Transcript: Indicators of Spiritual Maturity Part 2

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God's word is alive and powerful. It is sharper than any double edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and our joints and marrow until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts. Join apostle Emmanuel as he takes us on a journey into the word of God. It is time to encounter God, be transformed by his word, and empowered by his spirit. Indicator of spiritual growth. The first that I mentioned is the sequential access to the word of God. If you remember, if you do not remember, you should listen to the teacher. After this meeting so that you can refresh your memory. But I believe last thing I spoke about was explaining to us how that the sequential access to the word of God as a believer is one of the primary indicators that you are growing as a believer.

And I told you that the word of God reveals the character of God, Reveals the nature of God to you. It reveals the ways of God. And under the ways of God, you will find the principles of God, the promises of God. Prophecies. And patterns. Patterns of God. You find promise principles, promises, prophecies and you also find patterns. And I told you that the word of God must be sequentially arranged. Using the example of the child that is growing now that you start with milk before you go into strong meat. Is that not so?

And I spoke about submitting yourself to be taught the word of God by teachers of the word is one of the ways to grow in the word of God. Submitting your mind to be taught. But more than that, you must also take time to study God's word by yourself. The second indicator of spiritual growth is the submission of your perspective to the word of God. Did we speak about this? The submission of your perspective to the word of God. I said perspective is the ability to understand something by seeing it from a larger frame of reference. It involves perceiving how things are interrelated and judging their comparative importance. And I said spiritually, perspective means seeing life simply from God's perspective, from God's viewpoint. It is a hallmark of spiritual maturity.

Many believers read the Bible, many believers listen to sermons, many believers attend church, yet their perspectives remain unchanged. They continue to see life through the lens of their old nature, through the lens of culture, through the lens of their personal biases. And I said true spiritual growth only occurs when the word of God permits the core of your being, transforming how you see yourself, how you see others, and how you see the world around you. A Christian perspective is seeing life as God sees it. It is allowing the word of God to go beyond intellectual knowledge and to really affect your soul and your spirit. As Philippians chapter two and verse five says, in the message translation, it says think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. Remember that scripture. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. In other words, adopt the perspective that Jesus had of himself. And so if there is a thinking pattern that you sustain, that is not the way that Christ Jesus thought of himself, you are wrong.

The Bible says think of yourselves and it gives you how to think of yourselves. He says the way you are to think of yourselves is not as feeble, is not as timid, is not as dull, is not as forgetful, is not as poor, is not as broke. He says, if there is a way to think of yourself, it should be the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. So how did Christ Jesus think of himself? You have to go and study in scripture. Christ Jesus said, I and my father are one. That was how he thought of himself. He thought of himself as being one with the father. He thought of himself as being one with God. It means that a believer must also think of himself as being one with God.

Now the question is, if you think of yourself as being one with God, what is the consequence of being one with God? That is what you begin to think about. Can one with God be dull? Can one with God be forgetful? Can one with God be broke? Can one with God lack? Can one with God... This is how you think of yourself. It means anything that is separate from this thought pattern is is immaturity. It is being an infant.

Can one with God be weak? That's the question. Because if you say you are one with God, it means you share function, you share characteristics, you share the nature of God. So whatever I see exemplified in your life should be what I find in Christ, should be what I find in God. So if I have a puck of responsibility in front of me and it feels like as though this thing is too much, I can't do it. And I begin to collapse in my mind. And my mind becomes weary. And I can no longer make progress because I'm thinking this is just too heavy for me to bear. The question is, is that how God thinks? If you are conscious of the fact that you are one with God, would there be something that you could not do?

Would there be a responsibility that will be too difficult for you to bear? Would there be something that is too difficult for you to learn? It says think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. This is not just some cliche. I really wish that you would believe this. That out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Guard your heart without diligence. Out of it proceeds forth the issues of life. That life does not happen to you, life happens from you. And the way you must think of yourself in your heart is exactly how Jesus saw himself.

Anything short of this is immaturity. So I can tell that a believer is not growing by how he speaks of himself. Remember that Paul says when I was a child, I thought, I spoke, I understood as a child. So there is a way a child speaks of himself, thinks of himself, understands of himself. There are believers you see down on themselves, talk down on themselves, talk down on what God can do in and through their lives, talk down on their potentials. Talk down on their ability even. There are believers who think that confusion is a norm for them. All of these things are abnormal. The Bible says think of yourselves in the way that Christ Jesus thought of himself. So I expect myself to be favored.

When people bless me, I'm not I'm not surprised that I was blessed by by someone. I'm not surprised that somebody favored me. I expect to be favored. I expect to be blessed. I expect to be wealthy. I expect to have a high paying job. I expect to have promotions. I expect clients to visit me. I expect my goods to sell. I expect myself to prosper.

I expect myself to pass. I expect myself to do well. I expect my enemies to crumble. Yes, sir. Just like many of you have enemies because you did not respond to prosper, but you responded to enemies. It's funny how you don't expect yourself to prosper, but you expect your enemies to crumble. Very interesting. May we all have what we expect? After all, I was speaking about myself. I said I expect myself to prosper.

I expect things to work out well for me. If something bad happens, I expect good to come out of it. I don't expect that the final result of any circumstances will be evil. I expect that there is a processing system that every event that happens to me undergoes that makes it equal to good. The Bible says, all things work out for good. That's what the Bible says, all things work out for good. So it means, it means there's a kind of machine, a kind of engine, a kind of processing machine that that event that happened to a believer, good or bad, enters into. And the machine grinds them like a grinding machine to ensure that the output of that event can only be good. So even if even if it means that a believer was rejected, by the time that rejection was put inside the machine and the machine prophesied it, the machine grinds it. What comes out as the house put is still good.

That's the meaning of all things work out. He didn't say good things. All things. Bad things work out for good. Because if if if the bible says all things, bad things is part of all things. So if you are to open all things, you can say all things bracket, bad good things, terrible things, beautiful things, ugly things. As long as it falls under things, it can only work out for good. So it don't matter what can happen. My mind is always at peace because even whilst I'm in that experience, what I'm thinking is, I don't even know how this thing will happen, but it must work out for my good. Yes.

This is how I process rejection. This is the perspective a believer must have. The Bible says think of yourself. How Christ Jesus thought of himself. This is how you think yourself. This is how you think of yourself. One of my young girls called me some time ago, messaged me and then she was all agitated and panting and just disturbing my WhatsApp. Kept on messaging. Sir, sir, sir, there's a problem oh, there's a problem. We we registered for hall late in my in the school that I am in.

And the hall for three people is 400,000. So you have to pay 400,000 naira each. So they could not find three. I think there were just one... Two of them, but they were looking for a third person. So by the time they found the third person, it had closed. That means you would not get accommodation in the school. The second one that was available was 600000, Which is a hall for two. Her parents emphatically told her that they don't have 600,000 naira to give her. And that they are currently broke right now.

The mother was even crying on phone. While the mother was speaking to her. To show her the series of things that there is nothing at home at the moment, the $400,100 that we give to you, we even have to go and sort it from some, no. Is it 400,000? 200,000, sorry. The room for three was 200,000. Room for two. And I can't remember how it goes, but you get the idea. The point was Shah Shah needed 600,000 naira if she would remain in the school and get a hostel. The brand made it clear that there is no chance to remain because you don't have the money to pay.

And she she was messaging me, papa, I don't know what the woman is even chatting at me. The woman is chatting at me. Calm down. I will be well. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Sir. Sir. Sir.

Sir. They have come. The woman even said now that if I'm not complete before 5PM, that everything is even close. Even the one who's under the case, sir, we'll never get it again. Even the one of this and that and that and that. Calm down. All will be well. Yes, sir. Sir, I just been talking to my father. My father just told me now that there's even there's even nothing at home that should not even call my mother.

That my mother is and she just kept on and kept on and kept on. At some point, I just stopped replying. Is is either how we be well or how we will not do well. There's nothing I can do. You see, you get the point. It's either how we will be well or how we will not do well. Whichever one happens, it will still work out for good. The comfort should now be that opposed to as if now told you that all will go back. But this amazing girl was still agitated, was still all dense. Throughout all the conversation, she was just with plenty emoji so so that I will understand how she's feeling.

She wanted me to enter into the experience of how she's feeling because she was putting all the emojis, crying, and doing all of that, expressing herself well. And eventually, would come and meet me later and say, ah, so my my mother has been able to get someone. Somebody has given her 200,000 naira. We need just 20,000 naira left, sir. Sir, the 20... There's no 20,000 naira now. You just need 20,000 naira left to... Sir. I didn't reply again. I just left it alone.

After, like, an hour, sir, the money has been complete. The money has been complete. The question now is, what is... Was now the purpose of the agitation? Why why did you want to die? For what? Why did you want to just lose your life all for nothing? Think of yourself the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. You understand my point? I can imagine myself in a circumstance like that when I need an amount of money.

And I and I can't I can't picture myself being agitated. It's either the money come or the money does not come. If the money does not come, what's the worst that will happen? I will not get a hostel. That's all. Think of yourself. The way Christ Jesus thought of himself. From two years ago, a young man wanted to do wedding. And he came to me and he said that ah, those who does not have money or does not have money, does not have money. That one, that that one, that one.

Said calm down, there's no problem. Plan around your budget. And he kept on saying, sir, for the reception, we need advice. I said who told you you must do reception? Marry your wife and go. Just just marry your wife and go. Don't be under pressure. You say ah, ah, what's her? What will now what will now as as it was about to go, said stop, stop. If you are concerned about what people will say, then you should not even marry at all.

Go and go and grow. You need deliverance. It's not marriage you need. You need deliverance. Because that should be the least of your concern. Because the people that will talk will not marry with you. And the people that will talk will not even give you money for the marriage. Let's assume that people will talk and they will not give you money. Say not doing reception. Why?

Yeah. Take money and go on reception. That's not that's not how it goes. It's just talk. How will you not be doing reception? What am I now coming for? I think you should come. Don't come. Not by force. He even reduces it the amount of people I have to feed.

Glory to God. I told someone, I said, if they will not contribute money to you, that would be... You better ignore them. Anyways, so the guy came to me, and he was bothered about the wedding, bothered about all of that. While he was planning the thing, I think two months to the wedding, he was fired in his place of work. I was preparing for the wedding. Fired in his place of work. When that kind of a thing happens to a believer, what does a believer do? It's easy to talk until you enter into the experience. Because what proof that you are mature, remember I told you that a lot of believers listen to the word of God, but their perspective is not changed.

What proof that you are matured is not that you know the right thing to say. What proved you are matured is that inside the circumstance, you know the right thing to do. And you do it. That is the proof of maturity. Young man almost collapsed. And I told him, listen, same thing, all things work together for good. If this thing just sinks inside of you. Somebody lost their loved one and they came to meet me. And the person was telling me how that they were praying and doing all of that. And I said listen, if you are expecting me to explain to you why it happened despite you a God has not given me any kind of grace.

But the Bible says in all things, give thanks. In all things, give thanks. Is this part of the things? Yes. In the response, it doesn't say in all things have questions. And question God. And begin to question why that would happen. Because there are many times that you might not know why it ever happened. But you have control over your response. If your perspective has shifted.

Do you understand what I'm saying now? If your perspective has shifted, you have you have you have control by your response. And this applies to every area of life. This applies to everything that you do as believers. Transformation does not happen automatically. It happens by deliberate intentional effort. Because before coming to Christ, you held on to many wrong beliefs about prosperity, many wrong beliefs about relationships, many wrong beliefs about money, many wrong beliefs about marriage, about even God himself, even about the devil. Wrong beliefs about the devil. But as we grow in spiritual maturity, our perspectives begin to align with God's word. And it's something that we do by ourselves.

It's something we do by ourselves. Being taught the word of God is just one half of the equation. You must submit yourself to be taught. Don't be an arrogant believer or a stubborn believer when you are faced with the word of God. You will suffer. You will do what? Allow the truth of God's word to superimpose your natural inclinations. No matter how culturally or politically right they may As long as the don't say this is what the Bible says but you have you are already being a fool. You say but brother, this is what the Bible says. I know now but I had someone like that was was a grown up probably in his forties some years ago.

And we started pursuing God and doing all these things together. And when it was time to take a particular step of submission to spiritual authority in his life, I told the young man I said, who would the holy spirit have you submit to? And he told me someone who dropped in his mind. And having told me that, I said alright, go ahead. I taught him the principles of submission, remember it was in his forties. And he would go ahead to go and submit. Married with children. And he came back to me after some months and said, you know what? I think I want to pull out of this submission. I said that's not how it works.

Why do you want to pull out? The man is a young man. He's too, you know, I'm in my forties. I think I need a spiritual father who is my age range that will be able to understand what somebody like me will be going through, that is married, you know, I have children. I say This thing is not a matter of age. It's a matter of grace. He said, I know, but That's that delusion, that foolishness. That I know but that's the way to be stubborn. That's the way to to be stagnant in life. That the word of God faces you right now.

You're seeing it. This is what the Bible says. And you say, yeah, I know. But I have a personal bias, you know. I have my way of doing things. I have how I've been taught. I how I've been trained. I have how I've been molded. And I'm not willing to bend. Even though the word of God obviously is against this.

If the word of God will change your perspective, it has to be something that happens intentionally. Something that happens in you open your heart and you open everything. And you say, the as the word of God is coming, you are not questioning what is being taught. You give yourself to the truth of scripture. You give yourself to the truth of scripture. Because there are many times that what is making you feel as though the person who is skin is wrong. And you are the one who is right. Because what they are saying is challenging your behavior or challenging your way of life or challenging your pattern is just arrogance. It's not because you know more. It's arrogance.

Do you hear what I just said? It's arrogance. And I've seen this this arrogance affect a lot of people in life. A lot of people in life. Someone came to me some time ago. My husband told me, man of God. This is what I'm seeing. I finally saw the devils responsible for where I am in life. I said, what did you see? And he shared with me the visions that he had seen.

And in that vision, he saw several things. The summary of everything was that he could handpick the people responsible for his demise. And they were his family members. So he realized that his battle now. He said God has shown him who his battle is against. That he he has allowed the wrong people in favor kind of meanings, and I was listening. Whereas I don't doubt what he has seen. I don't doubt the vision. Except for the fact that visions is not how you live life. So by entering experiences as genuine and as spiritual as they may be is not how you live life.

It's not how God defined and God expects you to live your life. Because the Bible says we have a more sure word of prophecy. In other words, no matter whatever prophetic experience you might have had, as long as it is not scripture, it is not sure. The bible says we have a more sure word of prophecy and it's not your dream. We have a more sure word of prophecy and it's not your vision and it's not your encounter, it is the word of God. So when I have people who are too proud and arrogant to submit their visions and encounters and visionary experiences in general to the word of God, So you tell them, this is what the Bible says. But they say, I know, but I know what I saw. But I know what I saw. Are you seeing that again? This thing happens almost in every area of life.

I have seen families collapse because of this, where a prophet comes into the family and tells the father or tells the mother that, see, I just saw a vision right now. Your your wife is cheating on you. Your wife has and the husband without any verification, a home that has known love all the while, a home with a submissive wife, a home that has known peace all the while because a prophetic voice said, your wife is... How do we... Can we verify this with scripture? Does the bible not say test our spirits? The man of God told me something one time. And after he said he heard God and he told me. And after it was done, I said I will pray about it. And he said what?

How can I tell you what I saw? And you say you will pray about it. That's the kind of arrogance that leads a man to doom. Because the moment you overestimate the thing you have seen, above my own prerogative and right to pray so that I can have a witness in my spirit. That means that you overestimate or you have placed your vision above the authority of scripture. Because before I can accept a thing a man tells me, my spirit must bear witness to it. That is what scripture teaches. So if you tell me something that is from God and my spirit bears no witness to it, I have no right to receive what you have said. And you have no right to impose what you have said on me. And your perspective must align to this.

Your perspective must change to this. You must see this. This is how you must think about yourself. I have the holy spirit on my inside. I'm not looking for prophetic experiences. I'm not jumping. Listen, I've looked at people who jump everywhere. Looking for everything. End up getting nothing. People who refuse to have one voice over their life, a voice of instruction, a voice of counsel, a voice that teaches you scriptures, rightly reviving the word of truth.

And getting nothing from anywhere. By the time they have jumped from place to place, jumped from place to place, jumped from place to place, they would eventually spend twenty years jumping. And in that jump, you can try to convince them that this is not the will of God. This is not the pattern of scripture. They will argue with you. Until time has now proven that they were wrong. And that's what happens to any man who will not live his life according to the dictate of God as revealed in scriptures. Your perspective must shift. You must begin to think and see life. How God sees it.

I was one of my pastors. And we were in front of we we I drove we we were in front of a place and we parked. And as we came out of the vehicle, a young man came and approached me. What he didn't even approach me, he was calling me so arrogantly from afar. So arrogantly from afar. And I thought that he was calling somebody else because I didn't want to expect someone dressed like an Afa who I don't know. Calling me in such manner. So I was even thinking probably was calling someone else. Let me help him call the person he's calling. I didn't see anybody.

Until he started approaching me, and he was approaching me, and he was hungry and already had a feast. I don't know what would happen in this place. Don't mind me. Glory to God. And he kept on approaching me with so much arrogance, and he was just vicious in his appearance, hungry as well. And he kept on saying in Yoruba, I know the one I'm talking to. I know the one I'm talking to. And I was still confused, just looking. He said, you, you. I said, I don't know you.

How am I supposed to know that you're talking to me? He was still hungry. I know you don't know me. But I can't... I don't know how to interpret this in English. So I was in Europe, but somebody helped me find it in English. He said he said, I don't know you too, but Can somebody interpret that? What does it mean? Hold on. What does it mean?

Uh-huh. Is it is it his mother's crater sent him to me. For real? You found the right... You found the wrong customer. Oh, Jesus. As I heard that, I just hissed a long hiss, crossed the road, left. You know what somebody would have done? A bomb is open. That's what a believer would have done.

Immature believers who don't... As long as you can find someone who can prophesy. Even if it has nothing to do with scripture, you don't mind. Did the person know your first name? That's all that matters. But if it's not God, how did you know my first name? Are you whining? That's how you even know that you don't know scriptures. Because that woman who was... Who Paul cast out the spirit of divination from was not wrong in her in her prophecies.

She said the exact right thing. It was even endorsement for Paul. Behold. The apostles of Jesus Christ, they have come to show you the way of truth. That was what the devil was prophesying. Was it a lie? Then you are now surprised that they know your first name. Glory to God. I don't know why I'm saying this. It's not even on my teaching.

But I should I should I should emphasize it because it means somebody needs it. This spirit makes me deviate like this. It's because somebody needs to know it so that you don't make terrible mistakes just based off of spiritual experiences. Many people have made terrible life altering decision based on God told me. And this decision is obviously against the principles, patterns as revealed by God in scriptures. And nobody can convince them otherwise because they believe they saw something. And what they saw might have been true. They might not have been lying. Have you not read have you not read Elihu's report? When he was speaking to Job and he was convincing Job that Job was wrong and telling Job that Job was not a righteous man because if Job were a righteous man, this kind of things don't happen to righteous men.

Do you know what that was meant to do? It was meant to foster condemnation in Job. And he kept on convincing Job that and while he was doing all of that, he had to tell Job the source of his conviction. He said he said I was just sleeping one night like that and I had a vision. Can you give me that scripture and let me show people the description of the vision that he saw? And he was so convinced about that vision. Job four and verse 15. Four and verse 15. Let's start from verse 12. Can we read this together, everybody?

Go on. Okay. So he was having a dream? I wish I could analyze this thing. So many things here. I don't have time. Note, one study, he said in thoughts from the visions of the night. There's something there. Holy Spirit will show you. Next verse.

Next verse. Will you continue giving us the next verse? We can see a spirit, Abi? Yes, sir. Go on. That spirit is the one that is talking now. And this is an encounter. You see... Did you see the description of that encounter? He said he has goosebumps.

His hair is too. That's goosebumps. So it's not a new experience. The fact that your hair is too does not mean you saw Jesus. Else, every time you feel cold, Jesus was there. It's a scientific phenomenon. Glory to God. However, is it an indication of the same? Yes, it can be. But is it...

Does that mean that that is the hallmark of a spiritual experience? Definitely not. You understand what I'm saying? Rain can fall as a sign that a new season has come upon you. Does it mean that every time rain falls, a new season has come upon you? To to believe that is to be spooky, it means that you have gone beyond spirituality into mysticism. That's how new age people come to be. They start... They they can see signs everywhere. A cockroach is flying by.

They say, I can see it now. They are after my life. And all kind of useless things like this, you see, because you have not used, go to Job 42. Now, this guy believed that his spirit heard him speak, right? Or his spirit spoke to him, right? Job 42 and verse six. What does he say? Verse seven. So if they did not spoke of God, who was the spirit? Because when God brought a charge against the friends, God said, all the things you said was not of me.

And yet they saw an encounter, they had dreams, they had visions. That is why this thing must be proven by scriptures. It must be proven by the word of God. To take off solely because you had a vision is to be foolish. Especially if you would not hear any voice of counsel. Or any conviction based on scriptures. You must never at any point in your life esteem higher than God's word supernatural experiences. My body is shaking. I'm seeing a this, I'm seeing a that. I'm perceiving this, I'm perceiving that.

You must never at any point in your life, esteem that higher than God's word. Doesn't mean that that is not genuine. Many of these things happen to us. And they keep on happening. If I tell you the weight of my encounter, some of you will be shocked. But would not lead people by that. Neither raise people by we teach people scriptures. Paul was one of those who had the highest level of revelationary encounters in the new testament. Paul was one who said I know of a man either out of the body or inside his body, I know not. All I know is that his spirit was captured out of his body.

Had an out of body experience and he begin to, he began to explain what happened, what he saw. Yet Paul never discipled anybody by the things that he saw. Solely by scriptures. All his provisions were from scriptures. Even though it was Jesus who revealed to him the things that he taught, he still had to teach people according to scriptures. And so he will reference Genesis, reference the prophet when he was making his point known. Even Paul taught by scriptures. You understand what I'm saying? People have made so much mistakes like this. Someone came to me and told me, sir, I believe God told me to drop out of school.

And I asked him, what do you mean by that? And he tried to convince me and said, young man, you're you're speaking in the nonsense. Gibberish is what he's saying. Gibberish. Gibberish. And such people have a tendency of fighting people like me. Because they believe that we are against God's counsel for their lives. Until they begin to see the fruit of their confusion. And then they begin to regret it. If you will live your life by anything, ensure that you live your life by scriptures.

Nothing else is worth living life by. Encounters do not create conviction. Encounters solidify convictions. Wait for spiritual encounters before you are convinced about who you are in Christ, what God would have you do and all these things, you are an immature believer. It doesn't matter how old you are. The word of God is what creates convictions. And I'll get there very soon. Stay with me. So I'm still speaking about perspective, is that not so? Perspectives.

The world teaches that wealth is for personal comfort, wealth is for luxury. But a Godly perspective reveals that wealth is a tool for advancing God's kingdom. So it means that if you have a right perspective, you will realize that wealth is actually a tool by which the kingdom of God is advanced. It means that if you have the right perspective, you would not see any amount of money you own as your own. Because nothing is really your own. A right perspective makes you realize that nothing is yours. You are only a steward. God is the one that owns everything. The Bible says that the cattle on a thousand hills is his. The silver is his.

The gold is his. The Bible says that the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. Everything in the earth belongs to him. And so what we have as believers is just stewards. So no matter how rich you become, all that you have belongs to him. You are only a steward of the same. That perspective makes you not realize that there is no amount of money that I have that is my own. So my first thought therefore cannot be my comfort. My first thought would be, how does the kingdom of God advances? So a believer that at the right perspective does not have to be manipulated to give.

Giving becomes his lifestyle. He gives for a living. He doesn't need any pastor to come and tell him if you if you the first 100 people to drop 10,000 naira, there's lifting about to come for you. The first five people to drop 200,000 naira, I see favor. Favor is coming for you. Because the man of God knows that if if transaction is not attached to why you should give, nothing will drop from you. Those are immature believers. For mature believers, this is the way that kingdom blesses you. This is the way you connect yourself to the commonwealth of Zion. There is something that is called the commonwealth of Zion.

This is the reason why some of us never lack. This is the reason why some of us always keep on getting blessed. Irrevocably so. There is nothing the devil can do about it, I cannot be poor. It's too late for the guy. Because we have become channels by which the kingdom of God finds expression. Unachievedly so. Money means nothing to me. And I never think of myself whenever any amount of money comes to me. Either by labor or by favor.

The my my first thought is how does the kingdom advances? How does the kingdom advances? How can this propagate the kingdom? How can what does the kingdom need? My first thought. Because I don't think that 10% belongs to God. I think that my whole belongs to God. The rest belongs to me. That is my thought pattern. 10% is what you're fighting over when it demands for everything.

I do his own first, then what is left? Is what I live by. The idea is that that what is left can buy a private jet. That's the idea. That what is left. That's that's more change. That's more change. Is enough to live a comfortable life for myself and 20 generations to come. That if they never work again, they can't spend it finished. That what is left.

That what is left. Men like Solomon. The moment he became king, the first thing that he did was not even to throw a party for himself. He made 1,000 sacrifices. What perspect? Who who who imputed that kind of mentality in his mind? Who made him start to think like that? How you know that your perspective has changed is that your behavior changes. Something becomes a lifestyle. If you still struggle with a thing, it's because your perspective has not shifted.

The moment your perspective shifts, your behavior follows it. The moment there is a perspective shift, your behavior instantly God is a loving father. This I know. God is a loving father. This I have a strong, I know this by scripture. That there is nothing I can ever do to make God stop loving me. You can't convince God not to love you. Because your ultimate sacrifice has been paid. I believe in it. It has altered my perspective.

There is therefore nothing I can do that will make me afraid to approach God as father. Nothing I can do. I'm not of those who believe that the reason why working is not working. God did not do this yesterday. Your perspective has not shifted. So you can come to a meeting like this and you will be crying while we are teaching this. However, when the real life situation happens, you can't even remember your perspective has not shifted. You have heard the word of God, but you have not allowed the word of God to do something, to cause a change. In your heart. Is an intentional decision.

You intentionally choose to allow the word of God wash off a perspective. Creating new pictures, creating new ideas. You said this is my new way of thinking. I am not a dollar. Then if it means speaking it to yourself everyday, until your mind believes it. The Bible says we therefore having the same spirit of faith, we believe and so we speak. In other words, the power of confession is if it comes from believing. Confession is empty when your heart does not believe what you are saying. However, you can use confession to make your heart believe. So there are two types of confession.

There is the one you do because you want to believe. There is the one you do because you have believed. The one that create results is the one you do because you have picked. So there is how you tell yourself by his stripes, I was healed. And it is because you want to believe it. Not because your perspective has shifted. Because there are still lingering thoughts of doubt. You can't be confessing that there's a mighty supply, there's a mighty this, there's a mighty that. And then you check your accounts tomorrow and you are depressed. You have no perspective has not shifted.

If your your behavior will change alongside it. That nothing external will be able to convince me otherwise. So whether there is money in my account or there is no money in my account, it doesn't change my confession. I've been speaking this way for many years. Those who knew me many years ago, this is how I've been speaking. Ten years time, this is how we still be speaking. When we are speaking to presidents, this is how I will still be speaking. Are you with me? One of my guys messaged me. Head a teaching that I taught on a Sunday.

And then on a Monday, just came to his spirit. That's your laptop, go and sow it to apostle as a seed. He just bought a laptop. Bought it for about 2,000,000 naira or so. And then he traveled to Believer's equip from Lagos so that... So it has a seat. Since the year 2018 or '17, thereabout, a lot of people have sold laptops and phones and all of these things to me. I don't collect them. I don't take them. I tell them, I bless in the name of Jesus.

And I return unto them. Because I'm killing people. So my heart blesses them. My heart blesses the fact that they released it from their heart. I'm returning back to them. When this young man came, there was peace in my spirit for the first time. Somebody give me it was just peace in my spirit. And I told him, I don't I don't take this. I have peace in my spirit. Bring your hands.

And I told him, I said, go within the next six months, said, go and make what you have never made. And give what you have never given. And he went. And he said, for this... He kept on repeating it. I make what I never made. I give what I've never given. I make more than I've ever made. I make than I've ever given. I make more than I've made.

I gave more than I've ever given. He kept on repeating it. He kept on saying it to himself. Kept on saying it to himself. And then it it took into his mind that if this thing will happen, then you have to plug yourself into spaces where this thing can happen. Because the way you are going now, think about it, what job can you do or what prayer can you do that can make you make more than you've ever made? And then the guy thought about it, said, it's not true. True. Then go and plug yourself into spaces Where the returns on investment will be more than you have ever made. So you went for the most difficult tasks.

Went for the one that everybody avoids because nobody ever comes out of it with results. Went for it. And he did his best, pushed for it. And the way it happens is that, he would always announce the winner from one to 10 or so. He was expecting that at least I should have called between eight and ten. So when the Lord came out to be rewarded in thousands of dollars, he was looking for himself around eight and ten. Then a friend that was with him told him, see your name now. He said where? And he was number one. And pow.

He made his first. He he he made his first. Eight feet was in naira. Eight feet was in naira. Then he gave like he has never given. Less than six months. And I prayed for him. And a couple of months after, couple of months ago rather, couple of weeks ago, weeks ago, they called me. And told me some of the things that were happening with his business, told me that he felt as though he was stuck, told me that he felt as though he was this or that he was that. I think he gave a seat of 2,000,000 right there.

And I know that beyond just when I heard him speaking to me, and I heard the mentality and the mindset he had, I know that if he continued like that, that mentality would peg him in his spot. He wouldn't move beyond that mindset. So this is not just what a prayer would do, this is not just prophesy. This is something that a teaching would do to create space for prophecy to land. So I told him call me and we spoke. And I told him, scriptures. And then after teaching, spoke words. There's a shift, I said. Words over him. Some weeks ago, he messaged me.

He said, sir, I'm giving my first 8 figure. Give his first 10,000,000. I said, glory to God. There's a shift. About three days after he called me, he said, sir, I've gotten my first car. When perspective changes, perspective sincerely changes. It creates space for the power of God to land on a man. Perspective are like infrastructures. They can repel the inflow of God's power in your life. When you have the wrong perspective.

Because you cannot believe against favor and be accepting prayers for favor. You see, so the the first effort really is to change the perspective. Let somebody know that they can prosper. Let somebody know that they can be great. That they can be, that they can that they can succeed. Let somebody know. Somebody messaged me and told me how afraid they were for an exam. How afraid she was for an exam that was coming. She just entered into the university. She she had not even...

The exam was still far away. Just entered and she said, I'm so afraid and she mentioned the indices that was making her afraid. My parents, my this, my that, my that, my this, my that. A man of God that does not have experience will just say, out, you spirit of fear. But the truth is this, there is a perspective that she has sustained that makes the spirit of fear operational in her life. That even if by deliverance, you send that spirit away. Jesus himself was the one that thought that the spirit will only give her seven days. You know this parable? Yes sir. Seven days of wandering up and down.

And after seven days, the spirit will come and check, is my home still the way I left it? In other words, the perspective I erected there, are they still the same? Has nothing touched them? He finds out that nothing has touched them. The Bible says it won't come alone. It will come with seven demons worse than themselves. So there are some deliverances that we have done. Actually kept people in captive more. You didn't hear what I just said? That's why these kinds of deliverances have to happen every weekend.

They got it seven days. You don't understand what I'm saying? It has to be every weekend. You have to recycle it. You have to recycle it. And if you don't have time weekend, you have... Your own has to be monthly. Because we are chasing out demons, but we are living mentalities and perspectives that keep the... You see? This is not my teaching today.

Glory to God. Amen. There are women for instance that reject submission. And I can't submit, I can't submit, whereas scripture commands it as an act of honor, not as an act of inferiority. That you submit does not mean that you are weak. Because even men have to submit to authority. Submission is not is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of honor. Perspective must change. Hells you will destroy your home and destroy your marriage. Men love your wife.

Not exact silly dominance. Over your wives. Do you, did you, do you know that? When I asked some women questions, I said, do you want to get married to somebody? He said yes. Okay, so who is he submitted to? And you cannot find someone he's submitted to. You are in trouble. You are in trouble because you are exposed. You are exposed because you will have to submit to a man who is not submitted to anybody.

Go and check the principle. The father is the head of Christ. Christ is the head of the man. The man is the head of the woman. Christ who is the head of the man, now gave unto them apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors. So a man must have a reflection of Christ in a pastor, in an apostle, in a prophet who he submits to. So to submit to a man who does not submit to a man is a risky business. You're not the only one doing the submission. Perspective change. Do you know that within the last three to four, five years, there's been this this trend of mental health mental health, my my mental space, my mental health all over right now.

That was not there when we were growing up. Many of you did not even have to fetch water. In the 3rd Street or 4th Street. Go to the 4th Or 5th Street to go and fetch water. And fetch it for three hours. When you return back from school, the first thing you do is pull off your uniform, carry all the bucket. Go to the 4th Street, fetch and you'll be done from 4PM to around 7PM. By then, your mother has finished making Amala. You will hit the Amala and start your assignment, and you will not say kai, my mental health. And you will think if this thing is a positive thing, are trying to help people.

You are making... We are making a weak generation. Small thing, mental health. Small thing, small pressure, small collection. Why you acting like that? Hey, my mental health. Yeah. Yeah. My... Somebody gets a job and then and then he's he's loaded with work and then you know, it's just affecting my mental health.

I'm doing so much right now. I'm unable to process things. What are you doing that is so much? We are raising a weak generation. These are the people that want to capture nations. These are the people that want to capture nations. You cannot go through pressure. Go and get my message, excellence through pressure, and see how a great man is formed. I have a new series like that. About the teaching this week.

Listen. Listen. Get my message, revival, the making of men. Get my message, seasons of travail. This thing will make you tick. What have you gone through? You are crying. What have you gone through? You are... Your legs are shaking.

You can't stand. You can't make it. You can't... Come on now. What have you gone through? Whereas people people did ministry when there was no cars. They worked from state to state doing the work by evangelist. Life has literally become easier by the day, and people are complaining of mental health issues. We are raising more more weak men, more weaklings in the name of trying to preserve a generation. Who will teach people that nothing good comes out of God when it has not gone through fire.

Oh, teach a generation that fire is there to prune you. There's an experience of fire that you must go through. And we have men of God who sweeten this thing. Because we are afraid to tell people how it is. So the young girl thinks that the reason why she cannot get the type of job is because and you would hear one stupid reason, maybe the uncle that did this to me, this was the job he was doing. So because he was doing this job, I can't work in this sector. To protect my mental health. I would hear someone come on social media and say, listen. Listen. Listen.

Young girl, you you gotta do you. God will do you. God will do you. Do you do the word of God? Perspective. Perspective you have when you go through trials. The bible says that when the disciples were taken through trials and temptations and persecutions, they rejoice. They were rejoicing. That was their, that was their, that was their response to persecution. Or their response to persecution.

One of my guys messaged me today. He he said apostle, I need help with so and so and so and so. And out of mercy, I sent him what he wanted. And I told him, I said, I will never send you this money again. And you must never ask me again. Go and use your faith. If you will trek, trek. But I did not have anybody who I was asking. If I did, I will not be here. Some of us went through the rigorous of trusting God and learning to know what happens when you trust God.

We stood in front of ATM machine for for for almost five hours. Praying in tongues saying that money should come out. I was fasting for for seven days and there was no money. I said this faith works. This faith works. I I went, I... With the little strength I had in fasting, I trekked from Kuti to UI Gate. Stood in front of first bank ATM. I prayed in the people behind me. I would pray in turn.

Put it there. I'm coming. Try it again. Try it again. It doesn't work. I give the next... Space. I go to the park again. I say it works. I say it works.

I put it there. It doesn't work. I go to the last line. I say, you know what? I need to prepare again. And we're doing... And I sincerely believe that money will appear. I sincerely did. You couldn't tell me I did not have faith. Oh, oh my.

You could not tell me I didn't have faith. When it was night and nothing came, I went back to my hostel. And believe God. We are not embarrassed to ask for help. Somebody told me and said, sir, you know, I'm I'm I'm I'm the kind of person that I don't like board board. I don't like being a burden to other people. So I don't like, oh, guys are just proud. And in that journey, God will break it. Because there are helpers that God will bring your way. And as long as you don't tell them you need help, they will be looking at you.

So you will by discernment have to understand that not everybody I can ask for help, but there are people God will bring my way. I'm growing. The assignment is to hold my hands. Because you're growing. Somebody came to me and said sir, I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble, I'm owing, I'm owing ehm, ehm, what is it called? Loan, loan, loan, loan apps, money and they're about to connect all of them and it's it's getting... The interest has so much increased. So help me. I said, hey, calm down. Define help.

What is your understanding of help? What... When you came to me now and you say help me, what was in your mind that I will do to you as help? He said, sir, anything? I said, get get out of my front. These are... The fact that you're not even sincere means you have problem. Your problem is not Pompey. Your problem is a evil heart. You first have to deal with evil in your heart.

I don't know, I don't... When you ask people questions that that test their and they reply they don't know, They... It's a heart problem. Forget the solution. The first solution is to go and work on your heart. Is there anything? Anything? God will help you. Begone. That was all.

Begone. Thank you, sir. With disappointment, with... I think I said. Leave the church and go and test people that the reason why you left there, the man of God could not pay pamper for you. You will use your faith to walk in the fire. So that you will know how to meet Jesus inside. Because by the time they are taking you inside the fire, if I now use my connection to call the king and say please please, I know that brother and the king now say, ah, that brother, he knows a friend of mine, don't throw him again. You have only missed an encounter. What you have missed is an opportunity to see the fourth man in the fire.

That's what you have missed. That's why we should not interrupt people's processes. It's perspective. We should not interrupt people's processes. This faith of a thing, you will learn it. I was learning oh, now I know. Now I know. I lived on 2,000 naira per month. You will learn discipline by faith. My monthly allowance was 10,000 naira As a student.

10,000 naira. You dare not become reckless. Life was simple. Sow your seeds, pay your buy books and that was it. What is left was 2,003 thousand naira. You will learn how to pray and walk. You will learn how to belly. Because you must not be late to class. And you are growing. Now tell me how you go through all of that and be crying mental health upon now.

You are choking a formidable believer from being born. Are you getting what I'm saying? Because perspective is what helps you to endure and to persevere during difficult seasons. Perspective was one of the reasons why Jesus could endure the cross. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us. Perspective produces stability in your life. And one of the proof that you are growing spiritually is that your perspective starts to change. Your opinions are only fashioned by the word of God. You not only know the word of God, but you have gone a step closer. The word of God now affects how you see life.

You see life through the lens of God's word. The world might call it good, but if God's word called it wrong, it is wrong. Because God's word has to be the ultimate source of your outlook of life. In every area of your life, the ultimate source of your outlook of life. Glory to God. Amen. As men of God, we owe it to people to teach them God's perspective about everything as revealed in scriptures. The third indices or indicator of spiritual growth is solid and strongly rooted convictions. What did I call it? Dictionary defines conviction as a fixed or a strong belief.

But it's more than that. Your convictions include your values, your commitments, your motivations. A belief is something you will argue about. A conviction is something you will die for. And when a person first comes to Christ, they often follow the example of others. They pray, they study, they attend services because they see other believers doing so. This is a natural phase of spiritual infancy, just as children learn by imitating their parents. However, true spiritual growth requires moving beyond imitation to personal conviction. You must reach a point where your faith is not just a reflection of others, but a deeply rooted unshakable part of who you are. When a child starts to grow, everything that a child does, he does because he sees others doing it.

Even the first name that the guide mentions. The child walking. He walks because he sees others walking. The child talking. He talks because he sees others talking. Everything that he does, he does by imitation. Is that not so? But a time comes when you expect that this child has a mind of his own. It's the same thing with this... In the school of the spirit and in the school of maturity.

A time comes in your Christian experience where everything you do, you do because you see someone modeling it. You see someone referencing it. You see someone helping you. Maybe because your friend is telling you to come to church. Or somebody is calling you, they follow-up people call you and tell you, are you coming just today? Will I sit there on Sunday? And they have to force you and push you and all of that. There's that phase of your life, but you should not spend too much time there. Because the time should come when you begin to make decisions in life and your pursuit of God now becomes or your pursuit of God is now motivated by your conviction of the same. Not just because you see someone doing it.

Not because see someone modeling it. But because you are now convinced of the same. Are you with me? A person without conviction is at the mercy of circumstances. If you don't determine what is important and how you live, then other people will define it for you. And anybody without conviction will always mindlessly follow the crowd. What church are we going this Sunday? Oh, I heard there's a new church in town. I heard there's a new man of God in town. I heard there's a new pastor in town.

You know my friend gave me this flyer. I mean, just let's go and check them out this Sunday. People have carried demons like that. People have done what? Like that. And when you jump around like that, you you just think that your body is the one engaged in exercise. You just think that your soul is the one engaged in exercise. Are giving yourself a new experience. You are gaining exposure. That's what you think.

But your spirit man is more active than you think. Because you will find yourself in places because of this your unholy dissatisfaction and your absence of conviction, you will find yourself in places where the word of God is not what is being taught. Where the spirit of God is not what is being dispensed. Where the altar has been perverted, where a strange fire is being burnt. And all of that is maxed in excellence, maxed in air conditions, maxed in TV, led televisions, smoke screen, nice design, nice interior decoration, fluency on accuracy of speech. And then you enter, you don't know that what you have entered into is not a church body shrine. And that your spirit will take a portion of that experience. That even if you don't go there again, your spirit has collected something and you have no idea when that thing will make a demand. How about people who just visited a place once and heard a wrong thing? Somebody, somebody...

I met someone some years ago. Some people that are earlier with me would know this person. The person started, you know all these people that jump from place to place? I've seen the pattern so strongly that I know the end of it. And if I meet anybody now, I don't need my eyes to open. Your testimony is that you jump from one place to another place, are not seated. Rooted, firmly grounded in scriptures as you allow the word of God to prune you through a vessel. I know the end. I don't need any vision. Because the pattern is clear.

So this young guy was jumping up and down and it was disguised as hunger. So one day he jumped and he jumped and his jump made him to encounter some people. He laid hands on him. And his eyes opened. Is that a scene? Somebody say visions. One day they were praying in chapel and after prayers, they were coming and they met me. And he was sharing some of his encounters with me. And the first encounter he told me, he said, do you know as we were praying? They were rejoicing.

It was like Imam himself and two others. They were rejoicing. The funny thing was that, he was placed as the assistant pastor in a particular ministry or fellowship or church or whatever. And the lead pastor has traveled. So the lead pastor has no idea what was happening. So the members that the lead pastor left with him were the many two. So it was these two that I met. And himself that were coming from Jabbo and were rejoicing. Shouting in the holy ghost. So they said.

So when they came and met me, they were sharing with me and said, we just, we just, we just we have massive triumph, massive victory in the spirit. Oh, glory to God. I said glory to God. Glory. What happened? They said as we were praying, my eyes just opened. And I saw an angel that was in chains. And and as we are querying in prayers, we found out that this angel was sent on an assignment from heaven. But he did something wrong. And he was chained down.

And I saw his wings, I saw his hand, I saw his legs. And I told them, I said, we need to pray for the deliverance of this angel. And we started praying. This is not movie and we started praying and low and behold as we pressed, the chains broke and the angel was delivered. Did they see something? Definitely. I don't doubt that they saw something. I don't doubt. My doubt has nothing to do with them seeing something. In fact, I believe they saw.

They wouldn't be that excited if they did not see something. You had to see the excitement. I stood and I said what? Then he said, Kai, Kai, Kai, you're getting this thing. I said, I'm getting it, sir. He said he said then he proceeded to the next vision and the next one and next one. And he told me, he said, you know, I didn't used to walk like this before, but I met so and so and so and so. Is there a problem there? Whatever his eyes was open to was not God. Did they receive an impartation?

Yes, but it was not God. But it was not God. I didn't have the level of relationship as to tell him that what you are seeing is not God oh. I will leave that to the lead pastor. Mine was to shake my head and... Just shake my head really. Shake it like this in their presence. Shake it like this when they are not there. That's all I can do. Glory to God.

Amen. Conviction conviction. Romans chapter two. Bible says, don't become so well adjusted to your culture. NLT. Can we read this together, everybody? Pause. How does God transform you into a new person? By impartations? How?

Go on with it. I wish I had time, but I don't have time. If I had time, I would have shown you That a man whose perspective has not changed cannot know the will of God. Because the bible says, look at look at it. The first thing that happens is that the way you think changes. Then you will learn to know God's will for you. So if your thinking has not changed to align with scriptures, whatever you think you heard as God's will, question it. Something must first happen to your thinking. Your thinking must first align with scripture. Align with the word of God.

Then is when you can then begin to say that I perceive in my heart that this is God's will for me. Which is good, which is pleasing, which is perfect. And as God now begins to do that perspective change, you must begin to now have solidified convictions. From scripture. There's a saying that if we don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. And it is true. The strange thing however is that people always have strong convictions about weak issues. And weak convictions about strong issues. You found a bible believing church and the spirit of God inside of you bears witness. The holy spirit.

That this is where it should be planted. This is whom you should follow. You discover the purpose of God for your life. And God tells you this is the field I'm sending you away into. And other strong issues like this. Right? People have weak convictions over it. Somebody can come and tell me I'm not sure of my purpose. And I ask them, what, okay, what what are you not sure of? I feel it, this I feel it, that I feel it, this but I'm just not sure.

Somebody can come and tell me the reason why I don't want to come to church is because you know, I invited someone to church and the person also invited me to his own church and I feel as though you know if you don't do too gay for it, it will not be fair. The reason why I want to go for that party is because the person that is inviting me is my close friend and I can't say no to him. Weak convictions about strong issues, so your friend and other external parties can influence your decision as to what church to go to, what man of God to listen to, what to. These are strong matters, even what to study in school. What is the purpose of God for your life? Extra influences can change it, can alter it. But they cannot alter what football club you support. That you are willing to hug you to the death. If any man tells you that Arsenal will not win the Premier League. You are willing to tear your cloth on top of that matter.

You are willing to... What? And somebody say, Kenny, she will still handle what? And you see, Fernando is the goat. She said, the what? Don't let I'm warning you. Go and find out why they are arguing, and you find out it's football. Football. You see men gather in front of hostels, especially in UI. I'm hearing a loud shout.

And you think it's one kingdom business that is happening there. Go out and just... If if... And you will shake. You will wonder why some people who have not had their bath with smelling mouth can gather purposelessly without any view of where they are going to in destiny. And be hacked by... And be arguing about who is more powerful, holy man or superman. That... That's the that's the argument. If Batman gently fight, who will win?

He long. I say gently. Do you know he's the one that will win? Do you know? You are not willing to change your past. You are you are sure that this is your stand on this matter. You are sure. But you are telling me sir, my parents ask you, I don't know what to do. Something is wrong with you. Because we have strong convictions.

About stupid issues. But we have weak convictions. About the things that determine your future. Convictions is what ensures stability. Diligence, all these things is guaranteed by conviction. Growth requires time and effort. Without conviction as to the need to grow, you will become discouraged and you will eventually give up. Do you have conviction about your future? Are you convinced enough about your future as to come and sit down here after a tough day at work? That you finish your work by 4PM and and and you are tired, you attended to climb from morning till night, probably even went to class or went to school.

Or you were in the office and you were working or you were teaching throughout and tired as you may be, you come to church. How convinced can a man be that I I know the value of my destiny as not to miss this meeting? You know his conviction? That makes you give your life to growth. When all odds may fail. You know his conviction? That makes you stay on a particular path and refuse to be shaken off that path. Despite people's numerous opinion and even though they might not believe in it. Do you know his conviction? Without conviction, nothing great can come out of your life.

Men that change the world, men that change nation are convinced men. It is convinced men that convince others. How do you think people convince others to go and kill themselves? To go and to go and perish, to go and die and blow up others up. And they tell them that if you do this thing, you have seven wives waiting for you in heaven. And the guy believes it. The reason he believes it is because the person who told him believes it. And he's convinced. A weak spined believer who is not sure of his own destiny cannot make others believe. When you are convinced about the thing, there's a way your conviction will will...

It is so strong a force that it will compel others to believe you. I wanted to take a decision that everybody in my family was against from years ago. And I told them, I said listen, if in the next five years, I take this, whether I'm going to take it or not is not the question. I've already done it. But if in the next five years, this path that I have taken happens to be a failure, I will apologize to you. And I will not regret it. Because I chose it by myself. If I follow your own path, and the next five years I discover that it's a failure. Would you apologize to me? Whose time was wasted?

Is it yours? I will regret it because I could have chosen otherwise. Because I would know somewhere in my mind that I could have. And I knew... I told my mother... And this division was something that went... This was something that they have gone to all prophets. Prophet have signed and sealed it. And I come firmly where that that opinion is very strong. So when I was going to...

I I prepared for four years. For that warfare. Because I knew it wasn't going to happen. So when time came, what came to have a shock? Me, I had time too. The conviction was strong. It was strong. Are you convinced about your future? Are you convinced that anything good will come out of you? This this thing we confess, this scripture we confess that we are gonna be the great...

Are you convinced about it? When we when we say we will be great and we all know ourselves, have you seen yourself amongst us? When you peep into your destiny five years from now, what do you see? I can tell you what I see and it's not this. And I'm convinced about it. I am not a failure. This I know. I am not a failure. I am convinced about this. When I tell people I'm a prosperous man, I'm not talking sheepishly.

I'm not talking pussyfooted. I'm not talking with a wimpy spine. I know what I am saying. I'm convinced about it. When I tell people, the Zagos Christian network is the largest garden of people in Nigeria, I am convinced about it. These things make me willing to pay the price. These things make me willing to give my all to it. These things make me willing to sacrifice everything that must be sacrificed. Everything can go, but this one cannot go. Yes.

If I will ever lose a thing, it won't be this. Because I'm convinced about it. That is why I will give myself to it. That is why I will pray like this. That is why I will study like this. That is why I will sacrifice like this. That is why I will give like this because I believe it. Are you convinced about the basic tenets of your Christian faith? Are you convinced that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus? Are you convinced that the righteous is as bold as a lion?

Are you convinced That there is a spirit in you and the inspiration of the almighty give it your understanding. Are you convinced about it? Oh, am convinced. Oh, It is because I'm convinced. That is why I speak and people's hearts burn. You are listening to a convinced man. I'm not talking as though I'm not sure. I... Some of us have seen this thing in scripture, and we have believed it so strongly. Paul said I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded.

Have you gotten to that point of persuasion? When you only believe, you will argue about it. When you are convinced, you will die for it. This path I am walking, I am sure. I am sure. I know it more than I know myself. I am sure. Oh, when I saw it in scriptures that kings will come out of my loins, I am sure. I'm convinced about it. Kings will come out of my loins.

But there is no man that listens to me that will ever be small. I am sure. I am sure that when I speak to people, things happen. I am sure. I'm convinced in the value of the anointing. I'm convinced in the value of my words. I'm convinced in what the power of God does when it comes upon people. I'm convinced. I'm convinced I'm not playing. I'm convinced I'm not joking here.

I'm convinced that we are not a traditional church. I'm convinced. Listen. I am convinced that I can only be favored in the marketplace. I'm convinced that if anybody ever meets me, they have a desire that they cannot explain to help me. I'm convinced. I'm convinced that help must always find me. The bible says that when God was training David, there came to David help us every day. I believe therefore that help us must come to me every day. I'm convinced about it.

So when I see people go out of their way to help me, there are times that people literally inconvenience themselves. Just to ensure I'm comfortable. I saw it years ago and I'm convinced about it. But that is not what I'm convinced about. That is not what I'm convinced about. I saw it in scriptures. You will call one man and a thousand will answer you. I'm convinced about it. The time is coming when we only desire. We will desire things and thousands of people will pick this desire in their ears.

And say, Apostol, as I was praying, God said, God said, God said, God said, I'm convinced about it. It is a proof of maturity. It's what makes you stable. It's what makes you stable, unmoved. You can't be here today and there tomorrow, unsure about everything about your life, unsure about every item of your life. How... Do you think you're getting... You're you're younger? How can you come and tell me that man of God, I think I think I have a calling to this and that, Then tomorrow, I'm not even sure again. Uh-uh.

Are you a plastic? That can get easily ruptured by fire and by fear circumstances? Easily ruptured. I'm convinced in scriptures. I'm convinced in the word of God. I'm convinced about my eternal security. I'm convinced about my salvation. I'm convinced that I cannot lose my salvation. I don't know about you but I'm convinced. I'm convinced.

There's no reason to stay with something difficult unless you are convinced of the outcome. So when life gets difficult, what will make you stay there? Don't you understand what I'm saying? That there will be many trials that will come. That business you are starting, are you convinced about it? Are you convinced about it? Are you convinced that way God has sent you to go? Are you convinced that that skill, you should be learning it? When you begin and there are no results, why will you stay there? Why will you stay there?

I remember 2018, I was teaching safety strategy of the devil, and there were only two members sitting down on the chair. And we were teaching as though that is all there is to life because I was convinced. Because I was convinced. 2019, we held the first fretted awakening and there were just about 15 people present. The next year, we held another one because I was convinced. My conviction is not weak. Is not weak at all. I know I'm going to the nations. I know this message is for the world. I know this gospel is for the world.

I know, I know, I know that there is no speech, no language where my voice is not heard. I know and I am convinced. I know and I am convinced. I know and I am convinced. I've noticed that the people who have made the greatest impact on this world are people with convictions, either good or evil. Not financially the wealthiest men, not even educated men. They are just people with the strongest conditions. We need to study the life of Jesus and see how convinced he was about his purpose and his assignment. Just count how many times Jesus said I must. I must do the work of him that sent me.

Then you will have an incline as to how convinced he was. I must. I must. Some people said woe unto me if I do not preach the gospel. Another one said woe unto me if I cease not to pray for you. What what kind of conviction is that? Woe unto me if I cease to pray for you. Thank you Lord Jesus. I'm convinced oh. Let me tell something.

Conviction is caught as much as it is thought. What did I say? Yes. Conviction spreads through relationships. Conviction is contagious. People acquire conviction by being around people who have the same convictions. Some of you are convinced today because you met me. Conviction is contagious. Close association with people of conviction will have a greater effect on you than merely listening to a message. You will be easily convinced because your friend is convinced than because you listen to a sermon.

I choose my association very carefully. I choose my association very carefully. I do not for any reason mix with people who who we don't share the same conviction. Because convictions can be transferred. Convictions can be caught. Somebody's poverty mentality, you can inherit it. You can inherit somebody's conviction of failure in ministry. Somebody's unassurance about their destiny can be inherited. That that you you are very, very, very, very, very purpose conscious, purpose centered. But three or five of the most closest people to you always speak doubt, always speak defeat, always speak unassurance.

Very soon, you will start losing your conviction. Very soon, you will start changing your confession. Very soon, even you, you won't even know what you stand for anymore. Very soon. You will have no idea what you stand for anymore. Because you were you were you were the same person that used to believe before that regardless of what happens in Nigeria, you will prosper. Regardless of what happens in Nigeria, you will do this and that and that and that. And it does not matter what is in your account. It doesn't matter the level of hardship. Your confession has never changed.

But as you are confessing, you meet with people that tell you, oh girl, that one I'm out. Since you have been talking to what has happened. Say, if any, is God deaf? If anything go happen, why never happen? And you might attempt to laugh it off. You might attempt to say it, we don't know what I'm saying. But the more you hear it, the more you believe it. One day you will say I'm prosperous and your mind will fight you. I have conversations with people who share the same conviction as me. People who have discerned we are going to the same place.

If I notice that your mentality is somewhat different from mine, I don't talk about that subject to you again. I do not. The first time I raised it up, you you were just talking stupidly, that's the last time we'll go to talk about it. If you attempt to bring it up, I will shun it. I told you about my dream to have a great ministry. You say let me tell you, ministry is not in numbers. It's an alphabet. You who believe is in alphabet, go and go. That's the last time I will ever talk to you about that thing. Any other area you can...

You you have the... We we share the same belief. Let's talk about it. I have a vision to do great things, you know. I I I... We've set a goal for ourselves that within the next six months, we want to reach over a thousand people and then you tell me see, by the time you put ambition in ministry, I will not argue with you. Rotate your mentality. I won't even try to convince you. I won't even try to help you. Because for you to want to correct me, you don't want help.

I showed Lola over. Over whoever came up with that man whoever came up with that proverb, I I don't know. Glory to God. I note your mentality and I avoid you like a plague. I was speaking to someone and and and I was telling the person how we are doing everything to reach out to several people. And the person just mockingly said that ah, that's even true. I even one of your workers even posted your flyer in one in one place like that. That idiot. Man of God and he was laughing. He was laughing.

I just I noted it immediately. All you will see henceforth is the result. You will never know how it came to be. I will never tell you about it. No matter how close we are. But you will see the result very clearly. That day, I created a very heavy distance. Because I'm very intentional, very intentional about my position. I am very intentional about it. I hear how you are speaking and I can tell that we are not going the same place.

We are not going the same place. We are not. Why will I be dragging? It's like it's like it's like dragging baton with somebody who's not on your lane. Let me find a place to stop. Last indicator that I will give you of spiritual growth today are still two more after this. I will revisit when the Lord permits but today the last I would give you as an indicator to spiritual maturity and to spiritual growth is prayer. What did I call it now? Prayer. Luke chapter 18 verse one, the Bible says men caught some time to pray.

Men always to pray. And not to faint. The last, the last indication I'm going to give you tonight is prayer. That one of the ways that you can tell that a believer is growing is a consistent life of prayer. What did I call it now? A consistent life of prayer. Are you listening to me? A consistent life of prayer. If you are weak in prayers your life is under attack. I believe very strongly that when a believer comes to Christ, when an unbeliever comes to Christ, one of the things we must begin to introduce that unbeliever to, that believer too, that new believer too is prayers.

We must get him filled with the holy ghost and we must begin to stretch him in the spirit. Not not personally of course, else he will give up. But in the same brethren, we must begin to stretch him in the spirit. One hour, two hours, one hour, two hours. Then by himself, he can go and do forty five minutes, thirty minutes, forty five minutes, thirty minutes. The idea in maturity is not really the duration but the consistency. What you are trying to build in maturity in prayers is not just how long you can pray but how consistent you are. In other words, you are first trying to make prayer a routine. Something that you do everyday The routine of prayer is the first thing you want to learn. That you commit a particular time of the day to consistent prayer.

That thing has not changed though. Read your Bible, pray everyday if you want to grow. It is still the same. Pray everyday. Do what now? Pray everyday. A believer that doesn't pray, that doesn't pray. Prayed man will be weak. The symptom of a prayerless life is a weak spirit. That's why the Bible says men hurt always to pray.

And not to faint. Amplified says, men hurt always to pray and not to lose heart, Not to give up. So it means if a man gives up easily, he has not been praying. Does the Bible not say if you fail in the day of adversity, your strength is small. That means what happened in the day of adversity is that you fainted. So it's not the day of adversity that you build strength. There are people who believe that adversity builds you up. That school of thought is only true to an extent. It is not entirely true because the bible says that it is possible for your strength to be small in the day of adversity. And if that happens, you will fail.

That means that adversity will destroy you. So the building hub does not only happen in adversity, it happens before adversity even shows up. Have you heard people say that you will not know you can run until a lion chases you? Yes, sir. It's not also true. Because underline will underline will push will will be pushed into your bloodstream, of course. And you become more agile, of course. And you begin to run, of course. But except there is a barricade between you and the lion, you will still die. Because you cannot compare the speed that Adnan lion will give to you in a moment than a lion that has been hunting all his life.

You will... That adrenaline will not replace your lung capacity to to taking oxygen. It is years of consistent in exercise that would have done that for you. But now, you have met with a lion. Admiral has popped up. You are running, truly speaking with speed, but your lung is failing. Because it is consistent exercise that would have built your lung capacity to kill more oxygen by the moment. So before you run that... Lion has jumped on you, you dead. You are dead.

Unless you met a lion that is not hungry. You say I jumped... Did did did did did pursued me? I jumped a fence that none I can jump. You didn't meet right, doc. But it's true. If you made the right one, will know your jump is not enough. What am I saying? The day of adverbity is not the day you prepare for battle. It is a stupid strategy.

You must live life... Prayer is like a survival strategy. Prayer is like oxygen you breathe. You must live life as though everyday is warfare. Even though everyday is not. But there are days where battles will rise that you will not be able to explain where they came from. Not because we plan for them, not because we hope for them, not because we pray for them, but we prepare for them. If we have extinguishers in this building, is it because we are hoping fire will break out? But it's not a wise thing to do. It's not a wise thing to do.

When the devil raises his ugly head, it's not when you start leaning out to pray. And going to one prayer morning. And getting different prayer booklets. And doing different things to see which one works. No. There should be some level of stability you already have in your life. Based on the consistency of your prayer. Listen, listen, whatever happens, never allow your prayer life go down. The Bible says in the book of Jude, building up yourself on your most holy faith, praying in the holy ghost. Building up yourself.

Did you see that? Building up what? On It means that how does faith come? By hearing and hearing by the word of God. It means when the word of God is taught you, faith is built. When that faith is built, you must build yourself on faith. Sir. Yes sir. That's the reason why you feel like you will believe God for something but you don't have the strength for it. It's just build yourself on How do you build it?

Pray in the holy ghost. Not just pray. Pray in the holy ghost. Pray in the holy ghost. Pray in the holy ghost. Pray in the holy ghost. That's what the difference when you when you take a revelation into prayers and when you don't. The difference is always very clear. Praying in the holy ghost. Every time, every now and then, everyday, find time and pray in tongues.

Find... Put set alarm for when you will wake up to pray in tongues. If you are tired, in tongues. Because it pay. Listen, pray in tongues. It pays to build a strong life. It pays. It pays. It pays. It pays to build a strong spirit.

It pays. When you take on big projects, there is a fortitude in your heart, a a a a a a strength that your heart will need to see through, especially in the face of multiple returns. And you still stay there and say, no, I know whom I have believed. Listen to me. I heard God does not give you that. You build yourself on your most holy faith. So I know you have received the word, but pray. Everyday, pray. Lock yourself in the room and pray. You don't have to have a prayer point.

Just pray. Thirty minutes every day, just pray. Just pray. Let tongues be rolling in your mouth. Just pray. You say, sir, I'm so busy. I don't have time. While you're in your workplace, be praying. Whilst you are driving, be praying. Whilst you are working, be praying.

What must not happen is that you will not pray. Whatever strategy you must create to pray, do it. Do it. Because you have no idea. Listen, the bible says that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man make a tremendous power available. Amplified says dynamic in its working. Dynamic. It means every time you go and pray, the power you make available is dynamic. Can you see? Dynamic in its working.

It makes tremendous power available. So when we go and pray, we are actually making power available. That seemingly dry experience is making power available. And the nature of that power is that it is dynamic in its working. Let me explain that to you. It means at every time you pray in tongue, power is available. And you don't always know what the power is doing because the power is dynamic. So there are times you are praying in tongues, and what the power is doing is spreading vibes. There are times you are praying in tongues. What the power is doing is marching defense.

There are times you are praying in tongues. What the power is doing is warfare. There are times you are praying in tongues. What the power is doing is protection. It is dynamic in its working. The effectual fervent prayer. Dynamic in its working. If you're a businessman, you have to pray. If you're a business person, you have to pray. If you're a working class or a career person, you work as unemployed staff in a place, you have to pray.

You have to pray. You have to build strength to pray. Build strength to pray. I heard the story of a couple today speaking to a man of God, and and the man of God was sharing with me how that the daughter brought the husband to him. And the... And she thought... She discerned by... He discerned by the spirit that this man does not pray. So he told the daughter, right then the man's presence that this man you want to marry does not pray. And the girl was covering up for the guy.

When they left, the guy started telling the girl that, ah, what kind of man on God is that? How does... Why will you be saying I don't pray? What kind of respect is that? The girl told the man on God and started apologizing that, see, I'm so sorry. The girl went to his office, went to her office a month after, went to our office. And somebody put something inside the water she drinks. She drank the water, dropped the cup, had no idea what came over her. Went to the house. That they had rented and gathered equipment for marriage that was to happen in one month time.

Went to the house. Called the guy from the city that the guy was in. And said, come here now and come and back all your things. I'm not doing again. You are an evil person. You are a dislike, that dislike, dislike, that. This man was about 46 years old or so. The relationship had been built for some years now. It's not this. It's not two years ago or three years ago.

The man left work took permission and ran from work from the city where he was, entered into the next bus to Ibaro, did not go to the girl, to the man of God who told him you don't pray. He said, help my life, help my life. The man said, she never had told you you don't pray. Now they have attacked your family, your hands should help your life. In your marriage, is that am I the one that will be helping your life? They went to go and call the girl. They said, but what happened? He said, don't, I see he's a wicked man. He's a evil man. He's a wicked man.

He's a evil man. The man of God said, how to you devil? The lady went flat under the power and started vomiting champ. The old man was there. They say pray, you say you will not pray. The man was here for meeting charm. Different things. She became conscious and said, what what happened? What am I doing here? Almost as though somebody took her sense away.

How can somebody claim to want to go into marriage and not pray? How can what, how can you say you want to build a kingdom life and not pray? How can you say you want to live for the kingdom and not pray? Do you know how many forces are against your doing well? Do you think the devil will fold his hands and say You think the devil just wants you to be happy? Whereas you are you are mounting for God? Come on now. Have sense. Have spiritual sense. Realize that as you make progress in life, there are attacks you will face.

You don't start dealing with attacks when they come. The idea is that they can come but I don't know. You don't... It's prayer that abuse that defense around you. That that you are not even aware when the devil struck the arrow because you have built so much fortification. You have built so much fortification. When that arrow struck and then it is that time you are not trying to say, Your prayer life is even corrupted. Your motive is on... Is not pure. Be strong in the spirit.

That was Paul's counsel to believers. Be fervent in the spirit. Be fervent in the spirit. It's an indicator for spiritual maturity. And when the devil wants to start stealing things from your life, he makes you sleep spiritually. Go and get my message, the mystery of spiritual slumber. The mystery of spiritual slumber. Then perhaps many of you will see that I must not be sleeping. I must not be sleeping. There's a call in scripture.

The Bible says, arise them that you that sleep. Awake them that sleep. Awake them that sleep. Rise up on your feet. Hear me? Hear me? In a short moment, I'm going to pray. Do you know that? There are debris that your prayer life is meant to clear. Before you get to certain points in your life.

Like death like nonsense, limitations, nonsense, demonic attacks. That your prayer life, the the consistency and the steadiness of your prayer life is meant to clear off. Before you reach certain junction points in your life, certain karous moments in your life. What happens to many people is that by the time they get to those kairos moments, the debris that they are meant to have been clearing for like four years, they are ready to sleep. So what happens is that debris accumulate. So the obstruction they face in Kairos moment is more than what they should even face in the first instance. Because battles you should have dealt with, you are prolonging. Can you pray in this place? And the prayer is really very simple. This kind of prayer has no prayer point.

You just pray in the holy ghost after spirit gives you utterance. Listen, find time to do this every day. Every day. Let nothing steal this from you. In two minutes, can you pray in tongues? Pray in tongues. Three times. We believe you were blessed by this message to connect with the Disciples Christian Network and get more from Apostle Emmanuel. Follow us on our social media platforms. You can follow us on Instagram at officialdisciplescn.

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