TODAY, AN AVERAGE NIGERIAN WANTS TO RUN TO THE WESTERN WORLD BECAUSE THINGS ARE TOUGH. 

IF YOU ARE NOT WALKING BY DIVINE GUIDANCE AND YOU LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY TO THE U.K., IT MAY NOT BE OK. 

GOD IS THE MOST CERTAIN GPS (GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM).

CHRISTIANITY IS NOT FOR STRUGGLES. IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING, YOU ARE MISSING IT SOMEWHERE.

GOD INTENTIONALLY PUSHES YOU TO FACE CHALLENGES TO BRING YOUR POTENTIAL OUT. 

THERE IS SOMETHING IN GOD THAT HE PUT IN EVERYBODY BORN AGAIN.

IT’S BY DIVINE LEADING I STARTED GLORY REIGN AND FIXED IT IN JANUARY. I AM BEING LED; I DIDN’T GET UP TO JUST FIX IT.

YOUR PROSPERITY IS IN THE PLACE WHERE GOD SENT YOU. I NEVER LIKED PORT HARCOURT BUT GOD SENT ME HERE

YOU CAN ONLY SECURE GOD’S GUIDANCE WHEN YOU DESIRE TO BE GUIDED.

THE MEEK WILL ENJOY CONTINUAL GUIDANCE. PRIDE DEAFENS SPIRITUAL EARS

IF GOD HAS NOT SPOKEN TO YOU, CHECK YOUR LEVEL OF MEEKNESS

IN THOSE DAYS, SONGS BY BARRY WHITE, MARVIN GAYE, JAMES BROWN CARRY WITH THEM THE SPIRIT OF WHOREDOM.

BE CAREFUL THE MUSIC YOU PLAY; EVERY MUSIC HAS A SPIRIT. WHEN YOU PLAY WORSHIP, INSPIRED BY GOD, YOU HEAR GOD

GOD’S WORD IS ESSENTIALLY THE BOOK OF INSTRUCTIONS. IT IS THE MOST AUTHENTIC WAY TO BE DIVINELY GUIDED

EVERY MAN BLESSED OF GOD IS AN ENVY OF HELL AND MUST INVOKE THE KILLING SIDE OF GOD TO BE ON THE OFFENSIVE

FASTING PERIOD IS NOT JUST FOR HUNGER STRIKE, IT’S TO HEAR FROM GOD.

IF YOU WANT TO HEAR GOD, BE STILL. DON’T BE TOO BUSY ON THE INSIDE

DIVINE GUIDANCE BROUGHT ABOUT THE HEALING OF THOSE WHO WERE AFFLICTED WITH HIV, EBOLA AND COVID 19.

THE GROWTH OF THIS CHURCH IS TRACEABLE TO DIVINE GUIDANCE.

ALLOW GOD LEAD YOU AND WATCH HOW YOU WILL SUCCEED IN LIFE WITHOUT SWEAT. 

IF THE LORD IS YOUR SHEPHERD, GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL ACCOMPANY YOU ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE.

THERE’S NO END TO A MAN WHO FOLLOWS GOD’S LEADING.

MERCY IS THE NATURE OF GOD.

GOD’S MERCY BRINGS ABOUT HEALING AND DELIVERANCE. 

–  Pastor David Ibiyeomie on ‘STAY GUIDED’ at 2024 Glory Reign: Stay Up || Day Three || Salvation Ministries – Home Of Success || 24th January 2024 ||

The theme of Glory Reign is Stay Up. On Monday we talked about Stay Blessed. We said all you need is the blessing. On Tuesday, we said Stay Positive. Where do you stay positive from? Your mind. Today, we will be going further – STAY GUIDED.

Deuteronomy 32:9-13. That means, if you are led by any other force outside God you will be frustrated. When you go to all these funny people to ask what God is saying, you are entering into more trouble. If God is not your leader, let any “prophet” lead you, the disaster you will encounter eh. You will just be going up when God is leading you. Somebody’s frustration will end today. If God is the one leading you, you can never struggle. Proverbs 27:8.  Church Gist. The day you dump God’s leading you are at the wrong place, you will be displaced. A man who is supposed to be a wonder to his world will begin to wonder about when you are not where God wants you to be.

 Why did God use the eagle of all creatures? The eagle does not struggle when there is a storm. When there is a heavy storm, the eagle will calculate the direction of the wind from a high mountain. After calculating the direction of the wind, he will now get up and allow the wind to carry him. It doesn’t flap its wings, it just soars. When other birds are struggling, flapping their wings, the eagle is just soaring in the sky. The eagle is in charge not because it is so smart, not because it is so strong but because it knows the direction of the wind. Church Gist. The wind is the eagle’s strength. When you follow the leading of the Holy Ghost, where others are flapping and struggling, you just soar.  I pray today frustration will end in your life. If you are struggling, you are missing it somewhere. Christianity is not for struggles. There were no strange gods found in him, which means this man was led by the Holy Ghost, he did not allow something else to lead him.

Hear me, people of God, the eagle stands on top of the rock which is the Word of God and then he allows the wind. The eagle does something with her eaglets. When an eagle wants to feed the eaglets, she goes to bring food to the eaglets, then a mother eagle will one day come up and use her beak to tear the nest, that is how eagles behave. The baby eaglet will be wondering, what is my mother doing? Church Gist. She will push the baby eaglet out from the top of the mountain. Then the baby eaglet will begin to struggle. In the natural, the baby eaglet will say “My mother is very wicked.” Just at the point where the baby eaglet will want to crash, the mother eagle will go under her and allow her to bounce at her back. Just imagine how the baby eaglet will feel. “My mother, you must be wicked.” She will take her up and do it repeatedly until after a while she will shift from her baby eaglet and show the baby eaglet her wings. The baby eaglets will look at her, she is trying to tell her “Fly like me.” When the baby eaglet flies, she will now smile. 

God intentionally pushes you to face challenges to bring your potential out. He is the Omnipotent God. Omni means multidimensional. There is something in Him that he put in everybody born again. Church Gist. So He allows you to face challenges, then He tells you, what is in me is in you. Just pick it up and fly like me. Somebody, after this day, they will see you at the top.

God doesn’t want to kill you, He wants to bring what is inside of you out. If you don’t know, you will say “Oh God! You want to kill me?” Psalm 23. If God is shepherding you, you are not permitted to be in want. Life can be likened to any book. Many people know what God has called them to be, they say “Well, God told me I am going to be a lawyer.” That is vision. “he told me I am going to be a pastor.” That is vision. “He told me I am going to be a preacher. “ That is vision. There is nobody, an average person knows what he wants to be but the challenge is what I am about to teach. The book is delivered to all but every book has chapter by chapter. Church Gist. That you stop in Chapter 1 does not mean you understand the book, the chapters are divine guidance. If I finish Chapter 1 I have to go to Chapter 2, Chapter 2 to Chapter 3 and divine guidance has no end. until Chapter Death. That is where frustration comes into many people’s lives. They know the vision, they have discovered God’s purpose for their lives but they don’t know the phase on how to go one after the other.  To stay up, you must be guided continually. I will be above only. Deuteronomy 28:13b. Stay guided.

No man can outgrow divine guidance. Failure comes when you lack guidance. With divine guidance, confusion, mistakes, failure, defeat can be eliminated. Psalm 23:1-2. Let me ask you a question, is Port Harcourt in the Bible? So how did I hear Port Harcourt? Where me I loved was Lagos but God said Port Harcourt. Everybody has a place. Abraham went to Egypt when things were not working. There was famine in Israel and Abraham went to Egypt. When there was famine again in Genesis 26, Isaac wanted to go to Egypt and God said no way. Stay here with the Philistines. This is where your prosperity is. Genesis 26:1,12-14. You would think that will be the end. The famine went to Jacob’s generation. Jacob too had a different pattern from Abraham and Isaac. Church Gist. You would think it would stop that time, it went to the time of Joseph, where it was worse than all of them. People were ready to see themselves. He became a Prime Minister. Christians should hear me, today, an average Nigerian wants to run to the Western world because things are tough. You have missed it. That is why I said that you are in the U.K. does not mean things will be OK. If you are not walking by divine guidance and you leave your country to U.K., it may not be OK. You may go to the U.S. and be very useless if you are not walking by divine guidance. I loved Lagos but if I had stayed in Lagos by now, ministry would have ended. Everybody has a place. Say open my eyes oh Lord, to know where I belong.

God is our unfailing guide. If you follow Him, you will be on the right track.   If He directs you, you will become a director. If the Lord is the one giving you effective guidance, you never suffer casualties. He is the most certain GPS. There is no substitute for divine guidance. Not every open door is God’s door. Many are traps in disguise. Somebody came to me and said they have land to give to the Church. I went with him to see the land and as we were there, God said “Don’t take it.” I tapped the pastor by my side and told him “God said we shouldn’t take this land.” Church Gist. He said “I own all of this place. From here you can buy everything.” God said, “No! I am not sending you here. I am sending you towards the airport. Don’t take this one.” I thanked him for the land and told him we were not going to use it. God gave me a reason later why we are not going to use it and it showed. He told us from the airport. From the airport to where we have the university land which is 200+ hectares is just 12 minutes. Church Gist. So He knows that if we are taking the Obigbo side, how do you now put University? How do we go from one place to another? God sees the end from the beginning. You see in part. Some of you ran from where you are, see the way you are suffering. You will not suffer again. Before you Japa find out what God is telling you. When you follow His leading, you become a leader in any human endeavour.

Putting in so much energy into something does not mean you are making any progress. There is this horse that children ride if you go to shops, they put coins inside and the horse will start moving. The children riding it will be sweating but the horse is on one spot. Most of you are putting in so much energy, you do two to three jobs, you don’t sleep well at night, you are sweating but no progress. That you are sweating does not mean your life is making progress. The essence of divine guidance is to eliminate stress. Church Gist. You will not go through struggles. Leaving your country to another country is not the answer. That is not the answer. Let God be your guide, you will not be misguided. Seek divine guidance in order to stay up for life. Your lifting is not from abroad, it is from above. Labour does not equal success. Ecclesiastes 10:15. Genesis 21:15-19, Hagar was busy crying to God. She carried her son Ishmael and they were to die because there was no water. The well was by her side. She was so frustrated, she wanted to die. Ishmael was the one who prayed and God heard. God said, “Look by the side, there is water.” Which means the thing to bless her was close to her, she couldn’t see it. What would bless you is not from abroad, it is from above.

John 21:5-6. Peter and the rest were fishing. They caught no fish and they were so frustrated, Jesus made a statement, “Sons, have ye any meat?” They said nothing. He said, “Cast your net on the right side.” He was so specific. He said, “Look, if you want to come out of frustration, cast your net on the right side.” Church Gist. So many people are on the wrong side. Today, may you be on the right side. Frustration stops when you are on the right side. It will mark the end of frustration. Stop labouring in the wrong direction.

Why do you need divine guidance?

Without divine guidance, life is a burden full of uncertainties. You are like a blind and a deaf man walking on the highway. Would that man survive? Do you know why? One wrong step can destroy a whole destiny. Isaiah 42:18-20, 22. The man is not committing sin oh, he is a perfect man but life is so frustrating for him. Holiness without divine direction will put you in a hole. Many are like that, not committing any sin but if you look at their life, so useless. You don’t want to be a Christian because when you look at them, you say No! I won’t go to Church if the Church is like this. If you are not guided by God, you will suffer. Every suffering is a trace that you are not on the right track, you are on the wrong track. Today your eyes will be opened. Church Gist. There is no problem if all of us shine. All the stars in the sky are many and shining, is anyone overshadowing the others? If each one was on the right track, all Christians would be shining.  The carpenter will be the carpenter. Lawyer will be the lawyer, doctor will be the doctor, preacher will be the preacher, student will be the student, we will all just be shining. Because many of us are pursuing the wrong things in the wrong places, just imagine if Isaac went to Egypt like his father. He would have died in Egypt. That somebody went to Dubai does not mean if you go to Dubai you will buy anything. Church Gist. You went to Turkey and you will not talking anything. You don’t follow people, you follow God’s leading. Everybody wanted me to be in Lagos, Lagos was the happening place. People asked me “What are you going to do in Port Harcourt? Are you okay?” God told me Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Before now, nobody makes impact in Port Harcourt. Port Harcourt was for relaxing, it was like a retirement home. We have a retirement home in Nigeria. When people finish working for the government, they now go to play politics. Port Harcourt was for when you are tired in ministry, you come here to rest. With ₦2,000, you will be walking with raised shoulders. So they said “Oboi, wetin you want go do for Port Harcourt? You dey okay so?” but I came to Port Harcourt by the leading of God. Is it showing now? That place you think is dry and God says go, that is where your lifting is. Church Gist. Today, may your eyes open to see that place. Today everybody says it is an oil city. Was oil not there before? As I came, everybody now says “Oboi, money dey for Port Harcourt.” Before they say if you want to see money, it is either Abuja or Lagos. Now they say money dey Port Harcourt, why? I came. Where you are God will bless you there.

–         Everyone who is not seeing what God is saying or hearing what God is saying, I command your eyes and your ears to be loosed in the name of Jesus.

–         I command your deaf ears open, I command your blind eyes to see and be restored to dignity in the name of Jesus.

Just imagine if I didn’t hear Port Harcourt and I stayed in Lagos. Why do you need divine guidance?

1.     Divine guidance makes you an uncommon leader.

Psalm 31:3. You just lead in your field.

2.     It secures your future and life.

Proverbs 14:12. That something seems right does not mean it is right. His leading secures your life. Jeremiah 29:11. Church Gist. When you are led by God, it secures your future and your life.

3.     You enjoy the best in life in spite of your enemies.

Psalm 23:1. If God is your Shepherd, witches are not important. Can a lion be in front and a sheep is behind, the lion tells the sheep, I am going to guide you and the sheep is just following. Can any other wild beast attack that sheep? Why? When God is leading you, enemies are rendered useless. They will just be looking at you and regretting. The reason every witch is attacking you is because God is not leading you.  Instead of the midnight prayers you are doing, find out what God is saying to you. I don’t pray against witches again, ask me why. It is not necessary. If you do seven days of midnight prayers against witches, what will you do against the devil? The reason you are doing too much prayers against the witches is because you don’t know where God kept you. “Witches are the ones stopping me from prospering.” Church Gist. I will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. So the witches are not the reason, it is because of ignorance. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. But now you are in want. Psalm 23:5. The witches are worrying you because you are supposed to be in Sokoto, you are in Owerri. So every witch in Owerri is pursuing you up and down. God said, “Go to Sokoto.” No! I no go go Sokoto, Na Owerri I go dey.” God will say, “Okay, all the witches follow him since I am not his shepherd.” If the lion is your shepherd, the sheep will just be moving confidently. The sheep can go to sleep. The lion will be awake to say, “anyone who wants to attack this sheep, I am in charge.” Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. We are the sheep of his pasture. Calm down! They say follow who know road. God is the one who knows road. When you are like that, your dignity is seen by all. May they see your dignity.

4.     You don’t suffer lack.

Psalm 23:1. You don’t eat crumbs.

5.     It eliminates loss and guarantees protection.

Proverbs 24:6b. When God is guiding you, you don’t lose anyhow. Your protection is guaranteed.

6.      You prosper through divine guidance.

Isaiah 48:17, 21. Why are you in business? Church Gist. To make profit. God said I will teach you the way you make profit. It’s by divine leading I started Glory Reign. You know why you must be led? You will never shine if you’re not being led. Before now, people do programs – everybody November, December – that’s when you see Churches do programs and all of a sudden God said, “No, do your own program in January.” It’s now (that in) January, everywhere exploded. The whole place exploded. Church Gist. I am being led; I didn’t get up to just fix it. When you’re led, it will show. 

– May God lead you perfectly! Don’t copy everybody’s own, do your own.

Ask questions. Isaiah 48:21. God is saying no matter how dry the place is, if he is the one leading you things will work. “Oh, Nigeria is tough.” Is it tough for us? No! “Oh, Ghana is tough.” It’s not tough for those who God sent to Ghana. “Oh America is tough.” It’s not tough for those who were sent to America. Find out where God asked you to be; if it’s tough you’re in the wrong place. 

– If you’re in the wrong place I command you to get to your right place! 

So your prosperity is in the place where God sent you. Isaiah 58:11. God said, in the midst of hardship, where things are not working, economic meltdown, I will satisfy you. People pray, they don’t ask for guidance. Let me say this to you: if you like pray midnight prayer, afternoon prayer, day time prayer and you’re not guided, you will be frustrated. Some things, you don’t need to kill yourself with prayers, you need to hear God. All these midnight prayers you’re doing, some of them are stupidity – hunger strike. You get up every midnight (praying) but God says, “my friend, go to Kano” but you’re in Enugu – you will be eating from rock o. Church Gist. You have been in Enugu for 4 years – nothing has happened. Don’t you know you’re on the wrong side? Luke 13:7. You should know that Enugu with the rock there, no water is coming out. You say, “Kano? Why I go go Kano? Kano no be North?” Can I tell you something? I never liked Port Harcourt – never! I went to school here so when God said Port Harcourt I said, “chai! Port Harcourt of all places. God change it now.” Very funny. Sometimes of the things God is telling you, He’s looking at you and you say, “can’t you change it for me to stay in Lagos?” I loved Lagos too much because in Lagos nobody cares for you, nobody wants to know who you are, everybody is on the way, on the go. But do you know now, if I go to Lagos I want to run away? I say, “these people it’s like they’re crazy o.” But when I was there I didn’t know but if I go now because it’s not my place anymore, I just want to leave Lagos. Everybody is shouting! 

Do you know one day we were coming out from Church and we formed 5 lanes – we finished closing in Lagos. Only me told myself, “there’s madness here o.” We formed 5 lanes, the coming vehicles, no way to move. So I preached a message from it: when you’re lawless you will be stagnated. I got 5 points from lawlessness. We came out from Church and formed 5 lanes. The upcoming vehicles,no way to move so all of us were now stagnated:

1. We couldn’t move forward 

2. We were frustrated

3. Our fuel was burning – so loss of resources. 

But I loved Lagos before now.

There are people who can’t leave Lagos – that’s their place and they will be prospering there. Church Gist. But if you go there and it’s not your place, you will be shouting “yeah” the Landlord will say, “go out.” May things work for you! 

How to secure God’s guidance? 

There are many ways so if one way does not work, use another way. If you know how to secure God’s guidance life can be very sweet. 

You can only secure God’s guidance when you desire to be guided. God will never guide you if it’s not your desire. Proverbs 3:5-6. There has to be desire, “Lord, I want you to guide me.” Even naturally, you have a child, you say, “come here” the child refused. You say, go, anything wey happen to you you go calm down. When the child goes and hits himself he says, “Mummy Mummy.” You say, are you okay now? Oya come. So the desire has to be by you.

a. Through meekness: Psalm 25:9. The meek will enjoy continual guidance. The meek will always hear from God. Pride deafens spiritual ears. God will always lift the meek. Numbers 12:1. Meekness is very important. God will never talk to you if you’re arrogant and proud. There are some things you’re telling God, “Lord tell me” he says, “if I tell you, you won’t agree.” It takes meekness before God will speak. If God has not spoken to you, check your level of meekness. God told me Port Harcourt, I heard him from the day God called me. Then a time came when someone said, “the way God is using you, we need to start from Lagos.” I said, yes agreed. You know why I agreed? Church Gist. The man was very close to me and money was there. He said, we get a property in Lagos, (he showed me the property) I’m going to pay for it, but you a Mercedes Benz…” I said, wow, glory to God! The moment I said that, Heavens shut. I said, “God speak.” God refused to speak. I said, God I want to hear you. I became deaf. God knew in my heart that I was for Lagos when he told me to go to Port Harcourt. So everything I was praying, there was no flow. One day my wife tapped me, (that’s why you must have somebody who can give you counsel), she said, ” My Husband, I thought you said Port Harcourt? You and this your friend… this Lagos… Then inside me I said God, at this point I will go to Port Harcourt. The moment I said that, He spoke. So I’ve not heard God because the first one he told you, you didn’t obey. He said, “leave this boy he’s not your husband. I will give you your husband.” You say, for where? The way this boy is handsome I can’t leave him. You say now, “God show me my husband.” – no voice. “Father…” He knows inside you the one you’re holding you don’t want to let go. 

But if you’re meek enough to say, “I let go.” Heavens will open.

B. Through the Word of God – it’s the most authentic one: Psalm 119:105. God’s Word is essentially the book of instructions. Every time you want guidance, it’s in this book. You say, how will I be saved? Confess Jesus. How can I have peace in my marriage oh God? Love your wife; woman, submit to your husband – that’s the guidance. O God this business! Church Gist. Seeth a man diligent in his business – is the guidance. Everything you’re looking for where is it? In the Bible. It’s the most authentic guide. 2 Timothy 3:16. He speaks to us primarily through His word. God is always speaking the question is, Are you listening? 

C. By prayers of enquiry: Jeremiah 33:3; you pray to God and then, God will talk to you. Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7. You know why prayer is important? Every time you want direction, just pray. 1 Samuel 30:8. Let me explain something to you: that you prayed last time, God answered you in a particular way does not mean the next one will be that same way – every time you pray a new prayer. The same David, the next one God said, don’t move until you hear a sound. Church Gist. That you prayed last time and God said, travel now, does not mean that next time he will say ‘travel’. He may tell you, don’t travel today, travel tomorrow. 2 Samuel 5:18-19; 20-24. Don’t use one prayer you prayed last year to say it is finished. That’s why we say divine guidance is continuous. 

It was from prayer I got the topic, “Stay up.” I just prayed and said, Lord what is it? The topic is Stay Up – Deuteronomy 28:13b. As I prayed he said, the first message you will preach is the blessing. From blessing, go to how they think, get to how they’d be guided, when a man is guided the next thing is be on the offensive – for tomorrow. When God guides you and you’re lifted, you hear huuuuhuuu (murmuring). Tomorrow is the day you will not take nonsense as a Christian. Tomorrow is Egedege. Whoever wants to stop you must be stopped. You come to Christianity as a lamb but you must carry the lion’s nature to survive here. If you carry lamb nature you won’t survive on Earth o. In fact, just go up then you know whether people hate you. When you’re trekking nobody will hate you, just buy one new car that’s when you see people who greet you will not greet you again. Church Gist. Then after the car, build a new house. They will say, this house go fall o. Hatred has started! Then move to another level you see gang up. So tomorrow is the day – in the midst of that, how do you soar? I will tell you tomorrow. The best way of defence is to be on the offensive – let me not preach tomorrow message for you. I like that kind of Christianity – when you roar as a lion, everywhere say, “e dey o.” 

They came to bring down this Church and I came with my hand in my pocket and I said, “If you bring one block down here and you don’t die, God is not the owner.” (With armed men to the teeth o). The man looked at me and said, na that one you go pray? Just imagine if at that time, I began (crying) “God you’re the owner.” He will take the bulldozer …they were bringing bulldozer it knocked at the roundabout. Tomorrow ehn…after God lifts you, you carry that kind of Christianity, nobody will touch you. Don’t come careless tomorrow. How can you be a Christian and somebody is tormenting you with nonsense? Church Gist. You say, the man dey use charm, they bury charm. They buried Jesus on your behalf and he resurrected from dead. The one they buried did not resurrect. Tomorrow is intoxicating. When you’re drunk in the Holy Ghost… Ephesians 5:18. How can you be a Christian and then somebody is insulting your Christianity? Are you mad? I will tell you, 7 days you’re gone. That is Christianity.

One man called Osisikankwu, a notorious young man. He shot a staff working with us, I came up. He didn’t kill the staff, he shot his car. I said, if Osisikankwu does not die this weekend, I’m not sent. I sentenced him on Thursday, by Friday he was killed. That is Christianity. I said, Osisikankwu you’re dead by this weekend” – by Friday he was dead. How can you be a Christian and somebody is threatening your life? You now say, Pastor, I don’t know what to do, this man said he is going to deal with me. Taar! Tomorrow you will see the other side of God. God has 2 sides; 1 Samuel 2:6. 

You know why? If you’re blessed of God and you don’t bring the killing side of God, they’ll kill you. Every man blessed of God is an envy of hell. Church Gist. So you must invoke the other side of God to be on the offensive. If all you do is, “O God bless me,” when you’re blessed also be ready o to …

D. Be joyful and praiseful: let me tell you one of the greatest secrets: Isaiah 30:29-30. Do you know when they play music I hear God fast? You be careful the music you play at home. Be very careful. Every music has a spirit. When you play worship, inspired by God, you hear God. You don’t have to be in the choir just in your room (singing). He will say, my son, that thing you’re asking for, this is the answer. You will hear God as a man hears his friend. God loves worship, the Holy Spirit flows through worship. Isaiah 30:21. Why I said you should be careful: music came from God and satan was the one who had access to God in music. Church Gist. He took honour so he corrupted music. I’ll be very practical. Check anytime you listen to a worldly music – if you doubt it, now play all those worldly blues – the atmosphere will change. Try it, just play what you call blues. In those days we used to have Barry White, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, now they don’t have them again. I’m very practical with you: play it, a spirit will come upon you. If you’re a man you will want a woman at that time. It’s the spirit of whoredom, the demons of that worship will fall on you. You will say, which woman dey here? It’s not physical, it’s the spirit of the music. So also, when you play worship, the Holy Ghost envelopes your environment. At that moment you begin to hear God as a man hears his friend. 

If you come to my house, I play music 24/7. Even inside the elevator there’s music. Why? You can’t corrupt my environment with any other thing. So be careful – Christians don’t know. They say, “na normal music, Westin dey inside? After all, that man of God dey play music en dey hear God?” Na every man of God dey hear God? Church Gist. Joy will open your spiritual ears. 2 Kings 3:15. The moment music plays, you will hear God. Train your ears – may you hear God right now! 

E. Fasting and prayer: when you fast and pray, you hear God. Acts 13:3-4. During fasting if you notice, you hear God very fast. Isaiah 58:6,11. When you’re fasting, he guides you. Ezra 8:21. Fasting period is not just for hunger strike, it’s to hear from God. 

F. Be still: God always come in a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:11-13. Practice quietness on the inside. Some of us are too busy – this is not physical. Inside of our heart we have too many things. If you want to hear God let your system be quiet. Only still women and men can catch the still small voice. If you want to hear God be still. Don’t be too busy on the inside. Some of you even as you’re in Church now you’re closing windows. Church Gist. Psalm 46:10. You’re saying, O God, my pot of soup I’ve not cooked proper he is still preaching. You’re in Church o you’re saying, Papa we no go close? Make I go chop food. No, how can you hear God like that? That’s why you have not heard from God. Please leave the pot of soup and hear God. 

G. Love for God: 1 Corinthians 2:9-10. Those who love God don’t struggle to hear God. Do you know if you love somebody you tell the person your secret? True? You can talk to somebody far away and your neighbour will not know. Church Gist. Love makes God speak to you. When you love God he just speaks to you. The Holy Spirit reveals deep things to those who love God. Church Gist. You enjoy divine guidance, if you want to enjoy it, you must love God. He unfolds divine secrets to you.

h. Through inner witness and audible voice. It means prompting in your spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:11-13, Romans 8:16. The Holy Spirit has a voice and He speaks. Do you know He speaks? Church Gist. Have you ever stayed like this (demonstrating) and something tapped you and you woke up? Have you ever experienced that before? It’s the Holy Spirit. It’s not a demon. 

Something wants to happen, He taps you. You just wake up and you say “ah, a hand tapped me.” It’s the Holy Spirit. He is a person. You stay like this, you hear a voice “move away from here” and as you just stepped out, something happened. He is the One that spoke. Church Gist. Are you getting me now? You hear people say “I was standing on the road and a voice said “I should shift.” As I shifted, a car ran into that place.” He is the One. 

– May you hear Him from today!

The Holy Spirit has a voice and He speaks. Acts 8:29, Acts 10:19, Acts 11:12. Church Gist. The voice of the Spirit is the voice of guidance. Revelation 1:10. Glory to God!

How do you know if you are walking by divine guidance? Because people say God guided me. So there are some proofs. How do I know? 1 Thessalonians 5:21. Like one time we were in Lagos and a young boy told my wife and I, he said “God told him to go and stay with his girlfriend but just keep His commandment.” I said “eyah!” Church Gist. He said “God told him that He should go and stay with his girlfriend but he should keep the commandment.” I said “it’s not God that spoke to you.” We told him “God did not speak to you.” God cannot tell you to stay with your girlfriend and keep the commandment. Have you seen where they keep yam and goat and they say keep commandment? So we told him, “it’s not God who told you.”

He said “prove all things.” Some things people say…anything that contradicts the Bible, it’s not God that spoke to you. You know why you should test every voice of God with the Word? I am going to tell you the things that will show. Church Gist. If God is the One speaking, you will see some signs. I’m going to show you. If you say “God is the One that told me”, then the things will show (these proofs will show). Are you getting what I am saying now?

God cannot tell you now, He say “drive your wife.” No! It’s not God who told you. God cannot contradicts His Word. What God has joined together, God cannot now say what He joined…you say “I heard God said “I should pursue my wife.” ‘Eyah!’ It’s not God who spoke, you are the one who spoke to yourself. “God told me, I should leave where I am now to go and do robbery.” Church Gist. God told you! He said “because things are tough so He said, I should do robbery.” ‘Eyah!’ It’s not God, you are the one who wants to be ‘onyunchi.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:21.

How do you know if you are Walking by Divine Guidance?

i. You enjoy liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17. Let me say this, do you know why you need divine guidance? A great man of God called Paul, as powerful as Paul, he missed it. He missed divine guidance that was why he was killed. That you are a man of God does not mean you stop being guided. Church Gist. I will show you from the Bible. As powerful as Paul, God told him to go to the Gentiles…if there is no liberty in your spirit, God is not leading you. If you feel bound in your spirit when you are about to take a step, then it’s not God leading you. Inside you, you are not free, just stop.

Hear what he (Paul) said for instance in Acts 20:22…that was where he was killed. “I feel bound even when the prophet said, the man who heard this, they will kill him.” Paul said “no, I will go.” There are people who have died, God showed them all the signs that where they are going something is…life story of a young man that was assassinated. Church Gist. He was a believer. He was about to go out, his trouser was hooked by the door and got torn. He came back, changed the trouser. He got to the waterfront, he forgot his bunch of keys. Will God come down? Everything was done to show him that “don’t travel” but he did not come back. They assassinated him. He was bound but could not catch it.

I have gotten to airport, bought ticket and I turned back. That is, they were to put my luggage and I felt no release. I said “bring my luggage back, I am not going” and later God told me the reason He didn’t want me to travel. Church Gist. When you feel bound, don’t take a step. Did you hear me at all? Are you a child of God?

– You will never be involved in evil.

So if you are not free in the spirit…Paul said “I didn’t hear God’s voice,” that was what he was simply saying. I didn’t hear His voice, I was bound, I didn’t hear His voice. Church Gist. One wrong step can be devastating. 

– You won’t take that step!

ii. You will enjoy supernatural strength. When God gives you a task, He supplies the strength for it. If God is the One leading you, you will discover that something naturally you wouldn’t have been able to do, you just see yourself doing it as a sign that God is the One backing you. You see, even some things you will talk, you will say “am I the one?” You will say “how can I be the one to be talking like this?” Because He is the One who sent…the way I talk, you will know that it’s because He sent me. You can’t talk like that o. Church Gist. You talk like that without Him backing you…if He’s the One backing you, some things you will say after you finished talking “am I the one who said this thing?” Because you know who sent you. Is that true?

When we were small and they pursue you and you get to your father’s house, you will now stay at the back of your father and you say ‘if dey born you, come. If dey born you, I go show you’ – because you saw your father. Church Gist. When God is the One backing you, your mouth will be sharp. He will give you supernatural strength. 

– May God give you strength right now!

iii. You will always be joyful. Whether you are sleeping on the floor, you will be joyful when God…when we started ministry, we were not bothered no matter what we saw. Psalm 89:15, Hebrews 12:2. If you are down and discouraged, watch it. Don’t say, God is the One guiding you. Church Gist. Every small thing, you are depressed. You say “God called me into ministry, I don’t know sef. This ministry God called me into, everytime suffer, suffer.” Watch it, if you didn’t employ yourself. “God said I should go to Lagos but this Lagos, I don’t know whether it’s covenant of lagoon.” God is not the One, are you getting what I’m saying now? “I have gone to Abuja, no jar for me to carry water.” It’s not God, if it’s God, there will be joy. I am not more excited today, I have been excited from one coat. There is a difference between coat and suit. How many of you know coat? Coat is the one you wear, the hands can never be equal. If they go to the washerman, one will be like this, one will be like this (demonstrating). You don’t know coat? Coat is different from suit. Coat is the one you will wear like this, the lining sometimes will overflow more than the cloth. You use needle to raise it up. If you iron, you will find out that the lining, more is coming down – that’s coat. If you give it to the dry cleaner, when you come back, the two hands won’t be equal. One will go like this, one will be like this (demonstrating) – that’s coat. I was wearing coat then.

One day, I wore one then pastor with me – associate Achenike, I said “Achenike this coat they are not the same, they are not the same. Don’t wear it again o. He said “Papa, give me, I go wear am.” He now wore it. I said when you go to Church and you are doing things, just be doing like this (demonstrating) praise the Lord. Church Gist. Make sure they don’t see your two hands equal. Just be doing like this (demonstrating). The thing, one was like this, one was like this (demonstrating). I gave it to a washerman when we came back, the two hands were no longer equal but I was still excited. 

When God is the One leading you, if you are sipping garri, you won’t be bothered. They have corn flakes that is corn with milk. You can also see it as ‘garri flakes.’ You will be sipping it and say “thank you Father for this garri flakes.” Garri is pounded cassava that you put milk, it’s very expensive. (Laughs) You know most of you are from ‘ajebutter’, we came from ‘ajekpako’. Church Gist. We eat it like that and when you take it with beans, it’s wonderful. Your anointing will increase by force. You will be joyful. You won’t even feel it. If you are feeling something down, God did not lead you. If God leads you, no matter the condition you find yourself, you will just be smiling because you know it’s a temporary situation. 1 Peter 1:8.

– Very soon things will change for you! 

iv. Peace and ease becomes your portion. Psalm 85:8a, Psalm 25:13. Divine guidance is accompanied with peace and ease.

v. You walk in confidence. Psalm 23:4. When you are shaking on the inside, you have no assurance of God’s backing. Church Gist. Stop and cross check if God really is the One guiding you. If God is guiding you, you will never panic.

vi. You make visible progress. Proverbs 4:18. Stagnation for too long is an indication you are off track. If you are stagnated for too long, know that you have missed it. Church Gist. Go back and ask God what next to do. Deuteronomy 2:3. So if you are at one spot for too long, ask for it.

Benefits of Divine Guidance.

1. You are supernaturally empowered. You are energized spiritually, mentally and bodily. Church Gist. Judges 6:14. When you are guided, you are empowered. 

2. Divine protection. Psalm 105:13-15, Exodus 23:20. God protects you. Church Gist. When God is the One leading you, witches can’t kill you. Say, I hear!

3. Supernatural insight. Isaiah 48:17. He is committed to teaching the led how to be profitable. Church Gist. When He is the One leading you, He will just be showing you ‘deep deep’ things.

– May God open your eyes.

4. Supernatural breakthroughs. Just see Isaac when He led him in Genesis 26:1-2, 12-14. John 21:5-6. Church Gist. You will just be getting ‘kpam kpam’ results will be coming without sweat. You will be getting results without sweat.

– May you not sweat anymore!

What is making us get results is divine guidance. Church Gist. Allow Him to guide you, you will be getting results like this (snapping his fingers).

Let me tell you a life story. This Church was not growing. People were coming but the Church was not growing and then I asked Him “what do I do to make this Church grow?” Say, guidance! He said “do you have a home cell?” I said, no. He said “that’s the reason the Church is not growing”…and the moment we started home cell, Church began to grow. So if I didn’t ask Him, there wouldn’t have been insight. Are you getting me? You have been frustrated…when you just see sweatless success….now listen! I prayed when HIV came out newly (guidance is powerful), I prayed, prayed, prayed. The first person who got healed, it took me 6 months. Church Gist. I gave the person cassettes to go and listen. That time it was these normal tapes. The person was in Enugu. They came back, I ministered, prayed – it took 2 months before it turned negative. I said “that means in a year, it will be only 2 people” and HIV was everywhere. So I said “God, what do I do?” He said “you are praying for HIV as sickness as at that time, pray for them as you pray for the dead.” I said, how? He said “Hebrews 2:14-15.” That was the Scripture I used. Every HIV that time, all (I’ve done crusade 2003) – all the HIV, all in the crusade turned negative. 

When ebola came, I came to Him the same pattern. I said “God, what are you saying?” He said “John 6:54, give them the Communion.” All ebola (that was the same Scripture we used for covid 19) all were healed. He will show you insight in the area. Church Gist. Your own may not be…you are not a pastor so in your own business, you will ask him “what do I do for this business to sell?” He will tell you, this is what to do for your market to sell. You are carrying your market, you can read all the formulas…let me tell you something, believers hear this, nobody will teach you his trade secret.

I was listening to the second richest man as at that time, a Mexican. Now he’s not the second richest and they were interviewing on CNN long ago. They said “what do you advise youths on how to succeed in business?” Church Gist. He said of course, hardwork, hardwork, hardwork! I said ‘hardwork na you dey tey get money?’ Nobody will tell you his secret. They will only tell you principles. Go and find out yourself. That’s why I am teaching you. Go and find out yourself.

Say, “Holy Spirit, tell me what I should do.” He will tell you. You know our problem? We were taught that the Holy Spirit is up. That’s the mistake. He is inside you. Where is the Holy Spirit? Say the truth. The first thing that comes to you, didn’t you do like this? (Looking up) Where is the Holy Spirit? Inside you. Church Gist. So He’s not up, He is here. He will speak to you from inside. But if I say, “now Holy Spirit, talk to me now.” You will be thinking that the voice is from up. It will come from here (from your inside). He’s speaking, it’s you that did not know that He’s speaking. If they call your number and you are not expecting a call, I think it will be a missed call. True? Now He’s been talking, you have been missing the call because you were not expecting Him to talk.

– May you expect Him today!

– May you break through!

5.  He clears the way for you. Isaiah 45:1-3. So when God is leading, you just make ‘kpuf, kpuf, kpuf’ – no struggles. 

– May you struggle no more!

When God is leading, struggle stops. When He leads you, forces can’t stand on your path!

– I pray He leads you from now! 

(Illustration of how God leads)

– Every obstacle before crumbles now!

When He leads, every obstacle before you goes down.

– He shall give you the hidden treasures!

– All blessings that were hidden, I decree them to find their way to you right now! 

– Anything that has locked your destiny, today it will be broken! 

It’s not by might and by power. Let Him lead you, you will see how sweatless you can succeed. Church Gist. The traffic man does not do anything, he just does like this (indicating stop) and the big car stops. Why? The authority on him. When the Holy Ghost is in front of you, you are in charge.

– Everything stopping you will go down now!

– The hidden treasures that were there and you couldn’t gain access to, by the leading of this day, you will gain access to them!

6. Goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life? How many days? All the days of your life. Church Gist. If the Lord is your Shepherd, goodness and mercy, they follow you all the days of your life. They accompany you. 

– From this day, goodness and mercy follow you! 

Now listen. I know you say it everyday but you don’t know. Can goodness and mercy follow you to suffer? It says ‘for sure’ – that word ‘surely’ means ‘for sure.’ Even you say it today without knowing the meaning. Surely, these 2 will follow who? Me! Who will goodness follow? Me! Who will mercy follow? Me! Do you know what mercy means? Mercy is the nature of God. All that Bartimeus said was “God have mercy on me.” Church Gist. Did God heal him? Yes! Mercy is not for forgiveness. Mercy is for deliverance, it’s for healing, it’s for provision, it’s for everything. It (the Bible) said “God had mercy on Israel”, He provided for them. Bartimeus said “thou son of David, have mercy on me.” Mercy brings healing. Surely goodness and mercy!

(Demonstration) Look at me. If you can flow with me, your life will change. 

– Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you!

– For sure, they are going to accompany you all the days of your life!

– Surely from this day, I decree, mercy and goodness follow you!

– May goodness and mercy follow you! Not just today but all the days of your life!

– If you believe it, say Amen like a believer!

– I repeat, from this day, mercy and His goodness will become your portion in the name of Jesus!

– As you make God your shepherd, you will never lack the goodness of God! You will never lack the mercy of God!

– If you believe it, say Amen like a believer!

You know what God’s mercy does? It covers your mess. He said “Israel is my son”…when God shows you mercy, your life will turn. Blind Bartimaeus all he cried was “Son of David, have mercy on me.” He didn’t say “Son of David, heal me.” He said “have mercy on me.” Church Gist. Was he healed? Yes! Mercy brings deliverance. Mercy brings healing. Mercy brings fruitfulness. He said “and God had mercy on them”, you see life turned.

– I don’t know how you have suffered before today, God’s mercy will change your story!

– By divine guidance, goodness and mercy will follow you from now!

– The louder your Amen, you will have it in the name of Jesus!

There is no end of a man who follows God’s leading continually. A man who follows His leading can never have an end. He will keep going like this (going up). Be committed to follow God’s leading. You will have no end. Church Gist. If God leads you, you will just be going like this (going up). There’s no end to a man who follows God’s leading. You don’t have an end. You will keep going like this (going up).

———PRAYERS———

———ALTAR CALL——-

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