“Show them who you are”, Ramonda the queen mother called out to her son T’Challa, the Black Panther. He had being in a ritual battle with M’Baku for the crown. It had seemed that the ceremony would proceed without a battle as no tribe challenged the choice of T’Challa until the Jabari’s tribe leader, M’Baku showed up unannounced and ready for battle.
I believe he caught T’Challa off guard as he really threw some great punches that knocked the self-acclaimed ‘Black Panther’ out many times. I was disappointed. He was just a pretty boy with no spine after all. They got to a cliff and it looked like M’Baku was going to end him and that was when his mother called out to him. I believe it was then he understood the gravity of what was at stake. His family would lose the throne. His tribe, as well as other tribes who formed Wakanda and who had been leaders would have to submit to Jabari. Other tribes would definitely break out from the Unified Wakanda, a legacy his father had proudly left behind. Somehow he found the strength to confront the adversity that stood in front of him. Not just for himself but for the thousands of people who were counting on him. This was from one of the scenes from the movie, ‘Black Panther.’
Phillip was an ordinary deacon in Jerusalem and was very content with that position until Saul, the unannounced adversity began to attack the church. He killed Stephen who was also a deacon and attacked many others from their homes. This caused many people to migrate including Phillip. They were forced to move, so to speak, to save their lives. Phillip moved to Samaria and the responsibility of being the apostle over the people in Samaria inadvertently fell on him. Prior to this, his duties involved sharing food to orphans and widows. Now in Samaria, he was preaching, healing the sick and performing miracles. Things he never knew he had in him but which the situation forced out of him.
One of Phillip’s major achievement was leading Simon, the magician to Christ. Before Phillip moved to Samaria Simon had dazzled the people with magic and had a large following. He not only believed in the gospel of Christ but got baptized by Phillip. This meant that all his followers automatically became Christians too.
There was also an Ethiopian eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of Ethiopia who was in charge of all her treasures. Phillip through the leading of the Holy Spirit ministered the gospel of Jesus to him and also baptized him. I believe he in turn must have gone to Ethiopia to spread the good news. If Phillip had not taken charge of an unanticipated adversity and situation, how would he have met an important personality from Ethiopia? He was in Samaria but through him, the gospel got to Ethiopia. Sometimes, the adversity is not about you. Destinies are connected to the fulfilment of your own destiny.
Phillip’s own daughters, I believe by their father’s influence began to prophecy. They were just ‘women’ but they are an example of a rich history of female leadership. It was the great apostle Paul who spoke about their gifts with such high regard. Their father, through his own discomfort, had sown seeds of greatness in them. The ministry of Phillip’s daughters may never have come to fruition had he not carried out his. We must never forget that we cannot afford to give in because of adversity because other people’s assignments depends on the success of our own assignment.
The move to Samaria could not have been easy for Phillip. Leaving everything you know, investments, family and friends and moving to a less glamorous settlement, it must have been painful. Some things will however not happen for you until there is a shift, whether forced or willing. Jerusalem was safe and comfortable and he was a great deacon but it was not until he was forced to relocate that he became more. It reminds me of when I had to shut down my business in Abuja and make the difficult decision to relocate to Kaduna after the demise of my marriage. I did not know what to expect but I believed God was leading me and I just followed. In a little over a year that I moved, this ordinary 27-year old divorced girl bagged another degree, published her book which has been sold in 4 continents of the world, and got several speaking and writing engagements. The greatest blessing for me however is the hundreds of messages I receive from people telling me how my story has inspires them to live their best lives and how it is okay to start over. Who would have thought? The move doesn’t necessarily have to be physical. Sometimes, God may just want you to have a shift in your mindset. He wants you to see the beauty in the chaos. Comfort is overrated. We all need a push to discover what we are capable of.
Adversity will show you who you really are, what you are capable of and the things you did not even know about yourself. Adversity is a good thing. Adversity is the time to show the world who you are and what you carry and not to cower. Remember, God gives the toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. God will not give his big assignments to irresponsible servants or people who have not proved themselves (remember Phillip was a diligent deacon), and so when adversity comes your way, it is God’s way of saying He trusts you to deliver. He knows who you are. He knows that: I am strong. I am capable. Nothing catches me by surprise. I am graced for whatever comes my way. I am a child of God. I have control over my emotions. I have a sound mind. I have the authority of Jesus. He knows that I can handle whatever He sends my way for his glory to be seen by all.
When adversity comes as it will, God will be in the background cheering you on and screaming, ‘Show them who you are.’ Such a show-off.
Who are you?
*NB- Bible passages considered include Acts 8:1-40 , Acts 6:3-7 and Acts 21:9
Your favourite writer girl,
Love.
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