How To Make The Most Of This Year

[0:01] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to this spirit-filled word by David Enshie. When you catch a word, you have caught God. May you catch a word today that will cause God to change your story.

[0:13] Be blessed. I hear of swift obedience. Never have obeyed and let us know what we do. Swift obedience. For all who obeyed and never was sanctified.

[0:27] So shall it be for you. Amen. In Jesus' name. Amen. Religion gives you a presentation of God that makes him look quite mean.

[0:40] And inconsiderate. And possibly unmerciful. Just demanding, demanding, demanding.

[0:51] Religion makes you, has a way of presenting a God who all he does is to demand.

[1:04] Whether you are able to meet the demands or not. Bring it. Do it. Do that. Do that. So some people's easiest way of trying to avoid any trouble is, you know what?

[1:15] I don't do religion. There's no God. Think about it. How can God give you demands according to his standard and expect you, a fallen man, to meet the standards of God?

[1:36] Isn't that possible? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So then that means everyone will be sent to hell. So religion develops a system of you try and take some boxes.

[1:48] Try. Try. Try. And then so it ends up making, it becoming like the survival of the fittest. Those who are quite strong and a bit more disciplined, they tend to do better.

[2:03] But even they themselves, like the Pharisees, the best is their white wash tubes. So they take boxes outside and everybody sees them and says, whoa, whoa, whoa. But they don't.

[2:13] They know. And their wives know. And their husbands know that inside them there are problems. And sometimes they are even close spouses might not know, but they themselves. Because right now no one can tell what thoughts have been flying through your mind or you are developing.

[2:30] You know. So it's important to understand that God first, he gave them the demands for them to see how they can meet the demands. So it will drive them to this place in Romans chapter 7 where they say, oh, wretched man that I am.

[2:44] Who will deliver me from this body of death? Or the body of sin. This body of death. Because this body said, the good that I want to do. The law of God is good.

[2:55] Verse 14. The problem is not the law. Because the law is righteous. The law is good. Verse 14 says, but I am sold under sin.

[3:07] He says, therefore, I know that the law is spiritual. But I am carnal sold under sin. So it's not the law. It's me. There's a problem with me. He says, the things, verse 15 says that, for what I am doing, I do not understand.

[3:24] I just don't get it. For what don't I understand? The things that I will do, that I do not practice. But what I hate.

[3:39] Hello. You know, you look very good in church usually. But I know you understand exactly what the scripture is. So now if you leave our relationship with God at the mercy of our obedience to his laws, we will be found wanting always.

[3:59] Because the human nature has not got intrinsically what it takes to please God. So God said that what the flesh, the law, could not do in that it was weak through the flesh.

[4:15] Chapter 8, verse 3. What the law could not do. The law was meant to bring us up to God. But it was weak through the flesh. Humanity. So the law could not get that accomplished.

[4:28] God himself said, listen, I'm the only one who can meet my own standards. So God gave his standards to show us we can't keep the standards. To show us his standards. And then he comes as man to meet the standards of God.

[4:42] It's only God that can meet God's standards. It's only God who can meet the demands of God. So he comes to meet the demands of God. And fulfills it and condemns the weakness in the flesh.

[4:56] And now pass the credit to anyone who puts his faith in him and lives based on his word. So you live based on his word. He has mercy on you and gives you the opportunity to put your faith in him.

[5:10] Now, when you have faith in Christ and you believe in the word of God, something significantly happens. Two days ago, our scripture.

[5:21] 1 John 5, verse 11. This is the testimony that God has, watch this, given us. Eternal life is not necessarily everlasting life, which is also part of it. When you see eternal life, it's Zoe.

[5:34] It's God's kind of life. God has given us eternal life. And this life is in Jesus. Now, look at the next verse. That's where we come in. He who has the son, what do you get?

[5:47] You have this life. Now, you can now meet God's standards. You can live up to God's standards based on the life of God inside you. But the life of God comes to you without you having to do anything.

[6:04] The life of God has been made available in Christ Jesus. That is the essence of Christianity. So that it's not so much first what you do before God accepts you, it's what he has done so that God can accept you.

[6:19] So Christianity always starts with what Christ has done. Now, it's very important to understand this. So that when it comes to our theme for the year, being swift obedience, we don't just quickly begin to think that, okay, what are the boxes I have to take?

[6:33] I have to take. No, no, no. When you are dealing with God, it's not so much about laws. Obey my law. Obey my law. Anytime you see God saying obey his law, it's more in the New Testament times understanding.

[6:46] When God said obey his law, in other words, bringing your life under the authority of his word. So then it's not based on how I feel, but what he said in his word.

[6:59] So that I, I'm not, let's say, I'm not, I'm not, I'm supposed to forgive, right? Based on his law. Christian, forgive one another.

[7:11] You did something against me and that I didn't forgive. And I gave you a serious slap. God forbid. No, I did something that shouldn't, that doesn't depict, that doesn't depict God's word or submission to God's word.

[7:27] It doesn't mean God has forsaken me. It means that I have broken my principles in my work with him. So what do I do? I just repent and I go back and start living the way I should live.

[7:40] Does that make sense? So there are times you might not get it right so long as your obedience is concerned. But you see, disobedience is costly.

[7:52] So Christ comes to live his life in us so that he becomes our expression. So the strength of your Christian life is not so much based on your personal discipline and efforts. Even though that might come in.

[8:03] The strength of your Christian life is very much based on your depending on Jesus Christ who expresses himself through you. So then if you are able to forgive the way you should, you don't take the credit, but you give the credit to Jesus.

[8:17] Because naturally, if it were left with you, you won't forgive the way you are beginning to forgive. It might affect your emotions.

[8:28] It might engage your emotions. But you don't live based on emotions. You live based on God's word. So that brings us to a foundational text I would like to read. It's Psalm 112.

[8:40] Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Psalm 112. Psalm 112, verse 1, 2, and 3.

[8:52] Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighted greatly in what? His commandments. Now this is it.

[9:03] See, it's not, it's the thing that blessed is the one who they have prayed for. Praise the Lord. Blessed. You see, most of the people who think that I'll ask for God, he'll bless you anyway if he wants to bless you.

[9:16] No, you haven't reread your Bible. He said, blessed is the man that does something. What you do puts you in the sphere of blessing. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord.

[9:29] So this here, as you go and you live your life, you have to be a God-fearer. Can you imagine how Daniel, the king said, Daniel, Daniel chapter 6 from verse 20.

[9:44] The king came and cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king said, saying, Daniel, servant of the king of God, has your God whom you serve continue to be able to deliver you?

[9:55] And Daniel spoke from the lion's den. The king knew that he served God continually. And he was someone who feared God. In fact, Joseph, the reason why he did not sleep with Potiphar's wife, he said, I fear God.

[10:11] I fear God. Genesis 39. I fear God. There are some things that you shouldn't be able to do. Not because you are not disciplined.

[10:23] Or not because you are disciplined. But because you fear God. You fear God. Blessed is the man who feareth the Lord. Word man there.

[10:35] I hope you know what it means. It doesn't mean male. Blessed is the person. Okay. Blessed is the person. The man that feareth the Lord. And guess what? That delights greatly.

[10:49] What God is saying is your greatest delight. It's not a border for you. You are interested in what God has said. That's when you begin to bring your...

[11:01] Obedience is a crucial thing that will determine how God will bless you. You delight greatly in his commandments. Look at the next verse. Who delights greatly in his commandments?

[11:12] Verse 2 says that his seed shall be mighty upon the earth. This is one of the scriptures I believe with my call. The children of the righteous, they will do well.

[11:24] Amen. That's why I know children in this church will do well. Amen. He said your seed. And your seed, not only your children. That's immediately what it means.

[11:35] But also your products. If you are into business. If you are into studies. Your seed shall be mighty upon the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

[11:47] Say amen. Amen. Amen. You can't be upright and you'll be blessed. Your generation will be blessed. Oh, is this in the Bible? Look at verse 3. Why doesn't it always get noticed?

[12:04] Wealth and riches shall be... Ah. Ah. You see, this alone is enough for you to build your life on this year. Yes. Yes. He said...

[12:16] Okay. Unless God didn't mean what he said. But if you believe God's word. He said wealth and riches shall be in his house. Right? Really? In my house? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

[12:26] If I fear God and I greatly delight in his commandment. You see, that's where the rubber hits the road. Are you a Christian? Do you really believe God's word? Oh, well, that... Master, how can you believe that?

[12:38] You know, this doesn't mean... But what else does it mean? What else? The context is blessed is the man. Then he began to express the blessedness of this man that fears God.

[12:50] And greatly... We forget greatly delight in his commandments. Greatly... You are always interested in what God has got to say. Detach yourself from people who tell you... Ask for your Bible, Bible.

[13:01] Forget about the Bible. Detach yourself from them. Anyone who tells you forget about the Bible... Is an enemy territory. The person might not be an enemy to you...

[13:11] But Satan is going to use... Is creating a platform for Satan... To invade your life. There is a Satanic invasion coming. When you hang around someone who tells you...

[13:21] Forget about the Bible. Say, hey... You must be alert. Satan is coming. Satan is about to invade an aspect of your life. Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

[13:31] Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! He says that he who delights greatly...

[13:43] Not just delight. Greatly. Thank you, God. Greatly in the Word of the Lord... In the commandments of God. He said that such a man is blessed. Yeah! His seeds shall be mighty upon the earth...

[13:55] And the generation of the... ... shall be blessed. Wealth and riches... That's one! That's one. Wealth and riches shall be in here. Hallelujah! And look at the next verse.

[14:05] for God has chosen the foolish things that doesn't mean we are stupid just that what will not be celebrated in worldly terms God said that's what I will use he has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the world they look at you you who used not to be respected in your family now when they want to make a decision they want to hear what you've got to say and some old guys are wondering since how did you become like this God not many wise but God has chosen the best things of this world to confound the wise the weak things to baffle the strong so that's what it means when he says that not many so the fact that you are not in the elite group doesn't mean you won't get there because God called you out you are not there but he is packaging you and you will be something else so wealth and riches will be in the house of the one who fears God now we need to be intentional when it comes to actively obeying God you can't be obeying God by accident you must be intentional you must know

[15:21] I've determined I've set myself I've set it upon myself that I will obey God and so there are things to do in order to maximally benefit from the goodness of God in this season of swift obedience and this this year you must make most of your life yeah please please make the most of your life I know you see don't be one of those people who give coronavirus as an excuse yeah you know what got my attention during the lockdown children were still schooling yeah because we can't have yeah school less children yeah children who are not studying are not learning I mean it will cost the economy yeah so do you know some people did their A levels O levels yeah and they move on further to another year even though they have not been in classrooms yeah virtual classrooms and we also manage to have church services yeah so so so the truth is where there is a will there will be a way yeah it's it's only the lazy one who always give a reason why there's a lion on the way and I can't go meanwhile others have gone and come but I said no no when I work the lion doesn't like me it doesn't it as for me it doesn't like me no

[16:41] Proverbs Proverbs says that the lazy man said there's a lion on the way so don't make excuses this year we have to make maximum use of this year because remember two points one time is running out and number two what is quite worrying it's not many noble your background might not advantage you but God has called you and he's taking you somewhere where your background can't take you that means you have to put in the the work yeah yeah you can't desire let's say no from your great great grandmother no one has been a wife ever it's not it's not part of the family status and not by God's grace not not many wives he has chosen the weak to confound people whose family are always get married they'll be looking at you the way your marriage is flourishing and it's not in your background but yours is flourishing they'll be coming for counseling and they'll be wondering how did you make it not many wives

[17:56] God has chosen the weak things to confound but that means that you have to now don't waste time because you have to start accumulating all it takes there are physical things it takes you have to accumulate intellectual things it takes you have to combine everything to change your status because status is not changed because oil is poured on somebody after the oil was poured you Goliath and David do you think David went and said oil is up for me and then did and Goliath started falling no he also had to know how to use the sling he could he could throw a sling he was good at it so whilst he was in the wilderness he was practicing it he was practicing it he was good at it but we prayed for you and you are expecting that because we prayed for you you will pass exam automatically so there are things to do now watch we have to make the most of our time in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 16 it says redeeming

[19:01] I think we should all read it together from the screen let's read it out let's go one more time please redeeming the times because the days are evil I thought you are reading God's word for which reason you should do it with some energy and loudness and confidence let's go again redeeming the times because the days are evil why should you redeem the times because the days are evil it's clearly in the text this is pure grammar redeem the times why because you can flip it on the other side because the days are evil redeem the time redeem the time how do you redeem the time that's the key thing now days are evil bad things can easily happen you can easily be left behind how many of you know 365 days is a lot but it's not a lot at all because look at how long it has taken you to get to this height or this age many many 365 days it takes a long time so you have to redeem the times because the days are evil so one time you are running out of time you remember in 2nd Peter chapter sorry 1st Peter chapter 4 verse 2 where it talks about you've spent much of your time in there that you no longer should live verse 2 that you no longer should live the rest of his time so your time in the flesh the last of men but for the will of God why the verse 3 for we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will in doing our own thing you've spent enough time say you've spent enough time blowing time redeem the time there's time for everything yeah

[20:55] God redeem the time you have spent enough time doing some that stuff yeah yeah you've had enough of it you can put the it you can define your own it define your own it so wow so I think it's very important we understand that time there's this proverb that says that time and time waits for no man a stitch in time saves no man so this year there are things you do to maximize the year alright let me give you one or two a few number one what should you do to maximize the year to get the best out of the year number one you have to develop your faith develop your faith say some of the things that you are dealing with will require God and if you do take God then all you require is faith develop your faith in Habakkuk 2 for it says the just shall live by his faith everybody has your own faith to deal with the just shall live by their faith this year please develop your faith in Romans chapter 1 verse 17 it says that for the just shall live by faith you want to make the most of this year please you can't afford not to operate by faith or not to develop your faith you can have very little faith but the kind of hurdle you are trying to cross it requires some big faith it requires some great faith the little faith won't do a lot of job for you

[22:50] I believe God that this year someone will get married someone will have your own child someone is buying your house someone is starting your branch someone is growing in ministry this year it was something someone's child is making it into the best school please but first of all if you are expecting God to get involved then develop your faith develop your faith it took faith for Abraham to be able to obey God the way he did it's very clear in the text in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 8 that by faith Abraham when he was asked to go out to a place where he would later receive as an inheritance obeyed and went out not knowing where he was going but he knew that he was going to receive a place as an inheritance faith we can tell so his level of obedience was because of faith sister have faith in God my brother have faith in God we have about we have 364 days to exercise your faith exercise this year you must make sure that I'm going to work by faith

[24:16] I'm developing my faith I'm developing can you imagine they were crossing to their promised land and between them and their promised land was the Red Sea Red Sea small faith can't do the job Bible said by faith they crossed the Red Sea and they walked in Hebrews chapter 11 from verse 29 they walked on dry ground dry ground in the midst of the Red Sea by faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land whereas the Egyptians attempting to do so were drowned the Egyptians attempted they were drowned because they didn't know that this thing is by we walked through it by faith they said oh these guys are working by techniques by technology you allow those who are copying you let them keep copying you and see if they can reproduce your results by faith by faith one of the things I realized is if anytime you make an attempt to make progress in life there are people who always explain your success away they explain it's because of this and because of this because it's Father Day because it got us admission why didn't you get it and because of that because of that and sometimes they say okay he's doing that we will also do it we will also do it and they begin to do and they waste their time doing what you have been doing but they don't have the core ingredients you've always had the faith and they realize that they are doing it but they are not getting the results you're getting you'll be promoted by faith

[25:46] I said you'll be promoted by faith you'll be elevated by faith so working by faith is non-negotiable so you have to develop your faith develop your faith it's not just statements we are making to encourage people it is a reality you hear somebody's testimonies and have you noticed that almost every testimony has something that they did to trigger the testimony so it's good to encourage us to know that these things when you do them the way you should do them they work but there are people who are doing it doing these things but not with faith why are you giving tithe if you can't do it by faith why are you serving in departments if you can't serve by faith why are you attending church if you can't do it by faith so don't do it because others are good to be provoked and motivated by what others are doing and their results are a pointer to the fact that this thing works then you develop your faith in God's word and just keep doing what you have to do it is not only one thing you should do just do everything you have to do and it makes your greatness and the manifestation of God's goodness qualitative is someone getting what I'm saying build your faith build your faith this year make it a faith building year for you faith building stop stop entertaining the fear

[27:20] Matthew chapter chapter 8 verse 26 Jesus said why are you that old year of little faith you are afraid why are you fearful or you of little faith why are you fearful and Jesus got up and calmed the storms and they were surprised that means that if you had faith you can calm a lot of storms in your life when you have faith you are not afraid of the storms they tell you a storm is coming and they normally give you the name storm Robert is coming storm Jackie is coming let you come let you come I'm ready I have to do everything physically that is responsible to protect myself and family but whatever it comes let it come develop your faith this year you say obedience swift obedience listen you can't do it without faith you can't do it without faith because to get to a time your faith will be tested the situations can sometimes be so rough it will only take faith in God looking unto

[28:25] Jesus who for the joy that was said before him he endured him because he kept looking at something the reason why Moses was able to forsake Egypt is because Bible says in verse 26 Hebrews he saw him who was invisible he was able to see something ahead looking to the reward looking to the reward so you have to be able to work by faith build your faith faith can develop faith can have taught a message on how to develop several messages so you have to listen to that one okay so number one develop your faith how to make the most of this year number one develop your faith number two nourish your spirit you want to walk by faith how many of you have noticed that sometimes walking by faith is so hard because it's a function of your spirit you have not been reading your Bible you have not been attending fellowship you have not been listening to messages you have not been praying a situation comes you have not faith no it's positive thinking no faith it's positive I have faith I have faith I don't know why okay I have faith but God this faith

[29:26] I'm trying doesn't work okay listen listen you are trying too much you are trying too much okay by faith don't don't think it's positive thinking it's faith move okay so then for you to be able to walk by faith you can't walk by faith on an empty spirit on an empty spirit you need energy spiritual energy your spirit must be intact and so you have to nourish your spirit man how do you nourish your spirit man this is crucial crucial A prayer you must engage in prayer all right God likes prayers he likes it when we pray to him because prayer is expression of dependence on God so how can you say I'm believing God and you are not praying so pray when you how many of you have had this experience you prayed and after you prayed you feel like wow you are ready you are ready to handle the matter prayer boosts your spiritual state nourishes your spirit the word of God you must allow an irregular watch this is very important regular inflow regular inflow of God's word how do you do that by reading your Bible studying your Bible listening to preachers listening to preachers listening to preachers create allow regular inflow of God's word so prayer and allow regular inflow sometimes we don't allow regular inflow of God's word because you know there are times you are really not you want something different you want something exciting and entertaining but you know it's like you have an exam the next day and you really wanted some entertainment because you like that show football but when you look at the exam tomorrow and you look at the results that potentially can come out you can suspend the football and give yourself to what will advantage your future so what

[31:37] I'm trying to say is that it's always important to pay a certain price to go forward to help you right go forward to help you so keep the inflow of God's word and by God's grace we have several thousands I believe messages and they are all free nowadays thank God online has forced everybody to stop selling their messages as long as you have online access YouTube so many messages podcasts so many messages SoundCloud why do you have access to such wealth or flow of God's word and you deny yourself it and you say why are Christian not rich so the inflow of God's word so that's how you develop your spirit man or nourish your spirit man man must not live by bread alone by every word

[32:41] Matthew chapter 4 so the word of God is for nourishment Paul said I could not feed you with meat but milk so that means the word is for feeding 1st Corinthians chapter 3 verse 2 said I could not feed you with meat but I could solid food I fed you milk so the word of God is for nourishment it's meat it's for nourishment it's milk hallelujah you need it other than that your spirit man will be emaciated now when your spirit man is emaciated you'll be struggling to walk by faith and not only that you'll be struggling to keep your garments clean some of you the temptation you are under I don't know why nowadays I don't know this thing has come on me so much just let the word of God flow in okay I'm telling you all of us when the word is not flowing some other things start growing so if you don't want those things to grow let the word flow nobody is exempt so long as there's blood and your blood is not blue and your blood is red all right you are a human being if they gush you die you are human everybody so the fact that everybody is physically a human being susceptible to the elements of the climate or weather everything that means that the same way none of us is exceptional our exceptionalism has a lot to do not even my personal discipline my personal discipline helps me to focus on feeding the word but when the word comes in

[34:22] I'm okay when the word keeps coming in I'll be fine all right I'm telling you my sister if you can allow the word to come in if you can allow the regular inflow of my brother if you can allow the regular inflow of the word you'll be fine you'll be able to walk by faith easily hands down your faith will be growing and you'll be able to say no to what you want to say no to because the word is life say amen and let me add this so prayer and the inflow of the word and you also we also need this very important aspect of our Christian life fellowship fellowship the one who does not give time for fellowship is really doing himself or herself great disservice fellowship that's why we come to church we travel from all over to come together for fellowship it is as I said the other time not assembling ourselves together hurts the church because we need each other desperately you need me desperately

[35:30] I need you desperately you need her desperately she needs you desperately you need him it is koinonia interconnectedness and interrelationship fellowship pastor I don't know now my spiritual life is so low it's because you have only been watching online you know you are the word I'm talking about get up and go to church get up and make sure you go to church when you can there's a lot happening in this building which watching online won't give you the privilege to know but it's part of fellowship and the word of God is central so fellowship now having said the third thing let me add a fourth thing about spiritual nourishment the fourth thing is schedule time because a lot of people don't schedule

[36:32] God into their time I'll explain it schedule God listen this whole year quite a few years I think you should have some days a day two where you actually withdraw from everything and go and pray you can most of us don't and some of us because of your maybe family responsibilities might be a bit tricky but you have to find a way of maybe as soon as the children go to school the next three days I plan that the next three days it's just me I'll just be praying spending time with God I won't watch anything no TV nothing unless maybe a certain message or something and just you share their time with God it's called summit you withdraw from that's some people call it waiting on God or retreat but withdraw from the regular activities some of us who are pastors a pastor who doesn't go and wait on God you understand that we have to you are a minister you are a leader of something but you don't take time to spend special time with

[37:48] God that shouldn't be only leaders I'm talking to pastor pastor ask for this year go on waiting okay please go and wait at least once every other month because you are pastor or once every quarter if possible once every month depending on what you are looking for from God schedule it schedule it if you don't schedule it it will happen schedule it program it schedule timetable for church into your time in your week make sure I know I have service here I know I have service at this time that brother is coming from America you haven't seen that friend you haven't seen for 28 years it is arriving on Sunday morning let them wait at the airport once service finish you can't go and pick them else they should change their time because it clashes with your very important schedule development spiritual development doesn't happen automatically when you see a beautiful garden it didn't come automatically somebody took time to design and to attend to the flowers and to nurture it schedule time for reading your Bible every day for reading your Bible it doesn't have to be hours but schedule time and keep it regular even if it's 5 minutes even if it's 10 minutes even if it's 15 minutes you must have a regular time you have slaughtered

[39:19] God into your program and you do it religiously regularly without fail and see what the outcome will be for your life it's important schedule time don't use holy convocation time for decorating your new house you are now changing your carpet and those who the carpet fitter said they can't come but they can't come on Sunday morning one of the common excuses I hear is the only time they can come and fix my heater my boiler is Sunday morning tell them no you can't come on Sunday morning you have to come another time because I am busy I have an appointment if the GP that's the only time for surgery or key or surgery would you say they are coming to fix my boiler it depends on what priority you place on God people don't make God a priority but they want God to make them a priority when they are in crisis God where are you

[40:20] I have always been it's you who went away so you can come closer I'm still here come closer you've gone so far you've detoured away I wait for you come closer and you begin to get what closeness to me brings time schedule it let me throw so number one develop your faith number two nourish your spirit number three this is quite important let me just throw these things in can I do it in the next five minutes I'll throw them in practice praise and thanksgiving always stop remembering okay God I don't know why only me why why why why everybody is getting the joke ask for me every time we are sorry why why God why me why me and then now I have to go to church and serve well I'll go I'll go please don't do that in everything give God thanks in first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 8 he said in everything do or give thanks

[41:22] Jesus Christ when they got into a situation where there was no food to serve feed the people in John chapter 6 he said that what do you have five loaves of bread at a boy's lunch what can you do for all these many men even if just the two of of the macho belly people just the two of them can you imagine and then 5,000 men thousands of them how can he do Jesus bring it don't worry he took it verse 11 that's very important and Jesus took the loaves and went here now what giving thanks listen take the year and give thanks take it and give thanks now you've entered the year don't worry don't worry about what has happened don't worry about what is threatening your life take the year and give thanks start giving thanks and every situation you face give thanks learn how to praise God in 2nd chronicles chapter 20 verse 12 they said we do not know what to do and we don't have might they are too strong for us and we don't know what to do oh our

[42:30] God will you not judge them for we have no power against this great multitude that has come against us that's coming against us nor do we know what to do after they prayed the word of God came to one of the guys in verse 15 and he said hear oh Israel the battle is not yours they're lost he said tomorrow do you know what he said he said you don't need to fight in this battle because the battle is mine you don't need to fight this is there in your Bible he said you do not need to fight in this battle battle you don't need to fight in this battle what battle are you talking about you don't need to fight in this battle you don't need to fight it's not every victory you have to fight to get they said you don't need to they said we don't know what to do why because you don't need to fight in this battle but what they are supposed to do in order to hand over the battle is what later on they found out he said tomorrow go before them but we don't need to fight keep going tomorrow morning rise up and go go he told them to go and so when they have consulted with the people

[43:44] I realized that they did it themselves they consulted with the people they appointed singers who should praise the beauty of God's holiness so Bible says that verse 20 so early in the morning Jehoshaphat stood and said hear old Judah and inhabitants of Judah believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established believe in the prophet and now look at verse 20 verse 21 says that and when they are consulted with the people they did their consensus what should we do okay let's plan the people realized that if the battle is God's then there's a way to do it so they're consulted with the people when they are consulted with the people they appointed those who should sing to the Lord and who should praise the beauty the beauty God is unique he's holy the beauty they are going for battle they are going for the interview and yet they are praising the beauty of God's holiness holiness means God is different and he will do things differently praise the beauty of what they have consulted and watch this the who should go before the army saying praise ye the

[44:53] Lord now look at the next verse when now when they have begun to praise God so God said I will fight for you what do they have to do they have to face the challenge and the situation in praise and thanksgiving so please make praise and thanksgiving a lifestyle this year develop your faith nourish your spirit make praise and thanksgiving a lifestyle very important practice be a covenant practitioner practice things that you know this is where God does this like praise like prayer like giving like tithing these things are covenant practices be a covenant practitioner be a covenant practitioner that's number four right no that's not number three number one develop your faith number two number three praise and thanksgiving engage in praise and

[45:54] God number four be a covenant practitioner and let me add number five number five please have goals and targets don't just be going in life okay sir have some goals and targets I'm going to do this plan it plan some things okay plan if you if you fail to plan you are planning to fail so plan have a plan have goals and targets have targets plan that you are getting married and cut off yourself from exposing yourself to rubbish that will not help you get your wife or get your husband so plan plan to pass this exam once and for all you have written it 20 times pass this once and for all plan it target make it a target make it a target have goals that this time I'm finishing my driver's landing

[46:54] I'm putting this aside I'm getting this out make it a goal and believe God and work towards it don't make it a goal I expect that God will do it for you yourself you have to say God I'm going to kill this thing I'm going to nail this thing I'm going to nail this thing and start it some of us you have to start a business that will work this time and I believe in professionals who are working somewhere but they have a business on their side it's good register your company your bosses don't like it the way you think they might it's not for everyone to do a business some people you are better off so in fact let me put it in but please what I'm trying to say is set targets and set goals set targets and set goals so goals and targets hard work the reason why people don't get jobs or don't get paid high or a lot of things is laziness maybe you physically you can do it every time but we don't like working hard yeah let's work hard work will not break your bones your sleeping is too hard you wake up by the time you wake up

[48:27] McDonald's has finished breakfast alright I think because of time I will leave it hard work let me just throw this one and then act now stop procrastinating action this year changes these days that are very wealthy it's very full of action action action action action action Tokyo action action action New York action action action London action action action sir your status is not quite encouraging and it's because your actions are too minimal act now stop procrastinating act now enroll on that course now you should have done that last year you didn't do it the next point add value to other people's lives yeah I value do something for others was that what's that I'm practically done all this number nine honor honor honor honor honor your wife honor your mother honor your pastor honor your father honor your husband honor honor honor honor honor honor will just give a mood of favor over your life honor your boss and then finally let me just throw this one in protect important relationships because sometimes you are working working working and you are you and your children are becoming aliens yeah you and your wife some people work work work work work and they are married begins to break down because they don't have time for each other they don't have time you've forgotten every birthday in your family your wife's birthday forgot your children's birthday forgotten the day you got married your wedding anniversary you've forgotten the day your mother died you've forgotten you've forgotten everything because you are busy making money the day your mother-in-law died and it's very essential to your wife you've forgotten everything and last three years she warned you last year she warned you please this year don't let her warn you set notification reminders but the point I'm making let's protect some relationships please don't work so much that your children you don't know them someone is raising them for you protect relationship with your leaders in church don't just walk out I'm not happy so you just walk out please relationship relationships are important don't destroy them so quickly don't be so some must be destroyed yes yes some are toxic toxic relationships they will destroy where you are trying to go so destroy those relationships and preserve your future but there are some relationships that you have to you know you don't get on with your brother but it's your brother he might not be your friend but nurture the relationship show some you know stop the tension and some relationships are so important this person who has been so helpful to you in your spiritual journey don't see the relationship deteriorate so quickly especially if they are still helpful nurture the relationship when your pastor rebukes you take it in good faith and move on and keep the relationship listen one of the good things you should have is a pastor yes you need a GP a lawyer and a pastor but the pastor is first your lawyer you have to retain lawyer is very expensive and all those and you might not be with a good pastor you you might not even need a lawyer

[52:29] yeah with a good pastor hospital visitations will be minimized maintain relationship please this year you don't have time and sometimes you have to do it as a family train your husband or your daughter your son your your wife to put respect over respectable figures in your life yeah don't join your mom your wife inviting her mother don't do it you are not a good husband even though she's wrong don't call her and say this is your last time you can talk to my wife like that hey really wow who will get better to you by mistake yeah yeah don't instigate your your your husband to break relation with his pastor no no with his father okay yeah don't be the sponsor of declining relationship with spiritual people in your family yeah you know your wife's state is not good spiritual state is so bad because every day movie uh africa movies indian movies chinese movie every time you can tell she's not reading her bible every time you can tell her spiritual state is not good even though she has all the words you can tell his spiritual state is not good manage it well and don't join it maybe some things that can even offend him don't say it because it will drive him farther away from church or from healthy relationship so leave it because we need it build relationships so give and it shall be given unto you good measure press down run you over shall men not god men god uses men even when he was coming needed and married yes sir so build relationship i think i have to stop now wow hallelujah did you receive something yeah thank you for listening to this message by david entry when god speaks works show and the works will surely show in your life to hear more from david entry follow him on facebook instagram twitter linkedin and subscribe to caris church on youtube don't forget to share and subscribe to our podcast so you're always up to date be blessed you