Putting Christ Ahead In All Things by Archbishop Benson Idahosa: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Those who come to serve will stay. Those who came to see will come and go. In serving God you see His hand in action. Be steadfast in the love of God, be steadfast in the call of God. He who called you is faithful — faithful is He that called you, He will do it.

Those who are committed, keep your commitment because the God you are committed to is a rewarding God and very faithful. Beverly Shea sang for Billy Graham for 51 years. Cliff Barrows introduced Billy Graham for 51 years. When they were asked why they never started their own ministries, Barrows said: "I've never had an honour greater than the one I have to introduce Dr. Graham. Why invent a new wheel if I can flow with the existing one?"

Ruth Brooks was secretary to Oral Roberts for 49 years. She lived inside that ministry by the revelation of God. You cannot be a man's secretary for 49 years without being offended — yet she was so committed to God through that man that she had nowhere else to go. Not because she had no choice, but because one way was right. One way was God. If you are a person committed to anything with a divided mind, you never last.

The Moses Principle: Divine Intervention

Immediately Moses was conceived, the king passed a law to kill all newborn Hebrew males. Moses had no power in the womb to resist his birth. God allowed him to form and grow. When he was born, the midwives tasked to kill him said, "This is a proper child," and could not bring themselves to do it.

His mother put him in a basket and placed him in the river — no guide, no guard — and threw him to destiny. That child began to flow in the river. Destiny had it that the king's daughter, the very daughter of the man who wanted Moses dead, came to bathe. She found the basket and said, "I have gotten me a son." She hired Moses' own mother — with the king's money — to nurse her own child. Moses' sister, mother, and father all had presidential street in the king's palace, paid for by the king.

The fact that the devil has been hunting for you for years does not mean he can hurt you.

Everything God put in the Bible is for our example, so that the day we believe what He did for one man, it can become our own.

David: The Shepherd God Was Looking For

David was a shepherd boy. When the prophet Samuel came to anoint a king from Jesse's house, he saw the tall, impressive sons one by one. Each time he was ready to pour the oil, he heard: "Don't. This is not the one." When all seven had passed, Samuel asked if there were any other children. Jesse said: "There is one — but he is inconsequential. A bush boy who has been following sheep since the age of seven."

They sent for him. He came out of the forest, undressed, not neat. And as soon as he appeared, the Holy Spirit said: "That's him."

God was not looking for a soldier. He was looking for a shepherd.

All the other men had been trained, but God had been grooming David in the bush for the throne. David never applied for the position, never prayed for it. His only concern was the sheep. When others gave their names and titles, David said: "Shepherd."

There is something God has placed in your style and destiny that where you are cannot remove. It is so embedded, so put there by God, that no circumstance can take it away.

Do not become so wise as to be in charge of your life. Do not get so big that you take care of yourself.

If God put you here, you must not be one of the crowd. Believe you are not in the wrong place. Believe you are in the right place. If that is correct, then you must be distinct — set apart from the ordinary.

The Wedding at Cana: Christ Ahead

Whatever is in the Bible that you treat as a story can never give you life, but whatever becomes a revelation can give you a new beginning.

John 2:1 — There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and His disciples were called to the marriage. Notice: Jesus was invited before the wedding took place.

Put Christ ahead of whatever you want to do. If Jesus is ahead of your plans, whatever comes behind, He will handle it.

At the wedding, the wine ran out. The mother of Jesus said to Him: "They have no wine." Then she said to the servants: "Whatsoever He says unto you, do it." There were six stone waterpots for purification, each holding 20 to 30 gallons, sitting there unused — uninvited pots waiting for a miracle. A common thing is enough for God to do the unusual.

Jesus said: "Fill the waterpots with water." They filled them to the brim. "Now draw out and bear to the governor of the feast." When the governor tasted it, he called the bridegroom and said: "Every man sets out the good wine first, and when men have drunk freely, then the inferior. But you have kept the good wine until now."

John 2:11 — This beginning of miracles Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed on Him.

The man of that house was never told there was no wine. Jesus didn't let them shame him. He was busy with his wedding — and by the time he turned around, sweet wine had appeared.

The way I have found is the way of letting God supply my wine while my back is turned to my problem.

Every time you face your problem, it becomes a problem. Many times you are frightened, many times you almost give up, many times you cry as if you have no one to help you. Try this: bring Jesus ahead. If anything tries to threaten you, sit down for one minute and say: "God, be ahead of this situation."

Money is one of the most frightening things — yet it ought not to be, because life is more than money. I have ceased to see with my eyes. I try to see with my mind — because everything you see with your eyes looks ugly. But take that same mind, without witchcraft, without magic, without criticism, and simply shift it from sight to faith.

Before you establish your business, before you talk of marriage, let Jesus be ahead. So when anything happens behind, He will handle it for you.

Don't put down a payment on a house, don't go into any business, don't go into any settlement, until you put God's payment in first. If Jesus is ahead, He can handle what is behind.

Father, things that are impossible with men are possible with God. For with God all things are possible.

Lord, I pray You be their source and resources. Be their shield and buckler. Be all in all in their lives. Take their griefs and give them joy. Help them not to chase money but to take money as a tool to serve You and go all the way without looking back. So when we run short of wine, You who is already seated can turn water to wine — so that the next question we answer will be: why did You keep the best for last?

From this day, let their lives be sweet. In the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening — from this day their lives shall be sweet in the name of Jesus.

When you have Goliath's head in your hand, don't leave it in the bush. Take it home — even when it stinks — and show it as a testimony. That is the last time any Goliath will ever test you. When they remember that you hold the head of the giant, they will never come near you anymore.

In a church of 10,000 members, only about 40 people actually do the work. The rest are members. But those who make things happen are called apostles and disciples. Don't be a member — be a disciple.

When members are offended, they go. When members are angered, they leave. But when you are an apostle, nothing moves you — because the first question you ask yourself is: "Did what happened hurt God?" The answer is no.