THE RESTRAINER
I noticed a pretty young lady on the site. She pushed a wheelbarrow with food for the site workers. She sold food tor them in packs every day. I was impressed with her industry, so I called her one day and asked why she was doing this job... https://twitter.com/harrydaniyan/status/1290569490493837313

She was 18, hoping to sit for the next Matriculation Examination to enter the university. She was selling food to raise funds for her education. I was more impressed!
We exchanged numbers and I told her I would help her in any way I could...

We became friends and she joined an online church I lead. After a while, she relocated to Kaduna. She went back home to her parents. She called me a few weeks ago when the day for her examination was known: 18th March.
She sat for the examinations and passed...

She is awaiting admission.
We got chatting a few days ago and she mentioned what a few of her colleagues were into while awaiting admission too: some were looking for men to sponsor their education, some were into drugs, some were into outright prostitution!

Then she said, “Sir, if not for home-training, I probably would be out there with them, looking for what they are looking for!”
That statement from Salamatu set me thinking…
IF NOT FOR HOME-TRAINING.
In other words, she was RESTRAINED by her home-training...

She would have been into some vices like her mates, but something held her back.
HOME-TRAINING, she called it.
Salamatu would probably want to go out with men and have fun.
But something (HOME-TRAINING) would hold her back, telling her no, don’t do that! It's not right!

It goes against the virtues you were taught from home! Salamatu would want to smoke a cigarette and just feel good among her peers. She would want to sniff cocaine or drink to a stupor. She would want to go clubbing and have fun. But something in her would tell her: NO!

Don’t do it! That’s not right!
Salamatu is restrained by her home-training.

The question now is, WHAT RESTRAINS YOU?
What is keeping you from manifesting and expressing your dark side (we all have dark sides- I can guarantee you that!)? What is reeling you in?

Paul wrote, “For the love of Christ constrains (restrains) us…”- 2nd Corinthians 5:14. Paul’s restrainer was the Love of Christ. What is yours? If whatever is your restrainer is taken away, what will happen? Is your restrainer a man? Is it a physical barrier? Is it an ideology?

A prisoner is restrained by walls and chains. He is not in a position to steal rape or murder. But when he is free from these restraints, he could commit these crimes. That would show that his restraints were only physical, it has nothing to do with the person he is internally.

I have seen pictures and videos of people doing stuff seemingly unexpected of them.
They were very embarrassed when these things came out to the public. Obviously, their restrainer was their visibility and popularity.
But when they assumed the public wouldn't be aware...

They did stuff unbecoming of their status.
Paul wrote, “He who restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way…”- 2nd Thessalonians 2:7. When he(it) is taken out of the way, you will act like a dam that has breached its walls...

You will indulge in stuff you had always wanted to but couldn’t, because of the restrainer.
In Salamatu’s case, her restrainer is not PHYSICAL. It is MENTAL.
It has been ingrained into her from her childhood, so wherever she finds herself, she wouldn't mess up.

As Christians, we MUST make Jesus, the Word of God our Restrainer.
We MUST make the word our shield and buckler.
We MUST study it, understand it, believe it, apply and practice it and GROW in it.
Jesus faced situations in His life that He would have indulged in the flesh...

But he never did. He was always restrained by the Word. When tempted, he would say, “It is written…” The Word was His Restrainer.

I know another 18-year-old lady, Sope who schools in the US. Her parents live in Abuja, Nigeria. She is also a member of the online Church I lead.

I once told her, “I’m surprised your parents let you go to the US at such a young age, without anyone to watch over you!” She responded, “Sir, my parents trust me. They know me. They trained me properly- they know I can’t do anything against the values I was brought up with!”

I was happy with her response and confidence.
Now, if our earthly parents could wield such an influence on us that what they told us have stuck with us for decades, why can’t our Heavenly Father do same? Why don’t we hold his training in such high esteem?

Sope said, “My parents KNOW me. My parents TRUST me”. Can we say same about God? Can we say, “God knows me, God trusts me”?
God said of Abraham, “I KNOW HIM!”- Genesis 18:19. In other words, God could predict Abraham’s reactions to issues.

God knew how much influence He had on Abraham’s life. God knew He was Abraham’s Restrainer.
Ask yourself honestly, who/what restrains you? What would you do when nobody is watching? What could you do when nobody is watching? What would you do if you knew you'd get away with it?

What do you have a capacity to do, but you’re being held back?
What is that thing holding you back?
WHO/WHAT IS YOUR RESTRAINER?

If your restrainer is home training, you'll be fine.
Home training gives you a mental block.
Home training conditions your mind.
It can't hide!

When I see folks on social media who respond to contrary opinions is insults, rudeness & incivility, I know they have no home training.

Scripture says, "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he's old he will NOT depart from it"
-Proverbs 22:6

Shalom!
Haruna Daniels.