Preached ON 1ST JANUARY 1995, DECEMBER CAMP MEETING At THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD, ONITSHA By APOSTLE PETER ODOEMENA THE SON OF MAN “THE SUPREME INTELLIGENCE” “Truth has no substitute” ©BRIDE OF CHRIST MINISTRY WORLD-WIDE
FACING THE FIRE (1)
Daniel chapter 3 verse 15 through 17 “Now if ye be ready that at what
time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well:
2. But if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”
4. I will give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments, all will be well. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. What god will be able to rescue you from my power then?”
5. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
6. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.” LB.
7. Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer or bagpipe, and every kind of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be cast at once into the midst of a burning fiery fur-nace, and who is that god who can deliver you out of my hands?
8. 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, it is not necessary for us to answer you on this point.
9. 17 If our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.” AMP.
10. Almighty God, we give you all glory for the journey so far, thank you for ushering us into this New Year. Reveal to us what we should be expecting this year and tell us how we should bear it in Christ name we pray. Amen.
11. I don’t have any other thing than what you are seeing on the board. It is the quote of 1995 which is the end of this year camp meeting, and My message to the Churches in this year 1995 is FACING THE FIRE.
12. From where we read in the book of Daniel chapter 3 from verse 14 through 16, Nebuchadnezzar was the King of the whole world. When Babylon conquered the world Nebuchadnezzar became the king of kings. He had power over every beast. He had power to make decrees, laws. If any man disobeys anyone of them he would be punished even unto death.
13. I want you to understand that this year, the world is going to receive such a king that will control religion and even government. He will have the power to dictate the type of government that will rule in all the nations in the world.
14. In fact, in this year, he will come up with a program that will be sanctioned by the United Nations concerning all the world government. He will come out with a program that will disarm all the nations in the world of military rule by the year 2000.
15. So, by the year 2000, no nation in the world will have any military dictator. And from this year, everything religion will be under the rule and control of that man that has the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar. And you know the man I am talking of.
16. The whole world will agree to give him power to make laws that will govern religion. And he is no other man than the beast of Rome, who is the head of Roman Catholic Mission. The whole religious organization in the world will agree to make him the head.
17. By that time, the World Council of Churches will surrender everything she has to him. He will make laws that will make every denomination register with that body if they must exist. Or else, they will never exist. Every government will sanction it.
18. Now, watch Nebuchadnezzar, he made a law that made it well known to all that worship him and his image, by the time the trumpet is blown, everybody man and woman must bow down to his graven image.
19. Like we did today in our market places, on the streets, you don’t need to be told, immediately it is 12 o’clock, this man that has the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar with his program so far will sound an alarm called Angelus.
20. And then, you see men and women, they will stand up in open places and will start pouring their incantations and praises to the Queen of Heaven contrary to scripture.
21. This year, watch out. When a decree comes out, it will not be that everybody must stand by 12 o’clock and say amen or worship the Queen of Heaven. Rather, once it is 12 o’clock, there is going to be a unilateral prayer for peace.
22. When the alarm is sounded, no matter your denomination, wherever you are, you just stop whatever you are doing. The prayer will be, the prayer for peace. Irrespective of your denomination, you just stand up and pray in your own way. But the term of the prayer will be: peace in the whole world.
23. Now watch, when this man made this decree, in Babylon, the people of God were there in captivity. They were there in bondage. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, vowed a vow never to break the covenant they made with their God.
24. And being Hebrews, they said they will never compromise. You see, the matter between them and their God was not negotiable at all. It is either they worship their God or they face the fire. God bless you sir.
25. Nebuchadnezzar made unrighteous decree, the three young men remembered the word of the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 10. That every unrighteous decree, you must condemn it. Any decree that will dictate how a people of God will worship his God is an unrighteous decree. We must resist it.
26. And this year, you will see many of such decrees coming out. This year, any Church that is not registered with the government, will find life very uneasy.
27. You see, because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego realized that where two or three gather in the Name of God, God is there. And in their little fellowship, they never compromised with the government. They never registered with Nebuchadnezzar at all. Amen.
28. WHETHER HE LIKE IT OR NOT, THAT LITTLE CHURCH HAS THE POWER THAT WAS SHAKING THE HOUR. ALTHOUGH THEY WERE FEW IN NUMBER, GOD WILL WALK IN THEIR MIDST. AMEN.
29. Because they couldn’t compromise their holy and high calling even in the land of captivity, they couldn’t deny their faith. Apart from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego and then Daniel, there was no other record of any man, any Jew that worshiped God in captivity.
30. All the prophets denied their God. All the High Priest denied their God. But I want you to understand something, Daniel was never known to be a prophet in the land of the Jews before he was drawn into captivity. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, these men were unknown in the land of the Jews before they went into captivity. But they had something which no other man had in the land of the Jews. Amen.
31. YOU MUST NOT LOOK UP TO YOUR PASTOR OR YOUR PROPHET OR YOUR APOSTLE OR YOUR TEACHER OR YOUR EVANGELIST, THEY MAY EVEN BETRAY YOU. THEY MAY EVEN DENY YOU.
32. YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR OWN STAND BECAUSE THE COVENANT IS NOT SIGNED OR ATTENDED TO FOR YOU BY YOUR PASTOR. THE COVENANT IS BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD. THE VOW IS BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD.
33. IF THEY DON’T WANT TO GO, MY BROTHER, GO. IF THEY ARE DRAWING BACK, THEY ARE AFRAID OF DEATH, MY BROTHER, DON’T DRAW BACK. REMEMBER WHEN YOU DIE FOR THE GOSPEL YOU WILL OBTAIN A BETTER RESURRECTION. AMEN.
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FACING THE FIRE (2)
Now watch out, that little Church that was hiding somewhere, a time came when persecution made it a popular Church. Their gospel that was hidden was no longer hidden. The whole world heard what they believed. What caused it? Persecution.
2. An unrighteous decree went forth, they realized they were Jews and said they will never bow down to that strange god. The king was provoked beyond control. He sent for them, the young men were fetched.
3. He paraded them before his idol, saying, “What am I hearing in this city that I made a law that all the Churches must register with one organization or the other. What do you preach? If you can’t register with Christian Council of Nigeria, the door is open, you can go and register with Christian Association of Nigeria. Don’t you go about spreading the gospel?
4. “Look at Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria. It is open to you. Or African Instituted Churches. By the way, why do you go about preaching your gospel without certificate given to you by National Evangelical Commission? Haven’t you heard that nobody has any right to preach any gospel without first of all passing through NECO?”
5. “Are you now ready to identify with any of them? Are you now ready, seeing that you are just a little group, why not affiliate with a bigger Church? why do you go about critizing Churches here and there?
6. “By the way? Who is your General Superintendent? Can we see your certificate of registration? So, you are exiting here as an illegal Church?” Are you getting the message? Facing the fire!
7. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, you are running a Church that I do not know. Are you now ready to stop it? Are you now ready to affiliate with Sabbath? Look, every other person is worshipping me. Why is your own different? I want to know. Now, choose between life and death. You either do what I am saying or be ready to face the fire. Who is that your God that I do not know? Who is that your God that will deliver thee from my hand?
8. I could see all the Elders of Israel were there. Their High Priest, their Prophets that denied their God in captivity. They were all watching to see what will be the fate of these young men. Shadrach appeared, well oh king, concerning this matter, it is not negotiable. Oh king, let it be known to you concerning this matter you have raised, it is a ground of no compromise.
9. King, remember, we have taken your ridicule enough. You have the power, you can change our names. when we came here, we are answering Adoniah, Ananiah and Meshach. You change our name and put the name of your God upon us. No problem.
10. You can change our names but you can never change our God. You can change our name but you can never change our vision, you can’t change our faith. You can never change our conviction.
11. Let it be known to you we are ready to face this fire. Our God whom we serve must deliver us. Even if He will not deliver us, we will never, never obey this unrighteous decree. If we perish, let us perish.
12. They looked at themselves, then the man roared from his seat, “Well, well, well.” With his armies, the boys brigade, the civil defence, the home guard, man o’ war, the knights. He said, “Gentlemen, haven’t you seen these little, little boys disturbing us in this country, what do you think of them? Take them there!”
13. Brethren, by that stiff opposition coupled with stiff resistance, the gospel was preached all over the world. It became a compulsory preaching. If you do not open your mouth to cry out against the system, brethren, when the unrighteous degree comes out and it is approved by every nation, you will cry out by force.
14. Everybody was enquiring, “My friend, which Church are you attending that made you to make this type of comment? May I know what you are actually doing? So, you want to die? Do you mean to tell me that it is only two of you that know how to worship God?
15. “You mean to tell me that you are the only wise men that came from the land of the Jews to this Babylon? Look at this your priest, look at this prophet, look at this high priest. After all, were you anything in your town before you came here?
16. “Are you are now wiser than any other people? Anyway, I can see something is wrong with you! Since you don’t want to change your confession, go there and die.” Facing the fire. It is now or never!
17. Watch out, the kings of the earth have agreed to surrender their powers to one man.
18. Watch the whole system, watch out from this year, life will be very, very unbearable on you. You will regret coming out in this generation.
19. Nevertheless, will you deny Him? Never! We prefer to die instead of bowing down, instead of compromising, let us perish. They were not afraid of death. .
20. Will you be afraid of death? Brethren replied “No sir.” What you are saying? Somebody said it but when the time came, he denied Christ. Amen.
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FACING THE FIRE (3)
Daniel 3 verse 21 through 25. “Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
2. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
3. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
4. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” KJV.
5. So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully clothed. And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames leaped out and killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in!
6. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell down into the roaring flames.
7. But suddenly, as he was watching, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes,” they said, “we did indeed, Your Majesty.”
8. “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire. They aren’t even hurt by the flames! And the fourth looks like a divine being!” LB.
9. Then these [three] men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics or undergarments, their turbans, and their other clothing, and they were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
10. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame and sparks from the fire killed those men who handled Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
11. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the burning fiery furnace.
12. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king [saw and] was astounded, and he jumped up and said to his counselors, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered, True, O king.
13. He answered, Behold, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt! And the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” AMP.
14. Because the decree was like an urgent decree. The order was an urgent order that should be carried out without delay: “Go there and hasten at once, don’t waste time. Executed within 24 hours. Put an end to this movement.”
15. And the people ran in a haste without considering, without showing any sign of sympathy, they lay hands on them, bound them together with their goods because they were rushing there in a haste, they forgot that the fire was a raging fire. The fire first of all consumed them. They became cannon fodder.
16. Let Me tell you something,Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were brought before King Nebuchadnezzar to face that judgement because of their faith. The whole world was watching them to see what will be the end. God came down and was watching them also.
17. Shadrach could look at Meshach. Meshach could look at Abed-nego, God was looking at them. God was there when they were judged and condemned. Yet, He said nothing. He did nothing. He was watching.
18. God was there when they were chained, bound hand and feet together, God was watching. God was watching, when they were dragged along and they were facing the fire. God did nothing. He was watching until they were carried into the fire ewa.
19. Immediately, God descended into the fire, He became the fourth man. But while they were there on the trial, He did nothing. What if while they were going somebody suddenly said, “My friend, I think, I think, I think, let us, let us, let us…”
20. Do you know they could have labored in vain? ONCE IT COMES TO YOU, DON’T EVER THINK THE MOMENT YOU ARE ARRESTED OR DETAINED, GOD WILL COME THERE AND BRING YOU OUT. DON’T EVER THINK THAT WAY. NEVERTHELESS, THE BRIDE WILL BE DELIVERED IN THE MIDST OF THE TROUBLE.
21. REMEMBER THE ANTICHRIST MUST MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS. AND IN THE MIDST OF THE WAR, THE REDEEMER COMETH. WHAT IF YOU DON’T REALIZE THIS? A LITTLE SIGN OF THE WAR, YOU RECANT YOUR FAITH. YOU DENY EVERYBODY, DENY THE CHURCH. BY THEN, YOU MUST HAVE LABORED IN VAIN. FACING THE FIRE.
22. Look at Daniel, if you read Daniel chapter 6, Daniel was another man. One in a million that face the trouble of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the whole world. Why? Because he made another unrighteous decree.
23. BRETHREN, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT YOU BELIEVE YET. TODAY IN NIGERIA, EVERYBODY CLAIM THAT HE IS A CHILD OF GOD. IT REQUIRES UNRIGHTEOUS DECREE TO BE BROUGHT OUT FOR US TO KNOW WHO THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE AND WHO ARE NOT CHILDREN OF GOD.
24. TODAY, EVERYBODY IS A CHILD OF GOD. BUT SOMETHING MUST COME OUT MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYBODY TO WORSHIP GOD WITHOUT RESCISSION. WORSHIP MUST BE REGULATED.
25. THEN, WHEN IT IS REGULATED, WE WILL THEN KNOW THOSE THAT WILL COMPROMISE THEIR HOLY AND HIGH CALLING. AND WE WILL KNOW THOSE THAT ARE READY TO DIE FOR THE GOSPEL SAKE THAT THEY MIGHT OBTAIN A BETTER RESURRECTION. WATCH OUT.
26. Daniel came face to face, his colleagues first of all accused him, his co-governors, his co-preachers. People carrying sermon books, carrying Bible. They betrayed him.
27. They accused him before the government. Say, “Oh King, well, this Jew you made governor, you made a law that for three months nobody should pray to any god except you. And look at what he is doing. Every morning, afternoon and night, he would open his window and pray facing Jerusalem.”
28. Although they were in captivity, every other person forgot the God of Israel but God was in captivity also. Daniel remembered the covenant his father Solomon made with God that said, “Oh my God, I made this covenant with You this day, if my people and your people sin against you and they are drawn into captivity, any day they repent and remember you and prayed facing Jerusalem, forgive their sins.” And God said, “I will do so.”
29. Daniel remembered it while in captivity, he ignored the unrighteous decree of the king of the earth and was brought before him. God was there watching.
30. The man said, “Daniel, I have heard so, so and so that you don’t even obey my laws.” Nebuchadnezzar forgot all the good deeds Daniel did for him. He forgot the interpretation of the dream. He couldn’t remember them again.
31. He said, “My friend, are you ready to stop this nonsense? Or else, get ready to enter into lion’s den.”
32. Daniel looked at him, “Oh king, you have power to do anything you want to do. I have respected you so much. The moment I came into this land, the first thing you did was to change my name from Beersheba to Daniel the name of your god. I can accept that but you can never stop me from worshipping my God.”
33. He said, “Okay, be ready to pay the price! About this time tomorrow, if you don’t change your mind, you are going to enter into lion’s den. You will face it out with them.”
34. Daniel said, “Well, I am not afraid after all, is there anything good in Babylon?” anything good in Babylon?
35. All the years I have lived in this town, what have I gained? The earlier I am taken away from your land the better for me. Take me there, my God will deliver me from your hand. Facing the fire!
36. Remember, when all these things were going on, God was watching. When God saw from heaven that Daniel made up his mind and he was not going back, God stood by him. When he was carried into the lion’s den, God came and became the second man and closed the mouth of the lion.
37. BRETHREN, DON’T BE AFRAID. OUR GOD IS MORE THAN ABLE TO SEE US THROUGH. PLANS HAVE BEEN CONCLUDED TO EJECT YOU OUT OF THIS PLACE. PLANS HAVE BEEN CONCLUDED TO EJECT YOU OUT OF THIS PLACE WITH THE PRETENSE THAT GOVERNMENT WANTS TO RENOVATE IT. AND THE MOMENT YOU LEAVE THIS PLACE, BRETHREN, YOU WILL BE PITCHING TENT. WATCH OUT.
38. AS WE CONTINUE, THE WORLD HAS NOT KNOWN WHAT WE BELIEVE, BUT THEY WILL KNOW IT THIS YEAR. BECAUSE OUR MESSAGE IS GOING TO REACH OFFICES, IT IS GOING TO PENETRATE FAMILIES, IT IS GOING TO PENETRATE DENOMINATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD AT A TIME WHEN A LAW WILL BE ON THE LAND, THAT NO MAN HAS THE RIGHT TO PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL THAT IS NOT RATIFIED BY CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA THROUGH NECO. THAT IS THE TIME YOUR MESSAGE WILL BE ON THE LAND.
39. THEN, THE CHURCH THAT HAS BEEN UNKNOWN ALL THESE YEARS WILL BE KNOWN BY EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE WORLD. PEOPLE THAT WERE UNKNOWN ALL THESE YEARS WILL BECOME POPULAR PREACHERS. GOVERNMENT WILL KNOW THEM BY FORCE. EVERYBODY WILL RECOGNIZE THEM. FACING THE FIRE.
40. It makes Me fine. God knows all these things. Don’t be afraid of that fire. Jesus told us that he that wants to save his life will lose it. And whosoever that is ready to lose his life for the gospel will gain it. God is with us. Amen.
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FACING THE FIRE (4)
St. Luke chapter 13 verse 1 through 9. “There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3. I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4. He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
5. And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” KJV.
6. About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were sacrificing at the Temple in Jerusalem. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than other people from Galilee?” he asked. “Is that why they suffered?
7. Not at all! And you will also perish unless you turn from your evil ways and turn to God. And what about the eighteen men who died when the Tower of Siloam fell on them?
8. Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will also perish.”
9. Then Jesus used this illustration: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came
10. again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.
11. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s taking up space we can use for something else.’
12. “The gardener answered, ‘Give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, you can cut it down.” LB.
13. Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
14. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans be-cause they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you re-pent, you too will all perish.
15. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them — do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you re-pent, you too will all perish.”
16. Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig-tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.
17. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, `For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this figtree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
18. “`Sir,’ the man replied, `leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig round it and fertilise it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’“ AMP.
19. TWO THINGS ARE INVOLVED THERE. WATCH OUT. DEATH IS DEATH. THE END OF EVERYTHING ON EARTH IS DEATH. THE END OF LIFE ON EARTH IS DEATH. WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE MUST SURELY DIE. IF WE DON’T DIE, WE WILL NEVER RESURRECT. DEATH IS DEATH NO MATTER THE WAY IT COMES.
20. IF IT COMES BY MOTOR ACCIDENT, IT IS DEATH. IF IT COMES BY PREMATURE DELIVERY, IT IS DEATH. IF IT COMES BY ABORTION, IT IS DEATH. IF IT COMES BY SICKNESS, IT IS DEATH. IT COMES BY ARMED ROBBERS, IT IS DEATH.
21. IT COMES IN THE PRISON YARD, IT IS DEATH. NO MATTER THE WAY YOU LOOK AT IT, DEATH IS DEATH. IF IT COMES THROUGH FIRE, IT IS DEATH. IT COMES THROUGH WATER, IT IS DEATH. IT COMES THROUGH LION, IT IS DEATH.
22. IF YOU PREACH THE GOSPEL, YOU WILL DIE. IF YOU DON’T PREACH THE GOSPEL, YOU WILL EQUALLY DIE. BRETHREN, WE BETTER PREACH AND DIE. WHO WILL NOT DIE? UNBELIEVERS DIE, BELIEVERS DIE.
23. WHAT IS DEATH? IT IS THE TRANSPORTER THAT WILL TAKE US HOME. WHEN WE DIE, THAT SECOND WE DIE, WE ENTER INTO OUR NEW TABERNACLE. IF I DIE BEFORE YOU, I WILL ENTER INTO ETERNITY BEFORE YOU.
24. People came reporting to Christ saying, “A house collapsed and killed people. They said maybe they were sinners.”
25. Jesus said, “Don’t say like that. Except you repent, you will die, you perish like them. If you don’t repent and be converted, if you don’t have Holy Ghost baptism, you die, you perish like them.”
26. A little while some other people came, there are some Galilean, Herodians, whose blood were mixed with their sacrifice. Maybe they were sinners. Jesus said, “Don’t think that way. They were not sinners because of that. Except you repent and be converted and be filled with the Holy Ghost, you will surely perish like them.”
27. God is not interested the way we die, He is only interested in our condition at the time of our death. The time you die, your condition at that time will determine where you will spend your eternity. That is why you must be filled with the Holy Spirit.
28. Our Prophet William Branham taught us saying, “The moment you receive Holy Ghost baptism, then war starts. Then, you are equipped to defend whatever you say you believe.” Anything you say you believe, you must surely defend it.
29. Let’s watch out. This same year, Christ will be revealed, the Wine Dresser, the Owner of the vineyard who has spent His time, His effort, His gift in the Church. And He is expecting that in the time of harvest, He will get many, many fruits. He will examine the Church. Any Church that doesn’t bear fruit must be closed down. That will be the end of that Church.
30. Any Church that doesn’t bear fruit must be closed down – must be hewed down whose Church ye are. Remember you will be taken away in the midst of persecution.
31. St. Luke chapter 12 verse 1 through 5. “In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
32. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
33. And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” Amen.
34. Don’t fear any man that will only destroy your flesh, fear only God who has power not only to destroy the flesh but also to destroy the soul in hell fire. Who will not die?
35. If you deny the faith because of the trouble that is facing you, because of fire, you die twice. If you deny Christ because of trouble, because of persecution, number one, you are dying spiritually on that spot.
36. Number two, you will also die in the flesh. If you don’t die in the flesh until the wrath of God comes, God Himself will kill you and will also take the soul and torment it in hell fire. So, what you were trying to dodge, you meet it hundred folds.
37. It is better you die in the flesh and live in the spirit so that you inherit eternal life than for you to dodge death in the flesh and eventually die in the flesh and then end it in everlasting hellfire. I will show you something.
38. Follow Me to the book of Judges, facing the fire. Here is man, an army officer that had ammunition to fight in the battle field. When the war became very hot, heads were rolling in the war front, this soldier ran away. He didn’t want to die again.
39. But remember, when any man joins the army, he signs a bond: it is either life or death. This man signed this bond, the war became very fierce, bullets were hovering everywhere. He ran away going to take refuge somewhere. Let us see how he ended it.
40. Judges chapter 4 verse 17 through 21. “Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite:…”
41. Sisera fled away from the war front. See this man running without looking back. Army captain. He didn’t want to die again. Running without looking back. And enemies were pursuing him. Persecutors were pursuing him.
42. Imagine a situation where a child of God, because you don’t want to die and you don’t want to deny your faith, you want to die, you don’t want to deny your faith. For that reason, you try to run into Roman Catholic to hide. You try to run into End Time Message to hide there. Amen!
43. You that make friend with the denomination peradventure if this one will become porous, sir, let me come and hide in your own. Let me go to Grace of God. Brother Ebenezer take note. You don’t hide in the house of your enemy.
44. Now, watch this particular man, he knew this woman, he knew her husband, he knew the house. But this woman happened to be an arch enemy to his people. Because he knew them before the war started.
45. Brethren, you might know many people in the denominations before you identify with this message. From the time you identify with this message, you have become their enemy. You may not even know it, they don’t speak well of you. Wait until that time comes and watch out.
46. Watch this man…, “Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite…”
47. You see, there was peace between these army officers. This man must be a saboteur. The people he was fighting against, his own army people didn’t know that he had a friend there. Battle became too hot he ran there to take refuge.
48. You might be here, we think you are one of us not knowing that you are romancing with all the general superintendents in all the denomination. Not knowing that you are having secret dealing with them. Yet, you stay here. The earlier you leave us the better for you. I am telling you the truth.
49. Watch out, no place to hide. Whatever you do in secret must be made manifest. All your secret meetings and writings with them, we will know it that time. All your nocturnal movements, we will know them that time. No place to hide.
50. Now, watch this man where he is running into. That woman represent a Church. He fled to that place.
51. “And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle…” Amen!
52. Watch out to what happened. A child of God in this bride ministry ran out and remembered his old friend in the denomination; the man he used to visit from time to time. Maybe he is trying to comfort him making him to see whether he came believe this end time message or Bride Ministry. Then, persecution has started, he didn’t want to die or he doesn’t want to die again. He remembered the man.
53. The moment he got there he said, “Oh my friend, you are welcome, you are welcome, don’t mind them, don’t mind them. Come in, come in, come in. oh, glory, glory. I think I told you, those boys were deceiving you. Come in, come in, feel free. Take cool ice water, my best friend.
54. Immediately, the woman gave him a covering. What was that covering? Immediately they just placed one ID card upon him: “I know you are preaching, don’t preach this gospel, preach Trinity. You know it before. This is your ID card. With your ID card, you are covered.”
55. You will be thinking that you are secured. You are not secured! Don’t worry, you will know. Look at what happened to the man in spite of the covering.
56. You tell them, “I am now one of you. Let me hide, cover me up, cover me.”
57. He said, “You are welcome, you are welcome.” They never welcomed you.
58. “Will you go and tell the people that all you said against them that it was false that you didn’t mean to hurt them?” Do you think they are not hearing what you say here?
59. What if they give you the condition that you should go round and recant your faith everywhere? Can you do that? And they know that you are not in the same faith with them. Come in, come in, come in. you don’t know what they passed through. Look at what happened, see what the woman did.
60. “And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.” A little doctrine. “And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.”
61. What is milk? Soft message, elementary doctrine. Milk, it is just soft milk. Social message. Immediately he got that soft milk, his head cooled. He slept in the spirit, he slept in the flesh also.
62. Look at a soldier, when the war was raging on, he was sleeping under the hands of a woman while others were facing the fire. Remember he ran away from the warfront because he didn’t want to die. See where he is now. Let us see what happened to him.
63. Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand,…”
64. You see the trick? Can you see the trick? Old man, old prophet. Please let me tell you this, I know these people will come here asking if there is anybody hiding here. In case they ask, please, tell them nobody. A child of God now is learning how to tell lies. And he is even causing somebody to tell lies.
65. “Just please, you know, you know, I have been very good, say good things. You know, you know.” She said, “Don’t worry, you are secured. See what the woman did. She went and brought a very long nail, strong nail with a hammer.
66. “Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.”
67. So he died. Then she invited the villagers to come and see the corpse.
68. “And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.” KJV.
69. “Villagers here, come and see our enemy.” The woman called him and say come in, the man you are pursuing is here come and see, I have helped you. See the man that was running away from facing the fire. He didn’t want to die, a woman has now killed him.
70. I think it should have been better for him to die in the war front than to die in the hands of ordinary woman. He is more than a coward! Brethren, watch out from now. Halleluiah! Amen.
5
FACING THE FIRE (5)
I am just here by way of putting you in remembrance. We know our patriarch Abraham; in Genesis chapter 12 reading from verse 1 through 12.
2. Genesis chapter 12 verse 1 through 12. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
5. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
6. And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
7. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
8. And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.” KJV. Amen.
9. Then the LORD told Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.
10. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others.
11. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
12. So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
13. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth–his livestock and all the people who had joined his household at Haran–and finally arrived in Canaan.
14. Traveling through Canaan, they came to a place near Shechem and set up camp beside the oak at Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.
15. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I am going to give this land to your offspring. ” And Abram built an altar there to commemorate the LORD’s visit.
16. After that, Abram traveled southward and set up camp in the hill country between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar and worshiped the LORD.
17. Then Abram traveled south by stages toward the Negev. At that time there was a severe famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to wait it out. As he was approaching the borders of Egypt, Abram said to Sarai, “You are a very beautiful woman.
18. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!‘ LB.
19. NOW [in Haran] the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.
20. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].
21. And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language to-ward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless them-selves].
22. So Abram departed, as the Lord had directed him; and Lot [his ne-phew] went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
23. Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the persons [servants] that they had acquired in Haran, and they went forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
24. Abram passed through the land to the locality of Shechem, to the oak or terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Ca-naanite was then in the land.
25. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, I will give this land to your posterity. So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, Who had appeared to him.
26. From there he pulled up [his tent pegs] and departed to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an al-tar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.
27. Abram journeyed on, still going toward the South (the Negeb).
28. Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive (intense and grievous).
29. And when he was about to enter into Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, I know that you are beautiful to be-hold.
30. So when the Egyptians see you, they will say, This is his wife; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.” AMP.
31. You see our patriarch Abraham, he was not ready to offer his life in defense of his Church. Pastor Abraham that was pastoring a Church, persecution came by way of hardship. Remember, watch out from now.
32. YOU CRIED OUT 1994, 1995, BECAUSE YOU ARE ABOUT TO GO AND SATAN WANTS TO PREVENT YOU, IN ORDER TO STOP YOU FROM BEING TRANSLATED, SATAN IS GOING TO MAKE THE WORLD FACE THE WORST TROUBLE.
33. AND IN THIS TROUBLE, MANY WILL DENY THEIR FAITH. WHAT AM I SAYING? YOUR HARDSHIP WILL BE MULTIPLIED FROM NOW. YES, YOUR HARDSHIP WILL BE MULTIPLIED FROM NOW. Halleluiah!
34. On this note, I 1say thank you and remain blessed in Him eternally. Amen.