Experiencing His Power at work in Us (Part 1)

[Speaker 1] Trusting in 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 on Family Tent Ministry. May you be blessed as you listen. [Speaker 2] I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. Oh, one more time. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. Oh, with my mouth, with my mouth, with my mouth, will I make known thy faithfulness, thy faithfulness. With my mouth, will I make known, I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. Lord our God, we are grateful. We thank you, oh Lord, for your mercies. We bless your holy name for this first Monday in the month of December, the last month of the year 2022. Lord, we are grateful unto you for how you started with us since January through all the months, and now we are in December. Lord, we thank you for how your word has been coming to us diversely, instructing us, correcting us, enlightening us, comforting us, directing us. Lord, we are so grateful that your presence has always been with us. Lord, we cannot but say thank you. Because we know that every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is actually God. Except the Lord builds the house, the laborers, they are only laboring in vain. And except the Lord watches over the city, the watchman lies awake but in vain. Lord, we thank you, oh Lord, for shepherding our lives. When we started the year in January, you told us you are our shepherd, that you are going to shepherd us through. You will lead by a way that we do not know. And Lord, we can look back and we are seeing how you have helped us. We say thank you, our Father, in the name of Jesus. Our God, we are committing ourselves again into your hands today. Brethren who are joining us on Mixlr, brethren who are joining us on Telegram, Lord, and we who are physically here, we commit ourselves into your hands. We say Lord our God, meet with us individually in the name of Jesus. Lord, come to us collectively in the name of Jesus. Lord, you have not asked the house of Jacob to seek you in vain. We said the house of Jacob will not seek you in vain. Lord, we are persuaded that our gathering this evening, by the virtue of your mercy, will not be in vain in the name of Jesus. Lord, you will meet us where we need you most. You will lighten our darkness. You will cause us to walk in light. You will liberate us in the liberty wherein Christ has set us free. Thank you, eternal Father. In Jesus' most holy name we pray. Amen. Last week was our prayer time. We took time to pray on the lessons we have been looking at. The matter of the cross has been... we started the issue of the cross in June. Yes, that was the first week in June. And we have been on the matter of the cross on and on. And last week we took time to pray on the implications of looking at the cross. And our concern was Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with him, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ that lives in me." And last week we took time to pray that the Lord would do three things for us. Number one, cause us to be filled with the knowledge of his will. Number two, cause our eyes of understanding to be opened. Number three, make us to understand scriptures. And then we added other prayer points to that prayer that has to do with praying for the church, praying for our lives beyond the topic, but praying into the month of December, that the Lord will crown the year for us. That was all we did last week. And today we are actually moving on in this matter around the cross, but very specifically we want to look at experiencing his power that works in us. Experiencing his power that works in us. And I want to quickly call our attention to something very, very important as I talk about experiencing his power that is at work in us. I want to remind us of some quotations of the scripture that we have read before so that when we talk about his power that works in us, it will be very, very clear. If you look at Colossians 1:29. [Speaker 3] Colossians chapter one verse 29. The Bible says... the King James says, "Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." [Speaker 2] What other translation do we have? Please, I want other people to read their translation. Please use the mic so that brethren online can hear you. [Speaker 4] "For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me." [Speaker 2] He says he's striving according to his energy which he mightily inspires where? Within him. Within him. Crucial things we must know about our walk with God. We are striving, but it's not by willpower. We are striving to live a godly life. We are striving to live a righteous life, not by willpower. It's by what? He inspires where? Within me. Within me. Other translation, please? [Speaker 5] NLT. "That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me." [Speaker 2] Are you seeing? There is something working within. If there's nothing working within, you are going nowhere. Something is working within. And that is what... when I talk about experiencing his power that works in us. So you see that the strive to do the work of God, the strive to live a godly life, the strive to be fruitful, that labor to move on is not something that you can say, this is the Babylon which I have built by my wisdom. Who made that statement? Nebuchadnezzar. He said, this is the Babylon which I built by my wisdom and by the might of my power. When that word was still in his mouth, the judgment came and he was turned to an animal. So people must act that way. The kingdom that they build were not built by the wisdom of men or by the might of their power. Men who said that, God turned them to animal. They became animals. What I'm trying to make you understand is that whenever God is at work, God does not give a place for anybody to glory before God. Whenever God is at work, he doesn't give a place for anybody to glory before him. So that there is something. We are laboring, we are striving, but it is because God is at work in us. Do we have any other translation again that we can put forward? Any other one? [Speaker 6] Good News. "To get this done, I toil and struggle, using the mighty strength which Christ supplies and which is at work in me." [Speaker 2] Using the mighty strength which Christ supplies. Who is supplying the strength? Which Christ supplies. These are men who live victoriously. These are men who finish... he said, "I have fought a good fight." Is that not what he said? "I have finished my course." "I have run the race." The men who got to that finishing line strong, they were telling us that they depended on something. There was something they saw working. And that is where we are picking the topic. Experiencing his power that works in us. It's something you need to experience. It's actually a follow-up to implication of looking at the cross like we've been looking at. Because experiencing this power is actually to live, to pursue the purpose of God, to live a godly life, to live victoriously over sin, to live victoriously over the devil, to live victoriously over the flesh, to live victoriously over the world. It is by that power. It is by that power. So it's experiencing that power that we're talking about. And you will notice again... I don't know whether anybody has Amplified. If Amplified said anything different from that. Okay. Can we have it? [Speaker 7] Amplified, Colossians 1:29. "For this I labor, unto weariness, striving with all the superhuman energy which so mightily enkindles and works within me." [Speaker 2] Are you seeing that? Are you seeing that? What was he striving with? All superhuman energy. So are you seeing that men who were victorious, they were not using human energy. They were using superhuman. I tell people, no natural man can please God. No natural... our natural tendencies cannot please God. We need God. The Christian life is a life that is possible by the working of the Holy Spirit. It's a life that is possible by the working of his mighty power. It's a life that is possible by the working of the Holy Spirit that is at work in us. Do you get the point I'm making? So superhuman energy, yes? "Which is so mightily enkindles and works within me." You see, that superhuman energy is working where? Within him. You know, I'm pointing all these out just trying to draw our attention to the point that had been made by men who fought a good fight, who actually finished well. And you will notice that there is another place again where Paul will represent this matter. I want to see whether I can quickly get that scripture. It just came to my heart where he said, "Yet not I, but the grace of God that's at work in me." I think is that not 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 9 and 10? Please let's go to that place just trying to establish a background for what we are doing. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 10. [Speaker 3] First Corinthians chapter 15 verse 9 and 10. "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." [Speaker 2] Are you seeing something again? Are you seeing how the scripture is putting that? He said, of course, you should not call me an apostle for any reason. In any case, by the grace of God I became an apostle. He now said, look, that grace that I received was not in vain. It was not in vain. But I was able to do what? I was able to labor more than every other person. Yet that labor is not what? It's not I. But what? But the grace of God which was with me. Are you seeing it again? What he called the working of mighty power is what he's referring to here again as the grace of God. That's what he's referring to here again as the grace of God. And you can see how these things are joining themselves. So we are looking at experiencing that power. Experiencing it. These men who experienced it, what exactly did they see? Is it something that others cannot experience? Is it something that is exclusive to them? Or they made it very clear how it can be experienced. They made it clear how it can be experienced, but we're not taking time to look at what they said. We're not taking time to look at it carefully. What did they say? What was said? How did they say it? What was the things they said? And that is why we are looking at what we are looking at today. Experiencing his power that is at work in us. And what I want to do is that I want to pick the matter from where I left. I read a verse of the scripture last week, but we didn't dwell on that scripture. So I'm building from that point today. Romans chapter four. Romans chapter four. I want us to look at something about Abraham that the Bible talks about so that we can get the lesson. Romans chapter four, experiencing his power that is at work in us. That's our focus. Now, in Romans chapter four, the Bible was to use Abraham as an example to explain something about justification by faith. He says from verse one, "What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?" You know, he was discussing something from Romans chapter three, that it is not... justification is by faith and not by circumcision, but by believing. So he wants to use Abraham as an example. He said, "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God." If Abraham wants to boast, it's not before God. "For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." "Now to him who works," please note, "to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt." Is that not so? Is that not so? So I want you to note something. Please note something. He has just said, "His power that is at work in me" in Colossians. We have translated that power again to mean grace in 1 Corinthians. We have come here now to see the use of the word grace. That he says, "Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt." Now, "But to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Which means he did not work, but he believed. Is that not? Now, he was now given what? What was he given? He was given righteousness. He was given that righteousness as what? Is it as a matter of work or as a matter of grace? As a matter of grace. Is that not? So which means sometimes when the Bible use grace, you need to understand that in this context, it's referring to grace as something that you get, but you did not labor for it. Something that God just gave to you. You get the point I'm making? And what God gave to Abraham in this place without works was what? Was what? Righteousness. Isn't it? Isn't it? What gave Abraham that righteousness? He believed. Which means believing God can effect righteousness freely by the workings of God, not by the workings of man. If God says something and you believe it, something can become yours from God. Just because you believe. Something can become yours. And what became Abraham's possession was what? Righteousness. One thing that people have strongly labored to become is to become righteous. One thing that Abraham got freely. How did he get it? He believed. He just believed. And then he cannot boast. That's why he said if he wants to boast, it's not before God. That I did something and I became righteous. There was nothing he did. God said something, he believed it, and he was made righteous. I'm showing you a working of God, an operation of God. As the basis of experiencing... because the topic is what? Experiencing. How will you experience? We want to look at how you can experience this thing. One great struggle of the believer is how do I experience the power of God? Particularly, how do I live victoriously over sin? Ah, can I stop this thing? It cannot stop. This thing, you need to know. I have tried and tried and tried, it's not stopping. And people give all these kinds of talk. How I struggle, I struggle, I did that so that it can stop. In fact, I have prayed and fasted, I have done, and it's not stopping. And they keep saying that I have done. But I want to make you understand something about the operation of God. And I want to recommend for some of you, if you have not read that book before, this book by Watchman Nee. If you can get that book, it may be online now, I don't know. *Sit, Walk, Stand*. S-I-T. Sit. Walk. W-A-L-K. Stand. S-T-A-N-D. It's a book by Watchman Nee. He was trying to make us see that until we learn to understand that there is a sit that God provided, and we sit on it, we will not be able to walk with God. We must first sit, that is, we must first rest on his promises. If you stand, you'll not be able to walk. But that one is saying there is a sit that God provided, you sit. Until you sit, that is how you will be able to walk. But you know that is mysterious. Normally to walk, what do you do? If I say, come, what do you do? You stand. But that one is says there is a sit that God provided, you sit. Until you sit, that is how you will be able to walk. What he's saying in that book is that until you rest on what God has said, you cannot experience the power of God that can make you to walk with God. You must first rest. You must first believe God. And that's what we're looking at here. Abraham believed God. It was counted as righteousness. Now, what does this mean? It means that others can also experience it. Is it something that is exclusive to them? Or they made it very clear how it can be experienced. They made it clear how it can be experienced, but we were not taking time to look at what they said. We're not taking time to look at it carefully. What did they say? What was said? How did they say it? What was the things they said? And that is why we are looking at what we are looking at today. Experiencing his power that is at work in us. And what I'm going to do is that I want to pick the matter from where I left. I read a verse of the scripture last week, but we did not dwell on that scripture. So I am building from that point today. Romans chapter four. Experiencing his power that is at work in us. That's our focus. Now, in Romans chapter four, the Bible was to use Abraham as an example to explain something about justification by faith. He said from verse nine, "Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness." Righteousness of faith which he had while he was still uncircumcised. Are you getting it? Are you getting it? That Abraham got righteousness more because he was circumcised. He was still uncircumcised when God counted him to be righteous. Then circumcision was now a sign that God have accepted him. Isn't it? Now, he said, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also. And the father of circumcision to those who are not only of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. Who is he referring to now as uncircumcised? Who are they? The Gentiles. That we the Gentiles, we can get exactly what Abraham got. We don't need to become like them. We don't need to have any physical appearance like them. But we can get what they got by what? By faith. Now, we are going somewhere. If those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect. Because the law brings wrath, for where there is no law, there is no transgression. "For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Therefore, it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all." "As it is written: I have made you a father of many nations. In the presence of him who believed. In the presence of him who believed. God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. Who contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was spoken: So shall your descendants be." "And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead, since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that he who had promised is also able to perform. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now, it was not written for his sake alone, but that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us, who believe in him who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised up because of our justification." Did you get something? Did you get something? Now, what do you get literally? Abraham naturally speaking, naturally speaking, what was the state when God said you will be the father of many nations? What was the state? The state of his body according to the scripture that we just read now? It was dead. What was the state of Sarah, her body? Dead. What did God say? He said God who calls those things that are not as though they are. God said you will be the father of many nations. He believed God. Father of many nations. The natural thing is, but how? How will it happen? But he believed God. And when he believed God, he began to do something. What was he doing? What was he doing? What was he doing? He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. What was he doing? Thank you, Father. At that time, his body was dead. Sarah's body was dead. God said you will be the father of many nations. He believed God. That is what God imputed to him as righteousness. But I want to explain this imputation so that you can get it clear. God imputed it to him as righteousness that, you have found favor with me. You have become acceptable to me because you believed me. Please. That believing God, what was the effect of that believing God for Abraham? What do you notice? As God imputed righteousness, what happened to the dead body? What happened to the deadness in Sarah? Are you seeing something? Are you getting something? The power was doing what? Working in him to make him what? The father of many nations. He believed God, he would be the father of many nations. The capacity was not in him. The capacity was not in Sarah. But as he believed God, that yes, hallelujah, I am the father of many nations. As I believe God, that hallelujah, I am dead to sin. The capacity to die is not in me. As I believe God, what happens to my inability? My inability becomes an ability. Experiencing his power. Experiencing his power. Now, we are talking about this power. You will first see that it was an experience of the power of God that actually produced what Abraham believed. Is that not true? Now, what effected the power? What caused that power to be effected? Because by believing God, Abraham was accepted. Are you understanding me? He believed God that he would be the father of many nations. God was pleased with that. Ah, you could believe me. He was accepted. And because he was accepted, what happened? Acceptance with God made God to do what? Effect that thing which he believed. This is what we are saying. It is that acceptance that we are calling righteousness, to be acceptable to God. To be acceptable to God is what we are calling righteousness. Now, Abraham was accepted by God because he believed God for what God told him. Are you understanding me? Now, what happens with this that we are seeing in life of Abraham is that when we talk about experiencing his power as work in us, it means we must first be accepted. Is that not true? Now, look at it. What makes a man to be accepted? What did the Bible say about us? What made Abraham to be accepted? What did he believe God for? He believed God for what God... for what God... for what God said. That's what I'm calling your attention to. God said something and he believed God for what God said. What happens by believing God for what God said? He was counted to him for righteousness. It made him acceptable to God. That acceptable to God effected what? The power of God in his life. Is that not true? So when you come to the gospel, please, what is the gospel? Literally speaking, what is the gospel? The gospel is good news about what Jesus did. Is that not? What Jesus did is what God said. Is that not? Is that not? So if you want to be acceptable to God so that you can experience the power of God, what do you need to do? You simply believe what God has said and begin to give glory to God on what he has said. You simply believe what God has said, you begin to give glory to God on what he has said. It is not... you don't believe God for what he has said and you begin to ask him to do it. God said, I am a new creature. Old things are passed away. All things are become new. I have become a believer, but I notice old things are not passing. You know literally his body was dead. Have you understanding me? Literally you don't see it physically. You see when you get born again, oh, if you are somebody who have been used to... I'm giving you my experience, lustful thoughts. After you first experience the freedom, wow, it's like a weight has been removed from my back. I feel so free. The next step you will take, you will see lust just fly again over your... the next thing you do, you find again that they said is a new creature in Christ. Somebody did something, before you say three things you have told a lie. Am I speaking reality with you? That is what you will see physically. You will see deadness. You will see deadness. You will see deadness around you. You will see self. You will see sin. You will see them. You will see the devil accusation. You, you want to pray? You, you are the one to pray? You that just lied now, you, you. You are not acceptable to God. You don't have a place here. And then guilty conscience, fear, you cannot even enter into God's presence again. And that is why you notice when people first come, that sense of guilt and all, they first want to clear all the guilt. "Oh Father, any sin that will hinder, any sin..." and even when they have... even when they have cleared and cleared, even when they cannot remember anyone, when they still want to enter again, they will begin to think of which one, which one again they now go to, "Even the one we cannot remember, the one we cannot remember that will hinder this prayer, oh God." I'm showing you the physical reality of our human life. That was the deadness in Abraham. His body was dead. I want to ask you, you have become born again. How then will you stop that lust that enter your head? How do you stop that? You did not want to lie, but before you knew, and I'm a Christian. How do you stop it? You don't have the natural capacity to stop it. That is the foolishness of most believers. Have you ever seen a goat of itself just started, [noise]? If you see goat bark, would you say that thing came from the goat? Please, if you see dog bark... you have a dog, and when you got there, you just got your dog just entered, [noise]? Would you be oh, puppy, puppy, come? Or you will say, ah, something has happened. Something has happened. And it's begin, [noise]! Brethren, what do you do? You will begin to bind and lose. What will you do? You will carry your dog. Because you will know that something mystical has happened to that dog. Of itself, that is what Paul was talking about when he said, "I labor more than them all. Yet it is not I. It is not I. It was something mystical that happened. Something was working inside me." Something made it possible. That is why he later tell us, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." What was the next thing? "For it is God that works in you. Both to will and to do." You see, the willing and the doing is coming from who? God. So how will that willing come? They say yes, ah, I'm not doing this thing again, and you are not doing it. Ah, no, I'm not doing it again. It now looks like your willpower. That is what Abraham... Paul was explaining in Romans chapter four. That you should understand that the deadness in Abraham and in Sarah was not overcome by some physical power. He did not become the father of many nations. What was the good news to Abraham? You are barren. There is no child. He was thinking of Ishmael. God set Ishmael aside. Set Ishmael aside. Sarah shall have a son. You are now father of multitude. Father of multitude, when I'm already a hundred years. Sarah 90 years. How is it going to happen? And God told him, don't you know that with God nothing shall be impossible? You know Abraham first said let Ishmael live. Go and read that story to see the way in which he also struggled. He just believed God immediately. Go and read the story. When God first told him, he said, "God, let Ishmael live. Please forget Sarah. Forget Sarah." Go and check the story. Just like any of us. You are dead to sin. Ah, that's for Baba Adeboye. It's not me. Maybe God made mistake. Me, I'm not dead to sin. Maybe God is talking about Brother Wale. Me, I'm alive. Me, I beg. I'm not an overcomer yet. I am still coming. Maybe it's not me that God was talking to in this place. God said, "You're the father," he said, "God, let Ishmael live. Let Ish..." God said, "No. I will bless Ishmael. But Sarah will give birth to a child." Abraham began to... you get the point? Began to follow God for what God had said. You understand me? When he got to Sarah too, what did she do again? Sarah laughed. God, if you want to make somebody to live godly, a godly life, it cannot be somebody like me. I'm so full of lust, so full of this. I'm trying to make you understand what they were saying in their own time. That God, it's not me you should be counting a child about. It's someone else. But what happened? They believed God. They began to give glory to God. Then the supernatural, striving according to the superhuman power, the superhuman power that works in me. Are you seeing the point? Are you seeing the point? Then they believed God. God said, you are dead to sin. Ha, hallelujah! I am dead to sin. Wow, is that? So this is who I am. I am dead to sin. That's the reality of my life. That's the reality of my life. Hallelujah! That is the good news for me. That is why it's a good news. That's the good news for me. See, two things happens. As you believe God, you become acceptable to God. Listen to what I mean. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. As you believe God, you become acceptable. Are you understanding that is, you please God. As you are acceptable to God, what happens? Acceptance with God made God to do what? Effect that thing which he believed. This is what we are saying. It is that acceptance that we are calling righteousness, to be acceptable to God. To be acceptable to God is what we are calling righteousness. Now, Abraham was accepted by God because he believed God for what God told him. Are you understanding me? Now, what happens with this that we are seeing in life of Abraham is that when we talk about experiencing his power as work in us, it means we must first be accepted. Is that not true? Now, look at it. What makes a man to be accepted? What did the Bible say about us? What made Abraham to be accepted? He believed what God said. God said something and he believed God for what God said. What happens by believing God for what God said? He was counted to him for righteousness. It made him acceptable to God. That acceptable to God effected what? The power of God in his life. Is that not true? So if you want to be acceptable to God so that you can experience the power of God, what do you need to do? You simply believe what God has said and begin to give glory to God on what he has said. You simply believe what God has said, you begin to give glory to God on what he has said. It is not... you don't believe God for what he has said and you begin to ask him to do it. God said, I am a new creature. Old things are passed away. All things are become new. I have become a believer, but I notice old things are not passing. You know literally his body was dead. Have you understanding me? Literally you don't see it physically. You see when you get born again, oh, if you are somebody who have been used to... I'm giving you my experience, lustful thoughts. After you first experience the freedom, wow, it's like a weight has been removed from my back. I feel so free. The next step you will take, you will see lust just fly again over your... the next thing you do, you find again that they said is a new creature in Christ. Somebody did something, before you say three things you have told a lie. Am I speaking reality with you? That is what you will see physically. You will see deadness. You will see deadness. You will see deadness around you. You will see self. You will see sin. You will see them. You will see the devil accusation. You, you want to pray? You, you are the one to pray? You that just lied now, you, you. You are not acceptable to God. You don't have a place here. And then guilty conscience, fear, you cannot even enter into God's presence again. And that is why you notice when people first come, that sense of guilt and all, they first want to clear all the guilt. "Oh Father, any sin that will hinder, any sin..." and even when they have... even when they have cleared and cleared, even when they cannot remember anyone, when they still want to enter again, they will begin to think of which one, which one again they now go to, "Even the one we cannot remember, the one we cannot remember that will hinder this prayer, oh God." I'm showing you the physical reality of our human life. That was the deadness in Abraham. His body was dead. I want to ask you, you have become born again. How then will you stop that lust that enter your head? How do you stop that? You don't have the natural capacity to stop it. That is the foolishness of most believers. Have you ever seen a goat of itself just started, [noise]? If you see goat [noise], would you say that thing came from the goat? Please, if you see dog bark... you have a dog, and when you got there, you just got your dog just entered, [noise]? Would you be oh, puppy, puppy, come? Or you will say, ah, something has happened. Something has happened. And it's begin, [noise]! Brethren, what do you do? You will begin to bind and lose. What will you do? You will carry your dog. Because you will know that something mystical has happened to that dog. Of itself, that is what Paul was talking about when he said, "I labor more than them all. Yet it is not I. It is not I. It was something mystical that happened. Something was working inside me." Something made it possible. That is why he later tell us, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." What was the next thing? "For it is God that works in you. Both to will and to do." You see, the willing and the doing is coming from who? God. So how will that willing come? They say yes, ah, I'm not doing this thing again, and you are not doing it. Ah, no, I'm not doing it again. It now looks like your willpower. That is what Abraham... Paul was explaining in Romans chapter four. That you should understand that the deadness in Abraham and in Sarah was not overcome by some physical power. He did not become the father of many nations. What was the good news to Abraham? You are barren. There is no child. He was thinking of Ishmael. God set Ishmael aside. Set Ishmael aside. Sarah shall have a son. You are now father of multitude. Father of multitude, when I'm already a hundred years. Sarah 90 years. How is it going to happen? And God told him, don't you know that with God nothing shall be impossible? You know Abraham first said let Ishmael live. Go and read that story to see the way in which he also struggled. He just believed God immediately. Go and read the story. When God first told him, he said, "God, let Ishmael live. Please forget Sarah. Forget Sarah." Go and check the story. Just like any of us. You are dead to sin. Ah, that's for Baba Adeboye. It's not me. Maybe God made mistake. Me, I'm not dead to sin. Maybe God is talking about Brother Wale. Me, I'm alive. Me, I beg. I'm not an overcomer yet. I am still coming. Maybe it's not me that God was talking to in this place. God said, "You're the father," he said, "God, let Ishmael live. Let Ish..." God said, "No. I will bless Ishmael. But Sarah will give birth to a child." Abraham began to... you get the point? Began to follow God for what God had said. You understand me? When he got to Sarah too, what did she do again? Sarah laughed. God, if you want to make somebody to live godly, a godly life, it cannot be somebody like me. I'm so full of lust, so full of this. I'm trying to make you understand what they were saying in their own time. That God, it's not me you should be counting a child about. It's someone else. But what happened? They believed God. They began to give glory to God. Then the supernatural, striving according to the superhuman power, the superhuman power that works in me. Are you seeing the point? Are you seeing the point? Then they believed God. God said, you are dead to sin. Ha, hallelujah! I am dead to sin. Wow, is that? So this is who I am. I am dead to sin. That's the reality of my life. That's the reality of my life. Hallelujah! That is the good news for me. That is why it's a good news. That's the good news for me. See, two things happens. As you believe God, you become acceptable to God. Listen to what I mean. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. As you believe God, you become acceptable. Are you understanding that is, you please God. As you are acceptable to God, what happens? Acceptance with God made God to do what? Effect that thing which he believed. This is what we are saying. It is that acceptance that we are calling righteousness, to be acceptable to God. To be acceptable to God is what we are calling righteousness. Now, Abraham was accepted by God because he believed God for what God told him. Are you understanding me? Now, what happens with this that we are seeing in life of Abraham is that when we talk about experiencing his power as work in us, it means we must first be accepted. Is that not true? Now, look at it. What makes a man to be accepted? What did the Bible say about us? What made Abraham to be accepted? He believed what God has said and began to give glory to God. Believe God for what God... for what God... for what God said. That's what I'm calling your attention to. God said something and he believed God for what God said. What happens by believing God for what God said? He was counted to him for righteousness. It made him acceptable to God. That acceptable to God effected what? The power of God in his life. Is that not true? So if it depends on us, we are finished. If salvation depend on us, we are finished. That is why Bible says, he is the author and what? And the perfecter. He starts it and he can, but there is a place of man. Where is the place of man? Believe God on what he has said. Believe. Give glory. Believe. Give glory. See yourself in the reality of it. How does that start gradually? It starts gradually by what Paul said. You are first transformed by the renewing of your mind. Until you change the way you think, you cannot become what God want you to become. Transformation is first a mindset. Bondage is also a mindset. You will begin to change. Do you notice? Let's take it now with father Abraham. God said, "You shall be the father of many nations." What was his mindset? Thank God, Ishmael is there. Is that not the mindset? God said no, that's not the mindset. Where was the limitation? It's in God? Where was the limitation? It was in the mind. It was in the mind. How can Sarah? Sarah is dead. I want us to read. I want us to read that. Please, look at it. Let's read it. There is something there that transpired that I want you to see. That should be Genesis chapter 17. Genesis 17. Let's go down to around verse... let us take it so that it can be clearer from verse one. "When Abraham was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abraham and said to him, 'I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between you and me, and I 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 the father of many nations. No longer shall your be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you father of many nations.'" I have made you. Do you see the statement? Do you see the statement? Not I will make you. I have made you father of many nations. "I will multiply you, I will multiply you exceedingly. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations out of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between you and me, and your descendants after you in their generation for an everlasting covenant, to be God for you and your descendants after you. Also, I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." "And Abraham said... and God said to Abraham: 'As for you, you shall... you shall keep my covenant, and your descendants after you through their generation. This is my covenant, they are to be circumcised, all of them. Eight days, and all of that. He that is born in your house and bought with money.'" I'm going to where we really want, verse 15. "Then God said to Abraham: 'As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless, I will bless her and also give you a son by her. Then I will bless her and she shall be the mother of nations. Kings of people shall be from her.'" "Then Abraham fell on his face and did what?" Is that not how you laugh? And said in his heart. So where was the bondage? Where is your bondage today? Why can't you experience God's power? Your heart. It's in your heart. That is why you notice scripture says, Romans chapter 10, "What does the scripture says? With the heart, a man believe unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." He said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah who's ninety years bear a child?" Look at it. After he has said that where? Where did he say that? In his heart, to tell you that your thoughts control your confession. What did he... what follows in verse 18? "And Abraham said to God: 'Oh, that Ishmael might live before you!'" Where is that coming from? He has thought about something that's impossible. And do you know that is what we do many of the time? Because we have seen something as impossible. You know what we do? What did Abraham do here? He offered an alternative gospel. That is what is happening today. We said if they slap you on the right, turn the left. People say ah, that's not possible. Humanly speaking, eh, when I'm not a fool, I will... alternative gospel. Because we want to use our heads to see how this thing works. So many times, you know what we do? Like Abraham, we rationalize the gospel. I was in a meeting and they said, we were gathering, we were talking, and I said... so they said, no, you know we are sinners. Even when we give our life to Christ, it doesn't mean that we are no more sinners. But we trust in the grace of God so that then I read up my hand, it was a meeting, and I said, "Please, I'm sorry. Please, I have something to say." I said, "Sorry, we are not sinners. We are righteous people." They said, "No. No. We are not... we cannot be righteous people. Because somehow we still have sins in our lives. So we are sinners that God..." I said, "No. Until you change this mentality of calling yourself sinners, you will never experience righteousness." I said, "Listen. I am not a sinner. If you choose that you are a sinner, I am righteous. In every way righteous." It was a meeting of several people. They said, "But how?" But how? And then interestingly, interestingly, someone now quoted, "But all have sinned and fall of the glory of God. Even we are conceived in sin." You see that many times, we try to pour the new wine in the old skin. We're supposed to put the new wine in a new wine skin and the old wine in the old wine skin. When we try to mix them, what did Jesus say? It will burst. So eventually we have nothing. That's what is happening to the church today. We offer another gospel. We tell God something else. It was because this man have interaction with God that his mentality could be altered. More because we don't develop intimacy with God, once we read the Bible... "Don't be unequally yoked together with unbelievers." I just remember that case again. And the person said, "Ah, what of in a situation where that unbeliever is very, very beneficial? In fact, he even does good better than many people they call Christians. If you see him, very good person. He's so good. He goes to church once in a while. Is that the matter? Don't be unequally yoked with..." that is the scripture. But you will always see us trying to make you see why many believers cannot experience this power that is at work in us. Rationalization of the gospel. Trying to bring it to where? To our experience. We want to reduce it to our experience. We want to make it look like what we are experiencing. You know the dog is barking. So when you tell her it's a goat, [noise]! "You made a mistake, sir. I am a dog. Woof, woof, don't you see it, sir? I am a dog." Because you cannot also prove it. And because you can prove the sin, we still keep... we keep convincing that we are what? We are sinners. But God want to work something different. And the same thing that God was dealing with, God was dealing with with Abraham. What is it? We must first cast down imaginations that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. Experiencing his power at work in us. We must first... we must first by prayer, by meditation, by staying on the word of God. He said, this book of the law should not depart out of your mouth, but you must meditate on it day and night. So that what? You may be able to observe to do according to what is written. By meditation, by constant subjecting our thoughts to the word of truth. Because let me tell you, just like the scripture says, faith comes by what? By what? By hearing. And hearing what? The word of God. Have you heard the word of God? Number one, hear the word of God by reading it. Hear the word of God by meditating on it. Hear the word of God by speaking it. Hear the word of God by memorizing it. Hear the word of God by being in fellowship. And that is why I keep telling people, a fellowship that is not Christ-centered is not a fellowship to be. A fellowship that is just standard, that is not... that is not bringing the... you see, fellowship is about Christ. It's about who is in Jesus. You hear the word of God by way of fellowship. Bible says, don't forsake the assembly of what? Of one another. And that's why people say any no good fellowship, that's why we're gonna fellowship. You're a liar. If you prayerfully pray, God will lead you to one. You know why I say that? In every generation, there's always a remnant. That's something you must know. There's always a remnant. When Elijah said, "I'm the only one that I'm left, and they want to kill me..." what? Only you is left. Which only you is left? I have seven thousand men who have not bowed to Baal. So don't say you're the only... who only you is left. It's not only my church that is going to heaven. It's not only my fellowship that is going to heaven. You make a mistake, you're making a serious mistake. There's always, there's always what? A remnant. They are in different bases. You're the one to say, "God, please lead me to where I will find destiny helpers." And God will give you. What was the prayer of Moses for Judah? "Bring Judah to his own people. Let his hand be sufficient for him." That was a prayer I so believe in. Every time I tell myself, "God, bring me to my own people. Bring me to my own people, people that will see things that will revolutionize my spirit. People that will see things that will raise me. People that will show me Jesus. Lord, bring me to my own people. Don't bring me to people that are not destiny helpers." We talked about that last week. Elders who don't understand scriptures. When Mary ought to be rejoicing, they made her to be weeping. So the point I am making, you first come by hearing. The first thing you need to get into is that you must be able to cast down imagination. How do you do that? It's what I'm showing you. You can see the way what is happening here. Interaction with the scriptures. Interaction with the word of God. Pray the word of God. Study the word of God. Meditate on the word of God. Listen to the word of God. Hear men of God. Hear people who have heard God. Because that is the truth. I want to tell you... that is where I... I want to try to live. Why I say hear men who have heard God? Look at something that happened in Mark. Please look at Mark. Look at something in Mark. Hear men who have heard God. Hear men who have heard God. I want to show you something there in Mark. Are you in Mark chapter 16? Are you in Mark chapter 16? Okay. We're going to take it from verse nine. I want you to get something. Hope you remember where we left the prayer last week about Mary Magdalene. You know they told her that the body have been stolen. She was weeping, then she encountered Jesus. You know Mary Magdalene had seen... she was weeping and she saw her, from what we discussed last week. Out of whom he had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him as they mourned and wept. Why are they all mourning and weeping now? Peter have taken that same news to them. Can you get it? And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. They did not believe. When Mary Magdalene! Before you got born again, you that we will remove seven demons from. Demons are operating inside you. You know that is how sometimes we talk when you don't understand what people... what God is doing through people. Someone said, be careful. Maybe you don't understand somebody, it doesn't mean that the person is not correct. It is you that must pray for the gift of discernment to know the people who belong to God. Be careful, you may be fighting what God is doing. As long as I'm the one that told you that they are false teachers, they are false that, but I'm also telling you that there's also the other way around. So you must bring discernment. How would an old person who saw her coro coro, the napkin everything, and came back to tell us? You must be stupid. You cannot be correct. What non... what nonsense are you saying? She has been stolen everything. And then they will have quieted that. You know women to men. I'm trying to talk of sometimes, people you think should know may not know. That's what I'm trying to make you understand. Some people who you think would know may not know. And people who you think will not know may know. It's not about size or position. It's about mercy. It's about mercy. It's about mercy, the mercy somebody received from God. She received that mercy, because she didn't even know what to do. She was just weeping. She was not saying, Jesus, show yourself to me. That was not her prayer. She was just weeping. So it was a mercy. So you don't know what making somebody have received from God that you may not know, and you'll be thinking that... and that is why I tell people, be careful about rating based on the position where they occupy to know the kind of revelation that they can receive. Rather look at the life of men. Study, examine as over the years. They did not believe. Now, after that, he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. Who are those two? The two in Luke 24, Cleopas and somebody. We remember Cleopas and the other man that was walking, when he appeared to the two of them. And they went and told it to the rest. But they did not believe them either. Are you seeing something? Why are they not believing? Somebody have come with a concrete news. Moreover, all of them no understanding of scriptures that he must rise again. Look at something. Later, he appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table. Please, what did he do? Can you read with me? Look at your Bible. What did he do? He called them to account for their unbelief and hardness of heart. He called them to account for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they have not believed those who have seen him after he had risen. Do you see that? Later he appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table and he rebuked them for their unbelief. So there are things you must believe as you hear men who have heard God. Because when you don't believe it, what you will be getting from God is rebuke. More of God and God will be rebuking for not believing a truth. Are you getting me? We close the meeting here today. It's 6:30 exactly. Let us talk to the Lord this evening. We'll pick it from here next week. We're going to just talk to the Lord. Experiencing his power that works in us. That's what we are focusing on. And I've shown you small, how we need this power. Look, if you get to heaven to want to experience the power, oh, you are an unfortunate person. It was given to be experienced here. If when we get to heaven, we'll not be talking of whose your way is not holy. That this is here, holiness and godliness. It is the place where we need this power. It is here we need it. I want to beg you when you get home, pray more about this matter. Our time is far spent. Talk to God more about this matter. Stay more with God that as we'll be meeting next Monday and we are gathering again, we trust the Lord that we'll be picking it up much more the more. Our Father, we thank you for this evening. We bless you for your name. We bless you for your word. We thank you, our Father. We just keep begging, we keep pleading. Mary Magdalene received the mercy that separated her in her generation. She became somebody that brought another gospel. Even though it's not another gospel, but the true gospel. To correct men who seems to have gone ahead of her. Who are underrating her for whatever she might have been, whatever might have been her past. Lord our God, we are praying. Mercy that grant us to know you better. Lord, release to us. Mercy that helps us to walk correctly, to walk straight, to walk as we ought to walk. Mercy that fill us with the knowledge of your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that will make us to walk before you in every way pleasing, fruitful in every good works and increasing in your knowledge. Lord, release to us. Thank you, everlasting Father. In Jesus' name. [Speaker 1] This message is coming to you from Family Tent Ministry, a Christian ministry involved in enriching the lives of singles and married through preaching and teaching of God's word, discipleship, family life enrichment, social and community development, and mission aid. Our regular activities are discipleship class every Monday, 5 p.m., adolescent and singles club, every first Saturday of every month at 10 a.m. Marriage forum, second Saturday of every month at 10 a.m. Family life seminars, regular school outreaches, and everyday counseling. For further counseling, you can reach us at our location, Life Camp, by the first bridge, Ile-ere community, opposite very joyful filling station, along Ijero road, Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria. You can also reach us through our social media handles, familytent@yahoo.co.uk, familytentministry01@gmail.com, www.familytentministry.org. Our phone numbers are 080-3386-1136, 070-3361-3848. God bless you.