I learnt a lesson early in my walk with the Lord and ministry engagement. The lesson is this: Don’t make anyone or anything your trust. If you do, the Lord will take that person or thing away and you would be disappointed. While I need people in ministry, I’ve learnt not to build my ministry or hope around anyone.

Friend, one of the consecrations that you must have as a man of destiny is the consecration to be focused on the calling and the Caller (1 Thessalonians 5:24). More often than not, we feel the pain of betrayals when we are too fixated on people and things, and not on the Lord. Don’t build your life around any man.

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2). This is our calling and commission; to look unto Jesus, not unto any man or anything. It is easy to build your confidence and comfort around people particularly those who have been with you for a while. If you must fulfil your destiny, God would have to severe you from such ties. And it might be through betrayals.

God uses betrayals to shift our focus from people to Him. Your trusted associates might leave you. The biggest financier of your ministry might leave you. That trusted friend would suddenly back out. Sometimes, the person to whom you have put your hope in business would suddenly turn against you. As a lady, the guy you have called, “your life”, would leave you. In all of these, God is teaching you to remain focused on Him and Him alone.

“At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me…Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me…” (2 Timothy 4:16-17). The quick lesson here is to never be overly dependent on people, no matter the closeness or loyalty. Stop planning your future around people, but around God. Appreciate, treasure and enjoy the gift of men, but never put your hope in them.

Before Abraham and Isaac could enter their prophetic destinies, God had to cut their emotional attachments (Genesis 22:1-19). The love of Isaac had replaced the love of God in Abraham. Isaac trusted Abraham more than God. With Abraham, Isaac thought his future was secured. But after the mount Moriah experience, Isaac could no longer trust Abraham, and Abraham had let go of Isaac in his heart. God had become the focus of both of them.

© ‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria