By Mogaji Wole Arisekola.
This is one truth of life many people do not like to hear, but it remains constant.
Have you ever noticed that whenever God is about to lift a person, a battle usually shows up first? Promotion hardly comes without pressure. Elevation rarely comes without resistance. Before the breakthrough, there is almost always a test.
These battles can be physical, emotional, or spiritual. Sometimes, they are silent wars — the kind you fight in your mind, in your spirit, and in your patience. And interestingly, many of these battles do not come from strangers. They often come from people close to you.
People you eat with. People you clothe and feed. People you once trusted with your secrets.
Painful? Yes. Surprising? Not really. That is the irony of life.
How else do you explain walking freely through the market without anyone accusing you, only to be called a thief in your own house? How do you survive being betrayed by people who know your heart? This is why wisdom is important. You must learn how to deal with betrayal — it is part of human existence.
Many of these battles even come from family members. Blood relations. The same people who should protect you may be the ones fighting you. If this shocks you, don’t be. Life has a way of revealing people’s true intentions when your star begins to shine.
This brings us to psychological warfare — one of the most dangerous forms of battle. It is the favourite weapon of narcissists and bullies. You don’t even need to offend them. Your potential alone makes you a target. They attack your confidence, your peace, your spirit, and sometimes even your body.
That is why people say life is an experience. You don’t just live it — you endure it, learn from it, and grow through it.
Look at the story of Jesus Christ. Before He was even born, King Herod heard about His coming. He sensed that someone greater was on the way — a child whose glory would outshine his throne. Herod did not panic openly. He waited. He planned. He determined to destroy what he did not create.
But Herod forgot something important: there is a God who determines the destiny of every human being. He forgot that no man has power over what he cannot create. No matter how strong the plot, divine purpose cannot be aborted.
Today, many people are facing their own ‘King Herod’. People who saw their future before them. People who recognised their glory early and decided to fight it. If this is your situation, hear this good news: do not be afraid.
Stand tall. Do not fear. Do not tremble. The One who gave you life never sleeps, never slumbers—He commands the course of men!
Step into the world with courage. Life may try to crush you, but the strong are never broken.
The storm you face today will not defeat you—it is forging you, shaping you, preparing you for victory.
Rise. Fight. Triumph. Your moment is coming.
Mogaji Wole Arisekola, Publisher of The Street Journal Newspaper, writes from Ibadan.
