Transcript: Growing Into Christ Part 3
Prepared from the audio, so small errors are possible.
Just like a soldier, going to battle, Garrett himself with every armor needed for battle and for winning. So believers must guard themselves with the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Join Apostle Emmanuel as he teaches God's Word to equip you for a victorious life on earth. This is Believer's Equip. What is the process by which Christ is formed in a man? Because the subject of the teaching is growing into Christ. So where we are really going to is how Christ is formed in a man. But it's important we look at all these introductions that we have looked at before we get here. Glory to God. Amen.
Then we can now end it with the marks of a believer who is truly growing into Christ. That is what the syllabus contains and so you know how far we are going and how far we are moving per time. Glory to God. Amen. The signs that a believer is not growing. There are 10 here. You see how many we can do before we are out of time. I believe that one of the greatest dangers in the life of a believer is not just that he's not growing, but that he does not know that he's not growing. Because spiritual stagnation is often subtle. Because a man can still be active.
And be around spiritual activities and be in church and be around spiritual people and he's doing all of these things. There is a form of godliness, but he's not advancing in the spirit. He's not growing spiritually. He can still be around spiritual things and yet not changing. He can still pray perhaps even praying occasionally. Maybe attending meetings, singing worship songs, posting scriptures, using all kinds of Christian language. And he might even hold responsibilities in church. And yet, he remains largely the same within, which is where the importance is. That is the reason why the matter of discernment remains very important for the believer. You must be able to look at your life.
And you must be able to honestly check within you. And ask important questions. Is Christ truly gaining ground in me? Are you with me? Is Christ truly gaining ground in me? Is Christ growing within me? Is transformation happening within me? Or have I only become more familiar with the Christian culture? Am I just wearing a phone? Am I just learning Christian language and how to talk like Christians, how to speak like Christians, how to pray like Christians?
Or is there a transformation happening within me? Because the worst kind of deception is the deception of appearance. Where a man looks alive outwardly but has stopped growing inwardly. And this is dangerous because in scripture, even in science, stagnation is terrible. You agree with me? That nothing that stops advancing, nothing that stops moving, nothing that stops growing ever remains the same. What does not grow? What does not advance? What does not flow? Begins to decay.
The danger of spiritual stagnation is not that your life will just remain like that. It is the degeneration that will start happening to you. Because to remain on a spot is to decay. Water is meant to move. When water does not move, what happens to water? It becomes still. That's water. Water. How many of you have bought water? Probably a bottled water.
And then you put it somewhere, you drank it, then covered it, and put it somewhere for like a month. Then remember the water was there. Have you experienced opening the water? Then there is a kind of foul smell that comes from it? But it's water. You mean, you didn't introduce anything to it. Nothing just tastes the same if you don't use it. If you are not advancing, if you are not growing, if you are not moving, if you are not if you are not developing intentionally, there is a decline that begins to happen to you. A decline that begins to happen. Thank you precious holy spirit.
So stagnation is not passive. It has consequences. And one of the clearest signs that the believer is not growing is that the same old weaknesses still rule him with very little resistance. In fact, that's number one. The first sign you would see that a believer is not growing is that the same old weaknesses still ruling. The same old weaknesses. Growth does not mean that you become instantly perfect. But growth means that at least progressively, you are experiencing some level of victory. Over the flesh, over life, even in your conformity to the Christ. It means that there should be battles that you are fighting with greater understanding.
It means that there should be greater strength in your life. It mean that there should be greater hatred for sin. Greater consistency than before. But when a man remains under the same dominion of lust, the same dominion of anger, the same dominion of bitterness, of jealousy, of pride, of dishonesty, of prayerlessness, of compromise. Of every fleshy appetite you can think of, year after year, day after day, with no real burden inside of him to change, no hunger in him for deliverance, no submission to process, then growth has been interrupted. That man's growth is stagnant. That man assist to grow. There is cessation of growth. Because when Christ is formed in a man, there will be warfare, there will be pruning, there will be conviction, and there will be movement in the life of that man. There will be signs, progressive signs towards victory every single day.
And let me say this, there's a difference between a struggling believer and a stagman believer. A struggling believer may still be weak. In fact, a struggling believer may still fall, may still be struggling with one or two things. Right? May still have areas of battles here and there. But he is fighting for, he's fighting. He doesn't want to remain at that same spot. He's repenting, he's grieving in his spirit, He's rising again. He's not comfortable making those same mistakes. He cannot make peace with what is wrong with him and what is wrong in him.
He knows that I cannot remain like this. I'm still learning. I'm still struggling. I'm still getting better. I'm still getting pruned. Do you understand what I'm saying? His weaknesses troubles him. His compromise convicts him if he ever makes a compromise. His inconsistency burdens him. He may not yet be where he should be, but there is movement in his life.
There is resistance against the flood of attacks of limitations that the flesh brings to him, that the devil brings to him, temptations, there's resistance against all of these things. They say, only satisfaction that he has. Are you with me? Yes, sir. So he might not yet be there, but he knows I'm not supposed to be here. And so he's doing something, he's fellowshipping with this. As a matter of fact, his his honesty and his sincerity is part of what will ensure that it continues to grow steadily. Because that state of honesty of heart will always bring him before the holy ghost in brokenness. Because he knows I still need to be fixed. I still need to be worked on.
There are still... This morning when I was going out, I noticed anger in me. I didn't speak right. I didn't respond right. And so when he's praying that night, he's going to God and he's saying help my heart. I'm still struggling in this area, but help me. I know you supply strength. I know you give grace to people. Do you understand what I'm saying? He finds himself falling into sin or falling into...
It often just take it as though it were nothing. He goes back to God again and say, ah, I'm falling. I'm a ghost and I'm a I'm a and Help me. Help me. Until my only gaze is you. Spirit, keep brooding all of me till I look just like you. Glory to God. He knows. And so his knowing, his knowledge always takes him to prayer. When he's studying scriptures, scriptures can still break him.
He knows that there's no... We... The Bible says we put no confidence in the flesh. Every time he's going again to scriptures because he knows that's where the surplus supply of grace comes from. And when the holy ghost rebukes him, he's quick to respond. When he's told that this is... This thing you are doing is wrong, he's quick to respond. There is a huge sense of malleability in his heart. He's conscious of grieving the holy ghost. But when you find a stagnant believer a stagnant believer...
Because the reason why I must tell the difference is because at face value, both of them can look the same because they can have similar struggles. They can have similar battles. But a stagnant believer is not just one who has battles. He's one who has normalized the battle. He has settled with the limitations. He has agreed with the weaknesses. Stagnation is not the presence of battles, of limitations. Stagnation is the absence of movement. It is when a believer settles into patterns that he should be resisting. When he just accepts it as the norm.
He's no longer fighting the game because he has given up. I mean, I've been trying to break out of this addiction now for the past eight years. And I've been struggling for nothing. So the guy can pray now. Go home and masturbate. And come to church again tomorrow and lead prayer. That's stagnation. That's a that's a stagnant believer. You see. You see.
You don't know. There's no longer any form of brokenness within him. The holy ghost no longer speaks to his heart. Even his own human spirit, the voice of his own human spirit that speaks to him through his conscience. Has been hardened, has been straightforward. That's a stagnant believer. And you would know when the devil wants to start luring a believer into stagnancy. When he starts suggesting to your ears that you should give up. When he starts painting the picture to you that the battle is no longer worth fighting. The resistance is not worth it anymore.
When such suggestions start coming, you can tell that the devil is driving a believer towards stagnation. Do you understand what I'm saying? Don't fight it again. There's no point fighting it. Why are you fighting it? A believer, for instance, can be struggling with intense condemnation. A struggling believer. And he commands... He he declares scripture. He's declaring scriptures.
He say I am loved. There's therefore no more condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. And there is a stagnant believer who is also struggling with the same condemnation. Do you understand what I'm saying? Both of them hear the same message. The stagnant believer, his response to that message is, this is not the first time I'm hearing it. I've heard it again and again. I've tried what they said I should do. Nothing happened. So when you are talking to a stagnant believer, he's just hearing what you are saying to keep a form of appearance.
You see a struggling believer. Every time he hears that thing, it will break him. Even if he's still struggling with it. It's how you know the holy ghost is still working in his heart. Is that how you know the holy ghost is still working in his heart? It is different between David and Saul. And guess who the Bible calls a man after God's own heart? You have to go and study David. And you realize that Saul Saul no do rich. Saul no do rich.
But you see that heart David has. To to to know that there is a weakness and then the Holy Ghost correct you and then you just break into surrender, break into submission. Are you still with me? Yes, sir. Stagnance is when what used to prick your heart no longer pricks your heart. You know something is wrong. Something is wrong. No longer pricks it deeply. It's when compromise now becomes ordinary. When recovery after you have compromised no longer feels as urgent to you.
So the issue is not whether a man is still fighting, whether a man is still fighting something or still resisting something or still struggling with something. The issue is whether Christ is still gaining ground in that fight, Whether he's progressively entering into victory. Because that that is how we gain victory. A time will come when in that struggle, it will receive light. It will now realize that the reason why you have been struggling so much is because you have been attempting to change by your own strength. But the victory is forced in your thoughts before it is forced in your action. If Christ does not win in your thoughts, Christ will not win in your action. That's why the Bible says, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. But it's not only the mouth that speaks out of the abundance of the heart. The Bible says, guard your heart with all diligence.
For out of it proceeds the issues of your life. So the issues of your life comes from your heart, and your heart is the seat of your thoughts. Your thoughts originate from your mentalities and your thought patterns. It means if Christ has not won there, the issues of your life will continue to happen. And you would continue fighting issues of your life, whereas demons and all kinds of negative thought patterns are gaining ground inside your heart. So the bible said in second Corinthians 10 from verse four to verse five, that our weapons of our warfare are not canal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Verse five now shows us what the strongholds are. He says, casting down every imagination. Every imagination. Every every eye imagination.
Thing that exalt itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought. You now realize that the problem is that you have not even brought into captivity the thought. You allow the thought to reign and now start fighting the action when it manifests. Whereas the victory must first be won in the thought. A time will come, light will come. The moment light comes, I've been fighting the battle in the wrong terrain. The battle should start... Do understand what I'm saying? The time come when light breaks. The time come when light breaks.
Yes. And the moment that light breaks, you say, Grace has come. Grace has come. For someone else, it can be Romans six that opens up to him. That I am dead to sin. And so I cannot sin. But life will shall break at some point. Do you understand what I'm saying? For you to be lifted, all I want is for you, for you to be glorified. Number two, which is the second sign that a believer is not growing is resistance to correction.
Because a growing believer may not enjoy correction, he will receive it. He will submit to it. He will allow it to produce change inside of him. An immature believer or a stagnant believer or a believer that has refused to grow or a child is defensive to correction. He explains away his errors. Because he's trying to protect his weaknesses. He's trying to protect his limitations. He's trying to protect, protect rather his struggles. And so he sees correction as an attack. That's how you know he's a child.
He interprets rebuke as hatred. He avoids voices that will challenge him. But he gravitates towards voices that will comfort his flesh. That will massage his ego. But do you know what the Bible says? In the amplified version, the Bible says Proverbs 12, that he who hates correction is stupid. I'm not the one that said it. Let them see. One, two, three, go. I like the bible for things like this.
I like it when the Bible uses such strong language because there is a reason for it. Correction is one of the greatest tools of growth in this kingdom. If a man cannot be taught, if a man cannot be corrected, that man cannot be transformed. That's the reason why the Bible says he who hates correction is stupid. Because if you cannot be taught, if you cannot be corrected, you cannot be transformed. If all the ministry of scripture cannot find expression in a man's life, there is no transformation for demand. If scripture is not profitable to you for doctrine, if scripture is not profitable to you for reproof, for instruction, for correction, then that man cannot be transformed. That's why the Bible calls the man stupid. If you cannot be corrected, you cannot be trusted with increase. Growth is impossible where pride has made the heart unteachable.
Everywhere Proverbs sees a proud man, he associates a proud man with folly. A proud man is a foolish man. And the Bible says that it is in the heart of a child that foolishness is found. Are you with me, brothers and sisters? Correction. In Matthew 13, the bible describes four different kinds of heart that are found in the church. And the first is the heart by the wayside. The second is the heart on stone. The third is the heart by tons. And the fourth is the good ground.
The heart that the bible talks about, the good ground. Is that not so? Three over four is bad. Nothing planted on them ever grows. Waste of time, waste of seed, waste of investment even. And all of them are in the church. You know, when I was growing up, I used to think that the sower was going to his field. When some seeds started dropping by all these types of soils. That was my thought. How many people thought like that?
That was my thought. I was thinking that it was going, and when it was going, some seeds were now dropping. Some were now fell on the wayside. Some now fell on stones. When it now got to where it was going, some now fell on the good ground. But the Bible now showed me something when I was studying scriptures myself. And I realized the Bible says as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside as he sowed. That means there was an intentional effort to already start sowing. That means he had already gotten to his field. It means it was inside his field that the wayside was.
It was inside his field that thorns were. It was inside his field that stony places were. And he was just scattering the seed. And some were falling by stony places. And the seed is okay. Nothing is wrong with the seed. In fact, the seed is infallible. In the book of Luke chapter eight and verse 11, the Bible calls the seed the word of God. So the word of God is powerful. It's quick and powerful.
Is that not so? Yes, sir. So how do you plan the word of God in a heart? And the word of God is empty in that heart. Can do nothing in that heart. Cannot prosper in that heart. I tried to check scriptures to find out what is the difference between the seed that fell on good ground and the remaining tree. What exactly is the quality of the good ground seed that makes it good ground, that makes the Bible describe it as good ground? And also one of the witness gospels, I think it's Luke, refers to the good ground and the people that receive the word by the good ground as those with a honest and a good heart. And I saw that the mystery was in the word honest.
The difference between every other type of heart and this one over four is the word honest. Are you with me? Honest. A heart that is honest with itself. A heart that is sincere with itself. A heart that is honest and sincere. This heart can never reject correction. Because in its honesty, he can tell himself the truth. This is the kind of heart that will admit I lack wisdom. Let me ask.
This is the kind of heart that will realize, I'm struggling in this area. I need an answer. This kind of heart has nothing to defend. It doesn't protect his weaknesses. It doesn't protect his limitations. He exposes them so that the word of God can deal with them. He doesn't hide his sin. He doesn't hide his shame. Do you... There's nothing to...
Do you understand what I'm saying? That... Not many believers are like that. A lot of men of God are not honest with themselves. That's why we, that's why, that's why they come in public and speak against prosperity. Yet in private, they have bills, they have not sorted that they are calling people is. You are not honest. You are not honest. You are not honest. You are not honest.
There There are different kinds of deception. I found that the worst kind of them all is the deception of the self. Because when a man deceives himself, I don't know how that man can be helped except by God. When a man lives in self deception, such people are the one that create defenses when you correct them. They are children. They are children. Have you ever seen a child so convince himself that she's Cinderella. I've seen such young children. They will wear cloth and wear all kind of things, and they run up and down with a stick in their hand. I said, what happened?
Say, I'm Cinderella. I'm Cinderella. And you will tell her, but you're not Cinderella. She will start crying. You now have to go and tell her, okay, you are Cinderella. And then she starts laughing. And then you start laughing. And then you leave her alone because she's a child. Just in my own, she's a child. But it's dangerous to remain like that for long.
That's delusion. And there are many believers that are deluded like that. They have called them self what they are not. So when you correct them, they defend it because they believe their own narrative of themselves. Not to allow the truth to face them. That's where defense flows from. It is some kind of pride. There's one terrible type of self deception I have noticed where someone does something foolish and you call the individual and you say, ah, you've been taught, but you've been corrected, you've been... You you know the code of conduct for instance. You know scriptures for instance.
You know you should not do this, and the person starts looking like a fool. How do you know how do you know I've experienced that thing? Self deception. It is deception of the self. It created narrative in the mind so that to to excuse responsibility. Because if they admit, that means that they are telling themselves that I was truly wrong. I knew what I was doing. That one is painful. So it is easier to convince myself that I did not know. I did not know when I was talking for extensive hours that I was building emotional synergy.
I did not know. I did not know when I was buying ice cream and buying cheese ball and buying meat pie that I was building emotional synergy. I did not know. I did not know. When it gave me my mind to tell Apostle that something is going on and I just it apart, I no no. And the main castle are now burst. You now stand in front of correction and say, no no. Such people cannot be corrected. They will remain like that for long. I've noticed it.
Usually, correction fails in their years because they still believe their own narrative of event. It's strange, but it is true. Strange, but it is true. We told Jesus when he gave us this commission. To begin this ministry. That we will not have a crowd of members. We would have a crowd of men. I'm not one of those preachers who believe that the reason why people that have large members have large members is because they are not preaching the truth. You know there are people that believe that. That if you see a man of God that has large membership, 10,000 people, you are you are diluting the truth.
Because if you preach the real truth, not many people will receive it. So what was Jesus preaching? Because the Bible says multitude followed him everywhere that he went. Not only did he preach the truth, he was the truth. What was John the Baptist? John the Baptist was busy calling people vipers. Serpents, copier, he he was insulting their generation. He's a brood of vipers. They will still come the following day for his conference in their multitudes. And I don't believe all that all that.
I believe it's his insincerity. Because a man of God who is saying, the reason why that church is big is because they are not... If he does a conference and the venue is full, he will be happy. That means you are not sincere. Amen. Okay. What was the joy that you were now feeling when you came in for the conference and saw What was the reason for the joy? Glory to God. Now understand, however, is this. We will not have a crowd of people that Christ would say, who can I send?
And he would not be able to find anyone he can send. I'd I'd... No. That's not my ideal ministry. We can be many and be many that are mighty. The Bible says 400 men came to David. 400 of them were called mighty. 400 men came to David and somehow he made all of them mighty. So it means, if 10,000 comes to us, how many should be mighty? Thousand.
If if if 20,000 comes to us, how many should be mighty? 10,000. If... Do you know that they started describing the exploits of the mighty men of David? Oh my. That's how we should pick one one of you and say, of those 20,000 mighty men of this year, let's try and write the book and the book is already getting to dictionary. Because we were writing on one person. That's what we told Jesus we want to. And the way we will get there is by discipleship. That's the name of the ministry too.
It is called the disciples Christian mentor for a reason because there is emphasis on discipleship. You see, there is nothing wrong with how a church decides to run their service. Nothing wrong with how a church decides to run their program. A church can decide that they want to do thirty five minutes of praise and worship and twenty minutes of the word. Nothing is wrong with it. Because we've all seen different things. I believe so strongly that a church can, in fact, a church can decide that they want to be dancing every Sunday. And there's all kinds of choreographies going on and all kinds of and we can spend thirty minutes taking tithe and offering. And take five different types of offerings. And dance out every time we take all the offerings.
Absolutely nothing wrong with that. The question is, what have we seen? What have we seen? What we have seen, the vision will determine how we will structure what must be done in the church. Is what we have seen. There's a kind of men that we have seen. A kind of people that is being raised. And we have realized certain activities are needless for what we have seen to be established. Simple as ABC. Not because they are bad in themselves.
But you will not see them here because they are needless to achieve the vision. Type of believer you are becoming. And it's important you know. So peradventure somebody is coming here to look for that. You might not find it here. Because there are believers who believe that if there's no slight touch of entertainment, maybe we bring a comedian to crack jokes before the pastor comes up to wake everybody up. So that you'll be at least in line, ready to receive the word of God. So the pastor comes up and now say, how we clap for MC Jugodo? And everybody claps. And they open your Bible right now.
Absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you want to do that, all the best to you. Hallelujah. And I love you so much. I don't fault anybody based on whatever it is they do. I do not. I just believe our templates are different. Our manuals are different. In the day we start bring... You know we have gone off mark.
You need to call me and say, apostle, something is wrong. Are you still with me? When people hate correction, let me tell you what they do. And this is how they even stop growing. They start quietly detaching themselves from the very relationships through which God has designed for growth to happen. They start detaching themselves. Usually, it is after a correction. And they start giving several reasonable reasons why the detachment is the best thing to do. Whereas, Jesus does not save you as a person into a person. He saves you as a person into a people.
That means there is nothing that Jesus does with you that he does with you in isolation. It doesn't isolate. It separates. And the separation is not a separation from people. In fact, if it separates you from people, it is so that it can separate you into another group of people. Because community lifestyle is established within scripture as the template by which a believer grows. The devil is the one who isolates. It means any idea to isolate yourself for any reason, no matter how spiritual it might sound. Especially after a correction comes to you, is of a demon. And it will be spiritual oh.
You just take, you you just need to take some time and you start detaching yourself from people that matter. People that care. Because you believe if I don't, you know, if peradventure I take some time, I will not be misunderstood like this. Are you still with me? Ephesians four does not present growth. As something you do privately oh. I don't think that you do detach from the body oh. In fact, the Bible shows that Christ gave gifts to men for the equipping of the saints. They will all come to maturity. That means there are dimensions of growth that happen through being taught, through being corrected, through being watched over, through being sharpened, through being accountable, serving with others in love.
And a man who isolates himself from a healthy fellowship often weakens his own growth. Because God never designed the believer to mature in complete, start men from the body. No. Number three, another sign of growth is instability. What did I call it? What did I call it? James chapter one speaks of a double minded man as unstable in all his ways. Glory to God. Unstable in all his ways. A man who is not growing lives a life of constant inconsistency.
He's the one that is up today and then down tomorrow. He makes deep spiritual resolutions in one meeting. Abundance them. When pressure comes, he has no staying power, no rootedness, no endurance. His work with God is controlled by his mood, his convenience, and the environment rather than the conviction that he had as a person. The conviction he has in God. And when things are favorable, he appears serious. When pressure comes, everything collapses again. But growth produces stability. Growth roots a man.
Growth gives weight to the convictions of a man. Growth makes you less movable. Growth makes you less shallow, less reactive, less childish. So when inconsistency continues unchecked, it's a sign that the believer is not truly maturing. Ephesians chapter four from verse 14 says immaturity leaves a man or the child toast to and flow. Carried about by every wind of doctrine. Whereas Colossians chapter two from verse six to verse seven shows the opposite posture revealed. Showed us to be rooted. Built up in Christ. Established in the faith.
Rooted, built up in Christ, established in the faith. That is maturity. To be rooted in Christ, to be built up in Christ, to be established in Christ, that is maturity. Not tossed to and fro, not carried about by every wind of doctrine, not living in confusion. Are you with me brothers and sisters? Let's move fast. Number four, another evidence of stagnation is when a believer is predominantly self centered. What did I say? Yeah. Yeah.
One of the clearest marks of Christ likeness is that a man begins to move away from the tyranny of self. The immature believer is consumed with himself. His own comfort, his own image, his own feelings, his own ambition, his own needs, his own pain, his own offense, his own preferences, his own conveniences. Even his spirituality is self centered. He's he seeks God mainly for what he can get from God. He serves only when that service benefits him. If he does not feel seen inside the service, then he will withdraw. If he has nothing to get from that relationship, he withdraws. But when Christ is formed in the man, the grip of self begins to break. Love begins to grow in him, sacrifice begins to grow in him.
The man starts becoming conscious of the kingdom. A burden for the kingdom begins to grow. A burden for others begins to grow. So when a believer remains simply and deeply self absorbed, it's a sign that his growth is still shallow. Is a sign that he's not yet mature spiritually. True spirituality will push you beyond selfishness. There will be some kind of relational responsibility. You begin to serve not just because of what you can consume. In fact, you don't even come to church only because of what you can consume. You begin to bear with others.
Not just demand from them. You don't just care about what people can give you. You actually care about giving to others as well. Glory to God. Amen. You begin to bear with others. Don't just demand him from everybody you meet. You begin to care about the health of the body. Not just about your own convenience. Because real spiritual growth I've told you before is inward.
It is relational. It is covenantal. It affects how you stand amongst the brethren, how you carry burdens, how you receive instruction, how you serve, how you contribute to the growth of others. You're not all about yourselves. When Christ begins to grow in you, you become more about people. The Bible says that for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. And so when Christ begins to grow in you, that giving power of Christ starts becoming renewed in and through your life. You can give to the kingdom. You are not self absorbed. When you come to church, you are concerned about how everything comes together.
You're concerned about how everything comes to... You're not just concerned about consuming. A lady came to meet me some time ago. And she said, apostle, buses come and pick us every Sunday. And there was a time when the bus came and people were not there and the man started shouting and all of that. This was a long time ago, long time ago. And the driver became angry because people were not dressed early and drove off. And while she was there, standing because she was part of those that did not dress early and came down, met the driver shouting, drove off. You know, she was just convicted in her heart according to her. And and and started feeling as though money was paid for this.
These people are not doing these things for free. Money was paid for this. And because of the irresponsibility of most people that are here, including myself, the driver zooms off. And then she comes and says no. I acknowledge the fact that money is paid for this. The fact that we don't pay any amount of money doesn't mean that money is not being paid. And she brought the seat, I think it was about maybe 3,000 naira or I don't I don't know what was then. And said, this is what I want to give towards the boss. And I was impressed in my spirit. It was a long time ago.
This was about two years ago or so. Person was a fresher. I was impressed in my spirit because that is somewhat a fruit that there is something growing inside this person. Do you understand what I'm trying to say? Yes. That means you are not all about yourself. You are not all about yourself. Yourself. You are thinking, how can I give back? To the work of God, to people.
And you're not just about getting things, you're about giving. You're about loving. The Bible says more blessed to give than it is to receive. Than it is to receive. I saw a video where pastor Paul Nenche was speaking and he was saying that there are people inside the church who calls him and tells him pastor, this crusade is on me. All be spared. That crusade is on his Oh God. That crusade is on me. That crusade is on me. When they announced a crusade internationally, he would, there was one, he was announcing that oh we are going to, I've forgotten what state it was.
The moment he announced it, a paper was given to him. Somebody had already paid all the bills for the crusade. They've not even made... They've not even mentioned the date. They just said, we'll be going to this place for a crusade and the other came. He said, oh, somebody has paid already for the crusade. He then said, one of his young men called him and said, pastor, how much is... How much does it cost to run a crusade all the crusades we run for one year? He said, at this competition of I don't want to do it. Let's just clear one ear.
Hey. Praise to God. That's what you're becoming. Amen. Because the idea is not just to become consumers. Come on now. You can't be selfish and think that you are growing. In fact, one of is one clear way to know that you're you're still a child. How difficult it is to let go. Let go of your properties.
Let go of your money. How how much does material things hold sway on your soul? I mean you have three, maybe five wrist watches or or shoes or something. And it just comes to you. Let me help this this person doesn't wear nice shoes. I think we are the same size. And what is going on in your mind? It just shrug it off instantly because what? You start thinking. You you go home, you check the shoes.
You say, my love. How how would you... How would... That... A shoe a shoe. There are people like that. Even clothes. You have several of them. You have same size. But I like this one.
But there are there are several of them. How about this one? This one. It's my mother that bought it for me. It's so precious. Okay. Give that one. This one, auntie from The USA brought it. And I I just... Ah, what?
No, not this one. Not this one. Just so much attachment to material things. They are not growing. You're a child. You're a child. You have to get to that point where you lose value for anything material. What did I say? Anything material, anything physical. That you own.
Money, money. How about some people cannot give? There is so much that they hold these things so much to give like this is as though a part of them. It is as though they are losing a part of themselves. They feel heartbreak when they give. Or when they when the thought of giving comes to them. Like like like a lady is breaking up with them or a guy is breaking up with them. Your heart begins to break. Because money is about to leave you. It's maturity.
It means you are still self absorbed. You are still all about self. You are still concerned about myself. What can I do for myself? What can I do to myself? What can I do with myself? Myself, self, self. It's the sin of Lucifer. Self. I will ascend.
I will. Hi, me, me, myself and I. I will contain all, I will hold all I will. No, come on now. The proof that you are growing spiritually is in your ability to let go. What did I say? To let go. To let go. To give. To let go.
Are you still with me? Yes, sir. Let's move on number five. Another sign that a believer is not growing is lack of spiritual appetite. Lack of spiritual appetite. Hear me. Every living thing should should hunger. Every living living things hunger. A healthy spiritual life has desire in it. A healthy spiritual life has desire in it.
Hunger is how you know that you are healthy. Hunger is how you know that you are healed. Hunger is how you know that everything is okay with you. One of the proof of sickness is that you start losing your appetite. You just don't feel like eating again. Usually it is, you know that ah, this person is sick. You give the person food they would normally eat. And they've not eaten nobody, just not say I don't have appetite. Because they are sick. That's the same way when a man starts losing spiritual longer, he is becoming spiritually sick.
Because your Christian experience should have desire in it. Your Christian experience should have hunger in it. At a point where it never goes It might it might rise and fall in intensity sometimes. But there has to always be a pull towards God. And when you realize that it is falling in intensity, go on a retreat. Just separate yourself for one day. Pray in tongues, listen to message, stay with the word. Because the aim is that you should never drop. The aim is that there should be an a never ending hunger for the things of God. Are you with me?
Yes sir. A never ending hunger for the things of God. You should always have this pull towards God, this pull towards scripture, towards prayer, towards truth, towards fellowship, towards the things of the spirit. But when you can go long stretches with no hunger for the word, no burden for prayer, no pursuit of God, no longing for consecration, No longing for spiritual things. You are distanced from the presence of God and you are okay. No longing in your heart for consecration. No grief in your heart over the distance from his presence. Ah, something is wrong. Something is wrong. It's not about condemnation.
I'm not trying to condemn anybody. It's simply a diagnosis. So that you know something is wrong. Because when Christ is growing in a man, hunger follows. There is an inner witness that refuses to be satisfied with empty religion when Christ is growing in a man. There's a longing to know him. There's a longing to hear him. There's a longing to obey him. There's a longing to be changed by him. There's a longing in your heart.
The Bible speaks of newborn babies desiring the sincere make of God's word. Because it is, it is something that is default with every believer who is growing. There must be that desire for the sincere make of God's word. That they may grow thereby. So there is the desire that makes men grow thereby. Are you with me? The Bible says as newborn babies desire the sincere milk of God's word. So many people would read this scripture and they would emphasize on God's word as the instrument for growth. Which is true. But how about the desire that is there?
What what happens when a man loses the desire? The desire to be fed, the desire to be taught, the desire to pray, the desire to spend time with in God's presence. Every year, every year, once, two, three times, spiritual hunger is something I must teach. Every single year. I'm still gonna teach it this year. Fresh revelations, fresh anointing. Fresh dimensions, but the same concept, the same subject. Because we must never assume hunger. We must never assume hunger. Because so many people lose this thing so subtly.
And they don't even know that they are losing it until it is gone. Until they find themselves now backsliding, that's when they become awakened to the fact that something is dying inside of them. A lack of appetite spiritually is proof of immaturity. As you grow, your hunger for the things of God should increase. It won't reduce. It will increase. Many people look at, many people look at young people who are born in for God. And they say, oh, it's because you are young. Don't worry as you grow. Those people have become immature.
They have stagnated long time ago. There's no fire born on that altar again. There is no spiritual human being who has grown into things of God that will ever discourage a burning young man. It is not possible. That you are still aflame for God. And you see a young man burning for God. You will be looking for ways to encourage him. You'll be looking for ways to make things more comfortable for him. You mean you are doing ministry? I'm...
You are gathering young people, and they are all burning for God. My God, how can I help you? That will be what your stance is as an elder in the faith who is still burning. When you see a old man or a old woman who is advising young person and telling the person, no, you are too... The the way you are praying, we we've done it before. It's because such a person has become stagnated long time coming. It is dangerous to receive instructions from such people. You will be misdirected no matter what title they carry. When a young man is passionate for God and zealous for God and he's beginning to express his passion and his zealousness in ways that he should not. Say he's missing classes or he's not going to school or he's ignoring things that matter, ignoring relationships and all that.
What to do is not to kill his passion. It's not to kill his zeal. The bible says in Romans chapter 10, I bear them witness that they have zeal without knowledge. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. So if somebody has zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, is the solution to kill the zeal or to supply knowledge? But instead, what so many people try to do is to kill the zeal, to attempt to break the spirit of the young man. And I've seen this thing over and over again, especially with parents. It's a proof of spiritual stagnation. It's a proof of spiritual stagnation. Are you with me?
Yes, sir. Let me move on. Number six. Another sign that a believer is not growing or is still a child is that he remains easily offended and easily broken by little things. He remains easily offended. He remains easily broken by little things. Yeah, you see spiritual childhood. In exaggerated reactions. Small issues like this produces major collapse. Little correction produces withdrawal.
Another person's success produces envy. Minor inconveniences here and there produces complaint. Simple disappointment produces bitterness in them. An immature believer is too easily shaken. Because he has not yet developed inner weight. And capacity in the spirit. When a man grows, that growth produces resilience in him. That growth produces restraint in him. It produces the ability to absorb pressure without losing alignment with God. He produces the ability and the meekness that can be wronged.
Without becoming bitter, without becoming offended. That can forgive even without apology. He can endure misunderstanding. He can go through misunderstanding and still come out peacefully. So when a believer constantly remains offended, when a believer constantly remains reactionary. Touchy. Emotionally ruled. Is a strong indication that growth has not yet gone deep in them. First Corinthians three speaks of believers who are canal. Who are marked by strife, who are marked by envy, division.
And Paul called that condition childish. You see, one of the ways you know a child is that he cannot bear pressure without collapsing. There used to be one big speaker here on Sunday. That's even you that small speaker. If you put it on a two year old, can you carry it? Put it on a three year old, anicare it. If a child just falls down, maybe he's holding a table. And he falls down and he's doom, and his bum bum hits the floor. Or what does he do? Begins to cry.
Any any instance of inconvenience, a child responds emotionally. How far you know someone who is not growing? They can't bear any kind of pressure. The moments you increase the pressure, their flesh comes out instantly. Either in either in terms of anger, reactions, either in terms of bitterness, offense, they just start becoming irritable because pressure has increased. Either pressure in their work, pressure in their business, pressure in ministry, pressure in responsibility, any kind of pressure breaks them. I know someone, one of my daughters who came to me and told me she was trying to get some things done in her day. And then she couldn't get it done. So she wanted to go and buy something. I forgotten what it was that she wanted to go and buy.
And when she got to where she wanted to, I think, repair her phone. Yeah. Her phone got damaged, and so she wanted to repair her phone. I might be missing this story. But she had nowhere I'm going. But she wanted to do something. So she entered the office where it's supposed to be done. I had to buy something or to repair the phone. I think it's to repair the phone. But when she entered the place, she met someone there and then she started telling the person now, I want to repair my phone.
They look at the phone, told her what it will cost, and this was after her having a rough day of being disappointed, trekking up and down, facing all kind of things, then now the phone packs up and then she enters into the office, I want to repair my phone, they look at the phone, maybe give her another bad news or something, and when she heard it, she just stood up in front of the person who was there and started crying. Burst into loud tears. Oh God. Amazing. Really amazing. And do you know that several people think it is normal? Ah, she's a woman now. I'm not saying it's not okay. All, Jesus wept. To God though.
So any defense, anybody wants to give it. It's okay. But even the business of calling a spade a spade, that is immaturity. That is collapse under pressure. As collapse under, that's collapse. Or what is it self? Or just an outburst. Somebody say I want to scream, I want to. In fact, there are some places now that they now have in Lagos. They they call it rage, rage something.
The assignment of those places that come and express your frustration. So they will put bottles there and give you bats, baseball bats as they go and be destroying the bottles. And the idea is that the more you express the aggression, the more you are getting better. You are releasing stored rage. Sinners. We I'm afraid of whoever goes there to release rage. I have to, I have to, in fact, we have to even ask people now when they come and meet one of our people to marry. Do you go and release rage? Because if if you release rage on bottles, what happen? In the day that there is no bottle available.
Now somebody can look at me and say, apostle, you don't know psychology. Is it psychological? Is it is it is it philosophical? Is it... Just don't come near me or my children. That is as simple as that. I don't fight people. Whatever mentality you want to have. Bye bye. You understand what I'm saying?
You don't have to agree with me. My own question is, in the day there's no but. And my daughter is the one at home. That means you can just slap somebody. Pow. And you will not feel okay. I'm so sorry. I never do that. One of my daughter was telling me... Was telling me how she was trying to encourage, you know, correct someone and encourage her friend.
And as she was telling the friend what she was doing wrong, the friend started telling her, the more you are talking, the more I'm getting angry. When is this most mature? You just know. It's so easy to know. And these things can sometimes be hard... Can be hidden by giftedness, can be hidden by appearance. And if you don't master this thing, you... They will they will anoint you pastor in your fellowship. And then just the pastor and I go crying like this. They say, what happened?
What's now the difference between Moses and the region of Israel? Both of them faced the Red Sea. Both of them were confused. Both the Red not know what to do. Instantly, they don't know which are right complaining. Faced Moses and said, what do we now do? Imagine Moses said, why you asking me? Mommy call you. Why you asking me? Do you know how frustrating those people were?
Yes, sir. Who would have rather stayed in Egypt? Hey, hey, Abek. Abek, one of your self. I was on my own. I saw a burning bush. I didn't call myself. Now go with a looker. Everybody, face God and pray to God. The guy had looked at them.
He said, the Egyptians, you see today. You will see them no more. All of them were excited. Moses went and hid himself somewhere. He said, alpha, baba god. Because he was equally as confused as they were. That's maturity. To go through prejudice, pause, there's hard pressed on every side. Yet not crushed. So the question is, how is it possible to hard pressed something on every side?
Hard pressed this on every side. What will happen to it? It's it's getting crushed. But Paul says we were hard pressed on every side. Had a fall. Stainless steel. How many of you were born when stainless corp was a thing? You should be married by now. All these five children cannot know stainless corp. You know stainless steel.
I'm afraid of all for some of you. If you know stainless and you have not done your naming ceremony. Glory to God. God pressed on every side, yet not crushed. That is maturity. It's not it's not poetic language. It's not poetry. It wasn't trying to make rhymes. We were describing the spiritual reality and experience of some people. If if you now begin to go through the rigors of of ministry and life, the rigors of ministry and life, The kind of training that God will put some of you through.
There is pressure involved in it. Intentionally crafted pressure involved in it to build you and to mature you. Some people are juggling multiple responsibilities. Going to school, going to this, going to that, going to this, going to this. And you have to be excellent in all of them. In all of them. Prospering in all of them. None, nothing dying for any. And as you are doing that, you are learning maturity. You are growing spiritually.
But the believer who feels as though every time pressure comes, I should, my response is bram, I'm crushed, defeated, crushed, defeated. Something is wrong. You're not growing spiritually. You're not growing spiritually. Do you know that many times in your walk of faith, there will be pressure? Many times. You would not understand what I'm saying if you have never actively deployed faith when there are no other options, not when you have a plan b somewhere. You don't know pressure. When it's only God you are looking at. It either comes from God or you are disgraced.
Because there is literally no from anywhere. If there was, probably we would have called. But I look around and realize that, Kai, this thing, there is literal... It is either I eat ice... Either it works or I get disgraced. What happens? You get crushed and defeated. Immaturity. Unfortunately, a person can never take on anything big. Because when you do big things, you will know big pressure.
When you do great things, you will know great pressure. Sir. Yet you are still stable in your mind, stable in your emotions. Whilst you are praying, everything is not working, but you are still calm and collected, Still giving instructions. Praying the holy ghost. Waiting to ungod for direction. That's my life almost every time. Almost every time. Yet not crushed. We are perplexed but not in despair.
Give me a tidbit. One, two, three, go. The second one is what I'm going to. Read it loud and clear. It's maturity. It's maturity. It's not one of the options. It's not in the option. It's not available. ABCD, quit is not there.
It can't come to my mind. Is maturity. Is maturity. Are you still with me? Yes sir. And now you know somebody is immature. Is that every single instance of pressure, they break it down into pieces. They become emotional. They respond in the flesh. Their flesh takes over their spirit.
They lose faith, lose balance, lose everything. Some people start getting aggressive. As though people are the cause of your problem. They start reacting to everybody aggressively. Something they could say in a very calm manner. Even to borrow something that is not their own. And then the lady said, I expect him to understand. I expect her to understand. You know, we excuse so so so many wrong things. But as if we are Christ like, these things should be seen in our everyday lives.
Are you with me brothers and sisters? Yes, sir. Let me give you the next one. Number seven, a believer is not growing. Another sign that a believer is not growing is inability to discern what truly matters. Inability to discern priority. Because Matthew six verse 33 says, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. That thing, that word first is the word priority in the Greek. If this thing has not registered inside your spirit as a believer, you are still a child. If you have not gotten the revelation of what is priority, what is first seeking, You know, a lady came to meet me on Sunday and was telling me how that, you know, she has so many things doing and and this and she's starting to lose her passion and this and that and that.
And she has politics and she has this and she has that and and and she just is confused because she has to be in church and she doesn't want to lose God and she has to pray and she has to blah blah blah blah blah. And I told her, I said, now all of that you have said is just symptoms. The real problem, the real problem is something else. Is the immaturity of not knowing priority. Of not knowing what is important. The immaturity of not knowing what is important. When you ask matter, matter will tell you that I thought I was serving Jesus. Martha will tell you that but it was service, service. Is service a bad thing? Don't we teach service to God?
What is, how much service to God is you ushering in church, you doing all these things, but this girl was literally serving Jesus. Literally. Do you understand what I'm saying? Yes sir. Yet Jesus looked at her. And that you are bothered about too many things. Whereas only one thing is needful. Only one thing is needful. And Mary has chosen that good part. You see, when I was reading the scripture many years ago, when I taught this, I saw something very important here.
Jesus said, only one thing is needful. And Mary has chosen that good part. It made me realize that that thing that is needful, many people know it, but they have not chosen it. Because it's a choice. It's a choice. When Jesus said seek first the kingdom of God, it's a choice you make intentionally. And the proof of maturity is in your decision to make that choice everyday. Force the kingdom. Force the kingdom. Force the kingdom.
Force the kingdom. My life serves force the kingdom. My life starts first the kingdom. I'm not ashamed about it. I'm not ashamed about it. If you are still feeling shame about it, you don't know what is needful. Somebody said, oh, people say, I spend too much time in church, and I'm just feeling embarrassed. No. You are a child. You are a child.
Is it maturity? Is it maturity? Because if you know what is needful, people go to lounges on Friday, find every kind of O and B on Saturday, find every kind of events to go to on Thursday. And then look at somebody who is going to church and say you are spending too much time in church. As opposed to what? Later now, you stop spending time in church. Then you start becoming victims of deception. I was watching a particular pastor Chris's message where he was talking, and he said, you know, some believers will come and they will tell people, what are you people doing praying for long hours? Praying for two hours, praying for three hours, even an hour. I don't pray for long hours.
I pray for three minutes and God answers my prayer. I mean, I just go to God and I... And pastor Chris said, why won't you pray for thirty minutes? When you don't have enough spiritual language to communicate with God. So you can only go to God and say, oh father, I thank you for this and that and that and And I pray for this and that and that. You can't pray with understanding like that for how many... How long hours. You don't have enough spiritual language to articulate inward desires and spiritual desires to God. Are you with me brothers and sisters? But when we pray in tongues, there is enough spiritual language to communicate with God for hours.
Hours on hand. And then you say, oh, but pastor, I pray in tongues, but I still don't pray for long hours. He says because you don't come to church every time. You are only a Sunday Sunday Christian. That's why your tongue has baba mama in it. Ray baba. Ray mama. Mama. Don't mind me. As by the way, stay with me.
Knowing what is valuable is maturity. Knowing what is priority is maturity. Knowing what is major is priority. Are you with me brothers and sisters? What number are we now? Alright, so another dangerous sign of lack of growth is when a believer no longer feels any strong conviction in his heart again over compromise. One of the message of the holy spirit in the life of a growing believer is conviction. And conviction can sometimes be painful, but it is proof that God is inside of your spirit. He's still speaking to you. And when a man is growing, he cannot sin carelessly and be comfortable.
There will be that lack of comfort. Are you with me? Sir. He cannot compromise freely and just rest well. He cannot lie, he cannot manipulate, he cannot hate or be lustful or walk in dishonor or rebel. Without something within him protesting. There will be. When compromise becomes easy. When excuses becomes easy, when disobedience becomes normal. When the conscience starts to grow dull, it's a sign that stagnation is settling already.
Because growth increases sensitivity. The deeper a man grows, the more tender he becomes towards God. He doesn't become more careless, becomes more tender towards God. Number nine is prayerlessness and wordlessness. I don't think I have to explain that. It's a sign of immaturity. The moment you start becoming comfortable in prayerlessness, in wordlessness, it is sign of immaturity. And number 10, finally, one of the most painful signs that a believer is not growing is that people around him do not consistently encounter Christ through his life. People around him do not consistently encounter Christ through his life. I'm not saying that a believer should become perfect before he can bless others.
But there should be increasing evidence in your life that your life carries something that belongs to Jesus. Your speech should begin to carry grace. Your conduct should carry integrity. Your responses should begin to carry meekness. Your decision should carry wisdom. There should be light in your presence. There should be weight in your convictions. There should be traces of Christ becoming visible in you. But when years begin to pass and all people see his expressions of the flesh in you, still the same pride, the same lust, the same instability, the same selfishness, the same carelessness. There's nothing that's wrong because it means that you're not growing.
Your life should begin to touch others the more you grow. It doesn't have to do with being a pastor. Your life should be a blessing. Song of Solomon chapter one verse four. I found that scripture many years ago. I was reading my Bible in 2015, and I stumbled upon this scripture. In the King James version, it says, draw me. And we will run after you. And the holy spirit told me to pay attention to the tenses that was used. Drum me is a singular.
Speaks of one person being drawn. But the response is plural. We will run after you. That means that the impact of the drawing on one person is always so strong. That when he responds, he can't respond by himself. That impact would have so touched the lives of several others that would also begin to respond because he responded. Do you understand what I'm saying? This ministry is here today because somebody was drawn. The response of the person that was drawn is the reason why we have a ministry. The response of those who have been drawn as well is the reason why we are this plenty.
Is the reason why we will continue to be plenty. It means by default, a ministry that raises men should grow. By default. Because it means that your life will continually become a testament and a testimony to others. And it means that the more you get drawn, the more we respond. The more we respond. So by default, your life touches out to people, impacts people, blesses people, riches people. You are preaching the gospel to people. Not as a duty, but as a life. You can walk in the word of knowledge.
You can walk in the word of wisdom because now you are growing. Even in your jokes, it is obvious that Christ is growing in you. I'm not cracking foolish jokes that promote promiscuity. It should be obvious you are a believer when you are associating with people. In the marketplace, it should it should even be more obvious. Because if you're going to be in the marketplace, it should be obvious at first glance that you are a believer. I'm in the marketplace. I have social people. But there are many things that is done in the marketplace that they can't bring to my side. Many things I see, they can't bring to my side.
There are jokes I cannot crack. Not because there's anything wrong with the joke, but because it is immature to still be at that level by now. It does not represent Christ. Jesus cannot be here and be talking like this. Or I'll be joking in this manner. Do you understand what I'm trying to say? That's how people will begin to seek Christ in you. Obviously, without you even saying anything about Jesus. How do you even lose anything about Jesus? Every time your dog has sexual and lustful, you go around talking stupid things with people.
You don't go around and say, hey, babe. Over 10 people you call babe. Everybody you meet is a babe. And then you can profane jokes, ridicule a woman's body, and the woman too does not even have respect for herself. So you two will be saying, darling, how far now? Then you think about her wife, if you joke, I'm just joking. What kind of stupid joke is that? Don't you think that is a repercussion to your actions? What's different between us and unbelievers? This thing has nothing to do with...
Christianity is too much. It has everything to do with being like Christ. Being like Christ. We have a model. We have a standard. It's not the culture. It's not the world. It's Christ. It's Christ. It's Christ.
That's why I would look at some people talking, and I can't involve myself because it's indecent to do so. It's insulting to who I am and what I carry. I can't involve myself in this nonsense. One of my young girls was telling me and she said, it was just a joke. It was just a joke. Now this person talking to me again because somebody came to come and ask, who do you love? Or would you pick between this guy and this guy? And I said, I will pick this guy. So this guy that I did not pick now became angry. And I blocked me.
He's not talking to me again. And it was like a a joke. Things that just turns my belly and that just does irritates me. It's nonsense. It's how you know there's no growth anyway. Just comfortable being fools. No. Life should be different in the world. Our life should be different in the marketplace. Even if the common, there's a way you should know that don't bring this name in.
Don't bring this near me. I can imagine myself in the office, and then the two girls call, Emmanuel, who would you pick? Who would you pick? I say, well, I will look at you. You can't even come close to me. But since we are all joking, I will pick Jesus. Let it not be as though we are we are antisocial. Who would you pick? None of them of you is my spec. You say, ah ah, why?
What do you mean? Do you pray in tongues? You go to church. Are you submitted to authority? Does the holy ghost speak to you? I go to church now. The holy ghost speak to you. Tell people you are joking. Joking. That's the way me I joke.
All these Christian people, all these club people. If you are joking, that's how I know how to joke. I will not enter into the death where you are and be joking with you. I will bring into light where I am and joke. That's that's that's that's our joke. That's That's not our a joke. Joke. The point is it should be obvious we are different. That's the point. That's the point.
That's the point. Convertition, we should not entertain because it does something to your mind. As cry begins to grow inside of you, some things will naturally irritate you. Naturally irritate you. It's no longer about what is right or what is wrong. It's about what is wise and foolish. What is wise and foolish? Meet a guy that you barely know and then all kinds of foolishness already happening. It should be obvious that we are different. Tell your neighbor, it should be obvious we are different.
Your neighbor just to ensure he heard you. It might not be obvious that your neighbor is different. Might not even be obvious that you are different. So let... Tell yourself again. You carry the life of Jesus on your inside. I I went to eat on Sunday in a place with my wife. And when I got there, I found the place. And I said, let's go. Let's just go there after church.
I went there after seeing a lot of people. Upon getting there, cool evening, no noise. Only the two of us were inside. Look at the place. Oh, nice ambiance, nice restaurant, nice everything. Now let's see if the food is also matching the ambiance. And so we ordered for food. And then we sat down. We sat down there, started discussing. Less than ten minutes after we came, started blasting some music.
He said, ah, is it because we are here that we are... There's nobody here. Because... Sorry. If it's because of us, maybe you want us to feel entertained. We are entertained already. Can you off the song? He said, we'll bring it down. We'll bring it down. He did not bring it down.
He brought it up again. He spoke again. He said he was talking about it. Did not talking about it. I just said, let me try to avoid plenty drama. Eat my food and be going. All of a sudden, the food was taking longer than usual. And I heard that, seeing some people walking inside. Okay. So the way they were dressing, I say, Shebron Meleko Safan.
Shebakum Anandis. Thank God I went with my wife. At least I'm with my wife. So I I had to face my wife. And I said, maybe they just came to eat as well. I mean, even even foolish people should eat. So I excused the thing. And then it started coming again and coming and coming in their numbers. And the place started becoming dark. And the color started changing.
And I said ah. I say it's food came to eat. This... He started honing some lies that were not there before. And then my wife said I should look back and I looked back. I saw somebody holding one thing like this and smoking the thing. I say... They said what is left? They said that we had the fish. Thirty minutes for the fish to...
I said keep the fish. Just keep. But you have paid. Keep the fish. My wife say, it's not small money. I say, keep keep the fish. Keep the fish. Lovest thou me? And Jesus was holding fish when he asked that question. You hear me?
I was so uncomfortable. I can't be there. It has nothing to do with you're a man of God or you're not a man of God. It has to do with the life I carry that responds in that manner. It responds in that manner. I can't seem decency and be comfortable there. Do you understand what trying to say? Yes, sir. I can't. There should be a difference in your life.
There should be a difference in the way you talk. There should be a difference in the way you carry yourself. Your life should preach a message, an obvious message to people. And then you should be... You should also preach an obvious message to people yourself. Your mouth should preach a message to people. Are you getting this? And I'm saying? Yes. I used to be a teacher many years ago in an a level center.
I was teaching physics, a levels. And I would go to class and teach in class. When I'm done teaching, at the end of every of my class, I had a session that I called legendary secrets. Because then they would call me the elder, so I wanted to mysticize everything. So I call it legendary secrets. And I'll give them one secret to success in every class I go to. One secret to success in every class I go to. I say, remember some of them? I go there, teach physics, and give them a learning secret. It got to a point that people are waiting for the end of the class just so we can hear what success secret this guy has brought again.
When I'm talking, when he wrote it that particular session, everywhere goes quiet. You could almost hear a pin drop. Everybody goes quiet. Then I would now be telling them, if you want to succeed in a levels, if you want to succeed in a levels, if you want to succeed in a levels. And before the exam, I gathered all of them. We're doing a past questions class with them. I told them, this is the final identity secret I'll give you. All of them shout there. If you don't know Jesus, I don't know what you know. You can know physics and know it well.
But if you don't know Jesus, I then told them my very legendary story of how I knew physics. I knew biology. I didn't know too much of chemistry. Wrote nonsense in chemistry, sir, because I slept off. But I had my highest results in chemistry. I wanted not because I know chemistry or because I know Jesus. So it's okay to know chemistry, but it's more okay to know Jesus. So if you're interested in knowing Jesus, meet me after the class. And they will come after the class to miss me. Whilst I'm teaching in classrooms and didn't feel it in classroom, the sick was being healed.
I'll be teaching them, be giving word of knowledge. Remember a time I told them I was teaching traditional fields. I told them, somebody had a dream amongst you and you woke up and saw the cut on your body. And the lady was at the back on the left hand side of the class, raised her hand. You had a dream. They cut you and you woke up to the court. She said exactly what happened. Raised her hand and showed us a deep cut covered by bandage that she was caught in a dream and woke up bleeding. Woke up bleeding. Ask her since how long now?
It's ever since the last three months, six months or so, and that's not always been treated. It has never dried up. Went to her, prayed for her in the name of Jesus. Went back to teaching. In less than a week, the thing was dry. Fellowship was filled by default. We didn't need any attraction to fill up the fellowship. And I wasn't the only one. I had a friend of mine that was doing crazy things in the class. That one elects holding people and forcing them at unity power.
So you will be teaching them and you just hold somebody's hand like this and you you'll be sending in power and the person just shout inside the class. We were crazy. Oh, Jesus. Oh, God. But I like the kind of teachers we wear. Those young people who are teenagers who would explain to you the subject, you will understand. But you were speaking to your spirit as well. Young people that came from that fellowship is how this ministry began. Young people that came from that fellowship, himself, myself, and several others is how this ministry began. Your life must touch the people's lives.
Their own lives touching others is how this ministry grew. I remember a room I went to to go and change my clothes. When we had a conference, I just entered the room because I knocked the door. Some not allow me to enter. We had a conference in Tether. The first Freddawakening that we're going to have in 2019 was in Tether. The oldest year, small. And after I owned generator, arranged everywhere, sweep... The people were sweeping. I was doing the technical work by myself, putting the speakers, honing the microphones, ensuring everything was...
Generator was not on it. I had to go and buy plug, change the plug. By the time the meeting started, I was still on short knicker. So I had to run into one room in theater and knock several room. They did not allow me. One finally allowed me. As I was dressing, I saw one of them asking me a question. He ignored the question as though what is this I'm saying because it was something to do with his academics or something like that. But then there were books on the shelf that I could have easily seen. Even though I did not see it, I had done.
So I knew that they had thought that it's not obvious. Until I started speaking more directly into one of them who was paying attention. And I told him what his father was doing. Told him what his mother was doing. Told him how that it was his thought attempt or so at writing jam to enter school. I told him his father was looking for visa, and I've been looking for it for ten years. I told him I counted for him one, 2345678, nine. He stopped at ten. Thought at ten. Guy shouted.
The one that was playing game left his game and fixed me. All of them, I had their attention. I preached the gospel. All of them gave their life to Jesus. I invited all of them to church. One of them came the following Sunday. Your life must reach people. Your life must reach people. It must be obvious that we are different. It must be obvious we are different.
The gift of the spirit at some point will start awakening in your life. It's easy. Eyes up on your feet. Can you pray? Just pray that Jesus should help you. That's that's all we can pray right now. Just pray Jesus should help you. Just tell Jesus to help you. Let's tell Jesus to help you. Let's tell Jesus to help you.
Come on. Tell Jesus to help you. Name of Jesus. May you grant us grace to become his words. Don't let us just hear but help us to become. Thank you for listening to this message. We trust you have been blessed. You can get more life transforming messages from apostle Emmanuel Boluatifed on our Telegram page at DCN Media channel. You can also stream the messages on Spotify, Ocho Mac, and Apple Podcast. Connect with us via our social media platforms on Instagram at DCN underscore nations, on Facebook at Disciples Christian Network, on X at DCN Central, and on TikTok at Disciples Christian Network.
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