Peace in Perilious Times

Churches and fellowships cannot be more spiritual than the individuals and families that constitute them. God greatly desires a godly home front. These are words of restoration and instruction in righteousness from Family Tent Ministry. May you be blessed as you listen. [Song] Of the mercies of the Lord forever I will sing. Of the mercies of the Lord I will sing, I will sing. Of the mercies of the Lord forever I will sing. Of the mercies of the Lord. With my mouth, will I make known Thy faithfulness, Thy faithfulness. With my mouth will 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. [Speaker 1] We thank our God again for another time in His presence this Monday to fellowship in the scripture, to fellowship together, to learn at His feet. And we trust the Lord that as we gather again today, it will be a time of blessing, a time of edification. The Lord Himself will visit us in the name of Jesus Christ. Last week, we were able to bring to a kind of climax or peak our discussion on faith and imagination. For me, I left this place that day with a burden to go and look at a scripture a little further. I got home, I looked at the scripture, and throughout that night to the following morning, I was on that scripture. It was so much a blessing. The truth is that God ministers seed to the sower and also bread to the eater. So at the end of the day, both the sower and the eater, they are all blessed together by the same Spirit of God. That's the reality of the thing. So we thank God we were able to bring faith and imagination to a climax. And as we commence today, and as our brethren join us online and we who are here physically, maybe a time will come when we have a technology through which our brethren online will be able to tell us from where they are. Maybe they will be calling in and then we'll be hearing them giving us, telling us that this was how they were blessed, these were the things they learned, how it was a blessing to them. But for now, or maybe we are the ones that are not stepping up. The technology might have actually gotten to that point. We are the ones who have not stepped up to that level. So but for now, this level that we are is for we that are physically gathered to be able to say one or two things about the lesson. For me, it has been that there is so much about the imagination, our imagination, the spirit of man, the spirit world, and our faith. For me, there is so much about it. So before we move on today, to pray and move on today, let's ask our brethren who are physically gathered. Is there anyone who has something to say as a point of either a testimony or something that was a blessing to the person or something the person has to share with us on the whole matter of faith and imagination before we move on this evening? [Speaker 2] Yes, I learned so much last meeting. I was greatly blessed. But I want to also say that during the course of the week as I reflected back on what I have been learning, what I learned, the second stanza of “Higher Ground,” it just has always come to my mind. It says that, "My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay. Though some will dwell where these abound, my own prayer, my own aim is higher ground." That has just been my meditation throughout the week. Thank you very much. [Speaker 3] For me, I took home four major points. Something happened in my family. My wife got a news from our office about somebody that was so close to her and very recently met and another and something happened to that person. I was in Lagos and she called and said this and I said, "No, don't ever imagine that what happened to that person will ever happen because from the lesson last week, I was able to correct my imagination. I was able not to give in to any news or any word that comes around me because my imagination must center on God and God's word." Four points that I took home last week talked about faith. And one of the things that you said, you said faith is my ability to center on God. It's not just to be faithing things, but in every step that I want to take using faith, it must center on God. I took that home. Another thing that I took home that you said was my thinking pattern. You said the beginning of God's help for my life centers on my thinking pattern. My thinking pattern must be right for God to start helping. If my thinking pattern is not right, there is no way God will help me. You also talked about imagination. You said the correct imagination must center on the person of God and the power of God. And that really helped my imagination last week till date and even to today. My imagination about everything around me changed because my imagination must center on God, on the person of God, and on the power of God. You also said something about instruction, my thoughts. You said if my thought is not aligned to the instruction of the scripture, God may not be able to help me. So my thought must always align to instruction. What does scripture say? What are the instructions of God? Once I can get that, then I am on my path for God to help me. I'm on the right path for God to help me. Praise the Lord. [Speaker 4] Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. It's a kind of testimony. You know, I was surprised when I came last week. I came late a little when the topic was on imagination because for weeks, that's the point God has been dealing with me on. For weeks, any I read scripture, I read devotionals, I read comments online or wherever, it has been the point God has been hammering for me. So when I came last week, it's God just made it so clear to me. You know, faith, faith sometimes looks so vague, looks so abstract until it's brought home that it's a matter of imagination. So if you imagine it the way God sees it, that's faith. That's believing it. And then one thing that hit me is I'm looking at the points in my, it said the power of God can be activated or cut off by our imagination. That it's possible that a man can make himself incapacitated or make God incapacitated in his life if he has a wrong imagination. And since then, it became very clear to me. So when something wrong was coming like our brother said, I already know what to do. Hallelujah. When something wrong was coming, I say, "That's a lie. If it's coming and it's not according to the word of God," I say, "That's a lie. It's not true. It's not true." Praise the Lord. [Speaker 1] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. We thank God. We thank God. Honestly, for me, that is the peak of, in fact, that was where it started with me before it became a matter. You know, what happened that day was I can't remember exactly what I was doing then now. But what happened was this scripture was just coming: **"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations..."** (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). That was where the matter started from. Why is it that when God wants to make a man right, the first thing is to cast down imagination? That was how it just started with me. You cast down imagination, cast down, then he said you take thought captive, you bring everything to the obedience of Christ. Just like that, before you knew it, matters began to rise, matters began to rise and then it came to this point. It came to this point and issues began to come up with it and then we find ourselves going through scriptures. Honestly, personally, I must say that the appreciation of this scripture: **"Whatsoever things are right, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things."** (Philippians 4:8). Honestly, that scripture is real. Anything that don't fall into that, I wish we could just do everything not to think about it. And you will see how your life will be completely different. You know, also one high point of lesson for me from that thing is I just keep wondering. How is it that a woman, just one woman, could bring the power of God to bear even when God was not focusing on her? I don't know if you get the point I'm making. God wasn't focusing on her. God was busy on a project and that woman's imagination brought the power of God to be activated in her life. May God help us to see that without faith, it is impossible to please God. And with faith, it is possible to please God. With the correct thinking and imagination, it is possible to please God. Let's have a word of prayer. Precious Father, we appreciate You again. We thank You for Your love, for Your mercies, for Your goodness. We thank You for all who You are to us. We thank You, our Father. We say be Thou exalted in the name of Jesus. Mighty Father, we are gathered again unto You, Lord, to look into scripture, to fellowship with Your word. Yet we believe that where two or three are gathered in Your name, You are there. Lord, we believe You are here. We don't need a prophecy or a prophet to tell us that. Your word says where two or three are gathered, You are there. Lord, thank You for Your presence here this evening. Thank You for Your abiding presence that is among us to bless us. And Lord we pray, meet with us individually and meet with us collectively as Your people. Thank You, eternal Father. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. I want us to consider something in the book of Titus today, that epistle of Paul to Titus. And what I want to begin to discuss with us is something that honestly, more or less a burden that is flowing out of this understanding that as disciples of Jesus, we should be sensitive to our time. We should be sensitive to the fact that gradually everything is rounding up. I don't know whether you have been able to perceive that in your spirit. I don't know whether you have been able to perceive it. But if you look around you and you look, you examine the times and the season, you will know that even though things seem to be going slowly, but honestly, they are going steadily to that end that God had determined. Everything, they are just going slowly. It looks slowly, but it's steady. That is, what I mean by steady is that everything seems to be adding up, adding up, adding up. Little by little, but it's adding up. It's adding up and it's becoming clear, clearer and clearer that the coming of the Lord draws near. And you know, when the coming of the Lord begins to draw near, one thing that is clear from scripture is this element of apostasy, element of disregard for the faith, element of element of faithlessness, element of you know, carelessness, element of unholiness, unrighteousness. I don't know whether you are understanding me. Those things will start having a kind of multiplier effect. They will start increasing. They will start increasing. And so, honestly I've been I must tell you the truth, I've been struggling with how to how to coin the direction we want to go. At one point, I wanted to coin it "Eternal Life." At another point, I want to coin it "The Simplicity of our Christian Faith." At another point, I want to coin it "Eternity in View." You know, everything was just and I was just going through so many on how to coin it. But at a point, my heart began to settle on something that I will begin with today. I will begin with that today but I believe over time how I will coin the whole series will become clearer to me. Are you understanding me? But I want to begin with something today about peace. Peace. Peace. Peace. Today the world is not at peace. Am I correct? In fact, Nigeria is not at peace. The nations of the world, they are not at peace. One thing, one thing, you know, that is clearer to us is this matter that Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy spoke about that's 2 Timothy chapter 3. I want to read from the NLT translation. I will come to that Titus soon. It says: **"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times."** (2 Timothy 3:1). These times that we are in are very, very difficult. Very, very difficult. Myself and one of us were speaking just as we came in. We are talking about what happened in Akure today. Fuel went up by another 10 Naira to become 170. And then taxi drivers felt what a nonsense. The watch they pay as receipts to the union, they felt it's too much. Passengers are not increasing, are refusing to pay beyond 50 Naira. Everybody wants to be paying the same 50 Naira. Fuel they have moved now to 170. So the best thing, let us protest, let us block the road, let's cause confusion. And they stopped work and but I mean after some time again maybe they just felt would this help the matter? But I'm sure the repercussion will be that anything you want to take now, even if it is a one-minute drive, they may tell you 50 Naira. And they will now be making every short drive 50-50 Naira or they will insist that some of them will be 100 Naira. But whatever it is, what I'm trying to bring out is one clear thing that is manifesting in the midst of these things is some people will just look at that and even when what they sell, the price would not go up, they will just say, "Ah! You know that fuel is now 170? Okay, this service it is now..." You understand? Everybody will just begin to and before you know it, life that is already difficult for the average man becomes more difficult. At a time when across the nation salaries are withheld, a time across the nation when people are just coming out of coronavirus saga. When even when you just look at the whole thing, I'm just looking at the present situation that taking our nation as a case study. Do you agree with me that times are difficult? It says, but that times are difficult is not something that should be strange to us as believers. I hope you get the point I'm making. Because the Bible already told us: **"Know for certain that in the last days there will be very difficult times."** (2 Timothy 3:1). The Bible says very difficult. I don't know what it is now, whether it is very, very, very difficult. Whether it is just difficult. I don't know what to call it. You know, it depends again on individual situation. Do you agree with me? Aha. For some people now, they will want to use very, very, very, very, very difficult. For some people, it is getting difficult. For some people, but the Bible says difficult times shall come. What I'm going to make what I'm trying to bring out is that the Bible went further and says: **"For men will be lovers of themselves and their money. They will be boastful, proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving, unforgiving. They will slander others. They will not have self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, puffed up with pride, love pleasures rather than God. They will act religiously, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like this."** (2 Timothy 3:2-5). Now, what I want to bring out from what I just read is that what will make the times to be difficult is actually dependent on the manifestation of people's behavior. Are you understanding me? Do you get that? When the Bible says know for certain that difficult times will come, now the Bible now associated that difficult time—King James says "perilous times," Amplified says "perilous times of great stress and trouble, hard to deal with and hard to bear"—hard to deal with and hard to bear. Now, but why I'm pointing this before I will bring us to Titus and then to this topic we are looking at, peace—you'll be wondering, I want to give a background so that you'll be able to follow me. Now, you will notice that when the Bible mentioned these perilous times, these difficult times, the Bible immediately associated the difficulty to the manifest behavior of people. And again, the Bible now warns that we should turn away from such people. Are you following me? Which means times will be difficult. Times the time will be hard to deal with, hard to bear. Yet it is in relation to who you are dealing with and who you are associating with. Are you understanding me at all? What I'm trying to say is this. The relationship between, okay, let's use let's use our nation Nigeria. One reason why things are this particularly hard in terms of basic needs of life for our own economy is because of the kind of society that we are dealing with, the type of leadership, the kind of—but please don't forget that when we talk about leadership, these leaders are product of a society. Don't associate them from the society. The kind of people we have in this society are people who when they get into leadership, you understand me, they will behave the way are you getting what we are seeing now? In some other country, what is hard may not be basic things of life in terms of what to eat and what to drink. Like when you take more developed economy like America. Health and food will still be very plenty. But some other things will be hard. Are you following me? Why? Based on the kind of structure and leadership that individuals there are dealing with. Are you understanding me? So what I'm trying to say is this. If the Bible says turn from these kind of men, it means that there will be some kind of men, there will be some kind of life and some kind of men that will live as at this time that if you are associating with these kind of men who don't do these things, you will not have a situation where life is hard to handle. Are you understanding me? Maybe I should use a simpler illustration. If for example, you have an employer, this employer is not somebody who is a lover of himself. He's not proud. He's not somebody who hates what is good. He's not somebody who is malicious, who is revengeful. Someone who is kind, loving and has concern for others. You know it will reflect in the life of those that he employed. So while some other colleagues in some other things will be shouting, "Ah! Things are hard!" The ones relating with this person will be saying that, "Ah, thank God oh. Our own case is different oh. Our boss is not like that." Are you understanding me? Are you understanding me? If you leave employer and employee, if you take marriage. While some people will be saying in their marriage that "Ah! Eshula awon okunrin (these men are devils). In fact, now I understand that in fact, people will hate God, they will be irreligious, they will be hateful." While some marriages will be experiencing that, it's a function of the person, the husband and the wife in that marriage. Some other marriage may not be experiencing that. Some other marriage will be saying that, "Wow! Thank God for my own." Are you get what I'm trying to bring out? Are you get what I'm trying to bring out? So that the perilousness of the time is actually a a function of, dependent on the kind of person that is in that particular slot that you are dealing with. So that for example, my marriage can become perilous if I become a lover of myself and not a lover of God. If I become hateful and revengeful, then perils will come into the marriage. Are you get the point I'm trying to bring out? But if I'm not like that, then the marriage will not become perilous. So what I'm trying to make you see is that while we may not be able to control society—the Bible says evil men and seducers, they will wax worse, worse and worse—it is possible that for you, your home around your life and the way you live your life and the way you go, is possible to experience peace. It's possible that it's possible for you to be in an to be a a peace agent, a change agent, such that around you, the men who relate with you, who relate to you, will not really experience a situation that is hard to bear or hard to deal with. Some students are finding some courses perilous because the lecturer insisted that he must sleep with them. So a course, maybe MIC 301 or CHB 222, became a perilous course because of the lecturer. Whereas another course, BTS 111 or BBB 555, whatever, they may experience peace and rejoicing because the man who is handling that one is God-fearing. Are you are you understanding me? I'm showing you that this perilous thing that we are talking about, since the Bible says avoid these kind of people, it's telling us that it is possible to create a world around yourself and to create a world around you and for people around you that will not be difficult and perilous. What I'm trying to say is that if there is storm everywhere now, that place where God is with His people, what will you be experiencing there? Peace. That place where God is and His people, what they will experience there is peace. All around them may be perilous. All around them may be shaking, but once you enter that place where God is the one that is taking dominion, what will you experience there? Peace. So what I'm trying to say is it's a two-world thing. It's like being inside one room where there is air condition and then outside, it is this 1:00, 2:00 sun. You know how it is this period? You know when you are inside the AC inside the room, how will it feel? It will feel cool. But once you open the door and you step out of that AC room, what do you feel? Heat. You feel so much heat. Now, what I'm trying to say therefore is that if the Bible says in this place that we should turn away from certain kind of men, then the Bible is making us to have a clear understanding that when the Bible says perilous times shall come, it does not in any way contradict the eternal truth that: **"Peace I give unto you, not as the world gives."** (John 14:27). Do you understand what I'm trying to say? You know Jesus was telling His disciples, He said, "Peace I give unto you, not as the world gives." He talked about trouble, He talked about perilous, He talked about things that will happen all around, but He told them that, "Look, I'm giving you peace." So what what I am trying to bring to our focus today as we try to begin this this series which I trust God will help us to journey on and then we'll be able to coin it better on what I should properly call this series. Whether I should call it "The Simplicity of our Christian Faith," or I should call it "Understanding Eternal Life," or "This Life Eternal." It will be clearer as we march on. But I want to I want to begin with this this subtitle "Peace" today. Peace. This peace of God. Now, and the first thing I'm calling our attention to is the fact that when the Bible was describing perilous time, difficult time, hard time, difficult to bear, difficult to endure, the Bible made it clear that it is about men and their behavior. You get it? It's about men and their behavior. And so, the perils, the perils that we are talking about, that is the difficulty, the challenging thing that we are talking about, you need to check your life. You need to check into your your your behavior, your way of life, to know for instance whether you are an agent of peace or an agent of perils. Whether you are the one, you know, you will be somebody that by the virtue of the way you are living, by the virtue of the things that you are doing, by the virtue of the way you are relating to people, you are making the times perilous or you are making the times peaceful. What the Bible says is that perilous times will come. And what the Bible was trying to say is that that perilous times will come because there will be a fallout between God and men. Are you getting it? There will be a fallout between God and what? Men. If there is no fallout between God and men, perilous times will not come. If you look at that scripture, I want you to look at that scripture. Just imagine, just imagine, look at that scripture. Just imagine that people will become lovers will love only themselves. Imagine that in this nation, people don't love only themselves, they love their neighbor. Try to imagine a Nigeria where people don't love only themselves. Everybody is manifesting a genuine love for their neighbor. What do you think will be in Nigeria? Are you get what I'm trying to bring out? So I'm trying to show you something. That when the Bible was talking about perilous time, the Bible was saying that know for certain that as things goes on, there will be more and more a fallout between God and men. The more men fall out from God, from the pattern of God, from the ways of God, from the teachings of God, from the dictates of God, from the counsel of God, from the laws of God, from the decrees of God, from the path of God, their path will become perilous. I hope you are getting what I'm trying to what I'm trying to make clear now. So the perils that we are talking about, you know, some people begin to think that, "Ah, you see? What will make it perilous is that some demons will come and take over the land, some..." You see, I'm trying to explain this matter of perils to you so that the matter will be clear. People are thinking that the economy will just become difficult. You know, people are not linking this matter to the fact that what will bring the peril is a departure away of men from God. People are putting this peril in something as if as if the perils will come by some some things we'll not be able to understand. But let me tell you the truth. Even though we know that, you know, this truth is clear to all of us, that man is not actually a a free creature. I hope you know what I mean by that. Do you understand what I what I mean by that? I would want to illustrate what I mean by that. Look at Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2. Are we are we in Ephesians chapter 2? I want us to try as many translations as possible. I will be reading we will be reading just verse 1 to 3. I will read the New King James translation, others will read other translations that they have. But please make sure you are reading with the mic, with the microphone. I read 1 to 3: **"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as others."** (Ephesians 2:1-3). Another translation. Please you tell us your translation. [Speaker 5] The Common English Bible. Okay. **"At one time, you were like a dead person because of the things you did wrong and the offenses against God. You used to live like people of this world."** [Speaker 1] You used to live like people of this world! [Speaker 5] **"You followed the rule of a destructive spiritual power."** [Speaker 1] Pardon, come again. [Speaker 5] **"You followed the rule of a destructive spiritual power."** [Speaker 1] You followed the rule of a destructive spiritual power! [Speaker 5] **"This is the spirit of disobedience to God's will that is now at work in persons whose lives are characterized by disobedience."** [Speaker 1] In persons whose lives are characterized by disobedience! Actually, that's what I needed. In persons whose lives are characterized by disobedience. Aha! [Speaker 5] Verse 3. **"At one time, you were like those persons. All of you used to do whatever felt good and whatever you thought you wanted..."** [Speaker 1] Whatever you thought you wanted! Yes. [Speaker 5] **"...so that you were like children headed for punishment, just like everyone else."** [Speaker 1] Okay. Are you following something that I'm trying to bring out? You were walking according to the spirit of disobedience. There is a destructive spirit that was working. Aha! Please another translation. [Speaker 1] Amplified? Okay. Please give it to our brother, let him read Amplified for us. [Speaker 5] **"In which at one time, you walked habitually. You were following the course and fashion of this world."** [Speaker 1] You were following the course and fashion of this world! [Speaker 5] **"...were under the sway of the tendency of this present age."** [Speaker 1] You were under the sway, the control of the tendency of this present age! [Speaker 5] **"...following the prince of the power of the air."** [Speaker 1] So what were they following? The prince of the power of the air. Following the prince of the power of the air! Aha! [Speaker 5] **"You were obedient to and under the control of the demon spirit that still constantly work in the sons of disobedience."** [Speaker 1] You were under the control! Are you seeing it? Of a spirit! Are you seeing it? That was working in the children of disobedience. And the first line in verse 3? [Speaker 5] **"Among these, we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passion of our flesh..."** [Speaker 1] Yes! [Speaker 5] **"...our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature..."** [Speaker 1] Please listen oh! We were walking in the passion of our flesh. Our behavior was governed by our corrupt nature! Aha! [Speaker 5] **"...obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind."** [Speaker 1] Obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind! [Speaker 5] **"...our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings."** [Speaker 1] Our taste was dictated by our senses and our dark imaginations or imaginings. [Speaker 5] **"We were then by nature children of God, wrath and heirs of His indignation, like the rest of mankind."** [Speaker 1] Okay. I want you to get something. Are you getting something I'm trying to I'm trying to make clear now? Okay. Now, I'm trying to show you something. That when the Bible was talking about perilous time, the Bible was saying that know for certain that as things goes on, there will be more and more a fallout between God and men. Can we take NLT? NLT? Okay. NLT. Yes, verse 1. Verse 2 in particular. [Speaker 5] **"You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world..."** [Speaker 1] You used to live in sin just like the rest of the world! [Speaker 5] **"...obeying the devil..."** [Speaker 1] Obeying the devil! [Speaker 5] **"...the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God."** [Speaker 1] He is the spirit! I'm trying to show you something. It looks as if they are free, that it is their behavior. But it is not their behavior. Man is never free, he's under an influence. It looks as it is his behavior, but it's not his behavior. There is something that is working that thing, that is working that thing. He is the spirit at work in the people who disobey God. Are you getting something I'm trying to I'm trying to bring? Okay. Now, read on please. [Speaker 5] **"All of us used to live that way..."** [Speaker 1] Now, what is the Bible saying? All of us! All of us before we became born again, before we met with Jesus, we used to live that way. Now, what is that way? Now, look at the things that make up that way. Number one: [Speaker 5] **"Following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature."** [Speaker 1] Now, when we follow the passionate desire of our sinful nature, it looks like we are following our nature. Abih? But what are we actually following? That nature! I want to put them together. It says go back to 2. I want you to get something clear. Go back to verse 2. [Speaker 5] **"You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil."** [Speaker 1] Now, when we live in sin like the rest of the world, who are we obeying? We are obeying the devil! Aha! [Speaker 5] **"The commander of the powers in the unseen world."** [Speaker 1] The commander of the power in the unseen world! So when men live in sin, are they really free? Are they free? Is there somebody giving them instruction? Zombie, zombie, turn right, turn left, turn this, turn that. He's turning. But it looks as if the decision is coming from himself. But in the real sense, there is a commander that says, "Oya, paron yen (go and lie)." He tells the lie. "Oya," are you understand me? There is a commander. There is an unseen world that has relationship with sin. Are you understand me? Now move on please. [Speaker 5] **"All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature."** [Speaker 1] Now when we follow the inclination of our sinful nature, who is in charge of that life? Satan, the devil. You know we are obeying a force. That is number one. Number two: [Speaker 5] **"But by our very nature, we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else."** [Speaker 1] So by our nature we were subject to God's anger. Now look at what I'm trying to make you see. When people follow their lust, follow the imaginations of their mind, follow their vain mind, follow their imaginations and they are living like that, that is why you notice in where we are flowing from last week: **"Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war against the flesh. We cast down imagination."** (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). So men have imaginations they follow and they are taking that dictates from who? From the devil. So the devil controls them by their what? By their imagination. It looks like it is about them, but they are actually taking instruction, a command. There is something giving the command. You get it? So in a way, man is not really free. He looks free but he's not free. He's not free. That is why you also notice when we begin to obey God, go and check it. The Bible says it is God that works in us, both to what? Both to will and to do of what? Pleasure. What is that good pleasure? To disobey God. That is the good pleasure of Satan, is to disobey God. So somebody is working in you too, both to will and to do. But what is he taking advantage of? Your impulses. Now not only your impulses, what does he take advantage of again? Look at the next thing. Impulses of the flesh. Look at the next thing. It says and of the thought of the mind, our cravings, dictates of our senses and dark imagination. Now, what does he work with again? Our imagination. He works with the imagination. You know sometimes I don't know whether you have somebody have done you so much evil before. So much wrong. Then you just sit down, just begin to think, "Ah, something will just happen now. One sickness will just come. God knows how to kill people like this." And I just begin to think as he's going now, he will get accident and he will die. You know wicked people like this, they don't live long. I just imagine that he will just die. And you begin to imagine all kinds of things. I don't know whether it has happened to you before. And suddenly the Holy Ghost will just call your attention, "My daughter!" And then you come back yourself and say, "Ah, Oluwa dariji mi (Lord, forgive me)." Lord, forgive me. I don't know whether it has happened to you before. I'm trying to be very practical and real. You know when people do you so much wrong, I mean so much evil, so much wrong, so much... you just see yourself you begin to draw in an imagination. How will you know? If you now hear, for you to know that this thing governs people, if you now hear that some evil befall him, you just smile inside you. "Ah, I said it. God will catch him. Hmm, Olorun ti mu (God has caught him)." You know you begin to rejoice that evil befall the person. I'm saying this for you to understand this power, this thing. It looks as if it is about you, but these are things that Spirit takes control of to make men do what? Disobey God. When God wants you to obey Him, we have looked at that so seriously too. He takes charge of your thought and your imagination, your impulses, all those things. They take over them and then you become godly. So what I want to bring out is this. While I am not saying that perilous time is outside the works of the devil—please get me clear—I am also saying that actually the manifestation of those devils is not for you to see one thing that has two horns. No. It will manifest in a husband who is careless. It will manifest in a Christian who is not thoughtful, who is not watchful, who does not guide his imaginations and in her thoughts. It will manifest in a wife who is not careful, who is not guiding and washing her impulses, her responses, who is not taking charge of those things by what? By the word of God. And it is when we don't take charge of our impulses, of our feelings—you know sometimes I don't know whether you have for some of us who are married—your wife just do some things sometimes, you feel that, "Hmm, I know what I will do that will give her back." Those of us with children, your son just do some things sometimes, you begin to look for you want to correct oh, but it's more than correction. You're also looking for what you will do that "ori e yen ma gba okuta (your head will hit stone)." I will show her that... Correction is one thing but hatred is another thing. What I'm trying to bring out is that if you don't arrest your impulses, your sensual impulses, your humanity, if you don't arrest it... That's my example that you know you are driving and the person blocked your way and felt to get out and then they just look at you, "O ri, ode, oponu, o ni oju e, ko ko bi taya (See this fool, idiot, don't you have eyes, your head is like a tire)." And then the person goes away. You don't feel like saying, "Anyway, the Lord bless you. The Lord bless..." And then you drive. You don't feel that way. What you feel like is "Aim me! You would have also almost said the same thing but the Holy Ghost will say, 'My daughter, my son, ah ah, you are not like that man.'" What is He trying to make you do? Arrest your impulses. Take charge of your impulses. That's what He's trying to make you do. Is that not? If you don't take charge of your impulses and your feelings, you will be governed by them. There was a day a man drove like that and just overtook my car. And then was leaving door. And I just change! And when it comes to driving this partisan driving, I think I'm also very good at it. And I just took the car and I just went. As I as I was about going and getting close then, "So how are you different from him?" That was just what He just said. He just said, "Ah! How are you different from him?" And you know the car just began to slow down. The car began to slow down. I'm trying to make you understand taking charge of your impulses. The reason why all of these are important is that if you don't take charge of all of these things, around your life there will not be peace. There will not be peace. There will not be peace. What will you be experiencing? Perils, perilous times, difficult times, trying times, trouble, all of that. Is that not? The Bible says troublous times will come. Ko ni si alaafia, ko ni si sinmi (There will be no peace, there will be no rest) in the family, at workplace, in relationship, in the job, just neighborhood, in the world, in the governance, in the society, there will not be peace. There will be what? Trouble. But in talking about that trouble, you know I was trying to show something that why I'd learn to read that Ephesians is that even if some spirits are actually regulating—you know you agree that some spirits regulate. Do you agree now? That some spirits do the regulation. When they want to do the regulation, how do they manifest the regulation? They manifest it by the imaginations of men, by the way they act, by the way they why we will be seeing men, actually those men are working according to a spirit. They are taking instruction: turn right, turn left, go straight, go this, go that. That is what is going on. So that when we are talking about the matter of the peril, while it is true because I don't want to rule out spiritual forces at work so that you don't get me wrong that I'm saying that demons are not at work. I'm not saying demons are not at work. I'm not saying some spiritual elements are not at work. The Bible says we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness. Is that not? And so they are everywhere. But what I'm trying to show you is that the manifestation of those devil is not for you to see one thing that has two horns and no. It will manifest in a husband who is careless. It will manifest in a Christian who is not thoughtful, who is not watchful, who does not guide his imaginations and in her thoughts. It will manifest in a wife who is not careful, who is not guiding and washing her impulses, her responses, who is not taking charge of those things by what? By the word of God. And it is when we don't take charge of our impulses, of our feelings—you know sometimes I don't know whether you have for some of us who are married—your wife just do some things sometimes, you feel that, "Hmm, I know what I will do that will give her back." Those of us with children, your son just do some things sometimes, you begin to look for you want to correct oh, but it's more than correction. You're also looking for what you will do that "ori e yen ma gba okuta." I will show her that... Correction is one thing but hatred is another thing. What I'm trying to bring out is that if you don't arrest your impulses, your sensual impulses, your humanity, if you don't arrest it... That's my example that you know you are driving and the person blocked your way and felt to get out and then they just look at you, "O ri, ode, oponu, o ni oju e, ko ko bi taya" and then the person goes away. You don't feel like saying, "Anyway, the Lord bless you. The Lord bless..." and then you drive. You don't feel that way. What you feel like is aim me! You would have also almost said the same thing but the Holy Ghost will say, "My daughter, my son, ah ah, you are not like that man." What is He trying to make you do? Arrest your impulses. Take charge of your impulses. That's what He's trying to make you do. Is that not? If you don't take charge of your impulses and your feelings, you will be governed by them. There was a day a man drove like that and just overtook my car. And then was leaving door. And I just change! And when it comes to driving this partisan driving, I think I'm also very good at it. And I just took the car and I just went. As I as I was about going and getting close then, so how are you different from him? That was just what He just said. He just said, "Ah! How are you different from him?" And you know the car just began to slow down. The car began to slow down. I'm trying to make you understand taking charge of your impulses. The reason why all of these are important is that if you don't take charge of all of these things, around your life there will not be peace. There will not be peace. There will not be peace. What will you be experiencing? Perils, perilous times, difficult times. This life, this eternal life, this simplicity of the gospel is not there. We'll be building on this matter but I'm showing you a background. Look into your own life. Are you truly free? But I want you to know that Christ set you free. Christ actually set you free. You are you are only bound because you chose to be bound. Christians live on godly life because they chose to do so. Christ set us free honestly from these things by Christ. I want you to look I want you to look inward. Our portion, your portion, my portion is not is not to bring this peril around our life. In fact, it is for us to turn away from such men, to avoid the company of such men, to avoid the association with such people. Thank You, Father. Blessed be Your holy name. Thank You, our God. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Almighty God, our eyes on You. Our eyes on You this evening, Lord. Indeed, there is so much departure from the faith today. There is so much falling away. The the actual implication of eternal life that we have in Christ, which is life and peace, is not is not in the common place. What what seems to surround us more as a people is the perils of our time. What we see more is brothers betraying brothers, sisters betraying sisters, pastors betraying followers, followers betraying pastors, malicious tendency, bitterness, anger, all kinds of manifestations that are contrary to life and peace. Precious Father, whenever we see this, it is a clear thing that we have not hearkened unto You. If there is a departure, there is a movement away from the preaching of the gospel. Lord our God, we are praying for our life and we are praying particularly for the church. Lord our God, we ask for the revival of truth in the name of Jesus. Lord our God, we pray that again and again and again, as believers, we begin to take charge by the grace which we have received from the Lord. We begin to take charge of our impulses. We begin to take charge, oh God, of our feelings. We begin to take charge of our emotions. We begin to take charge more and more and more and more, God, of our thoughts and our imaginations in the name of Jesus Christ. That Lord, Lord, that more and more and more and more over and over again, it will be an overflow of the life of God, of the life of peace. God, that again we can be described—the Bible says, "Blessed are the peacemakers because they shall become sons of God"—that we can be makers of peace in the name of Jesus. That everywhere we'll be brokers, people that broker peace in the name of Jesus. In our relationship, in our homes, in our togetherness with others, God Almighty, in our businesses, in our careers, God, we'll be brokers of peace, makers of peace in this perilous world in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank You, eternal Father. May we begin to stamp this image everywhere we go. For the gospel is described as the gospel of peace. May we stamp the gospel everywhere we go. Thank You, eternal Father. Blessed be Your holy name, our God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Let's share the grace together. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen. 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 heat. Our regular activities are: discipleship class every Monday 5:00 PM, Adolescent and Singles Club every first Saturday of of every month at 10:00 AM, Marriage Forum second Saturday of every month at 10:00 AM, family life seminars, regular school outrages and every day counseling. For further counseling, you can reach us at our location Life Camp by the first bridge, Ilere community, opposite Berry Joy filling station along Ijera 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 all.