Joy-Philippe Bruce
Shout For The Lord Has Given You Victory
Yes and by the grace of Gosh we raised all of them, we together with the husband of course, to become missionaries. They are all missionaries. How come you didn't take the battery? The one that we are coming to preach with. We are preaching with this one. Receive Christ, now lift up your hands all over, receive Jesus into your life. Hey! He is waking. They are all not in Ghana. Two are in Madagascar. And not in Antana. Antana. Something. Antana. Something. It's not. It's not. It's not waking. They are in far cities. Yes. Not even like Kumashiu. Like in the Madagascar. It's not Accra. And it's not Kumashi. It's like Nabrungu. And then maybe Bali or something. Hey! Hours of driving. And they have churches there, cathedrals there. And they are serving God there. And changing many lives over there. Hallelujah. And the second one. So the first and the first ones. This one too is not waking. So this one we can't preach with. This one is breaking. So that one is what we preach with. I can't tell you. That is that one. Even though I'm not the microphone person. So bring me that one now. I have Christ. I don't know what you have. So quickly. Then bring it to me, okay? All right. He is in Gambia. Yeah. He's a doctor. He finished school as a medical doctor here. His house job. God married and left. Yes. He was also moving to go and do something for Jesus somewhere. Amen. What a blessing. We have a great woman. You may not find a lot of women at the level that you would find there. Yes. But by the grace of God, she's risen to the ranks in the U.D. She's loved by our father in a very special way. I mean, she said, she said, "P.H.D. hold that." Do you understand? She said, "Doctor of animal nutrition." Yes. It's animal nutrition. Animal nutrition. Yes. You have you gone to school like that? Yes. She was out there in nowhere with their family for seven years or something like that. Almost ten years. Yes. Becoming a doctor and everything. The husband was going to school. The husband was also a pharmacist. Yes. Senior. Senior. Senior. Those who finished school in early 80s. Where were you? Mid 80s. Early 80s. Your father and mother had no idea met. You were in God's cupboard. Think about how you come. Hey. Listen. When they came to Ghana, they didn't stay in Accra. Yes. When they moved to Tamalee, they were sent to Tamalee. After coming to Accra for just a few months, they were sent to Tamalee. And they moved to Tamalee and stayed in Tamalee for about 15 years. And planted about 100 churches within 15 years. Man. What a shock. We have a very great, annoying thing in our midst this morning. I don't know about you, but as far as the Kingdom of God is concerned, I believe that this is one of the few women of God who have been used by God greatly. And we are, we are honored to be associated. We are honored to be related. We are honored to have the opportunity to, to even work with her. One day, one day I went somewhere. I went to Accra to see it. It would be a short time. You know, and I was working with her. And some people wanted to come close, but they couldn't come close. When I tell them, I realize like some people are trying to come. I saw about four people. They want to come and come and say hello. But it wasn't working. I realized like, "Hey, I'm privileged." I go, "I mean, look at me. I put your hands around me and we are talking." I said, "Hey." What a shock. Mommy, thank you for the love. She wants to ban this, but I'm going to give her more fans. Mommy, thank you. Thank you for the love. Yeah, thank you for blessing us. Thank you for leaving. She's opened many doors for me. Many, many, many doors. I mean, I can't get a call. Yes, that, that he wants to see you come. That he wants to have a meeting with you. Be sure that he wants to have a meeting. Come, come for this meeting. It's because she opened that door for me. I didn't know how to open that door. I didn't know, I didn't have a key. I didn't even know where that door was. Yes, but she had the keys and she opened that door and said, "My brother, go through it. That's where I am, where I am." I'm a bishop because she introduced me. Yeah, Charlie. Mommy will salute you. We love you. We cherish you. Ladies and gentlemen, giving Anna on to whom Anna is due with Jesus's joy. Let's welcome my mother, E.S. Joy, Philippi, Bruce. Glory, glory, glory, glory. Hallelujah. I'm sure now you can do it better for Jesus. Give the Lord a shout this morning. I'm not enjoying your shout. If it's a shout for Jesus. Oh, hallelujah. Hallelujah. Father, thank you for this morning. Thank you for bringing us here. I pray, O God, that you will have the prayer minutes. I pray, Lord, that you will speak to each of us. Let no one be here and go back untouched. Thank you that you've already been here in our worship and our prayer and our praise. And now, Lord, as we go into your words, speak to us from your word. Thank you for this church, for the sun that you have called, and for all that has been built such that we can be here. To you be the glory. I pray that you will speak to us this morning. I pray, O God, that you will bind the brokenhearted, that you will free the captives, that salvation will be preached, and that your will will be done in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. God bless you. Take your seat. Hallelujah. Wow. I'm amazed to find myself here on a Sunday morning. Hallelujah. Amen. Bishop, thank you so much for this invitation. Later, if we don't take it for granted at all. Hallelujah. When you are young, you don't value your relationships. Yeah, some of you, you've related with people, and you have just left the relationship. Hey, I'm seeing some important. It's nice to see you. And we just treat the relationships anyhow, but I think when you grow, you begin to value relationships more. Amen. And for myself and my husband, one of the most precious relationships we have is with Bishop Ike and Lady Rev. Hallelujah. I don't know about all the things he was saying, but I know what he means to us, what they mean to us. And we've been so blessed by knowing you so inspired and so challenged. And that is why I think the Lord allowed us to meet. Tell you a neighbor that's Iron Sharpen's Iron. But tell the neighbor on the other side, that stupidity also sharpens stupidity. So I just hope that. [laughter] Oh, you have not seen some foolish friends. And you know that these women are not up to any good. [laughter] Yeah, they are not up to any good. But I believe that here in this house, this is good relationships. Hallelujah. Oh, I said Hallelujah. [laughter] That's a better response. Hallelujah. And I want you to give a shout out to my spiritual father, also the father of Bishop Ike, your grandfather, just salute Bishop Ike, what else? Hallelujah. We thank God for his life. And for all that he is to this generation, in Jesus' name, amen and amen. Some of you are uncomfortable when you say, clap for somebody on the Bible says, "On not to whom, on not is Jew." Yeah, amen and amen. It's a blessing. And it's also a blessing to be here. And Bishop Ike, I want you to know that my team and I, when you, we have that time in the year. When we move through the love economy churches, we are always so excited. Yes. Yes. It is the high point of our year. Yeah. Oh, yes. One, the fellowship is always good. Later, I beg you. It's always nice having you with us. And all those who take care of us. And then also to go through the churches and see how God is just building them. Every year, there's something good. Every year. Hallelujah. There are some of you. I may not know you by name, but just coming. And I see that you're still there. And moving on. And God is moving on with you. It's a blessing. It's a blessing. And for us, it's something that encourages us so much. Hallelujah. Are you in the church this morning? Or you are thinking of sleeping off Saturdays? Hey, my time is actually going. I bet I'll be serious about the preaching. Hallelujah. And so this year, we've been moving around. And I've been preaching from the book of Joshua. Bishop Dag wrote a book on that. Enlargement secrets. Because Joshua was somebody who enlarged. He started somewhere and he ended up something else. Much greater than what he started with. Now, many of us take it for granted. That's all. If I'm struggling now, cry. I may be okay at the end. But it is not like that. It's not like that. Many start and end as they way. Many start and end lower than when they began. And it takes something to enlarge in your life and remain there. Are you in the church or you have traveled? I'm reminded of a certain true story, by the way, of a man who was up there one day at the top. And the next day, by means of indiscretions, CNN showed him handcuffs. Yeah. I mean, he came tumbling down. Made not be your story. But this was someone who enlarged and then just deflated. So you should know that if you are planning to progress in life, and I want to believe that you are planning to progress. Please check with your neighbor. You're planning to progress. Or you, dear, you want to go backwards. What's the song we used to sing? For whenever, backwards, never. But you, you are singing backwards. Always, backwards. We don't like it like that. But when you are child of God, you need to see that the Bible is full of things telling us how to enlarge God's way, so that we will not lose it at a certain point. And Joshua was one of these people. Are you in the church? No. His success began with a book. In Joshua chapter 1 and verse 8, he had come to the point where it was now time for him to take over the leading of the children of Israel. And the Lord was speaking to him. And he said, "This book of the law shall not depart from out of your mouth. Are you there?" It was one of the keys. And I want to say to you that having a book is one of your keys. Uh-huh. You see that you are very quiet this morning. Because many of you have been walking around and saying, I don't like reading. We want to watch. I'm not the reading type, okay. If you are not the reading type, it's the same as saying I'm the failing type. Imagine anybody in Sweden doesn't like to read. What's going to happen? But many think that it's only school matters. It's not just school matters. In life. In every facet of life. You don't read. You are failing. You are businessmen. You don't read. You are failing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You are back at the wrong house. You do the wrong thing. You won't use the helps that are there to be helped. So it's even a general rule. But today we are in church. So I'm speaking about it in the context of our Christian lives. Amen. Are you here? But I'm just telling you that it's also true of your life. Whatever you do in your normal life. I wouldn't want to go to a doctor who doesn't read. Oh. You see, it kind of relates to that one. Because what we said was a cure yesterday. Today it's a poison. Hey. What we said was a cure yesterday. I remember one time when a certain doctor put me on a certain medication. I struggled. It wasn't sorting the thing out. Are you there? Then I went to another doctor who presumably reads. And he knew that there's a better, quicker, shorter. Oh. The first dose of the medicine. Ah. This thing that I have swallowed and swallowed, nothing has changed in my life. One medicine. Look at it. Son of a doctor, be naughty. I mean, he has passed and he's a legalizer. But he doesn't read. So the medicine you were giving to me was discovered in 1952. You are saying, hey, to the doctor, but what about you? I said, Christian, who does not read? Your apart is all the apart. You have not entered the under. And the law told Joshua something. He said, this book that I'm giving you is not just that you'll be looking at the pictures and coloring them. I have a Bible I like. It has pictures in it. And when my doodling and dwelling spirit comes, I'll be coloring the pictures. It's not by the coloring of the pictures. Hey, read the stuff and meditate on it. What does it mean to meditate? Chew it. Chew it. Chew it. For once, the great cells here should be working. Please ask your neighbor when it was the last time you thought. Because some of us are not giving to thinking. So as you can see me, I'm a doing person. We're not giving to thinking. Yeah, we don't think. If you think there are many things you wouldn't do. Yeah. Yeah. Like that girl that you are smiling at you like, if you think. Yeah. Hey. Meditate on it. Think about it. You know, I discovered something though. This morning, my quiet time was on the parable of the sewer. Not because I was coming to preach it to you. But for some reason, it's a key. For some reason, this time, my meditation was on. Not the people who give the plenty of fruits. But those who the devil comes and picks it immediately. You see, the weights have always been there. I just never saw it till today. That the Bible says that the devil comes for this. It's because they do not understand. I said, "Ahhh!" He's there. Let me see what he's writing there. No, the 13 is the next. Let me see. Oh, brother. No, go back. Go back. Matthew 13, please. You're in the wrong book. Sorry. Matthew 13. It's 19. Thank you. When do anyone hear the word of the kingdom? And understand it? It's not. Right there, I just stop there. Because I have a whole segment in my congregation. And I realize that it's dangerous. Yeah, that is not there. They don't understand. So when we finish church, by the time they read the gate. Message is gone. It's finished. But I would not have made the connection if I wasn't meditating. I would have just had a good story. Are you here? So I just want to say to you, this one is free advice. Every situation in your life, there is a book. Our most important book is the Bible. And then there are other books, written by Christian authors, to open it for us. Are you understanding what I'm saying? To help us in our meditations. Hallelujah. And that is what has brought some of us into this place. This morning we have with us several books by Bishop Ducky Woodmills. And at the end of service, before you go and look for spring rules. Before you go and look for your favorite friend or the enemy that you are planning to continue tomorrow with pass by the table and acquire a book. Because the Bible says this book, which book? This book, the one that's available to you. The one that you can see. The one you haven't seen for a long time that you suddenly see. How many of you have ever bought a book that you had before? You know what has happened. It was there. But you hadn't seen it. Then suddenly you needed it. Or whatever. And you suddenly saw it. Then you bought it. Only to get home. (Laughter) So I never make you noble. Make you noble. God was just making a point. Are you there? So today I am hoping that each and every one. Look, please, leave here without a book. Because each one of us needs something. But anyway, that's not really what my message is about. Today the entire message of my sermon, my short sermon is "Shout for the Lord has given you the victory." (Cheers) Shout. I forgot that I am coming to a shout-in church. (Cheers) Yay! (Cheers) Please, I love. I love. We are almost there. We are almost there. (Laughter) I forgot that I was coming to a shout-in church. (Laughter) Can we go to Joshua chapter 6? This is my personal favorite story from the book of Joshua. He has so many exciting wars. Some of you like to watch the films. I like to read the book. (Laughter) It says, "Now Jericho was straightly shut up." Please, just go to the N.L.T. so that we can speak the kind of English you and I understand, okay? King James, I like to use it to frighten people. That's all to impress them. Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. The King James puts it a little more succinctly, if I can put it that way. Let's go back to the King James. It says, "None went out, and none came in." That means that Joshua was about to go and take something that he couldn't take. Because he couldn't go in. And nothing too was also coming out. And this reminds me of the kinds of situations we can have in life. The kinds of problems that we have in life. That seems to have arrived and refuses to go. You have even tried to pray about it, it hasn't moved. Yeah, it hasn't changed. He was there, he had a job to do, and he couldn't get close to it. Are you in the house? Meanwhile you've got to do the job. You don't have problems. I think the way you are nice, you don't have problems. (Laughter) But that was the nature of the issue here. So let's see what, let's go on to verse two. But the Lord said to Joshua, "I have given you Jericho. It's King, and all its strong warriors." So God is speaking, make your pardon, right into the situation. And as usual, he tells us the end of the story. Are you here? I don't know if you are like me, I don't watch many films in this life. But when I'm going to watch a film, I need to know the end. (Laughter) I remember one time, asked about the film, and then my son said, "Oh, this film, everybody died in the film." I said, "What is the purpose?" (Laughter) I said, "I need to know the end." But knowing the end also has a certain frustration when it's a real, everyday situation. You are saying that you have given me Jericho, and I'm positioned firmly outside the gate. And as you are saying in the crowd, the gate has not even opened. The people you say you have given to me, they are inside. And you see, this is where many of us begin to lose it. The Lord has been talking to you about this matter. I've been talking to you about this matter. I've been sharing with you about this matter. Are you in the church, or are you already going home? You know, so God has a way of doing his things. So anyway, I was aware of doing his things. So let's continue this story, because as I read this story, if our Joshua starts to get angry. Let's go to it. Let's stay with King James. Let's stay with King James for a while. When I meet, an L.T. will come back there. You shall compass the city. Be calm and calm. An L.T., please. You and your fighting men should match around the town once a day for six days. Continue. Seven priests will walk ahead of the ark, each carrying a ram's horn. On the seventh day, you have to match around the town seven times with the priests blowing their horns. You see, I don't know if you have really ever been in trouble. But if you are really ever in trouble, and the Lord has told you that I'll give it to you, then his dad's like this. You know, you see, we read the story. We have told the story even in Sunday school. So we know what is going to happen. That's why we are so relaxed, too. But if it is real life, you think about your real life situation. Your landlord has just increased the rent. Times 12. Hey, you let us get a little better so that you can understand. And when you are asking God about it, he tells you that, "Oh, I have given you the victory. Match around the place. Once a day, a day, a day, a day, a day, a day, a day, a day, a day. It's a time of education that we drink here to once a day. I would have become very irritated." But he says, "Wait a minute. You look, let's line up all the crazy things. Number one, match around." Number two, when we are matching, we should be carrying the AKA. Lord, do you remember that you are the person who said they should put gold and things on it? Do you know their widths? We should carry it. And if we are going to go to war, what is that like doing there anyway? What's it doing there? Are you there? Where are the guns? Where are the bombs? Where are they? Right now, cry. The wars have become more exciting. They can sit somewhere and sparkle. Charlie. And you are saying we should walk there with the AKA. Then you say that we should be blowing horn. You won't give us proper horn. Ram's horn. Okay. Ram's horn. And if it was a fact, it would be blowing some proper music in a... You know. Then now, after we have walked around for six days and nothing has happened, Lord, how's it all get to you? That as we are walking around the wall, they could actually throw stones at us. Have you thought about it? Have you thought about it? That they could have used some arrows on us easily? Have you thought about it that they could have used the Israelis? This is the thing that they are using to blow up pages and have you thought about it? Then now you are saying on the seventh day, after all, this funny thing we have done on six days. Now you say on the seventh day, we should do it seven times. You can't be serious. You just can't be serious. Somebody's got to be crazy. You just can't be serious. But you see, the truth is that that's how God is. That's how he is. I am reminded of many years ago in Tamale when, as you know, we are in church at that time. I don't remember if you were there or in school. We should have been careful of this dead ass. And then he said, "You have been preaching. You are looking at people younger than you. I mean, more penniless people sitting there." And then you say that, "Oh, how many of you want to build a house in the future?" Of course, all of us litadans. Of course, we want to have a house in the future. We don't plan to pay rent. They say, "Okay, follow me. If you can imagine a whole church, we follow him outside." When we got outside, everybody should pick a stone. The whole church, we must have looked. I don't want to mention what how we looked. And then he went, "We are matching around the church." I said, "Some witchcraft will perform." But I need to tell you that all of us who did it. We are the owners of not just houses, but houses. Over the years. Some of them as young men are into their second house, their third house. But it didn't make sense at the time. I thank God it was before the day of drones. There was no drone to take a picture from the talk showing these people matching around their church. What is that? What is that? But you see, I'm just saying this to bring your mind just to how improbable this whole thing is. Are you in the church? You see, because many times, as you are sitting here, God has given you things. Where have we spoken about you? All has been poured over you. Greatness has been spoken over you. That's exactly the greatness that God was speaking over Joshua. I've given it to you. I've given it to you. The kings. The warriors. I've given you everything. But then, what follows is improbable. There's five. When they make a long blast with their arms honed. When you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout. And the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every one straight before him. I need to inform you that the wall was not the kinds of walls we have today. How many of us have been in a place where the wall has fallen down because of rain? Yeah. That's what we knew. But in those days, they are safety-dependent on the wall. So the thickness of the wall could be as thick as the width of a house. Yeah. So that's the reason why they couldn't just walk in. Because it's as thick as a house. Now here you are saying that this wall, that with all our equipment, we cannot break through. It's a shout. The weapons cannot break through. Your drills cannot break through. Your battering rams which they had in those they can't break through. Everything that it cannot break through. Now you are saying that a mere shout can break through. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense. But I came to tell you that many things about God don't make sense. And sometimes the more nonsense they call them all God. The more it doesn't make sense. The more God. After all, if it made sense, we'll do it ourselves. If it was up to us. Easy. Yeah. But because God's ways are not our ways, Isaiah 55-8. We say it, but sometimes the practicality of it doesn't come to us. For my thoughts are not your thoughts. Neither are your ways, my ways. Say it to the Lord. For us, as the heavens are higher than the earth. So are my ways higher than your ways. And my thoughts than your thoughts. We are enchanted and all of us will say we believe God. But if you are here and you don't tithe, you don't believe. It's a simple way to testify. We don't know parl about it. We don't know parl about it. We don't know parl about it. Because what he said is very clear. He doesn't shout. He also says if you want to have gifts, it doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense. I have 10 cities. You say I should give the 10 cities. This is not now my no stand for me. He says that how he thinks is not how you think. One of the problems in Ghana right now is that we have all these logical people trying to bring their logic to apply to something that defies logic. It does not make sense. And because of that, the whole church is weak. The church has just become weak because we have taken things that are God's things. And we have tried to apply logic. One time I was supposed to go to the U.S. for something that was going to last a month and I didn't want to go. And I sort of, I was busy doing things. Then the person who organized the cross said listen, my job is on the line. If you don't want this thing, I'm hot. So I had to go well. I got to the place thinking that I was leaving the next day. Remember, I had to get a visa to go to the U.S. And when I got in there, I found out I was supposed to leaving that night. So I filled the papers. I am in the church. I filled everything for the visa. And I put it in. And it said come back at five. So I came back at five. I'm talking about a U.S. visa. Not the "to go visit to go." And not the visa to San Diego. The U.S. visa. America. When I got there, at four, all those were getting their passports that day. Got their passports and I was waiting. Remember, I just put in my application in the morning. And I sat waiting. Are you there? And I remembered again a convention we had had entitled "God Can." And the matter of God kept on repeating that phrase "God Can." So I'm sitting there. I'm thinking to myself. It's not going to work or it's not going to work. God can. I had to send somebody to go and bring my suitcase because I was still waiting. Four o'clock. Four fifteen. Four thirty. Four forty-five. By this time, they start switching off lights. God can. Four fifty. 4.55. Are you in the church? Meanwhile, I should be at the airport at 6. This was a crowd, please. It's not Kumatsu. That's why in Kumatsu, you know, we hear anything. But this is a crowd. You see that? Acquired. The word that was given to me, which I've been ringing through, was God can. And he did. Oh yes. I caught the flight by the skin of my teeth. But... He did. In fact, I think I was in the plane before I knew I was in the plane. The point I'm trying to make is that it was a word that was waking. God has given us many words. Joshua, all he had were words. That's all he had. He just had words. So when you play down the words, and when you say that God didn't say what he said, you're playing directly into the devil's camp. Was it not Satan and Genesis chapter 1 and 3 who went to even said, did God really say? If the enemy is going to attack you, he's going to attack the word God gives you. That's what he's going to attack. Are you in the house? They thought that God has planted. And that's what he's doing today. And unfortunately, as believers, we're playing into his hands. His ways are not our ways. That's why I'm excited by the story. That's six. So Joshua, the son of none, called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of ram's horns." Can you see he's just doing what he's been told to do? How difficult it is for some of us to just do what we are told to do? Every day they have to explain to you why. That's why your Christian life does not wake you. It's not everything God will explain to you. Hey, some things, that's why you need faith for them. Because, I mean, none of the priests tend to ask him why. They just did it. He said to the people, "Go forward, march around the city. Can you see him just exactly what he's been told?" That's what he's reiterating here. And the amen passed on before the ark of the Lord. And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of ram's horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. Are you there? Now, I just want to point you to something. In verse 10, Joshua commanded the people saying, "You shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice." "Now you shall anywhere proceed out of your mouth. Until the day I bid you shout, then shall you shout." When I read the Scripture, I'm always reminded of my friend, Bishop Ike. He's such a gracious speaker. I talk so graciously. Because I would have just said, "Shut up." That's all this whole message, please. It's not not the message of the best. You see that you are looking at me some way. This is how Bishop Ike would have said it. "You shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice. Neither shall any way proceed out of your mouth. Until the day that I bid you shout, some of us. Forgive us, but we also have our place in the world." I thank God he did not only give polite people. In fact, one of the Scriptures I used to cry over. I said, "Lord, it sees that a person with a gentle spirit is so precious in your sight." I'm not precious in your sight. Are you in the church? But it's not this one. No. No. It's another. But it sees that he told them, "Don't see anything. Don't talk." You know, many, many, many times. The thing you are saying is a prayer that has not been answered has been undone by our words. It has been undone by what we said. Oh, how are things? Oh, since the dead is too hot. Business saying, "Yeah, you are just given." Because the Bible says that the power of life and death is in our mouth. And you have just spoken to undo what was being done. Death and life are in the power of the tunnel. We have a power to create whatever we want to create. Are you in the house? So Joshua knew that these troubles on people. If I leave them, there are some who will be working and I feel like they are working. What benefit is it twice? Joseph remembered Moses's case. When Moses sent their spies and they came back and they came to report, they said a lot of things. And that was it. God, they were denied. God said, "The things that you have said into my ES, that's all I do unto you." He did it. He told them to the last one of you is dead. So he had a plan for them. They spoke. And this morning, I just want to talk to somebody who's here. And you have miss spoken about the things that God has said to you. You see, when we are receiving air, we lift up our hands and we receive and we want to receive. When you finish, go and write down that thing that was said. So that when your madness comes, as it comes to all of us, your opinion that you read. Do you understand, I say, when your madness comes? The thing that provokes you and that makes you save the opposite. Then you open it, frustrations. Recently, I saw a sheet of paper had put somewhere. When I pulled it out, it said 20 things that mighty God has done for me. It's just a sheet of paper. So the way my madness comes, instead of saying the madness, take it. Remember, God used to make them rehearse it. You rehearse the things. God has done so much for us. Look, I tell you, I look very beautiful. Meanwhile, it's like, your pocket is as dry today as it was last week. But look at you. Yeah, it's real. It's real. Most of us are going to eat today. If you have not eaten already, you eat after a chance. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Meanwhile, as you are there. But it's going to happen. And you don't know that it's a miracle. It is. And look, you have no idea the miracles of God do. As we are sitting here with this economy that nobody can read, we have not announced that the government has shut down. You, as a daughter, have money. Every quarter, they are threatened to shut down. It's amazing. Does it make sense? We shouldn't even be on the radar. And yes, we keep going. And you don't know that it is the wonder of God. Ask yourself how you paid fees. If you are a parent. I am a pastor. My church is about 75% students. And when they come, I watch them. I say, look, Lord, you have done great things. There are some of them, three children from the same parents are in my church. That is school fees, 3000, let's assume 3000, because some are more some are less. 3000 times, 3000. Then for each child, how are you still fees? They are a fairly firm brand. Between five thousand, nine days. Yeah, between five thousand, seven thousand five. Let me read it, please, let me tell you. I was saying, if they give you 2000, you would not like to live there. There is no loo. Or the loo is outside, or is under his staircase. There is no here. But if you have to have a normal room, and by the way, it's not one in the room, four in the room, ten students, five thousand, times three, fifteen thousand, plus his original nine thousand for fees. He said, cool 24 hours, they are coming. That does not include the money for eating. It does not include the money for transportation. If you don't know that our God is a magician, then it's up to you. Hey, you should ask yourself, how do we go through? And they go through. They go through, yeah, by yeah, yeah, by yeah. Are you in the house? Big miracles and small miracles. Oh, I've had students who come and said, they're not going to allow me to write my exams. Because I haven't finished paying. I said, Charlie, pick your things and go to the exam room. And they have gone to the exam room. One child was sitting there. She had told me, she had, she said, they defined me, they will suck me. She was sitting there when they came to check. Because usually I tell them that when they come to check, either they won't reach you, they won't see you. Or they won't reach you. Whatever it is, you will finish the exam. Well, this time she was sitting. She had her receipts today. Because she knew that Charlie, I'm going to be paying me. They're going to suck me. So the man comes and starts, stands there looking at her index number. And she starts to say to the man, I have a balance of, then the man says, there's no balance. It says zero. Till today, she doesn't know who paid it. She doesn't know who paid it. Yeah. Because this our God. I said, this our God. If you will discipline your tongue. So in the day that your heart is afraid, let me tell you what to do. Shut up. Don't say anything at all. Shut up. I wish I could use my breath. That's a nice way. But it doesn't come. You will remember, shut up. Yeah. Just shut up. If need be, put a masking tip on your mouth. Yeah. Plus on your mouth. Just don't say anything. Are you there? Because the truth is sometimes your heart can shake. You are watching the TV. It's coming. I don't know where. I don't know how. I don't know what. But either we're going to be dead tomorrow morning or we're going to be victorious. Take your mouth. Don't say anything. So he told them, whatever you do, be quiet. It's about time the change of God lent to be quiet. You don't understand what's going on. Be quiet. You are not God. The instruction came from some way. Man, I'm like, look, we are finished building this change. Why are we building another? Be quiet. Be quiet. Actually, I asked the question. Your father comes and he says, bring the type. All this type collecting that. Be quiet. Be quiet. Are you in the change? I'm not feeling well. I've not been feeling well. Be quiet. No, it is true. Illness is one of the wildest ones because you can talk your way out of your miracle. And miracle can be coming straight for you. Then you open your mouth and it will bouquets. I said it will bouquets. Are you in the change? I've been here every day. I've been praying for healing, but I'm not healed. Why don't you rather say, I've been here and there. I've been praying. It has been escaping, but today is my day. Today is my day. Today is the beginning of the change. Are you in the house? You know, because we see dramatic things, we don't know that God is also working quietly. My second son was a COVID doctor during COVID. He was waking the hospital. He was in the COVID hospital. And one day, he called his wife. They don't have children yet. And he said, be out of the house before I get there. Just leave. Then he called me and he said, "Mommy, I have it. Are you in the change?" And I said, "Oh, what happened?" And he said, three days ago, I had a patient who was being discharged. I'm watching my time. And he said, he said, three days ago, I had a patient who I had discharged. She was okay. She had recovered because the whole hospital had been converted into a COVID whatever. He said, she had been discharged and I had gone left and I was doing something else. When I had a shout, Dr. Bruce, Dr. Bruce, the woman had just gone to use the washing wash hands and go and she had collapsed at the door. And my son said, without here, without thinking, he was without his protective gear. He ran to the woman, picked her up, put her in the room, performed CPR, did this, did that before I don't care to him. I said, I'm standing here. Next, that's a COVID patient. That's a COVID patient. This one. And I'm standing here. Totally unprotected. Well, apparently the woman had a clot. And the clot had reached her heart. That was where she died from. But a few days ago, he was now showing the symptoms. The fever was there. The sore throat was there. Everything. That's why he told his wife, please, escape for your life. Don't let me come and meet you in the house. So any trauma, I said, oh, all right. So where are you? I'm on my way home. I said, we will pray. I'm saying this because today there's somebody here. You've been believing God for your healing, but you can't believe him. I need you to know that when COVID was on, if you have the symptoms, you know, you know that you have the symptoms. And this was a COVID doctor. So he knew that he had the symptoms. Are you in the house? Hey, so I woke up that night and I began to pray. The next day, 6 a.m. I'm expecting to hear from this guy. I don't hear. 10 a.m. I don't hear anything. I said, Lord, is I the good news or bad? Let me call and see you. So I called. First call, he didn't pick, second call. Then he picks. Hi, mommy. Where are you? Oh, you see, oh, I forgot to put the ask you to pray. I'm not awake. If he had been close, I got my pain up from me. He said, God has done him. What are you talking about? He said, no, I knew you pray when I got up in the morning. I was okay. I knew that I'm healed and I've come back to work. And I'm talking to somebody today. They have told you again and again and again. The Lord can do it. Receive the healing that you need exactly where you are. It's time for you to say he has done it, he has done it, he has done it, he has done it, he has done it, he has done it. And I said to him, you only feel sorry for him, I'm going to cry. And just call me that you are okay. He said, I'm not going to cry. How are you? How are you in the shed? Let's try and finish our story. I told you, it is my favorite story. Oh, my God. From verse 12, then Joshua rose early in the morning. There's just something about early in the morning. And the priest took up the ark of the Lord. And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark of the Lord walked on and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them and the rare God was walking after the ark of the Lord while the trumpets blew continually. And the second day they marched around the 51th and returned to the camp. So they did for six days on the seventh day. Push somebody and say on the seventh day. Oh, tell your neighbor on the seventh day. Tell your neighbor today is the seventh day. The Bible says on the seventh day, they rose early at the dawn of the day. And marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. Now listen, you need to understand that there are some things called repeat administrations. When you need to do the same thing over and over and over and over, amen. The Syrian had leprosy and he was told by the prophet, go and dip yourself six times in the River Jordan. If he had stopped after two times, he would not have been healed. If he had stopped after four times, he would not have been healed. If he had stopped after six times, he would not have been healed. And some of us are here and we've prayed for the thing one time and we've prayed for the thing two times and we've prayed for the thing three times. And then we begin to say that, ah, God is I listen, pray for it the fourth time. And if you still don't have it, pray for it the fifth time and you must remember that the scripture says what so ever pain you desire. If you pray, believe, so I desire, I'm believing, I'm praying and you keep praying. Yes, there are some things that you pray only once, but there are also some things you pray seven times. There are some things you pray twelve times. There are some things you pray ten years. You don't know which is which, keep praying. Stop speaking unbelief, keep praying. You are looking for a baby. Shut up and pray. And of course do the activity. I had to add that to one. I'm tired of all these people coming and standing. I'm looking for a baby. Me want the activity that brings us. I'm like, yeah, yeah, I do. Please, I'm trying to behave myself today. I'm trying to behave. I don't want to say anything that I should say. The activity that brings the babies you are not doing. You want the baby. How do you expect to receive it? Once I was. Once in two months. Oh. Hey, but you see, my aunt she just went and slept with a guy once. You are not your friend. We are all different, you know. We are all different. Yeah. The church has become very quiet. Once in two months. And so being quiet, someone will. They come and say, please, I'm not getting a baby. You don't have a baby. You're not serious yet. Go ahead and ask Abraham and Sarah to tell you anyway. Let me get back to myself today. Please, let me get back to myself. I told you I'm behaving myself today. Hallelujah. You know, so it says they went around seven times. I need you to see that they're going around seven times. You know, even when we just close our eyes. It's as if they are walking around in an air-conditioning room, but it wasn't so. Where they are is still part of the desert. And moving around, it's hot. It's really hot. And you're moving around and you're sweating. You're moving around the whole city. So it's also not like just going around this building. And you're doing it seven times. I have to tell you that sometimes to bring down God's will in your life, there's hard work to be done. He has said the words. He's given the prophecy. He said what's going to happen to you. But you need to work it, and work it, and work it, and work it, and sweat it, and pray it, and pray the Scriptures. Don't say that. He's not going to answer you. Are you in the church? Yeah. Because we have too much unbelief walking around in the churches these days. Yeah, too much complaining. Hallelujah. Just like giving birth. When you feel that's lower, I cannot take another contraction. The baby's coming. It's just, just before. Maybe the other time saying it's not true. The point at which you say that's one more contraction, I will die here. That's the one that brings the baby. It's like one more fasting. And my answer will come. One more all night. Remember what I'm doing because I'm tired. One more something. Just keep pushing a little. Just a little. Keep going around. I'm sure by the fifth time they were tired. And they still had to go around a sixth time. Not only that, the priests were blowing the carols until one leave. Hard work. They never had work. After today going, go and look for all the promises God has given to you. I hope you were writing them. I say, "Lord, forgive me. I haven't wet them out." That's why it hasn't come to pass. Because there are major people in this room tonight, but you are still walking around like a grasshopper. Okay, that's another message. But let's go to verse 16. My time is almost out. Are you there? Take us to verse 16. Because verse 16 says, "At the seventh time, tell your neighbor my seventh time miracle has come. The seventh time, I have believed that, you know, name and day. One way or two that we used to sing it. He dipped and he dipped and he dipped and dipped and dipped and dipped and dipped and dipped. And he gave, you know, we shouted that. So they were happy. But it's a real something. The seventh time. And this time, as they went, it says, "When the priest blew the trumpet, Joshua said to the people, "Shout! Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. Hallelujah!" Hold on. Hold on for me a minute. Because it's about to get serious. I'm sorry. My shoes are coming up. But it's not my fault. It's the fault of your cup. It's not my fault. Are you here? Listen to something. At the time when Joshua said shout, the gate was still shut. The wall was still solid. You see? We think that we are shouting because that they had come down. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. And I need to say it because there are some of us in the church. You are like a wah-wah board. Nothing moves you. Praises doesn't move you. Worship doesn't move you. Prayer doesn't move you. You see? That is, it is disturbing you because God needs to work together with you. He needs you to cooperate. All this kind of silence in the church. You see? There are people who say, "Me? I'm a very quiet person." You may be a quiet person. Please, my lady rep, let me ask you a question. Is there anybody there? Who says that they are quiet person? No. Please, what do you say? Some are lying on the floor. Some have come naked. Yeah, so we don't allow men. We don't allow men in there. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Do you know why I'm asking you that question? Where they are quiet too? Where they annoys you? Where they are welcome? Be the best in the world. Some think I use, some think I use. Don't give me that excuse that I'm a quiet person. It's his friend you don't have because I tell you when you know that the baby is there, when you know that the baby has to come. And they say, "Push, you'll give it to push!" Hey! Hey! Tell the sister I'm stumbling by you. You know, the lady likeness is very nice. But there are some places. It can't go. It doesn't work there. Doesn't work there. Doesn't work there. I had a very nice lady-like church member. She was going to have a baby. She was in labor. That morning, she had already gone to hospital. As I was taking my child and lady, she came to mind that I thought I'd pray for her. I said, "This thing has taken a while." So on my way to work, I was a late pastor. Then I said, "Let me pass through the place." And I went there. I changed, used to execute the hospital so much. I said, "My member is in there. This I should go." Oh, I had to go. And I got to go. She was lying on the bed. When she saw me, the gun she was wearing, she threw it off. Pastor! Pastor! Hey! Let me be here. You, you are polite, self-keeping. Nothing is doing you. Nothing is doing you. Your life is not yet at stake. Your riches are not yet at stake. That's why you are so polite. That's why you are so calm. But there are some of us. I said, "There are some of us. We need to break through. We need to see something. We need to get open. We need some more stuff. Come on! Get a lot of shout. Get a lot of shout. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Oh, are you there? There is a place to shout. There is a place where it's a sin even to be quiet. If you are walking in this thing and there you are now quiet. We'll finish you before we cross into the world. Because I tell you, because there's a day when the shout is there. It's the mistyle for the victory. God caught me a shout. And when he caught it, it was strong enough to bring down the walls of Jericho. I came to say it to somebody this morning. The walls of Jericho I gave to you. Something is in your way. But I need you to find from within your spirit. It's a shout from your inside. And you need to give the Lord a shout. And bring down. Bring it down. Bring it down. Bring it down. Hallelujah. I need some instrumentalists there. How are you in the church? I'm rounding up. In the next two minutes I'm going. But you know, somebody here, I want you to bring in to pray about that problem one more time. One last time. Call on the Lord again. One more time. One more time. Talk to him. Do you know the song? ♪ Mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Great in battle ♪ ♪ Just hold the rest in ♪ Don't drag it. ♪ Your name ♪ Come on, we ask for this morning. Lift up your voice. ♪ You're the mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Oh, yes ♪ ♪ Great in battle ♪ ♪ Just hold the rest in ♪ ♪ You're the mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Great in battle ♪ ♪ Just hold the rest in ♪ ♪ You're the mighty warrior ♪ (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) ♪ Mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Great in battle ♪ ♪ Just hold the rest in ♪ ♪ You're the mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Great in battle ♪ ♪ Just hold the rest in ♪ ♪ You're the mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Great in battle ♪ ♪ Just hold the rest in ♪ ♪ You're the mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Mighty warrior ♪ ♪ Great in battle ♪ ♪ Just hold the rest in ♪ ♪ You're the mighty warrior ♪ Father, thank you. Thank you for the breakthroughs this morning. That as we have shouted and pushed, walls have come down this morning. Breakthroughs have come through this morning. Gaves have opened this morning. Deliverances have happened this morning. That which is ours has been taken this morning. Oh, we give you the praise. We give you the praise. We give you the praise to you alone, and hold me all the glory. We give you praise in Jesus' mighty name. Hallelujah, hallelujah. ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ As every head is bowed and every eye is closed. Maybe you're here this morning. You've not given your life to Jesus. But on this family and friend Sunday, Jesus is waiting. He's waiting. The host of heaven are waiting to welcome you. Shall we all stand to our feet? And as you stand to your feet, you want to keep your head bowed and your eye closed. If you're here, you can hear me. You've not given your life to Jesus yet. You know him or you love him or you don't know him. You don't love him. But you are here this morning. And you cannot confidently say that I belong to Jesus. You cannot confidently say that when my time is up, I know that I'm going to heaven. If you cannot say that, please don't leave the service without taking part in this prayer. You need to receive Jesus as your Lord and your Savior. It was Jesus who taught us that which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Without it, you cannot see God. And so you want to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. That marks the beginning of your spirit being born again. You want to receive Jesus as your Lord, as your Savior. Please just lift up your hand wherever you're sitting. We want to pray. Just lift it. Just lift your hand where you're sitting. Those of you who bust people in at times, you know that you busten people who don't know Jesus. Just go and talk to them at this time. God bless you. I see your hands. I see your hands. Can somebody help them? If your hand is up, just come to me. Just come, boldly come to me. I just want to pray to you. Just come to me. Your hand is lifted up. You're just saying, I need to know this Jesus for myself. Please just come to me. God bless you. God bless you. Just come. Just step out of where you are. Oh, yes. He's just waiting for you. He cannot wait long enough to hold you. Just call you his own. Just come. Nobody can judge you. No one is judging you at all. We're just inviting you. God bless you. God bless you. You're there. You need Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Please just come to me this morning. We're going to pray. Just come to me. If you're standing in this congregation and your heart is beating, that's Jesus knocking at the door of your heart. It says if you will open up, he will come and come with you. Please come and join us before we pray this prayer. God bless you. Just come. Your heart is beating. I say, I have enjoyed the service. So now I want the service to this part to go. But no, you are the one he's waiting for. I believe there are two others. Just come. Just come to me. Just come and join us. And let us pray together. Just come. God bless you. God bless you. Help them. Allow them to help us come. He's the answer. He's the one you're waiting for. He's the one you're waiting for. I believe there are two others. Jesus is the way. Just come. God bless you. Your heart is just beating within your breath. Jesus is knocking. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. One more person. I'm just waiting for you. God bless you. Just come. Jesus is the way. Shall we pray? If you're in front, I want you to pray these words. Just make them your own. And pray the prayer. I want to say Lord Jesus. If you're in front, just join us. You can pray after me. You want to say Lord Jesus. I come to you today as a sinner. Please wash me in your blood. If you cleanse me, please write my name in your book of life. Lord Jesus, from today, you are my savior and you are my Lord. I thank you for saving me in Jesus' name. Amen. Father, thank you so much for these young ones who come. I pray for them. May they never depart. May they get to know you. And maybe a life with you be sweet in Jesus' name. Amen. Oh, beautiful. Please follow the lady waving at you. Go this way. Go this way. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. Hallelujah. If you are clapping for the Lord, you can do it better. You can do it better. You can do it better. Hallelujah. Amen and amen. Please take your seat. I have some books here this morning. I'm going to leave the hard work. Hallelujah. I'm going to leave the hard work for your pastor to do. But I just wanted to say a couple of things. If you are a believer here and you're looking to have something more to get closer to the Lord, this is your book. Never mind that it says transform your pastor ministry. Everybody, ministry means what you do for the Lord. And whatever you're doing for the Lord, you're going to need this one. Are you there? Whatever you are doing, whatever. Okay, so we have that one over there. I want to recommend this one, particularly for pastors, pastors' wives, young men who love the Lord. You need to know how to find a wife. Because there's a wife who can't terminate your ministry right now. Not by being nasty. Not by being nasty. By his sweet self. That she has terminated your ministry. Are you there? Yeah, there's a certain revivalist. His ministry was terminated completely by his wife. Some of us could use this one. Daughter, you can make it. We've got another. It's the same book as the pink one, but you don't have it. And then I want to recommend this for the prayers that you're doing at home. If you're the head of your home, you'll lead your family in prayer. You'll find wonderful prayer topics in here that are going to help you and help your family. Are you there? Then I have with me here a set of three books by Bishop Oco, the late Bishop Oco, the Art of Shepherding Children. Many people just leave the children there. But the shepherding of children is one of the most important keys that you need to have as a church and also as a parent. Many churches, we just put the children in front of the TV. Are you there? By some art. They say, "We" to shepherd them. I was telling the house, "What's it on Friday?" I said, "All the first love bishops, they are fruits of this month's ministry." Yeah, and up till now, it's a ministry. There were children in the upper room and just like how we don't think about them when we come for prayer meetings. They were there. This one is a whole scripture. From a child, that has known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise. Our children need some wisdom. If you are a parent, buy the book also because your own mind needs to be transformed. In Ghana, children are important only when we don't have them. When we have them, we just leave them there. Are you there? You're surprised at what I'm saying. We just leave them. When we go to church, we go to whatever, they are there doing whatever, until they become a problem. One time, I was taking a bus from Tamale coming to Accra. No, we were in a car in the car broke down. So when we go to commands, we have to take a bus. It had been quite a tough journey. So I paid for a seat for our last child, who at that time? Probably about two and a half, three years old, something like that. I put him in the seat. And yet, everybody who came up on the bus after us would say, "Mommy, Obitiho." Let me see if I can say that. I can say that. In other words, you see, there's a way we overlook them. You see a child, they're about onionnipa. The child should stand, or the child should kneel in the bus, or the child should do something. You see, this mind, it needs to change. It needs to change. So it's not only for children's ministry people. As a parent, buy it and know that your children can do a lot. Are you in the house? Yeah, even as children. Well, I'm going to leave the hard work to some people. I think for me, my task is done. Please welcome the Shabbat. (Applause) (Applause)