15 SECRETS OF AYO BABALOLA’s POWER AND SUCCESS IN MINISTRY

Episode 6: (Humility- Read what Apostle Ayo Babalola did when his first daughter-Funmilayo died under a provocative situation and what he said before he was unjustly sentenced to 6 months imprisonment in 1932.

Written by Aduralere Oluwagbohunmi

While the 1930 revival at Oke Ooye was going on in Ilesha, Iroyin Ilesha (Ilesha news) went to the revival ground and made a remarkable comment on Ayo Babalola as follow:

“This young man ( i.e Babalola) rarely eats. Two pieces of biscuit and a loaf of bread of about 1kobo is all he requires for “a whole day”. And he sleeps very little as well. He would pray till around 2: a.m in the night thereafter he would move out into the open from where he would pray till day break.

What is most surprising to us is that many wicked persons (witches, wizards etc) who drink the ‘water of life’ must confess all the evils they have done, how many people they have killed in their meeting and how many people they have eaten in their meeting. We have a record of 5 persons already who have confessed their evil and witchcraft after drinking the water..

Aminate Zino Mp3

It is indeed strange to us that this revivalist (Babalola) does not in any way exalt himself or count himself to be anything. His clothes consist of only “buba” and shorts without cap. He never gets angry with anybody. There was a time he was pushed against a tree but he never got angry he simply smiled and pleading with them to be patient with him. If he receives calls from both rich and poor man at the same time he would honour the poor man first.”

That was the way the newspaper described him. How many prophets of our days can be described this way?

Anointing! What a powerful phenomenon? A young prophet recently declared that he had performed more miracles than Jesus Christ. And this ‘young guy’ had not witnessed 1% of what God used Babalola to achieve in 1930 alone.

Another minister, after ministering under the unction of the Holy Ghost recently declared that the “whole world is under his feet”, thereby placing himself in the same level with God.

We all know that no one can use natural ability to produce supernatural result. While can’t we simply give the glory back to the giver of the anointing? But instead of returning the glory to the giver of the anointing, we logically and smartly share in it by using various techniques. There is a tragedy that is currently afflicting great men of God in our days; we know how to start in the spirit and finish our ministration in the flesh. We have not learned how not to share God’s glory with him.

Manifestation of anointing and the power of God should humble us but reverse is the case today. However, the same anointing that makes people fall down during your ministration can also destroy you if you allow pride to rule your mind.

King Herod was blessed with the power of oratory and on a particular day, he spoke under this anointing and those that listened to his speech said, this is not the voice of man but of god. And instead of rejecting the praise of men and return the glory to God, he took it but he was destroyed on the same pulpit.

As a man of power, it could be said of Babalola that pride could not be traced to him. He possessed the spirit of humility. For instance, when Babalola relocated from Oke-oye to Efon Alaye in 1931 and started another revival there, a lot of people were expecting him to share the testimonies from the great revival that took place at Ilesha with them but to their disappointment, he never talked about them. He was a man that knew “how not to share the glory with God”.

Even though he was blessed with so much power that commanded respect both in heaven and on earth, he never saw himself as ‘anything’ before men and before God.” Evidently God used Babalola more than anyone in his generation but it made no difference to him. He was never on high horse. Even though he was the general evangelist, he never usurped authority from the pastors he worked with. He would always give them preferential treatment by allowing them to preach while he listened to them. Such grace is rare in our generation today.

But what does the scripture says about humility?
James 4:5-6&10

“Do you think that the scripture saith in vain, the spirit that dweller in us luster to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisted the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble”
Verse 10:

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up-

From all indications, Jesus Christ worked in power and did great wonders here on earth. I have always wondered why God gave him so much power. Was it because he was the only begotten son of God? I also think about his anointing which John3:34 described as “anointing without measure”. These factors, of course are contributory factors but Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians gave us another perspective as to why God gave Jesus so much power.

Paul’s explanation becomes necessary because why we cannot be like Jesus by our ascribed status, – Jesus “the only begotten son of God’ and we cannot all receive anointing without measure like Jesus. But here is one eternal truth: we can all be like Jesus and receive and maintain power with humility.

Humility is the very reason why God gave Jesus so much power.

Philippians 2: 5-11

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

What can you see from the above scriptures?

Humility is not being respectful or kneeling down to greet people. There are so many arrogant minds that are physically or culturally respectful.

Humility is a mind-set. Humility is a spirit.

Humility is not assigning reputation to ourselves when God has graciously promoted us. Jesus was God in human flesh yet he did “thought it not robbery to be equal with God. He said though “I am one with my father but my Father is greater than I “. Humility is seeing us the way God sees us. As leaders, God sees us as servants. He made you as a leader but in practical living he wants us to serve others. He wants us to serve and put other first.

And the greatest form of humility is to obey God when it is not convenient for us. It was said of Jesus- “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”. He had power to command thousands of angels to kill those who wanted to kill him but out of humility, he gave himself up to death. Humility is not fighting over your legal right. I want to site an example here.

For instance, Babalola was unjustly arrested and prosecuted for preaching against witches. Two women accused Babalola of calling them witches, thereby making them to take a specifically banned poisoned (obo leaf) to exonerate themselves of the accusation. Even though that everyone knew that there is no way you will take this obo leaf and live to witness in the law court.

He was framed and falsely accused. He was subsequently arrested at Ilorin and transferred to Benin. Babalola was charged to court based on this accusation. Many Christians were outraged and wanted to hire attorneys to defend him in the court but Babalola rejected the idea of hiring attorneys to defend him. In March 1932, he was sentenced to six months imprisonment. Babalola served his jail term before he was released in October 1932.

Oh, you think that is ignorance? But a man that knew what God could do does not need any man to defend him. He went to the prison and won many souls for Christ inside the prison. He met a man in the prison who later insisted that Babalola must go with him to the Eastern part of Nigeria and he went with him to conduct apostolic revival there.

Another incident that showcased him as an epitome of humility was when his son in-law abused his daughter during a fight. Babalola was praying at Ori Oke Iddo Ajinnare when her first daughter Funmilayo (Mrs. Olowola) was brought in critical condition. She had had brawl with her husband which inflicted severe injury on her. Although prayer was made for her but she still died. Some aggrieved members of the family had threatened to sue the husband but he refused, saying he would not go to law with anybody. Some of his followers went there with sticks to beat the husband but Babablola wouldn’t allow them to do such thing. He came down from the mountain, preached at the funeral service and returned to the mountain to continue with his prayer.

When the Spirit of God takes away anger, annoyance and the urge to revenge from you; that is when you are truly humble. Humility is putting God first in the face of provocation.

No wonder God gave Babalola name that cut across nations and generations. 60 years after his death, everywhere you go, it is still “God of Ayo Babalola”.

May we all receive grace to serve God and men with a humble spirit. If you humble yourself God will lift you up. Ask for the spirit of humility before you ask for power.

Episode 11: (RENEWED STRENGTH THROUGH PRAISE).

Written by Aduralere Oluwagbohunmi (Hallelujah Evangelist)

“If Apostle J.A Babalola wanted to pray for seven days, he would use six days to thank God and use the seventh day to ask for mercy and the power of the Holy Spirit- Dayo Oluwamakin”

Of all Babalola’s astonishing stories, the above statement made by the former National Secretary of Sunday School, Christ Apostolic Church and author of several books on Ayo Babalola Pastor ‘Dayo Oluwamakin’ is the most unique attribute of the late Apostle. How can a man dedicate six days to praising God out of seven?

Here comes the mystery of power acquisition. Men who genuinely carry God’s power know that one of their acceptable sacrifices is to be an addicted thanks giver. When you see His glory consistently you will not need to be told to celebrate Him continuously. Men who know to eulogise the king are the one who know how to ‘cheaply’ get to the heart of the king. Have you ever wondered why God did not reject any of Jesus’ prayer on earth? Jesus being God himself knew that the key that opened the kingdom power house is praise. That is why he would always begin his prayer with praise and end with thanksgiving.

Without mincing words, it could be said of Babalola that prayer was the primary business of his life. However, the contents and contexts of a man’s prayer requests revealed his love for God. Leonard Ravenhill, the author of Why Revival Tarries said; “No man is greater than his prayer life. God is not prodigal with his power; but to be much for God, we must be much with God.”

In this age and time, God is not looking for just prayer warriors; He is also looking for praise warriors. As human there is nothing that we can give unto God. All that we have we receive it from him. He is interested in our praise. He is interested in the praises of all things that he created. He created all things for his pleasure (psalms 148)

In the book of Revelation God gives us the clear picture of heaven and the responsibilities of those who are permanently in the presence of God.

Revelation 19:

1. And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:

2. For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

3. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.

4. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.

5. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

There is only one responsibility for those who are dwelling in heaven. There is only one work in heaven. There is only one attitude in heaven. Everything around God are wired, created and made to praise him. If you do not know how to praise God on earth, I can assure you that heaven is not your home when you die. Heaven is the throne of God and the home of addicted thanks givers.

God never gets angry with those who know how to worship and praise him. Have you ever read in your bible that God was ever angry with those 24 elders that sit around God’s throne? Those who know how to thank God ceaselessly are those who receive God’s grace endlessly. In God, praise takes you to a place where prayer can never get you into.

Despites the many atrocities of King David, he ended up as one of the covenant children of God on earth. “He was a man after God’s heart”. One of the reasons why he received that eternal title is because of his unusual attitude during praise. When the Messiah came to the world, he came through the linage of David, an addicted praise giver. David did not end his reign on earth; God gave him a place in Israel forever (the city of David and a covenant of everlasting throne). What is the secret? David was a man that knew how to approach and stay in the court of the Almighty God.

Your life and requests become pleasurable to God if you have an effective praise and thanksgiving life. Men of praise are unusual men. They are men of strength. When you see an addicted thanks giver, then you have seen a man who knows how to get more strength and anointing from God without asking for it. Yes, without asking for it. I was at Odo Owa (Babalola’s mountain) to shout a thousand Hallelujahs. As I was moving round the mountain shouting and celebrating God, the Lord asked me to wait and I stopped. He said “when you pray, you will get answers to what you ask for but when you praise God in an unusual way like this God will give you what you need but that you are not aware of”. Is there anyone who knows all that he needed from God? And if you don’t know what you need how would you ever asked for them? The Lord said, when you praise me I release such things to you without asking for them. Hallelujah.

God did it for David the day he danced before God; Michal the daughter of Saul “a cursed woman’ was living happily with David and was hoping to have a child for him. David was living with a ‘cursed woman’ as a wife unknowingly and never thought about it but the day he danced before God like a crazy man God showed up in his home and judged the enemy within.

2 Samuel 6:

“14. And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

16. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart…..

20. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, how glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

21. And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.

22. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

23. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

Oh, I love what David said when Michal mocked him;

“I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight”.

That is the kind of people that God is looking for during praise; men who do not approach God with their earthly titles; men who see themselves as nothing before God. When David Praised God in an unusual way; God judged Michal in an unusual way. Praise is a weapon of war and there is no battle that can withstand the sword of praise.

IF YOU WANT TO GROW IN STRENGTH, GROW IN PRAISE.

Apostle Ayo Babalola knew that there was a fresh anointing that was accessible to him through praise. If you want to grow in strength, grow in praise. If you want your anointing to increase double your praise to the giver of the anointing. I do not know an addicted praise giver who stays long on his knees before obtaining answer from God. Those who know how to praise God for long hours or days as in the case of Babalola do not stay long on their knees to have their requests met. It is mystery unknown to many Christians in the world. Men of mighty praise cannot experience “dry season’ in God.

And the very reason why God is not raising men of authority and power in our generation is because the moment we receive ‘little’ anointing from God, we tend to think of ourselves as ‘something’. And this prideful habit finds expression during praise and worship. This is the period when the ‘big men’ of God leave the service to the members to handle. God is looking for men like David; men who will remove their royal apparels and celebrate God as if they are “crazy”.

When you reduce yourself to nothing before God, especially during praise and worship God, The Lord will come to you and make you ‘‘someone of repute”. As a man of God, I don’t ever want to become so great before God to the extent that I will not be able to celebrate God in a big way. May I never grow to a stage where I will leave praise and worship to choristers.

During the first edition of A Night of 1000 Hallelujah (a praise party where thousands of people gather to shout 1000 Hallelujah annually on third Tuesday of every July in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria) God said to me;

“I want to raise men but I will not do so until they praise me’. Perhaps the ones he had raised before had become too big to praise him when they reached the peak of their careers. When God looks at how much he had done for them and their attitude during praise, he said in his heart “is it me you are praising this way? Don’t you realise that all that you have are from me? A prideful and arrogant man is someone who sees no reason to thank God for what he has done for him and the scripture says “God is in the business of resisting the proud”. May God never resist you.

HOW TO BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might-Ephesians 6:10”. If you want to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, be strong in praise. Just learn this mystery from Ayo Babalola, a man who spent six days to thank God and the seventh to ask for power. By the grace of God, I minister in deliverance and with the prophetic anointing. God once said to me, “If you want to see me raw in your meeting, praise me.”

You cannot use natural ability to produce supernatural result. Anointing breaks the yoke. And how can you be drunk in anointing? Prophet Elisha knew that the surest way to be drunk with the spirit is to be drunk with praise (2Kings 3:11-15). There are so many gates into his dwelling-Zion (psalms 74:2, psalms 76:2, psalms 48:1-2), yet you cannot enter Zion without praise. If you must come to his presence, you must come with praise. “The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob-psalms 87:2.

Men who know how to enter God’s presence with praise contact power and those who keep on celebrating and honouring God with their praises receive overflow anointing. Babalola knew how to approach Zion. He knew that if you want to continually be and enjoy God’s presence, you must praise him.

“He also exalts the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, A PEOPLE NEAR UNTO HIM, Praise ye the Lord-psalms 148:14”. We are near to God in praise. God seeks for you when you worship him. A man who carries God’s presence is a powerful man of God.

Do you want power of the Holy Ghost? I believe you know what to do now. The two experiences of Holy Ghost baptisms (initial baptism-indwelling of the Holy Spirit & fire baptism- gifts of the spirit) that I had happened when my praise reached the throne of God. Halleluiah!

Say to yourself; I received grace to be praising God ceaselessly.

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Photo caption:
A rock formation has the picture of a guitar at Babalola ‘ mountain in odo Owa, his place of birth. Likewise, there are two rock formations that show the map of Nigeria on the rock. I was there on the 17th, May,2019.

The Lord that visited Babalola and empowered him to do usual thing will visit you.

Episode 13: (Babalola versus Elisha: THE WONDERS AND MIRACLES OF BABALOLA’S DISCIPLES-concluding part).

“Apostle Babalola had been praying before now that God would raise up many more people for the divine ministry. He used to say in prayer that one hand cannot do the work; every time he knelt down to pray, he would say so”- Pastor J.A Mediayese (Mediayese was one of the people that worked with Babalola from the beginning to the end (1930-1959).”

“In early 30’s Babalola left Oka to Epinmi. A large crowd of people gathered and God performed different kinds of healing in this town. Leprosy, blindness, arthritis, pile and all kinds of diseases were healed. Many who have been pregnant for long were delivered. However, when Babalola was leaving this town, two of his disciples stayed behind. They had recently received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They were Mr. D. Ajibade and Stephen. They prayed for the people and those who came from other towns who were unaware that Apostle Babalola had left town. The Lord worked many mighty miracles and wonders through these disciples.

Do you want to know what it means to be a successful minister of God on earth? Read the story of Babalola versus Orekoya.

When Apostle Babalola was leaving Ilesha, the site of the great Oke Oye Revival of 1930, he left behind Prophet Daniel Orekoya, who had earlier joined him in ministering divine healing. HE HAD LAID HANDS ON HIM THAT GOD WOULD EMPOWER HIM AND GOD DID. Prophet Orekoya started performing miracles immediately, which clearly manifested when he got to Ibadan. The power of God rested on Orekoya such that within two weeks, September 24th and October 4th 1930, he performed 1,981 documented miracles, including raising back to life 22 dead people (within two weeks). In three months of Orekoya’s ministry, he brought more dead people back to life than Babalola’s 29 years.

Here is the mystery of the mantle. Orekoya only knew one verse in the Bible because he was never educated; Jeremiah 17:4, which reads: “heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for thou art my praise.” He knew no other doctrine or Bible passage outside this. With one Bible verse, Orekoya raised 22 people back to life within few weeks.

As educated as you are, what have you done with the entire Bible in your hand? What have I done with the knowledge of the Bible that I have? As Smith Wigglesworth rightly said, the Bible is a dead book in your hand without the Holy Ghost. Brothers and sisters, in all thy getting, get the power of the Holy Ghost.

Apostle Babalola was like Apostle Paul of the New Testament era. Everywhere he went during his lifetime, his major concern was for people to be baptised with the power of the Holy Ghost. Just like Apostle Paul, God used Babalola as an instrument through which thousands of people received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. As a leader of Oke-Ooye-the first Holy Ghost revival in Nigeria, Babalola sincerely prayed for people to be baptised with the power of God. Without the Holy Ghost you are nothing- I mean absolutely nothing. A mentor that cannot give you access to the secret of his power is not worth following. A man of God that cannot tell you the importance of the Holy Spirit is wasting your time.

When God called me He said; ‘GO RAISE STARS FOR ME.’ Like any other person my response was: “how can a mortal man raise stars for God?’ He said, go preach and pray that men can receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and each time people receive baptism of the Spirit or gifts of the Holy Spirit during my ministration, there is joy in my spirit-I feel fulfilled. When men receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they go into the world and become STARS for God. Hallelujah

The above testimony that I shared came as part of the mantle and mission God gave Babalola. As a matter of fact, I received the commission during a private visit to one of the Babalola’s mountains at Efon Alaaye Ekiti. On another visit to his grave site (power house), about seven of us went there to pray. We were not even praying to receive power; we went there to pray over the cloth that would be used for Babalola’s anniversary that year. As we were praying (a gentle kind of prayer), the wind of Holy Ghost rested on me mightily. The power came for me alone among the seven people that were present there and before I knew what was happening, I was on the floor. The power of God is indeed a gift to mankind.

The mantle and mandate God gave Babalola are very active on earth till today. And what is the secret? God told Babalola that “He distributed gifts and talents to the people of the world, and gave only the Holy Spirit to black African descendants. He said if Africans could take good care of the Holy Spirit, they would regain all other gifts He had earlier distributed.”

No wonder Babalola laboured, prayed and lived an agitated life that men, especially Africans should receive the sweet Holy Spirit

Babalola was not just the one that worked with the power of Holy Ghost during his days; his disciples were filled with the presence of God to the extent that some of them did great works in Babalola’s absence. The Holy Ghost power in his life was contagious. All that faithfully worked with him worked in the power of Holy Ghost. They went out, just like the disciples of Jesus to destroy the kingdoms of darkness in the name of Jesus. Babalola was not selfish with God’s deposit in his life. He honestly and earnestly prayed for his disciples so that they too can be baptised with divine power. His willingness to pass on the baton of divine enablement in his life to his disciples was the secret of his posthumous greatness.

The grace that God gave Babalola is clearly visible in the lives of hundreds of prophets that are currently demonstrating the power of God through his mantle. The mantle was visible in the lives of several prophets such as Babaide, Akande, Obadare, Oyelami, Olowere, Abiara, and Adio to mention a few. ‘Elijah’s power became Elisha’s mantle. Without mincing words, whatever God gives a man if well managed by the recipient must outlive him. God’s gift and grace in the life of Babalola are visible today even though he is resting on the bosom of the Almighty God.

In our days, the mantle of Babalola is working wonders in the hand of the present C. A. C General Evangelist, Prophet Hezekiah, a man of great grace; Prophet Olu Alo (Baba Adamimogo) and Prophet Steven Grace Oladejo (Baba Oore- Ofe) among thousands of other Holy Ghost filled ministers both in C.A.C and outside Christ Apostolic Church. These God’s Generals are still reminding us with lively testimonies that God of 1930 is the same today.

If your mantle dies with you, you have failed God and humanity!

God will give you what generations unborn will celebrate. ( A Night of 1000 Hallelujah on my mind- July 2019, Ado Ekiti. Watch out for flyer )

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