Built To Last- The Foundation For Kingdom Success

Text: Matthew 7:24–27

God is interested in building lives, families, businesses, careers, ministries, and destinies that will stand the test of time. Redemption Ministries still stands today because someone paid the price to build with the understanding that what was established would outlive the builder. Every work founded upon Christ and built according to His Word is designed to endure every storm. The call to every believer is to build on the right foundation so that what God has committed into our hands will last for generations.

Build Upon the Rock

Jesus concluded the Sermon on the Mount by comparing two builders (Matthew 7:24–27). One built upon the rock, while the other built upon the sand. Both houses experienced the same rain, the same floods, and the same winds. The difference was not in the intensity of the storm but in the quality of the foundation. The house founded upon the rock remained standing because it was built upon Christ, while the one built upon the sand collapsed completely. Storms are inevitable, but collapse is not. Every life, family, ministry, business, and destiny established on Christ will remain standing regardless of the challenges that arise.

God Is the Master Builder

God is the Master Builder. He is not merely building physical structures; He is building people. He is building marriages, families, careers, businesses, ministries, and destinies. Whatever God builds cannot be destroyed because His workmanship is perfect. Every mocker will eventually be silenced as God completes His work in the lives of His people. Confidence rests not in human ability but in the One who began the building and has promised to perfect it.

The Word of His Grace Builds

Paul declared in Acts 20:32, "I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." God's primary building material is His Word. The Word of His grace strengthens believers, establishes them spiritually, and leads them into their divine inheritance. Every promise God has made is secured through His Word, and every believer who remains rooted in that Word will experience the inheritance prepared by God.

God's Design for Your Life Is Established

Before Jeremiah was formed in the womb, God already knew him, sanctified him, and ordained him for His purpose (Jeremiah 1:4–5). God's plans are never accidental. Every believer is known by God before birth and called according to His divine purpose. This understanding produces confidence that every area of life built by God including marriage, career, business, ministry, and destiny will not end in failure. The Master Builder never begins a project He cannot complete.

The Foundation of Lasting Success Is the Word

When Joshua assumed leadership after Moses, God did not first instruct him to fast or pray. Instead, God directed his attention to His Word (Joshua 1:1- 8). Leadership, success, and conquest would all be sustained by obedience to divine instruction. The foundation for every lasting marriage, successful business, fruitful ministry, prosperous career, and victorious destiny is the Word of God. Everything God builds rests upon the authority of His Word.

Learn to Speak Like God

God declared to Joshua that He had already given Israel the land, even though they had not yet possessed it (Joshua 1:2–9). God's perspective always precedes visible reality. Believers are therefore called to speak according to God's promises rather than according to present circumstances. Defeat, fear, and limitation should never dominate the believer's confession. Like Paul declared in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Faith speaks the language of victory because it agrees with God's Word.

God's Presence Guarantees Success

One of the greatest assurances God gave Joshua was, "As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee" (Joshua 1:5). The success of God's servants has never depended upon personal ability but upon the abiding presence of God. The same God who sustained His servants in previous generations remains faithful today. His presence guarantees strength, courage, guidance, and victory in every assignment He entrusts to His people.

Meditation Produces Transformation

The secret God revealed to Joshua was simple but powerful: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night" (Joshua 1:8). Meditation is more than reading Scripture; it is continually thinking upon God's Word, speaking it, believing it, and allowing it to shape every decision. Whatever occupies the mind consistently will eventually shape character, speech, and conduct. As believers meditate on God's Word day and night, they begin to think like God, speak like God, and live according to His truth.

The New Nature Makes Holy Living Natural

The more believers remain in God's Word, the less they struggle to live according to His will. Holiness is no longer a burden but the expression of the new nature received through the new birth. Love, forgiveness, righteousness, and obedience become natural because the believer has been born of God and born of His Word. As the Word fills the heart, the life automatically reflects the character of Christ.

The Secret of Building to Last

The enduring secret behind every life, ministry, family, and kingdom assignment that lasts is unwavering commitment to God's Word. The great men and women whom God has used throughout history all shared one common foundation they remained steadfast in the Scriptures. God's Word must remain continually in the mouth, continually in the heart, and continually in daily meditation. What the believer consistently thinks, believes, and speaks according to God's Word will eventually become reality.

A life built upon Christ and established by God's Word cannot be destroyed by the storms of life. God, the Master Builder, is committed to building people who will stand, families that will endure, businesses that will prosper, ministries that will flourish, and destinies that will fulfill His purpose. As believers hear God's Word, obey it, meditate upon it day and night, and boldly declare His promises, they become truly built to last standing firm today and leaving a lasting kingdom legacy for generations to come.

Pastor Levi Odumodu

NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE UNTO YOU

Text: Matthew 17:14–21, Preacher: Pastor Levi Odumodu

Jesus declared, "Nothing shall be impossible unto you." This is not merely a promise reserved for a select few; it is God's word to everyone who dares to believe Him. The testimony of those who committed themselves to prayer and fasting reminds us that what seems impossible becomes possible when faith is placed in God. Whether one's sacrifice was forty days, thirty days, or even ten days, the victory belongs to everyone who trusted God. The challenge before every believer is to move from merely hearing God's promises to believing and experiencing them.

Faith Makes the Impossible Possible

When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast out the demon, He gave a direct answer: "Because of your unbelief" (Matthew 17:20). The issue was not the greatness of the devil but the absence of faith. Jesus explained that even faith as small as a mustard seed has the power to move mountains. The mountain is never the problem; unbelief is. The greatest enemy of the believer is not Satan but doubt. If only we can believe, all things become possible. Faith qualifies us to step into a realm where fear loses its grip, challenges no longer intimidate us, and impossible situations become opportunities for God to reveal His power.

Jesus reinforced this truth in John 14:12, declaring that everyone who believes in Him will do the works He did and even greater works because He has gone to the Father. His Father is now our Father, and through the new birth we have been brought into the same family of God. Miracles are not reserved for ordained ministers alone. Every believer who dares to believe can become a channel through whom God demonstrates His power. The qualification is not ordination but genuine faith in Christ.

Building Faith Through the Word

Faith does not grow automatically; it is built through continual exposure to God's Word. As a young believer, there was a deliberate commitment to reading the Scriptures repeatedly, meditating upon them, and devouring books written by men and women who walked closely with God. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Light comes through knowledge, and wherever light appears, darkness has no option but to disappear. Darkness does not negotiate with light; it simply gives way. Every believer must pursue spiritual understanding because revelation produces confidence, and confidence produces results.

The New Birth Is the Qualification

The new birth qualifies every believer to walk in the supernatural. Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe" (Mark 16:17–18). He did not say these signs would follow pastors alone or apostles alone, but everyone who believes. Believers shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues, lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. The Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives within every child of God, and according to Romans 8:11, that same Spirit gives life to our mortal bodies. Divine power already resides within the believer.

Live in the Consciousness of Who You Are

Many believers possess the life of God but fail to live consciously in that reality. They still think, speak, and behave like ordinary people. That is why Scripture continually reminds believers of who they are. The life of God is already within us. We are not trying to obtain it; we already possess it through Christ. The mind must therefore be renewed (Romans 12:2) so that our thinking aligns with God's truth rather than the limitations of the natural world.

Paul declared in Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." The life now lived is by the faith of the Son of God. The believer is not operating merely with human faith but with the faith received through the new birth. Faith already exists within every believer; it only needs to be developed and exercised.

Faith Speaks the Desired Outcome

Jesus declared in Mark 9:23, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." The responsibility is no longer on God to perform what He has already accomplished through Christ. The responsibility now rests upon the believer to receive and enforce what has already been provided.

Faith also speaks. According to Mark 11:23, whoever speaks to the mountain without doubting in the heart but believes that what is spoken will come to pass shall have whatever is spoken. The language of the believer must therefore be different from the language of the world. Our words carry spiritual weight. Many of the circumstances people experience today are connected to the words they have consistently spoken over their lives. Since we shall have what we say, our confession must continually agree with God's Word.

Faith Connects Us to God's Power

The woman with the issue of blood demonstrated how faith draws upon God's power (Mark 5:25–34). For twelve years she suffered under many physicians and only grew worse. Yet she settled one thing in her heart: "If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole." She acted upon that conviction, touched the garment of Jesus, and immediately received her healing.

Jesus confirmed the source of her miracle when He said, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole." She did not depend solely upon the faith resident in Jesus; she connected her own faith to His power. Faith is the bridge that links the believer to the supernatural. Every believer can experience the same divine intervention by approaching God with unwavering confidence in His Word.

The Power of God's Word

The centurion understood the authority of God's Word better than many in Israel. He told Jesus, "Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Matthew 8:8). Jesus marvelled and declared that He had not found such great faith even in Israel (Matthew 8:10). The spoken Word released healing then, and the written Word continues to release healing today. God's Word carries the same authority whether spoken by Christ during His earthly ministry or read from the Scriptures today. Those who believe His Word will experience its power.

Know the Divine Nature You Possess

God has made believers partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Through Christ we have escaped the corruption that is in the world. Holiness, forgiveness, love, and righteousness are no longer burdens to strive for but expressions of the new nature within us. Just as a lion naturally roars and a dog naturally barks, the believer naturally manifests the life of Christ when living in the consciousness of this new identity.

Scripture declares in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Jesus did not merely repair the old life; He gave us an entirely new life. Something truly happened at salvation. The believer must stop interpreting life from the perspective of the old man and begin living according to the reality of the new creation.

Nothing shall be impossible to the believer who walks by faith, feeds continually on God's Word, renews the mind, speaks God's promises with confidence, and lives in the consciousness of the new birth. The impossibilities of yesterday become testimonies when faith is placed in Christ.

God has already made provision through His Son. The call now is to believe, receive, and boldly manifest the divine life that already dwells within.

THE PRESSURE OF PEOPLE

Text:  1Samuel 13:5-14,  1Samuel 15:13-24

Exodus 32:1-6, 1Samuel 18:6-11, John 3:26-31, Luke 15:11-24, Luke 9:51-56, 2Kings 2:15-17

One of the greatest assets God has given to man is people. We need people to survive, grow, fulfil purpose, and advance in life. Yet, one of the greatest undoing of man is also people. Many individuals have made costly decisions, taken wrong steps, and suffered painful consequences because they yielded to the pressure of people. Naturally, they would not have acted the way they did, but because of fear, acceptance, popularity, or the desire to belong, they abandoned God's direction and followed the voice of the crowd. Every believer must understand that while people are important, God's voice must always remain supreme. At the end of the day, every person will stand before God to give account of every decision and action taken.

Saul Lost His Kingdom Because of the Pressure of People – (1Samuel 13:5-14)

The story of Saul provides a clear example of the danger of yielding to people's pressure. The Philistines had gathered against Israel with a vast army, and fear gripped the nation. As the people began to scatter and hide themselves, Saul became anxious. Samuel had instructed him to wait seven days, but seeing the people leave and feeling the pressure of the moment, Saul decided to offer the burnt offering himself. When Samuel arrived and asked what he had done, Saul's first defence was, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me." Saul was more concerned about losing people than obeying God. In an attempt to retain the crowd, he violated divine instruction. What appeared to be a small compromise became the beginning of his downfall. God would have established his kingdom forever, but one decision made under pressure altered his destiny. Many people today have forced themselves into actions, relationships, businesses, and decisions not because God directed them, but because they wanted to satisfy people. Like Saul, they later discover that pleasing people at the expense of obedience to God always comes with a cost.

Saul Repeated the Same Error – (1Samuel 15:13-24)

Unfortunately, Saul repeated the same mistake when God commanded him to utterly destroy the Amalekites. Rather than obey completely, he listened to the desires of the people and spared what God had commanded to be destroyed. Again, when confronted, Saul shifted the blame to the people, saying that they spared the best sheep and oxen for sacrifice. Saul continually sought approval from the people instead of approval from God. He lacked the courage to stand before the people and declare, "This is what the Lord has said." The desire to remain in the good books of men eventually cost him his throne, his honour, and ultimately his life. If a person lives merely to avoid offending people, such a person will eventually offend God. It is impossible to fulfil God's purpose without disappointing some people along the way.

Aaron Bowed to the Pressure of the Crowd (Exodus 32:1-6)

The same pattern appeared in the life of Aaron. Aaron had witnessed God's mighty acts in Egypt and had stood alongside Moses before Pharaoh. Yet when the people gathered around him demanding gods they could see, Aaron surrendered to their pressure. Instead of encouraging patience and faith, he instructed them to remove their golden earrings, fashioned a molten calf, and built an altar before it. The crowd succeeded in making Aaron do what he knew was wrong. This demonstrates how dangerous public opinion can become when it is allowed to override divine instruction. The crowd can make a person compromise convictions, violate principles, and abandon truth. Every believer must learn that popularity is never a substitute for obedience.

The People Provoked Moses – (Exodus 32:19; Numbers 20:7-12)

Moses himself experienced the destructive influence of people. The rebellion of Israel stirred such anger in him that he broke the tablets God had given him. Later, when God instructed him to speak to the rock, the continual complaints and provocations of the people caused him to strike the rock when God had instructed him only to speak to it. Water still came forth because God chose to honour His name before the people, but Moses paid a heavy price. The Promised Land that he had laboured toward for years became something he could only see from afar. The people pushed him to a point where he violated God's instruction, and the consequence was severe. This teaches us that no matter how provoking people may become, we must never allow their actions to push us into disobedience.

The People Created Trouble for David – (1Samuel 18:6-11)

The pressure of people can also create enemies where none previously existed. David experienced this after his victory over Goliath. The women of Israel celebrated by singing, "Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." David did not ask for the praise, nor did he instruct anyone to sing those words. Yet those words planted jealousy in Saul's heart. From that day, Saul viewed David as a threat and began a relentless pursuit against him. David moved from cave to cave and city to city, not because of anything he had done wrong, but because of what people said. Sometimes the people who appear to be praising you are actually creating battles for you. Not every compliment is harmless, and not every celebration is beneficial.

John the Baptist Refused the Trap of Comparison - (John 3:26-31)

Unlike Saul and Aaron, John the Baptist refused to be manipulated by the opinions of people. Some people approached him with news that everyone was now going to Jesus. Their intention was to create competition, jealousy, and division between John and Jesus. However, John understood his assignment. He responded by saying, "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." He further declared, "He must increase, but I must decrease." Because John knew who he was and understood his purpose, he could not be distracted by comparison. Many believers struggle because they allow people's opinions to define their identity. When purpose is clear, competition loses its power.

The Prodigal Son Followed the Wrong Voices – (Luke 15:11-24)

The prodigal son would not have left home if not for the wrong influences around him. He embraced ideas that encouraged independence from his father's house. He demanded his inheritance and left home in pursuit of a supposedly better life. While the money lasted, he was surrounded by companions and admirers. However, when famine came and his resources were exhausted, those same people disappeared. The voices that encouraged him to leave did not stay to help him recover. Such is the nature of many worldly influences. They push people toward destruction but abandon them when the consequences arrive. The crowd often cheers people toward the cliff but never follows them over the edge.

Jesus Refused the Counsel of Angry Followers – (Luke 9:51-56)

Jesus demonstrated how to overcome the pressure of people. When the Samaritans refused to receive Him, James and John suggested calling down fire from heaven upon them. Humanly speaking, such a response would have seemed justified. Yet Jesus rebuked them, saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Because Jesus understood His mission, He could not be manipulated by the emotions, opinions, or suggestions of others. Purpose protected Him from reactionary decisions. Whenever purpose is clear, distractions lose their influence.

Elisha Refused to Follow the Crowd – (2Kings 2:15-17)

The sons of the prophets repeatedly attempted to distract Elisha from following Elijah. They continually reminded him that his master would soon be taken away. Their intention was to divert his attention from the pursuit of the double portion he desired. Elisha refused to yield. His response remained consistent: "I know it; hold ye your peace." Because he knew what he wanted and where he was going, he refused to follow the crowd. Eventually, he received the double portion, and the very people who questioned his commitment later bowed before him. Those who stand firm in God's purpose may appear foolish to others for a season, but in due time God vindicates them.

HOW TO DELIVER YOURSELF FROM THE PRESSURE OF PEOPLE

Throughout Scripture, one truth remains constant: the pressure of people has ruined many destinies, but the voice of God has preserved those who choose to obey Him. To overcome the pressure of people, a believer must know and understand God's purpose for his life. Without purpose, people will determine your direction. You must abide within the boundaries of your calling and refuse to compete with others. You must learn to hear God's voice above every other voice because there are many voices in the earth, but only one voice leads to life. Develop the spirit of discernment and understand that the people who praise you today may oppose you tomorrow. Above all, seek God's counsel personally and make His Word the final authority over every decision.

Never be moved by crowds; be moved by the Word of the Lord. The crowd may move in one direction, but is God in the midst of them? What God says is the most important thing. The people may sing your praises today and reject you tomorrow. They may encourage you today and abandon you when trouble comes. Therefore, always ask, "What is God saying?" and follow His voice.

As God honoured Elisha because he stood firm, so God will honour those who refuse to yield to the pressure of men. The person who mocks you today because you obey God will celebrate you tomorrow. The person who laughs at you today because you refused to follow the crowd will rejoice with you tomorrow. In the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

There is a nature God places on us to guide us through life. Life is a journey, and we must walk in the purpose of God to remain connected to Him.

Romans 8:28-31 reminds us that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. God has a definite plan for everyone who belongs to Him. As believers, our lives must align with that divine purpose.

Psalm 17:15 says, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."

Many people have been in church for years and claim to have given their lives to Christ, yet they are not walking in God's plan. Righteousness is different from charismatism. Spiritual activities and gifts are not substitutes for obedience to God's purpose.

Philippians 1:20-21 says:

"According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

May nothing make you a politician in church, chasing shadows while forgetting the utmost call. The hallmark of Christianity is to be like Christ.

Christ-likeness is the process of reflecting the attitude and character of Christ in our daily lives. As 2 Corinthians 3:18 declares:

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Christians should bear a striking resemblance to Christ. If our daily lives reflect Christ, the Gospel becomes easier to preach because people will first see Him in us before they hear about Him from us.

Billy Graham once said, "When you lose your wealth, you lose nothing. When you lose your health, you lose something. When you lose Christ, you lose everything."

In a similar context, Martin Luther King Jr. also said that the true measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.

Jesus Himself faced trials that would define His mission and fulfill God's plan for the redemption of humanity. He could have called legions of angels to destroy His mockers and persecutors, yet He chose submission.

Isaiah 53:7 records: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter."

When He was arrested, Jesus said in Luke 22:52-53:

"When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

Talent is a gift, but character is a choice. Joshua 24:15 makes it clear that decision-making is essential for anyone who desires to follow God: "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve."

Exodus 23:2 warns us: "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil."

Isaiah 30:21 adds: "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it."

The fact that everybody is doing something does not make it right. Christianity should show the world a better way through our conduct, conflict resolution, speech, and lifestyle. We must refuse to follow the multitude into error. Instead, we must walk the narrow path marked by the footsteps of Christ.

Acts 11:26 records that "the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." They earned that identity because their lifestyle and conduct reflected Christ even after He was no longer physically present on earth.

I remember a traditional ruler speaking during a funeral service I conducted. He observed that many Christians have become too heavenly conscious and earthly irrelevant. In other words, the lives we live fail to impact the people around us because we are focused on heaven while neglecting our earthly responsibility as witnesses of Christ.

THE REALITY OF CHRISTIANITY: Christianity is not merely a religious identity. It is a life of total surrender and continuous transformation into the image of Christ.

HOW TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST

1. Through Total Yielding and Surrender to God

Anyone who must follow Jesus must do so according to His requirements. Luke 9:62 says: "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Following Christ requires wholehearted commitment. We cannot surrender partially and expect complete transformation.

2. By the Indwelling Spirit of God: 2 Corinthians 3:18 teaches that we are transformed into Christ's image by the Spirit of God. Romans 8:9 further declares: "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Without the Holy Spirit, genuine transformation is impossible. Paul expressed deep concern for the church in Galatia when he cried out in Galatians 3:1:

"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?"

Believers must remain yielded to the Holy Spirit and steadfast in the truth of God's Word.

3. God's Final Purpose: God's purpose for every believer is a continuous process of transformation that culminates in eternal life.1 John 3:2-3 says: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." God's intention is that our journey with Him ends in eternity with Him. To achieve this, we must continually purify ourselves and avoid grieving the Holy Spirit.

SOME KEY AREAS IN WHICH WE MUST BE LIKE CHRIST

1.Humility

Philippians 2:7 says: "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant." Christ demonstrated humility by laying aside His glory and serving humanity.

2. Service

John 13:14-15 says: "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." A Christ-like believer serves others willingly and sacrificially. May our lives continually reflect Christ until His image is fully formed in us.

Amen.

Pastor samson Badare