CHURCH, LOVE AND SEXUAL MATTERS 2

You're watching Ambience TV. Isaiah 60 from verse 1. Now look at the scripture, now look at it. Arise, shine, for your light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee. I didn't hear amen to that. And his glories shall be seen upon you, and Gentiles shall come to light and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Amen.

Now this is a very particular scripture, speaks of two things, separate experience. Number one, arise. What does it mean to arise? It means to get up. It means to be revived. It means to wake up and shine. Then he didn't just say shine, he said because your light is come. And for me, that is quite particular because it also means that your light might be available but you are not shining. Particularly if you are the kind of person who wait for all the factors to be right before you get anything done. Factors align spiritually first.. And when they are aligned spiritually, they may look messed up in the physical. So you've got to see the spiritual things. Is that okay? So by the time you see in your spirit, you may not always feel like— but he said shine, said because your light is come. Then pointed our attention to another thing. He said, for behold, darkness will cover the earth and gross darkness the people. I, I, I feel this scripture— Nigerians may really not really have problem with this scripture because you feel we don't even have light. Apologies, but that's not the kind of light because that darkness is not atmospheric. The Bible did not say darkness will cover the earth. It says the darkness, a personality, will cover the earth. Why is the Bible— why did the Bible have the definite article, the darkness? Because this is describing a kind of darkness that you ought to know. Just like Peter said in Matthew 16 that you are the Christ. So you are the Christ they spoke about, you are the Christ that the scripture spoke about. So it says that the darkness will cover the earth and then deeper darkness, gross darkness, the people. And I, I just want to beg us in the name of Jesus We're in that season, and it's, it's a serious season. Some of us have taken on the responsibility not just to teach but to also intercede, to pray like our lives depends on it, to pray to push away, to resist, to send back the clusters of darkness trying to form over a generation. There are people who absolutely believe that you must be a fool to be in church. Oh yes, they think you must be a fool. They will even say to your face, na mu mu de go church. Many are angry, they're offended, they have seen things. And I've said it, to be emotionally intelligent, don't blame people for being angry. You've got to know what they've seen. Some have been defrauded in church, somebody's virginity was taken in church, somebody's parents' marriage was scattered in church through wrong prophecy. People have served in a place only to discover that it's a fraudulent place. When you even see the things you see on social media, it takes being rooted in Christ to be in church, because you, you can just see something and say, I'm done. All this church, all these pastors. I'm done. That's part of the darkness. It is the spirit of discouragement. If you read the book of Matthew chapter number 24, Matthew chapter number 24, If you start the reading from verse 2, they began to ask Jesus, what will be the sign of your coming? But in verse 10 particularly says, and many shall be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many. Now if you look at verse 12, says, and because iniquity shall abound, what? The love of many shall wax cold. So that's, that's the season that we are in. There's so many things, so many things threatening our devotion to God, threatening our love for the things of the spirit. And the devil, the devil is not playing small, he's playing a fast one. The devil is playing a very, very fast game.

Particularly because God never promised us that his body on earth will be a perfect body. He never promised us that the church will be perfect.

There are people that God called, and there are people that God did not call who call themselves. There are people who are all out to deceive. And there are those who are all out to make ministry business. But to everything there is a fake, it is because the original exists. I didn't hear yes to that. I said to everything there is a fake is because original— if you can't find an original around, become one. I perceive very strongly that there are many of you seated here with the call of God upon your lives, but discouragement is not making you see it. When we step into this city, one of the observations we have is that this city need disciplers, not just preachers. We're ready for serious business, to grow the rudiment of the word of God in character, in Christian conduct, in your stewardship towards God. Then you in the right place. As we approach the coming of Jesus The battle against the church will become more fierce, so fierce that some things will rise. You will almost think the church will not exist, but Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. One of the things I want to call your attention to today is that it is our collective responsibility, it's our collective duty to be a part of what God is doing, not just spectators. Now, there is something in your life that God placed there for you to serve him with. There's something, a gift, an ability, something. There's something somewhere. There's no one ever in existence that God made and not give the fellow at least a talent, at least one. And you have to find it. You have to find it. One of the reasons why we are dealing with the subject of church arts is to— so we have, we have, we have 3 destinations in this series. First is family. We have done that for a while. The second is the church. The third is the relationship between the church and the state. We have to Prep you for that. We're going to get there so that we can have correct doctrinal approach, correct biblical approach to what we're doing. Because I've observed that one of the things that the devil use in tying people down is pain. God doesn't want any of his children to be in pain. And the devil knows how to use it, infiltrate systems. The devil doesn't create, he infiltrates. Let me say it again. The devil doesn't what? Create. He what? Infiltrates. He waits for something to be made, then see how he can infiltrate it. He can't create. He's not a creator. No such ability was given to him. Even the angels that fell with him, God made them.

He's never made his own after them.

And you need to understand this: the devil is not and can never be on your side. When he shows up, His activity is very clear: to kill, to steal, and to what? Destroy. That's all he wants to do, as quickly as he can, as quickly as he can. And that's why you can see sometimes you are, you are fine, the next moment a thought is coming to your mind, it is taking you from 0 to 100. He wants you to make a decision fast before help comes.

He wants to do something irrational, misbehave, do this now before they come to help you. Because he knows as long as you are in the company of brethren, help will come. You might be jisting with someone.

Are you aware that some of the most prophetic atmosphere is just our normal conversations? Just talking with people, just normal conversation, and there it is. The word God wants to reach you with, that's the word the fellow is saying.

So when the devil wants to bring a person down, he finds a way to tear them out.

Or where they can be reached. You can just have a, a, a conclusion in your heart that I'm going on a spiritual journey, I think God will have me, um, not really interact with people. This is what I'm saying: there is no spiritual journey that God will take you through that will negate the word. You have a duty I think I saw a video or a write-up somewhere, I can't remember, years back. A man was going to commit suicide, so he held a note in his hands and he said, I'm going to walk from the end of this bridge to the other end. If anyone greets me, ah, I will not do that. I'll just believe that there's still humanity. So by the time he walked from that place to another, nobody— all right, the guy dropped the note, then jumped into the water. Number one, let me balance it. You cannot anchor your joy on people's responses. Number two, even if you are broke, be able to afford kindness. Be kind. Be kind. Whether you believe it or not, we have work. All of us, we have work to do, particularly the end-time church. If you will decide to sit down and not make yourself available for God's use— let me tell you what Mordecai told Esther. The moment Haman decided, I'm going to kill all the Jews, everyone would believe that, with the exception of Esther. She was a queen. Mordecai said, go and tell her that don't think that you are going to escape what is coming upon the Jews. All right, when this guy is done with us, he's just going to move to you. He said, and could this also be, oh, that the reason why you walk before the king that day and something called him to you was for such a time as this? Could it be that it's not just about the beauty, but the favor of God saying, I will use this one beyond the beauty?

Could it be that God set you up there for such a time as this?

He said, if you will not rise for us, then will God raise salvation from other places? You know the unfortunate thing? There are people who have decided, I may attend church, but I will never be a part of anything. Not financially, not work, nothing. Could it be, could it be that the things that killed others and spared you couldn't kill you because God was keeping you for such a time as this? And let me, let me just ask you a simple question before I round up. Why on earth is God pursuing you with mercy? No, you, you don't, don't get too familiar with mercy. Those who are dead without Christ knows what it means to lack mercy. No, just ask yourself, why, why, why is God pursuing me? With his mercy. Why me? Why is it that no matter how dark it gets, at least when I turn anywhere, I find a voice raised by God for me?

Why? Why me?

Why is it that the sickness that have wasted others, I've survived it? The road they passed and never return. I return back safely and credit it to my skillfulness of driving. And I ask people, if you think you are safe because you can drive, how about the person in next truck? You are also driving that. The moment you stop being grateful, you have stopped seeing something. Am I be a good driver? Am I the one driving the next truck? I remember myself, we're going to take a flight from Lagos, flying somewhere. The tanker behind us, the brake had failed. We did not know. Our car was the next car in front of the tanker.

All he had to do was to match us. That's all he had to do.

But guess what? He climbed the culvert. The tanker fell, the petrol leaked out, and the tanker was being dragged on the floor and the petrol was pouring. Of course, we came out of our vehicles and ran. There's no apostleship here, you run. Say, do you, do you know who I am? I am Apostle Lazarus. Before you say the la, And guess what? That happened right in front of a gas depot. Why is God sparing us? Is it because we are special?

No.

Is it that those who died are not special? They are. Is there anyone who is asking this morning, why me? Why me? Why have you decided to visit me early with mercy? What have I done to deserve it? You know, you might feel it's a right. I deserve it. I am fine. I preach well. There are people who preach better who died on the altar. Is there anyone here who is saying thank you, Lord? Okay, they are not here. Nobody is grateful here.

Is there anyone who will say thank you, Jesus?

Thank you for pursuing me always with mercy. Always. You will not lack the mercy of God. Again, I insist, you will not lack the mercy of God. I make bold to tell you For some of us, God is digging around us again. Maybe we'll find fruit. There used to be a time the body of Christ was a basic knowledge. No soul, no dinner. No Bible, no breakfast. And all those things doesn't work again. Some of you, the only time you open your Bible now is when I say let's turn our Bibles to the book of this. And if that Bible is not digital, you cannot find your way to the book of Habakkuk again. And many of you know what Apostle is saying is true. And it may be that somebody this morning is just discovering So there's a book called Habakkuk. You know me now, I'm saying, now press Habakkuk on Google. I can come here now and say open to the book of Jamil, and somebody is finding book of Jamil. Lift your hands, say Father. Now I want us to say it well. Say Father. Help me to serve you with all my life. Say it again. Father, help me to love you and to devote myself to you with all my life. I am tired of living for myself. I no longer want to live for just me.

I want to flow out, I want to reach out, I want people to know your name through me.

I want to be eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, mouth to the dumb, in the name of Jesus. Now let me say this to you: what God is prepping you for is not necessarily just about standing behind the pulpit. For some of you, God is saying, with the way I blessed you now, don't you think by now you should have periodic outreach to the less privileged? Some of you are fantastic counselors. You could sit with people and bring them out of anything. When will you put structures around those things so you can consistently flow?

When?

Some of you are leaders. Some of you— we have people here who were campus fellowship presidents, Bible coordinators, you won't believe it, prayer secretaries. So I say, Apostle, don't get me this morning. Well, somehow it's as though you vowed at some point, for the remaining time, I just live my life. You know why you can't live your life? There are too many destinies hanging around you. There are too many destinies. That's the reason why you can't give up. It's not just about you.

If it was about you, you could give up, but lives are tied. You decide, I'm tired, I want to commit suicide. You have killed those who are connected to you. The fact that you can't see them doesn't mean they don't exist. I've shared my story. I was going to commit suicide. I had 14 attempts.

I drank jig, drank petrol, plug boiling ring to my armpit, switch on the light, nepa took light. At least for once they tried. So sometimes I sit back and I imagine Lazarus, what if you had killed yourself? It is selfishness to kill yourself because your life is not about you. I, I sense very strongly to remind you The devil is preparing night and day, and the church needs you now more than ever. If you don't have a role to play, this message will not be coming. You have a role to play. Some of you are content creators online. Don't promote what is anti-gospel. Don't make the work more difficult. Some of the most deadly blogs that drag men of God, the people behind those things are James, John, Peter, huh, Mary. I'm telling you.

And because they don't know, they don't know.

Now I raised an alarm of some of the things that in no time— God to prepare. You feel it's none of my business, but you will have children and they are going to meet the world that you have decided to labor in, or the one— the things you have allowed to thrive. Don't be part of the distraction going on at the moment. The distraction of doctrines, the distraction of saying, um, pastors are thieves. Really? Got to wake up. I saw a video and we got more info about that of certain organization of the other faith with some agendas. And part of the agenda is to sponsor much more bloggers to be involved in controversy and destruction of the church. Number 1. Number 2 is to speak majorly in area of finance. Please get what I'm saying. Are there thieves? Yes, but not everybody is a thief. Number 3, to make sure that the church is underfunded. Number 4, buy abandoned church auditoriums. They have started, but Christians are too They are too much in pain, and the devil is using the pain of the church to drag the church. I spoke about the power, and one of the things the church does not understand is the power of storytelling. Nothing more lethal than a well-crafted story wrapped around the emotions of the people, presented nicely. Rich pastors, poor members. Fantastic story, and it will pass in a, in a country like Nigeria where everyone is angry. It will pass. It will pass. Let me say this to you: as long as you take everything you see on media hook, line, and sinker You will play a script that some people designed for you to play, and you will act out the exact things they want you to act out. And while you are doing so, you think you are the smartest. I've seen dumb news.

I've seen smart people speak dumbly. I've seen people say dumb stuff, and I'm wondering, people are praising you for being an elite.

Can't you see what you're saying? This is dumb. But people are too angry to know. They are too angry to know. You have to wake up. You know, one day we're going to stand before God to tell him our role in the end time agenda of God, whether you are part of those who pulled down the church or those who built it. We tell him our roles. Some of you are here, you are different professions. You saw when that woman was giving testimony about her child choking, the mother didn't know what to do. You're a doctor, that's your role. When we call for such conference, you volunteer, you teach, you demonstrate. God didn't allow you have the knowledge for nothing. You've got to do something with it. Now Nigerians are talking about the infiltration of GMOs. We raised the alarm of GMO since 2020. If you don't know what that means, genetically modified organisms. You're buying carrots that is not carrot, you are buying maize that is not maize, you are buying vegetable that is not vegetable. People think it is done for money. GMO is more expensive. So who is behind it? The church is playing well into the script of the globalist agenda to depopulate human race. I share something, so let me just tell you this, okay? Um, so let me just share this with you. Um, All right, what I want to tell you is a true story. It's in a book. I've shared it briefly. Um, Derek Prince and T.L. Osborn were praying in Kenya. While they were praying— thank you, Lord, I see the spirit of prayer. Thank you, Lord. Prep your spirit. While they were praying They saw— it was Stephen Lawsburn that saw black horses and horsemen running into the nation of Kenya. But because they were there, they stood their ground and rebuked the forces of darkness, and those horses turned back and went into other nations. And they wrote it in their book. I'm going to get the title and recommend it. That many African nations will face destabilization except Kenya because they saw it coming and they were able to push it aside. Why is Kenya facing destabilization now? I'll tell you. A generation rose that came to a conclusion that the church is the problem of the nation. They fight the church, those praying withdraw their hands, the nation is turned upside down. Before any major fracas, go and check African nation history. There will first be a movement of fighting the church.

Go and check.

If Nigeria doesn't pray this year, you may have holidays longer than you think. Never you join anyone to say prayer has no effect. The forces that affect nations and families, they are first and foremost spiritual.

Are you with me? They are first and foremost what? Spiritual. Don't be carried away.

Stop being woke and less intelligent.

They are spiritual forces. We pray. The fact and effectual prayer of a righteous man makes power available.

It is dynamic in his working. That's the prayer of a righteous man. What about the prayer of a righteous church, of a righteous people who will stand and say, we see danger coming, we stand on our watch, and we stand and rebuke the devil?

Hands off Nigeria! Take your hands off Kenya! Take your hands off Lesotho! Take your hands off Ghana! Take your hands off South Africa! We rebuke the beast!

Africa is the focus as we speak, cuz this is where Christianity is mostly felt. It is important for Africa to be destabilized so that the globalist agenda can come in, but we rebuke it. We reject it. See, I'm sharing my burden with you. I do more of doing this in a place of prayer. We have work to do. Can I borrow your leaves for 5 minutes?

We engage in prayer.

Are you ready? Come on, get up on your feet.

Rise as men of war! Turn across, stretch your hands forward. We will beat the ass of the devil! From his plans over Nigeria. Satan, take off your hands from Nigeria. We rebuke your hands. We rebuke the destruction of the Nigerian church. We rebuke it. We rebuke the destruction of the Kenya church. We rebuke it. We rebuke the destruction of the Ghana church. We rebuke it. Lift your voice and pray. Lift your voice and pray. Pray, pray. In Jesus' name we are praying.

Let that amen roar like thunder. Let that amen roar like thunder. Do you know that if I say now that somebody is about to die, everybody rebuke it now. We don't know whether it is you or not.

You know the way you pray.

Leave your comfort zones. Stretch out your hands, whether to the north, to the west, or the east, or to the south.

Understand that as you are doing this, power is being released. Something is going forth. Satan, take off your hands from Nigeria. Take off your hands. We ask for the awakening of the church. We ask for the awakening of the church. Take off your hands. It is appointed the plans of the crafty so that they cannot perform the enterprise. Pray, pray, pray, pray. The fervent and effectual prayer, prayer, prayer of the righteous man Makes tremendous power available. Pray. We rebuke the hands of the devil. Take your hands off Nigeria. Take your hands off our affairs. In Jesus' mighty name we are praying.

Let that amen roar like fire!

Let that amen roar like fire!

Sit down for a while. You have a role to play. You can pray. We can agree together. You can pray. You know the reason why we need to share this burden is because many of you need— you, you don't know yet that you're a stakeholder. God has raised you for such a time as this. Some of you, God is prepping you to be part of the affairs of this nation. Your track record can't be talking anyhow on media.

You know better. You should have a better track record.

Are you following what I'm saying here?

You can't just stop because people are saying things. You have a role to play. Some of you are here, you're already in government.

Beyond the things you do, intercede. Pray for Nigeria. You pray for the church. One of the very important prayers to pray for the church is that everyone that the devil raised himself and gave influence to discredit the church, their secrets will not be covered. They will be exposed, and then righteousness will prevail. Because there's no revival until error dies. When some of us say go about it this way, don't you think for once We embrace those who bring falsehood. If you have been part of International School of Ministry, you know that the labor on doctrine, on theology, is deliberate. This year we started School of Ministry. After the first lecture, several students pulled out and said, we were not expecting to be this tough. Ah, how can you be called to ministry I'm not expecting preparation to be serious. It's tough, it's tough. We're starting one year full-fledged discipleship. It work, but error can't correct error. If not, we'll have greater errors on ground. There is a way. You have a role to play. And I hope somebody will leave this gathering today with the revelation of the fact that I'm a stakeholder. Why, why are we— why did we labor so much so we can move here? It's so that we can now have a place to ourselves to disciple, to disciple, to labor. That's why we have several auditoriums. I told my team, cancel all my external ministrations for 2025. I want to sit here and labor, disciple, disciple. We have work to do. We could be anywhere else. We could be in London, we could be in America, we could be in Lagos, but God set Abuja for a reason. And I perceive it's because there are stakeholders that are rising from here. I, I, I just perceive that there are people that the destiny of this nation and their destiny is interconnected. There are people that the destiny of the future of the body of Christ and and their destiny is interconnected. You are a stakeholder. You are not just a talker.

We are better behaved.

We are not noisemaker here, are we? I say we are not noisemakers.

We are changemakers.

Anywhere we turn, we are conscious of the fact that God has prepared us for such a time as this. Tell the Esthers and the Deborahs and the Daniels and the Josephs behind you, it's time to wake up, it's time to wake up, it's time to wake up, it's time to wake up. The season God prepared you for is here. It's time to wake up.

Tell the Esthers, come on, preach the gospel to them. Tell the Deborahs, tell the Ezras, tell the Daniels, tell the Nehemiahs, it's time, it's time, it's time, time, it's time to wake up. He has prepared you for such a time as this.

It's time. Some of you don't even know what you did right to have the money that you have.

It's because there is something about it. You are a change maker. You are too important for nightclubs. You are too important for that. If you start getting busy with destiny, it will occur to you.

That there is something more sweet than sin. There's something sweeter than sin. It is the fulfillment of your God-ordained destiny.

It is sweet. It is sweet.

Put it side by side with the pleasures of sin for a season, it occurs to you, no, I was made for much more. I was made for much more. I was made for much more. I was made for much more.

Much more.

Some of you will stand to speak and Nigeria will respond. I say it again, some of you will stand to speak and Nigeria will respond. For some of us, God is giving us more assignment. Say, don't speak to Nigerians alone, speak to Africa. Speak to Africa. Speak to those who are in Djibouti. Speak to those who are in Guinea. Speak to those who are in Senegal. Speak to those who are in Lesotho, Botswana. Speak to Africa. Why? He's raising saviors. There's something, there's much more to your life, I'm telling you. And that's why you have to pay attention. One of the things that God is opening up to the church at such a time as this is finance. If the Nigerian church, let me say the global church, fail to understand that you need to build gushen The people who are waking up in the next 3 years, it might be too late. God is going to flood— hear what I'm saying. You, all of you, you at the church, it's going to open the doors of finance to you. I know what I'm saying. It is money with a mission. Be smart. Don't be a waster. Don't be a squanderer. Be smart. Be wise. When money that you have is bigger than your vision, that's when you waste. Abundance is relative to the vision you have. 1 billion for someone is too much, for someone else is broke, because of the vision. God will expand your visions this season. You will see clearer. You will see clearer.

In the name of Jesus.

That's where we are now. Lift your hands and say, Father, anoint me for the journey ahead. I know, I know, I know there's something about me. Anoint me for it. Anoint me for it.

Anoint me for it.

Anoint me for the journey ahead. Come on, pray. Come on, pray. You have a minute. Pray. Thank you Lord! Anoint me for the journey ahead! Anoint me for the journey ahead! Anoint me for the journey ahead! Thank you Lord! We bless your holy name. In Jesus' mighty name we pray. Today is the day of salvation, and you know what that means. It is the day for you to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. God so loved you, he sent his only begotten Son to this world to die for your sins. There is no sin too big, nothing you have done that is beyond redemption. The hand of God is outstretched to you wide. For you to accept him today into your life and end all that the devil is trying to do with your life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, if any man be in Christ, a new creature, all things are passed away. And the Bible says all things are new. May I announce to you that all things can be new today. How do you give your life to Christ? Believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent to this world to die for your sins. And he rose on the third day for your justification. And today he's extending his hands to you to accept him as your Lord and Savior. And all you have to do is to hold out your hands and say these words after me. Lord Jesus, I believe that you came into this world to die for my sins. I believe that you died for my sins. I also believe that you rose on the third day for my justification. Sanctification. Today I accept you as my Lord and Savior, and I accept this gift of eternal life. In Jesus' name, amen. May I announce to you, you have made that decision, that there is so much joy in heaven right now. Angels are rejoicing, and there's so much joy. We have a contact on the screen and a barcode for you to scan if you have just made that decision, so that we will be to reach you and help you get discipled and get you grounded in the rudiments of the gospel. I love you so much. We can't wait to see you again. Keep watching Ambience TV.

God