The Secret to Moving Forward : The Price of Progress // Apostle Joshua Selman

Hallelujah. Thank you so much for the warmth, the love, such graciousness. Um Dr. Emos Fenwa, thank you sir. Truly honor you and I appreciate you. I am grateful and honored to be here. Let me appreciate the entire pastorate. Thank you for the privilege. Hallelujah to every man of God here, every woman of God. The Lord bless you. It's an honor to share fellowship Together. And um please permit my bias as I honor a great man of God, Dr. Alum Emanuel. God bless you. Thank you so much. The Lord honor you a dear wife, family in

Jesus name I pray. Hallelujah. Who is like you Lord in all the earth? [Music] Much less love and beauty and less worth. Nothing in this world can satisfy Jesus. You're the cup that will run dry. treasure of my heart and of my [Music] soul. In my weakness, you are merciful. Redeemer of my past and present wrong. Holder of my future days to come. [Music] And all my days under I will [Music] awake. The moment that I see you face to face for nothing in this world is sisfy. Jesus, you're the kind [Music] That Heat. Heat.

[Music] Your presence is to me. [Music] Spirit of the living God, we're gathered tonight to encounter your grace, to encounter Jesus. We have come to obtain the grace that makes for advancement. I pray in the name of Jesus that you will bless us in no small way tonight And let the name of Jesus be glorified for in Jesus name I pray. God bless you. Please be seated. We rise in this kingdom on the strength of the light that we access. It takes more than a desire to advance to go forward. It takes more than a

well intentioned desire. It takes light in this kingdom. It is the light that you access that paves the way for you into a life of Exploits and a life of greatness. And may that light come over someone tonight in the name of Jesus. Amen. You know, one of the reasons why I love to teach the word of God is because the word of God, among the many things that it is and it does, is that the word of God defines the boundary of God's commitment to the believer. God, as mighty as he is, cannot be

committed to the to the believer outside of the scope and the Provision that the word allows. That means if you cannot find it in scripture, God is not committed to make it happen in your life. It is how he designed this system to work that he has even honored his word above his office and above his reputation. So every time the word of God comes, it is not one of the many aspects of the service. It is a very important aspect of the service because When the word of God comes, I may have said it

here that the word of God is like a tray. If you look at this right here, this is holding a cup of water. So if you see someone coming to you with a tray, you begin to rejoice because the tray carries something on it. Ultimately, you want to enjoy what is on the tray. But you cannot enjoy what is on the tray until you can hold the tray. Is that true? So when the word of God is coming to you, you have to Understand that the word of God is like a spiritual tray. It comes

with it your lifting, your next level, new anointing, your healing, new grace. So when you embrace the word, you have also demonstrated your commitment to embrace everything that comes with the word. and may the Lord help us tonight in Jesus name. I prayed and sought the Lord for what to share. Um um I've always been very intentional but I think I'm growing again to be very Intentional about the things that I share. Number one, I only teach the things that I believe. And number two, I I truly teach for transformation and for impact. At the

back of the things that I teach, I desire not just for people to see and appreciate the depth of the truth, the dexterity of the communication. More than that, my desire and my drive is to see that every time God gives me an opportunity to bring truth to God's people, that it is Communicated in a way that they are able to receive it and that it produces results in their lives. Hallelujah. Praise the Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. So in line with the team, I want to teach on what I title the price for new dimensions.

The price for new dimensions. Believe me, this teaching will bless you. For many of us, we probably are at the end of certain phases in our lives and we're trusting God for more greater horizons, greater dimensions of exploits in ministry, in business. There are keys that make for these kinds of results and it is important that we access through knowledge the keys that make for new dimensions. Hallelujah. The teaching seeks to supply us the spiritual truths that would help us contend for growth to maintain impact and relevance as far as our destinies are concerned. three

scriptures and Then God would open our eyes to a few things tonight in the name of Jesus. Philippians chapter 3, we start from verse 12 to 14. Philippians chapter 3. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Jesus Christ. 13, Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, he says, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth onto the things which are before. 14 I press. Someone prophesy, say, I press.

I press. One more time, say I press. I press. I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Scripture number two, first Corinthians 8 and verse two. Very interesting, challenging and instructive scripture. Can we read together? Ready? 1 2 read. And if any Man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. One more time. And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. Hallelujah. Amen. Just like the man of God was sharing, I

have seen by the privilege of God's grace, I have seen people make impact in ministry, impact in career, in business. I have seen people rise Mightily so mightily used by God. But the surprising thing is as frequent as I have seen people rise, I have also seen people fall. And I have seen others who did not fall but stop rising. I have seen people plateau at dimensions, accessing the anointing, the prophetic, the gifts of the spirit, ministry, growth, finances. There are two dangers that the Bible warns about. Number one is retrogression. Number two is to

plateau And to limit yourself at a level. There are many people who believe that just because you are not going down it means that is the best of you. The Bible declares that the path of the just that the path of the just is as a shining light that shines ever brighter even unto the perfect day. So so many people are not able to make sustainable advancement and the reason is because many have neglected some of the truths That you'll be learning. Others may have been ignorant of some or even all of these truths. And

so conferences like this number one would challenge those who have gone down to show you that there is a road map. The Bible says, "Rejoice not over me, my enemies, that though I fall, I will rise." Elevation is still a possibility in this kingdom. That no matter how low, nobody can get lower than Jesus went down to Hades, yet he came up again and Is exalted at the highest position. That already is a pattern for us that no matter how low you get, there is a power that same power that raised Christ from right where

he was and took him and elevated him. For someone, that same power is lifting you from where you are to where you need to be in the name of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. And then for those who have plateaued at a level, now please listen. Let me teach you something up front. We advance in This kingdom by light and life is in faces and dimensions. That means the dimension of light you need to access stage A or a level in your life may not necessarily be the only dimension of light and truth you would need to

access another level. Let me tell you what limitations are. Limitations are a letter from your future telling you I am there but your current level of knowledge cannot take you there. Are we together? When you face Limitations that inhibit your progress, see them as letters from your future coming to you to verify that that future you desire is actually there. But this current version of you cannot go there. [Music] So when you start out in life, the level of knowledge that brings you to level A or stage A spiritually, financially, ministerially and otherwise, you will

need more than that to shift to a new season. Now the challenge is that most People they stop learning and they stop opening up themselves to new superior dimensions of truth. And you will find out that even though they may not backslide, they plateau at a level. And it is dangerous. It is dangerous for your yesterday to look better than your today. Hallelujah. Are we learning? I want to share with us two keys that I've learned as a price For new dimensions. and it's a charge and then we'll pray and I trust that God will

grant us grace even if it's in a few minutes to just pray while I was at the office. I I heard the man of God just speaking and prophesying and declaring and um for me I think that it will be good to just follow along that line to also speak over our lives when we are done. Praise the name of the Lord. Hallelujah. One of the ways that the Lord helps us To grow and to access light in the kingdom is to personify his thoughts and his intents using men. That means it is consistent with

God's character that every time God wants to establish a modus operandi, that means a pathway to achieving certain things spiritually, he will usually find a man and then model that part with that man and keep that man as a reference, as his recommendation that every time you want to access that dimension, you study that Individual. For instance, every time you want to study on encounters, you want to know God, you want to press towards the things of God, the biblical figure that is recommended is the man Jacob. Jacob is God's idea of the protocol towards

an encounter. How that he encountered the Lord. You see that in Genesis 28, then in Genesis 32, the Bible records his failure, records the consequences for his failing to discern the Lord's presence, and then now Records an opportunity that God gave him again and how that he wrestled with that man to a point that God named that dimension after Jacob. He calls himself the God of Jacob. He said, "Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place? He that had clean hands and a pure heart, who has

not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. It says that he will receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his Salvation. Then he says, this is the generation of them that seek your face, oh Jacob. King James says, the original translation is, oh God of Jacob. That means we seek your face after the pattern of Jacob. Are we together? When you want to study on prevailing prayer, the kind of prayer that produces results, the individual that personifies that dimension is Elijah. James chapter 5, when you read from verse

13, he begins By saying that um the fav is any man afflicted, he said, "Let him pray." He says, "Let him call upon the elders." And then he says, "The fervent effectual prayer of the righteous man avaleth much. But he does not leave us in the dark. He now says Elijah that means this is my idea of fervent effectual prayer. Elijah was a man of light passion just as we are. But he access certain keys and he prayed that there be no rain for a period of three and a half years. And To show you

he was not trying. He engaged that same principle again. Again means mastery. When you do something again, you have gained mastery. And the Bible says, "He that strives for mastery is not crowned except he strives lawfully." Are we learning now? There are individuals who are God's idea. When God wants to caution you, he can use certain individuals. For instance, remember Lord's wife. There is a lesson. Instead of telling you the Whole lesson, it just tells you take note of this woman. If you understudy the woman in that study is the lesson God's idea of what

it means to be blessed in the kingdom is personified in the man Abraham. Are we together? He called an idol worshipper from aura of the Chaldians and began to give him instructions from Genesis 12. In fact, that destiny was supposed to be for his father, Terror, but he could not make it. He did not meet the requirements. And God would call Abraham and now began to tell him that if you follow in keeping with what I'm giving you, I will bless you. This and that would happen to you. In you will all the families be

blessed. Hallelujah. By the time you study Abraham, we get to Isaiah chapter 51 from verse one and two, particularly verse two. It says, "Look unto Abraham your father and to Sarah that bore you. For I called him alone. Key word alone. I didn't call him With wealth. I didn't call him with wisdom. I called him alone. So find out how wealth came to his life. Find out how wisdom came to his life. It says I called him alone and blessed him and increased him. Hallelujah. Are we learning now? Yes. So you see that all through

scripture you find individuals who represent the thoughts of God as touching certain areas. Every time we look at a lesson From a doubter, if I ask you who in the Bible is your lesson for doubting God, you will shout Thomas without even if you are not serious spiritually, you may shout Thomas because for some reason that individual. So this is how it is in scripture. One of the ways that we study scripture is to look at men who have passed through a process and at the end of their lives they did not just get results.

They they they became God's Idea of that pathway. That means in studying them you can learn the pathway that leads to that result. And right now we want to study one person in the Bible who gives us an idea of the price it takes for a new dimension. The price it takes to go forward. Are you ready? Judges chapter 6. We are studying the man called Gideon. Judges chapter 6. [Music] For reference, when you start from verse One, our full text is 6 and 7. The Bible says that the children of Israel did what was

wrong in the sight of God and then he handed them over to their enemies for a period of seven years, the medians now, and they punished them. They tortured them. When you read on, a prophet came and began to speak cautioning the people of God, because that is usually God's pattern. That's how he leads men to repentance. We see that pattern consistent especially in The Old Testament that every time people forgot about God, he handed them over to their enemies for a period and in the midst of their pain, he would send a prophet to

tell them this is why this is happening. Now I leave you with an option. Are you ready to repent or remain slaves? And they would come and say God we are ready. Then he would send a man to command deliverance for them. They will enjoy the blessings of obedience then disobey again. Then the Cycle repeats itself like that. Are we together? Now let's start from verse 11 for sake of time. The Bible says there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak which was in offer that pertained unto Joash and all of

that and his son Gideon t wheat by the wine press to hide it from the Medidianites. Verse 12, the Bible says, we're reading to 16. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him, the Lord is with thee, thou mighty Man of Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into

the hands of the Medidianites. 14 And the Lord looked upon him and said, "Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Medidianites, have I not sent thee?" 15 And he said unto him, "Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in man. Say, and I am the least in my father's house. Last verse. And the Lord said unto him, surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Medidionites as one man. So here we see an encounter, a young boy called Gideon

threshing and hiding um the products that he has from the Medidianites because they will usually Come to bully them and collect everything. And an angel appears to him and begins to speak to him about his prophetic destiny. It is interesting to know that God never calls you by what you are or what you wear. He calls you by your prophetic destiny. He's seen a man hiding and he says, "Thou mighty man of vellum." Because it's in his character to call things that be not as though they were. Are we together now? So the young Gideon,

just like Jeremiah, Is now complaining. Look at the understanding that kept that guy. You see, one of the reasons why they were slaves was not just that they were weak people. There was an understanding that encouraged that slavery. And as soon as God approached him to talk to him, listen to his complaint. He said, "I am the least and then I am from the least family. Don't come and flatter me with such an elaborate and ambitious agenda that I Will go to save the nation of Israel from the Medidianites." And God encouraged him and he

said, "Well, I have a problem. Our fathers once told us that they advanced, they did this, they conquered nations, they saw miracles. Why have we not seen this kind of thing? And he told him, "Go in this your might." You know what he was telling him? He said, "This ability to begin to probe into why the miracle stop is strength for you. Don't Stop thinking. Don't stop pondering. Start asking that question because there is a secret in it." The might there was his understanding. understanding is might. It was not just an impartation. It says go

in your might. I have seen that you sustain another kind of spirit because most of the people kept being slaves not asking why the miracles stopped. They didn't ask why the miracles happened in the first place. So he's saying Gideon there is Something happening to your understanding that is equal to might. You are probing into why things that were happening now stopped. Do you know most people do not have this grace, this might of superior understanding. Even if you do not have results, the ability to start vetting why it stopped and why it happened is

[Music] power. Are we together? So you find out that in January every day was favor and Then February it stops and you do not ask a question. The first question is why did it happen? The second question is why did it stop? Once upon a time in my life everybody would call me and bless me. But now it looks like the same people are still around my vicinity but no one seems to be on me. in this thy might. The courage to ask questions to say our fathers told us I've not Forgotten it is still

in my memory that a time came in the history of Israel they were invincible. Their enemies will see them and begin to shake because there was a hand that was with them. Why have we not seen it? He was asking the angel and remember it's out of the abundance of the hearts that the mouth speaks. That means that as he was stretching in that weakness and that limitation, his mind was rejecting that level. He was asking a question. Why am I like this? Can I tell you this? I'm sorry to say, but respectfully speaking, it

is one of the reasons why many people in Africa don't move forward. We don't ask questions. Why am I like this? No favor, no grace. Why is ministry not growing? Why is my spiritual life not growing? Can I tell you one of the most superior knowledge that you can have is how to learn what you don't know. How to find out and how to learn What you do not know. How to ask the questions that bring the right answers? Most believers accept status quo and give it some superstitious explanation. Well, I'm sure God just wants

it to be that way or well, I'm sure it's the devil. But that in itself is not enough answer. Are we together? I just thought to this is not even what I'm talking about. I just thought to draw a lesson. I didn't want to just allow the issue of Gideon to pass because many of us here seated looking at me. You once heard my grandfather was a wealthy man. He was a blessed man. He was the greatest in the village. But now the family is the poorest. And no one you have not accessed that might

that Gideon had to ask questions. What did he do that made the results happen? What did he stop doing that made the results stop? What was I doing that made me so powerful that my spiritual life kept Growing from level to level? I I could it was palpable that I was growing. The Bible said, "How shall we escape if we neglect carelessness? So great a salvation." Many people who fail do not ask what they are doing or not doing. Many people who succeed short term don't study their results. They only celebrate it. Can I tell

you this? Celebrating success without thoroughly understanding the dynamics around it, you are only Implicating yourself for casualty. And it is painful to once was there. It is painful to once rejoice. It is painful to once taste of the grace of God. Are you learning something tonight? So when he said go in your your might, most people think oh some impartation had happened. The might there is not yet an anointing. No the might there is the construct the understanding that courage and fortitude to start probing what took the presence of God away from you Gideon. What

took the presence away from from the nation of Israel? How could God's covenant people? These guys didn't need to lift a finger for Jericho to go down. Now the Medidianites were oppressing them and Gideon had to hide. The angel said, "You've gotten a key. Don't lose it." And God is handing that key over to someone tonight. What is the key? Listen. What is the key? The courage to probe into why results are happening or Why results are not happening. Whether you are succeeding or failing, both of them deserve your study. What am I doing that

is making my promotion happen every year? Don't just say thank God promotion is happening. No, what am I doing? Can I tell you this? When your results come by mastery, you do not fear again. It is possible that you can activate laws, the laws of the kingdom and the laws of the spirit and in truth by luck You can access something that works and then you find out that it does not work again. Conferences like these bring us to a point of mastery where you can defend your result with your understanding. Before you graduate a

student from a college of education or a university, usually there is something called a defense. Is that true? Where he comes before a parliament and they try to vet and probe into his understanding so far. Doesn't matter the topic. They Are not necessarily just looking at the topic of discussion. his acumen, his understanding, his ability to argue out in defense of the degree or whatever certification he wants to have and on the strength of what he demonstrates. They can now say no, you are qualified. Life will ask you what makes you think you will be

anointed for 30 years. You can enjoy your anointing for 2 years while it last. What makes you believe that in the next 10 years you Will still be relevant in ministry? What gives you the audacity to believe people will still place a demand on your life? Go in this thite. The ability to probe into why things happen and the ability to probe into why things don't happen. You go and read your Bible in the earthwork of Jesus. Every time people came and asked him questions, he respected them. Read your Bible. Whether it was the woman

at the well, whether it was John chapter 3, I hope you know it was this probing that better the scripture we use for salvation now. For God so loved the world. It started as a man's asking a question. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. John 3 and verse one. He said, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a man sent from God. For no man can do these signs and wonders except God be with him. And then Jesus said, "Now that you've gotten my attention, let me begin to talk to you. Verily, verily, I say Unto

you, except a man be born again," then he asks another question. The woman at the well, she began to ask the question, and he answered because the seed for an answer is a question. There is no reason why you should have an answer if you are not asking a [Music] question. For as long as you are not asking why your life is where it is, for as long as you are not asking why you are making tremendous impact Before you celebrate results, be sure you can reproduce it. In my opinion, one of of all the

dominion instructions that were given to man more than being fruitful, the most powerful for me is replenish. Replenish is where true authority and master lies. The ability to produce that result again and again and again and again and again. Are we learning? So he comes to Gideon and Gideon meets him with a question. Why is my life like This? You are giving me a command and you are telling me that I'm going to be a great warrior. I will bring down the Medidianites and command salvation for God's people. But why are we like this? And

the angel said, "Keep asking." Because you see, there is a law. And when Jesus came, he opened us up to that law. The law is found in Matthew chapter 7 from verse 8. For everyone that askketh receiveth. Everyone, not preachers. Everyone that askketh receiveth. He that seeketh findeth, and to him that knockketh. Lord, why is favor not working in my life? Proverbs 18:1. through desire a man having separated himself. The Bible says he seeketh and intermedaleth with all wisdom. Most people would be out of their problems if only they understood this mysterious secret in the

kingdom to ask why things are not Working. Why are doors closing for me? Why do I come to church? And the same prophetic word comes on everybody. But some come back with testimonies and others sit down and say the word is not working. [Music] Why? I ask a lot of questions. I ask God. I ask men dead and alive. Because in that ability to inquire, you Will find secrets. Secrets that make for your continuity. Secrets that guarantee your stability. According to Isaiah 33, it is wisdom and knowledge that become stabilizers of a man's time and

his destiny. Is someone learning already? You are going to pray right now over yourself for the grace to ask questions and continue to ask those questions until answers come. Go ahead and pray in 1 Minute. Why am I not walking in the dimension of the anointing that I desire? Why is ministry not growing? Why is my finances going down? What happened in January that brought me favor and now in March the favor seems to have ended. And for those of you who are doing well, what am I doing by God and by grace that is

producing the results that I now enjoy? Can I reproduce it? Can I bring others into That [Music] experience? Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Now you understand the preceding scriptures that we started with. He said, "I do not claim to have apprehended yet." Philippians chapter 3 from verse 12. How could Paul say that? Do you know the level of Paul's understanding? When you read Ephesians chapter 3, beginning from verse three, Paul makes the defense of his spiritual intelligence. He says, "Listen, I didn't just learn this thing. I was initiated." Ephesians 3:3, "I was called into a fellowship of the

mystery." It's like an initiation into a body of truth. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery as I written in few words. Verse four, he said, "So that when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ." That means don't be surprised at the Level, the depth of my spiritual communication. I was drawn in by grace into a fellowship. It's like an initiation into a body of understanding. And yet that's the same man who is saying, "I do not claim to have known anything." [Music] Ah, he said this

one thing I do, I forget the things that are behind. He never said I forget the failures that are behind. Failure is not the only Thing you need to forget. We're getting there. But now, let me let me just run quickly because I want us to pray. Let's study the life of Gideon and learn a lesson or two that will help us tonight and God will grant us grace. Are you ready to learn now? Judges [Music] 7:1 life is changing in the name of Jesus. Amen. Then Jerobal, who is Gideon, and all the people that

were with him rose up early and pitched. Now, let me explain the context for you. When God was done working with Gideon, he sustained the courage and the Bible says he blasted a chauffeur. When Gideon blasted a chauffeur, 33,000 people came. Are we together now? That was the man who was once weak and mediocre. Now he had the courage to call that chauffeur and 33,000 people came and the Bible says that all those people came and met him by the valley. Verse two verse two very quickly. And the Lord said unto Gideon, the people that

are with thee are too many for me to give the Medidionites into their hands. Why? less Israel vounce themselves against me saying my own hand had saved me. Now follow very carefully. There are two principal tests and they also represent the price You must pay if you want to make progress. Test number one. This was the test that was going to reduce the people. Let's find out what qualified the 300 out of 33,000. What happened that 300 were left and they were the only ones who went and conquered. Are you ready? Test number one verse

three. Now therefore go to proclaim in the ears of the people saying whoever is fearful and Afraid let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead and there return how many people? [Laughter] My goodness and my God. Believers, are we are we students of scripture? That out of 33,000 people who came, 22,000 were in fear. And he said, listen, don't frustrate our journey. So, we give you a chance now. If you don't believe in your destiny enough, if you are not convinced That is worth giving your all, I give you a chance. Go back. Ladies

and gentlemen, how many went back? 20 and 2,000 and there remain. I understand that God spoke to you and you wrote the vision and he told you you will be shaking the nations. I understand that he told you when you heard that chauffeur, he said blow the trumpet in Zion. I know that you have come out, but just because you showed up to honor that sound does not mean you Will get there. Test number one is the test of courage. It takes courage. Hear me. The first price it takes to be a trailblazer to be

consistent to weary limitations till you win is the price of courage. Courage is derived from conviction. Listen carefully. Courage is not outsourced. It is generated. One more time. Courage is not outsourced. It is generated. Generated from a Conviction. God is speaking to someone already. The Lord said unto Gideon, "The people are too many." Please go to verse three. Let's just stay at verse three. God is speaking to someone now. your family members, they seem too many. Who will rise from there and break? I know you come from a crowd of 5,000 people and just because

a family meeting was held, don't make a mistake of believing that everybody who came there Intends to get to the other side. Test number one, who is he that will not be fearful? Who is he that will not be afraid? He said, "Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and return early, don't waste our time." And the Bible says, "22,000 people, for God's sake, they said, Gideon, we're returning. Remember the dream God showed you? I'm still returning. Remember, you've come too Far. You left your house. I'm I'm still returning." Can I tell you? Many

have returned in ministry. Many have returned in business. Many have returned over their health. Many have returned. I'm here to encourage someone. Pass this test. If it is, Hold on, hold on, hold on. Before I pray for you, you have to know that there are tests you must go through. You may not like what I'm teaching you, but if it's advancement you intend to Have, there is a test. Behind every genuine result you see is a testament of endurance and courage. Make no mistake to think the anointing just came and moved people. Uh-uh. Before the

anointing came, you know the audacity it takes to position yourself to defy the crowd, defy opinions. We live in a world that does not respect the sacrifices of people, the stamina and the staying power. The man of God is just lucky. The businessman, I think he Was just lucky. Do you know the pain and the tears? Nobody wins the Olympic by mistake. No, you can get to the field by [Music] mistake. Please listen carefully because God is speaking to you. The test of courage. Deuteronomy chapter 20. Let's hurry up. Someone's life must change this night.

The first four verses. Deuteronomy 20. When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seeest horses And chariots, and a people more than thou, he says, be not afraid of them, for the Lord thy God is with thee. Hold on. You would think that that God would take away the chariots. He said, "I'm with you, but you will still see chariots. You will still see horses. You will still see people more than you." Oh, David, when you see the size of Golth, don't be afraid. Remember the one that is with you. Forget about the

size of the adversary. Oh, someone is ready to shake. The devil will make you focus on the Egyptians. Focus on chariots as though God were not with you. He said, "Well, hold on. Hold on. Look up, please. Please. Did you know there are altars fighting you? Is it not when you made a commitment that I will be different, the altars had you? They said we stopped your father. We stopped your grandmother. Who is this man who is rising like a reed taken out of [Applause] fire when you go out to battle. It is not unusual

to find forces that are greater than you. No, that sickness in your body, those pills, you stand and you make up your mind that everybody lives in a rented apartment forever, but in the name of Jesus, I will build. And you ask, "How much can I buy a house?" And they tell you, "30 million." And you check your account and see that you have 4,000. You laugh at Yourself feeling like a fool. Remember the jealousy of God is standing by you to defend you. Please sit down. And it shall be when ye are come nigh

unto the battle. He said the priests shall approach and speak to the people. We're reading to four. and shall say unto them, "Hear, O covenant people, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies. Let not your Hearts faint. Fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified of them." Why? Verse four, for the Lord your God is he that goeth before you to fight for you against your enemies and save you. Can I tell you? Ask any man of God that you respect, ask your man of God coming here. Look, look, let me

tell you the stories of men are the exploits of Courage in the midst of [Music] pain. There are people today, they were told they would not survive certain things. They refused that I will not die. They saw death again and again. I have a choice but I made up my mind. No way. There are people who refuse when one door closes, they don't have time, they force another one to open. Listen, we live in a world where people Find pleasure justifying mediocrity and they sit down there and use very justifiable reasons to remain there. They

destroyed our house in 2007. That's why I don't have a house till now. It looks like an obvious answer, but it's not the right one. Please listen carefully. God is speaking to us. Test number one is the test of courage. Someone shout and say in the name of Jesus, I conquer fear. The fear of opinions, the fear of failure, the fear of the past, the fear of the future. Turn it into prayer right now. Turn it into prayer right now in the name of Jesus. I conquer fear. I conquer fear. Share over my tomorrow. Share

over my destiny. The Lord is with me. Standing by me like a mighty terrible one. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Deuteronomy 31. Let's hurry up. Please sit down. Someone's spirit is firing up this night. Deuteronomy 31 from verse 6 to8. Listen. By the time I'm done teaching you, believe me, a grace will come on your life this night. You will walk out of this place knowing that you encountered the grace of God in reality. Be strong and of a good courage. Fear not, nor be afraid of them, for the Lord

thy God. He it is that goeth with you. He will not fail Thee, nor forsake thee. Verse 7, we're into it. And Moses called out Joshua and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of good courage, for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them, and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. Verse eight, and the Lord, he it is that goeth before you, he will be with you, and he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee. Fear not,

neither be dismayed. Please look up. Whenever God speaks to you about your future, God does not talk to men like he's talking to men. God talks to men like he's talking to himself. One of the ways you will know is God speaking is because when God gives you a destiny instruction, he will even start by saying, "Fear not." because the size of what you will tell you. There is no logic and no you will feel stupid for believing in Him. There are many times you will regret training your ears to hear God because the excuse

you would have used now. You can't say it's not him that spoke to you that God speaks to you and tells you in your lifetime I will use you to build a house for all your 13 brothers. And he said God don't flatter me. Just tell me I will succeed. I will pay my school fees. As at the time God is speaking, you are hoping you are still 20% gathering the money for your Rent. I told you that God does not speak sympathizing with your current situation. He speaks as touching your destiny. When he finds

you hiding, he does not say, "Oh, thou hiding one." He says, "Oh, thou man of valor." The same way God is seeing someone who is weak and saying oh thou prophet do you not know that that grace and that uncction of the prophetic is on you and you are saying God don't flatter me the prophetic nobody everybody was an idol Worship by my family the test of courage whoever is fearful go back 22,000 people sir went back. Let's continue. Judges 6 and Judges 7 now verse 4. Are you ready? So the first test is the

test of courage. Maybe I should add two or two scriptures just to butress on the issue of courage. 2 Timothy 1 and:7 very popular scripture. 2 Timothy 1 and verse 7. Before we look at the second test for God had not given Joshua Selman the spirit of fear. That means fear is a gift. Look up. Look at me. that when you find fear at work in you, you received it. Anything given can be rejected. Is that true? The Bible said God has not given. That means someone else gave it. God has not given us the

spirit of Fear. Look how powerful fear is. It takes three spiritual forces to dislodge fear. Power, love, and a sound mind. Don't downplay fear. Fear is the spirit that foreigns every other spirit. Every other spirit stands waiting for fear to open a door. No spirit will enter a door that fear has not opened. Did you hear what I said? Every spirit is at the mercy of fear. They wait patiently for fear to Open that door. Then every other spirit can come. God has not given us the spirit of fear. Let me tell you, your destiny

will require courage. You will stand face to face before mountains. You will stand face to face before some of you lifethreatening issues. Maybe some of you are already even standing in front of those things. Who are thou mounting? You should say before [Music] Zerubabel when that beast was roaring six fingers and six toes even the veterans of war in Israel became afraid and a young teenager who came to serve his brother's food he heard the voice of that beast and he went and stood there and he said what is happening who is this golad golad

and he looked at him. He said, "Please give me a chance to do something to this man." He went to Saul. The brothers drove him and said, "Go Back before he kills you for nothing." And he went to King Saul. And Saul said, "From what tribe? I want to know the covenant that backs you. That's all I need to know." When he stood before him with a sling, Golad said, "Am I a dog? I will kill you, but respect me. You must be such a stupid boy. You come to me with a slink. Look at

your warriors. You've been You've been a shepherd with sheep. Your veterans are afraid. And when he Was done talking, you would think that David will kneel down and say, "I'm sorry. I'm just a teenager." David said, "Let me even tell you how you will die. This sling will bring you down. Your very sword is what I will use to remove your head. Ah goodness. Courage. Can I tell you this? Some of you after this conference, you may not have money to buy sharp sand, but go and stand where that land [Applause] is. Hear me. You

may not have a ministry now and nobody's placing a demand on you, but go to the bush where your audience is. Stand there and hold a stick and begin to preach like I did many years ago and decree and declare by the spirit. Sense the anointing there. Train your gift in the bush. Train your anointing right there. Because sooner or later, the one who is a way maker will make the way for You. [Music] Can I tell you this? Fear puts men in bondage. Hebrews 2:15 I believe. And to deliver them who through the fear

of death. 2:15 Hebrews were all their lifetime. That means fear can capture a man's lifetime. Do you know what a lifetime is? From when you were born till when you die. Fear can literally possess a man's lifetime, Not just moments in your destiny. A whole lifetime. Courageous people are those who win in our world today. Those who are overly conscious of what people say. I made a statement. Who liked it? Who commended it? You you are ready for failure forever. There are times you will have to stand alone. Can I tell you something? You see

the ways of God does not always show the wisdom behind it immediately. There are Times that you will look foolish for 10 years is the 11th year that will show you were wise for 11 years. But the courage to stay when Noah was shouting and saying rain is coming. Hear me. Rain is coming. For 120 years he was shouting. They laughed at him. He said, "I'm giving you a chance." All the animals were wise. They didn't argue. As soon as they got the call in peace, seven by seven, two by two, the animals who could

run faster than men, Who could climb trees, who were even more technical, they quietly came and all the men who were helpless, they stood there arguing. It was God who closed the door. And the Bible says the rain was structured such that heaven gave its own rain, earth gave its own rain. What? Whoever it meets in the middle and that was where it killed everybody. Can I tell you this? Most of us in our world will never be great because of the fear of being Alone. There are people who will leave God a thousand times

to gain friends. There are people who will abort their destiny a thousand times because of acceptance. Our our generation has such an obsession for acceptance. Don't get me wrong, acceptance is one of the psychological indices that make for fulfillment. I understand. But let me tell you sincerely, if it is destiny, there are many times is at the end that the vision speaks. But you don't start building at the end. You start building alone foolishly sometimes. And as your wisdom unfolds, God now honors [Music] you. Once upon a time in this Lagos, there were people who

were tying water. Is that true? Water like what you call pure water today? They were tying it in a leather. You still remember? And someone looked and said, "No, water is an essential. We can package this in In a in a more intelligent way." Do you know the risk it took? What if they failed? Question. Did they [Music] fail? The man who builds a hotel with 130 homes. Question. Who signed that I will come and sleep in your hotel? The pastor who buys a land and builds a church. Did anybody sign a covenant with him

that I guarantee you midweek I am there? Church service I am There. Somebody say courage. My dear worshippers when you write your songs does anybody give you any guarantee that I will come and sing. Everything you are celebrating today is the other side of courage. The other side of courage. The other side of courage. Seven up. You know, seven up that you take. I'm sure you know how the name seven up came. Seven up just means six down, seven up. The man failed six times Woefully. He named that product after his results. Today you drink

it, but behind what you are drinking is the pain of a man. Look at me. I always wondered why God through the prophet would tell nan to go and bath seven times. God you are mighty. What is seven? I later found out that is there is something about the law of process that was taught in that miracle. Do you know that after Nan took his bath six Times, you thought there will be evidence of cure to encourage him, he was still as dirty and scaly and as tattered as that. 5 minutes to your miracle. It

will still not look like it. This is the thing about God that you have to understand. Can I tell you this? Go and ask Elijah. He prayed and said, "Check for me." Nothing. Prayed and said, "Check for me." Nothing. Seven times, even the sixth time, nothing. The same Way you are seated today, you don't know it's tomorrow that prophecy has written that you will be smiling as it is right now. Nothing is in your life. My deliverer is coming. My deliverer is standing by. My deliverer is coming. My deliverer is standing by. The prophet said

by this time tomorrow you thought a cloud will suddenly start moving and the nation of Israel say wow a cloud is forming after the prophet Spoke I'm sure even him he went back and said God I've spoken don't let these people kill me a woman that can eat her child is it a prophet she will not eat By the next day, everybody woke up. Where is that stupid prophet playing with our intelligence in the name of the Lord? You said today, this is that day. They forgot it was God that made the day. Four lepers.

Why sit we here and die? Let's Go and die in the place where there is plenty. There's a lesson there. It's better to die in a place of supply than to run away out of fear. The the guys were wise. They said anyway we are going to die. So is wiser and cheaper. And when they took that step of faith, the Lord amplified them and it was like the sound of chariots and they said, "Ah, Samaria has now gathered allies to come and fight us." When they got there, all they saw was supplies. Can I

tell you this? Someone by this teaching you are receiving the courage to do something that four years ago you wrote it. God told you start. You've been afraid and sitting there. Go and register the company. Oh God, you know the way Nigeria is now. I'm waiting until my uncle. He said he's contesting for election. Wo to him who puts his strength in a man. If God gives you the matching order, sustain the courage and the grace to go. Can I tell you Sometimes you will fail obeying God. Oh, I wish you will not. There are

times you will fail obeying God. When you fail obeying God, allow the one who takes the glory to also take the shame. You've always heard me say this. If you are the one taking the shame, you have been taking the glory, too. It's a deal. Whoever takes when you say God take everything you mean take both the glory and the shame. If on account of my hearing you this shame comes upon Me take responsibility for my [Music] obedience. Please sit down. Let me give us the last test. The price for new dimensions. Price number one

is the price of courage. Unbending resoluteness that is not outsourced but generated. Lord, I know you have spoken to me that From this family where no one has risen that you are going to lift me and the nations will celebrate your workings upon my life. I believe what is the next step? Start moving to where? Keep moving. Do you believe I am God? Keep moving to where? To Lagos. Lord, I'm in Lagos. What is the next step? Trust me. What kind of answer is that? And all your classmates call you and say, "Oh, is it

your picture I saw in NMPC?" You said, "For where?" I'm still Here. I'm in Lagos. And they said, "But you too, you know, some of you sometimes you can be very stupid and you just stand and say, Lord, everybody may seem to have moved forward." Maybe that's someone's testimony now. Yes, sir. God just locked you up and all you are doing is praying and fasting. Praying and fasting, studying scripture, praying and fasting, reading books, praying and fasting, praying and fasting, and then learning Materials. You know, but the platform to put it to work is not

there. God is doing something with you. Let me warn you. If God says, "Wait, wait." Every time you rush seasons, you will always give birth to the Ishmael that will fight Isaac. God is a God of speed, but God does not rush. Two days to your breakthrough, Satan can bring an offer in one day that can make You birth Ishmael. And forever, you will have to live with that battle. Part of the way we gain speed is by it will truly run. Is someone learning? Obtain courage. Do not fear. Refuse fear. When angels appear, they

tell men, "Fear not. It is for a reason." Test number two, Judges 7:4. Are you ready for the second test? Now this one in fact if you did not get Anything I shared here please don't forget this. This is a lifechanging secret that I want to share with you now. You will thank your man of God for the rest of your life if you get what I'm showing you now. And the Lord said unto Gideon, "The people are yet too many. The first test reduced them, but there are still 10,000 or others. He said, "Bring

them onto the water, and I will try them for you there." Listen carefully. "And it shall Be that of whom I say to you, this is the one who goes with you from that test, then he shall go with you." What is the test? Verse five. Please give us verse five. So he brought the people onto the water. Are you ready now? And the Lord said to Gideon, they are going to approach their interaction with this water in two ways. Study them and use their encounter with this water to filter them. Everyone that lapeth on

the water with his tongue as a Dog lap him shalt thou set by himself. Likewise everyone that boweth down upon his knees to drink. Look up. Let me teach you a mystery here. Do you know what this means? Don't forget that when he called them, they came out of their homes. They had started walking. Some of them returned. That means everybody had left home. Their energy had been spent. Are you getting The point now? Now he brought them to the place of some level of results. And he said, "Watch the way they approach this success.

If you meet water as a testy man, he said those who bow down to that success to drink it, they have created, they have settled there. that there are those who will approach that success with the mindset of one who knows that the journey is still far. They will not bow. They will lap like a dog because they are just drinking to Keep moving. But there are others who will bow down. That means I'm not leaving this place again. He says separates them. This is the last test. Is someone getting me now? How do you

bow down to water to drink it? find out I started ministry. Now God wants to test you. His vision is to give you a global ministry but he trusted you with a fellowship. And because of the results in the fellowship, no more prayer, no more hearing God. You are now bowing Down to drink that water. I'm happy with the 10,000 that is coming. I'm happy with the 30 members. There is no pressing, no fasting, no building. Gideon study their approach to that which gives them comfort at this level. The assignment of water is to quench

your test. When you are a testy man who has been walking for a long time, when you see water, you will not know there are other treasures in the warfront greater than that Water. Is someone getting that? Now sir, the second test. You see, let me tell you this. There is you have to conquer the deception of current success. You you want to go forward, you must conquer the deception of complacency that comes as a result of your current achievements. It is not only failure that kills. Success kills more than failure. Many people stopped walking

with God. Many people deflated their passion for growth, their passion to be mentored, their passion to learn. After all, there's results now. I've started prophesying. It's not very clear, but I've started prophesying here and there. The anointing has started working. It looks like a few members are coming now. And God is saying, "This is only a test. Gideon, study them. This test you will not find out immediately. It will take Time for you to know those who will separate, who will be separated. And he said anyone, have you ever seen a dog settle? When a

dog is eating, it does not eat and lie down and just remain there. Is ready to move. In fact, parts of the body is already moving. Once it is done, it moves to what it was doing before that temporary success. It says those who lap, they are still on their feet. They are just fetching it. My feet, my instrument of motion is still In place. But those who bow down upon their knees. To bow down means to make it lord over you. You have made the success lord over you. You have made the little exposure

consume you such that you forgotten that you were on a mission. Is someone learning now? I can tell you just because you pass the test of courage, courage can graduate to pride when you get to the water because there is obvious results There. Water is not something you can deny. Everybody can see the evidence. There is some results. Let me tell you this. I pray for myself every day and all the time. And I want you to pray for yourself. The moment you start making it, pray more than you failed. Pray more than you prayed

when you were failing. Are we together now? Yes, sir. The higher you rise, the more the pain when you fall. If you are here and you, how many of you Have fallen from the bed? You were dreaming that you were climbing a skyscraper and you just moved and you found out it was a dream. You can get up and just say, "Oh, no problem. I rebuke any spirit." Climb your bed and keep sleeping. But when you fall from a plane, you may not survive. So the higher you rise, the more discerning you have to be.

Is someone learning now? You have to train yourself and even Create a system if need be around your life so that your contact with the celebrity dimension of success does not enter you so much to a point that it distracts your discipline for continunity. When all the nations are calling you, when everybody is listening to your songs, man of God, Apostle Joshua Selman, when the nations are calling you, that is exactly where the great fall and they are destroyed. Because whether you study or not, the Power of God will still move. You can pick any

topic lazily around and still teach and with respect to your hearers, you are still powerful. It's only God that knows. When you off a fan, it still moves. He will not die at the same time. Hear me. I'm telling you why you see people gaining momentum doing certain things and at a point you will know that this preacher he's not backsliding but he has plateaued. There's nothing else to learn from him. And can I tell you This generation is very unforgiving over exhaustion. The moment they they discern that you have you have rounded up your

syllabus, they will respect you and build a monument around your your refusal for continunity. Yes sir. In the next 10 years, there are businesses that will be out of place. In the next 10 years, I hate to say this, but it's the truth. There are even ministries that may have to give way. It's not just by technological alignment. It is God who opens the gates for the next season. And God said, "This one, I'm the one who will test them by myself. Let me see what they do by the riverside." Test number one. Whoever is

afraid and fearful, whoever does not believe in his future, don't even start. Go home. Those who win will come and help you. Go home. Test number two. That one start producing results. Advance. Go forward. Now you come to a place where there are results. Your first 1 million. Your first 1 billion. And God says, "Now I'm watching." Remember how you were rolling when there was nothing? Now the clothes is too expensive to roll. Uh-uh. Now you cut your prayer time into half because there is an important business meeting with noble personalities. Let me tell you

what you are doing. You are bowing down before The water. You are failing the test. Some of you came to church. You are already failing this test. And God put this conference to help you. The moment 1 million came is taking this message now to remind you that that's not all you need in your life because you left God. You left prayer. You don't know where your Bible is. You don't even know where your relationship is. I made up my Mind that as for loving Jesus, as for serving him, as for dwelling in his presence,

you've heard me say that I love him more than ministry. Believe me, I can lock up the door of ministry and never open it again and I'm still satisfied. It was never the pursuit in the first place. I was not pursuing it. I was pursuing him. So even when it comes, it cannot distract me provided he's still There. And it is while we seek him that he so graciously continues to multiply the grace and the anointing things that were not even part of the blueprint. He keeps adding. And we say, Lord, my desire is to

give you glory. And he says, then I will keep giving you the platform to keep giving me glory. Please look at me. We're wrapping up. There are many preachers who have failed this Test. There are many business people. You are a preacher here. Please don't as much as possible don't miss the the pastor's conference tomorrow. By the privilege of God's grace, I'll be sharing with you certain keys that will help you. Tonight's service before you receive is a service of genuine repentance. Lord, I didn't know that the river you brought me to was only a

test. The one house you gave Me, the visa you gave me to to Europe. And when I returned back, I said nobody should come and invite me anywhere where they will give me $1,000 again. Oh dear. After all, I went round believers and all those who are connecting learn a lesson from this. It is a real prize to watch success and still be on a mission while people clap for you. Do you know most times when I finish meeting sincerely I'm telling you No matter how great and how wonderful the meeting is most times people

will call me to say apostle how was the meeting and I say fine that I mean what happened fine that's enough for me I go back and I get down on my knees and I say Lord your boy is here to tell you thank you again the one you found the one you helped the one you lifted even on suit still your boy in the presence of the world still your boy I will never give my name I they can call me anything I appreciate the honor but I know who I am to you and

God says you have done this for me even in the presence of Benty let's open another door let me show you why some people will never die even if they die they don't die the reason is because their hunger and their passion for God immortalizes their impact there is no dispensation of the move of God where they are edged out. There are three levels of the anointing. There is the anointing that Comes upon your life by reason of being grafted into Christ. Listen carefully. Every believer who is grafted into Christ, there is a measure of

the engracing of the spirit upon you. The second level of the anointing is the anointing that comes upon your life by reason of the office you occupy. When God calls you and allocates your space in destiny, whether in the five-fold ministry or in whatever area that represents the geography of your Weakness, there is an engracing that comes upon you. The third level of the anointing, which is very rare, is the anointing that comes upon you by reason of having the discernment to know what God is doing per season and passing the test that keeps you

relevant. You can still be a man of God and you'll be surprised a move of God will start and you are not in it. This is not backsliding. You did not pass this test. Most likely the current level of results Distracted you so much. And when God measures your capacity, he sees that moving you out of that space, you don't have the energy and the strength to manage the success that comes. So out of his mercy, he will close the door by himself. Not every closed door is demonic. There are closed doors that are a

report card. Because with the level of your spiritual capacity based on your prayerlessness, your wordlessness, it will be difficult for God to expose you To higher levels and higher platforms. The attacks there will kill you. So he will keep you small. You want to advance, please focus on this test. It's easy for a preacher to preach for you and tell you, don't fear. But when it has to do with the test of the water, no man of God can preach it for you. It is going to be you and Jesus. I show you a mystery.

I made a covenant with my life that there is no Amount of success or results or the blessings of God. Listen, I'm not exaggerating and forgive me if I sound arrogant. I I've said it here. I respond to an average now is almost getting to 8 or 900 text messages in a day. One day, one person. And over 70% of those text messages are prayers and commendations. Apostle, you are the apostle of the most high. Oh, around the world. I listen to your message this and that. And sometimes I look at these Things with sincere

compassion and I look at myself on the mirror and I say in the name of Jesus, apostle, you will get there. You will arrive no devil and no demon, no commendation, nobody will clap you to plateau at that level. I will pray like never before, fast like never before, open up my spirit like never before. When you see me panting after God, you will think I don't know anything about the things of God. That is the posture. It is they that hunger And test that rise. Let me say this especially for my generation of preachers.

This our arrogance and stubbornness and arrival mentality is why there is balloon success. People go up and deflate back into shame. You know why? Because there is a posture you must consistently take. Let any man that thinks he knows know that he does not know as he ought to know. There are many things I do not know. There are many things I still need To learn. You go and check my laptop now. There are videos and trainings. I'm building myself. I will never arrive. Not in this, not in this life. When it has to do

with destiny, don't let your tears stop you. Be strict on yourself. You woke up in the night for you to get to this level of the anointing. If you don't respect that night again, soon you will plateau. Yesterday's excellence is Today's mediocrity. Don't think yesterday's oil will solve tomorrow's problem. You will need to access fresh oil. And when there was no more vessel, the problem was not the oil. When there was no more vessel, is God speaking to someone? Because we are going to pray the grace to pass these two tests. For some of you,

the reason why you have not accessed certain blessings is God wanted you to listen to this message. And for Those who are following from around the world listening, maybe a CEO is listening to me right now, a family member, a man of God, you are listening and asking why are things not happening in my life. Don't forget all that we've discussed that number one go in your might is not yet an impartation that the understanding to inquire as to why my life is not working or why it is working. All the same, it requires careful

study. And then that when it has To do with the journey of advancement, especially charting new frontiers in your life and destiny, there are two principal tests. The test of courage and the stamina to not be distracted by results. Show me a man who can pass these two tests. I show you a man who does will never remain close over for long. I assure you recently the Lord did something in my life that I'm I'm not a very emotional person. I've tried and tried. It didn't work. And I said, "Look, I won't force myself. I

won't just cry anyhow. If the tears don't come, I can cry in my heart." But I found myself getting more emotional as God lifts me because of the sheer awareness. And when God did what he did in my life, I said, "My God, what is the meaning of this? and I celebrate his goodness and I thank him. But very quickly I remember I Remember people send me text messages all the time saying all sorts of things and I honor them. Some of you are here looking at me when I stepped in. Many of you were

appreciating me. I truly appreciate you. I don't take it for granted when people love you and believe in you. you will not take it for granted. However, the day God showed me this as a revelation. I made up my mind and I keep praying it all the time. Here's the Prayer that I prayed. We're wrapping [Music] up. I said, "Lord, may I never see the full extent of my impact. Just show me a sample of it and it is okay. I don't trust myself what I can do and become in the presence of certain levels

of results. So let me not even be aware that this is how far you have taken me. It is my personal prayer and God answered it. Can I tell you conquer the Obsession for celebrity life? Conquer the obsession to be noticed. You will be noticed. conquer the obsession and the way to do it is that your focus must be on Jesus. I always give this example. This is a pullpit. Our focus is on the top here. But what is holding it? You cannot ignore it while you are looking at this. My desire in my life

is never to build an empire for myself to see Jesus lifted and to see Jesus glorified. And God sees my Heart. I'm not just saying it because I'm here. If you ever wonder why God does what he does in the life of this servant of his, let me tell you sincerely, it is nothing necessarily spectacular. Is that he has found that by grace forever in my life if God does not bless me, he does not owe me. I owe him my life and everything until the day I see his face. Is someone learning? Yes. The

test. Some of us need to repent. God trusted you with platforms. God trusted you with mantles. God trusted you with anointings. God trusted you with relationships. God trusted you with certain things and you abused it in pride. God tr he brought you in the presence of business people who by your level of growth and transformation you should not be there. But he granted you access to the great. You abused the Privilege. This is what has closed doors for many people. But like the hair of Samson, you can be restored. Oh, you can be restored. Fill

my life till all they see is you Lord. [Music] Glory. Feel my life till all is you, Lord. Glorify your name. I'm going to give us the next five Minutes and I'm going to leave you and your savior and your maker. I don't know what position you are going to take, but please hear me. Do not despise this teaching this night. If it is genuine advancement you want to make in your life, we are going to cry before God. Beginning from me on the stage here, some of us have failed the test. Number one, that

fear in this conference, you're going to pray and flug it out with destiny. God gives you a word of knowledge, you are afraid to to say it because you are afraid. So the prophetic has refused to develop in you because your ego is on the line. If I mention this name and it's not the person and God is saying you don't trust me enough, it is a risk to move by faith. I always say this that faith is spelled R I S K. That is the spelling of faith. Faith in the world of achievers is

not f a i t h. No, that is in the World of linguists. In the world of achievers, faith is r i s k. That's the spelling of faith. It takes an amateur to say you are wrong. I struggled with the Lord for 3 years to move from Zarya to Abuja. God was doing great and mighty things already. You can imagine a place that is a center the Zazo Emirates there and yet People will travel from all over the world in the midst of the kidnappings and come there. It was a measure of great result

and God began to speak to me and say son we have to move to the next phase. God I don't want trouble Abuja. No I don't I'm not ready for this this I don't want I don't want I mean ministers will understand what I'm saying. I'm not ready for any just keep me let me serve you sincerely. After all you are almost coming. So I [Music] [Applause] mean finally when I moved to Abuja many of you here shuttle between Lagos and Abuja it is very very life is expensive. You need faith, wisdom, relationship, everything combined

together. When I began to see the visions of our meeting today and some of the things God was doing, of course I'll be foolish to doubt him at that level. He had done great and mighty things before then. But I said, "Lord, would you grant grace?" And I began to pray. And when I began to pray, I said, "Lord, I believe you. Test number one, courage." Finally, I said, "Let's go. If you instruct me to go, then you are well able to glorify yourself." Test number two, I had to decide to camp around the success

of that phase of ministry as remarkable as it was or move to a virgin territory and now trust God For lifting. And I said, Lord, I believe in you. I thank God for what you have done through my life, but I know there is more to be done, and I thank you. And it was at the period of the pandemic. I hope you you know what that means. Churches, ministries were closed for a while. I remember the first time we saw the venue that was supposedly we are contemplating that venue and then ICC and the

rates were something else but ICC they would not Give it for that frequency of programs. And then this one that God brought us by his grace. It was about the biggest auditorium that can be given for that is not built as a church auditorium. Not even discussing the price per use. You won't believe it. And then I sent a delegation to meet the man. And the man said, "No way. Pentecostals scattered chairs. They scattered this. I invested so much. I'm not ready to lose my money for nothing." And I said, "God, but you spoke to

me. I'm not saying I hope you I hope you are not offended. And I said, Lord, I believe you. I was in Enugu for a conference when that man went to bed and according to him, he's a very great and wealthy man in this nation. He said he heard the audible voice of God like someone is talking and he told him get up. You do not know the young man who I sent to you and you don't know the agenda. He did Not buy that land. It was given to him as you know how they

allocate they just bless people with it and that God a prophecy had come that God is going to raise a mighty man and that the reason why he's building that facility primarily is for that move of God. So God told him that that vision I gave you, the time has come. And that was how when I returned, the man was sick. True story. And I decided to go and greet him just to go and greet him, not to even Discuss anything. And when the man saw me, I greeted him. He called all his managers and

we sat down right there. Let me tell you this. I don't say to brag or to boast. Believe me, I stand by the God of heaven. And I don't know if I should say this or not, but believe me when I tell you what it takes to run one coonial service is probably what most people will use for conferences. One Service. So don't you think I'm just standing here and talking nonsense. No. Those of you who have been there, you know the main auditorium, everything plus the basement and then outside again. Now the whole space

everywhere there's no space again at this level. I have met kings. I have met nobles. I have met the high and mighty to the glory and the name of the Lord. I've met people I never imagined that I Will meet in my life at this level. Heads of government, heads of parliament. And you will think at that level, let me tell you the deception. Joshua Selman, this is where I was going to obvious results. When you don't have results, it's foolish to be proud because people will insult you on top of the world and you

don't have anything again. But when you have a level of results, you see [Music] that and I prayed and I told God something. I said, "Lord, for this that you have done for me, I give you glory. I understand the pressure of being me. I understand all kinds of things but Lord grant me grace that this would never get into me that I would never stand on the stage and try to imagine that it was by my strength. No, some of you here seated are Multi-millionaires. Some of you are probably billionaires. Some of you are

God has helped you. You have done well. But can I tell you this? I apologize that I've taken a bit of your time. We're wrapping up. But I want to spare two or 3 minutes. You're going to cast that crown and say, "Lord, I'm ready to pass this last test." Because for some of you, as great as what you have seen is, God is Only starting. Are you ready? in the next five minutes whether you want to lie down whether you want to cry I don't know what position you are going to don't be embarrassed

remember where he took you from I cast my crown before the highest [Music] royale I am undone before your glorious Majesty is someone Praying. I cast my crown before the highest [Music] royalty. I am undone before your glorious majesty. Someone pray the test of courage that Lord when you speak I will not only listen I will move. If I fail let me fail hearing you. My soul fear not. My soul share not over your finances. My soul share not over your spiritual life. My soul fear not in the name of Jesus Christ. Fear not. It

stands behind you like a mighty terrible one. the name of Jesus. Now pray over the second test. Lord, as you lift me, take away the influence of my results over my life. Let it not influence me to a point that I forget you to a point that I stop living by the values that brought me That honor. Someone lift your voice and cry before your maker. Let it not be that when you have built houses and your flocks and herds are multiplied that you will say my power and the might of my hand has given

me this well. But thou shall remember the Lord thy God. Thou shall remember the Lord thy God. Everybody can take Hallelujah. Father, we ask you to help us. You have used the life of Gideon and the strategy that empowered him to use 300 men and defeat the Medidianites. Lord, there are mountains, there are heights, there are levels, and there are realms that we have not gotten to, that we need to get to. We are in seasons in our lives where we need to make notable advancements, notable progress. Lord, we Pray that the test of courage,

may we pass that test. The test of courage, may we pass that test. Amen. The test of courage. May we pass that test? Amen. And then, oh God, I pray that as you honor us and as you give us results before the nations, before our contemporaries, before all men, may you grant us the stamina to not be distracted by results. Amen. That we will celebrate your hand and Your workings in our lives but not to the detriment of our advancement. Help us, oh God, that in the midst of our results, may we remain focused. Amen.

May we remain disciplined. Amen. May we remain spiritual. May we remain committed. May we remain humble. In the name of Jesus. Amen. And Lord, as we humble ourselves before you, let there be no limit to the degree and the dimension with which you will lift us. Amen. Now in the name of Jesus, I stand in faith with the angel over this house and then the graces that are here represented and I decree and declare over your life that the courage to keep moving until you leap over a wall, until you cross barriers to the next

season, may that grace rest upon you now. May that grace rest upon you now in the name of Jesus Christ and I pray for you for anyone here who probably because of mistakes that you have made the glory that you once enjoyed it is now eboard. It looks like the dimension of lifting you experienced has seemed to leave you. the relationships, the connections. Right now I declare the same grace that grew back the hair of Samson. I stand by the power of the prophetic. Let there be restoration now. restoration of Relationships, restoration of dignity, restoration

of finances, restorations of joy, and by the power of the prophetic like Moses commanded the nation of Israel to go forward in the name of Jesus Christ, go forward. Go forward to new heights, to new levels, to new dimensions. Spiritually go forward, financially go forward in the name of Jesus Christ and every power that has fought You until this conference to not allow you breakthrough, powers of ancestry, orchestrations in heavenly places. I stand by the role of a higher priesthood in the name of Jesus. be delivered from those powers. Now let there be testimonies for

you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Testimonies in ministry, testimonies in family, testimonies in your walk with God. Finally, I pray for you. everything that has stolen your passion for God, Your passion for prayer, your passion for the secret place, your zeal for spiritual things, distractions that have come through relationships, distractions that have come through your results in the name of Jesus. I fan the flames of your spiritual life. I fan the flames of your prayer life. I find the flames of your word light in the name of Jesus Christ. To everyone who is

sick in body, I declare be healed Now by the power of the Holy Spirit. Please, we have to wrap up now. I didn't have the time to prophesy and pray. But if the man of God does allow you, please, even if you are not a pastor, if they do allow you, please do come tomorrow because I'll have a session to teach and let me have some time to prophesy and also pray for the sick and just declare release over your destiny. May the Lord bless you and honor you in Jesus name. [Music] Can we appreciate

man of [Music] God? Tomorrow is going to there's a 7:00 a.m. prayer in in this auditorium between 7 and 8 there'll be 10:00 meeting. Everybody can come 10:00. The man of God said everybody should be here. How many of you will be here? Praise God. I believe we have been blessed tonight. How many of you have been blessed Tonight? Just thank God for what God has done in your life. Thank him. Thank him for his faithfulness over your life. Thank him for every good thing he has done. Thank again. Thank him. Thank him. If you

are coming for the first time tonight, just you have your card with you. They have given it to you. Make sure you drop it with the ushers before you go. They will pick it up and I believe we are blessed. So we look at you say surely surely goodness and mercy And mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Somebody shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you. [Music]