Transcript: The Altar of Sacrifice
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. In 2019, I had an encounter with God. In that encounter, I saw a multitude of people. I couldn't see the hand of that crowd. There was so much, all clothed in golden and purple linen representing royalty. I saw people of all diversities, all complexions.
I saw people from all ethnicity, countries, different tribes, different languages, blacks, whites, Asians, Arabs, everyone just bowing down, praising God, bowing down, praising God, and I saw crowns on their head. And I saw them dancing, singing, rejoicing, everybody being a baby in the presence of God. Almost as though somebody promised everyone some amount of money. It was it was palpable. The joy was palpable. The worship was palpable. The presence was thick even as they were there. So amazing what I saw. And whilst I look at the podium, I saw flats of the Disciples Christian Network. God told me, he said, I've not called you to raise members.
I've called you to raise men. There is a difference between members and men. In acts of apostles chapter six, when there was a dispute as the church started to grow, the bible says, the apostles said unto the people to look within themselves, seven individuals of good report, seven individuals that were full of the spirit, that had the wisdom of God whom they may appoint over this business. But as for them, they would give themselves continually to the ministry of prayer and to the ministry of the word. The bible says that the same pleased the people. And when the same pleased the people, they chose Stephen. Now look at the qualities that they were looking for. They were looking for men of good report. They were looking for men that were full of the spirit. They were looking for men that was full of wisdom, good report, integrity, full of the spirit, and full of wisdom.
These were serious qualifications that they were looking for. And in the next verse, when the saying please the people, the bible says they chose Stephen. In other words, the moment they heard what they said, they just chose men. They didn't they didn't they didn't go and pray about it. They didn't go and consult the holy spirit to say, who should we choose? They just chose men. In other words, everybody there could have been chosen. Though what placed a limitation on who was chosen was because the apostles asked for seven. It means if they had if they had asked for 27, they would have given them 27. What surprised me the most is that there was no serious deliberation that was done.
They just chose men. This is what it means to have a congregation of men. It means at any point, any responsibility arises that we need men full of the spirit, full of wisdom, there are men available. We are not short staffed, and God is not short staffed. Heaven is not short staffed. With respect to sendable men, the glory of a church is not in the sitting capacity. It is in the sending capacity. It is in how many men have been raised worthy of being sent on kingdom assignment and kingdom responsibility. And so the problem with the churches that we have is that we have many members, and we glory in the members that we have. But when God comes to that church to look for men to send, it can't find men to send.
He doesn't find men to send. There are no sendable men. And so in Ezekiel, the bible says I sought for a man. I sought for a man. You would see God always looking for men to send. I sought for a man. In Isaiah, the bible says, who shall I send? That was God asking immortals a question, who shall I send? Because when it comes to the dealings of God with men, God will always need men to represent his will, to represent his counsel, his agenda on the face of the earth. There is a scarcity of sendable men, a scarcity of usable men.
Because largely in the church, we raise infants and not men. One of the problems or one of the causes of this is that as a man of God, there can be this temptation in order to allow for more people into the church. We we we liquefy... We liquefy our message. In other words, what makes you a man of God worth listening to is because like a seed you have implanted. You have bone roots in God, and you have grown like a mighty tree that people cannot come and feed from. So when people come to feed from us, what we do is that we offer them the fruits of the tree, and the fruit of the tree is always very sweet. When you offer people the fruit of the tree, you make them dependent on the tree. The assignment is not to make you dependent on the tree. The assignment is to make you trees yourself that other men can depend on.
It means if this will be so, we'll not only give you fruit, we'll give you we'll give you the seed as well. If you have ever taken off the seed, you know the seed is always bitter. In other words, there are times where the method is truly bitter, but that is what the man needs to become a tree. So the man of God leaves out basis of his process, and he tells people God is blessing you. God is lifting you. And they accept these things, but never become vessels that God can use themselves becoming trees of righteousness. That nations can come and take out of what God has invested in them. Our vision, however, is that I'm... It doesn't matter how many we'll become. A thousand, 5,000, 10,000 as God begins to increase us.
Even as we become the largest cartoon of young people in Nigeria, it won't be just for the glory of the numbers. No. It will be that there are usable and sendable men that God has found amidst us. That if perhaps he's looking for someone to send in the politics, if looking for someone to send entertainment, someone to send to ministry, for someone to send as an evangelist at the missionary, there are men that have been built. Are you with me? Hence, we give ourselves to trainings. Hence, we give ourselves to be, you know, trained, to be built, to be molded, to be pruned. To be pruned. Do you know that pruning is not always a sweet process? It's cutting away excesses in the leaves.
And God says when I see that you are bearing fruits, one of the things I do is that I prune you. Remember, the bible says we are living stones being built onto a spiritual house. You see that? If you have seen where they are using stones to build a house, stones are not bricks. Stones are not blocks. Stones are irregular in shapes. And so if you will use a stone to build a house, you might need to chisel the edges to ensure that the shape of that stone is... You know, it falls into the alignment of what can be used to build a house. Are you with me, brothers and sisters? Yes, sir.
And that is what God is doing consistently and continually with us. And so everything that you are hearing, every method that come from this pulpit, every activity, every teaching, every every segment of the Sunday service is aimed at bringing to this point. The stretched hours in prayers, stretched hours in worship, stretched hours in teaching, everything is to the point and to the end that men are raised, men are built. That we play our own part in eradicating this plague of infancy in the body of Christ. Are you with me? Yes. Gather unto me my sins. Gather unto me my sins. You see, my sins. God was very specific in personalizing these people to himself.
Gather my sins together unto me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. It is very important for us to note in this scripture that the bible does not say those who I have made a covenant with by sacrifice. It is possible that your mind pictures this as what the bible says, but that is not what the bible says. The bible says those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. In other words, I am available for anyone to make covenant with. I'm not the one who determines who I make covenant with or not. If God had said those who I who I have made a covenant with, it means that God is selective in his process. It means God will be partial in his process. It means God will skip one over and goes to the next person. But God says, you know what?
As regards this work with me, as regard becoming great in my kingdom, if if any man wants to, then let them make a covenant with me by sacrifice. Any man who does that, I am willing to begin a walk with him even that same day. What many don't know is that the quality of your walk with God is seen in your sacrifice. Hard work can make a man successful. Only sacrifice can make a man great. When God wants to begin a work with you, it will take you to the high places of sacrifice. The altar of sacrifice becomes the platform upon which men become great in God. And every man that God has used in any sphere of influence, in any field whatsoever, The usage was based on how much they were willing to let go. There are times when the cost of your work with God, you will subject yourself to inconvenience to fulfill the will of God. It is sacrifice.
There's a song we used to sing those days. I will go. I will go. Anywhere you lead me to go. I will go. I will go. I will go anywhere you need me Anywhere you lead me to go, I will go. Listen to the song. Wherever you lead me to go, I will go. Wherever you send me to go, I will go.
Do you know that this song is a statement of sacrifice? Do you know that this is one of the reasons why they are they are not... They are they are no sendable men? Because you see, when God sends you, he will not send you to a place you think you'll have all the gold and all the silver. The bible says God will make the wilderness a fruitful ground. Do you think God will come from heaven and make the wilderness a fruitful ground? No. There are men who he will send to the wilderness, but the man he's sending there believe the wilderness to be a dry land so they don't want to go. Men prefer to enter into the fruitful ground than to make the wilderness a fruitful ground. There's a burden in partnering with God.
And so when you are sent to the wilderness, the the burden of the dryness of the wilderness, the pain you might have to go through in the wilderness becomes a reason why you say, I I I don't think... And many people are are rejecting the will of God for the same reason. Yet the bible says the plan that afterwards you are of good and not of evil. You see, if a man will be used by God, it must be someone who has told God there is no way you will ever send me or not go. I don't have a preference. I'm not looking to do ministry in Lagos or do ministry where it is raining or do ministry where where I will quickly blow. I'm not willing... I'm not looking to blow. I'm looking to grow. I'm looking to grow.
I've not noticed that everything that blows stutters. It dissipates. It it smooths out into time. But whatever grows is enduring. Whatever grows is lasting. There must be a willingness in your heart to let God know and to tell God that my life has been sold out completely to you, and I'm willing to put myself through any inconvenience of any sort that my that my work with you will warrant. Abraham, get out of your father's house onto a land flowing with milk and honey. You must understand that your work with God is not a work of convenience. It's not a work of comfort, but will surely lead you onto greatness. If you if you walk with God...
Listen to me. If sacrifice is not yet captured in your walk with God, you are a comedian. You have not begun anything serious in the realm of God. How God takes a man seriously is that that man begins to live his life on the altar. You see, before you give anything to God, you become the sacrifice first. Your life becomes the sacrifice. Your very essence becomes the sacrifice. It is it is on the strength of you becoming the sacrifice that anything you have to give is acceptable. Remember in the book of Genesis chapter four, Cain and Abel had this awesome idea to bring sacrifices unto God based on what they see... What...
Based on what they saw in the life of Adam, how God dealt with their father, Adam. It came to their mind to offer sacrifices unto God, and God accepted the sacrifice of Abel and did not accept the sacrifice of Cain. And when God came, the bible says in Genesis four that God had respect unto Abel and unto his sacrifice. The Lord respected Abel, you see that, and his offering. So what was the first thing God respected? It was not first the offering. It was first Abel. And when you check the life of Cain, the bible says that the Lord had no respect for Cain. The Lord did not respect who? Amen.
Is this not amazing that God can respect men? The word respect, there is the word accept. It means what made Cain's offering rejected was not the quality of the offering as you were taught. It wasn't because he brought the street food honeymask as you were taught, and he brought the street food, and he brought the second best as we were taught. The first thing God did not respect and God not accept was the man before the offering. The bible says, present therefore your body is a living sacrifice only and acceptable to the Lord. It means there must be a point where a man says, my life has become the offering. My life has been laid down on the altar of sacrifice. Do with me as you want. Do with me as you please.
I'm not after my goals anymore. I'm not after my plans anymore. My plans don't make sense. You are the one who makes them make sense. Wherever you send me, wherever you lead me, wherever this journey leads me to, I will be there representing your counsel, and you say that with all of your heart. These are these are statement of consecrations that laid down hearts offer. It is on this point that men begin to walk with God. You see, and when you begin to talk like that, there are certain things that God will begin to look for in your life. Number one is your time. There are certain things God will begin to request for, God will begin to ask for on account of what you have.
Are you with me? On account of the work you have begun with him, he will begin to request for certain things from you to be laid down on the altar of sacrifice. The first thing he would ask for is your time. Give me time. Wait with me for an hour every day, and you'll have an impression in your heart. I need to pray every day. I need to wait with God for an hour. You see, the moment you have done that, the moment that impression rests upon your heart, what is happening is that God is God is sending an invitation to you. Make a covenant with me by sacrifice. Do you know that it takes discipline to honor that agreement?
It takes commitment to honor that agreement. It takes dedication to honor that agreement. And so every time within the hours of 7PM and 8PM, I'm waiting on God. God has arrived on the altar and he's saying, where is my son? Remember I said, the journey of the Christian faith is not a work inconvenience. It means that when the terms of the sacrifice is to be kept, it won't be kept on account of how convenient it is for you. That's what makes it sacrifice. Do you understand what I'm saying? In other words, it is time for me to pray. It is not whether or not I'm strong enough to pray.
It is that I've given my time to God. I've given myself to God. And so I wait on God and I pray. I begin to pray. I begin to pray. I go there the first day. I go there the second day. I go there the third day. God, you see, your time is the smallest unit of what he begins to ask for from you. It means if you cannot commit your time onto him, there is nothing else you can give him.
A lot of people say, I don't have anything, but you have time. You have time that can be lavished on God. You have time that can be wasted on God. Sacrifice is a language only the immortal realm speaks. And so when God finds men, mortal men, who are willing to waste on him. See, have you read your bible? Have you found the story of a woman who saw... Who saved to buy the most expensive perfume, and that perfume was worth a year's wage. In other words, this woman saved for a year. One year.
This meant that everything that came from her work, she could not spend on herself. Can you imagine a year of wanting to buy the latest things, but you hold on to it, you keep to it? That is a life of sacrifice because you had something in your mind. Before my master goes, I want to anoint his legs with perfume. She buys the most expensive perfume, and when she buys it, the bible says she breaks the jar. She breaks the jar and anoints the legs of Jesus, anoints the head the head of Jesus. Everybody that was there understood not the value of what she was doing. Everybody was arguing. Everybody was speaking. All the disciples had something to say.
Judas, one of them now had the confidence to speak. He said, this thing you are wasting. We could sell these things and feed the poor with it. We could sell this thing and feed the poor with it. Jesus said the poor, you will always have amongst you. I will not always be there. This woman is a wise woman. And because of what she has done, anywhere the story of the gospel is mentioned, her name will always be mentioned. A woman sealed her place in eternity because of sacrifice. Sacrifice is a language all through scripture that God does not forsake.
God, in his mightiness, does not ignore. That is what it means that God had all respect unto Abel. Can you see God respecting the woman? Saying wherever this gospel is mentioned, her name would as well be mentioned. Wherever this gospel is preached, gift that she has done will be a memorial unto her. Sacrifice is a statement of worship. It's a statement of your heart for God. It's a statement of your love for God. As a matter of fact, how much you are willing to let go shows how much you love God. Been offered to a diet.
The life I live, I live for you. I am willing to waste on God. I'm willing to waste on God. It's forced my life. It's forced my life. If God tells me, Emmanuel, drop what you are doing right now and go and serve with an usher in the church, it's forced my life. My life has become the sacrifice. We're no longer doing anything anything for the glory it can bring, anything for the dignity it can bring. I'm not doing anything for the sake of it anymore. God has helped our heart beyond that.
There is nothing he will ask for for of me in my life because the sacrifice is forced my life. I know you have gotten a scholarship to study in one of the best schools there is. I know you have always imagined it. I know you have always planned it. Now it is in your front, but I tell you it's not yet time. Serve me for one more year. Can you give first your life? First your life. Before you give your money, before you give anything, can you give first your life? Can your life first become the sacrifice?
We were praying intensely in this place, intensely praying in this place whilst the woman of God was leading people to pray. I felt the power of God so strong. The moment I walked in, I saw angels positioned in this place. But do you know what? The moment I walked and I still saw people pressing their phone at the back. In that same presence, in that same place, in the house of God when angels were moving. What is Christianity to us? What is this thing we are doing? What do you think it is? A joke?
Listen, you might go to other places where these things are permitted. But remember, it's not a crowd of members we are raising. It's a crowd of men. What what message can be so important when God visits his people? What message can be so important? Good morning. How are you doing? Send your account number. What method can be so important? Send your resume.
You have gotten a new job offer. What method can be so important? That a few moments you have to pray and just be with your father and make a cry unto God and monopolize God while having the depth is... Hey. Do you know that? Do you know that? I've looked at the people that God has placed around me. I've looked at them very carefully. Everyone God has placed around me. My spiritual children, workers, members, and I have checked their life very carefully.
And I've seen that those who are doing extremely well in their finances are those with the most intense devotion to God. Is that not amazing? Those who are doing amazingly well in their finances are those with the most intense devotion to God. That is not a coincidence. That is... That can never be a coincidence. Serving God is not a waste. It is only a waste when it is not with all of your heart. Do you know what he asks for? He says, if you seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
You say you are seeking God with all of your heart when you are in church and you are pressing your phone while people are praying at the back? And so when you now need God and then he does not answer or it looks as though he's far away, you now feel cheated. Whereas, what you are doing was you made God a side chick. I will now will now feel like... Will now... You you you you are making God a side chick and you want wife responsibilities. And you feel that God should have a level of commitment to your life. This irresponsible Christianity where we think as though we don't we don't have to give God anything, but he can give us everything. I can live my life carelessly, and when I need God, I'll just call on him and he will answer me. Who preach this message to us?
Where did the life of devotion to God go to? Devotion as a Christian, devotion as a believer. Basic devotion as a believer. I tell you the reason why we have infants in the church. The reason why we have infants in the church. You call for evangelism, and you would be shocked at the number of people who are willing to commit their time to save souls. Who are willing to commit their time to save souls. Let's call for a prayer meeting and say, come and war over your destiny. Breakthrough prayers. You'll be amazed at people who are willing to come and pray breakthrough prayers.
But when it comes to the service of the kingdom where you don't have any immediate benefit, but heaven has benefits, it becomes burdensome to you. It means you cannot spend your life to the benefit of the kingdom. It means if there is no immediate benefit for you and the only person that gets benefit is God, It becomes a difficult thing for you to do. Go and talk to that sister over there. Just tell her about the love of Christ. The question is who gets benefit? What is in it for you? What is in it for you? But if it were your business and God says that person can help your business, go and talk to him, you will not be shy. You will not be ashamed.
You will not be afraid. If peradventure, the same way you heard God tell you, go and go and push that sister. You heard the same God tell you that person is holding the answer to your finances. Go and meet him. The excuses you gave the first time will suddenly disappear the second time. We now need to ask, were you truly shy? Or if it's just because you had no benefit, there was nothing in need for you. God begins to take men seriously when men start living their life on the altar. When men start living their life where? On the altar.
Do you know that working with God sometimes can be something that can be... It can be a tearful experience. Thank you, Lord Jesus. It can be what? A tearful experience. Is that not what the bible says? Psalms one two six and verse five. The bible says, those who sow in tears. It means in this kingdom, the same bible who tells you that God loves a cheerful giver is the same bible that tells you that it is possible to give and even though cheerful, the giving is done in tears. What kind of sowing is done in tears?
It is the sowing that that cost you everything. The sowing you would rather not give, you would rather not do. But because you know God has requested for this, God has asked for this. You sow, but it is in tears. But in obedience, you still sow. And the bible says, those ones shall reap in joy. Verse six of the same scripture... Of the same chapter says, he who continually goes forth weeping. In other word, sacrifice is something you continually do. It's not something you do just when God says sacrifice.
I will show you very soon. If this is where you would live your life, it's a statement of your heart. The bible says he who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing shall doubtless come again with rejoicing. We leave that scripture out, and we only focus on those who sow in tears will live... Will reap with joy. But the Bible says he who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him, bringing his plenty with him, bringing his harvest with him. This is God's mandate for the believer. Listen. If you are into ministry, hear me. There are many things that God would demand from you if you will be great.
There are many things God would demand. Do you know that for the purpose of sacrifice, so that your walk with God can be very beneficial to you so you can access into heights in God? There are many things God will not show you about the middle of the road. God will show you the end, which is greatness. God will show you picture of the end, which is which is success. But God will conceal details about the process from you. And so you might find yourself crying and praying, and God does not tell you where he's sending you. And whilst you go for service, you get a good job, and you think I think this is the place. And God says, no. Actually, I'm sending you to Abuja, but I already have a house, but I already have a stable job, but I already have several things.
But a heart that is willing to obey, the bible says he who continually goes forth with him. One of my pastors was talking to mommy g o recently, and mommy g o told her that her and her husband never intended to do ministry. Mommy g o told her, I never wanted to marry a pastor. My husband never intended to be a pastor. That was the reason why we so much... We could be a father. That was why we got married. I did not want to marry a pastor. He didn't want to become a pastor. What a match.
Match made in heaven. Not only did God say that you have a call of God upon your life, God told him that forty years of investment, burn it. Put fire on them. The masters, burn it. Let me ask you a question. What does God want you to do? What does God want? She said. I heard a story of apostle Jesus Hellman. He said, he heard that a man of God was coming to a city, and God told him give all you have.
And he had no money on him at all. I had no money on him at all. And he said, I didn't have... I don't have anything to give. But you see, you always have something to give. Always. He said he went to his house. This was years ago. And he took all his clothes. He said this was this was pain.
It was painful for him because that was truly all he had. That was an Isaac unto him. I had no money. I had nothing. He took every single cloth he had. Put it in a tobacco bag. I don't know if you've heard that story, and he went for the meeting. When the man declared that it is time to come and give us sacrifices, people were going out and they were dropping car keys, dropping documents. You can be certain that that document is not wearing certificate. People were dropping houses, dropping cars.
He said, listen. And when they come out in their numbers, it is very easy to hide with your nothing and go and put it there. As they wanted to go, God said, no. Wait. In other words, I'm not just dealing with what you have. I'm dealing also with your dignity. I'm dealing also with your reputation. I must kill something in you. Wait. When everybody finished dropping and the altar was quiet, God told him, now go.
Take your bag wrapped with cloth with what you are wearing and walk to the front of the church. He stood up and started going. All eyes looking at him, the shame, the embarrassment, God said, yes. That is what I'm killing. If I will make you great, if I will get the glory, let me get the shame. If you ever feel shame for my sake, it means you will also take glory on my sake. Let me have it. I will take it from you. And right there, if as he walked on that high, it was the longest walk he will ever walk in his life. Everything was dying as he was going.
It no longer mattered what people think. As he dropped it, he went back. He said, God told him from today ends forth. So... And this is the reason why God... What does God need the clothes for? He wants to wear it. Do you think the man of God needs a cloth? Do you think the pastor needs the cloth? When bishop Ouedepo began the project that he was doing, that that he's currently doing right now, the hack, he announced and he said, the money to build this is already complete.
We don't need anybody to give anything. During Shiloh, churches in the... Churches that they have abroad wanted to give their Shiloh sacrifice down to Nigeria. The man came and announced on pulpit. He said, churches abroad, you don't have to send anything to us. If you need help, we will send to you. Use the money for yourselves over there. Build the church. Go on outreaches. Go on evangelism.
How can a church be so blessed in Nigeria with dollar rate? I am not saying, ah, the the offering there will be much. Send it here. When we convert it to naira, it will be heavy. The man said if you need help, we will send help to you. If a church is that blessed, why do they do... Why do they keep on doing Shilo? Do they need anything from you? No. It is an understanding of the fact.
Are you with me? That if it does not go away from you, if something doesn't leave you, you can't go home. How God lifts men, how God blesses men is in the altar of sacrifice. The altar of sacrifice. Giving out things that are precious and valuable to you, it talks... Listen. Sacrifice is always about the cost, not about the volume. Sacrifice is always about the quality of what was given, not the quantity of what was given. In other words, for someone, what is sacrificed to them can be 5,000 naira. For another, it can be 1,000,000.
For another, it can be 10,000,000. You can get to a point in your life where even that 4,000 naira will be sacrificed to you. The same you will grow to a point where what is sacrificed is now 10,000. It's now a 100,000. It's now 10,000,000. It's never about the quantity. It's about the cost of what is given. What does it cost you? Sacrifice is about the meaning of what is given to you, not to the person you are given to. Some people come and meet me and they will say, sir, this is just my small seed, and I will correct them immediately.
Never ever talk down on your seed. There's no such thing as a small seed. A seed is a seed. Have you forgotten when Jesus was looking at what those people were giving? And he saw how the businessmen and the rich people were dropping cobblers from their millions, from their billions. And this lady came and dropped her might, her widow's might. And God said, you see that woman over there? She has given more than all these people have given because they've given in their abundance and they've given so little, but she has given her all. Despite if a if a pastor was to look at what she gave, she will say, no. Mom, I did not try.
God says this, how we measure this is what it cost the person giving. What what I can give can even be my hearing aid. It is the cost of it to me. God doesn't need it. And you can be so sure the man of God does not need it. I was watching apostle Grace Lubega. I think I was... I think I showed you. I was watching apostle Grace Lubega in Uganda, and he came out after being so touched in a meeting, and he brought what people gave as offering in the offering basket. He said, I was so touched when I saw this.
He brought it out. People removed the buttons of their clothes. The buttons of their clothes. The buttons of their clothes. People removed their shoelaces. Some dropped the shoe. Some dropped earring. Some dropped... He said he said this is a heart that loves God. This is a reflection of a heart that loves God.
It doesn't have to be the billions. It doesn't have to be the millions. It only has to cost you. That is how you eventually get there. It might be in tears, the Bible says, but when we reap, we reap in joy. We reap bountifully. The returns are normally fearful because they are beyond what can be explained by the human mind. It is God's ordained gateway to a new dawn. Glorious beginnings and series of breakthroughs come by sacrifice. First king chapter three and verse three.
The bible says that Solomon loved the Lord, working in the statues of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burnt incense at the high places. Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. Look at this. In verse three, the Bible says Solomon loved the Lord. He loved who? Walking in the status of who? His father, David. In other words, David had taught him. David had mentored him.
David had taught him something he knew about God. David said, listen. In my time, I was a man after God's own heart. Let me show you how to get God's heart. Let me show you how to call the attention of God to yourself. Let me show you how to make God favorably dispense towards you. Number one, you must love God. So the bible says Solomon loved the Lord. Everything that he did that we're about to read is because he loved the Lord. So nothing was too much for him to give.
When a man truly loves, nothing is too much for him to give. Sacrifice is a statement of your love for God. As a matter of fact, what you are willing to give... Listen. Where your love ends is where your giving ends. If I cannot give this to God, then it means that is how much I love God. It's as simple as that. Verse five, at Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God asked him, ask, what shall I give you? This is why I told you that sacrifice is what invokes the presence of his spirit. Do you realize that Solomon never made a prayer?
All he did was sacrifice. All he did was sacrifice. All he did was give. He went there and God himself asked him, ask, what shall I give to you? There are three spiritual principles revealed in Matthew chapter six, and believers have not understood that each of them are as spiritual as the other. Prayer, giving, fasting. When you pray, when you give, when you fast. Guess what? We pray and we think prayer is so spiritual. We fast and we think fasting is so spiritual, but we never give and give and think giving is so spiritual.
You don't realize that your giving is as is as spiritual as your prayer. It means the same way prayer changes things. Giving changes things. A man can give to break himself out of tight circumstances. I will show you very soon. A man can sacrifice to bring himself out of difficult situations. The language of sacrifice and giving that cost a man is just as spiritual as prayer, as fasting. This is why if you pray every day, you must also live a life of sacrifice. If you live a faster life, you must also live a life of sacrifice. Are you with me brothers and sisters?
Yes. When things look tight, when things are difficult, when you realize that you have struggled and you have tried all you can, and it looks as though there's no way out of this, it is a call to sacrifice. I want to show you when a man knows to sacrifice. The ministry is at the point where it looks as though we are struggling to go past 20 members. We are struggling to go past 50 members, and we have done everything we can. We go for evangelism. We go for outreaches, but it looks as though we are not breaking this limit. It looks as though things are not breaking out. Our finances are tough and tight. We've been saving, but it has never gotten to a point where we we break through even our...
Even in our lives. As a family, my... I've been looking for a promotion does not come. All the opportunities I've been asking for, none of them have come unto me. I've been knocking on several doors. Nothing has opened. I've been praying. I've been fasting. When things look unnecessarily and unusually tight, it is a call to sacrifice. Are you with me?
Yes, sir. In first Kings chapter 17 verse eight, we see the the eight to 16, the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephat. That widow said, this is the last thing we have to eat. My plan is that I will eat this thing and die. The prophet said, you know what? Give me what you have to eat. Why didn't the prophet pray for her? Then everything multiplies, then did she now gives the prophet heart of the abundant of the multiplication. Isn't that an easier route? You get there as a prophet.
The person tells you, oh, I don't have food. This last one I have is the one that my family wants to eat and die. The prophet now says, oh, yeah, the food multiplies. Hey, that will multiply, though. Give me food now. To show you that is not the way of God. Because the bible says the just shall live by faith. Everything is tight. There is famine in the land. In the midst of that famine, give all you have.
Sacrifice. Empty all. And whilst she gave, the prophet said, yes. Now listen. The the the flour bean shall never run dry. The jar of oil shall never be empty. And the bible says, this thing became so as the Lord said through the prophet. In other words, when things are tight in the midst of famine, in the midst of economic depression, in the midst of economic meltdown, that is when a man begins to live a sacrifice... A life of sacrifice. It means contrary to your thoughts as when I have an abundance I give.
Oh, no. There are times that we sacrifice all to break into abundance. Do you remember that even fruitfulness is tied to sacrifice? The bible says unless the seed enters the ground and dies, it shall not bring forth fruit. It means if your life will be fruitful, if your finances will be fruitful, if anything in your life will be fruitful, it must first enter the ground and die. Fruitfulness is also tied to sacrifice. Do you remember this king in second Kings chapter three? Four kings wanted to go in wanted to go in battle against the king of Moab. The king of Moab had more military strength than the four kings combined. The king of Judah, the king of Israel, and other two kingdoms like that.
And they called Elijah. Elijah first told them all sorts of things. He then told them... He started... Elijah rather. He started prophesying and he said, you will not see the rain. You will not see the dew, yet the brooks will be filled. Is that not so with water? The valleys will be filled with water. Do you know that every sign that Elisha gave them came to pass?
The rain did not fall, the dew did not come, yet the valley was filled with water. Where did the water come from? In other words, the Elisha's mouth created water into the valley as a sign that God had given them that they would win that battle. God said the sign I will give you is that you won't see rain, you won't see the dew, but the valleys will be filled with water. And true to the words of the prophet, there was no rain, and the valleys were filled with water. The moment they saw this... Now if you were the one that this prophet spoke to, and the prophet told you that, listen, you will get the job. And the sign I will give you to know you will get the job is that you will not cook food in your pot for your pot to be filled with food. And you go home and you check the pot, and there's no food there. You close it back and open it and there's food there.
What does that tell you about getting a job? It means it... This is a sign that what the prophet has said will come to pass. That was what God gave the people of Israel so they knew beyond reasonable doubt that they had won. Verse 26. Watch this. The bible says that when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him... So true to the words of Elijah, the children of Israel were winning. They were doing what? He took with him 700 men who drew swords to break through to the to the king of Hidom, but he could not.
In other words, he thought as though if I cannot break through here, let me break through this place, and he still could not because the potency of the words of the prophet was so strong. Look at this. Verse 27. Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place and offered him as a burnt offering upon the world. And there was great indignation against Israel. So they departed from him and returned to their own land. These people were winning the battle. It was going as the prophet has said. And the moment the king realized, the king knew there is something superior to whatever anybody has spoken. I can rewind the hands of time to my favor.
I can rewind the hands of time to my favor. What does he do? He picked his eldest son. That is his treasure. His eldest son who was to reign in his place. He offered him as a sacrifice. And the moment he did so, the bible says there was great indignation against Israel. The spiritual realm turned against Israel. Spiritual realm was at was at... The Israelites had found favor in the spiritual realm by reason of the word of the prophets.
But the sacrifice of the king turned the spiritual realm against Israel. And when the realm of the spirit is against you, there's trouble. There's trouble. In other words, the word of the prophet was what made the realm of the spirit favor the Israelites. The sacrifice of the king turned it around. There was great indignation. That man understood this is a battle I cannot win, not in my own strength, not in my own power, but I understand the mystery, a mystery of sacrifice. There is a language the realm of the spirit cannot ignore. It is a language of a man who is willing and ready to sacrifice. Willing and ready to sacrifice.
And the moment he did so, the tides turned immediately, and the man that was losing started winning. Can you think for a moment what will be in the mind of the Israelites knowing that you saw the sign the prophet gave you and yet you didn't win the battle? Listen. A man can break out of tight places by sacrifice. A losing condition, but you say no. I understand the mystery. I understand the principle. I can empty all. A man of God friend of mine was sharing with me the testimony of a lady. She had applied for several scholarships, $5,000, $10,000 to study at various levels in various schools, and nothing had opened up for her.
All the doors she had been knocking in terms of scholarship, nothing opened up. Even the ones she was very qualified for. She came to church that morning, and whilst the man of God was preaching, she heard a voice inside of her saying, empty your account. She had 21,000 naira in her account. 21,000 naira. She emptied everything while the man of God was preaching. Did not even see... Did not even have the privilege to meet the man of God after the service. Obeyed the instruction, left the church. Are you with me?
It was after she left the church, she realized that she didn't have a transport fare with her. She began walking to her house. She worked for over two hours to get to her house. On getting to her house, she powered her phone and found a mail on her phone that one of the places she applied to for a scholarship months away Just consider that offer and gave her a scholarship of $250,000. An annual stipend of $35,000. Tuition fee paid for completely. Annus, it's steepened of $35,000. Did God really need the money? What God only wanted was a heart. Can that thing go?
In other words, I'm not withholding anything from you, but can I have your heart? If I can have your heart, watch what I would do with your life. Watch how I would change your life around. Watch how you will become the envy of others. Watch how people will ask you, how did you do this? How did you come about this? How? How? How? Your life will be a mystery that cannot be explained.
21,000 naira. That was all that she had. Do you know that the times I have felt a shift in my life and in my ministry, in the anointings of God upon my life, in the grace of God upon my life, in the power of God upon my life, were not times I prayed and fasted the most. They were not even after my retreats. The times I have felt, I have I have sensed in my spirit, sudden shifts that came evidently as manifestations and results in my life, in my ministry, were not times I prayed the most. No. There were times I gave the most. There were times I sacrificed the most. I never had any understanding of why this was so, but I saw that the moment I gave something that cost me everything, I would usually see a shift in the workings of the grace of God upon my life, in the workings of the power of God upon my life, then I found a scripture in act of apostles chapter four and verse 33. The bible says, and with great power, the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
Two words that interested me. Great power, great grace. I have a teaching like that. Great power, great grace. When I saw the scripture, I'd always prayed with it. I'd always quoted it. The holy spirit told me, he said, wait. Read that scripture in context and understand what led to this. Verse 32 now. We'll read the scripture before and the scripture after, and we'll see where great power and great grief was sandwiched.
Are you ready? Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart, one soul, neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own. He had all things in common. I have seen the benefit of working with God. Apostle Arumiosai said, when he was planning his wedding, he had saved up 900,000. Was it 900,000 or 1,000,000? Within that range, he had saved it up, and that was a lot that was a lot of money then. I'm talking about thousand and 6. A lot of money then. He had saved up for his wedding.
And whilst they were planning the wedding, God told him, give everything. He said... The man said... The man of God said, he told God no. He said he was praying, and God told him, give everything. He said, no. God told him, this money is for so and so. He said, no. This money is for wedding. He said by the time he was given the money eventually, he told God, you see, I'm only giving them this money because you have more power.
So you have won this battle. That's why I'm giving this money. I think I'm not giving this money because I want to. I'm giving because you have more power. You see, when you are fighting with a spirit that has more power, you you you can lose a bone. You can lose a bone. So after the man lost a bone, he said that's that's the reason why I'm giving... Letting this go. He said painfully so he emptied everything emptied everything after meeting the parent of the bride. What will you tell them now becomes the reason why you can no longer marry the other.
After you have... And and you know the fear of is a man of God. And now you have saved money, you become bold. Don't worry. I've got this. What comes for it? The man of God said, that was... It was that day that the Lord took me prosperity. The wedding held as scheduled as scheduled. Everything that was needed for the wedding came.
More than the amount they had saved. He said he knew that there was value in trusting God. Your securities and your savings, you won't prosper. It is the truth. You say, let let us secure our future. Save so that you can secure your future. I'm not against saving. I teach it. I practice it. Are you with me?
But I don't save to secure my future. My future is in God. My future is properly secured. Properly secured. Properly what? Secured. That's not the reason why we do what we do. We do what we do because there are laws of financial management, not because we are securing our future. My future will not be secured by money. It will be secured by God.
What is the essence of a future that is secured by money that has not got in it? Is your future really secured? Is your eternity secured? There's nothing secured. Are you with me? So when God instructs, we go. When new beginnings are initiated, we sacrifice. Whenever you sense in your spirit that God wants to do a new thing in my life, that I'm crossing into a realm of new beginning, Epstein is spoken over you. That God is entering, God is starting a new season in your life, a new walk in your life, new signs, new wonders, new possibilities. You don't shout amen and then go and sleep.
It is a call to sacrifice. The moment you sense that a new year is coming, I think I thought this during the retreat situation I did. It is not because it is not for the sake of a new year, it's for the sake of a new season. If a new season is breaking out, then prepare a sacrifice. Oh, God is starting something new in my life. I feel as though I'm entering into a new season, a new beginning, something new is to start in my life. Behold, I do a new thing. Before it springs forth, I will tell you of them. Whilst God is telling me of them, I prepare a sacrifice. Do you know that a sacrifice is what turns prophecies into covenants?
This is why the bible says those who have made a covenant with me. In other words, I've given my promises to everybody, But out of those who I've given my promises to, there are those who have made a covenant with me. Those who have turned that promise into a covenant. Are you with me? Please don't be distracted. Just look at me. Those who have turned that promise into a covenant. In Genesis 12, God told Abraham, I will bless you. I will increase you. I will multiply you.
I will make you a great nation. In you shall all the families of the earth be great. Be blessed. Do you know that everything that God said was a promise? It was only a promise. In Genesis 12, are you with me? Genesis 22, after God had now spoken to Abraham that he should sacrifice his son and Abraham laid the son on the altar and was about to sacrifice him, God, a voice came from heaven and God shouted from the heavens and said, Abraham, do not lay your hand on the boy. Hear me. Do not lay your hand on the boy for now I know that you fear me. Watch this.
Since you have not withheld your son, your only son from me, watch what I will do. Next verse. Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in the thicket of the horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. Next verse. The bible says that Abraham called the name of that place the Lord will provide, as it is said in this day, in the mount of the Lord, it shall be provided. Next verse. And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven. Next verse. And said, by myself I have sworn.
In other words, I swear by my name. Watch this. Praise the Lord because you have done this and you have not withheld your son, your only son. Next verse, bless him, I will bless you. That was the same thing God told him in Genesis 12. What's the difference? It's now a covenant. It is now I swear by my name. I call it the oath of the blessing. The the promise became an hoof.
It became a covenant that Abraham struck with God on account of his sacrifice. I swear by my name, in blessing, I will bless you. In multiplying, I will multiply you. As the stars of the heavens, as the sun which is on the seashore, and your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies. Do you know that it was on account of this covenant? What God was doing in Abraham's life was powerful. It was on account of this covenant that God now told Abraham that God now told Abraham and your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies. Did you hear what Jesus said? Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail. It was on account of what God had told Abraham.
That covenant is what the church is built on. The gates of Hades will not prevail. That a man was willing to let go by sacrifice. Let me end here. Let your sacrifice reflect the state of your heart to God. Let it reflect the state of your heart with God. Listen. Listen. I want to raise men that will waste on God, that we will we will waste ourselves on Jesus. We will not consider anything too big, too big a thing.
Hey. Hear me? Hear me? Hear me? We will not consider anything too big, anything too large. If we request for our time, we will give it over and over again. If we request for our money, we will give it over and over again. Dead men living. There's no amount of wealth we cannot put in our hands. We can hold billions.
We can hold millions because it has no sway on our hearts. Money has no hold on you anymore. Money has no hold on your heart. You can let everything go and let it go all and over again. We will give houses. We will give cars. We will give estates. Lands and properties. Because God has found men whose heart are sold out completely. There's no holding him back again.
No withholding again. My life is completely sold out for your purpose. We've make... We... We hear me? Men who make an allegiance to God that God, as long as I live, you will have a man, a man in Ibadan, a man in Lagos, a man in Kenya, a man in Ghana. There's no way you are looking for money to go into your kingdom to... Through whatever agenda I am there. I will be your man in the finances, in economy, in business, in religion. My heart is completely sold out to you.
I have no goal of mine anymore. I have no purpose of mine anymore. Wherever you send us to go, we will go. We will go. We'll go. But we are dead men walking. Hear me. When you live your life like this, you become you become you become a threat to the devil. Do you know why? Because the devil has nothing to steal from you anymore.
Everything he can steal has been given. Do you know what it means? It means if my if my phone is stolen, there's no need for sadness. I gave the thing away long before. So if somebody stole my phone, I'm not crying. Come on. Somebody stole my car, I'm not crying. We've given these things away. So the clip, when you live your life like this, the devil has nothing else to steal. You don't understand what I'm saying?
Everything has been given. Everything has been given. You know what Abraham said? Abraham said in Hebrews, he said he knew that the God who asked for the son is able to raise him back from the dead. The son was gone in his heart. You did not withhold your son away from me. Listen. Listen. Listen. Many people look at papa Adebue and say, how will your son die?
And I'm still preaching the following day. I gave my son years ago. I gave I gave it. Come on. If it's God who took my son, glory to God. If it's a devil who thought he has stolen from me still, he can... There's no halt in my heart. He can't steal anything because we've given all. We've given all. We've given all.
Is it is it dignity? Is it shame? We've given it. I don't have shame left. There's no shame left in me. So if today tells me to stand anywhere and preach, there's no shame left in me. We've given it. Can we have men, men, men who are sold out? I told you that I found out that the people who prosper the most amongst people who are very close to me are those who are the most devoted. Those who are willing to spend their time again and again with...
On God, those who don't care anymore. There is nothing I won't give to you. There is nothing I won't give to you. There is nothing I won't give to you. There is nothing I won't give to you. Listen. You're my soul and my body. There is nothing I wanna give to you. You're my heart. You want my soul and my body.
There's nothing I won't give to you. There is nothing you won't give to me. Jesus, there is nothing you won't give to me. There is nothing you won't give to me about. There is nothing you won't give to me. You have my heart. You have my soul Listen. Listen. This is the testament of my soul. It's still working on me.
It's still working on me because this journey is a never ending journey. It's one that will never end. So you think because of an exam, I will leave God. God forbid. God forbid. To hell with many exams, there's one who owns my heart. And yet we finished well and excelled Because there's nothing we commit into his hands that will feel for it. Nothing. You are still intelligent in yourself. It's why you think that your your little strategies...
You you you are wise in yourself. You think yourself to be smart. You don't know in your smartness you are being foolish. In your smartness, you are being foolish. Many have sacrificed God for mundane things, a man, a woman, a girlfriend, a boyfriend to hell with several men, to hell with several women, to hell with whatever will take God away from my heart. Is it money? No. Never. Never. Never.
How many people are still holding on? You know that this boy or this girl is the reason why your growth is not pro... Is not progressing. We are still holding on. I don't want to break his heart. You mean you rather break God's heart? Is that what you're saying really? Is that how much it means to you? It's everything. It's everything.
And because it's everything, there is nothing we will not give. I won't give to you. Listen, one of my guys came and gave his first seven digits. You know what he told me last week? Gave his first seven digits. You know what he told me? He said, I have decided that I will never buy anything for myself of whose worth I have not given. I looked at him. I smiled. I said, this is someone like me.
This is someone like me. This is someone like me. One of my guys bought a property somewhere. Bought a property, one of us in this place. The moment he bought the property, his father helped him, secured everything, gave him the seal of gold, gave him documents. He was he was traveling back to Ebanon. He heard a voice telling, go to apostles house, give it to him. From where he was traveling from, he headed to my house straight. He said, I just bought the property, sir, and God said I should give you. We laid all down at your feet.
We laid all down at your feet. The man told me, he said, whenever DCM wants to expand into the state, got the property. This land is there. I'm giving this land. Do you really think that there's any piece of property that man will not own? Do you think God will withhold estates from him? No. I wait for it. I wait to see it. I know the hand of men like that.
Oh, Can you rise up on your feet? What we are doing, we are doing because we are blessed. We spent over 6 digits every week. Every week to to old services. Every week consistently to old services. Are you hearing what I'm saying? It's people that are giving for it. Shows you we are blessed. So it means you make your own choice. That's the meaning.
It means you make your own choice. Where do you want to be in destiny? Make the choice. Some of us have sold our lives. My prayer to you is that you get what I'm saying. If God says you should go to the village, that you have an assignment for you there. The village is the easiest to go, and you cannot go. You think it's when he sends you to Europe, and you'll be able to go. Not the word able. You didn't get what I just said.
You didn't get... Who will supply the finances to go there? Who will supply the resources to go there? Is it not God? I want you to pray for a minute and say this is my commitment to you. Hear me. Hear me. Hear me. I'm about to start a series on prosperity. It was meant to begin this Sunday.
I'm going to start it today. And when I start that series, it will be backed up by prophecies and a lot of people will break into wealth. A of people will break into different things. I realize it is dangerous for that to happen and your life is not already sold out. Your life is not already given to God at an altar, at a at a sacrifice. Are you ready to pray? I make an allegiance today, Lord, that my heart is yours. Can you pray? That's all. My life is yours.
Ask of me anything and I will let it go. Can you pray? That's all. I'm done. Ask of me anything and I will let it go. Ask of me anything and I will let it go. My life is yours. He's yours. He's yours forever. I'm yours.
I'm yours. I'm yours. My life is yours. It's yours. It's yours forever. He's yours. He's yours. He's yours. My life is yours. He's yours.
He's yours forever. He's yours. He's yours. Can you pray? He's yours. Are you praying? Are you praying? It's not a song you're singing, you are praying. Don't sing. Pray.
Amen. Amen. Amen. Listen. Listen. Some of us need to repent. Some of us need to sincerely repent. God, I've looked at the way I've treated you and I've not placed so much value on you. I've been careless in your presence. My love and my heartbeat for you has gone down.
This might not even be the way I began. This might not be the way I started. But can you help me today? Can you give me the strength? I know I've made so much commitment like this and I failed and I failed and I failed. Right now I stand in your presence and I'm asking you for strength. Help me. I want a walk with you that is sincere. I want a walk with you that is genuine. Please help me.
Please help me. Can you pray right now? Help me, Lord Jesus. Help me, Lord Jesus. Help me, Lord Jesus. It may have been longer, it may have been longer, but I'm still calling you. It may have been longer, It may have been longer. You are still my own. It may have been longer. It may have been longer, but I'm still calling you.
It may have been longer, it may have been longer, but I'm still calling you. It may have been longer, it may have been longer, but you are still my own. It may have been longer. It may have been longer, but I'm still calling you. One more minute. One more minute. One more minute to pray. One more minute to pray. One more minute to pray. You may have been told that I am hungry with you, but it's Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Thank you, Lord Jesus. In Jesus' mighty name, we have prayed. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Oh, thank you, 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 message, you can mail us at disciplecn@gmail.com. God bless you.