Everlasting Gospel
First Lesson: 1Corinthians 10:13
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
Second Lesson: 1 Peter 4:1`
"For as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.”
Golden Text: Matthew 16:21
"From that time forth began Jesus to shew into his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."
Song: Kini udongo, biom ukut, kini mfuho, biom ukut, ukut anam owo osong kukpongho biom ukut
The texts read out to you constitute our food. I always sympathize greatly with you when I hear you say that we should invite people to Brotherhood so that, they will have food, money, storey-buildings, children and every other material thing. By so doing you have led your invitee astray. Because in his first coming into this place, when he leaves his pair of shoes outside, before he gets out of here the pair of shoes is stolen. Do you think if he has this experience he will venture to come here again? Whereas your preaching to him had been that he should come here and receive this and the other things. He will engage in a quarrel with you: "look I cannot come to that your place again. It is full of thieves; look at my new pair of shoes which I bought, and now it is stolen." And when he gets back and he is asked where he went to, if he mentions that he has been to Brotherhood, his children will look at him bewildered; his relations will be surprised; all others around him will start wondering what is happening and they will be scared, and persecution starts. He will call himself to order and ask "what is all these about?" You had called him that he should come and receive material things of this world, but here is the man going back to be rejected by even his relations.
4.1 Christ is the pace-setter
When you want to tell somebody about Brotherhood of the Cross and Star it is better you tell him everything, for when he comes, whatever he faces here, he must have been prepared for such things. Listen to what our Lord Jesus said. He hid nothing. He told you openly that you will suffer persecutions. If He, the King of Kings, the Lord of lords, the righteous One, the Son of God, the Son of man and God Himself, if He passed through this tribulation, what do you think of yourself an old time sinner like you, a rag which you are. You are worthless things; what other medium do you think you will pass through? You engage yourself in doing those things you are commanded not to do, but the case of our Lord Jesus Christ is different. He committed no sin, but suffered persecutions and tribulations right from the womb.
Our Lord Jesus Christ clothed the naked, He fed the hungry; He was not intimate with anybody's wife, He was not intimate with anybody's daughter; He went about healing the sick, raising the dead; making the lame to walk, the blind to see and the dump to speak. He went all over doing good, but look at the kind of tribulations He passed through, such that no man alive had ever gone through. In your own case you have been intimate with somebody's husband and you have been caught red-handed; you have been caught being intimate with somebody's wife; you have stolen, told lies, quarreled with people, fought, killed, caused trouble here and there, rained abuses on others. And look at our Lord Jesus Christ who is not guilty of any of these offences, yet He passed through so great tribulations. What offence did Abel commit against his brother Cain that Cain should-kill him? What offence did Abraham commit that he should be driven out of his father's house and he roamed to and fro on the surface of the earth as if he had no relations? What offence did Isaac commit that wherever he went to he was driven away? And he roamed about here and there with his followers? What evil did John the Baptist commit that he should be beheaded? He did not eat, he did not drink; he went about in the wilderness without modern clothes, without eating any man's food, and yet he was persecuted and finally he was beheaded. What evil has he committed that even up till today he continues the same way? You must realise that before you enumerate the arithmetical numerals you start from zero. If you do not start your counting from zero it means you are a non-starter.
4.2 Tribulation is starting point for cleansing spiritually
The first and foremost thing you must realise and take upon yourself is that you have to suffer tribulations. There are no two ways about it. If you look back you will realise that our Lord Jesus Christ suffered many tribulations. Isaac, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Peter, Luke, Paul, the rest of the disciples and the Patriarchs, all those suffered tribulations. And if you do not suffer these things from whence are you coming and how are you prepared to enter into the kingdom of God? Of all these patriarchs and prophets of old who suffered in their different ways, who among them did not benefit from the grace of God? Whom did God depart from? Who did not experience God's full grace? God gives the sore, He does the healing. God exalts. God abases. God is all-knowing, He takes charge of everything. Whenever temptation comes, in the midst of that temptation He provides a way out. Now why do you bother yourself when God is in charge of everything? There is no other soap with which you can be washed clean apart from tribulations. There is no other polish or hyssop, with which you can be cleansed apart from tribulations. A lot of people argue and ask questions to know why God should allow them to suffer so great tribulations in life. And I tell you to realise in the first instance, that from your hairs to your toes is filled with sins. There is nothing good in you. You were sharpened in iniquity and conceived in sin. There is no other way through which you can be washed clean apart from tribulations.
The Israelites sacrificed rams and bullocks but none of these cleansed them. They spread money; they showed benevolence one to another and yet they could not be cleansed; the only way through which we can be cleansed is tribulations. I believe that if man were to be given a free hand to appeal to God and receive what he wants, the first appeal that man could have sent to God will be that God should take away tribulation and temptation. My question is, if tribulation and temptation should be taken away, how will you be saved? The situation can be likened to giving birth to a child, and instructing that the child should not grow any longer, but should remain the way it is. Of what use is it to you if the child does not grow?
4.3 Tribulation necessary for spiritual growth
Tribulation is a very important part of our lives. And without tribulations we cannot get through to our heart desires. In sin were we borne. In iniquity we were conceived, and without these tribulations we cannot be washed clean. Do not bother yourself again right from today. But live a good life as given to you by God. Do not steal, do not tell lies, do not indulge in the preparation of concoction, do not curse, abuse and insult people; allow the will of God to be manifested in you. It is said that God wants to change us. With what would He change us? It is through tribulations. You will recall when they gathered around to arrest our Lord Jesus Christ; Peter drew out his sword and cut off one of the ears of one of the servants of the high priest. And our Lord Jesus Christ rebuked Peter: "put back your sword into its sheath, for whoever takes up the sword shall perish by the sword." And again He asked Peter "thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels, to wage this war, but if I should do this, how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled?" Do you know what was written about Him? It was written that "the shepherd would be smitten and the flock will scatter." It is also said that "he shall suffer many tribulations and be rejected by the people of this generation." All these form of tribulations are supposed to wash us clean, these are the items used in washing us clean; for when ye suffer in the flesh we cease from sin.
4.4 Our Lord Jesus Christ, an example
It is because of the misconception by a lot of people that is why when a little thing happens to you or to them, they complain that it is not neat that a child of God should suffer tribulations. And I ask, who is greater? You or our Lord Jesus Christ? These things should be told openly. Draw your example from that of our Lord Jesus Christ. When you talk about suffering tribulations He is the number one. Now cast your mind back to the disciples: Peter, James, John, and others suffered tribulations in their different ways. And our Lord Jesus Christ did openly say: "they shall hate you for my name's sake; they will persecute and kill you." And if these things do not happen to you, it means that our Lord Jesus Christ is a liar. It has also been written about this generation that: "first must he suffer many things and be rejected by the people of this generation." If he is not exposed to suffering these great tribulations, will that mean that he is the one? If he is not rejected by those of this generation would that mean that he is the one? Now it is given that there is time to sow, when the season comes to go to the farm and plant your crops. If you do not plant, when it is time to reap, from whence will you reap? Even when you want to eat your food, is it an easy thing? You can set your table with all kinds of dishes but if you do not use your hand to pick what you want and put in your mouth, can the food jump up from the table into your mouth? You may have the money but do you think it is an easy thing to go to the market, buy the foodstuff and do the cooking? Just as you have been eating feast here, do you think it is an easy thing to organise and prepare the feast you eat? That has been your problem even since. Because you have been filled with such complaints as: "O! It is not expected that a man of God should fall sick or should suffer from that kind of thing, or to be faced with that kind of problem or tribulations." You have this conception of how a man of God should be. If that were to be true, through what medium did our Lord Jesus Christ enter this kingdom? And the scripture says: "That you should suffer tribulations, that it may serve as chastisement unto you." And also that you will suffer for days. They shall persecute you; they will curse, abuse and beat you up and they will kill you. Do not botch, be steadfast, for your joy is great in heaven. I have many times explained to you the similitude of death on the Cross. It is just like what you have today when armed robbers are tied to stakes and executed. That is the kind of death the death on the Cross meant then. It was a kind of dubious and heinous sinner that will ever be crucified on the Cross. That was the kind of death our Lord Jesus Christ suffered. Death on the Cross was the worst kind of death that man should be subjected to in Israel and that was the kind of death Christ was subjected to. We should clothe ourselves with tribulations. Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered in the flesh and whoever follows our Lord Jesus Christ must, of a necessity suffer in the flesh too. If we should clothe ourselves with this thought we will not trouble our hearts, whether we are cursed or abused, whether we are reviled or persecuted, whether we are thrown into prison, whether we are called witches and wizards, whatever name or suffering comes unto us we would not be troubled., We would rather rejoice. Our Lord Jesus Christ does not deceive us. He forewarned us that "the world will hate you for my name's sake; they shall persecute you; they shall curse and abuse you; they shall revile and kill you." Where therefore do you derive your doubt when you have been forewarned? In the same manner did the Father fore-warn him when our Lord Jesus Christ accepted to come to earth and save man. The Father told him "they will persecute you; they will torture you; they will kill you;" but He accepted to bear them all. It does appear to me as if many of you were not prepared for this kingdom. Your armour is tribulation. Whatever happens, go and preach the word of God but have the confidence that in the midst of temptations the Father will provide a means of escape. Right from the time of Abel there is nobody that God has not saved in the midst of temptations. Brethren, if you perish today, it is because you have failed to emulate our Lord Jesus Christ; and you have failed to accept this teaching and put it on as an armour. The examination question is tribulation and our Lord Jesus Christ took this examination and has handed over the examination question to us. If you do not pass the exam it means you cannot enter.
4.5 Accept tribulation happily
This tribulation does not subsume lack, sickness or imprisonment. A situation might arise where somebody, young enough to be your grand-son or granddaughter, walks up to you and gives you a good slap on the cheek and starts to abuse you as a blood drinker, blood sucker, and rain all sorts of abusive statements on you. It might not even be somebody you know; or at times it might be your housemaid. That is the tribulation you have to bear. What you are witnessing is exactly what had been written about this kingdom. Nothing is added, nothing is subtracted. But one thing remains certain, and that is, the Father does not depart from you. We do not have anything to worry about, instead, we have every reason to rejoice because this is the narrow path through which our Lord Jesus Christ passed. We are not intimate with somebody's wife, if you do not commit any criminal offence, what will the government do to you? They will do nothing, and no man will accuse you of any offence. Your community decides that they will no longer visit you because you do not eat meat and fish any longer; you do not go along with them to steal; you do not play to the tune of traditional Ekpe, Ekpo, and Obon cults, etc. that because of this they ostracize you, and would not want to associate with you. What has that got to do with you? They will report and take you to the Police station that you are constituting a sort of a nuisance in the environment, that you always sing, dance, pray and do not allow others to sleep. What will be done to you? Is singing an offence? Is praying an offence? You are only going there on ministry work, when it is over you will come back home. You are arraigned before the village council, and reported that you have come with a strange God, that nobody understands. Questions will be posed to you or to thine accusers: "has he been intimate with somebody's wife?" And they say no, "has he stolen anybody's property?" and they say no! "Has he destroyed anybody's property?" and they say no! Nothing will be done to you than to release you. And that will only be a ministry work. Whatever form of tribulation you suffer is such that had been pre-ordained to come to you; and in the midst of this temptation, the Father will provide a means of escape. Note that it is not said that you will overcome the temptation, but it is rather said that in the midst of temptation, the Father will provide a means of escape for you. It is the Father who does it. He knows everything. He knows the in and out. And so let us not be bothered about anything. Our first lesson will now be read.
First Lesson: I Corinthians 10:13
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way toescape, that ye may be able to bear it."
4.6 Persecution of Christ
Are you going to tell me that the temptation that befalls you is greater than that which befell our Lord Jesus Christ? Are you going to argue that whatever temptation befell our Lord Jesus Christ that any temptation had over-powered Him? All the inhabitants of the world turned against our Lord Jesus Christ, but He overcame all and now reigns supreme; which means it was the Father who did everything for Him. That it might be fulfilled according to the scriptures that "they shall wage war with the Lamb, and the lamb will overcome them, for He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords." And the same goes with his disciples, that "they shall wage war with the disciples but the disciples shall overcome them, for they hold unto the truth." And so what is a strange thing? What is surprising about it? What are you affrighted about? What is relatively new? All these things go according to the scriptures. Which man of God was not persecuted and killed? Which prophet had the world not persecuted? John the Baptist came, he did not eat, he did not drink, but they accused him of possessing demon. Our Lord Jesus Christ came he ate, he drank and he was accused of being a drunkard, and a friend of sinners. In the end they accused our Lord Jesus Christ of possessing the chief of demon Beelzebub. That is to say, John the Baptist possessed demon and our Lord Jesus Christ possessed the chief demon which was Beelzebub. There is never a time that the world would accept that what a man of God is doing, such power is derived from God. But it has always been their contention that there is no God. And so the warfare now raging in the world is that, on one hand there is God, on the other hand, there is no God. The children of God claim and profess that there is God. The children of the world profess that there is no God. They claim to own everything around the world. Why was our Lord Jesus Christ killed? It was because He declared that He was the Son of God. The Jewish law had it that any day anybody would either via dream or vision declare that he is the son of God he should be killed for violating the law. And what is the implication of their claim? It is that there is no God of all the surveys. As far as they are concerned there is no God. That is what their behaviour implies.
If two people go out now to preach, but one of them says he is from apparition, and the other one says he is a man of God: I tell you that the man who says he is from apparition will be held in high esteem, will be provided with accommodation, will be provided with all the good things of life and the man of God will be regarded as the one who has erred. The inhabitants of the world do not want to hear anything about God. If you do that they will surround you and look for ways of eliminating you.
4.7 A new spiritual era dawns
What you are witnessing now is an already spoken word of God. He said: "this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.... and they shall know me from the least to the greatest." And it is also fulfilled that which the scriptures had told us that "whoever receives the Son receives the Father; and whoever receives the Father receives the Son." Since the people of the world have accepted the Son they have to accept the Father. Whatever they like they can do; whether they want to weep, wail, mourn and lament they can go ahead, but nothing changes the situation. Our Lord Jesus Christ came proclaiming to be the Son of God and He was killed; but now the Father has come. He has come with His children, the sons of God and it has been declared openly that we are the children of God. We are the heavenly host; we are the angels of God. We have come. The Father is here. The world has recognized the presence of the Father, what can they do? They have equally accepted his presence. It is not because you are accused of worshipping a human being that is why they hate you; it is not because he makes the blind to see, the deaf to hear or raises the dead that they hate you; it is because you have declared unequivocally that you have seen God. And now the situation is clear to them that even our Lord Jesus Christ whom they accept is the Son of God was a human being, took the form of man, but they accepted Him. If that is the case it means they are also worshipping a man. Even the Christ they are expecting to crashland from the sky was born by Mary. And He will not crashland as they want and hope He will do.
4.8 The parable of the disobedient servants
That was why he gave them a parable saying that "a certain man planted a vineyard; and after sometime he sent messengers to go and inspect his Vine. The labourers in the vineyard got some beaten, got some maimed, and they killed some. After sometime the owner of the vineyard sent more and more messengers (this explains the number of prophets the Father has been sending to the world). When those husband-men saw the messengers in their great number they thought if they should succeed to eliminate them (messengers) then the vineyard will be theirs. So they went about killing, beating and persecuting those messengers of God. The inhabitants of the world do not believe that God is in existence and they believe all the world is theirs. Our Lord Jesus Christ continued with the parable that after sometime the owner of the vineyard decided to send his own son, that when the son should go the husbandmen will be afraid, saying, if this is the son of the owner of the vineyard then we should leave everything to him. But the situation was different. When the son arrived the scene they said: "O! so this man has a son, now, if we can eliminate his son the vineyard will be ours. And finally our Lord Jesus Christ, in His parable asked them: "in the end, when the owner of the vineyard shall come, what will He do to the husbandmen?" And they replied that he will send his soldiers to destroy all the husbandmen, and will hand over the vineyard to a nation that shall respect his will. It was there and then he asked them: "have you not heard that the stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner and people look at it in amazement; I tell you that this kingdom shall be taken from you and handed over to a nation that shall bear its fruits.
4.9 The Holy Father controls all creation
All the things you are witnessing now had already been prophesied in the Holy Writ. Isaiah chapter two has clearly stated all those things; how he tramples upon the hills and mountains; how everything gets under subjection and no other thing flaps its ugly wings apart from He who reigns. All these things had already been prophesied in Isaiah chapter sixty-three about the red garment, about what He has come to do, about many other things which you do not know. These things had already been prophesied. Rejoice when the people of the world confront and begin to rain curses and abuses such as "woe betide you in Jesus name!" Rejoice and even help him to say: "Amen". Rejoice even when people come to you and tell you Olumba Olumba Obu is a bad man, he is this or that; rejoice and accept it. How would Olumba Olumba Obu not be a bad man to them when he has successfully destroyed all their powers and all their elementary spirits? When he does not allow them to operate as they used to operate before, to them he is a bad man. But he is good to the children of God. Look at a situation where people have trained their children to go prostituting, to go stealing, to go drinking and smoking and committing one sin or the other, but suddenly a man appears on the scene and dissuades people from doing such vices. Do you think the people of the world will be happy over that? Why would they not call him a bad man? They wink at him and do all sort of things.
4.10 The Holy Father’s declaration on arms and weapons of war
I had once declared from this same high heavens that the ammunitions manufactured by Russia, America, Japan, Britain, France and other world powers will not be put into any use, but that all of them will be destroyed. You are also aware of the fact that the world powers are looking for places to dispose of their ammunitions. They go every where finding where to deposit toxic wastes. You have heard what happened in Bendel State sometime ago. They paid millions to make sure the toxic waste is buried in certain countries and yet they cannot succeed. Nobody wants to accept it from them. If those things were good why were they not allowed in any country? This had been the declaration I made. You have also remembered the declaration about coups in Nigeria. What is the situation today? What about other things that you have been engaged in? You boast that you are marrying twenty women. But I tell you that you are not marrying twenty, this time around you are going to remain with one wife. Who will accept such a situation? What about the suppression of women? You use them to make money. In our traditional society you call these women at the slightest pretext and ask how many people have you been intimate with? I saw you greeting that man the other day, what have you done?" You accuse them here and there and beat them; because they have fallen short of your expectation. You oblige them to bring goats and cartons of beer to beg you. I say such things no longer occur. Since God created the world have you ever found in any generation that a married woman who goes with the name tag "Mrs" leaving her matrimonial home, travels to a distance, stays there for about a month or so and after sometime returns to the house and she is fully welcome? Now the children will rise up, including the husband and welcome her. Have you been seeing such a thing before now?
Here is a situation in our society, before a girl is given birth to, she is betrothed to a man and part of the money collected. If you resist they will tie your hands and legs to your husband. But what is happening today? Girls grow up, they simply make the declaration that they do not want to marry but they want to serve God; and nobody puts up any argument than simply say that times are bad and things have changed and they should be allowed. When they say that Olumba Olumba Obu has spoilt many things, is it not true that many things are not the way they were before? Now look at the Calabar area here, the. Edibe Edibe beach. Often times you hear people missing in the water. The same thing was applicable to Atimbo river. Every now and then you see hippopotamus coming out of the river, doing so many havoc to so many human beings. What is the situation today? Do you hear anything again? Right now, even the farmland you cultivate, when you write the inscription "O.O.O." on it, nothing touches anything in that farm. Are these the things that trouble the people of the world? It is the evildoers who are worried and will tell you that Leader Olumba Olumba Obu is a bad man, but the children of God all over the world are rejoicing. Now you can recall when Youth and Women Fellowships went on ministry work to oversea countries. They preached the gospel. Even places you could not easily obtain for public preachings were given to them. The whites were preached to;, tracts were distributed. Many of them were worried "why have things turned this way? Are these not black women who have come to preach the word of God to us? What is actually happening in the world?" queried a host of them.
4.11 Brotherhood of the Cross and Star gives succour to the afflicted
Look around what is going on in various church denominations. One of our brothers testified here yesterday that when he got baptized into Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, the Reverend Father in charge of his area visited him at home and asked why he should decide to leave the Roman Catholic Church whereas it was his carnal father who brought the church into the place? And the brother told the Reverend father "I have three questions to ask you, if you answer the three you have convinced me back". The first question the brother asked the Reverend Father was "I have been in the Roman Catholic Church for thirty-five years, did you change me? He then told the Reverend father that he has been in the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star for only two months and directed him to confirm what he said. And immediately that question was posed, the mother turned to the reverend father and said; "it is very true my son has changed, he no longer drinks nor smokes." He then posed a second question to the reverend father and said: Suppose as you are here now you receive a message from home that somebody had trespassed on your land, and is almost beating your mother up in a bid to take over everything from your family, what will you do? The Reverend Father said: "that cannot happen, if anybody attempts that, I will initiate a court case. I will report to the police. He will be arrested and dealt with." The brother said, ask my mother what happened. And the Reverend Father turned and asked the mother who said that there was a situation where somebody trespassed on their land and it was reported to her son but surprisingly he said nothing. Guns and matchets were picked up for a fight but he wanted to talk to the man concerned only to be told by people not to go and he complied, and finally it was the trespasser who later went to him and apologized and confessed that in all the communities he had not seen any other man of God than him. The Reverend Father had no other option than to carry his bag and leave the scene.
The numerical strength of different church denominations are dwindling one after the other because people are leaving their churches, talkless of the native doctors and others. The hospitals no longer have patients. When you have problems they refer you to Brotherhood; when you want to know about your life you will be directed to Brotherhood. Whatever you want they refer you to Brotherhood. Tell me why the people of the world will not rain abuses and curses on the Leader, when they are deprived of the glory which they have enjoyed. The brother also asked the reverend gentleman: "I have been sick for a long time here in Catholic Church with you, but you did not help me, I went to the hospital and everywhere seeking for help but nothing was forthcoming. If you had helped me, I would have stayed with you. But here is a situation where I went to Brotherhood and did not spend quite three days and I was completely healed. That is the situation you find in the world today. Why should they not wage war against you? When they first learnt of the emergence of this power, did the rulers, the emperors and the inhabitants of the world, church dignitaries not assemble and ask what they would do, and questioned where it came from? But they could not find the answer. The power still remains. They cannot do anything to you. In a place called Ukwua Ibom, gradually, little by little, members of the Catholic Church left their church. Mount Zion left; and a few other churches around left to Brotherhood. The preachers in these churches did not know what to do again. They grouped themselves together and went to the preacher in charge of the Brotherhood Bethel there and told him that since your church has withdrawn every person from our churches, we want only one thing from you. We want you to calculate how much the levies these members had been paying in our churches so that at the end of every year you pay the levies to us. Let them remain with you because they have come to you. The preacher said: "Okay I have accepted; now let us fix a date and go to Calabar." They asked, what are we going to do in Calabar? And the preacher said, to see the owner of the church. They concluded that they would rather lose everything than go with him to Calabar. The second lesson will now be read.
Second Lesson: 1st Peter 4:1
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. "
4.12 My mission is to set humanity free
Have you heard what the scripture says? You recall when soldiers molested Abraham's nephew. Lot; and Abraham got to know about it. He quickly assembled four hundred soldiers, (because he was himself a good fighter), went to those people, destroyed the village and all the communities, brought back his nephew, Lot, and took along with him the spoils of war. It was out of this that he gave on-tenth as tithe to Melchizedeck. What is the situation in the world today? The people of the world had overpowered you through the ways, craftiness and means of this world. They knew how to suppress you, how to create a situation where you do not have any say in any place, but with the coming of the Father you are fully liberated and fortified. The people of the world no longer have such power over you. That is why when they try this way or the other they cannot succeed, they conclude: "you wait for us when that your Obu dies!" It is this reason that the people of the world often say that you do not know the being in your midst. They go all out to challenge and suppress you with whatever power at their disposal under the water, in the mid air and wherever they can go. They have tried and they cannot succeed. That is why they stand and tell you that you do not know that MAN. It is quite true you do not know him. Here is a situation where I have realised that my children are perishing and in such a situation I stand to challenge all forces, all principalities, all powers and to subdue them. What do I have to do with storey buildings? What do I have to do with tie? What do I have to do with the material things of this world; when what is paramount is your salvation?
4.13 You are all set free
You had been trampled upon, you have been bound hands and feet and for this reason have I come to set you free, to set fishes free, to set trees free and to set all creations of God free. That you all may be free, I am prepared for any challenges. And even if it is a small boy coming to challenge me, if I am fighting with him, I fight as though I am fighting with an adult. Because the story will change if a small boy knocks me down. They will not say it is a small boy, they will say they were fighting, and he is defeated. What do you hear about concoctions, apparitions, juju and native doctors? Have you heard anything about them again? How can you enter into the house of a strong man without first binding him hands and feet? You have to bind him hands and feet before you enter there and do anything. All the things happening now had been foretold in the scriptures. If you read Ezekiel chapter thirty four you will find it clearly. If you read Isaiah chapter two it is written there. If you read Isaiah 63 it is well written. If you read Revelation 19:1 to the end, you will find it clearly written. I want to set all free, that is why I have come, children, adults, men and women, young and old; trees, animals and all creations of God are free. I want freedom and liberty for all of you. What is my own? I do not seek for anything, whether it is death, tribulations, whatever it is, I have already experienced these things, so I have no fear; I am well prepared for anything. Who is the fool? You want to enter a swampy thick forest, you clothe yourself with tie and jacket, you dress yourself with shoes and then you intend entering into that forest. How can you do that successfully? Who is the fool? Myself or yourself? Do you not know that the world had long perished. If somebody had told you years ago that what you are witnessing now will come to pass, who would have believed such a story? Because the conception in the world had been that Satan had taken over rulership in the world. But now the reverse is the case. Testimonies are coming, you have not even heard testimonies yet. Great testimonies are coming from left and right, to confirm the salvation that is wrought upon you. In the same manner did our Lord Jesus Christ go about doing his work, suffering great tribulations. Clothe yourself with this armour of God. Clothe yourself with tribulation. Whatever comes to you, do not botch, do not fidget because God is ever by you.
4.14 Learn from me
Take example from what happens here. Anybody who comes here, whether he is a president or governor. I give him the word of God. I rebuke him of his sins. I tell him the truth, and expose his nakedness. But in your own case you always have one fear or the other when you are talking to people in case you will seek favour from them. But in my own case I do not have need for such favours. I say what is to be said. I have not come for any of the things of this world. I have come for your sake. When the war is ended, when everything has been subdued, you will engage yourself in football, you will play band and wear whatever dress you want to wear. You will eat what you will choose to eat. You will do what you want to do, but for now we are in the battle field. That is why you are today asked to put on this armour of God. What is the armour? It is tribulations, false accusations, beatings here and there, temptations, afflictions, jealousy, envy; those are the things you should get prepared for. For as the scriptures have told us, "for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin". If you are not blind to the things happening around you, if you are not deaf to the things you hear, if you do not endure these things, how would you overcome temptation?
Our brother Paul, said, "the suffering that I now face I regard them very light when I compare it with the glory that is ahead of me." If you were to realise the glory that is before you, you would not fall off from the track. That is why our Lord Jesus Christ, because He saw this glory, He regarded as "light" the suffering that befell Him. The same is what you should do. Regard as "light" whatever you have to face now because of the everlasting glory the Father has for you. And since the Father has overcome, you have also overcome. It is your duty to spread this gospel to all nooks and comers of the world.
Take example of Snr. Pastor S.I.U. Etuk. He has just come from Guinea; he is now a Guinean. He stays there and preaches the gospel. And as it is said: "he who conquers shall reign". And this is a situation where he is now a chief (in charge) in Guinea. He is in charge of everything there; because he has done the work. Day in day out people are flocking in, they are receiving the gospel; he is attending to many people. The same thing should be done by all of you. Togo, Russia, and others need people. Go over there and establish and preach the word of God. You will realise that the Pastor is a landlord, he has houses; but he has abandoned his house, his law degrees, and whatever engagement he has here for the sake of the word of God. If* he were to think about all these things do you think he would have gone to Guinea? Realise that whoever endures to the end will be rewarded. When you fight and win the war you will have the reward. The Christ witness has left for Cameroon. Many others have left for other places. The field is wide. China, Russia, Italy, Persia, and other countries are waiting for you. Leave this "staying habit in 34 Ambo. Spread over the whole world. Do not have any fear for tribulation. Get yourself well balasted that you may be able to face tribulation.
Right now our golden text is going to be read. I know that the words of God have entered into your blood, bone marrows, and many of you are now trying to make up your minds on where to go. It is time you should leave. Whether it means going on foot to London, start your journey. That is part of it. In case you did not know, you can go to London by land. You can go through North Africa. You advance closer until you get into London. There is no need to be afraid of tribulations, because that is what you fear; starting your journey on foot to London. You do not want to sleep in the bush. You do not want to be molested. You do not want to suffer any form of tribulation, that is the Father's work you say.
Golden Text: Matthew 16:21
"From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go into Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and Scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."
4.15 Two sides of the coin
Having listened attentively to that text, did God depart from our Lord Jesus Christ one minute? If our Lord Jesus Christ did not accept to die would he have arisen? If he did not rise again from the death, would he have been glorified? If he had not been glorified, of what good would it have been to Him? You are looking for visioners to tell you not to go to such and such a place so that you may not meet with calamity. A vision will tell you not to go to Rivers State because of food scarcity which he had to suffer of hunger previously. You want somebody to tell you to go on ministry work where you will have enough food, clothes, and shelter. But I ask, is this what is required of you? Listen to what our Lord Jesus Christ had to say. It was not given to him as vision by anybody. He saw it himself: "that he must go into Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders....." Even though he knew it he did not relent. He went forth to Jerusalem. About 1982 when the crusaders, Apostle Kevin and others went on ministry work to the Republic of Cameroun and they were arrested' and detained, have you heard anybody else say he wants to go on ministry work to Cameroun? If you tell somebody to go on ministry work with you he will ask, "to where". If you mention Cameroun the person will disagree and will not join you.
Was it not just last year when charm removers went to Cameroun and they met their Waterloo when they were also arrested and detained. When they found a means of escape they ran and never wanted to return to the place. Those amongst them who claim to be "bishops" did not return and I wonder if "bishops" do run from such battles. But what is the situation now? Last November, I sent Christ witness Ime Akpakpan to that place. In January he went there again and today he has left for Cameroun. Go and see the situation there today. When somebody is more beautiful than you, you declare that he has washed himself or herself in the water. Can you not go and wash and be beautiful or handsome as he or she is? The Christ servant is also there. Christ student Francis is also in the entourage. They have gone. What about you? Where are you going? Go and preach somewhere, let mosquitoes bite you. Go and suffer from hunger; go and be beaten by rain, go and let people call you names. You know the situation in the Republic of Cameroun. In many places, they speak in French. That is another battle you have to face. You will speak with your fingers. Upon your educational attainment go there and display your fingers and let people understand and be converted to God. Go and face the tribulations that is preached about. Our Lord Jesus Christ had said: "I have to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and finally be killed." And you are also told that: in the midst of that temptation God provides a way out. And so you should realise that we are all in that Jerusalem. People are fighting, quarrelling and making all sorts of abuses and curses and yet use same mouth to praise God. Many people say many things, call God vampire and witch; and yet you do not see me frown, or get angry. But in your own case when somebody dies people will say he is taken to Leader Olumba Olumba Obu. You have heard about the testimony of Apostle Bro Bro some days ago. The same holds. Whatever happens, such mishap is said to be caused by the Father. Ignore them and preach the gospel always.
A word is sufficient for the wise. May God bless His holy words; Amen
THANK YOU FATHER.