Let me share a little experience with you about how David, a fervent brother in the Lord, established his career.
In 1994, David participated in his mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in one of the eastern states of Nigeria. The government of Nigeria, by law, mandated all Nigerian youths under the age of 30 who had just graduated from universities and polytechnics to embark on one year of compulsory national service. They are enrolled/enlisted and posted to different parts of the country, where they serve for one year. During the one year, the government pays them a monthly stipend for upkeep.
By this stipulation, David was posted to the far eastern part of Nigeria – far from his original state of origin. He had challenges while in school – challenges of having enough to survive. David was a very brilliant student. He was nicknamed Aristotle by his peers. He had days when he would have nothing to eat in a day or more. He could not afford the luxury of buying textbooks to study. His university library was inundated with old, non-relevant academic books. There was no internet at that time to leverage for study. Everything was still analog. It was still the era of punch cards, etc. This was in the early 90’s.
David knew the Lord (that is, accepted the Lord as his Savior) just when he was about to graduate from the university. To him, the future was so bleak because there were no promises to latch onto, no helper, no reference, no one to assist in getting a job. Finishing school was not a thing of joy because he knew the financial support from his family would drain off. He would be left on his own.
David embarked on the journey for the one-year NYSC period. He was full of hope that he would have more time to go all out for God to preach the Word in a different territory. Though the future haunted him in terms of job, shelter, and survival generally, he was excited at the opportunity to do God’s work.
During the NYSC, he earned 9,800 Nigerian Naira (the equivalent of US$439 at that time) in a month from NYSC, and his primary place of assignment was paying an additional 10,000 Naira (i.e., US$448). David sowed almost everything every month to the Red Cross Orphanage, other Orphanages, inmates at Enugu Prison near the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, and his local Pentecostal church. He was intoxicated to sow a seed unto the Lord. He never thought of returns. All for God. Drunk with love for God. He entered the prison every Monday to preach the gospel to inmates. Many got converted, and many got healed instantly of their diseases. It was a joy for David to see God confirming His Words with signs and wonders. David was not a pastor. He just got born again a year earlier. He was fascinated by the following two critical Words from the Lord:
Luke 5:17 says, “And it came to pass on a certain day, as Jesus was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” and
Acts 10:38 says, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil.”
David saw the power of God in operation by simple faith in His Words. He gave all for his love for God – he sowed all his clothes to the needy. He was drunk in love with God. The experience of a new birth – being born again – was intoxicating him. The desire to know Him and His power were overwhelming. He was dubbed as “cryo,” “SU fellow,” “good-for-nothing,” “religious fanatic,” etc. by family and friends. His mother threatened to disown Him if he didn’t renounce the faith (thank God she became born again a few years later).
He was like the scum of the society before, during and after his return from NYSC. David returned to Lagos after a service year with empty luggage. All clothes were gone as seed offerings to the naked. The radio deck is gone. His family members concluded he had gone crazy! But he got back joyous that he had served the King of Kings during the service year. He was overwhelmed with joy, though he had no hope of a job or survival.
Like many corpers returning from NYSC, the reality set in. The financial support from parents or foster parents and relatives was gone! The cares of this world, what to eat, what to wear, where to rest his head – all set in. David was homeless. He had no job, no salary, no house.
Because of his love for God and the brethren, he received help from his brethren, who fellowship with him. The brothers and sisters that were fervent in the Lord – walking in the spirit of the early church – those whose generosity abound to their poverty; those who were all out to help one another; young and fervent brothers and sisters who had just come to the Lord within four or five years or less. They love the Lord. Irrespective of their background or rich family heritage, they shed all for the Lord, loving the Lord and the brethren. Like the early apostles, these young men and women behaved like Acts 4: 32 – 33. The scripture says. “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power, the apostles witnessed the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”
David got a temporary place to lay his head and courtesy his brethren. Despite all challenges, David continued serving the Lord as a prayer warrior in His vineyard.
He continued seeking a job, but none came his way. Despite knowing few people who knew the chairmen of big conglomerates, nothing came out of it. The scripture says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:5
For three solid years, David was without a job. He lived from hand to mouth. He lived every day at a time. He was helped by some brethren. Every passing day of the three years was bleak. But he had the most significant moment of being close to the Lord, learning about Him, and desiring Him. And he received gifts from the Most High. Though he suffered hunger and lack, he met the Lord of Lords almost daily. He saw strange visions of God – His manifest presence. He saw the Lord and His power. Giving up on searching for a job, David decided on his own to continue serving the Lord.
In the third year of “no job,” David vowed to go and serve the Lord in another land. He was moved by the Word of the Lord to Pharaoh, who said, “Let my people go that they may serve me.” With tears and unction to serve Him, David embarked on a missionary journey to Jalingo in Taraba State. He was excited. He sold all he had to prepare. He embarked on a journey that took him almost 24 hours to reach Lagos.
Confident of God’s power and His presence, David arrived at Jalingo. There was gross darkness over the town. A lot of men and women, young and old, are given to idolatry and drunkenness. That does not mean other states do not do the same. It is all over. Jalingo’s terrain was harsh, dusty, and extremely hot, as though the sun stood still in its strength over the town. The very scorching sun indeed, with the air blowing hot. Walls are baked in heat all day, emitting the same through the night. No respite from the heat of the day, even at night!
He met with another friend doing his NYSC in that state – a fellow brother who had urged him to come that the field was ripe for harvest. David spent one month there combing one village to another, preaching and laying hands on the sick – seeing manifestation of God’s Spirit. People getting healed by the Word. The demon possessed being freed from the clutches of darkness. Youths forsaking idolatry and drunkenness, giving their lives to Christ. Clothes and food were given to them. David was filled with joy from the Holy Ghost seeing the raw manifestation of God’s Power. No matter how simple your faith is, the Lord will reach out in mercy and kindness to fill it. He will show Himself strong on your behalf.
Soon, the villagers and their chiefs became aware of the shift within their villages – their kids not showing up at the village square to drink a locally brewed alcoholic beverage called “Burukutu.” The merchants of Burukutu were losing revenue. The vices were going down from the youths. The villagers and chiefs became more furious when they realized David and his friend had started a Sunday school in one village primary school near them. What a mighty God!
One fateful Sunday, all the villagers, with their heads, came to the school with clubs, sticks, and hidden matchets, challenging the authority by which they preached, even to establish a Sunday school. With no satisfactory explanation, they threatened to kill them if they did not stop. They ordered them not to ever preach in the school again. God sobering the situation down, they bundled them out like a sack – carried them on their shoulders and threw them down on the floor at the entrance of the village. David and his friend were so joyful that the scripture was being fulfilled. What a joy! They removed their shoes, shook them on the town, and left.
However, they continued preaching for days at different locations around Jalingo. They went from house to house at dusk to minister healing to the sick. They even staged a two-day revival that only their converts attended. They went to Yola, aiming for Kona Hill, but missed the bus. The audacity was too much, filled with the Holy Ghost. It was joy in the Holy Ghost. Demons are subject to the Lord of Host through their hands. They were not pastors but operated in the power of the Holy Ghost based on the revelations they had received of the Lord. God is no respecter of persons.
By the end of February 1998, David had run out of money and decided to return to his Lagos base to refill. He embarked on the journey home – a long and very tiresome one. While on the journey home along Gombe road in a rickety Station Wagon Peugeot car, David saw a vision in the sky while he was half asleep and half awake. He saw the heaven open, and a voice thundered out of the heaven, saying, “IT IS TIME FOR IT!” David never knew what “IT” meant. He had never heard about it. He wondered in his heart, “What is the Lord saying?” He returned to Lagos to learn from a senior ICT friend who explained it to him. Then David realized that the Lord had spoken to him about the career he should pursue – Information Technology. David enrolled in a postgraduate program in computer programming that same year. He learned everything along the way about computers and programming. Imagine a Microbiology graduate becoming a programmer! The Lord set the path. Like the Word says in Proverbs 19:21, “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.”
As soon as David finished his degree in 1999, he had two instant jobs. He saw a vacancy advert in a Guardian Newspaper for a programmer and immediately went to submit his resume (curriculum vitae) in the Victoria Island office of the ICT company. He got the job instantly with the Hands of God.
To cut the story short, David has become a prolific programmer and versatile in all aspects of ICT (programming, enterprise application, networking, security, technology consulting, business consulting, etc.) over the years. He has worked for both local and international companies. The Lord has used the creativity and innovation in his mind to drive his ICT skills. He creates new things. His creativity has blossomed over the years, and he was led by the Lord in every significant decision and step.
From being a solitary man, the Lord has set David in a family with his wife and children. He reaped from the same region he had sown the Words of the Lord many years ago during his NYSC. David is no longer a homeless fellow but owns his own, giving glory to the Lord. He gives shelter to the homeless. He feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, supports the orphans and widows, and helps the poor in their education.
Luke 12:48 says, “…For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”
David’s success came from seeking the Lord and His kingdom – pursuing to continually delight the Lord. It all depends on knowing His Voice and fellowship with Him. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-33, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things, the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, and all these things shall be added to you.”
It is easy for us to worry about them—we are human. But the One who creates everything says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness”—His will, His direction, His delight.
On Sunday, I published an article on called “The God of Glory Thunders!” It explains the Person of the Holy Spirit leading us and guiding us in life.
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all righteousness. All other things shall be added. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
God bless you as you yield to Him and His instruction for your life.
Jesus is Lord!
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