Overcoming Hard Times

September 07, 2016

Overcoming Hard Times

Pastor Simpson

Main Text: Gen 26

I would start by bringing to your attention that our country is no longer in technical recession but it has become official. Brethren, the hard time we find ourselves now is equivalent to the famine in the time of Isaac. In fact, Isaac's time was even worse than these because in order for him to get himself out of that situation he had to sow numerous times. He kept digging for wells and kept meeting dry wells but he never gave up and God rewarded his efforts.

The bible made me to understand that Isaac did not just prosper when he sowed but he prospered greatly. For Isaac to succeed at this time he hearkened strictly to God'sword and principles. If you must succeed today then you must hearken to God's word and principles in totality, no reservations.

Today, we'll just briefly look at the things you must do in this period of famine or recession if you must survive the tide.

Do not eat your seed - If you eat your seed, then you will have nothing to sow. For God to bless you in this season, He is asking you "What do you have?" We all have something even you think you have nothing. God has given us different gifts and He expects us to make use of it and not to hide it like the foolish servant whom He gave one talent to. Make use of your gifts, don't eat or hide them else you will pay dearly for it. This is not the time to murmur or complain but a time to sow.
Discover your skills - This is a period to get skilled. In this period opportunities abound. Government is coming out different types of economic development programmes which you can take advantage of. Bank of Industry is there, Bank of Agriculture, low interest loans with the aim of supporting small and medium scale enterprises are been approved and given out to skilled entrepreneurs. Infact this is the time some people are prospering while others are complaining. Look for a skill or develop the one you have so that you would be better prepared when the opportunity comes. My bible made me to understand that the race is not to the swift, neither is it to the strong but time and chance happeneth to them all. So God is the owner of time and chance but if you are not prepared then you will miss it. That will not be your portion in Jesus name!
Invest in Yourself - Once you have discovered what you are good at, go ahead and invest in yourself to further develop you. If you invest in yourself and you become really good at what you do, i don't think you will be looking for job or jumping from job to job. It would be the other way round. Jobs would be looking for you. I studied computer science. When i left school, getting a job was no problem for me, i was even selecting. But a had a coursemate who studied the same thing with me. We ended up in the bank and we both took bank loans. I bought my first car at 23 with mine but he chose to buy a laptop. Years passed, i got promoted and i headed certain units in the banking industry but he ended up in what we know today as Chevron. He became the head of their I.T. unit controlling an average of 30 million dollars on a yearly basis as budget for his department.
Have Multiple Streams of Income - True you may survive with one stream of income but to be successful in times like this you need multiple streams of income. Do not depend on just that job you have. Now a lot of companies are retrenching workers to save cost. A lot of people have gone back to square one because they relied on just one stream of income.
Learn to Give - A lot of us find it really hard to give yet we want God to bless us. Many of us have neighbours but we care less about them. In as much as this may sound strange to you, now is really the period to start giving. You may say you have nothing to give. How can you give what you don't have?. Let me tell you, we all have something to give. Everyone of us have something to give. The sacrificial giving is the one God rewards. Give when it is inconvenient to you. Giving is an attitude. Don't just give because you want to obey God's command or for 'eye service', rather give with love. It's only when you love that you give wholeheartedly. Learn to give and you'll see that your store house will never run dry.

To conclude, in order for you to succeed in these principles ask for God's help for you cannot do it on your own. Allow God to direct and guide you. Ask for his wisdom and the power to make wealth for all belongs to him. And remember, the greatest wealth is the one we will receive when we leave this world, work towards it (with fear and trembling), it's the most important success one can have. Hope you were blessed with this message. See you some other time. Cheers.