HOW IT ALL STARTED
I worked as a Senior Electrical Engineer in a pasta plant for over seven years and decided in 2005 to resign and start my own business venture. I incorporated my company (sixthSENSE Logic Ltd) and invested all my earnings in setting the business up. I had no clients and no help from anyone. I just depended on God for a breakthrough. For three months, I did no business. Things were very hard and I had no more financial resource to sustain myself. My car had broken down and I couldn’t fix it. I eat once in a day and depended on friends for every meal. I was struggling to survive. At times the thoughts of regretting that I left my well paying job to pursue my lifelong dream of owning a business venture of my own would haunt me. But as those thoughts came, I would vehemently drive them out and refocus on God’s grace and my dream.
During those long and painful three months of waiting to get a paying client, I studied how God prospers and began to systematically program my mind to follow the simple, tested and effective guidelines that God Has given unto us for prosperity. I finally got a client who wanted one of the software’s I designed and developed for capturing sales in supermarkets and shopping malls. With no car to drive down to his office and with no money to pay my bus fare down there, I had to walk a very long distance to my first client’s office. I did this with no food in my stomach. I felt very weak, and barely able to stand. The sun was raging like a furnace whose heat could not be tamed. With my strength almost drained, I walk under the heat of a scotching sun slowly to my first clients office. I prayed earnestly in my heart that my client would immediately offer to buy and pay for the software. As I walked down to his office with little or no strength in me, I had this hope of getting paid. I was sure that that day was my day of change. I didn't expect nothing less. I firmly saw the cheque in my minds eye in my hands. The thought of it gave me strength to continue moving. My movements were weak and snailish. It didn't bother me because I was full of expectations. The thrill of it spurned me on until I was finally in the premises of my first clients office complex. Then the unexpected happened.
When I arrived at my clients’ office, I was not allowed to see him despite the fact that I had a scheduled appointment with him. He had a lot of visitors and clients to attend to – the number was so much to the extent that there was no available seat for me or anyone who arrived after me to sit on and wait for him. I had to wait for him outside his company premises, under the heat of the sun for over an hour. He later sent a message to me that he wouldn’t be able to see me and that I should come some other time. My hope of getting paid that day was dashed; the little strength I had became hunger beaten. The thought of going back to my office with nothing plagued me. I just couldn't get the oppressing thoughts of disappointment out of my mind. Then came that thought of regretting that I had resigned from my well paying job again. The thought lingered for a long time, and I realized that the more I dwelt on that thought the more miserable I became. I forcefully began to reject those thoughts and in my weakness and hunger state, I started to make my way back to my office with very weak and snaillish steps. I felt so light. I felt the hot afternoon wind pushing against my hunger beaten - every push of the wind made swerve and reel to the left and to the right. My legs were weak and I could barely maintain a steady balance as I walked back to my office
The Test That Lifted Me
When I got to my office feeling disappointed, I asked God "Why?" That was all I could say. I felt that one word "Why" meant volumes and God who is all knowing would understand what I meant. I couldn't focus on getting an answer from God because my hunger clouded my mind and the worms in my belly didn't help matters - they raved and sang special numbers protesting my hunger state.
As I sat there in my office wondering what to do next. a friend of mine stepped into my office to see me. We got talking about God and how He blesses. After a while he put his hand in his pocket and brought out =N=50 (Fifty Naira note) and handed it over to me saying, ‘My Brother, I don’t have much, but please accept this little gift from me’. At this time, I had not seen =N=50 in three months. This particular =N=50 was like Five Million Naira to me. If you have been where I have been and have ever suffered critically prolonged financial scarcity in your life, you will be able to appreciate what I am saying. At this stage of one’s life, small amounts of money would be equivalent to millions – they become very extraordinarily meaningful and valuable and they are usually spent with utmost care and discretion. This is what poverty does to a man who is plagued by it. In the life of a man plagued by poverty, if such an amount of money as little as it may be is misplaced, or stolen, all hell would break loose. He would feel as though his life has suddenly come to an end.
THE FIRST 10% PRINCIPLE OF PROSPERITY
When my friend handed me the =N=50 note, I was humbled and at the same time very delighted. The first thought that came to my mind was to give my tithe. Yes, I was very hungry and weak, but at that time, the hunger and the weakness was not uppermost on my mind. God’s portion – my tithe, was. I wouldn't touch that money or use it for anything else until I have given my tithe.
"A tithe is 10% of whatever income or financial gift you receive"
- This is the first 10% principle of prosperity.
I didn't know this was a test for me from God. God had seen that I have studied His simple, tested, proven and effective steps to prosperity. He knew that I have been programming myself and making vows as per my resolve to abide with His ways to prosperity and decided to test me with little in-order to ascertain what I would do with much. I didn't put how hungry I was and my serious need for food first; I put honoring Him with my tithe first. I would have gone ahead and immediately spend the whole =N=50 to feed myself with whatever food that amount of money could buy. Many would have towed this line of action, but I didn't. I put God first and gave my tithe. That same day was when my change came and God lifted me from my former poverty and financial scarcity status to a life of abundance and prosperity. That same day God replaced the man whom I called my first client with another - He gave me a brand new FIRST CLIENT! A man walked into my office and subscribed to one of my services and paid me immediately and from then on the number and quality of my clients increased. Not so long from that day, I got another contract that was over a million .... The quality of jobs I got from that time on grew and my life and business was bettered.
When I was making a business review of my company and got to the part where I reviewed the quality and status of my clients, I discovered that 70% of my clients were millionaires and highly placed in the society. The quality of my life also improved, my financial status changed and I began to prosper in every area of my life. Yes .. I worked hard, but my tithing and giving life made my hard work pay off. God only blesses the giver through the works of his hands.
I had fierce competitors who were better than I was in business, but by applying the first 10% principle of prosperity which involves the "giving of my tithe" to God, I was the preferred one.
THE SECOND 10% PRINCIPLE OF PROSPERITY THAT LIFTED ME HIGHER
I took the way I handled and spent my finances to another level, by deciding to give another 10% of my income as seed to missionary projects and the needy. I made a commitment to God that I would be faithful in giving Him a tenth (10%) of all my income and from the 90% left which is mine to do whatever I please with, I would give another one-tenth (10%) to the needy around me and missionary projects. Let me share with you a scripture that backs my commitments.
Malachi 3:8-11 (NKJV)
"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ' In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,’ Says the LORD of hosts, ‘ If I will not ….. REBUKE THE DEVOURER FOR YOUR SAKES ….’, Says the LORD of hosts”
Proverbs 19:17"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again."
Proverbs 28:8"He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor."
Matthew 6:33"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
- When you give your 10% (tithe) God opens the windows of heaven and pours you out a blessing that you will not have enough room to contain.
- PLUS +: The Devourer, including the ones who devour and destroy careers, businesses, destinies, purposes and finances are rebuked and dealt with by the Lord Himself.
- When you give to the needy around you, God says it is like you are lending Him your resources and He guaranties that He will pay back - definitely with huge interest.
- When you make it a life style to help and give to the needy around you, God will supernaturally transfer the wealth, businesses, clients, etc of those who by usury and unjust gain increase in substance.
- When you seek first the Kingdom of God which in other words means to "seek the advancement of God's Kingdom by supporting it financially and through other means available to you", all that you desire - including financial increase will be added effortlessly to you.
The execution of this commitment took my finances and business to another new level. My finances began to rapidly grow, increase and multiply. I had more and more clients; my business diversified and new doors of business opportunities were opened to me for expansion and enlargement.
I didn't write these things to parade myself before you and show off. No Sir! My objective here is to show you that tithing and giving to the needy around you really works. This is how God becomes your partner in business or whatsoever you do for a living. This is how divinely orchestrated business opportunities designed and tailored to prosper you are given to you by God. Working smart is good but to work smart with the backing of divine favours via the principle of tithing and giving is better. You can be hard working, very talented, and good looking and still not be able to make a mark in life.
Business growth and financial advancement comes from God through obedience to the laws or principles of prosperity He Has given us.
Zero is where Everything Starts. There was a time I was at the zero point - but via the 10% + PLUS + Another 10% Principle, I was able to move from Zero to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and so on. You can have the same experience if you apply the principle of giving 10% + PLUS + another 10% in your life and business.
I have written an Eleven Volume book titled: Zero is where Everything Starts. The 11-Volume series is designed to help you build a preferred and a sustainable future. I highly recommend that you get a copy of each series and learn what you must do to make a preferred and sustainable mark of success in life. Find below a list of all the 11-Volumes. God bless you!
