DEDICATION TO GOD IS NOT ALL ABOUT GOING TO CHURCH ALL THE TIME
LOVE FOR GOD MEANS THAT THERE’S NOBODY AND NOTHING THAT OCCUPIES THE PLACE OF GOD IN YOUR HEART
THERE’S NOTHING I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT IS NOT BEING USED TO SERVE GOD
A DEDICATED PERSON IS SOMEONE WHO HAS NO WILL OF HIS OWN BUT THE WILL OF GOD
FOR 24 UNBROKEN YEARS I HAVE NOT MISSED ONE DAY OF SHILOH FOR ANY REASON
WHEN YOU’RE ADDICTED TO GOD, YOU’RE MISERABLE OUTSIDE OF GOD
ADDICTION TO GOD IS THE DOOR WAY TO ADDITIONS WITH GOD
STANDING BY GOD WHERE A MAN OR A WOMAN IS A DEFENDER OF THE INTEREST OF GOD
ANYONE WHO CALLS HIMSELF OUT HERSELF A CHRISTIAN, WHOSE PRAYER LIFE IS NOT FUNCTIONAL MUST REDEFINE THAT CHRISTIANITY
THE PROOF THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS IN ORDER IS THAT THERE’S A CONTINUOUS FLOW IN PRAYER
I WENT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL ON A MISSION!
I SEALED THE DEAL WITH GOD BEFORE I EVEN STARTED THE COURSE!
I PASSED THROUGH LIKE A TORNADO, A VOLCANO, A RAW FIRE!
I PREACHED INSIDE COUNTLESS NUMBER OF BUSES! MORNING CRY IN FRONT OF HOSTELS! CLOSED DOWN BEER PARLORS! ALL MANNER OF RUGGED OPERATIONS!!
IN YOUR GENERATION, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT LOOK TOO FAR TO SEE GOD
THEY SHOULD SEE HIM THROUGH YOU
BY THE TIME I WAS IN 500 LEVEL, I HAD PREACHED IN ALMOST ALL UNIVERSITIES IN THE COUNTRY!
FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, TO DIE IS GAIN
IF YOU ARE NOT YET MARRIED, ENSURE YOU MARRY SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS GOD’S PURPOSE FOR YOU!
– Dr. Pastor Paul Enenche on “UNDERSTANDING DEDICATION TO GOD” || Midweek Power Communion Service || Glory Dome, Abuja
Blessed be your name Lord today. Thank you for the auspiciousness of your presence, thank you because not one person will leave here the same way they have come. Church Gist. Be glorified Lord, in Jesus’ precious name.
I welcome everyone here tonight in the precious name of Jesus. I believe today is the day the Lord has made and we shall rejoice and be glad.
“Understanding Dedication to God” is the subject of the message this evening. Psalm 63:1-2. Psalm 63:8. Church Gist. The Lord bless His Word, in Jesus’ precious name. Our objective tonight is “what is dedication to God all about?”
There are many people who want to know because there are many things that dedication is, that is not. Church Gist. Going to Church all the time, yes, it’s part of it; praying very loud until everybody in the neighborhood feels very aggrieved, not necessarily. What is Dedication to God all about? I am going to use about 7-8 phrases that define dedication.
1. Love for God. Mark 12:29-30. This is the first commandment; love for God (affection for God). You love God, you know that you love God; people who know you know that you love God, people who love you know that you love God, people who hate you also know that you love God. Church Gist. Love for God means there’s nobody you love like God, nobody and nothing or rather, there’s nobody and nothing that occupies the place in your heart that God occupies. Church Gist. Because in our society today, many things occupy positions, there’s nobody that occupies a place in your heart that God occupies.
Some, money occupies that space, some, the pleasures of this life, some, position. There’s nobody who occupies the place in your heart that God occupies. Church Gist.There’s nobody and nothing that can take the place of your God in your life and there’s nothing and nobody that can come inbetween you and God.
2. Sold out (Donation) to God. Galatians 2:20. Donation means, “I have given myself to God, there’s nothing around and about me that is not given to God. Church Gist. God owns my life, my time, my resources, my talent and my ability”. Personally, there’s nothing I know how to do that is not being used to serve God. Sold out means nothing is too big to sacrifice for God.
3. Yielded (Submission) to God. The place where the will of man disappears inside the will of God.
🎵🎶Let me want what you want my dear Lord🎶🎵
Job 5:30. A dedicated person is someone who has no will of his own, the will of God is his will. Church Gist. He has no choice of his own, the choice of God is his choice. What God wants for him is what he wants for himself, in every realm of life.
4. Hooked on God (Addiction). You know the way someone is hooked to cocaine, Indian hemp and all manner of drugs. That was what the Psalmists expressed in Psalm 63:1-2. Church Gist. There’s something in medicine we call ‘withdrawal symptom’, when an addict is no longer drinking or smoking to what he was addicted to, his body begins to react so violently and so aggressively and he has to return back to that addiction. “Father, I am having withdrawal symptom if I’m away from you. There’s a way I can’t survive outside your presence”. Psalm 42:1. High on God, not on Indian hemp, cocaine, heroine or anything but high on the Most High.
I don’t know about you but if anybody would be guilty of addiction to God, I am guilty as charged. Church Gist. When you’re addicted to God, you’re miserable outside of God. I don’t know how some people survive outside of God’s presence. All the years of my life, I need to remember if I will be able to count the number of times I missed a Church service because It’s rememberable and countable. For 24 years, I’ve gone to our Father in the Lord’s ministry for Shiloh, I haven’t missed one day, I haven’t missed one Shiloh for 24 unbroken years, for any reason. Without any doubt, since I stepped into ministry, Sunday service, it’s not possible for it to be missed. Church Gist. Anywhere in the world, I’m in Church on Sunday. Addiction. If it’s not worrying you like that, the thing has not caught you yet. If the things of God don’t worry you like that, kai.
I heard of a man many years ago, someone told me this story, how the man was such a drunkard that his family disconnected him from drink for a day or so, he cut his hand and drank his blood and became drunk afresh. Alcohol was permanently heavy in the blood. Am I communicating at all? Church Gist. This is the reason why the kind of results we want in our generation is not there because people who are truly addicted to God are scarce. There’s something we call, ‘social drinkers’ they drink alcohol socially, they’re not drunks, just once in a while or during some occasions, just to belong but there are those who are confirmed drunkards, the beer parlour know them, they cannot leave and walk home normal. Church Gist. There are some of us, Heaven knows us, these are drunkards on God.
– I see somebody here tonight, God is moving you to this realm of complete donation, submission and addiction to God. If you’re the one God is moving like that, shout the loudest Amen.
I can assure you that addiction to God is the door way to additions with God. Matthew 6:33. Those who are addicted, I’ve talked to a couple of addicts, the first thing that come to their mind when they wake up in the morning is their addiction. Church Gist. They don’t think of any other thing until they think of what they’re addicted to. Addiction is the secret of addition of good.
5. Standing by God. Exodus 32:26. Standing by God is the realm of protection or defense of the interest of God, where a man or a woman is a defender of the interest of God. Nobody messes up around God and His issues where you are and you’re quiet. Church Gist. Nobody talks carelessly about God and His Kingdom where you are and you keep quiet. You’re in the National Assembly, there’s no bill that is being passed that is an antiGod bill and you sit down there and kept quiet. You may not be majority but at least, let your voice be heard. You’re on the panel of judges and judgment is being given, any ungodly judgment that is about to be passed, you stood against it. You may be the one giving the dissenting judgment but it’s all right, let it go on record. Church Gist. In time, you will defend why you stood on that side because by the time we appear in eternity, all these things would come up. “When they were talking about taking the Bible out or talking about changing the curriculum for Christian Religious education and so on and so forth, you were there, what did you do? What did you say? When so and so judgment was being passed, you were in the appeal court, supreme court, tribunal and this is ungodly, this is the right person and they’re trying to impose this person, what did you say?” Church Gist. Because there are people today who don’t want to go against the majority, they don’t want to be seen to go against what is popular but what is popular is not necessarily what is proper.
I want to let you know that light is stronger than darkness and the children of light are more powerful than the children of darkness. Church Gist. We live in an information age, ICT age and multimedia age, I believe that it has been long time that Christians have kept so dumb and quiet when issues pertaining to their faith is being discussed on ungodly platforms and they just keep quiet. That is a docility that is an antiGod docility. People who are doing wrong things are doing it boldly and people doing the right things are doing it timidly, it’s an abomination. Church Gist. People who have garbage to say are saying it boldly and people who have substance are quietly so quiet, only the graveyard have such quietness. Stand by God!
You remember what happened to you in the school (pointing to Deborah), one lecturer came in and was talking upside down against God and Church and she stood up in the class and said, “excuse me Sir, I know that you have the right to your opinion but you must understand that there are people of other persuasion in this class and you must respect our persuasion”. Church Gist. What happened? I think the word got to the leadership of the school that this person was an antiChrist lecturer, he was talking down on everything. The school called him to order and he came and apologized publicly and he said, “I want to let you know that I’m sorry for saying the things I said last time.Secondly, anytime I say anything like that, that is not correct, call me to order”. Now, everybody could have kept quiet in the class and then he would have continued and continued.
– someone say a loud Amen.
How many of us know that many times God has helped us to answer on some issues? Church Gist. Many times and we are going to continue to answer as it pertains to God, Church and the Kingdom of God, under our watch, the devil will go to hell.
Beloved brothers and sisters, Martin Luther king said “a man is not fit to live if he has nothing to stand for”. That is, this man doesn’t have anything that he’s known for, that life is not worth it.
6. Standing before God. 1 Kings 17:1. That phrase describes a dedicated person – stand before God. What does that mean? That is, supplication or the place of communion. Church Gist. Elijah was a man who prayed, “before God whom I stand”. Dedication implies supplication, the lifestyle of prayer. It implies communion and communication with God.
Anyone who calls himself out herself a Christian, whose prayer life is not functional must redefine that Christianity because the proof of buoyancy of relationship is vibrancy in communication. Church Gist. Where the communication is not vibrant, the relationship is not buoyant. Husband and wife, friends, you know what I’m talking. I’ve told you a funny story before where the man and his wife are not talking to each and they began to write on paper, “I’m on my way to the office, see you when I come back”. “Is food ready?” Reply, “yes, food is on the table”. Church Gist. They’re quarrelling so much, they cannot open their mouths to talk to each other. Then the man wrote for his wife, “I have a flight to catch for 7am tomorrow, let me know so I can catch the flight by 7am”. When it was 7am, the woman wrote, “it’s 7am, wake up”. Let the paper wake him up. The proof that your relationship with God is in order is that there’s a continuous flow. You don’t even seem to be able to pray enough. prayer becomes a flow, it just flows. Your dedication to God is confirmed by supplication and buoyancy of prayer life.
7. Stand for God. Now this is different from Stand by God. This one is Stand for God. You call that Representation. You represent God to your generation. You are the visible representative of the invisible God. Stand for God! Genesis 14:18-24. Representation. In your generation, people don’t need to look too far to see God and see His action. When they see you, you represent Him. Am I communicating at all?
I told you sometime ago a story was told of Archbishop Benson Idahosa of blessed memory. Church Gist. When the witches and wizards of those days said they wanted to hold a conference in Benin. And Archbishop went on air and said the conference will not hold and the leader of the wizards said even if God comes down from heaven, the conference will hold. And Archbishop went back on air and said God does not need to come down, that is why I’m here, the conference will not hold. That is, I am acting on behalf of God, I represent Him. Like Elijah said, Before God whom I stand, there shall be no rain or dew, according to my word. If I have spoken, God does not need to speak afresh. I am His microphone, He is speaking through me. I’m pray that God will make you such in your family.
If you are saying amen, say it like a believer! I pray that God will make you such in our community. I pray that God will make you such in our nation. I pray that God will make you such in our generation. If you believe that, say the loudest amen.
Look at somebody by your side, say make sure you represent God well in your generation, in your organization, to your community. Represent God well! So you can see that you can be in church everyday and not be dedicated. Why? Because you are not representing God well, you are not defending the cause of the kingdom. Church Gist. There is nothing affecting the kingdom that affects you. You are just religious. Dedication is affection to God, Commitment to God, Submission to God, Addiction to God, Protection of the cause of the kingdom. It is supplication and then representation of God to your generation.
8. Living For God:
For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain. That is called consecration. A life separated onto God. Church Gist. A life consecrated onto God. I’m not living for my personal interest. I am not living for my personal benefit, if it is not Christ, then there’s no need for me to live. Philippians 1:21. Christ and His kingdom drives me, that’s what He’s saying. I’m driven. How I wake up, how I dress, how I look, why I make money, the kind of places I can make money. The reason why I do the things I do.
We have various reasons for living! Many things are included, I want to buy a big house, I want to do this or that, that’s driving their money making search. Church Gist. But there is someone who wants to be so wealthy until his wealth becomes evangelistic. Until all that behold him will look at him as a seed that the Lord has blessed. He wants to become so wealthy until he uses the wealth to punish the devil and chase the devil back to hell and snatch souls from the jaws of wickedness. So what is driving him is not materialism. What is driving him is not what is making others look for the things they’re looking for.
I went to the medical school on those days and for me to live was Christ, to die was gain. Lord, I am not here because I want to become the first doctor or the last doctor in the world. Lord, I am here on a mission! Medicine is the platform that brought me to this mission field. If I didn’t have a course, I couldn’t be in the university. If I wasn’t in the university, I won’t be able to preach as I should preach. So you gave me a platform, let’s seal a deal. I am going to preach very brutally. Just help me so that I don’t fail one exam.
It was a sealed deal before I ever started a course. I went on campus and I went to the campus on purpose. I didn’t get there before I started guessing what to do with my life. And then I passed through like a tornado, like a volcano, raw fire. I preached inside buses, morning cry in front of hostels, 3 days dry fasting sand solemn assemblies, all manner of rugged operations! Closed some beer parlors down!
I will see some people smoking and drinking, “Why are you drinking hell? Bring it!” It was too rugged! Don’t try it today o! Because times are a bit different now.
Just catch somebody at the beer parlor, “Follow me! Kneel down! All these days you have been drinking what has it profited you? Lift your hands and pray after me!”
We would pray for 5 hours, 7 hours. One day I was in front of the female hostel, declaring brutally, they all ran out of the rooms. One of them began to manifest on the spot, closer her ears, “Don’t torment us, don’t torment us! Don’t trouble us!” That one died not too long after that.
One day we were preaching in front of the hostel, one young man, cultist boy, poured water from the story building on us down while we were preaching. We said, “You just poured away your life.” We came to give you life, you are rejecting it? The person vomited until he passed. Judgement was very brutal! Cultists took over the campus at one point, from around 12 midnight, they were singing and shooting in the air. Singing terrible songs! People were lining up with them, women had turned into children, children had turned into water, men had turned into anything. They broke all the lights, nobody was saying anything!
Where I was lying on the bed, I was hearing this things, by the time the door of the room opened, I didn’t know! Somebody is saying satan conquered the world and I am here? I just began to blast on tongues heavier than their AK47, brethren heard their voices and began to come out from their rooms. We began to move in the direction where they were, blasting in tongues. As we were decreeing, they were receding, receding until they receded into the bush!
We remained there from 9 – 6 am! We took over the ground! Then went in front of all the hostels: If you were among those who came out last night and said satan conquered the world and you are confident of your satan, come now and defend him. I was the one declaring! None came out!
It was at that time one poured the water and poured away his life. Am I communicating at all?
Anything you see today, didn’t start today!
Beloved brothers and sisters, that was why we went on campus, not to be priding ourselves that we read professional courses.
We went there on purpose, on assignment, living for Christ and every single exam smashed, smashed, smashed, smashed! And by the time I was in 500 level, I had preached in almost all universities in the country! Went from Lagos to Ibadan, to Ife to ABU, Zaria to Benin to Maiduguri to Ife to Port-Harcourt, even state universities like Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye. All universities! Church Gist. Just ‘criss-crossing’! We knew why we were there: For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain!
I came here not because I came here to read a course, You placed me here to fulfill an assignment. I am not telling you to be a full-time pastor, I wasn’t a full-time pastor.
What are the secrets of dedication?
1. Understanding the purpose of creation:
I am not just alive to look for what to wear, what to drink and drive. I am not alive to add to the number of people…I am alive for somebody’s pleasure! Remember that old song: Thou art worthy O Lord/ To receive Glory, Honour and Power/ For Thou art created all things and for Thy pleasure/They are and were created. Yes, NFCS and NIFES.
2. Understanding life’s most important priority:
Matthew 6:33. Seek ye first, seek ye first. Church Gist. That is key to the addition of all things. I see a new day for somebody. If you are that person, say a loud amen. You received something tonight, stand up on your feet and shout the loudest amen! Stand up on your feet and shout the loud-most amen!
Lift your hand and lift your voice and begin to appreciate the King of Kings! Appreciate the Lord of Lords! Appreciate the I am that I am! Father, thank You! Father, thank You! Father, thank You! Father, thank You!
Whenever God is going to lead someone, if you are not yet married, ensure that you marry someone who understands the purpose of God for man, the purpose of God for you and the purpose of God for them.
Otherwise you may marry disaster.
I’ve come across people who said I want to marry this person, one statement that the person will make from their mouth will confirm that this is not someone to marry at all. Church Gist. The person may be good for someone else but not you.
Someone was telling me the other day, that when “I said I wanted to marry this person, you were the only one who was not in agreement. And the outcome of it was bad.”
I told God, I said, Anyone who will accommodate the purpose you have for my life, that is the person I will marry. I don’t care any other qualification – tribe, height, color, I don’t care. All I want is the person that will accommodate your purpose for my life and the people you are going to bring my way. Because I know many people will be brought and I don’t want one person who will scatter many people away.
So the same way that I was on fire preaching, Dr Mrs Enenche was on fire preaching, in church, on buses, and everywhere. But she would bring serious cases to see me.
One day she came to meet me, I just preached to somebody, he said he has killed people before. When I heard that he has killed people before, I said I cannot handle this one.
I said, Bring him to me! The young man came, cultist and all manner of terrible things done. I said, Are you ready to give your life to Christ? He said Yes. Kneel down! Led him to Christ, checked out all the devils out of his life! Started going to church and became firm in the Lord. His cult people said they were going to kill him. Church Gist. So the church people gave him a soldier man to follow him and go and meet their leader. A brother in church!
So the brother went, loaded with his service pistol. He met the leader and showed him, See this gun? If one hair drop from this man’s head, I will be there one to personally shoot you! That is from this day forward, you are the one to protect him now!
Many years after we graduated, we were going to Benue, Makurdi, parked by a Filling Station, the young man walked up to me.
How are you? Fine! Did he disturb you again? Not at all! Are you still in the faith? Fully in the faith!
Everything that you see today, didn’t start today!
If you are going to have a tomorrow with God, start with Him today! Start with Him today! Lift up your hands, say Father, in the name of Jesus, I come before you today, I receive Your help. I receive Your grace to live for You, to do Your will! Help me Lord to understand Your purpose for my life and to live in your purpose for my life! I receive that grace now
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