Daily Devotionals

The most potent leverage an individual can wield lies in their unwavering fearlessness. Indeed, the results we get are proportional to how much faith and fear we have in our hearts. You must be confident that you will achieve your goals. As long as you keep praying and working towards it. It’s fascinating how fear often operates on a subconscious level, evading our awareness. Fear tends to present itself in various disguises, subtly influencing our actions. Procrastinating on important decisions and overlooking opportunities are all indicative of fear’s presence and influence. Feed your faith; starve your fears.

In Joshua 1, the word of God to Joshua the son of Nun focused on making him strong and courageous. Anyone who aspires to be the salt and light of their community must be fearless. Joshua needed to be strong and courageous. He had to trust that God would support him in the same way that He had supported those who had gone before him. Following that encounter, Joshua went on to excel as a military leader. Achieving victory after victory in the pursuit of the mission. He helped his nation in gaining control of the promised land.

Joshua can teach us a lot of things. The biggest lesson is the importance of remaining strong and courageous in our daily lives. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Nobody can accomplish anything without faith and confidence. It makes no difference how many devils stand in your way. It makes no difference how many people have failed to achieve the same goal. The most important thing is to be strong and courageous. Read and meditate on God’s word to strengthen your faith. Develop the fearlessness to succeed in life.

In the pursuit of growth and development, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has the potential to become Africa’s own Saudi Aramco, according to Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote. Dangote made the remarks at the 2023 NUIMS Annual Value Assurance Review (AVAR) Workshop. Saudi Aramco is the world’s largest oil company, and it plays a vital role in the Saudi economy. The company was founded in 1933 as a joint venture between the Saudi government and the American company Standard Oil of California. However, the Americans were bought out of the company in 1980, and Saudi Aramco has been wholly owned by the Saudi government ever since.

Saudi Aramco is a major player in the global energy market, and its profits have helped Saudi Arabia become one of the world’s wealthiest countries. The NNPC could do the same. Creating wealth for Nigerians both directly and indirectly. Investing in the critical infrastructure that will allow other businesses to grow. Creating jobs while also increasing national prosperity. Unfortunately, due to corruption and a failure to understand stewardship, none of this has happened in Nigeria. The Bible promotes the concept of stewardship. And responsible resource management. You are called to use resources wisely and for the greater good as stewards of God’s creation.

So while the Saudis have excellently managed their natural resources, developing Saudi Aramco into a business worth over two trillion US dollars. All Nigerians can do is hope and pray that NNPC will change for the better. Lack and poverty will not be eradicated in certain parts of Africa until people understand stewardship and accountability to God. A true steward will make the best use of whatever resources are available to them. The NNPC has the potential to be much more than it currently is. But no one is prepared to steward it in the right direction. In what ways are you a faithful steward in your daily life?

When we discuss the importance of having an impact on others. You may come to believe that you must make a difference in the lives of a billion people. You certainly can. But, in reality, impact begins with one person at a time. Look for ways to assist one person before assisting another. Your mighty business empire begins with one customer. Serve a single customer and go above and beyond their expectations. Then, you proceed to serve another customer. This method gives you the ability to produce credible results. And your testimonies will allow you to accomplish more.

Let us consider a lesson from the parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10:36‭-‬37 (ESV), “‘Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You go, and do likewise.'” You are to show love and mercy to those you are in a position to assist right now. You must stop daydreaming about the day when you will serve millions of people. This is not a competition or race to see who has served the most people or made the greatest impact. Help just one person.

According to Matthew 25:15, God gives to each of us according to our current abilities. God gives us the strength, grace, and resources we need right now. When we do the best we can with the resources we have right now. We qualify and grow into another phase. The person who is currently serving two hundred clients began with a single client. The pastor who now has two hundred members used to have only a few. There is no doubt that your assignment is global. But you have to start somewhere. How can you help one person today?

Archimedes, a Greek philosopher, once said, “Give me a firm place to stand and a lever, and I can move the Earth.” He was taken with the concept of the lever and its ability to multiply force. Time can be considered to be a lever. Over time, your efforts will add up, and your lofty goals will become a daily reality. Your mission statement and the things you want to do are first clarified in prayer. The second step is to become unwavering and steadfast in your pursuit. You can be sure that as time goes on, you’ll accomplish all of your objectives.

If you give yourself enough time, you can move the earth. Time is the lever you need to steer your world towards a better future. A watchman that believes in their mission should not make haste. Our confidence is from Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV), “For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Your job is to go to work every day on the mission to which you are a part. Your efforts accumulate over time, and we see results.

You must learn to be patient while waiting for the results. Great projects can be started in small steps. Your small daily efforts will add up to something big over time. The first results might not be good enough or encouraging. But there is room for improvement. Keep an eye on the long-term results you want. For example, a future in which Africans are completely content with purchasing technology is best avoided. Africans need to be inspired and given the right training to create technological solutions. Even though such a mission will take a while to complete, the results will be worthwhile.

The main reason the black race lags behind the rest of the world is a lack of intellectual development alongside spiritual development. Spiritual development is very important. You will need a strong spirit to persevere in the face of challenges and difficult opposition. However, your powerful spirit must be combined with knowledge. If you want to make the most of your life, you must have love, faith, and wisdom in your spirit. While nurturing knowledge and comprehension in your mind. Spiritual growth is required to shape your vision and identity. Then, on top of that, you layer your intellectual development to help you make the most of your spiritual aptitude.

Nikola Tesla, the famed inventor, once explained that early in his life, the vision of the things he wanted to invent was clear. But the principles were unknown to him. This highlights the fact that, despite knowing what he wanted to do. He did not have the necessary knowledge to begin the work at that time. The ability to invent was already in his spirit. However, the necessary knowledge and science were unknown. A lot of divine ideas and potential, waste for this reason. The person knows what to do. But they do not know how to go about it.

The spiritually wise person is in constant search of knowledge and training. They know that divine intelligence is not very effective without the facts. So, you develop your spirit and then equip your mind. That is when your gift will make room for you, and bring you into proximity with great people (Proverbs 18:15-16). It’s not random that the most influential biblical figures were well educated for their times. They did not rely solely on their special spiritual gifts or spiritual development. Today, if we want to be successful, we must do both.

Life is a mystery, ever-changing and complex. Uncertain, and unpredictable. But amidst the chaos, one truth remains; life happens in phases. Most people’s lives can be classified into three phases: dependence, independence, and interdependence. The first phase of life is marked by dependence on others. We are born helpless and rely on our parents or caregivers for everything from food to shelter to love. The second phase of life is distinguished by independence. We leave our childhood homes and start to build our own lives. The third phase of life is characterized by interdependence. We may still be independent in many ways, but we also start to rely on others again. 

It is important to understand and consider your life through this perspective. It will change your outlook on life and relationships. As you gain independence, you may begin to think, “I want to live my life.” As a result, you begin to lead a life without regard for others or the greater society. This would be a mistake. God never intended for us to spend our lives without regard for the needs of others. Philippians 2: 3-4 (NIV), “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

The Holy Bible commands you to prioritise God above everything else, people next, and yourself last. It is not fair for others to have spent decades investing in you, and now, you insist you just want to live your life. The society raised you when you were a dependent. And someday, you will still need others to support you. There would be no society if everyone did what made them happy at the expense of family and the community. Jesus tells us in the Bible to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31), while the Apostle Paul encourages Christians to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). 

The world is full of people who are talented, gifted, and brilliant. People who are doing great and mighty things in business, media, entertainment, sports, religion, the economy and governance. However, you believe you are not wealthy, powerful, educated, or talented enough to operate at that level. You feel handicapped. As a result, you abandon any lofty aspirations you may have had. What distinguishes the super successful from the rest is not their natural talents, advantages, or material wealth. The difference between success and failure, wealth and poverty is determined by one’s mentality.

So, when you read about how people like Aliko Dangote or Strive Masiyiwa are building billion-dollar companies across Africa, you feel like you’ll never be able to do the same. You are mocking God’s grace at work within you. Gideon never felt powerful, talented, or skilled enough to lead an opposition against the Midianites. However, a careful examination of his story in Judges 6 reveals that he had all along what it took. He was not anointed or touched by the Angel. He was simply asked to “Go in this might of yours.” You already have the gift and talent to pursue the goals in your heart.

You do not need to be super smart or ultra rich to change the world. With the right mission and the right spirit, you will accomplish much more than you ever thought possible. The truth is, success is often the result of average effort repeated over an above-average period of time. It is the person who is willing to show up day after day, week after week, and month after month, even when they don’t feel like it, who eventually achieves their goals. Start from where you are, and allow God to lead you towards a higher ground. From there, you get to do your best work that glorifies God.

Africa is a continent with a lot of potential. It has a young population, a growing economy, and a large market. These factors make it an ideal place to build billion dollar companies. If you’re ready to commit to growth and a mission, now is the time to start thinking big. Aim for a company that can make a real impact on the world. Of course, building a billion dollar company is not easy. It takes hard work, dedication, and a lot of risk-taking. But it’s definitely possible. Just look at the success stories of people like Aliko Dangote, and Strive Masiyiwa. With the right mission and a multi-decade timeline, you can make it work.

Building a billion-dollar company is about more than just money, status, or bragging rights. It is desperately needed as a means of securing Africa’s future. Several business and economic experts have stated that the biggest problem with Africa’s economy is a lack of indigenous billion-dollar corporations. Africa does not have enough multibillion-dollar corporations. Don’t settle for a small business that can only provide for you and your family. Consider how you can make a difference in your country’s economy. In addition, thousands of people will find meaningful work.

If you’re ready to take the challenge, here are a few things you need to do: Find a big problem to solve. The best businesses solve problems that people are willing to pay to have solved. So, start by identifying a problem that you’re passionate about solving. Build a great team. No one can build a billion dollar company on their own. You need to surround yourself with talented people who are just as passionate about the mission as you are. Be patient. It takes decades to build a successful business. Don’t expect to become a billionaire overnight. Just keep working hard and never give up on your dreams.

Strive Masiyiwa has been on a mission to connect Africans for over two decades. From his beginnings in Zimbabwe, when he built a telecommunications company, Econet Wireless, despite great adversity. Many multibillion-dollar corporations have emerged out of that mission. Some of the key businesses that he established with partners included Econet Wireless International, Econet Global, Mascom Wireless Botswana, Econet Wireless Nigeria (now Airtel Nigeria), Econet Satellite Services, Lesotho Telecom, Econet Wireless Burundi, Rwanda Telecom, Econet Wireless South Africa, Solarway, and Transaction Processing Systems (TPS). His most recent adventure is connecting Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt through a single network running on land.

You can’t build a business or ministry that serves a thousand people unless you have a mission statement that has the potential to do so. When your business or career goals are motivated by a desire for food, security, and some level of status. Your desire to succeed fades and complacency sets in when those issues are resolved. The difference between a poor person and Strive Masiyiwa is not their education, networks and available financial resources. The fundamental difference is the mission that shapes their day-to-day work. Your mission will motivate you to pursue an education and build relationships. Your mission will attract capital and all necessary resources.

A single mission statement can birth two hundred and forty billion-dollar companies. Strive Masiyiwa’s mission to connect the entire African continent has led him to establish a new group of companies under the Liquid Telecoms umbrella. With subsidiaries in nearly every African country. The good thing about ideas (and mission statements) is that they can be expanded upon by thinking about them and meditating on them. You get new ideas, personalized and suited to your own talents. As a result, if you think about Strive Masiyiwa’s mission, you might not end up building a direct land-based communication link like he did. You will enter a new dimension.

Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie asked his followers to fast until they-die-and-see-Jesus. They responded accordingly. Several news outlets reported a death toll of over a hundred people. Whose bodies were discovered in shallow graves in the Shakahola forest, near Malindi, Kenya. The story of Beatrice ‘Betty’ Ajenta Charles is one of many tragic tales. She reportedly quit her job, sold her land and donated it all to Paul Mackenzie before fasting to death. The pastor is now in legal trouble because he is on trial for alleged criminal activity. This sad story provides fodder for those who believe that mankind would be better off without religion.

For every Paul Mackenzie, there are millions of pastors, bishops, and patriarchs who are doing a good job. Religious leaders who have given up personal ambitions to teach others how to live in peace with one another. How to lead holy lives in order to increase their productivity on Earth. Many terrorists, sadists, and mentally ill people are able to use the power of religion for evil. But religion has also brought about a lot of good. So religion cannot be a problem in and of itself. Religion, according to the Apostle James, can be pure and undefiled (James 1:27).

Your religion should make you fruitful on earth, heaven-compliant, and give all glory to God. You must be mindful of your religious beliefs, or lack thereof. While some religious beliefs are beneficial and positively transform us. Other religious beliefs are pointless and impede our ability to live a God-honoring life. First, we must examine history and our own personal motivations. We will come to the same conclusion that many others have: having a religious identity is good. Then, never be afraid to question and cross-examine every religious belief you hold dear. Don’t fall for a charlatan like Paul Mackenzie.