Christlike Part 9 - Principle Check Part 3

What does it really mean to become more like Christ? In this episode, we explore how consistently engaging with the Word transforms your character, mindset, and life, while challenging the belief that everything God allows is automatically His will. Discover why spiritual growth requires intentionality, perseverance, and action, and learn how to reject a victim mindset and walk boldly in the glory, power, and purpose God has placed within you.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

So we've been looking at uh principle checks, amen. And I'm gonna try to round up this series today. Amen. We'll be looking at uh the different principles that people live their lives by. So we're looking at different principles that people live their lives by that are incorrect. And if you would like to know some of those principles, um just listen to our previous messages on our online platforms. Amen. It should tell you a bit about that. So but today we're gonna try and round up on um on this series. So one of the principles that I would like to speak to you about today is something I've heard a lot. I've heard people say that a lot. And I want to know what you think about it. Have you ever heard anyone say that God doesn't share his glory with anyone? Have you heard that before? God doesn't share his glory with anyone, he wants his glory for himself, he wants it alone, and all the glory goes to God. Is that true? Yeah, some people are saying yes, all the glory goes to God, and he doesn't share his glory with anyone, yeah, so we have conflicting opinions. This should enforce the importance of this series, and this is why we have different results in the house of God because some people are living by principles that they believe and they probably didn't get from the scripture. Amen. Let's go to Second Corinthians. Second Corinthians chapter three.

SPEAKER_02 3:08

Thank you, sir. Second Corinthians chapter three from verse eighteen says, but we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

SPEAKER_00 3:30

Amen. Did you read that? He said, Paul the Apostle, he said that by the Spirit of God that we are looking into some versions, say a glass, some other versions say a mirror, the more modern versions will say a mirror. We are looking into a mirror, and as you look into that mirror, you are looking into his glory, and you are being changed by virtue of looking in that mirror from glory to glory by his spirit. So I remember when I was a little younger, I would hear parents in the church say God doesn't share his glory with anyone, all the glory goes to God, amen. And I grew up with that lingo, and then I read the Bible for myself, and I discovered that actually God wants to share his glory with me, as long as I am looking in what the Bible calls the mirror, amen. So we are looking in the mirror, and that mirror is changing us, it's called metamorphosis. You know what that term means, right? It's the process of changing from one form to another. So he says that I think this is beautiful. He says that as I study the scripture, I am changing. You're too quiet as I meditate on this thing, as I read the word and take it in, I'm changing, and the change that is happening is called glory. You understand that now. For those of you that don't know what glory means, glory is God's intrinsic wealth, God's inside wealth, everything that God carries inside of him, when you read the word, you are becoming that thing. Listen, as you give the word of God attention, you are transforming into exactly what God is. This is very important. But he says that transformation is taking place by the power of the Spirit, by the Holy Spirit. I find that to be very fascinating that God is so in love with me that he's ready to share his authority, share his position, share his winnings, his wealth, his riches with me. You look like you don't believe it. Say after me, God is sharing all his wealth with me, everything that he has is mine. Now it's okay if you're not necessarily experiencing that at the moment, but as you've said it, it's kicking in already. You know, you've started the system in your spirit already. Praise God. Now, can I tell you the beauty of the word? Can I touch on that for a second? The the beauty of the word is the word is not only words, it's impartation. Let me let me tell you about impartation. Impartation has got nothing to do with what is being said. So I'll explain. I can be teaching right now about God's glory, but you are in need of help with your mental health. As I'm talking about the glory of God, impartation for your mental health is being given. Are you listening? Are you following? You may be in need of finances, and I'm talking about the glory of God. As I'm talking about the glory of God, God is imparting grace for finance on you. There's an increase taking place right now in the name of the Lord Jesus. Yeah, it's happening right now. It's called impartation. Praise God. So as I'm reading the word, he's the Bible says that I'm becoming more and more like him. So that is anything I touch reflects the glory of God. Did you not read? He said, He perfects that which concerns me. Say it from your spirit. I can give you another one. He perfects the work of my hands. Do you understand that? So the the things that may concern you that you may be completely worried about. Okay? You may be worried that I'm not a good parent. Or you may be worried that I'm not a good husband or wife. Or I'm not I'm not good at providing, I'm not good at studying. He said, I will perfect you. You're too quiet. I will perfect all that concerns you. You you may be thinking, God, God, my my child is ill, and he or she's been ill for a while. He says, I will perfect that child because that child concerns you. You should say hallelujah. Yeah, there are advantages to being a Christian. You think you think we're just praising and worshiping for nothing? No. Our advantage is the supernatural. That's where God comes in, that's why He comes in. I do an exam, I miss it by 20 marks, I passed anyway.

SPEAKER_01 11:17

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 11:19

I passed. Yeah. You understand that?

SPEAKER_01 11:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:26

I made an error at work. I was called in for a disciplinary, and I get in there and they're congratulating me. What was supposed to be a telling off is a promotion. Why? Because he perfects that which concerns you. These are the benefits of the glory of God being shone on you. Now, I want you to be stubborn about what I'm telling you right now. Because if you're not stubborn about it, you won't experience it. You have to be tough. Christianity is not for the weak, it's for those who are ready to fight for what God has given them. That's right. Are you listening? You have to fight. Don't give up. Don't give up. You say, Pastor, I've been in this relationship for so long, it's not working. Fight, don't give in. You're too quiet. Yeah, there's not meant to be divorces in the house of God. Tell your neighbor, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight. Tell your neighbor, fight for her, fight for him. Hey, now tell them, fight, fight, fight. Yeah. Fight for that glorious life. Say, I'm gonna fight. I'm gonna fight for that glorious life. I will fight. Like the apostles fought. They fought until the end for a glorious life. Yeah, praise God. He says, From glory to glory. So that is not failure, hit, miss. Sometimes things are going well, sometimes they're not. He said, From glory to glory. Do you know what glory to glory is? That's from another good thing to another good thing to another good thing to another good to another. From glory to glory. Nothing less. Nothing less. So, Pastor, why am I going through some tough times now? Because you're not fighting. Say, I will fight for what I believe in. Yeah. And what I believe is what the scripture says. About me. So I will marry. I will have children. I will be very wealthy. Very rich in health. I will be a giver. The biggest philanthropist. The biggest humanitarian this country has ever seen. I will donate till I'm tired of donating. Because God has called me for it. And the gospel requires it. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Sit down, sit down. So when you hear someone saying God doesn't share his glory with anyone, say no. He shares his glory with me. When they say God has done it for our family, we give God all the glory saying no. No, no, you know, you have to fight for what you believe in. Because you had a hand in it. Since when in the Bible has God done something without human hands? Show me. Show me one time in the Bible, God didn't use a man. You had a hand in it. So when they say, Oh, we give God all the glory, you say, leave some for me. Leave some for me because I prayed. I fasted. I sowed. So why are you not giving me some glory? And by the way, if you came up in church, if you grew up in church, what I'm saying sounds a bit uh you're gonna feel weird about what I'm saying, but it's in the Bible. Okay, blessing, read it one more time, read it one more time because I don't want to make you feel strange, all right? Just read it one more time, slowly, praise God forevermore.

SPEAKER_02 16:25

Second Corinthians chapter 3 from verse 18 says, But we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

SPEAKER_00 16:47

Did you hear that? So before you are transformed, you are seeing it first. You are seeing it, you are you are staring into the mirror, and that thing is shining, it's bouncing off you. And he says, as it hits your face, Kayaba as the glory hits your face, you know, maybe I have to humanize it for you as you're reading the word and you notice I ain't got good skin, I'm struggling with my skincare, so you you you're looking at this thing, just imagine for a second as the word hits you, your skin is changing. Just imagine that that's what's happening, and if you if you stay long enough, that's the key though. You can't look at it, you know. Some people they glance, stop glancing, you know, because because when you glance, it's not enough to create change. He didn't say as you glance, he says, as you behold, see, don't do this. That's a glance, yeah. That is a it's a peak, actually. You know, some people be peeking, you know. Can you show me how to peek? I saw some people peeking there. Amen. No, no, say I will not peak, I will not glance, I will see, I will stay, I will look, observe, learn, take it all in. You know, peeking is the same as have you ever turned on a stove and touched, you know. We all done that in our younger age. You saw the fire, you thought, how hot is this thing? And then you thought, let me let me try. But you knew that if you keep your hand there long enough, you're gonna get burnt. You understand that? But it's the same with the word, so do the opposite with the word, stay. You see, that's why I encourage you when the word of God is being taught, don't go up, run to the loo, come back. Don't do all of those things, be focused. Because as I'm teaching you, that glory is hitting you. Oh, yeah. As I'm teaching you right now, that glory is hitting you right now. As it hits you, if you stay long enough, first it deals with your outer. Then you look, I've been here for one hour, your heart is being changed. Have you ever experienced that? You came into the service one way and you left another because the glory of God is on you. Say it with me: the glory of God is on me, the glory of God is on me, the glory of God is on me, the glory of God so shines on me so brightly, it's so brightly on me as it's on me, it's changing me from the outside, and then the inside, then back out again, it beautifies me. Praise God. Sit down, sit down. Yeah, I find that the more I study the word and I focus on the word, people's experiences of me get brighter and brighter. Amen. I may not even have said what they needed to hear. I've got on the phone with some individuals and they started talking. Yeah, just lamenting, telling me their problems, and then I respond, it is well, and the person says, Pastor, that's all I needed to hear. I said, That's it? They said, That's it. I feel better now. I thought, wow, that's got nothing to do with me. You know what's happened? I was so much in the presence, I was so much in front of the glory of God. So I didn't have to say much. I told you that when uh when the the match is bland, how many times do you have to have you done that before? If you're from Africa, you've done it before. You open the thing and you are doing it, and doing it five times, it's not, and then by the six, you hear it means the fire came. That's some people they keep at life, they keep having to hit, you know. But when you when you're when you when the glory of God is on you, you get to that match thing, that matchbox, one time.

SPEAKER_01 22:43

One hit, one time, the fire's on, amen.

SPEAKER_00 22:54

It's synonymous to why quite you have to apply for a hundred jobs for you to get two phone calls back. No, say the glory of God is on me. One job application. It's as if I sent it off to a hundred people. People should be calling you, yeah, that you didn't even apply to. I've given you guys this um this analogy before, before I move on to the last principle check. Yeah, the Bible says Saul killed a thousand men. David killed ten thousand men, and I read about David, he didn't kill ten thousand men. He didn't. So, what happened? Why would why was people singing as if David actually did this thing? Tell your neighbor the glory, it's that glory. Yeah, so now what I do is when people call me and give me some testimonies, I just say to myself, it's that glory is on you, brother. I say to myself, I said that glory is on you. I said, It's that glory, it's working. And did you know that you have the same thing? Yes, they don't believe me. You have the same thing, you got the same thing, you can do the exact same thing, say it's that glory on me, it's so strong. Whatever I need, God has catered to it. It's that glory on me. Thank you. God bless you. How are you feeling? Say glorious. I like that. How are you feeling? Hallelujah. That's nice. Can I give you the last principle check? The last one. Alright, I'll give you the last one. If God allowed it to happen, it means it's his will. Who agrees with that one? God has allowed it to happen. It's his will. I heard someone say it's true there. On this side, if God allows a thing to happen in your life, it means it's his will. You agree with that? Some people said false. All right. Let's go to Exodus. I'm feeling glorious. Exodus seventeen. Verse eight, please.

SPEAKER_02 26:14

Thank you, sir. Exodus chapter seventeen from verse eight says, Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. Verse 9. And Moses said to Joshua, Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. Verse 10. So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and her went up to the top of the hill. Verse eleven. And so it was when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. Verse 12. But Moses' hands became heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and her supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. Verse 13. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Verse 14. Then the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek, Amalek from under the heaven. Verse 15. And Moses built an altar and called its name the Lord is my banner. Verse 16.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

Praise God. You know, I gave you that narrative scripture because I wanted you to see something special. Just before that, God had fed Israel from a rock. They were complaining in the desert, saying, We have no water. And God fed them from a rock. Are you listening? This is the God your servant. He fed human beings from a rock. What can he not do for you? What can he not do for you? Say he can do all things. He can do all things. Only if I believe. Only if I believe. I have to believe. Praise God. But that's not what I want you to focus on. Yeah. So he fed them from a rock. Right after that, the Bible says they are traveling, and the Amalekites attack them. So Moses says to Joshua, his um uh trainee, all right, second in command, he says, Take up some guys, and I want you guys to go and fight the Amalekites. Amen. Now I said earlier on that if God allows something, yeah, does it mean it's his will? God allowed the Amalekites to fight Israel. Does that mean he wanted the Amalekites to win? Or you're too quiet. If God allows something in your life, it doesn't mean that he's with that. That's something you have to know. So, so if you're going through some what you will call trials, sufferings, it doesn't mean that God is happy with you going through what you're going through. No, you may be going through tough, tough, tough times, depressive times. It doesn't mean God is happy for you to go through that, and as we learned, he doesn't use bad situations to humble you. Amen. No, he doesn't. I think that's the biggest takeaway of this uh series. Because I've heard some of you in counseling say that, you know, uh, Pastor, uh, I know that God is trying to humble me because this has happened, and truly I'm humble. And I explained to you that just because the situation has humbled you doesn't mean God is in it. Amen. Yeah, no, it doesn't mean that. So it's important that you know this so you know when Satan is trying to manipulate you. Some situations are demonically manipulated, yeah, and Satan is crafty, he will he will try to manipulate situation and get you to look at God. I think God is prescribed to this. Say God is not, say he's not, he's not, he's not subscribed to my sufferings. Amen. I've also heard, I'm gonna throw this one in there. Uh you know, I'm going through this so that God may be glorified. Let me just move on from that one. Can I touch on that a little bit? I'm going through this so that God may be glorified. Let me put this out there. You see, you see, Christ alone, his suffering was enough. The apostles also suffered as well. Why must you suffer as well? Christ suffered and died. The apostles suffered and died so that God may be glorified. Why do you have to also suffer and die for God to be glorified? No, my calling is different. If that's your testimony, that's fine. My own is different. I will be successful and live well for God to be glorified. Choose your confession, brother. Choose where you want to climb from. For me, I look and I read some of the apostles were were uh you know beheaded, some of them were boiled alive, some of them were on a cross upside down. Why must I die as well? How many deaths will glorify God? Jesus' death was enough. Amen. It's time to live. Tell your neighbor it's time to live. Say it's time to live. You know, you don't look too happy with me. Say it's time to live, it's time to live, to live for him, to glorify his name. Say, I don't have to die, for God's name to be glorified. I don't have to suffer for God's name to be glorified. I don't have to live in poverty for God's name to be glorified. I don't have to be sick for God's name to be glorified, they don't have to amputate my arm or behead my you know, my head. I don't have to lose my mortgage for God to be glorified. Yeah, I don't have to go broke for God to be glorified, I don't have to lose my marriage for God to be glorified, amen. Say, God is already glorified, and so am I, as long as I look and not glance, I'm already glorified. Say, no suffering on earth can glorify God the way Christ's suffering did, so I don't have to suffer. Praise God. Sit down for a second, sit down, sit down. You know what I'm doing now? I'm uprooting, I'm uprooting, you know, those thoughts and ideas that were placed in your spirit that have created the version of Christianity you're living now. Amen. When something bad would happen, it would say, It's for the glory of God.

unknown 35:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:58

I read in the Bible, do you remember Eli? Eli Eli was told that God is gonna kill him. He said, Leave it, it's fine. If God wants to kill me, it's up to him. And then there was others who God said, I will kill you, and they fasted, and God turned his decision. Which one do you want to be? Which one do you want to be? Say, I will not die, but I will live to preach the gospel all over the world for the glory of God. Praise God. Yeah, you know, that's that's one of the only things that gives God glory is you going around and teaching him, teaching people, teaching the world, sit down, sit down, teaching the world about Him. That's one of the only things that gives God glory. That people can use your life as a testimony. Do you understand? Yeah, use your life as a testimony. So I'm uprooting those ideas, those thoughts, misconceptions of the Bible, of the scripture, of the gospel. You don't have to work five jobs to make ends meet. You don't amen. You don't. I mean, if he says he will perfect that which concerns me, it means I can work part-time and live like I worked full-time. Some sometimes you know what I realize, I realize sometimes it's us human beings that love suffering for the sake of a story, so we can post them. Have you heard that one? Post them, yeah, so you can post online and say, I went through this, I went through this, and people are like, Wow, and you are still alive, no, no, no, I was I was I was maybe seven, seven, I think I was in primary school at that time, yeah. Seven, and uh one of my uh friend's dads used to come to pick him up, and he always looked rough, paintings all over him, his hands were very hard when he would greet me. Sometimes he'll greet me with a slap the back of my head. I'll think, why is this just just just greet me normally? You know, he was just you know, but he didn't know that his hands were very, you know, distressed. His hands were hard from labor. So I grew the courage one day to ask my friend. I said, What does your dad do? He looks very different to all the parents. Amen. What does your dad do? He said, I don't know, but he works like five jobs. I said, Five? You can work five jobs in a day, you know. At a conscious age of seven, I already knew I don't want to suffer. No, I I was able to identify parents in school who were suffering because I I so much didn't want to suffer. Oh, I really pray in the name of the Lord Jesus that that's what I'm imparting on you, you're really taking in. That after this service, you will refuse to be a victim. After this service, you refuse for the enemy to draw blood and sweat from you. Do you understand? It can be your life. So you're effectively born to work. Now, listen, I'm not saying don't work, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying the Bible teaches us what work is for. The Bible is so interesting. I will start this series next week. The scripture says that he says, Go to work. Yeah, this is what this is what the apostles were telling the church. He said, Go to work so that you may give to those who are in need. Ha! He didn't say go to work so you can pay bills. He said, Go to work so all that you earn you can give to the poor and those who are in need. So, how do I take care of myself? That was their mindset. I don't rely on my salary. Oh, you're not listening. I don't rely on my salary, I rely on the glory of God. The glory of God on my life produces wealth and blessings and opportunity and increase and substance. I have a thousand cattles on a hill. Shah hallelujah! Praise God. Sit down, sit down. Do you understand that? I'll teach on this properly next week. Properly. I don't want us growing, alright? Together. Because as a ministry, we'll all grow together. And you are growing in a different way. Do you understand that? Because we can see your emotions on you. We can see your tears on you. Your toilings on you. But God doesn't want that. My brother, my sister, when God made you, he had other ideas. And his ideas for you were so beautiful. Amazing. Just ask him. All you have to do is I say, God, what did you create me for? What is it that you made me for? You didn't create me to wake up in the morning, go to work, come back, rest, take it out on the family. Because I'm tired. You come in, the kids say, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, move. Because you've had a long shift. You had a long shift, your manager was shouting. The kids just want to see their dad. Daddy, daddy, get out. Mommy knows to get out of your way. Children are getting out of your way. Everyone is getting out of your way. That's not Christianity. Christianity, you come home, the kids say, Daddy, they say daddy's home. Yeah. Say daddy's home. And he's bearing gifts. Yeah. You tell them, I got a load of monster trucks for you. Amen. You come in as the man of the house, not under depression, not under the influence of stress. You know, you know, when you're living in the glory of God, you you you learn certain mannerisms. You just want to smile all the time. You smile, you're just smiling. Why must you walk around like this? Why? No, you're smiling. You know why? Because God has blessed you. Depressed people always want to trauma dump. Happy people always always want to impart happiness. Praise God. Say the glory of God is on me. The glory of God is on me. And God has created me for a special purpose. God has made me for a special purpose. He created me for a special purpose. And I will see to it. That that purpose is accomplished. It's my responsibility. No one else's. That I see to it. That what God spoke about me happens. Sit down, sit down, sit down for a second. This is the last thing I'll say. And then we will um have a special part of the service. Amen. A nice thanksgiving before I let you go. I found out recently that when God was talking to Abraham in like 70 AD, God was talking to Abraham. And God was inspiring Abraham and bringing him out of the tent and told him, Look up. You see those stars? That's how much children I will give you. Remember that? Alright. You know when God was doing that, on the other side of the world, there was a civilization that was thriving. That shocked me. They were called Mayans. Go and research about Mayans. The Mayans have been around for thousands of years. Their civilization was already thriving. At that time. How do you drop posts? Who taught you to write? The Mayans were they had a full on thriving civilization. You know the difference between believers and non-believers? Non-believers are diligent in their own business. Believers, we think because the power of God is available, we can be lazy. You're too quiet. The power of God is not an excuse for you to be lazy. God is saying, My power will come upon your hard work. Or soft life. No, he didn't say my power will come upon you know your holiday life. No, no, when he called Abraham out of the tent, it wasn't to take him on holiday to Dubai. You're too quiet. He took him out the tent to inspire him to go to work. He said, Come out the tent, brother. First thing I want you to do is get your wife pregnant, man. It's not that hard. Abraham was struggling to do that one thing. God said, I gotta inspire you to get to work. God said, All I need you to do is plant a seed, brother. That's it. So God said, Come out the tent, come out. So Abraham comes out. He's what do you want now? God says, My friend, look up. He looks up, he says, Count the stars. Abraham says, One star, two star, three star, four star, five. He got to a hundred. He said, One, can I stop? God said, continue. He got to a thousand. God said, Okay, can you continue counting? He said, No, it's too much. God says, That's how many children you have. Abraham said, Ah, me. I will have this many children. God said, I will do it for you. But I need you to work. You don't like that part, do you? The work part was get your wife pregnant. That's it. God said, Go to work. Abraham said, Alright. I understand the assignment. And he went on and did his job. Now, Abraham was so inspired, he actually got a girl pregnant before his wife. He got his uh what's it? His slave, her name was Hagar. Yeah, he tripped up and got her pregnant first. God said it's the wrong person. Go on, go on and get your wife. Amen. And then he went on and then got his wife pregnant. So now we have Ishmael and we have Isaac. Praise God forevermore. Well, why I'm telling you that is because I want you to leave here with a trained spirit. What kind of trained spirit am I asking you to have when you leave here? Number one, the glory of God is on me, and it shines so brightly. The power of God works through consciousness. So when you go out there, be walk, walk as if the power and the glory of God is on you. Go to your work that way. Because if you do that, they will start treating you like that. Amen. Yeah. When you go to work, you walk and talk as if you're the glory of God. People start acting, people start acting like that. I prophesy you are the glory of God. God has shared his glory with you. In the name of Jesus, it's so strong on you. And your business. Okay, you're too quiet. It's strong on my business. My own business. The glory of God is so strong. We are growing, increasing, from glory to glory to glory. And I won't get tired of prophesying over my own life. I prophesy over my unborn children that we are going from glory to glory to glory to glory to glory. Lift your hands and begin to thank him just for a minute.