OVERCOMING THE GIDEON COMPLEX

By BANWO Dr. OPE

Overcoming the Gideon Complex: Unleashing Your Potential as a Christian

It's a lamentable truth that many Christians grapple with what can be termed as the "Gideon Complex" - a condition where believers fail to fully embrace their potential and live out their divine purpose. Despite professing faith and assurance of salvation, a significan

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr Ope Banwo
• Release date: Mar 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869224743

Book preview

Overcoming

THE GIDEON COMPLEX

How To Confront Your Fear, Weaknesses And Limitations And Pursue Your Destiny

Ope Banwo

COPYRIGHT

@2023, Opeolu Banwo. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the author and the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New International Version of the Holy Bible.

Overcoming The Gideon Complex

Copyrightc@2023, OPE BANWO

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the Almighty God for His infinite Mercy and Grace in redeeming me from my wilderness and calling me into His Kingdom

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I will like to express my most sincere gratitude and appreciation to the following individuals who have contributed, in one form or the other, to the development of the idea and concept of this book:

Dr Myles Munroe: For your mentorship and education. Your words of incredible wisdom both in private sessions and in your many books opened my eyes to the true implications and meaning of the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached. Your relentless pursuit of your Kingdom assignment of proclaiming the real Kingdom message to the world is a source of great inspiration to me and an invaluable gift to the body of Christ.

Femi Awodele and Dr. Ola Awodele: For your unflagging support and encouragement. I continue to thank God for introducing both of you into my life and ministry. Your constant encouragement made this book possible. Your support and words of advice give a deeper meaning to the words iron sharpens iron.

Dr. Bunmi and Solape Dada: For your unflagging love through thick and thin. You have always believed in me and my ministry even when I did not believe in myself. Your parental support and tireless mentoring continue to provide me with the emotional and spiritual anchor without which I could not have made it this far in the ministry.

Pastors Martin and Lynell Williams: For your invaluable mentorship, prayers and support; For your friendship and encouragement. Part of the inspiration to write this book came from reading your book ‘Exhale!’ which also dealt with the story of Gideon from another perspective. Thank you for opening up your world of Kingdom connections and relationships to me.

Deacon Ola Sobo: For your tireless support of the vision and the visionary. Your selfless service in the day to day administration of the ministry made it possible for me to create the time to write this book. May God reward you for your faithfulness.

Sis Bola Bankole and Funmi Adebanjo: For helping out with several proof reading sessions and suggestions on arrangement of several sections of the book. God bless you!

ABOVE ALL, my most sincere and undying love and gratitude goes to my jewel of inestimable value, my wife, Olunike Ajoke: Thank you for keeping up with me and keeping the family going through it all.

WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK

It is a sad fact that many Christians are not living up to the level of their potential. It is not uncommon to find Christians of many years standing living purposeless lives. They are assured of heaven but they have nothing to show for their lives on this earth. While many Christians will be quick to tell you they are the ‘salt of the earth’ or ‘light of the world’, their personal situations actually mock their claims.

A careful study of the situation shows many Christians are living below the expectation of God for them either because they lack confidence in their ability or are ignorant of their position as kings. It is also sad that many of them are unwilling to accept they have what it takes to possess their possession, even when this is prophesied into their lives, or when they have the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

It is also a matter of concern that though we all claim to live by faith and not by sight, many of us still constantly demand confirmations upon confirmations from the Holy Spirit, even when we knew He has spoken, particularly when we do not like the instruction He has given us. More often than not, this ‘laying of the fleece’ for God is the result of some deep ‘complexes’(i.e. fears of failure and inadequacy) in our Spirit that must be confronted, if we ever hope to be free to fulfill our destinies.

It is time Christians are made to confront their fears and feelings of inadequacy and begin to take their God ordered positions on earth. A self examination of why many of us are under-achieving is the starting point for realizing our potential and fulfilling them.

This is why I wrote this book

Chapter One

Created To Do Great Things

"For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ Ephesians 2:10

I

t is a settled point from scripture that we are all formed, shaped and created uniquely by God for a purpose on this earth. The totality of scripture made it clear that God must have put each and everyone of us into His kingdom for a purpose. God did not just create us to get saved. Rather, God created us to extend His Kingdom influence on earth after we become saved.

In the Book of Genesis, after God had created the earth, the Moon, the Stars, the Animals, the Water and everything else for a perfect world, he considered the works of His hand and pronounced them to be ‘good’. Right after this, the Bible tells us, Then God said, ‘Let us create man in our own image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’.[1] In short, God created Man to be the superstar of His intricate and comprehensive creation.

Over the years, there has been a lot of speculation and suggestions among theologians, historians and philosophers about the purpose of creation. While some of those identified purposes may seem to have some basis in scripture, the fact remains that The Purpose God Himself expressed, when all creation was still in a perfect state, was for us to be ‘fruitful, multiply, replenish and rule the earth’. While it may be argued forever what it means to be ‘fruitful’, ‘multiply’ or ‘replenish’, the meaning of ‘rule over all the earth’ is less arguable.

This purpose for man has not changed. As a matter of fact, after God destroyed the whole world, save for Noah and his family, he repeated the purpose for Man as soon as Noah and his family came ashore from the Ark. Immediately Noah and his family stepped on the new earth, God blessed them and commanded Noah and his sons saying, "Be fruitful