RCCG ABUJA ANNUAL WORKERS’ MEETING NOVEMBER 2023

THEME: EBENEZER

MINISTERING: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

DATE: 8TH NOVEMBER 2023

BIBLE TEXT: 1 SAMUEL 7: 3-13

Thank You Father – Glory be to God!

SONG

1. There is None Holy as the Lord
There is None beside thee
Neither is there are any Rock like our God
There is None Holy as the Lord

2. Holy; Holy, Holy Holy
Holy, Holy Holy
Holy is the Lord
Hallelujah
Holy; Holy, Holy Holy
Holy, Holy Holy
Holy is the Lord

OPENING PRAYER

Father, we Worship You, We give You all Glory, and all Honour for all You have done for us since the Last Time that we were here.

Please, accept our Thanksgiving in Jesus Name.

Today in Your Very Special Way in the lives of all Your Workers; Father Please do something New, do something Mighty, do something Miraculous, do something Glorious and do something Divine.

Let all our Needs be met and let Your Name be Glorified.

In Jesus Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen.

Well, let Someone shout Hallelujah – Hallelujah!

Shake hands with one (1) or two (2) People and tell them that God will bless them Mightily tonight – Amen!

You are Welcome in Jesus Name – I always look forward to seeing you.

If I have my way, we will be having The RCCG Abuja Holy Ghost Service every Month. I tried to do it once but somehow it didn’t continue.

I was tempted to say that if I come to see you every Months like this; are you sure that you are going to take care of me?

You know that I’m your daddy and Coach – And so, I have an Advice for the Choir.

The Songs that you sang are very Good Songs – Classical Songs.

But you don’t sing Classical Songs in an Outreach!

Whenever you want to select any Hymn/Song for this kind of Gathering, make it Simple Song – A Song that People will understand and they will join in!

Make it a Hymn of Praise, of Prayer and something that has to do with the Holy Spirit.

When you finished Singing and they were Clapping, they were actually saying: Thank God they had finished.

But you can see the way they reacted the moment Pastor Kunle Ajayi began to Perform – Because he was Singing Songs that they can relate to.

… That’s the difference!

Within Seconds of starting the Song they can relate to, they were already Standing!

And I know that you have Practiced very hard to Present what you Presented – And God will reward you for it (Amen).

But Please as your Coach and Daddy, next time find a Song from the Hymn Book and sing it.

We are not here to learn a New Song or listen to one of those Classical Hymns.

The Classical Songs, sing that in your Churches; but when we gathered together like this, we want something we can all relate with.

Let us put our hands together for the Choir – Glory be to God!

God bless you!

 

Please be seated.

1 Samuel 7: 3-13

3. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the Strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and Prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

4. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

5. And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will Pray for you unto the LORD.

6. And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and Fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

7. And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8. And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

9. And Samuel took a sucking Lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

10. And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

11. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

12. Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

13. So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

You are going to sing a Song of Victory this week – Amen!

Ebenezer is actually a Song of Victory and it is saying: “Thus far the Lord had helped us”.

It is a Song that is very, very appropriate for us as a Mission – The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

I remembered the first time that we had the Holy Ghost Service here in Abuja. And we went to Sherston Hotel and we are going to meet for three (3) days.

And I was in a Room in the Hotel, crying to God – Almighty God Please Perform Wonders tonight, save Souls, heal the Sick, set the Captives Free.

And suddenly I heard God say: “Shut Up”. I was glad.

I was glad because that means that God heard me and He is responding.

God will hear you tonight and the Answers to all your Prayers will come tonight – Amen!

And He said – Lord do this for me; Lord do that for me; am I your Servant?

All I have done for you, how many times have you thanked me for them?

Oh, I’m sorry Lord! He said for these three (3) days; all I want to hear from you is Praise, Worship and Thanksgiving.

I said, okay Lord! Thank You.

Towards the end of the third Day, He spoke to me and said: Son, you can now go home and tell the Elders to begin to go round the Churches – Teaching Doctrines and Strengthening the Foundation.

He said because all you have seen thus far is Addition and now you are about to see Multiplication.

 

1. There was a time in Abuja that we had only one Parish.

Today by the Grace of God, I know that we have more than one thousand Parishes.

… Hitherto God had helped us.

This is the Lord’s Doing and it is Marvelous in our eyes.

These are just Workers and not the entire Congregation – If all the Congregation were to gather!

– Yes, it is true that we are not yet where we ought to be.

– Yes it is true that we have lost Opportunities.

– Yes we have missed the Marks here and there.

But when we look around; and we see what God had done; I think that we should shout Hallelujah!

2. There was a time when there was only one Pastor in the whole of Abuja.

3. There was a time when you can count the Total numbers of the Choir – They are less than five (5).

4. There was a time when the Pastor was also the Usher.

 

But let us look at today!

So tonight, all we want to do is that we want to Thank God because hitherto He has helped us.

I knew that there are some of you who will say – Well, maybe He has helped the Church but He hasn’t helped me!

Is Somebody like that here?

I don’t blame you because I have been like that before.

There was an occasion, the Year was ending and I was in Seclusion as usual Praying concerning the New Year.

I was alone with God in the Redemption Camp and I said unto Him: Daddy, there is Nobody here o – Just the two of us; and so I’m going to be very Frank with you

When the Day comes for Thanksgiving in the New Year; I will tell the People to Thank You but let us be sincere – For me, in the Year that is ending, You have done Nothing o.

And He spoke – You see, that is one of the Good Things when you hear from God. You will get Special Blessings.

From tonight onwards, you will be hearing from God – Amen!

He said, Son is that so? And I said Yes.

Then He said that’s alright, take your Pen and get some Papers and begin to write down some things.

 

1. He said 1st of January, you slept and you woke up on the 2nd of January – Is it everyone that slept on 1st of January that woke up on 2nd of January?

And then, let’s take the days one by one that I woke you up?

Because according to Lamentation 3: 22-23 – It was of the Mercy of God that we are not Consumed.

It is because He renewed His Mercy every Morning, that’s why you woke up.

Those of you that God had Preserved till this moment; will you lift your hands to the Almighty God and say: Thank You Lord?

 

2. Then He went on and said – Are you still Breathing? I said Yes sir..

Is it not written in Psalms 150:6 – Everything that has Breadth should Praise the Lord!

He said that if you are still Breathing, doesn’t that tell you something? That there is still Hope for you!

Because the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 9:4 – That a Living Dog is better than a Dead Lion.

Those of you who believed without any doubt that because you are still alive today; your tomorrow will be alright. Let me hear you shout Hallelujah – Hallelujah!

Some of you will say that: What is “So Special” about Breathing?

Why do you think that Coronavirus was so dreadful?

It was because when it attacks, Breathing becomes so difficult,

… That is the only thing it does – It just makes it difficult for you to breathe.

That was why it was so feared because when it grabs Somebody, it wants to put an end to Breathing.

And once there is an end to Breathing, then no more Hope.

But you are still Breathing – Hitherto He has helped you!

Do you know that no matter how Hopeless your case may appear; as long as you are still Breathing then they can’t bury you!

And if you can’t bury me, then you don’t know what I will become tomorrow.

I know without any doubt – Concerning all of you who are my Children – Whether the devil likes it or not; your tomorrow will be alright.

3. He went on to say to me: Son, when you slept Last Night, you were seeing clearly! I said Yes Lord.

And when you wake up this Morning, you can still see! I said Yes Lord.

And that is not a Miracle as far as you are concerned?

And He referred me to Samson in Judges 16: 18-end.

When the Enemies Captured Samson, the first thing that they took was his eyes.

And when Samson was going to Pray, his Prayer was: Lord, I will rather die than remain Blind.

Avenge me of my eyes – Kill my Enemies for taking my sight and I don’t mind dying with them.

I Pray today in the Name that is above every other name; all of you with eyes Problem, God will heal you – Amen!

4. And you woke up this Morning and you can walk – They didn’t carry you to the toilet but you went to the toilet yourself.

When you remembered the Story in Acts 3: 1-8 – The Lame Man by the Beautiful Gate all along in his Lifetime, he has seen People Praising God, dancing and he said: Oh God, how I wish I have two legs.

And then a Day came and the Miracle happened and he suddenly found out that he has two legs.

The Bible said that He was walking and leaping and Praising God.

Those of you who has Problems with your legs; God will solve the Problems now – Amen!

5. And then you have hands.

I was teaching your Colleagues in the United Kingdom some days ago and I was telling them about Revelation 4:11.

That everything that God created, He created for His Pleasure.

And the Major reason He created your hands is so that you can Clap.

And that is why He said in Psalms 47:1 – He said Clap your hands all ye People.

When you look at Mark 3: 1-5 – When Jesus Christ entered into the Temple and saw Someone there with a Withered Hand.

The Fellow with the Withered Hand didn’t Pray – He didn’t ask God to Please heal me.

But Jesus Christ saw that a Man with a Withered Hand won’t be able to Clap; and so Jesus Christ Volunteered to healed the Man.

And the devil knew the meaning of Clap!

Bible Scholars – Those who knows the Original Language; they said that the meaning of Clap is: Put your Enemies between your hands and jam them together.

You see, God loves Clapping so much that He said that even the Oceans should be Clapping.

If you have ever been near the Ocean, you will see the waves coming and when it gets to the beach, it will collapse and you will hear the sound.

And then it will move away and come back again!

The Trees Clap their hands too!

And so you too Clap your hands!

6. If God had not done anything for you, the fact that your hands can still move is enough.

I have told you the Story before of one daughrer of mine, who was sick – The Sickness was terrible.

And we have been crying to God and finally, I got a Phone call from her – Ha Daddy, thank God o. For the first time in six (6) Months, I went to the toilet by myself, I was able to dress myself and I was able to clean myself.

And every Morning, you have woken up on your own, you brush your teeth on your own, you took your bath on your own, you wear your dress on your own.

I’m just trying to tell you that thus far He has helped us!

I. He saved our Souls.

Because the Bible says that the wages of sin is Death – Romans 6:23.

II. And in saving our Souls, the Bible says that it was His Blood that wash away our sins – 1 John 1:7.

III. He opened the Door to our Prayers to be answered – Isaiah 59: 1-2.

But when the Blood came, the barrier to the answer to our Prayers were removed.

IV. We were Delivered.

Because according to John 8: 32 and 36; the Bible says that we shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make us Free.

And it went to say that whosoever the Son shall set Free, shall be Free Indeed.

V. And we were kept.

By His Grace, we are not Backsliden.

It is not every Backslider who can ever return – Some of us backslided but He got us back.

1 Peter 1: 3-5 says that we were kept by the Power of God.

We are Standinng today in the Lorrd – Not because of our Ability but by His Grace alone.

When you considered all the Temptations that could have swept us away; today we are still Standing in the Lord – We are Survivors.

When you considered all the battles He has fought for us and we are still alive today – We are still surviving.

That is something to thank God for.

An incident happened:

I was teaching at the University of Ilorin Kwara State Nigeria and Ilorin in those days there was Practically no Traffic.

So, I can always go from my house to the Campus, come back from the Campus to have Lunch and then go back and finished my Lectures.

So, I have returned from the Campus to have Lunch and I still have some time and so I decided I will lie down on the couch in the Living Room.

So, I lay down there and I closed my eyes because my house then was also Pastor’s house and so People come in freely.

I don’t want anybody to disturb my rest and so I Close my eyes Pretending to be Sleeping.

And all of a sudden, I felt something huge – I was lying with my head on my hands and my legs on the other side.

And this thing with one hand held my two hands, with the other hand held my two legs and he was about to kiss me.

And suddenly I realised that my wife won’t do this to me Publiclly and the fellow who is going to hold me like this must be a tall fellow.

And so I opened my eyes to see who is this? And the thing disappeared.

And all of a sudden, I felt something cold flow over me.

I still managed to go to the University, finished my Lectures but by the time I detuned about two hours later; I Practically had to crawl out of my car into the house.

I was Stooling, I was Vomiting and it got to a Stage I said to the Almighty God – I am Your son, I am your Pastor. How can this happen to me? How can this Demon came into my house?

And the Lord said that I just want to give you an Example of the battles I have been fighting for you.

You don’t know how many battles He is fighting for you.

You don’t know how many Victories He has given you.

You don’t know how many Enemies you have – Enemies Within, Enemies Without, Enemies in your Place of work and believe me honestly, Enemies even in the House of God.

But you are still here – You are a Survivor!

Let me Close by asking you:

 

WHY DO YOU THINK GOD CREATED YOUR MOUTH

When you read Mark 12:22; the Bible said that they brought a Man to Jesus Christ – He was Blind and Dumb.

And He (Jesus Christ) healed him – So that the Man who was Blind and Dumb both Speak and Saw.

… He speaks first before he saw!

“Speaking” is more Important than “Seeing” because the Man who can speak can cry for Help!

Bartimaeus was Blind but he could speak – So, he used his mouth to cry for Help and then he got his sight back.

The Almighty God created your mouth to do so many things!

Part of which is to cast out Demons!

When the Lord asked you to cast out Demons, He didn’t ask you to beat Demons out of the People.

He created your mouth so that you can Command and say: Demon, get out of here! And they will obey you.

But you know what?

Psalms 89:1 tells you the “Real Purpose” for God creating your mouth and for making sure that you can still speak till today.

David said: I will sing of the Mercies of the Lord Forever, with my mouth will I make known what?

God wants you to make use of your mouth to do two (2) Principal Things:

I. To Sing of His Mercies.

II. To Testify of His His Goodness – To tell People what God had done for you.

He expects you with your mouth to make it known to all Generations.

That is why David said in Psalms 116: 12-14 – He said: What shall I render unto the Lord for all His Goodness to me?

He said that I will take the “Cup of Salvation” and Call upon the Name of the Lord.

You want to show your Gratitude to God for all God had done for you?

I. God wants you to Praise Him.

II. God wants you to Testify, to Witness and to tell others what He has done for you.

Do you know what?

I have always said it each time that we had a Workers’ Rally like this – Nothing will Please God more than to see you telling everyone about what He has done for you and how He can do the same thing for them!

He wants you to use your mouth and go after those who are Backsliding and say: Hey, come back; the Lord is still Good!

He wants you to be His Agent – Advertising Agent for that matter.

Oh, we can have Bill Boards, we can distribute Flyers, we make make Announcements on Television and Radio; but there is never a means as effective as you telling your Neighbour that in this so and so Program, God is going to do something New!

I have told you before – When you expect one (1) Fellow to come, then you must invite ten (10). That is the Law!

So, the Almighty God is expecting you to use that your mouth; to use your Telephone and to use every Methods you can think of, to tell everybody within your Territory!

And you know one thing – The Elders has a saying: A Child who is Grateful for what has been done for him yesterday, will receive more.

If you will go all the way to advertise the Lord Jesus Christ – Not just the Meeting but the One who is going to Perform the Miracles.

Because when you look at the Statement – Hitherto the Lord has helped us; you break that into three (3):

I. Hitherto (Thus far)

II. We have been Helped

III. By the Lord

If you will Advertise Him, He will give you something Extra to Sing about – Amen

But if you don’t use your Voice appropriately, it is just as if:

– You don’t use your hands appropriately, the hand can wither.

– You don’t use your legs appropriately, the legs can Withered.

– You don’t use your mouth appropriately, the Lord have Mercy.

I will tell you one Story and then we will Close:

There was a Man in Lagos – He was what you called a Socialite.

That means that when there is a “Big Party”, the Party has not started until he arrives – He was a Wealthy Man. When he comes, he is a Sweet Talker.

Then he had a Stroke and the Stroke took away his voice. And they took him to the Best Hospital in London.

And I was visiting London and we both had a “Common Friend”. The “Common Friend” said, Please come and Pray for my friend.

We got there in the Hospital, he was in a Special Room and I Prayed for him.

As we were entering, the wife was going out – Apparently for an errand.

And so my friend and I sat down, we were looking at him and he will try to speak – He Pointed in the direction the wife had gone, Parted his own side on the bed and we were trying to figure out what he is trying to say.

So my friend said, you want me to come and sit by your side; he nodded No!

Oh, you want the Pastor to come and sit by your side; he nodded No!

Okay, you want us to go and call your wife to come; he nodded No.

Thirty (30) Solid Minutes, he was trying to tell us – My wife who has gone away is coming back.

It took thirty (30) Minutes to disapper and by now, he was sweating Profusely.

How long does it take you to say: My friend is coming back?

In two (2) Minutes, you call America or Britain.

I want you to use that mouth and use it correctly today.

I’m going to Pray for you first and you are going to do two (2) things:

1. First and foremost, you will Promise the Almighty God that from now on, this my mouth will serve You.

Everytime that I have the Opportunity, I will Witness for You, I will Testify of Your Goodness and Mercy.

2. And then you will Pray after you have Praised Him and show Him that you really mean Business.

Then you will Pray that anything that can seal my lips so that I won’t be able to talk about Your Goodness anymore; Father keep it far away from me.

Let Us Stand!

I want you to ask God for just one Minute, one thing that you want Him to do for you – Ask for something “Very Special”.

Thank You Father!

In Jesus Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen!

CLOSING PRAYER

Father, we can’t Thank You enough – Oh, thus far You have helped us. You are a Very Great God, and a very Wonderful God.

Glory be to Your Holy Name.

As usual Lord God Almighty, I know that You always reserve the Best till the Last; so Greater Blessings than You have ever given us before, give to Your Children today.

A Bigger Miracle than they have ever experienced, give to them today.

That thing they have asked You for, Please Lord release to them.

When it is time for the Abuja Special Holy Ghost Service on Friday; Please Lord, let all these Your Children be ready with their own Testimonies.

And as they begin to Worship You tonight; Holy Spirit Please descend on them, empower them to Witness and let it be well with them.

In Jesus Mighty Name we have Prayed – Amen!

Now, go ahead and begin to Praise Him, Worship Him and then Call on Him:

Anything that will sealed my lips so that I won’t be able to Praise You anymore; don’t let it happen to me.

Go ahead and talk to Him now!!!

Thank you so much for staying all through to read.