Despite All Odds...

By Carllister Ejinkeonye

LIFE without challenges is boring and can be stagnant and unprogressive. The ladder of challenges is the ladder to greatness, especially, when climbed by a focused fighter and achiever.  Many youths who appear to have been born with silver spoons in their mouths are hardly able to handle challenges of life and several of them fall by the wayside when the resources at their disposal run out (cons. Luke 15:11-16).  So, it may not always be how wealthy, strong, beautiful, handsome or intelligent somebody is, or the opportunities available to him, that determine how far he can go (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Most of the time, it takes much more than that. When all these fail, there is One that can NEVER fail. So, in addition to your great talents, amazing  endowments and hard work, never stop abiding in and relying on God. He will break the strongest rock before you to grant you a passageway to your target.

A youth's life is characterized by issues and challenges that can either strangulate his vision or broaden and help him to realize it depending on how he is able to take it.  In today's article, the Lord who wants to see you achieve your utmost desire would want you to know that with Him, you can make it despite all odds (cons. Jeremiah 29:11).  Now, what are these odds?

Odds, according to a good dictionary, are those things and situations that make it seem impossible for one to do or achieve something. It means actually that there must be a definite purpose, vision or target one is determined to achieve or reach which circumstances, challenges, forces or even human beings are contending or militating against. So, do you have a purpose to achieve spiritually, academically, professionally, vocationally, etc? Is your vision/desire just to be in church and have no remarkable change in your life?  Are you making do with being born again only? Do you have any aspiration towards perfection, growing in grace and possessing spiritual fruits and gifts?  (Cons. Luke 13:6-7; Jeremiah 8:20; Hebrew 6:1; 2 Peter. 1:5-9; 3:18). Is there any move to excel above your equals in your chosen field (Daniel 1:17-20)? Some young people live for NOTHING, some live for ANYTHING, but youths of purpose live for SOMETHING (cons. Matthew. 25:14-18).  Surely, you must have a target which you are pursuing.

The enemy hates every good and profitable venture and so does all he can to create very unpleasant and difficult circumstances in order to prevent you from accomplishing it (cons. Matthew. 13:24-28). Those are the odds you must determine to conquer in order to excel. The issue of serving God, fearing Him and keeping His commandments have been described as the conclusion of every matter in life and the whole duty of anyone born into this world (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 12; Deuteronomy 6:1,2), but as we have seen, these are the very activities most resisted by the devil and men and women who are ignorant of the very critical role they play in deciding the eternal destination of men (Acts 13:6-11; Genesis 3:1-8; Daniel 3:13-15). They also play a central role in the godly success of a child of God in this world. The 'arm of flesh' has been found to fail ever so often.  So, when you have worked really hard and done your very best and success still eludes you, God is assuring that He will come in with His mighty power to lift you gently and take you across that uncrossable mountain.

The enemy is also aware of this, and that is why he is very determined and always fighting to disconnect you from this great and loving Father. Everyday, he devises new tools to perfect his deception. The ills of the daily 'improving' and rapidly growing technology at the disposal of today's youth far outweigh their gains, yet, and unfortunately, they are so entrenched in every facet of life that the youth turns to --religious, social, academics, business, etc. Often, the free downloads and MB of data allocated into today's phones and the adverts/alerts that pop up without permission or approval of the user as he surfs the web tend to destabilize and corrupt one's decision to serve the Lord diligently.

Many youths, oblivious of the devil's strategies at this close of age, become easy preys and gradually begin to experience depreciation in their Christian lives and if no serious effort is deployed to ensure recovery, the little light they already have would become extinct. And soon they would be numbered among the group of if you can't beat them, join them.  What about the Christian youth's experiences in examination halls (especially, external examinations and in the higher institutions)? Students are subjected to the ungodly will of the invigilators who these days seem to have acquired the overwhelming prerogative to decide for the students what the answers to the questions must be and how long the examination must last notwithstanding the time officially allowed and printed clearly on the question papers. Of course, some arrangements must have been made before hand to procure the answers and read them out to the students in the examination hall. Many candidates are made to pay for this illicit service under duress and often those who refuse to play along are forced to submit their papers before the expiration of time allowed for the exam, thereby causing them to leave the examination hall confused and sorrowful.  Many of such victims may be forced by this bitter experience to decide to remove their robes of righteousness and sanity and to flow with the tide in subsequent exams, at least for as long as the challenges last.

Were there not such circumstances like those that were before Jabez, Gideon, the Israelites and their likes (1Chronicles 4:9; Judges 6:11-15; 1Samuel 15:2; Deuteronomy 25:17-18) suggesting that one's root, background, economic status and the decisions of the 'powers that be' should at times determine one's progress and destiny, thereby, putting those without such privileges at a disadvantage? Well, there is no need to despair. There is one information you must arm yourself with this day, and that is: those are the voices of the grand liar and of mere grass which can wither the next moment (cons. John 8:44; Isaiah 40:6-8). What do you do with them?  Discard them! Continue to ignore them!! Because they shall not stand (Isaiah 8:9, 10; Proverbs 19:21), just as they could not stand in Bible days.

Now, you must realize that the challenges before you are not new, many have swum through those same oceans successfully (cons. 1 Corinthians 10:13) and emerged unstained. Despite all odds, Jabez was more honourable than his brethren (1 Chronicles 4:9); the blessings of heaven, of the deep, the breast and of the womb were on the head of Joseph (Genesis 49:22-26)); Daniel and his friends became heads and turned their world upside down (Daniel 3;28-29; 6:25-27); Paul excelled and was not behind his colleagues in any way (2Corinthians 11:5; 12:11); Jesus has been highly exalted and at His name every kneel bows (Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:8,9). Today, history has recorded many who, despite all odds, came to limelight and accomplished great feats.  Therefore you can make it, you can beat them, you can dare to succeed, you can be WHATSOEVER you want to be in any area of life and in a godly way DESPITE ALL ODDS! When such obstacles arise which seek to compel you to soil your Christian testimony, you must realize that you have a great God who is willing and capable to ferry you over every storm. Go to Him in righteous and  faith-filled prayers and He will give you a great and glorious victory.

So, what has your hand found to do? Do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10). In your Christian race, academics, business, every career etc., expend all your strength, might and being.  Ensure and sustain a willing heart and follow it up with performance, a daily and steady effort in the right direction. Make DILIGENCE your watchword (2 Corinthians 8:11).  Look away from past failures, consider not the winds or waves or the lions on the way, but rather diligently sow in the morning and in the evening (cons. Philippians 3:13, 14; Proverbs 22:13; 24:30-34; Ecclesiastes 11:4,6). When the way seems so tough and frustrating, continue to tell yourself while keeping your eye on your target: “just one more diligent stroke and I will be there”.  Go on and declare your success and victory to yourself and to all who care to hear and see it happen (Matthew 12:37; Numbers 14:28).

Surely, despite all odds, the hand of the diligent shall bear rule, though his beginning be small (Proverbs 12:24; Micah 5:2).

Dare to succeed!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!