“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden.
Nobody gets to the top of a tower without having to climb an elevator. Nobody can say I am standing but I stand on nothing. There is always a platform that can carry our weight, and the capacity to stand for long among other things is determined by the strength of the platform with which we stand upon. How far you will go or how much you will accomplish in life is determined by the kind of foundation you have started to build. This morning, we shall be examining ourselves, on the kind of foundation we are building upon, if it has the capacity to hold us for long or it may give way at anytime. I was involved in a conversation with my mentor yesterday evening and while we were talking about my village and the kind of evil and demonic practices going on there, he mentioned something very fundamental that resonated very strong in my spirit. He said in time to come you will go back there and fix things. While he spoke that word, the Holy Spirit said to me, that village was established on a wrong foundation, and you also must build your foundation over time so that how you will stand and face whatever you will encounter, will be premised on the kind of foundation you are building on right now. One thing the Holy Spirit helped me to realize that evening was that foundations are not to be laid in a hurry because it is the most important part of a building process whether physical or spiritual. And this has inspired me to share this very important topic this morning.
What is a foundation? A foundation is the lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level. So a foundation is hardly seen but its quality is determined by the effectiveness of the load that it carries. Let me say it again, you can know a good foundation by the resistance of its walls to forces and elements of nature. A good foundation does not respond to swishy-washy type of tensional and compression forces, and since the foundation does not respond to any kind of pressure, then it means that its walls will also not respond to any kind of pressure. So foundations bear the load, and whatever happens to a foundation affects an entire structure. Same with we humans, we often see a man with bad character, as one coming from a bad or faulty background and upbringing. So foundation could also mean background, and what is a background? Background in my own word means, a back that is on the ground. Now when a man has put his back to the ground, he is a man who has paid his dues in full. And this require patience, endurance and humility. No man can lay a good foundation without these, because a combination of these factors will make a man resist every kind of pressure that life puts across his face. The back is the stronger part of a man, it is used for protection especially when you want to cover someone or a baby against cold, the back is turned towards the side of aggression. So even though a foundation could not be seen, it bears load and it is the one that is easily exposed. Why? because it may seem like it is in the ground but it is aware of the impact of the wind, storms and rains, you can say it acts as the shock absorber.
Having had this background knowledge you would agree with me that everything about life is determined by foundation, and every fruit a man bears is as a result of a particular kind of foundation, either positive or negative. No wonder Galatians 6:7 says do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked, a man reaps what he sows. This is also talking about foundation. You can’t lay a bad and faulty foundation and expect a miracle from God when the wind rain and storms come knocking at your door. Those that live in Africa will understand this better, some of the things the younger generations are fighting and battling or suffering is because our ancestors laid a bad foundation. Dysfunctional marriages that eventually end up in divorce, pain and heart break were never built on the right foundation. Foundations determine the future or destiny of a man. Foundations determine how strong a building is, and how long the building will stand. It also determines a man’s moral character. So before you will see a crack on a wall it means the foundations of that wall has been tampered with. Rather than fixing problems, it is wise that foundations be visited and corrected. Because if a foundation is corrected it will affect every other thing positively. If the foundation be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? The basic problem of the world today can simply be traced to a faulty foundation, That is why a wise man will spend so much time in fixing the right foundation. If the foundation can be gotten right then every other thing will fall into place. If your marriage, career, or ministry will stand the test of time, then be sure of the kind of foundation you lay, because wind, storm and rains are coming with their own unique kind of test.
A foundation can also be described as an underlying basis or principle. If I may ask you; What blows your mind? Is it that particular kind of preaching that suits the ear? Is it the latest car? Is it the latest gadget? What your heart is drawn to, is as a result of the kind of foundation you have laid in your heart. Check the foundation upon which your life principles and values are built upon. Check your foundation, because every blowing out is as a result of the kind of foundation you have laid for yourself. What you have done to get blown away, you will do more to be more blown away. The world you and I live in became broken because Adam laid a faulty foundation and because the foundation is faulty, the world is naturally blown to and fro to every direction it pleases. So what are the things that makes a foundation faulty? A faulty foundation can be traced to one or all of the following factors among other things. Lack of patience, willingness to find and follow shortcuts, ignorance or lack of knowledge, and mediocrity.
In Genesis 1:1 The Bible says; In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Talking about how God began His work of creation and he began by laying a foundation, even though the earth was without form and void, one thing that is sure is that a foundation was laid. What was the nature of the foundation that God laid and with what did God use to lay the foundations of the earth. The Bible recorded in 1 Corinthians 3:11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now Christ was the foundation that God laid. In John 1:2 and 3 the Bible says; He was in the beginning with God and all things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made. What does this show us? It shows the originality and integrity of the materials which was used to lay the foundations of the earth was Christ.
And what is the integrity of this foundation? Isaiah 28:16 says; Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed. Now the foundation that God laid according to this scripture has been tested and proven to be true and we are required only to believe and trust this foundation and begin to build on it just as we have seen in 1 Corinthians 3:11. The condition to become a high flyer in life is premised on this foundation. If what you are building is not laid on this foundation described here, then be sure that it will crumble, it’s just a matter of time. Any ministry, marriage, or project that is not laid on Christ, the tested foundation will not stand the test of time. The scripture we read in Isaiah said it has been tested, meaning that it is giving us a quality of assurance. Every other product, foundation or stone will disappoint you. And the only way one can build on Christ is to build on His word. Matthew 7:2 says; “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. The reason for the confidence of the people of Jericho was because of the kind of walls and foundations they had established. And because it was standing against the will of God it crumbled. Building on words of Christ is the strongest foundation that you can ever build upon, it endures forever it is not shaken by any kind force and if your foundation is strong then be assured of greater achievements and successes. This is the wisdom that the people of the world may never comprehend. No wonder apostle Peter in His speech made an emphatic statement that we would look at tomorrow in Acts 4:11 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.
Who were the builders? the elders, chief priests, scribes and Pharisees the ones that claimed to be pillars in the church but resting on a foundation built on sand. No matter how strong a pillar could be, if it does not rest on a good foundation then it is bound to crumble.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
[Centre for New Dimension Leadership]
