From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
In the face of rising insecurity and economic setbacks, a cleric, Pastor Prize Felix Aluko, has said Nigeria with her massive resources and geo-strategic position needs visionary leadership to be the most powerful country in Africa.
The Abuja-based Christian minister noted that Nigeria can be the Germany of Africa in terms of economic power, adding that the country could also be like the state of Israel as the cultural and historical magnet of peoples of African descent, and be like the United States of America in terms of a hard and soft global power.
According to Pastor Aluko, the roadmap for achieving greatness lies in the hands of passionate and visionary leaders with embedded potentials to transform the country.
Preaching on the theme “Season of Vision and Enlargement”, Pastor Aluko of The Resurrected Assembly (GROM), Abuja expressed optimism that the emergence of visionary leaders in all areas of society will turn Nigeria’s fortunes around.
According to him, every nation needs purposeful and visionary leadership in politics to truly make progress.
Pastor Aluko who took his text from Proverbs 29:18 said vision is very critical because, without it, life will become a mirage.
He examined the life of people in the Bible whose vision ushered them into their destiny beginning with Abraham(Gen.13:14).
‘Literarily, Abraham saw the vision, that vision came to pass after 450 years. In the journey of vision, it is important to know that where you are is not a definition of who you are. 25 years after Abraham encountered God, Abraham still had no child, that is notwithstanding the fact that God had pronounced him the father of many nations. Gen. 17:5. That pronouncement, in the face of reality, looks like a mockery. It doesn’t matter how many people are mocking you, so long as you refuse to follow their own way, shortly, this mockery will be turned around by God Almighty and your mockers shall be ashamed,’ he stated.
Speaking on the life of the biblical King David, Aluko said: ‘When David confronted Goliath, David displayed the power of Vision. (1 Sam. 17:43-46.) One thing to learn from David is: Never to allow the enemies to have the final say in your destiny; particularly when you know that issue of destiny is being decided. DAVID declared the outcome of the battle from the onset. 1 Sam. 43: 47-51. Every Goliath that comes to confront you today shall collapse before you in Jesus name. Prov. 26:27. Whoever diggeth a pit shall fall therein. When David was talking to Goliath, the battle had not started, it was only a word battle, but David declared Goliath dead from the onset. In the realm of Vision, you say it before you see it. Many people are limited in life and destiny because they have the emptiness of mind. You don’t plan your life according to what is in your hands but according to what is in your heart. The Bible says: As a man thinketh in his heart, so he is. Whatever you have in your heart is what is going to put what you need in your hand. Vision is.. when you see it, you seize and seal it. In a short While from now, what God shall put in hands shall amaze your generation.’
He stated further that ‘vision is man’s insight into God’s purpose. When you catch a glimpse of what God wants to do in your life. Jeremiah 1:5. God gave Jeremiah insight into the purpose he was born. Insight is asking the Lord: What do you want to do in my life? Where am I going from here? What would you let me do to change level, to shift position?
‘Vision is a mental picture of the expected future. This is where I am expected to be in the next 5 years, 10 years, 20 years time. Prov. 4: 23. Your heart frames your future; Your life is shaped, framed by your thoughts; Keep vigilant watch over your heart for that is where life starts. You need to understand that life begins from the heart. Jeremiah 29:11. The end you expect is the picture you are seeing. You are not expected to look pitiable, to remain barren, to remain single. You are expected to be wealthy, command authority, to be celebrated. What the enemies of righteousness expects in your life, your future, in the name of Jesus, it shall expire now, AMEN. What Jehovah expect of your life shall come to pass in Jesus name, amen.’
Outlining the connection between vision and destiny, the pastor said the vision, dream of today is the reality of tomorrow. Joseph dreamt and years after, it came to pass. Gen. 37:9-10. A dream of today is the reality of tomorrow. It came to pass and his brothers located him in Egypt and bowed before him. That was a dream fulfilled.
‘What you don’t see coming will never come. If anything must come your way, you must command it to come by the power of Vision. DAVID saw the defeat of Goliath, it didn’t happen accidentally. What you never see coming will never come. You must see your marriage succeeding, you must see your children doing well in life. You must see yourself as a great person, as someone that is going to be celebrated. When you see it, you have it.
‘Life turns in the direction of Vision. The question is: If you don’t like the direction your life is going, you can turn the direction by your vision. Whatever you are seeing at a particular time is what you will achieve. Where you are focusing on is where your life will move.
‘What does not cross your life, may never cross your mind. .. the Bible says He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think off. Ephesians 3:10. Beloved, if it must occur for you, it must first occur to you. It must occur to you that a day is coming when you will pay school fees of 1000 orphans; it must occur to you that your birth is not accidental; It must occur to you that failure is not an option. If plan B occurs to you, it means failure is inevitable. It must occur to you that there is no explanation to give to any mortal man for failure. Reprogram your mind, tell yourself that failure is not an option. What does not occur to you will never occur for you. Please, allow, affluence, wealth to cross your mind; then it will happen to you, it’s just a matter of time. Let it occur to you that you are not born to be pitied. If it is occurring to you, then you act it. Please, let it occur to you that everybody is born to be celebrated. God does not need anybody’s permission to bless you.
‘A blank mind equals a blank future. A blank mind equals a bleak future. When the mind of a man is blank, the future of that man is uncertain. You ask an undergraduate what he wants to do with his future after leaving school, he answers you and says he doesn’t know yet. That is a blank mind. The problem of many people is not the devil, but the emptiness of their minds. Give some people real money now, they don’t know what to do with the money. A blind man equals a blind future. God said to Abraham, what your eyes, the mind can see, l will hand over to you. Some people’s mind is empty. It is not money that makes vision, it is vision that makes money,’ Pastor Aluko stated in his admonition.