Reflection on Luke 9 and Prayer

Please turn your Bible with me to Luke chapter number 9, and I will begin to read from verse number 10. Luke chapter number 9, I'll begin to read from verse number 10. He reads, and I quote, And the apostles, when they returned, told him all that he had done. Then he took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. But when the multitudes knew it, they followed him, and he received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who had need of healing. When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to him, send the multitude away. that they may go into the surrounding towns and country and lodge and get provisions for we are in a deserted place here but he said to them you give them something to eat and they said we have no more than five loaves and two fish unless we go and buy food for all these people For there were about five thousand men. Then he said to his disciples, make them sit down in groups of fifty. And they did so and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate. Read that verse with me. Verse 17, ready, read. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them. How many people were fed? I want you to talk. Say it loud. How many of them were filled? All of them. And they had how many baskets left? Twelve baskets. I figured out that Jesus would ask that each apostle should carry a basket to follow the boy that donated the two loaves or five loaves and two fish to go deliver to the parents. Because when you sow, there is harvest. I can figure that out. But something happened that I want you to learn from and be able to thank God for your presence here tonight. In verse number 18, ready, read. And it happened as he was alone praying that his disciples joined him. And he has them saying, who did the crowd say that I am? When you read that in Matthew 16, it says, who do men say that I am? He just fed 5,000 people. They were all filled. And he was alone praying. And only his disciples gathered to him and he was asking them, do they think I'm here to just supply bread and fish? It's so easy to distinguish the church from the crowd when you call for prayers. Stand to your feet and thank God that you are here tonight. It takes disciples to praise unto God. It takes disciples to praise unto God, to get to know what God is saying. And he asked them the question. Who do the crowd say that I am? We must not confuse the crowd with the church. It takes disciples to present, to present, to present, to present in the mighty name of Jesus. Lord, we thank you for our gathering together is unto you tonight. Just as Pastor Ike prayed, it's not an accident you call for this meeting. And when you call for a special meeting like this, you have certain plans to carry out. There's a purpose in your mind behind it. I pray that those who are here listening and those who are lying, no one will miss any tangible thing in the name of Jesus Christ, in the mighty name of Jesus. How many of you realize it's December 1? I'm not sure. When did we gather here on January 1 to say Happy New Year? It is... What today? The first day... of the last month of the year 2021. Say to your neighbor, happy new month. I can't hear you. I say happy new month to you all. And as you are standing on your feet, I'm going to pray in line with Psalm 65 verses 5 and 11. You're going to pray along with me. We are going to read it together. Psalm 65 verses 5 and 11. Ready? Read. By awesome deeds in righteousness, you will answer us. O God of our salvation, you are the confidence of all the ends of the earth and of the fire of seas. Verse number 11. You crown the year with your goodness and your parts drip with abundance. How did he crown the year? How does he crown the year? You crown the year with your goodness. The book of Romans chapter 2 verse number 4. Contains one of the true riches of God. That no earthly wealth can match. Remember I said to them. If you are unfaithful in unrighteous moment. Who is going to commit to your hands the true riches? This is one of the true riches of God. Romans 2 verse number 4. Or do you despise the riches of his goodness? Forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance. This true riches of God is called the riches of his goodness. His forbearance and longsuffering toward us, which lead us ultimately to repentance from our wayward ways. I want you to thank God for his faithfulness tonight, for his mercies and for his grace toward you. That despite all that had happened from January 1 to November 30 up till this day, all that had happened, we are still standing before God today. This is the mercy of God in action. This is the mercy. His long-suffering toward us, his mercies, his grace. We thank you, Father. We bless you, Lord. We give you all the glory and all the praise and all the adoration, but for you will not be here today. The enemy thought the end had come, but we bounce back. We're still standing. Thank you for the riches of your goodness. We bless you. We bless you. We bless you. Lord, I stand in my office and I pronounce, proclaim, and declare that your almighty God will crown your people's year with your goodness. And may your path drip with abundance for every one of them. In the mighty name of Jesus and the people said, Amen. You may be seated in his presence. Good evening. God bless you. Amen. Say to your neighbor, peace to you. Peace to your house. Peace to all that you have. And peace to our beloved nation, Nigeria. Amen. Welcome to day one of our solemn assembly. Amen. If you have been part of our Reason Prayer Clinic series, you will realize that for several weeks, We've been preparing, we have been preparing for this special day and this special season. I'm so glad that you're physically present here today. And so am I glad for our online community. I am very confident in God that you will all be changed. I want those who that applies to, to say amen, not everybody. I'm very confident in God that you'll all be changed, you'll be completely transformed, and you too will be glad that you participate in this very solemn assembly. In the name of Jesus, people of God, welcome to my prayer closet. Is that all? Oh, hallelujah. Welcome to my prayer closet. In this opening night, we will commence with just some opening remarks. I call these remarks a peep, a peep into my prayer closet, just a peep. It's like you're coming to my house and I'm meeting you at the door and there's a little porch there, we call it glass house, and we are talking there, you don't know everything that is in the house. But you can take a peep. For example, if you say you want to use the bathroom, in that glass house, there is no bathroom there. I will have to open the main living room or the first living room, and you go in there to use the toilet. So tonight we are just taking a peep. Tomorrow, it's Thursday, and then Friday, we'll deal with a major, major roadblock to answer prayers. When you listen to the people, we'll clear that mess, and on Saturday we'll deal with all the governing rules of my prayer closet. Between now and Saturday, it will be clear to you what a prayer closet should look like. I can hear your amen. Hallelujah. Please turn your Bible with me to Matthew chapter 6. Verse number six in the King James Version of the Bible, Matthew 6, 6. Don't mind the old English. I want you to read it with me. Ready? Read. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret. shall reward you openly. Enter into your closet. The word closet in this context simply means a small private chamber as for study or prayer. A small private chamber where you study or pray. Merriam-Webster defines closet as closely private. Closely private. It further states, walking in or suited to the closet as a place of seclusion or study. Further states, an apartment or small room for privacy, like a monarch's... or official's private chamber, or place of retreat or privacy. Based on this definition, a prayer closet, therefore, is suitable for either an individual or just for a family. But let's go to the New King James Version. The word closet is translated there to the word room. Ready? Read. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Do they mean the same thing? I can't hear you. The translation to the room gives an ample opportunity not just for one person or just a unit of a family, but to more people. The significance of this interpretation is that the prayer room can be for an individual, a family, or a company of people such as those in the upper room after the Lord's ascension. In Acts 1, 12 to 14, I want to make this clear. You are getting some glimpses. You are not there yet. Just a peep. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. And when they had entered, they went up into where? The upper room where they were staying, Peter, James, and all the names, son of James, go on. These all continue with... One accord in prayer and supplication with the women. and married the mother of Jesus and with his brothers. Can you imagine how many people were there? All the twelve were there. Women, we are not told how many. The brothers of Jesus, I think there are about three of them. I think his brothers are with us. Jude, another James, and one, and then the sisters. So it's not a room, a tiny room. It's called the upper room and you see it further in Acts 2 1 to 4. When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting and there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire and sat upon each of them is enough to say it's not just one person there by the time you go to acts of the apostle chapter 4 you remember after the lame man at the gate called beautifully was healed there was commotion when they saw the boldness of peter and john they took knowledge they have been with jesus and then they restrained them and forbid them not to teach or preach in the name of jesus But the Bible says in Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 23 that they went to their own companions and they prayed. They asked God for boldness and what happened? The place where they were shook. It was a place of prayer and they prophesied the Holy Spirit came upon them. So that simply means where they assemble cannot be a cubicle or small room. Are you listening to me? So when you see Rome in the New King James Version, it gives you ample opportunity to say it can be a church hall it can be the upper room but the people must be of one accord to pray to God that a prayer room can be for one or many stems from the fact that when Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's prayer he spoke to more than one person he spoke to many of them they were all around him one said teachers look at Luke chapter 11 you Verse 1, Luke 11 verse 1, Now it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, Okay? He alone was praying in a certain place. When he sees that one of his disciples said to him, how many people said to him? One. One of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples. Was he that one person that was there? How do you know? Teach us to pray as John the Baptist taught one of his disciples. To let you see that he spoke not just to one person but to many. You find that answer in verse number 5. Verse 5. Luke 11. And he said to them. Okay. It's not only one person. So, whether in a closet or the large upper room, each person. family or congregation should have a place of intimate prayer to God and dialogue with our God. Can I hear amen? As I prepare for this meeting, I notice a very important heading for Matthew 6, 5 in the message translation of the Bible. If you have that, you can turn it to it. Matthew 6. Verse number five in the message translation of the Bible. What does he say in the heading? Does anybody have the message Bible? What does he say? Pray with simplicity. Can I hear you echo that and say it again? Pray with simplicity. Say it one more time. I'm going to take my time to read Matthew chapter number 6 from verse 5 to 18 in the message translation. Let me come down so I can see this very well. Matthew chapter 6, beginning from vibe. What does he say you must do? Pray with simplicity. You are going to see as we go on that your prayer can become a noise, can become cacophony, but you can pray simply and get terrific answers. Let's read this. And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom. Do you think God sits in a box seat? Here's what I want you to do. Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus, I'll come back to that tonight over and over again. The focus will shift from you to God and you will begin to sense his grace. The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer ignorant. They are full of formulas and programs and advice. I don't know whether I want to advise God. Peddling techniques, forgetting what you want. from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. Can I hear nonsense? Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your father you are dealing with and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Say to your neighbor, pray with simplicity. Don't show off. Showing off is fool's glory. Pray with simplicity. Come the way you are. Tell him as you just naturally, like you are talking to a caring father and pray like this. Our father in heaven, reveal who you are. Hello. When we get to this speed into the prayer closet, you know, you are going to pray tonight. I'm not just teaching. You're going to pray. It's going to remove all the cobwebs from your mind. It's going to remove all the veil that is covering your eyes. You are going to pray to a God who is present. Our Father in heaven, reveal who you are, set the world right, do what is best, as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. I don't eat as many as that anymore. As you grow older, you reduce it to one or two. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil. You are in charge. You can do anything you want. You are blessed in beauty. Yes, in the outer court. Yes, in the holy place. Yes, in the holy... Somebody say yes. Say it loud. Say it again. Say it one more time. And every time you stand before him, it will be yes, yes, yes. Because you know what to say and you know how to pray. In the mighty name of Jesus. This simplicity in prayer brings me to four notable truths about the prayer closet. Four notable truths about the prayer closet. May I share them with you? You're not interested. You don't want a peep. You just want to enter the room. You can't. Take it easy. You will enter later by Saturday. Just follow me simply, okay? That's why these four days are located to my prayer closet. And in any event, it's not your prayer closet, it's mine. Okay, may I share them with you? Number one, the prayer in the closet is directed to our Father who is in the secret place. Is anybody listening to me? When you enter your closet and you begin to pray, who are you praying to? Our Father who is in the secret place. Give me Matthew 6, 6 again. Let's see it in the Bible. But you, when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place. The emphasis on the father who is in the secret place is to let you be conscious or aware that such prayer is made in the presence of God. Hello. That when you are praying to your father who is in the secret place is because you are conscious of the presence of God. So where are you bringing this from? Come with me to Psalm 91 and look at the heading of Psalm 91 verse 1. Look at the heading there. What does it say? Psalm 91 verse 1. It says, safety of abiding in the presence of God. Safety of abiding in the presence of God. And when you read verse 1, it says, He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. The prayer in the closet is directed to our Father who is in the secret place. That simply means when you step into the place of prayer, you are conscious of the presence of God. You are very conscious of the presence of God. Number two, if we are all conscious of God's presence in our prayer closet, our prayer focus will definitely change. That's why we're ending. The message translation is that you will shift from yourself and it will shift to God. If you are conscious of God's presence in your prayer, close center the second notable truth, our prayer focus will definitely change. The focus will shift from just our needs to what God wants done. Thy kingdom come that will be done on earth as it is in heaven. After all, our Father knows the things we have need of before we ask him. The problem with many of us is that when we begin to pray, we are not conscious of His awesome presence at all. We are very conscious of ourselves, walking up and down and praying. We can, with the tangibility of His presence, sometimes do not dawn on us. We do not know that the Lord is present. And therefore, we do everything we want to do. Shout, scream, do everything. Look, be honest with me. I don't want to teach this in isolation. Be honest with me. If I'm sitting in a room and you come to ask me for a thing and I'm present and you can see me there, will you shout? Will you scream? Will you do the things we do? No, be honest with me. I want you to be honest. Do you realize that when you step into the place of prayer, you're not conscious of his presence? You are conscious of you and what you want to present to him. So it's like it's not there. So you are praying to your father who is in the secret place. It simply means you are conscious that the Lord is present. Instead of being conscious of his presence, we are encumbered by our challenges, overwhelmed by our needs, and in all time, we are distracted by the circumstances and situations, especially that we face and the things we see all around us. All of a sudden, you see television. You see prayer. Then your phone rings. Then you grab your phone. Then you quickly answer a text. Does that look like you are... in a dialogue with the Almighty? Let's be honest with ourselves. Don't that happen to you? That's why we need these people. But when you are conscious of his presence, your eyes will see, your ears will hear, your heart will understand what the agenda of heaven is at that moment. Look at 1 Kings chapter 17 and verse 1. And Elijah the Tishbite of the inhabitants of Gilead said to Ahab, As the God of Israel lives before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain this year except at my word. Where did he get this word from? He was standing where? In the presence of God. And God said to him, the cup is full. and shutting down heaven. As the Lord leads me for whom I stand, there shall be no rain nor dew except at my word. Daniel chapter 9 verse 1 to 3. If you can get this tonight, then we can pray meaningfully. You are conscious that it's present. In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Midas, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, I understood by the books, he was reading the book of Jeremiah, I understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet. That he will accomplish 70 years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Then I set my face where? Toward the Lord God. Huh? Who did he set his face to? To the wall. Hello. As he was meditating there, he was conscious of his presence. I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer. and supplications were fasting sackcloth and ashes wow what prayer did he pray was he conscious of god's presence daniel chapter 9 verse 15 daniel 9 15 and he began to pray as he set his face toward god and now oh lord our god who brought your people out of the land of egypt with a mighty hand was he alone in the place of prayer yes he was was he trying to grandstand and to play no it was talking to God. You brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made yourself a name as it is this day. We have sinned. We have done wickedly. Oh Lord, according to all your righteousness, I pray, let your anger and your fury be turned away from your city, Jerusalem, your holy mountain, because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people, I reproach to all those around us. Now, therefore, our God. Hear the prayer of your servant and his supplications and for the Lord's sake cause your face to shine on your sanctuary which is desolate. Oh my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by your name. For we do not present our supplication before you because of our righteousness but because of your great mercies. Wow. Oh Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act. Do not delay for your own sake, my God, for your city and your people are called by your name. If you are not with us, I'm coming back there, just leave it there. If we are not there where Moses was praying to God and he was face to face with God and God said to him, I will wipe them out. There will be no one like them and I will make you another great nation. He said, Lord, if you do that, the hidden will rejoice. Please don't do it. You would have had more Israelites in the world today, not Israelites. He was face to face. He was conscious of his presence. Oh Lord, hear. Oh Lord, forgive. Oh Lord, listen and act. Do not delay for your own sake, my God, for your city and your people are called by your name. Now, while I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people, Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord, my God, for the holy mountain of my... While I was still speaking. Yes! While I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, you see chapter 8, that was when he first encountered him. The man prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly out, swiftly reached me about the time of the evening offering. And he informed me and talked with me and said, Oh, Daniel, I've now come forth to give you skill to understand. Now, without that skill to understand, you'll just be praying blindly. But in his presence, he knows how to connect you. to what is in heaven so that your declaration in prayer and after prayer will be bold, will be extremely bold because you have heard from God. And if you doubt what I'm saying, go check the encounter between Zechariah and the same Gabriel. He said, I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God. And the word that I speak will come to pass in their season. Now to be bold and to make declaration. concerning what seems impossible in this nation, requires being in the presence of God, requires hearing him, requires what he wants to do, and you declare it. And all around you say, now when it happens, they will say, I was discussing with Reverend Sheik Gorshinaga, a man wrote to him, and he said to him, we are waiting for January 1. When nothing happens, we will declare Pastor Bakary a false prophet. I just laughed. I said, did you reply? He said, no. I said, wait, don't worry yourself. Few days after, the man went to his church and his pastor began to declare, God is going to do awesome things before 2022. There's going to be change here. There's going to be change there. And this is going to happen. And that is going to happen. After the service, he went to the pastor. Did you speak with Pastor Vacker? He said, no. Did you hear what he has been saying? Not at all. The Lord just gave me the word today. So he called the man, he said, my pastor is saying what he said. I said, January 1, his pastor will also be a false prophet. If you don't hear, don't condemn those who are hearing. I want you to stand to your feet. You are in his presence. Your ears must be open. Your eyes must be open. Your heart must be open. In the name of Jesus Christ. And suddenly I remember a dream I had about Brother Lada. You remember, sir? I said, please, after this, have you seen me? And I told him the dream. And done. Did anything happen around that time? Has a thing happened at that time? He didn't know. But I was in the prayer closet when I was told. And I shared with him and he said, Pastor, it has happened. It will open your eyes. It will open your ears. You will not perish with the wise men of Babylon. In the mighty name of Jesus. What is the first thing he was conscious of? His presence. And when you are conscious of his presence, your focus shifts. Because heaven will give you the reality of your reality. I'm not sure you got that. Heaven will begin to show you what you consider your reality. It will show you why those things are happening. That's the real reality of your reality. And then you have peace that does not make sense. And people will not understand why you are at this camp. Can I hear amen? Amen. Point number three. Brothers and sisters, not only is the consciousness of God's presence in our prayer closet very needful and important, the reward of our prayer directed to our Father in the secret place is among us. The reward, when you are in His presence, and you allow the Holy Spirit to inspire what you are saying, and you see clearly from heaven's perspective, and you are able to speak to your Father based on what is revealed to you, and He shows you how to go about it. your life and the things you are doing, then guess what? The reward will be abundant in the open. That means others will witness it. Let's see. Matthew 6, 6 again. Matthew chapter 6, verse 6. You, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your father who's in the secret place, and your father who's in secret will reward you where? Openly. Well, let's find out in Psalm 91. What does he mean openly? Psalm 91 verse 1, he would dwell in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. So when you are under the shadow of the Almighty, you are there with him, he's revealing things to you. How does he answer you humongously in the open? Verse 15, this is what will happen in the open. He shall call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him. and honor him with long life i will satisfy him and show him my salvation when you are in the sick place all that cannot be seen by people but when god does it for you they will know you will see a difference in your prayer from this moment you are not just going to be walking up and down be screaming like something happened to you you don't have a mental case issue you're not tormented You are before your father. You know when he shows up. He commands the miraculous. He will show you things you don't know and then your prayer will become significant. It will be meaningful. Do you understand me? What is the first thing when you take a people to that prayer closet? The consciousness of his presence. What is the second thing? I can't hear you. Because you are conscious of his presence, the focus shifts. The Bible said the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia and spoke to him. At 75, he packed everything. He saw the glory. The God of glory appeared to him and preached the gospel to him. And you, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. He left everything behind. You'll hear more when we get into the closet. When you see God. with in his majestic splendor every trouble around you falls into pales into insignificance can i hear amen and then number three he will reward you humongously in the open that every neighbor we know something has happened to you now this is the fourth thing that i want to say and then we'll begin to pray are you ready one last point before i let you into my prayer closet Beginning from Saturday, tomorrow we are going to clear some huddle. Next tomorrow we'll clear all orders. You will stand before God perfect. You will have no sense of guilt of sin. You'll become awake to righteousness. In the name of Jesus, sin will see you and flee. You don't understand this. You will get to the place where it becomes impossible to sin. One last point. is when I'm in my prayer closet, what occurs to me is my quintessential identity before God. I will explain that. When I'm with my Father who is in heaven, and I'm praying to him in secret, in the secret place. It takes heaven to respond to heaven. My citizenship comes upon me. I'm a citizen of heaven and because I'm conscious of my citizenship, nothing around me bothers me anymore. Do you understand me? I don't think you get this. I'm very conscious of my citizenship in heaven while in my prayer closet and that enables me to intimately pray and commune with my father. Give me Philippians 3, 17 to 21. Philippians 3, 17 to 21. In the New King James Version. Brethren, join in following my example and know those who so walk as you have asked for a pattern. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction, whose God is your belly, whose glory is in their shame, whose set their mind where? On earthly things. things when you step into his presence those things on the earth don't bombard you anymore for our citizenship is where is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for the savior the lord jesus christ who will transform our lowly body that he may be conformed to his glorious body according to the walking by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself give it to me in the new living translation please quickly new living translation dear brothers and sisters pattern your lives after mine and learn from those who follow our example. For I've told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their God is their appetite. They brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of where? I can't hear you. Give me in the message translation. The message translation, Philippians 3, 17 to 21. Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for the same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times. Sadly, I'm having to do it again. Today, an eagle, all they want is easy street. They hate Christ's cross. But this is a dead end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods. Belches are their praise. All they can think of is their appetites. Can you imagine when you are praising God and God is saying, you are belching in my presence. But there is far more to life for us. We are citizens of where? High heaven. We are waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master Jesus Christ. Where are you seated today? I'm sitting with Christ in heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers. It does not matter what is happening to the economy of this world. There's no way it's going to affect me because I'm in the presence of my Father and I'm having access to resources of heaven. So it's not going to bog me down. It doesn't matter what letter you receive. It doesn't matter who is threatening you. It doesn't matter what is going to happen. He will do what he promised to do and nothing can change that. So when I speak boldly over Nigeria and to Nigerian soul, I'm speaking as a citizen of heaven. not as a Nigerian. I'm praying for Nigeria, for Nigerians, for their government as a citizen of heaven and guess what? We will invade the earth and we'll take over. I said we will invade the earth and take over. Hey listen, do not think that God will use the same perverse system to begin to bring predictable progress in your nation. No, in order to get the children of Israel out of Egypt, he had to look for a special vessel. What's his name? Moses. He had to look for him and he had to bring him back. They were all in the system. It did not belong to their system. It came from outside and disrupted everything they were doing and set the people free. There was only one rod in his hand. Where's your citizenship? I can't hear you. Can I really put this in your heart? That the moment you put on Christ, you no longer relate with those who dwell in the flesh. Once you put on Christ, you are not dealing with fleshly issues. Give me Ephesians 4, Ephesians 4, 17. This I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind. Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness, to walk all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ. If indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man with gross corrupt according to the deceitful laws. and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on what? The new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. The moment you put on Christ, you transcend the realm of the flesh and you ascend the things in heaven that those in the flesh cannot access. Can we do the same? Okay, let me give you a practical example. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. He forgot the dream. He couldn't remember it. His heart was anxious and he called magicians, astrologers, stargazers, and the Chaldeans who are diviners. He called them and said, recall my dream and give me the interpretation. Then I will know you know. I know you want to buy time. I'm going to kill all of you. What did the Chaldeans say to him? Daniel chapter 2 verse 10 to 11. The Chaldeans answered the king and said, there is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter. Therefore no king, lord or ruler has ever answered things of any magician, astrologer or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods whose dwelling is not. The moment you put on Christ you don't dwell. with flesh anymore. You are above them. You see clearer. You know better. And you're able to say things that they don't understand, but God will make it happen so that they know. Thank God for Daniel. He showed up. He said, you have not given them extension of time. I need time. Give me time. He said, I give it to you. Tell your neighbor, I'm an exception to the rule. I'm an exception to the rule of the flesh, of the system of this world. I'm an exception to the rule. And he called his companions. And what did they do? They went to the place of prayer and God revealed the secret, the dream, the interpretation, everything to Daniel. And Daniel sort of said, what you ask them, they can't deliver. But as a God in heaven, who reveals secrets, I'm part of his family. I'm conscious of him. Nothing in this world matters to me anymore. Can I hear amen? How many things have you heard in this people? I can hear you. Number one. The consciousness of his presence, number two. Your prayer focus shifts to God and not just yourself, number three. He rewards you among God's people in the open, and number four. Do so as a citizen of heaven. When you enter into your prayer closet to pray to your father who is in heaven. Our father who art in heaven. But you are not. No. He said no man has ever ascended to heaven a tiny time except the son of man who comes from heaven and who is now in heaven. You are able to dwell in both places the moment you step into the Spirit. To be in the Spirit is to be in heaven. Are you ready to pray? Are you ready? The first significant prayer tonight is that God declares in His Word that only the upright can dwell in His presence. Are you hearing me? Only the upright can dwell in His presence. Psalm 140 verse 12. Psalm 140 verse 12. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and justice for the poor. Next verse. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name. The upright shall dwell in your presence. Who is he that will dwell in the presence of God? The upright. They upright. Who can make you upright? I cannot hear you. Who can make you upright? You have tried everything. You have fasted. You have cursed the day. If I ever do again, you went back into it. But he alone can separate you from sin. Leviticus 26 verse 13. You are going to pray for yourself today. Leviticus 26 verse 13. I'm the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. that you should not be their slaves. I have broken the bands of your yoke and make you walk upright. I want you to call upon him tonight. I'm going to walk upright. You're breaking every yoke of sin in my life, every yoke of bondage in my life in the name of Jesus Christ. Every yoke, you're breaking it. I'm going to walk upright in the mighty name of Jesus. I'll walk upright. I'll become Jeshurun, Jeshurun, the one who walks upright. I'm not a limping Jacob. I become Jeshurun, the one who walks upright. I walk upright before you, my father. In secret, in the open, help me, father. Break the yoke of every form of slavery in Jesus' mighty name. Brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, I've received a report from the Family Life Center. that there is sin in several families such as adulteries, divorce, domestic violence, and denial of conjugal rights. These are the precipitates of different kind of plagues that will afflict you, afflict your family, afflict your children. But King Solomon and the dedication of the temple that he built for the glory and honor of God, he stood there and prayed eight prayers. The fifth prayer he prayed, he said, every man knows the plague in his heart. You know where the rain is beating you. You know where the shoe is pinching you. Today, you are going to come before God clean and say, remove this plague. Give me 1 Kings chapter 8, 37 to 40. 1 Kings 8, 37 to 40. When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, enemy besieged them in the land of their cities whatever plague whatever sickness there is whatever prayer whatever supplication is made by anyone or by all your people Israel when each one knows what the plague of his own heart and spreads out his hand toward this temple then here in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and give to everyone according to all his ways whose heart you know for you alone know the hearts of all the sons of men, that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave to our fathers. I want you to know the plague in your own family. You know the plague in your heart. You know the plague that's afflicting your family. I pray today in the name of Jesus that adultery will not root out all your increase. And that iniquity will not be your ruin. This is the time to come before God and say, help me. There's a plague in the family. There's a plague in my heart. I cannot continue this way. I want to walk upright. Help me in the name of Jesus. I pray, Father, in Jesus' mighty name, that you will deliver us from every form of affliction. In the mighty name of Jesus. You are going to keep them true all the days of their lives. In Jesus' mighty name. can you bear me with me for a moment god wants to manifest himself but the bible says also the one who says only the opera to walk with me now says i am god who hides myself so you can pray and pray and pray and pray and nothing will happen because he's hiding himself he would destroy you if he shows up isaiah chapter 8 Verse 16, Isaiah 8, 16, listen to the prophet, Isaiah chapter 8, verse number 16, bind up the testimony. Seal the law among my disciples that is continuing to teach till I return. Just keep on teaching the same thing. Don't worry yourself. And I will wait on the Lord who hides his face from the house of Jacob. And I will hope in him. God was in hiding now. He's not talking to anyone. Here I am and the children whom the Lord has given me. We are for signs and wonders in Israel. From the Lord of hosts who dwells in Mount Zion. And when they say to you, seek those who are mediums. These are things that will cause God to hide himself. Seek those who are mediums and wizards who whisper and mutter. Should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony. If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 45, quickly. Isaiah 45, 15 to 17. Isaiah 45, 15 to 17. Truly you are God who hide yourself. O God of Israel, the Savior. They shall be ashamed and also disgrace all of them. They shall go in confusion together who are makers of... Idols. But Israel shall be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation. You shall not be ashamed of this grace forever and ever. What is it that causes God to hide himself? When you begin to commune with mediums, with spiritists, when you begin to bow down before other idols, say, this one has no time for me. He separates himself and he hides himself. But he wants to manifest himself in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that none of us will flee from the presence of God. Amen. rebellion will cause that when Jonah rebelled against God what did he do fled from the presence of God he later confessed those who observe lying vanities what less they forsake their own mercy what is it that is distracting you in your life that you're not focused that you do not want to just be who God wants you to be what is it in your life that is derailing you distracting you defeating you every time God is able to make all things happen to you why don't you wait and call upon him and let him show you. Let's pray the prayer of David. Cast me not away from your presence. Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me. Psalm 51 verse 10. Cast me not away, Lord, from your presence. Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me. Cast me not. away from your presence. Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me. If you want to see God manifest his presence in your closet, just one key. I will add to this tomorrow by God's grace. Because I want to finish in time. And then you are encouraged to come. I don't want you to miss any of these four days. It's going to change your life. Your prayer life. It's going to change the way you see your prayer closet. If you want God's presence to constantly manifest in your prayer closet. You must desire and crave for him. you must desire and crave for that person don't just get up you must desire and truly crave for his presence exodus 33 12 to 17 Oh, Exodus 33, 12 to 17. Then Moses said to the Lord, See, you said to me, bring up these people. Now you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, I know you by name, and you have also found grace in my sight. Now therefore I pray if I found grace in your sight, show me now your way. You see, he prayed for it. He showed his way to Moses. And he asked, he prayed for it. Show me your way. And I may know you. And I may find grace in your sight. And consider that this nation is your people. Next verse. And he said, my presence will go with you. And I will give you rest. Then he said to him, if your presence does not go with us, do not bring us from here. For how then will it be known that your people and I have found grace in your sight, except you go with us, so we shall be separate, your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth. I want you to say with me tonight, Father, in the name of Jesus, I know you know me by name. Please let me find grace. In your sight. So that your presence. Will always be with me. And you will give me rest. In the mighty name of Jesus. Pray that loud. Clear. Yes. I will never leave you nor forsake you. You promise. I will always be with you. But the disciples had to invite him to come over. They said do not go. It is night. Come over. You have to crave his presence. You have to invite him. You have to say Lord. I want to be conscious of your presence. Every time. I want. I want to be a carrier of your presence everywhere I go. You know me by name. I found grace in your sight. Do not let your presence apart from me. Let your Holy Spirit dwell in me. And let your Holy Spirit direct every step. of my way every inch of the day every second of the day i trust you father when i open my mouth to pray as a citizen of heaven i'm in the presence of the god of heavens i thank you father i bless you lord in jesus mighty name i had this powerful dream i'm not going to tell you the dream just don't worry about it it was so powerful dream but i didn't understand jack It was such a dream that it's not easy to decode. I normally will understand, but I didn't. So I prayed, I said, Lord, understanding is with you. You showed me this for a purpose. I don't know what it means, and I don't know how to apply it. And all day it didn't say anything to me. Then I went to the bathroom to brush my feet, last thing I would do at night, and then to go to bed. As soon as I touched the bed. He showed up and gave me all the interpretations. Now I know how to go because he showed it. That's the way he wants to relate with you. He wants to reveal things to you. He will show up. He will tell you. He puts you here not to waste you. He puts you here so that you will shine. Lord in the name of Jesus give hearing ears understanding hearts to your people. Let them see. Let them hear. Let them know. Be conscious of your presence. Your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures evermore. Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name.

When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to him, send the multitude away. that they may go into the surrounding towns and country and lodge and get provisions for we are in a deserted place here but he said to them you give them something to eat and they said we have no more than five loaves and two fish unless we go and buy food for all these people For there were about five thousand men. Then he said to his disciples, make them sit down in groups of fifty.

And they did so and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate.

Read that verse with me. Verse 17, ready, read. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them. How many people were fed?

I want you to talk. Say it loud. How many of them were filled? All of them.

And they had how many baskets left? Twelve baskets. I figured out that Jesus would ask that each apostle should carry a basket to follow the boy that donated the two loaves or five loaves and two fish to go deliver to the parents. Because when you sow, there is harvest. I can figure that out.

But something happened that I want you to learn from and be able to thank God for your presence here tonight. In verse number 18, ready, read. And it happened as he was alone praying that his disciples joined him. And he has them saying, who did the crowd say that I am?

When you read that in Matthew 16, it says, who do men say that I am? He just fed 5,000 people. They were all filled.

And he was alone praying. And only his disciples gathered to him and he was asking them, do they think I'm here to just supply bread and fish? It's so easy to distinguish the church from the crowd when you call for prayers.

Stand to your feet and thank God that you are here tonight. It takes disciples to praise unto God. It takes disciples to praise unto God, to get to know what God is saying. And he asked them the question. Who do the crowd say that I am?

We must not confuse the crowd with the church. It takes disciples to present, to present, to present, to present in the mighty name of Jesus. Lord, we thank you for our gathering together is unto you tonight. Just as Pastor Ike prayed, it's not an accident you call for this meeting.

And when you call for a special meeting like this, you have certain plans to carry out. There's a purpose in your mind behind it. I pray that those who are here listening and those who are lying, no one will miss any tangible thing in the name of Jesus Christ, in the mighty name of Jesus. How many of you realize it's December 1?

I'm not sure. When did we gather here on January 1 to say Happy New Year? It is... What today?

The first day... of the last month of the year 2021. Say to your neighbor, happy new month. I can't hear you.

I say happy new month to you all. And as you are standing on your feet, I'm going to pray in line with Psalm 65 verses 5 and 11. You're going to pray along with me. We are going to read it together.

Psalm 65 verses 5 and 11. Ready? Read. By awesome deeds in righteousness, you will answer us.

O God of our salvation, you are the confidence of all the ends of the earth and of the fire of seas. Verse number 11. You crown the year with your goodness and your parts drip with abundance. How did he crown the year?

How does he crown the year? You crown the year with your goodness. The book of Romans chapter 2 verse number 4. Contains one of the true riches of God.

That no earthly wealth can match. Remember I said to them. If you are unfaithful in unrighteous moment. Who is going to commit to your hands the true riches? This is one of the true riches of God.

Romans 2 verse number 4. Or do you despise the riches of his goodness? Forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance. This true riches of God is called the riches of his goodness. His forbearance and longsuffering toward us, which lead us ultimately to repentance from our wayward ways. I want you to thank God for his faithfulness tonight, for his mercies and for his grace toward you.

That despite all that had happened from January 1 to November 30 up till this day, all that had happened, we are still standing before God today. This is the mercy of God in action. This is the mercy. His long-suffering toward us, his mercies, his grace.

We thank you, Father. We bless you, Lord. We give you all the glory and all the praise and all the adoration, but for you will not be here today. The enemy thought the end had come, but we bounce back. We're still standing.

Thank you for the riches of your goodness. We bless you. We bless you. We bless you. Lord, I stand in my office and I pronounce, proclaim, and declare that your almighty God will crown your people's year with your goodness.

And may your path drip with abundance for every one of them. In the mighty name of Jesus and the people said, Amen. You may be seated in his presence.

Good evening. God bless you. Amen.

Say to your neighbor, peace to you. Peace to your house. Peace to all that you have.

And peace to our beloved nation, Nigeria. Amen. Welcome to day one of our solemn assembly. Amen. If you have been part of our Reason Prayer Clinic series, you will realize that for several weeks, We've been preparing, we have been preparing for this special day and this special season.

I'm so glad that you're physically present here today. And so am I glad for our online community. I am very confident in God that you will all be changed.

I want those who that applies to, to say amen, not everybody. I'm very confident in God that you'll all be changed, you'll be completely transformed, and you too will be glad that you participate in this very solemn assembly. In the name of Jesus, people of God, welcome to my prayer closet. Is that all? Oh, hallelujah.

Welcome to my prayer closet. In this opening night, we will commence with just some opening remarks. I call these remarks a peep, a peep into my prayer closet, just a peep. It's like you're coming to my house and I'm meeting you at the door and there's a little porch there, we call it glass house, and we are talking there, you don't know everything that is in the house.

But you can take a peep. For example, if you say you want to use the bathroom, in that glass house, there is no bathroom there. I will have to open the main living room or the first living room, and you go in there to use the toilet. So tonight we are just taking a peep. Tomorrow, it's Thursday, and then Friday, we'll deal with a major, major roadblock to answer prayers.

When you listen to the people, we'll clear that mess, and on Saturday we'll deal with all the governing rules of my prayer closet. Between now and Saturday, it will be clear to you what a prayer closet should look like. I can hear your amen.

Hallelujah. Please turn your Bible with me to Matthew chapter 6. Verse number six in the King James Version of the Bible, Matthew 6, 6. Don't mind the old English. I want you to read it with me.

Ready? Read. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret. shall reward you openly. Enter into your closet.

The word closet in this context simply means a small private chamber as for study or prayer. A small private chamber where you study or pray. Merriam-Webster defines closet as closely private.

Closely private. It further states, walking in or suited to the closet as a place of seclusion or study. Further states, an apartment or small room for privacy, like a monarch's... or official's private chamber, or place of retreat or privacy. Based on this definition, a prayer closet, therefore, is suitable for either an individual or just for a family.

But let's go to the New King James Version. The word closet is translated there to the word room. Ready?

Read. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Do they mean the same thing? I can't hear you. The translation to the room gives an ample opportunity not just for one person or just a unit of a family, but to more people.

The significance of this interpretation is that the prayer room can be for an individual, a family, or a company of people such as those in the upper room after the Lord's ascension. In Acts 1, 12 to 14, I want to make this clear. You are getting some glimpses. You are not there yet.

Just a peep. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. And when they had entered, they went up into where? The upper room where they were staying, Peter, James, and all the names, son of James, go on. These all continue with...

One accord in prayer and supplication with the women. and married the mother of Jesus and with his brothers. Can you imagine how many people were there? All the twelve were there.

Women, we are not told how many. The brothers of Jesus, I think there are about three of them. I think his brothers are with us.

Jude, another James, and one, and then the sisters. So it's not a room, a tiny room. It's called the upper room and you see it further in Acts 2 1 to 4. When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting and there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire and sat upon each of them is enough to say it's not just one person there by the time you go to acts of the apostle chapter 4 you remember after the lame man at the gate called beautifully was healed there was commotion when they saw the boldness of peter and john they took knowledge they have been with jesus and then they restrained them and forbid them not to teach or preach in the name of jesus But the Bible says in Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 23 that they went to their own companions and they prayed. They asked God for boldness and what happened?

The place where they were shook. It was a place of prayer and they prophesied the Holy Spirit came upon them. So that simply means where they assemble cannot be a cubicle or small room.

Are you listening to me? So when you see Rome in the New King James Version, it gives you ample opportunity to say it can be a church hall it can be the upper room but the people must be of one accord to pray to God that a prayer room can be for one or many stems from the fact that when Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's prayer he spoke to more than one person he spoke to many of them they were all around him one said teachers look at Luke chapter 11 you Verse 1, Luke 11 verse 1, Now it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, Okay? He alone was praying in a certain place. When he sees that one of his disciples said to him, how many people said to him?

One. One of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples. Was he that one person that was there? How do you know?

Teach us to pray as John the Baptist taught one of his disciples. To let you see that he spoke not just to one person but to many. You find that answer in verse number 5. Verse 5. Luke 11. And he said to them. Okay. It's not only one person.

So, whether in a closet or the large upper room, each person. family or congregation should have a place of intimate prayer to God and dialogue with our God. Can I hear amen?

As I prepare for this meeting, I notice a very important heading for Matthew 6, 5 in the message translation of the Bible. If you have that, you can turn it to it. Matthew 6. Verse number five in the message translation of the Bible.

What does he say in the heading? Does anybody have the message Bible? What does he say?

Pray with simplicity. Can I hear you echo that and say it again? Pray with simplicity. Say it one more time.

I'm going to take my time to read Matthew chapter number 6 from verse 5 to 18 in the message translation. Let me come down so I can see this very well. Matthew chapter 6, beginning from vibe. What does he say you must do? Pray with simplicity.

You are going to see as we go on that your prayer can become a noise, can become cacophony, but you can pray simply and get terrific answers. Let's read this. And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either.

All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom. Do you think God sits in a box seat? Here's what I want you to do. Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role play before God.

Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus, I'll come back to that tonight over and over again. The focus will shift from you to God and you will begin to sense his grace.

The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer ignorant. They are full of formulas and programs and advice. I don't know whether I want to advise God.

Peddling techniques, forgetting what you want. from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. Can I hear nonsense? Don't fall for that nonsense.

This is your father you are dealing with and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Say to your neighbor, pray with simplicity.

Don't show off. Showing off is fool's glory. Pray with simplicity.

Come the way you are. Tell him as you just naturally, like you are talking to a caring father and pray like this. Our father in heaven, reveal who you are. Hello. When we get to this speed into the prayer closet, you know, you are going to pray tonight.

I'm not just teaching. You're going to pray. It's going to remove all the cobwebs from your mind.

It's going to remove all the veil that is covering your eyes. You are going to pray to a God who is present. Our Father in heaven, reveal who you are, set the world right, do what is best, as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. I don't eat as many as that anymore.

As you grow older, you reduce it to one or two. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.

Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil. You are in charge. You can do anything you want.

You are blessed in beauty. Yes, in the outer court. Yes, in the holy place. Yes, in the holy... Somebody say yes.

Say it loud. Say it again. Say it one more time.

And every time you stand before him, it will be yes, yes, yes. Because you know what to say and you know how to pray. In the mighty name of Jesus. This simplicity in prayer brings me to four notable truths about the prayer closet. Four notable truths about the prayer closet.

May I share them with you? You're not interested. You don't want a peep. You just want to enter the room. You can't.

Take it easy. You will enter later by Saturday. Just follow me simply, okay?

That's why these four days are located to my prayer closet. And in any event, it's not your prayer closet, it's mine. Okay, may I share them with you?

Number one, the prayer in the closet is directed to our Father who is in the secret place. Is anybody listening to me? When you enter your closet and you begin to pray, who are you praying to?

Our Father who is in the secret place. Give me Matthew 6, 6 again. Let's see it in the Bible. But you, when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place. The emphasis on the father who is in the secret place is to let you be conscious or aware that such prayer is made in the presence of God.

Hello. That when you are praying to your father who is in the secret place is because you are conscious of the presence of God. So where are you bringing this from?

Come with me to Psalm 91 and look at the heading of Psalm 91 verse 1. Look at the heading there. What does it say? Psalm 91 verse 1. It says, safety of abiding in the presence of God.

Safety of abiding in the presence of God. And when you read verse 1, it says, He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. The prayer in the closet is directed to our Father who is in the secret place. That simply means when you step into the place of prayer, you are conscious of the presence of God.

You are very conscious of the presence of God. Number two, if we are all conscious of God's presence in our prayer closet, our prayer focus will definitely change. That's why we're ending.

The message translation is that you will shift from yourself and it will shift to God. If you are conscious of God's presence in your prayer, close center the second notable truth, our prayer focus will definitely change. The focus will shift from just our needs to what God wants done.

Thy kingdom come that will be done on earth as it is in heaven. After all, our Father knows the things we have need of before we ask him. The problem with many of us is that when we begin to pray, we are not conscious of His awesome presence at all.

We are very conscious of ourselves, walking up and down and praying. We can, with the tangibility of His presence, sometimes do not dawn on us. We do not know that the Lord is present. And therefore, we do everything we want to do. Shout, scream, do everything.

Look, be honest with me. I don't want to teach this in isolation. Be honest with me. If I'm sitting in a room and you come to ask me for a thing and I'm present and you can see me there, will you shout? Will you scream?

Will you do the things we do? No, be honest with me. I want you to be honest.

Do you realize that when you step into the place of prayer, you're not conscious of his presence? You are conscious of you and what you want to present to him. So it's like it's not there.

So you are praying to your father who is in the secret place. It simply means you are conscious that the Lord is present. Instead of being conscious of his presence, we are encumbered by our challenges, overwhelmed by our needs, and in all time, we are distracted by the circumstances and situations, especially that we face and the things we see all around us. All of a sudden, you see television. You see prayer.

Then your phone rings. Then you grab your phone. Then you quickly answer a text. Does that look like you are... in a dialogue with the Almighty?

Let's be honest with ourselves. Don't that happen to you? That's why we need these people.

But when you are conscious of his presence, your eyes will see, your ears will hear, your heart will understand what the agenda of heaven is at that moment. Look at 1 Kings chapter 17 and verse 1. And Elijah the Tishbite of the inhabitants of Gilead said to Ahab, As the God of Israel lives before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain this year except at my word. Where did he get this word from?

He was standing where? In the presence of God. And God said to him, the cup is full. and shutting down heaven. As the Lord leads me for whom I stand, there shall be no rain nor dew except at my word.

Daniel chapter 9 verse 1 to 3. If you can get this tonight, then we can pray meaningfully. You are conscious that it's present. In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Midas, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, I understood by the books, he was reading the book of Jeremiah, I understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet.

That he will accomplish 70 years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Then I set my face where? Toward the Lord God.

Huh? Who did he set his face to? To the wall.

Hello. As he was meditating there, he was conscious of his presence. I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer.

and supplications were fasting sackcloth and ashes wow what prayer did he pray was he conscious of god's presence daniel chapter 9 verse 15 daniel 9 15 and he began to pray as he set his face toward god and now oh lord our god who brought your people out of the land of egypt with a mighty hand was he alone in the place of prayer yes he was was he trying to grandstand and to play no it was talking to God. You brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made yourself a name as it is this day. We have sinned. We have done wickedly. Oh Lord, according to all your righteousness, I pray, let your anger and your fury be turned away from your city, Jerusalem, your holy mountain, because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people, I reproach to all those around us.

Now, therefore, our God. Hear the prayer of your servant and his supplications and for the Lord's sake cause your face to shine on your sanctuary which is desolate. Oh my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by your name. For we do not present our supplication before you because of our righteousness but because of your great mercies.

Wow. Oh Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act. Do not delay for your own sake, my God, for your city and your people are called by your name.

If you are not with us, I'm coming back there, just leave it there. If we are not there where Moses was praying to God and he was face to face with God and God said to him, I will wipe them out. There will be no one like them and I will make you another great nation.

He said, Lord, if you do that, the hidden will rejoice. Please don't do it. You would have had more Israelites in the world today, not Israelites.

He was face to face. He was conscious of his presence. Oh Lord, hear. Oh Lord, forgive.

Oh Lord, listen and act. Do not delay for your own sake, my God, for your city and your people are called by your name. Now, while I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people, Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord, my God, for the holy mountain of my... While I was still speaking. Yes!

While I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, you see chapter 8, that was when he first encountered him. The man prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly out, swiftly reached me about the time of the evening offering. And he informed me and talked with me and said, Oh, Daniel, I've now come forth to give you skill to understand. Now, without that skill to understand, you'll just be praying blindly.

But in his presence, he knows how to connect you. to what is in heaven so that your declaration in prayer and after prayer will be bold, will be extremely bold because you have heard from God. And if you doubt what I'm saying, go check the encounter between Zechariah and the same Gabriel. He said, I am Gabriel.

I stand in the presence of God. And the word that I speak will come to pass in their season. Now to be bold and to make declaration. concerning what seems impossible in this nation, requires being in the presence of God, requires hearing him, requires what he wants to do, and you declare it. And all around you say, now when it happens, they will say, I was discussing with Reverend Sheik Gorshinaga, a man wrote to him, and he said to him, we are waiting for January 1. When nothing happens, we will declare Pastor Bakary a false prophet.

I just laughed. I said, did you reply? He said, no. I said, wait, don't worry yourself.

Few days after, the man went to his church and his pastor began to declare, God is going to do awesome things before 2022. There's going to be change here. There's going to be change there. And this is going to happen. And that is going to happen. After the service, he went to the pastor.

Did you speak with Pastor Vacker? He said, no. Did you hear what he has been saying?

Not at all. The Lord just gave me the word today. So he called the man, he said, my pastor is saying what he said.

I said, January 1, his pastor will also be a false prophet. If you don't hear, don't condemn those who are hearing. I want you to stand to your feet. You are in his presence.

Your ears must be open. Your eyes must be open. Your heart must be open. In the name of Jesus Christ. And suddenly I remember a dream I had about Brother Lada.

You remember, sir? I said, please, after this, have you seen me? And I told him the dream.

And done. Did anything happen around that time? Has a thing happened at that time? He didn't know.

But I was in the prayer closet when I was told. And I shared with him and he said, Pastor, it has happened. It will open your eyes.

It will open your ears. You will not perish with the wise men of Babylon. In the mighty name of Jesus.

What is the first thing he was conscious of? His presence. And when you are conscious of his presence, your focus shifts. Because heaven will give you the reality of your reality. I'm not sure you got that.

Heaven will begin to show you what you consider your reality. It will show you why those things are happening. That's the real reality of your reality.

And then you have peace that does not make sense. And people will not understand why you are at this camp. Can I hear amen? Amen.

Point number three. Brothers and sisters, not only is the consciousness of God's presence in our prayer closet very needful and important, the reward of our prayer directed to our Father in the secret place is among us. The reward, when you are in His presence, and you allow the Holy Spirit to inspire what you are saying, and you see clearly from heaven's perspective, and you are able to speak to your Father based on what is revealed to you, and He shows you how to go about it. your life and the things you are doing, then guess what?

The reward will be abundant in the open. That means others will witness it. Let's see. Matthew 6, 6 again. Matthew chapter 6, verse 6. You, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your father who's in the secret place, and your father who's in secret will reward you where?

Openly. Well, let's find out in Psalm 91. What does he mean openly? Psalm 91 verse 1, he would dwell in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. So when you are under the shadow of the Almighty, you are there with him, he's revealing things to you.

How does he answer you humongously in the open? Verse 15, this is what will happen in the open. He shall call upon me and I will answer him.

I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him. and honor him with long life i will satisfy him and show him my salvation when you are in the sick place all that cannot be seen by people but when god does it for you they will know you will see a difference in your prayer from this moment you are not just going to be walking up and down be screaming like something happened to you you don't have a mental case issue you're not tormented You are before your father.

You know when he shows up. He commands the miraculous. He will show you things you don't know and then your prayer will become significant.

It will be meaningful. Do you understand me? What is the first thing when you take a people to that prayer closet?

The consciousness of his presence. What is the second thing? I can't hear you. Because you are conscious of his presence, the focus shifts.

The Bible said the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia and spoke to him. At 75, he packed everything. He saw the glory.

The God of glory appeared to him and preached the gospel to him. And you, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. He left everything behind. You'll hear more when we get into the closet. When you see God.

with in his majestic splendor every trouble around you falls into pales into insignificance can i hear amen and then number three he will reward you humongously in the open that every neighbor we know something has happened to you now this is the fourth thing that i want to say and then we'll begin to pray are you ready one last point before i let you into my prayer closet Beginning from Saturday, tomorrow we are going to clear some huddle. Next tomorrow we'll clear all orders. You will stand before God perfect.

You will have no sense of guilt of sin. You'll become awake to righteousness. In the name of Jesus, sin will see you and flee. You don't understand this.

You will get to the place where it becomes impossible to sin. One last point. is when I'm in my prayer closet, what occurs to me is my quintessential identity before God.

I will explain that. When I'm with my Father who is in heaven, and I'm praying to him in secret, in the secret place. It takes heaven to respond to heaven.

My citizenship comes upon me. I'm a citizen of heaven and because I'm conscious of my citizenship, nothing around me bothers me anymore. Do you understand me? I don't think you get this. I'm very conscious of my citizenship in heaven while in my prayer closet and that enables me to intimately pray and commune with my father.

Give me Philippians 3, 17 to 21. Philippians 3, 17 to 21. In the New King James Version. Brethren, join in following my example and know those who so walk as you have asked for a pattern. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction, whose God is your belly, whose glory is in their shame, whose set their mind where?

On earthly things. things when you step into his presence those things on the earth don't bombard you anymore for our citizenship is where is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for the savior the lord jesus christ who will transform our lowly body that he may be conformed to his glorious body according to the walking by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself give it to me in the new living translation please quickly new living translation dear brothers and sisters pattern your lives after mine and learn from those who follow our example. For I've told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their God is their appetite.

They brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of where? I can't hear you.

Give me in the message translation. The message translation, Philippians 3, 17 to 21. Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for the same goal.

There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times. Sadly, I'm having to do it again. Today, an eagle, all they want is easy street. They hate Christ's cross.

But this is a dead end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods. Belches are their praise.

All they can think of is their appetites. Can you imagine when you are praising God and God is saying, you are belching in my presence. But there is far more to life for us.

We are citizens of where? High heaven. We are waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master Jesus Christ.

Where are you seated today? I'm sitting with Christ in heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers. It does not matter what is happening to the economy of this world. There's no way it's going to affect me because I'm in the presence of my Father and I'm having access to resources of heaven.

So it's not going to bog me down. It doesn't matter what letter you receive. It doesn't matter who is threatening you.

It doesn't matter what is going to happen. He will do what he promised to do and nothing can change that. So when I speak boldly over Nigeria and to Nigerian soul, I'm speaking as a citizen of heaven. not as a Nigerian. I'm praying for Nigeria, for Nigerians, for their government as a citizen of heaven and guess what?

We will invade the earth and we'll take over. I said we will invade the earth and take over. Hey listen, do not think that God will use the same perverse system to begin to bring predictable progress in your nation. No, in order to get the children of Israel out of Egypt, he had to look for a special vessel.

What's his name? Moses. He had to look for him and he had to bring him back. They were all in the system. It did not belong to their system.

It came from outside and disrupted everything they were doing and set the people free. There was only one rod in his hand. Where's your citizenship?

I can't hear you. Can I really put this in your heart? That the moment you put on Christ, you no longer relate with those who dwell in the flesh. Once you put on Christ, you are not dealing with fleshly issues.

Give me Ephesians 4, Ephesians 4, 17. This I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind. Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness, to walk all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ.

If indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man with gross corrupt according to the deceitful laws. and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on what? The new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. The moment you put on Christ, you transcend the realm of the flesh and you ascend the things in heaven that those in the flesh cannot access. Can we do the same?

Okay, let me give you a practical example. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. He forgot the dream. He couldn't remember it.

His heart was anxious and he called magicians, astrologers, stargazers, and the Chaldeans who are diviners. He called them and said, recall my dream and give me the interpretation. Then I will know you know.

I know you want to buy time. I'm going to kill all of you. What did the Chaldeans say to him?

Daniel chapter 2 verse 10 to 11. The Chaldeans answered the king and said, there is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter. Therefore no king, lord or ruler has ever answered things of any magician, astrologer or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods whose dwelling is not. The moment you put on Christ you don't dwell.

with flesh anymore. You are above them. You see clearer. You know better. And you're able to say things that they don't understand, but God will make it happen so that they know.

Thank God for Daniel. He showed up. He said, you have not given them extension of time. I need time. Give me time.

He said, I give it to you. Tell your neighbor, I'm an exception to the rule. I'm an exception to the rule of the flesh, of the system of this world. I'm an exception to the rule.

And he called his companions. And what did they do? They went to the place of prayer and God revealed the secret, the dream, the interpretation, everything to Daniel.

And Daniel sort of said, what you ask them, they can't deliver. But as a God in heaven, who reveals secrets, I'm part of his family. I'm conscious of him.

Nothing in this world matters to me anymore. Can I hear amen? How many things have you heard in this people? I can hear you. Number one.

The consciousness of his presence, number two. Your prayer focus shifts to God and not just yourself, number three. He rewards you among God's people in the open, and number four. Do so as a citizen of heaven. When you enter into your prayer closet to pray to your father who is in heaven.

Our father who art in heaven. But you are not. No. He said no man has ever ascended to heaven a tiny time except the son of man who comes from heaven and who is now in heaven. You are able to dwell in both places the moment you step into the Spirit.

To be in the Spirit is to be in heaven. Are you ready to pray? Are you ready?

The first significant prayer tonight is that God declares in His Word that only the upright can dwell in His presence. Are you hearing me? Only the upright can dwell in His presence. Psalm 140 verse 12. Psalm 140 verse 12. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and justice for the poor. Next verse.

Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name. The upright shall dwell in your presence. Who is he that will dwell in the presence of God? The upright.

They upright. Who can make you upright? I cannot hear you. Who can make you upright? You have tried everything.

You have fasted. You have cursed the day. If I ever do again, you went back into it. But he alone can separate you from sin.

Leviticus 26 verse 13. You are going to pray for yourself today. Leviticus 26 verse 13. I'm the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. that you should not be their slaves. I have broken the bands of your yoke and make you walk upright.

I want you to call upon him tonight. I'm going to walk upright. You're breaking every yoke of sin in my life, every yoke of bondage in my life in the name of Jesus Christ. Every yoke, you're breaking it. I'm going to walk upright in the mighty name of Jesus.

I'll walk upright. I'll become Jeshurun, Jeshurun, the one who walks upright. I'm not a limping Jacob.

I become Jeshurun, the one who walks upright. I walk upright before you, my father. In secret, in the open, help me, father. Break the yoke of every form of slavery in Jesus' mighty name.

Brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, I've received a report from the Family Life Center. that there is sin in several families such as adulteries, divorce, domestic violence, and denial of conjugal rights. These are the precipitates of different kind of plagues that will afflict you, afflict your family, afflict your children.

But King Solomon and the dedication of the temple that he built for the glory and honor of God, he stood there and prayed eight prayers. The fifth prayer he prayed, he said, every man knows the plague in his heart. You know where the rain is beating you. You know where the shoe is pinching you.

Today, you are going to come before God clean and say, remove this plague. Give me 1 Kings chapter 8, 37 to 40. 1 Kings 8, 37 to 40. When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, enemy besieged them in the land of their cities whatever plague whatever sickness there is whatever prayer whatever supplication is made by anyone or by all your people Israel when each one knows what the plague of his own heart and spreads out his hand toward this temple then here in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and give to everyone according to all his ways whose heart you know for you alone know the hearts of all the sons of men, that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave to our fathers. I want you to know the plague in your own family.

You know the plague in your heart. You know the plague that's afflicting your family. I pray today in the name of Jesus that adultery will not root out all your increase.

And that iniquity will not be your ruin. This is the time to come before God and say, help me. There's a plague in the family.

There's a plague in my heart. I cannot continue this way. I want to walk upright.

Help me in the name of Jesus. I pray, Father, in Jesus' mighty name, that you will deliver us from every form of affliction. In the mighty name of Jesus.

You are going to keep them true all the days of their lives. In Jesus' mighty name. can you bear me with me for a moment god wants to manifest himself but the bible says also the one who says only the opera to walk with me now says i am god who hides myself so you can pray and pray and pray and pray and nothing will happen because he's hiding himself he would destroy you if he shows up isaiah chapter 8 Verse 16, Isaiah 8, 16, listen to the prophet, Isaiah chapter 8, verse number 16, bind up the testimony. Seal the law among my disciples that is continuing to teach till I return. Just keep on teaching the same thing.

Don't worry yourself. And I will wait on the Lord who hides his face from the house of Jacob. And I will hope in him. God was in hiding now. He's not talking to anyone.

Here I am and the children whom the Lord has given me. We are for signs and wonders in Israel. From the Lord of hosts who dwells in Mount Zion.

And when they say to you, seek those who are mediums. These are things that will cause God to hide himself. Seek those who are mediums and wizards who whisper and mutter.

Should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony. If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Isaiah 45, quickly. Isaiah 45, 15 to 17. Isaiah 45, 15 to 17. Truly you are God who hide yourself. O God of Israel, the Savior.

They shall be ashamed and also disgrace all of them. They shall go in confusion together who are makers of... Idols. But Israel shall be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation.

You shall not be ashamed of this grace forever and ever. What is it that causes God to hide himself? When you begin to commune with mediums, with spiritists, when you begin to bow down before other idols, say, this one has no time for me.

He separates himself and he hides himself. But he wants to manifest himself in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that none of us will flee from the presence of God. Amen. rebellion will cause that when Jonah rebelled against God what did he do fled from the presence of God he later confessed those who observe lying vanities what less they forsake their own mercy what is it that is distracting you in your life that you're not focused that you do not want to just be who God wants you to be what is it in your life that is derailing you distracting you defeating you every time God is able to make all things happen to you why don't you wait and call upon him and let him show you.

Let's pray the prayer of David. Cast me not away from your presence. Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me. Psalm 51 verse 10. Cast me not away, Lord, from your presence.

Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me. Cast me not. away from your presence.

Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me. If you want to see God manifest his presence in your closet, just one key. I will add to this tomorrow by God's grace. Because I want to finish in time. And then you are encouraged to come.

I don't want you to miss any of these four days. It's going to change your life. Your prayer life.

It's going to change the way you see your prayer closet. If you want God's presence to constantly manifest in your prayer closet. You must desire and crave for him. you must desire and crave for that person don't just get up you must desire and truly crave for his presence exodus 33 12 to 17 Oh, Exodus 33, 12 to 17. Then Moses said to the Lord, See, you said to me, bring up these people. Now you have not let me know whom you will send with me.

Yet you have said, I know you by name, and you have also found grace in my sight. Now therefore I pray if I found grace in your sight, show me now your way. You see, he prayed for it. He showed his way to Moses. And he asked, he prayed for it.

Show me your way. And I may know you. And I may find grace in your sight.

And consider that this nation is your people. Next verse. And he said, my presence will go with you.

And I will give you rest. Then he said to him, if your presence does not go with us, do not bring us from here. For how then will it be known that your people and I have found grace in your sight, except you go with us, so we shall be separate, your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.

I want you to say with me tonight, Father, in the name of Jesus, I know you know me by name. Please let me find grace. In your sight. So that your presence. Will always be with me.

And you will give me rest. In the mighty name of Jesus. Pray that loud.

Clear. Yes. I will never leave you nor forsake you.

You promise. I will always be with you. But the disciples had to invite him to come over. They said do not go.

It is night. Come over. You have to crave his presence.

You have to invite him. You have to say Lord. I want to be conscious of your presence. Every time. I want.

I want to be a carrier of your presence everywhere I go. You know me by name. I found grace in your sight. Do not let your presence apart from me.

Let your Holy Spirit dwell in me. And let your Holy Spirit direct every step. of my way every inch of the day every second of the day i trust you father when i open my mouth to pray as a citizen of heaven i'm in the presence of the god of heavens i thank you father i bless you lord in jesus mighty name i had this powerful dream i'm not going to tell you the dream just don't worry about it it was so powerful dream but i didn't understand jack It was such a dream that it's not easy to decode. I normally will understand, but I didn't. So I prayed, I said, Lord, understanding is with you.

You showed me this for a purpose. I don't know what it means, and I don't know how to apply it. And all day it didn't say anything to me. Then I went to the bathroom to brush my feet, last thing I would do at night, and then to go to bed.

As soon as I touched the bed. He showed up and gave me all the interpretations. Now I know how to go because he showed it. That's the way he wants to relate with you.

He wants to reveal things to you. He will show up. He will tell you. He puts you here not to waste you. He puts you here so that you will shine.

Lord in the name of Jesus give hearing ears understanding hearts to your people. Let them see. Let them hear. Let them know. Be conscious of your presence.

Your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures evermore. Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name.

Transcript for:Reflection on Luke 9 and Prayer

Transcript for:
Reflection on Luke 9 and Prayer