ENGAGING THE COVENANT OF KINGDOM STEWARDSHIP! - FAITH TABERNACLE, CANAANLAND – SIGNS AND WONDERS TODAY, MARCH 16TH, 2014

ENGAGING THE COVENANT OF Kingdom Stewardship!

By David O. Oyedepo

…Ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil (Exodus 23:25- 26).

Christianity is a covenant based faith and we serve a covenant-keeping God.
 
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips (Psalm 89:34).
 
We have blessings listed in Deuteronomy 28:1-12; however, there is what to do to take delivery of them. When we serve the Lord, we commit Him to bless us and when God blesses, it cannot be reversed. If we do what God commands, we will provoke His blessings. Christianity is a covenant based faith; only irresponsible people have hard times following Jesus Christ.

Last week, we began the teaching series, “Understanding the Covenant of Kingdom Stewardship,” with the topic: “Unveiling the Wonders of Kingdom Stewardship!”

In this week's edition of Signs and Wonders, we shall continue that series with the title: “Engaging the Covenant of Kingdom Stewardship!” Kingdom stewardship is one of our covenant responsibilities to access divine favour and rewards. Those rewards are there, but there are inputs that entitle us to draw from them . Kingdom stewardship is God's wisdom for connecting the redeemed to their rewards.
 
What, then, is Kingdom Stewardship?

It is serving the interests of the Kingdom in all its ramifications. It is a commitment to the growth , expansion, enlargement and overall advancement of God's Kingdom.
 
Kingdom Stewardship can be classified into three categories:

- Spiritual Stewardship:
This is the most important. It has to do with ingathering and establishment of souls in the Kingdom.
In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince (Proverbs 14:28).
The Church is ordained for continuous and endless growth. When we are committed to building the Church, we
are engaging in spiritual stewardship which is superior to every other kind of stewardship.

- Physical Stewardship:
This is our physical engagement in diverse service groups, through our skills and services offered for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

- Financial Stewardship:
This is investing our finances towards the promotion and advancement of the Kingdom, as engraced by God.
Of all these forms of stewardship, spiritual stewardship is the most rewarding. Remember, physical engagement profits little, but spiritual engagement is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life which now is and of that which is to come (1Timothy 4:8). There is profit from all other areas (physical and financial stewardship), but the most enduring and explosive rewards come through spiritual stewardship.
We live in a Kingdom of seed time and harvest. What we sow today, determines our returns tomorrow. That means, when we engage in soul- winning, we are trading spiritual stocks and the returns cover all areas of our lives. It is foolishness to expect anything without doing something.
 
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together (John 4:35-36).
 
Our engagement in soul-winning must culminate in reaping before we are qualified to receive. So, we reap and gather; then, our wages are fully paid. Our satisfaction must not be in the fact that we went in search for souls, but that we succeeded in bringing and establishing the souls we brought.
Please, know that all the watchmen and intercessors are also beautified along with the soul-winners, because it takes a combination of standing strong in prayers and preaching the good tidings, to see people saved and established. We are either on the go preaching, or on our knees praying, or both. But to belong to none, makes one a complacent Christian. That means we are losing ground without knowing. Prayer is a mighty weapon in reaping harvest of souls and seeing them established (Isaiah 66:7-8; Isaiah 62:10-12).

 
WONDER REWARDS IN SPIRITUAL STEWARDSHIP

Supernatural Breakthrough:
We have a graphic picture in the case of Peter with his net-breaking and boat-sinking dimension of breakthrough (Luke 5:1-8).

People were pressing on Jesus to hear the Word; so, it was a soul-winning mission that Peter subscribed to. All the fishermen then, are dead and forgotten, but Peter is still alive today. Our engagement, this month, will give us a place in history! Certain things took place when Jesus entered into Peter's boat, which must take place in our lives! The Bible says, “The net began to break and the boat began to sink.” Net-breaking and boat-sinking dimension of breakthroughs are what we call supernatural breakthroughs.

Everyone that allows Jesus have His way, ends up with supernatural breakthroughs. Jesus is still saying to us today, “Let Me have your boat, so you can have My blessings .” Remember, it is the blessings of the Lord that maketh rich and adds no sorrow to it (Proverbs 10:22). God is saying, “Let Me have your time and you will have My timeless blessings” (Psalm 22:30). Abraham was a servant of God and the blessings for his stewardship are still speaking for generations.

Please note that skill does not guarantee favour, but when we sow our skill as a seed, favour returns in immeasurable dimensions (Ecclesiastes 9:11; Psalm 102:13-15).

If you allow Jesus a ride on your back, you will share the same honour with Him (Matthew 21:9-16; John 12:26).
 
Speedy Rewards:
The day Peter allowed his boat to be engaged in ministering to the needs of the people, to set the captives free and to bring souls into the Kingdom, was the same day he had his mysterious returns. Cast your nets into the deep (Luke 5: 4-7). As the Lord liveth, before the month of March is over, we are swimming in mysterious returns!

Every soul-winner is a fisherman: every time a fish is caught, the commission is paid (Matthew 17:26- 27; Revelation 22:12). So, in the name of Jesus Christ, this month is declared our month of rewards!
 
Divine Health:
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20).

We are called ambassadors of Christ because we engage in reconciling the world with God. A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health (Proverbs 13:17). That means everyone involved in reconciling the world to God, enjoys divine health in return.

This will help you: every organization has healthcare programme for its staff.

 

TESTIMONIES

International Job via Soul- winning!

“In September 2012, God gave me a job as the Financial Controller of an international organization. God revealed to me what was happening in that company and told me not to join them. So, I made a vow to Him that I would neither steal nor allow anyone to steal.

I walked with God, despite several frustrations and threats on my life. At a point, I was given escort everywhere I went. When they could not get me out of the company, they lured me to South Africa for a regional training. There I was told that my job had been terminated. I cried in the hotel I was lodged, and called my Zonal Pastor and we prayed together.

My wife and I also prayed and engaged in Kingdom service in this church. Shortly after, God told me, 'Son, those that petitioned against you, I have petitioned them. Watch and see!' I also heard the Bishop say, 'You, who have lost your job, let God employ you.' So, I keyed into that and engaged vigorously in soul-winning. I went to Automated Teller Machine (ATM) points, shared tracts and challenged them to allow God employ them.

Within two months, I received job offers from different countries of the world. When I asked God, 'Which one should I take?' He said, 'Son, take that one.' Today, I am the first employee of that company in Nigeria. I am so revered and honoured. I give glory to God for restoring me 10 times over. Halleluyah!” ---Godwin Peters

 

Seven-year Career Stagnation Ends!

“I was last promoted in my place of work in 2007, but I believed God that I would be lifted to the next level. During Shiloh 2013, the Bishop asked us to tie our Shiloh sacrifice to a particular thing. Among my desires, I said, 'God, this promotion is one of the most important to me.' This is because the position I held then, I was neither a junior nor a senior officer. I told God to destroy the barrier, because two people I knew in my village ended their career as junior officers; my story must change.'
A week after Shiloh, a friend called and asked where I was. I told him I was at home, because I was not on duty that day. He said, 'Go to the office; something is going on.' When I got there, I discovered that a verification exercise was going on. After the verification, we had a board interview, in December. While at the interview, I told my colleagues that God called this interview because of me.

Lo and behold, on Friday I checked the list of the persons promoted to senior officers, and my name was shortlisted.
The most amazing part is that my promotion was backdated to December 2013. I give glory to the God of this Commission!”--- Fidelis Abonyi
 

Supernatural Transformation!

“A year ago, I gave my life to Christ. I was a Muslim with the name Ibrahim Adamu, until God located me during one of the Sunday services.
 
God took me through the three tiers of the Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI), and within six months, I began to teach at the Believers' Foundation Class. Today, I do not only teach, I co-ordinate the Believers' Foundation Class.

The day I gave my life to Christ, the Bishop was teaching on the benefit of soul-winning. He mentioned divine health, supernatural supplies among other benefits. Then I said, 'If I can get all these in one package, why don't I jump into soul-winning?' So I did. Since then, it has been one testimony after another.
 
As I told people of the testimonies I read in Signs and Wonders, and the great things God had done in my life, today, God added seven persons to my evangelical team.
 
Last week, the Bishop declared this week as our week of ingathering. So, I told God, 'Now that I am going to be a year in Christ, I need a birthday gift.' I asked for the souls of my family members and listed them on my Prayer Project Card. On Friday, while at the Breakthrough Service, I lifted the card and called them one after the other. Right there at the service, my younger brother called, but I told him I would speak with him after the service. When I did, he gave his life to Christ!
 
As if that was not enough, that same day at 11:45 p.m., my sister, who had refused to call me because I had found a new faith, called me and she also gave her life to Christ!
 
Today, my elder brother is seated in this service. When I scheduled him for WOFBI in Kaduna, he refused. He said, 'Where you had that encounter, I want to come for it.' So, I brought him to Lagos to attend WOFBI at Raji-Oba, where God transformed my life.
 
I give glory to the God of Bishop David Oyedepo and this Commission for these transformations. Praise the Lord!”--- Abraham Adams
 

Delivered from Untimely Death!

“Shortly after I got home from service last Sunday, I received a call from my uncle. He asked me to give him a ride to Redemption Camp, which I did. But on my way back, I had an accident.
The tyre at the driver's side of the car burst and the car swerved. I did the best I could to control it, but to no avail. Suddenly, within me, I heard a voice say, 'Let it be!' So, I became calm. Thereafter, the car somersaulted six times and landed on the other side of the road (en route Ibadan). The airbags came out and the windscreen smashed on me, but I bless God that I came out uninjured; neither did I sustain any internal bleeding.

Miraculously, at the accident scene, the only two people who stopped to attend to me were doctors. After their examination, on our way back to Lagos, one of them asked, 'Which church do you attend?' I said, 'Living Faith Church.' He said, 'No wonder!' The other doctor also said, 'That is insurance!' I bless God for the divine covering that is eternally assured in this Commission! Praise the Lord!” ---Adeniji Iremayowa

 

Supernatural Promotion!

“I joined this Commission in 2000. In 2013, while coming for Shiloh, I told God to give me my Word. On the last day of Shiloh 2013, the Bishop said, 'Some of you will receive a telephone call for a new job! Some of you will get a telephone call for your promotion!'
At 4.00 p.m., after the Anointing Service at Shiloh, I returned to my lodge at Covenant University. When I switched on my phone, someone called and said, 'Ogbaji, where are you?' I said I am at Shiloh. He said, 'Are you not aware that you are scheduled for an interview in Abuja on Monday?' I said, 'No! I am in church; I didn't know.' He said, 'Ok, get ready and go to Abuja.' That was how I left Shiloh 2013 for an interview in Abuja.
Last week Monday, while at work, I received a text message that stated that I had been promoted to the officers' cadre. I give God the glory!”---Ogbaji Emmanuel

 

Divine Favour!

“I got a call on Tuesday from a company I don't remember applying to, to come for an interview on Thursday. On getting there, they asked, 'Mr. Oluwole, what kind of perfume are you using?' I said, 'I don't use any!' They said they saw my Curricular Vitae (CV) while emptying their cabinet, because there were too many CVs there. In an attempt to burn them all, they saw my CV and decided to go through it. After that, they called me for the interview.

What ought to have been an interview became a chat. I was favoured to the extent that my appointment letter was typed immediately.

Beyond that, I was expecting the position of an ordinary officer, but they made me an account officer in an oil and gas company, with the opportunity of travelling abroad for training. I give God the glory! ” - - - Oluwole Olusegun Mayowa

 

Prophetic Blessings

Every curse of barrenness or spell of miscarriage that is plaguing anyone is terminated today!

Every curse of failure is declared terminated today!

Every curse of business and career frustration is terminated in every life and family today!

Every hereditary disease that has travelled through many generations, is destroyed today!

Whatever represents a curse of mediocrity and struggle is declared terminated in everyone's life!

Today, your liberty is sealed in heaven and delivered for a testimony on the earth!

Every enchantment, divination that is buffeting anyone's life by a curse from the devils, is terminated today!

Receive a double restoration for every form of humiliation!

 (Excerpts from “Signs & Wonders Today”, A Weekly Publication By FAITH TABERNACLE, Canaan Land, Ota,Nigeria - MARCH 16, 2014)

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