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[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] Hallelujah. I said on Wednesday, usually after a period of fasting like this, some testimonies show up. I like Pastor John Luke said, I put the request in the box.

[0:51] About eight years old, strained relationship. Just gets resurrected. Hallelujah. I mean, God is at work. There's nothing God can do when we pray.

[1:05] And so after fastings like this, sometimes most of us will step into some wow goodness of God. And others will also, on your journey into the amazingly wow, greater wow goodness of God, you just go through what Jesus went through.

[1:23] Sometimes, something that seemingly looks like is a difficult period. Funny season. Say funny season. Funny season. You know sometimes seasons can be very funny. You go through interesting seasons, funny seasons.

[1:34] And it makes you look like, like what the psalmist said, many are those who say of me, ha, ha, ha, ha. There's no helping God for him. Right?

[1:44] So after fasting, on your, because it is necessary, if you want to go to the other side of the river, you either go over the bridge or you go through the tunnel.

[1:56] Unless you want to go by boat. But you have to cross the river to go to the other side. Right? So then sometimes, on your way to the other side of your life for the bigger testimony, there is this river to cross.

[2:10] So all along, you have been kept behind. You have been kept away. Not even the river. You are looking at, oh, Enfield, Enfield.

[2:21] You are in South London. You are thinking Enfield, Enfield. And you didn't realize that there is the Thames. But all you know is you are supposed to be in Enfield. And you have been kept away from the Thames.

[2:32] And getting closer to the Thames is kind of actually getting closer to Enfield. And then all of a sudden, after the fasting, all the roadblocks are taken off. And just on your way to Enfield, you see these Thames.

[2:46] And you are wondering, God, you delivered me from Egypt. I didn't expect a Red Sea. And you know what they told Moses? You brought us out here to kill us?

[2:58] Why didn't you let us die in Egypt? Because when the rivers show up, sometimes it looks like to the normal man, to the normal mind, to the natural thinking, it looks like your demise.

[3:13] But it's rather your season for elevation. Jesus said, when he was about to die, he said, the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

[3:28] Death, he said, glorified. Satan said, no, you can't do that. You can't die. He said, get deep, be happy, Satan. The hour has come to be glorified. And the next thing that followed was crucifixion.

[3:40] So what I'm trying to say is that after the fasting, when you see something, you must know rather that the fasting has cleared some way. You are about to cross a river into the next. And then watch this. The river, you can't drown in the river after fasting.

[3:56] And then you are told, everyone who attempts to cross this river gets drowned. And you know from scientific or empirical evidence that this thing you can't cross and yet you have to go forward.

[4:11] So God told Moses, tell them, just move forward. Because that thing that kills others cannot kill you. Because your testimony hasn't come yet.

[4:21] Your prayer is on the altar and you have made some prayers. You are waiting for the manifestation. Until the manifestation shows up, there is no way you are dying.

[4:32] Where is Joseph in the Bible? Where is he now? Physically, where is he? He's dead. I mean, Moses died at the point that he was wanted, a wanted fugitive.

[4:44] He thought he was going to die. But he wasn't dying now. He'll die anyway later. But he wasn't dying until God's word has been fulfilled. So whatever is threatening you, can't have the upper hand until God's word is fulfilled.

[5:00] Shout yes. But this morning, the short time I've gone, I want to draw somebody's attention to something God put on my heart. The trust factor in your journey to your elevation.

[5:17] The trust factor. So you can just title it, trusting God. Trusting God.

[5:29] In Proverbs chapter 3 verse 5. In Proverbs chapter 3 verse 5.

[5:42] It says, trust in the Lord with all your heart. And lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways. Acknowledge him.

[5:52] And he shall direct your path. God wants to direct your path. Anybody know how he starts? Trust. Trust him. It starts with you trusting him.

[6:03] So that stands to imply that if you don't trust him, he can't direct your path. You first of all have to trust him and commit your ways.

[6:14] See, committing your ways to God is a function of your trust in him. There is, most of the time when we talk about faith, most of the time, sometimes in the Bible, when the word trust is used, it connotes faith.

[6:30] But not all the times. You know, you can't trust a God you don't know. So, at least you have to know him or know about him.

[6:47] When everything looks bleak. You can't trust a God who you don't know what he can do. Now, for you to take someone at his word, you must know his capability.

[7:00] That's one of the reasons why God encourages us to tell out what he does. So that that builds the confidence in someone. That someone can have the audacity to say, I can also trust God for that.

[7:11] You heard the testimony. Some people were saying that, well, what pastor declared, or I heard someone say that this was going on. And when I heard the person, I said, me too, I'll connect myself. So, based on other people's testimonies, the lady said, I heard pastor declaring death cancellations.

[7:26] And people came and shared testimonies about how, within the time of the fasting, we have received death cancellation. And she said, ah, I'm also connecting myself to this thing. Why does she have the audacity?

[7:37] Because she realized that it's actually happening. God is actually doing it. So, if he has done it for someone, over 2,000 pounds, did it for another person, 10,000 pounds, then my 6,000 pounds is within the two.

[7:50] He can do it. And, you see, she could trust God and then exercise her faith based on that.

[8:00] So, Bible says, trust in the Lord with all your mind and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways, acknowledge God. When you trust him, you can tell that God is with me.

[8:11] I like this. There's a scripture I like very much which says that God did not leave himself without a witness. God never leaves himself without a witness.

[8:22] When he is with you, he will show you signs. Even though bigger things may scare you and threaten you and you may sometimes may look like you are caving in or things are going down.

[8:32] But, somewhere, somewhere, somewhere, in the recesses of the storm, God will show you a sign that I'm still with you. God does not leave himself without a witness.

[8:46] So, God, someone just open your eyes and it will surprise you how much God is with you, how much the enemy is succeeding against you. That's right. That's how God is with you. God is with you.

[8:58] Praise the Lord. So, trusting God is necessary to enjoy God. I wrote a few things which, because of my time, let me just go straight forward to it.

[9:12] Let's look at Nahum chapter 1 verse 7. Let's all read it from the screen together. Let's read it out loud. Let's go. Now, listen, that's quite interesting.

[9:28] What is he? He's a stronghold. When? In the day of trouble. Think about it. So, if you are a Christian and you see trouble around you, it doesn't mean you're in trouble.

[9:42] When you are in trouble, God is a stronghold. In other words, you can't hold on to God and sink. You can't hold on to God. But he went on to say that he knows those who trust in him.

[9:56] He knows. God can help you if you don't trust in him. You can write that down. God can help you if you don't trust in him.

[10:10] He's not a politician looking for votes. Think about it. Many people think God is like the politicians. He's looking for votes.

[10:21] So, you've done well for serving him. You have done him a favor for coming to church. You have done him a favor for reading your Bible. Oh, is that so? No.

[10:32] He knows those who trust in him. Reading our Bibles must be translated into confidence in God. So that you will read your Bible.

[10:43] By the time it's coming, when all hell breaks loose, when situations look very bleak, that the Bible you have read now begins to translate into your confidence in God.

[10:54] That's what it means. That's the most important thing. It's your confidence in God. The Bible in itself is not a charm or amulet or some book which works magic by itself.

[11:10] When I was growing up, there's these stories I heard about people seeing ghosts, people seeing evil spirits and pull out their Bibles. So there are people, when they are going to sleep, they have Bibles under their pillow.

[11:22] It don't help you. The Bible is not supposed to be under your pillow. It's supposed to be in your heart, through your head, and wash your brains. It's called brainwashing with the Bible.

[11:33] The Bible must wash it. So if you put it under your pillow, I mean, this is a book. And most occult and all that. When you watch those films, Omen, and it's like the devil is afraid of cross and all those.

[11:46] I don't know. So you see a demon coming. You see some people running. Where's my Bible? In the name of Jesus. All those things are comical.

[12:00] There are stories. It's not realistic. All right. But God's word finding expression in your heart, then translating into your absolute confidence in him.

[12:16] This is what we call trusting in the Lord with all your might. But most of us. In case this thing doesn't fully work.

[12:27] God wants and expects us to trust in him. Rely on him. Rely on him in such a way that if he doesn't show up, you are really going to be in trouble.

[12:42] I've heard so many testimonies this few days. I mean, we've all heard them. But last Friday, one of the testimonies that was kind of quite interesting that tells it, defines faith based on trusting God.

[12:55] It's the lady who said the little money she's got was there to pay her bills. And so she said, okay, let me try and give God a bit and I'll manage it. And then she said, I didn't say it.

[13:05] I didn't say it. She said, no, I can't go and ask her, how did you know? But she said, she heard God telling her, give everything. And she also, excuse me with my words, foolishly.

[13:21] It takes the ridiculous to experience the miraculous. She also ridiculously gave all. Not knowing. Didn't have any hope.

[13:32] You see, when you know they are paying you at the end of the month. Unless you can, the later you can put it. Wait, wait. Yeah. Yeah, your leg is standing on something. Some of us, you know what I'm talking about. Your leg is standing on something.

[13:43] When you're talking about God is going to make a miracle, you all know. When you're talking about this year, I'm going to marry. This year is my year of marriage. You know, three boys are already proposing. And they are chasing. So someone was sharing a testimony last week about how her mom changed.

[13:56] She was excited. Someone also said, my friend is changing. Yes. You know, so sometimes you're talking about. You have a court case and everything looks bleak.

[14:12] And you say, I know God will do it. Saying, I know God will do it. It's like a blind man telling you I'll throw a stone at you. His foot is already on the stone. So he knows what he said. And trust is when you can't see any stone around you.

[14:26] You don't have a lawyer. Your lawyers have told you the case is hopeless. Forget it. When you are, for the past five years, no man, male species, has ever even come around you to show a smile or an interest in you.

[14:46] And you are saying that this year, this year, the God of courage will show up in my life. So when others are sharing their testimony, and you are sharing their, sometimes when you are talking, others are talking, they have something to be standing on.

[15:03] But you don't have anything. And yet, in your heart of hearts, you know it is that. We are talking about trust. The Hebrew boy says that even if he does not deliver us, forget it.

[15:17] So we are not saying that we worship God or we worship this thing because we know he will deliver us. No, that's what he does. That's his nature. That's his characteristic. So he will do it. But let's put this aside and tell you that even if God doesn't do it, we are absolutely trusting in this God.

[15:39] Totally sold out. Thank you. That's trust. And that is the strength of Christianity. The strength of Christianity is not church.

[15:49] You know how many quotations you can write at a time. It doesn't matter the colors in your Bible. The Bible has become like a drawing book. So many colors.

[16:02] Several things underlined and then people see that, hey, this one is spiritual. It's not, you know, we can all come to church and it's easy for everybody to get excitedly charged.

[16:14] Depending on the atmosphere. Most of us, that's our prayer. I mean, it's our hallmark here. The other times, some pastors joined us for the prayer. I was even shocked.

[16:24] They also zoom in. They were rolling on the floor with their legs up. I said, they caught the carriage fever. But that is not an evidence of your trust.

[16:35] Actually, prayer is a function of your trust. But then after it, all is said and done, you will hear some stuff. You will see some things. That seems to place a big question mark on your so-called prayers.

[16:51] Question mark. If God is with you, why? If God would have done anything, don't you think he should have done it a long time ago?

[17:03] They said, if Jesus had been here earlier, our brother Lazarus would not have died. Now, what's he coming to look for? Amen. God is faithful.

[17:16] When you trust God, his faithfulness comes. Now, let me just show you something. There are quite a few Hebrew words translated trust. One of them is yakal.

[17:28] Y-A-C-H-A-L. Yakal. Y-A-C-H-A-L.

[17:39] Yankee, Alpha, Charlie, Hotel, Alpha, Lima. Yakal. Let's all say yakal. Yakal. It connotes more of waiting, of being patient.

[17:52] So when he says, trusting, I'm trusting God, means I'm just waiting and looking up to you, up to him, patiently. Okay? So it doesn't matter how long it takes, I'm waiting.

[18:03] I'm looking up to him. So one of the words translated trust means that waiting on him. If he hasn't done it, another way, one great man of God said, God, anything you can't do in my life, may it remain undone.

[18:23] If you can't help me, God, may no help come. If God, you can't do it, may it remain undone. It's I'm waiting on you because my help is only in you.

[18:37] Yakal. Say yakal. That's the kind of hope Job reflected when in Job chapter 13 verse 15. That's such a powerful text.

[18:49] I love that text so much. It's Job 13, 15. Open your Bibles, please. If that Bible is here, you can underline that.

[19:01] Text. Hmm. What did I say? Job 13, 15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.

[19:16] Even so, I will defend my own ways before him. So he said, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. Shall we say that together? Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.

[19:28] That is Job. When all hell broke loose on him, he made the statement. And one thing about Job, I will say that in all what he went through, he never said anything negative.

[19:40] I like what one of the pastors here in the Testament said, what you say, what you say, never said anything negative against God. that's how much he trusts God. He said, even though I see God taking the sword and allowing the sword to go through my throat, though he slay me, that's what he means, to kill me.

[20:00] Though he slay me, yet I will trust him because I know he's the only one who can help me. Now, the word trust there is what I say, well, yakal.

[20:11] That means, even though he's killing me, I'm still waiting for him to help me. Even though I've been praying and praying and this thing is not really starting to seem to be helping, I still know that he's the only one who is helping me and I'm waiting.

[20:24] There's a day coming. And you know what? Job said that he waited and actually, God showed up. Yeah. There's no one who waits on God, who puts his trust in God and is put to shame.

[20:37] Amen. It has not happened. Yes. Check all three scriptures. So, Job, if it didn't happen before Jesus came, why would it happen after Jesus had rather come? When he says that, rejoice because I'm going to the Father.

[20:50] Be happy. And then he says that, whatever you ask in my name, I'll do it. Let your joy be full. After he has come to say that, why would he, wouldn't God even move better in our time than in the time before he came?

[21:04] I see someone is at the brink of a miracle in the name of Jesus Christ. Job said, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. Now, in other words, even though he's killing me, I'll still wait for him.

[21:16] I don't know how many of us, maybe the immediate one I can use is because money represents virtually like most things, like Bible says, money and threat, all things.

[21:28] Okay. If you want to know where a person's heart is, check the way it relates to money, with his money. If someone loves you, see if his money is also loving. He goes to the shop and every time he comes back, only things for himself.

[21:41] Nothing for you. Every time he comes back, you know, I love you so much. One day, you wait one day. I don't know how many of us have experienced that before. You give your tithe, one, two, three, and then it goes to your tithe, if you advise yourself to stop.

[21:55] You have not advised yourself to stop tithing before. Some people have experienced that. Some of us have gotten to the brink of that before. There was a time I got this thing, but it's already too late for me to think otherwise.

[22:10] So, I mean, years ago. But there are people here who got to a tithe and said this thing, ah, I haven't given. Anytime you give, checking if it will work and see how God will move, sometimes God will wait.

[22:22] He will teach you how to trust in him. So some of us are complaining already in your heart because God is trying to teach you, trust me. The job said, he said, be patient, wait for my own timing.

[22:33] Don't give me your program. Ask for my program. Say yakal. And the other one, I'll just give you three and then another. The other one is chaka.

[22:45] chaka, chah, Psalm 18, verse 30. He said, ask for God, his way is perfect.

[22:58] The word of the Lord is tried. He said, shield to the world, to who? To who? All. How many? All. Who are they all talking about?

[23:09] All. He said, shield to all people. All people. All people. Shield to all who go to church. Shield to all who pray.

[23:22] Shield to who? All. Think about it. So the trust is a major factor. Not all those pastors pray for.

[23:33] Pastors can pray for you, but God can't shield you if you don't trust him. Trusting him, relying on him, letting him, be boss.

[23:44] Waiting on his time. And so now, the word trust, shaka, that's the word trust over there, which means flee for protection. So when trouble hits, where do you think first your help is going to come from?

[24:00] When you hear bad news, when things happen, when they tell you that the company is laying people off and you are one of them, say God forbid, and you hear an information like that, who did you call the boss who was your classmate or your former, you know, do you go to your friends, do you go to your mother, do you go to your father and say, can you help me out?

[24:25] Or you, first of all, you call on God. When your husband says that, or your husband doesn't behave properly, you call on God or call on his mom.

[24:35] First of all, you are calling his mom. Come and see what your son is doing to me over here. And then you know he fears his mom.

[24:46] And his mom comes. He says, mom, stay out of this. Mom, stay out of this, please. And then he sacks his mom from the house. And he realizes that this thing now I have to take it to God before you take it to God. You see, when you flee to him, he's the one you flee to.

[25:00] That's what you're talking about. Trust. In the event, doesn't mean you don't do other things, but in the event of any trouble, in the event of any calamity, the first thing that comes on your mind for help is God.

[25:13] God. So, you flee to God. How do you flee to God? Any means that makes you strengthen your confidence. Some people say, I'm going through a lot so I desire not to come to church.

[25:24] You don't trust God. I was in the name of the Lord is a strong child. They're righteous, that's what. They run into him and in their time of trouble, you are running out of him that means you don't trust God.

[25:35] You think other things are going to help. Some people tell me I'm going through a lot so I just desire to stay out of church. From frying pan to fire, the devil's program is to keep you watches.

[25:46] The devil's program is to gently lure you and keep you out of church. Now, when you are out of coverage area, then he will show yourself. Listen, being out of church is detrimental to the help you can enjoy from God.

[26:02] being out of church or being in church you are not trying to encourage the church. I think I'm doing pastor a favor. When you are out of church, you are harming the program of God for your help.

[26:20] Because chakra means that running into him, running into him, going to God for help. for in the time of trouble, he shall hide me under his pavilion.

[26:31] That's what Psalm 27 says. For in the time of trouble, he shall hide me under his pavilion. I see someone who will not be a victim in life. And then the last one I want to give amongst the others is Batak.

[26:47] So, Yakal, Chaka, Batak. Say Batak. B-A-T-A-C-H. Brothers and sisters, the things I was coming to download and charge somebody with, the weight of the message itself is coming.

[27:02] But at least it's good to have the Yakal, Chaka, and what? Batak. Jeremiah 17, 7.

[27:19] Jeremiah 17, 7. I like that scripture. These are common scriptures. Jeremiah 17, 7. I think it's good we all read it from the screen.

[27:32] What does it say? Oh, wait. Did you hear that? Who is blessed? Trusting God just puts you in the path of blessing.

[27:46] It's a serious thing. Putting your confidence in God. Now, the word Batak is confidence. When you say trusting God and most of the time in the Old Testament in the Bible when you see trust it's this one, it's Batak.

[28:05] Most of the time it's Batak. Putting your confidence absolutely in Jehovah God. All you hope your confidence the weight of your success the weight of your laughter you have rested it on God's goodness.

[28:23] That's why it's good to always when you read the Bible try and grasp the attributes of God. God is a healer. Jehovah Rapha. God is a shepherd. Jehovah Rapha.

[28:33] God is almighty. El Shaddai. God is most high. El Elion. God is peace. Shalom. God is present. He doesn't leave you. Shama. God is the one who fights.

[28:43] When people are frustrating God can fight for you and collect your husband for you or fight for you and collect your wife for you. Self-attack. Self-attack. It says that blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.

[28:59] No, it's serious. Think about it. It's serious. Why is it that you are trusting in God and people make it look like as for you you are miserable? No. That's why I walk with chest out.

[29:10] I am confident. I don't fear anybody. I am confident. I don't fear. It doesn't matter who you are. If I try to make peace with you and you are recastable and you are stubborn wanting to make life hard for me I just say you are getting yourself into trouble because I know this thing that is behind me is heavy.

[29:28] You will come up against things you can't explain in your life. My word is resting on the goodness of God. Confidence.

[29:39] It says blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. Then he begins to explain why he says you are blessed. Why you trust in God what happens? Shall be like what?

[29:51] Planted by the waters. Now that is that strong a strong imagery he's trying to paint. Trees that are planted by waters flourish. So your flourishing is not in your job.

[30:07] Your flourishing is in your trust. Amen. Some of you here you have friends or family members or colleagues whatever who earn about twice what you earn but you live better twice than they do.

[30:26] So it's not the earning power. It's the grace that comes upon a person. The grace that comes upon a person. The grace that comes upon a person.

[30:37] So if I were you I won't be it's good to get a job if you don't if you don't it's good to get but I won't be spending all my life trying to increase my paycheck.

[30:50] And many people jeopardize their health and guess what their families just to increase their earning. Jopardize their health and their families risk their healthy family life just to get more money.

[31:10] Work, work, work, work, work, work your children don't know you. They know that you never buy toys for them you buy nice shoes for them but really it's the other one they normally want to spend time with.

[31:23] See what I'm saying? And that is what this kind of economic driven system is building. So it rewards people for makes you look better when you earn more.

[31:36] And have you realized how our system trivializes family life? And as for marriage it's been thrown out of the it's not necessary. Trivializes family life but that is the most important in life.

[31:51] That's the most important. So don't chase money trust in God and you'll flourish. Do you see what I'm saying? Trust in God and you'll flourish.

[32:04] Trust in who? God and you'll flourish. Put your confidence on God obey God you'll flourish. You'll get the best woman in town to marry.

[32:20] Even though you don't drive the best Mercedes Benz in town you'll get the best man in town to marry. What are the three Hebrew words I've given so far?

[32:31] Yakao baka bata Amen. Thank you for listening. For more resources please visit caries.org and call us on 0207 740 9960 More file 1.

[32:48]  Time to grab on 0207 mark you'll couldn't manage 2. Background