In this sermon on 2 Corinthians chapter 6, the speaker shares his personal journey of understanding the Gospel and the call of God in his life. He emphasizes that true ministry is not about intelligence or material possessions, but about transmitting the life of Christ. The speaker highlights the importance of being willing to die to oneself in order to truly serve God and transmit His life to others. He also challenges the current state of the church, urging believers to embrace the message of the cross and strive to become more like Jesus.

This message is brought to you by CTMI. Good evening to you all. It's always a joy to be with you. And we know that God is at work. He speaks into our lives and He shows us the way. We're going to open our Bibles in the book of Jeremiah. Chapter 15, verse 19, that we're going to read again tonight. Therefore that says the Lord, if you return, then I will bring you back. You shall stand before me. If you take out the precious from the vial, you shall be as my mouth. The Lord has always had a desire to separate what is false from what is true. We see how John the Baptist spoke about Jesus, showed him how important it was that the ministry of Jesus would be to bring a separation. Separation between wheat and the chaff. It's important for us to understand clearly that Jesus wants to build His church on the sound doctrine. We really need to catch that more and more. And that our sharings, our preachings, should be motivated on that very issue. And we're going to continue tonight in another aspect of our conference. I think we are aware that more and more the influence of the world penetrates the church. It wants to penetrate the church. And in many churches, it has already penetrated the church. In many churches, it's already the case. And the influence of the world has penetrated the church. And at the speed things are going in the world, with all the changes that are happening, have you noticed that in the past 25, 30 years, so many things have changed in the world? So many things. And I think that this influence of the world is penetrating the church to destroy. And I think it's important that we speak a little bit about these different influences so that we may be able to watch and watch and pray so that when the Lord brings His light, many will respond to the truth. There are so many strongholds. So many things are rooted in the hearts of Christians that we need a miracle from God. Certainly it won't be easy. We will need a miracle from God. In the life of Christians, of Churches, to welcome the truth of the gospel. And tonight, I'd like to start speaking about the role of the woman in the church. I'll go fast because I want to get quickly to the solution in all this. You'll agree with me that in the last 40 years or so, things have changed drastically, even concerning the role of women in society. I think it's around in the years 70 that was the movement of the liberation of women who brought a new evaluation of the role of women in society. In the world. It started in the world. And as we realize today, society, the world, its system wants to bring the woman at the same level as men. I see that, personally, that woman has got a tendency to manifest more and more authority up to the place to try to steal and to remove the authority from men. I don't know if you agree with me. But let me show you that in the whole story of the church, apart from the same time we're speaking about, in the church, there has started to be a change from the role of the woman in the church. So stay cool, ladies. We're not going to give you a hard time or to crush you down. Don't worry. It's important for us to put things where they belong. And where God wants them to be. According to what God teaches us in his words. And not to allow ourselves to be influenced by a wave or an influence that comes from the world. This is what happened somewhere in the church. There has been an evolution slower when the world started changing in that area. In the church, it came more slowly. Not noticeable. Remarkable. In the last years, we can see that there has been a change that's becoming more noticeable. Sorry, caught you. Men and women being equal which is taking place in the world must be analyzed properly. In the world today, women carry nearly the same authority as men. It's developing as time goes. In families in the world, we can notice this kind of instability. 50 years ago, where was the role of the woman in the church? What was the role of the woman in the church before those days? Maybe it was exaggerated in the sense that the woman in the church could do nothing. She couldn't open her mouth. She couldn't prophesy. She could just be there and listen quietly. But what happened is that there's been an evolution from one extreme to another. It appears that the church has somehow followed that evolution that happened in the world. It's not been like stopping according to the gospel. But there's been a continuation influenced by the system of the world. And I'm asking, is it a coincidence that it's happening like this today? Isn't it challenging us? Can't we see a plan of the devil to disturb the church and destroy the family unit at the same time? Everything the world is wanting to do today is very dangerous. Unfortunately, the church has got an ear to listen and to hear and to see what the world does. And there's a tendency to try to take certain things in the world to come and install them in the church. And this state of mind that reigns in the church today that state that is in the church today has given birth to a great amount of ministries carrying authority in the church entrusted to women. I'm convinced that the doctrine of Christ doesn't evolve with time. We must stay in the vision in the sound doctrine and not allow ourselves to be influenced to dwell in the word of God. When we look in the word of God in the New Testament we see that women had a great role to play. But nowhere do we see a woman established as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. Established as an apostle, a prophet, a pastor or a teacher. We need to take apart that these fivefold ministries are ministries of authority. If we understand that these ministries are ministries of authority our eyes will be open to many things. I don't think it's a coincidence I don't think it's a coincidence that Jesus chose twelve men to be his first twelve disciples and apostles. And even when there were eleven left and they needed to appoint another one after Jesus was risen and the church had started it had to be a man that had been chosen and had been a witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There were not only men who were witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus but the eleven who were left behind chose a man. And there were with them two who were witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ there was Joseph and there was Matthias and we know that it was Matthias who was chosen to be the twelfth apostle to replace Judas. And we know that it was Matthias that was chosen to replace Judas. Today today we see women in all ministries of authority they run local churches we can never see such an example in the new covenant. They run congregations with authority and often without a true submission of heart. They run, they rule the church and manifest that authority. In the epistles of Paul to Corinthians in chapter 11 we see that he teaches that God is the head of Christ that Christ is the head of man and that man is the head of a woman. Paul is teaching an order of authority not only in the natural but also in meaning the church of Jesus Christ. We must understand that this has been established by God himself. It doesn't belong to us with the influence of what's happening in the world to try to change to change that order of authority a bit like we would like or change that order of authority in the church of Jesus Christ. And if a woman operates in the apostolic ministry or prophetic ministry which is a ministry of authority we can conclude that she's not in her place. She can have prophetic gifts and be a prophetess. It's a big difference between having the prophetic gifts and being a prophetess. It's different to share the word of God and to be an apostle or a pastor. It's a different thing altogether. Why? Because these five ministries carry an authority that comes from God. Do you understand? Therefore one cannot change that order of authority. This is why I'm convinced that the church has been influenced by this system of the world. And even in many families today even in the church there are changes happening where the woman influenced by all that's happening in the world wants to take the authority decide in a family that is something common today. It's a major problem. And if it's a major problem in the world we can't allow that same problem to enter the church today because there will be disorder. When we change the order of authority of God it becomes clear it's going to create disorder. If it was not that important God would not have put into place that kind of authority. And what's terrible is that families are being destroyed and I'm convinced maybe it's not your conviction but it's my conviction that this influence of the world that wants to raise the woman in the same order that wants to raise the woman up to the same level as men of course women can be equal to men in many areas. No problem with that. But when we come to the word of God and to the church of Jesus Christ there is an order of authority that needs to be respected. And in the word of God we see in the new covenant in the epistles of Paul that Paul ordained brothers to go and appoint elders in the church and everywhere we go in the word of God we look for a woman who was an apostle or a prophet we cannot see. Why should we invent today? This is why I'm convinced it's an influence that comes from the world. And it's incredible how the church has an ability to copy the world in many things as we saw yesterday. It's dangerous. It's dangerous. When we look at the word of God it's very clear. All those who had a ministry of authority were men. It's the choice of God It's not that God or us have something against women but it's the way God has instituted that. If you look at the whole history of the church up to at least 50 years ago what do you see? Men in authority in the church. Women were there to help, to support to be an help to bring what the Lord places in their hearts they speak from God God speaks to women the same way He speaks to men God doesn't make any difference between men and women but He's given an authority to men that He's not given to women. This is why today we see families being totally destroyed not only in the world but also in the church with ministries of authority given to women or they appoint themselves these ministries It's something common in the Christian world today. There's not only one pastor in the church there's a pastor in the plural because it's pastor Mickey and pastor Audrey In other words I marry someone the anointing of God is on my life as I marry them the anointing of God falls on the other one as well on her. And as from now we share the authority of God it's how it's happening in the church everywhere but if we understand the order of authority of God we will easily accept that men has a place of authority and that the woman is in a place of submission We're not going to speak about that subject tonight No? We will just inform the people of God that there's an order of authority that must be respected in the church And I know that what I'm saying is going to create a lot of shakings I know it because that phenomenon has taken root in the church It's not like a little weed It's a huge trunk with deep roots that have gone everywhere Try to uproot that It can only be a miracle of God that only the Spirit of God can open the eyes We are living in the days where we can no longer depend on an experience but we must depend our life on the Word of God The exception doesn't become the rule One example cannot become the rule I know it's shaking but let's stay cool But what's wonderful is that the place that the woman has in the church doesn't in any way diminish her Because in the place where she should find herself she belongs there That's where she becomes the real woman of God And when I speak of woman of God I don't speak of apostles, of prophetesses and all that I speak of a woman who is in the place that God wants her to be That's why there has been an evolution From one extreme where the woman couldn't even open her mouth to another extreme where she is now in authority where she has taken over the church of Jesus Christ And let me make you notice that when a woman leads the church 95% of the congregation is feminine And a great percentage of the congregation is woman It's dangerous to be there Let me tell you why Because men will withdraw And then the woman is the one who makes all decisions and reaches the house Because if the husband is submitting to the authority of his wife in the church I don't see how in the house he will take authority He will rather submit himself to his wife To be very tough What happens in the midst of the family? What do the kids see? They see an order totally contrary to what God has established All these little girls that start growing How are they growing? Don't you think they will rebel against their husband one day? This is the example that is set before them And this is what destroys Because when each is not at his place, it's a big problem. And we can't come and say, God told me. I feel, it's my call, more than ever in the last days we must come back to the word of God. And we must come back to the word of God. Because when each is not at his place, it's a big problem. And we can't come and say, God told me. I feel, it's my call, more than ever in the last days we must come back to the word of And I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story, and I'm going to tell you a story. Amen. in authority to the man, that does not exist in the word of God. Now you are going to tell me one thing. Go to the Old Testament, brother, and you will see. Well, we are going to talk about that a little bit later. But know that the Old Testament has never been for you. But know that the Old Covenant has nothing to do, is not for you, has never been intended for you. The Old Covenant was for the Jewish people. We will speak about that later. Finally, when the order of God is changed, is manipulated, it is a profane fire. It is a profane fire. And you can't even imagine the problem it's causing in the church. Go and speak to brother Stephen Gashengold, and he will tell you about what's happening. He lives in Africa. These ministries are coming up like mushrooms. We don't know where they come from, who appointed them. We have no idea. They got married twice, three times, four times. And it comes and it says, God told me that. The influence of the world. It's a doctrine that started only some years ago. Did you ever ask yourself why? From the restoration of the church by Luther, it never existed. But just a few years ago, that we see the phenomena enter the church. May the Lord be able to restore, bring order and truth in the midst of his church. Another thing, and the last one, which is the influence of the world in the church. Which is spreading a bit everywhere. Not much here in Mauritius. But it's spreading quite fast. It's accepting homosexuality in the church. You might be surprised. But where does it come from? It didn't start in the church. No, no, no, no. It started outside. And it comes through the small window. And today, and many people today say, we must accept them. We must respect them, we love them. For sure, we have no problem with that. I won't be long on that subject. I will say one thing. That the only marriage that God approves is between a man and a woman. And it will never change as far as God is concerned. We can love them. We can respect them for who they are. But we cannot accept. To take root in the church of Jesus Christ. Have you noticed that it is in the church? But there's a change of attitude towards sin in the church. There's a change. In the years we are living, there's a change of attitude towards sin. Completely. We are about to accept anything. And we put it on the account of the love of God. And yet the word of God is clear in the epistle of Romans. That these guys, they sin against their own nature. It's against human nature. Against human nature. Also this is a profane fire. We are building new altars in the church. In the church in general. This is what brother Peter was saying this morning. How God wants to win our hearts. So that there will be more and more separation. Between the world and us. God is wanting a separation. Is it true or not? It's the truth. But on the other side, we are preaching a separation with the world. On the other side, we see the door of the church being opened. To compromise with the world and its system. These are things that did not even go through the mind of a Christian 40 years ago. But today, we have a tendency to accept. The love of God. The mercy of God. The goodness of God. But where is the truth of God? Where is the justice of God? Where is the judgment of God? Where is the separation of God? Where is it? Everything is good today. A little bit of yeast. Caused the whole lump to grow. A little bit of yeast. Paul didn't say much. He said a little bit of yeast caused the whole lump to rise. I believe that God has got the power to set free homosexuals and that they will become normal. And to have a type of being disgusted by something. A conviction of sin, something which is against nature. Not to feel sorry about themselves, but to be convicted in their hearts that this is a sin. And believe that God is able to set them free, that they will become a real man or a real woman. Whole. And the more we're going to accept, it's not faith. It's not faith in this big God that we are preaching. We're preaching a God that's not able. Because this is why we accommodate everything. Let's look at the carnal and emotional practices in the church. Strange behaviors. In the church. These strange and emotional behaviors in the church. There's all kinds of new moves that's coming. The Christians just shake for nothing. They're shaking. And you say to my brother, he stops. He stops shaking. I say, why are you shaking? He says, relax. You know why? You know why? He thinks that when he's shaking like this, it's the presence of the power of God. God can set somebody free, can throw him on the floor, can do anything. We don't have any problem with that. I'm not talking about this. I'm just talking of habits that Christians have in many churches where they develop that kind of habit and reaction. They throw themselves on the floor. They yell. They just swell. They do strange noises. Laughter. They can't stop laughing and they roll on the floor. This is how the Christians define the power of God. It's very dangerous because we can draw familiar spirits in the church. Familiar spirits. In the church. And we think it's the power of God. I think, brothers and sisters, you have no idea of what's happening in many churches today in the world. I pray that all those who listen to me may become aware that there's a great difference between the way they define the power of God and the real power of God. When the power of God is at work, it dwells, it stays. The change that it brings in you, it stays. The work of God is real in the heart of man. The miracle that God does can be seen. We can't describe the power of God like somebody shaking but coming out the same person. Every meeting, he shakes, he throws himself on the floor, he laughs, he yells. As if God is manifesting his power by drops. Every meeting, we must do something. Oh, Lord. Very often, these Christians are fed. They are not fed with the true gospel of Christ, with the true gospel of Jesus. They are told that this is the way that God manifests himself, so that to keep them and to attract them and to have their? Yeah. Got it. A church like us, for example, there's no power. In our church, we have no power. But when people hear the message of the cross of Jesus, even on a CD, they don't like it. And they say, that church has no power, I want to go to a church where there's power. And power for him is when he shakes. This is power. I'm asking myself. I'm asking myself, on a hundred who have that kind of reaction, how many are healed, are restored, are delivered, and are set free? You know what Paul says? Paul says, the power of God. Is the preaching of the cross, is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1, 18, 17, 18. The power of God manifests itself in the life of man. I'm somebody who believes, and I'm convicted about the power of the gospel. This is what Paul says. When the gospel is proclaimed, God is at work in hearts of men and women. That is the power of God. The gospel. The word of God. It's like a hammer that breaks a rock. It's a two-edged sword. It's alive and it's efficient. It's powerful. That is the power of God. God does vehicle. It's true. The person leaves, is going to say, this is what God did in my life. We've got nothing to say. Glory to God for that. Unfortunately, these are things that are happening in the churches. Practices. Bizarre. Strange. Emotional reactions. We must come back to the word of God. There's something today which is also very important, that we see a bit everywhere. I'm not saying a comeback, but I would say attachment to the law of the Old Covenant. Let me say something before you start thinking. I believe in the Old Covenant and in the New Covenant. I think that whatever is written in the Old Testament and in the New Testament is true. But I'm also convinced, according to the word of God, that there are two covenants that are completely different. And the one who clings to the law of the Old Covenant doesn't really have the revelation of what has been accomplished at the cross by Jesus Christ. Because if the revelation of what happened at the cross comes to our hearts, what happened in the spirit, not what the people saw with their eyes, but what happened in the spirit, this is what the church needs to see in the spirit. And everything is written in the word of God to enlighten us. It's very obvious. It's very common in churches to impose law on God's people. Maybe not all the law of the Old Covenant, but part of it. Without understanding, as I said earlier on, that the Old Covenant is only for the Jews. Is it working again? The Old Testament, the Old Covenant was only for Jews. Why do you want to become a Jew? When God is causing Jews to become Christians. God wants to set the Jews free of the Old Covenant. But us, when we are born again, we want to become Jews. Something's wrong. How do we do this? How do we become Jews? That this influence is entering the church. Many Christians. You see even Christians going back to the sacrifices of the Old Covenant. That's not right. Go under slavery again? When God says in Ephesians 2, verse 14-15 that the law was nailed to the cross. That we are no longer under that yoke. We are no longer under that yoke. In fact we've never been. Because we've never been a Jew. Christians have got a tendency to believe that everything that is in the Old Testament and everything that is in the New Testament everything is for us to do and live. Paul is very clear in Galatians chapter 3. He says we've been redeemed from the curse of the law. The law is a curse. Why? Because sin by law brings us to death. But when I come out from under the law sin has got no more power to kill me. Because as long as I will dwell under the law sin will bring me to death. But if I come out from under the law sin has got no ground to condemn me. Because this is why I cannot be condemned. And you cannot be condemned. And you are not under the curse. You are free. I am free. In Jesus. It's my favorite subject. Have you noticed it? If there's one thing I hate his law. But there's still some in me. I'm still a bit legalist. But I pray to the Lord that he delivers me completely from legalism. Amen. Amen. It's cool, isn't it? It's the same thing for tithing. Okay. Throw the arrows. The tithing is part of the Levitical law. Jewish law. But it's applied today in the churches because it's a very good source of income. And we ask the tithes, the people to pay the tithes and we preach faith for the harvest. There's always something somewhere. The minute I put myself under law I'm no more a free man. I am under an obligation, under pressure. But you see, I'm not under any obligation. Paul says in the Epistles of Romans that we have been set free from the law. Remove, it means remove from under that yoke. But it's a problem for many because tithing is a source of income. And we are not going to change that. But then, stay under law. Me, I come out, I get away from it. And I trust the Lord. And I see that when God is at work in the hearts of Christians he will bring them to love him more and what will follow the Christian will give more and more freely without any obligation. That is the pure doctrine of Christ. We're not going to spend time on this one. We move. We have to move. The control, the yoke of man, the obligations, the things that are forbidden in the church of Jesus Christ. Let me advise you from all my heart as you come out of the church you go to the counter go and buy the book. Christian, you are free. Go and buy that book. If you don't have money I give it to you as a gift. Because you want truth. Amen. Okay. Let's speak in a few words of certain practices. When I preach the gospel I like to preach for those who are in Madagascar, for those in Africa who are listening to us and for all those brothers and sisters that we love. That link, that ancestral link that many Christians have. Their culture. Their culture. Everything that comes from our culture or from our ancestors that has got a little spiritual taint to hit we must get rid of. Because it's not from God. Because it's not from God. I speak from my heart these things that we are attached to it's like we are serving two masters at the same time. They proclaim themselves as Christians but they are still linked to their ancestors that has got an element that's from the devil. And many have struggled to set them free completely from this connection. And we see in the church finally I'm in touch with many people I know what it can mean Madagascar it can mean Africa it's a huge problem in some countries where Christians are still linked they are in the church praising the Lord but at the same time they have that connection with these ancestral practices which are not free from the devil influence. Finally we serve we serve God at the same time we serve mammon. And many churches accept that compromise. It's okay it's a habit that he has it's okay. And we don't realize that it's much deeper than just a habit there's a spiritual connection there's a spiritual activity involved in that that's from the devil. We must get rid of that and put an end to it and serve Jesus and Jesus alone. Jesus and Jesus alone. And today Christians in churches need to be delivered to go through deliverance. They have a problem they need deliverance. They always need continually need to go through deliverance. I don't understand I don't see that in the Bible I see that the apostles and the disciples cast demons out from people who didn't know Jesus. Do you see that? Have you ever seen in the New Testament that the apostles would cast demons out of Christians? You won't see that. It doesn't exist. Because a Christian who is born again who has been delivered from the powers of darkness and translated into the kingdom of his dear son instead of bringing him on the road of the cross so he can allow God to touch the areas of his life by humbling himself to die a bit to his carnal desires that we will see it's better and easier to cast the demon out. And next week the week after the demon has come back. Suddenly that demon he comes and he goes. He's got a very bad habit. He goes and he comes back. That's incredible. I could never understand how could Christians believe that. I don't see Paul running left and right and casting demons out of Christians. But I see that Paul has a gospel that treats the heart of man who treats the desires of man his life and he had success. He was successful. What are we not going to invent in the church of Jesus Christ? Why don't we limit ourselves to the word of God and to see that the Christian doesn't need to be delivered from evil spirits? Let me tell you I'm well. And brothers it doesn't cause demons out of me every week. I'm fine. Sometimes I have my little angers but it's not an evil spirit of anger. Do we agree? Is everybody okay? Where is the solution? Where is the solution? Let me tell you why we need the solution. If you go on internet you will see that many Christians, pastors who can see that there is a problem in the church that even expose some doctrines they expose some go as far as exposing the servant of God himself. He doesn't expose only the false doctrine but he also exposes the man who teaches that. It's a good signal that the church starts realizing that there is a huge problem in the church. People start realizing even Christians who are here start to see and feel things that are not right that are happening in the church today. Some even men of God are starting to realize that this message of prosperity finally is not bearing much fruit. But it's not enough to become aware of something if it stops there. How will we go forward? It's not enough to see only that there are problems We need a solution to oppose these false doctrines and these false practices and at the same time to stop new ones to come in. It's somewhere in the air. There is a multiplication of false teachings in the church of Jesus Christ. We need a solution to stop the hemorrhage bugs to stop other bugs to penetrate the church and to stay in the simplicity of the gospel. Simple, simple. Love Jesus. Open our hearts. Walk with Him. Love Him. Serve Him. We need a solution to get that. Because it's not possible to continue to leave a gospel we can't carry on allowing a gospel that becomes a means for us to look for material things to look for our personal well-being of interest It's not bad as Christianity finally. Christianity Just to look for what's good for us to look for our interest not bad. What do you say? It's not a bad deal. It's not a bad deal we look for what's good To me it looks a lot like the religion I left behind me. I don't want to go back to what I in what I lived for 27 years. It's a truth to me that there's not much a desire in the church for lives to be changed for the Christian to reach to come to the image of Christ to give his life to die to his carnal desires to look more like Jesus There's no more that desire in many churches and that is very sad. I was there before I was not concerned by my life. For me the church was a place where Christians gathered and I would preach the gospel without worrying about my own life. For me ministry was preaching gather people the more people the more happy I was until the time the Lord started opening my eyes and caused me to understand that Christianity was much deeper than that and this is when I started to understand what ministry was all about when the message of the cross of Jesus Christ came to my heart I understood ministry in a new dimension I understood that I needed to lose my life to be a real and true servant of God something that I never tried for me was not important ministry was the preaching of the word that what I felt from God that I had the call of God in my life and that was it and I was not trying to become like Jesus even though I was a man who was full of myself of pride and selfish and many other things but the message of the cross saved me what do we see in the church today we see carnal desires coming to the surface at a great speed through messages of prosperity and faith through messages of prosperity and faith to get richer why does a Christian go to church today he goes to get a blessing he's going to go to find a new promise to add to his list I don't see that in the bible I see Christians that gathered and who had decided to lose their lives yeah that understood that coming to cross meant to lose the loss of one's life nothing counted for them if you read the book of the acts of the apostles you see that money had no importance for them they shared everything they had they were ready to be stripped it's not the same language of speech that we hear today it's not the same spirit that lives in the church today dwells in the church the church is still very far from the book of acts even though they proclaim that there is revival in the air the first part of the solution there's two parts the first part it's a comeback to the apostolic message a comeback to the teachings of Jesus and of the first apostles of the early church I call that message I call it that way the message of the cross this is the way I call it one day two young boys came to see me and they wanted to fight I was alone they asked me a question they told me you preach the message of the cross I don't see that sentence and that word in the bible message of the cross I said listen you want to play with words if you want to play with words you've won for me the message of the cross the way I see it the very revelation of Jesus and Jesus crucified I call that the message of the cross so that we would come back to our identification with Christ we come back to our identification to Christ in his sufferings in his death and in his resurrection and these three things are part of the cross his suffering his death and his resurrection and if we want to preach the message of the cross we will preach a return to an identification to Jesus in his sufferings in his death so we can reach life resurrection life I call that I name that the message of the cross it can be strange for some of you for me what I'm asking you is not to give importance to the way I call it that is not the problem that is not important what is important is what it contains it's what it projects what it brings in the heart of man this is what is important it's the world upside down it's the church upside down today because for many those who preach the message of the cross who preach a heresy it's the world upside down it's the church upside down most of the churches today don't want to hear that a Christian is called to suffer for Christ to lose his life for Christ to die to himself to his ambitions and his desires for me the message of the cross my first reference is the instructions of Jesus to his disciples he was not talking about apostles prophets, evangelists and pastors at that time he was talking to twelve men who were carnal and Jesus told them if you want to follow me if you want to be my disciples whoever wants to be a disciple may he deny himself may he deny what he is he takes his cross and he follows me Jesus wasn't talking to a pastor he was just talking of wanting to become a disciple what does the church does with that sentence and what Jesus said that is a fundamental message the true apostolic message what do we do what does the church do with this we've taken it and put it in a drawer and replace it by the doctrine of prosperity and faith to get richer this is what the church has done with the message of the cross of Jesus Christ in the depth of a drawer we don't want to hear that anymore we have ears that want to hear things that pleases us blessings, miracles and things that I've just said earlier on promises here and there but Jesus doesn't come to the church for a life he comes to the church to receive he doesn't come to the church to lose his life but he comes to the church to gain something that is religion Christianity is the contrary you come and you put your life on the altar as a living sacrifice as a living sacrifice pleasing unto the Lord. You lose your ambitions. You are ready to die to everything you are. You open your heart for God to work deeply in your heart. And you need to know that this work of God is not without suffering. It's not without your tears. It's not without suffering. When God is at work deep in your heart to break what He needs to break, it's painful. Today, the ministry is great fame. It's famous. We want to be a big man. Call me doctor. Call me bishop. Call me pastor. Call me big man, reverend. Call me something. I'm asking you. Where is identification to Christ? Where is your desire to become like Him, to transmit His life? You know, when we catch the gospel of Jesus Christ, many things become clear. You know why? Let me tell you why. Because when God breaks your heart, when He breaks you, you follow me? When God shapes man to His image, and that His life starts to be manifested in us, we have to recognize between bad and good. We are no longer people who look at the Bible as a letter. No! We become spiritual men who transmit the life of Christ. Paul was ready for anything so as to transmit the life of Christ. He speaks of this life. He speaks of that ministry of the Spirit. He sees it as a treasure in an earthen vessel. A treasure in an earthen vessel. And if you carry on reading the epistles of Paul to the Corinthians, you will see His life. What was His life in the same chapter, chapter 4? A broken man. Yeah. Accepting anything for one reason. You know why? It is epistles say, when death is at work in me, life is at work in you. And if a servant of God doesn't have life to transmit, he's got nothing to transmit and nothing to give. But if he wants to transmit life, he will have to die to himself. To accept what God needs to do in his life. Otherwise he will be a dry man, full of law, dead. Transmitting what? Death. Death. And that message of the cross of Jesus Christ when it's in my life, it becomes my message to my message, personal message. My message. You know why? Because it's my life that is at stake. I've got no life without a message. And I've got no message without a life. This is why this message becomes my message. And if you embrace it, and you are ready to live it, it becomes your message. Your life. We know. May the Lord enlighten us. You know what Apostle Paul says? To the one who can strengthen you by my gospel. Romans chapter 16. You know why? Because it was his life. You know what he says in the book of Romans? He says, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. In other words, listen carefully. The humiliation that accompanied his life. Paul was a man who was humbled by all. But he was not ashamed of being humbled. This is why if you don't have that revelation in your heart, you won't be able to follow. 2 Corinthians chapter 6. We're going to get there. I'm talking of a solution. This is why when that message came to my heart, I understood many things. I understood many things. I didn't need to sit on a pulpit at school to learn scripture. And to try to understand the gospel in my intelligence. But when I received the message, a little bit. Just a little bit. I've got so much more to learn and receive. But it has been the beginning. The beginning of all that God had planned for my life. This is why today, I'm not ashamed. The message of the cross, I'm not ashamed. Say what you want. Think what you want. I know what God has done in my life. And I've got the testimonies here of people, of couples, of young, of old, of kids that have been restored. Where was I? 6, verse 4. But in all things, we commend ourselves as ministers of God in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses. Let's jump to verse 8. By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true. As unknown and yet well known. As dying and behold, we live. As chastened and yet not killed. As sorrowful, but yet always rejoicing. As poor, yet making many rich. As having nothing, and yet possessing all things. What a beauty. He was not ashamed of what he was living. Forget those people who say that you only glorify God when you are rich. Lies. It's not how much you possess that glorifies God. It's what you are inside, and the fragrance that comes from your life, this is what glorifies the Lord. Paul says, I'm not ashamed of a gospel. It's my gospel. It's my life. It's what I'm teaching you. He was zealous to spread that gospel. He was zealous to defend that gospel. This is why we will defend that gospel to the end. May the people say what they want. That is not our problem. We are going to dwell in the truth of the gospel. That is the gospel. Paul says, there's two images in that. You've understood? There's an image of how people see him. And there's an image of how he feels he is. Considered as poor. But making many rich. By the life that comes out from me. They see me as somebody sad. By the way I am. For what people see. But I'm always full of joy. That is the spirit of the gospel. The rest is a spirit. And other spirit, but the spirit of the gospel. Changed. Are you ashamed? Are you ashamed? Some people are ashamed to come in this place. They are forbidden to come in this place. They are ashamed of what we are preaching. But one day. They will come and sit right here. Because the time will come. When they come at the end of themselves. May the Lord be glorified. Our life doesn't belong to us anymore. We deny our rights. We die to ourselves. C'est ça que nous expérimentons dans nos relations. Quand je vis avec les anciens tous les jours de ma vie. Ma femme, mes enfants. Le peuple de Dieu. C'est ça qu'on vit. On meurt. On se repent. On pardonne facilement. On relâche. We release. We let go. We don't have a red cross on anyone. On the contrary. It's a message that breaks our heart and gives us faith and patience for all. Because we know God has been patient towards us. It's very seldom preached in churches today. Where is that message of a sacrificed life, identification to Christ? The only message. Fundamental. That brings true Christianity as a reality. That's the only. That's the real only message that exposes true Christianity, reveals true Christianity. 1 Corinthians 2, chapter 2. Some people want to preach the gospel. With a demonstration of spirit and power. Without identification to Christ and without a death to himself so that the life of Christ be manifested. Paul says. Moi-même, j'ai été auprès de vous dans un état de faiblesse, de crainte et de tremblement. Et ma parole ne se reposait pas sur des discours persuasifs de la sagesse, mais sur une démonstration d'esprit et de puissance, afin que votre foi soit fondée non sur la sagesse des hommes, mais sur la puissance de Dieu. So that your faith would not be the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. You want life? Die. It's not enough to go and pray on the mountain. God has... If you want life, I'm not talking of eternal life and salvation, I'm talking about life. Of a life of the spirit, of the ministry of the spirit. If you want this, you need to die. Many will disappear. And those that God will use will be those who carry his life. You want his life? Die. Die. C'est pourquoi il y a la souffrance, il y a la mort, et puis il y a la résurrection. Quand l'Eglise retourne à ce message, de plus en plus, la prospérité va disparaître. Le message va disparaître. Notre adoration viendra d'un coeur brisé. C'est pas cette adoration qui, comment dirais-je, qui va un peu dans tous les sens, là où notre coeur n'est pas vraiment dedans, et on n'est pas brisé devant Dieu. Les messages seront remplis de la vie. L'Eglise va retrouver la repentance et le pardon. L'Eglise va retrouver la repentance et le pardon. Les chrétiens seront prêts à accepter l'oeuvre de Dieu dans leur vie. Ils deviendront forts pour affronter tout ce que Dieu met devant eux. Nous serons prêts à faire face à toute persécution, toutes les difficultés, toutes les épreuves, toutes les souffrances, toutes les afflictions. Et le dernier mot, Jésus sera honoré, glorifié. Il y aura de moins en moins de divorce dans l'Eglise. Oui, il y aura une unité dans l'Eglise de Jésus. Je termine en disant ceci. Si on veut de l'unité, il faut un retour au message de la croix de Jésus-Christ. Si on veut être débarrassé de toutes ces pratiques et de toutes ces choses-là, il faut un retour au message apostolique, le message de la croix de Jésus-Christ. Vous êtes d'accord avec ça, vous? Alléluia! Mettez-vous debout si vous êtes d'accord. Si vous n'êtes pas d'accord, vous restez assis.