Transcript: The Law of Faithfulness Part 1

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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. It is God's desire for you to be great, for you to experience increased success, increased greatness in every area of your life. The bible says thou shall increase my greatness and comfort me on every side. It is God's desire for you to move from one level of glory to another. It is God's desire for you to rise from one level of kingdom influence to the other. This great levels that we talk about doesn't just come because we pray, because we prophesy. There are kingdom principles that we must be able to abide by and live by to get us there. And one of those kingdom principles is faithfulness. There are very few teachings you will find on the subject of faithfulness, and I believe it is because we have not truly understood this mystery.

And if not understood, a generation, especially with how we are currently going, will lose touch of the multifaceted blessings that this principle provides. And today I'm gonna show you all the surpassing excellency of faithfulness and how it is able to take a man from nothing to the top. If you will become great, if you desire influence, if God has shown you anything in your life that you will become, understand that without faithfulness, a man can become nothing in God. I don't know. Lamb of God, you are worthy, worthy of my praise. King of kings, holy one, First Timothy chapter one and verse 12, the law of faithfulness. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Second Timothy chapter two, and this two. And the things that thou hast heard of me amongst many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. First Corinthians chapter four and verse two.

Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. When I think upon your goodness, listen to the words, and your faithfulness each day. What is faithfulness? Faithfulness means continuous, unrelenting loyalty. Please write it down. Faithfulness means continuous. Please write it down. Unrelenting loyalty and commitment. Continuous, unrelenting loyalty and commitment towards number one, God. Number two, men.

Number three, a cause. Faithfulness means continuous, unrelenting loyalty, unrelenting commitment towards God, towards men, or towards the cause. Loyalty, unrelenting loyalty, unrelenting dedication, unrelenting commitment, reliability, faithfulness. Faithfulness is such a powerful kingdom principle. Do you know that one of the names that the Bible used in describing the qualities of God is faithful? God is faithful. As bearers of the nature of God, we are also called to be faithful. There are two things we use in relating with God. Number one is faith. Number two is faithfulness.

Faithfulness, your unrelenting loyalty, undying dedication, undying commitment towards God, towards men, and towards a cause. Listen. To be faithful means to be dependable. To be faithful means to be loyal. To be faithful means to be trustworthy. Listen, in this world that we are in, we rarely find loyal men. We rarely find trustworthy men. We rarely find faithful men. And you see, when a man is not faithful... Are you with me?

There is a limit to what God can entrust into his hands. The principle and the key for greatness in this kingdom is faithfulness. Right now, I see the degree of rebellion happening in the body of Christ, happening in the world, children rebelling against parent, members rebelling against pastors, pastors even rebelling against members. There is just a plague of rebellion. Right now, being a music instrumentalist, a music instrumentalist in a church is based on what church pays the highest. And if there are three churches in the same street, a guy does not mind playing the guitar for the first one who they are offering and they are offering him 50,000. And if the pastor or the second one comes to knock his door and say, you know what? We'll give you 100,000. Despite the fact that it is it is in the same street, he will resign right there and go there. This story looks fabricated, but this is exactly what is happening.

Where men have more loyalty to realize that in what I've just said right now, I said God, I said men, I said a cause, a purpose, a vision. Money is not in it. But it looks as though men now have more faithfulness and more loyalty to money than to any of these three. And so we can betray men for money. I have seen people, who are... You were taught, you were brought up, you were grown by a man of God. And because this was... You you learned from him, God used him to refine your understanding. You see, I'm a man of God, and there are several experiences I have of myself. But when I speak to other men of God and I hear what they go through, I'm always moved to...

I'm almost moved to tears. You you... What? Unfaithful people, people who are not loyal, and there are men of God who are not loyal to members. It is true. Thank you, Lord Jesus. What many don't know is that when God will... If God rather makes men great, what God looks at in in their heart is the degree and the extent to which those men are faithful. And I will show you this in scriptures. We'll consider several scriptures.

I believe I've risen in influence to a point where my parents do no longer matter. The pastor who raised me up, who taught me does not matter anymore, who fed me in the way of truth, who showed me Christ, who showed me the principles of the kingdom. There are many times I would have derailed, but my understanding was was was weak. I was immature, and this man would always call me, would always call me to order, correct me. And when I become something of repute in life, in whatever level, it then looks as though we have no commitment anymore to those who played a part in our growth, to those who played a part in our progress. And this is so rampant right now in the body of Christ. There are people who have been... Who have who have served in ministries and pulled down the ministry. Pastors were given branches of churches to oversee and without the knowledge of the man of God, changed the name of the church, took the members as a a a for himself, started another church with equipments that are not yours, buildings that are not yours, members that are not yours. You employ someone to work for you, and whilst you are working, the only things that you see is what is evil about the person that employs you.

Look at how she works. Look at how she talks. Can you imagine? They're only paying us 30,000 naira, and we are... They are using us like slaves. I have a question. Did the job not have a description of what you'll be doing before you took it? Number one. Number two, were you not told how much you'll be paid? You didn't get the job, and then all you can offer is insults.

You complain. You are saying, well, it's not enough. I will come by 8AM. Were you not told? And a lot of us have this seed of disloyalty, this seed of rebellion planted deep within. And if not uprooted by the word of God, we will never attain genuine greatness. Greatness by God and through God. I've studied the lives of men, businessmen, men in all all all walks of life that God is using mightily in this dispensation, and I've seen a track record of faithfulness in their lives. Listen to me. You might think what I'm saying now does not concern you until you...

Listen. Do you know the true test of faithfulness? Do you know how you would know if you have failed in it? Five years is time. Ten years. Look at your life and look at the life of those you began with. Many might be listening to me now and think what I'm saying does not concern them and just fold their hands and just be looking and saying, well, I I expected to hear something else today. The blessings of God upon a man's life always comes in levels. Write it down. If you understand this statement I just made, it is enough deliverance for someone.

A lot of people have this everything must happen fast mentality. The average young man is in the hurry. He wants to make money fast. The man starts ministry, and in one year, he wants to be successful. He wants to have 50,000 members, 105 branches. And he looks for every way to make this happen without knowing that the blessings of God come upon men in levels. If you understand the structure of God's kingdom and how he blesses men, you will stop struggling in life. In the kingdom, you don't start anything big. So thinking that the moment you start out, everything will just begin to work out immediately. You will become great in no time.

No. The bible says in this kingdom, everyone begins like a seed. The bible says the kingdom of God is like kingdom to a seed, which when a man plants... Are you with me? It grows onto a large tree that the birds of the air come to feast on, but it begins as a seed. So when you have this quest to begin your own work as a tree, something is wrong with your knowledge of how God blesses men. There are exams in this kingdom. There are tests in this kingdom. There are promotions in this kingdom. There are entrustments.

There are rewards. Influence is a reward. It's not a gift. Greatness is a reward. It is not a gift. God does not gift people greatness. Greatness and influence are not gifts of the spirit. They are rewards based on a track record of faithfulness. Stay with me. Matthew 25 and verse 14 to verse 18, a very interesting read.

Please stay with me. For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country who called his own servant. Listen, the Bible calls them servants. If they are his servants, that means he has been observing and watching them for some time. Is that not so? And delivered his goods to them. Note his goods. His goods. Who owns the goods? The man, the master.

The Bible says the master delivered his anointing. The master delivered his grace. The master delivered his opportunities, his open doors, his access to men, his goods, can be anything. Five members in your church is goods. Five people patronizing your business and opportunity. You see that? He delivered his goods to them. Verse 15 says, and to one, he gave 5 talents, to another two, and to another one. This is very important. It says to each according to his own ability, not according to their prayer requests, not according to their prayer point.

The one he gave one might have been praying for more. The one he gave one might have been hoping for five. It wasn't according to their prayer. It wasn't according to their request. Do you even know that? They never requested for it. Are you with me? In other words, their capacity to manage what was handed to them was what was considered, not according to their prayer life. It was according to their ability as it had been proven. And you will see very soon that the master did not lie.

And immediately, he went on a journey. In other words, he committed his anointing, committed his goods, committed his his his his liftings and breakthroughs. And he said, you know what? Hold it for me. I am coming. He went on a journey. And whilst he went on a journey, the thing was, let me see how you will steward what I've given you whilst I'm away. Remember that cryptosense, it is it is important for stewards to be found faithful. It is a requirement for stewards to be found faithful. A steward means someone you put in charge of something that doesn't primarily belong to him.

It means if God gives you something, you are a steward of it... Of the same. You are a steward of the anointing, a steward of the blessing, a steward of the prosperity, a steward even of the money that God gives you, of riches, of wealth, of influence, of affluence, of greatness is steward. Stay with me. Are you with me? Verse 16, then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents. And likewise, he who had received two gained two more also. Are you seeing that they are doing truly according to their abilities? But he but he who had received one went and dug it in the ground and eat his Lord's money. You don't hide talents.

You hide seeds. You bury seeds, not talents. It means there are people who have been engraced by God, burying what God has given. There are anointings buried. There are graces buried. There are possibilities buried. There are potentials buried, given by God, but buried. A man doesn't bury talents. A man bury seeds. This man went and buried what was given to him, what he was meant to do business with, what what he was meant to make profit with, increase in measure, increase in anointing, increase in grace.

Is that much so? Yes. In other words, what God was looking for was, I've given you five. Let me see what you would do with five. And what God wanted is use everything available to you that I've provided, your intellect, your brain, your mind, your partnership with the holy spirit, your wisdom that I've given you in Christ. Use everything to do business with what I've given you to increase it. Don't pray for me to give you more. Do something with what you currently have and increase it. Alright. I know this.

I see my goodness. God has given me five members, and God says do something with what you currently have and increase it. You're not seeing what I'm saying. I started the business, and the moment I put my flyers out, three people came to me and said, let's try. Let's do this thing. And even though your business and what you are selling, you've not even gotten to the height of excellence yet, These people would come again and say, oh, let's order what you have. Let's order order what you have. They're not coming because you are you are excellent. They're not coming because you are the only one that does it. They are coming because God gave you.

And God will say, can you make do with what I have given and increase? Can you turn three into six? I won't bring the six. You turn three into six. This is so powerful. In other words, if the church will grow, I will give you according to their... To your ability. If I see your ability is five, I give you five. If I see your ability is 10, I give you 10, and I will see what you can do with five to make five fifty. Are you with me?

To make five fifty, use the intellect, use the partnership with the holy spirit, use the wisdom I've given in all things. Do business with what I've given. I gave you a voice. Can you... I won't refine the voice for you. I gave you the ability to speak. That is good enough. Now use that ability. I gave you the ability to act or to sing songs or to do anything really. That ability is all I will give.

Let me see how you will refine it. I won't do the voice trainings for you. I won't turn the three or the four over 10 voice I gave you into eight over 10. The voice is already there. Now you will take courses by yourself. Now you attend trainings by yourself. Now you attend conferences by yourself while the master is away. Stay with me. Stay with me. You were looking for a job, and I gave you a job.

What they were paying you was 15,000 naira. You thought it was not enough, but were were you qualified for it? Let me see how you will use what I've given to make a 100. Now can you muster the power of relationships? Can you muster the power of value addition? Can you muster the power of everything I've made available with you and to you to increase what I've given? In other words, God has a base level that it begins with every man. This is why I said the blessings of God are in levels. At the level at which you are, at the infant level, God starts with you according to your ability. He gives Psalm five, Psalms two, Psalm one, and he says do business.

And the master will come back. Let's go on with him. Are you getting what I'm teaching you? Yes, sir. Are you being blessed? Sir. I've given you a brain, a sharp one at that. You read books and it sticks in your head. You are able to remember large chunk of information that people struggle with. Mathematics comes easy to you.

You swallow chemistry. You swallow biology, history, whatever it might be. And God will say, I've given you this. Do business till I come. One can take that whole thing and go and bury it. In what part? And he dig the ground. What are their names? Of novels and he takes what God gave and puts it there. And in one week, she can finish 15 nobles.

You see what that person is doing? He's burying, burying because there's a purpose for which God gave. God gave so that you can do business till I come. In another time, said occupy it till I come. Do business with what I've given you. Let me see how effective it can become. In your hands, can this brain have given you make a PhD, make a doctor, make an engineer? If it can, then let me see what... Let... Now you see what I would give the engineer.

Stay with me. Immediately, he went on a journey. Then he who had received... Okay. We've we've done that. The bible says, and he hid his Lord's money. His Lord's money doesn't belong to him. Verse 19, after a long time, the Lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. This shows you that everything that God entrust with you, whatever level of grace, he will come back for an accountability report. And the report card is what will determine whether you will rise to a new level or not.

And this is why many people may be anointed, but will never rise to a new level until they pass the test of their current level. Because every time the accountability report is collected, they fail in faithfulness. So what God is coming to check, let's go let's go on with it. Verse 20, so he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents saying, Lord, you deliver to me five talents. Look, I've gained five more talents besides them. Verse 21, his Lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things. I gave you certain gifts, certain anointings, certain opportunities, certain graces. I gave you connection to certain people. You were a member of a church.

You are a pastor. I gave you 10 members. And I see that you have been faithful over a few things. Because you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. The promotion came because you have been faithful. Can you see the word faithful there? Because you were faithful over a few things. I will give you... I will make you ruler over many things.

The promotion was on account of faithfulness. In this kingdom, we rise by faithfulness. Promotions are given on account of faithfulness. In other words, at your current level, when God comes for an accountability report and he finds that the gifts you have been given, the talent you have been given, you have buried it and hidden the Lord's gift for several reasons. God says no. Remain at this level. You are a prayer warrior, but you are unfaithful. You are an evangelist, but you're unfaithful. You are meant to be a businessman who is successful. At this level, you are meant to be a billionaire already, but you're unfaithful.

And if a man is unfaithful, let's continue with it. Do you know that he didn't pray for this promotion? He didn't say, Lord, promote me. Increase me. No. It came by faithfulness. He never knew what the master had in mind. He just came and told the master, I've made five into 10. Master said, my goodness. Now be a ruler.

Watch this. Watch this. Watch this. The reward for making five into 10. Many of you think it was that God just collected the one that did nothing with his own and gave it to the one with five, and we think that's the reward. That's not the reward. Are you with me? The reward for making five into 10 was not that more was added. Wasn't that 20 was not given to him. The reward was that he became a ruler over all things.

It means the reward of faithfulness is not directly proportional to what you are doing, what you are faithful in. I didn't get what I just said. The reward of faithfulness is not directly proportional to what you were faithful in. It means your ministry can be 100 for five years. When heaven comes and marks you faithful, 100 can become 10,000 in one year. You're what I'm saying? A man can cross into billions in one year. I had a testimony of a brother. He's been serving in a church over there for many years. And the pastor looked at him one day.

He came to the pastor. He has sold... He saw... He saw the seeds frequently. And then the pastor said, I wanna I wanna take a loan of 10,000,000. And the pastor said, do you know that in the last three years, you have given more than 10,000,000? I think you are bigger than 10,000,000. Don't take a loan. He said, okay, sir. And he still continued just doing his business there.

Excuse me. Just doing his business there. An Indian man found him on LinkedIn. Owned an establishment of the same sort he does, construction in Ibadan. The Indian man said, can we meet in Lagos? He went to the man's corporation in Lagos, a very big building. The man said, we are relocating and we are extending our boundaries to Kenya. And I was just scrolling through LinkedIn, finding people who are suitable to manage our establishment in Nigeria. And we saw you... I hope you don't mind collaborating with us.

We would like you to make you the MD of Nigeria office. It's been sad. That's see. That's not that's not prophecy. That's faithfulness. The reward is never proportional to what you were faithful in. It's not, oh, you are faithful in five. You make it 10. Now take 20. No.

It's from five to ruler. It's not arithmetic progression. You can't use brain. That is why some things are entrustment. The moment God considers a man faithful in little, it makes him a ruler. It makes him a ruler. Guess what? You would expect that the one who was faithful in five, the five became 10. And then maybe the blessing would be that you'll be given more, say 20. And the one who was faithful in two, the two became four.

His own reward should be lesser to the reward of the fund that was faithful in five. Is that not so? Yes. Let's see something. Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. This is the one for five. Next one, he also he also who had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Look, I have gained two more talents besides them.

Next verse, his Lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Was it commensurate to what they were given? There's no difference at the end from those who were given five and those who were given two. What God was looking for is faithfulness. Some people have killed faithfulness because of envy. Now they say, why am I... Why do I have only two? And he has five.

And they focus on competition. They focus on envy, and they leave faithfulness alone. Some have left the work God has given to them. Some have left the place God has put them. Some have left the place of their location because somebody else is doing something else. Whereas God gave him 10 by reason of his ability. God gave you two by reason of your ability. At the end of the day, what matters is not how much you were given. What matters is faithfulness. What what what what was responsible for what you were given was your ability.

God considered, what can I give you that won't destroy you? It was out of his love that he gave one five, that he gave one two. It was according to their abilities. It was not as to any special reward. It was attached to five and two. At the end of the day, it was the same. Ruler over many things. The power of faithfulness. That when a man steward what God has given to him, my goodness. My goodness.

The master will come. The master will come and will ask for a report. And if the master does not find you laboring on your spot, if he finds that competition has taken you out of your spot, pride has taken you out of your spot, money has taken you out of your spot, the quest for faith has taken you out of your spot. Do you know that there were men of God who started well, and were laboring well in what God gave them, but they saw one that God gave five and they started patronizing how can my own be five? They went into witchcraft. Open their hearts to demons. Open their hearts to all kinds of things because they were concerned about how can two be five. Is the concern how can two be five, or how can I be a ruler of all? Many of the... You see, if you ever find competition engraved in your heart, just know you are worrying over two and five.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter who gets two. It doesn't matter who gets five. Do you know what this means? It's the one with one. I'd said, master. Master, this is the one that you gave me, and I've made one more from it. You know what God will say? You have been faithful over a few things. Now become a ruler over all. So it didn't matter at the end of the day who was choir master.

It didn't matter at the end of the day who was choir member. It didn't matter at the end of the day who was prayer coordinator. It didn't matter at the end of the day who was prayer member. I'm the one that God should have made. I'm the one... Ah ah. They did see me there. I'm there, and I made him a leader. Ah. You have missed it.

You are worrying to and fight. You have missed it. I've missed it. That's why I said give it five years. You will see the reward. Those who are faithful, it's time that differentiates. Because the the reward is never proportional to what they were faithful in. Never forget this. When God lift this ministry, it will be strange. It is nothing like your mind can comprehend.

It is nothing like your mind can understand. What God is doing is beyond what we can see. And guess what? The... This is... Is is God just showing you remain faithful. Remain faithful. There is something I'm doing with you. Remain faithful. There is something I'm doing with you.

When promotions come, the promotion is never commensurate to what we were faithful in. That is what makes people ask, where did they come from? Because it it doesn't seem as though they can calculate it. This is the blessing many people have missed in rebellion. This is the blessing many people have missed. Can you imagine what that guy... That that last guy would have had? He didn't pray for it. He didn't fast for it. He just showed himself a faithful steward, and Lord said, I'm ready to take you to the next level.

In other words, your faithfulness is your report card that you qualify for the next level. So instead of praying, Lord, increase our numbers. Just be faithful in evangelism. Be faithful in housewages. Be faithful in preaching. Be faithful in teaching. Be faithful in making the ground green for the for the pasture green for the sheep to lie in. Just be faithful. And in faithfulness, you will watch in amazement what God will do. And God can see.

The master can go away for five years. He can go away for ten years, but he will come. He will come and he will ask for a report. And when he asks for the report, he will look at you and say, my God, you have you have you have you have you have... I I gave you sheep and you fed on the sheep. You have become a wolf, praying on the sheep, feeding from the sheep. The Bible says, the devil came to Jesus and told Jesus, turn these stones into bread. Turn these stones into bread. The bible says that we are living stones and that... You see stones are not to be eaten.

Stones are to be built. They are to be used for the construction of a building. In other words, what the devil was telling Jesus is pray on the ship. Turn turn the stone you are meant to build and turn them into bread. Hit them. Stop building. Feed on them. That was the pattern that the devil was creating. And because the guy could not be faithful to say, I know that the time has come that that that that that the one who sent me will lift me. And while I wait for that time, I will labor in sincerity.

I might... It might not look like it, but I'm after the socks of these people. I might not have a car. I might not have a house. I don't mind. Let those who I am laboring over prosper. Let them be great. But the moment the guy can no longer wait and he's saying, hey, there is method changes. He starts looking for every means and any means to push himself to the top. If you push yourself to the top, you can...

Best you can be, the best you can be, the best you can be. He's adding to the numbers. Five to 10, 10 to 15. That's the best you can be. 15 to 20, that's the best you can be. But if a man remains faithful until the until the master comes, he judges faithfulness and says, no. On account of your faithfulness. You have just I have just made you... There's there's an investment of power, an investment of grace, an anointing upon your life. The oil upon you is is for the nations.

It's not for one man. It's for the nations. And yet, with that oil, put you in a church and I said join the oceans. And while you are mopping, while you are cleaning, I am watching. Can you be faithful? Or or is your heart deceive you to think with the level of power you have, you don't deserve to be here. Who thought you deserve anything? Is it yours? The talents are not yours. It belongs to the master.

No man truly deserves nothing. And whilst you are there, what the heavens are measuring is faithfulness. How faithful can you be even the business I've given to you? In the work you got, in the job you got, in the occupation you have, how faithful can you be? You were employed as a staff. You top down on every... Everybody. You backbite on everybody. You don't do the work you are given. At the point you are given, you make excuses of all sorts.

There is no kind of complaint over you, and everyone is saying no. You can't... You are not faithful in little. Are you with me? Sir. He also who have received one talent came and said, look. Look at the one talent man talking here. After a long time of God entrusting him with an anointing, after a long time of God entrusting him with a grace, with a business, with an opportunity, God gave him five members, and he gave him one year. And he kept watching what he was doing with them. He kept grumbling, comparing himself with others.

Look at what he says. Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you had not scattered seed. And I was afraid and went and hid talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours. Have what is yours. This is the grace. Take it back. Take the anointings back. Look at this. But his Lord answered and said to him, you what?

Wicked and lazy servant. You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed, so you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers. Take what I gave you and give somebody else. And at my coming, I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore, take the talent from him and give it to him who has 10 talents. And we think that is the reward. That is not the reward. Do you know that is not a reward? That is additional responsibility on account of your faithfulness. That was the seed that was given.

That was your original talent. In other words, taking the talent means giving more responsibility because you have judged him faithful. Do you understand what I'm saying? This tells you that God can take from a man who is not faithful and give to a man who is. Anybody who tells you that the the mystery of replacement is not real is is... Has lied to you. Do you know that every time I hold this microphone, I'm always trembling knowing that I'm not the only voice that is anointed? There are several other voices that God has risen across Nigeria, and I must not miss my calling. It puts a level of humility. There's no way pride can come from.

On Facebook, I see what several powerful men of God, young people are doing. I said, my goodness. What a privilege to also be among these numbers. We know that we have a global mandate. We don't determine when the global mandate will come. Ours is to be faithful. You're an evangelist. God has given you a mighty powerful preaching grace. The utterance in your mouth is like fire. But you say, this power thing, this my friend that has power.

Why don't I have power? Last time I went for evangelism, I was even arguing with one person, and he was arguing with me. Just imagine I had power, And person, as he's arguing with me, he'll just go pow. How would they be arguing arguing with with me? Me. How would I they be arguing with me? And he suspends preaching and goes praying for power. Are you seeing this error? Yes, sir. And God is saying, will you be faithful in what I've given?

Will you be faithful in what I've given and see what I will had? Because I'm not the one that will tell me what to had. These people never says make us rulers. Oh, no. It's an entrustment when I see the depth of your loyalty, when I see the depth of your commitment, the depth of your faithfulness. When I've judged you faithful, am I? Are you? Imagine what I'm telling you. How many people will you say are truly great in God? People are rich, but they are not great.

People have the appearance of success, but they are not great. There are very few men who are truly great in God, truly, who God has elevated and has given influence. People are popular, but they're not great. There are men who are famous, but they're not great. Being famous is cheap. Being influential is expensive. It's an entrustment. Men can know you, but they are not moved by what you see. You can have a million followers who you cannot influence. I'm not after being famous.

I'm after the one that God gives. Men give men give men give fame. God gives influence. Put yourself on social media. Do Facebook advertisement. Increase in engagement. Increase in reach. 10,000 people can see your video. Does that mean you have influence? There's nothing wrong in that too.

Nothing wrong in that absolutely if it is part of faithfulness. If it's the desire for fame, there's everything wrong in it. If it is a part of this method God has given to us must reach the world, and in so doing, with a sincere quest for the message to reach the world and for many people to hear this liberating truth of the kingdom, then let's let's let's use every platform we can get our hands on to propagate the kingdom gospel. That is faithfulness. That is you using everything God has made available to multiply. You see? Yes, sir. That's you making five into 10. Nothing wrong in that. But when it becomes a quest for rulership, no.

You can't bring yourself into rulership. You can only be fit for what God has given. Listen. Therefore, take the talent from him and give it to him who has 10 talents. Take from the one who is least faithful and give it to the one who is more faithful. All the three were servants, emojis for instance, graduates for instance. But over the time, the master kept on studying their lives and realized that this level of faithfulness that qualifies men for the next level, they had it in different degrees. So you can all be graduates from the same department, but three years later, we see one of you being lifted, and you wonder why. Could it be that what is stopping you from entering into the next level is faithfulness? That whilst all of you were together, there was one who was faithful.

There was one who was laboring. There was one who was sincere. The rest just had a quest for fame. They were using God, using God to get money, using God to get fame. And even when he comes to church, he comes to church so that his prayer request can be answered. God has become a guinea to him. And God says, no. I'm not I'm not I'm not a fool. God cannot be mocked. Look at 20 times 29.

For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance. But from him who does not have, look at this, even what he has will be taken away. This is a strange scripture. You know why it's a strange scripture? Because the bible says, from him who does not have, even what he has. If he does not have, how come he has? Have you thought about this? If he does not have, how... What then does... The Bible says, for from he who does not have even what he has.

It means if every man that looks as though they don't have, actually have, there is no man who truly lacks nothing, even a beggar has. Say, God blesses men in levels. Have you seen people who fall victim of scammers? They tell you, come and do so and so. Give us your account number. Transfer 50,000 naira to us, and we'll give you 2,000,000 naira. You see you see, when you know how God blesses people, when you know how God lifts people, you will immediately know what is not of God. When God trust you with small and you don't regard it to be faithful, and you don't regard it enough to be faithful, then you don't qualify to walk in greater levels. The reason why people are people are following victim of of false scammers is because they are looking for ways outside of faithfulness. Your God has given you a job, but you are looking for another way outside of faithfulness.

You see that now? You are looking for another route outside of faithfulness, And somebody comes and offer you one and says, see here, just bring 35,000 naira. Wait for three days, and it will turn to $160,000 naira. And you consider it and think about it for one day, you say, that's three. Is that not more than three times my salary like this? If I will have it back, let me just try. And you say, can... Must I try with 35,000 naira? He said, no. You got an entry level, 2,000 naira.

He said, I have 500. You can bring it. And you give him 500 naira. And true to the awards, three days after, they give you $1.05. You say, hey. It's true. It's true. I means by giving them the that 1 naira, it will become $1.60. Guy, my salary will come on the twenty fifth. Can you really borrow me?

I have a urgent thing I want to do. Very urgent thing I want to do. And the guy borrows in the money, and he puts the money. They block his number, and you can't find them anywhere. You're not good on social media. Please, oh, don't trust don't trust finance industry. They're they're... Don't trust them. Please let let... Let me tag.

Let me tag them. Let me tag this and this. Let me tag that person. Let them... You are a foolish You person. Thought there was wisdom is keeping process? Do you know that when when men become great, if it is in God if it is in God, when men become great, many a times, they don't change what they were doing. It's the same thing they've always been doing. The same songs they've always been singing. In fact, it could have been that the song that announces them was one they sang five years ago.

Nothing when when God just measures your faithfulness and say you have served. Now it's time for a reward. Hey. There is no much effort included. God just speaks what you are doing and amplifies it before the whole world. Some women will just rise up, and they will start saying David has killed a thousand. Saul, 10,000. Even you don't know them, you have no idea where they came from. People will just start going to your social media post. They will say, ah, really?

Really? Bam. That's it. There. A faithful man will abound with blessings. Second line. A faithful man will abound with blessings. A faithful man will abound with riches. A faithful man will abound with wealth. But he who hastings to be rich.

In other words, when you hasten to be rich, you will take a route out of faithfulness. That's when you will consider offers to sleep with men to make money. He who hastings to be rich. I can no longer be faithful what God has given to me, and so a man is now proposing that I sleep with him and he will give me 100,000 naira. He who hastings to be rich. You journey out of faithfulness. You hastings to have a big church. Hastings to be known. You will use principles that are not in God. And the bible says they will not go unpunished.

In other words, do you know what it means? It means that... It didn't say he who hates things to be rich will not be rich. It means in the apostle, they might acquire riches. They might acquire riches. That is why the Bible does not say a faithful man will abound with riches. It says with blessings because the Bible says the blessings of God make it rich and added no sorrow. But if a man has things to be rich, what he pursues not blessings. What he pursues is riches. It added many sorrows.

There are people who started ministry genuinely genuinely, and they allowed pressure. You see, you just go on social media and you see your friend that started two years after you started. You already have LED screen. You check for the product of the venue they're using. You say 1,500,000 every six months, 3,000,000 every year, and then you are somewhere in a hut with planks as pillars and a wooden platform, and you are laboring sincerely, and you allow what you are saying to pervert your view of what of what God has shown you to a point where you now think that, I I I think I'm... I don't think I'm doing it right. Hey. Who told you? Who told you? Who told you?

The blessings of God comes at levels. That means whatever level God gives you, the way you enter to the next level is not by shouting, God, when will he come? When will they start carrying me up and down? When will they celebrate me like this? I'm complaining or even praying or fasting for the next level. No. That is not how lifting happens. You'll be amazed how unfaithful many can be. God led you to a church and you were told join the workforce. Attend our bible school.

And you say, well, join the workforce. Me, I was bible study coordinator when I was in school. How will I join the workforce and now attend by now? I'll taught by someone. I'll be taught by someone and I'll be cleaning chairs and be doing all of that? Really me from where I've been coming from? No. Come on now. No. One of...

Someone invited someone to Disciples Christian Network. And the guy came came for some time, and when they followed up on him, the man said the man said, you see, I'm blessed by that man of God. His heart is worth it. He said, but you know, I'm not used to small churches. He said, from where I'm coming from, you said the the way the the way the instrumentalists are, the way the choir is, the way there's a way I'm not used to all those things. So what I will do is I will go here, and then I will come here, and then I will just find a way. When you prove yourself faithful, one day God will look at you and say, my son, you have been faithful. No one knows you or even the investment of grace I've put in your life, but you have been serving faithfully. Now I will lift you and send helpers to your destiny. Listen, every man that you see that God raises, they have a track record of faithfulness, especially if they are if they are rising is unexplained.

There are many men who don't... You look at them, you wonder, what is this person singing? I'm... I can sing better than this. How come people... How come... What are people celebrating in this? There are times we even sit and say, I'm more anointed than this person. Why will come this person is here? There are people who look to be undeserving like the guy who was given two.

There are people that with respect to their ability even when you see them talking on on television. You say, ah ah, even your English is not sharp. Have you seen that? Yes, sir. If even your words are not refined. I saw a CSE man of God, prophet of God who cannot speak English, organizing a crusade in Israel. Over 10,000 people were there in Israel. He was speaking Yoruba, and they went out prison for him. There there are results you cannot you cannot you cannot fake in another man's nation. How will God take a man who cannot speak English at the very least and give him a global audience?

How many of you have tried listening to watching a movie that is not in English And you found it very stressful, reading of titles and and watching at the same time? Have you ever have you ever listened to a man of God who is not speaking your language and you have to depend on an interpreter for what he's saying? You don't know what I'm talking about. You have to depend on the accuracy of the of the interpreter to hear what to hear what he's saying, and yet God gives such a man a global platform. You think it's fast? Go on fast. Oh, no. There are track records of faithfulness where God just takes even the most unfitting and said you have been faithful. The same thing would have been said to the one that was given one. It means there are many people who were given one, but they were faithful.

And on account of their faithfulness, the world now knows them. So you look at them from the perspective of the one they were given and say, ah ah, we can't even speak. He was given one, but he was faithful. You can speak. You have a good voice. You have you have ability. You have everything. You were given five, but you're unfaithful. So you will look at everyone that God has lifted, and you look at them with pain, with shame. You will look at them and and cry in three years time, in five years time.

That's why I said the test of rebellion is time. Ministry that began a rebellion, give it time. Give it time. Bishops, we they go celebrated over forty something years in ministry. My God, give it time. Give it time. Do you know how many businesses in Nigeria in Nigeria? Nigerian made. That is a 100 years old. Nigerian home.

Not built in... Not not branch in Nigeria, owned by a Nigerian that started a hundred years ago and is still in existence today. You'll be amazed at how... You can't... I I doubt you can find anyone. And yet there are several establishments of the world, several. Open centuries ago, and they are still existing. What do you think is responsible for transgenerational relevance? That when you die, the things you build does not die with you, that your legacy outlives you. These are things you have no control over.

These are things you have no power over. Numbers chapter 12. Let me hand. Let me... My time is gone. Let's just do verse six. This was when God was rebuking Miriam, Heron, and and Haul for speaking against Moses. You know that story? Yes, sir. When they came to challenge Moses and told Moses that why did you marry from a strange land?

And then God came to challenge them. Let's start in verse five. He said, then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both went forward. Next verse. Look at this. Then he said, hear now my words. If there is a prophet among you, hide the Lord, make myself known to him in a vision. I speak to him in a dream. Watch this. It means, yeah, if there is anyone amongst you who is a prophet, I, God, will honor the fact that they are prophets, and I will come and speak to them in a vision.

I will come and speak to them in a dream. Is that not so? Yes. But watch this. Next verse. God says, not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. In other words, he's more than a prophet. He says, God says, if there's a prophet amongst you, I will reveal myself in a vision. I will come and speak to him in a dream, but not so with my servant Moses.

I I have checked all my house, and I've considered him faithful in all my house. He now goes on to say for Moses... Let me tell you how I speak to him. I speak to him face to face like a man speaks to his friend. I speak to him face to face, even clearly, not in the dark sense. When I'm speaking to Moses, I don't hide in Proverbs. I don't have in parables. I speak to him face to face. Clearly, he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against Moses?

This is in your bible. God told them. He read... God read Moses' CV. God said, I've checked all my house, and I found him to be faithful. The number can be so few. The number can truly be so few. Remember, the one who God found to be faithful wasn't the one that can speak the most. The one who God found to be faithful was a stamler. He had difficulty in speaking, difficulty in communicating himself, But God saw that for forty years, he's he's still with Jethro's Jethro's ship, and he never left it.

Faithful, committed, loyal. And God said, my God, are there still people who can be this loyal, who can be this committed, who can be this faithful? God revealed himself to him and said Moses. It means that the the encounter that Moses had was when his report card of faithfulness was marked. And God saw that Moses had been faithful. That was what birthed the encounter by the burning bush. Do you remember Haili? When God was when God was reading out the the the the the the crimes of Eli to him in second... In first Samuel two and verse 34. Look at this.

God told Eli, now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, Ophina and Phinehas. In one day, they shall die, both of them. What will not happen? Next verse, it says, then I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. You will find this in all of scriptures. All of scriptures. All of scriptures. In other words, death will come for your sons because they are not fit for. And the requirement for picking the next priest that will stand before me will be his faithfulness. Do you remember Nehemiah?

In Nehemiah chapter seven, when Nehemiah was done building the wall, verse one, he now wanted to apportion responsibilities, rulership responsibilities, kingly duties to people. Give me New King James version. Okay. Then verse... Okay. Then it was when the wall was built, I had hung the doors when the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed. Now I was looking for a ruler over the palace. I appointed gatekeepers. They didn't need much. I appointed Levites.

They didn't need much. I appointed singers. They didn't need much, but I needed to appoint a ruler over the palace. There were things I was looking for. Next verse, verse two, it says, then I gave the charge... Gave me NLT. Is it NLT now or KJV? Yes. One, two, three, go everybody. Why?

Pause. In other words, get man. See, anybody can find put there. Levites, we have people from the type of Levi. We have we have, okay, believers. He said, but when I would appoint rulers over the palace, people I would give charge over Jerusalem, what I was looking for was not who was qualified, who went to university, who went to school, who is the most... Ah, who who is the most skilled. I wasn't looking for that. I was looking for who is the most faithful. The requirement I was searching for was who is the most faithful.

The man wasn't seeking for promotion. He was just building walls. He he was part of those that built the wall. But on account of his faithfulness, the man said promotion has found you. Have you not seen that nobody who is promoted looks for it? It's on account of faithfulness. Proverbs 29 verse 14, King James version 29 and verse 14. Can we look together everybody? Proverbs 29 and verse 14. One, two, three, go.

Any king, any president, any influential man, any prosperous man, any rich man that faithfully judges, then the reward will be that his throne shall be established forever. Remember I spoke about legacies outliving you. It's not in your power. You are walking in a place, I've said that, and the only thing you do is observe what is wrong and discuss it with workers. You are not faithful. It's a seed you are sowing. Luke 16 verse 10. Let's end there. Luke 16 verse 10. The Bible says...

We'll look to verse 12. He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, And he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. God is showing you the principle here. Now when a man is about to be given much, he will first be tested with that which is least. The proof that he will be faithful in much is seen in how he handles that which is least. So he says, he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. Note that he doesn't say, will be faithful. He says, is faithful. And who is unjust in little is unjust in much. It means if I give you little and you're unfaithful in it, I've already judged you.

It's not it's not it's not God test me with big things and see. It means if I test with 50,000 naira and you could not tithe, 5,000,000 will enter your hand. Because you have been tested in little and you were found unjust. You were found unfaithful. In your finances, you are making a profit of 5,000 naira and you can't tithe from it. You say because I have to restock. What if we didn't make profit? You would have stocked. You would have been stuck. Verse 11 says, therefore, if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

Pause. Pause. You didn't see that. The bible says, the least level where your faithfulness is required is as it concerns money. That is the least level where your faithfulness is required. There is something superior to money. That's why the bible says, if therefore you have not been faithful in money. Do you know what that means? It means that is the least. Who will not commit into your hand through riches?

It means there's a difference between having money and being truly rich. True riches is not substantial. True riches is spiritual. And so when money comes to your hand and you're unfaithful in it, you're unrighteous in it, you can't you can't you can't... You're you're not a benefit to the kingdom of God. You don't give. You don't tithe. You hoard it. God says, if you cannot be faithful in your unrighteous mammon, How can true riches be committed into your hands? It means true riches is not given to you on account of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

No. That makes you eligible for receiving, but your faithfulness is what qualifies you. Verse 12 says, and if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? It means in this kingdom, before your own is given to you, you are tested with another man's. Your own business, your own money, your own ministry, your own church, no man is self made. There is no man who comes from nowhere. You will first be tested with another man. Even if God says you're a pastor, you will first be pastored. If you are unfaithful in that and you dislodge from rebellion, whatever you start is is a seed of rebellion, and the harvest will be a harvest of rebellion. There are many people who cannot who cannot grow with visions anymore.

No faithfulness. You can't grow with visions anymore. No loyalty whatsoever. No commitment whatsoever. Jesus Christ. Rise up on your feet. Rise up on your feet. Let your eyes be closed. Let us pray. Close your eyes.

I can't finish my teaching today, but my time is gone. I want you to say, God, help me to be faithful. With your eyes closed, just say, God, help me. Help me to be loyal. Help me to be committed. Help me to be trustworthy. Help me to be dedicated. Help my heart, Lord Jesus. Help my heart, Lord Jesus. Help my heart, Lord Jesus.

Listen. Listen. Listen. Let me show you a scripture. If you ever get employed, let me show you a scripture. Second Kings twelve fourteen. If you ever get employed, can we do it together, everybody? They gave that to what? Have I shown the principle of faithfulness? I want to show you why majority of the artisans in Nigeria are poor.

Have you noticed? They gave the responsibility of mending to the workmen. Now let's look at this. Next verse. One, two, three, go. They trusted them so much so they didn't they didn't ask them for records. They knew if if you give them 10,000, next week, that same... That that 10,000 will be will be the same amount that will be there. If we if we if we ask them how much is this carburetor, and it says $5.07, you go and price it. You only get it for more expensive prices.

You will never see it for less. I called a... I I called a organizer to my house this morning to help me fix the tires of a car, And he said the the car does not have a waistband. So I said, what size of the waistband? He says size nineteen or so. I said, so how much is it? Let me help me get it. He said, have to go and get it for me. How much is it? Help me get it.

He said 7,000 naira. It just didn't make sense to me. 7,000... I don't know how much they said. But it doesn't make sense that wheel spanner of a car... You know what wheel spanner is? If a tire has issues, that thing that they roll like that, like cross. Sir. And they used to remove the bolt. 7,000 naira.

You know, I said, get out of my house. I sent somebody else to go and get it for me. The person got it for $1.05. Listen. Listen. Hear me. Hear me. Hear me. Hear me. Listen.

Listen. Do you know that's the reason why you will forever be poor? Yes, sir. Is it is it is it the 6,000 that will make you prosperous? You are collecting curses. Even if you wanna make profit, that amount of profit from somebody's labor, that is not charging what you are worth. That is that is extortion. Because I'm not worth anything. It's not you that I did it. Are you with me?

Yes, sir. This is the reason why many of them are poor because you rarely find faithful men amongst them. You go to a mechanic's room, you have to be there from Monday night because if you leave... Tell God I will be faithful. Faithful to God, faithful to men, faithful to a cause. 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.