LIVING FAITH THIS WEEK! September 27th, 2009.

September 27th, 2009

“THE POWER OF COVENANT DREAMS.”
BY: Bishop David O. Oyedepo
Living Faith Church, aka, Winners’Chapel, Nigeria.

We live in the dreamer’s world. Dreamers rule the world! Dreamers shape history! Dreamers set the pace! Dreamers blaze the trail! Dreamers lead the way! I will be examining a particular kind of dream that always guarantees fulfilment. I call it covenant dreams. What is a Covenant Dream?

A covenant dream in this context can be defined as a picture of your future, as gleaned from the scriptures. It is, therefore, not a desire but a discovery. It is not an ambition, but a vision born out of revelation. It is not a goal that we set, but a future we discover from scriptures. It is not just a mental picture, but a picture of the future gleaned from the scriptures. It is a picture of what you have been made, as contained in the scriptures. That’s why it is defined a Covenant Dream.

God said to Abraham, “Your name shall no longer be Abram but Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee” (Genesis 17:5). It was a discovery of what he was made, that kept him going. You can’t see a future and not celebrate it. Abraham discovered what he was made for, so he remained on top. He was strong in faith, giving glory to God (Romans 4:20); he was not depressed once. The picture was so vivid to him.

God said to Abraham, “Look up now, if you can count the stars, that’s how many your children will be” (Genesis 15:5-6). God brought him into a dream of his future, and Abraham believed God. So, the Bible is a Dream book. It is God’s dream book for mankind. It is made up of amazing dream seeds. Any of those seeds you capture, guarantees a future. The Bible is made of incorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23-25), and the seed is the word of God (Luke 8:11).

God said, “I know the plans I have for you, plans of good and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). In His plan lies our future. He said, “You shall seek for it and find it, when you shall seek for it with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). So, embrace the plan, and walk in the reality of its fulfilment. God is the author of dreams.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COVENANT DREAMS:

1. If you catch a covenant dream, you cannot stop saying it. …We cannot but speak those thing we have heard and seen (Acts 4:20). If you have seen it, you cannot stop saying it.

2. After catching a covenant dream from the scriptures, you are supernaturally excited. Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross… (Hebrews 12:1-2). He could smile on the cross because He could see the end! Did you notice Joseph the dreamer? He was the most excited slave that ever existed! His dream was the fountain of his joy.

3. You can’t stop acting it out. You can’t see yourself a king, and still be acting like a slave. You can’t catch a covenant dream without it showing practically in your life.

4. You are never tired believing it. You never stop believing what you have seen. Even if you are Thomas, when you see it, you believe it!

5. You never give up on it! …All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come (Job 14:14). It took Abraham many years, but he got there. You are sure to get there! There’s a never-give up grace that accompanies covenant dream. When you have caught it, it shows in your tenacity. Life without a dream is doomed!

WHAT TO DO TO CATCH A COVENANT DREAM:

First, be in the Spirit (Revelation 1:10). You can’t hear from God except you are in the Spirit. So, you must come out of the flesh, and be in the Spirit if you want to hear from heaven.

Second, engage in prayers. Call upon me, and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things which thou knowest not (Jeremiah 33:3).

Third, engage in a spirited search both from the Bible and anointed books that address the issues of concern (Luke 15:7-8). Light the candle and search thoroughly until you find it.

Fourth, seek the anointing that provides access into God’s plan for your life. By this anointing, every form of spiritual blindness comes to an end in your life. That’s how to catch a covenant dream. You don’t wait for dreams, you go out for them.

JESUS IS LORD!

If You are Not SAVED You are Not SAFE!

Have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart?

That is, ARE YOU BORN AGAIN?

If your answer is “NO”, or you are not sure,

please pray this prayer with all sincerity and confidence:

Lord Jesus, I come to you today! I am a sinner, I cannot

help myself. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with your

precious blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan, to serve the

Living God. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord, and

My Saviour. Thank you Jesus, for saving me!

Now I know, I am born again!

{Extract from the “Signs & Wonders Today”, a Sunday weekly publication by “Faith Tabernacle” Church of The Living Faith Ministries. KM 10, Idiroko Road, Ota, Lagos, Nigeria).
Posted by: OGUNDIJI JACOB OLADELE. http:// www.gistdiscovery.com

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LIVING FAITH THIS WEEK! September 19th, 2009

September 22nd, 2009

“COVENANT STEPS TO THE TOP.” BY: Bishop David Oyedepo
(Living Faith Church, aka, Winners’Chapel, Nigeria.

There is nothing mystical about success. It’s simply a product of practical engagement of tested and proven principles. Success is nothing but the end-product of a process. So, an understanding of the process helps to assure you of the end-product.

You are ordained for the top. All you need is to know the way to get there. God’s Word’s says: There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler…. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an edge, a serpent shall bite him. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby… By much slothfulness the building decayeth; through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through (Ecclesiastes 10:5-18)

This scriptural passage is talking about a broken covenant that robbed an individual of his access to the throne. There are certain things required for any king to reign.

WHAT GUARANTEES MY ACCESS TO THE TOP?

1. DIRECTION:
You must have a clear definition of where you are going. There are few stars because many don’t have a defined field. You must have a vision or dream to be a star. You are to discover where you belong!

It takes somebody knowing where he is going to ever think of getting there. If you don’t know where you are going, there is no way of getting there because you don’t even know where it is. Direction is a factor, if you must be a star at the top! Lack of direction is the reason for many people’s frustration. When Jesus came, He was able to define His field (John 18:37). Until you discover and abide where you belong, your star is not in view.

2. WISDOM / THE KNOW-HOW.
Ecclesiastes 10:15 says: The labour of the foolish warieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. This man knows where he is going, but he doesn’t know how to go there. He lacks the “know-how.” There is nowhere you belong that doesn’t require“know-how.”

No one gets to the top by chance. George Washington said, “Responsibility is the price for greatness.” Wisdom is the custodian of mighty works (Mathew 6:2, Luke 2:49). It is the principal raw material for the making of a star

3. SELF-DISCIPLINE.
Ecclesiastes 1:16-17 says: Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princess eats in the morning! Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of noble, and thy princess eats in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! On your way to the top, you need to know where you belong. Are you in academic, in industry, in ministry, or in politics? George Washington said, “Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small number formidable; it procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.” You don’t know how much treasure is on your inside, until you begin to discipline yourself to explore it. Self discipline is a fundamental requirement if you truly desire to be on top in your field.

4. DILIGENCE.
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of hands the house droppeth through (Ecclesiastes 10:18). There is nothing extra-ordinary in itself; it’s just a result of someone paying an extra-ordinary price. You need to be diligent if you must get to the top as a star. (2 Corinthians 9:16).

5. SACRIFICE.
Sacrifice is the scar of every star. He goes beyond where others stop, so, he reaps beyond what they reap. He that sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly (2 Corinthians 9:6). He’s sowing but it’s sparingly; he does it eight hours a day. There is another one who is sowing 10 hours a day. They won’t reap the same harvest. These are great five steps on the way to the top.

The Bible says; Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7). The know-how is the womb that birth stars. There are three channels of wisdom for every kingdom star:

1. GOD’S WORD:
The ultimate source of knowledge is the Word of God. The word of God will take any dummy to any height in his pursuit. It is the ultimate source because God’s ways are higher than our ways.

He said: So shall my word bee… which is gone forth out of my mouth (Isaiah 55:8, 10). God is saying to you, “If you are truly interested in the top, then invest more in the knowledge of my Words. That is the platform for your star to rise.”

What made a star out of Job was the secret of God as contained in His Word. The Word is the principal channel of wisdom for every kingdom star. Every Word of God you receive does not only show you the way to go, it also empowers you to go there.

2. THE KNOWLEDGE OF RELEVANT SKILLS IN YOUR FIELD:
The word shows you how to connect with the hand of God in everything you are doing. Training is what helps you to give expression to your placement in the field. It helps your capacity building and skill development (Proverb 22:29). You need to learn the skill in your trade to make the most of it.

3. FOLLOWING THE STEPS OF GIANTS IN YOU FIELD:
When you follow the steps of giants, with time, you will walk with them on the platform. What were the things that made Abraham great? He was an ever ready and obedient friend of God. If you emulate Abraham and do what he did, you will get the same result that he got! Receive fresh grace on your life today in Jesus’ precious name!

JESUS ISLORD!!

If You are Not SAVED You are Not SAFE!
Have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart?
That is, ARE YOU BORN AGAIN?
If your answer is “NO”, or you are not sure,
please pray this prayer with all sincerity and confidence:
Lord Jesus, I come to you today! I am a sinner, I cannot
help myself. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with your
precious blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan, to serve the
Living God. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord, and
My Saviour. Thank you Jesus, for saving me!
Now I know, I am born again!

{Extract from the “Signs & Wonders Today”, a Sunday weekly publication by “Faith Tabernacle” Church of The Living Faith Ministries. KM 10, Idiroko Road, Ota, Lagos, Nigeria).
OGUNDIJI JACOB OGUNDIJI. http:// www.gistdiscovery.com

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LIVING FAITH THIS WEEK! September 13th, 2009

September 16th, 2009

“THE MAKING OF A STAR.” BY: Bishop David Oyedepo
(Living Faith Church, aka, Winners’Chapel, Nigeria)

“THERE IS NO MYSTERY ABOUT RECOVERY; RECOVERY IS SIMPLY A RESULT OF DISCOVERY.”
The Word says when you have found it, there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be hindered (Proverbs 24:13-14). So, it is your discoveries that validate your expectations.

The Bible is not a religious book; it is the Creator’s manual for living. God is the sole creator of man. We are His products, and the Bible is His manual 9Isiah 34:16). The Word is a manual for maximized destiny (Joshua 1:8). Whatever is too big for your mind is too big for your hand. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverb 23:7). Until your mind is renewed by the Word of life, your life cannot be transformed in truth and indeed. THEN, WHO IS A STAR?

A star is one at the top. He is a king in his field. He is one that commands unusual accomplishment, a pacesetter, a trailblazer and a legend. Jesus, speaking to His disciples, said, “Ye are the light of the world; a city set on a hill, that cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14). That simply connotes that you will show the world the way forward.

Is there anything in me that guarantee my becoming a star? You are a born star on three unshakable platforms:

1. BY REDEMPTION, YOU ARE A STAR.
Every child of God is born a star. The Bible says we have been redeemed unto our God as kings and princes, and we shall reign on the earth (Revelation 5:10). In very specific term, Jesus came and said, “I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). Jesus is the bright and the morning star, and bright connotes early stardom.

2. BY THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT, YOU ARE A STAR.
For the Word says in Genesis 17:5-6 that nations and kings shall out of the loins of Abraham. And if ye be Christ’s, ye are Abraham’s seed. So, every child of God is a seed of Abraham, and the Word says: …in the seed of Abraham shall all the families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 22:18). So, you are citizen of global reckoning.

3. YOU ARE A STAR IN THE PROPHETIC (Zechariah 8:20-24).
That makes your case settled! There’s something inside you! Now you can say with confidence that you belong to the top because you belong to Christ. You are a beneficiary of the Abrahamic covenant, and you belong to the prophetic order of the end-time church.
There is a place for every one of us on the top, but are you interested? Life is an adventure in sportsmanship. So, life is a race, not a joke (1 Corinthians 9:24). We should run with patience the race that is set before us (Hebrew 12:1-2)

No star ever emerges in the field of sport without a coach. A coach is the catalyst of the star in you. There are many “coachless” sportsmen; that’s why there are few stars. Without a coach, the star in you will never be made manifest. As long as you must remain a star, you will require a coach.

The issue of ATTITUDE is to be first addressed. There’s a fundamental attitude required in every star, and that is the learner’s attitude. You believe so much in your coach that his instructions are ever valuable to you. That learner’s attitude is a product of MEEKNESS.

Matthew 1:5. Says: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Their enlargement is unlimited. In fact, the Bible defines the virtue of meekness as an ornament of great price (1 Peter 3:4). Meekness is a blessing; pride is a curse, because God resist the proud, but He gives more grace to the humble.

You are a born king; you don’t have to die a peasant. Meekness is an ornament of a great price; it is a priceless treasure. It is your attitude that defines your altitude. It is meekness that defines greatness. One of the great men that ever lived in the scripture was Moses. The Bible says he was the meekest of all men that were on the face of the earth (Number 12:1). Even after seeing God face-to-face, Jethro still had access to counsel him. Jethro, the priest of Median, was his coach, and harkened unto him.

It is the quality of your meekness that defines the limit of your greatness. Moses was so great that he appeared on the mount of transfiguration (Luke 9), but meekness was the foundation of his greatness. Nobody will believe in a coach without the virtue of meekness inside him. Don’t you know that you don’t only need a ladder to climb? You need a ladder to stay up there!

It takes the virtue of meekness to maintain a coach in you life for the best in you, not only to be realized, but to be sustained. Without a coach, your star is not in view.

There was a young boy by name Uzziah, who became king in Israel, and Zechariah was his coach (2 Chronicles 26:5). As long as he walked by the instruction and revelation of Zechariah, God made him to prosper. God helped him. It was the coaching of Zechariah that brought about his rising.

Every authentic messenger of God is a life coach. Zechariah rose and became a coach to King Uzziah. All authentic messenger of God are ordained life coaches.

You are a star of the Most High God. Refuse to be grounded and you will arise and shine. Every dry area of your life shall become like a watered garden.

JESUS IS LORD!!
If You are Not SAVED You are Not SAFE!
Have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart?
That is, ARE YOU BORN AGAIN?
If your answer is “NO”, or you are not sure,
please pray this prayer with all sincerity and confidence:
Lord Jesus, I come to you today! I am a sinner, I cannot
help myself. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with your
precious blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan, to serve the
Living God. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord, and
My Saviour. Thank you Jesus, for saving me!
Now I know, I am born again!

{Extract from the “Signs & Wonders Today”, a Sunday weekly publication by “Faith Tabernacle” Church of The Living Faith Ministries. KM 10, Idiroko Road, Ota, Lagos, Nigeria).
OGUNDIJI JACOB OGUNDIJI. http:// www.gistdiscovery.com

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LIVING FAITH THIS WEEK! September 06, 2009

September 9th, 2009

“THE MYSTERY OF TRANSFERENCE OF SPIRIT.” BY: BISHOP David O. Oyedepo ( Living Faith Church, Nigeria)

“EVERY TIME YOU OBEY GOD, YOU COMMIT HIM.”
Until you Him with your obedience, you are not entitled to His proofs in your life (Malachi 3:10). God is a God that will never take a second place; you either give Him the first place, or you are not entitled to His hand in your life.

Prophet Elijah told the widow of Zarephath, “Make for me first, and then watch what I make of you.” As she made for him first, her miracles followed and never ended. She fed all through the famine. Every time you obey God, you commit Him. Every time you obey His messengers, you have committed the Caller to proof Himself.

You may have the principles, but until you have the Spirit, you don’t have what it takes to drive the principles. It takes the Spirit to drive the principles. Elijah told Elisha, “If you see me when am caught up…” So he followed through Gilgal and walked through Jericho. He passed through Jordan and waited till he got it.

Psalm 145:4 says: One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. The mighty acts of God pass from one generation to another. The force that generates signs and wonders will be moving from one generation to another. That’s why every time we are seated, the spirits of just men made perfect that had been duplicated in others, are seated with us (Hebrew 12:23).

Mantles are transferred from one generation to another. The spirit and power of Elijah was the driving force inside John the Baptist (Luke 1:17). The spirit of just men made perfect are part and parcel of God’s eternal plan for His church. We saw the tangible transfer of spirit from one generation to another in II King 2:15, which says: The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. God told Moses, “The force that engraces you for the task, I will duplicate it into the 70 elders, so they will be bearing it with you, walking in your shoe and operating in your frequency” (Numbers 11:16-17). It’s the will of God to take off the spirit upon the anointed, and duplicate it into into those who understand how to connect with it. Then they will operate at the same frequency with such prophet. God is the author of the transference of Spirit; it is not a doctrine or a movement.

God will duplicate what a prophet carries in others. Am not talking about emulation; I’m talking about duplication and multiplication. Largely, Apostles and Prophets are the carriers of such Spirit. They are the foundation, and Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). Apostles and Prophets are the custodians of the grace of God in the Church.

How to qualify for the impartation of the Spirit on the prophets:

1. RECEIVE THE PERSON: He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet reward… (Matthew 10:41). Until you receive a person, you are not qualified for what he carries. Jesus came to Nazareth, and He could not do mighty works. The mighty act of God could not be transferred into the people there, and He marvelled at their unbelief (Mark 6:44). Jesus could do no mighty works because His person was not received, and what He carried couldn’t be released.

2. BELIEVE THEIR MINISTERY: Jesus said in John 14:12: Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the work that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do… Jesus said: “The Spirit doing it in me will be transferred into him.” Do you believe Him? That’s why many are stranded. They don’t believe the ministry of the prophet; so they cannot partake of the spirit of the prophet (II Chronicles 20:20)

3. CELLEBRATE THEM: You can only attract what you celebrate. That’s why people flow freely to where they are celebrated, not where they are tolerated. Celebrate them! Joshua the celebrator of Moses said, “My Lord Moses, forbid them” (Numbers 11:28-29).

There are no perfect men; we only have PERFECT GIFTS. You can never connect with the Spirit of a prophet you don’t celebrate.

4. SERVE THE INTEREST OF THEIR PERSON AND MINISTRY: II King 3:11
says: … Here is Elisha the son of Shephat, which poured water on the hands of
Elijah. Serve the interest of their person and ministry, to connect with the spirit.

5. OBEY THEIR INSTRUCTIONS: Waite on them! Check what things they
Declare. Check where they declare them, how they apply to you, and apply yourself to them. (Numbers 27:20, Proverbs 27:18). Wait on divine instruction from them. The ultimate will be a release of the Spirit of God on their lives upon your life.
CAUTION: The sources may not be perfect, but the Spirit is perfect. The sources may not be perfect, but what they carry is perfect!

I remember my encounter with Kenneth Copeland in 1982, and the Spirit entered into me with the evidence of intoxication. While I was reading those books, the Spirit of God got me intoxicated, and I screamed, “I can never be poor”! That’s intoxication, and it came through Words.

WORDS ARE SEEDS! When you receive the seed, you are entitled to the harvest. (Luke 8:11). The Words of God in the mouth of the anointed are seeds of they carry, and they have power to reproduce in your life.

WORDS ARE CREATIVE! Everything creative creates after its kind. “And God said… and God said… And everything that God said, God saw” (Genesis 1:1-31).

The Words of the anointed are also prophetic! Everyone in this service today (whatever day you get this message is your service day) with a right spirit, is returning with a duplication of this Spirit. JESUS IS LORD!

If You are Not SAVED You are Not SAFE!
Have you ever asked Jesus to come into your heart?
That is, ARE YOU BORN AGAIN?
If your answer is “NO”, or you are not sure,
please pray this prayer with all sincerity and confidence:
Lord Jesus, I come to you today! I am a sinner, I cannot
help myself. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with your
precious blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan, to serve the
Living God. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord, and
My Saviour. Thank you Jesus, for saving me!
Now I know, I am born again!

{Extract from the “Signs & Wonders Today”, a Sunday weekly publication by “Faith Tabernacle” Church of The Living Faith Ministries. KM 10, Idiroko Road, Ota, Lagos, Nigeria.).

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August 26th, 2009


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