Deuteronomy chapter 8 from verse 11 to 18…
11. Beware! (That is a warning) Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12. Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; [(that verse is very comforting verse) – it means you are going to eat, you are going to be full. It means you are going to build good houses; it means you are going to dwell therein.]
13. And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; {(isn’t that wonderful?) – your herds and your flocks shall multiply; your silver and your gold shall multiply, and all you shall multiply.}
{Then He said, Beware! When all these things have happened}
14. Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; {He said, be careful! Be careful! Prosperity can be dangerous}
15. (Don’t forget the One) Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16. Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17. (Beware! So that) And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish His covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
You are going to prosper.
I did not hear your amen.
It is a decree from the Lord.
If you are true child of God, you are going to prosper; there is nothing you are going to do about it.
Whether the devil likes it or not, you are going to prosper
Whether you say amen or not, you are going to prosper.
But there are two kinds of prosperity.
True Prosperity; and
False Prosperity
Proverbs chapter 10 verse 22 says: the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and added no sorrow – that is true prosperity.
Proverbs chapter 1 verse 32 says: the prosperity of fools shall destroy them – that is false prosperity.
Because Jeremiah 17 verse 11 says: even as the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so those getteth wealth by wicked means, shall leave them in the middle of their days, and at his end shall be a fool.
There is True Prosperity; there is False Prosperity. And thank God, my son who spoke before me had given you a very thorough definition of Prosperity – making my job easy.
You see, True Prosperity is not made up having a lot of money alone: definitely it includes money (and I am coming to explain that you in a moment) but it also includes contentment.
It includes: good health.
It includes freedom.
It includes fruitfulness
It includes joy.
It includes peace of mind.
It includes spiritual wellbeing …
…just to mention a few.
But because we always have limited time; Let us go straight to some of the elements that combine together to form true prosperity.
If we are to talk like a Mathematician, we would say, True Prosperity is a function of: Money, contentment, good health, peace of mind, joy, etcetera etcetera.
Let us start with Money: money is essential; it is essential that you have it because poverty can destroy; - and destroy and prosperity they do not go together.
Proverbs chapter 10 verse 15 says: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. I think I have mentioned this one before years ago.
The elders have a saying: a poor man went to the oracle man and said make me a charm so that I can become rich.
The oracle man says okay, you must make a sacrifice – go and bring a goat for the sacrifice.
But because he was poor, he went and brought a rat.
So, the oracle man made a charm with the rat and his poverty increased.
So, the elder have the saying: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
The oracle asked for a goat, he produced a rat.
Poverty can destroy.
Ecclesiastes chapter 10 verse 19 says money answereth all things.
Well, I think “all” there could be qualified.
But there is a lot of things that money can do. And I think I have told you before – I have a saying that when a rich man is speaking, nobody checks the grammar.
They don’t want to know whether the grammar is correct or not.
I remember years ago, we were having a fund raising before I was born-again and they were suggesting names for Chairman of the fund raising occasion and somebody suggested the name of a Professor and the people said, haa! is it grammar that we are talking about!
God have mercy on Professors.
Poverty can be bondage.
Proverbs chapter 22 verse 7 says: the rich rule over the poor and the borrower is a servant to the lender. It is a terrible thing to borrow.
And I decree in the Name that is above every other name, every one of you in debt God will help you pay; and you will never borrow again.
Let me repeat that one – in the Name that is every other name you will never borrow again.
In 2Kings chapter 4 verse 1 to 7: a widow was in debt; the creditors came and said, if you don’t pay before tomorrow, we will sell your children
Poverty is a terrible thing.
Thank God, God intervened.
I don’t know about you but I refuse to be poor.
Say it loud and clear.
I remember 1959, I was staying with my uncle somewhere in Ilesha; and my Uncle travelled and the Landlord came and my Uncle had not pay his rent because of poverty.
And he said I want my money.
My Uncle is not at home, I am not the one who rented the house.
He said I don’t want to know.
Get out of my house.
Haa! please; let my uncle come.
He said, I say get out of my house.
And he began to curse me as if I was the one owing.
Called me all manners of names: onigbese; oloriburuku; …
That is why when God gave the opportunity to graduate, I made up my mind, the first thing I would do before I buy a car…
They were given cars to graduate in those days; I say I don’t want a car, I want a house of my own.
Stand on your feet; lift your voice to the Almighty God and say: Father, don’t let me die poor.
Come on! Lift your voice to the Almighty God.
Please Lord, don’t let me die poor, don’t let me die poor, don’t let me die poor. Please Lord God Almighty, have mercy on me, don’t let me die poor. Don’t let me die poor. Don’t let me die poor Lord God Almighty. Don’t let me die poor, poverty is a destroyer, it can destroy. Borrower is a servant to the lender, Lord God Almighty don’t let me die poor. Have mercy on me; have mercy on me. Eradicate poverty in my family; eradicate poverty in my family, please Lord, don’t let me die poor. Have mercy on me Lord. Have mercy on me; please don’t let me die poor. Don’t let me die poor have mercy on me, have mercy on me. Don’t let me die poor Father, have mercy on me. Somehow, one way or the other, help me so that I don’t die poor, don’t let me die poor. Don’t let me die poor Lord. Thank You Father. Thank You Almighty
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
And so shall it be in Jesus’ name.
Let us be seated.
I don’t want to be spending too much time talking about poverty – you already understand that poverty is not good.
I have heard some stories that make my heart bleed.
My wife was telling a story she heard of someone who was preparing amala – preparing food, somewhere in Osun State.
And the woman went inside to go and get something from the house.
By the time she came back, the amala was gone.
And somebody who was watching from another house beacon to her and said go to that house.
She got to the house, she found out the woman with her children already eating the amala with water.
Don’t tell me poverty is good
That woman did not want to steal; but she was dying of hunger, the children were dying of hunger
I have heard of stories that… oh God!
In the Name that is above every other name, poverty will not kill you.
I mean you must have heard stories yourself of how somebody was taken to the hospital and for hours they wouldn’t threat him because they couldn’t find the money to pay the deposit – and finally he died.
Poverty is a killer - Don’t glamorize poverty at all, it is not a good thing.
But, True Prosperity is not money alone. Very important aspect of True Prosperity is contentment.
Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 10 says: those who love silver will not be satisfied with silver; those who love gold will not be satisfied with gold.
Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 11 says: even as good increase those who will consume it will increase. So the man who is gathering the goods together will only see it with his eyes.
Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 12 and it is interesting, Ecclesiastes is written by Solomon, one of the richest men who ever lived; he said the sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he ate little or much. But the abundance of the rich will not allow in to sleep.
The poor man who left Mushin for Lagos by 5:00am and return home by 9:00pm to soak garri and with groundnut. And then because he stayed in a room and a parlor with his wife and five or seven children; maybe occasionally he had to spread a mat on the floor – before he hit the ground he was asleep.
And yet there is the man who is sleeping on a water bed, electrically controlled, and he will be tossing here and there for hours without sleep because he is thinking whether somebody is stealing his money; or whether the trailer has not return from the North.
The abundance of the rich will rob him of sleep.
Not only that.
1Timothy chapter 6 verse 6 says: godliness with contentment is great gain – great gain.
You know, Solomon prayed a prayer; you will be amazed that the prayer came from Solomon.
Proverbs chapter 30 verse 8 and 9: he said God give me neither poverty nor riches (I said, hey! Solo!)
And he gave the reason: he said, lest I have too much and I begin to deny You; or I have too little and I steal.
Contentment is great gain.
May be I just remind you; you have heard the story before; I had to you before; when I had to stay overnight in the house of one very very wealthy man, friends; and it was breakfast time and the cook came to him and said what will you have for breakfast?
And he began to ask what did I eat yesterday?
The Cook told him.
What about the day before?
To cut the long story short, finally, he decided that he will eat bread and egg.
And then the Cook said, how do you want the egg?
Scrambled?
Fried?
Scotched?
Boiled?
After scratching his head for quite a long while asking when was the last time I ate boiled…
Finally he decided on cooked-boiled egg.
And the Cook said, how do you want it boiled?
Half boiled?
Medium boiled?
And he decided after a lot of thinking – medium boiled.
And the Cook said, how many minute in hot water?
Haa!
Thirty minutes to decide what to have for breakfast.
And me I was seating down hungry; and the Cook turn to me, Sir, what would you like?
I said everything you have done, just make it plenty!
I don’t have that kind of money but God be praised; I have a very good appetite.
Stand on your feet, lift your voice to the Almighty God and say: Father, don’t let me lack but give me contentment.
Go ahead talk to the Almighty God.
Give me contentment. Give me contentment. Give me contentment. Give me contentment Almighty God. Let me know what it is to be contented. Give me contentment. Give me contentment. Give me contentment Lord; let me know what is called contentment. Don’t let me lack, let me know contentment. Give me contentment. Almighty God, give me contentment; let me be content. Give me contentment. Give me contentment. Give me contentment. O Lord, give me contentment. Give me contentment. Let me live my life in contentment; Lord, give me contentment. Father, give me contentment. Thank You Father. Glory be to Your holy name.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
Number three: True Prosperity involves good health.
A lot of money is useless to man who has not got good health.
The devil said it in Job chapter2 verse 4. He said skin for skin; everything a man has he will give for good health if he can just get good health – take the money, give me good health.
Neman was a wealthy man but he was leper.
If you read 2Kings chapter 5 and you read from verse 1 to 16 and you zero-in on verse 5 there; you will see what he brought when he was coming, think he could by healing.
The Bible said he brought ten talents of silver – that was a lot of money. He brought six thousand pieces of gold and he brought ten changes of raiment – a lot of money; millions in any currency – because he had money but he did not have good health.
And then, Solomon said something again and love people who want to know true prosperity especially Solomon.
Ecclesiastes chapter 6 verse 2: he said, if man has everything, but he is unable to eat thereof, he said, that is an evil disease.
You have plenty of food, plenty of money, plenty of cloth, plenty of everything but you cannot even eat – he said that is an evil disease – I agree with him.
He said in Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 19: he says any man that God has given wealth and given the power to eat thereof, he said that is a gift from God.
In order words, I don’t just want to have plenty of money and not be able to eat thereof.
I remember a friend of mine that I tried very hard to convert but he wouldn’t yield – he was one of the wealthiest men in Nigeria who had ever live. By the time he died he had Two Hundred and Fifty Six million Dollars in faraway Australia; not to talk of America, Britain; Swaziland; faraway Australia - Two Hundred and Fifty Six million Dollars.
And yet the only food he can eat is milk.
He cannot eat any other thing other than drink milk.
And there was a joker who was talking something and says that the reason God is using Pastor Adeboye is because of his name Enoch.
He said, he is the original Enoch who came back.
And that fellow says, he cannot be the original Enoch who came back…he can be eating pounded yam
He said haa! Have you ever see him eat pounded yam?
When I heard it I laughed.
You think I don’t eat?
Invite me to your house.
Prepare some solid pounded yam; get a very good combination okro; make sure there is plenty of bush meat, and chicken, and fish, and turkey; you won’t have to go to any church before you see the glory of God.
Right there in your dining room, a mountain will become a valley.
Stand on your feet; and lift your voice to the Almighty God and say: Father, from now on let me enjoy good health.
Common open your mouth.
Let me enjoy good health, good health; so that whatever you give me, I would be able to partake of it – give me good health. Give me good health Lord, so that I can eat anything I want to eat. Give me good health. Give me good health. What is the use of having a lot of money if I cannot eat, give me good health Lord, give me good health. Give me good health Lord God Almighty so that I can eat anything. Give me good health so that whatever you provide for me I can enjoy it, Father, give me a good health; give me a good health. Give me good health O Lord, give me good health. I don’t want ache, I don’t want pain, I don’t want the situation the food will be there I won’t even be able to eat, Lord give me good health. Let me enjoy good health for the rest of my life. I want to enjoy good health for the rest of my life. Good health O Lord. Good health O Lord. Good health, so that I can eat, I can enjoy myself; so that whatever You provide for me, I will be able to enjoy it – Father, please give me a good health. Give good health. Give me good health O Lord. Thank You Jesus. Give me good health Lord.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
Please be seated.
True Prosperity includes Freedom.
Of what use is wealth to man who is in prison: whether physical prison; or mental prison; or spiritual prison.
I have seen rich people who suffer from memory loss.
They cannot even remember the names of their wives.
They look at their children, they cannot even recognize and there is plenty of money.
One of them was speaking to another and he said, she saw herself seating on the bed, and she cannot remember: do I want to sleep or have I just woken up; and yet there is plenty of money.
Money that does not come with freedom is of no use.
Remember on Judge was sentencing a thief to imprisonment.
He said I know you stole this money and you have hiding it somewhere; he said I will sent you to prison for so long that by the time you come out the money will be useless to you.
Freedom!
Nebuchadnezzar was rich, he was a king – Daniel chapter 4, you can read the whole story from verse 1 to 37 (Daniel 4 from verse 1 to 37).
He built a whole city that was… the city he built was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
But for seven years, he was walking about naked – of what use was the money to him then.
Or king Saul – 1Samuel chapter 16 verse 14
Thank You Father
The Lord says there is someone here tonight; He said I should tell you: just hold on, I am never too late.
1Samuel 16 verse 14: king Saul was a king, but a demon was tormenting him.
As a king, he has plenty of money; there was a lot of cloth – anything a king could have, he had – but he had no freedom; he was in mental bondage.
Now, one of the biggest problems with wealth in the text we read, Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 11 to 14, is that wealth can produce pride.
Rich people can become proud if they are not careful; and if pride comes, it brings divine resistance; it bring divine resistance
James chapter 4 verse 6 it says, God resists the proud.
I have told you the story before.
An in-law of mine, very wealthy man; each time we went to see him, we would preach Jesus to him.
And then, on one occasion we went to preach to him as usual and he said to me: in-law! I said sir.
He said follow me.
I said yes sir.
And he took me round his great mansion, and that mansion was great.
And he should me freezers upon freezers.
In some freezers: frozen fried turkey.
In another: frozen fried lamb;
In another: all manners of food
By the time we went through the whole house, we came back to the living room, he said to me: in-law! I said sir
He said, you have Jesus?
I said yes sir
He said, do you have all these?
I said no sir
He said, go and talk to the poor – they are the one who need Jesus I don’t need Him.
I said yes sir.
And some of you heard the story before.
Six month later, I was still a lecturer at the University of Lagos then, six month later I returned from the campus to see my in-law or somebody who look like my in-law in my living room.
The rosy chick had collapsed; everything looking gone
I said in-law!
He said, yes it is me.
Haa!
What happen?
The Accountant; the Internal Auditor; and I think the Secretary, colluded, they got him to sign a check. The check was signed, I think I was ten million pounds – it was those days of pounds; and then they added one zero
And because the three of them who would share the something where together; they check everything through, they collected the money and they left the country.
When the fraud was detected, they brought the thing – Sir, this is your signature!
It is mine well!
Now, the point is not just getting the money, it is that he is on his way to prison.
So, he said, I have come in-law that you pray for me
I said pray for you?
I said haa! In whose name?
He said in the name of Jesus.
Haa!
I thought you don’t need him?
He said that was then – this is now.
Well, you know the rest of the story.
When I asked him to give his life to Jesus now, I don’t have to preach long.
When a man has wisdom, he will chose freedom above wealth.
I tell just one more story and then you will pray – just one more story – you have heard it before too.
There was this man in the city of Ibadan years years ago; somebody brought him and said, I want you to pray for me, I have not been able to sleep for thirty minutes in more than two years.
Pray for me so that I can begin to sleep like every normal people.
He said I have fourteen houses in Ibadan; I will give all of them to you, just pray that I will be able to sleep.
Those of you who can sleep, you don’t know what you are enjoying.
Those of you who can sleep easily while don’t you shout hallelujah to God.
I told him course, if you give your life to Jesus let me pray for you and everything will be alright; I don’t need you fourteen houses, I want to be able to sleep normally.
What is wealth, if does not come with freedom!
Freedom to do what normal people do; freedom to be able to sleep when you want to sleep, wake up when you want to wake up; eat what you want to eat, not afraid when people say happy new year because happy new year to you means another year of covenant between you and the devil as gone.
God is reminding me to tell you one other story because I don’t know some of these stories come to some people – they mean much more even than the sermon.
Some of the older ones here will remember a man who came to Ebute-Metta years ago and he said please pray for me – I enter into a covenant with the devil to give me wealth and come back for my soul after seven years; and they gave me something to swallow and I swallowed the thing and the thing is biting me from inside; I have two weeks more now to go.
We prayed a simple prayer, he vomited the thing - we all rejoiced
For some time he was coming to church; after some time we did not see him again. And we decide to do a follow up.
Haa! brother what happen? We did not see you again?
He said, they told me that I swallowed the other one wrongly.
You mean you swallowed another one?
He swallowed another one, and money began to come.
When it was almost seven years to come to pass, he decided that the demons in Nigeria will not be able to handle him if he runs to London.
So, he took a ticket and began to go to London.
He died on the plane.
Stand on your feet; you are going to cry to the Almighty God and say: Father, the kind of wealth that will put me in bondage don’t give it to me.
The kind of wealth that will put me in bondage, don’t give it to me, Almighty God, don’t let it come near me at all. That kind of wealth that will put me in bondage, I don’t want it Lord. Don’t give me the kind of wealth that will put me in bondage; don’t give me that kind of wealth. I don’t want to be in bondage, I want to be able to be free – free to go out; free to come in; free to sleep; free to wake up; the kind of wealth that will put me in bondage, I don’t want it. The kind of wealth that I will see a police man coming and I will be afraid, I don’t want that kind of wealth. The kind of wealth that I will be afraid that one day they will discover my secret, Lord, I don’t want that kind of wealth. That kind of wealth that will put me in bondage, I don’t want it Lord. I want true prosperity Lord; I don’t want bondage, I don’t want bondage. Thank You Father. Thank You Father. And if I am in bondage already set me free Lord, set me free, I don’t want to remain in bondage. I don’t want any form of bondage at all: physical, mental; spiritual; I don’t want bondage, I preferred freedom Lord, I preferred freedom; I preferred freedom.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
If any of you is in bondage, you shall be free tonight in Jesus’ name.
Please be seated.
The next item that will make True Prosperity is something called Joy
The important of joy in true prosperity is highlighted in Proverbs chapter 10 verse 22: the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and added no sorrow with it. That means there are riches that will come with sorrow – deep sorrow.
Among the elder, they say that if you look at the bottom of wealth, you will see dreads.
In orders, they are saying some of the people who are wealthy; they have secrets they won’t even be able to talk about.
And so, the fact that you see some people looking gorgeous does not mean that all means well.
Somebody said once, that is the reason some people go…, I don’t mean I believe him completely; but he said some people go from air condition car to air condition office to air condition bedroom, is because there is a lot fire burning under them.
That may be true.
Some of them have problem they cannot even share.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the blessing that God will give you will be without sorrow.
Because sorrow is a killer: Proverbs 15:13 says sorrow can break your spirit.
Proverbs 17 verse 22 says a merry heart doeth good like medicine but a broken spirit dried the bones.
Sorrow is a terrible thing.
When you look at Mathew chapter 2 verse 1 to 11, you will see the importance of joy.
Mather 2 verse 1 to 11 talks about wise men who came from the East; (if we are to believe Bible Scholars, they travelled for two years); loaded with wealth seeking Jesus.
When they found him they rejoice with exceeding great joy. They had money but they are looking for joy.
I can tell you stories upon stories of people who were wealthy but they are living in sorrow
Just one will do; probably you have heard it before.
I was invited by eminent personalities to come and preach in some of the secluded areas of Lagos (I don’t want to mention the place)
And while the people where gathering there , they asked me to go and seat down in the living room while the people are gathering at the backyard and I am talking of one of those places where the moment you enter the gate, you forget that you are in Nigeria.
I am telling you.
Everything so beautiful – I mean…
When I got into the living room where I was seated, I saw there were five various sitting rooms – one leading to the other in ascending other of splendor.
I am telling you I have seen houses; that was beautiful.
So, I was going to talk on “a God of Miracles”
I began to think, I better change my topic.
I wanted to change my to “O that man would praise the Lord”
But the Almighty God spoke to me: this family in particular needs miracles desperately.
It was then later on I discover that the lady of house, that beautiful place had one son and that one son was on drugs; not only was he on drugs, when the woman refuse to give him money for drugs he planted drugs in the luggage of the mother when the mother was travelling abroad.
They arrested the woman abroad; but money answereth all things.
It does not matter how much money you have, if your only son is on drugs, you won’t know what is called joy.
That fellow who vomited a charm said that, every year they said happy new, he would say: oh! One year gone.
Whereas, there are people like us here, we don’t have much money but when we say happy New Year, we really rejoice.
Glory be to God.
But the Almighty God can give you prosperity without sorrow – all you have to do is ask Him
Now, I want you to stand on your feet I cry to the Almighty God and say: Father, for the rest of my life, don’t let me know sorrow.
You better pray that prayer, it is very important prayer. Don’t let me know sorrow, please for the rest of my life, is my prayer Lord constantly to you, don’t let me know sorrow, don’t let me know sorrow ever again. Don’t let me know sorrow. Don’t let me know sorrow again for the rest of my live Lord God Almighty. For the rest of my life, don’t let me know sorrow. Don’t let me know sorrow over my children; don’t let me know sorrow over my wife, don’t let me know sorrow in my family, don’t let me know sorrow over Your church; don’t let me know sorrow. Please Lord, don’t let me know sorrow again for the rest of my life. Don’t let me know sorrow again. Keep sorrow far away from me. Keep sorry far away from me. Keep sorrow far away from me. Father, keep sorrow far away from me; keep sorrow far away from me. Thank You Jesus. Keep sorrow far away from me Lord. Keep sorrow far away from me. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Almighty God.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
So shall it be in Jesus.
Please be seated.
Thank You Father.
I want to say amen to this before I tell you.
Because the Lord says there is someone listening to me right now, He said, I won’t let your children suffer the way you did.
I want to say amen to this again too
The Lord says there is some here tonight; He said one day, you family will be counted among the wealthiest in this nation.
That must be me.
Another element of True…
Thank You Father
The Lord says there is some here tonight; he said one day you will be used as an example of all round success.
Another element of True Prosperity is Spiritual wellbeing – Spiritual Prosperity.
In Mark chapter 8 verse 36 says: what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul; of what benefit?
In order words, like somebody tried to analysis; he said, Daddy let us write out this thing down mathematically.
God is saying if you have all the money in America, plus all the money in China, plus all the money in Britain, all the Europe, all the money in Africa, if they all belong to you alone, and you still don’t make it to heaven, you are a loser.
What does it profit a man if he gains what?
…the whole world and loses his soul.
In Philippians chapter 3 verse 7 to 11: Paul said all things that were gain to me, I counted but loss.
Why?
Because I want to know Jesus Christ, I want to know the power of His resurrection.
I want spiritual prosperity.
And when God responded, Acts chapter 19 verse 11 to 12, the Bible says, God performed special miracles by the hand of Paul, so that his body’s handkerchiefs, aprons, were taken to the sick – sickness dispatched from them; demon saw his handkerchiefs coming and they ran.
I told those who are here to attend first section of the disciples’ convention yesterday.
I said, if you have anointing, you don’t even need to seek for money.
Anointing is far far superior to money – far far
I remember quite a few of my friends who thought I was a fool when I decided to go on full time ministering.
A Lecturer in the University, you know how you suffered before you became a lecturer in the University; now you are earning a good salary; you can feed yourself, you can feed your family…; now you are saying you are going on a full time ministry – you are a fool.
I agreed with them – only I am a fool for Jesus.
I have listened to testimonies now that give me so much joy that all the money in the world could not give.
I was in New York few days ago, and we held a Holy Ghost rally there and it think it was in New York; and it was testimony time; and one of the testifier said, he attended the convention, American convention, a year ago.
And during the convention God told me to do something strange; and when he speaks to me I obey, I don’t care whether you believe me or not but I know who is talking to me.
God spoke to me during that convention, He said, son, I want you to remove your shoe, remove your sucks, I want you to walk right in front of the altar – yes Lord.
I did what He asked me to do.
Then, He said, anybody who has terminal disease in the congregation should come to the altar and touch altar that he would heal them.
Well, I did not know there was somebody there who had just received a message on her phone that her mother who had been in hospital had died.
She was in the midst of the convention and she looked at the picture of the dead mother and said: haa! well! God had just said miracles will happen now to those who come to the altar.
Mama is there but the picture is here.
She took the picture of the mother and laid on the altar; travelled down to her town the following morning, got to the hospital to discover that Mama had come back to life.
That is just one of many many testimonies.
I know there are some people they might not be many who will be willing to sell everything they have if God can just give them the ability to raise the dead.
Is anybody like that here at all?
Stand on your feet and lift your voice to the Almighty God and say: Father, please here me loud and clear, I prefer anointing to money.
Go ahead talk to the Almighty God.
Tell Him, I prefer anointing to money. I prefer the ability to raise the dead, ability to heal the sick, ability to make the blind see, ability to make the barren fruitful, I prefer; I prefer anointing to money. I prefer anointing to money. I prefer, I prefer spiritual prosperity to material prosperity, Lord God Almighty I prefer. I prefer anointing. I prefer anointing to money; so, give me anointing. Pour fresh oil me. Anoint me like never before. Anoint me like never before. Prosper me Lord. Prosper me mightily. Prosper me spiritually. I prefer anointing to money. I prefer spiritual wellbeing to material wellbeing. I want true prosperity. Thank You Father.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
And you receive it in Jesus’ name.
Please be seated.
Let me begin to round up.
WHAT DO I DO TO PROSPER? – I am talking of True Prosperity now.
Thank You Father
Amen and amen.
The Lord says there is someone listening to me right now, He said because I will stand by you, nobody will be able to subdue.
Thank You Father.
So, if anybody is trying to subdue you, the fellow is wasting his time.
Glory be to God.
Okay now
What do I do to prosper?
1). Since it is God who give the power to get wealth – Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 18: wisdom tells us that you should put God first in everything.
Put Him first. He is the One who give the power to get wealth.
He is the One who give the power to get money.
Money belong to Him – silver is His; gold is His; the thousands of cattle used belong to Him; the earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof – put in first in all things
That is while in Proverbs chapter 3 verse 9 to 11 (again from Solomon, you can learn from this man); Proverbs 3 verse 9 to 11: he said honour the Lord with your substance and with the first fruit of all your increase.
Put Him first.
Don’t struggle with Him with your first fruit.
He knows ways that you don’t know – He knows.
Put Him first.
2.) Don’t play games with Him.
Malachi chapter 3 verse 8 to 11: when He says bring all tithes into my house, He did say, half of the tithe. He did not ask you to spend half of the tithe in doing something else in the house of God.
He said, no no, you will bring all the tithes; bring it 100percent – all the tithes.
Some of us we say, well, I am going to the church; so, I used part of the tithe for transportation.
Or I give part of the tithe towards the church building; it’s God’s work – don’t play games with Him.
There is a different part between tithe and offering.
Like someone said in days when the people in charge of our electricity called NEPA, I don’t know what the call them again, the names keep changing but the result seems to be the same.
He said, suppose NEPA come to read your meter and they put there that you are owing them hundred naira; and you took the hundred naira in those days when the naira was strong, and you are going to pay.
And on the way, you saw the NEPA poll that fell down; and so you use fifty naira to help them raise up the poll; so you get to the place where you are going to pay and say: well, your money is hundred but I have helped you to use fifty…
What will they do to your light?
They cut it off.
Don’t play games with God – don’t play games with Him.
3). Study His word – Mediate!
Joshua chapter 1 verse 7 to 8: make Bible study part and parcel of your life.
Some of you don’t go to digging deep where we dig deep in the word of God.
Some of you don’t go to Sunday School; you say Sunday School is for children.
If you say Sunday School is for children – who are you?
Are you an adult? – in the hand of the One who had been before the mountains where brought forth.
The One who had been from everlasting to everlasting
In the hand of God we are all children.
There is nobody here who is hundred years old! That is while we are called Children of God not Adults of God.
How many children of God are here – let me hear you shout hallelujah
Study the word of God – meditate.
Every time there is an opportunity to study the word, be there.
Be there at the house fellowship.
Be there is the Sunday School.
Be there in the digging deep.
Study the word because He said to Joshua, if you study My word, you will make your way prosperous.
4). Then, obey Him completely.
One of the reasons He asked you to study is so that you will discover what He wants and then you go ahead and do it.
Deuteronomy 28 verse 1 to 2, 11 to 13: He says if you will harken diligently (– harken diligently!) to the voice of the Lord your God to observe and to do all that He commands you; He said, blessings will follow you and over take you; you will be running from blessing, blessings will be following; He said you will never borrow, you will be lending to nations
That is what He said.
He does not make sense that you will be lending to nations, because many at times will look at our self as pure.
Today by the grace of God, the Redeemed Christian Church of God is in more than 190 nations of the world and we are lending to nations – lending to nations; buying churches; building schools in nations of the world
I have always told them; don’t let me ever hear you say that Nigeria is poor.
As far as I am concern, the God of Nigeria is wealthy – we are not poor because we are lending to nations.
But you need to obey Him.
Many at times His instructions are difficult to obey but obey
You just do what he says and leave the rest to Him.
I have told you the story of what happen when we are building the very first auditorium by the express way and we came to roofing the place and I needed seventeen thousand naira – seventeen thousand naira was a powerful amount of money then, it can roof a whole auditorium 100meters by 50meters.
And one of my Pastors was building a house for people in his own area; he needed one thousand naira to roof his own auditorium or his own house.
I had one thousand naira with me and he came; I don’t know how he knew I had money and he said Daddy please, I need one thousand to roof my residence for my people.
I was upset.
I need seventeen thousand, I have only one and you want to collect the one! I said, if you don’t get out of my office?
He got up and began to run.
And go spoke to me and said give him the one thousand.
If I did not know His voice I would have said get behind me Satan.
But He is the One who spoke, you must obey – obeying Him is not always easy.
I called the fellow back and gave him the one thousand, and he began to jump and gallop away.
I said, it is not your fault. Your problem is solved, I am back to zero.
And God said, son, why are you grumbling?
There were two problems; I used you to solve one; there is only one problem left.
And it was not long before the end of the day when somebody came all the way from Port Harcourt and said, I have just collected my house rent and God said I should take it to you complete.
And she brought me…, I am sure you can guess the amount – seventeen thousand naira.
Obey Him and leave the rest to Him.
Obey Him completely; He will cause you to prosper.
5.) And then, seek Him diligently.
Seek God not money.
Hebrews 11 verse 6 says: He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Seek God! Seek God in every possible way.
6.) And then of course, keep sowing.
Ecclesiastes chapter 11 verse 6 says: in the morning sow your seed; in the evening sow your seed, don’t withhold your hand because you don’t know which one is going to bring forth the greatest fruit – just keep sowing.
7.) And then, keep building His kingdom. Just keep building His kingdom.
Zachariah chapter 1 verse 17: God said My cities, My kingdom, shall yet be built through prosperity. He will prosper those who are committed to the building His kingdom; to doing the work of God.
If you hear that there is something to be done for God, they want to be partakers – that’s how the doors open.
I have told you of a small boy several years ago at Ebute-Mette, every Sunday, I don’t know how he manage to convinced the mother.
Mother will give him one naira, he will come to me and said Daddy, this is for you and he would say, one day I will buy you a plane.
I will look at the small boy and said, amen.
Years passed, and I met the boy in London and he came to me and said, I am sure you dint remember?
I said, I am not quite sure because he has grown.
He said, I am the boy who use to give you one one naira every Sunday.
Oh! My friend! I look for you, I did not see you. I did not know you have gone to London.
He said, there is a car outside; I am not able to buy a plane yet but there is a car outside and it is for you and it is brand new Mercedes Benz car.
If you want to the work of God, He will provide the means.
If you want to work for Him, He will supply what you need.
Let us stand on our feet and pray one more prayer before I give the altar call.
Lift your voice to Him and say: Father, everything I need to serve You, give it to me.
Go ahead talk to the Almighty God.
Everything I need to serve You, give it to me. If I have the money, I will spend it for You Lord, give me the money. If you make me healthy I will run for You. if You give me joy, Your joy will be in my strength, I will serve You with that strength. Everything I need to serve You Father, give unto me; give unto me; give unto me O Lord. Everything I need to serve You Father, give unto me, give unto me and I will serve You Lord; I will serve You. everything I need to serve You – the money I need, give it to me; the health I need, give it to me; everything I need to serve Lord God Almighty, give it to me; give it unto me. I will serve You, I will build Your kingdom, everything I need to serve, give unto me, give unto me. Thank You Almighty.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Amen.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
You may please be seated; I am about to conclude now.
As I have told you the story before; some of you know the fellow who came to me and said Daddy pray for me: I want to be one of the three people who will sponsor the convention next year.
I said, really!
He said, yes.
I said, good!
So, I prayed; and then he left.
A week later, he came running;
Daddy, I asked you to pray so that I can sponsor the convention; I got to my place of work today and they sack me.
I laughed.
You are going to sponsor the convention on your salary!
You know how much it cost to feed these thousands upon thousands upon thousands upon thousands people.
I said, God has shut a door, so that He can open another.
God has found a Treasurer and He wants to open doors.
Within a year, he was one of the three that paid for the convention.
When God finds somebody who wants to work for Him, He makes the means available.
I am praying for someone here today that even before the end of July, you will come to me and say, Daddy, I want sponsor the convention.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
Oh thank You Daddy.
Listen carefully, because we will hear your testimony.
The Lord says He will give someone an unusual breakthrough this month. He said, it will be so unusual, you yourself will know that this cannot be human. But He asked me to tell you: 50percent of it is yours; 50percent belong to Him. And listen to me carefully, He said, if you are faithful in what He is about to do, He will open other doors. If you are not faithful, it will be one time miracle.
So take note; don’t say I did not tell you.
Now, 3John verse 2 says: I wish above all things… (above how many things? – all things) that you prosper and be in health as your souls prospers. That is the word of God.
And the Bible says: forever O Lord thy word is settled.
The word of God cannot change.
If that is the only passage in the Bible on prosperity, anyone of us who is not prospering properly should be able to go to God and say, God, what is going on here?
You said in Your word: I wish above all things that I prosper; (two) that I be in health.
Do you know anytime I have any physical challenge…; now I can thank God because there had been only two challenges since forty three years – not bad;
But I go to God and say: God, what is going on because according to Your word – I am to prosper, I am to be in health.
I want you to say it loud and clear: poverty is not my portion.
Say it as if you mean it.
Say it one more time.
And with the same conviction, say it loud and clear, sickness is not my portion.
Say that.
Let every sickness, every ache in your body…; – sickness is not my portion.
It is not because God is not a liar!
Bible says, let all men be liar but let God be true.
The word of God is forever settled.
He said I wish above all things, above all things that you prosper and be in health.
The only condition He has is ‘as your soul prosper’.
When I have financial challenges, I turn to the Almighty God, what am I doing wrong; what am I doing wrong.
Am I not obeying You; am I not obeying You fully?
Why am I sick?
Why do I need to suffer pain?
What is wrong?
You may say, no Daddy, you are spiritualizing everything…
Please allow me.
When you are born of God, you are a spirit – everything should be spiritualized.
Father we serve is a spirit; God is a spirit.
A child of a spirit is what? …a spirit.
The Bible says: as many that are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God.
You may not believe it but that is the way I live my own live.
If I am walking and I accidentally strike my leg against a stone, I stop.
What is going on Lord?
Because it is written: He shall give charge His Angels concerning me (I don’t know about you o); they will bear me in my hands so that I won’t strike my foot against a stone. – it is in the word.
So, when it happens, I stop to pray: God, is there a danger ahead? Or is there something wrong somewhere in my life?
So, if I am not prospering – why?
If I am sick – why?
I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health.
And do you know my beloveth children, “it is whatever you tolerate that will stay”.
How many of you will say: no more poverty?
Say it very well.
Say it as if you mean it.
And in the same manner say: no more sickness; because as He hears in His ears will He do.
As thy soul prosper
So beloveth, let us examine ourselves.
In what areas have we been failing God?
In what areas have we been playing games with God?
In what areas have we been putting ourselves before God?
Somebody said to me not too long ago; he said Daddy, I cannot understand how you could have problems building the new auditorium? He said, I cannot understand?
I said, what do you mean?
He said with all these your children?
He said, if all these your children are even given you just hundred naira a month towards that work, he said the work would have been easier.
I said God love a cheerful giver.
He said, I know you have more than two hundred Pastors and Deacons and Deaconesses – more than two hundred thousand
I said that is true.
He said, if all your Ministers give a thousand naira a month, the work would be easier.
I said that is true but God loves a cheerful giver.
In what areas are you playing games with God?
Give the power to get wealth.
Let me tell you the truth: He also reserves the power to withdraw wealth.
I must tell you the whole truth.
I tell you one more story and I close.
It is story that you have heard before some of you.
A young man came to me and says, Daddy came for me, I need a breakthrough.
I said, okay, that is alright; and we prayed.
And he came excited: Daddy you won’t believe it.
I said try me.
A man had called me, he told me he wants to sell his house in Lagos; it has thirteen flats; and he asked me to pay him so much – it does not matter how much I sell it, just go and sell it and pay me so much.
I said, congratulations, this is the breakthrough we have been waiting for.
I said, if there are thirteen flats, that means you will one flat to the church.
He said, why?
I said, I am thinking of tithe now!
And since we cannot have one-point-three (1.3) house; at least one flat…
He said, that is the problem with you Pastors; you are only interested in what you can get
I said, haa! please!
He became so angry and left my office.
Then he found a buyer for the house and went to the owner: sir, I have somebody who will buy the house; where do you want me to pay your money – your account.
That one said which house?
Haa! the house you asked me to sell.
He said, I asked you to sell my house?
He said yes. You asked me to sell the house for so much…
The man said, whoever did the charm for you had failed.
If you don’t get out of my place I will get you arrested.
He ran back to me and said Daddy…
I said, ehen! Ehen! Don’t get me involved.
You want to play games with God, go and deal with Him; leave me out of the show.
Stop playing games with God; He knows you.
When it is offering time, He knows what you are worth and He knows what you are giving.
He is not a beggar.
I have always told people, before you came to the church, God has been building His church and He will keep on building it.
You did not buy the chair you are seating on; somebody paid for it.
Don’t play games with one who has the power to make you prosper.
And then to crown it all, there are many of you we asked to surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you are withholding your life from the One who made heaven and earth, from the One who made you.
You think you are clever.
Some of you think you don’t need Him; you are too big to surrender to Jesus Christ.
Is like I have always said, there are many of you who say you don’t believe in miracles; you will believe when you need one.
When the Doctors tells you, there is nothing more we can do; you will believe in miracles then.
But, must you wait till the time of trouble before you surrender your life to your maker!
So, if you are here tonight or you are listening to me anywhere in the world and you want to surrender your life to Jesus Christ…; if you are in your living room, you will stand up and let God know that you are standing up to surrender your life to Him.
But, if you are here, come forward. I can see that there is quiet a crowd outside there, so, I am going to count from one to fifteen.
Before I say fifteen, if you want to give your life to Jesus, come.
I am counting now
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, If you are already on the way, just keep on coming; fourteen,
Now, those of us who are already in front and those of you who are on the way, talk to the Lord; pray that the Almighty God will save your soul. Tell Him you have come to surrender your life to Him and ask Him to have mercy on you.
The rest of us please let us stretch our hands towards these people and pray for them; intercede for them for two minute that God will have mercy on them that he will save their souls that he will forgive all their sins and give them a brand new beginning.
Let us pray for them brethren.
And those of you in front talk to the Almighty God now for about a minute or two. Ask Him to be merciful unto you. Tell Him you have come to surrender your life to Him. Tell Him to please forgive all your sins and save your souls.
And let the Counselors please come and attend to the people here.
Counselors, God bless you; please come.
Please let us intercede for them for just one more minute: asking God to be merciful unto these people; forgive all their sins and wash them clean in His blood.
Pray that God will give them a brand new beginning – a brand new beginning Lord. Because if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things have passed away, all things have become new,
Hurry up those of you who are still on the way; hurry up, I am about to pray now for the salvation of this people.
Come, come quickly.
Thank You Father.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Saviour I thank You. I thank You for Your word and I thank You for these people that have come forward to surrendered their lives to You, Father, you promised whosoever will come unto You, You will in no wise cast out; they have come to You now Father, please receive them in Jesus’ name; have mercy on them; save their soul; forgive all their sins; let Your blood wash them clean; write their names in the book of life; and don’t let them ever backslide. Please from now on, anytime they call on You, answer them by fire. Thank You my Father and my God.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Amen.
Now, those of you in front let me hear shout hallelujah.
Okay!
I am rejoicing with you and I want to promise you that from now on by the grace of God I will be praying for you. So, I need your names, your address, and your prayer requests.
The Counselors will give you a card which I want you to feel very quickly and then return it to them.
Just fill in your name, your address and your prayer requests; and I promise you, I will be praying for you.
Now, while these people are busy filling their cards; the rest of us let us talk to God: you know the areas in which you have been failing God, ask for forgiveness; ask Him to give you another opportunity to begin to serve Him wholeheartedly like never before. Maybe you have been cheating Him – in your tithes or playing games with your offering or you have not been obeying him completely, you have not been winning souls, you have not been witnessing, you have not been studying His word the way you should, whatever it is that you have not been doing right, ask God for forgiveness and reach a new resolution that from now on you will begin to serve God wholeheartedly; that you will be hundred percent involved in the building of His kingdom. - Just for few minutes while we are waiting for our brothers to finish filling their cards.
Before I pray for you we are going to do two things:
One: you are going to pray for me because I believe God answers the prayer of the Disciples;
And then, you are going to pray for yourself; and then, I will pray for you.
In praying for yourself, you are going to base your prayer on one question that Jesus Christ asked the Disciples before he left them.
He said, all the days I have been with you, did you lack anything?
So, when it is time for you pray, you are going to tell God: I am your disciple, I shouldn’t lack – that will be your own prayer for yourself.
In the meantime, I want you to pray for me and say: Father, like never before, give Your son the power to prosper.
Go ahead and pray.
Thank You Lord. Thank You Father.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Almighty God will answer your prayers.
Now, you lift your voice to Him and say: Father, I am Your Disciple, dint let me lack.
Go ahead talk to the Almighty God.
I am Your disciple, I am Your disciple O Lord, don’t let me lack. Almighty God, I am Your disciple, I am Your disciple, don’t let me lack. Your Disciples never lack, don’t let me lack. I am Your disciple Lord, I should not lack; don’t let me lack. I am Your disciple don’t let me lack, don’t let me lack. Thank You Father. Don’t let me lack Lord, I am Your disciple. I am Your disciple, don’t let me ever lack. Thank You Father.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Pastor E. A. Adeboye
11. Beware! (That is a warning) Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12. Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; [(that verse is very comforting verse) – it means you are going to eat, you are going to be full. It means you are going to build good houses; it means you are going to dwell therein.]
13. And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; {(isn’t that wonderful?) – your herds and your flocks shall multiply; your silver and your gold shall multiply, and all you shall multiply.}
{Then He said, Beware! When all these things have happened}
14. Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; {He said, be careful! Be careful! Prosperity can be dangerous}
15. (Don’t forget the One) Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16. Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17. (Beware! So that) And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish His covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
You are going to prosper.
I did not hear your amen.
It is a decree from the Lord.
If you are true child of God, you are going to prosper; there is nothing you are going to do about it.
Whether the devil likes it or not, you are going to prosper
Whether you say amen or not, you are going to prosper.
But there are two kinds of prosperity.
True Prosperity; and
False Prosperity
Proverbs chapter 10 verse 22 says: the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and added no sorrow – that is true prosperity.
Proverbs chapter 1 verse 32 says: the prosperity of fools shall destroy them – that is false prosperity.
Because Jeremiah 17 verse 11 says: even as the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so those getteth wealth by wicked means, shall leave them in the middle of their days, and at his end shall be a fool.
There is True Prosperity; there is False Prosperity. And thank God, my son who spoke before me had given you a very thorough definition of Prosperity – making my job easy.
You see, True Prosperity is not made up having a lot of money alone: definitely it includes money (and I am coming to explain that you in a moment) but it also includes contentment.
It includes: good health.
It includes freedom.
It includes fruitfulness
It includes joy.
It includes peace of mind.
It includes spiritual wellbeing …
…just to mention a few.
But because we always have limited time; Let us go straight to some of the elements that combine together to form true prosperity.
If we are to talk like a Mathematician, we would say, True Prosperity is a function of: Money, contentment, good health, peace of mind, joy, etcetera etcetera.
Let us start with Money: money is essential; it is essential that you have it because poverty can destroy; - and destroy and prosperity they do not go together.
Proverbs chapter 10 verse 15 says: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. I think I have mentioned this one before years ago.
The elders have a saying: a poor man went to the oracle man and said make me a charm so that I can become rich.
The oracle man says okay, you must make a sacrifice – go and bring a goat for the sacrifice.
But because he was poor, he went and brought a rat.
So, the oracle man made a charm with the rat and his poverty increased.
So, the elder have the saying: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
The oracle asked for a goat, he produced a rat.
Poverty can destroy.
Ecclesiastes chapter 10 verse 19 says money answereth all things.
Well, I think “all” there could be qualified.
But there is a lot of things that money can do. And I think I have told you before – I have a saying that when a rich man is speaking, nobody checks the grammar.
They don’t want to know whether the grammar is correct or not.
I remember years ago, we were having a fund raising before I was born-again and they were suggesting names for Chairman of the fund raising occasion and somebody suggested the name of a Professor and the people said, haa! is it grammar that we are talking about!
God have mercy on Professors.
Poverty can be bondage.
Proverbs chapter 22 verse 7 says: the rich rule over the poor and the borrower is a servant to the lender. It is a terrible thing to borrow.
And I decree in the Name that is above every other name, every one of you in debt God will help you pay; and you will never borrow again.
Let me repeat that one – in the Name that is every other name you will never borrow again.
In 2Kings chapter 4 verse 1 to 7: a widow was in debt; the creditors came and said, if you don’t pay before tomorrow, we will sell your children
Poverty is a terrible thing.
Thank God, God intervened.
I don’t know about you but I refuse to be poor.
Say it loud and clear.
I remember 1959, I was staying with my uncle somewhere in Ilesha; and my Uncle travelled and the Landlord came and my Uncle had not pay his rent because of poverty.
And he said I want my money.
My Uncle is not at home, I am not the one who rented the house.
He said I don’t want to know.
Get out of my house.
Haa! please; let my uncle come.
He said, I say get out of my house.
And he began to curse me as if I was the one owing.
Called me all manners of names: onigbese; oloriburuku; …
That is why when God gave the opportunity to graduate, I made up my mind, the first thing I would do before I buy a car…
They were given cars to graduate in those days; I say I don’t want a car, I want a house of my own.
Stand on your feet; lift your voice to the Almighty God and say: Father, don’t let me die poor.
Come on! Lift your voice to the Almighty God.
Please Lord, don’t let me die poor, don’t let me die poor, don’t let me die poor. Please Lord God Almighty, have mercy on me, don’t let me die poor. Don’t let me die poor. Don’t let me die poor Lord God Almighty. Don’t let me die poor, poverty is a destroyer, it can destroy. Borrower is a servant to the lender, Lord God Almighty don’t let me die poor. Have mercy on me; have mercy on me. Eradicate poverty in my family; eradicate poverty in my family, please Lord, don’t let me die poor. Have mercy on me Lord. Have mercy on me; please don’t let me die poor. Don’t let me die poor have mercy on me, have mercy on me. Don’t let me die poor Father, have mercy on me. Somehow, one way or the other, help me so that I don’t die poor, don’t let me die poor. Don’t let me die poor Lord. Thank You Father. Thank You Almighty
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
And so shall it be in Jesus’ name.
Let us be seated.
I don’t want to be spending too much time talking about poverty – you already understand that poverty is not good.
I have heard some stories that make my heart bleed.
My wife was telling a story she heard of someone who was preparing amala – preparing food, somewhere in Osun State.
And the woman went inside to go and get something from the house.
By the time she came back, the amala was gone.
And somebody who was watching from another house beacon to her and said go to that house.
She got to the house, she found out the woman with her children already eating the amala with water.
Don’t tell me poverty is good
That woman did not want to steal; but she was dying of hunger, the children were dying of hunger
I have heard of stories that… oh God!
In the Name that is above every other name, poverty will not kill you.
I mean you must have heard stories yourself of how somebody was taken to the hospital and for hours they wouldn’t threat him because they couldn’t find the money to pay the deposit – and finally he died.
Poverty is a killer - Don’t glamorize poverty at all, it is not a good thing.
But, True Prosperity is not money alone. Very important aspect of True Prosperity is contentment.
Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 10 says: those who love silver will not be satisfied with silver; those who love gold will not be satisfied with gold.
Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 11 says: even as good increase those who will consume it will increase. So the man who is gathering the goods together will only see it with his eyes.
Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 12 and it is interesting, Ecclesiastes is written by Solomon, one of the richest men who ever lived; he said the sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he ate little or much. But the abundance of the rich will not allow in to sleep.
The poor man who left Mushin for Lagos by 5:00am and return home by 9:00pm to soak garri and with groundnut. And then because he stayed in a room and a parlor with his wife and five or seven children; maybe occasionally he had to spread a mat on the floor – before he hit the ground he was asleep.
And yet there is the man who is sleeping on a water bed, electrically controlled, and he will be tossing here and there for hours without sleep because he is thinking whether somebody is stealing his money; or whether the trailer has not return from the North.
The abundance of the rich will rob him of sleep.
Not only that.
1Timothy chapter 6 verse 6 says: godliness with contentment is great gain – great gain.
You know, Solomon prayed a prayer; you will be amazed that the prayer came from Solomon.
Proverbs chapter 30 verse 8 and 9: he said God give me neither poverty nor riches (I said, hey! Solo!)
And he gave the reason: he said, lest I have too much and I begin to deny You; or I have too little and I steal.
Contentment is great gain.
May be I just remind you; you have heard the story before; I had to you before; when I had to stay overnight in the house of one very very wealthy man, friends; and it was breakfast time and the cook came to him and said what will you have for breakfast?
And he began to ask what did I eat yesterday?
The Cook told him.
What about the day before?
To cut the long story short, finally, he decided that he will eat bread and egg.
And then the Cook said, how do you want the egg?
Scrambled?
Fried?
Scotched?
Boiled?
After scratching his head for quite a long while asking when was the last time I ate boiled…
Finally he decided on cooked-boiled egg.
And the Cook said, how do you want it boiled?
Half boiled?
Medium boiled?
And he decided after a lot of thinking – medium boiled.
And the Cook said, how many minute in hot water?
Haa!
Thirty minutes to decide what to have for breakfast.
And me I was seating down hungry; and the Cook turn to me, Sir, what would you like?
I said everything you have done, just make it plenty!
I don’t have that kind of money but God be praised; I have a very good appetite.
Stand on your feet, lift your voice to the Almighty God and say: Father, don’t let me lack but give me contentment.
Go ahead talk to the Almighty God.
Give me contentment. Give me contentment. Give me contentment. Give me contentment Almighty God. Let me know what it is to be contented. Give me contentment. Give me contentment. Give me contentment Lord; let me know what is called contentment. Don’t let me lack, let me know contentment. Give me contentment. Almighty God, give me contentment; let me be content. Give me contentment. Give me contentment. Give me contentment. O Lord, give me contentment. Give me contentment. Let me live my life in contentment; Lord, give me contentment. Father, give me contentment. Thank You Father. Glory be to Your holy name.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
Number three: True Prosperity involves good health.
A lot of money is useless to man who has not got good health.
The devil said it in Job chapter2 verse 4. He said skin for skin; everything a man has he will give for good health if he can just get good health – take the money, give me good health.
Neman was a wealthy man but he was leper.
If you read 2Kings chapter 5 and you read from verse 1 to 16 and you zero-in on verse 5 there; you will see what he brought when he was coming, think he could by healing.
The Bible said he brought ten talents of silver – that was a lot of money. He brought six thousand pieces of gold and he brought ten changes of raiment – a lot of money; millions in any currency – because he had money but he did not have good health.
And then, Solomon said something again and love people who want to know true prosperity especially Solomon.
Ecclesiastes chapter 6 verse 2: he said, if man has everything, but he is unable to eat thereof, he said, that is an evil disease.
You have plenty of food, plenty of money, plenty of cloth, plenty of everything but you cannot even eat – he said that is an evil disease – I agree with him.
He said in Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 19: he says any man that God has given wealth and given the power to eat thereof, he said that is a gift from God.
In order words, I don’t just want to have plenty of money and not be able to eat thereof.
I remember a friend of mine that I tried very hard to convert but he wouldn’t yield – he was one of the wealthiest men in Nigeria who had ever live. By the time he died he had Two Hundred and Fifty Six million Dollars in faraway Australia; not to talk of America, Britain; Swaziland; faraway Australia - Two Hundred and Fifty Six million Dollars.
And yet the only food he can eat is milk.
He cannot eat any other thing other than drink milk.
And there was a joker who was talking something and says that the reason God is using Pastor Adeboye is because of his name Enoch.
He said, he is the original Enoch who came back.
And that fellow says, he cannot be the original Enoch who came back…he can be eating pounded yam
He said haa! Have you ever see him eat pounded yam?
When I heard it I laughed.
You think I don’t eat?
Invite me to your house.
Prepare some solid pounded yam; get a very good combination okro; make sure there is plenty of bush meat, and chicken, and fish, and turkey; you won’t have to go to any church before you see the glory of God.
Right there in your dining room, a mountain will become a valley.
Stand on your feet; and lift your voice to the Almighty God and say: Father, from now on let me enjoy good health.
Common open your mouth.
Let me enjoy good health, good health; so that whatever you give me, I would be able to partake of it – give me good health. Give me good health Lord, so that I can eat anything I want to eat. Give me good health. Give me good health. What is the use of having a lot of money if I cannot eat, give me good health Lord, give me good health. Give me good health Lord God Almighty so that I can eat anything. Give me good health so that whatever you provide for me I can enjoy it, Father, give me a good health; give me a good health. Give me good health O Lord, give me good health. I don’t want ache, I don’t want pain, I don’t want the situation the food will be there I won’t even be able to eat, Lord give me good health. Let me enjoy good health for the rest of my life. I want to enjoy good health for the rest of my life. Good health O Lord. Good health O Lord. Good health, so that I can eat, I can enjoy myself; so that whatever You provide for me, I will be able to enjoy it – Father, please give me a good health. Give good health. Give me good health O Lord. Thank You Jesus. Give me good health Lord.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
Please be seated.
True Prosperity includes Freedom.
Of what use is wealth to man who is in prison: whether physical prison; or mental prison; or spiritual prison.
I have seen rich people who suffer from memory loss.
They cannot even remember the names of their wives.
They look at their children, they cannot even recognize and there is plenty of money.
One of them was speaking to another and he said, she saw herself seating on the bed, and she cannot remember: do I want to sleep or have I just woken up; and yet there is plenty of money.
Money that does not come with freedom is of no use.
Remember on Judge was sentencing a thief to imprisonment.
He said I know you stole this money and you have hiding it somewhere; he said I will sent you to prison for so long that by the time you come out the money will be useless to you.
Freedom!
Nebuchadnezzar was rich, he was a king – Daniel chapter 4, you can read the whole story from verse 1 to 37 (Daniel 4 from verse 1 to 37).
He built a whole city that was… the city he built was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
But for seven years, he was walking about naked – of what use was the money to him then.
Or king Saul – 1Samuel chapter 16 verse 14
Thank You Father
The Lord says there is someone here tonight; He said I should tell you: just hold on, I am never too late.
1Samuel 16 verse 14: king Saul was a king, but a demon was tormenting him.
As a king, he has plenty of money; there was a lot of cloth – anything a king could have, he had – but he had no freedom; he was in mental bondage.
Now, one of the biggest problems with wealth in the text we read, Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 11 to 14, is that wealth can produce pride.
Rich people can become proud if they are not careful; and if pride comes, it brings divine resistance; it bring divine resistance
James chapter 4 verse 6 it says, God resists the proud.
I have told you the story before.
An in-law of mine, very wealthy man; each time we went to see him, we would preach Jesus to him.
And then, on one occasion we went to preach to him as usual and he said to me: in-law! I said sir.
He said follow me.
I said yes sir.
And he took me round his great mansion, and that mansion was great.
And he should me freezers upon freezers.
In some freezers: frozen fried turkey.
In another: frozen fried lamb;
In another: all manners of food
By the time we went through the whole house, we came back to the living room, he said to me: in-law! I said sir
He said, you have Jesus?
I said yes sir
He said, do you have all these?
I said no sir
He said, go and talk to the poor – they are the one who need Jesus I don’t need Him.
I said yes sir.
And some of you heard the story before.
Six month later, I was still a lecturer at the University of Lagos then, six month later I returned from the campus to see my in-law or somebody who look like my in-law in my living room.
The rosy chick had collapsed; everything looking gone
I said in-law!
He said, yes it is me.
Haa!
What happen?
The Accountant; the Internal Auditor; and I think the Secretary, colluded, they got him to sign a check. The check was signed, I think I was ten million pounds – it was those days of pounds; and then they added one zero
And because the three of them who would share the something where together; they check everything through, they collected the money and they left the country.
When the fraud was detected, they brought the thing – Sir, this is your signature!
It is mine well!
Now, the point is not just getting the money, it is that he is on his way to prison.
So, he said, I have come in-law that you pray for me
I said pray for you?
I said haa! In whose name?
He said in the name of Jesus.
Haa!
I thought you don’t need him?
He said that was then – this is now.
Well, you know the rest of the story.
When I asked him to give his life to Jesus now, I don’t have to preach long.
When a man has wisdom, he will chose freedom above wealth.
I tell just one more story and then you will pray – just one more story – you have heard it before too.
There was this man in the city of Ibadan years years ago; somebody brought him and said, I want you to pray for me, I have not been able to sleep for thirty minutes in more than two years.
Pray for me so that I can begin to sleep like every normal people.
He said I have fourteen houses in Ibadan; I will give all of them to you, just pray that I will be able to sleep.
Those of you who can sleep, you don’t know what you are enjoying.
Those of you who can sleep easily while don’t you shout hallelujah to God.
I told him course, if you give your life to Jesus let me pray for you and everything will be alright; I don’t need you fourteen houses, I want to be able to sleep normally.
What is wealth, if does not come with freedom!
Freedom to do what normal people do; freedom to be able to sleep when you want to sleep, wake up when you want to wake up; eat what you want to eat, not afraid when people say happy new year because happy new year to you means another year of covenant between you and the devil as gone.
God is reminding me to tell you one other story because I don’t know some of these stories come to some people – they mean much more even than the sermon.
Some of the older ones here will remember a man who came to Ebute-Metta years ago and he said please pray for me – I enter into a covenant with the devil to give me wealth and come back for my soul after seven years; and they gave me something to swallow and I swallowed the thing and the thing is biting me from inside; I have two weeks more now to go.
We prayed a simple prayer, he vomited the thing - we all rejoiced
For some time he was coming to church; after some time we did not see him again. And we decide to do a follow up.
Haa! brother what happen? We did not see you again?
He said, they told me that I swallowed the other one wrongly.
You mean you swallowed another one?
He swallowed another one, and money began to come.
When it was almost seven years to come to pass, he decided that the demons in Nigeria will not be able to handle him if he runs to London.
So, he took a ticket and began to go to London.
He died on the plane.
Stand on your feet; you are going to cry to the Almighty God and say: Father, the kind of wealth that will put me in bondage don’t give it to me.
The kind of wealth that will put me in bondage, don’t give it to me, Almighty God, don’t let it come near me at all. That kind of wealth that will put me in bondage, I don’t want it Lord. Don’t give me the kind of wealth that will put me in bondage; don’t give me that kind of wealth. I don’t want to be in bondage, I want to be able to be free – free to go out; free to come in; free to sleep; free to wake up; the kind of wealth that will put me in bondage, I don’t want it. The kind of wealth that I will see a police man coming and I will be afraid, I don’t want that kind of wealth. The kind of wealth that I will be afraid that one day they will discover my secret, Lord, I don’t want that kind of wealth. That kind of wealth that will put me in bondage, I don’t want it Lord. I want true prosperity Lord; I don’t want bondage, I don’t want bondage. Thank You Father. Thank You Father. And if I am in bondage already set me free Lord, set me free, I don’t want to remain in bondage. I don’t want any form of bondage at all: physical, mental; spiritual; I don’t want bondage, I preferred freedom Lord, I preferred freedom; I preferred freedom.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
If any of you is in bondage, you shall be free tonight in Jesus’ name.
Please be seated.
The next item that will make True Prosperity is something called Joy
The important of joy in true prosperity is highlighted in Proverbs chapter 10 verse 22: the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and added no sorrow with it. That means there are riches that will come with sorrow – deep sorrow.
Among the elder, they say that if you look at the bottom of wealth, you will see dreads.
In orders, they are saying some of the people who are wealthy; they have secrets they won’t even be able to talk about.
And so, the fact that you see some people looking gorgeous does not mean that all means well.
Somebody said once, that is the reason some people go…, I don’t mean I believe him completely; but he said some people go from air condition car to air condition office to air condition bedroom, is because there is a lot fire burning under them.
That may be true.
Some of them have problem they cannot even share.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the blessing that God will give you will be without sorrow.
Because sorrow is a killer: Proverbs 15:13 says sorrow can break your spirit.
Proverbs 17 verse 22 says a merry heart doeth good like medicine but a broken spirit dried the bones.
Sorrow is a terrible thing.
When you look at Mathew chapter 2 verse 1 to 11, you will see the importance of joy.
Mather 2 verse 1 to 11 talks about wise men who came from the East; (if we are to believe Bible Scholars, they travelled for two years); loaded with wealth seeking Jesus.
When they found him they rejoice with exceeding great joy. They had money but they are looking for joy.
I can tell you stories upon stories of people who were wealthy but they are living in sorrow
Just one will do; probably you have heard it before.
I was invited by eminent personalities to come and preach in some of the secluded areas of Lagos (I don’t want to mention the place)
And while the people where gathering there , they asked me to go and seat down in the living room while the people are gathering at the backyard and I am talking of one of those places where the moment you enter the gate, you forget that you are in Nigeria.
I am telling you.
Everything so beautiful – I mean…
When I got into the living room where I was seated, I saw there were five various sitting rooms – one leading to the other in ascending other of splendor.
I am telling you I have seen houses; that was beautiful.
So, I was going to talk on “a God of Miracles”
I began to think, I better change my topic.
I wanted to change my to “O that man would praise the Lord”
But the Almighty God spoke to me: this family in particular needs miracles desperately.
It was then later on I discover that the lady of house, that beautiful place had one son and that one son was on drugs; not only was he on drugs, when the woman refuse to give him money for drugs he planted drugs in the luggage of the mother when the mother was travelling abroad.
They arrested the woman abroad; but money answereth all things.
It does not matter how much money you have, if your only son is on drugs, you won’t know what is called joy.
That fellow who vomited a charm said that, every year they said happy new, he would say: oh! One year gone.
Whereas, there are people like us here, we don’t have much money but when we say happy New Year, we really rejoice.
Glory be to God.
But the Almighty God can give you prosperity without sorrow – all you have to do is ask Him
Now, I want you to stand on your feet I cry to the Almighty God and say: Father, for the rest of my life, don’t let me know sorrow.
You better pray that prayer, it is very important prayer. Don’t let me know sorrow, please for the rest of my life, is my prayer Lord constantly to you, don’t let me know sorrow, don’t let me know sorrow ever again. Don’t let me know sorrow. Don’t let me know sorrow again for the rest of my live Lord God Almighty. For the rest of my life, don’t let me know sorrow. Don’t let me know sorrow over my children; don’t let me know sorrow over my wife, don’t let me know sorrow in my family, don’t let me know sorrow over Your church; don’t let me know sorrow. Please Lord, don’t let me know sorrow again for the rest of my life. Don’t let me know sorrow again. Keep sorrow far away from me. Keep sorry far away from me. Keep sorrow far away from me. Father, keep sorrow far away from me; keep sorrow far away from me. Thank You Jesus. Keep sorrow far away from me Lord. Keep sorrow far away from me. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Almighty God.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
So shall it be in Jesus.
Please be seated.
Thank You Father.
I want to say amen to this before I tell you.
Because the Lord says there is someone listening to me right now, He said, I won’t let your children suffer the way you did.
I want to say amen to this again too
The Lord says there is some here tonight; He said one day, you family will be counted among the wealthiest in this nation.
That must be me.
Another element of True…
Thank You Father
The Lord says there is some here tonight; he said one day you will be used as an example of all round success.
Another element of True Prosperity is Spiritual wellbeing – Spiritual Prosperity.
In Mark chapter 8 verse 36 says: what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul; of what benefit?
In order words, like somebody tried to analysis; he said, Daddy let us write out this thing down mathematically.
God is saying if you have all the money in America, plus all the money in China, plus all the money in Britain, all the Europe, all the money in Africa, if they all belong to you alone, and you still don’t make it to heaven, you are a loser.
What does it profit a man if he gains what?
…the whole world and loses his soul.
In Philippians chapter 3 verse 7 to 11: Paul said all things that were gain to me, I counted but loss.
Why?
Because I want to know Jesus Christ, I want to know the power of His resurrection.
I want spiritual prosperity.
And when God responded, Acts chapter 19 verse 11 to 12, the Bible says, God performed special miracles by the hand of Paul, so that his body’s handkerchiefs, aprons, were taken to the sick – sickness dispatched from them; demon saw his handkerchiefs coming and they ran.
I told those who are here to attend first section of the disciples’ convention yesterday.
I said, if you have anointing, you don’t even need to seek for money.
Anointing is far far superior to money – far far
I remember quite a few of my friends who thought I was a fool when I decided to go on full time ministering.
A Lecturer in the University, you know how you suffered before you became a lecturer in the University; now you are earning a good salary; you can feed yourself, you can feed your family…; now you are saying you are going on a full time ministry – you are a fool.
I agreed with them – only I am a fool for Jesus.
I have listened to testimonies now that give me so much joy that all the money in the world could not give.
I was in New York few days ago, and we held a Holy Ghost rally there and it think it was in New York; and it was testimony time; and one of the testifier said, he attended the convention, American convention, a year ago.
And during the convention God told me to do something strange; and when he speaks to me I obey, I don’t care whether you believe me or not but I know who is talking to me.
God spoke to me during that convention, He said, son, I want you to remove your shoe, remove your sucks, I want you to walk right in front of the altar – yes Lord.
I did what He asked me to do.
Then, He said, anybody who has terminal disease in the congregation should come to the altar and touch altar that he would heal them.
Well, I did not know there was somebody there who had just received a message on her phone that her mother who had been in hospital had died.
She was in the midst of the convention and she looked at the picture of the dead mother and said: haa! well! God had just said miracles will happen now to those who come to the altar.
Mama is there but the picture is here.
She took the picture of the mother and laid on the altar; travelled down to her town the following morning, got to the hospital to discover that Mama had come back to life.
That is just one of many many testimonies.
I know there are some people they might not be many who will be willing to sell everything they have if God can just give them the ability to raise the dead.
Is anybody like that here at all?
Stand on your feet and lift your voice to the Almighty God and say: Father, please here me loud and clear, I prefer anointing to money.
Go ahead talk to the Almighty God.
Tell Him, I prefer anointing to money. I prefer the ability to raise the dead, ability to heal the sick, ability to make the blind see, ability to make the barren fruitful, I prefer; I prefer anointing to money. I prefer anointing to money. I prefer, I prefer spiritual prosperity to material prosperity, Lord God Almighty I prefer. I prefer anointing. I prefer anointing to money; so, give me anointing. Pour fresh oil me. Anoint me like never before. Anoint me like never before. Prosper me Lord. Prosper me mightily. Prosper me spiritually. I prefer anointing to money. I prefer spiritual wellbeing to material wellbeing. I want true prosperity. Thank You Father.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
And you receive it in Jesus’ name.
Please be seated.
Let me begin to round up.
WHAT DO I DO TO PROSPER? – I am talking of True Prosperity now.
Thank You Father
Amen and amen.
The Lord says there is someone listening to me right now, He said because I will stand by you, nobody will be able to subdue.
Thank You Father.
So, if anybody is trying to subdue you, the fellow is wasting his time.
Glory be to God.
Okay now
What do I do to prosper?
1). Since it is God who give the power to get wealth – Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 18: wisdom tells us that you should put God first in everything.
Put Him first. He is the One who give the power to get wealth.
He is the One who give the power to get money.
Money belong to Him – silver is His; gold is His; the thousands of cattle used belong to Him; the earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof – put in first in all things
That is while in Proverbs chapter 3 verse 9 to 11 (again from Solomon, you can learn from this man); Proverbs 3 verse 9 to 11: he said honour the Lord with your substance and with the first fruit of all your increase.
Put Him first.
Don’t struggle with Him with your first fruit.
He knows ways that you don’t know – He knows.
Put Him first.
2.) Don’t play games with Him.
Malachi chapter 3 verse 8 to 11: when He says bring all tithes into my house, He did say, half of the tithe. He did not ask you to spend half of the tithe in doing something else in the house of God.
He said, no no, you will bring all the tithes; bring it 100percent – all the tithes.
Some of us we say, well, I am going to the church; so, I used part of the tithe for transportation.
Or I give part of the tithe towards the church building; it’s God’s work – don’t play games with Him.
There is a different part between tithe and offering.
Like someone said in days when the people in charge of our electricity called NEPA, I don’t know what the call them again, the names keep changing but the result seems to be the same.
He said, suppose NEPA come to read your meter and they put there that you are owing them hundred naira; and you took the hundred naira in those days when the naira was strong, and you are going to pay.
And on the way, you saw the NEPA poll that fell down; and so you use fifty naira to help them raise up the poll; so you get to the place where you are going to pay and say: well, your money is hundred but I have helped you to use fifty…
What will they do to your light?
They cut it off.
Don’t play games with God – don’t play games with Him.
3). Study His word – Mediate!
Joshua chapter 1 verse 7 to 8: make Bible study part and parcel of your life.
Some of you don’t go to digging deep where we dig deep in the word of God.
Some of you don’t go to Sunday School; you say Sunday School is for children.
If you say Sunday School is for children – who are you?
Are you an adult? – in the hand of the One who had been before the mountains where brought forth.
The One who had been from everlasting to everlasting
In the hand of God we are all children.
There is nobody here who is hundred years old! That is while we are called Children of God not Adults of God.
How many children of God are here – let me hear you shout hallelujah
Study the word of God – meditate.
Every time there is an opportunity to study the word, be there.
Be there at the house fellowship.
Be there is the Sunday School.
Be there in the digging deep.
Study the word because He said to Joshua, if you study My word, you will make your way prosperous.
4). Then, obey Him completely.
One of the reasons He asked you to study is so that you will discover what He wants and then you go ahead and do it.
Deuteronomy 28 verse 1 to 2, 11 to 13: He says if you will harken diligently (– harken diligently!) to the voice of the Lord your God to observe and to do all that He commands you; He said, blessings will follow you and over take you; you will be running from blessing, blessings will be following; He said you will never borrow, you will be lending to nations
That is what He said.
He does not make sense that you will be lending to nations, because many at times will look at our self as pure.
Today by the grace of God, the Redeemed Christian Church of God is in more than 190 nations of the world and we are lending to nations – lending to nations; buying churches; building schools in nations of the world
I have always told them; don’t let me ever hear you say that Nigeria is poor.
As far as I am concern, the God of Nigeria is wealthy – we are not poor because we are lending to nations.
But you need to obey Him.
Many at times His instructions are difficult to obey but obey
You just do what he says and leave the rest to Him.
I have told you the story of what happen when we are building the very first auditorium by the express way and we came to roofing the place and I needed seventeen thousand naira – seventeen thousand naira was a powerful amount of money then, it can roof a whole auditorium 100meters by 50meters.
And one of my Pastors was building a house for people in his own area; he needed one thousand naira to roof his own auditorium or his own house.
I had one thousand naira with me and he came; I don’t know how he knew I had money and he said Daddy please, I need one thousand to roof my residence for my people.
I was upset.
I need seventeen thousand, I have only one and you want to collect the one! I said, if you don’t get out of my office?
He got up and began to run.
And go spoke to me and said give him the one thousand.
If I did not know His voice I would have said get behind me Satan.
But He is the One who spoke, you must obey – obeying Him is not always easy.
I called the fellow back and gave him the one thousand, and he began to jump and gallop away.
I said, it is not your fault. Your problem is solved, I am back to zero.
And God said, son, why are you grumbling?
There were two problems; I used you to solve one; there is only one problem left.
And it was not long before the end of the day when somebody came all the way from Port Harcourt and said, I have just collected my house rent and God said I should take it to you complete.
And she brought me…, I am sure you can guess the amount – seventeen thousand naira.
Obey Him and leave the rest to Him.
Obey Him completely; He will cause you to prosper.
5.) And then, seek Him diligently.
Seek God not money.
Hebrews 11 verse 6 says: He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Seek God! Seek God in every possible way.
6.) And then of course, keep sowing.
Ecclesiastes chapter 11 verse 6 says: in the morning sow your seed; in the evening sow your seed, don’t withhold your hand because you don’t know which one is going to bring forth the greatest fruit – just keep sowing.
7.) And then, keep building His kingdom. Just keep building His kingdom.
Zachariah chapter 1 verse 17: God said My cities, My kingdom, shall yet be built through prosperity. He will prosper those who are committed to the building His kingdom; to doing the work of God.
If you hear that there is something to be done for God, they want to be partakers – that’s how the doors open.
I have told you of a small boy several years ago at Ebute-Mette, every Sunday, I don’t know how he manage to convinced the mother.
Mother will give him one naira, he will come to me and said Daddy, this is for you and he would say, one day I will buy you a plane.
I will look at the small boy and said, amen.
Years passed, and I met the boy in London and he came to me and said, I am sure you dint remember?
I said, I am not quite sure because he has grown.
He said, I am the boy who use to give you one one naira every Sunday.
Oh! My friend! I look for you, I did not see you. I did not know you have gone to London.
He said, there is a car outside; I am not able to buy a plane yet but there is a car outside and it is for you and it is brand new Mercedes Benz car.
If you want to the work of God, He will provide the means.
If you want to work for Him, He will supply what you need.
Let us stand on our feet and pray one more prayer before I give the altar call.
Lift your voice to Him and say: Father, everything I need to serve You, give it to me.
Go ahead talk to the Almighty God.
Everything I need to serve You, give it to me. If I have the money, I will spend it for You Lord, give me the money. If you make me healthy I will run for You. if You give me joy, Your joy will be in my strength, I will serve You with that strength. Everything I need to serve You Father, give unto me; give unto me; give unto me O Lord. Everything I need to serve You Father, give unto me, give unto me and I will serve You Lord; I will serve You. everything I need to serve You – the money I need, give it to me; the health I need, give it to me; everything I need to serve Lord God Almighty, give it to me; give it unto me. I will serve You, I will build Your kingdom, everything I need to serve, give unto me, give unto me. Thank You Almighty.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Amen.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
You may please be seated; I am about to conclude now.
As I have told you the story before; some of you know the fellow who came to me and said Daddy pray for me: I want to be one of the three people who will sponsor the convention next year.
I said, really!
He said, yes.
I said, good!
So, I prayed; and then he left.
A week later, he came running;
Daddy, I asked you to pray so that I can sponsor the convention; I got to my place of work today and they sack me.
I laughed.
You are going to sponsor the convention on your salary!
You know how much it cost to feed these thousands upon thousands upon thousands upon thousands people.
I said, God has shut a door, so that He can open another.
God has found a Treasurer and He wants to open doors.
Within a year, he was one of the three that paid for the convention.
When God finds somebody who wants to work for Him, He makes the means available.
I am praying for someone here today that even before the end of July, you will come to me and say, Daddy, I want sponsor the convention.
So shall it be in Jesus’ name.
Oh thank You Daddy.
Listen carefully, because we will hear your testimony.
The Lord says He will give someone an unusual breakthrough this month. He said, it will be so unusual, you yourself will know that this cannot be human. But He asked me to tell you: 50percent of it is yours; 50percent belong to Him. And listen to me carefully, He said, if you are faithful in what He is about to do, He will open other doors. If you are not faithful, it will be one time miracle.
So take note; don’t say I did not tell you.
Now, 3John verse 2 says: I wish above all things… (above how many things? – all things) that you prosper and be in health as your souls prospers. That is the word of God.
And the Bible says: forever O Lord thy word is settled.
The word of God cannot change.
If that is the only passage in the Bible on prosperity, anyone of us who is not prospering properly should be able to go to God and say, God, what is going on here?
You said in Your word: I wish above all things that I prosper; (two) that I be in health.
Do you know anytime I have any physical challenge…; now I can thank God because there had been only two challenges since forty three years – not bad;
But I go to God and say: God, what is going on because according to Your word – I am to prosper, I am to be in health.
I want you to say it loud and clear: poverty is not my portion.
Say it as if you mean it.
Say it one more time.
And with the same conviction, say it loud and clear, sickness is not my portion.
Say that.
Let every sickness, every ache in your body…; – sickness is not my portion.
It is not because God is not a liar!
Bible says, let all men be liar but let God be true.
The word of God is forever settled.
He said I wish above all things, above all things that you prosper and be in health.
The only condition He has is ‘as your soul prosper’.
When I have financial challenges, I turn to the Almighty God, what am I doing wrong; what am I doing wrong.
Am I not obeying You; am I not obeying You fully?
Why am I sick?
Why do I need to suffer pain?
What is wrong?
You may say, no Daddy, you are spiritualizing everything…
Please allow me.
When you are born of God, you are a spirit – everything should be spiritualized.
Father we serve is a spirit; God is a spirit.
A child of a spirit is what? …a spirit.
The Bible says: as many that are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God.
You may not believe it but that is the way I live my own live.
If I am walking and I accidentally strike my leg against a stone, I stop.
What is going on Lord?
Because it is written: He shall give charge His Angels concerning me (I don’t know about you o); they will bear me in my hands so that I won’t strike my foot against a stone. – it is in the word.
So, when it happens, I stop to pray: God, is there a danger ahead? Or is there something wrong somewhere in my life?
So, if I am not prospering – why?
If I am sick – why?
I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health.
And do you know my beloveth children, “it is whatever you tolerate that will stay”.
How many of you will say: no more poverty?
Say it very well.
Say it as if you mean it.
And in the same manner say: no more sickness; because as He hears in His ears will He do.
As thy soul prosper
So beloveth, let us examine ourselves.
In what areas have we been failing God?
In what areas have we been playing games with God?
In what areas have we been putting ourselves before God?
Somebody said to me not too long ago; he said Daddy, I cannot understand how you could have problems building the new auditorium? He said, I cannot understand?
I said, what do you mean?
He said with all these your children?
He said, if all these your children are even given you just hundred naira a month towards that work, he said the work would have been easier.
I said God love a cheerful giver.
He said, I know you have more than two hundred Pastors and Deacons and Deaconesses – more than two hundred thousand
I said that is true.
He said, if all your Ministers give a thousand naira a month, the work would be easier.
I said that is true but God loves a cheerful giver.
In what areas are you playing games with God?
Give the power to get wealth.
Let me tell you the truth: He also reserves the power to withdraw wealth.
I must tell you the whole truth.
I tell you one more story and I close.
It is story that you have heard before some of you.
A young man came to me and says, Daddy came for me, I need a breakthrough.
I said, okay, that is alright; and we prayed.
And he came excited: Daddy you won’t believe it.
I said try me.
A man had called me, he told me he wants to sell his house in Lagos; it has thirteen flats; and he asked me to pay him so much – it does not matter how much I sell it, just go and sell it and pay me so much.
I said, congratulations, this is the breakthrough we have been waiting for.
I said, if there are thirteen flats, that means you will one flat to the church.
He said, why?
I said, I am thinking of tithe now!
And since we cannot have one-point-three (1.3) house; at least one flat…
He said, that is the problem with you Pastors; you are only interested in what you can get
I said, haa! please!
He became so angry and left my office.
Then he found a buyer for the house and went to the owner: sir, I have somebody who will buy the house; where do you want me to pay your money – your account.
That one said which house?
Haa! the house you asked me to sell.
He said, I asked you to sell my house?
He said yes. You asked me to sell the house for so much…
The man said, whoever did the charm for you had failed.
If you don’t get out of my place I will get you arrested.
He ran back to me and said Daddy…
I said, ehen! Ehen! Don’t get me involved.
You want to play games with God, go and deal with Him; leave me out of the show.
Stop playing games with God; He knows you.
When it is offering time, He knows what you are worth and He knows what you are giving.
He is not a beggar.
I have always told people, before you came to the church, God has been building His church and He will keep on building it.
You did not buy the chair you are seating on; somebody paid for it.
Don’t play games with one who has the power to make you prosper.
And then to crown it all, there are many of you we asked to surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you are withholding your life from the One who made heaven and earth, from the One who made you.
You think you are clever.
Some of you think you don’t need Him; you are too big to surrender to Jesus Christ.
Is like I have always said, there are many of you who say you don’t believe in miracles; you will believe when you need one.
When the Doctors tells you, there is nothing more we can do; you will believe in miracles then.
But, must you wait till the time of trouble before you surrender your life to your maker!
So, if you are here tonight or you are listening to me anywhere in the world and you want to surrender your life to Jesus Christ…; if you are in your living room, you will stand up and let God know that you are standing up to surrender your life to Him.
But, if you are here, come forward. I can see that there is quiet a crowd outside there, so, I am going to count from one to fifteen.
Before I say fifteen, if you want to give your life to Jesus, come.
I am counting now
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, If you are already on the way, just keep on coming; fourteen,
Now, those of us who are already in front and those of you who are on the way, talk to the Lord; pray that the Almighty God will save your soul. Tell Him you have come to surrender your life to Him and ask Him to have mercy on you.
The rest of us please let us stretch our hands towards these people and pray for them; intercede for them for two minute that God will have mercy on them that he will save their souls that he will forgive all their sins and give them a brand new beginning.
Let us pray for them brethren.
And those of you in front talk to the Almighty God now for about a minute or two. Ask Him to be merciful unto you. Tell Him you have come to surrender your life to Him. Tell Him to please forgive all your sins and save your souls.
And let the Counselors please come and attend to the people here.
Counselors, God bless you; please come.
Please let us intercede for them for just one more minute: asking God to be merciful unto these people; forgive all their sins and wash them clean in His blood.
Pray that God will give them a brand new beginning – a brand new beginning Lord. Because if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things have passed away, all things have become new,
Hurry up those of you who are still on the way; hurry up, I am about to pray now for the salvation of this people.
Come, come quickly.
Thank You Father.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Saviour I thank You. I thank You for Your word and I thank You for these people that have come forward to surrendered their lives to You, Father, you promised whosoever will come unto You, You will in no wise cast out; they have come to You now Father, please receive them in Jesus’ name; have mercy on them; save their soul; forgive all their sins; let Your blood wash them clean; write their names in the book of life; and don’t let them ever backslide. Please from now on, anytime they call on You, answer them by fire. Thank You my Father and my God.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Amen.
Now, those of you in front let me hear shout hallelujah.
Okay!
I am rejoicing with you and I want to promise you that from now on by the grace of God I will be praying for you. So, I need your names, your address, and your prayer requests.
The Counselors will give you a card which I want you to feel very quickly and then return it to them.
Just fill in your name, your address and your prayer requests; and I promise you, I will be praying for you.
Now, while these people are busy filling their cards; the rest of us let us talk to God: you know the areas in which you have been failing God, ask for forgiveness; ask Him to give you another opportunity to begin to serve Him wholeheartedly like never before. Maybe you have been cheating Him – in your tithes or playing games with your offering or you have not been obeying him completely, you have not been winning souls, you have not been witnessing, you have not been studying His word the way you should, whatever it is that you have not been doing right, ask God for forgiveness and reach a new resolution that from now on you will begin to serve God wholeheartedly; that you will be hundred percent involved in the building of His kingdom. - Just for few minutes while we are waiting for our brothers to finish filling their cards.
Before I pray for you we are going to do two things:
One: you are going to pray for me because I believe God answers the prayer of the Disciples;
And then, you are going to pray for yourself; and then, I will pray for you.
In praying for yourself, you are going to base your prayer on one question that Jesus Christ asked the Disciples before he left them.
He said, all the days I have been with you, did you lack anything?
So, when it is time for you pray, you are going to tell God: I am your disciple, I shouldn’t lack – that will be your own prayer for yourself.
In the meantime, I want you to pray for me and say: Father, like never before, give Your son the power to prosper.
Go ahead and pray.
Thank You Lord. Thank You Father.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Almighty God will answer your prayers.
Now, you lift your voice to Him and say: Father, I am Your Disciple, dint let me lack.
Go ahead talk to the Almighty God.
I am Your disciple, I am Your disciple O Lord, don’t let me lack. Almighty God, I am Your disciple, I am Your disciple, don’t let me lack. Your Disciples never lack, don’t let me lack. I am Your disciple Lord, I should not lack; don’t let me lack. I am Your disciple don’t let me lack, don’t let me lack. Thank You Father. Don’t let me lack Lord, I am Your disciple. I am Your disciple, don’t let me ever lack. Thank You Father.
In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Pastor E. A. Adeboye
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