Stephanie Ike Okafor & Consecration | Girls Gone Bible

Summary

Podcast Summary: Girls Gone Bible – "Stephanie Ike Okafor & Consecration"

Episode Information:

• Title: Stephanie Ike Okafor & Consecration | Girls Gone Bible
• Host/Author: Girls Gone Bible (Angela Halili & Arielle Reitsma)
• Release Date: April 25, 2025

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Introduction

In this enlightening episode of Girls Gone Bible, hosts Angela Halili and Arielle Reitsma welcome their esteemed guest, Stephanie Ike Okafor, marking her third appearance on the show. The episode delves deep into the profound topic of consecration, exploring its biblical foundations, practical applications, and its significance in a believer's walk with God.

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Understanding Consecration

Stephanie Ike Okafor initiates the conversation by defining consecration as the act of being set apart and devoted entirely to God's will and purposes. She emphasizes that consecration is not optional but a requirement for effectiveness in one's spiritual journey.

Stephanie [02:10]: "Consecration is in the yielding, it's yielding of yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It's not just about not being a sinner... it's that my identity, what forms my life, what shapes my life is that I am identified by the leading of the Holy Spirit."

Drawing from Exodus 28:3, Stephanie explains how the consecration of Aaron’s garments required both skill and divine wisdom, illustrating that God’s consecration involves both human action and divine guidance.

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The Tripartite Nature of Humanity

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the tripartite nature of humanity—spirit, soul, and body. Stephanie clarifies misconceptions about human identity, stressing the interconnectedness of these three aspects.

Stephanie [04:25]: "We are tripartite by nature. We are spirit, soul, and body... the soul gives you self-consciousness... the body causes you to be world-conscious."

She underscores that submission of the spirit to the Holy Spirit ensures that one's soul and actions align with God's purpose, rather than being swayed by worldly influences.

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Identity in Christ

Stephanie delves into the concept of identity transformation through Christ, using the story of the rich young ruler from the Bible as a pivotal example. She explains how true consecration requires relinquishing personal identities shaped by worldly possessions and desires.

Stephanie [12:35]: "If you're going to follow me, your identity has to be influenced by who I am and not what the world says you should be."

She emphasizes that in Christ, believers find their true worth and identity, independent of their past or societal expectations.

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Purity and Obedience

The conversation transitions to purity, where Stephanie highlights its essence as living in the present moment with God, rather than merely adhering to religious rules.

Stephanie [27:01]: "Purity is about the now. It's you just yielding to the Holy Spirit... your walk is easier when you yield to that nature."

She relates purity to obeying God’s lead rather than succumbing to self-driven desires, making purity a natural outcome of a consecrated life.

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The Influence of Environment and Relationships

Angela addresses the impact of surrounding environments and relationships on one's walk with God. Stephanie concurs, outlining how being around non-consecrated individuals can lead to double-mindedness and hinder spiritual growth.

Stephanie [35:21]: "Your environment needs to be protected. If not, the environment becomes another access point to get you to compromise."

She advocates for intentional relationship building, suggesting that believers should seek environments that bolster their faith and discourage compromising behaviors.

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The Power and Impact of Music

A particularly insightful segment discusses the spiritual influence of music. Stephanie explains how music can be a conduit for both divine inspiration and demonic influence.

Stephanie [52:32]: "Music is so spiritual. It can access you at any point because the moment you're hearing it, it already has access to you."

She warns about the subtle ways music can corrupt or elevate the soul, urging listeners to be discerning about their musical choices and remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance.

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Practical Steps to Consecration

Concluding the discussion, Stephanie offers practical tools for listeners to embark on their consecration journey:

1. Set Dedicated Time with God:

   • Stephanie [62:13]: "Make room for Him. Start by consecrating a time for Him... it could just be an hour of your day."

2. Maintain Consistent Practices:

   • Establish a routine that prioritizes spiritual connection, such as waking up early for prayer or meditation.

3. Guard Against Distractions:

   • Stephanie [64:05]: "Don't take your phone, don't listen to worship music and send an email... if you're consecrating time before God, it is God's time."

4. Be Open to Divine Guidance:

   • Stay receptive to the Holy Spirit’s leading, even if it challenges existing habits or comforts.

5. Prioritize Spiritual Over Physical Needs:

   • Stephanie [66:16]: "If you're with me, physically get up, you feel strength... let your spirit lead over physical desires."

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Key Insights and Takeaways

• Consecration is a holistic commitment involving spirit, soul, and body, requiring believers to prioritize God's will over personal desires.
• Identity in Christ removes the need for external validations, anchoring self-worth in God's perception rather than societal standards.
• Purity and obedience flow naturally from a consecrated life, emphasizing a present-focused spiritual walk rather than rule-based religiosity.
• Environment and relationships profoundly influence one's spiritual state; intentionality in choosing allies and settings is crucial.
• Music holds significant spiritual power, capable of either uplifting one’s spirit or opening doors to negative influences.
• Consistency and discipline in spiritual practices foster a deeper connection with God, facilitating a more effective and authentic faith journey.

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Notable Quotes

1. Stephanie on Consecration:

   "Consecration is in the yielding, it's yielding of yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit." [02:10]

2. Stephanie on Identity:

   "If you're going to follow me, your identity has to be influenced by who I am and not what the world says you should be." [12:35]

3. Stephanie on Environment:

   "Your environment needs to be protected. If not, the environment becomes another access point to get you to compromise." [35:21]

4. Stephanie on Music:

   "Music can access you at any point because the moment you're hearing it, it already has access to you." [52:32]

5. Stephanie on Practical Steps:

   "Make room for Him. Start by consecrating a time for Him... it could just be an hour of your day." [62:13]

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Conclusion

This episode of Girls Gone Bible offers a profound exploration of consecration, urging believers to dedicate their lives wholly to God. Through Stephanie Ike Okafor’s insightful discussions, listeners are equipped with a deeper understanding of their spiritual identity, the importance of purity, the influence of their environment, and the potent role of music in their spiritual journey. The practical steps provided serve as a roadmap for those seeking to fully embrace a consecrated life, fostering a more intimate and effective relationship with God.

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Stay Connected:

• Instagram: @angelahalili | @ariellereitsma
• Website: Girls Gone Bible
• Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

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Note: Advertisements and promotional content interspersed within the episode have been excluded from this summary to focus solely on the substantive discussions and teachings.

Transcript

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[Unknown Speaker 1]

In Jesus name. Amen.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Amen.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Guys, we have. We're always so dramatic with this. We have our. Are you the first three times. Is she the first three times?

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Three.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

We have our first three time GGB guest. None other than Ms. Stephanie Ike Okafor. We bless you, Stephanie.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Yeah, take it over. We'll find the studio series over here.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

I am so excited to be back on. This is my favorite. I'm excited.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

We love you, Steph.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

I love you guys.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

We're so excited. What are we talking about today? This is. We prayed on this.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

And.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

And what did you come up with today?

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Consecration.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Our favorite.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Let's do it now. This conversation. And I was like, there were even scriptures. I was like, oh, my gosh. That we just to even get into, you know, because let's even just go to the Bible, right?

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I'm so excited.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

First. I know, Pat.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I love being a student.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I came to church today.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

No, because this word, I think it's not fully understand even for believers. But it is not even to be consecrated. For the Lord is not even something that is like optional to a believer. It is essential. It is a requirement if you're going to be effective in your walk with God. And so even when you look at the scriptures, right? The very first time that the word is even used, it was in Exodus 28:3 and it talks about. So this is when for the priest, you know, know, just to even create their Garments that you know how they would be consecrated. But check this out. It's so incredible. So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister to me as a priest. Here's the trippy part. First of all, the people that would make his garment not only needed to be someone that was skilled in the ability to, you know, make clothes, but God had to give them a spirit of wisdom to do it according to his design, his will, his purpose. Because to be consecrated essentially is to be set apart, to be devoted for the. For, you know, the will and the purposes of God, that your everything about your life, even down to your appearance, did not look like the world. That there was a spirit of wisdom that filled the people to make his garments. And the thing is, even when we think about it could seem like, oh, that's Old Testament, that was Aaron the priest. But then we fast forward and in Revelation, chapter one, it calls us kings and priests. And so if we are going to be effective as priests unto God, and that is our service unto God, we have to understand consecration.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Go ahead.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

You know what? One of my favorite sermons that you've done is the Set apart one. I've watched it probably over a hundred times. It's taught me everything. But what I love, what you broke down was the flesh, the spirit and the soul. Can you talk about that? Because they need to hear that.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Yeah, because. Okay. For example, I think there's often this misconception that man is like a spirit with a body, or we make it about like we identify ourselves as one thing or ourselves. I'm a spirit having a physical experience or things like that. But we are tripartite by nature. And so we are spirit, soul and body. And how that functions is. So first of all, God created, you know, just in the beginning with creation, how we were formed from the dust of the ground. So the body was made. And then he breathed into the body the spirit of like, not even the spirit of God in the sense of the Holy Spirit, but it was really the like life that was breathed into the body. And then when the spirit of man came in contact with the earthly body, then the Bible says and man became a living soul. So there was something about that contact that now the soul was formed. But the soul is like the bridge between the spirit and the body. The spirit gives you the ability to have God consciousness. When you are submitted to the Holy Spirit, the soul gives you the self consciousness. Because in your soul you have your thoughts, your, your will, your emotions. So you have a self awareness, self consciousness and the body causes you to be world conscious. The problem is that if you are not, if you're, first of all, if your spirit is not submitted to the Holy Spirit, now you're out of order because you're going to lead with body first. Because the soul is just looking for what to guide it, right? And so if you're, if the world is what is kind of shaping how you think, how you live, what influences you, that now defines your identity? Because in the soul is the identity of man. That's what the Bible says. As a man thinks, so is he. So what shapes your mind, what shapes your thoughts, what influences you, is what defines who you are. And so if you're living with, you know, the idea of what the world is giving you, what culture says you are, what culture says you should do, if you wanna make money, go into these industries, if you wanna live this way, this city, or move to this country. Now your identity is literally shaped by the thing that is against your life. Because the world is influenced by a kingdom. And that kingdom is not the kingdom of God, it's the kingdom of darkness. So you're given permission, literally for the enemy to use culture to shape who you believe you are. But now when your spirit is submitted to God and you have given him dominion over your life, that's why when we say Jesus is Lord, is that Jesus you own like I belong to you. Everything about my life is to serve you. And now the soul submits to that. And the soul now informs the body how to be. And so the soul gets his identity not from the world, but from the spirit. Because your spirit is now submitted to the Holy Spirit. And the soul can now define itself according to what the Spirit of the Lord says. And that honestly leads us back to consecration. Because consecration is in the yielding, it's yielding of yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It's not just about. Sometimes people think like when they hear the word to be set apart, it's like not to be a sinner. You know, let me just not sin. But it's above that. Because to not be a sinner is, you know, in some degrees it could just be to be religious. You know, there are other, there are religions that can practice the Ten Commandments better than Christians. They live it out better than Christians. And so consecration is not just about I did these things, I lived out these rules. It's that my identity, what forms My life, what shapes my life is that I am identified by the leading of the Holy Spirit. And so there's a, there's a story in the Bible about a rich young ruler who comes to Jesus. And when he comes to Jesus, he wants to follow him. And he tells Jesus, you know, like he talks about all the commandments, that he's followed them since he was a youth. And then Jesus said, okay, that's good, now sell everything you have and follow me. But he couldn't do that. The man knew how to follow the law, but he didn't understand that consecration goes beyond just knowing how to follow. You know, the commandments is that your life, your identity is shaped, is formed, is driven by the Holy Spirit. And so even when Jesus tells the man, sell everything you have and follow me. Being rich is not a sin. Being wealthy is not a sin. Actually God make can make you wealthy. God can give you ideas, God can bring abundance to your life. But in that moment there could be that some, there was something. Jesus realized that this man's identity is shaped by his wealth. And if you're going to follow me, okay, let this thing go. But he could not let that go. And that's where consecration comes in. My life is yielded to the leading and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

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[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Because, you see, we have a choice in the matter. You know, the Lord never forces himself on us, but he presents you a way, but you have to decide. And the rich young ruler, he knew that whatever he was looking for, whatever would give him fulfillment and satisfaction, was in following Christ. But when Christ touched the very thing that would literally disrupt his entire life. Now you have to be. You have to choose to trust. You have to choose to yield. And that's the issue that many people are facing. You see, oftentimes people would say things like, God, where are you? Why is this happening to me? I feel empty. I don't feel fulfilled. But what was the last thing that God instructed you to do that you did not do? And so we're trying to, you know, like, have God. Like, yes, God will meet us at our level, but he will not speak to you in how you desire he will not instruct you according to your appetite or your pleasure. If you're going to walk with him, he has to define your life.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

That's right.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Not you trying to tell him, well, put me in this box. Put me in this category. You have to trust his leading. And at the end of the day, it's knowing this is the person who has my best interest. Jesus didn't want the guy to just be poor or whatever, but he was after his identity. If you're going to follow me, you have to. Your identity has to be influenced by who I am and not what the world says you should be.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

That's right.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

This is so important, Steph, because. Okay, I can't believe we're talking about this today because this has been so heavy on my heart. I have so many people close to me who want to follow Jesus, but they won't let go of old parts of themselves. And actually, a lot of the time, there's so much pride wrapped in holding on to old parts of yourself and saying, I don't need to let go of everything. I don't want to be completely different. I don't want to be like the Christians and these people. I don't want to lose myself. I don't want to lose. Lose my uniqueness. And then there's also insecurity wrapped up in it where they're like, I don't feel good enough to be this person that God is calling me to be because I'm not there yet.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

So a lot of the times you agree that they feel so insecure that they don't even allow themselves to be made into the person that God is calling them to be. So can you talk about that identity, about people who hold on to old parts of themselves saying, I want to still be like this. This is who I am. I'm not going to become one of those, you know, type of Christians that.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Can you talk about that even?

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Like, there are two key things you mentioned. Right. So I'll even start with the latter and then go to the first thing because it's a real thing. Like, I've met people who feel like, you know, my past is too crazy, I'm not good enough. You know, I don't know how Jesus can use me, how Jesus can love me. And the reality is, like, none of us are, you know, in our own strength, in our own ability, none of us are good enough. And the beauty with Jesus, you know, there is a moment when Jesus walked the earth and when he was baptized by his cousin John and You know, there was a moment where the Bible talks about how the Holy Spirit descended upon him like in a bodily form. And the Bible says, like a dove. And the heavens were opened. And then the Father said, this is my Son, in whom I am well pleased. Now, that moment was not. It was not just a random thing. It was that God the Father was revealing to humanity. The only way you can please me is in Him. This is the one who pleases me. And you cannot please me outside of Him. And so when we think about our lives, it's not about, you know, how far out we've gone, what is my body count? You know, it's just too much for Jesus. What have I done with my life? It's not about that. The moment you say yes to Jesus, you please God because our lives are hidden in him, outside of Him. There is nothing you can do to please God outside of Him. You can be what society defines as a good person. You can be what society defines as just this, you know, perfect individual. But you still don't please God because you can only please him in Jesus. So it was not, you know, sometimes people would say things like, you know, God the Father was pleased even when he didn't do anything. That was not what it was about. God the Father was revealing. This is. This is the type. This is the only person that can please me in the form of humanity. This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased. So when you are in Him, God takes pleasure in you. And to be found in him is as simple as giving your life to Jesus, recognizing the ways that you know what, Lord? In my own strength, I am a sinful man. I'm a sinful woman, and I'm in need of a Savior. And that draws you to repentance, to say, I don't want to live life my way. I want to live it according to who you say I am. When you do that, from a genuineness, when you recognize that Jesus is not a way, he's the only way. When you come to the place of that realization that I want to follow you, you please God. God is not looking at your past anymore. He's not. He doesn't even look at that. And he begins to reveal to you what he's always known about you from the beginning. And he's the one who empowers you. He is the One who equips you. He's the One who strengthens you to be who he called you to be. Now you have the other group who say, I don't want to Be like those Christians. I want to just live my life. I want to do me and this, this and that. And my question to them is, who do you think is giving you that thought? Because everything in life is so spiritual, and even how we see. Sometimes I think we give ourselves too much credit. Like, we are the originators of even how we think about certain things. The enemy is so crafty in his ways. You see, one of the things. There's a scripture I'm gonna pull up. It is in. And I'm gonna use this to explain.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

You are annihilating.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I'm like, this is. This is life changing.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

It's bomb after bomb.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

It's. Oh, it's here.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Yeah.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Okay. Amazing. Can I have a sip?

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Yeah.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Which one did you get?

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I just got the same one. I've never had it.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Is it good? I've never had it. No, it's not that.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

You're soothing.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Oh, yeah.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

No, it's literally. I love smoothies. It's literally one of the best smoothies that I think I've had.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Here.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

No, no, I'm good.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Oh.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Tell me that's not a good smoothie.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Oh, crazy. Oh, my gosh. Have you ever had it?

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Oh, my gosh.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

It is amazing.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Are you kidding me?

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Thank you, Steph.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

So I'm going to read this scripture. It's in 2 Timothy 2, 20. And it says, but in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Now, the backdrop of this scripture is the Apostle Paul is writing to Timothy, who's a young pastor. And in that time, there was kind of compromise that was happening within the church circles where people started. You know, there was false teachings, and people were losing their purity and losing their way. And Paul is encouraging, encouraging him with this analogy, this metaphor. So even when he says, in a great house, he's referring to, like in the kingdom of God, in a church, in, you know, within a family of Christians, there are not only vessels, and the vessels was speaking to people. Because there are different scriptures you'll find in the Bible where vessels were used to represent God's people. And so he says, there are vessels of gold and silver. And so when you think about gold and silver, you're thinking about precious stones. These are not stones that are common. These are stones that are more rare, and they're not just used for anything. Right. And then he says, but also of wood and clay. Wood and clay. You find it everywhere. These are more common and he says, some for honor, some for dishonor. And honestly, I would even encourage everyone to literally read the whole of two Timothy two. So here Paul is saying there are people who. The vessels of gold and silver are those who have been consecrated unto God. They realize that my life is not just common. It's not for everything. It's not for me to fill in every box and feel like I'm free to be, you know, anyone who I think I can, that these types of people are unto honor. And the ones who are common, the wood and clay, you know, on one moment, you know, you are. You're. You're doing something for God. The other moment, you're doing something that is celebrating the kingdom of darkness. Paul is like, no, those are vessels onto dishonor. And so essentially what that Scripture is saying is that when you are common, when anyone has access to you, when your identity can be shaped by anything, then it's like it's a dishonor unto God. Because you are not created to just be anything. You are not created to just take on any identity. You are created to bring glory to God. And there is a way that he has for every individual. There is something unique about your life that separates you from this. This cultural idea of wanting to just, you know, I don't want to lose my identity. I don't want to lose, you know, the freedom that I have. And people don't understand. What people often call freedom is bondage. And what people refer to bondage is freedom. Because anything that does not have boundaries will be abused. And so when your life doesn't have boundaries, it would be abused and you would not know it. Because at the end of the day, even. You see, the funny thing is that even Satan knows the power of consecration because he knows that a consecrated believer is a powerful believer. It's one that has authority. The reason why we are not seeing even many Christians walk with authority the way we read in the Scriptures, is because we've lost the power of consecration. We've lost the embrace of consecration. Because when you're not consecrated, the enemy knows you're compromised. I can present anything to you, and you will take it. Because you are. You're so focused. You're still wrapped in the realm of self. It's about me. It's about what I want to do. It's about how I want to live. And that the realm of self is the lowest realm of a person. Because you've not even started your walk with God.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

That's right.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Because that is the realm and this may sound harsh, but it's just the truth. You see, what differentiates humanity and animals is that we have the ability, first of all, we have a spirit that can be yielded to our Creator, to the Holy Spirit. We're not just stuck in our nature, the nature of the flesh. So an animal only thinks of self.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Wow.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

An animal is not thinking about, you know, how do I. You don't see a fish, you don't feed a fish, or you don't feed, you know, a horse. And you see the horse go and share with another horse. They live in the realm of self. So when a human only lives to please themself, you have degraded yourself to the. Almost like the thought patterns of how animals function.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Crazy.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

What differentiates us, what gives us the ability to have authority over creation in that manner is not just because we are more, you know, okay, we have what we think we're brilliant and all those things. It's because we have the ability to represent. We have the ability to express the image of God. We have the ability to express his interest, to advance his kingdom. That is the reason why God can entrust and say, you know, before the fall of Adam, before sin entered the world, he could say, you know what? I have given you authority over creation and all that is in the earth. Why? Because it was always about expanding his kingdom, that we would represent his interest, his will, his purpose, not just about us. And so when a person feels like, I don't want to lose myself, I don't want to do this, I understand. It's a valid argument because you feel like for years you've created or you've identified as this person. But the reality is that the life we live is so spiritual, and there's nothing that there's no middle ground. I. I say this all the time. I'm sorry. I say this all the time. There's. It's literally black and white. Represents the purposes and the will of God. Or your life is going to represent the purposes and the will of the enemy. And the moment you live in the gray area, you're representing the purposes and the. And the will of the enemy. And so we have to humble ourselves to realize that it's more. There is more to this than just. There's more to this than just what I think, what I want to do. And Jesus modeled this perfectly. He only did what he saw His Father do. Jesus, when he walked the earth, had a will of his own. He had desires of his own, but he only did what he saw his Father do because he was also showing us what the model human should be.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Wow.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I just remember. I remember feeling like, am I being punished because I lived a certain way my whole life and then coming into purity, I was like, I gotta do this, you know, in my relationships. But when I laid my life down, it wasn't. That was when almost my life started. No more tormenting thoughts like my life. It's insane. So many of us, including new believers that watch this, they struggle with purity. And I would love to talk about obedience and purity because we need to hear it. It's one of the. When I laid my life down with purity, I would. I can't even believe how my life rapidly changed. And I thought I was sick in my mind, and then all of a sudden, all of what I thought, the doctors told me it all subsided. All of those tormenting thoughts and things like that, and anxiety and depression.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Yeah, I think the beauty of purity, it's really about. It's where you. It's. It's about the now. It's that in this present moment, you can start your purity work with God. And the beauty of purity is that you're not doing it by your own strength. You know, when you look at. When you think about salvation, for example, you know, the death of Jesus covered the issue of the penalties of sin and death. So because of his sacrifice, we don't have to fear death. Like, you know, you know, prior to him even being revealed, because now in him we have eternal life. That death is not something that a Christian needs to fear. Because you know that, no, my life continues with Christ, that in him I have eternal life. Now when Jesus, after his resurrection, he gave us the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit in us deals with, also deals with the influence of sin. The power and the influence of sin. So your walk, a purity walk, it's not even like you have to do it by your own self. It's you just yielding to the Holy Spirit. Because in Christ you become a new creation. And so there is a new nature in you. And that nature, all of a sudden you realize that that nature is against the things you used to do outside of Christ. So if you yield to that nature, then you see that, wow, this walk is easier than I thought. But I have to be willing. And that's why when the Bible talks about putting on the full armor of God, it talks about the helmet of salvation to protect your mind. Because the mind, you know, Satan is known as the accuser of the brethren. And he wants to remind you of all the things you did wrong. All the things you did bad, the people you hurt, the things you did that were not pleasing to God. But the moment you became saved. I have received the life of God. I have received of his Holy Spirit. And in Christ, again, going back to that, in Jesus takes pleasure in me. And now he has also given me his Holy Spirit to help me walk out this thing with him, that I am worthy. We have to know that in Christ we are worthy to walk with God. We no longer have to take on this weight of feeling like, I'm just so unworthy. God, why do you love me? No. Because I am in Christ. I am worthy. I don't have to deal with the weight of my past. I don't have to deal with the weight of the thoughts that used to torment me. But in him, I am worthy. And I think the beauty, the thing that I. I pray that people understand is, you know, you guys have seen George. Was it George of the jungle?

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Georgia of the jungle? I don't think so.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

So it's like this boy who was literally raised in a jungle, and, you know, his. I think. I can't remember what happened to his parents. I think his parents, he might have been an orphan. Something happened, and he was raised in the jungle, and he learned how to be like an animal.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Wow.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

You know, and then when there's some, you know, people find him and they're like. They're trying to not bring him into civilization. And it's like, no, you're not an animal. You don't have to swing on trees and everything. And they're trying to now teach him literally how to be human. And that's what. That's what Christ is trying to do for us when we are born, and you know the Bible, we are born in sin and all of those things. And when we think that we're living this life and we have it and all of that, we have not come into the truth of our nature, the truth of our identity. And so in Christ, we get back to realizing, wait, I'm not supposed to swing on trees. I'm not supposed to smoke that. I'm not supposed to be sleeping around. I'm not supposed to live like this. There is more to my life than I even know. And that's the beauty of what happens when we find ourselves and we commit to that walk with God.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Exactly. I love that.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

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[Unknown Speaker 1]

I think something that comes up for me, Steph, that I see a lot and I think it goes back to the topic around identity because I feel like when you hear consecrate it almost sounds like the word word concrete. It's like to be concert like it should be a concrete thing. Can you talk a little bit about environments and friends and because I know a lot of people who their main issue is the people that they're around. And I'll speak from my own experience that I was walking with Jesus for years before I actually died to myself because the people that I was around gave me the allowance to keep doing what I was doing because I was quote unquote better than them. I was further I knew Jesus, they didn't yeah, we are still doing the same, the same things. But I had the spirit, they didn't. It just. When you're around people who are not consecrated to God themselves, it gives you an allowance to be like them, but maybe a little bit better than them. And so you see so many people whose identity switches based off of who they're around. They can be in a group of Christians and they talk by the spirit and they say they speak Christianese and they do all the things and say all the things. And the second they get around people who are lukewarm, they immediately enter into everything about them changes. They start speaking differently, they start acting differently, they start thinking differently. And then it's double mindedness, you know, and so can you just talk about that? The importance of like who you're surrounded by is everything. The voices that you're listening to affects everything about your walk. Because I didn't know that. I thought I could be in the. I thought I could do everything that everyone else was doing and then I would find myself open. My speech is slipping now. I'm saying words I didn't say before. I'm acting in a way that's just different. What is that? I'm not like having, you know, sex or doing drugs, but something is different. It's not as spirit filled as it was before.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Yeah. You know, there's a scripture that talks about how bad company corrupts good morals and we have to be. I think there's, there's a need of self awareness when you know that, okay, I'm in my walk with Jesus, but I'm still like a child. And children need protection. Children need to be in safe environments. You know, no parent would just put their. No good parent would just leave their child in a place that they don't know. You know, what are, is this baby proof? Is this safe? You know, what's in the house, what's on the tables? And so when you are a child in God, when you're still, you know, trying to figure out your steps and you're trying to learn your way, way you have to be, your environment needs to be protected. Because if not, then the environment becomes another access point to get you to compromise and almost like live, you know, literally double minded. And I think it's just part of the beauty of knowing that, okay, I'm in my walk with Jesus and this, this is what, like this is the priority of my life. And the reality is that even when we think about consecration, consecration again is not just about, about not being sinful. You know, there's a scripture that says every. You know, it's. Let me. It's about like, everything is lawful, but not everything is expedient. Right? So, yes, I have. There are things I can do that are not sinful, but it's not beneficial to my life. And so Consecration now says, in my walk with Jesus, I'm still in a place where I'm vulnerable to bad company. I'm vulnerable to, you know what if I was. If there are people I'm around, I recognize my speech changes, the things I want to do changes, my appetite changes. I cannot be around those people. And sometimes it could be permanent, sometimes it's seasonal, depending on where you are with God and that journey with God. And those are sacrifices you have to be willing to make not only for your good, but for theirs. So that when God works in you, and it's not only that, when God works in you, can you be back in those environments? There are certain environments you just have no business in. Right. There are certain relationships that do change, and how we interact changes. So if there was something that. Where we connected based on a certain type of speech, we connected based on the music we listened to, we connected based on how. Where we used to hang out. But that's not my life anymore. So if I'm going to connect with you, why don't I bring you into my environment and see if we can find new common grounds, if we can talk about things that now would inspire you. And if that's not the case. Case, there's some relationships that you do have to say a goodbye to, but not from a place of judgment. No, but just from a place. It's also from a place of love. First of all, you know, the Bible says, love your neighbor as you love yourself. I have to love myself enough to know what environments are not for me. And there are times that in your decision, in the. In you being so certain about the decisions you make, it causes curiosity in the lives of those people. Because then it's like, wait, why don't you want to hang out with us anymore? What's going on? And it gives you an opportunity to share the gospel.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Right?

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

But those are decisions we have to make. We cannot make excuses for environments in the name of, I just love them. That's not really love. Because if you love them, you will not take pleasure in seeing them do that which is also corrupting their soul and you yours.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Right.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

You know, so there's a time where separation is needed in order for you to be effective to the People God called you to.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

So good.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

You want to talk about music.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Oh, I would. Yeah. So, okay. So first, I just want to. Did you have something? No. Yeah, I think just to have, like, an honest conversation. I think, like, something I'm thinking about so much recently is that, like, you go through so many different journeys in your sanctification, in your relationship with Jesus. I always describe it as, like, at first, God gets the big sins out of the way. You stop having sex, you stop drinking alcohol, you stop smoking weed, you stop doing. And then you stop cursing. And then you stop listening to certain types of music. And then he works on modesty. Like, there's. Everybody's in process. And, like, the grace of God is so unimaginable, unimaginably beautiful, that, like, he's so patient with us. And anyone listening needs to understand that we're all in process. Even, believe it or not, Stephanie might be in process. Oh, yes, we are all in. We're all in process. However, there just comes a point in time where you start to mature so much or you should be maturing so much. You go from baby food to solid food or from milk to solid food. And I just feel like people, including myself, it's just you make so many excuses because you did leave the big sins behind. And people so much focus on the big sin, and they don't realize that the Lord cares about your heart more than anything else. And there's impurities in our hearts that are so subtle, that don't seem like the big sin. And oftentimes people can't see them. And so it's really easy to get away. But there's something like, our heart is what matters the most. And there's impurity that's not necessarily the worst thing in the world. It's not evil. You're not hurting people. But it's still impure. The way we speak about other people gossiping, the words that come out of our mouths, the. The music that we try to listen to. You taught us Ear gates. Eye gates.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I'll never forget it because it's the most important thing. So I guess we want to talk about two things. Specifically one, cursing. I have a lot of people in my life who, like, this is always a topic of conversation. It's so people. I know big pastors who have different convictions than I do about cursing. And I don't like cursing at all. Like, I don't think it's. My conviction is it's like, never, okay, not just if you're not cursing someone else, but like, never. And I'm not saying that I'm perfect. I've definitely had an attitude once or twice and accidentally let something slip out. But as, like, an everyday conviction, what do you think about cursing?

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

No, you know, it just goes back to it all. Because our speech should also reflect the one we serve. There's a scripture when Jesus talks about how we would be judged for every careless way word that we speak. Words are powerful because words have creative force around them. And cursing sometimes is based on our. What is comfortable for us or what is cultural, not kingdom, just cultural. You know, some people will say, like, cursing is just a way that I express myself and there's nothing in it. And X, Y, and Z. And again, to that person, it may feel like God is not convicting me. But what I would challenge them to say is because sometimes we get so comfortable in a space that we have never been convicted that we're not open to the fact that he will convict. Just because he hasn't convicted you does not mean he will not convict you. I will give a personal example. There was a time that I used to love watching Game of Thrones. I had no conviction about it. I thought I could watch it because when it got to, like, the sexual scenes, I would fast forward it. And I was so comfortable that there was. Years back, I remember I was preaching a sermon and I was. I literally brought up Game of Thrones in the sermon. And just because God didn't convict me about it then, and it's not even that he didn't convict me about it. It was just. It was also that I think as Christians, as leaders, as ministers, all of that, in any. Anytime you have any platform God has given you, because. Because of how we communicate the gospel, we should never get so caught up in what is comfortable for us to do that we think it's just because God is okay with it. Because in our humanity, we also deal with pride. And pride is so sneaky. A prideful person. You cannot identify a prideful person based on. How do I even put this? Pride does not reveal itself through personal awareness. Because it's so sneaky. Someone else has to show you that you're prideful. You don't see it in yourself because it's almost like this invisible cloak. It has a way of what the best way I look at pride is if there was a part in the body that pride resides, it would be your back. You don't see your back. You have no clue what's going on there. You need help to see what's behind to see what has taken over, you know, and so I thought there was. God didn't care about me watching Game of Thrones, because the truth was I could watch Game of Thrones the next day. I could be in prayer, and the Lord would give me revelation about what he wants me to teach. So we confuse that to be. God is okay with this, but my what. I would challenge anyone who thinks cursing is okay just because you feel like. Like Jesus has not convicted you. It may not even be because he hasn't. It's just that there is a part of you that just feels like, you know, y'all are doing too. Y'all are doing too much. Oh, this is. This is where I. I draw the line, you know, be open. Always be a child before God when it comes to how he shapes and matures and nurtures you and all of that, because. And what he reveals to you. Never close a door. Because even when I hear certain people say things like, this will never be an issue for me, you've already closed the door. You know, because at the end of the day, there is nothing about cursing that glorifies God. So it would. It would. I would. I think it would be better if someone says at where I'm at at this point, I have not sensed the conviction, but I could be wrong. You know, I'm. I'm open to any correction. And they should literally, they should genuinely be open to saying, Jesus, are you pleased with this? Is this okay by you? Because we have to still get back to the place of if I will be judged for every careless word that means God wants me to care about every word I speak. He wants me to have care and thought for how I communicate. And when I find myself just cursing randomly, did I put care. Care to those words? Did I put care to that? So even though years later, the Lord literally convicts me about. Or maybe not. I wouldn't even say he convicted me. I would say I sensed his conviction, if I'm honest, that you should not be watching this. You should not be looking at these types of shows. You should not be. And funny enough, even I'm actually going to, sometime within the few weeks, do a video about that.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Wow.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

To say if I. If anybody ever watched that. It's such an old sermon, but you never know how the enemy could use you and say, you know what? Forgive me, I was wrong forever saying Game of Thrones, that I watch Game of Thrones because I should not watch. I should have not done that. And in humility, we should not only should we repent? But if what I said let other people to think it's okay, then I also have to publicly repent of that. So proud of you, you know, and so. But I do agree. I think I've heard people talk about cursing like it's nothing or whatever, but my thing, it just goes back to our lives, is to glorify Jesus. And I should care about my words, I should care about how I communicate, I should care about my speech, you know, and that's how I see, see it.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

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[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

With music, I look at it in the same way because. Because music is so spiritual. You can hear a song and, like, if I listen to a Caribbean or Jamaican song, my hips just start moving. Like. It doesn't need your permission to get in.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

You.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

You just hear it and it influences some part of your body. There's some songs you hear your shoulders just start doing a thing. You're like, okay, you know, like, if I'm listening, if there's EDM playing and you start, like moving your body in a certain way, like, da, da da. It doesn't need your permission. And you don't even know when you're doing what you're doing. You're just like, wait, let me. Let me get myself together. Well, that's crazy.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

It doesn't need your permission.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

It does not need your permission. Music can access you at any point because the moment you're hearing it, it already has access to you. And so when you think of something that powerful and that. That influential, now you look at it even from a spiritual perspective. When you study how God created Satan, he literally, part of his makeup was musical instruments. And when he fell, God didn't change his makeup. So everything that Satan has, he would utilize for his kingdom. But why did God create him like that? Because there's something about sound that it invites things from a spiritual perspective. Like recently when I was in London, so I had an event in London, and the same thing happened to me when I was in Australia. There was a sound. There were these songs that literally the Lord would tell me, before you pray for people, for healing or deliverance, let this sound be released. So I would even use London, for example. There's a song called Melody Majesty, and it's just such a beautiful song. And the lyrics of the song talks about how your grace has found me just as I am. And so it's a song where you recognize that Lord, you, Majesty. And regardless of where I am, regardless of where I found myself, your grace has found me. And the Lord literally tells me, before you do any, before you pray, sing that song. And then I remember when I was on a flight to London, he had shown me that you would know that the healing power has come upon you when your. Your hand will go numb. And the funny thing, I had shared with one of my best friends who was there, and I was like, this is what God said would happen. So right when I could sense the atmosphere shifting, and I asked the worship leader, I was like, can you sing? Because I sent the song to her even beforehand, I said, could you sing that song, Majesty? And she starts singing it, and I hear the Holy Spirit say that she should sing it one more time for the people to receive what that sound is that to not just think that they need to be worthy for God to heal them, they need to be worthy for God to deliver them, but his grace will find them just where they are. And when she sang it the second time, my right hand just goes completely numb. And then I knew. I was like, oh, it's time. And all I did, I remember like this. The video is literally on my YouTube. So I stretch out my hand and I just did what the Lord told me to do. He said, then you will know that it will no longer be your hand, but it will be mine. And I said, the hand of God comes upon you now. And deliverance and healing broke out. But it's sound. There was something with sound. The same thing happened in Australia. Before I could pray for healing, there was a. There was a music, a melody I kept hearing, and I was like, okay, sing this in worship to God. And as we worship him, something will begin to happen in the atmosphere. And the same thing broke out in Australia. And so music transports spiritual possibilities in both realms. In the kingdom for the kingdom of heaven and in the kingdom of darkness. And so that's why there are times where there are certain musicians who will say things, like, in order for them, like some of their best hits, they did it while they were driving, while they were high because what did that do? It opened them as a vessel for demonic spirits to actually sing through them, to give them lyrics. Because when we think about demons, we think that demons are just this ugly looking creatures that torment you, you know, just want to scare you. But there's something that there's this mystery the Bible shows us about when it talks about how there would be doctrine of demons.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Wow.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

That means demons teach.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Wow.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

So you can't. A doctrine of demons is that there is a teaching. They want to teach you how to live according to the kingdom of darkness. They want to teach you how to live in a way that pleases their master, Satan. So if demons can teach, demons can form lyrics. Demons can put sound together. So they want to. That's also the reason why even in Hollywood, Hollywood, when people hear about some of the. Just the things that happen just to make it in the industry, when they just some of the things that desecrate the body, you know, sodomy, when they're like, okay, I'm going to give you this deal if you let me do this. But it's to break a person's soul. It's to break them down to the point that they become so open as a vessel for demons to have access in them. That's why even in witchcraft in the demonic, in any practice that is just represents Satan, there are rituals they do that has to do with the desecration of your body so that you become so open. And that's where many of these songs are created from. Many of these sounds are released from. And when there's that open to just demonic spirits, what happens? Now they're hearing melody, but those are melodies that are coming from the demonic realm. They're songs that would involve chants and what we're over there singing the song and doing the chants and you don't even know that underneath that chant is that you're calling a spirit. So that's why if people. When there's certain songs that create certain moods and atmospheres when you're going, you know, back in the day when it's like when we want. Like for me, exactly. When I want to go to the club and you want to drink, there's sounds, there's certain songs you play that take you where you're heading to before you get there. Who has the playlist? You know who Pregame, pre game, you know, and you pre game with the playlist. The playlist and good alcohol. And so that combination tells you it's bigger than just my favorite song. There is a message that it gets into your spirit because just by listening to it, it has access to you. And so there are times where people are dealing with anxiety, not because they have anxiety, but what were they listening to that gave that thing access? The same way that when we worship. Because if you think about it, when you listen to worship music, when you're deep in worship to God, you're not worried about life.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Yeah.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Like, you're not worship. It's impossible. It is literally impossible to really be deep in worship and be worried at the same time. I know you're literally. You feel free, you feel light. You're just like. And you just feel empowered for your days, like, okay, God, thank you. You know, but that is the power of music. And we have to be more intentional about it. And not just because we're looking for a big break. Back to self. That. Just because I'm looking for a big break, Let me sing what they give to me. Let me do what they tell me to do. But it's like, excuse me, me. But at the end of the day, it's like, no, let me represent the glory of God. Let me use my vessel to represent his kingdom and not just what I desire. Because the moment you get self involved, the enemy already has you. He will bring an offer to your table to compromise so that he can use you to corrupt many simply through sound.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

So no country music. Listen, I'm a big country girl, and this is an honest question.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

No, I love a good country music. Now, I would say this as a disclaimer. This does not mean that the only music that Christians should listen to are music that, like, literally has to say, Jesus, Yahweh. Cause some of those songs don't even come from heaven. Some of those songs is just someone's creativity. They have an album they need to produce, and they need a paycheck. It's not even, you know. But I would say that even when you listen to music, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, okay? And if there's something you're listening to, first of all, be honest with yourself. What does this edify in me? What does this. How does this make me feel? And just be honest. And if. And again, it goes back to the yielding to the Holy Spirit. You might be listening to something, and the Holy Spirit is like, I don't want you listening to. To that. And you might listen to something, and it doesn't always have to say, you know, like, all the scriptures, you know, but it reveals the personality of God, okay? And. And then that's perfectly fine.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Beautiful.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I, I, you don't. I wish we could stay here and talk.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I know. Maybe just before we go, maybe you can just give like one or two practical tools. Next steps. If there's anything on your heart that people can take right now and say, okay, these are my next steps to truly be consecrated to the Lord and let my life be his.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Yeah. So what I would say is, and I'll just go back to priesthood very quickly. In the book of Leviticus, and I believe It's Leviticus, chapter 8. And you see where Moses is consecrating Aaron and his sons into priesthood. And there is a ram, and it was a ram for consecration. So they kill the ram, Moses takes the blood and he puts it on their right ear, their right thumb, and on the big toe on their right toe. And then he has them wait in the tabernacle for seven days. They were not allowed to come out until the eighth day. All of it was so symbolic because in order to live a consecrated life, you have to hear from God. In order to live a consecrated life, then the works of your hand has to be pleasing to God. Where your feet goes, where you take yourself. The places that you go to should be a place that glorifies God. But it starts with hearing from God. And what I would just say to that person is make room for him. Start by consecrating a time for him. It is very powerful. And it could just, it could be an hour of your, it could be that, you know what, Lord, 5:00am to 6:00am is consecrated before you. And the beauty of consecration, don't take your phone, don't listen to worship music and send an email, because now you've mixed the purpose of that time. If I'm going to consecrate this time before God, it is God's time. And I'm telling you, it never fails. When you allocate a time in your day to say, God, God, this is us. This is just for us. He will meet you. He will meet you there. It's not something we do out of obligation. It's something we do out of love. God, I want to know your voice, because I can't be, I can't follow you if I don't hear you.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Exactly.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

And so I would tell everyone, start. Because when you can hear him, you know what to do with your hands, you know where to go with your feet.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

So good.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

So set a time that it's like, jesus, Jesus, this is us in this time. I'm not giving it to anything else. And there are times you will be tested. Where it's like something else comes up during that hour. Ignore it.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Wow.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Wow, Jesus. This is our time.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

And so you suggest same time every day, no exceptions, no compromise. Schedule everything else around it.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

That is the power of consecration.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Wow.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Schedule. If there is a time, I'm telling you, I will give a short example. So normally, when there are times where, like, I would just wake up in the middle of the night, and when I wake up in the middle of the night, I always felt like, okay, the Lord is calling me to pray. But now that I'm pregnant, I'm like, lord, I could just be waking up to use the bathroom, right? And I just need you to help me because I'm like, I'm, you know, I'm pregnant, I'm tired, and I. And I literally ask the Lord, God wants a place he can meet us. He desires because life, we get pulled in so many directions that he actually desires to have a space and a time. And so my prayer was this. I was like, lord, help me with picking a time that. Because if you're with me in it, and you could pick a time yourself, and the Holy Spirit would empower you. But in that moment, I was just like, help me pick a time, because now I'm confusing what my body needs versus what my spirit is calling me to do. I said, if you show me a time, I will commit to that time. And the next day, I had a dream that night. Night. And in the dream, a voice. I couldn't even see the person, a voice just said to me, meet me at 3:33am and so in the dream, I was like, lord, how do I know this is you? Like, you need to confirm it to me. Then I wake up in the dream while still dreaming, and the voice said, look at your phone. And I looked at my phone, and it was 3:31am and he said, you have two minutes to meet me. And then I woke up in real life. But here's the. So then I was so excited, I told my husband. I was like, oh, God gave me a time. God gave me a time. And ever since then, I've kept that time. And I'm like, okay, God, we're gonna. I'm gonna meet you at 3:33 in the morning.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Do you go back to sleep?

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Oh, I do.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Okay.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Oh, I definitely do. After that, I'm back to bed. But it's. And it's. And the Holy Spirit equips you. And what I've learned with those times, I would as long you might wake up and you feel tired and you're in. But when you yield to the fact that the Holy Spirit is with me, the moment you get up, physically get up, you feel strength.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Wow.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

And there's something powerful about it. We live in a time where we want to tell God how to meet us. And it's like, you can't just give him five minutes here, 10 minutes there. If you want to be serious about this walk with Jesus, you have to make room for. There's no other way. You have to make room for him. And so I will start there just like it was for the priest in Leviticus 8. First of all, your ears need to be consecrated. For anything else to function, you need to hear God. So I'll start there.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Oh man.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

I'm gonna be up tomorrow at 3:30.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

And you could pick, you could. And the beauty is like, if, you know, you could pick a time in the evening, you could pick a time in the afternoon, you could pick a time for me, the mornings work best. As a mom, it's like the rest of the day, it's, it's a, you know, it just goes by just like that. But it's like, okay. And it's going to feel like it's going to be a sacrifice. It is going to be a sacrifice. And you may start. You know, I always. That's a whole different teaching on why I believe at least an hour of your day. But even wherever you are, even if you feel like, okay, lord, I have 30 minutes, I know I can commit to. Give him 30 minutes. And you will desire to see that time grow in the beginning may feel like, okay, I'm here, you know what's going on. But make sure the one thing I would say, consecrate that time. Look at that time and say, you know what? There's no distractions in this moment. If your phone, if you know that a text message pops up and you have to look at your phone, then get something else to play worship music in your. Wherever you are. But consecrate that time and say, God, it's me. And you set your alarm. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you and he will. Anytime that either God has given me a time or I set a time, there are moments that literally that maybe I didn't hear my alarm and I will feel someone physically come and wake me up. Like, no joke, another time someone shook my bed and I was like, okay, I'm up, I'm up, I'm up. And I would even encourage people, even if, let's say you overslept, you woke up, you missed the time, don't beat yourself about it. Because if in the purity of your heart to seek God, still get up and just go in that place and say, lord, I missed the time. But I'm here and I want to, like, I want to spend this 30 minutes, this one hour, whatever it is that God gives you, two hours. And I want to spend it with you. But in your heart desire to say, this time time is going to be consecrated before God, and I'm telling you, it will change your life. That was the thing that changed. Like, even my intimacy with God took it to a whole nother level years ago. And that time was like three. No, it was 5am and it changed everything for me. I encourage people, set a time with God and it will change your life.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Thank you.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Jesus blessed us so much stuff.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Amen.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

We can't thank you enough for today. I am like, amazing.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

I'll be watching this one back a few times.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Thank you, Steph, we love you.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

No, I love you guys and I love what you guys are doing. And I constantly pray for you both because this space is consecrated. And I believe that there's so much power and authority that is is going to continue to come out of this space because of how intentionally you are to not corrupt the influence because you know that this influence is to God's glory and he will continue to build and expand it to advance his kingdom. So I'm excited.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Thank you. She really does pray for us.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

She prays for us all day.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Thank you.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Thank you.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

We love you. I love you guys.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Would you mind saying, may the Lord bless you?

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Yes. So let's just say this blessing over everyone. So may the Lord bless and keep you. May he cause his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he lift up his counsel, countenance over you and grant you shalom shalom. And that is perfect peace.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

Shalom. Shalom.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Shalom.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Shalom.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Jesus name.

[Stephanie Ike Okafor]

Amen.

[Unknown Speaker 2]

Thank you, Chad.

[Unknown Speaker 1]

We love you.

[Unknown Speaker 3]

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