Title: Waging war against spiritual slumber
Ministering: Bishop David Oyedepo
Isaiah 29:10–12
It is a war of blindness, a world of darkness and gloominess by reason of the spirit of slumber; it is a deadly spirit. Ephesians 5:14
A spiritual sleeping stage is defined out there as a deadly state. A sleepy man is helpless. That is why you need to be awake tonight as we wage war against spiritual slumber.
No matter how skilled he is at driving, if he goes asleep while driving, calamity is inevitable. There is a race set before us, and a race leaves us with a task for us to run. You can never imagine winning a prize in a race. Hebrew 12 :1 2, Habakkuk 2 :1 3
No matter how anointed, sleeping on the steering wheel is death waiting to happen. In the same vein, every believer in a state of slumber is undertaking a deadly risk. Ephesians 5:14
Most crises that believers suffer today can be traced back to spiritual slumber. Matt 13:25
And this innocent believer begins to do things he doesn’t want to. We must therefore stay awake to drive safely on the highway of life. If you are sleeping on identifying who to marry based on biblical standards, you have registered for an accident. Stay awake! Stay awake!
With your eyes closed, you just move into a place that God has not ordained you to go; it becomes an opiate task, you are gasping. 2 Samuel 7:10.
You have your own place appointed to you by God; stay awake! One wrong step can ruin a person’s destiny. People are walking out of drugs, and you are going into them. Stay awake!
I have never seen a responsible person on drugs in my life. They know they are not. They know they are not. Why invest your time and resources in things that don’t profit anyone? Stay awake! Even unbelievers who are sound in their decision-making don’t go into it. A sleeping state is a deadly state. We must stay awake spiritually to drive safely on the high road of life.
Now we have a long list of giants who went to sleep in their walk with Christ and had to pay dearly; some never made it.
Access and engagement with the fire word will keep any believer awake in all situations and circumstances. I say I will not speak of him any more, but his words. Jeremiah 20:9.
The en-fired word will keep a believer awake. You can’t carry fire in your bones and go to sleep.
Prayer: Father, grant me an encounter with the enlightened word tonight. I don’t want to remain a victim of spiritual slumber. Jeremiah 23:29.
God’s word carries a multi-dimensional mystery within it, according to Isaiah 55:1
It is meat for our growth. Isaiah 54:14
It is wine that keeps us intoxicated in our pursuit of God. It is butter and honey that help us make sound decisions in life. Isaiah 7:15
It is a light for our feet and a light for our path. Psalm 119:105
It is the fire from God that keeps us going in and out of season. This fire of the word is the answer to the spirit of slumber. When you encounter the fire of the word, it keeps you going like a roller coaster. No stopping, no parking; just keep going. I remember finding myself in that village when I was 19. I said, Which church is in this town? I knelt down and said, This is not my business; I was going to be there for 72 days. Jesus sees that I do not leave this village the way I met it. Somebody said, Fire keeps you going.
Prayer: May you encounter such fire tonight.
Have I ever needed encouragement? Once I can tell you I have fought many battles, you can’t keep fire in your bones and go to sleep. We are in the realm of water, milk, honey, and light. It is time to step up to the realm of the unfired word. When that word comes, it sets you into motion. Ezekiel 2:2
No matter how anointed you are for sleep, when you are on your feet, sleeping is impossible. You have to lie down horizontally for sleep to have a hold on your life. Matt 3:11
This baptism of fire keeps you on your feet; it keeps you going, and how much more will God give the holy ghost to them? As you ask God, I want an encounter with the enlightened word. I want an encounter with the Holy Ghost. Luke 11:13, Leviticus 6:12.
So God’s word is wood, and the holy ghost is fire, so when the fire of the holy ghost broods on the word of God and fires it into you, it gets into your bones. I said, See the word as the wood. Jesus is the rod of God. The rod is dry stuff, so when the holy ghost broods on the fire of God,
Isaiah 11:1
When the holy ghost broods on the fire of God, fire erupts, and once that fire has been fired into your heart, it goes into your bones.
Prayer: You will never tell the story of when you used to be on God’s side. No one among us will end his life with regrets by getting on fire for God. The principal prescription keeps us awake and still on fire with the on-fire word.
What the falling giants became victims of was the spirit of slumber. Delilah made Samson sleep on her lap and turned that giant into a turd in the hands of his enemy, which led to a shameful death for one man, the general of Israel. He would fight a war alone and win; it was an impossible enemy to all the adversaries of God’s people in a sleepy state. He crashed like a house of cards. It has left many wounded, and the spirit of slumber has slain many who stayed awake! Stay awake!
The next example was Saul the King, who fell into a deep sleep on the war front. David and his men got into the cave where this giant was sleeping, cut the end of his robe, and he was sleeping. They led 300 men and said to him, Live long, o king; the Lord deliver me to your hand tonight that I spare thee. I have the power to kill you, but I restrain myself. A sleepy state is a deadly state! 3000 men slept; they were to lose their captain, but the mercy of God awakened David. 1 Samuel 24:11–12
A sleepy state is a deadly state. 1 Samuel 24:11–12:
Moreover, my father, see, Yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not; know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression.in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The LORD judge between me and you, and the LORD avenged me of thee, but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
David must have been spiritually asleep when Bathsheba caught his attention. Remember, David maintained a schedule of prayer three times a day and seven times of praise. But he took a vacation from those and was walking lazily on the top of his house, and he saw a woman having a bath. He was asleep. That was the blemish on his legacy 1 Kings 15:5: Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. He did what was right in the sight of God, except in the case of Bathsheba.
And then came Solomon, who lost all his brains. Beauty in the hand of a woman. A woman is a whorish woman, and a man is a piece of paper. Paper has no brain. He lost all the endowments of God to a sleepy state. He went after strange women, and they turned his heart away from God. He went to sleep. No matter the anointing, anyone may carry, you go to sleep, and you’re a dead man. And God raised adversaries against Solomon for the rest of his life. 1 Kings 11:14: And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the king’s seed in Edom. The man of peace started fighting wars. Staying awake is not for the benefit of anybody but for your benefit.
We saw these pacesetters and record breakers in Joel 2:1–3: Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is near at hand; a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, nor shall there be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth them, and behind them a flame burneth: The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. The strongest lion will burn into ashes if he dares fire."
Prayer: May each one begin to experience an encounter with the unfired word.
John came as a shining and burning light. It’s not an ordinary fire; it’s a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29: For our God is a consuming fire. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word wasGod.
It consumes every barrier on the path of a man to secure his place. The end time army shall be men and women of fire. Not religious folks. Not people who we have to push to go to church. You can’t take God’s word lightly and expect to return with dignity.
Prayer: Again, the good news is that the church is at this stage. The end of time of the church is taking the stage globally. Every barrier will crumble on its own accord.
Nothing can stop God from having his way, and nothing can stop God’s agenda from having its way. No one here will be left out.
Solomon lost it all. Then we had Dimas, an associate of Paul, who fell into the trap of this world in his sleepy state and lost his place in ministry. 1 Tim 4:1
The Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and the doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;" We are in those last days where people speak to please you so as to trap you. You can’t catch a rat without putting bait. Heb 12:4: Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin. What you don’t resist has a right to remain. Resist the devil and his works and he’ll flee from you. 1 Cor 6:9–10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor Extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. This is the most fertile period of our life. If you sell your birthright for momentary pleasure, you bite your finger.
When the Holy Ghost comes, he comes like the refiner’s fire. To clear off all the debris in our lives so that our offering can be pleasant and acceptable to God. Mal 3:2: But who may abide by the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. You know the good news? In these end times, the word says a child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6: The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf, the young lion, and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. "
Prayer: The good news is that no one here will end their life with regret.
1 John 2:14 l have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. You are in an era of strength.
Prayer: May you not misuse your strength.
We are your era of revelations in all dimensions. Including the enforcement of the word. And you have overcome, so you are in your era of overcoming the challenges that wreck destiny. The Scriptures state that perilous times shall come in the end time, and men shall become lovers of their own selves. All these Things are there to shorten destiny.
Prayer: Your destiny shall not be cut short. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
This is also known as that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. In the last few days, according to Iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold. Revelation 2:3 and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake, hast labored, and has not fainted. There was a pertinent call to the churches to repent of their sins to avoid calamities, as it is written: Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will wax cold. Revelations 2:4-5
Nevertheless, I am somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come to you quickly and will remove thy candlestick from his place, except thou repent.
Ignorance is a disease. Hosea 4:6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that Thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget your children. Isa 5:13: And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, And men of Judah, judge, I pray to you, between me and my vineyard. This is the tenth time you have provoked me. I won’t take it again, so God is counting, but if anyone really intends to forget his past. Ezekiel 18:21 to 24
He will write off his past as if it never happened when the wicked turn from his weekend need or will forget the awareness that he has done and is righteous in which he finds him in that will He blesses him, but if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and begins to commit
Inquiry: God will forget the righteousness he has done, and he will pay for what he is doing now. So everybody has the opportunity, but within the space of time
We saw how Esau sought with tears but found no room for repentance; maybe time had lapsed. The remaining one is owned by someone, and you are hearing this word tonight.
Jesus, rescue me. I can’t continue like this, I don’t want time to run out on me. Jesus on me Jesus, I don’t want time to run out on me, Jesus, I don’t want time to run out on me. Jesus
You remember Judas repenting, but it was too late; he cast the money down. I have betrayed the innocent one, and they said, See him outside. And he took the money and bought a place for burning people. He repented too late. Repent too late; don’t sell off your destiny; it’s too precious. Don’t sell off your destiny; it’s too precious
Activity is not going to be a substitute for sanctification. In the precious name of Jeaus, today we must end the mark of toying with your destiny.
Somebody believes that. Let me hear your loudest amen.
The church of Philadelphia was a commended church, he said, but come quickly and hold that fast with that heart, lest no man take their crown.
For those who, by grace, are experiencing right standing and right living with God
Grace to hold fast till he comes; receive it now.
Grace to hold fast that no man takes your crown; receive it now.
Revelation 3:7–13 and verse 11 in particular
The Church of Sadis I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest but is dead
You have your name on the register, but you’re dead.
Remember, therefore, how you have received and heard, and hold fast and repent.
Therefore, thou shall watch
Thou shall not act; I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shall know what. Thou shall not know what hour I will come upon thee (Revelations 3 and verses one to six).
Remember in 1 Timothy 5:6: She that lives in worldly pleasure is dead while he liveth.
You have a name that says you are alive, but you are dead. You have a name that you
are alive, but you are dead, and what is it about living in worldly pleasure at the expense of the
The truth is that a dead believer is a dead believer.
Somebody’s story has just changed.
You’ll never be listed among the dead anymore.
And then the Laodacian church, a church of self-conceited people
I know your worst, and neither cold nor hot
I would think you were cold or hot, but because you hast saith, I am rich, I increase in good, I have need for nothing, and I know not that. Thou art wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Now this applies to us here very specifically because, by the grace of God and the word of life, Most of our parents have scaled heights here and there.
Some youths are just eyeing what their parents have and wishing that they die someday, so They can divide it. Wealth gotten by vanity shall diminish (Proverbs 13:11).
But he who gathers by labor shall increase. Inheritance will never give anyone a place in destiny.
Success has an impact, but it is not transferable. Achievement is not transferable.
If your father is a heavyweight wrestling champion, can you take his belt and go to the ring?
They say why? They say I’m the firstborn, and I inherited the belt. They now challenge you, and you say yes.
I’m ready when they throw you down; they’ll gather your parts together.
You can’t inherit anyone’s accomplishments. Many great names have gone beyond, and there is No trace of that greatness anywhere. No trace. No trace. I’m rich. I have no need for anything.
Parents attend to their children; you don’t have to do any work; you don’t have to do anything.
I know I have labored for you. What a yeye statement (Chuckles)
Praise God
In my place, your father dash you, It doesn’t carry honor or glory, but every one of you here will be far greater than your parents, because every new generation is ordained to be an improvement on the previous.
Every new generation is an improvement. He said one generation will serve you for another, and declare their mighty works, so the work keeps increasing and enlarging as you commit to serving. It is serving that gives people impact. It’s not inheriting something.
Praise God
When I was 25, I told my old man, When you are dying, whatever belongs to me, give it to the others who need it. He said, Why are you saying that’s what I feel like saying? I will not, I will not need it.
It’s time to wake up and take responsibility. It’s time to wake up and take responsibility.
Somebody’s story has just changed.
You are that one. Congratulations.
I said congratulations.
Congratulations
Every one of you will build houses for your parents; they will be larger than the one they are in
right now
He said, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3:7-13
If you know the worth of the riches I have in store for you, you will know you are poor now. If you know the enviable future I have in store for you, you will know that you are not going anywhere yet, and you can’t be there by strength; just follow me, and you’ll get there.
When you encounter the enfired word, it empowers you to occupy until he comes, and when you do your levels keep changing from one level of glory to another?
He gave them ten talents, one talent per each servant he brought back, and one has made ten more. He gave him authority over ten cities. The other one made 5. He gave him authority over five cities and he went away again. and he was coming back again.
So if you will care to occupy yourself till he comes, your levels will not stop changing from glory to glory.
Prayer: You never suffer stagnation in your life.
My son, who testified, sent about 50 applications to different organizations, and he heard me. Say there is nothing in doing nothing. I had $3000 to start my laundry business in under one year. Just stay awake; opportunities are bound to keep you productively engaged if you care to be. Awake
After we completed the TTG program, one of our young graduates from Er Covenant came and met with us. He took me to the car and brought me a pair of shoes. He said, Sir, this is what I do for business. He just prays it will fit you. I said Well, I will force it into the packaging if they say they bought it from the UK You don’t doubt it. Excellent spirit can’t be found on your mommy’s lap, doing what ?doing what ??doing what???
Occupy Till I come, and I won’t stop changing your level of engagement productively, you won’t be stagnated for once, and from that little laundry business, you can’t tell what will come out of it. Later, they are now making investments. It has started. It has started. It has started.
My little daughter is making shoes, and he knows I wear white, so he made white for me.
Amen
And he’s just finishing. This is what I do for business. Will she need a job anywhere? She has created one; she can’t do that business alone; she must have one, two, or three people that join her in doing it
Prayer: None of you will be stranded in life.
Occupy till I come also implies that you keep serving me faithfully, consistently, and tirelessly; I won’t stop.
Prayer: Changing your level
Can I hear your amen?
He doesn’t lie.
God is not a man that he should lie (Numbers 23:19), nor is he the son of man that he should repent.
Prayer: It’s your turn at last. It’s your turn at last. May this ignited word find a place in your life, and may It will keep you going for life in the precious name of Jesus Christ.
Lift up your right hand, everyone, and give God thanks in your seated position for the encounter.
of tonight
Give God thanks.
Lord, I thank you for giving me an encounter with the inspired word tonight.
Now keep me awake and deliver me from the trap of the spirit of slumber.
I refuse to be cast down by the spirit of slumber.
I escape tonight through the power of your word.
Thank you, Lord, in Jesus’ precious name, we have prayed.