c652f619-b7df-480d-93f2-0efbf6d0a90a

Copyright © 2022 Alaba Gabriel Idowu
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious.

Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental
and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval

system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without
express written permission of the publisher.
ISBN-13: 9798888959718
Cover design by: Festus Ewansiha

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309
Printed in the United States of America
I dedicate this book to the Almighty God, praising
and thanking Him for His loving kindness
All Scripture quotations are from the King James
Version of the Bible, except otherwise stated.
One Thing That Matters
Copyright (c) 2022 Alaba Gabriel Idowu

CONTENT
FOREWORD ........................................................................... iv
FOREWORD ............................................................................ v
CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................. 1
THE PRIMARY KEY.............................................................. 2
God’s Plans for The Righteous .............................................. 7
Don’t Focus on Achievements ............................................. 12
Components of Wisdom ....................................................... 12
CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................... 16
THE FEAR OF THE LORD ................................................. 17
What Is The Fear Of The Lord? ........................................... 17
Joseph, An Epitome of Wisdom. .............................................. 19
Where are those who Fear the Lord? .................................... 22
Building in the Fear of the Lord ............................................... 22
Laying A Solid Foundation .................................................. 22
Christian Homes ................................................................... 24
You Must Fear God .............................................................. 25
The Fear of God and Your Endeavors.................................. 28
Fulfilling Purpose ................................................................. 29
i
Submission to His Will......................................................... 30
Your Conscience .................................................................. 31
CHAPTER 3 ........................................................................... 33
UNDERSTANDING ............................................................... 34
Importance of Understanding. .................................................. 36
The Source of Divine Understanding ....................................... 43
CHAPTER 4 ........................................................................... 47
KNOWLEDGE ....................................................................... 48
What is knowledge? ................................................................. 49
Truths About Knowledge ......................................................... 50
Knowledge Ensures Prosperity ............................................ 50
Knowledge Ensures A Bright Future ................................... 52
Knowledge Is A Tool For Deliverance ................................ 53
Knowledge Moves Mountains.............................................. 54
Knowledge Maximizes Destiny Opportunities .................... 55
Knowledge Increases Strength ............................................. 56
Knowledge and Destiny Fulfillment ........................................ 57
The Ten Wise Virgins .............................................................. 59
The Poor Wise Man .................................................................. 61
Throwing Away Opportunities ................................................. 62
Zeal without Knowledge .......................................................... 64
Roasting Knowledge ................................................................ 65
ii
The Three Most Important Types of Knowledge ..................... 67
CHAPTER 5 ........................................................................... 69
LIVING AN UNCOMPROMISED LIFE ............................ 70
CHAPTER 6 ........................................................................... 74
POSSESSING THE LAND.................................................... 75
CHAPTER 7 ........................................................................... 82
THE INEVITABILITY OF GODLY WISDOM................. 83
A Life of Brokenness and Wisdom .......................................... 84
Be Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves ........................... 89
The Wisdom of Serpents: ..................................................... 90
Keep your Tongue from Speaking Evil .................................... 94
CHAPTER 8 ........................................................................... 96
EPILOGUE ............................................................................. 97
FEEDBACK .......................................................................... 104
BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR ............................................... 105
The Fall Of A Great Man ................................................... 105
Spotless In A Polluted World ............................................. 105
Attaining The Uttermost Height ......................................... 106
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ...................................................... 107
iii
FOREWORD
In a world that is filled with distractions, reading is hard.

However, the author's writing style makes reading easy and
enjoyable. I've got no doubt it is the power of God rested upon
him that is at work.
For all believers, this book is a must-read. It touches the
most basic and important part of our lives. The book indeed
addressed One Thing that Matters. The teaching on wisdom,
knowledge, and understanding is relatable, and many practical
examples in this book will bless lives.
Aside from many brilliant takes in the book, my own take
home is, "You will be walking in error when you begin to
question God's judgment; instead, ask God to reveal His plans so
that you can be in His purpose for your life". This is an important
lesson for me. Read through the book to discover yours.
Brethren, enjoy reading the book and be blessed.
-Dr. Tobi Matthew
iv
FOREWORD
I can boldly say the Holy Spirit inspired this book as it

answered many silent questions in my heart and many believers'
hearts. Understanding the modus operandi of the earth we live in
is oblivious to many Christians, and this includes some preachers
of the gospel.
I enjoin everyone to read this book so that more insight
can be obtained to live for Christ and obtain all His promises for
us here and in heaven.
-Dr. Keturah Yusuf
v
THE PRIMARY KEY
CHAPTER 1
1 Page
ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

THE PRIMARY KEY
THE PRIMARY KEY
W
e live in a world where extreme importance is placed
on numerous irrelevant pursuits. As a result, the devil
has succeeded in highly magnifying the love of the
things of the world in the hearts of men to make them pursue
ephemeral blessings while shunning intransient blessings. But
unfortunately, this has made the love of God in the hearts of many
believers wax cold to the point of disregarding eternal blessings
and embracing mundane commodities.
I looked around and realized that it is gradually becoming

difficult for people to set their priorities right. They have
forgotten that one thing is paramount in life, and until it is
discovered, the race of life cannot be accurately run, nor can one
walk in dominion. In addition, chances are that one will be
running helter-skelter in the market square of life because of the
inability to be in possession of this “one thing.” I kid you not, you
stand a chance of comparing yourself with others and believe God
is unfaithful if you lack this “one thing.”
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On a particular day, while ministering to a group of people, a

young lady stood up to ask me a question. I set my gaze on her
and noticed she was boiling with anger in her spirit as she stood
up. First, she asked, "why is it that most believers are not as rich
as unbelievers?" Then, she started naming all the magnates in the
world and said most of them are unbelievers. I realized this
question had been a burden on her mind for years, and almost
everybody at the meeting supported her postulation. Honestly, I
could see some elements of truth in her question. However, I
made her realize we have many unannounced wealthy believers
who are doing exploits in their chosen careers.
The truth is, I wasn't surprised to see her ask such a
question because several times, I've found myself amid believers
who were sad over the same circumstances. Telling them that if
only in this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the
most pitiable, makes them feel disgruntled because they know
God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people. They also
understand that believers can suffer for a while, after which the
Lord will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle him, but when
suffering extends beyond a while, discouragement sets in, and the
tendency to question the faithfulness of God arises. Nevertheless,
I always make them understand that God cannot be mocked
because, in most cases, we are responsible for our unfortunate
situations.
Prior to the time this young lady asked this question, I had
always spent time pondering over similar issues. At one point, I
sat down and began to ask, "How can one overcome the
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temptation of running after mammon (money) since money is not

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meant to be our goals as believers and at the same time, a lack of

THE PRIMARY KEY
money can be a distraction in our walk with God"? Unfortunately,

no clear answer was given to me then, but I believed the Lord
would give an appropriate answer.
Sometime later, I discovered that some characters in the
Bible, such as prophet Jeremiah and Job asked similar questions.
Prophet Jeremiah was a servant of God who the Lord used
mightily. Earlier in his ministry, he complained and compared the
ways of the wicked to that of the righteous. He was dazed to see
the wicked prosper, and possibly because the righteous did not
flourish as they should. He couldn't fathom why the Lord decided
to prosper the wicked.
“Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You; Yet

let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the
way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who
deal so treacherously? You have planted them, yes, they
have taken root; They grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are
near in their mouth but far from their mind” (Jeremiah
12:1-2).
Jeremiah's questions baffled me, even though we also

become disturbed when we notice this paradigm. We wonder why
unbelievers prosper, and many so-called believers are struggling
just as that sister asked. But one thing is certain; God is not unjust.
He has great plans for the righteous. Believers who hold in their
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hands the key to unlock God's agenda for the righteous are the
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ones breaking new grounds and shining as the brightness of the

firmament.
God's plan for the righteous is to flourish like a palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon (Psalms 92:12), to be the head
and not the tail (Deut 28:13), to lend to nations, but not borrow,
and to reign over many nations (Deut 15:6). Scripture also
confirms that there would be the distinction between the
righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and
those who do not (Malachi 3:18).
However, Prophet Jeremiah observed that most of these
promises were unfulfilled in the lives of some believers and had
to question God. Job noticed this same pattern and was troubled
after the devil afflicted him. He was bittered and began to
question God’s judgment.
“Why do the wicked live and become old, yes, become

mighty in power? Their descendants are established with
them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God
upon them. Their bull breeds without failure; their cow
calves without miscarriage. They send forth their little
ones like a flock, and their children dance. They sing to
the tambourine and harp, and rejoice to the sound of the
flute. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment
go down to the grave. Yet they say to God, depart from us,
for we do not desire the knowledge of your ways” (Job
5
21:7-14).
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THE PRIMARY KEY
Job knew God was righteous, likewise prophet Jeremiah,

but they were confused about His judgments because they
thought God was unfair for prospering the wicked whose hearts
were far from Him. Logically, their complaints seem sensible
because no unbelievers can prosper without the knowledge of
God, for scripture reveals that "the LORD makes poor and makes
rich; He brings low and lifts up" (1 Samuel 2:7). Nevertheless,
the Lord rebuked Job and Jeremiah because they failed to
recognize Him as the one who reigns supreme.
God’s response to Jeremiah:

“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn
you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble
in a safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by
the Jordan (Jeremiah 12:5 NIV)?
God’s response to Job:

“Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without
knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question
you, and you shall answer me” (Job 38:1-3 NIV).
6
God does not see things the way we do; that's why He says, "for
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as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher

THE PRIMARY KEY
than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah

55:9). You will be walking in error when you begin to question
God's judgment. Instead, ask God to reveal His plans so that you
can be in His purpose for your life. He is not unjust, and there is
no unrighteousness in Him. The Psalmist makes us understand
that "the LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger
and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender
mercies are over all His works" (Psalm 145:8-9). If He chooses
to bless the wicked in His wisdom, He has done so for reasons
best known to Him. You can consider it unfair, but you cannot
question His judgments because His judgments are always right.
He is God over the righteous and the wicked, and He makes His
sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and
on the unjust" (Mathew 5:45).
God has plans for the righteous. As I said earlier, He
wants the righteous to flourish and fill the earth, but the key to
unlocking the kingdom's wealth is entirely different from the key
to unlocking earthly wealth. The inability to have this key is
responsible for the lamentable situations of many so-called
believers.
God’s Plans for The Righteous
On a glorious day, the Lord opened my eyes to a verse of

the Bible that answered the heavily burdened question on my
mind. Then I realized God's plans for the righteous are clearly
7
written in God's word, but our inability to search the scriptures

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like the Berean Christians has prevented us from seeing the

fullness of His plans.
The book of Ecclesiastes 2 reveals God's plan for the
righteous.
“To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,

knowledge, and happiness, but to the sinner, he gives the
task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over
to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a
chasing after the wind” (Eccl 2:26 NIV).
God's Wisdom, knowledge, and happiness is the key to

success, greatness, and divine wealth. God stores sound wisdom
for the righteous (Prov 2:7a) to do great exploits. Daniel and the
three Hebrews excelled in Babylon through God's Wisdom. They
did not struggle to shine because they were found ten times better
than all the magicians and astrologers in all matters of Wisdom
and understanding about which the king examined them (Daniel
1:20).
God loves His children and does not want them to struggle
the same way sinners do. He wants their focus to be on Him and
not on mammon. For that reason, He says in His Word, "It is vain
for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows;
for so He gives His beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:2).
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Godly Wisdom can deliver to your doorstep what others

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are running after. For “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore,

THE PRIMARY KEY
get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding” (Prov

4:7). God is not mistaken for saying Wisdom is the principal
thing. Wisdom is superior to wealth and anything you desire in
life. Scripture says, “happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the
man who gains understanding, for her proceeds are better than
the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold” (Prov 3:13-14).
So, it is pointless for a believer to be envious of the
prosperity of the wicked. God has given the wicked the task of
running after mammon and storing up wealth that they may
transfer it to the righteous who pleases Him. Nevertheless, no
other channel is designed by God for the gentiles’ wealth to be
transferred to the righteous, but through Godly Wisdom. Canal
wisdom produces nothing but frustration and destruction. If this
principle is clearly understood among believers, no one will be
envious of the wicked. The book of proverbs clearly explains this.
“Do not be envious of evil men, or desire to be with them;

For their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of
troublemaking. Through wisdom a house is built, and by
understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms
are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (Prov
24:1-4).
The Lord knows there are tendencies for a righteous man

to envy the wicked if he's not getting desired results. He is aware
9
that a righteous man will be tempted to follow the path of

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unbelievers, especially when unbelievers possess what the

THE PRIMARY KEY
righteous man is trusting God for. But here is a strong

encouragement from God's Word. Make no attempt to envy the
wicked, and don't be perturbed when you see him flaunt his
material possessions; rather, seek Wisdom because, through
Wisdom, your life will be built, established by understanding,
and prosperous through knowledge. So, the secret to kingdom
wealth, fulfillment, marital bliss, and other things you can ever
crave is Godly Wisdom. The Amplified version makes it clearer
“Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a

home, a family] is built, and by understanding it is
established [on a sound and good foundation]. And by
knowledge its rooms are filled with all precious and
pleasant riches” (Prov 24:3-4 AMP).
A lack of Godly Wisdom is responsible for all forms of

struggle people go through in life. Scripture says, "if the ax is
dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more
strength; but wisdom brings success" (Eccl 10:10). When the ax
of a man's life is dull, Wisdom requires having it sharpened to get
desired results; otherwise, he would exert much effort and get
little results. This means his input will be greater than his output,
and eventually, such a man will live a life of frustration.
Wisdom is the key required to unlock the treasures of
10
heaven. So don't join those who waste time blaming God for their
unfortunate situations. Instead, search Wisdom like hidden
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treasure, for Wisdom will exalt and honor you and give you a

THE PRIMARY KEY
garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown
(Prov 4:9).
The entire world is in dire need of men and women of
Wisdom. You can never be despised if you are filled with Godly
Wisdom and diligent in what you do because a believer is
destined to shine through Wisdom. Scripture says, “those who are
wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, and those
who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever”
(Daniel 12:3).
A long time ago, I made up my mind by God's grace never
to join the company of those who complain and murmur over
life's challenges. Instead, I focus on seeking solutions through
God's Wisdom. This is because the time many people spend
clamoring and lamenting over life issues is enough to discover
solutions to their problems if they can seek the Wisdom of God.
Unfortunately, what people do is get embittered with God and
become unwilling to take practical steps to get out of their
predicaments through Godly Wisdom. I have discovered that a
prudent man blames no one for his unfortunate situations;
Instead, he prayerfully and wisely searches for solutions.
Many think their problem is lack of money, so they
channel all their energy searching for money. But, beloved,
please pay attention to my saying; you are not supposed to run
after money by divine agenda. Money is a reward you get from
the engagement of your purpose. The Wisdom of God teaches us
to focus on our assignments, not running after mammon, for it is
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God who gives the power to get wealth (Deut 8:18), and
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everything you can ever desire is deliverable through Wisdom.

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Don’t Focus on Achievements
One of the reasons many people disdain Wisdom is

because their hearts are focused on achievements. As a result,
they run another person's race. However, when you think of it,
you will realize that Wisdom teaches us to set our gaze on God
without being distracted by other people's successes or
achievements. Look, life is not about achievements but
fulfillment. You are desperate to get rich because you want a
record of achievements. If you truly understand that fulfilling
purpose is superior to achievement, you will be at peace and
wisely pursue what is relevant to fulfilling your purpose.
Elisha pursued what was relevant to fulfilling his destiny
and became a national prophet. On the contrary, Gehazi pursued
material possession and had his ministry truncated. If you can
focus on what is most relevant to the fulfillment of your destiny,
things others run after will begin to run after you, and God will
ensure you have a crown of success.
Components of Wisdom
So many experts have defined wisdom as knowledge of

what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to actions.
Some say wisdom is the ability to know what to do. It has also
been defined as the rightful application of knowledge. While all
12
these definitions are correct, they do not define Godly Wisdom

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correctly. Godly Wisdom is far more than the application of

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knowledge. The inability to accurately define Godly Wisdom is

responsible for the lack of Wisdom among believers.
We need to understand the components of Godly Wisdom
before grasping its meaning. Scripture says, “I, wisdom, dwell
with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs
8:12). Another word for prudence is Wisdom, which can also be
called the fear of God (Job 28:28), and discretion means
understanding. Brenton Septuagint Translation (BST) clearly
translates this verse.
“I wisdom have dwelt with counsel and knowledge, and I

have called upon understanding” (Proverbs 8:12 BST).
This confirms that Godly Wisdom is made up of three

components: wisdom (the fear of God), understanding, and
knowledge.
For better understanding, let's examine some other texts
of the Bible. First, scripture tells us that the fear of the Lord is the
beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). A thing's beginning is like
its foundation. So, we can rightly say the fear of the Lord is the
foundation of Godly Wisdom.
If the foundation of Godly Wisdom is the fear of the Lord,
then understanding and knowledge are other layers of Godly
13
Wisdom. The book of Proverbs 24 puts it in the right perspective

and reveals its essentiality for successful living.
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“Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding

it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled with
all precious and pleasant riches” (Prov 24:3-4).
In summary:
• The first component of Wisdom is “Wisdom”, also known
as “the fear of the Lord”.
• The second component is “understanding”.
• The third component is “knowledge”.
If any of these components is missing, we cannot operate in

the fullness of Godly Wisdom. For instance, any wisdom void of
the fear of God but rooted in bitterness, envy, or selfish ambition
is ungodly; Such wisdom is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
Apostle James explains this:
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by

good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of
wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your
hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom
does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual,
demonic” (James 3:13-15).
In the same manner, any wisdom void of “understanding” or

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relevant “knowledge” cannot produce desired results that Godly

Wisdom is meant to produce.
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Beloved, the era we live in demands embracing the fullness of

Godly Wisdom if we desire to live an uncompromised life. We
need to hunt for Godly Wisdom and be in possession of it.
Through the help of God, we'll fully examine the
components of Godly Wisdom.
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THE FEAR OF THE LORD
CHAPTER 2
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“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And

the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”
(Proverbs 9:10).
A
s earlier said, any wisdom void of the fear of God is
earthly, unspiritual, and demonic, for the fear of the
LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10).
What Is The Fear Of The Lord?
The fear of the Lord is the foundation of Godly Wisdom,

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and it can be defined in many ways. However, I will define it as

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the highest regard given to God and absolute submission to the

rulership of the Holy Spirit while walking in the consciousness

of His will and running away from what displeases Him. Jesus,
our role model, is an epitome of a character who walked in fear
of God throughout His time on earth. He surrendered His will to
the father when it was hard to do so.
“Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me;

nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke
22:42).
Whoever desires Godly Wisdom must, of necessity, make

the fear of God a priority and not an option, for it produces good
fruit in us and serves as the foundation of Godly character. It
differentiates between earthly wisdom and Godly Wisdom.
Apostle James stated some features of the fear of God. He says
Godly Wisdom is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to
yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without
hypocrisy (James 3:17). Undoubtedly, the fear of the Lord is the
missing key that needs to be found in this present generation.
The world regards Logical reasoning (common sense) as
Wisdom. To them, it sounds so ridiculous to fathom the fear of
the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom because there seems not to
be any logical correlation between Wisdom and the fear of the
Lord. However, regardless of the world's opinion, the fear of the
18
Lord remains the bedrock of Godly Wisdom because the more

you fear the Lord, the more you run away from evil, and the closer
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you are to God, who is the giver of Wisdom. That is why scripture

says, "The LORD is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches

them his covenant" (Psalm 25:14 NLT).
Joseph, An Epitome of Wisdom.
Show me a man who fears the Lord, and I will show you
a man God is about to elevate like Joseph. Joseph was a man who
operated in fear of the Lord and received the Wisdom to deliver
a whole nation from an impending economic meltdown. His fear
of the Lord made him run away from evil. He said to Potiphar's
wife, "there is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept
back anything from me but you because you are his wife. How
then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God" (Gen
39:9)?
The ten commandments had not been given when
Potiphar's wife tempted Joseph, yet Joseph did not compromise
but suffered affliction because he had a heart that feared God. So
likewise, you may suffer affliction because you fear God, but
your salvation is certain. Scripture says, "many are the afflictions
of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all"
(Psalm 34:19).
Through the fear of God, the Spirit of God found
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expression in Joseph's life and gave him uncommon

understanding. After he interpreted the king's dream and advised
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the king to look for a discerning and wise man to be in charge of

the land of Egypt, the king said, "Can we find a man like this [a
man equal to Joseph], in whom is the divine spirit [of God]"
(Genesis 41:38 AMP). In the entire land of Egypt, no one was as
wise as Joseph because He feared God, and as a result, the Spirit
of the Lord dwelt within him The word of God says, “those who
are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament” (Daniel
12:3a). This scripture found expression in his life; his long
awaiting dream manifested, and he became a star in a foreign
land.
Beloved, I may not understand your predicaments, but I
can assure you that embracing the Wisdom rooted in fear of God
will secure your future. Scripture says, "Mark the blameless man,
and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace"
(Psalm 37:37). All your plights are meant to prove the
genuineness of your fear of God just as Joseph's trials proved the
genuineness of his love and fear of God. If you can endure the
pain, the Lord will make you a spectacle in due season. Hear what
the Bible says about him:
“He sent a man before them Joseph who was sold as a

slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons.
Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the
LORD tested him” (Psalm 105:17-19).
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The destiny fulfillment of everyone serving God hinges

on the fear of God. According to the scripture, all the promises of
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the Lord will be delivered through it. This is the most crucial key

that is needed, not the smartness of this world. Stealing, cheating,

and all sorts of evil manipulation will never take you far; neither
will they grant you access to God's treasure. Scripture reminds
us:
"He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store
of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the
LORD is the key to this treasure" (Isaiah 33:6 NIV).
If you strive to be upright, you will see God defend His

interest in your life and grant you access to His treasure. That
glorious destiny that God promised you would be delivered
through the fear of God. If Joseph had played smart and cut
corners, he would have had his destiny truncated. He would have
reigned in Potiphar's house for a season and eventually faced
shame and reproach. If you don't want God's plans and purposes
for your life aborted, embrace the Wisdom rooted in fear of God.
Carnal wisdom can never produce Godly results; neither can it
deliver God's plan; it would rather, at best, produce a shadow of
God's plan.
The fear of God may not deliver material possession your
way today, but it will elevate you beyond your imagination in due
time. God can set your feet upon the rock and make you walk in
your high places, provided you stand firm and hold on to Him in
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your arduous moments.

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Where are those who Fear the Lord?
The whole world is in dire need of men and women who

fear the Lord. Our political systems are in chaos due to the lack
of men and women whose Wisdom is rooted in fear of God.
Organizations are folding up because highly qualified candidates
who lack the fear of God occupy key positions at the detriment
of these organizations. The body of Christ is in disunity because
a more significant percentage of those calling on the name of the
Lord does not fear God. We are in dire need of people who fear
God to rebuild the foundation of our political systems,
organizations, religious settings, and other agencies in our
society.
Building in the Fear of the Lord
Laying A Solid Foundation
Just as the strength, height, and lifespan of any building

are determined by its foundation, so is the future of everyone's
destiny determined by the foundation they lay. Beloved, all you
need to have your foundation successfully laid is embedded in
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Godly Wisdom. Unfortunately, everyone desires a glorious

future, but only some are willing to lay a solid foundation.
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Numerous people are laying faulty foundations for their

endeavors and blaming God for their unfortunate situations.
Scripture says, "if the foundations are destroyed, what can the
righteous do" (Psalm 11:3)? The truth is, the righteous will
continue to struggle until such a foundation is rebuilt. Nothing
you build on a faulty foundation will stand. You cannot adopt
ungodly wisdom in laying a foundation and expect a Godly
mansion because whatever a man builds in lies can never be
enjoyed in truth. This is one of the reasons God emphasizes the
significance of getting Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
Scripture reveals that "by Wisdom, the LORD laid the earth's
foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place" (Prov
3:19 NIV). If God could lay the earth's foundation by Wisdom,
nothing else is needed for the foundation of our lives to be
successfully laid.
So, Godly Wisdom is inevitably critical in building lives,
careers, businesses, ministries, and other endeavors in life.
Whoever fails to have the foundation of their pursuits laid
through the fear of God may end up in regrets because the storm
of life will definitely blow, and when it blows, it will reveal what
your foundation is made of. Remember, a house built on sand will
not stand when the storm of life blows against it, but a house built
on rock will stand. This rock is Jesus. Whoever lays the
foundation of their life on the principles of Jesus is wise. Such a
person's future is secured.
23Page

Christian Homes
A Christian home built on the rock will stand when the

storm of life rages, and the one built on sand will collapse.
Christian marriages are collapsing simply because most Christian
couples fail to operate in the Wisdom rooted in fear of God.
Defiance and cruelty are signs of the lack of fear of God. On the
other hand, if husband and wife are merciful towards one another,
they will never contemplate a divorce. The New International
Version of James 3:17 says, “but the wisdom that comes from
heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate,
submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere”.
Men and women who fear God display these qualities; they will
go above and beyond to make their marriages peaceful.
Submitting to one another becomes the order of the day as both
parties are considerate and full of mercy. When you examine
most Christian homes hitting the rock today, either both or one of
the parties lack the qualities of Godly Wisdom. So, God cannot
be blamed.
Focusing on the fear of God is crucial at the junction of
marriage. I understand that the importance of attraction can never
be downplayed in marriage. However, we should refrain from
being carried away with attractions. Several Christians have
missed it in marriage because the sole focus was the physical
attraction. “Scripture reveals that Charm is deceitful and beauty
is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be
24
praised” (Proverbs 31:30). Whoever is willing to lay a solid

foundation in marriage should make sure the fear of God is
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perfectly wrapped in physical attraction. Otherwise, the

consequences would be severe.
You Must Fear God
Before trusting God for a man or woman who fears the

Lord, you should also walk in fear of God and make sure the
foundation of your marriage is not built on lies or ungodly
principles.
Don't be cajoled into taking ungodly steps because you
want to settle down in marriage. Trust me; it won't end well. I
may not affirmatively say what was responsible for Michal's
barrenness (David's wife), but many things were wrong with the
foundation of her union with David. I understand many believed
she remained childless because she despised David in her heart,
but she had been barren for years before despising David in her
heart. When you take a closer look at the foundation of her union
with David, you will discover that chances are she suffered the
consequences of the ungodly request Saul made. Saul requested
of David one hundred foreskins (the prepuces of the penis) of the
Philistines as the bride price. David fell for the trap. He went out
with his men, killed two hundred Philistines, and brought their
foreskins to Saul.
25
“When Saul’s men said these things to David, he replied,

“How can a poor man from a humble family afford the
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bride price for the daughter of a king?” When Saul’s men

reported this back to the king, he told them, “Tell David

that all I want for the bride price is 100 Philistine’s
foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.”
But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed
in the fight. David was delighted to accept the offer.
Before the time limit expired, he and his men went out and
killed 200 Philistines. Then David fulfilled the king’s
requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So
Saul gave his daughter Michal to David to be his wife.”
(1 Samuel 18:23-27 NLT).
Even though the Bible doesn't explicitly tell us that the

foreskins of the Philistines that David killed were responsible for
Michal's childlessness, we know that God considers the motives
behind every action, and apparently, David didn't kill those
Philistines because the Lord wanted him to do so, nor to defend
the name of the God of Israel. He did so because that was the
bride price placed on Michal. Think of it, would you expect a
woman whose bride price was the foreskin of other men to give
birth to a child? No, except the Lord shows mercy. That was a
high level of wickedness, and Scripture makes us understand that
"the wicked man earns an empty wage" (Proverbs 11:18a).
The questions before us are:

•
26
How have you laid the foundation of your marriage?

• To the unmarried, how are you laying the foundation of
Page
your marriage?

• Have you been counseled to act contrary to the principles

of God?
• Are there things you have failed to disclose to your
partner?
To enjoy marital bliss, walking in fear of God is inevitable. If

you fail to do so, you will become a thorn in your partner's flesh
because the devil will gladly take over your heart to do whatever
pleases him. The devil roams about looking for available hearts;
once he finds out that yours is available, he steps in and becomes
the controller of your life. The sad thing is, he will use you to
frustrate the purpose and destiny of your partner.
Obviously, settling down with a partner who fears God
assures peace of mind, which is the prayer of everyone trusting
God for a future partner. However, you (the man or woman
trusting God for a partner) should prioritize the fear of God.
While praying to God to give you a God-fearing partner, spend
quality time praying to God to grant you the grace to walk in fear
of Him. Certainly, suppose you fear God and yield to the
prompting of the Holy Spirit. In that case, God will not hand you
over to someone who does not fear Him because His eye is on
those who fear Him (Psalm 33:18). Nevertheless, any believer
who fears God but fails to operate in the fullness of Wisdom may
still find themselves in the pit of the devil.
27Page

The Fear of God and Your Endeavors
I have seen people who laid the foundation of their lives,

ministries, and businesses on falsehood and had their destinies
collapse. I once heard the story of a man who was asked to plant
a church in another country. The ministry provided for his needs,
and after a couple of years, when the church had grown bigger,
the pastor changed the church's name and claimed ownership of
it. The general overseer was unhappy but decided to let go. The
ministry succeeded for a while but began to hit the rock after a
few years. The pastor reaped the dividends of his ungodly actions
and had to start all over.
If you are setting up a new business and choose to
cunningly hijack your boss's clients so things can go well for you,
you are laying a faulty foundation. The business may survive for
a while, but surely a downfall is foreseeable. If you steal other
people's money to start up your own business, it is just a matter
of time; a harvest of regrets will soon knock at your door.
Scripture says, "stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret
is pleasant, but he does not know that the dead are there, that her
guests are in the depths of hell" (Prov 9:17-18). It is better to start
small and trust God to greatly increase you than defraud others to
start big and face the grave consequences of your ungodly
actions. Likewise, scripture says, "bread gained by deceit is sweet
to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel" (Prov
20:17).
28Page

The joblessness of many can be linked to a faulty foundation.

Many bribed their way through school, which has made them
unfit for profitable employment. According to Proverbs 24 verses
3-4, only through Godly Wisdom your career, business, ministry,
marriage, and other life endeavors can be built successfully
because Godly Wisdom teaches dos and don'ts of good success;
it teaches never to defraud or manipulate others to fulfill the
course of one's life.
Fulfilling Purpose
The fear of God makes us trust God absolutely over

whatever He plans to do through us. God might have given you
visions or dreams that will better the course of your life; if you
don't fear Him, you may be tempted to make ungodly moves to
actualize God's given visions. The wisdom that uses ungodly
means to actualize God's vision is earthly and demonic.
Many claims to be wise by taking advantage of others,
forgetting that Godly Wisdom does not operate that way.
Anytime you strategize to take advantage of others to fulfill your
dreams, let it sink into you that earthly and satanic wisdom is at
work. Bishop David Oyedepo would say, "whatever God cannot
give me, may I never get it; whatever God cannot do for me, let
it remain undone; and wherever God cannot take me, may I never
get there." This is because he trusts God absolutely over all his
29
needs.
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I once shared this story of mine. During my aviation training, I

was advised to take a shortcut by manipulating and altering my
logbook because my training was taking too long. Indeed, that
could have saved me some money and time, but I knew it would
come with unforeseen consequences. I transferred to another
school for additional training when I finished the initial training.
The first examiner to conduct my check-ride said, "I don't like
your logbook, and I don't even think all the hours you have in this
logbook are correct". I replied, "everything here is correct".
Before I knew what was going on, he reported it to the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA), which led to further verification
of my logbook. They asked me to contact all the schools I had
been to and ask them to send my flight training records. When
my records were sent over, they appointed someone who
reviewed my logbook and cross-checked it with all the flight
training records sent from all the schools I attended. That would
have been the end of my career if I had manipulated my logbook
by recording flight hours I never did. All the time and money I
spent would have been a waste. The shortcut would have cut short
and stopped my progress, and my dreams would have shattered.
Submission to His Will
One of the signs that a man fears the Lord is absolute

submission to the will of the Lord. If you are yet to submit to His
30
will when it is convenient and when it is not, you are not

operating in fear of the Lord. Living right alone does not
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constitute the fear of God but submitting completely to Him.

Total submission is what God requires of us. If any of us were to

be tested the way the Lord tested Abraham, we would probably
fail. Imagine God asking you to offer your twenty-five years of
investment, and considering your age, you have no hope of
getting it back. What would you do? It makes no sense, but that
is a test of submission. If you truly fear God, you will submit to
His will.
Do not allow the wisdom of this world to abort the
glorious plans of God for your life. Where God is taking you is
far; only His Wisdom can help you lay a firm foundation for that
glorious future. He knows the end from the beginning. Even
though you may be going through challenges in life, they are not
meant to break you but to build you up.
Your Conscience
The fear of the Lord is a product of a perfect heart. Hence,

whoever is willing to be filled with Godly Wisdom must
surrender his heart to God, for we serve God with our strengths
and walk with Him with our hearts. Once your heart is right with
God, He draws you nearer (Psalm 34:18) and reveals His secrets
(mysteries) to you. Remember, scripture says, “But we speak the
wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God
ordained before the ages for our glory” (1Corinthians 2:7).
31
Show me a man who fears God, and I will show you a

man whose conscience is alive. At a point in my life, I wondered
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why many don't feel the pain they inflict on others. The most

terrible aspect is that many tongue talking believers purposely

inflict pain on their fellow believers because their conscience is
seared with hot Iron. That was why Apostle Paul encouraged
Timothy to have faith and a good conscience, which some having
rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck (1
Timothy 1:19).
When your conscience is alive, the Holy Spirit takes the
lead and makes you feel uneasy about hurting others and
disobeying the Lord.
32Page

UNDERSTANDING
CHAPTER 3
33Page

UNDERSTANDING
UNDERSTANDING
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom.

And in all your getting, get understanding" (Proverbs
4:7).
T
he fear of the Lord is necessary for building lives, homes,
families, and other endeavors in life. However,
understanding ensures that what is built through Wisdom
is established on a firm foundation.
I must be honest with you, deviating from the path of
understanding is an invitation to destruction, for Scripture tells
us, "A man who wanders from the way of understanding will rest
in the assembly of the dead" (Proverbs 21:16).
34
Understanding is a vital component of Wisdom that

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enables us to consider the effects of our actions or inactions when

UNDERSTANDING
faced with life's situations and gives insight into solving life's
problems. Surely, your actions or inactions have resultant effects
on your future. So, you do not need any prophet to foretell your
tomorrow because a larger percentage of tomorrow's happenings
heavily depend on what is done today. When you walk in this
understanding, you will carefully live your life and run away
from evil. That is why Scripture admonishes us to get
understanding in all our getting. For example, Joseph told
Potiphar's wife, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin
against God (Gen 39:9). Joseph knew the consequences of
defiling his boss' wife would be painful. He chose to suffer rather
than face the serious consequences of immorality, for the Word
of God says, "Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks
understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul" (Proverbs
6:23).
Those who lack understanding don't care about the effects
of their actions or inactions. They live their lives as if tomorrow
doesn't exist. They burst into anger very quickly without minding
the effect of their irrational outburst. That is the reason Scripture
says anger rests in the bosom of fools (Eccl 7:9), but those who
have understanding are swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to
wrath. They patiently consider the pros and cons of their actions
and inactions in every situation.
Many life’s battles can be avoided by gaining a heart of
understanding. Those with a heart of understanding are not
talkative because they understand that silence is a spiritual
35
weapon that can prevent them from fighting unnecessary battles

capable of wasting precious time. Certainly, silence can make
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you look like a fool today, but in the long run, you will discover

UNDERSTANDING
the precious Wisdom in the power of silence. The failure to

understand the power of silence makes people act and talk
foolishly to the extent that the enemy uses their words against
them.
I often tell people not to respond to every insult because
those who insult you do so sometimes to get words out of your
mouth. So, learn to keep silent; it is full of Wisdom.
Importance of Understanding.
For Effective Dealings with Humans: We live in a corrupt

world full of wicked people. Staying at the foundational level of
Wisdom (the fear of God) may make us suffer needless pain.
Jesus said, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of
wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves"
(Matthew 10:16). Dealing with wolves-like men requires a high
level of understanding; otherwise, they will take advantage of
you.
The story of the "poor wise man" reveals what could
happen to a man who lacks understanding in his dealings with
men of this world.
36
"Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and

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he by his Wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one

UNDERSTANDING
remembered that same poor man. Then I said: "Wisdom

is better than strength. Nevertheless, the poor man's
Wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard." (Eccl
9:15-16).
I have heard different views about this story. Almost

everyone concluded that the man was not remembered because
he was poor. Indeed, poverty played a major role in his
unfortunate situation. However, being poor shouldn't deprive you
of the benefits of Wisdom. In a perfect situation, Wisdom is the
cure for poverty.
Let's critically examine this man's situation and discover
what was wrong with him.
When a major problem strikes a city, a nation, or the
whole world, God wants to use such a problem to bring some
people out of obscurity. The Lord used COVID-19 to bring many
people out of obscurity into the limelight. Many scientists were
unknown before COVID-19, but researching solutions to the
pandemic has enlisted their names in the hall of fame.
In the same vein, the problem of that city was meant to
launch this "poor wise man" into the limelight, but he lacked the
understanding of the people he was dealing with. He dealt with
crafty men who delighted in using other people's brains for their
elevation. Such men are found everywhere today. They will
37
engage you in projects that can showcase you to the world but
steal the glory and dump you so your name won't be heard. Such
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UNDERSTANDING
were the men this "poor wise man" had a deal with. They used
him to solve a major problem but abandoned him afterward.
The most prudent way of handling such situations is by signing

agreements. Signing agreements for a business transaction is
wise, even if you are dealing with someone from your local
church because not everyone you see in the church is a child of
God. But unfortunately, there were no agreements between "the
poor wise man" and the leaders of the land, so it was easy for
them to abandon and cheat on him.
Wisdom tells us to be kind to all men and, at the same
time, treat a business like a business because the people of the
world delight in using people and dumping them afterward.
Jephthah, in the book of Judges, didn't make such a
mistake when the elders of Gilead approached him to come and
be their commander so that they may fight against the people of
Ammon. He understood the heart of men and asked them if he
would be their head after the victory. The elders assured him of
becoming their head and made God a witness.
"So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you take me

back home to fight against the people of Ammon, and the
LORD delivers them to me, shall I be your head? And the
elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The LORD will be a
38
witness between us, if we do not do according to your

words."" (Judges 11:9-10)
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UNDERSTANDING
I was once a victim of such a situation in 2008. A friend

introduced me to an organization that needed the service of a
consultant to obtain its operating license. I had all they needed,
and I was willing to help. This was a business transaction that
should have fetched me some money. However, I failed to strike
a deal on how much I would collect before getting myself
involved. I thought they should know the right thing to do and
reward me appropriately. I did all I needed to do for them to
obtain the operating license, and to God's glory, everything went
smoothly. However, after they obtained their operating license,
they handed me an envelope of two thousand naira for services
that took several weeks. They said thank you for your help. We
will be reaching out to you if we need further assistance. I was
shocked because they only paid me transportation fares.
Colleagues of mine usually charged thousands of naira at that
time. Nevertheless, I collected it, but I realized that I was foolish
for assuming they should know the right thing to do. I was just
like the poor wise man. I thought I was dealing with people who
would appreciate my efforts and reward me accordingly. I never
knew they were users who just wanted to use and dump me
without corresponding rewards.
As I said, understanding is a component of Wisdom that
enables us to consider the effects of our actions or inactions when
faced with life's situations. However, extreme caution needs to be
exercised when it comes to the issues of money. If you are dealing
39
with those who have integrity and you focus on money, you are
making a great mistake. Life experiences have taught us that there
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are people you should assist without collecting a penny, even if

UNDERSTANDING
they are willing to offer a fortune. And there are people you must
charge upfront before engaging in business transactions because
of who they are. I am pleading, don't let money be your focus
because you might be shutting the door of future help against
yourself. Some people will not take you for granted; they will
even go the extra mile to help, but once they perceive that you
love money and don't mind ripping them off, they set a boundary
that may be unfavorable to your destiny.
I once had a business transaction with another man. He
called me to offer a full consulting service, including training him
and his staff. He asked me how much I was going to collect. I was
reluctant to say a word because I've known him for quite a while,
and he has been kind to me. Several times he gave me gifts
without doing anything major for him. So, I told him I wouldn't
be charging him anything and that he should feel free to do
whatever he could. He said, "that's fine". To my surprise, this man
offered me more than I could have bargained for and gave me
many gifts. A few months later, I visited him with a motherly
figure. This man asked if she was my mom. I said yes. He was
full of joy to meet with her. He gave us gifts worth hundreds of
dollars. Ever since then, he has never stopped being kind.
This is my hearty cry "please never stop showing kindness
to people even though they may take it for granted". However,
try to take time to understand the people you deal with to
minimize the negative effect of being kind to people. Beloved,
the key is having a heart of understanding.
40Page

UNDERSTANDING
Making Rightful Decisions: Without a doubt, you will be faced

with situations demanding the application of Wisdom. You
would have heard people say, "if I had known, I wouldn't have
made certain decisions". This is because life is full of many
uncertainties. Without the Wisdom of God, we may be tempted
to make decisions that will favor today and have serious
detrimental consequences in the future.
Understanding God's plan for your life is one of the keys
to making appropriate and meaningful decisions. The decision
you make today according to God's plan for your life might sound
so foolish in the sight of humans because only you have the
insight into where God is taking you, but surely, it will be evident
to all that you have made a rightful decision when God begins to
work out everything, He's working in you. That's why one of the
things you need to understand fully is your purpose. The
understanding of your purpose is a guide that you must earnestly
crave. It will prevent you from making decisions that will lead to
your pitfall.
Prevention from Falling into Errors: A lack of understanding

is responsible for the errors many people fall into. Unfortunately,
one of the most typical errors that people fall into is the error of
pride. Pride is very subtle, and the moment it creeps in, you don't
need household enemies to fight you. Instead, God himself
becomes your enemy because the Bible tells us, "God resists the
proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
41
In my little walk with God, I notice humans tend to exhibit

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pride while carrying out divine instructions if they lack an

UNDERSTANDING
understanding of the principles of humility. Unfortunately, many

young ministers fall into this error because they want to run with
divine instructions while disobeying the leaders God has placed
over them. Eventually, nothing meaningful comes out of the
assignments God has committed into their hands because of
pride. Of course, this doesn't mean you should defy divine
instructions because you need to honor your leaders, but whatever
God asks you to do, do it in humility.
While serving under a lovely man of God, I was asked to
do something Godly, but it was contrary to what God told me. I
tried all I could to convince the pastor that the Lord was not
leading me in that direction, but all to no avail. When I felt
pressured to do what I believed God never wanted me to do, by
human reasoning, I felt like leaving the church to avoid problems.
Little did I know that leaving the church was an error. The night
I felt like leaving the church, I had a dream, and I saw that as I
was leaving the church, my car began to malfunction for a while
before everything got back to normal. When I woke up, the Lord
told me that leaving the church would affect my ministerial
journey. So, I had to pray and ask for Wisdom and later called the
pastor and pleaded with him to allow me to serve without doing
something contrary to what the Lord was telling me. Finally,
everything was settled to God's glory. However, I later realized
that sometimes the Lord would push people against you to mold
your character, but if you allow the flesh to get in, you will be
walking in error, and that which you are building might not be
established.
42
As earlier stated, most of the future occurrences are a

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function of what you do today. If you lack the understanding of

UNDERSTANDING
working in the light of God's Word, the devil may push you into
error that will have severe consequences in the future.
The Source of Divine Understanding
We aren't referring to academic understanding that can be

acquired in colleges, but divine understanding. The source of this
understanding is the knowledge of God that can only be acquired
through observing and obeying God's commandments.
Let's examine the following scriptures:
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And

the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding"
(Proverbs 9:10).
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A

good understanding have all those who do His
commandments. His praise endures forever" (Psalm
111:10).
43Page

UNDERSTANDING
The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives

understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130).
Several people displayed divine understanding in the

Bible, but I would like us to focus on King David's life. He was
a man of understanding who displayed Godly Wisdom when king
Saul was after his life. He had the opportunity to kill King Saul
but refrained from doing so because he feared God and
understood the consequences of killing God's anointed. After the
death of King Saul, he said, "tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in
the streets of Ashkelon Lest the daughters of the Philistines
rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph" (2
Samuel 1:20).
Not many people can display such a high level of
understanding. Many rejoice in seeing evil befall those who once
hurt or harmed them simply because they lack the understanding
of God's Word. Scriptures say, "do not rejoice when your enemy
falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the
LORD see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath
from him" (Proverbs 24:17-18). God is never happy to see us
rejoice when our enemies fall. Instead, He wants us to intercede
on their behalf.
In the body of Christ today, we have people who delight
in exposing the nakedness of others and speak ill of those not in
their circles. But unfortunately, they have forgotten that we will
44
give an account of every idle word we speak (Matthew 12:36).

Another evil I have seen lies with those desirous of making quick
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money from YouTube. They quote men of God out of context

UNDERSTANDING
and flood social media with messages to slander and tarnish their
personalities. Such attitudes were not found in King David.
Instead, he covered King Saul's nakedness when he had the
opportunity to attack and spread malicious messages about him.
The secret of King David's understanding was revealed when he

said, "You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than
my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more
understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my
meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep
Your precepts" (Psalm 119:98-100). So, when one's heart is
saturated with God's Word and delights in obeying His
commandments, the Lord grants one a heart of understanding.
Reading through the Bible, I was shocked to discover that
the Lord was inciting Saul against David. Yet, at the same time,
the Lord kept providing a way of escape. The purpose was to
prove the heart of David.
"Now the distressing spirit from the LORD came upon

Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And
David was playing music with his hand. Then Saul sought
to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped
away from Saul's presence; and he drove the spear into
the wall. So David fled and escaped that night" (1 Samuel
45
19:9-10).
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UNDERSTANDING
Beloved, this test will come your way, especially when

God is considering you for a major assignment in His hand.
Therefore, don't be surprised to see your pastor, leaders, and
highly respected people intentionally or unintentionally inflict
pain on you. When such happens, pray to God for a heart of
understanding and draw Wisdom from God's Word to pass the
test God is bringing your way. David passed the test and was
found worthy of inheriting the throne because he delighted in the
law of the Lord.
Take time to meditate on God's Word; by doing so, God
will break and remold you and give you a regenerated heart of
understanding that fears Him and delights in doing His will.
46Page

KNOWLEDGE
CHAPTER 4
47Page

KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE
By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and

pleasant riches” (Proverbs 24:4).
“A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases

strength” (Proverbs 24:5).
I
had an experience that instilled the importance of knowledge
in my heart when an organization hired me. The contract I
signed clearly stated my salary, and I knew the taxes that
should be deducted from my paychecks. However, I was
surprised to see some taxes deducted after I received my first
48
paycheck. So, the following day I went to meet the person in

charge of payroll and told her some taxes were deducted from my
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salary, which shouldn't be because of my status. She was

KNOWLEDGE
confused and said, give me some time to look into it. A few hours
later, she called me and said, "I'm sorry, you are not supposed to
pay those taxed indeed". Thankfully, the previous deductions
were refunded. However, I realized many people in the same
organization with the same status had been paying those taxes
monthly out of ignorance. That day, I realized there is a high
tendency that one will keep paying for what he didn't owe
because of ignorance. So, one of the ways to get free from the
devil's shackles is to acquire relevant knowledge.
What is knowledge?
Knowledge is an inestimable component of Godly

Wisdom that moves mountains, ensures a crown of glory, and
guarantees prosperity. Without a shadow of a doubt, knowledge
is inseparable from Wisdom. It's like oil that lightens the candles
of destiny. The Oxford dictionary defines human knowledge as
the acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles from study or
investigation. Nevertheless, the knowledge of Godly Wisdom
transcends human knowledge. It lightens the paths of those who
possess it and unravels mysteries behind situations. The
actualization of destiny is heavily dependent on knowledge more
than other factors. This truth must be proclaimed among believers
49
because many are languishing in poverty and despair due to a lack

of relevant knowledge to manifest God's given destiny. God
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wants to see His children dominate and reign in the four corners

KNOWLEDGE
of the earth just as He said to Abraham after Lot had separated

from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you
are northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the
land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever"
(Genesis 13:14-15). However, such a promise may not be
fulfilled without knowledge because you must see it before
possessing it. Let's examine certain truths about knowledge.
Truths About Knowledge
Knowledge Ensures Prosperity
Scripturally speaking, riches and honor are inheritances

God promised us through knowledge. Failure to acquire relevant
knowledge can make one a reproach to God's name. As earlier
stated, the foundation of Godly Wisdom is the fear of God.
However, as you cry to God for a heart that fears God, you must
equally hunt for relevant knowledge to maximize the fulfillment
of your purpose.
Many believers have been brainwashed that the only path
to kingdom wealth is "giving," and by doing so, God will touch
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the heart of men to bless them financially. This mindset is the

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main reason many pay less attention to personal development and

KNOWLEDGE
look for those who will sow seeds into their lives. While God is
able to touch people's hearts to bless you financially, I can assure
you that constantly depending on people to bless you financially
will eventually render you a mendicant. When your heart is
centered on being helped financially by men, God knows your
focus has shifted off him. If you study the Bible, you will discover
that every successful person in the Bible never looked up to
people to be blessed. Instead, they became a blessing to others.
Therefore, the earlier we focus our attention on God and hunt for
relevant knowledge to add value to people's lives, the better for
us.
Scripture tells us through knowledge, the rooms of
whatever God has helped us to build can be filled with all
precious and pleasant riches (Proverbs 24:4). This shows the cure
to poverty is relevant knowledge and God's mercy. So, the
prosperity of a lot of people is tied to knowledge. The Lord says,
"I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of
secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you
by your name, Am the God of Israel" (Isaiah 45:3). Treasures are
hidden resources; it takes knowledge from God to dig them out.
It's not in God's plan for believers to languish in austerity.
In His mercies, He presents many opportunities that can only be
discerned through knowledge and understanding. Unfortunately,
these opportunities come to people in the form of raw materials,
but men who lack knowledge discard them because they perceive
them as waste products. For instance, what you call waste
51
products around you are raw materials for those who know what
to do with them. Sadly, many of us have discarded great
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KNOWLEDGE
opportunities in the past because we perceived them as waste

products.
Beloved, we are in the era of knowledge; If you
are diligent in acquiring it, your eyes will be opened to
see opportunities where others are seeing frustration, and
destiny opportunities will not elude you.
Knowledge Ensures A Bright Future
The Word of God tells us, "for wisdom is a defense as

money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that
wisdom gives life to those who have it" (Eccl 7:12). This shows
there is something that knowledge offers that money does not
offer. But unfortunately, the quest for money among youths and
adults is on the rise compared to knowledge because our society
has erroneously magnified the importance of money and despised
knowledge. Likewise, the devil deceives people by making them
believe that all they need to fulfill destiny is money, but in the
long run, they will discover that money has wings and pursuing
it brings frustration. But with Knowledge, you will have a bright
future void of shame and reproach.
Hear what the Scriptures say:
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"My son, eat honey because it is good, and the honeycomb

which is sweet to your taste; So shall the knowledge of
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wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a

KNOWLEDGE
prospect, And your hope will not be cut off" (Proverbs

24:13-14).
Knowledge Is A Tool For Deliverance
"The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But

through knowledge the righteous will be delivered"
(Proverbs 11:9)
Undeniably, what you don't know can keep you in

perpetual bondage while you keep attacking the devil. I believe
in spiritual warfare, and I encourage everyone to engage in it
because the world we live in requires us to constantly be on fire
for the Lord, otherwise, the devil will make a mess of us.
However, I have discovered that many battles can be prayerfully
handled through the application of knowledge. It is surprising to
see that many people are suffering from ignorance. The devil,
being tricky, enjoys keeping people in the valley of ignorance to
perpetuate his evil assignments. For this reason, the Lord says in
His Word that my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
(Hosea 4:6a).
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KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge Moves Mountains
Bishop David Oyedepo once said every man's mountain

is his ignorance. This is because knowledge has the ability to shed
light on confusing situations and gives
a ray of hope when hope seems to be lost. Sometimes, what we
call an obstacle is not an obstacle but a lack of knowledge. Don't
give up when you encounter an obstacle in life's journey. Instead,
acquire relevant knowledge to deal with such an insurmountable
mountain. I can assure you that certain doors will remain closed
and look like a mountain until you acquire relevant knowledge.
Even if you pray and fast so that they open, and they eventually
open by divine intervention, a lack of knowledge may eventually
shut them.
A friend told me he lost an opportunity when he started a
cleaning business. God connected him to a man who wanted a
whole commercial building cleaned. He inspected the building
and discovered it was a massive project. He had never handled
such a project in his life. So, he called some friends to see how
he could handle it. Unfortunately, none could think of how such
a project could be executed because it requires using some
equipment that could not be found in their city. As a result, he
abandoned the project. A few years later, he met a man who told
him how easily the project could have been executed. He
lamented because he hadn't seen such an enormous opportunity
since then. What he called an obstacle was no obstacle in the sight
54
of the man who knew how to handle such a project. The most
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annoying thing is that the inability of none of his friends to figure

KNOWLEDGE
out how the project could be executed contributed to why he

abandoned the project. That is why Scripture tells us, "He who
walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools
will be destroyed" (Proverbs 13:20).
Knowledge Maximizes Destiny Opportunities
You cannot maximize destiny opportunities beyond your

level of knowledge. Knowledge increases your strength to do
great exploits. Scripture says, "a wise man is strong, yes, a man
of knowledge increases strength (Proverbs 24:5). We live in a
world of exploits; to reserve a slot, you must be knowledgeable
because no one is willing to spend a penny to watch a nonentity,
but a man of knowledge is desirable everywhere.
People extract gold from the ground because it is hidden
in the belly of the earth; in the same way, knowledge extracts
hidden prospects inside of you. There are exploits you are capable
of doing, but you won't know until you gain relevant knowledge.
Guess what! The more you gain knowledge, the more you receive
the strength to scale new heights and discover other hidden
potentials inside of you.
No exploits occur without a level of knowledge. So, all
the inventions are done mainly by those whose level of
knowledge is far beyond average because God's Word triggers
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exploits in the kingdom of God, and the knowledge of your

endeavors triggers exploits in the work of your hands.
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KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge Increases Strength
The Word of God says, “If you faint in the day of

adversity, Your strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10).
Contextually, the strength the Bible is referring to is the one that
comes through knowledge. From verse one of proverbs twenty-
four, we can see that the Lord has been talking about Wisdom,
understanding, and knowledge. Verse five says, “a wise man is
strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength” (Proverbs
24:5). Have you ever wondered why people embark on massive
projects they couldn’t embark on before acquiring experience and
knowledge? The reason is because they have mustered enough
strength to face certain challenges.
You will be faced with certain challenges as you journey
through life. The strength you need to overcome these challenges
will come through knowledge. When faced with spiritual
challenges, the knowledge of God’s Word strengthens us to stand
firm in faith and face such challenges. But believers who lack the
knowledge of God’s Word find it difficult to stand when such
challenges come their way. They move from one pastor to
another looking for solutions to their problems. Don’t be
deceived, the knowledge of God’s Word is potent to strengthen
us to overcome challenges of life. Other relevant knowledge in
life can also strengthen us. For example, a level of knowledge in
your career can strengthen you to take certain risks others
couldn’t take. By doing so, you have the ability to do exploits that
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others couldn’t do. So, increase your knowledge if you desire to

have increased strength to do great exploits.
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KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge and Destiny Fulfillment
There is a direct relationship between destiny fulfillment

and knowledge. Regrettably, many people are operating below
God's expectations because they lack the relevant knowledge to
fulfill their purpose. The truth is, God's plans for your life can
only be actualized after you have acquired relevant knowledge.
For instance, if God's plan for you is to become a medical doctor,
you will remain in other professions until you acquire knowledge
in the medical field and get certified to practice the medical
profession. The same thing goes for the fulfillment of prophecies.
I have seen prophecies becoming unfulfilled in many people's
lives despite the fact that they prayed earnestly. The truth is
certain prophecies will remain unfulfilled until the recipients of
those prophecies mature to manifest God's plans. This maturity
often comes through knowledge. That was why Apostle Paul
says, "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word
of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an
inheritance among all those who are sanctified" (Act 20:32). So,
until you mature, prophecies will be hanging, and certain
inheritances will be kept from you.
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Jesus had to grow in Wisdom and stature and favor with

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God and men (Luke 2:52). After reading the book of Isaiah, Jesus
began to operate in a new dimension. He is the Word personified

KNOWLEDGE
but had to read the Word because He needed that knowledge to

fulfill what was written about Him.
'And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And

when He had opened the book, He found the place where
it was written: "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the
poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To
proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the
blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To
proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." Then He
closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat
down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were
fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this
Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:17-21).
Before I became a pilot, there were many revelations

about me becoming a pilot. A few months before I finally took
the bold step to go to flight school, a guest minister came to my
church and said there is a pilot in this gathering, don't be afraid
because God will help you. What an assurance from heaven for
me to become what God wanted me to be. However, those
prophecies and revelations didn't come to pass until I enrolled in
the program, acquired knowledge, and got certified.
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Ensure you avoid sitting down and folding your hands

while expecting prophecies to come to fulfillment. You have a
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part to play. But first, you have to grow in knowledge. Once the

KNOWLEDGE
Lord reveals His plans for your life, the onus is on you to trust
God's leading as you map out ways to acquire appropriate
knowledge. Then, pleasingly, you will graciously walk into God's
plans and purposes for your life.
The Ten Wise Virgins
I learned some invaluable lessons from the story of the ten

virgins. First, while the bridegroom was delayed, the wise virgins
had extra oil. The Bible didn't tell us why the bridegroom was
delayed, but it was apparent that He didn't arrive when the ten
virgins expected Him to arrive. So, I realized that delay could
occur at any point in the journey of life, and it could be satanic or
divine, but whenever it occurs in the journey of life, one should
not be weary; instead, efforts should be made to have extra oil.
The Bible likens this story to the kingdom of heaven, but
it can be used to illustrate many life events. The story tells us that
having extra oil involves adequate preparation and thinking
ahead of situations. In life's journey, the extra oil can be regarded
as "knowledge" that must be acquired before facing certain
situations; otherwise, one will be considered a fool.
A wise man frequently thinks ahead of situations and
59
adequately equips himself with knowledge. That was the case of

the wise virgins; before they stepped out to meet the bridegroom,
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they envisioned eventualities and prepared for them. And as we

KNOWLEDGE
know, preparation ultimately involves acquiring knowledge

regarding the situations at hand. Remember, I said, knowledge is
like oil that lightens the candle of destiny. So, knowledge
brightens your sight and prepares you for incoming opportunities.
Who knows if the bridegroom was delayed because the
foolish virgins were not adequately prepared, and God in His
infinite mercy was allowing them to look for extra oil in
preparation for what they were waiting for? Beloved, when
delays come your way, why don't you consider it an opportunity
to prepare for what is to come? Many are unprepared for the
blessings they're trusting God for, and God, being a loving father,
will continue to delay them until they are prepared (mature) to
receive what they are longing for. Some brothers and sisters are
not prepared for the kind of person the Lord wants to give them
in marriage. Their current level of knowledge cannot sustain the
blissful marriage that God desires for them, and failure to acquire
knowledge that will trigger marital breakthroughs will keep them
in the shackle of delay. Similarly, suppose your current
knowledge is inadequate for what God intends to do in your life.
In that case, you may experience a delay because God will
patiently wait on you to grow before fulfilling His promises.
Let no one deceive you; every form of delay is an
opportunity to acquire knowledge in preparation for what is to
come. Therefore, I often advise people not to fidget and run after
men whose breath is in their nostrils but endeavor to focus on
acquiring relevant knowledge. In no time, what seems like a
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mountain will become a plain, and delay will vanish.

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KNOWLEDGE
I discovered that most of the delays I've encountered in

life resulted from limited knowledge. I may not know your plight
at this point, but I can tell you that a lack of knowledge can pose
many challenges. Scripture says, If the ax is dull, and one does
not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; But
Wisdom brings success (Eccl 10:10). This evidently reveals that
Wisdom can ease the stress of life.
The Poor Wise Man
I talked about the poor wise man in the previous chapter

and said he lacked the understanding of the people he was dealing
with. He was known to be a wise man, but the benefits of Wisdom
were far from him. In a way, he wasn’t a perfect representation
of Wisdom. So, the question is, why was he poor if he was wise?
“Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by

his Wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered
that same poor man. Then I said: “Wisdom is better than
strength. Nevertheless, the poor man’s Wisdom is
despised, And his words are not heard” (Eccl 9:15-16).
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Different schools of thought analyzed what could be

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responsible for his predicament. Many people concluded he had

KNOWLEDGE
a spiritual problem. That could be true to some extent, but the

book of Proverbs 24:3-4 makes it clear that it's possible to be wise
and still be poor if relevant knowledge is not acquired. This
young man must have dwelled at the first level of Wisdom. He
feared God but lacked adequate knowledge to transact in the
market square of life. The danger of dwelling at such a
foundational level of Wisdom is the tendency that one will be
taken for granted because of poverty. So, operating in fear of God
can enable one to gain insight into solving problems without
being appropriately appreciated if one's self-worth is low and the
people one deals with delight in taking pleasure in taking
advantage of others. Therefore, to be evidently successful and
earn a throne of honor, relevant knowledge and understanding
must be acquired, along with a heart that fears the Lord.
Throwing Away Opportunities
I had a personal encounter some years back which made

me value knowledge. While crossing over into the year 2008, the
prayer focus the Lord gave me was Wisdom. So, from the
beginning of that year, I was praying for Wisdom. He instructed
me to quit my job and start my own business. It was a tough
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decision because I had no savings to start a business. However, I

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obeyed and began to make plans. It was then I realized why He

asked me to pray for Wisdom. At that time, I didn't really

KNOWLEDGE
understand what it meant to operate in the fullness of Wisdom; I

only focused.
Two months after I started the business, a colleague called me

and asked if I could handle a project. Yes, I can, I responded. She
couldn't handle it because she had limited knowledge about it. I
was grateful to God for giving me such a life-transforming
breakthrough. However, I couldn't take full delivery of it because
I also lacked knowledge in certain areas. What I was meant to do
on my own to maximize my profits was subcontracted to
someone else. When I realized what it took to do it, I became
angry with myself because I practically transferred fifty percent
of the project to someone else. This made me realize that divine
opportunities can be wasted if a man's knowledge is inadequate.
The person who transferred the project to me did so because of
her inadequate knowledge, and I also subcontracted fifty percent
of it because of my inadequate knowledge.
Beloved, I would have missed such an opportunity if I had
no clue how to handle such a project. Please understand this; I
will never ascribe any glory to my knowledge or ability because
God brought the opportunity. Nevertheless, I sat down and began
meditating on many missed opportunities because of my
inadequate knowledge. Then, I realized that to maximize destiny
opportunities, knowledge is inevitable.
God’s expectation for us is to have the fullness of
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Wisdom. Staying at the foundational level will only yield

dividends of the fear of God. So, scripturally speaking, having a
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KNOWLEDGE
heart that fears God does not exempt you from being poor if you
fail to acquire relevant knowledge and understanding.
Zeal without Knowledge
“Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever

makes haste with his feet misses his way” (Proverbs 19:2
ESV)
Zeal without knowledge can frustrate God’s agenda in

one’s life. I have seen many people who heard God very clearly
over certain steps they were required to take but failed in the
process because of the inability to acquire relevant knowledge.
Many got to the point of questioning God’s integrity because they
prayed and fasted, yet the promises of God remained unfilled.
Is God telling you to embark on a project? Is He telling
you to start a business? The responsibility of acquiring relevant
knowledge regarding whatever step God wants you to take lies
on you. If zeal is the sole driving force of whatever you do, you
may be walking in error.
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KNOWLEDGE
Roasting Knowledge
Have you ever wondered why so many people have

nothing to show for the knowledge they have acquired?
I met some young folks who passionately despised

knowledge but focused on doing anything to make money. When
I talked to some of them, they pointed at many people who had
nothing to show for their formal and informal education. They
said, what's the point of spending time and money to acquire
knowledge without something tangible to show for it? This
statement bothered me for a while until the Lord opened my eyes
to a verse in the book of proverb.
"The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, But
diligence is man's precious possession" (Proverbs 12:27).
This verse of the Bible has been a blessing to me since the

Lord opened my eyes to it. I first realized that the Bible calls a
hunter a lazy man. I was shocked because a hunter usually leaves
his house early in the morning to hunt for animals. I felt it would
be unfair to say such a man is lazy, but the Bible clearly says he
is lazy for not roasting what he took in hunting because many
65
things can happen to whatever you take in hunting if you fail to

roast it. You can sell it cheaply or dash it out without gaining
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anything from it. If you fail to do either of those things, it will get

KNOWLEDGE
spoiled. So, the Holy Spirit made me realize that anyone who
learns without roasting is lazy because nothing substantial can
come from the knowledge they acquire. Thus, it is a question of
time; they either lose the knowledge or the knowledge becomes
obsolete. It doesn't matter how many years you spend in school;
if you fail to put the knowledge to work, you may get nothing out
of it.
Roasting one's game requires extra dedication. You may
spend an equal amount of time you used in hunting to roast your
game before it can be preserved and deliver desired results.
Hence, I realized the majority of the people who acquire
knowledge and have nothing to show for it probably might have
failed to roast (process) the knowledge they gained.
Beloved, don't think you have reached the point of rest
because you just bagged a Ph.D. or some academic qualifications.
The work has just started. You need to sit down and look for
problems you can solve with the knowledge acquired. If you fail
to do so, the world will despise you, and you may become
irrelevant.
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KNOWLEDGE
The Three Most Important Types of

Knowledge
The three important types of knowledge you must constantly

desire are:
• The Knowledge of God
• The Knowledge of your Purpose
• The Knowledge of your Endeavors.
The Knowledge of God: God’s knowledge is the source of

understanding that is required to run the race of life. A lot has
been said about it in the previous chapter.
The Knowledge of your Purpose: This is vital to the fulfillment

of your destiny. When it's acquired, it gives understanding and
guidance in making crucial decisions in life, such as choosing the
right career and partner. When you are armed by it and decide to
walk in it, there are places you won't go, companies you won't
keep, and steps you won't take. Samson missed it in life because
he failed to walk in the knowledge of his purpose. The Lord gave
his parents certain instructions about his destiny, which should
have been a guide for him. The neglect of those instructions led
to his errors and destruction.
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The only way to be equipped with such knowledge is to

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spend time with God. God is still in the business of equipping you

KNOWLEDGE
with the knowledge of your purpose. The Lord told Jeremiah,

‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and
mighty things, which you do not know’ (Jeremiah 33:3). Spend
time with God, and He will equip you with the knowledge of your
purpose.
The Knowledge of Endeavors: Never embark on anything you

know nothing about; it might end up being a wasted effort.
Wisdom demands gaining knowledge about life's endeavors
before venturing into them. Knowing the intricacies of what you
are getting into is wise before channeling your resources. This
will enable you to take calculated risks and succeed in your
endeavors. Bishop David Oyedepo once shared how he acquired
so much knowledge about ministry before starting his ministry.
He diligently read the biographies of many preachers who
succeeded in ministry and those who failed. He used the same
approach before starting Covenant University. Now, his diligent
efforts in acquiring relevant knowledge are producing undeniable
results. Beyond the sky is the limit if you can acquire relevant
knowledge before embarking on any journey in life.
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LIVING AN UNCOMPROMISED LIFE
CHAPTER 5
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L
iving an uncompromised life is one of the believers'
challenges in this polluted world. The pressure of life is
pushing many to an arena of compromise, and
unfortunately, many believers who hold on to God in spite of the
pressure of this world sometimes feel neglected by those who are
meant to encourage them.
Erroneously, due to the level of unrighteousness in our
societies, many believe that living a righteous and spotless life is
impossible in this polluted world. However, I can assure you that
many believers haven't bowed down to the pressure of this world.
When Elijah thought he was the only one who hadn't forsaken the
covenant of God and bowed to Baal, the Lord told him, "I have
reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not
bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him" (1 Kings
19:18).
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So, there are many people out there whom God has
preserved for himself. These people genuinely love the Lord and
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desire to live a spotless life. But unfortunately, the world is

unfriendly, making it extremely challenging to stand upright.
A friend told me of a man who was fired because he refused to

have an extra-marital affair with his boss. After he was fired,
things were so difficult that his wife blamed him for not sleeping
with his boss. While my friend was sharing this story with me,
the Holy Spirit whispered to me that to live an uncompromised
life in this polluted world, you must strive to be too relevant to be
ignored; otherwise, you will experience so much pain for living
for the Lord. Immediately, the story of Daniel and the three
Hebrews flashed through my mind. When certain Chaldeans
accused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego of not worshipping
the golden image set up by King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel's name
was not mentioned because he recently solved a major problem
which made king Nebuchadnezzar fall prostrate before him and
pay him honor. Due to his relevance, he gained favor that none
could speak against. Therefore, during the regime of King
Nebuchadnezzar, no one accused Daniel.
So, it occurred to me that a Daniel kind of life makes
living a righteous and holy life more rewarding and enjoyable.
Even though many doors may be shut against you for living for
the Lord, but definitely, the kind of life Daniel lived (a life of
relevance) forces many other great doors to open. Scriptures
reveal to us that Daniel was so relevant in the land of Babylon
and served many kings.
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One of the ways to gain such relevance in this generation

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is through relevant knowledge and meaningful contributions to

the world. Don't be deceived, beloved; the importance of

knowledge cannot be overemphasized. For instance, firing those
holding key positions unjustifiably in many organizations will be
considered unfair and may subject these organizations to
significant losses. If such people are fired for living for the Lord,
at their fingertips, many great doors will open because their level
of knowledge is desirable everywhere. They are relevant in their
fields and possess what it takes to put the world under them—
opposing forces standstill when they talk because of the heights
they have attained. These people can live an uncompromised life
effortlessly in this polluted world.
Attaining such heights requires constant improvement in
one's self-worth. Let no one deceive you; your self-worth is much
more valuable and important than your possessions. Running
after material possessions should not be the goal of believers, but
constantly and daily working on one's self-worth, which is
usually achieved through acquiring knowledge. The truth is, as
your self-worth increases, material things will run after you.
What it takes others a couple of years to achieve might not take
you more than a few months. This is why the Lord encourages us
to grow in knowledge so that all He has in store can easily be
delivered to us. Knowledge transforms humans from slavery to
sonship, and the Word of God makes us understand that without
becoming a son, we are not different from enslaved people. So,
it's incumbent on us to grow and strive for mastery in our
endeavors so that the things others are running after will begin to
run after us.
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"Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not

differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all"
(Galatians 4:1).
Therefore, if you desire to live an uncompromised life in

this polluted world, the onus is on you to grow and improve your
self-worth by acquiring relevant knowledge. By doing so, you
will put the world under your feet and gain the favor to live an
uncompromised life in this polluted world.
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POSSESSING THE LAND
CHAPTER 6
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POSSESSING THE LAND
POSSESSING THE LAND
"Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I
have given you, as I said to Moses" (Joshua 1:3)
P
ossessing every land the sole of your foot shall tread upon
is one of the promises of God for His children. This
Abrahamic blessing was also made known to Joshua and
the Israelites when they were to possess the promised land. It
implies that the Lord gave them an open check to take over
territories they walked upon and the ones their eyes could see,
just as He said to Abraham:
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"And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated

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from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place

POSSESSING THE LAND
where you are northward, southward, eastward, and

westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and
your descendants forever" (Gen 13:14-15).
Reflecting on these scriptures, the question that often

strikes my heart is how can we possess every land the sole of our
foot shall tread upon? Do we have to fight the occupants or quote
the scriptures to possess the land? I stood on this scripture for
years without understanding what it takes to possess every land
the sole of our foot shall tread upon.
We must first understand that the contextual meaning of
possessing the land is not buying or possessing acres of land in a
foreign country but having influence and getting established
therein, which might not necessarily mean living in a foreign
country.
I have been in the aviation industry for about two decades.
Within these periods, I have seen people immigrating from one
place to another. I have seen Americans relocating to different
parts of the world and getting established. I have also seen
Africans moving to different parts of the world. However, I have
discovered that a lot of people migrating to different countries
couldn't possess the land the way they should. As a result, many
have become illegal immigrants and cannot live their dream lives.
What surprises me the most is that a larger percentage of people
who relocated to a foreign country without possessing the land
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absolutely often stand on the scripture that says, "every place that
the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you" (Joshua
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1:3). Sadly, there are still so many people out there praying,

POSSESSING THE LAND
fasting, and holding on to this promise to migrate to other nations

without knowing what it takes to possess territories.
First and foremost, I must say God's plan for His children
is to possess nations and not a country, and you don't have to
travel to a foreign country before you possess foreign territories.
If you don't understand this truth, you may fight tooth and nail to
ensure you relocate to a country that may not be favorable to your
destiny, all in the name of looking for greener pastures. Many are
caged in foreign countries and do not have the liberty to express
their destiny. As a result, a lot of people take all sorts of ungodly
steps to get immigration documents and eventually get
themselves in trouble. But one thing is sure; the world is at your
fingertips if you understand what it takes to possess territories.
When I moved to the United States, I told a few friends
that the United States was too small for me to operate. This
statement got many people angry because I practically had
nothing to boast about at that time, and I emphatically made such
an audacious statement. I was called a proud man for uttering
such a statement, but unknown to them, my understanding
stemmed from the revelation I received in the book of Psalms.
Hear what the Bible says:
"I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You
are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I
will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the
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ends of the earth for Your possession." (Psalm 2:7-8).

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POSSESSING THE LAND
There's no doubt America is a blessed nation, but looking

at the scriptures, the Lord says if you ask me, I will give you
nations as your inheritance and the end of the earth as your
possession. So, from that moment, I began to see America as one
of the nations the Lord promised to give me. Understanding these
scriptures strengthened my faith not to opt for an ungodly option
to ensure I was fully established in the country. Indeed, I looked
like a fool, especially when, at one point, I was told to go back
home because my school couldn't extend my stay. Almost all my
well-wishers who wholeheartedly love me said, find someone to
marry to get your papers, but I refused because I wanted to do
things the right way. It's not a bad idea for God to get you
established through the help of your spouse, provided you are
getting married for real. However, in my case, I couldn't find
someone I sincerely wanted to be with who understood my
purpose then, and getting married solely because of papers was a
journey I made up my mind never to embark upon. As a result, I
decided to go back home.
When I was leaving, I could see tears rolling down the
faces of my friends and church members. But I held on to the
promise I saw in the book of Psalms that nations would be given
to me as my inheritance. When I was leaving, I told my people
that if the Lord wanted me to return to this country, He would
bring me back at His appointed time. Surprisingly, I spent only
five months back home and returned to the States.
When I returned, I still held on to these scriptures without
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knowing how to possess nations. I prayed and fasted to get fully

established, but I believe God didn't answer my prayers the way
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I wanted them because He wanted me to understand what it takes

POSSESSING THE LAND
to take over territories and possess the utmost parts of the earth.
At a point, I put a hold on my progress academically, focusing on
being comfortable. But God in His mercies made me realize that
seeking comfort is not the path to possessing nations as an
inheritance but focusing on fulfilling destiny and improving self-
worth to the point of making enormous and irrefutable impacts.
Then I realized the only way to conquer nations and possess the
utmost parts of the earth is by making positive impacts and not
running after the blessing the world could offer.
Looking at the life of Joseph, Daniel, and the three
Hebrews, they possessed the strange land not by seeking comfort
but through an indelible impact. Then I realized the majority of
the people praying and fasting and standing on the word of God
to possess every land the sole of their foot shall tread upon could
not possess the land indeed because they focus solely on looking
for greener pastures. As a result, they concentrate on getting
immigration documents to have liberty in the land. Truly, getting
immigration documents would grant you the opportunity to live,
work and travel widely, but possessing nations is practically
impossible without making an impact. For instance, becoming an
American citizen doesn't grant you the opportunity to become
relevant in other nations. As a matter of fact, the only
achievement many people can point to in a foreign country is
their immigration document, and if anything should make them
return back home, they might be starting from scratch. But living
an impactful life makes you relevant in many nations. The door
to various nations opens on their own accord.
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POSSESSING THE LAND
So, it dawned on me that if I wanted to have nations as my

inheritance and the utmost part of the world as my possession, I
needed more than quoting scriptures but focusing on living an
impactful life. However, I realized living an impactful life comes
with a price, which involves acquiring knowledge and constantly
improving one's self-worth. Honestly, I was getting tired of going
to school because I had spent thousands of dollars on education,
but when I realized that was the only way for me to have the
world at my disposal, I summoned the courage and kept moving.
Surprisingly, the Lord answered my prayers without struggling
as I focused on acquiring knowledge for the purpose of making
an impact. Amazingly, I could see opportunities for more exploits
in other nations.
Beloved, the most potent key to taking over nations is
acquiring relevant knowledge in your field of endeavor to the
point of making an irrefutable impact. Once you do that, you will
be surprised that nations will call you blessed; kings will be your
nursing father and their queens your nursing mothers. The place
that seems infertile to others will be fruitful.
The importance of impact cannot be overemphasized. If
you believe God to make the world your constituency, you must
be willing to live an impactful life. Joseph was made prime
minister because he provided a solution to an impending
problem. In a single day, the things people usually run after were
given to me. The door to the greatness of the land of Egypt
opened wide unto him the very day his impact was felt...
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POSSESSING THE LAND
• Have you been trusting God to open the door to other

nations?
• Has God ever told you that He would take you to various
nations?
The fulfillment of these expectations and promises hinge on

living an impactful life. No nation will make you a king without
your contributions.
Many believe gaining access to some nations is extremely
difficult. That is a fallacy. You will be surprised that the door that
seemed closed or extremely difficult to open will open easily as
these nations begin to feel your impact.
Almost all countries have schemes for those who will add
value to their countries. So, if it's becoming difficult to gain
access, work toward improving your self-worth and concentrate
on living an impactful life. Let the world feel your impact through
the grace of God; surprisingly, you will begin to take over
territories that your eyes can see.
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THE INEVITABILITY OF GODLY WISDOM
CHAPTER 7
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THE INEVITABILITY OF GODLY

WISDOM
T
he Wisdom for a stress-free life is not what you acquire
when you are already in trouble. Such Wisdom is needed
before a journey begins. But if you fail to acquire it before
embarking on a journey and eventually get in trouble, you need
grace. The wise virgins had extra oil in their lamps before they
set out, but the foolish ones didn't have extra oil. When the
bridegroom finally arrived, the foolish felt the need for oil when
it was too late. They begged the wise virgins for oil, and they told
them to go to those who sell and buy for themselves. The truth is
when you fail to acquire Wisdom before a certain life's journey
begins, you will be asked to go to those who sell. They are
indirectly telling you that life will humble and teach you the
lessons you failed to learn. At that point, all you need is grace.
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I'm proud to say one of the men of God I highly honor is Bishop
David Oyedepo. As stated in one of the previous chapters, he
spends quality time acquiring Wisdom regarding his proposed
endeavors before he does anything. When I studied the life of Dr.
Mensah Otabil, Dr. D.K Olukoya, and many great men, I noticed
the same pattern. So, I wasn't surprised to see what God is doing
through them.
Dr. D.K Olukoya once said a wise man learns from the
mistakes of others, and I have also discovered that a fool
consistently learns from his own mistakes without taking time to
learn from other people's mistakes. So, the onus is on us to sit
back and learn from the people ahead of us to avoid the mistakes
they made and plug our feet on the path of success.
A Life of Brokenness and Wisdom
“Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why

should you destroy yourself? Do not be overly wicked,
Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time? It is
good that you grasp this, And also not remove your hand
from the other; For he who fears God will escape them
all (Eccl 7:16-18).
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Some years back, I awoke and asked myself, "why do I

feel troubled each time I accidentally hurt or crush someone's
spirit". It is so bad that I lose my peace until I apologize to
whomever I have wronged, knowingly or unknowingly. The
worst is that I find it easy to apologize to those who intentionally
wrong me. I have been termed a weakling for not wanting to fight
back when people step on my toes. This is because the word
retaliation is never found in my dictionary. Several times, I have
been called a fool for wanting to go above and beyond to be at
peace with everyone. However, I realize that this kind of
"foolishness" gives me peace of mind. The Holy Spirit said to me
that this is a cross that must be carried to remain a beloved child
of God. "But why, this is a heavy cross," I exclaimed. If it is a
cross that believers must carry, why am I being seen as a fool? I
asked.
The most annoying and frustrating aspect of it is that
fellow believers intentionally take me for granted because of this
attitude. They take pleasure in hurting me without any form of
remorse. Honestly, I feel hurt seeing those who call on the name
of the Lord do this to me, but forgiveness runs in my blood, so I
forgive anyways before anyone could think of apologizing to me.
However, I got to a point in my life and I said, this must stop!
Enough is enough; I can't take it any longer. It is understandable
for unbelievers to crush my spirit intentionally, but it is unfair for
a fellow believer to do so unapologetically, I said; because I want
to be at peace with people doesn't give anyone the right to hurl
insults at me. I later discovered that the Psalmist went through a
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similar ordeal. He lamented and cried to God.

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“Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see

violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl
about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it.
Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies
never leave its streets. If an enemy were insulting me, I
could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could
hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my
close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
at the house of God, as we walked about among the
worshipers” (Psalm 55:9-14).
Through it all, the great comforter ministered to my soul

by comforting me. He opened my understanding and revealed the
reason for feeling troubled whenever I wrong anyone, knowingly
or unknowingly. I realized the Spirit of God makes me feel
troubled and prompts me to go above and beyond to be at peace
with people because every child of God whose conscience is alive
should never be at ease until they right their wrongs. This reminds
me of what the Scripture says, "for it is God who works in you
both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phil 2:13). Being
at peace is God's will even though you may be tagged a fool. If
you are afraid of being tagged a fool for serving God, you may
find walking with God uninteresting, for God may choose to
make you look like a fool in the sight of men just to make a fool
of your scorners.
Beloved, do you feel frustrated when being taken for
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granted to be at peace with people? Have you been tagged a fool

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for doing the will of God? My beloved brothers and sisters, don't

run out of patience. You are not alone……. For this reason, the
Apostle says, "As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all
day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter" (Romans
8:36). The world will not stop taking you for granted, yet, you
must strive to be at peace. This is a cross you must carry to be a
child of God. Remember, Jesus says, "Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are
those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:9-10).
Later, the Lord made me realize that I feel the pain of
being taken for granted because I've failed to die daily to the
flesh. A dead person cannot feel any pain. "Wow", I cried. Dying
to the flesh is a great prerequisite for walking with God. I
understand this is the kind of message believers of today don't
want to hear, but when you think of it, the failure to hold on to
this principle of dying daily to the flesh is the bedrock of troubles
in Christian homes and the world at large. We need to cry to God
for the grace to die to the flesh daily. Beloved, I understand it is
difficult, but God is faithful to make all grace abound toward us.
However, the Holy Spirit makes me realize that we need
Wisdom in the journey of life. It is wise to prayerfully end toxic
relationships so that our walk with God will not be affected.
Toxic relationships can bring the worst out of us and make us
miss out on the blessings of God. If you depend on the Wisdom
of the Holy Spirit, you will be at peace with people and, at the
same time, be protected from toxic and destructive relationships.
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One Bible verse I failed to correctly understand early enough is

"Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no
one will see the Lord" (Heb 12:14). I kept pursuing peace at the
detriment of my walk with God. In a way, I became a men pleaser
all because I felt the Lord wanted us to be at peace with people. I
later realized some people are in our lives for a season; once their
season expires, all efforts to keep them in our lives will cause
much more harm than good. Thus, Wisdom is needed to discern
everyone's season in our lives. Most people who inflict pain on
us are meant to have been ostracized long before they started
inflicting pain on us. Indeed, we are meant to follow peace with
everyone without trying to force them to remain in our lives.
When it's time for them to take a break, let them gracefully take
a break while we maintain our peace.
One of the reasons we try to force people to remain in our
lives is because of a kind heart. I completely understand that
kindness is a virtue; in fact, it is a fruit of the Spirit every believer
must exhibit. However, kindness without the application of
Wisdom will make one a victim of so many spiritual attacks.
Therefore, extreme caution is needed if one has a kind heart.
If you are reading this book and you take pleasure in
hurting the feelings of the meek and lowly of heart, I will
encourage you to repent. The meek and lowly in heart are apples
in the eyes of God, and it is a dangerous thing to fight them. Each
time you take them for granted and hurt their feelings, you invite
God's wrath upon yourself because God will fight tooth and nail
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for those who please him so that they can hold their peace.
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Be Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves
It’s our responsibility as believers who desire to live for

the Lord to embrace the Wisdom hidden in the Word of God and
be filled with the understanding of the Scriptures; otherwise, we
may become sheep ready to be slaughtered by the wolves of this
world especially when we decide to live a life of brokenness.
Indeed, it is the will of the Lord for us to live a life of
brokenness. Brokenness is a virtue and a source of spiritual
strength. A life of brokenness is God's expectation for anyone
who desires to please Him. However, we must constantly remind
ourselves that we live in a world that takes advantage of those
who fear God and strives to live a life of brokenness. Jesus was
aware of the world's craftiness and hostility to His followers and
said to them, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of
wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves"
(Matthew 10:16).
Wolves are carnivores; they are intentional about the
harm they inflict on sheep. So, Jesus used this simile to instruct
His disciples how to behave in this world full of evil. He made
them realize that to survive amid wolves in sheep's clothing, they
need to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. We need
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this Wisdom to avoid bearing the brunt of some circumstances.

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In line with this teaching, let's examine the contextual meaning

of the Wisdom of the serpent.
The Wisdom of Serpents:
1. Serpents are observant and sensitive: This is a form of

Wisdom the Lord expects of us. However, the Lord does not want
us to become oversensitive to the point of tagging everyone a
witch. As a matter of fact, there's no wisdom in oversensitivity.
The sensitivity the Lord requires of us manifests in the form of
discernment, mostly when the Word of God fully saturates our
hearts, and we walk in obedience to His Word.
This Wisdom will help you take precautions when
necessary because nothing unpleasant happens to a child of God
without warning from God, except when the enemy has craftily
shut the heavens to the point that hearing God becomes
impossible. Even when the enemy tries to take over the spiritual
atmosphere, the Lord in His mercies often raise intercessors to
stand in the gap for His beloved, but when we become insensitive
to His leading and ignore warning signals, we find ourselves
walking like sheep without a shepherd that can be preyed on
easily.
2. Serpents hide when they perceive danger: Serpents can hide

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in their hideout for days. They come out when they notice there
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are no dangers around. When they perceive danger, they return to

their shelter. This form of Wisdom is expected of us as believers

in this cruel world. Scripture tells us, “A prudent man foresees

evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished
(Proverbs 22:3). Avoiding dangers or battles does not mean you
are fearful or don't have the spiritual ability to overcome them.
Some battles are meant to waste your time; please avoid them.
All self-invited battles should be avoided; they can slow the speed
of destiny. Unfortunately, some people ignored this form of
Wisdom at the junction of marriage and found themselves in toxic
relationships. Most people in such relationships would tell you
they perceived dangers but refused to hide. Now when their
punishment is evident to all, they have no options but to start
binding the devil.
Similarly, kindly hide if you walk into a place and
perceive danger. It may even be a place of work. I saw a note
written by someone on LinkedIn, possibly by “Kylee Moore” The
note says,
“Thank you for the invite into the second interview. After
reviewing the glassdoor employee reviews, I noticed a
consistent trend of employees being over-tasked, over-
worked, and improperly incentivized. I don’t believe this
opportunity aligns with the support I look for in an
employer. I wish you the best of luck finding the perfect
fit”
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The note got me thinking because I saw Wisdom at work.

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The person perceived danger and decided to hide. Some

organizations can drain the life out of their employees. So, one
needs to act wisely. Let me go further. Even if it's in a church that
you perceive danger, you need the Wisdom of God. Many have
been caged and manipulated by wolves in sheep's clothing. A
close relative of mine found himself in a prophetic church. The
pastor used prophecy to cage all his members to the point that
they all were afraid of leaving his church. None of the members
could do things without getting approval from the pastor, and
whoever takes a step without the pastor's knowledge is looking
for trouble. He was in this church for a long time without any
significant progress. He knew he needed to leave the church, but
he was afraid that the pastor would place a curse upon him. The
mistake he made was to become a full member after perceiving
such a danger.
Nevertheless, as a child of God, you need a local church.
Don't forsake the assembly of believers because of wolves in
sheep's clothing. There are numerous heaven-bound servants of
God. All you need to do is to take the time to study whatever local
church you intend to worship and be sure the doctrine of Jesus is
preached and no form of manipulation is practiced before fully
becoming a part of that church.
3. Serpents are swift to attack when they perceive danger:

When serpents notice they are exposed to danger, they swiftly
attack. They will not watch you break their heads with an iron
before fighting back. So, they are always on the offensive side.
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This act of Wisdom is spiritual, not physical, and it's expected of

us. The Lord expects us to hold on to a principle Dr. D.K Olukoya
calls "Stop Them Before They Stop You". This is because our
world requires us to be on the offensive side, not defensive, in the
realm of the spirit. I often tell people that you should be a lamb
physically, but you must be a lion in the spiritual realm. In this
kingdom, it's not allowed to be gentle spiritually; otherwise, the
devil will take you for a ride. Therefore, be as gentle as the dove
in your dealings with humans. When people spit on you, smile
and forgive them immediately, that is the character of a dove.
However, when it gets to physical abuse, you might need a
change of environment because of your mental health. The goal
here is to be gentle as a dove, but your spirit man must be on fire
to devour any demon that trespasses. You must guide your
territory spiritually. For this reason, Apostle Paul says, my
brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put
on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil, for we do not wrestle against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand" (Eph 6:10-13). Don't watch the
devil and his agents inflict pain on you before you send them
packing. When a wise believer perceives danger, he goes on his
knees and stops the devil's oppressions before being overtaken by
the oppression.
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4. Serpents don’t expose themselves unnecessarily: A lot of

people invite problems into their lives due to unnecessary
exposure. They enjoy blowing trumpets concerning everything
God is doing in their lives. By doing so, satanic agents go after
them and convert their breakthroughs into breakdowns. The devil
is not omnipresent. He works with information. Once that
information is released to him, he begins his operations.
Keep your Tongue from Speaking Evil
“Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the

fear of the LORD. Who is the man who desires life, And
loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue
from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. Depart
from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm
34:11-14)
In life, you will see evil in many people, but you must
learn to keep your tongue from talking about the evil you see in
them. This is extremely important. You will do yourself a huge
favor if you master the act of keeping your tongue from speaking
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evil because most of the future happenings of your life can be

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determined by how you use your tongue today. The evil in people

could be their bad behavior or unfortunate situations. If you are

privileged to see it, let not your mouth spread it. The Psalmist
says this is the secret to long life. You see, anytime you spread
negative kinds of stuff about people, you are, in a way, writing
those negative things in your destiny. I love to put it this way,
whatever you do not want to see in your life, don't spread it about
people, even if that is true.
Wisdom is inevitable as you run the race God has set
before you. The Word of God says, “hear, my son, and receive
my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. I have taught
you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When
you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you
will not stumble” (Proverbs 4:10-12).
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EPILOGUE
CHAPTER 8
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EPILOGUE
EPILOGUE
"But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us

wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification
and redemption" (1 Cor 1:30).
I
n conclusion, I would like to introduce you to the personality
called Wisdom. His name is Jesus. All things were made
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through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was
made (John 1:3). Through Him, the foundations of the earth were
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laid, and the heavens were established (Prov 3:19). Chapter eight

EPILOGUE
of the book proverbs show that everything in the heavens and on

earth was made through Him.
The question is, if Jesus is Wisdom personified, why is it
that most believers who have sincerely accepted Him as their
Lord and Savior are not operating in the fullness of Wisdom?
When the Lord began to open my eyes to the mystery
behind Wisdom, I discovered that the Wisdom we are searching
for is Jesus. So, I wondered why many believers are suffering
from a lack of Wisdom. However, it became apparent to me that
accepting Jesus as one's personal Lord and Savior is the first step
to walking in Wisdom. When you give your life to Jesus, you
have invited the personality of Wisdom, but being filled with the
fullness of Jesus requires constant learning at His feet and doing
what He says.
For instance, if you want to learn from a visitor, you can't
keep him in your house without allowing him to speak and share
his wealth of knowledge with you. You will gain nothing from
him if you don't create time to learn from him. Unfortunately,
people will think you know him too well because he has stayed
in your house for months or years, but in reality, you don't know
anything about him. This happens to many Christians; they keep
Jesus in their houses but never create time to learn at His feet. As
a result, they cannot operate in the fullness of Wisdom. You may
ask, how about those who attend church services regularly and
listen to messages? I must tell you, attending church programs is
not enough to get to know Jesus. Using the same illustration, if
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you only talk to the visitor in your house during the general
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meeting or dinner, you can't get to know him deeply. You will

EPILOGUE
know what everyone else knows about him, but the truth is, many
of the things he says in public might not sink into your heart for
you to process and gain Wisdom. When you study the parable of
the sower, you will understand that it takes more than going to
church regularly for God's Word to be fruitful in one's heart. Your
heart must be that of the good ground Jesus described, and such
a heart is ever willing to have a personal walk with Jesus. So,
going to church frequently does not mean you are learning at the
feet of Jesus during church programs. The story of Mary and
Martha is perfect to illustrate this. Jesus visited both of them, but
only Mary learned at the feet of Jesus. Martha was distracted with
activities.
"Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain

village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed
Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary,
who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His Word. But
Martha was distracted with much serving, and she
approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my
sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to
help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha,
Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good
part, which will not be taken away from her." (Luke
10:38-42).
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Relating this story to current happenings in our time,

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Martha was busy attending crusades, prayer meetings, and

EPILOGUE
seminars without creating time to learn at the feet of Jesus.

Indeed, attending crusades, prayer meetings, church programs,
and the like are important, but the most important thing is
learning at the feet of Jesus personally. A Christian walk is a
personal walk with Jesus. Until you cultivate the habit of creating
time to learn directly and walk with Him personally, you might
not be filled with the fullness of Jesus (Wisdom).
Remember, in the previous chapters, I said the fear of God
is the beginning of Wisdom. This happens when you invite Jesus
into your life. Using the same illustration, when you have a visitor
in your house, you are afraid of doing certain things in the
visitor's presence. Those who usually get angry will comport
themselves with dignity because they don't want the visitor to see
their ugly sides. This kind of fear engulfs your heart when Jesus
enters your life. You know He's with you always, and you don't
want to displease Him. Indeed, many believers claim to have
invited Jesus into their lives, but they do not fear Him. They can
be referred to as the people who continue to live inappropriately
without minding the presence of visitors. In reality, their attitudes
can drive away visitors the same way many people's attitudes
drive away God's presence. But to ensure your visitors abide in
your house (life), you must make your place of abode conducive.
Therefore, to make Jesus permanently reside in one's life, one
must make his life habitable for Him. He's willing to abide with
you forever, only if you can make room for Him. This is the
foundation of Godly Wisdom. When you make room for Him,
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you set yourself up to be filled with Wisdom.

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EPILOGUE
The Second hierarchy of Wisdom is understanding. As

stated in the previous chapters, we gain understanding by learning
and observing the Word of God. The Psalmist says, "I have more
understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my
meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep
Your precepts" (Psalm 119:99-100). So, to gain understanding,
you must learn at the feet of Jesus. You can't just be a churchgoer.
You must have a relationship with Him. More importantly, you
must have a teachable spirit, a heart that yields to corrections. If
Jesus spends quality time teaching without you having a
teachable spirit, you won't grow because you must have a humble
spirit for His teachings to be fruitful in your life. That's why the
Bible says, "the humble He guides in justice, And the humble He
teaches His way" (Psalm 25:9).
The third hierarchy of Wisdom is knowledge.
Unfortunately, only a few people pay the price of operating at this
level. If you have invited Jesus into your life and have subscribed
to learning at His feet but have failed to practice what you learn,
you will not acquire knowledge. Knowledge comes by doing
what is written in the Word. That is why those who are lazy never
ascend to this height. The Bible says, "Study to show thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15 KJV). So, you
must study if you do not want to be ashamed. Beloved, the day
you begin to practice everything written in the Bible, you begin
to operate in the fullness of Wisdom. I have not seen anyone who
101
correctly practices what is written in the Bible and ends up in

shame. Everything about knowledge that we have discussed is a
Page
function of doing what is written in the Bible. If we can emulate

EPILOGUE
the lifestyle of Jesus, we will surely operate in the fullness of

Jesus. The Bible records that He grew in Wisdom (Luke 2:52).
He wasn't distracted but focused on what was relevant to
fulfilling His destiny. He said to His disciples, "My food is to do
the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (John 4:34).
In summary, accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and
Savior is the first step to walking in Wisdom. Learning at His feet
is the second step. Finally, observing and doing what the Bible
says is the third step to ensure you walk in the fullness of
Wisdom. This was the secret the Lord revealed to Joshua for him
to prosper and succeed.
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may
observe to do according to all that is written in it. For
then you will make your way prosperous, and then you
will have good success” (Joshua 1:8).
Beloved, I would like you to have a thorough examination

of your life. Do you have the fullness of Jesus? Are you just
playing church? Have you cultivated the habit of learning at His
feet? Are you living your life based on the principles of the Bible?
The fullness of Wisdom comes by inviting Jesus into one's life,
learning at His feet with a teachable spirit, and doing what He
102
says. This is one thing that matters!

Page

103
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FEEDBACK
If you have gotten this far with this book, it would be a great
pleasure to hear from you. You may kindly send me your
comments, feedback, suggestions, criticism, or request for further
explanation on any part of this book that may seem grey to you.
Feel free to write me

info@gabrielidowu.com
or visit:
https://gabrielidowu.com
104
Page

BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR
The Fall Of A Great Man
This book reveals the imperceptible errors responsible for the fall
of many leaders. God is kind and merciful toward humans, but
His plans and purposes for a person might be altered if certain
errors are not dealt with. This book sheds light on some of Moses'
mistakes that led to his inability to enter the promised land.
Spotless In A Polluted World
This book reveals the secret to living a spotless life in this

polluted world. God's standards might seem unattainable, but by
His grace, they are attainable.
Living a spotless life is becoming increasingly difficult because
the practices of the world are gradually becoming acceptable
among believers. Though we are in the world, we are not of the
world. The expectation of God is for us to remain unpolluted. The
Word of God says, "therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your
Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48).
105
Page

Attaining The Uttermost Height
Attaining the Uttermost Height is a book written by the

inspiration of God, specifically for those who desire to reach the
peak of their endeavors. Biblical principles of greatness and steps
to maximizing potentials are extensively discussed.
Undoubtedly, this book will bless you richly.
106
Page

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alaba Gabriel Idowu

A commercial pilot, triple-rated flight instructor, master CFI, and
aviation safety and human factors specialist. He graduated
summa cum laude with a master's degree in aeronautics (human
factors specialization) from Embry- Riddle Aeronautical
University.
He is a Teacher, Evangelist, and Preacher of the gospel with a
passion for touching lives through God's Word. His life is a living
testimony that all power belongs to God.
107
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All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval

Cover design by: Festus Ewansiha

One Thing That Matters

Copyright (c) 2022 Alaba Gabriel Idowu

In a world that is filled with distractions, reading is hard.

I can boldly say the Holy Spirit inspired this book as it

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

THE PRIMARY KEY

I looked around and realized that it is gradually becoming

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

On a particular day, while ministering to a group of people, a

temptation of running after mammon (money) since money is not

meant to be our goals as believers and at the same time, a lack of

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

money can be a distraction in our walk with God"? Unfortunately,

“Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You; Yet

Jeremiah's questions baffled me, even though we also

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

ones breaking new grounds and shining as the brightness of the

“Why do the wicked live and become old, yes, become

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

Job knew God was righteous, likewise prophet Jeremiah,

God’s response to Jeremiah:

God’s response to Job:

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah

God’s Plans for The Righteous

On a glorious day, the Lord opened my eyes to a verse of

written in God's word, but our inability to search the scriptures

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

like the Berean Christians has prevented us from seeing the

“To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,

God's Wisdom, knowledge, and happiness is the key to

Godly Wisdom can deliver to your doorstep what others

are running after. For “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore,

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding” (Prov

“Do not be envious of evil men, or desire to be with them;

The Lord knows there are tendencies for a righteous man

that a righteous man will be tempted to follow the path of

unbelievers, especially when unbelievers possess what the

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

righteous man is trusting God for. But here is a strong

“Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a

A lack of Godly Wisdom is responsible for all forms of

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

everything you can ever desire is deliverable through Wisdom.

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

Don’t Focus on Achievements

One of the reasons many people disdain Wisdom is

So many experts have defined wisdom as knowledge of

these definitions are correct, they do not define Godly Wisdom

correctly. Godly Wisdom is far more than the application of

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

knowledge. The inability to accurately define Godly Wisdom is

“I wisdom have dwelt with counsel and knowledge, and I

This confirms that Godly Wisdom is made up of three

Wisdom. The book of Proverbs 24 puts it in the right perspective

ALABA GABRIEL IDOWU ONE THING THAT MATTERS

“Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding

If any of these components is missing, we cannot operate in