GHEALEAD - Love & Fire Conference, 2025 || Day 2

started. Please help me appreciate one of the voices of relationships, marriage, and family life in the city of Jos, yet reaching the whole globe. He's the senior pastor of House of Hope International. Let's celebrate and let us appreciate Pastor Benson Ogbe. Thank you so much, sir. Grateful, grateful. Hallelujah! Of course, we have Pastor Peniel here, the first lady of Glory Zone Church. Let's appreciate her. She's also here. We have the senior pastors of Jubilation Church, Pastor Tekinbi and Pastor Femi Lazarus. By their side, Pastor Balmun standing there as an amazing armor bearer. Glory be to God. We also have all the way from Maiduguri, a close friend of mine. We went to the same, uh, university fellowship, and he just said he had to be here to be a part of this. He was here yesterday and he's also here. He doesn't want to accept this title, but in his own this title, but in his own right he's a minister of the gospel. Let us appreciate Pastor Osazuwa Joseph Aigborosie. Come on, let's appreciate him. Thank you. Hallelujah. We also have from the Latter House Christian Center Pastor Julius Unduku, the chief of staff. Thank you so much for coming and being around. Uh, we also have other ministers of the Latter House there. We have pastoral assistant, uh, Dr. Jumaidu Dubo. We have Uh, Helen Wakiruwa, and we have Esther Datsolum. Thank you so much for coming. And of course, my parents are here again. They were here yesterday, my dad and my mom. Thank you so much. Apostle did something very inspiring yesterday when he met them, and we did not allow what he did to just pass. We had to connect with it. We are learning so much by just being here. Let me tell you, we have hosted quite a few ministers of the gospel, but I can tell you this, this set, this couple, they are such a blessing. Please, one more time, appreciate them and appreciate my parents. Glory to Pastor Fortshark. I also see you. Ah, Prophet Nampon, I see you too. Thank you also for coming. Glory be to God. Of course, our amazing, uh, wonderful persons, um, the Ogunsolas. Thank you so much for being here. God bless you. And an amazing minstrel also in the city of Jos. Can we appreciate him? Thank you so much for coming. We are very grateful. Hallelujah!

Amen!

He said hallelujah! All right, so once I hear the cue, once I just see the signal— all right, just a minute, just a minute. Sorry, you know, it's always important that when you're doing something and you have an amazing woman by your side you take counsel. There were a few things— one thing we're supposed to have done before we had the video, and she just reminded me. It's very important that we do it because God has been using this particular segment that we're going to do now to help us see the metamorphosis that has taken place in the lives of people from last year to this year. All right, so please go ahead and lead us in that.

Thank you.

Hallelujah.

Okay, so, um, you're seated near amazing people. Teach Me to Love You and the Love and Fire Conference is not just about just you finding a love match, but it's about also building a community. We understand that even though we have numbers, we need to know each other and be united as much as we can. So if you are seated near someone you know, that's fine, but still we want you to mark today's event by taking a photograph with the person next to you, a selfie., if you will. You know, it's our custom. You might not— you might just find the person somewhere. And there are people who have met each other. Thank you.

That was where we are going to.

Some of you are like, Pastor, get to the very core of the matter. Yeah, I want to meet somebody because the street's not smiling. But so, yes, you don't know who you will take a picture. So please take your phones, take a selfie, take a Love and Fire Conference selfie. Take a Gilead selfie. So when you come back next year, you'll be telling the person, ah, see who I was before. I was in pain, I was traumatized.

From this, from these selfies, like she said, we've had people who met and got married. So please do not be shy, don't joke, don't joke with whatever is happening right now.

See somebody you've been wanting to take a picture with, just say Pastor said.

You may just be taking your pre-wedding shoot, you don't know.

Pastor said let's take a picture.

Hallelujah!

I mean, Apostle has been snapping many pictures already, you see. So, so please take your photographs and we want you to post it online with the official hashtags for the conference so that we can repost your pictures as well, right? So the official hashtags for this conference is #LoveAndFireConference25. 2025. Hashtag GHEALAD. Spell it well so that we are able to see the post when you post it. Okay, G-H-E-A-L-E-A-D, right? God's healing and leading for love, relationships, and marriages. So those are the official hashtags for the conference. Post it, we want to repost it, and we also want to keep an archive of it so that we can see your lovely faces whenever we think about the Love and Fire Conference 2025.

Hallelujah!

Glory be to God! All right, we'll just give you maybe 10 seconds to wrap that up because I see a few persons to do a few things. So you have just 10 seconds to wrap that up. 5, 3, 0. Just help me tell your neighbor, can you just drop the phone now? Yesterday at the end of Apostle's ministration, God ministered to him that there was something pivotal that he needed to do this morning. And we had to shift the schedule because we believe God ministered to him clearly to have that happen this morning. And so we have created this space so that God will do that for someone. I want to beg you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, do not let this session pass you by. Yesterday it was the people that responded that left here with their testimonies. Our phones have been buzzing, thanking us for having them come. Yesterday night settled a lot of things things that were hanging, a lot of persons that were stuck, that were depressed. If you saw one of the pictures, uh, picture area that we had, it had breakout. Is that right? A lot of breaking out took place. Help me tell your neighbor, say, neighbor, another prison break is about to happen right now. And it's not the prison break that you know on the series, no, it's the prison break of your soul, the prison break of your spirit. And the spirit and the prison break even of your health. Because there are a few persons who testified yesterday after Apostle prayed, healings took place for those women that came and he prayed for them. We are trying to make sure the testimony— go ahead and celebrate God for that. So please, as the word of God comes, let your heart be open. Glory be to God. Media, go ahead.

Apostle Femi Lazarus is a reformative leader at the intersection of faith leadership and nation-building. A pastor, thought leader, public health professional, and national voice, his influence transcends pulpits, driving transformation in religion, culture, governance, and society. As lead pastor of the Light Nation Global, he has raised a generation of reformers, thinkers, and culture shapers committed to influencing every sphere of life with timeless principles. Through his Global Mentorship Academy and the 100 Women Club, he mentors leaders across continents, instilling vision, discipline, and courage to create lasting change. A prolific author with over 24 books and the visionary behind Voice of Africa by Africans, he champions indigenous voices in global discourse. He is also the founder of the International School of Ministry and Ambience Television, redefining discipleship, media, and storytelling for impact. In 2024, his podcast became Nigeria's most streamed on Spotify and top charts across Africa, cementing his voice as one shaping faith, leadership, and transformation worldwide. Above all, Femi Lazarus is a mentor, reformer, and national voice committed to raising leaders and shaping the destiny of nations. He is married to Miracle Femi Lazarus, and together they are blessed with beautiful children. Ministering today at the Love and Fire Conference 2025, let us receive with Honor Apostle Femi Lazarus.

Thank you, Lord Jesus. What a great God we serve. Can we lift our hands to him in a moment? Oh, we bless your holy name. Lift your hands and just give him praise. I want to hear your voice. I want to hear your voice.

You're not a man, Lord.

You're not a man. You're the God who opens doors no man can shut.

You're not a man. You are not a man, you're not a man. You're the God, you're the God of everything. No one like you.

One more time. You're not a man, you're not a man.

You are not a man, you're not a man. You're the God who opens doors no man can shut. You're not a man. You are not a man. You're not a man. Oh, you're the God of everything. No one like you. No one like you. No one like you, Jesus. No one like you. We search through all the earth, there's none like you. No one like you. You stand out in your own class. No one like you. You are the most high, the epicenter of wisdom. No one like you. No one like you. Like you. You're the God of everything. No one like you.

We bless you, God of Abraham. You're the God of covenant, faithful promises. Time and time again you have proven you do just what you say. Though the storm may and the wind may, I will stay steadfast.

Great is, great is your faithfulness to me. Great is, great is your faithfulness to me.

Lord Jesus, we give you all glory, all praise and honor. Accept our thanksgiving in Jesus' mighty name. We have worshiped. Let's make those hands resounding. Um, um, your pastors have been so good to us. We felt so at home and we've been taken care of. Yes, we have pastors' wives here. They know what I'm— Pastor is there also. It is not every meeting you have the latitude of saying you've been taken care of. Some meetings you have to call your person who is in town. Help me, help me, help me. They are thoughtful, they are caring. One time, okay, the last time— was that the last time? Okay, don't let me give any number to you so nobody traces it. One time I told I took my wife out for a meeting, and it was a powerful meeting somewhere, somewhere, one part of Nigeria. We finished to check out on the morning like this, they locked the door. The hotel came to lock the door and say, you can't, you can't leave. I said, what's the issue? They say, your host didn't pay, so we just have to offset it. Bill and then check out. So yeah, talk about experiences. We've seen quite some things, I tell you, and that doesn't make us compromise the standard of the faith. The standard is the standard, and we are just servants of God. So we want to really thank God for you. You've made JOS a place we look forward to coming back to. And I want to thank all of God's servants here. Thank you, sirs. I want to thank you, ma. I can see Pastor somewhere around, but yeah, I honor you both. And sir, so good to see you in person. I honor you, sir. I want to honor all of God's servants. And we have our grandpa and grandma here again this morning. Give them a big hand.

Wow, thank you.

And please celebrate yourselves. Just before you sit, um, I said to you, when God gave me my wife, he gave more than I asked for. Help me.

Okay.

And now please, we may be seated. Oh, I love this choir. I was almost going to say ask anything. So no, I said almost, but I remember that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. So I just— wow, what a voice! And it's not just the gift, it's the spirit. You know, this thing, if it is spirit to spirit, we know. Thank you, thank you. And there's a very clear sign that this house fasted and prayed. You can always tell by the quality of the open heavens.

Thank you.

Um, what God has laid in my heart this morning— don't mind me, um, I, I like to— this is how I like to communicate, just to be free. Um, open your hearts, open your Spirit. The way we do it— this is the house of God, is the house of our Father. And one of the, um, um, the— what is it called now— the techniques or something God taught us in our church is something called the liberty of the Spirit. So at some point in the course of the message The Holy Spirit will minister to himself. There are altar calls you don't call. People just respond to the promptings of the Spirit because it's going to be a morning of surgery.

So, um, ah, why?

That must be made a mistake, 75 minutes. So I'm just going to spend the time I saw them for. Okay, so, um, we couldn't get to this yesterday, but it was a packed day. There's a burden in my heart as I want to thank God for Pastor as he drove us around the city this morning. I have a very strong burden that more believers will buy more strategic properties.

Yes, sir.

I heard the story of a plane that crashed. The junior pilot knew something was wrong but could not interrupt the senior pilot because of the culture of respect. They all crashed. Whenever I remember that story, it tells me that there are things we can't keep quiet on, all right, so that we don't all fall into the ditch. Across the body of Christ now. Okay, it's kingdom. There are 5 levels to power. Wealth is one of them. People can teach it falsely, but don't hate the message. We can't be strategic without it. Okay, sorry. So quickly, I want to show you something. I'm going to tell you just one story, um, and this story is— I want to help you see another perspective. Is it— it's a story you are familiar with, but see another perspective to it and then see how it relates to you. Is that okay? But let's first read the scripture. Hebrews chapter number 12. I pray I'm correct. Yes, I think I am. Hebrews 12, we'll start the reading from verse, um, 14. If you're in Hebrews 12 Say a big amen if you don't know where it is. All right, look at this. From verse 14 says what? Follow peace with all men, um, and what? Holiness, without which no man will what? See God. Look at verse 15, which is where I'm going to He said, looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. So it tells us that anywhere there's bitterness, there's defilement. Um, nothing punctures people's weight in the spirit like bitterness. There are many homes and many individuals that are struggling to fly because somebody is nursing something that a person will never talk about and will never forgive. There are women who have things against their husbands. They won't tell the man because they feel he won't listen. They have made up their mind they are in the marriage for the sake of the children, but they are not connected to him. Even if they offer their body, it is— there's no connection. And there are children that the only reason they call Daddy and Mommy is out of honor. They have things in their minds and they are struggling to let go. When matters pile up and issues are not addressed, it leads to bitterness. And once bitterness is there, it defiles your internal environment. It contaminates the cloud. Your relationship with God becomes contaminated. You, you are not able to flow freely. We forgive as we have been forgiven. Now look at this. So let me just get quickly to this. The word translated to bitterness here means sharp or pointed. It's like an arrow. That's The word there, to not forgive, is to be imprisoned and thinking someone else is suffering. Let me tell you something, it may be difficult, but one of the decisions you will make in your life is that there will be no one that is powerful enough for me not to forgive. Okay, now look at this. Bitterness has sharpness to it. When a person is bitter, they are not sweet. You lose your sweetness once you become bitter. When I was serving, there was a lady there in the family house. Everybody had something negative to say about her. So I'm like, well, I don't deal with people based on impressions of others. Everyone has something bad. So, and truth be told, if you meet this sister She wasn't sweet, so everyone were running different kind of propaganda against her. But over time, I was able to break her wall and then get to meet her in person and discover how sweet she is in person. Anyone who nurses grudge is not strategic. The real wicked people will earn public approval and you will be thrown away. Listen, don't just have a good heart, you must have a strategy. Your family members can hate you because you are the one who can't express yourself. Only God rewards you for the quality of your heart. Men will honor you for your sweetness. I can tell you things. Do you understand what I'm saying? All right. And some of the people you meet in your life, and you must learn how to beat them at their own game, are narcissists. They will afflict you and report you as to why you are crying. In all your battles, maintain your sweetness. All right, once you become bitter, you lose sweetness. I need to be quiet. And you have to note this in capital letter: that you are anointed doesn't mean you can't be bitter. You can communicate what look like burden out of— because you are angry, and you'll be injuring people with tongues. Once you don't deal with bitterness, the pulpit becomes the place of slaughter. You come to the altar with the aim of fighting personal battles. Um, okay, this is going to be the first place I will say this. It's a million-dollar secret. God taught me personally that the only message he can back up is the one that contains him, not you. If it is him, it will fly. If it is you, it is too heavy to fly. Let me look— let me teach you how deception works. You have billions of people across the world that you can bless with your sermon. Then you decide to focus that sermon on one person who is being stupid. Maybe this would be like a side lesson for pastors that, hey, there are people that the devil will send to your ministries. Their goal is to hijack your message and turn it towards them. Don't be bitter. It is wisdom to forgive and let go. All right, so let me quickly share a story with you in the Bible, and let's remove certain myths. 2 Samuel chapter number 13 from verse 1. 2 Samuel chapter number 13 from verse 1. This is a very interesting story. Let's read this together. Is that okay? Let's start from verse 1. And it came to pass after this that Absalom, the son of David, had a fair sister whose name was what? Tamar. And Amnon, who again the son of David, loved her. Absalom was son of David by another woman. Tamar was the youngest of Absalom by the same mother. Then there's this other guy that— what's his name again? Amnon. All of them the same father. So Amnon fell in love with his own stepsister, and Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick for his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin. And Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her. And Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab. You need to be careful of Jonadabs, the son of Shimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very subtle man, and he said to him, why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? 'Will thou not tell me?' And Amnon said, 'I love Tamar.' Oh, we bless your holy name. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Don't worry, stay with me. Let me give you a bit of background of that story. One of the things David did that brought pain into his home was that he married multiple wives. You see, people will make it look like fun, that's a thing of fun to pack many women. Till you see the back end and the pain behind it, that you have siblings you can't really call siblings. That's one of the things that destroyed the life of David— multiple women. Ah, ah, ah, we are coming up with a project. No, let's put it out so that we don't inform the enemy. But there is nothing sweet about polygamy. So this guy, you know the story. He called his sister Tamaen. He raped her. The moment he was done raping her, look at what That same 2 Samuel 13, let's start from verse 12. And she said unto him, nay, my brother— nay is no— do not force me. For no such ought to be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly. And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? And as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king. For he will not withhold me from you, albeit he will not have voice. But being stronger than she, forced her, lay with her. Look at the moment he was done sleeping with her, what's the next thing? And Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred, all right, wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he, what, he what, loved her. And Amnon said unto her, arise and be gone. Let me tell you ladies something, take this as a basement of truth. The moment you give your body to a man you are not married to because you love him, the next thing that comes to the head of a man is maybe this is how she gives it to all others. But men won't tell you. He won't tell you. You just start thinking, ah, sorry guys. Now look at, look at this devastating story. When he was not able, he sent her away so that the girl now put on ashes and sackcloth, and the daughter of the king was on the street. Look at verse 20. And Absalom, her brother, said unto her, Amnon thy brother— so as Amnon thy brother be with thee, yet Amnon— because he had forced his sister. The king heard it. He was angry, but he didn't rebuke Amnon. Absalom heard it. He was angry. He didn't talk. What's the next verse? 2 years passed. It was swept under the carpet as a matter that must not bring shame in the king's palace. Have you seen families where a family member will rape a girl and say, don't talk, I say, it's your uncle. If we talk now, it's public shame for the family. That's how bitterness is being sown. 2 years. It's a very interesting story, pay attention. Now look at verse 23. And it came to pass after 2 full years that Absalom had his sheep shearers in Baal Hazor. Which is beside Ephraim. And Absalom invited all the king's sons. And Absalom said, behold now thy servants as sheep shearers. Let the king, I beseech you, and his servants go with his servant. Now he want their father to be there. He has a plan. Well, I want Daddy to be there also. Now let's look at that plan. And the king said unto Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be what? Chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him, albeit he would not go, but blessed him. And Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee? And Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon go. Is that in your Bible?

Okay.

And he lets Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. And Absalom now commanded, he said, Mark the moment Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, smite Amnon, then kill him. Fear not. For I have commanded— have I not commanded you, be courageous and be what? Valiant. He wanted to kill that boy, but my father, who has refused to address the evil in this house, I want him to be there too when his blood will be spilled. Just write it in capital letter in your notes: the culture of silence. I'm going to deal with that. 2 years. When I'm— and look at it, what kind of a person is Amnon? You will rape somebody's sister, the father didn't call you, you are not shivering. She has an elder brother who is a man of war, he didn't ask you, and you are not afraid. And now he called you to a party, And you have the audacity not just to attend the party but to be drunk. Talk about impudent. What, what kind of impudence is that? I've seen people who are sleeping with somebody's wife and will still go to the house and eat. The kind of a risk people take. Absalom had kept it in his heart, I will kill you. To where they were eating and all those things in verse 29. And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him upon his mule and fled. And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is none of them left. Then the king arose and tore his garments and lay in the earth, and all his servants stood by him with his clothes rent. Okay, um, they came and then tell him, um, the correct truth in verse 33. All the king's sons are not dead. But in verse 34, Absalom run, ran away, and they were looking for Absalom for several years. He escaped. But look at this. Um, so in verse 38, Absalom ran for many years, 3 years. And in verse 39, the soul of King David longed to go forth unto Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead. He won't address it again. There were many— see, we read about the sweet Psalmist of Israel, the beautiful, the amazing King David, the anointed of the Most High, the one who killed Goliath. But I'm showing you his family now. It was a home of pain and what bitterness. Now, years later, something happened in 2 Samuel chapter number 14. Um, if I'm going to be able to jump— Absalom, you know, came back home. And, um, David asked them, he said, I want you, my army, make sure when you catch Absalom, catch him alive for me, because he went in full-on defiance against the throne. In fact, he He became so bitter that he went to get some of David's— so this was what happened. The moment they saw that this guy is angry against David, some men who also have bitterness against David now joined league with him. Bitterness recruits bitterness, and that's why in every ministry, the bitter will always look for anyone who is bitter to make friends with, and they will now begin to collide and share their opinions of bitterness to bring down the ministry. Bitter people recruit bitter people. That's the science. Among those that Absalom was able to recruit to his side was the most trusted and the wisest advisor of David, a man called Ahithophel. I'm trying to sum my story now. One time they sat down and they were scheming what to do to bring down David. Ahithophel told them, this is what you can do that will hurt David your father. I want you to sleep with his wives on the top of his palace. And that seemed good to the child, that yes, let's rape his wives there. In fact, when David heard that Ahithophel had joined Absalom, his fear increased. But why did Ahithophel say that David should sleep with the father's wives on top of a particular house. Let me see if I can show you. You want to know? Uh, okay, look at 2 Samuel 16. Verse 20, 2 Samuel 16. And then said Absalom to himself, give counsel among you what we shall do. Yes. And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, go in unto thy father's concubines.

Which—

how can your best friend be giving your son this counsel? All right, keep all this house and all that.

Look at it.

Go to your father's concubines which are left to keep the house, and all Israel shall hear that thou art about thy father, and at the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong and all that. Look at verse 22. And they spread Absalom a tent on top, upon the top of his house, and Absalom went into his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. There's a sign for that. There was a reason why he was doing that. Now, um, this is the plot twist. You want to see it? Um, we just read 2 Samuel, what now? Okay, look at 2 Samuel 23:34. 2 Samuel 23, Eli, so many of you, the reason why you don't understand the Bible the way you should is because when you read this begat, this begat, you say it's too long, I can't read. You need to understand genealogies. Look at this: Eliphalet, the son of Ahashbai, the son of whatever the name is, Eliam, the son of Ahitophel. Mark that word in your Bible. Eliam, the son of who? Ahitophel. So Ahitophel has a son called who? Eliam. Okay, let's now look into the life of Eliam. 2 Samuel chapter number, um, 11. 2 Samuel 11, verse 3. When David stood on his house in the year that kings went to battle, he saw a very fine woman. You know that story? Okay, where did he stand? That place where Ahithophel said, that's where you should sleep with the wives. So he stood there, saw a very fine woman, and in verse 3, David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, is this not Bathsheba, the son of who? Eliam. So Bathsheba was the son of Eliam, means that she was the granddaughter of Ahithophel, David's best friend. Look at this, are you seeing the narrative now? David slept with the granddaughter of his best friend, and Ahithophel too didn't speak. He never said a word. Ah, he kept advising him. You slept with your most trusted advisor's grandchild and killed her husband. So when Aitofela had the opportunity, he remembered few years ago, the same place where he stood and slept with my daughter, stand there too and sleep with his wife. What was betting all this culture of silence? All this pain, silence, leaving issues unaddressed, injustice. Ah, we can take and copy and paste the House of David as the Body of Christ. Okay, now you understand that many of those that arose and we call monsters against the body, they are monsters we made.

Okay.

We leave issues unaddressed in the name of Touch Not My Anointed.

All right, sorry.

God everywhere.

The church is bleeding.

Help us.

Anywhere there's injustice, people don't thrive.

Yes.

Aitofel's family must have sat down every day. He will sit at the table to counsel the king, and he will watch his grandchild that he gave over to another man walking as a queen that was forcefully taken, and that man slaughtered. And Aitofel kept on doing his duties and waiting for a perfect time to strike. Now, David was used to getting away with matters unsolved. Nothing is really swept under any carpet. It grows. It is just a matter of when. There's nothing hidden that will not be revealed. We are very quick to call people monsters, Antichrist. I've said it in parable. Sometimes your heroes are villains who are smooth talking, and sometimes your villains are heroes who are just quiet. If you grow in knowledge and wisdom and you mature—

if, if—

let me tell you how the story will end. Okay, it's in parables anyway. Have you ever imagined fighting for a part of the military and they will tell you to go after other soldiers and kill them because they say they are rebellious soldiers, only to discover that the organization you are fighting for is actually the rebellious organization? The two similarities between Absalom and Ahithophel was that they were both nursing deep level of pain. Hatred and resentment, but they chose to be quiet. Now, do you know the unfortunate thing? And this is the plot twist. One time Ahithophel gave Absalom a counsel. I think 2 Samuel 17:23. Aitofel gave Absalom a counsel, and David already prayed. And Aitofel saw that his counsel was not followed. He saddled his ass and rose and got him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order. Very wise guy. And hanged himself. Now, what David did to Absalom, to Aitofel, was he good? Talk to me now, was he good? In all honesty, was he good? What he did— what Amnon did to Absalom and to Tamar, was he good? The silence of David about it, was he good? Okay, you know Absalom also died.

Joab.

Yes, Joab killed him. He struck him with a javelin, busted out his intestines. But look at this shocking story. At the end of David's life, look at God's remark. 2 Samuel 23, from verse 1. This is the reason why you must be wise. Now these be the last words of David, the son of Jesse, said the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of God. This is summary of his life. The anointed of God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel, said the Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue. In fact, in the lifetime of Jesus, one blind guy will still call him, 'Thou Son of David,' and Jesus will answer. But David, you wronged people. Painfully enough, this God that is all-wise still brought the next king from a stolen wife. Can I beg you? People can hurt you badly and God will still use them. God will still honor them. They will still make heaven. They may finish well. In fact, in heaven they may have a bigger seat than you. Don't kill yourself. What is the biggest wisdom when dealing with pain? Remove yourself from the equation by forgiving. There are things I can say. David, was he not a man after God's heart? One day, so in heaven, there will be trumpet Pam, pam, pam! Oh, David, the anointed of the Most High! And will be like, don't die. Somebody break my heart. I feel like dying. I feel like drinking shaving powder. I can't take it.

Don't die.

Don't die for anybody. Stay alive. In Ezekiel, um, Ezekiel 34, that's a, that's a passage for pastors talking about the shepherd of Israel. David was still referenced as the typology of what a shepherd should look like. God, what about all those things he did? You that they are wronging, you are the one who is under attack. Let me tell you my story and how God helped me. I've seen things happen in the body of Christ. How I choose to respond is my business. I'm not— I'm never— Femi Lazarus, you're an idiot, you're an ego. I will keep showing up. You think I'll go and sit down and say, hey, I'm angry? There are people who are not even happy you're occupying your space. They need your vacancy so they can thrive. I will keep showing up. I will keep being a sweet blessing. I'm going to come out and start preaching out of anger and bitter— see, I will tell you how much I love you and still use your songs to dance. Look at you. It is not strategic. To be bitter. It is not. Two, people ask me, you have the spirit of wisdom. I tell you how I got it. God, thank God for this patriarch pastor here, Adeboye. God told me, follow him hard. The meeting where I got that impartation We are having pastors meeting, coded meeting. I don't want to mention, years back, more than 14 years ago. I came late because I was inside Lagos by the expressway traffic. Usually pastors must be seated before Baba start preaching. Baba started preaching, then I was coming in. For some reasons, he looked to the side. And you know, Baba doesn't get angry. He's one of the most gentle preachers you can find. And for some reason, that day of all days, he chose to say, if you look to my right, you'll see some goats just walking in. It was clear I'm the one walking I ran inside like a madman. The way I ran was so funny, everybody started laughing, including himself. So I sat down. The following day, he was illustrating something— Elijah, Elisha, something. Then God told me, this day have I placed upon you the spirit of wisdom. A time will come in the body of Christ that my wisdom will be needed to navigate tough time. Then will I cause your voice to be heard, that all who hear you will not lack direction. That was the first time Baba was praying for us, and I fell under the anointing. From that day going forward, I knew what I didn't read. Okay, there was another one recently. I won't mention the name of the minister.

Femi Lazarus.

I went there to see him. We're going to honor him. God had told me he's going, so honor him. As I got there, everything turned upside down. For the first time, he was raising his voice at me. He was shouting at me. I went face flat and I was smiling. Was talking, his son, my friend, ran away. My assistant that I took with me was worried. We came to honor you, now he's shouting at me, say you people this, this. I lay down. When he was done, said, but I like you. Then he now started laughing, started talking peacefully, started giving us wisdom, started giving us what to do. Then before we left, he said, come, put your hand under my hands. And he began to release things. This generation— Elijah might be irrational, but you need the mantle, okay? Uh, uh, uh, if you have a father who is not— maybe your biological father who is not guided, but something ought to move from you into you, honor him. Um, can I quickly give you an illustration? I don't want to pass my time. Um, can I have 3 brothers Quickly, 3. Quickly, 3 brothers. Come, come quickly. Come, come. How many are coming? Okay, so look at it. This is what— come, come, you come here and then you come here. This is the 3 seasons of your life. The word man M for morning, A for afternoon, and for night. Listen, these are the three phases you have in your life. Your morning phase is the phase of beauty and radiance, is the phase of dream. When you give birth to a child early in the— they say, what do you want to become? I want to become a pilot. I want to become this. Later you can study both, is your business. But you start by saying, I want to be pilot. I want to be a medical Doctor, I want to— you are, you are free to dream of anything in the morning. The afternoon phase is the phase of actualization. If you dream wrong dreams in the afternoon, you will have bad job in the afternoon, then you'll have no rest at night, cuz the night phase is the phase of rest. The morning and the afternoon phase, they are both the phase of beauty. It's the phase when your light is shining. You look at these two phases, you call it day. So if you combine these two, you have day and what? Night. Now, plot twist: it is not your age that determines which phase you are. You can be born and you are born at night because you were born into struggles. And you can be 80 and still be in the day. This is what God promised you. Your day is the season of beauty. When you are seen, you are heard, you have everything you need for life and godliness. You can be in the morning and one medical report shows you at night. Oh, you have 2 months to live. This is what God promised you: honor your father and your mother so that your day will be long. Not your life, your day. It necessarily means also that your life will be long. But your life can be long in the night. It means at nighty, you are still in the day, still producing fruit, still giving result. That's the result of honor. I want to beg all of you, there are many of you here who legitimately you've been offended, but your day might be short. Because you are not handling it well. Now you are letting them cheat you twice. You already started saying you hate church. It was not church that offended, it was a person. You already started— you are becoming irrational. You are leaving your own purpose untouched because you are angry. Everything your life is about is being killed. Don't you see that that injury was the attack? Ah, don't react, respond. One time in my life, you know, yesterday I spoke about suicide. I had a woman who promised me, when I'm done dealing with you, you will kill yourself. My own parents got divorced when I was 3 months, so I had to leave And several times I was in pain. Other children will eat bread and tea. You know, I grew up in Kano. I will be given the back of the bread, the hard part, with water. I couldn't sit on chair. I look like a houseboy. She will curse me, say, if God is God in your life, where is your mother? And I will sit down. And I will keep making plans. I will leave this world for all of you. Would they not be happy? One time she called me and was raining curses. I know what pain looks like. Rain curses. And I removed the phone from my ears and dropped it on the bed. And later when I check, I saw that she was raining curses for over 18 minutes. So I called her back. I picked my phone and I called her and I said, I know why you are doing what you're doing. Say what? I said, please calm down. I said, you are afraid of me. I said, you know that God is going to lift me and you think I will attack your children. They are my siblings and I love you and I love them too. Then she broke down in tears. Then I now understood that she was not practically even doing what she was doing because she's wicked. The injured will injure. My dad called me on Sunday night and said, what did you do to my wife. I said, what? He said, she came out for altar call today. You can't touch my siblings where I am. I knew if I didn't forgive, I will not be here today. I'll be grounded. I want to beg you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. You are here, it's been painful, you've held it and you know you have to let go. God has placed that grace on my life. Come, let me agree with you in prayer. This is not the time to be afraid. No, no, no, no, come, come, let's, let's pray. Church, rise to your feet. We will stand in the Golden City, on the key, in the New Jerusalem. All our fields and all our tears will be no more. We will stand with the host of heaven and cry, holy is the Lamb. Turn it down. Holy, holy, holy is the Lamb. Lift your hands, everyone here, and say, Jesus, I receive grace this morning to let go I receive grace. Mention the name of those people, imagine them, picture them, and say, Lord, I forgive. It might be somebody who took advantage of you and left you abandoned. Might be somebody who promised you marriage, took advantage of you and absconded, maybe to even marry a friend. It might be a husband that cheated on you, maybe brought sickness home. You made me whole, you showed me grace. Where's that lady yesterday? At the cross where you died for me, and his glory appears like a light from the sun, edge to edge. You shine. Oh, look to the sky. Hear the angels cry, singing, oh, please. Now look up, every one of you. I believe the Lord has shown you one or two things this morning. You forgive those you can call amongst them. There are those who are not callable, just let them go. But those you can call, you call and say, 'I let go.' And now you can now enter into an aspect of destiny you've not been able to enter because of bitterness. Father, I decree grace over your children. Some of them are here struggling with heavy family oath, some of them heavy church oath. Heal their hearts, restore them, restore them to the right tone of mind. Let your hand rest upon them, heal them completely. Every source of pain, anger, and bitterness, it is out of the way now. You will not be stagnated. Those wounds are healed and healed forever. We give you all the praise, Lord. In Jesus' mighty name we have prayed. I think it's a good time to honor Jesus. What is happening? Don't, don't let it end there. Call those who can call and say, you know what, I let go and truly let go. And you see how your light will what?

Breakout.

God bless you. Let's give them a big hand as they go back to their seat. Now I pray for all of you. Receive wisdom to navigate this life. Oh, I didn't hear that amen well. Receive wisdom to navigate this life. You will not die before your time. The mercy of God uncovers you. Nothing missing, nothing broken, in Jesus' mighty name. God bless you.

Hallelujah!

If you are grateful for the word you just received, Come on, you can show God how grateful you are. No, I expect more, just sitting, of how grateful you are.