“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9.

There is no career, marriage or pursuit that is free from challenges. The fact that God led you into your present assignment does not exempt you from challenges of life. But not all obstacles are bad. Challenges are those obstacles you will meet on the road to whatever achievement you desire. Being a Christian does not remove you from the world and its problems; rather it equips you to live in it productively and victoriously; John 16:33.

Growth and success do not eliminate obstacles; they create new ones. Everything depends on you, because God is always working on everyone and walking with us. According to Thomas Carlisle, ‘The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong.’

Challenges bring promotion, it provides an opportunity to grow though it can temporarily detour you. Challenges reveal what we truly believe and who we really are. Challenges could make one doubt the presence or existence of God just as Job’s wife suggested to him. But you have the choice and power to decide on whose side you stand. Obstacles can temporarily detour, but they are not strong enough to stop you.

Fanny Jane Crosby, a legendary hymn writer lost her sight when she was just six weeks old as a result of a doctor’s error in treating her illness. In her state of blindness she wrote more than 8,000 inspiring hymns, one of which is ‘Blessed Assurance’. No matter how cloudy it is when the plane takes off; above the clouds, the sun always shines. Always call back to mind those promises of God for you in moments like this. Do not just look at God through your circumstances; look at your circumstances through God. Remember, if you can just face the music, with God on your side, some day you will lead the band. It is well!

Prophetic prayers

Holy Spirit, influence my perspective and attitude to challenges of life.

Give me courage oh Lord, to face life’s challenges.

Challenges of life shall never cripple me. Let it bring out the best in me.

No challenge of life shall be able to separate me from the love of Christ in Jesus’ name.

Handling Life’s Pressures

“Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” - Ephesians 6:13.

What is pressure of life? It is the natural consequence of human development. Moving from one stage of life to another provokes pressure.Pressure of life is bound to come. No one can escape it. At one point or the other, each one of us will come under pressure whether we like it or not. Life pressure is of different categories: financial, physical, marital and so on. Several people have gone through the pressure of life and today we have one or two lessons to

learn from them.

For instance, Abraham went through pressures mounted by his wife, and other family members as a result of his momentary delay in child bearing.Esau, while under the pressure of hunger could not think deeply on the sacredness of his birthright that he sold. Saul confronted by people’s pressure, could not consider the grave consequence of his action untilSamuel appeared. Job’s wife mounted serious pressure on him to curse God and die because of the loss of their belongings and tragedies that befell them. “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”(Job 2:9).

It is not the magnitude or the type of pressure that besiege you that really matters, but your attitude under such pressures. This will determine whether you will be made or marred by it. The most common of these pressures is the work load we daily encounter.

If pressures are not carefully handled, they lead to depression, anxiety, stress which ultimately affect health and eventually terminate life. Whatever it is, learn to take things easy. No amount of anxiety can solve problems. Do not ever attempt to handle too many tasks at a time. Arrange them in their order of importance and urgency and handle them one after the other, beginning from the easiest.

Take time to think, plan and also pray very well. Remember, problems do not go by themselves, solutions have to be proffered but in seeking solution, your approach and method counts.

I see your pressure give way to pleasure today in Jesus’ name. God bless you!

Prophetic Prayers

I declare and decree; I shall not die under pressure in Jesus’ name.

The inherited and self-inflicted yoke of pressure on me is broken now in Jesus’ name.

Today, I shall not be barren of help. The stress of my life is over.