WHEN YOU MEET WITH TEACHERS, THEY FULL YOUR HEAD. WHEN YOU MEET WITH PRACTITIONERS, THEY FIRE YOUR HEART.
GLORY DOME WAS NOT BUILT BY MONEY BUT BY STRENGTH OF HEART.
YOU DON’T NEED STRENGTH TO BE CALLED, BUT YOU NEED STRENGTH TO ACCOMPLISH GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE.
NO MATTER THE BRIGHTNESS OF YOUR VISION, IF YOU ARE NOT CHAGRED WITH STRENGTH, YOU CANNOT ACCOMPLISH IT.
“I WON’T USE MEDICINE” – IF I MEET YOU AND CAN’T SEE FAITH, I PAY YOUR MEDICAL BILL SO YOU CAN BE ALIVE TO LEARN FAITH TO WIN
AS A PASTOR, ARE YOU SLEEPING 8 HOURS BECAUSE SCIENCE SAID SO? CHECK JESUS’ SCHEDULE
THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO DO MINISTRY; MINISTRY ASSIGNMENT IS FOR EAGLES WHO ARE READY TO FACE THE STORMS
MINISTRY CAN BE LIKENED TO A RACE: YOU NEED STRENGTH IN YOUR HEART, YOUR BODY AND IN YOUR MIND
THINGS ARE HAPPENING ON THIS DUNAMIS GROUND BECAUSE GOD SENT A MAN. YOU CAN’T FIGHT A MAN THAT GOD SENT
DON’T BE WORRIED WHEN THEY’RE MAKING NOISE AND CASTIGATING YOU, THEY’RE ONLY TRYING TO INTIMIDATE YOU TO KEEP SILENT
WHEN FAITH ENTERS, SCIENCE VACATES
THE COMPANY YOU KEEP DETERMINES THE INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE
MANY OF US RUN AND PURSUE OUR CALLING AND FORGET THE CALLER
UNTIL YOU LOSE YOUR VOICE IN PRAYER, YOUR VOICE CANNOT BE HEARD AMONG MEN
YOU CAN’T BE SENT FROM GOD AND BE DRIVEN BACK BY MEN
GOD DID NOT GIVE ANYONE AUTHORITY TO JUDGE ANOTHER PERSON’S ASSIGNMENT
STOP HAVING STOMACH ACHE AND FOCUS ON YOUR ASSIGNMENT INSTEAD OF ANOTHER PERSON
THE REASON WHY PROSPERITY IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CHURCH IS THAT PEOPLE DON’T ONLY FEAR OUR PRAYERS, THEY FEAR OUR RESOURCES
LET EACH PERSON FOCUS ON HIS ASSIGNMENT!
YOU’RE NOT CALLED TO COMPETE BUT TO COMPLEMENT; STOP HAVING STOMACH ACHE WHEN SOMEONE IS MAKING PROGRESS
THE GLORY DOME HERE IS NOT PASTOR PAUL ENENCHE’S OWN, IT’S FOR THE ENTIRE BODY OF CHRIST
BE FAITHFUL IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT, EVERYTHING YOU NEED WILL MEET YOU ON THE WAY
- Bishop David Abioye on “BUILDING UP STRENGTH BY WAITING ON THE LORD” || International Ministers’ Flaming Fire Conference 2024 || Day 3 Evening Session || 29th August, 2024.
Thank you, Jesus. I want to first of all appreciate the privilege God has given to me to be in this Flaming Fire Conference for Ministers 2024 and the honour of being considered to minister to us in this Conference. Church Gist. It’s an honour that I don’t want to take lightly. I want to appreciate God’s Servant, Pastor Paul and his wife, for creating this platform and for receiving my wife and I to this great Assembly. I want to thank God and give glory to Him in the precious name of Jesus.
The reason why we’re here tonight is relationship. I am not here in the way people will see it as coming to minister, but to share fellowship with all the saints through the platform created by His Servant my very wonderful Co-labourer over decades as he has mentioned. God has kept all of us together. It appears in different directions, but one in the Spirit. The whole essence of creation is relationship. Church Gist. You can never enjoy life without value for relationship. We are not always here, but we are connected in the Spirit, strong for that matter, even to our families. Again, Pastor Paul and his dear wife, we value you, we love you and we thank God for your lives and we thank God for your family and for the great work that God is doing in this place for great impact all across the globe. Greater grace upon you in Jesus name. Please, help me give Jesus a big hand in celebration of His name and of His Servants.
The theme of this Conference as already known is Be Strong In The Lord. Say with me, “I’m strong in the Lord”. Church Gist. Let Heaven hear your voice very well. Make sure you hear yourself as you say it. Let all the devils tremble as you say it. (I’m strong in the Lord)
I’m assigned to teach on “BUILDING UP STRENGTH BY WAITING ON THE LORD” Building up strength and the Lord said unto me early this morning, “Go charge them to take charge. Charge them to take charge”. Only those who are charged can take charge. If you have met a drunkard before charged with wine, everyone who sees him coming clears off because he’s in charge. Have you met any drunkard before? Or perhaps, you are one before? (Laughing) Amen. Church Gist. You know, contact with the Spirit is a form of taking charge. Ephesians 5:18. Now, in the World of wine, they call it spirit and they are in percentages. There is 5 percent alcohol, 10 percent, 30 and it shows in the ones who use them. If you take 5, 10 percent, your eyes will be turning, if you take a little bit above it, your steps will be missing. That means that spirit has entered into you and is now controlling you. Then if you take a little more, every giant you see becomes like a little dwarf before you. You can fight just anybody. Now, that’s why spiritually, our disposition varies depending on how drunk you are in the Spirit.
- So, tonight, I release the wine of the Spirit upon you.
So, when we say be strong, we mean be drunk. Be drunk in the Spirit. This subject matter (I want to appreciate God for His Servant for leading us in this theme) is a most critical subject that we need, particularly Ministers. Church Gist. We behave too cowardly. We behave too intimidated by circumstances of life that we are not able to pursue and achieve God’s purpose for our lives. Most of us behave like the tribe called Ephraim. Psalm 78:9.
- Beginning from now, no devil will scare you out of God’s plan for your life.
The Lord told me, “Don’t just teach, prophesy”
-Tonight, I prophesy strength into you. Somebody, shout “I receive it!”
Now, you see, when you meet with teachers, they fill your head, when you meet with practitioners they fire your heart. There are people you meet, you can’t escape the arrow of the fire they carry. Church Gist. I’m speaking to you here tonight as one who has experienced the strength of the Lord in pursuit of purpose, in pursuit of vision.
- Receive strength right now! Say with me, “I recieve it”
Ezekiel 2:2. So, as you are hearing the Word tonight, you are not just hearing sounds, you are hearing power. Church Gist. You are hearing life. You are receiving what it takes to go to make it happen.
In 1989, I was privileged to be in a Ministers Conference like this, way back in Benin City under God’s Servant of blessed memory, the Lion himself, Benson Idahosa. I saw in the Conference how he would command rain to stop and rain stopped. Something entered into me. Then, I was pastoring in Maiduguri and those of you who know that region, it takes time for rain to come. Church Gist. That was sometimes in April or May, I can’t remember precisely and I got to service that evening upon arrival and I whispered to my wife, “Has it rained here?” She said no. When it was my turn to take the microphone, I said to the people, “wherever you are, within 24 hours, get ready rain is coming”. Ah! After the Service, the Deacons called me, they said “Sir, this kind of statement should not be made in the open” I was literally drunk and there was a young lady in the Church who believed it so much, she got back home and told the father, “Our Pastor said within 24 hours there will be rain” You know, faith does not get itself limited to title. 20 hours to that time or after that time rain fell according to the Word. I got the Spirit, the strength in my heart.
- I decree that from tonight, strange strength of the Holy Spirit come upon you.
- Therefore, tonight, you will not only be taught but be touched. You will not only be enlightened but be empowered. You will not only be educated but be endowed. You will not only be informed but be transformed.
- Every chicken heart in ministry will give way to lion’s heart.
And let me tell you something please. You know, this Dome in which we are was not built by money, it was built by strength of heart. Church Gist. Anywhere you are, please hear this very well. This Dome wasn’t built with money, or rather by money. Amen. I know what I’m talking about because I was watching the process as the time went by.
- in the same way, strange things shall be happening to every one of us in our Ministries.
The Spirit tells me there are individuals here, there are certain visions that God has given to you, you have not been able to even dare it, talk less of encountering and running after it.
-I release upon you right now strength of heart to be able to.
Now, if you check the Scriptures very well, you will discover that this statement and the like, “Be strong” is the final charge that God gives to people in ministry, the final charge. After everything that God has said to you about your ministry, the final charge is “Be strong. Be strong”. You don’t need strength to be called, but you need strength to accomplish God’s purpose for your life. Church Gist. God does not call the strong. He calls the weak to give him strength in pursuit of His purpose. He didn’t call us because we are strong, but He gave us strength to be able to accomplish what He called us for. For by strength shall no man prevail, according to Scriptures. For brethren, you see your calling, it is not according to those who are strong, or according to those who are wise, but He called those who are weak to make them strong. He called those who are foolish to make them wise. He didn’t call you and I because we are strong, but He called us as weak to make us strong. He called us as weak to make us strong.
- Say with me, “I receive strength” Say it again, “I receive strength”.
Be strong in the Lord is the final charge. So, every divine calling that God makes will need strength to accomplish it. Deuteronomy 3:28. “Charge him, encourage him, strengthen him” and that’s what this Conference is all about. We have been called to come accros the globe to receive strength. Church Gist. “Charge him”. We all know that the performance of any battery depends on the charge on it. We know in our computer system, you may have different program loaded into it, but if the system is not charged, it is empty. No matter the brightness of your vision, if you are not charged with strength, you cannot accomplish it.
- Therefore, on this ground, I declare renewed strength for every one to perform our purposes in the name of Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus. I want to first of all appreciate the privilege God has given to me to be in this Flaming Fire Conference for Ministers 2024 and the honour of being considered to minister to us in this Conference. Church Gist. It’s an honour that I don’t want to take lightly. I want to appreciate God’s Servant, Pastor Paul and his wife, for creating this platform and for receiving my wife and I to this great Assembly. I want to thank God and give glory to Him in the precious name of Jesus.
The reason why we’re here tonight is relationship. I am not here in the way people will see it as coming to minister, but to share fellowship with all the saints through the platform created by His Servant my very wonderful Co-labourer over decades as he has mentioned. God has kept all of us together. It appears in different directions, but one in the Spirit. The whole essence of creation is relationship. Church Gist. You can never enjoy life without value for relationship. We are not always here, but we are connected in the Spirit, strong for that matter, even to our families. Again, Pastor Paul and his dear wife, we value you, we love you and we thank God for your lives and we thank God for your family and for the great work that God is doing in this place for great impact all across the globe. Greater grace upon you in Jesus name. Please, help me give Jesus a big hand in celebration of His name and of His Servants.
The theme of this Conference as already known is Be Strong In The Lord. Say with me, “I’m strong in the Lord”. Church Gist. Let Heaven hear your voice very well. Make sure you hear yourself as you say it. Let all the devils tremble as you say it. (I’m strong in the Lord)
I’m assigned to teach on “BUILDING UP STRENGTH BY WAITING ON THE LORD” Building up strength and the Lord said unto me early this morning, “Go charge them to take charge. Charge them to take charge”. Only those who are charged can take charge. If you have met a drunkard before charged with wine, everyone who sees him coming clears off because he’s in charge. Have you met any drunkard before? Or perhaps, you are one before? (Laughing) Amen. Church Gist. You know, contact with the Spirit is a form of taking charge. Ephesians 5:18. Now, in the World of wine, they call it spirit and they are in percentages. There is 5 percent alcohol, 10 percent, 30 and it shows in the ones who use them. If you take 5, 10 percent, your eyes will be turning, if you take a little bit above it, your steps will be missing. That means that spirit has entered into you and is now controlling you. Then if you take a little more, every giant you see becomes like a little dwarf before you. You can fight just anybody. Now, that’s why spiritually, our disposition varies depending on how drunk you are in the Spirit.
- So, tonight, I release the wine of the Spirit upon you.
So, when we say be strong, we mean be drunk. Be drunk in the Spirit. This subject matter (I want to appreciate God for His Servant for leading us in this theme) is a most critical subject that we need, particularly Ministers. Church Gist. We behave too cowardly. We behave too intimidated by circumstances of life that we are not able to pursue and achieve God’s purpose for our lives. Most of us behave like the tribe called Ephraim. Psalm 78:9.
- Beginning from now, no devil will scare you out of God’s plan for your life.
The Lord told me, “Don’t just teach, prophesy”
-Tonight, I prophesy strength into you. Somebody, shout “I receive it!”
Now, you see, when you meet with teachers, they fill your head, when you meet with practitioners they fire your heart. There are people you meet, you can’t escape the arrow of the fire they carry. Church Gist. I’m speaking to you here tonight as one who has experienced the strength of the Lord in pursuit of purpose, in pursuit of vision.
- Receive strength right now! Say with me, “I recieve it”
Ezekiel 2:2. So, as you are hearing the Word tonight, you are not just hearing sounds, you are hearing power. Church Gist. You are hearing life. You are receiving what it takes to go to make it happen.
In 1989, I was privileged to be in a Ministers Conference like this, way back in Benin City under God’s Servant of blessed memory, the Lion himself, Benson Idahosa. I saw in the Conference how he would command rain to stop and rain stopped. Something entered into me. Then, I was pastoring in Maiduguri and those of you who know that region, it takes time for rain to come. Church Gist. That was sometimes in April or May, I can’t remember precisely and I got to service that evening upon arrival and I whispered to my wife, “Has it rained here?” She said no. When it was my turn to take the microphone, I said to the people, “wherever you are, within 24 hours, get ready rain is coming”. Ah! After the Service, the Deacons called me, they said “Sir, this kind of statement should not be made in the open” I was literally drunk and there was a young lady in the Church who believed it so much, she got back home and told the father, “Our Pastor said within 24 hours there will be rain” You know, faith does not get itself limited to title. 20 hours to that time or after that time rain fell according to the Word. I got the Spirit, the strength in my heart.
- I decree that from tonight, strange strength of the Holy Spirit come upon you.
- Therefore, tonight, you will not only be taught but be touched. You will not only be enlightened but be empowered. You will not only be educated but be endowed. You will not only be informed but be transformed.
- Every chicken heart in ministry will give way to lion’s heart.
And let me tell you something please. You know, this Dome in which we are was not built by money, it was built by strength of heart. Church Gist. Anywhere you are, please hear this very well. This Dome wasn’t built with money, or rather by money. Amen. I know what I’m talking about because I was watching the process as the time went by.
- in the same way, strange things shall be happening to every one of us in our Ministries.
The Spirit tells me there are individuals here, there are certain visions that God has given to you, you have not been able to even dare it, talk less of encountering and running after it.
-I release upon you right now strength of heart to be able to.
Now, if you check the Scriptures very well, you will discover that this statement and the like, “Be strong” is the final charge that God gives to people in ministry, the final charge. After everything that God has said to you about your ministry, the final charge is “Be strong. Be strong”. You don’t need strength to be called, but you need strength to accomplish God’s purpose for your life. Church Gist. God does not call the strong. He calls the weak to give him strength in pursuit of His purpose. He didn’t call us because we are strong, but He gave us strength to be able to accomplish what He called us for. For by strength shall no man prevail, according to Scriptures. For brethren, you see your calling, it is not according to those who are strong, or according to those who are wise, but He called those who are weak to make them strong. He called those who are foolish to make them wise. He didn’t call you and I because we are strong, but He called us as weak to make us strong. He called us as weak to make us strong.
- Say with me, “I receive strength” Say it again, “I receive strength”.
Be strong in the Lord is the final charge. So, every divine calling that God makes will need strength to accomplish it. Deuteronomy 3:28. “Charge him, encourage him, strengthen him” and that’s what this Conference is all about. We have been called to come accros the globe to receive strength. Church Gist. “Charge him”. We all know that the performance of any battery depends on the charge on it. We know in our computer system, you may have different program loaded into it, but if the system is not charged, it is empty. No matter the brightness of your vision, if you are not charged with strength, you cannot accomplish it.
- Therefore, on this ground, I declare renewed strength for every one to perform our purposes in the name of Jesus.
Joshua 1:5 – it’s a decree, it is established. God is not expecting that anyone should be able to confront you. Joshua 1:6. Say with me, “I’m strong.”
- I release renewed strength upon everyone here tonight in the name of Jesus!
To Gideon who was hiding in the farm in Judges 6:14, he said, “Go in this thy might.” Paul said to Timothy, 1 Timothy 1:18. In the military, before the Commander leads the army in their various units and battalion, he gives them final charge. Church Gist. Weapons do not save; it is hearty charge that saves. He gives them charge: “come on boys, are you ready?” and they answer, we are ready. He takes them in a song. When soldiers are singing, you will know that they have taken wine. Whether the wine in the physical or the wine in the charge that they received from their Commander. Their eyes turn red when they get charged. That’s why when you are charged by the power of the Holy Ghost, no devil stands on your way.
You know, devils are very careful about believers. They know your capability but they appraise you from afar to see your disposition. They check how your eyes look, they check how your moves are before they can come close to you. Your disposition determines whether the devil can confront you or not. Therefore, be strong! 2 Timothy 2:1. You see from this passage that grace is not for weaklings. The grace is there to work but be strong – take hold of it. Church Gist. When Goliath was making noise and many of them are around us, they will keep making noise, David dissected the problem of the entire army. Hear what he said in 1 Samuel 17:32. Heart failure is utter failure. Once your heart fails on any subject, on any project, you have already failed. That’s why God reserves it as the final charge. The soldiers were armed, David was not armed, yet he said he will go. The soldiers beginning with Saul were hiding. When Goliath made noise, nobody could answer him but David with a strong heart said, “I will go.” He was operating on the Scriptures from Deuteronomy 20:1. Now, this is where we need to deal with ourselves. This subject matter is not just about bone-face, it’s about courageous heart. See there is a difference between boldness and courage. Boldness means to confront; courage means to be resilient, to stay even when things seems not to be working. There are many people who attempt, very few people stay on. That’s why you find that some people after one year in ministry or 5 years in ministry, they give up. You need resilience, you need the ability to stay on. Say with me, “my heart is strong.”
- You will never turn back from the face of any battle anymore!
Why are we talking about being strong? Ministry can be likened to a race and there is no weakling that can run in a race. 1 Corinthians 9:24. You need strength to run. Habakkuk 2:2; Joel 2:1-7. Ministry is a call to run. Lazy people cannot succeed in ministry but you need strength to run. Ministry can also be likened to warfare; requiring strength to fight and to conquer. Proverbs 24:10. Church Gist. You need strength to fight. You need to give up this chicken attitude and approach to ministry if you want to succeed in it. Ministry is work but work requires strength to achieve. Philippians 2:12. Call to ministry does not produce result automatically – you work it out. Day and night, you work it out.
You heard a little while ago, Pastor Paul was talking about times we talked 2am, 3am, that schedule is still maintained till now. There are many ministers, their eyes are always sleepy that’s why vision becomes slippery. Sleepy eyes will result in slippery ends. Many many people have lost their vision; what remains with them is just the word content. The value and the virtue is off. Many are weak in their bodies – any small thing, I want to rest. Church Gist. You preach one service on Sunday and you take vacation for 2 days. If that was the way our fathers ran it, we will not meet it here. Up till this moment, my ideal time to sleep is 2 am; sometimes 3, sometimes 4 and I still wake up early in the morning. Where did I get it from? Midnight prayer takes place here every night and yet we talk – 6 am, how many hours did you sleep? Thank God for all the scientific and biological exhortation and encouragement that a man should sleep 8 hours in the night and you as a pastor, you go to sleep because that’s what they told you. Check Jesus’ schedule – night, he will be on the mountain; day time he will be on the street going from villages to towns to cities, preaching and healing people. Yet, you are wishing that you will be like Jesus. You don’t wish it, you keep his time of schedule by strength. Luke 2:40. Jesus was not casual; how do you think you will be casual in ministry and succeed? If that is the kind of schedule you want to maintain, I admonish you to resign. Tell Jesus, “I’ve done enough. I will go and look for something else to do.” Call to ministry is work. Church Gist. There are many books inside you, you are not working at it because of procrastination. “Oh, I will do it later.”
- Tonight, I see strength coming into you! Strength to commence for those who are yet to commence, strength to continue for those who commence and strength to complete for those who have continued!
Ministry assignment is not for weaklings but for eagles who are ready to face the storms. There is no easy way to do ministry; it is all by facing the storms that come our way. Church Gist. If you are not ready for it, your wings will be broken by the winds of life. But I know there is a change for someone here tonight!
So practically speaking, to triumph and thrive in ministry, you need strength of heart. Ephesians 3:16. Some people look strong on their face but they are weak in their heart. It’s not by look; it’s by expression of the heart. Church Gist. It’s not about loud speaking or noise making; it’s about exhibition of strength from your heart.
- There is healing for someone here tonight! That chicken heart shall be replaced with lion’s heart!
You don’t only need strength of heart, you also need strength of the mind which we refer to as, Sound mind. Jesus operated by mind. In the mind is the place of determination that this thing must work. Never give up! Church Gist. You need sound mind – ability to reason through. Don’t be weak in your mind. Possibility thinking that if God tells you this is to be done, it can be done. 2 Timothy 1:7.
You need physical agility – strength in the body. Hebrews 10:5. No matter how anointed you are, if you carry a weak body, you cannot carry out your mission. You need strength in your body. You need empowerment for your physical body. Church Gist. May I request you to lift up your hand please:
- I decree strength for pursuit for everyone here tonight! Whatever your spirit man has received from the Lord, receive the physical strength to pursue it right now!
You need strength in your body. There are many many ministers who are permanently living with drugs – I mean medicine. Is it sin to use medicine? No, but you can be free because they said to Jesus, “physician heal yourself.” Without physical strength you will be limited so you need to be strong in your body. Many ministers have become a victim of influence of sicknesses and diseases. They read too many things on the internet that weakens their body. I am not against medicine, no. As a matter of fact, if I meet somebody sick, I pay your medical bill so that you can be alive to learn faith to win. When I see somebody who said, “I won’t use medicine,” I check him very well, I can’t see faith in him. Church Gist. I call doctor, I say, “do you have your injection there? Please help me give him two jabs. Let him stay alive so we can teach him faith.” “I will not use medicine, I will not use medicine,” that’s not faith. When faith is inside you, you will not be arguing, you will just manifest. So I am not against it but I am telling us according to Scriptures in 1 Timothy 6:20, it tells us to be careful. In the face of faith, science is false. When faith is at work, it makes a mess of science.
Our host will know what I’m talking about, even though a Medical practitioner, but he knows that when faith is at work, science is false. Church Gist
We have heard diverse testimonies upon this altar of how science is messed up. Science is fact, faith is truth. Facts. They tell you in medical field, “go and seek another doctor’s opinion”, they make references to themselves but the truth does not make reference to anybody. Once God says it, it stands. Church Gist. So, anyone who may be suffering any infirmity here as a minister, you’re meant to be a flaming fire, I decree that the fire of God will consume all of them right now!
- wave your hand and say bye bye to sickness and diseases.
- You’ll be strong to fullfil God’s purpose for your life.
- You’ll be strong to fulfill your ministry.
It pains my heart when we hear stories of any our co-labourers depart because Jesus said, the harvest is much and the labourers are few. So, the departure of any labourer is not in our favour as it were. Church Gist. That’s why I’m praying this prayer. I’m not despising any of us who may have any infirmities in our bodies but I’m saying this in the anger of the Holy Ghost, it ought not to be.
- Again, I declare if there’s anyone here with any infirmity in the body, I decree your total healing now!
- somebody shout, I am strong!
A pastor met me this morning who was sharing his testimony. He said, “I’ve been so challenged in my heart but I listened to your teaching and I decided that from that moment, it’s all over”. Church Gist. Now, it’s about 5 months, his health began to recover. When faith enters, science vacates.
- an end has come to every physical infirmity here tonight!
The strength we are talking about is according to Ephesians 6:10. Can you see that again? “finally” that is, in conclusion, this is the peak of the matter. No matter the weapons you possess, be strong. Church Gist. From Ephesians 6:11-18, he tells us about the various weapons but weapons are of no effect without strength. That’s why some people, they carry gun and yet they’re arrested with guns in their hands. Some people carry gun but can’t shoot for fear. The sound of the shooting scares him himself. Church Gist. Everything we need is available to us but you need strength of heart, strength to take a step, strength to move towards challenges. Do you know from here, you’ll be sending testimonies of your new moves by the strength of the Lord! Whatever has been scaring you will no longer scare you.
Some of us here are due to take over certain cities and towns and spread but fear, “where will the money come from?” Church Gist. Fear “Where will I get the people to do it?” Fear, “do I have the physical energy?”
-From today, strange move of the Holy Ghost will be working in you!
Be strong in the Lord, why? Because He is the fountain and custodian of strength. Isaiah 40:28-31. Remember our subject matter is Building Up Strength by Waiting on the Lord and we are coming to it right now. Isaiah 40:28-31. Church Gist. The company you keep determines the influence on your life. Isaiah 40:31. May I summit therefore, if you want to succeed in your work for God, develop deeper relationship walk with God. This is where many ministers make mistakes. Their walk with God is questionable. Church Gist. My relation with God first. Sometimes, I say some things that surprises people. For instance, I don’t pray for success. I walk with the God of success and He gives me of overflow of success. Is it wrong to pray? Church Gist. No. I’m talking to you from the perspective of the revelation I have about Him. I don’t pray, “oh God, go with me as I’m going”. I listen to Him and follow Him and as I follow Him, goodness and mercy follow me. The God you relate with is the God you carry. In relationship, something rubs on you. That’s why when you learn the secret of waiting on the Lord, you’ll gain access to His order of strength. I don’t study to preach, I study to know God and the people that do know their God shall become strong. Church Gist. So, our number one assignment is to know God. If you know God, you’ll not be stranded among men.
Waiting on God. Whenever we hear this, many of us quickly think it’s all about fasting. It’s only a part of it, not all of it. It also involves prayer. Church Gist. This time around, not praying for things but fellowshipping and relating with God. It also includes studying the Word. I know a great part of this must have been communicated to us in this conference but the summary is this, we must learn to know God. There’s calling and there’s the Caller, many of us run and pursue our calling and forget the Caller. Church Gist. Many of us in ministry, we know about God but we don’t actually know God. You can know about New York and you have never been there, through geography. Many of us are geographical ministers and not practical ministers. We must learn to wait on God. We must learn to be quiet before God. We must learn to imbibe God in us. Whenever we are waiting on Him, there are even times we are fasting, you shouldn’t pray over anything but just be still in God’s presence, let Him work on you, let Him touch your tongue while you’re talking to Him. Church Gist. Let Him reflect His face on you when you’re talking to Him in prayer. If you study the time that Moses waited on the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain, what was His prayer? “Lord, show me the way” because once you know His ways, you’ll command His acts. “Lord, let your presence go with me. Lord, let your glory fill my life”. By the time he returned, he was a changed person. You can’t truly meet with God and be jettisoned among men. Church Gist. When your face meets with the face of God, no devil can face you. Meeting with God, relating with God is what reflects in everything that we do.
Some years back, I took a flight from Kano to Maiduguri and when I took my seat, an air host came and met me. Church Gist. He said, “Sir, can I know you?” I said, ” what about that?” He said, “when you entered, something entered with you”. I said, “I’m not surprised. The person I carry goes with me everywhere I go”. Ministers are meant to be reflectors of God. Ministers are meant to be God carriers. Ministers are meant to be God’s representatives everywhere they go. Church Gist. Ministers are supposed to be imposing God’s glory and power everywhere they appear. But without meeting with God, you cannot reflect God. Without talking with God, His voice cannot come into your voice. I always tell people humorously, until you lose your voice in prayer, your voice cannot be heard among men. My wonderful co-labourers will tell you about that. Church Gist. They prayed until they lost their voice and God now gave them His voice. Our nose is too much, let’s go for His voice. We are too many in the field, let us stand up and let God’s voice be heard through us. They that waited upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
Now, listen very carefully as we begin to round up. What are the things you should know while waiting on the Lord?
- You should know God as your caller. If you don’t know your caller, you’ll be pushed to a corner. “Who is He that called me?” When He calls you, He takes you from the corner to the centre. Church Gist. When He calls you, He takes you from obscurity to limelight. When He calls you, He makes you a centre or attraction. When He calls you, you don’t struggle to be known by men and among men. Church Gist. When He called Abraham, He made a show of him. When He called Jeremiah, He made a show of him.
- You should know Him as your sender. If you don’t know God as your sender, you’ll sent back by men and circumstances. Moses knew God as His centre. Church Gist. God told him, “I am sending you”. Exodus 3:10,12,14,15. John 1:6. A man sent from God. You can’t be sent from God and be driven back by men.
You know why things are happening on this ground, at Dunamis because God sent a man. You can’t fight a man that God sent. Church Gist. This is what you should know. In any nation and any city where you are, don’t be afraid, don’t be intimidated by people who are making noise. Don’t be worried when they’re castigating, they’re only trying to intimidate you to keep silent. Church Gist. You need to know your sender, unfortunately, many people don’t know who sent them. And you need to be bold about it to tell people everywhere, “God sent me!” Those whom God sent are never afraid to declare it. Church Gist. If you can’t tell your congregation that God sent you, I query your calling. Those who are sent by God are usually bold to declare it “God sent me”. And believe me, you’ll have no one following you if you can’t declare that God sent you.
- You need to know God as your Defender. If you don’t know Him as your Defender, you will lose your defence. Church Gist. Jeremiah 1:17. Know God as your Caller, know Him as your Sender, know Him as your Defender.
- Know Him as your backing. The One whose presence is with you always. Church Gist. Say a loud Amen. Say a louder Amen.
- May your heart encounter unique strength to make you to go and fulfill purpose in the precious name of Jesus.
So, every time you feel confused about your calling, go back to your Caller, because strength is in levels and measures. You need to go for renewal. You need to go for renewal. Most of the time I spend with God in the night is principally to refresh myself. That’s what Jesus did. Every night, He will go to refresh Himself and at day time, He would perform works, the works that God has sent Him. Church Gist. Go for renewal of strength, because as you do according to Scriptures, you will not know weariness, you will not know weakness. Spend time with God. Spend time with God in study of His Word, in prayer, in fasting and many young people today whose fasting is to 12 noon. Some when they are fasting, they take tea, they call it fasting. Don’t deceive yourself. Whatever a man sows, that is what he shall reap. Today, people look at me and they say I’ve added weight. Find out what it was 20 years ago. Skinny, bone shooting out, because of the need to build up strength. The strength you don’t generate, you cannot utilize. Church Gist. Build up strength. It you want to fast, fast. If you don’t want to fast, don’t fast. Don’t use new generation method to claim that you are fasting. If you want to pray, pray, really pray. Renew your strength, especially praying in the language of the Holy Spirit. Jude 1:20. Build up strength. Even Jesus had to spend time, waited on the Lord. Luke 4:14,37.
As I round up. Why must you be strong? Why do you need to be strong?
- It’s to overcome stagnation and limitations. Many people have reached their peak in ministry. You need to be strong to break the barriers. You need to be strong. We know the story of the four lepers who were stagnated, they were looking at each other, nothing was happening until they advised themselves to move. Now, you see, one evidence of strength is movement. Church Gist. Strong people are never stagnated. They move. They are moving in doing one thing or the other. You told everybody God gave you a television ministry, what have you done about it? Move. You want to build, move. Go and price land. Find out how much is land. They take you to a place, they say it’s 50 million, put your hand in your pocket and tell them, “I’m coming back” The proof of strength is movement.
Do you think this Dome would have been built without movement? First of all, how much is land? Where can we get land? You should ask questions. Don’t say “I’m waiting for somebody to give us gift of land” Are you a beggar? God did not call you to beg in ministry. Go and find out and when you get the land, go and buy blocks, go and buy cement. If it’s 2 bags you can buy, buy it and put it on the ground, buy stones and start harassing the ground that “I’m coming”. Church Gist. The proof of strength is movement. Strong people don’t sit down. The proof of strength is movement. If you are not moving, you are weak. I’m saying this to all of us therefore, anything you claim God has told you, start moving towards it. You say God has called you to be an Evangelist, what crusade have you held? Stop waiting for instruments. Don’t say, “You see Dr. Paul’s crusades, many speakers”. Find out where he started from. I know where he started from. Evangelism begins with your mouth. When God sees that you have ministered to enough people that your voice cannot carry again, He will give you speaker, microphone, public address system. Church Gist. But go and use your mouth. You mean you can’t speak to 30 people without microphone? Unfortunately today many people claim that they can’t start ministry until they have instruments.
I was a pastor of 60 people in a sitting room bungalow because that was what money could afford – 3 bedroom flat, my wife is a witness. The sitting room was our Church. No money to buy chairs but bench. I was preaching everyday to the maximum full of the house. The sitting room could seat 60 people. When the people couldn’t hear me again, they began to talk about, “how can we buy public address system?” Church Gist. What do you need it for? If you’re not moving you’re not strong. The proof of strength is in movement. Make a move against stagnation; get back home from here, go and start doing something. The lepers moved and the entire city moved. As they were moving, the spirit was driving them away in a twilight. If you don’t move, nothing will move. You can only be wishing; wishing is not equal to walking.
Why must you be strong?
- You must be strong to break new grounds. It takes people who are strong to break new grounds
- You must be strong to confront oppositions like David did. David had no weapon but he had a heart. As Goliath was making noise, David was moving towards him. Don’t forget, the proof of strength is movement. Church Gist. He moved towards Goliath and God moved ahead of him. God moves only for people who move. It is your movement that initiates God’s movement. Move if you want God to move. Move towards your vision, towards your purpose.
- To embrace challenges like Samson: the strength of Samson was always aroused when the Philistines made noise. Judges 14:5-6. The Spirit of God is waiting for you to face challenges – stop hiding. They bring the sick to you, you pray over them. Church Gist. They tell you “somebody is dead,” tell them, “let’s go there” and pray over the dead. If the first one doesn’t wake up, the second one doesn’t, the third one will wake up. Embrace challenges! Every opportunity you have to be called to do something moves God into action.
I never saw somebody healed of headache until I started praying for those who have headache. I never saw somebody’s eyes opened before until I moved towards the blind person: “blind eyes, be opened!” And I turned. Then I heard a sound from the crowd – the eyes are open. Church Gist. I never saw a leper cured before until I started praying for the leper. Move, embrace challenges. Let it be your desire and excitement; when you see challenges coming, be smiling. Don’t run away from challenges – be strong.
Stop looking for who to blame for your predicament. The growth of one church is not the reason for the stagnation of your Church. You know how many Churches are in this City? One day I made the calculation Pastor Paul and I discovered that all the Churches here in FCT put together are not more than 5 per cent of the entire population. So why are we fighting ourselves? Go somewhere, go and plant new Churches there and see the amazing wonders. Stop struggling that somebody didn’t come to your Church, somebody went to another Church, somebody left your Church – you should find out why they left. You may need to examine yourself, may be you are no longer feeding them. Church Gist. May be you’re no longer meeting their needs. Will a sheep ever die with a shepherd? When the sheep is not well fed, it will follow other sheep to somewhere else.
- I decree new strength for everyone here!
Raise your voice and begin to declare, “I am charged to go and take charge!”
Let me quickly say this please: I believe we may have been told: discover your area of strength and focus on it. Twice now, close people have met me and said, “please can you call Pastor Paul Enenche to pray for us?” I said, why not? Up till about 2, 3 weeks ago. I called this place, my wife called the place and said, “please tell Pastor that we are sending so so person. The person believes in you.” Church Gist. Did I not pray for him? I prayed for him. But he requested. May be there is something he saw in him that is not in me. As usual, he said, “why not? Let them come” because that’s what they are there for. We are loaded and packaged with different virtues. There is no need to castigate anybody, there is no need to bring down anybody because you want to rise. There is no need to stop anybody from going somewhere. I have never queried anyone for leaving the Church I pastor. I just tell myself, “may be my ministry is over to him,” and I see some of them in some Churches where I go to and I still greet them very joyfully, excitedly: “I hope you’re doing well. Just make sure the most important thing is that you make Heaven.” I can’t pastor everybody, Pastor Paul can’t pastor everybody, none of us can pastor everybody.
Identify your area of strength. I can’t jump like Pastor Paul is jumping. Amen? (Laughs). I’m saying this because there’s a lot of competition going on in ministry today. Church Gist. You’re not called to compete but to complement. You’re not called to be famous but to be faithful. You’re not called to be popular but to be peculiar. Stop seeking popularity! Stop having stomach ache when someone is making progress.
I’m not saying this to flatter our host or to make myself feel important; there are times I just send him message, “I watched the crusade in Kano. I watched the crusade in Ibadan. This final night will be very great”. That’s my joy. Church Gist. I don’t go on crusades but someone is there doing it. Let’s send him with goodwill. Amen. Listen to this, my wife and I, we pray for a number of our co-labourers from time to time. We pray for them. The proof of love and commitment to your co-ministers is in your ability to pray for them and beyond, occasionally, send seed to whatever they’re doing that impresses you. ” We’re glad this is happening. We are happy things are going on there”. Stop creating stomach ache for yourself by reason of good things God is using others to do. Church Gist. Church Gist. The Faith (Glory) Dome here is not Pastor Enenche’s own, it’s for the entire body of Christ. It’s for the glory of God, it’s for our honour. It’s for our pride. Everywhere we go to, we rejoice at the doings of God. It’s happening everywhere all across the globe, including in Canaanland. Building might structures for Jesus, everyone, except those who have stomach ache, are not happy. “Why are they building?” God sends us differently to create fear. Church Gist. “Why are they talking about prosperity?” That’s why wicked people can’t touch us. They don’t only fear our anointing, they fear our resources and there’s nothing they can do about it because we didn’t get our resources in crooked ways.
What am I saying brethren? Permit for keeping you standing. I’m saying this, let competition be over. You know how to shake the devil? Church Gist. When you hear your minister is doing something, go there, have a handshake and tell him, “we are praying for you. We are standing with you” and if you’re blessed with something to offer, “this is our seed” because you can’t give to somebody and still hate the person, no. Let’s destroy the devil.
Finally, let each person focus on his assignment. If God sent you as a Prophet, stay on there. If He sent you as an Evangelist, stay on there. If He sends you as a Pastor, as a teacher and on different subjects. Church Gist. Do you know that even among prophets, there are differences? There are prophets that curses, there are prophets that weep, like Jeremiah, he’s a weeping prophet. Elijah, a kill prophet. And yet, God was supporting each of them to prove that He sent them because there are people around who want to kill the Church that needs to be killed. Church Gist. So, they stand up. There are prophets who teach forgiveness, there are other prophets who teach judgment, they are all doing their jobs. How do I know? God is confirming their word. Hallelujah! There are those who teach success, there are those who teach healing. Don’t attack somebody, “they are just teaching prosperity. Everytime they’ll be teaching prosperity” that’s what he’s sent to preach, you preach your own. Amen. (Laughs). Church Gist. You know, in the market, there are different stores, there are those who sell spare parts, there are those who sell iron rods, there are those who sell cement. Every customer goes to where he has the good being sold. Church Gist. So, display your good, sell your good, preach your message well, stay on your assignment instead of focusing your eyes on somebody else’s assignment, otherwise stomach ache will trouble you too much. Thank you Jesus. Hallelujah!
No one has the authority to judge another person’s ministry. No, God didn’t give that authority to anybody. Church Gist. Stay on your assignment, stay on your job, make a mark. There’s no calling that is inferior. Somebody said, “is it the reason why I don’t see miracles is because I’m just a teacher?” That’s not true. I teach everyday. In the Church where I ministered this month, we had a record of over 250 healing testimonies through teaching. Don’t say, “I’m not an Evangelist, that’s why..” Jesus was teaching and preaching and healing. Church Gist. Don’t say, “the reason why we are not prosperous is because we are not teaching prosperity”. It’s not true. Jesus didn’t teach prosperity when the woman brought alabaster oil and poured it on his head and feet. Be faithful in your assignment, everything you need will meet you on the way. Church Gist. Don’t look at this ministry and say, “oh, can you see why God is so partial?” Find out where they were 25 years ago. I was there. I was there in their office when there was no air conditioner. I was there in their office when the table will require balance with a bottle neck like my own when I was in Maiduguri. Church Gist. I wanted to make wooden table, I told the brethren in the Church, “please, can you make a table for me?” He said, “where’s the money?” I said, “don’t you have off cut wood in your site?” So they went and used off cut wood. By the time they put the table on the ground, one leg was this, the other.. so, I put bottle neck to shock the leg, “come on table, you must stand strong, you must stay well”.
- now, lift up your hand, be strong!
Please, let me request you Pastor Paul, let’s pray this prayer together. Be strong! That’s what God told me to tell you. I’m not just saying it, I’m prophesying it on you, be strong!
—PRAYERS—
This is very important, no assumption. One day, I was ministering and I made an Altar Call and I saw a Pastor relation of mine came to the Altar to give his life to Jesus. Church Gist. Do you know there are not only backsliding believers, there are backsliding Pastors who live with a lot of mess on their telephone, which of course is meant for good, but has become satan’s device in their hand, all kinds of stuff, secret sins.
—Altar Call—
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