Service: 21 Days Fasting & Prayer – Day 1
Sermon Title: A Greater Than Solomon is Here 1
Preacher: Pastor Ayo Ajani
Date: 08.01.2024
A greater than Solomon is here. These are quick exhortations to keep the image of the word before you throughout these 21 days of fasting and prayer. The LORD has given us a word, and it will not happen because He said it, but because we believe, and we run with it. Mark 6 verse 2; says that when they saw Jesus, they heard him speak, and saw his works; they said to themselves, what wisdom is this that, this mighty works is done by him?
True wisdom is evidenced by works, not a book of wise sayings or anything. It is evidenced by mighty exploits and mighty works. When you see wisdom at work in the life a person, what you see are inexplicable results that distinguishes that person from every other person. I’ve said that the power of God is a subject that the church of Jesus Christ has revelation about. An average Christian has seen the power of God displayed physically or virtually, and it has been taught everywhere. However, the church still remains in infancy, on the subject of wisdom.
I believe strongly that God is raising people who will not just explain it, but will bring proof to the subject, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. I’m putting out my faith for you that your life will be an evidence of the wisdom of God in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Let us consider Matthew 12:42. Jesus made this statement here. He said the Queen of Sheba will rise up against this generation, because she came from the uttermost part of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom. But a greater than Solomon is here. You need to know from the preceding verses that Jesus also referred to Jonah, particularly verse 40. It says, for as Jonah was there, 3 days and 3 nights in the whales’ belly, that’s the sign that shall be given to this generation. Even the men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with the generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching. Jesus ended by saying, even the greater than Jonah is here.
The same thing is discussed in Luke 11:31. What Jesus was saying was that after the tussle with the Lord, Jonah finally obeyed. He went to Nineveh and the greatest gospel campaign and revival in the history of revivals was recorded as a result of that obedience. Multitudes were saved as a result of that powerful revival of Jonah. It was that powerful, and no revival has been seen in that measure like that. The king declared a fast that involved both humans and animals. Powerful!
So, what was it that convicted the Queen of Sheba to come and kneel at the feet of King Solomon? The wisdom of Solomon that she saw. Now, look at 1 Kings 10:4. The queen herself said: it was a true report that I heard in my own of thine act and of thy wisdom. Howbeit, I believed not the words until I came and mine eyes hath seen it.
Verse 7 is worthy of note. It says; But when I saw your wisdom and everything that has been done by it, she said, behold the half of it was not told me. Thy wisdom and prosperity exceeded the fame which I have heard. The queen heard something, didn’t believe it, till she saw it. Nineveh heard and believed. She had to interrogate the matter by herself, and then she came to the conclusion that the wisdom of Solomon; half of it was not told her – My God!
Within this context, the Lord Jesus is speaking of a life that puts the wisdom of God on full display, that it becomes unjust not to believe that there is a God. So much so that people will see and ask, what wisdom is this? A life that puts God on display in so much measure that people have to acknowledge that there is a God out there. That people will know by your life that the wisdom you exhibit is not the norm. Let people look at your life and ask: what is it about this person, what is different about this person? What is it about you that makes you different? What is it about you?
This same wisdom teaching happened in John 3. Although it is used to teach the new birth, it can apply here, when Nicodemus said, No man can do these things except God be with him. Yet Jesus was doing it. His life made people ask – what kind of wisdom is this? And guess what? If that same Christ has been made unto us, wisdom, then this ought to be the testimony of our lives.
Can I tell you something? Christianity that does not command the awe of the world is not true Christianity. Look at Ephesians 1, the 7th and 8th verse. While it talks about redemption, we see that the redemption mentioned here not only provides forgiveness of sin but it produces all forms of wisdom and practical understanding. My God! Until somebody is angry with where they are, they are not changing levels.
In essence he’s saying that, listen, the queen of Sheba, saw it and repented. Jonah preached a message, Nineveh repented. With what I have displayed you should be repenting, acknowledging that there’s a true God out there in heaven. Because Jesus said a greater than Solomon is here, we have the right under God to say same. A greater than Solomon is here! It is important to point out that, Solomon was operating in the old dispensation – the shadow of the New Testament.
Can you ever find a shadow without ever finding the body? No. Because, if you find a shadow, it’s proof that the body is somewhere. In essence if he tells us that the Old Testament is a shadow of the New, in essence, it is incomplete to deal with the shadow alone. So, yes, we know that the blessing of Abraham in the full intent of God is the forgiveness of sins. We see that here in Ephesians 1:7-8 again that Christ has abounded unto us in all wisdom and prudence. Prudence here means strategic actions; sound judgement.
Say with me: There is wisdom, there is prudence, there is sound judgement to make my life the envy of all.
Now can I tell you something very powerful here? Forgiveness of sins is between you and your God. The world cannot see it. Forgiveness of sins is between you and your God. You can’t prove forgiveness of sin with anything physical. There has to be an external manifestation of that forgiveness of sins. One of that manifestations is wisdom. That is how they come to the acknowledgment that God has done something on the inside of this person.
So, say this with me – I refuse an ordinary life. I have a life that puts God on full display.
When we talk about Jonah we see that not just the wisdom of God but also the power of God is implicated here. Yes! Jonah there is talking about the power of God, the power to bring people under conviction by a powerful message. So, you see the two-pronged revelation of Jesus Christ there. In Jonah, power. In Solomon, wisdom. Power produces signs. Just as Christ put the power of God first, so did Paul, and it is not an error. Because power brings us to salvation. Wisdom helps us enjoy salvation.
It takes power to take anybody out of sin; deliver anybody out of the domain of darkness and authority of satan. But it takes wisdom to enjoy what God has done. Glory to God.
So, we’re talking about a life that puts the wisdom of God on full display that it becomes unjust for anyone to question the validity of God; the existence of God. So, they may not know that it’s the God Almighty in Heaven that did this. They may not know that it’s Jesus that is at work in you. But then, their awe, their wonder, their questions opens the door for you to lead them to the true God. Now let me ask you a question – what would that life look like? Take a moment to think about it.
Experience has shown me that wisdom only starts to finds expressions within the hearts of hungry people. You must be hungry for more than the ordinary.
Many keys that I’m going to share with you about the wisdom of God. But let me start out from there – redemption has brought us into wisdom to the end that there is a display through our lives.
Let’s look at Ephesians 3:10. Now, say this with me – my life in 2024, every area of my life in 2024 will put the wisdom of God on full display.
I shared on the 5 deeds of wisdom. Number 1 there is Superior discernment and sound judgement. It is through this channel that we put the wisdom of God on full display. Men will look at you and say – this is superior discernment. Your perspective of things will leave people asking question like – where did you school? It’s the school of the Spirit.
Number 2 is bringing solutions. All you have to do like Daniel is say, give me some time. Let my friends and I access answers beyond the human realm. Read Daniel 5:11-12. The queen herself had to acknowledge that the wisdom of Daniel was not ordinary. She said, there is a man in thy kingdom; this is the queen telling her husband, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. Glory to God. That the only way she could explain it. She agreed that this is not normal. Praise God.
Verse 12 in the Amplified Classic talks about an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, showing of hard sentences, interprets dreams, clarify riddles, and solving naughty problems. In Verse 14, the King had to call for Daniel. He said, I have heard of you.
Prophecy: They will hear of you. I said, they will hear of you. I said, by reason of the wisdom of God at work in you, this year 2024, kings will hear of you.
Have you observed that everybody who gave testimony to wisdom were kings? The queen of Sheba gave testimony to it. Here comes the king (of babylon) giving testimony to it. His queen gave testimony to it. We’re not talking about something on the street. Yes, and guess what? A greater than Solomon is here.
Number 3 is Creativity and craftmanship. Let’s look at Proverbs 8:30 in the CEB version. This will bless you. It says, I was beside him as a master of crafts. “Creative director!”. I was beside him as the master of crafts, His creative director. Wisdom was God’s creative director.
Prophecy: The channels of creativity are opening up unto you, nothing will be normal about your work again, you know why? Your creative director is wisdom – your master of crafts is wisdom. Glory to God.
Number 4 is Innovations and inventions. These 21 days is an inoculation of wisdom. Innovations and inventions. New ways of doing things. Improving old ways of doing things. Finding out, non-existent ways of doing things, and then improving the existent ones.
And lastly Number 5, breakthrough ideas and strategies. Now, with a loud voice, I want you to shout it – a greater than Solomon is here.
Prayer: Lord, I decree and I declare that my life will put your wisdom on full display. None shall be able to refuse or deny that this is not normal. None shall be able to refuse or deny that this is not ordinary. Thank You LORD for the testimony about me is that, none can do these things, except God be with him. Thank You LORD for the testimony about me is that what wisdom is this, that these mighty works are done by him? Thank You, LORD. I believe it, I decree it, and I receive it in the name of Jesus.
This is the year that wisdom built!