13/11/2025
Talithacumi Light The Fire Gospel Crusade – Day Two Message
Theme: The Serpent on the Pole
Preached by Pastor Gideon S. Ilufoye
The second day of the Talithacumi Light The Fire Gospel Crusade was a night of divine illumination, deep revelation, and mighty deliverance. According to Pastor Gideon S. Ilufoye, man’s greatest problem has never been the absence of God’s power but the rejection of God’s simple way of salvation.
Reading from Numbers 21:8–9, John 3:14–15, and 1 Corinthians 1:27, he explained that when the Israelites murmured against God and were bitten by fiery serpents, God gave them a strange yet simple solution through Moses:
“Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” According to Pastor Gideon, the command was simple “Look and live” but many refused to look because it appeared too easy, too ordinary, too foolish. He said, “God’s salvation has always been simple, but man’s pride has always made it difficult.”
Pastor Gideon likened the serpent on the pole to the Lord Jesus Christ, who was lifted up on the cross for the salvation of mankind.
Quoting John 3:14–15, he declared:
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
He explained that the same way the bitten Israelites were healed when they looked in faith, today anyone who looks to Jesus in faith will be saved.
He said, “It is not by effort, not by works, not by religion but by looking to Jesus.”
According to Pastor Gideon, the same kinds of people who refused to look at the serpent in the wilderness are still present today. He outlined five categories of people who rejected God’s simple solution then and still reject Christ now.
1. The Pharisees and Sadducees – The Religious Proud
They trusted in traditions and self-righteousness.
Quoting John 7:48, he said, “They had religion without relationship, holiness without humility, and law without love.”
2. The Lawyers – The Intellectual Proud
Experts in the law but ignorant of the truth.
From Luke 11:52, he declared, “Many today are full of head knowledge but empty of heart revelation.”
3. The Rich – The Self-Sufficient
Referring to Mark 10:25, he said, “It is not riches that condemn a man, but trusting in riches instead of Christ.”
4. The Idol Worshipers – The Spiritually Blind
Quoting 1 Thessalonians 1:9, he said, “You cannot look at Jesus and still bow to idols. When you truly see Him, idols lose their power.”
5. The Doubters and Skeptics – The Spiritually Confused
From John 20:25, he said, “Many, like Thomas, want to see before they believe. But faith is believing before seeing.”
Pastor Gideon emphasized that all these groups have one thing in common:
They rejected the simplicity of God’s salvation because of pride, unbelief, or misplaced trust.
He declared: “God still uses what looks foolish to man to display His greatest wisdom.” 1 Corinthians 1:27
According to Pastor Gideon, salvation does not come by human effort, works, or religion but through simple faith in Jesus Christ.
He added, “It is not by doing but by believing, not by working but by trusting, not by effort but by grace.”
After the first session, Pastor Gideon moved straight into the second session a powerful deliverance and healing service. The atmosphere was charged with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Many were set free from the bondages of Satan, diverse healings took place, and the power of God was mightily revealed.
It was indeed a glorious night of salvation, healing, and restoration.
As the second day came to an end, Brethren ,“Tomorrow is the last day! Don’t come alone invite someone, and let’s experience the fullness of God’s power together.”
Signed by: NGSEMMEDIA
Kindly follow all our social media handles for more inspiring messages, testimonies, and updates from the Talithacumi Light The Fire Gospel Crusade
