THE HOLY SPIRIT II

MEMORY VERSE: But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 1 Samuel 16:14

BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 28-31

The Holy Spirit is a ‘MUST HAVE’ for every believer. Do you want to excel in your career? You need the Holy Spirit. Daniel through the power of the Holy Spirit excelled in politics. Do you want to excel in your studies? You need the Holy Spirit. A story that comes to mind is that of a Christian sister who was studying for her Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. Whilst studying a night before her Biology papers, a strange mosquito began to disturb her and she killed it. As she was about to put it in the bin, the Holy Spirit told her to study the mosquito. She opened her Biology textbook, read about mosquitoes, learnt how to draw and label mosquitoes, and went to the exam room. The next morning when she received her exam booklet, the first question was ‘draw and label a mosquito.’

To be fruitful at your old age, you need the Holy Spirit. To conquer the enemy, you need the Holy Spirit. To fulfil God’s plan for your life, you need the help of the Holy Spirit. Even to create wealth, you need the Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 8:18 says: ‘But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ This brings us to the question, how do I receive the Holy Spirit? You receive the Holy Spirit when you give your life to Christ. Acts 2:38 says: ‘Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.’

NOTE: If you grieve the Holy Spirit, He will leave. As such, you must not grieve Him.  Because nature abhors  a vacuum; the moment He takes His leave, an evil spirit will enter and torment the fellow. 1 Samuel 16:14 says: ‘But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.’ One disturbing fact about the Holy Spirit leaving a man is that you won’t know when He takes His leave. Many a time, it is always too late before one realizes that the Holy Spirit has left.

PRAYER POINT: Holy Spirit, please help me never to grieve you.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

THE HOLY SPIRIT II

MEMORY VERSE: But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 1 Samuel 16:14

BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 28-31

The Holy Spirit is a ‘MUST HAVE’ for every believer. Do you want to excel in your career? You need the Holy Spirit. Daniel through the power of the Holy Spirit excelled in politics. Do you want to excel in your studies? You need the Holy Spirit. A story that comes to mind is that of a Christian sister who was studying for her Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. Whilst studying a night before her Biology papers, a strange mosquito began to disturb her, and she killed it. As she was about to put it in the bin, the Holy Spirit told her to study the mosquito. She opened her Biology textbook, read about mosquitoes, learnt how to draw and label mosquitoes, and went to the exam room. The next morning when she received her exam booklet, the first question was ‘draw and label a mosquito.’

To be fruitful at your old age, you need the Holy Spirit. To conquer the enemy, you need the Holy Spirit. To fulfil God’s plan for your life, you need the help of the Holy Spirit. Even to create wealth, you need the Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 8:18 says: ‘But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ This brings us to the question, how do I receive the Holy Spirit? You receive the Holy Spirit when you give your life to Christ. Acts 2:38 says: ‘Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.’

NOTE: If you grieve the Holy Spirit, He will leave. As such, you must not grieve Him.  Because nature abhors  a vacuum; the moment He takes His leave, an evil spirit will enter and torment the fellow. 1 Samuel 16:14 says: ‘But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.’ One disturbing fact about the Holy Spirit leaving a man is that you won’t know when He takes His leave. Many a time, it is always too late before one realizes that the Holy Spirit has left.

PRAYER POINT: Holy Spirit, please help me never to grieve you.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.

THE HOLY SPIRIT I

MEMORY VERSE: But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 1 Samuel 16:14

BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 24-27

As believers, we are nothing without the Holy Spirit. We are empty, vulnerable, clueless, powerless, and hopeless without the Holy Spirit. Also, we can achieve nothing without Him. John 15:5 says: "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." Jesus, when He was on the earth, fully depended on the Holy Spirit. His miracles were often Spirit-empowered. Luke 5:17 says: ‘And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.’ The power that was present (with Jesus) to heal was the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ reliance on the Holy Spirit enabled Him to resist sin. Luke 4:1-2a says: ‘And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil.’ Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit, not will-power or New Year resolutions to live a life of holiness. If Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit to perform miracles and resist sin, how much more should we depend on Him? Praying (according to God's will), requires the help of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:26 says: ‘Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.’ The Holy Spirit helped David, the underdog, to defeat Goliath. 1 Samuel 16:13 says: ‘Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.’

NOTE: The Holy Spirit is for believers, people who have given their lives to Christ. It is for those who have said goodbye to a life of sin and embraced a life of righteousness and holiness. Do you want to say goodbye to sin? Give your life to Jesus Christ. Let Him take over your challenges. Jesus never fails

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BUT BY MY SPIRIT

MEMORY VERSE: David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. 1 Samuel 17:37

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 1-3

BIBLE READING: Judges 14:5-6

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.” There are several facts we can draw from this popular text. Firstly, with human strength - synonym for might - you are limited. For instance, no matter how strong you are, you will experience tiredness from time to time especially after a hard day’s work. Even the youths (symbol of strength) grow tired and become weary (Isaiah 40:30). You will accomplish very little with your human strength. Hence, the word of God says: “Not by might”. When it comes to dealing with the issues of life and challenges, human strength will avail you nothing. 1 Samuel 2:9 says, “He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.” Secondly, with human will /influence /talent /skill -synonyms for power- you are limited. The centurion whom Jesus healed his servant had power /authority /influence /connection but could not heal his servant (Luke 7:1-10). That centurion, despite all he had, was limited. You will accomplish very little with your human power. If you don’t believe me, speak to people who make New Year resolutions at the beginning of each year. With all their power (physical, mental and emotional), five weeks into the New Year they would have broken their New Year resolutions. Might i add to it, you will accomplish very little with your boldness. The enemy is not intimidated by your boldness. It is only by the Spirit of the Lord that you will emerge as a victor! It is only by the Spirit of the Lord that you will start a project and complete it.

You will only defeat Goliath by the Spirit of the Lord not by swords or Saul’s armour. 1 Samuel 17:37 says, “David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.” David couldn’t have killed the lion and the bear by his power or might. An average adult lion weighs 190kg. The average height of a fully grown lion is 4ft tall and 6ft long. How can a boy, under the age of 16, kill a lion? The average weight of a fully grown bear is 365kg; average length is 7ft long. David stood no chance with a bear talk-less of a 9ft giant. But by the spirit of God, he defeated the lion, the bear and Goliath. Samson couldn’t have killed the lion by his strength. Judges 14:6 says, “And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.” Without the Spirit of the Lord, you cannot defeat Goliath. (A goliath is simply anything that is standing between you and God’s plan for your life). Only the Spirit of the Lord can help you defeat that fellow who is standing between you and your promotion at your place of work. Without the Spirit of the Lord, you cannot destroy those lions that are harassing you and roaring at you. Your human strength has yielded no results, why not try Jesus. He saves – not only from sin but - from everything!

NOTE: Human power may fail but Jesus never fails.

PRAYER POINT: Father, deal with every lion harassing me in Jesus name.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE WORD OF WISDOM

MEMORY VERSE: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:8

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hebrew 8-10

What is wisdom? Wisdom is the application of knowledge. Just as there are four kinds of knowledge, also there are four kinds of wisdom. Firstly, there is the “natural human wisdom” which is simply naturally applied knowledge. This kind of wisdom is obviously on the increase, since knowledge is so much on the increase. Of course, compared to God’s wisdom, man’s wisdom is foolishness. The wisdom of the natural man will one day pass away. 1 Corinthians 1:19 says, “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Secondly, there is the “fallen world’s supernatural wisdom.” The enemy in Genesis 3 used the fallen world’s supernatural wisdom and knowledge to tempt the first man and woman to disobey God's commandments. Genesis 3:6 says, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and ‘a tree to be desired to make one wise’, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” This kind of wisdom was, and continues to be, forbidden by God. Man already had natural wisdom, which was good, but now he opened himself up to supernatural evil knowledge, and the application of it, evil wisdom, which until then existed only among the fallen angels. Astrology is an example of counterfeit wisdom today.

Thirdly, there is the true intellectual wisdom. The Book of Proverbs and King Solomon’s wisdom are good examples of this. We are told to get this kind of wisdom (Proverbs 4:7). This wisdom comes by respecting the Lord and the Word of God. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” This wisdom also comes by studying God’s word which can be understood only as it is revealed by the Holy Spirit. In other to do this, you must first receive Jesus Christ, who is the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). The fourth kind of wisdom is the supernatural gift of the “word of wisdom”. It is the sudden and miraculous giving of wisdom to meet a particular situation, or answer a particular question, or utilize a particular piece of knowledge, natural or supernatural. This kind of wisdom is not a human ability, but the sheer gift of God. An example of the “word of wisdom” is found in Genesis 41. Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream was not natural wisdom or wisdom through study and preparation;he was given an immediate supernatural answer. Joseph was on the spot. He had been let out of prison just long enough to be given a chance to interpret this dream. However, the wise counsel – the need of appointing a wise leader and officers, and how to store the needed food for the time of famine- was true intellectual wisdom that God had given Joseph, and which he used continually. Another example of the “word of wisdom” is found in Matthew 22:15-22 where the Pharisees tried to entangle Jesus in His words by asking if men should pay tributes to Caesar or not. Jesus answered with a word of wisdom: "Render therefore unto Caesar which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” There are other examples in the scriptures. For instance, Apostle Paul was certainly not trained in seamanship, yet when he was involved in a shipwreck, he so took command of the situation that even though he was a prisoner being taken to Rome, the Roman officer listen to him with respect ( Acts 27:21-35).

PRAYER POINT: Father, please fill me with Your wisdom

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE

MEMORY VERSE: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:8

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 29-30

It is important that you know about spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:1 says, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” Today, we will look at the “word of knowledge”. There are four basic types of knowledge in the world today. Firstly, there is the "natural human knowledge". This type of knowledge is on the increase today. Daniel 12:4 says, “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” There is so much knowledge out there that supercomputers are being  employed to store and process the tremendous stock-pile of facts, since it has gone beyond the human mind to do so in any reasonable length of time. As important as the natural human knowledge is, it often creates so much pride – it has even led many scientists and think tanks to believe there is no God. According to 1 Corinthians 8:1, knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. Not only that, it has kept a lot of people from entering into the knowledge of our God.  1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Secondly, there is the “fallen world’s supernatural knowledge”. This is the natural mind’s attempt to gain information by supernatural means either through the occult, psychic or metaphysical investigations which Satan is using to ensnare an increasing number of people today. Please note, the fact that something is supernatural does not mean it is from God. Fortunetelling, clairvoyance, mind reading, astrology, witchcraft, spiritism, etc, all come under the fallen world’s supernatural knowledge. 

Thirdly, there is the true intellectual knowledge. This comes from knowing God personally through Jesus Christ ( John 17:3, Philippians 3:10), being filled with the Holy Spirit, and through studying the Word of God, which brings the knowledge of God’s will and His ways, for which there is no substitute ( Psalms 103:17; Exodus 33:13). Just as the natural human knowledge is growing, the true intellectual knowledge is also growing. Isaiah 11:9 says, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Whilst man’s knowledge will one day pass away, the knowledge of God is permanent and will last through eternity. The fourth is the “word of knowledge”. It is the supernatural revelation of facts past, present, or future which are not learned through the efforts of the natural mind. It maybe described as the Mind of Christ being manifested to the mind of the believer, and is given when needed in a flash of time (1 Corinthians 2:16).  This gift is used to protect the Christian, to show him how to pray more effectively, or to show him how to help others. This spiritual gift is not a human “ability” at all, but sheer gift of God. It is manifested as a result of staying close to the Lord. If a believer suddenly became aware, without receiving the knowledge through any natural channels that a friend was in trouble, and needed his prayers and help, that would not be “extrasensory perception, but rather God manifesting the gift of the “word of knowledge” The gifts of the Holy Spirit come from and through the Holy Spirit to our spirit, and not from or through the soul or physical senses. 1 Corinthians 12:8 says,” For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit.” The “word of knowledge” was used to expose Gehazi (2 Kings 5:20-27).  It was used to recover lost persons or property, as in the case of Saul and the lost donkeys (1 Samuel 9:15-20; 10:21-23).  The “word of knowledge” can give information in seemingly very prosaic matters. God is concerned about every human need.

NOTE: These gifts are given to profit and benefit one another. They must not be misused. When God chooses to share His knowledge with us, it is for a purpose. It is not given just to make us feel “spiritual” or clever!

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

HE GAVE THEM UP

MEMORY VERSE: But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. Psalm 81:11-12

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Proverbs 28

BIBLE READING: Psalm 81:8-12

One way God demonstrates His love to us (His children) is by chastening us when we do something wrong or go off the line. Proverbs 3:12 says, “For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” So if the Lord has ever rebuked you over a matter maybe through a sermon or a post you read on internet, don’t get angry at the pastor or the author of the post. Rejoice because He only rebukes those He loves. He did that because He does not want you to perish. You must not take the Lord’s rebuke for granted. As such, repent immediately He rebukes you. Revelations 3:19 says, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” One of the ways God rebukes us, His children, is through our conscience. For instance, if you record your time of arrival at work as 07:20am when you actually arrived at 07:52am, your conscience will prick you. Saul had been chasing David, to kill him, for ages unsuccessfully. One day, God put Saul in his hand to test him – to see whether he would touch the Lord’s anointed. David found King Saul fast asleep in a cave (1 Samuel 24:1-8). He walked to him as gently as possible and cut off the tip of King Saul’s robe just to show the king later that he had the opportunity to kill him but he didn’t. Immediately, the Lord rebuked him for that. 1 Samuel 24:5 says, “And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.”

If your conscience convicts you when you do something wrong, it is a sign of God’s love. Remember to thank Him for that love. However, if you lie and you don’t feel anything – your conscience does not prick you – it could be a sign that you are no longer His child. Worse is if you suddenly begin to feel like fornicating or committing adultery, friend if i were you I will run to God and ask why He hates me that much? The reason being that the bible says “the mouth of a strange women is a deep pit and only those God hates will fall into it (Proverbs 22:14)". In other words, when a man’s cup is full before God and He wants to finish such men off, He will allow them to commit adultery or fornication so that they can perish completely. When God begins to rebuke a man over certain things and the fellow refuses to repent and change, the Lord will leave the fellow alone to continue doing what will destroy him. In other words, the Lord will give up on the fellow and say “do as you please”. After several warnings, the people of Ephraim refused to change so the Lord gave up on them. Hosea 4:17 says, “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.” God literally said “I give up on Ephraim; i will no longer send any prophets to warn them again.” This is why you can no longer delay the day of your salvation if you have not given your life to Christ. This is why you can no longer delay the day you of your repentance if you are yet to repent of certain things. Several times the Lord warned the people of Israel but they refused to repent and change.  Psalm 81:11-12 says, “But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.” At the end they entered into captivity. Proverbs 29:1 says, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Friend, as the Lord being urging you to repent and you are postponing it? This may be your last warning. Have you been stealing from the offering basket? This may be your last warning. Have you been fornicating secretly and going up to minister on the altar of God? Repent because this may be your last warning.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please open my eyes to see areas where you want me to repent today.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

“I REGRET THAT I HAVE MADE SAUL KING”

MEMORY VERSE: Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night. 1 Samuel 15:10-11

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 111 - 113

God in His infinite mercy can make the last to become the first. In 1 Samuel 16, He anointed David, the last born, to be king over Israel thereby making him the first, not only in his family but, in the nation of Israel. He can turn a prisoner into a prime minister (Genesis 24). 1 Samuel 2:8 says, “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.” In 1 Samuel 9:21 the Lord chose Saul, a young boy from the least family in Benjamin (smallest tribe in Israel) to be king. Several months later, the Lord sent him to destroy the Amalekites. When Saul got there, he spared Agag, king of the Amalekites, and killed others. He destroyed the worthless things and kept the good things for himself. 1 Samuel 15:10-11 says, “Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.”

Just as God regretted that He made Saul king, God is regretting over some of His children. Many of them were close to Him when they were looking for visa to travel abroad.They rarely missed church service; they ran from sin especially fornication. The moment they got their visa and traveled abroad, they became a totally different person. They stopped going to church. They began to live in sin – they now smoke, drink, party late night, fornicate and so on. Many used to win souls before they traveled out of the country, but today , they no longer have time for bible studies. Before God provided jobs for some of us, we were punctual in mid-week service. Before God provided jobs for some of us, we used to evangelize and do outreaches. Now, we no longer have time to do those things we used to do. Before many of our single sisters got married, they used to attend workers meeting. Several years into marriage, they no longer go to church. The Lord is regretting over some in ministry. Before the Lord called them into ministry, they used to have time for Him. In the beginning, the ministry was all about Jesus. Today, it is no longer so. The Holy Spirit no longer has a say in the ministry. His ways are now counted as old fashioned. The Lord is saying i regret calling 'so and so' into ministry. God is regretting over some of us because the same gift He gave to us to populate His kingdom is what we are using to populate the kingdom of hell. Friend, have you changed like Saul? For those who are yet to change like Saul i.e. still standing, ask the Lord to give you the grace to remain standing. If you sense in your spirit that God is regretting over your life, you better repent and ask for mercy.

NOTE: Man has a history of disappointing God. Are you going to add to the list of those who will disappoint God in this generation or you will be one of the very few He will say thus concerning, "I am happy I created ‘so and so’"

PRAYER: Father, help me never to disappoint you.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE GIFT OF FAITH 1

MEMORY VERSE: To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:9

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 23-24 

What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In other words, faith is believing before seeing. You have not been invited for that job interview but you already believe the job is yours. No brother has approached you for your hands in marriage but you know that you are going to be someone’s wife very soon. Faith brings substance to what you have believed. According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is now. It is present tense; hope is future tense. Faith is not passive but active.

There are two basic kinds of faith: Natural faith and Supernatural faith. People have faith in the things of this world through the experience of the five senses. It takes natural faith to turn on the TV, and to believe we will see and hear something of interest. Even though the average person doesn’t understand the electronics of television, he still has a faith enough to turn it on. Natural faith is simply trusting in something or someone you can see, hear, or touch. “Seeing is believing”. Now you don’t need to be a Christian to have this kind of faith. Even atheists have this kind of faith. The other kind of faith, Supernatural faith, comes from God, or is above the natural senses. 

There are three kinds of supernatural faith. The first is “saving faith”. Might i at this point say this: “Faith is simply believing.” Just as you see something, and thus know that you have sight; you believe something; and thus know that you have faith. The bible makes it abundantly clear that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Salvation does not come from our good deeds but from our faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31 says, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” The key to Christian faith is not “seeing is believing,” but “believing before seeing.” Although Jesus is not evident to our physical senses, by the Holy Spirit we are able to experience His love and fellowship here and now. The saving faith is a gift of God not something you and i manufacture (Ephesians 2:8-9). This saving faith comes by the proclamation of God’s Word. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Once we have received Jesus, the Scripture says that each Christian has been given “ the measure of faith”.  Romans 12:3 says, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

NOTE: We all start out with an equal measure of faith, yet some continue to grow in faith and some don’t, but the choice is ours.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE WORKING OF MIRACLES

MEMORY VERSE: To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:10

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joel

1 Corinthians 12: 1 says, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” As such, we will be looking at one of the spiritual gifts called ‘the Working of Miracles’. 1 Corinthians 12:10 says,” To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.” What is a Miracle? A miracle is an event that seems to override or contradict the laws of nature. There is a difference between healings and miracles. If a person has a condition called otitis media which is inflammation of the middle ear, one can pray for it and it can be healed. But if a person has had the middle ear removed by surgery, you cannot heal a middle ear that is not there. A miracle, however, can restore the middle ear. Another difference (as stated by Derek Prince in his book titled: ‘Secrets of a Prayer Warrior’) is this, Miracles are often instantaneous and often visible, whereas healings are often invisible and gradual. Some of the typical miracles of the Old Testament are: the dividing of the Red Sea for the escape of the children of Israel (Exodus 14:21-31); the sun and moon standing still for Joshua (Joshua 10:12-14); the widow’s cruse of oil and barrel of meal that did not run out through the time of famine (1 Kings 17:8-16).

Jesus also performed a lot of miracles, and apparently not of all of them are recorded. John 21:25 says, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” Some examples of His miracles found in the scriptures include: turning water into wine (John 2:1-11), walking on water (Matthew 14:25-33), causing the storm to cease (Mark 6:45-52). Jesus’ miracles were performed primarily out of His compassion to meet human needs, and for practical purposes. When He miraculously fed the multitudes, it was because food was not available otherwise. When He turned water to wine, it was because there was a need at the wedding reception. It is well to note, too, that the miracle were not done to force or frighten unbelievers into believing – they were done to encourage those who already believed or wanted to believe. John 14:12 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” After the death of Jesus, Peter and Paul performed miracles. For instance, Paul miraculously struck Elymas the Sorcerer with a temporary blindness in order to keep him from opposing the Gospel (Acts 13:8-12). Evangelist Philip was transported bodily from Gaza to Azotus by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:39-40). I will like to point out that this wasn’t astral projection. As believers, the Holy Spirit can manifest the working of miracles through any of us as far as we are yielded to Him. Christians do not expect miracles for the sake of miracles, but because God promised that they meet human needs and lead others to Jesus.

NOTE: What Jesus meant when He said that those who believe in Him would do “greater things” is that believers would do new miracles, they would be according to the pattern already set by the Lord, and would be according to the Scripture. There are plenty of weird events taking place these days, as men and women experiment with the occult and the Psychic, that is to say with the powers of Satan, and the Christian must not be deceived by them. The scripture tells us that the followers of the enemy will do “great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22).

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS: THE GIFT OF PROPHECY

MEMORY VERSE: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 1 Corinthians 14:3

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Thessalonians

The gift of prophecy is a gift manifested when the believer speak the mind of God by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and not from their own thoughts. There are three ways prophecy minister to believers: edification also known as building up, exhortation also known as urging on, and comfort also known as consoling. 1 Corinthians 14:3 says, “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.” If an earthly father never corrected his children, it would be harmful and unloving. They wouldn’t grow up and mature normally. On the other hand, if the father was always telling them they were wrong, and never told them that he loved them and appreciated them, love wouldn’t grow between the parent and the children. Prophecy is not only "woe to this", "woe to that". No! It is a balance of exhortation and comfort. Please note that valid prophecy will not be harshly condemnatory of believers, but it may strongly counsel them. Although prophecy is mainly for believers, it can bring unbelievers to God (1 Corinthians 14:24-25).

In the Old Testament, there were men and women who were moved of God to prophesy. These prophets where chosen by God to speak His word to the people, usually ministering combining the gifts of prophecy and knowledge, and often doing other ‘mighty acts’ by the power of God. Many a time God’s will and intention is revealed through them. There are two major types of prophecies: conditional prophecy and unconditional prophecy. Certain conditions have to be met for a conditional prophecy to come to pass. Usually any prophecy concerning the future had an ‘if’ connected with it. A typical example can be found in the book of Jonah. The Lord sent Jonah to prophesy to the people of Nineveh. Jonah 3:4 says, “And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” But, the people of Nineveh repented in sackclothes and ashes. What would have been the point of bothering to send Jonah if there was no chance for them to repent? Since they repented i.e. met the conditions for mercy, Nineveh wasn’t overthrown. Unconditional prophecy concerns God’s definite plan for example, the coming of Jesus. Isaiah 53 is a perfect example – it is one of the greatest prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Lord Jesus. The ‘unconditional’ prophecies are mainly given for guide-posts to believers, so that we may discern the ‘signs of the times’. We are not supposed to be arguing with prophecies, but simply noting them as they come to pass, so that we know where we are in God’s time plan.

Also in Old Testament, God could not yet, by His Spirit, come to dwell in His people, but the Holy Spirit did come down to anoint certain people as they yielded to God. The Spirit rested on them. Ever since the day of Pentecost and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, any yielded child of God can be moved by the Holy Spirit to prophesy. Women are permitted to minister in prayer and prophesy as long as they are under ‘leadership’, that is, submitted to male leadership.

NOTE: Prophecy must always agree with the written Word of God. Please discard any prophecy that is not in consonance with the Word of God. The prophecy to eat grass does not agree with the written Word of God. The only human that ate grass in the written Word of God is Nebuchadnezzar and that happened after the Lord got angry with him and turned him into a beast!

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CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS: THE GIFTS OF TONGUES AND INTERPRETATION

MEMORY VERSE: If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 1 Corinthians 14:27-28

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 16

There are two ways speaking in tongues may be manifested. Firstly, as a devotional language for private edification, needing no interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:2). This is the general speaking in tongues, and most of us are familiar with it. Secondly, there is the public manifestation of tongues, which should be interpreted. When a baptized-in-the-Holy-Spirit Christian is inspired to speak in tongues in the presence of others, with interpretation of tongues usually following, this is the Gift of Tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 says, “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.” The gift of tongues is delivered or given to the listeners, and they are edified by the gift of Interpretation which follows.

There are two main ways the gift of tongues may be expressed in the gathered church. Firstly, through the gift of tongues and interpretation God may be speaking to the unbeliever and / or to believers. Although God does not speak in tongues, yet, He does guide yielded Christians to do so, and through tongues and interpretation He does speak to His people today. Isaiah 28:11 says, “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.” The gift of tongues is not a sign to the believer since he doesn’t need a sign, but it may be a sign to the unbeliever (usually unsought for), causing him to accept the Lord Jesus Christ. How can the gift of tongues be a sign to the unbeliever? Firstly, it may be a known language to the unbeliever with God speaking directly to him. Secondly, it may not be a known language, but the powerful impact of the message in tongues, normally accompanied by interpretation, may speak to the unbeliever, and be a sign to him. All these are a sign to the unbeliever that God is real, alive, and concerned about him. Several years back, a sister was sharing her experience with me. As she prayed in tongues, someone who spoke Japanese heard her speak fluent Japanese. Meanwhile, this particular sister only speaks Yoruba language and English! The gifts of tongues may also be a message from God to bless and exhort faithful people. Secondly, the gifts of tongues may also be a public prayer, praise, or thanksgiving to God. Though all baptized-in-the-Holy-Spirit believers can and should speak in tongues daily in their prayers, not all will minister the gift of tongues in a public meeting (1 Corinthians 12:30). If you believe that God wants you to manifest the gift of tongues, be prepared to pray also for the gift of interpretation in case there is no other person present yielded enough to do so ( 1 Corinthians 14:13). The interpretation of tongues is bringing the meaning of what has been said through the gift of tongues at a public meeting. The Holy Spirit could give the interpretation of what has been said to the fellow who spoke in tongues or another fellow in the congregation. Interpretation may come into one’s mind, in toto, or just a few beginning words may be given, and as the interpreter trusts the Lord and begins to speak, the rest of the message comes. Interpretation may also come in pictures or symbols, or by an inspired thought, or the interpreter may hear the speaking in tongues, or part of it, as though the person were speaking directly in English. Please note that speaking in tongues can be counterfeited as such the gift of discerning spirits is needed.

NOTE: The gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues is first of all a sign to unbelievers when manifested according to scriptural instructions.

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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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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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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE PROMISE IS FOR ALL

MEMORY VERSE: For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:39

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 8-9

READ: Acts 2:38-39

There are many Christians who do not believe in tongues. Someone, not from the Pentecostal circle, once told me that the gifts of the Holy Spirit especially ' tongues' have been done away with. He assured me strongly that gift of tongues is not for this dispensation and he backed it up with a bible verse. 1 Corinthians 13:8 says, “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” Do you know people mis-quote and mis- apply the scripture? Some years back, a colleague at work sat me down and began to lecture me on God’s will on marriage. Since i am always willing to learn i gave him my rapt attention. “Do you know that Christians must only marry from their tribes”, he said. Yoruba Christians (Christians from Yoruba tribe in Nigeria) must only marry Yoruba Christians; Zulu Christians (Christians from Zulu tribe in South Africa) must only marry Zulu Christians; Oromo Christians (Christians from Oromo tribe in Somalia) must only marry Oromo Christians; Bihar Christians (Christians from a Bihar tribe in India) must only marry Bihar Christians. “Oh great theologian and prophet, where did you get this heresy from?” i asked. He said the bible says, “to your tent oh Israel” (1 Kings 12:16). In other words, if you want to marry go to your tent i.e. your tribe. This is a wrong application of the scriptures. The only thing the bible says is Christians must only marry Christians. It does not matter where the fellow comes from, as far as he or she is a Christian you can marry them- provided you are led by the Spirit of God.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit especially tongues have not been done away it. It is still relevant in this dispensation. Acts 2:39 says, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” What promise is that? The gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 says, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Peter was referring to the infilling of the Holy Spirit which is also known as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. At new birth, the believer receives a measure of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8, Romans 8:16). But there is also a work of the Holy Spirit that God desires to perform in the life of every believer subsequent or following the new-birth experience, and that is called the infilling of the Holy Spirit or the baptism in the Holy Spirit ( Luke 24:49 , Acts 1:8). You say, “yes I believe in the infilling of the Holy Spirit but i don't believe in tongues”? Acts 2:4 says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Speaking in tongues is an evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. According to Acts 10:45-46, speaking in tongues goes hand in hand with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

NOTE: Since the day God gave the gift of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, He never took back that gift.

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DON’T GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEMORISE: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 29-32

After a man gives his life to Christ, God puts His Spirit, Holy Spirit, inside him. First Corinthians 12:13 says this: “for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit acts like a conscience in that, He warns us when we are about to do something wrong and convicts us when we sin against God. He also assures us that we belong to God. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” He leads and guides us - believers. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” The Holy Spirit does not lead a man to disobey God. The Psalmist says, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm23:3b). The Holy Spirit leads a man into God’s will for his life.

The Holy Spirit does far more than I have mentioned. Some years back, a colleague at work misplaced his bunch of keys which contained his car keys, home keys and locker keys – I think. He searched everywhere and didn’t find it, so he came downstairs to inform us. As he spoke, the Holy Spirit told me where the key was and I told him. He doubted me, so I went to where the Holy Spirit told me it was, and he followed me. When I got there, I lifted a particular chair up, lo and behold; the key was underneath the chair. Sometimes last year, I, a pastor, and another colleague of mine were looking for a particular document. We literally turned the office upside down and didn’t find it, so I told them that the Holy Spirit will find the document and they said amen. We checked the office again and we found the document where we had checked 4 times! The value of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer cannot be measured.

Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” The first thing I want you to know is that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. Secondly, if a fellow continually grieves Him, He will take His leave. Can the Holy Spirit leave a man? Oh Yes! After Saul repeatedly disobeyed God, the Holy Spirit left him. First Samuel 16:14says, “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” This brings us to the question, how does one grieve the Holy Spirit? We grieve the Spirit by living like pagans (Ephesians 4:17-19), by lying (Ephesians 4:25), by being angry (Ephesians4:26-27), by stealing (Ephesians 4:28), by cursing (Ephesians 4:29), by being bitter (Ephesians 4:31), by being unforgiving (Ephesians 4:32), and by being sexually immoral (Ephesians 5:3-5). The moment He, Holy Spirit, warns one not to do something, and the fellow goes ahead and does it, He becomes grieved. When a man continually grieves Him, He will leave.

QUESTION: Are you grieving the Holy Spirit by the way you live your life? Does your conscience still convicts you when you tell little white lies?

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me never to grieve you again.

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DON’T GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEMORISE: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 29-32

After a man gives his life to Christ, God puts His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, inside him. First Corinthians 12:13 says this: “for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit acts like a conscience in that, He warns us when we are about to do something wrong and convicts us when we sin against God. He also assures us that we belong to God. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” He leads and guides us - believers. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” The Holy Spirit does not lead a man to disobey God. The Psalmist says, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3b). The Holy Spirit leads a man into God’s will for his life.

The Holy Spirit does far more than I have mentioned. Some years back, a colleague at work misplaced his bunch of keys which contained his car keys, home keys and locker keys – I think. He searched everywhere and didn’t find it, so he came downstairs to inform us. As he spoke, the Holy Spirit told me where the key was and I told him. He doubted me, so I went to where the Holy Spirit told me it was, and he followed me. When I got there, I lifted a particular chair up, lo and behold; the key was underneath the chair. Sometimes last year, I, a pastor, and another colleague of mine were looking for a particular document. We literally turned the office upside down and didn’t find it, so I told them that the Holy Spirit will find the document and they said amen. We checked the office again and we found the document where we had checked 4 times! The value of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer cannot be measured.

Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” The first thing I want you to know is that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. Secondly, if a fellow continually grieves Him, He will take His leave. Can the Holy Spirit leave a man? Oh Yes! After Saul repeatedly disobeyed God, the Holy Spirit left him. First Samuel 16:14 says, “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” This brings us to the question, how does one grieve the Holy Spirit? We grieve the Spirit by living like pagans (Ephesians 4:17-19), by lying (Ephesians 4:25), by being angry (Ephesians 4:26-27), by stealing (Ephesians 4:28), by cursing (Ephesians 4:29), by being bitter (Ephesians 4:31), by being unforgiving (Ephesians 4:32), and by being sexually immoral (Ephesians 5:3-5). The moment He, the Holy Spirit, warns one not to do something, and the fellow goes ahead and does it, He becomes grieved. When a man continually grieves Him, He will leave.

QUESTION: Are you grieving the Holy Spirit by the way you live your life? Does your conscience still convict you when you tell little white lies?

PRAYER POINT: Father, help me never to grieve you again.

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GENTLENESS IS REQUIRED

MEMORY VERSE: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Colossians 3:12

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 121-125, Proverbs 25

God wants us to prosper. Jeremiah 29:11 says: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Deuteronomy 28:13a says: “And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath;” According to 2 Corinthians 8:9, He intentionally became poor so that through His poverty we might become rich. Asides prosperity, He wants us to have a long life too (Psalm 91:16). I have heard some people say that Christ, whilst on earth, was a ‘big man’ who had a moneybag where He kept money. A brother once joked that Jesus’ garment was so expensive that when He was crucified, the soldiers began to fight for it and at it the end; they had to divide His garments. This is not so. Besides, why did the Pharisees need someone to identify Him if He was a big man with expensive clothes? Jesus whilst on earth looked like His sheep. He looked just like His disciples; it was difficult to tell the difference between Peter – an angler and Jesus the Messiah. That parting of His garment was a fulfilment of prophecy in Psalm 22:18.

Christ wants us tell our unbelieving friends, especially those who do not believe that He was crucified, that He actually died (for our sins). Through Adam’s disobedience, all men became condemned to death, but through Christ’s obedience unto death, justification came and life for all who will accept Him as their personal Lord and Saviour (Romans 5:12-21). Although, when many of us talk about salvation, we keep silent about holiness. We pretend as if we do not know that God has called every believer to live holy.1 Thessalonians 4:7 says: “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.”

It is true that God wants us to prosper and live in good health. Do you know He also wants us to be gentle/ meek? It is the assignment of every believer to share the gospel with the world. Therefore, you are doing a good thing when you preach to your work colleague or friends in college. Do you know that whilst doing all these - as you go about your daily business , you are required to also put on gentleness? Colossians 3:12 says: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” When i hear the way we , especially brethren in Christ, boast about how we responded in a rude way to fellow brother or sister or colleague at work, i marvel. Gentleness involves humility and thankfulness toward God, and polite, restrained behaviour toward others. A gentle person does not always flare up at slight provoke. The excuse some of us give is that we do not like to be insulted. If you do not like to be insulted, you are not fit to be Christ's follower because Christ was insulted yet He did not respond. Every man is powerful. We can speak words that influence others; we can act in ways that help or hurt. Gentleness constrains and channels that power. Gentleness is recognizing and accepting that God’s ways and thought are high above our own. Gentleness is not struggling with God. A gentle fellow readily forgives. Where gentleness abounds, competition and sectarianism will disappear. Gentleness is not justifying actions that God calls sin. It is not letting someone continue in sin without speaking the truth. Gentleness means to confront people when they err in line with scripture – be mild, loving and encouraging

QUESTION: Are you a gentle fellow?

PRAYER POINT: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.(Psalm 122:6)

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AND THINE EARS SHALL HEAR A WORD BEHIND THEE

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 3- 7

Recently I wrote a devotional about ‘lies’ and ‘shedding innocent blood’. After writing, I proofread it and corrected all the grammatical and spelling errors. I proofread it the second time and found no errors. As I proceeded to proofread for the third time before posting, I heard a voice in my spirit, which said, “go and shower and proofread again.” Meanwhile this was very early in the morning, I had just finished praying, and I wanted to get the writing out of the way before taking my shower. I obeyed and went to shower. When I returned to proofread again, I saw that I had put down ‘sharing innocent blood’ instead of ‘shedding innocent blood’. I changed it and posted the message. If I had disobeyed the Holy Spirit and proofread the third time before bathing, I would not have seen that error and this would have resulted in a big embarrassment. The Holy Spirit is our Guide. John 16:13 says howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all the 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. Obeying the voice of the spirit saves one from of embarrassment. I cannot count the number of times I have burnt my food whilst preparing it because I delayed when prompted by the Holy Spirit to go and check what I was I was cooking. Thank God, I am wiser now.

A lot of mishaps, road accidents, problems, etc, could have been avoided, if only we obeyed the voice of the spirit. I heard how the Lord saved a brother during the September 11 (9/11) terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. Whilst working on his computer, he heard “run”. He did not question the Holy Spirit; he just started making his way down the building. As he stepped out of the Twin Tower, the first jet struck. Another brother was with his daughter in the Twin Tower. The daughter requested for McDonalds snack, as he was about to tell his daughter to wait a bit, he heard the Holy Spirit telling me to take the girl to McDonald. He left what he was doing and quickly proceeded to the McDonalds nearby. Whilst there, He had that there was an attack on the Twin Tower. If the Spirit of God is leading you to do something or make a move, please do it as soon as possible because you do not know what might happen next. If He says stand, please stand up first before asking why. If He says sit, sit first before asking why. If He says, make a call; do not ask why before making the call. Two things that could hinder one from hearing the audible of voice of God are bitterness and disobedience. At times out of anger, you may want to say something, the moment you spirit says do not say it, just keep quiet. If you disobey and say it, the Holy Spirit will be grieved. If He continues to tell you not to do something and you keep doing it, He will stop speaking and that is not dangerous.

PRAYER POINT: Father, Your word says I will a hear voice behind me guiding me; please heal me of spiritual deafness so I can hear your audible voice.

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus.