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Victim of change – Part 2

By Emmanuel O.S. Okereke
25 June 2017   |   3:32 am
There is a wide spectrum of the meaning and understanding of change. However, change, they say, is one constant thing in life and it is in itself, to make the form, nature and content different, unlikely from what it was initially.

Rev. Emmanuel O.S. Okereke

In 1 Samuel 17, David rescued his people from the humiliation of Goliath. And because the women sang his praise, elevating him over the king (Saul), made this man that was the actor or victor of war to become a victim.

In Esther 7, Haman that schemed to eliminate the nation of Israel was later hung at the gallows he made for Mordecai and he, his house and his people became victims of the change they sought.

In 2 Kings 3, though the Lord had promised victory over Moab to His people, upon the sacrifice by the king of Moab of his son, he and his nation were liberated from the oppression of God’s people, hence, the heir apparent to the throne became the victim of that change.

In Judges 11, Jephthah made a vow and upon his victory, his lovely daughter, who was sacrificed to the Lord, became the victim of that change. The Lord’s message for us at this time is, it is either we are victims of change or catalysts for change and for the roles we choose to play today, as a result of our actions and inactions as a people, we all shall equally be liable. We shall all be responsible and accountable for whatsoever happens and what we become as a people.

There is a wide spectrum of the meaning and understanding of change. However, change, they say, is one constant thing in life and it is in itself, to make the form, nature and content different, unlikely from what it was initially.

A victim is a person who suffers a destructive or negative effect of an action. And, like we were all taught in secondary school chemistry, a catalyst is that which speeds up the rate of change of a chemical reaction, but remains unchanged at the end of the reaction.

This message has been made very clear, as agitations and counter agitations are going on in every part of our country, with people declaring the kind of change they desire. The question is: Do they realise they can become victims or catalysts of the change they seek?

The truth remains that progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. Those who are met by sudden change break, while those who anticipate change bend.

If we realise that failure is part of success, that life goes in turns, that falling is not the issue but to rise after falling, that we are bigger than our failures, the head of a new generation that must be better than our parents, then we must think, speak and act in a manner that we become catalysts of change and not victims of change.

In every change, be it political, cultural, economic, academic, religious and more, there are the actors, catalysts, speculators, spectators, peddlers and victims. And for change to effectively take place, there are people who must PAY the price. That is why I warned that no one should assume that they have an edge over any other in the process of change (1Cor. 1:12), as the roles and titles change spontaneously, dynamically and simultaneously. The actors can become the victims, and so is any other title or role…for they are saying peace and safety and sudden destruction will come (1 The.5: 3).

It is my prayer for us all that as various agitations and counter agitations are going across the nation, we will prayerfully consider and reconsider our immediate and remote roles, our possible and projected roles, or probable and anticipated roles, so that at the end, we will emerge as catalysts, victors and never VICTIMS of any kind of CHANGE in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen! Shalom.

Rev. Emmanuel O. S. Okereke is the Founder/Presiding Bishop of Divine Power Pentecostal Chapel Inc. Mechanic Village, Off Osolo Way, Behind Aswani Market, Isolo, Lagos.
www.sheperdhousedppc.org, info@sheperdhousedppc.org, 08033844117

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