Faith Unguided: Who Are You?

RCCG TOG Faith Unguided: Who Are You? Dr. Omolola Omoteso

Worship: 

Guide us, O thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land

I am weak, but thou art mighty

Hold me with thy pow'rful hand.

Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven

Feed me now and ever more/2x

Prayer

Thank you Lord for YOU. Thank you Lord for us. Thank you Lord for the mentors and guides you have put on our way to help us live guided lives. A life guided towards your blessings and ultimately towards heaven. May your name be forever glorified in Jesus name. I hide behind the cross and ask that you speak through me to bless the vessels that will listen. Help us to do that which you direct so that our lives would be exemplary to others to the glory of your name. So shall it be in Jesus name.

Opening

Dearly beloved, I greet you gracefully in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. Lent is on-going, for all who are fasting, may God deliver to you that which has caused you to seek him. For a youth in the house, may you be a battle-axe and a blooming rose to the glory of God’s name.

I have just few minutes to speak to us on the theme: Faith Unguided and the topic: Who are you? Faith Unguided: Who Are YOU? For those who do not know me, I am Dr. Omolola Omoteso and this has been my home church for 22 years. It is always a pleasure to return here. My doctorate is in Biblical Counselling and I use it to God’s glory to counsel towards healing of minds.

For this opportunity to be a blessing and to be blessed, I appreciate our Province Parents, Pastor Niyi and Pastor Feyi Ajibola. I appreciate the Parish Pastors and all those lifting their hands as Aarons and Hurs. Almighty God will continue to back up your words with his supernatural power and divine authority in Jesus name.

For the theme and topic, I take my texts from 2 Corinthians 5:7 and Romans 8:14:

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith, not by sight:

Romans 8:14

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Contemporary English: Only those people who are led by God's Spirit are his children. 

Today by grace we’ll share what can guide our faith and our belief. You can self-title it Unguided Faith, Faith Guided, Guided Faith or Who are you?

The question I ask these days when I have an opportunity to speak is, “Who are you?” Then other 4Ws (What, Why, When, Where) and H (How) will follow. If you are meant for the village stage then crisis can send you right back there. But if you are meant for the big stage, challenges become ladders, what Yorubas call akaba or appropriately ategun.

You must find the strength to discover, tackle and resolve or solve the root of the issues bedevilling you so they do not redefine your destiny. For many, the root cause of misdirection and failure is lack of guidance - divinely or physically.

Let’s look at the key words in the theme for this season Faith Unguided:

Hebrews 11:1 helps us with the definition of faith… 
Now faith is the substance (material, fabric) of things hoped for (expected), the evidence (assurance, proof, verification) of things not seen (but already decreed in the Word of God).

That’s faith. But faith can also mean belief and trust in and loyalty to God. Why should we walk in/by faith someone may ask? It is because without faith, no man (or woman) can see God (Hebrews 11:6). No man or woman can visualise those things God already decreed but are yet to be seen. Without faith, it was practially physically impossible for Sarai or Abrah to visualise in ther minds eye that they wold be parents of biological children. It was impossible for Joseph's brother to see or accet that he would be so great a star that they would bow to him. Faith is required to BELIEVE Romans 4:3 and 4:17.  

Unguided simple means not led, without a pilot, counsellor or mentor. If an unguided stone is coming your way, you dodge. But, if you think about an unguided train or plane, you need to do more than dodging. You need to gbe bodi e (carry your body).

Let’s look at 5 people in the Bible whose belief and trust in and loyalty to God (faith) was not led - by The Trinity or a God-led Counsellor

Faith Unguided 

Rebecca: Genesis 24: 59 tells us that Rebekah was sent to Isaac with a nurse – a guide. In an Eastern family, the nurse is a very important part of an entourage. She is accorded similar respect as a parent. A designated nurse is expected to accompany a new bride and remain with her. In addition to carrying out the duties of a nurse or caregiver, she is also to play the role of technical adviser, special assistant and be the familiar face in the bride’s new environment. But we see how well Rebekah allowed this nurse to play her part, in how her marriage turned out with bitterness as she competed for love of one child over another. By Genesis 35:8 we are told, “But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: called the oak of weeping.” Why the oak of weeping? This is significant but we can’t go into it today.

Samson: He was the strongest man who ever lived but he acted foolishly by disobeying rules again and again. His mother made a vow that he failed to fulfil. He also married women with reckless abandon until he faced shame. Who was his guide? Are you facing a life of shame because you have disobeyed your mother or mentor?

Judas: A treasurer who stole from the coffers and betrayed his Lord and Master. Who was his guide? What strategic role have you been given which should lead to the fulfilment of your destiny but you have used it to line your own pockets?

Eli: He was, according to the Books of Samuel, a High Priest of Shiloh who initially thought a woman seeking God’s face for children was drunk. Why? The only reason a Priest or man of God would not see with spiritual eyes is because he is clogged with the things of this world - food, sex, money etc. A man who has a calling of God upon his life once told me that a pastor told him that his wife will not allow him to take up the calling and advised him to let her go. He said he is waiting for her to leave him since he has vowed not to seek divorce. Hence, he was doing everything to frustrate her. I prayed and God revealed something different to me, yes this woman can stand in his way but if he could show her more love, genuine love she would be a supporter and not a demoter. He was initially mad, "How can you tell me to love a woman who is already seeing someone else! I saw he messages..." He later decided to try the solution strategy I shared as led by God and his marriage was healed. They went on to have twins. Is the woman or man of God you are following led by the spirit of God or besieged with problems like Eli and no longer hearing from God. Did you ever read that Eli conferred with anyone? He was unguided.

David: What of King David of Israel and Judah? Loved of God but killed a man, Uriah the Hittite, an elite soldier in his army. Men who scheme to take the place of other men after making wrong decisions of pacing on the balcony when they should be brainstorming for their company or country may die without accolades… David rose from grace to grass, he could have any woman he wanted but he lusted after the wife of his subject; a subject who honoured him with loyalty. Who was David's guide? Once he killed Goliath, who was his mentor? Many record a breakthrough and begin to act with impunity. By man's choice, David would never have been king; he was not reckoned with in his own family. God elevated him but he chose to violate God's commandment of do not covet and do not kill. D you use your wealth or position to hep or to harass?

Consequences of living without guides, mentor or counsellors

1. Destruction (For lack of knowledge the people perish)

2. Failure and Frustration

3. Lack of Safety: Miscreants, Hoodlums, Boko Haram, Kidnapping, Robbery…

4. Destiny Abortion

5. Death

Now let’s look at those who were GUIDED…

Faith Guided

Rahab: Whether we remember her as Rahab the harlot or innkeeper, she was a Biblical heroine. She knew by research and by divine attentiveness that the men were spies that could help her. This is faith anchored on trust, guided by the art of listening. How well do you listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, when you are asked not to take a bicycle job that a jeep one is coming; do you say, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush or you say, “Let it be to me according to your WORD o, LORD!” Hear what Rahab said to the spies in Joshua 2:9-13:

“I know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.” We have heard this about your LORD, we have heard that… “Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them - and that you will save us from death.” They gave her conditions and thus played the role of waka-pass destiny changing counsellors to her and her family. As a good counsellee, she trusted and played her part.

Ruth: Her faith was anchored on her mother in law. She had lost all but she knew this was a good mother in law; she adopted her as mother. We never heard again of Orpah who had no guide.  Many destinies have gone into latency because they withdrew from the line of divine grace and enablement. Some during weddings make women say to the groom, “Your God would be my God” but that is not Biblical, if it was biblical the Bible will not say you have a choice to remain or renege, where beliefs don’t align. This statement was not biblcally made by a woman to a man as a profession of love, it was made by a woman to her mentor, an adopted mother. She saw the woman was worth following and she gave words of affirmation that she trusted her enough to follow her and make her God and her people hers. My first time of ever going into a mosque was with my School Mother in High School. She was caring and kind; following her was a mark of honour. If you have a mentor that cannot be followed, it is time to change your mentor. God can make anyone your mentor just so as to draw something eternal from the person. Are you following your mentor, your mother, your master... Ruth benefited from her guide.

Joseph: He would have ended his destiny under a woman; five minutes of mad love making would have ended his glorious destiny! But, he was guided to say no to passion and this earned him the palace. He was divinely led to come up with strategies with which he translated the economy of his domain. He could have decided to stop listening to God when he ended up in prison but he trusted God enough to believe that all things would work together ultimately for his good. Those who sold him into slavery became beneficiaries because he was guided. 

Widow of Zarephath: In 1 Kings 17 she was guided by Elijah. She could have eaten and died but she gave and lived. What education may not have taught her, believing in a prophet’s anointing did. Her economic status changed because she was guided. Who are the prophets in your life? I was once so blessed by a Pastor that I chose to give him my pay packet, I wanted to say thank you but much more, I wanted the grace upon his life; the grace of eloquence, the grace of confidence and of leadership. He never knew because I sent it to him as anonymous but the God who saw in secret fulfilled my desire. Today, I meet him at meetings off and on. I received that grace because I sowed into it. What have you sown into prophets, pastors and guides God sent your way.

Esther: The cousin of Mordecai, a member of the Jewish community also played the role of Esther’s father because she was the orphaned daughter of Mordecai's uncle, another Benjamite named Abihail. When crisis was about to erupt, Esther’s mentor sent her word. She could have said, go to blazes, I am now queen. A number of us, once we arrive, we no longer want to listen to mentors and guides. Once your first million hits your account, when a mentor calls you, you are busier than the Pope but when you had nothing, you yielded. Some of you were mothered or fathered by someone you took you in and nursed, nurtured and guided you but once you graduate or succeed, you change from calling them Mummy or Daddy to Aunty or Uncle. You say, what did you do, God used you for me why do you want to insist on me calling you something you are biologically not. Esther had initially done yanga but her no nonsense mentor, who did not care what title she gave to him but was more concerned about not wanting her to perish and end her destiny in “had I known” like Vashti, sent word to her AGAIN, do not think you are safe! Se did not go not a rant of, you think you can command me because you helped me, she listened and acted. It profited her and thousands because she yielded to her God-elected guide. How well are your counsellees, benefitting from your wisdom as a mentor? How well are you yielding to your mentor?

Samuel: He was referred to as a Seer in 1 Samuel 9:9. He was a young man who did his apprenticeship under Priest Eli in fulfilment of his mother’s vow. That vow can be found in 1 Samuel 1-11. What vow have you made before God and how well have you fulfilled it after your prayer was answered? You asked and God gave... You asked and a mentor gave... What of your own part? Samuel did his part and this led him to fulfil destiny. He fulfilled destiny by playing a significant role in the transition from the period of the biblical judges to the institution of a kingdom under Saul, and again in the transition from Saul to David. When he was going to make a mistake after rationalising choice by sight, he was redirected - guided, by the Still Small Voice (1 Kings 19:11-13), which said to him, God looks at the heart, not faces (1 Samuel 16:7, 12).

Elisha: He followed Elijah every step of the way and learned in the process. 2 Kings 2,  “And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. [Elijah said again], Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.”

What do you need from your mentor, your pastor, your God-led parent? How well have you tarried? How well have you served? There were other mentees but they became weary about Elijah’s waka. Eni to ba so wipe ko si Woli, ti ile baba re lo ti ku! He who says there is no prophet; it's the prophet in the person's house that is dead. There are Prophets who still know the way to God's heart, Prophets who carry anointing and power like the days of old. Elisha who remained with his guide to learn earned. He became blessed with a double anointing so much so that he was able to curse children who mocked him. This was after he healed water… How did he get this double anointing? He ASKED? Are you asking your mentor the right questions or you are asking for ephemeral gifts. Mentors are in your life to guide you but they can guide you wrongly if you are not an active participant in your own journey. How well has satan mocked you? What has been your response? Where is the power or anointing you inherited? Who is your mentor? What did you gain from tarrying or perhaps you left before heaven endorsed you as Jesus was endorsed, “This is my beloved son, hear him.” How will we ever be able to heal water, and decree no more sickness – no more corona virus, if we cannot even heal headache. What happened to the other sons or mentees who desired Elijah’s anointing?

You remember Acts 4:13:

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Who have you been with? Foolish men or women who will scatter your destiny, feed your diamond destiny to swine or have you been with royals blessed with wisdom in the body of Jesus Christ!

Let’s quickly look at those who were able to move from foolishness to wisdom by listening to The Trinity or their God-led guides or counsellors. Those who transited from being unguided to being guided include:

• Saul to Paul
• Abram to Abraham
• Sarai to Sarah
• Peter to Peter the Rock
• Adulterous Woman at the well to Evangelist (after she listened to Jesus and accepted the Living Waters). What waters have you been drinking? Sapelle water? Kainkain? Burukutu? Gulugulu omo gushasha aka Gulder? In whose well have you been fetching? Legitimate or illegitimate?

Benefits of Guides and Counsellor

What did the Bible say about counsel and counsellors:

Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counsellors there is victory.

Proverbs 15:22 Without consultation, plans are frustrated, But with many counsellors they succeed.

The POWER to ASK...

John 16:24 - Hitherto (before now) have ye asked nothing in my name: ask (pray), and ye shall receive, that our joy may be full. Concerning something I have been asking God, at some point, I said,I will no longer ask, he knows I NEED it, why bother him. A senior prophet directed me to John 16:24. Ask is another work for PRAY. In court, lawyers say a "prayer" to the judge, a polite request in the form of a motion. Is your joy full concerning  request, then you can stop asking. If your joy is yet to be full, keep asking. You may however change how you ask, instead of lamenting, you can praise, you can worship, you can sow.

How are mentees supposed to draw from the well of knowledge and experience of their mentors? I had a mentor who never showed me anything. I got to know many things by asking. We see how Elisha tarried (stayed to served) and ASKED. But his own mentee - Gehazi was only doing follow-follow and never asked. He enjoyed a position of power but was ultimately corrupt, misusing his authority by attempting to cheat Naaman the Syrian, a general n the army afflicted with leprosy. What did he reap? Disease, that likely led to his death. Elisha, the no nonsense prophet and mentor cursed Gehazi and by so doing, himself an his lineage inherited the doom of leprosy! Have you offended your mentor, please make amends today. When those who have laboured genuinely and selflessly over us make negative pronouncements, such take effect and have lasting repercussions on our destiny. 

I will wrap up with the Daughters of Zelophehad… I love them and love their boldness. 

The POWER to ASK – Ask. Seek. Knock, is a great power indeed. It was the power that changed the destiny of Daughters of Zelophehad - Mahlah, Noa, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, who lived at the end of the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. The Bible mentioned their father for a reason… 

I learned my boldness from my father and my mother. He would send you at night to pick something from the car or buy something, if you say you are afraid, my mother will tell you, “Omo Akin kii beru – The daughter of the brave does not fear. And this is Biblical. Proverbs 28:1 - The righteous are as BOLD as a lion! Zelophehad must have been their mentor; most importantly they had their ears to God’s heart because they did not ASK amiss.

In Numbers 27…

Moses brought their case before the LORD, and the LORD said to him, “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.  Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter.’ Case CLOSED! End of Discussion.

If they did not have the temerity to raise before Moses and the Israelite community, the case of their God-given rights which greedy humans had taken away, the curse would not have been broken on womenfolk in that land. We can stand on that to break curses of denied rights to women even today. If Zelophehad‘s daughters did it, you can do it!

Mary asked. “Why me” was a question that clarified her destiny, otherwise she could have been manipulated to abort the pregnancy. Imagine what that would have done to salvation. Esther asked. Even Rahab asked. Who do you that you now feel too big or too depressed to ask your CREATOR for divine connection or supernatural positioning? The Bible, which remains the ultimate guide of Christians says, ASK till your JOY be full!

By the Blood of Jesus, women will no longer suffer in silence but would receive the boldness from Jehovah Chatsahi (Psalm 27:1) to demand their rights in Jesus name!

This brings me to the final question towards ending this message, who are you…

When my daughter brought her fiancé to meet me, I asked him, who are you? I said to him, if you don’t know who you are, you are incapable of loving my baby. 

Marriages are breaking today because many men and women have suffered identity crisis and do not know who they are. If a woman is abusing you, getting into a shouting match shows there are two foolish people in that marriage. If you were guided and guarded, you will draw her close to your bosom and ASK. How can I fix this?

If you don’t know that you are the son or daughter of the Most High God, Oyigiyigi, Apa Nla to so ile aiye ro, Erujeje to n’mi igbo kijikiji, The One who created the Heaven and the Earth, then the iya nla gbe ni shan le, kekere gori eni will become your lot. 

Who are you?

Knowing who you are will guide you towards the right mentor. Afrobeat Star Fela Anikulapo Kuti mentored some people and he thought them the way of Indian hemp!  Adeboye became mentor to one of his drummers and today Pastor Kunle Ajayi is fulfilling destiny. 

If you know who you are, you will know you need a Godly guide and you will be guided and guarded to your mentor and the right counsel… 

Jesus had a guide… he allowed himself to be parented and to be baptised… He did not run away from home, he remained till he was endued, soaked, immersed with power and power and endorsed for ministry.

Some meet a man or woman who spoke eloquently at a programme and rush to them to become their mentors. Did you ask God? Do you know their God? Do you know in whose name they do all those things or achieved success? Do you know by whose power and authority they speak?

Who or what are guides:

1. The Trinity - You can be divinely guided.

2. The Word of God - If you can feed on it, meditate and act on it, the Word of God can guide you.

3. Mentors can guide you. Pastors, advisors, teachers, preachers, Godly influences...

4. Character can guide you. Obirin s’iwa wu, o loun o l’ori oko. A woman behaves badly but she complains she is not destined for marriage.

5. Maps. You can be guided by road maps and these are real maps or books that have documented how others have done it.

Brethren, you have heard it again, you are salt and light, live by it every day. In John 8:12 - Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Hear this Exodus 3:14 - And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

John 14:16 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Are you the way out of breakdown, are you the truth out of corruption in any department you are positioned, are you the life through which your lineage will banish poverty and early deaths. Who then is guiding you?

Who are YOU? Who is the guide marshalling your destiny?

§  Can you do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens you as spelled out in Philippians 4:13?

§  Can you say boldly to anyone condemning you that, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” As spelled out in Romans 8:1.

§  Can you decree to a brother or sister facing crisis what is documented in Deuteronomy 31:8, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

§  Can you boldly tell relatives or captors trying to enslave you that, “you are no longer a slave, but a son or daughter, and if an offspring, then an heir (inheritor) through God.” as indicated in Galatians 4:7. 

§  Can you confidently read what is clearly decreed in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” So much so that even when things are low, you can claim this and believe that it means whatever situation you are facing is temporary.

ALTAR Call

Are you here and do not have God as your ultimate guide. I’m not here to beg you but to invite you to the one who guides and can position a worthy guide to help you fulfil destiny. If you made the decision to know God who is able to guide you and send you a guide, meet with any of the protocol officers to direct you.

Closing

Rise and begin to bless God for teachers, mentors, guides, pastors and destiny helpers God has put in your path. Begin to pray that Almighty God will give you the wisdom to tarry and learn so you can earn. Ask God to define yourself to you so that you stop running from pillar to post in a bid to fulfill destiny.

Prayer

Behold your children o Lord. Guide us Jehovah. Enable us to yield to destiny helpers you have sent to us. Help us to understand that you have the manual to our lives and can make us fulfilled and to bloom where we are planted. Help us know our identity in you and to remain on the path of righteousness and continue to ASK till our joy be full, in Jesus matchless name. AMEN

Dr. Omolola Omoteso-Famuyiwa is a minister who is passionate 

about sharing God's words for the healing of others.