BISHOP ABIOYE CELEBRATES WITH REV. SAM OYE AS HE CLOCKS 50
… sings Happy Birthday song with Apostle Joshua Selman
DON’T LOOK FOR SUCCESS, LOOK FOR BLESSING
WISE PEOPLE USE THEIR EARS AND EYES MORE THAN THEIR MOUTH WHILE FOOLISH PEOPLE ARE IN A HURRY TO USE THEIR MOUTH
PREACHING BEGINS WITH HEARING; IF YOU’RE NOT A GOOD HEARER, YOU CANNOT BE A GOOD PREACHER
IF PEOPLE CAN DESCRIBE WHAT’S HAPPENING TO YOU, IT’S NOT GOD DOING IT BECAUSE GOD’S ACTS ARE INDESCRIBABLE
IF PEOPLE SEE IN YOU WHAT THEY EXPECT, THEN YOU’RE THE ONE DOING IT
I TELL MINISTERS NOT TO LOBBY AROUND PEOPLE. RESPECT THEM BUT DON’T LOOK NEEDY.
STOP USING CIRCUMSTANCES TO DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY.
WHAT YOUR MOUTH IS TOO HEAVY TO PROCLAIM YOUR HAND WILL BE LIMITED TO CLAIM.
YOU CANNOT FLOURISH OR THRIVE IN LIFE AND MINISTRY WITHOUT POWER.
WICKED FORCES ARE EVERYWHERE BUT POWER IS AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE TO OVERCOME THEM.
WE LISTEN TO THE NOISES OF MEN BECAUSE WE’VE NOT HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD.
I HAVE NEVER REQUESTED TO ENTER ANY GOVERNMENT HOUSE TO SEEK FOR FAVOUR IN MY 38 YEARS OF PASTORING.
PASTORS AND LEADERS, SIT UP! STOP LOOKING LIKE A BEGGAR AND MAKING GOD FEEL LIKE A REGRET THAT HE CALLED YOU.
MENTALITY FEEDS ON KNOWLEDGE AND POOR MENTALITY FEEDS ON IGNORANCE.
YOU MUST BE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IMPARTATION FROM A HIGHER VESSEL.
YOU CAN’T USE ANYTHING YOU KNOW TO CHANGE THE SYSTEMS OF GOD.
- Bishop David Abioye on “IMPARTATION TO THRIVE AND FLOURISH” || Advance 2024 || The Transforming Church
I discovered from Scriptures the summary of what God gave to man at creation – blessing – “and God blessed them”. When I say to you, you are blessed, it’s just beyond the statement. It’s catalog and loads that you carry. Church Gist. Some people tell me, ‘I’m sick’, I say, ‘you are blessed’ because healing is in blessing. I’m not a rich man, I’m a blessed man. Blessings means the ability to become whatever you need to be at any time. Blessing means to be empowered to become. Church Gist. Don’t look for success, look for blessing. You’re just blessed and no one can stand against it.
Again, Reverend Sam Oye, we’d like to thank God for your life, for being a blessing, you and your wife, as remarked earlier, to this generation and the generation to come. Church Gist. We pray that greater grace upon your life, upon your wife, upon the ministry in the precious name of Jesus. Your program, “Advance” for people’s lives is a seed, your destiny will also advance. Particularly on this special occasion of your 50th birthday, we rejoice greatly with you. Church Gist. I’ve not asked about the ceremony for that in this meeting, I’m sure all of us are rejoicing with him. Have we sang some songs for him? Can we still sing? Apostle. So, if you’re kind enough, please rise to your feet with me and let’s sing another happy birthday. Okay, they’ve given you microphone too? (Talking to Apostle Joshua Selman), I think you’re the one to take the lead. (Laughs). God is a good God. Join me here. It’s good to listen to apostolic voice of singing. (Talking to Apostle Joshua Selman). Were you a choir member before? You were a music director? You look like one (laughs). Church Gist. Amen? Was it charismatic or Pentecostal or orthodox? FCS? My God, that’s proper believer. (Laughs).
Can we request Reverend Sam to please come up and his very dear wife? Amen. Well, today is his day, so, we have to honour him. Church Gist. We rejoice greatly that God kept you alive and not just alive but well and reflecting the glory of God with Sister Mary. The Lord bless you mightily, we love you very dearly and I believe we are speaking the mind of everybody here. God bless you. Well, let’s sing happy birthday song. Church Gist. Music Director (talking to Apostle Joshua Selman), over to you (laughs).
–Happy birthday song–
Amen. We love you. How do you score this Music Director? Amen. He has already scored himself. Church Gist. Do we agree with his score? That was very excellent and thank you for allowing me to sing along with you. God bless you, Amen.
My wife sends her special greetings and love and together, requested or proposed and make it happen that our two sons should be here to rejoice with you. Amen. Church Gist. God bless you, we love you as a family in Jesus’ name. To God be the glory.
I came in here and met the ministration or the sharing of the Word of one of our wonderful speakers in this Advance 2024, Apostle Joshua Selman, beautiful Word, great impact. Amen. Church Gist. The joy of older generation is to see new generation working, performing while they’re alive. I’m impressed and I thank God for your life. The older generation talks of experience, the new generation talks of new knowledge. We thank God for enlightenment that came through you this morning, it’s our prayer that you’ll continue to flourish and thrive. Church Gist. The assignment in your hand will keep growing. The same prayer I pray for all of us who are seated here, you’ll keep moving forward in the precious name of Jesus.
For want of time, I will not want to re-preach what has been preached through him to us. Please take heed of the Word. Church Gist. The most vital force for the work of the ministry and generally in life is the Word. In the beginning, the Word. The Word became flesh, the Word. Nothing stands the test of time like the Word. Church Gist. Gifts are no substitutes to the Word. Everything else may work against you, let the Word work for you. The Word.
- may we receive grace to stand in the Word by the Word.
Quickly, before I go into the Word, I’d like to also quickly make a comment on one of the things Reverend Sam Oye has said this morning and I’d like to do that with certain illustrations. Church Gist. Look at the head of a man, the major features in the head are in pairs. Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils but one mouth. Wise people use their ears and eyes more than their mouth. Foolish people are in a hurry to use their mouth. A fool is known by his mouth, the wise is known by his ears and his eyes. Church Gist. For a wise man will hear and increase, a fool will speak and he’ll be damned. What am I saying? Open your eyes everywhere you go to, open your ears. Jesus our example, he sat down among lawyers and teachers, He Himself being the personified knowledge, should Jesus learn from anybody? He sat down, both hearing and asking questions, making observations. Church Gist. In the Hebrew word, Rabbi is teacher but Jesus became Raboni, teacher of teachers for being a learner. Teaching begins with learning, preaching begins with hearing. If you’re not a good hearer, you cannot be a good preacher. Don’t be in a hurry to handle the microphone like many do. Don’t ask, “when will I preach?” Keep hearing. Church Gist. When it was time for Jesus to speak, the platform was created for Him. If you create a platform for yourself, you have signed in for doom. Thank you for that bit of lesson.
Quickly, we’ve been looking at the theme of Flourishing and Thriving in life and ministry. The word flourish means to bloom unhindered. Thrive. Church Gist. And that’s what God created us for. In Genesis, God said, “let us create man who will have dominion”. He didn’t create us to negotiate, He created us to dominate and He blessed them to make it happen.
- I call you blessed!
- your ministry is blessed! Your career is blessed! All you lay your hands to do is blessed!
I’m assigned this morning to bring about impartation, so the teaching is captioned, “IMPARTATION TO THRIVE AND FLOURISH”. Church Gist. A number of things have been spoken earlier, so that makes my job easy and time saving because we’ll be closing not long from now.
Now, what is Impartation? Literally, Impartation means to place something upon, to place upon. Church Gist. So, what we’re doing this morning is by the help of God to place something on you. We’ll be coming to talk about the things to place on you shortly. To place something on you. To put something on you. To transmit, to bestow upon. Church Gist. There are things you labour for, there are things that are bestowed upon you. Romans 1:11.
- say, I receive it.
Now, the word establish can well relate to flourishing. “That you may flourish” in a manner that people may not be able to explain it yet they cannot deny it. Church Gist. That’s the realm God is taking you to. The realm when you are no longer describable. Now, if people can describe what’s happening to you, it’s not God doing it because God’s acts are indescribable. Church Gist. And I like that! I like people to be surprised when they see me. If people see in you what they expect, then you’re the one doing it.
In my young pastorate, I was privileged to pray for a woman who got some miracle according to her. So, she was insisting (that) the husband must follow her to meet with me; so they came to our home, got seated. I was invited from the bedroom so I came to sit down with them. Church Gist. We got talking and the man asked – the husband; he said: ‘Where is the man we’re waiting for’? (Laughing). I didn’t look like it and I like that. I don’t like to look like somebody who can do something because, in the first place, I’m not the one doing it. There is One working in me, I’m working by His impartation upon my life.
-From this moment, you’ll become a surprise!
Now, we’re in ‘Advance’, so let’s advance. What are we to expect from the impartation this morning?
- It is transfer of power.
We’ve heard so much about power this morning. Power! Why do we need power? Because we are in the midst of strifes and we need to thrive. So it is power that makes you to overcome the strifes in order to thrive. If I heard this morning very well, forces of darkness are assigned to you whether you like it or not, whether you know it or not. Church Gist. Why? The Scripture tells us, the entire world is under the wickedness of the devil, everywhere you turn! Travel anywhere you want to travel, they’ve placed a mark, they’ve informed people on the other side, so, so, so, so person is coming. So if you say you’re escaping witches here in Nigeria, they already have white witches where you’re running to. And please note, in the same way, power has no immigration boundary which is to say, it works everywhere. Wicked forces are everywhere but power is available everywhere to overcome them.
Put me in the wilderness, I will thrive; put me in the desert… My blessings are not environmental-conditionally based. No! Please note! One of the things people think about is that their blessing is tied to a particular city. No! I’m blessed everywhere I go. Blessings come to me from everywhere. I tell people when it is your turn to bless me, you have no choice. Live anywhere, I don’t have to see you! You don’t have to like me! People bless me not because they like me but because God has given me the power to bring it when I need it. Church Gist. That’s why I tell ministers: Don’t lobby around people, respect people but don’t look needy. I’ve never looked like one. Before I knew millions, people have always come to me: ‘Sir, can you borrow me one million (naira) and I tell them: ‘Why not’? One thing you’ll never hear from my mouth is that I don’t have. Because the fact that you came is an indication that I have it. God gave you the signal: ‘Go and meet that Man, he has it’. So I tell them: Come back tomorrow! I have it but it’s not physically here; so come back tomorrow.
So I have been a lender because God told me I would be a lender. He told me so that’s why I have no mind to go to ask anybody for anything. People say: ‘That Pastor doesn’t ask for anything’ because I don’t need anything, I have all things. Somebody says: ‘Is that not pride’? No! It is knowledge! You know? What you know makes people think you’re proud. You’re just natural but they think you’re proud. Church Gist. You see? The difference between superiority and inferiority is knowledge. Something you know turns here (referring to the brain). Job 12:3 and Job 13:2. Equality is knowledge-based! If you know what I know, you will behave the way I behave, you will sleep the way I sleep. I don’t pray for witches not to come, I invite them to come: ‘I’m about to sleep, you’re free to come now’! Say with me again: Power! I’m building on what we heard earlier. I believe the Spirit wants us to emphasize it because we had no contact to talk about what we’re going to talk about.
Power! Science tells us that power is the ability to perform! Ability! It tells us also it is force applied! Force! You need force to rule here! You need force! Say with me: I receive it! Some individuals here are struggling to build Church, you need power! You think the forces will close their eyes and watch you build? You think they’ll close their eyes and watch your ministry prosper? No. ‘Thou hast through the greatness of Your power’, the greatness of your… God is a God of power. Psalm 66:3 and Psalm 66:7. He said: ‘Thou ruleth with Thy power’. Psalm 66:3. And how did He do the works? Through the greatness of Your power… They shall submit themselves. You see there’s a difference between confronting devils and devils submitting to you. Church Gist. Jesus said, at a time He said: I give you power against them and then at another time He said I give you power over them. They are two different things; ‘against’ is different from ‘over’. ‘Against’ means to confront, ‘over’ means to dominate. They submit themselves! Power level one makes you to confront them, power level two will make them submit themselves to you. That’s what happened with Jesus! They never waited for Jesus to come. They screamed: ‘Hey! Have you come to destroy us before our times’? That’s the level we must get into! The level where you don’t need to speak more than two words for demon to disappear. I checked through the Scriptures, Jesus had no time talking to devils. ‘Come out’! Shikena! And He will be on His own. And the devil may now be manifesting as if he has not come out. Jesus has already spoken! He doesn’t speak more than once! Come out! And there they were out! Through the greatness of His power.
The Lord said to my Lord: Sit down at My right hand… Because that should be the believer’s position. You are to be sitting, it’s a position of authority. Psalm 110:1-2. Did you hear that? Your footstool. When I hear people say that the devil is speaking to them, I ask them: How manage? Where did he climb? How did he get to your ear? When he should be underneath your feet. So when next you hear the devil talking to you, just say: ‘Hold it’! You carry your leg up and tell him: ‘Speak to this place’!! Because that’s what… I’m not the one who said so! He said He will make them your footstool – your enemies. Psalm 110:2. Say with me: I will rule! I’m not asking you to describe your experience, I’m telling you to declare your expectations. Church Gist. Stop using circumstances to describe your personality. You may not look like it but God said so. In the eye of God, He already saw you at the point of completion. So you’re telling story: ‘Oh God! See what I’m going through’. He said: ‘No! Shut up’! That’s not where I placed you, I placed you up there. I want to always see myself where God has placed me, not where my circumstances have limited me. Rule! Say with me: I will rule! He said: Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. If you want to see so, you must say so. What your mouth is too heavy to proclaim your hand will be limited to claim. You cannot flourish or thrive in life and ministry without power. Jesus imparted His disciples with power! Please note that even though all of us as it was mentioned also in that Power exhortation. We all have access to power! All children of God have access to power but note, power is in measures. Power is in grades, statuses are not the same.
One day, I was told somebody came to Church, they were sharing the testimony. He came with ring on his finger to come and attack me. He entered Church, the ring disappeared, the ring just disappeared, the power disappeared. It’s like the rod of the magicians swallowed up by the Rod of Moses. Another person came, they said he was shaking at the last row of the seat; they asked me: ‘Do you want to see him’? Church Gist. I said: ‘For what? We’re not mates? To see him so that he can come and lie to me’? Because demons are liars. And unfortunately, many believers listen to them more than they listen to the Word of God. Unfortunately! Many believers know more about the devil. That is why they’re talking, saying that satan is powerful. You cannot know about a man who is powerful if you’re not learning about his power. If you meet with God, you won’t talk about the devil again. We fear men because we don’t know God. We listen to (the) noises of men because we’ve not heard the voice of God. Jesus on the storm slept, he (devil) heard the voice: ‘We’re going to the other side’! The noises came, Jesus said: ‘It doesn’t matter’!
Noises are free to come but voice cannot be subdued. So I told them: Now, what should I see him for? Have you ever seen where general and recruits are discussing? I suppose there are some military men here. Where the general, they say: Recruit wants to discuss with you. And general says: Now! Let him come to the conference room. No! No meeting point! General is coming, recruit must shoot out his chest: ‘Morning Sir’! I don’t like you but ‘Morning Sir’!! You can frown your face and if the general too just wake up and say: ‘Stupid! F..k him! Roll on the floor, go under the barb wire’. ‘Yes, Sir’! Obey the last command! (Laughing). demons are to be obeying you.
-From today, you won’t fight them again!
You see? Winning begins from mentality – Superiority mentality, where you are placed. That’s why satan is attacking your mentality by not allowing you to gain access to knowledge. Church Gist. Mentality feeds on knowledge and poor mentality feeds on ignorance; satan has no power against you other than hiding behind your ignorance. What you don’t know is what he is using against you. Ignorance is his advantage; knowledge is your advantage.
I said, this power is in levels. So, you meet with people who carry higher power. So it’s wisdom to create a slope so you can enjoy a flow. A slope! Water does not flow up the hills, it flows down the hills. Some people are too tall or taller than the person who can be a blessing to them. Church Gist. The hand that will bless you will not have to go this way (upward) to touch your head, it goes this way (downward) not that way (upward). Why? Because his hand will soon be heavy and out of frustration, he will drop it. But when you are here (downward), he can lay hands on you tirelessly. Which means, your head must be reachable to the hand.
I like the way it was put earlier. You can’t use anything you know to change the systems of God. It is His system. Abraham blessed Isaac, Isaac blessed Jacob, Jacob blessed the twelve sons he has. Church Gist. The blessing, the impartation of power to be able to do what our generation have done and even beyond.
- The generations here will do beyond our generation! Oh, I thought I was praying for someone.
Jesus told his disciples, “the works I do, you shall do but you need power for it. As the Father has sent me, so send I you.” John 14:12, John 20:21-22. Jesus said all of that. So, impartation means receiving the breath from a higher vessel. Church Gist. So before the fullness of the Holy Ghost came from the Father, Jesus gave to them out of what He carried. So there are people who carry more than you do. When you find them, slope down.
- Spiritual gifts – the release of spiritual gifts. Romans 1:11 (we have mentioned that before). You see, God is the Manufacturer but He has appointed distributors. God is the Owner but He has custodians. Church Gist. God is the Ocean (I didn’t mean to say God is ocean. I’m just illustrating so that somebody won’t say, I have said that God is ocean – you know people hear different things)…we have tankers that go to the ocean to bring the water closer to the people who need it. So there are people whom God has brought to Himself. He has found them faithful so He loads them in “talents” (gifts) so they can distribute it to people. So by His grace, we can tell someone, receive this like our Host illustrated. ‘Go and buy hectares.’ So the gift of faith came into him. What came to him was the gift of faith. To impart certain spiritual gifts…You know, “they were 10 times better than their colleagues.” Obviously, somebody was giving them expo. They were all learning horizontally – their teacher was before them. But Daniel and his brethren were learning vertically. Something was landing on them. Say, a loud Amen and say, I receive it.
Believers cannot afford to go to school to know everything. No! Jesus was speaking by endowment. Church Gist. They said, “where did He learn letters from?” They were amazed at His wisdom – ‘what wisdom is this?’
- Receive gifts from God today! Say, I receive it!
Now, please listen to this. Gifts are superior to skills. Otherwise how could somebody use a little stone to bring down a giant? David was gifted. Now, Bible scholar tells us that all parts of Goliath was under armour including his head except for a little hole that gave access to the ear so that he can hear command and see. Now, they tell us that ‘that stone’ went and hit Goliath by that little opening (gifts) from the hand of a little teenager who had never been trained militarily. Church Gist. You don’t train to be gifted, you can only be endowed with gifts. Joseph who should be naturally demoralized (a slave) almost getting freedom, next phase – the prison. But God endowed him.
Now, why are we talking about gifts? Because it is a gift that makes room for you. Church Gist. Rooms are accessible only via gifts. Proverbs 18:16. Gift is a room maker. If you are not gifted, you don’t have a room. To be ungifted is to be roomless.
- Now, I declare that God will place certain gifts on you that will make room for you! Another loud Amen!
That’s why, people who are gifted don’t beg for room. Rooms are waiting for them. I don’t pray, ‘O God, open doors to me.’ Get me gifted, rooms will naturally open. Now, Joseph did not beg for room. Church Gist. David didn’t beg; he was made the armour bearer of the King without going through military school. Daniel did not. They were given the rooms.
- By reason of the gift of God coming on you today, I see strange rooms opening to you!
In my short pastoral life, very short (few years ago) – getting close to 38 years now that I have been pastoring. Is that not short? (Laughs) Amen! I have never requested to enter any government house in my life. I have never been excited meeting any ‘personality’ because I didn’t see ‘me’ at their level. All nations shall come to your righteousness and all kings to your glory. Church Gist. They are the ones to apply to see us. Somebody said, you are very proud. I’ve told you before, knowledge makes you look proud. Because you see, something about knowledge is that once you know something, it becomes your natural habitat. You can’t behave outside of it. ‘Why is it that you don’t ask members to help you?’ No, I am a father to them.
Have you ever seen where a cattle rearer is begging cattle, please help me? They are the sheep of God under me. A shepherd doesn’t go begging sheep. They are looking up to him – he (is) not looking up to them. Somebody say, if you are talking this way, how do you get blessed? I get blessed because God blesses me. Somebody say, if you don’t tell them what you need personally, how will they help you? They are not the one who sent you and when you feed them well, they will give you milk. Church Gist. Have you ever seen where a shepherd is forcing a sheep to give milk? No! Feed them before you know, milk will be dropping. Pastors, leaders, sit up! Stop looking like a beggar! Stop making God feel like a regret that He called you. Make God proud that you are not begging here and there yet you are not lacking. Say a loud Amen!
If you can, please, stand to your feet.
- Now by the authority in the name of Jesus who gave me the privilege to be sent to you this morning, I release upon you spiritual gifts! Say, I receive it!
- From now, doors will be opening to you on their own accord in the name of Jesus!
Now, it is this gift that transferred kingship from Jonathan to David. 1 Samuel 18:1-3. After David spoke by the gift of God upon his life, Jonathan said, ‘what am I waiting for?’ He removed all the instruments of an heir and gave it to a servant. Church Gist. Gift changes your status. Joseph, the Slave, became overnight Joseph, the Prime Minister. Gift changed Daniel’s status overnight.
When you are gifted, people forget about your credentials. I have never met anybody who asked me, what did you study? They don’t ask because it’s overwhelming. When I speak to you as a businessman, you will think I did Business Administration (you will think I studied strategic business). I didn’t study it. I am endowed with it. I was talking to a businessman about aquarium (‘Akwa Ibom rium’). Church Gist. He said, ‘Sir, did you learn about this?’ He’s a specialist in it. When I got to talk about it to him – did you learn it? I said, no. The Holy Spirit is just telling me what to tell you right now. You don’t learn gifts, you are endowed with gifts. Say, I receive it.
- Impartation of Grace.
One, power, two, gift, three, grace. These three factors among others we have been taught are in the forefront of making you to flourish. Church Gist. When you have power, you subdue your enemies. When you have gifts, you manifest. When you have grace, you flourish.
Now, the Scripture recognizes, among others, sources of grace.
i. God Himself. They call Him the God of all grace. Titus 2:11. So all of us can access it.
ii. The grace of God upon anointed men like Paul. That was quoted earlier. Philippians 1:7. The word ‘partaker’ is a compound word, two words, part and taker. So, God loads them so that those who need to partake of it. It’s not for them. Church Gist. He has his own grace from God but God loaded him with extra measure so that people he meets can partake of it. For instance, by His grace, I live in health but I also understand that I am a mobile health. Proverbs 13:17. I’m healthy but I’m also an embodiment of health. An establishment. So, when I go, those who need healing, I smile, they receive healing. I shake their hands, they receive healing. Church Gist. They sit where I’ve sat, they receive healing. They walk in my footsteps, they receive healing. Somebody had whitlow for nine years according to her, in between services, I just wanted to stretch myself, so I took a walk. I didn’t know somebody was walking behind me and I looked up, “oh, how are you doing?” She said, “I got what I want”. Shortly, she said a testimony, whitlow of nine years disappeared because according to her, something told her, “walk in his steps”. Church Gist. She was putting leg where my leg was passing. That’s what we’re talking about being a partaker. You take your part of what he carries.
Somebody else said, one of our staff, I’m not asking you to do this please, I’m just sharing testimonies. Church Gist. So, don’t look for my steps when I leave this place. You know, there are things we say and people just take it raw. Well, if your faith says so, why not? But don’t try to do it anyhow. Himself and his wife has been married for years, no child. I was climbing the stairs in the office and according to him, something told him, “remove your coat, roll it on where he passed, give it to your wife to wear” the next thing, belle (pregnancy) came out. Partaker. Church Gist. That’s why when you notice certain individuals who carry certain graces, move close. First, observe them, relate with them, it may not be directly but through different means and take of it.
Some day, Bishop Oyedepo said he went to Kenneth Hagin Ministry and he saw how this man will minister sweatless meanwhile he will wear 3-piece suit and the sweat will come out at the back. “Lord, I want this kind of grace”. Church Gist. As soon as he returned, no more sweat through the coat. There are people who have grace for enlargement like Pastor Adeboye. Go to Redemption Camp, boundless, you can’t measure the land. That’s what I was privileged to share with our host here. Enlargement. There are people who just have the grace. They don’t pray for it, they don’t sweat. It just happens, they’re engraced for it. So, go and tap into that grace. There are people who have grace to teach expressly. They can use anything to illustrate. You can catch the grace. Covert earnestly the best gift. What is the best gift? The gift you need. All gifts are equal but the one you need is the most important one, take it. Church Gist. There are people with grace for abundance, they don’t pray for money. They just have the grace. Take it. Identify them. You can’t afford to wait. Somebody will say, “but I can pray on my own” why not? But there are certain steps they have taken that has made it easy for you. Go for it. Church Gist. Why try to invent what somebody else has invented and it’s working for him? Listen to him, receive the grace from him
- say I receive it!
Now, our Host here by the grace of God has the grace of God, among others, for organization. He’s one of the most organized servants of God that I’ve met and passionately, naturally believes in it – orderliness, good organization. Church Gist. You can take the same grace, partake of it. He, too, partook of it from what he told us this morning. That’s the good thing about it, nobody owns it. We go to partake of it from those who have it. It’s working.
- say a loud Amen.
Now, we also have what we have the grace upon Churches and ministries. 2 Corinthians 8:1. There ministries with grace for large growth, for expanse of land possession. Grace, everywhere they enter, things just happen. Church Gist. Why don’t you seek association with them? Not necessarily by going to meet them physically. There are graces I am partaking in without meeting the carrier of the grace. Church Gist. Through their books, watching their videos, reading their books. You can tap into their grace.
What is grace? Grace is divine enabling. The ability to do beyond your ability. That’s grace. The ability to do beyond your capacity. Church Gist. Paul said of the Macedonia Church, they gave beyond their own ability. There are those who carry the grace for giving. He said, “let this grace also abound in you”. So, there’s grace for giving. Tap into that grace to destroy the hold of self. The ability to give anything havable, I operate by that. Anything havable is giveable. God doesn’t have problem asking me to give anything. No. If He tells me once, I don’t hear it second. Once is enough. Church Gist. One day, somebody brought a dozen shirt to me in the office, I went back home with only one. “Where will you get the next one from?” I get it from grace. Somebody said, “if you’re giving all this way you’re giving, what will remain?” Church Gist. Blessing will remain because it came by blessing in the first place.
- say a loud Amen!
- receive that grace! The grace to lay down so that you can take it up again.
So, grace is divine enabling, ability to do beyond your ability. What is grace? Interestingly, grace is the source of all sufficiency. Pursue grace, you’ll have nothing else to pursue. Pursue grace!
You see, great men know what to pray for. Moses knew what to pray for. I was studying again now this morning and I saw in Exodus 33, Moses prayed five times about grace. ‘If I have found grace in your sight’. So Moses was grace-made. If not, how can a stammerer lead three million people? Church Gist. Grace! He was grace-made. I have not found, please correct me especially those of us who are given to studies. I didn’t find where Moses prayed for power yet he didn’t lack power. He prayed for what will bring the power. Three major prayers: Lord! Show me the way! Lord! Give me the grace! Lord! Show me Your glory! Shikena! Yet power that divides the Red Sea was available to him.
I didn’t say, don’t pray for power, if that’s your level of understanding because our level of understanding is from stage to stage. Grace! Paul prayed, we are familiar with that in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 and God answered him: My grace is sufficient for thee! Hear this, prayer is never sufficient but grace is always sufficient. Church Gist. Why? Power is the hand of God, grace is the person of God. How do I know? Jesus Christ came as grace embodiment. John 1:14-16. So when you have grace, you know what that means? You have God working in and through you in an automatic flow. That’s why power can be copied but grace cannot. Grace! Say: I receive it!
Grace is the overflow of God’s fullness. The fullness of the Godhead, bodily dwelleth in Him and we are complete in Him. That’s why he said God is able to make all grace abound to you so that you may abound in all things. Church Gist. I don’t want to be called a powerful man, I want to be called an engraced man because whatever you need grace is there to supply. Say a loud Amen. 2 Corinthians 9:8. Grace is the mother of supplies of all needs. Please lift up your right hand:
-I release grace upon you! That which I have been privileged to see in grace as a privileged father in the House, I release it upon you. Church Gist. The things we do you shall do! Greater you shall do! Receive grace for it! Flourish and thrive by grace in Jesus’ name!
What does it take to experience impartation?
- Partly we have been told. And principally it takes your heart. It takes the heart! Because God’s passage to your life is your heart. Your heart is God’s passage to your life. God can do nothing without your heart. Pure heart! Blessed are the pure in heart! Pure motive! So you want Church growth? Let your heart be pure. Church Gist. Sometimes when I’m praying for Church growth, my heart asks me: Why do you want the Church to grow? So I straightened up my mind. Is it so that they can say I’m the Pastor of the biggest Church? Why are you praying for signs and wonders in your ministry? So that they can say you’re a very powerful, anointed man of God who heals all sick. Check your heart! Pure heart!
- You must have a panting heart.
Your heart must be panting. Psalms 63:1-2. - You must have a serving heart.
True servants of God don’t pray for power. No! I have found David My servant and because he’s My servant, I will anoint him. Anointing comes only to people who are ready to serve. You are called to ministry to serve, you’re called to business to serve, not to make money. Church Gist. One mistake many business people make is that they put money ahead of service but when you serve you get all the money that others are pursuing. Why are you in ministry? You’re in ministry to serve. Focus on service, your needs would be supernaturally met. Focus on service! Render service! Don’t look for prophet offering, don’t organize for it. Just serve! Everything you need will finally come your way! Say a loud Amen!
But very importantly, when it comes to impartation, you need a following heart. All who got imparted were followers. Followers!! Impartation can happen suddenly but the process is gradual. Followers! Be a follower! A follower indeed, a follower genuinely. A follower with a deep heart, with a desperate soul. A follower!! Which is to say, build relationships. You know? There are people who invite you to a meeting to use you. Church Gist. No relationship! I tell people who come to invite me: ‘Come and do this for us’. I say: ‘I don’t know you’. I’m not trying to insult you but there must be a connection. Just like you can’t use God to do something if you don’t know Him. ‘The people that do know their God…’ Relationship is a platform for (the) flow of grace and unction. Relationship! They came to Jesus, they stayed with Jesus before He imparted them. Largely! Impartation is an outcome of a standing relationship.
I read about Dr. Lester Sumrall who learnt from Wigglesworth. Wigglesworth was an Englishman and Lester Sumrall visited and lived in England and so he contacted this Man. And a time came when there was war and Lester Sumrall needed to go back to America, he went and met Wigglesworth after a long relationship. And Wigglesworth made him to kneel down and prayed over him. With tears coming out of his eyes, on the head of Lester Sumrall and he said: ‘All the faith that’s residing inside me, I release upon you’. Church Gist. And that is how Lester Sumrall became a practical duplicate of Smith Wigglesworth. Sick relationship? Not impartation! Impartation would be a natural flow… Today we have in our generation people who are seeking shortcuts. ‘Sir, I want to invite you to come and minister to us’. Do you know him? Does he know you? No! He doesn’t! Don’t seek for a guest speaker, seek relationship! When you get relationship, you have taken the root and you’ll begin to bear fruit upward. Say a loud Amen!
Let me leave you with this word. Impartation is not magic, impartation is responsibility. You are receiving impartation to go and accept responsibility to make things work. Impartation doesn’t make things work automatically. No! It’s responsibility. Church Gist. It is responsibility. Paul said to Timothy, “I have laid hands on you but stir up the gifts of God in you.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7. I have imparted gift on you but you go and stir it up. Impartation doesn’t work for lazy ministers. No! Go and work with it. Go and stir it up.
After Jesus gave them impartation, they went and stirred it up. They went to the upper room to pray; to stir up that impartation. ‘And they continued steadfastly in prayer and the ministry of the Word.’ Go and stir it up. Impartation is deposit and deposit does not equal dividends. Church Gist. You go and trade it – you trade it. You get to your altar tomorrow, those of you who will reach your Church tomorrow, let people know that you have taken a new turn not that you will sit down and say ‘I am already imparted.’ Who imparted you? It doesn’t work for lazy drones. No! Impartation is not a substitute to hardwork. You work to make it work. Say a loud Amen! Impartation is a deposit to be tilled. You have to till it. Proverbs 12:11, Proverbs 28:19. You stir it up. You till the ground. You till your ground. There’s more than enough deposited in you – you have to go and be tilling it, to stir it up, to be breaking new grounds. ‘He that tilleth his land shall have plenty.’ Go and stir it up. Say a loud Amen! Are you blessed? Shout, I am blessed! Thank you Jesus! Did you get anything at all? Give God a big hand please. He’s worthy.
While speaking, the impartation has been on. You know where we make mistakes? We always wait for prayers to be prayed. As a matter of fact, it is not on record that impartation comes by praying but largely by the Word. Ezekiel 2:2. ‘The Word which I speak unto you, they are spirit and life.’ The Word! Church Gist. Hear the word of a man, you are imparted with the spirit of the man. That’s the way it works. Be careful who you listen to because he’s transferring the spirit to you. If you don’t want the spirit of the man, don’t listen to him.
Be careful also who you bring to your altar. Don’t bring a liar to your altar because by the time he’s gone, lies will fill your Church. Don’t bring an immoral man to your altar because by the time he’s leaving, he has dropped the spirit of immortality into your Church. Church Gist. It’s alright to study people before you give them the microphone. If you are not sure of what he carries, don’t let him move close. It’s not hatred, it’s not pride, it’s just having sense.
- So by the privilege I have to have spoken to you this morning, you are already imparted! Say, I receive it!
Now, therefore this short prayer…People ask me why do you pray short prayers? I tell them, it’s because I know what to say (laughs). You know when you know what to say, you don’t speak too long grammar and I believe in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus didn’t pray long prayer in the public. Church Gist. All the prayers I need to pray for you, I prayed before I left home. So, I’m only making pronouncements and declarations. Somebody is saying how can you be talking this way? I’m talking from the little God showed to me. He got to the grave of Lazarus – statements, declaration! Lazarus, they said you have been dead for 4 days, we are waiting for you. Lazarus, come forth, we are waiting for you. Father, I thank you because you hear me always and he that was dead came to life. And put this to practice as pastors and leaders in the Church where you are because the human system in the society where we live, they love that you pray some kind of prayer.
I have heard people say to me, “Pastor, I want special prayer.” Is there ordinary prayer? Is there ordinary prayer Reverend Sam? All prayer is prayer. What drives it is your faith. Don’t make people move you to do what is not scripturally right. I can’t help God. I can’t help Him. Church Gist. When He tells me what to do for you, just take it. Somebody was told that he had a brain tumor (one Midweek Service) and he came to me to be prayed for because the surgery would be the following day – Thursday morning. I said, go and return with your testimony. He looked at the person that brought him, is that all? I said, that’s all. They got to the pre-surgery room the following morning, they were looking for this tumor, they couldn’t find it.
Please come on here Reverend Sam. I don’t mean to disturb your head. Be healed, be healed (while applying pressure on his head) – you are causing more sickness to the person (laughs). Jesus spoke, ‘thy child is made whole. Take up your bed and walk.’ Let’s follow His pattern. Church Gist. Don’t try to make people think that you are highly spiritual. ‘Hey, as I pray for you now’ (demonstrating) it’s not necessary. Get what you need for them before you leave home. The altar is a place for display and declaration. Lazarus, come forth and he that was dead came back to life.
Please, stretch your hands here.
Say with me, I receive impartation for power to flourish and to thrive. I receive spiritual gifts to open doors to me to thrive and to flourish. Church Gist. I receive grace at work in this place to make things happen for me. No more sweat because I receive divine enabling to make me do beyond what I can do, to make me do what is above my human ability. So shall it be!
Now, stretch your hands here.
- Receive it as you have declared it!
- From now, everywhere you go to, demons will bow to you!
- Whithersoever the sole of your feet shall tread upon is given to you!
- From now, you will not lack gifts that open doors!
- From now, you will become an embodiment of multiple graces working in your life! So shall it be! Church Gist. And all who believe, wave your hands and give thanks to God. Take it by faith.
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