Text –1 Chronicles 12:38- “All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.”
As you go through life, your paths must cross with certain men, whom I refer to as “men of substance”. When your paths cross with these individuals, and you respond to them correctly, by allowing them to make their God-sent contributions in your life, you will doubtless reign as king in the place of your divine destiny.
These men of substance are of 7 categories:
1. BRETHREN Brethren here, is used in the context of the account of the early Church (That is, referring to fellow believers). Truth is every born again Christian is a man of substance in your life, whether you interact with them closely or not. This is because we all belong to the same body; the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:16 says this concerning the Body of Christ, “For it is from the head that the whole body, as a harmonious structure knit together by the joints with which it is provided, grows by the proper functioning of individual parts to its full maturity in love.”
2. ENCOURAGERS 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” Your encouragers are like your cheer leaders; they are the people who gear you up even when you are in your down moments, and push to forward to dare the odds.
Acts 4:36 tells us that Barnabas, whose real name was Joses was nicknamed Barnabas (meaning, son of encouragement) by the Apostles. We later see from Acts 9 onwards, how he played the role of encourager for Paul in doing the work of ministry. You need people like that in your life too.
3. EXAMPLES These are people whose lives you have the opportunity to observe either closely or from far (even through books, documentaries, history etc.). There are those who will show you example of how to behave and there are those who will show you examples of how not to behave… These are your unconscious teachers in life; you must, however, ensure that you are not an unconscious learner around them.
4. COMPANIONS These are the people that will team up with you to walk the road of destiny. If you find a true companion, stick close to the person – you will go far together. That’s actually the way life is, when you walk alone, you move faster, but when you get a companion, you will go farther!
Acts 4:23 talks about how Peter and John went back to their company after they were persecuted, who then joined them to cry out to God in prayer. You need such people in your life!
PRAYERS
1. Lord, please help me to function properly as an individual part of the body of Christ so that this body will grow to its full maturity in love.
2. I call forth encouragers and God-ordained companions into my life in Jesus’ Name.
3. Father, help me not to be an unconscious learner in life in Jesus Name.
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