Looking Forward

[Intro Music] Church fellowships cannot be more spiritual than the individuals and families that constitute them. God greatly desires a godly home for you. These are words of restoration and instruction in righteousness from Family Tent Ministry. May you be blessed as you listen. [Speaker 1] I will praise thee from everlasting, everlasting to everlasting. I will praise thee from everlasting, everlasting to everlasting. Oh, I will praise thee from everlasting, everlasting to everlasting. I will praise thee from everlasting, everlasting to everlasting. Ami yo luwa titi lai, titi lai, titi lai. Ami yo luwa titi lai, titi lai, titi lai. Eh, ami yo luwa titi lai, titi lai, titi lai. Ami yo luwa titi lai, titi lai, titi lai. I don't know if we are familiar with this song. Oh Lord, thou art my God. I will exalt thee, I will praise your name. For thou hast done wonderful things. Your counsel of old are faithfulness and truth. It's taken from Isaiah. Oh Lord, thou art my God. I will exalt thee. I will praise your name. For thou hast done wonderful things. Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. Our Father, we thank you. Indeed, Lord, you have done wonderful things. You have done glorious things. You have done great things. You have done mighty things. You have delivered us. You saved us. You preserved us. You were there for us. Lord, you are upholding our life. You made provisions available. You provided for us. You cared for us. You brought us out of the miry clay. You set our feet on the rock to stay. You kept us through January, through February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and Lord, we are in December. And even in December, we are in the last Monday of the month of December and the last Monday in the year 2020. Lord, we worship you. Lord, we worship you. Lord, we give you glory. Lord, we give you honor. Lord, we give you adoration. Blessed be your holy name, our God. Baba, as we set to pray today for us who are here physically, for our brethren who are joining with us online, Lord, we pray. You will help us to pray accordingly. You will help us to pray aright. You will help us to pray through in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, you will grant us the spirit of intercession and supplication in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you, eternal Father. Blessed be your holy name, oh God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Just before we go into the prayer, I want to speak on just to exhort us a little on what ordinarily should be the basis of our prayer and also like what you may call an instructional word for the year 2021. 2020, by the time we’ll be meeting next Monday, by the grace and mercy of God, it will be 2021. Our God will carry us to that Monday and will carry us beyond that Monday. He will grant us days. He will grant us life in our days. And not only will our days be many, they will be good days and we will see good things in the name of Jesus Christ. So, I will be exhorting us on what will look like a rounding up for the year and a focus into 2021. Focus into 2021. We'll do that a little today. We'll do that again much more again next Monday of, which will be the first Monday in January 2021. But in rounding up for the year, we will not immediately continue with our reflection on the book of Ephesians. That's what we have been considering. We have been reflecting on the book of Ephesians. We have been considering the matter of our adoption, redemption, acceptance, forgiveness, sealed. These are the things we have been considering. But we are leaving that for the benefit of our prayer today and also for the benefit of what I call looking forward. I tagged the exhortation: looking forward. Or you may say looking ahead. Looking ahead. Or looking forward. And I want to beg you, don't look down. Look forward. What did I say? Don't look down. If you look down, you will go down. Don't look down. Make up your mind to look ahead or to look forward. And as you look forward, my prayer for you is that to the extent to which your eyes can see, you will conquer in the name of Jesus Christ. So, I tagged the exhortation looking forward or looking ahead. I will not look down. I will not look down. We are taking the exhortation from the book of Exodus, actually. I've made reference to this some time ago, but I feel persuaded that we still go there again to look at this episode. Particularly as we look into 2021 and I say, please look forward. Don't look down. Look forward. I read Exodus chapter 14, the familiar story of the crossing of the Red Sea. [Speaker 2] Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi-Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal-Zephon; you shall camp there before it by the sea." They are to camp between Migdol and the sea. That place where they were camping is opposite Baal-Zephon. And the Lord said they should camp, they should camp there before it by the sea. Why is the Lord asking them to camp? He said: "For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are bewildered by the land; and the wilderness has closed them in.' Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord." And they did so. Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, "Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. Also, he took 600 choice chariots, I want you to note that, 600 choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness. So the Egyptians pursued, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi-Hahiroth, before Baal-Zephon. And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched against them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, "Because there was no grave in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of your God, which he will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. And the Lord will fight for you, and you will hold your peace." And the Lord said unto Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the children of Israel to do what? Go forward." [Speaker 1] Do you get it? That's where we got our exhortation for today. Looking forward. What did he tell them? Go forward. Go forward. Don't look downward. Don't look sideward. Don't look backward. Look forward. And as you look forward, what should you do? What should you do? Go forward. He said, tell them to go forward. [Speaker 2] "But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus, it was a cloud and a darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and the Lord troubled the army of the Egyptians. And he took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians." Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back over the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen." And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the water returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the water was a wall to them on their right hand and on their left hand. So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus, Israel saw the great work which God had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and they believed the Lord and his servant Moses. [Speaker 1] Praise the Lord. I want to ask you this simple question. Could anybody or not even could, did anybody among everybody, the Egyptians, all everybody that God delivered, did they ever imagine this kind of deliverance? Did they ever imagine it? They did not imagine it. It never entered their mind that they will experience such kind of deliverance. It did not occur to them. And one thing I want to quickly say is that you know the Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2. 1 Corinthians chapter 2, it says: "What eyes have not seen, nor ears heard, or have ever entered into the heart of men, that is what God will do for them that love him." And I want you to underline the word "for them that love him." For them that love him. I want you to note that as we look forward, as we look into 2021, as we round up 2020, I want you to still underscore that word against 2021. That they're going to be all manners of deliverance. All manners of deliverance. Deliverance that you will not even it will not have occurred to your mind that you will be delivered that way. It will not have occurred to you that deliverance will come like that. It will not have entered your mind pe Olorun le bayii gba mi. But such deliverance will come. I want you to underscore it: for them, for them that love him. For them that love him. So that if you are not loving the Lord, don't raise your expectation. Don't raise your expectation. But if you are loving the Lord and you are faithful in service to him, please, I'm telling you, expect, be waiting. Awon nkan biyanu, things you cannot explain. I say unto you, 2021 will be graciously fruitful for them that love God. It will be gracious. We will see the graciousness of God, the graciousness of God. Number two, another thing I want you to see is that please, when they were leaving Egypt, that position where Pharaoh met them, who asked them to camp there? Who asked them to camp there? God. God asked them to camp in a place where ordinarily, when the enemy will meet with them, they themselves will conclude that there is no way out. Yet it was God who asked them to camp there. You know what I'm trying to make you see? God will be leading us. God will be leading us. What did I say? God will be leading us. But please, I want you to know, as much as God will be leading us, I want you to know that those leadings, they will not be without challenges. What did I say? They will not be without challenges. He will be leading us. It was God who asked them to camp in a place where when the enemy met them there, there was no way of escape for them, except by the divine hand of God. So, it was not the devil that asked them to camp there. So that when God begins to lead us, don't think that there won't be challenges. There will be. There will be things that will look like, "Ha!" But let me also announce to you that the purpose of the challenges, you know God said it. Why did God allow them to camp there and the enemy meet with them there? He said because God want to gain honor over Pharaoh. Do you get it? I want you to note that the reason why those things will be coming is because God want to be honored in your life. God want to be honored in your life. God want to be honored. I want you to note these things and lay them to so that when they are happening, you will know that the Lord told you before. You will know that he told you. When they begin to happen, you won't be like, "Wow." I want us to pray that God, I will not lack understanding. Just pray for yourself one or two minutes that God Almighty, I will not lack understanding. I will be a man, I will be a woman of understanding. I will not lack insight. The insight to look forward. The insight to look ahead. I will not look down. I will not look backward. I will not look down. I will not look backward. I will not lack insight to look ahead and to look forward because I am going forward. I will not lack the insight to look ahead and to look forward because I am going forward. Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Do you know why I asked to pray that prayer? It just occurred within my spirit. When I said when it is happening, you will know that God have told you. You know that the Lord Jesus told the disciples that what? The son of man will be delivered to the hands of the gentile, to the rulers. They would mistreat him. He will be crucified. But on the third day, he will rise again. Do you know that when those things began to happen, what did they say? They said somebody stole the Lord. Somebody has taken the body of the Lord away. Magdalene came to tell them, "Jesus' body has been stolen." Peter went there and they believed, "Magdalene ooto lo so." He had been stolen away. Peter himself, instead of looking ahead, what did he do? He looked backward. He went back to fishing. He did not look ahead in the midst of the challenge. Why? He did not understand that which God was saying. He could not understand. He could not relate to those things that the Lord said they have been told before. Why? Bible says they were yet to understand scriptures. That's why I'm saying that pray that you will not lack understanding. You may just be hearing me now, "Heh, yes, heh, eheh, okay," and you'll be writing down. But in the midst of your situation, you will lack understanding. You’ll just be saying, "Yes, Lord! I am not looking backward! I'm not looking sideward! I am looking forward because I am going forward!" What I'm trying to say is that the challenges of 2021, God is saying men should look forward. Why is God saying look forward? Why is he saying so? You know the Israelites, they looked backward. Are you aware? Are you aware? Look at what they said. Look at what they said. In verse 10: "And when Pharaoh drew near..." When Pharaoh was far away, they didn't say anything. When the thing draw near. Do you understand what that means? Do you understand what that means? What it means is that when the problem starts and it's still small, you may still be looking forward. But when the problem magnify, you are likely to look backward. When Pharaoh drew near, when they saw awon omogun, when they saw the soldier, when they saw ha! what did they do? They did not look forward again. They told Moses, "This is what we have told you. Alasujun ni e, alaigboran ni e, aditi ni e, o ki f’it’eyon m’otie. You don't listen to advice. We have advised you before. Let us serve the Egyptians." Orikuku esu ori ibi to gbe e de bayii. "This year, we are going, we are going, we are looking forward, we are looking forward!" Oya forward now. Forward! Where is the way forward? They told him it would have been better for us to remain the servants of Egypt. May you not be comfortable with bondage. Because what will take you out of your bondage are the challenges God will be bringing your way. It was God who positioned them because God want to silence everything that kept them in bondage. But when those things came near, they began to look backward. They began to look backward. And you know sometimes, I see people say, "You see, I know, I have said it. My wife can never change, ko s’adura ti mo le gba ko le change." Have you seen people talk like that before? "I know, I know, mo ti mo, mo ti mo, situation yi ko le sese. It will remain. There is no how you do it, it's going to remain." You are not ready to see anything. You are not ready to go forward so you cannot be carried forward. And sometimes it's the other way, "My husband cannot change. Ah, s’ori, with this certificate that I have, you see, my problem is my certificate. You see, I came out with third class. In Nigeria yi, ko si bo se le work." And you just keep that has become your mentality. And even when God want to bring something to take you out, you still be looking backward. And sometimes, God want to take you out of a situation. All you'll be saying is that "Ewo, ewo, owo ta fi s’oosi." There is no money for this thing. Just let's look, it cannot work. "If there was money now, it would have worked." Mind you, God want to take you out of that situation. That's why I'm saying that may you not become comfortable with bondage, particularly when God is presenting a platform for your deliverance. They looked backward. They said it would have been better if we have died in Egypt than to come and die in this wilderness. Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, "Let us alone, fi wa sile, let us alone, let us alone." Do you know that what I'm trying to say is that certain things will be happening around you in 2021 that you will want to say, "Ah, and this is what I've been saying, I should not have tried this job, I should not have taken this job, I should not have done this thing, maybe I should have, maybe I should have, maybe I should have." But look, let me tell you, God will be leading. And as God is leading and you follow, I want to announce to you that there will be challenges. Some of those challenges, they will look as if God is not with you. Yet it was God that brought you there. The reason why he brought you there is because he want to be honored in your life. That's what I'm trying to say, that at those times, look forward. Look forward. Look forward. Why is God saying look forward? Look ahead. Look ahead. Do you remember something? When God brought the fiery serpent to bite them, what did God tell them? "Anybody who look up will be saved. But those who are looking down, what will happen to them? They will die." If not for the mercy of God, because later, if you read this thing in Ezekiel, it's not Bible study today, I’ll have taken you to Ezekiel. You will see that God said: "The very day I brought them out of Egypt, I told them, cast away the idols of your heart and renounce Egypt." You know what God said? He said: "But they rebelled against me even at the Red Sea." He said: "I would have destroyed them, but I consider my name so that it will not be blasphemed among the Egyptians. So I carried them beyond the Red Sea." Do you get what God is trying to say in that prophecy? What he's trying to say? Ordinarily, when they were looking backward, what should have been the consequence? That would have been the end. But God said for his name's sake. So what I'm trying to say is that those who will look down, they will go down. But those who will look up, they will go up. They will go up. Another thing I want to show you in this place is the nature, the nature, the nature of the deliverance. Do you notice something? That number one, the Egyptians were close to them, such that if there is no divine intervention, they will catch up with them. Is that not? But what did God do? The pillar of cloud that was in the front of them left before. It left their front and came where? Came to the rear. When it came to the rear, it stood between them and the Egyptians. Israel this way, towards the sea, Egyptians this way. Then know what happened again? God did not stop there. Even though it was during the day, it was not night, because they drove down and normally it is pillar of fire that goes by night. So since it is the pillar of cloud, it was still day. Are you understanding me? If it is night, it's the pillar of fire. So since it is the pillar of cloud, it was still day. But you know what God did? When God came in between them, to the Egyptians, it became what? Darkness. To the Israelites, it became what? Light. Bible say so that one could not come before the other. I want you to pray that God, I will experience your interceptions. Lord, at critical moments of life, as I move into 2021, that's part of the looking forward. We are taking the prayer in the midst of the exhortation because we may not be able to finish all of them. That God, at my critical moments, I will experience your interception. The interceptions of God in 2021. Lord, at my critical moments. I will experience your interception. There will be interceptions of God. I'm telling you the things that God will do for them that love him. Please don't forget that my word, it is for them that love him. I will experience your there was an interception of God. Interception of God. Lord, as I look into 2021, as I march towards it, Baba give me understanding to be in that number. I will not just sit down and be afraid. Sitting down there and no! No, no, no! I will be in the number that will step out. I will be in the number that will step out! In the name of Jesus. When we are talking about faith, we are talking about hearing God. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the word of God. If you don't hear God, you cannot step out in faith. I want you to pray that for 2021, hey! I will hear God. I will hear God. I will hear God concerning everything that concerns me. In the name of Jesus. Thank you, everlasting Father. In Jesus' name we pray. We move on again in that exhortation. You will notice again that something further happened. So, when that when God became darkness to one, light to the other, so they could not come close to one another, then God told Moses, "Stretch forth your hand over the sea." And of course, by an east wind, the sea parted. The sea parted. When the sea parted, it was something beyond the comprehension of the Israelites. It was not something they expected. It was something beyond them. It was the mighty hand of power. And I'm telling you, the experiences in 2021 will not be too different. At different junction, except God stretch forth his mighty hand, you cannot get out of your situation. It will be by the mighty hand of God. By the mighty hand of God. But what I want you to see further in that place, when the mighty hand of God appeared, that problem, the problem was the sea. Is the problem not the sea? It was the sea. What happened? The sea became a wall to the right and to the left so that they can walk in it. I want you to pray, I want you to know, is that those things that will rise up as challenges, as difficulties, as problems, they will become a path, a path for you to walk through. You understand me? It became the wall to the right and to the left. Isoro won, ohun na l’odi ona. Do you understand? And I want you to pray, I want you to pray yet again from that, I want you to pray. That Lord, every mountain become the stepping stone to greater height. Every mountain, every mountain. Lord, as I look forward, please don't forget our concern that you must look forward. Don't look backward. Don't look downward. Look forward. I want you to pray that Lord, as I look forward, every mountain, whether spiritual, whether financial, whether marital, whether whatever the mountain will be, Lord, as I go forward, as we round up 2020 and we enter into 2021, Lord, I pray. Every every of my mountain, every of my mountain, they will be the stepping stone to greater height. Every mountain, every challenge, the challenges of 2021, they become the stepping stone for my increase. Not by power, not by power, not by might, but by the spirit of God. Not by power, not by might, not by power, not by might, but by the spirit of God. Every every challenge, every matter arising shall become a stepping stone to greater height in the name of Jesus. Thank you, blessed Father. Thank you, blessed Father. Blessed be your name, oh God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Let's turn to Habakkuk. I want to make you see, when I say look forward, how do you look forward? How do you look forward? I want us to look at Habakkuk chapter 2. How do you look forward? How do you look forward? Habakkuk chapter 2. The Bible says in Habakkuk chapter 2: "The just shall live by faith." I want us to quickly get there quickly. Habakkuk chapter 2. How do you look forward? Verse 2. Then the Lord answered me and said: "Write the vision, make it plain on tables, make it plain on tables, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time. And at the end it will speak. It will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it. Because it will surely come. It will not tarry." Does that not look contradictory? Is it not contradictory? Though it tarries, wait for it. It will surely come. It will not tarry. So, is it not contradictory? But what is God saying? Oju ti e lo pe si, igba ti o ye ko de lo ma de. Do you understand that? It only looked to delay in your own eyes. You remember Lazarus, Mary and Martha? When Jesus came, for them Jesus delayed. If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But when Jesus came, he came on time. Or after time? Jesus came on time. But for them, what did they say? They said if you had been here. If Jesus had been there, Lazarus would still have died. So because what God wanted is for him to die before he is brought back to life. So he said though it may tarry, that is o le fe pe l’oju e. It may look as if won’t God act? Won’t God act? And let me tell you, for the Israelites, that was how it was. For them, what would have been better? God should have killed Pharaoh before Pharaoh came near. That is how it's going to look like in 2021. Ah, God should have, God should have, God should have! The thing will look as if "Ah!" but let me tell you, God will be there for you on time. He will be there, I'm telling you, it's not going to delay. He say he will not tarry. The blessings of God for your life will not tarry. They will come at their time. But he now says: "Behold, the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by what? By faith." So when I say look forward, what did God want the Israelites to do? He wanted them to look forward in what? In faith. In faith. What is the faith that we are talking about? Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11. What is this faith that we are talking about? Hebrews chapter 11. Verse 3. What must you understand? By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen are not made from the things which appear. Do you know what I'm trying to say? I want to ask you, can you explain by some physical science, by some technology, how the water parted and the ground became dry ground? Ori ile to ti rinle gbigbe ni o. The sea bed was dry. Are you understanding? Which technology can do that? Which science? I mean under such such a short time, with such a speed. We'll just see a technology, we'll just see one tractor that will just enter the river, that will just part it like this, part it like this, and the thing will stand. And then immediately, and the whole thing will be dry, and they will be walking on the dry land. And that tractor again can easily collapse it back again and turn to water. What is the science? Which science? Which technology? We are yet to see that science. We are yet to see that science. But that science took place at such a primitive time. So if God want to do science now, what kind of science will God do? God will surpass you. God will shock you. God will surprise you. God will Amaize you. God will do work for you in strange works. He will do in your life his wonderful acts, that you yourself will marvel in 2021, in the name of Jesus! Because even till date, we are yet to find that kind of science. Till date. If science want to save you now, science will give you submarine. I don't know which kind of science. But please listen. Please listen. It means, that thing that we saw was not made from what appeared. Bible says we must understand by faith that the things that are seen, they were not created from the things that appear. They were framed by what? By the word of God. God just said: "Red Sea, stand apart! Dry land, appear!" So the technology and the science was what? Was the word of God. That's the science. Hallelujah! So the Bible says we should understand. By faith we need to understand that look, awon nkan ti o nri, awon nkan ti o nri, a o da won nipa nkan ti a nfoju ri. O nri won o, sugbon a o da won nipa nkan ti a nfi oju ri. A n da won nipa agbara iri. What is bringing them into existence is what we cannot see. The Egyptians could not see any tractor. They did not see anything sucking away the water. They did not see anybody carrying a digger or a dryer, drying the water. They did not see anything, but the thing was happening. Why? The things that were seen that was seen was not created from what appeared. Now he says by faith, we must understand. What I'm telling you is this, that the deliverance God will give you in 2021, it is not based on what you can see. It will be based on what you cannot see. He says so, when we say look forward, we are looking forward in what? In faith. Understanding that my deliverance will be by the word of God. Even when I stand in a situation that men will say, "This is impossible," I understand that my own word will be created by that which is not seen. It will be created by what? By the word of God. It will be created by the word of God. It will be created by the word of God. It will be created by the word of God. It will be created. And when I'm saying that, I'm not just talking of only spiritual things about your life. What the word of God created in that place was something physical. It divided physical water. Am I correct? Am I correct? Is it not physical water? It was a physical water. It's not something in the spirit. What I'm telling you is that the word of God will create for you the matter of your health, the matter of your job, the matter of your marriage, the matter of your business, the matter of your career. The word of God will work for you in the name of Jesus Christ! The things that will be seen will not be created by that which appear. Not by that which appear. So what must I do? What must I do? He says by faith will understand. So you're going to pray for yourself again. Oh God, help me to understand. He says by faith we understand. You see, it is men of understanding that will break through in this matter. Say God, help me to understand. I want to be a man of understanding. It is God that give understanding to the wise. You find that in Daniel chapter 2. Lord give me understanding. Lord give me understanding. Lord give me understanding. Lord give me understanding. Lord give me understanding. Lord give me understanding. Lord give me understanding. Lord give me understanding. Because if you don't understand, you will not experience it. If you don't understand, you will not experience it. If you don't understand, you will not experience it. You must understand. That understanding must come. That understanding must come. It must come for your spiritual life. It must come for your health. It must come for your finance. It must come for your marriage. It must come for your career. It must come for your business. That understanding must come. Renomolekenderibababbalekendoria. Re kende le boros. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Thank you, blessed Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Still talking about looking forward by faith. I want to show you something again about this matter of faith. When Peter and all the other disciples were were in the in the boat. And then Jesus was walking on the sea and he was coming. When he got near to them, what happened? He says they were afraid because they thought he was what? He was a ghost. I'm showing you what lack of understanding can do. It will make you to be afraid. It will make you to misrepresent. Their savior, their deliverer was coming. Lack of understanding, they thought he was a ghost. What should make them rejoice was making them afraid. Are you understanding me? Because they lack understanding. They lack understanding. It was the savior, but they were understanding that he was a ghost. And because they lack understanding, instead of saying, "Wow! The Lord is here!" they were shouting, "Igbode o!" Wrong response to the workings of God. When you don't respond correctly to what God is doing around your life, you may not get the correct result. But what I want to show you is that while they were in that boat and they were still afraid, you know there is something about Peter. At one instant, they asked, they were asked, "Who do you say I am?" Peter said you are Christ. And Jesus said: "Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven." There is something about Peter. An unstable man, but there was something about him. And that's why I tell people: look beyond your instabilities, look to God. God can make something out of your life. At that point again, it was Peter. I don't know what revealed this one, whether it was flesh and blood or it was the Father again, I don't know. Because Bible did not tell us in this case. But in this case again, Peter said: "Lord, if it is you, tell me to come." Ah! The Lord said, "Peter, come." And what happened? I'm talking of when I say look forward by faith. Understanding that the world was framed, so that the things that we see are not from the things that appear. My salary will not come from the things that appear. My successes will not come from the things that appear. My help will not come from the things that appear. My provision will not come from the things that appear. Are you understanding me? My being alive, my being healthy, there is corona, there is this, there is that, there are a lot of things. But my being healthy will not come from the things that appear. That's what I'm trying to say. That's what I'm trying to explain. Look ahead! Look forward, don't look down! As we look towards 2021, look ahead! Look forward! Peter said: "Lord, if it is you, tell me to come." And the Lord said, "Come." And what happened? Peter came out of that boat and he began to do what? He was walking on the storm. He was walking on the storm. The very thing that terrified became what? A walking stone. The very thing that terrified, the very thing that was terrifying them, that was making them afraid. What happened? Became a what? A walking stone. He was just walking on it. He was just walking on it. He was walking on the very thing that was terrifying them. But it was by what? It was by what? By the word of God. There was a word. There was a word. A word came. The Bible says faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the word of God. Can you pray this evening that I will hear God? Can you pray this evening that I will hear God? Because if you don't hear him, you cannot step out. If you don't hear him, you cannot step out. I will hear God! I will hear God! I will hear God concerning my spiritual life, concerning my marriage, concerning my finances, concerning my academics, concerning my career, concerning my life, concerning my health, concerning everything that concerns me. I will hear God. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the word of God. Thank you, everlasting Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Lastly, I told you that we'll take some of them today. Monday again in the new year we'll be taking more. It's already 6:30 by my time, and I've always said we’ll try and be rounding up for 6:30. Now, what I want to show you again is that if you look at the Red Sea where we are coming from. What made God to be honored in the life of the Israelites was what? Was a challenge that was overwhelming. Pharaoh came very near. When Pharaoh was far away, they were not afraid. But when the talk draw near. When of when coronavirus and you're hearing, "Ah, it's happening in Asia, it's happening in London, it's happening in U.S.," in your mind you’ll be settled, Nigeria alawa. But once you hear, "It's happening in Lagos! It is now in Ondo State! There are three cases in Akure! One happened in Champion! Another happened in Ijare!" you know your heart will be saying, "Hm," because it has come near. Do you understand me? When the thing comes near. When it looks like there's just a narrow margin between life and death. God brought it about. It was God that arranged it. Who are they in that thing? You know it was God that arranged it. Look at the second one again, Peter that I'm showing you. There was storm. Who is the master of the storm? Who is the controller of the storm? Was it not Jesus? So when the storm came and he was coming on the storm, which means ordinarily he could stop the storm from disturbing the disciples, but he allowed it. And the thing was trembling them, "Ama kule yin o, Oluwa jo, eh," and they were in the midst of the storm. The storm can be in your marriage, it can be in the finance, it can be in your health, it can be in anywhere, it can be in finances. The storm can be whichever way. Who allowed it? The Lord. But eventually, that very storm again became the basis of what? For Peter? The demonstration of faith. He was walking on it. Is that not? You know what I'm trying to make you see. What I'm trying to make you see. See, why there will be why there will be diverse challenges. Are you understanding me? Why there will be diverse challenges. Why there will be diverse issues. Why there will be diverse things happening. I also want you to know this. I want you to know this. Those challenges, they will also be the basis for what? Enlargement, expansion, and increase. So what I'm trying to say is that while we look forward, while we look forward, refusing to look backward or look down, let us have this understanding that it is in the midst of our challenges that our what? Our expansion, our enlargement, our increase will also be. So while some will sink, what will happen? Some will be promoted. It is whether you are what? You are looking down or you are saying you are seeking to hear God. When the storm is there, as the storm is coming, you are seeking to say, "Baba, what should I do? What do I do?" And once the word of God comes and says, "Do like this," and you do like that, what will happen? Your brethren will be surprised. While they are still inside the boat, unable to move, you will be stepping on the water. You will be making progress in the midst of the challenge. Eleven remained in the boat. One was walking on the sea that made the boat to almost capsize. Eleven remained in the boat. One was walking on the sea. It is telling you that majority will remain in the boat. Majority will be there, they'll be in the boat. But the men who can hear God, who can follow God, they will be what? They'll be walking on the sea. So what I'm trying to say is that while there will be challenges, while there will be issues, while there will be this, while there will be so many things, I want you to know that God did not bring them do you know that if all of them have said, "Lord, should we come?" what would have happened? The 11 would be walking on the water. May you be among men that will walk on the water. Let us close for tonight. I want you to say, "I will be in the number." The number that will make progress in the midst of the challenges. I want you to go ahead and pray as we close tonight. I will be in that number! I will not just sit down and be afraid. Sitting down there and no! No, no, no! I will be in the number that will step out! I will be in the number that will step out! In the name of Jesus. Baba in the name of Jesus, I receive oh God understanding to be in that number. I will not be among the 11 sitting down in the boat. No Lord! I will be, I will expand, I will enlarge. My borders shall not be small. My coast shall not be small. My borders shall be enlarged! My borders shall be enlarged! My borders shall be enlarged! My coast shall not be small. Oh in the name of Jesus! Spiritual breakthrough! Spiritual breakthrough! Marital breakthrough! I move forward! I expand! I enlarge! I will not sit down! I will not be among the eleven sitting down! I will step out! I will step on! I will march on! I will march on! In the name of Jesus! In the name of Jesus! In the name of Jesus! Thank you, blessed Father. Renomolekenderibababbalekendoria. Re kende le boros se kenda libas. In the name of Jesus! In the name of Jesus! In the name of Jesus! Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name we pray. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forever more. Amen. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! 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 hints. Our regular activities are discipleship class every Monday 5:00 PM; adolescent and singles' club every first Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM; marriage forum second Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM; 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, Ilere community opposite Veridose filling station along Ijele 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 08033861136, 07033613848. God bless you all. [Outro Music]