BOW

All right, so we start a new series today. Now let me give a word of warning. I have honestly searched right, left, forward. How can I start in a simple way? I didn't find. I'm telling you, I didn't find. So, um, the issue with this series is that it doesn't pity religious minds. Okay, are you still ready for it? Are you sure? Lift your right hand. Say, Lord, I receive insight. Now make it a prayer in the next 1 minute. I receive insight, revelation of the Spirit, that beyond what is said, that my eyes of understanding comprehend. I will be able to comprehend the length and the depth of what You have for us. I will not be spiritually blind. I will not be spiritually lazy. My eyes are open that they will see tonight. In Jesus' mighty name, amen. All right, let's start. Turn your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter number 4. Matthew chapter number 4, um, let's start from verse 8. But as we start from verse 8, we read, but I want to show you something quickly. Look up. The trick to understanding the temptations of Jesus is not just the content but the order. Okay, let me say it again. The trick that the devil was playing in that temptation It's not just about the content of each temptation, but the order. For instance, in Matthew chapter number 4, verse 8, what the devil was telling him to do here is to what? To bow before him. But the devil will never tell you to bow until he has asked you to jump. Can I say that again? Yes, sir. The devil will never tell you to bow until he has asked you to jump. Number 2, it is not every believer that the devil needs to bow. There are those who are naturally bent over. Amen. All right, so the temptation before this was that he told Jesus— he took him to the pinnacle of the temple and then told him, if you are the Son of God, jump. And he quoted scriptures in a way that we quote it today. Isaiah 40:2B. Have you heard that before? So he quoted Psalms 91. He said, this is what the Bible said: after all, God has given his angels charge over you to keep your feet from stumbling. Sounds fantastic. Like the devil knows scriptures, but the complete scripture is, because I have set the Lord continually before me, therefore has he given his angels charge over my feet, over me, to keep my feet from stumbling. All right, the charge of the angels is a response to my obedience. So the devil is saying disobey but keep the dividends. So the temptation to jump— amen— is to tell you— he said, if you are the Son of God, jump, then quoted a promise. So when the devil wants you to jump, it gives you the impression that you are too important to be among those that history will record as those who failed. That you, with what you know now, there's no way you can fail. It's a way to overbloat your sense of self-importance. When the devil makes your head swell, your crown will fall. And sometimes it doesn't have to happen dramatically like this. Believers are doing that every day. Maybe you caught a vision of what God wants to do with your life, then the devil begins to tell you, why not misbehave? People like you have gone too far to be destroyed. Nobody has gone that far. People fall from the mountaintop. Are you following what I'm saying here? But let's critically— so having said that, so having introduced carelessness,, then he can introduce the next one. Is that okay now? Now let's read Matthew 4, verse 8 together. Are you ready? 1, 2, 3, go! Again the devil taketh him up into an high, exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of this world. Wow! And said to him, all these things will I give thee if thou will fall down and worship me. What? Is that not amazing? All these things. In fact, um, Matthew didn't capture it fully, what he said. Look at the way Luke puts it. Give me this same scripture, Luke chapter number 4. He gave a clue, actually. You want to see the clue? Luke chapter number 4, let's read from verse 5. Luke chapter number 4 from verse 5: And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed him all what the kingdoms of the world in a moment of what? Time. Yes. And the devil said unto him, okay, no, all this power will I give thee and the glory of them. Look at the extra clue: for that is delivered unto me. Are you seeing that? Now that clue is very important. For that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it. This scripture already nullifies the attempt to believe that money, influence, and affluence is a way to measure spirituality or alignment. Let me tell you the reason why you must be consistent in your local assembly. There are teachings that you hear. The teaching in itself is wrong, but the teaching becomes wrong unless a foundation is laid. Can I say that again? There are teachings you hear. The teaching in itself is not wrong, but it becomes wrong if a foundation is not laid. It is like you are jumping process. Let me tell you something. Thank God for access to speak to the body of Christ, but let me tell you, primarily every message I teach is to Light Nation and to those who are spiritually connected to us. They are scattered around the world, so they follow every progress. They follow every progress. For instance, if God begins to show me in the place of prayer that there is mediocrity in the heart of people and you have to stir them up and build them to come up to a level then you teach around that. That is what determines the next meal. Many times the condition of the people, because a teaching can either be curative, all right, or prophylaxis. Are you following what I'm saying here? Yes, sir. Sometimes it doesn't concern outsiders. And I'm saying that because there are things I will say tonight that if you cut it out of context, in all honesty, anybody out there blogs, it's their business. But you just get the complete package. Is that okay? Yes, sir. So the devil was telling Jesus, all this world's glory that you see It has been delivered to me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it. So let me tell you the trick there. First question is, who delivered it to him? The fall of Adam was not just a declaration of independence, it was an exchange. There was something that the Adam, the, the first man, had. God gave him charge over the earth. Genesis 1:26, God said, come, let us make man in our own image, after our likeness. Let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, everything that creepeth upon the face of the earth. God gave him charge. So when man fell His dominion was not corrupted, it was seeded. When the devil fell, his wisdom was not withdrawn, it was corrupted. His anointing was not withdrawn, it was corrupted, meaning that he can still do the same thing but now onto a bad end. There are things you lose, there are things that get corrupted in you, and the issue is that the, the danger is when certain things get corrupted in you, they are still there. So presence of those things is not a way to measure alignment. Are you feeling what I'm saying there? They're there. So for instance, the gift and the calling of God is without repentance. So it means that if a man is gifted, his fall will not take away the gift. It means gift falls under the category of what doesn't go but becomes corrupted. Your gift will not be corrupted. Listen, so Adam lost dominion. Dominion there is governing influence over the earth. So the devil said, because there's no vacuum in the spirit realm, he said, it has been delivered to me. When Adam prefer to rebel against God What he had, God did not take it from him. The devil just became the one in charge. Now look at— pay attention to this. The first Adam came as a being of dominion. Jesus came, and he came in a country that was under the influence of the Roman Empire. It didn't make sense. So what the devil thought was that Jesus began ministry with a feeling of inadequacy, that I wish I'm like that Adam. But it's more, yes sir, because the first Adam was a living soul, and the second Adam is a life-giving spirit. Listen, look up. The areas of your temptations will revolve around the areas you have observed that you are inadequate. Wherever there is a need, that's where your test will come from. So the devil will say, ah, by now you should be depressed that you are not like Adam now. But Jesus kept emphasizing, the dynamics have changed. My kingdom is not of this world. Let me ask you, maybe if you're in Bible school now, I'll ask you a simple question. Is your own kingdom of this world? You better think before you answer. Is your own kingdom of this world? Talk to me. Only some people here are talking. Is your kingdom of this world? Hmm. You have a duty. Your duty is to bring the kingdom that is from above and invade the systems that are here. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Amen. Amen. Amen. Please go back to that Luke 4. So what the devil does is to look at people and try to wrap sentiment around something they don't have yet. Like, now that you don't have a child, maybe God is still remembering the mistakes you made in the past. Because that the child is not there is a fact, but that this is what is responsible for it is a lie. It is not deception if it doesn't have element of truth. Yes, sir. Okay, deception is not lies, it's not outright lying. Let me ask you a question. Have you been deceived before? Huh? So let me, let me give you an instance. Guy A can tell girl A, I love you, and then it's a lie. Guy B can tell Girl B that I love you, but it's not a lie, it is deception. For Guy A, it doesn't. Maybe you need someone to while away time with. For Guy B, he may, but he loves someone else more, and love is preference. You can decode Guy A in visions and God speaking to you. Guy B Listen, you will need to hear God and men. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So years back, I was scammed. I've shared the story with you. When they scam you, don't just blame the scammer. You too, you are— anybody that they scammed is also a scammer. I mean, talk to me now. How do you tell me that you want to bring goods that should be up to 100 million? I now say this is an agent from Temu. You now say that we'll bring this thing, they're having this promo and it's going to be around 5 million. For you to buy it, you too, you're a thief. True. So deception works when there is something that aligns with both you and the deceiver. There must be a common denominator. Yeah, there must be. The issue is that whenever there is deception that's coming, the deceiver is deceiving. The one that they are deceiving thinks is the one also deceiving somebody. But there is the player and there is the playee, or the played. All right, so at the end of the day, be careful. If Jesus stylishly wanted those things, he will fall. Talk to me now. You fall. Be careful of getting what you've always wanted. That this is what you have always wanted doesn't mean it is God giving you. Ah, what you have always wanted or what God wants for you? What you have always wanted Kenneth Hagin wrote in his book, My That's Touching, when you get what you want, will you want what you get? That's a powerful question. Amen. So when Adam fell, he ceded control. Then the devil now began to flaunt those things. Before people. That anything the devil flaunts before you is not his own. And if he flaunts it before you, it means somewhere, somehow in your life, it is there. It is a game of time, this game of greed and haste. He wants you to get now what will be later. You know, it will later be said that the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ. Ha become, meaning that as at that time will become. And the route for the kingdom of this world to become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ is that Jesus will finish And to finish means that he will suffer and die. But the devil said, let's get to the glory without the cross. That's the concept of Bowen. Let's, let's, let's cut the long process. I've told you all the time, if the devil is cutting something or giving you a shortcut, you investigate what is cutting short. There's something very important. Every shortcut leads to problem. Are you following what I'm saying here? Even in the world of business, have you heard people who always know somebody who can do it cheaper? Say, ah, What do you tell him to do? He says, yeah, how much? No, don't worry. If I call Baba Biliki now— now, shut up, shut up. Somebody is telling you do this thing for 1 million, they call the other one, he said 20k. You didn't ask. You say, ah, really? You're an honest man. They never leave you. Fool you now, you are crying. So he's a very— he's a polite plumber. You, you flush in this toilet, they will meet it in the other room there. Amen. Praise God. So let's, let's get to something. Let's leave all that. We'll come to those ones later. Let's, let's, let's investigate something this evening. Are you with me? Number 1, who is making the promise that if you will bow— and by the way, the word bow used there is a very dangerous word. In Matthew chapter number 5— chapter number 4, verse 8. Let me show you something. Matthew chapter number 4, verse 8. Are you still there? The word bow there As used in King James says, if you fall down and worship me. So the word used to pay homage there, that is to worship, to bow, is the word proskuneo, proskuneo, and I will explain. Proskuneo, which means To lick one's boot like a dog. That's what it means, to lick one's boot like a dog. That is what happens, for instance, if somebody says that before I give you this job, I must sleep with you. To sleep with that person is to lick the person's boots like a dog, is to bow. It is not worship as in to say figuratively, oh devil, I recognize you as God. It is worship as your intentions comes as my priority. That's what it means. For instance, it is bowing if you have to adulterate your age to get a job. You are bowing to a system because this is what every other person does. Are you following what I'm teaching you here? Are you with me? Stay with me, stay with me, stay with me. That's the word bow there, proskuneo. It also means to adore. Now, before we even look at the concept of bowing, let's look at the character of the person making the promise. If you will bow, fall down, bow and worship me, I will give you all the glory of this world. You believe a promise based on the character of the one making the promise. If someone who is a perpetual liar tells you that I'm going to send you so and so amount. I remember one time like that, we were on campus, we had a very fantastic meeting. One very popular politician came, and then, you know, came there and stood before the people and said, my God, this is so powerful what God is doing here, this, this is— I will donate so and so amount, and then we will buy so and so thing. Oh God, we clapped. Oh my God, my good Jesus, thank you. Week 1, week 2, week 3, week— people start asking me, ah, Pastor, you never collect money. There are people that when they tell you good morning, you can be sure it is night. See, listen, the devil doesn't lie. He actually doesn't have the nature of truth. Listen, listen, listen. If you say this boy used to lie, it means that he lies quite all right, but there can be moment of truth. There is no moment of truth with the devil. You need to get that in. Listen, let me tell you something. Because dealing with the devil is like you dated an ex. Sorry, I always use relations because that's what you can understand. Or you dated somebody who is a perpetual liar. The guy will lie and save different girlfriends' names with the name of his co-worker, secretary, this, all those stuff. Then one time like that, I just saw a picture of a church. You saw the guy worshiping, raising hands. Ah, this guy for don't change now. The guy is still on your matter. And I said, let's give second chance. He will still lie. There's nothing like once beaten, twice shy. They can beat you 100 times. You know why? Because you keep assuming the person, he must have changed, he must have changed. You can't change for anybody on their behalf. And when people change You need fruit of the change. Fruit of the change. So the devil doesn't have the nature of truth. For instance, in the book of Revelation chapter number 12, Revelation chapter number 12. Stay with me. Are you there? All right, Revelation chapter number 12. I want to— I want you to see something. Um, let's start the reading from verse 7. Revelation chapter number 12, verse 7. There's a word there you have to read with an understanding. Look at it. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon The dragon fought and his angels. How? How did the devil become the one that now say these are my angels? What did he tell the angels of God that made them become angels of the devil? In a moment of time. Look at it in verse 8. And prevailed not, neither was their place found anymore in heaven. Meaning that he must have promised them a total takeover. It will be about us now. Did he achieve it? No. Look at verse 9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceived the whole world. And was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. They became fugitives from being a rebel group that could take over to becoming fugitives that will only wander around, around the earth. Look at verse 10: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony. They will not be left unto death. All right. What did he tell them? Then what's their fate? Look at what the Bible said concerning them in Jude. Jude has just one chapter. Look at what the Bible says in Jude 1, verse 6. Jude 1, verse 6. And the angels which kept not their estate but left their own habitation, he had reserved in everlasting chains under darkness until the judgment of the great day. Mean that these beings will be judged and they will burn eternally. But was that the promise? No. What did he tell Adam? What did he tell Eve? Sorry. In Genesis chapter number 3, let's start reading from verse 4. If I'm correct, Genesis 3, let's start from verse 4. Look at it. Read this, 1, 2, 3, go. And the serpent said unto— Let's start from verse 2 so you can understand the context. And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God had said, you shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. What did the devil say? You shall not show. All right, so God said don't eat, when you eat it you will die. The devil outrightly said what God said is not true. It means that for Eve to be deceived, she had to first believe God as a liar. If the Bible says that the soul that sinneth shall die, You must believe contrary to what God said to live in sin. I'm telling you, you cannot rebel against God until you have first perceived him as a liar. Are you following what I'm saying here? The devil said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, you shall— then he didn't, he didn't— when he said 'You shall not surely die.' And so it was not objected. He went into full-blown one. Look at verse 5 quickly. Verse 5: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. God knows You see, sometimes you just read this thing and just— so, okay, where is the lie in this statement? For God knows that the day you eat of it, your eyes shall be open. When they ate, was their eyes open? Yes, but their eyes was open unto death, not unto life. Before, their eyes were wide open unto life. You know why? Because they were naked. And they were not ashamed. It means that it was— they were more conscious of the glory that covers. The moment their eyes got open, though the devil told them your eyes will be open, but he didn't tell what kind. The first thing they saw was their nakedness, and the next feelings that came was shame. What kind of promise is this? That looks so good but yet disastrous. The devil is a pathetic liar, lying to people who know that he's a liar, and yet they still believe him. Sometimes you see people fall for things like money ritual. Check. Go and check people who are living on charms. It doesn't matter the kind of car they drive, you know that there's something missing. There's a glory that only comes from the presence. See, godliness with contentment, great gain. There is something money can't buy— the presence. The presence, the backing of God, that God is saying, this is my Son in whom I'm well pleased. You don't have to be a pastor to enter that status, all right? Jesus had not started ministry when God said that. He's lived 30 years sinless life. When you see where the glory of God covers a man, you'll be amazed. Money can't buy that. The biggest boys who were doing Yahoo 10, 15 years ago, where are they now? Some of them run mad on the street. You see girls running mad. A Yahoo boy will pick a girl, then send Uber. Or bike to take her back to her house. Then she gets there and she shares the spoils of war with her friends. Look at what he bought for me. We're chopping life, chopping life. And the guy knows that he's using the girl. And it will get to a point that there's nothing left of their life than regret and pain and misery. Meanwhile, to follow God's instruction for your life, the things that will come from that relationship, nobody can give you. I've seen people, they make so much boast and their charms. When the year started, I saw one of the hip-hop guys was pouring Fanta on his head and buffing. All this, all this for streaming emotion, all this. The devil must be wicked. All this, you wake up in the middle of the night, you see, it is— it takes stupidity to insult Christianity. I'm telling you, you wake up middle of the night, you carry sacrifice. Sometimes they say tie this clothes or carry it naked. You take it to a junction, somebody could see you and shoot you. And you die in front of the food you have prepared for your— are you with me? Yes, sir. I think Daddy Geo shared this story one time. They told him that now that you are going higher, you need to fortify yourself. So that was when he was a lecturer. He wasn't born again then. So they told him to go to an abaliste. So the abaliste told him to go and get a goat. But the criteria for this goat is that you must drag it from the market that you are buying it to the house of the abaliste. A university lecturer. You have to drag— you see, dehumanization for what the blood does effortlessly. Believers, what you have is higher life. Never think it's low. So he dragged. Unfortunately, the goat was a stubborn goat. And one time he dragged the goat, and another time when he came there, they say he can't see Baba. So Baba was supposed to fortify him so he doesn't have accident, doesn't die, and all that. But Baba himself had an accident and broke his leg. If money rituals is good, all our Balis will do it for their children. You need to see these guys, how they want their own children. Stay away from it. When the devil gives with one hand, he's taking with 10. It's just like the aid they give to African nations. They keep taking foreign aid, foreign aid, foreign aid. Then you now complain, why are we not recognized? United Nations. You that they are feeding. Burkina Faso just paid millions of dollars, billions of dollars, their debt without borrowing. It was done by a 35-year-old boy. The youth will rise. Femi Lazarus! The sane ones. Yes! Because you cannot have new wine in old wineskin. Yes, sir! The devil give anybody anything? Go and check those who went to river goddess to ask for children. They will suffer. That child will be behaving like the devil. I'm just, I'm just telling you, go and check the history of anything the devil gives. Not only will it not last, it destroys the receiver. It does. It is the blessings of God that makes it— that maketh rich and add no sorrow. Everything else, you cry, it's just a matter of when. Everything else, you cry, it's just a matter of when. Say it again: I choose to trust the Lord. Say it again. I choose to trust the Lord. Now, how, how, how, how do you feel as a young man who have to be dating sugar mommies to buy iPhone 15 than somebody else who will never have to devalue himself? He's buying something more. So all the compromise— this is what you can afford. Say young girl is sleeping with somebody's husband, say, yeah, the man just bought me a house. Until the wife catch you. Huh? She will beat. The future is not certain for a wrong girl. One bottle of acid away, just one. A touch of acid, there's no peace. There's no peace, eh? There's no peace. There's no peace. Everywhere checking who saw me, who saw us as we're entering. Did anybody see us? Are you sure? Are you sure? Are you sure? Hope your phone is not being tracked. There's no peace. Ask your neighbor, do you have peace? Oh, if EFCC walks in here now, you will not run under the chair. I know the church, I know the church. There's no peace, huh? What kind of life are you living that they must not post your picture. There's no peace. There's no peace. See, if it is Gary, you are drinking with granola and there is peace. You are wealthier than the man who has the world and doesn't have peace. No amount of money in life can buy peace. There's something these people used to go and do. They perform rituals, then the herbalist will give them corn and say, go and pour it for a chicken. Any amount of corn the chicken eats, that's the amount of years you have left. Then you see, look up, look at you. Do you know what your uncle is doing, my friend? Look here, look up. You see, a full-grown man will not be begging the chicken, please eat, eat more. But in Christ Jesus, we have all that pertains to life and godliness. We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. My God, this is what we have. Indeed, when a man has Christ, he has everything. He has everything. Please sit down. Praise God. Say it again, I'm blessed. Say it again, I'm blessed. You see, let me tell you something. Anybody who knows me from campus days will tell you this man has survived many things on time. And I want to share this story so you don't make his We, as the leader of the campus fellowship, the joint campus, we also have our own fellowship. I sent leaders to go start what we call cell meetings, what you call house fellowship. Then there was one of them who was more zealous. I was starting cells and cell meetings. So there's a season that I go around with some other executives to inaugurate those cell meetings and just bless them and then go. Sometimes we can do 3 places in a day and all that. But I noticed that everywhere he opened, when we got there, we were not recognized. He didn't open those places in the name of the fellowship. He opened them in the name of his ministry, but with the influence of the fellowship. So one time I called his attention to that. What are you doing? Then he said, no, you can't talk to me like that. As a matter of fact, God has given me the instruction to start my own ministry, so— and then he went. Let me tell you something. In less than 2 weeks, the church he started became the fastest growing church in the city. Everybody— I will stand, because apart from leading Campus Today, I was also pastoring a Redeemed Church. So I will start in church at the balcony. Pastor Femi Lazarus knows the balcony. Some of you passed through. So I sit, stand there, and looking at people who were our members Everybody will be rushing there. That was the happening place. The topmost, the foremost DJ on campus was the head of Instrumentality Department. When you get to the ushering department, you are hearing Scorpion, um, and all those kind of names. So I sometimes I stand there on Sunday morning and looking at people, ah, you, Afana, you know they come to church. And God said, don't get offended, don't get offended. And that guy was actually my best friend, just so you know. So God said, don't get offended. So I opened the friendship. In fact, one time I went to greet him in his house, somebody was washing his boxers in the bedroom. Some other girls were cooking chicken and rice. And these were people that I used to pastor, and I was not passing you through all this, but you prefer somebody who is saying this to you. So when they finish cooking, they say, Alpha, I said, I did, I did. At least you no go pack my members and no go stitch up. So Just to tell you the extent I kept the friendship, kept the friendship. One morning, around 6 in the morning, somebody was banging my door heavily. So he said, please come out. I heard his voice. So I came out and I saw my friend. He was covered with blood. Ha! Oboye, what happened now? One of the members beat him. I tell you, it's true. One of the members, he beat He had gotten himself into something. You, you, you gathered people from the street, which is not bad. Then you want to use street level. They understood the street more than him, so they just arranged themselves. So these, who these guys, so they planned him. And all that. He got himself something really messy, and they caught him like this. They beat about 5 of them. Pastor on Sunday, fugitive on Monday. Beat. And when the news of what he was doing came out, that church ended. We that were doing it small, small, we are still doing it till today. Let me tell you something. This example I've given to you, I can mention 5 of similar cases that your life will be going away, people will just shoot and have speed. You say, let me join them. Accident is inevitable. God will tell you, wait for your own time. The fact that someone overtook you doesn't mean you failed God. It becomes more tricky when there are people you know that your depth of concentration is deeper than their own. And I'm just not— you know you are in God's will, but that will doesn't seem to come with speed. Stay. I'm not sharing this story to joy— to say that it's my joy that somebody's ministry folded, because the only person who still stood by him was me. Ah, but when I heard what he did, I have to run back. All right, so you got what I'm saying? But be careful that when you see— there are shining stars and there are shooting stars. When a shooting star comes over the firmament, it draws attention, but for a moment. For a moment. Don't just be loud, have foundations. Have foundations. The devil doesn't give anybody anything for long. Are you still with me? Are you learning something tonight? The devil doesn't give anybody anything for long. Place your hands over your chest and say, oh, thank you, Lord, for peace. Say it one more time. Say it one more time. Look at me. There is nothing that you feel you don't have that you can't be tired of. Are you following what I'm saying? Let me say it again. There is nothing you feel you don't have that you can't be tired of. Think about anything— money, you will be tired. It's the fact. Oh, I wish I have influence. Very soon it will be, I wish I have privacy. You know how I wish that I can teach you in peace and nobody will misconstrue what I'm saying? We've almost written to some Christian blog, please, we love what you are, but please stop. Propagate the gospel, but leave us. Don't forget what I'm saying. When you don't have it yet, it looks like your life is ending. Soon you miss the days you didn't have it. Be patient. Now, the devil doesn't give anybody anything for long. He's the father of lies. He doesn't say the truth. The devil is not a rewarder. He doesn't reward anybody with anything good. He rewards people with death. The wages of sin is death. The thief cometh not but to to steal, to kill, and to destroy. That's all he has to give. Let me tell you something. I do want to talk, but let me just say this to you. The reason why we cannot be moved in the midst of storms is because we didn't cut corners to get here. If you cut corners— I know what I'm saying. One time, somebody who loved me so much— I know the person love me— saw me doing a project, came to my place and said, take loan. All right, when we finished that facility It crashed. If I had taken loan, that's it. I have to take more loan. Then a bank will be waiting for offering and tithe. Then what you ought to learn, you get to a new location, because you didn't learn it, you repeat the class. But if what we do It's by the Spirit of God and his wisdom. Let me tell you something, let me tell you something. Nobody can take it. If you take one, 100 will grow. You see, you are the one who is worrying your head. You must know when adversity is an opportunity. Listen to what I'm saying. You have heard me teach you. I will show you how to go through it. That's it. You must know. Because this year, look at you. All right, let me say this. Who is asking Jesus to bow? The devil, right? Who was he telling to bow? Eh, talk to me now. It is not everyone that they are bowing means much to the devil. No, is of no economical importance. Sometimes you're already bent already, so there's no point. Yes. So I want to show you what the devil goes after. And this is the point where I tell you that you profess to be a Christian doesn't mean you are a threat to the devil. Like, if they are checking their threats, you don't exist. What's the worst that will happen? One cockroach pass on your bed. Blood of Jesus! That's all the weapons you know to deploy. Or you have a dream. Holy Ghost fire! That's it. That's the Christianity. That's all your weight is doing to the kingdom of darkness. Nothing more. And sometimes when you are like that, you overestimate yourself. The devil is trying to get me to bow. Who are you? Did the devil tell Peter to bow? Judas to bow? No. He needed somebody who is up to stature. Someone that is bowing means something. Let me explain, right? Ah, what I want to say now, go and shake Body of Christ. I don't want trouble. Have you seen people that post pictures of maybe somebody that came to see them, and then maybe they were praying for John and then post online? Talk to me now. Are those the only people that goes there? Why is that one important? It matters who? Let me explain. Hold on. I'm not— see, listen. I'm not saying it's anything, I'm just taking the way life is. You can be in the program, they will take pictures, you won't see your own. You just wonder that, ah, I was in that meeting. See, let me tell you something, the photographers are not interested. Should we teach this subject? Yes, sir. But you just be shocked now that somebody who is doing something in society comes in, out of 20 pictures he appears in 10. You say, is this not, is this not Body of Christ? Is not Body of Christ? Okay, what they are telling you is that it's game of numbers. Yes, sir. That is honestly the way our world works. I don't think the church should do that, but I don't want to get to that direction. But that's the way our world works. So there are people that are already in the hands of the devil. They don't have to bow again. They're ready. You are eating from the same plate. There are people that the devil have observed. If I allow this person to go like this, the damage to my kingdom will be devastating. So let's do something as quickly as possible. Let's entice this one. There are people the devil doesn't fight first, he tries to recruit first. Because even the devil doesn't recruit failures. If you don't build yourself, you may have no economic— spiritual economic importance, even in the hands of the devil. Like, um, there's no much He can really do with you like that, like that, like that. If he takes you in the realm of science, you don't know it. If he takes you in the realm of influence, you don't have. If he takes you in the realm of finance, you don't have. If he takes you in the realm of this, you don't have. So, um, it's good that you are going to go to hell, but until then, there's no usefulness. Some people get drunk, get drunk, get drunk, get drunk, and enter the vehicle just there, crush them, and that's it. There are people that, because of the influence of what they are doing and the adversity it brings to the kingdom of darkness, even the devil doesn't want them to die yet. Because they are, they are working. They are working. And in the same vein, there are Christians that the way they hold their Christian life, they've hold it in a way that there's not much God can do with them too. They can't neutralize any problem anywhere. All right, are you still there? Say, the life of God is at work in me. Let me give you an instance. You want to see it? Are you sure? Um, I wrote something here that the devil's number one campaign when you are useful is to recruit you to his side. I want to break down that usefulness, but let me use the Bible to break it down. The Book of Daniel, chapter number 1. Are you with me? All right, let's start reading from verse 1. In the third year of the reign of Joachim, King of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, unto Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Joachim, the King of Judah, into his hand with part of the vessels of the house of God. Which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god, and brought the vessels into the treasure of the house of his god. Yes. And the king spake unto Aspenaz, the master of his eunuch, that he should bring— what?— certain. See, the rest, it didn't matter what you do with them, whether you kill them or something, it didn't matter. But there are people that should not be killed. Those ones, bring them alive. It's a capture. Mission. It's not a kill-at-sight mission. But who are those kind of people? Certain of the children of Israel and of the king's seed and of the princes. Now you think this just by bloodline— this can be your bloodline and yet you don't qualify. Look at the next verse: children in whom there's no blemish but well favored Children in whom there's no blemish. There was no blemish. Oh, but I said it has not triggered you. All right, but well favored. Okay, all right, let them break this in Amplified so you can understand that well favored and skillful in wisdom. Youths in whom there's— well favored in appearance. And because this is what I'm saying, because don't just say I received the grace on Esther. She took care of her skin. No, it's true. Now go and check the criteria. Now, Abi, am I teaching you worldliness? You say God is bringing in 2025, you will step into big rooms. Yes, you have not enhance your own thinking culture. You will not. You step into— now that's where you are going. Youth without blemish. Because— so you get what I'm saying? Age. If you are trying to become a professional footballer at 24, you are late. Whatever didn't make you enter pro football team between 14, 15, and 16, you are late. Let's leave the matter of age. A youth without blemish, well favored in appearance, and skillful in all what? Wisdom, discernment, and understanding. Apt in le— this person must know how to learn fast. All right, competent to stand and serve in the king's palace. Exposure. These ones will be useful. Even cult on campus need intelligent people. Go and check now, some of their topmost guys, they no book. Because if you're having to do 3 carryover, you'll be distracted. You'll not be useful for the cultism activity. I'm just one of the smartest guys you see, I'm telling you. As I told you while I was passing on campus, I thank God for you. This SU, fantastic, but pass, pass. So that when you are rewriting, they will not be saying, ah, Pastor, pass. Look up. Let the Nigerian church go and humble themselves, and I will say this boldly. Check American presidential induction. You see the church stand by side by side with the nation based on values. We are still light years away from that. You know why? Larger fraction of believers still say God is not interested in that. We have not left the '70s. There is no hope for any nation if the church doesn't wake up. I watched one of the pastors lead prayer during the inauguration. Ah, my heart sank. I said, who is this man? He was calling remembrance the covenant over the nation built on it. I'm not saying they are saints, but those who laid the foundation of that nation found God. Say, is believers You see what I'm saying? 1 million they gave you is kwanda money. They say they should put you in charge of the wealth of the nation because, because you have a tag, is a Christian. Now lie! Or because you appear in one service and now look so humble and sit down because power has not touched your hand. Now lie! You must be a Christian with fruit. One who has been tested, proven, and approved to have died to these things. Are you following me? Yes, sir. Hey, so what we underrate, the devil doesn't underrate it. In simple terms, I will tell you, the devil understands the game of influence. Who is the person that, if recruited, will have larger coverage? Look up. I will recommend it publicly. Go and watch the confession of Pastor James Kawalia. Look up. You will see that the kingdom of darkness has a recruiting strategy and criteria. See, see, I'm a career person. I don't do all this pericoko thing. Listen, listen, any field you find yourself, there is a limit for a natural man. Any field you see— listen, whether it is in the field of medicine, whether it is in the field of politics, whether it is in the field of journalism, there is a field that from this moment, this point going forward Those who get it get with violence. It's a game of kill or be killed. The loudest noisemakers are those at the lowest part of the pyramid. Where you hear noise from is at the base. The higher you climb, the more the understanding, the more the silence. They know what is going on. They understand. They understand. Somebody who is deep in occult can sit in a meeting and know this pastor doesn't pray. The person make— they know because they are checking the life emitting from him. It is not challenging anything in them. They say he doesn't pray. But you get to certain environment, it is charged. All the attempt to do anything. They are held down by angelic forces. So you know there's priesthood here. Let me tell you something. There is no system on earth that is innocent. If you choose to be the innocent one, it's a matter of time you'll be swept off. You either know God and know him well. Are you what I'm saying? No, see, know God and know him Even if it is the devil you want to know and you know him halfway, they will still kill you on his behalf. Down to lecturing, where you feel people wear suit and they speak English and you feel it's just about the crème de la crème. It's a lie. What you see on the surface is not all there is. Let me tell you something. You see this thing called influence? To be given a voice that when you speak it has big coverage, you must be a person of depth and prayer. The Femi Lazarus— if you are not praying, your influence will not diminish, but you begin to speak on behalf of the devil. Your sword will fight on his side without knowing. You will not know that you have switched sides. But yet doing it with the same zeal. It is in the place of prayer that we are re-ironed and set back to order. The devil doesn't just shut down your influence. With the same influence, but you just switch sides. That's it. And if you are a person of prayer and depth, then you get to a point where you've got to fight princes. You get to a point where your voice will be challenged. You get to a point where you are checked at the level of what you are preaching. We say it, when a child gets to where fear is, he will be afraid. Anybody can make noise, cho cho cho cho cho, till you get to a certain height in life. Number one, you will recognize that there's something really called spiritual covering, and there are people who say, go in peace, and that is a guarantee. I'm starting a new prayer series, PPC, tomorrow morning. The title of it is, oh Lord, remember me. I will show you some deep things. I will show you things. I will show you things. Are you what I'm saying here? It is not everybody that can say it and he stands. Even your offices Many of them know those they are dealing with, and they know how they fortify themselves to survive the onslaught. It's just baby people, baby. I say, the guy, I know they pray. He doesn't do charm. He just believes in himself. You just say, no, I believe in myself. Really? Like, really? You're that powerful? You need the force of God's help. Let this consciousness humble you. I want everyone in this room to lift your hands and say, 'Oh Lord, help me.' Say it, say it, just say it in prayer. 'Oh Lord, help me, help me, help me, help me, help me.' Help me. I recognize that there is such a thing called authority. Help me. Mega, kawaii na, pandewa, yes, mega, yeah, do water. Banda wa nise ye su. Me ya ama. Dia du ata. Banda wa nise. Yes, man. Amen. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen. Sit for a moment. You see, true spirituality is to recognize the fact that you need God's help always. Say, Lord, I need your help. Lord, I need your help. Whatever you put your trust in other than will always crumble. It will always, just a matter of when. If it's money, money will fail. If it's people, they will disappoint you. I remember listening to Daddy Joe, was sharing a story. He went to preach to a man, one of his in-laws, and the man took him around the house, showed him all the things he has, and he said, you're a Christian? He said, yes. Do you have all this? He said, no. The man said, don't preach to me, don't preach this for Jesus to me. You see that? So he left. A few months later, the man came to his house by himself. Eman shaded. Femi Lazarus. Somebody had gone to sign something. They adulterated his signature, added more zeros to a figure he signed. He was in trouble, but now he needed Jesus. Everyone who rejected Jesus lived to live to need him at one point or the other, whether on their dying bed, whether they said it or they didn't say it, whether on earth or in hell. They will find out that the greatest need a man can have is Jesus. That's the reason why the gospel is being opposed around the world. That's the reason why people will try to use societal language to, you know, construct some things around you and make you look like a fool. And you too, you've started bowing to the culture. Not wanting to be really identified with Jesus like that, like that, like that, like that, so they will not class you. I'm still one of you. You should boldly declare for Jesus. You don't bow slightly. Your allegiance must be clear. You are either here or there. It must be clear. You see, the danger of sitting on the fence is that neither of the both parties can defend you. You're on your own. So I'm going to want to peg it here. That people do all sorts in the name of spirituality, end quote. Doesn't mean that they are a threat. What is the devil doing on earth now? What are you doing now? What are you trained and prepared to counter? What is the spiritual economic importance of your wisdom? God can't use you in areas that you know nothing about. So what do you know? What do you know that is going on in the systems of the world? What is the devil doing in education system? What is the devil doing in healthcare? What is the devil doing in the military? What is the devil doing in political arenas? What's the devil doing with the media? And that's why when people say some religious stuff that, you see, this thing is not about media— yes, but it's still about it. Don't let anybody deceive you. Influence is not cheap. If God has given you, don't let anybody talk you out of it. People will talk you out of things only to know that they too should do it. There's a realm you get to that is the realm of conviction. You can't do the things I'm doing if you're a man who bow to opinions. So I've made up my mind. There are things I'm doing that if it takes the body of Christ 10 years to understand the importance, in that 10 years I will stay with it. I've never been afraid to walk alone. I've done that all my life. I'm telling you, there are things we are seeing ahead. The purpose of this teaching is not bow. The purpose of this teaching is to become the kind of person whose bowing is important, than to teach you How to stand. Now get up on your feet. In wisdom, in grace, in stature, in understanding, may you begin to emerge. I ask that you will access a new level of light. That will help you function differently from the predicament of your generation. What people are not seeing, you will see. What they are not hearing, you will hear. Let the hand of God rest upon you. From the depths of my heart, I ask that leaders that will touch and influence landscapes and cultures. People that will shake and shift the paradigm of things will emerge from this house. You will receive the audacity of faith to get done what God wants you to do. Again, be blessed. Let your eyes begin to see, your ears begin to hear, your heart be to understand. It is done in Jesus' mighty name. Please get up, give Jesus a big hand.