Let me share a little experience with you on how David, a fervent brother in the Lord, got established into his career in life.
In 1994, David did his mandatory one year national graduate youth service (called NYSC) in one of the Eastern states in Nigeria. The government of Nigeria, by law, mandated all Nigerian youths under the age of 30 that just graduate from universities and polytechnics to embark on one year compulsory national service, whereby they are enrolled/enlisted and posted to different parts of the country where they serve for one year. During the one year, government pays them a monthly stipend for upkeep.
In accordance with this stipulation, David was posted to the far eastern part of Nigeria – far away from his original state of origin. He had challenges while in school – challenges of having enough to survive. No scholarship but sponsorship by one of his relatives. David was a very brilliant student. Nicknamed Aristotle by his peers. He had days he would have nothing to eat in a day or more. He could not afford the luxury of buying textbooks to study. His university library was inundated with old, non-relevant academic books. There was no internet at that time to leverage on for study. Everything was still analogue. It was still the era of punch cards etc. This was in the early 90’s.
David knew the Lord (that is accepted the Lord as his Savior) just when he was about to graduate from the university. To him, the future was so bleak because there were no promises to latch unto. No helper. No reference. No one to assist in getting a job. Finishing school to him was not a thing of joy because he knew the financial support from his family would drain off. He would be left on his own.
David embarked on the journey for the one year NYSC period. He was full of hope that he would have more time to go all out for God to preach the Word in a different territory. Though the future haunted him in terms of job, shelter and survival generally, he was excited at the opportunity to do the work of God.
During the NYSC, he was earning 9,800 Nigerian Naira (equivalent of US$439 at that time) in a month from NYSC and his primary place of assignment was paying additional 10,000 Naira (i.e. US$448). David sowed almost everything every month to the Red Cross Orphanage, other Orphanages, inmates at Enugu Prison near University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital and his local Pentecostal church. He was intoxicated to sow a seed unto the Lord. He never thought of returns. All for God. Drunk with love for God. He entered the prison every Monday to preach the gospel to inmates. Many got converted, many got healed instantly of their diseases. It was a thing of joy for David to see God confirming His Words with signs and wonders. David was not a pastor. He just got born again a year earlier. He was fascinated by the following two key Words from the Lord:
Luke 5:17 that says “And it came to pass on a certain day, as Jesus was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” and
Acts 10:38 that says “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil”
David saw the power of God in operation by simple faith in His Words. For his love for God, he gave all – he sowed all his clothes to the needy. He was drunk in love for God. The experience of a new birth – being born again – was intoxicating him. The desire to know Him and His power were overwhelming. He was dubbed as “criyo”, “SU fellow”, “good-for-nothing”, “religious fanatic” etc by family and friends. His mother threatened to disown Him if he didn’t renounce the faith (thank God she became born again few years later).
He was like the scum of the society before, during and after his return from NYSC. David returned to Lagos after service year with an empty luggage. All clothes gone as seed offering to the naked. Radio deck gone. His family members concluded he had gone crazy! But he got back joyous that he had served the King of Kings during the service year. He was overwhelmed with joy, though he had no hope of job or survival.
Like many corpers returning from NYSC, the reality set in. The financial support from parents or foster parents, relatives gone! The cares of this world, what to eat, what to wear, where to rest his head – all set in. David was homeless. He had no job, no salary, no house.
Because of his love for God and the brethren, he received help from his brethren where he fellowshiped. The brothers and sisters that were fervent in the Lord – walking in the spirit of the early church – those whose generosity abound to their poverty; those who were all out to help one another; young and fervent brothers and sisters who had just come to the Lord within four or five years or less. They love the Lord. Irrespective of their background or rich family heritage, they shed all for the Lord, loving the Lord and the brethren. Like the early apostles, these young men and women behaved in like manner as in Acts 4: 32 – 33. The scripture says. “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”
David got a temporary place to lay his head, courtsey his brethren. Despite all challenges, David continued serving the Lord in His vineyard as a prayer warrior.
He continued seeking job but none came his way. Despite knowing few people who knew the chairmen of big conglomerates, nothing came out of it. For the scripture says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:5
For three solid years, David was without jobs. He lived from hand to mouth. He lived every day at a time. He was helped by some brethren. Every passing day of the three years was bleak. But he had the greatest moment of being close to the Lord, learning about Him, desiring Him. And he received gifts from the Most High. Though he suffered hunger and lack, he met the Lord of Lords almost on daily basis. He saw strange visions of God – His manifest presence. He saw the Lord and His power. Giving up on searching for a job, David decided on his own to continue serving the Lord.
In the third year of “no job”, David vowed to go and serve the Lord in another land. He was moved by the Word of the Lord to Pharaoh that says “Let my people go that they may serve me.” With tears and unction to serve Him, David embarked on a missionary journey to Jalingo in Taraba State. He was excited. He sold all he had to prepare. He embarked on the journey that took him almost 24 hours to reach from Lagos.
Confident of the power of God and His presence with him, David arrived Jalingo. There was gross darkness over the town. A lot of men and women, young and old given to idolatry and drunkenness. That does not mean other states do not do the same. It is all over. Jalingo’s terrain was harsh, dusty and extremely hot, as though the sun stood still in its strength over the town. Very scorching sun indeed with the air blowing hot. Walls are baked in heat all day, emitting the same through the night. No respite from the heat of the day, even at night!
He met with another friend of his who was doing his NYSC in that state – a fellow brother who had urged him to come that the field is ripe for harvest. David spent one month there combing one village to another, preaching and laying hands on the sick – seeing manifestation of God’s Spirit. People getting healed by the Word. The demon possessed being freed from the clutches of darkness. Youths forsaking idolatry and drunkenness, giving their lives to Christ. Clothes going to them, even food etc. David was filled with joy of the Holy Ghost seeing the raw manifestation of God’s Power. No matter how simple your faith is, the Lord will reach out in mercy and kindness to fill it. He will show Himself strong on your behalf.
No sooner than later, the villagers and their chiefs became aware of the shift taking place within their villages – their kids not showing up again at the village square to drink locally brewed alcoholic beverage called “Burukutu”. The merchants of Burukutu were loosing revenue. The vices were going down from the youths. The villagers and chiefs became more furious when they realised David and his friend had started a Sunday school in one village primary school near them. What a mighty God!
One fateful Sunday, the entire villagers with their heads came to the school with clubs and sticks and hidden matchets, challenging the authority by which they preached, even to establish a Sunday school. With no satisfied explanation, they threatened to kill them if they did not stop. They ordered them not to ever preach in the school again. God sobering the situation down, they bundled them out like a sack – carried them on their shoulders and threw them down on the floor at the entrance of the village. David and his friend were so filled with joy that the scripture was being fulfilled on them. What a joy! They removed their shoes and shook them on the village and went away.
However, they continued preaching for days at different locations around Jalingo. They went from house to house at dusk to minister healing to the sick. They even staged a two day revival that only their converts attended. They went to Yola, aiming for Kona hill but missed the bus. The audacity was too much, filled with the Holy Ghost. It was joy in the Holy Ghost. Demons subject to the Lord of Host through their hands. They were not pastors but operated in the power of the Holy Ghost based on the revelations they had received of the Lord. God is no respecter of persons.
By the end of February 1998, David had ran out of money and he decided to go back to his base in Lagos to refill. He embarked on the journey home – a long and very tiresome one. While on the journey home along Gombe road in a rickety Station Wagon Peugeot car, David saw a vision in the sky while he was half asleep and half awake. He saw the heaven open and a voice thundered out of the heaven saying, “IT IS TIME FOR IT”. David never knew what “IT” meant. He had never heard about it. He wondered in his heart, “What is the Lord saying?” He got back to Lagos to find out from a senior friend in ICT field who explained it to him. Then David realized that the Lord had spoken to him the career he should pursue – Information Technology. David enrolled for Computer Programming Diploma in that same year. He learnt everything along his way about computer and programming. Imagine a Microbiology graduate becoming a programmer! The Lord set the path. Like the Word says in Proverbs 19:21, “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.”
As soon as David finished the diploma in 1999, he got two instant jobs effortlessly. He had seen a vacancy advert in a Guardian Newspaper for a programmer which he immediately went to submit his resume (curriculum vitae) in the Victoria Island office of the ICT company. He got the job instantly with the Hands of God.
To cut the story short, David became a very prolific programmer, versatile in all aspects of ICT (programming, enterprise application, networking, security, technology consulting, business consulting etc) over the years till date. He has worked for both local and international companies. The Lord has used the creativity and innovation in his mind to drive his ICT skills. He creates new things. His God’s given creativity has blossomed over the years, being led of the Lord in every major decision and steps.
From being a solitary man, the Lord has set David in family with his own wife and children. He reaped from the same region he had sown the Words of the Lord many years ago during his NYSC. David is no longer a homeless fellow, but owns his own giving glory to the Lord. He gives shelter to the homeless. He feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, supports the orphans and widows, helps the poor in their education.
Luke 12:48 says “…For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”
David’s success all came from seeking the Lord and His kingdom – pursuing to delight the Lord at all times. It all depends on knowing His Voice, fellowship with Him. The Great Master said in Matthew 6:31-33, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
It is easy for us to worry about them. We are human. But the One that creates everything says “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” – His will, His direction, His delight.
On Sunday, I published an article on called “The God of Glory Thunders!” It explains the Person of the Holy Spirit leading us and guiding us in life.
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all righteousness. All other things shall be added. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
God bless you as you yield to Him and His instruction for your life.
Jesus is Lord!
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