Week Of Spiritual Emphasis Day 1 by Bishop David Oyedepo: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

The Year of Open Doors: Hold Fast to the Word

The key to the open door agenda for the year is holding fast to the word and declaring it boldly and unashamedly. The psalmist said: I will make my boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear it and be glad — because it will command results and command proofs.

Always mind the conditions if you want the provisions. God's grand provision is a year of open doors — that no door is permitted to be shut against you, that nothing is supposed to close down in your life. The condition is: whatever He tells you to do, do it. When the doors of your obedience open, all other doors have no choice but to open up.

Exodus 14:15 — Go forward. And they did, and the rest He opened. One command opened every door. Exodus 16:35 — They were fed morning and evening for 40 years until they reached Canaan. One obedience, all the doors opening. Stop wishing your access to the provisions. Engage with the conditions. He said all these blessings will come to you and overtake you — just obey.

Faith Still Works Wonders Today

The prophetic for the month: faith still works wonders today. It is not just faith that works — it takes strong faith. The harsh storms of life will not bow to little faith.

A church janitor who had both limbs amputated was told by a minister of God: go tomorrow and buy a pair of shoes. That night the Lord appeared to him and confirmed: whatever I tell you to do, do it. He went early to the shoe shop before the owners came. When the assistant asked what size he wanted, he said: give me size eight. As he was trying to put his limb into the shoe, his leg was growing. He went back home with two brand new legs and two brand new shoes. This speaks of the enormous power in faith. Mark 9:23 — All things are possible to him that believes.

Faith Is in Categories

Faith is in categories according to scripture. We are all given the measure of faith at new birth. Romans 12:3 — What you do with that measure is what determines its outcome. Do nothing with it and it becomes zero faith, as in Mark 4 — where Jesus said, how is it that you have no faith? Do little about it and it becomes little faith. Do much about it and it becomes great faith. Do much more and it becomes very great faith.

Interestingly, faith has unlimited capacity for growth. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 — Your faith groweth exceedingly. Mark 10:27 — With man this is impossible, but not with God. Mark 9:23 — All things that are possible with God are possible with you. Whatever God can do, your built-up faith can make happen.

Faith Cannot Be Wished — It Must Be Built

We cannot wish to develop muscles. We have to engage in building them. Proverbs 24:10 — If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small. We cannot wish knowledge — we have to acquire it. Daniel understood by books. Come and learn of Me, and you will find rest for your souls. We cannot wish a building to grow — we have to build it. Every house is built by someone. Hebrews 3:4 — We are God's building. We have to build up spiritually to match the challenges of life. 1 Peter 2:2 — As newborn babes, desire the milk of the word that you may grow thereby.

We cannot wish to grow in our profession without a commitment to training. Every star in every field is committed to training up to stand above their peers. We cannot wish to live a victorious life without faith — not just faith, but strong faith. Abraham was strong in faith giving glory to God against hope. He considered not his own body, which was as good as dead, nor the deadness of Sarah's womb. Being fully persuaded that what God has spoken He is able also to perform.

Faith is the spiritual breath of a believer. The just shall live by faith. What breath is to the natural man, faith is to the spiritual man. You cannot transfer your breath to someone no matter how much you love them. Faith is a non-transferable asset. Each one must consciously acquire, consciously cultivate, consciously build it. Hebrews 10:38 — If any man turns back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Life stops for the believer where faith stops. This calls for genuine labor in the word to keep faith growing. Hebrews 4:11 — Let us labor to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

How to Build Your Faith

1. Faith Grows by Hearing and Understanding the Word

   Romans 10:17 — Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. It is spiritual understanding of the truth that stirs faith — not mere knowledge, but understanding. It brings to light what the word is saying and opens the eyes to see. When understanding opens, you do not doubt what you see. The Ethiopian eunuch was reading scripture but nothing was dropping. Acts 8:26-35 — Philip was sent to him. From the same scripture, his eyes were opened. He said: here is water, can I be baptized? You cannot understand the truth and still doubt it — doubt comes from lack of understanding or inadequate understanding. A spiritual understanding that brightens the light of the word steers faith naturally.

2. Faith Grows by Meditation in the Word

   Meditation is a booster of spiritual understanding. David won that impossible battle against Goliath by faith. Here is what he said: Psalm 119:97 — O how love I thy law. It is my meditation all the day. Verse 98 — Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than my enemies. Verse 99 — I have more understanding than all my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation. Verse 100 — I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. 1 Timothy 4:13-15 — Give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Meditate upon these things. Don't assume you understand it. Settle in, endeavor to digest it, absorb it, let it become part of you as light dawns on those issues. And thy profiting shall be known to all.

3. Crave for Revelation in Your Area of Concern

   Do not be a general student. This book is a solution book. They call it all the words of this life — it answers business questions, family questions, health questions, children questions, relations questions. It has all the answers. Pray for revelation in your area or areas of concern. You shall know the truth about that issue and that truth shall set you free. Crave for it with undying passion.

4. Engage the Holy Spirit in Your Search

   Luke 11:13 — How much more will God give the Holy Ghost to them that ask Him? He is the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. 1 Corinthians 2:12 — We have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God. John 14:26 — He will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all things. John 16:13 — He will guide you into all truth. We need him and we need him all of the time.

5. Engage Your Spirit Man in the Search

   1 Thessalonians 5:23 — Man is a spirit. He has a soul and lives in a body. When man fell, his spirit man died — that is why the fallen man is spiritually naked. At new birth that dead man was brought back to life. Now engage that inner man to connect with the treasures of heaven. Isaiah 26:9 — With my soul have I desired in the night, and with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. A natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14 — They are spiritually discerned. Proverbs 20:27 — The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching the inward parts. Luke 15:8 — What woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one, does not light a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently till she find it? Engage your spirit man if you must find.

Faith grows principally on discoveries from the word. When you hear from God, doubts die. Build your faith — not to sell off God's gorgeous agenda for your life.