Following The Path of The Eagle - David Oyedepo

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FOLLOWING THE PATH OF THE EAGLE

© 2017 by David O. Oyedepo


ISBN 978-978-2480-24-8

Reprint: 2018

Published in Nigeria by:


DOMINION PUBLISHING HOUSE
All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be used without the written permission of


the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts in magazines, articles,
reviews, etc.

For further information or permission, address:


DOMINION PUBLISHING HOUSE
Km 10, Idiroko Road, Canaan Land, Ota, Nigeria. Tel:
+234 816 406 0777, +234 909 151 4022 Or visit our
website: www.dphprints.com

Connect with David O. Oyedepo


@davidoyedepomin davidoyedepomin

faithtabernacle.org.ng David Oyedepo Ministries International

All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the
Bible, except otherwise stated.
CONTENT

Introduction 5

Chapter 1 God‟s Plan for Us in His Book 9

Chapter 2 Our Pictures in Redemption 19

Chapter 3 Price of Greatness 45

Chapter 4 Making A Difference 73

Chapter 5 The Eagle‟s Anointing 83

Chapter 6 Think Like A Star 101

Chapter 7 Let the Eagle Soar! 119


Introduction

We understand from the Scripture that every child of God is


redeemed as a spiritual eagle and, therefore, ordained to
scale unimaginable heights in life. However, just like an
eagle goes through different stages of growth, we must go
through processes for the eagle in us to attain the heights
specially prepared by God.
The eagle symbolises greatness! Unlike other birds, it is
capable of mounting up to unbelievable heights, far above
the mountains. While most birds go to hide when there is a
storm, the eagle delights in the stormy winds, accompanied
by lightning and thunder. In fact, the eagle rides on the
storm, using air currents, which destroy things on the
ground, to carry itself to heights invisible to the human eye.
Contrary to expectation, the eagle does not flap its wings to
fly or struggle against the storm. Rather, it locks its wings,
picks the air thermals, thrusts upward and rides on it. It locks
its wings to ensure that nothing deters its upward thrusts,
and then it soars!

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

However, the eagle, which fears nothing and to whom


great storms are play things, was not born fearless. It was
born an eaglet – weak, fearful and totally dependent on its
mother. The ability to be fearless and soar to great heights
was in the eaglet, but it took special trainings from the
mother-eagle to make an eagle out of the eaglet. From
Deuteronomy 32:9-14, we discover that the Lord led Israel
through the wilderness to bring him to the land flowing with
milk and honey. This can be likened to how the mother-
eagle trains her young ones.
As we all know, a finished product is always a thing of joy
to behold. For instance, a finished piece of pottery stands out
in beauty; and a fanciful building block is the joy of a
builder. These, however, did not fall from heaven; they all
had a beginning. They were all raw materials at one point in
time that underwent processes, which resulted in their
present glorious shapes. In the same vein, we are raw
materials which God moulds (if allowed) into His desired
shapes. However, God has given man the right to choose
whether to undergo the difficult shaping processes or remain
a raw material liable to decay.

The making of a man is in his hands; that is, he must be


determined to go through the making processes by himself,
not on another person‟s back. That is why the Bible says:

6
Introduction

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but
one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And
every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in
all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown;
but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as
uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air.

1 Corinthians 9:24-26

It is impossible to become a star using another man‟s feet,


because it is the personal exercises we engage in that
determine our efficiency on the racetrack.
Children are born while men are made. Being born again
does not make us automatically great. We must work our
way up the ladder. God is ready to lead, instruct and bless us
but we must “do the climbing”. For instance, even though
eagles are born to soar, they are trained to soar. Training is a
lifelong responsibility of every sportsman, if he must remain
relevant. Likewise, taking personal responsibility is a daily
requirement for any believer to fulfil God‟s plan and
purpose for his/her life.
The purpose of this book, among others, is to unveil the
worth of our destinies in Christ, examine the characteristics
of the eagle which helps it to scale great heights and to show
how to apply same to our lives as believers, thereby
fulfilling our glorious destinies, and soaring like the eagle.
As you read this book, God will set your feet on the path of
greatness, in Jesus‟ name! Remain ever blessed!

7
1

God’s Plan For


Us In His Book
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith
the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give
you an expected end.
Jeremiah 29:11

The Bible, as a book of visions, shows us who we are in


Christ, what we are worth in redemption, what we can do
and how to do them. However, it is important to recognise
that every plan of God is a covenant. The covenant unveils
His plans and also spells out our responsibilities in
actualising them. If we are not interested or committed to
our part, the covenant will remain a mere religious theory as
nothing may come out of it.

Since April 1977, when God spoke to me from Jeremiah


29:11 that, your future is in My plan, not in your plan, I have
been craving God‟s plan at every stage of my life.

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

Isaiah 14:24 says:

The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have


thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have
purposed, so shall it stand.

God has plans for us and has bound Himself with an oath
to bring them to pass, if only we will play our own part.
It is written:

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,


deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is
like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and
straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But
whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and
continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but
a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

James 1:22-25

From the above scripture, we understand that God‟s


visions for His people are contained in His Book which is
the spiritual mirror that reveals the actual worth of the
redeemed. Therefore, as we discover our worth from the
Word, and accept the responsibility it places on us, it
becomes a reality. It was said about Jesus, “In the volume
of the book it is written of me.” Similarly, there are things
written about us in the volume of the
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God‟s Plan For Us In His Book

Book (the Bible) which we need to discover.


It is important to recognise, however, that the discovery of
God‟s plans for our lives begins with new birth. That is,
until we are born again, we can never access God‟s plans
from the Bible, because only the redeemed are qualified to
know the mystery of the kingdom of God (Mark 4:11).

Moreover, every unsaved soul cannot access the rhema in


the Word but believers can. As it is written:
And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of
a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is
learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I
cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him
that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he
saith, I am not learned.
Isaiah 29:11-12

We must also understand that, by redemption, our lives are


ordained to shine brighter and brighter. For the
Bible says: But the path of the just is as the shining light,
that shineth more and more unto the perfect
day (Proverbs 4:18). Therefore, we are redeemed to enjoy a
„from glory to glory‟ lifestyle. As it is written:
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

Our lives should be characterised by beauty and colour


because we are redeemed to enjoy breakthroughs not
breakdowns. Again, we understand from the Scripture that
we are the salt of the earth, the light of the world and cities
set on hills that cannot be hidden. Therefore, whatever is
pushing you into obscurity ends now! I command whatever
is pressing you down in any area of your life to take its
hands off you right now, in the name of Jesus!

In 1970, I discovered from the Bible that God‟s plan for


man is to access his glorious future through high-level
discipline. It is written: It is good for a man that he bear the
yoke in his youth (Lamentations 3:27). Thereafter, I went
behind the dormitory, knelt down and said, “Jesus, any yoke
that I will need to bear when I am old, let me bear it now.”
That was how much I understood it then.

Today, by that revelation, there are no struggles in my life;


I command results at the instance of light. Therefore, we are
empowered for change of levels only by revelation. As it is
written:
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the
LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and
gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise

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God‟s Plan For Us In His Book

upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And
the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the
brightness of thy rising.
Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to
their windows?
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a
strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.

Isaiah 60:1-3, 8, 22

Also, in 1970, I discovered from Revelation 5:10 that we


have been redeemed unto our God as priests and kings and
ordained to reign on earth. Instantly, I concluded that I am
not redeemed a peasant, struggler or beggar; rather, I am
redeemed into royalty. By that revelation, at the age of 16, I
would ask myself when going out whether a king would go
out dressed that way. If the answer was “no”, I would go
back home to change. I saw that I am redeemed to be a king;
so, I must not walk about as a slave.

In addition, I was the Secretary of a Disciplinary


Committee headed by my Principal. By the light of
Scripture, I have been dining with kings for long. Likewise,
I discovered from the Scripture that kings don‟t strive,
because they are not troublemakers, but lovers of peace. In
essence, catching our picture from the Bible definitely
creates our future. However, we must understand that it

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

is not what we know that changes our position but what we


do with what we know. It is written:
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken
diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to
observe and to do all his commandments which I
command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set
thee on high above all nations of the earth.
Deuteronomy 28:1

Therefore, it is not enough to capture God‟s picture of our


future from His Word, we must be committed to walking in
it. Many years ago, the Lord said to me,
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand
before kings; he shall not stand before mean men
(Proverbs 22:29).
By that light, it has become my delight and addiction to
put my best into every assignment. Since the Bible is a Book
of covenants that demands responsibilities from the believer,
any faith that seeks to make God absolutely responsible for
the outcome of our lives is an irresponsible faith. Thus, we
must not watch our lives grounded. Our Church (Living
Faith Church Worldwide) came out of stagnation after we
fasted for three days. Also, I got my tongue touched with a
coal of fire after waiting on the Lord in a fast for three days.
I wonder why people play with their lives as if they have a
spare.
The truth is, it takes strange works to experience
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God‟s Plan For Us In His Book

strange acts. If we won‟t do what is strange, we will never


be entitled to strange manifestations of God. Understand that
God is not a joker; He says what He means and means what
He says. Therefore, we must endeavour to do whatever He
tells us to do. It is also important to recognise that despite
the fact that our needs are genuine, until we obey what God
commands, they will never be met.

In 1981, the Lord said to me, “You are absolutely


responsible for the outcome of your life, with no one to
blame.” Thereafter, I took practical and absolute
responsibility for the outcome of my life.
There is a testimony of a woman in Santa, Texas, whose
baby, while in the womb, was certified deformed as a result
of a disease that made the head of the child bigger than
usual. There was fluid in the baby‟s brain; part of the brain
was missing and the doctors said that if the child ever lived,
he would never be normal. However, this daughter of
Abraham took responsibility when she heard that God still
works miracles through praise. With the advanced
pregnancy, she engaged in wild praise and the baby was
born perfect. Science was proved wrong!

God cannot praise for us; He has told us what our


testimony requires. We have to praise Him before He can
intervene in our affairs. It is all about responsibility. For

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

instance, if you are praying for financial breakthrough and


you are not a “tither”, your breakthrough is not in view. This
is because we cannot get to God on our terms, but on His.

Years ago, Kenneth E. Hagin told a story of a cub that was


captured and raised among sheep. Each time they went to
the river to drink water and sighted a lion on the other side,
the sheep, including the „lion-sheep‟, took to their heels for
safety. One day, the „lion-sheep‟ discovered its identity
through its reflection in the water. There, he saw that he
didn‟t look like the sheep but like the lion they had been
running away from. As a result, the next time a lion
appeared and the other sheep ran away, he escaped to join
his family. By reason of the revelation from the Bible, you
are crossing to the victory side, in the name of Jesus Christ!

On September 12, 1976, God delivered to me the master


key of life from Matthew 6:33. He said, Seek ye first My
Kingdom and all its demands and all these things that others
are dying to get shall be added unto you. That day, I entered
into a covenant to take responsibility by making Kingdom
stewardship my lifestyle. Today, nothing turns me on like
the matters of the Kingdom. In essence, it has become my
only focus and it is exciting, fulfilling and enriching.

I preached my first message in 1970 and started


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God‟s Plan For Us In His Book

preaching in crusades at 21. I was „crusading‟ the devil out


of people‟s lives although I had no idea I would be called
into ministry. I was just an addict of God‟s Kingdom
because I entered into a covenant with Him. God will appear
to you through His book (the Bible) and all you need is to
position yourself to qualify for His appearance.

It is written:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the


Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither
can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14

On March 1, 1992, God showed up and said, “Woe unto


you when all men shall speak good of you, for so they did to
their fathers the first prophets.” Then the Spirit of God came
upon me and I began to write a poem. Surprisingly, as soon
as I finished, a woman came in to apologise for the evil
things she had said about me. I smiled because God spoke to
me before she came and I forgave her instantly from the
depth of my heart.

One day, my wife said that she heard that someone was
saying some things about me on a television programme. I
responded, “Can a person go on television

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

and be quiet? He has to say something.” Amazingly, as the


attack became more severe, the church was growing
stronger. That attack was part of the catalyst that brought us
to Canaanland because within a year, Church attendance
became 10,000; which was an increase of 7,000. Within 10
years of being in Lagos, our church grew to 50,000
worshippers! That is the power of revelation. Get set,
because God will show us who we are from His Book and
that will make all the difference in our lives forever.

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2

Our Pictures in
Redemption

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to


be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also
called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and
whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 8:29-30

Through redemption, we have become joint-heirs with


Christ. We are redeemed to share same DNA with Christ,
thereby sharing the same nature, potential and capacity with
Him. Therefore, the end product of our predestination is
glorification.
However, no one ever arrives at a future he cannot see. We
must see it first before we can ever get there; that is, we
must catch a vision and have a revelation from the

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

Scripture. For instance, Abraham saw his future before he


could get there. The Bible records:
And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was
separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look
from the place where thou art northward, and
southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the
land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy
seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the
earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth,
then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk
through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of
it; for I will give it unto thee.

Genesis 13:14-17

We must also understand that we are redeemed for


greatness, not mediocrity. This is because we have
mountaintop destinies in redemption and we are cities set on
hills that cannot be hidden.
Even when I was not married, I was too sure of a hitch-
free marriage because the terms were clearly spelt out. In
March 1984, the terms of church growth were also spelt out
and I dived into them. In addition, the terms of supernatural
prosperity were spelt out and I committed myself to them
wholeheartedly. God said to me, “My son, David, my
prosperity plan is not a promise, so it does not answer to
prayer; it‟s not a promise, it has

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Our Pictures In Redemption

no respect for fasting. My prosperity plan is a covenant and


until your part is played, I am not committed.”
Every destiny is at the mercy of obedience. That is, our
future places specific demands on our lives that we must
subscribe to.
Therefore, until we profess obedience, our confession is
fake because we cannot confuse God with our confession.
Remember, He is smarter than all of us. Thus, confession
without profession equals confusion. The Bible says: In all
labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only
to penury (Proverbs 14:23).

Let’s See Some Very Clear Pictures


of Who we are in Redemption
Every Child of God is Redeemed to Walk in Dominion

...Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and


subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing
that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:28

“Dominion” simply means, being on top of life‟s


situations and circumstances. We are created in God‟s image
and in His very likeness to command dominion after the
order of divinity. From the Scripture, we see that by
redemption, we are seated with Christ in heavenly places far
above the forces tormenting and

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

making life miserable for others. The Bible says:

Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is


there any divination against Israel: according to this
time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath
God wrought!
Numbers 23:23

Redemption has repositioned us for „sweatless‟ triumph


and we are to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over
all the powers of the enemy and nothing shall by any
means hurt us (Luke 10:19).
It is also written: And hath raised us up together, and
made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus
(Ephesians 2:6).
In other words, we are seated with Jesus, far above where
witches celebrate triumph as they afflict and make bold
speeches. By this repositioning, we are placed far above the
oppression of occult powers and generational curses. We
need to carry this „far above‟ mentality.
For instance, since 1979, I have been conscious that no
agent of the devil under the sun can stand on my path, and
that no witch in the world can withstand me. Not that I
prayed; I knew and I shouted it everywhere! Remember the
Bible says: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall
make you free (John 8:32).
We stepped into Liberia in 2009 and the Queen of

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Our Pictures In Redemption

Sheba had no choice but to step out. Witches know that


there are people they can‟t resist. There is no mad person
that does not know fire. We have been translated far above
every force behind all barriers – both visible and invisible.

However, revelation is the master key to walking in


dominion because the dominion of light over darkness is
eternally unquestionable.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness
comprehended it not.
John 1:5

We must, therefore, understand that there is no barrier


before us that can challenge the authority of the revelation of
the truth that we believe. This is because we are empowered
to become whatever we believe (Ephesians 2:5-6, 1:20-21;
John 1:12).
Moreover, at salvation, we become supernatural beings.
The Bible says:
Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given
me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the
LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

Isaiah 8:18 (see also John 3:8)

When we become born again, we are raised and made to


sit together with Christ in heavenly places, far above

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

all principalities and powers (Ephesians 1:20-21, 2:5-6).


Remember,
…whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and
this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our
faith.
1 John 5:4

We are Ordained to be the Salt of the Earth


and the Light of the World
Salt is an essential commodity of universal and global
relevance. It is known to be a preservative; and it is very
essential to the taste of any meal. Therefore, we are
redeemed and ordained to be positive influences in terms of
preservation, restoration and taste. It is important to
recognise that we are not permitted to experience salvation
alone. This is because by redemption, we and our household
are ordained to be saved. When the prison gates were flung
open through Paul and Silas‟ praise, the jailer said:

...Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said,


Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:30-31

Therefore, redemption does not only guarantee our escape


but that of our household. Thus, your salvation must not end
with you; your household must also be
24
Our Pictures In Redemption

saved. The Bible says:


And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the
mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.

Obadiah 1:21

We are saved to ensure the salvation of other members of


our household. For instance, Joseph was saved to become
the saviour of his father, his brethren and ultimately, his
generation.
As the light of the world, we are also ordained to lead and
be the envy of our world (Matthew 5:13-14). That means we
are redeemed as pacesetters and trailblazers, to be relevant
to our generation. We are to show the world the way and set
a standard for doing things.

We are Redeemed as Kings to Reign on Earth


And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to
take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou
wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out
of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests:


and we shall reign on the earth.
Revelation 5:9-10 (see also Isaiah 62:3)

From the above scripture, we see that we have been


redeemed as kings and priests to reign on the earth. Hence,
we have royal destinies. Our enthronement is
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

not a function of our colour. God is neither black nor white;


God is God! Thus far, we have been intimidated to live as
destitute Christians, but that must end now. We must
recognise that we have a universal gospel that delivers at the
same rate in every nation, among every tribe, tongue and
race.
The Bible says we have been redeemed as peculiar people,
royal priesthoods and holy nations to live marvellous lives,
for Jesus came to give us life in abundance. He came to take
us off the realm of struggles to the realm of miracles.
Therefore, our case is different. We must also understand
that redemption has made us not just spiritual Jews, but
members of the ever-winning, ever-conquering and ever-
reigning tribe of Judah.

Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy


hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s
children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s
whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he
stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion;
who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart
from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until
Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the
people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s
colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in
wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes
shall be

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Our Pictures In Redemption

red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.


Genesis 49:8-12

Judah is never to be pitied but to be praised! Therefore,


every area of pity in our lives is turned to envy, in the name
of Jesus!

We are Redeemed as Stars to Shine!


I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these
things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring
of David, and the bright and morning star.
Revelation 22:16

Jesus further said: As thou hast sent me into the world,


even so have I also sent them into the world.
John 17:18

Therefore, every child of God is redeemed a star after the


order of Christ. We may look like charcoal now, but we are
stars in the making.
Every star today was like charcoal yesterday but as he
continued to engage in the required exercises, the star in him
began to surface little by little until he came out full blown.
We are potential stars because we are redeemed for the
topmost top. “A star” connotes being the best among equals
in career, business and ministry. Being a star means to be a
pathfinder, a pacesetter and a trailblazer. A star is someone
at the top of his field of endeavour.
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

Being born again means to be born a star, but that is


unrealisable except by the Spirit of God. The Bible, with
reference to Philip, says, “The Spirit of the Lord caught
away Philip” (Acts 8:39).
But, what does it take for our stars to shine?
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the
firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as
the stars for ever and ever.
Daniel 12:3

It is also written:
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that
winneth souls is wise.
Proverbs 11:30

If turning many to righteousness is winning souls for the


Kingdom and he that wins souls is wise, that means, turning
many to righteousness is one of the mysteries for the making
of stars in the Kingdom.
Moreover, when we are „on the go‟ for Christ, interceding
for the Kingdom in prayers and reaching out to the lost with
passion and love, we are in partnership with Christ.

Jesus came primarily to save souls; His miracles only


validated that He is the Messiah. So, if we are not concerned
about the core interest of Jesus, how can we walk with Him?
What is His core interest? God does not want anyone to
perish but that all should come to
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Our Pictures In Redemption

the knowledge of the Saviour (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).


Therefore, our star may never shine without us being
passionate about the things of the Kingdom!

We are Redeemed to be Givers, not Beggars


For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that,
though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,
that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9 (see also John 10:10)

We must recognise that we are redeemed into a wealthy


place; therefore, we cannot afford to be beggars. Remember,
heaven is the epitome of wealth. As it is written:

And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the


city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the
foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with
all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was
jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony;
the fourth, an emerald;

The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh,


chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the
tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the
twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve
pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the
street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent
glass.
Revelation 21:18-21

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

From that scripture, we understand that the walls in heaven


are built with precious stones and all the buildings are made
of pure gold. Also, precious stones were used for the
foundation of the city. That is the picture of heaven where
we are seated.

We are Redeemed to be Fruitful Vines not Barren Figs

Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that


walketh in his ways.

For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy


shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife
shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy
children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold,
that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the
LORD. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and
thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy
life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and
peace upon Israel.
Psalm 128:1-5 (see also Isaiah 5:1-13)

We must recognise that we are redeemed fruitful vines


because every child of God is a branch of Jesus, the Vine.
Jesus said:
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in
me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5

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Our Pictures In Redemption

As long as the Vine is fruitful, the branches must be


fruitful. There is no day without many people coming into
the Kingdom. Therefore, we cannot be listed among the
barren.
It is people who call those who have not been blessed with
the fruit of womb „barren‟. Concerning Elizabeth, the Bible
records that, “It is six months with her who was called
barren.” People called her barren and she accepted it.
Therefore, she remained barren until God stepped in and
said, “No, it is not I who called you that; people called you
so!” Every negative name people may have called you in the
hospital, the neighbourhood or in your home is hereby
reversed, in Jesus‟ name!

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine


house: thy children like olive plants round about thy
table.
Psalm 128:3

We are redeemed as fruitful vines; therefore, barrenness is


not our portion. Thus, we have children already. In fact, the
Bible says, we shall teach these things to our children and
children‟s children. That is, we have the assignment of
teaching them. This also means that our children are right
inside us because God cannot send us on an impossible or
unaccomplishable mission. He can‟t tell us that our children
will be around our tables

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

and we would teach them certain things if that has not been
established. He is not trying to entertain us but to show us
who we are.
It is important to understand that the misfortune in our
biological families is no longer our portion because our
family lineage changed at redemption. Among the things
that became new at redemption are: our family tree and root.
We were once sons (children) of men but now, we are sons
and daughters of God, which makes us members of God‟s
family. Since we cannot belong to two families at the same
time, it means an eternal change took place at new birth.
Therefore, anything negative associated with us in our
biological lineage no longer holds because we don‟t belong
to that natural order any more.

Moreover, we were like wild olive trees now grafted into


the good olive trees, thereby becoming partakers of its
fatness. Thus, whatever obtains in the past is no longer our
portion because there is already a disconnection. This clearly
defines what took place at new birth. We need this
understanding; otherwise, we will continue to partake of the
woes and calamities of the old tree (Romans 11:17-24).

Therefore, fruitfulness is our heritage in Christ because we


belong to a fruitful vine!
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Our Pictures In Redemption

At creation, God initiated a covenant of fruitfulness with


man when He said:
...Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and
subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing
that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:28

Immediately those words were uttered, everything man


needed to make him fruitful was deposited in him. What
God said at the beginning is still in force today and nothing
can tamper with it.

We Are Redeemed to be Greater than all


the Old Testament Saints
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of
women there hath not risen a greater than John the
Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom
of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 11:11

Speaking about Himself, Jesus said, “A greater-than-


Solomon is here,” and as the Father has sent Him, so has He
sent us. That means inside every believer is a greater-than-
Solomon potential (Matthew 12:42; John 17:18).

However, it is one thing to have potentials, and another to


realise it. For instance, John the Baptist
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

was greater than Elijah, Isaac, Jacob and other Old


Testament saints; yet, he died cheaply because he did not
realise it. You will realise your potentials and fulfil destiny,
in Jesus‟ name!

We are Redeemed as Lively Stones to


Enjoy Health and Vitality
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house,
an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:5

By redemption, we share eternal life with God and that in


turn guarantees our immunity from all sicknesses and
diseases.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our
sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God,
and afflicted. But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5 (see also 1 Peter 2:24)

Healthy living is a core aspect of our redemption. That is


one area where the devil oppresses humanity the most.
Sickness, which is an oppression of the devil, is never from
God. The Bible says that Jesus went about doing good and
healing them that were oppressed of the

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Our Pictures In Redemption

devil. No sane parent will poison his/her children, no matter


how disobedient they are. In the same vein, God will not
give poison to His children because sickness is poison to our
bodies. It is written:

When the even was come, they brought unto him many
that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the
spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That
it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the
prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare
our sicknesses.
Matthew 8:16-17

From the scripture above, “grief” means infirmities or


sicknesses and “infirmities” connote disabilities, discomforts
or diseases. Therefore, whatever is contrary to our ease is a
disease. We must understand that Jesus is not just the
Saviour of our soul but also of our body. Concerning the
journey of the Israelites in the wilderness, the Bible records:
He brought them forth
also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble
person among their tribes (Psalm 105:37).
It is also written:

Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy
foot swell, these forty years.
Deuteronomy 8:4

The Israelites lived a super healthy life for 40 unbroken


years; there was no swelling, no pains and no
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

discomfort. We must recognise that every child of God is a


spiritual Jew. It is written: But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the
spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but
of God (Romans 2:29).
By redemption, therefore, the great Physician is our Healer
…for I am the LORD that healeth thee (Exodus 15:26). He
refers no case to anyone!
Therefore, for sustainable health and vitality, keep living
by the Word.
As it is written:

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my


sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them
in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those
that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Proverbs 4:20-22

We must, thus, place ourselves on a daily dosage of the


Word because God‟s nature is immune to sickness. That is
why every Word-addicted person lives a healthy life.
As such, at new birth, our health issues were settled
eternally. Remember, If the Son therefore shall make you
free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36). I, therefore,
decree that every form of satanic oppression on your health
ends today, in Jesus‟ name!
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Our Pictures In Redemption

We are Redeemed as Seeds of Abraham!


Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is
every one that hangeth on a tree:
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the
promise of the Spirit through faith.
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and
heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:13-14, 29 (see also Genesis 22:17-18)

Concerning the Israelites, the Bible says:


When they went from one nation to another, from one
kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do
them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets
no harm.
Psalm 105:13-15

Every child of God is, therefore, untouchable because we


are spiritual Jews. As seeds of Abraham, by redemption, we
are untouchable and „uncursable‟. That means, any
pronounced curse on our lives is spiritually illegal. We are
„uncursable‟ because he that curses us shall be cursed and he
that blesses us shall be blessed.

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how


shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
Numbers 23:8
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

For instance, when Abimelech took Sarah, Abraham‟s


wife, everybody in his house became barren! God first
closed the womb of everyone in Abimelech‟s house and,
then, appeared to him.
...God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said
to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman
which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.

Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a


prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live:
and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt
surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
Genesis 20:3, 7

God warned Abimelech to restore Sarah or he and all his


household would surely die.
Furthermore, we must understand that we carry
generational impact potentials after the order of Abraham.
God said to Abraham: …and in thee shall all the families of
the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:3).
Therefore, every child of God carries the Abrahamic order
of potentials that is trans-generational. Remember the Bible
says that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Thus, our lives cannot end here. When our time on earth is
over, it must continue after us like Abraham‟s.

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Our Pictures In Redemption

We are to Manifest the Seven Redemptive


Treasures in Christ
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was
slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and
strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Revelation 5:12

We must understand that there shall be full manifestations


of the seven redemptive treasures in Christ, in these last
days. These seven redemptive treasures are clearly summed
up in the above scripture and they define our seven-fold
redemptive treasures.
Thus, the unleashing of this manifold grace will usher the
Church into her golden, triumphant, dominion, mountaintop
and heaven-on-earth era. We are, indeed, a people born in
due season. Furthermore, we need to know that this is
neither by might nor by power but by the agenda of the
Spirit of God for the now. We will not miss our place in it!

We are Supernatural Beings


I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of
the most High.
Psalm 82:6

Every child of God is a supernatural being and as one, he


possesses the nature of God. That means, we carry the
ability of God inside us as emphasised in
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

Psalm 82:6. Jesus also re-emphasised this when he said:


…Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he
called them gods, unto whom the word of God came,
and the scripture cannot be broken.
John 10:34-35

In addition, Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Thus,


we belong to the lion family. It is, therefore, shameful for
the devil, a dog, to be harassing our lives. How can a dog
harass a lion? When a lion roars, every animal takes cover.

Friend, in this wicked and wild world, we need a lion‟s


heart to secure our territory. We need to outgrow the sheep
nature and become lions or we will be slaughtered. As we all
know, the territory of a lion is permanently secured because
other beasts keep off and any animal that comes to its
territory has presented itself as food for lunch.
However, until we come to terms with this revelation, we
may not be able to execute vengeance. Understanding our
identity is a prerequisite for executing vengeance on our
enemies. Otherwise, when confronted, we will shiver and
shift ground several times. That means, if we don‟t
understand our supremacy over the devil, we will remain
victims for life and we may suffer what the people in the
world suffer. It is the understanding of our supernatural
status that puts us in command of situations. Unfortunately,
the devil blocks our minds from accessing the light from the
Word in order to keep

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Our Pictures In Redemption

us grounded. It is written: My people are destroyed for lack


of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). The devil knows that when we
have access to light that reveals the truth of our identity, we
will take a flight.
The Bible further states:

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of


them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
unto them.
2 Corinthians 4:4

Ever since I discovered that I am seated in heavenly places


in Christ Jesus, I confront challenges with boldness. The
truth is that I am not just seated in heavenly places but far
above principalities and powers, rulers of this wicked world
and wicked spirits in high places. Therefore, when I talk to
witches, I talk to them with authority. I have this superiority
mentality that the witch that would hurt me is not yet born.
The devil knows that if I am coming and he doesn‟t clear off
my way, I will crush him.

We must understand that we are heavenly citizens on an


ambassadorial mission on the earth, to reconcile the world to
God. An ambassador is an official, who lives in a foreign
country as the senior representative of his/her own country.
Any assault against him/her is an assault against the nation
he represents. Likewise, we are heavenly
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

citizens on ambassadorial mission on earth, resident in the


heavenly embassy which is a no-go-area for the things that
torture others. That is, though we are in the world, we are
not of this world. Therefore, we are untouchable!

We are Commanders of Supernatural Breakthroughs

We are not redeemed to struggle through life. This is


because every believer is a spirit being, born as a sign to his
world. That is, he is born to live the supernatural life, which
is the natural estate of every child of God. As it is written:

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which


is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto
thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not
tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every
one that is born of the Spirit.

John 3:6-8

However, we must engage our tongues to command the


supernatural. The above scripture says, ...and thou hearest
the sound thereof… It takes the sound to command the
signs. We understand from the Scripture that Jesus‟ disciples
went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with
them and confirming the word they spoke (their sounds)
with signs following. It is making appropriate sounds (the
use of our tongues)

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Our Pictures In Redemption

that puts us in command of the signs (Mark 16:20). It is


important to know that what we say is what we
see; and what we cannot say, we cannot see. Moreover, what
we say can completely devalue the revelation we receive
from God and His Word. Thus, the signs we command are
the products of our words.
Remember, the Bible says:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they
that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 18:21 (see also Mark 11:23)

However, it is not enough to believe it, we must declare it


confidently before it can manifest in our lives. The moment
we stop saying what we want to see, we will stop seeing it.

As captured in Pastor Yonggi Cho‟s book, Ministering


Hope For 50 Years, a renowned Neurosurgeon, in one of his
papers, states that the speech area nerve that allows humans
to speak has the power to control other parts of the body. For
instance, if a person says, “I am gradually getting
weaker,” other nerves in the body immediately receive that
command from the speech area nerve and obey it, saying
something like, “Let’s
get weak. We need to get weaker; that’s the message
from the command tower.” That is how a person gets weak
and becomes ill. In other words, those nerves can

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

weaken an individual.
However, if an individual says, “I’m healthy,” then the
speech area nerve sends its command to other nerves,
effectively saying, “You’re all healthy.” They respond,
“We’re all healthy, very healthy.” They then process the
command and become healthy. That way, even sick people
can regain their health.
Spiritually, the speech area nerve can be likened to the
angels of God, who are sent to minister to us who are heirs
of salvation. They are ever on guard to deliver us from evil
and carry out our orders, precisely. The Bible says:

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither


say thou before the angel, that it was an error:
wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy
the work of thine hands?
Ecclesiastes 5:6

Thus, spiritually and scientifically, it is proven that our


breakdowns and breakthroughs are absolutely at the
command of our tongues.
Therefore, as children of God, we are ordained for
unending breakthroughs and the fulfilment of our destinies
in grand style (Matthew 11:11, 12:42, 13:54; 1 Corinthians
15:8-10; Psalm 16:6). Nothing will hinder the fulfilment of
your destiny, in Jesus‟ name!

44
3

Price Of Greatness

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not


down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have
sufficient to finish it?
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not
able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to
finish.
Luke 14:28-30

A tower is magnificent in all ramifications; it stands tall and


one can‟t help but notice it. Can you imagine how much it
would cost to erect one? Quite a huge amount, coupled with
a lot of sacrifices, determination and inconveniences. But a
tower is only built when the price is paid and the cost is met.
In the same vein, there is a price to pay for every attainment
in life and just like an eagle goes through different stages of
growth, we have a price to pay for the eagle in us to soar.
That

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

means, there is a price attached to every prize.


In the opening scripture, Jesus gave an example of the
result of starting something without first counting the cost.
Buildings don‟t just exist, they are built by men, who must
first plan carefully and count the cost. Hebrews 3:4 says that
“...every house is builded by some man...” Towers don‟t
just appear, they are erected. We must know what our
towers will cost and be determined to pay the price. Success
is not just a dream come true, but a dream made true.
Greatness is not just a goodly heritage, it is an attainment.
We are children of God and we have a goodly heritage.
Psalm 16:6 says: The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant
places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

However, to attain this heritage, we must pay the price.


Many years ago, I was invited as a guest speaker to a
Christian gathering at Warri, in the then Bendel State (Mid-
Western region of Nigeria). Due to other pressing
engagements, I was unable to go. So, I sent an associate
minister with a letter to represent me. When the minister got
there with my letter, the people were disappointed but they
reluctantly allowed him to minister. At the end of the
meeting, this minister was invited to come back for a
programme later that year. You see, my letter of
recommendation couldn‟t see him through; he had to earn
his way. David earned his way
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Price Of Greatness

to greatness when he killed Goliath. There is a pathway to


greatness; no one succeeds by accident. Deuteronomy 28:1
lays this down: …if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the
voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his
commandments which I command thee this day, that the
Lord thy God will set thee on high…
There is what to hearken to, what to observe and what to
do, before we can be “set on high”. King Saul did not follow
the way of God. He neither hearkened, observed, nor did
what God commanded; so, he fell. The pathway to greatness
is following God‟s leading to the letter. Following God in
obedience establishes a covenant of greatness, which is the
only form of greatness that lasts. When the Lord called me
to Ministry, I counted the cost, knew the price I was to pay
and went in. To make it impossible for me to make a detour,
I burnt the bridge behind me by telling God: In case I
pretend not to have heard You and I want to do other things
in life, may I never succeed in those things.

I had to do this because I knew the price I had to pay


might become so magnified in my own eyes that I might
turn away from what God had called me to do. I had to burn
the bridge behind me because I wanted to obey God, no
matter the cost. Jesus is our perfect example; because He
wanted to obey His Father, He went through all manner of
hardships. He had no house, no family;
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

he was despised, mocked, flogged and, finally, He had to


bear the shame of being hanged naked on the Cross. He died
the death of the worst criminal. Why? He wanted “The
Tower”. Hebrews 12:2 says: Looking unto Jesus the author
and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is
set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In Philippians 2:6-9, we are told of Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to


be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him
the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of
men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given
him a name which is above every name.

Jesus was born the Son of God but this was not enough to
earn Him automatic greatness. He had to learn obedience to
become great. He had to pay the cost for His “Tower”. He
knew the weight of glory laid before Him and the price He
needed to pay to get there. Therefore, He fixed His eyes on
the glory and ensured nothing

48
Price Of Greatness

distracted Him. Peter thought He was being of help by


telling Him that such hardships were not for Him, but Jesus
said: Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an
offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be
of God, but those that be of men (Matthew 16:23).
There is a path to greatness and Jesus took it. He didn‟t
inherit His exalted position, He earned it. He didn‟t get there
by accident; He purchased it by paying the appropriate price.
Are you ready to follow suit? Would you take that path to
greatness? Then, locate where you want to go and move
forward. Consider not the size of the situation; instead, count
the cost and be ready to pay the price. Remember, as noted
earlier, the eagle doesn‟t just fly or go about flapping its
wings. Rather, it waits for the wind and knows the direction
to go; and it rides without stress on the wind. Be strong in
the Lord and in the power of His might. Let go of your
experiences, abilities and strength; then, look to God in
obedience. You will not be a victim of disobedience, in
Jesus‟ name!

It is important to understand that God‟s plan and purpose


for the redeemed is to enjoy unending success. However,
God‟s success plan is not a promise, but a covenant. This
implies that until our part is adequately played, God is not
committed to deliver. As it is written: My covenant will I not
break, nor alter the thing that
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

is gone out of my lips (Psalm 89:34; see also Proverbs 4:18;


2 Corinthians 3:18; Luke 5:1-8; John 21:5-6).
Therefore, we must be conscious of our role in the
covenant of success. For instance, we understand from the
Scripture that when we diligently hearken to biblical
instructions and observe to do all that God commands,
supernatural breakthrough is usually the outcome. But when
the covenant is broken, breakthrough becomes impossible.
Therefore, there are certain prices we must pay to make the
eaglet in us grow to become an eagle (Deuteronomy 28:1-2;
Ecclesiastes 10:5-18).

Let Us Examine Some Vital Prices we


Must Pay for the Eagle in us to Emerge

Determination
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower,
whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a
name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the
whole earth.
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower,
which the children of men builded.
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they
have all one language; and this they begin to do: and
now nothing will be restrained from them, which they
have imagined to do.
Genesis 11:4-6
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Price Of Greatness

If a poll is taken to find out how many people have had


their dreams come true, we would discover that they are
very few, and these few are those that are at the top, and are
still pressing on.
Many people have big dreams but lack the determination
to follow through. One of the characteristics of the eagle is
determination. It is very tenacious while hunting a prey. It
goes after its prey, and grips it firmly when it catches any. It
will interest you to know that an eagle can lift a goat in the
air and fly with it. Also, when other birds avoid the storm in
fear, an eagle spreads its wings and takes advantage of that
torrential storm to soar to greater heights.

Likewise, we will experience stormy life situations that


may deter us from our God-given assignment. However, like
the eagle, we must pay the price of tenacity and face the
challenges of life that may stare us in the face. We must also
be firm about our goals and remain persistent, refusing to
give up, before we can arrive at our destinations.

Champions are not made in dreams; they are made through


requisite exercise. For instance, a man who desires to
become the world boxing champion must engage in training
exercises in his determination to emerge as one. Some
athletes spend months in the camp, training, before the
actual contest. For a season,
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

they put aside every form of pleasure in order to attain their


goals. They refuse and resist all distractions and press on for
the prize.
In Philippians 3:14, Paul said: I press toward the mark for
the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul was determined to obtain the prize for the high


calling of God in Christ Jesus; so, he pressed on. I am sure
that many people – including the apostles – would have had
a lot of complaints about Paul, but he disregarded every one
of them and pressed on. Apart from the spiritual prize he
got, some of his physical prizes are evident in the world
today; one of which is his documentation of almost half of
the New Testament. God used him as much as he allowed
himself to be used, through training and fortitude. He put
aside everything that could have deterred him from reaching
his goal. In Paul‟s letter to the Church in Philippi, he said:

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss


for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do
count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

Philippians 3:7-8

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Price Of Greatness

Do you have set goals in life? Is there something God has


dropped in your mind which you have put aside, saying, “It
is impossible?” Friend, if it is from God, then, it cannot be
impossible. Remember, when God told the Israelites that the
land of Canaan was theirs, the ten spies returned to say that
it was impossible because of the giants in the land. There
were giants alright, but the people of God still possessed the
land because, though their army was inadequate, God
empowered them to overcome all the giants. Therefore, we
must not drop our God-given ideas because of the economic
situation or the state of the stock market. Since the idea is
from God, He will provide all that is needed to accomplish
it. As such, let‟s be determined like Joshua and Caleb, and
say: ... Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well
able to overcome it (Numbers 13:30).

We are well able, because we are of God. He now dwells


in us; we have the Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ and
have overcome by reason of the greater One in us.
Therefore, let‟s press on with the ideas God has placed in
our hearts and be determined to be the best wherever we are,
constantly aiming for the top in our endeavours. Greatness
does not just happen; it is earned. So, go and earn yours!

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Discipline
Discipline implies possessing a sense of mission in the
pursuit of any task. It is strong dedication to a well-defined
goal. Apostle Paul said, Woe is unto me, if I preach not the
gospel (1 Corinthians 9:16).
Also, it is operating as demanded, not as convenient. It
is submitting to the demands of our set goals. The weight of
our tasks determines the kind of efforts we make and the
steps we take. For instance, Nehemiah and the people never
took off their clothes except for washing. They were on duty
as demanded by that task. Daniel and his companions
purposed in their hearts not to defile themselves with the
king‟s rich food. We cannot make the most of any task that
does not make specific demand on our lives (Nehemiah
4:23; Daniel 1:8).

Furthermore, discipline is setting order to one’s life


pursuit. This means being where we should be at the right
time and doing the right thing. For instance, at the time
when kings go to battle, David tarried in Jerusalem and he
met his waterloo in Bath-sheba. He paid dearly for it, but
mercy prevailed for him (2 Samuel 11:1-2).
We must recognise that it takes high-level discipline to
maximise our adventure on the earth. No one will ever be
more distinguished than he is disciplined. Moreover,

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Price Of Greatness

we don‟t know how much we are loaded with, until we set


order to our lives.
In addition, discipline entails making the most of one’s
time. We must note that time is the most precious asset to
every disciplined man and whatever robs us of our time has
robbed us of our best in life. As it is written: Redeeming the
time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16).

We must budget our time the same way we make budget


for our money. Moreover, just like money is squandered
when it is not budgeted, when our time is not budgeted, it‟s
bound to be squandered. Benjamin Franklin, one of the
founding fathers of America, who was also a believer, once
said, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for
that is the stuff life is made of.”

It is important to also understand that time is not just in


years, but in months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and
seconds. Therefore, we must constantly put value into our
time by investing it. Interestingly, time is an asset of
equality and every living being has an equal share. However,
what each one does with his time determines the outcome of
his life. That means, we have equal opportunity to make the
most of our journey, if we choose to.

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

On the other hand, self-discipline is being a law to oneself


in a bid to accomplish a desired goal. For instance,
Nehemiah lived an exemplary life to move the people
towards the restoration of their dignity and in 52 days, they
completed the building of the wall (Nehemiah 5:14-16;
Genesis 39:9; Philippians 2:5-9).
We must recognise that discipline is not a gift, but a
lifestyle of choice we design and submit to. This is because
no one will ever be more distinguished, in his pursuit, than
he is disciplined. Moreover, nothing triggers the potentials
within us like self-discipline (Daniel 1:8, 17-20, 6:10-28; 1
Corinthians 6:12, 10:23).
Discipline is obviously a fundamental requirement for
exploits and diverse scriptural examples validate this. For
instance, Joseph was a highly disciplined man and he
demonstrated this when he refused to yield to the demands
of his master‟s wife. As a result, he was a highly
distinguished man of exploits. He became the breadwinner
of nations and the core preserver of Israel. There were no
legitimate charges against him, thus, he could be trusted
with the entire estate of Potiphar, his master (Genesis 39:9,
21/41:15-16, 38-44).
Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the
king‟s rich food. As a result, he commanded dominion in
Babylon, the land of his captivity. His
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Price Of Greatness

enemies could not find anything against him, except against


the law of his God. He possessed an unusual understanding
and wisdom. According to Bible history, Daniel prospered
in leadership for 65 years and he remained a revered
consultant to every subsequent leader of that nation (Daniel
1:8, 17, 20/5:11/6:1-10, 11-30).

Nehemiah refused to partake of the governor‟s bread. He


led a revolutionary army and was an exemplary leader. He
was a man sold-out to his task and the well-being of the
people. As a result, he was promoted from a cupbearer to the
governor of the nation. We must, therefore, note that our
dignity is a function of our discipline (Nehemiah 1:1-10,
4:15-16, 23).
Paul the Apostle was disciplined enough to subscribe to
what was profitable. He said: All things are lawful unto me,
but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for
me, but I will not be brought under the power of any (1
Corinthians 6:12; see also 1 Corinthians 10:23).
He further said: I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached
to others, I myself should be a castaway (1 Corinthians
9:27).
It was said of him, “The gods have come down to us in the
likeness of men.” Even the demons affirmed,
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

“Jesus, I know; Paul, I know!” He also wrote two-thirds of


the New Testament. Therefore, discipline enhances our
productivity and it is the highway to distinction in the
pursuit of any task (Acts 14:11, 19:14-15; 1 Corinthians
9:24-27).
No doubt, discipline is a fundamental price that must be
paid by everyone aspiring to fulfil destiny in grand style. It
is the bridle of destiny. It places time check on our persons
and helps to maximise our schedules. The best in us comes
alive through self-discipline and it is the only way to
maintain focus on our assignments.
One of America‟s founding fathers, George Washington, a
devout Christian, said, “Discipline is the soul of an army. It
makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the
weak, and esteem to all.” It is abundantly clear that it takes
discipline to pay the extra price for extraordinary
accomplishments, to excel in the race of life and be
distinguished. The more disciplined we are, the more
distinguished we become. Therefore, receive grace for a
highly disciplined lifestyle, after the order of Christ, in
Jesus‟ name!

Diligence
“Diligence” here simply means hard work. It is investing
the best of one‟s time, energy and resources in the pursuit of
a given task. It is all about hard work, and
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

it is proved that only hard workers ever become high-flyers.


It is not just being busy, but being productively engaged and
focused in the pursuit of a given task, which is what
guarantees outstanding accomplishments (1 Thessalonians
4:11; 1 Peter 4:15; Matthew 6:22).
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and
through idleness of the hands the house droppeth
through.
Ecclesiastes 10:18

From the above scripture, we understand that for lack of


use, a building runs down and because we are God‟s
building and the temple of the Holy Ghost, our worth can
only be enhanced through productive engagement (1
Corinthians 3:9, 6:19). Therefore, just as the physical
building depreciates for lack of use, our bodies will begin to
decay when we are unproductive. In other words,
slothfulness causes decay and makes us smell where we are
supposed to shine, due to lack of adequate productive
engagement. This implies that we continuously lose value
when we are not adequately engaged. On the other hand, our
values will continue to be enhanced through diligence.
Remember, it is written,
In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth
only to penury (Proverb 14:23).
However, no one hates to become a star; it is the price that
scares many. But, as we all know, no one can

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

get out of life more than what he puts into it, because
whatsoever a man sows that shall he reap. This is why
diligence is a universal demand for anyone who desires
success in life and nothing else can be a substitute for that
(Galatians 6:7; 2 Corinthians 9:6).
Furthermore, diligence is one of the keys to the restoration
of our human dignity, because the sluggard is sure to end up
a failure (Proverbs 12:24, 13:4, 20:4, 24:30-34).

There is no success story, either in the Scripture or in


modern times, without a demonstration of diligence.

Let’s Examine Some Scriptural Examples


of Men Who Worked Their Way to the Top
• Abraham: He was a hard worker. When God told him,
“I will make you great,” he worked his way up by
engaging in cattle farming until he became the greatest
cattle farmer of his time.
And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
…And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the
Lord had blessed Abraham in all things
(Genesis 13:2, 24:1).
Subsequently, the Bible admonishes us to do the works of
Abraham in order to partake of the Abrahamic order of
blessings. Therefore, we must engage in productive

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Price Of Greatness

labour throughout the days of our lives, if we must flow in


the blessings of Abraham (John 8:39; Isaiah 51:1-3).
• Isaac: He was a tireless worker. He dug wells for
irrigation, but the Philistines kept filling them up.
Notwithstanding, he continued digging until he wearied
them. Thus, he invented irrigation farming and became
the breadwinner of the nation. He became a great
employer of labour, while others were waiting for rain.

As it is written: Then, Isaac sowed in that land, and


received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord
blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward,
and grew until he became very great: For he had
possession of flocks, and possessions of herds, and great
store of servants: and the Philistines envied him (Genesis
26:12-14; see also Genesis 26:1-13).
Remember, the Bible says: …we, brethren, as Isaac was,
are the children of promise (Galatians 4:28). It implies that
by redemption, we are ordained to be envied, like Isaac, but
only on the platform of hard work. Therefore, as we engage
diligently in our endeavours, we shall not be stranded or
pitied anymore!
• Jacob: He was a creative worker. When Laban played
on Jacob‟s intelligence, his ingenuity and creativity
brought him out, because he knew what to do to beat

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

Laban hands down (Genesis 30:27-37). Thus, Jacob


prevailed through creative labour.
As it is written, And the man increased exceedingly, and
had much cattle, and maidservants, and
menservants, and camels, and asses (Genesis 30:43).
Therefore, receive grace for creative labour, in the name of
Jesus!
• Paul: Although a man of unusual revelation, endowed
with the Spirit of faith and grace, yet, Paul said, …but I
laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but
the grace of God which was with me (1 Corinthians
15:10).
He laboured and emerged a star among the Apostles. As a
result, he wrote two-thirds of the New Testament; he was
indeed God‟s wisdom in human flesh (1 Corinthians 9:16;
Acts 14:11, 19:14-15; 2 Peter 3:15).
Therefore, it is labour that gives value to grace. This is
because one can frustrate or receive the grace of God in vain
through slothfulness (1 Corinthians 15:10).
• Joseph: After Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, he
could have despaired of life and let go but he didn‟t.
Everywhere Joseph found himself, he was diligent in his
business with all godliness.
How did Joseph, a stranger and a servant, rise to the top in
his master‟s house? The Bible says that Joseph
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Price Of Greatness

went to do his business (Genesis 39:11). He refused to be


distracted. He was focused on his assignment. There must
have been other servants, but neither they nor Potiphar‟s
wife could deter him. Even in prison, Joseph still rose to the
top. The Bible says:

And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s


hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and
whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
Genesis 39:22

He knew God was with him. This, coupled with his


diligence and determination to please God, made him rise to
the top echelon of government in Egypt. He was a stranger
who became a Prime Minister in a foreign country. Joseph
paved his way to greatness; it didn‟t just happen. If Joseph, a
slave, could make it in a foreign country because God was
with him, then, all our excuses should be dropped in the
trash can.
Furthermore, God, our heavenly Father, is an ever-
working God. Recently checking through God‟s work
schedule at creation, I discovered that it was an affair of the
evening and the morning. As it is written, And the
evening and the morning were the first day (Genesis 1:5),
as it is written, And the evening and the morning were the
second day (Genesis 1:8), as it is written,
And the evening and the morning were the third day
(Genesis 1:13), etc. It appears that God works 24 hours;
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

no wonder the Bible says, “He that keepeth Israel shall


neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4).
Again, we saw Jesus our Saviour, a tireless worker, who
was ever on duty because working was like eating to Him.
For instance, Jesus said, My meat is to do the will of him
that sent me, and to finish his work (John 4:34).

Again, He said, I must work the works of him that sent


me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can
work (John 9:4).
From these scriptures, we understand that work was a must
for Christ, not an option. He was addicted to His mission
and gave His all to fulfil it.
Furthermore, the Bible admonishes us to walk in the steps
of Christ, which implies working as Christ worked.
Remember, nobody ever emerges a giant without walking in
the steps of giants; and it is the quality of our work that
defines our overall worth (1 Peter 2:21).

In addition, we must understand that there is no substitute


for work. For instance, the anointing is not a substitute,
because Jesus was anointed without measure, yet He was a
hard worker. Revelation is not a substitute, because Jesus is
the Living Word personified and the ultimate of revelations.
Faith is not a substitute,

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Price Of Greatness

because faith without works is dead. Remember, Jesus is the


Author and Finisher of our faith (John 3:34, 1:1-5; Hebrews
12:1-2).
Furthermore, Jesus said, “It is finished,” because He
completed the mission for which He came. Paul also said, “I
have finished my course.” Therefore, it is possible to finish
God‟s mission for us on earth (John 19:30; 2 Timothy 4:7).

What, then, are the Benefits of Diligence?


Diligence keeps us physically fit
It is important to understand that hard work does not kill;
it only refines our lives and destinies. For instance, when a
house is left unoccupied for a period of time, it begins to
drop in value and rodents invade and occupy it. Similarly,
when we stop working, several things begin to creep into our
lives. This is why when people stop working, they start to
lose value. Therefore, staying on our jobs keeps us fit, apart
from the success and exploits that come our way through
hard work (Ecclesiastes 10:18).

It engenders excellence
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those


who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.
Hebrews 5:13-14

There is nothing mystical about excellence; it


is a product of man’s tireless commitment to
improvement. This is why excellence is an end-product of
diligence (Proverbs 22:29).

Diligence delivers us from some awful vices of life


Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him
labour, working with his hands the thing which is good,
that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Ephesians 4:28

If you are not a worker, you will end up a thief.


Remember, Jesus said, “…Occupy till I come.” Therefore, if
we must be fulfilled, then we must be productively engaged
in our various endeavours (Luke 19:13; Proverb 14:23).

It is important to know that many destinies are tied to ours;


thus, we cannot afford to be slothful and irresponsible. If we
fail, we would disappoint God, because He has paid every
price required for us to have good success. Therefore, we
must wake up and take responsibility for a highly productive
life that will turn us into men and women of exploits.

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Price Of Greatness

Sacrifice
Jesus said:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall


into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it
bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall
lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall
keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him
follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant
be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

John 12:24-26

Sacrifice is a universal demand for the making of stars and


it is impossible to emerge a star in life without embracing
the law of sacrifice. No wonder Martin Luther King Jnr said,
“Every step towards the goal of justice requires sacrifice.”

I have often said, “There there is no star without a scar and


the scar of every star is sacrifice” (Luke 12:49-50;
Philippians 1:21).
Sacrifice, in this context, is denying ourselves of certain
comfort and pleasure, for the success of an assignment or
a goal.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross,
and follow me.
Matthew 16:24

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

Furthermore, it is going beyond one’s best to achieve a


given task. Doing our best in the pursuit of a particular goal
is diligence; but going beyond our best is sacrifice. This is
because there is nothing extraordinary on its own; it is man‟s
extraordinary input that makes it so (2 Corinthians 6:3-10).

However, there are certain fundamentals of sacrifice that


we must be acquainted with.
• Sacrifice is a choice: Sacrifice is not a gift, but a choice.
It is the choice of the wise. As it is written:
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and
cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy
seed may live.
Deuteronomy 30:19

Remember, we are presented with choices daily, which


either move us up on the success ladder or otherwise.
However, the right decisions that move us up the success
ladder always require sacrifice.
• Sacrifice commands rewards and benefits: The
benefits of sacrifice always outweigh its cost. Many want
the success, but they don‟t like the sacrifice because they
forget that the cost is never greater than the glory. That‟s
why whenever it‟s time to sacrifice, we must ignore the
present and look to the future.

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Price Of Greatness

For instance, Jesus for the joy that was set before Him
endured the inconveniences of the cross, the beatings and
the pains so that we can be partakers of His glory
(Hebrews 12:1-2).
• Sacrifice requires putting our body under subjection:
Apostle Paul said: But I keep under my body, and bring
it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (1
Corinthians 9:27; see also 1 Corinthians 15:31).

He further said:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,


but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

It takes the cup of wisdom and the baptism of sacrifice to


emerge a success in any of life‟s endeavours.

Meekness
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5

Meekness is a priceless treasure because it defines


greatness. Concerning Moses, one of the greatest men

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

who ever lived, the Bible says that he was the meekest of all
men in his days. As it is written:
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men
which were upon the face of the earth.
Numbers 12:3

For instance, despite the fact that Moses saw God face-to-
face, divided the Red Sea and performed strange works by
God‟s hand, Jethro (his father-in-law) could still counsel
him. Jethro, the Priest of Midian, was Moses‟ coach, and
Moses hearkened unto him. It is the quality of our meekness
that defines the limits of our greatness.
The Spirit of meekness at work in Moses gave him his
unique place in destiny. Moses was so great that when he
spoke of Jesus in prophecy, he said:
The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet
from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me;
unto him ye shall hearken.
Deuteronomy 18:15 (see also Acts 3:20-22)

Jesus came like unto Moses and He said, …I am meek


and lowly in heart… (Matthew 11:29). In Luke chapter 9,
Moses and Elijah appeared to Jesus on the Mountain of
Transfiguration and spoke with Him. That was how great
Moses was, but meekness was the foundation of his
greatness.

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Price Of Greatness

The treasure of meekness is one of the vital treasures in


the making of any Kingdom star. In fact, the Bible defines
the virtue of meekness as an ornament of great price.

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is


not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet
spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

1 Peter 3:4

The enlargement of any star in the Kingdom is limited by


his degree of meekness. Therefore, meekness is a blessing;
pride, on the other hand, is a curse. Remember that God
resists the proud but He gives more grace to the humble
(James 4:6). That means, meekness grants us access to more
grace. It is grace that makes great. Paul said: But by the
grace of God I am what I am (1 Corinthians 15:10). Many
people have lost their destinies to pride, which has shut them
out of grace. For instance, satan lost his leadership place to
pride. No doubt, the treasure of meekness is the covenant
gateway to greatness. It opens us to grace, which makes
great and unveils to us insight that makes high fliers. You
will not lose your place in destiny to pride, in Jesus‟ name!

Let‟s recognise that Christianity is all about accepting


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Following The Path Of The Eagle

spiritual responsibilities. Responsibility is all about


responding positively to the demands placed on us by our
task or pursuit. However, when we refuse or ignore
responsibility, we become liabilities. It is not enough to
know that we have a heritage of greatness in redemption; we
must accept responsibility for its actualisation.
Winston Churchill said, “The price of greatness is
responsibility.” Our behaviour will definitely reflect what
we see ahead of us. A playboy today will, at best, end up a
play-man tomorrow. However, a serious-minded young man
or lady today is another star in the making. We are that star
the Lord is talking about! Let us, therefore, take
responsibility!

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Making A Difference

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that


day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as
a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall
ye return, and discern between the righteous and the
wicked, between him that serveth God and him that
serveth him not.
Malachi 3:17-18

God created the earth and all that is in it. There are princes
and there are servants. If you are born again, you are a child
of the King; therefore, you are either a Prince or Princess.

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking


as servants upon the earth.
Ecclesiastes 10:7

The unbelievers are the servants because they are strangers


to the Kingdom of God and the Scripture says:
Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen:


a people whom I have not known shall serve me.

As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the


strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their
close places.
Psalm 18:43-45

God made us the head while unbelievers are to be our


servants. If servants ride on horses while we walk, we made
the choice to do so. We must have chosen to let them have
the horses because it is the instructions given to one‟s
servants that he/she obeys. Can you imagine a servant going
to take the master‟s car and driving it about while the master
goes about on foot? No! This can only be possible if the
servant is not put in his proper position in which case, it is
not the servant‟s fault but that of the master. Therefore, if we
are not riding our „horses‟, it is our fault.

The reason some Christians look more beloved than others


is in the individual persons. While one is an escapist, the
other is a contestant. The escapist sees a hurdle and carefully
avoids it. Perhaps, he tried and failed yesterday and is
haunted by the memories of his past failures. The contestant,
on the other hand, welcomes combats. He goes in the
strength of the

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Making A Difference

Lord and overcomes. He is fearless because he knows


that …a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up
again… (Proverbs 24:16).
The lines are fallen for us in pleasant places because we
are sons and heirs of God. We have a common and great
inheritance in God. Our God is rich in glory. He is a rich
God because the whole earth and its fullness are His. He
owns all the cattle on a thousand hills and all the silver and
gold are His. Being heirs, therefore, we have the unreserved
right of tapping into God‟s abundance. Furthermore, we all
have glorious destinies in God.

It is written:
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also
called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and
whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 8:29-30

Everyone in the faith is there for glorification. Also,


everyone in the Kingdom is called because no one comes to
the Son, Jesus, without the Father drawing him. Therefore, if
God called us, then He has justified us to enter the realm of
glorification. To those who obey God‟s commandments, He
says they shall be set on high. We shall be the head and not
the tail.
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

There is an adage which says: “No venture; no success.”


The escapist does not venture; instead, he dodges
responsibilities and becomes a loser. He does not like
changes; therefore, he accepts everything that comes as the
will of God. He is settled in his position; as a result, he
neither has vision nor goals. The Bible says: Where there is
no vision, the people perish… (Proverbs 29:18).

Without a target, there is no driving force. Where there is


no motivation, there will be no pressing. Pressing comes
with a vision, which leads to attainment. It is written:
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the
kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and THE
VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE.
Matthew 11:12 (Emphasis mine)

The law and the prophets were until John: since that
time the kingdom of God is preached, and EVERY MAN
PRESSETH INTO IT.
Luke 16:16 (Emphasis mine)

For us to acquire these treasures, we must press (put


pressure upon); but if we don‟t have a vision of these
treasures, we will lack the propelling force. As a result, one
becomes a wishful thinker – a dreamer, while the other, a
dream activator. The wishful thinker makes up grandiose
dreams but does not activate them. Proverbs 13:4 says: The
soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath
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Making A Difference

nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.


He is a sluggard, who likes to sleep and dream; therefore,
he has nothing to show. Poverty becomes his surname. If
you are a dreamer, the Bible is talking to you expressly in
the following scriptures:
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou
arise out of thy sleep?
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the
hands to sleep:

So shall thy poverty come...


Proverbs 6:9-11

The dream activator is only made fat because he that


tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread (Proverbs
12:11). He that activates his dreams shall be satisfied with
plenty. The sluggard, because of his laziness, always has
reasons for his sluggishness and inaction. In the parable of
the talents, the servant who received one talent had his
reasons for not investing it and to him, they were very good
reasons. He is wiser in his
own conceit than seven men that can render a reason
(Proverbs 26:16).
The sluggard has seemingly beautiful reasons like: “The
situation in the country today is just terrible.” “Jesus is
coming very soon, so there is no need for new projects; I‟ll
make do with the ones I have.” He keeps on
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

“making do” until Jesus comes. He is the one who will say,
There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets (Proverbs
26:13). He is also the one who will not plough by reason of
the cold. Unfortunately, the Scripture says, he shall beg in
harvest and have nothing (Proverbs 20:4).
If Isaac had considered the difficult farming conditions in
the land of the Philistines, he would not have sowed. Rather,
he disregarded the weather conditions and regarded only his
God to sow, and God blessed him as he reaped a
hundredfold. Isaac was a dream activator and a contestant.

There is no future for a slothful man. The Bible says that


his way is an hedge of thorns and he shall continually be
under tribute (Proverbs 12:24). In other words, he is
destined for failure. Instead of ruling, he shall continually be
a servant and the diligent man shall rule over him. Where he
is meant to soar like the eagle, he shall fall to the ground and
be trodden under the feet of men.

God has prepared a glorious end for everyone who is in


Christ Jesus. That means, if you are in school, the end of
your schooling will be glorious. If you are in business, the
operations of your business will be transformed from one
degree of glory to another. In fact, every child of God has
the same glorious heritage,

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Making A Difference

because the Scripture says:

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called


in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one
baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all,
and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4:4-6

We are of one body with Christ, the Glorious Head;


therefore, the body is glorious. Think of this: if we are all
children and heirs of God, then, why the difference in
status? If we are of one body, one shepherd, one faith and
one baptism, why the difference among the sheep? If we
have all been accepted in the beloved, why do some look
more “beloved” than others? I know you are saying right
now in your heart: “All fingers are not equal!” Yes, all
fingers may not be equal, but all those who are called are
equal before God, Who called them. The difference,
therefore, is not in God because He is no respecter of
persons. The Scripture tells us in Acts 10:34-35:
...Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of
persons:
But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh
righteousness, is accepted with him.

It did not say the white nations alone but, “In every
nation” – green, white, red, black, yellow – “every nation”.
It doesn‟t matter what nation you are from;

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your colour is insignificant. As long as you fear and love


God, He is able, willing and happy to take you to heights yet
unknown. For instance, the Scripture says that God delights
in the prosperity of His servants.

...Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in


the prosperity of his servant.
Psalm 35:27

Think of this: which father will want his child to go


hungry when he has all it takes for the child to live a hunger-
free life? Also, which father would like to see his child
looking wretched and languishing in poverty? None!
Therefore, if earthly parents provide for their children and
always want them to stand out at every function; how much
more God, Who has all things in His hands?

He delights in our prosperity, which means, He is unhappy


at our poverty. He wants all His children to be happy and
prosperous; He wants them to stand out as ensigns in the
world. He wants to take them to great heights beyond their
imagination. In 1 Corinthians 2:9, the Bible says:

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him.

Do you love God? Are you accepted by Him? If your


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Making A Difference

answer is “Yes”, then, you are destined for a great future,


because God‟s Word cannot be broken. He abides faithful
and cannot deny Himself. He has said:
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is
gone out of my lips.
Psalm 89:34

If God truly said all that is written about us in the Bible


and the scripture cannot be broken, then why are some still
downtrodden? Why are some believers still at the bottom of
the ladder, while others are up and pressing on?

Remember, we are in a race and there are no middle


places. We are either winners or losers. We are in a warfare;
therefore, we must be prepared to win just as a conqueror
must be prepared to conquer. If you want to soar above the
storms of life, then, take the path of
the eagle − be determined not to fall when thrown, but
to soar. Count the cost and bear your cross to win the crown.
Remember, we are children of the King; thus, we are born to
reign. We are ordained to be at the top, not at the bottom.
The heathens are meant to see the glory of the Lord upon us;
therefore, RISE UP AND SHOW FORTH THE GLORY OF
THE LORD!

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5

The Eagle’s Anointing

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy


Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and
healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was
with him.
Acts 10:38

God is the Source of empowerment and grace, and only


those who know how to get into His presence ever get
imparted and „engraced‟. People who flow under fresh oil
are those who know how to engage God‟s presence. The
Bible says:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and
learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

God‟s commandments are not grievous. The way to

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

scaling new heights is not tough; it just requires us to make a


discovery of it. Most of the time, people are waiting to be
touched and for hands to be laid on them before they are
imparted with grace. That is why people miss the
opportunities for impartation. Impartations are principally
conveyed through words. The most profound impartations of
my life didn‟t come by laying on of hands, but by the Word.
It is written:

And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me,


and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake
unto me.
Ezekiel 2:2

I was imparted with grace to love God, by His Word.


Nobody laid hands on me but the Spirit of love
overwhelmed me by an encounter from the book, The Man
God Uses by Oswald J. Smith. I got married to Jesus from
that encounter and that marriage has been the sweetest
experience of my life. Oswald J. Smith was about to die at
that time; so, I never saw him.
Also, it was an encounter with the Word of the Lord in T.
L. Osborn‟s book that caused my spiritual ears to pop open.

The Bible says:

...he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine


ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God hath
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The Eagle‟s Anointing

opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither


turned away back.
Isaiah 50:4-5

Jesus, the Master Eagle said: I can of mine own self do


nothing: as I hear… (John 5:30). Therefore, if we are
unable to hear, we are not candidates for the flight.
In 1982, I encountered the Word of grace that destroyed
every trace of poverty mentality and brought me into realms
of unspeakable financial fortune, even without having a
dime.
In 1986, Kenneth E. Hagin was speaking at a convention
and I was sitting at the gallery when the power of God hit
me. That encounter turned our ministry around.

The Covenant Platform for the Rise


of Eagles
For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of
his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in
the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he
instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As
an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young,
spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them
on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there
was no strange god with him. He made him ride on the
high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase
of the fields;
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil
out of the flinty rock.
Deuteronomy 32:9-13

The above scripture depicts affluence, relevance, dignity,


honour and impact. The Eagle‟s anointing begins with a
revelation of our portion and inheritance in Christ. Our
journey to scaling new heights begins with a clear revelation
of our inheritances. If that is our portion, how much of it
have we discovered? Remember in Matthew 11:11, Jesus
said:

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of


women there hath not risen a greater than John the
Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom
of heaven is greater than he.

In other words, every child of God carries potentials that


far outweigh the greatest potentials in the Old Testament.
Therefore, within us lie redemptive deposits that make us
greater than the greatest names in the Old Testament.

We are ordained for unlimited heights. Therefore, when


we see our future through God‟s eyes, we cannot be
depressed. In 1984, I saw our ministry on top of the world,
though there was nothing to show for it at that time. Jesus
came and blew it up from John 14:12:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me,
the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works

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The Eagle‟s Anointing

than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

That means, we are to exceed where Jesus stopped and He


has not stopped manifesting till today. He is still impacting
the world in greater dimensions than when He walked the
earth, and He said that we will do greater than He did.

We must recognise that we are redeemed to make impact,


not just a living. Furthermore, it is not a “now” impact, but a
generational and trans-generational one. That means, one
generation after another will be talking about our impact!
Therefore, the eagle‟s anointing begins with the Spirit of
revelation which unveils who we are, what we are worth and
what we can do in Christ.
However, it takes the leading of the Spirit of God to be
empowered to scale new heights. Deuteronomy 32:12 says
that the Lord alone did lead him. Also, the army of high
flyers described in Joel 2:1-11 was an unusual army because
it was led by the Spirit of God. The world has never seen its
kind and the Bible says that neither will there be any after
such until the years of many generations. As it is written:

…a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever


the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the
years of many generations… They shall run like mighty
men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they
shall march every one on his ways,

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Following The Path Of The Eagle

and they shall not break their ranks ... they shall walk
everyone in his path ... And the Lord shall utter his voice
before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is
strong that executeth his word ...
Joel 2:2-11

This is a description of an army of visionaries who are


record „breakers‟ and „setters‟.
Many years ago, one of my friends who had a very
powerful ministry in a part of Nigeria said to me: “Brother
David, I‟m going to Lagos.” I asked, “What about?” He
replied, “All the money in Nigeria is in Lagos.” Eventually,
he lost everything to being led by strange gods. It is a sad
story. He went to where all the money in Nigeria was, but
only incurred the kind of debt that he had never imagined
before.
Don‟t jump at a job because the offer is attractive; instead,
go there because you know that is where you belong. Today,
many people have gone out of their countries to various
places where they don‟t belong. Remember, as many as are
led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Consider
the beauty of Moses‟ ministry. It was all about: “And the
Lord said unto Moses.” He was perpetually led into strange
dimensions of greatness. And Moses was a great man in the
land of Egypt before Pharaoh and all his servants. In fact,
God said to him:

See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron

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The Eagle‟s Anointing

thy brother shall be thy prophet.


Exodus 7:1

God said to Miriam, “Are you not afraid to speak against


My servant? If there be a prophet among you, Moses is not
in his class! I speak with him face-to-face.” Moses was led
to strange dimensions of heights by God. In fact, God had to
bury him by Himself. Also, God told Abraham, “Get thee
out of thy country...” He was led into trans-generational
greatness and he scaled unusual heights. God led him in
chapters 12, 17 and 22. It is impossible to be led by God and
still be grounded, because all the forces of heaven always
back the led. When God leads, He goes before us to destroy
the barriers on our paths. He also goes with us to ensure that
nothing is against us.

Also, when God leads, He works with us.


As it is written:

And they went forth, and preached every where, the


Lord working with them, and confirming the word with
signs following.
Mark 16:20

When God leads, He works through us. The Bible says:


For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to
do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13

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Furthermore, when God leads us, He works for us.


The scripture says: Faithful is he that calleth you, who also
will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24). That is why we cannot be
thoroughly led, and not scale new heights. Therefore, I
decree spiritual deafness to be healed today!
The Bible further says:
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God.
Romans 8:14

Concerning Jacob, the Bible records:

He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling


wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept
him as the apple of his eye.
Deuteronomy 32:10

We must never allow where we are to blindfold us from


what awaits us. Where we are is immaterial; where we are
going is more important.
It is written:

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end


should greatly increase.
Job 8:7

For who hath despised the day of small things?…


Zechariah 4:10

We must understand that every great thing starts


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The Eagle‟s Anointing

small. For instance, no child weighs 20 kilograms at birth.


Every baby is born weighing few kilograms and then,
increases in weight. Similarly, someone who is called a
Nobel Laureate today was an ordinary pupil some years ago.
It was by dint of hard work coupled with a vision of where
he desired to be; and one step after the other, he got there.
Thus, let‟s not allow our present state to rob us of our great
future. The Bible says:

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom


my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he
shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not
fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the
earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Isaiah 42:1, 4

Therefore, receive the anointing for courage! You shall not


fail or be discouraged in the adventure of life! It is courage
that makes conquerors and champions are made out of
challenges.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee
in right paths.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her;
for she is thy life.
Proverbs 4:11, 13

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The worth of our lives is a function of the quality of


instructions we operate in. It is written:

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken


diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe
and to do all his commandments which I command thee
this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high
above all nations of the earth.
Deuteronomy 28:1

When we operate by the instructions of the Most High


God, we will continue to scale new heights as a lifestyle.
Jesus said, I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I
judge… (John 5:30). We need those instructions to soar like
the eagle. For instance, there is nowhere Lagos is mentioned
in the Bible, but God said to me, “Arise, get down to Lagos,
and raise me a people.” There is nothing called Africa in the
Bible, but God told me, “Now, the harvest of Africa is
overripe, rush in and preserve it from decadence.” These are
all specific instructions that created platforms for next
levels.
Furthermore, we must subject ourselves to required
exercises for the eagle in us to come alive. The Bible says:
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was
in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

Luke 1:80

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Paul also said:

But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise


thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise
profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things,
having promise of the life that now is, and of that which
is to come.
1 Timothy 4:7-8

This further validates the truth that we need spiritual


exercises to excel in life and that takes discipline. I was
addicted to spiritual exercises and I undertook fasting
adventures, coupled with prayers, not for “bread and butter”
but to be „engraced‟ to fulfil destiny. Meanwhile, I had no
idea that I would be called to ministry. We must understand
that no one ever excels in anything in which he does not
exercise himself. When we excel spiritually, we excel in life.
That is why the Bible says that to be carnally minded is
death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans
8:6).
Concerning Jesus, the Bible says:

The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in


the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
Luke 1:80

Jesus was exercising Himself spiritually, until the day of


His showing forth to Israel.
I went on a fasting expedition to read the book of the

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Acts of Apostles. Is it that the grammar is too tough? No!


Life is a product of personal adventure. We are 75%
responsible for everything that takes place in our lives. This
is because every time we point a finger at someone, we point
three at ourselves. Everybody, including God is just 25%;
we are 75% responsible for the outcome of our lives.
Therefore, we either take responsibilities or we die as
liabilities!
Just imagine the part a coach plays in the life of a
sportsman and you will understand this. The coach tells the
sportsman what to do, but he doesn‟t do it for him; instead,
he leaves him to do it. Receive grace today to exercise
yourself adequately for the eagle in you to emerge!

Our Father God is an Eagle


An Eagle cannot beget a vulture because only like begets
like. As many as received Christ, He gave power to become
the sons of God. Therefore, if God, our Father, is an Eagle
and we are born again children of God, we cannot be ducks.
According to Scripture, everything produces after its kind:
human beings don‟t give birth to ducks, and ducks can‟t give
birth to human beings.
If the Father God is the Eagle God, then all His children
must be eagles. Hence, we have an Eagle root in God and
that establishes the fact that we are ordained to keep scaling
new heights. Eagles are never

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The Eagle‟s Anointing

found roaming the streets; they are always in the sky.


Therefore, from now, we will not be found in the low places
of life again!

We Also Have an Eagle Saviour


Speaking of Jesus in prophecy, the Bible says:

For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall


the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren,
like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever
he shall say unto you.
Acts 3:22

God said:

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I


bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep
my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto
me above all people: for all the earth is mine.

Exodus 19:4-5

That means, Jesus came as our Eagle Saviour and Hebrews


2:11 records that He is not ashamed to call us brethren.
Therefore, the Father God is the Eagle Father. His begotten
Son, Jesus, is the Eagle Son and He is not afraid to call us
brethren; thus, we are His siblings. Consequently, we are
eagles after the order of Christ because there is no way a
vulture can be the

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brother of an eagle.
There is an eagle in us and we are ordained to soar in the
sky, not to struggle on earth. From today, receive the soaring
impartation on your life!
Our greatest asset as eagles is revelation. As we go from
revelation to revelation, we also go from glory to glory.
The Word says:

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the


glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18

Also, it is written:

…but the people that do know their God shall be strong,


and do exploits.
Daniel 11:32

That means, the more revelation of God the Father we


have, the more exploits we are qualified to command.
Somebody read one of my books, Towards Mental Exploits,
and jumped from failure to a first class student. It is our
findings that define our future. The farther we see, the more
heights we scale.
Before my wife and I got married, I read eight books on
marriage and made outstanding discoveries that levelled out
any apprehension on what the outcome of our marriage
would be. Coming into ministry, I read 39
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The Eagle‟s Anointing

biographies of great ministries so I could understand how


ministry operates. Also, before Covenant University started,
I studied nine World Class Universities, their founding
history, developmental processes, programmes, etc.
Thereafter, I drafted the philosophy and core values of
Covenant University; and with this, I was ready to fly.
Today, Covenant University is flying. It has consistently
been number one among private universities, since the
National Universities Commission (NUC) appraisal began.

God cannot confirm the word we are yet to find. It is our


discoveries that lead the way to recoveries. Scaling new
heights only comes by taking responsibility, not by chanting
it as a slogan. We do not scale new heights by waiting, but
by working. Furthermore, we cannot scale new heights
without adequately engaging spirituality, to generate
sufficient ground power that empowers us to overcome
gravity and take off into the skies.

The Role of Spirituality


This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou
mayest observe to do according to all that is written
therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous,
and then thou shalt have good success.

Joshua 1:8

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Spirituality is our greatest asset in the journey of life. It is


evident that everybody is looking for success, but spirituality
is the key. This Ministry (David Oyedepo Ministries
International) thrives absolutely by the Word and it is
scaling new heights through the Word. In the same vein,
Covenant and Landmark Universities are scaling new
heights absolutely by the Word. Spirituality, therefore,
remains our greatest asset in the journey of life. God spoke
to me that in this end-time, saviours will rise from Mount
Zion and this will only be realisable by the Word. As it is
written:
And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the
mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.

Obadiah 1:21

For instance, it is impossible to devour all the books of this


Commission and not command enviable exploits. However,
idleness, laziness, complacency and religiosity have
hindered many from reaching their full potentials.
Friend, I read and devoured virtually all Kenneth Hagin
and Kenneth Copeland‟s books. From 1976, God started
preparing me for a great future and I accepted responsibility
to get there. Most of my encounters in life came from those
books.
When my wife and I were in courtship, our counsellor
asked me, “What do you look forward to in your
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The Eagle‟s Anointing

marriage?” I said, “Hitch-free marriage!” He said, “How do


you mean?” I replied, “We have been in courtship for 5
years and everything is working fine.” He said, “You see
David, when you are far apart, it is difficult to step on one
another‟s toes, but when you are living together, it is
impossible not to step on one another‟s toes.” I said to him
humorously, “Sir, you and I are sitting on the same chair,
why am I not stepping on your toes? One, I‟m not blind.
Two, I am not wicked.” For all these years we have been
married, we have never had a scuffle. That is the product of
knowledge!
By spirituality, Joseph scaled utmost heights. A prisoner
became the breadwinner of a nation. By spirituality, Daniel
remained relevant to the government of Babylon for 65
years. By spirituality, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of
Jerusalem in 52 days. He fasted his way into favour.
A young man testified in one of our services that the
company where he served as a Corps member had
challenges and he told them that in Winners‟ Chapel, where
he is a member, we engage the weapon of fasting to destroy
barriers. Then he asked his manager, “Can we, therefore,
fast in this company for three days?” The manager agreed;
they all fasted for three days and there was a supernatural
breakthrough. At the end of his service year, the company
refused to release him because of the tremendous impact the
young man made; so, he stayed for a few more years.
Thereafter, he indicated his
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Following The Path Of The Eagle

desire to go and was given an estate and Range Rover sports


car to match. That‟s not long service award because the
whole incident was less than four years; it is spirituality
award. How can you, as a believer, have a company that is
dying and you are sleeping? How can you Pastor a church
that is not growing and you are sleeping? No wonder the
Bible admonishes:

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest … and


Christ shall give thee light.
Ephesians 5:14

We must, therefore, awake from our slumber and lay hold


on the weapon of spirituality for fulfilment of our glorious
destinies in Christ.

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6

Think Like A Star

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he ...


Proverbs 23:7

Nothing defines destiny like mentality. For our destinies to


be actualised, we must possess possibility and success
mentality.
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they
have all one language; and this they begin to do: and
now nothing will be restrained from them, which they
have imagined to do.
Genesis 11:6

It is, therefore, possibility mentality that makes a giant. As


it is written:
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me.
Philippians 4:13

Until we change the way we think, it will be impossible

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to change the way we live. The Bible says:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye


transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will
of God.
Romans 12:2

Proverbs 4:23 also says:

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the
issues of life.

Our thoughts determine our lot in life. That is why it is


failure mentality that makes a failure; lack mentality makes
a pauper, and success mentality makes a star. It is our
imagination that determines our destination.

Behold, the people is one, and they have all one


language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing
will be restrained from them, which they have imagined
to do.
Genesis 11:6

It is a positive mentality that makes a giant. Therefore, our


thoughts will either make us or break us.

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil


thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts,
covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil
eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these

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evil things come from within, and defile the man.


Mark 7:21-23

In essence, when great thoughts dominate our hearts, they


result in our greatness. Naturally, evil thoughts bring about
evil acts, and great thoughts empower us to take giant steps
into greatness. Ultimately, our “thoughts” determines our
destinies. The Bible says:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye


transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will
of God.
Romans 12:2

In essence, until we change the way we think, we cannot


change the way we live. Therefore, “Think like a Star.” That
is, cultivate the mentality of a star, because that is where
stardom begins. It is also very important to recognise from
James 1:21-25 that God‟s Word is the spiritual mirror that
reveals our actual worth as children of God.

That means, we can catch our actual picture from the


mirror of the Word. Also, in Proverbs 27:19, it is written: As
in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to
man.
Furthermore, we are told that the Word of God is like
water.
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
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washing of water by the word.


Ephesians 5:26

That means, God‟s Word is a bowl of water and every


time we open the pages, the pictures of our destinies are
revealed to us. For instance, in the mirror of the Word, every
child of God is revealed as a lion. Why? Jesus is the Lion of
the tribe of Judah and we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs
with Him. The Bible records:
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold,
the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath
prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals
thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne
and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders,
stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns
and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent
forth into all the earth.
Revelation 5:5-6

It is also written:

For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified


are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call
them brethren.
Hebrews 2:11

There is no way a sheep can be a brother to a lion. Thus, if


God called us brethren, then we belong to the same class. If
He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, then, we belong to the
lion‟s tribe; and that should make a
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difference in the way we think.


But, what makes a lion? Unusual strength that commands
dominion.
It is written:

There be three things which go well, yea, four are


comely in going: A lion which is strongest among
beasts, and turneth not away for any.
Proverbs 30:29-30

We must understand that a lion‟s strength is not just in the


physical but also within (inner strength), which translates to
„confidence‟. The lion is not the biggest animal in the
jungle; yet, it challenges other animals such as the elephant
and the hippopotamus that are three times its size. This
shows that it takes confidence to emerge a conqueror. For
example, Joshua and Caleb were the youngest of the spies
sent to Jericho, but they were super-confident in God. The
lion in them came alive! Thus, the dominion of a lion is
rooted in its confidence, and every child of God is redeemed
a lion. As long as we remain sheep, we stand the risk of
being slaughtered! Concerning Jesus, the Bible says:

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened


not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he
openeth not his mouth.
Isaiah 53:7
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By the revelation of the Word, we are eagles and lions,


and, therefore the kings of the jungle and the kings of the
air.
The truth is that we can‟t get what we cannot see. In the
early years of Covenant University, I said, “There is no
university we are trying to compete with in Nigeria. The
ones that we are competing with are not here. A new
generation Harvard is in the making.” I could boldly declare
these because I knew that no one arrives at a future he
cannot see. The Bible says:

And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was
separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look
from the place where thou art northward, and
southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the
land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy
seed for ever.
Genesis 13:14-15

Every child of God is a seed of Abraham; that means, we


are Israelites indeed. That is why the Bible says:
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and
heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:29

Furthermore, it is written:

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is


that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But

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he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is


that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter;
whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Romans 2:28-29

Indeed, when we become born again, we are adopted as


spiritual Jews. We must also understand that there are
certain things we hear that we may not be able to believe.
However, there are things we have seen that are difficult to
doubt. The Bible says: For we cannot but speak the things
which we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20).
That is why nobody can make us doubt what we have
seen. Therefore, it is not enough to hear the Word of God
and understand it, it is equally important for us to get
pictures from the Scripture. It is written:

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning


Judah and Jerusalem.
Isaiah 2:1

The truth is, many people have heard so many things, but
they are yet to see anything. Therefore, we must move from
revelations to the visions of the Lord, which are contained in
His Book, and nothing creates a future like being able to see
them.
Concerning His identity on earth, Jesus said:

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these


things in the churches. I am the root and the

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offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.


Revelation 22:16

Thus, if Jesus came to earth as a star, then there is a star in


us because He said: …as my Father hath sent me, even so
send I you (John 20:21).
Our destinies are loaded. Beyond that, the Bible says:

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will
give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold
from them that walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11

Moreover, Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness with healing


in his wings.
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;
and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be
stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up,
saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither
root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall
the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his
wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of
the stall.
Malachi 4:1-2

Now, what do these scriptures mean? All fountains of life,


mysteriously, draw from the sun. That is why the Bible says:

And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born
in her: and the highest himself shall establish

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her. The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the


people, that this man was born there. As well the singers
as the players on instruments shall be there: all my
springs are in thee.
Psalm 87:5-7

Thus, we are assets to our world, not liabilities. We are


fountains of life to our generation, not concerns.
Remember, there is one glory of the sun, another glory of
the moon and another glory of the stars: for one star
differeth from another star in glory (1 Corinthians 15:41).
We have been talking about stars rising, but very soon, we
shall be seeing the “suns” rise! Our sun will shine and
multitudes will draw life from us. We will never be sources
of concern to anyone, any day of our lives! Wherever we are
found, life will be oozing forth! The Bible is filled with
God‟s visions for us; therefore, it is time to start thinking
right! As it is written:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are
just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be
any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.
Philippians 4:8

This is God‟s curriculum for our thought pattern. We carry


amazing treasures; our lives must not end as trash.

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Now, let‟s take a closer look at the things that are very
familiar. God told Abraham after he was called:

…I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless


thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a
blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse
him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of
the earth be blessed.
Genesis 12:2-3

We must recognise that Jesus died to connect us to the


Abrahamic order of blessings. The Bible records:
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is
every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of
Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus
Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith.
Galatians 3:13-14

Consequently, we are not just Nigerians, Africans, Britons


or Americans, but global citizens! God also said to
Abraham:
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Genesis 22:18

Hence, God has ordained us to be sources of blessing to all


the families of the earth. I am not referring to the

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success of having what to eat, drink, get married, have


children, get old and eventually say farewell to this world.
No! I am talking about leaving indelible marks for upcoming
generations. I am referring to things that will be happening
hundred years after we are gone.
Therefore, it is time to renew our minds with the truth, so
that we can experience amazing transformations in our
journeys. The truth is, we will never shine brighter or be
greater than our thoughts. Everything about our tomorrow is
determined by our thoughts today.
The Bible says:

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither


doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree
is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not
gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A
good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth
forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil
treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil:
for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Luke 6:43-45

Our thoughts determine the fruits we bear. We cannot sow


tomato seed and expect to harvest maize. Every good tree
brings forth good fruit and every evil tree brings forth evil
fruits. This simply means that evil thoughts produce evil
acts, and every great thought
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breeds great results. That is why we are advised: keep


thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues
of life. Proverbs 4:23
I have said over and again, “I am not surprised at where
we are today – thank God for it, because He made it happen;
but, I would have been surprised if we are not here.” I carry
the love for the entire world in my heart. I had no personal
dream for personal comfort. My entire dream is, “Who can
be helped next?” or “Who requires a smile on his face?”

After we built our house in Lagos, one of my sons came in


from the mission field and said, “This must be a dream come
true!” I said, “I never dreamt about this!” The truth is that I
never had the time to even check the drawing. That is not
where my thought is. Also, during the building of the church
office, all the drawings were on my table but I never had the
opportunity to check them once. However, I was busy
checking for who would come to church next, what he/she
would need and how God would meet his/her needs. At that
time, they had built the office complex to the top, but I
couldn‟t get there earlier, though I was living in the vicinity.
It was when the building was completed that I was shown
my office. No doubt, our thoughts today determine our
heights tomorrow!

Many years ago, I went to Jos (a city in the Middle Belt


area of Nigeria) to see the Corp members posted
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to our Mission. As I drove off that place, I saw a plain land


and said, “This will be nice for the university we are going
to build.” I was in a Volkswagen beetle, but I already saw a
university. Presently, our Church has two universities. Don‟t
think trials; think testimonies. Don‟t think defeat; think
conquest. It is written:

According as his divine power hath given unto us all


things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the
knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.

2 Peter 1:3

Whatever we need in this world is contained in the Bible,


but they are delivered through the knowledge of Christ.
Thus, when we think in line with God‟s thoughts, we are on
the way to unbelievable heights. As the Lord lives, that is
where we are going!
God said:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your


ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts

Isaiah 55:8-9

God‟s thoughts and ways are in His Words. One day, I


saw clearly that indebtedness is not part of redemption. God
told me that it is impossible to serve two masters.
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You will have to choose one and despise the other, and the
borrower is a servant to the lender. Therefore, I chose the
God of heaven as against any lender in the world. Till date,
not one dime has been borrowed from anywhere in the
world to run the ministry.
One day, I saw from the Word that God is no respecter of
persons, but in any nation – including Nigeria, anyone that
fears God and works according to His rule will command
the same order of result. Thus, there is nothing anywhere in
the world for me to envy. No! We have equal access to
heaven.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the
Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that
call upon him.
Romans 10:12

I read a book many years ago titled, The Power of Positive


Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. It connected me to
another realm and changed my entire concept of redemption
forever. I learnt from there that we can determine the events
of our lives by the thoughts of our hearts. Therefore, we
must spend time investing in our lives, what we want to see
in our future.
The Bible is full of revelations but very importantly, of
visions. The Bible reveals to us what we are made of, what
we are worth and the treasures hidden in us. However, we
must understand that until we can see

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these treasures, we are not set to have them. From today,


may our eyes begin to see very clearly every picture painted
of us in the Scripture! It will settle us for life! We cannot
afford to disappoint destiny because everything we need to
live impactful lives are available to us in Christ. I wrote
something sometimes ago that I called the „Star‟s Creed‟. It
is like a Psalm. You can also call it the „Psalm of Stars‟. It is
about what and how we think. It goes thus:

Psalm of Stars
I am not disadvantaged: Many people think because they
are black, they are backward; because they are Africans,
they have no worth. Although I am black, I am not
disadvantaged; I am not underprivileged. I am not
unfortunate; I am not unlucky. I am just in shape for the
topmost top in life.
I am not oppressed; I am not depressed. I am not
afflicted. I am anointed a king to reign on the earth.
I am not failing; I am not losing. I am not begging; I am
giving, winning and gaining.
I am the light of the world. I am the salt of the earth. I
am a city set upon a hill that cannot be hidden. I surely
have something to offer my world. You are not a beggarly
citizen of the earth. It is high time you

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started thinking so.


I am peculiar; I am treasure-loaded. I am unique; I have
the mind of Christ. I surely have what it takes to impact my
world. We mustn’t pass through the earth unnoticed, not
because we are hunting for fame, but by reason of the
value we will add wherever we are found.
I am not drowning, and I am not sinking; I am a burning
and shining light. Anybody who plays around me has
signed for his doom.
I am not a burden; I am not a concern. I am not a
reproach; I am created for the envy of my world. I am
indeed a blessing to my generation.

Sometimes ago, a woman came to my office and I said, “I


taught this girl in 1977.” Some pastors were there with me
and I asked her, “Please, tell them Theresa, was I a good
teacher?” She said, “You are teaching the Church with the
same passion you taught us.”
We have something to offer our world. Therefore, let‟s
think “the world” and not just our pockets, title or status. If
we think impact, it will determine where we find ourselves
ultimately. This approach to life will help us to be
disciplined.
A wise person said, “Sow a thought and you reap an act.
Sow an act and you reap a habit. Sow a habit,

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you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a


destiny.” Thus, everything about our destinies begins with a
thought.
In 1970, I found in my Bible that we have been redeemed
unto our God as priests and kings. And hast made us unto
our God kings and priests: and we shall
reign on the earth (Revelation 5:10). It, then, occurred to
me that I don‟t have to belong to a royal family on the earth
to be regarded as royalty; and that being redeemed connects
me to heavenly royalty and it must reflect on the earth.

That immediately affected the way I dressed. I would ask


myself, “Will a king go out like this?” Nobody preached this
to me, I discovered it myself. Whenever I was provoked for
any reason, instead of shouting, I would tell myself, “A king
wouldn‟t shout on the street.”
At this moment, I will like you to pray: “Lord, help me to
go beyond hearing to seeing the picture You have painted
for me in Your Book.” That is the picture of confidence in
God and the picture of clear direction on the pathway to
follow. It is written:
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may
instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:16

That means, we can never be listed among failures


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because the excellent spirit of Christ is in us. Can you


imagine that? The mind that created the entire world is in us.
This is not religious talk; it is God‟s direct vision of us.
When we got saved, He brought us into a mind transplant
theatre and replaced our human minds with the Creator‟s
mind. So, we are a peculiar people and our case is different.
We have what it takes to change our world and create the
world we want to live in. God will be raising men like
nations in this end-time. I see us being a part of it!
Therefore, a great tomorrow awaits you! A great future
awaits you! You will live a great life! You will be a blessing
to all those around you! Everything about your life will be
working perfectly and in order, in Jesus‟ name!

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Let The Eagle Soar!

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his
savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth
good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden
under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city
that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light
a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a
candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the
house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works, and glorify your Father which is
in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16

Although we are eagles, we must allow the eagle in us to


soar or it will become a mere accolade. We must also
recognise that being the light of the world does not
guarantee our shining. The opening scripture says, “...Let
your light so shine...” Therefore, making it shine is our
responsibility! Our light does not shine because God has
made us lights; rather, it is what we

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make of that light that determines how much it shines.


Remember that we are eagles by redemption because like
begets like, and everything produces after its kind. For
instance, a cow will not give birth to a lamb; neither will a
lamb give birth to a dog. It is written:

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I


bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.

Exodus 19:4

The consciousness of who we are determines what we


dare. God said to Moses:
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh,
that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of
Israel out of Egypt.
Exodus 3:10

Hence, Moses was the eagle through whom God delivered


the Israelites.
And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt,
and by a prophet was he preserved.
Hosea 12:13

It is also written:

For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall


the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren,
like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever
he shall say unto you.
Acts 3:22
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In the above scripture, Moses was futuristically referring


to Jesus. Thus, Jesus came as an eagle and He said: As my
Father hath sent me, even so send I you (John 20:21).

Therefore, we need to know that we are eagles, because


that is what determines what we will ever dare. The
consciousness of who we are is important in the race of life.
We must understand that as eagles, we are not meant to fly,
but soar. Therefore, I decree your soaring now!

When Moses appeared in Egypt, everyone was looking at


him in the “sky” because he was unstoppable and
irresistible! He arrived and said, “Let my people go” and
that was it. Similarly, when Jesus, being a carpenter‟s son,
began to manifest His eagle nature, the Bible says that all
eyes were fixed on Him and His fame went abroad suddenly.

Catch a Vision and Run With It


It is very important to recognise that no aircraft is allowed
to fly without a defined destination. That is, before a plane is
allowed to take off, the control tower must have the details
of where it is going and the route it will fly to get there. That
is what we call vision and dream. A vision gave birth to the
eagle-Moses and a vision brought forth the eagle-Christ.

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It is impossible for anyone to soar without a vision of


where he is headed to. The Bible says:
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that
keepeth the law, happy is he.
Proverbs 29:18

Jesus knew what He came to do on earth, He knew how to


go about it and He knew when He finished it. It is written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath


anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath
sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance
to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the
acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:18-19

...For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that


he might destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3:8

…When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he


said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up
the ghost.
John 19:30

Furthermore, God said:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and


before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified
thee, and I ordained thee a prophet

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unto the nations.


Jeremiah 1:5

We are on the earth for a particular mission and a


discovery of that mission is called vision or dream. That is
where we are programmed to go and that is where we will
be engraced to manifest. Therefore, it is so important to
know and place appropriate values on the power of dreams.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out


my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream
dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Joel 2:28

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to unfold God‟s plan as


it relates to each one on earth. He is to receive from the Lord
and show it to us.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will


guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of
himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall
he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John
16:13

It is, therefore, important to know that God has a plan and


a discovery of that plan empowers the eagle in us to soar.
May we not miss that great plan and purpose of God for our
lives! That is what the eagle in us is

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waiting for to soar. That is what the control tower in heaven


is waiting for, to allow us take-off in the air. Our destination
must be properly defined before we are allowed to fly.

Joseph was in prison the previous night, and the following


morning, he became a Prime Minister. That is the power of
dreams! He knew where he was going; therefore, all the
things that accompany dreams were evident in his life. We
cannot have genuine dreams without passion, self-discipline
and crave for the wisdom to actualise our dreams. We saw in
Joseph, self-discipline, diligence and wisdom. These are all
companions of a genuine dream. People live carelessly
because they have dreamless/visionless lives. Joseph said:

...how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin


against God?
Genesis 39:9

Self-discipline was his companion because he carried a


genuine dream in his heart. He was living in the excitement
of his future. We cannot have a dream of tomorrow and not
begin to live in the reality of it today by our dispositions. In
this context, a dream is a mental picture or formation of our
future, of which we are fully persuaded. That persuasion
expresses itself in passion, self-discipline, diligence and
wisdom.
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For the eagle in us to come alive, we must commit to


discovering our mission on earth by asking God to reveal it
to us.
The Word says:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith


the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give
you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye
shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search
for me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13

That means, “Come for My plans for you, if you are


interested. Seek Me with all your heart and I will deliver it
to you, and give colour to your life.” There is no product in
the market without a particular function. In the same vein,
there is no one on earth without a purpose in the heart of
God concerning him. We are not biological accidents;
rather, we are definite creatures of a definite God. He has a
purpose on the earth for us; all we need to do is settle down
and discover it on time because He only makes all things
beautiful in His time.
We have the responsibility to define our destinations in
our youthful days, so that we can have enough time to
pursue and deliver the details of our mandates. Joseph
caught a vision at the age of 17; and at the age of 30, he was
Prime Minister in Egypt. David confronted Goliath
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at the age of 17; then, he became a king in Israel at the age


of 30. Jesus found where it was written of Him at the age of
30; thereafter, He erupted and the world is yet to recover
from His impact. This is your time and chance; don‟t mess it
up!
Too many people in the body of Christ are merely
surviving; very few are truly impacting. We are not created
to survive; we are created to impact. That is why the Bible
says that we are the light of the world, the salt of the earth
and cities set on hills that cannot be hidden. Therefore, we
are not on earth for mere survival but for impact and
exploits.
Always remember that no aircraft is allowed to take off
without its destination properly defined. In the same vein, no
believer will ever soar without his vision properly defined.
This is because it is the detailed revelation of our
destinations that qualifies us to soar.

What Are the Key Characteristics of


an Eagle?

The Eagle Possesses Extraordinary Strength


...the people that do know their God shall be strong, and
do exploits.
Daniel 11:32

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The eagle is a very strong bird and it takes strength to do


exploit. It can pick up any prey three times its own weight –
a man, goat, ram, etc, and that is the Spirit of might. Men
and women of exploits require strength.
A global impact will make global demands on our lives.
Therefore, we need a new order of strength to emerge as
men and women of exploits. Receive the outpouring of the
Spirit of might, in Jesus‟ name!
When we sow sparingly, we reap sparingly; but when we
invest bountifully, we reap bountifully. I have kept a work
pace of nothing less than 16 hours a day for many years. So,
don‟t say, “He must be very lucky.” Our impact will never
outgrow our input, and we need strength, via the Spirit of
might, to enhance our input.
In 1981, I was reading one of the biographies of John
Wesley and I saw him in a cross-country horseback ride for
the gospel at the age of 80. That testimony imparted strength
to my system. I received the impartation of the Spirit of
might while reading that biography.
We must understand that the reason we read is not just to
be informed, but also to be imparted by the spirits of men
and women who have gone ahead of us. I have never had a
breakdown and I cannot have one. I want to believe that it is
wrong work that wears people out, not right work or hard
work. By the time you go

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gossiping all over town, you will be weary. When you start
collecting data about everybody, you will be tired. When
you start speaking valueless words, you will be gone.
However, when we get on key with our own assignment, we
go from strength to strength, not from weakness to
weakness.
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the
feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest
that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it
rather be healed.
Hebrews 12:12-13

I decree a fresh impartation of the Spirit of might upon


your life!
You might say, “Where is the place of the anointing, if I
have to work so hard?” Jesus, the most anointed man that
walked on planet earth, said, I must work the
works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night
cometh, when no man can work (John 9:4).
He further said in John 5:17: My Father worketh hitherto
and I work. Also, after ministering to the Samaritan woman
by the well, He said to His disciples, I have some food to eat
that you don‟t know about.
...My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to
finish his work.
John 4:34

To enhance our worth, work is a must. Whatever we


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don‟t earn will never add value to us. Wealth gotten by


vanity shall diminish. Whatever gift our father or mother
gives us will not enhance our worth; but he that gathers by
labour shall increase. Therefore, receive grace to be a
productive worker and labourer, in the name of Jesus!

Paul, a man of unusual revelation, said:

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace


which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I
laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but
the grace of God which was with me.
1 Corinthians 15:10

Our level of labour defines the beauty of our future; there


is no shortcut. If we are not workers, our worth will not be
enhanced and we will end up as beggars and liabilities.
Therefore, an extra input in our studies, businesses, careers,
etc, with faith in God, will take us to enviable heights.
Remember, there is nothing extraordinary on its own; it is
man‟s extraordinary input that makes it so. Thus, we must
work for the eagle in us to fully emerge and manifest.

Moreover, it is vital to recognise that revelation is one of


the vital keys to accessing divine strength.
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge
increaseth strength.
Proverbs 24:5

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But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and
not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Just like the eagle, let us suck water from the rock and
honey from where it is available before we take to the sky.

The Eagle is a Bird with Very Strong Character


It is so important to know that one of the key
characteristics of the eagle is moral strength. Joseph was a
man of strong character. The Bible says:
There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath
he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou
art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness,
and sin against God?
Genesis 39:9

Usually, when we talk about strength, we think only of


physical abilities, but that does not weigh much in the school
of exploits. We are talking about emotional and moral
strength. We must be emotionally stable with great moral
strength.
Every eagle that will truly soar must have a strong
character. For instance, Job feared God and eschewed evil,
and he became the greatest of all men in his days.
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He had a very strong character.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered


my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth,
a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and
escheweth evil?
Job 1:8

When Job‟s wife advised him to curse God, he shut her up,
because to him, she was speaking like one of the foolish
women. Job said with confidence, Though He slay me, yet
will I trust in Him (Job 13:15). Abraham told the King of
Sodom that he would not take anything from him lest he
boasted of making him rich.
My wife and I were in courtship for 6 years. One day, the
devil said, “I will make you crash by fornication.” I said,
“Lord, if I dare it, smite me with leprosy.” If we do not
portray godly character, we don‟t have a future.
The test of a real eagle is inner strength.

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his


glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the
inner man.
Ephesians 3:16

It is impossible to command exploits without spiritual,


moral and emotional strength. The eagle takes time to build
that strength; it does not assume it. Let us understand that
there is no special gospel for any group; it is one gospel for
all people. If we don‟t
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inculcate our children with the raw gospel, they will become
rotten. If you play with your life today, you will pay for it
tomorrow.

The Eagle is a Highly Disciplined Bird


Annually, the eagle waits for about 40 days on the
mountain, sheds old feathers, grows new ones and is set to
soar for the next one year. When the Eagle-Jesus came, He
fasted for 40 days. When the Eagle-Moses came, he also
was in a fast for 40 days. Therefore, we need high-level
spiritual discipline for the eagle in us to emerge, because
every great story is traceable to high-level discipline.
Receive grace for high-level discipline, in the name of
Jesus! From today, nothing dislodges your destiny or
overthrows you! Everything that God has ordained for you
will be fulfilled in your life, in the name of Jesus Christ!

Eagles don’t flock, they soar


Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that
bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and
increased him. For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will
comfort all her waste places; and he will make her
wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of
the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein,
thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
Isaiah 51:2-3

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We must accept full responsibility for the outcome of our


lives. We must not be foolish enough to let somebody else
derail our destinies. We have nobody to blame for where our
lives finally end. Look to Abraham
your father and to Sarah that bear thee, I called him alone
and I blessed him (Isaiah 51:2).
God has not changed; He still relates with us on individual
basis! It is written:
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me,
to give every man according as his work shall be.

Revelation 22:12

We must understand that God does not bless groups; He


blesses individuals. He does not lift groups; he lifts
individuals. He does not enlarge groups; He enlarges
individuals.
In my spiritual journey from 1969 till date, my friends are
either on fire for God like me or we remain acquaintances. I
fasted my way out of the crowd; I prayed my way out of the
general run, and I searched my way into unfathomable
heights. There was no guesswork or assumption. I started
my own spiritual library at the age of 20. I have read a few
things and found God on many pages.

We must wake up and take full responsibility for

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the outcome of our lives. Our parents do not have any


business with where our future ends; we have the
responsibility. We can only be taught which way to go; but
we are the ones who take the responsibility to get there.

No aircraft tows another in the air. Everything that flies


generates the power within itself to fly. Vehicles are towed
on the road, ships on the sea, but not an aircraft. There is
what is called ground-power. Every aircraft must generate
adequate ground-power to make an upthrust and break
through the barriers of gravity to remain in the sky.

How much ground-power we generate determines how


high we fly. Have you ever watched a rocket taking off? It is
not smoke but fire that is released because of the distance it
will cover. Therefore, how much ground-power we succeed
in generating determines the level of heights we will ever
scale.
However, there are different power levels. The helicopter
flies at a height that will enable it to see everybody as it
goes; it can‟t go higher than that. Then, there is the propeller
engine aircraft; it also flies at certain heights. We also have
the proper jet, which reaches 40 or 50 thousand feet above
sea level; you cannot see anything, except the sky. Then, we
talk about the rockets. They are all separately powered and
they carry different costs.

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The eagle in some people may never soar because they


have not generated what it takes to get to the sky. Some will
get to the helicopter level, others to the propeller engine
level and some others to the jet range. There is no shortcut;
we are either ready for it or not!
Our picture as eagles has been properly painted from the
Scripture and the multifaceted anointing we need for the
eagle in us to manifest has also been released. I, therefore,
decree that by your encounter from this book, you will no
longer be found at the low level of life!

An Eagle is a Creature of Swiftness/Speed


David was lamenting the death of Saul and Jonathan when
he said:
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their
lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were
swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
2 Samuel 1:23

It is also written:

The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far,


from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a
nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand.

Deuteronomy 28:49

This is God using the swiftness of an eagle as an analogy.


As it is commonly said: “As swift as an eagle.”

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An eagle is a creature of unique speed. It doesn‟t just fly, it


dives. An eagle dives into the sea to pick fishes and hardly
misses its target.
In three-and-a-half years, Jesus took the world by storm
and we are yet to recover from the impact of His mission.
He imparted all generations of humanity yet unborn. He
accomplished unusual feats with unique speed. Divine speed
is one of the manifestations of the eagle in us. I see you
experiencing divine speed!

It Takes Advantage of the Direction of the


Wind for Its Flight
This is one of the features of the Eagle that ensures it does
not struggle or sweat like other birds. The Eagle perches on
the mountaintop, or the branch of a very tall tree, and
watches out for the wind going in its direction; then it
spreads its wings for the wind to carry it. The Eagle does not
flap its wings to fly; rather, it soars by the direction of the
wind. The eagle is a visionary bird; it operates by the
direction of the wind. Thus, while other birds are flying
against the direction of the wind, the eagle is just taking
advantage of the wind and soaring towards uttermost
heights.
One of the symbols of the Holy Spirit in Scripture is wind.
Thus, just as the eagle experiences ease, as it soars by the
direction of the wind, we experience stress-

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free journey in life, when we are led by the Holy Spirit.


We are simply being carried by the wind.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God.
Romans 8:14

Remember the Bible says:

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out


my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream
dreams, your young men shall see visions.
Joel 2:28

I have explained this before: the Holy Spirit goes before


us, He goes with us, He works with us, He works through us
and works for us, when we are led by Him. We are just
being carried. That is why those who are led by the Holy
Spirit don‟t sweat to get results. You won‟t miss God‟s plan
for your life anymore! I decree clarity of vision for your life!
Your life will not be squandered! You shall not miss your
place in destiny, in Jesus‟ name!
On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost came as a mighty
rushing wind. Thus, every time we are led by the Holy
Spirit, we are carried by the wind of God to His defined
purpose for our lives. If you study the ministry of Moses,
you will discover this profound statement reoccurring: And
the Lord said unto Moses. That means everything Moses
did, God instructed him

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to do it.
At the arrival of Jesus, our exemplary Eagle, He said,
“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge”
(John 5:30). That‟s what makes an eagle; it does not struggle
like other birds because it takes advantage of the direction of
the wind to soar. That is what makes it different.

Everywhere the Spirit of God leads us is a place of dignity


and honour. It is not enough to know our destination; we
must know the step by step details of how to get there; that
is what the eagle does. It does not only build strength, it
watches the direction of the wind to determine where it goes.

And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before


Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the
presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land
of Egypt.
Genesis 41:46

Joseph was 30 years when he “took off in the sky”, the


challenges notwithstanding. I don‟t care what you are going
through; you will soon be found in the “sky”!
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned forty years.
2 Samuel 5:4

All these men were young fellows who caught the


direction of God for their lives on time. What took

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others decades to accomplish, like the speed of an eagle, you


will get it done in a year!
And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age,
being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was
the son of Heli.
Luke 3:23

You may not hear a voice, but there is a passion inside


you; that is a pointer to God‟s mission for your life. There is
something you wish could be better than what it is right
now; in most cases, that is a pointer to God‟s assignment for
your life.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to
do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13

Therefore, every positive passion should have your


attention. Unfortunately, in today‟s world, what people call
passion is nothing but an obsession, because they want
something out of it. Your assignment is not about what to
get, it is about what to give. It is not about what you have,
but what to do. Today, what people call vision is to become
a doctor. When you ask them the reason for their choice,
they say they want a name and a title. That is not a vision.

Nehemiah never thought of becoming a governor; he was


just burdened with passion to see the broken walls built. He
was a chief labourer in the building of the wall
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and had no dream of becoming a leader. He was only a


passionate builder of the broken wall, to restore the glory of
Jerusalem.
David never thought of becoming a king; he just couldn‟t
stand the name of the Lord being assaulted by Goliath. He
said, “Let me die the death of the righteous than watch this
continue.” It was a passion for God and His people that
drove him, not a passion for himself. Living for self is what
makes a slave; living for others is what makes a leader. Your
assignment is what will define your attainment in life.

We went to Indonesia and one of the top businessmen


there said to me, “Why don‟t you become the President of
Nigeria?” I replied that it is not my assignment. My
assignment is so defined that nothing else would ever hold
an attraction for me till I die.
Some fellows met Billy Graham and said, “We will
sponsor your presidency for this nation.” He replied that it
was not God‟s plan for him. Some other fellows said they
would build a university in his name and he said that was
not God‟s plan for him. God‟s plan for him is simply to
preach the gospel to all nations. He is over 90 years and still
relevant. It is not about any attainment or entitlement; it is
about your assignment.
Mother Teresa cared for all the poor people in India and
sacrificed for them. In her lifetime, she was given a standing
ovation at the United Nations‟ General
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Assembly. It is not what we have that determines our worth,


but what we add to the human race. What service are you to
render? May you find your place on time!
Every godly passion in you is a pointer to your mission on
earth. You may never hear a voice from heaven, but by
divine order, that mission can be conveyed to you through a
godly passion to add value to the human race.

I will like us to see these


compendiums of visions:
By vision, Abraham soared in the sky. The Bible says:

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of
thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s
house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will
make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and
make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Genesis 12:1-2

That was an encounter with God. Moses also had an


encounter with God at the burning bush. Paul had an
encounter with God on his way to Damascus and a great
Apostle emerged.
Think of what dream or passion delivers. It was said of
Joseph: Behold this dreamer cometh (Genesis 37:19).
David declared

…for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he

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should defy the armies of the living God? David said


moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw
of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver
me out of the hand of this Philistine… 1 Samuel 17:26,
37

That is a dream expressed in passion.


Nehemiah was passionate about rebuilding the wall of
Jerusalem. It was an expression of the dream in his heart.
This is to help us understand that visions, dreams and
passions deliver at the same level and quality. See where
vision took Abraham and where dreams took Joseph. See
where vision took Moses and where a dream took David.
They all had the same source, that is, God.
The young men, as earlier seen in Joel 2:28, are designed
to see visions and have great dreams. God never said to me
that Covenant University shall be a new generation Harvard;
it was a dream of my heart. That is the kind of quality we
look forward to generating and the value we are out to
discharge. Therefore, without a vision or a dream, destiny is
doomed. We do not have a future without a dream or vision.
Hence, we need to catch a dream, in order not to be doomed.

Most times, God‟s great plans are unfolded in ordinary


times. Moses was rearing his father-in-law‟s sheep when he
suddenly received a signal. That is why a carnal man ends
up a loser and his life ends in regrets;

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the day God speaks, he may not be there. I pray that, from
this day, living in the Spirit will become a natural lifestyle
for you! It was an ordinary day when David took food to the
warfront for his brothers and, then, destiny answered. It was
an ordinary day for Gideon when an angel appeared to him.
May that ordinary day that conveys your assignment on
earth not be lost to carnality!

One of the greatest trainings in the world is how to walk in


the Spirit, because that is what connects us to God on a 24-
hour basis. When we are connected to God, we cannot be
frustrated on the earth. It was on an ordinary day that the
Liberation Mandate was delivered to me. I was in my
bathroom when the mandate for Lagos was delivered; I was
not praying. I was driving from Lagos to Kaduna on an
ordinary day when the mandate for Africa was delivered.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind


me a great voice, as of a trumpet.
Revelation 1:10

You do not hear because you are not in the Spirit. You are
plagued with a lot of junk thoughts, frivolous browsing and
non-beneficial news from the television. Most profound
events in the world take place on ordinary days. Receive the
grace to walk in the Spirit as

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a lifestyle, in the name of Jesus!


The Bible says that an army is rising and there has never
been the kind of them, neither would there be any like them
until the years of many generations. Behind them is a
desolate wilderness and nothing shall escape them (Joel 2:2-
8). That is dominion. What is it that distinguishes them?
Vision!
When we walk in God‟s ways, He gets the job done. You
will not miss your step all the days of your life! All the
„eagles‟ we saw in the Scripture had their root in visions and
revelations. They got on key with divine plan for the eagle
in them to soar. I decree that any plan of the devil to get you
trapped is broken today, in the name of Jesus! You shall not
miss the leading of the Lord all the days of your life!
Receive the grace to soar like the eagle that God has made
you, in Jesus‟ name! See you at the top!

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