IYC 2023: Listen To Your Mothers, Folu Adeboye counsels Youths

By Pastor (Mrs.) Foluke Adeboye

Text: Genesis 1:26-28

Mothers are blessed people. When it comes to mothers, right from the beginning of the world, God has created them as an instrument of enlargement. The Bible tells us in Genesis 1:26-28 that it’s not good for man to be alone, and the next thing He did was to create a woman to be there with man all the time as helpmeet.

I’m here because I’ve been ordained to do so and I am glad that I am in my post right now. A man cannot give birth to a child, it takes a man and a woman to give birth. In Genesis 27:28-30, there was a mother there known as Rebecca. We may say she stole a blessing for her son, Jacob, but let me show you something. Before then, in Genesis 25:23, God Himself had ordained it. God said there were two nations in Rebecca and two manner of people will be separated from her bowels and the one people shall be stronger than the other people and the elder shall serve the younger one. We can’t query God because He is sovereign, He does as He pleases. The Bible says He sits in heaven and does what pleases Him.

So, what brought Jacob to be the elder in this issue? Taking the blessing before Esau has been ordained by God Himself. God has made the pronouncement and when the time came for the manifestation, the mother orchestrated it. She heard the father telling Esau to go do certain things, and the mother called Jacob, “did you hear what your father said?” Then she told him what Isaac his father said to Esau.  She taught him what to do so that the blessing of God prepared for Jacob will reach him.

So, when we’re talking about mothers, listen to your mothers. I’m not talking about me now but I’m connecting myself to your own natural mothers. Listen to them when they talk. A good mother will always wish her children well as I have come to wish you well. I’ve come to just give some pieces of advice, even as we have heard different stories on Enlarge. If we’re going to enlarge, there must be a place, a foundation for it and the foundation is open heaven – when God looks down and opens His love, power, strength, wisdom and grace upon you.

For Enlargement, the first thing you should do is that open heavens must open unto you. In the book of Luke 5:17, our Lord Jesus Christ went for baptism and out of the water as He was coming up, there was a voice that came that said this is My Beloveth Son. A proclamation so that the world may know that this one is ordained by God, and is sent by Him. And in the second time, Matthew 17:5, there was this proclamation voice again: “This Is My Beloveth Son, hear ye Him”. Brethren, this is the first thing for your enlargement.

How do you know when the Heaven opens unto you? It’s when your heart is fixed to do that which you’re hearing to receive enlargement. On the day of Pentecost, the Bible says when that day came, the Apostles received the power and started ministering. They waited ten days in the upper room and when the day of Pentecost came, they received. And what was the next thing, they were able to launch out, no longer hiding. Many of us here are in the upper room right now, as we receive more open heavens we shall have enlargement, moving from one glory to another. We shall no longer be hidden. For the Apostles were no longer hidden, signs and wonders were following them to the extent that the shadow of Brother Peter began to heal, handkerchief began to heal and do deliverance for the people.

Open Heavens is essential, be yourself in this meeting, know what you’re here for. If you’re here for enlargement, God is ready to meet you at the point of your needs. He is ready to enlarge your coast even far beyond your imagination. When you want enlargement, be obedient to the word of God and begin to work on it. There is nothing God cannot do, He has done it in my life before, He still does it.

He said His word healeth them from their destructions; don’t let fear destroy you, don’t let human philosophy destroy you, listen to the word of God and let God help you.

Secondly, hearken diligently to the voice of God, that’s what the Bible says. In Deuteronomy 28, what is the condition there? It is blessings of righteousness.  Talking about benefits of righteousness in our Open Heavens Devotion, I had to tell my household two days ago that you don’t receive benefits without a condition. The benefits are in Deuteronomy 28:1-13. What are the conditions? You must hearken diligently to the voice of God and obey His commandments. And the Bible tells us the commandments of God are not grievous, they’re not things that are difficult to obey. 

Thirdly, we should obey His commandment which according to Exodus 20:1-13 are not grievous. After the whole heavens have been opened unto you, you’re ready to say all that you have, have been given to Jesus. The Bible tells us that our body is the temple of the living God, and we’re made for His pleasure. Why do you struggle? You prolong your suffering but the earlier you obey, the better you are.

Fourthly, be Patient. Impatience is the problem of the youths. Many of you have attended the school of disciples, regimented followers of Jesus, that we say “I do” to Jesus but many of you want your cart to come before the horse and by so, you delay your result, delay your enlargement. Instead of looking forward, you’re looking backward, backward and derailing. But after this convention, you’ll be forward forever in the Mighty name of Jesus.

Hebrew 12:1 says we should run the race that is set before us with patience. Patience is needed; it may take you years to achieve one thing but when it is achieved, it will last forever. What you hurriedly achieved and God is not there, you may enjoy it for a while, but there will be a crash landing. Which one do you prefer? It’s only the blessings of God that has no sorrow to it. Unlike in our own days, today’s desire is different. For example, if your place of work is far from home, and you don’t have a car, you would opt for a car loan that you cannot conveniently repay. Then, not too long after using the car, it’s grounded. This happens because you didn’t order your priority well and you lack patience. Please be patient. For the Bible says those that wait upon the Lord shall do exploits. Wait on the Lord, and the Lord is good unto them that wait on Him. When we wait on the Lord, He will do that which will not perish and you will enjoy in everything.

Number five, be hardworking. Work hard! To reach the height, nothing goes for nothing. You want to be enlarged and you’re sleeping at home and confessing you’re in your enlargement. On what? On zero. If you’re enlarging, there’s something you’re enlarging upon, therefore hardwork is necessary. When the world says there is a casting down, God says there is a lifting.

Brethren, Isaac continued to dig well until he succeeded.  From him we learnt the first irrigation. Some people are meant to be farmers, maybe after this enlargement God will give you a way out and show you what do to for your enlargement. And in showing you, He will strengthen you, you will not be weary. That is part of the blessings I’ve come to give unto you. Isaac was not weary, he kept on digging. Brethren, we need to work hard, this is very important.

Number six, we need to pray. Prayer is the communication between you and God. Tell Him your needs, thank Him for what He has done in the past and pray more. We need the prayer for grace. Prayer for grace is essential. We should come to the throne of grace to receive for the time of help. You and I need more grace because many of us have the strength, understanding, wisdom but where is the heavenly encouragement to help you to do what you want to do? In 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, Brother Paul was telling us it is by His grace he was able to do what he did. He was the least amongst all the apostles but by the grace of God, he became the best.  Pray for Grace.

Number seven, you need to advance. You are to continue from wherever God has taken you, do not stop. Even when you have achieved, continue. Jesus told His own followers about the parable that said “occupy till I come”. He didn’t say we should be resting. We hope to continue enlarging, don’t say you have done enough and decide to rest, that’s the lie of the enemy for you. I don’t want that one for you as a mother; you’ll not be weary, and you’ll not be tired. Philippians 3:13-14 tells us that Brother Paul said he forgot the past and launch into the things that he has not had. I don’t know what you have achieved before you came for the convention of enlargement. You better take that of the past away, thank God for the past and launch into the future for a greater achievement. Brother Paul said I have finished the good race of faith, we shall all finish well in Jesus name.

Number eight, you cannot be enlarged without a purpose. God does not do a thing without a purpose; you must enlarge because God wants to use your enlargement for something. Don’t look back, be yourself in your enlargement and be conscious of the fact that the enlargement is for a purpose. Use whatever God has done for you to multiply the Kingdom because God is a rewarder.

How do you want to use your own enlargement? What do you want to use your enlargement for? Is it to buy an island and let your family live there or is it to propagate the gospel? God is ready to enlarge you.

My conclusion is that God is ready to enlarge us but there is one major thing God is saying. In Ecclesiastes 12:13, it says let us hear the conclusion of the matter. What is the conclusion of the matter?

“Fear God and obey His commandments”, and this is the whole work of man.