FOLLOWING THE DICTATES OF SCRIPTURES THOROUGHLY FURNISHES, BEAUTIFIES AND DECORATES THE BELIEVER’S DESTINY
WE DON’T HAVE A MEDIOCRE FATHER, WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH AND SO WE BELONG TO THE HIGH PLACES OF LIFE.
IT IS WHERE OUR HOPE STOPS THAT GOD’S HANDS STOP
THE PROPHECIES I HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE BIBLE ARE BEHIND 99 PER CENT OF THE MAKING OF GRACE IN MY LIFE
LIFE IS A MARATHON. IT IS PATIENCE THAT WINS THE RACE.
IT IS NOT YOUR CONNECTION THAT DETERMINES WHERE YOU STAND TOMORROW, IT IS YOUR DILIGENCE
SLOW SUCCESS IS GLORIFIED FAILURE. THE BIBLE GUARANTEES GOOD SUCCESS.
IT IS SPIRITUALITY THAT SUSTAINS BREAKTHROUGHS IN BUSINESS AND CAREER.
THE BIBLE HAS ALL YOU NEED FOR YOUR FAMILY, MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIP TO WORK.
THE FEAR OF GOD IS TO DEPART FROM EVIL. DON’T TRY TO GIVE IT ANOTHER MEANING
MANY BELIEVERS’ MINDS ARE MADE UP ON WHAT TO DO, WHERE TO GO, WHAT TURNS TO MAKE, THEIR PRAYER FOR DIVINE DIRECTION IS MERE RELIGION
I WAS ALWAYS IN CHURCH BEFORE I BECAME A BELIEVER AND I DIDN’T LEARN ANYTHING. YOU CAN’T GRASP THE TRUTH UNTIL YOU ARE BORN AGAIN
- Bishop David Oyedepo on THE BIBLE: A MOST RELIABLE GUIDE OF LIFE 2 at Covenant Day of Exemption Service || Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland|| 14th July 2024 || First Sunday Service ||
All manifestations, all divine interventions anchor on man’s expectation. How many believe in the reality of covenant exemption? Church Gist. How many believe it is their own portion in Christ? How many believe they are living here today with a seal of exemption on their lives.
Nothing exempts a man in the midst of darkness like light. So when the light of God’s Word on any subject enters into you, you are naturally exempted from any harassment of darkness. Therefore my prayer is that your exemption right from God’s Word will find entrance into everyone’s hearts. May this remain an asset for life. Church Gist. There shall be no more evil occurrence in your household. Sickness and disease shall no more have a field day. Assault of the wicked shall be no more in your household . You shall be openly exempted from all evils of the day in the name of Jesus Christ and so shall it be in Jesus name.
Be reminded that we are still in our weeks of harvest of rewards. Therefore keep your hope alive. Most of us that were not there at the Covenant Hour of Prayer yesterday, please get hold of that clip on YouTube or whatever and see the place of hope in keeping your faith alive and keeping your love for God hotter by the day. What you don’t hope for, hardly happens. It is hope that sets the pace for the happenings of God in a man’s life. Church Gist. You are entitled to rewards for labouring in his vineyard. He owes nobody. So keep your hope of rewards alive. Keep your expectations alive, God never lies. It is where our hope stops that God’s hands stop. Abraham against hope believed in hope and then hope made it happen. Faith only gives substance to hope, faith is impotent without hope. Hebrews 11:1. What is not hoped for, faith cannot deliver. Keep your hope alive to keep your life going. The day you become hopeless, you become helpless. Your reward is sure, keep your hope alive and your reward is now, keep your hope alive.
Remember the prophetic focus for the month is ON MY WAY TO MY HIGH PLACES. We are children of the Most High and so we belong to the high places of life because like begets like. We don’t have a mediocre father. Our father is the God of all the earth. The earth belongs to Him and all the fullness thereof, the world and all that dwell therein. Church Gist. As the seed of the Most High God, we belong to the high places of life. When He brought Israel out of Egypt, He led them as an eagle to their high places. So His leadings are the highways to our high places.
We have been looking at THE BIBLE: A MOST RELIABLE GUIDE OF LIFE. Many are sold out to professional prophets that see for them because they cannot see. The Bible is our God ordained master guide. Psalm 119:105. It is our master guide in the journey of life. The Bible is not a story book, it is the Creator’s manual that helps His creature to maximize their adventure on the earth. It is not a history book that talks about the past. The Bible defines the future as clearly as today. The words of scriptures create the future. So when we are studying the Bible, we are checking through the manual of life. What am I to do with this situation? You check the manual. How do I come out of this unwanted circumstance? You check the manual. Church Gist. How do I secure peace in my family? You check the manual. How do I command breakthroughs in my endeavours? You check the manual. Even if we stop here, I think it is enough. The Bible is not a storybook to excite you about something happening, the instant end of the world or a history book that talks about what happened before. Like happenings are always before. It tells you about what is happening now.
I came out in preparation for this meeting with this: following the dictates of scriptures decorates or furnishes or beautifies the believer’s destiny. Following the dictates of scriptures thoroughly furnishes, beautifies and decorates the believer’s destiny. 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Thorough decoration, thorough beautification through the principles of scriptures, the warnings of scriptures, the correction of scriptures and the instructions of scriptures. Church Gist. That’s a loaded segment of scripture that establishes its highly profitable guidance mission. Principles is how to go about your assignment. These are the things to mind. Warnings – if you go this way, you will suffer this thing. Corrections – stop there, this is the way to go. Instructions – now listen to me, take these steps if you want to get to where you are going. That’s how powerful the content of scriptures are.
For instance, no one taught me, the Holy Ghost did. I encountered a royal mentality from scriptures from 16 and it brought my way royal behaviour. Revelation 5:10. It entered me, not that I heard it. The Word entered me. I saw at 16 that taking responsibility early is what creates a great tomorrow. Lamentations 3:27. I caught there that patience is what wins the race. It is a marathon. They are never taught in school. First degree, second degree, third degree, you won’t find it. It is not there. I know some folks have done some psychology. You never find it there. Royal mentality? Where do you get it from? I got assurance of victory in 1973, no weapon fashioned against me shall prosper. Church Gist. I caught financial integrity in 1974, I was 20. Don’t touch what is not yours or you cut down on your lifespan. Guidance. He leads. I saw that only what God commands stands in 1975. I saw that seeking first the Kingdom of God brings you into favour in 1976. No matter how much clothes children may have, they will not have as much rags as an elder. It is a book of instructions not a story. Not a preaching book, it is a practice book. You can preach it for life and it adds no value to you.
I saw in 1977 that my future is in His plan and not in my plan. Great! So His plan mattered the most for me and still does. My tongue got empowered in 1977 going through the book of Ezekiel. In 1978, I found myself swimming in the book, The Power Of The Acts Of Apostles. In 1979, I saw myself seated far above. It is a book of instructions that leads to our high places. Big question: What instructions have you ever garnered from scriptures that added definite value to your life? Church Gist. You write so much notes in Church without taking notes of any. Taking notes in Church is good but taking notes of your finding is what makes it valuable. I saw Proverbs 22:29, so it is not your connection that determines where you stand tomorrow but your true diligence which includes skillfulness and your time investment in the pursuit. It decorates destiny. Because we are in our year of fortune, your story will never stop changing for the better. As you connect to the dictates of scriptures as a way of life.
I saw my healing and health right in 1980. Himself took my infirmities. He rescued me from entrapment of indebtedness in 1981. “But thou shalt not borrow” and He kept it till tomorrow. In 1982, He unveiled to me His prosperity plan for mankind as it relates to the redeemed. I grabbed it and screamed “Ye! I can never be poor.” It is a book of instructions, it guides in the right way to go. It is more reliable than any other source of guidance in the Kingdom. The Word, because it is settled in heaven forever. Every other form of guidance must align with scriptures or it has no future. We prove every other guidance from the balances of scriptures. Is it the Lord leading you? Where is the peace to validate it? Isaiah 48:17-18. So if one funny prophet prophesies to you and you are gyrating. Check it. The prophecies I have received from the Bible are 99 per cent of the making of grace in my life. Wake up! It is the most authentic prophetic resource under the sun. Church Gist. You don’t have to be bearded and carry a long rod, long cloth and harrass anybody. Many are victims, they are sitting in this church now. They go there, you know Papa doesn’t see vision. What have you seen for me? He says you will d1e next tomorrow. Ah! So what do I do? He says go and bring all you money you have. Some are here, nothing enters them. To the family, irresponsible. Children, irresponsible. Okay, what are you hearing? What note are you taking? Who are you deceiving? Hold your Bible if you have one. Put it on your chest and say “All that pertains to me both in life and eternity is in this book, help me Jesus for a renewed value of the content of this book to secure my destiny and eternity.”
Somebody said my case is different. You know Papa doesn’t know my situation. What is your situation? Ignorance. Isaiah 5:13. Hosea 4:6. Your story cannot be stronger than the truth. He will turn it around. God will turn your story around. That is what makes the Bible a most reliable guide of life. It is not a mystical book to be conjured but a manual to be followed. All things that make for life and godliness and embedded in scriptures, no matter what profession, what career, what business. It contains all the words of this life. It has to do with your family, your business, your career, your relationship, all of it. Acts 5:20. 2 Peter 1:3. Deuteronomy 5:32-33 is what He says concerning the instructions of scriptures. What else are you looking for? Do what He says to do. Deuteronomy 28:1-13. Church Gist. Following the instructions of scriptures will set any believer above all nations of the earth. That is how the instructions of scriptures lead God’s people to the high places of life. Set thee on high above all nations of the earth. I was 30 when the Lord showed me that scripture and He said, “My son, there is a place for you on top if you are interested.” I said I am interested. “Then whatever I tell you to do, do it.” It is by following His instructions we change levels. It comes little by little but you are on your way there. Little by little but you are on your way there. When we stop following His instructions, we start suffering retardation, retrogression and frustrations.
Joshua 1:8. I tried to define what good success is in one of those my leadership things. I said slow success is glorified failure. You have a kiosk today, ten years later it is still a kiosk. Twenty years later, it is still a kiosk. Yes, you are selling, you are having your meals. Somebody that started the same thing with you in the same market has graduated to a shop, now has a store and now a shopping mall within the same period. Church Gist. Good success is keeping pace, it is making satisfactory progress. If a course that should take you 4 years takes you 8 years. It is success but it is not good success. Four years wasted. This book guarantees good success, success at a good rate. You are pastor of a church and the church was 50 ten years ago, it is 52 this year. “Thank God we are not where we used to be.” So where are you? Where did you use to be? Patience with failure is ignorance.
Our Church started December 11th 1983 in Kaduna. By March, I said No! This can’t be the rate. If this Church is growing like this. It will be 1000 people when I am 100 years old. I love to tell myself the truth. So I said I need to crosscheck from God. We can’t afford to go at this rate. So I called two of my other coworkers. We were going to wait on the Lord to find out why is this church not growing. You need to call yourself like that. Why is my life dangling like this? What is going on? Am I really saved? Yes, then why am I like this? Ignorance. There are things you need to know that you don’t know. On the third day the heavens came down and gave me four keys that will grow any Church. Church Gist. We are trading those four keys till now. It is so important for us to know that God’s Word has the way forward in anything. You won’t miss it. You say this is business, we are not talking about spiritual things. You fail flat. It is spirituality that sustains breakthroughs in business. People have gone up before and crashed. What is your problem? This is family affair. Who created family? He said love your wife and you are shaking your head. You are heading for trouble. Go and submit yourself to your husband. No! No! I schooled in Colorado. Good! Then get ready to be married to Colorado. Life is so simple, only the genuinely meek can be guided. This is my view but how can I compare my view with yours? Jesus, what is your position on this? And He shows you the way to go?
The Word of God does not guide just anyone but the redeemed. Unto us it is given to know the mysteries. I tried to find out what I learnt before I became a believer and I was always in Church. I can’t remember anything. Because perhaps the people teaching me too don’t know what they are talking about. There was no entrance. As soon as I got born again, I began to see light from God’s Word. You wonder what a young believer is looking for in the book of Revelation, I don’t know but I went there. I went there and my takeaway was I have been redeemed as a king and a priest to reign on the earth. Revelation 5:10. If you preach that thing forever when I was not born again, I won’t know what you are talking about. I will just think you are wasting words. Church Gist. You can’t grasp the truth until you are born again. No matter what they teach you, it won’t enter. Only the redeemed can receive the mysteries that are embedded in the Word. Mark 4:11. They can’t see, so what can they read that will make meaning? God’s Word will guide the redeemed, the spiritually minded, you can’t grasp the things of the Spirit without being spiritually minded. A natural man cannot grasp it, he has to be spiritual. God’s Word will guide those who are in love. When you are in love, you have unimpeded access to the light of the Word that guides.
Finally, the fear of God as a lifestyle. Psalm 25:14. What is the fear of God? To depart from evil. The Bible defines it, so don’t define it with another translation. The fear of God is to depart from evil. Job 28:28. God’s secret is with them that fear Him and He will show them His covenant. God will only guide the meek. Psalm 25:9. So when you are reading the Bible and nothing is happening, find out if those factors are really in place. I agree you are born again, but are you spiritual? You see the way you talk about town, “oh Gosh, nothing is working. Nigeria is down. I can tell you nobody can build any house in Nigeria now. Nobody! Everybody is indebted. Church Gist. Even Papa is lying that he is not indebted.” You just find them committing crimes against themselves. Does everybody have headache? No! “I can bet you everybody has headache”. If you have headache, go and treat it, don’t hide under the banner that everybody has headache. Who told you? You can be born again and not have access. There is no love of God in you, there is no fear of God in you, you are not spiritual. You are not meek, you are full of yourself. You can’t get nothing there. From today, that’s not you. Every time you check this manual you will find direction. Those are basically the requirement for accessing the master guide content of scriptures.
In addition, have a genuine crave to be guided. Many believers’ minds are made up on what to do, where to go, what turns to make, their call for divine direction is mere religion. They are just informing God on what they want to do. We have the example of Balaam. Numbers 22:6-14. The Lord appeared to him, “Who are those men that came to you?” He said they came from Balak. He said “don’t go with them”. He woke in the morning and told them they can all go. Tell him I am not coming. If you give me your own house I won’t come. It is not true. Balak sent to him more honourable men, they came and he said “Wait, let me ask the Lord. Church Gist. Whatever God tells me that is what I will do” And then said “I am not going with you. Then they sent to him a third time, he said shall I go? God said “go. You want to go before. When I told you not to go with them. Why did you allow them to come a second time.” He went and the Bible says he ran greedily after unrighteous gain. He left there with shame. He was made up, he was simply tempting God. Numbers 22:6-35. Many are just made up, they are asking God questions for fun. You can’t play God, He is smarter than everybody. He knows your thoughts afar off.
One of my sons was in church in 2001 or so, I can’t remember again. He already had a green card and he heard a Word from the altar, “Away with Green Card, I don’t belong there.” Church Gist. What a fortune he walks in today by allowing the Word to correct him without any personal contact. The Word alone. Just like He said “The Lord alone did lead them, there was no strange God with them. Just by allowing the Lord alone to guide them.”
I was in a conference, I was also a speaker in that conference and the only thing I heard was “Follow me and I will make you. Your making is in following me and not anywhere else. Until you stop following me, I won’t stop making you.” Church Gist. it began to revibrate and resonate in my spirit. There is a Word that has come down for you, let it be strong enough to lead you.
The way He guides us is simple, as mentioned earlier. He guides our steps through timely warnings. Psalm 19:9-11. God’s Word warns. Those who keep to the warnings are heading for great tomorrow. Ezekiel 3:17. Warnings are not harassment, warnings are to keep us on track. Warnings are to keep us from evil. He guides us by giving us timely warnings. Acts 20:30-31. The Word is the platform for proving all visions, dreams and passions. Church Gist. Whatever God has not said, nobody can make happen, no matter how hard He tries. Is it God? Expect peace like a river, as mentioned earlier. Is it God leading me, expect joy unspeakable, joy in season and out of season. Rejoicing forevermore. Joy and rejoicing. Not about what you have or what you don’t have, joy because God is the one leading you. It comes along with joy and rejoicing. You won’t miss it.
He called the twelve to go to places where Himself will come. So they went and returned with rejoicing. Why? In His presence there is always fullness of joy. When God leads, He goes with the led. His presence is the fountain of their joy and rejoicing. You won’t lack joy in your life anymore. No guesswork. When God leads, He leads beside the still waters and He refreshes our soul. No hiccups. Church Gist. Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is leading, there is refreshing and fear free adventure. Psalm 23:4. It engenders fearlessness in our pursuit. In the name of Jesus, may each one sustain access to the guidance of this book in all your ways in the name of Jesus.
Today is our Covenant Day of Exemption. The same way God exempted the children of Israel from all plagues that took place in Egypt in the days of Moses, God is committed to the covenant to exempt the redeemed from all the plagues of our day. Malachi 3:6. We had the plague of the swarm of flies, Israel was exempted. Church Gist. The plague of death of cattle, collapse of businesses, Israel was exempted. We had the Holocaust of devastation, thunder mingled with fire, there was no hail where Israel dwelled. There was thick darkness that could be felt all over Egypt but there was light among God’s people. You read all of that from Exodus 8 all the way to Chapter 12. There was death of the firstborn, not one died among the children of Israel.
We serve a God of exemption. He is committed to exempt His covenant people. They shot that my son at close range, the gun never answered. Opened fire from the other side, it never answered. Put a cutlass on him, it never answered. They said “leave him, let him go. These are not human beings. These are gods.” Covenant people are not permitted to suffer what the world suffers. There was famine in the days of Abraham, he was exempted. Famine in the time of Isaac, he was exempted. Famine in the time of Jacob, he was exempted. Church Gist. Famine in the days of Joseph, he was in command of supplies of the food to the world. We serve a God of exemption. We are permitted to go through the things that they go through. We are not redeemed as a perculiar people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation to show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. We are redeemed to be a marvel to our world. In the name of Jesus, I decree your seal of exemption is established today.
That is why the seal of our exemption in a world of darkness is light. Light! I shared with you a testimony, I was there ministering and I said how many of you are witches? Stand up to your feet. I called one of them and asked ‘what do you do with the devil?’ he said anytime we want to suck blood, we get on the highway. We cause the vehicle coming to somersault, we suck the blood of the victims. Without hesitation, with uncheckered authority, I asked what about when people like us are coming? She said when we sense a higher power on the way, we clear off the way. That higher power is not anointing, it is illumination. It is light. I just came out of that light that I am seated far above all principalities and powers. Light is the seal of our exemption in times of crisis. Light! As we partake of the communion this morning, I decree an eye opening miracle for all for access to light, that exempts people from the crisis of the day. Church Gist. Access to light. All devils have some sense. When we sense a higher power on the way, we clear off. 1979! It is not about age, it is about light. It is not experience, it is about light. You can’t use experience to lighten your room, you need power and to turn the switch. It is not experience, I have been a Christian for the past 90 years. Well done. Without light, darkness will dominate. As you partake of this communion today, may your spiritual eyes be opened.
Isaiah 60:1-3, 8. When everything is crashing, they are flying as the clouds. Who are these? They are lighted people. That is what it is to be exempted. It is not prayer and fasting for eternity, pray and fast to access light. Until you have light, you can’t be exempted from the horrors of darkness. Without light no one can be exempted from the horror of darkness. Yes, we fast for an outbreak of light but fasting won’t set you free. We were in a fast to find out why this Church is not growing but it was the light that brought about the growth. Church Gist. The light that fasting provokes. Yes, I was in a fast when I saw God’s plan for prosperity. Fasting didn’t bring prosperity, it is the light that broke out from fasting. “Oh God, let this business go forward.” No! “Lord show me what to do to move the business forward.” “Lord I need breakthrough in my career.” No! “Lord, show me the way to breakthrough in this career.” This Church won’t teach what we teach in other young churches because we are of age. “Oh Lord I must not go hungry.” No! “Lord show me how to overcome this hunger.” Very simple. Show me how.
- In the name of Jesus, as things are going down in the world, you will keep flying with light.
- As things keep crashing in the world, your levels will keep changing in Christ.
Every power of darkness as we know, bows to the authority of light. Darkness can never resist the authority of light. John 1:5. Light shines in darkness and darkness cannot handle it. Church Gist. This is why we are supernaturally exempted from the assault of the powers of darkness as we continue to walk in the light. It is not having the light, walking in the light. No matter the dimension of the darkness in this world. Ephesians 5:8, John 12:35-36.
How Do We Actualize Our Exemption Right In Christ?
- We Must Have A Revelation Of Our Exemption Heritage In Christ
Our inheritance is delivered by revelation. Acts 20:32. - We Must Keep The Love Of God Alive In our Hearts
Psalm 91:14. We must keep the love of God alive in our hearts. Romans 8:28. - We Must Engage With The Covenant Of SeedTime And Harvest
Psalm 41:1-3. Caring for the challenged brings us out of challenge. For all of us who are part of this Kingdom Care Covenant, evil shall not find a place around your life. Church Gist. We must remain dedicated to Kingdom advancement endeavours because by so doing, we keep walking in favour in a world of misfortune. Matthew 6:33. - We Must Continue to Speak Openly Of Our Exemption Right In Christ
Speak openly. Proverbs 18:21. Nothing is working in Nigeria, my case is different. Church Gist. Everything is going down in Nigeria, my case is different. Luke 21:15. Psalm 81:10. It is time to wake up and connect with the covenant platform of exemption.
#BishopDavidOyedepo
#CovenantDayOfExemption
#FaithTabernacle
#SupersonicSunday
#LFCWorldwide
#Fortune2024
#14thJuly2024
#ChurchGist
