Lift up your hands to heaven. Lord, thank you for what you have begun since last night, early morning today, and right now. Thank you for rewiring us and connecting us to heaven, that we would drink directly from your fountain.
You will think through our thoughts. You speak through our vocal cords. And the whole world will know. That you have made a difference in our life.
Thank you Father. In Jesus mighty name we pray. And the people said, you may be seated in his presence. I need to tell you one or two things before we proceed to this evening.
Good evening. God bless you. Now say to your neighbor, welcome to God's citadel, your citadel, my citadel, and our citadel.
I will continue to say that until you get it. Say to your neighbor on the left and the right, God's citadel, your citadel, my citadel, and our citadel. Amen.
Well, today is the one of a new year. gathering. We are gathering unto him for unto him shall be the gathering of his people. I truly pray that God will make 2024 your, mine, and our year of unusual and uncommon elevation in the name of Jesus Christ. I had an unusual encounter today.
I didn't see God. Lest you think, I saw God, I saw Jesus, and I saw angels. I didn't even know whether it was a vision, but it was not a dream because I was not sleeping. I heard a group of Yoruba people in the spirit speaking. They were speaking to themselves.
They were not addressing me. But I heard them say, Ejeka shalayoro iko yewa. Ejeka shalayoro iko yewa. After I heard them speak that, I paused and I said, Ah, the Holy Spirit He's speaking to me in the language I will understand, that I must make this unusual and uncommon elevation clear to all.
Tell your neighbor, I can't hear you. Make it loud. Sometimes Jesus is speaking parables.
And other times he would speak plainly. And when they don't get it, other imperables or plainly, he would speak to them through their pain. He said to Mary and Martha, have I not said to you, I am the resurrection and the life.
It was not the first time they were hearing it. But all the learning was, oh yeah, your brother will rise again in the resurrection morning. He said, Kai, have I not told you?
I'm the resurrection and the life. Thank God I waited till he died, till Lazarus died, till Lazarus was buried, and till Lazarus was smelling. He said, now where do you lay him?
What did he get in parables, in plain talk? I pray he will not come to you through pain. In the name of Jesus Christ.
What is it that makes the year 2024 unusual, uncommon exaltation? What makes this year unusual and uncommon exaltation can be gleaned from the life of David, the shepherd boy. who became the king of Israel.
The story is recorded in 1 Samuel 16, the first. 14 verses. I want us to read it and then we will locate what made the story both unusual and uncommon, especially as it relates to the early vision of David. Now the Lord said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?
Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided myself a king among the people. his sons and someone said how can i go if so here's it it will kill me this is a suicide mission god because you are about to violate every known protocol but the lord said take a heaver with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.
Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint for me the one I named to you. So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem.
And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, do you come peaceably? And he said, peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.
Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. So it was when they came that he looked at Eliab and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. Hello?
Were you following this story as I was reading? Why did Samuel say that? Because of Elia being the firstborn, the birthright should go to him.
But didn't God say to him, the one I name? So sometimes we just ignore God's specific instruction and do what tradition demands. God already said to Samuel, You will anoint for me the one I name.
Did God name Eliab? But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance. It's physical stature. Because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees.
For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. tonight. It's checking your heart and it's checking my heart. So Jesse called Abinadab.
Who called Abinadab? What was God's instruction? The one I named. So who took over the name? Jesse.
Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, neither as the Lord chosen this one. Then Jesse made a farmer pass by, and he said, neither has the Lord chosen this one. Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel.
And Samuel said to Jesse, the Lord has not chosen this. And Samuel said to Jesse, are all the young men here? Then he said, there remains here the youngest, and there he is keeping the sheep.
And Samuel said to Jesse, send and bring him, for we will not sit down till he comes here. What were they doing at this stage? They were standing.
They were waiting. To find out if this would be the Lord's anointed. So he sent and brought him in.
Now he was ready. With bright eyes. Good looking. And the Lord said, arise, anoint him. For this is the one.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil. And anointed him where? In the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.
Samuel arose and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul. And a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. Are you following this story? What is it that made the elevation of David unusual and uncommon?
Number one, it was the last son. As the last son, he was not entitled to the right. A firstborn, which you call birthright, where you give double to the firstborn to step into the place of the father and to run family affairs. The presenter, second one, no. Third one, no.
Fourth one, no. Fifth one, no. Sixth one, no.
Seventh one, no. They say, am I in the wrong place? You are.
Because I presented the best and the... brightest and the fittest but at this audit i know there is one i'm saying this before god i've didn't read it in the bible you can disprove it when you find any other thing that can compete with this and i will follow you i am not sure the mother of the seven is the mother of david because as in Important as King David is to God, to church, to everyone, the name of his mother was never revealed. Not once.
We know the mother of Solomon. We know the mother of this. We know everyone.
But the name of David's mother was never disclosed. The only hint David gave to Roses, I was sharpened in iniquity. In sin did my mother conceive me.
What sin? I don't know. Are these all the children?
No. There is one more. It's with the sheep.
Are you following me? He said, go bring him here. We will not sit down until he comes. They were standing when God said, arise.
What is arise there when they were not sitting down? Summon all your faculties. Summon all your anointing.
all the graces you have, arise and anoint him. There is he. What makes that unusual again is that before he anointed David, he now said his seven brothers should form a circle around him. Do you understand me? And so he was anointed in the midst of the brothers who were rejected.
Huh? Don't you see that family dispute that started? The second reason that makes this anointing service or David being anointed as uncommon, of a subject unusual.
What is the uncommon? The uncommon is that there's a reigning king. There was a reigning king by the name of Saul.
If you had gone to Israel that day, especially after he was anointed, and as a people who is a king of Israel, they will say, Saul, the son of Kish. Hear me loud and clear, and I pray that you will be wired up to heaven. When God wants to elevate anyone into any position who occupies, it does not matter.
God can. He's done it before and he will do it again. The question now is why did God reject Saul? 4 Samuel chapter 15. So Samuel said As the Lord has great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord, behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fart of rams.
Can I stop here and tell you that one of the toughest moments in my life in the year 2022 was when God showed up in my bedroom and said, I did not go to the cross as God. I did not send an angel to die for man. I took the form of man in order to die for man and redeem man.
Take that form and leave the rest to me. Number one, it doesn't make any sense because you are talking of 100 million and it's not church money. God sees.
Do you understand me? If I would divide that 100 million to about five different homes to give them 20 million each, they will pray for me till Jesus will return. And I told everyone that mattered to me, that were part of everything we were doing, I will never take that form. We had to say, forget it. It was on Thursday night that I said that.
But early morning on Friday, he came and said, take that form and leave the rest to me. Now, I look stupid to the rest of the world. Leave the rest to me. I didn't campaign. If you are going to win an election, at least you will see one delegate.
I did not see any delegate. I did not go to any state. Even like Aerofi called me and said, our delegates are waiting for you to come to Cardona.
I said, thank you very much. I am not coming. When you get to Abuja, let me know. My brother, Professor Adedjuma, was the one in charge of Ayoste. Because we didn't have, we, APC did not have a governor there.
He called all of them, this man is good, this man has been good. All the delegates from Ayoste are waiting for him to come to Ibadan. I said, I am not coming. The instruction I received is stupid.
Take the form and leave the rest to me. I look foolish, don't I? You are going to find out that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men.
Now you can't turn around tomorrow and say that I bribed the delegate. Because I didn't see a single one. And nobody voted for me. So I'm wearing the zero badge of honor.
Do you understand me? Does it make sense? Now God told Saul, go to the Amalekites. he did not realize that God had sworn in the days of Moses that they will fight the Amalekites from generation to generation until you wipe them out and when he was given instruction to Saul he said I want you to wipe them out like a man a woman in the kitchen wipes out a dish that you know when you wash a dish and you clean it I want you to really do a thorough job Then he got there and he saw fat cows. Oh, and you look at those cows.
He saw fat cows and fat cattle. And then he caught their king and said, I will make a public show of their king. God said, wipe them out utterly. And he spared them.
And the moment he returned, he erected a monument to celebrate his accomplishments. And all night long, Samuel could not sleep. Samuel, you anointed the wrong person.
I asked you to anoint him, but it's totally wrong. He has disobeyed me. I've rejected him. Let's read further.
Let's find the reason. For rebellion is a sin of witchcraft, upon us it is an iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he also has rejected you from being king. Then Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I fear the people and obey their voice. You see?
Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may worship you. the Lord. But Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you for you have rejected the word of the Lord and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel. Emotions can step in here. Oh, he has already pleaded now.
Oh, he said he was sorry. Oh, he said it's okay. Oh, he said God has rejected you.
I have clear instruction. You already rejected. And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe and he tore. Ah, Samuel said to him, the Lord has turned the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
And also the strength of Israel will not lie nor relent, for he is not a man that he should relent. Then he said, I have sinned, yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel. and return with me that I may worship the Lord your God. So Samuel turned back because he said honor me now. He was a king.
He turned back after Saul and Saul worshiped the Lord. Samuel did not join. Then Samuel said bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me.
So Agag came to him cautiously and Agag said surely the bitterness of death is past. But Samuel said as your soul has made women childless. So shall your mother be childless among women.
Every politician who has killed people to get into a position of power. 2024 is your doomsday. 2024 is your Waterloo. You will get paid for all that you have done.
Write it down and mark it and note it. It is too late for many of them in this season. But someone said as your son has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And someone hacked a gag in pieces.
before the Lord in Gilgal. This is where I'm coming. Samuel went to Ramah and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul and Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul and the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Do you know Samuel died before Saul? Before Samuel chapter 25, Samuel died. Saul was sick. Do you know how long Saul reigned for?
40 years. Do you know how long David reigned for? 40 years.
Do you know how long Solomon reigned for? 40 years. I wish I can let you see some things today.
It is totally uncommon for a... king to remain on the throne for another king to be anointed. So the elevation of David, the son of Jesus, the shepherd boy, his elevation was both unusual and uncommon. So you will not see wind, you will not see rain, but you'll find water in 2024. In the mighty name of Jesus. You are the least qualified, but God has qualified you.
As you are hearing this, I'm trusting God that there will be a spark of faith on the inside of you that will latch onto the word of God and say, Indeed, Lord, I receive this. This is my year of unusual and uncommon elevation. Stand to your feet and pray to the Father. I don't want you to to whisper, pray loud, lay hold of that word, unusual, uncommon elevation.
That is your portion, my portion, and our portion in 2024 in the mighty name of Jesus. Lord, in the name of Jesus, we line up with your purpose, with your word, with your plan. We receive what you have sent to us.
We will not entertain doubt or fear. There's a spark of faith on the inside of us. Help us, Father. In Jesus mighty name.
I know there are so many people who despise prophecy and they will say what nonsense is this? I don't want you this year to die like Nabal, the churlish and the foolish man who despised David. He said who is David?
Oh, he's the son of Jesse. There are many servants who have run away from their masters. Shall I then give my bread to such people?
No. He paid with his life. It is our year of unusual and uncommon elevation.
If you don't want elevation, no problem. But don't use your mouth anyhow because it will happen literally before you. In the mighty name of Jesus, I'm going New heights again, me every day, still praying out, as I on one now, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. Lord, lift me up and let me stand. My faith on Him, a stable land.
My higher place, that's God. Lord, grant my peace on high. Who am I talking to here today?
Who is geared up to be elevated by God? Isaleti Sumi. I am Beloke.
Shibigiga, Bemi Nasi Shibigiga, Olu Wacha Olu Wacha, Wane Misoke Olu Wacha, Wane Misoke This is a little story. Okay, okay, we will find out. What they mean is okay. They mean love, see. Chibi giga, tebi lasi, chibi giga, olu wajo, wabebi soke.
Olu wajo, wabebi soke. There's another song I don't know very well. Oh yeah, I've just been spraying you like this. Listen to this. Do you think that even Jesse thought that David deserved that honor?
Have you found out that man's reject is God's elect? Even Jesse the father did not include him in this one-of-a-kind anointing service. So, Jesse said, because I am looking. I don't care which father you have that has cursed you, we reverse that curse today. I don't care which mentor of yours has become your tormentor, we reverse their influence today in the name of Jesus.
One day, I will be able to see you. You know, Jesus said to his disciples, is that you are the ones who have continued with me in this suffering and mourning and everything I've gotten through. And guess what? You are going to sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Everyone who did not despise all that I've gone through, you will not regret it.
And you know my song tonight? La Ipa La Ijina You know, many people thought it's over. No, it's just about to start. In Jesus'mighty name, let us commence our voyage into unusual and uncommon elevation by God tonight as we reiterate what was said to you during the wartime service, that it takes a brand new you. to experience a brand new year.
As I pointed out last night, it was when the day breaks that a brand new man by the name of Israel obtained divine protection from Esau, who considered Jacob a mortal fool. Genesis 32. 22 to 28. And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he heard. Then Jacob was left alone, and a man rested with him until the breaking of day.
Now when he saw that it did not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as he wrestled with him and he said let me go for the day breaks but he said I will not let you go unless you bless me so he said to him what is your name he said Jacob and he said your name shall no longer be called Jacob but Israel for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed. Then Jacob asked, saying, tell me your name, I pray. And he said, why is it that you ask about my name?
And he blessed him. There. That night, Jacob's struggles from the womb ended.
As you hear me today. Your struggles have ended. You're participating in the communion service today by the shed blood of the lamb.
The struggles of your life have come to an end in the mighty name of Jesus. That struggle ended. His name was changed from what?
I can't hear you well. From Jacob to... Now, someone may ask, how did Jacob become the mortal foe of Israel? You know what he did. His mother, Jacob's mother, was the one behind the manipulation and the deception that made Isaac to pronounce blessing.
upon Jacob. And when Esau eventually showed up, he said, where is he that I've blessed? And he is blessed, I've sustained him. He went. Is he not named Jacob?
Check your Bible, see. Supplanter and deceitful. That was the name they gave him when he was born.
Is he not rightly named Jacob? He has stolen my birthright. Now he has taken my blessing. And I began to think on the inside of him.
The day of my brother's death is around. I will kill him and my parents with more. And the mama heard and said come and go to Lebanon for a few days. And when the anger of your brother come down I will bring you back.
That was a joke. Rebecca died before Jacob returned. A few days turned to 21 years. There is nothing called short court. Short court is not short in the long run.
Do you understand me? God had purposed in his heart what he would do. Don't try to manipulate God to make it happen.
That's how I became immortal fool. He treated him as one and was going to kill him. But because Jacob repented that night, God did not only forgive him, God changed his name.
My second question, I'm going somewhere. I'm building up gradually. My second question, when the name was changed, did Jacob behave like Israel?
You are looking at me, you know, and you know, Jack Ma, former Senate President. Did he? No. Chapter 33 of Genesis.
Chapter 33 of Genesis, quickly. Genesis 33 verse 1. This was after his name was changed. His name was changed in chapter 32. Chapter 33, now...
Who did? Is that the new name? Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked and there he saw Esau was coming and with him were 400 men.
How did he count them quickly? He had been told before. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.
And he put the maidservants and their children in front. I don't know how to say it. I don't know how to say it. I don't know how to say it. Leah and her children behind him.
And Rachel and Joseph last. Why was he doing this? He was still Jacob.
Despite the change of name. That's why even a man being Christ is a new Christian. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new, but you still need to renew your mind.
This is the essence of step up thinking. You still need to renew your mind because Almighty God had changed your name already. And by changing your name, it changed your nature. And God knew he was not ready. So he said, tell me your name.
He said, I ain't telling you my name. And he left him. He said, well, I don't really get that.
The day came in Genesis 35 when God said, now let's revisit this matter all over again. Go back to Bethel where you swore to me after you ran from Esau. And build an altar for me there and I will show up again. And when he showed up in Genesis 35, he now said, what is your name? He said, Jacob.
He said, you see, I knew you didn't get nothing. Uludu, one plus one. You didn't get anything.
Your name is no longer Jacob. Your name is Israel. And for the first time.
God now revealed his name to Jacob. May the revelation of his name be revealed to you tonight in the name of Jesus. You say, why? Because Jesus did not leave real estate for you when he was going. Jesus did not leave oil well for you when he was going.
Jesus did not leave diamond well for you when he was going. Jesus left his name. And until you get the revelation of his name, it's not going to work for you.
May the revelation of your name be revealed to you so that you walk in the integrity of that name, in the name of Jesus Christ. Your name shall no longer be called Jacob. Your name is now Israel.
And he stood there, I am the almighty God. Be fruitful, multiply. Your descendants will be like the stars of heaven.
For the first time, he got up again and he took a pillar. He erected it and poured oil and wine on it. representing the church. Do you understand me?
We have oil and we have wine. So everyone that is wounded on the road to Jericho, we have water to treat them. Can I hear amen? When God said that to him, his life changed.
Why God revealed his name at this stage? Can I tell you exactly what God did to Abraham? That's what God did to Jacob. When he revealed his name and said, I am the almighty God. He was going back to what he did with Abraham.
Genesis 17. Genesis 17, verse number one, God is going to renew your mind. He's going to renew the spirit of your mind. The word of God will come alive on the inside of you.
Every time the enemy comes, you have the answer. It is written. When Abraham was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abraham and said to him, I am almighty.
That's what he said to Jacob. I am almighty God. Walk before me and be blameless. You know the interpretation of that? Obey me and live as you should.
And I will make my covenant between me and you and will multiply you exceedingly. Then Abraham fell on his face and God talked with him saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with you and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abraham, but your name shall be... Abraham, for I've made you a father of many nations.
Abraham had to renew his mind in order to fit into what he has gotten. Everything you need to experience unusual, uncommon elevation in your mind, in your spirit, in your soul, tonight is imparted to you in the mighty name of Jesus. You will truly experience uncommon, unusual elevation.
in Jesus mighty name. Let me leave Jacob quickly and in the next few minutes show you why we got out together here. Are you ready? The reason we got out together here today is because of the question that God has put in my heart for you and that is the subject of our contemplation. How do you feel about you?
Some of you have been here for more than 35 years or almost 35 years or that's less. How do you feel about you? How do you feel about your Christian life?
How do you feel? Be honest with me. Do you really feel good about yourself? Do you really feel good when those ungodly friends and relations of yours talk down on you and look at you?
How do you feel when your contemporaries are promoted and you have been marking in the same sport for 20 years, neglected and bypassed. When your contemporaries and your colleagues who are not filled with the Holy Spirit, they don't speak in tongues, they don't fast, they don't pray, they don't tithe, and they are not tithe, but you do all those things. And you don't seem to have any significant thing to show for it.
How do you feel? How? How do you feel? Come with me to Matthew 22. I'm going to read from verse 34 to 40. And I'm going to camp on a two-letter word to show you you and what is it that has been hindering you from flying higher and from being who God wants you to be. Matthew 22, 34 to 40. But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
Then one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him and saying, Teacher! which is the great commandment, you caught me off, which is the great commandment in the law. Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. What word do you think I want to camp around tonight? On these two commandments and God, the law and the prophets.
What is that two-letter word that I want to camp around tonight? The word us. Us.
A-S. Love your neighbor as yourself. The word ask means the same.
Love your neighbor the same way you love yourself. These two letter word A-S can impact a person's life in a positive and a negative way. Your neighbors Your co-workers, your spouse, your family members, and your friends are all being dramatically affected by this two-letter word. If that sounds really close to you, I'd like to go further and say this tiny word, ask, may very well be in charge of your finances.
It may rule your emotional state your relationship with God. Let me explain. If you do not love your neighbor the same way or the same level you love yourself, you have violated the great commandments.
Your behavior toward your neighbor is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. You may not believe that. It's a reflection of who you are. The way you relate with your neighbor is exactly the way.
You are. Therefore, the best thing you can do for your neighbors, the best thing you can do for your family, the best thing you can do for members of this church is to love yourself. If you don't love yourself, you can't love others.
You'll be full of hate. You'll be full of bitterness. You are not growing.
You have arrested development. Because you don't understand. That your response to your fellow. Person or man or woman. Is the way.
You feel. On the inside. Of you.
The foremost apostle. Paul the apostle said in Ephesians 28 to 29, he used that word as he gave. Men ought to love their wives as themselves. This time is not about neighbor, it's how to save a marriage. If you don't love your spouse as you love yourself, guess what?
Every misunderstanding will end up in, I hate you. I hate you. Have you heard that before?
I hate you. That's what is in the inside of the person and you need to dodge yourself from the hate, from the venom. Do you understand me? You don't know how these things hinder you from doing the best that God wants you to be because they color your mind. They poison your mind and you want to hear the truth from me.
You can only prosper. As your soul prospers. I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. What is the greatest commandment that Jesus gave to the church? It was at a communion service like tonight.
The betrayal of Judas Iscariot was looming. The cross was ahead of him. And he said, to whom I did the bread and give and he would take it, that is the one that will betray me. And he did the bread and gave it to Judas Iscariot and he took it.
And the Bible says he left and it was night. I call it the darkest hour in the life of Judas. Immediately he departed.
He turned to them. Little children, a new commandment I give to you, that you must love yourself as the same word, I love you. Many believers know John 3 16, but they don't know 1 John 3 16. You are spreading poison in this house and if you don't stop, God Almighty will...
deal with you. You are spreading poison. Because if you do not love your neighbor as yourself, you become a hinderer, not just hindrance, to all that God wants to do among us.
The credo, love God, love people, serve God, serve people, can only be carried out by those who love their neighbor as themselves. So on this first night, at this communion service, how do you feel about you? How many people have you bottled all kinds of anger, all kinds of resentment, all kinds of bitterness, and you want others to join you in your miserable fellowship? It's not going to happen here.
In the mighty name of Jesus. Do you really love yourself or are you starving for attention or you're starving for love? Let me give you an example. I illustrate that in a minute and we'll go for the communion.
If you find yourself amongst people, friends, family, and there are people who are sharing their testimonies of their exploits and the great things God has done for them, and you are listening to them, but your story is better than theirs, would you let them shine that day and be the one that will speak and just keep quiet? Or you say, oh yeah, I have a better testimony than that. The reason you open your mouth to talk like that is you are in competition.
You have self-hate. You don't love yourself. Because if you love yourself, you give them room.
You just take a seat and say, wow, see what the Lord has done. And you say very literally, I'm going to show it to you in Scripture. Okay? We like that. We like to dominate every place we find ourselves to let them know we also on the cutting edge.
It's not every time you talk. I found myself in the house of Pastor Bank in Bethlehem, Georgia. I went to greet him at home that day and as we sat down, the missionaries is sent to Nigeria. to Ibadon to be precise, returned home with testimony of the things they found in a village called Badiku.
And they played the video and they were rejoicing when Pastor Banks saw the video, saw the hospital that was built for villagers in that environment. He said, GB, GB. I said, yes, Pastor Banks.
He said, this is mission in action. I said, yes, sir. The missionaries enjoyed their testimony and I said, God bless you and devils and I left. I didn't say a word. Months after, we heard apostolic summit and Pastor Bank was one of the invited guests so he came.
So the man who was running the mission field in Badikou also attended and got introduced to Pastor Bank. So Pastor Bank grabbed him and said, yeah! I need to show GB.
So I brought the man and said, you remember the missionaries who came to my house? The body was in the hospital. I said, yes. He said, this is the man.
I said, oh, nice meeting you, sir. Uh-uh. Reverend Iduma Nemanjian said, who is introducing who to who?
I said to him, that Paso Bacary's church built the hospital. He looked at me and said, how dare you? You didn't even say you know the man.
Reverend, what's his name, Dr. Sam Faddei, were those who went there to help them to establish that hospital. Proverbs 27, 2, Let others praise you and not you yourself. When you love yourself and you're secured in God, you're not competing with anybody.
You know what is yours is yours and nobody can take it, but if you don't know your mind will be shooting up and down saying all kinds of things. Friends, tonight in the name of Jesus Christ I'm asking you, love yourself. Can I hear amen?
I didn't hear it well. I didn't hear it very well. Amen.
Loving yourself is the key to a prosperous soul. It's as simple as that. So understand point that you love others. God Almighty knows I care about you.
He knows I suffer, I labor, I press into God to lay hold of his word, to be able to feed the flock so that you become strong in my lifetime and people begin to introduce me by you. You are shining and they are pointing to you. And then you say, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce my father to you.
They didn't know I was there until you speak. Abraham was great, but Isaac was greater. Isaac was great, but Jacob was greater.
Jacob was great, but Joseph was greater. One generation will praise your work to another generation and declare your mighty works. The season has come for you to get rid.
of every self-hate, self-dominating things that you do to yourself and you are competing unnecessarily for attention and seeking attention. No, stop it. You must be secured in God. There are five things you need to do. Can I tell you?
If you are going to renew your mind and find that love. Are you ready for this? Number one, you must understand what Jesus did for you. While you were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.
Committing sin was not your problem. Sin was your nature. While you were yet sinners, Christ died for you.
Number two, he did not leave you in that situation. Romans chapter 5. He also poured the love of God inside of you by the Holy Spirit. So that...
every contaminating hate can be flushed out by the love of God on the inside of you. So that it is love that oozes out of you, not hate, not demeaning disposition. I'm telling you the truth.
This year is a different year. You must not miss out in the name of Jesus Christ. Can I hear amen? What's number one thing you must do?
I can hear you well. Understand what God did to you through Jesus. Number two, understand that he has poured his heart, his love in your heart. God is not Pharaoh that's asking you to make bricks without giving you straw.
Before he asked you to love God and love people and serve God, he poured his love inside of you. God is love and you must begin to love. like your father.
Number three, you must get rid of your guilt and let Jesus clean you up. All those things you have done that are bothering you, clean up your act. Clean up all the guilt that you have. Let it go. Let Jesus clean you up.
Look at what he did with Moses. Moses ran away from Egypt, did he not? But when God was going to the commission. Did he say in Exodus 4.19 that those who are looking for you are dead?
God killed his enemy. May those who are trying to lay public trap for you, may they realize that God is fighting your battle. In the mighty name of Jesus. You see what Jesus did to Peter?
When the angel spoke to them, he said, tell the disciples to go and wait for him in Galilee as he told you and tell Peter also. And three times as he denied. Jesus fed him three times. Do you love me more than bread? Do you love me more than fish?
Just to get him back. Who knew that he would be the one to preach when the day of Pentecost had fully come. Time will not permit me to begin to talk about Paul of all people.
Listen to Paul's testimony I gave last night. Acts 26. I'll give you just one tonight. Acts 26 9 to 19. Indeed, I myself thought, I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
These I also did in Jerusalem. Many of the saints I shot up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I cast my voice against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme.
And being enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priest, at me there, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the gods.
So I said, who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Do you know the person you hate Jesus loves?
Do you know the person you are ill-treating? With all kinds of disposition, Jesus cares and is watching you. Don't lose your position through low self-esteem. But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose.
to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and the things which I will yet reveal to you. I would deliver you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send you to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me. Therefore King Agrippa. I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
Brothers and sisters, if Moses ended up fulfilling his destiny, despite having committed murder in the land of Egypt, if Peter fulfilled his destiny and kept on following Jesus after he had denied him three times, that's like chicken. When they serve chicken, it reminds me of what he did to Peter. I don't like chicken. I like fish. I like, I like.
If God used Saul of Tarsus, if anyone brings your guilt of the past to you, know that it's an agent of Satan, the accuser of the bread. And guess what? If the devil himself shows up to remind you of your past, please tell him of his future.
in the lake of fire. How do you feel about yourself? Your attitude, your conduct is showing what is inside. Tonight you can be free as you come to the table of the Lord.
Let his love be stirred up on the inside of you. Let your soul become prosperous as God is renewing it by the word you are receiving and go make a difference because this year It's your year of unusual and uncommon elevation. Stand to your feet.