Cdc Sept 6 2018 Moving Unto Perfection

[Speaker 1] Churches and fellowships cannot be more spiritual than the individuals and families that constitute them. God greatly desires a godly home. These are words of restoration and instruction in righteousness from Family Tech Ministry. May you be blessed as you listen. [Speaker 2] Don't pay close attention to scripture. So as we try to look at moving on to perfection, I want you to look at this scripture very, very closely. It says, "Therefore." Now, normally "therefore" would not be the beginning of the sentence. Is that not so? If I come to you and I say, "Therefore," you will be confused. Will you not be confused? Because "therefore" is actually a word that is premising what will be said after it on what was said before it. Is that not so? So some things were said in Chapter 5 that flow into Chapter 6. But I will not want us to spend so much time on what is in Chapter 5, but I want you to have an understanding of where we are journeying to. Because I am telling you, I don't know with what happened today. If you don't make diligent effort to grow, I mean to become more spiritually mature, if there is no passion, I mean strong passion about it, I believe you are spiritually blind. There is a blindness. Because if you look around us today, you don't need to look for too many reasons to know that the coming of the Lord is at hand. You don't need too many reasons. You just need to look around you and realize that. Now, can we just take two or three steps into Chapter 5? Please go back to Chapter 5. Go to the concluding three verses of 5. Are we together now? Now, you notice that the issue that led to 6 is because in 5, some people ought to have been teachers. Do you get it? But they were not teachers. They still have milk again that you still need to teach them some elementary things. Are you following me? So it now said, "Therefore." Because you don't need to remain there. That premises Chapter 6. I will still come back to 5 much more. Now, it says, "Therefore." Other way to put this matter is to say, "Therefore, leave that place where you cannot discern between right and wrong." Do you understand it? There is a place for us to know if a Christian is growing. It is a continuous increase of discerning to be able to separate good from evil. If for example, a sister still need to be told over and over again that skirts must be below the knee. Do you understand me? We still need to tell her over and over again because there is a spiritual problem. The person is not growing. If we still need to tell a brother that you don't need to speak useless statement, loose speeches, vanity. We need to be telling you that over and over and over and over again. It is because the heart is not growing. If we still need to tell a brother over and over that bro, the kind of haircut you are having is like that of mad people. If we still need to tell a brother that over and over and he cannot discern it. If we still need to tell a sister over and over again that sis, you don't need to cheat in exam now. Why are you doing that? If she cannot discern, then there is a problem. If we need to come again to the fellowship and keep telling our brethren backbiting is not good, backbiting is not good. Why are you backbiting? Why are you spreading information that are not completely correct? Why not let us investigate? It is because the heart is not growing. I'm trying to make us understand that I was talking with some group of young people one day, and one of them said, "But sir, it is not written in the Bible that it is a sin." People have become so engrossed that to discern good from evil has become something so complex to them, which ordinarily should be simple if men are growing. And so look at 6 very closely. It says let us go on to perfection, not laying again what? Foundation. Please, what is a foundation? What is a foundation? [Congregation member] The beginning of the building. [Speaker 2] The beginning of the building. And we know. I mean, when we say the foundation, what does that presuppose? What is the purpose? Why do we need to lay foundation? [Congregation member] Because it's a building. [Speaker 2] It holds the building. It is the pillar and the columns. The columns, the beams that hold the building. Why do we normally lay foundation? Foundation gives a pattern. That is one. It remains another thing. She didn't use the right verb. That's why I thought she should just change the verb. It does not hold, but it carries. It sustains. So there is no way we want to start anything without first laying a foundation. Is that not so? Now, can somebody just start building up without a foundation? Is it possible? There must be a foundation, isn't it? So the first thing I want to call your attention to is that as much as our focus for today is that we move on, I am here to ask you very seriously, have you laid a foundation? Have you laid the foundation? Are you sure that there is a foundation laid? Are you sure you have laid a foundation? The reason I am saying these things is because the Bible says if any man says he knows Christ, what will he do? Who can find that scripture? What will he do? I'm not getting the right response. What will he do? Okay, we are not very sure. Can we see 1 John? Let's see 1 John. 1 John 3. Let's read from 3. It says, "And every man that has this hope in him," does what? "Purifies himself even as he is pure." So when a man is not purifying himself, what does it tell us? The man don't have the hope in him. Is that not? So how do we know men that has the hope of eternal life? How do we know them? They are purifying themselves. So you realize that if a man cannot have a sense of discerning good from evil, there is no hope in him in the first place. There's no foundation. But let's read on a little. Verse 4. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law." Verse 5. "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin." Verse 6. "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth has not seen him neither known him." What is the implication of that? What is the implication? Can we have the NLT of these things? Do you have other translation of this verse? Okay, so we don't have other translation. Now, if the Bible says whosoever abideth in him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth has not seen him neither known him. Now, what is that telling you? How do you know the meaning of "sinneth"? I want to amplify this thing for you. I want you to go to just this same 1 John 1. You will get what he is trying to say here now. Go to around verse 4. "And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full." Yes. "This then is the message," please note, "This then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." Verse 6. "If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness," what does the Bible say? It says that we may be lying. It seems we are lying. What did it say? It says we lie and do not the truth. "But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." What I'm trying to make you see is how do we know if a man is having fellowship with God? How do we know? My brother, please come. How do we know a man if he is with God? Please tell me. How do we know if a man is walking with God? How do we know? If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, what did he say? We lie. So how do we know a man that is having a stay by stay with God? He does not walk in darkness. So if we see a man, if you find a youth that walks in darkness, there are two fundamental or foundational problems. It is either he was never born again. You know we have spiritual bastards in the church today. There is no encounter with Jesus. But they look so much like us. It is nothing today. There is this convenience to do evil. When they tell lie, they don't tell it is really wrong. They tell you it's Nigerian factor. Do you understand me? When you say, "Bro, this thing you are doing is not correct," he'll say, "Look, man must survive now." Do you understand me? These are men, these are youths that never had an encounter with Jesus. That is one foundational problem. So no matter how we tell such kind of men to move, they can never move. They will move nowhere. There was a man called Judas. The three and a half years ministry of Jesus could not change him. Do you understand me? If a man is with Jesus like this and they are relating together for three and a half years and that man is not changed. You will notice that at the end of the day, Jesus said, "Of all that you have given me, I have lost none." He ought to be "I have lost one." He said "I have lost none." He was never given. You need to check your foundation where you are. You might be among us like this and by the time you are through with this program, your life is still the same. There is nothing we can organize that can change you. You need to check whether there was a foundation. The problem may not be with the leadership of the fellowship. The problem may not be because we are doing everything for brethren to grow. The problem may be that they were men whose hearts never met with Jesus. So they cannot go anywhere. There is nothing we can do about them. Such men are inside the church. Such men are brother, sister, but in my usual way, I call them "bro" there's no "ther". They are "sis" there is no "ter". I call them "sis", they are not sister. They are "bro" but not brother. But they look so much like us. You need to check your heart. You need to check your life. Christianity is a sincere walk with God. Christianity is not, we are so surrounded by hypocritical lives today. People that are hypocrites. People who seem to appear to be going somewhere but they are going nowhere. So you need to check your life. I was somewhere where the leader of the fellowship was busy dating two sisters in the fellowship. And men, we are surrounded by men today, many men are not just correct. You need to check whether you are not one of them. How could a man like Judas, after you have put 30 pieces of silver inside your pocket, and Jesus said, "One of you will betray me," say, "Master, master, is it me?" You have already collected 30 pieces of silver inside your pocket and you are saying that. All the anointing of Jesus could not change his life. Is it the anointing of one president that wants to change your soul? You are the one to look and check. That was the first thing the Lord bothered my heart with when I got the text for this meeting. That ten men, first and foremost, have they laid this foundation? That's where to start from. Have you laid? Check your life. Others are growing, others are becoming passionate, they are working, they are trying to know Jesus, they are growing. You are in their midst. You are the one busy pressing sister's breast. You are the one busy telling lie. You are the one busy spreading rumor among ex-cos. You are the one busy backbiting. Do you know one thing about Jesus? You don't know it yourself. You are just here. And you are among them while some people are passionate, spending personal time to study the Bible and they are saying, "God, use me." You are busy cheating in exam. You are busy missing "I used to have girlfriend, I wish I can see". You are busy missing the fashion in the world. You are busy looking at some sisters, the kind of skirt, ah they are looking sexy. Maybe I should be sexy again. I don't know whether there's a reward for being sexy, there's a reward for being decent. I'm telling you specifically, while men are being occupied themselves for the Lord, some men, some youth are busy thinking, "Lord, use me to save somebody today. Lord, as I go to class, use me to preach to somebody. Lord, let my life convert my roommate. Lord..." You are busy, you are among non-believers, they cannot differentiate you. I don't know who you are, but that was the first thing the Lord bothered my heart with. And the reason why the Lord is challenging you today is that please lay a foundation for your life. This kind of message may not come your way again. Check your life. You know yourself. You know your life. Please check it and lay the right foundation. I move on in that matter. So we are saying that first, a foundation must have been laid. It must have been laid. Now, haven't laid that foundation, a foundation that is what? Repentance. He said the foundation of repentance from dead works. You must have laid that foundation. Let me explain it to you. I thought I was in the classroom. You know I've been teaching all my life as a classroom teacher. I wanted to draw on the board. Now, if you look at a fish, how do you know a fish? How do you know that something is a fish? [Congregation member] It's inside water. [Speaker 2] Okay, a fish. We cannot find fish. If fish is outside water, it must be dead. Is that not true? Now, one thing about fish is that it must stay inside water. Is that not true? Do we all agree on that? Now, a fish swims inside the water. Now, once a fish comes out of water, there is a problem. Is that not true? What will the fish be doing? You know it'll start to struggle. If it had entered a net or something took it out, it'll start struggling and struggling to get back into water. Is that not? Said "I will make you fishers of men." Now, if something comes out of the water and successfully it is walking on land, it is not struggling to get back into water. Could it be a fish? Maybe it is a crab. You know a crab can stay inside water, it can also stay on land. You know crocodile. You know it can enter water, it can also survive on land. Is that not so? They wouldn't be struggling to go back into the water. What I'm saying is this: when you find a life, once it comes out of righteousness and can still live comfortably, it is never a child of God. It is never. I'm trying to make you to understand yourself. Once you take fish out of water, once a believer, a true Christian goes out of righteousness, his life goes out of order. You will see he cannot cover sin. "Sister Tao, do you know what I did today? See, I hope God will still forgive me. I did, ah God please have mercy on me." I'm showing you who is a Christian. A Christian cannot continue in sin. I'm saying this to watch whether you have laid the foundation of repentance from dead works. Come and check whether if you can cover sin, if you cannot open up sin. Once sin occurs, a Christian does not walk in darkness. He opens up sin, he is constantly in the light. There is nothing hidden, there is nothing covered. He is constantly in the light. And if he is in the light, we know a believer. But he that walks in darkness is not a believer. Now, he says however, to move to perfection, there is a need to do what? To do what? We don't need to keep laying the foundation of repentance from dead works. We don't need to keep laying that foundation. I remember when I newly gave my life to Christ, the doctrine that I was hearing then is everyone is a sinner. We were always sinning like we were used to sinning before God mercy saved us. Do you understand? And so every time I come to the presence of God, I must repent of one sin. Repent of something. And do you know that that is how our churches are typically arranged today? Every time men gather, there is constant remembrance of sin. "Lord, any sin that will not make you to hear us today, just forgive us, just forgive us." When you come again on Wednesday, "Lord, any sin that will not make you to hear us..." When you come again on Sunday, "Father, any sin..." When will you stop making reference to sin? I am not boasting. I don't know when last I prayed those kind of prayers. You see, we need to check our life. The reason why I want to be with you was when I saw the topic and the theme. I said, "Wow, God. Please as we fellowship together, the heart for this meeting, Lord please come and work in our midst." I don't know by what means the leadership decided that we should look at this, but I'm telling you it's a very, very important and a serious thing today. There is a need today for men to move from the elementary things of Christ. There is a need to move. Do you know that one major reason why they set aside the Levitical priesthood was because there's a constant mentioning of sin? There's a constant, they will keep mentioning sin, sin, sin. They must mention one sin, they must do one thing, they must do one thing. If it is adultery today, it will be lie tomorrow. There must be one thing. They keep mentioning one sin. And the Bible says it was set aside because it was not profitable. But even in the new order today, there is still a constant remembrance of sin. When I see a Yoruba congregation, you know what I tell them? I tell them that sinners fill the church, not the saved. I come to challenge you today on the theme for this world conference. There is a desire in the heart of God. That's why I said I didn't know how the fellowship came about with the theme, but honestly it is a desire in the heart of God that his people should move to perfection. Let's move to maturity. Let's mature. Let's move. Let's move from this constant, "Ah, sir, we are partially in a relationship but something happened. It is the devil. We slept together." How are you different from non-believers? And then you know what foolish thing you do many of the times? You now say, "God just give us grace, just give us grace. God will give us grace." And then sometimes we now turn that to something very, something serious, as if we are really correct. "Give me grace to follow." No, no, no. I'm not saying that we don't need grace to overcome sin. Don't get me wrong. But I am saying that the Bible says the grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared unto all men. It is teaching us. The problem is not for grace to be given. The problem is that we have not been taught by grace. Romans 5:17 says, "For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." Did it say you will receive? Did it say you will receive? What did it say? It said "we who receive." We have received abundance of grace to live right. So brother, there is a, you see, you need to understand that I have done what? I have done what? I have received what? What type of grace? Abundance of grace and what? I have received righteousness as a gift. And so if I've received abundance of grace, I should be able to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly lusts. It is not God come and give me grace to say no, "Give me grace to follow." No. Lord, thank you for the grace to live right. We receive grace. And every time I see people coming back, keep mentioning sin, keep asking God to do what God had done. I want to beg you today. I'm telling you that for those of us who have laid the foundation, please understand this: you have received grace to move. What did I say? You have received grace to move. You have received the gift of righteousness to move. For those of us who have laid the foundation, please understand it. There are many believers today, that's why you see the next thing there. It said the man does not have known God or have not seen him. There are now different category. People who already know the Lord. There was a time in their life, they came to Jesus. "Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus, come into my life. I confess you today to be my Lord. I give my life to you. Lord Jesus, be my savior. Lord be my Lord. Lord rule over my life." As there was an experience of salvation. But today when they check their life, there are struggles. Maybe some people like that may be struggling with masturbation. Some people like that may be struggling with pornography. Some people like that may be struggling with being honest. They are not consistently honest. They are honest when it is convenient. They are dishonest when it is not convenient. And then they will go back again to God, "Lord, Lord, Lord, oh God, God change me. God help me, God help me I'm your child." Are you like that? That's another category of people I've come to address this evening. I've just come to announce to you that see, you have received grace. What did I say? You have received grace. You have received grace. That day, that day... or how best do I explain this thing to you? Oh Lord, give me an example. An example. Okay. There was a day, I have turkeys in my compound. But they are confined. There was a day I felt they should come out of the confinement. So I went and I opened the door. When they got to the door, you know normally there's a door with nets. When they got to that place, their body would touch the net normally. So this time I opened that place. When they got there and they did like this, it was strange that their neck could go through their cage. They ran back. And then quickly all of them moved away from the place. And then they were at one point. They did not understand deliverance. They did not understand deliverance. What do they need to do to be free? Is to step into that thing and go out. But they have been accustomed to that thing being locked. So they didn't know that it had been opened. Some of you, you have been accustomed to "I'm a weak person, except God will just help me. God come and deliver me from masturbation. God I want to move to perfection. God come and help me." You have been accustomed to weakness. You have been accustomed to constant mentioning of sin. You couldn't understand that whosoever the son sets free is free indeed. You don't understand that you are free indeed. You don't understand that you are free. And I've come only to tell you that you need to move, not by your power, not by your strength, for the arm of flesh will fail you. You need to move by an understanding that "I have been freed." You need to look at, if it is masturbation, you need to look at it and say, "Masturbation, the man who used to masturbate was dead long ago. The man alive now have abundance grace to live above you." It is not God come and deliver me from masturbation, oh God. No, that is not what... You have been delivered. You have been freed. You need to move, you need to step into liberty, step into righteousness, reign in life through Jesus. I am saying this because over some 30-something years ago, that was my story. When I was told that everyone is a sinner, so every time you come to God, "Lord, Lord, come and help me now. God come and help me to stop this masturbation. You know I cannot but sin. You know I cannot but sin. Lord you know..." That was the kind of useless prayer I was praying. But I want to beg you today, there is a need, the heart of God is that his people move. Move from that foundation. Build, move. Not because you have the power to do so, but because you have been given the power to do so. So that nobody can boast in himself, we can only boast in the Lord. We can only boast in the Lord. So we must lay the foundation of repentance from dead works of faith towards God. Verse 2. "Of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment." Verse 3. "And this we will do if God permit." We will do it if God permit we will do that. We will do it if situation calls for it. The Bible says if a brother is overtaken by a fault, let those who are spiritual go and restore him. Have you not read that before in the Bible? We will do if the Lord permit, if it happens, we will do. If it comes and then you see it is this, we will do. But I wish you can move on. I wish you could move on. Now, looking at Hebrews 5. Go to Hebrews 5. Hebrews chapter 5. Can we have that quickly? "Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing." No, look at that verse 11. "Of whom we have many things to say, and hard..." Please, what makes the things hard? Dull of hearing. So which means those things are actually not hard. Are you following me? But what made it hard is the congregation. What make certain things hard is because of the congregation. Congregation they are not growing. The congregation, they are hard. They are hard to stay. Now, I will say something although it may look hard, but it is not really hard. You know, and that's because I'm trying to put so many things together within an hour, within an hour 10 minutes message. Now, please take your mind to this. We will not go there, I will just make reference. I'm trying to save time and we have so many things within that time. Do you remember the virgins? How many of them? Ten. Five were wise. Five were foolish. Now, if you look at the Ephesians that we read, it said, "Therefore do not walk as unwise. Don't be fools, but be circumspect, walk wisely." Is that not? Are you correlating something? What God expect of us is not to be foolish. God expect us to be wise. So walk circumspectly. Be wise. Be circumspect. Don't be foolish. Don't be a fool. Be wise. Redeeming the time, make the best use of every time. Take the best advantage of the time. Now, look at those virgins. When we say people are virgins, what does that presuppose? Virginity presupposes purity. Is that not? Is that not? It presupposes innocence. Is that not? It presupposes holiness. Is that not? Now, Jesus said there were ten virgins. So they were ten people who have laid the foundation. Are you getting that at all? They have laid the foundation. But yet there is still something beyond the foundation. They need to be wise. But unfortunately, haven't laid the foundation, some were foolish. Are you following me at all? I want to call your attention to something that looks hard but it is not hard. Now, we know how the story went, isn't it? So let's go to the conclusion. Eventually, he told the five foolish ones that "I don't know you." Is that not? Why did he say that? What made them not to be ready? As at the time the bridegroom was ready, they went looking for oil. Is that not? And so they were not ready. People have interpreted that thing severally. The oil means the Holy Spirit, the oil means this, the oil means that. I like to be very, very simple with the way Jesus put that thing too. When he was to conclude, he said, "Be you therefore watchful." Is that not what he said? For you don't know the hour. It's not about the Holy Spirit, it's about watchfulness. Are you following? You can go and check the story. It's about watchfulness. Now, what was it that was wrong? What was wrong was that when the bridegroom came, they went looking for oil. Is that not? And so they were not ready. Please, they didn't go to fornicate. Are you following me? They didn't go to steal. Are you following me? Look, men who are still struggling with foundational issues, when it come to the return of the Lord, they are even out of the matter. It is men who are virgins but we want to know the one that are wise and the one that are foolish. That is the matter. It's not the matter of who are not virgins. Are you understanding me at all? So if you are still at the level of "is it a sin?", that is not even the level for those who are preparing for the coming of the Lord. When we are talking about "the Lord is coming", we are talking about men who are already virgins. So among those virgins, we are now looking for the ones that are wise and the ones that are foolish. So those who have not become virgins, the matter is not even for them. The Bible says if the righteous are scarcely saved, then where is the place of the ungodly? Have you heard that scripture before? Are you familiar with that scripture? So even the righteous, the ones that have laid the foundation, they are scarcely. He said then where is the place of those ones who are still fornicating, still telling lie, still gossiping? Where are their place in this matter? They don't have a place in the matter, they don't have a part in the kingdom. I'm showing you why you must not only build your foundation, but also why you must move to maturity, to perfection. Because the matter of heaven is a matter among those who are moving to perfection, not those who are trying to lay the foundation. Have you understanding me now? So the first thing I want to make you understand is that the reason why if you have not laid the foundation you need to lay it. But if you have laid it, the reason why you need to move and move on is because the coming of the Lord is not about men who are not virgins in the first place. It is about men who are virgins but unfortunately they didn't do as they ought. They were not walking as wise. If you look at what they did in that place, what they did was that they were looking for the right thing at the wrong time. That was their mistake. They were not fornicating. They were not telling lie. They were not busy doing exam malpractice. That was not why they were disqualified. They were virgins. They have laid the foundation. But unfortunately in their moving on, they were not walking wisely. They were not walking wisely. They were not very watchful. Let me show you another similar illustration of that same thing. God was to engage some army for his work. And Gideon blew the trumpet. And how many came together? When the Gideon blew the trumpet, how many soldiers had gathered? Please read your Bible. The amount of books you read to even pass ordinary WAEC is almost 10 times the Bible. The amount of books you read to get even WAEC certificate is about 10 times the Bible if you are to put it into pages. Am I correct? If not more than that. Am I correct? Please pay attention to scripture. I was telling some of youth in my church, and I was telling them that see, I was around the age of 17, no between 17 and I was less than 20 and there are days I am not exaggerating that I will spend close to 14 hours of a day with the Bible. I was not yet 20. I was not yet 20. I'm not talking of for a week, of a day. Please spend time with the Bible. There was a fellowship one time and I said what took Elijah to heaven? What took Elijah to heaven? Chariot of fire. Because they normally sing [Sings in Yoruba - translated as "I see chariot Elijah, in a whirl of fire, he went to glory, I see chariot."] But do you know that that is not what took Elijah to heaven? Go and check your Bible. It is not chariot of fire. You see, we don't pay close attention to scripture. We need to pay close attention to scriptures. We need to attend to scripture seriously. We need to bury our life into scripture. Let me tell you what I do as a student. As a student, I have passion for my academic. So I measure my academic passion, I measure my spiritual passion by my academic. If I have cause to read, if I can read for five, six hours to pass [course codes], I will tell myself then it has to be six hours for Bible. If I can read seven hours to pass certain courses, then I will tell myself the Bible because it is seek first the kingdom of God. So I measure my spiritual passion by my academic passion. We read as if there was no God and we believe God as if we have not read. But I measure it. If sometimes in the night I stay, I try to stay awake because I want to read certain things, then I told myself no sleep must come when I want to read my Bible. Then I must also do certain things. Sometimes I'll be walking like this and reading my Bible because I did that too to pass, so I could do it too for my life. May God grant you a burning passion. [Congregation: Amen.] May God grant you a burning passion. [Congregation: Amen.] May God grant you a burning passion. [Congregation: Amen.] Passion for righteousness. [Congregation: Amen.] Passion for holiness. [Congregation: Amen.] Passion for godliness. [Congregation: Amen.] Passion for maturity. [Congregation: Amen.] May the fire of passion come upon you in the name of Jesus. [Congregation: Amen.] If a life lacks passion, it's a dangerous thing. There must be passion. What makes a man what he becomes is his passion. When they announced that I was the best student from my department during the convocation, people thought it is not possible. Do you know why? They thought this boy that only reads the Bible. They didn't know I was also studying my books. But they thought I was only reading Bible. I'm talking of passion. There should be passion. Passion for what you are doing. The Bible says whatsoever your hands find to do, do with all your might. Put all your mind into it. If you feel it is right to be a Christian, then put all your mind, all your mind, put it into it. If academic is correct, put your mind into it. These are the days people be saying that godliness affects academic. For us it was the reverse. Godliness promoted our academic. We'll be sometimes with God and God will say "son, read this, read that, read this, read that. Don't do like this, do like this." It was God in my 300 level that told me the measures with which to read to come out as the best student. God called me during my quiet time and said "son, I want to make you an excellent boy. Now, begin like this to read. Do this, do this, do this, do this. Don't do this, don't do this. Do like this, do like this. Don't go home again for Christmas. Don't go home again for holiday. Do this, do this, do like this, do like this." And we did it and I came out the best as the best student. But today it's a contrary thing that we are finding. Please I'm just, don't let me leave what I was saying because I'm trying to come to a conclusion. God called 32,000 soldiers at the beginning. And then an announcement was made: "Whosoever is fearful, let him go back." How many went back? 22,000. To remain how many? 10,000. I'm showing you that even when God gather men to himself, he also eliminate. You don't understand that. Please understand this. The Bible says in Matthew 13:47, the kingdom of God is like a net which a man throws into the sea and it catches what? It catches what? No, 47, 47, 47. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind." Verse 48. "Which when it was full, they drew it to the shore and sat down and gathered the good into vessels, and did cast the bad away." So every time God preaching his kingdom, what does he gather? All kinds. But God does the sorting. Every time the kingdom of God is preached, it will catch all kinds. But there will be a sorting. They will sort the good one into a vessel, they will throw the bad one away. That's the nature of the kingdom. So they announced 22,000 went to remain 10,000. God said this is too, too much. These men now they were bold, they were courageous, they were set for battle. They were ready to fight for God. They were ready to go to the battle. No, they were not afraid. There was no fear of death. There was no fear of man. There was no fear of Satan. There was no fear. They were set to go and fight for God. God said there will be another test. They took them to the river. And at the river, everybody that put his head into the river to drink was sent home. That took away 9,700. The one that did like this and were drinking, you know what that means? Men who were watchful, who can still see, who can still watch. 300. They were the ones that were used for the battle. What I am trying to say to you, you can see step. What is the first step we spoke about? Lay a foundation. Please be sincere with yourself. For many years of my life I was inside the church but I was a hypocrite. I was in the choir, I was in the evangelism team. We will go out, [Yoruba language phrase - translated as "looking for the lost."] The lost looking for the lost. A very pathetic situation. And some of you are like that. You know one problem with that kind of people that are lost? They are difficult to find because nobody is looking for them. If you check the parable of Jesus about sinners, he said the sheep was lost, they went looking for it. But the silver coin was lost inside the house. Go and check the two story. For the sheep, they didn't light candle. But to find a silver coin, they have to light candle and sweep everywhere before they can find it. It is difficult to find those who are lost inside. Lost but inside the house. Please I beg you, lay a foundation to move on. And if you are moving on, I said something as I was speaking. You have everything it takes if you have laid the foundation. What did I say? You have what it takes to move. And lastly, what did I say? I said there is an important reason why you must move. What is the reason? The coming of the Lord is not about men who are not virgins in the first place. It is about virgins who are wise or foolish. That's the three things I discussed with you this evening. Let us pray. I want you to talk to the Lord. I don't know where you fall. I want you to talk to the Lord. You see, you know yourself. You know yourself. You know your life. Are you a Christian and you are still struggling? Or you are not even one of us at all? You are not one of us. You also know yourself. Judas, so close but so far. So close but so far away. Nothing could change him. So close but so far. But we have other people who have laid the foundation. We have the Peter who is not stable. God needs to make you to become stable. We have the John and James who are selfish. They want to inherit the throne of Jesus alone. God needs to make you to become better. You must move on. And if you must move on, I want you to pray tonight. First, if you have not laid the foundation. If you have not laid the foundation, talk to God for your life. Don't be like me some many years ago. Lost, but inside the house. You know yourself. You know yourself. You are working in darkness. I'm not going to call anybody out. It's not my pattern. I want you to talk to God where you are. Talk to God where you are. Lord, this foundation is not in my life. I just grew up inside church. I just grew up inside fellowship. Lord, Lord, but save me today. Save me today. On the other hand, if you are sure you have laid the foundation. You know you have laid the foundation. But you find that you are not moving. Some others are moving. Some of your brethren are moving. You can see them moving. You look at them, you say "ah, this bro, this brother is moving." But you, you know that there is a struggle. It could be a secret sin. There is masturbation somewhere. There is fornication somewhere. You still cheat in exam. You still tell small small lie. You are not completely truthful. You see gossip, you know it and you are saying "God, ah baba, Lord, but I'm a Christian. Why is my life like this?" I want you tonight to look at that thing eyeball to eyeball. Look at that struggle in your life eyeball to eyeball and say "Look, I am a changed person. If the son of God has set me free, I am free from you. You cannot hold me bound." Ah no. I cannot of my life be laying a foundation of dead works of repentance from dead works over and over and over and over again. I refuse to be here. I have received grace. I have received grace. Oh let the grace of God find expression in my life. Let the grace of God begin to find expression in my life. Let the grace of God find expression over every struggle, over every struggle. Let there be an expression. The scripture says something. Say "you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." I want you to pray. If you know there is a struggle, say "God open my eyes to the truth. Open my eyes oh God. Open my eyes to a clearer revelation of you." Revelation is the key. I often tell people, revelation is the key. A man of revelation is a man of freedom. Say "Lord, the revelation that will release me from this level. The revelation that will take me to another level. The revelation of the truth that will carry me from bondage to freedom." And lastly the third level. Those of us who know that yes, no there have been an expression of the grace of God in my life. This expression is there. I'm not struggling. God has been, God it has been wonderful walking with God. I want you to come to the third level. And say "Baba, baba, Lord, Lord, more and more and more of wisdom. Wisdom. Lord more and more revelation of your wisdom. Wisdom, wisdom, wisdom, wisdom of God." The Bible says it takes wisdom to build. It take understanding to establish. Talk to the Lord. Talk to the Lord. Talk to the Lord. Wisdom. As a virgin I will not be foolish. As a virgin I will not be foolish. Wisdom. He says look, be vigilant, be sober, for your adversary the devil goeth about seeking who to devour. Pray tonight and say "Yea, it doesn't matter what the devil does. It doesn't matter what hell want to do. The wisdom of God will be available for my life to continue in my purity, to continue in wisdom, to move on to perfection, to move on and on and on. I move on. Moving on to greater level, higher level, deeper than where I am." Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jehovah. Thank you, almighty God. I will not be foolish. I will not be foolish. I will not be foolish. Ah, wise as serpent. Smarter than the devil. Yet harmless as dove. Yet harmless as dove. Knowing to do the right thing the right time. Redeeming the time. Redeeming the time. The days are evil. I will not be overtaken by evil. Satan marked the feet of Jesus. But Jesus said "the prince of this world come and he found nothing in me." Pray for yourself if you know you are walking as a virgin. The prince of this world will find nothing in me. He will find nothing in me. When God told Satan "Have you seen my servant Job?", Satan was speechless. He was speechless. Pray that look, over my life the devil will be speechless. The devil will be speechless over my life. Until I see the Lord. Until I see the Lord. The devil will be speechless. He will be speechless over my life, over my testimony, over my walk with God. Over my walk with God. Over my walk with God. And wherever level that you are, begin to pray for this third level. "Lord, I will move to this third level. I will move. I will lay the foundation. I will move to become a virgin. And as a virgin, I will walk in so much wisdom that the devil will be speechless over my life." [Music playing] In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. We are going to pray with two songs. The first is a popular song. But if you don't know it, just listen and we sing it together. I live for Jesus day after day. I live for Jesus day after day. I live for Jesus, let come what may. The Holy Spirit I will obey. I live for Jesus day after day. The second song I want you to pray with. For those of you who may not know it, it's a song that simply says, "Lord, my life time, my life time, must not be mortgaged. Nothing will mortgage my life time. Lord, Lord, don't allow my life time to be mortgaged." Ma je o da ru o. Ma je o da ru o. Ah, ma je o da ru o. Ma je o da ru o. Igbesi aye mi. Ma je o da ru o. Igbesi aye mi. Ma je o da ru o. Lord, you died for me to live. You died for me not to die. You died so that I will not fall. You were wounded for my transgression. You were bruised for my iniquity. The chastisement of my peace is upon you. By your grace I move. Lord, you were wounded for my transgression. You were bruised for my iniquity. You have paid the price for my life. Lord, my life cannot be mortgaged. My life cannot be mortgaged. You died to set me free. You died for my academy. Thank you, God. Blessed be your name. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Almighty God we thank you for this evening. Lord, the Bible says he that is joined to you, you will make that person after the image of Christ. Thank you for what you've said. Lord, tonight I pray, please for students indeed that are struggling in one area or the other tonight, I prophesy according to the word of God. The Bible says who speaketh a thing and it come to pass when the Lord have not ordained it? But when the Lord have ordained it, we can speak it and it come to pass. The Lord had ordained your liberty. Therefore I prophesy over your life, let there be liberty from every struggle in the name of Jesus! And Lord, those other category of children that have been moving on but they are beginning to get dull of hearing or that the enemy is bringing obstruction in them, please come and confirm your word in their life. Lord, please come and confirm your word. You gave us grace and maturity. There is power. You have given us abundance. Lord, I stand on the path of these students that are gathered here tonight and I pray, Lord these ones will not miss their step in the name of Jesus! They will not miss their step in the name of Jesus! And for this congregation I pray, even those who are at the bottom of their life after God had laid the foundation, Lord as we witness of your mercy, there will move on unto perfection. They will move on unto assurance. They will move on unto maturity. There will be movement by the working of your mercy in the name of Jesus! Thank you, almighty Father. For in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.