Understanding the Matter of the Heart

The Power of a Transformed Heart 1 -

The matter of the heart is the heart of the matter. As a child of God, if you want to fulfill your glorious destiny in Christ, you must take the matter of the heart seriously. The presence of sin is the reason for the corruption of heart of man. Every sin and wickedness we see in the world today is a result of the state of the heart of men. Your heart is a spiritual womb. Everyday you give birth, whether you birth life or death depends on the content of your heart.
If the heart is a spiritual womb, nobody will treat you how you treat them. People will treat you according to the content of their heart. Nobody will see you for who you are, they will see you according to who they are in their hearts.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:18

So the lights of your word with the gospel of Christ. Open up your hearts. I'm shall we listen.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

There is a word for someone here. If nobody can see the end of God's glory, no man will see your end. No power will see your end. Everyone waiting for the day of your shame will wait in vain. I say it again with authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Everyone waiting for your day of this place will wait in vain. In the presence of your adversary, you will rise. Who am I prophesying to? You will sign. You will advance. You will make progress. You will fulfill your glory of the fity. In the name of Jesus. So it is. In the mighty name of Jesus. Thank you, Father. Tell yourself no one can see the end of God's glory. Therefore, no one will see my end. No power will see my end. In the name of Jesus. As you have said it with your mouth, it is confirmed. In Jesus' mighty name. Hallelujah to Jesus. Please let's take our seats. The Holy Ghost just wants to use that to establish something in somebody's life. This morning we are going to start a series. This series titled it The Power of a Transformed Heart. The Power of a Transformed Heart. If you understand this message, you will quit running from pillar to post. The answer to everything you need is in the inside of you. One of the worst things the enemy can do to a child of God is to make him lose focus. To draw his focus away from what will make him and made him to begin to look at vanities. Understanding the matter of the heart. Under the power of a transformed heart. Jeremiah chapter 17 verses 9 and 10. Jeremiah chapter 17, verses 9 and 10. Are we here? Don't look at anybody, focus on what God has for you. The heart is deceitful above all things. And desperately wicked. You see, this desperately wicked actually, when I did the word study, it actually means incurably sick. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Who can know the extent, the depth of the deceitfulness and the wickedness of the heart of man? Verse 10. I test the mind. Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruits of his doings. You see, God knows the heart of everyone, he knows the state of our heart. But most of the time, he will allow you to be tested so as to show you what is in your heart. But many of us as believers, when God is testing us to show us the contents of our heart, because of the hardness of that heart, we are not even seeing what is teaching us. Let me use the people of Israel as an example. Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 2. Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 2. And you shall remember. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way, these 40 years in the wilderness. So if you are here under the sound of my voice and you have found yourself in a very long wilderness, having a long wilderness experience, why don't you sit back? Stop blaming anybody, check your heart, and you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these 40 years in the wilderness to do what? To humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you will keep his commandments or not. God knows what is in their heart, but he wants them to show it. Somebody said the matter of the heart is the heart of the matter. That means, as a child of God, if you want to fulfill your glorious destiny in God, you must take the issue of your heart very serious. Listen. The state of a man's heart is what determines the outcome of his life, not the devil and not God. He has blessed us, he has given to us all things. How many things? All things that pertains to life and godliness. He has given to us all things that pertains to what? Life and godliness. He expects us to receive what he has given to us. But whether you receive or not will be determined by the state of your heart. One of the greatest deceptions anybody can suffer from is to believe that where you are is because somebody is doing you bad. Is to believe that a witch in your family in your neighborhood is so strong and is the one responsible. No, no, no, no, sir. No, no, no, no. No devil can walk against your life beyond the permission you give to him or her through the state of your heart. This heart. Now let's go to the beginning. God created man perfectly. Man had a perfect heart. And that's why God committed the whole earth to man. God created animals and told man to name them. He said, Whatever you call them, that's what they would be. God had so much confidence in the ability of man to reign over the earth. Why? Because he created man like himself. Man was created in the image and in the likeness of God. But man disobeyed God, and the disobedience of man opened the door for sin to enter into man. Let's hear what the Bible says. Romans chapter 5. We are going to read verses 12 and 19. Romans chapter 5, verses 12 and 19. Therefore, just as through how many man? One man. It's only Pastor Julia that is in the in service this morning. Where are the rest of us? Ah, okay. So, how many man? One man. Therefore, just as through one man, sin entered the world. Now, now get something. How did sin enter the world? By entering into man's heart. You see, whatsoever enter your heart has entered the world. We are looking at the matters of the heart this morning. Anything that exists in a man's heart is already existing in the world. Verse 12 says, Therefore, just as through one man, through one man, sin entered the world. Because that was what entered man. So what entered man entered the world. And death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned. So when man disobeyed God, according to what God has told man, said the day you sin, you disobey me, is the day you die. Physically, man didn't die, but spiritually, man died. Because God alone is life. When man disobeyed God, man became separated from God. And that was the spiritual death that eventually led to physical death. So the presence of sin in man is the reason for the corruption in the heart of man. The presence of sin in man fills the heart of man with deception and all manners of evil. Look at what God says about the heart of man. In Genesis chapter 6, verse 5. See, you have God will give you understanding, and your life will be a peaceful one. You will thrive in the midst of wickedness. You'll be at peace in the midst of chaos. I don't know who I'm praying for this morning. I pray that the Lord give you understanding. Now, then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was what? So wickedness did not start in Nigeria. It didn't start now. You know, somebody was lamenting the other day. Say, how can a father, a man, a father give birth to a child, and your 13-year-old child, you begin to sleep with her? What kind of wickedness, what kind of evil? So I say, if you know what is in the heart of man, you won't be surprised. Do you know what masquerade does? The real person is inside. They use clots to cover. So what you see, what you can describe is a clot. If they say describe this masquerade, you describe what you see, but the real person is behind. That's how human beings are. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was what? Only evil. Continually. Only evil. Only evil. Only evil. If you look at the next verse, it said, God was sorry that he created man. Only evil. And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth. And he was what? Grieved. That was grieved. He was sorrowful in his heart. So from these scriptures we have read, we can see that every evil and wickedness we see on earth today are the reflections of the state of the heart of men. See. The devil will have been handicapped if the hearts of men are not available for his use. The devil can't do nothing except he sees a heart he can influence and use. Spirit have no legal rights to operate in the world. That's why even God will not do anything without man. So just as God needs the heart of man to get through and accomplish his purpose on earth, the devil also needs the heart of men. So all the evils we see is a reflection of the state of the heart of man. Let me tell you something. I've said it over and over in this church. If you see troubles in one place, quarreling, backbiting, gossiping, just know that there are people with a very corrupt heart there. Okay, let's read two scriptures so that you'll understand what we are saying better. Matthew chapter 12, verse 33 to 35, and after that we'll read Matthew 15, verse 18 to 20. Matthew chapter 12, verse 33 to 35. Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad, and what? So that means the fruit is determined by the tree. For a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? Church, can I say something to you? The way you talk and how you talk reveals the state of your heart, no matter how much you try to pretend. How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of their heart, the mouth speaks. Out of the abundance of the heart. So when people say they are playing with you, what's the kind of play? What's the kind of words they use when they are playing with you? Because whatsoever they say continuously, in the name of joke, play. Hey. Now the content of their hearts. That's the Facebook of their heart for you. Go back to where we are ready. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings what? Brings forth good things. And an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. Don't forget. Every evil, wickedness we see all around us are reflections of the state of the heart of men. Let's read the second scripture to confirm that. Matthew 15, verse 18 to 20. These are the words of Jesus. What we are reading are the words of Jesus. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from where? Come from the heart. And they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed what? Evil thought, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Verse 20. These are the things which defile a man. But to eat with unwashed hand does not defile a man. So the contents of your heart determines whether you are pure or defiled. You will see in the course of these teachings, this series, why many of us struggle with our Christian life, why we struggle in different areas of our lives, and it looks as if the devil is living in our house. Now get this. Some of us give birth to troubles. What comes out of your heart is either destabilizing the environment, destabilizing your marriage, destabilizing relationships with people, causing crisis everywhere, or what you bring forth is the reason why some people are enjoying peace and progress. Child of God, on a daily basis, you bring something forth through your words, through your deeds. It according to the content of your heart. So if the heart is a spiritual womb and its contents determines what each person brings forth, I can submit to you, child of God, that nobody will treat you according to how you treat them. People will treat you according to the contents of their heart. As you're all looking at me. That's why it shocked you at times. You feel bad. See, upon all I've done for this person, Nadia never died for Ram. Instead to gossip me. It's because they won't treat you according to how you treat them. The state of their heart will determine how they treat you, not just you, how they treat others too. See, all young people who are yet to marry should understand something. In choosing who you are going to marry, whether you're a man or a woman, don't just look at how the person treats you. Look at how the person treats the parents. Look at how the person treats those who cannot do anything to them. That's the person you are marrying. They can be nice to you because they are in love. People will not treat you according to how you treat them. They will treat you according to their heart. Because their heart determines what they do, not what you do to them or what you do for them. That's why I tell people, he said, they do me evil, I must do them back. And it's because that is who you are. It is not what they did to you that determines what you are doing, it is the state of your heart that will. Some of us just are not capable of doing evil anymore. We'd rather go and cry. Cry alone and wipe your tears. And say, Lord, help me. Help me. Because you know you can't do evil back. You can't do to them what they are doing to you, because your heart will never permit it. So people will not treat you according to how you treat them, but they will treat you according to their heart. Do you know why? This is because nobody will see you for who you are, they see you according to who they are in their heart. Did you hear that? You are the one that knows you are nice to people. In fact, your being nice is offending somebody. Everything, kick, kick, kick, kick. Now the instability. No, it's their heart. That's why I see. Instead of getting bitter with some people, instead of getting angry, pity them. They are in bondage. Yes, sir. See, if you have the right understanding, some of you, you stop fighting your husband. You will stop fighting your wife. Rather, you have compassion on them because you know that their heart is a driver of their life. Next Sunday, when we look at part two of this message, we're going to look at the reality of internal struggles. Even you, you go through some struggles. You know that this thing is not good. That this is not right for me to do as a child of God. But so much pressure, so many other things. And you are struggling, and people think you are okay. They don't know that there's a battle going on inside of you, they don't even know how it will end. So when somebody cross your path, you bite them that time, they don't know you are having your experience. Just make sure you are seeing yourself correctly. Stop looking for validation. Even those who validate you might be pretending. Because if their hearts are not okay, they will keep seeing you according to their heart. That's why somebody is a very good friend today, always there for you. Suddenly, something happened. The person becomes your worst enemy. The person has never been your friend. Listen, listen. A relationship that is strong is very difficult to break. One of my sons. So they tried to talk over, but the lady will not change. So she told them, said, Let's break up. Because a broken courtship is better than divorce. So they broke up. He said, even though he was the one that initiated the breakup, his own heart still break. Now you initiate, he's the one that initiated the breakup. He's hearing me now. He said, after that, he didn't feel like dating anybody, going getting into relationship again for a long time until he got healed. Now he knew that that thing will not work. He knew that that lady was not okay for him. Because there was a bond already. See, if you have an issue with people and they just walk away and never look back, they have never been with you. You see, this is why you need to understand what we'll be sharing so that you can structure your life well and allow the peace of God to rule your heart so that somebody's state of heart will not send you to early grief. Listen, if you don't understand this thing we are talking about, God forbid you can develop high blood pressure because of what they are doing to you. Let me quickly share with us a few truths. For you and I to see the need, why our hearts must be transformed. Vital truths about our hearts. Number one, the state of your heart determines the quality of your relationship with God. Did you hear that? Listen, this is not to accuse you, this is not to judge you. But if you're always struggling to pray, just know that your relationship with God is strained and is a function of the heart. It's a function of what? The heart. If your heart is close to him, prayers will not be a struggle. Matthew chapter 5, verse 8. Matthew chapter 5, verse 8. Can we read it together? One, two, go. Blessed are who the pure were in heart. What happened? For they shall see God. Listen, if your heart is corrupt, you will lack a genuine revelation of who God is and of who Christ is. Your understanding of who God is or of who Christ is will be crooked. It takes a pure heart to have access to constant revelation. If you are always studying the Bible, listening to message, never getting anything out of it, please, it's a matter of the heart. It's a matter of what? Matthew 15, verse 8. See, it's a beautiful thing to open your Bible before you read a few verses. Oh, revelation floods your heart. Scripture will be connecting with scriptures. There will be no disruption because of the purity of your heart. These people draw near to me with what? With their mouth and honor me with their lips. What happened? But their heart is far. A heart that is far from God cannot enjoy revelation of God. See, many Christians all over are weak today. Because their heart is too far. And that's why they have to depend on prophecies, on assignments, and all those things to meet their needs. The needs that will never be met. Because even if a need is met, another problem is created. Because whatsoever is not of God does not last. Doesn't last. Not assignment. May you not just have a temporary solution. May your celebration not be a temporary one. Because if what you get is not according to God, if it's not by the power of God, anything you get through fraudulent or demonic means is temporal. The devil is not generous, though. He is not generous. He is not generous. He doesn't know how to give good things. You call somebody a thief. The thief command not but to steal, to kill, and to destroy. Uh-huh. That's his ministry. He can't give you anything. He takes. So even if he offers you something, it's because he wants to take something more important to you. Is somebody getting something here? So the first vital truth about our hearts, you need to understand, is that the state of your heart determines the quality of your relationship with God. Number two. Number two. The state of your heart determines how much you can receive from God. God is a generous giver. He gives without reproach. He gives without complaining. In fact, he provides before the need arises. Our God is always proactive. He doesn't wait for you to ask before He provides, He provides ahead of time. That's why everything we need, He provided them in Christ. But how much you receive from what God has made available depends on your heart. Every Sunday during uh worship service like this, every on the first of the month, things happen. But your heart determines what you take. That's why you hear some people say, What's the just there for this church? Wait till they happen, sir. Ah and look round, things they happen. Things they happen. Check your heart. Do what? Check your heart. If you are going through your period of trials, in the midst of it, you will be seeing mana. Everything will never be dry. Do you understand what I'm talking about? You see, we all have a period of trials that God wants to show us the state of our heart and remove Egypt from us, remove the world. He wants to purge us of certain mentality that will deprive us of the fullness of what He has for us. And when that is going on in your life, you will determine the duration of the test. Do you know how? Your quick obedience, your quick understanding of what God is doing, and your adjustment to it will shorten the duration. How many of us understand that? The trip from Egypt to Canaan land was a 40 days' journey. But because God wanted to show them what was in their heart and torch them of Gallic mentality, prioritizing mundane things over God. He was just taking them round. As he was taking them round, he was sustaining them. See, if you are going through your period of trial, people will not know you are suffering. Do you know why? Mana. Because he's the one taking you around.

unknown 40:39

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 40:40

So he will never allow you to die. He will never allow you to be disgraced. You just say that when there is time to pay house rent, hey, where will this house rent come? This money we're plenty. Something, something, something will happen. The rent will be paid.

unknown 40:56

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 40:57

After the rent is paid, everywhere come empty again. How many of us understand what we are talking about? It's because you are going through a process. And the earlier you see your response to certain things and tell yourself, no, no, no, this one does not agree with the will of God. Lord, I'm sorry for this. The quicker you come out, come out of that trial. Not that you know that you are wrong. Man, no go die like this. Ah the journey go tea. An anointing no go help. I'm telling you the truth. The state of your heart determines how much you can receive from God. Matthew 13, verse 15. Matthew chapter 13, verse 15. See, it is not in the hands of anybody to abort your destiny. No matter who they are. Everything is in your hands according to your heart. For the heart, listen carefully. For the hearts of these people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have what? They have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears. Lest they should understand with their heart and turn. After turning, what happened? So that I should heal them. See, it is when your heart understands that you will turn. Turning is talking about repentance. Repentance from doing what does not align with the will of God for you. You know, the challenge we have with as believers is that we want to live anyhow the way that is comfortable for our flesh, enjoyable things, because it makes sense, and we are not having problem with the world. They are okay with us. Listen, if the world is clapping for you too much, sit back and check yourself. Maybe you are beginning to look too much like them. And they are clap for you. It's not because they are happy for you. They say we got this one. The same way they clap for you is the same way they will say, Say, yeah, yeah. The day they are Going to attack another serious Christian. They will use you as an example. They say, not be one of you. They live like this, they do this, they do that. But when they see you, my guy, my guy, you too much. They are deceiving you. Matthew 13 15. So it is when you understand and turn, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. So healing them is predicated on their willingness to turn. So if their heart is corrupt, there will be no turning. And if there is no turning, there is no healing. And even so, sacrificial seed to bribe God. You know, unfortunately, the those where any we have the left follow. Is that what they call some of us? We have the left follow. They are pastors of we have the left follow. They will encourage you to sow everything. You sow, so, sow, so, so nothing happened because your sowing is to bride God. God is more interested in your soul than in your cash, your sacrifice. God is more interested in what? Your soul than in what you give. He told um Saul, obedience is better than sacrifice. You can't be doing things anyhow. Following the pattern of the world, and you are now coming with sacrificial sin. Oh God, do this. Oh God, do this. If things are working, God is just giving you, showing you mercy. Don't think that that is God's standard.

SPEAKER_02 46:24

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 46:28

You just discover that a time will come you will have frustrated grace. God will give you a long rope to change. I pray for everyone under the sound of my voice. May you not change when it is too late. In the name of Jesus. So understand this that your heart is a channel through which the power of God and the blessing of God flows into your physical life. See, as a born-again child of God, you are in union, perfect union with Christ. Everything you need are in Christ. Now look at um Corinthians 6.17. This is not part of my butt, it will help our understanding. 1 Corinthians 6.17. Is it 6.17? Yes. But he who is joined to the Lord is what? One spirit with him. Getting born again puts you into a perfect union with God. So everything available in Christ becomes available to you. Your spirit man doesn't need training. He doesn't need to be taught. He doesn't need because he's one. You are one with Christ in the spirit. So the power of Christ becomes your power. The wisdom of Christ becomes your wisdom. The righteousness of Christ becomes your righteousness. But you need transformation in your heart. So that your heart can effectively connect with your spirit, and what is available to you in Christ in your spirit can flow through your heart and manifest physically. Unto him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above what we ever ask or do according to what? It is power that works well in us. It is his power in us that brings answers to our prayers. So you pray, you pray, you pray, you pray, but the power is Lord. That's why, do you know how many of us survive? If you are in that position, if you manage to believe in your pastor, when he prayed for you, you partake of his grace. But if you are now the kind of person that doesn't believe in your pastor, you are stranded. Because you lock the power up in you, and the one that should come from outside, you are resisting it. Is somebody getting something?

SPEAKER_02 50:00

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 50:01

You must understand how things work in this kingdom. You must understand. You can live a life of victory, continuous victory. Irrespective of who likes you or who doesn't like you. If they didn't like Jesus and yet they couldn't stop him, when they thought they got him, what they did to him are what will lead to his glorification and the reconciliation of mankind to God. See, if they did anything to you and it looks as if you are suffering, just know that it's part of the process that will lead to your elevation, like that of Joseph. Hey, nobody can do anything to you to bring you down. If that is not part of your process of elevation, am I talking to somebody? That is why. Hebrews 13, verse 5 and 6. Let your conduct be without covetousness. Be content with such things as you have, for he himself, he himself has said, I will never leave you, not forsake you. The next governor, the butt is not my uncle, the buttons is my helper. I will not feel what can man do to me. What can man do to me? The Lord is my helper. What can man do to me? What can man do to me? What can man do to me? The man that is like a grass that blossoms in the day and wither up in the night, what can they do to me? The Lord is my helper. Your helper say, I won't leave you, I won't forsake you, so that I watch over you day and night, and he does not sleep. You know the dose. At the rest for my little baby this morning. That boy, no gripping sleep for night. I didn't study it till around uh to one. I said, make I sleep. Around to two. Started doing his leg. I said, What is it? Don't bring this one up, oh. And if nobody pays attention, he said, and he will keep quiet. In other words, make an open eye. Say, boy, what do you want? The mother said, and said, please sleep now. The boy, you know, they listen to appeal. Me, I want to sleep. I'm your father. But you see, the one that watches over us does not sleep. He does not what? Doesn't sleep. So this morning, 4 a.m., we are up. Mother finished by paying. Now wanted to sleep. Say, you know, go sleep, oh. Which kind of nonsense with that? You know, go sleep. You know allow us to sleep. So you won't sleep this morning. You know, go sleep. Go shake your body until you wake up. Do you know what? I was now thinking in my heart, say, God, they try for us, oh the one who created sleep refused to sleep. So that his walk over us will not suffer. So that the enemy will not take advantage of his small dosing. And that one, that same God, he said, I will never leave you. So there is nothing you need that he will not do. But your heart will determine how much you receive. Number three. The third vital truth about your heart. What you constantly feed your eyes and your ears with determines the state of your heart. What you constantly feed your eyes and your ears with determines the state of your heart. Because if you keep watching the wrong thing and keep listening to the wrong thing, your heart will be corrupted. Let's go back to that Matthew 13, 15. We read it earlier. Matthew 13, 15. For the hearts of these people have grown dull. Why? Because their ears are hard of hearing. And their eyes they have closed. That's why you see a lot of us as believers. During praise, you know, go sleep. No go doze. But when they say let's pray, sleep go to catch you. When it is time for the word, after 10 minutes, say that is pretty. No, no, no, your heart is dull. God's word is not attractive to you. Sounds hard. That's the truth. Listen, no matter how tired you are, when people are doing something that you love or you are interested in, or you are they are talking about you will never do. Your tiredness is not going to reach them. Is that true? Those of us who are over lovers, not like me, I've watched one match from the beginning to the end. And that day, my team, Man City, lost. And I told them, you never have the luxury of having me watch your match from the beginning to the end again. Because I'm not a good football fan. I just have to. My boys in the house converted me. You know, when once in a while, when I sit with them and everybody is talking about their club, I don't get what they are going to talk about. And I said, let me look for a club that is doing well, as at that time. So Man City was on top. So I said, now my club with that. You blame me. I know you choose wolves. Wolf there for the thumb. What thumb of the table? And they ask whether those ones get fans at all. Praise the Lord. What you constantly watch, what you constantly listen to, can hinder your capacity to hear God's word and understand it. And if you are not understanding God's word, life will be difficult. You'll be open to oppression. Because your victory is in understanding. Understanding of God's word. The revelation of God's word. You see, listen, church, stop playing praying for things. Oh Lord, give me money. Ask for revelation. What you need is revelation. Oh Lord, heal me. He has healed you, Tate. All your sins and grief, the word translated to grief in Isaiah 53, 5, is sickness has been laid on him. And by his stripes, you are healed. Now, if you are healed, sickness has no legal right in your body. So it's not for you to say, Lord, heal me now. It's for you to catch a revelation of what he has done. When you see it, it becomes the reality of your life. Say, no, I can't be sick. No, I can't be poor. It's revelation. When you hear the child of God says, no matter who is against me, I won't go down. That person has seen something. Revelation is what makes a difference in your life, and the state of your heart will determine whether you have access to revelations or not. Number four, I will stop there. The fourth vital truth you need to know about your heart. This one is very all are important too, but this is super important. A corrupt heart grieves the Holy Spirit. Ah, that's where I don't want to be. Your helper. To grieve your helper, your genuine helper. Ah. Why are they there with that? Because no man can genuinely help you if God has not helped you. Listen, stop running after men. Hearts are wicked. Men are naturally selfish. It takes someone that God has touched his hearts. To genuinely help you without using you. To genuinely help you without turning you to sleep. To genuinely help you without becoming your tormentor. You know, many people help, their helps are conditional. They might not tell you the condition at the beginning, no. But as time goes on, you see that they are not giving you anything free. You know, they have a word they use. Friends with benefit. So you are my friend. Scratch my back. I scratch your back. Nothing free. I give you money, you want my bed. That's the world for you. But for us as believers, we are not meant to live like that. You see, your helper is everything to you. The Holy Ghost is everything to you. See, don't be deceived. No matter who see vision for you, they will never see everything about your life. And that's why your life must constantly be in tune with the Holy Ghost to guide you. There are days I was to go somewhere. A pastor lost. A pastor died. So the wife called me and said, The guy used to be my son years ago. But you know, he got into all this uh prophetic, prophetic something. So one day I got to his church. I was going somewhere, and the Holy Ghost said, Stop over in his church. I didn't tell him I was coming. So I saw I saw wine, all manner of wine, on the altar. I said, Ah, what do you mind do for? It's for assignment. He said, Papa, you know, talk, say you are coming. I said, so you will back all the wine, come on, see if you know that you can come in. Because you know I will never agree with that. You are truly my son. So he was just stammering and all those things. So that affected our relationship. Because he believes he has to operate in a certain way. You know, you know the challenge I had with him then. You see, so much for people, but for yourself, you are confused about your life. It's late now, but I'm not talking down on him. When is it down? I don't know. I'm just confused. This, that my mind, I decided vision for people. So to call long story short. So the wife, we have not seen for years. So the wife, I just saw it. A WhatsApp message. I didn't even open. So if you send me a WhatsApp message, you know, see this thing, forgive me at times 30 days, another day. So it was a few days after I saw what the wife used his number to send me. So I said, I'll I'll I called her. What am I saying? He said, Yes, so that's the husband. So and I said, Okay, I'll come over. I fixed that day was supposed to be a Wednesday. That day I was just doing sluggishly, sluggishly. Small headache catch me, back pain me. Because I told her I will be there between 12 and 1 in the afternoon. My plan was to leave home around 11 30 so that within 30 minutes I'll drive there. From around 10 30, all my Of things just to do my body, but I I was determined to go. I have not married my wife, we are planning for wedding them. So she called me on phone and we were talking. And he said, Daddy, where do you want to go? I didn't tell her I was going anywhere. Where do you want to go? And I explained. And keep quiet. You could become prophetess. Then I heard the Holy Ghost said, Can't you see how you are feeling? You woke up sound. Or look at how you are feeling in your body. Don't listen to her. Don't go. I said, This woman will be expecting me. So I didn't know what to tell her. So I didn't call. I just. When it was around 12:30, the lady called.

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Ah.

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So I peek. He said, Daddy, I hope you are not here. I hope you are not here. I said, What happened? Said my husband's relatives came and they were beating up everybody. Everybody they see in the church compound, every breaking people's head, damaging cars. I said, Okay. Do you know the moment I heard that, headache disappeared. My back pain disappeared. No, I said, I'm not yet there. He said, I don't come home. That they are trying to reach out to police for police to come and I didn't know such a thing will happen. My mission was a good one. But the Holy Ghost know that I must not be there at that time. So I stand this morning. Wherever evil will happen, for you and your household, you will never be there. Quickly. And he entered the synagogue again, and the man was there who had the withered hand. Quickly. So they watched him closely whether he will heal him on the Sabbath, whether Jesus will heal the man on the Sabbath. So that they might what? Accuse him. Religious people. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, step forward. Then he said to them, Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil? To save life or to kill? But they kept silent. And when he had looked around at them with what? That was Jesus. With what? With anger. Being grieved by what? The hardness of the heart. See, a corrupt heart will harden your heart. And if your heart is hardened, you'll be resisting the move of the spirit. It will be impossible for you to cooperate with God to work in your life and in other people's life. Because you'll be resisting his work. Because his work will not make sense to you. God used the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. When God is at work, if your heart is corrupt, you will fight it. He said to the man, stretch out your hand. And he stretched it out. And his hand was what? Restored as whole as the other. Jesus was angry and was grieved by the hardness of their heart. Hear this, a corrupt heart will always be hardened against the move of God. That means you will never cooperate or agree with what God is doing. You know, there are some of us solution to certain issues in your life is to just make peace with somebody. But over my dead body, will I ever talk to that person again? Because your heart is hard. You are resisting the move of God. Listen, if truly you want to walk with God, you must be humble. Because at times God will humble you. The person that you think you are unhappy with, you will. That's the person God will put what you need and put it in their hand. So you have a choice to remain arrogant and stagnant or to humble yourself according to the leading of the Spirit of God. If a corrupt heart grieves the Holy Spirit, the question is, what makes the heart corrupt? I told you that a corrupt heart will grieve the Holy Spirit, and if a heart is corrupt, it will be hardened. To be hardened means it will be unresponsive. My English, correct? It's correct. Thank you. That heart will be unresponsive to God's counsel. Forgive. Don't know what they did to me. Make peace. God forbid. This nonsense husband. I don't ever make peace with her. This useless wife. This is what God's words say, but you won't do it. What you don't know is this, you are blocking yourself from the flow of God's grace. There is no one I cannot apologize to. If I know I'm wrong. And the grace I enjoy is that God speaks to me. Boy, do this. Do that. May God open your ears to hear. May the Lord open your eyes to see. And help your heart to understand in the name of Jesus. May you not live your life running after those who the enemy will use to bring you down. If you grieve the Holy Spirit, you will appreciate your enemy and despise your friend. They are very nice. My man, my woman, my friend. Ah, where have you been all these years? We have never met you. You are the best G I've never met. Now lie. Everything. Nah lie. Now wash. Oh Lord Jesus, thank you. Ephesians chapter 4. We are reading from NLT, verse 30 to 32. I want to show you what makes a heart corrupt. What makes a heart corrupt is what hardens the heart. And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit. In New King James and King James, it said, do not grieve the Holy Spirit. So it's and do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. The content of your heart determines the way you live. Guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Why must you make sorrowful the one who has the key of your eternity in his hand? I just feel like sitting down for five minutes and be looking at you. And you look at me too. And we look at each other. And after five minutes, I continue my message. You see, we seek to please those who don't even have a fantastic role to play in our life. Those who provide temporary help. And we grieve the one that has eternal help. This is not a popular message, but it's the truth. Do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own. Don't let the love of money, desire for material things, I want to get married, I want to make money. People are despising me. I must be something, I must rise, I must prosper. To make you bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit. Money can fail. Money do fail. And money we fail. Only God never fail. And there are ex-billionaires. Verse thirty one. What will make you bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit is now here. Get rid of what? Of all bitterness, rage, anger. What's the difference between rage and anger? They are not the same. You see, if I'm angry with you, I can just go, go, go, go, go, go. Please don't talk to me. Leave me alone. Leave me alone. I'm angry, I'm not talking to you. That's anger. Frowning my face. But rage. It's not just my heart, they will be angry with you. My hand will be angry with you. My leg will be angry with you. If you stay close, I'll give you head wood. How do you see them along the road? They call it road rage in Western country. When you see some people fighting, they go and bring wood. These um bats they use in playing uh cricket. Bring it out of their car and be pursuing themselves. Do you know some people have killed people and gone to jail? Not just jail, sentenced to death because of rage. Smart thing. Bah, bah, bah, bah. Let me tell your neighbor, cool temper. Make you know go to where God no one make you go to. Go back. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words. Somebody say harsh words. Don't remove it. There is one harsh word I learned from somewhere. Recently, the Holy Ghost said, but that person I created him in my image and likeness. I see what you are calling. You are calling him animal. Why are you laughing? Somebody in one dialect, I don't know which I pronounce it, or he said nanquwe. He said it means animal. So when this kekem misbehaved, I said, this nanquelistic tendency that you are displaying, that you are a nanque. I won't say it to their hearing. I'll just. But God was hearing me. I had it a few days ago. I created him in my image and likeness. And you are calling him animal. I said, Lord, I'm sorry. That's why you have not had nankwe in my mouth since. You know, there are certain things we just say doesn't matter. Well, it matters to God. Somebody created in the image of God, and it is not, you look and say, say, you call the person goat. Because he's your husband. Let's quickly read, let me close. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and what? Slander. Saying the things where you are, I know, see. As well as all types of evil behavior. Verse 32. Instead, be what? Be kind to each other. How? Tender-hearted. Forgiving one another. Just as God through Christ has forgiven you. May the Lord give you the grace to develop a tender heart. Many of us are hearts is too hard. You know, there is a tribe in Yoruba. They always say that 20-year-old Poundedian is still the heart. Do you know what that means? Anything where you do them 20 years ago, it's always fresh in their heart. Then go pay you back. Among believers, there are people like that. Things will not concern you, you will carry on for head. What you don't know is that you are hurting yourself. They told you something, you carry on for head. You don't even know whether they are telling you the truth or lie. You begin to slander. What you don't know is that you are grieving the Holy Spirit. Every time you grieve the Holy Spirit, he becomes quiet in your life. Nobody grieves him and hears his voice. Not that he will not speak, but you won't hear because he speaks gently. With all these things, we read. That's why times I'm taking my bath, my heart is quiet, I hear him. Please, some of you need to. You are dealing with issues. Step aside, leave everything. You have run around for too long. Just leave everything. Use three days. Just stay alone. Stay with him. You hear his voice. See, the true secret of success in this kingdom is the voice of God. Forget all the principles. They have their own parts to play with. Those principles have their parts to play. Seven steps to success. See, if the Holy Ghost has not spoken, you'll just be stepping and stepping and stepping, and you are not getting anywhere. And it will now look as if God's word does not work. Hey. When there was famine, Abraham went down to Egypt. And he was sustained there. When it was Isaacton, there was famine. God said, Don't go to Egypt. Stay where you are. I must go. He will die for Egypt. Hearing God's voice is the key. Don't be deceived. That's why your walk with God is important. Don't take it for granted. Don't take it for granted. That's your business. God knows the key to his explosion. He knows what will make the difference for you in your career. You pay attention to him. Do you know there's a way the Holy Ghost walks through you? The Holy Ghost is a spirit of excellence. It will make you, it will so distinguish you in your place of work. Any little thing you do will be so appreciated because it will not be normal thing that everybody is doing. And before you know it, you are preferred above others. When I was working in the circle, I wasn't even born again, but I just enjoyed a measure. That's why I said God has been very good to me, even when I didn't know Him. I have no, I was an ICANN student. I had foundation in ICANN. I was preparing for my PA1. Just sitting down with voucher morning night and I said, I hate this job. So a friend of mine said, since you like to talk, maybe you're a salesman. That was how I opted for. I applied for the job of a sales rep in the company. Immediately I got the job. They are asking for certificates. I decide before the panel, I said, please, I don't have all those certificates. I said, um, just give me the job. I said, don't pay me. If at the end of one month I did not meet your sales targets, uh, every money I spent to go out to see clients. Let it be my. But at the end of if I meet your sales target, you pay me my salary, you pay me my commission, everything. So the MD of the company was there. I said, I like this boy. He told the consultant, he's our first employee for the in this interview. That's how I got the job. And one month I met the target. They paid me. I started working. From there, I changed over to a manufacturing company. I became those with MBA are working under me. All I knew about that was just reading. Internet was not even available. I was just going to buy books, read about sales and marketing, all manner of things. Joy, can I tell you something? Laziness. Laziness. Physical, mental, spiritual is a big killer. Then you tell your neighbor, wake up. Wake up. So all these things are what corrupts the heart. If they corrupt the heart, the hard things with the heart. Praise the Lord. This is the reason we are instructed to keep our hearts with all diligence. Proverbs 4 23. Keep your heart with all diligence. You know what it means to do it with all keep your heart with what? Put effort to it, for out of it spring the issues. Uh-huh. Your success in life, your fulfillment in life, your greatness in life depends on the state of your heart. So protect your heart. Allow God to work on your heart. So over the next two, three weeks, we'll continue in this series. Next Sunday we'll be looking at part two. The power of a transformed mind. The subtopic is going to be the reality of internal struggle and how we can overcome it. Can you lift up your voice and say, Father, purge my heart? I yield, I surrender all to you. Every wrong seed in my heart that makes me grieve you. That makes me grieve your spirit. Every wrong seed in my heart that hardened my heart against your move in my life. God has brought opportunities to many of us. But disobedience will not allow us to step into the fullness of what God has for us. Because there are things God wants us to do that doesn't make sense. Because we are too proud to accept the will of God. Can we lift up our voice and say, Father, poach my heart, cleanse my heart, circumcise my heart afresh? Whatever is not of you, let them be uprooted from my heart. Can you lift up your voice? Whatsoever is hindering your move in my life that is resident in my heart, Lord, let it be removed right now. Let it be removed right now. Help me to become sensitive to the voice of your spirit. Help me to become sensitive to the leading of your spirit. Lord, I want to live to please you. I want to live to please you. I want to live according to your will for my life. Can you lift up your voice? Pray it genuinely. If you are genuine about it, the Holy Ghost will walk upon your heart right now. The Lord will walk upon your heart right now. There will be a pudging, there'll be a cleansing.

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