Transcript: Spiritual Covering — The Role of Spiritual Authority in Destiny Fulfilment

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This message is from believers equipped, a meeting organized by the Disciples Christian Network where the word of God is taught with practicality and believers are raised to reign in life. Join apostle Emmanuel as he walks us through the word of God. Talk about spiritual covering hyphen, the role of spiritual authority in destiny fulfillment. We live in a generation that exalts independence. Autonomy is not just embraced. It is celebrated. It is idolized. Individualism is seen as the ultimate virtue. So anytime we mention concepts like authority, leadership, or submission, anything that suggests that you are telling somebody to be accountable to another, it is often met with suspicion. People instinctively resist anything that appears to impose on their personal freedom.

So I said people instinctively resist anything that appears to impose on their personal freedom. So you'd hear phrases like, just wanna do my own thing. Live on my own terms. My own boss or be my own boss. But you hear them even say salvation is personal. Love God and know God by yourself. You don't need anybody to know God for you and stuff like that. And these are not just random statements or random sentiments even. They reflect a deeply rooted mindset of self rule that has crept into the church. And, unfortunately, even amongst believers, especially in the rise of modern neo Pentecostalism, This spirit of independence has begun to merge with new age theories, new age ideology, encouraging spirituality without submission, revelation without accountability, where somebody can just pick something in scripture and say, this is what God has shown me in scripture and not take it through any route of submission or be accountable to even those who have gone ahead of him even in that area to say, this is my own revelation of scripture.

What do you have to say about this? No. Everybody just believe as long as the holy spirit has received something to you, just carry it on. Speed off with it. Believe it whether or not it is widely believed, whether or not it is widely accepted. And usually, when people rise like that and voices in the church begin to correct them, then they begin to make statement like the reason why they are being corrected or the reason why they are being fought is because they are bringing a truth when, in fact, people have believed a lie for a long time. So those who have believed a lie are the ones fighting them. Am I speaking too much, Gramma? That's what happens usually. And it's solely because these people do not want to be accountable.

When Paul brought the doctrine of grace into the church, the bible says he went to Jerusalem to visit the apostles, to submit this doctrine to them, to teach them, to explain to them. This is what God revealed to me in scripture. This is the basis and the foundation of my ministry. And what Paul says was, lest my efforts be in vain. In other words, accountability was a thing even amongst the apostles that nobody single handedly just found a revelation in scripture and ran with it solely because he believed God to have shown it to him. Or he believed that it was God who showed me, so it doesn't matter. So we have a widespread plague in the church. And as a result of that plague, we now see widespread church opening. Believers moving from one church to another almost as though they are changing clothes. There's a growing disregard for pastoral authority.

People no longer take spiritual leaders seriously. Everyone wants inspiration, but very few people want correction. Very few people want to be rebuked or corrected by a spiritual leader, but everyone wants to be prophesied upon. Everyone wants to be prayed for. So we now have a generation that is feeding on an endless buffet of online sermons, podcasts, prophetic voices on YouTube, taking bits and pieces from everywhere, yet refusing to commit to any local church or to submit to any consistent covering. Why? Because submission invites accountability, and accountability confronts the flesh. And that is really what they do not want because the moment you tell somebody to submit, what you are telling them to do is to the accounting. And what accountability does is that it makes the flesh uncomfortable. And because they want to express freedom to do what they want without having the feeling of they are being monitored, they reject the idea of submission.

I hope you understand what I'm But there's a danger. The danger is that what appears to be liberty What appears to be freedom to express myself without being controlled by anybody is actually camouflaged as deception. It is delusion. It is captivity. Even more than it is freedom. What appears to be freedom that I wanna just do my own thing. Now if I join the workforce or if I submit to this person or if I'm accountable to this person, now I'm gonna give somebody the privilege to come and be asking me, what did I do with my life? What did I do with my money? What did I do with my this? How am I spending my this?

But I don't I don't wanna live that life. What appears to be freedom is only camouflaged deception. And after nearly eleven years preaching the gospel, doing this thing, I can tell you that the spirit that masquerades as freedom from control is one of the most deceptive influences operating in the church today. That spirit. And many think that they are in liberty, but they are actually walking away from the divine order that God has assigned. That's why today, I'm here to teach you. I'm not just here to hand out rules or give you dos and don'ts because we do not demand blind loyalty. This isn't about do this, do that, don't do this, don't do that. No. This is a biblical conversation, a heart level engagement about the wisdom, the enablement, the empowerment embedded in spiritual submission, and how that that is the system that god routes to bring a man to the fullness of his destiny, especially in the manifestation of the same.

That is the route that god takes. And, hopefully, that is what I came to show you in this conversation so that your belief is in scripture and not on the opinions of men so that you'd not join a trend and a generation that gladly walks out of the divine order, and they publicly and proudly display their foolishness and lie. So you're not a part of the generation so that you can be one of those that God will use through your alignment to the divine order and the manifestation that the divine order brings out of your life. God can then use your life to paint a picture That this is the life of those who work according to this path. Are you with me? Yes. Submission is not weakness. Submission is strength. Submission is power. And a lot of believers not know this.

A lot of believers interpret submission to mean that you are weak. To mean that your choices are limited and restricted. You cannot hack of your own accord. But what you don't understand is how God has routed it, how God has designed it is that there is no one who works in divinely delegated authority without being submitted. This was what Cornelius understood when he came to Jesus. That made Jesus look at him and said, my goodness. I've not seen faith this great. The bible calls... Jesus calls the faith continued expressed. Great faith.

He said, I've not seen this kind of a great faith before in Israel. How do you know that faith is hinged on revelation? Faith is hinged on knowledge. Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. It means that if Cornelius had great faith, there must have been great knowledge that was backing that faith that he had. And Cornelius expressed the knowledge that was backing the faith he had. What was the context? He came to Jesus. Was it Cornelius? No.

It wasn't Cornelius. It was a centurion. Sorry. Centurion expressed that knowledge. And what were the context? He came to Jesus and told Jesus that he was going to... No. No. No. Thank you.

He was going to in fact, a rendition puts it this way, that it was even the Pharisees and the Sadducees that came to talk to Jesus on his behalf. And they used all his good deeds, telling Jesus that he was one of those, even not even one of those. He was the one that constructed the tabernacle in Jerusalem for them. And Jesus granted him audience. And when Jesus granted him audience, he then told Jesus that a servant that is dear to him is paralyzed, he's sick. And he would want that Jesus should come and pray for him. Jesus should heal him. And Jesus having heard what everybody said about this man. Said you know what? Let's go to your house.

And immediately the man says, no, no, no, no, no, no. I didn't come here to stress you. No, you don't even have to take the journey to come to my house. Just speak a word. Right from where you are right now, if you can just speak a word, my servant miles away will be healed. And Jesus was still looking, he says what kind of faith is that? And all of a sudden, this man expresses what was backing that faith. He says, I'm a man under authority. I'm a man under authority. And because I am under authority, I said to one, go.

In other words, the reason I have power is because I'm submitted. It is wisdom that no... That very few people know. That submission is not weakness. It is power. The centurion told Jesus that the reason why I have power, the reason I can say to one, go, and that one goes. And I can say to the other, come, and he comes is because I'm submitted. I am under authority, and I've watched the way you do your miracles. I've watched the way you cast out devils. The same thing that you do, go out.

If you can move in that kind of power, it must be because you too are submitted. This was the principle that the centurion was revealing to Jesus. Have you found that that this principle was what Paul would eventually call the mystery of Christ and the church? Albert, the head of Christ is God. The head of the man is Christ. So the centurion saw right when he said you must be one on the authority. Do you understand what I'm saying here? Listen. Alright. Submission is not weakness.

Submission is power. Submission is wisdom. And that is the reason why we have to handle this subject very carefully with deep spiritual understanding. Submission is not a religious burden that we place on believers because we want to put them in discomfort perpetually. It is a divine blueprint for growth. It is a divine blueprint for safety, for preservation, for destiny fulfillment. That is what submission is. That is what spiritual authority is. That is what spiritual covering is. And you have to understand as believers that God is a God of order.

God operates through order. God is not a god of chaos. There is a divine chain of command, a spiritual hierarchy established by god himself. And you can choose to align with his structure, or you can choose to create your own. But understand this, every decision has a consequence. If you choose to create your own structure outside of God's agenda, there are consequences. Are you with me? Titus chapter three verse one. Paul was once speaking of Titus. And he tells him, he said, remind them.

Did you say that? Remind them. It means this is not a one time teaching. It's a continual reminder because truth, even the most beautiful revelation, can leak away if we are not intentional about reminding people. So Paul says, don't just put it as one of your bucket list to teach people and then forget about it. Because this subject is a very uncomfortable subject to teach by men of God so that they are not misunderstood. So a lot of people avoid that subject. And because of the avoidance, people have misunderstood it, a lot of controversies around it. People have come up with their own definition of what authority is because German teachers have avoided the subject. But Paul, that's Timothy.

Remind them. Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities. Remind them. Continually teach them to be subject to rulers and authorities. Are you with me? So as pastors, it is something that we must continually teach. It is something we must continually remind people that the bible instructs that believers should be subject to submit themselves to rulers and to authorities, to obey, to be ready for good work, every good work, to submit themselves to, to subject themselves to rulers and to authorities. It is a truth we must keep on repeating, a truth we must keep on reinforcing, reestablishing in the heart of God's people. Because submission to authority is foundational to destiny fulfillment. Are you with me?

The moment this truth is forgotten, people drift away. The moment this is neglected, confusion enters into the body of Christ. We find ourselves in spiritual danger, not because God failed, but because we stepped outside of the system that he has set up for our safety. I know that this subject is uncomfortable for many to hear and for many to teach. But if people will reach the fullness of their god ordained destiny, we must not shy away from it. Oh, tells Titus, remind them. This is one of the things that we must never drift away from. It tells Titus, remind them. For many of you, this is a fresh revelation. For some, I've come to what Paul says we should do.

Remind them. You'll be so blessed. In my years of ministry, I've had the privilege of pastoring some truly wonderful people, some truly gifted people. But if I must speak plainly, one of the deepest heartbreaks I've experienced is seeing people work closely with you for many years, serving, worshiping, growing, only to discover that they never understood the wisdom and the enablement that comes with genuine submission. They were present, but they were never aligned. They were present, but they were never rooted. They heard sermons, but they never embraced this divine order. And in the day of testing, they drifted. Not because of doctrine, but because they had no roots in submission. And I've always been clear on this.

I always tell people this. If you are no longer comfortable in this ministry, seek God and move on. We don't cause people for moving on. We're not we're not of that order that lay a cost on people because somebody decided to go to another church, God forbid. No. No. Are you with me? We don't manipulate people. We don't guilt trip people, but you ensure that you don't live out of offense or rebellion. Don't exit because you refused divine instruction.

If you must move, let it be because God has spoken to you, not because of pride or convenience make the decision for you Or because you could not care to be corrected. Because you could not bear rebuke. And so you leave. Destiny is not treated like that. Understand something, that there is a... Let me show you something. Perhaps this is why many people don't understand the spiritual consequences of this. Because when you leave a spiritual covering for reasons as foolish as rebellion, because you were corrected because of offense, and all of these other stupid things you see right now in the body of Christ. You didn't like how they spoke to you, you didn't like how they corrected you, How someone rebuked you? It might even be the head of a department that rebuked you or corrected you.

And then you become angry and offended and you leave. You see, when these things happen, many people would not understand the consequence of this. In the book of Jeremiah, the Bible says that God will give you shepherds after his own heart. In other words, when God speaks to you about a man of God and there is a witness in your spirit that this is my spiritual covering, this church that I have found is where God would have me be planted. This church that I have found is when God would have me be rooted. And the man of God becomes an authority over you. Understand that what has happened is that God has given you a man half by his own heart. That is what has happened. The meaning of that connection you sense in your heart is that heaven has said, this is the man. After God's own heart for you.

That means that that man is bespoke for you. That means that the word that he has that God has put in the man's mouth is for you. That means that man is sent to you. The bible says there were many widows in Zarephath. Many. But unto none was Elias the prophet sent except the widow of Zarephat. That tells me that prophets are sent. They are not chosen. They are sent. They are not unpicked.

You don't look at YouTube and scan through many men of God and say, no, at at this one. They are sent. And God will put your word in the mouth of a man he has engraced to train you. There are many a times, the personality of that man, the makeup of that man, the way God brings that man up, all of that is included in what is needed for your training. So that even what you feel as though you would otherwise not have liked, somebody can say, ah, that man of God is just too gentle, for instance. I know it's myself. I'm not gentle. But listen, somebody says, that man of God is just gentle. You know, I I I will like someone with energy, someone that when they are speaking, that man of God that is gentle is custom made for you. And God has designed that in his gentility.

You will find sense. Because God has seen that your stubbornness, you would need someone who can be that patient and gentle with you. Because you are a goat. Selah. And in other instances, it's not like that. God knows that you would need a strong hand in the mighty hand of God. Because if left alone to your own devices, you will walk like a wanderer. God knows if I bring you to a soft spoken man of God, you only say yes, sir, and smile to destruction. So the man is custom for you. Designed to ensure that the word that can train you and the method of his training.

We don't all train the same way. Even though scripture is how we all train. I'll tell you many stories in this meeting. Many stories. The purpose of the stories is not to call anybody out. I don't do that. It's to bring wisdom and to bring instruction. Thank you, Lord Jesus. You know, I've carried the pain of watching people derail simply because they did not grasp the power and the protection that flows from being rightly aligned on that spiritual authority. And I've watched people derail.

I've watched people think that men of God can be changed the way you change clothes, the way you choose a school. And say, you know what? I'm applying for change of course. I don't I don't really like. Let me do biomedical engineering. That's how we think that God gives us men. That's how we think. And it is the cause that has not been properly thought. That the moment a man's words start speaking to the core of your being, God is saying that I've sent this one to you. Not every man of God has that effect on you.

It is because God has placed a man's word. God has placed your word rather in a man's mouth. That's why when the person speaks, it's as though they are calling... There are times you might not even understand what they are saying. You might be completely lost, but your spirit man is not lost. Your spirit man is responding even in this slumber. And you can sense... You don't know that your spirit respond before your body understands, before your mind understands. The bible says the entrance of your word gives light before it now gives understanding to the simple. In other words, light is the first thing that comes.

And there are times your spirit man will catch that light. And on times your year would... Your mind would still unfruitful. You would still wonder, hey. I'm lost. I'm lost. But you can tell that somebody is talking to a sleeping giant on your inside. And sometimes, the giant can even be awake but living below its potential. And it's as though... That that is how you know, usually.

There is... It's not it's not in dreams and visions even though that can come. Are you with me? Yes. When this is done, it becomes the man's responsibility to then go and understand the principles of spiritual authority so that you can now benefit from the wisdom and the power that flows through it. Because the moment you understand this, the benefit of this doesn't begin to flow just like that. There is now a posture you must take as the receiver. And many times when people don't understand this, they become offended. And they drift away out of God's divine pattern for them. And they don't know that this drifting...

Do you know purpose is not manifested everywhere? Destiny is not fulfilled everywhere. Go and read scriptures, you will find it. Destiny is not fulfilled everywhere. Purpose is not manifested everywhere. There are places of appointment, destiny appointments. There are people you must meet for destiny to be fulfilled. The outside of your meeting with them, you will remain in darkness. I heard a man of God said, I didn't come here by the hand of any man. No man made me, and I laughed.

I laughed. In my spirit, I said, ah, if this man does not repent, that arrogance will bring him down Because it's not true. Apart from the fact that we know the stories, even scripturally, it's not true. Men make men, and God is the one who uses men to make men. That is true. But the only reason why the destiny of Joshua could manifest was because Moses brought him out of Egypt. He would have died a slave. With all the anointing upon Joshua, the anointing to stop son and womb was upon that life. He would have still died a slave. Now somebody tells me, doesn't matter.

So, ah, there are people your life must meet. There are people your destiny must collide with. Your meeting with them is never a mistake. It is true. It's true. The earlier you... Don't put yourself in that delusion that if you didn't come to my life, God would have sent another person. You know, there are times when we want to live in pride because you have gotten offended. You're saying, if not, God God can still use another person. Nobody God cannot use.

When a man starts to speak like that, he has stepped out of the divine order. Usually, it's only a matter of time. If I was gaiasi, I would have stayed regardless. You didn't understand what I just said. You didn't understand what I just said. Do you know how many time the person who sent him away was sent away? Have you thought about that? Like several Elijah told Elijah, go away. God is taking me away. You're not following me.

Oga, what did I do? I have been... All has left you. I've been the only one who is faithful, and you are sending me away. The bible said, no. I would I would continue to go, and he was still going. Three times, the man said, go away. Go away. Go away. Oga stayed.

One time. Because you failed, and you were rebuked and corrected. And the consequence of your rebuke was pronounced over you. You left. Who will now help you? That's the question. You don't understand what I'm saying. Who will now help you? You just know yet the weight of that consequence. Your...

To your fourth generation, leprosy will befall all of them. You would expect this man that even if I'm not gonna be your assistant, take this course away at least. Everywhere he's doing, I will be there. The guy found solace in the palace of a king. He said that storytelling is still a good occupation. He found somebody that was willing to pay him for telling stories. The mouth, he was used to meant to prophesy. It was meant to use to prophesy. Now became a vessel for storytelling and somebody says that it doesn't matter. Not every man is dispensable.

It is true. Patterns revealed in scripture shows us this, that not every man is dispensable. And a lot of times when people derail in such manner, I've had to bear the pain and the hard cry. Sometimes in deep sorrow for them. Not because it affects me in any way. But because I understand the consequence many a times of what they have taken, the path they have taken. But even if it doesn't manifest now, the divine orders cannot be broken. Doesn't mean the person will not get a good job. Okay. As he found himself in the palace.

You didn't get what I'm saying? You know how much his his pay was? He was the king's storyteller. He was the clueless man to the king. He had accommodation, had officials, had... Come on. That's a life everybody wants to live, but destiny has been aborted. And you would not look at him and think that this is a man whose destiny is aborted. Because that... That's a man that want...

That you would want to envy. You mean you are walking in the king's palace. You mean you are the king's right hand man. The king wants to do it, and then he calls you. He says, come on. Wow. What a life. Even though you bought a car right now, I would not know that when we appear in heaven, heaven would ask you. Where is the scroll of this man's destiny? And they would bring a scroll as huge as Gittmon.

And they would say, okay. Which one did he leave out? And they would bring Polar then one page. That in what he was meant to do, it was what he lived out of it. But how about all the accomplishments? It's not written here. Things you must understand today is that not everyone who comes to church, whether DCN or any other church, is necessarily a son or a daughter in that house. We are grateful for everybody who attends. Some people are regular. They've been attending every Tuesday, every Sunday for the past five years, some six years.

I will thank God for their consistency. But attendance is not the same as submission. Just because you show up in church week after week, physically or online, does not mean you are truly planted, does not mean that you are submitted to that ministry. So coming often doesn't automatically equate to covenant alignment. And there are people that think that just because they are coming, Jesus is close. You know that entitlement, that expectation that I... That a man feel as though just because I show up, just because I come, just because I'm around the things of God, means I'm around God, means I know God, means that Jesus and I have a close relationship, means that I am submitted, means that I'm a son. And you cannot be further from the truth. Do you remember that story of Jesus? That every parent had to take their child to the temple as custom demands.

And Jesus would be taken to the temple at the age of 12. And when the parent took him to the temple, he stayed in the temple. And the brethren left him at the temple. Thinking that he was with them. Expecting that he would be with them. You see. And the bible says they walked one full day. And they did not realize that Jesus was not with them. That's his teaching on his own. That's not even where I'm going.

Where I'm going is this. They now had to travel back to the temple and they found him in the temple, learning, receiving. That's not so where I'm going. When they found him, they now asked him a question. They were hungry. They were offended. And in their offense, they said, why have you done this thing to us? Your father and I have sought you so anxiously. You can imagine the pain in their heart and imagine the unrest in their soul. This is your child.

Your child. Who you thought would be with you just because they came with you. You'd expect that it would return with you. That vain expectation, That vain imagination. Many believers have their imagination today. When they met Jesus, Jesus now told them. He didn't even say I'm sorry. He said, don't you know that I should be about... He was surprised they did not know. So don't you know I must be about my father's business?

Shouldn't you know this? He was amazed they did not know. My amazement was the entitlement they had. That just because we came with Jesus means we would return with him. And there are several who has an entitlement. Who think that just because we are around the things of Jesus means that Jesus is also with us. Who think that just because we are closed, we keep on attending services everyday. There is always that assumption that people have. When it comes to Jesus and the way he does his things. Did I assume that because I come to church every Sunday?

I give offerings, I give my tithes. Shouldn't that suggest that there's a level of liberty I already have? I'm a son. I'm a I'm a son. And if graces are being distributed to sons, it should find its way into my life. And when heavens check the record, you are not... They say, hey. His name is not there. Because attendance does not equal submission. Are you with me?

Just because a man shows up every week does not mean that he's planted in that ministry. Does not mean that he's submitted to that ministry. Coming often does not automatically equate covenant alignment. Hebrews chapter 13. Let's see if we can find a place to start. Verse 17. In the amplified translation. There's so many things to see in this one scripture. And we'll try as much as possible to take it one after the other. If this is the only scripture we can do today, stay on it.

Then we'll continue next time. Because there are several scriptures. Like I told you that your understanding must be founded on scriptures. You see, it means you must have in-depth understanding of this thing. So that you can defend it by yourself using scriptures. And so that you can commit yourself to it as well. Can we read the first line or the first four words together? One, two, three, go. You see, you almost passed. Almost, almost.

Let's do it again. The first four words, one, two, three, go. This scripture is rich with revelation. And it is important to highlight a few foundational truths as we go deeper. And the first thing that we must bring out of this scripture even before we talk about the obey part of it. Is spiritual leaders. That means there are spiritual leaders. That's the first thing we must see. The first thing is that you must recognize the existence of spiritual authority. Everyone wants to bring this reality to your awareness.

There is such a thing as a spiritual leader. Someone ordained by God to have rule over you. It all begins with acknowledging this truth. That God has placed someone over your life spiritually. If we cannot agree on this basic principle, then everything else about submission will sound like manipulation, will sound like religious control. Every believer should be under some form of spiritual authority. To be gifted but uncovered is dangerous. To be anointed but unsubmitted is dangerous. Power without accountability is one of the fastest roads to destruction. Because when you are gifted and you don't have some form of authority that you are submitted to, you will self destruct.

You will implode. You're anointed. And you don't have some form of authority. You are talented. You are skilled and you are resourceful. You have influence, and you don't have some form of authority over you. You're self destruct. Because you can be easily deluded by your skill, by your gift, and by your anointing. To think that the world revolves around you. And to think that you cannot be stopped, you cannot be touched solely because you are a man of many possibilities.

And to think that because demons answer to you, life answers to you, and you answer to no one. There's a delusion that comes with being anointed. A delusion that comes with being gifted. A delusion that comes with being powerful. You don't want to listen to anybody because do you know what I can do? Ask Samson. Intelligence without submission, wealth without submission, without accountability can destroy. Ask Solomon can destroy. They came to Samson. They told Samson, didn't you see a wife amongst your peers?

Why are you going to where God said we should not go? Ah. Anointing. What will happen? Untouchable. Did you see how I opened that lion's mouth? What is a woman I cannot control? You are talking like this because when I turn the bone into a weapon, you were not there. If you saw what happened in that meeting, you won't talk like this. This is this me.

I should be careful. Can you imagine that? Power is deceitful. You think you can do anything? Money, influence. The way a man abide with these things can quickly corrode a man's heart. But outside of authority to one who has gone higher than you, To bring you voice of counsel, voice of reason, many will derail. Do you know that this was the reason why David was kept in order? If not, he also had a tendency to add derail. Hey.

The guy looked. He looked. He looked. And behold, there was a woman. Why that woman was batting outside? A full grown woman. I will not know. The kind of heat that cold water could not solve, that you you have to come for the veranda. And the king gazed his eyes on you. And the bible says, in the time when kings go to war, the question was then, oh, king, why are you not in battle?

Was still not an authority that could tell you that, sir, this is the time kings go to war. You should not be seen in your house. But you are a king after all. Are a king after all. How do you tell that man of God I should not counsel women in his room? Do you know the anointing that is upon Now you dare to tell him, please, please, there are men and there are men. The fact that you are weak in an area does not mean all of us are weak in that area. There are some of us called as helped. How about money? How about wealth?

How about influence? That as God begins to lift you, you will think you are humble. You will think you know what humility is. You don't know that it is very close to poverty. You'll never truly know how humble you are until you are lifted. If you have not touched power, never call yourself humble. Tell God to help you. Okay. No. I'm just very humble.

No. Say God is helping me. Yes. Because if you have not touched power, wealth, money, influence, you won't know you can sham at your mother. Somebody who you still sent 200,000 naira last month, and now they are calling you at the... And they are telling you, what is it? We told you to come home, and you are wondering, did you forget to send you money last month? Dude, continue trying this nonsense. I will just block your number. Wait.

Wait. Wait. Wait. This is how we laugh when happens to you. There's a man in scripture called Hasan Hill. You have not heard about it. He laughed just like you are laughing now. Lessons from Hazahil. Hazahil was sent on an errand by a dying king to come and meet a prophet. And the king sent him on an assignment to come and verify whether or not he will live long.

And Azahel was the person that the king found to send on that assignment. And Azahel did not know that God had wired that transaction, that heroin so that he can collide with destiny. The day he got to the prophet, and he said, my king was the one who sent me to verify so and so. Instead of the prophet prophesying about the king, the prophet burst into tears and started crying. Lamenting and traveling in the spirit. And as I stood, he stood confused. And the prophet said, I see. I see. I see that you would become a king. I see that God will anoint you.

Remember, this was a servant, a slave who had not even imagined himself that he can even be a king. He had not thought about the possibility of kingship. This was a slave. Now you meet a prophet who's telling you, I know the evil that you would do to the children of Israel. You mean it, MSG. One, two, three, go everybody. Whoo. See what the prophet said. He said, I know what you are going to do when you become king. You will burn down the forks of the people of God.

You will murder their youth. You will smash their babies. You will rip open their pregnant women. What you are describing is not a man. This is a beast. This is an animal. Look at what this man replied. He said he said, next to us. Am I a mongrel dog so that I will do such a horrible thing? And God showed me, said Elijah, that you will be king of haram.

Not God showed me that you will do these things in reply. God showed me that you will be king. In other words, you won't do it until you become a king. Kingship will reveal that you are truly a mongrel dog. The fact that you are still a slave has deluded you to think you are humble. You become a king, and you will not know what is hidden deep within that is waiting to manifest. Power without submission can destroy. I would expect that this man will bow down and start crying and say these things must not be. This thing must not be. Why do you think God sent you to Elisha?

Was it just to hear a negative prophecy and go back? No. There is a posture you must then take and say, prophet of God, what must I do? This thief must not happen. God has brought you to that man as a means of destiny collision. But the fact that you are present doesn't mean you are planted. The fact that you heard the word doesn't mean you are submitted. There are people that when God bless them, they will forget that they had a pastor that was speaking over them when they had nothing in their pocket. And the moment money... If you see the kind of message they will send you, as a man of God, if you allow those things enter your heart, the day their true self is revealed, you will commit suicide.

Because somebody will tell you, sir, you are the you are the man that God has placed over me. You are the the word of my destiny. Sometimes you have to correct people and say, no. No. No. It's God you should... It's God oh. But no, sir. I know. But without you, what...

This man is still struggling. He's still struggling. God is still opening. He's coming to church. Let the doors open. In Hebrews 13 verse 17, there was a word that was used. Reading. Obey your spiritual leaders. Submit to them recognizing that their their authority over you. The Greek word that is translated authority, rule here, Is the word?

Ichiyomai. And it means one who has gone ahead of you. This is divine ranking. It means God honors and respects spiritual progress, spiritual experience, and order in his kingdom. So when the bible says obey those who have rule over you, it is essentially saying, submit to those who have worked ahead of you in the Lord. Follow those who carry experience with God that you have not yet gained. So follow those who there are dimensions in God that have been revealed to them that your destiny needs, that you have not yet found. Follow those who have touched depths in God, who understand the ways of God. They have the doctrine to show for it, the truth to show for it, and the experiences, even the results to show for it. Who have gone ahead of you, the Bible says.

Spiritual authority, therefore, refers to God ordained leadership in the body of Christ. Individuals appointed to oversee, to guide, to nurture, and to protect the spiritual journey of others. Just as God places authority in families, in governments, in workplaces, he also places authority in the church to preserve order, to ensure growth, to safeguard destinies, to monitor destiny accomplishment, destiny manifestation, to ensure that destiny has reached the height of their potential. Hear me? Do you remember? When the destiny of Elisha was to manifest, when the destiny of Jehu was to manifest, God, even as are he, do you remember this as I? God told Elijah. Go and anoint Elijah. James, who was that person? Have you found it?

Do you know that Elijah never anointed Azahir? So Azahel was still ignorant. Do you know Elijah never anointed Job? The only person Elijah anointed was Elisha. It was Elisha's responsibility to now activate the spirit of Elijah rested upon Elisha. It was Elisha's responsibility to now activate the ministry of Jebul and Azahel. In the same way that Elijah activated the ministry of Elijah. So Elijah, how do you think how to activate that ministry? Through a pattern of followership and submission. So much so, when the king...

Then when the four kings came together and they wanted to describe Elijah, they said, who is that prophet that used to pour water on the hands of Elijah? That was how they remembered Elijah. That this man served Elijah. That was to be what Jain and Azaheel was to do. In the day that Azahil met Elisha. In the day that destiny was being written. And God brought this man to his handser. Followership was to start. Submission was to begin to curb that tendency, to trim the excesses. But the man went back with offense.

He said, are you calling me a dog? What he went back with was offense. Someone who has gone ahead of you, spiritually speaking. If the person that you are under has not truly gone ahead of you, if their walk with God is not deeper than yours, then let me see it's not under the wrong covering. Because for it to be a covering, the person must have gone ahead of you. That is why not everybody qualifies to be a spiritual father. And it puts a burden on whoever is an authority. Because if you remain still in your walk with God and those whom you have been called to raise have now risen in heights of hunger And depth in God. That you no longer have sufficient strength and capacity. To satisfy.

Because you have refused to grow in your work with God. You no longer have the authority to lead those people. I won't say more than that. But you must ask yourself a question. Am I even mature enough to discern that they have outgrown this ministry? Or is it just pride that is speaking? Could it be that you are misjudging your own weight in the spirit? That is why the scripture warns us in second Corinthians 13 verse five. Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith. Because spiritual deception is very subtle.

The moment you become familiar with spiritual things, it is easy to assume you are standing when in fact we may have drifted. But that's not my... That's not where I'm going. So scripture make it clear that there are those that rule over you. That not so? They are not just respected voices of familiar faces. They are men and women of God whom God has divinely appointed. Those who have gone ahead of you spiritually, who carry the responsibility for your growth, for your preservation, and your destiny fulfillment. You are not equal with everybody. There are people whom heaven has authorized to carry influence over your life.

People's instructions are not suggestions. But spiritual tools for your development. So what does God say? God says, don't just relate with them casually. God says, obey them. God says, submit to them. Obey them. Submit to them. So the first is recognize that there are spiritual leaders. When you do, submit to them.

When you do, obey them. The Bible says, submit yourselves. Submit yourselves. Are you with me? Submit yourselves. Don't submit just in the name. Don't submit just in the appearance of it. Give me an amplified. Watch this. The amplified.

Obey your spirit leaders, submit to them, recognizing the authority over you for they are keeping watch over your souls and continually guarding your spiritual welfare as those who will give account of their stewardship of you. They are continually guarding. They are continually guarding. That means give me the... Do you a AMPC? That's what I'm looking for. Can we read it together? One, three, go. First, did you see continually recognizing their authority over you? It means there is something you must continually recognize.

It is not a one time thing. It is not occasionally, not conditionally. It says continually, consistently, recognize that this is an authority God has placed over me for my building, for my growth, for my edification, for my comfort. This is my authority. And the bible says, you have a responsibility to continually recognize that. Continually see it. Because it means if you don't intentionally continually recognize the authority over you, a day will come. You will forget it. You think that just because there are now having results in your life, results that they have been praying for, results that they have been ordained to ensure that it manifest in your life. When the result now comes, you'll not think that the result now makes you meet.

I've seen someone who spoke down on his pastor just because he bought a car. Human beings will amaze you. My prayer is that may you not amaze yourself. Do you understand that prayer? When David found out that there are many things that this guy is starting to observe in himself that he never thought was there. Because when he was in the wilderness, he wasn't chasing anybody's wife. When he was in the Cave Of Hadulah, he wasn't chasing anybody's wife. All of a sudden, he becomes a king, and he realizes that I can kill somebody for a woman. He says in Psalm one one five, he says, search my heart. It mean there are hidden tendencies I don't even know are there.

Search my heart. Search my heart. Search my heart. Know my inward parts, he says. There are people that God has authorized to carry influence over your life. And for those people, their instructions are not suggestions. Their instructions are spiritual tools for your development. Submit to them the Lord says. Not conditionally, continually. Selective submission is not submission.

Because we now live in an era where many only submit when it suits them to submit. As long as the pastor's words affirm their choices, they are fine. As long as they are applauded, as long as they are promoted, they are fine. They are loyal. But the moment correction comes, the moment a rebuke exposes a wrong pattern in their lives. The moment their actions are questioned and accountability is demanded, then they vanish. They start searching for another pastor who doesn't know their errors. So they begin their journey of spiritual escapism. Church upping. Not because they are seeking truth, but because they are running away from accountability.

And I'll tell people, if you want to know those who are your sons, if you want to know those who are your daughters, rebook them. Don't clap for them. Rebook them. Collection will reveal those who truly belong. Because a true son does not run from collection. It grows through collection. It develops, it matures through correction. You you know I was on, I was teaching here on Sunday. And I saw some people laughing somewhere there. And I told them, if that laughter is not as it pertains to what I'm teaching, you are better rebuke that devil.

Do you know that thing can cause offense in somebody's heart? And say, how will I come to church? How will I? You are not one of us. You can go. Because if I cannot correct you, your coming here is a waste. It means you are not submitted. It means you are not what now? Did you see that woman that shared testimony from time ago in a particular church? And the man of God wanted to verify the authenticity of her testimony because she wasn't sounding like a testimony.

And I understood. Because the man... You see, if the man of God had not done that, it is still the same people that will come and say they are lying on the pulpit. They are stage managing miracles. And the man of God wanted to be secure. Are you sure that this thing you are saying is true? And corrected and rebuke his own flock. You who is not your business, you are not of that fold. He's not your father. He no concern you.

He's not your church, but you have an opinion. Thunder is doing push push up. See, thunder thunder is working out. You see, I'm coming. I'm coming. It's just a matter of time. Because this is meant to be a family business. I should be able to The bible says they have rule over you. What the man of God did was done in righteousness. However, way he chose to collect his own son is not your business.

The woman came and said, please mind your business. Is my father. Everybody All of them said, mind your business. The following day, she was in church dancing again. I said, that's his son. Do you know what it means to be corrected in the front of over 100,000 people? That's how you know songs. Songs. She would have used that thing as an avenue for cheap cheap popularity. Granted media interviews, she would have appeared on Tanners television.

You know these churches, you have to be careful. Cheap pop, she would have had 30,000 followers. He said, we support your truth. We support your truth. You're the voice of the masses. There are many people who have been oppressed in church who cannot speak, but you're bold enough to speak. Who? Somebody would even say send you account. Let me give you 10,000,000. You don't know this.

When the devil wants to encourage rebellion, he does it wholeheartedly. The devil does not mind resources when he's pushing his agenda. When he sees that somebody is derelling, the question he's asking is how do we encourage him? Who? He said how do we how do we... Doesn't he need money? Come and get people to support him. And when that derailing man comes to the church and the pastor now tells him, no, man. You are derailing. Because how dare you tell me I'm derailing when the devil has been encouraging me?

Do you know how many people are are pushing me on? And now you're a minister of the gospel, and your pastor is telling you that the fact the the fact that you are now gaining influence as a music minister does not mean that you're no longer a worker in church. Why are you missing services? To harmony... Are you are you not... Have you forgotten that you must be pastor? Or have you become a pastor? When did you receive a call? For about two months, we have not seen you in church. Say, I'm but, sir, I'm in several churches.

Wherever I go to minister, am there. I'm listening to the gospel. This is not the way of God. This is not the pattern. And they will reveal the scripture. You say, you are against my popularity. This is what we are rearing in the body of Christ. And if the voice of truth is silenced, we will raise calamities in the name of members. Calamities. Wherever we have would no longer be church growth.

It will be church migration. People would hold, there will be an influx of members out of a particular denomination just because the man of God said something that their fans did not like. How do you now know that this is not a son? But they come every day. Come every Sunday. I will be putting at me there last time, and a man of God, popular man of God, all this popular man of God said something. And somebody tweeted under that post. He said, what? I can't believe my pastor said this. This is the last time I will be in this church.

I'm so disappointed considering I've been coming here for the past three years. May you not come here. I rebook. I reject you. That is not the kind of church growth I want. Never. Never. I was talking to somebody in the previous election. And I was telling him, we're just having a conversation. And the person looked reasonable to some extent in the way he was talking to me.

So I felt, let me share with you beyond the logical positions on this election. Let me show you what God has told me. And I began to speak. I should have kept quiet. I I don't know who sent me. It didn't end well. So I mind my business, and then the election was over. The person that he wanted was in power. It was not three months after the guy came on his status. He said, I regret ever vouching for this person.

I entered I just put three question mark and left the deal. On what instances, you don't have to speak much. You just... Three question marks can communicate a large message. Three question marks. And off I went, he understood. He he he understood what I meant. You know what he told me? He says, then I did not know better. And I was thinking that what if...

What just what if? What if this was a member of mine? Who understood logic? And to him, logic made sense. And I'm trying to bring him the counsel of God. And he has rationed logic above the wisdom of the spirit. And he looks at me and says that what I'm saying is not wise. Is that his son really? Are you with me, brothers and sisters? So I said collection will reveal who truly belongs.

It's not applaud and fanfare and promotion that will show us who is with us. It's not, ah, let's clap though. Let's let's clap for brother Judas. You know, he has he has been such a good brother. You know, did you see what he did last Sunday? My goodness. Judas, you need to promote your craft. In case you are... You need so and so, Judas is doing that. And then Judas is more loyal because pastor is always encouraging me, always speaking about me.

That's not how you know sons. Let pastor call Judas and say, I heard you did that and that and that. Stay Hebrews chapter 12. AMPC. Let's read it. One, two, three. Go. First, must submit to correction. And endure. Did you see that the Bible put endure behind correction?

Because correction is not always pleasant. And the Bible says that there are times when you will not, you will not be happy truth is endurance. As though somebody is wiping you cold. And you are enduring. Collection. What does the bible say? For God is dealing with you as with sons. In other words, how you know sons are those that can endure correction? How sons are revealed is in their endurance to correction. Not in the celebration and in their blood.

There are people that we have told that, ah, with this, I'm seeing you're you're not fit to be a leader. And we kick them off leadership. Say, one, learn. Then when we see that you are ready, they have brought in offense and they have left the church. You know why? Because they cannot endure the fact that the shame that this... Everybody now has no need to be a leader. Now people that have given instructions to, who I have taught scriptures. That's because I did one thing or the other. You know, remove me from that position.

Now they are not the ones who are teaching me scriptures. I'm not telling them, yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. Now the person I taught scripture is not telling me, have you submitted your assignment? I'm not getting this. Bible says correction must be endured because there's a making. There is something that it comes to do. This is the equipping of believers. Hence why I chose a Tuesday to teach this. Correction must be endured.

It won't occur well with you, but you will endure it and endure it with a good heart. What will offence in your heart even while you are enduring? We had meeting, and the meeting was a workers' meeting. And it was a very important because it only holds three times in one year. The beginning of the year, the middle of the year, and the end of the year. We were holding one of them. It's where we come and stretch ourselves in prayers. Stretch ourselves in the word. Stretch ourselves in the spirit. Compulsory for everybody who is a worker.

And some people vanished. And the moment they vanished, I said, what was the reason for the vanishing? And I was hearing different things. So they told me that for some of them, one said I had a... I had one church program that my friend invited me to to attend. If you don't speak your Bible, I'm saying that. God bless you. Stay with me. And so many people gave several reasons. And I told all of them, please remove these people from the workforce.

Let them come as members. They are not fit for service. Oh, drama. Offense. Bitterness. Why will they remove me? Why would they remove me? If you don't understand me, don't worry. Don't worry. You are you are still okay.

You are still okay. There's no way to translate these things. Stay with me. Three people, the most, not the workforce, left the ministry, register their presence in other churches. I said, if they can leave this church for this reason, they will leave for even less dear. I'm not... I don't feel bad when first people leave. Except they hear things like this that corrects the state of their heart, that makes them know that I am wrong, and then they repent and come before the Lord. Because it means you cannot endure correction. Those three weren't the only ones that were removed.

There were others. And they would come the look at them and say, put them back. Put this person. See a person. Others were angry. They felt entitled. They felt as though we hold them explanation. Some were saying, why could they not explain to me why they removed me? Why could you not ask why they removed you? Since you are so humble and you can teach us how ministry is conducted, why could you not ask?

God is correcting people. Why could you not ask? The bible says, you must submit to correction. You must endure correction. For when you do so, God is dealing with you as sons. As sons. The correction will come through men. Men who have become spiritual leaders over you. That's why in Hebrews 13, the context become... Submit to your spiritual leaders.

Can you see the context? Yes, sir. Yes. Yes. My goodness. So much to discuss. Goes on further. Please return back to Hebrews 12. He goes on further to warn us in verse eight. He says, now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline, in which all are of God's children share.

Give me an LT. You need to understand it. One two three, go. This is serious. What God will use meant to correct you, it is the spiritual leader God has placed over you that will bring the discipline and correction. And the bible says if this is not done, it means you are not a son at all. You are not submitted at all. That's the mean of this. At all. The bible says, God disciplines all his sons.

He corrects all his sons. It's not it's not a strange thing for you. You won't be the first person to be rebuked. You won't be the first person to be rebuked. I told some people who wanted to enter into a relationship that no. No. You would not hinder. I told one of the parties involved. I said, to begin with, if you are submitted, I should be involved in this process. After all, I was the one who gave the counsel.

And who taught you? And if both of you are children, you know, she's been involved in this process. This thing will not work for reasons so and so and so and so. The pattern that you have allowed yourself to step into is not God's pattern for building godly homes. And if I allow for it, it means I've blessed that pattern. You must first learn the discipline of conformity. No. What a son will do is understand that if the father loves you, father will correct. The father will discipline. He's not new to anybody.

You can't imagine the investment of love and correction prior to this moment. You can't imagine the messages of appreciation prior to this moment. You can't imagine the stories of building prior to this moment. Because apostle would not agree with this union. Then they said bye bye. To apostle and the ministry. And if you live like that, there's no problem. I'm not hungry with you. I love you genuinely. I still pray for you.

I'm not concerned and worried about the consequence of that decision. And the young man told me, he said, whatever the consequence may be, let me bear it. My heart broke because I saw I saw... My eyes opened and I saw That this young man don't understand the weight of what he has said. That demons wait for such careless utterances. The Lord. Will do it. I do it was pain I felt. No hunger, concern, worry. Then report gets to me that these loving people, one of them would go around telling everybody that that you're a liar apostle.

Who said God was the one that showed him so and so? Whereas just... That's not necessary. The bible says that it is not a good thing to drink from a well. And then because you are done drinking, now disturb the well for others that want to come and drink from the same well. It's a terrible thing to do. It's a terrible thing to do. We're not of those who curse children. We don't curse. We build.

So regardless of whatever anybody does or says about me, you would never hear a negative pronouncement from me. Never. Never. It just shows that these are children without understanding. At best, that is what it shows. Children without understanding. That if the reason why you leave a church is because they corrected you, go back. You are not supposed to be here. You are a rebel. Do you understand what I'm saying?

I told a daughter of mine many years ago. Somebody called me. In that moment, she was in a relationship, but even that relationship was at the verge of collapse, which I was aware of. Then somebody called me and told me, a pastor friend of mine called me and told me that I have a pastor friend of his who is interested in this daughter of mine. And there are many things I know, not prophetically. I know by knowledge relating with those people that none of mine must end up there. Then they told me, I know that who I I love and respect and honor. So I couldn't tell them that none of mine... No. No.

Listen. It's profitable to direct. So I told them... I said, oh, she's in a relationship at the moment. And three days after I said that, the person who comes with me and interest had entered into a relationship with another sister. I was thanking God. I said, oh. That means that the vision was not so accurate because they told me that they saw a vision. I thank God, and then they continued like that. Then this one had ended.

This... My other daughter's phone had ended. Then about eight months after or so, we're in a confrontation with this man of God and the man of God who is interested, who is in a relationship. And it just came out of my mouth. Oh, it didn't come out. They asked. How about this your daughter? And I said, oh, the... She's no longer in a relationship. The guy broke up.

And immediately, my eyes opened. Immediately. And I saw the brother that I saw vision that is not in relationship go to the girl who in relationship with, ended it, come to my daughter, and said, I heard you're no longer in the relationship. I want to marry you. I just saw it for like a brief second. And the holy spirit told me, if they can leave someone for you, they will leave you for someone. Holy spirit told me, listen. Immediately I saw it, I said, alright. I called my pastor. I told...

This is what I saw. This is what I saw. The pastor said,. And she handled it. Okay. I called my daughter and said, this is what I saw. And I told her, word for word, everything that happened. And I said, apostle, thank you so much, sir. Thank you so much, sir. In my mind, I think...

I thought that that thing I'd seen, I think, will not happen immediately, at least. Say, like, two or three months for that thing to build up. You shall find reasons to break up. Did you know that break up? Was a day after. Hear me? Hear me? A day after that they broke... They just called me, and they're reporting this girl that had been a saint all along. She cannot cook.

She cannot work. She cannot serve. She cannot diss. She's not loyal in the church. She's not Three hours after, we have ended it. I called my daughter. I said, remember what I told you. Because I still felt at least it will take some time. The second day, this man was in my dad's house with a ring. You hear me?

Please listen. Listen. Don't get carried away. I'm teaching. So don't get carried away. I proposed marriage. I say, ah, you first build friendship. You first know yourself. You first nothing of such. I was a man on an assignment.

And they called me just three days after. This person had gone to this person's house. They have proposed. They're expecting a reply. They're expecting a response. And tells her, can you see how much they value me? They left somebody for me. The revelation to pick from that wasn't that your authority has instructed you. It is how how pleasant it is that you feel valued in that somebody can leave another for you. I did not see anyone inside in that.

To call long closure, she entered into a relationship, left the ministry, left the patch, left the workforce. Used to be an HOD, left all responsibilities committed to her and entered into the relationship. And we are building towards marriage. Six months after, the pastor called me, What for what? Listen. Don't give any reaction. Just relax. Don't shout. Just listen to me. Six months after, the pastor calls me and tells me, do you know, speaking about the daughter of mine, is a foolish girl.

Is a foolish girl? We have handed the... We have handed it, and we ended it in church publicly. And we have also prayed for her that the same way she has scattered our life, she will build on somebody who will scatter it. This was someone that used to be subject to me that somebody's speaking curses over. I would expect that, actually, they sent away shamefully, the way they treat a witch. I'm not joking to you. I I would step back. Okay. Alright.

So you come back home. No. We reached out, and she blocked everybody's numbers. I don't know if it was shame or whatever. What that does to me is not I told you so. It's pain. It's pain. It's pain because these are people that God has committed to us who decide to go their home path thinking that they know. Thinking that they know. Someone came to me so many years ago, and the person came to me.

And the person told me that he has 4,000,000 that he wanted to invest. And as he said it, he came strongly in my spirit to ask him how the money came to be. And he told me, explained his business, none of that. And I found out that this was what he had saved. He had massive discipline in savings. This was what he had saved for ten years in his business. He was quite elderly. Ten years for formula. And it kept so strong in my heart. I should tell him that you don't do what he wants to do.

I told him, don't do that thing that you want to do. Don't do it. He said, how? The how already communicated to me, and I didn't come to hear my opinion. It just came for prayer. Just speak. I already have what I want to do. Just bless it. That is the heart of many people in the church, and they feel as though they are a part of us. No.

You can be attending, but you are not submitted. You're not submitted Because the world has no authority over you. And this is the reason why when inheritances are being distributed, when blessings are being thrown upon people, you'll find that the amount of testimony is never commensurate to the crowd. You're not getting what I'm saying. Because you wonder, the same grace is doing this. He's doing that. He's doing this. He's doing that. Because there's a there's a there's a protocol for destiny fulfillment, For how spirits are transferred. There's a protocol.

The result, somebody they used to get, you would know that this is not because prayer was answered. This is destiny being filled. This is an experience, not an event. This person has stepped into a reality they cannot come out of again. It's not a one time thing. Do you understand what I'm saying? I told him. I said, if this is... Go on. Give this amount of money to whoever your heart honors, I told him.

He left. I met him one year after. You can't imagine how he was looking. I asked him, what happened? He said he invested or he invested. I said, okay. So? He said, ah, they carry my money. God is helping us. I...

You know, you would not want to make it seem as though I'm wrong. You know, we could make him as soon as though... Because men are their ego. And I too don't want to... My joy is not that I want to be right. So I would not say, like I told you, it's pain. This is not what should have been. This is not what should have been. It's not your choice. You still want to sow and say, I'm not speaking word that anything will happen.

God, I I will not be manipulated to prophesy. I will tell you what God has told me. Otherwise, I will not speak. My prophesying is not is not wired to what you want. Many people have come and met me, and I know that. But I've I've seen I see the rate of their submission, and I know I can't tell this person what I'm seeing. So I'll just say, father, let your will be done. But you can... You won't you won't hold me against my word. You will not say, apostle, but you prophesied.

I did not prophesy. I said, let father's will be done. Was... Whatever you saw was God's will. And whether you will feel as though, I'm... It's not... That's your business. There are several men of God. The lady went ahead to other men of God. She even left also offended.

It would amaze you what can offend people. It will amaze you. It will amaze you. What can offend people? Somebody came to me and said, you wanted to submit to me as his project daughter. And And I told the person, are you convinced about this? Do you know the meaning of what you're saying? Go and pray. What you are saying means that I've become authority over you. Go and think about what I've just said.

Go and pray. I'm not accepted. He went and came back. Sir, I am so sure. I said, okay. I hold her hands. I prayed over her. And she told me, she said, sir, I have so and so and so boyfriend, whatever, whatever. I said, how old are you? I'm not even up to so and so age.

Man, you already have a boyfriend. Do you remember what I told you was the consequence of spiritual authority? You know, told it to, wow. You're sure that you really wanted that? Jesus. I'm Okay. Alright. How long old has are this been going on? I've been going on for this and that and that. So I even I even think that you can even pray for him.

Okay. Okay. If you if you... I won't tell my story again. Then I was meant to meet with someone during the week. I don't know how miraculously I interchanged them, And I told the protocol to reach out to her instead of the person I intended to meet. I don't even know how. I just confused. So she just appeared because I was in chapel to meet with people, and she just appeared. Was talking, my eyes opened.

And I saw this young person with a man. I said, where were you yesterday? Where were you? Yes, sir. I was with a man. I was after many alone in the house? Yes. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. What is?

End that thing now. Remember what you signed up for. Do you still remember what you signed up for? We now... And she and she obeyed. She obeyed. We now came for a meeting, an online meeting. And I was talking, I said, if you are a spiritual son, you must obey the instructions no matter how difficult it is. Like a lady now, like one of my daughters here, oh, I gave an instruction to stop what she's doing, and she did. She became angry that I used her as an example and left the church.

Testimony oh. She said, how will apostle and left and started telling everybody who a fake man of God is and who is a genuine man of God is. It will amaze you. What kind of offend people? It will amaze you. But at the same time, I understand that these are children. These are children. These are children. Every man of God has a story just like this. Every man of God.

People you have labored on. Somebody came. They have been having sickness and infirmity. They came here and the sickness was healed immediately. The person came and heard testimony. Powerful testimony. After this thing, I said, God has multiplied you. God has brought you increase. God brought increase. God multiplied.

Then the person came and told somebody in the church and said, see, see, see. I'm not doing that to your apostle again. Say, why? He said, wow. You know, every time I I I move faster when I'm not in the church. So every time I come to the church, you know, things just don't work out for me. Say, yeah, so I I... See, I've gotten here by my prayer and fasting. I know what God does to a man who can pray and fast. If you can just wait on God.

Let me now say, what you shared testimonies? Just don't... I was not saying all those things so that they would just feel as though it's them that he's doing it. Lie not. I lie not. It's not easy to be a man of God. I prayed. I prayed before I came, and the reason police said I should talk. That's why I'm talking. Otherwise, you would not...

You would never have known all of this. This is one... This is 0.01% of what we see. Some of these stories I've even shared is 0.001% of how it happened. But I can't even see it. There are worse than this. Worse than this. What's than this? But there are several testimonies as well. Testimonies of how it shows that it pays to listen to the voice of the prophet.

People have been preserved. People have multiplied. People have experienced increase. Wow. And people continue to experience increase. There are people I can give microphones to listening to me online, following me online right now. People who are here even. If we tell them speak, they would not be able to stop speaking. They would not be able to stop speaking. Somebody was with me some time ago, and I held the person's hand.

And I saw in my spirit that I was in an errand plane traveling, and the person was beside me. And God told me, hold him tightly. He will walk the heads with you. I looked at him. I said, my goodness. I've never seen this before about anybody. I told him, I said, your heart is genuine. Cut that heart diligently. I never told him what I saw. If I meet people that go against the pattern of God and their life becomes better for it, I would apologize to them for teaching them wrongly.

But I've not met one. I've not. It's always pitiable stories of unpitiable stories. What should have been? That was not. And usually because some people just could not. The the chief reason is because correction could not be endured. Discipline could not be endured. The process by which God makes men. So you agree with the man until he challenges your belief.

Until he confronts your way of life. Until he tells you this way you are living will lead to doom. You are every other thing. You don't have a problem. But when accountability is demanded from you, then it becomes an issue. Check your heart. Check your heart. Because if this remains so, you will find out that you would never take off the blessings of fatherhood. Because genuine submission requires collection, requires chastisement, and requires restoration. If you cannot endure this, you are not truly submitted.

You are simply renting space in the ministry. Submission is not proven in comfort. It is proven in your response to rebuke. Not when your name is celebrated, but when your heart is challenged. If you truly belong to a house, then stay stay planted there through the process that makes songs even when it hurts. Glory to god. There are people that if I left them in their error, are you with me? Yes, sir. They will still be coming to church. They will still have been consistent, showing up in every service, clapping, shouting, amen.

If I had lost left, if we had not spoken about their way of life. If I've not confronted them and told and told them, you won't do this. You can't live like this. If I just left them alone, they will still be in church. Showing up every Sunday. But submission is not measured by how consistently somebody attends church. Submission is only proven when correction comes. If you cannot endure correction, if you walk away the moment you are lovingly confronted, if you start maligning the same voice that once blessed you, then your submission was never real. Wasn't... Was never real.

It's not about how much you serve, how much you shout, how much you attend. No. No. No. No. No. The real test is, can you stay even when your hero is exposed? Can you humble yourself when your spiritual authority collect you in love? What do mean is public rebuke? Somebody has left church because before, because somebody said, the man of God said you are sleeping, stand up.

You, you are sleeping, stand up. You've almost said they harass me. Many are loyal until they are confronted, until they are corrected, until they are rebuked. They honor the altar until the altar ask for change. They celebrate the message until this message confronts their bondage. But the bible says if you are without chastisement, fare off all of us are partakers. Then you are bastards and not sons. King James version. Bastards and not sons. Collection is not rejection.

It is proof of sonship. God chastises those whom he loves. And a true father will never sit back and watch you self destruct silently just because he wants your validation. No. It is people who are insecure that seeks the validation of those who are not loyal. Are you with me brothers and sisters? Not everyone who is present is planted. Not everyone who is in this ministry is submitted to this ministry. And this is why God brings us this charge. That if you would want to see the manifestation of that which has been declared, then be submitted, then be planted.

And in being planted is understanding, realizing first that God has placed a voice of authority over you. And that voice can correct. That voice can rebuke. That voice can instruct. That voice can inspire. That voice can prophesy. That voice can pray. You don't get to choose. The responsibility of the voice is to do all. To do what now?

To do all. There are those that submit privately but deny it publicly. You know, I've had men of God come to me. Some of them leading ministries, and they visit me in private and then they call me their spiritual father. And they save it. Sometimes you can even sense sincerity by by using declaring this in private, but outside, never, silence. They won't say it on the pulpit, they won't say it on stage. They won't acknowledge it to anybody when asked. When the spotlight, when the spotlight is on them, the honor disappears. And I'm reminded of the words of Jesus.

In Matthew 10 verse 23, Jesus said, if you deny me before men, I will deny you before my father. Some people ask me, is that your spiritual son? My response will be, I don't know him oh. Don't waste your energy chasing validation from people who don't value you. I do not. I don't even waste my time on people that don't value me or value my words. I value myself. I do not place myself cheap in anybody's hands. There are many invitations we have received in this year to come preach even outside of the country. I would not go for.

Not looking for platforms. God has blessed us to a large extent. If I wanted to preach any day, I will go there by myself, organize a meeting and go there. The responsibility of son is honor. Honor publicly. Honor privately. And if this is the voice that God has placed over me, I'm proud of that voice. I can speak boldly and publicly about that voice. There's no shame in it. That's why you know that you have placed value on it.

Are you with me? There are people who are ready to pay the price of submission. So why chase people who don't value you? When I say price, I don't say I'm not cover money. I'm talking about the price of honor, of service, of sacrificing. Glory to God. Amen. So if you are submitting this house, learn the way of honor. Honor the voice God has placed over you. Learn the path of honor.

If you don't know honor, go and listen to messages on honor. There are lots of messages on it on telegram. On telegram. Go and listen to honor. Understand what honor is. Because if you're submitted, that is how you receive of that grace. That's how you receive of that grace. I've spoken about correction. Now honor. But my time is up.

So we'll probably talk about that later. So many things we've not even touched yet. So many things. Because we have only unpacked the first four words. In Hebrews 13. Can you rise up on your feet? Can you tell God to search your heart like the prayer that David prayed? In Psalm one one five. David prayed a prayer. He said, search my heart.

Psalm one three nine, sorry. Search my heart. He says, know my heart. Know my thoughts. Search me thoroughly. The next mass says, if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, then lead me not into the way everlasting. Remove it. Can you pray that prayer? Search me. Search me.

Search me. Search me. 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. You can follow us on Facebook at disciples christian network. You can also join our telegram page at dcn media for more messages by apostle Emmanuel. If you have a testimony from this you can mail us at disciplecn@gmail.com. God bless you.