THE INGREDIENTS OF GREATNESS (Part 1)
INTRODUCTION
Our God is a God of greatness. He is described as the greater than the greatest as well as the one that is higher than the highest. In fact, He is the most powerful God, the El Shaddai. He knows and understands greatness. He can also make someone great. Those who closely associated with Him experienced greatness. What people are concerned about this season is financial/material greatness due to economic recession. However, our God can do far more than this if we know how to walk with Him and claim our rights.
When we are talking about the ingredients of greatness, we are looking at what are the things you can see in a man’s life and say he is great. What are things a man does and finds himself in greatness? May the Lord of greatness bless us as we study and takes us indeed to greatness in Jesus’ name (Amen).
Ps. 48:1-2; Deut.10:17, 21; 11:7; 1 Chron. 29:9-12; Ps. 47:2; 95:3; Exod.18:11; Eph. 1:19; 3:20
CENTRAL BIBLE PASSAGE: GENESIS 12:1-20; 13:1-2
A. Ingredient One- God blesses an individual
When God wants to make someone great, the first thing he does is to bless the individual. When He blesses, it means everything and everyone everywhere will begin to help you. Whether home, Church, market, work place, school; everywhere everyone would begin to help you. Animals, beasts, grounds, trees, etc would begin to help you.
A blessing is a summon to everything to begin to help you; man, air, rain, sun, moon, etc would begin to help you because you are blessed of the Lord.
Gen. 1:26-28; 12:1-3; Job 5:8-11, 23-24; Ps23:1-6; Ps. 5:12; Deut. 28:1-13; Lk. 5:1-6, Rom. 9:15-16; Rom. 8:28
THE INGREDIENTS OF GREATNESS (Part 2)
INTRODUCTION
In the last study we saw that our God is so great that no one is as great as Him He has power to make great and the first step He takes to make someone great is to bless the individual. Today’s study examines three further ingredients of greatness. May you become great very soon in Jesus’ name (Amen).
CENTRAL BIBLE PASSAGE: GENESIS 17:1-6
A. Ingredient Two – God Makes An Individual Fruitful And Multiply Him
The blessings of the Lord bring increase and multiplication to an individual. God said to Abraham, I would make of you a great nation. How would this come about? It is through increase and multiplication. God is interested in our increase and multiplication. You can experience this increase and multiplication by cooperating with Him, operating within the terms of covenant and sowing seeds of fruitfulness and multiplication. Check for specific areas of obedience.
Prov. 10:22; Gen. 1:28; Gen. 17:2, 5-6; Gen. 12:2; Ps. 71:21; Ps. 115:12-14; Ps. 68:19; Gen. 24:1; Gen. 26:12-14; Gen. 27:26-29; Gen. 41:39-41; Gen. 49:22-29; Exod. 1:7; 2 Chron. 1:6-12; 2:1-6; 2 Sam. 22:36; 23:1-8; Deut. 28:1-13; Gen. 17:1-2; Gen. 2:24; 4:1-2; Gen. 26:12; 2 Chron. 1:6-7; Lk. 6:38; Mal. 3:6-12; Ps. 112:1-9: Ps. 45:6-7; Lk. 24:49; Acts. 1:8; Mk. 16: 15-20; Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 13:1-3, 13
THE INGREDIENTS OF GREATNESS (Part 3)
INTRODUCTION
We have been able to examine two ingredients that leads to greatness; 1.God blessing an individual and 2. God brings increase and multiplication to the fellow.
Today’s study discusses the third ingredient: ‘A Great Name’.
May your name be counted in the record of great people that has passed through this life in Jesus’ name (Amen).
CENTRAL BIBLE PASSAGE: Psalm 8:1-9
A. INGREDIENT THREE – A GREAT NAME
Our God possesses the most excellent name; He has the greatest name; the name above every other name.
However, He is desirous to give everyone of His children a great name. Once you become a child of God, you have a covenant right to possess and manifest a great name as you are a seed of Abraham by faith.
Ps. 8:1, 9; 1 Chron. 29:11; Eccl. 5:8; Phil. 2:9-10, Eph. 1:20; Gen. 12:1-2; 17:1-8; 24:1, 34-35; 26:12-13, Deut. 28:1-13, Gal. 3:13-14, 9
For your great name to truly manifest, you need to begin to do the following:
1. Operate in the consciousness of that the covenant of greatness has been released unto you. Gen. 12:1-3; 1:26-28, Prov. 23:7
2. Operate in the power of vision and imaginations Gen. 15:1-6; 11:1-6
3. Operate in consistent faith in God and confession that guarantees greatness Jos. 6:1-5, 15-20, Heb. 11:30-34; Mk. 9:23, Job. 22:28, Num. 14:28
4. Believe against all odds in the ability of God to take you to greatness 1 Chron. 29:12, Rom. 4:16-25
5. Believe God to take care of the enemies on the way. Gen. 12:2-3, Is. 43:1-4, Esther 7:9-10
CONCLUSION
Prov. 22:1, Is. 45:1-3
DISCUSSION 1. List 5 people (men and women) bible or contemporary; whom you feel have great names.
2. Discuss what might have helped them to greatness.
THE INGREDIENTS OF GREATNESS (Part 4)
INTRODUCTION
We have been able to look at three major ingredients of greatness; they are foundational to our greatness. If we consider and apply them, they can make us to manifest greatness very soon. Today’s study considers another ingredient of greatness, which is “becoming a blessing”. May you become a blessing indeed to your generation and beyond in Jesus’ name (Amen).
CENTRAL BIBLE TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 28:1-16
A. INGREDIENT FOUR – BECOMING A BLESSING
The reason God blesses an individual is for him or her to become a blessing. Every body in your life, through you and around you becomes blessed because you are a blessing. Everybody you touch becomes blessed. The blessing becomes overflowing, visible and to the extent you not only store, save but you also lend unto others, cities and nations. Not only that, the blessing takes you to the top of your profession, ministry, career, family, city and nation.
The major condition to becoming is a diligent obedience of the voice of the Lord, the God of Israel, to observe carefully all His commandments in His word and by His spirit, the Holy Spirit.
A wonderful influence is that associating with the blessed can make you become blessed and associating with the cursed can make you become cursed.
Deut. 28:1-6; Gen. 12:1-3; Gen. 45:1-11; 1 Sam 16:1, 5-13, 23; 1 Sam 17:45-50; 18:14-15, 30; 2 Kings 4:8-17; Acts 1:8; Lk. 12:16-21; 2 Cor. 12:17; Lk. 23:32-43; Num. 14:1-12, 20-23; Num. 16:1-4, 15-19, 23-34; I Sam. 22:1-2; 2 Sam. 23:8
THE INGREDIENTS OF GREATNESS (Part 5)
INTRODUCTION
In the earlier studies, we have been able to consider four major ingredients;
(i) God blesses an individual (ii) Un-usual fruitfulness and multiplication (iii) A great name (iv) Becoming a blessing.
Today’s study focuses on ingredient five ‘becoming a blessing carrier’ and six ‘Becoming a danger to your enemies! May the Lord bless us richly as we study in Jesus’ name (amen).
CENTRAL BIBLE PASSAGE: ST. JOHN 11: 1-45
A. Becoming a blessing carrier
As you become a blessing, it means you start carrying blessing wherever you go. For Jesus, he carried the blessings of power for healing, deliverance and miracles as well as carrying the ability or grace to give life. Lot was greatly blessed because of association with the blessing carrier. Are you a blessing carrier? Are people getting blessed by their contact with you?
John 11: 23-25, 10:10, LK 18:11-17, LK 8:43-48, LK 7:11-16, Acts 10:38, Acts 5:12-16, Gen 12: 1-4, 13:2, 5-6.
B. Becoming a danger to your enemies (Ingredient 6)
A blessing carrier is a favourite of God invariably; whosoever wants to fight him will have God to contend with. God said to Abraham his favourite; I will curse those who curse you. God is against the enemies of his people that is why it’s dangerous to fight your brother, sister and man or woman of God. Gen 12: 3, Deut28: 16-20, 1 Sam 17: 43-51, Is 49: 25-26, Ps 68: 1-2, 2 Kings 1: 9-13, 2: 23-24
DISCUSSION
1. Do you remember three people who were a blessing carrier to your life?
2. Are you aware that you are a blessing carrier?
3. Who were the most outstanding blessing carriers in the bible?
THE INGREDIENTS OF GREATNESS (Part 6)
INTRODUCTION
In the last study, we considered Ingredients 5 & 6, Becoming a Blessing carrier and Becoming a Danger to your enemies. We press further on these characteristics of greatness by considering ingredients 7, that is, ‘World Fame’.
May the Lord make us global stars for His glory in Jesus’ mighty name. (Amen).
CENTRAL BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 KINGS 10:1-29
A. INGREDIENT 7 – WORLD FAME
The part of the Covenant of greatness that God established with Abraham is to be a ‘World Fame’ Genesis 12:3b says ‘And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed while says ‘For I have made you a father of many nations.’
He indeed attained to World fame as he successfully conquered kings of many nations and took back his nephews and his goods. Not only did Abraham attained to world fame but his sons as well.
Isaac and Solomon were examples. King Solomon’s greatness and fame were even more prominent to the extent that he surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. And they also came to him to seek for counsel. Jesus is the greatest example of someone who attained to world fame and even after his death and resurrection still making impact all over the world.
Gen. 14:1-23; Gen. 26:12-14; 1 Kings 10:23-24; Mk. 15:20-26; Acts 2:1-11, 22-24, 36-41
HOW THEY ATTAINED TO WORLD FAME
But how did these personalities or patriarchs of old able to attain to world fame?
Three major points may be identified as being responsible:
1. Walking closely with God;
2. Covenant of greatness and;
3. Sowing a special seed.
Gen 18:16-23; Gen. 26:1-6, 24-25; Jn. 5:19-20; Jn. 4:34; Lk. 3:21-22; Gen. 18:19-20; Jn. 17:1-4, 21-22; Gen. 22:1-3, 10-12, 16-18, Gen. 26:12-13; Jn. 15:13; Jn. 19:15-18, 29
DISCUSSIONS 1. What can we learn about the way the patriarchs mentioned walked with the LORD?
2. What are the areas of sowing that the LORD expects of us today?
THE INGREDIENTS OF GREATNESS (Part 7)
INTRODUCTION
In the last study, we shared on Ingredient number 7 of greatness, which is ‘World Fame’. We were able to see three major factors that brought patriarchs of Old to World fame. These are 1) Walking closely with God, 2) Covenant of greatness and 3) Sowing a special seed. You want to attain to World fame God’s way? Then, check your relationship with God, how passionate are you about it, do you desire to be closer to God like David the king each day; do you desire to hear His voice clearly and regularly. Do you desire to follow where He leads? Are you in the covenant of greatness? Are you fulfilling your own terms of the covenant? Have you or are you sowing specially towards the Kingdom work, low, convenient, not convenient or sacrificial? Are you ready to spend and be spent for the sake of the Kingdom? These are real questions that those who want to attain to greatness or world fame ask themselves.
Today’s study ingredient no. 8 looks at an area of human desire and pursuit that can make a whole lot of difference in attaining to greatness or otherwise, that is ‘Peace’.
CENTRAL BIBLE PASSAGE: GENESIS 15:1-21
A. INGREDIENT NUMBER 8 – PEACE
To make tremendous or exciting progress in life towards set goals or objectives, you need an environment of peace. To move towards your greatness, you need peace within and without. You need peace in your home, peace at work, school, peace with brethren, relations, friends, parents, children, spouses, neighbours’ and even peace with your enemies. To enjoy the presence of God in what you do, you need peace. That is why for those who want to attain to greatness in life, you would discover that there is an air or environment of peace around them.
When your ways please God, your enemies would be at peace with you. When your obedient is total, your peace would be like a river.
Gen. 15: 13-15, 18; 24:1, 35; 20:1-18; Ps. 27:1-6; 1 Chron. 22:6-11; Gen. 37:13-20; Gen. 39:1-5; 41:41; Mt. 2:1-23; Acts 20:22-26, 27-28; Is. 9:6; Is. 54:10; Jn. 14:27; 16:33; 24:36; Prov. 16:7; Is. 48:18-19; Rom. 10:19; 14:17, 19; 15:33; 16:20; Mk. 9:56; Heb. 13:6; Ps. 18:35