Transcript: Occupy — Prospering In Difficult Times
Prepared from the audio, so small errors are possible.
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. When you look at the state of things in the nation right now, there seem to be all kinds of such stories from the famine and the economic hardship in the nation, and that is not a good news to any nation because that means there will be an increase in the rate of perversion. Crime rates will increase. The standards and the values of people will be compromised. Generally speaking, it's a difficult time for people, not just financially, but even the trauma of living in an environment where, humanly speaking, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. Parents are confused.
Leaders are confused. Politicians are confused, and the policies that are made are largely a product of trial and error. Corporations are confused. Families are confused. There are children being taken out of school right now, and it's more severe than most people think it is, especially because many of us are young people and a number of us are in some ways still dependent on some form of support, direct or indirectly. So chances are that we will trivialize the gravity of what is happening around the nation right now because somehow we just know that someone somewhere is responsible for our needs. But believe me, brothers and sisters, what is happening right now in the world, even in Nigeria specifically, is terrible. Economically speaking, financially speaking, a lot of families are barely getting by, barely holding on. Even at that, there are still some young people who have felt the scorch of the farmine in this nation because even those responsible for their needs can't seem to be able to finance their needs. There are people who don't know how their fees will be paid.
There are people who don't know how they would heat even per day. You see, right now, even to heat is a struggle for many homes, for many families, for many homes, for many families. And if you were with us last year, especially last year, December, I told you that there will be famine in the land. I told you that I saw it in the realm of the spirit. I saw it. And I listed some things that I saw concerning this year and how that you can prepare for it intelligently as a believer. I told her there will be famine in the land, but that the believer will flourish in the famine. Yes. So it's not new to some of us what is happening. For some of us, we've been able to prepare ourselves beforehand.
That is the advantage of the prophetic. When God reveals to us what is to happen, it is so that we can plan and prepare. Remember when Pharaoh had a dream and he saw in his dream that there will be seven years of famine and seven years of increase. He needed interpretation as to that dream, but not only interpretation, also preparation. Because when the abundance here comes, it helps us to prepare for times of famine. So prophecy can be advantageous in that regard. But we will not ignore the fact that there are several people in the world right now listen... Listening. Who really really don't know how they will help themselves, who really, really don't know how they will scale out of this trouble and this difficult times that we live in. And I've checked in the realm of the spirit and not to bring bad news, but really economically speaking, there really isn't...
It's not gonna get better anytime soon. Are you with me? Sir. But I have studied scripture and I found out that recession and farm mind is never an individual thing. It is only a national thing. Do you understand what I've just said? Yes, sir. In a nation where there is farm mind, there are people in that nation who don't have the experience of famine. Even in scriptures, when there is famine in the land, the king does not know there is famine. Do you realize that?
The prophet does not know there is famine. Because even in famine, Elisha was being fed. Ravens were bringing food for him. That's why he said that famine, economical recession is not an individual thing. It's only a a national thing. It means as individuals, you can live beyond whatever state the economic the economy of a nation is in. As an individual, and you must know this especially as a believer, especially in these times that we live in. That reminds me. Let me just make a disclaimer very quick because I've been told that due to what I've said on Tuesday concerning the loan that the federal government is giving out to people, which is their attempt and they are trying, you can commend them for that. Some people have gotten into some kind of rifts with their parents on the issue of taking loan and not taking it.
Listen, there's no need for that. You must understand that the provisions of God are attached to faith. And faith is based on your own personal revelation of God's word and not on what a man of God said. So if you know that you have no means of paying your fees and your parents want you to take it, there's nothing to get into unnecessary conflict with your parent. You go ahead and do that and you build... Whilst you are building your faith that God will settle you in due time. Is that okay? Yes. Yes. The provisions of God are faith based.
And if the faith has not yet entered into your heart or into the heart of those that will provide for you, then there's no point holding on to what someone told you because that someone will not pay us goofies. Is that understood? Yes. But all of these things are just a proof of the times that we are in. A proof of the difficult times that we are in. And that difficult times is not the experience of everybody. It's not my experience. It's not the experience of a lot of believers who are in this place. But we must be very attentive as men of God to the pain of people and to the needs of people. So the teachings that we teach in church must be addressed to or centered around addressing the needs of people.
I can't just come here and inform you or teach you and make you grow in knowledge without that knowledge practically applying to your personal lives and how it can improve the state of your life, how it can make for effective living, then what I'm doing is a waste of time. Yes. Listen, if you're a believer and you attend the disciples Christian network, you come for the experience, you come for the believers equip, you are being taught God's word, then you are not a part of the strivings of the people. They are not a part of the sufferings of the people. You're not a part of the strivings of the people. You are not a part of the sufferings of the people. There are many well meaning people who desire certain realities in their lives. There are sincere people who desire the anointing. There are pastors who want more of God's glory upon their lives. There are ministries that sincerely desire increase and the expansion of results.
Our society is filled with people with desires, but desires in themselves does not produce results. Much more than desire, we must have access to the truth that delivers our expectations to us. When you study scriptures, you will realize that it is the... It is not the first time that there's been economic hardship in the land. In many parts of scriptures, you will find that there was famine in the land. And sometimes famine can be so bad that people have to eat their children, kill, and cook their children to feed out of hunger, out of desperation. But there are several people who have believed God and who were and who were never affected by the famine in the land. It is possible not to be affected by the obvious farmer in the land. It is possible. And that is a reality that I want to bring us to this morning.
It's a series. It's a two part series. I'm gonna start it this Sunday. Is that okay? Because I will not have time to stretch. I will just start it. It's a very short time that I have. Please don't miss this series. Please. I'm gonna show you the principles that guarantees flourishing even in difficult times.
That's my assignment in this series. This will be a gift to your loved ones, a gift to everybody that you know, a gift to friends, a gift to parents, a gift to family members, a gift to everyone you know. You can live immune of the devil. There is a mystery called the mystery of exemption. That there can be death in Egypt, but those in Goshen are exempted. What is it that they know? What is it that they do that makes them exempted? You are not just exempt them because you're a believer. It is what you know that makes for exemption. Is that okay?
Yes. It is what you know that makes for exemption. In Genesis chapter 12 from verse two, the bible says, and I will make you a great nation. This was God speaking to Abraham. And I will bless you and make your name great. And your name shall be... And you shall be a blessing. In verse four, Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him. And Abraham was 75 years old when he departed out of Haran. Verse seven, and the Lord appeared unto Abraham and told him, unto thy seed, I will give this land, and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
Verse 10, the Bible says, there was famine in the land that God told Abraham that he would give to him and to his descendants. There was famine in the land. And Abraham went down to Egypt to sojourn there for the famine was grievous in the land. Grievous everywhere. So he went to Egypt. And even in Egypt, there was famine. But look at Genesis 13. This was a chapter immediately after he got to Egypt, even in the famine, even in the famine. Please pay attention. Even in the famine.
Can we read it together, everybody? One, three, go. Now this was when he was leaving Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had and lot with him to the South. Next verse, everybody. Read together. One, two, three. Go. Can you put your name there, everybody? Yes. In famine.
In famine. The man who was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold, in famine, this is a possibility. One of my young men sent a six... A a seat to me in six digits this morning, and he told me, apostle, we will not stop until we lay up gold as dust. I said in famine. In famine. This is a reality. You either believe it or you don't, but your life will show what you have believed. The bible says, and these signs shall follow them that believe. It means you can always look at the state of your life to know what you believe.
What you believe is not a mystery. If you believe in the truth of this word that you are speaking, then the result will show in your life. Whatever result that are showing that is showing in your life shows what you believe. The best mirror that mirrors the state of your soul is your life. Life as we know it is but the looking glass. It's a mirror. And what it does is that it mirrors the state of your soul. The bible says, I wish above all things thou mayest prosper even as thy soul prospers. Your life is only a mirror of your soul. Believe in in the truth of God's word is not stronghead.
You will know you believe by the results that follow, and these signs shall follow them that believe. Thank you, Lord Jesus. He came out of Egypt rich in silver, rich in cattles, rich in gold. How about Isaac? In Genesis 26 from... And verse one, the Bible says there was a farm mine in the land besides the first farm mine that was in the days of Abraham. So you see this is Isaac experiencing his own farm mine. Same thing his father experienced. There was another farm mine in the land. I hope you know that farm mine is always an attack against your prosperity, against your wealth.
I don't wanna go into all of that. And Isaac went to Abimelech, the king of the Philistines in Gerar, farming in the land. It was farmine in the land. Let's look at verse 12. Verse 12 says, then Isaac sold in that land. Which land? The land that had the farmine. He sought there. In that same year that he saw it, he reaped a hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him. Inside of famine, the Lord blessed him.
Your experience as a believer should not be the experience of the lot. Your experience as a believer should not be the experience of the masses. That people are in pain should not mean you should be in pain. Please believe this. It is true. The Bible does not leave us in doubt. Then the is in one the in I can be sympathetic for Jesus, their condition not because I'm I'm experiencing their condition. Not because their condition is my experience. Houses are being built in this economy. During the prayer convocation, I was prophesying over people, and I told you, houses you did not build.
Did you hear that testimonies of testimony? Houses you did not build. Land you did not buy. Cars you did not buy. It is happening even now. Even now. Even now. You decide which side of the of the spectrum you would be in. Those who are prosperous or those who are not. But I've chosen them.
I've chosen. The Bible says the rich and the poor meet together. The Lord is the maker of them all. All of them so. They made themselves so. Look at the next verse. Verse 13. The The of Jesus. The of My god. These things are in scripture that a man can begin to prosper.
And when you look at the man, you say, have looked at the testimonies, but it has only begun. When you look at the man and you say, god, god is really blessing you, you say, I've just started. I've just started. Because the man continued to prosper. He continued to prosper. There a beginning of prosperity. The continuing of prosperity until you become very prosperous. This is God's reality for you as a believer. Do you believe this? Yes, God.
Yes. And what I wanna share with you this morning, I wanna start this morning really. There are four points to it. I will show you one. This morning. What I wanna show you is that there are the keys that can help any man thrive and even flourish in the storms. Even in difficult times, you will rise above the storms and demonstrate the superiority of the kingdom of God over the worldly systems. The Bible says we have been called to show forth his glory. So when we... When men say there's a casting down and you sustain the key to say there is a lifting up, you will compel men to want to find out what principles do you use.
The reality right now is a casting down. Everybody's experiencing casting down. But in the midst of that, you continue to rise. You continue to rise when they see people are failing you and rising. Men will... It will... Your your result will compel compliance. People will come to you and ask you, brother, exactly how are you doing this? Listen. As a believer, when you live your life to chance, when you allow or live your life to guesswork, to emotional suggestions, when you allow the opinions of men to govern your life, you're gonna live a life of failure.
You'll be a victim of too many situations, too many circumstances, and there are too many believers who are victims today. Whenever they have challenges, they guess their way into the challenge, and they hope that in their guesses, they will come out of it. What do I do today like this? What do I think is the smartest decision to make? And most of the information that guide our our decision making are wrong. They were fabricated by people who do not know god or people who do not understand the ways of god or honor the ways of god. What I want to teach you are the principles governing a life of transgenerational relevance, a life that transcends the limitations of society, a life that is recession proof, famine proof, a life that is above the troubles in this world, a life that is above the frustration, a life above the regret, a life above the pain. If you desire to flourish regardless of famine, then what I want to share with you is for you. If you do not want your prosperity to be economic based, to rise as the systems rise and to fall as systems fall, then this is for you. You'll be so blessed.
In this meeting, God is shooting you high. It shall be like a tree. Is that your experience? It shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water. Speaking of the righteous, speaking of the believer, the bible says that brings forth its fruit in its season. Whose live also shall not wither, and whatever it does shall prosper. Can we read Jeremiah 17? Jeremiah 17 verse seven and verse eight. We'll do it in NKJV then in MSG. The bible says, blessed is the man who trusts Lord.
Is that you? Yeah. And whose hope is whom in the Lord? In the economy? In the government? In Nigeria? No. In a man? In a woman? No.
Whose hope is in the Lord? What will be his experience? Next verse, the bible says, for he shall be like a tree. Again, planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the rivers and will not fear when it comes first. Did you see that? Yeah. Will not fear when it comes, but its leaf will ever be green. It will not be anxious in the year of drought. Does it say drought must come? No.
But by the year of drought, anxiety will not be his experience. Why is that? Because he will not cease from yielding fruit. This last statement, I want you to see it in MSG. Let's read it again. MSG. Everything. One, three, go. They are like trees. Near the rivers, never worried through the hottest of summers.
Never drop in a leaf, serene, and calm through the darts, bearing fresh fruit every season. That's what I want you to see. Every season. I never experienced dry season because even in dry season, I bear fruit. That's why it's like a tree planted by the rivers. I'm not planted in Nigeria even though I'm in Nigeria. I'm planted by the rivers. The first thing is to realize it's a possibility. Bearing fruit in every season is a possibility. Your results as a believer should not be governed by the economic seasons that befall a nation.
Your source is not the economy. We are citizens of the kingdom, and as such, we are partakers of the commonwealth of Zion. In Ephesians two and verse 19, the bible says now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens, you see. Philippians three twenty, the bible says, for our citizenship is in heaven. What is the implication of this? Ephesians two and verse 12, the bible says that at that time, you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Zion. Aliens. Why were you aliens? Because you were without Christ. So if you are now in Christ, what does it imply?
It means you are now benefactors of the commonwealth of Zion. The kingdom is regulated by a commonwealth. We must know this. It's the difference between a democracy and a kingdom. In a kingdom, what regulates the finances of the people is a commonwealth. That's why in a reasonable kingdom, if the king... If the kingdom is prosperous, every citizen is prosperous. The citizens know that their well-being is as determined by the king, And we are in a kingdom. That's why that song you sing, even though it's a meme right now, is not a Christian song. It's not a song that you sing to God in worship.
President, general, among the nations. God is not a president. Nobody voted him to power. He cannot be voted to power. He cannot be outvoted by no one. It looks like a reasonable thing to say, but it's very foolish. He's the monarch of Zion. Is is not contended in... Nobody contend with that position within. It's not called God because that's his name.
It's called God because that is who he is. By the re... By reason of who he is, only him can be given that name God. God means self sufficient, not needing anyone to survive. Only only him is like that. You need oxygen. Going to water right now, what happens to you? You suffocate and you drown. Your lungs begin to collapse out of the depth of the pressure. Take a fish out of water, suffocates and it dies because everything needs something except God.
And by reason of this, he's called God. So God is not an intelligent name we call him. Mm-mm. Mm-mm. By reason of his character, by reason of his attributes, only him can be called that name. All sufficient. In everything, he's all sufficient. In him, does all things consist? We all need him, but he needs no one. That's the god that is the regent of the kingdom that we serve, And that god is faithful.
That god is just. Notice some. You're a faithful. You're a faithful god and your faithfulness remain. What are the principles that govern this reality? What are the principles that every citizen of the kingdom must know? But if you live your life by that principle, by these principles, there are four of them. I'll give you one today. And then we pray and really trust God that these things will enter into you. I really trust God.
I'm really hoping that someone will catch the spirit and not just the instruction in what I'm saying. I really hope. God is good. God is good. He will not leave his children to suffer. Believe this. I am... Rest assured, I have confidence in the fatherhood of God. This is one of the reasons why I know I can never fail. It's one of the reasons why I know I can never...
Everything I do will prosper. There's nothing that comes out of me that can fail. Look at look at God. Read your Bible and see the magnificence of God. God comes to a man and says, I will make you great. Come on now. God is good. Say with me, God is good. God is good. What are the principles that a believer must know?
Number one, many of us have taken this first one for granted. But this is where life begins from. A genuine relationship and an encounter with Jesus. A genuine relationship and encounter with Jesus. Daniel chapter 11 verse 32. The Bible says, the big part of it, but those that do know their God, they shall be strong and they will carry out great exploits. My God, They will carry out great exploits, but there is exploits attached to knowing god, and that exploit is not regulated by seasons. There are many professing believers who have not had a genuine relationship with Jesus. It is possible to know all the church words. You can know all the church talk.
But the question is, do you have a relationship with Jesus? Have you had an encounter with Jesus? It was showing how much honor you have for him. It was showing how much you value spiritual things. Those people said that our heart not born whilst it's spoken to us. Conviction of his person. Conviction of his person. A genuine love that flows out of us as a result of the conviction we have. In first Corinthians two and verse nine, the Bible says, but as it is written, I have not seen. Speaking of result, exploit, nor as ear heard, neither have it entered into the heart of men.
The things which God has prepared for those who love him, not for those who pray, not for those who fast, not for those who do all of these things. But the bible says for those who love him, not even for those who give. As important as giving is. When a man truly falls in love with God, everything about God becomes an obsession to you. Everything about God. The house of God, the life of God, the word of God, the holy spirit, everything becomes an obsession to you. Your entire life is poured as a drink offering. When this becomes your reality, talent will come to you, and you will rise and shake up and shake them off as though nothing came. You would see a man of God preaching. People are serious.
People are repenting. Some people even crying, and then you will see some people looking arrogantly. Immediately after the message, they get up and with their conscience seared no conviction, no willingness for transformation. Nothing. It is impossible to have a genuine encounter with Jesus demonstrated in your love for him and remain the same. It's not possible. When that woman by the well met with Jesus, look at the kind of life she was living. She had had five husbands. Even the sixth one she was with was not her husband. Terrible situation.
But after that encounter with Jesus, she left everything that she was doing. In other words, an encounter with Jesus made what she was doing before his arrival trivia. What she came to do was fetch water. Was there another reason why she wanted to fetch water? But after that encounter, she left everything she was doing and ran to everyone to tell them about this encounter she has had. It means one of the indices of an encounter with Jesus is a revelation of your priorities. If your priorities do not change, you have not met Jesus. You can't tell me that your value system, your way of life, your desires, your passion, your aspirations before and after you met Jesus is still the same. When you meet Jesus, there may shift for sure. That is how you know that I've come into an encounter with him.
The reason why many of us do not benefit from the result of the experience that come with knowing God is because we are satisfied with just the mental awareness of the person of God, of Jesus. But those that know their God doesn't speak of mental awareness. The word know used is the word yada. It is the same word that was used in Genesis four when the bible said that Adam knew Eve. It's the word yada. And Adam knew Eve, and she conceived. Does that mean what is your name? No. And Adam knew Eve doesn't mean what is your name. It is a state of intercourse and communion.
That is the meaning of those that know their god. It's not saying those that have a mental awareness that god exist. It is those who have come into a deep place of intimacy, a deep place of relationship and encounter with him. Those that know their god, they are result of the abnormal. They shall do exploits, and they will be strong. Did you see that the exploit of the apostles were not accounted to their literacy or their illiteracy? The bible says they saw what they were doing, and they knew that they were illiterate. They knew they were unlearned men. But when they checked, the bible said they saw they had been with Jesus. In other words, the reason for the exploit was traced to their relationship with Jesus.
Exploits come from the life of a man that truly knows Christ, truly has an experience, but many of us are just playing games. It's a it's a painful thing to say, but it is true. We are playing games, and we're not even serious one bit. You were an unserious person before you met Jesus. Now that you claim to have met him, you are still unserious. How is that possible? Unserious with the things of God? Unserious with the house of God? Yet you have had an encounter with him? No.
Unserial with the business of God, the house of God. These things are never a priority to you. It shows you that the whatever you came to have had is not genuine. Listen. If people deceive you, you can grow past their deception. But if you deceive yourself, you are truly deceived. If demons deceive you, you can grow past their deception. But if a man brings himself to a place of personal deception, you are truly deceived. The bible says, it was the sermons that was speaking. He says my soul will thirst for you.
Your love for God is seen in your passion, your pursuit of God. The test of love is pursuit. When you truly love, it will be reflected in how much you pursue, how much you pursue, how much you pursue. Early will I seek you, he says, my soul thirsts for you. My soul thirsts for you. You can see how much I love God in my pursuit for his kingdom, my pursuit for his house, my pursuit for the things that concern God. Listen. There is such a thing called the zeal of the Lord. Do you have this? It has nothing to do with being a pastor.
It has nothing to do with having a church. You must pray, brothers and sisters, that the zeal of the lord will hit you up. You must pray. Where everything that has to do with God and the things of God, you give it utmost seriousness. There are people who are not serious at all about the things of God. When they say pray, others are praying. You see them stand, and they are only watching. You've not read your bible for one month. It doesn't matter to you. The spirit of complacency to all the things of God has eaten you up completely.
Listen to me. You have got to be passionate about something in your life. And if it is not God, any other thing is wrong. The zeal of the Lord has to consume you. Half commitment to God will get you nowhere. Many of our parents were like that. Part commitment to a herbalist, part commitment to a church, part commitment to mentorship, path commitment to everything, yet they never stand out in anything. Can you pray one moment and say, Lord, give me a zeal for you. Give me a zeal for you. Hear me?
I can look at your life and know the extent of your zeal for God. I see your commitment to the things of God, and I know your zeal for God. I see your passion to see others being saved, and I know your zeal for God. There are many believers. The concept of soul winning has died in our lives completely. Hear me, brothers and sisters? Everyone who met Jesus in the bible could not wait to talk about it. Soul winning is the natural response of anyone who has had an encounter with Jesus. Do you remember the madman of gathering? The bible says the moment he met Jesus, he went to the Decapolis, 10 cities to talk about him.
The woman by the well. After encounter, she left Jesus, went into the city, and brought all the men to Jesus. Whose life have changed because you met God? When Saul of Tarsus encountered Jesus, everyone knew. Let me ask you something. Whose life has changed today because of your being born again? It's an index to memory of zeal. Can you see... Can you turn and say somebody's life has changed because of me? My zeal for God was so powerful that it cost so and so to find God.
When you are around people who don't see a need to exalt God more than what they are currently doing, your life is not shining. That someone talks to you and he goes back home, he cannot eat again. He wants to read, he cannot read again. He will triumph. Then as though what he said, not enter him. But when he goes home, he's waiting on his bed. Waiting on his bed. Not speaking, he may be arguing. He may be saying all kind of things. But when he goes home, his heart is arrested.
The holy ghost comes and impresses strong upon him. He knows immediately there is not left than this. He goes on his list and says, Jesus, have thou art running from you. Whose life has changed because you met Jesus? It's a reflection of your passion for God. It's a reflection of your zeal for God. When bringing people into the saving knowledge of God does not concern you, you will never carry the anointing no matter what you have. A pastor, an apostle, a prophet, a businessman? No. No matter how long you fast even.
Can you hold the hand of someone right now in your mind whose life is a testament of your zeal for God? Can you think and say, these are the people that have come to Christ because of the zeal I have for God. People who started going to church because you are passionate about God. Who stopped smoking and drinking because you know God. Who's confused destiny was brought back to order because of your zeal for God. It can be seen in these things. When you... When a man is set on fire for God, everybody will know that a man has caught fire. Have you seen when Suya has been roasted? You would be in the comfort of your house and be smelling something.
Many a time, the smell can be so tempting. You will leave your house and trace the smell with your nose, and yet their bokeh is only in a place burning something. When a man is set on fire, who will know? Because it will it will burn. It will burn. And the fragrance that comes out of him will be enchanting others to him. It's an attractive force, a drawing force. When you get to their bogeyman, they will give you a taste. It was a taste. And it's so sad thing that when it gives you that taste, you want to buy more.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. How the taste is in your life. What happens when they meet you? Who is confused right now in destiny and has found purpose because you invited them to church? Because you sat down with them and you told them, listen. I know you love God, but the way you are going about life is not how you would go about it. You are not following principles. And if you don't follow principles, you might be sincere, but you will fail. Listen to me. And the person says, can can you give me more light?
Yes, brother. I have messages to give you. Who can be eternally grateful today because of your love for God? The Bible says, in song of Solomon chapter one verse four, draw me and we will run after you. That the impact of the drawing of God in your life can be so strong that people will be pulled after running for running after... Running towards God because of you. Draw me. My response to the drawing me will be so strong that people will run with me. I won't be the only one running. Are you the only one running?
Are you the only one running? It's a measure of your zeal for God. It's a measure of your love for God. You look around and you say, through my life, how many of us are running? Am I alone in this race? Or as a pulling force... Listen. If you be... If you started running because someone was drawn, you too must have your own drawing. It's possible that some of you are here today because somebody was drawn, and you were a consequence of the drawing of that individual.
But you must also be drawn so that your life can be a testament even to others, so that many people can see your life and glorify God for it. Do you know that I've checked I've checked very well? And I've realized that the people who are successful the most, who are prospering the most, who are doing well the most, amongst people that surround me are those with the most devotion to God. Absolutely. They never miss meetings. They will keep on coming. Some of them will serve. They give the most, and yet they prosper the most. And you would think that loving God is a disadvantage. I tell you it is not.
Believe me, it is not. Believe me. It is not. There is an advantage to knowing God. The bible says those that know their God shall do exploits. There are many of you, the reward that comes from knowing God is the solution you provide to their problems because of your knowing God. You have risen in God so much so that when they come and meet you and they share their concerns with you, you speak a word and they prosper. In gratefulness, they will come and give you a million. They will say this is because of the word you spoke. I noticed the shift in my life because of you, and I'm grateful.
There are people that receive cards like this. There is value to knowing God. When Daniel was in the palace of the king and there was a problem in the king's court, the king had a dream nobody could interpret. Everybody had been sentenced to death. It was only a matter of three days. Daniel said, give me three days. He came and brought the interpretation of of the king's dream. What was his advantage? Those that know their god. His advantage is that he knew god.
In that realm, the astrologers were confused. In that realm, those that went to school, those that had PhD, those that had MSC were confused. There's a realm where even the literate are confused. There's no difference between the literate and the literate. Believers, listen to me. Those that know their god, they shall be strong, and they will do exploits. The zeal that you have for god, it creates it creates a passion in your heart that when you start pursuing God, those that know you will say calm down. People have to beg you to calm down. Come on. This is too much.
You you yourself will be thinking, let me not say I'm overdoing this. You are in the worship team. You are going for rehearsal, and you are rejoicing. You're not dragging your leg and saying, ah, today again. No. Your zeal has died. Your zeal has died. When your attitude towards the things of God becomes burdensome, your zeal has died. When you wake up and you say, ah, it's church again today. There's no excitement in your heart toward the things of God.
The bible says, the zeal for your house has eaten me up. The zeal for your house has eaten me up. It has consumed me. It has consumed me. How many of us are consumed? How many of us are diszealous for God? And the things that concern God. Some of you did not start this way. Your passion for God was so contagious. But the guy entered your life, he asked you how and asked God out of your life.
Some of you used to pray, used to be very spiritual, but peer pressure. We do everything we wanna do with our time, with our life. Then the balance of what is left, we give to God. Some of you were so... Some of you love God. Your prayers could not hold you calm. You said mommy, it's time for church. Mom, it's time for church. You are delaying me. You are delaying me.
But as you rise, the brethren of this world. Do you know that ministry can steal your heart away from God? When you become too busy doing ministry and you leave God behind, and you are preaching every day, going for conferences, you cannot remember the last time you prayed. And people might not know because the gift and the callings of God are without repentance. It will only be between you and God. The power of God might still move. You will still share revelations. Nobody will have an idea. The bible says and the wine finished. But when the wine finished, the party finished.
No. They were still doing the party, but there was no wine anymore anymore. Listen, brothers and sisters, you must come to a point of genuine love and genuine passion. I have checked very well, and I've observed that there is nobody, literally, nobody who has entered into the depth of this experience whose life has been the same? Whose life has been the same? We have commonized knowing God to mean just be a Christian, just go to church, just go for prayer meeting. It goes beyond that. It goes beyond that. When people doubt God and turn and insult God over situations and circumstances, oh, God, I prayed for tea. I prayed for bread.
I prayed for a visa. I prayed for first class. I did not give it to me. I prayed for a HDPA increase. I did not give it to me. God, you are not faithful. God, if you don't do this for me, I don't know what I will do. I will backslide. It is because you have not had an encounter with God. The remedy of that kind of life is an encounter.
It's not counseling. It's not advice. There is a way a man encounters God. You you will hold him your allegiance regardless of what happens around your life. Can you say, Jesus, whether you bless me or not, I will forever love you? Whether you increase me or not, I will forever love you. My allegiance to you is not because you have promised me a car. I've read in scriptures the mighty promises, but I love you even beyond the promises. Whether I have a fault, that's why I do not. My love for you isn't dependent on what you can give me.
I'm not after your hand. I'm after your heart. Your hand can offer many things, but if your heart not give it to me, I don't want it. This is true. This is true. This is true. There are many people. Their assignment and their mandate is to use God. They are they are following God to use God. They are coming to churches to use God.
God, I heard you lift people. I heard you increase people. I heard you prosper people. Hey. Testimonies. Somebody was given a building, and that person had contact, contract in seven digits when I'm supposed to prophesied. Ah, my own must come. That is all God has been to you. My own must come. And God becomes a genie, really, in real...
In reality. We are only after God as long as God remains relevant to us. And if peradventure, another option comes tomorrow, and somebody tells you are willing to drop God in a brief moment to pursue. Isn't that what we saw many of our parents do? Some of them would go and pray, but they still had a charm somewhere they use just in case. Just in case. Did you know what those Hebrew said? They said we know that our God is able to deliver us, but even if he does not. That even if he does not, they were not saying he's not able. That even if he does not, he's not doubt.
They are saying our allegiance to God is not because he's able to deliver us. Do you get this? They're saying we are not... Don't think for a moment that we are not bowing because God is able to... No. Our allegiance that we are willing to die for what we believe. That's what they were saying. We are willing to die for this truth. People have become hungry and offended because they dropped prayer request, and it and it was not answered. And they heard testimonies, and they were offended and hungry because they heard prayer request.
There are many people right now. All they want is influence. All they want is pain, and God is only a platform to get it. You know how you read books and they say seven principles to growth. And that is everything for you. Be diligent, be hardworking, be this, be that. Number seven, the g factor. God is part of the equation of success. After you have done everything, I remember the g factor. Is God not the source of everything?
When did he become a factor? The g factor. Say, add God to your success. Add God to your wealth. Add God to your pursuit of prosperity. Add God. You add God. You add God? Really? We have separated spirituality and academics, spirituality and business, spirituality and the pursuit of marital bliss.
I was... When it comes to my business, leave God aside first. When it's time to pray, I will pray. We do this even in our academics. So a test is coming. An exam is coming, and a young man will leave the church immediately because he has to wait for exam. Go ahead with the tag on interviews that would take me away from his presence. That would take me away from his presence. I got a job some time ago with a company out of the country. And when I was negotiating with them, they told me that we're gonna work from this hour to this hour.
And because of the time difference, on Tuesday... Don't do this all. This is for me. Don't do this all. On Tuesday, the time they wanted me to be available would be... I would be in church preaching. It was a lot of money. I told them, I'm not available on Tuesday. I'm a preacher. But I will never compromise on my belief.
I don't do these things for money. If this ministry never grows, we will still love God. We're not doing it because God has promised us growth. No. We're not doing it because of greatness. No. God is not a... God is not... No. Please let's get this right.
Get this right. God is not part of the sauce that we had to make this stew. Say, you have added salt. You have added... Now now add God in it. That's not what God is. God makes everything stand together. The bible says in the beginning, God. Anything that does not begin with God is destined to fail. He's destined to fail.
There's nothing that will cheat me. The bible speaks of the people that started with God, but something happened to their first love. So you have neglected your first love. This was not how you started. There was a passion in you, a passion that man man taking in. What else can be better than this? This is the beginning of a life of relevance. Listen, I show you the mystery to transgenerational relevance. It is in your love for God. It is in your knowing God that every other thing begins to make sense.
Believe what I'm saying. Do you know that? You can receive an advice from someone, and different because one came out of intimacy and encounter with God. The energy that will back what that guy is doing will not be a friend's advice. It will be the spirit that came with the word. This is why it is... It pays to know good. It really pays. There are many people who look for comfort that only God can give in men. Who look for encouragement only God can give in men.
There are many pastors right now who are depressed and frustrated because ministry is not doing well, ministry is not growing. Listen. Listen. Sincerely speaking, God sees my heart. There is nothing that can take my joy. I'm rested in his love. We've been doing this for five years, even way be... Even way longer than that. It only became ministry five years ago. We've been doing this for ten years because I started preaching 2014.
And it has never been about what God can give. If God has blessed me today, it is because of the love I have for him. It is not the the the blessings were not the motive for the pursuit. Listen, whenever a man says I love you, Jesus, then God will ask you a question. What is the motive? Success? You want influence? You want relevance? You want to prosper? That is very good.
What is your motive for it? To show your friends that if God... Hey. See what I have. I have so much money. Is that really why God blesses people? God came to Abraham, and God told Abraham, get out of your father's house. Onto a land that I will show you, and Abraham obeyed. And for many years, Abraham was that. But listen, the the bible says that when Abraham finally had a son, God now came to Abraham and told Abraham, take your son, your only son whom thou lovest and bring him to me.
And after Abraham obeyed this instruction, God came to Abraham and said, now I know that you trust me. Now I know that you love me. Are you telling me that when somebody left his house, left his father's house, left his country, we didn't know he loved you. We didn't know he trust you. You didn't know he trust you. Can you look into your heart for a moment and tell God, you will not see how your mind will fight it. You now see how your mind will... Are you saying that you'll be okay if you don't have any money? And then they will come and say, church did not help them. Church did not grow them.
Church did not give them platform. That's why they left church and went into the world. No. You never love Jesus. You were doing it for the fame all along. When the opportunity came, you just jumped into it. Your heart was never sincere. It is true. Because if your heart works, what you'll be after is not even platform. What you'll be after is not platform.
Every man that you see right now doing great... Doing doing things... Successful things in the in the in the kingdom of darkness, you'll realize that most of them started in the church. Now you you ask yourself a question. Why is a devil coming to the church to harvest people? Are there no men on the street? Are there no men on the street? Because the church is a fertile ground for training. You would come to the church without skins, and they would teach you how to handle the camera, teach you how to play the drum set, teach you how to play the keyboard, teach you how to do everything that you know how to do right now from the church. And then a platform will come.
Somebody will now see your video online. They will say, oh, come to this record later. You can't sing Jesus. They can't sing God. They can't do all of these things, but you can... But you'll make so much money. Put girls. Put this, put that, add profanity to your songs, and you'll make so much money. And you will take the skills that the church gave you. Take it to the kingdom of darkness and announce it to church, then give you a platform.
Your heart was never right. It was never about God. And we as pastors must be able to tell people that our love for God is beyond the things that God can give. We are not after the hand of God. We are after his heart. If you have if you have the heart of a man, you control his hands. Direct and determine where the hand will go. I'm listening. I've had and I was staying overnight. There were many of Everybody was shouting.
I didn't know that. I can't shout. I sat down on the floor with the camera on my neck. I placed my two hands on my head because I saw hate men doing the same thing this man just did in one second for over five hours. What is this? I found it. I said if anybody love me and keep my word, it demonstrates he loves me by keeping my word. It says then my father will love you. Look at this. And we will come to him.
God does not have favorite, but God has intimates. You agree with me that if you have a father, your level and your father is a boss of a company. You would think God will say, how do you speak to God like that? Next verse, and God repented. I see we have gotten it wrong. Oh, it has never been about you. It was about things, the things you could give to me, the things There's a lady I'm seeing. God is saying, you can carry more my presence than you are currently carrying, but your heart is far from me. There are people that God wants to give you resources. God wants to give you gold.
God wants to hand nations over to you. God wants to hand Ibadan to you. God wants to give you the weight of his glory, but you are still very much alive to yourself. So you are incapacitated. You are limited. Please pray. Please pray. I've reduced in my pursuit. I've reduced in my hunger. This was not how I began with you.
Can the fountains be steered once again? I used to have dreams and visions, encounters when I prayed, but where are the encounters now? Where have they gone to? The streams are dried up. Can they come alive again? Can they come alive again? Can they come alive again? Help me, Jesus. Help Help me. Help me, Lord.
Help me. Help me. I need you right now. I've tried it before. This is not the first time I'm hearing a method like this. I've heard it before. I've heard it before. I promised myself I will not go back, but yet I came back. Can you help me, Jesus? Help me.
Please pray. One more minute. I love you beyond ministry. I love you beyond progress. I'm not using you. I'm not using you. I'm not using you. I'm not using you. I want to make you smile. I want to bless your heart.
Su Jeh su Jeh su my lord Thank you, Jesus. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You. Thank you. Thank Thank you. You.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus. In Jesus mighty name we have prayed. 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 official disciple cn.
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