Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic brought the fashion industry to a standstill. Governments all around the world shut down all industries that were deemed to be non-essential and fashion industry was among the casualties. The shutdowns dealt a major blow to the workers in the supply chain especially when big brands cancelled their orders.
Millions of factory workers found themselves staring at poverty when garment factories shut down. Small fashion studios and designers were not spared either, nobody was allowed to open shop and customers were all locked up in their homes. Supply chains were disrupted and cut off.
The effects of the pandemic containment measures are still being felt by many workers and professionals in the fashion industry. To add salt to injury, as the Covid-19 containment measures are being eased out in many nations, there’s a new challenge ravaging the economies in the name of inflation.
Inflation is driving up the cost of almost everything and people are finding that the money they have is shrinking in value every day. In places like New York city, house rent has gone up by up to 40%. The price of oil has also significantly risen up with its effects being felt in almost every other industry.
Add that to the conflict in Eastern Europe (the war between Ukraine and Russia) that is threatening to spill over and become regional. That war has already disrupted world trade in several sectors. All these troubles affect your fashion business. The world has also been promised future pandemics by the so called experts. Who knows when the next one will be unleashed.
The Covid-19 pandemic found many people unprepared. The next one should not find you at the same place as you were in 2020. It’s time to be at the forefront of spiritual intelligence and prepare appropriately. Whatever happened in 2020 and whatever will happen in the future will not come as a surprise to God. He is the Alpha and Omega and He wants us to be the ones who provide solutions when darkness thickens in the world.
God has strategies that will give us an advantage during difficult times. However, God’s strategies require use of His methods in order to get the intended results. We are going to find out how to effect wealth transfer to you in difficult times like God has done many times in the past. It’s time to display the wisdom, power, mercy and love of God as a witness of His goodness. You need wealth to establish God’s Kingdom on the earth, poverty and lack does not glorify God.
God’s Kairos Time
I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecc 9: 11 NIV)
The word time in the scripture above is “Kairos” and it means, God’s time. It means, there’s a place or an economy where your skill or lack of thereof, your education or connections in life don’t mean anything. The only thing that matters in that place is your ability to enter into God’s Kairos.
In God’s Kairos, there’s no room for human effort, only God’s glory. It is a place where God takes over and He begins to handle your business. We’re in the season of plunder. We have to navigate the landscape with a heavenly perspective so that we don’t fall victim to the chaos in the world.
Miracles are usually packaged in difficulty. The reason they’re called miracles is because they’re preceded by difficulty. Such a time took place in Bible times when Benhadad king of Syria besieged Samaria.
And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver. (2 Kings 6: 24-25)
The turning point came when the king heard a harrowing tale of two women who decided to kill and eat their children in turns. They did kill and eat the first child but when it was the turn to eat the other child, it’s mother refused. The woman who’s kid they already ate went to petition the king over the matter.
The matter so angered the king that he vowed to kill the prophet Elisha. It was during the king’s interaction with Elisha that the prophet prophesied a miracle of plenty within twenty four hours.
Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. (2 Kings 7:1)
It came to pass as it was prophesied, when God caused the Syrian army to hear the sound of chariots and horses like an imminent attack from a large army. The Syrians fled leaving everything behind including treasures of gold, silver, raiment and lots of food.
Looking at this story, you realize that there’s no way this could have been possible without the intervention of God. It was God orchestrated. God is a Father. He does not abdicate His duties in the difficult times. He is not looking up to politicians to provide an answer for His children.
Principles and Patterns
God is a God of principle and patterns. A principle is a law that govern a certain area of life. Principles don’t change.
A pattern is a consistent and recurring characteristic or trait that help in the identifying of a phenomenon. A pattern serves as a model or indicator of predicting future behavior. A phenomenon transcends the happenings taking place currently in your nation or even around the world. Our phenomenon of focus is wealth transfer in difficult times.
Patterns are indicators to help you navigate and maneuver. If you don’t have a pattern to help you navigate difficult times, then you’ll navigate difficult times the way ordinary humans do through the ethics of survival. The problem of living a survival life is that the trials and errors of living that life come upon you. You experience the trials of your error.
A truth is established on the basis of two witnesses. When you spot a pattern in the Bible, it means the pattern is immutable. Every wealth transfer in the Bible happened in difficult times of;
- Economic uncertainty
- Famine
- War
Every wealth transfer is governed by a prophetic voice who inspires obedience to God and reinforces Kingdom lifestyle in the midst of the difficult time. In every season of wealth transfer there is always a spirit that wants to kill the prophetic voice.
Patterns are templates you can trust to predict future behavior and then reconfigure your positioning in the difficult time based upon the pattern because you already know how it ends. This helps you to make the right and accurate decisions in the midst of turbulence.
MORE EXAMPLE OF WEALTH TRANSFER PATTERNS
Wealth Transfer in Abraham’s Time (War)
In Genesis 14, we read the story of Abraham and the war to save Lot from the five kings. It was a battle that involved nine kings in total, five against four. The four kings defeated the five and plundered all their goods and people. Lot lived in Sodom and he was taken captive with all his goods.
When news reached Abraham that his nephew had been taken captive, he swung into action and launched an operation to free Lot.
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. (Genesis 14:13-16)
All the victory that Abraham received and the wealth that was transferred to the men that went to war with him was because of God’s help.
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (Genesis 14:18-20)
Wealth Transfer in Isaac’s Time (Famine)
And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; (Genesis 26:1-3)
When famine hits the land, the natural thing to do is to move to a new place where you can easily find food. Isaac wanted to move to Egypt but God instructed him not to go. In difficult times, there’s a high temptation to leave your country and migrate to another country.
In spiritual journeys, whoever father’s your journey will become your father when you arrive on the other side. Every journey in the spirit has a trademark on it. The trademark is to identify the owner of the journey.
If God begins your journey, He trademarks it so that no matter what happens in between, you cannot die. You must get to success because God has trademarked the journey. If the devil makes you to move, he trademarks the journey. For example, Abraham moved into Egypt and he found himself wifeless when after he lied to Abimelech that Sarah was his sister, he took her into his palace. He was also afraid for his life all the time he was in Egypt.
Every time you feel like making a decision to help you survive, just know it’s another spirit awakening your sense of survival that’s pushing you to make the journey. It’s not God. Isaac heeded God’s counsel and remained in the land and sowed and received a great harvest.
Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. (Genesis 26:12-14)
As is the pattern, Isaac’s success was because the Lord blessed him. Please note that he not only received a hundredfold of crop harvest, but his flock also increased and did not perish in the famine.
Wealth Transfer in Joseph’s Time (Famine and Economic Uncertainty)
There was famine in all the world and food was only available in Egypt. God already foreseeing what would happen gave Joseph the interpretation to Pharaoh’s dream concerning the difficult period that lied ahead. Joseph was put over the project to collect and store food for the seven years of famine that would follow afterwards.
He got to meet with his brothers when they came down to Egypt to buy food and eventually got his whole family to move to Egypt. They settled in the prime real estate of Egypt at a place called Goshen.
The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle. (Genesis 47:6)
It was difficult time that brought Joseph to reconnect with his family. This move into Egypt was orchestrated by God and it led to increase and growth of the children of Israel.
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. (Genesis 47:27)
Wealth Transfer in Jesus Time (Economic Uncertainty)
And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. (Luke 5:1-7)
How to Prepare for Wealth Transfer
There are several critical points to note from this story of Peter that gives us insights to help us position ourselves for the wealth transfer.
- Establish a giving lifestyle in and out of season.
During wealth transfer in difficult season, God is going to look for generous people first. God will not transfer wealth to a person who will not use it to further the establishment of the Kingdom.
The technology for wealth transfer is predicated on your willingness to advance the Kingdom. Peter was a giver, that’s why when the net was full, he called out to his friends in the other boat to share the blessings.
- Establish a prevailing mindset that does not throw-in the towel until God shows up
Without a prevailing mindset, you’ll throw-in the towel and close the business that God wants to use to effect the transfer because you’re frustrated. It is okay to scale down operations during difficult times but don’t shut down the business, don’t give up.
that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:12)
During Peter’s time, the entire fishing industry was experiencing a difficult time. All the boats were docked, the owners had thrown-in the towel. They did not know that the master was on the way, but somehow, when Jesus arrived, Peter was still in his boat.
Peter is the kind of businessman who will show up every day at his or her business irrespective of how down the market is.
- Establish a lifestyle of obeying prophetic instructions from God
Sometimes the prophetic instruction may not make sense to you. God uses prophecy to offend the mind in order to bless the spirit. Peter had a struggle in his mind concerning Jesus prophetic instruction but he obeyed anyway.
- Go deeper and further in your walk with God
Jesus told Peter to go further and deeper to let down the nets. God will not give you a wealth transfer at the same level of spiritual depth your problems found you at. This is because there’s something else that God looks for in wealth transfer; to deepen His connection with His children.
Go deeper in your walk with God. There’s a depth where your problems get solved, where they get swallowed up. Remain consistent in your Kingdom lifestyle in the good and difficult times.
Conclusion
Jesus told His disciples and by extension to all of us to do business until He comes (Occupy till I come – Luke 19:13) and of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end (Isaiah 9:7). The Kingdom of God does not operate at the mercy of the kingdom of darkness. There’s a place in God where you’re exalted above every storm. God has the strategies to make your business lockdown proof and from non-essential to essential.
According to your faith, it shall be done for you. What do you believe?
To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God… (Ecclesiastes 2:26)
This post is an adaptation of a teaching by Dr. Francis Myles. You can watch the original teaching here.