When we hear the word manifestation, what comes to mind is a display, a demonstration, a showing, and in the Bible, in different translations, manifestation has been replaced with ‘revealing’. So, there is a reveal. So, something was hidden or something was covered up then it manifests. That means for manifestation to take place, that thing existed. That thing has always been but now, it’s been made known, that’s manifestation. So, we want to look at that and why is it important for us in the new year and the new season that God is taking us into and how that we can show God’s power, we can demonstrate, display, reveal God’s power in this new season that God is taking us into.
We will start by looking at the book of Ephesians chapter 5 verse 13, and we will move on to other Scriptures from there.
13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
Ephesians 5:13
“All things that are exposed are made manifest by the light.” Do we see the sequence? All things that are exposed are made manifest, The Bible makes us to understand that it is the glory of God to conceal, to hide a matter but it is also in the glory of kings to search it out, to expose it, to make it manifest and we will see why that verse is important in our consideration this morning.
All things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, so for manifestation to take place, there must be light. For something to be revealed, to be made known, to be demonstrated, to be shown, there must be light so light is an important requirement in manifestation. No one manifests in darkness. Nothing in darkness can be made manifest. When the Bible in Galatians chapter 5 was talking about the works of the flesh, it said, now the works of the flesh are made manifest. Why were they made manifest? Because there is a light, a searchlight that is put on the works of the flesh, they are now evident. Another translation will say, they are made manifest. He started naming them because whatever you give a name to, you have exposed.
That’s why going into the year 2020, please my brothers and my sisters, don’t have a general prayer point, name them. What you want the Lord to do for you will be made manifest when you name them. Whatever you give a name to, you have exposed it and whatever is exposed has a very strong likelihood to benefit others.
When the Bible says and the works of the flesh are made manifest, they are exposed, they are now evident. He started naming them so that you will not be ignorant of them so whatever is not manifest exists in the realm of ignorance, whatever is manifest is in the realm of knowledge and it is now beneficial so don’t hide issues of your life. There are some people that pray this kind of prayers and say ‘God, you know what I am going through, God, you are aware, there is nothing hidden before you, you are the God that sees all things’. They will start psyching God ‘you are God that sees all things, there is nothing hidden, you know what I am going through, you know my predicament, you know my situation and I have been in this situation for so long.
Just like that man that was at the pool of Bethsaida, Jesus came in His person, He didn’t send a disciple. What was Jesus question? Would you like to be healed? This man now started ‘Jesus, you are a fantastic guy, I like you, do you know I have been at this same pool for so long a time. Then the angel will now come (as if Jesus did not know), stir the water, before I could jump inside the water, somebody else has jumped. Before they can say they should carry me, somebody else has gone. Imagine, that is what I have been going through’. But is that his true state? Was Jesus talking to him about the pool of Bethsaida? The one that controls the angel that comes to stir the water came in person, and said ‘see, I want to reach out to you myself’ and you now start story, ‘oh! Eh! You know Jesus you are aware, you know, let’s not go over this again. You know what I am going through, just help me’. Help you with what? Help you do what?
The Bible says, with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your request known, expose it, let it be made manifest, because whatever you don’t make manifest is not beneficial, you do not benefit by hiding your secret troubles and trials. The woman with the issue of blood, she has been going secretly from one doctor to another, from one specialist to another, with her issue for so long, more than 10 years. And suddenly, she came to herself and said ‘I don’t want to be going out with this issue of blood before but today, this issue must be made manifest, I am going to the public, I am going to meet Jesus where he is, if I can but touch the hem of his garment, I am not going for secret meeting, I will not ask Jesus come and have a one on one session with me. If I can but touch the hem of His garment, I will be made whole’.
And that determination pushed that woman to make manifest her issue. Jesus knew when the virtue left Him but He could have kept quiet. He knew all things, He knew who touched Him but why did He say, who touched me? His disciples were even wondering, ‘Jesus, what is your challenge? See people thronging you, who touched you? Do you know how many people have touched you today?’ But He said ‘See, there is an issue that will be made manifest.’ And the woman was afraid but she knew what happened to her and she came forward, ‘this was my issue but I brought it out today and today that I brought it out, that was the end of it’.
Many of us are struggling in silence, we keep quiet, we are forming with our issues, but it said in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 13, All things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, so the things that are made manifest by the light are the things that are exposed because the devil dwells in secrecy. Many believers have not walked into all of God because of secrecy. Secret sins, the Bible says they are those little foxes that spoil the vine. They are those issues that you are supposed to come and expose. Let the light of God expose those issues so that you can be set free but you choose to hide them instead of exposing them because whatever you expose can no longer be secret. And it’s what you expose that you make manifest, is revealed. So, when we talk about manifestation, we are looking at so many lights of it, this is one part of it.
In the year 2020, define your requests, expose them. Don’t go to God with stories, the man by the pool of Bethsaida should have simply said ‘I am sick, I want to be made whole’ because Jesus said ‘I am willing, nobody cajoled me to come and meet you. I am willing to make you whole’. And many of us, God is willing to change our story, change our status but we are full of stories. Make manifest your request, define it. The reason is, if you define what you want God to do for you, when God does it, you will know.
I have met people like that, they make simple things complex and you are wondering, what is it that you want? But it’s too much packaging, ‘you know, this have been my experiences’. What do you want? ‘Ah! Let me explain. It started in 1994. In 1994, when I was in the army, this happened’. What do you want? And you will see people tell you, I have gone to the mountain, I have gone to pray 15 days, don’t mind them because when you truly interrogate and ask what happened on the 15 days on the mountain, you will know they never asked God for anything. The Bible says you have not asked for anything yet. Ask! Whatever you ask in my name, my Father will do it. At a point, he said I will do it.
Listen to Podcast: Manifestation: The Show of The Power of God
Ask! But the challenge is we don’t ask rather we complain and we package. The Yorubas will say who is that dead person that wants to hide from the person that will bury him? Because the person that wants to bury you will see everything so why are you hiding? That’s how we are with God, we are dead in Christ. We are alive in him. So, he is the one that carries our deadness in his life and we want to hide from him. Manifest! Let God see you.
Yesterday, my beloved brother was teaching us in the Evening Bible School, let God see you within His perimeter. Manifest! Don’t go and hide. What was Adam’s challenge? He went to hide. God was now asking Adam where are you? Manifest! You can only manifest in the light, what God was saying is that in my light, Adam, I am not seeing you that means you have changed location, you are in darkness and the Bible says that the eye of the Lord cannot behold iniquity. He is too holy. The Bible says He is light, in Him there is no darkness at all and because of you, He cannot go and look at darkness. So, come and manifest before him, that’s how we can help you. Show up because when you show up then He can meet you. Many of us are asking, God meet me at the point of my needs and God is saying show up, I can’t see you. Manifest!
When I see you, then we can talk. He said come, bring forth your strong reasons, come let us reason together. When you come, we can have dialogue. We can’t talk when you are hiding. And many of us are hiding in so many things. You are hiding in work. ‘Oh God, I am busy, I would have shown up. Ah! I wish I had time for you God, I have been so busy’. And it’s the same you that has request, it’s the same you that wants God to show up and God is saying, I can’t find you and God is saying where are you. I only talk and commune with my children that I can see. Because of you I can’t go into darkness to answer you, come into the light. Manifest! So in 2020, if we want to see all of God at work, we need to step up and manifest. Show up where God is, come into the light.
All things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, For whatever makes manifest is light.
Ephesians 5:13
‘…For whatever makes manifest is light’, So, light is the only thing that makes anything manifest. For what is in darkness to be made manifest, you need light. For what has been hidden, your inheritance that has been hidden, for it to show up, you need light. So, some of us are praying, ‘God I want to walk in all of your plans for me, I want to walk in all of the realities of who you have made me’. Come into the light! Because everything about your life cannot be exposed, cannot be made manifest in darkness, the only thing that makes manifest is light, did we see that? The only thing that makes anything manifest is light. And the very thing that makes things manifest, we run away from.
Have you been under a very bright light before? Do you know sometimes it could be inconveniencing? You feel on the spot, you feel this light, you are doing too much oh! Anything you do is seen but that’s the life we have been called to. No apologies here. A life of exposure! You can’t want to have a secret life in the kingdom. In the kingdom, we are under intense light, the light of God. And that light makes manifest, whatever you do is seen but many of us want the blessing of the light but we don’t want the exposure of the light. Can two walk together except they agree? If you don’t want the light of God to focus on your life then, you can’t benefit from the goodies of that light. We want all that is in God but we don’t want God on us. What makes manifest is light. That light must shine on your life.
In 2020, for you to walk in the realities of all God has planned for you, you must allow that light to be on your life, you must be in God’s perimeter, in the light. God is light and there is no darkness in him at all and God will not go outside of himself to please you. No! So it’s important, we understand this fundamental truth for you to benefit from all of God, manifest. Manifest! Show up in the light.
I want us to look at the book of Romans chapter 8 verse 19- 22, it will tell us one of the reasons why it is important for us to manifest.
9 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing (the manifestation) of the sons of God.
Romans 8:19
Creations are waiting for you, they can’t find you in darkness. Have you been to a very big concert or something and a lot of people are gathered, what happens on the stage? There is a light on the stage. For what? For the revealing of that person, that celebrity, that personality that is coming to showcase whatever it is that he or she has for the people. So, for that personality to be made manifest, one, the person must come up. That’s why we are talking about stepping up, you must come up to the stage which is God and the light of God will shine on you then the creatures, the creations, people that are gathered, people that are tied to your destiny, they will be able to see you, know you, benefit from you. That’s the essence.
So you are in a stage called God. Very big one! And his light is on your life, that’s manifestation. For a son of God to manifest, you must first be in God, on the stage. Then the light of God must shine on you, on your every move, and that’s why God does not manifest bastards, God does not manifest children. He manifests sons who by reason of use have had their senses exercised. They have rehearsed, they have practiced, they are perfect. Then they come to the stage called God and they show forth, display, demonstrate all that God has been teaching them for years so manifestation is a responsibility of sons, manifestation is a responsibility on sons and it puts you in a very uncomfortable position sometimes because everything that you do will be seen, will be made known but that is what God is asking us to step up into manifest. God wants you to manifest but you have to be in God first. Allow God to walk on your life, God will not display an unfinished product. God will not display a product that he cannot vouch for.
Before Jesus was made manifest, in John chapter 1 verse 31, which talked about the manifestation of Jesus to Israel. John said so that Jesus would be made manifest, that is why I came baptizing. I came baptizing so that Jesus will be made known, so that Jesus will come and take the centre stage. What did John say, I must decrease meaning I have been on the stage before, I must leave the scene so that Jesus the son of God will come and take the stage. That’s why when he was baptized, the Bible says there was a voice that came from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. There was light. He became the focus.
And now Jesus is at the right hand of the father and now he has left the stage for us, that’s why he said go into all the world, make disciples of all nations, manifest. He has now left the stage for us and he said ‘see, the light that will shine on your life, on that stage called God is the light of the Holy Spirit. That’s why He told His apostles, don’t go about yet, tarry in Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high because that power is needed, that’s the light you need to manifest. You can’t just stand doing nothing, no wonder when the day of Pentecost came, Peter arose, declaring boldly the gospel of Jesus Christ and what happened? The men of the city were cut to their hearts. The creation, they have been waiting, what did they say? What shall we do? When you manifest, that is the kind of response that heaven expects.
When men will come and ask you, after you have burned for God, shone for God, manifested the radiance of God in you, the power of God, the wisdom of God in you, they will ask, what shall we do? So manifestation is such a huge responsibility and he said that the earnest expectation of creations, they eagerly wait for the manifestation of the sons of God.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Romans 8:18-22
They will be delivered. So, it’s like that Scripture we use to read a lot, they are ensnared in holes, for prey, they have been plundered, they have been robbed. They have been subjected to futility and God said you have been manifest, you will manifest so that you can say restore. Restore! You can speak restoration into their situation.
That’s why he said in 21, “They will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty, freedom of the children of God”. So, we are made manifest to deliver. In Obadiah, the Bible says upon Mount Zion, there shall be deliverance and holiness and the house of Jacob shall possess their possession. Our possessions are the creations and we must manifest to possess them for God. The Bible says the earth is the Lords’ and its fullness therefore, the world and all who dwell therein.
Everyone that dwells in the world, they are the Lords’ and the Lord said ask of me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance. Ask of me, they are mine so when God sends you to a place and he says manifest here. The people there are gods so He said ask of Him. So, God sends you to Abuja, He says Abuja already belongs to me, I am sending you to manifest in Abuja, He said ask of me Abuja and I will give you. I will give you the stage of Abuja that is in me and you will manifest on that stage, by the light and the power of the Holy Spirit and the people in Abuja will ask. What shall we do?
That’s the promise of God for us in 2020. That’s why He is asking us step up. Manifest! Was there any glory for Adam when He decided to hide himself? No! There was no glory. In fact, that was the lowest point of Adam. So, God does not want us to manifest in our lowest point, He is asking us to step up. Manifest! Step Up! Because creations are waiting for your manifestation.
Verse 22 says, For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Until the time of your manifestation, they will continue to be plundered. They will continue to be robbed, they will continue to be ensnared in holes. They will continue to be preys until you manifest. Until now, when the sons of God will arise to manifest, they will continue to labour, groan, so creations are waiting for you in 2020. Don’t just be excited and eat Jollof rice and eat chicken in 2020, have a sense of responsibility as a son of God, that creations are waiting, I must manifest. If you don’t manifest, their groaning and their waiting will continue, that’s why God is calling us that we should manifest and He wants us to manifest his glory.
The glory of God is so great. This is what I have come to understand. You want to radiate the glory of God, I also want to radiate the glory of God, the glory of God is so big that if you radiate and I radiate, we cannot exhaust it so the body of Christ, we should not compete. We are not competing for glory, the glory is enormous.
What did Jesus say? He said pray for the Lord of harvests, to send laborers into his harvest because the harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few so please radiate the glory of God in you, let me also radiate mine because we can’t exhaust the glory of God, the harvest is much so don’t say, ‘Me! I will now start shinning again, see all the shinning of Pastor Adeboye’. With all the shinning, it is just a pinch he has taken out of the glory of God. So we much manifest. And it starts from you, where are you standing? Child of God, where are you? Because you cannot manifest in darkness, come to the light. Are you in God or you are hiding? Where are you? It’s an all important question.
Where are you?
