GLOBAL IMPACT WEBINAR INVITATION
In this session, I will discuss living your life as a project, drawing inspiration from Psalm 139. When you read that Psalm, it brings calmness to your life’s pursuit. The Bible tells us that God knew us and formed us in our mother’s womb, declaring that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The Amplified Bible even mentions that He knows each path we will follow, right from the time He was forming us.
In project management, there is a triangle: cost, quality, and time. You must ask yourself, “Who am I?” and “What project am I in God’s hands?” Discovering your purpose is crucial. In the next video, I will talk about how to discover that purpose. Only 5% of humanity finds their purpose in life and pursues it. But it’s not enough to just find it or define it; you must also refine it. Learn to understand who you are and what you were born to be. This understanding separates you from the noise and helps you focus.
Had I pursued medical practice, I wouldn’t be where I am now. You wouldn’t be watching me today. If I had stayed in Lagos, I wouldn’t be where I am now because I couldn’t bear the pressure cooker lifestyle of Lagos. There were things I was denied at a time, but I knew it was God preparing me. When I wanted to go to the United States over 20 years ago, I was denied a visa. The Lord asked me, “What were you going to do there? Are there more sinners there than in Africa?” He told me not to let what I had been deprived of prevent me from getting what He had made available. He said, “Go into Africa; there is so much work there.” So, I went to several African countries to do missionary work, and I am glad I did.
I also resolved in my mind that I would stay here in Nigeria, build a financial and social base for my children, and then they will travel. They will go overseas, and I will have grandchildren there. But I will create wealth for them here, family wealth, so that later in life I can travel comfortably, not just to preach but to enjoy. And God is gracious. I just renewed my passport for 10 years, so I plan to use it until I’m 75, and this period will be one of travel.
This God is awesome if we can just be relaxed in His hands and build with the right materials. If you rush a project without following the proper steps, it will collapse. If you don’t use the right materials to build yourself, you will also collapse. Now, I want to travel. I want to visit different countries. The time I wanted to go to the United States of America, I didn’t have a statement of account or a good letter of invitation. Today, if I want to go to the United States, Canada, or the UK, I have many invitations and enough statements of accounts from various businesses to present.
When you build, each stage must be well done. If you deck a building, ideally, you should allow the props holding the decking to stay for 21 days before you remove them and move to the next level. But most people hurry too much; they want to imitate others, feeling anxious that their peers have left them behind. But the water you are meant to drink from a river will not pass you by. The water you will bathe with in the river will not be fetched by someone else before you arrive. So, when you go to bathe in the river, focus on taking your own bath. Don’t get distracted by looking at others; otherwise, soap will get into your eyes. I have always focused on where I was going.
In the next 10 years, I will travel a lot with ease, and the tickets will be paid for. Later this year, I will be in the UK, Germany, and Romania. The tickets will be paid for, and I will have great receptions there. People now know me more than they did 20 years ago. I can travel and be relaxed. I won’t need to find a place to preach just to come back with dollars because I now make dollars from the comfort of my home.
Why are you in such a hurry? Why are you so desperate to imitate others and forget to build your own life? The Song of Solomon says, “Don’t say I am dark because I worked my brother’s fields and failed to work on my own.” Don’t chase after people; chase after God. Put your life in His hands, depend on Him, and continually build your life. Segment your life: What is the next level? What do I need to do to get there? Once you discover what you need to do, put all your energy into it.
My wife says that when I focus on an idea, I don’t give up. That’s how I’ve learned to live. There is another level waiting for you. Tell yourself, “I will get there. I will not miss this level. I will build this level with quality materials.” Also, say, “I will not be an abandoned project. God will complete what He has started in me.” Don’t be desperate. If God has something planned for you next year, He won’t let you die today.
At 65, I have become more productive—much more productive than when I was 35 or even 45. I am enjoying life more now, but I worked hard, paid the price, and with God’s help, used the right materials. Today, fame, finance, females, and the future won’t crumble me. How many “Fs” did I mention? Fame, finance, females, and the future. When you build the present well, you can carry the weight of the future.
I remember praying for a paralysed girl who didn’t walk, and I asked God why. He said, “Your shoulders were not yet big enough to carry the fame that would come. The pressure and fame would have destroyed you.” So, be patient with God. Why run after other people’s fantasies? Face your future, forget other people’s fantasies, and focus on your own pace in your own space. Run your race.
I remain Dr. Charles Apoki.
