Optimism: Seeing Beyond the Present Realities

By Onaolapo Gabriel Olusola

This book encourages us to endure painful struggles we have passed through and are passing through so as to rise above discouragement and set back to attain our goals in life. Focus on your future because you have a brilliant future ahead of you. It doesn’t mean it will be easy or pain free; every winner in the Bible experienced pains too. Develop the right attitudes toward yourself.

The book reminds us that we should “never, never give up”; your dreams and goals are worth any fight, any price, and any waiting period. Your perseverance is what demoralizes the enemies. Satan loves shy and fearful types, but real fighter intimidates him, so be bold. Never say things that will make the enemy think he is winning. It is instructive as it helps us to know the right steps to take, to take quality decisions about a brilliant and better tomorrow.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Africa
• Release date: Feb 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781482860412

Onaolapo Gabriel Olusola

Onaolapo Gabriel Olusola is trained in marketing, sales management, and theological education. He is a speaker in conferences, a pastor since 1990, and a reputable author. A CEO of companies with interests in publishing, farming, mining, energy, and real estate. He married Florence Taiwo, and they are blessed with four children.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 by Onaolapo Gabriel Olusola.

ISBN:                  Hardcover                        978-1-4828-6042-9

                            Softcover                           978-1-4828-6040-5

                            eBook                                978-1-4828-6041-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

www.partridgepublishing.com/africa

To my number one fan and hero, Late Pa, Onaolapo Paul Oyawoye, who believed I am destined for greatness despite my wobble start in life. (It took almost three years before I walked and talked as a baby.) He invested heavily in me—resulting in what is being seen today.

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Foreword

I n keeping with his title, Optimism: Seeing beyond the Present Realities , the author, prophet/evangelist Gabriel Olusola Onaolapo, at once bombards you with the strongest and best kind of faith. And he never lets up on it. This is no child’s play book or mere writings but a summon to the choice you make about your future, home, country, place of work, family, and generations. It challenges you to mature and see beyond human reasoning.

Prophet Onaolapo answers poignant questions about freedom relative to what you see concerning your life in general, towards moving a step forward and becoming what God has promised you of becoming. This book will enlighten and liberate thousands of Christians and non-Christians from being falsely motivated and manipulated by wrong choices or negative choices and by others.

Spiritual and emotional prisons will swing open in the lives of most readers. Using scriptural and real-life examples, he solves quite a number of the mysteries that have plagued us for a long time. Ultimately, he impresses upon us the central idea that our reasoning will certainly be influenced by what we see, and what we choose to see. Remember, ‘Sight is a powerful gateway to your mind and reasoning.’

Each chapter is complete in itself, and taken together, they sparkle like many facets of a diamond. Along with larger illustrations are a ‘thousand points of light’ that dart along the way.

The style is the man—Prophet/Evangelist Gabriel O. Onaolapo. He has his style.

This book will wake you up to choice making, encourages you, and motivates you to be your best for God. Implied in this book is the spiritual truth that ‘those who want changes and going higher for the Lord will achieve it’.

Do you want a renewal that will indeed strengthen your choice, your faith, and your commitment to God; revitalize your own reasoning and prayer life; and intensify your desire to do the will of God? This is a must-read book for you and your loved ones, and more so, get at least five copies for friends. I personally call this book an encourager and faith energizer.

Samuel O. Adetiba

House of Prayer Christian Fellowship Inc.

Irving, Texas, USA

Acknowledgement

I wish to show gratitude to God for making this book project a reality. He is my source of knowledge and inspiration. To Him be glory forever and ever.

I also wish to appreciate the efforts of a number of people who have contributed immensely towards the success of this book. Let me quickly mention few names that readily came to my mind: Ademisoye Funke (business manager), Olufayo Bunmi, Babalola Rachael, Gbenga Ademisoye, Pastor M. L. T. Oladipo, Bisola Adedinsewo, Omobola Awopetu, Kehinde Osatuyi, Pastor Samuel Adetiba, and all the ministers and members of Christ the King Rescue Global Ministry (CKREGLOM) who served as proofreaders, writers, computer operators, and motivators to make sure this message is packaged into book form. May the Lord bless you all.

Mention should also be made of MAMA: Chief (Mrs) Akindele Olabisi, Mr Arogundade Daniel, Mrs Folake Coker, and Barrister (Pastor) Chris Oakhena for their efforts in getting this book published.

Finally, I appreciate my lovely wife, Pastor (Mrs) F. A. T. Onaolapo, our children, Winner, Miracle, Freedom, and Queen, for their support.

Mention should be made of the wonderful people in Partridge Africa, especially Geraldine Samson (a senior publishing consultant) and Rebecca Carter, for their encouragement and support to make this project a huge success.

Thank you one; thank you all!

GABRIEL O. ONAOLAPO

Apostle of Freedom

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgement

Introduction

Chapter 1

Optimism: What does it mean?

Chapter 2

Rise above the cloud and see the shining stars

Chapter 3

Today’s trial is tomorrow’s testimony

Chapter 4

What you look for is what you will see

Chapter 5

You can turn your lemon to lemonade

Chapter 6

Depression: An enemy of optimism

Chapter 7

Failure is a beginning and never the end

Chapter 8

Behold, Jesus, the super scar-bearer

Chapter 9

No loneliness for a Christian: Someone is always with him

Chapter 10

Drought is not a hindrance to your desired breakthrough

Chapter 11

Believe God for success in all your endeavours

Chapter 12

Great dreams never fail but may just take a longer time to manifest

Chapter 13

Do not wash your net; your harvest time has come

Chapter 14

Play it down, and pray it up

Chapter 15

Discovering grounds for celebration

Chapter 16

Discard hopelessness from your vocabulary

Chapter 17

Focus on what you have left and not what you have lost

Chapter 18

How much does God know about you?

Chapter 19

The importance of optimism

Appendix

The message is inspiring, instructive,

soothing, and comforting

About the Author

About the Book

Introduction

W hat do you see? This was a question that God asked prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:11). I also deem it fit to pose the same question to you.

What do you see about your future, your home, your country, your church, your place of work, your child, your hubby, or your wife? What you see will certainly determine who you are and what you will become.

Since we are living in a polluted world, with polluted minds and impaired sights, the possibility of seeing the negative and the bad things are higher than the possibility of seeing positive and good things.

Your reactions to life and living depend largely on what you see day in and day out. Sight is a powerful gateway to your mind and mental faculty. Your reasoning will certainly be influenced by what you see. Your receptivity or otherwise to opportunities is also controlled by what you see. Your responsibility or irresponsibility rests on what you see.

But do you know that what you see or do not see is a choice? The psalmist said, ‘I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living’ (Psalm 27:13). It is inspiring to know that David believed and chose to see the goodness of the Lord during a critical time of his life when he was faced with conspiracy, challenges, and serious sickness.

Making the right choice is not as easy as you may think.

Many factors are at work against optimism: poverty, sickness, death, threat of enemies, failure, disappointment, betrayal of trust, famine, fraud, depression, political and economic instability all over the world, war and rumours of war, terrorism, high divorce rate, and many more. In spite of all these, it is possible for you to choose to see goodness. Through divine inspirations, I have prayerfully collected these materials to help you in living a life full of optimism. I promise you a radical change in the way you see or view life after reading this book.

Chapter 1

Optimism: What does it mean?

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

Chapter 1

Optimism: What does it mean?

O ur existence in life from the day of birth to the day of death has been metaphorically said to be a journey. In reality, it is true. If this is accepted, then we can conveniently compare our journey through life to journeys one undertakes from one place to another. Sometimes, this journey could be smooth, easy, and go as scheduled without a hitch or any negative incident, but most times, a well-planned journey may go awry—there can be delays, missed flights or buses, hold-ups, and sometimes even accidents occur that will totally change the course of one’s life. Same thing is applicable in our journey through this world. There will be a time of storms, turbulence, experiencing contours, mountain climbing, or going down the valley. Sometimes, life’s journey will be full of positive events, like graduating from school, securing a good job, getting a good life partner, tying the nuptial knot, buying a new car, moving into one’s house, having an addition to the family through the arrival of a new baby, or getting awards and accolades. At a time like this, life seems good, enjoyable, and one wishes that the trend continues, but always, it doesn’t.

Time will come that will challenge our faith, hope, and lovely aspirations. Things will go awkward and be turned upside down. It will appear as if all the forces of hell have been let loose against us. Fear, despondence, despair, and pessimism will set in. It will appear as if we should give up hope and quit this business of living, but it is at this actual time that God wants us to be optimistic, challenge what is challenging us, call on Him for assistance, and bring to the fore those powers and virtues He has deposited in us to make living meaningful. Be informed that the journey of life is not for the lily-livered.

If you have concluded that your case is closed, I want you to know that nothing closes except you close it. Some have written themselves off, but they don’t have to do that when there is still life in them. Some believe that they cannot amount to anything good in life because of their present predicament, but I want such people to know that ‘the down fall of a man is not the end of his life’.

I sat down and thought of why people choose to write themselves off; my discovery is that they can’t see or visualize a blossom and glorious future for themselves. They are pessimistic rather than being optimistic. As a result of this, they see nothing good in their lives.

When a gentle wind began to blow, They thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the ‘northeaster’, swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind, so we gave way to it and were driven along … When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging we finally gave up all hope of being saved. After the men had gone a long time without food, … and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you. So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told