UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEM OF EGYPT

Welcome to an encounter with the spirit, word, and prayer through the prolific apostolic and teaching ministry of Apostle Femi Lazarus, lead pastor of Sphere of Light Church Global. It is his vision to raise God's end-time armies.

God has not called you to prove you are the best. He has not. As a leader, you are a broker of gift and talent.

So brace up for an experience.

Thank you, Lord. Lift your hands and give Jesus praise. Thank you, Lord. We bless you, Lord. We bless you, Lord. Come on, come on, lift your hands and just bless him. Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. Say sweet things to him. Say sweet things to him. Say sweet things to him. Bless Bless you, Lord. Oh, we bless you, Lord. Oh, we bless you, Lord. We give you all the praise and glory. Thank you, Lord. You stand out in your class. You are God all by yourself. We give you praise. Who is like unto you, O Lord, in all the earth? Who is like unto you? Glorious in holiness, fearful in praises. You do wonders, you perform miracles. Thank you, Lord. We bless you, Lord. Thank you, Father. Blessed, blessed be your holy name. In Jesus' mighty name we are praying. Before we sit, can we just give Jesus a big hand? Hallelujah! Amen. Let's pray in the Holy Ghost. Rako shinde ogo shinde ogo shinde. Let's pray in the Holy Ghost. Let's pray in the Holy Ghost.

Oh yes, oh yes.

Let's pray in the Holy Ghost. Let's pray in the Holy Ghost. Rako shente, roko shente. There is no hindrance to what the Lord is set to give us tonight. There's no hindrance to what the Lord has said to give us tonight! There's no hindrance— there's no hindrance to what the Lord has said to give us tonight! There's no hindrance whatsoever; there's no hindrance whatsoever to what the Lord is He's set to give his children tonight. There is no hindrance. In the name of Jesus, there's no hindrance. Thank you, blessed Father. In Jesus' mighty name we are praying. Amen. Okay, thank you, Lord. Please turn your Bibles with me to the book of Exodus chapter number 1, and I want us to please listen keenly and attentively, and, and I want us to read in between the lines. Is that okay? Let's do what? Let's read in between the lines. There are things that we need to see. Okay, Exodus chapter number 1. We start the reading from verse 6. If you are there, say amen. Amen. All right, thank you. And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful And increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty, and the land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come on, let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply, and it come to pass that when they, when they falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies and fight against us. And so get them up out of the land. Verse 11, and they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they build for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Rameses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service wherein they made them serve was with rigor. Okay, let's stop there. Very interesting conversation here. And such that, um, demands our attention. And I want us to look at it. So we— let's break what we have just read into two, okay? Verse 7 now says, the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly and multiplied and waxed exceeding mighty, and the land was filled with them. So that described their state. Is that okay now? That was a description that was not biased, okay? This is the nature of the children of Israel. They grew, they multiplied, they increased, the land was— that was their state described. Is that simple enough? Is that simple enough? The same way you can call him and say, um, let me describe Robert. Robert is a very tall guy. Is that describing his state?

Is he tall?

Now that is his state. Okay, he's not so tall. Ladies, wow. Okay, I'm looking up to him. Okay, you are tall. Okay, so he's tall. I say, yeah, that tall guy there. I'm describing him, but maybe not full description. Is that okay? Now, that was their state. That was— let's look at their state again. Please go back, verse 7 again. And no, verse 7: they were fruitful, they increased abundantly, they multiplied, and they waxed exceeding mighty. Meaning that part of the— their description was that they had might. Is that okay? That was their state. Is that simple enough? We are looking at something. Now let's look at another scripture, that same Exodus 1. Let's look at verse— okay, from verse 8 and 9. Exodus 1 from verse 8 and 9. Look at it. And there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

Yes.

And he said to his people, behold, Somebody say, behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. So first we got a description of their state, then second, we are— secondly, we are now getting another description based on Pharaoh's observation. One, it is clear they were more in terms of population. Number two, they were more in terms of might. That is, if they were going to beat their plows, all right, their plow forks into spears, they had more men of war. Is that okay? That was their state. Then Pharaoh recognized that state. Recognize the state. This is the anchor of my teaching tonight. The Bible gave us a description of their state. Then Pharaoh also came and said, 'I'm aware they are more, and then they are mightier.' The only fellow that was ignorant about the state was them. So what we want to look at is how can a nation that have fewer people and less might colonize the one that had more people and more might? How can a nation that had fewer people and less might rule over those that had more people and more might? So the question is, what determines the strength of nations? If you ever feel the church has a role in nation building, then tonight is that night. Okay, let's, let's think about it again. Hello, are you with me?

Good.

Let me give you this illustration. We're going to look at the negative side of this teaching, then we're going to look at the positive side of this teaching. It's amazing, it's so rich, the information here, you need it. Okay, let's look at this. When Nigeria, for instance, look at this illustration, was going to be colonized, did the whole of Great Britain come to Nigeria? Talk to me. Not the whole of Great Britain. They sent a few guys who saw your might, saw your numbers, and decided to colonize you regardless. Why? Because you didn't see it. That's the only reason. Because you didn't what? Sì, that's the only reason these guys colonized Nigeria, colonized many countries, even America. They did. There is something about awareness that puts you in front. You are not going to be greater than your level of awareness. Hm? Your result will never exceed what you know about yourself. Tell your neighbor, you have to be aware. Do you know who you are? Ask your neighbor, do you know who you are? And that's why the Bible says that A man, when he comes to the place of honor but knoweth it not, is like a beast that—

what? Perish.

That is, it will be a city without walls. It will be easily taken down. He has no defense. Because there's awareness, puts you in the mold or in the form where you take responsibility for what you carry. Okay, so that's what I want us to see, because this strategy here even has a lot to do with the birth of Jesus. You see, when you read the Bible until the days of, um, the Roman Empire Usually when a nation wants to take over another nation or hold them captive, what they do is that they go to their nation and then bring them over to their own land, like they carried away into Babylon. In this case, they came with their own leg to enter Egypt with food, for food, okay, for food. Yes, they came with their own leg, right? Yes. Food always leads people to Egypt. I'll show you why. I'm going to get there. Okay, so you see that in every case that nations exercised the right over another nation, it was because they brought them from their own nation into their own territory. Okay, in all those times— are you with me? Are you sure? I'm, I'm going somewhere, just follow me carefully. In all those times Jesus could not be born, and I'll tell you why. Because God wanted a situation that will at least mirror a typology of what he intends to do. If this strategy is the strategy God intends to do, to use, it will only mean that the only way for the kingdom to come is for you to die. You have to be taken from the earth, taken to heaven. That's how heaven can have jurisdiction over you. But he wanted a system where you can be where you are with one person that can be extension of heaven's rule. When the colonial masters came, the Queen herself did not come at first, sent someone as a representative. When he speak, he spoke with the authority of the Queen. So when the Roman Empire came up with their own new governmental method, they were ready. Remember, the disciples were asking Jesus, now have you come to restore the kingdom back to Israel? And Jesus said, no, no, no, I didn't come for politics. You see that? Because they were thinking, because the Romans were there with them exercising the rule over them in their own land. And that's why when they asked Jesus, teach us to pray, he said, pray like this: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Your kingdom come talks about your domain, your influence. The influence of your jurisdiction should come. If there is sickness and I can go with the healing anointing, I brought the kingdom. If there is pain and I can come with life and relief, I brought the kingdom. The kingdom is the sphere of God's economy. Anywhere it is felt, that's the kingdom. The way the British did it was that they sent someone, a governor general, who came speaking as the Queen. So when Jesus was to be born, the prophecy went forth. Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. Government shall be upon his shoulders. Is not going to take you there to now establish government. Is coming with the government on his shoulders. With his presence, you know that heaven has come to earth. And the person who extends that governmental policy is the person of the Holy Spirit. He's been with us residentially here since the day of Pentecost. He will not go back until the harvest of the earth is ripe. Look at this. That is by one extension. So the Holy Ghost extends the influence of the government of heaven through sons. It doesn't do it directly, it does it when he finds people.

Amen.

We're going to get to where I'm going. What I've said so far, is it a bit clear? So let me explain. In Egypt, they had to live where they were to come to Egypt, for Egypt to lord over them. The same thing in Babylon, okay? But in the era of Jesus, that was not the kind of kingdom God wants to portray. He wants to portray a kingdom where you don't have to live where you are for the kingdom to influence you. If not, you will have to die for you to experience the kingdom. But you can experience the kingdom here because of the person of the Holy Spirit and because he's resident in his children who extends the kingdom. I'm a— I'm an extension of God's government. Where there is sickness, We come with healing. Where there is death, we bring life. We extend the kingdom. Say it again. We extend his kingdom. Do you understand to that point? Is it simple till that point? Now look at this. When it comes to kingdom extension, you are talking about a kingdom of higher authority coming to influence a lesser one. True? Talk to me.

True?

Do they do so by bringing everyone in that kingdom down? No. Just one person who can fully extend everything the kingdom stands for. When we understand this, you will understand that one of my kind is enough for a state, for the influence to be felt. But it is important that we are many so a system can be built, so that God will not put me in a place and he's saying, I'm looking for a man. I am now no longer just a person, I am an extension of a government. Is it simple enough? That was what Great Britain understood. That was why fewer guys could come and see that you were actually— you were more and still hold you in your own land. It is not about numbers, it is about awareness. So let's, let's, let's do games of— game of numbers tonight. Tell your neighbor, it's not about numbers. It is about awareness. Say it again. It's not about numbers, it's about awareness. So when you look at the Israelites, how come God saw they were many, they were mightier? Pharaoh saw they were more, they were mightier. And what were they seeing? We were like grasshoppers in our own sight. So were we in their sight. What affected their sight? Now don't forget that they actually lacked recognition before they began slave trade— slavery. Oh, it was not slavery that eroded their sight. In fact, they got into slavery because they had no sight. Is it simple enough? No. Affliction doesn't take away vision. It is actually the lack of vision that takes people there. It doesn't. In fact, what affliction will likely do is to strengthen the vision. If you have missed it, take you back. Oh, I've missed God in this area. Now I need to go and search for him. I can find God again. But when there is no vision, the Bible said, in a land that there is no vision, the people perish. In fact, the root word there is not the word perish. The root word there is to cast off restraint. There are things you will not embrace when you don't think your life is so much. You will not be careful, you will not do the things you should do. So look at this. Usually, and history has shown us this, fewer people control more people because of something they know that those people don't know. There is this game, I can't remember the name of the game. If you can remember, please remind me. It's a game they play where people will sit down. You have villagers and then you have wolves or something. What's the name? Mafia? Okay, that's not the name I know. There's another name where you have— so now you will have— listen to this— you have people right there among the circle who are like the wolves, then the rest are villagers. Okay, then every now and then they close their eyes and you tell the villagers they have 2 minutes to spot the wolves. And if they don't spot the wolf, the villagers— one of the villagers will be taken out, something like that. Eventually the villagers end up killing themselves. So they say, we point at this person, looks like it. At the end of the day, they tell them, oh, that fellow you killed is one of you. Usually The wolves survive because when you have few people that have information, they control majority that don't. By what strength did Egypt conquer the nation of Israel? Information. This is Abuja. So you need this. I'm going to continue regardless. You'll have to hear like 10 times. I don't mind, I will teach. By what strength did they do that? They knew something that these guys did not know about themselves. They knew it is possible to go apply for a job in the wrong organization. And they know that you should be the manager. You can go for interview and they are wondering what brought you here. You should not be applying for this role, but since you are not aware, do the work of that role with this salary. Lack of awareness. And most times people get there because of false humility. Low self-esteem looks like humility, but it is not. Any humility you have when you don't know yourself is not humility. You can never say a man is humble until he tastes resources. Do you understand what I'm saying? Yes. Money reveals tendencies. Sometimes people can't just afford their temptation, period. If they are watching African Nations Cup— by the way, I couldn't sleep. I won't go there again. Let's leave that. I couldn't sleep. It was like they were flogging me. Let's leave it. If they are watching African Nations Cup and you don't have light, there's no light in your neighborhood, what will you do? You can't say, I don't feel like watching. You don't have light. True. People are saying, I don't feel like doing what they can't afford to do. No, you are not that strong. You can't afford it. Sometimes you can't afford some ego. That's why you are not egocentric. It's not like you are humble. I'm not talking about you now, I'm talking about people. Do you understand what I'm saying? You just can't afford that level of pride. Simple. The reason why we need to teach this is because it is still happening. What makes few minority control larger group of people? The information at their disposal. The problem I have with this teaching is that we are convincing ourselves that the proof that you are a true Christian is that you become part of the larger majority that has no information, and then you are controlled by the minority who have accepted to go the route you refuse to go because you believe that once you carry your cross, you are not of this world. Yes, you are not of this world, but you are in the world. And you cannot complain about the rot of a system you abandoned. When light leaves a place, darkness is automatic. So when you vacate, don't complain about darkness. Is that okay? I'm still going on the side, so let me get to where I'm going now so we can get into some very serious stuff. Keep my topic on the screen. Are you still with me? Are you learning something? Okay, so how does the system of Egypt operate? They said these guys were more, they were mightier. So how did they deal with them? By putting burdens on them. By putting what? Burdens. In fact, listen to this, the kind of burdens they place on them was that they took them— look at what they did. Let's go back to Exodus 1. Let's read this with modern English. Let's interpret this well. Are you with me? Exodus 1, let's start the reading from verse 10. Look at what Pharaoh said. He said, come on, let us deal wisely with them. That is, whatever we want to do now, we stop them from multiplying. Say, less they multiply. And it come to pass, when therefore let out a war, they join also unto our enemies and then fight against us and get us. And so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them. With their burdens, and they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Rameses. So you know what they did? In order to destroy their might consciousness, they took them from skilled labor into unskilled labor. If you are building a city and you are not in charge of the architectural drawing, what you do is carry cement, carry stone. When they say they are demoralizing you, The same thing that happens when you take a medical doctor from Nigeria and you say, come to America. And what was he doing? Washing plate. Because he left there for where there's food. What have you done? You have broken his might. Let's get somewhere. In the game of might, mighty nations don't need your mighty men actually to contribute to the economy. First, they need your mighty men away from yours so you can't grow with them. They don't mind wasting them. It is not important what they do as long as they are not doing it in your shoes. Yeah, what were they building? Treasure cities. What they were saying is fine. Who built it? Them. Take away immigrants from their system, what is left? Nothing. Who is building? Them. Nation builders who are not allowed to build theirs. That's what they did.

That's what they did.

Who was doing the building? Them.

For who?

Pharaoh. The cities they were building, they were not allowed to live in it. They'll come back to Goshen, but they were building mighty edifice. It happens everywhere. You can look at every city is almost divided into two. There are places for the high class or higher class, then there are places that those who are building that place, they coming, they are coming from. Usually you see where they are coming from, there's traffic every morning and evening. They are building where they can't live.

Why?

No information. Egypt is fine. Who built it? Them. And when they were— when they build, they give them impression you are not doing something serious. After all, you're not doing the brain work. Just put this— but who was doing the work? Them. Do you understand to this point? Is it simple enough? We're going somewhere. As I said, what I'm about to teach is quite risky, but we'll teach it. In a very neutral way now. What I'm thinking is it neutral? Okay, it's neutral. Have you seen what I'm seeing happen? Just like, um, sorry, permit me to mention, majority of those working on the island in Lagos live on the mainland. How do you go to work seeing fine places that you can't afford? And those places are standing because of your contribution. But you have to go back and eat your own cucumber and garlic. You think they were vegetarians when they say we ate cucumber, garlic, and melon? What happened to the fine meat? They couldn't afford. Cucumber meat. Are you still with me? Again, I'm asking, who was doing the building? Talk to me. Who was doing the building? What were they building?

Cities.

Powerful cities. Who was building? Israel. They moved from their house to build, then come back to their houses. And their children come back and say, wow, amazing cities! Who built it? Look at this and pay attention to this sequence. If you get what I'm about to show you now You understand Nigeria, you understand Africa, you understand your life. Can I give you this illustration? Okay, um, please, please come. Let me clap for him. Come, look at this man. He's a very wealthy man. Okay, he's a very wealthy man, and no wealthy man wants to stop at the point of wealth. There's something higher than wealth, and I'm going to show you. Okay, please come. Now this is the other guy. Don't worry, you are wealthy in Jesus' name. Not wealthy. This guy is wealthy. But this guy is not wealthy, and this guy is just the only one. Can I have like 10 brothers? If you can, please give me. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Please come, come here. Thank you. Please don't forget this illustration. Thank you. Okay, we're good now. Please come. Yes, we're good now. This guy is wealthy, he can afford anything he wants to buy, but he wants something more. The wealthy want something more. They don't want to stop at the level of the wealth, still want one more thing. It's called power. To have power, you need more than money. At that point, money— you see, it is for the poor man that money is for purchasing items. When you go higher, money is to buy this. So to move from wealth to being powerful, you need to have them in your pocket. And to have them in your pocket— are you still with me? To have these guys in your pocket, it is only important that they are very poor. So at this point, poverty is of high economic value for this guy. It has high purchasing power. It is important that the poor is poor so that the powerful can be powerful. Without their poverty, he can't lead them. So he needs to control these guys. He's just the only one. They can shake the table and take him off, but he has the money to buy their loyalty. The loyalty of a poor man is cheap. To buy their loyalty, he needs to— now listen to this— when they come to him, he can never give them what will bring them out of this state because they need them in this state to control them. That's why you complain in Africa. Why is it few cups of rice? Cups and all those things? Because they need to be coming every 4 years. Poverty is a very powerful tool. It keeps the powerful in power. If care is not taken, even the church will bow to this. As long as he can steal treasuries and say it's tight, will bow. So this guy comes to this guy's house and you see them queue at his door. What will he give them? Rice, meat. He doesn't mind killing cow every day, but he could give them money for one cow. You go establish yourself. If he gets established, he can't have him again. So he should never be established. It will only give him what will keep him coming. This is the difference between worldly system of leadership and transformational leaders. A transformational leader wants to give you what will make you independent. If care is not taken in church, we'll only have people who keep coming because they are broke. It is not revival. As long as our gathering is for those who are beggarly, it is not revival. They could do the same thing before gods and goddesses of the land as long as he gives them. And many times when they come like this, they still go there in the night. Empowerment. Are you with me? What is this guy's begging to? Money. And guess what? These guys come together, they will kill themselves to win his favor. Instead of them coming together and empowering themselves and break his yoke, no, they will never. They will kill themselves, drag themselves, insult themselves, put tire around their own neck for stealing what they don't have. If you have the police amongst them, it will kill his kind for what he also lacks. And this guy is just playing a small game. As long as you are in lack, you are in this equation. You wonder— I'm getting somewhere now— why is it that all the hate that Africa has been receiving has never brought Africa to poverty? Nobody will give you what will make you like them. It is the game nations play. There are two ways to this. Listen, ah, are you still with me? Should I stop teaching? Do you want to hear this part? Okay, look at the games nations play. If at all I'm going to give this guy anything worthwhile, if at all I'm going to give him anything worthwhile, I'm going to give this nation anything worthwhile, I have to make sure that it never becomes much. In their hand. The only way it will never become much is for me to support and make sure that the people over them will steal it. I need them to steal it, and I'll tell them it's free and fair. Let's leave the rest. If I cannot but give them something big, I need thieves. As long as they are there, they keep me in power. What I'm trying to show you is that no nation will break free until transformational leaders rise. And how will we do that? Empowerment. The church must start telling people the truth that empowers them. Empowerment. Can I show you a scripture that will shock you? Look at what Jesus said. Luke chapter number 4, verse 18. Luke 4:18. Please look at this. Luke 4:18. Look at what Jesus said. The Spirit of the Lord is, is upon me because he has anointed me to do what? To the poor. It's not the anointing should make you give everybody what they need. He says what a What man needs first is the good news and information, not money. He needs to know you're only broke sitting on gold. There's something you have not found, and it is in words. That is what he said. He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. Because that's what they need. If you ever tell people they are more than what they think they are, you're empowering them, and that's the good news they need. Do you understand this illustration? Unfortunately, this system, if care is not taken, will also operate it in church. That the only way to keep people coming— go and check church history— is to make sure that they don't have information as much as the pastor. Was there not a time that people don't have access to the Bible, just the priests, and they use it for their own corrupt practices? When you teach people the whole truth, listen to this, you're empowering them. And part of what you're empowering them to do is to leave you if need be. And that's what people don't like. You are not empowered if I raise you not to be able to leave me. Empowerment means that if at any point there's a need to, you leave. Empowerment is not for dependency. Look at this. Which of these will empower these guys? You are anointed. The Spirit of God is on your inside. You have the same Holy Spirit I have, and you can do the things I'm doing and more. That was what Jesus did. Greater things than this you will do. And compared to— I'm special, you know, my hands are just specially anointed, I'm just different, I'm this— they keep looking at themselves, oh, we are not like him, and they will never become. This is how to keep people small. Push yourself higher, reduce who they are in their sight. They never grow. The church must go back to empowerment. Tell your neighbor, you are more than what you think you are. You are more than what you think you are. Do you understand this illustration? Please, let's clap for them. Be seated.

Our story in the city of Abuja is similar to the story of Jacob who said, by my rod I have passed through Jordan, but now the Lord has made me two bands. You remember how that recently God sent us to Abuja in what I will call the most humble movement. We came practically trusting God for what to do next and how he's going to help us with the words of prophecy he has given to us about the city and the armies arising. And guess what? God is doing just that. Recently we have been seeing the move of God in the most unbelievable way possible, with his word reaching the unreached, converting sinners to saints, bringing people who have lost hope in church. And now this has necessitated the need for expansion so that we do not fall out of what God is doing. Where we are currently is stringent for us, with rules that will limit meet what God is doing amongst us. The gospel is free, but the propagation requires a lot of funding. We want our friends, partners, and everyone connected to our ministry to join us as we undertake this project together. We have the urgent need to expand, and we believe that this is the kairos moment for us to do that. We are importing our own tent all the way from China and getting everything needed to fill that space and have a conducive place where we can have our apostolic work beyond what we are having now at the moment. The structure you are seeing on your screen is exactly what we are working at, at the moment. Believe you me when we say that people who are blessed can be blessed much more when we have our own place. We want you to join us as we undertake this project. We need your support. We're counting on you and your generosity. We are working towards a project of ₦180 million in this season. You have the account details on the screen. Use the account details as God has laid in your heart. God bless you so much. We love you from all of us at Sphere of Light Church. Thank you. For always.

Hi there! God is raising for Himself an end-time army, and this is the mandate that He has given to us. Truly, the harvest is plenteous, but we need you on board as a laborer. This is a call to partner with what God is doing in this great house. To become a monthly partner with us at Sphere of Light Church and Femi Lazarus Apostolic Ministries Ecumenical, kindly reach us via the number +234 903 095 9735. To give an offering or to sow a seed, kindly make use of these account details being displayed. The gospel of Jesus is spreading. Thank you for being a part of it.

See, systems Systems can only be defeated by counter systems. Let me just put a bit of stretch to something, okay? And I'm going to make sure that— okay, let me swallow what I want to say. Let me— but I will tell you what I want to tell you. Listen, I'll tell you. The issue is not like we are not trying. The issue is, if we keep praying without empowering people, nothing will change. Nothing will change. You have to tell people, you are more than what you think you are. Look at yourself, tell yourself, I am more than this. It is not motivational statement, it is the truth. Tell yourself again, I am more than this. You see, the way Sphere of Light Church operates, in this church we trust our product. If I pastor people for 2 years, you will raise pastors from amongst them. 2 years is too much. Pastor you for 2 years, then you'll be seated just enjoying the word. No, no, no, no, no, no. It is empowerment for you to get up and do what I'm doing and more. And it is not a call to preach, do it in your own field. What happens when they get empowered? They will not come to church for midweek service. That is when discipleship is not complete. And yes, there's an aspect of work that may mean that they may not be able to come. Because they have resumed their own ministries in different fields, in business world, in all those places. Not because they are backslidden. The problem is when we pray for Esther to get to the palace and she gets beauty with the duty of the palace, we say she has backslidden. What then were we praying for? The church is called Ecclesia, house of synod. Powerful men gather. It's not a gathering of the defeated. What keeps us coming is not need, it is koinonia, love and affection for him. That's not what keeps us coming, not need. Thank God for the need. What keeps us coming is because we love him. We know there is a light here. We come to hear it and have it and run with it. I'm doing my own duty. This is my job description. This is my PPA. You have your PPA. Guess what? It's not here. You hear from here to take it to your PPA. When we come back, we come back as stars gathering. People look at our pictures and they are amazed. Is that not that guy? Is that not that girl? Stars have come together. The church is a place of empowerment. Jesus is not coming for this beggarly church. Rapture is not an escape. Rapture is the groom coming for his bride. Not a defeated bride. Not the one that was raped. The bride that is dressed in the robe of righteousness without spot, without wrinkle. That is the church. My fear about our current model is that if we wait for Jesus long enough and it's not coming through, there's another person that will do it. I will come back and give testimony about what the person did. We'll do it in the name of Jesus because testimony pacifies our ego. No, the most risky part of a service is testimony. How do you mention my name when you are talking about what Jesus did? It's not my business. I've seen many times, someone say, please pray for me. I don't have time to do for the person. I don't have time. I didn't get the time. I was so busy. I said, I'll call, I'll call, I'll call. Later they say the thing came true. He will still do what he will do. Let me tell you how we journeyed in Spirit of Light Church. I've shared this before. One time I sat down and I've been praying to God. Ah, you know, let me see. I'm a very honest person. I'm saying, God, we're in Ibadan then. We just said, but what is happening in our church? It's like the— what the kind of people are we attracting? I'm telling you, I know I have a job to do, but at least make it easy to start from somewhere. This one is saying God say I should let them. So one time, no, I will tell you, one time I started listening to testimony in church. This one will say, hey, praise Master Jesus, amen. Say, I want to thank God, I was on bike, one car hit our bike, it didn't move and move. Thank God for the covenant of life in this house. I did not die. Praise the Lord. Okay, then this one comes again and say, praise amen. Say, I want to thank God, my house rent expired, then one of my uncle just sent me ₦10,000. How much is the rent? ₦25,000. Say, that was— then this one come again and say, I want to thank God for the covenant of life. The other day I enter into mikra, mikra, they were kidnapping people, they did not kidnap me. So I now thought, if you are not on bike, this testimony is not necessary. If you had your own car, the mikra salvation is not necessary. If you— so the miracles are poverty sponsored. But you know what can keep you going as a pastor like that? Because it massage your ego. The covenant of life in this house. Say, oh, I'm a man of God. Why is their levels not changing? Why is their level not changing? This one bike. This one, Micra. That one, hey, this one said I was trekking. They almost call him. With just a change of level, then God will be busy doing more things. And then if you have one gen and you want to start service, it is very easy for the devil to attack that gen because there's no standby gen. I'm not taking away the place of supernatural rescue by God, but I'm saying that sometimes you are in that position in the first place because you have not broken through. But you won't— we know we don't like the truth. And I saw it, so I started asking, how can we live here? How can my people be empowered? What can change? Unfortunately, there are still people that believe. It is, it is amazing that as long as you're a Christian, poverty is your bride to hug, that there's no part of the gospel that liberates you.

Are you kidding?

I understand that people are angry because maybe— I'm not saying maybe— they believe, and it has happened too. That some people took a message and call it prosperity message to enrich themselves. You see that? And when we hear those things, we are averse to it because our route of prosperity is that give, it shall be given. Through what route? Give, it shall be given. No, no, do anything. If it is giving, it's stealing. Ah, God is not a money doubler. Does he reward faithfulness? Yes, he does. But he's going to bless the works of your hands. That's what he's going to do. You have giftings, you have abilities that can travel around the world. Are you aware that somebody who has the gift, oratory gift, to talk to people to encourage people, can just start a YouTube channel and every month, just in the corner of his own space, is getting more than $10,000. And he doesn't even know. Things are different now. This is not about people wearing— see, let me tell you, when some of us were growing up, say, what do you want to become? They used to know. The ones that said they want to become doctor, they were the good children. They want to say don't become pilot. Most of them did not become pilot. The doctor, they gave the guy botany. That's the herbal part. They study plants. Pilot, don't do— don't study math now, physics. That's why I say that most of our campuses places. You have lecturers who are angry because you are going in a direction they couldn't go. Unfulfilled dreams. A lecturer that planned to finish first class, another lecturer stopped him at 4.48. You now, you now say you are in 4.5 something, they will cut you. It's recycling of pain. See, when you leave many defeated people in the same place, they'll finish themselves. It's— that's what is happening. Sometimes you look at it online, you see people— somebody has stolen bread, bread, and we shout, thief, thief, thief! And They buy petrol that is more expensive than the bread and a tire that is more expensive than the bread to burn him for stealing a bread of ₦100. Then the same people frustrate for those stealing their Commonwealth. When you make people small There is nothing they will not do to harm themselves. It's systems. You will not be small in Jesus' name.

Amen.

When this ministry started, I called our people. If God is calling any of you to a work Let me know. We will not hold you down. Majority of those I thought will be with me in the future, God called them, supported them. Did I cry in the private? Yes, I did. But I will not start preaching, I will not start teaching a message to make you feel if you are doing what God has called to do, you are disloyal. No, we are not raising followers, we are raising empowered leaders. It can't just be us, it can't just be It can't just be— you can't curse people because God called them. What were you raising them for, to be subordinate? No. Any system that keeps people small is oppressive. It is, it is oppressive. Do you have light tonight? Oh yes, this is how systems work. Oh Lord, I feel I need to give you some 2 minutes to ask for greater light. You know why? These are not teachings you listen to without a corresponding action. Do you understand what I'm saying? After this meeting, you know what to do. Are there people like that that know what to do by the Spirit? Take 2 minutes out, pray in the Holy Ghost for light, greater light. Greater light. Out of my belly shall flow rivers, rivers of living water. In Jesus' Mighty name we are praying. Please be seated. Let me give you a parable. Let me give you a parable. I'm gonna remember when we did on masking Jezebel, story about Elijah. You remember? Okay. When he was intimidated and he got frustrated, what did Elijah say? He said, I'm not better than my forefathers. He said, let me die. Okay, what was God's response to him? First, he made him eat. Then God— look at what God said, and I, I, I wish the church will hear this and understand this. Let me just say this to you. There are teachings that if there are few people teaching it, you put them at risk. The only way out is that we are many. So people don't understand, my joy is that God will raise many voices. Look at what God said. Who was Elijah? A prophet. He said, okay, now that you are— before you go, go and anoint Elisha. As a prophet in your stead, okay? Number 2, go and anoint Asael, then go and anoint Jehu. Asael as a king, am I correct? As a king, go and anoint him. Look at this, the reason for his frustration was because he was carrying what should have broken into 3 streams. It is still the same reason for the frustration of the church today. It looks like the only value we are given is the spiritual value. In Eli, God found a priest, generation 1. Generation 2, Samuel, God found a priest and a prophet, generation 2. Generation 3, David, he found a priest a prophet and a king. You are not in the times of Eli. We are peculiar people, royal priesthood. Where is the royalty? It looks as though our doctrines are only sufficient to raise prophet and priest. It must be sufficient to raise kings. It must, it must raise kings. Let me tell you the reason why it must. You see, I understand that this generation is a lot agitated, but they are still not listening. It is out of us that Lord give us to come out. We, we need to listen to the word. The spiritual controls the physical. Okay, it doesn't matter what your anger is, you can be manipulated and destroyed with your anger. Listen to this, it is important in the scheme of the devil that those who love God and have carried the kingdom don't carry finance. How can he achieve this? Two ways, he will achieve it in two ways. Number one, get people to teach about it with incomplete revelation, you find a loophole, destroy everything. Even you will hate it. When you hate it, you are not working in it. Let me come again. Robert, please come. This is a teacher talking about the fact that God can bless, but the message is not a completely perfect doctrine. There are loopholes that can be punctured. So the devil comes and brings the obvious loophole and shows you that. Do you see that it's false? You say it's true. It's false. Why? So that he can make you reject everything he's saying. Why are you rejecting what he's saying? So that you that is rejecting it will not walk in the reality of what he's saying. At the end of the day, the victim is you. The second way is to bring people who are saying complete lies. He wants to achieve, to make you offended, not to take it so you don't walk in it, okay? To now make his own people walk in it and then come back to tell you that you seen that it's not about this church thing. The idea is if you with tongue-speaking believer Wants to see that mentor who carries the finance. The only place he gives you space to see him is in the club. And when you go there, you've left your wife and children to go to the club to see him because you have to go to Egypt for food. And when you go to club to see him, gradually you are introduced to drinks. And then to girls. And then you come to convince yourself, actually, if we are not working in this part, we can't have these resources. And God is saying, no, I want to raise people that when mentees come, their homes become better. That is not about working in millions that destroys your family. You can carry this thing and you are still a very faithful husband. If you struggle to find such mentor around, it's because God is raising you as the first of that kind. Yes, anything you need that you struggle to see, that tells you that there's a leadership grace on you to model it so that those coming behind will not struggle to find. As long as you are there, in my days, nobody will struggle to know that it's possible to serve God and be blessed. Meaning that you'll have to walk a lonely path. They will call you church boy, but you are coming back with the result. Because at the end of the day, if there is food in Egypt, even Israel will have to bow to it and become slaves to it. God is saying bread is coming back. I said God is saying bread is coming back. God is saying bread is coming back. Coming to church cannot be a disadvantage. God is saying bread is coming back. Somebody will be sitting in church and know how best to pitch that contract, how best to say those things. We get light. If we teach this thing well, the same message will raise priests, prophets, and kings. Same message, they will hear their own call. Same message, same message. Out of this belly flows rivers. The same belly, rivers, streams, streams. The church is not backsliding when we raise kings. We are protecting the future, because where the law is, that's where the control will be. We had better understand that. Amen. Are there people here that are called beyond church walls? Lift up your Say, I receive light. Can you pray it in just few minutes? You are stars. You've been called out for such a time as this. You've been called out for such a time as this. You've been called out. Oh yes, you have been called out. You are apostles in the marketplace. Oh yes, you've been called out for such a time as this. You've been called out. You've been called out. Eh!

Eh!

Out of us priests arising, prophets arising, kings arising— oh yes, kings are rising! Amazing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. God is trusting you with influence. He's trusting you with influence. He's trusting with resources. He's trusting with influence. He's trusting you. Yeah.

Ah!

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah— Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Amen. Amen. Now listen to this. Please be seated. Listen. Just help those under the anointing.

Just help them.

Try. Listen, if we don't understand this simple equation, listen, listen, listen. We gather— are you with me? 200 hours of praying in tongues, which is good if you are around me. You know how aggressive this ministry prays. It's good. We should never talk down prayer. But listen, at the end of our 200 days, unless we have produced kings, a king that knew not Joseph, we say it's time to demolish the church. You know what we are going to do? The same thing the crowd does— cry and shout. What did God say he heard about the Israelites? Their cry, their groaning. The crowd can't do more. Okay, you convert it— loud agitations, still agitation. But listen, if you had left Jacob alone, what he will call love is that Joseph is kept with him. But God went ahead and took Joseph from him, which caused him pain so that Joseph will go ahead to prepare the way to help them to survive. There are losses that are blessings in the future. How do I, how do I, how do I, how do I— I'd like to recommend my teaching, The Curriculum of Giants. I showed out that the church can have predictable syllabus that raises predictable quality of men. If you go to medical school and you start from Part 1 till Part 6, you are expected, having gone through all this, at the end of the day, you should be trusted, trusted with life. You can be at least basically, before you go further. True? It is a predictable curriculum. We can't teach in church haphazardly. That if you stay in this church for 2 years, we expect, having learned this, this, this, this is the quality of believer that should emerge. You will change without trying to. That's what happens here. You will, you just notice the way I'm thinking has changed. I hear Muslims tell me, I can't tell what's happening to me again. Somebody wrote and said, if I follow this man, I will not know when I become a pastor. He said, I'm warning you guys, stop hearing him. You will serve God without knowing. We are contagious. It's simple, it's soft but invasive. It will enter everywhere. That is what we carry. We are contagious. We are not contagious. Say, look at you, look at the way he dress, you can't enter our church. No, come, sit down. Hear us out. The reason why we don't, because we are afraid. We thought the person is more contagious, but we are saying no, we are more viral in nature. What I carry will influence you more than what you carry will influence me.

Come.

Say, I don't like sitting under pastors. Relax. By yourself. Me, I don't listen to all these sermons. I don't listen to pastors.

Relax.

Hear this one for 5 minutes. You will ask for more. Say it again. We are contagious. You don't believe? The world will start wondering about us. Avoid that guy. You see, you start speaking in tongues, you don't know when. You, you start saying, hey, hey, if you follow that guy, that's who we are. Yes, sir. We are contagious. Oh yes, we are not afraid. I'm not afraid of you that if I pastor you and then God gives you 10 billion, you will now hate the church. I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid. Let God give you. Why should he not give you? Let him give you. Do what you want to do. If I've taught you you well enough, if you have learned the word of God enough, all those things that should work in the flesh would have died. You will even love God more. How do we raise people when we are scared of our product? We are up against systems and God is calling us. It's time to understand. See, listen, this is the mistake you make. This is the mistake you make. You blame— I don't want to use a lie now for the organ. Just let me go down a bit. This is the mistake you make. You blame Moses for using a rod, forgetting that that rope, that rod parted the Red Sea. That rod parted the Red Sea. God used that rod to bring you— that rod brought us water. Then you celebrate Joshua for using the sword because you are combatant. You forget that the sword of Joshua will be of no effect before the Red Sea. Our generation have not learned to understand. God has used people for their own generation. And listen, most times their message and their method is not likely going to change because a new generation, a new people is emerging. The new one will emerge side by side. Stop insulting the fathers. How do you learn simple fraction in school only to come back and learn algebra and say the teacher My teacher will touch simple fraction, didn't know anything. If you did not learn simple fraction, will you learn algebra?

No.

It is those who have not learned enough that call their previous teachers dull. If you learn well, the more you know is the more you know you don't know. And listen, when you pick one man as your Messiah, you make him your oppressor. Your help as a nation, as a continent, can never come from a person. Love the person so much, you teach him to be your person. It can come from building systems. Raise men. Nigeria by Nigerians. Africa by Africans. I don't want to talk too Thank you very much. We have work to do. When we came to Abuja, tomorrow makes it a year that this church started in this city, and God said, I am sending you. He said, bread is coming back to Nigeria. Said this nation will experience change. Prophecy will be fulfilled. Let me tell you, I didn't plan to stay here this long. They knew, Femi Lazarus, me, I've left. I'm a church builder, church planter. Once I plant a church, I'm out. But I'm here. I'm here because, listen, when the eagles gather, there's a feast. God is not just calling new ministers to this city. There's about to be a feast. We must discern it. God told us, he said, go and raise functionaries. And I will sit down. When we move to this facility, if we arrange 70 chairs— faith— we laugh at ourselves. Where are the 70 you expecting? Faith. Listen, I've seen this work again and again. If the meal is there God will bring the people. Officially, this is our last time here, okay? We start— they will please prepare the drone footage so they will show you where we're going to on Sunday. And listen, there is nowhere we go that will contain us. It is God who will do the publicity, and I'll tell you why. If you are in tune with his agenda, everyone called to that agenda, he will bring them. This one is more than billboard. How did you come to this church? Which flyer brought you? Which flyer? We have tracked this city and combed this city They've arrested this boy several times. It is not by flyer, by the fire. It gathers. It's not potable, it's just— it got— you can't tell. And that's it. Yeah, when you blink, when you open your eyes, eh, it's not this church. Just last week I traveled, I'm back. What's happening? That is how it is. It is the kingdom of kings and priests. Are you with me? That's what God is doing. Let me show you one scripture before I go, maybe two scriptures. Is somebody blessed tonight? Are you sure you have been blessed? Let me show you two scriptures, then I leave. Micah. Turn your Bibles there. Micah chapter number 4 from verse 1, and Obadiah 1:21. Let's read this together. 1, 2, 3, go. But it shall come to pass that the— okay, sorry. But in the last days shall come to pass, uh-huh, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains. Before we even get here, we have work. We have work. We have work. Anything new that we see as the church, we first kill it before we believe God is there. Somebody came to this church on Sunday, opened his phone and showed me and said, Apostle, I have this AI, this, this, that. He said, this is a radio, this thing. Said once it goes on air, it disrupts every other thing, and then people can hear you from anywhere in the world. So he said, I experimented with your message, the same message, just played it around the clock, and guess what? People joined in from 42 nations. Wow. 42 nations. Okay. And that became— and then in America alone, about 6,000+ people. This city was 16,000 people joined. The next nation was Canada, thousands of people. United Kingdom, thousands of people. Even Muslim nations, thousands of people saying, what, what am I hearing? Where can we get more messages? But you know what we do when we see AI first? It's demonic. And as we keep demonizing everything, those of the other side will take it and learn, then we come back and pay them to teach us. It shall come to pass that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above what?

All hills.

People, listen. You may say they hate church. Nobody hates solution. They don't hate you because you're a Christian. They hate you because you're a Christian without solution. If you have the solution, kings will come. A nation went to meet another nation and said, we want your intelligence, protect us, this, this. They said, if only you can keep the Sabbath. They say, we will. They are not a Muslim, they're Christian nation. They said, we will. When you have solution, you have the power to negotiate. This negotiation is not done in tongues only. After you have done your babababa, come back and convert it to something that makes sense. I ask you, come and defend this budget. Say, it doesn't matter the century of the anointed anointing oil you rob, you'll be sacked. I will tell you, get out of— yes. Say, do this. Say, Femi Lazarus, that's it. You have said that's your language. Going forward, it shall be established. Look at verse 2. And many nations shall come. Oh God, help us. You are the one running to nations. They can come, they can come, they can come. I said they can come. Say they can come.

Say they can come.

Many nations shall come and say, come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob. And he will teach us, all right, his ways, and we will walk in his path. They said, this thing you are doing that is making you flourish, let him teach us. There's a dimension of blessing that the blessing becomes a tool for evangelism. For the Lord shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord shall come from Jerusalem. Obadiah 1:21 as I close. Look at it. Can we read this together? 1, 2, 3, go. Hold on. Is this saviors or people that are trying to survive? Huh? Saviors. Not those trying to survive. Saviors. Let me tell you this. And I will leave it there. While planning for your finance, make sure you plan in such a way that daily bread does not require prayer point. Once you get that right, you can start negotiating other things. Get that one right. As long as you didn't get that one, you see that one I gave you the other time, they will use you. Manipulative people will use you. You must get this one right. Saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau, and the kingdom shall be— this is how we break these systems down, not by being dependent, but by becoming saviors, carrying what they need. When you carry what you need plus Jesus, what people need, you will notice they don't have issues These people don't— somebody is dying, you say, now there is the grace to heal you, to get you healed from this. He say, after me, in the name of Jesus. He's dying, he will say in the name of Jesus. But the problem is if he says it and he still not healed. Somebody stand in front of you, everything is collapsing, and say, please, sorry, sorry, please, um, this God is showing me this, this, and tell him his problem and the solution. You think you will hate Jesus? Nobody hates solution. Tell your neighbor, shine the light. Tell another neighbor, shine that light. Let it shine so bright. Let it shine so bright. Amen.

Amen.

Look at yourself. So we go to where we start from. I am not small. I am not small. Look at yourself again. Look at your intelligence. Look at the things you have done. Look at things you have survived. Stand, stand up, please. Stand up. Ah, I'm not small. I have the spirit of might. I am not limited. The spirit of God is at work in me. Everywhere I go, I carry the influence of the kingdom. This is who I am. I am God's ambassador. I represent the possibilities of heaven. This is the life I live. Amen. Thank you, Lord. Come on, lift your hands and just give God praise. Come on, give him praise. I want the media to be ready to just show the video of the new venue just before we go. Lift your hands and just give God praise. Thank you, Lord. We give you praise. We give you praise. We give you praise. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' Mighty name we have prayed.

Our story in the city of Abuja is similar to the story of Jacob who said, by my rod I have passed through Jordan, but now the Lord has made me two bands. You will remember how that recently God sent us to Abuja in what I will call the most humble movement. We came practically trusting God for what to do next and how he's going to help us with the words of prophecies he has given to us about the city and the armies are rising. And guess what? God is doing just that. Recently we have been seeing the move of God in the most unbelievable way possible, with his word reaching the unreached, converting sinners to saints, bringing people who have lost hope in church. And now this has necessitated the need for expansion so that we do not fall out of what God is doing. Where we are currently is stringent for us, with rules that will limit what God is doing amongst us. The gospel is free, but the propagation requires a lot of funding. We want our friends, partners, and everyone connected to our ministry to join us as we undertake this project together. We have the urgent need to expand, and we believe that this is the kairos moment for us to do that. We are importing our own tent all the way from China and getting everything needed to fill that space and have a conducive place where we can have our apostolic work beyond what we are having now at the moment. The structure you are seeing on your screen is exactly what we are working at, at the moment. Believe you me when we say that people who are blessed can be blessed much more when we have our own place. We want you to join us as we undertake this project. We We need your support. We're counting on you and your generosity. We are working towards a project of ₦180 million in this season. You have the account details on the screen. Use the account details as God has laid in your heart. God bless you so much. We love you from all of us at Sphere of Light Church. Thank you for always Hi there!

God is raising for himself an end-time army, and this is the mandate that he has given to us. Truly, the harvest is plenteous, but we need you on board as a laborer. This is a call to partner with what God is doing in this great house. To become a monthly partner with us at Sphere of Light Church and Femi Lazarus Apostolic Ministries Ecumenical, kindly reach us via the number +234 903095 9735. To give an offering or to sow a seed, kindly make use of these account details being displayed. The Gospel of Jesus is spreading. Thank you for being a part of it.