WHEN GOD HONOURS A MAN NO devil, NO AUTHORITY, NO GOVERNMENT CAN DISHONOUR HIM
DESTINY IN THE KINGDOM IS NOT ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN WILL HAPPEN, IT IS A DISCOVERY.
DON’T PLAY GAMES WITH GOD, IT NEVER WORKS
NOBODY IN HIS RIGHT MIND WILL BE PITYING THIS CHURCH, YOU CAN ONLY ENVY IT.
THE SECRET BEHIND THE PROSPERITY OF THIS CHURCH IS THAT WE TEACH PEOPLE TO BE RESPONSIBLE
40 YEARS AGO, I SAID I WILL CONSIDER IT A DEMOTION TO BE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA BECAUSE THAT IS NOT MY CALLING.
OUR MINISTRY HAS NO NEEDS. WE ONLY MEET NEEDS
IF YOU HEARD ME TALK ON PROSPERITY IN 1983, YOU WILL THINK THAT I OWN A BANK.
LONGSUFFERING MEANS PATIENCE, IT DOESN’T MEAN SUFFERING FOR LIFE.
YOUNG PEOPLE, WANTING TO BECOME A BILLIONAIRE IN FIVE MINUTES’ WILL PUT YOU IN JAIL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
MY CAR WAS A MOCKERY IN THOSE DAYS. PEOPLE USED TO RUN AWAY FROM CHURCH TO AVOID PUSHING MY CAR.
JUST 12 YEARS AFTER THAT CAR WAS TRANSLATED INTO A PLANE.
FAITH WITHOUT PATIENCE WILL ALWAYS END UP IN CRISIS.
- Bishop David Oyedepo on TOWARDS MAXIMIZING OUR GLORIOUS DESTINY IN CHRIST 2 at Encounter With Destiny Service || Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland|| 9th June 2024 || First Sunday Service ||
Jesus, thank you. Thank you for your manifold grace upon our lives. Thank you for keeping us on our feet till now. Take all the praise. We are here with our eyes set on you, let your light break forth. Church Gist. Let it shatter every air of darkness around our lives. Thank you Jesus. Open the eyes of everyone this morning to see the wondrous things out of thy Law in Jesus’ name.
I got just this prompting right now to let us know that every instruction is a test ordained to grant us access to our next class. Genesis 22:1-4. So he moved from “In you shall all the families of the earth be blessed” to “In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” He had to pass the test. Every instruction of scriptures, every prophetic instruction is a test. Only those who pass it change class. Church Gist. ‘One Winner One Established Soul’ between today and the 30th of June is a test. Your change of class is premised on passing that test. Every of His commandments is to move us forward. When we fail it, we re-sit. Until you pass it, you don’t change class. God has something to say. I will listen and pay full attention for God has something to say.
No ‘sit down look’ type of believer goes forward. You don’t go forward sitting down, you go forward taking appropriate steps. “Arise, get down to Lagos…,” so we rose. Level changed. “Harvest of Africa is now overripe…”, then we rose and level changed. Every instruction is a test that must be passed by anyone who desires a change of class. All this ‘Oluwa gbe mi so ke’ (Oh Lord, lift me up) it doesn’t answer. Church Gist. You do what it takes for Him to move you forward. Everybody is moving forward this year. It is our Year of Fortune. Every siege of misfortune must leave your life alone. Leave your children alone, leave your family alone, leave your business alone by simple delightsome prompt obedience to every instruction. You are going forward.
TOWARDS MAXIMIZING OUR GLORIOUS DESTINY IN CHRIST
Please recognize that we are not redeemed into a world of uncertainties. Every child of God is a child of destiny. Romans 8:29-30. We are redeemed to be glorified and not to be ‘shame-ified’. Church Gist. So shame is not your portion and you will not see shame anymore. The Bible said we are called unto glory and honour, not shame and reproach. 2 Peter 1:3. Shame and reproach are not our portion in Christ. I therefore decree that this day marks the end of every harassment of shame and reproach in everyone’s life.
One of the ways to get shame and reproach off our lives is to go outside the gate bearing His reproach. Let them mock you so God can make you. Hebrews 13:13. Proverbs 14:28. 1 Samuel 2:30. When you are committed to bringing people to the Kingdom, He calls it honour that entitles you to honour from Him. When this God honours a man no devil, no authority, no government, no witch, no wizard can dishonour him. When God honours a man, he is honoured. When God honours a man, forget about the devil, forget about gang-ups. You are stepping into that realm of honour, that is not premised on people. Church Gist. It is not dependent on the environment, it has nothing to do with those in power and those out of power. When God honours a man, he is honoured. It is that kind of honour you are walking into. You don’t need any uncle or cousin, just have God.
I have walked with this God for 55 years and still counting, I passed the test of a call to ministry and it has been a blessing, 43 years back. Don’t play games with God, it never works. Church Gist. Don’t play games with God, it never works. In the name of Jesus, every grace on this Church will find expression in your life.
Destiny in the Kingdom is not about whatever happens or what will happen will happen. But a discovery of what God has preordained to be. When it is discovered, received and believed, you are empowered to manifest it. John 1:12. Destiny is not a prediction but a discovery of what God has made of you and me in redemption. Exodus 7:1. Church Gist. He said to the man, Moses “See I have made you a god unto Pharaoh.” It is a thing to see. See what God has made of you. I located my royal destiny in redemption at 16. I have been redeemed as a priest and a king to reign on the earth. I was 16 years young when I found it and it got on me. Royal behaviour became my lifestyle. It is a discovery.
So you have a glorious destiny, we just read it now. May you see it. He said, “See, I have made you…” I am not asking you to go and make yourself, I have made you. Now just locate how to walk into it. There are many people who are not seeing anything, they are just sitting down and not seeing anything. They just come to Church and go out, you won’t know whether they came or not. They are not seeing anything but you will see today. The scale in your eyes will drop. Church Gist. Luke 24:31. Desire the opening of your eyes. He said See. It is not everything that happens is destiny. No! It is a discovery. It is not a function of circumstance or situation, it is a discovery. Where you live is not destiny, locating where you should be is destiny.
How can you be located in the forest like this and then the world shall be your parish, how? You don’t do global ministry in a corner but where you are located, not where you feel like going. Church Gist. No more wasted labour in your life. You won’t miss your steps in the journey of life in the name of Jesus.
Every child of God is a product of divine predestination. Before the foundation of the world, He chose you and me unto salvation. So it is not that we just got saved. It is a preordained arrangement of Heaven. Ephesians 1:3-5. Church Gist. We have been chosen, we have been predestinated, we didn’t just happen. Ephesians 1:11. We need a sense of destiny to make the most of our adventure in life. We are not here to struggle for survival, just settle down to discover what He has made you and what it takes to realize it and then you are on. Somebody’s story is changing.
It is interesting to know that destiny is not a destination, it is an adventure. “As far as your eyes can see….” No limits. As far as your eyes can see (Genesis 13:14-15). It is not a destination but an adventure. By redemption, we have a most elastic destiny in Christ. Proverbs 4:18. 2 Corinthians 3:18. Church Gist. Every encounter with the Word brings a change and it is a change of level from glory to glory. You are in that picture, you are the one God is talking about. You never suffer a setback anymore in your life. No one here shall be stranded anymore in life.
Among others, we have a mountain-top destiny in Christ. A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14. Exodus 19:4-5. Above all people! Mountain top. Deuteronomy 28:1. Church Gist. We have a mountain-top destiny in Christ which answers to walking in the covenant. Exodus 19:5. Deuteronomy 28:13. The covenant is simple. Obey my instructions, you will be changing levels without end.
40 years ago, the Lord visited me from Deuteronomy 28:1, He said “My son, there is a place for you on top if you are interested.” How many people are interested in being on top? I said I am interested because I am just like you. How many want their son to be number 1 in Class? How many want their children to be First Class? It is not just by being interested. He said whatever I tell you to do, do it. That is the way to get on top. Church Gist. Whatever I tell you to do, do it. 40 years ago. It may look sarcastic but that was when I said to be invited to be president of this great nation, I will consider it a demotion. 40 years ago. I saw what He has made me in redemption, I won’t take anything less. It is a great nation with great people but that is not my calling. If I carry a box and you drop your vote there, it is a curse. That’s not my calling.
If you just get to know this God and His covenants? You can’t end up a mediocre. One of my sons called me from the U.S., he said “Sir, do you know what is going on? They said you are the richest pastor in the world.” I said I am not surprised. I don’t know where they count it but I am not surprised. They are very right because I don’t borrow, I don’t beg, I am not in need. See I have made you for the top. “All you need to do: walk in my covenant. Do what I tell you to do. Leave it to me, I will take you there.” You never meet an irresponsible Christian who makes a mark. It is taking responsibility that dignifies destiny. Taking responsibility is what dignifies destiny. Somebody asked me what is the secret behind the prosperity of this Church, I said we teach people to be responsible. We teach them ‘Honour your father and your mother so it may be well with you’. We teach them ‘Give to the poor so you won’t be listed among the poor.’ Church Gist. We teach them to be responsible. May you receive grace today to take responsibility. You have been redeemed a king, you must not die a peasant. You have been redeemed for the top, you mustn’t die at the bottom. You are ordained for above and that is where you will be. You are from above and whatever is from above is above all and that is where you will be. Grace to take responsibility in the covenant that will take you there, receive it right now.
What Does Our Destiny Look Like From The Mirror Of Scriptures? What is God’s established agenda for the redeemed? You have an enviable destiny. You are not to be pitied but to be envied. Nobody in his right mind will be pitying this Church, you can only envy it. You don’t pity something that is above, you pity something that is in the pit. Pity connotes one in the pit. Church Gist. Every child of God is redeemed with an enviable destiny, is redeemed for an enviable destiny. Genesis 26:12-14. Galatians 4:28. Every child of God is ordained to enjoy an enviable destiny. You are not redeemed for the pit, you are not to be pitied. In the name of Jesus, I see you out of every pit.
I had a prompting to see the career of young people open up. That is why this Tuesday we have this special ministration to open up careers and destroy the siege of career struggles, career stagnation and career assaults. You are to be envied, not to be pitied. You can’t see a future in your future and be depressed. How many understand today that they are redeemed for the top? How many believe they are redeemed to be envied? So you should smile if you do. You should smile. I live in the reality of my future. I live in the reality of my future based on the certified picture from scriptures. If you hear my talk on prosperity 1983, 1984, 1985, you will think that this man owns a bank. Church Gist. You see it clearly, you live like it unashamedly. So you can tell where my smiles come from. It comes from the reality of the things that I see and walking consciously in it. I said when I saw I was redeemed as a king, I will check myself when I am going out as a young chap. Will a king go out like this? No, go and change. That is I was living in the reality of my ‘kinging’. Will a king shout on the road? No! David no! Kings don’t shout on the road. Will a king wrestle? I can’t imagine someone separating me in my life since that light came. That I am fighting somebody and they are separating me. No! They don’t separate kings, kings separate people.
That is when you see it clearly, you just become conscious of it. It impacts on your outlook, impacts on your thought pattern. I was in the U.S. years ago and a very good friend said to me, ‘Brother David, what needs have you in your ministry?” I said our ministry has no needs. We only meet needs. My God! We don’t have needs. I left the need realm a long time ago. Church Gist. 1982! Somebody’s story is changing. Some fellows are coming for this career thing and instead of getting a job, they will create jobs. The Word will just come and that is the way to go. Suddenly you just find the young man saying “I have 20 people working in my establishment.” Light! I have a glorious destiny, I refuse to cope with shape and reproach.
Salvation is what makes one a child of destiny. Until one is saved, he is a child of circumstance. Whatever happens, he has to respond to it. When one is saved. He becomes a child of destiny like we read. How Then Do I Know If I Am Saved? It is a very serious question but it looks so ordinary. How then do I know if I am saved? By their fruits we shall know them. Matthew 7:20. You don’t gather guava from grape trees. There is what we call the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23. Church Gist. Long suffering means patience, it doesn’t mean suffering for life. They are proofs of salvation, they are spiritual evidence that manifest in the open for anyone that is saved. There are nine of them, we just take two in this service. How Do I Know If I Am Saved? The fruit will show whether one is saved or not.
- Peace That Passes All Knowledge
That is one of the certified fruits of the Spirit. John 14:27. When you are saved, the peace of God settles in. Do you know the reason why? Jesus, the Prince of Peace has just entered into your heart. Church Gist. Isaiah 9:6. Peace is one of the foremost evidence of salvation. The kind of peace that is not found in the world enters into you. That money cannot buy, it is not available in the market.
When that happens, among others, when our peace is fully in place, God takes over our battles. That is one of the facilitators that empower believers to live the overcomer’s life. Be still and you will know that I am God. Psalm 46:10. Exodus 14:14. God takes over our battles as believers on the platform of His peace at work in us. Church Gist. The Lord shall fight for you as you hold your peace. When people are troubled, your peace is in peace. When things are turning upside down, your peace is in place and then God takes over your battle. All of those elements of the fruit of the Spirit, they are to allow us enjoy the blessedness of redemption.
- Patience
We live in a most impatient world. People are in a hurry. They mostly end up in horror. They are in a hurry. Young people, ‘Get rich in one minute’. ‘Be a billionaire in five seconds’. He may live his entire life in prison. Hebrews 6:12. Faith without patience will always end up in crisis. Who will believe that this Church began with 4 people? 4! Not a century ago. By this time 40 years ago, we were not 90 yet. Church Gist. We counted 90 in July. Hebrews 6:15. Every seed has a gestation period. For instance, down here in South West we have the Cocoa Plantation, it takes about 4-5 years before it begins to fruit. But once it begins, the next 40 – 50 years, as you tend the farm it keeps producing fruits. It is important to learn patience, so you don’t end up a patient. My car was a mockery, you don’t need horn to clear the road. When it is coming you will know and if you love your life, you will clear. Church Gist. One of my precious ones, he is a Professor of Medicine. He said, “You know something Sir?” I said I don’t. “In those days we quickly run out of fellowship to avoid pushing the car.” It takes patience to maximize a glorious destiny in Christ. Word based patience. Word responsible patience. Doing what He says to do consistently without murmuring, complaining and grumbling, He keeps coming on to move us forward.
Be free from the demon of hurry. If you go at His pace, you never lose your peace. Go at His pace. By the time you are living in a house that is more than your income, you are already a candidate for fraud. The house you are living in is more than your annual income. You went there to rent the house, not that they brought it to you. We couldn’t afford to rent a house of ₦45,000 per annum in this Lagos. I asked them ‘Is it for sale?’ But now see a city emerge. Church Gist. The car was a mockery then, just 12 years after it was translated into a plane. So be happy with yourself. Be happy with God. Retain your delight in obeying Him, you are on your way forward. That’s the way up. Jesus came from heaven for 30 years unrecognized. He was mistaken for a carpenter. He was going to inherit Joseph’s carpentry workshop. Jesus! Within three and half years, His mission was accomplished. He is still King of Kings and Lord of Lords today.
How do I know if I am saved? Through supernatural rescue from the works of the flesh. We have them listed in Galatians 5:19-21. We did that last Sunday. Works of the flesh which include:
- Uncleanliness
Isaiah 52:11. 2 Corinthians 6:17-19. These unclean things include drunkenness, addiction, all kinds. You don’t know what is unclean? Church Gist. Whatever is not clean is unclean. By redemption, we are rescued from the siege of uncleanness so we can live a life that pleases God. - Hatred
1 John 3:15. It disconnects from eternal life. Hatred is one of the things that redemption clears off our system and that allows God to reach out to us for help. I remember one of the early teachings in our fellowship in those days was ‘Blessed Is He Whomsoever Is Not Offended In Me’. There was a woman there who was believing God for the fruit of the womb and mockery was all over the place so she was in bitterness and hatred. Church Gist. So she saw herself in that picture from that scripture and let go of everybody and became pregnant immediately. The two sons are graduates today. You can’t tell what hatred has done to block your way forward, let go. When hatred is unchecked, it degenerates to bitterness and bitterness troubles destiny. Hebrews 12:15. Bitterness troubles destiny. It defiles destiny. When one is saved, he is set free from it, if he believes it.
Keys To Realizing Our Colourful Destiny In Christ
- Be Spiritual
That is be committed to walking in the fear of God like Daniel. Daniel 1:8, 6:4-5. What a man! This Daniel prospered (Daniel 6:28). You want to secure your colourful destiny? Be spiritual, be committed to walking in the fear of God and your destiny will keep flourishing. Daniel 6:28. Who is this Daniel? The one that fears God, the one that is faithful in his walk with God, the one that serves God continually. Daniel 6:20-23. This Daniel prospered in the reign of three kings. Bible Historians said he was relevant to the government of Babylon for 65 years. Church Gist. One man. The fear of God prolongs days. No one’s life shall be cut short. Those who fear God, they do well in life. Joseph said “But I fear God.” The fear of God is a major trigger for favour. You can’t have His fear and miss His favour. The fear of God entitles the redeemed to favour from heaven that makes the world around them fear them. That is where you are going. - Engage The Holy Spirit In Your Quest For Increasing Spiritual Understanding
The brighter we see, the faster the rate of delivery of our colourful destiny. Jeremiah 1:11-12. It takes the Holy Ghost to experience this outbreak of revelation. Next level of insights. It takes that. Engage the Holy Ghost in the quest for increasing spiritual understanding that keeps on advancing our destinies. For as we behold Him, we are changed from glory to glory by the Spirit of God. Church Gist. I refuse to live like a destitute. I am a child of destiny. I have a mountain top destiny, I have an enviable destiny in Christ. I am not to be pitied but to envied. I am not to be pitied, I am not in the pit. I am for the top, I refuse to remain in the bottom. I will obey you Jesus. I will keep the terms of the covenant to stay above only and not beneath.
It is our Encounter With Destiny Service and it has started. Note that no one ever arrives at a future, he cannot see. Jesus who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross. Nothing keeps you going like the things you see in front of you. Hebrews 12:2. He endured the cross and despised the shame, now see Him set at the right hand of His Majesty on high. No one ever arrives at a future he cannot see. What the Word does is to open up what God has in store and so you can see what lies ahead of you. Church Gist. The future that awaits every child of God is a function of what he sees laid up for him in scriptures. You see it and God is committed to make it happen. Job 14:14. Job was too sure of a change coming. Did the change come or not? Your change is here. Joseph was too sure of a change coming. So slavery didn’t get to him. He had royal blood flowing in him in slavery. Unjust imprisonment could not choke it. I know my change is coming. So he was king in the house of Potiphar, he was king in the prison before he was enthroned in the palace. No matter where you are now, there is a crown waiting for you. You may be like someone in a pit today like Joseph, there is a palace waiting.
God’s plan and purpose for the redeemed are as contained in the book called the Bible. ‘The vision of all’ (Isaiah 29:11-12). Until one is born again, the book is sealed. Unto us who are born again, it is given to us to know the mysteries of the Kingdom as contained in the book. Mark 4:11. An unlearned man has not found it. The vision of all. The Bible is the believer’s dream book. Whatever you see from the North of it to the South of it, from the East of it to the West of it, all that you see will I give it. The North – Genesis, the South – Malachi, The East where the sun rises, where Jesus came on board – Matthew and where the sun set – Revelation. Church Gist. All that you see from the length and the breadth, the depth and the height of the book unto you will I give it. The Bible is the believer’s dream book. That’s God’s vision bank. We draw as far as our eyes can see. That is what they call destiny. The plan is set for your discovery and my discovery. The plan is in place for your discovery. May this day be a day of discovery for everyone of us. Things written about every believer are hidden in the pages of scriptures as in the case of John the Baptist. Who are you? Are you that prophet? He said no. Are you Elijah? He said no. Then who are you that we may tell them? He said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness as spoken by Elijah in the book. Church Gist. John 1:19-23. Everything about everyone is as contained in the book, the question is non discovery of those things has kept us on the same spot. Hebrews 10:5-7. Luke 4:17. Jesus found what was written of Him in the book. Everything concerning you and me is as contained in the book awaiting discovery. May this day be a day of unusual access for each one.
How many have heard me say I am not surprised we are where we are? I have said that one billion times. I would have been surprised if we were not here. Why? It was too clear to me. “If you keep doing this and this, you can’t see where I am taking you to.” You can’t even see where I am taking you to. May your eyes be opened today. So when things didn’t seem like working it didn’t look like that to me because I have seen it work before it was trying to do like it is not working. When we were under the batcher, I saw it working. When we were having services under the sun, I saw it working. I called those young people, “Hey, how was the service last night.” They said it was wonderful. What was the attendance? They said two of them were present, plus the Holy Ghost making them three. Midweek service. Three people, two staff and the Holy Ghost. Church Gist. That day nobody had time to come, so they were three. I said praise God. I am sure you are doing well. Next time is going to be great. They are the ones who saw two, I didn’t see two. Somebody’s eyes are open. I decree an eye opening miracle for everyone. As you see your healing, health and wholeness, it will be fully restored. You see your victory over every battle of life, you will experience it. As your eyes open and you see your life moving forward, that is what you are going to see.
Every encounter with the Word is an encounter with destiny. It opens a new chapter to God’s people. Because every true encounter changes our lives from one realm of glory to another. 2 Corinthians 3:18. Our glorious destiny requires proper positioning for delivery. This is why everyone should endeavour to locate where he belongs in God’s master plan. He said to Abraham “Get thee out of your father’s house” and Abraham departed. He said to Isaac “Don’t go down to Egypt” and Isaac obeyed. Locate yourself in God’s master plan so you don’t become a wandering star. Find out where you belong. It may appear like not working, your cocoa seedling is still growing. You are soon going to enter into the realm of bumper harvest that will keep going and going.
There is always the temptation to drift from one’s appointed place in a bid to escape from hardship. Most of the time it is from frying pan to fire. Isaiah 31:1-3. Ask the Lord before jumping. Look before leaping, don’t leap into fire. What are you saying Jesus? In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your steps. Don’t lean on your understanding, it is too short. You don’t know anything about tomorrow, He knows everything about tomorrow so ask Him. This place never looked like the place to me because I am shortsighted but here is God saying this is the place. It didn’t look like it at all. Church Gist. Ask God before jumping from one business to another. Before jumping from one country to another, ask God. Let God lead you, you will be free from stress. Isaiah 48:21. Don’t miss your gushing place, let God lead you. Most people wander out of their nests and become miserable. They become displaced people. They become pitiable. Proverbs 27:8. Don’t become a wandering star. You are ordained a star to set the pace for others. Allow God to lead you.
Today many potential stars have become wandering stars. Jude 13. Romans 10:12. Walking in the covenant is the key to a great future, where you live doesn’t matter. Locate where you belong because that is where your flourishing lies. Only those who walk in their God ordained path can fully realize their glorious destiny. I said many times that I may not know anything but I know that I know that I am in the centre of God’s will for my life. Church Gist. That is fulfilling for me. I am not trying to do something on my own, I am in the centre of His will for my life. May that become your testimony also. Remember, walk by faith and not by sight. Therefore arise and walk through your royal, enviable destiny in Christ. It is a new day for you.
Have you seen what God has made you right now in redemption? Give Him thanks for you. You have a royal destiny, a colourful destiny, a mountain top destiny, where you are today notwithstanding, that is where He is taking you to.
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