One of my favourite games, for years, was Candy Crush. I liked it because it didn’t require intense concentration – so I could listen to messages while I played.

Like most games, it has boosters which make it easy for you to scale through a difficult level and move on quicker to the next one.

However, yours truly wouldn’t use her boosters. I would have free boosters available for a super-hard level, but I wouldn’t touch them. Rather, I would keep trying and trying until I overcame that level. Sometimes, it would take days of constantly playing a level repeatedly before I could go on to the next – and my boosters would keep piling up.

However, I knew people who would use their boosters at the first hard level. They would overcome it, then go on to the next level – but me?

I wanted to do it on my own.

A few times, I wouldn’t be able to overcome that level and I would, finally and grudgingly, use a booster. Fine, it made me sorta proficient in the game – but it also wasted a lot of time, and kept me longer than I should have been.

Then I found the same scenario playing out in real life:

I realized I liked things to be ‘difficult’. I believed things had much more value when you really ‘worked’ for them. I felt that when they were ‘easy’, they were not really worth much.

• I despised my gifts that came easily, and instead desired skills/jobs that required ‘real work’.
• I didn’t like people who fawned all over me. I preferred it when you ‘respected yourself’ (whatever that means) and I had to work to win your approval.
• I remember being in a relationship and being scared. Why? I was too happy. I felt if you really liked that person and you were that happy, it wasn’t of God.
• Even in my Christian walk, I believed God preferred it when my life was one of ‘sacrifice’. (Yes, He does, but not in my context.)
• Many times, I would be working on a job or project, and I would sense the Holy Spirit wanting to help, but I would tell Him, “Let me use my brain. I want to do this on my own.” Seriously.
• When it was too smooth and easy – I doubted it was God. Hard with bumps and stress? Most probably God.

Then I got older – and, thankfully, wiser.

I came to the startling realization that, in life, God wants me to win – and win easily.

Just like me, most people don’t know that God wants us to win easily – and quickly. Even when He takes us through a seemingly hard time, it’s so that we move easily and swiftly when that phase is over. So, instead of us taking advantage of the life-boosters He sends our way, we would rather try it our own way, exert unnecessary time, effort and resources – then finally use the help offered.

What are some of these boosters?

(1) The Holy Spirit:
Oh, my word. I could write a whole book on this point alone. The Holy Spirit is the MOST POWERFUL help given by Jesus to us – yet many of us don’t ‘use’ Him. And, guess what? He doesn’t just help with ‘spiritual’ things.

Two examples come to mind:

Example One: Sometime ago, I was desperately trying to remember the name of Mariah Carey’s ex-husband. (Funnily enough, I honestly can’t recall, right now, why I needed to know! 😀 ) I cracked my brain for a long time, going round and round – then in frustration, I asked half-seriously, “Holy Spirit, can you help me remember?”

And just like that it came. Very clear and very quiet.

“Nick Cannon.”

Men and Brethren, I was ‘shook’. My jaw literally dropped. Who would have thought He cared about such ‘worldly’ things?!

Example Two: I was working on a creative piece. Previously, I would mentally labour and slave over such a job – but now, naaah. I am older – and much wiser. I needed to do it quickly – and creatively. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me – and it just poured. It was one of the very few jobs the client barely had a revision for.

The Holy Spirit is one of God’s greatest boosters in life, business, relationships, and ministry.

(2) Jesus:
One of my favourite names for Jesus is ‘Gap-filler’. Do you know that, many times, you cannot win because you have many gaps in your case? Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you are not good enough. Or qualified enough. But when you invite Jesus in, He fills in all the missing gaps. His righteousness covers your faults

Also, do you know how powerful the intercession of Jesus is?! Many believers don’t deliberately take advantage of it. When I came into the revelation of the intercession of Jesus many years ago, my prayer life changed.
‘Use’ Jesus as you go through life. God gave him to us so we can win easily.

(3) Prayer:
Honestly, “…we don’t have because we don’t ask…” is true for most of us. Many times, we believe certain things are too carnal or inconsequential to pray about. Why not just use your brain?!

However, when that verse became a reality for me, I started asking God for everything and anything – starting with the window seat in the church bus on our way to camp! Yes, I got it…and subsequent ones too!

Help with luggage? A specific type of nanny? No/less traffic? The children being quiet?
Just ask for help in prayer.

(4) The Word:
Have you ever just opened the Bible and a portion literally jumped out at you when you were confused? Or, at church, the pastor said something that showed you exactly what to do about an issue? Or thumbed through a Christian book – and you ‘saw’? That’s your help right there.

Recently, I was disturbed over an issue. Someone invited me over for a visit, but I refused, for personal reasons. When I prayed, it seemed external factors began to work together in convincing me to go. But I was very reluctant.
One day, I picked up a book on prayer to continue reading and a portion jumped out at me – basically telling me to go. I shut the book, and put on the radio to listen to a gospel station. Men and brethren, at that very second, the preacher said the same thing – again telling me to go.

So, I went. Without me mentioning anything, that visit solved all the issues in one conversation. I was blown away. God had sent me help through his Word.

(By the way, using the simple booster-word “Flee” – whether written or spoken – will make you a victor in the game of temptation. Had to chip that in for someone)

(5) People:
This is a life-booster many people struggle with. Me, included. Most times, we want to do it on our own without asking for help – so we struggle and work to be ‘self-made’ people who can beat their chests and say, “I did it all by myself.”

Good for you! However, if pride didn’t matter, how far would you have gone and how much would you have accomplished with the people God sent your way?

In life, The Right People at The Right Time in The Right Place with The Right Information are one of God’s way of boosting you and making you win. Easily. And Quickly.

(Do you have a prayer request? Send it in. We will DEFINITELY be praying.)
(Testimonies? Questions/Topics you want discussed? Suggestions on the blog? Drop a note. All private and anonymous. We will share only if requested.)

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