SPEAKER_01: The title of the message is The Liberating Power of Knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: We will be reading from Ephesians chapter 1, verse 15 up to verse 23.
SPEAKER_01: As you know that this is the month of the liberating power of knowledge, uh revelation connected.
SPEAKER_01: And so I've chosen the title, The Liberating Power of Knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: It's a powerful, powerful theme: the liberating power of knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: And our prayer today is that we would truly know God intimately.
SPEAKER_01: So I'll ask us to stand.
SPEAKER_01: We read from Ephesians chapter 1, verse 15 up to verse 23.
SPEAKER_01: This is what the Bible says.
SPEAKER_01: For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
SPEAKER_01: I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know him better.
SPEAKER_01: I pray that your eyes or the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
SPEAKER_01: That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and then seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in this uh the present age, but also in the one to come.
SPEAKER_01: Verse 22.
SPEAKER_01: And God placed all things under his feet.
SPEAKER_01: Hallelujah! And God placed all things under his feet, and not just that, appointed him to be head over everything for the church.
SPEAKER_01: I see promotion, hallelujah.
SPEAKER_01: This is what God does: elevation, promotion, expansion, increase, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
SPEAKER_01: We may have our seats.
SPEAKER_01: Almighty God, I thank you for the word that's coming forth, and I thank you for hearts that are ready, those who are here in person and those who are following this service, worshiping with us online, all over the world.
SPEAKER_01: And I thank you that this word is coming across, and I pray that God would receive it with thanksgiving.
SPEAKER_01: In Jesus' name we pray.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: The liberating power of knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: The knowledge of God transformed Paul's life, and therefore, Paul is someone who understands what knowing God can do for someone, and therefore he prays for the church at Ephesus, the church at Ephesus, that they would truly know God.
SPEAKER_01: The foundation of our faith is not a creed.
SPEAKER_01: And uh, or is it it is not a denomination?
SPEAKER_01: The foundation of our faith is not a system, the foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ, and therefore knowing him becomes critical for our faith.
SPEAKER_01: Knowing him or knowing God becomes critical, uh very foundational for our faith.
SPEAKER_01: In first Corinthians 11 1, the Bible says, For no other foundation can any man lay.
SPEAKER_01: First Corinthians chapter 11 3 verse 11.
SPEAKER_01: 1 Corinthians uh chapter 3, uh verse 11.
SPEAKER_01: Verse 11.
SPEAKER_01: 3 11.
SPEAKER_01: No other foundation, yes, yes, for no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid.
SPEAKER_01: In other words, it's already there.
SPEAKER_01: The foundation is already there, and that foundation is Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_01: So the rest of the life we live, we are building on a foundation that is already set, and so uh there are three dimensions of knowing God that I want to bring to us.
SPEAKER_01: Number one, know his person, number two, know his mind, and number three, know his power.
SPEAKER_01: Know his person, know his mind, know his power.
SPEAKER_01: The liberating power of knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: First of all, know his his person.
SPEAKER_01: Paul encountered uh Jesus on the way to Damascus, and he had a very personal engagement on the way to Damascus, Acts chapter 9, verse 1 to 5.
SPEAKER_01: Acts chapter 9, verse 1 to 5.
SPEAKER_01: And I want to pray and hope that every one of us here has had a personal encounter with God.
SPEAKER_01: Because this is how it begins.
SPEAKER_01: Knowing God really starts by knowing his person, having a personal encounter with him.
SPEAKER_01: Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples.
SPEAKER_01: He went um to the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
SPEAKER_01: As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
SPEAKER_01: He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?
SPEAKER_01: Who are you, Lord?
SPEAKER_01: Saul asked, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
SPEAKER_01: He replied.
SPEAKER_01: And of course, from there he goes uh onto the house of Judas on uh a street called Strait, and a disciple of Jesus Colonia later is spoken to by God, and he's led to lay a hand on Paul, who was blind for a whole three days, and his eyes come back, and he's assigned, given an assignment.
SPEAKER_01: But uh knowing God for Paul was very liberating, and especially number one, that personal engagement and that personal encounter.
SPEAKER_01: My journey of knowing God started when I was almost 17 years old.
SPEAKER_01: I was in form two, and somebody came preaching.
SPEAKER_01: I have talked about it in the podcast that uh you saw on the screen.
SPEAKER_01: Um, and uh somebody came preaching, and John 3.16 was the key scripture, and he simply said, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
SPEAKER_01: And that verse, the love of God, the plan of God for my life came so clear.
SPEAKER_01: And uh on that day I connected.
SPEAKER_01: That was my encounter with God, a personal encounter with God.
SPEAKER_01: You can never truly know God unless you start with a proper foundation, and that is Jesus Christ, and that is why many people struggle in their discipleship uh because they haven't known Jesus, they don't have a relationship with Jesus, and they are trying to build a Christian life, not on a foundation, Jesus Christ, but on maybe a creed, maybe a denomination, maybe a baptism, maybe a confirmation, maybe another ritual.
SPEAKER_01: But they never, never encountered Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
SPEAKER_01: And for that reason, they struggle in their discipleship because the foundation is not Jesus, and the foundation is not firm, it is not strong.
SPEAKER_01: And so I gave my life to Jesus, and I've been walking this journey since then, the journey of knowing God better.
SPEAKER_01: And Paul is praying for the church at Ephesus that they would know God, they would know God by knowing his person.
SPEAKER_01: So in verse 17, this is what it says.
SPEAKER_01: I keep asking, this is a prayer.
SPEAKER_01: I keep asking that God, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know him better.
SPEAKER_01: That last part, so that you may know him better.
SPEAKER_01: And this pastor prays for each one of us that we may know God better.
SPEAKER_01: Hallelujah.
SPEAKER_01: Get to know God better, the person of Jesus Christ, the person of God.
SPEAKER_01: Psalm 23 is a celebration of a man who knows God, and he knows God from first person.
SPEAKER_01: It is what you call a personal statement of faith.
SPEAKER_01: It is a celebration of a relationship by a man and his God.
SPEAKER_01: And he speaks forth that relationship.
SPEAKER_01: He puts it in a very short, uh, you know, I think this is just a short write-up.
SPEAKER_01: Psalm 23 is only six verses, and he's able to put everything together, and he's saying, This is how I know God.
SPEAKER_01: And he says about seven things.
SPEAKER_01: There are seven things, I won't go into each one of them, but there are seven things, a very powerful statement in terms of knowing the personhood of God.
SPEAKER_01: I will read it, Psalm 23.
SPEAKER_01: And he says, The Lord is my shepherd, my shepherd, I lack nothing.
SPEAKER_01: He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul, he guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.
SPEAKER_01: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, and then your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
SPEAKER_01: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
SPEAKER_01: You anoint my head with oil, and my cup runneth over uh overflows.
SPEAKER_01: Why don't we read verse six together?
SPEAKER_01: Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
SPEAKER_01: Let's give a hand to the Lord.
SPEAKER_01: That's a powerful yes.
SPEAKER_01: I don't know how many of us can write up a statement, a statement of faith, a personal statement of faith.
SPEAKER_01: And somebody saying, Jesus is my personal savior.
SPEAKER_01: And you are able to write just a short statement like that one.
SPEAKER_01: Did you count how many times he says, I, me, my did somebody, Damaris, did you count?
SPEAKER_01: Yes, as Bible study, because we're talking about a walk with God, we're talking about knowing God and the depth of knowing God, and uh how many times, Cecilia?
SPEAKER_01: Did you Jane?
SPEAKER_01: Did you?
SPEAKER_01: Okay, so how many times did you count?
SPEAKER_01: Brother Jay, did you count?
SPEAKER_01: And your sister wife Pauline there.
SPEAKER_01: So, how many times?
SPEAKER_01: Now do a Bible study, and you see how many times he says, I, me, my, and uh, what does he say about his God?
SPEAKER_01: People who know their God, of course, later I'll be sharing the verse, say they shall be strong, they shall do exploits.
SPEAKER_01: But the the kindergarten of really this liberating power is knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: It begins right there.
SPEAKER_01: It is the doorway, you know, it is the threshold, and somebody should be able to say their journey, how they know God, not how your grandmother knew God or how your mother knew God, but how you know God.
SPEAKER_01: And that is how Paul writes to Timothy.
SPEAKER_01: He said, The faith that was in your grandmother and was in your mother now is in new Timothy, Elois and Eunice, and now Timothy.
SPEAKER_01: And so those personalities are important.
SPEAKER_01: They had their faith.
SPEAKER_01: We had a generation that had a faith, even Europe had a generation that had a faith.
SPEAKER_01: But the question is, what is this generation saying?
SPEAKER_01: What are these people saying?
SPEAKER_01: What is it that you are saying?
SPEAKER_01: Do you have a God whom you can say you truly know and you are able to, you know, uh write like David, a Psalm, like Psalm 23.
SPEAKER_01: And so let me say that the highest calling of man is to know God.
SPEAKER_01: That is the highest calling.
SPEAKER_01: And therefore, the driving ambition of every person ought to be then to know God.
SPEAKER_01: And uh knowing God, when you know God, you get to know yourself.
SPEAKER_01: And why people don't know peace is because they haven't known God.
SPEAKER_01: In Psalm 46, verse 10, it says, Be still and know that I am God.
SPEAKER_01: Psalm chapter 46 and verse 10.
SPEAKER_01: And uh, whoever doesn't know God is not wise, because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
SPEAKER_01: And really, if you need one to be wise, then the beginning is right there.
SPEAKER_01: Get to know his person.
SPEAKER_01: It's an encounter.
SPEAKER_01: Jesus told Nicodemus, unless a man is born again, John 3 3, uh he cannot see the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_01: John chapter 3 and verse 3.
SPEAKER_01: And therefore, uh, we must start with knowing his person.
SPEAKER_01: How do you know God by knowing his person?
SPEAKER_01: But secondly, and that's a relationship.
SPEAKER_01: Secondly, know his mind.
SPEAKER_01: Know his mind, and this is revelation: getting to know the mind of God, kingdom mindset.
SPEAKER_01: In verse 18 of Ephesians chapter 1, this is what it says.
SPEAKER_01: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance uh in his holy people.
SPEAKER_01: So he's praying that there would be enlightened believers, and uh their their eyes, the eyes of their hearts would be open, that they may know the mind of God.
SPEAKER_01: I'm telling you, when you go into the mind of God, you see the great things God has in mind concerning you.
SPEAKER_01: In fact, in that verse, he says this that you may know the hope in the mind of God is the hope to which he has called us in his mind.
SPEAKER_01: And secondly, in the mind of God is the riches of his glorious inheritance for his holy people.
SPEAKER_01: So when God opens, when we get to know his mind, then we say, see what is inside God's mind concerning us.
SPEAKER_01: Jeremiah 29, 11, we all know it.
SPEAKER_01: It says, God says, I alone know the plans I have for you.
SPEAKER_01: There are plans for good and not for evil, to plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
SPEAKER_01: In God's mind is a plan.
SPEAKER_01: In God's mind is your victory.
SPEAKER_01: In fact, in God's mind is a breakthrough tomorrow.
SPEAKER_01: Hallelujah.
SPEAKER_01: In God's mind is a great year.
SPEAKER_01: In the devil's mind, you know, it's just destruction.
SPEAKER_01: He comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
SPEAKER_01: But in God's mind are good things.
SPEAKER_01: And uh knowing God requires knowing his mind.
SPEAKER_01: What is in his mind?
SPEAKER_01: When you read the scriptures, Romans 12, verse 2 says, Do not be conformed to this world, but be renewed.
SPEAKER_01: You know, uh be transformed by the renewal of your mind.
SPEAKER_01: Let me just read it from scripture.
SPEAKER_01: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
SPEAKER_01: Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
SPEAKER_01: A lot of people are not walking with the mind of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
SPEAKER_01: They don't have the kingdom mindset.
SPEAKER_01: Now, our minds need renewal.
SPEAKER_01: And knowing the mind of God, what does God have in mind concerning tomorrow, my future, my children, my work, you know, my destiny?
SPEAKER_01: What does God have in mind regarding me?
SPEAKER_01: The scriptures need to fill our minds.
SPEAKER_01: What God has written is his mind.
SPEAKER_01: It is also his will.
SPEAKER_01: And knowing his mind requires that we get to know his word.
SPEAKER_01: I memorize scripture because I want to know what is in God's mind.
SPEAKER_01: In John chapter 6, I believe verse 6, give me John chapter 6, verse 6.
SPEAKER_01: He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind, you know, he had in mind, this is God.
SPEAKER_01: He had in mind what he was going to do.
SPEAKER_01: God is never caught by surprise, he already has in mind what he's going to do.
SPEAKER_01: And that is why we should be praying, access into the mind of God.
SPEAKER_01: 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 9, uh up to verse 12 shows us how the Holy Spirit helps us access the mind of God.
SPEAKER_01: This is what is written.
SPEAKER_01: However, as it is written, what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no human mind has conceived, the things God has prepared, you know, for those whom he loves.
SPEAKER_01: These are the things God has revealed to us by his spirit.
SPEAKER_01: And therefore, we get access into God's mind through his spirit, as he interprets the word to us.
SPEAKER_01: The spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
SPEAKER_01: For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them?
SPEAKER_01: In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the spirit of God.
SPEAKER_01: What um we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
SPEAKER_01: And so God has made it possible for us to know him, but he has also made it possible for us to know his mind.
SPEAKER_01: He has made it possible for us to know him by sending his son Jesus Christ, who came and died, was buried, and rose on the third day.
SPEAKER_01: And through Jesus Christ, we get a relationship with the Father.
SPEAKER_01: You know?
SPEAKER_01: John 1 12 says, and to all who received him, who believed in him, he gave them the power to become the children of God, you know, sons and daughters of God.
SPEAKER_01: Through Jesus Christ and verse 14, talking about Jesus coming, and he says, uh, go back to verse 13.
SPEAKER_01: I think 13 is very important.
SPEAKER_01: I should not jump it.
SPEAKER_01: Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or husband's will, but born of God.
SPEAKER_01: Then the word became flesh.
SPEAKER_01: This is Jesus and made his dwelling among us.
SPEAKER_01: We have seen his glory, uh the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, uh full of grace and truth.
SPEAKER_01: So through Jesus, our Lord Jesus Christ, we we get to know God in person.
SPEAKER_01: Then through the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit, we are able to enter the mind of God.
SPEAKER_01: And so when you uh uh you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, the next thing is you pray, Holy Spirit, fill me.
SPEAKER_01: For Holy Spirit come into my life and fill my life.
SPEAKER_01: The moment you receive Jesus, the Holy Spirit also uh comes in there and he comes to teach you all things.
SPEAKER_01: He comes to be the parakaleo, the paraklitos, the one called alongside, and uh he becomes your friend, your comforter, and Your guide to exposing the mind of God, teaching you the mind of God and bringing it home.
SPEAKER_01: And so Paul praying that they may know his mind.
SPEAKER_01: And the way to know the mind of God is to know his spirit.
SPEAKER_01: Allow the Holy Spirit to function within your life.
SPEAKER_01: And therefore, when you have the mind of God, you receive a divine perspective to things.
SPEAKER_01: Where people see limitation, you see possibilities, because that's how the mind of God is.
SPEAKER_01: God sees possibilities, He doesn't see limitations.
SPEAKER_01: Where people see failure, you see destiny.
SPEAKER_01: Perspective.
SPEAKER_01: Kingdom mindset.
SPEAKER_01: Kingdom perspective.
SPEAKER_01: Where people see defeat, you see victory.
SPEAKER_01: When David looked at Goliath, instead of seeing a giant, he saw an ant.
SPEAKER_01: That does not mean that Goliath became smaller.
SPEAKER_01: No.
SPEAKER_01: David had a kingdom mindset.
SPEAKER_01: He had the mind of God.
SPEAKER_01: And he looked at Goliath, he saw that was an ant, and from there he made a declaration.
SPEAKER_01: I will bring you down, I'll cut your head.
SPEAKER_01: Of course, he carried it around, and God is giving you to me.
SPEAKER_01: He got a divine perspective.
SPEAKER_01: You go back to your business, you start looking at it with the mind of God.
SPEAKER_01: God is saying your business is a success, but your physical eyes are saying your business is a failure.
SPEAKER_01: So today I pray that somebody receives the mind of God regarding your children, regarding your family, regarding your destiny, regarding your neighborhood.
SPEAKER_01: See it through the mind of God.
SPEAKER_01: God thinks, and his thoughts are different from our thoughts.
SPEAKER_01: Isaiah 55, verse 8 says, Um, God's ways are not like our ways, neither are his thoughts, no, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
SPEAKER_01: And then verse 9 says something about the comparisons here.
SPEAKER_01: As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
SPEAKER_01: And he goes on to talk about uh, of course, the rain.
SPEAKER_01: But uh the way God thinks about anything and everything is so far removed from the human thinking, and that is why we should adopt the mind of God.
SPEAKER_01: I pray this coming week that God will give you his mind regarding the week and regarding things about your life.
SPEAKER_01: You know, your prayer life will change, your language will change, your socializing will change, and those things that look bigger than you, suddenly you realize there's a God who is bigger than those things.
SPEAKER_01: Let me say once again from the mind of God, you are a success.
SPEAKER_01: From the mind of God, you have a breakthrough.
SPEAKER_01: From the mind of God, you are a winner.
SPEAKER_01: From the mind of God, you are more than a conqueror.
SPEAKER_01: From the mind of God, you are breaking through.
SPEAKER_01: That is the mind of God, his perspective.
SPEAKER_01: You have a future from his mind, and uh that future the devil cannot stop it.
SPEAKER_01: But finally, know his power, know his person, know his mind, and then finally know his power, and this is manifestation, relationship, revelation, leading to manifestation.
SPEAKER_01: In chapter 1, verse 19 to verse 23.
SPEAKER_01: This is what the Bible says, and his incomparably great power.
SPEAKER_01: So, in describing the power, he calls it incomparably great power.
SPEAKER_01: There is no other power that compares with the power of God for us who believe.
SPEAKER_01: Then he goes on to say what this power can deliver, or what this power uh can do.
SPEAKER_01: That power is the same as a mighty strength.
SPEAKER_01: There are three things there: the word race, the word seat, and the word uh place.
SPEAKER_01: You'll hear those words.
SPEAKER_01: He exerted this power when he raised.
SPEAKER_01: This is what the power does.
SPEAKER_01: I talked about elevation and lifting earlier.
SPEAKER_01: He raised Christ from the dead, and then seated, this power brings you to a place of rest, not just sitting you, but I mean racing you, but also sitting you at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come.
SPEAKER_01: And then verse 22, the the the next word, and God placed, and God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be uh head over everything uh for the church.
SPEAKER_01: So the church at Ephesus must not depend on human power.
SPEAKER_01: Ephesus had so many challenges.
SPEAKER_01: In fact, they were fighting spiritual battles.
SPEAKER_01: That is why the book of uh to Ephesians is famous.
SPEAKER_01: In fact, it's a soldier's manual, it's a spiritual warfare book.
SPEAKER_01: In chapter 6, from verse 10, where he begins to say, Finally be strong and in the strength of his might, be strong and in the strength of his might, that you may be able to stand against the darts or fiery darts of the enemy.
SPEAKER_01: Therefore, um wear every uh the full armor of God, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sword of the spirit, the belt of truth, and the shoes of the gospel.
SPEAKER_01: They were facing all kinds of challenges, and they were assisted by the devil almost physically.
SPEAKER_01: There was a manifestation of evil powers in that place.
SPEAKER_01: But then Paul writes to them and he says, You get to know his power, hide inside his power, and you will prevail.
SPEAKER_01: You know, this power is greater than any other power.
SPEAKER_01: Hallelujah.
SPEAKER_01: Last week I was talking about the Jezebelic forces and powers, but I I say uh God is about to demonstrate his power in a big way, and no power of hell shall be able to stand in your way.
SPEAKER_01: And so in Daniel 11, verse 32, King James Version, it says, They that do know their God shall be strong.
SPEAKER_01: You know, they that do know their God, King James Version.
SPEAKER_01: King James Version, yes, this even new King James is okay.
SPEAKER_01: Those who do not who do wickedly against the covenant, he shall corrupt with flattery.
SPEAKER_01: But the people who know their God shall be strong, and what else?
SPEAKER_01: And carry out great exploits.
SPEAKER_01: The ones who do know their God shall be strong, and they shall carry out great exploits.
SPEAKER_01: And uh, and so therefore, this power is so liberating.
SPEAKER_01: Even where human weakness comes, the power of God makes you stronger than what a human being can do.
SPEAKER_01: Acts chapter 1, verse 8 says, You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.
SPEAKER_01: So we can go into any domain, into any realm, because the power we work with is greater than any other rule, principality, or any ruler or any power.
SPEAKER_01: And therefore, Jesus is raised, the power of death is broken, and there are hierarchies of power.
SPEAKER_01: You know, the power we are talking about, know this power from the death, Ukochini, that power of death, and then all these layers.
SPEAKER_01: I normally call them spiritual atmosphere, spiritual ionosphere, spiritual stratosphere, all these layers of powers, you know, principalities and rulers, all of them.
SPEAKER_01: God has given us power to be able to have authority over them.
SPEAKER_01: And Jesus was lifted and then seated at the place of rest on the right hand side of the Father.
SPEAKER_01: God is saying, Know this power.
SPEAKER_01: We have all kinds of powers that people know: political power, financial power, education power, and you can add Ugali power.
SPEAKER_01: When you've eaten ugali like me, because I like Ugali and Cukuchoma, somehow I'm a cuckoo fry, whatever, boil.
SPEAKER_01: Kenya, it has to be.
SPEAKER_01: Hallelujah.
SPEAKER_01: I'm even so swallowing saliva now because it's yes, with kunde.
SPEAKER_01: And that combination gives you some power.
SPEAKER_01: You can go a distance, then you get hungry, and the power goes down.
SPEAKER_01: But I want to say the power that God gives you can break the yoke of death, breaks the yoke of principalities, and breaks the yoke of prince uh of power and rulers in the heavenly realms, in every sphere, under the earth, above the earth, on the earth, and above the earth.
SPEAKER_01: And so he's saying, know this power.
SPEAKER_01: These other powers we get to know when you are confronted by death and by all these other things, those things are powerless.
SPEAKER_01: But there is a power that's above every other power, and this is the power that Paul is telling the church at Ephesus to know.
SPEAKER_01: And in your own family, I pray, may God help you, know this power that comes through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and makes you move from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world.
SPEAKER_01: That is horizontal.
SPEAKER_01: But also dealing with things that are deep down there and also the hierarchies that are above uh the ground.
SPEAKER_01: This power is in your hands, it's in my hands.
SPEAKER_01: Sometimes we don't know it, we don't exercise it.
SPEAKER_01: And Paul is actually saying, get to know this power.
SPEAKER_01: And so the liberating power of knowing God comes through knowing his person, knowing his mind, and also knowing his power.
SPEAKER_01: The enemy fights revelation because a believer who understands God's purpose and power for their life is unstoppable.
SPEAKER_01: Ephesians 3, uh 7.
SPEAKER_01: And I pray that today you get to know this power through knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: And I pray that this week you determine to know God.
SPEAKER_01: I do have quiet time.
SPEAKER_01: I spend time in the Word of God and I've set apart moments, um, like in the morning, uh, to be able to satisfy my hunger and thirst for God.
SPEAKER_01: In uh the book of uh Psalm 42, verse 1 and 2, it talks about the deer, as a deer pants for the water, so my soul pants for you.
SPEAKER_01: In fact, there is a song that goes, As a deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after you.
SPEAKER_01: You also are my heart's desire, and I long to watch you.
SPEAKER_01: Yes, we can sing it as panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after you alone are my heart desire and I long to wash.
SPEAKER_01: You know the other verse?
SPEAKER_01: You alone are my strength to you, I love my spirit.
SPEAKER_01: And I love to just once more the first part as a deer as dear pant for what for my for long after you are my heart.
SPEAKER_01: Desire and I long to shape you.
SPEAKER_01: And so David, and that's why God called him a man after my own heart, would wake up early in the morning just to meet with God.
SPEAKER_01: And I was saying, I have my moments early in the morning where I go to my closet and there with my Bible, I read the word, I meditate on it, I begin to declare it, then I pray the word, I decree the word, and then I can face the day.
SPEAKER_01: And today I'm inviting someone or refreshing someone, you know.
SPEAKER_01: If you've not you don't have this kind of schedule in your life, you can connect with it because, as you can see, there is a hunger and a thirst in every human being to know God.
SPEAKER_01: This hunger and thirst cannot be sorted out by water, by food, by money, and things people pursue.
SPEAKER_01: No, only God and knowing Him can fill that space.
SPEAKER_01: There is an hunger, you know, there is a there is an affinity for God in man.
SPEAKER_01: There is an affinity for God in man, and so you'll either go to a mountain and make a mountain your God, or a tree, or a river, or just something that looks big.
SPEAKER_01: And it has been that way for many centuries.
SPEAKER_01: Before Jesus came, people went everywhere because of this affinity for God.
SPEAKER_01: The Samaritan woman, you know, she was thirsty for God.
SPEAKER_01: The encounter with God at Jacob's well changed everything.
SPEAKER_01: Knowing God satisfied the thirst and hunger in in her life.
SPEAKER_01: And so you you you you you don't have if you don't have this kind of uh uh culture, you're missing out something.
SPEAKER_01: And the only way your thirst and hunger can be fulfilled is truly knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: And the practice of, especially for me, I don't know what would be best for you, in the morning, just taking time, setting apart a time, and and you have your Bible and you pray and you surrender your day uh to the Lord, then you walk with him.
SPEAKER_01: That kind of practice is called having a quiet time, is something I would recommend.
SPEAKER_01: In Mark 1, verse 35.
SPEAKER_01: As I come to a close, Jesus had that practice very early in the morning.
SPEAKER_01: For him, it used to be in the morning, Mark chapter 1 and verse 35.
SPEAKER_01: For Jesus, very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went to a solitary place, a quiet place.
SPEAKER_01: We call it quiet time.
SPEAKER_01: And there he prayed.
SPEAKER_01: He was actually connecting with his father.
SPEAKER_01: The anointing that Jesus worked with during the day came from the closet.
SPEAKER_01: Your public life will never rise above your closet life.
SPEAKER_01: I want to repeat that.
SPEAKER_01: Your public life will never rise above your closet life.
SPEAKER_01: It is those things that you practice in the private closet that will manifest in the public.
SPEAKER_01: And I pray that this month, as we seek to know, the highest knowledge is knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: Actually, the highest knowledge, levels of knowledge is knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: And therefore, revelation enters you there.
SPEAKER_01: The knowledge of God requires revelation.
SPEAKER_01: And God has revealed Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_01: And so through Christ, we can know God.
SPEAKER_01: Through Jesus Christ, we can have the highest knowledge.
SPEAKER_01: And I pray that this month becomes that month.
SPEAKER_01: The seventh month of the year becomes the month when we shall truly, profoundly know God.
SPEAKER_01: If you're here, you've never given your life to Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_01: Where you are, I invite you to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.
SPEAKER_01: That is how you start your journey of knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: Receiving Jesus is simple, it's by faith.
SPEAKER_01: You just simply say, Lord Jesus, come into my heart, be my Lord and King, wash away my sins with your precious blood.
SPEAKER_01: Now make me a new creation.
SPEAKER_01: The old is gone, the new has come.
SPEAKER_01: Holy Spirit, now take over.
SPEAKER_01: And after that, you can say, I am under new management, under new lordship.
SPEAKER_01: I'm not the same as I was yesterday.
SPEAKER_01: I'm now a new creation.
SPEAKER_01: And if you have prayed that prayer online or even here, I want you to know that you have started your journey of knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: And I want you to know that you are born again.
SPEAKER_01: Let's all stand up now as we pray together.
SPEAKER_01: For those who have prayed that prayer of receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, after this service, you can see one of our deacons.
SPEAKER_01: Deacon Yohu is here, Timothy is there, uh Deacon Dr.
SPEAKER_01: John Gishana is here, and uh Deacon Wairago is also here.
SPEAKER_01: Uh, we have uh deacons, I think Pastor Kiniti must be as always right there, and your wife.
SPEAKER_01: So we are all around, and uh you Geshing Giri is also here, and Pastor Sam.
SPEAKER_01: Um, the spiritual leadership is actually in the house, and you can walk to any one of us the around here, and Pastor Kiniti is there, and say, Today I have started my journey of knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: Today I have received Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
SPEAKER_01: But if you know Jesus as Lord and Savior, grow in the knowledge of the mind of God, and that means get into scripture, meditate on the scriptures, understand the scriptures, decree and declare the scriptures.
SPEAKER_01: You will know the mind of God, and I pray you grow in the knowledge of the mind of God, and finally, as you know him, know his mind.
SPEAKER_01: May you uh prevail in terms of exploits.
SPEAKER_01: And I pray that your ministry grows tenfold, sixtyfold, a hundredfold.
SPEAKER_01: Your fruitfulness, John 15, 8 says, God desires that we bear much fruit.
SPEAKER_01: In fact, the word used there is much or a lot.
SPEAKER_01: John 15, verse 8.
SPEAKER_01: Do exploits.
SPEAKER_01: My prayer is that there will be so much fruit coming out of you.
SPEAKER_01: You know, hallelujah, there'll be testimonies, people bringing other people.
SPEAKER_01: Like if all of us led people to Christ this week, one person, and you come with that one person next Sunday, just one person, we shall be double.
SPEAKER_01: Can you imagine?
SPEAKER_01: This congregation can be double, those are called exploits, signs and wonders, can be double in one week.
SPEAKER_01: And if you bring two people each, by the way, next Sunday, we can be three times this congregation.
SPEAKER_01: Is it very difficult to bring exploits of souls and even one soul?
SPEAKER_01: This pastor will be so happy, heaven will be very happy.
SPEAKER_01: If next Sunday you come with somebody else, you have led to the Lord.
SPEAKER_01: May God open those doors for you.
SPEAKER_01: May you lead someone to Jesus Christ and may you bring them to church next Sunday.
SPEAKER_01: In fact, I'm praying next Sunday, Betty, that people, Pastor Kiniti, people will come with someone.
SPEAKER_01: They have led to Christ this coming Sunday.
SPEAKER_01: Even me, I would like to come with someone.
SPEAKER_01: I've led to Christ.
SPEAKER_01: I share Christ every week.
SPEAKER_01: And uh Dr.
SPEAKER_01: Kishane, yes, come with someone.
SPEAKER_01: You have led to Christ this coming Sunday, and your wife Tavitha.
SPEAKER_01: I know you are evangelists and you really do it all the time, you know.
SPEAKER_01: But that is really our prayer.
SPEAKER_01: We are going back to the basics, and spiritual formation and growth is not about big mysteries, it's about basics, and we are saying knowing God, the liberating power of knowing God.
SPEAKER_01: Then it leads you to exploits, and uh the church multiplies and grows uh in terms of numbers and in all kinds of ways.
SPEAKER_01: I said we shall blow the shofar.
SPEAKER_01: I don't know whether Pastor Mbaka, maybe maybe second service.
SPEAKER_01: If you're not ready, we'll do it in the second service.
SPEAKER_01: Oh, you're ready?
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we'll do the shofar.
SPEAKER_01: I sense in the spirit.
SPEAKER_01: It's very important for us to do.
SPEAKER_01: Ah, Joshua Joshua here.
SPEAKER_01: Yes, let's let's appreciate uh Joshua is my son in the faith.
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yes, God bless you in Jesus' name.
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Joshua Hakim and Pastor Mbaka.
SPEAKER_01: Let's appreciate him also.
SPEAKER_01: I want you to take your position.
SPEAKER_01: I don't know whether you want to do it from there.
SPEAKER_01: Or up there or here, anywhere.
SPEAKER_01: Alright.
SPEAKER_01: So we shall blow the shofar.
SPEAKER_01: And this blowing of the shofar is allowing or asking the King of Glory to take over this month.
SPEAKER_01: And we are saying ancient gates be lifted up and let the King of Glory come in.
SPEAKER_01: Who is this King of Glory?
SPEAKER_01: The Lord God Almighty.
SPEAKER_01: He is mighty in battle.
SPEAKER_01: We are inviting him.
SPEAKER_01: Why?
SPEAKER_01: It is number seven.
SPEAKER_01: This month is number seven.
SPEAKER_01: The walls of Jericho came because of, came down because of number seven.
SPEAKER_01: There's something about perfection, completion with number seven.
SPEAKER_01: And as a servant of God, by faith, I sense we need to blow the shofar.
SPEAKER_01: There's a breakthrough coming for someone here in Jesus' name.
SPEAKER_01: As we blow the shofar.
SPEAKER_01: And at the altar, we are here.
SPEAKER_01: I know we are ready.
SPEAKER_01: We are going to blow seven times.
SPEAKER_01: Seven times.
SPEAKER_01: May God help you and give you breath enough to push the air through the shofar seven times.
SPEAKER_01: And then, my son, at seven times, you lead us in celebration, isn't it?
SPEAKER_01: You are counting and also leading us in the celebration.
SPEAKER_01: So let's go for it.
SPEAKER_01: Glory.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Hallelujah.
SPEAKER_01: They that do know their God shall be strong.
SPEAKER_01: And they shall do exploits.
SPEAKER_01: Could somebody say, I receive my breakthrough now.
SPEAKER_01: In the mighty name of my Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_01: My tomorrow will be better than my yesterday.
SPEAKER_01: The spirit of elevation and of power is at work in me now, lifting me from the grave, lifting me above the powers of darkness, seating me together with Christ at the right hand of the Father.
SPEAKER_01: I am more than a conqueror.
SPEAKER_01: I am victorious because I know God, the living God.
SPEAKER_01: In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and we all say, Alleluia.
SPEAKER_01: Glory to God.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Once again, I thank God for the worship team.
SPEAKER_01: It's just been very powerful today.
SPEAKER_01: I thank God for you.
SPEAKER_01: Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_01: Let's lift our hands to God.
SPEAKER_01: Almighty God, you've given us the authority and power to invoke blessings.
SPEAKER_01: And this is on the basis of your word.
SPEAKER_01: You have promised to bless us with every blessing in the spiritual realms.
SPEAKER_01: And that is why I am calling the every blessing, the every blessing.
SPEAKER_01: God opened the stores of heaven and now release the every blessing.
SPEAKER_01: Found in Ephesians 1, verse 3.
SPEAKER_01: Every blessing.
SPEAKER_01: And God released this every blessing upon each one of us.
SPEAKER_01: And the same way, Abraham at that covenant altar in Genesis chapter 12, together with Sarah, verse 1 to 5, you proclaim blessing upon that couple.
SPEAKER_01: Covenant blessing.
SPEAKER_01: Every blessing upon that couple.
SPEAKER_01: May these blessings that follow your people and accompany them now rest upon your people.
SPEAKER_01: And I decree and declare, with this every blessing, you are blessed on Monday.
SPEAKER_01: You are blessed on Wednesday.
SPEAKER_01: You are blessed on Thursday.
SPEAKER_01: You are blessed on Friday.
SPEAKER_01: You are blessed on Saturday.
SPEAKER_01: And you are blessed this coming Sunday.
SPEAKER_01: This week, you are completely and totally immersed and baptized in the every blessing of God.
SPEAKER_01: And I decree and declare that in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and we all say, Hallelujah.
SPEAKER_01: God is faithful, God is good, He is wonderful.
SPEAKER_01: And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forevermore.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever and ever.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Shalom