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

WHO IS A BELIEVER?

MEMORY VERSE: Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Num 2, Ps 36, Eccl 12, Phm 1

Sometimes back I was witnessing to a brother and I asked him if he had given his life to Christ. He answered and said “I am a believer”. Out of curiosity I asked him why he thought he was a believer. He said “I am believer because i believe there is a God.” I then told him that the devil must be a believer then. He said why? I said because the devil believes that there is a God. The fact that you believe in one God don't make you a believer. He then said " i believe in heaven and hell too" ; I told him that witches and wizards believe in heaven and hell too but we all know they are not believers. He said no. Many see themselves as believers because they believe in one God. If the definition of a believer is the fellow who believes in one God then most assassins, armed robbers, adulterers and fornicators are strong believers then because most of them believe in one God anyway.

Someone may define a believer as a fellow who believes in Jesus and has accepted Him as his personal Lord and savior. Wonderful, that would mean a fellow who has accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and savior; and still robs God in tithes and offering is a believer. Would you really call a fellow who is stealing from God a believer? I don’t think God sees such a fellow as a believer. OK, what if the fellow pays his tithes but don't witness, is he a believer? Well Jesus said in Luke 11:23, he that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. Would you consider a fellow who is not witnessing as a fellow gathering with Christ? It is either you are bringing souls to Christ or you are driving them away, there is no middle point. An individual scattering what Jesus is gathering, is he fit to be called a believer?

Who then is a believer? I would use the doctor- patient analogy. You will never see a patient arguing with the doctor's diagnosis, prognosis or prescription. The patient believes in the doctor so much that he never argues with him; he carries out the doctor’s instruction to the letter. Even if the patient is exhibiting some symptoms and the doctors say don't worry, He never worries. The patient does this because he believes in the doctor. He trusts the doctor's knowledge and experience. A believer is a fellow who never argues with the instruction of God but carries it out to the letter. A patient trusts the timing of the doctor, if he is advised to take a particular pill at 2pm he does so without asking questions. So also a believer trusts in the timing of God, He believes God is never late. The patient trusts the doctor with his life because he believes that the doctor can never get it wrong. So also a believer trusts God with his destiny because he believes that God can never get it wrong.

QUESTION: Are you a believer?

Untapped Potential

1 John 4:4 - You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.

From the moment of salvation we receive the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 says anyone who does not have the Holy Spirit is not is not of Christ. According to Ephesians 1:13-14, the Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believers. Also from the moment of salvation one receives power. Acts 1:8 says but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. Once the Holy Spirit enters a man, he begins to do what ordinary man could not do. He begins to achieve what ordinary men could not achieve. In 1 Kings 18:46, the Holy Spirit came upon Elijah and he outran the chariot that was pulling the king. In Judges 14:6, the Holy Spirit came mightily upon Samson ,with his bare hands he tore a lion apart as one would tear a piece of paper. In Daniel 6:3, the Holy Spirit was so evident in the life of Daniel that everyone said He had the Spirit of excellence. The Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to achieve so much within a short period. Acts 10:38 says how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power , who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Every miracle Jesus performed was the work of the Holy Spirit. According to Romans 1:4, the Holy Spirit was responsible for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Potential to achieve all what Jesus achieved, Daniel achieved, Samson achieved combined with what Elisha achieved is in us, is in every believer. Romans 8:11 says the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from death dwells in all believers. This is why the author of 1 John 4:4 says greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. What is in you is enough to cause satan and his host to run at your sight! Whether you believe or not the witches and wizards are scared of you. As a Christian you should not be scared of spiders. Because of what is inside you, if you sit for an exam with Einstein and other world geniuses, if you will study hard enough you will score higher marks than them. The Holy Spirit that ensured that Jesus did not fail in any endeavour is also in you and will ensure you do not fail in that endeavour.

The potential is in all of us. The reason why many of us have not been able to achieve our potential in the Lord is because we grieve the Holy Spirit. How does one grieve the Holy Spirit? Through disobedience to Him. Another reason is our weak spiritual lives. The only way to build our spiritual muscles is through fasting and praying, studying the word of God. Many of us want to be like Jesus but not ready to fast. Jesus started His ministry with forty days dry fasting. Before Moses saw God, he fasted for forty days twice without food. Great power requires a lot of fasting and prayers and study of the word. The potential to exceed the achievements of Jesus on earth is in all of us.

ACTION POINT: Father, help me to rise to my potential in you.