THE POWER OF RECOGNITION - IF YOU DON’T RECOGNIZE IT, YOU WILL WASTE AND ABUSE IT

If a man does not recognize, he cannot utilize. Awareness is the greatest tool of change. We are so hopeless when we don't know. If we don't know, we are blind and our best efforts will fail. They fail woefully. We lose direction when we do not acknowledge the exact purposes that things are meant for.

Two things led to these recent thoughts of mine. I have been studying the life and story of Naaman in 2kings 5. It has been coming alive and fresh. This man was not an apostle, nor was he an evangelist. His story was only mentioned in this part of the scripture but he deserved a commendation by Jesus in Luke 4:27.

Luk 4:27  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

He was the only leper healed in pre-Jesus era because of his awareness. On a closer look I could see that there were a lot of laws that governed his miraculous transmission from an adult leper to a man whose flesh became like that of a small baby. This basic law that initiated the other laws, I believe, is the Law of recognition.

2Ki 5:3  One day she said to her mistress, "I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria! He would cure him of his disease." (GNB)

I declare in the name of Jesus that today will be the beginning of your day of change.

He saw a chance. He saw an opportunity. He recognized it. He used it. He did something with the opportunity and the other laws of favor, divine instruction, compliance took over. However, I will be deliberating on the law of recognition today.

Secondly, I saw how powerful the law of recognition is in the life of a man who killed his wife recently in Lagos. May you wake up from all forms of slumber! May you not be blind internally till it’s too late. May we not be deaf that we cannot hear. If you can’t recognize, you will misbehave. It was a 3-year

old marriage that started well. Everyone was happy and excited. One of my kin even posted their wedding picture on her Facebook profile. Externally, all seem well until it began to fracture. Anything can break a marriage - from anger, abuse to adultery and unfaithfulness. However, none of these should make a man kill his wife. It’s simple - Its lack of recognition. He stopped recognizing who she was somewhere along the line. It’s not seen outside but something had taken place inside him. A man who walks in recognition will not murder a wife. There are a lot of options – not murder. Even if she attacks or provokes you - that’s why the house has doors – open and leave at least until things cool down!

The more I ponder on these two stories, the more I get scared. The two had different outcomes. Naaman got healed but He could have missed it had he not heard, seen and recognized the opportunity. Please stay close as I analyze how the Law of recognition works.

2Ki 5:3  And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. 

2Ki 5:4  And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. 

2Ki 5:5  And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

1. RECOGNITION  ATTRACTS INFORMATION

“2Ki 5:3  And she said unto her mistress,”

Information only goes to a man who will use them. To the man who will not use them, it is just a data. A man who is lazy in thinking and whose spiritual antenna is dead will not attract information that is useful, relevant and current. The kind of data you attract will be determined by what you expose yourself to. If all you watch and listen to is what happens in Big Brother feeds and Secret lives of playboys, that’s the kind of seduction you will attract.

2Ti 2:22  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Load up on proper information about how the mind of men works in marriage and you will recognize the potential of your husband!

2. PEOPLE WHO RESPECT AND RECOGNIZE FIND HELP

This is written all over the scripture – all over! When you walk in recognition, men will help you. Unprovoked favor will pursue you! 

2Ki 5:4  And one went in…

We don’t know the name of this servant that went in to inform Naaman of what the slave maid said but we know for a fact that if this man did not transfer the information to Naaman, he would have died a leper. This servant who told Naaman did that because he recognized that there is an opportunity to have a leprosy free Master. May God send you destiny helpers in Jesus Name. If you can’t see it, you cannot get it. Help naturally flows to people who recognize – opportunities and chances. I believe this was what helped Ruth. When they got back to Bethlehem, her first day at trying to scavenge for food landed her in Boaz’s farm!

Rth 2:3  And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

I prophesy that this season, you will get help. Help will flow to you. Help will flow to your family. Help will flow to your children. Help will flow to your body. In the name of Jesus, as this help flows – you will not abuse it. You will recognize it.

3. RECOGNITION REMOVES LETHARGY AND SPURS ACTION

When a man know how to recognize what matters, he moves. Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. You may have a gift in your life for years that will remain dormant but the day you recognize it, there is a release of life to grow it. There is power in recognition. There is no recognition in the grave. A lot of unrecognized gifts and dormant talents lay buried in the tomb. Lord, let me not die with gifts meant to help my generation. Let me not die with doors close to me meant to be opened left unopened. When you recognize your spouse as who she/he should be, it makes you naturally more tolerant of the glaring weakness he/she has. It is difficult sometimes but recognition changes the perspective.

It was recognition that made someone to transmit the information to Naaman. It was recognition that made Naaman to go to the king. Recognition brings awareness.  It was recognition that made Elisha ask Naaman to come over when the king of Isreal was powerless. It was recognition that made the Shunnamite woman arrange for food and shelter for the man of God.

2Ki 4:9  And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. 

2Ki 4:10  Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

She saw something other women on the same street did not see. Oh! How I pray that our internal antenna will wake up to recognize the abundance around us and do something. That extra space and extra staff in your office can bring millions but you have to recognize it.

4. RECOGNITION REMOVES CONFUSION

A lot of times we find it difficult to know which way to go. We ponder for days and we don’t know which route is the option. Most times, it is not because we are not knowledgeable, it is because we cannot balance the need with the purpose. It may be because we cannot recognize the reason behind the choices we have to make. A man who do not recognize his own assignment in life will find it difficult to know which woman will fit in. Sort out your purpose and you will know which of those handsome guys deserves your hand in marriage. 

Abraham was clear minded about the need of Eleazer, his servant, to go back to “my kindred”  - my type, not necessarily “my race” to get a wife for Isaac. Eleazer used this principle of recognition too to determine who she will be – she wanted a lady that was hard working, not scared of strangers, willing to go the extra mile in service and courteous. Those are the traits required of a wife that fits into the family of Abraham and the life of Isaac particularly after losing his Mum. He recognized this and set the rules long before Rebecca arrived. Read – 

Gen 24:14  And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master

The key is knowing and recognizing long before it comes. In all my years of Singles ministry, I have never seen a young Christian who has a high level of recognition and has a clear understanding (most times documented) of their assignment and relevance in life who struggles to select a spouse. Its beyond shape, size, colour  and height. Its deeper! Find it now!

Recognize your purpose and confusion will flee!

5. RECOGNITION WILL PRESERVE FROM ERROR AND ABUSE

What you know and you acknowledge makes you eliminate what can harm you! I told you earlier about the man who abused and killed his wife. It is been said that it is weak men that abuse women. If a guy wants to exhibit that he has a high level of testerone, he should go look for another guy to fight in a ring with another man and get paid for it. It’s called boxing! Abuse is a primary outcome of non-recognition.

When I was young, less than ten years old, my mum bought a brand new Moulinex blender. It was an item in our house those days. I was however curious at how it works. You just put some vegetables inside and this thing churns them into liquid. I was really curious. When I was the only at home, I connected it to see how this two blades can perform this wonders. I decided to test my power against that of the blender blades. That’s a classic case of abuse because I am ignoring the whole essence of the blender – blatantly. Abuse occurs when you knowingly ignore the recognized use of an item. God made wombs to hold children. Not abort them. The womb has no other function! I decided to hold the blades in the blender and powered it on. You know what happened to the tip of my index finger- You guessed right. The issue is not whether I have the power to hold the blades – even though I really don’t! The real issue is that I am not recognizing the essence of the blades! I paid for it dearly for weeks in pain!

Naaman almost missed it because he did not recognize the power of spoken instruction. He was waiting for laying on of hands and yet the instruction was given. He was furious and livid because he did not recognize that even the whole world was spoken into existence.

2Ki 5:10  And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 

2Ki 5:11  But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

Go now and be fruitful! Go now and activate all dormant gifts as you recognize them. Go now and protect all the people that heaven as given to you.

I pray that you will not miss it. I ask that you will not abuse opportunities of mentorship and grace that heaven brings your way in Jesus Name. I ask that the power of recognition that made Blind Bartimeaus know that the day of eternal change was here will come on you and all that is yours in Jesus Name. As I add one more year, I ask that  before my next birthday, you will know rest, you will have rest and walk in uncommon recognition in Jesus name. AMEN.

EVANGELIST BEE.

No. 125 – 6th July 2011

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