Bishop David Oyedepo at Leadership Summit
* We are out to look for what to give; He began to bless it.
* Their tithes and offerings in most of those places are not up to what Pastors in Canaanland will give as tithes and offerings.
* The growth has been tremendous.
* We have stopped enlistment of full-time pastors. If He now tells us to do 30,000 next year, you can come.
3rd Word Session
– Expect God’s honour in return for your acts of obedience in the name of Jesus Christ (1 Samuel 2:30).
One day, God said to me, “my son, you have two eyes. Can you make one to look up and one to look down.” It didn’t work.
“Anytime you are looking unto man, never claim to be looking up to me but if you fix your eyes on me, you will never be ashamed.”
Not just that I heard that Word, it empowers me to live with it. I consider what we have, what we don’t have when God gives an instruction. I must tell you the truth there was no budget for the 10,000 Churches this year. It came after we were done with the budget; yet as costly as that was, He did it.
Don’t ever joke with the Word, it’s your original source of empowerment!
“The same way I open the heaven over the lives of individuals, I open the heaven over organizations, institutions, corporations and even Churches”: I heard that from Hebrews chapter 7 verse 1 to 8; jumped at it, kept at it, still doing so and heaven still opening.
It’s not just having an encounter with what God says but being empowered through that encounter.
– In that name of Jesus, this last segment, something will reach you that will empower you to your next level.
– …Do a new thing in all of our assemblies; do a new thing in the lives of every member in the name of Jesus Christ.
ENGAGING THE GOD OF SPEED FOR THE FULL DELIVERY OF THE BALANCE OF OUR CHURCH GROWTH AGENDA FOR THE YEAR.
I call it Balance because you’ve been told both in the first and second Word (sessions) that the 10,000 Churches is already settled. The last army of foot soldiers took their positions yesterday in their respective locations for a launch of the Churches tomorrow Sunday.
Facilities ready for all of them; accommodation ready for all of them and that has taken us over the 10,000 mark (Ephesians 3:20).
So, we are not announcing the enlistment of full-time pastors, it’s already over. If He now tells us to do 30,000 next year, you can come.
What a joy that people that sat in darkness are now beginning to see great light.
What a joy that in villages where no light, no ray of light ever appeared, now have the beam of heaven right in their midst.
– I want all of our leaders to know that God who saw your labour in secret, He will reward you openly.
– All of Area Pastors; Zonal Pastors; District and Provincial Pastors; all our State Pastors across the nation and all your team members that work with you: God is not looking for who to use, He is looking for who to bless. You shall all be blessed for your labour in the name of Jesus.
– For all the Foot Soldiers who answered the call and are now on the field, in the name of Jesus, the same way this 10,000 Churches came to pass, God’s agenda for each of you will come to pass like a dream of the night.
– None of you shall fail. You will return with joy (Luke 10:17).
– You shall not lack any good thing as you serve the Lord in the name of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:35).
– For all Winners who have been part of this Church growth prophetic agenda for the year: you’ve been reaching out, you’ve been on the prayer altar; God who sees your labour in secret, He will reward you openly.
– The remaining part of this year shall be your season of open rewards.
– All those who think you are wasting your time, will come to celebrate your God with you.
– From afar off, good news will start racing in your direction in the name of Jesus Christ.
We’ve about 3 weeks more to go, we are here to learn how to engage the God of speed for the full delivery of the balance of our Church growth agenda for the year; the two main ones remaining:
1. The attendance of each assembly will be minimum double the average Sunday attendance of 2019.
2. The number of cells shall be minimum double the record of 2019 in every Church.
We have seen the first one: the planting of 10,000 Churches. Far beyond us, He said He would and He did. All we did was partner with Him and watch Him as He did it.
– In the same vein, may our partnership result in the delivery of our own ‘Breaking Limit’ prophetic package for the year.
We serve a God of speed: He created the world and its fullness thereof in 6 days (Genesis 1:1-31).
The God of speed brought forth Rebecca to Abraham’s servant as soon as he was done praying (Genesis 24:12-14; 18-26). It was a lot of drama as the God of speed stepped in.
“Grant me speed today”, he said and suddenly Rebecca showed up at the well (Genesis 24:12, 15). The answer came the same day he prayed. The God of speed!
The God of speed answered Elijah on Mount Carmel within minutes. The priests of baal had been there from morning but at the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah prayed a prayer that was less than 3 minutes and the fire of the Lord fell (1 Kings 18:38).
The God that answers by fire simply means the God that answers with speed and the people exclaimed: ‘Ah, the Lord is God!” (1 Kings 18:23-39).
The hand of the God of speed was upon Elijah and he outran the chariot of Ahab to the gate of Jezreel, about 20 miles distance (1 Kings 18:46). The chariot had left before him, he already alerted Ahab, “get thee out lest the rain would stop thee. I will be coming after.”
He fled by the hand of God, the hand of speed. Arrived at the gate before Ahab.
– The hand of the God of speed is coming on us a Church and coming on you as an individual.
God of speed!
I wrote the book: the ‘Miracle Seed’ in 5 days. Written, edited, set for the press.
I wrote the book: ‘Keys to Answered Prayers’ (it’s a little book) in 2 days.
The hand of the God of speed!
– That hand is coming on your life.
Let me tell you what was in the ‘Miracle Seed’: it’s not an ordinary trash. A Catholic boy, devout Catholic took the book and was driven by the Holy Ghost to go to a mountain to read. Catholics don’t go to mountains. The Spirit of God in the book drove him to the mountain to read. He gave his life to Christ in chapter 1, was filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues in chapter 3. He is the Head of a Ministry today: the Ministry is called ‘Miracle Seed Ministries’.
It’s not chaff.
‘Anointing for Breakthrough’: I wrote a chapter per night. The hand of the God of speed.
– Watch out: something will turn, that will turn every of your one year to be like one month.
– By the hand of the God of speed, we will see wonders tomorrow.
The God of speed gathered almost the whole city into Church within a week: the next sabbath (Acts 13:44). He turned that Church into a city without walls. People were sitting everywhere, the road was blocked. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
The God of speed has always been in our midst as illustrated by the following very humbling experience:
– We have a facility in Kaduna at the Garden of Faith called Frederick K.C Price Hall. It was built in 2 weeks. It has not been re-built. 1990…it was February 19th to March 4th 1990, within 2 weeks. We dedicated the facility on the 4th of March 1990.
The God of speed has always manifested Himself in our midst.
Why did we call it Frederick K.C Price Hall? He came visiting our Church, great ministry and I was to see him off to Lagos. We took off to the airport in Kaduna and the Lord said to me, “Get back home and lay the foundation of that building now.”
We just moved to Garden of Faith. I said, “Sir, the Lord just spoke to me to get back home and lay a foundation of an auditorium.”
Frederick K.C Price: David, if the Lord told you that, please go back.
If he said, ‘No’, perhaps I may not go. We have learnt to respect elders but he was in the Spirit. “If the Lord told you David, get back now.”
I turned back from the airport. I put 4 people on the 4 corners of the building and we called it, ‘Foundation laid today’. I called the 4 people, “2 weeks! Say after me: 2 weeks.”
You need to see the video of that dedication. Awesome. We were laying the blocks and plastering at the same time. Everything was drying up at the same time.
– The God of speed came in our midst, January 1994 and took our Church from 3,000 plus to 50,000 plus in 5 years.
– Moved us from 3,000 plus to 10,000 plus (one year).
– From 10,000 plus to 19,000 plus (one year).
– Another year from 19,000 to 26,000 (one year).
– We departed humourously from the old Church counting 50,004 to the glory of God.
The hand of the God of speed is coming upon your life today.
– The God of speed came as usual and commanded the building of Faith Tabernacle in one year. Only Him can command that. No technical expert will buy it. In fact, if it was announced that technical men should make their input, many would insult God:
– “Tell God, we are talking about technical matters. He doesn’t know technical things. God didn’t go to school. We are talking of engineering feat, we are not talking about prophecy that somebody would be healed.”
– “Tell Him now or can we tell Him for you; ‘Father, your servant is afraid but let’s tell You because we are technical experts. We have reviewed the matter, it is impossible.’ The French man will say, ‘umpossible’ (with a French accent). It’s impossible, God, don’t let people laugh you to scorn ohh. It can never happen.”
– The God of speed stepped in, before our very eyes as said by God; according to His set time, Faith Tabernacle was dedicated 18th of September 1999.
– The Word that instructed that building came 17th of September 1998 and He name September 18th 1999 for its dedication. Only God would do that, the God of speed.
– It has nothing to do with experience, it has to do with your faith. It has to do with my faith, it has to do with my faith but He brought it to pass.
The God of speed has come back in our midst, we are going to see wonders.
– The hand of God built the first phase of Covenant University construction. He gave the order, February 12th. We had to do preparation and buy tippers, earth moving equipment; so we began construction in the wilderness 6th of March. He dedicated it 21st of October: road, water, sewage, everything! Two halls of residence that are still standing there to occupy 1500 students: one for males, one for females.
God of Speed.
– We never looked for students sir. They were here before we started. God of speed. 7 months, I’ve never seen that in my life but He did it.
The God of speed has always been in our midst, we are going to turn Him on for the next 3 weeks and we shall see wonders.
– Then came the God of Wonder of Double: God of super speed. He came visiting May 2nd 2015. Immediately I knew God was about to do something strange again, announced it to the pastors, “God has said, prepare.”
– June 1st 2015, we embarked on a fast to June 7th 2015. Opened the operations for massive invasion of our various territories in leading men out of darkness to light. The Church just boomed… from 113,000 to 239,000 in 7 weeks.
Our God of speed.
– We saw the God of speed last year dazed us by planting for Himself over 5,000 Churches. We have never had that kind of tall order in the life of this Ministry: “I will plant 5,000 Churches all across the villages and hamlets of this country.”
– He put ‘jara’ on it: 5,082 Churches were planted.
You also know that all the tithes and offerings that will be received from those Churches cannot equal the tithes and offering of our pastors in Canaanland. Because you can’t give what you don’t have. You give at your level:
If your pepper sells for 20 Naira in a month, your tithe is 2 Naira when you understand it and your offering for the month is 2 Naira: offering, project, everything. So you have 4 Naira of your serious devotion to God which He will use to change your story.
God knows that we are not looking for what to gain, we are out to look for what to give; so He began to bless it. The growth has been tremendous.
– Then He came with a big bang; a big big bang: 10, 000 Churches? It was not part of our plan. Our plan in the Leadership was to consolidate the planting of Churches of last year.
– He said, “don’t consolidate. Go forward by planting 10,000 new Churches.”
– The challenges were obvious:
– Where would the men come from? What of the resources? It is finished! Give the Lord praise.
I’ve said all these to let us know we have always had the God of speed in our midst. Now, let’s turn Him on.
We have experienced the hand of God of speed over the years.
Truly, there is nothing to hard for our God (Jeremiah 32:17,27). There is nothing impossible for our God (Luke 1:37). The God of speed is still on the throne and He changes not.
– He will manifest Himself the next 3 weeks like never before in our midst.
– Jesus the Master Builder is still on duty.
The Hand of the God of Speed is provoked by the following:
1. By our faith (Isaiah 53;1, 1 Kings 8:15). The hand of God is the hand of speed and that is provoked by our faith, by the faith of the Redeemed.
– Somebody who has been having problems in getting his 10 souls, you will get them in grand style within the next one week:
o They will follow you Jesus so hard that the following Sunday, they will bring some other people.
o They will become active disciples of Christ in their various environment!
…great is thy faith and his servant was made whole the selfsame hour (Matthew 8:10,13).
Great Faith is one of the ways we provoke the hand of the God of speed.
2. By Prayers (Genesis 24:12-14,15). The God of speed when called upon in prayer steps in. You know the rest of the story, Rebecca became Isaac’s wife in response to the prayer for speed. The God of speed showed up.
The God of speed will manifest Himself today and lead to massive influx of souls in our services tomorrow in the name of Jesus.
Elijah: As he prayed, the cloud formed and rain descended (1 Kings 18:45, James 5:17). For three and a half years, it had not rained; he prayed earnestly and the heaven poured out its rain.
3. Be addicted to a lifestyle of thanksgiving and praise. It turn things around with speed (Habakkuk 3:17-19). It changes people’s stories dramatically. When we engage our heart in thanksgiving and rejoicing, the God of speed steps in (Jeremiah 30:19,21).
With these 3 demands at work, we are bringing back into our midst the raw manifestations of the God of speed and we shall see it.
… I will shew thee my faith by my works (James 2:18).
God said He will dedicate this sanctuary, so we moved in the following day and became labourers with Him. Real labour, serious labour. One day, I saw my body sitting on my legs. The first day that I came to know by experience that it’s the legs that bear the body and not the body, the leg. My body sat on my leg, having stood for about 22 hours, in active partnership with Jesus towards the delivery of His agenda.
There was no waiting for the agenda to deliver, we are playing our part to see it delivered.
So, the journey began: the following day He said it.
Faith without works is dead (James 2;26)
WHAT IS MY PART IN SEEING THIS CHURCH GROWTH AGENDA FOR MY LOCAL ASSEMBLY REALISED?
Don’t ask, ‘what shall this man do’; do your own. Jesus said, ‘what is that to you, face your own’ (John 21:21-22).
Look out for your part, engage with your part, it will define your future.
Look out for your part, engage with your part, it will secure your future because everyone shall be rewarded according to His own labour (1 Corinthians 3:8).
God does not bless groups, He blesses individuals.
God does not honour groups, He honours individuals (John 12:26).
God doe not promote groups, He promotes individuals (Psalm 75:6-7).
Just identify your part and go full blast into it. It will change your story forever.
There is little wonder, God is light, so He operates by the speed of light (1 John 1:5). Let us engage in active partnership with Jesus so we can see the wonders that He has in store for us.
Please know that our testimonies of yesterday set the pace for the victory we desire today (1 Samuel 17:37, 1 Samuel 17;50).
God wait a minute oh, “You who built the Faith Tabernacle in one year, You are proved beyond any doubt that You are the God of speed.”
“You who doubled this Church in 6 weeks, You have proved that You are the God of Speed. You doubled it again the same year.”
We went over double the attendance of August by October 25th 2015; not by chance, the God of speed at work.
You have proved that You are the God of speed. That’s why we can’t afford to ignore the God of speed to deliver any of His divine agenda for only Him can deliver it within the set time.
God sets time for all His agenda on the earth (Genesis 21:1-2).
2020 is God’s set time to minimum double the average attendance of 2019 in 2020.
2020 is God’s set time to plant Himself 10,000 Churches and He did.
2020 is God’s set time to double the number of cells!
The ball is in everyone’s court. No one will miss God’s set time here. You will not miss God’s set time.
You don’t walk to an exam hall at your own time, you tell the invigilator, “I was busy, I was having some time with my children.”
You are late: “late for what? Didn’t you say it is 7th of November. Okay, what’s today?”
You are supposed to be here for 8 am: “8 for what? I was talking with my children. ‘Train up a child the way he shall go’.”
They will say, “okay, when you finish your grammar, if you don’t go from here, we will call the police for your because you have missed the time for the exam. You are going to repeat it the next time they will write. That could be next year.”
Let’s come awake. Don’t keep looking at what someone else will do, do your own.
You don’t go around calling, “excuse me, you know the exam is 8 am this morning”…you will also miss it, so two of you will repeat it the following year.
Stop waiting for others so you don’t waste your destiny. Get on the move, each one knows what they are looking for. You won’t miss your portion!!
The work to do is simple:
– Let all Cell Ministers accept responsibility to mobilize their members to ensure that their cell replicates before this season is over. Any cell that will not replicate within the 3-month prophetic agenda has not succeeded. Not that we replicated in February: that was when there was lock down, people didn’t have where to go so they came to your cell. This is now Church time. Anything can happen even today. Something will happen in your cell.
– Ensure your 10 standing souls both in the Kingdom and in this Church. In case you have been having issues, ensure that remaining Sunday of this prophetic season, you are before the Lord with at least one brand-new soul either as an invitee so he can meet Jesus who will save him or as a convert who will be strengthened and preserved as you bring him to Church.
Without Faith, we cannot secure the hand of the God of speed. You need to see the wonder before Covenant University opened. We were trying to pave the front of the first College building and rain was falling: all kinds of native intelligence, technical intelligence came to play on how do we protect this thing from rain so we can complete the tarring of this place. I stood in the rain, Christ was counting, other leaders stood in the rain, “this ground, we will tar you no matter what.”
I said, “can you send to Dumex, do they have tarpaulins? Can you send to somewhere else? We must tar this place. No, we won’t go through mud to this building.”
That’s active partnership. It’s not that you will sleep at home, “okay, it is raining. Let’s change the date now from 21st October to 21st November. There will be dry season.” That’s a lazy man’s approach.
Look it is a must. How can you finish a building and have nowhere to enter the building from? It’s not possible, not in this place, not here. We tarred it.
When the rain knew we won’t give up, the rain gave up: “rain, ‘na two of us dey here.’ We won’t let go, you (rain) will be the one to let go. We have dominion over you (rain) from creation. You don’t have dominion over us.”
That’s active partnership. Please listen:
– Every prophetic word will deliver on the quality of your partnership with Jesus. You must do what He tells you to do before He can step in to confirm it.
“Fill the water pots with water” (John 2:7).
“No that’s not dignifying, we will be fetching water when they are looking for wine. Oh God, No!!! Then you speak in tongues, communicate with Him directly: God say something better. We can’t be fetching water, we will look like fools.”
You have no wine, you’ll become a proverb in town: ‘Marriage without wine at Cana of Galilee’; ‘poor people doing marriage’; ‘even Jesus present, no wine’; ‘Mary was present, no wine’; they will be singing in town.
In my place when you commit something like that, they will start using it to sing during masquerade time. They will sing in front of your house so you will know you are the one they are singing it to.
When we forget God’s acts of yesterday, we miss His acts today (Psalm 28:5).
He has manifested variously as the God of speed. We have seen too much of Him, we can’t afford to doubt Him. The God of speed is still at work.
– Every single assembly where the Pastors, team and members dare to believe God, shall be minimum double the average 2019 attendance in the name of Jesus.
What You did before has convinced me that You up to it. You are more than up to it (Psalm 119:111, 1 Samuel 17:37).
God’s acts of yesterday are what set the pace for our victory today (Psalm 119:144).
Therefore, we must recounting the acts of God in the past to commit Him to our victory in the present and future battles.
– Tomorrow we will see the God of speed in action.
– During our Midweek service of next week, we shall see the God of speed in action.
– At the cells, beginning from today, we shall see the God of speed in action.
In the growth of the Church lies the glory of every hearty, engaging child of God (Jeremiah 30:21).
– I will turn them from nonentities to nobles.
– I will turn them from peasants to captains for engaging their heart in driving my agenda.
– They engaged their hearts in pursuing my agenda (Jeremiah 30:19).
– Everyone engaging, God has vowed to change your status.
You know how cheap this is? old and young; male and female; boys and girls have equal value before God…