NAVIGATING TOUGH TIMES AND SEASONS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST... || PASTOR POJU || IMC 2024

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you for the presence of your spirit in this house. I ask by the power of that same spirit you grant unto me utterance, that your word goes forth unhindered by any demonic force. Our hearts be established in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Light shines upon our path and Jesus is glorified. In Jesus' mighty name, amen and amen. Amen. All right, the theme is Navigating Tough Times in the Body of Christ and the Glory Ahead. All right, so this evening I want to share briefly on my thoughts on this subject of navigating tough times in the body of Christ and the glory that lies ahead. Uh, the reason why tough times will always— or is designed, or may also produce, um, glory within our lives if we endure what is called Christian sufferings during the tough times. Tough times are not— when the Bible says that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us, he's not saying the difficult times that we go through are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed. What he is saying is our obedience to Christ, which will constitute crucifying the flesh during those times, is not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. In other words, let me give an example here between Christian suffering and, and just tribulation or tough times. If two people are arguing, let's say two friends or two people, a spouse, spouse arguing, and one says something that is difficult to handle, cuts deep, and the other person wants to respond in anger, and then that scripture comes and says 'Be slow to speak, be slow to wrath,' and they hold their tongue from making that statement. That holding of the tongue is Christian suffering. Do you get what I'm saying here? It is that suffering that produces glory, not that there is just a tough time. So if somebody treats me bad, and, and let's say I'm working in a place, I'm fired, I was lied upon like Joseph and kicked out, that I decided to walk in love towards that person. I speak no evil of that person. When even people come to meet me and they talk about it, I restrain myself from yielding to the flesh and speaking back or talking evil of that person. That discipline there is what is termed Christian sufferance. So I want us to understand that, which meant the glory that will come out of tough times. Now this evening I want to look at something. Now when tough times come, you know, scripture tells us that, um, you shall— they that wait upon the Lord shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Now an eagle when they decide to fly and they are assisted by the wind, what an eagle waits for is the contrary wind. In other words, it is not a wind that seems to be supportive, but there is a contrary wind that is blowing. That's when it puts its wings in a certain position and then experiences that lift and it's able to move on. So when tough times come, so to speak, on the outside, these are times really of divine opportunity. But there are times where— that are governed by revelation and also a sense of assignment in your heart. Let's look at a few scriptures concerning this. In Exodus chapter 3 and verse 2, This scripture I always use for people, that if you experience this, then understand that there's something big that is going on. It says, and the angel of the Lord appeared to him, that's to Moses, in a flame of fire out of the midst of the bush. And he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. In other words, Moses saw something strange going on, and this happens in the lives of Christians where you see the bush that is burning, but then you look at it and still the bush is not consumed by the fire. That is, the tough times has not consumed that person. So Moses decided to do something. Next verse. The Bible said that Moses said, I will turn aside. That term turn aside means I will look at this thing from another perspective. I will not look at it, all right? If the bush is burning and I am not consumed, if I thought that this particular thing, you know, could take me out, and I still am not consumed, and it's burning, maybe I shouldn't look at this thing just as a tough time, right? Let me turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt, why still I am not consumed. And when the Lord saw— so the Lord saw something that he turned aside to see. In other words, he was looking at it and the bush was burning, wasn't consumed. But when the Lord saw that, let me look at it literally from another perspective, that let me see it not just from the natural standpoint here of the tough time of the bull of fire and all of this. God called unto him out of the midst of the bush and he said, Moses, Moses. He said, here am I. And he said, draw not nigh either put off from thy shoes, or put off thy shoes from the feet, for where thou standest is holy ground. In other words, surrender your will. Take off. I'm the one going to decide the steps that you are going to take. And moreover, he said, I am the God of thy father Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And Moses hid his face from him. Now that was the place where Moses received his matching orders and got into the assignment that God had for his life. So when we come into tough times, people concentrate on the fact that the difficulty in what they are going through. But God says, and this is what I want to say this evening, turn aside to look at it from another point. In other words, Jesus, when he described trials and tribulation He didn't use a negative thing to describe it. He said when you cast the seed into the ground, which is the word of God, it says the seed springs forth, and as soon as the sun comes out, it gets scorched. And the reason he says is because it didn't have much earth and didn't take deep root into the ground. So when they asked him what is the sun that came out, he said it's trials and tribulation that came for the sake of the word of God. Now we know that a plant cannot grow, right, without sunlight. In other words, there can't be real development of a seed without sunlight. Even though there is heat that comes from the sun, there is also light that comes from the sun. And therefore, the circumstances that call tough times there, you may feel the heat of the circumstances But there's revelation inside that thing. And what I want to show here is how you connect, all right, with that revelation. Don't look at it again and never call it a tough time. Call it a time of my assignment. Call it a time of a divine encounter with God. Don't miss out again on any season that appears tough because God is calling you to something else where he says, take off the shoes from all thy feet here. Which means I will order your steps. I'm the one who will show you the way and manner in which you ought to walk. All right, going forward, let me give another example here. Now, in the book of Genesis, here we have in Genesis chapter 21 that Abraham had a son, and we know Ishmael. And what happened was, after some time Sarah told him, all right, so let's go of Ishmael. Now let's go to verse 11 because of time here, and let's, let's go of Ishmael, all right. And the Bible says Sarah told him that he can't dwell in the house with Isaac. Now please, let's get the background. We look at it today and say Ishmael wasn't the seed of Abraham and all of that, but that's written after, and then we understand revelation. As far as Ishmael was concerned, emotionally speaking, He was the first son of Abraham. All right, as far as Ishmael was concerned, Abraham had a deep emotional connection to Ishmael as his son, and he loved Ishmael. The Bible says the thing was very grievous— not just grievous, very grievous and painful in Abraham's sight because of his son. So God said to Abraham, let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad and because of the bondwoman. In all that Sarah had said, hearken to her voice, for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And now, and also the son of the bondwoman, I will make a great nation because he's thy seed. Now verse 14, Abraham rose up early in the morning. Now please understand this story. Ismael was Abraham's first son by flesh. Abraham loved Ismael. It was grievous in his sight. Not just grievous, very grievous. So let go of Ismael. As of this time, the scripture had described that Abraham was very rich in silver, gold, and cattle. Now he was going to let go of his first son. First son, Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread, just one loaf of bread, and a bottle of water, just one bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, put it on her shoulder and the child, and sent her Ibi. It's just like the story we had here, somebody going to school. Are you following what I'm saying here? Powerful story. Your father, who is very rich in silver and gold, as far as you're concerned, emotionally speaking, you are the first child. Are you following what I'm saying here? And he's sending you away, and he takes a loaf of bread and gives you and takes a bottle of water and gives you that you know cannot last 3 days and says, go out of my house and I will never set my eyes on you again. The next time Ishmael came back was for the funeral of his father. Leave my house and be going. And it was grievous in the sight of Abraham, but Abraham had to do it. Now he sent him away And she departed. And one— and you know, your child is going into the wilderness. But I believe one thing, that before he sent Ishmael out— and I will show this— Abraham called Ishmael and said, sit down, I want to teach you the secret of this covenant, how we relate with God. And he told him certain things, that once the bottle of water finishes and the bread finishes This is what you must do. You'll see it here. So he sent them out. Now look at what happened next. This is why when tough times come, all right, it's a time of revelation and a time of assignment. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child— that's Hagar now— under one of the shrubs. That's put them under a small tree. And she went and sat her down over against him a good way off as it were, a bowshot. In other words, like you fire one arrow and you fire the arrow as far as you can go. Go and put him there. Why? For she said, let me not see the what? Death of my child. That is, the child is going to die. I can't bear it emotionally to see his skin begin to peel and for him to deteriorate. Go and put him far away because he's going to die, as far as she was concerned. Let me not see. And she sat over against him, and she lifted up her voice and wept. The woman did not pray, she was crying. That my son is about to die. Now look at what happened. You will see what the boy did. And God heard the voice of the lad, not the voice of the woman. Do you see what we're saying here? It's not Hagar. She was crying. Ishmael was taught to pray. Listen, the father must have told him, this is how we all function in the covenant. Once the natural supply stops, go to God in prayer. And there is a prayer I want to show today you offer up during that time. It is not, God, give me more bottle of water and meat. Do you understand what I'm saying? Yeah, there is a prayer you offer. David understood this prayer. Paul understood this prayer. You see this, God heard the voice of the lad. It wasn't the woman's voice. You hear what he said? And the angel called unto Hagar out of heaven and said, what aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard whose voice? The voice of the lad where he is. Look at what he said there. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him in thy hand. I will make him a great nation. In other words, during that tough time, he said, hold him up, I will make him a great nation. How? Look at what happened. And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. That means the well of water was always there, she didn't see it. Listen, when tough time comes is a time of revelation. I will show you, God is not doing anything new, he's opening your eyes to see. This was the point of death. Now you can say, nationally speaking, now we're going through tough time. Now get also into the church, and the church is going through tough time. I mean, I've discussed with Apostle this. I don't think the church in this country is under the kind of siege that we are under ever, all right? At one point, let me tell you this, I grew up in— when I— when you say you at the point of, of the days of— if you say your child is going to be a pastor, you— that means you are losing your child forever. After some time, it looked like pastors were prospering. You get what I'm saying here? So it becomes almost like if your son says, I'm going to be a pastor, it's like you're going to be a CEO. He's looking at— so many people came into ministry not because they were really sent Are you— you understand what I'm saying? Yeah. Aha. I remember my mother saying this to somebody. Um, she wouldn't have said that. In fact, when I got saved, I will be praying in the house. I mean, it's just down the road here. I mean, Arigidi Street, just— so I'm praying in the house, praying, praying, praying. She will tell my father, will he be okay? Will he be mentally okay? Will he— will he have a family? Will he— this thing— my father said, look, I used to go to Billy Graham Crusades in England. They will be 'Hey, you'll be okay.' I'll be hearing that. It's almost like recently, about some years back, she told someone, said, 'Ah, my two children are doing the top jobs now— infotech and pastoring.' So there's a siege that those who are called will remain, and those who are not called, all right? And the heat will continue. But there's a reason why it's happening. I want to show something here as, as you get So God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water, and she went and filled the bottle water and gave, and they found a permanent solution. That anytime there is a tough time or pressure, pray that your eyes may be what? Opened. Look at Psalm 13 and verse 1. Let me show you. That's why Paul was praying that God give you the spirit of what? Wisdom and revelation. You don't ask for things, you ask for revelation. Look, how long will thou forget me, O Lord? Forever. How long will you hide your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul? Counsel in your soul means you are thinking about it and what's the way out, all right? Having sorrow in my heart daily. I keep thinking, how will I get out of that sorrow? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? He says, consider— remember they were about to die, remember it was death, huh? Consider and hear me, O Lord, lighten my eyes lest I do what? Sleep the sleep of death. He didn't say deliver me, he said what? Lighten my eyes. All right, I think it's Psalm 18 and verse 28, it says— if it's not 28, then 32. It says, the Lord's, um, it said, yeah, for the Lord will light my— what? Can do. The Lord will do what? Enlighten my darkness. The next verse, it says, for by him— next verse— when he enlightens, by him I have run through a troop, by him I have what? Leaped over a wall. The prayer is not God, remove the wall. The prayer is light. The prayer is not let the troops not be there. The prayer is what? Light. The prayer is not don't let me walk through the valley of the shadow of death. The prayer is that anoint my head. Are you following what I'm saying here? So we are looking at this step by step here in terms of it first and foremost being a time of revelation And also being a time, all right, so he wants to reveal and give you purpose. Some people ask, ah, so I want to know my purpose in life, I want to know how to get into my purpose. Tough times, when it comes, this is where people discover. This means that— and I'm trying to tell you that right now in the country, both natural, spiritual The wind that is blowing now, all right, is a wind here that, that, that, that should, all right, launch out people into purpose assignment by revelation. Let me share something. You know, when Job went through his trials, and I want to say this, church of young people, and young people that want to go into mission, want to be relevant to your generation, Let me tell you this: being relevant, don't take the bait of attacking older people. Don't take the bait of saying that, you know, it's our turn, we are younger people, we want to listen, look. Or you go and be saying, um, when we're young, older people hand over. Show me a scripture where anybody passed the mantle and it wasn't at the point of death. Show me that somebody says, I've retired from the work of God. He's at the point of what? Death. God told Moses— um, Joshua, Moses my servant is what? Dead. Do you understand what I'm saying? Elijah, he says, at the point when I'm being taken Nobody's retiring, nobody is handing any baton to anybody. Do you hear what I'm saying here? And God does not do coups. Are you following what I'm saying? You have to understand how to run at the pace. You can't sit down where you are and say, come and hand over. You have to run at what Taste. People like Pastor Adepo are still fasting 40 days dry fast. You are eating 3 square meals, say they should hand over. Hand over for what? You understand? I guarantee you If you get to Otanam, Bishop is in his office. I guarantee you he's inside his office. He's back to what he's doing, meditating on God's word. On Sunday, I am teaching 6 times, 3 services Listen what I'm saying. Then I'm doing a leadership training and I'm leaving there, I have 45 minutes to go and do a crusade we are doing to honor Bishop Oyedepo for 70 years. From there I'm going 8:20 PM to 9:15, and I'm going back to Lagos tonight. Do you get what I'm saying here? You can't sit at home and say people they should do the work, then your hand Wait there. Are you for— show me anywhere in the Bible that it wasn't point of death that they transferred. Show me that an Elijah was alive and he went to rest and he called Elisha, now I'm tired, I'm old, been doing the work. Didn't God tell Joshua, Moses my servant is what? Dead. Except you are wishing for them to die, which makes you a what? Murderer. So what is required for younger generation? Let me say what it is, and the atmosphere now compels this mandate. We must understand now, when Job ran into in his life. Listen to this. And Job was described as the most righteous man walking with God. Do you get what I'm saying here? Job was a righteous man and he was walking with God, and suddenly there was calamity that hit Job. Everything around Job was wiped out. The question now arose, how is it that a man that served God like this, while there were other unrighteous people eating, drinking, doing all kinds of things without any consciousness of God? Now today we can read, because there's revelation, that Satan came and appeared with the sons of God, and there was a command. At that time, we didn't know all of that. You just saw somebody serving God, somebody committed and faithful to God. Suddenly everything around him collapsed. Now the message that that sends to everybody is, if you serve this God, it's open season. Are you following? So the question became, why did this happen to Job? People began to answer. Questions are being asked today. The church needs answers. Are you following what I'm saying here? Your assignment is providing what? Answers. It's not overdoing anybody, is answering what? Questions. That's why Jesus said, who do men say that I am? They answered. He said, who do you say that I am? Many people are carrying, which is what is causing the confusion, second-handed revelation. And when you are on the stage of 'who do people say that I am?' 'Who is she?' And you are saying what you heard somebody else say. When real life hits you, when you see things, you'll not be able to answer those questions. Look at what happened here. Go to Job chapter 42. Sorry, Job chapter 32, and from verse 1, quickly. This is what— this is the calling for the young people, and there are enough questions there. So these three men who are Job's friends cease to answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. So as far as Job was concerned, this was Job's argument: listen, point to anything that I did wrong. Points to anything I did wrong. His friends were telling him, you must have sinned in secret. Nothing can happen like this without sinning. No man is— what they've told him, he that soweth iniquity shall reap the iniquity. This is a result of the iniquity that you have done. Job said, I'm telling you, I didn't do these things you are saying. Job said, listen to me, I served God. God knows my heart. His wife says, I lived with you, curse him. How can you serve him this way and this will happen? They were looking for answers. When then kindled was the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel, the kindred of Ram, against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. In other words, he said there's no reason why this should have happened. Against the three friends was his wrath kindled, because they found no answer, yet condemned Job. Condemnation won't work. Answer, nin. Do you get what I'm saying here? It's not condemnation, it is what? Answer. That somebody says, but this person— I mean, I was once— there was somebody that, that, you know, I went to preach somewhere and my protocol officer and we were talking, said, I, I know Femi Lazarus, a very difficult person. So I was cracking jokes, say, I was telling that they're married now. Husband says because the husband used to come to church and she wasn't coming to church, she was in Abuja in a church. Said, I was telling him, listen, it was my fiancée there, ah, talking for God, how do I do? He said, just calm down. So I started joking with her and I found out she grew up in Badagry. So said, joking, went same second and all that. So one day she came to meet me and she said, you know, Pastor, I want to ask you something. Said, Pastor, I want to ask you something. And the way she said, I will ask you tomorrow, we are, we are just in here, I will ask you tomorrow. And I turned to her, I said, I know what you want to ask me. So what? I said, your mother died, okay? She said, yes. 10 years, when your mother died, she said, yes. She said yes. You fasted? She said yes. Your mother served God? Say yes. Said, I can't go to God again about anything until I know why that happened. People need answers, and there are enough questions in people's lives the pulpit is not answering today. Your assignment is to provide the what? Answers. If you do ministry of condemnation, you will need prayer for recovery. Are you following what I'm saying here? So look at what he says. Elihu waited till Job had spoken because they were older than he. You can see he's young. This is the ministry for youth. Look at what he said. And when Elihu saw there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was kindled. In other words, people are asking questions a generation can't answer. It is your own turn to rise up to do what? Answer the questions. Do you understand what we're saying here? Look at what it says here. And answered and said, I am young and you are very old, therefore I was afraid. And did not bring out my opinion out of respect. In other words, I didn't share what was in my mind. I said, this thing, this is what really happened, this is what, this was my— he said, but because everybody was older than him, he kept quiet. He wasn't being dis— do you get what I'm saying? He was a respectful person, but that respect, he almost lost his ministry. See, listen, this— somebody came to Nigeria, won't call his name once, and said, Nigerians, church, you must be careful. The move of God was centered in South Korea at some point, and everybody used to South Korea. If you get to South Korea today, in fact, my friend from Singapore says the statistics is The younger generation of South Koreans, before the revival that broke out, out of the Korean War, there were 4% of people that said they were Christians. South Korea got to a point where almost 50-something percent said they are Christians, became a more Christian country. Today they are still about 22% or 32% about that say they are Christian, but it is because of the older generation. When you get to the youth, only 2% say they are Christians. That technically, if you look at it, Korea has lost the move of God. My friend Pastor Oda came, said they have lost the move of God. Somebody came to Nigeria once and said, listen, don't let what happened in Korea happen in Nigeria. The reason is this, and the younger people are missing it. The reason is this, is because we have a culture of respect. So even if an older person is not saying the right, you would keep quiet and not say it. But there is a balance of how to communicate. Do you get what I'm saying? Yeah, that's why Paul was praying that, ask God that he may give me utterance. He says that I might know how to speak as I ought to speak, not that I may know it. He said I already know it, but I must know how to communicate it. Go and check his prayer for ministry. His prayer for ministry is what? Communication. That you can have the truth and say it in a way that you run trouble. Did you see when they told them to go and tell Elijah to come down? The first one that when they said, the king said you should come down, he said call fire on the person. The second one came, the king said call fire on the person. When the third one came, he said the same thing. No, he said, sir, you know, we respect you with this, with this, but you should come down. And God spoke to Elijah, come down. On those other two, God did not speak because the way they spoke was incorrect. That's why— go and check Paul. Paul didn't say, pray that I may have knowledge of what to say. He said, pray that God may give me the right words to use. So you may be saying the right thing, but fire hits you But every generation must have questions that they must answer. The previous generation has answered their own questions. Do you understand what I'm saying? The way you define yourself as a generation is by answering. God will honor those men because they answered the questions of their own time. When the Bible says he will give old men dreams, young men vision— go and read it in Hebrew— he says, what he's saying is that the old men will have dreams, the young men, their vision is an interpretation of the dream of the old men. That's what he say. Which means that if you're on point with what you are doing, if you're on point with what you are doing, What happens is that there is somebody in the previous generation that says, I saw that thing, but I didn't enter. This was my dream. This young man is doing— this is a clear ministry, is not guesswork. When Moses came out, it wasn't his idea. It was a dream that God gave Abraham decades, centuries ago, that Moses entered into. Just get up and say, this is what I think should happen. In other words, David said, I had a dream to build a temple. Solomon came and built it. He said, you fulfilled. That's why any wise young man, when you start preaching, what you are saying is quote unquote different, while the elderly people look and say, on point. Look, I preach somewhere in Ibadan. So I grew up in the city. Let me tell you this, the greatest compliment I ever had in my life. I used to go to Scripture Pastoral. The assistant pastor, when they said Scripture, two people started it, Pastor Lobi Johnson and, um, Pastor Dr. Isin Shagamu now. So he invited me to come and preach. So I finished preaching, I got down. He took the microphone, he said, if we establish Scripture Pasture to birth Pastor Poju, we've done the will of God. He said, if it is just for this ministry to come out, we are okay, that you are explaining things that we saw. Don't do this rascality. I'm not saying you don't have a different voice, but you're answering questions. Somebody says, well, it's by laying on of hands. They blew. The question becomes, on that day, 200 people were laid hands on, only 2 blew. What about the 198? Answer. Are you following what I'm saying here? So Elihu said— so let me tell you this about South Korea. In South Korea, let me tell you what happened. And it's a culture in Nigeria, you get the balance, you must get the balance. You can't be an echo, you have to be a voice. But your voice has to be a voice that when people sit down, they look and say From my heart, I bless you. See, there was a plane going south, it crashed. Hm, when they went to check the black box, you know what they found out? The pilot was elderly, the co-pilot was young. They were going. It was human error. They found out that the co-pilot knew the mistake the pilot was making, but because of the culture of Korea, you don't talk. It was the last minute when it was too late. He told his senior, do it like this, do it like this. The plane hit the mountain. They saw it in the black box. So the younger generation— even God told Peter, when you are old, somebody will take your hand. It's not cool. Do you understand what I'm saying? What we're hearing on social media are questions. Answer. Don't be angry. Just do what? Answer. You see, let me tell you what happened. After Job— after Elihu finished, then God— Job was saying, I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I didn't do anything wrong. I will tell you that God now called Job for 3 chapters. He said, answer any of these questions, one, just one, you will know how ignorant you are. You know, there are 2 kinds of sins. There is the sin of commission, which is called the presumptuous sin. Which you know is wrong, you go and do. There is the sin of ignorance, which you don't know about that law, so you are doing what is right in your eyes. But there's a way that seemeth right unto a man, the end thereof is what? Death. That's why I tell people Job got out of that situation by praying for his friends. If we get into it, where you find the highest level of competition, envy, and jealousy is among friends. Do you understand what I'm saying here? The first murder was in a family. I hope you know murder was inside the family. That two people are friends doesn't mean they are not in competition, doesn't mean there's not envy and jealousy. The person who is making intercession for all his friends that they progress in life will discover what happened to Job. You will discover what God taught you. That's why when Joseph got into trouble, when they came back, see I was on campus. I was treated wrongly by many people inside my fellowship during leadership talks. So they wanted to lead the fellowship. All kinds of things happened. In the midst of it, God told me— in fact, what happened was that the president of the fellowship, the president, let me tell you this, president that started the fellowship, and this what happened to me. The fellowship started in University of Lagos, UT 3-1-8. I came into University of Lagos as a non-believer, was two parties. I was in U-218. The first day I entered U-218, they started the fellowship in U-318. They said there were too many people there, they came to carry the chair, our chairs. So one of our guys— were three friends— one of our guys in U-218 was their friend. He said, can we give them the chairs? I said they can take our chairs. The president of the fellowship sat on my chair. To teach. I was an unbeliever, I was smoking, anything. It's later on when I got saved, God told me, said when I became president, said, do you remember the first day you entered this campus as a sinner? The president, when they started the fellowship, took your chair and sat on it. It was a sign to you, you are going to be next president as a what? Sinner. That's why he told me, said, never in your life lobby, ask put pressure on anybody to preach anywhere, because even when you were a sinner, I was opening doors. One day when the fight started, okay, and you must understand, please, there are different types of tough times. There exists internal and And please hear this, because I'm going to close. I never thought I'll go in this direction. Tough time of today doesn't respect the exam you passed yesterday. Listen to what I'm saying. When Daniel started his life, chapter 1 was, come and eat from the king's table. He said, conscience will not allow us. They stood their ground. They had 10 times more understanding. Chapter 1 was over, they were honored. Chapter 2 came. Once it is chapter 2 of your life, there is no reference to chapter 1. This is what people don't understand. When it was chapter 2, the king said, we are going to kill everybody. In fact, they, they are even assigned to kill Daniel and his friends without regard to 10 times more understanding. That you are star boy in chapter 1 doesn't mean you, you are not candidate to be fired in in chapter 2. Said, go and kill. Daniel said, what's going on here? They said they want to kill everybody. Kill? Can you imagine? The test now is death. Ah, relax now, Femi Lazarus. We were dead. He went and prayed. They came back with the answer. The king, the king prostrated before them and said, let us worship Daniel. He didn't say God, Daniel and his friends, and offer incense Do you get what I'm saying here? That's how much he regarded Daniel. Chapter 2 is over. Chapter 3, that same king threw them into fire. Carry them. These are people you are saying in chapter 2 were worshiping. Carry, carry, carry them. Now, the skill of 10 times more understanding is not the same spiritual skill of going to get interpretation of— do you get what I'm saying? Getting interpretation is not the same as fire is burning you. I hope you know it's a different skill entirely. Then a time comes after some chapters. This is where I'm getting to. You have— you've done— you've done sometimes understanding, you've interpreted dreams, you've done the flames. Then they looked at them, politics came. From politics, the king liked them. They organized behind the king to make the king throw them into a lion's den. You know, that's another All this test is death. Reagan said the wave that takes you up comes back, and if you don't ride the next one, it will leave you on the shore exposed. So don't have any entitlement mentality in life. Are you following what I'm saying here? Nobody owes you. Are you following what I'm saying here? You're a blessing to people. Get ready for the next day. Don't say and sit down on that day. I have been a blessing to you when we're on campus, when we're on campus. So let me just close. So I'm just trying to say there'll be political dimension and you have to have wisdom for it. I don't say I come to church, there shouldn't be any politics. Oh boy. Oh boy, check. How did Solomon become king? Didn't they plan? The prophet and the mother went in one after the other. If you hear today, you say that's not how you should be king. God should speak, I'm sure. Anoint, you get what I'm saying? So I'm trying to tell you, when they did politics for me in the fellowship, this way I'm— they carried me up and carried me down. I resigned from the fellowship. If I didn't resign, everybody says I resigned, but I didn't resign. It was my friend that resigned. I didn't resign because the president of fellowship told me from heaven, he told me, said my hands are tied. You are the next president from heaven, but my hands are tied. He told me this before he traveled. He said, my hands are tied. He said, I can't make you, you are too young, so we have to wait it. He said, but I tell you this, under heaven, no matter what they do to you— this is the president who started the fellowship. Later on, a friend of mine told me, he said, this is how you— that's why till tomorrow I respect him. He's— when I was an executive and trouble started, he said, I didn't want to tell you. Let me tell you what happened. He said, when you were nominated for executive, all of us kicked. I just want to tell you this story so you understand. He said, all of us kicked. He said, the president who founded the fellowship said, listen, I'm leaving. I started this fellowship, is my vision. This young guy has the hand of God upon him. Now here is the deal, the rest of you take every appointment in this fellowship, including the next president, to choose. Just give me the right to nominate him into the executive. Their hands were tied. He nominated me. So he told me, under no circumstance must you leave. But this friend of mine, something happened, just went to the pulpit and said, we have resigned. Ah, but in loyalty to him, I followed him. More trouble started. Well, to cut a long story short, One day I went to Benin City. I just want to show something, all right? And in Benin City, Archbishop Benson Dafoe of blessed memory got up. Were more than 10,000 there. He said— he called the man by name. He said, stand. His wife began to hit. He looked, said, let me tell them. You must learn. His wife was hitting him. Bishop turned to his wife and said what? I think she whispered what he told him. Stop. He said, I must tell them the truth. He told us his story. Well, to cut long story short, how the man treated him and all of that, and that you should never repay evil for evil, and how he helped the man when it was a difficult situation. So I went back to campus. I just got back. This president had traveled, gone to England. He came back just said, let me sort out things in this fellowship just for about 2 weeks. So I told him the story, and we're going for a reconciliatory meeting. So I just told him the story. Can you imagine? I went to Benin, this happened, this 1989, 1990. He said, it happened, okay, no problem. So we entered the meeting, said, hey, you people have said you should have what you to come back into this leadership, and all of this the hand of God. Now you know what he told them? He said, let me tell you, he said, he just told me a story 10 minutes ago. This is U318, 1989. He said, that story you told me is prophetic. You see all of us seated here, we are all anointed. He said, but I perceive U318, Mariri Hall, 1989, I perceive from God, he's the one God is going to pick among us and give him national prominence. If they will ever know that we can preach and that we are gifted. It will be him that will decide to give us a platform to preach. One of the people in that meeting went to preach for my friend in England. When he got there, he said— he told him, he said, you're here on recommendation of Pastor Poju. I called him and he told me I met him in your meeting and he told me you're a good guy. That's why I'm handing over my pulpit to you. Well, let me tell you what that means. That means you get into position and you use it for vindictive reasons, God will carry you out of the position because he didn't send you for yourself. Joseph did not go in for himself. Jesus did not go in for himself. He went in as the forerunner to open up the door for others to come in. Those that hurt you the most, you'll have to forgive them to enter into where you are going. I'm just saying these things that you might understand that in tough times, what has happened is that God has called, and this wind that is blowing here He's calling a generation to answer. And how do you answer the questions? Let me close. In Job 42:5, look at what Job said. Now, God had asked him— okay, if we go to Job, um, 38, go to Job 38:1. Job 38:1, God began to ask Job questions. The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said— next verse— who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, for I will demand of thee. Answer me. He started, where was thou when I laid the foundation of the earth? Declare it, if you can understand. In other words, Job, you are saying I'm right, I'm right, I'm right. For 3 chapters, God asking Job questions about animals, about this, about the sand, about snow, about clouds, about this. He says, if you can just answer one of them. Job now realized how ignorant he was. And how many mistakes he could have been making without him knowing. Get to 42:5. Job 42:5. Look at what Job said: I have heard of thee with the hearing of my ear, but now my eye seeth thee. What does this mean? Jesus said, who do men say that I am? Isn't this what he said? Some say you are John the Baptist, some say you are Elijah, some say you are this. You have to go from who men say that Jesus is to who you have received the revelation. And the only way that revelation comes is tough times. When the pressure comes and everything you have heard has not answered the question, you will go to God. Do you understand what I'm saying? You have a choice of getting offended and saying this Christian thing doesn't work. I need to— I been there, done that. I no longer go to church. It's just me and my God, worshiping God alone in my house. It's just a relationship. I'm no longer religious, I'm spiritual. You know how people— I'm, I'm spiritual. It's a walk, it's a walk with God. You either go into that. The Bible says let the lame foot be healed rather than being what? Turned out of the way. What causes you to go out of the way or get wounded is ignorance. You go to God there. And say, God, you have to settle this. What exactly is going on? As Daniel and his friends did. And you beseech the Lord, open my eyes that I may see. Once you start getting answers, the real answers, and you begin to speak for the answers, that's the message. Do you get what I'm saying? That's how the next generation is defined. The previous generation fought their battles. They have scars. Let me tell you, those men fought. Listen to what I'm saying. Those men fought. You have an example here. How many young men would do ministry, they won't have car? How many young men today would do ministry without Jeep? When I used to go for meetings, Holy Ghost Convention, when I saw Bishop Oyedepo for the first time. Bishop Oyedepo drove Datsun 120Y from Kaduna to Ibadan to preach. Bishop Francis Waduke finished Holy Ghost Convention with crowds, crossed the road to take public transport home. I'm saying, like, I finish a meeting now, I go out, I cross the road, I'm— you see how you're laughing at cross the road. Those men fought. They answered their question. This tribulation won't touch them. It's you it's touching. Do you understand what I'm saying? Look, preach tithes and offering till you die, it won't affect their ministry. It's the you and Noah generation it will affect too. I'm telling you the truth too. The question is for you to do what? Answer. If you don't answer it, it's death. If you answer it, it's the new voice and not an echo. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your word. And I pray for this house just one thing: eyes that see and ears that hear, in the mighty name of Jesus. Let me just say this here. Make it your duty— this is the most important My pastor, Oluwajohnson, told me— I invited him for 30th anniversary— he told me a story. I don't think he got into the fullness of it when he was teaching, but he told me on the phone. He said, this is what I'm coming to preach. He said, look, Kenneth Hagin was preaching on our Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship, but he was talking about the path of life, that when David said, he has shown me the path of life, That path of life is the same thing that Jesus was saying when he said, straight is the gate, narrow is the way, and straight is the gate that leads to life, and there are few that do what? Find it. It's not that it's hard, it's the way of transgressors that's hard. That way is to find it. There's a path, but you have to find it. Listen, if Jesus that was teaching, Jesus, Rabbi, Son of God in flesh, When Peter answered and said, thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus did not attribute it to himself. He said, flesh and blood couldn't have revealed this, but my Father who is in heaven. Without prayer, put you under the finest teacher in this world, you get it. There has to be an independent work of the Spirit of God in answer to prayer. To open the eyes of your understanding, without which, no matter the preacher, you won't see it. You will hear it, but you won't see it. What did Elijah pray for his son? He could have been for his servant. He said, Lord, when he was saying, more with us than against us, more with us than against us, that's what's going on. So what's going on today is that people are confessing it, more with us than against us. They haven't seen anything though. More with us again trying to persuade themselves of the existence of spiritual reality. Do you get what I'm saying? Yeah, more with us against us, more with us. I'm a new creature in Christ, I'm a new creature in Christ, greater is he that's in me, and they're panting. Elijah said, God, grant him eyes that he may see. The only thing you can do is to pray Ephesians prayer 1:16-19. Pray it every day till the end of this year. Are you following what I'm saying? And continue to pray that prayer. That is the prayer that takes you into your purpose. That I may know hope. That's the only way. Listen, without that prayer, you can't see it. You will be standing before it, you just will not see it. Is that Kenneth Hagin said? Oh yes, he— somebody handed him a book, he looked, read the book. And saw that prayer and began to pray it. He began to pray the prayer every day. He said it was then he realized that God wanted to use him, not just, you know, I mean, he was pastor in a church, but get out that ministry here and lead an entire generation. He was what you call, quote unquote, kind of successful without being in purpose. You get what I'm saying here? You can manufacture success and not be in purpose. Do you get what I'm saying here? Aha. Purpose can only come by God answering the prayer that grants me eyes that I may do what? See. No teacher, no rabbi, no apostle can do it for you. You have got to pray it. The only thing they can do is pray it too, but to say that someone with an anointing will do it without you praying— because look, if you have eyes that see, you realize that if the woman with the issue of blood went for counseling and went to meet Peter Peter, who was the right-hand man of Jesus, and said, I want to touch the hem of his garment, I'll be made whole. What would Peter have said? Can't you see people touching? He would have talked her out of it. Nothing can replace eyes that see. That's why I told you that Abraham told Ishmael, that's what you should pray. David got there. That's what you should pray. What this generation doesn't have— when we got saved, we read those books, we prayed those prayers every day. We prayed Colossians 1:9-11. We pray— are you following what I'm saying here? We weren't doing church, we were doing kingdom. God bless you all.