THE PRICE AND PRIZE OF VICTORY
BY
BROTHER CHRISTOPHER U. EBIALA
Aka
Chris for Christ
09036472396
NIHIL OBSTAT
REV. FR. PETER EGIM,
Parish Priest
R.C.M Parish, Iso-Bendeghe-Boki
L.G.A., Cross River State – Nigeria
ISBN; 978 – 02 – 4678
Printed by;
Links Computer Printers, Okundi Boki L.G.A Cross River State (NIG)
Along Ogoja Road, Beside Human Right Filling State Okundi, Boki L.G.A
07068919125, 09068147182
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to the Holy Spirit for His inspiration that moved me into this work of prophetic writing through the council of our Lord Jesus Christ and confirmed by the God Almighty.
I also dedicate this book to all lovers of God whom through their disciplinary kind of life, are persistently striving toward their purpose in life to fulfill what God has designated for them in regards to their destiny.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I humbly express my profound gratitude to Rev. Fr. Peter Egim the parish priest of R.CM Parish Iso-Bendeghe-Boki L.G.A Cross River State, for his encouragement and support as well as reading correcting and censoring this book. The efforts of Pastor Kelvin Kombo, Pastor Samuel Yakubu, Pastor Simon Nworie are highly appreciated.
I wish also to thank Rev. Fr. Mikel Godwin Arakor, the Parish Priest of Christ the King Parish Okpoma, Yala L.G.A, my home parish. Also worthy of mention are Rev. Fr. Matin Ohiero Wonah.
I wish to thank the encouragement of His Royal Highness Chief Akan Leonard Eshua and my dear brother Joseph Oluohu Ogar, my uncle Christopher Ukwa Ebinyi, my mother Agnes Oji Aduma, my younger sister Regina Ebiala, Mr. and Mrs. Sylverster Edrah Odey Brothers Michael Aboyi Ogar, Blaise Chi Okpo, Lawrence Ochoga, Michael Agu Ebriku, Oliver Eriba, Godwin Lifu, Christopher Ukwa Ojohu as well as the entire members of Mustard Seed Prayer Group, Christ the King Parish Okpoma Yala L.G.A Ogoja Diocese. Not left out are my entire family members. I thank all of them for their support and contributions to the success of this book.
FORWORD
With God all things are possible, LK18:27. God can do all things for us, but first we need to pay the price, by our own effort toward our dreams and visions in life. Then we can win the victory and finally receive our prize.
All news from the media is discouraging and discomforting. But whose report will you believe. (2cor 5:7). The questions of many people today are: can I still succeed in life? Why did God even create me, is life worth living? Could this be the will of God for me? Many have given up to self defeatism, frustration and failure in life.
Bro Christopher U. Ebiala is reassuring us in this book that we are serving the God who is and unchangeable changer. Even though the world turns up side down, we will be joyful and glad, because the Lord God is our savior; the sovereign Lord gives us strength. He makes us sure footed as a deer and keeps us safe on the mountains. Habakkuk 3:17-19. Our God is timely and timeless. Christopher is encouraging us never to give up until we have our last attempt, and we have succeeded. Resoluteness is the word he uses!
We are all enjoined to remain resilient, focused and most importantly patient! Because if there is any problem patience cannot solve it, impatient can never and will never solve it. Have you lost courage in God and confidence in yourself?
ARISE NOW, FIGHT ON AND conquer!
Rev. Fr. Peter Egim
Parish Priest
R.C. M Iso-Bendeghe Boki L.G.A. CRS
Table of Content
Dedication -
Acknowledgement
Forward
Introduction
No Barrier No Breakthrough
No Challenge No Champion
No Cross No Crown
No Desire No Decision
No Direction No Destination
No Destination No Destiny
No Discovery No Recovery
No Event No History
No Faith No Future
No Goal No Achievement
No Job No Joy
No Labour No Favour
No Opposition No Position
No Prayer No Power
No Plan No Progress
No price No Prize
No Ransom No Redemption
No Sacrifice NO Salvation
No Stress No Success
No Test No Testimony
No Conversation No Conversion
No Fight No Freedom
No Freedom No Kingdom
No Proclamation No Persecution
No Preparation No Preservation
No Purpose No Problem
No Information No Transformation
No Sin No Shame
No Trial No Triumph
No Wisdom No Winning
INTRODUCTION
Most people often think that they can never become anything reasonable in the society; they believe that God creates some special people to be successful in life. This is a big deception that is authored by the devil and manipulated through human weaknesses in affecting our mentality to act negatively. That we can never become what we ought to be in life according to God’s deposited potential talents that he laid within us.
God is not partial to make some people great and others small but has given all men equal opportunity to become the best in their field of interest.
The response by different individual makes the difference. This is responsible for the difference in the achievement people make in life. So we are all given equal chances to become what we want to be in life. There is no need for operating under your potentials, as deposited by God. It may interest you to know that you can also be a victor despite the various challenges that tend to frustrate your God-given dream and vision and be recognized in life as a great achiever, it is possible to become what you believe, if you do not relent your effort. Resoluteness is the screw that drives your vision or dream into fulfillment; it motivates your God-given potential talents in you to be effectives and efficient enough in your performance in life. This book is meant to encourage you to rise up to the challenges of life with greater expectation than ever before. Also to help you realize that you are much more than what you think you are in the moment.
Your present circumstances or situations do not define your overall destiny in life. It is a temporal working process leading you to your victory, after which you will receive you prize. Never get confused because of your present circumstances, which may end up frustrating and terminating your God-given vision. No matter the battle of life around you, always hold on to your dreams with courage, and victory will be yours, there is a victor inside you.
Chapter 1 No Barrier
No Breakthrough
The barriers or obstacles that we often experience in life are meant to strengthen us. Each time you overcome an obstacle in life, it gives you joy. Does it not? It does for sure. It makes you to realize your strength. But without obstacles, you will not know if you are strong or not.
Sometimes you may not be able to overcome, but don’t be discouraged. Instead make a careful study of the problem, so that when next you are faced with a similar obstacle in life, you will know how to make your breakthrough.
There is a saying that if an animal does not escape from a hunter, he will not know how to balance while hunting. So if an antelope escapes from you today, believe that next time even if an elephant comes your way, you can kill it.
Therefore, let us face the future with faith.
Chapter 2 No Challenge
No Champion
As we all know life is full of challenges therefore, let us keep on tr
ying. With God all things are possible. Lk.1:37. God allows certain things to come our ways so that we can know how powerless we are without Him. “Jesus said in John 15:5, cut off from me you can do nothing”.
That is why he said in Psalm 50:15 call on me in the time of trouble and I will save you that you will praise my name. Meanwhile, in any situation of our life let us look up to God and he will save us Isaiah 45:22
Nothing good comes easy, this is so because of the challenges you face before you can be enthroned.
He who knows the shame of defeat will fight and fight to the bottom of his soul. So let us raise up to the challenges of our life, like David in 1st (Samuel 17:37)
Chapter 3 No Cross
No Crow
“In Matthew 16:24 Jesus said, if any of you wants to come with me, you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me.”
The heavier the cross the brighter the crown. Any time you fine your cross becoming heavier than usual, know that there is a brighter crown nearer to you.
There is a saying that, the darkest hour is nearest dawn. God does not give anybody a cross that is heavier than his ability to carry. Those who endure to the end shall be saved Mk. 13:13. Lack of endurance makes some people drop their crosses on the way, thereby missing their crown of salvation.
Some who run away from their crosses are those who want to wear the brightest crown, how can that be possible? Since we are Christians, let us try to be like Christ in all ramifications in order to receive our glorious crown in the end.
Chapter 4 No Desire
No Decision
Before we take any decision in life, we must have desired something. This can be right or wrong decision. That is why a wise man must always consider his desire before taking any decision in life. Even our decision also must be reconsidered before we put it into practice. So in order to avoid regret, we must be very careful about our desire and decision in life.
Sometimes our prayers are not answered because of our wrong desire and decision, which the Bible calls wrong motive in prayer. I believe God always answers my prayers, even if He does not answer, He answers because what I consider right may be wrong in God’s sight.
Just like parents are not suppose to give a child anything he ask for, because not all will be good for him, so does our God.
Chapter 5 No Direction
No Destination
We cannot go to anywhere without knowing the direction to where ever we are going.
Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life; no one goes to the father but by me. Therefore, where is your destination in life? Heaven should be our destination and Jesus is the way to heaven. He says I am the way… He makes a way where there is no way; He is always with us to direct our steps.
Furthermore; if you have not known him, you are lost. But I have good news for you; you can fine him in John 14:6. That is why we say, without Jesus in your life, your life is miserable.
If you have everything in your life, without Jesus means you have nothing at all. You cannot be satisfied because nothing can take the place of Jesus in your life. But having Jesus means having everything.
Chapter 6 No Destination
No Destiny
Sometimes our destiny can be delayed because of our inability to find the right destination for our destiny to be fulfilled. This is so because God gives everybody his destiny at a particular destination. Lack of patience can take us away from the right direction for our destiny in life. For instance, if your destiny is in the village and you run to the city because your friend whose destiny is in the city has succeeded. You will be causing more delay for yourself, as you must return back home before receiving your destiny.
So when we pray, let us be patient, let us give God time. James 5:7-11 sometimes God delays to test our faith as in the case of Abraham, whom we call our father in faith Gen 21:1-8. When God’s time comes, he will not fail us.
Chapter 7 No Discovery
No Recovery
Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open for you. Matthew 7:7. This shows that we must seek to find out what is wrong with us in life before we can get the solution to it.
In the hospital, what the doctor does is first, to examine the patient to discover the sickness, and then he goes further to the right treatment, thereafter the patient recovers from his sickness. That is what we should do in all endeavours of life.
Before we ask God for anything we must be ready to persist. Patience matters a lot in this regard. Let us take example from Job “I will wait until my change comes: and he waited and God blessed him double. Read Job 14: 14 and Job 42:12-17
Chapter 8 ` No Event
No History
There is time for everything. Ecclesiastes 3:1-15. Nothing is new; God makes the same thing happen again and again.
Ecclesiastes 3:15
Some times when you are faced with problems in life, you think yours is the worst, not so, many people have passed through such problems before you. The reason why we have history is to enable us know about what had happened to others before us. And grow from it (benefit from it).
As the saying goes everybody thinks his burden the heaviest. My people also say that the person who is standing thinks it is easier for the one who is bending down. Therefore anything that happens to us let us believe that God allows it for our good and the good of those who will come after us.
Chapter 9 No Faith
No Future
To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain about the thing we cannot see. Heb. 11:1.
Hope is the least thing a man loses in life. So if you have lost everything don’t lose hope. You Lord are all I have, you give me all I need, and my future is in your hands. Psalm 16:5. This is a great expression of faith about the future. I hereby enjoin you to keep your faith alive, as long as you live.
There are three things that last, faith hope and love, and love is the greatest of all. 1 Cor.13:13. This shows that, before you have faith, you must love, first yourself, God and others, because you cannot love anybody else except you have a genuine love for yourself. No one can give what he does not have. Above all let us try to look forward to our future with greater expectation and God will see us through.
Chapter 10 No Goal
No Achievement
So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God’s call through Christ Jesus to the life above. Philippians 3:14
As you can see with me, our brother Saint Paul set a goal for himself before running toward it. If a person has no goal in life he will be casing the wind Ecclesiastes 1:14
Now what is your goal in life? Is it to build many mansions and buy many flashy cars? These are good things to do but not the best, the best is found in Matthew 6:33 First seek the kingdom of God and its righteousness and every other thing shall be added to it.
But if you choose to enjoy the world and forget your soul, your life will be miserable. Ecclesiastes 2: 17-26
What does it profit a man if he wins the whole world and loses his soul Matthew 16:26.
Chapter 11 No Job
No Joy
The Lord God said, I will bless the work of your hands and you shall be successful in everything you do. Isaiah 65:23. The joy of having a job can be found in the same book of Isaiah 65:17-25.
Many people are sad when they have no Job. But as soon as they get the job, they are filled with joy. But unfortunately, some are so joyful to the extent that they forget that it was God who gave them the job. Such people start engaging themselves with all kinds of evil activities. They think it was by their own power, not knowing that God gave them the job and can still take it away from them if He wishes. Some say that they have no job because they are not satisfied with what they have. I hereby enjoin such people to read I Timothy 6:6-10. They will get the picture of their life there. What I call a job is anything you do that God uses it to bless others, eg by t
aking care of patient in the hospital.
Chapter 12 No Labour
No Favour
Don’t worry, Elijah said to her, go on and prepare your meal. But first make a small loaf from what you have and bring it to me, and then prepare the rest for you and your son. 1 Kings 17:13
As you can see here, what this woman did is nothing but labour. Now read from the same 1 king 17:14-16. Here you can see that she received favour from God as a reward for her labour.
The bible says that children are gift from God. But before a child is born, the mother must undergo a painful experience call labour, after which she rejoices because she has received a favour of child birth from God. Psalm 127:3
The farmers have to labour in order to plant their crops, but they rejoice in the time of harvest which is the reward of their labour. So you can now agree with me that without labour, there will be no favour Ps. 126:6