Why Soul Winning? - Pt 2

Pastor

David Antwi

Date
Aug. 8, 2016

Description

As Christians, God has commissioned us to go out there and compel those who are getting lost into His Kingdom. What an amazing opportunity to be part this great commission of our Lord Jesus. In this sermon, Rev Awo Antwi continues the teachings on the necessities of Soul Winning. A very powerful message on soul winning. Be blessed!.

Transcription

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.

[0:00] Thanks for checking in on this podcast. You are about to hear an inspirational teaching from Caris Ministries. If God has used this ministry to bless you in any way, please take a moment and write to us at amen at caris.org.

[0:15] We are always inspired and blessed to hear how God is blessing people all over the world through what he is doing here at Caris. Also, if you would like to support this ministry financially, you can do so online at caris.org so we can continue making podcasts such as this available free of charge.

[0:38] One thing I know is that there is no revival without the saving of souls. There is absolutely no revival. So if you are crying, revival, revival, then the salvation of souls must be one of your key priorities.

[0:50] So it is good we pray for revival, but the working of revival requires us two things. The preaching of the gospel and prayer. You cannot have revival outside of prayer, and you cannot have revival outside the preaching of the gospel.

[1:04] Many must come to faith, for which it would mean that there has been revival. When we see that, when we see in scriptures, everywhere that the Holy Spirit was poured over the people, over the people of God, the first thing they do is they step out to preach.

[1:19] So those of us who shook at Graceland, who banged the altar at Graceland, who were running around at Graceland, who fasted at Graceland, we did all manner of things to say that the Holy Spirit has come upon us.

[1:34] The evidence of the coming of the Holy Spirit is the preaching of the word. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. But I just want to remind somebody that you cannot sit on the unction of God that came upon you.

[1:47] You cannot live life doing nothing with the unction that came upon you. We must arise and build. We must arise and bring the harvest in.

[1:57] Amen. Okay, so God's event tried to summarize exactly what we did last week. The first point that we raised was the fact that it is important that we green souls because we are ambassadors of Christ.

[2:13] So we represent Jesus. If we are looking for the Jesus people, then they must look at us because we represent Jesus. So if you represent somebody, then your interest is to make sure that whatever they've asked you to do is done.

[2:27] And he has already asked us to go into the world. You get me? So if he has asked us to go into the world, and therefore, and if we are ambassadors, then that's exactly what we have to do.

[2:38] So if there's an ambassador, is there an ambassador of God in the house? Fantastic. I like that response, but there's a better response, which is actually going to preach the word. Yeah. It is nice that you have the label ambassador, but it is the work that you do that proves that you are actually an ambassador.

[2:56] If you send somebody, if there is an ambassador of a country in this nation, and the ambassador is not doing their job, their country is not well represented. So they may have a post, they may have an office, but it's completely irrelevant with UK society because the ambassador is not working.

[3:12] And that's how some of us, we've positioned ourselves. So we are God's ambassadors at your workplace, but they don't feel Christ. They don't see Christ.

[3:24] You are God's ambassador wherever you go, amongst your friends, but they are not feeling Christ. You are on post, but not performing your duties. So somebody needs to arise. Amen. It is just a Christian thing.

[3:37] It is just a Christian thing. I always have this understanding that if you are in love with somebody, the people around you would just know about the person. I haven't met anybody fall in love and nobody knew about it.

[3:50] It's not possible. So if you are in love with somebody, even our dogs, people put pictures of dogs, they go to the office, they have pictures of their screensaver, is their dog.

[4:03] I mean, if you even go on a holiday, you are so excited about the holiday, you have your postcard, you have your fridge, whatever, magnet thing. You have something to show that you went to this place and actually you had fun or you enjoyed it.

[4:18] So anything that is truly our enjoyment, we will speak about it. So in actual fact, I always tell people that people say, oh, I haven't done it before. I said, it's actually just expressing your experience with Jesus.

[4:30] That's all. You don't know how to have all the scriptures. You don't have to know everything in the scriptures, but just your experience. Tell people what you have encountered since you met Christ. So it's just a natural thing to do if you are in love with Jesus.

[4:43] If you are part of the household of God, it's a natural thing to do that you will talk about Jesus. But interestingly, every now and then we seem to forget. You sit on the train, you go places, and you seem to forget.

[4:54] And by God's grace, he's actually set out this month for us as part of the greater awakening for us to win souls. I mean, this is such an awesome opportunity.

[5:05] The things that we have forgotten, some of us have not done it before, so from now, as we get the experience of doing it, it becomes a natural thing. We can now do it in our own time, you know, our own spare time, on your way to work, at work, in the supermarket.

[5:18] Wherever you find yourself, you can share Christ with people. Once there are human beings there, Christ can be shared. It doesn't require puppets. It doesn't require a microphone. You just meet somebody. Do you know about Jesus?

[5:29] And then you let them talk. And from there, you need to know where you pick it from. Because every angle they come from, I mean, God is there. Every angle they come from, you can find a way to address whatever situation they are in by presenting the gospel.

[5:44] So it's just a Christian thing to do. And refer to Acts chapter 4, verse 17 to 20, Acts chapter 5, verse 28 to 29. Those of us who were in here last week, or you haven't had, you weren't here last week.

[5:57] There's other scriptures we refer to. We said, we cannot but preach the gospel. I mean, how can we contain the gospel? We cannot, the things we have seen, the things we have heard, we walked with Jesus.

[6:09] You can't tell me that this is not real. And all we are doing is telling others that Jesus is real. We saw him on the cross. We saw him resurrected. I have encountered him.

[6:19] I was a sinner. Now I'm free. Now I have peace with God. I mean, that's all I'm telling you. You can't tell me I don't have that. So it's just a Christian thing, just like for the disciples and the apostles.

[6:31] It was just, he said, we have encountered this Jesus and therefore we can't help but talk about it. They were actually threatening them with death. They said, is it better to obey God, to obey God rather than men?

[6:44] Or is it better to obey men rather than God? Tell us which one to choose. We can't. We must obey God. And the things we have experienced, we can't deny them.

[6:56] Nobody can tell me that I'm not a woman. I mean, it's a bit odd. Nobody can tell you that, Rebecca, you're not wearing spectacles because you can feel it on your face. You actually put it on yourself.

[7:09] It's real. It's real. So it's a natural thing to do. If you're not doing it, then it's very unnatural. I mean, it's very strange. Your sister must be feeling very uncomfortable about it if you don't speak about Jesus.

[7:23] If not, maybe you need to, I mean, work it. And there's an opportunity on Saturday we'll be going out again. Amen? It is a means to salvation. The preaching of the gospel, point number three, is a means to salvation.

[7:36] The gospel must be preached. Somebody told you about Jesus. Somebody told you about Jesus. Some people say they had dreams, but they still were told. Information was passed on.

[7:48] You may have heard it through a vision, and you said you saw Jesus, and you saw him lifted, and he came down, and he said, my daughter, follow me. Still, communication was passed over to you. And that's how you became a Christian.

[8:01] Still, information was passed over to you. Still, the gospel was preached to you. So, that is the only means. Somebody must hear that Jesus is Lord.

[8:13] Somebody must hear that Jesus loves you. Somebody must hear that you don't have to die in your sins. You don't have to die in your sins. You actually don't have to live as sinner. You can be free from the power of sin.

[8:25] And this will require the ambassadors to speak. The ambassadors must speak up. Amen. It's the only means to salvation. So, we must preach the gospel.

[8:36] Acts chapter 11, verse 13. Point number four. So, those are the most valuable things here on earth. As God said, I want to give an illustration last week. He said that when there's a plane crash, you didn't hear how many watches got lost.

[8:50] You didn't hear how many expensive suitcases in the first class that were lost. You will hear about how many people how many lives that were perished. So, in the end, lives matter.

[9:03] In the end, at the end of all of it, lives matter. And therefore, if you think about it and you see God's perspective, he actually created us in his image. That is the importance God places on the soul.

[9:16] Point number six. It's a release of power. The scripture God's even quoted, 2 Corinthians. chapter 22, verse 24.

[9:30] I mean, that scripture, I've been dwelling on it for a while now. And it's so real and so true. It says that, for the Jews request for a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.

[9:46] But we preach Christ. Christ. We don't preach charis. We preach Jesus Christ. We don't preach denomination.

[9:58] We don't preach charismatic, protestant, evangelical, whatever category we put ourselves in. We preach Jesus. So, it's nice to tell people, come over to my church.

[10:11] Because, truly, it's actually better if they come. Because, we went out. Isn't it? We stepped out. So, it means that God can entrust some souls in our hands. There's no points.

[10:22] What you haven't worked for most of the time, you don't have value for. So, when we go out and we win our soul, we want them to come here. But what we offer them is not church. We offer them Jesus.

[10:33] Because, it's only Jesus that can really transform our lives. It's only Jesus. No religion. When they come here and they don't know Jesus, it will be religion. It will end up being religion.

[10:45] And religion kills. But, if they have Jesus, they need to be a transformed life. As they fellowship and learn from us. But, it says that, verse 23 says, but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews as stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.

[11:02] But, to those of us who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. If you preach Christ, you have power available to you.

[11:16] If you preach Christ, actually you are wise. You have wisdom. It's a wise thing to preach Christ. It's a wise thing. The scripture says in Psalms that they that published the word of God, great was the company that published the word of God.

[11:35] So, if you want to feel like there's something that tells you you're a very great person, you haven't been able to lay hands on it, it says, if you publish the word, you are in the company of the great. That's how you become great.

[11:48] Publishing the word, declaring the word. So, the feeling is good, but there's a way to work it for it to become a reality. Preach the gospel. Preach the gospel. You are already in the company of the great when you preach the gospel.

[12:02] And it tells us that for those of us who are being saved, it's a power. There's power made available. God confirm his word with signs and wonders. Without the word being preached, there won't be the need for confirmation.

[12:16] So, if you talk to Jesus, if you talk to somebody about Jesus and the person says that, hmm, is it really so? And you say, have you got any sickness? Let's pray. And you pray, laid hands, and the person got healed.

[12:29] Oh, this word that you're preaching is real. But it's been turned the other way around in our world today. that we want all the miracles without any, I mean, why should God just be throwing miracles around?

[12:43] Why? Why? Who does he owe? He gives you free air. He's giving your life free years. He's giving to you. He says he reigns over the garden of the good and the evil.

[12:58] So, just that means he's good. He should actually refrain from giving rain to the garden of the one who is bad. But he said he gives it freely. We all breathe freely.

[13:09] I mean, freely. You can imagine if there was a charge to your breathing. Most of us, all our benefits will pay for breathing. You have benefit for TV.

[13:21] You use it to pay for breathing. You use it to pay for breathing. But he has given it to us freely.

[13:37] You know? So, it's too crucial. It's important. It says it's the power and the wisdom of God when we preach Christ.

[13:48] The wisdom of God. What is the wisdom of God? That when the devil thought that he was finishing God's mission here on earth, that when Christ dies, that's the end. Rather, it was the beginning of God's plan.

[14:01] That's the wisdom of God. Who could have thought of this? And then it goes down to say that eyes have not seen, ears have not heard. Neither has it crossed the minds of men. What God has prepared for those of us.

[14:14] It goes further down to say that. He's talking about God's wisdom. The wisdom of God that the dying of Jesus will be the saving of men. You couldn't have thought about it.

[14:26] Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard. No man could have conceived that this is how God will do it. And this is the offer we have for others. So it's important. It is the release of power.

[14:38] It brings joy. And joy is in threefold. Joy in heaven. Look chapter 15 verse 10. Joy in heaven. It says that if a soul is brought into the kingdom, even though they are 99, it says that the angels, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

[14:59] One sinner who repents, the angels rejoice. I mean there's party in heaven because one person got saved. Let me just, can you just think about it and process it?

[15:10] That is that important to God? For heaven to rejoice, that one person was saved. Everything stops in heaven for them to rejoice over the one soul.

[15:24] Think about it, tells you the importance God places on the saving of sinners. Is that important to God? The heavens rejoice. They rejoice. It didn't say the heavens rejoice because of your testimonies.

[15:38] So as much as we pursue testimonies, it says he rejoices for the sinner who is saved. God, if I was you, if I would pursue something, then I'll pursue the saving of sinners.

[15:51] It says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness and all other things. So if I can seek the sinner being saved for heaven to rejoice, then there's no testimony. There is no testimony that I'll be lacking.

[16:05] Absolutely none. There will be no testimony that I will be lacking in my life because it's my honor to please heaven. Bring joy to heaven. God has given you an honor to bring joy to heaven.

[16:16] Amen. Joy in the city. Joy in the city, which is Acts chapter 8, verse 8. It speaks about Philip going into Samaria and when the gospel was preached, he said there was great joy.

[16:29] Great joy because the gospel was preached. I mean, yesterday, Peckham should have been German, but in our daughter's generation, as Pastor Charles said, we have to push for the hand of God to be revealed.

[16:44] But when the gospel is preached in a city, there's great joy. Great joy. So we bring joy to a city when we preach the gospel in the city.

[16:56] You are a bringer of joy. Actually, you can determine the atmosphere in the city. That is power. That is pure power. Because even when Theresa May stands to speak, half of the people are not happy.

[17:12] Some people will be happy. Some people will not be happy. Depending on where the cats are going. People of importance, when they stand to speak, there's division.

[17:23] Some people are happy. Some people are not. But it says when we preach the gospel to the city, there is joy in the city. There is joy in the city. I tell you, you have power more than politicians.

[17:37] We have it. We have it. Don't only look yourself and your life within just your job and your studio flats and your red bank account.

[17:48] And just let your life be summed in that. There are other things. There's another level of our lives. This one is the physical. There is the spiritual and the supernatural.

[17:59] Every now and then, just remind yourself just to shift into the spiritual. Move into the supernatural. It's better to actually dwell there. But even if you are struggling to, you are moving in and out, every now and then, just be reverting to the supernatural.

[18:14] There we have power. There we can work it for it to be real here on earth. Amen. So we bring joy to the city and there is joy to the believers.

[18:26] How many of us have joined and we go out? And after that, it's so exciting. It's so exciting. It's so liberating. If for any reason you are stressed during the week, this is the best stress capsules you can take.

[18:40] It's the best stress capsules you can take to go out and preach the gospel. By the time we are finished, everybody is happy. I mean, everybody is happy. Even if you did, nobody said their prayer with you.

[18:51] You are so happy that you set out for Jesus. You stepped out for Jesus. You feel like I have made a difference today. I matter to God. I matter to God.

[19:03] So I encourage, I mean, we are a church of over 400 people. Normally when we meet, we are around 60, 50, 60. I challenge everybody. I mean, it's a challenge to you as a believer, as a Christian, a person who has been bought once a sinner, bought by the blood of Christ.

[19:21] I challenge you. Unless you have things you can't do anything about, I challenge you. Step out for Jesus. Step out for Jesus.

[19:32] Make a stand for Jesus. Come inside today. Step out. Some of us have never had the opportunity. It doesn't stop you from doing it. You come, we pair you with somebody who is already experienced.

[19:45] You do it together. But take this as a personal challenge. Some of us probably in a whole year, we've never spoken to anybody about Jesus. It can happen. It can happen.

[19:56] It can happen. It does happen. Because sometimes the teaching would bring you an awareness. And that will cause a desire for you to do something.

[20:07] Some outside teaching is difficult for us to know what to do. But once we've received the teaching, I encourage everyone. It might sound a bit too strong earlier on that I challenge you as a Christian.

[20:17] So I encourage for those of you who don't like those kind of things. I entreat you. I encourage you. It will be very nice if you join us. But if you know you are a true believer that Jesus saved, hey, I challenge you.

[20:34] Join us. Join us. 12 on Saturday. We'll be out there preaching the gospel. It brings joy. Point number eight.

[20:46] It's because we will give account to God on judgment day. We will give account to God on judgment day. You will give an account to God on judgment day.

[21:02] And God's servant did a good job on this point. He really, some people got a bit frightened. Some people got a bit worried. It wasn't just about soul winning, but life in general.

[21:15] All of a sudden, all your deeds started flashing in front of you. You said, oh, I just remembered I'll give an account. But 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 6, it says, for if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of.

[21:34] So it doesn't make you extra proud or extra Christian or nothing. Because it's a necessity. He said, for necessity is laid upon me. He actually sees it as a necessary part of his life to preach the gospel.

[21:46] It's a necessity. If something is a necessity, breathing, eating, water, those are necessities of life. Where to live? Something to put on your skin. Those are necessities. He said, necessity is laid upon me that I preach the gospel.

[22:01] It's part of your necessities. You may not have seen it like that, but scripture is telling us today that it's part of your breathing water. That's why for Christians it's a natural thing to do.

[22:13] It's a necessity. It's a necessity that necessity has been laid upon me. Yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this willingly, I have a reward.

[22:27] But if I do, if against my will, I have been entrusted as a steward. So there's no two ways about it, whether I want it or I don't.

[22:38] I must preach the gospel. He said, if I'm excited about it, if I don't have to be challenged, but just entreatment will do. He said, I have a reward.

[22:49] But even if I don't want to do it, for this woman to be standing in front of me preaching, preaching, preaching that she's challenging me. He said, is there still worship that has been entrusted into my hands?

[23:01] There's no other way around it. He's been entrusted in, so you, it's like now, you've moved from my joy to do it now, it's now, it's a must.

[23:14] It's a must. It's a must that I preach the gospel. He said, verse 18, what is a reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge.

[23:31] So when your care group leader sends you a message to say that we are going out, you don't send funny texts back. You don't respond with attitude.

[23:42] Do you know how busy I am? We also have a life, you know. There are things that I must do, you know.

[23:54] I mean, for 10 weeks, 10 weeks of Jesus campaign, there's no one Saturday, 12 to 2, that you can give to God.

[24:06] Some of you are thinking, can I just go sit down? I'm not going anywhere. I don't go anywhere. God's servants broke the text.

[24:17] Today, I'm speaking to you direct. I'm speaking like I have something against you. Yes, I have something against you. You haven't obeyed the word of God.

[24:32] It said that I may present the gospel of Christ without charge. What touched me was the gospel of Christ. The gospel of Christ. It means so much.

[24:45] Jesus in his totality presenting Jesus to people. It means so much. Sometimes we can be so far from who Jesus is and what he means to us.

[24:56] That we forget. But we have an opportunity to present to the gospel of Jesus. To others. That I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

[25:07] It's important. So we'll give an account. Necessity is laid on us. Ezekiel chapter 33 verse 8 to 9 speaks about I must preach the gospel so that the person who does not receive the gospel, his blood will not be on my hands.

[25:28] Yeah. These are deep things. Most of the time we don't go to these ones. We like the other nicer ones, isn't it? But these are deep things also in scripture. And this is purely the word of God.

[25:39] It said if I don't preach, their blood is on my hands. If I preach and they don't receive, their blood is not on my hands. So it's important. You don't want to go to heaven with bloody hands.

[25:53] Exactly. Pastor Joshua said in your white robe, it's going to mess it. Their drippings won't look nice. We must go to heaven with clean hands.

[26:06] Nobody's blood is on our hands. Because we'll give an account. point number nine. It says because heaven and earth is real. Heaven and hell is real. And people will perish if they don't give themselves to the gospel.

[26:24] If people haven't given their lives to God, they will perish. And they will go to hell. It sounds horrible. But your name must be in the book of life.

[26:37] For you to be able to enter. It's very simple. It's like you go to the immigration. You don't have your documentation insisting that I must come in. Even human beings know how to put borders.

[26:51] Know how to put restrictions that not anything enters. How much more God's heaven that he has prepared? How is it that people think with all my mess, I can still get in? I have family members who haven't given their life to Christ.

[27:03] And I'm concerned. But it doesn't take away from the word of God that this is the reality. That people haven't given their life to Jesus are going to hell. Yes, looking for your nice BMW.

[27:16] Because you want to change from 58 number plates to 64. 64. So that's now is, that is your life mission. That, that is your life mission.

[27:28] I must get here, Robert. I mean, that is too cheap. Cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap life. Too cheap. That if you put value on souls, and then compare to value of other things, your dresses.

[27:43] I mean, at the other time, I was explaining to a group of people that, the funny thing is, the more we live, the more we just are moving from the necessities one level to another. So you used to wear Primark.

[27:54] Now you think, oh, I want to buy a shirt from Next. You know, it's still the necessity. It's still a shirt. Still the basics that God promised us. He said, you don't have to worry about those things.

[28:08] When it comes to your food, your shelter, your clothing, he said, don't worry about them. But we worry about them because we want to graduate from one level to another. But remember, it's still in the necessity.

[28:21] It's still in the basics. It's still in the basics. So if you are giving all your life to the basics, then you are living a very basic life. You are not in the advanced people at all.

[28:35] Basic. Primary school. Infant and nursery school. That's where you are busy working, dwelling.

[28:47] But you're not graduating. Year after year. Still in four years, five years, infant and nursery. Oh. There's actually year three you can go to junior school.

[28:59] They can go to secondary. They can go to university. But you've spent ten years in infant and nursery. It's not right. So don't just be graduating with your needs.

[29:11] There are other areas. Okay. Are we good? Is it sinking in? The third, the tenth point.

[29:24] Because we have to preach the gospel. Why we must go so in? Because there are others out there who belong to the household of God. There are others who belong to the household of God.

[29:38] I heard of a story where the head of the Salvation Army, General William Booth, wrote a letter for the entire Salvation Army.

[29:52] For when he passes away, this letter must be read to the entire church and organization. And so everybody was keen upon his death to read the letter and find out exactly what was in there.

[30:07] Of course, people were expecting deep revelation. When they opened the letter, all that was written in it was others. Others. Others.

[30:20] We are safe. We are safe. But it said, as I pass on to the other side, remember the others.

[30:32] Remember the others. Remember the others who are not saved yet, but actually belong to the household of God. Remember the others.

[30:42] Christians are some of the most selfish people. We are some of the most selfish people. Because what Jesus has done for us, if he doesn't do any more, it's enough.

[30:55] It's enough. It's enough. What Jesus has done, if he doesn't give you another miracle, he's done enough.

[31:05] He's done enough. He said, think about the others. Who are supposed to be sitting where you are sitting, but have not had the opportunity to hear the gospel.

[31:20] When we go out, it will surprise you in 21st century like this, where you think there are churches all over, people must have heard. Some people have heard a mixed gospel.

[31:30] Some people have no clue what the gospel is, what it says. They don't have an understanding. Some people are utterly confused that there's no way they'll find their way back to Christ until they meet you, who have been entrusted with the gospel.

[31:47] Remember others. Remember, as you enjoy your testimonies, remember others. They matter. It means a lot to God that he has children out there and he has entrusted his other children to go bring your brothers in and we don't care.

[32:10] We don't care. Wake up waking. He gives you another day. Today might be the day that my child will respond to my call. We don't care. You go about doing other things.

[32:23] Some of the things so unimportant, so unnecessary. Actually, at the end of the day, you feel bad about yourself because you haven't used your day well. He said, remember others.

[32:36] And point number 11, it says, to fill God's house. Luke chapter 14, verse 23, speaks about the master sending his servants to go out into the streets and bring all of them in.

[32:51] All those, there were people who were invited to the parties who did not come. But he said, just go into the street and bring them in. Go into the street and bring them in. To fill God's house.

[33:03] We haven't spoken of mega church in this church. We're actually very content and very excited about whatever God does in our house. But actually, we must be a mega church because there are so many people out there who are waiting to fill this.

[33:16] This place is too small. Too small for the revival we are talking about. Too small. It must enter into you that more people must come through you.

[33:28] More people must come. Why? Look at the streets. Look at your workplace. Look at the buildings. Most of the time, just about 5% know God.

[33:40] 95% have no clue. They are doing their own thing. If they came to church, if it enters your heart that God's house is very big and that there is so much space for others, you will make a point to win a soul.

[33:56] Can we throw a challenge a soul a week? How many hours in the week? 167 or 164 or whatever. It doesn't take, sometimes it doesn't even take 20 minutes to win a soul.

[34:08] Think about it. When you break it down, you realize that you have time. When you look at the hours and the minutes in the day.

[34:19] Oh! It's a message not exciting. It's exciting. Isn't it fantastic? Fantastic.

[34:32] It's a message not powerful. Powerful. Powerful. Hey! Hey! Hey!

[34:46] But to fill God's house, there are many out there. Actually, we are very few. We are very few. When you look at the world's population, there are so many few of us.

[34:57] There's so little of us. There are so many out that need to come in. God's house must be full. It must be full. It must be a full house with diversities in the kingdom.

[35:12] All manner of people. All manner, young and old. The children having, enjoying Christ and growing in faith.

[35:24] That would be a far beautiful sight than just the few. And this is God's desire. So, as I said earlier on, we are in the midst of radical soul winning. That is our month.

[35:35] And it is important that we give ourselves to it. And do all that is in our power to avail ourselves to the Holy Spirit. Really, it's about availing yourself to the Holy Spirit.

[35:49] And he will do amazing things through you as you step out to speak the word of God. In 1 Timothy 4, verse 15.

[36:00] I just want us to drop this and then we'll finish. 1 Timothy 4, verse 15. It says, Meditate on these things. So, these 11 points.

[36:10] Meditate on them. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely. Give yourself entirely. Not half-heartedly. Not as and when.

[36:22] But it said, give yourself entirely to them. There's a reason. There's a reason. And there's a point to giving yourself entirely. That your profiting and your progress may be evident to all.

[36:39] That your progress may be evident to all. Typical example. When we are studying, there are people who give themselves entirely to their study.

[36:50] And there are people who give themselves half-heartedly to their study. And there are people who don't give themselves at all to their study. But what is the aftermath?

[37:02] There are progress appears to all. So, the one who gave himself entirely. His progress is evident in the great they get.

[37:14] And the one who give themselves half-heartedly. That's why they are great from 10% or 1% or 0. Right up to 100%. Because it depends on how much people have given themselves to the subject.

[37:28] Have given themselves to that subject. Who determine what kind of grade they will be achieving. You get me? So, what would be... How your profiting would show forth.

[37:41] Who is determined by how much you've given yourself to these things. To these things. So, there are people that we're doing this. And for me personally, I actually don't even...

[37:53] Don't worry too much about the reward. Because God is too faithful to paying us. Then we're actually doing it. So, actually don't worry too much about the reward. Because the reward will come and always come even better than what we deserve.

[38:06] So, I'm actually not worried about whether I'm going to get a testimony because I'm stepping out. Even when we haven't stepped out, He's giving us testimonies. So, His faithfulness is new every morning.

[38:19] It's not a problem. The key thing is how much you're giving yourself to these things. How much? 10%. 20%.

[38:30] 80%. 100%. What is the quota that you're giving yourself to this? And the scripture tells us and educates us that you're profiting.

[38:41] Your progress would appear to all dependent on how much you've given yourself to it. So, I encourage everybody. Give yourself to it. Some of us who are doing it 10%.

[38:52] Increase it. Doing it 20%. Increase it. It's important. And he said your progress will be evident. When it comes to the time where the fruits are showing, it will show what you actually gave.

[39:06] It will actually show. It's very interesting. Recently, I was speaking to a friend who I know years ago. And she, when we were a lot younger, she, of course, she had a hip life, you know.

[39:23] She was a cool girl. So, doing her own things. And some of us, too, were stuck in scripture, you know, not looking very fanciful. But it was okay. We survived. It was all right.

[39:34] So, this person, you know, very popular. The school, you know, very, very, you know, boys chased her.

[39:46] You know, she, yeah, she was very, very, she was nice. She had matured very early, had to apply makeup very well at a very young age. All those things. She was a fine girl. I was speaking to her, nice girl, nice girl.

[39:58] Speaking to her recently. She's got two children. And she, her relationship didn't work. Da, da, da. And she was telling me that I've grown.

[40:10] I've grown to realize that 20 years ago, when you were pursuing God, I didn't know that this is how my life, compared to your life, was going to turn out.

[40:23] She told me with her own lips that I didn't know that life would end up this way 20 years down the line.

[40:35] Now, there's not much she can do about her past, but she can move on. So, I encourage her. Look, there's more room in the house. Join in. And let's go. And I said, even joining in at this point, I mean, you are far better off.

[40:49] Some people will be joining in at 70. I mean, all they are giving is whatever is left to God. But we thank God. You are still giving him. You have joined. You know, it's more important that you join. But that is the same point I'm trying to drive.

[41:04] That we are doing it now. There are some people who have all manner of excuses. But when they're profiting, their progress is beginning to appear to all. You now realize that, oh, maybe I should have joined earlier.

[41:18] Don't live life like that. We're full of regrets. Full of, I could have. I could have. You have the opportunity to do it now.

[41:31] Do it. Do it. Do it. Can we please rise and just thank God for his word? And say, Lord, I give myself to you.

[41:45] I give myself to you. You may have all manner of reasons for which you can't do this. You feel you can't do it. You feel you can't step out. All manner of reasons. It could be legitimate reasons like work.

[41:58] Like genuine commitments that you can't get yourself out of. There are four more Saturdays in August. Say, Lord, I want you to make a way for me. If I don't have the desire, I want you to give me the desire to step out.

[42:12] I want you to give me somebody to speak a word to me, to encourage me. Even let this message be an encouragement to me, Lord. Speak to me. Help me to step out of it.

[42:24] For this to be a necessity. For now to live a life where a necessity is laid on me to preach the gospel. Transform me from a lack of interest Christian.

[42:37] A lazy Christian. A Christian who is not concerned. Who doesn't even cross my mind. For this to be my passion that is enveloping me. Let it become my passion, Lord.

[42:48] I want you to pray to God and say, God, help me. I now see how this is important to you. But my flesh has not helped me so far. Let your spirit come upon me.

[42:59] The Lord, it would be my eating and my drinking. My eyes would be feasting for places and for people to win, to bring to your household.

[43:11] I want us all to be genuine towards God. And pray genuinely. Help me, Lord. Help me, Lord. I want to come to heaven rejoicing.

[43:22] Knowing that, Lord, there's nobody's blood on my hands. Lord, I want to come in, oh God. Knowing that I brought so much joy to heaven.

[43:33] Whilst I'm here on earth, Lord. Just be genuine. Open your heart to God. And pray. Pray. God hasn't given us this message.

[43:45] Just for the sake of it. He's given us this message. So that somebody will be moved from the place of lack of interest.

[43:57] Or even lack of knowledge. To have it in order to do. For it is God who is at work in us. Both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

[44:09] Work in us, Lord. Work in us, Lord. We thank you. In Jesus' name. If God has brought you into a service today. Where you are hearing that we, the children of God, will be going out to bring people in.

[44:24] Then you are most privileged that God has brought you in. So that you can receive Jesus. This afternoon, if Jesus is not the Lord of your life. You haven't surrendered your life to Jesus.

[44:36] God has brought you here just to hear this message. Just to receive life. I just want you to show by raising your hands. That you want to give your life to Jesus.

[44:47] You want to surrender your life to Jesus. Or you may be in a position. Where you have given your life to Jesus at a point in time in your life. But you know the connection is gone.

[44:58] The connection is not like it was before. And you want to recommit your life to Jesus. Rededicate your life to Jesus. Can you just raise your hand. And say, Lord, I'm coming back.

[45:09] To where I should have been. And that I want to commit my life back to you. Just raise your hand. There's somebody in the house. That God has brought you here today specifically. To give you new life.

[45:22] To give you new life. To wipe the old life and give you new life. Or to bring connection back. If you are that person, please raise your hand. We will pray with you.

[45:32] Don't be shy. Don't be intimidated about anything. This is your opportunity. This is your open door. This is your biggest miracle that God can work for you. Don't stay on it.

[45:43] Just raise your hand. And we will pray with you. Raise your hand. If you want to make a connection to Jesus. Recommit your life to Jesus. And say, Lord, I've not lived the way I should have lived.

[45:54] I've not done it your way. Even though I gave my life to you. I want to commit my life back to you. If there's any other person who wants to join us, sister. Please come forward.

[46:05] Don't hesitate. Don't sit. This is your greatest opportunity. This is the greatest miracle. God can work for you. To transform your life. Change your life.

[46:17] Make you a new person. The old is completely gone. And you are now a new person. Please don't sit there. And not make the most of this opportunity.

[46:31] Before we pray, God bless you. Join us. Join us. Let's appreciate. Here as she comes forward.

[46:42] Recommitting her life to Jesus. Making a statement one more time. Is there any other person in the house? Is there any other person before we pray? God bless you. Please join her.

[46:54] Please join us. God bless you. We receive you. We receive you. In the household of God. We receive you.

[47:05] Any other person before we pray? Is there any other person? Any other person? So we'll pray. I'm going to pray a very simple prayer. Pray with me. But maybe from your heart.

[47:17] It's a prayer of commitment to Jesus. Surrendering your life to Jesus. Say, Lord, I don't live my life anymore. I give my life to you. And then now, I take a journey with you.

[47:28] You being the Lord of my life. You being my Savior. Is that okay? Can you just raise our hands as a sign of surrendering? And please, let's say this prayer. Say after me.

[47:39] Lord Jesus, I come to you today as a sinner. I know that you died and rose again.

[47:51] And today, I come before you to commit my life to you. I repent of my sins. And I say, be the Lord and the Savior of my life.

[48:05] Now, I commit my life to you. And I say, take control over my life. I submit myself to you. That I'll walk with you.

[48:17] You will lead me. And you'll lead me to the Father and have eternal life with you. Thank you, Jesus. In Jesus' name.

[48:28] Amen. Let's appreciate them. God bless you. Welcome to the family. It was a joy to receive you. Thank you for listening. For more resources, please visit caries.org or call us on 0207 740 9960.

[48:46] God bless you.