Bearing The Crucified Life For Effective Preaching

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Telephone numbers 0703 03636 59 0703 76811 98. Email address lsmedia at livingseed.org or visit our website at www.livingseed.org. Let us sit back and listen as the servant of God brings forth the word of life. We are now going to look at bearing about the crucified life for effective preaching of Christ and him crucified.

You remember that the Lord Jesus said, If any of you wishes to be a follower of mine, or you want to come with me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, how? Daily, and follow me. Now generally when we have come to look at that instruction that Jesus gave and confronted every man that was to come with him with. We noted that when he said let him take up his cross daily.

In the context of that period, whenever you see anybody in the land of Israel that he has carried a cross, two things must have happened. The first thing that must have happened is that the entire community have decided and considered him as good for what? For death. And when they have determined that this man is no more fit to live, he must die.

And they decided that he must die the death by the cross. The first thing is that he must not die in their city. He must carry the cross until he gets outside the city.

So whenever anybody carry the cross, and as he is going, everybody that sees him, what is their conclusion? That this man actually is dead. If anybody had any business that he was doing with him, what does that man conclude about their business? That the business is dead. If the man made a promise that I am going to do something for you next week, and you suddenly met him on the road carrying the cross.

What has happened to the promise he has made you? You know that that promise is dead. Because this man, even though you see him walking up and down, once the cross is on his neck, he is already a dead man. Are you understanding? So when Jesus Christ had to bear the cross, and he was going, did you notice that even though he had not yet died, what were the women already doing? They were already crying.

They were already bewailing him as a dead man. Because to them, you don't carry the cross and leave. It was a clear understanding among all the children of Israel in those days.

Once we see the cross on a man, it is not for decoration. The cross on any man announces his death. Even if as he is carrying the cross, he has to carry it for 3 days, or he has to carry it for 4 days, or carry it for 5 days before he gets to the place where he will be finally crucified.

For all those days that he has started carrying the cross, what have the people concluded? He is dead. So when Jesus Christ let him take up his cross daily, what it means is that let him live a life that is already what? Dead. Dead to the world.

Dead to human opinion. And this, how must he do it? He must do it daily. So this morning, and this is what Jesus Christ was saying to those that would become his preachers.

This is what he was demanding for those that he was going to make his apostles. That all these apostles, they would be men who are already dead. Going about with the cross on their lives.

Everywhere bearing the cross. But you see when we use that, we now need to go to the epistles and have a clear picture of what that meant in terms of practicality of the crucified life. A life that is already brought to the cross.

Preaching Christ and him crucified. That's what remains for us to lay hold upon this morning as the Lord will be helping us. And for our meditation, so that we can take our bearing from scripture.

I would like us to take three passages again. We have read Galatians 2.20 which we are going to refer to over and over as we go ahead. I want us to look at Galatians chapter 6. Galatians 6 and then we will return to 2 Corinthians.

Now in Galatians chapter 6, I would like us to please read from verse 11 and up to verse 17. But there is nothing wrong if we read up to verse 18. So that you can add Amen to our reading.

Would that be alright? Yes. You see how large a letter I have written unto you with my own hand. As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised.

Only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised. That they may glory in your flesh.

But God forbid. But God forbid. That I should glory.

Save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom the world is crucified to me. And I unto the world.

For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision. But what a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them.

And upon the Israel of God. From henceforth, let no man trouble me. For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Now, let's go to 2 Corinthians. So that we can put all these passages in their perspective as we study together the word this morning. 2 Corinthians and chapter 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Therefore, from verse 1. I would like to read it as quickly as I can.

To verse 12. Therefore saying we have this ministry. As we have received mercy.

We faint not. But I renounce the hidden things of dishonesty. Not walking in craftiness.

Not handling the word of God deceitfully. But by manifestation of the truth. Commending ourselves to every man's conscience.

In the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid. It is hid to them that are lost.

In whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of them. Which believe not. Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ.

Who is the image of God. Should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves.

For we preach not ourselves. But Christ Jesus the Lord. And ourselves.

Your servants for Jesus sake. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness. Has shined in our hearts.

To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. In the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure.

In every verses. That the excellency of the power. May be of God.

And not of us. We are troubled on every side. Yet not distressed.

We are perplexed but not in despair. Persecuted but not forsaken. Cast down but not destroyed.

Now look at verse 10. Always. Always.

Bearing about in the body. The dying. Of the Lord Jesus.

That the life also. Of Jesus might be made manifest. In our body.

For we which live. Are always delivered unto death. For Jesus sake.

So that the life also of Jesus Christ. Might be made manifest. In our mortal flesh.

So then. Death walks in us. But life in you.

Praise the Lord. You know sometime when. We come to.

Look into the word of God in a very critical detail. You see some certain mysteries. That either because of lack of insight.

We may quickly brush. And try to say other things that we can quickly identify with. But as I continuously look at.

The life and ministry of this man that. Turned their world upside down. And as I look at the strength.

Of the utterance that God gave them. And as I look at the effectiveness. Of how they express Christ's life.

To the point that they laid a very strong foundation for the church. For the body of Christ. That has remained unshakable until today.

I am challenged. To search. Not for earth knowledge.

But for a personal experience. The question I kept asking Lord. What did you do to these brothers? What did they discover? That made their lives and their ministry so effective.

What is it that happened to their lives? That even when they just wrote one letter. Their letter was so blessed that for years and years and years. From generation to generation.

Hundreds of years, thousands of years. Their letter is still speaking. Especially when I have heard them say.

That it is not because of their qualification. Like I hear brother Paul saying. We cannot claim any sufficiency as coming from us.

Our sufficiency is from God. Who has made us able ministers of the new testament. What is it that God did to them? That caused their ministry to be that effective.

That they preach and you know. Can I tell you something more that challenged me? They did not have the bible complete like this. The only scripture that was available to them as at that time.

Was the old testament that they could read. How did they read the old testament and they preach Christ so accurately? That they would pick the book of Psalms. And all they saw is Christ and him crucified.

That they would pick the book of Deuteronomy or the book of Numbers. And all they would see is Christ and him crucified. And how did they pick all those books of the prophets? And with it they were able to give a very clear exposition of Christ and Christ crucified.

And they were not beating about the bush. I realized that it was not first about head knowledge. It was about the life that they have acquired in God.

I noticed that when Paul began to speak. And this is in keeping with what God did. Why the Levitical priesthood was not effective.

Why it was not productive in changing men. In dealing with people from their sin. Why every month, every week the same thing was done.

And people never found deliverance. As he was looking at it. He said that priesthood had to be discarded.

Even though it was inaugurated with much fanfare. For only one reason. He said for the weakness of it.

For the unprofitableness of it. It was because even the priest himself. He could not enter into the audience of all.

Because of a deficiency of his own life. But when Jesus came. Coming with the power of an endless life.

So I saw that look. What makes ministry effective. And which we have to settle down quickly with.

What makes ministry effective. Is not external to the preacher. Brothers please follow me very quickly.

Because this is the crux of where we cannot brush issues aside. That the effectiveness of any man's ministry. Is not external to the life of the minister.

The power of a man's ministry. Is not first external to him. It is first and foremost inherent in his life.

This is the reason why. No matter how much training. Training of our intellect.

Ability to have very very perfect academic knowledge. And organizational skills. Which in no case do I treat lightly.

But may I say that all of that put together. Does not bring about. An effective life changing ministry.

It would take the life. To touch life. It takes a heart.

To connect with hearts. It takes a broken man. To break man.

Hey am I communicating with you. And that. If we want to serve God effectively.

If by the grace of God as we leave this cleric this year. You are going to enter into a covenant and say God. I will give you no rest.

Until I see your glory breaking forth. In the work to which you have called me. If you do that.

The other way to put it. Will be oh God. I will not let you go.

Until you break my life. So that there can be a breakthrough in your church. I will not let you go.

Until you do something to my life. So that all the obstacles against your work in my hands. May dissolve.

I don't know whether God will give you grace. To pray such a prayer. I don't know whether God will give you courage.

To pray such a prayer. I know that. Very casually.

Whenever we talk about Jacob. You remember Jacob. Who.

In that night of wrestling with the angel. Said I will not let you go. Unless you do what? You bless me.

I know you quote it. And I know that. We love to make it.

A thematic focus of a message. I will not let you go. Unless you bless me.

But what you never remember. To note was that. The answer to that prayer.

Which God actually answered that day. What was the answer to that prayer? It was the breaking. It was the breaking.

It was the breaking of Jacob. It was a symbol of the crucified life. If you read your bible you will notice.

That when the man said I will not let you go unless you bless me. Immediately they removed his tie out of joint. You might think it was a dream.

But when he woke up. It was actually a permanent reality. Was it a permanent reality? That from that morning.

His tie actually was out of joint. He can no longer run. He can only lean.

He can only lean on the everlasting arm. From that day forward. Jacob became a broken man.

From that day forward. His two legs were no more straight. This is how he moved now.

And so God said yes. You are now a prince. Who is a prince of preachers? Is the man who has been crucified.

Who is broken. God uses broken things. To bless men.

And when. Jacob came out of that experience. The bible says something that was very very exciting to me.

What did the bible say? And the bible said and the sun. Rose upon him. And he called the place.

Because the sun rose upon him. I said. The sun of righteousness.

Will rise upon any man. Who has become what? Broken. If you see me emphasizing the crucified life brothers.

I want to say to you that. It is only the crucified life. That the sun of God's glory can beam upon.

It is only that man that is broken. That man that has come to the cross. And the cross has crushed.

His human nature. And his human strength. And his human intellectual capacity.

And anything that he could boast about. Have been brought to the place of death. It is upon that man.

That the sun. Will rise. Do you know that when Jacob came to that point.

And he became crippled so to say. That was when. He saw.

Who had been his arch enemy. For years. He didn't do anything against.

Having been broken by God. God was ready to break his enemies. And for you to know.

He saw what was coming with 400 armed men. Jacob when he had not yet come to this fainting experience. He was sending cartoons upon cartoons to go and bribe him.

To bribe his way through. When I look at the amount. Of cartoons.

Of animals. Of provisions. That Jacob was sending.

To appease Esau. I say wow. Those things were big enough.

To make Esau a dairy farmer. And unfortunately it will still not have secured breakthrough. For the man of God.

But broken at Peniel. Broken. You know the Bible reported that.

When Jacob came to Jabbok. Jabbok was that stream. That he crossed where God now.

Emptied him of himself. And the Bible scholars call Jabbok. The place of empty.

May the Lord empty you before you leave here. May you experience divine empty. So that you can experience.

A divine infilling. Of Christ's life. May God.

Empty me. That he might fill me. But the prayer is beyond that.

Which we are going to now begin to. Deliberately analyze. So that when we get to be alone with God.

The prayer this afternoon. Or this morning. Will be so definite because.

If you pray it. God will answer it. If you don't want.

Don't pray it. But I'm looking forward to people. Like myself.

Who will never be satisfied with anything less. Than the fullness of God. And whatever it will take for God.

To fill me with his fullness. What do I want to live for a day? I've left all to follow Jesus. How can I still be here? And I'm not getting his best.

That's why this morning. The matter of that. Crucified life.

That can bear. The shining light. To cause men to see the crucified Savior.

We become. The most crucial prayer that we're going to pray. Just to help you finish with.

How Jacob. Let me ask you. Those of you that have studied the Bible.

How long. Did they lean on that stick? From that. How long? Till he died for the rest.

Of his life. Brother. The crucified life.

May have a beginning. And an end. But it is an endless.

Continuous life. Until we get to heaven. Those who we matter.

In the purpose of God. It is this crucified life. That God has been waiting for.

And it is this kind of life. That God. Is longing.

To carry and to project. For his ministry on earth. Brothers.

Sisters. May God. Bring you into this experience.

And keep you at it. For the rest of your life. In the name of Jesus Christ.

Do you now know that from that. Peniel. Everything else that Jacob was going to do.

From that chapter. To the extent that his children. The Bible said.

Until today. They never ate. The marrow.

Of the socket of the sinew. Because. Their father's hip.

Was taken out of socket. It was as if. What happened to him.

Became a standard rule. For the rest of his family. How I pray.

That you are coming to cleric this year. We leave an indelible mark. In your life.

That from now. Till you retire. Till you get to heaven.

You will never recover from this life again. In the name of Jesus. Because it is this life.

The kind that brother Paul acquired. That he said. I am crucified with Christ.

Nevertheless I live. Yet not I. But Christ that lives in me. And do you know that till he died.

That was the life. When he was finishing. The Galatians said.

Nobody should trouble me again. There is nothing with which. I am going to glory now.

Except the cross. By which. I am crucified unto the world.

Can you see a brother. Who for the rest of his years. The world has no hold.

Over him anymore. The world system. Can no longer.

Have any hold on him. He was crucified. And he said actually.

And the world also. Has been crucified to me. And none of you should worry me.

Because you can see. On my face. The mark.

Of Jesus. That's what he did. Until he finished his ministry.

Gloriously. So this morning. Permit me to.

Look very intently with you. How must he abound. In our own lives.

So that. Your pulpit. The man that will be going on pulpit.

From this meeting. Will no longer be the man. That you brought here.

What has happened to that man you brought here. Crucified. Crucified.

Maybe there are issues. You were struggling with. Before you came here.

And you are saying. Let me just go to Boko. When I come back.

I will deal with that. Sorry. Sorry.

Sorry. Boko has become Jabbok. Where your strength has been emptied.

Where the old man has been brought down. And has been confronted. With the cross.

And people say. You know I imagine how. That following morning.

When Jacob was doing like this. Was that how it was. Yesterday.

What do you think was the first question. That his children asked him. Baba what happened? What happened to you sir? Did you have accident in the night? You were the one that sent us all to sleep yesterday.

And you were. Hail and hearty. And we know you to be a strong man.

That can run with your two legs. Baba what happened over the night? Can you imagine how he opened his mouth. And he said my children.

The greatest battle of my life. Ended yesterday night. What made me Jacob? That I have been all my years.

A supplanter that I have been. My children. It ended yesterday.

In fact. The battle continued. Until early this morning.

When the man who came to wrestle with me. Saw that the day now breaketh. He said let me leave you.

Because I am going. I said you cannot leave me until you bless me. This is the blessing.

My children. I will never be able to walk straight again. The Jacob your father.

Was conquered. Scattered. And finished.

Yesterday night. He has given me a new name. A name which you will soon know eventually.

I am no more Jacob. I am Israel. But you will not know.

You may not know how to call me like that. You will see it. His wives came.

Darling Jacob. What happened to you yesterday night sir? For the first time. Jacob began.

He said I never told you people. That my senior brother. Esau.

Is the man that we are. That I have been struggling with. I cheated him.

I collected. His birthright. As you see me here.

I Jacobed him. You see my father. My father Isaac.

Which some of you have not yet met. I am praying that we will meet him before he died. I Jacobed him.

The day my father was to bless me. I deceived him. I have been a Jacob for long.

In fact my credential. The one that I gained admission with. I Jacobed it.

You see when God. Brings a man to the place. Of crucifixion.

All the issues you have been hiding. You can't hide it again. Did you gain admission? You are a man.

Into the college of theology. With a fake result. And you are being a minister.

On fake results. When. He came to Jamuk.

And they say what is your name? Tell us who you are. Jacob said. I am Jacob.

I am Jacob. Even my credential with my father. Was forged.

Up to tomorrow. My father thought. I was Esau.

I wore a skin. Because I know my father is very meticulous. He was going to check.

My brother is airy. I am smooth skin. I wore a skin.

From here to here. From here to here. So that my father if he say.

Make a check. He will see. As if I am Esau.

I took my brother's garment. So that I can smell like him. So the blessing my father placed on me.

Was based. On what? On Jacobian values. I was Jacob.

Leah. Leah. I am sorry.

I subjected you to serious torture. I was Jacob. You know why? Even though I knew.

That it was really cheap. I want to marry. When I saw your father.

Insisting that they have to follow protocol. That the first has to marry first. And you know me.

I am always wanting the second to come first. That is my Jacob life. I decided that yes.

They don't know Jacob. So that night. I decided that even though you are the one.

That should be the first. I prefer the second. Since then.

I have troubled you. Have I ever named any of your children? Because. I made you a permanent reject.

In my heart. But God. Who is greater than me.

Decided that it was you. That will be blessed. Not Rachel.

God decided. If it were me. I didn't want to give you a baby.

Until Rachel the second. Will become first. Unfortunately look at me now.

The first ten children. Did not come from her. I am sorry.

It was Jacob that did that. But today. I went.

I thought I was sleeping normally. When the almighty God came. With that dagger.

To deal with me. Leah. I'm sorry.

Rachel. Do I love you? With Jacobian love. I am afraid.

I'm not cursing you. But you are second. And from today you will be secondary.

We have to say things in order. Jacob died. I don't know whether.

You even have a portion. In the land of promise. But I'm praying that God may include you.

I don't know. Rachel. All the idols you stole from your father.

Now that it is no more Jacob. We can't go with it. You have to submit this thing now.

So that we can bury it here. Daddy. Whether Leah was weeping.

Or Rachel was crying. And all the house guests. That brother Jacob went and was sleeping with.

All of them say. So he announced to them. He says.

All of you. Come behind me. Let me go and face my issue.

If you please God to have mercy on me. It's okay. But today I have to face my reality.

Do you remember they said. He bowed himself. How many times? Seven solid times.

Before he would get to Israel. He began to say. May my life be precious in your sight.

May you please have mercy on me. Jacob the supplanter. He has not been broken.

But only a broken man. Will enter the promises. Only the crucified life.

Can bear the life. That will touch other lives. From that days on.

I saw a crucified life. Do you know that from that time. When his children misbehave.

They learnt bad behaviour from him. Are you hearing me? Simeon and Levi. They were wicked.

Because they learnt it from their father. Reuben became wayward. He slept with his father's wife.

Because of the kind of lifestyle he saw. But their father has now changed. The day he was going to die.

The bible said. He was living on the staff. And pronouncing the blessing.

Do you know that what he said. Was eternal prophecy. Over the people.

Am I correct? That's a man. That God has conquered. Sir.

If God is able to prevail over you. In this cleric. Whatever number of years remain for you.

In the ministry. It will be outstanding. It will bring indelible revival.

Mark it. You will go back and people will say. Sir.

Your message has changed. Your life has changed. Your authority has become stronger.

And yet we saw you weaker. What kind of paradox. Is this? The crucified life.

Is usually a paradox. Because out of your weakness. My power.

Is what. Is made perfect. Just before.

They will now get back to Bethel. Because it was at Bethel. God had wanted to do a work.

But Jacobian life will not allow it. Because they now go back to that Bethel. But before you get to Bethel.

Every wrong thing in your household. Must go. Can I tell you they did many things.

They removed. All the earrings. They removed all the idols.

Are you hearing me? They buried all of that under an oak. But it remained one to be buried. Which one? Richard.

Richard. The chief idol of Jacob's life. That night when.

Richard was. In labor. To bring out this baby.

And she was about to give up the ghosts. She cried out. The child of my sorrow.

Benoni. And she was buried. But Jacob said.

This boy is not. Is not Benoni. This boy is not the boy of sorrow.

Is a symbol. Of a blessing. How do you say blessing? When the mother died.

How do you say blessing? When the father is crippled. How do you call that blessing? When what kept him. In a strange land for 21 years.

Could not be shown to his father. The father said. I was surprised that you stayed long.

It took me only three days. For them to find a wife for me. When he was staying staying staying staying for 20 years.

We were wondering what kind of marriage. Where is the woman? That took you 14 years to marry. Where is she? And the reason why.

He had to stay. For another seven years after that. Was that Richard said.

How can I go when I have no child yet? Did you hear me? Isaac said. So my son. Where is the wife? That kept you.

For 20 years. Ruming about. He said.

I'm sorry to inform you son. I buried her. At F Rata.

Just before we will enter here. She died. She is not supposed to enter.

The promises. That's the final mistake of my life. That God corrected son.

I hope you know that it was only Leah. That was buried. In the family Sepulchre.

Am I right? Brothers. I want to pray this morning. That something will end from this meeting.

Something that has kept you struggling in ministry for 20 years. The call of God is on my life. Is on your life.

But it never became reality. Because of that life. That is not broken.

But I want to tell you. Some of you. You are nearing retirement.

And you have struggled all years. And you are saying. Why is it that I'm hearing this now? Never worry.

Even two years to retirement. God. Can unright.

All the wrong things. Hallelujah. God can do something.

That will put a cap. On all your years of labor. And they say.

He ended well. You will end well. You will finish strong.

I thank God that Jacob finished strong. I thank God. That God today will say.

I'm the God of Abraham. The God of Isaac. And the God of Jacob.

So brother Paul. Now raise a very critical issue. Of how.

This crucified life. Must be carried. In order to preach.

Him crucified. Praise the Lord. Now.

And that's what you find. Very carefully. Packaged.

In that second Corinthians chapter four. Will you please look at second Corinthians four. I will not.

Want to start from verse one verse two. And all of that. I wish.

God has dealt with that. That now there's no need for hypocrisy. There's no need for deceit.

There's no need for dishonesty. We need something now. You don't go back on your pooping.

And just be talking. Dishonesty. That doesn't pay me and you.

We have come to a place. Where God is saying. You have received mercy.

And I'm giving you a ministry. All hidden things. Let it be buried.

He now began to say. If our gospel is hid. It is only here to them.

That are lost. In whom the God of this world. Has blinded the minds.

Of them which believe not. Lest the light of the glorious gospel. Of Christ.

Who is the image of God. Should shine onto them. Let me ask you.

Why did they have that confidence? Did you see that he was making. A confident declaration. What is it said? If our gospel is hid.

If there's anybody. In this congregation. That we say.

He did not see the light. Of what we have been preaching. It is only because.

Maybe he has. He is lost. Under the God of this world.

That decided to blind him not to see. Authority of lightness. If I preach and you say.

You are not seeing. It means the devil. Close your eyes.

Otherwise. For we preach not. Ourselves.

Did you see him say? For we preach not. Ourselves. But Christ Jesus the Lord.

And ourselves. Your servants. For Jesus sake.

Now I want you to see. Because I'm building this gradually. He said.

For God. Who commanded the light to shine. Out of darkness.

Has done what? Has shined. In our hearts. To give the light.

Of the knowledge. Of the glory of God. In the face.

Of Jesus Christ. I want you to catch something. Because.

The passage looks complicated. But it's a very critical passage. He said God.

Who in the beginning said. Let there be light. You remember when God said that.

And the light came. And darkness could not comprehend it. But that same God.

What has he decided to do now? He has decided to shine. He has shined. In our.

In our hearts. Can you see a man. Who is saying actually as you see us.

It is God. Who is shining his light. Where? In our hearts.

To give. To give. The light.

Of the knowledge. Of the glory of God. In the face of Jesus Christ.

You know when. Read the scripture before when we say. Arise.

And shine. For your light has come. And the glory of the Lord has done what? Has risen upon you.

If you take that Isaiah 60. And you read verse 1, verse 2, verse 3. You will be surprised that. Actually.

It is because. The glory of the Lord. God himself.

Has come to shine. In us. When a man is broken.

And the life of the flesh. Has been evacuated. As the cross walks.

The light. Rose upon him. The light of God's glory.

Shines upon him. The light. The sun of righteousness.

Rises. Upon him. I am trusting God.

Maybe what I am saying may look. Quite abstract. But I am so sure of it.

That the light will rise upon you. That the sun of righteousness. Will rise on you.

God will put a spotlight. Upon you. Oh my God.

Just mark it to. In your dowses. In your.

Regional church council meeting. In that area where God has placed you. You might appear like a very junior pastor.

But because of this experience. The sun will rise upon you. The light of God's glory.

Will beam on your head. You see when Jesus Christ. Came to that baptism.

Which. Even John the Baptist said no, no, no. It's not for people like you.

God said no, no, no. It must happen. As he was being baptized.

And as he rose out of baptism. The Bible said heavens. Were open to him.

For Jacob they say. Except the sun rose upon him. Malachi said.

And the sun of righteousness. Will rise for them. When heaven begins to shine.

His light upon you. Imagine that. Imagine that.

Everybody is moving about. In the dark. And suddenly your own life began to glister.

And there's light shining. Where will everybody be going? They will be going to where there's light. It's not poster that will draw men to you.

It is that light. Shining. Shining.

You will come to the pulpit. It's not that you are saying anything that is extraordinary. But suddenly.

A light. Be me. Will begin to shine.

And hearts of men will be melting. And you yourself say. What did I say? What is making these people come under conviction? Why are they melting? It's because you.

Have melted before. You. Have been broken before.

Why would Esau. Who came with 400 soldier men to fight. Why? Did this suddenly become a friend? All that Jacob brought to give him.

He told him say my brother. Keep it to yourself. And I would like to become your escort.

All these soldier men. Let them now begin to escort you. Jacob said Baba.

Thank you but you know. These are. These children are small.

And the cattles are not strong. Just go ahead. I will be coming small small.

So that we can move in the pace. That these children can move. Otherwise.

Esau was going to become. The Magat. When the way of a man pleases the Lord.

May God break you from here. Because it is your own brokenness. That will break all your barriers.

When God wants to break your barrier. It is not diggers. That he will be using to dig all those things.

It is you. That he will break. When he breaks you.

You can be sure. All obstacles are broken. All those who are standing and saying.

We will see how you will make it. They are broken. Honestly speaking.

Some of you. You will send me testimonies home. Because by the time you are getting back.

The man in your PCC. That is standing and saying. We will see what he will do.

By the time you get back. Are you hearing me? Because something happened to you here. You will see the man say.

Well. Sir. I just came to welcome you.

I was your journey to Boko. Concerning the issue. I don't know.

God has taught me that. I should come and apologize. You will send me testimonies home.

Because. The son. Will rise upon you.

You know why I needed to note this. You can preach Christ. And preach him effectively.

If light. Is not shining. To reflect his face.

To the people. You see preaching Christ. To bring effective conviction.

And conversion. Is not about shouting. Is not about loud speaker.

Is not about dressing. There must be a light shining. To give the knowledge.

Of the glory of God. In the face of Jesus. That you are reading scripture.

Before you even start your preaching. A light is hitting the face. The heart of people.

And they started saying Jesus. You know I'm designing God. I want to do something.

Much more in my life. I have found out that this crucified life. Is the life I'm going to live till I die.

Is this light that I will carry to heaven. By the grace of God. And I've come now to discover.

That that is the kind of life. That can bring effective ministry. To the body of Christ.

I have seen a little glimpse of it. I have seen what. If God deals with a man.

What God can do with him. I have seen a glimpse of it. But you know as I'm praying.

God say. What you have seen is only a glimpse. There is much more.

If you will press on with this life. I have seen a glimpse of it. I can testify to you that this life works.

But today. There is no time to be giving such testimonies. It's only sufficient for me to say that this life works.

And I recommend it to you. Don't leave yourself. That's what they say in Boko.

Let's face another reality. Honestly speaking. When I hear you say that.

I know that you are not serious. I know you don't want to go far. I know you are like those kind of guys that say.

Digging broken systems. Living the world of living water. So Paul said.

But we have this treasure. Where? In an earthen vessels. So that the excellency.

Of the power. Might not be. May be of God.

And not of us. Why does God need a crucified life? So that. The excellency of the power.

That will be breaking forth. Are you hearing me? Might not be credited to any of us. But to God.

Flesh. Must not share the glory. You know the first Corinthians chapter 1. That we read the first night.

I end and say. For flesh. Must not glory.

In his presence. The crucified life. Is that life.

Where God can freely manifest himself. And no one. Will share the glory.

The emptied life. Void of the flesh. Crucified.

And bearing about the death of Jesus. Is the life in which God. Will freely walk.

And no one. Will mistake anything. As to share the glory with God.

Me. I just know that. When we're about to finish this morning.

I will kneel down and pray for you. That this. Will become your experience.

And believe in God. That you're coming to cleric this year. We mark.

The end of a struggle. And the release. Of that life of God.

That can bring. Results. And effective ministry.

As you go from here. In the name of Jesus Christ. Now.

Permit me to now show you. The scripture. And then we finish.

We are troubled on every side. Yet not distressed. We are perplexed.

But not in despair. We are persecuted. But not forsaking.

We are cast down. But not destroyed. These are all the paradox.

Of the crucified life. These are the kind of things. That those who don't understand.

That God uses all of this. Only to create. How do I call it? Crevices.

You know when you want to. When you want to pray. You perforate.

So that. The. The aroma.

Should come out. What do you do? You break here. You break here.

You break here until you finally. All of that. These are great men of God.

That God was. Keeping. To carry his own treasure.

In a netting vessel. So. They were subject to persecutions.

They were misunderstood. They were perplexed. Whatever anybody said about them.

Now. Let's read the conclusion of that. In verse 10.

Verse 11. Verse 12. What do you see there? Please.

I want someone. To read. Verse 10.

Now. NIV. New King James.

Let's try. ESV. Yes.

NIV. NIV. We always carry around in our body.

We are not hearing you again. We always carry around in our body. The.

Ah. The death of Jesus. What happened? What happened? You were afraid to read it.

Now read it now. Read it well. We always carry around.

In our body. Yes. The death of Jesus.

So that the life of Jesus. May also be revealed in our body. Wait.

We always carry around. In our body. In our body.

In your body. You carry around. Once a week.

Once a week. What did he say? Always. In our body.

In order that. The life of Jesus also. Might be what? Might be revealed.

Auntie please repeat it again. NIV is what you have read. So that the life of Jesus.

May also be revealed in our body. Now look at the word. So that.

So you see when he said. Let him deny himself. Take up his cross daily.

What is that cross? What is the cross? The death. We carry around. Always in our mortal body.

The death of Jesus. So that. The life of Jesus.

Also. May be revealed. In our mortal body.

Thank you. Where is ESV? ESV. Yes sir.

Please repeat it for us. Always carrying in the body. The death of Jesus.

The death of Jesus. So that the life of Jesus. May also be manifested in our bodies.

Now you see. This is a scripture that. You say what does that mean? That's what it means.

That it is as we bear about. As we carry around. The death.

That happened on the cross. As we bear that about in our own body. That's how.

The life of Jesus. The resurrected life of Christ. Will be made manifest.

Also where? In heaven. I'm not hearing you. Where? Here.

That's the matter. Where is good news? Did good news put verse 10 differently? At all times. In our mortal bodies.

Start again. At all times. At all times.

We carry in our mortal bodies. The death of Jesus. Yes.

So that his life also may be seen in our bodies. So that his life. Also.

May be seen. In our bodies. The crucified life.

Bearing about. The death of Jesus. In our body.

So that. The life of Jesus. May be seen.

Also. In our body. Thank you brother.

Is there any other version? Amplified. Always. Carrying about in the body.

The liability. And the exposure. To same putting.

To death. That the Lord Jesus suffered. So that his resurrection life.

Of Jesus. Also may be shown forth. By.

And in. Our bodies. Did you hear that? The liability.

And the exposure. To the same putting. To death.

That the Lord Jesus suffered. So that. The resurrection life.

Of Jesus also. May be shown forth. By.

And in our bodies. Thank you, brother trustee. That the Holy Spirit.

Will gives increase to his word. Will give increase to this instruction. I pray.

That as you are going from here. You will just keep knowing. That the man I carried come to Goku.

What has happened to that man? Is dead. crucified. I have been crucified with Christ.

Paul went about with that understanding. Then nevertheless I live. And every opportunity now that's the next thing I want to read in verse 11 before we read verse 2. In verse 11 look at how he said for we for we who live are always did you see the Bible delivered unto death for Jesus' sake so that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

How did NIV put that verse 11 auntie? NIV verse 11. For we who are alive. Those of us who are alive.

Are always being given over to death. We are always being given over to death. For Jesus' sake.

For Jesus' sake. So that this life may also be revealed in our mortal body. Oh my god did you understand Baba? That for the life of Jesus the resurrected life of Jesus to be made manifest in our mortal body as we are going about.

God himself is handing us over. We have been given over to every instrument that bring about the death. Because what God is looking for.

May I tell you now. Who is the minister that God is looking for? He's a minister of life. Am I right? How can life be released in me to touch me? This is the way.

How can life particularly Christ's life. How can I be a minister that every time I open my mouth I'm pushing out Christ's life. The only way is that this death must be walking.

This daily cross is at work. At work. At work.

At work. No space for the human nature to interfere. Somebody will say pastor are you not using your common sense again? Can't you defend yourself? Did they make you a don't do when you went to Boko? He said no.

It's just that death has occurred. The man that used to argue is no more here. The only life that I'm waiting to speak now is whose life? Christ's life.

Christ's life. Some people may think it is weakness. Others may imagine that you have now become more stupid.

But no no no no. You have only begun to experience death. So that his resurrection life can be made how? Manifests.

Those of us who are alive are always handed over to death. Given over to death. So that the life of Jesus may be also manifested in our mortal flesh.

That's NIV isn't it? How will you help us read that again? From ESV? Yes. Yes. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus sake.

Yes sir. So that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. Amen.

Where's the contemporary English? We face death every day. We face death every day. Because of Jesus.

Our bodies show what his death was like. So that his life can also be seen in us. Will you pray that this that brother Paul is describing will become your experience? So that the death of Jesus be made you know conformable in our own life.

Might also make it possible for his resurrection life to be made manifest in us. So that when we stand up to minister, we become the minister of life unto life. We become men that are speaking but each time we speak what comes out is Christ's life.

Permit me to conclude this discussion in verse 12. So then, did you know what works in us? And what? Life. Life.

So if I'm going to be a man who minister life to people, what must be working in me? Death must be working. Every time you put aside the death which the cross symbolizes. What have you done to? You have shut circuit life.

You shut up the life. So what kind of minister is God not looking for? A man who bears death. Who say, I have been crucified with Christ.

Nevertheless as you see me now, I live but it's not me. But Christ who lives in me. And this life I now carry, I live it by the faith, by complete reliance and total adherence unto Jesus who died and rose again for me.

This morning, these brothers, so when Baba Okafor was leading us to look at the dedication of Paul and his aspirations, and that man said that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, that I may share in the fellowship of his suffering, be made conformable to his death. I said, this man saw a mystery. Which majority of our own time, nobody will preach this to us, am I right? Everywhere you went they told you about promotion.

They told you about seven steps to breakthrough. We clapped for motivational speakers. Who only aroused our natural emotion and spoke only to pump our ego and left us deflated.

We're going to cry to God with that song again. Jesus, keep me near the cross. That's where the fountain of life flows.

That's where the power of his resurrection that subdues sinners and calls men to repentance, that's where it comes from. And if I want to tell you, if anybody was to prosper in God's work, genuine prosperity, that is where it comes from. And if anyone is to walk in boldness, and no man is able to withstand him, that's the man who has already died to death.

You don't threaten him with death again? He died to sin, he died to fame, he died even to success. He only lives to please God. Those are the people.

So Paul said, I determined to know nothing among you. I determined to talk about nothing. Because there's nothing to talk about apart from what Jesus Christ did at Calvary.

That's where the reality began. And for me, that's where to take my bearing from. We will take that song and I will beg you as we go to be alone with God.

You're being alone with God this morning, don't play with it. Just say God. This meeting is gradually bringing us to a conclusion.

The rest of the day we will only be now dealing with what we shall rise up to go and do. And by the grace of God, I wish you will let this alone with God be your covenant time to say God. What you did to Jacob, that changed him permanently.

Permanently. He became the Israel of God. And he was able to accomplish what he was born to accomplish, even though he wasted many years.

Somebody will be saying, oh God, even though many years are behind me, from this meeting, what you did to Jacob, what you did to Paul, what you did to this man when you evacuated them of their self. And they began to go with the mark of Christ to eat on me. And let me see what we do with the rest of my life.

Let me see what kind of ministry we break forth from my life from now. Lord, go ahead and do it. And because it has to be a personal decision, I will just lead you for us to sing that song.

And then I will leave you to go and be alone with God and say, God, this afternoon, that thing which I brought here, buried here. That struggle that I struggled for years, finished here, Lord. Whether you are rising to go back either to Gombe in the Northeast, or you are going back to Ogun State.

The crucified life, bearing the crucified Savior, and preaching him crucified to man. Lord, let it be so. Rise with me.

In a cross, Lord Jesus. In a cross. In a cross.

Be my glory. Be my glory. Heaven, see my righteous soul shall find rest, rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul, a mercy finding death. Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit. Peace, peace, Allah.

In the cross. In the cross. In the cross.

Be my glory. We take stanza three only once and that will be the end for us to sing as we now pray together. Near the cross, Lamb of God, bring his sins before me We walk from day to day with his shadow beaming O Lord Jesus, have your way with us this morning Have your way O God, have your way Lord Jesus Where are those people that are saying, O God, I will not let you go unless you bless me Those who are desperate and say the sun of righteousness must rise upon me The spotlight of heaven must come upon my life I can't go on struggling anymore I can't struggle anymore This day O God, as you end Jacob in Jacob As you terminate Jacob in Jacob And you lead Lillian upon herself Until you finish his life and finish his ministry Until he came to the end of his journey Lord we are here this morning, have mercy upon us Have mercy upon us Whatever it will be O God Whatever must finish, let it finish this afternoon O God, O God, this afternoon we are asking A deep work of grace must take place What a man cannot do for us For 27 years that man struggled And he was going home almost with nothing Until you came to him, come to us Lord Come to us this afternoon Do what a man cannot do in our hearts We bow before you O God As husbands, as wives, as ministers We cry to you this morning O God What is that has stood as obstacle before us Because you have not broken through us Break us Lord Break us this afternoon O God, this morning I am asking that this matter will begin From now and you carry us on Lord Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit All the secret things Jacob kept the secret for years His wives never knew His children didn't know They didn't know what he had kept for years But at Pena He was emptied and he became a new man And the sun rose upon him May your sun rise upon us May you do a new thing with our lives from this afternoon Thank you Father In the name of Jesus Please lift those two hands to God as we cry to him In the cross, in the cross Oh God, oh God from this morning Oh God, oh God Till I see you in glory Till I see you in glory Lord Rest me on the grave In the cross, in the cross Our Lord Jesus Even things that were hidden to men We lay it down We lay it down before you this morning oh God Have mercy upon us Father Jacob came to the end of his efforts and struggles Everything he knew how to do he has tried He was ready to part with all resources but he did not solve the problem Until you came that day But once you came it was a permanent life change It was evident Nobody can forget it Himself could never forget it because it was complete, it was total Lord we are asking this morning That which will be real That which will be permanent That which will be for the rest of our years Do it in the name of Jesus Empty us So that you can fill us with yourself Empty this jar We have been filled with rubbish We have been filled with ourselves We have been filled with our own inventions Empty us of it in the name of Jesus Christ And let the sun The sun of righteousness Let it rise upon us Let the sun of your glory rise upon this life Let the spotlight of heaven begin to shine Let it set us apart among men Dominion in darkness Let the light of your glory rise upon us He said Gentiles, kings they will come to you in the light of your rising Father this afternoon this morning Do something that will be clear Indelible In the name of Jesus Christ Whatever restitution That Jacob did People that didn't know how he had been struggling with himself Whatever you need to take away All that must be buried under this oak Let it be buried in the name of Jesus Christ Let today O God, taint, taint of me Let it stand as a day of a fresh covenant That this crucified life breaking forth from here It shall never quench again It will grow from strength to strength From glory to glory As we bear from here even the death of Jesus So that his glorious life Might be revealed In our body That as we go about men will see Jesus When we open our mouth it is Jesus they will hear When we push out a message it will be his life that is going out Those who have not been broken for years because you have broken us now We will see brokenness in our meetings In our congregations In the name of Jesus Lord unto you is able to do beyond what a man could imagine or think The way bow We bow our knees this morning And we ask O God For many years we have been doing everything And look some of us we are nearing retirement Some of us we are no more as young as we used to be And we wonder when we will enter our rest This morning father In your determinate cancer Cause this life to bring us into that inheritance In the name of Jesus Christ Let the next days and months and weeks and years of our life Let it become a capstone Upon all We didn't know it would end like this See it has ended strong It was almost a drop out in the ministry But see what has happened to him Lord make us a testimony in our generation in the name of Jesus Christ Thank you for hearing us All that must be buried under this oak Shall be buried We are not going home with any of it Even the Rachel's That have been the idol That never allow us to speak of it Under this oak Let them be buried in the name of Jesus Have your way father In Jesus name we have prayed Amen