Ministering: Rev Sam Oye
Topic: Next to God, you need the right people
“Life is a series of connections. Next to God, you should pray for the right people in your life. You have come as far as the relationships you have kept. Relationships determine the advantages. Skill is good, strength is wonderful, might is amazing, and above all, when it comes to the advantages of life, relationships determine the outcome. It will shock you to know that it is not who is qualified that sits on the throne; it is who is connected. Value relationships as you journey through life. Relationships will scuttle “might” and “right”. Sometimes, the worst of human beings is the person God will use to bring his counsel to pass. Treat all men; value all men.”
These are eye-opening revelations from Rev. Sam Oye, the Lead Pastor of the Transforming Church International and the Convener of the Prophetic Prayer Hour (PPH), who was teaching on the Secret of Maximizing Divine Connections, Under the Great Grace for Divine Connection Series, on Sunday, July 2, 2023, at the Church Auditorium, end of 7th Avenue, Anwalu Anwar Close, after Lube Gas Station, Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja.
Rev. Sam flew through the night into the country after attending the Next Level Prayer Conference at the Ovo Arena, Wembley, London, UK, on the first day of July, organized by Pastor Bolaji Idowu of the Harvesters International Christian Center, a commitment he makes to always support Men of God. His appearance in the church was shocking to most parishioners, as he was not expected to be in service. Rather, the man of God mounted the podium with vigour and grace, bringing the word of God to the worshippers with clarity.
It is almost becoming the norm in the world today that positions are given through relationships. Citing Solomon’s emergence as king in Israel, “When it was time at the dying moments of David, Solomon was not the one qualified to sit on the throne; Adonijah David’s first son was to sit on the throne of his father. Alas! when they heard Adonijah was ascending the throne with Might and Right—he had the Right because he was the eldest, and he had the might to sit on the throne. When Might and Right went ahead, “relationship” scuttled, and “relationship” undermined it.
Bathsheba heard that Adonijah was to become king, and she reached out to David’s inner caucus, whom she had “relationships” with. See, “relationships” will speak for you on the days when “might” and “right” will not speak.
Bathsheba cornered the mighty men of David, the priest and the prophets. I am not the legal wife, she said. I understand I am the reason there is trouble in this kingdom, but sirs, I have relationships with you, and my son must take over from his father. This she carried out on the strength of relationships. The challenge is: how do we put the son of an adulterous relationship on the throne? What is the justification? However, when it comes to relationships, it scuttles justifications. You can gather as much evidence as possible against Bathsheba, and Solomon will still hold the throne. Hold the evidence; He holds the throne. Solomon sat on the throne despite “Might” and “Right. “Life is indeed unfair,” He said.
“Life is not fair, but before you think it’s an ungodly thing, the Holy Book said, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. What have they done before God loved or hated them? They were still in the womb before the pronouncement. Innocent boys. It was God’s prerogative. He just inclined towards Jacob, despite Esau’s might and right. The time has come to fall before God and tell Him you count on His mercies, not your ability,” he said.
Delving further into the sermon, he asked, how did servants get on horses and princes walk on foot? He said it’s a function of “relationship”. “Life and favour are not fair but controlled by grace”. Seasons change through connections, so when God wants to lift a person, he connects that person to an introducer and a lifter, and the person’s season changes.
“It is not by might or right; it is about who likes you and if God moves in the hearts of people to like you. Once the king likes you, it doesn’t matter who doesn’t like you. If grace is not at work in your life, nobody will be looking for you; rather, you will be chasing after people”.
“Every vision from God will require execution by men. I don’t care where you met God; it doesn’t matter what he showed you. If it must come to pass, you need human beings. And the shocking part of it is that the people who will help you bring to pass the counsel of God are all not going to be Christians. Settle that in your mind.” The worst of human beings are the ones God is going to use to bring to pass His counsel for your life.
Furthermore, he cited the fact that life is a series of connections. Whenever God wants to change your relationship and your status, he will connect you to an introducer, like the butler. Joseph doesn’t know the king; he knows the butler, but Joseph has treated the butler well. TREAT ALL MEN WELL. IN THEIR LOWEST MOMENTS, BE NICE TO PEOPLE. THE TABLE OF LIFE TURNS FROM TURN TO TURN; YOU DON’T KNOW WHOSE TURN IT WILL BE TOMORROW. THE MOST PROMISING TODAY MAY NOT BE THE MOST PROMISING TOMORROW; always treat all men well, you never know who will bring you glory.”
“When God wants to change your story, He will connect you to a butler. Somebody who knows somebody you don’t know. They say there are always four people between you and the person you desire, but in scripture, there is always one person. Between David and Saul, it was one man.
Between Joseph and the Pharaoh, it was one man. Between Esther and the King and his kingdom, it was one man. The way our God does it overrules the way our world does it. When it is God, it is always one person. WHENEVER GOD WANTS TO CHANGE YOUR STORY, HE CONNECTS YOU TO AN INTRODUCER, BUT WHENEVER GOD WANTS TO CHANGE YOUR STATUS, HE CONNECTS YOU TO A LIFTER,” he said.
“The seasons in a man’s life can be changed instantly through connection. Joseph did not go for a position; he went to interpret dreams. If there was an expectation in the heart of Joseph, it was for him to be released from the prison and pardoned.”
“To balance the perspective, David was not seeking an introducer, nor was Joseph going about seeking the butler; Joseph was not involved in what brought him into the palace. The question remains, how did these people attract destiny helpers? That is what everyone’s focus must be”.
Taking his text from Mark 1:35–37, “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee”.
Citing Jesus’ strategy for attracting men, “rising a great while before day, for those of you that sleep away your morning, he said, “Early will I seek you.” Jesus needed the connection of men, but rising a great while before day, He left men. The men you are looking for, He left them, he didn’t pursue them, he went to pursue God. He went to spend time with God because God is called the Father of Spirits. All the men of renown I have mentioned, Joseph and David, were minding their business, pursuing God, but the father of all spirits brought men to him. Stop running after men, chase after God, he will bring men to you. You left prayer to pursue men; that’s why men turned their backs on you. Pursue God. Stop chasing after men. Pursue what matters.
Pursue God and He will bring men to you, he said