WHAT PRECEDES SACRIFICE? – Sacrifice Series

WHAT PRECEDES SACRIFICE? – Sacrifice Series

Sacrifice extends beyond animal blood sacrifices or tangible offerings like money. I outline what God values before any blood sacrifices, seeds, gifts, first fruits, or other tangible items—explaining why obedience, righteousness, justice, holiness, goodness, and generosity are more pleasing and acceptable to God than any other sacrifices we might offer.

Chapter Markers
- 0:00 Opening Prayer For God’s Word
- 3:50 Sacrifice Begins With God
- 9:25 From Old Covenant To Jesus
- 12:05 Why People Offer Sacrifices
- -19:10 When Sacrifice Becomes A Bribe
- 21:10 Obedience Comes Before Sacrifice
- 24:20 Repentance God Will Not Despise
- 26:35 Righteousness And Justice As Sacrifice
- 35:00 Holiness And The Living Sacrifice
- 39:00 Costly Faith And Spiritual Warfare Testimony
- 48:15 Prayer, Praise, Thanksgiving And Joy As Sacrifice
- 53:05 Goodness And Generosity That Please God
- 55:00 Giving That Unlocks 

Transcript

Opening Prayer For God’s Word

SPEAKER_00 0:03

When you speak, oh God, you don't just speak for the sake of talking. You speak with precision. You speak, oh God, to accomplish something. You speak with relevance. You speak with purpose. You speak, oh God, in accordance to your will. Father, we're not just here just to have another word that will not change our lives. We are not just here, oh God, just to play religion or just together and then go back the same way. Father, we are here to sit under your feet for you to speak life into our spirits, souls, and bodies. Father, we are here to hear you speak so that we will not conform to this world but be transformed when our minds are renewed. Father, the words that you speak, Jesus, the spirit in your life. Your word is active, your word is living, your word is powerful. Father, when you speak, you speak encouragement. When you speak, you speak freedom. When you speak, you speak creativity. When you speak, you speak healing. Out of your mouth, you spoke creation into existence. Your words heal people. Your words save sinners. Your words cast out demons. Your words deliver people. Lord, your word is powerful. All that we have right now is your word. We are here to receive life from you. Speak to our hearts and our minds to receive life. Take away every form of distraction. Take away every form of mind controlling spirit, wandering spirit, heaviness, sleepiness. Take it off, oh God. Take it off our eyes, oh God. Help us to be a lot, help us to be attentive, oh God, on your word, Papa, because I believe that God, you have something to say, something to do for each one of us. Lord, send your Holy Spirit that is here with us to make the word become tangible, to make the word become relevant, relatable, practical, applicable, transformative in our lives to solve problems that we are facing. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Holy Spirit. This we ask in Jesus' powerful, precious name we have prayed. Amen. I

Sacrifice Begins With God

SPEAKER_00 3:50

want to quickly share with us tonight what precedes sacrifice. What precedes sacrifice? Sacrifice was first initiated by God. Sacrifice was not a man-made practice. Sacrifice was initially done by God. So whatever God has established, Satan copies, and we as human beings we tend to abuse, misuse. So we see the practice of sacrifice throughout the Old and the New Testament. Other cultures outside of Israel were also performing sacrifices. They were performing human sacrifices, they were performing animal sacrifices. So the offering up of sacrifices is a divine institution, it's a divine practice because God was the first person who offered sacrifice. It did not originate from us as men or human beings. So the practice of sacrifice was before the law. But we see commandments in the Old Testament under the law with Moses, God laying out methods in which the children of Israel should go about performing certain sacrifices. So the first example where sacrifice was done is in Genesis chapter 3, verse 21. And where there is sin, there has to be sacrifice, and then where there is altars and covenants, there has to be sacrifice. So in this case, in Genesis chapter 3, verse 21, there's sin. And we see the first sacrifice. And God was the first person who sacrificed by killing an animal to clothe Adam and Eve in their nakedness. So the idea of sacrifice was first initiated by God. And then we see it as well in the life of Abel and Cain. You see, some people were saying that it doesn't matter what you offer to God, some theologians were saying that God was expecting Cain to also offer animal sacrifice. There's also non-blocrifices, like tithes, seeds, and offering. These are all non-blood sacrifices. So we see another sacrifice that was offered. Abel offered a sacrifice of the first fruit of his flock. And then Hebrews chapter 11 verse 4 confirms this sacrifice as why as why um God accepted Abel than Cain. Because if you if we go back to Genesis chapter 4, verse 4, the Bible says, Abel also brought off the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering. Hebrews chapter 11, verse 4. By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. So this excellent, so what Abel offered was an excellent sacrifice. That was blood sacrifice. That was blood sacrifice. So a blood sacrifice is an excellent sacrifice. Because that is the shedding of blood. Not human blood, but animal blood. Because that's very important. So we see that practice with God. We see the practice with Abel. And now we also see this practice with the patriarchs. We see that with Abraham. We see it with Isaac. We see it with Jacob as well. I don't have time, but when you have time, you can read Genesis chapter 8, verse 20, Genesis chapter 12, verse 7, Genesis chapter 13, verse 4, Genesis chapter 13, verse 18. Genesis chapter 15, verse 9 to 11. So the Bible is pretty much saying that the concept or the practice of sacrifice was way back before the law. God was the first person who implemented sacrifice. We see it in Abel,

From Old Covenant To Jesus

SPEAKER_00 9:25

we see it with Abraham, we see it with Isaac, we also see it with Jacob. And now comes to the law, Moses. So when you look at the Old Testament, how sacrifice was being done, it was really to portray the sacrifice of Jesus. Because lambs and bulls could not take away people's sin. They were all foreshadowing towards the ultimate sacrifice. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 14 confirms the sacrifices that were done under the law. It states, for by one offering he has perfected forever those who have been sanctified. So in the New Testament, we don't have to offer any animal sacrifice anymore. So anyone that comes to you as a believer telling you to kill an animal, to kill bulls and cows, as your sacrifice, your sins will be forgiven. That is a lie. That is false doctrine. Because Jesus Christ, He is the one perfected sacrifice on behalf of all humanity. So in our dispensation, under grace, there's no longer bulls, um, um, lambs, goat, nothing like that. Don't let nobody deceive you for you to sacrifice. If you if you're practicing that, killing animals to sacrifice, you're pretty much devil into accessing demonic spirits. So that we as believers, we should not be doing that because that is that will attract demonic spirit. The children of Israel were making sacrifices to God, but the people outside of Israel, they were making blood sacrifices to demons. We make sacrifices to a higher power, we make sacrifices to someone who is spiritual, who is supernatural. We as believers will make sacrifices to God. People who don't believe in God, they make sacrifices to demons. That is why our forefathers will make sacrifices to deities, thinking that they're making sacrifices to God. And as a result of these sacrifices they were made, sometimes it could be human sacrifices, sometimes it could be animal sacrifices, and guess what? Covenant and altars are established. Sacrifices makes the altar, the covenant,

Why People Offer Sacrifices

SPEAKER_00 12:05

so powerful. Why do people make sacrifices? When I study this, sacrifices they're offered to God, number one, for the most important thing, atonement for sin. So the main purpose of sacrifice is for the atonement for sin. And this was done quite a lot in the Old Testament under the law. If you read the book of Leviticus, all the types of sacrifices, all of them was for the atonement of the sins of the Israelites that the priest has to conduct. So that's one of the reasons why we offer sacrifices. Another purpose of sacrifice is to win favor. And we as believers, now Christians, we do that, we do this a lot. So we offer sacrifices in the form of seeds as a result of to win favor from God. And we see this practice a lot in the prophetic ministry where they're asking people if you want God to do certain things for you, if you want to break through, sow a seed of sacrifice, and you will win favor from God. So that's another reason. Why do people offer sacrifice? Sacrifice is offered to God to express thankfulness for God's blessing. Again, you can offer sacrifice to God to express a heart of gratitude. God, I am bringing this, I'm bringing my first fruit to you. God, I am bringing my seed to you because of the abundance, because of the harvest. This type of sacrifice doesn't have to be blood. So we have blood sacrifice, we have non-blood sacrifice. So the blood sacrifice, you and I as believers, we should not practice blood sacrifices anymore. But we should practice non-blood sacrifices. If you want to win favors from God, if you want to express thankfulness to God, He can offer non-blood sacrifices. Amen. Another reason why we offer sacrifice is to appease God's wrath and judgment. And we see that a lot. If you don't want to see God's wrath upon your life, if you don't want to see God's judgment upon your life, what do you do? You offer sacrifice. And we see this a lot in the Old Testament. People offer sacrifice because they want to appease the anger of the gods. Even we see that a lot in other cultures. They will go beyond killing human beings, they will go beyond killing their children because they don't want to, they don't they want to appease the gods for the gods to slow down, to calm down. And another reason why we offer sacrifice to God is to enter into covenant. This is very important. We see this a lot with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, especially Jacob. So sacrifices offered to God to enter into covenant or agreements or to make such legal grounds firm. And we see this a lot in the spiritual realm where people offer sacrifices to make a legal case for them to have a strong reason to establish something, it could be a covenant, an agreement. People enter into covenant by sacrifice. If you go to somebody who's a wish doctor, and you want something to be done for your family, let's say you want your family to be blessed, not just in your generation, but in the generation to come. You want all the daughters in the family to have children, not just in your generation, but the generation to come. You want all your sons to be educated, not just in your generation, but to the generation to come. What do you do? You make what? A covenant. Because that covenant will be established with you and for your descendants. That's exactly what God did with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But there was sacrifice involved. Abraham offered, God tested Abraham to offer sacrifice, but God wasn't trying to get Abraham to offer human sacrifice, it was just a foreshadow of Jesus Christ. That is why Abraham believed that God will provide a substitute. So one of the main reasons why people offer sacrifices is to enter into covenant. When you enter into covenant, the higher power requires a sacrifice for you to get something that is of value. Because when we offer sacrifice, we are losing something of value to get something of value. Am I making sense? When we offer sacrifice, it could be your last money, it could sometimes it could even be your firstborn. Even when it comes to God, God wants a sacrifice that is coming from you, that is at times that is painful or costly. Because what you're asking God for is also precious, and what you're trusting God for is not gonna come easy. That is why our forefathers will go to the altar and make covenant, and the um the deities will ask them, you know what? Offer me your children, not just your children now, but offer me your children in the future. But the devil is wicked. When the devil makes a sacrifice uh a covenant with you, it will take more than it would take more from you than you give him. Whereas God is the opposite, we give less to God, but God gives us more. Look at that, look at the sacrifice of Jesus. The salvation package comes with comes with eternity, comes with peace. That's why people make sacrifices to atone for sin, to seek favor, to offer thanks, to enter into covenant.

When Sacrifice Becomes A Bribe

SPEAKER_00 19:10

Now, the type of sacrifice I want to talk about before we pray is what precedes sacrifice because sometimes we think that okay, let me just offer sacrifices, God will accept. But I I realize in the Bible that God was getting tired of animal sacrifices, God was getting tired of plant first fruit sacrifices, you cannot offer God sacrifices when you're not living right. You cannot offer sacrifices to God when you're rebellious to God, you cannot kill animals or give your best to God, material things, when you are wicked. Some people want to take the short court by saying you know what? If I can give the church five thousand dollars, that is my sacrifice, maybe God will come true for me. But you're living a life that does not reflect who God is. So there are certain sacrifices that we make in church. I have done that, I've made a sacrifice, but I was expecting God to do something with that sacrifice, but then I realized that my sacrifice was not accepted because thinking that I can win myself, I can win God with sacrifice. Most of us we think that we can bribe God with sacrifice. We can bribe God with sacrifice, but what precedes sacrifice before we make sacrifice? What precedes sacrifice? One thing I've learned in my walk with God is that God is doesn't God doesn't really care much about what you do for Him, it's what you become, what you become because you can attain success, but when you have attained that success, you're a greedy person. So

Obedience Comes Before Offering

SPEAKER_00 21:10

what precedes sacrifice? Number one, obedience and heeding to God that precedes sacrifice that comes before sacrifice. Look what the Bible states in 1 Samuel chapter 15, verse 22. So Samuel said, Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Wow, behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, mama. Your obedience to God is better than your sacrifice, your your your seed. We as Christians, we do that a lot. If I can just Make a sacrifice. I can win favors from God. But God is saying that you cannot win favors from me when you're rebellious, when you're disobedient. So obedience and heeding to God is better than burnt offerings and sacrifices. It's better. Jeremiah chapter 7, verse 22 to 23. For I did not speak to your fathers or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. Okay. But this is what I commanded them, saying, Obey my voice. God is saying that I did not speak to your fathers or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I command them first. Obey my voice, and I'll be your God, and you shall be my people. It comes first before God, giving them instructions for sacrifices and offerings. So we see we offer sacrifices so that things will be well with us. We offer sacrifices so that life will be well with us. But in order for your life to be well with you, for things to be well with you, God is saying, obey my voice, obedience, listening to God, paying attention to God, hearing the voice of God is better than sacrifices. Another point, what precedes

Repentance God Will Not Despise

SPEAKER_00 24:20

sacrifice? Broken and contract heart. According to Psalms chapter 51, verse 17. This is David speaking. The sacrifices of God are number one, a broken spirit, number two, a contract heart. This, O God, you will not despise. I am laying out how we can offer sacrifices after we have taken care of the things that matters to God first before our sacrifices. Obedience. Broken and a contract heart. What is that? A contract heart is a heart of repentance, it's a heart expressing remorse. It's a heart of regret that God, I'm sorry for what I've done. What I did is wrong. You're broken because you have disobeyed God. You're not happy. That is a sacrifice that God will not despise. Wow. I is the psalmist saying that when you're broken, when you're remorseful, when you're repentant, it's a form of sacrifice that God will not despise. Some people can come to this church and give sacrifice. But your hearts, what they have done yesterday, they didn't even ask God for forgiveness. They think that they can bribe God by their seeds. They're not remorseful how they spoke to their wife last night. They're not remorseful how they treated their children. They think that you know what, God, I can let me just I'm just gonna throw my seeds of sacrifice to win favors from you so that everything will go well with me. God will not obey such sacrifices. What precedes sacrifices?

Righteousness And Justice As Sacrifice

SPEAKER_00 26:35

Another reason, righteousness and justice. Righteousness and justice precede sacrifices. Look what he states in Psalm 4, Psalm chapter 4, verse 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. Wow! Righteousness is a sacrifice. Interesting. Righteousness is a sacrifice. Offer righteousness, offer living right, offer doing the right things. Psalm 51, verse 19. Then you shall be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness. So God is pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness. That's why Jesus says that seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. So we want to offer sacrifices to win favors so that our lives will be better, so that things will be well with us. When Jesus is saying that if you seek God first and his righteousness, all these things that we are trying to obtain, we can get them without sacrifices. Because righteousness itself is a form of sacrifice. Because you're saying no to your flesh and you're saying yes to the ways of God, you're saying no to your appetite, you're saying yes to the ways of God, you're saying no to your lust, you are saying yes to the ways of God. That is sacrifice. You're saying no to your bodies, and you are saying yes to the will of God, that is sacrifice. Because it's very hard to say no to yourself, it's very hard to say no to your flesh and to say yes to God to do the right thing in order for you to do the right thing, that is sacrifice. I was at work, I have failed this one, I'm not gonna lie. You know, righteousness, that is a sacrifice. You know, God, God was testing me about money. Oh God, God have mercy. Sometimes we think that certain things you you will sometimes we think that certain things you will never do, but wait till you're tested, wait till you're desperate, wait till you're in need, wait till you're you're surrounded with people who practice such. If God does not help you, you'll be you'll be part of that. Are you gonna do the right thing when everybody else normalize it? And then not only that, you're also desperate, and you have a common ground to do it as well. I didn't know that righteousness is sacrifice, it is sacrifice. You say no to your flesh to say yes to God, you say no to certain things and say, you know what, God, I I I want money, but there's a door has opened for me to do some fishy things. Oh God, my friend is doing it. God, shall I do it as well? I realize that whenever I do whenever whenever I do certain things, I always like I always get caught. So whenever I do certain things, I always, always like it doesn't go well with me. So I learned this. I'm like, you know what? Other people can do it, but not you, Brahim. Righteousness is a form of sacrifice. Proverbs chapter 21, verse 3 states to do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Oh my god. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable than sacrifice. What precedes sacrifice? Righteousness and justice. You think you can sacrifice to God when there's no justice in the land, when there's no justice for the poor, when there's no justice for the oppressed, when there's no justice for the widow, when there's no justice for the fatherless, when there's no justice for the innocent. You think you can offer a sacrifice to God when there's no justice? Wow. We see this in in places of authority, in leadership role, in the government system. That is why they offer sacrifice to demonic entities to get more powers, to win favor, to be in charge. They cannot go to God to win favor when there is injustice in the land. They cannot offer sacrifice to God Almighty, who is just and holy, when there is partiality in the land. No, they can't. They can go to somebody else, they can go to another, they can go to a demon, but you cannot go to God and offer sacrifices when there's no righteousness, when there's no justice. What precedes sacrifices? This is a powerful thing. This this whole week we're talking about sacrifices. My God, what do you want me to focus on when it comes to sacrifices? What precedes sacrifices? What comes before us? This you see, there's nothing wrong about sacrifices, but what God is looking for, there are certain things that we have to do so that our sacrifices are acceptable: obedience, righteousness, justice, brokenness, contract heart. Look what is stated in Isaiah chapter 1, verse 16 to 17. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean, put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Hey God, you know the children of Israel, they are very, very good making sacrifices, they are very, very good at that. But God is telling His own people wash yourself, make yourselves clean, put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. Righteousness and justice is more acceptable than sacrifice. Yes. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable than sacrifices, and I've just listed all of them here. Seek justice, learn to do good, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. This is sacrifice in itself. Put away the evil of your doings. Micah chapter 6, verse 8. Same thing. He has shown you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord requires of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. What precedes sacrifice?

Holiness And The Living Sacrifice

SPEAKER_00 35:00

Another one before we conclude. Holiness, holiness precedes sacrifice. Holiness precedes sacrifice. Romans chapter 12, verse 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present, you devote yourself, you dedicate yourself, you set yourself apart. Your bodies, your bodies as a living sacrifice. You see, God wants your life to be a sacrifice. Certain things other people are doing, mama. God does not want you to do. But you used to party, you used to enjoy these things, you used to enjoy the hype, the music, you love to dance, but what's wrong? I said, that was that was in the past. I don't, I don't, I don't feel like everybody was having fun. I try to have fun, but it just I just couldn't have fun. I just couldn't get it. Like the music could not make sense to me, even the dance move could not make any sense. I said, I'm in the wrong place. So I left that club to Cuba because usually the clubs they finish at 2 2 a.m. But we came there at 10 p.m. I believe. May I left at 11 p.m. Why am I saying this? Holiness is sanctification. You set your life apart to God, you are different from others. That is sacrifice. Your bodies, your bodies are living sacrifice. What you do with your body, your face, your mouth, your hands, these are all part of your body. What you do with them, let it be a form of sacrifice. The Bible says, living sacrifice, wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Again, holiness with our bodies, let it be living sacrifices, and they are acceptable to God. This is the type of sacrifice that God accepts. What precedes sacrifice is what God will accept first before God accepts your blood sacrifice or your non-blood sacrifice. The reason why at times God does not accept our blood, well, not even blood sacrifice our back in the day, or your non-blood sacrifice is because all these things that I've listed obedience, righteousness, justice, holiness, all of them precede sacrifice. If God accepts them, then it's easier for God now to accept your seed of $200, your seed of $1,000. You can give a seed of $10,000, and God will still not

Costly Faith And Spiritual Warfare Testimony

SPEAKER_00 39:00

accept it as a sacrifice. Let me use myself as an example again. I've been fasting for three days, trusting God for something, and I didn't have enough. I didn't have money. And my sacrifice is $50. Ah, can you imagine? I have a bigger problem, but my sacrifice is $50. I gave up. Maybe I'm like, I need to put more money, then I will win God's favor for God to break this yoke upon my life. But what I heard was obedience is better than sacrifice. So that's how this message came about. What precedes sacrifice? I was thinking that the sacrifice that I had, $50, cannot be compared to the family altar or the covenant that has been made upon my life for many many years. You cannot compare that with $50 sacrifice, with blood sacrifice. Ah, you cannot compare that $50 with blood sacrifice. What I've learned is obedience is better than sacrifice. That by itself is sacrifice. So that gave me the faith. I'm like, you know what, God, if I had more, I will do more. But I know this is just a token of appreciation. Because what the enemy was trying to do was to make me feel like you know what? I have wasted these three days fasting. Because my sacrifice of $50 was not enough to break the legal ground. Like I said, people make sacrifices to enter into covenant. And look at me trying to break a covenant with a $50 sacrifice seed. And then the man of God reminded me that the blood sacrifice of Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, it's enough. So that sacrifice, like I said, one of the reasons for sacrifice is to express thanksgiving, thankfulness. So that that's that token of $50, Jesus Christ's blood is enough. That was just to say, No God, thank you. And then me also serving other people. Because you see, another thing I was reminded was when you serve people who when you speak for the widows, okay? Oh God, you defend the fatherless, you fight for those who are oppressed, you fight for those who are whatever you do, that's also sacrifice. So me doing things for those men in the shelter, that was also a form of sacrifice. See? So God paved the way saying that okay, you you are you're doing sacrifices. Okay, oh God. Sometimes we think that sacrifice is just monetary value, but you giving your time to those who are less privileged, even at work, even at work, this lady, she's not able to pay her rent. I helped her with the process, very patient with her. I helped her for her to have subsidy. Another man took him to the office, not able to pay his rent. I sat with him, I went through with the process. That sacrifice, that is not part of my job description, but you're losing their units if they don't pay their rent, but they don't know how to apply for subsidy, and I know how that is part of sacrifice. You give your time. Justice, a sacrifice. Rebuking the oppressed, defending the fatherless, pleading for the widow, a sacrifice. Child of God. Wow. I didn't know that. Oh God. The way God does things is powerful. How God does something for your season. And then I even had a dream where after the man of God prayed for me, they came back at night because I dream a lot. Hey, they came back to reinforce the covenant. They tried everything to make me go back to the covenant. Sometimes when I eat in my dream or have sex in my dream, those were the two means that they were using as a way to entangle me in bondage. Sex in my dream, I become spiritually weak. Eating in my dream, I become spiritually weak. This time around, I think, was it on Thursday? I had this dream. They came again trying to make me eat. They came again trying to make me have sex in my dream. I said no. And then there was this vehicle that was monitoring me. I was confused. But then the man of God that was praying for me in the dream called me on WhatsApp because he prays for me on WhatsApp. It was so strange. So he called me on WhatsApp. While I was confused, I didn't know what to do. I'm like, God, I'm not gonna eat in my dream. That God, I am not gonna have sex in my dream. Because I know they will use these two things as a way to get me. So I was confused. The man of God immediately called my phone. He started praying for me. Like, you know how he prays for me in the physical. That's exactly how he was praying for me in the dream. I was tired, but all I could say, amen, amen, amen, amen. And then I woke up and he gave me a verse, Galatians chapter 5, verse 1. Stand in the freedom that Jesus Christ has given you. That was not enough. Today again. Sacrifice. Sacrifice. Wow. It's as if all type of attack. I was I was sleeping. Earthquake, storm. They were coming like waves, they were coming at me. I was sleeping. It's as if my bed was shaking. Everything was shaking. Even this, even my glasses got broken in the dream. My glasses, like it's as if they just oh my like this violent wind wanted to take me. But it's as if something was holding me down in this bed. My body was not moving, but everything else around me was moving. It's as if they came with rage and anger to destroy me. They tried everything, they tried wind, they tried water, they tried fire. In my dream, I'm telling, oh God, hey. They tried everything, even the wind. It's like the wind slapped my glasses. My glasses fell up. My god. But I was able to stand in my bed. I woke up. I'm like, wow. And I felt something was broken. I felt something was was lifted up me. I felt something was was gone. It was just a three days. Three days. But God was preparing me all along. Give. Do this. I exhausted all of my funds. I didn't know that that was the little sacrifice that I have to make for me to get my breakthrough in this area of my

Prayer Praise And Joy As Sacrifice

SPEAKER_00 48:15

life. Amen. Another thing that precedes sacrifice is prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. And then we're gonna close. We're gonna pray. Psalm 141, verse 2. Prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. When I read this, I'm like, God, are you saying that when we pray, when we praise, when we give thanks, these are all sacrifices that we're making to you? Yes, yes. Look what it states in Psalm 141, verse 2. Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Wow. So when we pray, when we praise, when we give thanks, these are all forms of sacrifice. Psalm 27, verse 6, and now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies, all around me. Therefore, oh my God, therefore, I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tabernacle. I will sing yes, and I will sing praises to the Lord.

unknown 49:32

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 49:34

Sacrifice of joy. Can you imagine that God is saying that joy is sacrifice? Oh God. You see, oh, sometimes when we read the Bible, man, we think that sacrifice is just about blood, animals, but God is saying, No, there's things that precedes this blood sacrifices. Joy can be a sacrifice. Praises unto God can be a sacrifice. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 15. Therefore, by him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God. That is Jesus. Therefore, by him, because Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, we don't have to do no more blood sacrifice. The only sacrifice that we have to give is praises. Thankfulness. Jesus, thank you. That's why I said the battle that I was fighting, I didn't do much. God did everything. I'm telling you this. All I did was just I fasted for three days and I gave 50 bucks. That's all. And I maybe gave my time to people to help them. That's all. Simple things. But God did the rest. God did most of the job. He lifted my load. He lifted my burden. That's what the sacrifice that God can make for you. And even what God requires from you, God is not asking you to do things that is too much for you. That's what the devil will do to you. The devil will make you do certain things that is too much for you. Kill your mother, kill your brother, kill your sister to get what you're looking for. That's what the devil will ask you for. But God will never ask you for that. He will ask you for something that you can do, He will ask you for something that will not be detrimental to you and to others. Whereas the devil will ask you to make sacrifices that will be detrimental to you in your future and for others. You might win temporarily, but your end is destructive, your end is doomed, and the future of your descendants will be affected. See the difference. One in us as believers never encourage anyone, any family member to take you to any place or use your money to offer any sacrifice. One thing I told my family I will not send my money to Africa. I will not do that. I will not send my money to Africa because I don't know what they will do with it. I will not send my money to Africa. Certain things I will not do. That's one. I will not send my money to Africa. Let them sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoicing. Thanksgiving is also sacrifice. Praise God to win our battles. That's also sacrifice. So to conclude, what type of sacrifice that pleases

Goodness And Generosity That Please God

SPEAKER_00 53:05

God? Goodness and generosity. Goodness. Oh god, oh God, thank you, Jesus. Thank you. Goodness and generosity. Oh God, hey, this God that we serve. He's very simple, but we tend to complicate him. Goodness and generosity. These two types of sacrifices please God. Let's see Hebrews chapter 13, verse 16. But do not forget to do good and to share. For which such sacrifices God is well pleased.

unknown 53:50

Wow!

SPEAKER_00 53:53

Just as the Bible states, faith pleases God. So if you want to please God, the sacrifice that we need to offer to please God is goodness and generosity. Do not forget church, do not forget operal ministry to do good and to share.

unknown 54:18

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 54:19

To do good and to share for such sacrifices. Wow. God is well pleased. I'm not a giver. Well, I don't want to say I'm a giver, but I don't practice giving much. I'm a giver, don't get me wrong. I do give, but I don't practice it much. But this all two weeks I've been giving. But I didn't know that God was using this giving as my sacrifice for me to get my breakthrough. Now it's making sense. Goodness and generosity.

Giving That Unlocks Philippians 4

SPEAKER_00 55:01

Philippians chapter 4, verse 15 to 20. This is where I'm gonna stop. Now you Philippians, speak Paul now is speaking to the church. Okay, know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving, but you only can imagine in the beginning of his ministry, in the beginning of Paul's ministry, oh God, when he left Macedonia, no church, no church except one church, that is the church of Philippians. We as Opera Ministry, let us be like the Macedonian church, even in their last, they were able to give to the church in Jerusalem. Giving, giving a sacrifice. God is not asking for millions of dollars. 20 bucks, $10, you see a brother in need, a sister in need, this is acceptable to God. So Paul is saying that no church share with me concerning giving and receiving, but only you. Paul is commending the church of Philippians. For even in Thessalonica, you sent aid once, once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift. Paul is not, people see, Paul was not trying to be those type of man of God that is okay. The church must give. No, Paul is saying that you know what? It's just the attitude, the attribute of generosity. He said, guys, I'm not asking for these things because I want the gift. I'm not asking this because I'm that type of preacher that asks for money, money, money. No, he said, Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Oh my god. He will say that you know why you should give? It's a fruit of the spirit, and it's a sacrifice that will abound, multiply in your account. It's an account. God, God keeps records of your goodness, how you treat people, of your generosity. Do you share? All these are sacrifices that we are making. It's not just praying, praying, praying, giving seed. No, but how we treat one another. Form of sacrifices. He says, but I seek, but my oh my god, look at the intention of Paul. Paul is saying that I'm not doing this because I want gifts from you guys, I'm doing it because I want to see fruit of generosity, because this is what is pleasing to God as sacrifices. Goodness. But I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed, I have all in abond. Paul Paul Paul is saying, he said, I have all in a bond. I am full. Having received from Aphrodite the things sent from you, he he received from somebody else a man. He received from this man, and this man is a giver. The things sent from you, a sweet smelling aroma. So oh my god, Paul is it's likening the generosity of giving as the sacrifice that the children of Israel will offer to God in the book of Leviticus. When God smells it, they are acceptable. Ah, God. When God smells it, God is okay. But now we don't have to kill lambs and bulls. All we need to do is to do good and be generous. To conclude, a sweet smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice. Wow. Well pleasing to God. Acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. So now this is how this verse that we quote as believers my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. But do you know we misquote this verse, we take this verse out of context. For Paul to speak about this, it's in the context of generosity as a form of sacrifice. So if you want God, if you want God to supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus, you need to have the fruit of generosity. We call, yeah, God is gonna God, but you're stingy. God is gonna give me this, but you're not kind. God is gonna do this for me, but you're not sharing. No, child of God, no. Now to God and our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.