No doubt, year 2023 is no longer new; as the first month of the year is gradually winding down. Yet, there is still time to grab your portion of divine blessings embedded in the year. However, if you aim at nothing, you will surely hit nothing. Therefore, proper and early preparation is pivotal for success and achievements in any life endeavour. A popular axiom says ‘to fail to prepare is to prepare to fail.’ Thus, the failure of a man to adequately prepare will definitely land him in regrets.
The title of this charge is the angelic word unto Prophet Elijah, when he was on the run from the threats of Jezebel. The word came to Elijah when he was tired, famished, and sleeping. Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, ‘Arise and eat’ (1Kings 19:5). The word of the Lord came the second time that he should arise and eat, because the journey was too long for him. Hence, Elijah was supernaturally fed- he ate and drank twice of the food prepared by an angel (1Kings 19:6-8). Consequently, he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb! The spiritual connotation and implication of the divine food eaten by Elijah is PREPARATION. Beloved, the journey of the year 2023 is yet far; so, you cannot afford to continue with little or no preparation. It is good that you have lofty dreams, goals and aspirations! However, the salient question is how prepared are you? There are certain ‘foods’ you need to ‘eat’ in preparation to continue the journey of this year with strength, vigour and vitality. There are basically two dimensions of preparation required for a successful life; spiritual and physical. Spiritually, you need to arise and ‘eat’ the word of God in order to have the spiritual stamina needed to tackle the challenges of the year. In addition, you need to turn prayer to your regular meal to combat the power of darkness. Likewise, faith is an arsenic weapon needed to conquer the antics and tactics of Satan. As Apostle Paul succinctly put it in Ephesians 6:10-17, you need to be strong in the Lord and put on the whole armour of God. Physically, you need to update your knowledge in several ways including attending seminars, workshops, conferences, etc. You can also read books and biographies about people who have been successful in your chosen area or anything you want to achieve in life.
Friend, to ‘arise and eat’ is to get yourself prepared, equipped and positioned for the present and future. You cannot afford to continue the year unprepared or with shoddy preparation. SHALOM
