MEN CAN HONOUR YOU BUT NO HONOUR CAN COMPARE WITH THE HONOUR THAT COMES FROM GOD
ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM GOD CANNOT BE COMPARED WITH ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM MAN.
EVERY KINGDOM BLESSING DEPENDS ON THE OBEDIENCE OF THE REDEEMED
YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD IN THE PLACE OF COMFORT AND EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE OUTSTANDING BLESSINGS.
WHEN A MAN PLANTS HIS LIFE IN DEDICATION, GOD TAKES HIM TO THE REALM OF ELEVATION WITHOUT STRUGGLE.
DEDICATION IS ALL ABOUT MAKING YOUR LIFE A SEED UNTO GOD AFTER THE ORDER OF CHRIST.
WHEN YOU ARE PLANTED IN GOD’S KINGDOM, YOUR RISING AND LIFTING COMES WITHOUT STRUGGLES.
DON’T GIVE YOUR MONEY OR SERVICE TO GOD WITHOUT FIRST GIVING HIM YOUR HEART.
THE PRICE FOR THE RISE OF GIANTS IS DEDICATION.
I GAVE MY LIFE TO CHRIST AT THE AGE OF 9 AND I STARTED WINNING SOULS FROM THAT TIME.
UTILIZE THE STRENGTH OF YOUR YOUTH IN ADVANCING GOD’S KINGDOM
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A PERSONAL FASTING PROGRAM THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THE CORPORATE FASTS.
- Pastor David Oyedepo Jnr on EMPOWERED TO SECURE DIVINE HONOUR at AYAC 2024 Day Three Morning Session || Annual Youth Alive Convention 2024 || “EMPOWERED” || Third Word Session || Faith Tabernacle Canaanland || 15th of August 2024 ||
This morning we are going to be looking at this teaching that is captioned EMPOWERED TO SECURE DIVINE HONOUR. One of the fundamental blessings of redemption is the blessing of honour. In Revelation 5:12, the Bible lists to us seven classified blessings that accrue to the redeemed. Part of the package of redemption is honour. But every kingdom blessing depends on the obedience of the redeemed. Deuteronomy 28:1-2. Every blessing of the kingdom is a response to the obedience of the redeemed. This is because God’s principal way of operating is by a covenant. Church Gist. Deuteronomy 7:9. The principal pattern through which God operates is he operates by covenant. Yesterday, we were given a number by vital descriptions of what covenants are. One of the things that we discovered is that a covenant is a spiritual deal that is based on well defined terms and sealed with an oath. Hebrews 6:16-18. From scriptures we see that the Word of God is a covenant between God and man and that bond is upon terms that are well spelt and laid out. It is when the terms are met that God is committed. This is why obedience is the price to pay for anyone to secure the blessings of the Kingdom. Until your part is played, your portion cannot be delivered.
It is important for us to recognize that God is a God of covenants. A covenant is a spiritual deal based on well defined terms and sealed with an oath. It is also important for us to know that the covenant of God is as dependable as day and night. Until day and night stops exchanging, the covenant is in force. Jeremiah 33:20-21. God’s covenant with man is as potent as the covenant with day and night. Church Gist. That means that the covenant of God is even dependable. From the time you were born, when night should fall, it falls. When the day should break, it breaks. It has never stopped occurring. God said what put that in place is a covenant and it is the same covenant He has with you and with me. This means that in fulfilling the terms of any covenant, you can commit God to the blessings that are therein. When we fulfill the terms of any covenant, we can commit God to the blessings that are therein.
No blessing including honour can be comparable to any man made alternative. When we talk about anything that comes from God don’t compare it with anything that comes from man. John 5:44. It is true that men can honour but no honour can compare with the honour that comes from God. Church Gist. When God is the source of the honour, your life will be too decorated to be decimated. I pray that by the encounter you are having upon this mountain, the God kind of honour will rest upon your life. In your career and academics, the kind of honour that only God can give will rest upon your life.
It was honour that rested upon the life of Joseph that separated and distinguished him. The Bible tells us that Jacob had twelve sons, Joseph was number 11 son but according to scripture the birthright for the first born son was Joseph’s. If you look through the tribes of Israel, you will discover that Israel had no tribe of Joseph, it is the sons of Joseph that become tribes – Ephraim and Manasseh. In other words, from the back (number 11), he was catapulted to not just to become one of the members of the family, not just to become one of the foremost members of the family but to become one of the fathering members of the family. Church Gist. Honour rested upon him and repositioned him, decorated him. That kind of honour that repositions and decorates, the kind that comes from God will rest upon your life. Genesis 45:8. That honour rested so heavily upon his life that he became regarded as the father of the king. Indescribable honour that will reposition you supernaturally will rest upon your life.
Honour is the heritage of the redeemed. It is complying with the demands that secures our access to this honour. To identify the pathway to this honour with God, we can identify the pattern Son, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:2. We can look at the pattern Son and see the pathway to this honour. John 12:23-24. If you look through this scripture, that picture painted by Jesus is a picture of dedication. The pathway to honour is the pathway of dedication. Philippians 2:8-11. That picture there is a picture of honour. Church Gist. When God honours a person, his name is not like any other person. When God’s honour rests upon your life, there are many CVs but your own is different. When honour rests upon your life, you cannot be put together with others, there is a demarcation, there is a separation that comes upon your life. Honour has to do with weight. A person having a different dimension of weight on their lives. I pray for somebody this morning that via the encounter you are having today the honour of God will rest upon your life.
We see from the example of Jesus that the honour of Jesus was secured by dedication. In the same vein, the honour of the redeemed can only be secured through the pathway of dedication. Church Gist. John 12:25-26. So the honour of the Father comes upon the dedicated serving son. So our access to honour is the access of dedication.
Now quickly, what is dedication?
- Dedication is self-denial in one’s quest to accomplish a given task.
Matthew 16:24-25. So dedication is self-denial. Please take note that there is no service that costs nothing that will pay anything. It is the cost or the demand of our service that determines the delivery of our service. You and I must understand that it is the degree to which we deny ourselves that determines the degree to which He delivers in our direction. So, our stewardship requires self-denial in order to position us to receive that which God has in store for us. Acts 20:24. So according to Scripture, we see that when we talk about dedication, we are talking about denial of oneself. What price are you willing to pay? Church Gist. You cannot serve God in the place of comfort and expect to experience outstanding blessings. Please hear this and hear very well, it will take inconveniencing yourself to experience the blessing of God. It is so vital for us to recognize that we live in a comfort-driven world; everybody is looking for the easy way out. But hear this, until you go the way of self-denial, you are not qualified to enjoy the fullness of God’s blessing. It’s so vital for us to recognize it. So we cannot continue to seek our comfort; we must recognize that there is a dimension of discomfort in serving, that positions you for the comfort of His blessing. Until you’re willing to inconvenience yourself in order to advance His course, you cannot secure the comfort of His blessing coming in your direction. So dedication has to do with self-denial!!!
In the year 2008, during my birthday, I was before the Lord and the Lord gave me a Word that I’ve never forgotten. He said to me: “There are consequences of higher ground.” And He said: “One of the consequences is that you can’t go high carrying load.” He said: “There are many many things that come to you as rights or benefits of your position.” He said: “Drop them! So that you can go up.” Many of those benefits, as it were, dropping them were to drop things that will bring serious inconvenience, but that was June 2008. Church Gist. I dropped them and that’s how God began to lift me. Now, listen to me very carefully, when it comes to anyone walking with God; you cannot walk with God without paying a cost. There is always a price to your walk with God!! And many times that price comes at the instance of inconvenience to the present. So there are many of us that: “Oh! We want to fly high, we want to scale heights, we want to be at the pinnacle of life, but there are prices that must be paid and part of the price is that we must learn to deny ourselves.
- It is to be dead to self and alive to God in the pursuit of any Kingdom task.
Philippians 1:21. To be dead to self and alive to God. Galatians 6:14. So it is being dead to self and being alive to God. Not living according to the pleasures of the world but living to the pleasing of the Father. That is what it takes. So dedication has to do with being dead to oneself. Coming to the point where it is not about what seems pleasurable to you but what seems pleasurable to the Father. Church Gist. That’s what matters the most. You see? That’s what Jesus meant when He said: “Lord! If it’s possible, take away this cup from Me.” He said: “But not My will, let it be Your own will.” What matters to You is what matters to me. What pleasures You is what pleasures me. This is what God expects from us if we’re going to secure all that God has in store for us. Shout hallelujah! Be dead to self in the pursuit of any Kingdom task. - Dedication is all about making your life a seed unto God after the order of Christ.
John 12:24. Recognize that according to Scriptures, God has ordained every believer to be a plant. We are called the plantings of the Lord. Mark 4:28. Church Gist. He plants the seed and the Earth begins to perform there. In the same vein, when a man plants his life in dedication, God takes him to the realm of elevation without struggle. Listen to me very carefully, God’s process does not require the struggling of the seed, all it requires is the planting of the seed.
As a believer, when you are planted, your rising is without struggle. Your rising, your lifting, your decoration is without struggle ….. Church Gist. They cannot deny your progress. That’s what happens when you are dedicated.
- I pray for somebody here this morning, the grace to live a life of Kingdom dedication, may it come afresh upon your life. If you believe it, say the loudest Amen.
No struggles, you find liftings taking place. Why? Dedication is in place ….. So, dedication is when your life is a seed and planting that seed in God’s Kingdom on Earth and you see that seed producing.
- My prayer again is that for each one of us, the grace for us to follow this dedication path will come afresh upon our lives. If you believe it, say a louder Amen!
You must recognize that God is not necessarily interested in what you have. The greatest seed you can give God is yourself. Proverbs 23:26. He’s interested in you first. He wants you to give yourself unto Him. Sow yourself as a seed unto Him. When you have given yourself, there is nothing you cannot give to Him again. It is important you give yourself unto Him and when we sow ourselves unto Him, we are no longer concerned about ourselves, He takes over everything that concerns us. Church Gist. Hallelujah! He takes over everything that concerns us. So, He’s asking you today, He’s asking me, “Give me your heart” He’s interested in you giving yourself to Him. Many of us have given our money but we have not given our hearts. Some of us have even given Him our service, but we have not given Him our hearts. What makes every other thing counts is when your heart is already given to Him. When you have given yourself to Him, then every other thing you give to Him will now matter to Him. Is somebody hearing what God is saying?
In the Kingdom of God, you discover that dedication is behind the rise of giants. When you see giants rising, one of the vital thing you see in them is the reality of dedication, the reality, the potency of dedication. We have many of us here that are youths that Covenant Hour of Prayer, except now that you’re here, you don’t go, at your age. What would you do when you are old? Not because it is far, you don’t go. Church Gist. You say ‘How can somebody wake up 5:30. Ah! No oh. Ah! This thing is too much’ At this stage of your life. I’m happy you are quiet because it is an indication of internal guilt, inside you, you know, ‘This Pastor is touching it oh, he’s touching it’ I’m touching it. You don’t go, Covenant Hour of Prayer, you don’t go. Midweek Service, let’s come closer, you don’t go. You say, ‘I’m busy. I’m very, very busy’.
Now, many of you, at this stage of life, (can I touch it more?) fasting, you don’t fast. Some of you now, you don’t fast. Not that you have ulcer, nothing is wrong with your tummy. Churh Gist. You say ‘Any time I fast, I don’t know the way I feel….’ Are you hearing what I’m saying? But you see, there is a price for the rise of giants and the price for their rise is dedication.
What are some of the areas of dedication? Let me be very specific.
- Kingdom Advancement Prayers And Fasting.
I am not talking about the one you do once in a while, I am talking about the one you do as a lifestyle. There are many of us that come one day when some of our friends gather, we pray for six hours. We pray for seven hours and the next seven months God will not see you near the altar of prayer. That’s not dedication. That is fervency by association. You must come to the point where there is a consistency to your prayer altar. Where God knows that when it is such and such time, he will find you on duty. That is what happened with Daniel, God knew that three times a day, Daniel will be on duty no matter what was happening. So when the king signed the decree, the Bible said Daniel stood up as aforetime and opened his window, pointing to Jerusalem and lifted up his hands. Daniel 6:10. Church Gist. Can God depend on your availability in prayer? These are the things that make a difference. This is the age and the stage of strength, that is why you and I must maximize the utilization of our strength. At this stage of life, you should have a personal fasting program that is outside the church one. You say but in this church we are already fasting now. 21 days we fast, every Wednesday we fast, three days a month we fast, will I kill myself? See it is dedication. Personally, I have a personal fasting program that involves a number of days where I fast. Not fasting for self, not fasting for things but fasting for the Kingdom. Matthew 6:6. Nobody needs to see it but get committed to it. Live a life committed to it.
- Soul Winning And Establishment Endeavours
These are platforms through which we demonstrate our dedication unto God. You don’t need to wait for an operation, Soul winning should be a lifestyle. Make it a lifestyle everywhere you go that souls are reached out to for Jesus. John 15:16. We have a responsibility because he had chosen us to go and bring forth fruits. Go after souls, go after the lost, get committed to doing it. Don’t just do it when there is an operation, make it a lifestyle. Church Gist. Have your own program. When are you going out? When are you reaching out? The people you come across in your neighborhood, how many of them have heard of Christ from you? The people you live with, the people in your dormitories, how many of them have heard of Christ from you? Those in your workplace, how many of them have heard of Christ from you? We are ambassadors of Christ representing the Kingdom. These are the things that make a difference. So let’s get dedicated. Don’t wait for others.
God’s servant said that in 1979, he told all of his colleagues, he said “Listen, the time of brethren let us go has passed. Now, I am gone. If you are interested, follow.” Life is lived individually. Get committed to a life of soul winning. Everywhere you go, soul winning and soul establishment. Make it an addiction. Since 2016, I began to build a soul winning team gradually, one level after the other. We operate all through, in season and out of season. You know why? Jesus said lift up your eyes and see, all the fields are white and they are ready to be harvested. Luke 4:35. Don’t say there is time. God demands that we live a life that is committed to soul winning, that should be our lifestyle. You don’t need much, soul winning just requires your mouth. Just go out and tell someone about Christ. It doesn’t matter how you start. I gave my life to Jesus by the age of 9. I started doing soul winning from that time. That time our message was very simple and straightforward. Give your life to Christ or you go to hell. It was very simple. Because at that time we didn’t know much. There was not much knowledge. People will laugh like you laughed now and they will still surrender their life to Christ. Who is this small boy that is saying give your life to Christ? All you need is your mouth and a heart that is panting to please God.
-I see your story changing!
- Financial stewardship.
Serving God goes beyond just our strength but serving God includes our resources. Exodus 10:24. Your service is not complete until it includes your resources. And please hear this, you can do it at every level. At every level! You can pay for the transportation of one person to Church, why not? Go ahead and do that! You can buy a chair in the Church, why not? Go ahead and do that! I recalled the testimony of one of us, she went for Youth Service somewhere in a remote village and this was her testimony. Church Gist. She said when she got there she gathered all of the allowance she was given and went and bought paint and gathered a few young people and they painted the Church in the village where she was. And she said after painting it, she said: “Lord! As I paint Your House, decorate my life.” She came out of Youth Service, according to her testimony she has never worked for anybody. From there, favour upon favour; just breakthrough upon breakthrough. She entered the realm of billions in the shortest period of time. Why? Just committing herself, committing her resources to advance the course of the Kingdom. This is so important, so our stewardship must include our resources.
Quickly what are the benefits of dedication?
- Open rewards.
Matthew 6:6. This is why we are meant to see from Scriptures that the return of our service will always be open. Psalm 126.1-6. Hear this, the test of service may be in secret but the testimony of service is always in the open. When you get dedicated to serving God. When you get committed to serving God, He opens you up to realms where you begin to experience blessings that can no longer be hidden. You can’t hide it!! Look at the testimony of the brother that was shared yesterday, God told him: “Go and start a barbing salon.” Church Gist. And he began to cut the hair and there; (he was) praying Kingdom advancement prayer, advancing the course of God. And from the barbing salon, God helped him to build a house, helped him to go to school and now has helped him to enter law school – From the barbing salon. There comes a point where you cannot hide the outcome of your service. You see? You may be going to pray Kingdom advancement prayer (and) nobody sees you. You are going for soul winning, nobody recognizes it; but it comes to a point when the reward begins to show, nobody can doubt it. Is somebody getting what God is saying? And God expects that our lives become so decorated that everyone who sees it can tell that: “This is the finger of God.” Zechariah 8:23. Is somebody getting what God is saying?
-You see? God is going to be taking somebody here to the realm where people will come to meet you and ask you: “Tell me what you’re using?” If you believe it, say a louder Amen! Church Gist. Where your life will become a mystery for all that behold it. They will see you and tell that: “This is the finger of God.” If you believe it, say a louder Amen! Open rewards! Rewards that cannot be hidden!
2: Divine honour.
John 12:26. Where God simply puts weight upon a person. Where your life becomes dramatically different, it becomes clear, you are repositioned by honour. Shout hallelujah! There are some people hearing my voice now, even while you are here, nobody cares to know where you are, but very, very shortly, not very long from now, you will become a reference point. Church Gist. You traveled from far, they didn’t even ask, “Is this person around?” They are not aware where you are now and there’s no missed calls, no text message, nobody checked to know where you are but very shortly, your life will become a reference point. If you believe it, say the loudest Amen! That’s what is going to take off for somebody from this very Mountain.
You know, the last time the brothers of Joseph saw him, they saw him in the pit, a pitiable situation. Church Gist. But the next time they saw him, they saw him on the throne.
- Now, hear this. This is a word for somebody. There are those that the last time they saw you, they saw you in a pitiable situation, but the next time they see you, you’ll be seen in an honourable situation. Somebody believes, say the loudest Amen!
3: Divine protection.
When you get dedicated to God, one of the things that occur is the release of protection. If you check the case of Daniel, the case of the 3 Hebrew boys, they were protected. They dedicated themselves to God. Daniel 3:18-27. Church Gist. They were cast into the burning furnace, but the fire had no power over them. They were protected. Daniel 6:20-23. Daniel was thrown into the den of lions but the lions could not harm him. Dedication brought him to realms of protection.
Now listen to this. Our lives in the Kingdom, like we said, is likened to a seed. Is that true? And we discover that in the natural, seeds are food for birds. Is that true? But trees are homes for bird. Even though the tree comes from the seed, when the seed is not planted, it is vulnerable to consumption, but when the seed is planted, it is protected from consumption. You don’t see a bird eating a tree, but you see a bird eating a seed. When your life is planted in dedication, you are exempted from vulnerability. Church Gist. The enemy cannot touch you again. He can’t reach you again because you have been planted in dedication. So, dedication brings us to realms of protection where we are not vulnerable to the assault of the enemy. There is a mark of distinction upon you. Galatians 6:14,17. Dedication marks you out for protection. You cannot be touched. When you are dedicated, you cannot be touched. Is somebody getting it? You cannot be touched. You are untouchable.
Some years ago, somebody came and began to utter some words of violence and destruction and I looked, my eyes turned red and I fired back, “You don’t know who you are talking to. Every word you spoke now, you are the victim.” Church Gist. You know why? I cannot be touched. Why? I am dedicated to God so I cannot be assaulted by the enemy. When you are dedicated to God, you are no longer a candidate for assault.
- I pray for somebody here today, every evil intention of the wicked will fall back upon their heads.
- From now, no evil is permitted to befall you again in the name of Jesus.
That’s the key. So the charge to you and I is simple. Get dedicated. Follow the examples that we have in Scriptures. Abraham was dedicated, he stood out. Church Gist. Nehemiah was dedicated, he stood out. We’ve heard about Joseph, he was dedicated, he stood out. There is no one that is genuinely dedicated that does not end up supernaturally elevated.
- My prayer for each one of us is simple today. The grace for unhindered dedication will come upon each one of our lives and as that happens, that honour that can only come from God, that destiny rearranging honour, that life repositioning honour, will come afresh upon your life.
- Very shortly, your name will be listed in places you cannot imagine.
- Very shortly, you will be sitting in places you cannot imagine.
- Very soon, people you cannot imagine will be consulting with you.
- Not long from now, you will be crying tears of joy.
- Your life will become a surprise to even you.
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