YOU MET SOMEONE IN IBADAN COMING TO LAGOS FROM ABUJA, DON’T ASSUME HIS JOURNEY IS JUST STARTING. YOU DON’T KNOW HIS SACRIFICES
YOU CANNOT ASK IF AN ANTELOPE GAVE BIRTH TO AN ELEPHANT, RATHER ASK, IF AN ANTELOPE CAN GIVE BIRTH TO AN ELEPHANT
WITHOUT CONFUSION, A FRUIT CAN TELL YOU ITS ROOT
REINHARD BONNKE EVANGELISTIC MINISTRIES WILL BE CELEBRATING THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A CRUSADE IN ABUJA BY NOVEMBER 8
IF THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR LIFE AND DESTINY WILL BE GREAT AND MEGA, THE FOUNDATION MUST BE GREAT
ALL THE EXPLOITS RECORDED IN THIS MINISTRY CAME FROM GOD WHO IS THE LIFTER AND RAISER OF PEOPLE.
GIANT RESULTS ARE THE PRODUCT OF GIANT ROOTS.
MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: FROM ENCOUNTERS TO BEING AFLAME
I WAS RAISED BY A DEVOUT MOTHER AND WAS GROOMED IN PRAYER AND SPIRITUALITY FROM AGE 9
IN 1978/79, PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE’S CRUSADE IN OTUKPO TRANSFORMED ME
I REDEDICATED MY LIFE IN 1986 VIA DEEPER LIFE CAMPUS FELLOWSHIP
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE YOU MUST NEVER MEET IN LIFE. THEY CAN’T ACCOMMODATE ANYTHING ABOUT YOU
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM WAS AN ERROR
NO DISCIPLINE OF LIFE, NOT EVEN TO COMPLETE EDUCATION. ZERO FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE, PASTOR’S WIFE GOES WITH OFFERING TO BUY THINGS AND SHOUTS ON HER HUSBAND IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY
I SAW BISHOP OYEDEPO IN A VISION OF THE NIGHT IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 1994 WHERE HE POURED OIL ON MY HEAD – THE SEAL OF MINISTERIAL FIRE
- Dr Pastor Paul Enenche on “BUILDING STRENGTH FOR THE FUTURE” || International Ministers’ Flaming Fire Conference 2024 || Day 2 Evening Session || 28th August, 2024.
I want to, one more time, welcome everyone here tonight in the precious name of Jesus Christ. I want to appreciate Evangelist Ogbuche and his wife again. We appreciate you, we believe that God has brought you our way and we’ll never be the same. Church Gist. Evangelist Jonathan (Shuttlesworth) who is meant to share with us on Friday night came to stay from the beginning till now, every session. And if anything positive has happened in your life, Evangelist, I believe that between now and next year, it’ll be unbelievable in the name of Jesus Christ. Reverend John Dakor, Reinhard Bonnke Crusade Ministry International African Director for over 40 years. Church Gist. When you talk about faithfulness of service, you’re looking at somebody who is still serving even after the master has gone, he’s still on duty. Bonnke is gone to be with the Lord but he hasn’t left that ministry yet, he’s there, setting the stage, all that Daniel Kolenda needs to do is to show up and preach. He doesn’t need to know who organized what. The Lord bless you and the Lord reward you in Jesus’ name. Church Gist. The Bonnke Crusade 50th anniversary celebration of Bonnke’s ministry will be holding crusade in Abuja in November to mark the 50th anniversary. 8th of November. I’m announcing it ahead of time so that everybody can be aware and connect and latch into that kind of grace. Hallelujah!
Very very quickly tonight, I want us to go on a journey. I think this will be the first time that I will take this kind of journey. I’m speaking on the subject “BUILDING STRENGTH FOR THE FUTURE”. 1 Kings 19:6-8. Church Gist. Our objective again is, what to do to build spiritual strength. But I want to lay the foundation with the following statements:
- Great destinations require great preparations. If you’re going to leave here, the Airport Road and go to Nyanya, you may not pack a bag in Abuja here. And if you’re going to leave from here to Makurdi, you may not pack too much but if you’re traveling all the way to Lagos and you’re going to stay for a while, it might involve some packing. Church Gist. But if you’re to travel from here to Europe or to America, you don’t go casually. Great destinations require great preparations. It is the destination you have in mind that determines the preparation you embark upon.
- Mega constructions have giant foundations. If you see any construction that is mega, its foundation is giant. If the construction is to be great, the foundation must be strong. Church Gist. I was speaking to our structural engineer today to give me the detail of what went into the earth here in this construction. At a point, I was feeling very bad that so much money was being spent into a ground, resources buried that cannot be seen. Church Gist. We had groups of pile foundation, pipes, that went into the earth 8 metres, some places, 12 meters. If you know that I am 1 point something metres, then you should know what 8 metres mean and 12 metres to hit the rocks in groups. Pile foundation everywhere. And by the time we came out of the ground from that earth, there was something they call a basket that was weaved with iron rods. Church Gist. It was a giant basket that I can enter inside and remain inside, filled with concrete. Each of them everywhere. We had a lengthy raft foundation, what do they call this foundation now, that is from this end all the way to that end, about 270-something metres. It was filled with concrete. If you stand inside, the concrete can bury a person. Church Gist. A few square metres of it, they were measuring the concrete in square metres. A few square meters of it, they charged us 33 million, then. Ah. I said, “what is this? All these will be buried inside the ground?” We are talking of 200-something metres and we haven’t even reached.. just like this. So, I said we should buy our own concrete mix and all the things, batching plants and everything so that we would stop measuring it like that. That reduced the price to some extent but all that was done and the earth buried it before this one started coming up. Church Gist. If you want to build a shack, you don’t need much foundation, but if the structure of your life and destiny will be great and mega, the foundation must be great. Mega constructions have giant foundations. Church Gist. If the construction is to be great, the foundation must be strong.
- Heavy roots bear mighty trees. Everytime a tree is mighty, its root must be heavy. Heavy roots bear mighty trees. If the tree must be big, if it’s an iroko tree, the root must be deep and strong. Church Gist. It is strong roots that sustain big trees. No tree can be big for nothing. One of the greatest challenges that we have in this world is where people look at you, they don’t know where you’re coming from and where you’re going, they just met along the journey. It’s like somebody traveling from Abuja to Lagos and someone met you around Ibadan and he thought your journey started in Ibadan, never knowing the investments, sacrifices and what went in. Church Gist. Moses had a 40-year wilderness preparation before he encountered Pharaoh for the fulfillment of ministry. Jesus had 30-year ministry preparation for a 3 and half years of manifestation.
Listen, there are some of us who say we are in ministry now but God is saying, the ministry you’re in is still preparation. When Kenneth Hagin had done about 17 years of ministry, he went to thank the Lord for how God had helped him for 17 years. Church Gist. God spoke to him and He said, “get ready to enter the first chapter of your ministry”. He said, “first chapter? Then, what have I been doing?” And God said, “you have been preparing”. Please note the following about root: first, root determines rise. The depth of a root determines the rise of the tree. Second, root determines size. No tree can have rise and size by accident. You can’t put an iroko tree on a mango root. The same way you cannot put the head of an elephant on the neck of a goat, it’ll collapse. Church Gist. Thirdly, root determines growth. Fourthly, root determines spread. I am just saying things that we can just see by observing. Root determines spread. Fifthly, root determines reach.
One young man said, their ministry, they’re about to start branches. So, I said, “how many is the membership?” I think he said 200 or 100 or something. “How many years?” 2 or 3 years. I said, “no. You don’t branch until the main stem can carry the branches”. Church Gist. You know, those who rear plants, when the tree begins to branch too early, they cut of the branches to allow it to grow because if it branches to early, the main tree will get stunted. Church Gist. Both the destiny of the branch and the tree are jeopardized. So, there’s a level of stature that something will have before.. so, root determines reach. Finally, root determines fruit. You cannot get the fruit of the mango on the root of an orange, except in their new cross-cultivation or whatever they call it. You cannot get the fruit of the apple from the root of a pineapple. Church Gist. There should be no confusion about the root of anything or anybody, just find the fruit they’re bearing, it’ll just clarify the root. The question is not whether antelope born elephant, the question is, can it born it? It’s not the question whether, ‘did it?’ the question is ‘can it?’. Take your seat, we are on a journey, we are far from the end. There are some questions that if you don’t ask the right question, you can’t get the right answers. Church Gist. That Lizard born Crocodile, you don’t ask such a question. Is it, ‘did Lizard born Crocodile?’ No. ‘Can Lizard born Crocodile?’ Just ask the right questions.
Giant results are the product of giant roots. Every time you see results that are giants, they are products of giants roots. You don’t get giant results from dwarf roots. Church Gist. There’s a tribe in Africa they call the Pygmies of Congo. You don’t go to that place and be looking for the parent of a giant. You won’t find them there.
In all humility to God, who alone is the Lifter and the Raiser of people, what is our root? How did we happen? What is the process that brought us here? Brought us where? The realm of very massive salvation for the lost, en masse healing and deliverance crusades, the process of incredible healing and deliverance of the afflicted. Church Gist. Twins born deaf and dumb, I’m sure they have the clip for us. Twins born deaf and dumb were healed the same day in Kaduna Crusade, born deaf and dumb. (I hope these people are ready for me today. You are showing Caleb’s eyes now) This one is Evangelist Sunday Ogwuche’s meeting. Blind boy born blind. If you look at the eyes, it will be clear to you that these eyes, in fact, to see a thing is a miracle. You just see him walking and following me just now. Do you see eyes? He’s pointing lights. Are you seeing any black of the eye there? How did this kind of thing happen? Where did it happen from? I think we can proceed now. I thought you would show him when he was following us. How did it happen? (Look at what Evangelist Jonathan is doing now.) Church Gist. He’s following me. What is the root of this kind of thing? You go to Kaduna, you see the twin girls born the same day, identical twins, dead and dumb. Both heard and spoke. See them. Born deaf and dumb. What is the root of this kind of thing? Alright, let’s proceed because of time.
You are talking about the alcoholic man, that 35 years addict, Maraba Crusade, when we were dedicating the Church, he passed by the road, drunkard for 35 years, coming from the drunkeness joint. He said something pulled him into the meeting. He stepped into the meeting, alcoholic devil left him. He brought himself to the Altar and said “I have been drinking for 35 years, I’ve been helpless. But this thing has broken”. Church Gist. What is the root of such kind of result? Addicts of marijuana, addicts of crack, addicts of masturbation, pornography, delivered in an instant. What is the…massive Stadium packed filled of crowds all around the World, extensive overflowing congregations all around the World with massive structural and infrastructural developments. See some of the Churches on the screen. What could be the root of all these?
You are talking about the submission of territorial, regional or national leaders. Whether they be Mayors, or they be Governors, or they be Presidents of nations, sitting down together to listen and be discipled. Church Gist. You are talking about societally impacting things that happened everywhere. What could be the secret? They are showing you various locations connected right now. Things don’t happen by chance. They happen by calculated incidences.
Now, let us have a look at some of the crusades. I think, is it Zambia that you have on the screen? I’m not sure we might have the time to watch the…alright, let’s go. That was Zambia. Zambia, a w1tch was flying from one Country to another, came accros the Crusade ground and dropped, a w1zard. Church Gist. That’s the Zambian Vice President, attended the meeting, Leadership Session in the morning. You can move over. Cameroon. That was Doula, Cameroon. People were healed in their homes, stood up from crutches, dropped crutches, sent videos of themselves healed at home. You want to move to Malawi? The Assemblies of God. Go on ahead, show us the meeting. Malawi Crusade. Healings, miracles, signs and wonders. We are back in Malawi this Year. Move on. Jalingo Crusade. All over the World, the Spirit of the Lord is moving, the Earth being filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as water cover the seas. Jalingo Crusade, incredible manifestations of God. Move on to Kaduna. Kaduna Crusade. Move on to Makurdi. For Altar Call. Church Gist. From Makurdi, move on to Port Harcourt. This year or last year. We have FCT Wide Crusade, Nyanya Crusade here. I hope I’m not too fast. Here, people were hanging on the bridge, hanging accros the road, Nyanya here. Otukpo Crusade. The Bible says a Prophet is not received in his own land, but this is an exemption.
- Give Jesus the King of kings and the Lord of lords a big clap and a louder shout of praise.
Uyo Crusade. Reverend Ntia, you were there. Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Lokoja Crusade. Are you ready for this one? Kano Crusade. You see the line to get in? A lot of children, blind children, deaf children, all manner were healed. Cripples healed in their numbers. We have other clips here. We have a Shiloh clip and them we have…that’s Shiloh ministration right there and then we have Canada, we have Leeds. I think some of the Canada people are here. Church Gist. The Mayor of Leeds was in this meeting. That’s the Mayor. Number one hundred and twenty something Mayor. Mayor asked for prayers. Leeds Crusade, Leeds in the United Kingdom. Show us Houston Texas briefly. Go ahead, give the Lord the praise. Mayor sent his representative to Houston Texas outreach and then we have Morris Cerullo in the Glory Dome and then we have Israel. This is Ministry in Israel. It’s a long time. Over 80 nations were there. Ein Gedi in the desert. Deaf ears all opened.
We had other societally impacting things. We dedicated our Church in Kano and decided…Kano, your Kano Evangelist Ogwuche. We dedicated our Church in Kano and decided to construct the road that connects the Church, also to serve the Community. The Emir’s representative was there and others. Can you show us the clip? Sorry, Karu, let’s start with Karu, Boundary Road. Church Gist. The Church paved this road for this Community. The Community leaders were there, the King of the land was there. Alright, let’s see the road. Alright, this is another road constructed in another place, Boundary Road. Done by the Church for the Community. Show us Christmas Welfare distribution. This is food distribution for Christmas. Who is this? Who is it that can do all of these?
Can you stand up on your feet and let us give the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the I Am that I Am, the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley, the Jehovah Rophekah Mekadesh . We worship you, we honour you, we adore you, we magnify you, we glorify you, thank you Father for the inspiration of these results. Church Gist. It’s only you. We honour you, we adore you. We magnify you, we glorify you. Thank you and thank you and thank you again. In Jesus precious name.
I want to take us on a little journey of our origin, our root. What could be the reason for this? I think that my journey started with my mother. My mother experienced and encountered Jesus about the year of 1958 where she saw Jesus on the cross and Jesus asked her, just hold to the hem of my garment and that is enough for you. That was the encounter that transformed her life. My mother had delays in bringing forth children. Church Gist. When eventually that delay was broken, she began to give birth. First one was female, second one was female, third one was female and it was such an issue in the setting that she was if you couldn’t bring forth a male child. So she adopted a name, baptism name, Christian name of Hannah that, “Lord, visit me like Hannah” and the visitation happened. First male came, the second male came and the third male came. I happen to be the second. Now the stories I am telling you are things that I want us to learn a lot from deeply. She took her spirituality so serious that she woke her children up every 5am, led us in devotion 5-6am, you can’t be too sleepy for it. Church Gist. She wasn’t educated as it were but whatever they taught her in Church, she broke it down to us at home. That was how she groomed us in prayers, in impartations, until I was age 9.
Then we went to the Methodist Church Reverend and told him I had a special number with my mother – at age 9. My junior brother and the two of us, I don’t know what happened but the man allowed us to sing the special number. I don’t know what we sang that day, I don’t know, I can’t remember the song but the people clapped. Church Gist. They said, what powerful children, anointed children and then we proceeded on. Around that time, there was a break out of revival in the town we were – Otukpo town in Benue State. Revival was in 1978, 1979 and 1980 going forward. There are some people in that revival who are here – Dr Mrs Aluma – Evangelist Aluma who is my senior sister, also my junior sister and then we have a set of twins – …who were in that revival – Identical twins. They were right there in 1978, 79, 80. They are full members of Dunamis currently. (Do you recognise them Sister Patricia? I’m sure you do). So that happened and there was so much fire in that revival. Yes, we had Evangelist Sylvester Odufu who is with the Lord now, we had Bishop Sunday Idoche who were coordinating what they called the Christian Fellowship Centre, then after that we had Brother Victor Oboi who became the anchor of what we were doing. Church Gist. He (pointing) knows Victor Oboi very well, Victor Oboi’s mother passed not too long ago and God gave us the privilege to minister to her before she passed. Brother Victor Oboi, I will come to that shortly.
So this fire was burning. In the middle of that fire, I took a 3-day fast for the first time on empty stomach at the age of 11. I think they were still in that same fasting as well. 11, 3 days dry only! In those days when you fasted, you broke the fast exactly at 12 midnight on the last day – that was what happened. Church Gist. On the last day the fast was broken but it was intense. Reverend Francis Abuka – Bishop now, was in that fast, along with others. It was very very intense. That for me was my initiation if you’d call it, into the realms of power and experience with God.
Shortly after that, in the same year of 1979, Pastor E. A. Adeboye came to Otukpo Government Secondary School. He had come in 1978 and also came in 1979 to Otukpo. He held a crusade. In that meeting in Government Secondary School, before he could open the Scripture to start preaching, the Holy Ghost fell everywhere and people were … I mean, it was an explosion. Church Gist. I was in that meeting and that meeting was a drastic turning point. As a matter of fact, I went to one of the men that came with him and I had some discussions with him and he encouraged and was talking to me about how to remain focused, how to remain on fire, how to study the Word. That was 1978.
Between 1978, 1979, 1980, we had gone with Brother Victor to villages on Evangelism. We are talking about age 11 thereabout. We had gone to villages for Evangelism. I want us to understand a journey. Done all of that, then Brother Joe … Young Disciples Ministry in Lagos, he was also a product of that meeting, he was in the 3 days fast in Wesley High School. Church Gist. That continued the journey. My encounter with Pastor E. A. Adeboye was 45 years ago. After a season of some slight slackness spiritually, in the year of 1986, I rededicated my life to Christ in Deeper Life Campus Fellowship. I had an encounter overnight and Deeper Life Campus Fellowship and Kumuyi is 38 years. I had an encounter overnight – it lasted from about 2am to 4am. I won’t go into details because I see time is racing. The outcome of that encounter was my life completely handed over to God and “Lord I am ready to do whatever you want,” I went to the Campus Fellowship nobody was there, I cleaned out the chairs – nobody told me – and then came and stood at the door and began to welcome people to the fellowship. I’m sure they were wondering, “where did this new usher come from? What branch?” I was from no branch – the zeal of God had consumed me. It was a driving force. Church Gist. I cleaned out the chairs, welcomed the people. In Deeper Life Campus Fellowship we went all the way to Ayobo IBTC (International Bible Training Centre,) in Lagos for Deeper Life Campus Fellowship Conferences. It was a forming moment. After a while, after doing that emergency ushering work, I joined the Deeper Life Choir. Deeper Life Choir director is now a pastor, he is in Benue State – Brother Umoro – we met last time and then my pastor in Deeper Life then, Pastor Chris Obaji in Makurdi was here for the dedication of the Glory Dome.
Now, that journey went until I stepped into the Campus. Now, the first campus was an A level, now this was the full fledged going to the University – Medicine. As I stepped into the Campus, let me say something before stepping into the campus because I want this journey to be understood by you because there are lessons to be learnt. After that A level, I didn’t get immediate admission. Church Gist. I had more than cut off point for medicine, so I had one year at home. That one year could be called my Bible school. Within that one year, there were days of 7 hours in tongues – average. Within that one year, 7 days no food – only water. Within that season, 7 hours of tonguing. We had a fellowship called the Ojura fellowship where iron sharpened iron. Bishop Emma Ijachi was in that fellowship. Where somebody shared, another shared, it was like bomb dropping. Young men on fire!
I’ll like you to listen to this: by the time I stepped into the University, I arrived like a flame. I was studying medicine but every morning before class started by 8am, I would pray between one hour to 3 hours. Church Gist. In that 1986, 87, we were already casting out devils. So I entered into the University aflame. I will pray between one hour to 3 hours every morning.
(Speaking to Bishop Emma) Sorry I didn’t plan to embarrass you but you’re welcome. We were doing rural evangelism. You remember how we climbed motorcycles? We climbed motorcycle to interior villages – Atakpa, Amoda, evangelising ruggedly. You see, there are people who are in ministry today who have never done anything rural. Church Gist. They just want the glamour and the pulpit and the elegance and the “see me big man of God.” Atakpa, Amoda, motorcycle back. You come into some communities, the whole place is tied down with darkness. Demonic possession and oppression everywhere. Amoda if you remember.
So when I was in the full fledged university I was already aflame praying one to 3 hours everyday. Then we went to class by 8. By 12 o’Clock I had burden for prayer again – after the break, in medical school. Who does that in medical school? One hour to three hours praying in the morning, another one hour in the afternoon? You had to go and read. When the burden got too much, I went behind the physiology laboratory then I will be praying right there using that one hour before the next class by 1pm. Church Gist. While I was in that praying at the back, I met a young man who was also praying quietly. Then, as I prayed a little, I will share a little scripture with him, he exploded. I shared a little, he exploded. Brother Boniface Ochai is a medical doctor in Australia right now. So he told me, who are you and where are you from? I told him I am in 200 level. He said, really? What you are sharing with me can you come and share it in the General Fellowship? He was the President of the Nigerian Conference of Christian Medical and Dental Students – our branch NCCMDS. So he brought me to the fellowship. He said, “please we have a brother here who wants to share something with us.” By the time I finished sharing …Sister Becky was there, with her thick glasses. Church Gist. Glasses was like Coca-Cola bottle. I was the one who removed it. I said, don’t block your eyes like that. The glasses were so thick, she only removed it in the bathroom. That’s she can’t go to the bathroom without it – with one prayer.
So when I finished ministering to them, Medical Students, I stood on the altar, everybody was on the floor. Church Gist. “Receive,” on the floor and I’m sure you know why we reduced that hand a bit. Let me tell you the story.
In Area One Church we say, “receive.” By the time service is over, 30 plastic chairs are broken and that was what we had – plastic chairs. Church Gist. Another service, 50 plastic chairs! Pastor said, this is not economical; let people begin to receive without breaking chairs. It was a deliberate thing – I just withdrew from receive.
So in that meeting, they were all on the floor – fire. You know the question they asked themselves? Where did this guest minister come from? What is the name of his ministry? Church Gist. She (my wife) was one of those who asked. So they said, no, he’s here on campus. 200 level! What you see today is not chance occurrence.
There is a major matter I forgot: when my mother was pregnant for me for 6 weeks, the pregnancy got lost – she thought it was. She bled until they said the pregnancy was gone and she returned back home and the pregnancy refused to go; it remained. Church Gist. When that pregnancy was 7 months, she had a revelation in the night where somebody brought a basin with plenty bottles of oil and told her, the child that is to be born, this oil is for his head. One bottle of oil would have been enough but plenty bottles inside the basin. So when you see the apostolic, the prophetic, the evangelistic, the pastoral, the teaching, the songs, the writing and the this and the that, I believe that it is a representative of different bottles. When I was born and I was like age 4, I told her the name to call me. I said, call me leader – in a word that is not a common use. Church Gist. There are many things we can say there. I am not saying these things to create any impression on you other than to give some insight.
Then, my ministry in the University continued. Whether it was during ward round, cancer is healed, tumors disappearing, breast lump is disappearing, medical student – ward round. Yes, during ward round. I met a primary school classmate who had end stage kidney disease. He was in the ward. The moment I walked close to him, I recognised him and said, ah ah, what is happening here? His hair was like chicken feather, his tummy bloated, his skin was flaky. At that time what they called Dialysis was not common in the country. Church Gist. He was meant to do a kidney transplant which was impossible. So he was literally waiting for death. He said when he saw me, something jumped into him. Medical student! At this time it was like 500 level. I prayed for him, anointed him with oil, he was discharged in 7 days. Back to his feet, kidney normal.
Along that course, I came across Morris Cerullo’s book titled Proof Producers where he explained Acts 1:8 which is the anchor of our ministry today. That Acts 1:8 fastened upon my heart. So I was still a student but I had invitations. I was ministering. I was a guest of a Methodist Church in Jos …on top of a hill. The Methodist Reverend was to attend a Ministers’ Conference here. (Very Reverend Daniel Oko testifies). Those invitations were there and then, got introduced to My Father in the Lord, Papa Oyedepo’s ministry, that one came let’s say over 30 years ago. Church Gist. I began to listen to his tapes, Unveiling the Realities of the Supernatural Realm.” Having listened to him for a while, I saw him in a vision of the night. He poured oil on my head – the last quarter of 1994. That oil was the seal of ministerial fire. The fire had been there, ministry had been on, but it was the seal of ministerial fire that exploded us into dimensions that became beyond our imagination.
When I was graduating, in our year book I wrote something. Everybody was to write a comment and my own comment was, “Father I thank you for helping me to combine the rigours of medical training with tangible kingdom Ministry.” I said, for as it were, I was a part time student and a full time minister – year book. My sister was always afraid; she thought one day I will run out of the University. Church Gist. She said the letters I wrote to her from school were epistles. She said it was as if she was reading 1 Corinthians (his sister testifies). In fact, my room mate when I was in 200 level, he was in 300 level, he asked the same question verbatim, “are you in Bible School or you are in Medical School?” Because he was seeing me praying one to three hours in the morning. I told him, both. That guy couldn’t finish medical school – he was withdrawn while we continued. I made all of them pray; we’ll fast for 3 days, no water remaining on the same spot, the same kind of thing 7 hours nonstop I made them do it in the University. Church Gist. Until your anterior abdominal wall was paining you. If the abdomen doesn’t pain you, you have not prayed yet.
- I see a fire of commitment coming upon somebody here!
Along the line, I came across some people. I will preach before this conference is over, “there are a people God should never allow your path to cross.” A people you must never meet because they neither belong to your past, your present or your future. They can’t accommodate anything about you. They don’t belong. I met these people, relationship in the first place was an error. These were people who had no discipline of an official university education – none, zero. The best was halfly educated, mid level. Church Gist. The rest, secondary school dropout. So the discipline of life, how you face life with discipline, zero. Where there was zero financial discipline – no difference between Church money or God’s money. Where Pastor’s wife can go straight from the.. with offering money in the market to buy things. Since this ministry started, the cheque book of this Church has never been in my possession once, can never be. I never believed that Church money belonged to the pastor and any pastor here who is eating the Church money or taking the tithes, you need to repent. Then, zero marital family life. Where you can have pastor’s wife shouting on husband in front of everybody. Church Gist. Question is: what is this? Mindset different; lifestyle different; focus different; principles of life different; every single thing different; on your marks, get set move!
When I begin to draw the lessons at the end, there are things you must… Never manage any association even for two days if you notice that principles are different.
And here, I met Papa Oyedepo physically like I said, he anointed my head with oil and then when ministry was six months, we were just building from the scratch, he passed through Abuja, six months. Church . He passed there, I asked him to anoint the ground, “Sir, we are building”. He poured oil on the ground and said, “building grow”. Within 7 weeks, we were under the roof.
- may God connect you with oil that produce results with speed.
He poured the oil on the ground, building grew, roof came and our relationship continued. By 1998, our ministry was only 2 years old when he appointed me a member of the Board of Ministers on his board, Charismatic Bible Faith Ministries, CBFM. Church Gist. I was there with Pastor David Ibiyeomie, we were all on the same board, he appointed us at the same time, two years. Atimes, I begin to wonder, what did this man see in my life at such an age of ministry? In that same year, we broke the ground for Faith Tabernacle. Under one year, Faith Tabernacle was built. We were there in 1999 to declare the 50,000 seat auditorium, 1999 to dedicate it. I drove round with him in the foundation, drove round with him in the construction, drove round when the building wasn’t roofed yet. Church Gist. So, it was clear to me that this was achievable. What you see determines what you can dare. I saw the process. And then, 1998 came, 1999 first Shiloh. There have been 25 Shilohs this year, I have not missed one. I want you to understand something about followership. Every schedule is scheduled away from it. In that 1998, they had a Ministers’ Conference and invited a couple of people. Church Gist. In that Ministers’ Conference, I met a man, Bishop Charles Agyin-Asare, now Archbishop and he preached with fire and gave a very rugged testimony how he went to India and so on and so forth. You know, deep calleth unto the deep, he was talking supernatural and supernatural is my passion, so, I drew close. When I watched his ministration the first time, it didn’t take time for healings to happen. Without a doubt, there was a sharpening. Church Gist. He invited me in 1999 to minister in Tamale in Northern Ghana. I have ministered in only five Churches in the world on a Sunday morning, his own is one of it. On a Sunday morning, there’s nothing you can do for me to minister on a Sunday morning. I am mentioning it so that you can know that there are relationships that are profitable as against those that are useless. Church Gist. I will come to him later when I talk about Morris Cerullo because when Dr. Morris Cerullo came to Ghana, he said, “Pastor Paul, I’d like you to meet Morris Cerullo”. So, for the first time, he made myself and Morris Cerullo to meet.
Then, shortly after that, my father in the Lord appointed me, this should be almost 20 years now as the member of the Board of Regents of Covenant University, University Board. 25 years now. Church Gist. Member of the Board of Regents, first and second Boards and it was such an experience. When we are to go for Board meetings, I’ll research, read around Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford and all the universities, what made them big so that when they’re asking people to speak, I won’t be just watching. That was the path that I took with our father in the Lord. Before this conference started, we were together on Monday where he prayed for the conference. Church Gist. It’s a relationship of consistency for over 31 years. It’ll interest you to know that he has four children, all married, I officiated in all four weddings. Some I preached, some I joined.
Let me move from there. I have two more, then we draw the curtain. Let me talk about my encounter with Reinhard Bonnke. So, you have heard of Pastor E. A. Adeboye, you have heard of Kumuyi and as I’m talking, I believe that power will be dropping on people. Church Gist. You have heard of Papa Oyedepo. Papa Oyedepo came for my daughter’s wedding, that one is a constant. Visited me when my mother passed, personally.
Now, Reinhard Bonnke. Reinhard Bonnke was coming to Makurdi for crusade, my sister here was the protocol committee chairperson for that crusade. And she said to me, “Reinhard Bonnke will be coming and landing in Abuja, can you help me pick him from the airport?” I said, “help? I should be thanking you for giving me such a privilege”. Church Gist. So, I organized protocol, we picked Bonnke from the airport and then he’s to pass one night in Abuja before going to Makurdi. I received him from the airport, straight to Sheraton Hotel where we booked for him, he lodged overnight. The next day, when he was going to go Makurdi, I was meant to go with them but I decided not to go. I gave him an offering in foreign currency, in dollars and then gave him a wristwatch. My mentality was ‘this man is on time, I want to be on time’. And I said, “pray for me sir”, I knelt down. Church Gist. He laid his hands on me and he said, “Father, whatever you felt on the Cross of Calvary before you sent your son Jesus to die, give him a portion of it. Jesus, what you felt on the cross while you were dying for the world, how your heart was, give him a little of that heart”. Before then, I had experienced some manifestations but there were some dimensions of manifestations I was not seeing no matter how hard I prayed or fasted. Church Gist. So, he laid hands on me, power! When they wanted to go, I told the hotel housekeeping, “don’t change the bedspread, don’t go to the room, don’t clean anything, just leave it the way it is”. I dived into that bed where he laid, I was in tongues for the next 10-11 hours, nonstop. “Father, whatever grace laid on this bed, overnight, I connect”. As I prayed almost 12 hours, I became dizzy like I was falling asleep. In-between that junction of sleep and awake, I had a very drastic miracle encounter, an encounter that was clear that there was a transmission of a miraculous dimension of the supernatural. I saw raw like a creative miracle. Church Gist. Then I got up, slept back, continued the prayer. By the time it was daybreak and I knew I had received what I wanted, I followed them to Makurdi and joined them in the crusade. And then, our relationship continued. Whenever Bonnke was coming, I’d wait for him at the airport, receive him. So, anytime we go to Ghana today and John Dakor is in Ghana, he will wait for us at the airport, till tomorrow. I said, “why?” He said, “when Bonnke was alive, you always came to receive us at the airport, I now have to receive you”. Church Gist. Bonnke was in Abuja crusade, I was the prayer committee chairman. He said all the committee should bring their budget, I said, “budget for what? Budget to pray?” Pastor (Godwin) Abba was with me in that Committee. I said, “do you people want budget? do you need money for the prayer?” They said, “no”, because they can’t look at my eyes and say yes. And he (Pastor Abba) will not say yes because we are together. No way. “Anything you need, I’ll provide it from my pocket. Church Gist. I will give you the drinks, we don’t need a dime from Bonnke. I will provide everything”, which we did. On the crusade ground, in Abuja crusade, Bonnke went to the altar to preach, brought out his hand and showed me, he said, “see the watch you have me”. He was wearing the watch. Of all the watches in the world? During the Glory Dome dedication, he told him (Pastor Dakor) he wants to come. Church Gist. We were looking for plane to fly him. Sometimes, I can say, I wish it was today, two planes can go at once. And then, when Bonnke was about to pass, he met him. Please tell us what he said (talking to Pastor John Dakor), your experience with him. Is this story doing anything to you?
Pastor John Dakor; “we were in America for our conference, Directors’ conference. At the end of it, he sent a message to us that he would like to meet myself and my wife in his house. So, we drove three hours to Palm Beach, that was where he was staying. We met him and we had quite a lot of prayers and singing, it was wonderful. Church Gist. But he said we should have a meal. So, once we sat at the table, he showed me a watch on his hand and asked me, ‘John, do you remember the one who gave me this watch?’ I said, ‘ah, Pastor Bonnke, we have so many pastors in Africa, how can I remember who gave you this watch?’ He said, ‘oh, you’ve forgotten? This is from Pastor Paul. This was given to me by Pastor Paul in Abuja’ and I remember that incident, then I recollected everything. Church Gist. Then, he said when I go back to Africa, I should tell Pastor Paul, “if we’d not meet again here, he will meet him in Heaven”. That’s it.
(Pastor Paul Continues)
That was Bonnke. His last crusade in Africa was in Lagos. We flew all the way to meet in the little Portercabin, “Pastor Paul, are you well? How’s the place? How’s everything? How’s the ministry?” Church Gist. Put something in his hands, said, “receive”. So, when you see crusades today – He saw the crusades, he said, this looks like a Bonnke crusade – It didn’t happen by chance.
Let me end with Dr. Morris Cerullo. I have told you already how myself and Dr. Morris Cerullo met. After that meeting, he just held me like this, “Paul, Paul”. He invited me as his minister to minister in Mission to London. He went to Semarang in Indonesia, he asked me to come. I ministered massively in Indonesia. Church Gist. Then, one day, when the Lord’s Garden land was already gotten, he flew down, not to preach, not to do anything, Dr. Morris Cerullo flew down, I took him round and then he looked at me, he said, “Paul, God sent me, not to the Church, not to anybody, He sent me to you. He said I should tell you that the word is in your mouth, say it”. He said, “I want to pray a prayer for you and it’s going to be a gift. It is a prayer for supernatural eyesight. It is discernment of spirit. Supernatural eyesight”. He prayed.
You see, it’s not possible to have an encounter and you’re not aware. Association does not equal transmission. You can’t have an encounter and not (be) aware. That was the first major time. The second major time, he came for the Glory Dome dedication, then he came again and he was passing by and he passed on this Altar. You know what he told me? If I remember that thing, I want to cry. He said “Paul, before Elijah passed, he asked Elisha what do you want. Church Gist. I am asking you now, what do you want?” and he started crying. “Before Elijah passed, he asked Elisha what do you want. Paul, I’m asking you, what do you want?” He began to cry and sob. (He’s kissing me on the cheek. He does that all the time. Kiss on the cheek, 2 cheeks, on the forehead. This is dedication, this is not that clip. The real clip is still… I’m sure they can get that. If you go on YouTube, you’ll find it) and then he laid hands on me and my wife here, with such a transmission that makes me aware that there is no Country I step into that can’t open. Him and Lester Sumrall. They have an anointing that somebody called the bull anointing. Church Gist. “Thou anointest me with fresh oil, my horn is exalted like…” It’s like a lion that carries horn. That is, breaking open hard grounds and he dropped what he carried. Next thing I heard, he was gone. The next news is Morris Cerullo was gone. He had passed. We prayed back and forth on the phone, talked with his wife on the phone before the passing.
Beloved brothers and sisters, whenever you see anything that is significant and big, try to find out, where is this thing coming from?
Do I have the time for any lessons tonight? Let me give you 7 lessons from all of these. Please take your seats and then I’ll round off now. I know that it’s a Midweek Service and time is going. Church Gist. (But also, that’s what he’s – Morris Cerullo – doing. He’s crying there and asking what do you want in the name of Jesus. You can check it out on YouTube later.) Let’s take 7 lessons very fast.
- Parent should watch and nurture the graces and giftings of God in their children. Watch and nurture them. My mother saw the oil and she determined, not just me, but all the children, to raise them with devotion. My mother’s room, I can confidently say that almost everybody is a minister in one way or the other, everybody. We were praying in my father’s parlour, I think that was 1986, my sister there, right there. Church Gist. We were praying there and my sister saw an Angel brought an oil, He said “I could have given you this oil but you are a woman. You won’t be able to carry the responsibilities that this oil comes with, that this oil carries. It will be too heavy for you” And He told her, she standing there and he pointed at me and said, “See him, drop it on his head” So, she held her hand like that, like a cup and brought it and put it on my head. I fell until my head hit until I was convinced that it broke. Church Gist. I have never fallen like that, hit the ground. When I got up I had to check if there was blood. It was heavy. It was heavy, I can’t recover. I’m sure that was one of those oils that Mama saw in those days, it landed on my head. Nurture children. Don’t leave children to themselves. Watch them. Nurture the grace. Proverbs 3:27.
- Children can be introduced early in life to spiritual exercises that will help their future. I fasted for 3 days, no food at the age of 11 and so, we made it a rule in our house, when any child reaches 10, you will do a 3 day fast. My wife talked about it in the morning. Church Gist. You’ll do a 3 day fast. One of the children, after the first 3 day fast, he did so many, just as frequent as water. He did the first one before the 10 years. So, the spiritual exercises, don’t think they are too small. Nurture them with the right spiritual exercises.
- Make your waiting time to become preparation time. Anytime it looks like your life is on hold. Anytime it looks like things are not happening the way they should, make such a time, a time for spiritual investment. Make your waiting time to become preparation time. That was what I did with 7 hours praying while I was waiting to get to the next level of my schooling, 7 hours tonguing. 1 Corinthians 15:58. Church Gist. A time came when I was asking the Lord, what is the aim of all these revelations I’m seeing out of the Scripture? I had no where to preach. He said it’s just installation for the future, it’s a wiring against tomorrow. Make your waiting time (to become preparation time.)
- Don’t look for the title to bear, look for the task to fulfill. Don’t be a title carrier. Don’t look for the title to bear, look for the task to fulfill. Serve God at every given opportunity. Ecclesiastes 9:10. Church Gist. Don’t struggle with, “I am a Pastor, Prophet, this, Apostle” Forget about that. Go into rural evangelism like what my brother just said now, villages. Don’t look for title, look for task to fulfill. Serve God at every given and slight opportunity.
- Identify liability relationships and disconnect as fast as you can. 1 Corinthians 15:33. Identify liability relationships and disconnect as fast as you can. Church Gist. Don’t manage any relationship to damage your destiny, as fast…one of the prayers that you must pray, “Lord, may I never meet the person I should never meet. May I never meet the person or persons I should never meet”. Identify liability relationships and disconnect as fast as you can.
- Identify profitable relationships and sustain them. Proverbs 13:20. Walk with the wise, sustain them and I want to add something to this. Don’t let anybody talk you away from the right relationships, especially fatherhood relationships. Look at that man, he said he had been coming here since 2013, we haven’t seen one on one but that did not stop him. Church Gist. But he sent a text and the call came on the spot, not up to a minute. If I was to listen to people, I would have been talked out of my relationship with my Father in the Lord since. I would have be talked out of it since. Identify profitable relationships, sustain them, keep them, maintain them. Identify them, sustain them, keep them, maintain them.
- Serve every higher unction that God gives you the opportunity to encounter. Serve. I served Bonnke to the extent I could. In my Father in the Lord Board of Trustees, I served to the best of my knowledge for as long as I was there. Church Gist. They gave sitting allowance and one day and I said to myself, “So, you mean I should come here and collect sitting allowance? No, I’m the one to pay for being given the opportunity”. Serve every higher unction. 2 Kings 3:11. Here is Elisha that poured water on the hands of Elijah and as he did that, the unction of Elijah came upon him.
In conclusion tonight, if I’m going to ask you a question. Who is the only one that can take the glory for what is happening here? Who raised us? Who processed us? He connected us with deep roots. Daddy G. O. that I met 45 years ago, or Papa Kumuyi 38 years ago, or Daddy Oyedepo over 30 years ago, or Reinhard Bonnke, or Morris Cerullo, or myself. Church Gist. We can never point to any of these people as the reason for success in this place, or the reason for the acts of God here, or for the move of God. It’s impossible, none of them. None of them, the spirituality they have and the mentality of the Kingdom they have can never allow any one of the people I just mentioned to claim “if it is not me’.
Evangelist Jonathan’s father is a Pastor. I encountered Evangelist Jonathan briefly and some things drastically turned. Zenso’s father is a Bishop, who just testified. It will be stupidity taken to the highest level to say that “If not me, they wouldn’t have succeed” That is even when there is a profitable deposit. Church Gist. Anyone who sees something like this that only God can do, that tries to take it to themselves, including this Pastor, is a victim of ‘megalomania’, delusions of grandeur, the type where a villager comes out and say “I’m now the president of the Country”. Luciferic emptiness and haughtiness. No.
I met Ntia about 20 something years ago. His life and ministry took a different turn. But he was Ntia before we met. I’m talking of profitable impact. Church Gist. Beloved, anybody including you who tries to take the glory of God is the person who has positioned himself for destruction, positioned for destruction.
Stand up on your feet. What only God can do, a man says he can do it. So, man, get it done in the next 10 years, try it so it can be confirmed. Church Gist. It’s a new season! If there is anything you have picked out of what you have heard, lift up your hands and appreciate God.
—Prayers—
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