Emmanuel Okoro (aka MrLift)

The God Factor Your skills may open doors, but it is the presence of God that makes the difference! Scripture “David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him.” (1 Samuel 18:14 NLT) Explanation Success is not a one-time event; it is the result of taking the right steps consistently. Everyone experiences failure, but when success becomes a recurring pattern, we recognise it as a life of success. David was such a man. He continued to succeed, not merely because of his abilities, wisdom or skills, but because the LORD was with him. This does not mean we should neglect developing our skills or doing what is required of us. Rather, it means that beyond our efforts, there is a divine factor that makes the difference. We must never become so impressed with our abilities that we forget our dependence on God. Paul captures this truth beautifully: “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 NLT) Ou...

What the Enemy Meant for Evil Sometimes, what looks like an attack on your life is actually preparation for your future. The enemy may intend to destroy you, but God can use the very thing meant to hurt you to prepare you for what lies ahead. Never judge God's plan by what you are going through today. Scripture “So, Saul got David out of his sight by making him an officer in the army. David was in combat frequently.” — 1 Samuel 18:13 (MSB) “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” — 1 Corinthians 2:8 (KJV) Explanation Saul promoted David to a position that kept him constantly on the battlefield. His intention was to expose David to danger, hoping that one day he would be killed. But what Saul intended for evil, God used for David's preparation. Every battle David fought became an opportunity to develop his courage, skill, and experience. What was meant to destroy him was preparing him for ...

God Was With Him God’s presence does not mean the absence of trouble; it means you are never alone in the trouble. Scripture “Now Saul feared David. It was clear that GOD was with David and had left Saul.” — (1 Samuel 18:12)  Explanation I think we sometimes underestimate the presence of God in our lives. We ask, “If God is with me, why am I going through all these troubles? Why is this happening to me?” Isn’t that the same question Gideon asked the angel? “If the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about?” (Judges 6:13). God never promised us a trouble-free life. He promised to be with us through our troubles. He says that when we pass through the waters, He will be with us, and when we walk through the fire, we will not be burned (Isaiah 43:2). Think about Joseph. The Bible says the Lord was with him, yet he was sold into slavery, falsely accused, thrown into prison, and forgotten by the chief...

Stay Humble The way up is down! If you want God to lift you high, learn to stay humble. Pride makes you stand tall in your own eyes, but humility teaches you when to duck. Scripture “Suddenly Saul threw the spear, thinking, ‘I'll nail David to the wall.’ David ducked, and the spear missed. This happened twice.” (1 Samuel 18:11 MSG) Explanation David had killed Goliath, defeated Israel’s enemies, and earned the admiration of the people. He was also anointed to become Israel’s next king. He had every reason to feel important, yet he remained humble. When Saul threw his spear at him, David ducked. He refused to let his victories, position, or future destiny fill him with pride. It has been said that we have three days on earth: yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Each day presents an opportunity to choose humility. Yesterday’s achievements must not make us proud, today’s success must not get into our heads, and tomorrow’s expectations must not make us look down on others. The ...

A Jealous Eye Jealousy becomes dangerous when you stop noticing what you have because you cannot stop watching what someone else has. Scripture “So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.” — 1 Samuel 18:9 (NLT) Explanation It is one thing to feel jealous; it is another to keep a jealous eye on someone. The first may be a passing feeling, but the second is a decision to keep feeding that feeling until it begins to control your actions. That was Saul’s problem. After hearing the women celebrate David’s greater victories, Saul became obsessed with him. His jealousy soon turned into an attempt to kill David. “The next day an ugly mood was sent by God to afflict Saul, who became quite beside himself, raving. David played his harp, as he usually did at such times. Saul had a spear in his hand. Suddenly Saul threw the spear, thinking, ‘I’ll nail David to the wall.’ David ducked, and the spear missed. This happened twice.” (1 Samuel 18:10–11, MSG) Saul allowed jealousy ...

Watch Your Thoughts You may not be able to stop a thought from knocking, but you can decide whether to let it settle in and take control. Scripture “Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. ‘They have credited David with tens of thousands,’ he thought, ‘but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?’”(1 Samuel 18:8 NIV) Explanation Still waters run deep. What people see on the outside may be very different from what is happening on the inside. Saul appeared pleased with David’s achievements, but beneath the surface, jealousy and envy were taking root. He kept comparing David’s praise with his own, until his thoughts turned dark. Eventually, he tried to kill David with a spear and sent him into dangerous battles, hoping his rival would die. It all began with a thought Saul failed to control. An unchecked thought can become an unhealthy attitude, and an unhealthy attitude can produce destructive actions. No wonder Paul instructs us to take every though...