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RCCG 16TH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF SCHOOL OF DISCIPLES (SOD) 2023.
THEME: THE ALL-SUFFICIENT GOD (THE WONDERS OF HIS SUFFICIENCY).
MINISTERING (DAY 1): PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
DATE: 6TH JULY, 2023
BIBLE TEXT: MARK 3:13-15
Hallelujah!
Well, let me hear you shout a “Disciple Hallelujah” – Hallelujah.
When we were smaller than this, if we shout Hallelujah, People in Abeokuta would hear.
Now we are more; let me hear you shout a “Disciple Hallelujah” – HALLELUJAH.
I understand that some People are Graduating tonight;
So we receive you into the Diplomas and Certificates of the School of Disciples in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit – Amen.
The Almighty God Himself would Stand by you;
You will not leave here with Ordinary Certificates – You would leave here with Anointing, and with the Unction of the Holy Spirit.
And wherever you go God would go with you.
It shall be well with you!
In Jesus’ Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen.
And Congratulations!
Well, let me hear you shout another Hallelujah – Hallelujah.
SONG:
What a Mighty God we serve (Hallelujah)
What a Mighty God we serve (Hallelujah)
Heaven and Earth Adore Him (even)
Angels bow before Him
What a Mighty God we serve (what a Mighty God)!
Repeated!
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OPENING PRAYER
Ancient of Days, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we Worship You. Please, accept our Thanks in Jesus’ Name!
Tonight my Father and my God, all Your Disciples are asking that You lay Your Mighty Hands on the Engineers, that they would never disturb us again when we are Preaching.
And grant all the Requests of Your Children.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen.
Let somebody shout Hallelujah – Hallelujah.
Shake hands with one (1) or two (2) People and say: Good Evening, God Bless You!
Mark 3:13-15:
13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.
14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:
The Bible tells us that God knows the end from the Beginning.
According to Acts 15:18, the Bible says; Known unto God are all His works from the Beginning of the world.
The Almighty God knew at a time when we were very small that The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) would grow. And that, to handle the growth, we are not going to need “Ordinary Christians” – We are going to need Disciples.
According to 2 Timothy 2:14, the Bible says He has Called some People to be Soldiers.
The Almighty God knew before the Foundation of the Earth that we are going to need “Commandos” to be able to handle the Growth that is going to happen in The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) – He knew!
He knew, so that way back in 1985 He told us that a time would come when we would give an Altar Call and Disciples would be on their feet for hours – Counseling, Laying hands on People for Healing, and Casting out Demons.
God said so, way back in 1985.
And there are People who are here tonight or reading now on the Label of DMC, who were here then at the beginning.
He knew there would People who would follow His Examples “Regimentally” – That was the Language He used at that time.
In 1 John 3:16; we learnt that we are to follow His Examples to such an extent that, as He laid down His Life for the Brethrens, we would be willing to lay down our lives also.
So, as Disciples, we were Called for a Purpose:
1. WE WERE CALLED TO SERVE.
According to Mark 10:42-46, we learnt then that, even as Jesus Christ did not come to be Ministered unto but to Minister; we Disciples are also Called to Minister to People, not to expect to be Ministered unto.
We learnt at the beginning, according to Acts 28:1-10, that it was an Apostle that went to fetch firewood: when there was a Shipwreck in the Island of Melita and they needed wood to keep the fire going – It was Apostle Paul who went to fetch firewood.
We learnt that after the Miracle that happened – As he put the wood in the fire and a serpent came, fastened its teeth on Apostle Paul, he shook it off! The serpent died and nothing happened to him. They began to bring Sick People to him and he was Healing them.
We learnt that the hands that cannot do “Manual Labour” cannot Perform Miracles.
… These were things we learnt at the beginning of the School of Disciples (SOD).
In those days, when (for example) we had Convention, it’s we Disciples who went to the jungle around here to fetch firewood for the Convention – In those days we had no Gas Cookers.
We Disciples washed Plates. And after People had eaten, we ate last!
When we come once a Month for Disciples’ Meeting we would arrive on Friday – Study the Scriptures and then at Night, we would break and do something that needed to be done.
And then the following Morning, we cut grass and sweep the Dormitories. The Dormitories were not so many. We cut grass!
We Prided ourselves then on how clean we can make the Toilet; how clean we can make the Camp; how low we cut grass. And we used a term then when we want to talk about how clean something is. The answer is: “It is Disciple Clean.”
You know the meaning of that?
It means when a Disciple had finished cleaning the Toilet, you can sit down there and eat. It would be that clean!
We called it “Disciple Clean.”
2. HE CHOSE THEM THAT THEY MIGHT BE WITH HIM.
We Prayed like Disciples – We never Prayed for less than one (1) hour at a time while we Prayed.
Why? Because in Mark 3:13-15 (that I read to you); one of the reasons He called Disciples is that they might be with Him.
And He said to them in Matthew 26:36-41 – You can’t even Watch with me for one (1) hour?
We never Prayed for less than one (1) hour – And I am telling you, we Prayed fire down.
At the time the School of Disciples (SOD) started, there was a Denomination (I won’t mention names) that was spreading like wildfire. And the Leader of the Organization was definitely Occultic. He told People that his Power come from sleeping with women. He boasted that he had (at that time) Thirty four (34) wives. That his Power was increasing.
We knew this cannot be God because God said: A Deacon must be a husband of one (1) wife.
So, if the number of your wife keeps increasing, and your Power is Proportionately increasing; we knew this can’t be God. And yet, thousands were rushing to him!
We met as Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ: and we Prayed that every Plant God has not Planted be Uprooted.
As it happened, that same man was travelling along this Expressway (while we were Praying). He didn’t reach home!
I am not saying it is our Prayer, that killed him – That seemed to be a coincidence.
We were few then.
If we find out now, the number of those who have already gone through the School of Disciples’ Curriculum, only God knows how many thousands. And yet the devil seems to be roaming about doing what he wants.
And you are here – Disciples of the Most High; because you can’t even Pray for six (6) minutes now before checking your watch.
When we Prayed for one (1) hour in those days, unless there is something very urgent; Nobody would even think of stopping us.
In any case, we were too far gone to even hear you trying to stop is.
How many Disciples of Jesus Christ are here tonight or reading now on the Label of DMC?
If you are one of them, let me hear you say Amen – Amen.
… And you think that kind of Amen would kill the devil? Amen!!!
… He chose them that they would be with Him.
We learnt at that time that a day would come, that when we call a Meeting of Disciples, the Nation would be shaking. Because they would be wondering, what’s about to happen?
Unfortunately, for one reason or the other, because it became Compulsory: “if you want to be Ordained as a Pastor, you must have gone through the School of Disciples” – The School of Disciples became Academic.
Oh, I understand some People can even do it in Months.
We did it in ten (10) years – We came every Month for ten (10) years and we enjoyed every bit of it.
If all those who have gone through the School of Disciples (SOD) were to be here tonight, this Auditorium won’t contain us.
But Thank God, He does not save by numbers.
I believed there are a lot of you here tonight or reading now on the Label of DMC; God will use you to Change the Story of the world – Amen!
… I know the Amen would sound Sleepy – Amen!
It was in those days when we learnt how to be a Disciple – Who is your Enemy? The Weapons of our Warfare.
But some of us went through the Fire of the Holy Spirit.
Those were the days when we learnt that we must never turn our back to the Enemy.
We learnt that in the Weapons of our Warfare, there is Nothing for our back.
And God Produced “Genuine Disciples” for Himself. And some of them still remain.
3. HE CHOSE THEM TO GO WHERE HE WOULD SEND THEM.
You have Probably heard of one Disciple who was Pastoring somewhere in the North in Nigeria.
His wife just gave birth to a set of twins; Boko Haram came into the house when he was out.
Because all other Gospel Churches fled from that Particular Part of the Country at that time. But we refused to flee, because we believed that it is Darkness that would run from Light.
And they came, they could not find the Pastor. But they found the wife with the set of twins.
And they said, “alright we can’t find the Pastor, we would give him something to know we came” – They Slaughtered the twins. They cut their throats.
When I heard about it, of course I sent for him and the wife.
I said my son, you’ve Paid your Dues.
Because in those days we looked forward to a day when we would face Paul in Heaven. And when he is telling us about how many times he was beaten by the rod, showing us his scars; That we too would be able to tell Paul, “Sir, you suffered for Christ, we did too.” – And then show him some of our scars.
And so I said to him – Son, at least you already have something on your Curriculum Vitae (CV) now. When we get to Heaven, you will be able to tell Paul, “I too went through something for Christ.”
I said come back South (Nigeria) now.
So you know what he said to me? – Daddy,, you are the one who taught us that we must never turn our back to the Enemy. I am not leaving, I am staying. I will show these People, “I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ.”
That’s just one (1) Example!
The School of Disciples (SOD) Produced People who went to Places like Libya, Iraq, etc.
We want to go to where Angels feared to tread. We were Commandos for God.
I don’t want to tell you about my own, because if I begin to tell you some of the Places we have gone, you would say, “but you are the General Overseer.”
I want to tell you about what happened when we went to Congo. When we wanted to go to Congo and they told us “No Sir, we can’t go because there is war going on there.” We said, that’s the reason we want to go!
I don’t want to tell you how many times we have faced death on Journeys – No, it doesn’t matter!
I don’t want to tell you when we had to go on a Journey and they told us, “they are rioting on the way; the ways are blocked.”
I said, congratulations! That’s Good News.
I just want to tell you about a Disciple who went to one of these Foreign Counties and was arrested for being a Christian; imprisoned, until by the Grace of God we bailed him out of Prison.
And we said, come back home and rest. He said, I am home, I have rested for about two (2) Months. I am ready to go back.
Yes, He chose them for a Purpose:
– To be with Him.
– To go wherever He would send them; because He knew He won’t be able to finish the work alone. And He had to go back to Heaven.
4. BUT HE ALSO SAID, “I WILL EMPOWER YOU.”
Is God a liar? – No!
When He says He will do something, do you think He would do it? – Yes!
Why are so many Disciples Powerless?
Because, “before I will empower you” comes: you will be with me, you will go wherever I send you, and then I will Supply the Power.
You know something tells me that – This Year’s Convention is going to be different – Amen.
Something tells me that out of this Year’s Conference, the Almighty God Himself would Produce “Genuine Disciples” – Amen.
Disciples who are ready to suffer for Christ (if need be); Disciples who would be willing to go wherever they are -sent; and Disciples who would have Power- Amen.
There are Testimonies that I can’t share with you; because if I share some of them Nobody would believe anyway.
Let me tell you – There is still a God on His Throne who can do all manners of thing (Amen).
I saw something Online a couple of days ago – You can check and you might find it there.
It tells the Story of a Soldier who was a Christian, and everybody in the Regiment made fun of him – They bullied him.
And one day the Commander said to him, “I want you to take this car from here and Park it at such and such a Place.”
And the Soldier said “Sir, I don’t know how to drive.” The Commander said, “you don’t know how to drive? Why don’t you ask your Jesus to help you?” Hurry up man, drive this car to that Place!
So he took the keys, entered into the car (he has never driven a car before) and drove the car Perfectly to where the Commander asked him to Park it.
And when he came out of the car he saw all the other Soldiers weeping. “Why are you all weeping?”
He saw the Commander trembling and taking off his hat, and going to the car, opened the hood because there was no engine in the car. Hallelujah!
That’s the God that has Called you to be His Disciples.
Yes, that’s my God – He is supposed to be your God also.
God can do anything.
That’s my God – That’s Whose Disciple I am.
I’ll tell you just one (1) more Story and then it would be time for you to Pray.
But don’t Pray tonight, unless you want to be a “True Disciple” of Jesus Christ.
Some of you have heard the Story before, so I am not making it up.
There was a time when the entire Camp is around the very First Auditorium – By the Expressway. Every other Places that you see now were Jungle.
But then, occasionally, some People would come to the Old Auditorium to Pray.
So when I want to Pray in the Night I would come out of my house and walk into the bush – Away from their noise.
So one night, I was walking in the bush, enjoying myself with my Father. And I have this torchlight with me – Modern torchlight with what they call Rechargable Batteries. You know, you can recharge the battery so it will keep going.
I didn’t know that the Charge in the battery had gone low. I just kept on walking, going farther and farther into the bush, having a nice time with my God. And all of a sudden the torchlight went out! And I was far into the Jungle – Only a footpath; no Light, everything black!
“Oh, how do I get back?”
Then I remembered that when I was in Primary School, our Teacher said: f you find yourself in total Darkness all of a sudden, close your eyes tight for two (2) Minutes. If you open your eyes after two (2) Minutes, your eyes would have adjusted to the Darkness so that you would be able to see faintly.
Okay, time to Practice what my Teacher taught us.
So I closed my eyes tight, after about two (2) Minutes I opened my eyes. And I was surrounded by Lights because all of a sudden overhead was a very big Moon, so I could see my way easily back to Civilization
… There was no Moon there!
As soon as I came out of the Jungle; turned to where there were few houses on the Camp; I looked up to say Thank You God and tell Him Thank You for the Moon – But the Moon had disappeared!
My Beloved children, Disciples of the Most High God, we are not talking Theory – We know what we know. He is a Faithful God.
If you are willing to “Spend” and be “Spent” for Him; He will Surprise you.
Stand on your feet!
And if you like tonight Pray like everybody. If you like, Pray like a Disciple.
Lift your voice to Him – If I ask you to Pray for one (1) hour, you may think that it’s too much.
I want you to know, there are People who always Pray on Thursday Night before the Holy Ghost Service.
They Pray from evening till 3am – Go and ask them.
At 3am when they are about to close, I go there to close with them.
So, I don’t push you to what I am not doing: And I want you to be Greater than I.
Lift your voice to the Most High God and say: Father; if You are looking for a Disciple, consider me as one.
Go ahead, cry to Him!
Thank you so much for staying all through to read.
