PROCESS, SEASONS, LESSONS AND MASTERY

God is a God of process. He may acknowledge certain events but ultimately, He’s a God of process and anyone who does not understand this can never have a successful walk with Him and be able to fulfill all that God has for him/her. Everyone who became great had this understanding that He’s a God of process. It is for this reason – process, that we do not see the miraculous in our midst because we mistake magic for the miraculous. Magic is sudden but a miracle takes a process. Both the miracle worker and the receiver of the miracle, go through a process. Today, we find people who do not want to go through the process but want the miracle. This is why falsehood is escalating and people keep meeting with disappointments. It is everywhere, in marriage, career, ministry etc.

In scriptures, we see Adam and Jesus who is referred to as the last Adam. He (Jesus) would not have been so known if He failed His test. The difference between the first and the last Adam is process. The first Adam came on the scene a made man, he had everything but he abused it but the last Adam didn’t come as a full grown man, He was born. “And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him…and was subject unto them”. Luke 2:40, 51. We saw him grow, when he was 12… and then 30. He went through process. God exposed him to the extent he was developed per time. God didn’t make him an authority until he had gone through the process. At his baptism, God acknowledge him as his son in whom He is well pleased and then at the mount of transfiguration, God added another dimension to His attesting Him as His son in whom He is well pleased, hear ye him. Jesus didn’t just mature in age, but also through the process he went through. What was the seemingly difference between Saul and David? Process! Saul was a made man, he had the build and looks of a king but he failed. David was found as a boy, who was already a shepherd boy out in the field taking care of his father’s flock. He was the only king anointed three times, he served under a king. There was no king in Israel who had a reign like David and it wasn’t because God chose him but rather, it was because he subjected himself through the various processes and seasons in his life. Jesus became the King of kings and Lord of lords because he subjected himself through the process. At Gethsemane, he had the opportunity of turning back but he gave in by saying “not my will but thy will be done.”

In the story of the 12 spies sent out to spy the land, 10 returned with an evil report but Caleb stilled the people and Joshua joined in to still the people. Now, if it was on the basis of that alone, Caleb, rather than Joshua would have been chosen to succeed Moses but alas! God is not a God of events but of process, although it may climax in an event but the real mark is in the process. The event only mattered based on how far one followed the process. In that event Caleb was the principal actor but when it came time for the baton to be passed on, it was given to Joshua. You see, up until that time, nothing was said about Caleb but Joshua had been going through process, he was known as Moses’ servant. When God called Moses to come up the mount and be there, Joshua went along. He wasn’t doing it because he was looking for favour or position but because he understood what he was going through. If you are not smart enough and be seen to be taking personal initiative to go through the process, you will be the one to lose. All those in scripture who made a mark used their personal initiative. Moses wasn’t the one who called Joshua to follow him, he didn’t follow him up but Joshua had been there and was following.

Gal. 3:29 states that “…if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” In Gen. 12:1, “…the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee.” Our root can be traced back to Abraham and even though God met him when he was already a man, God made him go through process.

The call of God is to ‘Make’. God wants to take you to a land that He will show you. This call is a call from a departure from the old life into the new. There comes a change of desire which bothers on vision, focus. Abraham departed after God spoke to him. This is to tell you that he had a major role to play in this working relationship. The kind of life, home, marriage, church, business, husband, father you desire are process determined. So it’s a call to process. All the known and unknown killer diseases is process determined. Everything we become is process determined.

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, what makest thou? Or thy work, He hath no hands? Is. 45:9. The easiest and simplest way we strive with our Maker everyday is when we turn our backs against the process God set for us, and refuse to go through the process but choose a different course for ourselves. Our emphasis should be the process because it will determine the longevity and fulfillment. Everything about you is for a purpose, not a mistake. If God is your shepherd, He will lead you through a path. Ps.23. Every time you murmur about your covenant responsibility, you are striving with your Maker. “But now, O Lord, thou art our Father, we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” Is. 64:8. Does clay have desires, talk, live? But anything great can come out of clay if it’s in the hands of the potter. The things Jesus learnt were the things that matured him. Heb. 5:8-9. People who take up responsibility become better. The reason we keep repeating the various cycles in our lives is because at one time or the other, we refused to attend to the processes, seasons and lessons we ought to have had. All that Jesus suffered taught Him obedience.

Now, for you to successfully go through a process, season, you must ask yourself some questions;  

- Do I know the season? 

- Am I drawing the lessons I need to draw from the season so I can become a master? 

A season can come to an end and you may miss out of the lessons you ought to learn.

The sons of Issachar were said to be men of understanding because they understood the times and seasons and thus they knew what Israel ought to do. Gideon’s men were put to the test to find out if they understood the process they were about to go through. The season is not the issue but what has been made out of you by reason of the season. In order to escape the evil of these times, you have to redeem it by yielding to the Holy Spirit who is the God head on the earth right now. Eph. 5:15. No matter how mature or old in years you might be, the absence of the Holy Spirit will not make the days to speak. Job 32:7.

In order to successfully become a master, you must go through the process wherein is contained the different seasons and the lessons; and the only one that can take you through that process is the Holy Ghost.

Sometimes people make statements like ‘Time will tell’ to mean that in the course of time, so and so would have taken place in my life or to just generally mean that in the process of time I would be either here or there given the proper order that things should be. This statement is not applicable in all cases. This is because, ‘time will only tell based on what you do with it. Most times, when people make this statement, it is usually from the stand point of regret or bitterness. You see, you may be in a season but it is not automatic that you will become a master. When you are ignorant of this fact, you will just be going through the motions, gong around in cycles. The fact that you are getting older doesn’t mean you are maturing as you ought, you are getting older doesn't mean you are knowing more. You only know more because you are doing something with it. For instance, the fact that you have been an apprentice for say, 10 years, doesn't automatically mean you will become an ‘oga’ except you are learning. Don’t mistake longevity for lessons. This is also how we strive with our Maker when we are not yielded to God in the seasons of life. It is through the various seasons God has set up in one’s life that He will form him/her. God couldn't make Abraham until He brought out into the land He will show him.

Every season in our lives has some unique traits/ virtues we can embrace and learn from. However, these lessons can’t be learnt nor can we come into them in the flesh. It must be by the Holy Ghost, that’s the reason He’s there.

In order to successfully learn what you must learn in any season you come into, You have to be discerning. You should be able to discern accurately the reason why you are in a season and what your responsibilities are in that season. You are dodging becoming a master when you dodge responsibilities. It isn’t just enough to embrace responsibility; you must be out also to learn the lessons involved. The more responsibility you take on, the more responsible you become. To be mature means to be responsible. There are some opportunities that when missed, they are gone forever with virtually nothing you can do about them. That is why we must be very watchful and careful.

David was able to discern that the case with Goliath was an opportunity to show case the power of God. So he didn’t allow the taunts of his brothers to go home deter him. A lot of times, when one is in a particular season, the things confronting and staring you in the face are usually contrary to what you ought to learn. This is where discernment comes in. for instance, you may be in the season where you need to trust God, grow in faith, but at the moment, lack, hunger etc is staring you right in the face but it takes one who is discerning to know that it is a season that will soon pass if one is able to go through it, learning the right lessons.

God has called us to a process, but it is one thing to be called into a process and quite another to be willing to go through it. When God calls a people and gives them a project for instance, in that project, that process, their faith, bond, capacity is developed. Thus, if we are going to learn the lessons in the seasons of life that will make us masters, we must be discerning. We must be able to see with the eye of the Spirit. At those times you don’t feel like praying, those are the times you should pray more. The times you don’t feel like talking to anyone, you should deliberately talk more. 

As you go through the process, your capacity is enlarged, your relational skills improves.

Every time God wants to do something new and fresh, He initiates a process. He wanted a king from the house of Jesse, He initiated a process. All the sons of Jesse were rejected because they hadn’t gone through the process but a little boy (David) who was constantly in the field with the sheep, who fought and killed the lion and the bear with his bare hands was chosen. God had to make the Prophet, Samuel to see with the eyes of the Spirit because he was already judging from the flesh. Nobody knew what David did until he stood to confront Goliath. When you don’t go through a season successfully, you will not have testimonies to share. David’s brothers missed it because they were not discerning.

Jesus’ becoming the Lord of lords and King of kings was not automatic. It is what you have successfully gone through, it is what you know that equips you to become. The lessons we successfully learn in our seasons equips us. They are not to be learnt in the flesh but by the spiritual eye.

In other words, we must know for sure what we ought to be doing in every season of our lives so that we can learn the right lessons and come out as masters. Anyone that does not go through process cannot be a master. Unconsciously, a lot of us abort the processes of God in our lives due to lack of understanding. As a child of God, you cannot get up and say you want to quit your job. Of course, you can only do this when you have had an express word from God. That is, you have enquired from Him to do so.

Consequently, what is a process? It is a step by step course of action meant to achieve a result. But a lot of times, people want to escape these steps and arrive at the end. If you want to get all the lessons from every season of your life, you must be open to these processes, otherwise, will achieve nothing. However, the steps you go through depend on your action or reaction in that season of your life. Your behaviour, attitude in a particular season of your life will determine how and when you will come out of that season the right time, or whether you will come out of it having learnt the right lessons or mastered anything. The only way the processes of God for your life will become relevant is when you do not react to the events playing out but deliberately act on the word of God in those seasons. If you follow through and learn the right lessons, you will come out a master.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and naturally speaking, he had every right to be angry and offended against them. Then again, he got to Portiphar’s house and his wife cried attempted rape and lied against Joseph. Finally, he landed in jail for due to false accusation by Mrs. Portiphar. There was no recorded account in the bible that he complained about his predicament. While in prison, he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s baker and cup bearer. Still, nobody put in a good word for him and he remained there for two years. He wasn’t remembered but that didn’t make him bitter or angry. 

You see, you will truncate God’s plan for you by your reactions in those seasons. You have no right to get bitter with anybody because you don’t know the process God is building in your life. Some people are known to have left church because they felt nobody in church helped them. The bible never said a man will help you – it says woe to them that believe in the arm of flesh. The seasons of life give you an opportunity to act on the word of God – this is what God expects from us i.e. to take His word and act on it. Some people are experiencing health challenges and are looking for who will give them money, or help them to see the right doctor, get to the hospital, and see someone who will help them carryout the test. As you are doing all of that, you must know that it is an opportunity to believe God and increase your capacity. In the midst of whatever you are going through, allow God. If He so desires, He might direct you to who to the people to see but whether or not a man helps you, do not pick an offense.

Please know that in every season of your life, never get bitter. Also know that it could be a season of recruitment or replacement. Make up your mind not to be replaced by anyone in your season. It could be that a new staff was employed into your company, there is no reason for you to be replaced or feel you have been replaced or maybe someone got newly born again and is already on fire doing exploits, that is no reason for you to feel replaced or angry. All you need to do is stay faithful to where God has called you.

A man who is undergoing proper process in the seasons of life has the characteristics of a blessed man. What does it mean to be blessed? It is a state of well being, joy, happiness – a state or condition that everyone desires to be in.

“Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor setteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Ps. 1:1-3.

A man who desires to be blessed does not take advice or suggestions from the ungodly. He does not buy into their plan. He has no interest in abiding where they congregate, i.e. their joints and become relaxed and then finally, he does not sit in their midst, become very comfortable in the midst of mockers and scorners. Once a man begins to take counsel from the ungodly, he will eventually walk in the way of sinners and sit in the seat of the scornful.

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Make me to go in the path of the thy commandments; for therein I delight.” Ps.119:1,35

No matter the consequence/season you are in, never go to the ungodly for counsel.

Interestingly, though, the reason things do not work for us sometimes is because of certain thought pattern, established thoughts we have in our minds such as the way we believe things should be and go, things that are contrary to the precepts of God. The man that is blessed is the one that delights and makes his thoughts the word of God. So you must exchange thoughts that have held you captive.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Cor. 10:4-5

Everything you say is a product of what you have been meditating on. It is not what is on your inside that defiles you but what comes out of you that defiles. It is hard to say things you have not been thinking of. The blessed man is the man that constantly meditates on the word of God day and night. No matter the challenges confronting you, let your mind be fixed on the word. What comes out of you is a product of what you have allowed in, in the first place through your thoughts. If you want to learn the lessons in every season, your eyes must be fixed on the word, you must never leave it. When verse 3 talks about meditating on the scriptures day and night, it means you give the word attention. It means your every thought is filled with the word of God

In order to experience verse 3, you must have been seen to be walking in verse 1 & 2. The fruit that will come out is a product of what has been planted therein. Now, the fruit is a visible expression of inherent characteristics. Synonymously, you become like the tree planted deliberately by Lord. But a lot of times, we don’t give attention to what will bring the fruit. The fruit that will come out is based on what is inside.

Conclusively, Psalm 1:1-3 describes a man who is deliberately giving attention to the word of God, who takes delight in the law of God day and night. These verses of Psalm are the best process for a man who wants to experience God finally at the end. A man who has gone through process produces fruit which is a consequence of what is inherent – what you’ve put inside. To learn the lessons of the seasons of life, you must act on the word not react. If you go through process properly, it will give you authority in future. By the time Joseph was through, God put him in a place of great authority. Paul came to a point where he could say, I know whom I have believed. You too can allow God have His way through and through. As you open up to His dealings through the seasons of your life, you will learn the right lessons and ultimately gain mastery.