SOME PARENTS TELL THEIR CHILDREN “YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. I HAVE LABOURED FOR YOU.” WHAT A ‘YEYE’ STATEMENT
SOME YOUTHS ARE JUST EYEING
WHAT THEIR PARENTS HAVE AND WISH THAT THEY DIE SOMEDAY SO THAT THEY CAN INHERIT IT.
WEALTH GOTTEN BY VANITY SHALL DIMINISH.
INHERITANCE WILL NEVER GIVE ANYBODY A PLACE IN DESTINY. SUCCESS AND IMPACT ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE
DON’T SELL OFF YOUR DESTINY, IT IS TOO PRECIOUS. ACTIVITY IS NOT GOING TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR SANCTIFICATION
LIVING IN WORLDLY PLEASURE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE TRUTH MAKES A DEAD BELIEVER.
MOST CRISES THAT BELIEVERS SUFFER TODAY CAN BE TRACEABLE TO SPIRITUAL SLUMBER
PEOPLE ARE WALKING OUT OF DRUGS BY THE POWER OF GOD AND YOU (THE BELIEVER) ARE GOING INTO IT? STAY AWAKE!
A SLEEPING STATE IS A DEADLY STATE. EVERY BELIEVER IN A STATE OF SLUMBER IS UNDERTAKING A DEADLY RISK
ACCESS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ENFIRED WORD WILL KEEP ANY BELIEVER AWAKE UNDER ALL SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES
GOD’S WORD CARRIES A MULTIDIMENSIONAL MYSTERY WITHIN IT. IT IS WATER, MILK, WINE, BUTTER AND HONEY
THE END TIME CHURCH IS TAKING THE STAGE GLOBALLY.
NOTHING CAN STOP GOD FROM HAVING HIS WAY AND NOTHING CAN STOP GOD’S AGENDA FROM HAVING ITS WAY.
EVERY BARRIER WILL CRUMBLE ON ITS OWN ACCORD.
I HAVE FOUGHT MANY BATTLES. YOU CAN’T KEEP FIRE IN YOUR BONES AND GO TO SLEEP.
NO MATTER THE ANOINTING ANYBODY MAY CARRY, YOU GO ASLEEP AND YOU ARE A DEAD MAN
THE END TIME ARMY SHALL BE MEN AND WOMEN ON FIRE, NOT RELIGIOUS FOLKS YOU HAVE TO PUSH TO GO TO CHURCH
WE ARE IN THE DAYS OF YOUTHS TAKING THE STAGE BY VIRTUE OF DEPTH AND QUALITY OF THEIR WALK WITH GOD
THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY HAS DESCENDED IN THIS ENDTIME TO WRECK AS MANY DESTINIES AS ARE AVAILABLE
THE HOLY GHOST COMES LIKE THE REFINER’S FIRE TO CLEAR OFF ALL THE DEBRIS IN OUR LIFE SO THAT OUR OFFERINGS CAN BE PLEASANT AND ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD
THE LOVE YOU HAD FOR THE LORD WHEN YOU FIRST MET HIM, IS YOUR FIRST LOVE STILL THERE?
IF ANYBODY CARES TO TURN GENUINELY TO THE LORD, HE WILL WRITE OFF HIS PAST AS IF IT NEVER HAPPENED
– Bishop David Oyedepo on “WAGING WAR AGAINST SPIRITUAL SLUMBER” at AYAC 2023 CONFERENCE || BREAKING NEW GROUNDS || Day 2 Evening Session || 23rd August, 2023 || Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland
Matthew 13:25-28. A sleeping state is a defenceless state. Tonight we will be combating the spirit of slumber. Every captive shall be free from the siege of the spirit of slumber. Church Gist. ‘While men slept…’ he couldn’t do that while they were awake. He showed evil seed into their heart. Therefore, grace to stay awake spiritually all the days of your life, receive it!
WAGING WAR AGAINST SPIRITUAL SLUMBER. Isaiah 29:10-12. It’s a world of blindness, of darkness and gloominess by reason of the spirit of slumber. It’s a deadly spirit. Ephesians 5:14. A spiritually sleeping state is defined out there as a deadly state. Church Gist. A sleepy man is helplessly helpless. That’s why we need to be awake tonight as we wage war against spiritual slumber. No one no matter how skillful he may be in driving, if he goes asleep on the steering, calamity is inevitable.
There is a race set before us and a race leaves us with a task to run. You can never imagine winning a price, dozing in a race. Hebrews 12:1-2; Habakkuk 2:1-3. No matter how anointed, sleeping on a steering while driving equals death waiting to happen. In the same vein, every believer in a state of slumber is undertaking a deadly risk. Ephesians 5:14. Most crises that believers suffer today can be traceable to spiritual slumber. Church Gist. Matthew 13:24-26. We must therefore stay awake spiritually to drive safe on the highway of life. If you are sleepy in identifying who to marry based on biblical standards, you have registered for accidents. Stay awake! With your eyes closed you just move into a place that God has not ordained you to go, it becomes an uphill task. 2 Samuel 7:10. One wrong step can wreck a whole destiny.
People are walking out of drugs by the power of God and you are going into it? – stay awake! I’ve never seen one responsible person on drugs in my life and they know they are not too. Church Gist. Why invest your time, resources, in what does not profit anybody? Even unbelievers who are sound in their decision making don’t go into it. A sleeping state is a deadly state.
Now we have a long list of giants of faith that went asleep in their walk with God at one point or another and had to pay very dearly for it. Church Gist. Some never made it. Access and engagement with the enfired Word will keep any believer awake under all situations and circumstances. Jeremiah 20:9. You can’t carry fire in your bones and go asleep. Jeremiah 23:29.
God’s Word carries a multidimensional mystery within it. Isaiah 55:1-2. The Word is water for our refreshing and milk for our growth. Isaiah 55:1. It is wine to keep us intoxicated in our pursuit of God. It is butter and honey to help us make sound decisions in life. Church Gist. Isaiah 7:14-15. Psalm 119:105. Like I said, it is the fire of God that keeps us going in season and out of season. This fire of the Word is the answer to the spirit of slumber. You encounter the fire of the Word, it keeps you going like a roller coaster – unstoppable. No stopping, no parking, you just keep going.
I remember finding myself in that village when I was 19 and I said, which Church is in this town? They said, none. Church Gist. I knelt down (that’s not my business – I was going to be there for 72 days), “Jesus, see that I do not leave this village the way I met it.” Come on say, Fire!
– May you encounter such fire tonight!
Have I ever needed encouragement once? I can tell you I have fought many battles. You can’t keep fire in your bones and go to sleep. We have been in the realm of the water and the milk and the honey and the light, it is time to step up into the realm of the enfired Word. When that Word comes, it sets you in motion. Hear this: and the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me. What is that Spirit? The Holy Ghost and fire. It always sets people upon their feet. No matter how anointed you are for sleep, when you are on your feet sleeping is overcome. Church Gist. You have to lie down horizontally for sleep to have a hold on your life. The enfired Word keeps you on your feet. This baptism of fire keeps you on your feet, it keeps you going. It is amazing. How much will God give the Holy Ghost to them that ask Him? So you can ask God “Lord, as I get into your Word give me an encounter with the enfired Word. I want an encounter with the Holy Ghost fired Word”. Luke 11:13.
Jesus is the rod of God. Leviticus 6:12-13. God’s Word is wood and the Holy Ghost is fire. When the fire of the Holy Ghost broods on the Word, fires it into you, it gets into your bones. I said see the Word as the wood because Jesus is the rod of God. The rod is a dry stuff. See the Holy Ghost as the fire of God. When the Holy Ghost broods on the wood of the Word, fire erupts. Church Gist. As that fire is fired down into your heart, it goes into your bones to keep you awake. It is your turn. You will never tell the story in your life of when you used to be on God’s side. No one among us here will end up in regrets by getting on fire for God, the principal prescription for staying awake. Stay on fire by the enfired Word and you stay awake.
Watch the following giants and how they became victims of the spirit of slumber.
Delilah made Samson sleep on her lap and turned that giant into a toy in the hands of his enemies. Which led to his shameful death. One man General of Israel, he will fight a war alone and win. Church Gist. He was an impossible enemy to all the adversaries of God’s people. In a sleepy state, he crashed like a pack of cards. It has left many wounded and has slain many. Stay awake. Judges 16:1-21.
The next example was Saul the king, who fell into a deep sleep on the war front. David and his men got to the cave where this giant was sleeping, cut the skirt of his robe. He led 3,000 men into the front, all of them were asleep. David cut the skirt of his robe and said to him “Live long oh King, The Lord delivered you into my hand tonight but I spared you. Church Gist. Why are you listening to people that say I am against you? I had the power to kill you but I restrained myself”. A sleepy state is a deadly state. 3000 men slept, they were to lose their captain but the mercy of God at work in David. 1 Samuel 24:11-12.
David must have been spiritually asleep when Bathsheba caught his attention. Remember David maintained a schedule of three times of prayer a day and seven times of praise but he took a vacation from those and was walking lazily on the top of his house and he saw a woman having a bath, he was asleep. Church Gist. That was the blemish on his legacy. 1 Kings 15:5. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord except the case of Bathsheba, a spot, a blemish in a sleepy state.
Come down to Solomon. He lost all his brain. Because in the hand of a whorish woman a man is a piece of paper. Paper has no brain, he lost all the endowments of God to a sleepy state. He went after strange women and they turned his heart from God. The man who prayed down the glory in the temple was crawling before a shrine. He went to sleep. No matter the anointing anybody may carry, you go asleep and you are a dead man. God raised adversaries against Solomon for the rest of his life. The man of peace began to fight war and war. Staying awake is not to the benefit of anybody but to your benefit. Church Gist. Staying awake is not anybody else’s benefit but your benefit. We saw the pacesetters, record breakers in Joel 2:1-3. End time army. Can you imagine any bold lion walking into fire? They will silence all the forces of hell without stress. The strongest lion will burn into ashes if he dares fire. When he sees fire he knows he can’t go there. Men on fire, they say the unsayable, they think the unthinkable. Fire has no consideration of barriers, it just keeps burning. May each one begin to experience a genuine encounter with the enfired Word.
John came as a burning and shining light. Not an electronic small fire that people put in the room, it is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29. John 1:1. The Word is a consuming fire. The fire of the Word is a consuming fire, it consumes every barrier on the path of a man to secure his place. The end time army shall be men and women on fire, not religious folks you have to push to go to church, young people trekking after 6:30 coming to the service, what will you do when you are old? You are just trekking, no Bible no note. Church Gist. Young people, where are you going? You leave the meeting and you can’t even tell what was said. You can’t treat God’s Word with levity and expect to return with dignity. No! Again the good news is the church is taking the stage. The end time Church is taking the stage globally. Every barrier will crumble on its own accord. Nothing can stop God from having his way and nothing can stop God’s agenda from having its way. In the precious name of Jesus, no one here shall be left out. You shall not be left out. Solomon lost it all.
Then we have Demas, an associate of Paul, who fell into the trap of the love of this world in his sleepy state. He lost his place in ministry haven loved this present world. Church Gist. Whosoever loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The things of this world will pass away but he that doeth the will of the Father abides forever. May tonight mark the end of spiritual slumber in your life.
1 Timothy 4:1-2. We are in those last days where people speak to please you so as to trap you. You can’t catch a rat without putting a bait. With enticing words of man’s wisdom – ‘what you do does not matter; God just loves you anyhow. Once you’re saved you’re saved. Only your body can commit sin, your spirit cannot commit sin.’ Caution!!! Hebrews 12:4. What you don’t resist has a right to remain. Church Gist. ‘Resist the devil and his works and he will flee from you’ but they want you to be comfortable and be a good pastor. ‘Well, the grace of God covers the sins of the past, the present and the future. You don’t need to do anything, you are God’s righteousness.’ Remember, the same one that made you righteous made you rich; why must you give to experience his riches? Why? I have these provisions for you and these are the conditions to realize them – there are conditions. 1 John 3:7; 1 Corinthians 6:9 listed what it means by unrighteousness; so it is not something fabricated.
This is the most fertile season of your life. This is the foundational days of your life. If you sell your birthright you bite your finger – God forbid! Can I have you say, I forbid – because the choice is yours. Church Gist. When Holy Ghost comes, he comes like the refiner’s fire to clear off all the debris in our life so that our offerings can be pleasant and acceptable unto God. Malachi 3:1-5. He is the refiner’s fire and when that fire gets into you it burns off the chaff of your life.
You know the good news? This end time the Word says, ‘and a child shall lead them…’ Isaiah 11:6. We are in the days of youths taking the stage by virtue of depth and quality of their walk with God. 1 Timothy 4:12. Church Gist. You can’t be a ruffian and expect them to consider you for anything. So it will be young men and women who are exemplary believers that will rule. You have the opportunity if you will choose to be. The good news is: no one here will end his life in regret!
1 John 2:14. You are in your era of encounters with revelations in all its dimensions including the enfirement of the Word. You are in your era of overcoming the challenges that wreck destinies. 1 John 2:15-17. So it’s your choice to make. Scripture further states the perilous times shall arise in the end time: 2 Timothy 3:1-2. Why? Church Gist. Because the mystery of iniquity has descended to wreck as many destinies as are available. The parents of many don’t mean anything to them. They are just like, “Hey – what’s the matter? Where are you going? – Why are you asking me?” Okay, who are you? Who brought you there by grace? Did you send yourself to school? 99.9 per cent of you were sent to school. Young ladies you are asking your mother, ‘is my food ready?’ how? She’s now your cook? All these things they are traces of the end time saga. They are there to cut short great destinies. Your destiny will not be cut short. 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
We have these prophetic warnings contained in Revelation 2:2-3 which represents the spiritual state of the Church from God’s view and what the Church needs to do to come out of them. Romans 15:4. Let’s check the prophetic warnings to these 7 Churches of Asia. Please note that in the last days according to the Word, iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Church Gist. The 7 Churches of Asia as contained in the book of Revelation chapters 2 and 3 is a picture of the characteristics of the endtime Church. There was a pertinent call on the Churches to repent of their sins to avoid calamities. Now let’s look at the following warnings:
– The Church of Ephesus: Revelation 2:4-5. Question: is your first love still there? When you first met the Lord (for those of us who have really met the Lord), the first love you had for God, you were stepping out for him with all zeal and zest; is it still there? Revelation 2:5.
– The Church of Smyrna was plagued with ignorance. Revelation 2:9. But you don’t know what is invested into you. You have not come to realize your worth in Redemption. Church Gist. It is the reason behind your afflictions, poverty, plagues. Hosea 4:6; Isaiah 5:1-13. Ignorance is a disease.
– The Church of Pergamos: Revelation 2:12, 16.
– The Church of Thyatira: Revelation 2:21. I remember God saying, these ten times you have provoked me, I won’t take it again. So God is counting. Church Gist. But if anybody cares to turn genuinely he will write off his past as if it never happened.
Ezekiel 18:21-24. He will write off his past as if it never happened. So everybody has the opportunity but within the space of time. We saw how Esau sought with tears but found no room for repentance, time has lapsed. Maybe Somebody’s own is number 10, remaining one and you are hearing this Word today. Jesus rescue me, I can’t continue like this. I don’t want the time to run out on me, Jesus. Church Gist. You remember Judas repented but it was too late. He cast the money down in tears but they refused to accept it. He took the money and bought a place for burying people. He repented too late. Don’t sell off your destiny, it is too precious. Activity is not going to be a substitute for sanctification. No! In the precious name of Jesus, today must mark the end of toying with your destiny.
Revelation 2:16. For those who by grace are experiencing a right standing and right living with God, grace to hold fast till He comes, receive it now. Grace to hold fast so that no man take your crown, receive it now. Revelation 3:7-13, verse 11 in particular. Revelation 3:1-6. 1 Timothy 5:6. Church Gist. She that lives in worldly pleasure is dead why yet he lives. You have a name for being alive but you are dead. What is it about? Living in worldly pleasure at the expense of the truth makes a dead believer. Somebody’s story has just changed, you will never be listed among the dead any more.
Then the Laodicean Church, a Church of self-conceited people. Revelation 3:17-19. This applies to us here very specially because by the grace of God, most of our parents have scaled heights here and there. Some youths are just eyeing what their parents have and wish that they die someday so that they can inherit it. Wealth gotten by vanity shall diminish. Proverbs 13:11. Inheritance will never give anybody a place in destiny. Success and impact are not transferable. If your father is a heavyweight wrestling champion, can you take his belt and go to the ring? Why? You say I am the firstborn, I inherited the belt. Church Gist. They challenge you and you say you are ready. When they throw you down, they will gather your parts. You can’t inherit anybody’s accomplishment. Many big names have gone beyond and there is no trace of that greatness anywhere. Even parents are telling their children you don’t have to do anything. I have laboured for you. What a yeye statement. In my place something your father dash you, it doesn’t carry honour, it doesn’t carry glory. Every one of you here you will be far greater than your parents. Because every new generation is an improvement of the other. He said one generation shall serve you to another and declare thy mighty works. The works keep increasing as you commit to serving. It is serving that gives people impact. It is not an inherited something.
When I was 25, I told my old man “When you are dying whatever belongs to me, give it to the others. I don’t need it”. He said why are you saying that. That is what I feel like saying, I will not need it. Church Gist. It is time to wake up and take responsibility. Somebody’s story has just changed, if you are that one congratulations.
– Every one of you will build houses for your parents. It will be greater than the one they are in right now.
Revelation 3:7-13. If you know the worth of the riches I have in store for you, you will know that you are poor now. Church Gist. If you know the enviable future I have for you, you will know that you are not anywhere yet and you can’t be there by strength. Just follow me and you will get there.
When you encounter the enfired Word, it empowers you to occupy till He comes and when you do your level keeps changing from one level of glory to another. He gave them ten talents, a talent per servant. They came back and one had made ten more, he gave him authority over ten cities. Church Gist. The other one made five and he gave them authority over five cities and he went away. He is coming back again. If you will care to occupy till He comes your level will not stop changing from glory to glory. You never suffer stagnation in your life.
That my son sent about 50 applications to 50 organizations and he heard me say there is nothing in doing nothing. He used 3,000 to start a laundry business and under one year… Just stay awake, opportunities abound to keep you productively awake, if you will care to stay awake. One of our young graduates at Covenant University after we concluded the TTG program, she came and met me by the car and said “Sir, this is what I do for business. I just pray it will size you.” I said I will force it. The packaging if they said they brought it in from the U.K. you won’t doubt it. Excellent spirit! Church Gist. You can’t be found on your mummy’s lap, doing what? Occupy till I come and I won’t stop changing your levels. Engage productively, you won’t be stagnated for once. From that little laundry business, you can’t tell what will come out from it. They are now making investments, it has started. That my little daughter is making shoes and she knows I wear white so she made white for me. She is just finishing and she has started a business. Would she need a job from anywhere? No! She has created one. She can’t do that business alone, she must have one or two people that will join her in doing it. None of you will be stranded in life.
Occupy till I come also implies keep serving me truthfully, faithfully and consistently, tirelessly, I won’t stop changing your level. He doesn’t lie. Numbers 23:19. Church Gist. It is your turn at last. May this enfired Word find a place in your life and may it keep you going for life. Give God thanks for the encounter of tonight.
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