Pastor David Oyedepo Jnr at CHoP
Lift your voice and with clear words of appreciation begin to give glory unto God this morning for these marvelous acts in our midst. He’s the God that doeth wonders without number and it is clear from the marvelous things that we have heard.He is still at work in our midst.
Give Him thanks, give Him praise, give Him glory for transforming lives, hopeless situations turned around into open testimonies, delivering from 7 years of affliction. Will you give quality thanks unto God. Appreciate Him from the depth of your heart, give glory unto His name and give honour, give adoration and appreciate Him. Celebrate the faithfulness of our God. He is worthy of all the praise.
Thank Him for the answers He has given to your prayers knowing that you have not prayed in vain nor have you prayed into storage but He has heard you and answered your petitions.
Also right now begin to ask Him to speak to you this morning. All the people gathered early in the morning for to hear Him. It’s Your voice I’ve come to hear today Lord. Speak directly to me today by Your Word. Thank You mighty God in Jesus precious name we have given thanks.
Our Father this morning we have come with a voice of gratitude to give You all of the glory. You have done all things well and for it we celebrate You. Now Lord our eyes are upon You. We ask Lord that You will speak to us this morning. By Your Word let everyone of us be transformed. We give all the praise and glory to You in Jesus precious name we have prayed. Give Jesus a big hand.
We’ve been looking at this subject since the week began.
WHY MUST WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR CHURCH GROWTH?
One thing that is clear from Scriptures is the art of prayer demands continuity. The Bible tells us in
Luke 18:1
1st Thessalonians 5:17
God makes it clear that the art of prayer demands the force of continuity.
Romans 12:12
So prayer demands continuity or steadfastness.
1st Corinthians 15:58
So Scriptures make it very clear to us that every act of our Kingdom stewardship demands continuity and that includes the force of prayer.
Let’s not forget that from God’s Word we are meant to understand that the intentions of God is that the territories of this world be converted into the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ.
Revelations 11:15
That means that God is interested in taking over territories through His people in these last days. That makes it clear to us that we must therefore be engaged in a battle.
Matthew 11:12
Every weapon of battle in the spirit is engaged through the instrument or altar of prayer. You can carry the weapon via other means but you can only use the weapon via prayer.
Ephesians 6:12-18
We are shown the details of the various armouries that we have. The helmet of Salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, our shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and all of these things are put together on the believer but how does he use them? Verse 18, praying all prayers and supplication in the Spirit. So there must be the engagement of prayer if the weapons of the Spirit are going to be utilized towards victory.
So there must be an engagement of those Spiritual weapons if we’re going to see victory in the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
It’s important for us to understand that one of the avenues through which God forcefully advances the Kingdom is the avenue of signs and wonders and signs and wonders are not the product of luck or circumstansial occurrences. Signs and wonders are the product of the hand of God invoked by the prayers of the saints.
Acts 4:23-33
The Bible tells us that there was a great resistance to the Church of Christ and they returned to their own company and they began to pray but pay particular attention to verse 29 all the way to verse 33, the Bible tells us this, it says “And now Lord behold their threatenings and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak Thy Word”. So they were going to speak the Word but they’re praying about it.
Look at verse 30, “By stretching forth Thy hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy holy child Jesus”. So signs and wonders are the product of the hand of God invoked by the prayers of the saints.
They stood with prayer and they ended with power and the power that they secured in prayer began to command signs and wonders and by the signs and wonders commanded there was eruption in the Church of Christ.
John 4:48
Signs and wonders are part of the instruments through which God enforces the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
Through signs and wonders in the early Church we saw multitudes of men and women added to the Church.
Acts 4:4
There is no explanation that can match manifestation. They just saw one manifestation and all the explanation immediately made sense and 5,000 of them were added to the Church.
Acts 5:12-14
Great multitudes in response to the manifestation of great signs and wonders.
Secondly we discover also the example of the healing of the man call Aeneas in Scripture.
Acts 9:34-35
This man was a notable crippled man but the Bible tells us that by the miracle that was wrath upon him all that dwell in Lydda and Saron turned to the Lord by one sign.
We must understand that signs and wonders are part of God’s end time instruments for the harvest of souls. That’s why you and I must be consistent in prayer asking God to continue to manifest in signs and wonders, to continue to break bondages, to continue to heal sicknesses, to continue to see devils cast out. We must keep praying because the more the signs, the more the wonders, the more we see souls harvested into the Kingdom of God.
Now take note of this, in Scriptures the Apostles knew exactly what they were to say when going out to the harvest field but Jesus said “Don’t go out yet, tarry until you’re endued with power”. He said “And when the power comes, you’ll become effective witnesses unto me”. As soon as the power came we saw eruption of signs and wonders and the invasion of souls into the Kingdom.
My prayer for each one of us is that as we continue to stand effectively on the altar of prayer, praying for signs, praying for wonders we shall see souls gathered into the Kingdom of God.
You can’t pray for signs and lack it. You can’t be asking God Lord let your wonders multiply in this Church and lack it to show. Every channel of water can never suffer thirst. If you’re a pipe and water is passing through you then thirst cannot be your problem. So it is important for us to understand that as you and I continue to stand engaging on the altar of prayer for the God of wonders to manifest His wonders, we’ll become candidates for the manifestations of those wonders.
- I see that becoming your own experience in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Take note of this this morning, we must expect rewards for all of our engagement. God is not a user of men. God is interested in the blessings of men. We must expect rewards for all of our engagement.
2nd Timothy 2:6
You can’t be labouring in the advancement of the Kingdom, praying for signs, praying for wonders and not be a partaker of the same. You and I know that when a person is cooking, he may say he’s cooking for you but in the process of cooking he will be tasting the food before you taste it and because he is labouring he is entitled to taste it first. The tasting may be part of the process of the cooking but you can taste it before him because he is the one labouring to see it cooked. In the same vein you can’t be labouring for the advancement of the Kingdom and not be a first partaker in the blessing of the Kingdom. It is impossible. You must taste it first before others even see it.
- That shall become your own experience.
- Every blessing you are praying to see God manifest, you will be the first partaker of it.
- You’re praying for signs and wonders to be manifested, you will be the first partaker of it.
You can’t lack what you pray for. You’re praying for it for the Kingdom of God, you can’t lack it in your personal life.
- I see God manifesting unusually into all of our lives in the name of Jesus Christ.
Take grace from God this morning. Lord I receive grace to keep engaging consistently on the altar of prayer, praying for the growth of the Church, praying for the advancement of Your Kingdom. I receive that grace this morning. Lift your voice and pray that prayer from the depth of your heart. Make sure God is hearing. Lord I receive grace. Pour upon me the Spirit of grace and supplication for effectiveness, for consistency, for continuity, for steadfastness on the altar of prayer to pray without ceasing, to pray without fainting. Lord I receive that grace. I receive that grace to continue instant in prayer. I receive that grace not to be weary on the altar of prayer. Pray with all that is within you. I receive grace. Father thank You and blessed be Your holy name in Jesus precious name we have prayed.
You have asked Him for grace, the grace will keep speaking in your life in the name of Jesus. So shall it be in Jesus precious name we have prayed.
Therefore keep praying, lifting up everyone of your new converts. Pray that God steps into their lives and as you’re doing so you will see the blessings of God continue to decorate your life in the name of Jesus Christ.
SPEAK TO THE DAY
Make your declaration concerning the day. Whatever you declare God is sure to deliver. Whatever you decree God is sure to deliver. Will you speak to the day right now. Do it in faith, do it in confidence. As you’re speaking you’re taking delivery. Thank You mighty God in Jesus precious name we have prayed.
The fliers are declared blessed also. As they go forth, they go as instruments of harvest in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. So shall it be in Jesus precious name we have prayed.
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