Behold The Man 11: Walking By The Proceeding Word by Apostle Arome Osayi: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Recap: Behold the Man — A Series

The series "Behold the Man" draws from what Pilate said when Jesus was placed on the pavement for cross-examination. The invitation is to run a critical analysis of the life of Jesus the man. We have arrived at Matthew chapter 4.

In the previous study, we saw that the object of the first temptation borders upon the principle of our living. After Jesus accomplished the 40 days of fasting, the Bible revealed that he was hungered. Then Satan showed up wanting to take advantage of the weakness — which was hunger. He said: "If you are the Son of God, turn these stones and make them bread."

Jesus responded from the book of Deuteronomy: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4 — Man, by design, was not ordained to live by bread alone but by the proceeding word of God. So Satan wants to control how you live — the principle behind your living. Jesus was saying: hunger is not a strong enough appetite to force an action from my life. I can decide to despise hunger because the blueprint for man captures that man is supposed to live by the proceeding word of God.

Circumstances Are Not the Trigger

Circumstances should not make you act. Your actions should always be a product of the proceeding word of God. Satan brings circumstances around your life because he wants to harvest an action. He wants to make you act out of circumstance, out of pressure, out of hunger.

A pastor had problems in a ministry where he was serving and he ended his fellowship from the church. Two weeks later he was trying to start a church. The demons of the territory will name you a man lacking in authority because what is motivating you to begin ministry is not the proceeding word of God. You are a victim of circumstances. If you go into ministry like that, Satan will use you as an advertisement to discourage people that have a genuine proceeding word from attempting to obey God.

Your life should be justifiable from documented encounters with God. There should be a journal, a diary, where you store the things you receive from God. You should be able to analyze your life and justify everything you are doing today from a previous insight or intelligence that came from God. If your life does not follow that rhythm, you are a victim of orchestrations — you are not accomplishing purpose.

Three Temptations — Three Critical Principles

All three temptations that Satan brought to Jesus were on the foundation of three critical principles. If you are wrong on these three critical principles, your life itself is wrong — regardless of how much money you have, regardless of what office you occupy. Satan has already redirected your life without your permission.

• First temptation: Man shall not live by bread alone — the principle of your living, what drives your actions
• Second temptation: Do not tempt the Lord your God — the principle of your covering and spiritual authority
• Third temptation: Thou shalt worship the Lord your God and him only shalt thou serve — the principle of your worship and allegiance

Living by the Proceeding Word — A Personal Testimony

There is evidence, documented in diaries, of encounters received before the beginning of this ministry. There was a proceeding word. There were many applicants for the place this ministry now occupies. But there is evidence — from God — that of all the 8 billion people in the world, the one that was made for me, I found by a proceeding word of God.

Going to Tanzania for a gospel campaign — after returning exhausted from a 4-hour road trip home, a notice from a Christian father said: "The moment you are back, come and see me." This man is far more mature in the prophetic ministry. He came out and said, "Young man, your time in this city has ended. Your labor over this city has ended." Multiple prophetic directives followed.

This was something never heard before. So the next step was to seek the face of Jesus. After 14 days of prayer and fasting, Jesus came with the proceeding word: "This phase of your life has ended." A prophetic word is supposed to confirm a proceeding word. It is a superstructure built on the foundation of what you have received through your own personal intercourse with God.

An announcement had already been made publicly that there would be a return. But two weeks later the Lord said, "Do not disturb me about going back to Nigeria for the next 3 years." Though the announcement had been made and people had heard it, when the proceeding word came, there was no debate. Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

The Secret Place and Spiritual Warfare

There is a supervising spirit that activates over your altar when you have cultivated consistency in the place of prayer. The Holy Ghost will show up and begin to give you insights, instructions, and an understanding of the full scope of the warfare you are engaging.

In a world of spiritual warfare, 70% of victory is seeing the enemy. Sometimes the moment you see the enemy, the battle has ended. In prayer, a vision came showing someone with a straw hat covering his face — and the question was asked: "Are you the one that has not allowed this woman to give birth?" As that was being said, she went into labor.

Because the Holy Ghost knows you are no match for invincible things. When the supervising spirit of your altar comes, he comes to give you insight into the true context of the battle. Sometimes you need to name the demon by name in order for it to lose its ground.

That is the secret of every man you see advancing. He has something driving him — something he cultivated the ground in order to create. The life of Abraham reveals that there is no prophet who truly works this world that does not have an altar. If you say Abraham is a man of faith and you are a man of faith, the next thing to check is: where is your altar? Because if you do not have one, what you call faith is a mirage.