MOHAMMED ALI WAS MY HERO IN BOXING
HE NEVER BOTHERED ABOUT SHIELDING HIS HEAD
HIS FOOTWORK WAS HIS SHIELD
IF YOU ARE NOT A MUHAMMAD ALI, KEEP ON YOUR SHIELD AND DON’T LET DOWN YOUR GUARD
IF YOU WANT THE SHIELD OF THE FAVOUR OF GOD TO BE AROUND YOU PERMANENTLY, BE HOLY
IF YOU WALK WITH GOD IN HOLINESS, EVEN YOUR GREATEST ENEMY WILL COME AND BEGIN TO BLESS YOU
IF YOU ARE TRULY SAVED AND YOU STAY AWAY FROM SIN, THE FAVOUR OF GOD WILL SHIELD YOU FROM EVERY ENEMY
MY ENCOUNTERS WITH FAVOUR:
I WAS ONE OF TWO REPRESENTATIVES OF NIGERIA AT THE CONFERENCE OF WORLD APPLIED MATHEMATICIANS IN CANADA IN 1976
BEGINNING FROM THIS MOMENT, YOU WILL BE ENJOYING DIVINE FAVOUR!
THERE WAS NOTHING PETER HAD DONE BEFORE TO MAKE HIM SPECIAL BUT FAVOUR CHOSE HIM.
WHEN GOD IS LOOKING FOR A PARTNER FAVOUR WILL CAUSE HIM TO CHOOSE YOU!
IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU’VE DONE IN THE PAST, FAVOUR WILL CAUSE GOD TO OVERLOOK
THERE ARE PEOPLE YOU WILL BEGIN TO MEET FROM NOW ON, THAT GOD WILL USE TO FULFILL YOUR DESTINY!
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE FAVOUR OF GOD UPON YOUR LIFE THAT SUCCESS IS HAPPENING IN THE PLACE OF YOUR BUSINESS
JOSEPH WAS IN PRISON BUT STILL SUCCEEDING – THE SHIELD OF FAVOUR WAS ROUND ABOUT HIM
ONE OF THE REASONS YOU ARE STILL ALIVE TODAY IS BECAUSE GOD HAS FAVOURED YOU.
FAVOUR CAUSES YOU TO SUCCEED WHILE OTHERS ARE FAILING
VERY SOON EVERYWHERE YOU GO, YOU WILL BE ENVIED!
WHEN GOD FAVOURS SOMEONE, EVERYBODY ELSE WILL BE STUNNED
– Pastor E. A. Adeboye on “SHIELD OF FAVOUR” at May 2024 Thanksgiving Service || RCCG || 5th May, 2024 ||
Today we have been asked to speak on, “The Shield of Favour.” Our text will be Psalm 5:12. Shield of Favour – two important words: Shield and Favour. What is a shield? A shield is that which protects you from the attack of the enemy. When we talk about weapons of war, there are weapons of attack and probably the major weapon of defence is what is called the shield. Church Gist. When you consider for example someone like Goliath, as huge as he was, with the weapons of warfare, sword, spear, he still had a shield so big that it took a man to carry it before him. A shield is so important that in Ephesians 6:11-18, when God was talking about the whole armour of God, he said in verse 16 – Ephesians 6:16 – you need the shield above all.
Many atimes when people were fighting in those days and for one reason or the other, may be the sword got thrown out from the hand of the warrior or the spear is gone, as long as he still has the shield, he can protect himself and survive. In boxing, my coach taught me years ago, I told you I used to be a boxer – I know I don’t look like one now – he warned us, “don’t let down your guard – that’s your shield. Church Gist. But when you go to battle against the opponent make sure you’re protecting your head. Keep your guards up.” The only fellow that we know in boxing at least in those days who never bothered about the shield up here (the head) is because he had his own shield on his legs. It’s the fellow known as Muhammad Ali because he has a footwork that is second to none. So when you’re trying to get him, he doesn’t bother, he’s not wasting his time shielding because he knows he can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. If you know anything about boxing, he happens to be my hero. You won’t find a scratch on his face, he doesn’t allow the enemy to get close to his face at all by using his legs. Church Gist. Now, if you’re not a Muhammad Ali, keep on your shield. That’s for the sports.
Genesis 15:1. If the shield of God is in place for you, you have nothing to fear. Ephesians 6:16. The shield is very very important.
The second word there is Favour. Favour is something that gives you an advantage over all others. Favour is something you get not because you deserve it, it’s something that just comes. Favour is an invisible force like electricity – you can’t see it, but when it is at work you will know. Church Gist. For example, you can’t see electricity but we can see it now giving us light, it’s the one that is causing this microphone to function. When God favours someone, everybody else will be asking, how are you doing it?
– That’s why I’m praying for everyone of you today, God will show you favour!
(Favour) It causes you to succeed while others are failing, it causes you to excel, it singles you out for blessings, breakthroughs and for protection. I will give 2 examples very quickly:
Joseph in the Old Testament: if you’re talking of a boy who signifies divine favour, Joseph. The father had 12 sons, Joseph was not the first born, he wasn’t the last born, he wasn’t right in the middle, he was second to the last but O God, that boy found favour with God. Of all the children the father loved him and he showed (it). Church Gist. He showed in that he had a coat of many colours. That’s the first thing that showed this boy is special. It’s what we will call in my language, “omo Daddy… – this is special.” Of course, that created the problem of envy.
– I pray for everyone of you, very very soon everywhere you go, you will be envied!
Genesis 37:3-11. Favour gave Joseph a glimpse of glory ahead. When the enemy decided to throw him into a well in Genesis 37:19-24, of all the wells around the one they threw him into was dry. Favour went ahead, knew they were going to throw him into a well and they chose the dry one. They thought they were killing him but he didn’t die. Church Gist. You know one of the reasons you are still alive today is because God has favoured you. Oh, left to the enemies you would have been forgotten by now. Some of you know what I am talking about when you consider the enemies from your father’s house, enemies from your mother’s house, enemies from husband’s house, enemies in the place of work, that you’re still surviving is because God has favoured you. Let me hear somebody shout hallelujah!
Then they sold him to slavery. They thought, “now, aha! We’ve gotten rid of him.” But when you read Genesis 39:1-6, he got to Potiphar’s house and because there is still shield of favour about him, the boss fell in love with him. Church Gist. As a matter of fact, the Bible says, he became so mightily in control of everything happening in Potiphar’s house that Potiphar didn’t even know what was going on except the food he ate. We are talking of a slave taking over a company because of favour. The Bible says, Potiphar noticed, “ahn ahn, God is blessing me because of this fellow.” You know, many of your companies don’t know that they’re succeeding because you are there. It’s because of the favour of God upon your life that in the place of your business success is happening and from now on, even greater success will happen!
Then because he refused to submit to the amorous moves of the wife of the boss, they threw him to prison. Genesis 39:7-23. Even when he landed in prison, the jailer – the man in charge of prison, said I hand over the jail to you. Church Gist. If you’re a prisoner and you’re the one in charge of everything happening in prison, (laughs) prison won’t be so bad because you’re the one who will decide who eats and who does not eat and you can be sure you ate the best of all food. While he was in prison, because of the shield of favour round about him, he was still succeeding.
– I assure you, it doesn’t matter what the enemy in your place of work may try against you, you will keep succeeding!
Genesis 41:1-44. Over night from prison to the throne. Somebody who met him in prison became the link to the throne. Church Gist. There are people you will begin to meet from now on, that God will use to fulfill your destiny!
Let me consider Peter: when you read Luke 5:1-11 the Bible tells us that when Jesus Christ wanted to preach and the crowd was much, there were two boats that he could use – he chose that of Peter. There was nothing Peter had done before that time to make him special but favour chose him. Church Gist. When God is looking for a partner favour will cause him to choose you! Then, you know the story of Peter, you can go over his whole story: he messed up big time. I mean, he denied the Lord Jesus, he even cursed that he never knew him. But by the time we get to John 21:15-19, Jesus Christ still came looking for him and he still said to him 3 times, “feed my sheep. Take care of my lambs.” This is a man who denied you. Church Gist. But you see, there’s something secret about all that when we’re talking about favour which is going to assure you that it doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the past, favour will cause God to overlook.
Luke 22:31-32. You want to ask yourself the question, why didn’t Jesus Christ pray for Judas Iscariot? It was Peter satan wanted but Jesus prayed for him and so, the problem shifted from Peter and landed on Judas Iscariot. Church Gist. Ah! If God is looking for someone to favour, he will find someone here today! Who will that fellow be?
I will just tell you a story that will illustrate this thing. Several years ago in 1976 or so, I travelled for the first time outside Nigeria. There was going to be a conference of World Applied Mathematicians in Canada. Of course you will know how young I must be in 1976. There were only 2 representatives representing Nigeria – I happened to be one. That one is favour on its own. Church Gist. I was just a little boy, just beginning but somehow I was one of the two. Then, I’ve never travelled outside Nigeria before. Nigerian Airways of blessed memory left Nigeria late. So by the time I got to London where I was to take my flight by British Airways to Ontario – I think Canada, the British Airways plane had gone. So I went to them, they said, “sorry, you missed your flight. We will arrange for you to stay in an hotel” and quickly they made the arrangement and then, they said it is Nigerian Airways that was late but they will pay. They have already given me everything I needed to go to the hotel before they picked the phone to phone Nigerian Airways and I was hearing their conversation: “Don’t put him in any hotel…” I didn’t wait, I ran. I got to the hotel and it was time to eat and I went to Green Horn – free, fresh from Africa. Then, there were 2 restaurants: one on the right, one on the left. Church Gist. “Which one do I go to?” I said when I get to Heaven I’m going to be on the right. So I branched to he restaurant on the right. I didn’t know that that is the restaurant for first class passengers and I had economy. So I went there and I’m telling you, the food there was something else. That was the first time I found myself sitting down at the table and a white man was serving me. “Oh, I wish somebody will take my picture.” So I went there, took lunch, dinner, on the following morning because I went to the Airport, took breakfast. Then as I was about now to go, they asked for my meal ticket – the ticket they gave me at the Airport. Church Gist. I showed the man there and he said, “no, you should belong to the left side.” I said, “ah!!! That’s too late.” Favour!
Then I got to Canada and the queue was very long because people came from all over the world – white people, yellow people, everywhere. The queue was long and it was cold. It was first time I was leaving Nigeria, I didn’t know anything about the cold over there. All of a sudden, a woman came from the table where they were registering the people – came all the way and suddenly she stopped when she got to me. Church Gist. “What’s your name? Where do you come from?” I told her then she turned back. Few minutes later she returned with a big cup of hot tea and a big pack of sandwiches and gave to me. Ah!!! I didn’t look at anybody – I finished that thing. Just as I was finishing, she came back. She had gone to register for me and brought me everything I needed and came with a young man to take me to where I will stay.
– God is going to single somebody out for a miracle!
Then I got into my room and my wife at home was wondering, “how is he going to survive over there now? We don’t even know what they eat.” Suddenly, somebody came knocking at the door the following morning and he said, “I saw your name on the list of those who had come. Your name is Adeboye; aren’t you?” Church Gist. I said, yes. He said he is a Nigerian from Ota. “Oh, I thank God.” He said he is studying there and then he told me, “when it is time for lunch, come to my place.” I don’t know how he did it but he has a way of mixing ground potatoes with starch and just eat it in such a way that it will look like pounded yam. I just found myself eating pounded yam in Canada. I can go on and on. Favour.
On the last day of the conference, they took us to the Government farm to entertain us and so, we had barbecue and we were all lining up, taking our food. I looked at the farm, beautiful, green grass all over the place and I just felt like going out. Church Gist. I took my food, went outside and one young white man followed me – I don’t want to tell you the story of how God distinguished me at that Conference. When I got out, I saw very beautiful green grass, I felt like sitting down and just enjoy myself but when I touched the ground it was cold. So I decided I will stand and the white man came to me and said, “you want to sit down?” I said yes. He removed his jacket, spread it on the floor and told me to sit. I said, no no no and I heard God say, “sit down. Church Gist. You’re the Son of the King of Kings.”
– I am praying for someone today, beginning from this moment, you will be enjoying divine favour!
If I tell you all other things that happened on that tree, you won’t believe some of them but God just kept on showing me favour upon favour.
I just want to tell you one thing to round up:
If you want the shield of the favour of God to be around you permanently, all you need to do is: be holy. Genesis 39:7-10. Joseph refused to sin. Stay away from sin. You will find some very interesting illustrations in the Scriptures: Numbers 23:17-24. If you will walk with God in holiness, even your greatest enemy will come and begin to bless you. Church Gist. So the King got angry and said, “I brought you here, I wanted to make you rich but instead of you cursing my enemies, you have been blessing them.” The Prophet said, “take it easy; I know how to deal with these people, I know their God. Let me teach you what to do: celebrate all manners of feast, invite them to come. When they come, make sure your daughters are scantily dressed so these people will commit fornication and adultery and then, let their God deal with them.”
I’m not making up this story – if you read Numbers 25:1-9, the advice he gave succeeded. The people that God said, had not sinned began to sin. When God decided to fight these people, the Bible said, 24,000 of them died in one day. Sin can turn the only friend you have who is God to your “bitterest” enemy. When people say, why do you talk about holiness all the time? I have told you: holiness is the master key. Church Gist. As long as God is not fighting with you, it doesn’t matter how many people who are fighting with you, you will win. One with God is always a majority any day. Let the enemy gang up against you, let them lie against you, let them make fun of you, as long as God is on your side, you will just be getting higher and higher.
In Psalm 18:35, he called salvation a shield. If you are truly saved and you’re living holy, you stay away from sin, the favour of God will shield you from every enemy. Church Gist. You run into sin, you get into trouble.
Just one more story particularly for those of you who are sports men. When I was the University and in every university I attended, I was a sports man. I remember several years ago, 1965 I think, we came from University of Nigeria, Nsukka to Ibadan for the first Nigerian University game and we were already sure of one thing: before we left Nsukka, we have examined our chances of gold and we knew that we will win gold in soccer because we had this fellow in our defence. Church Gist. Oh boy, that boy can kick – he’s in the back and each time he will kick the ball it will land in the penalty area of the opponent – right from the back. So our boys knew that, when the game is going on, they strategically place the strikers – “just wait, the boy will come and meet you here.” But the coach warned us o: “you’re going for competition, stay away from your girlfriends.” He warned us; I mean, our coach was from America.
But then, we got to Ibadan and the girlfriend of our backbone came to visit him. Anyway, whatever happened, happened and it was time to play. The man who will shoot from the back to the front, he will kick and the ball will go from here to there. To cut a long story short, we lost the gold in football. I mean, it was so remarkable that they set up a committee of inquiry: “how can that have happened?” Church Gist. Then they discovered that this boy had a visitor – visitor of shame. They suspended him for one semester, suspended him for one third of the session. But then, there is a rule at Nsukka in those days that even to get any chance of being promoted at all, you must have attended 75 per cent of the classes. Suspended for a semester means you cannot be in class for 75 per cent of the time. So it sounded as if he lost a semester but he actually lost a session.
We used to sing a song when I got born again: beware of sin because sin can destroy; run to Jesus because Jesus can save – it’s a Yoruba song. (Singing in Yoruba). Church Gist. If you have not given your life to Jesus, run to Jesus now; he’s the only one who can save. Stay away from sin, sin is a destroyer.
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