OPEN MENTORSHIP WITH APOSTLE FEMI LAZARUS

All right, um, good evening, and, um, this is a good time to say happy, happy New Year, guys. So There's so, so much to— so many things to unpack today. And maybe before I start, let me know in the comment section if you can hear me well so I can know if you can hear me and it's clear. We have so many things to unpack today. So just in case you have a friend who needs to be here, you have someone who needs to be a part of this life, you want to call the person, you want to share the link. And you know, my— almost anything I get involved in now is considered premium. So there's no guaranteed, um, excessive access like that. So meaning that you want to really maximize this time. And, um, this is not the kind of live session you will say, I will watch later. This is the kind you have to binge on every second and every minute because it counts. And also because there's no guarantee that, um, in another 10 minutes it will still be here. That's the truth. So, and thank God for digital library now. So hey guys, you want to make sure you get everything, everything that you should get. So I want to be as free as possible with you. Because this is not a conventional conversation. This is giving you maybe just a bit snippet, even though mentorship is more intense, but to give you a bit intense snippet of, you know, what we do outside the church circle. And yeah, you know, the kind of knowledge an average mentee of mine is exposed to. And I want to plead with you that you will maximize this time and, um, don't joke with it. Take it. There will be things you will hear tonight that will practically change your life, and you will be glad that you heard these things before you, you went too far this year. So yeah, you want to really pay attention. And I've always said also, and, and this took me a while to to understand that the quality of information and the quality of the teacher is not enough when it comes to the transformation that happens to the student or to the one who is receiving. Um, it took me time to discover that the quality of person listening also matters. There are people that if all the best teachers in the world come together and put them through certain things, by nature they are basic. And, um, the most frustrating person to help is the person who has no hunger. The most difficult person to assist is the one who doesn't have drive. So there are people who by nature have the propensity for being basic. They, they've not lived in an environment that has taught them to desire more out of life. So if you try to teach them more out of life, you are frustrating them because as far as they are concerned, it's not in their DNA, it's not in their gene. So it's difficult to mentor such a person, but there are Okay, if you can give them a bit more volume. But there are people that if they have access to something small, they will run through the world with it. And I want to really believe that that's the quality of persons that is gathered here tonight. People who just want that opportunity. All right. They will, they will, they will go overboard with it. There are people that if they have the opportunity, to sit with you on the flight, it will be a long flight. That's enough to transform their lives. And there are people that will do nothing with it. You know why? Because they are not on any journey. And it's like somebody who has now met— who is now with water, but he's not thirsty. But if you're on a journey and you've been looking for a kind of information, someone that can speak to that journey, then you're in the right place. In fact, I tell everyone that follows me, if I had access to a Femi Lazarus 10, 15 years ago, I will never be here. So blessed are your ears, for they can hear these things. Um, let me start by telling you this. The book of Proverbs, um, very— I mean, Proverbs is a very phenomenal book. It's a book of wisdom. Um, One of the things wisdom does is that wisdom positions a man for predictable outcome. I'm going to tell you why. Um, through wisdom a house is built, Proverbs 24. Through understanding it is established, and by knowledge, the Bible says that the chambers are filled with pleasant riches. So one of the things wisdom does is that wisdom positions you in a place in life where your outcome is as guaranteed as a sure word of prophecy. I want us to understand that the same way you can take the result of 2 2 to the market that it will always be 4, it's the same way when wisdom is applied in the person's life, you can always guarantee that the outcome will be this. The reason why this aspect of this conversation is so important is because many Christians start the new year or start a new season or go through their life with the consciousness of we don't know what tomorrow holds. I mean, there's this morbid delusion that we have that only God knows the one that is going to succeed tomorrow. Only God knows the one that will fail. Only God knows the one— if only God knows, then why are you working hard? There are certain things that God has placed within our jurisdiction to determine, and I want us to understand that. And doing well in life is part of those things, that if you understand the principle that makes room for those things to happen, your result in life should be as predictable as anything. And I, I want you to understand that a believer ought to have a future that is predictable. And the guarantee for that to happen is wisdom, that you have access to quality information, you have access to quality opportunity to be transformed, and you put those things in your life and you watch your life turn around. It is easier to relinquish the responsibility about your life to God And, and sometimes, in fact, I will have said that Africa is the most prayerful continent, except that I don't understand the content of the prayer sometimes, because oftentimes the content of the prayer is we are abdicating responsibility to God for the things that God has determined that we should be responsible about. We pray that God will build Nigeria for us. Meanwhile, if we understand the Bible the way we should understand it, we have the wisdom in it to build it. In fact, I'm going to say this because this is a mentorship session. I really do not think that Africa received religion well. Anyone that is not— I don't think we— because either you call it Christian religion or Muslim religion. If you look at those that the event that we are running with happened in their domain, they seem to understand how to have that religion and still have societal transformation regardless. It's like there's a way we took the baton and we ran backwards with it. So it tells us that there's a gap in our understanding. I'm not saying prayer doesn't work. I'm saying that if you are praying about the things that God has given you wisdom to solve, it's a waste of time.

It doesn't work like that, and it is important we understand.

In fact, most times our go-to understanding about national transformation is that we receive prophecies that the sitting president will die. I'm sorry, but it's just like that's just the way we, we just believe that. We just believe that there's going to be sudden interruption. For the things that we ought to build. And that's why I tell people, if you are going to do well in life, miracle is not the strategy for success. Principles are. Miracles are only needed because certain things were not in place. For instance, health is a principle. Healing is a miracle. Which one do you prefer, healing or health? Health is better. You have to be sick to need healing. But you have to live right, manage yourself, understand your body, and do what is right to walk in health. It's as simple as that. All right, so you don't have to put yourself in the, in the situation where you don't honestly know what 2026 will be about, and you are just hopeful and all that. You can, you can have a plan. I understand that there is the back end And that's where we differ with an average person. We understand that there's a back end of everything, and God is at that back end. But we also understand that life responds to the principle of cause and effect. Newton puts it like this, that to every action there's an equal but opposite reaction. Very fantastic. All right, so, um, there's a back end, and we have to understand that. But there are principles for these things to work. And if you understand the principles— I wrote a few things down, I just want to read them out so that you can get them and run with them. I also wrote here that it is important you know that the season is not better simply because you are emotional about it. You know the emotions we enter the new year with?

Hey, it's new year! Oh, it's new year! Oh, new year, new me!

It's not automatic. No season is automatically better because you are emotional about it. Every season is only better than the previous through intentionality and the ability to administer a different approach to the new season. That is, regardless of the number of people who gather to speak words into your life, if you do 2026 the same way you did 2025, you will get the same result or worse. It's as simple as that. I want us to really respect that. So our life doesn't change simply because we're emotional about a new season, all right? So you've got to understand that, um, you can have a very predictable year. And I told you when I started that wisdom makes actions predictable. The things that you get through study, through learning, they are yours. And that's why this year you must plan to be intentional about gaining more wisdom. All right, so I also noted here, and this is a very important one, one of the problems I have. You see, I sit with people to— apart from being an apostle and what I do in ministry, I like to sit with people to help them succeed. And I will say this, that I found out that it is difficult to help superstitious people do well in life. People who are superstitious, these belief that believe, people who are sentimental. And I find that a lot with Africans. All right, I find that a lot. I will say with Africans. So yeah, in fact, I wrote here that one of our problems as Africans is that we are superstitious people and we are groomed with the belief that outcomes are beyond our control. Somebody wants to, somebody wants to Drive. Don't let me use driving because it's sensitive based on the news in this season. Something else, something that you have what it takes to do well, do it well. At least do your part, then expect God to do his own part. Hmm. Don't do what will kill you while expecting that a deity will still give you long life. Meanwhile, you are the one taking that life away from yourself. Okay, so you should understand this, that there are certain things in life that are not actually really beyond our control. If you, if you function with the wisdom of God, your, your outcomes can be predictable in that regard. So listen, guys, many people make a lot of mistakes when it comes to goal setting. And some don't even believe in the idea. Some believe they set goals for the new year, and I tell the people I mentor that every goal that has no timeline and strategy is a wish. Every goal that you set that has no timeline and strategy is a wish. How do you claim to be, say, to be setting a goal? I want to achieve this, and there's no time to it. You have, you have, you have— what you have done is that you have set yourself up for failure. If you— if there's no time attached to those things, then what you're simply doing is that you're saying, I can do it at any time. Imagine that you are in a school, okay? Imagine that you are in the school and there's no time for the student to write exams. You can come to for lecture anytime you want, and you can graduate anytime you want to graduate, write your exam, and nobody will graduate from that school. Because man by himself is bad when left to the government of himself. There must be things that put you under pressure for delivery, and that's where timing comes in. It is not enough that I want to get these things done. It is important that I get it done with this time, you see. Yeah, let me tell you something about sometimes you see a meeting like Femi Lazarus saying volume, volume. If people can hear regardless It's the same way life function. If you say Nigeria is the reason why you are failing and somebody is doing well in Nigeria, it seems to be your excuse. So I want to give you 10 common mistakes people make around goal setting. Number 1, 10 common mistakes people make around goal setting. When it comes to goal setting, these are— I've seen this every time I've sat with people, I listen to them, I hear them talk, it's the same thing. You find these common mistakes. Number 1, People set unrealistic goals. In fact, you just to understand that sometimes in church they ask people, ask for one thing. The person who is not even making ₦100,000 in a month, and that's less than maybe $70, all of a sudden is saying, I want to become the richest man in the world. Do you have the wisdom quotient to become What are you selling that will put you there?

Do you have the wisdom quotient? We just believe that God is some magical creature who just— who can—

we can put a person from the back and put him in front.

Is that how it is done? If that's the way that God function, every— if witches are horses, even a beggar will ride. Ask for one thing, Lord, by 2026 I become the most important person.

What are you talking about?

Life doesn't function like that. You have to understand, it's because we don't even know who God is. That's the reason why many of us function like that. God is not like that. He's not sentimental, okay? There's nothing— what, anything you want to become this year that is not an offshoot of what you've been doing and planning to do?

It's a lie. Don't let religion wind you. One of the dangers of religion is that it can give you the kind of hope that will kill you. I have people that it was religion that destroyed their life. They told them through prophecy to stop working, that somebody will come and change their life, and that's how they stop working. One year gone, 10 years gone, they are redundant, not useful for themselves and the society. Somebody can give you the kind of prophecy that will kill you. I'm telling you, better be careful. People set unrealistic goals. Just, just say things.

There are people that—

in fact, sometimes, sometimes when I listen to people, some people that just like the sound of their own voice, they are saying this thing.

They, they like to talk about the kind of things that will make people say, hmm, deep. What's deep about your goals? It should be realistic. Achievable, believable, doable. It should be communicable. There is the ABC of goals.

It is not part of my agenda in 2026 that I'm going to pastor the largest church in the world. It's not true. If you prophesy it, I will walk away. Even if they give you the largest church in the world to pastor, it will reduce to the level of your mentality. If you are given anything, it will come down to the level of your growth. Don't let anybody whine you. You see, when I'm speaking with my mentees, I'm real. If any way I'm speaking, I'm real. That's the reason why we even preserve the things I talk about. Don't let anybody whine you. I'm not saying miracles are not— in fact, there are people I call them, they live with the pool of Bethesda principle. Maybe once in a year somebody is rescued. If a church is built on that kind of principle There will be testimonies here and there, but compared to the number of those who are grounded, there's problem. But Jesus came to put an end to that religious belief that there is a need for a stirring every once in a while, once in a year. That if you can hear his word now, the water is stirred in your spirit. The water that needs to be stirred is not outside.

Out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water. That was what Jesus came to demonstrate at the Pool of Bethesda. If you can hear my word, you can get up now.

Don't wait for someone to eat your head with coconut and then break it and then pour salt and pour perfume, anoint it with olive oil and palm oil and say it's time for your year to change. Please stop that. It doesn't work. Don't let anybody whine you. The person who is prophesying to you that this year you will blow is still owing pampe.

Sorry.

Number 2. People don't put proper structures in place to materialize the goals. They say they want to do this. There's no, there's no structure that shows that this thing will work. As in, the proof that you believe in what you have said is that you are working towards it. That's the proof.

That's the proof. That's the proof.

What, what somebody said, how do I set goals?

Let me—

I like to explain things simply. If you are playing football, if there's no goalpost, is there a game? This is what I want to score this year. This is what I want to achieve.

This is what I want to do. That's the goal. That's the goal. This is— my entire year is narrowed towards achieving this. Sit down, study it, and get it done. That's the goal. So people say they want to do this.

There are people that talk to me and I know this person doesn't believe in what he said, and the proof that they don't believe in it is that there is no personal structure towards getting it done. Somebody said, this year I want to make better Christian content, I want to do this, I want to do that. Listen to what I'm saying. If you're going to get anything done One of the very important structures you need to put in place— this is a billion-dollar liberation word. What I want to tell you now will save you from all the stress in life. You want to get anything done, one of the most important structures to put in place is to make sure that you can get that thing done without having to rely on an external factor. That is, all that it takes to do this is within my vicinity.

If you have to call somebody and wait for the person's mood to be fine to get it done, you are wrong. The proof that you will get that thing done is that it is easy to do. Not like it— not like it will come easily, but the things that makes it possible to practice it are already around you. Because those that will do well don't do what is easy, they do what is necessary. So in Abuja alone here, I have 3 offices, so there's nowhere I cannot be impactful. You have to understand that. Make sure the things that makes it available to get those things done are within your vicinity. If you have to go to Kafanchan to get what you need to get this thing, no, it is not practicable. It is not practicable.

Okay, realistic structures. Number 3, you need to— many, okay, people make the mistake of not putting a time frame to what they want to do, they license themselves to fail. There is what I must do every day. Listen to what I'm saying. If you want to know a serious person, don't ask them for their 5-year plan. Ask them for their next 1-month plan. Anybody can say anything that doesn't look like it in the next 5 years. They can lie.

It's easy to get away with.

Ask the person, what's your plan for today? Whatsoever is not represented in your daily activity cannot be captured in your 10-year plan because it is, it is cumulation of seconds that makes a minute, cumulation of minutes that makes an hour, cumulation of hours that makes a day, cumulation of days that makes a week, cumulation of weeks that makes a month, cumulation of months that makes a year. This thing we are talking about, the future, is actually the cumulation of what you do daily. The future will never be a surprise. Nobody's future will be a surprise. Anything you are not doing daily—

no, God is not about to shock you with any future. That David killed Goliath was a surprise to those who are watching, but if you listen to his resume, he had killed the lion and the bear. It was not a surprise to him.

To suddenly ask God to give you Goliath when you were running from lion and bear is a lie. So people don't put time frame to it. They wake up and do— I mean, it's funny. Number 4, which is what I've mentioned also, many people make the mistake of not having access to what is needed for their goals to be fulfilled. In access to the resources, in access to the materials, in access to the relationships that will help you fulfill your goals. You need access. Number 5, there are people who get naturally fatigued.

Fatigue.

They, they, they, they can't tell the reason why they tire out. They start something, they lose their motivation. They can't even tell the last book I was reading, where is the book? They can't tell. They just, just get naturally tired.

There are people like that.

They can't tell where it's coming from. No, you must be able to tell. Why did you stop reading that book?

Why?

You said last year you will do this. Why did you stop? If you can't tell the reason why, that same thing will stop you this year without accountability. You see, let me tell you guys, and I want to say this to you without mincing words, the things I do daily are not convenient. They don't have to be. They don't have to be.

I wake up daily to do what I must do. Nobody will come to do it for me. They are not convenient, they are tough.

And I'm not saying this to scare anybody.

That's the reason why I'm me.

It doesn't have to be convenient to be practical.

Do what is necessary. Discipline, listen, is the decision to go the hard way to escape hard life. You go the hard way to escape hard life. You do what is necessary, not what is convenient. It's not convenient. It doesn't have to be. I don't have to want to do it. I have to do it. That's what matters. Who will do it for me? I don't have to feel like. Feelings is the motivation of fools. I'm sorry, when it comes to visions, you don't need it.

I'm going to say a few things about that. This is mentorship, so in case it's too harsh for you, you can just leave the broadcast. But this is for those who believe that this man has something we can learn from him. If I can have the privilege to be a mentee around a man like this— oh, and there are people like that around the world. That if only they can have that access and can sit down for a week, for a month, you'll be amazed at the transformation that will happen. In 2026, you must pursue such access. I cannot sit here and guarantee you that it will come like that, but you must find a way to pursue it. Is that clear now? Now listen to this. Number 6, common mistakes around goal setting. Indiscipline. Listen guys, um, I don't know where you are coming from, I don't know who your parents are, I don't know what you have to fall back on, I don't know those who are backing you and bankrolling you, but if you are like me, that if you fail, a lot of people are connected to both your success and failure, please Be disciplined. Wake up every day telling yourself, I don't have to feel like. I have books I must read daily. Listen to what I'm saying. I decided it a while ago. I've been reading for years, well over a decade. 3 hours every day uninterrupted to read, whether I feel like or not feel like. That 3 hours, I'm not obligated to reply your messages. I'm not obligated to pick your calls.

I'm not obligated to respond to WhatsApp.

There is nobody in this world that tell you must be the one to respond to WhatsApp messages.

I have to read. I don't want to go out and preach myself out. I'm as relevant as the degree to which I upgrade myself part-time. What is a wisdom to a generation is a common sense to another. I have to be upgrading myself, push myself. I have to pray, I have to study. I don't have to feel like. To do the things I have to do, to go to the place I have to go, to build the relationships necessary for my life, it takes discipline.

And I owe that to myself. When you're a disciplined person, your days are renewed daily. When you are not disciplined, you become too old even though you are young, because now you are— you don't have anything to offer. This is a very serious one also. Many people set goals but they don't have the right community around them to help them fulfill that goal. They set goals but they are around the wrong people. Listen guys, I heard this from, I think, Apostle Joshua Selman, that if you have 4 fools around you, you didn't count well, you are 5. That's when I heard that thing, it was like somebody slapped me. He said if you have, if you count, you look at your circle, you count and you can see 4 fools, you didn't count well. You are 5. Let me tell you this, this is 2026.

You owe people love, you owe them honor, you don't owe everybody association.

Anybody whose life disposition and everything is contrary to where you are going, be intentional to tell yourself to space.

You owe people love, you owe people honor, But you, you, you only owe people— this fellow has to be relevant to where you are going to associate.

So people lack the, the right association.

There are friends I have in my life today, we speak for 5 minutes, I'm motivated to do more. They, they— when I speak to them, the baby in me is leaping, something is jumping. We drive around together, we are talking. They are not intimidated at your success. They are also doing well in their own right. They just want to see you become more. You need to build such relationship and water it. And listen to what I'm saying, if God has given you such relationship, please water it. And I want to, I want to say this.

I think I saw this, somebody put this out yesterday. This vain belief that there's nobody that deserves his place, I put it to you, is a lie. There are people in your life, if you lose, you will suffer for their space. It will take time for life to reroute and find you their kind. The associations that God brings on the bill of mercy and grace, don't let pride collect it from you. There are friends you can tell, I'm sorry.

You need to tell them, I value this relationship, I honor you, I don't want to lose you. Please stay in my life. There are people you tell like that. They are not gods, but they are God's blessings to you. I always say this: always let people know how important they are to you. Don't wait for them to be scarce for you to try everything to communicate it. Don't wait.

Please, if God has given you the right people value them, honor them, treasure them, love them.

Communicate it to them. I love you.

You are a blessing to my life. How many people did you pick your phone to text as you enter 2026 that thank you for last year, you're a blessing to me?

This is what I'm saying.

There are friends I have in my life, if they introduce me to business and investment and it crashes, I will never be angry.

If they introduce me to something and it fails, I will never be angry because the value of the relationship will pay back.

It's as simple as that.

It doesn't mean they'll put money in my hands, but the wisdom I get from— I will recover.

Listen to what I'm saying, guys. It is not every fight you fight.

Have the right rela—

listen, there are two kinds of relationships. There are circumstantial relationships that are like weed, it grew by itself. You don't even know when this person came into your life.

But there are deliberate relationships, people that you go for. You are the one who went out for them. I need this person in my life and I will do nothing else till I get this person, either as a friend or as a mentor. I will go for it. I will get this person in my life. I need this person in my life and it will happen. There are people you have who are just careless. You talk to them, they are careless with everything. They are not honoring, they don't communicate it.

But there are people who let you know, you're a blessing. This, this, this has happened to my life. And let me tell you this, if you have a leader who is impactful, let them know they are. A lady came to me and my wife and knelt down. She was crying and said, sir, since I knew you, I have not gone back to smoking again. Since I started sitting under your message, I used to sleep with men. I have stopped it for so and so years now. I've been under you, I've not gone back to this. I've not— I was looking at her and I said to the lady, I said, see, this thing you are saying like this is healing. You don't know when a leader is looking at you and it's concluded that maybe I'm not a blessing to these people enough, let me go somewhere else. It takes somebody who is appreciative to sustain impact. Learn that. Number 8, common mistakes people make around goal setting: distractions. There are those who are distracted by everything. A car passes, they are distracted. An event happened. You know, I've— I thank God for those who are in my mentorship academy. I've taught them too many things that they may not be able to fit into the way an average person thinks.

Things.

There is something called crowd engineering. In the olden days of the Roman Empire, there is the circus they give to the crowd. They give them blood and then watch sports and all those things, and then all those things that pollute their minds while the real event of the statecraft is going on behind other quarters. They give the crowd what is entertaining them. They are busy doing other things. Beware of the entertainment that distracts you too Movies every time, this one every time, this year again. Now you trust God for a miracle to pay rent? Stop that. And I say this, rent is recurrent expenditure. Um, it is not a surprise spending. That your wife is pregnant is not surprise. It takes 9 months for the baby to mature.

Plan. Plan. Get rid of—

let me tell you this, I don't go to my bedroom with my phone. My phone stays in the office. I don't enter my bedroom with my phone. It stays in the office. And when I have to start reading, I throw the phones at the door. Flight mode. It is not even where I can say let me check.

The moment I pick a book to read, my phone is at the door.

There on the floor right there. All right, go outside and put it somewhere else. That is the kind of dedication that you need to do life.

Nobody needs to come and look at you at your age.

You have to use alarm to wake you, and your alarm will wake—

the alarm will wake everyone around you except you.

I remember one of my boys that has one alarm that time. Arise, arise, arise!

Arise, Domuen. Everybody will rise except him. The alarm will start, arise, arise, wake up now. He won't wake up. How do you set alarm that is not waking you? But the time is coming. It's not the beeping of phone that wake you, it is responsibility. Wake up now before it start waking you up.

And when that time comes, it'll be very tough. Are you following what I'm saying here?

Stop being distracted. You can go and check those who reach the world. People, anyone who has world-class impact gives world-class dedication. World-class. If your kind is too common, you are not special. Give world-class dedication. I'm not here to sermonize you. This year, if you were born in year 2000, this year again you are 26. 4 years to 30. If you were born in 1996, this year you are 30. If you were born in 1986, this year you are 40. You were born in 1976, this year you are 50. Time, time, that's the material that life is made up of. And I'm not— this is, you see, this is not the kind of thing you will hear and just feel like, ah, Apostle spoke to us, and then next minute again you are back to Nigeria trying to play bet.

Yeah, you started enjoying your long sleep this New Year again. The Afkon is going on. Number 9 common mistake people make: procrastination. People procrastinate. I will do this later. Nothing steals destiny like that. Procrastination, procrastination. I will do this, uh, this time. I will do this that time.

Ha!

Whatever you want to do, do it now.

Do it now. In fact, when you are setting your goal, plan to make sure it is around the time the fulfillment will begin almost immediately so that you don't have the luxury of canceling it.

Nothing mess people up by procrastination. That thing sinks. And I want to say this again to you guys: stop expecting that there will be a sudden surprise. Yeah, surprises happen, but plan.

Work daily towards it. Walk daily towards it.

Don't procrastinate. Um, which is similar to what I've said before, number 10: people lack proper planning. The issue with proper planning also has a lot to do with lack of proper self-management. People don't see themselves— you see, as far as I'm concerned, the man Femi Lazarus is not just a person but an institution. There are many people whose livelihood will be sustained on the basis of the river that flows from be. That's the way your life is supposed to be. You have become like a tree that people can take shades under.

You need to manage yourself not just as a person. Stop this personal life. I do what I like.

That's a personal life.

You get to a point where if you move on the base of the impact that flows through you, at least 20 people will move. There are those that if they move, at least a thousand will move. There are those that if they move, a city will move. Who moves when you move? Who moves when you move? There are those that they are— they don't have to look for job again because you exist. If the Bible— you see, sometimes we interpret scriptures only from a religious perspective that makes us live a life of ignorance and life of laziness. Oh, out of my belly shall flow rivers of living water. We talk about the things for spirituality and all that. We forget that there is not just that, there is the wisdom of God. It is the reason why people are tired of our Christianity. They are tired of the things we do because we are so religious and the nation is backward. We are not sure. We have the most uncertain people on earth. We are not sure. Do we have a role in national transformation? We are not aware. We beg for job like an average person. When we get there, many people who claim to be Christians are not employable. You employ them, you are thinking of sacking them. No proper self-coordination, no proper self-management, no proper awareness of self. They don't see themselves as an institution. You see those of other faiths who are— well, listen to what I'm saying, guys. There are those who are not fasting and praying to get into wealth. It tells you something. What a man sows, he will reap. We have to understand that. And I will say this too, there is a— there is what I call the cycle of death. If care is not taken, that an average Nigerian Christian is into, that because as we speak today, people are not certain what a believer should look like.

If you tell a Christian build capacity and do well, they look at you and say you're a motivational speaker.

Meanwhile, the person who is talking— you tell a Christian God wants you to, you can grow your finance, you can— they say it's not spiritual. And the person who is talking is broke, and the person will come and put account number and say, come and give to our church. What is that? We neglect principles and just run with pseudo-spirituality that lacks proof, that is void of wisdom, that is void of an answer. To the questions of our society. The reason why Daniel became relevant in Babylon was because he was an answer to the questions of Babylon. Joseph was an answer to the questions, um, in Egypt. Esther was not just fine, she understand the place of grace, presentation, and how to win the heart of a king. That goes beyond beauty. If it was just beauty, Vashti was fine too. So sometimes I look at these things that we do as Christians We are so uncertain. And I want to tell you this, you have to see, listen, if you want to destroy your life, be trapped in the uncertainty of what I call the African Christianity, the kind that does not even know who Jesus is. Many of you have been trapped in religion. You are waiting for permission. I'm sorry to say, I'm sorry to say, you are waiting for a religious leader Somebody in your circle, somebody in this, who is clueless about his own life or her own life to tell you what to do with yours. God gives you many dreams, it dies inside of you because you keep waiting for permission, you keep waiting for validation. You don't want people to— I want to break this news to you: whether you are a failure or a success, people would still not like you. Not everybody would like you. So you must understand now, get out of that place.

And there are those who, when they are small, they will find religious reasons to make sure you are not better, so that it doesn't look like there's this and there's that. May God give us understanding. I said, may God give you understanding. There is a character trait you will find with successful people. You know it. You know what the character trait is?

Hunger.

Anyone who is exceptional, you will see that they are never satisfied. With where they are. They are never satisfied with what they are doing.

They want more. They are not competing.

Are you following what I'm saying?

They are not competing with anybody. No competition. They are not competing. They just want to become better today than they were yesterday. If there's no such aspiration on your inside, something is wrong. You will find hunger anywhere you find successful people.

You see hunger, serious hunger there.

Wake up now.

Um, I still have a long way to go. Maybe I cut this today. Um, I'm not sure tomorrow I'm going to be here with you. Um, but let me say this to you guys. At certain age, you don't need motivation. You need discipline.

Somebody—

nobody's there to encourage me. Hey, stop that! Not at your age. Not at your age. At certain age, you don't need motivation, you need discipline. You need discipline, no motivation. This one, somebody did say— no, wake up every day with a determination. I will do what I have to do. And let me tell you this, tell yourself in case you have not, nobody owes me anything in life. Nobody owes you anything. Tell yourself in case you have not, nobody owes you anything. While I continue, please like this broadcast. And if you share this broadcast and I see that there is so much hunger, um, I might decide to give you guys— not— this is not my mentorship academy. But to spend this time with you guys at least once a week. If I see genuinely that you guys are hungry, you register your hunger after this broadcast, you share it, I see that people are transformed by it, I look at it and say, no, these people are very serious, then I might decide that to give you once in a week. So like this broadcast. Imagine what it will do to you if I can sit with you once in a week. It will change your life. I feel I'm saying now, nobody needs to beg you in life to do the right things. All right, so start doing the right things. I wrote here, if you have the same regret this year that you have last year, no, it is not a different year. You are the one who failed to be disciplined. Is that okay now? You are the one who failed to be disciplined. For this year to be a very good year, there are things I'm recommending you must please do. All right, there are recommendations I have for you for this year to be a very good year. Please like the broadcast, people, and if you have not subscribed to my YouTube channel, you should subscribe. Please subscribe to this YouTube channel so I can have you here and then we can do this more fun time. This year I plan intentionally to come out there for you guys more, but it's also— it depends on many factors, okay? In 2026, don't deceive yourself. Don't deceive yourself. Be realistic about life. Don't lie to yourself. Anything you can't cope with, don't— no, no, no, don't deceive yourself. Even if— see, to your own self be true. Even if somebody is trying to deceive you, no, no, no, tell yourself, I will not deceive myself. Know where you are coming from. Know the things you must do. And I've said it before, don't let life wind you. So don't deceive yourself. Um, let me, let me write something. I wrote something here. This old nonsense, be realistic about life. Don't fall for the nonsense about validation, the need for approval, the need to be liked, the need— no, no, no, you are too old for that nonsense.

Go and check anyone who made impact in their lifetime that shook their generation.

At some point, everybody, including church people, believed that they were wrong. I've shared the story of the man of God Billy Graham. He believed in the Christianity that has impact in national transformation.

I believe in it too. I believe Christians should be involved. I believe we should model what is correct, what is true, and not be in bed with liars.

I believe that, and there is a wisdom for that.

Oh, people believe he's blackseeding and all that.

And God could trust him to pastor that nation. So stop hanging around the need to be validated like, ah no, you will never— see, to put your life like that is so risky because you reduce everything around fulfillment to the mentality of the person you want to like you.

Not everyone who even leads you will understand your assignment. People can lead you, and that's why leadership is not to play God over people's life. People can lead you and not understand your assignment. They will understand it later, but for now they don't.

And that's why you must have the strength of character to be strong in pursuit. Have the strength of character to be strong in pursuit. Part of my recommendations this year: don't leave your lane to copy anybody. Embrace your uniqueness. Embrace your uniqueness. I don't know whoever has tried to talk you down that you now look at yourself and feel you are not adequate. You must talk like somebody, you must look like somebody. No, you are enough.

You are enough.

See, listen guys, can I— I want to tell you this, and what I want to tell you, um I beg you by the mercies of God, don't forget it. Let me say this to you: if you have not fallen in love with yourself, nobody will. What you don't accept about yourself, we are not going to accept it, because every time you stand in front of us, we are seeing inadequacy. You keep telling yourself, I'm not adequate, I'm not adequate, I'm not adequate.

Nobody will. When I—

one of the best preachers I like to hear is Femi Lazarus. I love teachers of God's word. I love teachers who are organized, who are organized in breaking down scriptures.

But when I sit down to listen to my messages, I'm impacted.

I love the sound of my voice. I love my gesticulation. I love everything about me.

So if you don't like it, it's your headache.

I'm not moved. The reason why you are moved by rejection is because it confirms what you feel about you. That's the reason why you are moved.

You should fall in love with the things, the qualities, the attributes, the uniqueness God has given to you. Run your own race, wish others well, but stay in your own lane.

Is that okay now? Don't copy others. Um, while I say this, there's a link also connected to this. I thought it's also important. There are people who listen to this and say, no, I need to be in this man's mentorship academy. I think we have about 3 months to go, so register. I decided to open the link exceptionally for them if you want to. But look at this, my third recommendation: please deal with matters of addiction. Don't let addiction cripple you. What addiction does is that it steals. You see, um, I've said this for over 15 years when I teach in church. I tell people this: my real concern about addiction is not first and foremost what you are addicted with, it is what your time is stolen away from. That thing that you can't do because every—

because addiction rewires your brain. There is what is released only when you do it. It's, it's mental.

It rewires your brain. As you go on and on, a spirit takes charge. All right, so deal with that. Don't let that thing cripple you.

Read books.

If there are things you need to stay away from, isolation, stay from isolation. If phone is killing you and the only way out is to go back to touch light phones, please go back and read ad copy books.

Read hard copy books.

All this thing of somebody is giving PDF, they say they should buy a book, say who has the free book, who have the—

Have you seen where Christians are asking for sub about a program that will change their life? Who sub for me so I can finish this program in 2026?

Anytime that's about destiny, they are looking for free version.

Every time, every time. These people subscribe on Netflix, but once about your life, say we'll do it for free. It shows you how much you take matters of your own life and destiny.

I would have shown you a book, but it's in my second office. Years ago, I went to a place called SUB Block on OAU campus. To buy a book. I bought that book then, I think for about, um, ₦15,000, and that was my entire pocket money. When I was paying for the book, I knew, and I said it to myself, ah, in this month I would drink garri. But I bought the book regardless. Whether or not I drank garri that month, I'm here now. I'm here now, and that book is still with me. I heard something from a very powerful man of God that changed my life. He said, sell your clothes and buy books. The books will later clothe you. Buy books, and when you buy them, don't decorate yourself with them.

Read them.

You see, there was a time in my life— I tell you this story, very important story. I was living in a one-room apartment. If you come to my house, what is P.O.P.? It took me years to live in the house of P.O.P. The roof of my house was made with sack. If Pastor Henry is here, he will tell you in the comment section. Sack of rice is what they used to do the roof. Once you enter my room, the first thing you'll be looking at in front of you is my trolley. That is my most important treasure in the room.

So that is what any guest will see.

As I move from that place, my level changed a bit. Still one room, face my face you. Now I was able to build a shelf, the shelf that was about my height. I gave a discount for the carpenter to build it. 'Now I have more books, I'll put it there.' As you enter the room, the first thing you will see are the books. What is important to you? Get them.

Pay. See, let it cost you something. Why is it that whenever it has to do with impact, we feel it must be free? Only us as Christians, only us. 'Eh, this, this, this. Ah, I wish I— I wish—' No, stop that. The proof that you believe in your future is that you invest. What was it? You invest. Let it cost you something.

Someone said, how can you get my books? You can search for Femi Lazarus books on Instagram. Just search for Femi Lazarus books. Once you type it, there's just one page. You'll see it there. That's all you need. King Joseph said, I'm one of them. I'm using Hotspot to watch this Interesting guy. God bless you. Um, so deal with issues around addiction. As we commence the year 2026, I want to air out my concerns for many Christians. Here are my concerns. I have observed, and this I say with so much pain and soberness in my heart, that the Christianity many practice is an uncertain one. When it comes to outcome. We are uncertain about the things to do, first and foremost. We are uncertain about our belief. God is leading a Christian that you are to be a coach. The guy is not sure. The only thing they want to make him in his church is a prophet.

They are misinterpreting the call of God upon his life.

It's an environment where this is something about him but they only have one kind of interpretation to that kind.

Now they are teaching him in a way that contradicts where he's going, because when it comes—

when you are exceptional, the only thing they churn out here are ministry gifts.

No, be certain.

Get away from the crowd to be sure. Listen guys, you don't have extra life, it's just one. You have to be very certain about what that life is about. Listen, I'm an apostle. Anybody who is very close to our ministry say, no, this man is not an apostle, he's a teacher. Ah, they will say, no, he's a prophet. They'll say, no, he's this and all that. When Jesus said, who do men say that I am, they called him many things. When Peter got it right, he said, you are correct. Who are you? Do you want to judge yourself based on the description of those who don't even know you? An elephant. If a blind man wants to describe an elephant, his definition depends on where he's touching. If he touches the trunk, he will say this is a trumpet. If he touches the body, he will say this is a wall.

If he touches the ear, he will say this is a fan.

You are too much for one person to define, and you are too young to put a full stop to your definition.

There are many things that will unfold about you later. If I live by the way a Nigerian wants to think an apostle is, I would not have a mentorship academy. I am commencing Luminary Leadership Institute this year to mentor, train African leaders, political leaders, aspiring political leaders. If I'm waiting to be judged by this who dey say an apostle is, I won't do all these things. And by the time we all still fail, they will still insult all of us. Please don't let people who don't have a stake in your life define you.

You must know who you are.

So I'm concerned about the uncertain Christianity we practice. I'm concerned about the fact that we don't even know what we should do. Should a Christian be in politics? We don't know. Should a Christian be involved in leadership development? We don't know. Should we be— should our message carry the wing of national transformation? We don't know.

And as long as we don't know, we are not the ones that will transform the society.

I put it to you, the nation is the way it is because of the way the church is.

If we get it right, the nation will.

I have looked too well into the system to say this is true.

To say this is true. And I tell you, um, I know what I'm saying like I know my name.

Should we be involved in this? Many don't even know. And we see many young people who are saying things they don't even know anything about. Listen, guys, people can shut you down from certain things today and you will stop it, and they will mature tomorrow to do that same thing.

And they will succeed.

Somebody can be preaching against something not because God is against it, but because they are not doing it yet.

Tomorrow will come, they will start doing it, then it becomes right. And that is the reason why it matters who you listen to. It matters who you listen to. There are people who say things who believe something is only correct when they are the ones doing it. Don't listen to them. From now onward, have very firm conviction in your mind about what life should be about. So beware of that Christianity that is uncertain, that is not sure, that is—

we are just not— I've seen it, everyone seems to be confused.

Number 2 concern I have: we lack certainty as touching many, hmm, as touching many subjects in the Bible, and that has made us like a sheep without shepherd. Oh, if you tell a Christian God wants to be emotionally healed, they say no, it's psychology. You tell a Christian, God wants to say no, no, is this or no? Are these things contained in the Bible? If yes, be certain.

Listen, once you know what you are saying is true, even if nobody backs it up, stand on it.

You're a man of destiny. You be certain.

And what happens is that God will now begin to give you teachers.

There are times that you are not wrong, you are just many years ahead of your time. Can I say it again? There are times that you are not wrong, you are just many years ahead of your time. Don't stop doing those things because there is no validation. Continue. So that version of Christianity scares me, where we lack accurate understanding as touching many subject matter. I also wrote here, this year you will have to make up your mind and not let anyone destroy your life with their own bias. If you have to get out of a city to a new city, get out. You have to get out of a job, get out. Just make sure whatever it is you start, you can finish. Don't let people use their bias to finish you.

Don't inherit anybody's enemy.

Don't let anybody destroy your life with their own 'I feel like this.' You know, here we are bullies.

If I believe something, you don't believe it, I have to bully you. I have to say things and throw words around. We lie and we change our minds about many things without coming out to publicly apologize.

It shows the kind of liars we are as Christians. So people will mess you up if you follow the crowd. Beware, don't let anybody use their bias to destroy you. Okay, somebody said the link for the mentorship is bringing error. Please check it again, please check it again, make sure it is the mentorship link so people can register. And, um, and I, I wrote this here. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how well, how you spend your life, whether you fail or you succeed, it doesn't matter how you spend your life. At the end of the day, you will never be 100% accepted. Clock it. Is that— is it clock it they say? Huh? Clock it. Huh? Where is that? The Gen Zs, they say many things. It does— whether you fail or you succeed, you will never be 100% accepted.

In fact, now people are dragging the dead. So if you are alive and they drag you, rejoice. Dragging doesn't kill. Just succeed. It doesn't kill. It doesn't matter how you live your life, you will never be 100% accepted. Live before you die. Live. And to live means to live till full.

Maximize your life, maximize what you can become. Stop suspending destiny because you are waiting for approval.

Everything about life has to do with time.

Once the time passes, you struggle, all right? You struggle. And, um, all right, so I've given you a very, very succinct conversation today as we're starting the year. My, my conversations are not such that you find everywhere outside like before. We have our own community, um, the Digital Library. You go on Play Store, type it there. Femi Lazarus Digital Library. Download it.

Sit. Now you have access to many things. My mentorship academy lectures, 100 Women Mentorship, 100 Women Mentoring that will shake the world. Their lectures are there.

You have my school of ministry materials. Ah, if I had access to this years ago, I would never be here. So make sure you, you get that, all right? Get those things. And if you still want to register to be part of my Mentorship Academy, I decided to open it up just for tonight. And, um, yeah, maybe there till Sunday. Register and then, yeah, and then be there. Anything just for progress. And, um, sometimes even access to— it is not about getting something, it's about getting it on time. When there is value to it. All right, I love you guys so much. Um, someone said, how does one set target for— I mean, if you listen to what I've said today, you should— those things should not be a question again. All right, so I love you guys so much. Been an awesome time spending this time with you. Share it, like the broadcast, invite someone. If I see genuine hunger, once this live broadcast ends now You can come back and drop comments. Let me know how this has impacted you. If I see genuine hunger, I will build commitment towards you. But this again is entirely different from the reality of my mentorship academy. That's a community of people that by the time they come out, you will know that they had something. My answer to many questions in my generation are the people I'm training. That's my answer, that look at my product, look at my product, look at this one, this country, look at this one. And many leaders that will transform this continent will come from this, my training. I guarantee you they will come out, people that will shift the balance of the world. We have them from Jamaica We have them from, from Philippines, we have them from Australia, not Nigerian nationals alone, people from South Africa. It's a gathering of global world changers, so make sure you do everything to be there. I love you guys so much, such a joy to have spent this time with you. Um, so the link to the Mentorship Academy again is what is in the comment section there, pinned there. Make sure you Connect. And then, yeah, like after this broadcast, they will re-pin it again so you can have access to it. All right, love you guys so much. See you when we see again. Have a wonderful time. Bye-bye.

Leadership is not a call to conformity. It is a summon to distinction. It is a charge to break barriers, to defy mediocrity, and to blaze trails where none exist.

They come not to maintain the status quo.