Lekki Soul Centre (9th June 2021)
Topic: The Mystery of the Shepherd and the Sheep
Ministering: Reverend Kayode Oyegoke
Tongues and Interpretation (1)
"The new. The new. The new. That new, even that new and living way. The new and living way. Even the way into The Holiest. Even things that are holiest. Even most holy things. Even that way. My mouth declares even things of that way, even shows things of that way. For I've come to remove even blindness, even blindness as pertaining to that way, that men might see and come into resources of that way, even teachings of that way."
Tongues and Interpretation (2)
"Dominion. It's a dominion. It's a dominion, even My dominion. It's My dominion. It's My dominion. My dominion. I show you My dominion. See My dominion. See My domain. See My dominion. Come see My dominion. Come see My dominion, My domain. Come see My dominion. Come see My own dominion. For there are angelic dominions, but there is My dominion. Come know My dominion. I call you to come see My dominion, come know My dominion, come touch My dominion with your sight. Come begin to see My dominion. My dominion. Separated dominion."
(Message begins)
I thank God that God borrowed the livestock language to also describe the agenda of His will over the soul using the words "sheep" and "shepherd". I know the Lord God designed that purposely. One of the reasons is to show something to the heirs of the promise and at the same time hide it from the wise and the prudent. If one can understand what the Lord Jesus was saying and gain entrance into these words, the person will see the secret of all ages that the Lord is keeping from spirits that are princes and natural men. The edge of some men is that they somehow have the download of the thoughts of rulers and that is how they come above the rest of men. God is keeping things away from minds and He has vowed that the disputers of the word will not have access to His things; and he that will know God will know Him through the foolishness of preaching.
The symbolic explanation of the shepherd and the sheep was deliberately done by God to hide out things from those who think they can fathom anything. If human beings know that things are being deliberately hidden from them, they will be humble. God is also hiding and He is hiding things. So, when Jesus spoke those words in John 10, referring to Himself as the Shepherd, those are secrets that God was keeping away from men.
John 10:7-9
"Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. [8] All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. [9] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."
John 10:2-3
"But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out."
The porter in John 10 verse 3 is the Holy Ghost.
There are no exciting activities in seeking everlasting life, and that is why flesh gets weary. Anyone who wants life everlasting should be ready. Jesus taught everlasting life to be His body and His blood. After that, He lost a great percentage of His followers. Then, He turned to the twelve and asked them if they were willing to go (Jn. 6:26-67). Jesus was too strong; He never turned His heart and was not discouraged by those who left. If it were some other people, they would have stopped the ministry. The Lord is showing to us that the issue of everlasting life is a personal conviction. One has to have the resolve to fight to lay hold on that life.
John 10:4,8
"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. [8] All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them."
Some people came before Jesus, saying that they were the messiah.
Acts 5:29-39
"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. [30] The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. [31] Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. [32] And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. [33] When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. [34] Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; [35] And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. [36] For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. [37] After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. [38] And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: [39] But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."
Jesus called those two men, who came before Him to proclaim themselves to be the messiah, robbers. Though Jesus was slain, His ministry did not stop like the other two.
Jesus' sheep was the household of Israel. In John chapter 10, when Jesus said "sheep", He was referring to those who would believe on Him, who would later be brought unto eternal life. The whole church at large, is the recommended sheep of His pasture. We have not actually come to His pasture; they gave birth to us in our infant state and expect us to come into our destiny, which involves growing up.
All categories of sheep do not feed on the same thing. That is why there is a reason for leading. The baby sheep are called lambs.
John 21:15-17
"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. [16] He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. [17] He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
"Feed my lambs" is once; "feed my sheep" is twice. What you give to the adult flock is not the same thing you give to the baby lambs. Lambs depend on milk, and at times they do not go out to graze with the rest of the flock. So, you can see pasture is an exercise for the sheepfold. Any time it is time for pasture, the shepherd girdles himself up and holds his staff to lead the flock; it is a serious time for the sheep. The shepherd knows where to go and what to give to the sheep.
Earthly flocks can form bonds with their shepherds. If that can happen, how much more human beings. So you can see the bond between the church and the Lord.
In John chapter 14, Jesus said "My Father will love him, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him". The word "love" means bonding - speaking of a sheep that is used to his master. A man, through the voice of his shepherd, has the opportunity to be led. A led sheep cannot be hidden from the impression of his master. If leading has occurred for a long time, there is no way that a sheep can be taken from his shepherd. Every true sheep has a spot in him that will resonate when he begins to come to pasture, even though he has not heard the voice of the shepherd before.
Tongues and Interpretation (3)
"Saving you. Saving you. Saving you. It's a saving voice. It's a saving voice. For the voice of the shepherd is a saving voice. It's a saving voice. For you are even in times of that saving voice, even that voice of the shepherd; even that voice that only the sheep can discern; even that voice that only the sheep, even a sheep who has partaken of the pasture that has worked discernment, even discernment for the voice of the true shepherd. Yea, a sheep whose inside is lined even with that pasture, even the pasture to discern the saving voice. Yea, it is that voice that is over you. It is that voice that is about you. It is that voice that is sounding to you. Yea, a saving voice. It's a saving voice. My saving voice is upon you. My saving voice is amongst you."
(Message continues)
Something resonates inside the sheep, which is the wake-up call for the sheep to respond to the shepherd.
You have not really heard the voice of the shepherd. The day you begin to hear the voice of the shepherd is the time when the season of the pasture is upon you, you are under that season where you will graze the pasture. The food of the sheep is revelation; they eat by revelation. Any generation that does not have the opportunity to hear the revelation of the shepherd or Jesus Christ has not found the opportunity to eat. What Christ represents is the food of the sheep. When food is taken into the body system, there is a process of breaking down the food, and the breaking down begins in the mouth via the saliva. So, it is clear that food can be meaningful only when the food is in the body.
Jesus can be presented to one but might not be broken down; then, it is not eaten. But when Christ is dissected to the minutest bit, then it is food. Jesus is not done in people. Christ is not well taught in people. People can copy how Jesus behaves in the gospel but that is not all of Him. You need the spirit of revelation to go deep down the embodiment of the Lord. That is what the Shepherd does.
No one teaches a sheep to chew the cud if the food given is a real one. The first exercise of feeding for a sheep is to take them to the field. Then, they pick the grain with their mouth and store it; after some time when the storage is finished, they bring it forth and begin to chew again. This process of re-eating is an attitude of cleanliness. One of the nature of a clean animal is the chewing of the cud, if not, it is not an animal fit for sacrifice.
A man must be found chewing the cud unlike a carnal animal. Carnal animals are carnivorous animals. Animals that feed on flesh don't chew the cud. When the cud has been chewed, the next test is the parting of the hoof. The hoof is the shoe of the animal. It means unlike the carnivorous animal, its legs are cloven. Carnivorous animals just have bare feet and fingers. One of the things that makes an animal clean is that it's got shoe on and it is parting the hoof.
The hoof of calf, goat and sheep are cloven and are parted. These are types and shadows of the holiness of the future. The hoof is their shoe which is gospel. To divide it (the hoof) in two, it is the gospel of peace and the gospel of salvation. This is what makes them clean. Then, they should be found eating twice also, if not, no animal passes for a clean animal. For example, a camel chews the cud but does not part the hoof; so, it is not clean enough. This is the same with horses. Horses are cloven; they do not part the hoof but they chew the cud. Rabbits chew the cud but are not cloven. They don't have shoe on so they are not clean. This is the choice of God for whom He will lead in the animal kingdom. He used the animal kingdom to depict what type of nature can be led. They are called sheep.
As said earlier, we have three stages of sheep: the lamb, the sheep and the sheep. You give the lamb milk. Then after a while, you feed him with Christ, then he becomes a sheep; you bring him into a destiny of Christ. The next sheep after the lamb is a sheep that is completely Christ. Then the next sheep is the one God will lead into everlasting life. The little lamb has two seasons for it to be a sheep. Feed it with milk when it is first born. Then a time will come to feed it with meat to become a sheep.
What we call sheep are not all sheep. A lot of christians are still lambs. Sheep are animals you can lead. A lot of christians still take decisions anyhow. They are not yet sheep. They need to be converted and made sheep. No lamb will enter the kingdom of God but a lamb can be a christian. Lambs are babies; they cannot enter. You need age for kingdom. Growth is a prerequisite for entrance. When you are not having age in the spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom. The issue of the kingdom has to do with spiritual age. At times when God refers to people as “sheep”, it is a futuristic statement. That is, they will eventually be His sheep.
A young goat and a young sheep are the same before the Almighty. When they want to use them for sacrifice, they pick either a young goat or a lamb.
Exodus 12:5
"Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats…"
A lamb is either a goat or a sheep as seen in the scripture above. So, when Jesus says feed My lamb, He is also referring to a goat. You can convert a goat to a sheep. A young goat is like a young lamb. It is growth that really determines who is who. Goat horns are not developed. They are very tiny. The horn of a goat is not beautifully designed. It tilts backward. But the ram horns are developed.
Both the lamb and the goat are the same in description. God can use a goat, He can use a lamb as well. The body of a goat is very rough; that is why a goat is a rough animal. That is why a fully developed goat is very stubborn. You will correct a goat over and over again from going somewhere but it will keep returning there but a sheep is different. At times you don't need to correct the sheep like the goat because of fellowship. The sheep is fully dependent on the shepherd. If you do not feed the lambs very well, they can grow up to become something else; they can become a goat.
A goat is an animal who cannot take leading. The goat thing is the worldly nature. This tells us that every child of God, when born again, has these two natures present in the soul. So, what you do to your soul is to feed your lamb and starve your goat. But if you starve your lamb and feed the goat, the goat will grow. The feed of the lamb is very special but the feed of the goat is everywhere - it can easily be found even in church. There is the food in church that is worldly. It appeals to the goat that is inside us.
There are digestives inside some food when you check its nutrients. In some food, the attitude of leading is lacking. If you feed the lamb with a goat food, the lamb will soon start behaving like a goat. We should feed our lambs. The adolescent stage of these two natures (goat and lamb) cannot be told. Because of this, Satan is confident over a baby. He knows he can still get the man, not minding his new birth. Just present a goat pastor, the flock are in trouble. A sheep cannot tell a goat shepherd. You need growth to tell a goatish nature.
The word "goat" when broken down means 'go-at anything'. Anything that comes, a goat takes it. It does not want to be dictated to nor told what to do. A goat likes to take his decision. In man, there is a goat nature and there is a spiritual tendency nature. We starve one and feed the other. Both of them however have great shepherds.
Jesus was raised to nullify a shepherd - one shepherd that has been leading souls. He (Satan) led angels and killed them. This shepherd was a son and is still a son; not to God but a dark son of the morning.
Revelation 2:26-28
"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: [27] And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. [28] And I will give him the morning star."
Jesus was talking to a church here. A morning star is a set star for high shepherding honour. It is not an ordinary title in the spirit. It is not just shining. A morning star is a sealer. When he seals you, that is the end. If a morning star can get you to his end, either sealed to God or otherwise, that is your end. The Bright and Morning Star, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the peak of the shepherdic authority. If He can lead a sheep, He saves that sheep to the uttermost. If one also finishes the shepherdic staff of the devil, he is sealed. That is the power of the morning star.
The morning star is a feeder. Power over the nations is different. It precedes the leading. You need to break the power on people, then lead them. You cannot attain the status of a morning star if you don't have the power over the nations. You must have this power first, then you can be climaxed with the authority of a morning star. The morning star is a parcel of coronation of wisdom - deep divine wisdom to see a flock. The morning stars are characterized with light: they know what to do to seal a flock. All the cherubs are princes. Satan is also a prince. A prince is a ruling king. You can be a king and you are not ruling.
I cannot doubt that Satan wants to fall. The dragon will fall and it will be normal. The sky won't change. It is about to happen. Satan is afraid. But heavens are rejoicing.
Tongues and Interpretation (4)
"Yea for the power of God, even the great power of God, even the great power of God, even the great power of God is upon you, is upon you as a people. It is keeping you as a people, it is leading you as a people, it is shielding you as a people because that which is the great mandate of God, that which is in the core of the agenda of God is being fulfilled even in your times; it is being fulfilled even in your days, even in your company.
For this purpose there is great agitation, even great agitation, even agitation by dark spirits, even agitation by dark lords, even dark gods are fighting for to stop even that which the Son of God is speaking. But there is great joy even in heaven, yea great rejoicing even around the throne. Yet, great attention, great attention, yet great attention, rapt attention yea upon you, upon you, upon you. Seeing what steps you will take at this time, seeing your attitude even to the agenda of the throne at this time.
I say give great attention, give great attention. Let your consecration and passion be at its peak. Yield to the Spirit because greatness, even great things, are being given. For God's counsel, even that which heaven has been waiting for is to be fulfilled, that the adversary might be judged, that he might be judged swiftly, that he might be judged swiftly. Fight, saith the Lord. Fight to hear, fight to speak even to that which I am saying because I want to judge and you will work with Me. You will cooperate with heavens even for My will to be done. And I will reward. I will reward. You are touching the world of reward"
(Message Continues…)
They cannot give you the morning star if you don’t have the power to break nations into shivers as the potter beateth the vessel into shivers. Nations are broken to be able to save them. God needs to break people down so He can lead them and save them. If they are not broken, they will resist God. The two sense in saving people is to first break their strength, then they can submit to God's leadership.
Revelation 7:13-17
"And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? [14] And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [15] Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. [16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. [17] For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."
The great tribulation was done to break the nations. In breaking them, they became clean. The duty of the morning star is to lead (Rev. 7:17).
Daniel 12:3
"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."
These stars here are everlasting stars but the Morning star is a star of eternal life. There is a wisdom in eternal life. It is higher than that of everlasting life. Princes are ruling kings. The fact that a prince is a king who reigns does not mean he is the highest king. Jesus sits with the Father on the throne but the Father is the King. There is a realm of the reigning of God, There is also the sphere of manifestation where Jesus dictates all things. The Father allowed that chance but that does not stop the Father from reigning. The Father is a king and the Son does not negate Him continuing in His reign. The Father has always been reigning but you may not see Him reigning; but you see the Son reigning. A king can choose that his own son will be the ruling prince. God gave all things to the Son.
John 5:22
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son…"
The Son is a reigning king. If you don’t obey Him as God has instructed, there is nothing that can happen. God has given Him all authority. The Father gave Him all things. The Son is a Prince. Jesus was referred to as the Prince of Life and Prince of Peace. Jesus is the prince in the spirit, on earth, in heaven and beneath the earth.
Philippians 2:10
"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth…"
Jesus' name must be mentioned when you pray. Don't just call the Father directly. If you are not submissive to Jesus, God won't take it. Those who take the reign and perpetuate it are princes. At times, a prince can be higher than a king. A prince can be a king that all other kings are subject to. Why? Because the reigning of that dominion is through him.
"...but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes…" (Dan. 10:13). God distributed functionality of reign to many in heaven - those sons of the morning. So, we have many chief princes and Michael is the arch angel among the chief princes.
Hebrews 1:2
"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds…"
Romans 8:14-17
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
There are two interpretations to "heir" in the scripture. First, someone who is a potential child of a king. Second, one who has inherited. An heir apparent is different from just an heir. Someone can be potentially qualified worthy of the throne but is not yet apparent. The word "apparent" means what is clear - what appears. The heir apparent is the person it is clear to all that is going to be the next king. This is the person of the stool.
Jesus is a Prince. The future is Jesus with many. There are beings that Jesus is leading in this inheritance. Some people have come to inherit with Him. Jesus will not reign alone and these people too cannot reign without Jesus. Even in the present angelic order, there is the first amongst them and there are others who align under him. This present heaven and earth is not really the true habitation of God. God handed this present world to the high angels to rule it. Those in charge of this present world are also princes or rulers. They are not just Dominion and Power, they are high angelic beings.
“For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.” (Hebrews 2:5) The angels here are the princes. They are the ruling authority that God commits things into their hands. There is a role God is playing and there is a role these angels are playing. Lucifer used to be a morning star but he perverted the authority he used to have. That is why he can lead to lake. A morning star can change a person; he can lead anyone. It is the work of a perverted morning star when you see a man turning or changing to be a woman and it is put in a nation’s constitution - that is not ordinary! It is this perverted morning star training the gay community.
A time will come, if you are not Christ, you are not good. A morning star has ability to lead someone even to rest. Morning stars are spirits who are skillful with eternal leadership. They are shepherds. They have ability to take souls to the end. The end is a complex realm. A morning star custodes the secrets of the end. Once a morning star comes to you, all things come to you. No one can resist a morning star when he is manifesting. Some of the things Satan is doing on earth are a foretaste of the attitude of a morning star. Even “money” is a creation of the perverted morning star. That is why it is called 'mammon'. It is the creation of a morning star and it answers all things. Satan made money something indispensable.
The beauty of a morning star is that he leads. It is a very high honour to be a shepherd. These are beings God gives authority of souls to. You can take care of people doesn’t mean you are leading. A leader brings people into seasons. A leader breaks people into pastures. A leader should be able to read into the future of the flock and then lead them there. This is how a pastor should be, else, you aren’t different from a nation’s president. That is why you see pastors envying leaders of nations. Those who lead nations don’t give their lives for the sheep. A true leader gives his life for the sheep. The outward life is not God's vision but God's addition. Ministers who heal the body are higher than ministers who commit cloth to the body.
You don’t need prayer to make people have clothes; you can even use ideast which you learn from school. That is why you see economists becoming pastors nowadays but that is not the destiny of flocks. The job of pastors is to deliver flocks from the hands of he that hates them. To devour a soul is to make the soul dead to God and that is what pastors should be delivering men from. There is no way your soul will be taken care of without it touching your body.
“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9) This sheep that can go in to learn everlasting life is Christ. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). This means that the thief is also a kind of shepherd. But the sheep will not hear the voice of the thief because they know the voice of the Shepherd. God is preparing us for the mystery of the Shepherd and the sheep. This is a shepherdic meal or course in everlasting life. The Lord is teaching us with the intention of raising us with everlasting life.
I saw in the spirit the shepherdic staff of growth and God just showed me that the shepherdic stature starts with life, then everlasting life and eternal life. The fullness of the Shepherd is life eternal. Shepherds are made with life at various degrees. Life eternal is the final life of a shepherd. The wisdom of life is the lesson and the course by which you raise a shepherd. Sheep are students that can be taught life. At the end of this course, God cannot but reward those that will become shepherds.
Nothing must stop us from getting life. Eternal life is real. There is no life anywhere.
Message ends