40th IFN Prayer Conference, Abakeliki 2018

HIGHLIGHTS OF 40^TH NATIONAL PRAYER CONFERENCE OF INTERCESSORS FOR NIGERIA HELD AT

1. PETER’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ABAKALIKI,

EBONYI STATE NIGERIA,

WEDNESDAY 3^RD – 6^THJANUARY, 2018

The theme of the Conference:

‘’MY COUNSEL SHALL STAND PART 2’’

WEDNESDAY 3^RD JANUARY

(PLENARY ONE)

1. STEVE OGAN

TOPIC: “UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES AND KNOWING WHAT TO DO BY THE COUNSEL OF GOD”.

Highlight of the message. 

• Understanding the Times is a Leadership mandate. 1 Chron. 12: 32
• Only those who understand the times will know what to do.
• The counsel of God is rooted in His word.
• The counsel of the Lord is the legal basis for engaging in Spiritual transaction with God.
• God’s counsel is like His sovereign will.
• No counsel of God can be postponed, cancelled or withheld by any force.
• We need to cry for deeper consecration. Except we cry for deeper consecration, it will be difficult to obey the counsel of God. 55: 6, 8-9
• We need to receive the gift of inspired dissatisfaction.
• The generation of those who seek the LORD must be the generation that ascends to the Holy Hill of God. We must do with pure hearts and clean hands.
• Anything you honour more than GOD is an idol and it will prevent you from receiving the counsel of the Lord.
• Discover the counsel of the Lord for every season. 3:1. Time is a spiritual infrastructure.
• We are in the 18^thyear season of 2018
• The No 18 in Hebrew means the hand going into the prison and pulling somebody out. (the hand of God; the hand of redemption)
• Judges 3:14-16. Israel was in bondage for 18 years
• Judges 10:7-8 God delivered them
• Luke 13:10-14. Circle of bondage came to an end at the 18^thyear season
• God delivers at the 18^thyear from illegitimate bondage but we need to cry out for deliverance.
  • Determine to break every yoke of bondage
  • Decide to join the Benjamite company of national deliverers: Judges 3:14-15. (examples of those used as national deliverers that are Benjamites are Saul, 1 Sam. 9:21; Modercai Esther 2:5; Paul 3:5; Jeremiah)
  • Design the unusual weapon for victory. 3:15
  • Deploy the two edged sword. Judges 3:6, Ps. 148:5-7. As we pray we need to deploy the two – edged sword.
  • Devour the prey in the morning. 49:1,7
  • Divide the spoil in the night

RABBI JUDAH BEN SAMUEL’S JUBILEE PROPHECY

“When the Ottomans conquer Jerusalem they will rule over Jerusalem for eight jubilees.” (This happened 300 years after Ben Samuel’s death in 1517 when the Turks conquered Jerusalem.)

“Afterwards Jerusalem will become no-man’s land for one jubilee” (1917-1967) (The British conquered the Turks and the League of Nations took the Mandate for Holy Land to the British, making Jerusalem no-man’s land under international law.)

“Then in the ninth jubilee it will once again come back into the possession of the Jewish nation – which would signify the beginning of the Messianic end time.” (1967-2017) (In 1967’s Six Day War, Israel retook Jerusalem.)

THURSDAY 4^TH JANUARY

(PLENARY TWO)

BARR. EMEKA NWANKPA

TOPIC: ‘’WHAT IS EXPECTED OF US WHEN IT COMES TO COUNSEL OF GOD’’

ISA. 46:10

Highlights of the message.

• God declared the end from the beginning.
• God has restricted Himself to working with men
• 14:24-27; Job. 42:2 ‘’…I know that God can do all things’’ job was sure, he was not in doubt.

What should I do?

1. Find out, investigate, and inquire to know what the counsel/purpose of God is
2. Make decision: Jesus made decision ‘’not my will but your will’’ 

Acts 9: 13-15

Paul as a case study

• The life of Paul was meant to affect kings, gentiles and the children of Israel; and His counsel is still working out till today.
• 23:11, we need the understanding of God
• God reveals His purpose in stages.
• Nobody could kill Paul because he was carrying God’s counsel upon his life. 23:12

3. Understand that the counsel of God takes time (till the fullness of time)
4. Each of us will face hardship in the process of fulfilling God’s counsel.

THURSDAY 4^TH JANUARY

(PLENARY THREE)

ENGR. NTIENSE UBON-ISRAEL

TOPIC ‘’WHAT TIME IS IT?’’

Highlights of the message.

• We need to ask God to wake the church out of sleep
• We need to be sure we are where God wants us to be and doing what God has us to do.

Why is it important to wake out of sleep?

• Hag 1:1- 10. We need to deal with voices that are saying the time has not come.
• We must consider our way because the time has come. 1:7b
• It is time to build Nigeria.
• My roles: (apply Nehemiah model). 2:20 – end, Neh. 3: 1-6
• Be part of the builders of Nigeria
• Anointing of repairers needed. 61:4

FRIDAY 5^TH JANUARY

HEALTH/WELLNESS TALK

Highlights of the Talk

• God created plant before animal
• The things we eat determine how healthy we are
• We determine the death rate of any cell in our body by whatever we eat
• When we eat well our body relates well with immediate environment
• Every drug is a poison
• Every green vegetable is drug/medicine.
• Stay away from sugar because it causes cancer, it is more dangerous than cigarette and tobacco
• Reduce the milk you take but take groundnut.

FRIDAY 5^TH JANUARY

(PLENARY FOUR)

BARR. EMEKA NWANKPA

TOPIC: “THE LIFE OF INTERCESSORS IN ESTABLISHING THE COUNSEL OF GOD”

PHIL. 1: 7

Highlights of the message

• One of the profound statements in this text is “I have you in my heart”; I carry you in my heart.
• We need to carry our nation and our people/community in hearts.
• 10: 11 – 13. Are you a shepherd intercessor or hireling?
• The shepherd cares for the sheep because he carries the sheep in his heart. (Do you care about the situation of Nigeria)
• A hireling cannot be patriotic (love the people, country and the land)
• What did Paul do that made him say he carried the people in his heart? 1:9,10. He was not only preaching to the people but he was also praying for the people. Col. 1:9,10. He loved the people, loving the people of the land is important.
• 62:5. We must marry the land.
• 1:7. ‘’…Ye all are partakers of my grace’’. II Cor. 8: 1, 2, 3, the grace bestowed are spelled out in II Cor. 8: 1 – 7.
• Romans 12:6 – Paul did not prostitute the grace he carried.
• What is the grace that God has given you that people can partake of? Paul said you are partakers of my grace. Can we say the same like Paul?

Isa. 52:1 – 2. Proclaimed.

• Wake us up (the church) from ignorance, disobedience, unrighteousness, injustice, uncleanness, bondage, limitations, mistakes, errors.
• Mighty wind of God blow through the church and deliver the church from the dust, fill us with Godly passion, feel our hearts with deep love for you; help us to love you practically, fill our lives with your love for people/community/profession/ministry/nation.

FRIDAY 5^TH JANUARY

(PLENARY FIVE)

ENGR. NTIENSE UBON–ISRAEL

TOPIC: “SEVEN PATTERNS OF REBUILDING”

HAGGAI 1

Highlights of the message.

• There is a pattern for rebuilding of Nigeria, that Ebonyi State will be the Template.
• The new Nigeria is for God to get glory. It is not just for us to have good roads and uninterrupted light.
• Obedience to the Lord paramount. 1:12
• 1:13. Don’t worry, I am with you. (heaven is not confused neither should I)
• 1:14. God to stir our spirit afresh.

• In building Nigeria we need the stirring of the spirit
• Reset our mind for what is possible
• Stirring of the people in Diaspora who are important in rebuilding our nation.
• 2: 3, 3, 9. Need to have correct sight to see what has been done and comprehend the magnitude of God counsel
• What you see is informed by what you hear.
• 2:4. Be strong and get ready to work.
• 8:9. Prayer point: O Lord my God make my hand strong in rebuilding our nation, Nigeria
• Hag 2:5. Do not fear
• 2:8. We need a new mantle for the new responsibility.

FRIDAY 5^TH JANUARY

(PLENARY SIX – VIGIL)

1. STEVE OGAN

TOPIC: ‘’RENEWING AND RESETTING YOUR MIND TO ENFORCE THE COUNSEL OF GOD’’

Highlights of the messages. 

• To renew is to make afresh, to revive, to restore, to re awaken
• To reset is to re – configure our mindset
• How do we think to enforce the counsel of God?
• The mind must be reset. The mind is the seat of the intellect.
• 12: 1 – 3. Response to God’s appeal that will renew and reset your mind.  For the appeal to be effective Paul said –
• Present your body as a living sacrifice
• Ensure that this sacrifice is holy and acceptable to God
• Do not conform to the lust of the flesh
• Only a reset mind/renewed mind can prove what is good and acceptable to God

See and think possibility: Zech. 4: 1 – 10.

Prayer points:

God open our eyes to see opportunities for great harvest.

• When we see correctly, God will provoke us to work
• What do you see in your environment/community?
• We need to see with the ability to interpret.
• 3: 17 -19. God give us interpretation of what we see.
• We need to see from God’s perspective. 4: 5,6

• See beyond the mountain of delay and decay. Zech 4:7
• Think big, start small and grow fast. Our thinking must be enforced the counsel of God. 4: 10
• 32: 17 – 22. Jeremiah was in prison but his mind was properly set. Jer. 32: 6, 7.
• Renew and reset your mind when you are in prison incarcerated.
• II Tim. 4: 12, 13. Even though Paul was in prison physically but he was never in prison spiritually.

• He requested for cloak: (for the body)
• He requested for book: (for the soul)
• He requested for parchment: (for the spirit)

• Physically: Physical exercise like walking, jumping, jogging etc
• Mentally: Mental exercise like reading books (outside your area of specialization), playing of games etc
• Spiritually: Spiritual exercise like prayer, fasting, meditating, communion in the spirit, fellowshipping, witnessing, memorising the word of God etc.

The Thinking Template/Model for Enforcing the Counsel of God (Philip 4: 8)

• Truth Based Thinking: ‘’… whatsoever things are true’’ (Mountain of Education)
• Honesty Based Thinking: ‘’… whatsoever things are honest,’’ (Mountain of Economy)
• Justice/Righteous Based Thinking:’’… whatsoever things are just’’ (Mountain of Government).
• Purity Based Thinking: ‘’… Whatsoever things are pure’’. (Mountain of Religion).
• Love Based Thinking: ‘’… Whatsoever things are lovely’’. (Mountain of Family).
• Good report Base Thinking: ‘’… whatsoever things are of good report’’. (Mountain of Media)
• Virtue and Praise Worthy Thinking: ‘’… if there be any virtue and if there be any praise’’. (Mountain of Culture)

SATURDAY 6^TH JANUARY

(PLENARY SEVEN – CLOSING CHARGE)

BARR. EMEKA NWANKPA

• This has been one of the most elaborate Conferences we have had in recent times.
• This is no longer the time to be casual with God.
• We must now be spending time listening to God, reading the scriptures.
• God has demonstrated enough faith in us by telling us His plans in this Conference.
• Let us therefore begin to seek Him at a higher and level.

BENEFITS OF SEEKING GOD

• Your thought process begins to change.
• God begins to transform you from faith to faith; from glory to glory.
• You begin to grow in becoming His Co-labourer.
• New anointing begins to come upon you.
• You become empowered to do what God wants.
• It brings you new levels of authority.
• You become one who gives the breaking news.

OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS AND INSTRUCTIONS

• Notice that this Conference has taught us to learn to wait on God.
• Never go below the level God has brought us in this Conference.
• The time to rebuild this Country has come.
• Many have received certain mantles in the course of this Conference.
• To some, the Conference has turned to be a transformational one.
• To achieve many things that have been taught in this meeting, our minds need to be renewed.
• Make the effort to think at the wavelength of God.
• Do not allow anything whatsoever to drive a wedge between you and God.
• Make a conscious effort to become a friend of God.
• Never break relationship with God. Keep maintaining it.
• Keep asking God this question –

“What should I do”?

What do you want done?

If you are sincere about it, you will never go wrong.

FAMILY MATTERS – DISTRACTIONS

• The enemy uses the family to pressure you and push you out of the way.
• Always maintain that your first allegiance is to God.
• When you begin to get instructions about the family from God, they will fear you.
• When they conspire against you, before they come, God will speak to you. Then you tell them gently what God said. This takes some effort though.