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tomorrow. But like I said to him in the office, I said, in his generation, the generational men of God that God is raising, um, God has given Apostle Lazarus a unique assignment to the body, and it's evident. And I do not take for granted the fact that every time we call on him to come our way to minister here He has never turned us down. This is actually the third time he's going to be coming to the Envoy Nation, and the Bible says at the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth is established. And I believe this third coming, just like Apostle Paul said to the Corinthians, I'm coming to you the third time, is going to establish certain truths. And I believe he longs to see us, that he may also impart unto us some spiritual gifts to the end that we may be established. And without much ado, let us receive tonight for this first dose of the word the ministry of our brother all the way from Nigeria, Apostle Femi Lazarus.

Amen. Hallelujah. Um, before we do anything, can we just thank the Lord in the next 1 minute? Let's just give him praise. Let's give Jesus, the owner of the church, praise for what he's been doing here. 4 years is not a joke. Thank you, Lord Jesus. In Jesus' mighty name we're praying. We give you praise, dear Lord, and we give you all the glory. We thank you, we honor you. Blessed be your holy name. In Jesus' mighty name we worship. Let's give Jesus a big hand.

Amen.

And please, before you sit Please now help me honor the angels over this house. Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma. Okay, so by the time I'm done tonight, you will understand the reason why the body of Christ needs to appreciate them more. It's a privilege to be here, sir. Thank you, sir. Thank you so much, sir, for the honor and ma— for the acceptance you've given to me. If you go to a place where you know the word is not scarce, it's not a right, it's a privilege. If he teaches here every day, every blessed day till the end of the year, you can't be bored. The word is fresh. We watch it online, it's fresh. Please help me honor them again. I want to specially celebrate all ministers of the gospel that are here. Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you so much. I came with one of my brothers, Pastor Tayo, all the way from Glasgow. Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Please, we may be seated. Um, so in the next couple of minutes, which I trust God to be able to help me. And what I want to talk about is something I'm so passionate about. So when they handed me the handkerchief, I know it's so prophetic. I'm fighting tears even before teaching, and that's because I want to beg you to please listen. Is that okay? Please do what? Listen. The version of me that came now is not the version that came the last time I came. So when I— please listen. And my core prayer, two major prayers I pray before any meeting, is that one, I will be able to speak that which is in the mind of God. Two, second prayer is that I will not labor but contrary to the spirit of the house. You see that now? So let's turn our Bibles quickly. An event— let's look at an event in the book of Luke chapter number 2. Luke chapter number 2. If you're there, say amen. All right, let's jump a bit to verse 22. Luke chapter number 2 from verse 22, very interesting scripture. And it can— okay, look at it. Now the days of our purification according to the law of Moses was completed. Speaking about Mary now, they brought him to Jerusalem— that's Jesus— to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: every male who opens the womb shall be called holy unto the Lord. Verse 24: and to offer a sacrifice according to to what is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And this man was just and devout, and this man was— I'm sorry— waiting for the consolation of who? Israel. What was upon him? The Holy Spirit. What this means is that John was not the only voice crying in the wilderness. Do you understand what I'm saying? There were people that have been crying quietly, whose voice was not to be heard. Not that it was not heard, Meaning that we can have ministers in a generation that for the strategic nature of the assignment, they must not be viral. Let's look at this. The Holy Spirit— the reason why this is important is so that we do not have a generation that sees virality as the proof of God. God can be doing amazing things in your life and will never let it out. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not— what?— see death before he had seen the Lord, the Lord's Christ. Verse 24. Now, okay, verse 27. Sorry. So he came. He was not even invited for the naming ceremony, meaning that maybe he was not considered as a consequential person enough to be invited. He just came in by the Spirit into the temple when the parent brought in the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law. Verse 28, so he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. I mean, that whatever his life was, there was no peace because of this one miracle. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. You see, anyways, we are Bible scholars. If you were paying attention to what he was saying, he knew something was about to happen, but even God didn't explain to him. He kept referencing Jesus to Israel. But he was more. Do you understand that? And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him. Yes, continue. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, behold, this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for a sign which will be spoken against yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Now there was one another mysterious person, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age and had lived with her husband 7 years from her virginity. And this woman was a widow of about 84 years. So let's say that— let's assume she got married at 33, in '23. Let's just assume, because then they get married early. And then she's been a widow since '30. And now she's 84. Means at least 54 years of her life. Please pay attention because you need to see something. Who did not depart from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. The reason why this is important is because if you do 7 days and you are bragging We are seeing 54 years fasting streak. How many years? At least. And coming in that instance, she also came by the Spirit. She gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. Yes, okay. So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee. To their own city, Nazareth. So I want to show us what the portrait of a genuine move of God looks like, because it is important. Most times people don't know God is moving till there are obvious signs. The day you see the move of God is not the day it starts. What did I say? There are always two parts to it: the event that takes place in the secret and the event that takes place in the open. Let me give you an instance. Anybody who knows anything about architecture and building will understand that the depth of the foundation will determine the height the building can go. So even for your most noble desire The depth of the foundation can frustrate any amount you have in the bank. You can have so much money to build with, but the foundation can say no. I was looking at the documentary about the tallest building in the world. I don't know, maybe in the world now, the Burj Khalifa was built, and I was amazed at the depth of the engineering work If you see a building, you probably will think that the highest spending has gone into what you can see. But I tell you, you lie. The highest spending goes into what you can't see. Meaning that if you are building for ovation, you can't build because you are going to have to invest the work, energy, skill, workmanship into that which cannot be celebrated. And that which can be celebrated will not stand until that which cannot be celebrated stands. So the real growth in our life does not bring applause. It is the product of it that men celebrate.

The real place that matters can't be clapped for.

For Look at this. The greatest move in the whole universe was the coming of Jesus. That's the greatest disruption in human history. And for that, Jesus the Son of God, God who became flesh, to have a ministry uninterrupted, God had to buy time foundationally before he was even born. That's digging deep now. You know what, what this means is that both Simeon and Anna the prophetess had been praying before Mary was born.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

That's what it means. Listen, there is no true move that is not a product of prayer. Listen to what I'm saying, and I will show you why.

54 years.

Maybe when the mother of Mary herself was a toddler, someone began to have a burden that I perceive, God will have me stay in his presence. A desire to fast, a desire to seek God in a way that cannot be explained, that everyone around you will look at your life and say you are a failure. By human metrics and statistics, this is what a failure looks like. You are praying for what you don't know and what you have not seen, what has never happened in human history, yet you say there's a burden. Every time God needs to move, he buys time. He buys time from people who understand sacrifice and how to bend the knee in the place of intercession. You see, most times when we tell stories in the— in the— about the move of God, we don't tell complete stories. You talk about stories of men like Charles Giffney. Do you know that there was a prayer backbone bone for Charles Giffeny, and that's the man Father Nash. The moment Father Nash died, Charles Giffeny stopped crusades. You see, we may appear— one time I brought a friend to our office. To see what a day's routine looks like, the number of people that work behind the scene, their offices and the things they were doing, and was shocked. Ah, I said, do you think you just see things going on in the public? To everything going on in the public, there are unseen forces, people who have dedicated their lives that not in my lifetime would this go down. That's the same way the move of God is. Revival is not just about a spread, it's first and foremost a depth that God will have to dig in. And this is the reason why people have failed and some have lost their lives, because they wanted to build without a foundation.

You hear statement like, we take over the world, we spread the fire, we burn everywhere with fire.

It's interesting, really. There's fire and revival, but that fire must first consume the minister in the place. See, it will first do the internal purging and dissolution of many things. And this is the reason why the one that God will take far, he must first bless them with obscurity. Nothing purges a man like the silence of God when the man is doing everything right.

That a man is praying, is fasting, is sound, is deep, and he's wondering why is it not everywhere? Because God doesn't want it everywhere yet. He cannot push the work until he has first dealt with the minister.

Every time God pushes a man forward, it is not always good news. Listen, this was what David said, and it can be— listen, God used me, let the whole world see what's up with my life. You might be asking for death. Let me tell you what David did was that he said, bring Uriah, put him where the battle is fierce. Is that not promotion? Then let the men who are mighty withdraw from him. So listen to what I'm saying. You see a man hold the mic, he's blasting everywhere, they are calling the man everywhere. It's because valiant men are standing. People who have said, listen to what I'm saying, no, we like what God is doing in your life, we are not intimidated by your fire, we stand by you.

That's the reason you survive.

If God didn't deal with you, you first fight the valiant men, then get into isolation, then you have the repetition of Samson. When Delilah was coming close, there was no one that could say, Samson, Samson, it's not about carrying the gate, watch out. God who made the heavens and the earth— listen to what I'm saying— was going to move, he bought at least 50 years of prayer. God who made the heavens and the earth was going to do an activity, he bought at least how many years? And after the 50 years till Jesus was born, now took 30 years of ministry, of Jesus's ministry 80+ years for foundation, and somebody at 25 is saying, Lord, why are they not seeing me? What would you— if you had seen Jesus at 29, what would you call him? You boast about the things you've been doing that he has not started. Meanwhile, the greatest ministry ever will be the first 30 years of silence. Preach it to your neighbor: silence is still ministry. Obscurity is not defeat, because there are things I'll try say now, and some I'll be able to lay the foundation, then probably be able to talk about it tomorrow. She kept on praying. Simon kept on praying.

Why?

We don't know. First year, second year, third year. Let me tell you this: everything God will do in your life didn't start from you. It is because you are a continuation of something he started. The moment you refuse to acknowledge what he started, you are out. Let me show you a scripture. Deuteronomy chapter number 8, verse 18. Deuteronomy chapter number 8, verse 18. And I'd like to beg you to pay attention. Is that okay? Please pay attention. I give you a very important code. You know, we quote this scripture in respect to, oh, financial prosperity, blah blah blah and all that. Fantastic. God wants us to prosper. But look at this: and you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he that gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers. Listen, you will come on the stage and it will look suddenly like you are better than your fathers.

However, the reason why God is doing now is because of something he said to your fathers. Who may not even be as viral as you are. He is confirming a word that no matter their depth, he promised them they will speak but will not see it in their lifetime. One will come. The moment you begin to despise that generation, you are functioning anti-covenant. God will have to start with someone else who understood that Jesus might be by a well, but Jacob dug it. If we don't understand these simple things, the move of God in every territory— there's no Superman anywhere. Let the valiant men withdraw, Uriah will die. And that's why I want to beg us, those of you who have the ministry to intercede, the day you stop praying—

listen, Intercessors, your man of God is your project. If that man dies without fulfilling, that's your assignment ending. Because we can get on the stage, preach, I'm the one holding mic, but there are people who are on their knees that, Lord, you will give him utterance.

I am the reflection of many labors that are not seen. Are you following what I'm saying here? We see the spread, but there is the depth. There's some— and that's why we must understand. Hey, get this now.

If there's anyone that can tell you, I can. I know what to do. We know what to put out. Everywhere will be on fire. But I called my brothers, I said, all the ministries we celebrate today, none was built in social media age. We must stay in our time but go back to their practice. You don't raise children in the market square. You shut the doors and train.

Sela.

Because this is so important.

The move of God is not just about preaching, it's not just about a powerful message.

Thank God for the message, thank God for the building, so beautiful. But there is the depth. There is the labor in prayer. There is the labor in fasting. Are you following what I'm saying? You know, I really marvel when I see what this generation is concerned about. Sometimes you get questions like, what was the sound at the background of your video? That's it.

Wow, interesting.

Who are the intercessors praying that I as a pastor will even say the right things? Do you understand?

Do you know it's not normal?

That some people must be on their knees, plus the pastor selecting words by the Spirit, only what God wants heard. If you run and your concept of revival is that, without that foundation, just one punch, the building is down. Don't forget, in the Bible, both the wise and the foolish build. And if there was anything called house dedication or housewarming, they did it. But the time came, just one house was standing. It's not about who built first, it's about what, what will stand. And I'm saying this because of my very genuine concerned for what God is doing across the world and also in Africa, what God is doing through different ministers and ministries that is flagging at this point. It is not like anybody is doing anything specially. We are just confirmation of prophecies. There have been things the fathers have prayed for that God said they may not see in their lifetime. Do you understand what I'm saying? A few weeks ago, I went to see Reverend Dr. Omawupai. And we're talking. At some point I became teary. I just knelt down. You know, just hear story, I just want to repeat it. Femi Lazarus, say, sir, pray for me. All these things you are saying, speak your word to my life. Say, what do you want? Very quick. Give me double portion. That's not what I asked for. I was like, it's just some impartations. I just— he looked at me, I lied. He said, I know you have studied what God has done in my life, but have you studied my battles? I said Not exactly, sir, because I know that in one day he lost about 3 children. I was watching Daddy Joe say— I was watching him this morning. And he said when his son died, he had questions, and he said he was asking God, 'You didn't even tell me it was going to happen.' Then he said he asked God again, 'Why didn't you just take me? Just take me instead.' But what shocked me was when he said God didn't even Tell him. No, the way we see God is like our boy. He tells me everything now. I remember when that happened, that some people mocked him, and God did not tear the heavens. To defend. Because we like the kind of anointing that we can say, if I be a man of God, roast now. But the real fire is knowing how to shield your sword even when yet with one statement. So the real fire is that God consumes you to such an extent that even the foolishness of his children are safe around you. Real power is responsibility. I'm not saying people should now go about and say— if you talk rubbish, you're on your own. There are things you don't tell people. Just go and try it. Revival is not just about the noise, even though when there's revival there will be to be noise abroad. Let me show you another reason why It is important we pay attention particularly to the subject of prayer. Look at what the Bible says in Matthew chapter number 12, verse 29. Matthew 12:29. So while we open that scripture, before I read that Scripture. When you read through the entire Bible, you will never find the word revival being used. There are many words that are powerful words, they are genuine, they're true, but they are not expressly used in the Bible. For instance, the word rapture was not expressly used in the Bible. If you go by the law of theology, um, biblical hermeneutics, um, how to establish doctrine, um, all that, there are words that probably will not pass except that we have studied further. So the word revival was not used, but the word revival— revive— was used several times in the Bible. And it is important we understand this in respect to what it truly means to experience revival. To revive or to be revived is to be quickened or to bring something back to life. So if you say revive this, it means to quicken it back to life. The word revival is a very disruptive word, word, because it means to get something, some things or people out of the norm that they are comfortable with, or sometimes they have possibly built a lifestyle around, and bring them to the state they should be. For instance, for instance, people can get comfortable with prayerlessness, and you can build your entire life on being led by your emotions. And as a matter of fact, the fact that it is not the will of God doesn't mean you will not have some human result. You can have results from error. This is the reason why result is not the way we judge where God's posture is. Do you understand what I'm saying?

Because sometimes we get used to it, we build our life around it.

Because recently I started thinking that, hold on a minute, some of the things we are trying to get people to understand, their foundation was not even laid on it.

It's not the life they know. Some are shocked that we pray 3 hours a day, pray 5 hours a day. They are shocked. Now, who does that? Who died?

You know, I went with my friends to have a retreat. They were about leaving the country, went to have a retreat, and we used the— just need a private space, so we use Another friend, his dad is a billionaire. They have a big house that people don't use, so we just took one of those and then stayed there to fast and to pray. Then the guy came around and called one of us and said, you guys have been here for some days, say, yes. Say, what are you people doing? We are praying, we are studying the word of God and worshiping.

Say, ah.

Just like that, I say yes. He said, you guys don't need some NSC or something? I said, no. He said, champagne? I said, no. And you are not— I said, no, we are not. He said, no girl has come here to visit you guys? Ah, we are Nazarites. He couldn't relate with it. And this is the reason why it's not everything deep, deep, deep, deep, because once we start saying— those who are saying deep are those who are mature.

There is the message for those kind who don't even understand our depth, and they need Jesus too. They don't even know what we know, so we can't expect from them what we expect from a mature believer.

So to bring revival to a place is to get things out of the state of death. A classical explanation of revival is Ezekiel 37. It was a valley full of bones, no activity, no life, nothing. But by one word, All dry bones came back to life. Somebody's going to experience revival tonight. I say again, somebody's going to experience revival tonight.

You'll be jacked back to the state of activity, jacked back to the state of life, jacked back to the place of prayer, jacked back to the place of fasting, jacked back to the study of the word, jacked back to intimacy, jacked back to staying with God, delivered from social media, delivered from opinions, delivered from impressions, jacked pack to stay with God, it becomes what you fancy. Modern-day witchcraft is addiction to social media.

Sorry, I don't know how many of us have built our lives. You check, eh, how many comments? You will not be deep, you will not be strong You build your ministry and life on validation.

You've been validated by algorithm. Wake up.

There are decisions we have made in our ministry that may never— in fact, I don't expect it to be appreciated now, but we stay with it for another 20 years. Discipleship is not a public affair. You can't disciple the crowd. You disciple disciples. Yes, training children's food outside, just carry children's food and say, that's you. And I'll tell you why I'm saying that. Before I show you this text, do you know that the move of God in Acts 2 was not with the crowd first? It was with the 120. You may hear it more pronounced that the 12 were with him. The 120 were around. So Jesus had to first lay foundation in them for 3 and a half years of daily teaching before he exposed them to a move.

That is the— that was the reason why they were able to take the world. Why? They were grounded. It was not the crowd first, it was disciples. That's how revival happens. Few people on their knees praying who have been taught doctrine. You know why? Because that spread can take your vocal cords. So he had grounded them, he had sat on them, he had trained them. In fact, after he left, he came back and spoke to Peter. He stayed with them for 40 days teaching again. You don't understand, after resurrection, Jesus still saw the need for more teaching. Jesus—

do you understand what I'm saying? After 3 and a half years of teaching with the word and lifestyle, died, rose from the grave, still came back.

In John 21, he saw Peter had gone back to fish. Peter woke up and said, I go fishing. Guess what? About 7 other guys say, we go with you.

Judas had died. This is what is happening to those that Jesus spent time with despite discipleship. Now imagine those you have not trained that you now put things in their hands.

Abraham armed his trained men.

He didn't train his armed men. When he met Peter, Peter had removed his clothes. He had gone back to his first love—

fish.

Jesus looked at him. And asked all of them a question. Little children, have ye any meat? He said no. The same thing he told him when he first met him. Cast your nets to the right side. The fishes are not on the right, they are where he says to put the nets.

So if you go and cast the net on the right, the following day you see catch nothing.

They go to where he's worked. He was showing him this will be the formula for ministry.

Wherever I say to put it is where it is.

And the moment Peter dragged it and saw the multitude, he remembered about 3 and a half years ago this same scene happened. But he didn't get the gist. He jumped and began to swim. He had caught fish. When he came to the shore, the fish they were trying to catch, Jesus was roasting. Say, 'Fish, eat.' Then he looked at him. 'Lovest thou me more than this. You know, you can do ministry and it's for fish, such that you believe in another 2 and a half years, in another 3 years, there are people you should have caught up with, and here you are in the will of God but no fish. And yet you are correct. If after laboring Jesus still had to do that, I'm just saying the failure to understand true discipleship cannot bet lasting revival. Genuine move of God rests on the shoulder of trained men who are trained not just in prayer but in doctrine. Revival is better through prayer, but sustained on correct doctrine. Do you understand what I'm saying? Say, in the name of Jesus, I will make Jesus proud. Say it again. In the name of Jesus, I will make Jesus proud. Say it again. In the name of Jesus, I'll make Jesus proud. Now look at this subject, and I want you to pay attention to this. Hopefully tomorrow morning I will try to bring light more to this. And what I'm about to show you is not in any way to scare you. But so that you can understand what we are— do you understand what I'm saying? We're talking about prayer. You are thinking— you need to understand the depth of what we are dealing with. Look at this scripture. Let's read together. 1, 2, 3, go. Enter into a strongman's house unless he first bind the strongman. And then now look at this. What this simply means is that in territories There are activities that the devil has been doing in some places for 500 years. There are places that the devil has been doing what he's doing for over 2,000 years. I don't want to make any reference to anything that will make any blogger tag as my opinion. If you check, go and check nations that want to keep people bound to certain rhetorics. They may promote freedom of speech, but you can die for free speech. You understand? There are things that are good for the brand, but in actual terms, you will die. Thing is just not Korea. I can't talk any— go to America, I can't talk any—

I'll shoot you.

You think you are the only one targeting the devil's juggler? Yes, come for—

shoot you.

Let me tell you something. The devil is not logical. He will do everything and anything to maintain control. What did I say? He will do anything and everything to maintain, even if it means killing you. I don't want to tell stories about events in nations. I, I don't want to get there. But whenever you see people that are kept bound, they are kept bound by a strong force.

Bible calls him a strong man, so you can't just wake up. God who has been around from eternity past looked at this guy and said he's a strong man.

Do you understand what I'm saying? Thank God. So I can freely say this. Lawrence is my friend, so I mean he knows my heart. Before you start coming out and say, 'Where then they wouldn't be? I will break the—' Listen, no. Protect your own jugular.

Listen, you know, it's very easy.

My daughter was singing jugular, jugular. I say, hey, we are praying for you, we are praying for you. But I know what I'm saying. People have died because they attempted to set people free that the devil kept bound. Nothing triggers his irrationality like when you try to set his captives free. It becomes irrational, becomes irritated.

He does anything. Listen, the devil will do anything.

So make sure you are not just loud, make sure you are backup. Femi Lazarus. Talking about spiritual warfare over nations, talking about influences that keeps people bound, talking about thought process, talking about what the devil has done to people that they may not be in the same generation but they are thinking alike, and the same thing will keep them bound from one generation to another. To lose a nation from the oppression of the devil is not the assignment of one man. The church must meet. And that's why there are people that God will fasten to your train, that will bring to join you on certain journey. At some point in life, it is important an event that will make the both of you meet happens. If not, you can be taken off without knowing it. Look at that scripture again, Matthew chapter number 12:29. Look at that scripture again. Let's read together. 1, 2, 3, go. How can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will what? To bind. Let me show you another breakdown what this means. 2 Corinthians 10. 2 Corinthians 10, very important scripture. If you're there, say amen. Let's start the reading from verse 3. We read in King James, then we read Message translation. If you are there, say amen. Look at this: for though we walk in what? We do not walk after according to the flesh. No, let's— no, let's go to verse— let's stick to King James, verse 4. Now quickly. Thank you so much, media. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, If they listen— wait, um, is there anyone here who belongs to the military or soldiers? I don't know what people are doing in the military here. They don't fight war. There's no Boko Haram here. Wow, it's good. Just be drinking tea. Wow, Kai, what a nation. Do you know Boko Haram? Sometimes I just see very fine people just post online, I'm now in the US military. Wow, come to Nigerian military, let's show you, show you shake it. You are trained as a soldier to consider the gun as part of your body. That's how to get into precision. If the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, it means they can't be wielded by carnal vessel. The degree of your spirituality will determine the effectiveness of the weapon.

Although they are powerful, they can have different lethal strength in different bu arms.

Same weapon. Yes, sir. Look at verse 4. They are not carnal but mighty through God for the pulling down of what? The strongman has strongholds. That's the secret of the strongman—

strongholds.

There is no land that is in darkness without a stronghold. Let's look at the way Message translation breaks down verse 4. Verse 4, just verse 4, Message. All right, quickly, verse 4, Message Translation. Look at it. The world is on principle. It is dog eat dog out there. The world doesn't fight fair. Are you seeing that? But we don't live or fight our battles that way. Never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that an entire massively corrupt culture. So the devil has a way to keep himself long in the territory. He doesn't just want an activity, he wants a lifestyle, a lifestyle that is backed up with a body of knowledge. You can't put that out with shouting.

Look at this, we use a powerful God's tool for smashing earth philosophies. So the reason why they oppose the gospel, the reason why they hate what we do, is because there is a body of knowledge.

And guess what? Philosophy is attractive to intelligent people. So there is a, there's a, there's a body of works, wrapped philosophies. I mean, if you say it, even you without knowing Christ, if they say those things in your ears, you will run with them. The reason why you can't run, because you have a bias.

You've been taught They are philosophers, but they are robbed, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God. The Bible called this man, men in whom the god of this world had blinded their minds. They are listening with their ears.

The mind is the place of interpretation.

Their ears might be open. What blindness of the mind means is, as they are hearing you They are interpreting and something else is being mixed. And that's why we pray before we hold the mic to speak. We engage the work of angels, we engage the work of the Holy Ghost. You will go into their minds and pull down strongholds. It is not enough to preach. There is the work that is not seen. It is not even about the depth or the sound of the message, it's about the backing.

A message can be so loud and yet no transformation.

Formation. Why? No prayer. The most important activity behind what we do is prayer. It isn't— listen, what I think I have in my head to tell the people may never be what can address their situation, but as I go down on my knees, I lay down my vocal cords that you will give me utterance. Utterance is not smooth Utterance is saying what he once said. You will give me utterance. It will get there, break asunder every established strongholds. It will be your strong words against the strongholds. That's why we pray. We are dealing with clusters of darkness. We are dealing with powers, ancient spirits. That a man can come to church, hear all the words, the trainings, and still beat the wife— that's more than character defects, that's a spirit. So it is not enough to call them and say we counsel you.

He knows what you are saying.

He knows what you're saying.

Why can't he do it? There's a spirit behind it. We get on our knees over the family of Mr.

Bola. Now when you speak, it will be heard.

That's why the most effective activity of the pulpit is intercession. You know what I found out? Intercessors can't criticize. You can't be interceding for a person and be fighting them. Once you are interceding, compassion wells your heart. Ra te ka pa la te. Over Leicester, we intercede that the blood of Jesus will speak over the people.

The light of God spread. That's how we birth revival.

We first bind the strongmen. We beg them through prayer. We dislodge the satanic buildups. We dislodge what they have been building all the years. You must understand, the devil is an ancient being. What he's doing is not contemporary, is ancient. He repeat methods that have worked. And most times the most dangerous temptation is the one you know, because you feel is easy. The first Adam, food. Second Adam, food. Because you feel you know it, you feel you don't need grace to overcome, and that's where you fall. We pray. There is no activity of God that will be sustained over any territory if it's not backed up with prayer. There are two folds of prayer. Listen, and these two are as important as the other. One is the prayer that the activity of God succeeds. That's known. But you know the most effective prayer? That the people that God is using to bet activity that they are not sacrificed for the activity. Because the devil knows how to watch a man do the things of God and people are aroused. He knows that with one event he can discredit everything. The man has ever stood for.

How it go so loud?

Because he knows so great will the fall be. And when the fall comes, guess the people who are not trained who first point fingers? The people he came to minister to. This is the reason why you don't build ministry You must learn how to get—

you understand what I'm saying? Get intercessors.

And listen, while you have intercessors backing you up, understand that personal prayer cannot be delegated. Peter said we'll give ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Oh, Apostle Lazarus, we are praying for you. Thank God. You see this thing called mic? People have taken it to their graves and died with it. Don't be addicted to it. Pull it down, drop it sometimes. Lock the door, shut everything, and stay in the place of prayer. Stay in the place of prayer. Stay in the place of prayer. Oh Lord, I know you are going to move through me in the name of Jesus Jesus would help me stand unto him that is able to keep me from falling and present me spotless before the Father.

I know you are doing amazing things, but keep me, keep my heart from defilement, keep my soul There are, there are things I can't say.

And you're not exposed to money. Do you know what real money is? I'm telling you, real money, because that rate men based on affluence. So you know that your story can go down without anybody remembering you came. So you will want to compromise for self-preservation, and you can do ministry with unjust gains now. In all your prayers, pray for your heart. Where the heart of the minister gets corrupted, pure stream stops, stop flowing. Oh Lord, help me. I've shown you two face of it, but I'm going to continue from here tomorrow. There is the activities the devil is doing over territories. Over families, over marriages, over individuals, over nations. You can't stroll in and set them free. You are going to the house of a strongman. You've got to understand the way of power.

And this one is not just falling down and scattering chairs. We are talking about internal strength.

Let's be on our feet as I show you the last text, then I lead us to prayer and I leave. Turn our Bibles quickly, Book of Isaiah. Just Just flow, just flow. Isaiah chapter number 40. Isaiah 40. We start the reading from— let's start the reading from verse 28. Isaiah chapter number 40, verse 28, quickly. Hast thou not known that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. Giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary.

They shall walk and—

the antidote to fainting is waiting. Listen, long after a man's fire is going cold, activity can be sustained. It can be the ground where people die. Don't fake it.

Once you know intimacy is going down, cry. Forget people, forget the crowd. If you die, they will mock you. If anything go wrong, they will leave you. Forget them, stay with God. Forget the applause. I'm telling you, nobody really cares. Stay. You are here and you know the fire is going out. Go on your face. Lord, I'm tired of looking like a