DO NOT BE A GLORY THIEF
In our church, people rarely introduce me. I just carry my Bible and walk to the altar. What is the introduction for? I would not even allow them to carry my Bible. If they carry my Bible, will they carry my mouth? Will they carry my message?
I remember going to a church to preach sometime ago. And someone stood on the altar to speak. He wanted to introduce the host pastor who would, in turn, introduce me. He said, "I want to tell you about someone; someone that has changed my life..." As he began to say more things, I thought he was talking about God.
Frankly speaking, the way he spoke about the man, I thought it was God He was talking about. But when he finished, he said, "Can we receive my papa, my daddy in the Lord..." I sank in my chair. I said in my heart, 'People are talking about you like this and you accept it?'
That was what Herod did and God sent an angel to slap him. He was consumed by worms on the spot (Acts 12:23). I sank in my chair. Nevertheless, the host pastor got the microphone and obviously, it was normal. By the time he finally invited me to come and preach, frankly speaking, the anointing had died. There was no move, no flow, nothing. They had killed the atmosphere before inviting me into that mess.
I went to that altar with weakness and trembling. I had to sing and worship for about thirty minutes, just to try and beg God and ask for mercy, and thank God, His mercy came. Then the service was very wonderful.
At the end, I asked the host pastor in the hotel room, 'Did you accept those things they were saying about you? Did you accept to be praised like that?' He got angry. And that was the last time I was to be there. I have never been there again. And I can tell you that the history of that place is not something to write home about.
When you over-celebrate yourself, God may withdraw His help so that you can see your nakedness. When you think your wealth is your making, and your prosperity is your making, or the anointing you carry is your making, God will withdraw a little, so you can see how naked you are without Him.
The renowned evangelist, Benny Hinn, said one day, he went before the God to pray and he said to God, 'Please, do not take your anointing from me. It is all I have.' And God told him,'Do not ask me not to take it, rather, ask meto return it, because I took it away a longtime ago.'
He lay on his face for two weeks waiting on the Lord, away from human presence... He remembered
what became of Samson when the anointing had left him. That is what pride, self exaltation and arrogance can do to a man. God showed mercyon Benny Hinn and restored His presence in his life.
We were going for a programme somewhere andour officers were using double trafficator. I begged them to put off the trafficator lights. I felt absolutely uncomfortable. What if we entered with so much fanfare, pomp and pageantry as if it is Jesus entering Jerusalem, and by the time we get there, God says, 'Okay, perform the miracles. See the sick, heal them. See the unbelievers, save them. Perform! I am waiting for you...' What would we do? Today, our protocol officers are aware that they do not have to make any ostentatious, braggadocios entry into any event or occasion.
The Bible says, "What have you that you have not received? And if you have received it, why do you behave as if you give it to yourself?"(1Cor.4:7) This is what is limiting people.
Get this: if it is the apostolic anointing you have, there are more apostles that have gone before and beyond you. Ayi Kwei Armah wrote a book titled The Beautiful Ones are not Yet Born. In case you think you are beautiful, you have not seen beautiful people yet. In case you say you are anointed, you have not seen anointing yet. In case you say you are called, you have not seen calling yet, so calm down.
Imagine a young boy of twenty two or twenty three years of age who calls himself an apostle or prophet. He is running and elderly people are running after him. Imagine! Your father is calling you papa and you are not afraid? A person who can give birth to you calls you papa and you agree? And you say, "Yes, how are you? That person has no future. He is a short distance runner. He is not a marathon runner. Marathon runners do not behave like that. This is one thing that destroys the destinies of many pastors and children of God. They are too proud...
God needs to chisel something out of your life! Say to Him today: 'Lord, is there anything in my life that makes me unusable? Anything You need to chisel?
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No man on earth should give glory to himself. Shalom!!!
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