Walking Sure

Churches and fellowships cannot be more spiritual than the individuals and families that constitute them. God greatly desires a godly homefront. These are words of restoration and instruction in righteousness from Family Life Ministry. May ye be blessed as you listen. [Speaker 1] For this first Saturday, the first Saturday in the year 2018, we thank you for this first Singles' Club of the year. We appreciate you, Lord, for your mercies and for your love. We say, Lord our God, our eyes are on you as we start again this year 2018. Lord, we particularly ask this first Saturday of the year that Lord, go before us into the year in the name of Jesus Christ. Precious Father, we commit ourselves into your hand. We pray that Lord, as we look into your word, as we look into scriptures, as we reflect and fellowship with scriptures this morning, Lord, we pray, breathe upon us the breath of life in the name of Jesus. Cause our life for 2018 to experience your life, the freshness of your life, the goodness of life. Let there be breath upon our life, a breath that will sustain, that will carry through 2018 in the name of Jesus. Lord, our eyes on you. Let nothing prevail against your purposes for our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Praise the Lord. This is the first Singles' Club for the year, and we thank God that we are gathering together. I believe those of us who we couldn't send the bulk SMS, but those of us on the platform, I believe we got the message. We got the topic for today. You saw the message on the platform? Oh, you have not. You saw the message? Okay. So, we want to look at "Walking Sure." Walking Sure—W-A-L-K-I-N-G, as a way somebody take a walk. Walking Sure—sure, S-U-R-E. And that is the first thing we'll be considering for 2018. It is actually the need for us to see how God intend that we go through 2018. It's more of a direction for our singles. It's more of a direction about how to walk this year. Walking sure. It became a burden in our heart that as we open the year, let's instruct ourselves on how to walk sure. And that is why we are considering this topic, "Walking Sure." "Walking Sure" is a very crucial thing for us this first Saturday of the year. And I trust the Lord that in the name of Jesus, our walk through the year will be sure. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. We'll walk on established path. There is something in Proverbs chapter four. I just want us to just read that as a kind of background to the topic. Proverbs chapter four. Are you in Proverbs chapter four? I read from verse 20. It says, "My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart." I just see a charge. This is the charge God wants us to give you as we start this year. The intention from this verse is that God says let's charge ourselves. So I want to give you a charge before we go into the topic. And the charge the Lord is giving us, singles that will be identifying with this ministry, the charge the Lord is giving us for 2018 is, "My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully as you journey through 2018. Listen carefully." Don't listen in a hurry. [unclear: Farabale, farabale]. Listen. It appear to me there will be several distractions. There will be several things that look like it is God that will not be God. Several things will look like, ah, it's okay, but they will not be okay. So God seems to be as we start the year, the Lord is saying listen carefully. You know one thing why I'm talking like this? Because let me give you a very good example so you can understand it better. God told the ravens to go and feed, or God sent—by the way, it could also be that God told, maybe because it's an animal you want to say God sent, but God could have also told because he does everything by his word. "Go and feed." And so the ravens went. When they got to Elijah, they gave him food. When they finished eating, he slept. Why did God do it again? Sent food again? Say, "Wake up, eat, for the journey is long." In other words, when God is dealing with us at a point, it is because he could see the end of the journey and he knows what is ahead. I give you another example, it's Joshua. God, if you go and look at Joshua chapter one, God will say, "As I was with Moses, I will be with you. Be courageous and be strong." Then he will say, "Make sure you are very, very courageous. Only be thou courageous and strong." Why was God saying that? Because God knew that by the time you begin to see the succession of army, the people you use to fight, by the time the first thing they saw Jericho, looking at the wall of Jericho, except you are strong in heart, you won't believe you can conquer. A wall that is as thick that people are building houses on it. You can know the thickness of that wall. So looking at the wall, you don't feel can we ever go through. They went through that one. They came to that of Ai. Joshua didn't know that Achan had taken something. He sent people to go and fight. Before he knew it, 36 soldiers were killed. He was confused. "Ah, God!" And God said it is because of Achan. Achan was judged. God said, "Ai, tell them now go and fight." They gathered, they conquered. By the time they finished, what was the next thing? He said all the king of the Amorite, they gathered themselves, a number as large as the sand of the sea. Now when you look at your number, I'm trying to make you see that when God begins to speak to a man, "Be strong, be strong," it's because God sees the future. I'm amazed that the Lord is saying charge the young people under this ministry. I'm speaking like this because I know that by the time I'm through with this, I will also place it on the platform. We will send it to every other single that are not here. They need to know this. Everybody identifying with this ministry, that the Lord is saying as you journey through 2018, pay attention to my word. Listen carefully. There will be distraction, things that will be attracting you, things that will be pulling you. Sometimes it will look like, ah, this is God, let me grab it. But if you are able to listen carefully, you will hear the Lord say no. Remember how Samuel jumped and anointed and was about to anoint Eliab. "Surely the Lord's anointed is upon this one." Thank God he was a good listener. And as he said surely, no doubt, no doubt, but as the man was still trying to pour the oil, he was still listening. And he could hear God say sorry, I have rejected this one, for I don't look at man's heart. That one you are saying surely, is from your past experience. Because Saul was tall, taller than everybody, he was like a giant. So I'm not using that move again. That was why he was taking Eliab because Eliab too was tall, looked so fair. "Ah, this is how God did the first one. That one not going that way this time." So he was working, that's why you say sometimes experience is a bad thing. Although experience is also a good thing, depends on how we use it. Unfortunately, he relied on the past experience and was almost anointing a wrong person. But thank God he was a good listener. He would have anointed a wrong person. He was listening carefully. He was listening carefully. And he heard the Lord say, "I have rejected this one. I have rejected this one." Ah, then God, who? And then they tried and tried and tried, got to the seventh one. Ah, nobody. And he said, "Ah, is there still somebody?" Jesse, is there still somebody? Jesse said, "There is one, there is one, there is one. I didn't concentrate that one because he's some small boy. When you are talking of anointing, you are looking for leaders for men." So they didn't bother to concentrate David or brought him for the presentation. Samuel said, "We will not do anything until he comes. Maybe that's the one God wants." And they were waiting. And immediately he saw him, God said, "Arise, that is he." Just imagine that man was just listening very well. Jesse was a child, he was a prophet. So when God began to say listen carefully, I see God saying a lot of things will want to look like God. A lot of things want to appear like him, but be careful. Listen carefully. 2018, listen carefully. Listen carefully. And it is because I am telling you, we'll get to that point shortly, God have great thing in store for 2018. I have no doubt in my heart, in my mind, in my spirit that God has set 2018 apart to visit the godly. I'm telling you, I have no doubt about that. But I see God reducing a clause: listen carefully. You will see shortly why God is talking like this. Listen carefully. So listen carefully, pay attention, listen carefully. "Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart." It's like if they don't go deep, before you know it, you begin to shift ground. Let them penetrate deep. Let them go deep into your heart. "For they bring life to those who find them and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk. Stay away from corrupt speech." Avoid perverse talk. Stay away from corrupt speech. King James in that place says—look at King James and Amplified. King James says, "Put away from thee a froward mouth and perverse lips put far from thee." Amplified says, "Put away from you false and dishonest speech and willful and contrary talk, put far from thee." It's talking about your association, the kind of place, people you want to talk with, people you gather around your life. Be careful with believers, be careful with men, with Christians who downplay truth, who downplay the word of God. They say, "But God... well, isn't it Nigeria? Isn't it Nigeria? Just... This one you are talking of honesty, who is not honest? We are only trying the situation, try and adjust." Perverse talk. You may hear it from pastors, you may hear it from leaders, you may hear it from fellow brothers, from fellow sisters. Avoid perverse talk. Put away corrupt lips. Avoid it. Stay away. Retrace yourself. [unclear: Kosi ja], it's not fight. Mind your association. If one that is not helping you to concentrate on what God has said. Like I was telling someone, when was I talking about the three courts: the outer court, the holy court, and the holiest of all? I was speaking to a set of young people and I was talking about the three courts of our life. Some men, the only place they qualify for your life is the outer court. "Ah, how are you, brother? Good afternoon! Hey, my sister! [unclear: Epele o]. Ah, good afternoon, good afternoon. Ah, thank God. In Jesus' name." You also say amen. It's fellowship gathering. You are getting the point I'm making. There is no fight. Outer court. Some people, the only place... these ones are more better than the first category. The outer court are the men that you put far from you. You don't have constant interaction with them. Then you have the people that you call the holy place. People who call upon the name of the Lord out of a pure heart. Grouping individuals that you are sure of their own work, you know where they were, where they are facing. They can enter the holy place of your life. But again, within the holy place again, yes, being people... this person is a good Christian, he's pursuing God, he's following God. Yet again, you must know the holiest of all. The holiest of all is to know those who are the helpers of your destiny. The helpers of your destiny. People you will know where God is, where God is leading me, and these are the people that God has so purposed that we will work together. You must know them. That is why there are people I don't joke with when it comes to association. Both sides. You either find me with those that are iron sharpeneth iron, or you find me with those that I am sent to. That's most of my association. I'm either with those that iron is sharpening iron, or I'm with those that I am sent to. I don't joke with those that will sharpen our iron, and I don't joke with those that I am sent to. Those are people I don't joke with. Those that you are sent to, you want to keep constant communication, you want to keep talking, you want to keep constant... that's those that... that is the path of purpose. That is the path of purpose. Those ones are the ones that are in the holiest of all. Holiest of all. You must identify them, you must know them on both sides. For me, it's on both sides. The people that will sharpen ourselves and the people that I am particularly sent to. Why you can leave others to do whatever, those ones say, "Come here! You can't do this. You can't behave like this. This is our path, this is our journey together." So these are things you must identify, people you put in the holiest of all. Those are the people you share intimacy with. Those are the people you share your burden, you share your mind, you share... these are people that can easily know what is going on with you. They need to know your situation and your circumstance. There are people too you also want to know their situation and their circumstance. People that you are constantly in touch with, people that you are constantly praying about, you are constantly talking, lifting up before the Lord. The Bible is giving us something here. It says put away the perverse talk. Men of perverse talk, men who are not contributing... there are people that must be in the outer court. Praise God, they may be Christians. Put them in the outer court. Put them in the outer court. "Look straight ahead and fix your eye on what lies before you." [unclear: Ibi to nlo ni ko ki ogbajumọ]. It's talking about purpose, it's talking about what you know God is asking you to do, what you know to be the truth, what you know to be righteousness, what you know to be correct. Fix your eyes on what is before you. Don't let somebody carry you away from your standing in the Lord. You have known some things to be sin. Don't let them try to modify it for you and say, "It's... it's not really." No. Look straight! [unclear: Nkan t'Ọlọrun ti ba ẹ sọ ni ko gbajumọ]. What the Lord has told you is what you should concentrate on. Look straight! They have told Eve, "Don't eat this thing. The day you eat it, you will die." Somebody came and said, "You see, you see, you see... actually, actually, did God say you will die? No, you will not really die. In fact, some other things will happen. You see, number one, your eyes will be open. Number two, you will become like God, you will know good from evil. You cannot die." And what did she do? What did she do? She didn't look straight on what is before her. She didn't look straight on what was before her. She listened. Of course her eyes were open. [unclear: Ab'oju o la]? Her eyes were open. Of course, she got wisdom. [unclear: Abi] she became like God, knowing good from evil. But I want to ask you, didn't she die? She died. Don't joke with what God has told you. Don't joke with whatever God has told you. Don't joke with it. Put your eye on what God has told you. It can even be a vision. God spoke to you, "Arise, do this." [unclear: On t'awọn t'o ba nṣe iru nkan yi... It will not work. You know in Nigeria vision like this cannot work. You cannot... ah! We don't want to... do this kind of... No, this kind of business. No, do this business."] It can be your career, it can be your academic. God speaks to you, "This I want you to be reading." And you know God told you that someone say, "No, that one, it does not work. [unclear: Taye] use it, it did not work for him." Whatever you know God has told you and you know it is God instructing you, do it! Whether it looks like it will work or it will not work. So it could be things that has to do with sin or no sin, righteousness and godliness. It could have to do with things that has to do with decision. God is telling you, "Okay, no. Don't settle down in Lagos. Go and stay in Abuja." And then say, "Ah, I'm thinking of... I don't want to stay in Lagos." "Ah! You see, Abuja is not like Lagos. Lagos there is connection, Lagos there is Lagos, Lagos, Lagos." Ask yourself again, "What is actually before me? Did God say anything particular about Abuja?" That's what I'm trying to say. Look straight to what is before you. Because I'm telling you God will be giving instruction, God will be giving direction. God will be telling you things to do. Get ready, oh. Telling you things to do. Don't be careful when God is placing something before you. I remember when we finished serving, I told many of you the testimony. And we are planning to pick up, we are trying to fix up, since I left the school as the best student, trying to fix up a job for me in Lagos and all of that. While others was going on, I heard the Lord say, "No, son. Marry and settle down." Ah, I said, "Sir, ah, you settle down to marry... No, marry and settle down." Ah, [unclear: O!] You marry, you settle down. But you settle down then marry. But what the Lord say? "No, that was what's before me." I told the brethren I'm marrying. "Ah, why the rush? Where are you going to?" He said, "Is anything the matter?" He said, "There is nothing the matter. I just want to..." Ah, brother, they don't do it like that. I mean there was even my close people, nobody encouraged me. I'm very serious. My close... nobody encouraged me. Everybody felt this was strange. "Ah! Ah! Brother [unclear: Bọwale], listen, listen, listen. Even if God do the miracle and the wedding ceremony takes place, how are you going to feed your family?" I said I don't know. Say, "Ah! [unclear: Bọwale], don't try it. Don't try it!" I went back again to God. "Baba, people... people settle down to marry." He said, "Son, I say marry to settle down. Have I not spoken to you? Go ahead." Ah! I came out and said, "Brethren, it's like what I'm going to do." Because even me too, I was not too sure of how it will work out. But I knew I was not in doubt about what was before me. It was clear. That's what was before me. I also when they pushed me, I said no, this is what is before me. And I took step in that direction. And before you knew it, this, that, that, that, that, some people took offense, some people got angry, some became suspicious, some concluded, "Mmm, mmm, God said, God said... [unclear: ganni]. Mmm, sister is pregnant and trying to quickly rush marriage." He said several things that was said. "Mmm, God said, mmm, mmm." That's why I told somebody, if you allow your life to be managed by crowd, you will go nowhere. You will go nowhere. [unclear: Yoruba says at'ọri layẹ, t'o ba fi si iwaju, a t'o fi si ẹyin. Ayẹ l'amu ade ogun, ayẹ l'atun ni ade ogun mọ.] If you allow your life to be managed by crowd, by noise around you and you don't place on what is before you. And that in itself can make you get discouraged. "I don't want anybody to spoil my Christian testimony. Okay, I will not do it again." That did not bother me. Let them believe whatever they want to believe. As for me, I knew what God has told me. Some said, "Okay, oh. Slow and steady normally win the race. But he that makes haste become to poverty. That am making haste, I'm rushing, I will see." I fix it on what before me, I knew what was before me. I'm only trying to explain this matter that it's not only about the matter of sin or no sin. I hope I'm very, very clear. It could also be about decision. It could be about something you know God told you. I'm talking of before you, what God told you. I'm not talking of your personal ambition. I'm not talking of your, "Me, I just, I just... I just like [unclear: Akure]." That's not what is before you. That is just your personal... you get the point I'm making. I'm talking, God says focus your eye on what is before you. That if there is anything I have told you to do, please do it. Do it! Look at what is before you and focus on what is before you. Look straight, fix your eye on what is before you. "Make out a straight path for your feet. Stay on the safe path." [unclear: Ibi t'o nlo ni ki o gbajumọ]. He's talking about purpose, he's talking about... stay on the safe path. So walk in the safe path. Walk in the safe path. Stay on the safe path. Walk in the safe path. The path of his word, the path of his instruction, the path of his holiness, the path put away the perversely from yourself, what is not godly, what is not holy, what is not upright, what is not true. You put it aside then you look at what is before you. Stay on the safe path. God is saying that is the safe path. Please don't leave the safe path. I beg you, don't leave the safe path. It may be challenging, it may be demanding. Stay on the safe path. That is the charge that the Lord have us charge our young people under this ministry. That as long as you're identifying with us, identifying with this work, identifying with what we are doing, please note this charge. As you journey through the year, note this charge. Don't forget it. They will find their place in your life. They will find their place for your walk with God this year. And I pray that we will remain on the safe path. We will remain on the safe path. We will not go in the path of destruction. We will not leave the path of understanding. We will not leave the path of light and the path of life and the path of grace and mercy. We will remain in that path in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Walking safely. The charge I first established something about walking safe or walking sure. To walk sure is to walk safe. So the first thing I'm saying is that to walk sure is to walk safe. Note the charge of God. To walk sure is to walk safe. Note the charge. And walking sure in the course of the year, I want us to look at something that God told Solomon. First King chapter nine. Walking sure. First King chapter nine. I take it from verse one. It came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do, that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. And the Lord said unto him, "I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually." Look at verse four. About walking sure. Can we try all the translation that we have? Let's read together everybody. Let's go. "And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments." Verse five, what will God do? "Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I have promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel." You can see something there. Walking sure. A promise, a covenant of life, of peace, of prosperity, of enlargement, of expansion, of increase, of greatness have been made already. That covenant had been made with who? Looking at this reading, that covenant was made with who? [someone answers "David"]. It was actually made with David. It was not made with Solomon. That covenant is to operate in that line. And if you look at the covenant, it's a covenant of victory. It's a covenant of life. It's a sure covenant that God made with David. Now, in speaking to Solomon, God was not trying to establish another covenant with Solomon. Because in that line already there is a covenant. Solomon needed to operate in that covenant that is in that line. He needed to operate in the covenant that is in that line. That was what... that was what was expected of Solomon. That's what God expected of him. Now, what will Solomon need to do for that covenant that is sure to also operate in his own life? What does he need to do? He need to walk like David walked. You get it? They only need to pass along the covenant. They only need to get it... it only need to operate for him too. But if it must operate for him, there is something he must do. He must walk like David walked. If he does not walk like David walked, although it is a sure covenant, it will not operate for him. It will not operate for him. If he wants it to operate, then he must walk like David walked. As we look into 2018, there is a lot of things to say, but I want you to see this close comparison with what we just said. There is a covenant that have been ordained. The covenant was established in the blood of the Lamb. The covenant was established not necessarily with us, it was with the Lord. The covenant of life, the covenant of peace, not necessarily with us. Because he humbled himself and was obedient unto death, Baba established a covenant with his son. And now in coming to our time, the Lord is saying, look, there is a covenant running in our line. It's in our line. "If any man be in Christ," he said, "Look, there's a line that you are in." Do you understand that? Know you are in that line. You are a chosen generation, you're a royal priesthood, an adopted son. He says we are adopted children, in the spirit of adoption we also cry Father like Jesus is the son of God. We are also children of God. We have entered a line. In that line, there is already a covenant. There's a covenant that says I desire that you prosper and be in good health. I desire that you prosper and be in health. There's a covenant that says by my stripes you are healed. There's a covenant that says surely the chastisement for your peace is upon me. There's a covenant that has been established. It is not... it is not a mere covenant. Because when the... when the testator died, the covenant was enforced. And to ensure the continuous operation of that covenant, the testator is now by the person who promised, making intercession. So he did not just die and went like David died and went. No. He died, he rose up again and now stood by the person who promised him to say, ah, Baba, he's interceding for the same. I want to make you see how solid this covenant is compared to the one of David. The arrangement of this one is too solid that we can be sure, we don't need to doubt it in our heart. It's too solid, it's too sure. I'm only showing you something that says if, if you walk like David walked. Bible says to this we are also called, that Christ left an example that we should also walk how? In his what? In his steps. Are you familiar with that scripture? First Peter 2:21. Can somebody read that for us? First Peter 2:21. "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." In that place, he was talking about the suffering of Christ actually. They need to suffer just like Christ suffered. But the point we are making this morning is that it's not just about suffering. When you talk about his holiness too, it is in his steps. Do you understand? When you talk about his obedience, it is in his steps. When you talk about his commitment to God, it is in his steps. He has left an example for us to follow in his steps. In his steps. In his steps. And if there's a need for us to follow in his steps, I want to narrow down. I want to narrow down now from the general to the specific. At the general level, there's a covenant that has been ordained. And that covenant guarantees abundance if you look at everything in that covenant. Is that not true? And we can have the benefit of that covenant as long as we walk in his steps. If we walk in his steps, you can be sure that God told Solomon, say, "I will establish your kingdom over Israel forever." But the reason why I want to establish it is because I've already told David that you will not lack a son. I hope you're getting the point. So if God says, "If you obey me, I will heal you," it's because I've already told Jesus that by his stripes they are healed. I hope you're getting the point. It's because it is in the... are you getting the point I'm trying to make? There's anything he wants to do now, it's because something is guaranteeing it. I hope you get the point I'm trying to make. There's a place of God in every matter. Look at how Jesus talked about the sun and the rain. He said your Father make it to rain upon both the wicked and the good. So what made rain to fall? Science will tell you some things condense up, they come down, and then... what did Jesus tell you? He said your Father make it to rain upon both the wicked and the good. Telling you that that you understand does not mean that it is not sustained by something. And that you understand it's because I allow you to understand. I could have also left you in darkness. What is it about the birds of the air? He said, "Look at them. They don't sow or steal, yet your Father feed them." So when birds just fly and they just pick one... one thing, do you see that it was God that controlled it to pick it? He said I feed them! Or is God telling lie? And what does it mean to feed something? What does it mean to feed something? Why do you call the food you buy for your poultry feed? What's the difference between feed and food? You have never thought of it? What's the difference between feed and food? [someone answers "Food is just... you have it and you can... while feed is always available or someone has to always provide it."] Yes, it's around the... you're close to the answer. Food is what is edible, what can be eaten. But feed is food particularly placed at your disposal to be able to eat it. That's why we call chicken food feed. Although it is food, you have to put it, you have to put it in a tray for them to eat. If you put it in the house, they can still not eat it. You must carry it and put it around them. He said your Father feed! When God use word, God use word deliberately. He say he feed. He say, "Can you feed the lion?" That is, "Can you carry the food and place it at their disposal and they will not eat you yourself up?" I'm trying to make you understand something about the universe. That is why in Hebrews 1:3, it says—that's why I like it in the Amplified. I'm trying to bring it out very clearly. It says God does what? God does what? [someone answers "Upholding all things by the word of his power"]. Look at the Amplified. You will see a present continuous tense there. Hebrews 1:3 Amplified. "[unclear: and he is the sole expression of the glory of God, the light beam, the outray or radiance of the divine, and he is the perfect imprint and very image of God's person, upholding..."] Now, do you see the word that is used? When he say "upholding," what does that mean? What tense is that? Present and then continuous! Upholding! So once he remove his hand, what happens? The thing will fall. Upholding! What's the next verb? [someone answers "maintaining"]. Do you see? Maintaining! Maintaining it. Maintaining! He is upholding, he's maintaining. And what's the next? [someone answers "guiding"]. He's guiding it. He's guiding it. [someone answers "and propelling"]. What does it mean to propel? [someone answers "you are giving it like a force for it to move on"]. To move on. So what made 17 to move into 18? Because God is pushing this. Is pushing it. What make today to turn to tomorrow? He's pushing it! These are things we must understand. He said he's propelling the universe. Is that not what it says there? The universe! So what is the universe? What do you mean by the universe? [someone answers "the universe is... the earth is a sub-section of the universe. It's just part of the universe."] What is God propelling, maintaining, sustaining? The universe! Everything! The heavens, the sun, the moon, the sea, everything in the water. That's why he could just tell the fish, "Go and swallow Jonah." And then, "Take him to Nineveh." The fish became a submarine. Take him again to Nineveh. "Oya, vomit him now. Your stomach should not consume this one." Normally if you are inside it, should it not be consuming you? Or we are not thinking about that? When you eat something, should it not consume? What did God tell the stomach again? Don't consume! So the stomach could not consume the thing. It was not... all the acid was not acting on it. So he was still a living person and he was praying inside. And then say, "Oya, carry him now. Go and vomit him." God gave a command. Again God gave a command to the sea. "Oya, begin a wild wind, begin to storm, begin to turn." And they have to throw Jonah. God made a plant to grow. I'm showing you God! Who made the plant that covered Jonah to grow? It was God. Who made the plant again to die? It was God. Who made the sun to heat on the head of Jonah? It was God! I'm showing you that once he stop sustaining, everything will stop. Nothing goes on. It's by him. These are things we must understand. He says by faith we understand that the things that are seen are not created from what appear. And that is why it is difficult to find God. Because you'll be thinking that thing that are seen are created from the thing that appear. No. The thing that appear, there is a law that work. So when you are looking at the law, you can't find God! He only said, and the things are working. So you can't see who said! You can't. So you say there is no God! Because this thing, look at it now, a man join with a woman, you can explain it, this one is father, this one is this, and then, and then, you produce a child. Can't you explain it? So where is God in it? So that's why he said it is by faith. It is not by fact! It is by faith. I was seeing something very, very funny among all these people that do funny, funny things. One small boy and one professor. The small boy, I think the small boy's elder brother won something and they were rejoicing. And the professor—"Ah, allow your ones to say yes, say ah, it is God, oh." He say, "Shut up! There is no God. Who told you that there is God? Which there is God? There is nothing like God." So they were shocked. And then he said, "You must have a clear understanding. For anything to exist, it must occupy space and it must have weight. If it does not occupy space and it does not have weight, then it does not exist. So since that you cannot put God into anything, your God does not exist." This small boy now responded back to the professor, "How do you know that there is no God?" He said, "By my common sense." I said, then I ask him, "Where is your sense?" He said it's in his brain. "But can you see the sense?" He said, "What do you mean? I can't... how can one see the sense?" He said, "Then you don't have sense! Since it does not occupy space, it is not a matter!" So then you don't have a sense! This thing that does not occupy a space. Where is it? Show me the sense. Can you touch the sense? Where is the space for the sense? In other words, there is no reasoning, there is no nothing. Sense, thank you, which space does that one occupy? Do you get the argument in that thing? But the point I'm trying to bring out is that it's by faith that we know it. We have a clear understanding that things are not just there, it's because God is speaking. God is speaking. God is saying something. We have a clear understanding that 17 became 18 because God is propelling it into 18. God propelled 17 into 18. He propelled it. It's not just because the sun went up and went down and there was another day. No. God brought 18 into existence. And so because he brought it into existence, it becomes important to understand the dimension of God in bringing 18 into existence. And that is a particular one. There's a general one that we have discussed, there's a covenant in our line. But more specifically, about bringing 18 into existence, the Lord said, "I'm sending 18." That is a specific word for the body of Christ. That was what I shared with them in the church yesterday. It's a specific prophecy for the year to the body of Christ. God said in Psalm 107 verse 20—that's what I said you should read. He said, "He sent his word, and his word healed them, and delivered them from their destruction." The Lord said, "I'm sending 2018." You must understand that it came from him, not because sun went down and then moon came and then sun, then there is 2018. No. "I am sending it. I am bringing it into existence. I am sending it to heal and to deliver my people from their destruction. I'm sending it! Its breaking forth of 18 is for healing and for the deliverance of God's people from all their destruction." That is why the Lord is bringing 18. That is the specific message to the church. Apart from the general line that we have that if we work uprightly we'll key into that. For 2018 very, very specifically, God is saying, "I am sending it for healing and for deliverance from every destruction. I am sending it for healing and for deliverance from every instruction... from every destruction, from every." That's why God is sending it. And it becomes very important to key into these things. To key into these things because of something. To key into these things because of something. Look at what the Bible says in Second Chronicles chapter 26 verse five. Second Chronicles chapter 26 verse five. "And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper." He did what? [someone answers "he set himself to seek God"]. He set himself to seek God. He's talking about the king there. The king set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah who instructed him in the things of God. And as long as he sought, inquired of, yearned for the Lord, God made him to prosper. Another translation? "And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper." So what did Zechariah have understanding in? He was like the children of Issachar who have understanding of the time, to know what Israel ought to do. And as long as he was seeking God—that's why Jehoshaphat too as a king was saying, "Trust in the Lord, you will be established. Believe his prophets, you will prosper." There's always the place of prophetic direction when God is working. It's unfortunate what it has been turned to today. [unclear: Woli kan wa nibi kan, prophet kan wa nibi kan], it has become solution center. Instead of making people to walk in the ways of God, it has become something else today. But the truth is that there is what we call the prophetic direction. If you look at Jesus' coming, everything Jesus did, do you see that there's first a prophetic direction before there was an apostolic direction? The prophetic direction is the mind of God. The apostolic is the fulfillment of the mind of God. So the prophetic first gave the direction. "Unto us a son is born, a child will be given, he shall be called this, he shall be called that." Isaiah prophesied. "Who shall believe our report? [unclear: Tis' ọmọ yan yọ nibi], he shall be this, he shall be that, he shall be that." Zechariah prophesied he was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. You see the prophetic? There's always a prophetic direction. Do you know why? Do you know why? Since God sustained the universe by the word of his power, there is always a word that God has as he sustain. There's always a word. There's always something as he sustain, there's a direction of his word. There's a direction of his word. And what you need to do to prosper is to do what? Is to key into the word. To key. When you key into that word, you begin to go where God is sustaining, where God is carrying, where God is leading. That's why he said he prospered as long as he sought the Lord according to the way Zechariah, who have understanding of the vision of the Lord, was instructing him. Along the line that king failed when Zechariah died. The important thing about what we need to just learn from that is that beyond the prophetic direction, there's a place of sonship. As many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God. So while there is the prophetic today, there's also the place of the sonship that God can lead us. So while God still gave apostles, prophets, evangelists for the edification of the church, much more God gave everybody a measure of his spirit, is able to lead them. So that if even the prophet now, if they are prophesying, what should the other do? What should they do? What should be the first thing they do before they believe? First Corinthians 14, what should they do? They should judge. That's to test it. You judge it by the word of God. You judge it. And as you judge it by the word of God, you look at the word of God, you look at the things of God, you say okay, yes, this is the truth of the word of God because they move in direction of the Lord. Then you believe it and you prosper in it. So the place of judging particularly because there is sonship. There is sonship and two, there is scripture. In those time such opportunity were not there. But in our time it's a privileged time because God did not just bring his spirit to come and go, Baba's spirit to be resident in us. So we can judge prophecy. And because you can judge it, you can judge that First Corinthians 14 says let two or three speak and let the others judge. And that's why John say test the spirits. You test it. But that does not remove a very important thing, that there's always a prophetic direction. That's why he still gave some to be apostles, some to be prophet, some to be pastor, some to be teachers. There's always the prophetic direction. When God says to do a thing, he speaks because he achieve his things by speaking. He speaks. And blessed are you if you have a Zechariah. These are people you must pray to have as friends, to have in your... people around you, people that, "No, this what God, this what God will want us have us to do. This... [unclear: it's a blessing]." Such people, they are blessings. Zechariah was a blessing to this king. He was a blessing to the king because he have understanding in the visions of God. He can say look, look at how Elisha was a blessing to the king. He say, "King, king, king, king! The king of Syria is planning so so so and so. He's planning to kill you along this side. So don't travel along this place. Travel this way." And what happened to the king? As long as he believed the prophet, what happened? He prospered! There's that dimension in God. Yes, it has been abused, as I tell people. If there's no original, there will be no fake. You can't say fake... can somebody give you fake 2,000 naira? Fake 2,000 naira note? Why? Because it's not being printed. So once you see a fake, it's because there's an original. They bastardize the original. I'm now telling you that look, the direction, the prophetic direction for 2018 is that God says I'm sending 2018 to heal. In line with Psalm 107 verse 20, to heal my people and to deliver them from their destruction. I'm now telling you that look, the direction, the prophetic direction for 2018 is that God says I'm sending 2018 to heal. In line with Psalm 107 verse 20, to heal my people and to deliver them from their destruction. And I'm encouraging the singles in the house, apart from walking in integrity and uprightness like David did, like the Lord did so that we can key into the great blessing, which is first, the general blessing. There's the specific blessing. There's the prophetic direction of 2018 that God is sending this year to heal and to deliver from every destruction. If you stand in that, you begin to look at everything in your life that need healing. Everywhere you need deliverance from every kind of whatever, you say God you are sending this year for my deliverance. Key into it! Stand in prayer, stand on this word of God and say, "Baba, whatever we see is propelled by your word. And your word is propelling something for your people. What you are propelling is that you want to heal and you want to deliver from all destruction. I key in this direction." Begin to look at things that have been... things that need to be delivered from, to be rescued from, to be redeemed from and say, "God, I key into this word." I key into it. Now finally for today, how do we key into both blessings? You know there are two levels of blessings that we have shared. What's the first one? The general one. We are in a race, a royal priesthood, and there's a covenant sworn to that priesthood which we are part of. But the specific one is that 2018 is sent. He came into existence by the word of God. He's sent for your healing and your deliverance. What is the practical thing to do? How do I practically key into this? Revelation, that's the final thing we're discussing today. Revelation, how do I key into this? At a personal level now, how do I key into this? Revelation chapter 12 verse 11. Three things that you must see here. Three things that you must see in this place as you key into the covenant blessing that we have in Christ and the prophetic direction that God has for 2018. Verse 11. King James says, "And they overcame him," talking about the dragon, the devil. Everything that opposed the purposes of God. In short summary of the devil, when you say something is Satan, it's that which opposes Christ, which opposes God. That is, how do we overcome everything that oppose the covenant blessing and everything that want to oppose the prophetic direction for 2018? How do we overcome them? How do we overcome him, the opposers, the enchanters, spell, enchantment, [unclear: jin], conspiracy of evil, conspirators. Things that are channeled to make sure that we don't walk in the blessing that God has designed for 2018. How do we overcome? The first thing you see in that place says they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. And that is very simple. By the blood of the Lamb. People have several interpretation for this blood of the Lamb. People say you sprinkle the blood, you plead the blood. There are several interpretation for it. But that's not direction at which I'm going. Is not about the sprinkling and the spraying the blood or whatever. That's not the direction. What I'm talking about, that they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, is that the blood of the Lamb has been shed. And when that blood was shed, it guaranteed certain things for us. Those things that when Jesus said, "It is finished," when Jesus said, "It is settled," when Jesus... those things, for you to overcome Satan, everything that oppose the purpose of God for 2018, you must learn to insist on what that blood has made applicable. That blood was not shed for fun. They overcame by that blood. With the seven sons of Sceva, the demon said, "Ah! As for Jesus I know him. I also know Paul. But you, who are you?" There was a way Paul was operating. There was a standing on what has been guaranteed. Have you forgotten? He says, "And we, has he made us to sit with him in the heavenly places above all principalities and power, far above all principalities and power." Do you get what that means? Do you get that? He made us to sit in the heavenly above them. Do you sit to walk? You sit down to walk. But he made us to sit far above them. I'm just trying to show you a mystery. I'm trying to show you something that most believers don't see. Until you sit, you cannot walk. Once you stand, you can't walk. You sit to reign. Do you get the light? Have you gotten the light? That is, when David was to fight Goliath, he was sitting on something. What was he sitting on? "God who delivered me from the hand of bear, in hand of lion." You get the point I'm making. What was he doing? He was sitting on something. As he sat on that, what did he do? He killed Goliath. Do you get it? Have you gotten the light? That is, until you rest on what God have done. What he have done. The blood of the Lamb. One thing he guaranteed is that we are born again. Are you sure that you are born again? The blood of the Lamb. If you must rest on that, you must be born again. That's one thing that is very, very sure. Are you born again? Are you sure you are born again? Have you deliberately committed your life to Jesus? The blood of the Lamb. Resting on Jesus, resting on what he did. He ordained eternal salvation for us. And two, not just there, your personal revelation. Not loving your life unto death. You are not compromising. Talk to the Lord. As a person. What is personally coming to you as an individual? What is personally coming to you as an instruction? What is coming to you as a revelation? How is the Lord personally challenging you? What is he saying to your heart? The blood of the Lamb. You sit on what Christ have done. He ordained eternal salvation for us. And two, the word of their testimony. The word of their testimony. And what's the third thing there? And they loved not their lives unto death. What is the word of their testimony? The word of their testimony is the words that God gave them personally to run with. The thing that you are confessing, the personal revelation. That is why we tell people that you cannot experience victory than your personal revelation. You must have a revelation! There must be a personal revelation, you must personally be able to encounter God. Personal revelation. The revelation of God. The personal revelation. The revelation, what God has told you personally. What he said. He said by the word of their testimony. You must have a testimony, something you know God told you, something you know God said, something you are confident about that this is the word of the Lord. They overcome by the word of their testimony. And what's the third thing there? They loved not their life unto death. They loved not their life unto death. That is, they are not willing to compromise anything. They are not willing to compromise anything. If we must overcome, we must not be compromisers. As we go through this assurance of God, we must not be compromisers. One, we must know what God has done for what Jesus established for us in his blood. We don't need to debate, we should just sit on that! Sit on it! Rest on that. Number two, confess the personal revelation God has given you. Proclaim it, declare the vision, speak the word! The word of your testimony! Don't shut your mouth! Speak the word as you have been given! They overcome by the word of their testimony. Once you have become confident God has said—we have mentioned one, the prophetic direction, God is healing, God is delivering. It can become your word of testimony. Talking about the personal revelation. And not loving your life unto death. Not willing to give in to evil under pressure. Like the three Hebrew boys, they stood. "If God deliver us, he deliver us. If not, let us die!" They stood! They did not love their life unto death. Daniel, he stood in the midst of the adversity. And you see they overcame. And that is the practical aspect of it. Not loving their life unto death. The blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and not loving their life unto death. Those are three practical things. So daily you must stay with God as we stay on what Christ have done for us in his blood. Personally too you must stay in the place of your quiet time, place of your own meditation. This book of the law shall not depart out of your own mouth. Have the word of your own testimony! What have God told you? What is God saying? Have the word of your own testimony! It will work for you. Confess it, proclaim it, the word of your testimony. What is it that you have become confident God has said. We have mentioned one, the prophetic direction, God is healing, God is delivering. It can become your word of testimony. And not loving your life unto death. Not willing to give in to evil under pressure. Walking in this direction consistently make us to overcome. Overcoming, walking in the victory both of the covenant we have in Christ and the personal prophetic direction for the year. Prophetic direction that God is healing, God is delivering. Let us pray. Talking to the Lord. What is the Lord personally challenging you? What is he speaking to your heart? [background noise: music fades in] We hope you have been blessed by this message. To walk sure this year, pay attention to God's word, listen carefully to his instruction, fix your eyes on his purpose, and stay on the safe path. Overcome by the blood of the Lamb, the word of your testimony, and a heart that does not compromise. For more resources and information, visit our website or follow us on our social media platforms. God bless you. [background noise: music ends]