GOING HIGHER – PART 1: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE, SPECIAL RCCG ONLINE SUNDAY SERVICE, 13TH DECEMBER, 2020.

SPECIAL RCCG ONLINE SUNDAY SERVICE

TOPIC: GOING HIGHER – PART 1

MINISTERING: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

DATE: 13TH DECEMBER, 2020.

BIBLE TEXT: 1 KINGS 17:1

Let Us Pray!

SONG

Blessed be the Name of the Lord
He is Worthy to be Praised and Adored
So we lift Up Holy Hands in one Accord
Singing
Blessed be Thy Name
Hallelujah
Blessed be Thy Name
Hallelujah
Blessed be Thy Name of The Lord

Jesus is the Name of the Lord
He is Worthy to be Praised and Adored
So we lift Up Holy Hands in one Accord
Singing
Jesus is Thy Name
Hallelujah
Jesus is Thy Name
Hallelujah
Jesus is Thy Name of The Lord

Holy is the Name of the Lord
He is Worthy to be Praised and Adored
So we lift Up Holy Hands in one Accord
Singing
Holy is Thy Name
Hallelujah
Holy is Thy Name
Hallelujah
Holy is Thy Name of The Lord

OPENING PRAYER

Father Almighty, we bless Your Holy Name.

Thank You fur bringing us to the Last Month in this Year; Thank You that inspite of everything that the enemies tried; by Your Grace we are still here – Please accept our Thanks in Jesus Name.

Lord, we Pray that even as we again come to listen to Your Words or read it now on the Label of DMC; the Power that is in Your Words will work throughout the whole world – Bringing Healings and Deliverance to Your People.

Father, we ask for “Very Special Mercy” for Your children where Coronavirus is still rampaging – That just as You have been Merciful to us here in Nigeria; You will Please be Merciful to them also in Jesus Name.

Thank You Almighty God.

In Jesus Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen.

Praise the Lord – Hallelujah!

Please be seated!

We will want to begin a “New Series”

Not that we have not actually finished with “The Wonders of our God” – We can never finish that one.

If the Holy Spirit directs; we may come back to that one!

But we want to start a “New Series” on “GOING HIGHER” – The Part 1 is for today.

I’m believing God that by the time we all entered into the New Year; we will truly be Flying – Amen.

Our Bible Text will be 1 Kings 17:1

“And Elisha the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I Stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these Years but according to my word.”

When you go through the Scriptures; you will find two (2) People who cheated death and who didn’t die.

1. The first (1st) one is Enoch – My namesake.

Which is one of the reasons that I believed that I will Probably go with Rapture – I believed that I will be here when the Lord returns and I believed that when He returns; you too will be ready to go with him – Amen.

In Genesis 5:24; the Bible tells us that Enoch walked with God and was not because God took him!

In one Sunday School Class; the Teacher asked the Students to say something about Enoch.

And one of the children said: Oh; Enoch and God are very, very friendly and from time to time; God will visit Enoch and then Enoch will escort God on his way back home.

But then one day; they were walking, they were talking and they are having “Good Fellowship”. By the time they looked back; the house of Enoch was too far away.

So, Enoch just decided that there is no Point going back and so he walked away with God.

… Beautiful “Children Rendition” but I think that might be Probably the way it happened.

2. The Second (2nd) Fellow who cheated death is Elijah.

In 2 Kings 2:11; we have a “Clear Description” of how Elijah left – He went by a Whirlwind to Heaven.

The Almighty God sent “Chariot of Fire”; “Horses of Fire” and this Man just rode in the “Special Chart of The Almighty God” to Heaven.

So, if you are looking for someone whose lives kept on going “Steadily Higher” – A very Good example will be Elijah!

You study him; you will see how he went for example:

1. From Multiplying the Meal of a widow – Turning the “Last Meal” to a Meal that lasted for Years.
2. He then moved from there to being the first (1st) Man to raised the dead.
3. He then moved on from there to a Man who brought a “Whole Nation” on its face by saying that: Jehovah is Lord et cetera et cetera.
4. He then moved on until finally, he just flew to Heaven.

And the Bible says in Proverbs 30:20 – That if you walk with the Wise; you shall be Wise.

Which explains like I have told you before – I had shown keen interest in Elijah!

As a matter of fact; I spent three (3) Years studying him.

And from time to time; I still go back to study him because I want my own Life too to go “Steadily Higher”.

So, the Series that we will be discussing will have quite a lot to do with some of the Lessons that I learnt from studying about Elijah.

And in the Bible Text that we read; you will find something there that really attracted me to him straightaway in the first (1st) Place.

And that is that: By the first (1st) time we met him; he was a “Nobody” – Elijah, The Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead.

He was so “Insignificant” with his background that we were never told the name of his father!

In the Nation of Israel in the Olden Days; at least it does not matter who you are; if your family mattered at least a little; they will mention the name of your father.

I mean for example in Marks 10: 46:52; when they were talking about Bartimaeus – The Blind Beggar.

As insignificant as a beggar could be; they still told us that he is the son of Timaeus.

… They still mentioned his father’s name.

In order words; in Human Estimates, he (Elijah) didn’t even amount to somebody as low as a “Blind Beggar”.

… That made me very happy when I first read 1 Kings 17:1.

You can also listen to the audio here: Going Higher – Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Because it tells me and I believed that you will take very Good Note of this that: How you start does not necessarily mean how you will end!

You may have started “Very Low”; “Very Insignificant” but you could end “Very, Very High Up”.

Job 8:7 says: Though your Beginning be small; your “Latter End” could greatly increase.

That is my Prayer for everyone of you – Amen!

It doesn’t matter where you are now; by the time you are leaving this world; in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, you will be Great – Amen

And a Classical Example of the fact that: How you start does not necessarily mean how you will end is the Parable of the Mustard Seed that Jesus Christ gave in Matthew 13: 31-32.

He tells us that the Mustard Seed is the “Smallest Seed” ever and yet it can grow to become a “Mighty Tree”; “Significant Tree” among Other Trees.

And do you know that a Closer Study of that Parable tells you that: That tiny Mustard Seed can Produce a Mighty Tree with many more Mustard Seeds that can Produce many more Mighty Trees.

So, a Single Mustard Seed can Produce a Forest of Mighty Trees.

So, it doesn’t matter how small you are today; you can become “Extremely Great” – Amen.

And I’m going to give Examples in this “Foundation Lecture” on People who started “Small” and became “Great” – So that you too can begin to dream again of Going Higher.

1. Take for Example Isaac in Genesis 25: 21-26.

Isaac had only two (2) sons – Esau and Jacob.

Genesis 35:22; Jacob alone has twelve (12) sons.

Genesis 46: 27; tells us that these twelve (12) sons of Jacob became Seventy (70) Souls by the time they got to Egypt.

And by the time they are leaving Egypt according to Exodus 12:37; there were six hundred thousand (600,000) Men – Not counting Women and Children.

So, Isaac started with two (2) sons; one of the two (2) sons became twelve (12); the twelve (12) became Seventy (70); the Seventy (70) became six hundred thousand (600,000) Plus.

It doesn’t matter how small you are now; in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ; you will grow Higher Day by Day – Amen.

2. Let us take another Example – David.

David started off as a Shepherd Boy like you know very well – 1 Samuel 16: 1-13.

Not just that he was a Shepherd Boy in Israel but he was so insignificant that when God sent a Prophet to go and anoint a King in his house; even his father didn’t Present him for consideration but he got anointed all the same.

And by the time we get to 1 Samuel 22: 1-2; the “Unrecognised Shepherd Boy” became the Captain of four hundred (400) Men.

Oh Yes, I know that you will tell me that but the four hundred (400) Men are Riff Raff’s – Sure but he was a Captain of four hundred (400) Men that later on became Mighty Men.

Then by the time we get to 2 Samuel 2: 1-4; he became the King of Judah – He became the King of a Tribe.

… That is not doing badly – From being a Shepherd Boy that no one will recognised to becoming a King of the Tribe of Israel.

… That is an Upward Movement!

But by the time we now move on to 2 Samuel 5: 1-3; he had become the King of the “Whole Israel” and ruled Israel for decades.

But he didn’t stop there; he kept on growing – Even after he had died, he was still growing because in Mark 10: 46-52; that I referred to earlier on; Bartimaeus called on the Lord Jesus Christ – Who we all know to be “The King of Kings” and called Him “The Son of David”.

… Thou “Son of David” have Mercy on me!

So, from Shepherd Boy; he grew to become the Captain of four hundred (400) Men; grew to become King of Judah; grew to become King of Israel; grew to become a father of The King of Kings!

… That is a Steady Growth!

This is why I want to make a very, very Special Appeal:

1. First of all to those who know you.
2. Secondly, more so to Yourself.
3. To those who knows you; you can begin from today begin to tell them: Don’t write me off yet!

I. It is not where I am today that I’m going to be tomorrow.

II. Not even where I am today will I be by the end of the New Year.

Why? – Because I’m still Alive.

And Ecclesiastes 9:4 says clearly: A Living Dog is still better than a dead Lion.

You may look at me – I may look like a dog to you now but because I am still alive; it is not where I am today that I’m going to be tomorrow.

In Job 14: 7-9; the Bible says: Even if I’m just the stump of a tree, that I have been cut down – As long as my root is still in the Ground; all I’m waiting for is just the next rainfall and I will begin to grow again.

So, the next time you see anybody trying to “Look Down” on you; trying to say that there is nothing you can ever become – Tell that fellow: Don’t write me off yet. There is Hope for me; there is a Glorious Future for me and ALL is still going to be well – Amen.

In Psalms 42:5; David said: My Soul why are you disquieted in me?

Hey, trust in the Lord God Almighty; you are yet going to Praise God.

2. Anytime you feel despaired; anytime it looks and seems there is “No Hope”; tell Yourself: Ha, I’m not going to end like this. One day, I’m still going to Praise God; one day my Testimony will be Complete.

I have told you that Years ago that when my wife and I had just married and things were rather hard and we use to struggle when we are eating over Ponmo (Cow Hide/Skin cooked as Meat).

And one Ponmo (Cow Hide/Skin cooked as Meat) can be thicker than the other. And we will be saying: Hey, don’t eat that one alone; we will still cut it into two (2).

And I will smile and I will tell her: Don’t worry my dear, things won’t go on like this; tomorrow will be Alright.

Today; by the Grace of God; if we want to eat a whole cow, we can eat it – Only that it won’t be Good for our Health.

But I’m saying to everyone of you listening to me today or reading now on the Label of DMC: Your tomorrow will be Alright – Amen!

1. Sarah will still Laugh – Amen.

Genesis 21: 1-7; the Bible told us that Sarah said: Who would have thought that Sarah will give birth to a son?

She said: Now, I’m laughing and all those who hear will laugh with me.

There was a time Sarah wrote herself off – When the Almighty God Himself said: You are going to have a son and she laughed because she thought that it is not Possible – She was Ninety Years Old but she laughed.

2. And there is this Story of one Man that I have always loved – That is the story of Peter.

When he first met with the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 5: 1-11; the Almighty God Promised him: You won’t catch fish anymore; you will be “Catching Men”.

And throughout the Life of the Lord Jesus Christ while the Lord was here on Earth; he didn’t catch a Single Man.

And on then the “Crucial Time” when the Almighty God needed him most; he denied that he ever knew Him.

The Bible said that he (Peter) denied Him (Jesus Christ) three (3) times and he even cursed himself the third (3rd) time.

And just as he was denying Him on the third (3rd) time; the cock crew and the Lord turned round and looked at him – Ha! and he saw himself: What a failure!

The Bible said that he went out and wept bitterly.

And when Jesus Christ rose up from the dead and nothing seems to be happening anymore; the same Peter said: I go back to my Fishing. That at least, if I can’t go forward; at least I can go back.

I decree in the Name that is above every other names: None of you will ever go back again – Amen.

But then in John 21: 1-7; God met him again and reconnected him (Peter) to Himself (Jesus Christ).

He denied Him three (3) times but God still have him three (3) times to Prove that he still loved the Lord.

And the Lord said: You won’t just be catching Men now; you will be Feeding them.

… Then Peter began to grow:

In Acts 3: 1-8; he raised a Lame Man by the Beautiful Gate – Just by touching him.

… In the Name of the One that he had already denied; he told this Man to Stand Up and Walk and it happened.

And he moved on – By the time you get to Acts 5: 14-16; his Shadow now began to heal the sick.

… The same Peter who was a failure.

And he kept on growing Higher still – By the time you get to Acts 9: 32-42; Oh, he was healing People simply by speaking.

And then he moved on and raised the dead.

… He kept on growing Higher!

He was at the “Lowest Ebb” but he kept on growing Higher.

And there is only one Perequisite that I want to Point out to you today – We will learn more about this in the Series as we go along.

And that is that: Your surrender to God must be Total!

You may Place your Life: Your Present, your Future; absolutely in the Hands of God!

I. In the Hands of the Almighty God; one Meal can become thousands – 1 Kings 17: 8-16.

But the Widow had to hand it over to God first – Prepare my Meal first and then you and your son can be fed.

Oh, she said: I’m putting my Life into Your Hands and she was never hungry again.

II. In 2 Kings 4: 1-7; a bottle of Oil in the Hands of God can fill so many empty Vessels and put an end to the Poverty in the Life of a “Destitute Widow”.

III. In the Book of John 6: 5-13; five (5) loaves of bread and two (2) “Little Fishes” as the Bible calls it; can feed thousands with twelve (12) baskets leftover.

… Provided that it is handed over to God first.

And then there is this Great Passage in the Bible – Revelations 3: 7-12.

The Almighty God said: I have the Key of David; when I open a door, no man can shut it; when I shut it, no man can open it.

And then He said: I know that your Strength is small and therefore I have opened a door before you that no man can shut it.

Your Strength is small, I’m opening a door before you; you will continue until you become a Pillar in my house.

… That is what He said!

Another interesting story that I have always found in the Scriptures is the story of a Young Man called John Mark.

You read about him in Acts 15: 37-40 – And it tells us the story of this Young Man.

Paul and Barnabas were going on a Missionary Journey and this Young Man, full of zeal said: Ha, I will go with you. I, too want to be a Missionary.

But when he got to the field and saw how difficult things were – People stoning them and all kinds of things; he ran back home.

So, when they were about to go on the Second (2nd) Journey now and Barnabas said: Okay oh, John Mark you can come along too.

Paul said: No way! I’m not taking this “Deserter” with me – This fellow has no use.

But when you read 2 Timothy 4:11; the same Paul now said to Timothy: Hey, bring John Mark to me as he is useful.

That boy who failed in his first Missionary Journey (John Mark) is the writer of the Gospel according to Saint Mark.

So, it doesn’t matter how low you are now; with the Help of the Almighty God you can become very Great – Amen!

Let me conclude this Introductory Part of the Series:

When you look at the story of “Saul of Tarsus” who later became “Paul The Apostle”; He Himself said in 1 Timothy 1:15 – He said: I am the Chief of Sinners.

But by the time we get to 2 Corithians 11:5 – He said that I don’t think I’m less than “The Chiefest of the Apostles”.

Now from the “Lowest Ebb” – Chief of Sinners; to the “Highest Level” – Chief Apostle.

So, what I want you to do today in your Prayers is to Pray just as David Prayed in Psalms 31:15.

He said: Almighty God, my times are in Your Hands – I’m handling it over to You: My Present, my Future.

And as you are handling over everything into His Hands; remember one thing.

Remember what is written in 1 Samuel 7:12 – Remember the word “Ebenezer” – Thus far He has Helped us!

Where you are today is only by His Help alone.

And then remember His Promise in Isaiah 46: 3-4.

He said: I am the One who has been carrying you from your Mother’s womb. He said even to your Old Age; I will keep on Carrying you.

… That should be enough to give us tremendous Comfort!

So, we are going to Thank Him that: Thus far He has helped us and then commit the future into His Hands because He is the One who has been behind the scene – Helping us anyway from our Mother’s womb to where we are and He doesn’t grow tired. And He says that He is willing to help us to the End.

ALTAR CALL

Which is why of course I want to call on those of you who has not surrender your Life to Jesus Christ.

If you want your future to be alright; if you want to grow Higher; if you don’t want to Perish at the Level where you are – Why don’t you surrender your Life to Jesus Christ today!

You commit your entire Life into His Hands – Things can only get better and better still.

So, wherever you are or reading now on the Label of DMC: If you want to surrender your Life to Jesus Christ; why don’t you bow your head now and cry unto Him and say: Lord, Please have Mercy on me, save my Soul. I am surrendering completely to You and I will serve You for the rest of my Life – Just forgive my sins Lord and I’m one hundred Percent (100%) yours.

And I will Pray with you in a moment but talk to Him now for a moment – Just tell Him: Lord, I’m all Yours now; I’m saying bye bye to my Old Ways. Please, just have Mercy on me; save my Soul and I will serve You for the rest of my Life.

Thank You Father!

PRAYER FOR SALVATION AND CLOSING PRAYER

My Father and my God; I want to Thank You for Your Words.

I want to Thank You because I know that with You all things are Possible.

And I want to Thank You for all those who are surrendering their lives to You now.

Wherever they may be or reading now on the Label of DMC; I can’t see them but You can see all – Please receive them; save their Souls; let Your Blood wash away all their sins; give them a Brand New Beginning. Please, write their names in the Book of Life, receive them into the Family of God.

And Lord God Almighty; from now on, let it be “Forward Ever” for them and let it be “Backward Never”.

And Lord God Almighty; Your children – Those who are already in You before now; I’m committing them into Your Hands, I’m asking for Grace for them Lord to commit their entire Lives completely: Body, Soul and Spirit; Marriage, Business, Project – Everything into Your Hands; so that You who have been carrying us from the beginning will continue to carry is Higher still.

Thank You my Father. Glory be to Your Holy Name.

In Jesus Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen.

Praise the Lord – Hallelujah!

Now those of you who has surrendered your Life to Jesus Christ; Please contact me as soon as Possible so that I can continue to Pray with you.

And those of us who are “True Children” of God; I know that you are already dreaming “Bigger Dreams” – But make sure that the Dream is “Bigger Still” because as we continue to Fly; God will take us Higher and Higher.

Talk to Him – Let Him know that you have surrendered completely and that you want to go to “Higher Grounds”.

… And He will grant your request in Jesus Name – Amen.

Praise the Lord – Hallelujah!!!

Thank you so much for staying all through to read.

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