Yes, Manze ni God!

Yes, Manze ni God!

I love to set goals; short-term, long-term….name them! However, I have slowly learned and continue to learn that you need spiritual backing for you to achieve these goals or prosper in life.

You can have all ducks in a row or all the ingredients/resources you need but still fall short or even fail. Even with skill, experience, and hardwork, you can fail or come up empty. Learned, skilled, and even talented people do go hungry.

Peter, a skilled and experienced fisherman, spends all night fishing but catches nothing. He has all the tools/resources for his work. He puts in the time and effort. He also applies his skill and experience. Yet he bore no fruits!

It is until Jesus showed up that things turned around. Note that it’s the same environment and same tools but different results. These astonishing results can only be attributed to the game changer, Jesus Christ!

Luke 5:2 NIV – He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.

The fact that they were washing the nets shows me that they had called it quits after toiling the entire night but got no catch.

Luke 5:3 NIV  He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

Luke 5:4-5 NIV  When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

I love one thing about Peter; though he was tired, still at the word of Jesus, he let down the nets.

Also read: The Power of Obedience: Why You Should Obey God

Luke 5:6-7 NIV  When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

Luke 5:8 NIV  When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Peter being a fisherman by profession, had always caught fish. However, he goes down on his knees, astonished by the great catch they had caught. He understood that this was miraculous. The catch was so great that the nets began to break. They filled the 2 boats with fish that they began to sink.

Other fishermen who probably met Peter after getting the catch would have inquired from him; “Peter how did you do this?” Peter would have answered: “Manze ni God”. Of course, this is the most truthful and logical explanation after having read the story and understanding that it is until Jesus showed up and told him to cast the nets into the deep that they caught the great catch. Otherwise, without this understanding, you’d think that he doesn’t want to share the “secret of his success”.

Isaac is blessed at a time when there was a severe famine. The bible is so clear that Isaac prospered because the Lord was with him. Despite whichever location he migrated to after conflicts because he was becoming too great, that his neighbors envied and were afraid of him. He prospered everywhere he settled. God favor located him. In fact, I would say that God’s favor pursued him.  Based on this, I believe I don’t need to go abroad for me to be blessed. God’s blessings will locate his children anywhere they are! Unless God instructs me to move to a certain location because there is a blessing to be possessed when you obey God!

Also read: Called to Love God UNCONDITIONALLY

Genesis 26:12 NIV Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.

Moses, understanding the importance of God’s presence, tells God that they will not move an inch if God did not go with them.

Exodus 33:1 NIV Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

Deuteronomy 29:5-6 NIV Yet the LORD says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the LORD your God.”

2 Samuel 6:6-10 NIV When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?” He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

2 Samuel 6:11 NIV The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.

The ark of the covenant carried God’s presence. Obed-Edom did the same thing he used to do. He was blessed and his entire household because of God’s presence. Otherwise, the ark of the covenant was the only difference.

In the same line, to show that the ark of the covenant carried God’s presence.  How can a staff sprout, blossom and produce fruit? Yes, Manze ni God!

Numbers 17:6 NIV So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

You, like most people, may find yourself doing all the right things but getting different/unexpected results. You need supernatural backing! It is true; “Manze ni God.” Even a well-articulated plan will fail! Only God can guarantee an expected end.

Proverbs 21:31 GNT You can get horses ready for battle, but it is the LORD who gives victory.

I know for a fact, if you lack God’s backing, you will progress at the pace of men. Elijah ran and overtook Ahab’s chariots.  Divine acceleration is from God.

1 Kings 18:46 NIV – The power of the LORD came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Psalm 127:1-2 NKJV Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.

REST is what God offers. May the bread of sorrows not be your portion!

Ecclesiastes 2:26 NLT God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Every good thing will be fought. You need to be on God’s side. Otherwise, you will not withstand the opposition. If you are not facing opposition, then you’re probably not doing anything great!

Acts 5:38-39 NKJV And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”

Trust in God entirely. Commit all your plans to him. Let him guide you and establish your plans.