The World sees 2020 as a year of tears and tragedy but from God’s perspective it happened to reset, restore and rebuild the church.
God set you apart to put something in you for the future. God is making you as an unbreakable, unshakeable and immovable vessel; trained and made ready for His purpose. When the time comes we will look back at this year in gratitude.
Knowledge of the Word does not change you. When the Word comes it must be processed to become a pattern in your life.
Two ways to approach the Word of God
- When the theologians write a commentary they write as accurate as it was to the original audience
- It is not prophetic insight. Such God’s teachings have many dimensions to it.
- On the other hand, CURRENT PROPHETIC TEACHINGS are REVELATORY
- It makes the Word RELEVANT to our generation. It reveals the strategy to overcome the devil in our generation. For example, it is said – love your enemies. But the original translation is “respect your enemy”. Respect your enemy because they are the ones that can harm you. This was a message given by Papa Jonathan David recently. This is a strategy relevant for our current generation. In the last days, when difficult times (due to difficult people) are part of our surroundings, this strategy will help you overcome the enemy. You must pray for your enemies, keep doing well to them (Overcome the evil with good) but respect the fact that they are capable of harming you.
- Commentaries are good but we cannot be stuck there. We have to move with current revelatory teachings. Commentaries are like foundation; key factors of our Christian faith but you cannot stop there, you got to build further with the current Word coming from God
When God gives us the Word, He gives us ample time to prepare. For example in Genesis 3:15 the plan for salvation was revealed. It would be simple if Jesus was born by Genesis 4. But that was not the case. No one knows human nature better than God. He knows how to prepare us for the coming of the promised Messiah. He gave the law to PREPARE mankind for the coming Messiah.
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
Galatians 3:23-25 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. 24Therefore the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
The law was a guardian to lead us to Christ, the Messiah.
Now what is the Holy Spirit leading us towards? – The Second Coming of Christ
Jesus is coming back for His bride – The Church. How do we get the church ready for His return?
- Be strong in doctrinal foundations
- When you hear a prophetic message, check where you are and plot the path to reach there. You can hear 100 words in a sermon but the one word that convicts you is the starting point
- God is looking for One man – that does not mean one person. It means God is looking for a company of people who are working as one man. Work like Papa to get a church like ANS
- The church can go only as high as the set man’s maturity level
- The greatest fear of the enemy is the children of God coming forth in maturity
- The influence of the church can only be the level of water you carry
- We have to know the Word of God and the God of the Bible – then we become a Voice of God
- The Voice of God is not heard in your nation because the Voice of the church is muted
- Your territorial influence increases as your maturity increases. Then you don’t have to bind and cast out. You carry God’s presence into a nation, the nation can be changed and brought under obedience to Christ. That’s the potential of every believer
Why should the church be built in maturity? What does the future hold for us?
There are 7 Ds that are going to hit the church as winds and waves according to the Word of God.
1st D is Deception
Deception will come. Deception comes to bring you into error. It comes to destroy.
Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.
Matthew 24:24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and will provide great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
See that no man deceives you. Even the elect means the church.
First church was shaken most by false doctrine. Have your antennas up to see what kind of things are coming to us.
Kinds of Deception
1.You get deceived about who you are
If you don’t understand your grace, you walk into where you are not protected. The moment you disobey and walk out of spiritual covering, you open your life to a lie. You open yourself to deception and then you try to engineer things to show God is with you. Stay within boundaries shown by Christ your Commander.
2. Deceived by your own desire
2 timothy 4:3, 4 For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But as for you, use self-restraint in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
You be clear in your doctrine. You build people in the doctrine. If your heart is not set to attain maturity you will run behind things that fit your lifestyle.
3. Deception enters due to no grounding in the Word of God
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget your children.
If you don’t have the Law as your foundation you are not building according to God’s will. Anything done without God’s approval will fail. Be wise master builders.
Ephesians 4:14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
Be built in maturity (more areas of your life brought under subjection to Christ) so you are not diverted.
How to help your church?
After Jesus teaches the crowd He goes to his small core group and holds a discussion to show what He meant. Have a system to help your people; how to move from point A to point B. Or else the mindset of sheep is selective hearing; they hear only what is required.
Right now different doctrines get spread very quickly due to internet. If a reputed theologian were to say one day – Jesus never died for us. What will happen to the church? If the church is not built on doctrines and they only believe what the pastor/theologian says they will be shaken. Where is their faith resting – On you or the truth?
4. Deception due to lack of spiritual discernment
Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. He can help you see whether what you hear is from man or from God.
Have you taught your church –
- How to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit?
- How to hear from the Holy Spirit?
Holy Spirit can only remind you what you have deposited in your heart.
Matthew 24:12 – 14 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
So prepare for what is to come – false Christ, false prophets, false signs, false wonders, lawlessness, the lawless one.
1 Thessalonians 2:8-12 Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, 10and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
The vaccine for deception is Love for the Truth.
In music you don’t learn the right note by looking for all the wrong way of playing the notes. You spend time in playing the music accurately over and over again. And when you pick up a slight difference in the music you will detect it immediately.
So don’t walk around trying to figure out what is false doctrine, Anti Christ etc., Look to Jesus. Let the Holy Spirit birth in you a passion for Christ. Spend time in His presence, love Him. Then when the false comes you will immediately discern and cut it off.
2nd D – Distraction will come
Distraction comes to divert you from your original purpose. Instead of sticking to God’s call on our lives we get diverted to some new opportunity/friendship that opens up. Not all open doors are from God.
Hebrews 12:1,2 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Take off everything that entangles you by fixing your eyes on Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:4-7 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him. 5And if someone likewise competes as an athlete, he is not crowned as victor unless he competes according to the rules. 6The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 7Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Live by boundaries. Have core values to build us to finish the assignment. Now you may be OK. Next level, new temptations will come to push you down. Both God and enemy are watching your life. If you have an unattended issue in one area of your life the enemy will send a situation to distract. He will send a person to distract you. Distraction comes at an area of need.
Identify your area of need. Where are you NOT taking help from the Holy Spirit? Where are you trying to patch things up with your own action plans? Where do you think God cannot help you? Distraction comes at your area of need.
3rd D – Disturbances will come
2 Chronicles 15:3-7 For many days Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without the Law. 4But in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him. 5In those times there was no peace for him who went out or him who came in, because many disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. 6Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress. 7But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is a reward for your work.”
Our perception should be clear. God is ALWAYS in control and He allows things for a reason. Enemy uses situations to bring anger, disturbance and bitterness. It reveals our maturity level and our emotional level. God’s intentions during this time, is reflect and make changes to move to the next level.
In this situation whose voice are you hearing?
Enemy will feed our negative response. God’s voice brings in peace.
Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called Sons of God.
On the other hand anger, strife, rage, bitterness and malice – those who live like this will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. God will make you see the root of the problem so it cannot recur.
All the above Ds will come in increasing measure. The greatest fear of the enemy is the church raising in maturity.
We cannot go to pre – Covid stage. Be strong on the inside. Be aware of what’s around and what’s coming.
4th D – Direction
What are we building towards?
Jesus said – I will build my church. Find strategy to build the church. What is the grace and gifting operating in you? Strategy is a method that works. It brings down the hidden schemes of the enemy. It works against the deceptions set up by the enemy.
Isaiah 48:17 This is what the LORD says, He who is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to benefit, Who leads you in the way you should go.
God teaches you how to be successful, how to benefit.
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a person, But its end is the way of death.
A way that “seems right” means a current trend, a way of life, lifestyle. Being set apart for God is a lifestyle. Receiving revelation, understanding and wisdom to execute is a lifestyle.
Proverbs 27:23 Know well the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds;
Sheep is always trying to compare. We have a specific call. We build this way. The difference between churches must be clear. We do not follow other practices. We run the race the Lord set before us.
Hebrews 2:1, 2 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every violation and act of disobedience received a just punishment, 3how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?
When God communicates to us it must be communicated to the church. As a pastor you are steering a ship. All hands must be on deck steering it. Church is to be trained to function as one man under one Spirit.
5th D – Diligence
2 Timothy 2:15-17 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
Avoid worldly and empty chatter. Diligence is careful and persistent work. Spend time alone with God. Spend time alone with the word. Expect Him to speak to you. Increase your Word content. It takes hard work and time. The obstacles in our mind stop us from freely entering the Spirit realm. Go deeper. Invest time for the Word. Which is greater? Amount spent with the World or the Word?
2nd Exodus of the church (Dr. Tunde Bakare said this): God will put His people under shepherds after His own heart. Those who build themselves, God will cause them to come under the right pastors.
When God’s Rhema Word comes you are the vessel that facilitates its growth and nurtures it. You make it grow. You don’t wait for it to happen. You have to outwork the prophecy.
What is aborting the Word? Revelation must be followed by understanding. Then wisdom to execute must be received. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Revelation, Understanding and Wisdom.
Get deeper with the Word. Define and get the strategy.
Jesus builds the church. But you are the hands and feet to finish the assignment. Work with the Holy Spirit. As He instructs, obey. Be on the same scene as the Holy Spirit. You do the natural work, He takes care of the supernatural.
If you receive a Word/dream/vision but don’t get immediate understanding chuck the revelation even if it looks spiritual. God does not leave you guessing. He is able to explain things clearly.
If God has a prophecy for you it will reach you. Kill the fortune telling spirit in your life. If we want prophecies to work in our life, outwork the word. Speak God’s mind. Think God’s thoughts. Then you become like Christ. This is the only important thing.
6th D – Discipline
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
1 Timothy 4:7 But stay away from worthless stories that are typical of old women. Rather, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; 27but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Level of discipline = Level of discipleship
Growth and change is intentional. It requires discipline. When your walk with Christ increases, discipline increases and wisdom increases. You can observe whether a person is disciplined or not.
Remaining in Christ is a choice – It requires discipline.
God is a God of order; not chaos. Chaos is the opposite of a disciplined life.
5 Areas to improve in discipline
1. Discipline of integrity
Proverbs 13:6 Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.
Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. What you say is what you mean is what you do.
2. Discipline of tongue
Proverbs 5:2 So that you may maintain discretion And your lips may comply with knowledge.
Guard your lips. Many words lead to many sins.
3. Discipline of work
Nehemiah 4:6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Have a mind to work. If you don’t you are lazy. Continually strategize to overcome obstacles. Keep working. Don’t give up. Make an intentional effort to get things done. No procrastination
4. Discipline of time management
Proverbs 30:25 The ants are not a strong people, But they prepare their food in the summer;
Consider the ant how it works. It is an example of knowing what to do in a particular season. It is also an example of working like one man for one cause.
5. Discipline of finance
1 Timothy 3:5 but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?
If you cannot take care of your own household, you cannot take care of the church. You are a model to your people. If you are struggling in your own life, why would people follow you?
7th D – Daring or courageous
Ephesians 3:11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him
Don’t be afraid of sharing what is happening in your life. Timidity is not our portion. Boldness should be displayed not just in the prayer room but also in the world outside.
Matthew 10:28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Fear God only. Only He can send you to hell. Nobody else can do that. The whole world is sandwiched between Noah’s flood and the coming fire. Save as many as you can from the eternal fire. Be bold and courageous.
Luke 9:26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels.
Cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, immoral, sorcerer, idolater, all liars – they will go to hell. You have to overcome this.
Psalm 94:16 Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
Who will take his stand for me against those who do injustice?
Who will take a stand against wickedness? The check is are we moving forward with the Holy Spirit or is our love growing cold? Are we complacent and tolerant towards the injustice around us?
Be confident of the faith we carry. It is not a crime to share what God is doing in your life. The righteous are bold as lions. Your life should be on display, not hidden. The light of the church will rise when the world is full of darkness.
You must understand who is inside you. Then you get courage to work towards the completion. Voice of God is silent in your land because your church is silent. We must not be afraid of what may happen to us. Get rid of fears. Sow the seed where God shows you.
Genesis 26:12 Now Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundred times as much. And the LORD blessed him,
Isaac planted where he was told and so he reaped a 100 fold. Sow the seed boldly where you are told to.
Take the Word and run and things you need will find their way to you.
We know church needs to go to the supernatural. Church has to go through tribulation.
If He says “Come up higher”, immediately you will be in the Spirit. You will know how to go up higher. Satan is coming down. Church is going higher.
Church has to be built accurately. There will come a time when the church has to go through a period where you cannot buy or sell without the mark. How can we go through that time if we do not know our God? Prayer alone will work. Supernatural revelation, understanding and wisdom alone will work. We have to be the connecting portal between heaven and earth. We are the only ones who carry the message of hope for this dying world. We cannot afford to be shaken.
If you have not developed trust in God then the emotions will get over-clouded due to circumstances. All the Israelites were shaken when they saw the giant Goliath except David. David knew God. Develop passion for Christ in increasing measure. That is the only way to remain strong through everything that’s coming.
Above everything guard your heart. Set your heart and mind on Jesus.
Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
Birth pains come in increasing intensity before the reward for all the pain is attained.
Jeremiah 12:5 If you have run with infantrymen and they have tired you out,
How can you compete with horses?
If you fall down in a land of peace,
How will you do in the thicket by the Jordan?
If you can’t run with infantry men, how will you run with horses?
Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Waiting on the Lord is walking through life at His pace. Make up your mind to cling to the Holy Spirit, align accurately as and when the Word of God comes to you.
Build your inner man. Consider all trials pure joy because they build your endurance power. NOW is the time.
Rehoboth 