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[0:00] Thank you for tuning into this message by David Entry. Every true revival is a product of the strong preaching of God's word.! May you receive a word from this message that will spark a revival in you.

[0:14] So John chapter 5 verse 28 and 29.

[0:38] These are the words of Jesus Christ our Savior. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth.

[0:59] They that have done good unto resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.

[1:10] Now, here ends that reading in Psalm 17 verse 15. Shall we all read it all together from your Bibles? Let's go. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness.

[1:25] I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. One more time. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.

[1:39] Amen. Let's pray. Thank you for a season of great awakening. Thank you for the privilege to gather together to hear your word.

[1:50] We pray that as your word is taught, give us understanding. Give us illumination. Give us a revelation of Christ. And insight into your program and purpose for our lives and for our times.

[2:04] We pray and submit our will, our plans to you. Our fears, our aspirations, we submit them to you. Let your word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, let it come and distinguish, separate between soul and spirit.

[2:23] Bone and marrow to the joints of the body. We thank you in the name of Jesus. So shall it be. Amen. Amen.

[2:34] A year of. A year of. A year of. A year of. A year of great awakening. A year of great awakening. Praise the Lord.

[2:45] Great awakening. There is a difference between revival and awakening. When we talk about revival, we are talking about a widespread move in a place resulting in genuine conversions.

[3:09] Genuine conversions. And when there are genuine conversions, it shows in the number of people who are added to the church. So there is always a direct correlation between revival and church growth.

[3:26] Wherever there is revival, there will be church growth. Okay. So genuine conversions, widespread. It is not just in one corner. It seems to be happening.

[3:38] And some of the conversions and transformations of being born again, some of it is so supernatural in nature. Every conversion is supernatural. And a lot of these kind of conversions are happening in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and many of them are happening.

[3:54] There are people, they see a personality, say Jesus came to me in my dream. Spoke to me. There are some, one or two here, you saw Jesus. Even though he is not physical.

[4:05] You actually saw a physical body. And you woke up sweating. Say, I will do it. So these are supernatural conversions. So when there is revival, there are a lot of widespread conversions.

[4:18] Some of it are quite interesting in the process. Some of it are also normal. Somebody preached to you and you knew God was speaking to you and then it changed. So when there's revival, there's widespread conversion that leads to church growth.

[4:31] The difference between revival and great awakening is, great awakening is, awakening, obviously, is for people who are asleep. So awakening really always happens to a place where there have already been some form of revival.

[4:47] And the revival has died out. And people have become sluggish. People have become lethargic. People have become uninterested.

[4:58] So I know some of you know I'm talking to you. You know, the COVID really killed a lot of people. People were no more interested in church.

[5:09] No, I can't be bothered. That is when great awakening, awakening is needed because people have a name, Revelation 3-1, that they are alive, but they are dead.

[5:21] You can be active in church and coming to church, but you know what? You are dead. Spiritually, there's no communication and active relationship between you and God.

[5:32] One of the greatest definitions I've found recently in my prayer and understanding about ministry is, Ministry is the overflow of your work with God.

[5:44] So as you work with God, the overflow is what is called ministry. God then uses you to affect others. But primarily, it starts with your work with God.

[5:56] So that means you can't do ministry without working with God. And you can't try and go and work with God to get what it takes to do ministry. No. It's a genuine work with God.

[6:07] You plug in into God. And before you realize, something is also showing in some way. So, when we talk about great awakening, we are talking about people waking up from their slumber.

[6:21] In the book of Psalm, chapter 13, verse 3, there's a very serious text which every one of us must be confessing every day. You can't be in church, but as sleep, as sleep of death.

[6:42] When we talk about spiritual things and relationship with God, you can be active in church and yet passive in God. You can be full of activities, but not divine productivity.

[6:57] And may that not be any of us apportioning. But the truth is, once you are a Christian for a while and you get into church life, you'll have those moments.

[7:08] You'll have pockets of those moments somewhere along your journey where people credit you with seriousness, but you know you are not serious. You are just riding on what people think you are.

[7:21] Hello, hello. You are just riding on what people think you are. When you are very active, you are an usher-serving people. People don't know that your legs have been caught in something very bad.

[7:33] And once you are asleep, it shows in your behavior. It shows in your disinterest in the things of God. Even though you are active, you are not really interested.

[7:45] Some of the signs that someone is asleep is the time they get to church. And the attitude with which they get to church. Some people, if we say today, you know what, there will not be church services.

[7:56] Yes, Lord! That's the sign that somebody is asleep. You are asleep. I'm always looking for any excuse to be absent.

[8:07] Sometimes, you see, when the reason why I'm being committed to a church, the people who don't have church, and they jump from church to church, don't take anyone serious who tells you, I wait in the morning for Holy Spirit to show me what church to go.

[8:21] That's one classic sign of an unserious Christian. It's not a sign of spirituality at all. It's not because the first thing the Holy Spirit will tell you is commitment. God demands commitment.

[8:35] Not just involvement. If you want to eat egg and bacon. Master said, today I want to eat egg and bacon. Hen said, yeah! I think bring it on, that's good.

[8:47] But pig said, I don't think it's a good idea, sir. They both said they love the master. Master, we will do anything for you. Then the master said, today I want to have egg and bacon.

[8:58] The hen said, yes! Why not? What if I will do to help to have egg and bacon? I want to do it! So he would lay the egg. The hen would lay the egg. But the pig is thinking, no, no.

[9:10] Hen is shouting. He doesn't understand. He doesn't understand what this thing means. That means someone is about to die here. We die here. The difference between commitment and involvement.

[9:21] Is the hen is involved in producing egg and bacon. But the pig is committed. He has to die. He has to die. So I would say, well, Pastor, I would love God.

[9:33] I would do this. I don't think you understand what you mean. What you say. Whatever God says, I'll do it. I'll follow Jesus. I really want to. God always asks for all of you.

[9:44] Not part of you. He's either Lord of all or not Lord at all. So the scripture said, lighten my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death.

[10:01] How many of us have fallen asleep behind books? You can fall asleep. Falling asleep is human. And it's necessary to go to bed at some point.

[10:13] But falling asleep can be dangerous. Remember in Psalm 127 verse 2. It is vain for you to rise up early to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrows.

[10:25] For he giveth his beloved. So sleep. God is not against sleep. He actually donates sleep. I pray that may God give you a peaceful rest.

[10:37] Some people when it's time to sleep they are afraid. Because nightmares. All kinds of things. Some people just ask. They struggle to sleep. If you are listening to me and your sleep has been taken away.

[10:50] I pray God restores your sleep to you. Psalm 4 verse 8 says that. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep. For the Lord only makes me dwell in safety.

[11:02] So sleep is not bad. But it's not. You can be asleep at the wrong time. That's why great awakening. Awakening is needed when someone sleeps when they are not supposed to sleep.

[11:16] Jesus told a parable of a sower going to sow good seeds. Matthew chapter 13. From verse 25. Go to sow good seeds in his field. But the Bible says that.

[11:27] But while men slept. While. Let's all say that together. While men slept. Let's all say it please. While men slept.

[11:38] Say while I sleep. While I sleep. Say it again. While I sleep. So while I sleep. The enemy comes in surreptitiously.

[11:49] To sow things into your life. Sow things into your ministry. Sow things into your marriage. Sow things into your health. When you are asleep. You are not vigilant.

[12:00] You are not alert when you are asleep. So you can be born again. And yet asleep. And miss out on the things God wants to do with your life. But I prophesy that.

[12:11] This year will be a year. Where you will be wide awake spiritually. Yes. In the name of Jesus. Amen. Jesus said this. I like it. I just.

[12:22] I just threw it in there. John. 11. 11. Jesus said. I think that's what he is saying about somebody today. I believe that's why I am preaching this message. Jesus said. Our friend Lazarus.

[12:34] Sleeps. But. I go. Better wake him up. I believe that's the purpose of this message today. Yeah. Because Jesus has seen that. Somebody you are driving into your destiny.

[12:46] You are driving into 2026. But you are asleep behind the wheels. Jesus said somebody is piloting. In mid air. And has gone to sleep.

[12:57] Our friend is asleep. Turn to somebody. Say friend. Wake up. Friend. Wake up. Friend.

[13:08] Wake up. Friend. Wake up. Friend. Wake up. Every time. The only time you hear. Anything about Bible. Is when you come to church. You are asleep.

[13:19] You are asleep. You are asleep. You are asleep. You are seriously asleep. Hmm. Because. Some of us. Always. The verse of the day.

[13:30] Sounds like news in your ears. Unless we. We are supposed to mention in church. Like. Okay. There's a verse. Oh yeah. I had a verse. What is it today? There's no even.

[13:41] Watch this. There's not an appetite. That's the problem. There's no appetite for the things of God. You are asleep. You are asleep. You are asleep.

[13:52] You are asleep. And it's risky. Stop trying to bind the devil. Wake up first. Wake up. It is dangerous to be asleep.

[14:03] The dangers of sleep. When you are supposed to be awake. It's dangerous. That's why in every military base. There are people who are supposed not to be asleep. Every.

[14:14] Every. There's. There's. There are people in every country. Every. There's people. When you are asleep. They are watching. When you go to hospital. You can go to hospital. Every good hospital.

[14:25] You can go there anytime. Yeah. When there's an emergency. Yeah. And there should be. Somebody on duty. Yeah. God said me. I'm always on duty for you. He that watches over Israel.

[14:36] Will neither sleep. No slumber. All right. Is it possible you are asleep. And some people are feeding your children. Is it possible?

[14:47] Is it possible? Is it possible? You are asleep. And you're about to. This marital opportunity. God has planned for 2026. Is it possible you will sleep it away. And it will slip.

[14:58] Yeah. Wake up. That's good Lord. Yeah. Wake up. Wake up. That is. That's the important. Jesus said. Our friend is asleep.

[15:09] Look. Because our friend is asleep. Let's go and wake him up. This year. You will not miss anything that God has done. Yeah. In Ephesians chapter 5 verse 14.

[15:21] In Ephesians chapter 5 verse 14. It says wake. Therefore he says. Awake. You who sleep. Arise from. When it comes to spiritual things.

[15:32] Sleep. Can be tantamount to death. Wow. So let me not sleep the sleep. Lest I sleep the sleep of the. He said you have the name that you are alive. But you are dead. So he said. Awake.

[15:43] You who sleep. Arise from the dead. And Christ will give you light. Awake. In Isaiah chapter 26 verse 19. I like that text very much. Isaiah 26 verse 19.

[15:54] It said. Your dead shall live. Say. The dead shall live. The dead shall live. Your dead shall live. Together with. My dead body. My dead body. They shall.

[16:05] Arise. Awake. And sing. You who dwell in. Dust. For your dew is like the dew of. Heavs. And the earth shall cast.

[16:17] Out. The dead. Awake. Awake. Awake. Now the foundational text. We read earlier on. Psalm 17. Verse 15. He said. I shall be satisfied.

[16:29] He says that. As for me. I will see your face. In righteousness. I shall be satisfied. When I awake. In your likeness.

[16:41] That's where the. Miracle is. The first test. Jesus said that. In John chapter. Five. Verse 28. The time is coming. When the.

[16:52] Dead shall hear. The voice. Of the son of. He said. The hour is coming. In which. All who. Are in the grave. We hear his voice. And they shall arise. They shall arise.

[17:04] They shall arise. Psalm 17. Verse 15. Says that. I. Shall be. Oh. What I'm trying. Today. I came as a prophet.

[17:15] I am prophesying. Into 2026. That somebody. Will be satisfied. By the closing. Of the year.

[17:26] You will look back. And will say. This has been. My best year ever. This has been. My favorable. Most favorable. Year ever. You will look back.

[17:37] And you said. Yes. Thank you. Lord. I have been satisfied. Listen. How about this. You will look back. And realize. Ah.

[17:48] Is there anything. I ask God. Has it been done once. This year. Everything. I ask God. Everything. I ask God. Everything. I prayed about. Has been done.

[17:59] So shall it be for you. So shall it be for you. In the name of Jesus. That is what it means. That I shall be satisfied. Your satisfaction. Is at the mercy.

[18:10] Of your waking up. Your satisfaction. Stop. Just say. I'll do this. I'll do this. I'll do this. I'll do this. Can you wake up first. Because it's possible.

[18:22] You are just dreaming. It's possible. You are just dreaming. How many of you. Have. Seen yourself. In a dream. About to eat some nice food. And then.

[18:33] You wake up. Ah. Something that you've wanted. So bad. Then you had a dream. You were having it. You are enjoying it. Maybe you are driving. You are on a holiday.

[18:45] In Honolulu. Or in Hawaii. Somewhere. In Seychelles. You're on a holiday. Doing. Your wedding planning. Everybody's happy.

[18:56] And you woke up. Only to find out. It was a dream. Oh. Wake up. Let me. Not sleep the sleep. of death.

[19:06] It said as for me. I shall be satisfied. When I awake. In your likeness. I shall be satisfied. When I awake. In your likeness.

[19:17] Shall we all say that together? I shall be satisfied. Can we say it again please? I shall be satisfied. For the last time, louder.

[19:27] I shall be satisfied when I awake in your life. I see somebody awakening in the lightness of God. Awakening. All of us do sleep.

[19:38] Even spiritually. All of us. There are times you are not in the best of shape. There are times you, in verse a week, they are not even just in coma. Spiritually.

[19:49] In coma. But great awakening covers everybody. Isaiah chapter 60 verse 1. It says, Arise, shine, for your light has come. Yeah. Arise, shine, your light has come.

[20:01] Arise, shine, your light has come. Arise, shine, for your light has come. And the glory of... That's not the time to sleep. When your light comes. This year, I believe somebody's light has come. I'm actually...

[20:15] I'm so happy. Sometimes, I can hear from God. I'm just glad. I'm telling you. I can hear.

[20:26] There is... Color. Beauty. On the horizon for somebody. Something is emerging on the horizon of this year for somebody. As for me, I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness.

[20:41] So, two points I just want to draw our attention to. Is number one. The awakening. The satisfaction is not the main thing. That is the end result.

[20:52] But the means to satisfaction is number one, awake. Number two. This is so important for us as a church, brothers and sisters. Awake in your likeness.

[21:05] That's so important. Awake in your likeness. I'm not saying go for yoga classes. Go for yoga meditations or meditations.

[21:17] Listen, there's a difference between awakening in the likeness of God. An awakening in your own self. You can become alert.

[21:29] Self-awareness can be heightened. You can be so self-confident. Listen, the kind of things God wants to do for you is not dependent on your self-awareness or self-confidence.

[21:41] It's dependent on your Christ-likeness. In Romans chapter 8 verse 29, it says that for those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed into the image.

[21:56] Say image. Image. Image your day. The image of God. The image of Christ, who is the son of God. Christ is son. That he might be the first one among many bread.

[22:08] So, we are supposed to be like him. The image of Christ. The image of Christ. I like this text. It's so interesting. It hits my spirit and I say, oh, this text.

[22:19] 1 John chapter 3 verse 1. Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God. Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know God.

[22:30] It did not know God. That's why they don't know who we are. But the next verse is where we are going. He says that, beloved, now we are the children of God. When? When? Now.

[22:41] We are the children of God and he has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him.

[22:52] Let's not say we shall be like him. We shall be like him. Say we shall be like him. We shall be like him. God's ultimate purpose for your life is not accomplishments. It's not achievements.

[23:06] It's not acquisition. Don't let us get it wrong. God wants you to have good marriage, but that's not the ultimate. Do you know why?

[23:17] Because after all, you will leave the marriage. Not that you divorce. You will die. That's what I mean. Eventually. Okay. We will all die. And when you die, you are not dying with your, even if you die together, after death, there's no marriage.

[23:33] Yes. There's no marriage after death. There's only one marriage after death. That's the marriage between Christ, the lamb and his bride. Yes. So God wants you to have good marriage.

[23:44] Yes. That's the plan of God. God wants you to have success. If you're a student, God wants you to do well in your academics. Yes. But after, then what? You've done well, then what?

[23:56] Yes. If you're a politician, God wants you to get a good job. Okay. Yes. Then what? Have a good life. Have a good life. Then what? You die. You die.

[24:07] So then you die like the beggar who, the homeless man who also died. So the ultimate, some says that the end of man is the same.

[24:18] Yeah. Yeah. Both the rich and the poor. I heard Reverend, he stood preaching some time ago and he said something that's funny. He said, there is no special worm for the rich when you die.

[24:29] The worm that will eat the rich. And the special worm that will eat the poor. No. Same worm will eat everybody. Can you imagine the way you're taking good care of your body?

[24:41] One day, worms will eat this thing. It's a delicacy for the worms. It's interesting. So the point I'm trying to make is, eventually, ultimately, all the things that human beings run after will be useless.

[25:03] Can you imagine? You remember how much you invested into that Louie Vitton bag? Yeah, yeah, yeah. In Jamaica. And you think once you have it, your life has changed.

[25:16] But you realize that nothing has changed. Nothing. Am I saying that it's not good? There's nothing wrong with it. But that is not determinate.

[25:26] It doesn't determine the quality. You just put it this way. A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. Luke chapter 12. So a man's life does not. What you have does not determine the quality or the value of your life.

[25:41] Your possessions don't determine the value of your life before God. When you die. What determines who you are before God is the Christ likeness.

[25:53] So if we are awakening up, let's wake up unto his likeness. That is where great awakening actually starts from.

[26:04] And that is where the promises of God, the goodness of God, the blessings of God, they are all his primarily unto their Christ likeness. So for those he foreknew, he predestined to be conformed.

[26:19] That's our final destination. To be conformed into the image. So Psalm 17 verse 5, he says that I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness.

[26:30] Did you see that? When I awake not in thy likeness, satisfaction will be alluded. I will be alluded to the satisfaction. But when I awake in your likeness, that's where the satisfaction is. I see God satisfying somebody.

[26:43] Because this year, you are going to awake spiritually in the likeness of Christ. In the book of Philippians chapter 3 verse 21, it talks about who will transform our lowly bodies that it might be conformed into his glorious body.

[26:59] God's agenda is that you will be transformed to be like him. So in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18, we all with unveiled faces beholding us in a mirror are being transformed into what?

[27:14] The same image. The image. The image. There is an image objective. God has an objective for you to be in a certain image. That's why God created Genesis chapter 1 verse 26.

[27:28] Let us make man in our own image. And until sin came to distort the image. So I'm trying to talk about it matters looking like God or looking like Christ.

[27:40] It matters. Now, in 1 Corinthians, I like this text. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 49. It says that as we have all borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man.

[27:54] Do you see that? When you are not in Christ, you don't have access to becoming like the image of the heavenly man. It's only those who are in Christ who are entitled, who are being conformed into that image.

[28:09] But if you are asleep, then you abdicate that. You turn away from that. And you focus only on mundane, natural, and passing things that are afflicted.

[28:20] Focus on. It is not right for a believer to entirely focus all your life on natural things. Natural things.

[28:31] All your life. Everything about you is what you are getting. How you will be better than somebody. How you live in this house. How you did it. How you attain this. How you achieve this. How you... That's all. And everything is purely materialistic.

[28:43] I was sharing with some people yesterday or so that the greatest danger to any ministry or anointing is wealthiness or materialism.

[28:58] Materialism spoils anointing. Polutes anointing. And the greatest danger to a healthy church is wealthiness. The greatest danger.

[29:09] It's not the devil. It's not the devil. It's not the devil. The devil is not a match to our power. It's not the devil. Just that we sleep and let him come in.

[29:22] When we sleep, then he slips in. To create confusion. And instead of waking up and being in charge, we don't wake up and we want some anointed man to clear our room of this devil for us.

[29:39] Man of God, just pray that let the devil go. You are still asleep. He will come back. He will come back. You shall not have cancer in the name of Jesus. There are times God will send an anointing to come and invade a situation in your life to over 10 demonic controls.

[29:58] That's what anointing does. But you yourself, after all that, you have to wake up. I'm trying to appeal to somebody. Let it be in your heart that time of sleeping are over.

[30:10] Time of sleeping, sometimes the way you murmur, the way you complain, the things that offend you, it's a sign to how deep you sleep.

[30:21] You can be deeply asleep and snoring. Oh, yeah. So awake. Tell somebody awake. Tell somebody awake. So, all right, quickly.

[30:33] The main point I'm making is that we should awake in his likeness. You are meant to be like Jesus. The heavenly man. We bear the earthly man's likeness.

[30:44] But now, God's objective is that we will look like the heavenly man. That we will bear the heavenly man's likeness. Say amen. Amen. Now, quickly. When we talk about bearing Christ's likeness, really, what we are talking about is his lordship.

[31:03] Christ's lordship over your life. Becoming very obvious. The lordship is not only in one compartment of your life. Not only in your church life. But in your marital life.

[31:14] In your financial life. In your entertainment life. How you define entertainment. Let Jesus be lord there as well. Did I hear somebody say amen?

[31:24] Amen. Amen. The reason why people are struggling with all kinds of things is because Christ has not been allowed to be lord in those areas. And four major areas that Christ's likeness reflects in number one.

[31:41] The mission of Christ. This is very important. When Christ's likeness is in your life. It shows in the mission of Christ.

[31:53] How you handle Christ's mission. Because I grew up in my Christian life with a very healthy emphasis. Christ's likeness being just behavior.

[32:07] Christ's likeness does not just start from behavior. How you are a nice person. Slambody slap on the cheek on the right. Turn the left. Or that.

[32:17] Those things are part of it. But that is not the fun. Because others can do that. Others can mimic the virtuous behavior. So that is not the foundation.

[32:29] The foundation of Christ's likeness is the mission of Christ. The mission of Christ. In other words, Christ mandates what he actually wants from you.

[32:41] The other time I said, don't give God your best. He doesn't need it. Give him what he asks you for. God doesn't want your best. He just wants what he asks from you. I'm giving my best.

[32:53] Don't give him your best. Give him what he asks for. God is always specific when he's dealing with you. There are things God will be asking for from you. Sometimes he wants to just give me flip-flop.

[33:05] And then you have gone to buy these nice trainers. He doesn't want the trainers. He just wants, he said flip-flop. Would you just do what I ask you to do for me? So Christ-likeness is primarily about the mission of Christ.

[33:20] The mission of Christ. The mandate of Christ in your life. What I'm doing now, I shouldn't be doing it because I'm trying to look for something to say. I should be doing it because I know a charge to keep I have.

[33:33] I know my focus is on how I will answer to Christ. How I will answer to Christ one day. Why are you living your Christian life as though you will never answer to Christ?

[33:44] Because pastor will not see it so fine. No, but Christ is watching. And he's the one we are going to. Christ is watching not only you. He's also watching the pastor and the bishop.

[33:57] Praise the Lord. So Christ's mission or the mission of Christ. Christ-likeness is about the mission of Christ. Number two. Christ-likeness is about the message of Christ.

[34:08] The message of Christ. The church has a message. It's called the gospel. People don't have to like it for you to say it. You just have to be obedient.

[34:20] Somebody asks you, what's the secret of your joy? Let them know Christ died for my sins. Somebody tells you, we are both addicted to something. How come you are free?

[34:31] Let them know that Christ died for my sins and sets me free. The message of Christ should always, one way or the other, be found in your mouth.

[34:44] That is a reflection of Christ-likeness. Do you get what I'm talking about? A reflection of Christ-likeness is the mandate of Christ. You are doing things. You are serving in the department, not because of your friends, but because you know this is what God wants you to do.

[35:00] This is what Christ wants you to do. This is the little you can do to build the body of Christ. So, and then the message of Christ, it's one way or the other, it's on your mind.

[35:13] It's on your mind. You are not ashamed of the gospel. Paul told Timothy, in 2 Timothy 1, verse 8, that be not ashamed of the testimony.

[35:25] Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Don't be ashamed of it, nor of me, his prisoner, but share with me the suffering. So, Christ-likeness has to do with, number one, the mission of Christ.

[35:37] Number two, the message of Christ. Let's look at this text quickly about the mission of Christ. I almost left there. Psalm 132, verse 3, it says, Surely, I will not go into the chamber of my house or go up to the comfort of my bed.

[35:52] I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the mighty one of Jacob.

[36:02] Can you imagine? He said, I will not give rest to myself. I will not take life easy until I've done the mandates in my heart for God. The mandates. That's why we talk about Christ-likeness.

[36:14] The mandate, or the mission, or the mandates, the same. And then the message, number three, is the model of Christ. Model. Christ is our example.

[36:26] Christ is our example. So, you let your heart be filled with Christ. I'm about to say something. Many marital crisis is because somebody is not modeling Christ.

[36:39] Either the husband or the wife. Whether privately or actually. And when there's arguments, you and your wife, argument, you and your wife, what do you think you are?

[36:54] Stupid. You know, some of us say, what we are at home, what we are at home, we don't want any church member to see.

[37:05] Hello. Hello. I'm not talking about those of you who live alone. That's also a different thing.

[37:19] It's a different sphere. But what we are at home, that's why sometimes family members who live with you said, ha, this one. This one.

[37:30] The church people don't know him. Christ-likeness, you model Christ. When you are fighting with somebody, arguing with somebody in church, at home, on the street.

[37:42] Remember. Christ-likeness. The people who normally baffle me is the ones who fight in church. Because, you know, in church, we all try.

[37:57] In church, I mean, everybody's best foot forward. In church. Because you are supposed to be like an angel. We are always all angels in church. And then you see someone who has slipped out of his angelic state.

[38:12] So leave me alone. Who do you think you are? He plucked the fenders. All the fenders. This angel life, I'm tired.

[38:23] Let me show you. Christ-likeness. Somebody say Christ-likeness. And so Christ-likeness means the mission of Christ. Christ-likeness, the message of Christ.

[38:34] Christ-likeness, the model of Christ. And finally, Christ-likeness means the members of Christ. The members of Christ. You see, when you are like Christ, you are interested in the well-being of the other believers.

[38:47] That's what makes you even serve. The members. Bible says that, therefore, Ephesians chapter 1, 14, 15. Therefore, when I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and your love for the saints.

[39:03] Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ always goes with love for the saints. You can't have faith in Jesus and don't have love for the saints. There's some love that comes in your heart.

[39:16] When you are genuinely born again and you love Jesus. You have faith in Jesus. There's a certain love that you can't shake off. It is intrinsic. It's automatic. It comes with faith in Jesus.

[39:27] It's the love for the people of God. The love for the people. You know, ask for me. I'm just by myself. I just believe in Jesus. That's it. Church people gossip. I don't have to have anything to do with a church.

[39:39] Whatever, whatever. Please, please. No. Christ likeness means the members of Christ. You are interested in the members of Christ. You are interested in showing somebody love.

[39:51] Showing somebody help. Showing somebody, watch this. Watch this. Forgiveness. A church member has stepped on your toe. You have vowed that to your grave. You will never forgive this man.

[40:03] And what did he do? You are going to sit on a chair. He said, you every time you want to sit here. Me too. I will sit here. Something, something. It's not like he has even taken. You are going to marry.

[40:15] But he chose to. Even that, you have to forgive him. Attend the wedding if you can. If you are invited. Oh yeah. Yes. Attend.

[40:27] It's somebody's wedding. Please, don't wish that the rain would fall and it would snow in summer on their wedding day. Am I communicating with somebody?

[40:39] Forgive somebody. Why? Bible says bear one another's wedding. Bear with one another. Some people, eee.

[40:51] This is a serious one. But it's the truth, you know. Some people, they won't change. It can be your husband. It can be your wife. It can be that brother in church.

[41:02] They won't change. The way they can be so annoying. And you can't stand this mannerism of theirs. Manage to learn how to stand it. Because they won't change.

[41:14] You don't know. They have to change. You can't force someone to change. You can't force. You are not God. You have to change. That's what makes marriage work. What makes marriage work is you change.

[41:26] Don't wait for your wife to change. You change. You like food. Start eating less. Because your wife is always currently about you eating all the food. You eating all the food.

[41:36] Or your husband. No. Change. Change. Do you understand what I'm saying? Husband, change. Every time there's something you complain about your wife.

[41:51] Praise God. Members. Think about the members. So Christ's mission. Christ's message. Christ's model.

[42:02] Christ's. When we talk about Christ's likeness. It affects all. This is where the Christ's likeness reflects in. It's when I awake in your likeness. That's the point. So this year, you are awakening into this.

[42:15] Because some of us, these things are non-existent. Even if only one is non-existent. Boy, you are asleep. You are asleep. You are asleep. In conclusion.

[42:26] How do I awake? Number one. John chapter 5, verse 28. It says, Do not marvel at this. That the hour is coming.

[42:38] In which all who are in the grave will do what? Hear his voice. And then what will happen? Then they will come forth from the grave. So what caused the coming forth from the grave?

[42:50] Hearing his voice. Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12 said, The word of God is living. If you want to wake, there's something that can help you. Expose yourself this year constantly to hearing the word of God, reading your own Bible, and hearing the word of God taught.

[43:08] Hearing the word of God. As I said the other time, when you are spiritually growing, you realize that it's not everybody you can hear. Some preachers, you don't hear them because it doesn't help.

[43:18] But there are some preachers you can listen to. But there are some preachers you must listen to. You must listen to. Because the voice of God pierces through the darkness straight into your heart.

[43:32] There are some people you hear them and you feel something is happening to you. The baby in your womb lives for joy. Yeah. So the word of God. Expose, please.

[43:43] Take the responsibility of exposing yourself to the word of God. Else you are on your own. You can't do it. You can't be Christ-like. He said, we are with unveiled faces, beholding us in the mirror.

[43:55] Talking about the word of God. I've been transformed into the same Egypt. 2 Corinthians 3, verse 18. So the transformation is at the point of what we are beholding. He said, I shall be satisfied when I awaken you.

[44:08] Number two. What do I do to awake? Seek the face of God. Or a better way to put it is wait on God. That's why we are doing this fasting.

[44:18] Wait on God. Don't be in a hurry. Sometimes you wake up in the morning. It's better to try and read your Bible or try and pray. Even if you are so busy, five minutes prayer is better than no minutes prayer.

[44:30] If you are so busy. Now listen, you can't be so busy that when the doctor said, hey, you have to come quickly. The doctor, I'm very busy.

[44:41] The doctor, I'm busy. The doctor said, no, no, no. The blood test has come and the results, we need to see you now, urgently. He said, no, no, no. Please, I don't have time for that. Really?

[44:52] If you are so busy, you don't have time for God, you are too busy. You are too busy. Listen, don't let your pastor do your spiritual life for you. Don't let preaching do your preaching.

[45:04] Sometimes pastors make it like we are the ones God has called us to help you. It's not true. We are supposed to help you to build your personal relationship with God. Personal.

[45:16] Personal relationship with God. So how do we start? Putting some effort. You know, when you are so sick, you can't eat. Your loved one will say, no, just a little. Please try, just a little. That's my job.

[45:27] I'm trying to tell you, just a little. So you don't sleep the sleep of death. Just a little. Just a little. So, put in an effort. Some of you don't know.

[45:38] Every one of us is putting in effort. I'm putting in effort. Sometimes, now this life is so busy, I realize that the bigger you are, the busier you become. So many things you have to deal with.

[45:48] But I have to remind myself. Sometimes you wake up, you are sending a message you didn't finish. And you wake up, you remember, you want to go back to that. You have to put in a system. I'm not telling you when you should read your Bible.

[45:59] But I have to prioritize God. Find a way of doing it. Just be in. Watch this. Watch this. The key word is be intentional about it. The scripture.

[46:10] Yesterday's Bible reading. Psalm 40, verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. He said, I waited patiently. Let people who are rushing, let them go. But wait on God.

[46:21] Do it God's way. Learn to spend time with God. I waited patiently on the Lord. And He inclined to me. And heard my cry. Look at the next verse. We are going to verse 5.

[46:32] He also brought me. You are coming out. He brought me out of a horrible pit. Do you know what it means? Out of this sleep. Some of us, we slept and slipped into addiction.

[46:45] You can slip back into your old habits, you know. You can slip back. I'm not really big. People have their own challenges. You also have your own. Though you look very innocent. Everybody have their own challenges.

[46:57] But it is easy, sir. It's easy for us to slip into old habits. Oh, yes. Don't have a witness in the house. Old habits. And sometimes Satan is waiting.

[47:08] And he's waiting for you to sleep. And then he locks you. And so you can be in a horrible state. But in the church. And yet you are in a horrible state. You have found yourself in a horrible pit.

[47:20] He said, I waited on the Lord. And He brought me out of a horrible pit. I see somebody. You are coming out of any horrible pit. Out of the mariclay. And set my feet upon a rock.

[47:31] And established my step. Hallelujah. Verse 3. He puts a new song in my mouth. Praise to our God. Many will see it and fear. And will trust in the Lord.

[47:43] Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust. And does not respect the proud. Nor such as turn aside to lies. And then he says that. Many, oh Lord, my God.

[47:55] Are your wonderful works. Which when you wake up. This year you will say this scripture. You have done so many things for me. You have done so many things for me.

[48:06] You have done so many things. So number one. The work of God. Number two. Seek his face. Or wait on the Lord. Number three. Faith in his promise. When God promises. He does it.

[48:17] He promised. What are some of his promises? He said he will bless you. He has promised to bless you. Listen. There's blessing in walking with God. I know it. I've tested it.

[48:28] I'm enjoying it. There is a blessing. In genuinely walking with God. Don't cut corners. Don't short circuit what God is doing. Just walk with God. There's a blessing.

[48:39] Don't be envious of people who are doing it otherwise. And it looks like it's well for them. Stay with God. Stay with God. They will come to ask you for help. There's a blessing. So put your faith in God's promises.

[48:52] He said I will bless you. So his promises are blessing. His promises of his presence. So God said. Watch this. Emmanuel. Can you imagine the other word I saw? In Matthew chapter 1 verse 23.

[49:03] He said his name shall be called Emmanuel. Which is God. Can you imagine? That big statement. Charles Spurgeon. Says that. It salutes my ear with such warmth.

[49:16] It salutes. Which is translated. That. They have to translate it for God with us. But look at this. That's Matthew chapter 1. Matthew chapter 28. Matthew chapter 28.

[49:27] Verse 20. He said. That's how Matthew ends. He said. He said. And no. I am with. God with us.

[49:40] He said. I promise. No. I will be with you. I am with you always. So Matthew starts with God with us. Finishes with. I am with you.

[49:50] Always. That is. Put your faith in this promise. Doesn't matter who rises against you. God is with you. God will fight your battles for you. God will fight your battles for you.

[50:01] God will stand for you. And put your faith in his promise of reward. So my reward is with me. I am coming. Very quickly. And I reward. My reward is with Revelation 22 verse 12.

[50:12] And finally. Let me. Because this. So. Expose yourself to the world. Seek his face. Faith in his promise. And then finally. Faith in his power. Our covenant text is.

[50:24] I'll pour water upon him that is thirsty. Jesus said that. Wait till you endure the power. So you will receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

[50:37] Listen. Brothers and sisters. Our walk with God. And our exploits in God. Is at the mercy. Of our reliance on the spirit of God. And this is so beautiful.

[50:48] That when you are with God. He has committed to supply his spirit for you. The spirit will be with you. The spirit is your portion. Yeah. I know. Maybe. Ah.

[50:58] All right. All right. Watch this. Self-discipline is not enough. For where God wants to take you. Can I say that again? Self-discipline.

[51:10] Self-discipline is not enough. Self-discipline is good. But that alone. Is not enough for where God is taking you. What matters? Reliance on the Holy Spirit.

[51:23] He's our helper. He's our comforter. He's our standby. He's our advocate. He stands by you. To help you. To do what you are supposed to do. He stands by you.

[51:33] To urge you. He stands by you. To empower you. He is your source of power. Yeah. So. Put your faith in his promises.

[51:44] And put your faith in his power. That's his spirit. That's how you can do it. Expose yourself to his word. Wait patiently on the Lord.

[51:55] Put your faith in the promises of God. And put your faith in the power of God. That's how you are weak. And when you are weak. You are weak in his likeness. And every blessing will follow.

[52:06] Did you receive something? Hallelujah. Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry.

[52:20] We pray you have been revived to all's God. You can connect with David Entry. On all relevant social media platforms. Including Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also hear more messages from David Entry.

[52:31]  On all relevant streaming platforms. And the Karis Church app. Don't forget to like and share the message. Be blessed. Thank you.