A question for this generation of believers: Where are we in God’s plan?

Pastor Olusegun Olanipekun the visionary leader and founder of the Institute for Christian Leadership Development (ICLD) hosted a one-day seminar last weekend titled: Where are we in God’s Plan?

He says that this is a critical question to ask, not only for individuals, families, businesses but for South Africa, for Africa and for the present generation.

Every individual, family, business, ministry, community and nation needs to align and operate within God’s eternal plan. Every leader is required to function within the context of God’s eternal vision. But what is God’s plan?

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Olanipekun says the Bible has the answer and the Holy Spirit will reveal the measure and dimension relevant for our time in God’s eternal plan. This should help us proceed joyfully into the future, knowing God makes all things work together for good according to the counsel of His own will if we love Jesus and are called according to His purpose.

The nation of South Africa is part of God’s eternal plan. Pastor Segun says that South Africa is not just a rainbow nation in the physical; he believes that God has a plan to use the nation of South Africa for healing and for reconciliation globally.

“There are things that Africans have lost in the previous generations and God wants to use South Africa as a nation to help Africa to recover the ground that we have lost in previous generations”.

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Warning for leaders
Olanipekun has a strong warning for South African leaders: If this generation of South African leaders leads the nation into ancestral worship, into the new world order, into an agenda like Comprehensive Sexual Education, they are going to delay the plan of God. They are not going to fulfil the goal of being a rainbow nation, of being a nation that can be exemplary to other nations of the world.

If leaders take SA onto these wrong paths structures will collapse, because when you give the devil a door he comes to steal, to kill and to destroy. You cannot outsmart the devil. The only way you can defeat the enemy’s plan is to be part of God’s plan as it is revealed in Christ Jesus.

If the leaders of the different sectors of the economy will not lead the nation into God’s plan, God is going to phase them out because God is not going to change His plan. They are going to become a wasted generation similar to the generation of Israel that chose to worship a golden calf in the wilderness. The ICLD has embarked on a programme intended to build capacity and empower people to develop the nations and affect future generations.

ICLD is a Christian non-profit organisation that seeks to apply biblical and godly principles in the development of society. It is established to impact all walks of life, and among its activities, it has adopted a holistic approach in dealing with the lack of good leadership and governance in the nations of Africa.

God is moving anew upon the earth to raise godly, visionary, territorial and generational leaders through whom He will raise a new standard and reveal His glory among the nations.

The vision of the institute is to raise the standard of leadership in society through the application of Scripture. The seminar is one of many projects and events the institute runs and hosts to achieve its vision.

The institute has been established to sound a trumpet call to awaken the sons and daughters of God to take responsibility to disciple the nations in the path of truth, equity and righteousness.

Nations need transformation
The nations need transformation. The collapse of social order in many nations bear testimony to this as do the challenges that face our generation including the crisis of poverty, HIV/AIDS, corruption, crime, domestic violence and unemployment.

ICLD seeks to establish a generation of godly men and women to lead businesses and the nations of the world according to biblical principles.

They want to develop territorial and generational leaders who are able to apply biblical dynamics to all of life just like David. David was raised by God to deal with the giants that were going to destroy the nation of Israel. Through the boldness of David, God was able to defeat the plan of the enemy and to lead His children to victory. David served his generation.

Throughout his teachings Olanipekun reveals how, as believers, we have to go through a process of growth for God to prepare us for use.

Before He can present us to the world as His arrows and sons we have to go through a process of purification. We have to know our spiritual identity so we cannot be easily swayed by the enemy.

He reminds the Church that the devil breeds his own sons. Therefore the Church cannot afford to remain comfortable and merely pray. When the Pharisees came to John the Baptist he said: “You brood of vipers” — these men were not just influenced by devil, they were bred for their assignment. They were raised. The devil is meticulous to raise his brood so that they are territorial and make sure that the will of the devil is done in the territory as it is in hell.

We need to be active and vigilant to know the tactics of the enemy, so we can raise sons. The devil has sons in every community to carry out his plans.

Olanipekun emphasises the example of David in carrying out God’s plan. “God raised David for the territory. It is because David overpowered the giants, that is how the Kingdom plan could take place in David’s generation. That is how it could be said that David served his generation otherwise the giants would have made sure that territory is secure for the will of the devil but David secured it for the will of God and we have to secure our territories for the will of God so that it can be said concerning us that we also served our generation according to the will of God.“

Growth and refining
Before we can be used in the kingdom Pastor Segun outlines levels of growth and refining that a believer has to go through. This is how an individual progresses in the kingdom of God. From salvation he undergoes various levels of purification where God takes him through phases of spiritual growth. When the work is done He will move you forward. When the work is not done He will not allow you to move to other things.

The purpose of the seminar was for the body of Christ to search ourselves about where we are individually and as the Church in this growth plan and where we are in the eternal plan of our Almighty God. If we are to do exploits for God we have to take the initiative and boldness to approach God to cleanse us; prepare us and to show us His plan.

As the day drew to an end we were afforded an opportunity to reflect on where we are in God’s plan, as individuals, in our careers, as families, communities and nations — and the opportunity to consider what we might change to align with God’s plan. We were also challenged to consider this generation’s position in God’s plan; are we fulfilling or delaying God’s plan? I recommend that believers make time to engage in such introspection.