THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE HOLY GHOST SERVICE IS HERE AGAIN!
THEME: “THE GOD OF BREAKTHROUGHS.”
WE STARTED IN 1986 AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WE ARE STILL GROWING STRONG
WHATEVER IT IS GOING TO TAKE TO SILENCE YOUR MOCKERS, THE ALMIGHTY GOD WILL DO IT
NO EVIL WILL BEFALL YOU AND NO DEMON WILL BE ABLE TO PENETRATE YOU
THE DEVIL MUST TAKE PERMISSION FROM GOD BEFORE HE CAN ATTACK ANYBODY
THE WORD OF GOD CARRIES WEIGHT EVERYWHERE. HE SPEAKS AND IT HAPPENS
ONE WORD FROM THE LORD CAN TURN A MAN TO BECOME THE CENTER OF ATTRACTION
THE FULLNESS OF THE EARTH BELONGS TO GOD.
IF GOD WALKS BY YOU TODAY, YOU WILL HAVE INFLUENCE IN EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE
- Pastor E. A. Adeboye on “The Size of God” || WONDERFUL (Part 2) at RCCG 2023 February Holy Ghost Service
Next month will be the anniversary of the Holy Ghost Service. We started in 1986 and by the grace of God, we are still growing strong. The theme for next month is, “THE GOD OF BREAKTHROUGHS.” Church Gist. It will be from March 2nd to the 5th of March. We will be discussing the God of breakthroughs which automatically means there will be many breakthroughs.
Last month we were looking at the size of God under the heading, “WONDERFUL.” You will remember we looked at how long his legs – he is seated in the heavens and his legs are so long that they still touch the Earth. Very long legs, wonderfully long legs! We looked at his arms and discovered that his arms are everlasting. That from everlasting to everlasting he is God. Church Gist. I thought we had finished with the size of God and move on to the nature of God. So I informed the one to minister before me and had made little preparations for the topic. I am happy that God spoke to me that it is not what I will be talking about. After what the young man (first preacher) did, what is there left for me to say? I think we should give the Lord a big round of applause for the first speaker.
The Lord said to me, “Son, we haven’t finished with my size. In the future we will talk about my nature.”
Isaiah 66:1.
Let’s face facts: it is more comfortable to sit down than to stand. So I think this sitting down idea might be a very good one. Church Gist. Particularly for someone who is going to be 81 next month.
When I was younger, there is a language we use when somebody has tremendous influence. We will say, he has long legs. When someone can reach several places easily, you will say he has long arms. Church Gist. So long legs plus long arms means influence. Tonight we are going to be talking about, “The Influence of the Almighty God.” When it comes to influence, nobody can come near my God.
When we talk about area of influence, the influence of a president is limited to his country. If there is an order from Aso Rock that there is a curfew – “Nobody should go out after 7pm,” (God forbid there will be no curfew in Nigeria) that order covers only Nigeria. It cannot extend to Ghana. But even the President as influential as he is in Nigeria cannot control whether you fast or you don’t. He hasn’t got the power to say, ‘you must or you must not fast.’ Church Gist. He hasn’t got the power to say that the husband should not come near the wife. Years ago there was a head of state in this country and we were very good friends. We were very close. One day we were alone, just having fun. Suddenly he asked a question: who is more powerful – the President or the Pastor? I said, the Pastor of course. He said, I know you will get it wrong. He said, I can decree that there will be a curfew then you won’t be able to go to Church in the evening. I said, that’s true; but can you decree that the barren will become fruitful? Can you decree that the lame will walk? He said, I surrender.
- Tonight I decree, everyone of you considered barren, this year you will carry your children.
- With the backing of my Father in heaven who is the most influential of all the influentials, I decree to someone, you will never weep again.
What is the area of influence of my daddy? Philippians 2:9-11. Psalm 139:1-12. God’s influence is everywhere. Church Gist. We are going to look at his influence in the Heavens, on Earth, underneath the Earth.
Heaven is his throne. His influence in heaven is wonderful. Psalm 115:3. Psalm 2:1-5, Malachi 3:1-18 (some people don’t like Malachi 3 but it is a very important chapter), because his influence in heaven is absolute, he said, I can just open a window in heaven – just one window and pour you a blessing that you won’t have room enough to receive. He can open the windows in Heaven and if he wants, he can close it. Nobody queries him there.
You remember the man who was very successful, had a quarrel with his wife, didn’t know who the wife was and the wife said, by the time I finish with you, you will trek in Lagos. The man laughed. How can I trek in Lagos? Because the man had many cars. But the woman set all evil forces against him. Church Gist. To cut it short, by the time he came to Ebute Metta, he has only 50 Kobo left in his purse. He said, if I eat with this money, where will I get money for fuel? If I buy fuel with this money what will I eat? That’s when he came to Jesus Christ; came to the one who has influence everywhere. The day he was sharing his testimony he was dedicating 2 brand new mansions. But he said one thing: “I gave my life to Jesus and the Heavens opened.”
- I decree today over everyone of you listening to me, the heavens will open!
So my daddy has influence in heaven. But then that also means he has influence in the heavenlies. There is a place between the Earth and the Heavens that we call the heavenlies. He has influence over angels. Isaiah 6:1-7. How many angels has he? Revelation 5:11. Church Gist. In other words, the writer of the book of Revelation said, “I don’t have a way of describing the number.” We are not talking of billions, trillions, we are talking of 10,000 times 10,000 plus thousands times thousands. How strong are these angels? Psalm 103:20, Isaiah 37:33-37. So you can understand that your enemy is in trouble because for each and every one of us, there are at least 2 angels guarding us. I think I have told you the names of my own 2. How many of you remember their names? One is called Goodness, the other is called Mercy. Church Gist. For how long are they going to follow me? All the days of my life. That’s why God is called the Lord of Hosts. He is the commander-in-chief of all these angels. He can send these angels on errands. Daniel 6:1-22.
- I have good news for somebody here today, no lion will eat you.
He can shut the mouth of lions. More interestingly is that he can open doors without keys. Acts 12:5-11
- Every one of you in any form of prison, you are coming out today.
He can open doors, lead you out of prison, spiritual prison, financial prison, you are coming out today.
Remember the story of that lady who was barren because the mother-in-law didn’t like her. As soon as she got married, the mother in-law went to the market and bought a loaf of bread, charmed it, gave it to the girl and said, eat and use it to block your womb. The girl ate and from that moment she stopped menstruating. Church Gist. The Almighty God arranged for us to hold a program in Oyo and she decided to fast in preparation for the program. The day we were to arrive, in the afternoon, she was sleeping and she had a dream: Some people came in dressed like doctors and they put her on her back, operated her, took a rope and began to draw out the rope. At the end of the rope was something that looked like bread and black. Sowed her up and then they disappeared and she woke up and found that after all these years she has started menstruating. I told you that the last time I heard about her, she had 5 children.
- Every one of you who had been put in any form of prison, you are coming out tonight!
The angels can do a lot more. Acts 12:18-24. An angel gave a king a slap. The King that wanted to kill Peter, an angel smote him which was a signal to worms to eat him up. Church Gist. I want you to know that this is in the New Testament. So don’t say I am old fashioned because what I am about to say is related to something that happened in the New Testament.
- Anyone trying to block your way to your destiny, an angel will slap him.
So, one of the things in the heavenlies are angels. But then in the heavenlies we also have what we call the Sun, Moon and the Stars and he controls them because his influence is there. Psalm 121:1-8. The important thing is that he can tell the Sun, don’t set. Church Gist. Moon, don’t rise. Joshua 10:12-14. Do you know I have the confidence in me to tell you, it doesn’t matter what may be happening, until you finish the assignment God has for you, you are not going to die.
I was approaching the age of 60. My children were preparing for big celebration and I was walking around on this camp ground very sad. Sad because at that time, the Church was only in about 55 or 56 nations. I was crying to God, “Father, what am I going to do? Church Gist. I’m going to be 60 and I’ve not even started my assignment. You want this Church to go throughout the world. What am I going to do?” He spoke to me and said, “Son, I’m the one who decides when the sun will set.” Thank God the sun hasn’t set for 21 years.
- I decree tonight in the name that is above every other name, your sun will not set.
His influence over the Sun, Moon (of course we calculate time and time to calculate age) is such that he can even ask the Sun to go backward. 2 Kings 20:1-11. Church Gist. You have heard testimonies of people who lost years; someone who had reached a certain age and God spoke from one of the altars (whether the one here or Britain, etc). God said, “there is someone here, I’ve taken 10 years off your age so that someone who was already several years past child bearing suddenly became fruitful again.
- You won’t die before your time.
But God also has the power to tell the Sun to move speedily forward. So that what is supposed to be your portion in the future can be transferred to you so you can begin to enjoy it straight away. Church Gist. Matthew 15:21-28. The time of the Gentiles did not come until Acts 10. God stretched to the future with his everlasting arms and grabbed a miracle and brought it to the present for that woman.
- I prophesy: that position you are supposed to reach years from now, before the end of this year, my God will take you there.
Of course you know that stars can guide. Matthew 2:1-10. The Almighty God controls the heavenlies.
Let’s look at His Influence on Earth.
- The rain. You know rain is so important according to Isaiah 55:10. But in Amos 4:7-8, the Bible tells us that the Almighty God can decide to rain on one city and leave the other city completely dry so that from the cities where it didn’t rain, they will have to go to the city where it rained for food. So rain is a blessing. Ezekiel 34:26. But do you know that too much rain too soon can create a problem?
I was talking to my children in Bayelsa some years ago when I went to see the area devastated by flood last year. Church Gist. Too much rain too soon can become a problem. Joel 2:23.
- I pray for somebody here today, it will rain on you. It won’t be too much rain; it will be the rain you can handle.
Part of the things in the earthly realm where he is influential has to do with the wind and sea. Job 38:8-11, Mark 4:35-41. He can command the sea to open when the wind blows on it. Church Gist. He can command the sea to close up when the wind stops blowing. He can use the wind to bring blessings. Numbers 11:31-32.
What about his influence on animals? You know lion is supposed to be the King of animals but it is my father who controls him. 1 Kings 13:1-25. Church Gist. Normally, lion doesn’t kill except they are hungry (ask anybody who knows about them) or they are threatened. The lion killed the prophet and left him there as an example. Daniel 6:1-28.
There is something called the law of substitution. It is in the Bible. Proverbs 11:8.
- I decree, those who put you into the lion’s den will replace you there
He can use a donkey to prophesy. A donkey to speak to a prophet. Numbers 22:21-35. Church Gist. When you need help, God can use an animal. How do I know?
There was a small boy probably between 5 and 6 years old (speaking of himself). My Elder sister got married and moved with her husband to another village not too far away from my own. One day she described the village to me as a small child and I just felt, “I want to go and see my sister since the place was not supposed to be far.” I didn’t tell anybody at home I was going anywhere. Church Gist. My sister didn’t know I was coming. My mother didn’t know I have eft home. I got into the jungle and she had said, ‘when you get to this place turn right, when you get to another place, turn left.’ I turned right, I turned left and suddenly I found myself hopelessly lost in the jungle.
Young as I was, all I did was I just lifted up my eyes to Heaven and said, ‘God help me.’ By the time I looked down, I saw a little dog absolutely white – just white puppy dog. Church Gist. There was no dog here when I was lifting up my hands. The way the dog was behaving – very friendly. It seemed to be making signs as if to say, ‘follow me.’ Well, there was nothing else I could do so I followed the dog. Believe it or not, the dog led me to my sister’s farm. When they saw me they shouted, “how did you get here?” I did I followed that little dog. They said dog? I said yes. They said there’s no dog in this farm. We looked outside, there was no dog. Church Gist. If God has to send an animal to help you, so may it be in Jesus’ name.
His influence over sea extends to the fish living in the rivers, oceans. You know the story of Jonah. Jonah 1:17, Jonah 2:10. Matthew 17:24-27, Luke 5:1-7 where Peter fished all night and caught nothing. Church Gist. A Bible scholar said the fish gathered to hear Jesus preach and so God told Peter to launch into the deep. I don’t know how God is going to solve your problem; but whatever method he wants to use, it shall be done tonight in Jesus’ name.
I can talk about his influence over birds. 1 Kings 17:2-6. I’ve always shares with you: everybody knows that Ravens love bread. Every bird loves to eat bread. Church Gist. Ravens in particular love meat but they took bread and meat to Elijah twice a day. They did not eat the food on the way and they did not miss the address.
- I am decreeing: the devil won’t eat your miracle and your miracle will not miss your address.
What about his influence on men? We make a big chunk of things on Earth – men. Proverbs 19:21. As they say, ‘man proposes but God disposes.’ God controls all men including kings. Proverbs 21:1. He can do whatever he likes with the heart of anybody. Church Gist. He can harden the heart like he did in the case of pharaoh, he can even tamper with the heart a little like in Daniel 4 when a king had to eat grass for 7 years. He can use a king and a servant to fulfill the dream of somebody he loves. Genesis 41:1-44. I don’t know who God will use. It could be the President, Governor, a king, a servant. One way or the other I am convinced that the purpose of God for your life will be fulfilled.
I have always told you the story of when I talk about you laughing last. The story of a girl who was jilted by her supposed lover on the wedding day. It was the day my wife and I went to the registry and there was this lady beautifully dressed about to be married. She didn’t know the boy was just deceiving her. Waited and waited, the boy didn’t show up. Church Gist. Somehow she survived and then she got married to another fellow in the military. The boy friend that jilted her also joined the army. Then there was a coup and the New commander in chief appointed her husband as a military governor. They appointed the boy who jilted her as the aide-de-camp of her husband. So that any time the lady wanted to go to the market, she will stand back for the aide-de-camp to open the door. She laughed last.
- Somebody here will laugh last in Jesus’ name.
The Lord asked me to tell somebody, “no more asthma.” Church Gist. He also asked me to tell somebody, “don’t listen to the devil; I have not finished with you yet.” Thank you Father.
• His influence under the Earth
Psalm 24:1. The fullness of the earth belongs to God. Isaiah 45:3. God was talking about the treasures underneath the Earth. I’m sure you know that all the precious stones all come from underneath the Earth. Haggai 2:8. Church Gist. Someone pointed out to me sometime that Job was an oil magnate. I said, where do you find that? He said, Job 29:1-6. When I heard that one I said I better decree to somebody among my children that by the special grace of God, very soon you too will become an oil magnate.
- The Almighty said, whatever it’s going to take to silence your mockers, I will do it.
When we talk about underneath the Earth God was also referring to forces of darkness. Even the devil must take permission from God before he can attack anybody. Job 1 and 2. Church Gist. Somebody said, in that case you’re saying God can give permission to the devil to attack me. No, you’re a child of God; you’re not an ordinary servant. Job was a servant and you’re a child. Nobody performs experiment with his children.
- In the name that is above every other name, no evil will befall you and no demon will be able to penetrate you to you
Your area of real influence is where your word is law. When you speak and it happens. I am the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. When I said, ‘my children, this year you are fasting for 50 days,’ everybody in the Redeemed Christian Church of God said, Amen. Church Gist. One or two said, ‘only 50 days? We have been waiting for a 100 days.’ Don’t worry, 100 days will come. But that does not mean that any other denomination must fast because my word is not law among them.
The Word of God carries weight everywhere. Psalm 33:8-9; Psalm 62:11; Isaiah 55:10-11; Luke 7:1-10. Church Gist. Do I hear somebody shout, Lord speak to me. We will take a case study: Mark 10:46-52.
- The Lord says: enlarge your capacity to give thanks because a flood of blessings is on your way.
Blind Bartimaeus. One word from the One who is influential all over the universe and suddenly, darkness became light.
- I decree: there shall be light.
One word was what God said and suddenly poverty came to an end. Bartimaeus never begged again.
- I decree: you won’t die poor!
One word and all his enemies became his servants – the people asking him to shut up were the people God said, Go and bring him.
I’ve told you once: it might not be a good idea for God to wipe out all your enemies. Some of them should remain. There have to be some of them to see you enjoy. May be you should not kill all of them, you should just paralyze them or turn them to your servants. Church Gist. One word from the Lord and a man who would have died barren, never have married, suddenly became the center of attraction. I wasn’t there but I am sure after what happened to Bartimaeus, he became very famous. I am sure he got married too. When we get to heaven we will know the details.
One word from the Almighty God and a man who had been stagnant for years, a beggar. Church Gist. He never got a promotion; if he got any it is probably Chief beggar and the man was promoted from the roadside to be the center of attraction.
Just one word from the Almighty God, and his sickness disappeared. One word from the Almighty God and he was no longer in bondage. .
When I was preparing this sermon I was wondering how I can conclude because there are so many other things from this influence of God. The Almighty God whispered to me a song in Yoruba. It means, “you the owner of the Earth, please walk by me,” in English. Church Gist. Jesus passed by thean in John 5:2-9 who had been among those people who are hopelessly sick for 38 years and he got his healing. He walked by the man called the mad man of gadarenes in Mark 5:2-20 but Jesus walked by him, all the demons left when God spoke a word, Go. The man that was supposed to die a horrible death became an evangelist. He walked by the tent of Abraham and all prophecies became a decree and the man who was trusting God for the fruit of the womb for almost a 100 years became the father of Isaac. Church Gist. He has influence everywhere; if only he can walk by you today, your life will never be the same again. If God walks by you today, you will have influence in every area of your life.
Salvation Call:
Invite the Lord Jesus into your life if you haven’t. Ask Him to forgive your sins, wash you clean with His blood, and save your soul.
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