GOD'S JUSTICE SYSTEM 2

Eba, eba o, eba, eba o, o, o. We bless you. Blessed be your holy name. Thank you, Father. There's none like you, Lord, in all the earth. We give you praise, we give you glory, we give you adoration. Blessed be your holy name. Thank you because the entrance of your word brings light and understanding to the simple. We receive your word and ingest it tonight. It will profit us and we grow thereby. As newborn babes, we desire the sincere milk of the word. Thank you, Lord Jesus. In Jesus' mighty name we are praying. Who is excited to be in church? Let's give Jesus a big hand. Amen. Praise God. Please, you may be seated. That was a powerful one. Sometimes I don't want to get up. I just want to sit down and enjoy worship. Maybe one of these Bible studies till 6:30, I'll be there. And they are just still singing, and PT will be wondering what's going on. Amen. Are you excited to be in church? Are you sure? Praise God. Now, while closing PPC this morning, I said some very important things, and that I know I was saying to the body of Christ. Now I speak to you. You cannot thrive and grow as a Christian If you have itchin ears, you cannot. You can be blessed and edified by different voices, but you can only be trained in your local assembly. Now we have members, but I'm only a pastor to those who see me as their pastor. You don't pastor everyone till they acknowledge that this is my house and this is my pastor. And one of the ways you know that they acknowledge is that they pay attention to the doctrine of the house, particularly when it is in line with scriptures, and then they submit themselves to be groomed. The culture of Christianity where we change church like boxers, you won't grow and you will not become much because there will be no continuity. So to be established, you have to be rooted. Amen. You have to be rooted and taught I want to especially thank God for those of you who make it for Bible study every week. Celebrate yourselves! It's a sign that you You want more, so you have to take it. Amen. For some reasons, the media has given me a very excellent scripture. 2 Timothy 4:3, he said, for the time will come that they will not endure sound doctrine. But after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers. That is— and I've seen that happen in the Nigerian church. We weaponize messages, and once a message is being taught, you start seeing where it applies to your neighbor. If Nigerians put your message on their status, there's someone they need to see it. And oftentimes those who are doing that, the message also applies to them. For instance, in, in recent times there's been more complaint online, particularly when it comes subject of marriage, about narcissists. Even narcissists are complaining about narcissists. So who is the narcissistic person here? So people can look for people who endorse an aspect of their lives to shame those who are telling them the truth. It's the wickedness of the heart of men. Everybody sit down in church. There are those that they are stubborn as a calf. There's nothing you teach, they will not change. Their heart, the Bible said, is seared with hot iron. 2 Corinthians 4 from verse 3 said something very important. He said, if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are what? Lost. Listen, that you are in church doesn't mean you are lost and found. You can still be lost. Look at verse 4 of that scripture. Says, in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. So Blindness can follow people to church. Why? Because they— do you know what it means to have itching ears? Do you know what it means? I'm going to tell you. It says that some have, they have itching ears and they eat for themselves false teachers, different teachers. So let me show you what itching ears is. Your ears— has he ever scratched you before? That's itching. It's simple English. When you see people that their ear is itching, they will look for anything and put inside. That's itching ears. They will look for any message, junks. This one is this podcast. What they are saying there is rubbish. They'll put it inside. These are some dangerous, wicked, angry, offended folks. They put it inside. We're having a meeting today and I wrote something down, something I wanted to tell you. If people meet you and they are not interested in listening to your pastor, you have failed. If when people meet you— in fact, if they were hearing your pastor before, they now become discouraged, then the devil is wearing you like a garment. If people meet you and they are not interested in learning from your pastor, you have failed. Anybody who is close to me knows that if you are quiet about the impact of God's word in your life, I don't trust you. I shouldn't trust you. Why should you be quiet? Those who are playing bet are not quiet. True? Um, super Falcons won. You see it on everybody's status. They're not quiet. But when it comes to the word of God, say, you know, I'm just an introvert. You are not. You are not established. And Bulk of the reasons why people keep quiet about their impact is so that when they jump church, nobody will know. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Sorry, but it's the truth. Praise God. Hallelujah. Don't become the kind of Christian— so you see, he said they will not be able to endure. So sound doctrine needs endurance. Ah, there are— look at you— there are days you say, mm, deep. There are days that the word is like whip. It's not a weapon fashioned against you, it's a weapon fashioned for you. It's not against you. This culture of victim mentality, they don't like me. That shows what you feel about yourself. Why did I say that? Um, 2 Timothy 3, let's go to verse 16. I will start from verse 15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which is able to make thee wise unto what? Salvation. Through faith which is in Christ. Can I be honest with you? Look at the next statement. All scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for what? Doctrine. What does that mean? For teaching. That's the word doctrine. For what? Reprove. Give us that in Amplified translation. Every scripture is God-breathed given by his inspiration, profitable for instruction, for reproof, and for conviction of sin. If you are living in sin, the word should convict it. It should deal with it. It should not pamper it. Sin is a stubborn stain. Convicting us. How can someone be planning after service to go take ukop, for instance, and the person heard the word and still did it? What kind of word is that? That's not what the message of grace looks like. Where sin abides, grace abides much more to give you strength above sin. Because the world is trying to school the church and it won't work. Say, you know, I just— I really don't like Apostle's messages these days. When I came that time, was teaching about trauma. Now that you are no longer traumatized, won't you grow? What do you mean? Are you still traumatized? No, sir. We've taught about trauma, taught about dysfunctionality, written books, written books for you. Several books. Say, you know, I just— is that trauma thing? Is that trauma? I just like him for that. Yeah, yeah, hear the word. Reprove and conviction of sin for correction of error and discipline in obedience. How can you say somebody is your pastor who can't discipline you? Who do you even have in this life that can discipline you? Who do you have? You can't be disciplined. Look at it. Discipline, obedience, and what? Training. In what? Righteousness. In holy living and conformity to God's will in thoughts, purpose, and action. Femi Lazarus. I'm an apostle. One of my duty is that I'm sent to different locations part-time. One of the prayers I used to pray is that those God wants me to hold. May they not discover when it's late. Look at it. And for training. Now there is a difference between teaching and training. What you are hearing now is teaching. Training is not by proxy. You are present to be taught. But you have access for training. Presence is not access. Training requires trust because training is reshaping, and the person you are reshaping must trust the process. If you don't trust the process, you'll be offended, and it was better off for us not to even attempt to train you than to train you and you're offended. That's what the word is for. Amen. And that's why in a local assembly, the elementary, the beginner's level for training is to be a steward. At that level, you have systemic training. The system is training you. Oh, if you want to travel, tell the head of your department, I am requesting for permission to travel. It is not the same thing as I will not be around on Tuesday. To know that Beginners level. It takes humility to seek for permission. If you feel people don't have reasons to lead you, that's the more reason you should fear them. It means God see what you are not seeing. You need to investigate what it is so you can learn. You don't have to see initially why anybody is qualified to lead you. The one who put them there see something, saw something. If you will pay attention in humility, he will raise you up. God will never trust you with height if you can't cope with depth. He will never. And start from there. Not like you want to get married, we are struggling to know you. Say, yeah, who is she? Okay, she used to come, she used to sit down in the right side there, she used to Bible study. She would never say Bible study. Praise God. It's with this same Bible. Let's read it together again. 1, 2, 3, go. Okay. Every scripture is God-breathed, given by his inspiration, and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, and for training in righteousness, in holy living, in conformity to God's will and thoughts, purpose and action. Yeah, verse 17. Yes, so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every— if you start the good work you are not equipped for, it will become a bad work in your hands. You have to be trained for it. You have to be taught for it. And that's one emphasis we must bring back— training, training. Some Christians will talk, you will know nobody has ever sat on them. They are as raw. As a raw yam. You can't eat it. If you touch your body, it will scratch you. Very raw. Nobody has. And you that you are dating the girl or you are dating the guy— that's why I'm not looking at anybody— and your joy is that you have freedom. I like our freedom. Our freedom will turn to mourning, I'm telling you, serious sorrow. Because you, you think you'll be happy with somebody who is not under authority, you soon become the victim. And once you become the victim, nobody can call you to order. That there's somebody that somebody can call and listen. At least part of the problem is solved. I don't know why I'm speaking like this. If you say time is going about marriage, then you marry anti-purpose. You pound the remaining time. Never let desperation take you to that level. There are many fools in kaftan and many fools in nice gown, and many fools preaching too. Selah. Now, I began laying the foundation on Sunday about the system of God's justice, and I showed you— and I want them to project it. I know it's a scripture that you know, but read it again. John 3:16. If you're there, say amen. Read. 1, 2, 3, go. Whosoever. What? So I told you on Sunday that what was demonstrated on the cross is not just the love of God, but his justice. We're going to get deeper into that, the justice justice system of God. You saw the love. What was he doing on the cross? He was punishing sin once and for all. The punishment was so great till Jesus at some point had to cry out, 'My God, my God, why have thou forsaken me?' So grievous punishment. He judged sin in Christ. Through one man's disobedience, sin came into the world, and death through sin. Yet by one man's obedience, we also have access to life. Not just life, also the gift of righteousness. But it is whosoever believes. It is available, but you have to take it. The reason why anybody who refuse to accept Christ will go to hell is because that's you rejecting the death of Jesus. It's a grievous thing to do. Let me tell you something, and don't forget this. Many of you, while you were on campus, you know very notorious boys in your class. Notorious, huh? They will disturb, do everything. Lecturer is lecturing, they are pressing phone, they know that. Have you seen how they become sober when it's time for exam? You come, just come so far. I say, don't forget your guy, your guy there, your guy there. Say, as you just see the right hand, pass my guy. And as you are filing in for the exam, he's pinching you. Say, guy, guy, guy, no do anyhow. And you're wondering, the notorious lousy guy is now so calm. There will be a day that the whole earth will be silenced before him and they will tremble. The Bible calls it the great and dreadful day of the Lord. It's a serious day. The earth, the earth will melt at his wrath. And that's why anybody who can feel pain must be given the opportunity to escape the wrath of God that day. Make sure that your family members are saved, because if they die unsaved, you will never see again. Eternally, they are gone. Are you with me? So God love, and what he did to demonstrate that was that he gave. Look at what the Bible says about the nature of God in respect to that. Psalms chapter number 89, verse 14. Psalms 89, verse 14. Very important scripture. Can we read this together? 1, 2, 3, go! Amen. No, read it, read it again. 1, 2, 3, go! Justice and judgment are the habitation— yes, one more time. Mercy and what? And what? Truth. Amplified Translation says Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Mercy and loving kindness and truth shall go before your face. Um, BBE translation says the seat of your kingdom is resting on righteousness and right judging. Mercy and good faith come before your face. Contemporary English Bible says your throne is built on righteousness and justice. Loyal love and faithfulness stands in front of you. Oh boy, let me show you one more translation. Are you ready? Yes, sir. Let me read, um, look at Message translation. Give us Message on the screen translation. Quickly. The Right— that's in capital letter now— and Justice are the roots of your rule. Love and Truth are its fruits. So it means if God takes sides on any matter, he's just, and he will do what is just. One. Number two, it also means that God is no respecter of persons. While I give you a lot of illustration using Jesus as my primary subject tonight, I need to give you an illustration. If God says— come, Barista— God says I'm going to use you. I will pour my grace upon your life and you will get to the ends of the earth. You will take my word to all the nations. I will do amazing things through your life. You heard that, you rejoiced at his word, but you failed to prepare. You are like a car. You come, and this other guy did not even have dramatic hearing, but he's preparing. And you are going to the ends of the earth, and you are moving. You will get to a junction, regardless of what God says, where you your lack of preparation will mess you up. No, God doesn't— God will not drop you. Your lack of preparation is enough to do the job. If a car doesn't have fuel, is it God that will stop it? It will stop. Oh, you— no. Okay, this is it. Driving a car. Move. And I said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Then fuel finish. I'm inside the car. I will not leave or forsake you. I'm inside, but there's no fuel. But I'm not just in one place, I'm also here too. I will overtake you. I'm there. I'm here too. I didn't say I will— I said I will never leave you nor forsake you. Yes, I didn't leave you. Even when your lack of preparation is making you fail, I'm still there. To the just, I will show myself just. To the faithful, I will show myself faithful. I'm there. Did I leave you? No. I will use you at the level of your failure or failure. It's just— and you see, you say you now you have fue, but your shock absorber is bad. You hit toppo, bang. He's still using you, but the deficiency will show. It's just— and let me tell you something, those who didn't hear dramatic hearing like that will come out shining more than you. And let me tell you this, it doesn't matter what God has said about you, your personal prejudice can limit you. Wait, all right, all right, all right, let me explain. All right, Pedro, I told something to those who are with me this morning. That. So the mind— so I don't want to give name to anything online. One time I picked an AI application. I said, let me even check how this thing works. I asked some questions. It wasn't correct. The answer it gave me wasn't correct. I know it's garbage in, garbage out. So I re-educated that, no, this is the correct answer. So I asked the question again, then he gave me the correct answer. That's the way your conscience works. Your conscience can be taught. For instance, we can— you are anointed, full of the Holy Ghost, saved, and under a sermon your conscience is educated that prosperity is a sin. Your conscience will so learn it. That your conscience will give you alarm about wealth the same way to give you alarm about sin. God will use you. It just can't spread because now the devil can't stop you, but he has contained you with your own mind. What I'm saying is that That God said he will do this doesn't mean it is automatic. You are also a decider. You are a factor. God can promise you old age and you die young. It's choice. You say, ah, but he said I will never leave you nor forsake you. If he left you, how will your body obey rapture? Even look at you. Thank God for the things you have in your prophecy note. If you don't align, you watch it happening, but in somebody else's life. Sela. Say it loud and clear: God is a just God. Say it again: God is a just God. Let me show you more scriptures. Are you ready? Oh, praise God! I want to show you something. Which of them should I show you now? All of them. Look at this. 1 John chapter number 3. Let's start reading from verse 1. 1 John 3 from verse 1. If you're there, say amen. Amen. Look at this. Read. 1, 2, 3, go. Behold what manner of love the Father bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. Look at verse 1 and look at it again. What manner of what? Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called what? The sons of God. But do you notice that in demonstrating that love towards us, the Father didn't cut corners? He didn't cut corners. He still offered up once and for all his only begotten Son. He watched Jesus die for the demands of sin to be fulfilled. Now let's have disciplined reading of the— of the word. Now, are you ready for that? Let's read with discipline. Turn your Bibles to the book of Hebrews. For the sake of context, because many of you who have been reading the Bible and you have been saying, I don't understand the Bible, it's very hard, it's King James you don't understand. Start, see, if thou art knowest if he's pro— just read Good News. I want us to read Hebrews chapter number 7, and we're going to read, um, the Passion Translation. Are you ready? And we're going to read from verse 1 to verse 28. Look, let's pay attention. If you have it in your Bible, fix your gaze on it and let's read together. Melchizedek's name means King of Righteousness. He was the king of peace because the name of the city he ruled as king was Salem, which means peace. And he was also a priest of the Most High God. Now when Abraham was returning from the defeating of many kings in battle, Melchizedek went out to meet him and blessed him. And Abraham took a tenth of everything he had won in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. This Melchizedek has no father or mother and no record of any of his ancestors. He was never born and he never died, but his life is like a picture of the Son of God, a king priest forever. Now you need to pay attention to that. A what? King priest forever. A king priest forever. Look at this, verse 4. Now, now let me show you proof of how great Melchizedek is. Even though Abraham was the most honored and favored patriarch of all of God's chosen ones. He gave a tithe of the spoils of battle to— now, are you seeing that the subject of tithe is not Levitical? It was before Levi was born. It was the response of a grateful spirit to victory. Look at you. Do you ever think that God's work will lack because you are not giving? You would rather just cheat yourself and never leave that level. Let's continue reading it. Verse what now? Verse 5. It would be understandable if Melchizedek had been what? A Jewish priest. For later on, God's people were required by law to support their priests financially because the priests were their relatives and Abraham's descendants. But Melchizedek was not Abraham's Jewish relative, and yet Abraham still paid him what? A tithe. Melchizedek imparted blessing on mighty Abraham. Who had received the promise of God. And no one could deny the fact that the one who had the power to impart a blessing is superior to the one who receives it. Although the Jewish priests received tithes, they all died. They were all— they were mortal. But Melchizedek lives on. It could even be said that Levi The ancestor of every Jewish priest who received tithes actually paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham. That's in the loins of Abraham. Hope you know this is the epistle we're reading. What that means is your act of generosity and response to God's word can have an impact even on the seed in your loins. Go to verse 8 now— verse 11, sorry. If any of the Levitical priests who served under the law had the power to bring us into perfection, then why did God send Christ as priest after the likeness of who? Melchizedek. He should have said after the likeness of Aaron. That is, the priesthood of Christ ought not to have continued forever. If any— okay, no, go to verse 12 now. And furthermore, for God to send a new and different rank of priests meant a new law would have to be instituted even to what? Allow it. Yet The one of these things all point to was different— what, sorry, was from a different tribe, and no one from the tribe ever officiated at God's altar. Officiated, sorry. Now what he's saying is God brought priesthood of Christ not from Levi at all. Jesus did not belong to the lineage of priests, hence the high priest would have accepted him. He went to Judah because he was starting something entirely new. Do you understand that? Good. So from the moment Christ was born, the priesthood of Levi ceased because a higher priest in rank has now been born. Do you understand that? How about those of you there? Stay with me now. For we all know that our Lord didn't descend from the tribe of Levi but shined forth— shined from the tribe of Judah. And Moses himself never said anything of a priest in connection with Judah's tribe. And all this is made even clearer if there was another king priest raised up with the rank of Melchizedek. The king— this king priest did not arise because of a genealogical right under the law to be a priest, but by the power of an indestructible resurrection life. What's that mean? It means the priesthood of Christ was enacted through resurrection. Look at the next verse. For it says in the Psalms, you are like Melchizedek, a king priest forever. The old order of priesthood has been set aside as weak and powerless, for the law has never made anyone perfect, but in its place is a far better hope which gives us confidence to experience intimacy with God. Now look at this: under the law, it's obligation of worship. You offer, um, sacrifice for your sins, but you don't even have relationship to the one you're offering sacrifice to. And that's why it becomes something really pathetic. If we still offer sacrifice to God without knowing him? Doesn't make sense. Praise God. For the law has never made anyone perfect, but in its place is a far better hope which gives us confidence to experience intimacy with God. Are you saved? Are you born again? You have confidence to relate with God. Praise God. Now you have different relationships in your life. You can have people that loves you, but you are not confident about relating with them. But God loves you and you can relate with him with confidence, with full assurance of faith. That's what the Bible says. Look at this. And he confirmed it to us with a solemn vow. For the former priests took their office without an oath, but with Jesus God affirmed his royal priesthood with his promise, saying, the Lord has made a solemn oath and will never change his mind: You are a king priest forever. Yes, so all this magnifies the truth that we have a superior covenant with God. Than what they experience, for Jesus himself is its guarantor. Praise God! You know, something, something just came to my mind. You know, the meaning of guarantor is onidro seller. Say it in your own language. Are you Greek? As additional proof, we know that there were many priests under the old system, for they eventually died and their office had to be filled. By another. But Jesus permanently holds his priestly office since he lives forever and will never have a successor. Amen. So he is able to save. So he is able to save fully from now throughout eternity. Everyone who comes to God through him, because he lives to pray continually for them. So Jesus saved yesterday, is he saving today, he will save tomorrow. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and what? Forever. Now we are looking at his eternal priesthood here. Are you still there with me? Oh, you are tired. Are you seeing that God's word is interesting? Let's finish that text. Let's go to verse 26 now. He is the high priest who perfectly fits our need— holy, without a trace of evil, without the availability— ability, sorry, to deceive, incapable of sin, and exalted beyond the heavens. Unlike the former high priest, he is not compelled— now, Jesus, now, unlike the former high priest, he is not compelled to offer daily sacrifices. They had to bring sacrifice first for their own sins, then for the sins of the people. But he finished the sacrificial system once and for all when he offered himself. Verse 28: The law appointed flawed men as high priests, but God's promise, sealed with his oath, which succeeded the law, appoints a perfect Son who is complete forever. Amen. Are you seeing that? Yes, sir. Go back to verse 26 and see what he said. He's the high priest who perfectly fits our need, holy without a trace. Now look at how this fits into Hebrews 4:15. Hebrews 4:15. Look at this. He understands humanity. For as a man, our magnificent King Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and what? Conquered sin. Now let me tell you what you need to understand. It's like people have known you as my— both of you should just come— my examples now. Sometimes I see people asking that, is he married? Come. Amen. Now in the Bible we have the first Adam, then we have the second Adam. Let's deal with the anatomy of the First Adam. When the first Adam was introduced, there was no mother to give him form. What does a child do in a woman's womb? It develops from liquid to solid state. Then start growing, becomes fetus. The organs are forming. Let's say a woman has issues, let's say maybe sugar level. There's a tendency for the child to be born preterm, tendency. And the lungs not being formed well, because fleshing up is the activity of the womb. The mother gives flesh, but she can't flesh what doesn't have life. Hold on. So the first Adam didn't have a mother because he's the first man. So God came down to mold the flesh. Flesh, everything that should have grown in the mother, he made from the dust. Then released his own breath, ah, vital force, awakening, becomes a living soul. From that moment onward, Every child that will be born will come through the womb of a woman, but the seed is given by a man. You understand that? That's how children are born. From the fall in Genesis 3, part of the word that God says to them— I want the media to give me King James translation— he said to the woman, that your seed will bruise the head of the serpent. She— can I have a lady now who wants to help me? Any lady? Come. All right. A woman doesn't have seed, she receives seed and incubates seed. So when he said, I'll put enmity between the woman And between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise it heel. That makes no biological sense. So he was forespeaking about a time that will come that a woman will have a seed but not from man. The equation between Jesus— the one who failed was the first Adam. The life, that vital force came from God. If the equation will be balanced about paying for what this guy did, when the second Adam is coming, that life Cannot be from man, must be from God also. Do you understand that? Yes, sir. So Jesus came— give me that scripture. The first Adam was a living soul. The second Adam came as a life-giving Spirit. Why did the first Adam— why was he referred to as a living soul? He never gave life. He was corrupted before he could give life. Jesus died, and now the church is still being born from his loins. Praise God! Hallelujah! Hooray! So when he came Ah, the life of God grew in a woman. Had 5 fingers, had 2 eyes, nose, ears. If you see him, 100% man, but actually he's also 100% God. The word 'God sent his only begotten Son' doesn't mean that God gave birth to Jesus. There are three that bears record in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Spirit. These three, they are one. The Word became flesh. It is the process of becoming flesh that makes you call him a Son of God. Is the Word He is God. In him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. This guy had sinned, and every seed that should come out of his loins were born with the nature of sin. Because through his rebellion towards God, sin has now entered the world. And as the father of the natural man, every seed he gives is corrupted. The one they give is corrupted. The one they give— it doesn't matter how righteous they are, they were born with the nature of sin. Sin being a noun, not a verb. It's not what you have to do to be a sinner. That's how you were born. It was the state of our existence. And for what this guy has done to be atoned for, the law came and people had to be offering tortoises, cows, rams. You saw how the sons of Eli were enjoying. God just saved some of you. That you came at this time. Boy, oh boy. I mean, I'm not from the tribe of Levi. I'm from Ijebu. Levi is in Israel. Who knows, maybe by now all of you will line up. Ah, you that you look at somebody and You come with chicken. As the pastor, I look at the chicken and say, I don't like chicken that is bald. I say, toss this, the Lord changes thou it. Now brings the chicken, say, go and boil it. Say, priest, priest, last. I boiled the chicken. I say, fry it. Please, sir, I fried it. Put some pepper there. I say, I've put it there. Say, you remove the head, the leg, the neck. Yes, you take that one. But we don't have to go through that because Jesus paid the price once and for all. Praise God! Say it again. He paid the price. He paid the price. He nailed sin to the cross once and for all. Now look at this. You cannot say that because this guy sinned once, his loins was corrupted, then this guy will now have the permission to sin. I will just cover it. No. Um, are you expecting her to come? All right, sorry. You know what I mean? So the Bible had to make it clear. For we have not an high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmity, seeing that he was in all points tempted like as we are, and yet without sin. So he satisfied the criteria first. It was not enough that he just died. Anybody can die. There is a state of sinlessness in which you must die. What I'm trying to show you is that God didn't cut corners for Jesus, and Jesus didn't faint on the cross. Femi Lazarus. He died. Are you still there? Say it again. He died. Look at what Romans 6 said about his death, in that he died. He died unto sin once. Romans chapter number 6, give it to me quickly. All right, look at this. Let— I'll read from verse 1. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. Please, you can sit for a moment. Don't let me stress you. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus, Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by what? Baptism into his death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk, walk in newness of life. Look at this: for we have been— if we have been planted together in likeness of his death, we shall also in likeness of his resurrection. I'm sorry, go back to verse 5. If we have been planted together in likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Verse 6. Now, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be what? Destroyed, that henceforth we should not what? Serve sin. Continue. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Yes. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe we shall also live with with him. Yes, knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death has no more. What kind of death is this? Christ being raised from the dead. This was the death that came in because sin came in. I want to say something that might be judged as a little bit controversial, but it was my experience. Can I tell you this? Are you sure? All right. And I stand before God careful as I share this experience with you because we're in a perilous time. One time I prayed in tongues so much so that as I opened my eyes I was seeing trees and grasses with the kind of beauty I've never seen them with. And God said to me, when man fell, everything fell with him. So our world now is a world that is experiencing death and decay. I can't say more than that. Small thing, malaria. Small thing, headache. Small thing High blood pressure. Death. Part of the things that operate with death is sickness. If sin doesn't have dominion over you, death has no legal right over you. So it means sickness ought not to have a right over you. Stop expecting yourself to be sick. That has been long, I've been sick. It should be normal that you are not sick. In the Bible we read that there were times Jesus was tired. In John 4, when he was talking to the woman at the well, he was tired. Was not sick. Throughout his years, there was never a scripture where— come— where they say, ah, why did they carry and go? Say, ah, na Jesus, o, he dey sick, he dey shake, he dey shake, he dey shake, o dey carry Jesus, o dey carry him. There was never a time. There was never— hey, come get me a chair. Come quickly, get me a chair. There was never a time he sat down. They can't start the blowout. Say, Jesus, I beg, never die now. Say, what happened to Yeshua? Say, if Femi Lazarus— never a time. There's nowhere in the gospel where Jesus said, ah, Peter, my head dey. Nowhere. Death has no dominion over anyone. Yes, sir. Bulk of the things we experience are from our expectations. If you have not been sick for a while, you are surprised. Wow. 2 years, no Pastor Mo. My God, it ought to be normal. Amen. Say loud and clear, death has no dominion over me. Say it again one more time. Say it again. Say it one more time. Someone says, what about the scripture that says it is appointed unto man once to die? Give us the scripture. And after death, judgment. Is that in your Bible? Oh, praise God. That's not the scripture I'm looking for. It is appointed unto man once to die. Let's read this. Let's read again. 1, 2, 3, go. And as it is appointed unto men once to die. What's the mark in front of it? Eh, colon. Is that full stop? So what's next? So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. What does that mean? You have no appointment with death. Christ already had the appointment. He satisfied it. It's difficult to have someone who is on death row change their mind. That is not your line. It's taking away from the row of death. Don't go forcing yourself into the queue. Let me digress a bit. The spirit of man ought to bear is infamy. I want to show you something. Amen. Amen. I have very serious worries now. Look at that scripture, read it loud and clear. The spirit of a man sustains his infirmity. Give us that scripture also in Amplified translation quickly. The strong spirit of a man sustains him. In what? In what? In what? Now look at this. How many of you sing this song? Out of my belly shall flow rivers, rivers of living water. Aha! Out of what does the river flow? Your belly. The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord with which he searches the inward part of the belly. The song simply means out of your spirit. Pay attention. So let the river flow, bury them back to life. Life-giving river, oh, let it flow right now. Right, okay. So there's a river. Say it. There's a river flowing. Say again. There's a river flowing. Out of my belly. What does that mean? It means life. Water is life. Life is oozing out of me. As touching the life of man, nothing is permitted to flow from the spirit as touching your own life and reach you without going through your consciousness. That's why as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Life can flow from the spirit and your consciousness re-modifies it. The reason why I'm saying this is this: you are not your body, you are your spirit. When we go to the gym, what we work on is our earthly body. Try to put it in shape for comfort, for whatever reason you want to do what you're doing. In America, they have what they call summer body. Okay, so you want to put it in shape, but your body can be in shape and your spirit is not because you have not paid attention attention to the maturing of that spirit. The Bible calls it oikodomeo. Ephesians 4, the building up. Ephesians 4. Now let's start from— is it verse 7 now? Go back. Um, the same who descended, the same who also ascended far above all principalities. Yes, quickly, time. Is it 4:9? Ephesians 4. Yes, thank you. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower part of the earth? Yes. He that ascended is the same also— so he that descended is him also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the what? Perfecting of the saints. For the work of ministry. For the what? Now give me Amplified of that, because the word edifying there is the word oikodomio. Now the intention is— was the perfecting and full equipping of the saints, is consecrated people, that they should do the work of ministry towards building up the body of Christ. Listen to what I'm saying, and I'm going to obey this scripture. My duty is to obey make a minister out of all of you. When the, the song was said, I will never go back, oh no, no, it's already too late, oh, I will burn the world. You will do what you have said. Amen. For the building up Ah, there are two words that the word oiko domio— oiko dome and oiko domio— they were used in two words. When he said we are completing him, is oiko dome. When they say building up is o eko dome o. This building here is the same building as when you are building a house. So when it says that we should build the saints, it means we need to study building materials. Listen, that's why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3, as a wise master builder I have laid— you must be built. How do you tell me that you are building your Christian life on 90-second excerpt? What's that? I'm going somewhere. The spirit of a man ought to bear his infirmity. Go back to that scripture. Sustain. Give me Amplified. The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain. Now look at this. If something goes wrong with your immune system, something is wrong with you because it will open your defense. If something goes wrong with your spirit, something is much more wrong with you because now your defense is not there. Anything can enter. You have not built a strong spirit that can resist resistance, a spirit that can, despite symptoms, stay on what the word says because the spirit has been educated. When we're going to give birth to our second daughter, went for one of the scan sessions, and a very funny doctor was saying— very funny guy— I said, what I'm seeing here, she's going to have issue with her leg. The leg is deformed. He said, so there's an issue there. I told my wife, it will not make conversation, it will not even make prayer point, period. We don't discuss it. All gift that comes from God is perfect. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Listen, sometimes God can allow you have a dream to check your maturity. That you have a dream doesn't mean God has spoken. Somebody can have a dream truly about you that you died, truly. And this— it doesn't matter how anointed the person is, but the dream holds no water till he checks your maturity. Praise God. That's why we are building. But ye, beloved, build up yourselves on your most holy faith. Pray in the Holy Ghost. Pay attention to your spirit. You are drinking moringa seed. You You are drinking whatever it is you are drinking. You are drinking, you are taking vegetables, taking fruits, take water. Have you fed your spirit, man? Feed that spirit, lest the day trouble comes, the spirit is too weak to respond. It's filled with junks, Nollywood rubbish. I'm not saying Nollywood is rubbish, I'm saying Nollywood rubbish. The same devotion you use for seasonal film, imagine that you spend that same time reading the word. By now you'll be a trouble. You say, but whenever I read the word, I don't used to feel something. Some— listen to what I'm saying, I will give you an illustration. The first time I registered in the gym Ah, if you don't know road, ask question. If you are JJC and you are still funny, people will know. I will go to this one, I say, oh yeah, I like this one. I'll go to the other one, oh yeah, treadmill. I used to see it in films. I'll do 2 minutes, I'm done. Yeah, 'Can I have it?' Yeah. Ah, which one is that one again? This is shaking your body, shaking your body. I'm going to say it again. It didn't take long for a coach, a trainer, to recognize that that was my first name. And he said, at the gym, you break your body into segments and train aspects per time. So you have chest day, you have leg day, you have back day, whatever day, because building cannot be done in a hurry. Take time. Praise God. Hallelujah. It's more risky for a believer who is not being built in these days and time. He's open to all manner of junks, all manner of spirits, all manner of infirmities, all manner of sickness. I'm seeing sicknesses coming up and I'm asking, where is this from? But not for me. I don't know about you. I said, not for me. I don't know about you. I said, not for me. Are you seeing how rich what we have in Christ is? Listen, God is just. He has perfect plans for us. Jeremiah 29:11. Jeremiah 29:11. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Let's read this in NIV translation. Oh, thank you, Jesus. Are you there? For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and what? Future. Future means longevity. One time the Lord warned me about the grave danger of preaching messages that the excerpts are postable online all the time. Said it's dangerous for me and for the people. Why? Because there are certain teachings that we have to pause and go into practicality of muttering the words about our lives. How many of you really go back and listen to all these things again? How many believers have built the discipline that this message that I hear, I will sit with it till I have become one with it. And you complain and worry that you are falling into sin all the time. There's no way you will not fall. As a body without defense will fall victim of different foreign invaders, pathogens, your weak spirit make you susceptible to foreign thoughts. I learned a principle years ago that never sleep without putting the word of God in your spirit. You sleep on the word, you wake up refreshed. In the justice system of God, Your failure to avail yourself to what he wants to do in your life can betray his plan. I saw a video. A woman has a fish pond and got a new fish, and there were other fishes in the the pond. And then she dropped the fish, the new fish, a young— is it fingerling they call them now?— and dropped it in the pond. The moment you introduce that fish to the pond, you have introduced that fish to his own ecosystem. As the fish landed in the pond, other bigger fish devoured it. That was not the intention of the one who bought the fish. But because it's a complete ecosystem— listen, listen— God will not come from heaven to rescue you from evil. Listen, even angels will not move against your ability to know how to petition God to activate them. I'm saying as a child of God, evil can befall you because you don't know how to use what you have. It is the nature of man to say when something happened, God brought it. No, since Genesis 2, eh, since Genesis 1, he has been resting. If you don't know how to pray What ought not to kill you can kill you, for his mercies endure forever. I'm taking away the veil, lest you say it's about what God has said. I wrote it in my prophecy notes. Glory to God, his words won't fail. We walk the word. We walk with the word. Is there a time in a believer's life where you stop warring with the word? Yes, when you have lambanoed it. So if I told my wife, we will not pray about this matter, is because it is settled in my spirit. Yes, sir. Are you following? Yes, sir. She was, she was quoting a scripture, John 1. For some reasons, and I've been studying Bible for a while, I just checked the Hebrew word used there today. John 1, I think verse 14. I couldn't scream. Oh, praise God! Are you tired of me? Maybe I get you another pastor. Look at John 1 from verse 11. Okay, let's— no, let's start from verse 10. John 1 from verse 10. Woo! Glory to God! He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. Look at this. He came to his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he what? Power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. You know what I saw about this scripture? I used to think— look at— come— that he came to the world, they didn't receive him. No, you can sit down. He said he came to his own, as many as received him. I used to think receive him is to receive him But the word received, there is the word lambano. As many as comprehend him. You want to see where lambano is again? 1 John 1 from verse 1. 1 John, sit down for a minute. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled. The word 'understand' is also lambano. So you are not a son of God if you have not comprehended him. Are you following what I'm saying here? Listen to what I'm saying. Oh, I attend Light Nation Church. God of Femi Lazarus, where are you? You can say that as a baby. Is it not your God? As you begin to mature— which one is God of Femi Lazarus? Did the Bible— did the disciples even say God of Jesus Christ? He said, I go to my Father and to your Father. Do you understand what I'm saying? Yes, sir. We comprehend It means it takes time because now you are racing against what has been built. No, if you are building something in your spirit, you are not building on a fallow ground. It's not an empty ground. Rubbish is there first. We have to first excavate, excavate all the conclusions about sickness, all the conclusions about death, all the conclusions about poverty. You know, I told you that your conscience can trigger alarm against prosperity, the way it will trigger alarm against sin because you taught it to see the blessing as a sin. You will be anointed and in your life poverty will be okay because, listen, for reasons best known to you, you chose it as a package. And God in his justice system will use you in the area anointing can function. And use somebody else in the area where it can function. It's just once you make your choice, he aligns. Are you following what I'm saying? Yes, sir. Don't play church. You see people go out and say, 'Sisi, I fall out from faith.' Listen to what I'm saying, because they were never discipled. If you begin to eat this juice, nobody can talk you out. I go to a church, somebody match my leg. As the person match my leg, I just say, 'I'm done serving Jesus.' Is it a lie? You never met him. You never lambasted know him. You never received him. Oh, let's— can we take some time to mutter on these things? I receive the word of the Lord into my spirit. Oh yes, it alters my day-to-day experience. There is no weakness in my body. Oh yes. In Jesus' mighty name we pray. You know, one of the reasons why I work so hard and burn even night candles meditating, preparing for the things God has said is because the sovereignty of God will never make him forget his principles. He will never use you in the area you are not prepared for. So I understand the principles, I understand how it works. You can run with promises that will never mature or see the light of the day. So I have to avail myself to that which the Father has prepared for me. Praise God. Say praise God. Paul said, I put my body under, lest having preached to others, I myself should become a castaway. Meaning that in this race, even on the account of God's justice system, you can preach, have crown, that will wait for you where you will not get to unless you avail yourself. Reckon ye yourselves to be indeed dead to sin and alive unto righteousness. And these many people, because we don't understand these things, that's the reason why this year looks like 2 years ago and look like last year and the one before that, because you think to run with prophecy— it's just to keep saying it. No, you must do your part. Praise God. Say it: I receive the word of the Lord in my spirit. The word of God dominates my spirit. His life is at work in me. My body is not susceptible to sickness. Now hold on a minute. Are you aware that the anointing upon your mind makes your mind sharp? In Daniel chapter number 5, when they were describing why Daniel was extraordinary, they said the spirit of the holy gods lives in him. So meaning that, you know, in genetics we believe that intelligence is hereditary. But who are you inheriting from? From God or your parents? You can have superior intelligence. You can confess soundness of mind. I said you can confess soundness of mind. I said again, you can confess soundness of mind. My mind is sharp, it is sound. I receive information and process it at the speed of light. Oh, the life of God is at work in me. Glory! Oh, glory! There is joy in my spirit. I am not given to sadness. My joy is not circumstantial. The joy of the Holy Ghost Full of glory is at work in me. I rejoice always. Oh, glory, glory, glory. The Lord cause all that I do to prosper. Nothing dies in my hands. The life of God is at work in my hands. Everything I touch works. Everything I lay my hands upon thrives because I carry life. Nothing dies in my hands. I see beyond an average mind. I see I see what the world cannot see. I receive what they cannot receive. Life is at work in me. You know, I I believe so much in supernatural intelligence. I— when I lay my hands on my children, one of the prayers I pray for them always is that you are kind, smart, and intuitive. I don't bother myself about their results. In school because they cannot be dull. Everything I do prospers. I always tell my wife that whenever I decide to go for PhD, any school I decided to have the PhD. Of course, not in Nigeria. I said to her, it doesn't matter the existing record, I break it, because we are record breakers. I— and I've known this since I was on campus. One day my lecturer came to me, looked at me, look, and held my head and said, if you don't become a professor, you have wasted this head. But there is more to being a professor. We can train professors. I want us to internalize it. This life is not just for speaking in tongues. Everything, you know. If not that we have Holy Ghost experience on Thursday, I want to declare tomorrow another Bible study. No, my wife, my wife has been saying rest. Stress, stress. So I want to, I want to obey her. She's happy. Praise God. You know, even when I work so hard and I'm stressed, I make declarations. I wake up strong, strong like a newborn baby. Full of agility. You wonder how I keep up with my daily schedules? The word. When you live as a man, you have 24 hours. When you live as a system, you have endless time. Why will I be struggling for rent at these days and time. What have I been doing with this life? Wow, I've been robbed because I failed to pay attention to it. This life produces. I've been blessed with all that pertains to life and godliness. What? What? Will you promise that you'll go back meditating on these scriptures? Um, any aspect of your future that you are not sure about is because you are not speaking. That life, that life governs my today and my tomorrow. The Lord calls all that life. How should you be a person that every time you do something they say, what's this, it's not working? Every time something is wrong, don't argue. Let me leave you with this story. You know, it's the most funny scene you can see, and scene, S-C-E-N-E, is when a natural man is arguing with a spiritual man. They are speaking from different realms. So I seen this, I seen something else. I shared the story of Bob Jones with you. He was to get— land at the airport in Kansas City by 1 PM. The driver to pick him up got there 1 PM, but for some reasons they took off on time and the plane landed about 15 minutes earlier. What about 30 minutes earlier? So he was waiting, and when the driver came, Bob Jones looked at him and said, you came late. The man was arguing, I was given one, I came by one, I'm a man that is true to my word, I keep to time, I came early. He didn't argue, he left him. Second time he was to Come again, the same thing happened. He said, you came late. The man argued, then he decided to school him. He said, if you were walking in the spirit, you will know I will be early. Said, because you are not in the spirit, that's why you are speaking according to your own time. You can be right and be wrong at the same time. He has given you this things, and he expects you to use it. But what will you do with it? Praise God! Oh, I see life differently. The life of God is at work in me. Praise God! Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord Jesus.