WHEN THEY SAY, I AM THE RICHEST PASTOR IN THE WORLD, THEY ARE NOT LYING. I DON’T BORROW, I DON’T BEG AND I DON’T LACK.
I SAID TO GOD THAT THE DAY I FALL INTO FORNICATION BEFORE MARRIAGE, HE SHOULD STRIKE ME WITH LEPROSY.
I SAW WHAT’S CALLED THE LARGEST CHURCH AUDITORIUM IN THE WORLD AT THE AGE OF 45, INVADED THE NATIONS AT 40 AND SAW THIS MINISTRY INVADED 146 NATIONS AT THE AGE OF 68.
THE FAITH TABERNACLE PROJECT WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN ON IF GOD HADN’T SUPPLIED THE RESOURCES. WE WOULD NEVER HAVE BORROWED TO COMPLETE IT.
I WAS PREACHING PROSPERITY BUT IT WASN’T REFLECTING ON MY LIFE UNTIL I FOUND LIGHT. TODAY, THE PROOF IS THERE FOR ALL TO SEE.
I HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH LIGHT ON MY ENTHRONEMENT STATUS AND I SAID I WOULD CONSIDER IT A DEMOTION IF I WERE INVITED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA IN 1984.
IN MY SEARCH FOR LIGHT, I DISCOVERED GOD’S PURPOSE FOR MARRIAGE AND TODAY, I AM ENJOYING A HITCH FREE MARRIAGE.
WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT IT’S GOOD FOR A YOUNG MAN TO BEAR HIS YOKE IN HIS YOUTH AT THE AGE OF 16, I PRAYED TO GOD TO LET ME CARRY MY YOKE WHEN I AM YOUNG SO I WON’T HAVE TO CARRY LUGGAGE WHEN I AM OLD.
EVERY TRUE DISCOVERY IN THE WORD STIRS SUPERNATURAL JOY.
SUPERNATURAL FAITH IS A FUNCTION OF DISCOVERIES.
EVERY TRUE DISCOVERY STIRS PROMPT AND COMPELLING ACTION.
IT IS BOLD DECLARATIONS THAT PUT YOU IN COMMAND OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS.
IF YOU FIND PEOPLE SAYING WHAT YOU CANNOT SAY, THEY HAVE FOUND WHAT YOU HAVE NOT FOUND.
YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, MIND YOUR PLACE SO YOU ARE NOT TURNED TO SEX MACHINES AND SELF SLAVERY.
– Bishop David Oyedepo on “PROOFS OF TRUE DISCOVERIES IN THE WORD” at National Youth Leadership Advance || Day 2 Morning Session || 8th March 2024 || LFC Canaanland, Ota ||
…Your assured future! Your assured future! Not just insight in the truth but insight into the future. You have heard me say several times (a number of us who were born here) that I am not surprised by where we are, I would have been surprised if we were not there. Access to the future (your assured future) comes through revelation. Assured future! Church Gist. Revelation does not only show you what God is saying or expand your understanding, but allows you access into what God has ordained for you in the years to come. So, get set for it.
Number two, I heard from the Lord, very strong word from the Lord many years ago. He said “you don’t need to know anybody to scale any height in life, just know Me.” Daniel 11:32…Not those who do know some big-time people, some uncles, some cousins, some folks in power but those who do know their God; they understand the covenant of their God. Church Gist. They connect with it, they align with it – they shall be strong and they shall do exploits.
– Something amazing awaits you!
‘PROOFS OF TRUE DISCOVERIES IN THE WORD’ is what I am talking to you about. Proofs of True Discoveries in the Word.
What we call Word encounters are discoveries. Proofs of Word encounters. What are the biblical proofs when one claims he has an encounter with the Word or he has a discovery of the Truth? If you don’t know what it looks like, any other thing may look like it. Church Gist. Anything else may look like it if you don’t know what it looks like – anything may look like it. Proverbs 24:13-14.
Every true finding ends up with proofs, undeniable proofs. Let’s check out on some biblical proofs of Word encounters or discoveries in the Word.
1. Every true encounter with the Truth, every true Word encounter stirs supernatural joy. Jeremiah 15:16. Every true encounter with the Word, every true discovery in the Word stirs supernatural joy. Matthew 13:44. There is joy that always accompanies a discovery. Church Gist. Every genuine discovery stirs joy unspeakable, joy uncontrollable full of glory. That’s why men and women of revelation never know depression. They are far from them. They are swimming in the reality of their future yet to come. They live in the reality of their future. Joy unspeakable full of glory! Luke 2:10.
The Good News always stirs great joy. Psalm 89:15. Every sound from Heaven is a joyful sound. So when it’s not stirring joy, you haven’t found it. Jeremiah 15:16. Somebody asked me some years ago, “Brother David, do you ever have problems?” I said, “maybe it came, I didn’t know.” “Have I one time shut my door and wondered, oh boy, what’s wrong with you? Are you okay? Or God why are you doing me like this?” It stirs joy! When they look challenging, the line looks challenging but it still gives me joy. Church Gist. I was 16 when I heard “it’s good for a young man that he bears his yoke in his youth.” Yoke? Nobody likes yoke and I went to pray and I prayed, “Jesus, let me bear my yoke when I am young so I won’t have to carry luggage when I am old.” ‘I mean, they are telling you trouble and you are enjoying it.’ Joy! Not this ‘tomtom-chocolate thing’ we are talking about. Joy!
2. Every true discovery stirs supernatural faith. No one ever doubts what he can see. Even Thomas, when Jesus showed up to him, he said “my Lord and my God.” Nobody doubts what he can see. Nobody ever doubts what he can see and God’s Word is for us to see. Exodus 7:1. See! We are not only to hear, we are also to see. John 5:19. Church Gist. When we hear, we encounter revelation. When we see, we make discoveries. What we hear shows us the way to go; what we see shows us the reality of what God is saying. So it spurs faith.
In my search for God’s purpose for marriage, (a number of you are married, many are not) and I found out what it is. ‘My God, I am set for hitch marriage.’ My counselor asked me, David, what are you looking forward to? ‘Hitch free marriage!’ ‘Emi o gbori o’ (I never heard it before) I heard…it was a discovery I made from 3 verses – Ephesians 5:22-25. You don’t need volumes, if you line up with those things, you are okay. Just line up with them, you are okay. (I’ve) Never had one prayer point till now. Church Gist. Blessed be God! And I am not coping; I am not managing. I thought it with unusual confidence before I was married. In those days, we don’t have meetings that you would just put for 30 minutes, 40 minutes, you would preach forever. They would say “now, we are glad to have Brother David here. He’s coming on now, praise God! Amen!” Then you come up, nobody is looking at time. Both the people who invited you and you – no time, just carry on. I was so sure of a hitch free marriage adventure. My God! I was too sure of it. It hasn’t changed one bit.
Supernatural faith is stirred when you find it. Every discovery stirs supernatural faith. In Romans 4:16, God spoke to Abraham about being the Father of many nations. Romans 4:17,20. He (Abraham) was strong in faith – now, all according to that which was spoken. He could see it. ‘Arise, get out of this place, he went.’ He saw what other people couldn’t see. So they can’t understand him. He received Isaac back in a figure. Church Gist. Hebrews 11:17-19. He couldn’t see Isaac dead even though God said he should cut his neck. He believed God could still connect the neck back. Supernatural faith is a function of discoveries.
3. Every true discovery in the Word or true discovery of the Truth concerning any issue of your life stirs supernatural confidence. Even when the things look contrary, you are not moved, you are least perturbed. 2 Timothy 1:12, Philippians 3:3, Philippians 4:13, Philippians 1:25…death was under his control. Church Gist. Every true discovery stirs supernatural confidence which commands a great recompense of rewards. Only the unshakables shake things. It takes a lion’s heart to have your lion’s share. Only the unshakable among men shakes things. Earth shakers are the unshakables. All Earth shakers all through history are the unshakables.
“Lord, if these men die an ordinary death, they won’t know you sent me but if you do a new thing and you cause the Earth to open its mouth, they will know you sent me.” All Earth quakers are the unshakables. Paul was stoned and drafted out of town for death, dragged on the floor like a trailer and he stood up by himself. All Earth shakers are the unshakables among men. Hebrews 10:35-36. Church Gist. Only discoveries can make a man unshakable. You saw those unshakable folks in Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. “We are not careful to answer you in this matter. Fire? You want to threaten us with fire? Our God is the consuming Fire, relax Nebuchadnezzar!” I will show you something now. He said ‘heat this thing 10 times – 10 times? A thousand times!’ Unusual confidence.
So, it’s not a thing to pray for. What you should pray for is access to the deep things of God. Church Gist. What do you need? Access to the deep things of God. That’s what you need.
4. Supernatural boldness. Acts 4:13. Praise God!…They must have been with Jesus. They are lion-like like Jesus. They roar like Jesus. If you find people saying what you cannot say, they have found what you have not found. ‘Yeah, I can never be poor’ – that’s sarcastic. That’s not normal. Are you fighting? No! Like I said humorously in my note, you would have asked ‘what has he found instead of saying why is he saying what he is saying?’ He is saying what is saying based on what he has found. Church Gist. You better go and find it – March 22nd, 1982. There is no air of poverty around my life till I go to Heaven and after I get to Heaven. There can’t be. Abraham was sitting on the throne in Heaven.
How genuine? I have never begged, I have never borrowed. So what else do you need? And I have never lacked. I have not gone to bed hungry. You are in your age of discoveries, don’t toy with this age. Don’t ever toy with this age in your life. Don’t ever toy with it. Your tomorrow is defined now. Church Gist. Your future is determined now. So, put your heart in what you are doing. Don’t let it be a mere religious activity, put your heart in it. God is counting. Acts 4:20…they took the authority…they looked at them in the face and said ‘stop that!’
Supernatural confidence is a function of discoveries made and what that does, is to put you in command of signs and wonders. Acts 14:3. Church Gist. It is bold declarations that put you in command of divine manifestations. Bold declarations!
5. Every true discovery stirs prompt and compelling action. There’s no treasure of the Kingdom a man finds that will not spur prompt and compelling action from him. Prompt! I was 16 when I found, I had been redeemed as a priest and a king to reign on the Earth and I would ask myself anytime I was going out at that age, David, would a king go out like this? No, go change! Prompt! I didn’t go to any follow up class, I didn’t do anything. Church Gist. I just found it. ‘David, will a king be wrestling on the street? No!’ That doesn’t become a king. Would a king be shouting on the top of his voice? ‘Hey, you are stupid, you are mad, hey!’ Take it easy.
When I found Matthew 6:33 which rules my life today and I’m glad I allowed it, I wrote my covenant that night. That night, I wrote my covenant with God to make it my lifestyle that night. My wife only signed it on September 12th, I wrote it in July. Church Gist. That night, it was burning like fire inside my spirit. No games! Every true discovery stirs prompt and compelling action.
When I found Deuteronomy 8:18 on God’s secured plan for the prosperity of His people, I knew what it is and what to do to experience it; I took off. Prompt! Some day, they said ‘he (Bishop David Oyedepo) was the richest Pastor in the World. Church Gist. They are not lying because he doesn’t borrow, he doesn’t beg and he doesn’t lack. So what’s rich?
– Somebody’s story is changing!
So whatever is not moving you, you have not found it. When I saw Psalm 1:1-3 that my destiny has to do with the company I keep, I went to the mountain and prayed all night. “Jesus, disconnect me from everybody going backward, connect me with only those that are going forward. Make my ears deaf to things that do not edify; my eyes blind to things that do not build up – all night (December 31st, 1982 – January 1st, 1983). Compelling action! Church Gist. How can I trade off my destiny to careless association? How can I? How can I be coming out from Church and be talking with junk people? “Oboy, where are you coming from? ‘Na Church.’ Church at this time? What are you people doing in Church? They are just deceiving you – you are not a dummy.” How can you stand that kind of environment? If I had a boss that said that once, I would resign on the spot. You won’t even say that to me. How can you? How dare you? You better tie yourself to God my friend! ‘You say, hello my friend’ (and) your friend has nothing spiritual about his life. What kind of friend?
When I saw that marriage is honourable in all with the bed undefiled, the condition – bed undefiled and satan came to me and said to me “I will make sure you fall into fornication before your marriage.” I said, satan you lie. God, if I dare it, strike me with leprosy.” Wake up my friend! You just pick things and let it go because you have not really found it, you only heard it. Church Gist. Don’t mistake what you have heard and read with what you have found. Don’t ever! Don’t ever mistake what you have heard or read with what you have found. It’s a world of difference. “And when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward” not when thou hast read it.
I read Dr Copeland’s book 4 times before I got it. 4 times! Some have never read one book of this Commission in their life. One! That they read it from the beginning to the end. No! They just come to Church on Sunday “🎵🎶🎼I love you Lord, I lift my voice.” Church Gist. You don’t change levels by singing, they go from glory to glory by light. Singing can open your access to light but it’s not light. It’s not!
Immediately, Peter left all and followed Jesus. Immediately, Paul left. Galatians 1:15-16, Luke 8:11, Matthew 4:19. Immediately! Church Gist. Every true discovery propels prompt and compelling action.
– As I release you today to a world of new realms of discoveries, may you be awake to take responsibility!
I found Matthew 8:17, “Himself took my infirmity” – August 30th, 1980. I stood and yelled “yeah, I can never be sick.” Grace has kept me. When I saw that “I shall bless you as I’ve promised you, you shall lend to many nations but thou shall not borrow” October 4th, 1981, I signed up with a covenant never to engage in borrowing. I’m here today not debt-free (but) debt immuned. Now, it doesn’t come to my mind as an option. Church Gist. Borrowing never comes to my mind as an option no matter what. Faith Tabernacle will still be on today if God had not brought the money. Nobody will borrow a dime. You can’t borrow to us, you can’t give us – we will give you later. No! Some are going to be free from debt but you better walk into the realm of immunity against debt. It is our right in the Abrahamic covenant. ‘But you shall not borrow’ – I signed up.
Now, I found something very interesting (and I’m sure it will thrill your heart) in 1984, I can’t remember the exact date anymore but it’s in April. Now, I was in Deuteronomy 28:1, He said “my son David.” I said, yes Sir. ‘There is a place for you on top’ – that’s where God appears. He appears through His Word. It’s not that one cloud is moving around. No! 1 Samuel 3:21. Church Gist. That’s how He speaks to me. “My son, there’s a place for you on top if you are interested” and I said, ‘yes, I’m interested Lord.’ “Then whatever I tell you to do, do it.” He will bring you to Deuteronomy 28:1-14. “Whatever I tell you to do, do it. When I tell you something, do it. Don’t say, I’m coming. I’m trying to look at it. Look at what? Whatever I tell you to do, do it.” That’s when I came with that very disturbing statement “I would consider it a demotion if I were invited to be President of Nigeria” – 1984, April. Nobody will invite me to be a councilor of a local government but I saw the clarity of my enthronement from that encounter (from that discovery).
Anything concerning this short Man (Bishop David Oyedepo) today goes round the World at a time. We don’t pay for it, it goes on its own. It goes on its own, there’s no go-come. I’m here right now, they are putting it there. Right? They are putting it there. Church Gist. I said, in 1984 not that you saw something around you, ‘I will consider it a demotion’ – our Church was less than 40 people in a run down storehouse that the floor is not paved. But I saw it. “Whatever I tell you to do, do it. I’m taking you there.” I wasn’t asking God, come and take me, He showed me. ‘The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.’ Don’t toy with your life.
Now, let’s come to a conclusion. Access to treasures of the Kingdom is not free. Access is not free. Church Gist. Access to the treasures of the Kingdom is not free.
1. New birth is fundamental. Mark 4:11. New birth is fundamental.
2. The fear of God is critical to sustain your access. The fear of God is critical to sustain your access and my access. The fear of God is critical because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy is what expands people’s understanding. Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 110:10. It’s so vital. Don’t play away your destiny. Church Gist. Access to divine secrets puts demands on you and me. It’s not free. Nothing of value is free. You saw Joseph with unusual insight – the fear of God. ‘How can I do this and sin against God?’ He fled. You saw Daniel, they could not find anything amiss in his life. He was a faithful man, a righteous man. So, ‘it’s not doing anything you do, God just loves you.’ You better stop that nonsense.
Don’t mistake what you read with what you have found. Don’t mistake what you hear with what you have found. Don’t even mistake what you preach with what you have found. Sir, I was preaching prosperity before I found it. I was preaching it before I found it. I was preaching what Copeland preached. Church Gist. I was helping him to distribute it. But I knew in me that I’ve not found it. (Speaks in tongues) I knew I’ve not found it. So I went in search of it – 3 days and I came back with the proof.
Religion is taking over the stage, you better get yourself out of it. He says, “thank God, grace covers everybody.” Church Gist. Come and show me the proof of what grace covers. Can I tell you what?
Every true discovery engenders supernatural speed. Jeremiah 1:11-12. I was called to Ministry (full time Ministry) at 27. Speed! I saw what’s called the largest Church Auditorium in the World at 45, that’s some speed. Invaded the nations at 40, that’s speed; saw 146 nations invaded under the same Ministry at 68 – still ongoing. Discoveries are powerful sir. Settle down! Church Gist. Don’t sell off your birthright. Don’t sell off your birthright to nonsense, loose associations, careless relationships. You have your life to live. Someday, you will appear before Him one by one not group by group. There will be an entire difference this year between those who are after God and those who are after something else.
– May you be on the positive side of it in the name of Jesus Christ!
– So, it’s your turn!
– I said, it’s your turn!
– For a change of story, it’s your turn in the name of Jesus Christ!
I met 2 ministers yesterday and this will help you a lot and the two of them were both concerned about satanic oppressions. I said, please go for light. Do what? Go for light. The ultimate of the powers of hell is darkness. Luke 22:53…that’s the ultimate. Church Gist. In the end time, there shall be gross darkness and gloominess upon the Earth, so we need light to dispel the forces of darkness. We need light.
Someone came to me crying in 1996, nothing was working and when you see a strong man crying, there must be a problem. So I told him, “go and buy the Book ‘satan Get Lost.’ When you finish reading, you can come back. I can’t attend to you crying like this. You won’t hear anything I am saying.” By the time he came back, he was smiling. Church Gist. What’s going on? He said, ‘I don’t even know satan is as this cheap.’ Settle down! You are either building a viable spiritual library or you are building a mortuary without knowing. Settle down! I still read daily. I wrote this note this morning. So, you can’t be docile and be full of activity and expect things to be changing.
I have on my shelf today books that were one naira 6 kobo. Books not pamphlets not notes. Paul said “bring me the books and my notes.” Only life students of the Truth make discoveries. Only life students of the Word make discoveries. Study to distinguish yourself so as to avoid shame and reproach. Study, make discoveries and you will be distinguished. Study! 2 Timothy 2:15. Church Gist. Study! And we saw the Man, Daniel “I, Daniel understood by books.” I understood by books not by prayers, I understood by books. Prayer will help you to access, it’s the study that will give you the access. Can I hear your Amen? Study and quality meditation will enhance your access. Prayer will provide the access but that access becomes a reality through your studies. That’s demand number three. You just have to.
3. Prayer. Jeremiah 33:3.
4. Study so you can be distinguished. You can’t make discoveries lying on your bed, you make discoveries up and running in search of what you are looking for. Church Gist. Praise God!
5. Demand for the help of the Holy Spirit, the Master Revelator. John 16:14. So He’s the One that shows us. John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:13. But the natural man cannot be taught by the Spirit of God. So you have to come on the spiritual frequency to access it. Church Gist. We have to come on the spiritual frequency to access it.
– The good news today is this, if it is your choice then it’s your year!
– If what you have heard right now is your choice then you have secured the year and the years ahead of you!
Sir, I’m zero bothered about tomorrow. Tomorrow is as sure as today because the God of today that I am serving is the same God of tomorrow. Church Gist. He doesn’t change. If I won’t change in my following Him, He won’t change in confirming His Word.
– It’s your turn!
– In case anybody has missed this at some point in his life, may today be your day of discovery!
– May your Bible not be a Sunday-Sunday affair anymore!
– May the study of the Word become your new delight in the name of Jesus!
– May you be willing to pay the price for access in the name of Jesus Christ!
Can I have you say with me? ‘Confidence is a function of insight, a function of discoveries, a function of findings which put believers in command of the supernatural. So help me Jesus.
So, it’s not about a bold face. Mark 11:23. Confidence has its root in the heart. You can mistake bold face for boldness but you can’t fake confidence. You are just unshakable. Church Gist. The things don’t look like changing but you are too sure they must change because God who said it does not change and He will confirm what you believe and what you have found, you will surely believe. It’s a great time!
—PRAYERS—
2 Samuel 7:10. Your appointed place is your place of dignity, your place of honour, your place of security, your place of prosperity, your affliction free place. Please, watch your steps. Don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him. Let Him direct your path. Church Gist. There is a jumping over the fence today for a number of young people not knowing where they are going. Not you!
There’s nothing anywhere else like your own God appointed place. Just a flashback. Imagine I got shut up in America. I will be going from one job to another right now because I have left my place. Proverbs 27:8. Mind your place! Mind your place in God! God saw that Isaac was about to Jump. He said ‘hey, stop that! Thou shall not go down to Egypt (that was the traffic that time) abide here where I showed you.’ And within one year, He turned him to a wonder. Church Gist. The Spirit of God is saying to me, I didn’t plan to say this before. Mind your place! The Lord spoke to me 6 years ago “don’t get out of this Country until I tell you to.” I have never seen God’s favour in all my life like this season. In all my life! Mind your place!
Some 200 men followed Absalom in their simplicity not knowing where they were going. Not one of them returned. Mind your place! Eagles are not led by circumstances. “The Lord alone did lead them. There was no strange god with them.” Mind your place. Church Gist. Young ladies, mind your place; refuse to be turned to sex machines. Young men, mind your place so that you don’t sell yourself to self slavery.
– I pray for divine ideas that will help you maximize your place!
– Receive it now!
#BishopDavidOyedepo
#NationalYouthLeadershipAdvance
#YouthAliveFellowship
#8thMarch2024
#LFCCanaanland
#Fortune2024
#ChurchGist
