potentials (we teach you to exceed your limits)