GOD IS FAITHFUL – PART 2: DR. MENSA OTABIL – SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE, 3RD APRIL, 2022.
SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE BY DR. MENSA OTABIL (GENERAL OVERSEER INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL GOSPEL CHURCH (ICGC) CHRIST TEMPLE, ACCRA GHANA)
TOPIC: GOD IS FAITHFUL – PART 2
DATE: 3RD APRIL, 2022
TEXT: 2 TIMOTHY 2:11-13
Let’s rise up together as we take our DECLARATION OF INCREASE in this Year of Increase:
Are you ready? Say with me:
I confess today that Jesus Christ is my LORD and Saviour. In Him I have life, His Abundant Life.
The Lord is my Light and Strength. As He is, so has He made me. By His Spirit I Increase in Word and in Wisdom. In Faith and in Favour.
The Lord has said: “In Blessing, I will bless you. In multiplying I will Multiply your Seed.”
So, I can boldly say: My God shall Increase me more and more. What I Place in God’s Hands grows into Overflow.
Though I begin small, my end shall Greatly Increase.
In this Year of Increase, I grow in Grace and in Strength. To be all that God wants me to be.
In Jesus’ Name – AMEN!
So I am doing Part 2 of the Message I Preached last Sunday (27th March, 2022) – Remember last Sunday I did – GOD IS FAITHFUL (Part 1).
DMC NOTES: You can get to read the Full Text of that Message on all the Social Media Handles of DMC or on this Link:
And I Promised that I will do Part 2 of “GOD IS FAITHFUL” today, 3rd of April, 2022.
So I am doing GOD IS FAITHFUL – PART 2.
And in Part 1 we said that:
- God is Faithful;
- His Word of Faithful;
- And His Ways are Faithful.
And so we are Picking it up from there.
Let’s go to 2 Timothy 2:11-13. And this is what it says (NKJV):
- This is a Faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
- If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
- If we are Faithless, He remains Faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
It’s a very unique Passage in the Scriptures. Because if you note, the Passage says – “This is a Faithful saying …”
So what the Apostle Paul is writing about is a Creed that had developed in the Early Church – It was a Saying of the Early Church; it was one of the Foundations of their Faith.
And the Creed has different Parts. And normally, it is believed that this Creed was Recited during Baptism. That:
“If we die with Him, we shall live with Him. If we endure, we shall reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we are Faithless, He remains Faithful; He cannot deny Himself”
This statement was a Foundational Creed of the Church. And if you pay attention, there are several Parts of it.
But I want you to pay attention to the last Part of it – It says: “If we deny Him He will deny us. If we are Faithless, He remains Faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”
It is a very interesting Statement.
I. The first line: If we deny Him, He will deny us.
Basically it means if we reject God He will also reject us.
And that simply means, God responds to our Actions.
… We reject Him, He rejects us.
God responds to our Actions.
II. Then Note the Second Line – If we are Faithless, He remains Faithful.
The word Faithless is the same as Unfaithful – If we are Faithless He remains Faithful.
Now if we follow the logic of the Previous Line – “If we deny Him He will also deny us.”
Then, the Second Part says – “If we are Faithless, He remains Faithful.”
The First Line says – “If we deny Him, He would deny us;”
So logically the Second Line would have been – “If we are Faithless, He will become Unfaithful.”
That should have been the logic of the sequence – If we deny Him, He denies us; if we are Faithless or Unfaithful, then the logical thing – He should be Unfaithful.
But when it comes to the Second Line, it says: “If we are Faithless (or Unfaithful) He will be Faithful. And then He tells us why He would be Faithful when we are Faithless:
Because the Passage says – “He cannot deny Himself.”
So what does that mean? It means Faithfulness is GOD.
It means anyday, under any circumstance, nothing can ever make God Unfaithful; because if He becomes Unfaithful, He has denied that He is God.
Faithfulness therefore, is the essential Nature of God.
And the Passage clearly states that our Faithlessness does not undermine God’s Faithfulness – He is always Faithful at all times.
There is nothing we can do will make God Unfaithful – We can’t Provoke Him to be Unfaithful, we cannot annoy Him to be Unfaithful.
There is nothing we can do that can make God to be Unfaithful; because if He becomes Unfaithful He is no longer God. He cannot deny Himself!
And it is a very Strong Statement and assertion there – GOD CANNOT DENY HIMSELF. He cannot make Himself Who He is not.
In other words, God has ring fenced His Nature against any Change that would make Him Unfaithful.
… It is impossible for God to be Unfaithful.
This Unchangeableness of God; the Faithfulness of God which is guaranteed will always be there – It is the basis, the Foundation, on which we build our Faith.
Our Faith is based on the Faithlessness of God.
I want you to just think of this, I will give you an illustration – There is a big River and there two (2) Bridges constructed across the River.
One of the Bridges is Solid, Steel, Concrete Bridge. It’s Plain, it’s not decorated but it’s Solid, it’s Steel, it’s Concrete and it’s being constructed across the River.- From one end to the other, firmed!
The other Bridge is Beautiful, it’s nice – looks nice. Nicely decorated, attractive with lights on it but it’s built with wax.
So, one is Solid (no decorations) the other waxed, flimsy but nice and has a Screen around it.
And there are two (2) People who must cross this Bridge.
One of them is an Ordinary looking guy. He is weak, he is not attractive, He is not muscular.
The other guy is very attractive, Athletic, he is Strong, well muscled.
And they have to cross the Bridge – One Bridge.
So the weak guy goes to the Concrete Steel Bridge.
The Strong guy is so confident in himself, he says: “I can use any Bridge to cross.”
So, he goes for the nice Shining waxed Bridge.
And the two of them are going to use this Bridge to cross!
One is a weak Person – The Bridge is Strong! The Other is Strong – The Bridge is weak.
Which of these two would land safely on the other side?
…. The one who chose the Strong Bridge! – Because crossing of the River has more to do with the Strength of the Bridge than the Strength of the Crosser.
So, that is how the Faithfulness of God is – The Faithfulness of God is like the Concrete Bridge. Even when you are weak, you are not brave, you are not courageous. And you step on that Bridge; the Bridge has Faithfulness.
When you get on the Bridge, you may be crying for your Mama, crying for your Papa.
But if you stay on that Bridge – You may cry, you may go forward a little, come back a little, roll on the Bridge, decide you won’t go further again.
But sooner or later, one step at a time, little by little, you will get across the Bridge! And that Bridge will be Faithful to take you to the other side.
The other Bridge is nice, you may have all the capacity. But by the time you take your first step on that Bridge; your whole Strength cannot help you – You will go down.
That’s what the Passage mean – “If we are Faithless: We are not courageous, we are not bold, we are not brave, we don’t know too many Scriptures.
God is there, He is Faithful.
One day, your Faith will match God’s Faithfulness. But His Faithfulness will support you, even when you are weak.
That is why we don’t have Faith in ourselves – Our Faith is in the Faithfulness of God Almighty.
Anyone who operates in Christian Faith is not based on “Self Believe”. God’s Faithfulness is the Foundations of our Faith. It is that on which our Faith Stands.
Now I know that we have a lot of appreciation for People who are brave, courageous, People who can do things and we praise them for their courage.
It’s good to be courageous. But God’s Faithfulness does not necessarily require you to be brave.
Because sometimes People think bravely is Faith. Or courage is Faith. Or boldness is Faith. Or High Strong is Faith.
… That’s not Faith!
Faith is not based on, it’s not your Character – Faith is God’s Character.
So when a Person says: “I have Faith in God”; it doesn’t mean that they are Courageous. It simply means they believe so much in the Faithfulness of God:
That even when they don’t have what it takes, they believe God has what it takes. And they can walk on His Faithfulness and trust in His Faithfulness.
Our Faith has its Foundation in God’s Faithfulness – Not in yourself, not in your Ability, not in how long you Pray.
You know many times we boast – “You know I have Prayed for twelve (12) hours, I have Fasted for forty (40) days.”
It’s Good to do all of that! But it is what your Faith is in, you are like the well muscle Person walking in wax. But when we are weak, He is Strong.
… Faith is in God’s Faithfulness. That is the Foundation.
Not only is God’s Faithfulness the Foundation of our Faith; it is the: ASSURANCE OF OUR FAITH.
That Person who goes on Strong Bridge – Who is not Strong, who is not Courageous, who is afraid; they stay on the Bridge a little, stamp their feet on it a little. And Pretty soon, they begin to believe – “This Bridge can carry us!”
Maybe they Probably have fear of height. But Pretty soon they have so much Confidence in the Bridge, that they start taking steps!
God’s Faithfulness gives us “Time Assurance”!
It’s not for nothing that most of the People God used in the Bible were People who had Self-doubt.
… You can have all the Self-doubt but never have God doubts.
Abraham said: ‘I have Nothing’.
Moses said: ‘I cannot Speak.’
Gideon said: ‘I am the least of my father’s house.’
Jeremiah said ‘I am a Child.’
Amos said: ‘I am just a Shepherd.’
Peter said: ‘I am not worthy.’
Paul said: ‘I am the Chief of sinners.’
But each one of them was used tremendously by God because it’s not about who you are or what you have. It is about Who He is and What He has – God’s Faithfulness us our Assurance.
So even when I don’t have it! You know, there are certain times you just feel as if it’s not working. And if God depended on your Faith alone, it won’t be resolved. Because you are messing up the case but He remains Faithful.
You are weak, He is Strong.
You don’t think you can do it, He can do it.
You don’t think you have the Ability, He has the Ability.
You say Lord, I’m giving up! He doesn’t give up.
So we give up, He doesn’t give up. We are down, He doesn’t go down. When we are Faithless, He remains Faithful. It’s the Assurance! And God’s Faithfulness is what sustains us in Life.
And that is why anyone who operates in Faith must have Faith in God’s Faithfulness.
Not your Faithfulness because all of us Change over time but God is Faithful.
Hebrews 11:11 says: By Faith Sarah herself also received Strength to conceive Seed, and she bore a Child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had Promised.
Everybody say: BY FAITH!
“… She (Sarah) judged God to be Faithful.”
What does it mean that – “She judged God to be Faithful?
It means she weighed the evidence and arrived at the firm Conclusion that GOD IS FAITHFUL.
You remembered when she was told she was going to have a Child next year by this time, she started laughing.
But the Passage says: “She judged God to be Faithful.”
So beyond the Laugher – The Laugher meant: “Me next year by this time have a Child?”
That’s what we are doing when we doubt God – “Me, is it Possible that I can make it?” And you laugh. That is you!
But she (Sarah) went back and calculated God; she weighed the Evidence of God. And came to the firm conclusion – “if God Promises, then my Laughter is insignificant” because He is Faithful.
And Sarah said: I judge God to be Faithful; I count God to be Faithful; I have calculated that God is Faithful.
When you calculate that God is Faithful; then Age cannot fight you; your circumstance cannot fight you; your Physical condition cannot fight you. Because it has nothing to do with you any longer; it is the Path you are working on!
… And Sarah judged God to be Faithful.
We need to arrive at that Point in our lives!
Very early in my Christian Walk, I judged God to be Faithful. I judged Him to be Faithful.
It has been one of the Foundations of everything that I do in Life – That God is Faithful.
Because left to me, Mensa Otabil (The Discovery Media Crew Members), I don’t have what it takes!
Oh you may think I do because I have been walking on this Bridge for a very long time. And you can look at me and say: “Oh, look at the way he walks on the Bridge, he must know how to walk.”
No! I don’t know! But I judge this God to be Faithful. I judged Him! From when I was a Teenager, when I lost my Parents – That was my only Foundation: God is Faithful.
Because I came to this form conclusion – If I am ever going to make it in Life or amount to anything: We don’t have a father, we don’t have a mother, we don’t have anything. I don’t have anything else, except one thing – The Faithfulness of God!
And on this Faithfulness, I entrust my Destiny. And I believed God that He will carry my through. And I started walking with Him as a Teenager.
If He says don’t, I don’t! – Don’t be a fool, I won’t be a fool. Don’t chase girls, I won’t chase girls. (Laughter)!
Because if this is the only Bridge you have – The Bridge says don’t chase girls, I won’t chase girls; be honest, I will be honest; love your enemy, I will love my enemy. Because if I fail the test, there is no Plan B. There is no margin of error.
Some of you have Plan B in your Life – If God doesn’t make it happen, my Uncle will make it it! But you have to come to the Point where you judge God to be Faithful.
And when you come to that Point of resolution, nothing will undermine you any longer – Amen.
People may do things against you – Powerful People would rise against you; You may go through all things (including hell). But you will judge Him to be Faithful.
And on the basis of God’s Faithfulness, you secure yourself. And once you are in that Place, there’s no Place to can’t go;
There’s nothing you can’t do. No mountain you cannot climb, no River you cannot cross. No impossibility you cannot deal with. No Challenge you cannot overcome. No enemy you cannot win over.
And those who count God Faithful, they speak differently; they see things as God see them.
I am reminded of David – As a Young Man, he counted God Faithful. He went to a Battlefield, saw a Giant defiling the Armies of Israel. And he says: “This can’t happen on my watch, God is Faithful.”
And he began to see the Problem differently.
I. Everybody is running away from the Problem, he runs to the Problem.
II. Everybody was quiet, he spoke!
He said to Goliath: “I come to you in the Name of the Lord.”
He didn’t say I come to you in the name of the Prophet Samuel. Or I come to you in the name of my father Jesse. Or I come to you in the name of King Saul.
… Because some of you are coming in your own name, in your father’s name, in your Pastor’s name, in your Church’s name!
But when you have Faith in the Faithful God, His Name is the Only One you have!
The Name of the Lord is a Strong Tower; The Righteous run to it and are safe – Proverbs 18:10
There are times that we run, but we don’t run to man – we run to GOD. And in Him there is Safety.
Sometimes your heart will beat – You are Faithless but God is Faithful.
And there are some of you here or reading now on the Label of DMC, whose Faith are weak. But God is Faithful.
You don’t even think you have what it takes but God is Faithful.
You haven’t Prayed enough about the Problem, but God is Faithful.
You don’t know enough Scriptures to overcome but God is Faithful.
Mountains are moving this Morning, because God is Faithful.
Sicknesses are being healed this Morning, because God is Faithful.
Cases are being overturned this Morning, because God is Faithful.
What was taken away is coming back because God is Faithful.
Those who rose up against you are coming down, because God is Faithful.
He is a Faithful God!
Somebody say: GOD IS FAITHFUL.
Oh begin to say it all by yourself – For my children, grandchildren, wife/husband; for my academics and Business (DMC MEDIA TEAM); for my Promotion- GOD IS FAITHFUL.
God is Faithful, He cannot deny Himself, He cannot ungod Himself. He cannot be Who He is not. And this Morning or as you read on the Label of DMC, the Faithful God is the One Who speaks to you.
Faithful is He Who has Promised, Who also able to do it; Faithful is He Who said, I Am your Healer. He also will do it!
Faithful is He Who said, in Blessing I will bless you. He also will do it.
Faithful is He Who said, they will come against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. Who also will do it.
I don’t know what it is; but cast yourself on the Faithful God.
If you cannot walk, just lie on the Bridge; if you cannot run, just stay on the Lord. Just trust in the Lord because He is a Faithful God.
Somebody say: GOD IS FAITHFUL!
Lift up your hands everybody: just begin to tell to God – There is a release in this Place. The Faithful God is keeping His Promise. The Faithful God, the Promise Keeper is keeping His Promise.
He is the Faithful God, He cannot deny Himself. You will not be the first time God deny Himself. Your case will not be the first time that God deny Himself.
He has been the Ancient of Days, the Faithful God! You will not be the first time that God is not God.
In the Name OF Jesus: every mouth will shut up; dry bond will live again; the sea will open – Amen!
CLOSING PRAYER
So Father, we have judged You to be Faithful. That is our own conclusion.
After all our Assessment, we come to this form Conclusion: That You are Faithful. That You will not deny Yourself, even when we are Faithless.
Because You cannot ungod Yourself and You cannot Unfaithful Yourself.
So this Morning, You Who had Promised Your People; You Who is the Promise Keeper, be God in the lives of Your People.
Let there be Outbreaks of Miracles, Signs and Wonders;
Outbreaks of Testimonies in the lives of Your People.
They have trusted in You and You will never fail. And You will never deny Yourself.
We Thank You Father! In Jesus’ Name – Amen.
Somebody give Praise to the Lord God Jehovah!!
Give Praise to the Faithful God!!
Oh shout to the Lord with the voice of Triumph!!!
Thank you so much for staying all through to read.
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