The Kingdom of God and Kingdom Building | Lecture 9 : BC215-KOG&KB-20260911

Hey, good morning everyone. Uh good morning and welcome to our students who are joining us online. Let's pray and we will begin with our session. Father, we thank you once again for this wonderful opportunity Lord you've given us to Lord to come together and to hear from your word and we thank you that your word is ministering to each of our hearts. So Lord, even as we continue to talk about a God-given vision and the things that you put in each of our hearts, Lord, we pray that everything that you have put in our hearts, Lord, that will bear fruit in our lives for your kingdom. Lord, uh we thank you for the work of the Holy Spirit to bring remembrance, to bring wisdom, to bring knowledge and understanding and revelation. Oh God, we pray that you will be with us and lead us in these sessions. Lord, in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Okay. So last class we talked about the God-given vision, right? And we've been looking about the nature of a God-given vision and we looked at um lessons from four people. Who are the four? Paul, David, Moses, sorry, >> Joseph. >> Joseph, yes. Four people. And then very importantly, we saw that how God took them through seasons of preparation. Each of them had a different kind of preparation that they had to go through. Uh but something very important that I took away from that was that greater the call, greater the preparation. So don't be afraid of preparing right don't be in a hurry to get into what God has called you to do right it may be bursting inside but sometimes most often God takes us through a preparation process then very importantly we looked at the Kronos and the chyros everyone know that what's the Kronos Kronos sorry the process process the duration time. Yes. Good. What's the chyros? Fulfillment of time, right? Good. So, good that we understand that. Remember there is a Kronos. That's a there's a chyros. So, if you are in a waiting season, tell God, Lord, I know I'm in the Kronos. Don't say I'm in the Chyros. Chyros will come. Right? Okay. Few more aspects of a god-given vision and then we can wrap up this chapter move into the next one. Uh very importantly uh a god-given I just want to repeat this a god-given vision will face demonic oppositions. Now remember this okay no matter what you do for God's kingdom there will be demonic oppositions. It's not like the enemy is looking for somebody who's only in pastoral ministry or apostolic ministry. No, you can be somebody who's doing something very small. Or maybe you may just be a prayer warrior. Nobody knows you in your house. You're just praying, seeking the Lord. Remember that even if you're in your room praying, you are advancing the kingdom of God. Now because of that there's a kingdom of ducks there will be demonic oppositions and there are four Ds uh that we uh that is mentioned here and picking up from Nehemiah 2 uh we see that you know God gave the the God of heaven was with Nehemiah. If you read Nehemiah you'll see that phrase the God of heaven very often mentioned. God told Neahmiah go build a wall. Was it easy? Were there oppositions? >> Now, let's look at four oppositions. Demonic oppositions that can be very subtle. Why? Because they can come and distract us from what God wants us to do. Four, number one, demonic opposition can come as a distraction. We talked about this. Something that can drain away your time, your energy, your resources, your gifts, your talents is a distraction. For example, social media is good, but it can become a distraction. Right? So this morning I got a message from one of our youth and she said, "Pastor, I have decided before 10:00 a.m. I will not use Instagram. After 10:00 a.m. I'll not use Instagram." Why? Because when I wake up, if I use Instagram, I become fresh. Because my mind becomes alert. And it's true, right? She said it's true cuz immediately my mind is like, okay, what's happening on Instagram? So mind becomes alert and so no matter what time it is. So it's is is social media good? That's good. We need it. But it becomes a distraction. And so what happens by the time this person goes to office and starts working, there's no energy, too many things in the mind. and she already feels tired. By 9:00 a.m. they're tired. No, it can become a distraction. It pulls our attention away from the things of God. So very important is what you do first thing in the morning, right? Because that's going to keep that's going to stay on your mind. That's why the psalmist says, "Early in the morning will I seek you. From the rising of the sun to its setting down, let the name of the Lord be praised. Right? So first thing in the morning now you may the enemy may come and say it's not a distraction using Instagram. You're not you're not watching anything vulgar just watching what is there. And we try to defend that mistake. Right? We try to defend it. The moment we defend it, there's nothing more we can do. Why? Because you're defending something that already wrong. It's a distraction. So distraction breaks off focus, results in wasted time, wasted energy, wasted resources. So what can I do to replace something that is distracting me? Tell me what do you think you can do? Okay, you know, for example, somebody says my phone is a distraction. And now I think everyone says that right phone is a distra. So what do you think you can do to stop getting distracted too often with the phone? Oh, so none of you are uh distracted by the phone. All of you are going straight to heaven. Yes. Sorry, Tisha. Ah, okay. Get a phone which doesn't have apps. Okay. If you can't buy another phone, what do we do? Keep the phone out of your bedroom. Okay, that's good. It's practical, right? What else? Sorry. >> Switch off. Best remedy. But when you switch it off, your mind will be thinking, "Oh, what if this person wants to call me and it's switched off? My pastor needs to call me. So you'll switch it on again. Delete the apps. But for how long? You'll re, you know, a moment will come when you're tired and weak and then you want to reinstall it again. Prepaid phone. Keep keypad phone. This phone. Okay. Yeah. Like you know, just get a phone with no apps. Don't reach. Okay. All all all of you are experienced in this. You'll have tried all this. Is it? Sorry. >> No. But for how long? The first problem you'll go and recharge. See, okay, let me say this. It's not bad to have a phone. We all need a phone, right? We have to use the phone. But learn to balance it all. See, for me, I need the phone because so many people call. There's church people and I need to use it. I can't say I have decided to give away my phone and have no phone. It's not going to work, right? So there's staff, there's staff meetings, there's church people, there are life groups, uh, and lot of people call and message. And if you see my phone now, I have some 120 unread messages. I don't know. I have to sit and read them. But what to do? I have to use the phone. But balance it out. So I know Monday to Friday, I will use the phone during workouts. Saturday and Sunday, I try my best not to use it. Secondly, even when I go home, um after I'm I'm at home, I try not to use it. I try my best. Now, it they keep ringing. People keep trying to call and most sometimes I miss their calls, right? Genuine church calls. Uh but if it's a number, then I try not to pick it up. I try to deal with it the next day, right? In the So, balance it out. First thing in the morning, don't even keep your phone near you. Now I do keep it with me for the alarm. Uh that's it. I I I don't bother about it. I don't look at it. It doesn't interest me at that time. Right? So you have to train your mind to do that. Smallest distraction. Okay? Some of them it can be food. Really can be food. Right? You decide in the morning you wake up and you're sitting for prayer. The moment you say two lines of prayer, you're thinking of breakfast. what to eat for breakfast, what to eat for lunch, what to eat for dessert. Now, it's not wrong, right? We need food, but it can become a distraction. Sometimes it's friends, sometimes it's um things that can, you know, bother us like um cars, bikes. These are all it's not a big sin but the point is they can become a distraction from the focus for the vision that God has put. Okay. It doesn't mean we should not use a phone. We should not have a car. We should not we enjoy all of that. But that's not the heart. The heart is hey all of these things that I have should help me to fulfill what God wants me to do. There's a distraction. Learn to cut it down slowly. Right. Second one was diversion. A demonic opposition can come as a diversion. Everyone underline these two. Distraction first two diversion. It can initially become a very small diversion but over time it becomes a huge gap. For example, this happened to me I think in 2014 where suddenly I you know there was a time when I couldn't pray in the morning said okay I'll pray next week I'll pray next week and I realized it's been a month of not much of praying right but so it's not like I was doing any you know living in sin But I realized that somewhere something's wrong right what I used to pray slowly that gap no it was 1 hour during that time it's become 45 minutes then it became 30 minutes then it became 10 minutes right and then slowly for a for a for a while it was you know just get up get ready thank you Jesus while you're doing your work that's your morning prayer right it It was hard maybe for multiple reasons because the kid you know the kids were there and it was just tiring. My little one won't sleep. He decided whole night I will not sleep but the whole day I will sleep. So we would sit the whole night sit the moment I take him put him on the bed he'll cry. They have to sit on the lap the whole night. So but then these things can become a diversion if not looked after. And I thank God for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit said I don't care about all these things. You got to sit and pray. And that those were the initial days when I was traveling. I realized okay I have to do it. So whether you sleep, you don't sleep, I have to get into the word. Get in get your prayer life sorted. If he's not sleeping, you you you know, you get up, you set a time, you pray because that's what's going to keep you going, right? So, don't let diversion come in. Stay aligned to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Three, dispute. Now, the moment you decide, I have a vision. I'm going to focus on that vision, disputes happen. Disputes within the family. You're saying all this while this problem was not there. The moment you decide you want to do something and you're focusing on your vision, you're focusing on prayer, reading of the word, there'll be a problem in the house. And the moment that problem comes, what happens now? Suddenly there's a diversion in the mind. I've been praying all this while and now the attention goes from what's happening what God is doing in your life to what's happening in the house. Is the house important? Is the family important? Yes. But that can become a diversion disputes within the house. So how do I handle this? Imagine there's a you know there's a dispute or there's an argument and misunderstanding in the house. What do you think I should do? Yes. Very good. What else? What else can we do? Now you know. Okay. Now, for example, you're here in Bible college, but there's a major argument, disagreement in the house. Now, your mind is there instead of kingdom builders. So, what are you going to do? I can't help it. You can't help it also. Right? You're thinking of it. Hey, this is what's happening in my house. Why is my why is there arguments? Why are there what can you do? You have to deal with it. You can't say there's no problem. There is a problem. How do I deal with it? As a child of God, what should I do? Sorry. >> Pray first. Yes. >> Pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide. Right. Very important what Risha said was to understand this could be the work of the enemy. The enemy can bring in these things through people in the family to break you to make you stop praying to make you feel like your prayers are not good. You're not good at prayer. You're not whatever you pray nothing's happening. Things are going from bad to worse. He makes you feel that way. The enemy can make you feel condemned. You can fast and pray 20 days and still the problem is there and he'll make you feel what's the use of 20 days of fasting and prayer. What is what is your response? What should you do? Are you going to say yeah 20 days I fasted and prayed. So what to do? The problem is still there. So let's do something else. What are you going to do? The problem is still there. 20 days you have fasted and prayed. What should you tell your mind? Persevere. Okay. Are the prayers have the the prayers that you made are they something that has gone in the air or are they something which God has heard and it is valuable in the kingdom of God? Don't you feel that right? Every prayer that you have made is valuable in the kingdom of God. It's not like I prayed 20 days fasting prayer, nothing's happened. God is not a genie in a bottle. Okay, God, this is what I need, right? And you pray a couple of two, three days fasting prayer and then everything you want, you need. No, we thank God. But God is a God who answers prayers. But he also is preparing us. He's training us. He's teaching us that through adversaries, through what the enemy is doing. Imagine a life without adversaries. How would it be? No problems in life. Everything is okay. What will happen? Yeah, that's in the end times towards the end. But imagine your life you had no problems at all. Would you be mentally strong? Would you have built character? It'll just be someone easy going. That's not what it is, right? So demonic oppositions can bring disputes. So if there's a dispute within your family, all of a sudden it's come up. First thing you can do is you sit down. You say, "Lord, this is the problem in my family. Help me to understand that the enemy is trying to bring this. Help me to also understand that you are going to give me the wisdom to handle everything. How do I speak? What to speak? Who to speak to? Bring the right people. Give me the wisdom to make the decision." Okay, last one. Demonic oppositions can come as discouragement. Uh discouragements. We work hard. No, no result. You expect people to do certain things. No result. You put your hope in a lot of things, you know, through to people or parents, whatever. We put hope in things and sometimes and it's not fulfilled. It becomes a major discouragement. Maybe some of you are praying and saying God one day I want to lead worship and then you're saying no opportunity on me. Oh Lord it's become a discouragement. No no it's not a discouragement right don't worry you got to continue. Remember God is on your side empowering you. Okay so these four Ds always remember these four. distraction, diversions, dispute and discouragement when they come and immediately speak the word. Now I'm not saying once you are 10 years in ministry you become a pastor all of this will go away. No no no this will be even more but you got to deal with it and you got to be able to understand that God is with me and he has given us all that we need. Okay let's move on. Uh did we speak about a God-given vision is bigger than the individual? We've not done that. That's going back. Okay. Um, a God-given. Yeah. So, this is this is we already talked about it like how in the Mary miracle, nobody understood Mary. So, don't know. Not everyone will understand your vision. Hey, I want to start um you know a Bible college which will do this this this this you have it in your heart. Not everyone are going to understand it and you don't expect everyone to understand. So even before that before you share it share it with the right people. Only two people know the vision that God puts uh has put in my heart. Some there were two people, two very very important people. That's it. You don't have to go and tell the whole world. You meet somebody oh hey you know what's my vision and then you'll say just say your vision as value your vision. Keep it close to your heart. Right? When it's close to your heart, nobody even if people speak against it, you you valued it. You've honored that vision that God has given you. Right? So, not everyone will understand it. Let's go let's go further on. Okay. Quickly, other people find and fulfill their life's calling by participating in your God-given vision. So, for example, in sharing, you know, you have a vision, you're working towards it. Of course, for example, you start you want to start a school, just a regular school. So, if you have a school, you you need to have staff, you need to get in people. Uh not only are you fulfilling your vision, but maybe you're fulfilling the vision of other people who want to be a teacher or some of them who want to be an administrator, right? You're fulfilling their vision also for their life because they are stepping into the call of God that they have, right? Dreams and visions given to the body of Christ are interlin. Let's read Ephesians 4:4. Read that please. Ephesians 4:4. Yes. There is a one body and one spirit. Just as you were called in one hope of your calling. >> Yeah. We cannot fulfill our calling outside of the body. We are all called together to the same hope. Now think of this. You may say but you know pastor I'm a businessman or I want to be an athlete or I want to do this I want to do that. Remember the moment we all become believers we are part of one body the body of Christ. Now out of that comes the local church where we begin to you know use the gifts and talents that God has given us to fulfill our life's calling. Okay. So for example, each of us have different gifts, different abilities and one of you may be in the workplace, right? You're you're in the corporate, you're working 9 to5 Monday to Friday, right? So there's nothing called as ministry in that. But imagine for example, you're in AI, just an example, right? you're learning AI or you're you're in information and technology learning about all these your your your strength is all this computer stuff and technology. Now identify your working but on your weekends or the times the other day times you can serve using the gifts and the talents that God has given you for the body of Christ. Everyone with me right? So it's not don't look at ministry as only people who are called to be pastors, apostles, prophets. No, we need to get out of that. All of us. The moment we are in the body of Christ, we have become believers, we whatever we do, we are fulfilling God's call for our life. And it is a ministry. It's a ministry, right? So get it out of your mind. Oh, only if I'm on the stage preaching, I'm in ministry. Or only if I'm teaching, I'm in ministry. Only if I have the gifts of the spirit, I'm in ministry. No, you can have somebody who's a tailor sitting in a small shop doing tailoring job the whole day and that person is a believer. He or she is doing ministry unto the Lord. So the Lord is going to say, "Listen, I gave you a task. I gave you a gift. You're using it beautifully. You are faithfully stewarding the gift God has given you." Is anyone clapping for this person who's doing tailoring work? Nobody's clapping. Nobody's saying, "Wow, best tailor in the world." No. But in God's eyes saying you are doing ministry as unto the Lord. Don't you think you feel that's beautiful? Says when the Lord looks at us he's not going to look at us with our titles. It's not going to be so oh you're a pastor come and stand. No when he looks at us he looks at us as a child of God. Yes there are rewards. We'll be rewarded according to our work. But the point is God gives us all these gifts, talents, abilities. He gives us dreams. He gives us visions and we use it to build the body of Christ. It's all interlict. Of course, sometimes God will call you out of the, you know, the corporate or maybe whatever you're doing and then he'll bring you into full-time ministry. That's great. I mean, but otherwise, you can whatever you're doing, you're doing it unto the Lord. Okay, last point. Ask God to give you a big heart, not just a big vision. Big vision is good, right? We should have a big vision, but ask God for a big heart as well. Many of us have a big vision and a small heart. And what happens? We only think of ourself. It's my vision. It's my heart. It's my goal. Uh it's my efforts. Uh but it's not only about me. A big vision requires a big heart. You make room for everyone. There is uh a big heart is free from insecurity, jealousy, competition, self-centeredness. A big heart recognizes and celebrates God uh and uh God at work in other people's lives. Remember this and I've said this before and you know the greatest mark of a leader is not how many sermons he has preached or how many gifts of the spirit he is flowing in. The greatest mark of a leader is how many leaders he is able to raise up. That's a big heart. And something that we always emphasize here in APC is raise up leaders, right? We want each one of you to become leaders. And we look at you already as leaders. So when you come one minute late for class or 2 minutes late for class and you know why do we get upset? Hey, you're already a leader. You have to be on time. Then you can tell your church people. Don't go telling others what to do when you are not doing it. But the point here is you have a vision, people come in, you celebrate what God's doing in their life. You have to have a big heart. And sometimes people become better than you. For example, you're training somebody how to, you know, play an instrument or sing and eventually they become better than you and they get more opportunities than you. What is your response to that? Sorry. Yeah, that's easy to say. But then when you see it, what are you going to do and say, "Hey, I'm the one who taught him how to play music. What do you think? It's right. What you said is right. But we should have a big heart to say that. You say, "God, whatever he's doing, he's doing for your kingdom." Right? And you should be happy, should be glad that they're using their gifts and abilities to build God's kingdom. Okay? Okay. Let's move to chapter five. Before that, any questions? You have a question? Uh, just speak in the mic. >> Um, pasta to do with um the demonic. How do you like sometimes you were saying that it can be subtle, >> right? But what if it's not so subtle? How do you deal with it then? Yeah, sometimes everyone understood the question, right? Uh so the question is these demonic act oppositions sometimes are very subtle. The word subtle means like it doesn't need to be look like a big sin and it's not like the devil only is coming and he's bringing you know you may not feel any demonic spirit around you and the enemy brings um but sometimes you feel it there's a real demonic you know when you go to a certain place or or you're you know it can be like somebody's pressing towards you or you may have bad dreams continuously Um or there could also be a physical you know uh there's a certain limit of physical opposition that the enemy can do and you know it's demonic. What do you do during those times right now? You know it's not a distraction. It's not something very small. So those times you get ready for battle. You say God this is the time when I really need the power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. You see, remember that God is always in control and he allows us. He knows how much we can bear, right? So sometimes he he says, "Okay, I'm it's okay. This person can bear this. It's going to build this person up." Right? Now, we're not remember, okay, be very careful, right? I'm not saying we're waiting for demonic oppositions to come. No. What he's saying is when these, you know, it's demonic. you know Zimon right you have to fight it f harder you have to push you have to be able to like really stand strong during those times don't give in right now uh how do I do that first thing you declare words of God the power of God's word right two you ask for a greater measure of anointing you say Lord I need Holy Spirit anoint me at this time because you know I need that double measure to be able to overcome this right so something that I've realized that I've noticed it normally happens to me I I don't know why but uh when I go to north India and minister of north India is very different for me there there's a some kind of a different I I feel so strong I'm ready for any you know praying over casting out demons I I love it. But is it easy? Sometimes it's not right. Uh but there's this demonic opposition that keeps it and you know it's demonic, right? Uh and of course you know you have people who are demon oppressed. They come now if I just pray like what I'm doing every day and go through North India, I may become weak. I may become weary. Now, it's not like I'm depending on myself, but of course, I should also know that, hey, I need to prepare myself. I need to ask for a greater measure of anointing for me to fight what the enemy is doing, right? So, sometimes the enemy is very subtle, sometimes it's very strong, right? I can share so many stories that have happened, but I don't want to I don't want you to get, you know, get afraid and all of that. Um but there there was right physical things right there were times when um you know I was sleeping and I was 40 days of prayer and you know there were physical things that happened right like things moved and all these kind of things it happens the enemy has that but don't let fear come into your heart the moment you allow fear to come in that's your first door that you open. Fear is the greatest enemy of faith. Everyone say that fear >> fear >> is the greatest enemy of faith. >> So if you want to walk in faith, get rid of fear first thing. First thing, get rid of fear. Oh, the enemy, I got a bad dream. You wake up. Oh man, there's fear. immediately say, "I rebuke this dream. I take it and I cancel it and I throw it away in Jesus' name." Now, after you've done that prayer, you got to believe in that prayer and just move on. Now, could be that the thoughts are coming back again and again the whole day. Oh, I had that dream, that bad dream. Is something going to happen? No. That's where you renew your mind. Tell your mind no I'm not going to allow the dream to bring fear and doubt again. So I've already canceled it. I've already thrown it away. I remember this one dream that happened. I think it was 2015 16 and I woke up in fear. The dream I don't normally get too many dreams but the dream was I'm burying my mother alive. Right. So when I woke up I was there was so much of fear in me. What what should I do first thing? First thing, rebuke it, cancel it, throw it away, right? And then was that dream I see I'm even remembering it now, right? Because it was so so real those dreams of but immediately you cancel it. It should not affect you. It should not take control over your mind. And you replace that fear with faith. Right? Okay. Okay. Any other questions? Yes. >> When you're um when you're opening the door for other people to come in on the vision, >> a little louder so others at the back can hear. >> When you're when you're opening the door for other people to come into the vision to build it with you, >> how do you discern who the right person is? And also if you're the kind of person who you know wants things done in a certain way, excellence. >> Yeah. >> Uh how do you kind of break away from that thing of not expecting too much because of course everyone's learning and on a journey but also being open? >> Yeah. So let me answer your second question first. Right. U see we must understand I think you answered that your second question. You must understand that when you have a vision, you have certain things in your mind. You want to do it a certain way and now you bringing in people to work with you. Now they may not do things the way you want to do it. Right? So that's when you come in, you train them, you teach them, hey, this is how I want you to do it. Right? You do it this way, do it this way, do this way. And then you give, you set a certain time frame, maybe a year, depends on what the project is, a year or two years, and you be with them. you teach them because what you're doing is this is the initial part of your uh building your vision. So you got to be with them like they may be learning. Um now as they you give them a time frame always right don't say I know you're learning otherwise next 5 years they'll keep learning one year in one year I want to see you doing this and doing it just like the way I'm doing it example right so you give them one year and they have to put in that effort right and you see okay are they doing it now after a year um of course during that year you're bringing correction you're telling them you know you got to work hard Now two things can happen. One, one, some of them may say, you know what, I can't do this and just move on. So let them go, right? Don't force people to be part of your vision. Two is you you will have to let go of certain people because they're not doing well. Right now, this could be a hard thing, but it's important to do it because the vision is bigger. For example, a church in a church if if I have a person example life group coordinator and if that person is not doing it's been a year and I'm not seeing growth I'm not seeing any improvements I will have to let them go because the vision is more important than the person you will get more people will come people will go and over the years in APC many people have joined Yes, many people did not understand the vision and they moved. Some of them we had to ask them to move out. That's the hard part. But the vision is more. Now just because you ask somebody to move out doesn't mean you don't love them doesn't mean you're you're you know you're a person who how can I do that? How can no you've given them you know opportunities to learn and you you've given them the option to grow. Remember stewardship right? You God is using you to enable somebody else to fulfill their vision. Now if they are not good stewards of it, what will happen? You can't because you're responsible to God and the vision that God has given you. Right? So that's the first thing to answer is that second one is that people will come and sometimes you will have to let go of people. Set a time frame. Very important. maybe one year, two years depending on what the project is. And the first question was uh how do you know who to Yeah. So now the vision is big. There will be people who will God will bring in automatically. Sometimes you just know okay they're part of you know they they're there with you and sometimes they're there with you for 2 years sometimes they're there for 10 years. Sometimes they're there with you all the way till the end. Right? How do I know? We thank God for the spirit of discernment. Right? So when you look at a person, you you ask them to serve. Number one, you see whether they are faithful in small things. Are they faithful in the small things? Right? Uh because sometimes uh the vision's big uh they want the big things. No. Are you faithful and small? Are you willing to do the small tasks that have been given to you? Right? Um and then character hard attitude we're going that going to that next chapter kingdom builders lifestyle. So uh you see right um there will be times when people will join your vision they may stay for a long short term a long term or they may be with you till the end. Right? So that discernment will come uh as you begin. Anything else? Okay, let's move to chapter five. Very very important chapter. Kingdom builders lifestyle. Who we are is more important than what we do. Isn't that great? Who we are is more important than what we do. There's no point saying you're a pastor and doing none of what a pastor does. There's no point saying uh I'm a child of God and not behaving like a child of God. So who we are is more often and sometimes in kingdom building we get so preoccupied with the work we do and we forget the God that is more interested in us. So we're going to look at three key elements in kingdom builders lifestyle. Are you a kingdom builder? Yes. Yes. >> Okay. These three lifestyle attributes or elements you must have. Number one, godly character. Two, spiritual maturity and stewardship. So, let's just break down each of these three and look at what it means. Now, these are not push and play, meaning you just press a button and everything will come in. It's years of learning, growing. You'll make mistakes. You'll journey along the way. It's okay. But you pick up continue strong. Right? Okay. Remember this. And uh I I've written it down. It's very hard to climb up, right? It's very easy to fall down. It's very hard to climb up. If you want to become a example, you want to start your ministry, you want, it takes a lot of effort to build your ministry and you build your ministry to a certain level. It's taken 10 years. Example, 10 years of hard work, dedication, trusting God, ups and downs. It's very hard to go up. It's very easy to fall down. So we're going to look at a few things. Number one, godly character. Godly character is important. What is character? Character is the nature, quality, temperament, personality, disposition, and the moral fiber and makeup of the person who I am. Your character is who I am really as a person. That's what character is. It's not what I assume to be before others and it's not what others assume to be. This is going to be a little hard, right? The Lord is going to speak to us. It's not what you think you are assume to be. Sometime we assume that I'm a good person or I'm a good pastor. I'm a good worship leader. Okay, that's good. And it's not also what others assume you to be. They may assume that you are a good person, a good pastor, good leader. My character is revealed through my conduct. My actions or reactions to diff difficult and unexpected circumstances reveal my character. What are things in my heart? What is happening in my heart reveal who I am? Who I really am. My secret choices reveal my character. What example? You know what I do? What a person does when nobody is watching. Recently just two days back speaking to a young one of the youth and he was telling me everyone appreciate me. Everyone think um you know I I know a lot from he knows a lot from the Bible. He's really good from the word, right? He knows uh he reads a lot. He's done a lot of research. He's done uh a Bible college course. He's very strong in the word, right? Uh he can quote scriptures and all of that, right? So he was telling me, this is on Friday, last Friday, sorry, Monday, Monday or Tuesday. So he was telling me pastor everyone think I am good in the word. I know I'm good in the word and um you know one of the sermons we spoke about was the parable of the swer and your heart condition. So one one of the Sundays I shared on that and he was he went home and it was bothering him. Right. He knows the word but he was saying I don't know if my heart is right. Right. I know the word. I know the seed. I know everything. Like I know most of it. What some of them don't know I know. Right. From for his age he knows a lot. But the problem is you're saying there are things that nobody knows what I'm going through. And he started to just pour out everything that's in his heart. And he said, "This is who I really am." I was kind of shocked listening to him, but I was very happy and glad. I was proud of the way that he was bold enough to come out and tell what he's going through. I said to him, listen, we all go through seasons. We all are working on it. Let me help you. So, I began to just help him out and help them to understand what's going on. See, it's very important to ask yourself, who am I and what am I doing? We're going to look at uh we we saw that one of the greatest examples of godly character in the Bible is Joseph. He served faithfully 11 years in Porter's house. Porter entrusted everything in the household matter into Joseph's hand. Yet there came a very difficult time in Joseph's life. We all know that story right where he was working for his wife comes and tries to uh seduce him but he was wise. Firstly, okay, we must understand context here. In Egypt, living polygamist relationships were all right. You could get married to three, four women. Women could get married to three, four men. It's all right. It was common at that time. So firstly, when Piper's wife came to Joseph, it was okay. It was not a big deal because it was part of their Egyptian culture. But what did Joseph say? Joseph says, "I cannot do this against my master." First, that means I'm accountable to my master. Secondly, what if Porter's wife said, "It's okay. I'll talk to him. Nothing wrong." Then he backed it up by saying, "I cannot do this against my God." We know the story, right? He he he went away. The power to say no comes from a strong character. Listen. Uh the strongest word is no. Learn to say no. Yes. No. Learn to say no. Right. Uh now I'm not saying if people are coming and asking you for help, don't say no. No. No. Strong character. No. Go away. No, what I'm saying is there will be times you will have to stand your ground and say no. Your conscience will keep you accountable to God even when no one is watching. Okay, let's take a break. We'll come back and continue from here.