ANOINTING VS SKILLS

MEMORY VERSE: And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. Isaiah 10:27.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 11-12, Ps 13-14, Prov 26, 1 Thes 5

BIBLE STUDY: Luke 5:1-7

In our bible studies, we read the story of Peter who fished all night and caught nothing. He was a skilled fisherman. Not only that, he was very experienced and to add this he was a hardworking man. Despite all these he still failed.

There are one or two points I will like to highlight from this story. Point 1 - skills and experience can fail you. You can be an expert in your field, it does not guarantee anything. Plans can fail you. I don’t believe that Peter left home that day without a plan or strategy . He must have planned his day, where he was going to start and all that. I also believed that he had contingency plans too i.e. what to do if plan A fails. Support networks do fail. That night Peter had a companion with him and their combined experience could not produce result. Hard work guarantees nothing. A fellow who decides to put in extra effort by working when others are sleeping is not a lazy man. That was Peter's intention , at the end he had nothing to show for all the effort. Everything can fail ; Jesus cannot fail. Immediately Jesus came into the scene, the man who had failed repeatedly made only an effort and results began to flow in.

Point 2 – To become what God has created you to be, you need the anointing of the Holy Spirit. What is anointing? Anointing is what makes an ordinary man do the supernatural or extra ordinary. You cannot fulfill God’s destiny for your life through skills alone. You cannot win souls for Jesus through skills or experience. I remembered the times when I will search on the internet for questions people ask during evangelism. I will get all the answers, prepare myself and go and witness. I found out that you can answer all the questions people ask you and they still would not give their life to Christ. I know how many religious arguments I have won based on knowledge, there are even times when the other party will agree with me and at the end still say 'I don’t want to give my life to Christ.' I remembered the case of a particular fervent sister who backslidded for one reason or the other. She had an answer to all the bible verse I gave to her. At a point I gave up because I was exhausted. Then a day came we were just discussing over the phone over a matter and she began to cry. I asked her if she wanted to give her life to Christ and she said yes! All this while I had been using skills and experience but that day I allowed the Holy Spirit to do His work and within two minutes she returned to Christ. Point 3 – anointing produces more results than skills. Jesus who was anointed with the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:38), gave a simple instruction and Peter caught so much fish that two boats began to sink.

PRAYER POINT: Father, anoint me with the Holy Ghost

NEVER MARRY A MAN WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IN HOLINESS

MEMORY VERSE: Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 10, Ps 11-12, Prov 25, 1 Thes 4

It is not in the plan of God for you to marry an unbeliever. God is not an author of confusion and one thing He will never do is go against His holy words. 2 Corinthians 6:14 says be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? If you are already married to an unbeliever, you need to seriously pray for the salvation of his or her soul because after salvation , the second factor that decides whether  you will have eternal life or not is who you marry. You may not believe me but I will share this story with you. A very committed pastor who loved the Lord had an argument with his wife one early morning , things went out of hand and she slapped him . This man got very angry and  left the house. As he was traveling he had an accident and died. When he got to heaven, he was sent to hell. This man began to plead with Jesus and ask why? The Lord told him he died without forgiving his wife who slapped him. This man broke down and began to cry for mercy. Because this man had labored greatly for the kingdom of God and had served God passionately, he was giving an opportunity to return and make things right with  his wife.  

One of the purposes of marriage is to share. You can only share what you have. A brother who is not filled with the spirit of love cannot share love. He can pretend by buying you lovely gifts and all but in a matter of time the real him will come out. A sister who does not value her time cannot value your time. If all a brother has is stories of those that tried and failed in life, such brother cannot share faith with you. If all a sister has is anger and bitterness, God help you. So before you fall in love, have it at the back of your mind that it is what this brother has that we are going to share and vice versa.

 If a brother does not have the fear of the Lord inside him, don’t expect him not to disappoint  you. Proverbs 16:6 says by the fear of the Lord men depart from iniquity. If a brother does not fear God – his creator, who will he fear then? If he does not regard God – his maker, who will he regard ? Marrying a brother who does not fear the Lord is like sitting on a time bomb. It is the equivalent of a disaster waiting to happen. Don’t marry a guy who does not believe in holiness. Proverbs 14:34 says righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. A brother who can compromise his faith in God or abandon his commitment in God in order to fit the circumstances of the moment, can compromise on anything even your love. Don’t expect a brother who is not faithful to God to  be faithful to you !The main reason why you need to be wary of brothers who do not believe in holiness is that they can do anything to get rich. They can do and undo.

KEYWORD: If He does not regard Jesus, He will never regard you.

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT

MEMORY VERSE: But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Jude 20.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 6, Ps 10, Prov 24, 1 Thes 3

What does it mean to pray in the Spirit? You see many equate praying with the spirit to praying in the Spirit. To pray with the spirit simply means to pray in tongues, for example Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:15, ‘what is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also.’ Praying in the Spirit means to pray by means of the Holy Spirit or with the help of the Holy Spirit. It is praying according to the Spirit’s leading or praying for things the Spirit leads us to pray for. Romans 8:26 says we 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 groaning which cannot be uttered.

When we pray in the Spirit we are praying according to the will of God. The Holy Spirit searches the mind of God and brings prayer points for us to pray on. When the Holy Spirit leads you to pray for a particular brother or sister, or leads to pray about a particular matter please pray about it. Most of the mishaps that happen in the body of Christ could have been avoided if only people prayed when the Holy Spirit asked them to pray. When you pray in the Spirit you are destroying the plans of the enemy. Not too long ago I shared the story of a man of God who the Holy Spirit led to pray against the loss of huge amount of money. At the point when the Holy Spirit was leading him to pray, he was not involved in any business dealings so the prayer point made little or no sense to him but he prayed. Several weeks later some men introduced him to some business, the men wanted to dupe him of his life savings but the Holy Spirit destroyed the plan and exposed these men because he prayed when the Holy Spirit led him to.

Ephesians 6:13 says wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye maybe able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Do you know that when you pray in the Spirit, what you are doing is you are putting on one of the armour of God? Ephesians 6:18 says praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
When you pray in the Spirit you get more results from your prayer life. I remembered a sister told me she was going for an interview and the Holy Spirit led me to pray with her. I asked her if she didn’t mind if a common church cleaner prayed with her and she said no problem. We said a very short prayer and she left for the interview. An hour later or so she called saying she got the job. What really amazed her was the interviewer did not really ask her any question aside when she was available to start. Instead of spending hours praying and binding the devil, losing and casting demons, the Holy Spirit led us to pray for favor and we did just that and the Lord took control.

PRAYER POINT: Father, as from now on help me to pray more in the Spirit.

ATTITUDE TO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS

MEMORY VERSE: Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows, Hebrew 1:9

 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 8, Ps 9, Prov 23,1 Thes 2

There are three basic attitudes to unrighteousness. Firstly, there are those who do not see anything wrong in living a life of unrighteousness. There are people who believe there is nothing wrong in telling a small lie especially to cover for a friend ,as far as no one gets hurt. There are those who do not see anything wrong in having sex before marriage especially when you know that you are going to marry the person. 1 John 5:17 says all unrighteousness is sin. There are also doctrines although not biblical that says once you give your life to Christ you automatically go to heaven whether you commit sin or not .Even if you fornicate with all the women in the church it is ok as far as you have giving your life to Christ. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:7, Salvation Is not a call to uncleanness i.e. life of impurity , but to holiness. Colossians 3:25 says but he that does wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done; and there is no respect of persons. Whether you have giving your life to Christ or not, if you die in sin you will get the reward of sinners. None of us shall spend eternity in hell In Jesus name.

Secondly , there are those who do not sin but permit sin. This include majority of us. We are now saved and sanctified. We do not consume alcohol because we know our body is the temple of the living God but we don’t mind entertaining guests at our parties or at homes with alcohol. We do not smoke cigarette because it is harmful to our health but we do not mind giving people money to buy cigarette. There are many believers who do not fornicate or commit adultery but will give the keys of their house to friends to bring women to sleep with. This group of believers does not steal but don’t mind if their colleagues steal or do dodgey deals. They do not fornicate but do not mind if their friends fornicate. Proverbs 13:20 says he who walks with the wise shall be wise but the companies of fools shall suffer disgrace. Do you know in the company of fools there are few wise ones there? The day the fools will get the reward for their foolishness, the wise amongst there will partake out of it.

Thirdly there is the last group who don’t condone sin at all. They have zero tolerance for sin in their lives. They hate sin. Do you know when you hate something you do not want to see it at all; you don’t want to be associated with it; you don’t even want to see it around you. Every time you see what you hate or hear about it, you begin to feel uncomfortable. That’s the same reaction we need to have for sin not sinners. Hebrews 1:9 says when you love righteousness and hate iniquity, God pours an oil of gladness on you.

POINTS TO PONDER: How do I see sin? Do I mind sin? Do I permit sin? In what area of my life are my permitting sin? Do I hate sin enough?

REALIZING YOUR POTENTIAL IN CHRIST

MEMORY VERSE: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those which are behind, and reaching forth unto things which are before, Philippians 3:8.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 7, Ps 7-8, Prov 22,1 Thes 1

Inside every believer, are great potentials. Jesus Christ highlighted some of the potentials in Him in Mark 16:17 -18. He said in His name, we shall cast devils; speak with new tongues; take up serpents and if we drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt us; we shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. The least every believer should be able to do is speak in tongues. Speaking in tongues is very important because Christ said so. Not only that when you pray in tongues, you are praying out God’s plan for your life. I remember the testimony of a great man of God who had the gifts of interpretation of tongues. One early morning while he was praying in tongues, he found himself praying against the loss of a large sum of money but he did not understand. Two weeks later some men tried to dupe him out of his savings but one way or the other the whole thing collapsed. This man did not know he was about to be duped but the Holy Spirit knew about it and helped him pray against it while he was praying in tongues. If you are a believer and you are yet to speak in tongues, you do need to go to God in serious fasting and prayer.

Another potential in every believer is mentioned in John 14:12, Jesus said ‘ verily verily I said 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. As a believer, there is a room to exceed the great works Jesus did whilst He was on earth. One of the very few men who realized their potential in Christ was Paul. This man worked so hard for God, while he was still alive the Lord took him and showed him the crown that awaits him in heaven – crown of righteousness, 2 Timothy 4:8. One of the secrets of Paul’s achievement in Christ is found in Philippians 3:8- I count not myself to have apprehended: but his one thing I do, forgetting those which are behind, and reaching forth unto things which are before.

The fellow who will realize his potential in Christ must count himself not to have apprehended or achieved it yet. The reason why the growth of many are pegged in Christ today is because they think they have achieved it. They look back at the fasting or praying or souls or the messages God has preached through them and they begin to commend themselves. The best time to measure success is at the end of one’s life not while you are still young. Not only that, the fellow must forget his past achievements and work hard as if he or she has never achieved anything. If the longest time you have spent praying in tongues is forty –five minutes, aim for one hour. If the longest time you have spent praying to God is three hours, aim for four hours. Praise God that you pay your full tithe but you can increase it to fifteen percent. If the number of people you tell about Christ is five in a month, it is time to enter the ten a month level.

KEYWORD: To realize your potential in Christ , see yourself as someone who has not achieved much and work hard to exceed or break your past records in Christ.

HOT OR COLD

MEMORY VERSE: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth, Revelations 3:16

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 6, Ps 5-6, Prov 21, Col 4

 

The Most High God does not operate in half measures but full measures. He does not like, He loves. John 3:16 says For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Psalm 33:5 says He loves judgment. According to Psalm 11:7, the righteous Lord loves righteousness. All Solomon asked of Him was wisdom but because He loved this young man He decided to give him what he did not even ask for which was untold wealth and sound health, 2 Chronicles 1:1-12. The Lord does not dislike, He hates. According to Proverbs 6:16-17 , He detest pride and hates a proud look. Psalm 11:5 says His soul hates those that love violence. If you are in the habit of beating up your partner – husband or wife beware. Psalm 5:5 says He hates all workers of iniquity. Herod incurred the wrath of God because of pride. This foolish king was so proud that he enjoyed been compared to God. One day God made an example of him – right on the spot worms ate him up alive, Acts12:12-23

 

Because God operates in extremes, He appreciates people who operate in extremes too. When it comes to obedience, He prefers disobedience to half obedience. In 1 Samuel 15:1-28, God gave Saul an instruction to kill and destroy all the Amalekites. Saul went there and instead of carrying out the instruction ,  he killed everyone and brought back the king, cattle and livestock. Because of his half obedience, God dethroned Him and gave the throne to David. Malachi 3:10 says Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house. The Lord prefers people who do not pay their tithe at all to those who pay half or one quarter tithe.

 

God prefers no service at all to half service. God does not take lukewarm Christian serious. To Him they do not know what they want. Revelations 3:16 says so then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. If you want to be hot for God be very hot and if you want to be cold be very cold but lukewarmness He hates with a passion. If you want to be spiritual be spiritual, if you want to be carnal be carnal but missing carnality and spirituality is courting His wrath. There is nothing like Sunday Sunday Christian. If you want to be a Christian be a full Christian, Monday to Sunday, 24 hours of the day. If you want to be a Christian, be a full Christian at home, at church, at college, at work e.t.c. not that they know you as a holy sister or holy brother in church and outside church you are something different.

 

ACTION POINT: Take an inventory of areas in your life where you have been neither hot or cold and begin to make amendments.

ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD

MEMORY VERSE: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose, Romans 8:28

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 5,Ps 3-4, Prov 20, Col 3

Whatever you are going through , God is aware. It does not matter how rough and touch it maybe, He is aware and He will bring you out unhurt. Psalm 34:20 says the Lord keepeth the bones of the righteous and not one of them is broken. The interpretation of this is that the enemy may throw challenges at you, he may fold, bend, shake, shuffle you, do all sorts but the Lord God himself will ensure that nothing happens to your bones which means you will come out of every challenges bouncing in the Lord. Whatever you going through, will not destroy you. How do I know these? Isaiah 3:10 says tell the righteous is shall be well with him. Whatever the enemies are planning against you, just ignore them because it will only work out for your own good. Romans 8:28 says all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.

When the bible says all things work together for good it means everything will work out for your good. Someone may then ask that how can losing my job or failing an exam or not finding a partner work together for my own good? I believe Joseph must have nurtured this thought too when his brothers sold him to slavery. He must have reasoned that how can been put in prison for an offence he did not commit work for his good ? Few months after I joined my currently employer on a temporary contract, a temporary supervisory role came and I applied for it. I prayed and fasted, I also informed some pastors and we all prayed and the Lord said that I would get the job. Brethren when the result came out I was not even shortlisted at all. To make matters worse they cut down my hours and I was really devastated. Around three years later, that temporary supervisory role was advertised as permanent and I applied for it again. I applied with the people who were currently in that role as temporary team leaders and the Lord gave me the job. Everything that happened worked together for my good. 

From studying our memory verse, you will come to the conclusion that two conditions have to be satisfied before all things can work together for good for us. Condition 1 is that we must love the Lord and condition 2 is that we must give our life to Christ. How can i proof to the whole world that i love Jesus ? By obeying His commandments. Jesus says in John 14:15 if ye love me keep my commandments. If you do everything the Lord expects of you, I can guarantee you that no matter what happens it will work for your good.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please let all things work together for my good.