Not the labour of my hands, by Pastor Samuel Obafaiye
Labour is defined as hardwork or making great effort. Hardwork and making great efforts in life is very good and it pays. It is a virtue that is taught from generation to generation. Our parents taught us early in life, to work hard as we grow, so that we might enjoy later in life.
Jesus also taught us this through the parable of the talents. Two people worked hard with their talents and they were rewarded adequately. One person didn’t work with his talent and was punished severely (Mt. 25:14-30).
Jesus Himself was a hardworking Man while He was here on earth. By Jewish tradition, He was to start His ministry at 30 years of age, but from the age of 12 He had begun working already (Luke 2:49).
And he said unto them, how is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
When He became of age also, having known that He had few years to accomplish His mission, He worked very hard (John 9:4).
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Therefore, as clever people and also as believers, we must to work hard. The bible says will make us to stand before kings and not before ordinary people (Prov. 22:29).
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
For one to stand out in life, the bible says two things must have worked in their favour: Time and Chance (Eccl. 9:11).
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happened to them all.
However, if these two attributes of success are becoming evasive to a child of God to work with, God can by Himself supernaturally uplift that person to where time and chance could not have taken him/her.
Though it’s good to engage in labour, but not all labours are meant for us as children of God. The children of Israel were conducting their labours at Goshen when they moved into Egypt, but at a later time, they entered into another era of labours that was slavery.
Exodus 1:11
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
You will not slave away in life in Jesus name.
May little input in life give you a tremendous output in Jesus name.
In my secondary school days, there used to be a period in our time table I hated very well. It’s called ‘Labour’. It’s essentially cutting of grass with cutlass, at the end of which my right palm will be filled with blisters. Studying then was enough labour, cutting of grass was another altogether. My children today do not know what cutlass does to grass. Tractors do it for them.
May God take unrequired labours out of your life. Efforts that are not necessary are waste of time and waste of energy. You will not engage in such.
There are many examples of people in the bible that God supernaturally blessed more than what the labour of their hands could have given them, and I’m not talking about embezzlement or stealing.
Moses was a hardworking fellow. He acquired lots of degrees academically. He was trained to be a warrior and a ruler. But what made him stood out in life was because he was a prophet extraordinary. His ability to perform numerous signs and wonders was something else. It certainly was not the doing of his hands. It was the help of Jehovah. His secret was the ‘Rod’ (Ex. 4:17).
And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
If it’s an object that will turn you into an extraordinary success, may God place that object in your hands.
David was just a little boy, the eighth son of his father, a mere Shepherd boy and the errand child in the family. However, this little boy became extraordinary great in life. He became a fearless warrior, the most celebrated king in Jewish history and a friend of God. These were not achieved by the labours of his hands, the secret was the Spirit of God upon his life (I Sam. 16: 12).
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
Otherwise, how can a lad kill lion and bear with hand? There was a supernatural side to the story.
May the Spirit of God rest upon you afresh today and transform you to wonder. May your hand be an extension of God’s hands.
Nehemiah was a hardworking man; otherwise he would not have risen to become the cupbearer of the king of Persia as a foreigner. But he embarked on a task that the labour of his hands couldn’t have done. He rebuilt the walls and the gates of Jerusalem amidst mockery and wars in 52 days! It was because the hand of God was upon him (Neh. 2:8; 18). The hand of God does valiant things.
Nehemiah 2:8
And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
Nehemiah 2:18
Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
– May the hand of God set you apart in Jesus name.
You will soon complete a project that will shock even yourself.
Abraham was a hardworking man too. His herds grew; his servants also grew denoting his efforts. He agreed to travel on foot from today’s Iraq to Israel, in a terrible terrain, to me that was great effort! He also tried for a child for several numbers of years. He was later to be the father of Israel. His secret however lies in change of name and a surprise visitation.
If you require a change of name to make you excel beyond labours, may God confer that name on you. The same was experienced by Jacob.
If yours is tied to Divine visitation, may God visit you surprisingly today in Jesus name.
Jacob and Esau were born as twins. But because Esau came out first, he became the senior and heir to the Abrahamic covenant. Later in their lives, Esau sold that birth right to Jacob, but because no one was there, Esau thought he could eat his cake and still have it. He agreed to receive the blessings now meant for Jacob. He went out to labour for the meal his father would eat and blessed him. But before he came back, Jacob had received the sought after blessing without the labour of his hands. His mother did everything for him! (Gen. 27:6-17).
May you receive assistance that will take you beyond the labour of your hands in Jesus name. May God combine hands together to lift you up in Jesus name.
I have laboured a lot in life. Like Jacob told Pharaoh, little is my years compared to my father, but I have had my share of labour. However, the stage I am in life today is not the labour of my hands. It has been by the special grace of God. I still trust Him for more supernatural favours.
Do you believe you can enjoy more than the labour of your hands? This is a time to ask.
Prayer
Almighty Father, chase away any negative aura that might want to cling on me.
Almighty Father, let my voice, let my looks and all that pertains to me attract favour to me.
Almighty Father, let me be prefer for good anywhere I go.
Almighty Father, let my entire life be characterised with favour and acceptance.
Almighty Father, please create super vacancies for me in life and make good room for me.
Almighty Father, let no man or woman decline my genuine request that they can deliver.
Not the labour of my hands, by Pastor Samuel Obafaiye was delivered on Thanksgiving Service of February 1, 2015