GROWING OUR FAITH: PASTOR (DR) MENSA OTABIL – SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE, 16TH JULY, 2023.

SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE WITH PASTOR (DR) MENSA OTABIL (GENERAL OVERSEER, INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL GOSPEL CHURCH (ICGC) CHRIST TEMPLE, ACCRA GHANA)

TOPIC: GROWING OUR FAITH

DATE: 16TH JULY 2023

BIBLE TEXT: MATTHEW 15:21-28

Let us rise up together as we make our “DECLARATION OF GATHERING” in this “YEAR OF GATHERING”.

Are you ready? Say with me:

I Proclaim Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. The Lord is the Shepherd of my Soul, my Shelter by Day, my Light by Night.

In His Name, we Plough our fields, by His Spirit we gather the Harvest, in His Light we seek and find.

In this Year of Gathering, the Lord of the Harvest has commanded: Launch Out into the Deep. At His Words, we cast our Nets, we gather in Souls and Substance for God’s Kingdom.

The Lord is our Reward; in this Season I received God’s Portion set aside for me: Full Measure, Pressed down, Shaking together and running over.

Nothing is Lost and Nothing is wasted in Jesus Name – Amen!

Today I want to share briefly on: “GROWING OUR FAITH”.

Matthew 15:21-28 (NKJV)

21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

23 But He answered her not a word.

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”

24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Amen!

Tyre and Sidon, the Place this woman lived is a very Gentile Community. In the Old Testament the people from Tyre and Sidon were called Cannanites.

If you remembered your Old Testament well, they were the People that God told Israel to drive out.

So, the region of Tyre and Sidon is not a Good Place in terms of God’s Relationship with His People.

And Jesus went to Tyre and Sidon because His Ministry was going through difficulties in the Jewish areas.

If you read Matthew 13, Jesus had gone to His hometown in Nazareth to Preach. And the People didn’t accept Him. They said well, this is the guy we know. He grew up here with us, who does He think He is?

And the Bible says in Matthew 13:58, Now He did not do many Mighty works there because of their Unbelief,

… Jesus was not able to do many Miracles in Nazareth because of their Unbelief.

And while His People rejected Him, Jesus received a Message that His Cousin and Ministry Predecessor – John the Baptist, had been killed.

So things are not looking Good for Jesus in His hometown and in a familiar Place among the Jews.

So Jesus goes away from the Jewish Community, and He is going as far as Possible where Nobody knows Him and Nobody can recognize Him – Just to have some time to Himself.

And then He goes to the region of Tyre and Sidon, in a Place where He would not expect to be recognised – And He is recognized by this Cannanite woman. And the woman is crying after Jesus Christ and His Disciples.

If you read the comments of the Disciples, this is something that Probably has been going on for a while.

So she is crying after Jesus for Help – “Help me, Lord.” And Jesus begins to encounter this woman.

Now you have to understand that everything in the Life of Jesus is very Purposeful – So even He moving from the Jews to the Gentiles is a Prophetic Symbol of how His Ministry is going to be.

He went to the Jews first, as John said, He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become Children of God, to those who believe in His name – John 1: 11-12

So He is signalling that when the Jews rejected Him, He is going to go to the Gentiles – And now He is in the Gentile Community.

For those of you who are wondering who a Gentile is – You are a Gentile; and that is just for your information!

Now, this discuss that goes on with Jesus sometimes creates Problems as to whether Jesus is disrespecting the woman or Mistreating her.

So what is going on in this conversation? I just want to do a brief explanation on the Verse.

I am going to explain Three (3) Words that are used in the Passage (Matthew 15:21-28) – It will help us to put everything in context.

1. The first word that I want to define is the word BREAD:

Because everything in contention here is Bread.

Bread talks about God’s Provision, God’s supply or something that God does for us.

Remember, Jesus mentioned in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this Day our Daily Bread.”

Bread talks about Provision.

So that’s the first word I want to explain: Bread means God’s Provision.

2. Then there is another word that we need to explain, and that word is CHILDREN:

And children there is not just talking about kids; it is talking about those who Partake of God’s Covenant.

Those who are in Covenant with God, they are Children.

And in this Particular Context, He is talking about Israel – They are the Children.

Why are they the Children? Because God’s Covenant was first with Abraham, then with the Children of Israel on Mount Sinai.

So they are the children. And Jesus says, to them belongs the Bread.

Those who are in Covenant with God, they are the ones that God make Provisions for – He calls something, “the Children’s Bread.”

The Children’s Bread is basically God’s Provision to those in Covenant with Him.

3. The third word is the Problematic one – DOG:

And that is a general term that is used to describe those who are outside God’s Covenant.

To just get a better context of that, you should read Matthew 7:6, Jesus said: “Do not give what is Holy to the dogs; nor cast your Pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in Pieces.”

What does He mean by “do not give Holy things to dogs?”

Because of course, Nobody gives Holy things to dogs.

Can they even know what is Holy and Unholy?

The dog He is talking about there is in reference to something else. And normally it is used to reference those who are Outside.

And why is that so?

These days, we know dogs are mostly pets who are with us at home – Although it doesn’t happen much in Ghana. If you go to other Societies you’ll find there are dogs living with them at home. Some of them, the dogs sleep with them on the same bed; some actually kiss dogs.

I don’t know how People can manage that – And the dog is licking their faces.

The dog is with them!

But that is not the kind of dog Jesus is referring to here – Not Modern dogs.

In the days of Jesus while on Earth; dogs were like a typical Village dog in Ghana.

And the Village dog is never brought home – They are outside!

They scavenge outside, they eat what is left over; what the home has and throws away, that’s what they eat.

So when Jesus says ‘dog’ He is not actually talking about an animal – He is not saying that the woman is an animal.

He is just saying the woman is an Outsider.

The children are Insiders, the dogs are Outsiders.

He is saying, God is not going to take what belongs to the Insiders and give it to those who are Outsiders.

Now remember, at this time the Insiders have rejected Jesus (The Jews). And Jesus has moved from the Insiders to the Outsiders – To where this woman is.

But He is still testing the Faith of this woman. Because this woman has to discern that a Blessing that used to be for the Insiders is now coming to the Outsiders.

And Jesus is testing her: Can you see it?

Can you imagine it? That you, who were not supposed to be blessed, you are about to be blessed!

The Outsiders are about to receive the Insiders’ Blessing: so Jesus says “I was not sent to you”.

And that is supposed to discourage the woman to say, “okay if You are not sent to me, then go Your own way!”

Then He says, I am not going to take what does not belong to you and give it to you.

The Bread you are asking for, it does not belong to you.

What was the Bread that Jesus is talking about?

Remember the request of the woman, “my daughter is Demon Possessed!”

Jesus says, “I will not take the Children’s Bread”.

He is not talking about Physical Bread. He is talking about God’s Power to deliver People (That is the he Bread).

And He says, God’s Power to deliver is for His Children.

Why? He delivered His Children (Israel). – It’s not for Gentiles, it’s for Jews!

And the woman says, Yes Lord, I understand! But the children just rejected You – You have left the Region of Israel; You have now come to Tyre and Sidon, because You are demonstrating something.

There is a Message in this whole transition from Nazareth to Tyre and Sidon – Because you are taking what belongs to the Children and you are bringing it to the dogs. That’s what the woman is saying!

So she is saying to Jesus something very Profound – She says well, I understand I am not a Jew! I am not an Insider. But even the dogs, they eat the Bread that has fallen from the Children.

What she is saying is, “the Children just dropped the Bread (and I am a dog): I am about to bounce in and take it (what the Jews dropped).

And Jesus said, I have never seen such Great Faith – No, not in Israel.

Why? Because in Israel, He could not do any Major Miracle. But here in Tyre and Sidon somebody who is not supposed to be blessed has enter into the Children’s Property and ceased the Bread of the Children.

And this woman, the Bible says, Jesus said to her, “Go! Let it be done to you as you have desired.”

Now, we don’t know whether the Child was with her when she was making the Plea or the Child was at home.

But whether the Child was with her or the Child was at home;

At that material moment, the Children’s Bread which the Jews have rejected became the Gentles’ Bread. And that woman’s daughter was delivered.

*All of us here or reading now on the Label of DMC, we are not Natural Jews.

I know that the Ghanians/Nigerians think they are Jews (Laughing). And I am not going to challenge that. Because I am in Ghana land and I have to respect the Landlords when they say they are from Israel.

But you and I know, it doesn’t seem likely to be so.

You and I, we are not Jews, we are Gentiles.

By God’s Economy, we cannot claim the Children’s Bread. But Thank God for the Syrophoenician woman.

Because from that time, she established a New Protocol with God, that those who are Outsiders can also come in to Partake of that which Originally belonged to the Insiders.

Christ has Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, having become a Curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) – DMC NOTES: Galatians 3:13

And so today, we who are Born Again, we were born as Africans – Whatever your Tribe is, wherever you are Born Again from; Originally, you would be called a dog. But now you are in the House and you are eating the Bread.

And that is why we also today, can go for the Children’s Bread: because the Children dropped the bread from the Table and dogs picked it up! And we Gentiles have access to God’s Bread.

And that Bread is not Bread-Bread; it is God’s Provision – It is that which God lays on the Table and says, “this is what I have Prepared for you, this is yours.”

And today, we can come to God and say Lord, this is what You have Prepared for us on the Table; and we claim it.

Are you ready to take your Bread? Yes!

We are going to Pray in Four (4) Different Phases:

1. And first, we are going to Pray for the BREAD OF DELIVERANCE:

Because that’s what this woman was asking for – Especially for everyone here or reading now on the Label of DMC, who needs Deliverance.

This woman requested for Deliverance for her Demon Possessed daughter.

And that’s the Bread she wanted from God – Deliverance from Demonic Harassment. That’s what God has made available to us.

*And so, today or as you read now on the Label of DMC; if there is any form of Demonic Harassment – It could be in the form of Mental Torture, Nightmares, Demonic Manifestations around you, in your house, in your Property or you hear voices or Psyche of evil. Whatever Demonic Activity is manifesting around you.

And it may not be you – it may be your brother, your sister, cousin, daughter, son, father, mother.

If there is any Demonic Manifestation somewhere around and you say Lord, I am coming for the Children’s Bread – Just Stand Up wherever you are.

Somebody around you is Demon Harassed, cannot Sleep, is in torment, hearing voices in the Ceiling, Doors are opening they are not seeing People; they are going through all manners of Manifestations;

But the Children’s Bread is for Deliverance – And if you claim it, you will receive it – Amen.

PRAYER NO. 1: Say with me, I receive today God’s Blessing of Deliverance from all Torments.

I am free Spiritually, mentally, Emotionally, in Jesus’ Name.

Proclaim that Deliverance!

In Jesus’ Name we Pray – Amen.

Father, on the Authority in the Name of Jesus Christ; I cast out every Demonic Presence, every Demonic Manifestation, every Demonic Torment; carried out by a Demonic Spirit; I stop it now! And I Command that Demon leave! Move out! Go, in the Name of Jesus!

And I Proclaim Liberty and Deliverance for God’s People, in Jesus’ Name!

Somebody say: I am delivered! I am free from today, in Jesus’ Name.

Celebrate your Deliverance!

2. The Second Bread we are going to claim is THE BREAD OF HEALING.

Healing is Bread from God.

In the whole of Matthew Chapter 8, Jesus healed all manners of People, and at the end of that narration, we read from Matthew 8:16-17;

When Evening had come, they brought to Him many who were Demon-Possessed. And He cast out the Spirits with a Word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, saying: “He Himself took our Infirmities and bore our Sicknesses.”

Jesus does not heal because our case is bad; He does not heal because you are suffering; He does not heal because you even give an Offering – He Heals for one reason: Because He Himself took our Infirmities and bore our Sicknesses.

He heals because He carried your Sicknesses, your Infirmities, your Pain, now He has enforced it in your Life. What He has borne in His body He doesn’t want you to bear in your body.

The basis of Divine Healing is what Jesus has accomplished for us – Not what we do for ourselves, but what He has done for us.

So we want to Minister to anybody that is Sick – The Bible says they brought to Him all who were sick and He healed all their Diseases.

If you are sick in your body just put your hand upon your body.

And remember, Jesus is the Healer. I am not the Healer, the Church is not the Healer – Jesus is the Healer!

PRAYER NO. 2: Say with me, I receive today God’s Blessing of Healing for my body. I am Completely healed from the top of my head to the soles of my feet, in Jesus’ Name.

Every Pain disappear; every discomfort disappear – Everything that is not working well in your body begin to work well. Be healed now, in the Name of Jesus.

Every Symptoms, every Manifestations, everything you couldn’t do before, be free now! Receive your Healing now, in the Name of Jesus.

And Father, we confirm and re-affirm Healing for Your Children. That You feed them with the Bread of Healing. Wherever they are right now, Perfect their Healing. Let there be Complete Healing from the top of their head to the soles of their feet, in Jesus’ Name.

Somebody say: I receive it!

3. The third Bread we are going to Pray for is THE FRUIT OF THE WOMB.

Children are Blessings from God.

Psalms 127:3 says, Behold, children are a Heritage from the Lord; the Fruit of the Womb is a Reward.

The Bible uses the Fruit of the ‘Womb’ because it’s the woman who bears a Child.

It doesn’t mean the Problem is always the cause of the woman; sometimes it could be the man.

Whether it is the man or the woman, the Healing manifest in the Womb.

And so when we are Praying for God to bring children to a Couple, we are not putting blame anywhere – We are just saying Lord, whether it is the man or the woman, all that we want is for the Womb to receive a Child, and for the Child to be born.

Children are the Heritage of the Lord – It is Part of our Inheritance.

It is that which God gives to us as Bread.

Psalms 113:9 says: He grants the barren woman a home, Like a Joyful mother of Children. Praise the Lord!

Today, we trust the Lord for the Fruit of the Womb.

Many of you have served God, you have Prayed and you have believed.

The Bible says Children are the Reward God gives. And He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

And now we are going to Pray for Couples desiring Children – Sometimes this can be a bit embarrassing, because you are called forward and Prayed for and nothing happens. After a certain time you just feel, I don’t want to suffer the embarrassment again.

But the Cannanite woman could also have said, I don’t want to suffer the embarrassment again and just could have left! But she stayed, because she was determined.

You have to go beyond embarrassment, go beyond harassment, go beyond disappointment.

She was disappointed! Jesus said, I don’t want to deal with you. The Disciples said, we don’t want to deal with you.

I don’t know about you, if Jesus says He didn’t come for you, what else? – That is a Major Disappointment.

So, don’t let Disappointment stop you from Pursuing your Dream – Your Story yesterday is not your Story today.

As many Couples trusting God for the Fruit of the Womb, from today that Problem would be Solved – Amen.

I say from today that Problem would be Solved – Amen!

Nine (9) Months from now, you would embrace a Child – Amen.

When we put Pictures on the Screen for Children’s Dedication, your Children would be on the Screen – Amen.

Not because I have Anointing for that; but because God says Children are His Inheritance and the Fruit of the Womb is His Reward.

May the Lord Reward you today – Amen.

May the Lord give you an Inheritance – Amen.

May the Lord cause the barren woman to embrace Children; and may the Sound of baby’s Laugher, baby’s footsteps be heard in your house – Amen.

There will be breastfeeding in your house, in the Name of Jesus – Amen.

PRAYER NO. 3: Say with me: I receive today God’s Blessing of Fruitfulness in my family. The Sound of Children’s footsteps and Laugher is heard in my Household.

Everybody put your hand on your Stomach – We just want to claim this Promise of the Fruit of the Womb for ourselves, for our loved ones – Our Children, Grandchildren, People in the Choir, Neighbours, Pastors.

People who have served God and are trusting Him for His Reward; may the Lord Reward everyone, in the Name of Jesus – Amen.

We receive the Sound of Babies, in Jesus’ Name!

Every Biological System stopping you from becoming Pregnant: be healed from it, be delivered from it – Whether it is Psychological, Social, Genetic, be free from it!

And Father, this Morning, we receive the Fruit of the Womb as Reward for Your Children. We Command Wombs, be opened – Every Past Failures and Disappointments are cut short. Every Miscarriages are cut short.

We Pray for Children to be conceived, to be carried to full term and be delivered safely and live a Full Life, in the Name of Jesus.

We claim it for God’s People as their Bread, as their Inheritance – Receive it now, in the Name of Jesus.

Somebody say: I receive it, in Jesus’ Name!

4. The Final Bread we are going to ask for tonight is GOD’S PROVISION (MONEY):

Bread it Money!

So we are Praying for God’s Supply.

The Lord Jesus says, when you Pray say, “give us this Day our Daily Bread.”

Your Daily Bread is not necessarily Bread – Your Daily Bread is everything you need for the Day.

• For some People, it is Money to pay rent.
• For some People, it is Money to pay School fees.
• For some People, it is Money to build houses.
• For some People, it is Money to buy shoes.
• For some People, it is Money to pay Contractors.

Whatever your Daily Bread is, you will not miss it – Amen.

Somebody say: I would not miss it – Amen.

… It is the Children’s Bread for God to take care of His Children.

PRAYER NO. 4: Say with me, I receive God’s Blessing of Provision for all my Needs. I walk in the reality of Abundance, Favour and Financial Increase.

May the Lord Supply you Bread; May He Supply your every Needs.

Whatever your Need is:

• If it be Fifty Dollars ($50); He will give it to you.
• IIf it be Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000), He will give it to you.
• If it be Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000), He will give it to you.

Whatever your Need is, whatever your Daily Bread is, He will give it to you – Nothing missing, Nothing lost, Nothing wasted.

Receive God’s Provision now, in the Name of Jesus – Amen.

CLOSING PRAYER

And so Father, we Pray for every Need represented here – Whatever the Need is: Every Financial Needs, every Material Needs, everything Your children are asking You for.

And we Pray Lord, in this House and in the houses or all those reading now on the Label of DMC, Bread would be released!

And so we come in to Partake of the Bread – It fell from the Table, but we take it by Faith.

And we Thank You Lord for Deliverance for Your Children;

We Thank You Lord for Healing for Your Children;

We Thank You Lord for Fruit of the Womb for Your Children;

And we Thank You Lord for Financial Provisions for Your Children, in Jesus’ Name.

Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!

And if you believe it, give the Lord a Mighty hand and Celebrate His Goodness, His Favour, His Kindness, in Jesus’ Name – Amen.

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