Emmanuel Okoro (aka MrLift)

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...

Behave Yourself Your behaviour may be the very thing standing between you and your next level. Scripture “And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.” (1 Samuel 18:5 KJV) Explanation David’s wise behaviour opened doors to responsibility, acceptance, and promotion. Behaviour is a skill that can be learned, and God’s Word teaches us how to develop it. The fruit of the Spirit provides a godly code of conduct. These qualities are not produced by human effort alone but become evident as we yield to the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are like fruits contained in a seed. When you are born again, the Holy Spirit begins His work in you, and as you yield to Him, His character becomes evident in your daily life. Your attitudes may be hidden, but your behaviour is visible. It is not enough to have the right heart;...

Find Your Compelling Reason One compelling reason can silence a thousand excuses! Scripture “And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29 KJV) Explanation Most people don't fail because they lack a vision; they fail because they lack a compelling reason to pursue it. That's why people talk about finding your why . When your reason is strong enough, you'll find the courage to figure out the how and the what. David demonstrated this when he arrived at the battlefield. His eldest brother, Eliab, had a thousand reasons why he shouldn't be there. But David had just one compelling reason why he must be there. He asked, “Is there not a cause?” David had found something worth standing for, something bigger than himself. He would not allow his brother's accusation or anyone else's opinion to distract him from it. He knew there was a cause worth pursuing, and he was determined not to abandon it. When you discover your Go...

What’s Your Poison? The choices you make today may be preparing the way for your replacement tomorrow. Scripture “David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him immediately and made him his right-hand man.” — 1 Samuel 16:21 Explanation Imagine how Saul would have reacted if he knew that the young man he was welcoming into his palace would one day take his place on the throne! When an evil spirit troubled Saul, his advisers recommended finding someone who could play the harp to soothe him. David was recommended, brought before Saul, and immediately won his favour. Saul liked him so much that he made him his armour-bearer. Unknown to Saul, God was positioning David for the throne. What looked like an ordinary appointment was part of a much bigger story. We can look at this from two perspectives. First, God was bringing David into the palace, giving him opportunities to learn, serve, and prepare for his future assignment. Second, Saul was unknowingly promoting the ver...

May Someone Speak Up for You Your gift may open a door, but someone may need to speak up for you to walk through it. Scripture "One of the young men spoke up, 'I know someone. I've seen him myself: the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, an excellent musician. He's also courageous, of age, well-spoken, and good-looking. And GOD is with him.'" (1 Samuel 16:18, MSG) Explanation David had been anointed king, but he still needed someone to recommend him to King Saul. Fortunately, a young man who knew David spoke up for him and presented him as someone qualified for the assignment. Joseph had the gift of interpreting dreams, but he also needed the chief cupbearer to remember him and recommend him to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:9–14). Sometimes, your gift gets you ready for an opportunity, but someone else's recommendation helps you get the opportunity. Notice that David was not recommended merely because he was anointed. He was an excellent musician, courage...

EMPOWERED FOR LIFE God has empowered you for life, but are you living in the fullness of that power? Scripture “Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of GOD entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life. Samuel left and went home to Ramah.” — 1 Samuel 16:13 “Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” — Ephesians 5:18 (NLT) Explanation Many believers do not fully understand the power they received when they received the Holy Spirit. When Samuel anointed David, the Spirit of God came upon him, empowering him for the rest of his life. In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit was given to the Church, and believers received divine empowerment to live and fulfil God's purpose. God has given us His Spirit, but we must continually yield to His influence and be filled with Him. This is why Paul instructs be...

The Heart of the Matter Is the Matter of the Heart You can impress people with your appearance, but you cannot deceive God with your heart. Scripture “But GOD told Samuel, ‘Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. GOD judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; GOD looks into the heart.’” ( 1 Samuel 16:7 MSG) Explanation The condition of the heart matters to God. The Bible describes the human heart as desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), yet its true condition is not written on the face. This is why judging people by appearances can be dangerously misleading. When God rejected Saul as king, He sought a replacement. Saul had the appearance and stature of a king, but his heart was not right with God. David, whom God chose to replace him, was described as a man after God's heart (1 Samuel 13:14). God looks beyond what impresses people to what matters to Him. Our ap...

Look and Think What you see may look right, but is it God's choice? Scripture “When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, ‘Here he is! GOD’s anointed!’” (1 Samuel 16:6)  Explanation Looks can be deceiving. We have all been deceived by people who looked good until their character was revealed, or those who appeared capable but failed to deliver on their promises. Samuel made the same mistake. He took one look at Eliab and concluded that he was God's choice for the next king of Israel. Samuel saw what looked right, but he needed God's guidance to identify who was truly right. Many times, we make decisions based on what we see and how we interpret it. God gave us brains to think, but some decisions demand more than our reasoning. What looks right to us may not be right in God's sight. God reminded Samuel that appearances are not everything (1 Samuel 16:7). We must learn to look beyond what our eyes can see and allow God to guide our judgement...

I Have Sinned, Yet Honour Me? You want the honour without the humility, the title without the substance, and the respect without the responsibility. Is that not entitlement? Scripture “Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.” — 1 Samuel 15:30 (KJV) Explanation Saul confessed his sin, yet his greatest concern was still his honour before the people. He wanted to preserve his image even after compromising his obedience to God. This is the danger of entitlement: wanting to retain the honour of a position without accepting the consequences of our actions. How often do we behave like Saul, more concerned about what people think of us than what God sees in us? We want respect despite our failures, recognition without responsibility, and honour without the humility that makes us honourable. Beloved, God is more interested in your heart than yo...

Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say Your words are a mirror of your heart. If your heart is crooked, your words will eventually expose it. Scripture “Israel's God-of-Glory doesn't deceive and he doesn't dither. He says what he means and means what he says.” (1 Samuel 15:29 MSG) Explanation One mark of a person of integrity is the ability to say what they mean and mean what they say. God demonstrates this perfectly. He does not lie, deceive, or make empty promises. His words reflect His nature. Our words reveal who we really are. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). In other words, our words are the overflow of our inner lives. Our thoughts influence our words, and our words influence our actions and relationships. That is why Solomon gives us this instruction: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”(Proverbs 4:23 KJV) The heart is the breeding ground of our words. What we repe...

A Better Man Than You Are What if God Himself told you that someone else is a better man than you? Not your boss. Not your colleague. Not your competitor. God. That would be a difficult verdict to swallow. We can argue with people, defend our choices and explain our shortcomings. But when God says, “He is a better man than you are,” there is nowhere left to hide. The real question, then, is not “Am I better than him?” It is: “Am I becoming the kind of man God calls better?” Scripture “Samuel said, ‘GOD has just now torn the kingdom from you, and handed it over to your neighbor, a better man than you are.’” ( 1 Samuel 15:28 ) Explanation God had rejected Saul as king. And He did not merely tell Saul that the kingdom would be taken from him; He told him why another would receive it—a man who was better than him . But what does “better” really mean? Is it intelligence? Achievement? Influence? Leadership ability? The capacity to win battles? The ability to relate wel...

Pleasing People The moment pleasing people becomes more important than pleasing God, their approval becomes your prison. It is good to care about people. But when the fear of disappointing them becomes greater than the fear of disobeying God, something is wrong. Saul discovered this the hard way. Scripture “Saul gave in and confessed, ‘I've sinned. I've trampled roughshod over GOD's Word and your instructions. I cared more about pleasing the people. I let them tell me what to do.’”( 1 Samuel 15:24 ) Explanation Saul knew what God had commanded, but he allowed the people's voice to become louder than God's. Earlier, we get a glimpse of how Saul may have struggled with significance. When people saw him prophesying, they asked “What has come over him, who is nobody but the son of Kish?”( 1 Sam. 10:11 AMP ) People saw the son of Kish; God saw the king He had chosen. The Bible does not explicitly say that Saul's people-pleasing came from this ear...

Don't Just Pray Your Frustrations It is possible to pray all night and still pray the wrong thing. When we are hurt, disappointed, angry or frustrated, our natural response is to pour everything out to God. And there is nothing wrong with being honest with God about how we feel. But prayer should not end with our frustrations; our frustrations should lead us back to God's Word. Scripture “I'm sorry I ever made Saul king. He's turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him.” Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night. " (1 Samuel 15:11) Explanation There are two people in this verse: Saul and Samuel. While one turned his back on God , the other turned his face to God . Saul responded to God's instruction with disobedience. Samuel responded to the situation by going to God in prayer. But notice what Samuel prayed: his anger and disappointment. It is okay to vent before God. Tell H...

Don't Turn Your Back on God You don't have to deny God to turn your back on Him. Sometimes, turning your back on God simply means knowing what He has told you to do and choosing not to do it. Scripture “I’m sorry I ever made Saul king. He’s turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him to do.” Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night.( 1 Samuel 15:11 ) Explanation Saul did not wake up one morning and announce that he no longer believed in God. In fact, he still looked like a man who served God. But God said, “He has turned his back on me.” Why? God had given Saul a clear instruction to completely destroy the Amalekites. But Saul and his men made an exception. They spared Agag and kept the best sheep and cattle. Saul wanted to obey God—but on his own terms . And this is where many people find themselves today. They profess to know God, but they have turned their backs on Him by refusing to do ...

NO EXCEPTION What if the thing standing between us and wholehearted obedience to God isn't rebellion—but the exceptions we keep making? We may obey God in the areas that are easy, comfortable, and convenient, while quietly holding on to the things we don't want to surrender. Saul didn't reject God's command completely; he simply made exceptions. And sometimes, our greatest problem isn't what we refuse to obey, but what we choose to spare. Scripture “Saul and the army made an exception for Agag, and for the choice sheep and cattle. They didn't include them under the terms of the holy ban. But all the rest, which nobody wanted anyway, they destroyed as decreed by the holy ban.”( 1 Samuel 15:9 ) Explanation God gave Saul a clear instruction concerning the Amalekites. There was no room for negotiation or personal preference. But when Saul and his army encountered Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, they made an exception. Interestingly, the...