This Gospel of the Kingdom 4 ( Abolished Death)

[Music] [Speaker 1] Churches and 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 2] Lord our God, we say be thou exalted in the name of Jesus Christ. Almighty Father, we commit, O Lord our God, our Monday discipleship class into your hand. As we gather here Monday after Monday, Lord, we pray that you will go ahead of us again today in the name of Jesus. Lord God Almighty, in your mercy, your presence will ever be with us. Your eyes will watch over us. Your spirit will ever work within us. Lord, you will quicken us continually as often as we come in the name of Jesus Christ. You will instruct us, you will teach us in the path that we should go in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord God Almighty, you will grant us, O Lord, that our going forth and our coming in will be in you in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord our God, our eyes are on you. As we commence again this year, let nothing prevail against your purposes for our lives, your purposes for our gathering, your purposes for our homes, your purposes for our marriages, your purposes for our children, your purposes, O God, let nothing prevail against them in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you, everlasting Father. Blessed be your holy name our God. In Jesus’ name we pray. Praise ye the Lord. Let's have our seats again. We welcome our brethren who are here physically, our brethren who are online. We greet you. We say a fulfilled and gracious New Year to us all in the name of Jesus Christ. As you keep connecting with us and we keep connecting together, the Lord will continue to work in our midst in the name of Jesus. So, our brethren online, we greet you. Our brethren who are here physically, we say you are welcome. Blessed be your name, our Father, in Jesus’ name. We have been considering something from last year which we are bringing into this year, and we are building up on it, which is the Gospel of the Kingdom. We have looked at what the Gospel of the Kingdom is. We have looked at basis of the Gospel of the Kingdom. We saw last Monday, what was our last Monday, what was the last Monday of 2021, we looked at that aspect of the scripture where the Bible said the Gospel abolished death. And I tried to expand what death is. And we have looked at an aspect of that last week. We hope to build on that as we continue. But particularly today, we are going to apply that Gospel of the Kingdom, being our first meeting in the year, in a very particular way today. There is a burden that has been in my heart about the year. It is something we began to share with our singles. Incidentally, Saturday was New Year and was the first Saturday, so we were all here. And it was a wonderful time opening up the year with celebration and also in God's presence. And because it's a consistent burden in the ministry, we are going to see how we expand it in the way it applies to the discipleship class. And then hopefully, by the time we’ll be coming to our marriage forum on Saturday, we’ll see how it applies again in that dimension. But this evening, we want to quickly do that and also possibly find a little time to still pray into 2022. It is indeed a gracious and amazing thing that 2022 is here. We are now in 2022. We know that the Lord who has brought us into the 2022, he has also gone ahead of us to perfect that which concerns us in the name of Jesus Christ. Now, the Gospel of the Kingdom. Last week, I said something about let's go to quickly compare 2nd Timothy 1:9-10 again with that Genesis, just to create a background for what we want to do today. 2nd Timothy chapter 1, I read from verse 8: "Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." So, our focus is what the Gospel did, that the Gospel of the Kingdom abolished death. And in abolishing death, last week, Genesis chapter 2 first, 15 through 17 says: "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 'Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat...'" So, we noticed that if there are 30 trees in that place, man have access to 29. Only one. I noted that last week, that honestly, man was not restricted. It was never the design of God to restrict man. That's what man don't understand. It is never God's design to restrict man. You notice that the Bible says, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." It's never God's design to restrict man. It is just a foolish mentality when man thinks that God's instruction means restriction. No. God's instruction means liberation. The Bible says, "The truth shall set you free." So, God's instructions are not restriction; they are liberation. They never restrict; they liberate us. It is the sin in us, the self in us that make us to think that the instructions of God restrict us. It doesn't restrict; it liberates. Now, so you noticed that there was so much, I mentioned that last week, just trying to do a little recap to enter into what we want to do today. So, God's design was eat from as many as you want but don't eat from a particular one. And the Lord God said in verse 17, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Now, I then took us to chapter 3. Look at chapter 3, when I said God don't want immortality in death. Chapter 3, verse 22 downwards: "Then the Lord God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil.'" That was after eating of that tree. He has become like one of us. "And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever—" Now, I want us to get something clear. From what we saw in Genesis chapter 2, how many trees was the man not to eat from? One. Now, which means that man was eating from the tree of life to be alive. Are you getting the point I'm making? That their being alive, there was a tree of life. Are you understanding the point I'm trying to bring out? Because we saw in Genesis chapter 2 that the restriction was from a tree. The tree of life was in that garden too. So, when man was not dead, what happened to him? What happened to him? He has access to the tree of life. So, immortality is to be in life, not in death. What we saw, the Gospel brought, he said the Gospel abolished death and brought life and immortality. So, immortality goes with life. Immortality does not go with death. So, when man died, he was not given access to immortality, to life and immortality, because of his death. And we particularly last week, we operated death to mean that their eyes were opened; they could guide themselves. That was why we operated death. And we said we need to come back to be alive, that one way to be really alive is to have the Guide of our life coming back to be our Guide. If the Guide of our life is not our Guide, then we are dead. And we’ll continue to die if the Guide of our life is not our Guide. So, and I said that the Gospel of the Kingdom abolishes death. So, anybody who have access to the true Gospel should daily be experiencing the closing of eyes. Should daily come to a point where God becomes his Guide. If the Gospel of the Kingdom is there, it means self continue to die. You die daily, and then Christ increases. That was our focus last week. And I would not be going on to explain the other matters about death today, and then linking death to life and immortality in the New Testament. That's what I’ll be doing today. But what I want to do today is to bring something to our focus. David said, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Then the next statement that follows: "He makes me," King James says, "He maketh me lie down in green pastures." That is what we want to expand today. Please, we are bringing that in connection with the Gospel of the Kingdom. That actually the Gospel of the Kingdom is not a church doctrine. The Gospel of the Kingdom is not church activities. The Gospel of the Kingdom is not belonging to a denomination. The Gospel of the Kingdom is not being functional and active in a fellowship. The Gospel of the Kingdom transcends all of that. The Gospel of the Kingdom is something that abolishes death. That is the Gospel. And that thing was done by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ. So, I noted that the Gospel of the Kingdom is therefore a personal, consistent, continuous, experiential encounter with Jesus. If there is no experiential, personal encounter with Jesus, what you have is not the Gospel. What you have is some church doctrines. Now, with that background, please, with that background, I want to bring us into something for 2022. Just trying to give us as a people at the feet of the Master some sense of direction about the year. Ordinarily, therefore, if you are experiencing the Gospel, which is you are growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord, that is the Gospel. A grace growth and a growth in the knowledge of the Lord. That is the Gospel. He said, "But ye do what? Grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord." Because we discover that the Gospel of the Kingdom, which we have said before, is synonymous with Jesus Christ. If they are telling of Jesus abolished death through the Gospel, it means the Gospel is about Jesus, and the Gospel is Jesus. Anything that is not in what Jesus did by suffering, His death, and His resurrection is not the Gospel. Anything outside that. But everything in that, what it's supposed to do for us is suffering, His death, His resurrection, what it is to do for us is to do what? Abolish death and then bring life and immortality. Now, when David said "The Lord is my shepherd," and with our understanding that when we abolish death, it actually means the Guide of our life become our Guide. There was a Guide. When their eyes were closed, there was a Guide. And their judgment was not faulty. I've explained that last week. Jesus said, "As I hear, so I judge, and my judgment is righteous." So, when He saw Eve, this is the bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, where is she coming from? As He was hearing, so He was judging. Because He could not have known except He was told, since He was fast asleep. As He was hearing, so He was judging. As He was hearing, so He was judging. Now, when you say "The Lord is my shepherd," are you seeing a connection between being alive and the Lord being our Shepherd? A life that is not shepherded by the Lord is not alive. It’s actually not alive. It is actually not alive. But my emphasis this evening is on "He maketh me," King James, "He maketh me lie down in green pastures." Before I emphasize the word "maketh," which is my focus about the Gospel of the Kingdom this evening, is that the psalmist said once God can be our shepherd, then we will not lack. When God was their Guide, did they lack anything? They did not lack anything. There was no lack inside that place. Lack started when they died. Immediately they died, lack. "Out of your sweat you will eat. This you will... then you will die." And look at it. When God said they will die, they started dying, dying, dying, dying until they physically died. Is that not true? So, the death eventually became physical, but it was first spiritual. They lost God being their Guide. Now, what it therefore means is this. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." The Lord was their shepherd and they did not lack. The psalmist now said, "He makes me lie down where?" What is green pastures? What is the meaning of a green pasture? What is a pasture? A field of food for sheep. Okay. When He say it is green, what are you seeing? If the field is green, what is the impression? Look outside now. We are in harmattan season. What can you see about, except those ones, don't look at those ones by the river. They will not give us the correct impression of the dry season. May our life be planted by the river, that we don't know season. In all season, we are fruitful in the name of Jesus Christ. Let's look at the ones that are away from... what do you see about them? They are dry. So, when he say "He makes me lie down in green pastures," when plants are green, what is in your mind? When you want to buy efọ, do you buy yellow one? When you look for... when you want to buy okra, do you buy red one? Do you know what I'm trying to bring out? When you see greenness in pasture, what is it telling you? Fresh, yes. It’s telling you freshness, abundance. Something is still missing. When you see freshness, you will know they are fresh because they are green. Once they are not green, you will now know something is wrong. But greenness talks about something. If you cut a plant, what happens to that plant? It starts drying. What will happen to the color? So, when greenness connote what? Life. Greenness connotes life. The psalmist said "The Lord is my shepherd." Now, "I shall not want." Why is it that I will not want? He now began to tell you the basis of why he will not want. If you read that translation from other translations, there's one that said "I have everything that I need." There are different translations of that word. Can we check this translation? Can we have some translations? NLT? "The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need." Have you listened to it? The Lord is my shepherd, and I do what? I have all that I need. I want to ask you, was there something that was needed that was not inside that place that God kept them before they died? There was nothing. There was life to keep them alive. As they eat the tree of life, they will be alive forever. There was life to be alive. What was it? He said He has given them every other thing for food. Eat this, eat that, eat this, eat that. And so that there will not be death, there was life also in that garden. Are you seeing something? Everything that they needed. Now look at it. The psalmist said, "The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything that I need." He now began to explain those needs. He began to explain why he has everything. What is the first thing God does? He makes him to lie down where? Green pasture. The first issue that God needed to resolve in making sure your life don't lack anything is to put you where? Is to make you lie down in green pasture. Is to guarantee that you are alive. Is to guarantee life. Is to guarantee, please, don't forget the point that I am making. That to guarantee that they are alive, what was the first consequence that they died? Their eyes was what? That was the first consequence. That was the first tool we saw. He said, "And immediately their eyes were opened." They did not need a Guide again. So, you notice something. "The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything that I need." He now began to tell those needs. And all those things I need, what is the first fundamental thing that God made available? Green pasture. Freshness, aliveness. Now, what makes it available? Because he must first be alive. Every other thing, they are premised on that they must be alive. Is that not true? Look at it physically. I will take you to US. I will give you visa. I will give you money. I will build house for you. I will do that for you. For you to have benefit, what is the first thing? You must be alive. Do you make plans for a dead man? Have you ever seen anybody building a flat for a dead man? Buying a car. You say, "The man is dead." Say, "Yes, please, bring in his car. The certificate of recognition will be needed now." Have you ever seen that before? Once the man is dead, what happens? Every other thing, are they necessary? So, you notice immediately they died, nothing else was necessary. The Gospel, the first thing it does is to abolish death. Is to abolish your being able to guide your life. Is to destroy your wanting to have your way. Is to destroy your wanting to take charge of your life. Is to destroy the first thing it abolishes. The first thing it wants to do with your life is to make sure that you are alive. What did Jesus say? "I have come that they may have what? Life." Are you seeing the matter again? "The thief cometh not but to steal, to kill, and to destroy." And many times, people call that thief the devil. Yes, the thief is the devil, but in that scripture, he was not talking about the devil. That's not what I want to discuss for today. He was talking about wrong teaching, false teaching, indoctrination, wrong conception of God to people. Nothing kills faster than that. He was addressing those who came before Him, who were trying to demonstrate themselves as the source. He was addressing people. It was later he spoke about the devil when he was talking about wolves. He said the hireling seeth the wolf coming then he will leave the sheep. That is the devil. He also kill and destroy. But then, that's why when I started, I said look, we are still coming to how is this Gospel mediated. We’ll come to 1st Corinthians and Romans. And we understand how the Gospel is mediated to us because Paul said, "I was appointed a preacher." How God mediated the preaching of the Gospel. We are coming to all of that later. But I’m trying to do some fundamental things first. What I'm trying to make you see is that aliveness is the first fundamental thing that we need for every other thing to be secured. God has wonderful plans for our life. God, oh, that's why I told you that even if you look at the plan from the beginning, you notice that the intention of God was never to restrict man. It's to life. Anywhere God's Spirit is, there is liberty. Go and check Romans. He said, "The Kingdom of God is in what? It’s in righteousness, in peace, and in what? Joy." It is not about sorrow. There is nothing... understand God. So that even in pain, that's why the Bible says that Apostle Paul said, even when there is trouble, God can still give you peace. That is God. That's the design of God for man. Now, the psalmist said, "The Lord is my shepherd." My concern today is with the word "maketh." But I'm trying to see something about this "maketh" because the "making" of God seems to be a confusion for man. But actually, when God is making, what God is making is to make you be inside life. It's to make you be where? Inside greenness. Inside abundance. Inside freshness. But you know something about that? Can I tell you something about that? If God don't make, it is never your personal desire to be in life. Man's personal desire... I will explain this what I'm trying to say. You see, the desire of man... okay, maybe I should use something to explain what I'm paradoxically what I'm trying to say. Maybe it will be clearer. When Eve was taking that fruit to eat it, what was in her mind? Yes, uh-huh. You know Satan gave them a download. What was the download? They will know good from evil, they will be like God. You understand. So, when she was taking that thing, she was looking at greater height. Higher height. We will be rubbing shoulder with that God. He said he's Creator. Our God will go and be there. Are you understanding me? Something bigger. Something higher. But because the thing is contrary to God, are you understanding me? That thing is contrary to God. What she thought she will get out of it was something bigger and higher and better at a higher level. But what she got out of it was what? How did she come to that death? Because the way she wanted to go higher was contrary to God. So, man want to go higher, but his method of going higher, because they are contrary to God, what man gets is what? Death. So, man's personal aspiration, the way man look at things, the way man sees things, I want to tell you that except God makes, man cannot be in life. It was not that David wanted to lie down in green pasture. It was God that makes him to lie down there. Are you getting what I'm trying to say? Are you getting what I'm trying to say? Let me explain it to you. Let me use a very simple and very common illustration. Maybe it will bring the message home better. How did Joseph got to the throne? God maketh him. It was not his desire to go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go. All those goings. It was at the end that even himself was understanding the going. Are you understanding me? It was God that did what? That maketh him. It was the making of God to lie down that way in that green pasture. God made... it was a making of God. It was not something that, "Oh yeah, now sell me to the prison. Now, okay, you sell me, sell me now. Sell me, what's sell me now. Okay, Potiphar, let me be your... okay, Potiphar's wife, come and come and..." Are you understanding me? What would Joseph had wanted? Being in his father's house. Are you following me? Grow up there, marry a wife like his brothers, grow old in that place. But the plan for his life that God had for his life and being in his father's house, which one is abundance? Which one is abundance? So, do you think if Joseph was to make a plan, can he plan that type of a plan? I will show you another one. Mordecai, Esther, Haman, and the king. The Jews eventually had a day that they were celebrating after the whole episode. Is that not? There was a day of feasting that they now exchange gift among themselves. If you were to ask the Jews, work out for yourself a day of feasting. Would the Jews say let there be one Haman that want to kill all the Jews? Then they will... are you understanding me? What do you see there? What do you see? Even though there was no "Thus says the Lord," will you say God is not in that place? Are you seeing a making? He maketh them lie down in what? He maketh. What I'm trying to make you see, brethren, is that while there are abundance in God's plans for us, if He is not the Guide of our life, we can never enter into them. There is no way we can lie down. We cannot lie down in life. Do you know why? Because what is life in God's point of view? You know how it normally appears to us? God's pattern of life. Check it in Genesis. What was God's life to them? What was life from God's standpoint in Genesis? Do not eat this tree. Could they lie down inside that life? Could man lie down in that life? He could not. Because he seems to have another better way of life. But that better way of life, where did it end? Where did it end? In life or in death? In death. So, what I'm trying to make us see, brethren, man ordinarily in the pasture of God for his life, God must make him before man can lie down. God must make. God must make. There must be a making. What am I saying about this making? Brethren, there are plans of God for this year. There are green pastures for our life for this year. There are pastures to lie down in green pastures. There is abundance of life in God to enjoy because God is life. Is that not true? The Gospel abolishes death. What I am saying is that our daily walk with God, we must intentionally, intentionally, I use that word again, intentionally, deliberately, desire and pursue our being led of God, so that that leading of God will be a what? A lying down where? In green pastures. If God is not your Shepherd, you cannot lie down in green pastures. Because what God will call green is not what you will call it. You will call it yellow. What God will call green pasture, fresh pasture, and that is the way you understand it all through. Look at it. When the prince of this world, the gates of hell was crucifying Jesus, what did they call it? What did they call it? When they were busy crucifying Jesus, when the prosecution, the suffering, and everything was going on, eventually He was crucified. For them, what did they call it? Victory. But in the real sense of it, in the reality of it, did they get victory? You know it was victory something to be celebrated, but later, the Bible said, "If they had known, they will not do what?" That nature of thinking that you know better, generation we got in sin. "He that sinneth is of the devil." Are you understanding me? So that what God will call defeat is what we call victory. It is at the final analysis that they realize that, ah, it was by death that Jesus destroyed him that had power over death. What I am saying for 2022 is that there are green pastures of God to lie in. There are pastures. But I am also telling you that the Lord is saying, "I am the one that can make you lie." He maketh me to lie. If He is not your Shepherd, you cannot lie. You will not be able to lie down in those pastures. Rather, you know where you will be lying? Eve thought that she’ll be lying down in green pastures when she was eating the fruit. But where did she find herself lying down now? Was it green? Was it green? How green was the green that she lie down? How green was that green? Was there anything green in the green? Was it not a mirage? Was it not a mirage? It was a mirage. What I am saying is that your understanding will carry you into a mirage. Your understanding will carry you into a mirage. Your wanting to shepherd your life will bring you into mirage. The thing will look real like this, but the closer you get to it, your hand will not touch it. Is that not what is mirage in science? Is it not like water that you are looking at, looking at in your front some distance away? But the closer you get to it, by the time you get there, what do you see? You will not find water. Where will you see it again? You see it in front. You go ahead again. May we not pursue mirage. But I'm saying so that our pursuit, the things we’ll be pursuing, and you know except you have understanding of mirage, except you have understanding, you know the thing actually look like water. I remember when I was growing up, we’re children, and we’re traveling with my father and we see the thing. We say, "Baba, look at water ahead. We can get..." we’ll be thinking that because my father said we need to get water to put in something, that water that you are looking at is water that you can obtain. But as you get closer to it, you notice the thing will disappear. We’ll see it again in front. After some usage to that thing, as we were growing older, you know what we now began to do? We began to ignore it. [Yoruba language: He said, "ẹ wo omi ni waju," look at water ahead.] We did not know science. [Yoruba language: "Iro ni o, kosi omi n'be," it's a lie, there's no water there.] We now began to tell the younger ones, "There is no water there!" Why? We have gained understanding. I pray that in 2022 you will walk in understanding. We have gained understanding. It is when you lack understanding that mirage will be looking real. The thing is a mirage and you will be putting all your effort to get it. But where there is understanding, you know what will happen? You will understand that no, Lord, have your own way. Lord, show me the way to go. Lord, lead me in the path that I should go. Lord, show me the way. Lord, what, what, what, I want to embark on this plan. What do you have to say? Lord, are you understanding me? Because you are understanding that once the Lord is the Shepherd, you will lie down where? In green pastures. It will not be a mirage. It will not be a mirage. That is why you can... Isaiah could say Isaiah chapter 25, what did he say? "O Lord, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." Go and check it. Ever from the beginning of time, God don't deceive man. God will tell you the exact thing, even though He does not struggle with man. If you take this thing you will die. But when the enemy come, "Ah, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it! You, you cannot die!" He missed it, he shouted, he intimidated, he did so many things, and many times we fall for him. But God will just say, "I've placed before you life and death. Choose life so that you may live." Choose life so that you live. Go and check from the beginning of time, was there any of our fathers that God disappointed? Was there anyone that God told, "I am coming," and God did not appear later to them? But go and check where our fathers left the Lord. They left them in garden of Eden. Where did we land? He began again with them. He was leading Joshua and the people to the promised land. They got to another point again. What did they do? The Bible says they made covenant with the Gibeonites, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. Where did this land them? Go and check that God, no point is counsel of old by His fruit. You will know them. Go and check the fruit of our fathers. Go and check how he related, related related to Israel. Even when they were not faithful, stubborn and heady population, yet He will not allow Balaam to curse them because He chose to defend them. What I am saying, brethren, is that 2022, there are pastures for the people of God. There are pastures. But you see, ordinarily, you will not lie down in those pastures. Because when you see them ordinarily, they are not green. They will not appear green. They will look dry. "Don't eat this thing, the day you eat you will die." "When I eat now I will step higher, I will become like God, I will be, I will be, I will be." That which God says was not green. So, she wanted something greener. So, how greener was the greener? Was it even green at all? Was it green at all? And that method remains till date. When the enemy saw Jesus, he said, "Look, look, look! You see all these things, they are my own. Once you worship me now you will have it." When the Bible said the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. What can he give you? Is that not a mirage? Is that not a mirage? What can you give? What I'm trying to make you see, brethren, is that as we march through 2022, there are green pastures. But men that will lie down in these pastures, they are men that the Lord is their Shepherd. There are green pastures, I assure you. But don't be thinking of green pastures the way men think of green pastures. Look at the way God worked green pastures for Joseph. Joseph would not lie down in that. And that is why you see as we pray this evening, you must pray that God make me. Because if He does not make you, you will not lie down. He told Peter, said, "Follow me, I will do what? I will make you." If He does not make, nobody can be made. Do you get my point? If He does not make, nobody can be made. He maketh me lie down in green pastures. The making is of the Lord. The making is by His counsel. The making is by His power. The making is by His grace. The making is by His workings. He maketh me. There are green pastures, brethren. And the first thing about this pasture, the first thing about this pasture is that He must make you lie down in it. Lie down in it. He must grant you life. You must be alive. He makes you. He brings you there. He makes it. The making I’m talking about is that look, brethren, we must understand how dear, how much we need God. You see the closer to the final whistle, the more we need God. What did I say? The closer to the final whistle, the more we need God. And year in after year in, you understanding me? The more we need God keeps increasing. The more we need God keeps increasing. You know one time it looks like look, I remember when all this thing started initially, the issue of the coronavirus. One time it looks like once you are in the US you are in the best place. During the corona, it like if you are in Africa you are in the best place. A lot of things are going to be shaken. A lot of things, a lot of things God is going to shake them. God is going to shake so that all the shakeables will do what? Will shake away. So that only those things that cannot be shaken will remain. And do you know what cannot be shaken? He said, "He that does the will of God abides forever." The only thing that cannot be shaken, that is the only thing that cannot be shaken. That which God said, that which God will, that which God is saying, that which God is instructing, that which God is leading you into, that is what cannot be shaken. He makes me lie down in green pastures. I want you to pray. I want you to begin to pray from where we are making it, from where we are starting it. Lord, make me. Because that is the thing, say, "Look, I will make you. Follow me, I will make you." We want to pray that God, please make me. Lord, make me. The Lord is my shepherd. What you are actually saying is that Lord, shepherd me. Lord, make me. You see, when God is shepherding us, what He's doing is that He's making us. He will make us to lie down. What God will call green is what is green. It is what God call life that is life. Anything that God did not address as life cannot be life. Because He Himself is life. He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." We want to pray that God, as we march through 2022, Lord, I yield myself to you again afresh. Lord, Lord, Lord, make me. The Gospel of the Kingdom. Lord, make me. Lord, make me. Lord God Almighty, that I may live. God, make me. Lord, make me. There is a making of God. There is a making of God. There is a making of God. There is a making of God. There is a making. Lord, make me. Lord, make me. Make me, make me lie down. Make me see it. Make me know it. Make me, Lord, make me. There is a making of God. There is a making of God. There is a making. Make me, Lord, make me. He makes me to lie down. He's the one that makes. He's the one that makes. He makes me to lie down. He makes, He makes me to lie down. Lord, make me to lie down. Make me to lie down. Ordinarily, I may not want to lie down. Ordinarily, I may not want to lie down. But Lord, make me lie down. Make me see it. Make me know it. Make me, Lord, make me. There is a making of God. There is a making. He makes me. Ordinarily, in God's pasture... look at how even our fathers who have not experienced sin, look at how we fell into sin. Look at how we fell into sin. It was because the green pasture of God was not looking green. And I now wonder now that we are sinners, now that it was sinners that Jesus redeemed and make children of God, giving them a better offer. I now wonder that if we don't with humility come to God, we don't have the capacity to do anything better than our fathers. But if we, if we, if we understand and with humility come to God and say, "Baba, oh, I have no strength of my own. I have no strength of my own." Lord, have no power of my own. I have no power of my own. Your power... I have no power of my own. I have no power of my own. The Bible says in the days of His power, His people shall be willing. That is the second prayer point we are going into. Lord, let your power to make be available for my life. Because it is in the days of God's power that His people are willing. The willingness to lie down comes by His power. He say in the days of His power, in the days of His power, His people shall be willing. That lack of willingness to lie down, that inability to lie down, when God's power appear, when God's ability appear, when God's own appear, oh, His people will become willing. I want you to pray. Baba, 2022, let me experience your power. Let me experience your power. Your power to make me lie down. Your power to make me lie down. Let me experience your power. Your power to carry me through. Lord, I have no strength of my own. I have no strength of my own. You know what the Bible says? The Bible says, "While we were without strength, Christ died for us." You see, one thing about us is that our strength is of the Lord. The psalmist said, "The Lord is the strength of my life." He is the strength of my life. The Lord is the strength. When you see strength in my life, that strength is the Lord. That is why Paul can say, "I labor more than everybody, yet not I, but it is the grace of God in me." In another place, Paul said, "I labor according to His power that works in me mightily." Can you pray this evening? Lord, as I march through 2022, let your power work in me mightily. Let me labor, let me move on, according to your power, working in me mightily. Let your power, let your power work in me mightily. In me mightily. In the name of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ. I want you to also pray. We are entering the third prayer point. One characteristic of immaturity is lack of understanding. That is the truth about it. He says, "I understand like a child, I think like a child, I speak like a child." One... I prayed about that last week, but we are trying to still bring that prayer forward. I want you to pray that God, deliver me from childishness. God, grant me understanding. You see, understanding is so crucial. I told you when we were children, when we first see the water, it attracts us. We will be, "Daddy, Daddy, let's go and meet the water!" But as we grew older and we grew older, anytime we see it, we will just hiss. Look at that foolish thing. It does not attract us again. Those things that are attracting you now is because you lack understanding. Those things that are contrary to God that are attracting you, that looks like, ah, you know sometimes when people keep malice, when people hold to bitterness, when they hold to anger, when they hold to unforgiveness, they look as if they are real people. But they don't understand that it’s because they don't understand. The reason why anger is attracting you is because you don't have understanding. The reason why [Yoruba language: "Iṣẹri t'aba d'agba, awọn kinni kan no more be attractive," those things that were attractive when we were younger are no longer attractive.] They will no more attract you. The reason why certain things, lust, you want to steal, you want to lie, you want to... the reason why they attract is because you are a baby. It’s because you are a child. You see when you grow, when you increase in understanding, they will no more be attractive. Oh, I want you to pray. O God, God, God, God, God, God, God. Now, understanding, understanding in the pastures of God. Understanding to follow God. Understanding. You see, understanding. Lord, deliver me from childishness as I go through 2022. Lord, deliver me from childish tendency. Lord, grant insight. Lord, grant understanding. Deliver me, Lord, in so many ways, in so many things. It comes in so many ways. You know I was speaking, I was speaking to some youth in a meeting. and I said, if you are very, very hungry, you are very, very hungry, and they place before you all kinds of delicious things to eat. I said what will happen? Ah, they said they will just jump at it and they want to eat. I said now, imagine that as you are about to eat that thing, you’re able to get one information from those who prepared the food, that please don't eat this food, it has been poisoned because they planned to kill you with the food. I said what will happen? Ah, they said they will not eat it again. I said, why? Are they not hungry? They said they are hungry. Said but that knowledge, that information is powerful. I said, do you see? I was trying to make them see something. I said, when you see certain things attractive to you, it looks like, I say why you see people commit fornication? It looks like it is the emotion of it. Ah, I say it's not the emotion. The Bible says the ignorance that is in them. There is an ignorance in man. There is an ignorance in man. The real problem is not that immorality is very, very powerful. The real problem is that it has not appeared as death. There is no understanding that it is death. If there is understanding, it will lose its power over you. So, that's what we are talking about: understanding, knowledge. Praying, asking the Lord, Lord, deliver me from childishness as I move to the next prayer, the fourth prayer we are praying. I was talking about that which will abide forever. I said it is the man who does the will of God. The man who does the will of God. It is the will of God that can abide forever. God will shake away every shakeables. They will shake away. You want to pray, our fourth prayer point: Lord, fill me with the knowledge of your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Lord, as we march through this year, we are talking about it is this matter of making we are talking about. The way God makes is what I'm trying to make you see. God makes by delivering you from childishness. God makes by giving you understanding. God makes by His power. God makes by filling you with knowledge of His will. The way He will make is what I'm showing you. God, fill me with the knowledge of your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Lord, fill me, fill me. Lord, that is the making we are talking about. That is the making. Baba, fill me. Baba, fill me with the knowledge of your will. Fill me with the knowledge of your will as I march through 2022. Baba, God, fill me with the knowledge of your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. In all wisdom and spiritual understanding in the name of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Prayer point number five. I'm taking that from Hebrews. It says Hebrews chapter 3 verse 4: "For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God." God is the actual builder. "For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God." He’s telling you that Paul may plant, Apollos may water, but it is only God that can give increase. I want you to pray. Lord, give me increase in this matter. This matter of making me lie down in green pasture. Every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. God is the builder. God is the builder. Lord God Almighty, give increase to my life. Give increase to my life. Give increase to my understanding. Give increase, increase of insight, increase of foresight, increase of discernment. Increase, increase, increase. Every house is built by someone, but the actual builder, [Yoruba language: "ẹni to kọ ile yi gangan gangan Ọlọrun ni, afi ti Oluwa ba kọ ile naa, awọn to n kọ wọn n kọ lasan ni."] Unless the Lord build, they labor in vain that are building. We want to say God, God, God, this 2022 journey, this 2022 journey, Lord God Almighty, I am submitting to the Guide of my life. I am submitting to the Shepherd of my soul, the Bishop of my soul. Lord, I am submitting to you. I am submitting. I am laying all at the altar. I am bringing all to your feet. I am bringing all to your table. I am placing all on the altar. Oh, precious Father. Precious Father. Precious Father. Precious Father. Give increase to my life. Give increase to my life. Give increase to my life. Give increase to my life. And lastly, I want you to pray. Lord, 2022 will not be a year of the pursuit of mirage. 2022 for me, I will not pursue mirage. Yes, I want you to make a confession, make a prophecy over your life, speak to your life. Speak to your life as we close this meeting this evening. Lord, by your mercy, grace, and power, this year I will not pursue mirage. I will not pursue what is not real. Oh Lord God Almighty, I will not pursue mirage. I will not pursue a mirage. No. [Yoruba language: "Rabalẹṣẹketolabababababa,"] I will not take a journey that leads nowhere. I will not take a journey that leads nowhere. Lord, let your power be available for me. Let your hand be available for me. Lord, make me to lie down. Even where, don't forget what we said the last time when we were closing the year, the Lord will lead the blind in the way, in a way they do not know. Lord, even where I'm totally not knowing what to do, God Almighty, your mercy will not allow me to pursue, to embark on a journey that leads nowhere. Your mercy will not allow me to embark on a journey that leads nowhere. No, Lord. Lord Almighty, it is not of him that willeth, it is not of him that runneth. It is not of him that willeth, it is not of him that runneth. Lord, by your mercy, by your mercy, Year 22, I will not pursue mirage. The constant thing about my life will be green pastures. The constant thing about my life will be that, that pasture that the Lord has planned for me. That plan, that purpose of God for me, that goodness of God for me. He said, "I know the plans that I have towards you." That plan of God towards me for this year, I see them come to pass. I see them, I follow after them, and they will come to pass. I see them, I recognize them, I go after them, and they will come to pass. I see them, I go after them, and they will come to pass in the name of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you, Father. Blessed be your holy name, our God. In Jesus’ name we pray. Let’s share the grace together in fellowship. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, 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 lives, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen. Can you say it to yourself? Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen. [Music] [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 heat. 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 outrages, and everyday counseling. For further counseling, you can reach us at our location: Life Camp, by the first bridge, Ile-Ere community, opposite Rejoice filling station, along Ijare 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.