Transcription
There are secret sins among teenagers. Secret sins among teenagers. And what are some of these secret sins that have been there and are still there? It's just the way it is been done that changes. It's the same. It's been there.
One, pornography. Pornography. I was sharing last week. Like I said, most times people may never know who you really are if they have not lived in the same house with you. If they have not lived in the same house with you for long enough. Secondly, even when they live in the same house with you, they still may not know you unless they have access to your phone on a regular basis. Because the best behaved child in the house may be the one that has the most sophisticated pornographic movies in his or her phone.
Number two, premature dating. Those are who are married, it is taking grace to handle so many things. And you that your own season now is a season of preparation and career enhancement. You are wasting time with distractions like uh boyfriend, girlfriend. I want you to, you know, those are distractions at a particular age and phase of your life. So premature dating. A son, a daughter you think is not into things like that may be very deep. So sometimes you see they are looking sick, looking moody and ask them, say it's cold. There's no cold. One wicked boy there has just broken our heart. It's not cold.
Number three, Romans and said we have to also ensure that even when we praise virgins, we should also ensure that we teach them and not just assume that they are 100% pure. A virgin can be deep in oral sex. So the only thing she hasn't done is actual sexual intercourse, but she's very, very involved in different other areas of sexual exposure. So this goes on even in the classrooms. It goes on in school, in the boarding house, and by the time they advance to the university stage, they're now on campus. It's like freedom at last.
Number four is posting of nude pictures. Posting of nude pictures to boyfriends, to girlfriends, to male friends, to female friends, to men that are old enough to be their father or grandfather.
Number five, sex with sex, sexual intercourse, sex with boyfriends, with men, sex with girlfriends, with women going on the parents are not aware.
Number six, sex under the influence of alcohol. There are too many reasons why any godly child must stay completely away from alcohol. You will easily and happily do things that ordinarily you will never want to do when you are under the influence of alcohol.
Number seven, sex for money. Sex for money today is being packaged and made to look nice. You hear things like runs, yet things like hustling, aristo, escort. And it's so bad now that the magnitude is being taken to now. So those involved are no longer hiding it. So you can see two, three girls, two, three would have sexual intercourse with a man, and sometimes it's been recorded on on video with their knowledge.
Number eight is sex for examination marks. They are graduates who never attended lectures and some of them had a 21, second class upper. In these days, if you can bring very good money, you could, they could even give you first class. Some are on cruise on the high seas having pleasure with multi-millionaires on the high seas on a $100 million and above yacht, and the parent thinks his daughter is on campus. And they do that when it's time for exam, they buy gifts, very expensive gift for their lecturers, round it with cash gift in foreign exchange that may be up to the annual salary of that lecturer, and she's given marks. Certainly not a C, a B+ or an A.
Number nine is prostitution. Outright prostitution. So now they have apps, they have in those days they had uh albums. This is now point and kill. Now they have apps. Everything now has been digitalized. Outright prostitution.
Number 10 is patronizing prostitutes. The boys are more guilty of this.
Number 11 is lesbianism. Girl with a girl, a lady with a lady.
12 is homosexualism. Boy with another boy, guy with a guy.
13 is obscene and indecent dressing. Obscene and indecent dressing. And the most painful aspect of this is when you see a mother, a mother is the one buying this kind of clothes for her own daughter. A father is the one buying this kind of clothes for his own daughter. Obscene and indecent dressing, especially when far away from home, far away from senior relatives.
Number 14 is incest. Number 14 is incest. Sleeping with your blood brother, sleeping with your blood sister, sleeping with your father, sleeping with your mother, sleeping with your stepfather, your stepmother.
Number 15 is abortion. Some have already lost count at age 18. They have lost count of how many abortions at age 18.
16. Rape and sexual abuse. Rape and sexual abuse. And that is why every parent, you have to be a bit more decisive over the kind of friends your children keep. Because if your son is moving around with some wayward guys, one day those guys are going to rape one young lady, and if he's with them, he may be drafted into it because it will look normal to him when he's with them.
Number 17 is indulging in alcohol. Now, most of these things now are easier. So alcohol now is available in sachets. So right there in school, even in boarding house, they can sneak it in. They can put the, buy a loaf of bread and put it inside and use that to beat the system there.
18 indulging in smoking. And it starts gradually from cigarettes to cigar, cigar to Indian hair, and eventually they get into hard drugs.
Number 19 is cultism and evil gangs. Cultism and evil gangs. 30, 40 years ago in our climb here, it is still was an issue only on campuses. But in the passage of time, it gradually moved into secondary schools, gradually moved now into primary schools. And in the past, it used to be more or less a male dominated thing. But eventually started having female secret cults, and then even the existing cults now, they have some females initiated as well. It will shock you some of the people that are involved. Children from very good homes.
Number 20, joining bad gangs for different reasons. Joining bad gangs for different reasons. Some guys who are not, who are naturally soft, they don't have the mind. So part of what they do is that they could join the campus cult so that the membership, knowledge of the membership, their membership of that cult is what will now start making people fear them on their own. They know they are weak. So they join a gang or a cult. So when people hear that ah, is now an, is mafia, is now in black, is now in Vikings, [Music] they will not fear him. Mafia, which confr, you now when they confirm, is confr, they will begin to respect the confr guy. That's how it happens. So and that's why they join those groups.
Number 21 is keeping bad friends. Keeping bad friends. Yes. Terrible trap for innocent children loaded with great potentials.
Number 22. Refusing to cut off from certain people who are a bad influence. And that is why many young children got into sexual practices for the first time. Usually through the abuse secretly of an elder person, sometimes within the same compound, and these are usually people that are older than them in age.
23. Examination malpractices. There are 30 of them. Shame on those parents who assist their children in examination malpractices. Shame. Shame on such fathers. Any parent that does that is a disgrace. Is a disgrace to that family. You buy your children expo. You buy your children expo.
And 24 is internet fraud. And it has gotten so bad now that they now have lecture halls, they have academies, they have schools, not just online, physical, where they train young people and those who are interested in internet fraud.
Number 25 is inflated school fees. Inflated school fees. And that is why I pray for every parent listening to this message today that may the Lord spare you of the repercussions of your past deeds in the name of Jesus Christ. Because if you had inflated school fees and used that to obtain your parents years ago, and you know with time people improve, innovation, they improve on whatever was done in the past. So that is what parents, some parents are facing today. And when you are even rebuking your children, when you catch them, so your conscience reminds you that this is what you used to to papa mama those days, and you did it for a long time. The fees are 200,000. The child brings a bill of 750, and they will package everything well. The logo, everything, the logo of the university, the logo of the school, everything will be there. In fact, it will look more original than the original copy.
And 26 is presenting false results. False results to your parents, to your guardian or sponsor. We have seen heartbroken parents who had celebrated here so much that our son has graduated, our daughter has, only for them to discover later that he never went through that university. She never went through that university. The results that were being posted were fake. The final graduation was fake. I pray that none here will suffer these things.
>> And if there's anything like this going on, may the Lord quickly open up to you and bring forth an immediate solution.
>> And I pray that if there is any way we are directly or indirectly aiding these things to happen, may that stop from today in the name of Jesus.
Number 27, sneaking out of school. Sneaking out of school for parties. We have seen a situation where some parents are shocked to hear that uh one of the children had an accident in Ghana. Huh? Had an accident in Job, South Africa. Where the, which, which child that is in one university here? Some see their children on social media in a foreign country. The same child that is supposed to be sitting for for exam in a local university here. Some sneak out to cohabit with friends. And as I'm reading these things, some parents are remembering things they did when they were younger. The Holy Spirit just reminded me now that that's what is also going on. So God is at work.
28 stealing. 28 stealing. Now it will be rebranded to be packaged to look to look nice, to look normal. If you steal, you are a thief. You are a thief. Olay. Olay. Let's not package evil. Let's not package evil. You disgrace a thief. You disgrace a thief. And if you don't stop it on time, they will steal in church. They will steal even in God's house. But I was telling them yesterday that please also take note because sometimes you see some tendencies as a parent, let's not pretend that will scare you when you see the way a particular child is able to hide certain things. If this one goes into smuggling, if this one goes into smuggling syndicates and cabals, cartels, they will, the mafias, they will recruit him. They will recruit her. So the earlier you seek expert advice, the better. So that if it is possible, we will now professionalize it for that child in a positive way, in a positive way. I gave them the example of ethical hackers, that there are people that are so gifted in hacking. So instead of you using it for fraud, use it in a positive way. Banks, financial institutions, even security agencies, they have needs for people like that. Before a bank will come up with an improved version of some of their uh instruments for transfers, and they have hackers who will first of all use every means to see how they can break through, and then when they discover something, then they will create a solution to block it. When they now feel there is no way, that is when they know the bank or the institution knows they've come up with a foolproof instrument that they can release to their clients and customers. There are people that had intentionally recruited by intelligence agencies. So when your, when the person is, do you now know you are working for your nation? You are on national assignment, not in a negative way.
And 29 is gambling. Gambling. Some years ago, we sat down a committee and we're trying to look at uh different ways to uh create wealth and all that. And some, we got informed years ago that the end of the previous year, Nigerians spent 500 billion, 500 billion on on gambling, on betting, 500 billion. This was years ago. So you can imagine what it will be as a 2025.
And number 30 is trying out charms and spiritual books. I know of some students who got mad when they started practicing what they read in the seventh book of Moses, trying out charms and spiritual books.
So to close, we close with three steps. Just three steps that you can use to develop your level of self-discipline, your level of self-control.
Step one, and this is very important for every one of us, not just our younger ones. Step one, don't be discouraged or depressed by your past mistakes. Don't be discouraged or depressed by your past mistakes. In Luke 22, Luke 22:31-34, New Living Translation, it says Jesus was speaking. He says, "Simon, Simon, Satan, please take note." So, some of the things that we will call blemish, some of the things that will call blemish in the life journey of certain people, unknown to most people, it is actually being influenced through demonic, satanic manipulation and influence. And here's what Jesus is saying. He said, Jesus speaking to say, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. That your faith should not fail." Please, this message is not for, we are not talking about people who have never made a mistake. When we say shining without blemish, go to the, go to Hebrews 11 and look at the hall of fame. Check out the lives of the people there. They made mistakes initially, but they went forward, recovered from their mistakes, and they did exploit for God. But more importantly, there was a deciding moment. You must have a deciding moment when you go, you will not go back to what God has forgiven you of, God has delivered you from. And I also explained yesterday that not everybody gets an instant deliverance. Not everybody gets once and for all deliverance. For some people, it took two, three attempts, in a few attempts, eventually they were out of that addiction. So don't get discouraged. Don't get discouraged because part of the satanic attacks you will face when you become a serious-minded believer is that the enemy will do everything. He's the accuser. He's called the accuser. He will do everything to spoil your testimony. He will do everything to cast to smell your image and testimony. So we should be careful not to wound people that the kingdom of darkness have wounded. And that happens a lot in church. So Jesus said in verse 32, "But I pleaded for you in prayer, in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail." So when you have repented, are you seeing that? Did Peter shine? He sh, he, he did. But Jesus is saying, "But when you have repented and turn to me again, strengthen your brothers." Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you and even to die with you." He wasn't lying. His spirit was willing. His heart was with what he was saying. But the enemy was going to overwhelm him. In verse 34, he said, "But Jesus said, Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny me three times that you even know me." Did he deny Christ? Yes, he did. When we want to talk of vessels of God that did shine without blemish, would Peter be among them? He will be among them. He will certainly be among them. Distinction is not 100 over 100. Distinction often times starts from 70 over 100. A stands for 70 over 100. So please don't be discouraged or depressed by your past mistakes.
Let's look at Matthew 26:31. Matthew 26:31, God's Word Translation. Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will abandon me tonight." So those who will shine without blemish are not necessarily children of God who never stumbled in any way. Each of you will stumble tonight. Stumble and fall on account of me, but they were going to recover from it. And if you notice something, God can sometimes allow you to go through certain experiences in order to bring you to a point where such similar things can never, you can never bow to similar things again in the future. Go and check it out. After this experience where he denied Christ three times, never again would anything make Peter deny Christ, even at the threat of death. And you see a lot of that happen in Acts of the apostles. So sometimes people can make a smaller mistake. Something could happen initially, and when people recover from it, that's the last time it will ever happen. But the lesson is that there must be a last time. You have the responsibility to decide that that will be the last time that will ever happen.
Step two. So the first point is what? Don't be discouraged or depressed. Step two, always have a positive mindset. Daniel 1:8, Contemporary English Version. He said, "Daniel made up his mind to eat and drink only what God had approved for his people to eat." He made up his mind even in his teenage years. He wasn't just pressured by big people. You know, people just easily bow to temptation when they encounter certain people. And that's why those days I used to encourage, now syndrome has taken care of that. You know, 10, 15 years ago, I used to encourage members, I said, please, if you, whatever it will, you take, put your child on the plane, especially a daughter, put her on the plane, let her just travel, even if it's to Ghana, even it's to a neighboring country, let them just travel, even it's to South Africa, and where, and then come back because we see a situation where, you know, grown-up lady, grown-up woman that has principles, then somebody just shows up, just simply because he came in from Chicago, he came in from Maryland, he came in from uh Toronto, he came in from London, he came in from, from uh, you know, from Glasgow, and and then before you know it, first night you are meeting him, you are sleeping in his house. He will tell you, sit on my lap, and you principled lady, you will sit on his lap. You that men cannot touch, the the Chicago guy now will touch your breast, and you say you are not, you are now kicking your car instead of instead of doing the needful, your principles are gone. You are intimidated simply because he, and that guy for, for know for who knows, may just be he, maybe where he's coming from, only God knows the kind of job he's doing there, and that's a person you will just fall flat for. Some people cannot, they cannot say no to an extremely wealthy man. The moment they just enter the house, see the labor of cars parked there. The spirit is gone. Anything he says, you just obey. You are going to be someone's wife, and you are going to face that more in the days ahead. Daniel in his teenage years was a principled man. He was humble, but he wasn't weak. He was broken, but he wasn't timid. He made up his mind.
The third and final step, avoid overconfidence and always obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 10:12, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Amplified Bible says, "Therefore, let the one who thinks he stands firm, immune to temptation. I can never fall, can never fall." Being overconfident and self-righteous, take care that he does not fall into sin and condemnation. In Galatians chapter 5, verse 16-17 says, "I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit's instruction. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won't always be doing the wrong things. Your evil nature wants you to." Verse 17. "For we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do. And the good things we want to do when the spirit has his way with us are just the opposite of our natural desire. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures." So this pressure thing is both internal and external. But from today, God increases grace upon everyone in the name of Jesus.