Dear Reader,
I welcome you into the fifth month of the year. I pray it shall be a month loaded with blessings and testimonies for you and your family in Jesus’ name. This month, I shall be considering a dynamic topic, Academic Excellence.
For better understanding, I would define the terms academic and excellence independently. While academic is mostly described as activities about or characteristic of a school, academy or other institution of learning, excellence describes the possession of good qualities in an eminent degree. So, to be excellent is to be exceptionally good at something.
Therefore, academic excellence means being exceptionally good in learning or scholarly endeavour. It is a consistent attitude of exceptional achievement in learning, discovery, creativity and educational engagement. A student is said to be academically excellent at a particular level when he/she has mastered the basic skills needed to progress to the next level academically.
Let us take God as our perfect example. In the beginning, after God created the heavens and the earth, and the things therein, He saw everything He created and said it was good (Genesis 1:31). So, God, our heavenly father, works in excellence, and He created us in His image and likeness, so we are to manifest excellence as well.
Meanwhile, some teenagers have some myths or ideologies about academic excellence. Some believe it is rare to achieve academic excellence because they don’t see themselves excelling academically if their parents are uneducated. Others believe excellence in academia is hereditary, so it is not for everyone. Please understand that these are wrong.
What are some principles of academic excellence?
Association and Synergy. The Word says: He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed (Proverbs 13:20).The association you keep can either make or mar you. Synergy is the benefit that arises from the coming together of a group of persons. The aim of every association should be to synergise!
Belief System. The Word says: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee (Proverbs 23:7). If you believe you are excellent, you can achieve it. Excellence begins from your mind; as long as the battle has been won in the mind, excellence is in view.
Confession, Confidence and Choice. As it is written: For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith (Mark 11:23). You cannot only think about it; you have to say it. You have to constantly affirm it to yourself and demonstrate an attitude of excellence. You must determine within yourself to choose academic excellence and settle for nothing less.
Diligence, Hard Work and Smart Work. The Word says: The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute (Proverbs 12:24). Diligence means focused determination toward achieving a set goal; it is a conscious and conscientious (thorough) effort toward achieving one’s target. Hard work helps to climb the stairs of success. It is the art of tirelessly committing a great deal of effort and endurance to a task with the hope of achieving the desired result. Although smart work is related to hard work in its commitment to achieving desired results, smart work finds the most strategic and efficient method of achieving it.
Therefore, making these principles your lifestyle makes academic excellence very easy. However, the foundation for this is a life with Christ, thereby making the Holy Spirit available to help you achieve academic excellence. The Word says: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26). So, if you are not yet born again, please say this prayer of faith: Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner, and I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. From today, Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now, I am Born Again.
Congratulations! You are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave or forsake you. With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace, in Jesus’ name! Please write or call to share your testimonies with me through oyedepofaitha@gmail.com OR 08141320204 and 07026385437.
For more insight, these books, authored by me, are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian Bookstores: Make Your Life Count, The Spirit of Faith, A Living Witness, Overcoming Anxiety, and Ruling Your Word (by Dr David Oyedepo).
