00:00The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
00:05We often need things around us to remind us of our relationship with God.
00:15The true prayer room is the altar of the hearts.
00:19But in a world where distractions, temptations are everywhere,
00:27it is very important to have a place set aside for prayer,
00:37for your relationship with God in your home.
00:47Thank you, Brother Chris, for the word of wisdom.
00:50Can you please share with us what are the most valuable lessons and experiences
00:54that you have learned under the mentorship of the late senior prophet T.B. Joshua?
01:00There's a principle that I saw very clearly exemplified in the life of prophet T.B. Joshua,
01:09which was the importance of having a physical place set aside for prayer.
01:24But in the case of prophet T.B. Joshua,
01:29if his office is here where he sees people,
01:35he has a prayer room here.
01:39If his bedroom is here where he sleeps,
01:43the next is prayer room.
01:47If you go to the prayer mountain,
01:51for those who are familiar with the synagogue church of all nations,
01:55there was an entire area,
01:58about a 10 minute journey from the church in Lagos, Nigeria,
02:02set aside for prayer.
02:04But within that area,
02:06there are lots of specific rooms or enclosures set aside for the purpose of prayer.
02:17So why is this important?
02:20Because the spirit is willing,
02:23but the flesh is weak.
02:25we often need things around us to remind us of our relationship with God.
02:36The true prayer room is the altar of the hearts.
02:40But in a world where distractions,
02:46temptations are everywhere,
02:50it is very important to have a place set aside for prayer,
03:00for your relationship with God in your home.
03:02As far as God gives you the means to do so,
03:06I really want to encourage you to do that.
03:09Because in the course of the journey of life,
03:12maybe you have a clash,
03:14maybe you have a misunderstanding,
03:15maybe you're going through a tough time,
03:16and your heart is troubled.
03:18You can physically go to a location,
03:23and that environment will be a place that directs your focus back to God.
03:29A place to pray.
03:31A place of quiet.
03:32A place where you disconnect from the noise around you.
03:35A place where you don't take your phone.
03:39Your phone.
03:40Such a source of distraction.
03:42A place where you can have worship music playing.
03:46Sometimes maybe you feel a bit even stressed with a situation at work.
03:50You can go and lie down there and just listen to worship in the presence of God.
03:55I encourage everyone,
03:58a lesson from the life of Prophet T.B. Joshua.
04:02Prioritize a place set aside for prayer.
04:08He was a man of prayer.
04:11And I don't say that lightly.
04:14I'm talking about a lifestyle of prayer.
04:18But this was an overflow of that recognition of the importance of prayer and spiritual life.
04:27He would have places set aside.
04:30Even if he traveled to minister in another country.
04:38Let's say even if he was in a hotel.
04:41He would make sure, okay, even in this hotel.
04:43If he's staying here, this room is for prayer.
04:47I mean, that principle was applied anywhere.
04:51For myself, I was privileged to witness this in person.
04:55So I'm not just telling you what I heard.
04:57I'm talking about a significant focus on creating an environment which is conducive for time with God.
05:11You know, I talked at the beginning of this message about the importance of personal time with God.
05:17And taking care of your relationship with God.
05:20It's not as though by being in a prayer room, you will automatically become spiritual.
05:26No.
05:26But a prayer room or a place set aside for prayer will encourage you.
05:32Will help you quickly settle issues that may be troubling you.
05:36Maybe it's time to go to sleep and your heart is troubled.
05:39Go to your prayer room first and pray before you go to sleep.
05:43Maybe you woke up in the night.
05:44Maybe you had even a bad dream.
05:46Or maybe you suddenly woke up and you can't go back to sleep.
05:49What do you do?
05:49Get up.
05:50Go to the prayer room.
05:51Go and pray.
05:53Go and pray.
05:54So I could speak on many areas.
05:57But I want to share that insight with everyone today.
06:02Prophet TB Joshua prioritized creating environments which were set aside.
06:12It's not as though he combined the purpose of the room.
06:16Oh, this was a room for this and also for prayer.
06:19No.
06:19Those are areas set aside for prayer.
06:22You don't just go there unless it's time for prayer.
06:24You don't just enter there and sit down and relax.
06:29It's a time of prayer.
06:30It's a place to seek God.
06:31It's a place to settle your heart with God.
06:33So I encourage everyone, even if we are not, let's say, in full-time ministry, you know,
06:40I believe this is a principle that can be helpful for everyone.
06:44Because if we are to look at the place where temptation is the most easy to succumb to,
06:52it is our home.
06:53When we get back home from work or whatever assignments, it's easy to relax.
06:59And relaxing in the flesh can often fall into relaxing in the spirits if care is not taken.
07:06God can easily be let down in our home.
07:10That is why the temptation to offense and bitterness is far greater within the family units.
07:16So having a place in your home, just like we have dining room, we have kitchen, we have bedroom, have
07:23prayer room.
07:25A place set aside for prayer.
07:27You have your Bible there.
07:29You have worship music there.
07:30You can put scriptures there.
07:31When an issue troubles your heart, so maybe husband and wife, you have a misunderstanding, you can go there.
07:37So I will focus on that aspect and encourage you based on my personal experience living at the Skoan for
07:4717 years under Prophet T.B. Joshua.
07:55Material riches do not equal spiritual fulfillment.
08:02You can have people who are materially incredibly blessed and yet they are depressed to the same degree they are
08:12financially blessed.
