COUNTER CULTURAL 5

Blessed are you, Son of David. Blessed are you, root of Jesse. Help me.

Blessed are thou, Rose of Jesse. You are eminently glorious, immaculately beautiful. I can go on and on, on and on, but my words Iba o, Iba. Iba o, Iba. Iba o, Iba. Iba o, Iba. Iba o, Iba.

Blessed be your holy name. Accept all our thanksgiving. In Jesus' mighty name we have prayed. Let's give Jesus a big hand. God bless you. You may please be seated. Thank you, thank you. Welcome to Bible study. How you all doing? Femi Lazarus. Awesome. So, I want to do— I want to expatriate on certain things tonight. Are you ready? So we start from— let's start from the epistles. So we're going to read 2 Corinthians chapter number 10. And now we're going to start reading from verse 3. 2 Corinthians 10, we start reading from verse 3. Now Paul, speaking to the Corinthians, says, for though we walk in the flesh That is, the flesh there is not Paul talking about the nature of sin. When he said, though we walk in the flesh, it is not Paul talking about flesh as in the nature of sin. That's Paul talking about human nature. Um, human flesh, this sack of flesh that though we walk physically. That's what it means. Is that okay? Good. So a man of faith doesn't walk in the flesh, walk in the spirit. So he said we do not war after the flesh, that is, our warfare is not physical. What that means also is that if someone stands in front of you— like someone walked up to me years back and said to me, 'I just want to let you know that I hate you,' and that was in church. So I said, 'Okay.' So there is— you will have the temptation to want to pay back the favor, to give that same energy. But there is something moving that person against you. The manifestation of the warfare might be physical, where it is coming from is not. Is that okay? So we do not war after what?

The flesh.

Now verse 4. Now, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal— now it's getting to sensuality now— but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Not for the pulling down of strongholds. There are two different things. If we deploy our weapon correctly, where we are actually going is that all the strong points that the devil has built will be destroyed. Let me tell you, let me show you what stronghold looks like. Let me have three guys. Hold yourself closely and be talking to yourself.

Close it.

Get close. Yes, talk to yourself louder, louder, louder. Let's hear you. Jesus. Yeah, they're talking to themselves now. This is— keep talking, keep talking louder. I can't hear you over there. Yes, talk rubbish. Now what they are saying is rubbish, rubbish. But as they are saying this rubbish, let's have all of you come, come, come, come, come. There's a whole lot of people who— come, come, follow me— that this rubbish they are saying has become the only truth that they know. It's rubbish, it's a lie, but this is Their entire civilization is built on this rubbish. If we deploy the weapons of our warfare well, because their civilization is built on this rubbish, the stronghold that they encamp around is the bulk of nonsense, incense, and lies coming from this doctrine of devils. They can— everything that they have become hangs around this philosophy. When you— we use the weapon of our warfare to smash these strongholds, these ones can't react because I'm seated in Christ. These are the people that will react because they are also seated with me in Christ. But it is not the doctrine of Christ that has built them. They are carnal, but they are Christians. What does carnality mean? Their essence, everything that builds their life, the basis of their actions and reaction is in the flesh. That's their life. So when you smash strongholds, you actually smashing somebody's world, because that pillar of lies that the devil has been able to build is what some people's entire life is built on. So the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God. To the pulling down of strongholds. Now, people can come to church and sing, oh, and the anointing of the Holy Ghost will move. They can even fall under anointing, but yet there's still stronghold. You can even cast out demons from someone who still have strongholds, that the devil have strongholds in their life. The demon will go, but the stronghold is the entrance for easy access anytime, any day. And you must understand that there is a difference between casting out of devils and deliverance. Casting out of devils requires authority. Deliverance requires the truth. When you cast out devil from a person, you do so in Jesus' name. You expel the spirit. Oh, you foul spirit of darkness, you get out. All right, that's casting out of devils, true. But deliverance is you know the truth and the truth will make you free. So the freedom really in itself comes through a process of making. And sometimes someone has been, you know, maybe someone has been battling with an addiction for 10 years, 20 years. And then just maybe somehow caught the person in the act and then say, okay, you know what, what's the secret? What's the way out? Like, tell me something that will bring me out of this now, or lay hands on me and get me out of this through one laying on of hands. And most times many Christians can't admit to the fact that they are frustrated because nobody seems to have a quick fix answer. Because we have not come to admit that freedom is a process. Yeah, people are made free. The same way someone who is hooked on drugs and is hooked on it, one session of therapy won't set you free. You have a session of therapy, the fellow, you say, okay, I'm getting— but hey, sometimes he's back again. Sometimes, all right, the fellow doesn't even understand. It takes process and commitment to the process, because once you are hooked on something, that becomes a pattern. Your brain is now wired around that. You are now reteaching the brain to be wired around something else. Now, this is not psychotherapy. There is also spiritual therapy through the word. You say, where is that in the Bible? It's in the Bible. Romans chapter number 12. Romans 12, start the reading from verse 2. Look at what the Bible says. Please quickly. Romans 12:2: And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed— therapy is transformation— by the renewing of your mind. So there is such a thing as what? Mind renewal. Now please, thank you so much for that. I'm going to have a lot of dramatic display tonight. Is that okay? Let's give them a big hand. So as we are sitting in God's presence every now and then, learning the word, we're actually exposing ourselves to renewal. The word has that ability to wash us from inside out. Now, because you must understand that The concept of stronghold is a very deep matter. An entire civilization can be built around it. You see, I'm going to teach tonight with full understanding that you will not understand some things I will say, but if you listen, you'll understand.

Is that okay?

So I'll keep them for you to listen again and again. One of the things I consider myself as is one who is always on the lookout for lingua, language that the devil throws out that can become a stronghold. For instance, there are statements that are dangerous. That it's better they die right where they— when they were first said. If they should go out, an entire society will be hooked on it. Statements like 'men are scum' came from someone, said somewhere, that many people didn't hear. But later it did what? Spread. And later to become the understanding that some people have. And because that's now the understanding that they have, it will form— it will hold them strongly from experiencing God. A stronghold is what the devil has been able to successfully build inside you. It's like his extension. Don't write. I am in Abuja. Ministering to you. But we have Light Nation also in Ibadan, and my office is there too. Whatever I want to do there, they will run it through my office. It makes Light Nation in Ibadan our stronghold in Ibadan. I don't have to be there, my extension is there. So the devil doesn't have to possess you. Once his idea is in you, that's his stronghold. So you say believer cannot be demon possessed. I agree, but he can actually be living by doctrine of demons that did not possess him. So one of the things you want to really do is to be on the lookout for what enters your mind. What do you hear? What do you see? You can hear and see things that prepare you for early grave. There are some of the videos you see everywhere online nowadays. If you take this, your liver— something is going to be happening to your liver. Then you take this one, they say something is happening to your intestine. Then you take this one, they say something is happening to your oesophagus. Then you take this one, they say something is happening to your pancreas. Then they now say if you take this leaf and then drink it with some things like that, then it will cleanse your liver. Then if you also take this one— So, well, see, I'm all for health. Okay? Just be careful because you'll be seeing death in every cup of tea. Are you following what I'm saying? Hope I'm not attacking some— I'm telling you, small thing now, you just have one chest pain, ah, could it be cancer of the lung? What are you talking about? Because those things that you are exposed to, they are forming an ideology. There are people who have prepared their mind for different kinds of sicknesses. They've prepared their minds that, um, and, and see, be on the lookout, is that okay? Yes, sir. Don't take things that will destroy your body. Don't abuse your body. Is that okay now? So because— so that me too that I'm preaching now, you now come to my house, you now see that my wife is giving me one supplement, I say, 'Ah, Apostle, but you are the one that say—' You're on your own. Take care of your body, but don't live your life in fear and panic. Are you following me now? Now I want you to see something. Go back to that verse 4. Let's read this together. 1, 2, 3, go. For the pulling down of what? Hope you know that Message translation refers to stronghold as corrupt culture, that is corrupt way of life, way of living. One time, years back, we were in a church casting out a devil from someone. Then One of the— one of our sisters came in and the demon spoke from the person. And to let you know that this is a real demon, okay, when we're casting out the devil from that person, she was lying down face down. Then this sister came in and as she entered, the demon called her name and said, 'I know you,' and then said I said, 'Even if everybody here are saying, "Come out, come out," and I'm looking at them, you dare to say to me, "Come out"?' Then as the spirit now, using the lady's vocal cord, start calling out the things that the sister had done, So some of us who didn't know how far this exposition will go started telling ourselves, I say, "Ato, find your square root." But first thing first, why was the demon able to start saying that amongst us? Two things. Number one, because the spirit speaking in the person knows that the person doesn't understand redemption, right? Then the spirit also speaking to the person knows that all of us standing there don't understand understand who we are in Christ. But that's not where I'm going. You cannot pull down from someone else a stronghold that is richly established in you. There is the fire that comes out through the word that melts out impurity. As we do ministry, as we pray, as we pray ourselves, there is the fire that backs up the word. There can be signs and wonders. Let me tell you, one of the ways you know it is the move of the Spirit is that the wall of sin is pulled down. There can be miracles, but those who are living in sin are living richly in sin much more. Have you seen believers that when you see them, your heart convicts you? That's a witness. And you can see a believer and you're wondering, something is off. Or you can see another believer who may not even be a preacher and something strikes your spirit. That's a testimony. So we have a culture. What that means is it is a way of life that is formed in people. In our society and in churches. Culture, that is a product of orientation from the pit of hell. The way Paul puts it in 1 Timothy chapter number 4, he said, because they gave heed to seducing spirits Look at it. 1 Timothy 4. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to what seduceth. That is, they began to pay attention to spirits that are luring them out from God to themselves. They started paying attention. And one of the ways to pay attention to seducing to it now is to pay attention to every information you see on social media. There are many campaigns, and sometimes we underrate those campaigns because we don't know that our entire orientation is built on information at our disposal. And since Christians who have— who know the truth will not speak it, those who have been deceived will speak their own truth, and that their truth will confuse your fellow Christians. Now, I found someone saying things like, no, people don't need any such thing as marriage counseling. People don't need any such thing as any message that address marriage, that if anybody ever write a book about marriage or something like that, and then said, because I don't want to indulge. And when I saw that, there is a proverb where I came from that even a child that kills the mother will have supporters. See, come, get up now, ah, and carry— and let's wait, let's look for something really ridiculous. No, wait, I'm angry. And say, carry this. This is your God that created you. This is what I'm saying. If you will say this again and again and again for a while, some people will join him. And see, they will even say that we saw it in a dream, that what he's saying is true. Is that okay now? And as they begin to pay attention to what he's saying that this your God, this your God. You see this bag? It was not made by any tailor. It's your God. Once belief is attached to it, once emotions and belief is attached to it, a spirit will invade it, and that spirit use the occasion of their emotional connection to it to even speak to people in their dreams. As ridiculous as it is, if you will say this concerning for 10 years, it may have millions of worshippers around the world worshiping what? Bag. As if they don't have sense. But that's what religion is built on— sentiment and emotions. Christianity is not a religion because there is no God at the end of religion. Religion is man's attempt to point people to God. Every time Christianity was a religion, it was as brutal as every other religion. It killed, used the Bible to justify slavery because people didn't know God for themselves. Part of the history of Christianity is that there, there was a time in our history that was dark because con men had access to the truth and kept it from people. And use it to manipulate people. And the society was built on that. And there are those who have not recovered from that society built on that. They are still grieved and don't know that the substance is not the problem, it was the people wielding it. Yes, sir. Thank you, but don't go yet. Is there anyone here with cooler? I know you might be coming from work, so don't worry. At least I've covered you. Cooler? Flask. Sorry, sorry, we know cooler. Okay, thank you. So this is a— sorry. This is a flask containing soup. What is in this flask? What do you use soup for? Good, huh? Okay, what, what you use soup for depends on what you want to use it for. There is what you ought to use it for, but there are many things you can use it For instance, I have seen a case where someone offended someone and said, 'Now me you offend, you talk like this.' And the sister went to make soup and waited for the person to come and poured it on the person. Now that's still utility. The fellow has used The fellow has used the soup, right? But that's not what soup ought to be used for. The problem is not the soup. The problem is the person using it. The problem is not anointing. The problem is not God. The problem is not the Bible. Good and bad people can use it for their own interests. Okay, thank you, sir. All right, so some will depart from the faith, giving heed to what? Seducing spirit. So let's pay attention. What kind of spirit did the Bible call them? Seducing spirit. Okay, let's look at this scripture in Passion Translation. Look at this. The Holy Spirit has explicitly revealed at the end of this age Many will depart from the true faith one after another, devoting themselves to spirit of deception and following demon-inspired revelations and what theories? Demon-inspired revelation and theories. Now look at this. Many will depart from the true faith one after another. Then they will now become devoted to spirits of deception. How is that? It can happen. And guess what? It can happen to you. Let me give you the proof that it can happen to you. Is there someone in— someone that you know that there was a time you were so close, you talked almost every day, but now you almost can't stand the sight of each other? Talk to me now. Yes, I know, I know. No, no, I get. We listen, we don't judge. No, it's true. I, I see. I'm not talking about your ex, that's your own. But, but at least there is someone that there was a time it was so beautiful, right? You spent time talking about a future that both of you don't know you'll be featured in together. No, it's the truth. Something then happened. And one step after another, you started going separate ways, and then communication became severed till you can barely stand the sight of each other. But you'll notice that the first thing that goes down before you get to that point is that communication line breaks. But what breaks communication line is change of perception. That is, the way you perceive each other changes. There will be events that will take place in your life that if care is not taken, the way you perceive Christianity will change. You can just wake up and you struggle to believe that Christianity is real. It can happen. And the moment that happens, what do you think the devil will say? That's what I've been trying to tell you. That's what you've not been paying attention to. I have been trying to tell you, none is righteous. I've been trying to tell you, you are the only one trying to stand. Those who are trying to lead you, they are chopping their lives. So what that means is, if there were things you've been crying to God to help you get free from You say, why the noise? After all, even those who are better than I am are falling, so why should I be struggling? You're giving heed to seducing spirits. They are seducing you out of concentration. They are seducing you out of devotion to God. They are seducing you away from prayer, away from the need to communicate with God. They will give it to seducing spirit. Start paying attention to deception. And if you look around today You see many people that they cannot know what they now know except that there was a time they were in the faith. Just think of it. Imagine I coming to tell you tomorrow that you see this whole Jesus story thing, I don't believe in it anymore. It's going to affect you because you said even the one that is trying to teach you the Bible said he doesn't believe in it. He has found the truth. So you too, go find the truth. Your faith is not anchored on the standing of another man. Yes, sir. While we attempt to teach you about God, use that avenue to build a relationship with God. Because I tell you, many people that you look up to will fall away. They will fall away because it's the strategy: smite the shepherd, the sheep will scatter. But in the name of Jesus, I won't fall away. And there's a scripture to back that up. Jude, is it verse 22 now? 23. Unto him that is able to keep us from falling and present us spotless before the Father. Praise God. Hallelujah. Is it 23 now? 24? Can you give me Jude? Okay, yes, 24 now. So you start hearing rapt philosophies that is building, forming culture Now, this is where I'm going, because I'm going to have to touch a bit of eschatology tonight. Are you with me? Yes, sir. This particular reality is attached to the last days. That is, it's part of the signs of the end time. It is part of the desperate attempt of the devil. You You know why? Because he knows his time is short. So it means the last day of the church is not the age of funfair. If you've not been told here now, it's the season of battle. The Bible call it the time of great distress. If you are not feeling distressed in your spirit, you are not fighting enough. Or you are not even in the battlefield. You know, when the battle is going on, it is those who are in the camp who feel the distress. There are women and children at home hoping that those who have gone to war will come back to them. While the battle was going on David was there in his palace sleeping with Bathsheba. So if the Bible calls it dangerous times or times of distress and you are not feeling the distress, then you're probably not even in the battlefield. If you are in the battlefield trying to bring down the kingdom like the Bible has joined us in Matthew chapter number 6. And after this manner therefore pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth. If you are trying to bring down the influence of the kingdom and the will of the Father to the earth, you will know distress. If salt It's going to sweeten the soup. It will know heat. Yes, sir. It will know pepper. Yes, sir. So if you're a salt and you are not feeling the heat and not touch with the pepper, you are still in the jar. Or you are even part of those that we need to rescue, because what we are trying to even take away might be your lifestyle. So, hey, why are you distressed? No distress. You are living the life. You are enjoying it, basking in it. You have your own desires. Look at the way the Bible puts your desire— or sorry, not your own, the desire of many Christians. In Ezekiel 33:30-32, let's read from Message translation. Ezekiel 33— in fact, let's first read from King James so you can— to shock you. Look at it. As for thou, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of their houses, and speak to one another, everyone to his brother, saying, saying, come, let us go hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. That is, you like the way that guy, they talk. We just go here, what you go talk today. Look at the way Message translation puts it. Look at this. Message, okay. As for you, Son of Man, you've become quite the talk of the town. Your people meet on the street corners and in front of their houses and say, let's go hear the latest news from God. Look at verse 31. They show up, as people tend to do, and sit in your company. They listen to you speak, but they don't do a thing you say. They flatter you with compliments. Oh, word deep! Oh, deep man! You see, sometimes it's, it's, it's worrisome that the people who keep saying deep, the depth is not showing in their lives. It's not influencing the quality of their decision. They are not becoming better Christians. They're just getting entertained. You know why? Everything new edifies the soul. Yes, sir.

They're not getting anything.

Have you seen people who love deep stuffs but they don't want to live the deep life? Let's hear it and keep it in our head so when I'm talking to my friends, I can drop bars. They just like it. They like the sound of it. Practical Christianity is not in words, it reflects in a life. So they flatter you with compliments, but all they care about— and permit me, oh yes, this is happening— all they care about is making money and getting ahead. Even when they pray, there's somebody they want to become come better than. Oh God, all those who have said I cannot make it, show them. Let them collect, let them know, let them see it. Ah, show them that you are the one who lifts men and said the beggars among them. As they are saying, they are picturing the, the way they will pepper them when they are dancing on their wedding day. God is not with you on that business. If care is not taken, we'll get to a point that people will come out to share testimony to pepper somebody. Are you— what I'm saying? I'm telling you, just say, I want to thank God, everybody praise God on my behalf. You know, last year was a very troublesome year for me. Um, you know, sometimes even when you have planned that— I was going to get married, but you know, I thank God for delivering me from the devil's incarnate. That I could have— listen, no, not testimonial— that I could have married. It was God who rescued me. And now I thank God, um, even I'm single, even though I'm not searching 'But my God has been faithful' and all that. So two things are happening. The person that the girl is called Devil's Cat is also in the same church. Then, 'I'm single but I'm not searching.' That's too much information, man. Why do you pray? Why do you pray? Why do you follow PPC? If those needs are met, will you have a prayer life? Talk to me now. That's the reason why the mercy of God needs to keep many people small, but that's the only way they are godly. I'm not saying the mercy of God is keeping people small. I say needs to, because they have proven that the life they can better manage is a life where needs point them to God. They will pray, they will fast. It will look like revival, but it is need-based. God wants to meet the need of his children. That's the balance. That's not the reason why he's made us. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. It is he who has made us and not we ourselves. He wants to fellowship with us. He wants you to tell him everything. He wants you to pour your heart out. He wants to help you. Nobody can do therapy like the Holy Ghost.

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

He knows the exact thing that you need per time. See, if you don't know the Holy Spirit and you get married, you will be frustrated. Because there are times that a wife is talking to the husband this, and she's expecting, you know. So women, I don't know you guys do this, but it's okay. They know what they're expecting, you know, you know what I'm saying? So like expecting— I'm not gonna look at you. Let me say what I want to say. Are you guys what I'm saying? So you are saying that— no, you are saying everything that— so you know this thing, that's how it went. You know what you want me to say, so you get— if I say that thing, you'll be happy. Since you know it, tell yourself. That's the way a man thinks. That's the way man thinks, that you, you know that if I— sometimes you say no, I can't use it as an example. Let me stand up fast so I can— so you get what I'm saying, guys? So, all right, you know, you know, you'll be fine. Say, "Ah, thank you. You know, every time I thank God for you, you're always there." Yeah, me say, "Get problem." So no one can be more reliable than the Holy Ghost. I used to have a— no, it's still my friend. I have a friend that we're staying together. So that's my— you know, there are people they call sanguine. Ah, if you see, if you have problem and you hang around the sanguine person, the happiness that fellow has given you publicly, that's where it ends. If you think you are coming home and you meet a sanguine person, the way they are That my friend, you just, you know, he's always happy. You know me, I didn't understand. How can— don't you have problem? How can human being always happy in the midst of serious problems? Say, you know what, let's go and buy whiskey. Whiskey is bread and egg, that is sandwich here. And I'm eating the whiskies like gravel in my mouth. You know the funny thing? I know too that he too has more problem. Him. So sometimes I'm thinking about something, I'm saying, you know what, once he comes back from work, we're gonna be able to talk. As he comes back from work, just brings his laptop, movie. Before he's done watching the movie for 5 minutes, he's snoring. So I'm like, I've been waiting for you. Ah, if you don't know God, you'll be frustrated. And let me tell you something, nobody drops their problem at the altar before they get married. Both of you will come in with your problems. If you don't know the way to cry to God, you look up to your spouse to give what only God gives. It will frustrate you. Some men are saying, thank you, Apostle, give them, give them. But, but the truth is the truth. Okay, now, so he said these people show up and all they care about— it doesn't that look like what Christianity is built on nowadays? That's what it looks like. Imagine if every sermon everywhere and every prayer everywhere has to do with knowing God more. Nobody's decreeing be healed. Nobody's saying you are free. Nobody's saying let doors of favor open. It's just about intimacy with God, evangelism, soul winning. How many people will be happy to go to church? That's why I said that many people can— people can be in church for 30 years and they are never Christians. My wife was talking to someone. She went somewhere to fix her nails, and she asked the person, 'Are you born again?' Right? And he said, 'What does that mean?' And he's a Christian. He's never heard it before. We can have a church that is also a mission field. What is a mission field? The field of the lost, where we go to save the lost. It can be a church, but yet it's still a field of the lost. They don't know about Jesus. Because even the pastor too doesn't. He has MBA and he knows how to manage well. He can speak well and he's loyal. He's a good son to Papa and he doesn't read the Bible but he knows about it. He's a good pastor. And children and people's entire life is built on that. The society will never become a better place because that's the quality of people we are chiseling out. They've never been trained and taught Anybody who is smart can get a school of ministry certificate. It's different from training. One of the biggest gifts you can have is that God trains you in a good house. Yes, sir. That's it. That's a gift that only God can give. Because you live all your life defending your bias, but you don't know that you've received rubbish. That's why many of those that were people that people are looking up to in many churches, as they travel to UK and America, they became nothing, something else. You know why? They were never there. The church placed them there, and they were speaking Christianese. They were never there. Look at it. Two women had their children. Two women, both of them prostitutes. One night One slept on her own child and the child died. Oh yes, I've seen where someone slept on the child and the child died, flattened out. Yes, and the mother didn't wake up till daybreak. So I'm telling you, it's not just what is in Bible. I have seen it. I carried the child in my hands. Dead. And the woman who slept on her child went to drop the child beside another woman and carried that one child. What does that tell us? Number one, this woman never loved her child. She loved the idea of having one. There are people who don't love God, they love the idea of ministry. And I'm— can I say something quite tough? Can I? What I want to say is very tough. Can I say it? Oh yes. I'm quite skeptical about people who have to do ministry because there was no other way. Okay, so Our Christianity should not be built on trying to get ahead. When they were going to cast Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fire, look at what they said. They said, the God that we serve— they say, oh, Nebuchadnezzar, We are not careful to answer you in this manner. He said the God that we serve is able to deliver us from both you and your fairy furnace. And say, but if not, we still will not bow. I know God can do it, but if he doesn't, I'm here. That's discipleship. You don't feel you are trying to get ahead of someone. Let me tell you, the proof that you are living a competitive life is that you struggle to congratulate those that God has answered. You feel it is bad if it is not you. Listen, there will be people who are not as groomed as you are, and they will get the result early, and mercy will keep them. Yes, mercy will. You must understand that God doesn't like wastage, so he's not going to waste any of his children because they got it before you. Do you get it? Yes, sir. So our entire church culture can be built on needs. And that's why Bible study for me is a very important service. That's where you know those who want to dig deep, so you can celebrate yourselves. Go back to that Ezekiel. Let's finish reading. We're in verse 31. So they show up as people tend to do and sit in your company. They listen to you speak, but they don't do a thing you say. How many Christians in church are doers? So sometimes I can't understand how we hear all these things and still do what we do. Strange, very strange. How is the word not convicting us?

How?

You know, one of the things you must understand is that the Holy Spirit will not operate within the space you didn't allow him to operate in. You are the one to allow him, and he will do it little by little. You want to talk, your wife has said something, ah, You see, let me give. He said, hold it first. And you know you don't like cheating. You don't like cheating. Do you like cheating? I don't like to give it till you feel light. Like, I will tell you everything till There's nothing left. How many of you like it like that? Like, ah, I will tell— see, the way I'm feeling, you feel it too. If you keep living like that, you destroy yourselves, you destroy the relationships around you, you break people. So sometimes it's tiring. Every time I come to church, what are the things I need to change that I'm going to change? So they flatter you, compliment, but all they care about is what? Making money and what? Getting ahead. Christianity with proofs. We've coined many languages. See, even people who tell you about proofs, there was a time they didn't have it. My fear is that You might be a better Christian in the days of lack. You see, money is dangerous. Think about it. What do you want to buy? Phone. That's the least. What else? A good car, you want to see the entire dashboard screen. Oh, I love cars. God had to deal with me, and by the time he was done dealing with me, we had to agree that, Daddy, obviously I know you know more than I know that that thing you are trying to take away didn't go. Is that okay now? I was using the car for a whole year. He didn't allow me buy, and I had to be using boat with my family in this Abuja. After service, we hang around and then call boat and just gather ourselves. On Sunday morning, we keep calling boat. Ah, one will come and say, no, no issue. Femi Lazarus, how much you give? I'll just sit down and say, me. So God was apparently trying to deal with me because— so within that period, all the pictures of cars I've saved on my phone, all the pictures, I'll just sit and delete that. It's vanity upon vanity. So after the 1 year schooling was done, And then I was given a car. The moment that car came, hey, Sabena car fullate! I just one night just have downloaded like 16 pictures of cars. I say, oh yes, I was like this. You know, these people just look at you and you see yourself. I say it's through what we try to do for one year. So I now said, God, it's like your method didn't work for me. So, but let's find a way to manage it, to help me, okay? Because if care is not taken, you keep using money to chase your vanity.

That's right.

Some people, their own might not be cars, might be houses. Just like seeing fine houses. All my weakness in this Abuja, by now you should know it. Where is that? Okay, thank you. Yeah, you know, in Abuja, anything that has extension, sometimes want to look again. I say, Pape is also the term I— don't talk. So I just go there, I'm like, go that far. One time I carried my entire family, I said, all of you follow me, let's go to I like that place. By the time we're done, we wasted an entire day. God said, by now you know, stay where I put you. Because you can use our entire life chasing that. While you may consider that as good vanity, before you know, you start stepping into bad vanity.

Women.

Some people are addicted to jewelry. Sorry, just bling bling. See, it's okay, use what's nice. Is that okay? Use nice stuff. Is that okay? Use nice stuff. But once it becomes an addiction that even if you have not eaten As one just pass, I say, 'Buy earring.' As people's own his phone, they can buy 10. IPhone 16 Pro Max. As 17 is coming, I say add on top. The Bible called it superfluity of naughtiness. Are you with me? So we should not be that kind of people because that's what Christianity is now like. That's the culture. And once this is the culture, what is going to happen is that there will be offenses. You know why? You— why do you get offended every 4 years in Nigeria? Because you have expectations. Abi? Yes, sir. 2027 is coming. You will have expectations. 2. The message that brought many of you into Christ gave you false hope. Once you come to Jesus, all your problems will disappear. Jesus himself says, in this world you will have tribulation. Say, you will have tribulation. I've been sick before. I'm telling you, sometimes you might hear me tell you stories, but there are consequences for some of the stories. When I fasted till I started vomiting blood, oh, I suffered the consequence. There was a time that my wife will be carrying me on the floor grappling for pain. There are consequences. You may not hear a preacher say that. You may not know. One time I was hearing a man of God I respect so much. And he said he's not proud of what fasting has done to his body, because the danger of not using wisdom is that by the time you now need the fasting the most, your body is not aligning. It was just like yesterday that we were all in the same place, many young people seeking God for who he is, not for what we can get out of him. What is amazing me is that that culture is fast disappearing, and we must not allow it. That Christianity will not be based on entertainment. Your choice of church will not be based on the way their speakers sound. A church with a sound message may not have good sound, but are you disciplined enough to listen to the message for what you need? If you— if, if this is it, many young preachers will not be under pressure. For many years in this ministry and Leaders are here for many years. When I'm preaching like this, I will wear earphone because I'm recording through the speaker or the mic of the earphone, or sometimes we now downloaded one app, the record, which will be on the table, and my messages were going everywhere with phone. With phone. Somebody had one of my teachings from India, then said, I heard it, I was so blessed, but I wish the sound was better. Then he gave us 200,000. We bought mixer, amp, 60,000, a pair of speaker. 50,000. One wireless mic, 35,000. Cables. And then added 60,000, our entire savings, to buy generator. Um, Fireman generator. Yes, we give the generator to our church. No, we left it in Ife. So our church in Ife used the generator till their neighbors begged them that— those that were living in Child of the Nation were getting lean. But do you know that we are not a better church now than then? Yes. In fact, we might be a worse church now if our pursuit has changed. 'Cause money can change your pursuit. You can move from revival to favor. They are both messages. Is the culture. I have to drip so that The people will listen. What if I don't have money? You know what drip means? Huh? What's drip? Huh? Huh? To buff. Bafok. Yeah, it's fantastic and it's very good actually, but we must be careful of side attractions that can become main dish so that we are not carried away. We are in the time of great distress. We don't need entertainment, we need battle formation. But there are things I wish I'll tell you, but the reason why I say that is not for fear. If anybody knows anything about me me, I say what God will have me say. But the reason why I hold some things back is because the devil can pick it and all the other things doesn't matter anymore. And then this looks like— there is a culture that is entering even the church now where pastors will soon begin to dress like women. And it has started. Somebody gave me a shoe. You saw the shoe? No, you can't see because I never wore it. Gave me the shoe and I like the person. So when I check the shoe, it's like for a woman. It has the heel like— so what was it called?

Wedge.

Yeah, I don't know. So, ah, na small small e dey start. So, ah, I said I'm— no, no, no. Small thing, nails to fix will be hungering you. The West is not just invading Africa politically, the West is also invading Africa Ministerially, it looks like anything done in America should pass. You lie. We must be careful. America is not the standard, the Bible is. Yes, sir. The Bible is— because you're going to find yourself in all these countries and you begin to tell yourself, oh, Christianity in Nigeria, we've taken it too serious. Look at them, they're enjoying their lives. There's 3 days retreat. And in the morning they serve sandwich, and by afternoon you get what? Pizza and salad and all those stuffs. Then by night you get burger. Yeah, um, double what? Bubble tea. Yeah, bubble tea. Yeah. And his retreat. And you say, ah, all those retreats we are doing in Nigeria, they'll be fasting, so we're wasting our time. Meanwhile, God placed you there so you can bring the fire from Africa there. But no, you went there and got attracted to the coldness till you can no longer find yourself. Because there is a temptation for us to keep thinking, oh, they are stressing us, why should we fast? Why should we pray? I attend all those white churches. Even the way the pastor pray, you not even know he's prayed. Pray about the community. There is something called the spirit of politeness. It's a very wicked spirit. You go to London, say hi, they will greet you. Hi. Fake smile, very brief. There's a need to keep the front of politeness. Sunday morning, schools are open for sports. Sports. What is a polite system? I'm going to tell the media to play a video that we played during the School of Ministry on Sunday. A state— a video where the Vice President of America Femi Lazarus was speaking about something that happened in the United Kingdom. So I want the media to give me the sign once you're ready to play that video. So this is, um, the Vice President of America speaking in a conference about something that happened in America— I'm in UK— and then it was telling them how far they've fallen. And then, so once they are ready to show you the video, I'll tell them to show you the video. There are two videos though, but they show you that one so you can understand that you are not trying to escape from God to get into new territories. Don't be a slave in your mind. Sometimes you have gold and you want to trade it for stones. Don't be a slave in your mind. If you have the opportunity to be exposed to old rugged Christianity, hold it. It's becoming scarce. Hold it, hold it. You have people that can hold you up in prayer and say, let us pray, let's pray in tongues for the next 2 hours. Hold them. Everyone and everywhere, they're getting westernized. Hold it! There's an alien Western culture invading churches. We need to go back to coming to church on Sundays and we'll pray ourselves to stupor. Not like, what kind of Sunday do we have? I say I can't sweat on my Sunday clothes. What Sunday Sunday clothes. We need to get back to the days that we come to church on Sunday and by the time we are done with service, sharing benediction, we all know we are going out on the streets for soul winning. Are you following what I'm saying here? Because if you— because the church can become a place where you are entertaining goats. You are not feeding the sheep. People are coming with alien culture and they are bullying you psychologically into giving them what they want. And how they bully you, they will rate you as their pastor if you give them what they want, and they will hate you if you don't. In the United Kingdom now They were trying to pass a bill. I don't know how they use it there, that nobody should be found preaching. You can't hand over handbill to anybody with the intention of— in fact, the most recent one is that nobody should be— hands should not be laid on people. Even with the consent of the people. UK, the same places where Charles Wesley and John Wesley did ministry, that was hot red center of revival. I'm saying territories can lose the fire. The devil is the kind that will be stealing from you and let you know what you have, you can't lose it. He's stealing, he's telling you you can't lose it. Are they ready? All right, now what he's saying, you need to listen well to hear his English. Is that okay? We'll play it once. No, it's true. On set and online, over to you now. Just put it on the two screens. Thank you.

I look to our very dear friends, the United Kingdom. Where the backslide away from conscience rights has placed the basic liberties of religious Britons in particular in the crosshairs. A little over 2 years ago, the British government charged Adam Smith Connor, a 51-year-old physiotherapist and an army veteran, with the heinous crime of standing 50 meters from an abortion clinic and silently praying for 3 minutes. Not obstructing anyone, not interacting with anyone, just silently praying on his own. And after British law enforcement spotted him and demanded to know what he was praying for, Adam replied simply, it was on behalf of the unborn son he and his former girlfriend had aborted years before. Now the officers were not moved. Adam was found guilty of breaking the government's new buffer zones law, which criminalizes silent prayer and other actions that could influence a person's decision within 200 meters of an abortion facility. He was sentenced to pay thousands of pounds in legal costs to the prosecution. Now, I wish I could say that this was a fluke, a one-off crazy example of a badly written law being enacted against a single person. But no, this last October, just a few months ago, the Scottish government began distributing letters to citizens whose houses lay within so-called safe access zones, warning them that even private prayer within their own homes may amount to breaking the law. Naturally, the government urged readers to report any fellow citizens suspected guilty of thought crime. In Britain and across Europe, free speech, I fear, is in retreat.

About GBN Tonight with me, Martin Dornie. Now, the Labour-run Rushmoor Borough Council has sparked outrage by proposing a sweeping injunction that could see Christian street preachers imprisoned for up to 2 years if the injunction is breached. Now, over claims of causing offense or distress. Now, under the proposed terms, Christians will be banned from praying for individuals, handing out religious leaflets or Bibles by hand, and laying hands on people in prayer, even with their permission.

Thank you, Lord. That is your almighty UK. Africa has gold. By all standard. And for those of us who are listening to me, Nigerians in diaspora, Cameroonians, Africans in diaspora, the reason why God took you there is not to do the works of slavery in Egypt, but to bring the influence of the kingdom. Let me— there are things I thought I would say tonight, but Sunday we continue, right? But listen, one time I met a very dear woman of God at an airport. And I saw that she was looking at me with so much curiosity, more like, is he human? And not in terms of, oh, so anointed. So we're waiting for our bags, so I was observing her. Then she spoke and said, sir, how do you do it? That people drag you online and you keep doing what you're doing and don't you feel it? Don't you— I said, have you been dragged before? So he said, yes, they dragged me once. I said, how many people? He said, said the comment section. So I said, hey, uh, you know, if Paul was in our days, many church pastors will say he's not a wise preacher because wisdom is safety to us. Wisdom is be political enough to to blend in, neutralize the truth so that you are accepted by both the good and the bad. Present it in a way that nobody know where you stand. That's wisdom. I grew up from the north and I attended a missionary school. I saw people die. I saw my friends become fatherless. I used to have a girl in my class called Linda. There was a religious crisis, and the mother of Linda— and Linda being Christians knew that they were targets, so they jumped the fence and moved to the house of an ally. So that because they know they will come to their house. And this Alaji was a friendly man and he welcomed them and hid them. But when they came with their long curved swords, sikus, and all those things, he opened the door and they dragged them out and they gathered around the mother and the daughter. This true life story. And told the woman to pick one between herself herself and her daughter, who should they kill? And the woman sacrificed herself. And right there, in the presence of the daughter, they stabbed her with all the instruments they had in their hands and they burnt her. The girl lost her mind, so she couldn't school again. And that's how We got to know the story. Our only crime was our faith. One of the churches that Jesus sent letters to said, there is a testimony of you that you are rich, but you are poor and you are wretched. Then they went on to say, and you are naked. We are churning believers who are not apostolic, who must blend in, neutralize. Let's accommodate their culture. Let it in. Don't worry. Let's make it so that believers who are used to clubbing, when they come to church, they will not miss club so much. Really, it will backfire. I have observed that certain things we have found ways to touch up are traps. That's the reason why I'm taking my stand. Yes, I'm not a troublemaker, but I will take this stand. Yes, without fear or anything. Yes. When the next generation comes, it will be clear that some people stood. We are dealing with a system that is subtle, but it is Antichrist. The purpose, or what the devil is intending, is to invade the church, invade Christians, their minds, bind them with spells, cast darkness. And that's why when the church is teaching good and they are not praying Oh no, they can never get it. It doesn't matter how much I teach, if you don't know prayer, your life won't change. Because there are some things that will happen when you start praying, when you move from— when you start buying Christian books. Tongues beyond the upper room. Buy books. Believer's Authority. Why Revival Tarries by Reverend Hills. Power Through Prayer. You start reading for yourself. Start, because what is coming on Sunday, Tuesday is not enough. Get books, get study Bibles, start listening to messages. You know why? You are training yourself to be useful. If not, your entire life will be pursuit of trying to get ahead. And even if you say yes to ministry, it is an attempt to use ministry to get ahead. I'm in Abuja. If I want to get ahead, I am anointed and I know what to preach. This place will be packed. Examine yourself. It is possible you might not have met Christ.

Yes.

Particularly if you got to church and you are gifted and you start functioning, you forget that you've not met him. Sometimes you're in fellowship in your room and you are in tears. Has it happened to you before? Does this still happen? Because there are two different things. Just in tears of that glorious presence. You want to do his will and he's melting out self because everything flesh dies in his presence. The last hope for the world is the church, so we must not become like the world. I want us to pray this night. I want us to ask God for a red-hot revival and fire in your bones. Oh, ask him for fire, ask him for fire, ask him for fire, red-hot. Red hot fire.

Ask him for fire.

Where is Precious? Who is on there? Oh, ask him for fire. Um, come raise that sound. My other mic.

Jesus, take over. I cannot do it on my own. Holy Spirit, take over. I cannot do it on my own unless you take over. Take over, Jesus, take over, take over, Holy Spirit, take over. I cannot do it on my own unless you take over. I cannot do it on my own unless you take over. Take over, Jesus. Take over. Take over, Jesus. Take over. I cannot do it on my own unless you take over. I cannot do it on my own. Holy Spirit, take over.

Amen.

Listen.

One time Paul was preaching and he met some people and said, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? If that same question is extended to the 21st century church, it will be, have you received power since you received the Holy Ghost? Because the injunction is, you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you. If you see— listen, if you know what power looks like, your hands will— you practically sometimes feel like currents flowing through you. It is no longer about skill, it is now about the anointing. And everywhere you get to and raise an incense, there will be equilibrium. The kingdom you represent will invade that place till equilibrium is achieved. Have you received power since you received the Holy Ghost, because that's the only way we can invade the world. That's the only way. Lift your hands to God. Say, Father, drench me in your power. Ah, is it truly a desire? Drench me in your power. Drench me, drench me in your power. We bless your holy name, Jesus. Oh yes, Lord, we receive the fire to be a witness of what God is doing to the rest of the world. The fire to stand strong and not fall. The fire to live a righteous life. The fire not to yield to temptations. The fire to be passionate about the cross. You will not lose your first love. And that fire, that burden used to have in your spirit for souls to— before this issue of labor market took over. Oh, you have it back. The days of encounters are back. Your motive will align with God's desires. Receive the fire. We bless your holy name. In Jesus' mighty name we have prayed. Let's give Jesus a big, big hand.