Looking Unto Jesus

Into a love view. I will celebrate you. Let's welcome this money again to our sort of defe my time, our apostle. Joshua Salman turning to Network International. Now, Jesus, there is anything, Thank you, Nimes. I feel like. Waiting for to finish so that you called me up. But I'm grateful, Thank you for thank you, Thank you, sir, cil, Thank you, sir. There is nothing that we do that is of our own fabrication. We're product of his mercy, We're product of his grace. Are we ready for this morning? Father, give me an encounter. Go ahead and pray, give me an encounter. Give me an encounter by your spirit, Give me an encounter. Your name is the highest, your name, your name. Stand above all. Sing one more time from your heart. Your dad is dabule. Kind of. Father. We declare that you will speak to us this morning. Laden our hearts by your word, position us again for a victorious. Life this year. Cause our hearts to be fixed on Jesus, and in the name of Jesus, letter profiting appear onto all for Jesus. Let's name, We pray, Amen and Amen, please be gloriously seated for a final charge this morning will be considering a very interesting portion of scripture that has been a blessing to me personally. And let me request that you please. Lend me your attention to scriptures looking on to Jesus. Hebrews Chapter two. Will read from verse one and two Hebrews Chapter two. Therefore we Hebrews twelve, my Apologists twelve one and two Hebrews twelve. Wherefore, seeing that we're encompassed with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the scene which dot easily beset us, and to run with patience or perseverance the race that is set before us, looking on too Jesus, the author and finish of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and he sat down at the right hand of. God looking onto Jesus. Let's go to p Thirty four, or begin my reading from verse one. Psalm thirty four. I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Verse two. My soul shall make her boasting the Lord. The humble shall hear of and be glad or magnify the Lord with me. And let us exalt his name forever altogether. I sought the Lord, and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears. Read verse five. Together, please one to. Go aha, and they were lightened, and their their faces were not as shame. One more time they looked onto him and were lightened, and their faces were not as shame. Verse six, reading to ten. The poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. Seven. The Angel of the Lord encompath round about them that fear him, and delivered them. All taste and see that the Lord is good. Blest is the man that trusted in him. Verse nine. All fear the Lord ye his sayings, for there is no want to them that fear him. Final verse the young lions do lack and suffer hunger. But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. The Lord bless the reading of his word in the name of Jesus Christ. For a start this morning. The Bible lets us know that our sojourn on earth is like to running a race, that for every morning you wake up, at night you resort back to bed. For every day. That turns to a week, that turns to a month that turns to years. The Bible gives us a picture of an athlete running erase. Now that statement may not be immediately obvious if you consider your life per day or per second, But when you consider the span of your life, maybe for years decades, you will agree with Paul that this life is truly a race. So he tells us that there is a race that is set before us, set before every believer. Are we together now? He's likening our sojourn on earth to a race. Life and destiny is likened to a race, the race that is set before you. That race begins from the day you are born, and it dominates the day that you transit in glory. And there are certain expectations that God has within that period of running that you call your lifetime. Are we learning now? The second thing I want us to know is that there is a strategy. This is a message that has impacted my life. There is a way to run such that you win. There is a way to run such that you are victorious. And Paul begins to introduce that strategy that there is a way believers are supposed to run that race, and that if they work in keeping with that strategy, there is a guarantee that they will win. And he calls the name of that strategy, looking on to Jesus, Allelujah. So he says, scene that we're compassed by so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us lay aside every weight and the scene that not easily be set us. Then when we're done, it says, to run the race that is before us. Then it says, looking onto Jesus. Now, this is a very interesting way of running, because I presume everyone here at one point or the other, you've been involved in athletics, and if you run, say, for instance, a one hundred meter dash, you don't look onto a person. You look onto a destination. Am I right on that? But the Bible says this kind of running, your attention is not on the end. Your attention is not on a place. Your attention is not on a location. Your focus is on a person that in running this race that we call life. You only win when you take away your attention from things, You take away your attention from a place, and you look onto Jesus. The Bible calls him the author and the perfector or the finisher of our faith. Allelujah. And then he tells us why we need to look onto Jesus, who consider that in a bit that this Jesus will look onto. He calls him the author. The word author is the word the same word genesis, the beginning, the originate, or the source, the starting point, and then the perfecta of our faith. That this is the reason why we must look on to Jesus. Pray the name of the Lord. Now very quickly, the word look. I want to stay here for a bit this morning. The word look is a very interesting word. When you read it from an English standpoint, you will think he's just saying look at or maybe just fix your eyes on. But it's beyond that. And for the purpose of our discussion this morning, I want to give us two perspectives on. That word look. Number one, the word look means to direct one's gaze or focus towards someone. Or something with expectation. To look means to direct your gaze, to direct your focus on someone or something with expectation. You find that expression in Acts chapter three. Acts Chapter three, the Bible says, at the hour of prayer, Peter and John went to prayer, and then two a certain man was lame from his mother's womb, whom they carried daily to the temple, and he was asking for arms. Verse three, Now says who's seeing Peter? You see that now? And John about to go into the temple, He asked for arms. Four, and Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, said look on us. And the Bible says the man gave heed. So you see the looking there was not just fix your eyes. The way the man looked was to give heed. Verse five. He gave heed. Onto them expecting. So this idea of looking is not just fix your eyes, give heed, pay attention, direct your focus expecting to receive something of them. Are we learning already? So to look means to direct one's gaze, to direct one's focus towards someone, in this case the Lord Jesus Isaiah chapter fifty and verse seven. Isaiah chapter fifty and verse seven. For the Lord God will help me someone receive it. Say amen, therefore I shall not be confounded. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. Allelujah. Now this idea of looking demands two things. Please look at me. This idea of looking demands two things. Number one, you have to look away from then you have to look towards Are we together? So for instance, we have some gentlemen behind me, and you are before me. Now I am looking at you. Is that correct? That immediately means I am looking away from them. There's no possibility of looking at you and looking at them at the same time, because one is at my back and the other is in front. So when the Bible says looking onto Jesus, the first law of looking is. That you must look away from some things. You cannot set your gaze and your focus on Jesus while still considering certain things away Together, the Bible says, Abraham, conside that not concede that not there are things this morning. If you were to run that race looking onto Jesus, effectively, you must look away from, for instance, looking away from your crowns and achievements of the past, looking away from your pain and disappointments. Are we together looking away from what did not work last year, and also looking away from what walked last year. I like the way Paul puts it. He says, this one thing I do forgetting the things that are behind. He never said forgetting the bad things, or the evil things, or the disappointments. Forgetting the things that are behind me and reaching forth for the things that are before me. He says, I press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. There are many people who are not able to focus on Jesus because there are encumbrances that are fighting for your attention. The bills are there, the medical report is there, the family situation is there. Your need for a job is there. The frustrations that have come from you know, ends not meeting all there. But the Bible says, if you must look onto Jesus to win, you must sustain. The ability to look away. Away together now, to look away in spite of the medical report, in spite of the family situation, and in spite of your achievements of yesterday. You know, I've learned a few things about success, and one of it is that success can. Lead to failure. Allelujah. There are many people who have failed today because they succeeded yesterday, And so we must look onto Jesus, set our gaze and look away. There are voices, there are pictures, there are imageries, there are reports that are vying clamoring for your attention. And as a final word in this conference. If you are to make sense of everything you began to receive from the start of this conference, you must make up your mind that, in the name of Jesus, in this year twenty twenty five, I will look away from certain things. Are we together? Do you know when you set your mind on a wrong thing, it can waste your time, depress you. In fact, psychologists teach us that focus creates feelings, say that after me, focus creates feelings one more time. For instance, if I call you now and I tell you the pastor your pastor has instructed me to give you one million mira, what happens to you? See some of you smiling? Although you know I'm joking. You see what just happened to you? You know what I'm saying is but the whole idea of a good thing coming to you. Focus creates feelings. If whilst you are seated here, God forbid, you hear that some tragic situation is happening somewhere because of that information, isn't it amazing that, for instance, you receive an alertin your phone you've not verified with That is a mistake. You've not verified. You're smiling, you are happy, you are giving glory to Jesus. You are even rolling on the ground. You're not sure ATM is working. You've not verified reather. The money was reversed. It was a wrong transfer. The fact that it came around your domain. You are happy the. Same way you can hear bad news and suddenly begin to cry. Listen to me. If you must succeed in your life, you must take the responsibility of guarding your ear gate and your eye gate. Did you hear what I said? Your eye gate and your. Ear gate, These are very important gates that can shape your destiny. Alle luja. Your ear gate and your eye gate. So the Bible says, looking on to Jesus, you direct your gaze, You direct your focus towards void of destruction. The second definition of looking onto Jesus means to rely on and I want to stay here. So the first has to do it focus void of distruction and to set your gaze, your attention, your focus on Jesus. But the second gives the idea. Of reliance and depending on Jesus. This one talks about trust. This one talks about believing on Jesus. Perhaps Chapter three hundreds five says trust in the Lord with all your heart is that in your Bible, and lean not onto thine own understanding. It says, in all your ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct your part. It says, be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. So follow my thoughts now. When the Bible says to look onto Jesus for a discussion this morning, it means two things. Number one, to look away from and to direct your gaze your focus on Jesus. Number two is to come to a point where you can trust and believe in Jesus. It says, if you will believe in him, you shall see the. Glory of the Lord. To rely on to. Believing, to take Jesus as a person and as his word as dependable, as worthy of trust, absolute trust, away together now Psam one twenty three. From verse one and two, to depend on Jesus, it says, onto thee lift eye up my eyes, all thou that dwellest in the heavens. Verse two, Behold, as the eyes of the servants look onto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden onto the hand of her mistress, So our eyes are upon you. You get the idea now, So he's using what they call it now, He's using a description to help you understand what it means for your eyes to wait upon the Lord. He says, as a servant looks onto the hand of his master, knowing that the salary my innings would have to come from the hand of my master. I depend on my master totally for my survival. And as a maiden, she knows that she's depending on the love the benevolence of her mistress. That should her mistress change her mind, it can affect her destiny. He said in that simnlitude, my eyes are on you. That means, Lord, if you do not help me, help cannot come from anywhere. I don't have another alternative. You are not Plan A, so that I consider Plan B. I have come to a point of settled assurance that if you do not help my life, you do not help my destiny. There is no way out. How many of you believe that? Listen, let me tell you something about working with God. For as long as you still know an alternative in your heart, you will never see the best of God. The jealousy of. God demands that he becomes absolute and only not just the first, but the only most times we are not able to see the power and the glory of God in our lives because secretly we have alternatives. There's plan B, There's plan see, there's plan BE in case God fails us. As much as we say, Lord, I trust you, somewhere in our heart, we've not been persuaded that he's able to keep that which is committed onto him against that day. And so to save ourselves embarrassment, we put him as the main plan. And then we have all kinds of alternatives. Prays the name of the Lord. So when the Bible says to look onto Jesus as a strategy for winning the race of life, number one, it means to take your eyes away, away from your attention, away from both good and bad things provided there and you're yesterday. It says to focus on Jesus. And then number two, to rely and depend on him. I have learned in my work with God, not just as a man of God, but as a believer, that it pays to totally depend on Jesus. My life is an absolute product of dependence on Him. Men can fail you, Systems can fail you. The promises of men can fail. Men do not fail because they are evil they fail because they are men. Someone can promise you to give you your house rent and not tell you that his promise was connected to another person's promised to him. And you come later and he says, my intention remains the same, only that the person to bless me, so I can bless you disappointed me. Very very powerful understanding. They looked on to him, and their faces were lightened. There is no shame for the man who decides to depend on God. Now, God will always use men. Men are channels, not sources. When men become saurces, they you have made them idols, and the jealousy of God will insist that that plan. Does not work. When a man becomes your source, that man has become your idol. But when God becomes your source, he can't use any man at all, not the man you want, not the man you choose, anyone at all. Allelujah. You are the first. You are the street, You are the hung leave. In deep inside of me. You are the food that sadest fact. You are prove for the journey of my life. You are everything that's a language of dependence. You are everything. There are chariots and horses, but you are every join me to make that proclamation just one time. You are everything. I know. I have an uncle and a nanti, but you ah. I know. I have several degrees and certifications, but you are every I have my passport stands with all kinds of visus representing access to nations. But you are everything. I'm leading you into a confession that gives you liberty. I have an uncle that is a senate. I have an uncle whose benevolence has been tested through the years, But you are everything. I have a responsible father, a responsible mother who have vowed to take. Care of me. But you are everything. I have a high paying job that has potentials to scale me higher and higher. But you are everything. Someone shouts, you are everything, not just you are my greatest You are everything. When he becomes your everything, he takes the responsibility over your life. The word trust comes from the Hebrew word, but it means to throw yourself like a baby trusts himself from an altitude, expecting the father to hold him. So he says, trusting the Lord, you see, you can have faith in what is unseen. But trust is based on a track record, track record. When David stood before Goliad, he said, I know the God that delivered the lion and the bear to me, he will also deliver you to me, uncircumcised philistine. Someone learning this morning, I'll sing this song one more time. It's not a special number. When I get to that part, you are everything. I want you to join me. By singing that song. Someone is dethroning idols, the things that have studied as God, not allowing God to be God in your life. Because every time you say amen in your mind, you are saying Amen through my uncle, Amen to my auntie, Amen to my job, Amen through my bank account. Dependence on God demands that you strip yourself of any auxilliary support system as a source. Someone learning, you are the first. You are the string. You are the hungly even deep inside of me, you are the food that's sad as fax. You are provition for the journey of my life. Here's you're part of the song. Now you are everything. Let it be a confession from your heart. You are every for someone who came to charge. This is your deliverance right now. You are everything. Cast your crown, cast every other thing, and say you. Everything. Take this song and use it as a purifier of idolatry throughout the day singing. When you get back home, you may not know every part I sung, but keep this one in your heart and sing it while the tears roll out as a sign of dependence. That Lord, this year, I'm not going to stand before people and lie that I trust you, whereas I'm there sending text to people and say you've not gotten back to me. You've not gotten back to me. If I say amen, it means if God does not do it, let me remain. A failure honorably. Let it be that God could not step in, but that you look onto a man you enterre conveidant with your destiny, that this is the year I will depend on God who is learning this morning looking onto Jesus. Paul is giving us the strategy that helps us to finish this mysterious race called life. And he says, we'll look onto Jesus, focusing on him now very quickly. Why do we look onto Jesus? Why do we have to look onto Jesus? It's important that we don't just believe religiously. Number one is found in Some one twenty seven, from verse one and two Some one twenty seven. Why should I look on. The labor in vain that build it, except the Lord watches over a city, the watch men watch it. But in vain Verse two, it is vain for you to rise up, ha and to rise up early, Rise up Elli. Do you know someone who is like that, rise up early and to sit up late? But at the end of it you only eat the bread of sorrow, not because you are wanting in the area of diligence, but that the Lord. Has not come to your rescue as a helper. Why do we look onto Jesus because truly behind the results that come from men is the hand of God. If God takes a step out of a man's life, your emotions can continue, but it will not deliver. Why should we look onto Jesus? Romance nine and verse sixteen. The second reason why we must look onto Jesus is someone learning. Let's read together, one to go so then it is not of him that we left, not of him that run it, but. Of God that showed messy. Someone shout messy, I'm glad this is the name of your conference, shouted against a messy. It is not of him that we let all. I have seen people enter the embassy looking responsible, very responsible. With tie are we together and even a cross. And they went out without a visa. And I've seen someone looking like an umbro, but not for insult. I'm sorry, strolling and with disrientation and confusion. It still came out with a visa. Have you seen that kind of thing that someone has applied for? If it's a saying I want to go and see my wife, this is our marriage certificate. I've not seen my son, and ten times he will apply. And yet another person can be before the counsulor. Am I doing something wrong? Allelujah? Praise God, Praise the name of the Lord, Alleluiah. Thank you. Someone else is standing before the counsulor and even arguing with the man, and the man says, you look so funny. I don't know what okay? So congratulations. How there are things by in life? If you don't know God, you will be angry for reasons because the equations. In the life of people will not adopt. Many times. Are we together when you see God loving Jacob and hating Isa, So good to see you. Blessings of grace, Blessings of grace. Let's honor him. Allelujah, Praise the name. Of the Lord. Together. Why would God give the household of David a land like this. It's sure not the only person in Legos. It is not of him that will let to learn it early, Learn it early, learn it early, honestly, And I don't downplay the place of diligence, But I have seen people. If they ever told you they will beg for prayer based on their qualification, you will. Not believe it. But till today have you seen people like that? Some of them you were in school with them, and one day as they were submitting applications for jobs, after decades sitting in your position, you now saw their own application and you're like, it's not and you call the person, how are you so su and so person? You mean you don't have a job. Till now it. Says twenty one years now, no job. Someone said thank you Jesus. Remember he's messy for one minute and say thank you Jesus, alleluyah. I've heard of men of God who go to preach somewhere and minister to people to be healed, and nobody gets in and they's tone them out of that meeting. But some of us have had the honor of traveling and by the messages of God, He has brought. Confirmation to his world, to the glory of his name. I have learned that it is not of Him that willeth, nor of him that run it. It is of the Lord that showed messy. Are we together now? Why do we look on too? Jesus? Number three very. Quickly Psalm sixty two and verse eleven. The third reason why Paul admonishes that we should look onto Jesus is because power belongs to God. He is the ultimate Costardian of power. The power to change your situation, the power to give you a new beginning recites only with Him, not him and another entity. I God has spoken ones, but I have heard twice that power power, any kind of power, the power to. Get a job. Are we together now? The power to have a child, the power to build your house resides with God. If it does not give you that power, the power to prosper, you know, let me. Tell you sincerely. I've seen people who have brought ideas, and sometimes they bring these ideas for prayer, sincerely for prayer, and they say, Apostle, can you imagine that I am in this Nigeria and with this kind of idea? I know the government needs the idea. I know in fact that if this idea is to find visibility, it will help Africa. And truly, upon proving the idea, you see that this idea was intelligently presented. But what the idea lacks is power, power to be seen. I would always recall a story. Last year, I had a meeting in Enogo, and whilst returning back, I think I saw people gathered around, you know, a tea junction, and I was wondering why they were goaded there, and I saw them laughing. I got to find out that a young guy designed like a jew wagon. Truly, he designed it a small version of it. You were gone, so he was doing the like a simulation of it, and people gathered and I talked to myself, I said, this guy with this j wagon will most likely beg for bread. Are you seeing where the help of God comes? Let me tell you the truth. It's not always the skills that are known. It's not always the intelligence that I rewarded. It's the one who accesses power from God, power from God, power from God, power from God. And I'm praying for someone, this all powerful God who has invested his name in the person Jesus. I decree and declare. Because you have set. Your gaze to depend on him, may that dimension of power begin to work for you. In the name of Jesus Christ. I look on to him because power belongs to God. Power belongs to God, Power belongs to God. Number four is someone learning. Psalm one one three From verse one, I want to give you the fourth reason. Praise ye the Lord. Praise oh ye, servants of the Lord, prays the name of the Lord. Verse two. Blessed be the name. Of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Why is it blessing the name of the Lord? He says, from the rising of the Son to the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised. Reading to verse nine, four. The Lord is higher both all the nations and his glory above the heavens. Verse five. Who is like. Onto thee O Lord, our God, who dwell let on high six, who humbled himself to be all the things that are in heaven and that are in earth. Verse seven. Read this convincingly as the fourth reason why your is must be gazed on him. Ready want to go. He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifted the needy readly one more time, please. He raises up the poor. Out of the dust and lifted the needy from out of the dunghill verse eight, now that he may set him with princes, even with the princess of his people. Final verse nine, he maketh the barring woman someone say amen, Say it for your sister, say it for someone you know, Say it for a family that has been praying for years. He maketh the parrying woman to keep a house and to be a joyful mother of how many not a child? Children, a joyful mother. So when you set your eyes on Jesus, you have this orientation that I'm setting my eyes on the one who can liftop a poor man, That someone who came to let us holding just one back, not knowing what to do, depending on Jesus, can become a landlord by the end of that year, a mystery that only the power of God can explain. Does that look like your testimony this year? That God will surprise you. By the end of the year you will look back and be crying. Your tears will do the worship. Not years of pain, but years of joy. We look to your way, yeahwey our home is here. Way yeah, way, we look to Yahweh, Yahweh forever Yahweh. Why does Paul insist that we look onto Jesus Psalm eighteen and verse twenty nine. I hope God is speaking to you this morning. Let's read together. Are you ready? One to go? Come on? Come on, household of David. Let's write again, one to go? Aha, And by my God, So when you see someone from household of David this year doing things that you know ordinary men cannot do, know that there is one who backs him. For by the I have run to a troop, and by my God, I have leaped over. A wall impossible feits. When David stood before Goliad, he said, you come to me with your your swords and spares, But I come to you in a name. I come to you in I'm holding a sling. But don't be deceived by what I'm holding. I come to you in the name, in a name, in a name. And Goliad began to talk arrogantly. Am I a dog Israel? It is this is your best? You bring this small boy. You want me to kill this boy in a way that discourages you? And David said, this is what will happen. I will bring you down by my sling and use your own sword to take off your head. Confidence in the name of Jesus, I pray for someone. The way you speak this. Year would change because you will stand confident in the fact that the one who can cause you to run through a troop is the one who defends you. You will make certain or dasial statements that will look like pride until the results VI indicate you. In the name of Jesus. For instance, if you speak that no month, no preceding month, or no. January, February, March. April, in incremental measures, every month before or every month after will. Be greater than the month before. You get what I'm saying that your February must be better than January. Say amen, match better than February. When you are tired of receiving, you can keep quiet. April better than match, May better than April, June better than May, July better than June, August better than July, September better than August, October better than September, November better than October, and December will be the crown of it all. By you, I can run through a troop, and by my God, I can leap over a wall. It's that silver and gold I do not have, but such as I have, I have a name. Rise, open, work, allelujah. Why look because only God has the key of David, the one who opens the door. Revelations, Chapter three, from verse eight. Why do you look on to him? Because he's the holder of the key of David, Verse seven and verse eight. That he holds the key of David, the one who opens a door. A someone say amen, no, because there are many doors you need open this year, dose of relationships, doors of business connections. You have tried by sending email. It didn't work. You tried by sending a text on cool. I'm still here after five years of your promise. Why don't you depend on the one who is the holder of the key of David. He opens a. Door that no man can shot, and he shots a door that no man can open. He can open the door in nation for you. He can open the door an industry for you. I tell you sincerely, he can Your my glory, the left up my hair. You are my glory. You're the lifts up of my hair. Your my glory, The lift up my hair, singing one time, your my glory. The lift chirrup, my your my glory, the lifts up, you're my glovery. Hear me. This year, sorry for any man who says, over my dead body for you to rise, they will apologize from January till December. Because every year will be a manifestation. Every month will be a manifestation of the. Hand of God. Anyone who says, let's see what will become of them, tell the person be careful. I didn't know last year what I know now. Be careful. The one who I depend on is the holder of the key of David. When he opens a door. Opening a door is not a political issue. Opening a door, it is not an issue of sentiments. Opens a door that no man can shot, and he will shut the door that no man can open. Listen, some of you are business people and you are trusting God for expansion this year. If you you skill, you will be disappointed. Let me advise you in advance. Go to the holder of the key of David, the one who can open a door. See one of the grases I hope you will receive this morning as we wrap up, is a grase called the hear ye him annointing. There is a craz that gives a man visibility. And you believe me on this you can have everything right. And yet the nations will not hear you. He said, this is my beloved son. But that did not mean they will hear him. He said, here, this is a legitimate business. But hill, he says, here, yee him, you will be selling you say, oh, there, do you believe what you're hearing? Here? Ye him is what will make the person who needs you to find you? Here? Ye him is what to what to make the person who has been pre for you to know you are the one he has been praying for. Are we together now? Yes? The hold out of the key of David the man in Sodom and Gomorrah. When they wanted to come and take Lot, the Bible says, Lord told them, don't commit this abomination against these angels. Take my daughters. I can't give you my daughters. Do with them as you please, but leave the angels. And the man said, no, is the angels we want. The Bible says, the angels drew Lots inside and shut the door. And the moment he shut the door, he blindfolded the people, and although they were standing in front of a door, because he was shot. They wearied themselves in front of the door. The office you are standing before is the correct office. But that door is open, but in the spirit it is shot. So whatever your proposalitio say, we've had it. Come back. You can be in a city, but in the spirit you are outside the sea, so nothing within the. City profits you. Let me speak to someone in the name of Jesus Christ, by the grace that is upon this house. I stand in partnership with that Christ, and we invot the name of he who is the holder of the key of David. Every door that has refused to open, May it open now, every door that has refused to open, may it open now? Please be seated, Please be seated, looking on to Jesus, now very quickly, so that we can pray. I want to show you three principal ways to look. How do we look? Now that you. Know why you should look? Because there are no alternatives. Is God by himself, and besides him, there is no other. You need to learn how to look because looking is a skill. You need to learn how to look. Number one, how do we look? We look when we study and engage the scriptures. We look when we study and engage the scriptures. John five point thirty nine. The first way we look is to study and engage the scripture. It says, such the scripture, for in them you think he have eternal life, it says, And there are they which testify of me. The scripture testifies of a person. So as you interact with the scripture, you are having the record of the testimony of a real person. Look Chapter twenty four, from verse twenty five to twenty seven. Popular Scripture, Look twenty four, twenty five to twenty seven. Then he said, on to them, or fool some law of her to believe all that the prophets have spoken, ought not Christ to have suffered these things. He was speaking with the man at Emmaus and to enter into his glory. He says, I'm beginning at Moses and. All the prophets. He expounded onto them in all the scriptures. He used scriptures, But the matter was concerning himself. The way we look onto Jesus, the way we fix our gase on him, is to fix our case on the world James one and verse twenty five. James one and verse twenty five. But who'sso looked into the perfect law of liberty? He calls the Word of God, the perfect law of liberty, and it says you can look at the world and continue it darin, not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. It says such a man shall be blessed in his deed. So number one, we look on to Jesus as we beholding through consistent study. Let me lend my voice over the matter that persocial labroad here. Before I came up, I sat by just listening to him, and I was nodding my head in total agreement. Listen, let me tell you this. There must be a systemic approach to your study of scripture, otherwise you will never be consistent, no matter how sincere you are. There must be a healthy ritual of consistency. And I believe the devotional that was put together is supposed to help enhance your consistency, and instead it right. Many of our parents did not have the luxury of certain depths of knowledge, but for thirty years they did not miss their devotional ones. And so you will come with all of your revelations, and they will bring one scripture that will deflate that pride because they still have a restede. They did not jump into thirty chapters in one day, but one chapter per day, one verse per day. You still remember that. Over thirty years and they became consistent. I remember growing up they would give us the man, the Quiet Time Manual for the year. We had various types. My father would receive anyone. He will go to a bookstore, buy one, buy anyone, and then they would give. It to us. And quite honestly, sometimes I wouldn't do the thing for one week, two weeks, then the holy ghosts will convinced me and convict me, and then I would repent and restitute that two weeks. You did it too. Don't lie, don't act like you. Did it too. We all did it together, true confession? Is that true? So you'll say, you know what. From February fifth till August, I've not anything. Let me go back and start again. So you read it like you're reading a novel every day, and when you are done, you say, God, you've seen, I've finished. So let's continue where we start before you back slide again. But quiet time devotionals and not for baby Christians. They are for serious Christians who desire consistency. Did you hear me? Don't carry that idea? And with all due respect, don't let the Pentecosta charismatic circle deceive you that when you are using a quiet time manual you are a baby Christian. It's not true. It's not true. It depends on what you are reading. There you can read one chapter that rewrites the next ten years. Of your life. Therefore, let me lend my voice we pastor to impart grace upon you. Go and buy the truth and sell it not in the name of Jesus, and stay with the world. Keep looking on to Jesus, and remember the Bible says, as we beholding, we are. As we beholding we are, you cannot be changed outside of beholding him in. The name of Jesus. Number two, how do we look? The second way we look, as revealed in scripture, is to look as we invest time in prayer and worship. You behold him. You behold the glory of God. As to invest time in prayer, time in worship, as to behold Him in prayer and worship s him. Something happens to you in the place of prayer. It's called encounters, and the assignment of an encounter is to strengthen your conviction over a reality. Any matter you have at hand that you are not yet convinced about, and you know you should be convinced about, like a scripture, a dimension of the power and the grace of God. Take that scripture to the place of prayer and invest time praying. Something happens to you your spirit man begins to receive that reality diffuses into your spirit. Are we together? Now? You know that there's something that women do. It's called marination. Women. Remember that you put you put your meat in whatever it is that you and you The secret is to leave it for how long, sometimes overnight abbe. Let every man abide in his calling. It's not my calling, and I reject that calling personally, not that I hate it. So I'm comfortable where God has sent me. And we thank God for all the women who cook around the world and the men to who could men do it to? In fact, they do it better men. I think I'm right. I will preach and leave you with your pastor it will tell you how to debate over that praise the name of the Lord. But here's the point. That you mix everything you want to be inside of that protein, and then you immerse it in it. Sometimes you wrap it and then you leave it quietly. Do you come after ten minutes and say, oh, this thing has not no no, no. You live it there sometimes overnight. The power of that investment is in the taste of that food. When you are ready to eat it. You know that whoever did this one no, God was with that person. Praise the Lord. There are times you can be taking some roast or whatever it is, and you know that the person who he didn't do justice. He was too impatient. He did allow the thing. Let me use Nigerian language. It didn't go in. The thing did not talk to me. Somebody give me Aha. You understand what I'm saying. Nigerians can understand. But you marry Nate. Now watch this. This is what happens in the place of prayer. You stay in his presence until you begin to behold. God is able to build this. God is able to build a house in Listen. When you stay there, by fate rises. From that place. You will leave the place knowing that this mountain is only an imaginary mountain, because in that secret place the mountain will so deflate. God will be magnified in your life. Are wing together now? Yes? So you stay. Someone obtained grace to stay wake up in the morning and you stay there. You are just praying and worshiping. Yes, three am ah ah. And you allow the Holy Spirit to use the power of your imagination and travel with you in worship. You are saying things. He spend pictures of what based possibility is through your mind. Whilst you are there worshiping, you know what is happening. You are seeing your company expanding. What is Europe that my company will not be there? What is America that my company will not be there? The earth is the Lord. This is happening to you in the place of prayer and worship. Yes, and whilst you are worshiping, the story of Joseph is coming to your heart, the one who was once in a well but is now seated on a throne. And in that place of worship, the Holy Spirit is telling you I can make your life like that, And there is a spirit interaction. I'm sharing with you what I do, not just what I'm teaching. Yours is the king. Eos is the power. It's a glow re forever man ers. He is a king e Yours is a powsus. It's a glow re forever man hers. He is a king ears is a path your shoes. Ah ah, How shall these things be? How shall this mountain move? How shall this challenges go away? How will I be able to pay this bill? How will I be able to Don't worry you, get into the secret place and look onto Jesus. Away from the reports, shut down your television, shut down all the lice and distraction from social media, and stay with you. Someone take a minute, just a minute. Let's let's just experiment this. Just a minute. Meditate on the faithfulness of God. Go ahead, gentlemen, just you, just that's right. Just meditate on the faithfulness of God. God, you are able. Twenty twenty five cannot be like twenty twenty four. We're talking about the mighty terrible one. Take a minute, turn it into prayer. Say possibilities in the spirit. There is something called the eyes of your understanding. The eyes of your understanding, Hey, Brata caparatos, Now on to the King ethel, the King immortal, the King invisible, to the only wise God, to the only wise God, the giver of children, the giver of joy, the one who can turn a man's morning to dancing, the one who can turn a man's sorrow to joy, the one who takes the paw from the lonely place and sets him among princes. This is what happens. You are looking on to Jesus. Not I know you are able. You are able now onto him who is able to do, exceeding abundantly far above all that we ask or think. And it is according to the power. Now. Thanks be to God, which causes us always to tryumph, Thanks be to God, which causes household of David always to tryoph. Thanks be to God, which causes Joshua Selman always to t right. Yo, many a day that rise up against me. Many are day that say where is your help? But oh Lord, you are a shield for me. You are my glory and the lift trop of my head, that when my enemies came to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and they fell. Yours is a king. Eos is a Powerus is a globy forever. Yours is a king. Eus is a power. Wios, ladies and gentlemen, imagine for just one hour in this kind of atmosphere. It's called the atmosphere of his presence. It's called the atmosphere of faith. Take your concerns to that secret place and stop listening to all the voices, because you see, the Bible says there is, as it were, many voices, and it says none of them is without signification. You've heard the voice of doubt and fear, the voice that tells you the economic situation in Nigeria. Get ready to suffer this year. Get ready for things to go down this year. But whilst you are soaking in the glory, whilst you are soaking in the glory, whilst you are beholding him, you see that now you're in the secret place, exalted high above the worship of the people, love the earth. I see the Lord. You are still in the place of worship. I see the Lord. For my I've seen the King. He's a lamb upon the throne who reigns. Fore See, while you are in that place, the Holy Spirit is casting for you the picture of Jesus standing on the sea. And telling Peter Come. He's telling you, come leave your comfort zone. And take the risk. Come. You are seeing Jesus in prayer. Come take the risk. Go and buy. You have only one hundred thousands, Go and buy, even if it's two backs of sement. Start. Come take the risk. Now there is not a canal drive because it came from the secret He has planted the spirit of faith. It will look like you will fail, but you will not fail because you see that came from the place of prayer. An attack on your prayer and your worship life is an attack on your rising. With someone hearing what I'm saying, business man, shut down on work for one day and stop going round and round. Just drop your file, drop everything on the ground, and spend time. If you cannot sing, get all kinds of worship compilations, and spend the time there. You are rolling from left to right. Father, you call me. There is no proof yet to this call. This business you gave me. It's not just for money. You told me I will fund the gospel. But as it is now, I'm begging for rent. What is wrong? Even if you are wrong, it's in the secret place, you know. Are we together? So you stay there, Stay there. I'm not wasting your time. I'm teaching you something. I'm in me getting you into a culture of maximizing prayer and worship, making way for His Majesty to step into your place and hold your hands and say, my son, I have come to show you my glory. Let's go, and that begins a new chapter in your life, turns you into a sign and wonder. Take it high for me. Open the eyes of my heart, load listen, open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you. I want to see you. Will you open the eyes some my heart, Lord, open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you. I want to see you that I'll see you high and leave Terra. You are shining in the light of your glow. Pour out your power and love, sweezing, hobly, Holy, Holy, I'll see you high and leave Terra. You are shining in the light of your glow, sweezing hobly, Allelujah. The secret of freshness in this kingdom is the mystery of His presence. When the rod of Eron, although it did not have roots, but when they kept it before the act, it began to bot Freshness is only found in His presence. You can be intelligent, but if you are not one who stays, people will appreciate your intelligence, but there will not be a spirit component to your speaking. If you're a man of God, I'm teaching you a mystery, have revelation, but stay. There is a ganishing of His presence. When you are smeared with that glory. Then you come out and from it will be freshness. How many of you know the bread that has stayed for seven days is still bread. But you cannot serve anybody you really honor with that bread? Am I right on? That? We have restaurants, many of you here every time I come here graciously. Among the many things that they package for me are juicies, lovely juicies. Love them very much, and most I love them because it's freshness. Are we together now? If I tell you I have a range juice that was this in September, even if it's in the fridge, will you take it? Why? It is juice, but it lacks one thing freshness. Man of God, that someone is correct, but it lacks one thing freshness. Business Man, your ideas are correct, but they lack one thing freshness. Your communication is correct in terms of your auditory. You are articulate, you are putting your points together, but it's not blessing people because. It lacks one thing freshness. Someone pray and say, Lord, freshness upon my life, freshness upon my business. Freshness. That is the. Factor that makes a thing to not be stale. It is the factor that makes a thing to not go out of relevance. Freshness not necessarily newness, freshness Allelujah fin our point. And then we pray. So how we look? Number one we look as we study scripture. Number two we look as we invest time in prayer and worship. Are you ready for number three? The third way we look onto Jesus is by looking at worthy human models. We look onto Jesus by looking at men and women who have looked on to him and are looking on to him. Are we together now we look at worthy human models. We look onto Jesus as we follow and model after those who are following after him. First Corinthian, Chapter eleven and verse one. Here's what Paul says to the church in corinth Let's read together, one, to go, be ye followers of me, even as I also am a follower of Christ. Ye follow us so as to follow your pastor as to follow the woman of God, as to. Follow the leader's place. Before you hear you are following Christ because they are following Christ. When you follow a man who is following Christ, you are also sure of your arrival. Are we together now? Yes, we look onto Jesus by looking on to men who are looking on too Jesus. Not everyone had the opportunity to see the face of God like Moses did. It was only Moses that went up the mountain, and over a period of ninety days he had an interaction with the glory of God. He saw the face of God, and he did not even know that his. Face was carrying that glory. But when Moses came down, all that the people needed to see was to look at the man who had seen the face of God. There are times that you look onto God by looking at human models, learning from human models. Jeremiah three, p. Fifteen. And I will give you past us or shepherds. According to my heart, they are people who have met me. There are people who know me. There are people who can lead the way in guiding your pursuit of me. It is one of the reasons why we come to church. We come to church to look onto Jesus. But as you are hearing me preach, you are looking onto Jesus because you are looking onto one who is looking onto Jesus. Are we together? So when you look onto men, it's not human worship. No, you are looking on to them because you trust the fact that they are looking on too. Jesus Final Scripture, Second Timothy, Chapter three, from verse ten and eleven. Second Timothy Chapter three, But now has fully known my doctrine. Poorly speaking, he's opening up himself and saying, look at this, I am making myself open so that you can see that I've stood before you as one who has followed Christ and is worthy of emulation. You have known fully. My doctrine, my manner of life, my purpose, my faith, my lung sufferings, my love, my patience Verse eleven, my persecutions, my afflictions which came on to me as antioch econium lisra. What persecutions are endeoed? You know what he's saying. He's saying, you can follow me safely. There's nothing about my life that is hidden. You've seen my doctrine, You've seen my manner of life. You've seen me go through challenges, and you've seen me trust God to out of it. So if I tell you God can deliver, you can follow the formula I give you because you've seen me go through it, the Bible says, and to comfort others with the same comfort that you have received. Let me tell you this. One of the ways God makes you a leader is to allow you pass through the things you'll be delivering orders from. One of the ways leaders have built is to taste of the pain they will be taken out of others. That is how compassion is planted in you. If God wants you to lead nations out of poverty, it doesn't mean you will subject you through poverty, but you will use every occasion possible to make you know what it means to be in lack, so that from the standpoint of that compassion you can. Minister to others. I can tell you this as a wrap up one of the. You know, sometimes people look and say, Apostle, you are humble, you are loving? Was not born that will. It's a product of the fondness of affliction. Are we together? Now? There is a way you pass through certain things. You start interceding for others. Because when you go through certain things, you imagine will anybody be able to go through this and survive it? And it plans compassion in you. That's the reason why Jesus, the Bible says he was touched with the feelings of our infirmity. As God, as mighty as he is, he could not really claim that he understood experientially everything man was going through. Because he was God. He had never been a man, even though he created man a we together. But when Jesus became a man, you see why he still makes intercession because he. Knows what you are going through. He's seated in heaven, and while the angels are saying should we, artis said no. I know what it means to be sincere and yet not be received. I have been touched with the fear links of that infirmity. I know what it means to be called Beelzebob. Whereas you are Savior, I know what it means to be a blessing. Are We're together to be the one lifted in a family to wipe their tears. Yet they are big manipulated to persecute your savior, because historically men always persecute your saviors. Are we learning? So look on to Jesus, Look on to him. We're going to pray. Please take it higher for me. Look and leave, my brother, leave, look to Jesus Christ and leeve. I've got the message from the Lord Ali. Louah message onto you. I bring. This recorded in his word Aeluah. This only that you look early one time, the nation of Israel had a situation. There were fiery serpents that came out, and these serpents were biting them to death, and Moses was concerned, and the Lord gave him an instruction. He said, there is a way out of this situation. He said, prepare a braisen serpent and lift it up in an elevated position. Hang it there, and instruct the people that they have an opportunity to look at any two of the serpents, the one that looks real, that is around you, close to you, like your problem, like your pain, like your disappointments, like your frustrations, or you look at the praising serpent representing the crucified Christ. In any case, you will look at one. You can choose to look at that serpent of pain, disappointment, shame, joblessness, barrenness, curses, yokes, or you can fix. Your gaze at Jesus. Doesn't it sound funny that whilst you. Are looking at Jesus, those other serpents are still there, and it says you have to look away from them. As soon as Peter took his gaze away from Jesus and began to consider the storms. He began to sing, here's my final. Message, Look and Lee, my brother Lee, look to Jesus Christ Henlee tis recorded in his word Ali Louah. Tastes only that you look. I want you to bow your heads as we pray. From the start of this conference, you have heard words that have come from speaker after speaker. You have heard words that have come in worship, in prayer, and through the ministry of the world, communicating various dimensions as touching this theme. Now, the responsibility is on you to waste whatever you have heard or to maximize it, and that your fruits will appear thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and one hundred fold. But let's say you forgot everything you heard in this conference, everything for some reason, or perhaps it was your first day attending. You have an opportunity to revisit it through the media. But for now, if this is the only thing you heard coming here, that they looked onto him and their faces were lightened. That when men. Look at Jesus as setting their focus on him, as depending on him, there is always a way out. Praying. One minute, turn everything you've heard to prayer. Go ahead and pray dependable, dependable God. It doesn't matter what comes my way. Still, God, are you praying intentional, intentional God this, I know that everything is working out for Michael. Ah dependable, dependable. Are you still praying? It doesn't matter what comes my way? You want still go intentional? Intentional? Everything is working at for I was singing one more time. I wanted to sink into your spirit. Depend level, depend l It doesn't matter what comes my way. You want still go. Intentional, intentional. Everything is working for Mike. And you are good. You are good. Jeezus, you are good. You you are good, you are good. She Ah, she's as you are so good to me. Gen A, Oh, you are so good to me. Gen all circum sense. This, rise on your feet. Let's hold hands. If your hand can reach a neighbor by your left and right. Hold hands has one big family, the whole family in heaven and on earth, named after Jesus. Old hands. Let's brings an end to the conference or not an end to your experience, not an end to your testimony, not an end to the marvels that you will see this year, such as strategic where you are being repositioned by quality priesthood for a great year, a year that speaks, as God has prophesied. I want you to pray one prayer, and I'm releasing my faith with you. My time is up. What one thing are you trusting that the Lord would do for you this year? While agreen with your neighbor, I like you to open your mouth and pray. The Bible says, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Go ahead, you're holding your neighbor. If you have no request, you can intercede for the person by your left and right. Go ahead and pray one minute, one family. We're praying. You're holding the hands of someone. Lord, step in, step in, step in, do something miraculous. Step in over my finances. Don't be ashamed of praying it over my health. Let this be the year that I see your faithfulness in that area. Over your business, you're trusting God for a job, Trusting God for some open door. You're trusting God for establishment that after you have suffered for a while, that the God of all. Grace establish you said to you and give you rest. For someone. You may be praying for peace, that the God of Peace himself will grant you peace. The Lord of Peace himself will give you peace always and by all means. Take a minute to pray. Schali namarantoski a tabadai. A business man is praying, It does sprays carrier. Person is praying, who is in need of the power of God, take a minute to pray. M h go ahead and pray. Chelebrintge barratus siata bras crapati barattus kiata aranda barist chaprati dabash shoto paratus. Give me a testimony in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, numbers six twenty four. Ah Man, I want to speak over your life. Ah Man, aw Man, ah Man, ah Man. The Lord bless you. And keep you. Make his face shine upon you. Big gray shots to you. The Lord turn is face towards you. Hand your peace. I'm speaking over your life. The Lord bless you, hand keep you, make his face shine upon you, b gray shots to you. The Lord turn is faceward. You, hand. Your peace. Let me hear your response now. Verse twenty seven, same number six, verse twenty seven. And when you are don't speaking. The blessing upon them, and they receive it. It says they shall put My name upon the children of Israel. And as a result, indeed, I will bless them. Therefore be blessed. Be blessed. Your twenty twenty five is blessed. You're going out and coming in. Blessed the works of your hands. Blessed household of David. Blessed the businessman in this ministry. Blessed the parents. Blessed the children. Blessed the students. Blessed the work has blessed the pastors. Blessed every family. Blessed yummy this year twenty twenty five. The sound of money will not be hat near your dwelling. The sound of depletion will not be hat near your dwelling. May you be led for tragedy this year. May you be led for accidents. May you be led for shame, led for reproach. In the name of Jesus. By this blessing, may your help us show up speedily. By this blessing, may your support system show up speedily. Hear me where you cried throughout last year, I decree and declared this year, I announce your laughter. I announce your laughter. You are blessed in the city, blessed in the country. Blessing the morning, blessed in the afternoon, Blessed in the evening. Your hands are blessed, your eye is blessed to see, your mind is blessed to think. Your feet will only go to the right places, meets the right people. In the name of Jesus, shout himn seven times, two. Three four five the last time. Now, God bless you