Pastor Taiwo Odukoya’s first message at WAFBEC 2015 came with the title – Called, Endowed and Enabled.
1Corinthians 1:26-31, Matthew 25:14-30
In the above scriptures, we can learn of the characteristics of the Kingdom of God as it pertains to our relationship with God. Pastor Taiwo drew a parallel between the parable of the talent, the story of the rich ruler who travelled to a far country and the lifestyle /culture of the kingdom.
The Man before embarking on His Journey, CALLED his OWN SERVANTS and DELIVERED unto them GOODS. He had possessions i.e. he owned the Kingdom and the Servants. He also had authority to call and to deliver unto them GOODS for their profiting. This Man represents God in our lives. Like this man, God exercises ownership over all. And by the virtue of being in Christ, God has placed a call upon all His children. In the body of Christ, there is not one without a specific call upon their life. It is only in God’s kingdom that every citizen is a son!
Luke 12:32, Acts 1:8
Anyone God calls, He endows. Pastor Taiwo emphasized the giving nature of God, explaining that if God could give us Jesus, how will He not with Him will also freely give us all things? Ask from Him, it is His very nature to give. It gives the Father great pleasure to give us the kingdom. God gives everyone according to their several abilities. No one knows our abilities like our Maker. He calls, protects and empowers with gifts and everything needed. We are enabled and as we mature and become wiser, we shine brighter.
God expects that we put to good use His call and gift. The man instructed the servants to trade with their gifts. You have to engage your God-given abilities. The ability you don’t engage…you lose! It is given for the increase of the Kingdom. You are loaded with potentials.
God sees you according to the measure of His endowment and deposit in your life. If you would see yourself as God sees you, you will go through the fire and water with assurance. Ask Him to help you see yourself as He sees you. Engage your abilities and deploy your resources for use in the work of God. Jesus thoroughly engaged and deployed His abilities; we are to follow His example
There is no useless man or woman in God’s kingdom. Being born again should settle a lot of things in the life of a believer because each is ordained to shine brighter and brighter. Keep on walking, keep on moving, irrespective of encounters along the way, it can only get glorious. There is no room for sulking and self pity in the kingdom, keep moving, there is no static position i.e. one either keeps moving forward or ends up backward.
Faith is only authenticated by action. Be it great or small faith, the action taken in faith brings the manifestation. The first step is vital for it defines the victorious reaping. Peter took that vital step of faith and walked on water. It is recorded that he is the only other person that accomplished this feat.
In every calling, there is a time for accountability. Upon his return, the man asked all his servants to give account and their productivity was commended and rewarded. It pleased Him to see that the goods He delivered to them had been put to good use. It takes faith to please God and we need to begin to exercise faith in the deployment of God given abilities for the benefit of the Kingdom and to the Glory of the Father.
We should not hide our talents like the unprofitable servant. Come out of hiding, there’s an assignment here for every individual. Face it! To him who has, more will be given. To the unproductive, even what he has shall be taken away because he does not value what he has.
Celebrate those who should be celebrated and others will celebrate you too. No man can stop God’s kingdom principle of increase from working in your life. Value what is in your hand, don’t despise what God has given you i.e. talent, endowments, etc. Just as God asked Moses what he had in his hand…He poses the same question to you