APOSTLE FEMI LAZARUS ANNOUNCES THE COMPLETION OF THE CHURCH BUILDING IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS TIME.
LIGHT TV TO COMMENCE BY JUNE / JULY 2024.
LIFE IS SPIRITUAL – DON’T TOY WITH IT.
PRAYERLESSNESS IS A SIGN THAT A MAN’S EYES OF UNDERSTANDING IS NOT ENLIGHTENED.
WHILE PRAYING IN TONGUES, ALSO PRAY IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING SO YOU CAN TRACK YOUR REQUESTS.
IF YOU STAY IN THE PLACE OF PRAYER LONG ENOUGH, GOD WILL BEGIN TO GIVE YOU CASES OF PEOPLE TO PRAY ABOUT.
MEN LIKE ARCHBISHOP BENSON IDAHOSA WOULD JUST SAY ‘YOUR PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED’ AND THAT SETTLES IT.
ONE DECLARATION FROM A MAN OF GOD IS ENOUGH TO CHANGE YOUR STORY.
A LADY WHO ONCE DESPISED DR D.K. OLUKOYA’S PRAYERS GOT HER DELIVERANCE THROUGH SAME PRAYERS.
IT TOOK ME MORE THAN 21 DAYS OF DRY FASTING TO BREAK THE SIEGE OF NOT RISING OFF MY LIFE.
WE LIVE IN A WICKED WORLD – YOU BETTER PRAY WHEN YOU SHOULD.
SPIRITUAL BATTLES ARE NOT RESTRICTED TO NIGERIA ALONE – THEY HAPPEN EVERYWHERE.
I SEE SPHERE OF LIGHT CHURCH IN ONTARIO, TORONTO…EVERYWHERE!
WHAT CAN YOU SEE? GOD WILL NOT GIVE YOU WHAT YOU HAVE NOT SEEN OR CONCEIVED.
THERE IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD; HE’S NOT LIMITED BY WHAT LIMITS YOU.
PROPHET OBADARE WAS A BLIND MAN YET HE COULD RAISE THE DEAD.
PEOPLE WHO KNEW GOD HAVE WALKED THE FACE OF THIS EARTH.
YOU CAN KNOW THE BIBLE IN GREEK AND HEBREW AND NOT KNOW GOD.
ANYTHING YOU DESPISE CAN’T WORK FOR YOU.
- Apostle Femi Lazarus on “ISAAC AND SAMUEL 3 – UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF DELAY” || Sphere of Light Church, Abuja || 14th April, 2024 ||
I would like to say, as expected, that’s the right thing to do. I gave a word of promise last week. I like to say that everything we need for the installation of the air conditions have been bought. But we were told to hold on by the management till certain terms and conditions have been agreed. And while that is going on, the people in charge of the building have told me that we will not have to get upto 2 months before we move into our own facility. Church Gist. And let me also say this in advance that between now and June/July our Television will kick off (Light TV) so it means that once you have (there is this intelsat or what is it called), same way you have Dove TV, you have Believers Loveworld, so we are going to have Light TV. Then we can have all our activities there. Amen! Alright, so I needed to make that announcement so you can hold me accountable. Alright. Thank you Lord! Amen!
Quickly, let’s check the Book of 1 Samuel as we continue in that series. On Tuesday, we will resume a new series entirely. So, it’s going to be a surprise. So, you have to be here. Is that okay? Let’s start the reading from…for the sake of understanding, you know the story of Hannah, Peninnah and Elkanah and the Bible said, yearly they go to Shiloh. Church Gist. The husband will share the food, Peninnah and her children will eat and then give to Hannah a worthy portion. And at certain point, Hannah became tired of the food, she wanted the result and she wanted her own children.
- If there’s anyone here who has been waiting on God for certain things, you will get your testimonies this morning!
- Your testimonies will meet you speedily!
- Such that by the next time I set my eyes on you, there will be so many testimonies in the name of Jesus!
So, she got tired. That’s the crux of the story. She got tired. From verse 9 now, she got tired of her situation. There’s a lot that tiredness (when you get tired of certain things), there’s a lot – it has to do with announcing a change of level. Church Gist. You can be in a distressing case and not be tired. Oh, yes! And that’s why Isaac told Esau, he said “I have made your brother a ruler over you, your ruler, he shall be but it will come to pass (there is always a but) when you become discontented (when you become restless – some people say restive or tired), you will break it.” People who pursue sometimes fulfill prophecy more than those who just hang around. Amen!
- Is there anyone that’s tired of their situation this morning? You are coming out this morning!
1 Samuel 1:9-10. Let me pause a bit here. So at least in a week, at least I will say that at least (to be polite and to be moderate), I will say, I receive at least 250 emails averagely – every week. Church Gist. And one of the things I always pay attention to is that there are very few people who are genuinely tired of their conditions. Is there anyone here that their matter has gotten to boiling point and you are tired?
- If there’s anyone here who is tired of that case, it doesn’t matter how bad it has gone, you will come out!
- Again, I prophesy, you will come out!
The moment the matter gets to boiling point, there’s a way you react. You don’t take no for an answer. You don’t accept it, you get tired. She became tired. ‘Now, don’t serve me food, don’t give me meat. I want to pray.’ I shared my story with you. Prayerlessness is actually a sign that a man’s eyes of understanding is not enlightened. Church Gist. See, if you pray and you are struggling to find prayer points, your eyes have not been opened yet. And that’s why many christians particularly pentecostals – that’s why many people just pray in tongues…Praying in tongues is powerful but pray in understanding also so you can track your requests. Praying in understanding too. You are not trying to beat anybody’s record too. “I’m an intercessor. So, I understand that this thing called intercession is like taking petitions and many times, you just have to be vocal.” You know and because I stayed in the seat of intercession before I married, so many times God brings cases to me and say, “pray about this matter” – I don’t know the person.”
If you stay in the place of prayer long enough, God will begin to give you cases to pray about – people. And anywhere you meet a genuine intercessor, He will never use their case against them. So I had this vision and I saw a woman standing then, I saw a known pastor that I know standing and I saw the devil standing beside the woman and was petitioning a case. He was petitioning a case that this woman…look at what he said in that vision – the devil said ‘this is one of the daughters of Abraham’ – he said ‘she was sick and she reached out to this one (your son) he reached out to him that she needed money to buy drugs.” Church Gist. He said ‘but he did not believe her and then she died’ and the devil quoted a Scripture that ‘love believeth all things; that he is not walking in love. So I have come so that you can avenge her case on him.’ So, I was asking…and as the matter was going, it was looking as though the man would not come out. So, I asked ‘why am I here? This looks like a done deal. Why are you showing me this?’ And God said to me that when matter gets to where it gets to, that the devil has all evidence against a believer, there remains one thing that can speak – mercy. So, He said ‘I have brought you here so you can call for mercy on his behalf.’ You know, later I heard from the man of God that he actually died and came back from the dead. Are you following what I’m saying?
As you sit in the place of intercession, one of the things you will learn is that there are people who are walking on their two legs but their matter has been sealed in the spirit realm. A fate has been sealed and unless there is a voice in the spirit realm, people will just say, it’s mere coincidence. Please be spiritual. Life is spiritual. Sometimes I pay attention to events and stories. I was listening to the story of the young guy that died – boat issue. Church Gist. They said, another boat was coming…who calculated the equation that the time this one will be coming is the time this one too will be coming and they will collide? Who did the math? I am a mathematician so who plotted the graph? Why can’t they move at different speeds – at least, one would have been gone. Life is spiritual. One of the things I want us to do better in this Church is to pray.
I want to give us a minute and this is the prayer you are going to pray (listen to this): every negative matter that they sealed concerning me, Father, arise on my behalf and change the equation.
—PRAYERS—
Now listen, I’m not going to leave you alone because you know why? I am not ready to lose any one of you. Church Gist. I will tie you to my robe. As I pray, you will be praying. Are you following what I am saying now?
- You will not vanish like smoke!
You know, while the praises was going on, the Lord kept reassuring me, He said, ‘I have clothed this House with beauty and splendour.’ Church Gist. The House is not the building, the house is you. The lines are falling into us in pleasant places. Oh, yes! We give you praise, Jesus!
I will talk about discerning seasons (I’m going somewhere). I think 2011, I was living in a house; they came to contribute money. That was before that 2011. The people came to contribute money and said “we want you to leave this house. So this is your next house rent.” Fellow tenants! They said because there are girls we want to bring to this house and they said, they can’t come because Pastor is here. ‘So Pastor, nor spoil our work ‘come dey go.’ We are your friends.’ (Laughs) When the wahala became much, I left actually. Church Gist. The girl that wanted to come too that’s only because Pastor is there that…they will meet somewhere else, so what’s my own? But suddenly God opened my eyes and it occurred to me…you know sometimes you notice that where you have come from, people don’t rise or when they rise, they don’t stay rising. That’s what I saw. It just occurred to me. I started checking stories, check, check…I said, it’s me and you. I’m ready to die on this matter.
So I started fasting. I don’t want to talk about how long but I fasted till fasting knew that somebody was fasting till my legs were shaking. When you fast to a point (dry), your leg by itself would look like spring shaking. Church Gist. You will now look like you are using cream. You know this thing they are saying, ‘Esther was black’ – ‘I sabi wetin dey happen.’ (Laughs) ‘When you fast, Esther go change.’ (Speaks in tongues)
- May you not miss the strength to pray in the season you should pray!
After a while, I had a vision, by this time I was already…there is no slim person in this House. I was slimmer than the slimmest, tinier than the tiniest – you could count me ribs. There is a way you will fast, it will look like you developed kwashiorkor except that the stomach is not bloated. My God! And then, I had a vision. I saw myself in that same place where I was praying and I saw an angel of the Lord (I knew he was an angel). He said, get up and he said, “look to your right. Who is that man on the ground?” I said, I don’t know him. He said, look closely – I said, I don’t know him. He said, “that’s the father of your grandfather.” Church Gist. He said, “when he died, he went with something that belongs to all of you.” He said, your cry has come to us and I have been sent to wake him up. That’s after 3 sections of 21 days dry. 3 sections! I was doing the fourth section when I became hospitalized because I was vomiting blood. Plus one section of 21 days white and another one section of 7 days white. Then on the third day of 3 days white was when this happened. Why must it take this long before this thing can be broken? God said, “because you did not meet and discern the one who went through that journey and broke it.” He said, if you did, they can bring you out.
- If there’s anyone here who went down with what belongs to you and your lineage…people have been dying early (37, 36, 35 – they look promising and they are shut down), by the power and the authority in the name and the blood of Jesus, you are exempted from that flow!
- You are exempted from that flow!
- You will not die trying!
- You will come out!
- Even if no one has risen from there, you will rise!
I don’t care about…Sir, this World is a wicked place. I can’t remember who was sharing with me (I think one of my friends was sharing with me) he has shared (it) online himself. He has shared…the elder brother…within 4 years, they have wiped out 6 people. Church Gist. The elder brother just bought a property, went to the village and an elder said, “let us break kola.” The kola was what he ate and went back home to die. See, we have shifted ooo, this is warfare. I’m not teaching about trauma – war!
- Those who are waiting for you to die will go before you!
Sir, how can people be angry because God is raising somebody? He says “this family, they are graduates. They are the only ones who finished school. Look at them, they are settling down. They are this” and the only thing the fellow is thinking is to take them out one by one. Pray sir! Don’t just be handsome, pray! As you go to the gym, gym your spirit. Are you following what I’m saying here? Exercise your spirit. This World is wicked – I’m not trying to scare you. I am just telling you what it is. I wish it was any better. People say that “why is it not like that in America? Why is it not like that in Japan?” Church Gist. Are you from Japan? You came from Nnewi, Mbaise – you came from Ondo, you came from Akure, from Ijebu, Taraba; you are here saying ‘innit?’ Warn yourself! And I can’t even begin to mention the cases we are dealing with outside the Country.
Somebody traveled to America and they ran…an uncle asked for money. He said ‘sir, I’m just still trying to settle down.’ He ran mad that night in his sleep. You think this thing is restricted to Nigeria. Battles don’t need visas to cross. What are you talking about? Church Gist. You say ‘by the time you go to Canada, you have escaped.’ Escaped? You better pray sir. The guy ran mad in his sleep. I don’t know for whom this morning…me – I have my direction but I can’t tell, for whom I’m being held down like this.
- But those who have vowed that they will not rest until they clear you out, it doesn’t matter how much they have marked you for death, they will not succeed!
Sorry, all eyes closed. There is a young man here. Please, I beg you in the name of Jesus Christ just identify yourself. I’m not going to call you out. You just knew, this is not somebody having a thought – you knew. Few days ago, it’s a knowing in your heart that somebody marked you for death. Please, just stand where you are, I’m not going to call you out. I’m just going to call this once. Okay, sit down because that is why I’m looking at that direction because I know that the person is from that direction. Church Gist. See me after the Service. You are not going down sir! You are…listen (do you mind sir to come out?) – it doesn’t matter how hard they try except God is not on the throne. Everything that makes God who He is, the defence system of Heaven is vested around your life! You are not going down! The grave that was digged for you, I cancel it now! You are not going down! Sit down, relax, die that thinking – leave the rest. You are not going down!
When it gets to where it gets to, we put teaching aside and wear this thing. There is a prophetic regalia, when it’s time to wear it, we don’t look face o. Abuja, don’t get too used to my teaching. Don’t get too used to it. Okay? Church Gist. I know you are always blessed but there are other stuffs and they are for you. Praise God! Thank you Lord! We bless your name, Jesus! Thank you Lord!
I am going somewhere (let me try). 1 Samuel 1:10-27. Many times, waiting can be stopped by one declaration. Yes! One! That your condition has changed! I didn’t hear your Amen to that. I shared the story with you – a young lady that came to meet me. She said, “all her life no man had ever come to say, I like you.” And as at then, she was about 25. No man! She said, ‘I know when you pray for me things will change.’ So I said, okay, let me pray for you – go on your knees, let me pray for you. Church Gist. As I closed my eyes, I saw her carrying a basket and the Lord said to me, “push that basket away” – that was all. So, I said, “I push this away in the name of Jesus. From today, every veil, catch fire. You can be seen now.” You know the same way somebody can on bluetooth but it’s not discoverable, you can be around but you are not discoverable. She left and ran back immediately with tears and said, “somebody just parked now and said, I have been trying to talk to you.” She ran and left the person. Can it be this fast? Now, they are married, I think with 3 children or thereabout.
Sir, one declaration is enough. But one of the things the devil is doing in this generation is to weaken those voices. “What is it about Church?” ‘Wetin dem wan tell me?’ You better say Amen when prayers are made. There was one time (I won’t mention the name of the campus) around the campus, everybody was shouting ‘this, this, this.’ All these fathers of faith, don’t mind them. All these Dr. D.k Olukoya, there are a lot of people – all these prayers they are praying is not new testamental. No problem! ‘Ogun o ti ja e ni’ – what that means is that you have not seen battles. Okay? I’m not saying…it’s none of my business. It’s not my calling. Church Gist. He came to minister on campus. I was shocked that the same people gathered. Then when he was ministering, he said “I can see – there’s a girl there.” He said, I’m seeing a dog run out of your skirt. A dog. That’s how the girl began to bark ‘wo wo.’ So I said, with all these doctrines, there is a dog under your skirt. You better pray when they say you should pray.
One of my friends was sharing a story (a case) with me, they went to see Dr. D.K Olukoya in his office. You know, there are people who are specialists in this thing. There are specialists Sir – God has given them. So by the time they were done talking to him – he talked to them. So, he was just greeting them and saying ‘take care of yourself, take care of yourself’ and as he shook the third person, he started manifesting – ‘huuh, I will burn the World.’ (Laughs) Handshake! Church Gist. So, he said to the person, ‘my brother, you will have to do 3 days deliverance, just wait around.’ The guy said, I have a trip. Don’t postpone the day of your victory, pray when you can. Pray when you should. Call upon the Lord while He is near. It was one statement Eli said ‘go.’
One of the fathers was sharing with me their experience with Archbishop Benson Idahosa. That when Archbishop was around, you travel to Benin to go and see him. He said, one of the principles is that before you return, you will eat. Once you go to see him in the house, they’ve cooked, you’ll have to eat. Church Gist. Even when you say you’re fasting, he’ll say “Go, your prayers are answered.” There are men who can say that. You are the one who is not making research.
I’ve shared a story with you before. There was a strange Prophet in Ilesa called Prophet Obadare. We should not come to the point where the stories of these men go into extinction. Church Gist. Something happened in Ibadan. A girl close to a man of God had died and they had prayed but nothing was happening. It was in the days of cellular. So, they called the line and they said “Baba, this, this happened” He was a blind man, but there’s a way he lifts his eyes up to pray. There are men who know God. Church Gist. You can know the Bible and not know God. You can know about God and not know God. You can know Greek and Hebrew and not know God. He prayed a prayer, he just said a statement. He said it in Yoruba, I will interpret. He said, “Oluwa se ma gba nkan lowo re ti?” That is “God, will I struggle to collect something from you?” “Give me this girl back” Church Gist. She sneezed immediately. There are many like that.
I remember the first time I went to see Baba Olowere, late Prophet M. Olowere. I went to his house. I just finished ministering in their Church so, I said I must see Baba. Church Gist. As I entered the parlour, then there’s (was) another parlour, he just sat down there with his white and he said to me, “Mo mọ” “I know you”. He said “You are about to get married” I said “Yes Sir” He said “Your wife…” This is how he will put the hand (on his ear). Church Gist. You will think he’s receiving a call. I said people who know God have walked the face of this Earth. It’s not drama.
One of my pastors was sharing this story. She went to do sanitation work in Redemption Camp, she was cleaning the Altar, it was not a service day, just a normal day. Baba was in the office and felt the impulse to pray on the Altar. Church Gist. She was cleaning, just cleaning the Altar and then, all of a sudden, she just noticed somebody was walking behind her and it was Baba. She said she didn’t know whether to kneel down, prostate, disappear or fly. Church Gist. All he said was lay his hand on her shoulder and said “My daughter, God bless you” That shoulder was hot and vibrating for 3 days.
It was 2010 when Baba came to minister in Ifewara and he said “Today, God has said I should lay hands on everybody in this meeting and I should not hold back” People did not fall under anointing. Church Gist. They fainted. Lay hands, switch off. Lay hands, switch off. This one is not like ‘I’m a macho. I go to gym” Lay hands, switch off. Power is where it is. I don’t like to share too many stories because of all these bloggers.
Bishop Oyedepo’s driver was saying something. He said “Many people insult all these fathers but we that are close to them are the ones that know what we have seen” They went to the Airport and there was a special space for him to park and the fellow who should open the key around his hanger had not opened the key. Church Gist. I mean hangar where they park…somebody can now say “So, Bishop Oyedepo has hangar” You see, help me oh! He was furious, he’d been waiting for a long time, he said “Cut this nonsense” The padlock cut by itself. Is that the kind of man…
There are things that even demons don’t do, but it takes believers who don’t know God to do, to say “Who are they? Foolish men…” Anything you despise can’t work for you. Church Gist. Hannah could have heard stories of Eli that “he’s an old man, his children are doing these” and when Eli said that statement, she would not believe, but she believed. God uses men to help men, that is the strategy.
You know, I was teaching about ministers, a close meeting in Ibadan. I don’t know whether it was last week or 2 weeks ago and they were asking me about the knowledge of Church history. Church Gist. They said, “Apostle, how do you get the knowledge of Church history?” I told them real Church history is not on Google. It is around the elders. Let me leave you people.
Say “Lord, give me power, empower me”
—Prayers—
I want to wrap up quickly. I have a nudge to pray for the sick also this morning. Church Gist. So, let me wrap up quickly.
Genesis 18:1,9-12. You know, there are prophecies you’ll receive and you’ll just laugh and say “This man of God just wants to make me happy” There are words that don’t fall to the ground. Genesis 18:12-14. I’m asking you a question. Church Gist. Is there anything that is too hard for the Lord? Is there any case God can’t bring you out of? Is there any condition God can’t change? Is there anything too difficult for Him? He is God. Your limitations are not his. He’s not limited by what limits you.
Look at the strategy. You must know how to position yourself for a change of season. Though weeping endures in the night, joy comes in the morning. There’s always a time and He makes all things beautiful in their time. Church Gist. You must know when the time is changing. Sometimes, there is nothing physical as evidence but there is a strong perception. “As a man who has been going through the wilderness, I’m closer to water” You just know it and sometimes, when you begin to know it like this, your physical condition may deteriorate, the heat can become strong because the moment the devil sees that the seed is sown, the sun will rise, that’s adversity to dry it up. Church Gist. The reason why those adversities are coming is because the devil is challenging the seed of the Word. What you believe is close. He wants you to doubt it.
- Say it loud and clear “I believe that my time has come. I believe that my season is changing. Church Gist. I believe that an end has come to my tribulation”
You must understand that the posture of faith is a posture of a man who is unwavering. Church Gist. Stand in that which the Lord has spoken, unwavering.
Now, I’ve shown you 2 Scriptures. First in 1 Samuel 1, the second in Genesis 18 how that the 2 seasons of Esther and Hannah were changed by a pronouncement. Church Gist. I was ministering somewhere yesterday and I was showing them an experiment I saw online and they had like a conical flask in a lab and placed the conical flask on a table and then poured some fleas inside and covered the conical flask and after a while, they removed the lid, that is, the covering and what was observed was that the fleas could not fly beyond the covering that was there and even when they removed the conical flask, the fleas maintained the shape of the flask. Church Gist. There is a way a condition can condition a man that he can no longer think outside of it. It is now impossible for this man to see better days ahead. You will try to help, the fellow can’t see it. Church Gist. The devil is working on your belief system because, without faith, you can’t receive. There are people who are saying Amen to prayers but they have concluded that my case can’t be better than this.
We were on campus, they just pasted a result. One of my friends, I saw his result, I said “No, you have to go and protest. You have to contest this paper. This can’t be your result” He said “No, no. I know my level. Church Gist. This is me” ‘That thing shock me oh’ I said “This is you? This is not me and it can’t be” I saw that some people who joined the School of Ministry, after 2 lectures, started leaving, that “Which one is this School of Ministry? It’s like I’m back to school” That’s why it’s called School of Ministry. Look at you. Church Gist. You think that God is preparing you. Do you know the kind of generation we are facing? It’s a generation of details. It takes aggressive measures and preparation, a scholastic approach. We are not just spiritual.
The way I was trained growing up is that (in) every chapter of the Bible, you must have an idea of what it is. You must, it was a drilling. You must not throw that away. Church Gist. The devil is trying to condition the Church. People say Amen to prayer but their thinking can’t go beyond certain level because they have been there for a long time. It is as far as your eyes can see. God will not give you what you have not conceived. When I stand here, I see more, that’s the truth. I see Sphere of Light Church in Ontario, Sphere of Light Church in Toronto, Sphere of Light Church in Hong Kong, Sphere of Light Church in Beijing, Sphere of Light Church in Bangladesh, Sphere of Light Church everywhere. Church Gist. In Botswana, in Gebeta, in Papua New Guinea, Sphere of Light Church everywhere. I see it. So, I don’t get carried away with small things. Open your eyes wide. What do you see?
I shared with you, a girl went to divorce the guy she married and said that he’s too nice. My God! She said “He’s too nice. He doesn’t argue, he doesn’t fight, even when I (nag) he just says yes. Church Gist. When I say this, he just apologizes. What kind of a man is he? I want action.” What action do you want? ‘Gbas gbos?’ That girl never envisioned peace.
Now, let me show you quickly, how to prepare for a change of season. How do you prepare? Church Gist. I know we have talked about waiting, understanding that God will come in His time. But how do you prepare for a change of season?
Number one, discern it. The change you have not discerned will not come. New season you fail to discern will be missed because you will not have the positioning for the new season. Church Gist. There is a prophetic adjustment it takes to enter what God has for you. There’s an adjustment. The ability to be in the right place at the right time to hear the right things is prophetic. It’s an adjustment. There are people who adjust themselves to where they will kill them and there are people who adjust themselves to who will break them through. Church Gist. Sometimes, ‘Good afternoon’ is enough to change a man’s life. Sometimes, ‘Good afternoon, with the right person is more than enough. “Who are you and what do you do?”
- May you be in the right place and may you discern your activities.
Seated beside you is not just a person but a system. The system of God’s help is man. When was the last time you received the kind of help that made you sit on the floor and cry? Do you know what that means? Church Gist. The kind of help that you ask the person “Why is your own too much?” There are five horns of dominion. One of the first horns of dominion is the gift of men like horses. People who will carry your matter on their heads like it’s their matter.
I was somewhere to preach, just to preach and leave. Then somebody, the man asked me, he said, “Apostle, do you have (a) visa to so and so country?” I said no. He said (making a call) Please, I have somebody here, he needs (a) visa to so and so country. Consider it done. Church Gist. What about this country? Do you have a visa?” I said no. Called another person “This my person, the visa to this country” “What about that country, do you have a visa?” I said no, “Consider it done.” At some point, I was thinking and saying “Small, small oh!” and you need to see how these people are calling “Apostle, this document, this, that. Church Gist. We are here on standby” Even me, I’m not taking it this seriously, but when God sends you men, he has sent you men. I tell you, just one question is enough to change your life. “Where do you live?” “Ah! I’m squatting” “Consider it done”
- May you meet men like Angels.
If you want struggles to end, don’t despise the gift of men. “I don’t care what…” No Sir. Honour all men, Sir. I have met people who don’t look like it but can change your life in a moment. Church Gist. Somebody was calling me “Apostle, where are you? Somebody wants to see you” “I’m busy” Finally, I said “Okay, let’s meet at so and so place” I met the person, the person didn’t look anything…I said “Let me just pray with you so you can go” By the time the conversation was over, I sat down on the floor, Sir. Yoruba will say ‘Aso nla ko l’eyan nla’ (A big dress does not mean you are connected) How do I interpret that now? Let me just put it like this. Church Gist. There are people who may wear shirts and…sometimes, the people don’t even have the means but they have the connection.
I went to eat in a buka, not restaurant. It took a while for us to enter restaurant. It took a long while. We that we were friends, my best friend was poverty. It took time. When you hear Mr Bigg’s, you just say “Oh my God! We too, we’ll get there one day” It took a while. Church Gist. So, it’s buka. Mama T, that’s what they call that woman, Mama T. It’s just beside the road. So, that’s where we used to go and enjoy ourselves. It’s now we are saying “I’m selecting this. What kind of water did they use to cook?” I look at myself, I say “See your life. How was God preserving you when you were eating…?” Let’s leave it. The girl that was serving and washing plates there just asked “Pastor, you have not gone for service” I said I’ve not gone. But I’m going now. Church Gist. She said “And I can call somebody oh” Called the person, the person said “This, this, this. Where do you want to serve?” I said “I want to serve so and so place” He said “Okay, send so and so. Consider it done”
I got to NYSC camp, they were serving food, the first meal they were serving…me, it was 3,500 that entered camp with me. How much? It was supposed to be 5,000 but I took transport. Sole (Yoruba slang for very cheap motor transport) If you don’t know what that means go and ask Google. Church Gist. From (the) junction in Ife, they call that place RCC to Akure. From Akure to Ikare-Akoko Camp. So, everything was 1,500. I bought Gala and bought Fanta. ‘So, na so we dey do am. You go hold door like this (hands up)’
So, the woman served me food, yam and stew. You know the way that thing is and they said a corper was using how much to feed per day. May God have mercy. Yam and whatever they were giving us, in my white and white. Church Gist. So, I took the food and I said “Thank you so much Ma. God bless you” She said “What did you say?” I said “Thank you Ma. God bless you” She said, “Come, what’s your name?” I said my name is Femi Lazarus. She said “Femi” I said yes. She said “My God. That’s my husband’s name” and she held my hands, she said “Look at his skin, so fresh” I said “Me (laughter) brothers and sisters, me. Come on” If I show you this picture on the screen, you’ll say this woman was deceiving me. Me? You need to see this Woman, very fresh and fine. Church Gist. She said “Look at his skin, so fresh. How are you coping?” This place is better than where I’m coming from. This one, they are giving us food every day. It’s better. She said “Come and see me. Don’t go and eat there again oh! Such a lovely boy” I said “I don’t know who this Woman is. Let me just chill” Then later, they began to introduce her as FCT something. I said, what? That’s how I left the whole lecture, I went to wait at the entrance of the office place. Church Gist. When she came back, she recognized me and said “Femi, hey!” and she called another girl “Funke” “Femi, where is your full ‘this thing’? Don’t go there again oh. From today, you’ll be coming here to eat” Me? and then show me somewhere. I saw some corpers who are not corpers. They don’t look like anyone of us. They don’t, fact. They can not tell those ones “Attention” It’s we they will put inside sun. Those ones, they are there with iPads and they go out the way they want, jeeps. Church Gist. So, they served our food at the table. Me? I looked where I was coming from. We were about to eat, I just got the Word of Knowledge for one of them. I said “Hey! My friend. This, this, this. Is this, this, this…?” He said “Yeah. This guy is the freak men!” It’s Word of Knowledge. ‘We dey use this one. ‘Tospi’ (operate) on a normal day’ He said “What? I’ve never seen this in my life. I’ve never seen this. Who are you?” I said “My brother, my name is Femi Lazarus” He said, “Brother, can I give you an offering?” I said “Why not my brother? Church Gist. Give me something” So, the guy just took my account number, 120k. Me that came to camp with (3,500). 123,500 now.
The gifts of a man will make room for him. They gave me money there. I was going to Mami Market. I said, “Guys, what do you want?” My friends that knew me were saying “Ha! Pastor, where are you seeing this money?” Leave the rest. Church Gist. When it was time to post people from Camp, they called me and said “Come and fill your name to where you want, the PPA (Place of Primary Assignment) you want. Come and fill it.” He said “But I want you to go and serve In the Federal Medical Centre. I think they’ll pay you well” I said “No, God said I should go somewhere else” He said “Write your name here” The gift of men like horses. Church Gist. People who just pick interest in you. Let me say this too. There are people in this Church who don’t look like it. (They) just come quietly.
- May God bring you in contact with those who will change your life in the name of Jesus.
Discern and discern men. Discern people. Church Gist. Don’t joke with the gift of men.
For the sake of time, I’m just going to call a few Scriptures, tell you what happened in them. Look at the story of the Woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:25. Church Gist. She recognized that Jesus had what it took to change her life and she went for it. The devil will always try to cause discouragement, but go for what you have discerned. Go for it.
You look at the story of blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52. The guy kept shouting. They wanted to shut him down, he kept shouting. Church Gist. You must discern the people that God has designed to usher you into a new season, then you must also discern the word for the new season…and what is the Word God has given to us? ‘God has responded’ It means, don’t go and cry, go back and start rejoicing. Church Gist. Go back and start dancing because God has what? (Responded). Say it loud and clear “God has responded” He has.
Now, there’s a very funny story in 2 Kings 5. There was a man that was called a captain. Powerful guy. From verse 1, Naaman, powerful guy. He will fight many battles but can’t enjoy in the midst of people because he is also leprous. It was a servant girl that pointed him to his breakthrough. Church Gist. Don’t despise any man, Sir. God can use anybody. It could be a bus driver of the ‘along’. Though, my prayer is that God will bring everybody here out of ‘along’ Because in Abuja here, any car is ‘along’ I’ve never seen it in my life.
Let me give you this word of comfort. It doesn’t matter how brutal it is now, your season is changing. Now, God told me specifically to declare a new season and that’s why I’ve been laying the foundation that God uses men for men. One declaration that is well received and well discerned is enough. Church Gist. It’s enough to change a man’s life, one. Somebody can watch the service online and say “Who is this person? God just said I should bless this person” God doesn’t need too much to change your life. He doesn’t need too much. Some of the most dramatic blessings I’ve received in my life happened casually, just like that. Church Gist. You’re wondering, “From this point to this point, like that?” Like that, Sir, but through the gift of men.
There are people here who don’t know what it means to receive help. Church Gist. “It looks like this help thing, I’ve just been hearing it but I’ve never really experienced it” Can I pray for you this morning? Let me pray for you.
- If there’s anyone seated here who doesn’t know what help looks like, between now and the next 7 days, you will see help. Church Gist. The help will be so great, people will struggle to believe. The help will be so dramatic, people will struggle to believe.
Now, look at this. In the Valley of Dry Bones, God said to him “Can these bones live?” and he said “Yes Lord, you knoweth” and God said “Prophesy” He said there was a wind from the Lord that began to bring bones to bones. There is rearrangement. Church Gist. It doesn’t matter how scattered things are, they are reorganized.
- This is a season of coming into place.
- All the things that have been scattered since you knew it, one by one, they begin to take shape.
Now, look at this. There are times that God just says to me “Son, you know you can do this” Even me, I didn’t remember. Church Gist. People can complain to you that “We have a problem” and it’s not occurring to you. In the same way, somebody can need help, the Helper is seeing the person, but it has not occurred to the Helper that “I can do it”
- God will help you.
#ApostleFemiLazarus
#SphereOfLightChurch
#SupersonicSunday
#14thApril2024
#ChurchGist
