THE FIRST STATEMENT OF GREAT ACHIEVERS

 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

                                                                           Philippians 4:13 (KJV)

 

No key opens the first door to success than self belief – in your abilities and capabilities. He who has no opinion of himself, in other words, does not know and believe that he/she can do something, seizes no chance. He misses every opportunity that comes his way because his presumption is that he cannot make any use of it. Your primary step in life is to always know and believe in yourself. That is the first knowledge without which perishing is absolutely inevitable. If you do not know yourself and what the creator has deposited in you, you will surely advance only in the field of self pity.

 

Self pity is a life characterized by negative thoughts. And to live a life of negative thoughts and fear of failure is to fail in advance. The mere thought of not being able to make it is enough to get you completely out of the race. The way you think affects your every life. Your thoughts yesterday bought and brought you your today, and so will your thinking today buy and bring you your tomorrow. So one writer pens:

 

Guide your thoughts,

they become your words;

Guide your words,

they become your actions;

Guide your actions,

they become your habits;

Guide your habits,

they become your character;

Guide your character,

they become you.

 

If you fail to think positively, you will never talk positively. If you do not talk positively, you will act negatively and your habit would mold your character into a negative entity called you. The way you picture things in your mind is very important because your imaginations make you pass or fail the examinations of life.

 

Both promotions and demotions are nursed in the imagination. If your imaginations are positive and optimism, you get your promotion at the appointed time. And if your imaginations are full of negative stuffs and pessimism, you will be demoted in life and failure will attack you like armed robbers.  It is highly probable that a worker who thinks his or her boss does not like him or her and so he or she would not be promoted, is never going to be promoted indeed. The reason is that his or her thought would dwell much on the dislike of the boss towards him or her. He or she would then lose concentration on the job leading to poor performance. On the other hand, a worker who imagines his promotion in the positive direction is likely going to be promoted before the year goes to an end because right from the beginning of the year, his imagination would drive him or her towards working harder to achieve what he or she has already pictured in the mind.

 

 

This life is full of alternatives. Until you are positive, you never choose the best alternative. So have absolute control over your thought and subject it to positivity. Negative thought would say to you, “You cannot do it; what if it doesn’t work?” Positive thought would intrude, “What if it works?” Negative thought would say to you; “You cannot start again, it’s too late.” Positive thought would encourage, “You have just one more step and it isn’t yet late to start over.” Always yield to the positive and have it in mind that you can achieve your every dream through Christ.

 

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. (Phil. 4:8)

                                                   

If you think of the truth in your marriage, you will not be the only person who would abide by it; your spouse and children will also do the same. If you conceive your marriage as noble, dignity would envelope it. If your conscience dwells on love flowing over your marriage, the rose flower of love will bear over any thorn in it. If you admire your partner for whoever he or she is and let your mind concentrate on his or her excellence rather than the imperfection, your marriage would be praiseworthy.  The same apply to whatever you find yourself in. Whatever you think you pick because thoughts are things. Napoleon Hill says;

“Whatever a man conceive and believe, he can achieve”.

 

You can however think positively only when you know and believe in yourself. Socrates says, ‘man, know thyself’. You are a repository of great capabilities because the creator created you as a co-creator – to also join in the creation process that would make the world and that which is to come (heaven) an abode of divine pride. If you have solid and definite knowledge about yourself and that which is in you, you will begin and end your history in the Guinness book of great achievers.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:

because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

                                                                                                            1^st John 4:4 (KJV)

 

The first page of the history of great achievers begins with what they can do and the affirmation of it in spite of all possible obstacles and adversities. Before even the challenge confronts them, they had conceived and believed their victory already. They are always the men of I CAN. They conceive the ideas, see the visions and confront the challenges. Then they fill their minds with positive thoughts saying to their inner self, I CAN …

Win that game

Do that job

Compose that music

Learn that lesson

Lead the group

Pass this examination

Invent that machine

Obtain that loan and use it well

Manage a business, no matter how big or small it might be, etc.

 

For with God nothing shall be impossible

        (Luke 1:37 KJV)

                                                         

The Apostle Paul had a very practical conviction that nothing is impossible with God when he said to the Philippians; I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Consider the length and breadth of his conviction in what he could do through Christ - all things’. That is how great achievers talk and that is how you must talk when you want to identify yourself with them. With Christ nothing shall hinder your success if only you have the strong inner faith and conviction in the fact that you are created without limit. You will only be fit for success if you admit you have no limit. No limit in your promotion. No limit in your finances. No limit in your marital joy. No limit in your education. No limit in the growth of your business. No limit in life. No limit in your success.

 

The word ‘Impossible’ must be totally out of your dictionary as far as you believe in the supernatural power of God who works in you through Christ Jesus our Lord. Impossible is a word for those who are incapable of believing in their God and themselves.

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For they can conquer who believe they can. -Vergil

                                                                      

When it comes to one of the greatest complete success story in the Bible, I cannot help but choose the story of David and Goliath as one of the most fascinating and lessons crammed. David used the principle of I CAN, I WILL, and I AM when the opportunity surfaced for him to confront Goliath. For days, the Philistines’ enormous giant, Goliath, defiled the army of Israel by challenging them to let out a man who could face him in a battle that would draw a line between who would serve who – Israel serving the Philistines or vice versa. The same is the challenges that confront us in this life and on the path to success. They try to defy us and our God and challenge us to a score that would settle the issue of whether we would serve them or they would serve us. You choose to succumb to the threat of poverty and become its servant or you trample upon it for it to become your servant.

 

The hugeness of Goliath and the enormous way he spoke sent the whole defense force of Israel and Saul their king down to the ground in trepidation. They instantly forgot the scores of battles, even greater ones they had won through the help of the God of their fathers. The challenges of this life are a direct replica of Goliath. They speak in frightening manners, insulting and humiliating us so that we would bow to them and be enslaved by them. That was one of the strategies Mohammed Ali used against his opponent in the boxing ring. He insulted and humiliated them until they lost either their temper or are slain by fright. When challenges confront us, they try to persuade us to forget about our God and lose the confidence in the unlimited power of our capabilities to go higher and higher.

 

It was physically evident (but never a spiritual truth) that no man in the camp of the Israelites army could face Goliath in a space of a second. The bible calls him a champion and describes him thus:

 

And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

 

 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

 

And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

 

 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.      1 Sam 17:4-7(KJV)

 

The Israelites became dismayed at his appearance and terrifying terminology. Great fear spiraled down their spine.  And they said to one another, “As for this one, we better surrender. This guy is too much for us. It is impossible for the whole army of Israel to defeat him, let alone a single soldier. Let’s retreat; we can’t.” 

 

Achieving anything great is like attempting to climb Mountain Everest. The sight of the mountain from the base to the summit is a real mask to many. If you consider the enormous nature of achieving your dream, you would never achieve even the shortest dream on earth because no small plan is easily achievable. Sometimes the time involved alone is no small a threat to jest with. Only those who did not care the height were able to climb Mountain Everest. 

 

 For forty days, each morning and evening, Goliath challenged the frightened army of Israel. Amidst their fear, hopelessness and self defeat, the boy David appeared. He had been sent by his father to give food to his brothers who were also in the camp with King Saul. At the time many people decline in achieving their extra ordinary dreams, ordinary men appear to achieve those same dreams and become extra ordinary men. In this life, you have appeared on the battle field to discover Goliath, challenge him and defeat him to victory and glory. You are an ordinary folk for now but I promise you, if you dare what others failed to challenge and tread where even angels dread to tread, you would rise from being ordinary to become an extra ordinary man or woman of history. The alternative is two: you either accept the challenge as David did or you join the frightened army of Saul.

 

On the other hand, it is important to note that David appeared on the scene amidst Israel’s hopelessness. The same is with your life; God will always send a savior amidst your hopelessness. That is even an enough reason for you to boldly say you can do it when all seems to be over.

 

As usual, Goliath surfaced once again to defy the army of the living God, and David saw him. David heard his words and became greatly surprise at the spinelessness of the army of Israel, seeing that an uncircumcised Philistine was defying the army of the living God of Israel.

 

To really succeed, you need to be surprise at whoever that thinks your dream is unachievable. If you don’t, you will allow your thought to follow his unbelief and before you realize, you have got good reasons to discard that good dream for good. Douglas Bader (1910 - 1982), British aviator and social reformer, told a 14-year old boy who had had his leg amputated after a crash:

 

Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't do this or that. That's nonsense. Make up your mind, you'll never use crutches or a stick, then have a go at everything……never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible.

.

 

While people look and heed to the negative aspect of life, get challenged by those negative thoughts and you will see yourself gathering momentum to overcome and be truly more than a conqueror. Conquerors are those who first conquer their negative thoughts in the construction of self confidence.

 

It is also remarkable that David seriously fumed when he saw Goliath and heard his blasphemy. That is always the beginning of rising to break the neck of the enemy. In fact, if you treat an enemy as ally, you will fail the battle. Draw the line between an opponent and an enemy. An opponent may be an ally but an enemy remains an adversary to be dealt with. We compete with opponents for one thing or the other but all enemies come to destroy us and our dreams. Situations that confront us are to be treated like enemies. Whenever you are angry with a situation, you effect change on it – radically drastic one.

 

David took up the challenge to face the so called champion Goliath that the army of Israel feared. First his brother Eliab withstood him but David snubbed him. Your plans are good and would make a great success but there are people who do not believe in you and so they will stand your way. My grandfather, Paa Kyi Kofi Bon (alias, James Oscar Howard) once said to me; “On your path to achieving any dream in life, expect the first antagonistic spirits from your own family, be it from your mother’s or father’s side”. David’s first obstacle was from his family, his own blood. But it did not matter whoever Eliab was, David snubbed him.  It does not matter whether those standing on your way to realizing your dreams are from your immediate surrounding or not, discard them.

 

You do not need people to believe in you before you believe in yourself. You rather need yourself to believe in you before people would believe in you. Doubt whom you will, but never yourself (Bovee). David did not need his brother’s commendation to launch his plan. You also do not need your immediate member’s approval before you dare the impossible.

 

When David snubbed his brother who stood on his way as a stumbling block, he was then taken to King Saul. Until you overcome the first obstacle, you do not advance to the next. You cannot write class two examination when you have not written and passed class one examination.

 

However, you can only rebuff the first obstacles from especially your immediate family members if only you believe you CAN make it. That is to say if you go and you do not make it, you will return to them soaked in shame, bearing their scolds and ridicules. What would Eliab have told his father Jesse if David had failed to defeat Goliath? “I told him” I am sure Eliab would have complained, “but his pride and stubbornness would not let him listen. He deserves his folly.” 

If you do not believe in yourself, you will definitely be overcome by external pessimism because your internal pessimism has already surmounted you.

 

Naturally, by considering David’s outer shell, King Saul also despised him and entreated him to decline. It is natural for people to doubt you can achieve your dream but it is not natural for you to disbelieve you can carry out your dream successfully. To disbelieve in yourself is to cripple your life because the most miserable cripples I ever seen in this life are not those without legs but those who doubt their abilities in life. Take Pastor Nick as a case study. I am talking about the miracle man, who has no arms and legs, yet he can do everything, ranging from playing football, to swimming. Do not delay, get his video and watch – it will blow your mind.

 

The first reason others might doubt you can do something is that on this earth, no one would ever have the same dream with you. Similar is not the same as the same. The dream that those failures had might be similar to yours but never the same as yours. So if they failed in their efforts, it doesn’t mean you will also fail.

 

There are others too who think you cannot make it because you are too young and inexperienced. They may consider your background and convincingly announce to you how you will get blocked on the way. But remember that those people do not know the content of the book; their judgment is based on the back of the book. You should believe you can make it because you can make it, full stop.  Only you alone know what is in you and understand fully your every dream. Bible says;

 

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4; KJV)

 

When David was sent before Saul, Bible recorded:

 

Don't be ridiculous!" Saul replied. "There is no way you can go against this Philistine. You are only a boy, and he has been in the army since he was a boy!" 1 Sam 17:33(NLT).

 

 I have my doubt if you were King Saul, you would have allowed David to venture the battle. But listen to what David said to Saul,

 

 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

 

 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

 

 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 1 Sam 17:34-36(KJV)

 

What is David saying here? ‘King Saul, I have the experience; I killed both lion and bear with bare hands before. This Philistine can’t be any different; I can kill him because I can do all things through the God who strengthens me.” This firm statement of David left Saul with nothing than to say, go and the LORD (in whom you trust) be with thee.

 

My Beloved in Christ, already, you have gone through enough hardships to give you the experience to succeed. Draw inspiration from the fact that you have faced difficult times already and that is an adequate amount of experience to get you going. No challenge is too different and greater than the ones you ever overcame. In Christ, the more the challenges you face, the more the empowerments you receive from the Holy Ghost. The higher the mountain before you, the greater the enablement you receive from the Almighty.  So do not let anyone look down on you for any reason. Like physical muscles, spiritual muscles also grow in direct relation to the amount of load exerted on it. In 1st Timothy 1:14, Paul said to young Timothy:

 

Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith and purity. (1Thimothy 4:12)

 

People will naturally try to let you understand that you cannot make it because of your poor educational, financial, family and resource background. But in your speech, conduct, zeal, faith and purity of mind, let them understand that educational level, money, family backgrounds and what have you cannot hinder your way to success. They are rather under your foot while you tread on the way to success. Let your speech be I CAN do it; let your conduct prove that indeed you really CAN do it; let your zeal inspire you to always acknowledge that you really CAN do what you want to do; let your faith root what you can do in the might of God; and purify your mind from anything that injects your thoughts that you CANNOT do what you CAN do.

 

Does it come to you as any wonder for Barack Obama to become the president of the United State? For me, it is just no. That black boy, the son of a Kenyan shepherd, has always lived with one slogan – ‘YES I CAN’ and it’s obvious he had always looked at the white house as his place of residence. Conception is reception. If you can think it and believe it, you can hold it.