Righteous Invasion of Truth

Dr. Abel Damina: Glory! Let me balance. Are you excited this morning? What a joy to see all of you this morning. Glory, glory, glory, glory. Hallelujah. Lift your right hands to heaven. Father, we thank you for this another opportunity to come before your holy, precious written Word. Thank you that the mighty Holy Spirit lives on our inside.

So this morning, revelation knowledge is gifted us. Decree that whatever is not planted by God is rooted out. Burdens and yokes are destroyed. Your people are built up, equipped, edified, Jesus is glorified. So as your Word comes forth with clarity, there is no limitation in this environment. There is no error in this environment. Clarity upon clarity. Precise, exact, holistic understanding of Christ and all the riches that He has made available to us. So we give you praise that by the end of this service, we will be the better for it. In Jesus' name we pray, and every believer says a powerful amen.

Glory! Lift your right hands to heaven. Let's release our faith together as we say these words. I am born of God. I am born of the Word. The Word of God is my nature. I do not struggle to do the Word. I do the Word naturally. Therefore, today, I will understand the Word of His grace. I will be built up. By the end of this service, I will never be the same. Never, ever be the same again. In Jesus' name. And every believer says a powerful amen.

Glory! Grab your pen, your notebook, your Bible. You can be seated with your sweet, smart self this morning as we get into the Word of His grace. Glory! All right, we continue our series this morning with the Church of God in Service, why you must be in a local church and be committed there. Why you must be in a local church and be committed in the local church. We are looking at the series of being committed in the local church. Matthew the sixteenth chapter, the eighteenth verse. PJ.

Guest (Female): And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Dr. Abel Damina: And upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This was in response to when Jesus asked the disciples, "Who do men say that I the Son of Man am?" And some said you are Jeremiah, some say you are one of the prophets. And Jesus said, "But who do you say that I the Son of Man am?" And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christos, the Christ, the anointed one and his anointing, the Son of the living God."

And Jesus said to him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto you that thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church." Right now, the word church there from the Greek is the word *ecclesia*, which means to call out to gather. I will build my *ecclesia* or upon this rock, I will build my called-out ones from darkness to light, from bondage to freedom, from sin to righteousness.

An Exodus vocabulary: I will called out. So the calling of God is salvation. When you hear the message, you believe the message, you are called out of darkness into His marvelous light. I will call out, but not just call out. I will call out to gather. I will call out an assembly of people from darkness to light, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. Now, the Church is the body of Jesus. The Church is the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ.

And Brother Paul took time to explain that to us in Ephesians the first chapter, the seventeenth to the twenty-first, where he began to say that Jesus has been given authority over all things to be the head over the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. So he calls the Church His body. When you say the Church, you are referring to the Body of Jesus Christ. To the Body of Jesus Christ.

To identify therefore with the Church is to identify with the gathering, which means an assembly is required. You cannot have church without an assembly. An assembly is required. The book of Ephesians chapter three, verse fourteen says that the church is a family. I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. So the church is the family of God.

In Ephesians chapter two, verse eighteen, it says that through Him we have access to the Father. Chapter two, verse eighteen of Ephesians, through Him we have access to the Father by one Spirit. We have access to the Father by one Spirit. Verse nineteen says we are no more strangers or foreigners, but fellow citizens and members of the household of God. So the church is the family of God or the household of God.

In Galatians chapter six, verse ten, it is called the household of faith. The church is the household of faith, which is what we call the Body of Christ. So it is the household of faith, it is the household of God. That implies that we must treat the Body of Christ as a family. We must treat the Church as a family of God. That means therefore, in order for the Church to effectively operate on the earth, the gathering is imperative. If you are in the Body of Christ, you must have a local gathering where you attend.

Because the Body of Christ is a gathering. Like I said some weeks ago humorously, how many of you came to church without your legs? How many of you came to church without your hands? You left your hands in the office, you left your legs at home, and you only brought from your waist up to church. Nobody does that. When you move, you move with every part of your body.

So for you to have a church, since all of us are members of the Body of Christ in particular, a gathering together of the body is critical to be able to effectively carry out God's assignment on the earth. That means nobody can be the Church of God in isolation. The Church is the Church because it is an assembly. It is a gathering. It is a local place, it is a local house where people effectively gather. Gather to learn, gather to grow, gather to be grounded and rooted in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

All right, so we began to look at all of those details and we have laid quite a number of foundations where this subject matter is concerned. And we are just going to proceed from where we stopped the last time I was physically here in church. We began to see therefore that you cannot fulfill the will of God for your life in isolation. You cannot fulfill the will of God for your life in isolation.

What fulfills God's plan for your life is the Church. What fulfills God's plan for your life is the Church. What will make you fulfill the plan of God for your life is the Church, the assembly. Because the Church is the place for supernatural relationships. Relationships that are ordained of God. Partnership that is ordained of God. Brothers and sisters that are supernaturally brought into a family together with you.

Each one of us became a member of that family by the Spirit of God. So the Spirit of God gave birth to all of us, and that forms a supernatural union and an eternal relationship between you and I. That relationship goes beyond time. That relationship goes beyond limits. That relationship goes beyond ethnicity. That relationship is supernatural. So the Church is the place for supernatural relationships, brothers and sisters in Christ.

That's why you cannot marry outside the church. To marry outside the church is to marry outside the family of God. It is to make the devil your father-in-law and to make demons your in-laws. Because the devil is the father of all those who have rejected Christ. The devil is the father of those who are not born of God. You are of your father, the devil. All right, so to marry outside Christ is to marry into a family where Satan becomes your father-in-law.

So we began to establish two things the Church accords you or the Church makes available to you. Number one, the Church stops human selfishness. When you join the local church, you defeat selfishness. When you are committed to the Church, you triumph over selfishness. You know why some people are not committed in church today? It is because they are selfish people. They don't want anyone to use their time.

They don't want anyone to share in their resources. They don't want anyone to be a part of their lives. Because the Church takes selfishness away from you. Once you join the Church, it is no more "my, my, my," it is "ours." It becomes ours. When you come to the house of God to pray for others, you are breaking the yoke of selfishness in your life. Every time we pray, we are praying for the work, we are praying for our pastor, we are praying for the gospel to thrive, we are praying for disciples, we are praying for people to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Less of us, it is all about others. Because what the local church does is to break the backbone of selfishness and to give you victory over selfishness. You go to work every day for salary. But when we come to church daily, in some cases, we come to church daily for fellowship. So our assembly in church breaks selfishness. Supernatural relationships break the yoke of selfishness in our lives.

Because what it means is that we are going to serve others. We are going to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. For as much as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many. Jesus came not to be ministered to, but to minister. And if we are born of Him, we are born of His Spirit, we will flow in His own dimension. So it's not about me, it's about us and it's about the kingdom of God.

So the Church therefore breaks the yoke of selfishness. In the local church, you begin to serve in a department. Because you see, selfish people want to be served, but they don't want to serve anybody. They want to come to church when everywhere is clean, arranged, everything is functioning, they just come, no sense of responsibility. And the moment the service is about to close, they are already carrying their legs towards the door.

They don't want to have any interactions. They don't want somebody to say, "Can you give me a lift? It appears you are going to this side. I want to follow you." No, nobody enters my car. No, I didn't dedicate my car. I only blessed my car. You know the difference, right? Between dedication and blessing. The guy said, "Papa, please don't dedicate my car. Just bless my car."

I said, "What is the difference?" You know, do you remember Brother Gladstone? He used to be in this church years ago. He said, "Because when you dedicate my car, the church will be using it. But when you bless my car, I will go and use my car. The church will not use it." So I said, "I bless and dedicate this car. In fact, bring the keys now. We are going for a program with your car. Go home." He said, "Papa, you have killed me."

All right, so they don't want anybody to partake of what they have. They just want to be in church, but no sense of responsibility. Let me ask all of you a question. How many of you realize that when visitors come to your house, they don't have any sense of responsibility? When visitors come to your house, you give them water, you give them food, you receive them, you make sure they are comfortable for the short period they stay.

And when they are leaving, they don't move the dishes, they don't move the plates, they don't clear the spoons, they don't clean nothing. They just stand up, they only clean their bum-bum and put out whatever trash must have touched their body while they were still in your house. They push it off for you, they leave it for you, and they walk away clean. And now you have to go back, move the things, clear the things, sweep the place if it was messed up a bit, wash your dishes, wash your plates, everything rearranged.

Because visitors are irresponsible. They are very irresponsible. Visitors are irresponsible. It is the family people that are responsible. It is the family that will clean, it is the family that will take care of, it is the family that will ensure that the environment is decent enough for everybody else to enjoy. Visitors don't have any sense of responsibility. They don't have none. They don't.

So if you are in a church and you are behaving like a visitor, you are a very irresponsible person. Highly irresponsible. Because the house is our house. It's our family house. Our gathering is family gathering. This is family meeting. So we ought to see to it that everything is taken care of, everybody is taken care of, everybody is involved because this is our collective home where we feed, where we learn, where we grow, where we are equipped to embark on the responsibility of our Father to the nations of the earth.

If that's getting clear, can I have a good amen? I'm not hearing your amen at all. Visitors are very irresponsible. So you can't remain a lifetime visitor in this church. A time will come when you are no more a visitor, you become a member of the family and you begin to embark on responsibility. You begin to get involved in responsibility. You begin to be a blessing in the family.

So the Church stops human selfishness, and you begin to give to others. Number two, the Church shows our interdependence. I need you, you need me. Imagine I came here and none of you is here this morning. I came to preach and the whole place is not ready, nobody has fixed anything. It's going to be an issue. Which means I need you to be a pastor and you need me to be a sheep.

You need me to be a sheep and I need you to be your pastor. The Church shows interdependence where we depend on each other. There are so many things you need in your life that God did not give you. He gave someone else. Many things in your life are in somebody's hands so that you depend on that person. And many things in somebody else's life is in your hands. So everybody will need everybody. We all need one another.

I'd like you to turn to somebody and say, "I will need you and you will need me. We need one another. We must be there for each other." I didn't hear a living amen. No, that's not a living amen. Even prayer house amen is louder than that one. Can I have a living amen? Yeah. So there are many things you need in your life that are in somebody else's hands. So you need to know the person, you need to relate with the person to get those things.

That's why relationships are designed by God's wisdom to have all of us relate with one another effectively. Some things the finger needs are in the heart. Some things the kidney needs are in the stomach. Some things the brain needs are in the stomach and some things the leg needs is in the brain. There's a way your brain will go now, your legs will no more be coordinated. From the brain.

So everything is scattered. That's why we are members of the body because some things I need here are in my stomach. Some things I need in my leg are in my brain. Some things I need in my fingers are in my kidney. Some things I need on my toes are in my liver. So every part of the body must depend on every part of the body. God did not concentrate everything in one place. I'm teaching good this morning.

That's why Brother Paul used the analogy of the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ. He is the head, we are the body, and we are members of the body in particular to show how much we need each other. I didn't hear a powerful amen. We need one another. We need each other. We interdepend on each other. So what does it mean to belong to the church? It means you'll be free from selfishness. You will now begin to operate in selfless life.

Secondly, we also must realize that the Church helps us destroy pride. The Church helps us destroy pride. When people do not belong to a local church, they are proud. The Church helps us break away from pride. It shows we need each other. There are things you pray for me, I didn't know I needed it. There are things I pray for you, you didn't know you needed it. We pray for one another. We minister to one another. We need one another.

We always lose out of those benefits when we don't have a local church. When you don't belong to a local church, when you are not committed to a local church, you lose out on the benefits of having a family of God you belong to. Aren't you blessed that you belong to the family of God? What a family of God. What a family of God we have. What a joy to see our brethren all over the place. It's a privilege, isn't it? And it's a blessing to see what God is doing with all of us all over the nations of the earth.

So when people do not belong to a local church, they are proud. The Church helps you to break that pride. There are things that you will never know you need until me and you begin to fellowship together, then you realize, "Oh, I have a need in this area, and I have seen who can supply the need." We need one another. We always will need each other. Praise the Lord.

The local church takes away selfishness and breaks pride. It takes away selfishness and destroys pride. So in the church you serve and you are served. You serve and you are served. In the church you are blessed and you are a blessing. In the local church you serve and you are served. You are blessed and you are a blessing.

That's the essence of the local church. You serve and others serve you. In the book of Acts, the Church is a major concept. You will find the word "Church" mentioned at least twenty-two times in the book of Acts. You find the word "Saints" mentioned four times. You find the word "Brethren" mentioned twenty-four times.

In the book of Acts, the Church is a major concept. It is mentioned twenty-two times at least. You find the word "Saints" mentioned four times. Then you find the word "Brethren" mentioned twenty-four times. Brethren, *adelphos*, my brothers, my brethren, *adelphos*, twenty-four times. You find the word "Disciples" in the book of Acts mentioned twenty-nine times, and many others.

All showing the compound word for our relationships. The compound word for our relationships. And together we are called the Church of God. We are called the Church of God. We are called Saints. We are called Brethren. We are called Disciples. Showing you that God identifies with gatherings. God identifies with gatherings.

So the Church creates interdependence. I need you and you definitely need me. So we have one single identity in Christ. One single identity. If there's one place that can help you take away selfishness and pride, it is the Church. The Church will help you. In the Body of Christ, when you come in, you put aside all that you are in the natural. When you come in you put aside all that you are. Whoever you are, it melts when we come together.

Amongst us here, there are different professions. There are different people here with different expertise. People here with different operations who are big bosses in their offices. Who in their offices, their staff will not even dare to come too close to where they are standing. But when we come to church, all of that melts. All of those colors. We have no colors in the church. We have no ethnicity. We have no male, we have no female.

The Church is the melting point of all diversities. I feel like I'm preaching here. No Jew, no Gentile. No male, no female. No white, no black, no brown, no yellow. We're all one in Christ. The Church is the melting point. The Church is the melting point. Glory to God! The Church is the melting point.

I remember when I started doing international travels and people were saying to me, "Your accent is very strong. Dr. Damina, your accent is very strong." And then I thought it was a disadvantage. And then I was out in California with one of the global voices on television and he said to me, "Dr. Damina, your accent is an asset. Please don't try to speak like an American. Maintain that accent on this TV show. It will give us a lot of money."

What people were trying to make me feel bad that I have an accent, a strong African accent, became my selling point on global television. He said, "Don't even try, just maintain that African thing." You maintain it. And I said, "Glory to God, I'm going to maintain it, brother. I'm not going to change it. I'm just going to be myself." Glory to God! I say glory to God!

When you come into the Body of Christ, all the accents become assets. You speak like an Indian, it's an accent, it is an asset. You speak like an American, you speak like a British, or Scottish, whichever one, or you speak like a Chinese or you speak like an African person. It's all of it diversity. Our God is a God of diversity. And there's beauty in diversity.

I feel like I'm preaching here. Our God is a God of variety. You can imagine if all of us looked one way. All of us were all men on earth looking one way, same color, same size, same height, same shape. All of us when we stand, *pheew*. No tall, short, no fat, slim, no six packs, *orobo*, and *lekpa*. All of it makes all of us the one big family of God. I feel like I'm preaching here. If you're getting blessed this morning, shout hallelujah.

So God made us variety for His own glory. Somebody say, "I am created for the glory of God." Say it again, "I am created for the glory of God." We're one single identity in Christ. If there's one place that can help you take away that selfishness, it is the Church. In the Body of Christ, when you come in, you put aside all that you are in the natural. You come in, you don't act your natural status. You come in and serve as a servant of God for others.

Like Jesus will take off His garment, get a towel, get a bucket of water and begin to wash the feet of His disciples. That's what belonging to the church makes out of us. We are now servants. We serve God's purpose, we serve the brethren, we serve the will of God to the people of God. And he said to them in John chapter twelve, verse thirteen—put it up for me PJ, John chapter twelve, verse number thirteen.

Guest (Female): Took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him and cried Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Dr. Abel Damina: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. So in the Church of God, we just put up all our natural whatever and just be a blessing to each other. We lay aside all that we are. We serve and we're a blessing to the Church of God. Anyone of you here that is young, that has a vision to do ministry, don't marry a woman who is not accommodating. Don't marry a woman who is not accommodating, or else she will destroy you and your ministry.

There are people today who married women that destroyed their ministries because the women are not accommodating. They don't want anybody else, they don't have space for anybody, they don't care about anybody else. All they care about is just my family. Nobody comes in, nobody touches my family. And they destroy the ministry because you can't have a ministry with such a woman. You can't, if you're a man.

And if you're a woman too, don't marry a man that is not accommodating. Because you know it's not just women. There are men that are also not accommodating. Your wife has ministry, your wife is sold out to serve the purpose of God, but the man is not accommodating. The moment brothers are beginning to come near the wife, jealousy—he wants to die. "So why did you stand like this? Why was the other man looking at you like that?" So she can't do ministry because she has married an insecure *zigonagonoge*.

You can imagine if, for example, Mama was always standing in the office watching to see who comes to see me. She will have high blood pressure. Everybody there will have high blood pressure. We will never do ministry. True or false? Some of us are just so insecure, overbearing. And you can't do ministry like that. You must be a hospitable person. You must be accommodating. You must love people.

Otherwise you can't do ministry because many of you are growing, many of you in Power City if not every one of you is growing with ministry with a passion to serve God. But your partner in life can determine whether you succeed in ministry or you fail in ministry. And now that you have the opportunity to make the choice, make it wisely. Say, "I hear you." Make it wisely because ministry is life. It's why you were created. You were born to do ministry.

Turn to your neighbor and say, "You were born to do ministry." Tell your neighbor, "Ministry is not your choice. It's why you were created." Tell your neighbor, "While you were yet in your mother's womb, the call of God was on your life. You only came in and realized that you have always been called." Brother Paul says, "When it pleased God, who separated me," where? "From my mother's womb." God said to Jeremiah, "While you were yet in your mother's womb, I knew thee and I ordained thee a prophet." From your mother's womb. So even when you are misbehaving like an unbeliever, you are misbehaving with the call of God upon your life.

It's not when you got born again that God called you. He called you before you got born again. He called you while you were yet in the conception stages. The call of God has been upon your life. You only got born again to discover what God has put there. So why were you created? You were created to do ministry. Listen carefully. "Thou wast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created." You were created for His pleasure. So if for any reason you don't serve God's purpose in ministry, you are useless.

I don't care what you do in life as a secular profession. That's your choice. That's not why you were created. You were created to serve God. You were created to serve His purpose. And serving God and His purpose is what we call ministry. Say with me, "I am designed, wired, equipped with all the faculties that are required to serve God's purpose in the work of ministry." I didn't hear a powerful amen.

So we're all designed to serve God's purpose in ministry. So as a minister of the gospel, mind who you marry. Please, this is very, very important. There are people today who married people who have destroyed their ministry completely. These are facts of life. But the Church helps you destroy selfishness. See, there is nothing you own that belongs to you. Everything you own belongs to God. There's nothing you own that belongs to you.

You are the Lord of my life. You are the hope that I cling to. You mean more than this life to me. I wouldn't trade you for silver or gold. I wouldn't trade you for riches untold. You are my everything. I won't trade you for anything on this earth. You are the Lord of my life. You are everything to me. You and all that you own belongs to him. He is not just one of your sources. He is your only source. He is your life. He is your life.

So the only way you respond to the love He has lavished upon your life is to make yourself available in obedience to serve His purpose. Are we teaching here? What the world gives you, the world will take. The only thing that will last is what you do for God. Whatever the world gives you, the world will take it back. You're not leaving this world with anything. It's only what you do for Christ that will last. I'm teaching good this morning.

So that's why it's important to realize that you are called into the ministry to serve the purpose of God. In Acts chapter two, verse forty-two, PJ, Acts chapter two, verse forty-two and forty-five. Read for me, Acts chapter two, verse forty-two and forty-five.

Guest (Female): And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers. Forty-five. And sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need.

Dr. Abel Damina: They sold their properties and made it available so that everybody's need is met. Why? Because we are family. They brought all... people are selling lands and houses, and they brought in the proceeds. They brought in the money. They brought and then distribution was made so that everybody was cared for because the Church is the family of God. They sold things to be a blessing.

If you sell your things today and bring the money to the church, they will say the church is manipulating you. But that's Bible doctrine. People sold lands and houses and brought it to the church. Listen, the people didn't distribute. The people brought to the church. It's the church that did the distribution. That's the order of God. That's the way God designed for it to function.

The people didn't sell their lands and houses and went around distributing. No, they brought it to the apostles' feet in submission, then the Church now organized the distribution so that everybody was cared for. Say, "I hear you." That's the way it functions. That's Bible doctrine. Stop trying to be politically correct. Be biblically correct. Stay with the Word of God. The Word of God never changes. The times and seasons may change, but the Word of God is settled forever. Amen. And in this church, we do the Word of God.

Somebody say, "We do the Word of God." Say it very loud, "We do the Word of God." If you care for the poor outside the church more than the poor in the church, you are a hypocrite. Hypocrite. Bible says do good to all men, but especially to they of the household of faith. That's what the Bible teaches you. That's what the Bible teaches you. Your first point of call are Christians in the local church. That's your first point of call, Christians in the local church. They say charity begins where? At home.

The Church helps us see how selfish you are with time, with money, with resources. How selfish you are even in your prayer life, when you're only praying for yourself all the time. Self-centered prayers. The Body of Christ is not me first. The Body of Christ is others first. Some people dress anyhow to church because they are selfish. They don't care who their dressing discomforts. That's selfishness.

You've got to look at yourself in the mirror after you dress and ask yourself, "If I was going to meet Jesus like this, will I be proud to appear before him like this?" If not, go and change that dress. You are living for His glory. You are living for His glory. He is the Lord of your life. We are not telling you what to wear and what not to wear. We're just saying there's decency and there's decorum.

I'm teaching good. Wear whatever you want to wear, that's your business. You want to put on gold and diamonds, wear them if you have them. But you must also ask yourself, "If I was to appear before Jesus like this, will I be proud to stand before Jesus?" If I will not be proud to stand before Jesus, then something is wrong with my appearance. I've got to get rid of it. Because you're not living for yourself, you're living for others. Say, "I hear you." Church breaks selfishness. You're living for others.

Living for myself, it only fills me with sorrow. If you're living for yourself, it's just sorrow. Imagine a life where you're the only one existing, nobody else. The saddest people on earth are the people that are isolated. They are so sad. Sometimes when your life is looking one kind, just leave your house, go to Plaza, Ibom Plaza, they're just standing looking at people. You will feel better about life. Am I teaching good here?

You will even see somebody that is not as dressed as you are, yet he is happy. He's buying *puff-puff* on the road and he's chewing and walking. *Wetin concern am?* Now you get *wahala*. You, you have everything yet you are depressed. See that man, he's managing. Even his shoe, the mouth has opened. He is happily carrying his shoe like that and he's excited. When you have finished watching, you will go back home delivered.

I feel like I'm preaching here. I went somewhere to preach, they said they want to keep me in Airbnb. Is it Airbnb they call that kind of thing? I said, "I don't want Airbnb." Take me to a hotel where I will stand and see five hundred people at once in the morning. Everybody is moving. They go to restaurant, me too I go to restaurant to eat breakfast. Everybody is working, everybody is chopping and happy. I want that kind of environment. I am too isolated enough in my life. Every little space I want, I want to be where people are.

I want to be where people are. Sometimes in the plane, I stand up from business class, I will enter economy section and just be walking and looking. Just walking. You see some people in the seat, they sit there so uncomfortable yet they are smiling. Then you see somebody in business class depressed. Doesn't that business class man need deliverance? Life is meant to be shared. Anybody whose life is not shared is depressed. You're sad. There's joy in sharing.

When you sit down to eat with people, you eat more. When you eat alone, you don't eat much. That's the way God designed life. Say, "I need you, you need me." Tell a neighbor, "If you invite me to eat with you, you will eat more." Try it tomorrow. Glory! No, but I'm serious. Don't you agree? Yeah. I'm telling you, life is meant to be shared. Life is meant to be shared. That's the way God designed all of us. Nobody is designed to be alone. It is not good to be alone. Woe to him that is alone. Praise God. I say praise God.

You know, many times people leave churches and break away the church to go and start their own church. What leads to that is selfishness. Selfishness. Some people just stay in a church and begin to imagine, "Ah, if I start my own church now. If everybody give offering, ah, I'll be having money, oh." Those are the musings of a fool. You're thinking of how you collect the offering. You're not thinking of what you will spend before they gather to bring the offering.

And even when they are bringing the offering, you're not thinking of how much it is used to sustain that environment for that offering to be coming. And you're not even thinking of the bigger picture, the mission. You're not thinking of the salaries you will pay. You're not thinking of many things that are invisible, but they are going to happen. Many people, that's why they break away. Because some people, when they leave a ministry to start their own ministry, you find out that they don't have a message.

They are still coming back to carry the message we're preaching to go and preach. So why did you start your ministry if you didn't have what to preach? If it is still what I'm preaching you will preach, then there's no need for you to start a ministry. You can as well start a branch of what we're doing and still be safe and protect your life. I'm teaching good here. There'd be no need for breakaways if not for selfishness. What will you have done elsewhere that we will not allow you to do here? What? Except you're going to do illegal things.

But if it's the Word of God, this environment allows for everybody in this family to serve God and serve him well. True or false? Glory to God. I mean, I'm not judging anybody, but most church breakaways are rooted in selfishness. You see a man starts his own church, and everything he is teaching is everything we're teaching here. If we deny him access to the material, he is stranded. So there's no point.

It's one family, one house. Power City International is one local assembly, one local church, one global local church with extension campuses all over the world. One vision, one house, one voice, one leadership. That's who we are as a Power City family. And as we're here now, one authority. I'm that spiritual authority over this whole Power City worldwide. I'm the last person in the line of authority. Amen. And everything ends up with what I say, whether I'm right or wrong.

See, that's why you pray for me, so I will always be right. Because if I'm wrong, you will collect, and if I'm right, you will collect. It's true. So that's why you pray for me. Because God's mandate and mission is committed to imperfect people. No man carrying the mandate of God on earth is perfect. All God has is an imperfect man. But prayer makes up for the imperfections and enables a man to function supernaturally above the limits of the natural. Somebody say, "I hear you."

So that's how it functions. Now, please listen very carefully. Many times, many people will never understand the principle that many people will never fulfill the plan of God for their life when they don't understand the role of the Body of Christ. Nobody fulfills the will of God in isolation. You need me, I need you. We need each other. And in a ministry like ours, it makes it very easy to understand how our flow of authority is.

Mama and I up there in charge, we have a board. A board, a board of trustees for this ministry that comes directly under Mama and I. And then, of course, we have a global coordinator who coordinates all the affairs we do all over the world. And then we have national leaders in different nations who oversee the operations of Power City in those nations. And then we have zonal leaders in those nations who take care of separate zones. And then we have campus coordinators who pastor the individual campuses.

That's how the chain of authority is in this ministry. So it's easy to understand who you respond to, who you listen to, who is in charge over you. It's not complicated. It's not complicated at all. Say, "I hear you." And we're a ministry that is not bothered about titles. We're very committed to doing the work. That's why I don't have any title outside of Pastor Abel Damina. Simple. Doctor, if you like. If you don't call me doctor, I don't have fever.

If you call me Brother Abel, that's you. If you call me Abel, it's fine. None of those things bother me. But remember, he that receives a prophet in the name of Abel will receive the reward of Abel. Don't forget that. I'm not the one that will suffer, *na you go* collect. He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive the reward of a prophet. It's about you receiving me. How you receive and how you perceive me will determine how much you receive from me.

Jesus went to his hometown, they treated him as one of the common citizens. They received common offers. He could do nothing for them. But when he went to where they received him as a prophet of the Most High, he brought value to their lives. How you receive the man is how you receive from the man. Jesus says, "He that receiveth you receiveth me. He that receiveth me receiveth my Father that sent me." So how you receive your man of God will determine how much you get from him. Somebody say, "I hear you."

Yeah, it's not about hero worship. It's about receiving. We must know how to receive from the gift of God in our midst. Always know where you stand because you will never be able to fulfill God's purpose for your life beyond how you treat supernatural relationships. You will never be able to fulfill God's purpose for your life beyond how you treat supernatural relationships. God brought you to Power City. Why? He wants you to fulfill his vision for your life. He brought you to Power City so you can fulfill his vision for your life. Not your own vision. His own vision for your life.

Now, the way you treat the church and the people in the church will determine whether you fulfill God's purpose for your life or not. The way you treat the church and God's people. Let me say this quickly: fulfilling God's plan for your life involves other people. Fulfilling God's plan for your life involves other people. How many of you know that somebody got you saved? How many of you know that somebody got you filled with the Holy Spirit?

How many of you know that somebody discipled you? How many of you know that somebody even taught you how to evangelize? How many of you know that somebody prayed for you? How many of you know that it was somebody who ministered healing to you when you were sick? So which means therefore, you cannot fulfill God's plan for your life outside of the people that God has surrounded you with. It helps you to see that fulfilling God's plan for your life is not you.

It will involve other people. And that's how you fulfill God's purpose for your life. It will involve other people. You alone cannot. I alone cannot. We just did a conference in how many countries? We were in United Kingdom, we were in Europe, we were in Canada. Many people were involved. Some were working in the background, sacrificed time, sacrificed money, sacrificed resources, sacrificed everything. Everybody played a part here and there.

So the meetings were all greatly successful. Not because I'm a genius, but because we have a whole family of people that are selfless who gave up their resources and time to make sure that all of these meetings achieved the objective for which they were set up. That's the way you fulfill a plan of God for your life. You cannot do it in isolation. You cannot do it alone. You need people, and you will always need people.

Now, if you treat these people wrongly, if you treat these people wrongly, if you dishonor these people that God has surrounded you with, you are simply dishonoring God's purpose for your life. If you dishonor and treat wrongly the people that God has surrounded you with to help you carry out his purpose for your life, you're dishonoring God and you're dishonoring God's purpose for your life. That's what it is. Because God didn't make mistakes to surround you with the people he's surrounded you with.

So when you recognize that all the people that are surrounded that God has surrounded me with is God's wisdom to help me fulfill his purpose for my life, then it helps you to treat them with honor and respect. Because treating them with honor is treating God who appointed them around your life with honor. I sense in this generation of ministers or ministry people, many people are not going to last in ministry because of actions and attitude.

I've seen some young ministers, their actions and attitude makes me know they can't last in ministry. We've been in ministry for years. I can see the attitude and I can see the behavior of a guy who will last. And I can see the attitude of a guy that ministry, except it's not the ministry of the gospel, you won't last. This your attitude and behavior, you won't go far. I can see it.

Some of them, their actions, their attitudes, there's no longevity in it. There's no longevity in it. Listen carefully: charisma will open the door of ministry; character will either keep it open or close it. Charisma, gifts of the Spirit, dynamism, ability to teach revelation knowledge—it will open doors. But your character will close the doors or your character will keep the doors open. That's why along with the gifts of the Spirit comes the fruit of the Spirit. Along with the gifts of the Spirit comes the fruit of the Spirit. Because what the gifts will bring, it is the fruit that will keep.

Dead flies will always cause the ointment of the apothecary to bring forth a stinking savor. Dead flies are character flaws in the life of a minister. Character flaws. It involves actions and attitudes. Notice Barnabas and Saul. You know the story. Barnabas was a Christian before Brother Paul. In Acts chapter four, verse thirty-six, Barnabas was already saved. By Acts chapter eight, Paul was still killing Christians.

Long after Barnabas is saved, Paul was still killing Christians. By Acts chapter nine, Paul is now called to ministry. By Acts chapter ten, we read about Peter. In Acts eleven and twelve, we see Paul, helped by Barnabas to be introduced to the church. Barnabas helped the church to receive Paul. Barnabas introduced Paul to the church. Barnabas made it easy for the church to accept Paul the killer. He was confirmed by Barnabas to the church.

You know, some of us think before someone was saved, or if someone was saved before you, that automatically puts them in a position of spiritual authority over you. No, not necessarily. Barnabas and Saul. Then in Acts chapter thirteen, "Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul." Did we see that in Acts chapter thirteen? Now, before I explain something else, watch this. Remember, the Church is a platform for supernatural relationships. Don't miss that ever.

The Church is a platform for supernatural relationships that helps us fulfill God's plan and purpose for our lives. The Church is a platform for supernatural relationships that helps us fulfill God's plan and purpose for our lives. So Acts chapter thirteen, verse one and two, PJ read for me. Acts chapter thirteen, verse number one and two.

Guest (Female): Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. Next verse, two. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Dr. Abel Damina: Separate me Barnabas and Saul. So the Holy Ghost, of course, you know that's prophecy, utterance, somebody spoke by the Spirit of God. And they put it down that the Holy Ghost said. Because the Holy Spirit speaks through men. Let me repeat: the Holy Spirit speaks through men. So the prophecy was Barnabas and Saul.

Now, the reason why the prophecy will come like that is because the prophecy came through human vehicle. Obviously, whoever will prophesy will put Barnabas before Saul because it was Barnabas that brought Saul, and it was Barnabas that made the church accept Saul, and it was Barnabas that confirmed Saul, and it was Barnabas that introduced Saul. So in the prophecy, the human agency will say, "Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul," okay? That's the human agency in that prophecy.

But as we go forth, look at verse nine of Acts thirteen. Please pay attention. Acts chapter thirteen, verse nine, PJ. Acts thirteen, nine.

Guest (Female): Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

Dr. Abel Damina: So now Paul is beginning to be prominent. Saul, which is Paul, set his eyes on him. So which means the gift of God was much more prominent in Paul than it was in Barnabas. Look at verse seven of the same chapter thirteen of Acts. Acts thirteen, seven.

Guest (Female): Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

Dr. Abel Damina: Who called for Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear the Word of God. Still human vehicle. But verse nine, Saul was the one filled with the Spirit in verse nine. Saul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. On Simon the Sorcerer. It was Paul who told him, "Be blind for a season." So Paul was the first person we see. Look at verse thirteen of Acts thirteen. Acts thirteen, thirteen, PJ. Acts chapter thirteen, verse number thirteen.

Guest (Female): Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

Dr. Abel Damina: Now it has become Paul and his company. No more Barnabas and Paul. Paul has become prominent. Paul and his company. So they were getting things clearer. Then verse sixteen. Verse sixteen, Acts thirteen, sixteen, PJ.

Guest (Female): Then Paul stood up and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

Dr. Abel Damina: Paul stood up to preach. Barnabas was there all this time. Look at verse forty-three. Acts thirteen, forty-three.

Guest (Female): Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas.

Dr. Abel Damina: Followed Paul and what? Has it reversed? Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. Look at verse forty-six. Verse forty-six, Acts thirteen, forty-six.

Guest (Female): Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Guest (Female): And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. Next verse, two. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Three. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. Four. But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. Five. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them. Next verse. They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derby, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about. Next verse. And there they preached the gospel. Next verse. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked. Next verse. The same heard Paul speak.

Guest (Female): And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. Verse twelve. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

Dr. Abel Damina: Who was the chief speaker? Paul was the chief speaker. Paul was the chief speaker. So obviously Paul was the chief, which means Paul was the platform God created for Barnabas. Paul was the platform God created for Barnabas. See, anything you need to compete over is not the will of God for your life. Write it down. Anything you need to compete over is not the will of God for your life.

God's plans are so clear, there's no need for competition. No room for competition. So when you find yourself beginning to have a competitive spirit, know that you have left the plan of God. When you see yourself competing, and when you see yourself trying to assert yourself—trying to assert yourself. You're always trying to make people know that you are here, know that you are not in the will of God.

When you are in the will of God, you don't assert yourself. You just serve God's purpose. God's purpose will situate you. I'm teaching here. God's purpose will do what? It will situate you. It will situate you. You don't have to assert yourself. You don't have to impose yourself. You don't have to make people accept you by force. Leave that thing. Paul did not struggle, Paul did not compete. Paul was just there following the plan of God, and things began to rearrange themselves.

You don't assert yourself. You don't assert yourself. In ministry, you don't assert yourself. Just stay in the corner where God has graced you and be serving faithfully. God is the lifter of men. He can take you from the backside. You just came here yesterday, but you're faithful. God will take you and bring you to the front. You're not the one that will bring yourself. Once you find yourself trying to make an impression, trying to make people accept you, trying to force yourself into something, know that the Spirit of God has left you there.

The Spirit of God will not work with a man in that competitive attitude. He will not work with a man that is trying to assert himself. In the campuses, if you're hearing me, anywhere you are in Power City, you don't try to assert yourself. Accept where you have been graced. Stay there and be faithful. Don't try to be what you are not. Comparing themselves with themselves, they are not wise. The Spirit of God doesn't work in such ways. Paul was the platform for Barnabas.

Guest (Female): And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

Dr. Abel Damina: Who did they stone? Barnabas or Paul? It's Paul. It's Paul. And that's why I say to coordinators of our campuses: mind what you do in that campus because if you do anything that is wrong, it's Abel Damina. Nobody knows you. You're the campus coordinator in America, you're the campus coordinator in London, you're the campus coordinator in South Africa, you're the campus coordinator in Ghana, you're the campus coordinator in China, in Japan. All over the world, they don't know you. I'm not living there, but they don't know you. Those people gathered there because of Abel Damina.

If anything goes wrong in any campus around the world, the person that the blame will come on will be Abel Damina. Say, "I hear you." Because that's what... that's how God has positioned me over the nations to become a platform for sons and daughters in the gospel of Christ to ride on and teach the gospel. But don't forget that Joshua is the one in the valley fighting. Joshua is the one defeating enemies.

But there is a Moses on the mountain whose hands are lifted up. If Moses's hands come down, Joshua will have defeat in the valley. Don't ever forget there's a Moses whose hands are up and that his hands being up determines whatever happens to you there in the valley. Am I teaching here? That's why when his hands get tired, they will get people to support and keep the hands up because the victory of Israel was dependent on the hands of Moses. Don't ever forget that.

Don't ever forget that. That's why I don't take it lightly with any campus coordinator who tries to reinvent the wheel. That's why I put out my email address to the whole world. Any campus you're in and your campus coordinator is doing something you know I don't teach, shoot me a mail quickly, I call him to order. And if he does not want to be in order, we *cookoo* remove him out of order. Yes. Yes.

And I say to campus coordinators: don't block your people from me. They don't know you. They don't know you. Everyone in Power City anywhere in the world came for Abel Damina. They don't know you. They came for me. I appointed you to represent me in trust. In trust. So it is your job to bring them to me. I'm not there, but keep bringing them to me. If the people in your campus discover you're always bringing them to me, they will trust you more. If they see you trying to *kolobi*—you know *kolobi*? You're trying to *kolobi*. Is it *kolobi*?

To *kolobi*, you understand *kolobi*? I got that one from one *Panorama Mock News*. Say you just *kolobi* somebody. If you try to *kolobi* me, eh, your campus people would do like this: *mmm-mmm*. No. It was Pastor Mac-J who was telling me some people came to the campus and said... in fact, there's a German lady, German lady in Abuja. She came to our campus in Abuja and refused to enter. You remember Dr. Gab was there? They were telling her come the service has started. She said she didn't come for service, she came for Damina. Is Damina around?

He said, "Yes, Damina is in the office, he will soon come into the service." She said, "I will not enter till I see Damina." I'm not joking! Finally, when she saw me, she now entered. A German woman, white, she entered and sat down. Said that's all I came for. We've been following him at home, I want to come and be blessed. Some will say, "We don't even want anything, just put Damina on the TV, we want to watch. As long as he's the one talking, we're happy."

Because ministry is grace. Ministry is what? Is grace. We don't try to assert ourselves. We are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves, our sufficiency is of God. But you see, as we're all sufficient, God has placed people in different responsibilities. That's why Paul becomes the chief speaker even though Barnabas has been there long before Paul came. Because ministry is grace. Paul will say, "I am what I am by the grace of God."

I'm teaching. And that's why all our campus coordinators and I'm very proud of them, they are the best guys that you can find anywhere on the earth. All our campus coordinators all over the world. If you're clapping, clap for them. They are the best you can find anywhere in the world. Yeah. They work with me, they support me, they pray for me, they love me, they give to this ministry, they stand with this ministry and they make sure that whatever I say from this pulpit is carried out where they are.

It's the ones that don't last that are trying to *kolobi* me. Those ones, they don't last. And some of them will think, "If I just start my ministry now, all these Power City people will follow me." Then when they now go and start, nobody follows them. They now wonder whether I have spoiled them. I have spoiled them from here. Me, I don't even call their name because if I call your name here, I'm trying to make you globally prominent. How much will you pay? I'm not going to call your name. I will not call your name. I will handle you privately, quietly and personally.

I'm teaching good? I said I'm teaching good. Don't assert yourself. There's no competition. They didn't even recognize Barnabas whether he was anointed or not. It's Paul that they stoned, and they thought he was dead. And of course, as I round off, are you blessed this morning? Something that happened and God never put two heads in anything. Two people cannot lead one house. A double-headed creature is a monster.

There are no two heads in a marriage. Don't let anybody tell you the head is the neck, the husband is the head, the wife is the neck. The Bible didn't say so. The Bible says the wife is the body. Say, "My wife is my neck, I'm the head. So anywhere the neck turns, the head will just stay like that." You are teaching against Bible. The husband is the head, the wife is the body, not neck.

I'm teaching good here. All those old village proverbs they bring inside church, don't follow them to be reciting it. The woman is the body, the husband is the head of the body, just like Christ is the head of the church. Okay, are we the Body of Christ? So we're the neck. When we turn like this, Christ will just stay like that. We're the neck of Christ. If we don't want Christ to move, we do our head like that. Can you imagine? See how village proverbs can destroy the teaching of the Bible. We're the body, He's the head. Just like the husband is the head, the wife is the body of the husband.

I'm teaching good here. Husbands love your wives, wives submit to your own husbands, case closed. So the same way, God could not have put Paul and Barnabas on the same pedestal. Barnabas was to submit into Paul's ministry and be an associate minister with Paul. Simple. Paul was the platform given to help Barnabas fulfill his ministry. And there was no problem because it was obvious. Look at verse thirty-six as I round off PJ. Give me that Acts chapter fourteen, thirty-six. Quickly, quickly, put it up. Acts fourteen, thirty-six. No thirty-six? thirteen, thirty-six then.

Guest (Female): For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption.

Guest (Female): But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

Guest (Female): Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the gentlemen.

Guest (Female): For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the gentlemen, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Dr. Abel Damina: Now please listen carefully. I believe that Barnabas was trying to assert himself. He was trying to assert his own personality. And people do that a lot in church. "I'm also a man of God. Are you the only one that God is talking to?" You know they did that, Miriam and Aaron did that to Moses. "Are you the only one that God talks to? Me too I'm a man of God. It doesn't have to be everything Papa, Papa, Papa. Me too I hear from God."

And you know because of that, Barnabas insisted that John Mark must follow them. Paul said, "No, John Mark is not going to follow us." Barnabas said, "We must go with John Mark." So there was contention between the leadership and the followership. Because Barnabas is the followership, Paul is the leadership. So Paul said, "Barnabas, what's the problem? Okay, if you don't want to come, you can also go." So Barnabas and John Mark left. Barnabas... don't forget Paul is the platform through which Barnabas will fulfill his ministry. Now Barnabas leaves Paul to go with John Mark. Later on, now Barnabas is gone. Nobody hears of him again. Later on, John Mark walked and came back to Paul.

Came back to Paul. So at the end of the day, who is the loser? Barnabas. Barnabas is the loser at the end of the day. Because that's the way it is in ministry. I've seen people left Power City, went to start their own church. Gradually some of the members came back. I remember one that I just got angry with two weeks ago, Pastor Phil-Moss calling my attention to him. I was with him recently and he said to me, "Papa, you know since we left you were not happy because they followed one rebellion like that. They rebelled and followed one rebellion. And he that isolates himself, the rebellion shall dwell where?" Eh? So things come dry.

So finally they left the rebellious camp and said they are coming back to Power City. So when I met them, he now said to me, "Papa, anything God say for us to do, we are back to do it." So I said, "Okay, go and do coordinator's training." He said, "Ah, actually, the Lord has spoken to me about my ministry." I wanted to tell him God punish you! You know why? Because when I said, "Now that you are back, what do you want to do?" He should have told me God has said I should do this. But he said, "Anything Baba says, that's what I will do."

Go now for coordinator's training! He now said, "Ah, actually, the Lord spoke to me to start my own ministry." I wanted to tell him God punish you because you are wasting my time and wasting my energy. You know God will not punish him, but at least I have released the way I'm feeling through God punish you. Why waste my time? Why waste my time? Pastor Phil-Moss now come to me and say he say God say he should go and start his ministry. I say tell him to go! Should even come close my face. Why you tempt me? Thou shalt not tempt the Lord your God. You already know what you want to do. And asking me anything you ask me now is "Papa, what is the Lord say?" Go for coordinator because all the Lord is saying to Abel is Power City.

Now, now I'm giving you what the Lord is saying. You now say, "Actually, me too I have heard from God." Unfortunately, what he had is not what I had. Let me close this service. Barnabas was trying to assert himself. He was trying to put himself, force himself to be accepted. And that made him lose out. It made him lose out. What's special about Paul self? What special? Nothing special, it's grace. What's special about Damina? Nothing, it's grace. I am what I am. I'm your pastor. I pastor all the people I pastor around the world. I oversee all the people that listen to my teaching, even those that are hiding inside their kitchen and those pastors that hide inside their office lock the door and enter the toilet side so that the audio will not be heard by their staff. I am pastoring them inside that toilet! Glory to God!

There has been a lot of *wahala* in this country in the last one week. I just they watch. Stand up, let's close. Nigeria is a cruise, man. Time will tell, and time is telling, right? Time is telling, right? When the gospel you're preaching cannot be criticized, then you know that what you're preaching is fake. Jesus was criticized, the disciples were criticized, and they arrested nobody. They didn't use police for people. Instead, it's the disciples that were arrested and beaten, and they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to preach the gospel.

If there's anybody that will be arresting people, it's me that will arrest people because they have called me all kinds of things. Rat, antelope, they have called me what? Thief, madman, short man. Even though I'm taller than them. I didn't arrest them! So why they want to arrest people now? Okay, let's go back. Let me start arresting first. But you know what I'm preaching, I don't need to arrest anybody. The message has power to arrest people. And it is arresting men day by day. Am I communicating here? I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation. Glory to God! I say glory to God!

Turn to your neighbor, say, "Thank God for the local church. You're my brother, you're my sister. We're planted in this house. We grow in this house. We need each other. We look after each other. Selfishness is gone, pride is gone. I serve you, you serve me. We serve one another for the common good of this global house." I didn't hear a powerful amen! Glory to God!

Father, I pray for everybody under the sound of my voice this morning that this revelation grows in our hearts, that we are knitted, bonded together with the love of God. Thank you, Lord, for the privilege to serve one another, to serve your purpose, to serve your kingdom, to stay humble, to remain humble and continue to follow your plan and purpose, continue to walk in the grace you have made available to us.

And in the name of Jesus, I declare in this service that whatever is not planted by God is rooted out. An army of men and women arising all over the nations and together we make manifest the savor of Christ in every nation. Together we bring forth the manifestation of God's glory and grace as a local church, Power City. Thank you that you're raising men in different nations, you're raising men in different continents, you're raising men in different communities that will become lighthouses that will shine this glorious light.

Thank you that people are maturing in different nations, people are becoming responsible to see that disciples are raised and believers are equipped and matured to serve the purpose of God. Thank you, Father, for helping us to situate ourselves in the center of your will. You will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Thank you, Father, for the privilege to serve your kingdom and to serve your purpose. We give you praise for the blessing. In Jesus' name we pray and every believer says that amen on a note of finality.

Can we give the Lord a celebration in this building? Is that a celebration in this house? Glory, glory, glory, glory, glory. Hallelujah. I said hallelujah. I said hallelujah. Tell your neighbor, "I'm planted in this house. I flourish in this house. We raise disciples. We do ministry. We advance the kingdom of God to the ends of the earth." Glory to God! Glory to God! Grab your honor offerings, let's give as we worship Jesus the risen Lord in this service. Glory to God forever.

Online, the banking details are coming on different platforms. Grab your offerings, everybody. We want to honor God's Word and we want to rejoice in the blessings and provisions that God's Word has made available to us. Lift up your offerings. Father, we give in faith, we give with joy. Thank you for the privilege to give this morning, the privilege to worship you and to use our resources in advancing your kingdom.

Thank you, Lord, that as we give generously continually, the gospel continues to thrive in the nations. We are glad to be part of what you're doing, and we're glad to honor what you've made available to us. So we rejoice this morning that our offerings are a sweet smell before you. In Jesus' name we pray, and every believer says a powerful amen. Glory! Right here in the church, the baskets are before us. The ushers will direct us on how to give our offerings. Hit the music, let's do it as we worship Jesus the risen Lord this morning. Praise God.

Dr. Abel Damina: Oh my goodness, the word of God is life. The Bible tells us the entrance of God's word giveth light, and it giveth understanding to the simple. As you keep listening, the light of God's word rises out of the rightly divided word of truth, illuminates your mind, illuminates your heart, and brings you face-to-face with your realities in Christ Jesus. In Ephesians chapter three, verse three, Brother Paul, speaking about the mystery in the Old Testament, he says, "Whereby, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ."

So there is a knowledge in the mystery of Christ. The word mystery is the word *mysterion* in the Greek. It means that which is concealed. And then he says how that by revelation... the word revelation is the word *apokalypsis*, it means that which is revealed. So the revelation of the scriptures unveils the mysteries. Revelation is the New Testament, mystery is the Old Testament. But it will take reading and learning to come to a place of full understanding, precise and accurate knowledge.

Brother Daniel will say, "I understood by books." So there is a place of books in equipping you soundly with the message of Christ. Brother Paul would write to Timothy, he says to Timothy, "Till I come, give attendance to reading." Jesus speaking to those Jews says, "You do err because you know not the scriptures, nor the power of God." Often times, Jesus would say to the Jews, "Have you not read?" It's the word *anaginosko* in the Greek, it means are you reading and not paying attention?

I want to quickly recommend for you a plethora of books I have written. They are written with an intent to bring you doctrinal clarity, answer your questions doctrinally, and bring you to a place of accurate understanding, a precise knowledge of Christ and you in Christ. I want you to order for those books today. The number and the list of books available will be read to you right now. And if you call today, we will be glad to make sure you get a copy or more copies of the books so you can enrich your spiritual life and enrich your walk with God and build a quality relationship with Jesus Christ, where you are also able to teach others the same truths you have learned to liberate them and bring them to the fullness of God. Glory to God.

Dr. Abel Damina has authored several insightful books that bring clarity to the foundational truths of Christianity. These include: Understanding the Spirit, Soul and Body, Winning the War, Money with a Mission, Understanding Relationships, Marriage and Family, Prayer that Works, Higher Life: Redeemed to Reign in Life, and The Priesthood of Jesus. To order, please call 240-367-6201 or email pciusregion@gmail.com. We trust you've been blessed by today's message. And for prayers, counseling, or to obtain the complete teachings and books, please call 404-789-7207, or 404-670-2085, or 404-453-5562, or 240-367-6201. We look forward to having you with us again tomorrow. Remain in His grace and be blessed.