BEHIND ALL OUR SUFFERING IS OUR IGNORANCE. WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW, YOU SUFFER FOR IT.
GOD’S WORD IS A SWORN VERDICT THAT IS TESTED AND PROVEN.
PROPHECY IS THE EXPRESSION OF GOD’S INTENTION OVER OUR LIVES FROM THE PAGES OF SCRIPTURES
NO HUMAN HAND CAN FULFILL A PROPHETIC WORD, ONLY THE POWER OF GOD CAN BRING TO PASS THE PROMISES OF GOD.
WHEN WE PRAY WE ARE IN WARFARE BUT WHEN WE PRAISE WE ARE IN TRIUMPH
GOD SPEAKS WHAT HE CAN DO BUT HE WILL NOT DO IT UNTIL HE FINDS SOMEBODY WHO BELIEVES
WHEN GOD SAYS ‘I WILL DO THIS’ DON’T ASK HOW, JUST BELIEVE
WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS WHAT GOD COUNTS FOR YOU
GOD DOES NOT SPEAK TO IMPRESS OR ATTRACT OUR APPLAUSE. WHEN HE SPEAKS, IT IS FOR US TO BELIEVE
JOY STIRS UP IN YOUR HEART WHEN YOU RECEIVE AND BELIEVE GOD’s WORD
WHEN YOU PRAY, GOD GIVES YOU WHAT YOU REQUEST BUT WHEN YOU PRAISE, HE GIVES YOU WHAT YOU REQUIRE
PRAISE IS THE ULTIMATE FACILITATOR OF PROPHECY FULFILLMENT
THOSE WHO GIVE THEMSELVES TO PRAISE DON’T WAR, THEY TRIUMPH
WHEN WE GIVE GOD HIGH PRAISE, WE EXPERIENCE HIGHER DIMENSION OF FAVOUR
WHEN YOU PRAY, GOD VISITS YOU, WHEN YOU PRAISE, HE LIVES WITH YOU
WHATEVER PRAYER STARTS, IT TAKES PRAISE TO COMPLETE IT
SALVATION IS NOT JUST BEING BORN AGAIN. SALVATION IS HAVING ALL YOUR NEEDS PROVIDED FOR BY GOD.
– Bishop David Abioye on PRAISE FACILITATES FULFILMENT OF PROPHECIES 6 at Midweek Communion Service || LFC Canaanland || 22nd November 2023 ||
We are reminded that the Prophetic Focus for this month is PRAISE FACILITATES FULFILMENT OF PROPHECIES. As powerful as prophecies are, they cannot fulfill themselves. Church Gist. It is like one of the laws of science that says “Every object remains in a state of rest until a force is applied to it.” So there are forces that make prophecies come to pass and among others and as a matter of fact, the ultimate which we are looking at is praise.
1 Timothy 1:18. When we pray we are in warfare but when we praise we are in triumph. They are two different things. We facilitate prophecies through praise. That means every time you are praising God, prophecies begin to manifest in their fulfilment. Church Gist. That is why our teaching series for our Midweek Services this month is UNDERSTANDING HOW PRAISE FACILITATES FULFILMENT OF PROPHECIES (6).
Understanding comes via learning, so what we have been doing in the course of this month is learning. Many believers are in a hurry, they can’t wait to learn so they go to pray. Learning! Understanding cannot be assumed, it has to be learned. What you don’t know, you suffer for it. Behind all our suffering is our ignorance. We have to learn. Even Jesus, the Anointed from His mother’s womb had to learn. Luke 2:46. What did He do when He came? His invitation to us is to come and learn. Church Gist. Matthew 11:28-29. Come and learn of me. In the process of learning, you will understand and when you understand, you will find rest for souls. Whatever is given to you, you lose or exhaust it but whatever you find you keep with you. So we are learning how to make praise work for us.
I used to tell people that God is our loving father but He is also our excellent teacher. He loves us and saves us, then teaches us to possess our possessions. Isaiah 48:17. So we need to sit down and learn. Church Gist. You don’t graduate because a school belongs to your father, you go through the classes. You have to learn and that is what we are doing.
As it has been explained to us ever since the month began, prophetic scriptures are defined to us as the most sure Word of prophecy. We have the gift of prophecy as it is in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. We also have the Spirit of prophecy, that is any time anybody shares testimony according to Revelation 19:10, we are releasing the Spirit of prophecy. But the prophetic scriptures which is the Bible are defined as a more sure word of prophecy. Church Gist. 2 Peter 1:19. Psalm 12:6. There may be error in the gift of prophecy, there may be error in the Spirit of prophecy which is the testimony but there can be no error in the more sure word of prophecy. God’s Word is a sworn verdict tested and proven.
Isaiah 14:24. Prophecy is the expression of God’s intention over our lives from the pages of scriptures. This book (the Bible) is the expression of the mind of God. Confirming this also we see in Isaiah 34:16, every word of God is prophecy to us. Church Gist. I believe that as we receive the Word of prophecy again tonight, it shall come to pass. Especially when we begin to engage in the forces of praise.
Only God’s hand can fulfill a prophetic Word. 1 Kings 8:15. No human hand can fulfill a prophetic word, only the power of God can bring to pass the promise of God. Fulfilment of prophecy is essentially by the hand of God. This is why when prophecies come to us, we should just relax ourselves. Let’s leave the one who said it to do it. Faithful is He that has spoken who also will do it. We have no capacity to fulfill what the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Church Gist. John 14:10. Philippians 2:13. Anything God says He is the only one that can do it. He says it to do it and once He says it, it is considered done. Many of us keep saying God will do it, No! Before He finished saying it, He had done it. He is only giving us information that this is what He has purposed to do.
God does not tell us something and leaves us to do it. He says it for our information so we can receive it and believe it and do the appropriate things He expects us to do. Church Gist. Only the hand of God can perform the Word as we believe. Now, listen to this. He can do it, but will not do it until He finds somebody who believes it. There is nothing He can not do.
One day, a man with a problem came to Jesus and said ‘Master, if you can, my child shall be healed’ and the Master looked at him, ‘Do you ask the Almighty what you can do?’ So, Jesus said to him, ‘All things are possible to him that believe’ Mark 9:23. So, God speaks what He can do, but will not do it until He finds somebody to believe.
– Somebody say with me, I believe. Say it again, I believe.
That’s why God does not speak according to your perspective. You can’t comprehend what God wants to do so when God says ‘I will do this’ don’t ask how. First of all, ‘I believe’. ‘Mary, you will conceive and bring forth a child’ and she said ‘Be it unto me according to your Word. Church Gist. I cannot imagine it, I don’t know how it will happen but let it be as you have said’ and the Angel of the Lord departed with what she said and came back to perform it. God speaks according to what He will do as we believe.
Abraham believed and God counted it for him. What counts for you is what you believe from what God has said. Abraham believed and it was counted for him. What you believe is what God counts for you.
Numbers 23:19. He does not speak to impress us or to attract our applause. He doesn’t need that. He is self efficient, self sufficient, self praising. There is nothing God cannot do. So, when He speaks, it is not to impress us. When He speaks, it is not to make us clap. When He speaks, it is for us to believe.
– Somebody, say with me again, I believe.
I don’t know how you came to Church tonight, but a change is taking place. Watch it, very soon, you will own that house.
– Say it again, I believe
Somebody is wondering, ‘Well, you don’t know where I’m coming from’ We were worse perhaps than where you are. There was a time I had only one pair of shoes, but I believed. Church Gist. I was wearing the Shoe, it was tired but I couldn’t retire it because there was no substitute. It opened in the mouth, I mended it.
– I believe there is a better tomorrow waiting for me.
– There is a better tomorrow for you.
– Somebody shout, I believe.
Somebody is wondering, ‘November has come. They told us in January that things would happen for us greatly. This is November’ Just keep believing. He is never late. It is going to come to pass in your life.
– Somebody will walk out of this Service tonight with congratulatory message waiting for you. I know it’s coming to pass for you because I can see your faith rising. I can see your faith rising.
Every prophetic word received stimulates joy and rejoicing. I like you to take note of the word here, every prophetic word received.
– Say, I receive it. Church Gist. Let me hear you again please (I receive it). One more time if you can (I receive it).
Why is this very important? Because every time you hear God speak, He speaks something contrary to your status that will make you to question ‘Can this thing be?’ Believe it. Contrary to the happenings, stand on what is written. I receive it, I believe it…and the moment you do that you see joy stirs up in your heart. Jeremiah 15:16. So, He tells us ‘Just believe, only believe’. Jesus said to a man whose child was dead ‘Only believe. Believe only’ and it came to pass. Mark 5:36. Jeremiah 15:16. Joy and rejoicing must precede manifestation. Joel 2:21. Without celebration, there can not be manifestation. Church Gist. You have to rejoice in the Word. That is why happiness is different from joy. Happiness has to do with things we see. Once we don’t see them we are unhappy but Joy has to do with something we cannot see but it is real to us.
Psalm 119:162. Prophetic words come as joyful sounds. Psalm 89:15. When prophetic words come and you receive it (them), you become blessed. It stirs up joy inside you. People cannot see what you are rejoicing about but inside you, you are too sure it is there. It gives you assurance of a future in your future.
– Somebody say with me, there is a future in my future. Say it again, there is a future in my future.
Your story can change. While I was privileged to pastor a considerably small Church. We call it small in number but I see greatness in it. A man came one day and said ‘All these small small boys. It’s because they don’t have jobs, that’s why they said God called them into ministry’ and I said ‘This Man will come back very soon on his knees before me’ (He came back) openly and knelt down, ‘I’m sorry for everything I have said’. I saw a future in my future. You may look like keeping a shop right now, that’s a store in the making. So, rejoice, not for what you see but for what is written. What made Abraham to rejoice was what was written. Romans 4:17. Church Gist. He was not looking down at what was happening. Romans 4:19-21. There was celebration in his soul by reason of what he saw. There is a future in your future. Why? Because God said so. We look not at the things which are seen but the things which are written.
– Everything written about you shall come to pass.
If that prayer is for someone, say a louder Amen!
There is something about the Word that stirs up inside you unspeakable joy, full of glory.
– Say a loud Amen. Another loud Amen!
Now, as we begin to round up, How does praise facilitate fulfilment of prophecies?
Remember I had said, without prejudice to other factors that facilitate prophecies, praise is the ultimate and I want you to please listen to that. Praise is the ultimate facilitator of prophecy fulfilment. Let’s take one or two instances.
Hannah, based on prophecy, that when we call on God, He will hear us, went and prayed. She prayed. 1 Samuel 1:10. Church Gist. She was worrying in prayer, but there was no delivery of that prophecy until she turned in worship and praise and thanksgiving. Anytime we pray to God, He refers us to praise for completion.
Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20….and the entire Judah went to pray. ‘God help us, we have no might against this people’ and God said, ‘I have heard but I refer you to praise’ and at that point, the Lord said to Jehoshaphat ‘You shall not need to fight’. You see, in praise, we triumph. That is why those who give themselves to praise don’t war, they triumph. Church Gist. What is the difference? Somebody is wondering. You may war and be injured but when you triumph that means there is no trace of injuries around you. That’s why I choose praise. I pray, but I don’t conclude my prayer without praise. Praise is the ultimate. That is why humorously, I describe praise as the plural to pray. Pray – Praise. Whereas prayer will do one thing, praise will do minimum, double things…and you know why? When we are praying, Angels come down. I mean when we are praying, Angels come.
Remember the story of Daniel? He prayed and an Angel said to him ‘Hey! Since the day you started praying, I came to you to receive the words of your prayer. However, the Prince of Persia stood on my way’ When Angels are engaged or involved, they may be opposed and attacked, but can somebody stand in the way of God? ‘And God dwells in the midst of praise’ So, when we praise God, especially when we give Him high praise, we experience higher dimension of favour.
Look at this. Psalm 149:1-4. Every time we are praising God, we are provoking the favour of God. That’s part of the elements of praise. You can’t claim you are praising God and not rejoicing. You can’t praise God with a frowned face. Help me check your neighbour’s face. How is the face right now? Church Gist. Praise entails joyfulness. Psalm 149:3. What is the dance? Check with David. I believe he is the One who wrote this Psalm so he knew the praise he is talking about. He praised God with his might. 2 Samuel 6:14. No reserve. A King who should be moving with protocol. He dropped his protocol and engaged in vigorous dance until his dress fell off him. How do I know his dress fell off him? Because when he got back home his wife was mocking him. ‘Why did you make a mess of yourself like this? When you should be moving with protocol, with cap on your head, your crown’. David danced. He didn’t know when the Crown fell. His crown fell before God and as the Crown was falling, his enemies were falling. Church Gist. That’s why David became the heartbeat of God, became favoured of God. He prayed less than he praised God. The more you praise Him, the less your prayer reduces and you know something? When you pray, God gives you what you request for but when you praise, He gives you what you require. What you require is what you need but you don’t know you need. Request is limited to what you think you know or what you think you need.
When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, God gave them favour to the extent that everything they required was delivered to them and so it is favour that brings to you what you require. Exodus 12:38. Favour…and the favour is life according to scriptures. Psalm 30:5-7. As they were praising God…like we all know, they came out of Egypt praising God and that prepared them for favour and favour gave to them everything that they required. Church Gist. I want God to give me not what I request but what I require. I want God to give me not what I request but what I require. You see, what I request is limited, but what I require is what God knows you need. You may even ask wrongly for what you request for, but not what you require if it is from God. Through His favour and it is through our praise that we can get that done.
Psalm 149:4. Salvation is not just being born again, salvation is having all your needs met and provided for by God. So, when you praise Him, you please Him. When you please Him, you release His pleasure and when His pleasure is released, it becomes a fountain of favour. Church Gist. Ever praising God is ever favoured because God is never tired of it. You give Him what pleases Him, He releases His pleasure to you including, or the ultimate of which is fountain of favour.
Praise provokes divine presence that secures our supernatural change of story. Psalm 22:3. See, when you pray, God visits you but when you praise Him, He lives with you. In prayer, we look for God, but in praise, God looks for us. I want God to be looking for me. Church Gist. His address is permanently in the House of Praise. He visits house of prayer but He lives in the House of Praise. Exodus 15:2-3. So, as we are praising Him, as we are exalting Him, we are building a place of habitation for Him. So, those who praise God become those who carry God. You want to carry God? Keep praising Him.
– Say a loud Amen!
He inhabits the praise of His people.
Praise is a natural invitation to God. You don’t need to beg God. In prayer, you beg God, in praise, God is looking for you. You remember the story of Herod’s daughter in Mark? For want of time, you can study that by yourself. Mark 6:21-23. On a certain day, the King was seated. Lots of people entertaining him, but that day, the Daughter came and danced before him. Church Gist. No request was made and the King looked this way, he looked that way, ‘What’s happening there?’ By tradition, damsels, that is the daughters of the King, the princesses, shouldn’t be the ones dancing. They should be part of looking at the entertainers, but she jumped out. She danced before the father and the father said, ‘I can’t wait for my daughter to request from me’ You see, when you praise God, God cannot wait for you to make request. ‘What do you want? To the half of my Kingdom and I will give it to you’ You write a cheque when you are praying but God gives you a cheque when you are praising Him. Open cheque for that matter. What do you want? Open cheque…’And I will give it to you, even to the half of my Kingdom’ She asked for a difficult thing but the King could not change his mind. When you are praising God, God gives you what is difficult for others to get. That’s why we must graduate from prayer to praising God. I didn’t say stop praying, I said we should graduate. Paul and Silas, they prayed and the answer was looking delayed, then they escalated the prayer to praise and suddenly! Prayer was doing it gradually, praise took over and did it suddenly. Acts 16:25,26. Whatever prayer starts, it takes praise to complete it.
– This year shall be completed well for you.
– Somebody raise your hand and praise Him out there, praise Him out there and do it loud, do it joyfully. Loud and joyfully. Hallelujah!
In Jesus precious name we have prayed.
– Salvation Call.
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Bishop Oyedepo’s Closing Charge
THERE IS NO SHILOH TILL DATE WITHOUT INSTANT EVIDENCE IN CONFIRMATION OF THE WORD THAT GOD SENT.
THE CLOUD IS THICK, THERE SHALL BE A DOWNPOUR OF LIGHT AT SHILOH 2023. THE KIND WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
DON’T BE LOST IN THE CROWD. ONLY YOUR PERSONAL FAITH WILL DELIVER YOUR PERSONAL VICTORY.
THE OUTCOME OF EVERY DIVINE VISITATION IS A FUNCTION OF OUR EXPECTATIONS.
EXPECTATION IS OUR SPIRITUAL PREGNANCY. THERE CAN BE NO DELIVERY WITHOUT PREGNANCY.
WHAT IS WRITTEN IS MORE REAL THAN WHAT IS HAPPENING.
– Bishop David Oyedepo’s Closing Charge at Midweek Communion Service || LFC Canaanland || 22nd November 2023 ||
Hallelujah! At the end of it all is what each one chooses to make out of this. Prophecy will come to pass in your life on the basis of your personal praise. Don’t be lost in the crowd. Only your personal faith will deliver your personal victory. Your personal praise will deliver fulfilment of the prophecies in your direction. So be personal, don’t just come and get warm and go back home into your freezer again. Church Gist. Personal praise for personal fulfilment of prophecies. Psalm 119:164. Everything God said to Him came to pass. Psalm 34:1. Be personal! Your own encounter will be a function of your personal engagement, not our engagement. We are taught to go and prove it. Malachi 3:8.
The Word has come forth powerfully tonight, among other things, without praise fulfilment of prophecy is not in view. There is no iron gate that can stop the way against God. They praised God and He showed up. Church Gist. Where will the gates stand when the foundation of the prison is shaking? Psalm 99:1. When God comes down through your praise every barrier trembles.
– No one will miss his place.
The year is just a few days to go but God made the entire world in six days, so to beautify your life within the few days remaining is no big deal with God. Church Gist. The earth was empty, there was nothing there and within six days we had the earth and the fullness thereof brought to pass. From nothingness to fullness within six days.
Lift your two hands and receive grace for personal engagement of praise. We have seen this light from the Word of God, now it is time to go and engage on a personal note. You need your personal SIM card to use your phone. My own SIM card won’t work on your phone and my phone at the same time, you have to get your own. The fuel in my car won’t get your car on the road you have to get your own fuel. Church Gist. Jesus, this year must not end the way other years ended. The end of the year is for the beautification of the saints. He beautifies us by praise as we learnt tonight. He crowns the end of the year with His goodness. Ask Jesus to help you tonight.
The outcome of every divine visitation is a function of our expectations. This Sunday, God has said, “I want to fight for you.” Are you expecting Him to do that? What we don’t expect, He cannot perform. What we don’t expect, we cannot experience. Shiloh is here and He said, “I am here to put the key of flourishing in hard times in your hand.” Are you expectant? Expectation is our spiritual pregnancy. There can be no delivery without pregnancy. Church Gist. We have heard all kinds of testimonies here but nothing has gone outside pregnancy, you have to be pregnant first to deliver. You may not have fallopian tubes but you have to be pregnant. You may not have ovaries but you have to be pregnant. We are yet to see one pregnancy from the blues. You are just walking on your way and you deliver. No! There must be pregnancy. Without expectation no delivery.
Can I tell you this? There is no Shiloh till date without instant evidence in confirmation of the Word that He sent. We saw a series of things on Exemption – My Case is Different. We saw instant confirmation! Things are tough but you won’t feel the heat. God teaches His people out of trouble. He teaches them out of trouble. Church Gist. Matthew 11:28-29. He shows His people the way out of crisis. He wants to show you and me at Shiloh 2023, you will not be in doubt of your exemption. The key will be visibly in your hand.
For a long season, Israel was without a true God, without a teaching priest and law and when they in their trouble did turn to the Lord God of Israel, He was found of them. A prophetic word came and put them on the right way and he gave them rest round about. 2 Chronicles 15:3-5, 15. They were taught out of their troubles. Church Gist. People are hanging around waiting to be prayed over. Look, light is sweet. There is no force superior to light when you are in confrontation with darkness. Arise shine! Your light has come. Not your prayer, your light has come. Isaiah 60:1.
– Your days of struggling for survival, your days of uncertainty, your days of fear of the future will be laid to rest finally.
He will show you and me the way to go. The cloud is thick, there shall be a downpour of light. The kind we have never seen before. So tidy up your expectations, brace up your preparations and look up to God for your redemption is nigh. There is nothing you can look at around here, troubles everywhere but lift up your eyes. Church Gist. Your redemption is nigh. Somebody is getting free in the name of Jesus. Isaiah 30:21. You are coming out of every issue confronting this age as if you are not a part of it.
– You are the testimonial coming out of Shiloh.
– Shiloh 2023 is your Shiloh.
The good news is not one word concerning you will fall to the ground. Before the year is over, every word will choose to receive and believe in the course of the year and you acted on by faith shall be delivered to your hands. Church Gist. The world will see you and not recognize you by virtue of heaven’s beauty in your life. Where you are today is going to be a testimony tomorrow.
No more casting down your head, what is written is more real than what is happening.
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