UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY 3

MEMORY VERSE: And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around about Elisha. 1 Samuel 16:7

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 11-12

There are different categories of authority. We briefly looked at authority at home yesterday. Let’s look at authority in the church of God. It is important that you and I remember this at all times: all authority belongs to Christ. Matthew 28:18 says, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and earth". Whatever authority one has is a delegated authority from Christ. The head of the church is Christ. Colossians 1:18 says, "and he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence". Although He (Jesus) owns all authority over the church, He has delegated some of the authority to some people. The founders, GOs, GSs, Senior Pastors, etc all have a delegated authority from Christ over their congregation or ministry. Their congregation includes pastors, workers, deacons, deaconess, etc. This delegated authority is a spiritual one. As a church leader – senior pastor, founder, GOs, GSs, etc – invested with so much authority from Christ, they can pronounce blessings upon their congregations including the pastors under them, and the Lord will grant it. They can literally ‘move the hand of God’ on your behalf or over your matter if you serve them well. Elisha cried to God on behalf of his servant and the Lord granted his request.2 Kings 6:17 says, “And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” A man or woman, who has the authority to open the windows of heaven, also has the authority to shut it. As such, you must flee things that could cause your church leader to be unhappy with you.

Pastors have a delegated authority from Christ over their deacons, deaconess, assistant pastors, workers, etc – the whole congregation. However, their authority is under the authority of the founder, GO, GSs, Senior Pastors. Pastors too can ask God for things on your behalf and God will grant it- provided you serve them well .The deacons and deaconess, youth leaders, cell group leaders have a delegated authority from Christ over the workers under them. One thing with spiritual authority is that, it is more potent than all other forms of authorities. Whether one has been to bible school or not, the pastor has a delegated authority from Christ over one. One may be more educated than his or her pastor, the pastor still has a delegated authority from Christ over one. One may even be older than his or her pastor, the pastor has a delegated authority from Christ over one. This is why you must not argue or exchange harsh words with your spiritual leader even your youth leader. Whatever you do to them, it is not them that you have done it to, but to God who gave them the authority. Also, when one’s wife speak rudely to the pastor’s wife, it is not the pastor’s wife one has spoken rudely to but the pastor (because they are one). And, it is not the pastor really that one has spoken rudely to but God. This is why as a child of God, you must not threaten your pastor or shout at them. When you walk out on your pastor, it is not your pastor that you have walked out on but God. When people join your church, as a pastor, interview them to know why they left their church. If they left because of a quarrel with their pastor, please send them back to go and make peace and get the blessing of their pastors. It does not matter how gifted a sister is, she must not join the choir until she has made peace with her former pastors. This is discipline in the house of God.

ACTION: If you have ever been rude, openly or in secret, to any man or woman of God, please go and apologize to them and ask God to have mercy.

PRAYER POINT: Father, we come against the spirit of rebellion in the body of Christ.

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UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY 2

MEMORY VERSE: Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 84-86

There are different categories of authority. For example, let us look at authority in the family or in the home of a believer. The father is the head of the family. He has a delegated authority from Christ over his household. Matthew 28:18 says, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth". He has a delegated authority over his wife. According to Numbers 30:6-9, if a woman makes a vow to God and her husband says “i cancel it”, it is automatically cancelled. If the woman stubbornly pays the vow to God after the husband has cancelled it, it is a waste because the Lord will not accept it. Before putting any sister into a position in the church, we must seek the consent of her husband. The man has a delegated authority over his children. According to Numbers 30: 3-5, if a child makes a vow to God and the father says, “I cancel it”, it is automatically cancelled. As a father, invested with so much authority from Christ, you can pronounce blessings upon members of your household including your wife, and the Lord will grant it. A man who has the authority to bless also has the authority to curse. So as a child of God, don't do things that will make your husband or father to put a curse on you. However, as a man who has a delegated authority from Christ, you are to love your wife even as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25).

The woman or the wife has a delegated authority from Christ over her children. Although, her authority is under the authority of her husband – her head. Even if she is the founder of a ministry and the husband is just a member, at home, her authority is still under the authority of her husband. Ephesians 5:22 says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” The father and mother have a delegated authority from Christ over their children. Exodus20:12 says, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” The first child, boy or girl, has a delegated authority from Christ over his or her siblings. Parents should recognize this and understand that the first child and the last child are not the same. The junior must respect the senior. Do you know the moment a believer gives his or her life to Jesus, He delegates some of His authority to him or her to rule over the kingdom of darkness? Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” As a believer, you have a delegated authority over demons, witches, wizards and all. A girl who won’t submit to her mother is not rebelling against the mother but to God (who delegated authority to her) . So also, a boy who won’t submit to dad or mum. As a child, don't talk to your parents anyhow or shout at them. When you do this, it is not your parents you are disrespecting but God.

PRAYER POINT: Father, we come against the spirit of rebellion in our homes.

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UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY 1

MEMORY VERSE: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:18

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 11-15

What is authority? Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines authority as a “legal or rightful power; a right to command or to act; power exercised by a person in virtue of his office or trust; dominion; jurisdiction; authorization; as, the authority of a prince over subjects, and of parents over children; the authority of a court.” There are certain things you need to know about authority. Firstly, authority belongs to God. Psalm 62:11 says, “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” ‘All’ authority in heaven and on earth have been given to Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:18 says, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” What is the essence of authority? The essence of authority is to ensure order. Imagine a city without the police force or a judicial system. Imagine a world without NATO, UN, and other bodies. Psalm 115:16 says, “The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.” The Lord gave the earth to mankind to subdue it for Him. Genesis 1:28 says, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” To help mankind subdue the earth, He gave Adam, the first man, some authority.

Secondly, God has delegated some of His authority to us. For example, He delegated some authority to our parents. Colossians 3:20 says, “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” Also, He delegated some to our spiritual parents e.g. pastors, bishops, GSs, GOs, and so on. Ephesians 6:1 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” He delegated some authority to kings, presidents, prime ministers, leaders, managers, team leaders, supervisors, chairmen and chairwomen of organisation, police, armies, navy, etc. Proverbs 8:15 says, “By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.” Romans 13:1 says, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” He delegated some authority to Fathers and husbands. Ephesians 5:23 says, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” It is important for those who God has given authority to, to know that they are not the owner of the authority and as such, the authority must not be used for selfish gains. The authority they are wielding is only a 'delegated authority' and they will give account. Mr Vice Chancellor, the authority you have over the university staffs, teaching and non-teaching staffs, is a delegated authority. So also, Mr Police officer/ Manager/ Great man of God , Husband, Father, Leader of establishment your authority is a delegated authority not yours.

NOTE: Because your authority (over your children, wife, people working underneath you, etc )is a delegated authority, you must use it in the best interest of the One who delegated the authority to you. You must not use your authority to bully people or promote people of your own colour or race. Your authority must be used solely for the advancement of the kingdom.

ACTION: Let's pray for our leaders that the Lord will give them wisdom and boldness.

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INDWELLING AND INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEMORY VERSE: And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Luke 24:49

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 21-22

The moment an individual confesses his sins, repents of them, and accepts Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour, an indwelling of the Holy Spirit takes place i.e. the Holy Spirit comes and dwells inside him. The Holy Spirit is not racist, sexist or tribalist. The bible says,”whoever calls on the name of Jesus shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). It does not matter who the person is or where the person is from, the moment one gives his life to Christ He (Holy Spirit) comes to dwell inside one. Every born again christian in the world has a measure of the Holy Spirit inside them, and the same Holy Spirit that dwelt inside Jesus ,when He was on the earth, is the same Holy Spirit dwelling inside all believers all over the world. The Holy Spirit, dwelling in the believer, assures him that he is a child of God. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Also, from the day one gives his life to Christ, his body becomes the temple of the living God. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Only the bodies of ‘believers’ are the temple of the God.

Asides the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, there is an infilling of the Holy Spirit or the enduement of power. Jesus told His disciples, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high”( Luke 24:49). Acts 1:8 says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The baptism of the Holy Spirit or infilling of the Holy Spirit or the enduement of power is a totally different experience. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not for unbelievers. John 14:17 says, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” Speaking in tongues goes hand in hand with the baptism of the Holy Spirit or the infilling of the Holy Spirit. When you go through the scriptures, you will find that whenever a fellow receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit he starts to speak in tongues (Acts 10:45-46). Note this, speaking in tongues is not an evidence of new birth but an evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This brings us to the question, why must you - if you are yet to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit with an evidence of speaking in tongues - hunger for the infilling of the Holy Spirit? Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the gateway to the supernatural manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the power of God. Power to heal the sick and work miracles does not come until one receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Not until one receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit, one cannot receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

NOTE: The indwelling of the Holy Spirit (which happens at salvation) is basically for fruit bearing. The infilling of the Holy Spirit (which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit) is for service. The entire spirit filled brothers and sisters have in them an account of all the power they will ever need to be over in life. When the Holy Spirit is upon an individual, it means the individual has being filled with the fullness of God, has in him power to put him over in life, power for supernatural praying,etc.

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FREELY YE HAVE RECIEVED, FREELY GIVE

MEMORY VERSE: And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Matthew 10:7-8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 16-18

READ: Acts 8:17-20

God is not a talkative. He does not speak for the sake of speaking. Someone once said, " some speak because they like the sound of their own voice " in other words they speak and speak without making much sense. The Lord does not speak every minute as some people claim, and when He speaks it is deliberate. It is to achieve something. There are several reasons why this is so, for example, His words carry power. Psalm 33:8- 9 says, “Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” People in position of authority watch their words because with it, they can start a war and with it, they can also put an end to a war.

God does not waste His words. If He says a word, there is a reason for it. Unfortunately, many are beginning to think that some of the things written in the bible are not relevant today. They think they are old school or only relevant to the people that lived during the days of Jesus. Some have even argued that some of what Paul taught was for a particular denomination not the entire body of Christ. This is not so. Whatever you find in the bible has been deliberately included by the Holy Spirit for a reason and it is “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” ( 2 Timothy 3:16) . In Matthew 10, Jesus sent out His 12 disciples with a charge. Verse 7-8 says, “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Why did Jesus include this, “freely ye have received, freely give”, in the charge? It is because man has a tendency to make merchandise of the grace of God upon his life or the anointing of God upon his life. Today, we hear stories of people charging for prophesy. We receive phone alerts encouraging us to subscribe for daily prayers and prophecy. Some of us have even paid for prayers. They tell you, "bro, you need special prayers and fasting" and they charge you for it. All these are not scriptural. We hear of people selling anointed handkerchiefs, apples, bottles of water, etc. All these are not scriptural and if you have ever bought any of these, you have wasted your hard earned money. The anointing of God or healing is not for sale. Gehazi tried to sell healing and received a curse from God ( 2 Kings 5). The grace of God or the gifts of the Holy Spirit is not for sale. In our bible reading, we see Simon being severely reprimanded for offering to buy the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Don’t go to people’s houses and pray a long prayer because you want them to give you a gift. Don’t give visions because you want people to give you money. You don’t have to tell people that you prayed for them over night all in the name getting something in return.

NOTE: The Lord will not tolerate anyone who is making merchandise of His grace. He will not tolerate anyone who is using the death of Christ on the cross for their own selfish and negative ambition.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

AND YE SHALL BE THE CHILDREN OF THE HIGHEST

MEMORY VERSE: But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Luke 6:35

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Colossians 1-2

READ: Luke 6:31-35

As a married woman, it is easy to submit to a man who celebrates you. It is easy to submit to a man who puts you first. In other words, it is easy to submit (to one’s husband) when one's needs are being met and one is happy. As a brother, it is easy to love a woman who respects you. Who wouldn’t love a woman who is an epitome of a virtuous woman (Proverb 31)? Who wouldn’t love a woman like Sarah, the Great Shunamite woman, Rebekah, or Abigail? Who wouldn’t love a young pious sister like Mary?

It is easy to obey God’s commandment (especially when it relates to marriage and relationship ) when one feels loved and appreciated. As a sister, it is easy to submit to a man who loves and respects you. Also as a brother, it is easy to love a woman who is submissive and humble. According to Luke 6:31-35, nothing differentiates you from a pagan if you treat people as they treat you. You, my brother or sister, have not done anything spectacular when you love a woman who submits to you or submit to a man who loves you. Even pagans and atheist do that. A woman who has never walked through the doors of a church before in her life will submit to her husband (without him asking for it) if he loves and respects her. Also an atheist man will love his wife if she is submissive and humble.

Luke 6:35 says, “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” Christ demonstrated how to be a true child of God by dying for us while we were yet sinner. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” While we were yet hopeless and worthless sinners, Christ died for us. He demonstrated how to be a godly husband by dying for us, while we were yet to submit to Him. This is Christ's expectation of every man. Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” The best time to show one’s love to his wife is not when she is humble and submissive. It is when she is most obnoxious. The best time to submit to one’s husband is not when he provides money. It is when you are most offended by something he said or did. This is how the children of the Most High should behave. However, it is not something anyone can do by will power. The same thing applies to loving people who are either unlovable or obnoxious or unrepentant. Loving such people is only possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. Zechariah 4:6 says, “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” It is the Holy Spirit that gives one the ability to love the unlovable i.e. become the sons and daughters of God.

PRAYER: Father, please help me to love those who are unlovable.

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IN WHOSE HANDS IS IT?

MEMORY VERSE: Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 25-30

A basket ball is useless in my hands. If i walk into a jam-packed basket court holding one, no one will take notice of me. But, the same basket ball in the hands of Michael Jordan, in his prime, his worth several millions. If he walks into a basket ball court holding a basket ball, within minutes the court will be jam packed with people screaming and shouting ‘Air Jordan’. Not only that, all the major sports channel in the world, SKY, ESPN, EURO-SPORT, etc, will rush there with their cameras to video him doing wonders with basket ball.It all depends on whose hands the basketball is. How about a tennis racket? In my hands it is useless. But in the hands of Roger Federer, when he used to be called ‘FedEx’ (FedEx was his nick name when he was the world number one ) , it is worth millions. It all depends on whose hands the racket is.

A pinch of salt in my hands is worth nothing. At best, it is used to give flavor to food. The same pinch of salt in the hands of Elisha was used to solve a national problem. In 2 Kings 2:19-21 Elisha applied a pinch of salt to the source of water in Jericho and a problem of over 100 years was solved. The bad water was healed! It all depends on whose hand is the salt. A slingshot in my hands is nothing more than a toy. The same slingshot in the hands of David is like a M9 Bazooka Anti-Tank Rocket launcher. In 1 Samuel 17, David brought down Goliath with one. Just one shot, Goliath was down and the battle was over. It all depends on whose hand is the slingshot. Two fishes and 5 loaves of bread in my hand is just enough for a child's breakfast. The best the greatest cook in the world can do with 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread is a snack not even a meal for an adult. The same 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread in the hands of my Lord fed 5000 men not counting women and children (Matthew 14:13-21).

Nails in the hands of an individual will cause injury. Nails in the hands of Jesus produced salvation for the whole world. It all depends on whose hand is the nail. As you can see now, it all depends on whose hands things are. As such, i want to encourage you to put your ministry, family,  visions, dreams, challenges, issues, weakness, lack, worries, financial debts, barrenness, etc, in the able hands of God because it all depends on whose hands these things are. The Psalmist says, “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22). 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” The only One who can take that pain away is Jesus. Why not give your life to Him and watch Him turn it around. Several years back, a couple who were on the verge of divorce decided to give their lives to Christ. They put their alcohol problems, divorce, and the repossession of their mortgage in the hands of God by faith and He solved it all.

NOTE: I don’t know whose hands you have put that difficult challenges but I want you to put it in the hands of Jesus by faith.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I put all I have in your hands by faith.

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THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER 2

MEMORY VERSE: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 10

The Holy Spirit, inside us, gives us guidance. John 16:13 says, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” He guides us into all truth of the word of God. The Holy Spirit is the author of the bible. 1 Peter 1:21 says, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Many of us found the bible very boring before we gave our lives to Christ. Although back then, we used to enjoy novels like Mills & Boon, James hardly chase, and all that, the bible was very dry. The moment we gave our lives to Christ, all these changed. The Holy Spirit makes the bible come alive when we read it. At times whilst studying the bible, a verse will seem to leap out of the page at us. As one meditates on the verse, the Holy Spirit starts to explain the bible verse to one. I have found in my life that at times a verse i have read over 15 times will just suddenly come alive and the Lord will start to explain it to me.

The Holy Spirit, inside us, guides us in all affairs of life. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” He does this through several ways. For example, He may give one a strong desire to do something or take an action. Recently, i was in need of a particular information and i didn’t know where to get it. While i was praying, on something not related to the information i was seeking, i had a strong desire to call a brother and ask him if he knows anything about what i was seeking. The brother didn’t seem to me like a person who would have such information because that was not his field but i obeyed the Holy Spirit and called him. Ten minutes later, the brother sent the information i wanted to me on email. Just as a human guide, the Holy shows us certain things and the way to go. To benefit maximally from any human guide, one must obey the guide to the letter. It can be costly if one decides to disobey one’s human guide especially whilst on a tour. Recently, a group of young tourists disobeyed their tour guide and took off their clothes ( to take some 'selfies') on a sacred mountain. Somehow their pictures got out and all hell broke lose.They spent three nights in jail and there parents were fined heavily. They also had to apologize in public for their ward's conducts. This is an example of what can happen when one disobeys a human guide. Now, imagine if one disobeys the Holy Spirit (our divine Guide ). The Holy Spirit through His guidance will prepare us for things to come.

NOTE: There are certain conditions one must meet to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit. Firstly, one must be born again. An individual who is not born again is dead spiritually, as such his or her spirit can't communicate with the Holy Spirit. Also, one must cultivate a habit of prayer. Lastly, a life of Holiness is essential. You can’t be living in sin and expect divine guidance. Romans 6:1 says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER 1

MEMORY VERSE: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 81-83

What happens when an individual accepts Jesus as his or her personal Lord and saviour? By the Holy Spirit, Jesus comes into the life of the individual, his or her sins are washed away through His poured-out Blood, and he or she is given a new kind of life i.e. eternal life. The Holy Spirit having joined Himself to the individual’s spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17) brings it back to life; it is ‘born-again’ and becomes what Paul calls a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer causes nine manifestations of the fruit of the regenerated human spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Fruits don’t grow on the trees but on the branches. According to John 15:5, Christ is the vine and we are the branches. As such, it is our regenerated or born again human spirit that produces this fruit as a result of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit or the life of the Holy Spirit within.

The Holy Spirit in the life of a believer does more than fruit bearing. For examples, He comforts. John 16:7 says, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (Please permit me to use myself as an example. It is not to show off or anything but to show you how the Holy Spirit comforts). Several years back, i sensed in my spirit, whilst at work, that something was about to happen. Few minutes later, a man walked into the office with a brown envelope and i knew he was there to suspend me. How did i know this? Through the Holy Spirit that resides in me. A hour later, i was suspended. As i was literally marched out of the office, the Holy Spirit comforted me with these words: "don't worry you will not loose your job. You will return." He told that morning that He deliberately permitted it so that we, myself and Him, can have time together. Immediately i heard these my fear dissipated. What a comforting word i received that morning.

Two months into the suspension, He gave me a dream, one night, and i saw myself return to work. Few days later, i received a letter, from my employer inviting me for a hearing for gross misconduct in other words i may be loosing my job. Had not the Lord shown me that dream, a few days earlier, i would have been thrown off balance. I read the letter and smiled because i had already been comforted even before it arrived. Because i was so sure of my victory, i began to tell everyone that i would be returning back to work on Monday - as Friday was my hearing. Another brother who received comfort from the Holy Spirit was Gideon. He was going to fight the Midianites with 30, 000 men and the Lord cut it down to 300 men (Judges 7). That brother began to panic and shake. To comfort him, the Lord told him to go with his servant to the camp of the Midianites and hear the conversation that was going on there. When he got there, he heard a Midianite soldier sharing a dream he had with his friends. The soldier, in the dream, saw a loaf of bread tumbling into the camp of the Midianites destroying it. Gideon was the loaf of bread. When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, strength returned to him and he worshiped the Lord.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please comfort me and the brethren.

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NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME

MEMORY VERSE: (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 2 Corinthians 6:2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:2 Kings 6-10

There are seasons to life. Genesis 8:22 says, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” We have two seasons in the part of the world where i was born: raining season and dry season. In UK, there are four seasons: autumn, spring, summer and winter. Everything in life is time bound. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” There is a time to be single, and there is a time to be married. When you are in High school preparing for your O’ levels, or in the university studying to get a degree, is a time to be single not a time to run after ladies or keep boyfriends. It is not the time to invest in expensive shoes, bags, accessories and enjoy yourself. No, it is the time to study hard and graduate with a good grade. Many of our youths think that the university is a place to enjoy but unfortunately it is not. The university is not designed for you to enjoy but to mold you and prepare you for your chosen discipline. Sir/ma, your children don't need expensive cars in the university. Once they graduate with good grades, you can buy them any car of their choice.

Young man and woman, there is a time God wants you to be single, and there is a time God wants you to be married. The Lord did not give Adam a wife the first day He created him (Genesis 2:8). The first thing God gave to Adam was work, after that He gave him a wife (Genesis 2:16-25). Single brother, now that you are looking for a job is a time to be single. No matter how small, get a job first. Instead of marrying and then expecting God to miraculously provide for you and your wife, why not use that faith to get a job first and then settle down for marriage. There is a time to train a child and that is when he or she is young. Once that time passes, it becomes extremely difficult to train that child. All you can do then is wake up every night and pray asking the Lord to touch his or her heart. Why not safe yourself that stress in the future by doing everything you can to train that child now. Although, everything is time bound in life, there are one or two things that are not time bound. For example, salvation is not time bound. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation).” According to Hebrew 3:15, if you hear His voice today don’t harden your hearts. Don’t postpone the day of your salvation because you don’t know tomorrow. Not too long ago, i heard the story of a man who complained of stomach ache at 8 pm and by 3 am he was gone. According to Ecclesiastes 12:1,now is the time to remember God and serve Him with everything you have because a time is coming when you will not be able to do that. Now is the time to deal with that habit of lateness and procrastination. Now is the time to deal with anger. Now is the time to make peace with your family members. If you are not in talking terms with your parents or siblings, call them and make peace. Now is the time to call your pastor and apologize to him or her. Now is the time to deal with that pornography habit. Now is the time to end that relationship with that man who you are not married to. Now is the time to win souls. Now is the time to pay attention to your wife and love her. Now is the time to be a real father to your children. Now is the time to work hard. Now is the time to take your spiritual life serious.The time is now!

PRAYER POINT: Father, i have heard your Word please help me.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

CONTAINER AND CONTENT

MEMORY VERSE: And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. Matthew 8:24

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 13-15

READ: Matthew 8:24-27

Just of recent, i read the story of an extravagant city trader who spent 125, 000 pounds on a 99L bottle of champagne. (I think he could have helped the poor and needy with the money – although it is his money and i don’t have a say on how he spends his money.) What was this flamboyant trader after, the container (the crystal bottle) or its contents (champagne)? He was after the content i.e. champagne in the bottle. When a Christian brother walks into a departmental store or supermarket and buys a bottle of non alcoholic fruit wine, what is the brother actually after, the container (the bottle) or the content (the fruit wine)? The content i.e. fruit wine. People are after the content not the container. Do you know the enemy is also after our contents (the precious gifts that God has deposited in our lives, his great plans for our lives, our visions and dreams)? In the bible passage that we read, Matthew 8:24-27, we see that the enemy was after what the ship carried not the ship. What did the ship carry? Jesus.

No matter how expensive a bottle of non alcoholic fruit wine is, after consuming its content we throw away the bottle i.e. the container. It is the content that gives the container its value. Years ago, I and an older housemate went to buy provisions. When we got to the milk section, we saw two types of milk. One was 25 pence and the other was 45 pence. Whilst my housemate went for the 45 pence milk, i settled for the 25 pence milk. As we were about to leave, he asked me a question. "Sam", he said, "do you think the ‘white man’ – referring to the manufacturing company – is foolish? The ‘white man’ who created both milk decided to sell one at 45 pence and the other at 25 pence for a reason. Don’t you know that the 45 pence milk is more healthier than the 25 pence milk?" It is the content that determines the price. Why is it that in the same country, one man is paid 1.5 million pounds with 500,000 worth of company shares as salary and the other man is paid 25,000 pounds only. It is their content ( what they know ) that determines their salary. The content determines the worth of the container. It is unfortunate that i see a lot of single men chasing after container (a lady's physical appearance); they ignore the contents (a ladies character –her inner beauty). Many of them later discovered that they made a big mistake and by this time it is too late. Women do the same, they run after looks. No matter how good a container looks, if the content is bad it is useless. The container may fool a lot of people but once they see its content, they will move away. People will see what you carry and automatically draw towards you. They may even put you in a position of authority. Be humble. That good thing inside you was put there by God. Without that good thing in you, you are just an empty container.

NOTE: Do everything possible so that the owner of the content don’t take it away and you become empty and people begin to treat you as an empty can of drink.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

WISDOM AND SEEING

MEMORY VERSE: And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. 1 Samuel 3:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 19:20

A spiritually blind man or woman will inevitably end up in a pit. Luke 6:39 says, “And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?” A fellow who cannot see will ultimately end up in a ditch. The reason why a lot fall into the hands of fraudsters is because, although they have eyes, they can’t see. I will never forget the story of a greedy lady who lost her house rent to fraudsters. The husband gave her the house rent, 500 pounds, to give to the Landlord. On her way back from work, some men approached her to sell a Mac laptop, a Camcorder, and a phone (all worth around 1800 pounds) for only 700 pounds. After checking the items, she priced it down to 500 pounds and paid them. They gave her the bag containing the items and left. She could not believe her luck so she checked the bag again only to find onions in it . At this point, she began to cry! This lady fell into the hands of fraudsters because she was blind. Why will a man sell items worth close to 2000 pounds to anyone for only 500 pounds if not that he is up to something? Unfortunately, she was blinded by her greed.

What an individual sees or what an individual will be able to see will be determined by a lot of factors for example it will be determined by the level of maturity of the individual. Maturity does not come with age but with experience and exposure. There is a Yoruba adage which says: “What the elder sees sitting, the young can never see it, even from on top of the tree!” In other words maturity brings wisdom. To see, one needs to be matured. At times, there are some things one cannot see even with anointing. Samuel was anointed and he could hear the voice of God, but he could not tell the difference between the voice of God and the voice of man. Whenever God called him, he will run to Eli. It happened coupled of times and the old man, out of experience, perceived that God must be the one calling the young boy. 1 Samuel 3:8 says, “And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child." There are certain things one sees with experience and exposure not with anointing. Moses was highly anointed. He speaks to God face to face but it was Jethro an elderly man with experience who saw that he needed to change the way he was running his ministry ( Exodus 18). It is possible for a man to be heavily anointed and still be blind at the same time. This is why no matter how anointed you are, befriend older ministers of God. They may not be able to raise the dead, but they can counsel you on how to manage ministry and marriage together.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me the spirit of wisdom..

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

BE HUMBLE TO SEE

MEMORY VERSE: Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! Psalm 113:6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Philippians 3-4

What an individual sees or what an individual will see when he or she looks at a thing or in a direction, will be determined by a lot of things. For example, what an individual will see will be determined by what he or she chooses to focus on. In Number 13, Moses sent twelve men to Jericho to spy out the nation and bring back reports. When they got there, ten out of the twelve chose to focus on the stature of the inhabitants of the land. Numbers 13:33 says, “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” The other two chose to focus on the Word of God. The Lord told them before leaving that He had already given the land of Canaan to them. Numbers 13:2 says, “Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.” Ten chose to focus on impossibilities. Numbers 13:28 says, “Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.” They didn’t stop there, they said, “we be not able to go against the people; for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:31). They chose to focus on why it can’t be done. But, two chose to focus on possibilities. Numbers 13:30 says, “And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”

Why is it important that an individual sees? It is important because whatever one sees is what one will get. If you can see it, either with your physical eyes or with the eyes of your heart, then you can have it. The Lord told Abram, “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever” (Genesis 13:15). To see one must be humble. Psalm 113:6 says, “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.” What is hindering many of us from seeing is nothing but pride. A proud person thinks he or she knows it all. Sir/ ma, no one knows it all. No one has the monopoly of knowledge. Many of us cannot see because we are not teachable. God has put people around us, young and old, literate and illiterate, men and women , to teach us a thing or two, but we don’t give them the opportunity because we are not teachable. Few select those they can learn from. ‘I cannot learn anything from that brother because he is just an ordinary usher’, they’ll say. When a man or woman is teachable, people will point out things to him or her. They will give him or her ideas. Many of us need to be taught how to see. “You mean there is way to see”, someone asked? Yes, there is a way to see.

QUESTION: How teachable are you?

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me a teachable spirit.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE THREE RELATIONS THAT GOD SUSTAINS TOWARDS US

MEMORY VERSE: Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John 14:17

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 9-4

The bible teaches that God sustains three relations with His us (Christians). The first one is God is for us. Romans 8:31 says, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”The answer is no one can be against us if God be for us. Isaiah 54:15 says, “Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake." He went on further to say, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:17)". He didn’t stop there, He said, “Because you are precious in My sight and honored, and I love you, I will give people in exchange for you and nations instead of your life” (Isaiah 43:4). If God before you, there is nothing anyone in the world can do to harm you. I will never forget an incident that happened to a brother in his place of work. He was suspended for something He knew nothing about. The manager was so sure that she was going to get rid of him that she replaced him weeks after he was suspended. Because God was with this brother, she did not succeed and the brother returned to work. Few months later, she applied for her job (because she had been acting in that role for two years) and was not even shortlisted for interview. She had to leave out of shame.

The second one is God is with us. John 14:17 says, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” This should give us confidence and hope. In any situation we find ourselves we must always remember that God is there with us. Matthew 28:20 says, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”Things may not be going as planned at the moment, business may not be doing well, you may be struggling in ministry but i want you to know that God is with you. And because He is with you, you will succeed. That is a guarantee. It does not matter what you are going through now, as far as you a Christian God is with you. The third one is God is in us. This is where each and every one of us needs to be very careful. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” Your body is not yours but the Lord. That is why you can’t use your body anyhow. This is why you can’t draw tattoos on your body. This is why you can’t bleach your skin. This is why most importantly one must run from all forms sexual immorality. How can one carry God inside him or her and go about fornicating or committing adultery?

NOTE: God is the best friend any man can have and the worst enemy any man can have.

QUESTION: Are you God’s friend? Do you do the things that please Him?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world