Stephanie Ike Okafor - Business & The Kingdom

Hey, everyone, it's definitely Ekl Kafer, and we are on part four of the Modernization of Witchcraft. You know, last week we were talking about the spiritual gates, in particular the ear and the eye gates, and really just honing in on why it is so pivotal to guard those gates because it opens us up to spiritual possibilities of interacting with spiritual beings and it could be you know, beings of God or beans of Satan, and so really just get into a place of discipline and heightened discernment in what we watch, what we listen to, and the importance of that. And so if you have not watched that or the series, then you definitely want to really just pick up on it because it's gonna just teach you so much as we go into this part, and we're gonna be talking about the role of business in the kingdom now when we talk about modernization of witchcraft, witchcraft referring to rebellion against God. Oftentimes, as believers, we separate our lives, right. We have this version of you know, I'm a believer that looks like I go to church, you know, on Sundays, I worship, I pray every morning, and then I have this whole other life. You know, my business, my career is a whole different department. Not recognizing that business plays a role in the kingdom. Your career plays a role in the kingdom. The industry you're in, and the talents you have play a role in the kingdom. Now, I want to read to you just a passage in Daniel Daniel one from verse three to eight. Now, I love the entire book of Daniel because it teaches us about, you know, the Babylonian empire, right, But it's not just about what took place in bad belong You recognize that when you read certain scriptures in the Bible and certain stories in the Bible, you're not just reading about a time. You're not just reading about an empire, but you're also being exposed to a system. Because here's the thing, depending on the king who ruled and the spirits that influenced him, it also exposes the. Pattern of Satan. Right. So for example, you have a lady named Jezebel in the Bible, right, Jezebel was a witch, and it would just seem like, okay, that's just Jezebel, right, I'm reading about her encounters with Elijah and all of this. But then Jezebel dies and you jump to Revelation and it's talking about the spirit of Jezebel. So how is the Jezebel the witch? But now we're talking about the spirit of Jezebel. But you see, when you study Jezebel's life, her father, her family history, you recognize that this was a family that were very deep into idle worship, right they It almost suggests to you that even her name being called Jezebel, the inspiration for that name came from a demonic place because of what she would embody, to embody the spirit of Jezebel, and to partner with that spirit for whatever activities they needed to do in that time. And so when. You're studying you know how kings ruled, you're not just studying how kings ruled. You are studying the pattern of Satan and how he functions right, because, for example, when you study how God places judges, right, when you study when God puts people in power, how you know what God did with the prophet sam Will, You're learning the God. You're learning how God moves and functions. You're not just reading about Samuel anointing David. You're reading about how God, what God is after, what God appoints, what God annoys, what God promotes. Right, that he looked as though he was looking for a king, and what he was searching for was a heart that will be loyal to him. And then he says David, and now he's like, Okay, go and annoy David as king. But you recognize that in the system and in the pattern of God, he annoys before he positions. Right, So you. Can be called to a thing and not have the physical authority of it, but you have the spiritual authority of it. And so that's why when God starts, when you start partnering with God in your walk, God will have you do things like you are the person that the world does not know you to be. And when you study the pattern of God, it's easy to embrace and believe it. It's easier to receive why God wants you to move like the king even though you're not known as the king, because in his kingdom things are first. His word is what establishes. So when David was annointed as king, it made sense why David would be the one to take down Goliath. Because honestly, that should be a king's job. It's a king's job to make sure the people are secure, to make sure the people are safe, to not have the people go into slavery or bondage, which would have been the case if they didn't defeat Goliath. So why I'm saying this is that when you study about how kings ruled, when you study about what they paid attention to, what you're learning is how the spirit that influenced them, how that spirit operates. Right in Daniel, we learn about the Babylonian system, but this system actually reveals how Satan operates. So check this out. We're gonna read from verse three to verse eight. It says, then the king instructed Ashpinah's the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles. So first of all, look at the people. Thereafter, it says, some of the king's descendants, some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good looking, right gifted, and all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand. They were not looking for men who needed to be developed. They were looking for people who are developed, people who have taken the time. You look good, people who can't, who have drawing power. Right. This is why sometimes you know, you hear people Hollywood the Babylonian system, that Hollywood is Babylon Because what does Hollywood go after? Talent? Good looking, no blemish. You know, you just look gifted. I don't need to develop your talent. Your talent is already developed. I just need to put you on the stage. Right. But check this out, because this is the pattern of the enemy. So it says, look for young men in whom there was no blemish, but good looking, gifted in all wisdom. They have done the work, they are equipped in their field. We don't need to train them. Right, possessing knowledge and quick to understand who had ability to serve in the king's palace and whom they might teach the language and the literature of the child deans. So first of all, we need people who have already made it, you know, we need people who are talented, who are skilled. Now, well, let's bring them to expand our kingdom. Right, let us teach them our language, let us teach them our literature. And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank. This is so good because now he's like, look, I'm I'm first of all, you already it, but let me bring you into royalty. I'm not just feeding you any kind of food. I'm giving you of the king's food. This is why compromise is so easy, because you're thinking, you know, you don't even fully know who you are. You don't even see yourself the way other people see you. You don't recognize that you have no blemish. You are talented, you are skilled, you know you are that person, you are knowledgeable. But someone else sees what's in you, and they said, you know what, Come and eat from the king's table. And now it's so easy to compromise because it's like. Oh, I'm eating with the king. The king is putting me on his level. He has given me access to his table. Right. And so this this is a slow manipulation, right, because eaten from the king's table is partaking of the king's beliefs, It is partaking of the king's ways. Because check this out right, when he says, okay and make a daily provision of the king's delicacies, and the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, right, so that at the end of the time they might serve the king. Now, Daniel and his friends, you know they're there. But daniel purpose, Bible says in verse eight. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies. No, with the wine which he drank. Right. So Dan one of the reasons that he, you know, him and his friends were like, hey, this is all good, but we're not gonna eat of the king's food. Because the king's food was known to be offered to their idols before it was eaten. So to eat of the king's food is to also come into agreements with the king's beliefs. That for me to partake of your food, I am in agreement with your beliefs. I believe that your idols are true. And so Daniel says, no, we will not defile ourselves by doing this. Now, what I love about Daniel's life is Daniel was never afraid of death, and he always Daniel was in a system, but not of it. Right, he was in the Babylonian kingdom, but he was not of their ways, and even when he was tested, because there will always be test, when he was tested to bow down to their system. You have to study the whole book of Daniel. Several times when he was tested to bow down to their way of life, and he said, no, I serve God with my talent, with my skills, with my knowledge and understanding. It is not for your kingdom. It is for the kingdom of God. And even though that was going to cost him his life, he said no. They were going to throw him into the lions den and he could have died. He said no. They threw him in the den, and guess who was right there with him. There was an angel of the Lord shutting holding the lion's mouth, just chilling with the lion. You know, the lion became like Simba, right, and nothing happened to Daniel. But here is why I'm sharing this story how the enemy functions is to see you thriving. In the industry, in the field. That God has called you to. Knowledgeable, you are skilled. And because we have this flawed idea that our career or our business is separate from what we regard as ministry, it's separate from how I serve God. So you can be a Christian and like integrity in business, because that's just that's just the world. That's just Hollywood, y'all. You know, that's just the film industry. Sometimes they give us these types of roles. That's just the music industry. We have to sing what's trending? But who created what's trending? Right, that's just the fashion industry. But but when it did become fashionable to. Be naked, right, who created this idea is? And this trends? You know, that's just that's just culture. And we don't. Recognize that what we call culture is only the expansion of a kingdom. Right. It's either there's the culture of your inna, functioning in the culture of the Kingdom of God, or you are operating in the culture of the kingdom of darkness. And because there is so much ignorance in the world, we see the kingdom of darkness what it appears to be winning the culture because everyone is bowing down, bowing down, bowing down to the system of Babylon, bowing down to the ways that have been set before them. They said, look, if you want to eat of the king's. Table, if you want success, if you want wealth, if you want to be known, if you want fame, this is where you have to eat from. It was not only Daniel and his friends that were people who knew God. There were other people, but only Daniel and his friends had the conviction to say, it's not that deep for us. We will die before we bow down to your God. You see, you have to recognize that your business, your career, the industry God put you in, plays a role in the kingdom that you're supposed to be in it, but not of it, because you're supposed to bring the culture of God's kingdom into that space. And the reality is where you would experience true power and you would experience Heaven. Really backing you up is when the test comes. It's not before the test, because sometimes we're so like excited to do something for God. We're like, God, I'm going to go in Hollywood and I'm gonna declare the name of Jesus. And then the king invites you to his table. And the king is not the lord you serve. We're talking about the earthly kings that have been manipulated by Satan. Satan's little puppets, right, and they invite you to their table. They say, look, you can eat of the king's table. You can be on this level, but you have to eat of the king's food. You have to agree with the king's ways. And you are so excited about all the things you wanted to do in Hollywood, and you don't even recognize when compromise comes in and you're like, well, it's just a movie, it is just a role. It's not really what I believe. But guess what, people watching don't know that. People watching don't care what you believe because you're showing us what they should believe. You're showing us the lifestyle they should live, right, You're showing us this is how we make it. So your life is louder than your speech. So it's not about what you're saying, because you know what Jesus called those kind of people hypocrites. He said, oh, don't even listen to what they say because they will lead you astray. So God is not hearing what you're saying if it's not matching with your lifestyle. Your lifestyle and your words have. To be in agreement. But because we're so naive of this and we think, oh my gosh, if I don't do this this way, I could get counseled, I could miss my shot. And this is when we make purpose above God, the concept of our I'm following my purpose, I'm in my purpose. We worship that more than we worship God, not recognizing that the Bible says that the gifts, that the blessings from the Lord make it rich and added no sorrow that the Bible says promotion comes from the Lord. But we have been deceived about what promotion is. Because when God promotes you, he is promoting you in the direction of truth. He is promoting you in the direction of true power, true victory. God is promoting you in the path of life. You can be promoted in the path of death. Right again, I'll remind you of something we talked about last week that speed is not an advantage. When you're going in the wrong direction, it's not an advantage. So you can have what you think is promotion, but it's really just a faster path to destruction. And so we start confusing what looks like progress to be favor or the hand of God, and that's not it. There will always be a test in the industry that God has placed you in to see who you will bow down to. There will always be a test. And when you pass that test, I'm saying that in faith, when you pass that test, you will see the power of God flow through your life. There is always a test. Right after Jesus was when he was about to start his calling. In order for him to start his. Calling, you know, it was not that Jesus stumbled upon Satan. The Bible literally says he was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. Because for Jesus to command the power he did on earth, because remember he came on earth as a man, So for him to command the power he had on earth, he had to go through the test. Jesus, would you bow down? It's a system. It's not just what happened in Daniel. The same thing happened to Jesus. Satan tells him, hey, bow down to me the same way the king Nebukinezza literally when you study Daniel, he creates this golden statue. That was how the test for Daniel came. He creates this golden statue, and that every time, you know, a certain sound would go forth that everyone should bow down to the statue. Bow down, submit yourself to our ways, submit yourself to our lifestyle, our ideologies and be used to promote our culture. And if you don't, then you fear. Then death is what they think, death is what awaits you. But they don't know that your life cannot be determined by mad So when Daniel did not bow down, they thought that was the end of him. They were like, oh, yeah, put him in the lions. Then then God saved him. And you know what happened after he passed that test. There was such power that backed up his life that even the king acknowledged that Daniel's God is the true God. Can you imagine that? And so when we studied Jesus now in the wilderness, say, and who was really? The king was just the puppet and Satan was the puppet master. Now Satan, he's not hiding behind any human being. Satan comes to Jesus and you know one of the things Satan says, Okay, Jesus, if you bow down to me, you don't need to go through all this stress. I will give you all the kingdoms, but you bow down to me. But Jesus recognized, look your way. It could seem like a fast route, but it's only going to end in destruction. So Jesus overcame Satan. And when he overcame Satan, he walked out of the wilderness in the power of the Holy Spirit. You see, you might be wondering that your life feels stagnant. You might be wondering that you're trying to do it God's way and it's not working. That's not God. God is working on your character. He's establishing something in you so that when the test comes, you will not fail. And when you pass the test, all of a sudden, you see when the Bible talks about you shall be the head and not the tale, because oftentimes you start as the tale. Right, you start as the tale. But when you can pass the test of temptation to be the head in the wrong direction, When you can pass the test of deception, to be the head by losing your way, so to be the head by losing your integrity, forsaking your faith. When you can pass that test, then you will truly be the head in God's eyes. God will position you in such a way that you cannot be moved or shaken, because you see, when man positions you, when a person positions you, they can remove you. When God positions you, oh no, you're a force because to come against yours, to come against the kingdom, to step up against you, have you seen do you know what it's like to be for God to really be on your side? Elisha was not ordinary. They thought they could come against Elisha, and God sent a whole angelic army. They I mean, Elisha was chilling. They thought that, oh, we're gonna come. Up against him. And there was an angelic army stationed ready to kill everybody on site. And Elisha was you know, he was humble. He said, you know what, just cause give them blindness. Now that's gangster. I don't know about you, but walking with Jesus, I think that is the most gangster thing that you could ever do in your life. And so you want God to establish you in your industry, whatever industry or and if it's fashion, don't bow down to the gods. And they're saying, this is what fashion should be? Who's fashion? What culture? Which kingdom? Culture? Is it? Establishing? Right? When you're if you whatever filled you're in in business, in finance and law and education, asks the Holy Spirit, how do you want to partner with me to establish the kingdom in this field? That talent you have came from God. God is not like he's not unaware of your gifts. And things like that. He's not, you know, like out of the times he created time. However smart you think you are, it's not even You don't even scratch the surface of the intelligence of God or the wisdom of God. All of the things that you're in. God has a system. Do you know that even fashion? When in the Bible, when God wanted the garments of the priests to be made. He gave an instruction that they should go to. You know, there were certain people and he says in them is the spirit of wisdom that even to create garments, to even in the fashion industry for the priests, there was a spirit that would influence the garments. You have to recognize that, man, every industry is spiritual. And how Satan thrives is to catch you in what looks like your prime. But you don't even know it's your prime. You don't even know that you are who you are. You don't even know that you are this good looking, educated person thriving in your field. And now he's like, oh, yeah, we're not trying to develop people. We're looking for people who are developed to you know, extend our kingdom. Stop bowing down to the enemy in fear, in fear of lack, in fear of failure. Do you know what cancel culture looks like back then? The lions? Then the things you're afraid to be canceled about today. That's what Daniel said, Throw me in whatever you're you're you're you're scared of the fear of failure is the lions. Then the fear of you know, not being successful in your field is the lions. Then the fear that you would be insignificant, unrecognized is the lions. Then, and when you can overcome that, so many people have compromised and then their way of you know, working around it is that when you find when you get recognized, you say thank you Jesus. Is I just want to give glory to God. This is deception man, And I'm sharing this with you because I tell you this was has been this, this all the teaching series and as we continue, has been so heavy in my heart because God is like, you need to reveal this to my people where deception has taken over. God gave you a talent, He gave you a gift, and he gave it to you so that you would actually be the head God. He calls you ambassador, and ambassadors after the interest of the one they represent. In every field you're in, be after the interest of the Kingdom of God. What does it look like for the Kingdom of God to be established in this Sometimes maybe it's just your demeanor. Maybe it's it's how you flow with the Holy Spirit that in your field you are sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, because maybe that that business or the industry you're in is just a vehicle for people you need to reach for Jesus. Right, So it's not for you to be silent about your faith, but demonstrate your faith. Especially man, if you're in Hollywood, don't bow down in the name of Jesus. Don't bow down to the systems and what has been created. I remember the Lord showing me how you know, even when it comes to award shows. Right, you have the Oscars, you have the Grammys and all these things, and they're amazing when you're acknowledged for your talent. But you have to recognize how God acknowledges and how God promotes right, because what happens now in Hollywood is that. People begin to worship. Getting an oscar to worship getting that Grammy right to the point that they're willing to do anything for it. And you will be shocked about some of the roles that people had to play to finally get that Oscar. It will tell you that this is about kingdoms, This is about systems. Right. There was a female actress and you know, the role that won her her first Grammy had to do with her actually having sex in the film, like real life. That was the role that won her first Grammy. The reason I'm not sharing her name is because it's not about This has nothing to do with judgment. Because when we are ignorant, we are we are pray. We are pray to systems, and we bow down, unknowingly to things we have no business bowing down to, because we think that is the only way to make it, that is the only way we will become known and our talent is established. But you want to be more than a name. You want to be more than someone who existed and had several films or whatever and won a couple awards that would be forgotten. That happened in. The eighties, and we don't know who those people are. Happened in the seventies happened in the sixties. We have no clue who those people are unless you know. You're really good with your history, right, But you want to be more than that. You want your life to mean something on earth and in heaven. You don't want to lose site that there is. This is an eternal life. Life doesn't end on earth. This is just part of the journey. So you want you you want to be known. By God, not just by the people passing through. You want to be known by God for what you represented. You want your life to impact for the Kingdom of God, not the kingdom of darkness. You don't want to just be a liability in Satan's plan, like, oh yeah, let me you you look great. Let me use you. To advance my kingdom, because that's what's happening through businesses. He's advancing his kingdom. He's advancing his ways, right, And so through your business, through your talent, through your industry, asks the Lord, how can you partner with him to establish his kingdom? And there will be a test. You have to be prepared for that. There will always be a test. There will always be something that will come to test where you stand. I remember this was last year the Lord had told me, you know, even in the fields that he's called me to, and he showed me, he said, there is going to be a deal that comes on the table next year, which is the year we're in right now. And he said, but don't take it, because that deal comes a compromise. And if you don't take it, in three years, what I'm sending you would see it. In three years, you would receive what comes from me, and there is no attachments, no compromise to it. Right. And one of the things I've learned with the Lord in why he instructs me about things ahead of time is because he also uses that to teach me so that I could share with others, right that even when that deal comes on the table, that seems to be the greatest thing. And he showed me. He was like, it's it's going to be tempted. It's going to be very tempting. You're gonna feel like this is a life changing offer. But he said, but don't touch it. You're gonna compromise if you do. And what I've learned through that is not only the message for me, is the message for you. Because that offer that comes, that moment that comes to to, you know, effect, to compromise your integrity, to compromise your way. And it sometimes it comes to little things, right. You can just oh, I could just get under this over this person. I could just you know, I could just cheat things here, manipulate things there, and you know, find my way. Right. But if you don't touch it, if you don't eat of the King's food, because that's the King's food, compromise, manipulation, you know, all this nonsense. If you don't eat of the King's food, what God has prepared for you, you would see and it would be everything and more. And so that hasn't happened yet, but when it does, I'll circle back. And share that story. But man, I'm praying for you, and if you haven't watched part one, two three, then I encourage you to do so because I believe it's going to be such a blessing in your life. I believe that God is going to use this series so greatly to just open you up, man, open you to truth, open you to His ways, for you to not be deceived in the times, and to truly establish you as His own right. And so I'm excited share this with your friends and if you're not subscribed to the channel, I'll do so to be notified of you know, the different parts as they drop, and we'll see you next week. God bless you.