YOU CAN MAKE A COMEBACK FROM A SETBACK
The Jeremiah Ministries
A setback is something that happens and delays or prevents a process from developing. A
setback may be knock you off your time schedule or it could be stopping you from doing
something you drastically need to do. It is an unanticipated or sudden check in progress; a
change from better to worse or an unfortunate happening that hinders or frustrating.
Comeback is a return to a former position or condition as of success or prosperity, recovery
or revival. It can also return to formerly enjoyed status or prosperity. It can also be defined as
a return to prominence after a break; a return to a former higher rank, popularity or position,
etc.
In Genesis Chapter 37 and 39; we see Joseph’s setbacks and come back; Joseph was the
favorite son because he was the first son born to Jacob’s true love, Rachel. Jacob made for
him a coat of many colours to show his true love. Joseph had a dream from God as a youth
and instead of beginning to walk out that dream as he imagined he would, he went through a
bunch of what seemed like detours, and his life ended up looking a lot different than he had
imagined. He was sold off as a slave and ended up in Potiphar’s where he was wrongly
accused and hence imprisoned. Despite of all those setbacks Joseph made a comeback
when he interpreted the dream for King Potiphar which led to his promotion
Joseph’s life was filled with what seemed to be setbacks on the surface, but in fact were the
very situations that matured him, tested him, and ultimately set him up for God’s plan to be
manifested through him. In one of these major setbacks, we see the true, noble character
that was the core of who Joseph was. After being wrongfully charged for an offense he did
not commit, Joseph found himself in prison. One day he received two new cell mates,
Pharaoh’s chief baker and his chief cup-bearer. Since Joseph was responsible and skilled,
he was ultimately placed in charge of these two prisoners. Having this kind of authority,
Joseph could have easily lorded it over them and been rude and disrespectful. Instead, we
see that Joseph was kind and compassionate to them, acknowledging their feelings and
reaching out to them.
Jesus also got so many setbacks right from childhood; He was betrayed by many i.e. Judas
Iscariot, the people who asked for the thief Barnabas to be released despite of all the
miracles that He did. However, despite of all those setbacks Jesus was doing well.
Pillars to a comeback;
1. Goal
2. Place
3. Honor
4. Favor
5. Attitude
6. Giving whole heartedly
7. Love
8. Forgiveness
9. Making wise decisions
10. Confidence
11. Teamwork
12. Maturity
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YOU CAN MAKE A COMEBACK FROM A SETBACK
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1. GOAL:
A goal is a desired result that a person or a system envisions, plans and commits to achieve;
a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development.
Setting goals gives your life direction, and boosts your motivation and self-confidence. Goal
setting is the process of deciding what you want to achieve or what you want someone else
to achieve. Setting your life goals is one of the most life-changing thing you can do. During
the process of goal setting you have to come clear to answer one of the most profound
questions i.e. what do I want from my life? You need to be focused; Joseph in the Bible was
focused, understanding his Creator God. Do not weaver; have a clear goal that creates
returns; the clearer the goal the greater the returns.
A goal is a future achievement with a timely deadline you can work towards to. A goal can be
a short term or long-term. A goal is a thought with commitment to make it real. A compelling
goal is something that has a deeper meaning to you. It is the kind of goal that excites you,
that lets you grow and the achievement is fulfilling and rewarding. Let your goal be specific,
measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound.
In Habakkuk 2:2 it is written “And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision
and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read
[it easily and quickly] as he hastens by”.
When setting a goal there is need to be aggressive, plan for everything, create a balance in
everything; setting and achieving goals are the best ways to measure your success.
In John 5:17 it is written “But Jesus answered them, My Father has worked [even]
until now, [He has never ceased working; He is still working] and I, too, must be at
[divine] work.”
Proverbs 29:18 – “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the
people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]-blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.”
Proverbs 25:2 – “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to
search out a thing.”
2. Place:
In life we should have a place where we belong and where we are positioned. Having a
place you belong can help you to be more focused and successful. This can be a church, a
home or business. Discover yourself, your assignments, your strength or weaknesses. You
have to be where God wants you to be. In Genesis Abraham went where God told him and
there he got what he desired most that’s children. In the book of Jonah, Jonah chose to go to
Telesis not Nineveh which affected many.
In Deuteronomy 12:11 – it is written that - Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God
shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you;
your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and
all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord:
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Devine intervention is where God wants you to be, therefore you should have a place where
you belong, stop church wavering, not having a place or a church where you belong, this can
lead to misfortunes, lack and disappointments. It can also be a geographical area because it
is God’s plan for you to prosper in that area. We are all required to do what God commands
us to do. For example in Acts 2: men of God where in one accord as commanded by Jesus
and there the Holy Spirit descended unto them.
3. Honour:
Your future will be determined by those you choose to Honour for example your people, your
Pastor, your bosses, your parents etc. Honour in this case is the respect we give to others.
In Proverbs 27:17 it is written – “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” In this
phrase there is mutual benefit in the rubbing of two iron blades together; the edges become
sharper, making the knives more efficient in their task to cut and slice. Likewise, the Word of
God is a “double-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12), and it is with this that we are to sharpen one
another—in times of meeting, fellowship, or any other interaction
In the books Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:2-3, Deuteronomy 5:16-21, our God commands
us to honour our fathers and mothers – “Honour your father and your mother, that your days
may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you”
In Psalms 105:5 and 1 Chronicles 16:22– it says “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do
My prophets no harm."
In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 – it is written “And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly,
encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone”.
In this verse the ministers of the gospel are described by the work of their office, which is to
serve and honour the Lord. It is their duty not only to give good counsel, but also to warn the
flock of dangers, and reprove for whatever may be amiss. The people should honour and
love their ministers, because their business is the welfare of men's souls. And the people
should be at peace among themselves, doing all they can to guard against any differences.
But love of peace must not make us wink at sin. The fearful and sorrowful spirits should be
encouraged, and a kind word may do much good. We must bear and forbear. We must be
long-suffering, and keep down anger and this to all men. Whatever man does to us, we must
do good to others.
Do not honour anything contrary to the Bible. We also required to the Law, and our Mentors;
honour someone who takes you to success. Honouring protects, corrects and submits
yields.
1 Corinthians 4:15 “Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have
many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
4. Favour:
In simple terms favour is an attitude of approval or liking of an act of kindness beyond what
is due or usual or having a special regard over an organization, company or your boss or
your family and people you get to meet. Here many people desire what you have. Just like
the saying goes “one day of favour is worth a million of labour”.
We are required to position ourselves to have favour. This can be done through physical
appearance, knowledge and what you have got to offer to others; look for favour; someone
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to lean on. The book of Esther chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8. Esther knew the trick of favour; she
involved God and won favour before the King.
Esther 4:16 - “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me;
neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise.
And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
In the book of Genesis Sarah wife of Abraham won favour before his husband; she called
him “my lord” which shows respect and love for the husband.
Personal appearance is also very important for you to gain favour especially at the place of
work and interviews; we are required to package and brand ourselves very well to gain
favour from others.
We should also mind the people we associate with; people we associate with can make you
gain or loss favour. 1 Corinthians 15:33 - Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts
good habits.” And in Proverbs 31:10 – 29 “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her
price is far above rubies…….”
You can also gain favour if you are problem solver in a society, workplace or in a family –
Proverbs 25:2 – “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to
search out a matter.”
In Genesis 47 – we see Joseph solving the problem in Egypt and became a governor. He
did not only solve the problem of Egypt only but the whole world, people travelled to Egypt to
get food.
5. Attitude:
In psychology, an attitude is an expression of favour or disfavour toward a person, place,
thing, or event. An attitude is made up of what you think, what you do, and what you feel. It is
a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or
situation. Attitude influences an individual's choice of action, and responses to challenges,
incentives, and rewards. We have to repackage ourselves well towards fellow people we
relate with or get to meet; some people make it hard for others to prosper.
Under attitude we look at the mental, will power, intellectual and emotions; your emotions
determines your attitude; there is need to change our negative attitude; our success is
determined by what we choose to ignore. There are things that we need to ignore in order to
succeed. For example;
1. Need to ignore personal weaknesses and be focused on our strengths; Paul had a
problem with his eyes but he wrote most of the books in the New Testament; ignore
anything which can lead to destruction for example rumours.
2. Need to ignore the offences committed by people unto you; keeping them at heart
attracts negative attitude; move on, don’t keep stones at heart.
3. Need to Ignore any kind of disrespect from family, people who do not believe in you
or never appreciate what you do for them; whatever you did or do take it that you did
it for God.
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6. Giving whole heartedly;
Giving is to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation; Our God is a giving
God. He is a God of abundance (John 10:10; James 1:5; Psalm 103:8; Isaiah 55:1-7; 2
Corinthians 9:8; Romans 5:20), and He loves to give. Jesus sacrificed willingly on the
cross and then invited us into fullness of life. As His children, we are called to imitate Him
(Ephesians 5:1). Our generosity in giving is a demonstration of God’s character and a
response to what He has done for us.
Christians are a light to the world (Matthew 5:14-16). As we become more and more who
God has called us to be – more like Him – through the process of sanctification, we reflect
God more and more. We become more loving, more gracious, and, yes, more giving.
Because God is generous, we are also called to be generous. Generosity not only points
others to God, it is an appropriate response to what God has done for us.
“To whom much has been given, much more will be expected.” Its biblical roots are in
Luke 12:48. Because we have been so freely loved, we now love others (John 13:34).
Because we have been forgiven, we forgive others (Matthew 18:21-35). Our response to
God’s abundance with us is to share that abundance with others. When we appropriately
receive God’s generosity, it humbles us. We recognize that we are not worthy of His gift. Out
of gratefulness, we become more gracious with others. We begin to learn the heart of God
and
want
to
be
more
like
Him.
Generosity has positive effects in human relationships. When one person gives freely to
another, the recipient often “passes forward” the gift. In the Christian life, the motivation is
much greater. Jesus taught us that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts
20:35).
Not only does our giving demonstrate God’s character to the world, it results in increased
faith for us. When we are willing to give, we declare that our faith does not depend on
material possessions. Instead, we show that our faith is in God, who is always faithful to
provide (1 Kings 17:7-16).
” When we give, we empty ourselves in order to be filled again by God. “Give, and it
will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running
over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured
to you” (Luke 6:38).
In Ephesians 6:7-9 it is written – “7) Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the
Lord, not people, 8) because you know that the Lord will reward each one for
whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. 9) And masters, treat your
slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both
their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favouritism with him.”
Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken
together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use,
it will be measured back to you.”
7. Love:
In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “4) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not
boast, it is not proud. 5) It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6) Love does not delight in evil but
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rejoices with the truth. 7) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres.”
A Pharisaic lawyer once asked our Lord, "Teacher, which is the great commandment
in the law?" Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.'
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:36-40).
According to Matthew's Gospel, the very essence of the Law and the Prophets is to love
God and to love others. And we see this term "the Law and the Prophets" used in one other
place in Matthew's Gospel. It's in this passage that we find the Biblical definition for love:
"Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law
and
the
Prophets"
(Matthew
7:12).
Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, commands us to "owe no one anything except to love one
another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, 'You shall
not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false
witness,' 'You shall not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in
this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' Love does no harm to
a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilment of the law" (Romans 13:8-10).
In Luke's Gospel, Jesus elaborates on this "do unto others as you would have them do
unto you" principle. He says, "Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who
takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you,
you also do to them likewise. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to
you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do
good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend
to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even
sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and
lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons
of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just
as your Father also is merciful" (Luke 6:30-36).
Christian love is giving to others those things that you would want them to give you if you
were in their situation -- and it's doing so even if they can't pay you back. In fact, it's doing so
especially if they can't pay you back! Christian love is respect for others. It's mercy. It's
charity.
8. Forgiveness:
The word “forgive” means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt. When we
wrong someone, we seek his or her forgiveness in order for the relationship to be restored. It
is important to remember that forgiveness is not granted because a person deserves to be
forgiven. Instead, it is an act of love, mercy, and grace. It is impossible to live on this fallen
planet without getting hurt, offended, misunderstood, lied to, and rejected. Learning how to
respond
properly
is
one
of
the
basics
of
the
Christian
life.
How we act toward that person may change. It doesn't mean we will put ourselves back into
a harmful situation or that we suddenly accept or approve of the person's continued wrong
behaviour. It simply means we release them from the wrong they committed against us. We
forgive them because God forgave us.
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Ephesians 4:29-32 – “29) Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is
good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30) And do not
grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31) Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you,
with all malice. 32) And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another,
even as God in Christ forgave you”
Romans 5:8 – “But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.”
Having a nature of not forgiving others brings about bitterness, and bitterness has been
linked to stress-related illnesses by some medical researchers. By forgiving others, we free
ourselves spiritually and emotionally. Forgiveness is an act of our own personal will in
obedience and submission to God’s will, trusting God to bring emotional healing. God’s
timing is always the right time for each individual. The act of forgiving others is between us
and God. The only time we need to forgive a person face-to-face is at the moment we are
asked by that person to forgive them for the hurt they have caused.
9. Making wise decisions:
Deuteronomy 30:19 – “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I
have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that
both thou and thy seed may live:”
Our God requires us to make a wise decision in all our life endeavours; he requires us not to
do anything contrary to the Bible. We are required to draw lines of our needs and grade
them by priority to make a wise decision for in in spending having a budget for everything
and living by that budget and also utilising the scarce resources wisely.
Every day each of us are faced with numerous choices and sometimes the Bible does not
seem to give us direct answers according to human understanding unless there is a blessed
Man of God to help us understand and interpret the inner message. Below find some of the
Biblical principles/Scriptures which can guide us in making wise decisions;
Proverbs 2:6 - “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and
understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 - “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory
of God.”
2 Corinthians 6:14 - “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has
righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”
Proverbs 22:7 - “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s
slave.”
Philippians 4:8 - “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any
excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
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10. Confidence:
This is the act of being sure, having faith, certain and trust. It is a feeling of trust and firm
belief in yourself or others. What you put your confidence in will not let you down. You
believe that you can make it.
Philippians 4:10 -13 – “10) I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your
concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.
11) I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content
whatever the circumstances. 12) I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is
to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13) I can do all this
through him who gives me strength.” – Here Paul talks about being abased and how to
rise.
Confidence is knowing what you're good at, the value you provide, and acting in a way that
conveys to others. Contrast this with arrogance which typically involves believing you are
better in a particular area than you are, or low self-esteem which involves believing you're
less valuable than you think. Being more confident at work can mean more promotions. This
doesn't just apply to the workplace, but all around.
Lack of confidence leads to low esteem. You have to be confidence in yourself and
knowledgeable; in Luke 4:1 – Jesus was confident and knowledgeable, because of that he
managed to defeat the devil. In Acts 19:13 – the sons of Sceva were not confident and
knowledgeable about the word of God, hence were attacked by the devil. In Acts 4:10 – we
see Peter and John in confidence praying for the crippled man whose rose up and walked.
Knowledge is power; it creates a difference between you and another person – Proverbs
25:2. You cannot have confidence without knowledge; if you are confident and
knowledgeable it is 100% trust of where you are going.
God Almighty does not want dormancy; Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for
you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future. In Acts 3:1 – we see Peter and John in confidence testifying for Jesus.
In Genesis (….) In confidence Joseph continued telling his brothers about his dreams
despite of all the hatred they had for him. We never see Joseph complaining or cursing his
brothers not even when he was imprisoned in Egypt he does not curse anyone not even the
wife of Potiphar who laid false accusations upon him.
11. Teamwork:
It’s when a group of people work together cohesively, towards a common goal, creating a
positive working atmosphere, and supporting each other to combine individual strengths to
enhance team performance. It is the kind of work that teams are best configured to do. It is
work that blends individual strengths so that they complement each other, and in doing so
brings people together with a sense of companionship and shared vision so that their
strengths are applied in a common direction towards meaningful goals.
According to the creation no one is to leave a solitary. In Genesis 2:18 – “18) The Lord God
said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis
2:20 -22 “20) so the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all
the wild animals. But for Adam[f] no suitable helper was found. 21) So the Lord God
caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of
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the man’s ribs[g] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22) Then the Lord God
made a woman from the rib[h] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the
man. Man was given dominion.
Teamwork is very important to a winning team; Ecclesiastic 4:9-12 “9) Two are better than
one, because they have a good return for their labour: 10) If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
11) Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm
alone? 12) Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of
three strands is not quickly broken. Mathew 18:20 - For where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Teamwork embraces mentorship; Proverbs 13:20 “Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.” what you cannot see can be seen by someone
else. Henry Ford who was not a scientist managed through teamwork, imparting knowledge
and allowed others to add knowledge; teamwork builds big fruits; for good results and
success in any venture there is need to have knowledgeable supporting team for example a
good lawyer, good engineers, good marketing personnel, good production team, good
management team etc. Look at your character if you are wise and humble, people will look
at this.
Besides being a clever politician King Herod the Great was a team builder; he had a talent of
looking for wise men; Herod the Great was one of the most prolific builders of the ancient
world. Among other things, he built the port of Caesarea on the coast between Joppa and
Haifa, and Sebaste on the site of ancient Samaria. His most impressive achievement was
the Temple in Jerusalem, which he completely rebuilt. The platform for this construction is
the Temple Mount. Noah in the Bible was also a team leader; he looked for wise men who
he helped him in construction of the Ark.
To build a good team avoid anger disorder, this leads to resentment, giving up soon and also
rigidity; people with anger disorder tend to be poor listeners and not correctable hence poor
decision making. Our God hates pride and arrogant minds; Proverbs 8:13 – 14 “(13) The
reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord [includes] the hatred of evil; pride,
arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate. (14) I have counsel
and sound knowledge, I have understanding, I have might and power.”
12. Maturity:
Maturity is being honest, faithful, meek, humble, self-reliant, self-driven, transparent,
enterprising and accountable with no excuses of blame game hence being mature is being
responsible and accountable. Mathew 25:14 the parable of the three servants who were
given capital to invest, the two who portrayed maturity were added more while the 3rd
servant who portrayed immaturity lost even the one talent he was given. There are three
stages of Maturity; Birth, Growth, Development. The last stage is where one is able to
differentiate between right and wrong.
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