DISCIPLESHIP SERIES 3: THE TRUE DISCIPLE

What makes one a disciple?

What are the pieces of evidence to show that a person is a disciple?

Do we just take people's word for it? If person A says they are disciples, then disciples they are, or are there things we will see in common with these sets of people that qualify them as disciples?

We will be exploring these questions tonight as we provide answers to them.

One thing I have found so far from scripture is that Jesus was an interesting man. I sometimes try to imagine Christ in our world today and what the media paparazzi will be like. This man had random people leaving their businesses, their lives essentially, to follow Him up and down.

Though the Return on Investment for that is priceless, but look deep and you find these guys didn't even really understand the ROI from the beginning.

Jesus was captivating. I think this is the word. A lot of people were always around Jesus. He had the crowd around Him every time.

If I see you with a person more than 10 times, I will automatically assume that you are their follower. But this logic is flawed when it comes to discipleship. You know why?

Even the Pharisees were always present with Jesus. They were always a part of the gathering. But were they disciples? No! Were they following Him in this sense? The answer is No.

For some people, they were captivated by the man Jesus and the way He spoke, though they never understood anything He said. For some, it was the miracles. For some, just curiosity. Nothing more than that. For some others, it could even have been joblessness. Lack of better things to do with their time. And there are people that would have joined the crowd because there was a crowd, “Everybody dey go, so make I join.” There were also people like the Pharisees who were following Him up and down largely because they hated His guts but somehow couldn't ignore Him completely. They had to be there to poke holes in all of His stories. Everyone was present with Jesus, but not everyone was following or were disciples.

While preaching in church on Sunday, the Holy Spirit pointed something out to me about the resurrection of Jesus. The angels had to remind the women who met the tomb empty that Jesus already told them He would rise. But if you go to Matthew 27 from verse 62, you will see that the chief priests and the Pharisees did not forget Jesus saying this.

They remembered clearly. So much so that they met Pilate to guard the tomb heavily. They knew the very words of Jesus but this did not make them disciples. Their reason for knowing was of course wrong.

30 “As he spake these words, many believed on him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8: 30-32 (KJV)

I noticed something here. Jesus was speaking to them about the Father and Himself. And the bible says many believed Him.

Faith!

But then you move to the next verse and you find a shocking revelation;

Their faith/belief in what He had said doesn't translate into them being disciples. Their proof of discipleship was if they abide in His word. It wasn't in believing or accepting His word.

That's a start, a good one, but not the evidence we are looking for.

“If you continually obey my teachings and live in accordance with them”

The first evidence that anyone is a true disciple of Jesus is them abiding in the word. Do you continually obey God's teachings and live in accordance with them? Or you keep telling yourself that Grace covers all?

Your answer to this question helps you to know if you are a true disciple or not. There is also a reason this abiding and obeying is continual.

“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” John 6:66 NKJV

See what happened before they left Jesus and dropped the discipleship cap? 

“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” John 6:57 NKJV

The requirement was they will live by the word. People want to be free, people want to do what they like, they want to lead themselves. But you see disciples? We are led by the word. No buts.

Discipleship is not a once in a while decision of following in the footsteps of Christ, we must continually abide here. We must make that effort. Just as we discussed last week on cross-bearing. Every one of us must give something to follow. You like it or not, you will drop something.

I mentioned as we started that the disciples gave up their very lives to follow Jesus. Discipleship is seen in the sacrifice we make to continuously abide in Christ and in His word. The proof of Faith is continuing in Faith. To continue in Faith is to continue in the word (to continually live by its principles).

So,

1. A true disciple is one who abides in the word

2. A true disciple is one who imitates Jesus and does His will

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44 NKJV

We are marked by what we do and what we desire.

What do you desire?

These are questions I'd like us to pause and ask ourselves.

It is important that we end this series with a huge change and improvement to our lives as believers.

What do you desire?

Jesus told them they were not of the Father because they didn't love Him.

“Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.” John 8:42 NKJV

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  John 14:15 NKJV

This brings me to the next piece of evidence of discipleship.

“This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you.” John 15:12 AMPC

Our third evidence of discipleship is:

3. Loving, Just as Christ loves

This is the benchmark. We are not true disciples yet if we do not know how to love like Christ. Not based on what people do to us but loving exactly as Christ loves.

Nothing like love your neighbor as yourselves. No! Love your neighbor as Christ loves you!

Our lifestyle of love stands as a witness to our discipleship call. No one will say He is a follower of Jesus and refuses to love as Christ does.

How exactly then has Christ loved us? Find a previous teaching that answers this question HERE

The proofs that you are a true disciple are:

1. You abide in the word

2. You imitate Jesus and do His will

3. You love others just as Christ loves you

Based on these, sit and ask yourself today, Am I a true disciple of Jesus...?

To be continued…

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES 2: DISCIPLESHIP: A WAY OF LIFE

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self.”  Luke 9:23-‬25 NIV

While I was reading this, I drew a correlation. Just after Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah (Luke 9: 18 - 21), Jesus goes ahead to tell them what it means to follow.

Looking at the body of Christ, I have noticed that we put discipleship as something people come into in their adult years in Christianity, or for leaders. This is why we see that there is a certain expectation of those who lead us, expectations that are exactly Christ-like but are not required of all who are Christians.

I've spoken with a Christian, telling them they are guilty of what they accused the leader/’Spiricoco’ Christian of, and the response was: "I'm not a deep Christian, they are". I didn't understand.

The bar is the same for everyone!

When does discipleship begin?

After you confess and accept Christ; because what we really accept is to begin living the life of Christ.

To live, you must follow. Discipleship, a way of life!

I will tweak this a bit: Discipleship is the way to live!

The Christian faith is to follow Jesus till we reflect Him. Discipleship isn't also for beginners in Christ. So after accepting Christ, I move to the discipleship course and graduate ❌ No no no! Discipleship is for everyone that claims to believe, for the rest of their years.

While we are taking this as a course, we must know that discipleship is also not a course that we just tick off our Christian journey. "Oh! I've done this, I'm now a disciple" It is more of, "I'm now a disciple, so I will be doing this." Discipleship is not one of the things that distinguishes us as Christians, no! It is who we are as Christians!

Discipleship goes beyond a lifestyle. Lifestyle is a style of living that reflects attitude or values of a person, but you see discipleship, it is our life in Christ. When we say In Christ, With Christ, you see that ‘In Christ’ part, the physical translation is following Christ.

Discipleship will birth growth in believers o, but it goes beyond our growth manual. It is our "In Christ" mandate. It is the very heart of God's work.

Look at Jesus' 3 years of ministry, this was His focus. He didn't give a great commission that He Himself did not live. 

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:25-‬27 NIV

Large crowds were "following". They were following but they were not followers. Jesus saw all of these plenty people and He had to note it to them:

“You might be following me o, but if you really want to be my follower, there is a condition: You must carry your cross.”

I will like to ask us: What does it mean to carry your cross?

For breakdown context,

“Whoever will not carry the cross that is given to them when they follow me cannot be my follower.” Luke 14:27 ERV

ANSWERS:

“It means a daily commitment to Jesus. So, if it comes to choosing between my career and Jesus, it is Jesus. If it comes to choosing between flesh and Jesus, it is Jesus. If it comes to choosing between anything at all and Jesus, it is Jesus. The Cross is a symbol of total doing away of the flesh, and embracing life –Jesus.” (Samson)

“Cross here is yourself. I wake up daily to a fight between my mind and Jesus' word (one aspect). The cross I'm carrying is my "flesh". From the story in Luke of the leper who was healed in front of the whole synagogue, after Jesus healed him, he said take up your mat and go. When I read this now, this mat represented his past which became his testimony. Another thing the cross can be linked to (in my opinion) is my past/my testimony.”(Chelsea)

“It means to come with our totality.” (Tunmise)

Cross Bearing

“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:27 NKJV

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:38 NKJV

I saw this verse in Matthew and I ‘shooked’

"is not worthy of Me"

This is such a strong word.

I checked the concordance and I was even more shook

‘My shooked raised up’

G514Greek: ἄξιος

Transliteration: áxios

Pronunciation: ax'-ee-os 

 Description: probably from ἄγω(G71); deserving, comparable or suitable (as if drawing praise):

Translation: due reward, meet, (un-)worthy.

KJV usage: worthy (35x), meet (4x), due reward (1x), unworthy (with G3756) (1x).

The man who doesn't follow is not due of the reward in Christ.

What is the reward in Christ? Eternal life

I spent a lot of time trying to understand this part but you see one thing I've learnt about the bible is, you will not say Jesus meant A when He said B

He said what He said!

The man in Christ MUST be a disciple. He must follow Jesus. The man who follows Jesus MUST carry His cross.

We do not pick to be disciples. You know the way we say if you don't labor for God/work in His vineyard, it doesn't mean you will not go to Heaven.

You do not pick to follow Jesus. This is a truth most Christians hate to accept but I didn't say it Jesus did.

Discipleship is total surrender. That's why people say "I give my life to Christ."

I am giving up everything I am to accept the life of Christ. This is why I tell people that correct Christians that say they've given their life to Christ that it is wrong, context matters

Discipleship is total surrender.You must give up everything.

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33 NKJV

Everything changes from this perspective; even our earthly possessions, the way we view them change. 

Discipleship is not a burden either, I don't want us to see it as this.

There is nothing Jesus has asked of us that He Himself has not done

To surrender? He already did!

He carried His cross also.

"Hate your father and mother", He loved God more than His earthly family. It was seen in His decision making.

Hate his own life? He gave it on the cross

Give up all His "material possession"? He was God but became man like us, owning nothing physically

Everything Jesus has asked us to do, He did!

He is our perfect example that we can!

What has Jesus asked you to do that you thought difficult? Did you do it and what did you learn doing it?

Submission.

That's one of the most difficult thing, Jesus ask me to do... It took me years to obey... I did eventually... And now find it more easier to obey His instructions, since I obeyed that one. (Ruthie)

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sighs, Jesus asked me to step up to a point of sanctification and gave some conditions I considered strict on my commitment to him and dedication. I struggled for a while and then I complied, with the help of the Holy Spirit. As I obeyed, everything became easier for me. Every aspect of my life became easier (Ayodele)

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Loving food less, for me. I like eating a little bit too much, hence, fasting used to be very difficult. 🌚I'm not there yet. But there's tremendous progress.

What I've learned?

1. You can't do it by your power. The flesh loves pleasure, and if you aren't careful, you'll keep falling and falling. Same for any addiction

2. With Christ's help, you can do anything. Be free from anything. (Samson)

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I have found that my life doesn’t follow the regular way that life/things go. For example, if everyone is going to the topmost floor, I already know that God is most likely not going to take me there and I am most likely going to go to another floor.

(Obedience? Consecration?) I’m not sure what to call it but I could say obedience generally with living life God’s way and not the way that seems right or normal for people generally.

Did I do it? Yes, I did it. When the realization dawned on me, I started praying about it and asking for grace and help.

What I have learned and I’m still learning is that God’s way is not my way and his thoughts are not my thoughts and no what happens I know that his plans for me are always of good. I can always be assured that if God says I should stay on the ground floor that it is the best for me and I will stay there conveniently and with gladness in my heart. 

I have also learned to ask God for help when struggling, I can’t do things in my own.

I have also learned that there is peace when you submit totally to God. Genuine peace that the world can truly never give me. (Debola)

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Forgiveness 

This was really hard at some point because people sometimes do the  worse things to me and i tell myself I am never going to talk to them again 

But after He told me to have a forgiven heart, and to forgive people in advance for their deeds. Sometimes my heart is very heavy anytime I feel like not talking to someone and then I just hear Him say: text them, call them ....... and I just find my heart very relaxed 🥰🥰🥰🥰 (Joy)

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Mine is love

To just sit and love regardless of how I feel

To share love even when my neck is paining in tears 🥲

I've been trying to

Sometimes it's hard until

But he always teaches me how to.

He also thought me through this that the way I see things and others affects my relationships cuz i feel that's how I'm bring looked at

But once I love like him, I'll be unbothered about it (Chelsea)

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I also want to add that we've been called to a life of total surrender. I surrendered yesterday doesn't mean I won't surrender today.

Discipleship is us surrounding till we exit this world

It is amazing how even after this world, the crown that we will receive as gifts, we will still go and surrender it willingly at the feet of Christ

Wow

You cannot enjoy this life in Christ if you do not surrender completely

Also, dead this idea that submission is God trying to find out which one of us can take suffering the most

So He can crown us best in suffering 😂. Submission is not suffering

It is because we have attached life to these things that we assume it is suffering to live without them

There is this hymn that has been playing in my head for over a week (Blessed Assurance) 

I will share the first line of the second stanza to close today's teaching

The opening line is: Perfect submission, perfect delight

You are looking for joy in this walk? To delight in all the happenings embedded in it

It is in Perfect submission

It is in surrendering

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES 1: THE DISCIPLE

We will start part 1 of this series by opening our Bibles to Matthew 4

Matthew 4 opens with Jesus being led into the wilderness for 40days and 40 nights, after which he was tempted. He came out of the wilderness to find that John had been imprisoned. Note that John was the one preaching that men repent before he was arrested.

In those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:1‭-‬2 NKJV

Like a town crier, he went about telling this to men.

I noticed something for the first time when the Spirit was teaching this. After Jesus came out of the wilderness and got this bad news. What did he do?

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 NKJV

The first time Jesus opened His mouth to preach and to say "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand" was when John's voice was silenced in prison. And He didn't stop here

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:18‭-‬19 NKJV

FOLLOW ME

Why the call to follow?

Bisola: To build their capacity for a bigger commission

Sumi: I think he asked them to follow because he wanted to show them the way to salvation which was himself.

Samson: Jesus was a fisher of men. For Simon and co to also become fishers of men, they had to follow Jesus, to "learn the ropes"

Bukola: So they can learn and continue the spread of the gospel after He's gone.

Bisi Kalejaiye: To be like him and to follow in his footsteps after he leaves.

Basically, John started the work, then John was arrested. Jesus came out of the wilderness to learn of John's arrest and immediately knew that John's work had to continue

In fact, his leading to the wilderness was majorly because John's part of the work was about to end and His, properly begin.

So He started and as He went, He called men. He called men to join Him

To learn from Him

To watch Him and become like Him

Then they will in turn fish men

Men who will also continue in this template.

For at no point until His return should the work John began stop.

Jesus did not call to Himself believers. Jesus did not call to Himself Christians. Jesus called to Himself Disciples!

The terms Christlike and believers are embedded inside of the call to follow.

For the one who follows must first believe the one He follows. And as he follows (is discipled), he begins to appear like this Jesus he follows. He becomes Christ-like (Christian)

So when we say we are Christians, what it should really mean is that we are disciples of Jesus.

No one can become Christ-like except they have first been disciples. The word disciple simply means Learner.

A learner or pupil who has accepted Christ not just as Saviour but also as Lord.

A student who accepts Christ's teachings and lifestyle.

Whoever is a disciple learns with the purpose to Obey

To act out that which they've been shown and taught

The life of a believer is that of discipleship and it is a whole lot of discipline and commitment. You can't cherry-pick.

All of these things seem like really hard work. Actually, they are 😁

So does it mean Jesus has called us to hardship? As I thought on this, I was drawn to when we shared from the Sermon on the Mount.

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matthew 5:3-12

This sermon came before Jesus taught about being the salt/light of the earth in Matthew 5, from verse 13. “Blessed  are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 NKJV

Blessed are the poor. Happy are the poor

Which poor person is happy in their poverty? 🌚

But there is a context

The poor in spirit

The one who sees himself as inadequate. Completely dependent people

Blessed is the man who is completely dependent on the spirit for such receive the kingdom of God. The one who is a disciple must be completely dependent on the spirit. And while this looks like work (like I said, discipleship is work and commitment), it is a blessing.

The commitments we make on this path of becoming Jesus is a blessing for us. It is added as happiness to us, not burdens.

Never burdens!

We must note these qualities expected of us individually.

We cannot say we are disciples and we do not depend on the Spirit for everything! Even the things we know/have.

To become a disciple is to be a lifelong learner and partaker of the life of Jesus.

We share in His joy

And Happily (I was going to type sadly before o 😂 but it is happily), we share in His suffering.

So I have questions for us 😁

1. What Qualifies one as a disciple?

Ayodele: Constant learning and followership of the master. Total dependence on the Master...

Bisola: Your total belief in the one who has reached out to you

Samson: Being teachable. Humility. Willing to pay the cost

Sumi: One is qualified as a disciple by deciding to completely submit his or herself to the ways of the Lord

2. How can one become a disciple?

Bisola: One who is ready to have a servant attitude and obey instructions given 

Sumi: Obedience, discipline and consistency

Samson: Look up to the Master and do everything he says you should do

3. Should people be allowed to disciple themselves?

Bisola: Disclipes follow!!! You can't be the passenger and the driver at a time. So no, no one can disciple themselves.

Ayodele: No, discipleship requires guidance

Samson: Nope

“It is the same for each of you. You must leave everything you have to follow me. If not, you cannot be my follower. Luke 14:33 ERV

Every time I think of this particular scripture and the way it began, I want to laugh and cry at the same time.

It almost feels like an attack sometimes.

Many people were traveling with Jesus. He said to them, “If you come to me but will not leave your family, you cannot be my follower. You must love me more than your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters—even more than your own life! Luke 14:25‭-‬26 ERV

See them..They were travelling with Jesus o but yet Jesus said they weren't following.

And this is it with so many believers, we are travelling with Jesus o but not following Him anywhere

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:26 NKJV

The man who follows Jesus cannot tight anything to their chest 

Nothing is important 

Nothing!

And this begets the question: Are you really following? Are you a disciple of Jesus?

DISCIPLESHIP SERIES: INTRODUCTION

Discipleship.

This is a very interesting topic as it is a mandate for the church in this season. Actively or passively, people are being discipled in various areas of life.

Tinubu has disciples. Even Guru Maraji has disciples

Church pastors have disciples.

If this is something everyone is doing, what is it to us as believers? Is it God's will?

Is it something we should be doing?

As we begin this series, let's note that it will be a very interactive one.

I will start by asking us: What does discipleship mean to you?

Louisa: It’s the process of becoming like Jesus

Debola: Discipleship to me is followership, following in the ways and steps of someone

Bukola: Discipleship to me is the process of submitting oneself to be led and taught in a particular manner or with set principles in order to replicate someone.

While the term discipleship is not expressly used in the Bible, we see the use of "Disciple" - a noun used for a person who is a learner, follower or student. In fact, this is the word Jesus used to describe His followers.

Discipleship is an invitation to a process of submission to be led and taught in a particular manner with set principles. Why?

So we can become like Jesus....so we can replicate Jesus

Not duplicate, replicate! In fact, this is what the great commission is.

It doesn't stop at preaching to men. Go into the world and make disciples of all nations 

We move into replicating Jesus on Earth. This is the great commission.

Our assignment: Creating mini Jesus'

How? Through discipleship

In our world today, we see a lot of pastors actually disciple people but instead of raising men as replicas of Jesus, some have been raising men to look like them. They've been raising men to act, talk and behave like them

Peter had disciples. Paul had men actively following him. But you see, these men spelled out who exactly was being followed: "Follow me as I follow Jesus"

We will be unpacking so much in the next couple of weeks

Who the early followers were as disciples.

What it means for us in such a time as this.

Is it the work of the spirit alone to disciple us? 

How to be a disciple.

How to disciple others.

At what point can we even say we "are Jesus enough" to disciple others 

Discipleship and mentoring, what is the difference

We will be answering a lot of questions on this.

YÂSHAB

One thing the Lord has kept highlighting to me since last year is how our prayers have turned to intimacy.

Not like it is bad to ask our father for things o but our prayers moved beyond this completely last year

And this is collective, as a family

Don't know if we noticed. We moved from focusing on our individual needs to wanting to just spend time with the Father. 

Towards the end of January, the Lord gave us a theme for our 2022 nightly prayers 💃💃💃💃💃

Let's open our bibles to Psalm 27:4

The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. Psalms 27:4 NLT

I ask only one thing from the Lord. This is what I want most: Let me live in the Lord’s house all my life, enjoying the Lord’s beauty and spending time in his palace. Psalms 27:4 ERV

I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. Psalm 27:4 MSG

If you read from the beginning, the chapter opens with songs of celebration from David but everything changed in verse 4

I'm not sure what his Eureka moment was. I also know that David did not decide to seek God because he needed to conquer nations or win a battle.

One thing I crave the most

The only thing I want

The one thing I seek above every other

The one thing I really desire

Amplified says The one thing I ask, and I do not just stop at asking, I will proceed to seek..Omo

This was David with not just a desire but a will to make sure that desire comes to pass. David would do anything to actually dwell in the house of God

Anything!

I remember the first time this scripture hit me, I wrote my own version out and will just say it every day in prayer :

I long to be in the secret place, you and I alone. Have the privilege of living with you DAILY and communing EVERY moment. I want to find the sweet loveliness of your face, touch the fine lines on it, gaze upon your beauty, stay in awe of how wonderful you are. Delight in your glory, think of your greatness and just revel in it. I want to just ponder on your Grace and burst into tears at how amazing you are. I want to live so close to you that we both find pleasure in this friendship

Prayer is warfare, true. But you see, Prayer is way more than warfare. It is intimacy, dwelling!

I will come back to verse 4

That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, The perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic. Psalms 27:5 MSG

Did David live in Lagos? 😂😂

I don't know how I found that verse in MSG but i did and it just gave a new meaning

Felt like I had a shared struggle with David. This is what prayers have been to me really

Away from the noise and all the troubles of the day

You know, sometimes when we give testimonies, we are testifying of what God has done o, but it comes to me sometimes as if we are gisting God about our day. The way we detail and express

I pick really little things, so I noticed.

You know when you've gone out since morning and you are coming to just tell your lover everything 😭

Or just snuggle up close. This is how prayer has felt

Our prayer theme is a reality we are already inside. One that David understood and lived too

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” Psalms 27:4 (KJV)

"That I may Dwell"

Our prayer theme for the year is Yâshab

💃💃💃💃💃💃💃

It is pronounced yaw-shab

It means to dwell

To remain

To settle

To ease self  (verse 5 makes sense from this angle)

To tarry

Inhabit

Marry

Remain

To seat

To sit still!

Why did David want to stay here?

To behold the beauty of the Lord 😭😭😭

We will find God beautiful. Kai!

As we gather and continue alone also, we will find God's richness

Ah! We will know His laughter, his chuckle and we will love the sound of it

We will remember it while we work

To enquire in His temple

First to just take in His beauty

Do His eyes twitch when He smiles? 

Are there lines on His face? 

Does the richness in the sound of His laughter give me a tingling?

No one dwells and not fall in love 😭

Nobody

Take in all of Him

And then ask Him about Himself because the more we know Him, the more we know us. Our lives are hidden in Him

The things we don't understand, we enquire. We do not bother about them, we just ask Him

We take His thoughts. We take His opinions

I am excited about this word (theme). I am excited because it is a love journey. Yes!

It is prayers but this is a journey of love I see before us. And I am so delighted that we will be doing this together

Knowing God this intimately together

I want this to guide us every time we come to pray

On some days prayer becomes an obligation. On days when you feel prayers have not been answered. On days where you really can't see the use of prayers

Please find this message and go back to your habitat. Let it guide you back here in love

And when we gather?

Please behold His beauty. Don't ever forget to take it all in. Allow yourself to be lost in the sweetness of His fragrance

Sniff Him. Take it all in

Take Him in!

So much that even when you are not here, His fragrance is on your body

You know when you cuddle someone so much and they leave their fragrance on your body

I am looking forward to experiencing all of God alongside you. I cannot wait for the seeds borne of love

Make it a date

Mark it out on your calendar.

Invite people

You know when you are blushing at work and they think it is (wo)man but they don't it is God 😂. Invite them to enjoy this too

So yes...

Our Prayer theme for the year is yâshab.

Mon - Sat

9pm

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7828051628?pwd=dzFld0NOSWR0Z3V1Z2JLcDVyR2kydz09

Mixlr: Mixlr.com/olurehmy

2022: AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Amos 3:7 NKJV

God does nothing EXCEPT He reveals these things first to His servants.

This scripture has been an anchor for us since we started operating in the prophetic as a family (2019)

As we share these words of prophecy, I want us to know these are the things God is about to do.

Because He does nothing without first revealing, He has revealed to us.

These words are not prayer points, even though we will watch over them in prayer, they contain the things God is about to do.

Do not let them out of your sight this year.

2022; AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

November 18, 2021

I was praying in my room and around 2pm, I heard it clearly: As it is in Heaven

Kept trying to make sense of it as I paced the house in prayer

Then God told me, that's the word for Word Alive for 2022.

The first thing that came to my head was: "2022, A year of As it is in Heaven" 😭😭😭

This doesn't sound sweet dear Holy Spirit. Doesn't look like a nice catchphrase. Then I heard it again

After which I began to see the things that will occur this year.

And then, I understood clearly

The Spirit

The (beginning of the) New

And now, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

I replicate Heaven here on earth

I am replicating the heaven agenda here on earth, in, through, and for you.

I am not holding back

I replicate me

You enter into the fullness of my will for your lives.

You become

You be.

Welcome to the Fourth!

I have waited for this

I have waited for this

I have waited for this

My purpose for bringing you all together is seen in the 4th.

You understand why it had to be here

THE 4TH

There is an enclosing in gold in the 4th cos this is heaven's mandate

There is a gold furnishing

Holiness.

It flows! 

It becomes the order!

There is an awareness of times and season

A sharp awareness

You know it first.

This is my promise to you

You know it first

Everything I want to do on earth, I will tell you.

Just as the fourth lot came out to Issachar for his children,

In this 4th, Issachar's lot is Word Alive's lot

Men know you for this.

They will meet you for their share of this lot

You will give it around the nations of the earth

I saw a land of beryl, diamonds and jasper. It filled everywhere. In its middle, I saw an olive tree and oil dripped from it

God's cloud of Glory us now set PERMANENTLY upon you.

You go all places with it

You are my kingdom come on earth

You go in my might

You go in my strength

You go in my power

You go bearing my name and I will always show up

I have made this covenant with you, Olúrèmí

And now, I replicate it with these ones I have given to you

You have become for me and to the world, signs and wonders

Healing and prophetic gifts abound here

I have given it to you lavishly 😭😭😭💃💃💃💃

I say men seek Issachar's lot from you

Olúrèmí, I have started something big with you

You will train these ones vigorously and they will work with you to train others.

When men find Issachar's lot, I tell you they will knock here

Take the lot, for ALL and be ready

The New has begun

Heaven is here

Heaven is here

And now, through you, men join heaven's mandate

But first, you live heaven's mandate

Pay attention to dates and times

Be sensitive in the spirit

I am set to display my glory

I saw men in their thousands, each with a staff of authority in their hands, dripping in white and gold attire. The gold wasn't material like. It looked more like real gold. All of these men were kneeling/bowing in a really large field

Influence! Influence!

I am giving influence

I open doors

Men come, they come in their numbers

And it is I they will see when they come

I shield you from hurt this year

Sepsis is healed

An infection is cleared off

Mass healing of PCOS

Ulcer is healed

A hole in the heart is gone

That hatred eating you up is out

I am opening wombs

I am giving brand new wombs

I will heal someone of a tumor

I will heal someone of a growth in the chest

I will heal a mad man

Mark my words

Write them down

Never forget

Evangelise

Tell men about me

I will perform my miracles every time you go out

Have you not seen?

Power bounces on those who go

Ask Olúrèmí

Ask her

I told her and I did it

Go

Go, in me name

Match your life with my words

Be punctual

Be attentive

Be sensitive

Be swift

No more wasting time before you move on one instruction

BE MY DISCIPLES

This year, you are discipled

It will start from here

Olúrèmí, you will model men after me

And they will do the same

These nations I give to you will bring to me even more nations

Follow me clearly

Tell them to not lose sight of me

Be my disciple

Replicate Me

Until men will see and know that you have been with me

They will know that I have come in you

Olúrèmí,

Mi o gbagba adehun

( I do not forget my covenant)

Like Elijah

Like Elisha

Like Peter

Like Paul

Like John

As Jesus

Men will see this in you

I will walk in this manner with you

And in the ones I give to you

Use the angels on your watch

Send them

Send them

So fun awon Omo mi ko ma foya ( tell my children not to be afraid)

It may look like the words I told them are not coming to pass but tell my children to hold unto me

Tell them I am drawing them into deeper intimacy

As it is in Heaven

The lies of the devil must not be allowed

Intimacy

Holiness

Fixed gaze on the Father

Wholeness

Light

Joyfulness

Glory! Glory! Glory!

Mo ti gbe ogo mi yo!

(I have brought my glory to light?)

This year,

Get ready to give more

I am also ready to give you more

Expansion happens

And from a place of rest

There is a great increase

Beyond your capacity

It happens in all areas

Make room

And don't be okay

Don't stay put

See promotions flying in the air

Promotions

Promotions

Upliftment

You achieve so much more

When you think your barn is full, don't shut it just yet

The minute it enters overflowing

Your barn's size is increased

Capacity to take more

I am compressing time and giving you blessings that will take you decades to attain

I am establishing and bringing you into wealth

I teach you how to keep wealth

There is a promotion in the spirit.

A swift one

Looks like moving from zero to a hundred

And it happens so quickly

It will just happen and you will know that it is me

I see a lot of people at a convoking ceremony, throwing up graduation caps

(don't know if this is spiritual graduation or physical)

Don't strive to have anything this year

I deliver all to you

See the oil of ease flowing

I watch over my word and bring to pass

( Prophecy given by God through members and Admin)

For Word Alive

A growth of 100% before the end of the year comes for Word Alive

2 outreaches this year, 1 of them will be outside Nigeria

My children become more alert to the things of the spirit

They align with the vision of word alive

More jobs

Weddings

I said I have given abundance and ease

It is for everyone in this family and everyone affiliated

You've enter your financial year, gifting and activations

There is plenty, abundance and surplus

Healing Overflows

Healing gifts

Diverse testimonies

Testimonies of the miraculous

The dead come back to life

Deep and intense healing

Healings in the mind and mental faculty

Peace even in the midst of the storm

Stay in fellowship with me

I will walk with you all the way this year

Tell my people to stay in my presence

Be aggressive with worship

I give peace

This is the year of abundance

Do not be scared to leave old jobs and familiar territories. For God himself will lead you

New job

New opportunities 

People find their bearings the year 

Many will be led to leave old jobs, familiar territories, they should not be scared when it happens, because God will lead them into the new place he’s taking them.

I saw a pot with stuff cooking in it and a steam/aroma going out of it

Mo se yin jina

I heard "brick walls". And suddenly, I saw people being fitted with wings to fly above and over walls.

I said there is expansion and increase

Word Alive is my home, tell those that want to cause chaos and confusion to leave, tell them to be careful, the Lord warns them.

Abundance of children in Word Alive

Abundance of my children in Word Alive

I tear down the veil, I tear down strongholds, I establish myself as God in their lives. 

Season of abundance.

Babies babies

Cries of babies

Men catching in the air

Babies

I am the God that says it will happen and it will happen

I do everything in my own timing and my timing is perfect

Just ask

Place your request and I answer

I said there is ease, plenty, surplus and abundance

You will worry for nothing cos you will be focused on me

I, THE LORD, ABOUND TO YOU!

WORD ALIVE HAS EXPANDED

I WATCH OVER MY WORD

I BRING THEM TO PASS

THERE IS MORE

These words are true

You find them so

You judge me faithful!

Get Away With Me: The Rising of an Army

August 2021….

I can’t remember exactly what I was doing but I knew it was daytime and towards the end of the month. I heard it clearly: “Get Away With Me: The Rising Of An Army”. I quickly shared with Word Alive’s Admin and that was how I started praying daily towards the Retreat.

So sometime last year, we had gone on a Retreat at Ikoyi Mountain (Osun state) as Instructed by God. 

You can find the full report of the 2020 retreat here

As I started praying about this year’s retreat, I wasn’t sure what to expect or how to even pray. There was a lot running through my mind.

“Where will the retreat hold?

Will the move of the spirit be as mighty as last year’s retreat?

How will God do it?

What if people come with expectations based on what happened last year and nothing that spectacular really happens?”

It was a lot on my overthinking mind but as I started praying these questions began to drop, the worries got sifted completely.

After praying alone for some time, the admin joined in daily prayers and then the retreat team. At the wee hours of the morning, we will wake up and pray towards the retreat even as we wait for instructions. And oh! They came. God revealed all He was set to do to us 

Here are the words we got concerning the retreat. As you read, please pay attention cos you will be seeing manifestations of these words in our experience at the retreat and even in your own life.

All God Said To Us Concerning The Retreat

PLANNING THE RETREAT

Every planning starts with prayer so this is exactly how we started. Then we started collating instructions as we got them. 

In September, a couple of us on the planning team visited Osun and Ibadan to scout for a venue for the retreat. I wasn’t sure if we were going to use Ikoyi again. Everywhere we got to, we kept hearing a huge NO from God. In fact, we got to a particular mountain and heard that false altars had been set up there. We had to go back to Ikoyi where we met Baba Orioke Ikoyi (Prophet Odewole)

We discussed with him about our coming and he immediately welcomed us as he did before. He also gave confirmation to some words we had gotten before then. 

When Baba asked about the total number, I mentioned to him we’d be around 30 to 40. He said immediately that we will be more than that, almost double the number. And he kept repeating the words he gave last year:

“You don’t know what God is doing through you. You are taking it small. It is bigger than all of you. God is really with you. Nations will come.”

He prayed for us and we left.

God later confirmed to us we will be using Ori Oke Ikoyi, Osun State and gave us a date also (Oct 15 to Oct 18, 2021)

We went back home and continued planning and praying towards the retreat.

Provision

We put up a link for people to register to attend so we can plan appropriately.

God had told us not to place financial mandates on those attending the retreat, just as He instructed last year. So we included in the notice that the retreat was free for all (accommodation, transportation and feeding) but anyone who was led to sponsor should reach out.

Our initial budget was for 40 to 50 people and totaled #800,000

A week to the retreat, we had gotten just #59,000 out of the #800,000 budget 😂 

I was worried and kept asking God how far. That night I was praying for a sick person and I just heard the voice of the spirit say: “You believe I will heal this one why then can your faith not trust me for something as little as money. If your faith can raise the dead, why can it not believe me for provision”. 

I broke down in tears and left everything to God.

By Monday 11th of October, we had around 55 people registered for the retreat yet no money.

Wednesday, 13th of October (2 days before the retreat) we had raised #259,000 in donations and had over 60 people registered to attend the retreat. This meant we had to increase our budget.

At our planning meeting, the team kept saying we close the form for the retreat but my spirit didn’t agree with that. Even though we didn’t have money to cater for those already confirmed, we agreed to leave the form open for even more attendees to fill. 

Between Thursday morning and the retreat day, we don’t know how God did it but we got a total of #1,007,500 💃💃💃. Money came from the most unlikely sources and we didn’t even have to beg them to send.

One word we held on to is that “When God directs, He provides” and we sure saw the provision of Abba.

Still on Planning

While preparing for the retreat, we got a word to get Anointing oil and a handkerchief then give it to attendees. Everyone is to sew a seed to get this and those who didn’t have would pick for free also.

I’ve never done this kind of thing before and I know how the issue of money is with the church. I really didn’t want to be in the middle of this. Shared with the team and they had one or 2 issues with it also. We kept going back and forth. 

Very early on Friday morning while I was praying and preparing to move, God asked while we were adamant on not obeying. I immediately explained everything to the Holy Spirit and asked that God should provide the money for the oil. Everyone will take the oil and handkerchief for free. We will take the seeds as instructed but not for the oil.

We got to the market and got the price for the oil. While there, I got a donation of exactly the oil amount on my phone. 

As you read on, you will later get to see why God asked us to get the oil.

The night before

We had made provisions for buses to pick the attendees up and even agreed on payment, time and meetup location.

Around 10pm, I called the driver so I could make a deposit and he said he was going to send it right away. 

A few minutes later, a lady called me claiming to be from the bus company. According to her, her boss sent her to tell me the bus fare had changed. We will be paying around 50k extra. I was mad at that point and shut her.

“Who is your boss? Why is he sending you to call me? You are an unknown person calling me at this time of the night. Tell your boss to call me himself”

I didn’t call the driver back 

And I knew if we agreed to that 50k extra, the guy could ask us to pay another money in the morning or even disappear completely 😂😂😂.

So now, we had money but no means of transportation.

Early the next morning (I was in Ibadan already with the planning team since Tuesday), we woke up and started looking for contacts for a bus.

God being God, provided 2 buses that morning that agreed to move and we paid even lesser for both of them 💃.

Friday, Oct 15th 2021

The Retreat Begins

The first batch of attendees arrived at the retreat towards evening alongside those coming from Ogun State. 

I and the team came in from market runs really tired and stinky 😭 

I kept looking around 

There were a lot of new faces. Most of them weren’t on word alive. We were close to 70 from the list and I just kept wondering how easy It’d be to manage everyone and how God will do His thing.

I retreated to my room to bathe while pondering on these things.

Shortly after I moved to my room, I got word that some campers were insisting to stay with each other even after they had been allocated rooms. They were at that time non Word Alive members so I told them I will attend to it later. 

I got to the room and spoke with them but they refused and insisted on sleeping together. 

The Holy Spirit before then had instructed that people should be split (friends especially)

I begged and begged yet they both refused. I was already feeling bad and thinking to just allow them stay together but I heard the Holy Spirit say No loudly. He told me He was going to use them mightily and none of that will happen if they stay together. 

So I had to play bad cop and insist with hopes that after the retreat they will understand.

By the time everyone got in, it was late night so we moved to the corridor of the hostel to have our opening prayer and Bible study.

We started with worship and as we did, I knew immediately that we were not doing any Bible study. The Holy Spirit took over completely. Everyone was in tears. I saw people freed. I saw the Spirit descend on people. The atmosphere shifted. Oh! God moved 😭

The atmosphere changed and there was no tension whatsoever.

After the worship, God said to tell them:

“You’ve been wondering what I want to do right? You’ve been asking how it will happen. Here’s a taste of me. This is not even what I am about to do. Just a taste. Prepare your minds towards it and be ready”

SATURDAY OCT 16TH, 2021

We woke up, freshened up and prepared for the mountain.

We got an instruction during planning to read Psalms 24 at the foot of the mountain (3 times), pray with it then process up the mountain right after.

We did this and climbed the mountain.

                              

                             

As we got to the top of the mountain and started worshiping, God took over completely.

Note that we were meant to have an opening speech, teaching, and a few prayers but none of that happened.

As we worshipped, I saw the angels of God deployed, standing beside everyone. 

At some point, I started hearing the angels deployed sing this old Yoruba song: “Alade ogo ma Wole”

We joined them to sing non-stop 

As we sang in worship, I looked up and saw God seated upon our worship. He was riding on it like a horse. I first saw the worship rise up like flames and form the shape of a horse then God rode on it.

Remember the ladies I mentioned came together and didn’t want to split cos they had all their items in the same bag?

One of them, Funlola, was standing close to me as we worshipped.

All of a sudden, I saw something hit her

(She was the very first person to be slain in the Spirit ) and she started shouting:

“Tell my daughter. I have seen her suffering

Tell my daughter. Her sufferings her over”

She kept screaming, crying, and giving words in that line. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time cos God does have a sense of humor.

I moved close to her to pray for her because we were on a mountain and I don’t want to imagine what falling off will be like. 

One of our sisters came with her husband who happens to be ordained and in ministry also. I was led that she hold Funlola and pray for her. Immediately, I sensed Funlola was not just getting those words for herself but for Sister Bola also.

It was as if Funlola was inside my mind because the next thing I saw was her holding tightly to Sister Bola’s leg and repeating those words.

I left them and proceeded to give words as led and lay hands on people. The retreat team joined in this.

In my mind, I was so much in awe of God because what is this?

We got to the mountain around 9am. 

According to the rules of the mountain, 11am is for general prayer meeting so if you are on the mountain you have to stop all personal prayers. 11am came and the bell went off

But we had a little issue…..

People were in the spirit and refusing to come back to normal. 

Our initial schedule was to move back to the hostel at 11am then reconvene in the afternoon 

I knew we couldn’t go back to the hostel

God had started something 

Now, back story

God had told me He was going to amaze us at the vigil on Saturday. People will be drunk in the spirit and not get sober 

But it started Saturday morning 

I immediately asked that the people drunk in the Spirit be carried down the mountain (we were on the topmost part of it 😭) then sent some people to get keys to Baba’s church. If you read the report from last year’s retreat, you will see mention of a church. Baba gave us keys to the church again this year as we arrived.

So I sent a few people to get the keys to the church while the rest of us found our way to the church

I’m going to backtrack a little bit to something that happened early on Saturday before we continue.

Saturday Morning (Before the procession)

I woke up and moved into Ayodele’s car to have my personal time with God because there was a lot of going in and coming out. 

Funlola came to meet me and mentioned she had a dream.

In the dream, we were all praying/having Bible study and then she saw something which she was distracted by for a while. She went back to the place we were having the meeting and we were done. She asked the people remaining for her engagement ring and they told her she/they didn’t have it. 

I immediately knew God was asking her to not be distracted so she doesn’t miss out on what He was about to do. I told her this and mentioned it was also for all of us, as revealed by the spirit.

Went into my room to dress up then Teemah came. She also had a dream. In the dream, she was heavily pregnant and was having birth pangs. Everyone was standing by her side but no one birth her

No one offered to be her midwife so she didn’t put to bed in the dream and she was so scared.

I prayed with her and heard “you will birth. Everyone will birth and you will all serve as midwives to each other”

I’m sharing these because we will come back to them. It’s a buildup towards something bigger 😁😁😁

Back to Coming down from the mountain

We had to carry a number of people down the mountain and all eyes were on us 😭😭😭

There was someone in particular, Tiwalola. She had received the gift of the spirit on the mountain as we worshipped and laid hands. Somehow, she couldn’t stop.

The utterance kept coming 

I literally saw fire burning on her inside.

I cannot explain these things

We were able to successfully bring everyone down the mountain and I led a procession to the church from there.

As we moved I saw coals of fire. I’m really not sure what they are called. But you know when you are fanning a fire, those red hot fire dots that drop around. Yes, those. I saw them all around the mountain. I told Anu Osifeso who was standing beside me.

As we moved to the church, I was led to hold hands with Teemah and Omotoyosi. I heard ad we prayed: “there is fire on this ground. There is fire on this path. Everyone who walks this path is set on fire. No one misses it”

I could literally feel the surge of the spirit in me as we walked through.

We got to the church and packed all the chairs (because I don’t have money to buy chairs if they get broken as we pray in the Spirit 😂😭😭)

I looked around and knew this was a spiritual setup.

I started laughing in my mind.

We came in and we got instructions to shut the door behind us.

Now, this is where the “madness” begins. I call it spiritual madness cos I don’t have words to accurately describe everything that happens from here. In fact, I had to pray to God while writing this that He shows you in pictures everything as they happened.

I will try my best to explain these strange acts of the Lord to you but at this point, I will also need you to pay careful attention to everything that happens from here. I trust Abba to show you know just as they did. 

As we were set to shut the doors, I heard to get the oil we bought so I sent someone.

Immediately they went out, 3 people came to me at 3 different times saying they saw God give me a jar of oil and as I used them on people, the oil turned to fire.

The bags of oil came in and we started praying in the Spirit. 

I saw angels suspended all around the auditorium then I saw someone pour fire, hot fire on everyone in the auditorium.

I don’t know what happened or how it happened but everything just changed and “scattered” before me at that point.

We began praying and laying hands. People began to receive gifts 

At some point, I saw Teemah the lady that had the pregnancy dream. Remember her right?

She was standing beside me pregnant and it was fire i saw inside her stomach. Fire, not a baby. 

I got led to lay hands on her. Immediately, she started screaming 

Then something really dramatic happened

Again, I will need you to pay close attention because these things are strange even to me 😭😭😭😭

She screamed and her eyes went up. It shut back and her neck snapped to the side. You know how people die in movies, something like that.

I saw her leave her body and I saw God Himself enter her. Like I saw Him jump in. I saw God jump inside her 😭

I saw it.

Then she turned her neck back, her eyes opened dramatically then she screamed and started speaking in tongues.

I’ve known Teemah as far back as 2011 while she was still a Muslim. I know what her tongues sound like. Those tongues did not belong to her. She held my hands and I was almost thrown off my feet. I knew God was in our midst already.

Then she started speaking.

More like, God started speaking

I can’t explain what she said but we were able to take recordings of everything she said. Most were in Yoruba but we’ve transcribed to English so everyone can hear.

Listen To Teemah's Prophecies Here

As we were praying for Teemah, I saw Temitope by my side. Then I saw a huge container. You know what a sea container looks like right? I saw it land on his chest and I was so scared for him because it looked so huge and heavy. The minute it landed on him, Temitope fell too and broke into strange tongues. I heard at that point that the container was filled with gifts and Temitope got the gift of interpretation and prophecy. 

I kept looking at the container of gifts on his chest and was tempted to open just to see what’s inside 😭. I went to him and prayed for him. He was sweating profusely and I knew it was the weight of the container but I didn’t know if he could see it.

We kept laying hands on people and everyone received.

Over 10 people received both tongues and interpretation at the same time that afternoon.

People were slain in the spirit 

God took over 

Demons were cast out 

Oh my God 😭😭😭

Before I end my account of all that happened that afternoon, I want to share someone else’s account. Permit me please 😭

So while God was speaking through Teemah, He said we should ask for anything. He was going to give all. 

I later heard Precious asked in her mind (she didn’t say anything out o). She asked for Visa for herself and her baby, Jeff. And just as she was praying inside of her, God shouted through Teemah:

“Visa? Kini Visa? Kini Visa ti mi o le se”

Translation: “Visa? What is Visa? What is Visa that I cannot do?”

I broke into tears when I was told.

We finished praying around 3pm and moved back to the hostel.

I was the last to leave the church with a few other people and I heard God say: Tell them I have not done anything. There is more when you come at night. None of you will leave as you came. For the ones that think they have received more than enough, tell them I am just starting. They should expect more.

We went back home, ate, played games, bonded and slept in preparation for the vigil.

I had seen Baba after the afternoon program and he gave us his own personal home generator to power the church for our vigil. 

We left for the vigil at 12 midnight. I stepped into a pothole filled with water around the church and the water felt like fire to my legs 

In my mind, I was waiting and wondering what God wanted to do. He had amazed us so much in the afternoon. We were yet to get over that and He was still offering more.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Sigh…..

Words fail me to be honest 

For someone who loves telling stories and does it so well, words fail me. 

We got into the church on Saturday, formed a circle and began worshiping. In no time, the Holy Spirit got to work. 

Healing began!

A lot of people were healed from long-standing emotional hurt and pain

Some got physical healing right there 

We continued to lay hands on people and they kept receiving. I remember Jumoke. I met Jumoke on Twitter. In fact, she saw my WhatsApp story a day before the retreat and mentioned she wanted to come. She received the gifts of the spirit: Tongues, interpretation and prophecy, all at once. 

“I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh”

I have known this scripture all my life but I saw a manifestation of it I have never seen before. 

Kai 😭😭😭🔥🔥🔥🔥

God asked me to lay hands on Teemah again

I did and that dramatic movement of her leaving her body and God entering happened again

She began to give words.

After a while God asked that I open my eyes (she said it in Yoruba), He wanted to show me something 

I felt a flash in my eyes in the spirit and when I opened. I saw something like a flow of air/flames/wave (I can’t really place it)

I saw it flowing towards people.

I had my oil with me and was led to anoint people with it.

(At this point, I had left Teemah but I later found she gave this same exact word at the same time I got it 😭)

The first person I saw was Bukky 

As I saw the mist-like wave move towards her, I approached her and touched her stomach with the oil.

She screamed and dropped to the floor.

Remember the exact process we experienced with Teemah?

Her eyes rolled then her neck switched to the sides.

When she opened her eyes back, I literally saw fire coming from it. It was fiery and scary.

Everyone there saw it too 😭

Then she started speaking in a way that I didn’t know.

I knew that was God 

While she was still speaking, I saw the mist-like wave move to Temitope. Got to him and laid hands, the same neck switching process happened with him

In fact, I thought Temitope died at some point 😭

He gave a heavy sigh and didn’t breathe for a while until God started speaking through him.

We recorded all God spoke through Temitope also 

The mist-like wave moved again, so I left some people to keep taking Temitope’s words.

At this point, I needed more help because the first set of people had not stopped speaking and there were people stationed with everyone.

God asked me to call Funlola to join in the work for He had placed fire in her hands. 

The next person I saw it stop on was Toyosi, then Jumoke, then Joy, Mayowa

It kept going round 

Now, I saw some mysteries

Mysteries because I can’t explain them still

I will need you to pause and take this in well

You know I mentioned Teemah and a lot of people leaving their bodies for God to speak right?

It wasn’t that God entered this body, spoke and moved to the next. NO!

God was literally in all of these bodies at the same time 

Teemah’s body was in God’s possession 

He was still inside Teemah when He entered Temitope

He was in them both when He entered Jumoke 

And so on.

He was in all of them at the same time 

When I figured this, I stood and started crying and laughing at the same time 

It felt like I wanted to “run mad”

Run mad because I really did not know how to feel or take it all in.

I told Ebuka who was standing beside me that God is such a show-off

Like He really entered bodies at the same time 

We know He is everywhere, dwelling inside all of us 

But what we saw and experienced? It felt so different 

I didn’t know how to react 

Another mystery

At some point, everyone God took over their body were saying the same thing at the same time. The church was big and they couldn’t hear themselves o. But you go to this person and it is exactly what person B is saying they are saying.

Oh

God really left us in awe

Me especially 

God left me in awe

How can I forget

So while Teemah was giving words from God for me. She mentioned in Yoruba the work ahead and where God was taking me to (ministry). Inside of my mind, I told God I was small. I'm too small for these things He wants to do through me. And I just heard her scream in Yoruba (I’ve translated here):

“Ehn ehn? If they say you are small, tell them to look at how big the person behind you is. You will do the works your elders did not do”

I didn’t speak my thoughts out o

It was inside my thoughts 😭😭😭😭

We were in the church till 7:30am on Sunday morning.

Laid hands on everyone

No one left without God’s touch 

Not one single person

I saw things my mouth cannot explain

After praying for everyone, I was led to lay hands on the retreat team. As I prayed for Femi Festus, I literally felt something leave my body. Something heavy. I had to ask him after the meeting what he took from me and he said he asked God for double of the anointing I had.

Some weeks after the retreat, Femi shared a testimony about something he experienced and I realized he had gotten from me an impartation I received from Pastor Jerry Eze earlier this year (May 3rd) by time and chance 😭

After everyone had received, I drank from the oil myself then I saw myself slain in the middle of everyone. I saw a large drum of oil suspended in the air pouring into my mouth. Then I went into a deep sleep (I think it was short because everybody was waiting in the physical 😂😂)

Then I saw angels bring food. It was stew, roughly blended, exactly how I like my ata dindin. It had so many things inside, different kinds of animals and it was much. I ate everything and by the time I woke up, I woke up filled and refreshed.

We prayed and went back home to sleep.

                   

                                      

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon, we had our communion service after which a number of the attendees left for Lagos (because of work). The rest of us stayed till Monday.

So something else happened on Sunday afternoon that I must not forget to share 😂😂😂😂

Remember we did market runs on Friday. We had prepared a timetable

and had to use milk twice. We bought 12 rolls of milk (10 in a roll), that’s 120 total. I remember clearly because I bought it. In fact, that was all the peak milk the woman had. We wanted more than the 12 rolls.

We had milk the first day (Saturday) and then on Sunday morning also 

Sunday afternoon, I was sitting in my room (the foodstuff was placed in my room ) and I saw a bag filled with milk. I called the people sharing milk and they told me they truly drank milk both that day and the day before.

The milk was much in the bag. Over 60 people used milk each time and the milk was refusing to finish

It was sachet milk, so one to each person. There was no explanation for how 120 milk refused to finish after over 60 people had taken from it twice. And some people even mentioned they took extra to drink garri 😭😭😭

If you read the words gotten before the retreat, you will remember God saying He is giving an overflow. There will be twelve baskets remaining. Nothing will finish from our supplies 😭

I didn’t know that word was literal

We gave the milk and milo out to the kids in Ikoyi community and it still remained some 😭

I have heard stories like this before but seeing it in such a manner?

My God 😭😭😭😭

Monday, Oct 18, 2021

Spiritual Pool

We gathered at the mountain on early Monday morning for the Spiritual Pool. At the spiritual pool, there were no prayers. We went with our pens, jotters just to hear God speak and write. There were testimonies of people who have never heard God speak, hear God. It was a truly miraculous experience. 

Evangelism

The last bus to Lagos came to pickup around 2pm but waited for our evangelism. While trying to fill the bus up, 3 people en route Lagos couldn’t go with that bus (Ebuka, Samson, and Niyi). The plan was for them to use the train back to Lagos that afternoon.

We held the evangelism at Total market, Ikire, Osun state.

So many accepted Christ 

Healing flowed

God spoke 

I remember my team getting to a woman, a pepper seller. I asked her if we could pray with her and she said yes.

As we prayed in Yoruba, from thanksgiving I kept saying “We thank God, the one who is there in the midst of the storm. The one who stops the storm”

These words from an old hymn kept coming back: “Bo ti wu ki iji na le to, idakoro mi koni ye “

We had not even given her a word directly and she started crying, heavily.

She spoke with us and we told her all God asked us to. We were also led to sow a seed in her life.

The other evangelism teams also had amazing testimonies even as they moved to share God’s word. We met another woman who was waiting on God for the fruit of the womb, we prayed with her and God said we’d meet a child with her at next year’s retreat. 

By God’s grace, we will look for her next year. After the evangelism, everyone left with the Lagos bus but the 3 people that stayed behind couldn’t. They had to go pick their bags from Ikoyi 

Though they insisted on going home that day cos one of them had an early morning meeting the next day, the Holy Spirit kept telling me they will sleep in Ibadan with us.

It had gotten late by the time we got home 

The person that had a meeting received a call that the meeting was cancelled, so they all agreed to stay back in Ibadan.

Note that this particular event was a strategic move by God, very intentional. I will get to it soon.

We packed up and headed for Ibadan late at night.

As we packed, we realized we had a leftover of everything bought.

Every single thing, from the rice to the beans, tissue papers. EVERYTHING 

We packed all to Ibadan

12 BASKETS

You know I told you to follow our story carefully.

If you did, you will remember God mentioned we will have twelve baskets left after the retreat.

So we gathered all that was left and God asked us to share amongst everyone that was left in Ibadan the next day. I counted everyone and did the sharing.

We got to Lagos on Tuesday evening.

Bukky called me some days later from the bathroom and her first question was: “Remi how many people did you share the foodstuff for. Can you remember?”

I said Yes. I counted. We were 12

Immediately, we both screamed the 12 baskets together 😭😭😭😭

We were meant to be 9 in that house but God made sure Niyi, Ebuka and Samson stayed behind also to make us 12 in fulfillment of His word 😭😭😭

I am in still in awe.

POST RETREAT

The retreat is over but we can’t get over all what God did.

We didn’t preach the word at any point during the retreat

The only scripture we read was Psalms 24 before we climbed the mountain 

If you know me well, you will know how much I quote scriptures while speaking 

God really had His way

At some point, the people He spoke through were given words He had shared with me for our sermon 😭😭

God literally dropped the sermon in hearts Himself. 

One of the attendees was at my place after the retreat and she kept asking: “Pastor Remi, most of those people are new to the things of the spirit right? Did you speak with them concerning the Holy Spirit before they were filled “

I spoke with no one. What words do I have where the Holy spirit is speaking directly to hearts?

God did the talking Himself

He spoke to our innermost beings

He moved in an unconventional way and I’m grateful that we allowed Him. I didn’t fully understand some things too but I know God’s move when I see it so we let Him. And oh! The testimonies and Joy from the retreat.

None of the people that received the gift of tongues has stopped speaking. In fact, they’ve been praying nonstop. They can hear their spirit man praying too.

What could I have taught them to get here? What?

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭4:20‬ ‭NIV

More than ever, this Scripture became real.

We saw the manifestation of God’s power like never before. And believe me when I say I am privileged to have seen moves of God before now but this? I have not seen anything close to it. We took cameras to record these things but none of us remembered to at the church. Not when everyone was slain in the spirit 😂.

God so good, we were able to take down voice recordings of the words from God and wrote some down too. They are all attached below.

We know we are unable to share all that happened at the retreat here as words can’t express properly all that we experienced but I am hopeful that even as you read through all we shared, you will experience a revival in your corner/home. You will encounter God. 

The fire of God is breathe upon these words of testimonies and they birth your own encounter.

My heart is full.

On behalf of the planning team and Word Alive’s Admin, I say thank you to everyone.

Thank you for attending the retreat

Thank you for giving towards it

This fire that has begun 

It doesn’t stop 

We continue to fan the flames

You spread it to your immediate sphere of influence and they continue to pass the torch too.

God is raising an army to Himself for such a time as this and you are part of this great army. I look forward to the exploits you do in the name of God. 

If you read this and you are yet to accept Christ, kindly reach out to us on these numbers: 07035953059 or 07031123361.

God bless you.

Love eternally

Your sister, friend and Pastor,

Olúrèmí Akinfaderin 

Founder | Word Alive Ministries

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HERE ARE THE LINKS TO:

OTHER PROPHECIES (VIDEOS)

MORE PROPHECIES (TEXT)

GENERAL PICTURES/VIDEOS

PERSONAL TESTIMONIES AND EXPERIENCES