Godliness: God’s Condition For Greatness! By Bishop David Oyedepo
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Topic – Godliness: God’s Condition For Greatness!
Welcome to another exciting week! I hope you were blessed by last week teaching. Today, we shall focus on: Godliness: God’s Condition for Greatness!
We understand from scriptures that godliness is one condition that must be met before sustainable and ever-growing greatness can be attained. Our lives can never blossom beyond God’s rating of our godliness. At the root of Job’s greatness was godliness. Concerning him it is written, And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? (Job 1:8). He was an upright businessman and God testified to that. Even his wife testified to it (Job 2:9). The greatness of Paul was anchored on grace. He said, …I am what I am by the grace of God… (1 Corinthians 15:10). It is grace that makes great and the Bible says, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:1-2). Wherever sin thrives, grace is disconnected. That means if you don’t quit sin, it will stop our greatness. Anyone can fail in God’s grace. Scripture says, Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears (Hebrews 12:15-17). That means we can drop off the flow of His grace, and it is a disconnection from His grace that results in disgrace. However, one of our greatest battles in this world is against the spirit of the world. It is written, Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God (1 Corinthians 2:12). The spirit of the world is the engine room for worldliness and worldliness is the exact opposite of godliness. You cannot be worldly and godly at the same time; it is like darkness and light (1 John 2:15-17).
So, we must overcome the spirit of the world in order to abide in God forever. This spirit operates through three main channels:
- The lust of the eyes: Wanting everything at any cost.
- The lust of the flesh: Sexual perversion of all kinds.
- The pride of life: A destroyer of destiny —for pride goeth before destruction (Proverbs 16:18; 1 Corinthians 3:17).
Bible Characters that failed in God’s Grace
- Achan: He was caught with the goodly Babylonian garment and a wedge of gold. Though he confessed and repented, it was late (Joshua 7:20-21, 25).
- Judas: This man already had his name written in the book of life but satan got him (Luke 22:3). In Matthew 27:3-5, he repented but it was too late.
- Solomon: He loved God so much that God came from heaven to respond to him (1 Kings 3:3-5). But in 1 Kings 11:1, …Solomon loved many strange women. It takes some demonic influence to have 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:1-4). Solomon ended his journey in vanity.
- Samson: Samson was a one-man winning army, but when he went after Delilah he ended up in horror and his eyes were plucked out (Judges 16:1-31). He then became a toy in the hands of the people he had once conquered.
Also Read: Unveiling Vital Keys to Unlocking the Supernatural! by David Oyedepo
How to Overcome the spirit of the World
We cannot overcome the spirit of the world without engaging the Spirit of God. The Spirit of Holiness is the only cure for the filthiness of the spirit and the flesh. (Romans 1:4). If you do not have the Spirit of the Lord, you cannot overcome the spirit of the world.
How does the Holy Spirit Operate?
- As God’s fuller Soap: He is the highest quality soap that is able to remove any stain of sin from our lives (Matthew 3:2-5).
- As the Refiner’s Fire: He burns away every chaff of sin in us. His job is to purify and refine us (Matthew 3:11-12). The Holy Spirit is available to all that truly desire and demand His empowerment (Luke 11:13).
In summary, everything about our destiny both in time and eternity has to do with our sanctification. It is not enough to be sanctified, we must stay sanctified. Once sanctified is not always sanctified (1 Corinthians 10:12). However, you must be born again. Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so.
Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me! Now, I know I am born again! For further reading, please get my books: Walking in the Newness of Life, Conquering Controlling Powers and The Blood Triumph.
I invite you to fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280, or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org, Facebook: David Oyedepo Ministries International, Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin.
Bishop David O. Oyedepo is a Nigerian Christian author, architect, preacher, and the founder and presiding bishop of the mega church, Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel.
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