THE WOMAN WHO LED ME TO CHRIST LED MANY YOUNG PEOPLE TO CHRIST DURING HER MISSION IN THIS NATION.
MANY OF SUCH CONVERTS ARE VERITABLE VESSELS IN THE HAND OF GOD TODAY.
SHE NEVER WOULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT SUCH THINGS COULD HAPPEN THROUGH THOSE LITTLE BOYS.
YOU CAN’T TELL WHETHER THE PERSON YOU ARE LEADING TO CHRIST WILL BE A PETER TOMORROW.
THE CHURCH IS THE SAFEST PLACE UNDER THE SUN, IT IS GOD’S CITY OF REFUGE
I BEGAN MENTORING OVER 8,000 PEOPLE IN ONE YEAR AGAINST 300 ONLY AFTER I GOT THE MESSAGE OF BLESSING FROM THE LORD
WISDOM IS WHAT DEFINES THE ORDER OF RESULTS YOU COMMAND ON THE HARVEST FIELD. IT TAKES DIVINELY INSPIRED INSIGHTS, IDEAS, TO SEE SOULS COME TO THE KINGDOM
AGGRESSIVE MARKETING IS KEY TO MAKING GREAT SALES AND SO IT IS WITH SOUL WINNING
WHAT GOD REWARDS IS RESULTS NOT EFFORT. AIM AT RESULTS AND MAKE DEMANDS FOR IT
IT TAKES NOT BEING ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND GENUINE LOVE FOR GOD TO KEEP GOING AFTER SOULS IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON.
OUR GREATEST HELP IN THE TASK OF SOUL WINNING IS THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE IS THE ONE BEHIND EXPLOSIVE CHURCH GROWTH
STARS IN THE WORLD ARE STARS FOR A SEASON.
PARTICULARLY IN SPORTS, A STAR IN THE LAST OLYMPICS DOES NOT MEAN A STAR IN THIS OLYMPICS.
GOD-MADE STARS WHO KEEP DOING WHAT MADE THEM STARS WILL BE STARS FOREVER.
IN THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE CHURCH LIES THE ELEVATION OF ALL ENGAGING BELIEVERS.
NOTHING ENTHRONES LIKE WISDOM IN THE KINGDOM AND SOUL WINNING MAKES WISE
TESTIMONIES CAME FROM THE FIRST IN THE SERIES OF SPECIAL HEALING MIRACLE SERVICE
THERE IS NOTHING GOD COMMANDS THAT DOES NOT ENJOY HIS BACKING.
THE SPECIAL MIRACLE SERVICE WILL NOW HOLD AT THE FAITH TABERNACLE
DOING THE WILL OF GOD IS THE LAST STEP INTO ETERNAL GLORY.
– Bishop David Oyedepo on ‘WHY THIS UNENDING DRIVE OR CRAVE FOR CHURCH GROWTH? 3’ at LFC 21 Days Annual Prayer and Fasting || Day Seventeen || LFC Worldwide ||
My desire is that anytime we come before the Lord we engage with our heart. Jeremiah 29:13. Church Gist. While the words that we speak are very important, the state of our hearts is far more important.
Lord Jesus, we are here again trusting you to reach out to us by your Word. Church Gist. Do it for each one of us tonight whether on ground here or online around the world in Jesus’ precious name.
WHY THIS UNENDING DRIVE OR CRAVE FOR CHURCH GROWTH?
1 Peter 3:15. We are expected to have reasons for whatever steps we are taking in life, whatever thing we are driving at. We are required to have reasons for it. Church Gist. Church Gist. We are not dogmas. For everything, there is a time and a purpose. Why this unending crave for Church growth? What is behind it?
1. Explosive church growth is God’s agenda for the end time Church.
Micah 4:1-2. The law shall go forth out of Zion! The Church will be in command. It will humble the pride of the world. Come oh, let’s put pride aside and go to the house of Jacob so He will teach us His ways. These people are causing waves, let’s go find out what they are doing. Zechariah 2:4-5. These are pointers to heaven’s agenda for the Church of Christ. Church Gist. Zephaniah 3:17-20. That is what causes the attraction in Micah 4, it is the awesome change of story among God’s people that humbles the proud among them and makes them start looking for the God who is changing their story so He can change theirs too.
Why are we in it? It is in pursuit of God’s end-time agenda for His Church. Acts 2:17. The last days began on the day of Pentecost. The last days began in the Upper Room. Church Gist. That’s quite some time. So we might be towards the end of the last days and that is what is behind the massive gathering of saints today around the world.
No Church grows without a people on the go. The last days’ explosive church growth was stirred by the Holy Spirit, stirring men and women to go forth as witnesses for Christ. Acts 1:8. It came to turn us into effective witnesses to execute His last days’ agenda for the Church. John 15:16. We saw that illustrated in the story of the Samaritan woman. John 4:29, 39. A rough illustration of His agenda for explosive church growth. Church Gist. Someone has to tell another to come and see to have new people come to Church for their salvation, deliverance and breakthrough. Whether you are preaching to them on the field or you are inviting them to Church, you are witnessing Jesus. Come see a man who has changed my life. Come see a man who blasted the siege of depression in my life. Come see a man who changed my story. Come see a man who destroyed every deadly habit in my life. Come see a man that healed my body. John 1:40-42. You can’t tell whether the person you are bringing will be a Peter tomorrow. The woman who led me to Christ led quite many young people to Christ during her mission in this nation. She never knew, we were all small boys but she was all out to demonstrate the love of God in bringing us to Christ. Many of such sons because it was a Boys’ School, are veritable vessels in the hand of God today. She never could imagine that such things could happen. You can’t tell who you are bringing in. John 1:45-49.
Someone had to say come and see before they will come. That is why God’s house cannot be filled without His people going out to compel others to come. Luke 14:23. We can’t sit and wait for the house to be filled. We have to play our part in going out to tell others to come and see. To compel them through divinely inspired strategies to bring them to Christ. Revelation 22:17-18. Whosoever wills, let him come. Go tell them in heaven that everything in this book is settled in heaven forever. Church Gist. Go tell them that God is changing lives here. Go tell them that this is the safest place under the sun. The Church is God’s city of refuge. You take cover in there and you are unreachable by the wickedness of the wicked. Let him that is depressed, oppressed, disenchanted, in dispel, let him come. It is free.
As we all know, no product, the quality not withstanding, sells without engaging relevant marketing strategies. Proverbs 21:22. I grew to know Coca-Cola; Coca-Cola is still there. As things are changing they are changing strategies – to remain in the forefront. When you won’t take their drink, they give you sugar free Coke. Church Gist. You’re tired of that they give you Coca-Cola water; it’s Cola water. They’re just on top per second of the needs of the market. Proverbs 21:22. The wise man takes over by wisdom which implies discretion, creativity, innovation. Proverbs 24:3-5; Proverbs 11:30. It takes divinely inspired insights, ideas, to see souls come to the Kingdom. 1 Corinthians 9:20-22.
A man met me on the field one time, he said, “believe me, I don’t know you speak Yoruba at all.” I said, “I don’t, I’m a foreigner.” (Laughs) They can’t hear what I’m saying except I say it the way they understand it. I can’t tie coat on my neck and start to go into … (the harvest field) They will think I’m a sanitary inspector and run away from me. I have to wear what they wear and speak what they speak to get their attention. Church Gist. There is no end to developing strategies to reach out to the lost. That’s why we must pray, “Lord, show me a better way of doing these things so I can get better results.” Proverbs 1:5. There are better ways of doing things. Proverbs 9:9. The depth of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, are unsearchable. Don’t sit down in one corner and think that you’ve gotten it all; you haven’t got it all. Romans 11:33.
I’ve been asking God for quite some time on better ways of doing these things, better ways to getting better results and I can tell you, He has answered me on the next level. Praise God! James 4:1-2. The same energy you used in getting 10, you can get 20 with it, with a better approach. Church Gist. The same energy you expend in getting a hundred, you can get a thousand – with a better approach. Proverbs 11:30. Wisdom is what defines the order of results you command on the harvest field. It’s not just “gburugburu” – “what is the best way to go?”
When the Lord gave me the message of Blessing, before that year I was mentoring only about 300 people in a whole year. Not that all of them were established, some disappeared. But the time He showed me that, it grew to 8,000 plus within the same period of one year. If you’re not willing to review your approach, you cannot improve on your results. Church Gist. What God rewards is results not effort. So, aim at results. What is the best approach to see someone follow me to Church? What is the best approach to see someone come to surrender to Christ?
Aggressive marketing is key to making great sales and so it is with soul winning. 1 Corinthians 9:16-17. You need to meet people that have target to meet in their companies. Their approach is different from people that have no target. You know if you don’t hit this target your job is at stake. So, you practice the marketing at home. You stand before the mirror and organize how it will be said. You put in your voice in your phone and listen to yourself and see whether it will sell – because you have a target to meet. Aggressive marketing is key to making great sales in the market place and so it is with soul winning. Church Gist. Some have no target so there’s no way they can be motivated. They don’t know whether they’re moving forward or moving backwards. But if you have a target that, “look, before the end of June, Jesus help me to see 10 souls saved. Now, Jesus, show me a better way of doing it.” Last year I said so but I didn’t get that much or maybe I didn’t get anything, what is wrong with me? Show me the way to go.” Then you’re talking. It’s so important – if any man lacks wisdom or lacks better ways of doing things, let him ask. We’re not saying you’re not wise – everyone born of God is born of wisdom. Christ the wisdom power of God dwells in you. So we are not saying you’re not wise; we’re saying you can be wiser, in that area you can do better and the way to do it is to make demands for it.
– Nobody will labour in vain this time!
But it takes not being ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to remain on the go because you may have to bear some exciting insults, “get off my friend! You don’t have nothing to do. I know why you’re talking to me, you don’t have a job. Old man if you don’t have anything to do you better go and settle down in your house instead of wasting your mouth on the street.” You will have to bear such things without feeling them. Church Gist. You develop some thick skin against all these things – it doesn’t enter you, as they throw it, you bounce it back. You know football or balloon? They throw it to you, you don’t feel anything. It goes back to wherever it came from. It can’t stick to you. Have you seen balloon stick to somebody? So, see those insults as balloons. You say, “ah, I think something touched me, what is it?” It’s gone – can’t feel it.
Mark 8:38; Hebrews 13:13. More often than not, the glory comes after the mockery. They spat on his face, they called him all kinds of names, today, He is on the right side of the Most High in eternal glory. As they mock you, you have committed God to make you – no reaction.
It also takes genuine love for God to keep going after souls in season and out of season. Anything may fail, but love never fails. If you’re in love you don’t get to a point where you say, “I think I’ve done enough.” Love keeps driving you, keeps you going. You’re not deceived by results, the ultimate result is waiting – you’re very much more interested in that than anything that may be happening right now. Church Gist. Romans 8:35-39. Paul couldn’t be separated from the love of God and till his old age, he was witnessing Christ. Romans 8:35-39. Nothing could drown his love for Christ. Acts 26:22; Philemon 1:9. When Paul was about to go, he told Timothy, “2 Timothy 4:2-5”
– May we all be effective witnesses of Christ till the end of time!
Our greatest help in this task is the Holy Spirit. He is the Lord of the Harvest. He came down in Acts 2, he drafted multitudes into the Kingdom. Acts 3 he showed up with a sign and a wonder at the Beautiful Gate and 5,000 responded in Acts 4:4 through that miracle. Acts 5, multitude of men and women were added to the Church. Acts 6 the number of the disciples multiplied greatly. Now what we call the Acts of the Apostles, they are just the acts of the Apostles – how they manifested, how they operated as the Holy Ghost came on them. Church Gist. So he is the one behind explosive Church growth. We cannot experience explosive Church growth without him. Luke 11:13. Why don’t you ask him? He is available but will only manifest on demand. Luke 11:13. “Holy Spirit, I need you. My target will be a balloon target without you. It is you that convicts and converts.” No smart speech can save a soul. “Holy Spirit, show me the way to go, show me the steps to take, give me the words to speak and confirm your word in my life. Help me to deliver my target.”
It is important for us to be sure, we don’t keep fighting as one beating the air. Let’s define our targets with faith in God for delivery. Church Gist. No assumptions! It will be a year of wonders in all respects.
Note that in the multiplication of the Church lies the elevation of all engaging believers. Proverbs 11:30. Romans 8:15-16. Wisdom is what enthrones, nothing enthrones like wisdom in the Kingdom and soul winning makes wise. Proverbs 13:20. In soul winning you are in partnership with Jesus, the wisdom and the power of God. Church Gist. You are walking with Him, you get wiser. That wisdom translates to practical enthronement on the earth. Daniel 12:3. Stars in the world are stars for a season. Particularly in sports. A star in the last Olympics does not mean a star in this Olympics. God made stars who keep doing what made them stars will be stars forever. That’s you in the name of Jesus.
Jeremiah 30:19-21. As you engage your heart, He changes your status. You begin to experience divine elevation, divine upward movement. It turns nobles out of men and women without identities. It turns captains out of riffraffs. In the multiplication of the Church lies the elevation of all engaging believers. Not one is left out. Luke 19:13-17. Church Gist. As you engage in adding value to his core business on the earth, the only business He has is to see men brought out of darkness into light. As you add value to that, He begins to elevate you and me. Your year of elevation is here.
It is impossible to be found in the same place by the end of this year. Before the half of this year is over, somebody’s story has changed to the point of tears and I mean tears of joy. Church Gist. It is time to reposition so that no man will take your crown.
If you check properly, every dramatic change of story we have ever heard here stems out from a spiritual repositioning. Without that, we are swimming against the tide. To be spiritually minded is life and peace; to be carnally minded is death. Church Gist. “Jesus, may the light I’ve been encountering since this 21 days of prayer and fasting began set the pace for my future. Engrace me to walk in those lights.” Light has no value except you walk in it.
Doing the will of God is the last step into eternal glory. Jesus said, “nevertheless not my will but thy will be done” and he stepped into eternal glory. Church Gist. The same grace upon Christ that placed him on that track of doing the will of God as his meat, John 4:34, utmost delight – that’s the meaning. When you’re hungry and you see food, there is a well of joy that comes out of you. Delight! “Lord, let doing your will become my meat.”
——–COMMUNION——
The first in the series of special Healing Miracle Service took place last Sunday. It was an awesome experience. Someone here was deaf and dumb for 26 years, Jesus loosed him. He was hearing perfectly and speaking perfectly to the glory of God. It has started happening. Church Gist. I heard a testimony online: someone could not retain food because of some challenge in her health and while the message was going on online, hunger started on the inside; descended on food as soon as the program was over and has been eating perfectly since that time.
So for all of us who are hearing and God has touched or God did touch you in that service, send your testimonies online, we want to share with others so it can strengthen their faith. There is nothing God commands that does not enjoy his backing. God commanded it, as the Lord lives, sickness shall be humiliated in our midst this time! Church Gist. Humbling testimonies that were gathered last Sunday to the glory of God. He is still the Master Healer, the Great Physician. He has never changed, still heals all manner of sickness and disease and as the Lord lives, He has come down to visit us. He will wipe away sickness and disease in our camp.
Now because of the multitudes that gathered outside and inside, the Special Miracle Service will now hold at the Faith Tabernacle. We use the Faith entrance as the main bowl while Grace and Glory will support the arms because there is no stepping carrying people that are on the wheelchair to come through. Church Gist. The first 6 rows on those other lines for those who came through that place will be left for them. Jesus is Lord!
Good news! Next Friday as our custom is will be our Special Breakthrough Night and it’s called, “One Night with the King.” Church Gist. A night of encounter with favour that will keep you and I flying all through 2024. Don’t miss that for anything, do all you can to be a partaker of it. Time is 10pm.
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