Create: From Nothing to Something
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” - Pablo Picasso
In Christ, God is redeeming and reclaiming all that was affected at the fall. We are an important part of this restoration process, so God reconciled us to Himself and commissioned us into the ministry of reconciliation. But the redemptive work within us is a total package, it transcends our spiritual renewal, but Christ is also redeeming and restoring our identity, culture, values, imagination and many other concepts that became dysfunctional when man fell.
Man wasn’t always unimaginative or rather say diabolical in his imagination. Infact for man to be who he is God gave man those capabilities to aid man fulfill an essential purpose of why he created man.
God introduced Himself to us in the first verse of Genesis as the Creator (Gen 1;1–5). Being a Creator isn’t just one of the first qualities of God that we see, but it is something that is also essential to who we are as well as well. Further down the line, we also see something interesting, God formed man in his image and after His likeness, He was the very raw material for man’s creation. In Gen 1; 26- 2;1, Being created in God’s image conferred on us his imaginative abilities. As we see in Gen 2;2, once man appeared on the scene God went on a sabbatical. But why? It wasn’t so much that the work of creation was over, but that God through man will continue the work of creation. He outsourced the creative process to man. It was Adam who named all the animals. God read to Adam the creative creed for man, which says be fruitful, multiply, replenish, subdue and dominate. This creed is not just biological for procreation purposes, but it extends into economy, we see man driving the different waves of industrialization and civilization. God wired into man a deep yearning to create. We are all a reflection of God’s creativity, and an evidence that we are made in His image. God’s qualities are present in us; we are creators; we have the capacity & the permission to create. But only one percent of the human population is operating with this understanding. A study by George Land, an author, speaker and general system scientist, reveals that we are naturally creative and as we grow up we learn to be uncreative. Creative is part of our wiring to worship; God is more glorified in us when we are most creative in our expression of Him
Reclaiming our creative abilities in Christ, begins first with understanding that the very definition of creativity is a fallen one. Much of our understanding of creative have been reduced to a faculty in the arts or a method in the science. Often times our description of creative people are stereotypes of artists who look certain way, but this is by a limited understanding of what creativity is.
All humans are creative, but the question is what are we creating? Unfortunately, the cost of not being creatively educated took a toll on our minds and worldview. We were constantly taught about the lines we should never cross, and which groups might potentially be offended or annoyed. We became a bit more cynical, doubted our abilities, and questioned ourselves by asking, can I really do this? What will others say about it? Did anyone ever do something like this? What is the chance of others calling me mad? Is it in line with the usual practices?
In this era, we all have to embrace the redemptive definition of creativity that belongs to all of us. Creativity is man’s imagination worshipping. It is the theatre of dreams. It is a way of thinking, a way of life that seeks to improve, solve problems and add value. When we express our creativity in these domains, we have the ability to make life and work a work of art — Pablo Picasso once said “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
What we require to thrive is not something that is new, but what has always been within each of us. We were born to create. It is central to the essence of what it means to be human. It is not something some have and others don’t. Although some humans have long lived and thrived in the spirit of creativity and innovation
How do we deploy the power of creativity to influence culture?
How do we deploy the power of creativity to shape reality?
How do we deploy the power of creativity in shaping our careers & businesses?
The Principle of Faith The Principle of Imagination The Principle of words Gen 11;6
There are three principles that we must keep in mind:
1) Principle of imagination: What do you see, Giant or Grasshopper ( Num 13;33)? What you imagine yourself to be, is more powerful that what you are created to be, even if it is untrue. Even God if often limited by our lack of imagination. Don’t just take a leap of faith, take a leap of imagination. Imagination and faith is the secret of every creator. What is now seen was once imagined! Having imagination creates limitless possibilities. The real source of wealth isn’t capital, but the human imagination.
2) Principle of faith: any act of creation is a leap of faith. The principle of faith, says there is nothing we need that we don’t already have. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11;6). Faith is the access to the supernatural. Everything we see in the physical is a reflection of the spiritual.
3) Principle of speaking the word: The entire mechanism of creation was brought about by speaking. God spoke and so should we. We should speak words that would give flight to our dreams, affirm our faith and drown our fears.
In Christ, God has redeemed our imagination. He has not only given us the capacity to create, but the permission to do so. Through the spirit in us, we are capable of more.
Pastor Ferdy Adimefe
