Who told you that you are naked?

WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU ARE NAKED?

“Your perspectives in life determines the outcome of your life”

—Olakunle Orimaye Paul.

Myles Munroe said and I quote, “The cemetery is the richest place on earth”. Why did he say that? Because, in the cemetery, you will find books which were never written; songs, never sung; companies never built; inventions, never made; messages, never preached; potentials, never maximized; talents, never used, etc, all buried within people. This is so sad and it’s quite unfortunate. However, the fact that these people all died without releasing all that had been deposited into them is not as painful as realizing that they never fulfilled God’s plan for their lives.

A life lived without fulfilling God’s plan to me — which of course is the truth — is nothing but a meaningful and insignificant life. Success is no more than living to achieve the purpose of your existence for the benefit of humanity, and advancement of the kingdom of God. The place of God’s plan is central to human’s existence. The creator never created you to just make numbers in the earth. No! His intention was what brought about your conception. And, like I always say, your birth might be accidental; but, your creation by God was not! The fact that you find yourself on this part of the universe already means that God has a plan for your life. This understanding is more than crucial to your successful living.

I have come to discover that many who lived never to fulfil God’s plan for their lives were those who thought they were naked. Naked? Yes, I mean, naked! Many youth today who are wasting their precious lives on immorality, cultism, and all other vices do that because they believe they are naked. What exactly does this nakedness mean? What did I mean by them believing they are naked? Let’s back off to the creation story.

The Bible in Gen. 1:26, 27 reveals to us that God created man in his own image. Man was mirrored after God. He was created to behave, act and live like God on the earth. However, man lost the beautiful relationship he initially had with the creator God through sin. Man through the serpent was deceived into sinning against God, and consequently, man died (in the Spirit) — lost connection with God. He had been dependent on God before the fall. But, for us to really comprehend the nature of the fall which led to the rejection of man, and consequently brought the whole of humanity into the calamity of sinful captivity we must critically study the nature of the devil’s deceit.

The Bible records that the serpent came to Eve, and asked if God had asked them not to eat of the forbidden tree. Eve answered affirmatively, telling him God had commanded them against eating the fruit. The devil went further, in a bid to make her commit the sin, to tell Eve that, they would not really die, and that in fact, eating of the tree would make them be like God — a concept of independence. Remember, God had made the two of them (Adam & Eve) realized that their continued survival depended on him (by not eating of the tree). But, the devil changed the mindset, orientation and philosophy of man by making man realized that, he (man) could actually live without God. He gave man a new perspective and orientation (which actually is false) about himself, thereby introducing the concept of independence to man. Prior to this time, Man had always viewed himself from God’s perspective, but the devil was the one who introduced a new perspective to man. Man, giving in to the devil’s philosophy (by eating of the tree) suddenly realized he was NAKED! Wait; was he not physically naked before that time? Of course, he was, but he never viewed himself from the physical perspective. He had always understood himself from God’s perspectives (which of course were not naked). The naked consciousness of man was as a result of man accepting the new philosophy introduced by the devil to him which eventually made him to see himself which was no more as God sees him. The philosophy of independence! (Will talk more about this in my subsequent write ups).

So, now we understand that that the concept of nakedness was the devil’s idea, and not God’s idea. No wonder the first question God asked Adam was, “WHO TOLD THEE THAT THOU WAST NAKED?”, that is, who gave you a new perspective about yourself? Who made you see yourself, not as I see you? God, knowing what could have caused the sudden realization of man (which according to the Bible actually means opening of eyes, because the Bible says, their eyes were opened), asked him if he had eaten of the tree.

Man was unable to fulfill God’s plan for his life because he saw himself as naked (a devilish concept and perspective). This new prospective led to the failure of the first man, but thank God for Jesus who came to restore the broken relationship. I want you to look critically at the way you are living your life. Are you really living for God and his purpose for your life or you are only living for yourself and for the devil? Are you seeing yourself the way God sees you or you are seeing yourself the way the world and the devil sees you (naked).

Like I said earlier, many who failed in fulfilling God’s plan for their lives are those who see themselves from another perspective. The way others see you does not matter my dear reader. The way you see yourself, and the way God sees you is what matters! Never allow anybody to introduce a new perspective about yourself to you. Have they told you that you cannot succeed in life because of your educational background? It’s a lie! Tell them you are not naked! Do you see the chances of you succeeding in life as very slim due to your course of study? No, never give in to that philosophy! Are you thinking your low grade in the higher institution is the end of your life? No, it’s not true. Wole Soyinka, the first Africa Nobel Laureate, was a third class graduate. The best PHD student of the University of Lagos in their last convocation in 2019 was a third class graduate. Am I encouraging mediocrity? Never! I hate it with my life! I’m never a friend to a mediocre. I’m an excellence oriented person. But, I want you to realize that your low performance in school is not the end of your destiny. Keying into God’s plan for your life is what matters. Many of the greatest leaders the world has produced emerged from a poor background. People like, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Martin Luther, Michael Faraday, EA Adeboye, WF Kumuyi, Albert Einstein, Myles Munroe, David Oyedepo, Goodluck Jonathan, etc. Don't see yourself from the perspectives of your society or background. Rather, see yourself from Gods perspective. Myles Munroe, while in high school, was first called a black monkey and half human. He later rose to become a widely known international inspirational speaker. Thank God, he never saw himself the way the teacher saw him. Albert Einstein teacher once told his mum he could not be brilliant. Albert Einstein later contributed a substantial aspect of the knowledge in science. Thank God he never viewed himself also as naked - from his teachers' perspectives. Hear what God says about you, "I know the thoughts that i think towards you they are the thoughts of peace and of evil that you might have an expected end".

Your beginning might not look as if you are really going anywhere now, but you just maintain God's view about your life. You will get o your God ordained destiny. The colleagues of Joseph in the prison were seeing him as a prisoner but Joseph I believe was seeing himself as a king on the throne. He found himself in the dungeon, but never saw himself in the dungeon: rather, he maintained the vision God had given him. No wonder he knew exactly what to do when the devil, through his masters wife, was deceiving him to trade his glorious future for a temporary pleasure, He knew Gods plan for his life was never to be the head slave of potipher's house but to get to the throne. If he had yielded to the temptation, he could have remained a successful slave, and never ascended the throne at all. He was not seeing himself the way his master's wife was seeing him. How many youth today have traded their future and destinies just because they believed the devils report about their lives

Never allow the society define your success. Seek to understand God’s plan for your life, and commit yourself to fulfilling it. Many youth, like I said are in the bondage of sin and sinfulness today because they believe the devil’s perspective of nakedness about themselves. Many are wallowing in drunkenness, worldliness, immorality, cultism, thuggery, etc. Don’t give in to the pleasures of the devil and of this world. Your life and destiny is more valuable than whatever is it that the devil can offer. Never allow him to blind your eyes by the temporary pleasures of sin, to the eternal glory of God’s plan for your life. Jesus says this of him, "the thief cometh but to KILL, to STAEL, and to DESTROY" He has no other agenda in one's life than that

STEPS TO FULFILLING GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE

• 1.   Give your life to Jesus. This is the best decision you can ever take. Repent of your sins, believe in Christ atonement for you on the cross of Calvary, and accept him as your Lord and Savior
• 2.   Live your life for him in righteousness and holiness
• 3.   Take responsibility to know God’s plan for your life
• 4.   Discover your life purpose (you can chat me up for this, 08100624927, or read up my previous articles for more enlightenment)
• 5.   Capture a vision upon the discovery of your purpose
• 6.   Believe in your vision, believe in your purpose, believe in yourself, and believe in God
• 7.   Be consistent in your walk with God

 I want to tell you again, you are not naked! You are a creature of purpose. Rise up and fulfill God’s plan and purpose for your life. Never contribute to the richness of the cemetery. God bless you.