I imagine you have been following this series closely. If you have missed anyone of the previous posts, feel free to start from Part 1, and then to Part 2, and Part 3. These are relatively short reads and will help you bridge your understanding gap of the principle I'm teaching on, "What you are afraid of, is afraid of you. Now that you know how to seek out and exploit your giants weakness, I will like you to apply this in 2014. 2014 I believe, is an exceptional opportunity for you to slay your giants. Is weight loss the giant you've been trying to slay? Well, now you know that the excessive weight is actually scared of you. Is starting a blog the giant? Internet usage is growing and so there is a ready market for what you have to say. Would you like to run a half marathon?  You can, there is nothing stopping you. 2014 is afraid of you. It's afraid of what you can become, well then grab the bull by the horn and get started towards being all that God has called you to be. If the Lord tarries, you will have 365 days in 2014 to turn your world around for the better. A lot can change in just 1 day,  so I am sure you are sensing the opportunity 365 days has to offer. There will be challenges no doubt but there also will be opportunities. The fact is 2014, doesn't start in a few days. It starts NOW. Through mental preparation, through preparing a budget, through completing that which you need to complete this year. What better way is it to get into 2014 than knowing that the things that have intimidated you are actually intimidated by you. So It is that I will ask you to follow these 5 practical steps to slaying your giant in 2014:   1.) Purchase a personal diary if you don't already have one and write down a list of things you will like to overcome. Or at least things that you will like to start on. These are things that in times past have intimidated or eluded you.   2.) Now write down dates in 2014 when you will like to start and when you intend to complete these goals. This will put a healthy pressure on you to start. Once you start and begin to see results, the momentum will take care of its self.   3.) Purchase a paper calendar that you can post on the wall in the room, at home, where you spend the most time. This paper calendar should allow you see the whole year in one glance without having to tear the previous month out. Write down the target date for completing your goals on this calendar. Before you leave for work each day, look at this calendar and before you sleep each day look at it again. This will help you stay in track.  4.) Read your Bible first when you wake up and the last  before you go to bed. Your iPhone and Android Bible Apps work too. This will keep your spirit and mind healthy. It will help you deflect stress by putting life into the right perspective - even as you tackle your goals.   5.) Boldly cross off each goal as you complete them and throw an appropriate party for your self. It could be inviting your friends over to share in your testimony or it could be ordering pizza and a drink for yourself alone. You make the call. I look forward to corresponding with you at the end of the year and hearing how you have slain your giants in 2014. By yourself you can do nothing but with God, nothing is impossible, you can do everything. Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2014 to you and yours. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. - Phillipians 4:13Watch The Video  

In part 2 of this series (see it here if you missed it), I shared how David instead of seeing only the strengths of Goliath, chose to see the weaknesses as well. This was what differentiated him from the rest of the Israeli army which trembled at the voice of Goliath. In Part 1, I broached the concept of: What you are afraid of is afraid of you. In this post, Part 3, I will share exactly how David exploited Goliath's weaknesses to win and how you too can win in 2014. After David had refused Saul's armor, or the conventional way of doing war fare, he resorted to his tried and tested method - Archer war fare. In times past, God had delivered David and his sheep from a Lion and a Bear using the simplicity of a sling. David had seen God show up in the past, He had grown confident and comfortable with his use of the sling, and that, as primitive and naive as it may sound was what he was going to use to defeat this giant, this Goliath. Here are the steps David took: (1.) David ran quickly towards the giant, exploiting his weakness of being slow and stagnant. Application: Don't run away from your problems, stand and deal with them. Better still run towards them. There is no promotion without tackling problems (giants). There was no American world power without World war 1 and 2. It's either the problem kills you or you kill it - do not run away from problems, run towards it. Its only an opportunity dressed as an obstacle.  (2) David attacked from afar, exploiting Goliath's weakness of knowing how to fight only in close range man to man combat. Application: Start early in dealing with problems and deal with them the way you know how to. In other words, run your own race. Don't deal with your giants in a certain way only because the Jonesses deal with their problems that way. Deal with them on your own terms and according to your ability. Deal with them the way God has shown you in times past how to win.   (3.) David aimed at his forehead, exploiting his weakness of not being react quickly and duck. Application: Attack problems with stealth and swiftness, deal a decisive blow to them. In other words, attempt to solve these problems once and for all. Don't baby sit the problems, don't apply band aid to them. Go for the root cause and deal with it so it does not re-occur. Go for the kill the first time.   (4.) David then used Goliath's own sword to cut his head off, again exploiting the giants inability to get up quickly. Application: Be merciless and ruthless in tackling your problems. After your problems are solved, ensure you throw a public party, give a testimony, whatever. Just let the whole world know that you have slain this giant. That way, it is permanent, you get your spoils of war, and you get the confidence that you can deal with future problems. Do you now see that your adversaries perceived strength over you is actually its weakness? When I say adversary, I'm not particularly talking about a man or woman. Remember: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. - Ephesians 6:12I am talking about a situation you've not been able to overcome. It could be someone you need to confront though you haven't gathered enough courage to do so in times past. It could be asking your boss for a raise. It could be losing weight. It could be starting a blog or writing a book. Perhaps it could be asking the little pretty girl across the street out on a date. Whatever it is that intimidates you, I want you to know today that It's perceived strength is actually it's weakness. And if you, like David, choose to spot this weakness, summon courage enough to exploit it, yours will be the kingdom. You can do this, the world awaits you. In Part 4 of this series, I will show ways we can apply what we've just learned in 2014. Don't miss it. Watch The Video

In a previous post, I broached the concept of: What you are afraid of is mightily afraid of you, (Read it here if you missed it). In this post, I go deeper into this concept and then I round it off in a part 3. Don't we all like the story of the underdog? Or better still, isn't it always better to root for the Underdog? Remember how Jeremy Lin, an un-drafted Basketball player of Taiwanese descent, took the NBA world by storm, putting up exceptional performances for the New York Knicks? It made worldwide headlines. We love stories like these, don't we, or at least I do. We love it because we can relate to it, and it somehow allows us the euphoria of conquering our own giants. Through the underdog winning, we channel their success into our own lives.  But have you stopped to think about what it is that makes you an underdog to being with? Perhaps it is that your opponent has perceived strengths that you cannot overcome. Well, I'm here to tell you today, that your opponents perceived strength can be his most exposed vulnerability. His advantage, many times is his weakness. Permit me to elaborate using the biggest underdog story of all time, the biblical David vs Goliath. Goliath's strength laid in the fact that he was a giant, that he was tall, huge, and well built. His strength was that he had war time experience and he was fortified with armor and shields. But as it turns out, these strengths actually were his weaknesses. They were his weaknesses in that his armor and shields made him less flexible and less agile. His experience limited him to a single style of man to man combat, of infantry dueling. He didn't know much about the emerging agile combating style of a seasoned archer. Goliath was a giant, which meant his center of gravity was a disadvantage to him and that getting up after a fall was going to be very difficult.  The Israeli army saw only Goliath's strengths. They heard him boasts from sun rise to sun set and trembled at his voice. But they failed to see his weaknesses. Enter the underdog, David, who instead of seeing the intimidating strengths of Goliath, chose to see the weaknesses aforementioned. david then took action to exploit these weaknesses. He shunned the conventional way of battling when he refused Saul's amour.  He hinted to his emerging combat approach when he said: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied .- 1 Samuel 17:45I can't wait to share with you in part 3 of this series, how David specifically exploited each of Goliath's weaknesses to win, and how you too, can exploit your Giant's weakness and score a BIG win. Watch The Video

On my last day at one of my old jobs, I approached one of the veteran engineers on the team whom I will call Peter. Allow me give some background, Peter has little "people skills", and a poor command of grammar, but Peter is really adept at what he does. He is amongst the top in his profession nationwide, and the go to guy in difficult situations. When nobody can solve a problem, they go to Peter - who miraculously, always ends up solving the problem. When I first met Peter, he was on his way to his honey moon. For his trip, he packed a bevy of technical manuals of which I and some other teammates chided him for. I will never forget his reply. He said simply, "Knowledge is Power".  That shut us up for good. Back to my approach of Peter. I thanked Peter for all that I had learned from him. Peter, without warning or prompt, proceeded to tell me something that I didn't know about him before hand. He said that he didn't graduate from high school but by applying himself to studying, he had climbed to great heights professionally. He had become one of the elites in his field. Across the nation, people call him for assistance on their issues. Peter was right, even those on our team with Master's degrees could not match Peter's skill. I left that meeting full of reflection and insight. What can and what will happen to anyone who would apply themselves to studying is yet to be determined. The growth you will experience if you apply yourself to studying cannot easily be measured. The Apostle Paul, in exhorting young Timothy, had this, amongst others to say to him: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. - 2 Timothy 2:15 The moment you stop studying, you start declining. In life, you will face situations in which you do not have the personal experience to help you overcome. But if you have "borrowed"  experience from someone else, dead or alive, through a book you have read - you will be in prime shape to effectively deal with it. Apply yourself. Study, read voraciously in and out of your circle of competence. Devour books with unashamed gluttony. It is the best advice I can give you other than surrendering your life to Jesus Christ - Read. Don't stop - read, study. Your future depends on it, your family depends on it. God through His word is telling you today, study to show thyself approved. Watch The Video  

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Proverbs 24:10 So far, I've failed each time I hit adversity. This proves my strength is small. And so like you, I want to grow my strength. The question then is how do you grow strength? The unfortunate answer is that growing in strength comes through suffering. Let me explain by telling you a personal story. I was once consumed with success, obsessed with climbing up the corporate ladder as soon as possible. Possessed with ambition, I wanted to make a lot of money in the quickest way possible. And I started doing just that. I worked so hard, I didn't have time to spend the money that came in. As a result, the money began to pile up and I could barely keep up with it. But then I noticed also that temptations that were once beyond my reach began to open up. It felt like I could go unhindered, anywhere. That I could buy unrestricted, anything. And indulge I did. But then tragedy hit. In a minute, I lost everything. The knot I felt in my stomach the moment I learned all was lost is indescribable. I agonized over the adversity I suffered through the week, but allowed myself go through the pain. I did not take any short cuts like: drinking my sorrows away, or putting it into a box in my mind and refusing to open that. It was difficult yet it was the greatest inner growth I had yet encountered. I came out of that situation knowing once again, that God will always come through. Trusting that He will never leave nor forsake me. My faith in His ability and in His presence grew over 500%. My perspective of life grew from a mere arena for money making to an appreciation of life itself. I grew from a lust for having everything I wanted to an appreciation of wanting the things I do have. I grew from competing and fighting with anyone I perceived to be an enemy of my progress, to living peaceably with all men as much as is in my power. You see, I still don't like to suffer, but I am more tolerant of pain now because I know it is an opportunity, a catalyst if you will, to grow strength. But you have to allow yourself go through the pain. Are you currently going through a divorce?  Have you lost a loved one? Have you lost your job? Have you been betrayed? Don't deny yourself the painful emotions you feel. Don't drink your pain away. Don't numb your pain with denial. Allow yourself go through the full measure of pain. You will come through it. This too shall pass.  Jesus Christ will be with you all the way growing your strength. You will not be the same shallow person you were when adversity started. Instead, you will grow deep roots.Your strength will no longer be small, it will be enlarged greatly. Watch The Video

Problem - any thing, matter, person, etc, that is difficult to deal with, solve, or overcome - World English DictionaryIn a previous post, Become a Scripturenaire, I wrote about being involved in an accident, a problem if you will, and staying to "face the music". "Face the Music" is a term I use to describe confronting and tackling problems. The aftermath of the accident was nothing short of a blessing. It went well afterwards, but could have gone awry had I run away from the problem - which I had a chance to. I heared my dad's voice in my head, "Uche don't run away from problems, It's either it kills you or you kill it - don't run away." This wise saying saved the day and has helped me many more times than I can mention. In Matthew, the disciples of Jesus had a problem. Their smooth voyage had suddenly turned rocky. The waves crashed relentlessly on their boat, depositing squats of water into it. The men feared for their lives and refused to "face the music". They instead ran away to Jesus who was soundly sleeping. Jesus woke up and rebuked the disciples for not "facing the music". For running away from the problem instead of tackling it. He said: ...why are ye fearful o ye of little faith? - Matthew 8:26He then rebuked the winds for disturbing his sleep. Jesus Christ "faced the music", head on. He did not retreat nor back down, He did not run away, He faced the problem and overcame it. Psychiatrist, Dr Scott Peck says: Problems do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain, forever a barrier to the growth and development of the spirit.I couldn't agree more. Problems are an opportunity for you to grow, if you will "face the music". Don't actively seek to cause problems but don't run away from them either, when they arise. I agree that "facing the music" can be very painful, and sometimes even traumatic, but the consequence of not facing the problem is even worse. By facing the music right away, you allow yourself the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures that will come after you overcome. Don't run away from problems, face them head on - "face the music". Watch The Video

To You - The StoryI matured quickly. I had to. You see, at age 15, I was gainfully employed. At 18 years old, I was in a foreign country all by myself. No aunt's cousins, parents - anything like that. I had to pay my rent, buy my clothes and yes, pay my school fees. I've been paying bills for as long as I can remember. Yet, it is selfish to constantly use the word "I". The reason is because I did not do it of myself. God working through wrougth all and accomplished all that concerned me.I am not self made, I am God made. As any mature person in a season of responsibility knows, there are times when things get rough and you begin to miss routine payments. There are tragedies that happen that seem to knock the very foundation off your feet. In these moments, you just want to lay in bed, put the covers over head, go to sleep and wish this was all a dream. A dream that will vaporize as soon as you wake up with the rising sun. Yet, you wake up and yes ... it is really happening and it does not look good. It was in one such seasons that I learnt to apply this scrpiture found in Cast thy burdens upon the Lord and He shall direct you. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved - Psalm 55:15I simply placed the issue on God's feet and allowed Him deal with it. I have covenanted to give Him the glory for everything good that happens in my life. The responsibility that comes with that covenant is that He, not the devil, gets the blame for anything that goes wrong. I just give it to Him. And so now that things are so much easier, I reminisced and wrote this song. May it encourage you in your life work. When life feels overwhelming, may you find the trust in you to cast your burdens to the Lord for He cares for you. Below is the lyrics for the song.                To You- The SongWritten by Evangelist Uche. Performed by Emily Davis and Ebuka Unogu. Produced by Ebuka Unogu Psalm 55 verse 5 says: "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, And He shall sustain you. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved". And so today Lord, I choose to give To YOU. Everything that has every bothered me. All of my fears, my tears and all my cares. All of my doubt, All of my plans, my dilemma, my uncertainty, my anxiety, my hopes and my dreams. My aspirations, my ambition, my strength and my weakness. I give it all TO YOU Lord.  Chorus My Heart, My Soul, My Strength I give TO YOU My Life, My hopes, My All TO YOU My Heart, My Soul, My Strength TO YOU My Life, My hopes, My All TO YOU   Verse 1You said to cast all my burdens - TO YOU Everything that has kept me up late at night – TO YOU You will keep me in perfect peace, if I place my mind - ON YOU It’s the least thing that I can do; I’m overwhelmed, I’m panicky, Filled with doubt Absorbed in fear, What do I do? What I can I say? I cannot handle these issues and so I give it TO YOU   Chorus Verse 2Yes I’m giving my everything - TO YOU Don’t know all that tomorrow brings, I put my trust - IN YOU Because you hold tomorrow, I feel secure - WITH YOU I put my life in Your able hands,  I rest in your promise For your provision, For your protection For Your direction, I give TO YOU My future plans, Your will be done in my life Of which I give TO YOU  Chorus BridgeI give it To You. Everything that has ever troubled me. I give it To YOU Everyone that has ever hurt me I give it To You How do I pay the bills? How do I pay the tuition? How do I get out of debt? How do I? How do I? How do I? Watch The Video

Tribulation: grievous trouble; severe trial or suffering.- Dictionary.com I do not like tribulation. In fact, I detest it, but God teaches that tribulation is a necessary ingredient of life to bring forth certain strengths, certain fruits in us, which make us ultimately better human beings and better Christians. In a previous post, I wrote on Growing in your infirmity. In it I explained how an infirmity could be the one thing that keeps you humble. I will like to expand on this briefly and write  on tribulation and how it ultimately works hope in you. ...but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:- Romans 5:3-4 We glory in tribulations because of its benefits. Tribulations brings about patience in us. Patience is not just waiting, it is an attitude, it is your attitude while waiting. Patience in turn works in us experience. Experience is: I've done this over and over before. I know what works and I know what does not work. I know the exact route to take in order to arrive at my destination quicker. Experience then builds in us hope. Hope is a desire and an expectation that tomorrow will be better than today. It is a belief that your best days are ahead. That greater things are yet to be done. The default position when faced with tribulation is to fight back. It is to introspect and believe that you may have done something wrong to warrant the tribulation. While there are elements of truth to this, the fact is tribulation precedes glory. I advice you then to rejoice in tribulation.  There is no doubt that this too shall pass, that this tribulation will end. The question then is, what will you learn from it when its over? Will you learn patience, experience and hope as written in the Bible or will you glean despair, insecurity and bitterness? Do you want to come out of tribulation learning something new, gaining a deeper understanding of the scripture: "I will not leave not forsake you", understanding to be of good cheer for "I have overcome the world"? Do you want to come out of it knowing once again, that you have proven Jesus Christ over and over again? Going through a season of tribulation means the times are a-changing for the better. Allow it then, give you the hope and the strengthened resolve that: God takes care of His own - He always will.   Watch The Video

Simon had enthusiasm. As a fisherman he was enthusiastic. As a disciple of Christ, he was the first to refuse the Lord's offer to wash his feet, though he later reneged asking that not just his feet but his whole body be washed. Simon was the one who asked that fire be called from heaven to consume some 'haters'. Simon said he would never deny the Lord. Yet, despite his flaws, the Lord loved Simon's enthusiasm. He changed his name from Simon to Peter, meaning  a rock. He put Peter into a new system to operate in, that of leading the disciples. You don't teach enthusiasm, you hire that. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. - Matthew 16:18Saul was a passionate executioner of that which he deemed to be right. He had studied under the famed Gamaliel and felt strongly that the new Christians were violating the ways of the Jews. And so he set out to extinguish them. He pursued them passionately to the ends of the earth. I will like to think God admired his passion, but detested the system to which it was put in use. And so God had to arrest Saul on the way to Damascus, change his name to Paul, and then put him in a new system. The system of building His kingdom on earth. Paul was so passionate about his new work that most of the new testament was written by him. He was to die for the sake of the gospel but his passion did not allow him falter nor retreat. You don't teach Passion, You hire it. I am a firm believer in hiring the best of the best for the best. They may be pricey but they will deliver value above their cost. You don't hire a professional soccer player and then waste time and resources teaching him how to pass the ball. That is why you hired him in the first place. You just have to change his jersey (name) and show him the new system to which he is to operate in. You don't teach drive, you hire that. You don't teach initiative, you hire that. You don't teach good mannerisms, you don't teach composure under pressure. You hire that! You don't teach passion, you hire that. There are some things you just don't teach, you have to hire. Strive today then, to be the best that you can be because no one is drooling to teach you, yet everyone is looking to hire you.   Watch The Video  

A little eaglet is fed, nurtured and warmed by its parent, the Eagle. It bonds with its parent through a process called "Imprinting", which basically means it imitates all it sees in its parent. As the eaglet grows bigger, its parent starts to challenge it to fend for itself. Part of that fending for itself, is in learning how to fly. The eaglet is bonded with its nest, it is comfortable there and in many ways, has become complacent. The parent Eagle then stirs the nest. This it does by make the nest as uncomfortable as possible. The parent eagle stops bringing in the daily ration of meat. The parent eagle starts flapping near the nest to generate wind currents that lifts the eaglet up slightly. The parent may even create sharp twigs in the nest to prick at the eaglet, causing it to be more and more uncomfortable. The hungrier, cold and restless eaglet, after a while, is left with no choice than to leave the nest and become what it was called to be, what it was born to be - an Eagle.  Scriptures tell us that: As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;.. - Deuteronomy 11:13That is how the good Lord takes care of His own. He allows no place for complacency. He ushers his own into a place of rest but not necessarily a place of comfort. He declares: you have dwelt on this mountain far too long...its time to move on. It's time to become all He has called you to be. As the Eagle stirs the nest to ensure the eaglet becomes an eagle, so your heavenly father occasionally stirs up your outward circumstance to challenge, encourage and push you towards your calling. Are you struggling between faith and fear simply because your outward circumstance has suddenly changed? It's easy to fear that the devil has hit you based on your past sins. Rather than take this course, I want you to take the path of faith - that there is no condemnation. I want you to have faith that the Father is stirring the nest. Never forget that change is nothing but opportunity.   Watch The Video