Epignois of Grace

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 HOW TO RECEIVE SALVATION Epignois of Grace

ROMANS 10: 9- 13.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon
him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved.

Accept the gospel of Jesus Christ being preached.

Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus Christ from death.
Confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of your life.

If you are not yet saved or born again, we invite you to make
Jesus Christ the Lord of your life by praying this prayer with faith
in your heart.

“O Lord God I come to you in the Name of Jesus Christ.

I believe that Christ died, was buried and was raised from
death for our sins according to the scriptures. I ask Jesus
Christ to come into my heart to be the Lord of my life.
I receive eternal life into my spirit. I declare that I am
born again. I am a child of God. I am a new creation in
Christ. My sins are remitted . From today I am a brand
new person. Hallelujah”

Congratulations! Welcome to the family of God.

For more information on how to grow as a Christian,

please get in touch through any of the contacts below.

+233243283267,
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 Epignois of Grace

FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN

FOR YOUR LIFE
1CHRONICLES 14:10
And David enquired of God, saying, Shall I
go up against the Philistines? And wilt thou
deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD
said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them
into thine hand. (KJV)

Many times, when we are not properly taught, we

assume that God is in control over everything,
however, it does not work like that. People say that if
it is the will of God, it shall come to pass.
Unfortunately, that is not so. God’s will for man does
not always come to pass. It is the will of God for all
men to be saved but not all men are saved, 1 Timothy
2:4, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come
unto the knowledge of the truth”. This means that
men can accept or reject God’s plan for their lives.
The rejection of God’s plan can be deliberate or
indeliberate. Our relationship with God is a
fellowship where we can talk to him and he can talk
back to us. Remember that God created man as a free
moral agent where man could decide whether to
accept God’s offer or live his own life. God did not
make us robots, where we cannot express our
desires. God is our Father; therefore, we can tell him
about our personal desires or wishes. First of all, God
had a will and a purpose for creating us, the moment
we decide to accept God’s offer, his will becomes our
will and his plans become our plans.

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He knows what is best therefore when we talk to him

about what we want to do, it is to make sure that we
are not led out of his will for our lives. No wonder
David said. “Except the Lord build the house, they
labour in vain that build it.” In other words, you can
plan that you want to do something but if it is not in
the line of what God wants you to do, you labour in
vain. David in the opening text had everything in
place to go against his enemies, yet he went ahead to
enquire of the LORD as to whether to go against his
enemies or not. Good enough, God asked him to go.
This was the same thing the Apostles did when the
Holy Ghost asked them to separate unto him Paul
and Barnabas. This shows us that in our walk 33with
God, we should develop the habit of sharing our
minds with God. We should not do things because
conditions are favourable or not do things because of
challenges. What is important is to talk to our Father
to know if we are in alignment with his plan and
purpose for our lives.

It is said that you can successfully do what you ought

not have done at all. Success in life is knowing God’s
plan and purpose for your life and living to fulfil it.
He is our Father and yet he wants us to acknowledge
him as such in everything we do to the glory of God.
We have plans and desires for the year. Let us
communicate these plans with our Father in prayer.
We should seek his counsel on what and how of our
wishes and desires. We will continue to enjoy peace
of mind and victory as our desires are aligned with
his will and plans for us. Avoid the trial and error life
and walk in confidence and assurance in God’s

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purpose. It is said that faith begins when the will of

God is known.

Confession: I acknowledge God as my Father

who is interested in my affairs, he is my
guide in all that I do.

Additional Studies:
Psalms 37:5, Proverbs 16:3. Psalms 127:1

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REST IN CHRIST’S LOVE

JOHN 15:9
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved
you: continue ye in my love. (KJV)

We explained previously that success with God is

knowing and fulfilling God’s will and plan for our
lives. A person can be outside God’s will and purpose
but can be applauded by men and a person can be
walking in God's will and plan and be mocked by
men. The response of men to the decisions of men
does not show the approval of God’s will. As the year
has begun, the best thing a man can do is to make the
determination to find God’s plan for their life and
walk in it irrespective of the response of men or
prevailing circumstances. In today’s message, we
shall look at a key ingredient that will make us have
stress free life from unnecessary worries. As
mentioned by the topic of today’s message rest in
Christ's love. As we make the determination to walk
in God’s plan and purpose for our lives, we may
encounter challenges and oppositions that can bring
anxiety, stress and worries to us. The fear of making
a mistake, and the uncertainty of making decisions
that are in alignment to the will of God are all
conditions of concern. In all these situations, there is
the rest we can find when we understand the love of
God expressed in Christ.

Rest here in context will mean that you cannot

qualify for his love by your works, it means, you only

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enjoy it because he has freely given it. It flows from

his salvation for us and continues to keep us in it.
This assures us that we can live our lives fearing
nothing that anyone could try to do to us. If he loved
me enough to save me then it means he equally loves
me enough to heal and provide for me. There is
nothing we can do for God to love us more than how
he loves us now. The love of God keeps us and assures
us of his help, support, forgiveness, and strength at
all times. There is nothing that can separate us from
the love of God. Romans 8:31-32, “What shall we
then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us? He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him
also freely give us all things?”

When I know this, I don’t become anxious about

what Jesus will do or not do, but rather, I am certain
that his promises are effective in my life. No wonder
Paul said in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be careful for
nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God. And the peace of God, which
all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus”. When we pray like this it only
means that we are resting in his love. We pray like
this not because of what he will do as it were but
because of what he has already done, this is where we
find our peace. Irrespective of the present challenges
you are going through or may go through in walking
in God’s plan for your life, rest on God’s love and
enjoy his peace. He is for us all the time. When we
make a choice to know and walk in his will, he will

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help us by His Spirit to find and walk in his will.

There is no need for fear of anything. Let us not be
anxious or afraid. God’s love is bigger than our
human deficiencies.

Confession: I am not anxious for anything

because I rest in his love for me in Jesus’
name.

Additional Studies:
Romans 8:31-39, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 3:17-21

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THE CARE OF THIS WORLD

MATTHEW 13:22
He also that received seed among the thorns
is he that heareth the word; and the care of
this world, and the deceitfulness of riches,
choke the word, and he becometh
unfruitful. (KJV)

We taught on the need to know and walk in the plan

of God for our lives. It is only within the plan of God
that we can be commended as good and faithful
servants. Doing successfully what God did not ask
you to do is a failure. Getting men to applaud you for
what God has not approved is also a failure. We must
stand firm and live in the will of God irrespective of
the challenges we may face. We have to rest in the
unconditional love of God, knowing that he is in us
and with us throughout the pursuit of his plans for
our lives. Success begins when the will of God is
known. Most times we are able through the counsel
of God’s word, our pastors and our perception by the
Holy Spirit to know God’s will but the difficulty is
walking in obedience to the plan and obvious will of
God. We try to ignore the simple and obvious leading
of God’s Spirit and begin to seek other voices and
directions that may appeal to our senses or the flesh.
God’s leadings are not complex. It becomes complex
when we are ignorant of his written word or trying to
walk in disobedience to his word.

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One of the areas of God’s will for us is to grow in the

Spirit and to get involved in the work of ministry.
God wants us to grow in our knowledge of his word,
to be devoted to fellowship or believers gathering,
walking in love and prayer. Acts 2:42, “And they
continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers”.
Unfortunately, one of the major challenges to
walking in the activities of the Spirit is the care of this
world. Jesus cited a unique parable to teach believers
how to remain strong and steadfast in the Christian
faith. The cares of this world can represent money,
cars, houses, marriages, businesses, friends and
associates etc. All the comforts are good and
pleasurable for every human, however, when they
begin to alter the course of our lives in an opposing
direction to God’s plan for our lives, it becomes a
suppression that prevents us from enjoying the true
peace that comes with contentment. Jesus said that
we can remain unfruitful and unproductive when we
allow these human ventures to hold us down.

For the believer, the suppressions that come as a

result of the cares of this world do not take away your
salvation. However, they can make us very miserable
in the sense that physical or material acquisition
does not and cannot satisfy our spiritual needs. They
only satisfy the flesh. The quest to increase physical
comfort and pleasure through the acquisition of
things can make you pursue the cares of this world to
the neglect of spiritual things. The other truth is that
human wants are insatiable therefore, they cannot
satisfy you, they will simply oppress and suppress

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you so much that we miss out on the eternal

satisfaction which comes as a result of fruitfulness.
We have the Spirit of contentment to guide us
through.

Confession: I give myself to the things of the

Spirit.

Additional Studies:
Matthew 13:18-23, Matthew 6:19-21,
Colossians 3:1-3

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WHO IS SAVED?
ROMANS 10:9-10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation. (KJV)

Soteriology which is the study of salvation is a very

important subject every believer must be skillful in.
Apostle Paul commended his spiritual son Timothy
for how the knowledge of the scriptures has made
him skilful or wise in the subject of salvation which
is through faith in Christ Jesus, 2 Timothy 3:15, “And
that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus”. This
means that after getting saved, we don’t stop learning
about salvation, we continue to learn and explore the
details of the salvation we have received. It is through
the knowledge of the scriptures that we grow in our
understanding of salvation. This also lets us know
that the scriptures are about the saviour and the
salvation he offered. Anybody who studies the
scriptures rightly would become skillful or wise in
the subject of salvation which is through faith in
Christ Jesus. The proof that you know the scriptures
is by how skilful or knowledgeable you are in the

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subject of salvation. If you don’t know much about

salvation, you don’t know the scriptures.

One of the skillfulness in the subject of salvation is

knowing who is a saved person. It is wrong to assume
that everybody you come across is not saved and also
wrong to assume that everybody you come across is
saved. Skillfulness in the subject of salvation will let
you know when is a man saved? What saves a
person? How is a man saved? Who is a saved person?
And how secure is salvation in Christ? Salvation is a
spiritual experience and for that matter, cannot be
seen with the physical eyes. You cannot determine
who is a saved person just by looking at the person's
physical appearance. You cannot also look at a
person’s conduct, education, family status, church
attendance, prayer life, giving at church etc., to
determine if they are saved or not. An unsaved
person out of a self-disciplined life can put up very
good conduct which should not be mistaken for
salvation. Salvation is not good conduct or
participation in church activities. Though salvation
should result in good conduct and church
attendance, we cannot use works as proof of
salvation.

A person is saved when they hear and believe the

gospel. From our opening text, a person is saved by
confessing with his mouth the Lord Jesus and
believing in his heart that God raised Jesus from
death, which is the gospel. This means that a person
who has heard and believed the gospel is saved. By
having little interaction with a person, you would be

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able to identify if the person has heard and believed

the gospel. Whoever has heard and believed the
gospel is saved. Your initial conversation with people
should be what can help you identify whether the
person has heard and believed the gospel. The most
important information you should desire to know
about anybody you come across is whether the
person has heard and believed the gospel of Christ.

Confession: I am saved because I have heard

and believed the gospel of Christ.

Additional Studies:
Romans 10:9-14, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4,
Ephesians 2:8-9

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AM I SAVED?
JOHN 3:16
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. (KJV)

We explained in our previous studies that

skillfulness in the knowledge in salvation is found in
the knowledge of the scriptures. It is by the scriptures
we know what salvation is, when and how a person is
saved. The preliminary test to know whether
somebody is saved or not is not by looking at his
conduct or church attendance. It is by engaging the
person in conversation to see whether they have
heard and believed the gospel, that determines if
they are saved or not. If they are saved but not
showing good conduct or not committed to church,
their difficulty is not salvation but spiritual growth.
A person who is saved but not showing forth good
conduct or behaviour is a baby in Christ. 1
Corinthians 3:1-3, “And I, brethren, could not speak
unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even
as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk,
and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to
bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet
carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and
strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as
men?”. A person is saved once not multiple times.
This means that when you come across a saved
person who is not showing good conduct it therefore

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means that they don’t have to be saved again, but

rather, they need teachings that will help them to
grow in the Spirit.

Another phenomenon is people who are saved but

still doubt their salvation due to their experiences or
a message from an ignorant preacher. This lack of
assurance of salvation can make a saved person
respond to altar calls many times. Such people
ignorantly think that if they are saved, then life
should be better for them. Since they have financial
challenges, health issues, habit issues and other
difficulties in their lives compared to other believers
they know, then, they are yet to be saved by God.
From our opening text, what a person receives by
believing the gospel is eternal life which is
deliverance from the wages of sin, Romans 6:23, “For
the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Salvation is not
deliverance from the challenges of life. Salvation is
not healing of our physical bodies or automatic
progress in socio-economic status. It is ignorance to
interpret material or earthly comfort as the result of
faith in the gospel.

There are times when people are made to believe that

they are not saved because they don’t speak in
tongues or have not been baptized in water. A person
can be saved but not yet spoken in tongues. Water
baptism is not salvation. The experience of salvation
is instant and forever. Immediately you hear about
the love of God expressed through the death and
resurrection of Christ for our sins and believe or

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express faith in the message preached, you are saved

once and forever. What faith in the gospel offers is
automatic and forever. Eternal life, peace with God,
the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sins are all
automatic by faith in the gospel. Material or earthly
prosperity comes as you make good choices in life
through knowledge, they are not automatic.

Confession: I am saved once and forever.

Additional Studies:
Romans 4:25, 1 John 5:11-12, Hebrews 7:25

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YOU ARE SAVED

2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God
may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works. (KJV)

Lack of assurance of salvation can cause a saved

person to be praying for God to save him or her. It
can make saved individuals feel they have to be doing
something to complete their salvation. This is where
though a person has heard and believed the gospel
but has wrongly been taught that they can become
unsaved or Christ will reject them if they don’t meet
certain standards of performance in conduct,
consecration or experience. Such a mindset breeds
fear and insecurity. We said previously that whatever
is received by faith in the gospel is received
automatically, fully and forever. The blessings of
faith in the gospel have no quantitative or qualitative
difference. All of us are saved equally with the same
eternal life, justification and every spiritual blessing
in Christ. Material wealth or prosperity is not a
spiritual blessing in Christ, that is why other
believers are materially more prosperous than
others. It is within man’s choice to be materially
prosperous or physically healthy. Such choices are
made deliberately or indeliberately. It can be direct
or indirect, conscious or not conscious. Whatever the

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case may be, man is responsible for whether to be

rich or poor, healthy or not healthy.

What is the evidence that just by hearing and

believing the gospel, I am saved forever? From our
opening text, the scriptures are profitable or useful
for doctrine which is from the Greek word
“didaskalia” which means teaching or explanation.
This means that every explanation of our faith is by
the use of the scriptures. It is also useful for reproof
which is the Greek word “elegchos” which means
evidence. This means the evidence of our faith or
conviction is the scriptures. Therefore, the evidence
or proof that by believing in the gospel you are saved
eternally from sin and death is the scriptures and not
your feelings. The proof of the Christian faith is the
evidence of the scriptures. 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”. Romans 10:9, “That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised
him from the dead, thou shalt be saved”. These are
the proofs that by believing the gospel, you got saved.

We don’t use our feelings or experiences to check

whether we are saved or not. Some people doubt
their salvation because of a habit they are finding it
difficult to stop. Others also doubt their salvation
because of the difficulties they face in life or a prayer
request not yet received answers. Such ways will
always fail you and leave you with the feeling of not
saved or not yet accepted by God. The only proof is

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that God’s word says so. It is written that whosoever

hears the gospel and believes is saved. I have heard
the gospel and have believed; therefore, I am saved,
I have eternal life, I have remission of sins.

Confession: I am saved because I have heard

and believed the gospel of Christ.

Additional Studies:
1John 5:11-12, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1Corinthians 15:1-4

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YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

ROMANS 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,
if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his. (KJV)

To be saved and knowing the essence of being saved

and living in full assurance of salvation is the most
important awareness or consciousness any man
should have on earth. Unfortunately, due to
insufficient teachings, many believers are not able to
see the blessings of salvation and living their lives as
though not saved or being a believer is a
disadvantage. The error of the materialistic gospel
has made some believers think that unbelievers are
more blessed than them. Faith in the gospel does not
produce any automatic physical or material
blessings. This means that till you are taught to know
how much you are blessed and the things you
received at salvation, you will not be effective in the
faith. Philemon 1:6, “That the communication of thy
faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of
every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus”. The
knowledge of who you are in Christ, what you have in
Christ and what Christ can do through you makes the
believer productive and effective. To some people,
faith in Christ is just a means of joining a church or
belonging to a popular religion. They have not come
to the consciousness of their identity and blessings in
Christ.

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From our opening text, anybody without the Spirit of

Christ or the Holy Spirit is not of Christ. This means,
having the Spirit of Christ means you are in Christ.
Unbelievers don’t have the Holy Spirit in them. You
received the Holy Spirit promised by God to believers
the day you believed the gospel. Ephesians 1:13-14,
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom
also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that
holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory”. There is no
time between when a person believes the gospel and
when a person receives the Holy Spirit. The
indwelling of the Spirit in the believer is the seal or
guarantee of our salvation. However, due to
ignorance, some believers are made to think that
they don’t have the Holy Spirit. They sing songs
inviting the Holy Spirit, they pray to God asking for
the Holy Spirit. Some also confuse speaking in
tongues with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Speaking in tongues is different from the indwelling

of the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues or
prophesying is an utterance gift of the Spirit
expressed by the believer. What shows that you have
the indwelling of the Spirit is that you have believed
the gospel. Speaking in tongues can be expressed
later by desire, knowledge and exposure. If you have
not yet spoken in tongues, it does not mean you don’t
have the Spirit. The day you believed the gospel, you
received the full, complete and permanent

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indwelling of the Spirit of Christ in your heart. The

Holy Spirit in us does not leave us when we sin or do
something wrong and return when we repent. The
truth is that he is in us to help us repent from sinful
acts. He does not leave us alone. He is our reliable,
merciful and gracious helper in our Christian life.

Confession: I have the indwelling of the Holy

Spirit all the time.

Additional Studies:
2Corinthians 1:22, John 3:5-6, Ephesians 4:30

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YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS

EPHESIANS 4:23-24
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness
and true holiness. (KJV)

A person’s vibrancy, joy, productivity and

fruitfulness in the faith come by the knowledge or
revelation of his identity or what he has in Christ.
There are things we receive when we believe the
gospel. These things are not natural, they are
spiritual. Apostle Paul called them the unsearchable
riches in Christ, Ephesians 3:8, “Unto me, who am
less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that
I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable
riches of Christ”. These riches are not material. The
knowledge of these riches makes the believer full of
confidence and joy. We taught previously that one of
the things we received when we believed the gospel
is the instant, complete, full and permanent
indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. We have become
the temple or home of the Holy Spirit, (1Corinthians
3:16, Romans 8:11). We also said that the Holy Spirit
in us is not to judge or destroy or leave us when we
do something wrong. Rather, he is in us to help, teach
and correct us by the use of the scriptures to grow in
Christ by getting our minds renewed to live good
conduct. We therefore don’t pray for more of the
Holy Spirit or fresh filling of the Spirit.

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Another blessing we received when we believed the

gospel is the free gift of righteousness, Romans 5:17,
“For if by one man's offence death reigned by one;
much more they which receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by
one, Jesus Christ”. Righteousness is the state of
being seen by God as blameless, without guilt, fear or
condemnation. This state of being was given to us
freely as a gift when we believed the gospel. Romans
10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation”. This free gift of righteousness
does not depend on our works or conduct. It depends
on what Jesus did for us in his death and
resurrection. Nobody can meet God’s standard of
righteousness by his conduct or works, Psalms 130:3,
“If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord,
who shall stand?”, Isaiah 64:6. - But we are all like an
unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like
filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities,
like the wind, Have taken us away. When a man is in
Christ, God sees the person as he would see Christ.
This means Christ’s righteousness has become our
righteousness. Christ is therefore our righteousness.
1 Corinthians 1:30, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”.

This free gift of righteousness is received instantly,

completely and permanently when we believe the
gospel of Christ. All believers have the same
righteousness. Nobody is more righteous than the
other. This is because Jesus is our righteousness and

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does not depend on us. Our sinful acts do to

contaminate, reduce or destroy this free gift of
righteousness. Righteousness does not reduce or
increase. We are righteous by faith in Christ Jesus.
The believer does not pray to be righteous. Good
conduct is different from righteousness. Good
conduct does not produce righteousness but
righteousness produces good conduct.

Confession: I am righteous by faith in Christ

Jesus.

Additional Studies:
Romans 3:19-22, 2Corinthains 5:20-21,
Romans 10: 1-10

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YOU ARE HOLY

EPHESIANS 4:23-24
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness
and true holiness. (KJV)

The joy of salvation is more than getting somebody

to start attending church or getting somebody to stop
a particular sinful act. Though salvation should
result in attending church and stopping sinful acts.
The joy of salvation is the discovery of all the spiritual
blessings we received in Christ. The prayer of every
believer should be the opening of the eyes of their
understanding to know all that they have in Christ.
This is the prayer of apostle Paul for the believers.
Ephesians 1:16-18, “Cease not to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers; That the God
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may
give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in
the knowledge of him: The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that ye may know
what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of
the glory of his inheritance in the saints”. There are
things to know after salvation. Though you are saved,
ignorance of the riches in Christ will deny you the
confidence and the expression of the joy of salvation.
We will never place our value in material things if we
come to know our value in Christ. Living victoriously
in Christ is by the revelation of our identity and
inheritance in Christ.

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We taught previously about the free gift of

righteousness which is received by faith in Christ
Jesus. The knowledge that your acceptance before
God is not dependent on your works but the work of
Christ will drive away every fear, guilt and anxiety in
your relationship with God. You would be confident
to put the devil where he belongs. You will
confidently receive answers when you pray. The
Christian life without fear, guilt and condemnation is
achieved by one’s revelation of his righteousness in
Christ. Another blessing we received when we
believed the gospel is holiness. Holiness is a state of
being set apart as sacred for God or related to the
service or worship of God. Any place God lives is
called holy. Anything used for God is called holy. In
the Old Testament, the temple was called holy, and
cups and animals were called holy. A day was called
holy. This means, in the context of the bible, holiness
is more than what we do. Holiness is determined by
a person’s or a thing’s relationship with God.

From our opening text, the believer is created in

righteousness and true holiness. This means that
getting born again is being born holy. This also
means that we don’t work to become holy. We are
born holy in Christ. Being in Christ is holiness. Being
in Christ is our separation from the world which has
made us a holy sanctuary for God. Our conduct does
not make us holy but because we are holy, it is
expected of us to put up holy conduct. There is a way
righteous and holy people live. We must renew our
minds through knowledge to live righteous and holy

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lives. Being holy is who we are. Every believer is only.

We became holy instantly, fully, completely and
permanently when we believed the gospel. Prayer
and songs asking God to make us holy or his
sanctuary is an expression of ignorance. God lives in
us; we are his holy temple. We are his righteous
saints.

Confession: I am holy in Christ. Christ is my

holiness.

Additional Studies:
Colossians 3:12, 1Corinthians 3:16-17, Ephesians 1:4

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YOU HAVE POWER

MARK 16:17-18
And these signs shall follow them that
believe; In my name shall they cast out
devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they
drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt
them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and
they shall recover. (KJV)

Ignorance is the greatest enemy of spiritual growth.

That is why in spiritual growth, the most important
activity is growing in the knowledge of the scriptures.
We are to desire the word of God as a baby desires
milk in order for us to grow, (1 Peter 2:2). Knowing
all that is in us in Christ is what makes us fruitful and
productive in the faith. Zeal without knowledge is not
spiritual growth. Any knowledge which does not
reveal who you are in Christ, what you have in Christ
and what Christ can do through you cannot make you
grow in the faith. In our previous studies, we taught
that what we receive by believing the gospel are
spiritual realities, not material blessings or changes
in natural circumstances. This means, that till you
are taught to know what you became by faith in
Christ, you may not understand how blessed the man
in Christ is. We said that at the moment you heard
and believed the gospel, you received the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit. Instantly, you were made
righteous and holy as though you never sinned
before. The believer must accept these realities and

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make them part of their consciousness. This

knowledge makes you joyful always as a believer.

Power or miracle working ability is one of the

blessings we receive by faith in the gospel. This
means that every believer has power. There is
nothing like a powerless believer. Every believer has
what is termed “anointing” in common parlance.
This means we don’t pray for God to give us power or
anointing. Christ in you is anointing or power, 1
Corinthians 1:24, “But unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and
the wisdom of God”. From our opening text, casting
our devils, speaking in tongues, healing the sick and
overcoming the works of the devil are the signs that
follow those who believe the gospel. These signs are
automatic, they are not to be prayed or asked for. We
don’t sing or pray for the power of God to come down
from heaven. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the
receiving of all the power of God in the believer.
There is no extra power anywhere to receive after
salvation. What is required is the demonstration of
that power.

Anytime you see the power of God being

demonstrated, it is from the believer not from any
external source. Not experiencing the demonstration
of power does not mean you don’t have power. All the
power that raised Christ from death resides in the
believer, (Ephesians 1:19-23). There is a difference
between having the power of God in you and
demonstrating the power of God you have. The
demonstration comes by knowledge and prayer. In

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prayer, we develop the boldness to express what is in

us. We have the power to destroy all the power of
darkness. No charm or weapon against the believer
should work. However, by our permission, they can
work against us. We don’t lack power; we only have
to learn how to operate in this inherent power in us.

Confession: I am full of the power of God.

Additional Studies:
Acts 1:8, James 5:16, Acts 3:6

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YOU HAVE
FORGIVENESS OF SINS
EPHESIANS 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of his grace; (KJV)

There is so much the death and resurrection of Christ

achieved for us. Preaching the gospel to somebody is
giving the person the offer of all the eternal blessings
in Christ. Preaching the gospel is not just getting
people to church or influencing them to live good
moral lives. It is unfortunate that most preaching
messages are centered on changing people's natural
circumstances and living materially well on earth.
This has made people focus on material things as
their expectation of believing the gospel instead of
spiritual realities in Christ. Faith in the gospel of
Christ does not automatically change our natural
circumstances of life. People are not able to see the
good news of the gospel because of their
disappointment in their expectations. This is when a
false gospel is preached to them. A false gospel will
promise you things which are not true. The promise
of the gospel are the spiritual blessings we have in
Christ such as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit,
righteousness, sanctification, holiness, eternal life,
power and authority etc., Any preaching that gives
you a different hope cannot be said to be the gospel
of salvation.

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We taught that the believer doesn’t have a power

problem. All the power needed as a believer was
given when the gospel was believed. What is expected
of the believer is to demonstrate the power already in
them. We all have the same power, but different
levels of demonstration based on knowledge and
prayer. Prayer and fasting do not increase the power
of the believer, it rather increase the level of
demonstrating the power. Another blessing of
believing the gospel is the receiving of the
forgiveness of sins. It is easier to tell people that all
the sins they committed before believing the gospel
have been forgiven unconditionally. However,
people find it difficult to accept the truth that the
forgiveness received when the gospel was believed
does not only take care of your past sin but it takes
care of your present and future sins unconditionally.
Some also put the condition that though your past
sins are forgiven, you need to confess, repent and ask
God to forgive you before you can be forgiven of your
present sins.

There is nowhere conditional forgiveness was taught

in the New Testament. From our opening text,
forgiveness is something we already have and it is
according to the riches of God’s grace, it is not
dependent on us. The price for our forgiveness is the
blood of Jesus. Jesus shed his blood once and for all.
This means that all sins have been paid for. Sin
committed, being committed and shall be
committed, has been paid for. Between God and the
believer, there is no issue of unforgiven sin.
However, sinful conduct has consequences among

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men and the growth of the believer and how they can
faithfully serve God. We must avoid sinful conduct
because of these consequences but not because God
would not forgive or punish us. Forgiveness cannot
be a prayer request because it is something we
already have in Christ. When you notice you did
something wrong, you repent and thank God for his
forgiveness because he has already forgiven you in
Christ.

Confession: I have unconditional

forgiveness in Christ.

Additional Studies:
Colossians 1:14, 1John 2:1-2, 1John 2:12

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YOU ARE SAVED ONCE

AND FOREVER
HEBREWS 7:24-25
But because Jesus lives forever, his
priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is
able, once and forever, to save those who
come to God through him. He lives forever
to intercede with God on their behalf. (NLT)

We have been teaching on the spiritual blessings we

have in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 1:3
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ”. We have been
BLESSED with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
This means that being in Christ is access to all the
blessings in him. This also means that it is no more a
prayer request. We taught that all these blessings are
received instantly, completely, fully and
permanently when a person gets born again by
believing the gospel. The Holy Spirit is received in his
fullness at salvation, you don’t grow in Christ to
receive more Holy Spirit. Eternal life, righteousness,
holiness, power, and forgiveness of sins are all
received fully at salvation. These things can also be
called the riches of his glory, (Romans 9:23), glorious
inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18). Once
again, these things are spiritual. It does not bring any
automatic material or physical benefit or change in
your life.

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In explaining that the believer has unconditional

forgiveness of sins, some may refer to 1John 1:9, “If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness”. This is not about the man already
saved but it is referring to confession that brings
salvation. Being cleansed from all unrighteousness is
salvation. The believer has no condition of
confession, repentance, fasting, crying, restitution
etc. for the forgiveness of sins. From our opening
text, the believer is saved once and forever. This is
because Jesus our high priest died and rose never to
die again and his resurrection has become our
eternal intercession for the believer. Unfortunately,
people believe that a saved person can later lose
salvation and go to hell. This is because they put
conditions on a person remaining saved forever. Our
opening text says it is because of Jesus that we are
saved forever and not depending on us. Though what
we do matters and can have consequences on us, loss
of salvation is not one of the consequences of our
works or conduct.

The assurance the believer must have about salvation

is that they are saved forever. John 10:28, “And I give
unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”.
The believer can never perish. Our slips and
wrongdoing cannot corrupt our salvation. We are
born of an incorruptible seed, (1Peter 1:23). Never be
afraid that something can make you end up in hell.
No believer will enter hell. Once born again, you
remain alive forever. Salvation is given and kept by

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Jesus and he is able to keep you from falling, (Jude

1:24). It is an error to use the possibility of a believer
going to hell as a means to discourage the wrong
conduct of believers. None of the apostles taught the
possibility of a believer going to hell. It would take a
twisted interpretation of bible texts to teach the
possibility of a believer going to hell.

Confession: I am saved once and forever.

Additional Studies:
Romans 8:35-39, John 10:27-29,
Hebrews 10:11-14,17-18

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YOU ARE IN HEAVEN

EPHESIANS 2:6
And hath raised us up together, and made
us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus: (KJV)

Spiritual growth is the growth in the knowledge of

Christ. Since Christ is the identity of the believer,
knowing Christ is knowing yourself. Your
fruitfulness or effectiveness as a believer depends on
your revelation of yourself in Christ. After salvation,
believers must commit themselves to learning and
discovering who they have become in Christ, what
they have in Christ and what Christ can do through
them. The riches in Christ are numerous, we will
continue to grow in them till Christ comes. We taught
that the believer has eternal forgiveness of sins.
There is no sin of the believer yet to be forgiven upon
the condition of repentance or confession. We also
taught that once Christ saves a person, the person
remains saved forever. This is because, the price for
our salvation was paid once and for that matter, the
believer is saved once. Hebrews 10:14, “For by one
offering he hath perfected for ever them that are
sanctified”. If it is possible for the believer to become
unsaved by anything, then it must require Jesus to
come and die again for those that must be saved for
the second time, third time and multiple times. But
since Jesus' sacrifice is once and for all times, once
you are saved by that sacrifice, you are saved forever.

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Another reality or blessing of believing the gospel is

to be born in heaven. Heaven is not a physical or
geographical location like the planets. Heaven is a
spiritual realm where Christ reigns. Born again is a
spiritual birth. Spiritual birth is heavenly birth. To be
born of the Spirit is to be born in heaven. John 3:6,
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. From our
opening text, we are seated together with Christ in
the heavenly or in the immaterial world. Every
believer is born in heaven and is a citizen of heaven.
Heaven is not a place we are trying to go. It is
therefore ignorance to pray about making it to
heaven. It is like being a Nigerian citizen by birth and
applying to get Nigerian citizenship. Being in Christ
is heaven. Philippians 3:20-21, “But our citizenship
is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from
there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that
enables him to bring everything under his control,
will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be
like his glorious body.” (NIV).

The question that may arise would be that if we are

in heaven, why are we not experiencing the full
reality of heaven? The reason is the limitation of our
mortal bodies. The day of raptures or the full
manifestation of the sons of God will be the day when
mortality shall put on immortality. When this
happens, we would then have the full reality of
heaven. The truth is that the believer doesn’t travel
to heaven. We only realize where we have been
always but because of our mortal bodies, we are not
able to realize it. At the rapture, it is not going to be

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people flying into the air and vanishing to another

geographical location. It is going to be the changing
of our mortal bodies and the full revelation of Christ
through us to have the full heavenly reality. Heaven
is a done deal for the believer.

Confession: I am born in heaven. I am

forever a citizen of heaven.

Additional Studies:
Hebrew 12:22-24, Romans 8:18-23,
1Corinthians 5:1-7

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YOU ARE DELIVERED

COLOSSIANS 1:13
Who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son: (KJV)

Everything Jesus Christ accomplished for us in his

redemption is freely received fully, instantly,
completely and forever by faith in the gospel.
Immediately you hear that out of God’s love for man,
he sent Jesus to come and die and resurrect for our
sins and when you accept or believe this and begin to
live with the consciousness of what Jesus came to
accomplish for man, you become beneficiary of all
that Jesus did for us. We have explained some of the
blessings we have in Christ. These blessings are
spiritual, they are not material. You don’t become
automatically rich or automatically start making
progress in your business and family life just because
you believed the gospel. Natural or material success
requires personal effort or responsibility. That is why
others are more successful than others. However,
when it comes to spiritual blessings in Christ, they
are received automatically, instantly, fully and
forever without your effort or personal
responsibility. All believers have them equally at all
times under all conditions. No believer has more
Holy Spirit than the other. We are all blessed equally
in Christ.

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In our previous studies, we said that the believer is

born in heaven. Heaven is a spiritual reality in the
believer. We don’t pray or wish to make heaven.
Faith in Christ is permanent admission into heaven.
Once born a citizen, you forever remain a citizen.
Another reality of the believer is that the believer is
delivered from the power of darkness into the
kingdom of Christ. Salvation is deliverance. Since
faith in Christ involves the will of man, a demon-
possessed person’s will is controlled by demons.
However, since the gospel of Christ is the power of
God, by hearing the gospel, a demon-possessed
person is able to get freed from demonic possession
to express their will to believe the gospel for
salvation. There are situations that the demons must
be deliberately cast out before the person can express
their will to believe the gospel. This means that no
believer is demon-possessed. Attempting to cast out
demons from a believer is an expression of
ignorance. The spirit of the believer is the spirit of
Christ. The Spirit of Christ and demons cannot live
in the same place.

However, we have external activities outside the

spirit of the believer that can be manipulated by
demons to oppress, afflict, depress or frustrate the
believer. In such a situation, we don’t cast out
demons from the believer but rather we exercise our
authority in Christ over such manipulations of
demons. The assurance we have as believers is that
by faith in Christ, we are automatically, instantly,
completely and forever delivered from the kingdom
of darkness to Christ. Satan cannot possess us

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anymore. We don’t organize deliverance for

believers. An unrenewed mind of the believer can
give them experiences as though they are possessed.
In such a situation what is required is not prayer for
deliverance but teachings to get the mind renewed.
When the mind is renewed, such experiences will
stop.

Confession: I am delivered from the power of

darkness to the kingdom of Christ.

Additional Studies:
1Peter 2:9, 1Corinthians 16:17, 1Corinthians 3:16

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THE SPIRIT WITHIN

EZEKIEL 36:26-27
A new heart also will I give you, and a new
spirit will I put within you: and I will take
away the stony heart out of your flesh, and
I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will
put my spirit within you, and cause you to
walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my
judgments, and do them. (KJV)

The primary way God leads his children is through

the written word. In other words, it is a
documentation of God's leading for the believer.
Therefore, God's will and purpose is collectively
known to us primarily via the written word. But, in
understanding inward witness, the opening text
comes to the fore, notice the words ... And a new
spirit will I put within you... And I will put my spirit
within you. He explained that God will put His Spirit
in man (us) and cause us to walk in His statutes. In
other words, this is how he will direct, guide, instruct
and lead man. That is, God would lead and guide us
by His spirit in or within or indwelling us. Hence, the
Apostles taught the same truth in their epistles,
Galatians 4:6-7, “And because ye are sons, God hath
sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a
servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God
through Christ. John also 1 John 3:24, “And he that
keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he
in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by

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the Spirit which he hath given us”.

Paul in Romans 8:16, explained that the Spirit agrees

with man and brings witness, that is to testify jointly,
to agree with or to affirm. Now the question is "what
Spirit was Paul referring to? The Spirit of God
indwelling the believer. Our body and spirit are
God's. In other words, at salvation, the Spirit and the
body of the believer is of God. That is why Paul taught
in 1 Corinthians 6:17, “But he that is joined unto the
Lord is one spirit”. The phrase "one spirit" implies,
that there is no distinction of spirits in the believer,
that is, the Spirit of the believer and the spirit of God
share the same identity, in Christ. When we believers
renew our minds with God's word, we will recognise
and walk in God's will. Thus, a man's decision -
making process is in the mind, and that is where the
believer needs to receive and recognize the leading of
the spirit.

Therefore, the inward witness in this regard will be

the Spirit of the believer that knows the things of God
agreeing with or refuting facts exposed to it. That is,
the inward witness is a reaction from the spirit within
or an inward impression or witness of the spirit of the
believer, which either endorses or refutes facts
exposed to it. Hence, when the Spirit of the believer
bears witness with or agrees with facts exposed to it
through the word of God, that decision or the step we
intend to make or take is God's will. Likewise, when
the Spirit of the believer disagrees or refutes facts
exposed to it through the word of God, that decision
is not God's will for us.

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CONFESSION: I am not hasty in my decision

making. I deliberately expose my thoughts,
and decisions to the witness of the Spirit of
God in me, and I follow his leading always,
Amen.

Additional Studies:
1Corinthians 6:17-19, Romans 8:16 1Corinthians 2:12

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THE INWARD WITNESS

ROMANS 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit, that we are
the children of God: (KJV)

In the written word, there are other forms of God's

leading in our individual lives, and one of such is the
inward witness. The inward witness is the witness of
the spirit of the believer, that knows the things of
God, agreeing with or refuting facts exposed to it. In
our day - to - day engagement with decision making
and receiving direction, there is the place of exposing
these choices to our inward witness. The essence of
this is that the Spirit of the believer who is in union
with God and knows the things of God, agrees with
or refutes facts exposed to it. It can be said that the
inward witness is a reaction from the spirit within, an
inward impression or witness, that either endorses
or refutes facts exposed to it. These reactions or
impressions will be expressed through or in the mind
of the believer. Since the mind is where we have
emotions then, the Spirit bearing witness with or
refuting facts exposed to it will be via our emotions.

These emotions are specific reasons which are based

on impulses received from information on a regular
basis via the senses which can be seen through our
expressions in joy, anger, sadness, excitement, and
many such. John recorded an account concerning
Jesus, John 11:33-35, Here, John stated that" Jesus

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groaned in the Spirit and was troubled from within,

which was demonstrated via tears. This is an
example of inward witness. We have Paul also in the
book of Acts 14:9, the word "perceiving" implies
something that is visibly seen. It also implies to know
or to be aware. Thus, that impression upon his mind
was from his spirit, and became aware from within,
that the man had faith to be healed.

Again, there was another event in Acts 16:18, where

it was recorded that Paul was grieved, which means,
he was uncomfortable, that is, to be troubled or
disturbed by something you do not like or want. You
will notice that Paul was grieved in the spirit because
of what the girl did. Also, in Acts 20:22-23, The word
"bound" is a similar word with the word "pressed"
literally, it has to do with being forced, that is, being
held or bound to do something. It can be better
understood as commitment. Hence, he was
compelled or committed from within, in the spirit, to
go to Jerusalem, even though he was informed of the
danger that would befall him there. In essence, as
earlier explained, the inward witness is a knowing
from within the Spirit of the believer that either
refutes or agrees to facts exposed to it. The inward
witness therefore responds to something that you
saw, heard or are doing. That is, it comes within your
activities. It is always in relationship to something
you are doing. Hence, the leading comes within your
activities. Therefore, as I go about my daily activities,
I must ensure that I am opened to the leading of
God's spirit, and regularly check the impressions I
have with the inward witness in my choices.

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CONFESSION: I make the right decisions by

deliberately exposing my thoughts and
choices to the witness of the Spirit of God, to
follow God's plan for my life.

Additional Studies:
Acts 20:22,23, Acts 17:16,17, Acts 18:5

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WHAT INWARD
WITNESS IS NOT
ROMANS 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear; but ye have received
the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father. (KJV)

As established in yesterday's study, the inward

witness can also be understood as emotional
expressions from within the believer's spirit in
agreement or disagreement with facts exposed to it,
received in the mind. Now, it is possible to assume
that any emotion expressed in the mind is of God. It
should be noted that the mind functions via logic,
reasoning, emotions, and understanding, which are
informed by information that it receives via the
senses. Many of these can be obtained from other
sources outside God's word. Now examining what
the inward witness is not, it is vital to understand
from God's word that we are not led via fear. Paul
wrote to his son Timothy about this fact. 2 Timothy
1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but
of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”. The
word "fear" means terror. The inward witness can
NEVER be expressed through fear, timidity, and
terror.

It is pertinent to understand that this "fear" is

different from the one talked about in Hebrews
12:28, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which

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cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may

serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear”.
The "godly fear" here, implies reverence which had
been explained in Hebrews 5:7, “Who in the days of
his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears unto him
that was able to save him from death, and was heard
in that he feared”. We are not led via doubt, anxiety
and unbelief. Philippians 4:6-7, “Be careful for
nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God. And the peace of God, which
passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus”. The believer’s spirit is
the spirit of faith.

2 Corinthians 4:13, “We having the same spirit of

faith, according as it is written, I believed, and
therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and
therefore speak;”. Hence, fear, timidity, torment,
terror, doubt and unbelief cannot emanate from our
spirit. This means that emotional expressions of
terror, timidity, doubt and unbelief come from
information resident in the mind we got from
external sources other than the written word of God.
God does not lead us via condemnation or a feeling
of unworthiness. Jesus speaking in John 5:24, tells
us that, the believer has everlasting life and cannot
come to condemnation, and that the believer has
passed from death to life. When a man is born again,
he receives the very life of God and comes into right
standing with God in his relationship, and there is no
condemnation to that believer in Christ Jesus

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because the believer now walks by the Spirit and not

by the flesh. Why? Because, the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus has made the believer free from
the law of sin and death, thereby making the believer
one with God in his or her relationship.

CONFESSION: I am not ruled or governed by

fear, doubt, worry or torment. I recognize
that God does not lead me by fear, doubt,
worry, anxiety and unbelief.

Additional Studies:
John 5:24, Romans 8:1-2, Philippians 4:6,7

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GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

1 CORINTHIANS 12:1, 4-6
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I
would not have you ignorant. Now there
are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
And there are differences of
administrations, but the same Lord. And
there are diversities of operations, but it is
the same God which worketh all in all.
(KJV)

We understand from our study so far, that the

primary way God leads us is via the written word.
Also, the written word reveals to us other forms of
the leading by the Spirit. Now, let us examine
another example of other forms of God's leading and
direction, in God's word. Paul in our opening text
explained to the church at Corinth about the gifts of
God's Spirit indwelling the believer. Paul teaches
concerning spiritual things pertaining to the
believer, who must not or cannot afford to be
ignorant. This means that the teaching and learning
of the things of the Spirit will make the believer
effective in his participation of the same. Now the
word "gift" implies, supernatural faculties,
supernatural abilities and endowment of things that
are within the stewardship of the recipient.

From Paul's explanation in the opening text, there

are varieties of endorsements in the Spirit indwelling
the believer. In essence, ALL the varieties or

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diversities of the gifts or endowments or abilities are

in the spirit of the believer. These gifts by Paul, based
on their operations, can be put into classifications.
Utterance gifts are gifts in the spirit of the believer
that have to do with speaking or utterances when
they are in operation in and through the believer.
They are tongues, interpretation of tongues and
prophecy. Revelation Gifts are gifts in the spirit of
the believer that reveal or unveil facts about people,
places, events, and things that are revealed or
unveiled when in operation in and through the
believer. They are Word of Wisdom, Word of
Knowledge and the Discerning of spirits. Power Gifts
are gifts in the spirit of the believer. When in
operation in and through the believer, the power of
God resident in the believer will heal the sick and
work miracles. They are Gifts of healings, working of
miracles and gift of faith.

Thus, the indwelling of the Spirit in every believer

implies that no believer lacks any of the gifts of the
Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit are abilities of every
believer. Since Paul referred to them as gifts
(charisma), this stresses the fact that these abilities
have now become a faculty in the recipient, that is,
they are not only free, they now belong to and are
within the stewardship of the recipient, and they
cannot be lost. Thus, these supernatural faculties, to
speak, to know, perceive and to do, abide, reside,
remain permanent IN every believer and by them
(the gifts) the believer knows what to do at every
moment and time. Now, understand that there are
some believers who are unlearned, uninformed, not

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taught, unschooled about the gifts in the believer and

because they don't have knowledge about the gifts,
they are faced with issues and don't know what to do,
though God may be talking to them to rescue them
from their troubles.

CONFESSION: I have the indwelling of the

Spirit of God. Hence, all the gifts of the spirit
are fully functioning in and through me and
I have been enabled by the Spirit to know,
speak and do things supernaturally.

Additional Studies:
1Corinthians 14:16,23,24, Acts 8:23, Acts 27:10

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VISION

ACTS 2:16-17
But this is that which was spoken by the
prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in
the last days, saith God, I will pour out of
my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy, and your
young men shall see visions, and your old
men shall dream dreams: (KJV)

The leading of the spirit in our everyday lives should

be a consistent fact in the believer's consciousness.
As we have been examining in our previous study,
the believer ought not to be ignorant of the fact of the
spirit leading in the operations of the gifts of the
spirit in his daily activities. God leads us by and in
the spirit, hence, one of the ways he does this is via
supernaturally granted appearances or sights
(vision). The word "vision" refers to that which is
seen, a sight and a divinely granted appearance.
Observe Peter's response on the day of Pentecost in
his explanation concerning the outpouring of the
spirit in our opening text. You see that, Peter quoted
from the scriptures the book of Joel 2:28. In essence,
every believer can prophesy, dream dreams and also
see vision. Thus, one of the ways we can also receive
direction and guidance is through visions and
dreams.

However, these visions and dreams must be properly

explained and understood from the scriptures, and

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carefully received. The lack of understanding of this

vision has birthed, erroneous doctrines, beliefs and
practices, misleading and endangering the lives of
many believers, who are not well taught and tutored
in the written word. Observed when Peter said "this
is that" to his audience, after which he explained
from Joel's prophecy, in context the "this" was in
reference to an occurrence in the preceding text Acts
2:1-4. The phrase "appeared unto them" means they
saw, and the statement "a sound from heaven"
implies they heard. In other words, they heard and
saw in the spirit. This clearly was supernaturally
granted sight and sound vision.

Evidently, this shows that in a vision, the recipient

will literally see and hear things. So, a vision is not an
imagination from the mind. It is God leading us
supernaturally via sights and sounds. It is clearly
seen from the Book of Acts that visions are a regular
feature with and among believers. From our study,
we will understand that vision is a supernaturally
granted appearance, which means, it is not a sight
that could have been seen or perceived with the
physical eyes without being granted. The key
elements in a vision are, seeing and knowing, that is,
the recipient will see and also know things
supernaturally. It is therefore important to learn to
follow the leading of God's Spirit. The believer in
Christ should acknowledge the diversities of the
demonstration of the gifts of the spirit in receiving
visions and revelations in his daily life. Thus, the
believer today must be open to receiving such
demonstrations of the gifts of the Spirit in God's

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leading and direction.

CONFESSION: I am not ignorant concerning

God's leading for me via visions and
revelations. I am opened to seeing and
knowing supernaturally, by and in the
spirit.

Additional Studies:
Acts 16:9,10, Acts 9:10,12, Acts 10:3,17,19

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PRAYER
JEREMIAH 33:3
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and
shew thee great and mighty things, which
thou knowest not. (KJV)

The believer has a responsibility to recognize,

appraise, acknowledge or appreciate the leading of
the spirit in his reasoning and thought patterns. This
implies that they will accordingly practice the truths
contained in scriptures via conscious, regular times
of meditation. It, therefore, follows that the subject
of prayer will also be in his or her quest to appreciate
the will and leading of the spirit of God in everyday
walk. Now, looking at our opening text, Jeremiah
said "call upon" that is to pray, to ask, to request, to
make a request. There are specific facts of this “call”.
Our or my role is to call while God's role is to answer.
This implies that he answers every time we call or
pray. The prophet teaches that the answer of God in
prayer is revelation, he will show "great and mighty
things which we know not" that means, the prayer is
our contact with revelation, which is having contact
with the revelation of God. The answer of God in
prayer is revelation, to reveal his purpose and plan.
We therefore receive directions into God's leading in
our lives consistently on a daily basis.

Jeremiah 33:6-8, “Behold, I will bring it health and

cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them
the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause

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the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to

return, and will build them, as at the first. And I will
cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they
have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their
iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby
they have transgressed against me”. In reading the
above text further, he speaks about redemption,
salvation, lives being turned around, and even the
defeat of the enemy is there. This means, our prayer
changes people and nations but very vitally, it is our
contact with God's revealed plan, which is the will of
God we discover through the leading of the spirit. It
therefore means, that in the place of prayer, we get to
see what God is doing and what God wants to do.

Therefore, prayer is our contact with God's purpose

and plan. Prayer is about the will of God and his
agenda in the earth. It's about God's schedule in the
earth. Thus, if I will deliberately walk in his wisdom,
the leading of the spirit, I will deliberately recognize
and appreciate his leading as I "fellowship" with His
revelation in the place of prayer daily. Since God
answers every time, we call or pray, we can receive
revelation by his spirit as we engage his spirit daily.
PRAYER IS OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH THE
LEADING OF THE SPIRIT, to see our place in God's
agenda in all the earth. Most important is the fact
that if we don't call upon or make requests, there will
be no premise to receive answers or revelation in
prayer. Our request in prayer is our call or demand
on the revelation we can receive in prayer. We pray
therefore to help our recognition of God's revealed
plan - The more I pray, the more I recognize and

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appreciate his plan and purpose for the whole earth.

CONFESSION: God hears me every time I

pray, I receive impressions, revelation and
direction in my mind, I perceive his will
aright, I follow his plan aright.

Additional Studies:
2 Chronicles 7:15, 2 Chronicles 30:27, Nehemiah 1:6

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THE LAWS OF MOSES

LUKE 24: 44
And he said unto them, These are the words
which I spake unto you, while I was yet
with you, that all things must be fulfilled,
which were written in the law of Moses, and
in the prophets, and in the psalms,
concerning me. (KJV)

Moses was given the authority to govern or lead the

Israelites from Egypt. During the process of their
journey, the message of faith or the gospel of Christ
was preached by Moses to these people in typology
including the giving of the Ten Commandments
which was a typology of the conduct of a man when
the promised Spirit is given or fulfilled. Moses also
personally gave these Israelites many other laws.
Theologians say that Moses gave them other 613 laws
to obey. The Ten Commandments were different
from the other laws Moses gave to the Israelites. The
Ten Commandments have no curses or punishments
to it, however, the laws of Moses had curses and
punishments to it. Jesus called the ten
commandments, the commandments and
summarized them into two, (Matthew 22: 24-40).
Moses engaged angels in the giving and
administration of the ten commandments and the
other laws he gave to the Israelites. These laws were
a result of the unbelief of the Israelites in the message
of faith preached by Moses to them.

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Moses as a prophet spoke of the sufferings of Christ

and his glorification through many forms of
communication. Luke 24:44, “And he said unto
them, These are the words which I spake unto you,
while I was yet with you, that all things must be
fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and
in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me”.
These Israelites did not believe the message of faith
in these communications. Moses used feasts,
ceremonies, practices, laws and other symbolic or
figurative means to communicate the message of
faith to them. The Passover feast, the Sabbath rest,
the bronze serpent, the temple and its regulations of
worship were all means of communicating the
message of Christ or the gospel of faith or what was
yet to come to them. However, the Israelites did not
believe the message being communicated but were so
much more engrossed in the mode of
communication than the message.

Jesus said in John 5: 46-47 “For had ye believed

Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of
me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye
believe my words?” Therefore, Moses’ writings were
about Christ. In reading the law and the prophet, we
must focus on the message of faith or Christ in it not
the mode of communication. It is an error to leave
the message and go for the practices and the laws
which were Moses’ own mode of communication.
Other prophets also communicated the same
message of faith by different modes of
communication. Jesus is the message of the

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prophets. The death and resurrection of Jesus was

the fulfilment of the law and the prophets.

Confession: I live by the message of faith in

the writings of Moses, not the laws and
practices.

Additional Studies:
Luke 24: 25-27, John 3: 14, John 6: 30-35

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FULFILMENT OF THE LAW

MATTHEW 5: 17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law,
or the prophets: I am not come to destroy,
but to fulfil. (KJV)

We said that in the law and the prophet, we have the

main message which is called the message of faith or
the gospel and the mode of communication. The
message is the same but the mode of communication
was different at different times. Hebrews 1: 1-2 says
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners
spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom
also he made the worlds;”. The various activities,
experiences and miracles Moses demonstrated to the
Israelites in the wilderness of their journey to the
promised land are modes of communicating the
message of Christ or the preaching of God’s
faithfulness to fulfil his promise of life in Christ. We
are to take the message without forming religion out
of the practices and the laws which was the mode of
communication. An example is the miracle of water
coming out of the rock. The rock was explained by
apostle Paul as Christ. The drinking of the water from
the rock was not salvation but the preaching of
salvation. 1 Corinthians 10:4, “And did all drink the
same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual
Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ”.

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Our opening text is erroneously interpreted by many

to mean that we are still expected to obey the laws of
Moses because Jesus did not come to destroy the law
but to fulfil it. To them, the fulfilment of the law
means approval. They go further to segregate the
laws of Moses and the prophets into moral and
ceremonial laws. The truth is that we have no such
differentiation in the laws of Moses. Such people
often ask if we are to kill because we are no more
under the law. This is an expression of ignorance of
the law and the prophets. The fruit of the Spirit which
is love was the message of the ten commandments.
We take the message not the mode of
communication. In love, we don’t kill or steal.

The fulfilment of the law is the fulfilment or coming

to pass the message of the law and the prophets.
What the law and prophets communicated would
take place has been fulfilled. What the prophets and
the law communicated was the sufferings and
glorification of Christ. Jesus said he came not to
destroy or set aside the law and prophets but to bring
it to pass. Jesus was not saying that we should obey
the laws of Moses. Jesus is the fulfilment of the
message of the laws and the prophecy of the
prophets. In the fulfilment of the law and the
prophets is the giving of the promised Spirit. The
believer, therefore, lives by the fruit of the Spirit, not
by the laws of Moses or the ten commandments.

Confession: Jesus has fulfilled the law and

the prophets. I have received the promised
Spirit. I bear the fruit of the Spirit.

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Additional Studies:
Matthew 5: 17-20, Romans 13: 8-10,
Galatians 5: 22-23

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TROUSERS AND SKIRTS

DEUTERONOMY 22: 5
The woman shall not wear that which
pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man
put on a woman's garment: for all that do
so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
(KJV)

The ten commandments were given to Moses to

communicate the message of love which is the fruit
of the Spirit that those who will receive the promised
Spirit after Christ's resurrection from the dead will
bear. We, therefore, don’t live by the ten
commandments but by the fruit of the Spirit which is
love. Jesus explained the commandments as love for
God and love for your neighbour. Love for God is
faith in Christ. The ten commandments was a mode
of communication to Moses. Moses also on many
occasions gave other laws to the Israelites when it
became necessary. These laws were given by Moses
himself and administered or enforced by angels,
Hebrews 2:2, “For if the word spoken by angels was
stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience
received a just recompence of reward”. It was not
God who gave those laws to the Israelites. That is why
it was called the laws of Moses.

Many people out of ignorance use our opening text to

form a doctrine against women that it is wrong or
sinful for a woman to wear trousers. Some even go to
the extent to say that any woman who puts on

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trousers will go to hell. It is important to note that

there is no mention of trousers or skirts in the
opening text. What pertains unto a man or what
pertains to a woman is defined by the culture one
finds himself or herself. There is no standard dress
type for all men irrespective of their culture in the
bible. Dressing is cultural. What is accepted by one
culture can be unaccepted by another culture. In
Bible days, priests put on skirts. In our contemporary
dynamic culture, trousers are not for only men.
Women are allowed to put on trousers. To use the
above scripture to define as evil the wearing of
trousers by women is an error.

The opening text was part of the laws Moses gave to

the Israelites. Reading the verses before and after
will let you know that Moses gave them other similar
laws. They were not to plant any other crop between
the rows of their vineyard. If they did, they were
forbidden to use either the grapes from the vineyard
or the other crop. They were not to wear clothing
made of wool and linen woven together. There were
many other laws in that chapter. Therefore, to select
this particular verse to form doctrine is a great error.
The only instruction is that we must walk in love by
being decent and not dress to provoke any immoral
imagination for your brother or sister. There is
nothing sinful or evil about wearing trousers if your
culture permits it. Salvation is not by what you wear.
Nobody will go to hell because they put on a certain
dress type. Salvation is faith in Christ. However, a
mature believer will ensure they put on a dress that
is considered decent and accepted in their culture.

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Confession: I walk in love. My dressing is

influenced by love not by the laws of Moses.

Additional Studies:
Deuteronomy 22: 1-12, Romans 13: 8-10,
1Timothy 2: 9,

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EARRINGS AND PERMED HAIR

1PETER 3:3
Your beauty should not come from outward
adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles
and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine
clothes. (KJV)

We studied that the popular teaching that prohibits

women from wearing trousers is false. We said that
dressing is cultural. Whatever is accepted as decent
within the culture one finds themselves is good and
can be worn. Deuteronomy 22:5 is not the
prohibition of women wearing trousers. It was part
of the laws of Moses given to the Israelites at a certain
period under a different time. The rules of dressing
prescribed by Moses under the law cannot be applied
to the man in Christ. There are many laws prescribed
by Moses that we all accept as not practical in our
times. Moses gave laws on farming, marriage and
others. The laws of Moses are not for the man in
Christ. The laws were made by Moses to the
Israelites. Some of these laws were based on their
culture and the circumstances prevailing at that
time. It is important to note that the Gentiles were
not part of the laws of Moses. To select some of the
laws of Moses and make it a doctrine for the believer
in Christ is an error. As believers, we live by the fruit
of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:23 ended by saying that against these

there is no law. Some of these laws were about

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dressing or fashion which cannot be made a doctrine

for the believer. Fashion is mostly cultural, not
doctrinal but as believers, our conduct of love must
show in what we wear or put on. The opening text is
one of the bible verses that many ignorantly use to
support other laws of Moses to form the doctrine that
it is a sin for a woman to put on jewellery and apply
creams to style her hair. No bible text stands on its
own. Its meaning is taken from the context of the
passage. Reading from verse 1, “Likewise, wives, be
subject to your own husbands, so that even if some
do not obey the word, they may be won without a
word by the conduct of their wives, when they see
your respectful and pure conduct.”. We can clearly
see that the context here is between a believing wife
and an unbelieving husband. It is not an instruction
for all women.

Here apostle Peter was telling the believing wife that

it will take respectful and pure conduct to win your
husband to the faith and not by putting on an
elaborate hairstyle or wearing gold jewellery or fine
clothes. The emphasis is on the inner character, not
the outward adornment. Here, he is in no way saying
that the wearing of jewellery and doing hairstyle is
sinful. Apostle Paul said a similar thing in 1 Timothy
2: 9 that women should adorn themselves in
respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control,
not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly
attire. This is not a prohibition but an
encouragement to be modest and decent. The word
translated women in this context is the same as

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wives. There is nothing sinful about putting on

jewellery and styling your hair as a man or woman.

Confession: My focus is on my inner conduct

not on my outward adornment.

Additional Studies:
1Peter 3:1-7, 1Timothy 2: 8-10, Matthew 5: 14-16

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REMEMBER THE SABBATH

LUKE 6:5
And he said unto them, That the Son of man
is Lord also of the sabbath. (KJV)

One of the most important things we should know is

that Christian doctrine has been concluded. The
foundation of Christian doctrine has been laid by the
foundational apostles whom the Lord Jesus ordained
and authorized for this purpose. This clearly implies
that the letters of these Apostles have become the
final authority of Christian doctrine, beliefs and
practices. Therefore, every teaching (doctrine), and
consequently practice in the local church must be
established solely on the explanation of these
Apostles in their letters. An attempt to do otherwise
will certainly lead us to erroneous beliefs and
practices. Any understanding or revelation or
practice which has not got its pattern in the epistles
is an error and human innovation. Christianity is
apostolic and for that matter, we teach, believe and
practice what the foundational Apostles believed,
taught and practised.

One of the challenges in the church today is the issue

of the sabbath otherwise referred to as Rest and its
related rules and practices. Saturday is seen as a
special day of rest. It is seen as God’s holy day for
worship. Some activities are prohibited to be done
during this day of rest. Anybody who does not
honour that day is considered disobedient to God’s

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word. The question is, do you see such beliefs and

practices in the writings of the epistles? Is there any
pattern for us to follow? Man was created on the sixth
day to enter God’s rest on the seventh day. The
making of the seventh day as the day of rest in the
Old Testament was all a typology communicating
God’s plan of salvation or rest in Christ. Jesus in
Luke 6:5 said, "He is the Lord of the sabbath". This
gives an indication that the seventh-day rest was
about Jesus. The author of the book of Hebrews also
said in Hebrews 4:3 “For we which have believed do
enter into rest”. This means we believe to enter into
God’s rest.

Therefore, the sabbath which is otherwise referred to

as the rest of God was not taught or emphasized as a
day. It was a day in typology or mystery and was
fulfilled at the resurrection of Christ. Jesus now
becomes our rest. When you believe on Christ, you
enter into God’s rest. You cease from all works or
efforts to be accepted by God. Saturday or Sunday is
not God’s rest. God’s rest is Christ. What was a day
was a pointer to Christ. Christ has died and
resurrected to fulfil the symbolic use of a day as a
sabbath rest. Every believer is in rest. We believe to
enter that rest. To make Saturday or Sunday as God’s
rest is to live under the shadows of the Old
Testament. We can worship God on any day, time or
place. God lives in us, not in physical temples.

Confession: I believed in Jesus; therefore, I

have entered into rest.

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Additional Studies:
Luke 6:1-5, Hebrews 4:1-10, Matthew 11:28

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THE REST OF GOD

MATTHEW 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I
am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy
and My burden is light. (KJV)

Salvation is a call into God's rest, it is not a call to

performance at all. As opposed to some beliefs, God's
call of salvation brings every soul into the rest that
only God can give. We can expressly see how Jesus's
proposition here is a call for them to enter rest and
not to add to their labour. The truth is, man is already
burdened enough with a troubled soul and in
desperate need of help. So, the only thing Jesus
would have come to offer man would be relief from
the yoke and burdens laid upon him. The word
“labour” as used here means 'to grow weary, tired,
exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief), to labour
with wearisome effort or to toil'. The labour spoken
of here is not the physical labour or work we partake
in on a daily basis but, a spiritual one. What Jesus
came to rescue us from is that kind of labour that
wearied the soul of man.

This particular labour is connected with being

heavily ladened. The phrase “heavy ladened” as used
in the above quoted verse is one word which means
“to place a burden upon or to load”. That is, to

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overburden with ceremony or spiritual anxiety. This

means that the weariness the soul feels is a result of
the strong and unbearable demand to perform
something. This is synonymous with the law of
Moses. Another name for the law of Moses is
“works”. This law only terrifies and does not justify.
This is why seeking to be made right before God by
the works of the law is a futile effort. Apostle Paul
made this crystal clear in his letter to the Galatians,
Galatians 2:16, “Knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus
Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we
might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by
the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified”. The soul that turns to the law
of Moses at any point seeking justification will only
find unrest for his or her soul.

Right from the beginning, God never designed any

man to obtain justification by the works of the law.
God's way into rest has always been by faith.
Abraham was only justified by Faith and not by the
works of the law. According to the Apostle James;
Abraham was called “a friend of God” simply because
he believed in God. (James 2:23). The implication of
this is that Abraham became dear to God because of
his Faith, and God had a strong affection towards
Abraham because he was pleased with him. Instead
of peace and blessings, what the law offers are
troubles and curses because it is making demands
from bankrupt men. The law demands a hundred
percent obedience from men; hence it only
guarantees curses. Note that the demands of the laws

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are just, but the problem is, it is making these

demands from incapable men. Hence, Jesus calls it a
HEAVY BURDEN!

Confession: I am in the rest of God and I am

justified by faith in Christ.

Additional Studies:
Galatians 2:16, Acts 13:38-39, Romans 3:21-28

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FEET WASHING
JOHN 13:14-15
If I then, your Lord and Master, have
washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one
another's feet. For I have given you an
example, that ye should do as I have done to
you. ((KJV)

We said that the seventh-day rest was a typology

pointing to salvation rest in Christ. It was a practice
under the shadows of the Old Testament. The man in
Christ is saved and for that matter, has entered into
rest. To be heavy laden means to be under the yoke
of the law or self-efforts. Faith in Christ is
deliverance from the bondage of the law of
performance. Another practice in the church today is
the feet washing service. They mostly quote our
opening text to justify this act of feet washing. Firstly,
it is important to note that the practice of "feet
washing" can be seen in the Old Testament books of
the bible. The first mention is seen in the book
Genesis 18:4 where Abraham invited the three men
(Angels) to come in and that water should be fetched
to wash their feet. The practice of feet washing was a
practice of hospitality in receiving sojourners,
visitors or strangers. Notably, it speaks to the action
of the receiver towards another.

Washing people's feet was a customary practice done

literally to welcome, and receive people and visitors.
It was a display of hospitality from the actor to the

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recipient. Severally in the Old Testament, you can see

this act being done to people who came in from a
journey. Therefore, in the Old Testament, feet
washing was a custom of welcoming and receiving
people from a journey. Now the question one will ask
is, why did Jesus wash his disciple’s feet? What was
the significance of what Jesus did? Jesus' statement
in verses 12,13 and 14 will help us "if I then your Lord
and master washed your feet, ye also ought to wash
one another's feet". This helps us to see that he used
the practice of feet washing figuratively to teach them
humility and service. That was explained further in
John 13:15, “For I have given you an example, that ye
should do as I have done to you”.

Jesus here used a literal ceremony where physical

water was used as a symbol of love and hospitality to
explain the spiritual reality of his sacrifice for sins
and our identification with him. Therefore, what
Jesus did was to teach his disciples (us) humility and
service to one another and humanity. It is in no way
telling us to be practising feet washing as a religious
activity. The example for us to follow is not the
activity but the lesson or message the activity was
communicating. The message was humility and
service. This is an example for us to follow. We must
be humble and serve one another as Christ humbled
himself and served us. Jesus was using this symbolic
act of service to teach us how he would serve us in his
death. The washing of our feet was the symbolic act
of washing our sins. This is the reason why Jesus told
Peter if he did not allow his feet to be washed, he is
part of him. Jesus was referring to the washing of our

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sins in his death and resurrection. As Jesus served us

in his death, we must also serve the brethren.

Confession: I walk in humility and I respect

people whom Christ died for.

Additional scriptures:
Genesis 19:2, Genesis 24:32, 1Samuel 25:41

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HOLY COMMUNION
1CORINTHIANS 10:16-17
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not
the communion of the blood of Christ? The
bread which we break, is it not the
communion of the body of Christ? For we
being many are one bread, and one body:
for we are all partakers of that one bread.
(KJV)

We have explained seventh-day rest as an Old

Testament typology of salvation in Christ. We also
taught that the washing of the feet of Jesus’ disciples
was Jesus using a cultural practice to teach the lesson
of humility and service, how he was about to serve us
in his death and how we should also serve the
brethren in humility. Another common practice in
most churches today is the eating of bread and wine
which is commonly referred to as “holy communion”.
Firstly, it is important to note that the phrase "Holy
communion" is not found in any text of the Bible, nor
was it used by Jesus and the Apostles in their letters.
However, the practice referred to as "The Holy
communion" seems to derive its root from Paul's
words in the opening text. In other places, it is also
called the Passover.

It is important to note that the Passover or

communion was started by Moses. It was an annual
feast of the Jews. Jesus and his disciples also took
part in the Passover feast annually. This Passover or

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communion was also a typology pointing to the

redemptive work of Christ. Jesus explained the
significance of the bread and the wine to his disciples
at the last Passover with his disciples and told them
that they should do this Passover in the
understanding (remembrance) of him or with the
focus on him as the message of the Passover. Jesus
was not establishing a continual practice; he was
rather explaining a practice they have been having
since the time of Moses as a typology if his
redemptive work. Apostle Paul in our opening text
used the Passover feast to teach our oneness in
Christ. The word "communion" used by Paul means
"sharing, participation, fellowship or contribution.
He said we are one bread. This is not literal but
figurative using the Passover. Apostle Paul also
implied a similar lesson in Ephesians 5:30 “For we
are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his
bones”.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 11, apostle Paul also used

the Passover feast Jesus had with his disciples to
teach unity and love. There were divisions in the
church of Corinth that resulted in the abuse of their
love feast or what was called the Lord’s supper. The
Lord's supper was not the Passover or the
communion. It was believers bringing food to eat
together to promote love and unity. It was called the
breaking of bread in the book of Acts. Apostle Paul
was not teaching believers to practice Passover or
communion. He was rather using what was done by
Jesus and his disciples to teach a lesson. Jesus’ death
and resurrection fulfilled the typology of the

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Passover using bread and wine. Therefore, we don't

eat literal bread and drink literal wine to partake of
Christ's blood and body, rather we believe in the
gospel and become partakers of His body.

Confession: I believed in the gospel of Christ;

therefore, I am a partaker of His body.

Additional Studies:
John 6:31-58, 1Corinthians 11:17-33,
1Corinthians 12:12-14

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WOMEN PASTORS
1TIMOTHY 2: 11-12
Let the woman learn in silence with all
subjection. But I suffer not a woman to
teach, nor to usurp authority over the man,
but to be in silence. (KJV)

The scriptures or the Old Testament books require

interpretation. Taking everything literally without
considering the context of the communication can
lead to serious errors. Jesus said Moses wrote of him,
John 5:46-47. How did Moses write of Jesus? He
wrote of Jesus using figures of speech, practices,
feasts etc. This means that there was a hidden
communication behind the practices of the Old
Testament. The laws of Moses appear to be gender
biased against women. This was due to the Jewish
cultural bias against women. Theologians say that
women were not counted during a census among the
Jews. We often hear of the 12 sons of Jacob even
though he had a daughter called Diana. Jesus lived
under the law and subjected himself to most of the
laws because he had not shed his blood to establish
the New Testament. Before his death, he instructed
his disciples to obey the Pharisees because they sat
on Moses’ seat. This is the reason none of his 12
disciples were women. If he were to choose a woman,
the Jews wouldn’t listen to her. Therefore, for
effective communication of the gospel among the
Jews, no woman was chosen.

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The opening text appears to suggest that women

should not teach but be silent. This has made people
conclude that women cannot be pastors of a church.
This is due to poor bible interpretation. The Greek
word for woman is “gune”. This is the same Greek
word for wife. The word man and husband have the
same Greek word which is “aner”. Therefore, context
and proper corroboration will let you know whether
the discussion is among husbands and wives or all
men and all women. The context of the opening text
is about husbands and wives. Apostle Paul was
teaching the submission of wives to their own
husbands.

Apostle Paul said a similar thing in 1Corinthains 14:

34-34, “Let your women keep silence in the
churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak;
but they are commanded to be under obedience, as
also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let
them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame
for women to speak in the church.” Apostle Paul was
teaching the submission of wives to their husbands.
Under such custom, women were not supposed to
teach or interrogate their husbands in public. It was
a sign of dishonour. Apostle Paul was not telling all
women to be silent nor was he teaching that a woman
cannot be a pastor in our modern culture. There is no
scripture prohibiting women to be pastors. Wives are
supposed to honour their husbands according to how
honour is expressed in their culture or custom.

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Confession: I express honour to whom

honour is due according to how honour is
expressed in my culture.

Additional Studies:
1Timothy 2: 8-14, Colossians 3: 18, Galatians 3:28

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COVERING OF HEAD

1CORINTHIANS 11:5
But every woman that prayeth or
prophesieth with her head uncovered
dishonoureth her head: for that is even all
one as if she were shaven. (KJV)

One of the results of mere religion is that it is gender

bias. Most religions and cultures of the world are
biased against women. However, in Christ, there is
no gender difference. This is because we were saved
by the same blood of Jesus. We believed the same
gospel and received the same Holy Ghost. The great
commission is to all. The ministry offices have no
gender to them. There is nothing about women that
makes them disqualified from participating in any
spiritual activity and takingng any spiritual
responsibility. Any such bias against them is
ignorance of the scriptures or the power of God. Men
and women are all equal in Christ. It is only in the
marriage institution that men are made the head for
the purpose of order. Instructions concerning the
submission of women are the submission of wives to
their own husbands, not all men. This submission of
wives to their own husbands is what apostle Paul
taught in our previous studies. Since the Greek word
for wife and woman are the same, one must read in
context and in comparison with other known
scriptures to be able to know if the statement is about
wives or all females.

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There is a doctrine in some major churches that

demands women to put on a scarf or cover their
heads in church or before praying. They consider it a
sin to pray without women covering their heads. The
basis of such doctrine is from our opening text. This
is a great error in biblical interpretation. As we said
bible text must always be interpreted in context. Let
us consider from verse 3, “But I would have you
know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the
head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ
is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having
his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every
woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head
uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all
one as if she were shaven.”

Apostle Paul said the head of the woman is the man.

Women must therefore cover their heads when
praying or prophesying. Not covering the head is a
dishonour to the head. This is figurative language.
The use of head in this context is headship which is
figurative of authority. This headship is in the
context of marriage. The husband is the head of the
wife. Apostle Paul was telling the wives to protect and
honour or cover their husbands even during prayer
or prophesying. He was telling them to recognize the
authority of their husbands in church. This is
husbands' and wives’ instructions concerning
honour as expressed in their custom or culture.
There is no mention of a scarf in this text. The
instruction is not for all men or women but for
husbands and wives. You can pray when bathing, you
can prophesy anywhere. Today there is no such

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custom demanding the covering of the head as an

expression of honour to husbands. Paul was talking
figuratively using their custom or culture.

Confession: I can pray and prophesy

anywhere without literally covering my
head.

Additional Studies:
1Corinthians 11: 1-16, Ephesians 5:23-24,
Colossians 3: 18

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FAMILY PLANNING
GENESIS 38: 9-10
But Onan knew that the offspring would not
be his. So whenever he went in to his
brother's wife he would waste the semen on
the ground, so as not to give offspring to his
brother. And what he did was wicked in the
sight of the Lord, and he put him to death
also. (ESV)

The Bible is not a mystical book that cannot be

understood. It is a book that requires understanding
in order to follow the teachings and instructions in it.
When a person wrongly interprets the bible, a major
truth would be lost. Every bible text must not be
taken out of context. Immediately we take bible text
out of its context or environment, we would err by
giving it our own interpretation. The opening text
was an incident that took place in the Old Testament
where it was customary for a widow who had no child
with the husband to get pregnant by the brother of
the late husband and give birth in the name of the
late brother for the lineage to continue or to inherit
his properties. This man called Onan was wicked and
selfish because anytime he slept with this widow, he
would spill the semen on the ground to prevent the
widow from getting pregnant. The Bible says that he
did this because he knew the child to be born would
not be his child. This act of spilling the semen on the
ground has made people form the doctrine against
family planning.

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These people believe that anytime you deliberately

prevent semen from getting fertilized in a woman, it
is an act of wickedness. Therefore, family planning
methods are sinful. They say that apart from natural
family planning anything deliberate or artificial such
as hormonal, barrier or withdrawal method as Onan
did is sinful. From the opening text, what was wicked
about Onan was his intention, his selfish attitude
that he didn’t want to give birth for the late brother.
It was not that spilling semen on the ground was
wicked or sinful. The purpose of taking the widow of
the late brother was procreation. Therefore, what he
did was deception and wicked.

There is no scripture that makes any scientific

method of family planning sinful. The decision of
childbirth and control is within the affairs of men. It
has nothing to do with God. It is like the choice of
school to attend or a car to drive. Such choices are
made by men according to their desires and
information available to judge the choice. God is not
against science or medicine. Natural or scientific
knowledge is a blessing for all men. Therefore, all
that is required of us is to seek the right knowledge
and make well-informed decisions that will benefit
us in the natural. There is nothing spiritual about any
form of family planning method. Husbands and
wives are at liberty to make any well-informed
decision for themselves. We have no doctrine on
family planning in Christ.

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Confession: God is not against science and

medicine. I use scientific knowledge to
benefit me in the natural.

Additional Studies:
Genesis 38: 1-10, Colossians 4: 14, 1Timothy 5: 23

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ANOINTING OIL
JAMES 5: 14
Is any sick among you? let him call for the
elders of the church; and let them pray over
him, anointing him with oil in the name of
the Lord: (KJV)

One common error many believers make in their

bible interpretation is that they are not able to
consider the context and the circumstances or the
audience of a particular bible passage. It is not all
bible passages that are to the man in Christ, although
they were written for us. We have descriptive Bible
passages that are not prescriptive to the man in
Christ. The fact that an event, a practice or an activity
can be found in the bible does not make it an
automatic doctrine for the believer to practice it.
Animal sacrifice can be found in the Bible, water
baptism can be found in the Bible, and tithing can be
found in the bible. Though all these are found and
practised in the bible, it does not make it automatic
for the believer. One such practice that can be found
in the Bible is the use of anointing oil. The use of
anointing oil can be found in both the Old and the
New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the
materials for making anointing oil were specific.

This oil was used as a symbolic or mode of

communicating what the Spirit would do later after
the resurrection of Christ. Men and items for God
were anointed with oil. Christ has come, died and

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resurrected. We have received the promised Spirit.

We don’t need the symbols again when the reality has
come. The Holy Spirit in the believer is the anointing.
Therefore, the believer is anointed. He does not need
oil to be poured on him to feel anointed. Smearing
oil on people or anointing them with oil was also a
Jewish medicinal practice of treating the sick. In the
parable of the good Samaritan, the oil and wine were
used for medical purposes.

From our opening text, the sick were asked to be

anointed with oil. At Jesus’ death, the women
planned to anoint his body for preservation. In Mark
6: 13, “And they cast out many devils, and anointed
with oil many that were sick, and healed them.”. In
the New Testament, the sick were anointed with oil
for medical purposes, not for the Holy Ghost power.
In the New Testament, there is no example of oil
poured on people for Holy Ghost power. Anytime oil
was used to anoint people, it was in relation to the
sick. The oil was not for supernatural power but a
cultural practice of treating the sick. This is among
the Jews. The use of anointing oil for Holy Ghost
power is, therefore, an expression of ignorance of the
identity of the believer in Christ. We have the
anointing in us, not in bottles. Using anointing oil to
anoint people for Holy Ghost power or consecration
is like doing animal sacrifice for the forgiveness of
sins. Animal sacrifice and anointing oil were all
pointers to what Christ was about to do in his death
and resurrection.

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Confession: I have the Holy Ghost in me I

don’t need oil to be poured on me for the Holy
Ghost power.

Additional Studies:
Exodus 40: 9-16, 2Corinthians 1: 21, 1 John 2: 27

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ANOINTED ITEMS FOR SALE

ACTS 19: 11-12
And God wrought special miracles by the
hands of Paul: So that from his body were
brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or
aprons, and the diseases departed from
them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
(KJV)

We have said that Christianity is not innovating

something that seems to produce certain expected
results without using the scriptures to judge the
correctness of such practice. There are times when
scriptures are wrongly interpreted to support a
practice. Christianity is apostolic and historic; this
means that we must practice what the apostles
practice. Their interpretation of the scriptures must
be our interpretation. We must do what they did the
way they did it. When we do that, we shall be safe
from errors. The use of items or substances for
supernatural ministrations is common in most
churches. Some of these items include water, oil,
handkerchiefs, sand, books, fruits, plants and many
others. These items are often called anointed in the
context that the anointed man of God prayed over
them. Most of these items are packed and sold to
solve various problems of men such as protection
from evil spirits, healing, favour, the killing of
enemies, business success, marriage and many more.
Sometimes special direction or what is commonly
called assignment is given on how to apply these

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anointed items for their intended results. They often

quote our opening text in support of these practices.

In the Old Testament, we have records of how some

of the prophets produced miracles by the use of items
or substances. Jesus also once spat on the ground
and mixed it with clay and anointed a blind man and
asked him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam for
his healing. The apostles also had occasions like our
opening text where people picked handkerchiefs or
aprons which has touched the body of Apostle Paul
to heal the sick. It is therefore not sinful or
doctrinally wrong to communicate healing to some
people by that means. There are some people
especially unbelievers who are so used to things and
mediums that the only means they can respond by
faith for healing is through the use of items.

Believers who have understood the gospel and have

received the Spirit do not need anointed items to
communicate the power of God. Jesus and the
apostles did not make a ministry out of anointed
water or handkerchiefs. Items were occasionally
used for individuals when it became necessary due to
the expression of their faith. The use of these items
was mostly induced by the faith of the receiver. It was
not a standard pattern laid down for the church.
None of the prophets, Jesus or the apostles ever sold
or made a business out of such items. They did not
mass produce and package them for sale or
distribution. The power of God is in men not in
items. It is therefore wrong to mass produce, package
and sell “anointed” items for any spiritual use.

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Confession: I have the indwelling of the

Spirit. I receive spiritual ministration via
words not by “anointed” items.

Additional Studies:
John 9: 1-7, Matthew 10: 5-8, 2 Corinthians 4: 13

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WHAT IS PRAYER
MARK 11:24
Therefore I say unto you, What things
soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that
ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
(KJV)

The subject of prayer is a major theme discussed in

the scriptures, and it is a vital aspect of our faith. A
fundamental error is to assume that once a man is
saved, he automatically knows how to pray or what
prayer is. The disciples of Jesus walked with him for
three and half years, and in this years, one major
thing they asked him, was to teach them how to pray.
Luke 11:1-2, “And it came to pass, that, as he was
praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his
disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as
John also taught his disciples. And he said unto
them, When ye pray, say… “. Notice the fact they also
mentioned that John taught his disciples to pray.
Even though these were men without the Spirit, yet
they requested to be taught how to pray. In the same
manner, we also must not assume today that a
believer naturally knows what prayer is and how he
should pray. Therefore, the importance of teaching
in the local church cannot be over-emphasized as it
produces maturity, stability and effectiveness in the
life of the believer.

Evidently, the believer must be taught from the

scriptures, the what, the why and the how of prayer.

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Otherwise, as Paul explained in his letter to the

church at Ephesus: they would be tossed "to and fro"
confused and unstable. In essence, a deviation from
the lack of exposure to the written word, certainly, is
the foundation of erroneous beliefs and practices on
the subject of prayer. The scriptures remain the
manual, guide for our lives. Now, Jesus' words in our
opening text capture in simple terms what it means
to pray. Thus, the first thing to note from his words
is that prayer is making known via words(voice out)
your desires unto the Father. It implies to ask or
make a request for what you desire. This implies that
prayer cannot be by thinking else, that would be
tantamount to worrying or meditation. For an
activity to be described as prayer, words containing
the desire of the person praying must be spoken or
verbalized.

Now understand that the phrase "when you pray"

means that prayer is not an option but rather a
lifestyle of the believer in Christ. Prayer therefore is
a necessary activity in our faith. Therefore, it is
important for the believer to know what prayer is and
how to pray and for him or her to know who he (the
believer) is in Christ. The believer must know that he
is a child of God, who has eternal life, that God hears
him always when he prays, and to confidently
verbalize his desires and to know that he will always
have his petitions answered by the Father.

CONFESSION: I have knowledge of prayer

and I give myself daily to prayer. I know
who I am and who God is to me.

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Additional Studies:
Acts 1:14, Mark 1:35, Ephesians 6:18

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WHY SHOULD I PRAY?

MATTHEW 6:8, 32
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your
Father knoweth what things ye have need
of, before ye ask him. (For after all these
things do the Gentiles seek:) for your
heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need
of all these things. (KJV)

Having understood what prayer is, and that God

gives to us without finding fault, what then is the
need to pray? Since God knows what I need because
he is my father and knows my needs, why do I need
to pray? Can't he give me without me asking, because
he is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, he
can do all things and everything, must I pray before
he gives? God is our father and knows our needs
before we ask him why then do I need to pray? If truly
he cares for us his children, why can he not just meet
our needs without us asking him to, since he is a -
knowing and all-powerful God who created
everything? In order to answer these questions, let's
listen to James, James 5:16, “Confess your faults one
to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be
healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much”. The prayer of the believer
makes power available and powerful to change
circumstances and every situation. The believer is
the house of God, as Jesus said, "The house of God is
the house of prayer”.

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The power of God is in the house, that is the believer,

so why must the believer pray? The believer prays to
make that power available to change situations and
challenges, to rearrange things and to set things in
order. God has finished everything and committed
everything into the hands of the believer, the power
of God is at work in the believer, but that power
cannot change anything until the believer puts the
power to work, and the only way to do that, is
through prayer. Prayer therefore is the channel by
which we make the power of God available to work in
the Earth. Jesus was God who came to earth, but He
was given the life of prayer because that is how to
make power available.

The life of Jesus is an example of how the believer

should live his life on earth. Now if Jesus fulfilled his
mandate and purpose in the earth via the power of
prayer, what do you think should be the reason we
should not pray? Again, the disciples, could not do
without prayer, in the book of Acts you will see the
disciples given to the life of prayer. Acts 6:4, “But we
will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the
ministry of the word. So clearly, the disciples were
given to the life of prayer. Therefore, we pray because
we are the house of God and the power of God is at
work in us and we make available God's power
through prayer.

CONFESSION: I am giving to a deliberate

and consistent life of prayer. I make the
power of God available to work in the earth
via my prayer.

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Additional Studies:
Ephesians 3:20, 1Corinthians 6:19,
1Corinthians 3 16

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FASTING, WHAT IS IT?

JUDGES 20:26
Then all the children of Israel, and all the
people, went up, and came unto the house of
God, and wept, and sat there before the
Lord, and fasted that day until even, and
offered burnt offerings and peace offerings
before the Lord. (KJV)

The subject of fasting is well discussed in the Bible. A

student of the Bible must therefore approach what is
written not only for information but to also further
strengthen his convictions, renew his mind and teach
from the same. In Bible study or interpretation, one
must not give a text of scripture which contains
different words, phrases and sentences, a life of its
own. To do so would result in erroneous doctrines,
beliefs and practices. It is vital to understand that a
text of scripture cannot mean today, what it never
meant when it was written, by the author. That is to
say, the truth when scriptures were written will be
the only truth of scriptures today. Our role is to find
out what the truth was when it was written, as that
will definitely be the truth today. Hence, the need to
read in the context of the author’s explanation, which
can readily be seen in surrounding texts, and most
importantly in the entire book.

This also requires paying attention to details as

explained by the author of the texts. A student of the
Bible must avoid making assumptions or jumping to

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conclusions that the author never made or intended.

The practice of fasting can be clearly seen throughout
the Holy Scriptures, where someone or a group of
people decide to abstain from food and drink for a
period of time. Now in our opening text, the first
thing you will notice is that the word "fasting" is from
the Hebrew word which means cover over the mouth.
It is a verb; this was the very first time an author in
the Old Testament books of the Bible taught with the
Word. Secondly, reading in context, observe the
explanation of the writer, The children of Israel
fasted, they were without food until evening. They
came into the house of the Lord, wept, sat before the
Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings
before the Lord, as they fasted.

In other words, the writer helps us to see that, they

did not just abstain from food alone, and other
activities but spiritual activities also accompanied
the practice of fasting, and the essence of this
practice was unto the Lord. That is, it was done in
devotion and consecration unto the Lord. Fasting,
therefore, is observed as devotion, consecration,
worship unto the Lord, and a period you stay without
food and at times without water or any drink. The
practice of fasting can either be for individuals or
with congregation and in either way, it must be
devotion and consecration unto the lord.

CONFESSION: I devote, and consecrate

myself to the lord for the work of the
ministry via fasting and prayer.

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Additional Studies:
2 Samuel 12:16-23, Ezra 8:21-24, Nehemiah 1:4-6

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FASTING TODAY
MATTHEW 4:1-2
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And
when he had fasted forty days and forty
nights, he was afterward an hungred. (KJV)

One of the arguments going on today is whether the

believer today should fast or not. Many are of the
view that today's believer doesn’t need to fast,
because to them, fasting is Old Testament practice,
and because the believer today has the Spirit of God
in him, there is no need to fast. Now, to begin with,
nobody in the scriptures fasts even in the Old
Testament for material things. Fasting is to devote
and consecrate yourself to the work of the ministry.
Now you will observe from the above scripture
(opening text) that Jesus Christ, before he began his
ministry fasted to consecrate and devote himself to
the assignment. Fasting is not an Old Testament
practice. Fasting is a Christian practice which is to
devote and consecrate oneself to the work of the
ministry.

Fasting causes the believer to deal with the flesh, it

helps to subdue the flesh and brings focus and
dedication to the work of the ministry. Most times,
God can be speaking to you, but because you are in
the midst of many things and people, you will not
hear. So, in that time you need to separate yourself
from the crowd and stay off food, is a moment of

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devotion and consecration so you can hear God

clearly.

Jesus in his earthly ministry, was given to fasting and

prayer and taught the same to his disciples, most
times he used parables to teach them about fasting
and prayer and in his teachings, he made a
distinction between the hypocrites and proud
Pharisees. The pharisee made a boast about how he
prays, fasts twice a week and gives. In contrast to
him, Jesus teaches about the humble publican who
trusts in God's mercy. Using the parable, Jesus
exposes the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and helps us
to see that "fasting and prayer and giving" ought to
be done in devotion, and consecration unto the Lord.

CONFESSION: I consecrate and devote

myself to God and the work of the ministry. I
set a day and time to fast and pray.

Additional Studies
Luke 2:36-38, Acts 13:1-4, 1Corinthians 7:1-5

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PERSONAL FAST
EXODUS 34:28
And he was there with the LORD forty days
and forty nights; he did neither eat bread,
nor drink water. And he wrote upon the
tables the words of the covenant, the ten
commandments. (KJV)

The personal fast has to do with the decision by an

individual to abstain from food to devote time to
spiritual activity. This abstention can also include
pleasure, natural appetites and desires in order to
devote oneself to the worship or service of God. We
have a lot of examples of the saints who gave
themselves to fasting and praying for the service of
God. Moses in the opening text, David, in (2 Samuel
12:16,20-22 Psalms 35:13), Daniel, in (Daniel 9:14),
Nehemiah in (Nehemiah 1:4), Jesus Christ our Lord
in (Mathew 4:1,2). We have many examples in the
scriptures concerning personal fast. Also, in the book
of Acts, we saw the disciples and the apostles giving
themselves to fasting and prayer. For example,
Cornelius in Acts 10, and the apostles in Acts 13. Paul
talked about his fasting life in 2 Corinthians 6:4-5,
“But in all things approving ourselves as the
ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in
necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in
imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings,
in fastings”.

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Also, in the second book of Corinthians, Paul talked

about the fact that he fasted often 2 Corinthians
11:25-27, “Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I
stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day
I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in
perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine
own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils
in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the
sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and
painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

In other words, Paul in relating his experience in the

work of the ministry helps us to see that the minister
of the gospel has the responsibility to ensure that he
takes out time to practice fasting often. This example
was seen in Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ in the
synoptic accounts. Moses, Elijah, David and several
other prophets of God in the Old Testament books of
the Bible fasted. Fasting was also practised by
ministers of the gospel (Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius of
Cyrene, Manaen and Saul). Therefore, we will see
that the practice of fasting is scriptural. It is seen
practised right from the Old Testament books, the
synoptic accounts, the book of Acts and the epistles
and it remains valid today. And so the believer must
have days and time set aside to fast and pray in the
year, month and weeks to devote and consecrate him
or herself to the work of the ministry

CONFESSION: I give myself to a persistent

life of prayer and fasting. I set days in the
year, month and weeks to fast and pray.

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Additional Studies:
Nehemiah 1:4, Daniel 9:1-4, Mathew 4:1-2

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CONGREGATIONAL FAST
LEVITICUS 16:29
And this shall be a statute for ever unto you:
that in the seventh month, on the tenth day
of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and
do no work at all, whether it be one of your
own country or a stranger that sojourneth
among you: (KJV)

The word "congregation" implies a plurality of

persons. Thus, the congregational fast implies two or
more people have decided to observe a fast together.
Therefore, as seen in the scriptures, when a
congregation fast is declared, the leader of the
congregation or group must specify the reason for
the fast and also, the time limit for the fast. Hence,
each member of the group is expected to abide by the
general instructions given by the leader.

In the above account, Moses instituted a general fast

for the people. Observe that he set the time for that
to be done and also, how it was to be done. We have
Jehoshaphat also, who declared a fast for the people
of Judah, 2 Chronicles 20:3-4, “And Jehoshaphat
feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and
proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah
gathered themselves together, to ask the help of the
LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came
to seek the LORD”. Here, we therefore see that
Jehoshaphat proclaimed a congregational fast for all
the inhabitants of Judah.

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Clearly in context, the reason for the fast was to ask

for help from the Lord. A congregational fast was also
seen when King Jehoiakim proclaimed a fast for all
the people in Jerusalem and for all the people that
came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem. The
same in Acts 13, we saw a congregational fast which
was observed by the elders, prophets and teachers in
the church at Antioch. In all these, the essence of the
practice of personal or congregational fasting is to
abstain from food and also pleasure, natural
appetites and desires for a period of time, in order to
devote, consecrate and dedicate oneself or ourselves
to the service and worship of God.

CONFESSION: I fast often in dedication and

consecration to the service of God.

Additional Studies:
Acts 13:1-4, Jeremiah 36:9, Esther 4:16

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WHY SHOULD I FAST

AS A BELIEVER?
1 TIMOTHY 4:7-8
But refuse profane and old wives' fables,
and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
For bodily exercise profiteth little: but
godliness is profitable unto all things,
having promise of the life that now is, and
of that which is to come. (KJV)

It has been established in our studies so far that

fasting is a scriptural practice where a person or a
group of people decide to abstain from food and
pleasure, natural appetites and legitimate desires for
a period of time, in order to devote, dedicate and
consecrate themselves to the worship or service of
God. Paul in the first book of Corinthians, instructs
married couples to even abstain from conjugal
relations for a time in order to devote themselves to
fasting and prayer. Therefore, it clearly shows the
fact that fasting plays a vital role in the life of every
believer. The question therefore is, what benefit does
fasting bring to the believer in Christ? To answer this
question, our opening text comes to the fore. So, let
us consider the opening text.

The word "exercise" is the Greek word used for

gymnasium, a place where physical exercise is done,
and where the body is put to work. It is from another
word which implies to be naked. In other words, the
word "exercise" actually implies not holding

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anything back. The writer of the book of Hebrews

taught with the same word, Hebrews 5:12-14. In
other words, the writer explained that spiritual
growth is not possible outside of spiritual exercises.
Therefore, from Paul's explanation, it is evident that
the believer ought to train himself or herself in
godliness. That is, the phrase "exercise thyself rather
unto godliness" implies according to what Paul
taught and instructed Timothy, was to consistently
and continually train and discipline himself in
"godliness". Now the question that readily comes to
the mind is What did Paul mean by "godliness? The
word" godliness "is a word which implies devotion. It
refers to what you are devoted or committed to. It is
an activity, reverence and worship which is good.

This clearly explains that the word" godliness ",

refers to an activity that you are committed or
devoted to. The writers in the New Testament books
of the Bible taught" godliness "as an activity. Paul
taught that Christianity is practised in a devoted way.
Thus, Christianity is a faith we have, and it is also a
devotion. Having believed in the gospel, the believers
have a responsibility to give themselves to the
practice of Christianity in a devoted way. Paul taught
Christian living as "godliness". In essence, Paul
taught with the Word "godliness" in this letter to
explain the lifestyle of the believer. That is, the
Christian life or living is seen in our devotion to God.
"Godliness" also means, the way we see God,
worship, and serve him which ought to be in a
committed, devoted way. In other words, Paul said to
Timothy in the opening text that Christianity is

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practised by devotion. The believer ought to train

and exercise himself in his service and worship of
God our Father. Fasting also is a spiritual exercise
that all believers ought to train and discipline
themselves in their devotion to God our Father.

CONFESSION: I am a supernatural being by

virtue of my faith in Christ and so, I give
myself to spiritual exercises, prayer, study
of the word of God and fasting always.

Additional Studies:
2Corinthians 6:4-6, 2Corinthians 11:25-27,
Luke 4:1-2

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PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT

EPHESIANS 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching
thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints;(KJV)

Prayer is a fundamental spiritual exercise of the

Christian life and very vital to the Christian
experience. The believer's walk in the Spirit entails
having an attitude of devotion to prayer. Hence, the
several instructions in the epistles regarding a life of
prayer. Praying in the spirit is praying in tongues.
Hence, Paul taught in his letter to the Corinthians in
1 Corinthians 14:2, 14-15, “For he that speaketh in an
unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto
God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the
spirit he speaketh mysteries. For if I pray in an
unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my
understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will
pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the
understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I
will sing with the understanding also”. Every believer
has received the manifestation of the spirit. It is
pertinent to note that he taught the same truth to the
Ephesians in Ephesians 1:13, “In whom ye also
trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of
promise”.

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By faith in the gospel of Christ, every believer

received the indwelling of the Spirit. In other words,
we have the ability to pray in the Spirit because we
are indwelt by the Spirit. Hence, Paul in his letter to
the church at Corinth, explained "tongues" as a gift
in the spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:10, “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”.
Paul explained that when a believer speaks (prays) in
tongues, he is speaking (praying) unto God. When
the believer speaks (prays) in tongues, he edifies
himself. To edify means, to build up, to strengthen.
Therefore, when the believer prays in the Spirit, he
edifies himself.

Therefore, we believers have the responsibility of

ensuring that we pray in the spirit, (in tongues) all
the time in our personal lives, devotion, during the
day, and also in the gathering of believers. Hence,
Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 14:18 "I thank my God,
speak (pray) in tongues more than ye all", that is,
Paul prayed in the Spirit, (tongues) more than the
church at Corinth. Therefore, praying in the spirit
means to pray in tongues, because tongues is the
language of the spirit.

CONFESSION: I willingly yield and give

myself to the things of the Spirit. I speak in
tongues regularly and I am edified. I am
devoted to prayer. I choose to pray always.

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Additional Studies:
1Corinthians 14-2-4, Jude 1:20, 1Corinthians 12:7

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SINGING IN THE SPIRIT

1 CORINTHIANS 14:15
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit,
and I will pray with the understanding
also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will
sing with the understanding also. (KJV)

If you recall from our previous study, we said that

praying in the spirit is praying in tongues. Likewise,
from Paul's explanation in the opening text, singing
in the Spirit implies singing in tongues. Singing in
the understanding refers to singing in a known
language or human language. The word "bless"
means to speak well of, thus, to bless with the Spirit
is singing in tongues. Notice, he further explained
"blessing with the Spirit" as giving of thanks. The
phrase "giving thanks" means gratitude or
thankfulness. Observe Paul's explanation earlier in 1
Corinthians 14:2, 4, “For he that speaketh in an
unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto
God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the
spirit he speaketh mysteries. He that speaketh in an
unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that
prophesieth edifieth the church”. Thus, speaking in
tongues and singing in the Spirit is speaking unto
God. In other words, when I sing in tongues, I am
blessing God by giving thanks in the Spirit.

Therefore, the phrase "thou verily givest thanks well”

….in 1 Cor. 14:17 means, singing in tongues is the best
form of praise and giving of thanks unto God our

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Father. Paul taught the same truth to the church at

Ephesus and Colosse, Ephesians 5:19, “Speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the
Lord”. Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and
admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to
the Lord”. Notice the phrase "psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs". Now, the word "psalms" refers to
lyrics that precede the music, while the word
"hymns" means a song of praise that is used to glorify
and celebrate God. The term "spiritual songs" means
that which is by the Spirit or pertains to the Spirit.
Hence spiritual songs refer to singing in the Spirit,
(singing in tongues).

Recall that Paul only mentioned "psalms" in his

explanation to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians
14:26). Thus, the word "and" employed in the text
was explanatory and not a conjunction. Therefore,
Paul was not teaching or mentioning three different
things rather, he was explaining the same truth.
Thus, in the same way, when we pray in tongues, it is
unto God as worship and also edifies us believers.
Similarly, when we sing in tongues, we give thanks
and bless the Father, and also edify ourselves. Hence,
the phrase "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs"
can better be understood as "speaking to yourselves
in psalms which are hymns which are spiritual songs
by the Spirit, speaking and making melody in your
hearts to the Lord. That means we believers should

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be praying and singing in the Spirit always in our

devotion and also, in the gathering of believers.

CONFESSION: I give myself to singing in the

spirit always in my devotion and also in the
gathering of believers. As I sing in the Spirit,
I bless and give thanks well unto the Father,
and also edify myself.

Additional Studies:
Colossians 4:2, 1Corinthians 14:26,
Philippians 4 :6

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GIVING THANKS - DEALING

WITH MURMURING

PHILIPPIANS 2:14-15
Do all things without murmurings and
disputings: That ye may be blameless and
harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse
nation, among whom ye shine as lights in
the world; (KJV)

Thanksgiving is a feature of the newfound life in

Christ. Joy is the fruit of salvation from the spirit. It
is not borne from any excitement of temporary relief.
Instead, it is built within the recreated human spirit.
When the believer has an attitude of thanksgiving, he
is walking in the Spirit. On the other hand,
murmuring which means to complain, is a sin and a
work of the flesh. The first account in the bible
concerning murmuring is found among the children
of Israel (numbers 14-1-5). When the children of
Israel murmured against Moses, it was against God.
The action was described as unbelief by both Paul in
(1Corinthians 10:10,11) and the writer of Hebrews in
(Hebrews 3:17-19). Murmuring, complaining, and
grumbling are a presence of unbelief which is
expressed in doubt and anxiety. Jesus’ teaching
recorded by Mathew explained that in Matthew 6:27-
34.

When the cares of life seem overwhelming, the

scriptures teach us to PRAY and GIVE THANKS. We

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aren't giving thanks for evil, rather, prayer changes

circumstances and situations. Giving thanks affirms
the integrity of God's word in every situation. We
give thanks because God's word is true and this
causes joy and rejoicing. Listen to Paul in his letter to
the church at Colosse, Colossians 1:12-14, “Giving
thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,
and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son: In whom we have redemption through his
blood, even the forgiveness of sins”. Here are reasons
to be thankful. See, murmuring after prayer amounts
to a waste of your time. It’s proof that you do not trust
in God's word. As James teaches, let not such a man
think he can receive anything from God.

James 1:5-8, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask
of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let
him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the
wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he
shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded
man is unstable in all his ways”. Therefore, as we
pray let's be thankful that God's word is working and
prevailing over our lives, ministries, businesses,
families and nations. When we give thanks, we
dominate our thoughts with God's words, which will
consequently influence our words and actions.
Remember, Paul clearly instructs that we do all
things without murmuring.

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CONFESSION: I refuse to grumble and

murmur. I am always joyful and thankful. I
give thanks in prayer because I know that
God's word is always true. His word is
working and prevailing.

Additional Studies:
1Timothy 2:1-4, 2Corinthians 2:14,
1Corinthians 15:57

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DEALING WITH THE FLESH

OR SINFUL HABITS

GALATIANS 5:16-17, 24
This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye
shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh: and these are
contrary the one to the other: so that ye
cannot do the things that ye would. And
they that are Christ's have crucified the
flesh with the affections and lusts. (KJV)

The word "lust" means a longing, usually for negative

or something forbidden. Most times, it seems to
point to personal choices or desires available to man.
The word "flesh" in the opening text does not refer to
the physical body because the physical body is not
against our spirit. The term "Crucified" means to put
to death, to render ineffective, this clearly could be
referring to the physical body being put to death.
Paul taught the church of Galatia that they received
the spirit of Christ by the hearing of faith in the
gospel of Christ. Therefore, as believers, we are alive
in the Spirit, because we have received the indwelling
of the Spirit. Thus, to walk in the Spirit means to
conduct one's thoughts, words, and lifestyle from the
Spirit.

We believers are not in the flesh because we are

indwelt by the Spirit. In other words, the flesh in this
text refers to a man's nature and character traits

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before he received Christ. Upon receiving Christ, the

believer is born of the spirit. We have a new nature,
and we are alive in the Spirit in Christ. Hence, we are
not in the flesh. We are alive in the Spirit. In other
words, when a believer does not walk in the Spirit, he
or she would yield to the flesh. In essence, whatever
we feed our minds on, dictates our lifestyle. If we
believers feed our minds regularly on God's word, we
would walk in and yield to the Spirit. Same way, if we
feed our minds with information from the manner
and lifestyle of this world, we would fulfil the desires
of the flesh. It is therefore important for us to always
remember that no information is neutral, and every
piece of information has its influence. Therefore, it is
my responsibility to study God's word daily, as I
meditate on God's word and renew my mind with the
same, this would consequently influence my
thoughts, words and actions.

Recall Ezekiel's words, Ezekiel 36:26-27, “A new

heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put
within you: and I will take away the stony heart out
of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to
walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments,
and do them”. At salvation, God puts his spirit in us,
and causes us to walk in his status, and to keep his
commandments. Thus, the role of the spirit
indwelling us is to bring the realities from the written
word, which is our true identity in Christ as believers
in our everyday experiences. Obviously, because the
believer is not of this world, our character traits will
differ from those of the world. Therefore, as I hear,

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learn and study God's word, the Spirit of God brings

significance, implication or application to my
everyday life.

CONFESSION: I am born of the spirit and

have a new nature, in Christ. I am alive in
the Spirit. Hence, sinful habits have no hold
over me.

Additional Studies:
Galatians 5:19-22, Romans 8:4-9, Galatians 3:2-14

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WALKING IN JOY

GALATIANS 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there
is no law. (KJV)

Joy is the fruit of the spirit, the Spirit that indwelt the
believer. Thus, the Spirit of God in us produces joy.
This means, every believer has joy, can rejoice and
walk in joy every day. Now, it is very important to
note that Jesus taught his disciples rejoicing and its
essence, by precept and example. In Luke 10:17-21,
Jesus taught his disciples to rejoice in the fact that
their names are written in heaven. In other words,
this joy is the joy of salvation, the joy of our union
with Christ. Luke also in the book of Acts, recorded
how the jailor fell down before Paul and Silas after he
saw what happened to them in the prison and when
Paul and Silas prayed for him and his house, they
were full of joy. From that story, the jailor should
have been disciplined or even killed by the
government at that time, however, upon hearing and
believing the gospel, rejoiced at his salvation. This
further lends credence to the reason for our joy. We
rejoice in the fact that we are saved.

The apostles having learnt from Jesus, also practiced

rejoicing. Jesus having taught them for forty days
and had given them commandments, departed to
Jerusalem rejoicing. Joy was centered around the

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gospel, that is, the salvation and growth of believers

or as a response to persecution for the sake of the
gospel. Acts 5:40-41, “And to him they agreed: and
when they had called the apostles, and beaten them,
they commanded that they should not speak in the
name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed
from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they
were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name”.
When they experienced persecution, they rejoiced in
the fact that they were counted worthy to suffer
shame for his name. Also, in (Acts 16:25,26), Paul
and Silas faced persecution, were arrested and
locked in prison with their hands and feet chained.

In spite of this unpleasant experience, they didn't

complain or grumble, rather they prayed and sang
praises to God. Thus, this is evident that joy isn't only
for pleasant experiences. We rejoice even in the face
of persecution and opposition to the faith. The
apostles in the book of Acts taught believers to
rejoice. Acts 13:52, “And the disciples were filled
with joy, and with the Holy Ghost”. Acts 15:3, “And
being brought on their way by the church, they
passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the
conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy
unto all the brethren”. Also, they gave instructions
concerning joy in the epistles. Therefore, as
believers, we have instructions in the scriptures to be
full of joy and rejoice always.

CONFESSION: I am born of the Spirit, and I

walk in the Spirit. Joy is the fruit of the spirit
indwelling me. Today, I yield to the Spirit, I

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refuse to be moody, sad and frustrated,

rather, I put on the glow of the Spirit, I am
full of joy and rejoicing.

Additional Studies:
1Peter 1:6-8, Philippians 3:1-3,
1 Thessalonians 5:16

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WALKING IN PEACE
JAMES 3:18
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in
peace of them that make peace. (KJV)

The Spirit in us produces peace and thus believers

can exercise peace in every sphere of relationships.
The word "peace" means wholeness, it is also applied
when something is tied together. It implies "unity
and Harmony", that is things that are together.
Walking in the spirit is to walk in peace. The exact
opposite of the word is seen in Galatians 5:20,
variance, strife, sedition, heresies. Strife means
disjointed when something is scattered. It is applied
to debates. Sedition is applied for factions, heresies
for things not in agreement and variance for people
who go against authorities, trouble makers. Both
"peace and strife" are conducts found among people.

The epistles instruct believers to follow peace and to

be in one accord. Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with
all men, and holiness, without which no man shall
see the Lord”. The opposite of peace is the word
"confusion". The opposite of peace therefore will also
be division. Vain glory will always cause division in
the church. The believer, therefore, has the
responsibility of ensuring that he or she walks in
harmony or peace with others by the Spirit.

Ephesians 4:3-4, “Endeavouring to keep the unity of

the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and

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one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your

calling”. 2 Corinthians 13:11, “Finally, brethren,
farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one
mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace
shall be with you”. Evidently, when we are of one
mind and purpose and live in peace with one
another, we are definitely walking in the Spirit. Let
us therefore follow after things which promote peace
and things which will edify one another. We need to
be at peace with ourselves because the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace.

CONFESSION: I walk in the Spirit, I walk in

peace, I live in peace with others, I refuse to
walk disorderly, I refuse to be at variance, or
walk in strife, I follow peace with all men, I
endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in
the bond of peace.

Additional Studies:
Colossians 3:14,15, Philippians 2:1-3, Galatians 5:22

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WALKING IN PATIENCE
JAMES 5:7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the
coming of the Lord. Behold, the
husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit
of the earth, and hath long patience for it,
until he receive the early and latter rain.
(KJV)

The Spirit of God in us produces longsuffering.

Longsuffering means to allow for long. This means,
that because we are indwelt by the Spirit of God,
every believer can suffer long, and bear with others.
In today's parlance, the word "longsuffering" would
imply Patience. There is no better way to understand
long-suffering than to look at God's longsuffering
from the scriptures. 2 Peter 3:15, “And account that
the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our
beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom
given unto him hath written unto you”. His
longsuffering is salvation, that is He bears long to
save. Clearly, longsuffering has to do with people not
circumstances. Looking at the writer's explanation
about God, his longsuffering is to save. In essence,
He bears with people for long. In 1 Corinthians 13:4,
the fact Paul mentioned about "love" is, it suffers
long. That is, love bears with people. It means,
sacrificially bearing with people and also, on your
part it's sacrifice. You are bearing with someone's
action and you are at the receiving end of that action.

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It's a characteristic of the Spirit of every believer to

bear long. In relationships, longsuffering sustains
the relationship. It is that attribute of a believer
where you will bear with things you don't like or don't
want. In longsuffering you don't please yourself, you
please the other person. In longsuffering, we hold on
like God, who bears long with man to save.
Longsuffering has no time limit. Thus, you must not
get tired out even if what they are doing does not tally
with what you have taught them, you must exercise
patience. In ministry, you must bear with people.
There are people at different levels of spiritual
growth, so you bear with them. longsuffering
restrains anger and prevents bitterness. In essence,
there will be those who will relate with you, and repay
you with evil, but you have to keep being good to
others despite their negative actions.

Therefore, you need to stay in the spirit of the call of

God upon your life because people will hurt you
which is part of the process. Allow those hurt to build
character in you. A Christian should learn as he or
she grows in God's word, how to endure insults,
contradictory actions and people's harsh words. As
believers, we don't expect people to be perfect. Any
relationship you are in, friends, your pastor, leaders,
husband, wife, children, expect them to do things
that are wrong, and be ready to be patient with them.
When you walk in patience, when an offence comes,
you resist it by staying in the Spirit and doing the
word.

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CONFESSION: I overcome evil with good, I

am like God my father, and I am patient with
people, I endure and suffer long and I choose
to be patient in all my relationships.

Additional Studies:
Galatians 5:22, 2Peter 3:15, 1Corinthians 13:1-4

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WALKING IN KINDNESS
TITUS 3:4-5
But after that the kindness and love of God
our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by
works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved
us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost; (KJV).

Kindness is the same word as "goodness" in

Galatians 5:22. In order to understand kindness, we
must examine the attributes of God. Paul speaking in
the book of Romans said "the riches of the goodness
and forbearance, and longsuffering of God lead men
to repentance”. Again, in talking to the church at
Ephesus, he said, "that God in the ages to come he
might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his
kindness towards us through Christ Jesus”. God's
kindness is demonstrated towards man in or through
Christ Jesus. God is kind and merciful and because
we are born of the Spirit of God, we have the same
attribute and capacity to be kind and merciful to
others. The scripture instructs us as children of God
who are holy and beloved, to put on our bowels of
mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness and
longsuffering.

The reason we can put on bowels of kindness is

because we are born of the Spirit of God, hence, we
can walk in that regard by walking in kindness
towards others. A derivative of the word "goodness"

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is to be gracious, and kind to others. The scripture

instructs us as believers to be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, and forgiving one another, even as
God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us. Thus, this
attribute explains our actions towards others. That
is, to be gracious to others because God was gracious
to us in Christ Jesus. Thus, forgiving one another is
an act of kindness. The believer must therefore
understand that the Spirit of God in him or her is the
Spirit of kindness which we received from God at the
point of the new birth. When we were born again, the
Spirit of God indwelt us, that Spirit has in him
kindness, goodness, gentleness, peace,
longsuffering, which is referred to as "the fruit of the
Spirit" in Galatians 5:22. So, to walk in kindness, is
not out of place because we are born of the same
Spirit.

CONFESSION: I am born of God, and I am

indwelt by the Spirit. Like my father, I am
kind to others, I am tenderhearted, gracious,
merciful and loving in my everyday
interactions with others.

Additional Studies:
Ephesians 4:31-32, Galatians 5:22-25,
Colossians 3:12

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WALKING IN GOODNESS
ROMANS 12:21
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome
evil with good. (KJV)

Goodness is the fruit of the spirit we receive at new

birth. The word "goodness" is from where you have
the word benevolence. In essence, because we are
indwelt by the Spirit of God, it is in our nature to be
benevolent. It's a quality of our being. It means, a
quality of goodness when someone is inherently
good. It refers to deeds, that is, doing the right things.
Paul in his letter to the church in Galatia instructs
believers "not to be weary in well doing, and that in
dues season we shall reap if we faint not. He said
again that as we have opportunity, let us do good
unto all men and importantly to them who are in the
house of God". Goodness, therefore, is seen in our
actions towards others. Now in the four gospels,
Mathew explained that Jesus taught about being
good to others (Mathew 5:44,45). We are to do good
to others, not minding their actions towards us. In
other words, God is good, kind and merciful both to
the thankful and unthankful, and our example in
how we relate with others is God our Father.

That is what Paul taught in our opening text. But

observe Paul's words in (Romans 12:19,20). He
asked believers not to avenge themselves but rather
give place to wrath. We must not avenge ourselves,
neither should we give place to wrath. In essence,

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when people hurt or offend us, we must not strike

back, or seek to take a pound of flesh, rather, we are
to overcome evil with good. How are we to do that?
Paul here, taught his audience from Solomon's
explanation in the book of Proverbs (Proverbs
25:21,22). And Solomon also taught from (Leviticus
16:11-13). We would notice the practice of using coal
of fire, and the sin offering was done by the high
priest for the atonement of sins. Therefore, when
Solomon and Paul taught from Leviticus 16:11-13,
notice the instruction that was given, “therefore if
thine enemy hunger feed him, if he thirst, give him
drink”.

In other words, the way to overcome evil with good

is when we don't try to get even, revenge, take a
pound of flesh, or retaliate against people who offend
or hurt us rather, we are kind, generous and
benevolent. In the manner and lifestyle of this world,
repaying people the same way they have treated you
may seem acceptable. However, in God's kingdom,
we are to overcome evil with good deeds, love, kind-
heartedness, generosity, forgiveness, benevolence
and being merciful. In essence, when the believer
walks in goodness, he or she will bless and not curse,
walk in love not hatred, be generous, not selfish, and
forgive not hold a grudge in the heart against those
who offend or hurt him or her. That is, we are not
only good to people because they are good to us
rather, we are good to people because that is the
reality of who we are in Christ. In other words,
walking in the Spirit is not reactionary. It is to walk
in our nature, in the reality of who we are in Christ,

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in spite of what others do to us.

CONFESSION: I am born of God, I walk in the

Spirit and doing good to others is natural to
me, it's my lifestyle in Christ.

Additional Studies:
Galatians 5:22-25, Galatians 6:9,10,
Proverbs 25:21,22

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WALKING IN MEEKNESS

GALATIANS 6:1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault,
ye which are spiritual, restore such an one
in the spirit of meekness; considering
thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (KJV)

The result of the Spirit in us is meekness. This means

that every believer is meek and has the ability to walk
in meekness. Observe Paul’s explanation in the
opening text, the word "overtaken" would imply that
the brother has fallen into sin, and it is known
publicly and it has affected the way people see him
and the way he sees himself or herself. The word
"restore" here is applied in orthopaedics where you
restore a bone that is broken in carefulness and
gentleness. In other words, in restoring the brother
overtaken in a fault, in as much as we condemn the
action of that brother, we must help the brother out
of condemnation of sin. This should be done in
meekness and humility. The truth is, that humility is
a conservative exercise of the authority that one has
or has been given.

One cannot be said to be humble when they are not

in a position of authority. In other words, the real
proof of humility is when someone has a degree of
influence, such as money, power, authority,
intelligence, and many as such. Life is about equals
and non-equals. Thus, meekness is when you don't
act your influence, authority or advantage you have

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over others. Clearly, this is the example we have

found in Christ (Philippians 2:5-8). He is God, yet he
made himself of no reputation and took upon
himself, the form of a servant. He humbled himself,
became man, and was obedient unto death. Paul
instructs us to have the same mindset. Let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. In other
words, our example of meekness and humility is
Christ Jesus. This is the mindset that we should have.
Thus, the fact that one has authority, influence or an
advantage that others do not have, should not make
the believer proud.

In Christianity, we don't act our influence, status, age

and wealth. The love of money obviously gives a false
sense of security. You want to have money and
influence for no other reason but to have a greater
advantage over others. This is a worldly pattern of
thinking. The Bible says this is the root of all evil
when it's known for self-centered reasons, to exercise
influence over other people. Following after
meekness implies, you won't act in accordance with
the position you have to disrespect people. It means
in your career or business pursuit, you must put your
faith in perspective, not to use your influence for
selfish purposes, rather you use it to glorify Jesus.

CONFESSION: I walk in meekness. It is my

nature in Christ to be meek, I refuse to be
worldly in my thinking and conduct.

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Additional Studies:
1Timothy 6:10,11,17 Philippians 2:5-8,
Galatians 5 :22-25

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WALKING IN TEMPERANCE

PROVERBS 25:28
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is
like a city that is broken down,
and without walls. (KJV)

The word "temperance" here means authority.

Therefore, it means to be controlled, to curtail or
restrain something. It actually implies self-
governance. The word "self" means desires, appetite,
and cravings. In essence, temperance is the ability to
govern, control, restrain, to put a hold on, to delay
your desires or appetite. Thus, it's not control over
others, but over your desires. For there to be
temperance, there has to be a desire or passion.
Therefore, because we are indwelt by the Spirit of
God, we have self-control over our desires. This
brings us to the fore of Solomon’s words in our
opening text. This evidently describes a man without
self-control. Also observe Paul's letter to the church
at Corinth, in 1 Corinthians 7:5, “Defraud ye not one
the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye
may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come
together again, that Satan tempt you not for your
incontinency”. The word "incontinency" means to
lose control. And again, Paul instructs the church,
that every man who strives for mastery should be
temperate in all things.

He went ahead to instruct again, that the believer

should put his body under and bring it into

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subjection, lest by any means he will be cast away.

The phrase "to keep under and bring your body to
subjection" implies to be in control of your desires,
and actions. Apostle Paul said, "all things are lawful
to the believer, but all things are not expedient".
Within the context of his explanation, he talked
about food and sex. In other words, whether the
desires are legitimate or not, you should bring it
under control. Hence James also taught in his
epistle, James 1:13-15, “Let no man say when he is
tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be
tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But
every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his
own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath
conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is
finished, bringeth forth death”.

The word "drawn away" implies one is out of control

of the lust (desires). From James’ words, it is evident
that sin emerges when I can't control my desires. So,
there mustn't be anything that I want to get at all
costs. I must be in control at all times. Therefore,
self-control will inspire actions, such as Paul's
instruction in 1 Corinthians 6:18 - flee fornication.
The word "flee" implies to run away from danger, to
vanish or to escape. It is vital to understand that man
is a product of influence. Hence, your appetites are
usually inspired by the things you see and hear.
Therefore, self-control or temperance will be the
ability to delay immediate gratification for a more
noble or just cause. Every believer has this capacity
because we are indwelt by the Spirit of God, hence,
we can exercise control over our desires.

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CONFESSION: I walk in the Spirit. I have

self-control because I am indwelt by the
Spirit. Hence, I exercise control over my
desires.

Additional Studies:
Galatians 5:22-25, 1Corinthians 6:12,
1Corinthians 9:27

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SALVATION IN CHRIST
ROMANS 6:23
For the wages of sin is death;
but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)

The word salvation is a general word used in

different contexts to mean different things. Salvation
can be used in a law court when a lawyer defends you
out of trouble. In an academic institution, it can be
used when an examination you are not prepared for
is postponed to a later date when you can prepare for
it. In the bible, salvation was used in different
contexts. In James 5:15, “And the prayer of faith shall
save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if
he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.
Here, salvation was used for physical healing. In
Jude 1:5, “I will therefore put you in remembrance,
though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having
saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward
destroyed them that believed not”. In this context,
salvation was used in the context of deliverance from
oppression or slavery. We have many such different
contexts of salvation both in the bible and in normal
everyday usage.

These usages of the word salvation have made some

believers confused about the nature of the salvation
we have in Christ. To some people, salvation in Christ
is about morality. When they are able to talk to a man
who has not properly married the wife to go and

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perform the necessary customary rites, they call that

salvation. To some, if they are able to get somebody
to throw away his idols and charms, they see the
person as saved. Others also see salvation in Christ
as socio-economic prosperity. When they are able to
counsel somebody to get out of financial poverty and
begin to live a good decent life, they call that
salvation in Christ. They will call somebody saved in
Christ when they are able to get the person to receive
miraculous healing or testimony of a breakthrough.
Some will see salvation as getting somebody to start
attending church services. When secular musician
changes their dressing style and start singing church
songs, they call that salvation. They will say that
person is now born again.

Salvation in Christ is a different context, if you don’t

understand salvation in Christ or why Jesus came to
die for us, you will be turning out false converts in
your attempt to get people saved in Christ. From our
opening text, salvation in Christ is about eternal life.
It is about the remission of sins. Salvation in Christ
is about the receiving of the Holy Spirit. This is what
happens to the person who gets saved. This should
be our focus and expectation when we talk about
salvation in Christ. The result of believing the gospel
is not about physical realities but spiritual realities
that can only be found in Christ. Anything the
unbeliever can have without believing the gospel
cannot be said to be our spiritual reality in Christ.
What is received by believing the gospel can only be
enjoyed by the believer and that should be our
context of salvation in Christ.

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Confession: I am saved in Christ. I have

received eternal life and the Spirit of Christ
in me. I am born of the Spirit. I have
remission of sins.

Additional Studies:
John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10, 1 John 5:11-12

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THE HEARING UNTO

SALVATION
ROMANS 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom
they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not
heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher? (KJV)

We explained in our previous studies the various

contexts of salvation. We said, that though salvation
can be used in different contexts, salvation in Christ
is about eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, receiving
the Spirit of God and other spiritual realities found
only in Christ. This is what a person receives at
salvation. Anytime we are preaching the gospel to
somebody, we should know the result we are
expecting. Our expectation should be eternal life,
remission of sins, receiving of the Holy Spirit,
sanctified and justified man. We should expect a
washed, righteous and holy person when the gospel
is believed. Having other expectations apart from
what the gospel gives will either make you preach the
wrong message or produce a false convert. The result
of believing the gospel is received instantly and in
full. Change of conduct, manner of life, and social
and economic life can become better as a result of
spiritual growth. Change of conduct, manner of life,
and social and economic life can become better by
other reasons or influence and not necessarily by
believing the gospel.

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From our opening text, a person can only believe

when the gospel is heard. This means that there is a
hearing that leads to salvation. There can never be
salvation without hearing. There can never be
hearing without a preacher of the good news. It is not
every hearing or preaching that can produce a saved
man. Every saved man heard and believed the gospel.
Salvation requires nothing apart from hearing and
believing the gospel. Our response to the hearing of
the gospel is either salvation or condemnation. Mark
16:15-16, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he
that believeth not shall be damned”. Our duty as
believers is to go out and preach. We must go out and
make the gospel heard. The hearing is very
important. There can be no salvation of a soul when
no one preaches the gospel.

The hearing that leads to salvation is the hearing of a

specific message called the gospel. The gospel, we
have said many times that it is a specific message. It
is not any general good preaching from the bible.
Romans 10:17, “Consequently, faith comes from
hearing the message, and the message is heard
through the word about Christ (NIV)”. The faith for
salvation comes from hearing the message of Christ
which is the gospel. The gospel is about what Jesus
has done for us concerning our deliverance from sin.
He died, was buried and rose for our salvation. This
was the expression of God’s love. When a man hears
this message of Christ’s death and resurrection and

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he believes that due to what Jesus has done, they are

free from sin and have received eternal life, such a
person is saved. In salvation, it is preaching, hearing
and believing.

Confession: I have heard and believed the

gospel; therefore, I am saved from sin.

Additional Studies:
Romans 10:9-18, 1Corinthians 15:1-4, John 3:14-18

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THE LEARNING AFTER

SALVATION
2 PETER 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him
be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
(KJV)

In our studies on salvation, we taught that what

Jesus Christ came to die for was to save us from the
wages of sin and give us eternal life. Romans 6:23,
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. This
means that the result of believing the gospel is not a
financial breakthrough or improved social life,
though they are all good and one can have them as
one grows in Christ. Jesus needed not to die if what
God wanted from man was a good social and
financial life on earth. You can have money and live
well on earth without believing on Christ. We also
taught that the hearing of the gospel is what birth
faith for salvation. When a man hears and believes
that Jesus Christ died and resurrected for our sins for
us to have eternal life, instantly what he believed
becomes his reality forever. Any other message
preached from the bible which does not bring out
these specific facts of Jesus’ death and resurrection
for our sins cannot bring salvation, though such a
message can bring a change in conduct and a form of
reasoning but not salvation experience.

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After a person has heard and believed the gospel,

what next? There is what is called learning after
salvation. This is the responsibility of the new
believer to give himself to a lifetime of learning. You
don’t get saved and sit down idle. There is learning
after salvation. The purpose of learning is to acquire
knowledge which will result in spiritual growth.
Apostle Paul prayed for the brethren in Ephesus,
Ephesians 1:16-19, “Cease not to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the
God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of
your understanding being enlightened; that ye may
know what is the hope of his calling, and what the
riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to
us-ward who believe, according to the working of his
mighty power”.

The prayer of Apostle Paul was that they would grow

in knowledge. This knowledge is not the knowledge
of business, entrepreneurship, life skills, politics,
medicine or nutrition. The knowledge the believer
must seek to acquire is the knowledge of the riches of
the glory of his inheritance in the saints. We have the
details of what we received at salvation. We have the
riches of our inheritance in the saints. The new
believer must therefore begin his Christian life with
the desire and effort of learning to know who he has
become, what he has and what Christ can do through
him. The believer must become a student. He must
be seen reading, being taught and learning. The

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acquisition of knowledge of the inheritance of the

believer or the realities of the man in Christ is a very
vital foundation for growth and fruitfulness in Christ.
The learning of the believer after salvation does not
end. This means that the Christian life is a lifetime of
learning. You cease to grow when you stop learning.

Confession: I am a lifetime student of my

realities in Christ.

Additional Studies:
Colossians 1:9-10, Philippians 1:9-10,
Ephesians :4:11-15

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YOUR LOCAL CHURCH

AFTER SALVATION
EPHESIANS 4:11-13
And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting
of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of
the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ: (KJV)

It is one thing to be saved and another thing to know

what to do after salvation. Most times, the lack of
guidance on what to do after salvation has made
many believers unfruitful in the faith. We said that
there is the learning the new believer must learn.
They must be seen as students learning to know their
inheritance, rights and responsibilities in Christ.
This learning does not end. It is the culture of the
Christian life. Christianity is knowledge-based. We
get saved by knowledge of the gospel and we grow by
knowledge. Ignorance will not make you enjoy the
blessings you have as a believer. The knowledge must
be from the scriptures. The new believer must have a
bible and begin to study with the guidance of a
mature believer or a local church pastor. Reading
must be a culture the new believer must develop. Just
after salvation, the new believer must be introduced
to bible reading, teachings and explanations of the

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doctrine of Christ. This is what most times called

discipleship. Discipleship is being a student of your
teacher or a mature believer guiding you in your
learning.

After salvation, another important thing to do is to

become an active member of a local church.
However, the local church you join is very important.
Your local church determines how far you can grow
and become fruitful in Christ. The local church must
be a training or a bible school where the message of
Christ is taught. If your local church is not helping
you to grow in the knowledge of Christ, then you are
in the wrong local assembly. There can be many
activities in the local church such as musical shows,
drama shows, catering skills, fundraising and many
others which have nothing to do with the teaching of
our realities in Christ. A church service can be full of
singing, prophesying and testimonies of
breakthroughs without the teaching of Christ. A
teaching service can be full of motivational and
philosophical theories and principles without the
teaching of Christ. The good diet for the spiritual
growth of the new believer is the message of Christ.
The local church must be busy teaching the message
of Christ instead of engaging in many activities which
will not make the believer grow in the knowledge of
Christ.

The believer must go to church with the attitude of a

student to go and learn. We must go to church with
our Bibles and writing materials to write down
teaching notes for us to go over later for better

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understanding. Going to church without your bible

and writing materials shows you are not yet ready for
spiritual growth. The notes you write in the church
will become reference material for you in the future
when you begin to disciple other new believers. It is
also not a sin to find another local church where you
can grow if you notice you are in a local church where
the message of Christ is not emphasized.

Confession: I go to church to be taught the

message of Christ for my Spiritual growth.

Additional Studies:
Ephesians 4:11-15, 2Peter 3:18, Acts 20:32

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YOUR CONDUCT AFTER

SALVATION
TITUS 3:8
This is a faithful saying, and these things I
will that thou affirm constantly, that they
which have believed in God might be careful
to maintain good works. These things are
good and profitable unto men. (KJV)

We have taught many times that salvation is by grace

through faith in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:8-9, “For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest
any man should boast”. This means that works or
conduct has no role to play in getting saved. The only
thing that matters in salvation is hearing what Jesus
has accomplished by his death and resurrection and
believing it. You are not saved because you stopped a
particular sinful habit. You are not saved because you
had water baptism or changed your fashion style.
Salvation is by faith in Christ alone. We also taught
that there is a learning a believer must commit
himself to after salvation. Just engaging in church
activities without deliberate life of reading and
studying God’s word will not let you grow. This
means that the believer must have learning materials
such as a bible, writing materials, books, teaching
tapes and any other material needed for learning.
You should also join a local church that emphasizes
the teaching of God’s word which will help you grow
in knowledge.

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Though we are not saved by our conduct, good

conduct is expected of us after salvation. The proof
that you are growing in the faith is your conduct or
the fruit you exhibit. We received the Holy Spirit
when we believed the gospel. The Holy Spirit has
fruit or character. This character must manifest in
our conduct. The learning the believer does is for the
acquisition of knowledge. This knowledge must
result in the renewing of the mind which will result
in good conduct or lifestyle. From our opening text,
we are to be careful to maintain good works. We have
many strong teachings in the writings of the apostles
on the conduct of believers. Good conduct is very
vital to the demonstration of who we are in Christ.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven”. In Ephesians
2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them”.

It is abnormal to be a believer who is careless about

his conduct among men. The testimony of men about
you must be consistent with who you say you are in
Christ. You are holy and for that matter, you are
expected to put up holy conduct. 1 Peter 1:14-15, “As
obedient children, not fashioning yourselves
according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy
in all manner of conversation”. Sexual immorality,
strife, bitterness, unforgiveness, wickedness,
slander, malice, lies and exaggeration are not

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consistent with the character of the believer in

Christ. We must decide to live godly lives. It’s a
decision we make. It’s an effort we make. When we
decide, we have the help of the Spirit to live right.

Confession: I am saved from sin. I refused to

live sinful conduct. I put up holy conduct.

Additional Studies:
Titus 2:1-15, 1Corinthians 6:1-20, Colossians 3:1-25

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THE MINISTRY AFTER

SALVATION
2 CORINTHIANS 5:18
And all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and
hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation; (KJV)

We taught that to be saved is to believe the gospel of

Christ. When a person hears and believes the gospel
of Christ, he receives eternal life, he receives the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and he becomes
washed, sanctified, holy and justified. This new life
and identity are received instantly, fully and
perfectly. It is received once and forever without
decrease or corruption. This is because the man in
Christ is born with an incorruptible seed. 1 Peter
1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but
of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever”. The inheritance received is also
incorruptible, 1 Peter 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to
his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a
lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in
heaven for you”. This means nothing destroys who
we become in Christ after salvation. In Christ, we are
all blessed with all spiritual blessings. Nobody,
nothing or any circumstance can take us away from
the love of God we have received in Christ.

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There is another significant blessing the man in

Christ receives after salvation. This is the call into
ministry. Every believer is called into ministry. The
receiving of salvation is the receiving of ministry or
the call to ministry. Ephesians 4:4, “There is one
body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope
of your calling”. Romans 1:5-6, “By whom we have
received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the
faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom
are ye also the called of Jesus Christ”. From our
opening text, we have been called to the ministry of
reconciliation. It is the plan of God that all men be
saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. This
means that after you are saved, it is expected of you
to get involved in the salvation of souls. We are saved
to serve God. It is disobedience to get saved and
remain idle in the body of Christ. There is something
to do in the house of God after salvation. There is a
ministry you must carry out. Ministry after salvation
is not starting your own church and picking a title.

Ministry after salvation is making others know what

you believe for them to be saved. It is serving in the
house of God. It is helping other believers to grow in
Christ. This is the reason our conduct becomes
necessary after salvation. Wrong conduct has a way
of impeding the work of ministry. We are therefore
required to live right in order to be efficient in our
work of ministry. Ministry is done among men,
therefore, how men see you is important. Serving or
ministry is work, it is sacrifice, it’s an effort. We must
therefore discipline and get ourselves in evangelism

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and discipleship. Join a department in the church to

serve. Get busy in church work after salvation. Be a
blessing to somebody. Avail yourself to be used by
God. Meet a need in the body of Christ.

Confession: I am saved to serve God. I give

myself to the work of ministry.

Additional Studies:
2Corinthinas 5:17-20, Romans 8:28-30,
Matthew 28:19-20

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THE REWARD AFTER

SALVATION
1 CORINTHIANS 3:14-15
If any man's work abide which he hath built
thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any
man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer
loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as
by fire. (KJV)

The wisdom from the knowledge of the scriptures is

not unto political or financial prosperity. Apostle
Paul told Timothy that the scriptures make a man
wise in salvation, 2 Timothy 3:15, “And that from a
child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are
able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus”. This means the result of
believing the gospel is not to “make” it in life. The
blessings of believing the gospel are spiritual
realities. Material prosperity and a good life are
available for all men irrespective of being a believer
or not. The gospel that was preached to you
determines the expectation you will have after
salvation. We have explained from our teachings that
there are things to do after salvation. The call to
salvation is not a call to idleness but a call to work.
We don’t work to be saved but we work after
salvation. After salvation we have learning to do,
good conduct to live and ministry work to do. It is
disobedience to be idle after salvation.

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Some people say that if only they can make heaven,

that is enough for them. This shows that either they
are not born again or are born again but not properly
taught. The desire to grow and serve Christ is part of
our nature we received at salvation. The Holy Spirit
we receive will not make us idle. It will require you
the individual to continually oppose the Spirit of God
in you to be idle as a believer. Jesus said in John 5:17,
“But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh
hitherto, and I work”. If all that you do as a believer
is to attend church service on Sundays without giving
attention to learning, evangelism, discipleship,
prayer and other forms of ministry work, then you
need to repent. There is what is called the reward
after salvation. Salvation is not a reward. It is free
and received by hearing and believing. However,
there is going to be the judgment of our work in
Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, “Wherefore we labour,
that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted
of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things
done in his body, according to that he hath done,
whether it be good or bad”.

How we served in the body of Christ, the works of

ministry we did, our motives and intentions, and our
sacrifices and commitment we showed in getting
others saved are all going to be judged. Whatever we
did which did not edify the body of Christ will be
burnt. This includes our idleness, excuses and other
things that did not bless or edify the body of Christ.
Apostle Paul knew this very well, 1 Corinthians 9:27,
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into

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subjection: lest that by any means, when I have

preached to others, I myself should be a castaway”.
Castaway here is disqualification from reward, not
salvation. We don’t serve God to be saved or keep our
salvation. We served God for eternal reward. Apostle
Paul figuratively called the reward of service crowns.
We must rise to service. Reject idleness.

Confession: I am saved to serve God

faithfully for eternal reward.

Additional Studies:
1Corinthians 3:11-15, 1Corinthians 9:24-27,
2Timothy 4:7-8

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DELIVERANCE AFTER
SALVATION
2 THESSALONIANS 3:1-2
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word
of the Lord may have free course, and be
glorified, even as it is with you: And that we
may be delivered from unreasonable and
wicked men: for all men have not faith.
(KJV)

The experience of salvation is not a process. It is

instantaneous, complete, once and forever. Nobody
is in the process of getting saved. It is either you are
saved or you are not saved. At salvation, many things
take place at the same time. At salvation, you receive
eternal life, you receive the Holy Spirit, you become
washed and sanctified, you receive forgiveness of
sins, your name is in the Book of Life and many other
blessings. Salvation can be called born again, in
Christ, resurrection, baptism, redemption and many
other descriptions. There is another description of
salvation that often gets some believers confused.
Salvation is called deliverance. This is because, when
a person gets saved, they are delivered from the
power of darkness into the kingdom of Christ. At
salvation, we are delivered from Satan to God,
darkness to life, bondage to freedom, and curses to
blessings. Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes, and to turn
them from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of

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sins, and inheritance among them which are

sanctified by faith that is in me”.

Colossians 1:12-14, “Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In
whom we have redemption through his blood, even
the forgiveness of sins”. There is no believer who
needs deliverance from Satan. The believer cannot be
possessed by demons. Any demon-possessed person
has not believed the gospel. To be possessed by
demons means demons taking over the will of a man
to control them. Salvation involves the will of a man
accepting the gospel. This means that at the moment
of believing the gospel, there can’t be the possession
of demons. A saved person is indwelt by the Holy
Spirit and for that matter, cannot be possessed by
demons. There are times when demons must be cast
out of a person before they believe the gospel. Once a
person believes the gospel, they are free from Satan.

From our opening text, there is a deliverance a

believer needs and must be part of his daily prayers.
This is the deliverance from wicked and
unreasonable men. The work of ministry has many
oppositions and resistance from wicked men. We
must therefore pray to be delivered from their plans,
schemes, traps, plots and any systems of men intend
to hinder us in doing the work of ministry. These are
external activities of men under the influence of
Satan to oppose the work of ministry. It is therefore

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an expression of ignorance for a saved man to subject

themselves to “deliverance” from demonic
possession. There are no demons in the believer.
There are wicked men under the influence of Satan
that resist the work of ministry, we need deliverance
from them.

Confession: I pray that I am continually

delivered from wicked and unreasonable
men.

Additional Studies:
Acts 26:1-8, Romans 15:30-32, 2Timothy 3:10-11

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NO MORE CURSED
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new. (KJV)

We explained in our previous studies that the man in

Christ cannot be indwelt by demons. This is because
light and darkness cannot dwell in the same place.
Demons are cast out from unbelievers who are
possessed. When demons are cast out and the person
does not believe the gospel, it cannot be called
deliverance because, greater demons will come and
fill the person, Matthew 12:43-45. It is when a person
hears and believes the gospel that we can say
deliverance has taken place. Deliverance is therefore
different from casting out of demons. Deliverance is
salvation or believing the gospel. This means that the
activity that brings deliverance is the preaching of
the gospel. Deliverance is therefore a preaching.
Another context of deliverance is the forgiveness of
sins which is salvation. Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to
preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal
the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set
at liberty them that are bruised”.

Another expression of ignorance by some believers is

what they call generational curses. They preach that
a curse placed on a family or generation can be the

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cause of the difficulties some believers face. They

associate challenges in life such as not getting a
marriage partner, not able to give birth, and not
becoming successful in business and others are the
result of a bloodline or generational curse. They
believe that some believers can suffer from curses
invoked upon their families. They then call such
believers for special deliverance prayer to break such
generational curses. From our opening text, the man
in Christ is a new creation. They become born again
with a new spiritual generation. They are no longer
connected to their parental line spiritually.
Therefore, to be born again and assume to be under
satanic power from your parental line is ignorance of
your identity in Christ. In Christ, there is no curse.
We only have blessings. Salvation is disconnection or
deliverance from any demonic power or influence
unto the power of Christ and the influence of God’s
Spirit.

Colossians 1:13-14, “Who hath delivered us from the

power of darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness
of sins”. Satan has no power over the believer in
Christ. Challenges in life are common to men. It’s
because we are men in this imperfect world that is
why we face some challenges. Don’t allow anybody to
package and tag your difficulties as a curse from your
generation. The choices we make sometimes bring
challenges to us. We have authority in Christ to
exercise authority over them and to produce
supernatural results. You are not cursed. You can’t be

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cursed. You have no generational curse. You are in

Christ and not under Satanic powers.

Confession: I am a new creation in Christ. I

cannot be cursed.

Additional Studies:
Jeremiah 31:29-30, Acts 26:16-18, Galatians 3:13-14

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OUR WARFARE
2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-4
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not
war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of
our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong
holds;) (KJV)

We have said that it is one thing to be saved and

another thing to know what to do after salvation. It is
also important to know who you have become, what
you have and what Christ can do through you. There
are things to know and things to do after salvation. If
you are not properly taught, you will live your life as
a believer looking for what you already have, trying
to be who you are already and doing things you are
not supposed to be doing. This is the essence of
belonging to a local church that will teach you the
word of God rightly for you to be equipped and grow
in Christ. We have taught that after salvation, you
don’t need deliverance from demonic possession and
a generational curse. This is because salvation is
deliverance from the power of darkness unto the
kingdom of Christ. Any contrary experience you have
been having that makes you think that you need
deliverance is the result of your unrenewed mind or
weak conscience due to wrong information, 1
Corinthians 8:7, “Howbeit there is not in every man
that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol
unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol;
and their conscience being weak is defiled”.

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A weak conscience can make you have experiences as

though not saved. It is knowledge that makes us
overcome such contrary experiences. Bad dreams,
fear and depression are all the result of the lack of
knowledge of our identity as believers. There is a
saying by some people that “Christianity is war”.
Their definition of war is fighting the devil and
demons. They see this war as fighting witches and
spirits of darkness. From our opening text, it is
evident that we have warfare as believers. The
context of the warfare was defined in the context by
apostle Paul. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, “For the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting
down imaginations, and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ”.

The warfare is pulling down strongholds, casting

down imaginations and every high thing that exalts
itself against the knowledge of God. This is the
warfare in preaching the gospel or doing the work of
ministry. In preaching, we are confronting mindsets,
strongholds, imaginations and reasoning of men.
That is why it is required of us to put on the whole
armour of God in the work of ministry. The war is in
the minds of men. Our weapons are targeted at the
minds of men. The engagement is preaching.
Winning a soul, persuading a person and discipling a
believer to grow in Christ is warfare. It's not warfare
with flesh and blood but systems and authorities of

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this world which oppose the preaching of the gospel.

The warfare after salvation is the work of ministry.

Confession: I don’t wage war against men

but against the ideologies and mindset of
men.

Additional Studies:
2Corinthians 10:1-6, 2Timothy 2:1-5,
Ephesians 6:12-20

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CONSCIENCE OF IDOLS
1 CORINTHIANS 8:7
Howbeit there is not in every man that
knowledge: for some with conscience of the
idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered
unto an idol; and their conscience being
weak is defiled. (KJV)

Salvation in Christ is received by faith that comes

from the hearing of the gospel. When a man receives
Christ, he receives all the blessings that came from
the redemptive work of Christ. These blessings are
called spiritual blessings, Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places in Christ”. We taught that some of
these spiritual blessings are eternal life, the
forgiveness of sin, justification, and deliverance from
the power of darkness and curses. This means that
there is no believer who needs deliverance from the
power of darkness or curses. Organizing deliverance
and generational curses breaking services for
believers is an expression of ignorance of the identity
of the believer and sometimes these believers are
abused and put into public ridicule as though the
salvation Jesus provided was not enough. It’s an
abuse of believers to package their challenges in life
as the result of generational curses or to define their
experiences in life as demonic possession for which
they need deliverance.

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In our opening text, apostle Paul was teaching

walking in love to brethren who don’t have
knowledge. These brethren though born again, still
have the consciousness of idols and for that matter,
get their weak conscience defiled when they see a
knowledgeable believer eating food they assume to
have been sacrificed to idols. This gives an indication
that there are brethren who are born again but still
have certain consciousnesses due to the lack of
knowledge or unrenewed minds that define their
experiences in life. People are born again but still
have the consciousness of witchcraft, fetish, occult,
idols and other spiritisms. Some also have
information from their previous life stored up in
their subconscious mind that produces certain
experiences as though not saved. This means that an
unrenewed mind or ignorant believer can have
experiences and manifestations as though not saved.

This consciousness from an unrenewed mind can

make a believer have certain dreams where they see
strange beings chasing them, hear strange voices, see
dead people and have other strange experiences.
When they are prayed for, they can have strange
responses or manifestations from their subconscious
mind as though not saved. Such believers due to lack
of knowledge are very superstitious and full of fear.
However, when such believers are well taught and
get their minds renewed to their new identity, such
experiences will stop. The believer is not under the
power of darkness. It is only ignorance that can make
them have experiences as though they are still under
the power of darkness. We renew our consciousness

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by being taught and getting our minds

reprogrammed to our new identity. Churches which
are so much Satan-conscious will always have these
strange experiences in the name of “deliverance”.
There is order, dignity, beauty and liberty in a well-
taught church.

Confession: I am not under the power of

darkness. I am in the kingdom of light.

Additional Studies:
1Corinthians 8:4-7, Colossians 1:12-14, Philemon 1:6

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THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST

1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-2
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came
not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,
declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2
For I determined not to know any thing
among you, save Jesus Christ, and him
crucified. (KJV)

We have said there is deliberate learning to do after

salvation. The acquisition of knowledge is the most
important responsibility of the believer after
salvation. Most of the prayers of apostle Paul to the
churches were for them to know or have knowledge.
Ephesians 1:18, “The eyes of your understanding
being enlightened; that ye may know what is the
hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of
his inheritance in the saints”. He also prayed similar
prayers for the church in Colosse, Colossians 1:9,
“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do
not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might
be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom
and spiritual understanding”. The desire of apostle
Paul for the churches was for them to have
knowledge. This is because knowledge brings about
the renewal of the mind and the result will be
effectiveness in the Christian faith. The acquisition of
knowledge requires being taught by a pastor, reading
the bible, reading books written by men of God,
listening to preaching tapes, reading other good

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materials on the internet and many other ways

knowledge can be acquired.

The question will then be, what kind of knowledge

should the believer be seeking? Is it to read books
about the wives of Satan, dangerous prayers,
overcoming household demons, cursing and killing
your enemies, financial principles of Solomon, 99
days in heaven, letters form Satan and many such
materials? There are some believers who just buy
and read any book they come across or written by any
popular man of God in the name of seeking
knowledge. Such a habit of reading every book and
listening to every man of God on TV, radio or the
internet will not make you grow. It will rather make
you confused and unfruitful. Attending every
program by different men of God, different men of
God laying hands on you and moving from one
church to the other in the name of seeking knowledge
is very hazardous to your growth in the faith.

From our opening text and the prayers of apostle

Paul to the churches, he was specific about the kind
of knowledge the believer should seek. The
knowledge of Christ, his death and resurrection, the
blessings of the man in Christ, our inheritance in
Christ, who we are, what we have and what Christ can
do through us; the right and responsibility of the
man in Christ. These are some of the knowledge the
believer should seek. Christ and the believer in him
should be the knowledge to seek salvation.
Knowledge must be sought under the guidance of
your pastor. Books to read and the men of God to

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listen to must be books and people recommended by

your pastor. Don’t learn in isolation. Learn under the
guidance of your pastor.

Confession: I feed on the message of Christ

for my spiritual growth.

Additional Studies:
Ephesians 4:11-15, Acts 20:32, 2Peter 3:18

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MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS

TITUS 3: 8
This is a faithful saying, and these things I
will that thou affirm constantly, that they
which have believed in God might be careful
to maintain good works. These things are
good and profitable unto men. (KJV)

We know that salvation is by grace alone and not by

works, Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”.
Good works have no role in getting a man saved and
remaining saved. Nobody gets saved by any acts of a
good lifestyle. You are not a believer just because you
decided to break from a sexually immoral
relationship. You don’t also lose your salvation
because you committed a particular sin. Salvation is
always based on faith in what Christ has done, Titus
3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost”. This means that the price and security of our
salvation is always based on the finished work of
Jesus Christ. Anybody trying to protect or maintain
salvation is acting in ignorance and being a
hypocrite. Nobody has the moral capacity to
maintain salvation, you can’t, and you will fail
millions of times.

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This does not mean that as believers, we are to live

anyhow, or we are not required to do good works.
Throughout all the epistles, good works and good
lifestyles are encouraged. However, there is nowhere
in the epistles where good works were taught as
necessary to get saved or maintain salvation. It is an
error to encourage good works with the threat of
losing salvation. In the epistles, we are asked to flee
fornication, we are to forgive, honour the brethren,
give, pray and be hospitable. We are asked to help the
poor and the needy, not to live like unbelievers who
will not inherit God’s kingdom. The fruit of light was
differentiated from the fruit of darkness. Believers
were asked to live as children of light. We have many
instructions of good works and lifestyles in the bible.
Some believers were rebuked and disciplined for
wrong conduct. The apostles were very hard on good
conduct. Godly lifestyles were encouraged. However,
good conduct was never taught as a means to gain or
lose salvation.

Our opening text affirms that those who have

believed must be careful to maintain good works
because good works are profitable among men. Good
works are the results of spiritual growth. Any
believer not exhibiting good works is a baby in Christ.
Such a person is not mature and is ignorant of their
identity in Christ. The person may have been in
church for years and might even hold a leadership
position but can still be immature in Christ. When we
grow in Christ through the renewing of our minds by
the knowledge of our identity in Christ, we become
profitable among our brethren by the fruit of good

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works. We become more productive in the body of

Christ. There is no profit in bad conduct as a believer.
Be profitable among men and believers by putting up
good conduct.

Confession: I am careful to maintain good

works because it is profitable among men.

Additional Studies:
Titus 3: 14, Galatians 5: 22- 26, 1Peter 2: 11- 12

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SIN HAS CONSEQUENCES

1TIMOTHY 4: 12
Let no one despise you for your youth, but
set the believers an example in speech, in
conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (ESV)

The believer in Christ has eternal forgiveness. No

particular sin is so big or frequently committed, has
the capacity to overcome Christ's sacrifice and send
the believer to hell. Faith in Christ is deliverance
from sin. Faith in Christ is resurrection from
spiritual death. Faith in Christ is receiving the eternal
free gift of life and righteousness. God has forgiven
all our sins: present, past and future sins. Jesus will
not come and die for any sin again. Jesus is not
paying for sins. Jesus has finished the payment of sin
once and forever. Hebrews 10:14, “For by one
offering he hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified”. The Christian, therefore, has no sin
problem. The believer is saved by grace through faith
in Christ and not because he stopped committing a
particular sin. The day we received Christ is the day
we received God’s forgiveness for all our sins. There
is no sin of the believer yet to be forgiven on the
condition of confession or repentance. The believer
is washed once and forever. He is sanctified once and
forever. We are made holy and righteous by faith in
Christ once and forever.

However, committing sins has consequences. The

devil is the accuser of the brethren. He will always

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come to challenge your stand in Christ. A sinful

lifestyle gives him the foothold to accuse us in our
conscience thereby making us ineffective in the faith.
He will challenge your righteousness if you are not
doing the right things or living life consistent with
your true nature in Christ. You would not be bold in
the faith knowing that you are living a hypocritical
life. This will affect your growth in Christ and how
you can serve God. Our service or ministry in Christ
shall be rewarded, therefore anything that has the
capacity to affect how we do the work of ministry
should not be taken for granted such as a sinful
lifestyle. 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone
may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad”. The
judgment here is not the determination of salvation
but the judgment for the reward for how we served
Christ.

There are also natural consequences of some sinful

lifestyles. A believer who steals is not exempted from
being caught and jailed even though they remain
believers. You can lose jobs and the trust of family
members and friends through some sinful acts. Some
sinful acts can bring shame and embarrassment to
you. Some also can bring health and financial
challenges to the believer. Living in sinful conduct is
never an advantage to the believer. Though you are
still saved, it has many consequences. We are also the
light of the world. Our lifestyle has an influence on
others. How you live can defile or edify another
believer. We shall lose the reward for whatever we do

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which does not edify the body of Christ. You cannot

be effective if you preach virtue but practice vice. Be
the best example of God's character to your world by
avoiding a sinful lifestyle.

Confession: I refuse to live a sinful lifestyle

because I am the light of the world.

Additional Studies:
Matthew 5: 14- 16, Colossians 3: 1- 14,
1Corinthians 8: 10- 13

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BE A LIVING EXAMPLE
1TIMOTHY 3:2
A bishop then must be blameless, the
husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good
behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to
teach: (KJV)

The area of living an exemplary life cannot be given

less attention in the Christian walk of faith. Paul
mentions here in the opening text how the man of
God must be found with certain characteristics. Just
in the next chapter he emphatically asked Timothy to
be an example of the believers. This is very vital
because spiritual growth differs in the sense that in
the church, others are more mature than others and
therefore, by their character, they can edify those
who are weak in the faith. Whatever we do and say
has an effect on somebody in the fellowship of
believers. Our conduct will encourage or discourage
somebody. When you hold a leadership position in
the church, people look up to you for inspiration,
affirmation, and evaluation of their convictions.
Philippians 3:17, “Dear brothers and sisters, pattern
your lives after mine, and learn from those who
follow our example”. (NLT). No wonder Paul said, be
ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ. Paul
understood that the very life of Christ in all his
redemptive program was about leadership by
example.

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He taught the Corinthian church how they should

walk in the example of how Jesus’ body was broken
or shared for them, 1 Corinthians 11:29, “For he that
eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and trinkets
damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's
body”. This was when the Corinthian church was not
living an exemplary life of walking in love towards
one another and were abusing the Lord’s supper
which was to promote love and oneness. Jesus’
redemptive work is also an example for us in our
conduct. In Christianity, we have an example to copy.
We do what the apostles did. We believe what the
apostles believed and preach the message they
preached. We copy the good examples of the elders
of faith. 2 Timothy 3:10, “But thou hast fully known
my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith,
longsuffering, charity, patience”. As we are maturing
in Christ, our manner of life becomes an example for
new believers. We cannot afford to live anyhow.

We are the light of the world as Christ said to us.

What we do is what would influence the world. We
are required to shine to our world, Philippians 2:14-
15, “Do all things without murmurings and
disputing: That ye may be blameless and harmless,
the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine
as lights in the world”. They must see the goodness
and the grace of God in our conduct. What we preach
must be in sync with how we live. If we cannot
demonstrate an exemplary life in the church, how do
we carry that out to the world and demonstrate the
love of God to them? Let us remember who we are

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today as sons of God so we can manifest our true

identity among the brethren. Though what we do
does not affect our salvation, it affects our spiritual
growth and the edification of other believers.

Confession: Christ is in me I demonstrate an

exemplary life among the brethren today in
Jesus’ name.

Additional Studies:
1Timothy 4:12, Titus 2: 7- 8, Romans 14:13

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NOT OF THIS WORLD

ROMANS 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be
ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
(KJV)

We live in a world with its own ideas, beliefs,

principles, philosophies, customs, and social
behaviour. This world has how it does and evaluates
things. As we grow older, it is almost certain that our
mindset will be moulded based on our varying
backgrounds, the several schools we must have
attended, interactions with friends and family, the
media and such. These eventually influence our
thoughts, desires, choices, words, and activities
generally amongst men. Since we live in this world
after salvation, there is still a tendency to pattern our
lifestyle after the system of the world. This should not
be the case. This is because the lifestyle or conduct of
every believer must be formed SOLELY from the
written WORD. Faith in Christ is victory over the
world, 1 John 4:4-5, “Ye are of God, little children,
and have overcome them: because greater is he that
is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the
world: therefore, speak they of the world, and the
world heareth them”. The believer is not of this world
and for that matter should not speak or live as the
world, James 4:4, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity

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with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the

world is the enemy of God”.

Hence, Paul's words in the opening text to the church

of Rome and the believer at large. Peter said the same
in 1 Peter 1:14, “As obedient children, not fashioning
yourselves according to the former lusts in your
ignorance”. We must PREACH JESUS and LIVE
JESUS. The world must see Jesus in our conduct.
They must see the love, grace, and holiness of God in
our conduct. In 2 Timothy 2:19-22, Paul told
Timothy that, “Nevertheless the foundation of God
standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth
them that are his. And, let everyone that nameth the
name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great
house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver,
but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor,
and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge
himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour,
sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and
prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful
lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace,
with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart”.

You can’t be a believer and still be in love with the

world. We are not to conform to the world’s way of
reasoning, their way of judgment, interest, and
values. Apostle Paul called the believer light and the
unbeliever darkness. We are to shine in the midst of
darkness. We should be holy in our conduct. Though
we live in this world, we are not of this world. The
lust of the flesh which are all forms of fleshly
indulgence, the lust of the eyes which are all strong

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desires to possess and the pride of life which are the

strong desire to impress do not come from God. We
must be separated from the world.

Confession: I live a life of honour and keep

myself from the world system.

Additional scriptures:
Romans 13:14, Galatians 4:16, 1 John 2:15-16

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THINGS ABOVE
COLOSSIANS 3: 1-2
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where Christ sitteth
on the right hand of God. Set your affection
on things above, not on things on the earth
(KJV)

It is good to have a good education, get a good job,

get married, and live in very good accommodations
with beautiful cars and electronics. It is right to seek
and work to achieve much in life. Waking up very
early and coming to bed late in order to achieve
material things is not always bad. The fact is the bible
does not encourage laziness, mediocrity, and
excuses. We have to do all we can to excel in our
professions, and education and become responsible
in life. Poverty is not a sign of spirituality. As long as
we live on this earth, we shall have natural and
material needs and we must seek to get these needs
met, 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12, “For even when we
were with you, this we commanded you, that if any
would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear
that there are some which walk among you
disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Now them that are such we command and exhort by
our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work,
and eat their own bread”. Therefore, working to earn
good money for a comfortable life is doctrinal.

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However, some believers become so consumed by

natural, and material needs that they forget who they
are in Christ. Their affection is set on maximizing
physical comfort and pleasure of life or getting so
much money and becoming “successful” in the eyes
of society without giving attention to their spiritual
growth and Christian ministry. They spend all their
time in secular engagements, traveling, and
entertainment without giving attention to reading
and studying the bible. They excel in their workplace
without excelling in church. They wake up and go
about their activities without any consistent lifestyle
of prayer and devotion. They are not punctual at
church. Some of them have absented themselves
from church for so many weeks. They have never
engaged in prayer for about 30 minutes for a long
time. They have not studied the bible or listened to
preaching sermons for 45 minutes for a long time.
Their focus and daily engagement is on money and
business. Though they are believers, their affection is
not set on spiritual things.

From our opening text, we are encouraged to seek

those things which are above where Christ sits. We
are to set our affections on things above not on
earthly things. This is very instructive. As believers,
we should set our desires and affections on spiritual
things. We should let our spiritual growth and
Christian ministry become our priority. We should
seek to excel in these things. Our material or human
success only ends on this earth but success in the
things of the Spirit is eternal. You can be very
successful on this earth and get the reward and

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applause of men but miss the reward when Christ

comes. We should set our affections on spiritual
things while we work to meet our human needs. It
takes deliberate decisions to plan your activities and
put priority on things of the Spirit. We need to
sacrifice some of our secular engagements for
ministry or church activities that will help us grow in
Christ.

Confession: My affection is set on things

above not on things on this earth.

Additional Studies:
Colossians 3: 1-4, Luke 12: 16-21, 1 John 2: 15-17

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KNOW YE NOT?
1CORINTHIANS 3: 16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
(KJV)

Our behaviour or lifestyle is the product of our belief

system. It is said that right believing produce the
right behaviour. How we conduct ourselves as
believers is based on the knowledge we have. This
knowledge is not just academic or the accumulation
of facts but revelation knowledge which has formed
one’s conviction for life. When a person becomes a
believer, their lifestyle may not automatically change
but as they acquire the knowledge of who they are in
Christ, they are able to renew their mind to align
their lifestyle and conduct to their belief system. We
become effective in our Christian life through
knowledge. It is therefore possible to have a Holy
Ghost-filled tongue-speaking believer who is living
sinful conduct due to ignorance of their identity in
Christ. A person can have information but if that
information has not become personal conviction or
persuasion, it cannot result in a change of behaviour.
Therefore, the knowledge for change of conduct is
revelation knowledge or conviction, not just
acquisition of doctrinal clichés or sound bites with no
conviction or revelation. When it becomes a
conviction, it influences how you perceive or see
things.

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The church in Corinth by then was full of divisions,

sexual immorality, and other bad conduct. It was so
much to the extent of somebody sleeping with the
stepmother. There is nowhere apostle Paul told them
they have lost their salvation or that if they don’t
change, they will go to hell. Rather, he pointed out to
them who they are in Christ. He asked, know ye not
that you are the temple of God? Paul knew that their
lack of knowledge of their identity was the cause of
the various forms of sinful conduct in the church of
Corinth. The believers in Antioch were called
Christians because Apostle Paul spent a whole year
teaching them the message of Christ which reflected
in the formation of their Christlike conduct. The
solution to believers of bad conduct is not to use hell
or loss of salvation to threaten them. The solution is
to draw their attention to who they are in Christ. Let
them know their identity.

A believer knowing that they have been forgiven will

make them forgive others. The awareness that their
body is the temple of God will make them put up holy
conduct. The knowledge that God has made them
ministers of reconciliation will let them preach to
others. When believers come to the conviction that
they are one body, it will affect their perception and
how they will relate to each other. Such a conviction
will cause them to walk in love. The knowledge that
God loves them unconditionally will make them love
others unconditionally. Apostle Paul handled the
misconduct of the Corinthian brethren by teaching
them who they are and have in Christ. Ignorance of
one’s identity in Christ is the cause of the bad

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conduct of believers. Knowledge is the reason for

good conduct.

Confession: My conduct is consistent with

who I am in Christ.

Additional Studies
Philemon 1: 6, Colossians 3: 12- 14, Acts 11:26

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MINISTERS OF GRACE
EPHESIANS 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out
of your mouth, but that which is good to the
use of edifying, that it may minister grace
unto the hearers. (KJV)

The message of salvation we preach is the message of

God’s grace because it is the preaching of the free
offer of life which does not depend on the work of the
recipient, Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then is it no
more of works: otherwise, grace is no more grace. But
if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise,
work is no more work”. Immediately we add works
as the condition for receiving or maintaining
salvation, it ceases to be God’s grace, Romans 4:4-5,
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned
of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but
believeth on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith
is counted for righteousness”. The preaching of God’s
grace must also reflect in how we relate with people.
It is not enough to understand grace or talk grace, we
should be able to minister grace in our marriages,
among our workmates, in our homes, family and to
our friends. We should be able to live among people
and relate with the brethren with a gracious attitude.
Grace is extending favour to people who don't
deserve it. Grace is not an eye for an eye and a tooth
for a tooth. Grace is unconditional forgiveness. Our
words and actions must show grace.

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When we become offended by someone, the natural

tendency is to retaliate. It seems the logical thing to
do. It even feels good retaliating. But that is not
grace. Grace is the way of Christ, but retaliation is the
way of the natural man. We must choose God's way
(grace), not what is logical or what feels right. The
natural thing is that people show love when they are
treated well but refuse to show the same level of love
when mistreated. We often say, “If you do this and
that, I will love you”. That is making people earn our
love. That is not grace. Our love should be freely
given, not earned, that is grace. Let's not only preach
grace, let's practice grace. We must forgive people
because Christ forgave us, Romans 5:6-8, “For when
we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died
for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will
one die yet peradventure for a good man some would
even dare to die. But God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us”. We must love people as Christ loved us.
We must be at peace with men because we are at
peace with God.

It is hypocritical to be loud on God’s eternal

salvation, God’s mercy and kindness and not exhibit
such knowledge or character of grace in your
conduct. Our response or manner of preaching the
message of grace must be gracious to those who are
ignorant of what we know that they don’t know.
Having a revengeful, critical, and dishonouring
attitude is not grace. Making people feel bad and not
loved is not grace. Jesus on earth lived a life of grace.
He loved and forgave people. He healed and restored

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people. The apostles also preached and lived grace.

Let us preach and live a life of grace.

Confession: I will not preach grace and

practice legality. That is hypocrisy.

Additional Studies:
Colossians 2:8-17, Mark 7:8-13, Philippians 3:7-8

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FALLING FROM GRACE

GALATIANS 5:4
You who are trying to be justified by law
have been alienated from Christ; you have
fallen away from grace. (NIV)

We have been taught many times that salvation is

eternal. This means that once you are born by God,
you forever remain the child of God. This means that
it is the responsibility of the saviour Jesus Christ to
keep you saved forever. It is never the responsibility
of the saved to keep themselves saved. John 10:28-
29, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out
of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is
greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out
of my Father's hand”. Unfortunately, some believers
in an attempt to encourage good conduct teach that
a man can lose salvation. “Fallen from grace” is a
common phrase ignorantly used to describe
somebody who they think has lost salvation.
Sometimes when a believer falls into an act of sin,
they also say that the believer has fallen from grace.
The ignorant use of this phrase is the result of poor
bible interpretation. When scripture is taken out of
context, it can be used to back up anything you want.
Just considering the opening text alone, you can
notice that it was talking about justification by the
law of Moses. We have been set free by Christ, set free
from observing the law for justification or from using
good deeds to maintain salvation.

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In Christ, we have been justified and saved for all

eternity and it was all by grace and we obtained this
grace by our faith in him, not by our faith plus
something else. Hence whenever we try to hinge our
continual justification and salvation on observing the
law, doing good deeds, sowing seeds, paying tithes,
attending church on Saturday or Sunday, not putting
on earrings or trousers, water baptism, giving arms
to the poor or anything else, we have fallen from
grace into our own efforts. Such people cannot
believe that Christ's work is complete enough for
them and so they seek to add their human efforts to
keep themselves justified and saved but that
amounts to falling from grace.

Fallen from grace, therefore, does not imply one has

lost their salvation, but simply means that one has
chosen to rely on their good deeds as necessary for
maintaining their salvation. Such a person will suffer
guilt and disappointment from their imperfect
human effort. Christ has become of no effect to them.
Anytime we try to feel justified by our efforts, works,
and conduct apart from grace through faith in Christ,
we have fallen from grace unto works or legalism.
Our justification, salvation, righteousness, and
sanctification are all by grace through faith in Christ.
None is dependent on us. Grace in this context is
about depending solely on faith in Christ for
justification. But when a person refuses to depend on
Christ’s finished work for justification and tries to
depend on their works and efforts, that is when we
say they have fallen from grace.

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Confession: I live my life with total

dependency on the grace of God and not on
my human efforts.

Additional Studies:
Galatians 5:1-6, Romans 4:1-11, Romans 9:30-32

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YOU HAVE BEEN SEALED

EPHESIANS 1:13
And you also were included in Christ when
you heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation. Having believed, you were
marked with a seal, the promised Holy
Spirit. (NIV)

Salvation in Christ is eternal. Once a person becomes

born again, they can’t be unborn. Once a person
receives eternal life, they can’t die again. Once a
person becomes a citizen of heaven, they remain a
citizen forever. Once a person receives forgiveness in
Christ, they remain forgiven forever. The assurance
is that Jesus is alive forever, and the believer is also
alive forever, Hebrews 7:24-25, “But because Jesus
lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore,
he is able, once and forever, to save those who come
to God through him. He lives forever to intercede
with God on their behalf”. (NLT). Whatever Jesus
accomplished by his death and resurrection is
received once and forever. However, people dispute
this truth with the understanding that when we
preach the eternal nature of salvation, it will
encourage people to live anyhow knowing that they
are still saved irrespective of their conduct. The Bible
does not encourage a sinful lifestyle. There are
consequences of bad conduct but loss of salvation
was never taught as the result of the bad conduct of
believers.

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From our opening text, a person is sealed by the Holy

Ghost when they believe the gospel. A seal is a sign
or symbol of ownership. Whoever receives Jesus is
marked with God's seal guaranteeing that God owns
them and that they are a true son of God. In
churches, offices and workplaces, properties such as
cars, furniture, and TV sets are acquired and marked
with the name of the organization. That is a form of
a seal on the property, and it implies that the
property still belongs to a particular organization
even if it is found outside the confines of that
organization. Similarly, we have been sealed by God
right from the day of salvation. The seal of God on
the believer is eternal. Our salvation is incorruptible,
we are kept by the power of God. 1 Peter 1:3-5,
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath
begotten us again unto a lively hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that
fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are
kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”.

Though God does not want us to be in the wrong

places, or live anyhow because of other
consequences, we remain his even if we find
ourselves in the wrong places. His seal on us is
indelible, nothing can change it. God does not make
mistakes and so if he seals you on the day of
salvation, his seal on you remains eternally,
regardless of your good deeds or bad deeds. The
believer is eternally sealed. He remains God’s child

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and citizen of God’s kingdom forever. The seal is our

guarantee that we are his forever. Our assurance of
eternal salvation rests on the fact that we were sealed
from the day we believed the gospel.

Confession: I have God's indelible seal on me

and that is enough guarantee of my eternal
security.

Additional Studies
2Corinthians 1:21-22, John 8:35- 36,
Ephesians 1:11-14

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THE SCRIPTURES
2 TIMOTHY 3:16
All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: (KJV)

The use of the term scriptures by Apostle Paul in our

opening text was not in reference to all the books of
the bible. It was in reference to the Old Testament
books which is from Genesis to Malachi. This is
because at the time apostle Paul was writing this,
there was no book of Timothy. Jesus also used the
same term scriptures in Matthew 22:29-30, “Jesus
answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing
the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the
resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in
marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven”.
Here Jesus was referring to the Old Testament
writings since by then there was no book of Matthew.
The Old Testament writings comprise the writing of
Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms which include
other poetic books. This was what was available for
Jesus and the apostles during their time. They made
many references to these books. Jesus Christ taught
from these books after his resurrection, Luke 24:25-
27,44-45.

What is unique to Christianity is the scriptures. From

our opening text, it is useful for doctrine. This means
every doctrine or explanation concerning the

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Christian faith is by the use of the scriptures.

Whatever form the proof or evidence, whatever
becomes the basis of correction and instructions
concerning Christianity is by the scriptures. Outside
the scriptures, there is no other doctrine, evidence,
correction or instruction concerning our faith.
Genesis to Malachi forms the borderline by which
our faith stands. The 4 gospels and the epistles were
written based on the writings of Moses, the prophets
and the Psalms. The teachings of Jesus and the
apostles were the explanations of the scriptures. This
is because they taught from the scriptures. This
means that if a person studies the scriptures very
well, they should be able to come out with the same
teachings, explanations or understanding as what
was taught by Jesus and the apostles. Apostle Paul
called the scriptures mystery and his teachings the
revelation of the mystery, Romans 16:25.

This means that in a specific context, the scriptures

refer to the Old Testament books and in some generic
context, we can call the entire bible the scriptures
because the 4 gospels and the epistles explain the Old
Testament books. We have 66 books of the bible.
These books are the canonized document for the
Christian faith. Any other document not canonized
cannot be accepted as evidence of our faith. The
major language of the Old Testament books is
Hebrew and that of the New Testament is in Greek.
There were no chapters and verses in the original
manuscripts. The chapters and verses were added by
the translators for easy reference. This means that
there are times when one must go to the original

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language to get the actual meaning of some words

and phrases. We must also not be limited by the
verses and chapters in our studies.

Confession: The scriptures are my only

authority for everything concerning my
faith.

Additional Studies:
Mark 12:24-27, Acts 17:11, 1Corinthains 15:1-4

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THE MESSAGE OF THE

SCRIPTURES
JOHN 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think
ye have eternal life: and they are they
which testify of me. (KJV)

We taught in our previous lesson that the scriptures

form the authority, basis and borderline of our
Christian doctrine, evidence, correction, and
instructions. We don’t depend on the experiences of
men or supernatural encounters as the authority of
our Christian conviction. A single bible text well
interpreted within its proper context has more
authority than a message received from a vision from
heaven. We also said that the teachings of Jesus and
the apostles were from the Old Testament books. The
scriptures have a single message that cuts across the
entire books. From our opening text, the scriptures
are the testimony of Christ. This was the main factor
considered in the selection of the 66 books that were
canonized. Every book canonized must have the
message of Christ or must have been referred to by
Jesus or the apostles in their teachings. Luke 24:25-
26, “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of
heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and
to enter into his glory?”. Jesus disclosed all that the
prophets spoke. This means that any prophetic book
that did not talk about the sufferings and the

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glorification of Christ cannot be canonized as

scriptures.

Jesus said that Moses wrote of him, John 5:46-47,

“For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed
me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his
writings, how shall ye believe my words?”. This also
means that what Moses wrote was about Christ. The
Psalms and the poetic books were also about Christ,
Luke 24:44, “And he said unto them, these are the
words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with
you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were
written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and
in the psalms, concerning me”. Throughout the
scriptures, we have things about Christ. Apostle Paul
also affirmed that the scriptures reveal salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus, 2 Timothy 3:15. When
you read all the Old Testament books very well, you
will come to the conclusion of the message of Christ
which is salvation through faith in his death and
resurrection. Any book which does not have the
message of Christ’s death and resurrection was not
inspired of God. Every book inspired of God must
have the message of salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus.

Though you may not see the name Jesus Christ

directly in the Old Testament writings, it was implied
in many instances. In the scriptures, we have Christ
concealed in figurative form, prophecies, promises,
typologies, feasts, wars, genealogies, events and
activities of men. In the New Testament, we have
Christ revealed. What was said in figurative form in

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the Old Testament is explained in the epistles. The

four gospels also revealed how the prophies of
Christ’s suffering was fulfilled. This means that the
entire Bible is one book with one message
communicated in various forms by different people
at different times and places. The message is
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Confession: I see salvation through faith in

Christ Jesus when I read the scriptures.

Additional Studies:
Luke 24: 25-48, Romans 16:25-26, Acts 8:26-35

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JESUS’ TEACHING
LUKE 24:45-46
Then opened he their understanding, that
they might understand the scriptures, And
said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus
it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from
the dead the third day: (KJV)

We said that everything concerning our Christian

faith must be by the explanation of scriptures. What
makes Christianity unique is not miracles or
morality. It is the scriptures that form the body of
truth concerning the Christian faith. We said that any
supernatural encounter or experience that comes out
with a message, teaching or instruction that is not in
alignment with the body of truth of scriptures cannot
be accepted as from God. Since the scriptures are
from the inspiration of God, what proves that
something is from God is the scriptures. God is
known by the scriptures. Any knowledge of God
outside the scriptures is false. Any relationship with
God outside the parameters of the scriptures is false.
There is nothing like a personal relationship or
revelation of God outside the body of truth of the
scriptures. Anytime a believer makes light of what
has been documented in the scriptures and tries to
seek other sources of information or encounter, that
believer is on their way to forming a new religion.
Any knowledge of God outside the scriptures is
religion.

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God wants us to know him by the scriptures. Jesus

on Earth always referred to the written scriptures in
his teachings. He referred to Moses, the prophets,
and the psalms during his teachings. In defeating the
devil at his temptation, he used the phrase “it is
written”. In responding to the Pharisees, he used the
phrase it is written. Jesus, some of the times asked
the Pharisees whether they had not read the
scriptures. One significant reference to the scriptures
by Jesus Christ was the period after his resurrection.
Jesus proved to his disciples that he must suffer and
rise from the dead on the third day from the
scriptures. He did not use supernatural experiences
or things he encountered in the grave to prove that
he is alive. He took them systematically through the
scriptures. From our opening text, it’s when Jesus
took them through the scriptures that their eyes
opened to understand the scriptures that indeed
Jesus was to suffer and rise from the dead. It is at this
point that they were fully persuaded of the
resurrection of Christ. That is also when they got
saved. Till a person believes in the resurrection of
Christ, he or she is not saved.

If Jesus proved his resurrection by the scriptures, it

means that everything about Christianity must be
proved by the scriptures. It is not true just because it
worked. It is true because the scriptures prove it.
When apostle Paul stated the gospel he heard,
believed, and got saved he said, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4,
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
received, how that Christ died for our sins according
to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he

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rose again the third day according to the scriptures”.

He said Jesus died and rose again according to the
scriptures. If what you heard and believed is not
according to the scriptures, then you have missed it
or have believed in vain.

Confession: The scriptures is the authority

for all doctrine.

Additional Studies:
Mark 14:26-27, Luke 24: 25-48, Matthew 21:42

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THE APOSTLES’ TEACHING

ACTS 2:16-17
But this is that which was spoken by the
prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in
the last days, saith God, I will pour out of
my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy, and your
young men shall see visions, and your old
men shall dream dreams: (KJV)

We have explained that all scripture is by the

inspiration of God. This means that God moved the
writers to document the scriptures. We said that the
scriptures are consistent with a single message which
is salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. This means
that if the canonized scriptures were more than the
66 books, they would still have carried the same
message. Therefore, we have enough documentation
to communicate salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus. Any book not canonized didn’t have salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. It also means Jesus and
the apostles did not mention or refer to such
documents in their teachings. In our previous
studies, we taught how Jesus always referred to the
scriptures in his teachings. He showed much
dependency on the documentation of the prophets.
He often used the phrase “it is written” or “have you
not read”. He subjected his teachings to what God
spoke through Moses and the prophets. He did not
discard the scriptures to come out with is own

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revelations. The only way he proved his resurrection

to his disciples was through the scriptures.

It was not only Jesus who taught from Moses and the
prophets. The apostles also taught from the
scriptures. From our opening text, apostle Peter used
the scriptures to explain the supernatural experience
on the day of Pentecost. He referred to what prophet
Joel said. He did not use supernatural experience to
validate scriptures but rather used scriptures to
validate supernatural experience. Any supernatural
experience that cannot be validated by the scriptures
is not from God. Peter also referred to Moses and the
writings of the prophets in the book of Acts, (Acts
3:13-26, Acts 4;25-26). In Acts 7, Stephen referred to
the writings of Moses and the prophets. The common
thing about the messages preached in the Book of
Acts was their reference to the scriptures in their
teachings. In the epistles also, they mostly relied on
the writings of Moses, the Psalms, and the prophets
in their teachings. They did not rely on supernatural
experiences or other documents apart from the
scriptures that were canonized.

In teaching about righteousness apostle Paul in the

book of Romans 3, referred to the writings of the
prophets, in chapter 4 he referred to the writings of
Moses in teaching justification by faith in Christ
Jesus. The other writers of the epistles all made
various references to the Old Testament books in
their teachings. This means that since the Old
Testament books have one message which is
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus, all

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that they taught will also be the explanation of

salvation by faith in Christ Jesus. This means the
entire bible has one message. While the Old
Testament used typologies, figures of speech, feasts,
wars, events, prophecies, etc. to communicate the
message of Christ, the New Testament books explain
the Old Testament writings.

Confession: The scriptures are my reference

in teaching the message of Christ.

Additional Studies:
2Timothy 3:15-17, Romans 4:1-12,
Galatians 4:21-31

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THE BOOK OF REVELATION

REVELATION 1:1
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave unto him, to shew unto his servants
things which must shortly come to pass;
and he sent and signified it by his angel
unto his servant John: (KJV)

We said that any book which testifies of salvation

through faith in Christ Jesus is inspired by God.
What proves that an utterance is from God is the
message it communicates. The utterance of God
would communicate salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus. Jesus testified that Moses wrote of him, John
5:46, “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have
believed me: for he wrote of me”. Jesus also said that
the Psalms and the prophets were also about him,
Luke 24:44, “And he said unto them, These are the
words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with
you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were
written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and
in the psalms, concerning me”. All that the prophets
said was the sufferings of Christ and the glory that
should follow. In the four gospels, we see the
humanity of Christ and how the promise was fulfilled
by dying and rising from the dead. In the epistles, we
see the revelation of Christ. What was said by the
prophets in figurative language or mystery is
explained in the epistles. This makes the writings of
Moses, the Psalms, the prophets, the four gospels,

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and the epistles the message of the suffering of Christ

and the glory that followed.

The Book of Revelation has created many

controversies because of its nature. The author of the
book is John the apostle. He said in, Revelation 1:3,
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the
words of this prophecy, and keep those things which
are written therein: for the time is at hand”, he used
the phrase “the words of this prophecy”. This phrase
is different from “more sure word of prophecy” used
by Peter in 2 Peter 1:19. Peter was referring to the
scriptures. The entire writings of Moses, the
prophets, and the psalm are called the prophecy.
However, John’s use of the phrase “the words of this
prophecy” was referring to what he heard and saw in
a vision. John recorded the revelations and visions
he saw which were communicated mostly by angels.
Jesus and the apostles taught from the utterances of
the prophets not by visions, revelations and angels.
In the scriptures, holy men spoke and were recorded,
it was not angels who spoke. This makes the mode of
communication in the Book of Revelation different
from the writings of the prophets because most of the
speakings were by angels.

The truth is that whatever was spoken by the angels

and was recorded by John should speak of salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. All the various visions
of horses, beasts, trumpets, and activities must speak
of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should
follow. From our opening text, the book of Revelation
is about Christ Jesus but not about America, the

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Vatican, the Middle East, China, COVID-19, or any

other person. The proof that the interpretation given
to whatever mode of communication used by the
angels is correct is that it must aligned with the
revelation of the scriptures in the epistles. It must
communicate the sufferings of Christ and the glory
that should follow.

Confession: I interpret the Book of

Revelation to speak of salvation in Christ.

Additional Studies:
2Timothy 3:15-17, 2Peter 1:19-21,
Revelation 1:1-2

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HE THAT OVERCOMETH
REVELATION 2:7
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that
overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of
God. (KJV)

We taught that the scriptures are a single prophecy

of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that follows.
Whatever mode of communication Moses and the
prophets used, it must communicate that single
message of Christ’s death, resurrection and the
blessings of the man in Christ. We said that the book
of Revelation is no different book from what the
prophets and Moses wrote which is explained in the
epistles. This means any interpretation of the
symbols and figures of speech which does not agree
with the teachings in the epistles is false. We must
also note that communication in a vision or by angels
is a mixture of literals and figures of speech. In their
interpretation, we use the known to interpret the
unknown. What we know is that the symbols and
figures of speech speak of the sufferings and
glorification of Christ. Another thing to consider is
that there are phrases and words that were used by
John in his documentations that he explained their
meaning in his epistles. Therefore, to understand the
book of Revelation we need to use the epistles to
explain the words and phrases used by John.

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One of the phrases John used is “he that

overcometh”. This phrase has wrongly been
interpreted to mean that believer has battles,
temptations and Satan to fight. It is when you are to
overcome these oppositions before you can be saved.
To them, this shows that a believer can lose salvation
if they are not able to overcome. This interpretation
is far from what John meant by he that overcometh.
The message from Jesus Christ to the pastors
(angels) of the seven churches was to believers. It was
in these letters that they were rebuked of their
conduct, commended for their works and assured
them of the state of the believer, which is also an
invitation for those who are in the church (gathering)
but are yet to believe. In the epistle of John, he used
a similar phrase. This means that we can get the
meaning from how John used that phrase in his
writings. It is important to note that such a phrase is
unique to John’s writings.

1 John 5:4-5, “For whatsoever is born of God

overcometh the world: and this is the victory that
overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that
overcometh the world, but he that believeth that
Jesus is the Son of God?”. John emphatically
explained that to vercome the world is to be born of
God which is to believe that Jesus is the son of God.
This means that faith in Christ is to overcome. Every
believer has overcome. To eat of the Tree of Life is to
have Christ in your heart which is eternal life. This
means the believer is not told to overcome. He is
informed of what he has become by overcoming. The
unbeliever is informed to overcome by believing on

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Christ. This is what John meant by the phrase “he

that overcometh”. The tree of life used by John and
Moses are all figurative. It is a figurative of life in
Christ.

Confession: I have overcome through faith in

Christ Jesus.

Additional Studies:
Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, 1 John 5:4-5,11-12

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THE NEW JERUSALEM

REVELATION 21:2
And I John saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband. (KJV)

We taught that the whole bible has one message with

different modes of communicating that single
message. The entire scriptures testify of Christ. The
sufferings of Christ and the glory that follows which
is also the same as salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus. We said that the same message of Christ was
communicated in the Old Testament books, the 4
gospels and the epistles. This means that the Book of
Revelation should also communicate the same
message. The main communicators of the message in
the Book of Revelation were angels. Jesus Christ and
the apostles explained the utterances of the prophets
in the four gospels and the epistles but the utterances
of angels in the Book of Revelation were to be
explained by them. However, irrespective of the
mode of communication, we are aware of the
message it must communicate which is salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. Since angels are also
students of the manifold wisdom of God, their
communication must be rightly divided, (1 Peter
1:12, Ephesians 3:10). This means that the doctrinal
weight of the utterances of the prophets is heavier
than that of angels.

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To understand the Book of Revelation, we have to use

the epistles to interpret the symbols and figures of
speech used. We also have to consider how the
author John used certain unique phrases. We
explained the phrase “he that overcometh” to mean
to be born of God. Our opening text has another word
that can easily be understood from the body of truth
of the scriptures. The phrase is ‘new Jerusalem’. The
word ‘Jerusalem’ can be used literally to describe a
place, (Mark 11:1). It can also be used figuratively for
people, (Matthew 23:37). However, the use of New
Jerusalem in our opening text can be understood by
considering the next verse, Revelation 21:3, “And I
heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with
them, and they shall be his people, and God himself
shall be with them, and be their God”. The
Tabernacle of God is men, not a physical building.
The book of Hebrews also used the phrase city of God
and Jerusalem figuratively for the church who are
believers, (Hebrews 12:22-24).

Apostle Paul also used Jerusalem in a spiritual

context, (Galatians 4:26). John the author also used
the phrase New Jerusalem in Revelation 3:12. The
phrase New Jerusalem is therefore figurative of the
church or believers. Those who are washed from
their sins by the blood of Jesus and have been made
king and priest. This was formed at the resurrection
of Christ. The birth of the church at the resurrection
of Christ was figuratively communicated in a vision
as a city of God or new Jerusalem coming out of
heaven. This interpretation is in agreement with the

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teachings of the apostles in the epistles. This

understanding would therefore give an accurate
guide to the interpretation of other things related to
the city of God or the New Jerusalem. Immediately
we ignore the known interpretation found in the
epistles to form our own interpretation, we would be
in error.

Confession: I am in the New Jerusalem, the

city of God.

Additional Studies:
Matthew 16:13-20, Ephesians 5:30-32,
Revelation 21:1-8

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MANSIONS IN HEAVEN
JOHN 14:2-3
In my Father's house are many mansions: if
it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again,
and receive you unto myself; that where I
am, there ye may be also. (KJV)

The entire bible has a bias. This means before a

person starts reading the bible, the reader must have
in his mind what he is going to read and the message
it is going to communicate. The reader must have the
mind that, he is going to discover the sufferings of
Christ and the glory that follows which is the same as
salvation through faith in Christ. It is in this light that
we interpret all scriptures. From the writings of
Moses to the book of revelation communicated by
angels speaks of a single message of salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. We taught that
ignorance of the message of the scriptures has made
people come out with many eschatological teachings
from the Book of Revelation outside what was taught
by the prophets and explained in the epistles. Many
eschatological predictions by people have failed due
to the wrong understanding of the message of Christ
communicated by angels. The meaning of the
symbols and activities in the Book of Revelation
cannot be different from the teachings in the epistles.

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Our opening text is one of the texts written by John

which has suffered much abuse. It is often
interpreted as Jesus promised us that he was going
to heaven to prepare mansions for us and would be
back to take us there. This has made people come out
with visions and encounters telling us the level Jesus
has reached in the building of the mansions for some
people. They say that the more you serve Christ the
bigger your mansion in heaven. It is important to
note that false doctrine can induce a supernatural
experience as though that experience is from God. A
person’s vision and encounters depend on his
doctrinal persuasion. The opening text is a statement
Jesus made before he died. The word mansion is the
Greek word “mone” which means dwelling places.
These dwelling places were not referring to heaven.
The going Jesus was talking about was not heaven.

The going Jesus was talking about was about his

death and resurrection. The place to prepare for us
was the right hand of the Father, a position of
authority and glory prepared by the death and
resurrection of Jesus for the believer. Those who
believe in Christ occupy the same position as Christ.
The coming back of Jesus was not referring to his
second coming but the coming into the hearts of
believers. At this moment, Christ dwells in the hearts
of believers. Jesus was therefore not talking about
physical structures but was talking about the journey
of redemption for man. Jesus went and finished
preparing the place for believers. He finished it in his
resurrection. The believer and Christ are in an
inseparable union. The believer in Christ has become

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the dwelling place of the Father. This was made

possible by the work of Christ. This means that
anybody preaching or hoping to see buildings
prepared by Jesus and the angels in heaven is in
falsehood or deception.

Confession: I have become the dwelling

place of the Father by faith in Christ.

Additional Studies:
John 14:1-16, Ephesians 1:20-23, John 17:21

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THE BRIDE
REVELATION 21:2
And I John saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband. (KJV)

We said the bible is a single prophecy and has a single

message. The message of the scriptures is Christ; his
sufferings and glorification. In the writings of the Old
Testament books, we see Christ concealed in the
activities, events, prophecies, feasts, wars,
genealogies and other forms of communication. In
the gospels, we see how what was communicated by
the prophets was fulfilled and in the epistles, we see
the revelation or the explanation of what was said by
Moses and the prophets. We also taught that the
book of Revelation also carries the same message as
the Old Testament books and the epistles.
Immediately our interpretation of the Book of
Revelation becomes different from the teachings in
the epistles, we are in error. What makes the
language or mode of communication in the Book of
Revelation unique is that it was mostly
communicated by angels, while the Old Testament
and the epistles were communicated by men. In our
previous studies, we said that it is an error to say that
Jesus is preparing mansions for us in heaven and
would come again to take us to occupy the mansions.

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We explained that the going of Jesus was his death

and resurrection, the mansions are the position of
authority or the right hand of the Father and his
coming back was to dwell in the believer as the Holy
Spirit. Jesus explained this in the same chapter,

John 14:18-20, “I will not leave you comfortless: I

will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world
seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye
shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in
my Father, and ye in me, and I in you”. There is
another word in the book of Revelation that is well
explained in the epistles. From our opening text, we
have the bride adorned for her husband or
bridegroom. In Revelation 21:9, “And there came
unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven
vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with
me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride,
the Lamb's wife”. The bride, lamb’s wife and the
bridegroom can be explained from the epistles. We
cannot give any other interpretation apart from the
known interpretation in the epistles.

Apostles Paul used marriage to teach the relationship

between Christ and the church, (Ephesians 5:31-32).
The phrase “the bride” and the lamb’s wife”
figuratively speak of Christ’s union with his church,
which was upon his resurrection from the dead. This
is not futuristic, but a present-day reality of our
eternal union with the Father in Christ. Therefore,
the church is not about to be married to Christ, that
happened upon his resurrection. Some of the
interpretations given to futuristic events in the book

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of Revelation are rather past or present-day reality.

In the interpretation of the book of Revelation, we
use the obviously known to interpret the unknown.
Knowing the bride is the present-day church and the
marriage took place at the resurrection, this then
gives us a clue in interpreting other aspects of the
book. The epistles interpret the Book of Revelation.

Confession: I interpret the book of

Revelation to align with the teachings in the
epistles.

Additional Studies:
Revelation 22:17, Revelation 21:1-8,
Ephesians 5:22-32

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FALSE PROPHETS
MATTHEW 7: 15
Beware of false prophets, which come to
you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they
are ravening wolves. (KJV)

The resurrection of Christ gave ministry functions to

the body of Christ, Ephesians 4:11-12, “And he gave
some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ”. However, the
office of the prophet is one of the functions which is
suffering much abuse. In the Old Testament, we had
prophets whose main function was to prophesy
about the sufferings and glorification of Christ, Luke
24:25-26 “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow
of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and
to enter into his glory?”. The New Testament prophet
is however different. Their duty is mainly teaching.
They teach by inspiration of the scriptures or by the
operation of the utterance gifts. As in the Old
Testament, we had false prophets, we also have false
prophets in the New Testament. Jesus warned the
audience of his time about false prophets who come
in to deceive.

There are several ways to describe a false prophet. A

person who uses satanic powers to predict or
prophesy about things or issues is a false prophet. A

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false prophet can see or say things about you which

are true and accurate but may be using satanic
powers to operate. Fortune tellers, palm readers,
fetish priests and others, all predict factual
information. Therefore, factual information about
you does not make a prophet a true prophet. A false
prophet also may be using common sense to say
things which are true about you without any
supernatural influence. Therefore, we must not be
deceived by how accurate they sound with the facts.
Another way to describe a false prophet is a person
who uses his natural imagination and tricks to
predict or say things about people. Such false
prophets may not be accurate all the time. Any divine
utterance or prophecy which did not come to pass
was not from God.

There are situations where a believer may be driven

by popularity and material gain to give a prophecy
which is not of God. Such prophesies often fail. We
must therefore not allow ourselves to be put under
pressure to say something to impress people when
God has not spoken or revealed anything. A false
prophet too can be described as somebody who
teaches Satan-inspired doctrines backed by satanic
invoked miracles. A true prophet is a man in Christ
with the supernatural endowment of the Holy Spirit
who is able to reveal Christ through teachings backed
by the operation of the revelation gifts of the Holy
Spirit. Beware, demons can reveal secrets but cannot
be consistent with the doctrine of Christ. Prophets
are supposed to serve the church or the body of
Christ, not politicians or sportsmen. They are to

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mature believers. Their ministry is connected to the

spiritual growth of believers.

Confession: I refuse to be deceived by people

who can just see and say things about people
without the ability to teach Christ.

Additional Studies:
2Peter 2: 1- 3, 1 John 4: 1- 3,
Acts 16: 16- 18

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A DEN OF THIEVES
2CORINTHIANS 2:17
Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word
of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ
we speak before God with sincerity, like
men sent from God. (NIV)

We taught on how to identify false prophets. We said

that true predictions or information about you is
never a confirmatory sign that God’s Spirit is in
operation. There are many false prophets parading
as servants of God. People patronize these prophets
because of their desperation to hear or know
something supernatural about themselves. What
distinguishes a true minister from a false minister is
the message they preach. The devil can be consistent
in producing false supernatural experiences but he
can never be consistent in telling the truth or
preaching the message of Christ because truth is not
his nature. The devil is the father of lies. Preaching
the true message or gospel cannot come from him.
John 8:44, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the
lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and abode not in the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh
a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the
father of it”. Check the message being preached by
the people they call themselves prophets. If they
cannot teach the doctrine of Christ, it is enough sign
that you are dealing with a false prophet.

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Another evil we must be careful of is the mechanizing

of the work of ministry. When Jesus entered the
Temple in Jerusalem and saw how commercial
activities had taken over the temple, he did not
tolerate it. There were buying and selling of animals
for temple sacrifice, there were people who had their
stand where people go to exchange money, and many
other commercial activities. We wonder why people
will be doing such business in the house of the Lord
when the main business should be prayer and
preaching of the word. The interesting thing is that
we see a similar trend in our time. People are made
to pay consultation fees before seeing the Man of
God. For people to receive a breakthrough, they are
asked to sow a seed, some are made to buy anointing
oils and anointing water, and some are given the
option of emergency where people who want an
urgent solution to their problems are attended to
quicker but at a high fee. So many tricks and business
strategies are being used in some churches to make
money from people in the name of God.

The scriptures are twisted to take money from

people. People are told to sow 150-dollar money seed
to get all the blessings in the 150 chapters of Psalms
in the bible. This is nothing but using the name of
God for merchandise and stealing from ignorant and
desperate people who are looking for supernatural
solutions to their human problems. Some pastors are
wolves disguised in unsuspecting clothes who invite
desperate sheep to their den (church) with the aim of
stealing from them and devouring them or using
them as their daily meal. As believers, we are to avoid

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such thieves. We must not patronize their schemes.

We must not attend such churches or approve of
them.

Confession: I have the duty of not

patronizing the practice where the gospel is
peddled for profit.

Additional Studies:
Matthew 21: 12- 13, Ephesians 5:11,
2Corinthians 4:2

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SOWING MONEY FOR

ANOINTING
ACTS 8: 18- 19
And when Simon saw that through laying
on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost
was given, he offered them money, Saying,
Give me also this power, that on
whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the
Holy Ghost. (KJV)

Merchandizing the blessings of ministry is one of the

commonest evils practised by people. As much as it
is scriptural to honour men of God with money or
material things for their labour in word and doctrine,
it becomes evil when such giving is demanded or
made a requirement for a blessing from God or a
condition to receive ministry such as prayer or
healing from the man of God. We have some
ministers who have made the house of God a den of
thieves who sell items for money. They call these
items anointed items such as water, oils,
handkerchiefs, fruits, powder and many more. If you
went to church and you came back with items such
as oils, powder, fruits, eggs, leaves etc., you didn’t go
to church, you went to a shrine. A bible or pulpit in a
place does not make the place a church. Some people
are given what they term as assignments or prophetic
direction to do things which look so mysterious that
has no bearing on Christianity but pure fetish and
occultic practice.

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There is a common phenomenon among many young

believers. After being born again, their greatest quest
is to get power or what they call anointing to produce
miracles and become famous as that superstar man
of God they see on TV. This lust for fame and
prominence leads to many errors, including sowing
money seeds for anointing. They assume that is the
quickest way to “tap” the anointing from their
superstar man of God. They see anointing as being
popular or famous. To them, Christianity is all about
the power to work miracles and become a prophet or
a bishop as they define it. They enjoyed titles like
Apostle, Bishop, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and the
like. Sometimes, these superstar men of God teach
that they are the custodian of the anointing and for
that matter, you have to sow money seed into their
lives in order to tap into the anointing on them. You
will also get people who ignorantly testify that they
received their anointing by sowing money to another
anointed man of God. This then becomes a doctrine
for many ignorant young believers.

We have no such practice or doctrine of tapping into

anointing by the payment of money. The power of
God or the gifts of the Spirit is called grace or
charisma which is given freely without any monetary
cost to it. The Holy Spirit in you makes you anointed.
Every believer has the power to produce miracles in
the name of Jesus. It is through knowledge that you
become effective in the faith. What you need is not
sowing of money seed because, from the opening
text, Peter rebuked that practice. What you need is
knowledge of who you are and what Christ can do

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through you. The greatest desire of every young

believer is to seek knowledge and grow spiritually by
serving the local church faithfully. It is through
faithful service that we find expressions of the gifts of
the Spirit in us, not by the payment of money to tap
the things of the Spirit.

Confession: I refuse to sow money seed for

anointing.

Additional Studies:
Acts 8: 9- 24, Philemon 1: 6,
2Corinthians 1: 21- 22

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ANOINTING SERVICE
1CORINTHIANS 3: 16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
(KJV)

The association of money with the receiving of the

grace of ministry is an error. Anybody who claims
that they sowed money to an anointed man of God
for them to be anointed or started working miracles
is misled. Anybody who says that they had a certain
answer to prayer from God because they sowed
money or gave material things to God is not telling
the truth about God. God is glorified in his free grace
of giving not in transactional giving. Such people are
turning the grace of God into self-efforts and
merchandizing of the grace of ministry. There is a
place of honour for ministers of God, but we don’t do
that as a condition to receive from God. Giving is our
response to the grace of God but not as a condition to
receive from him. What is of grace is devoid of man’s
efforts. God’s gifts are freely given. We don’t buy or
pay for it. It is the understanding of what God has
done for us that would result in giving as a response
to what he has freely given to us but not what we are
expecting God to do.

There is another activity called anointing service.

The popular understanding of anointing service is a
church program where after a man of God has
finished preaching, he will pour or rub oil on the

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heads of individuals. Sometimes people get their hair

soaked with oil and others also drink these oils
bought from the market and supposedly prayed over
by the man of God. This makes them feel they have
received the anointing. Many people loved to get
anointing with oil for various reasons. Some believe
that they get their problems solved faster by
anointing them with oil. Some believe they will get
the power to work miracles by pouring oil on them.
There is, therefore, a special service people organize
called anointing service. We don’t have such a thing
as called anointing service in the New Testament
church. The anointing is also not the oil in the bottle
or the bowl. The anointing is the consecration of the
believer as a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
in him.

Pouring oil on a person does not make him anointed.

A person gets anointed by receiving the Holy Ghost.
This anointing is done by God, not by man. Every
believer is already anointed by the Holy Ghost. We
don’t need any additional anointing from man.
Pouring oil on people for anointing was done in the
Old Testament as a shadow of the reality to come.
Now Christ has died and resurrected. The believer
has become the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. We
have been made kings and priests for God; therefore,
we don’t need the shadows anymore. The believer
must then be taught to know who he is and what he
has. The man in Christ is anointed. We can minister
things of the Spirit without using oil. Therefore, it is
ignorance to have a special service called anointing
service to pour or smear oil on people. The believer

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received the anointing once and forever by the

indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Confession: God has anointed me with the

Holy Ghost. I don’t need a bottle of oil to be
poured on me to feel anointed.

Additional Studies:
2Corinthians 1: 21- 22, Revelation 1: 5- 6,
Colossians 2: 6- 23

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RESULTS IS NOT THE PROOF

1 JOHN 4: 2
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every
spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is
come in the flesh is of God: (KJV)

Christianity is not just getting people’s problems

solved supernaturally without the doctrinal
framework where what is done can be judged as right
or wrong. People just accept anything at all just
because it brings out a spiritual experience to make
them feel good. This is the root cause of the quest for
what is called “anointing” or power by young
believers without any strong scriptural foundation.
They would do anything at all to get whatever they
want. Many believers also just join any gathering of
people in the name of Church without knowing the
message being preached at the gathering as long as
they can get what they want at the place. We said
earlier that it is scripturally wrong to pay money or
give anything for the power of God. The ability to
discern what is true from what is false is a mark of
Christian maturity. The inability to discern will lead
you to a path of deception and will affect your work
in the ministry. Instead of serving Christ for a
glorious reward at the judgment seat of Christ, you
will ignorantly be serving the devil.

However, many believers are deceived by results.

Results are never proof of God’s Spirit. The fact that
healings, miracles and wild testimonies of

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supernatural acts take place in a place does not mean

that it is of God’s power or Spirit. The fact that a
ministry has so many branches and many members
does not mean they are preaching the truth. The fact
that a person or a ministry has so much money and
political influence is not proof of God’s Spirit
reigning there. The fact that a ministry carries out
humanitarian activities and mentions the name of
God is not proof of being of God. From our opening
text, we know God’s Spirit by what a person
confesses or teaches. A person who does not confess
the truth about Christ is not of God. Both Satan and
God can produce results. However, Satan can never
be consistent with the truth. It is the doctrine of
Christ that differentiates a true man of God from a
fake man of God. The apostles were persecuted for
their doctrine, not their miracles.

Satan will work miracles but will dishonour the

finished work of Christ. False ministers will work
miracles and give accurate prophecies but will
magnify their own works and end up putting people
under the bondage of fear and making them fully
dependent on them. Satan will work miracles but will
make merchandise of them. Though miracles and
results are required in Christian ministry, using
results or miracles as proof that God’s Spirit is on
somebody can be very misleading. We must be
careful of any gathering of people in the name of
church purposely to solve life problems through
supernatural means. Gathering purposely for
deliverance services, prophecies, healings and other

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miraculous acts without the teaching of God’s word

for your spiritual growth is wrong.

Confession: I refuse to use results as proof of

God’s Spirit.

Additional Studies:
1 John 4: 1- 3, Acts 8: 9- 11, 2Peter 2: 1- 3

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TO CALL SOMEONE
YOUR PASTOR
1TIMOTHY 1:2
Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our
Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)

It is always a good thing to belong to the gathering of

believers or the local church. However, your
expectations in that local church are very important.
Joining a local church because of a problem you
require a supernatural solution will make you
compromise doctrine as long as you can get the result
you are expecting. This has made many people join
fetish houses with church appearance. They go to
church with things such as white clothes, oils,
coconut, apples, candles and pictures of people they
perceive as their enemies. They don’t go with Bibles
or writing materials to learn God’s word. To them,
the church is about praying, singing and getting God
to answer your prayers. There is nothing like
teaching or doctrine to judge what is from God or not
from God. We said in our previous lesson that the
result or getting your supernatural expectation met
is not proof that God is at a place. You can have
miracles and testimonies but still be working under
the influence of demonic powers. Another area of
caution is the kind of person you call your pastor.

The basis for calling someone your pastor often is

mistaken for other things. To some people, their

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definition of a pastor is someone who is able to see

visions and tell them things by supernatural means.
Others see a pastor as someone who is able to work
miracles or able to lead socioreligious programs such
as funerals, weddings, naming ceremonies etc.
Though a pastor does these things, they are not the
confirmatory definition of a pastor. An occult or
fetish priest can do all these things. Take note of
Paul’s words in our opening text, he called Timothy
my son in the faith. This shows that Apostle Paul was
the pastor of Brother Timothy. He also said to the
Corinthian church that, for in Christ Jesus I have
begotten you through the gospel. Note that Paul and
Timothy shared a common faith in the gospel. To
acknowledge one as your pastor means that both of
you have the same understanding of the gospel. Your
pastor is the one who has absolute rule and spiritual
oversight on you. He is the one you submit to and
take instructions from.

He feeds you with the gospel and prays for you, that
is how he watches over your soul. A pastor is known
for the dispensing of the message of Christ, resulting
in the spiritual growth of believers. Another thing
you can notice about Paul and Timothy is that they
were fellow labourers. Your pastor is the one you are
involved with evangelism and the work of the
ministry. Paul instructed Timothy to continue in the
that which he has learned from him, in other words,
he is directed and instructed to be consistent and
remain stable in what he has learned. This is
different from not what some people belonging to
one local church and taking directions from one

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prophet somewhere. Where your spiritual maturity

is concerned is the one you call your pastor. The
person responsible for your spiritual growth and
involvement in the work of ministry.

Confession: I submit to my pastor who rules

and watches over my soul.

Additional Studies:
Ephesians 4:11-14, Acts 20:28, Jeremiah 3:15

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FOCUS ON KNOWING CHRIST

1CORINTHIANS 2:2
For I resolved to know nothing while I was
with you except Jesus Christ and him
crucified. (NIV)

One of the characteristics of a child is his inability to

focus on one thing. A child can focus on playing with
a toy but when a different toy is shown to him, he
becomes sidetracked, abandons his old toy and
chases after the new one, even though this new one
may be inferior. Children too are not able to stick to
what is needed. When you give them food on a plate,
they can pour away the food and begin to play with
the plate. They prefer playing to eating.
Unfortunately, some Christians act the same way.
Their focus is easily swayed from their desire to know
Christ into a new desire to know other things which
are not needed for their growth or are less important.
There are many things competing for the attention of
the growing believer. We have many books on
different topics. We have many Para-Christian
groups that are available for the believer. However, it
is not all of them that are helpful or edifying. A
believer should focus on knowing Christ. Spiritual
growth and fruitfulness come from the knowledge of
Christ.

In our opening text, Apostle Paul said emphatically

that he resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ
and him crucified. In the book of Acts 5:42, “And

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daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased

not to teach and preach Jesus Christ”. The early
church was focused on teaching and preaching Christ
daily. They were consistent and focused without any
distractions. Unfortunately, some believers after
getting born again by the message of Christ begin to
focus on other things which do not bring spiritual
growth. Some believers have left Christ to
motivational messages. They spend all their time
reading books written by unbelievers on business
and human principles. Some also leave Christ to
study about Satan and demons. Some leave Christ to
study philosophy and Psychology. Preaching that
does not focus on what Christ did for us and our
redemption realities in Christ can never produce
spiritual growth.

The church has its focus of teaching. It is not a multi-

instructional center. It is for teaching Christ. The
believer must focus on Christ. The believer must feed
on Christ. Resolve to know nothing but Christ and
him crucified. The focus of Christianity is Christ.
Knowing Christ goes beyond history. It is knowing
the plan of God fulfilled in Christ, who we are, what
we have and what Christ is doing and can do through
us. It is knowing all the blessings of redemption, our
rights, privileges and responsibilities as the result of
faith in the resurrection of Christ. In the scriptures,
we have things concerning Christ and things which
does not talk about Christ. Jesus taught his disciples
of things concerning him from the scriptures, Luke
24:27, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets,
he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the

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things concerning himself”. The apostles also taught

things concerning Christ.

Confession: I boldly declare that my focus

will be on knowing Christ and him crucified.

Additional Studies:
Philippians 3:4-10, 2Peter 1:5-8, Ephesians 4: 11- 14

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GUARD YOU HEART

LUKE 6: 45
A good man out of the good treasure of his
heart bringeth forth that which is good; and
an evil man out of the evil treasure of his
heart bringeth forth that which is evil:for of
the abundance of the heart his mouth
speaketh. (KJV)

The heart of man in the context of bible doctrine is a

figure of speech that describes a man’s inner being,
the strong convictions of a man. It is the central
control system of a man. The heart is used
figuratively in a different context in relation to a
man’s inner or core being. In some contexts, the
heart, soul or spirit are interchangeably used. Your
life will always go in the direction of what dominates
your heart. This would affect your language and
ultimately define your experience in life. If your heart
is full of bitterness and evil, you will live in bitterness
and evil. If your heart is full of love and grace, you
will live in love. You are what your heart is. We are
controlled by the content in our hearts. Irrespective
of how much you pretend about an issue, time will
definitely expose the state of a man’s heart. This
means we must be careful about the things that we
allow to stay dominant in our hearts.

We must therefore guard our hearts by not allowing

negative words and thoughts to have a place in our
minds and hearts. It is with the heart we believe the

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gospel for salvation. It is with the heart that men

reject the gospel unto condemnation. This means
that the determination to be in heaven or go to hell is
determined by the belief of our hearts. This means
that our hearts must be guarded against leading us
unto evil. From our opening text, a good heart bears
good fruit and an evil heart bears evil fruit. It is out
of the abundance of the heart we express ourselves.
How we live is the result of the kinds of stuff in our
hearts. You can never be better than the content in
your heart.

The mind is the doorway to the heart and the five

senses are essential in gathering information to the
mind to feed the heart. We must therefore guard
against wrong information from what we hear and
see. As believers, we must fill our minds with the
revelation of our identity in Christ. It is out of the
knowledge of our identity or revelation of Christ in
our mind that our heart is fed. No matter what your
senses gather check and determine what you allow.
Refuse to entertain or focus on things that will
corrupt your heart. Give attention to things that will
edify you. Give attention to God’s word. Give
attention to the doctrine of Christ. Give attention to
good songs. Read edifying materials. Guard your
heart and enjoy all that is ours in Christ.

Confession: I declare that I bear good fruits

as I guard my heart against wrong
teachings and thoughts.

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Additional Studies:
Matthew 12: 34- 35, Matthew 15: 17– 20,
Luke 6: 43– 45

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INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS
ECCLESIASTES 5: 3
Too much activity gives you restless
dreams; too many words make you a fool.
(KJV)

Dreams and their erroneous interpretation have

brought trouble to many believers. Families and
good relationships have been destroyed. Wrong
decisions have been made. People are living daily in
fear and torment because of a dream and its
perceived meaning. They are restless because of a
dream they had. Good people have been tagged as
evil because of dreams. Wrong doctrines are being
preached because people claimed they had a dream
and Jesus gave them a message for the church. At the
same time, good directions and genuine information
have been received by dreams. Therefore, the danger
is always on how a particular dream is interpreted.
We have examples of how people received directions,
instructions and warnings through dreams in the Old
Testament. Dreams are not always bad. It is not all
dreams that are visions.

Some people have made themselves dream

interpreters and have written books on dream
interpretations causing deception and fear to
ignorant believers with itching ears. In such books,
they have given meaning to some items and
experiences in dreams. This is very wrong and

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misleading. There is no standard interpretation of

dreams. The colour white can have different
meanings at different times. Any book on the
interpretation of dreams must be discarded. Reading
such books will mislead and put you in bondage of
fear. In the Old Testament, God spoke much in
dreams but in this dispensation, he has spoken to us
in Christ. The Christian should not substitute God's
word for dreams. The word of God or instruction
from the written word has more authority than
dreams.

There are many psychological sources of dreams with

no real implication. From our opening text, it is said
that too many activities give restless dreams.
Medically, dreams can be induced by a particular
hormonal activity. Our desires and fears can induce
a particular dream. Our beliefs and superstitions can
induce a dream. Therefore, to depend on dreams for
direction can be misleading, though some of the
dreams can be a revelation. Any dream which does
not affirm what is already written in God’s word must
be discarded. It is by the discernment of the spirit we
interpret dreams, not by dream books. If the dream
you had was a vision from God, he will give you the
interpretation by word of knowledge or prophecy or
discernment of spirit. In the New Testament, much
was not said about dreams because we have the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit who can minister to us
in a way we can perceive. The accuracy of perceiving
the voice of the Spirit depends on how much our
minds are renewed by the word.

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Confession: I refuse to be deceived by

dreams. The word of God is my authority for
life.

Additional Studies
Genesis 40: 1- 8, Hebrews 1: 1- 2, Colossians 2: 8-23

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