The Promised Life

By Caroline BIMBO AFOLALU

What is the Promised Life?

There are useful questions to explore to discover your promised life.

·       What life do you see?

·       What is your ideal or dream life?

·       What purpose would you like to fulfil?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Whitstone Books
• Release date: Aug 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781915591012

Book preview

Copyright © 2022 Caroline Bimbo Afolalu

All rights reserved

No part of this book can be reproduced in any form or by written electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information retrieval system or otherwise without the author’s or publisher’s prior written permission.

Published by

Whitstone Books

Croydon UK

August 2022

Printed in Great Britain

Although every precaution has been taken, in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information held herein.

ISBN 978-1-915591-00-5

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it, day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful.

Joshua 1:8

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Introduction

What is the Promised Life?

Living By the Holy Spirit

Chapter 1

The Power of Momentum and New Beginning

Chapter 2

Divine Location for an Outstanding Living

The Green Pasture – Divine Location

Chapter 3

Divine Enlargement and Expansion

Chapter 4

Prevailing Power Over Opposition

Chapter 5

God’s Faithfulness and Loyalty

Chapter 6

Divine Confidence and Courage

Chapter 7

The Application of the Word of God – The Holy Bible

Jesus’ Teaching about the Importance of the Application of the Word of God – The Story of The Wise and Foolish Builders

Chapter 8

Preparation and Preparedness for Opportunities

Chapter 9

The Power of Vision and Visualisation

Chapter 10

Divine Helper

Chapter 11

Divine Fear and Protection

Chapter 12

Divine Instruction and Direction

Chapter 13

Dependable God and Faith in God

The Meaning of Faith

How to Develop Faith

Chapter 14

Divine Breakthrough and Pathway

Chapter 15

Remembrance And Thanksgiving

Chapter 16

Divine Promotion and Elevation

Chapter 17

Divine Relocation and Honour

Chapter 18

Divine Provision and Prosperity

The Seasons of Life and Appointed Times

Chapter 19

Discerning Enemies from Friends

Discerning The Good and the Bad Fruit

Chapter 20

The Effectiveness of Praise

Chapter 21

The Covenant of Life

Chapter 22

Divine Fame and Glory

Chapter 23

Disobedience and Sin

Chapter 24

Confession of Sin and Seeking God’s Forgiveness

Chapter 25

Fear Versus Courage

Chapter 26

Obedience to Divine Instruction

Chapter 27

Beware of Partnerships and Deceitful Deals

Unequal Partnerships - The Bible Warns Believers Not to Be Unequally Yoked with Unbelievers

Chapter 28

Prayer and the Supernatural

Chapter 29

Peace and Silencing Opposition

Chapter 30

Divine Authority and Dominion over Enemies

Chapter 31

Victory in God

Chapter 32

Divine Warfare

The Laws of Warfare

Chapter 33

Take Control of Your life and Enter God’s Rest

Chapter 34

Old Age and Divine Strength

Moses Blesses Asher – A Prayer for Divine Strength at Old Age

Chapter 35

Divine Trust and Devotion to God

Chapter 36

Positive Thinking and Cheerful Outlook

Negative Attitude – The Story of Doubting Thomas

Chapter 37

Asking and Receiving

Jesus’ Principle of Asking and Receiving

Jesus’ Teaching about Persistence - The Story of the Persistent Widow

The Effectiveness of Prayer

Chapter 38

Daughters’ Right to Inheritance

Chapter 39

Divine Greatness and Ambition

Paul’s Prayer for The Ephesians – A Prayer for Greatness

Jabez’s Prayer – A Prayer for Greatness

Peter’s Surplus Catch

A Poem about Thinking Big - My Life Wage Poem

Chapter 40

Performance and Fulfilment of God’s Promises

Chapter 41

Loyalty to God

Chapter 42

Divine Empowerment and Supernatural Living

Peter Supernaturally Walked On Water

Chapter 43

Holiness, Diligence and Accountability

Prayer for God’s Help to Keep Away from Hidden Errors and Faults

Chapter 44

Divine Connection

Jesus the True Vine for Life Sustenance

Chapter 45

The Importance of Legacy and Last Will

Chapter 46

Curses Turn to Blessings

Chapter 47

Prosperous Life - A Life Without Stress

Chapter 48

True Worship and Faith in Action

Faith in Action

Chapter 49

Decision and Making Choices

Chapter 50

Mentorship and Developing Leaders

Conclusion

The True Promised Life – Seek God’s Kingdom

The Blessing for Obedience – The Promised Life

Altar Call

Call to Salvation

Prayer of Salvation, Author’s Version

Welcome Letter to new Christians

New Christian To-Do List:

About the Author

Other Books by the Author

Contact Details

Works Cited

Recommended Resources

Dedication

I humbly dedicate this book to God the Father, God the Son -Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit, for the divine gift of teaching and wisdom.

Acknowledgements

Appreciation to all my family, friends, Beautiful Foods Ltd customers, work colleagues, church family and family in-laws, who have shown me exceptional love over the years.

Special thanks to my mastermind partner and husband Tunde Afolalu, my amazing daughter Grace Ife Afolalu, and my wonderful sons Bisi and Pelumi Afolalu.

To God be all the Glory!

Introduction

What is the Promised Life?

"He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end."

Ecclesiastes 3:11

The Promised Life! One may ask; What is the promised life? To better understand the promised life, it is useful to refer to the land promised to the Israelites in the Book of Genesis. The promised land is the cities of Canaan, a place flowing with milk and honey that God promised to Abraham and his descendants the Israelites in the book of Genesis. The promise was fulfilled in the Book of Joshua when the Israelites conquered Canaan’s inhabitants and took over their towns under Joshua’s leadership.

I will give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger [moving from place to place], all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession [of property]; and I will be their God.

Genesis 17:8

Whilst to the Israelites, the promise was a physical place, to Christians, the promise is much more than a location. It is an ideal life that encompasses eternal life, wealth and abundance and whatever vision a person may desire. The landscape of dreams and goals is the individual’s heart desires empowered by God’s imagination and plan for his people.

Everyone, is, therefore, expected to seek God in prayer for their individually assigned promised life. Christians should seek God to discover their ideal life and how to live the good life. The questions to ask are:

•What life do you see for yourself?

•What purpose would you like to fulfil?

•What is your God-given destiny?

•How do you possess your possession?

Discovering the answers to these questions will take the help and revelation from God. So, this book will focus on the key points and the wisdom gleaned from God’s relationship with the Israelites, particularly Joshua, during the conquest of their promised land in the Book of Joshua. This is a helpful book on how to possess your promised life.

Whilst the promised land is blessed and prosperous cities, the promised life is blessed and prosperous living. An outstanding lifestyle, that a cruise ship advert calls This is the Life! a life of serenity, bliss, beauty, prosperous, peaceful, and ecstatic experience on earth. The book is, therefore, an exploration of the success strategies of the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua in acquiring such beautiful and prosperous cities, now the nation of Israel.

The Israelite’s pursuit of success was to possess the nation promised to their ancestor Abraham, but Christian’s pursuit of happiness and success encompasses more than physical towns and properties. Success to Christians is achieving greatness, salvation, peace, joy, and prosperity, what is called the abundant and prosperous life. The book will apply the strategies of God for taking over the land of Canaan to possess the abundant life promised by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Book of John Chapter 10.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

John 10:10

Our faith in God is the basis of our life and the foundation upon which we succeed. God promises success and intends to prosper his people. So, as Christians, we should move forward into our destinies and possess our possession. Human beings desire to prosper, hence at the beginning of every new year, people declare and wish each other a happy, peaceful, and prosperous new year. Apostle John wished the people of God the same in the Bible. He prayed for good health, joy, peace, and prosperity.

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

3 John 1:2

The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5) is the reward of salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, by living in the Spirit and letting God be the Shepherd of one’s life, the Believer will enjoy a beautiful and fulfilling life, what is known as the promised life.

Living By the Holy Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things, there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

Jesus teaches the promised life is found in seeking God’s kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6). In God’s Kingdom, salvation is found, and every other good wish of the Believer is fulfilled. In other words, God makes life beautiful at his appointed time for those who believe.

Prayer

Dear Holy Spirit, we thank you for your presence and the fruit of the Spirit. Lord, we pray for the wisdom to prosper and be in health just as our souls prosper. We ask for salvation and the promised life. We believe that you will make life beautiful in your appointed time, in Jesus’ name. Amen

Chapter 1

The Power of Momentum and New Beginning

Moses My servant is dead; now, therefore, arise [to take his place], cross over this Jordan, you and all these people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.

Joshua 1:2

The first lesson for possessing your promised life is to let go of your past and declare a new beginning. This is the greatest strategy for warfare and success. Whatever failure or loss that might have happened should stay in the past so that one can match ahead and achieve greater heights in the future. God said to Joshua to arise, this is an important instruction for success.

The wisdom nugget is, therefore, to keep moving forward, doing more of the things that lift you higher and less of the negative things that hold you back. This is the strategy that Apostle Paul applied to his life. He says he leaves things that hold him back in the past and presses forward for his future success.

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:13-14

Therefore, leaving the past where it belongs - in the past, and moving forward is God’s number one key strategy for success. Once, Moses the leader of Israel died, God spoke to Joshua his assistant to wipe his tears and take on the challenge of leadership. The old was gone and new has come. The