SUNDAY SCHOOL: HOW NOT TO LIMIT THE
UNLIMITED GOD
The unlimited God cannot be limited because
he is the sovereign God. In his sovereignty he does whatever he likes. He is the
uncreated creator, He created everything visible and invisible, for his own
glory and pleasure.
But he created man in his own and his own
likeness, he loves humanity so much that he brought us to the same level with
himself. He called us that believe and accepted Jesus his own sons (Jn.1:12). As
sons, he has so much respect for our own will and feelings. He doesn't force
anything down our throats, he will only show us the pros and cons of every
issue and allows us to decide whatever we want and whatever we say we want is
okay by him (Gen.6:3).
Therefore, when we make decisions rightly or
wrongly, it is believed by God that we know what we are doing and we have made
our choice.
Our lack of knowledge becomes a snare because, most of the time, we make decisions without having the understanding of
the consequences. For every decision taken, the
law must take its course and no stone will be left unturned (Hosea 4:6).
The Almighty God loves us, so much that
when we make our decisions to limit him, he allows it as what we
want. No wonder he said, we should not be ignorant (ICor.12:1).
No creature can limit the creator; but
because he respects our will, whenever we do something or make decisions that
will limit his move in our lives, he allows it. If we eventually learn through our
mistakes, and change for good, then we can teach others to avoid it. The areas where we have
limited God will also strengthen our faith, turn us to prayer giants, which would make us receive the anointing to deliver others from similar bondage.
THINGS THAT CAN LIMIT THE UNLIMITED GOD
(1) Fear. Judges 7:3, IITim.1:7. Fear has
torment.
(2) Laziness, lukewarmness and despise. Ps.78:9-12,
Prov.6:11.
(3) Unforgiveness and bitterness, Mk
11:25-26, Eph.4:31.
(4) Unconfessed sin. Prov.14:34,
Prov.28:13, I Jn.1:9
(5) Prayerlessness. Jer.33:3, Mt.7:7-8.
(6) Ignoring the Tithe. Mal.3:8-12,
Mt.23:23.
(7) Lack of knowledge. II Pt.1:3, Jn.8:32
If the above is carefully considered and
put in their rightful place, the devil will not be able to take advantage of
our wrong behaviour to make God a liar anymore in our lives.
The seven things above could also be
referred to as robbers of miracles, we must be well guarded so as not to allow
our enemies to steal from us anymore. We have all given our enemies the chance
to do us evil at one time or the other. Let us all give God a chance now.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: TAKING ADVANTAGE OF YOUR INNER POWER
IJn.4:4: 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.
There is a greater one in you, the
unlimited God, the God that can do all things, the holy spirit that angel
Gabriel spoke about in Lk.1:37, that with God all things are possible. He is in
you to see you through, He is in you to help you, to bless you, to fight for
you, to lead you and to direct you; to bring answer to your prayers, to guide
you into your blessings, and your purpose for existence. He will guide you away
from destruction, shame and reproach and bring you to a place that God had
planned for you.
Many believers are not aware that there is
a greater one in them; some do not even know that the greater is the holy spirit,
the same person that created everything you open your eyes to see on this
earth(Gen.1:23). That is why believers are not responding to him because of
lack of knowledge of who he is, or what he can do.
Eph.3:20- Now unto him that is able to do
exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that
worketh in us.
We need to work in agreement with the power
that is in us before he can work for us. Even if he is in us to help and bless us,
our attitudes seldom limit him from carrying out his plans and purposes in our
lives.
Whatever you want to become or possess in
life is already in you. You are heavily pregnant.
If you see anyone who is pregnant and want
to deliver, you will be quick to direct her or even carry her to a hospital.
Church is the place for every believer that is
willing to have a safe delivery of all the good things he desires.
Apart from the day of delivery, there are
different days of appointment with doctors and in every week there are ante-natal days. So
also it is with the church of God.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
(1) Feed the power in you every day. Jn.6:51, ICor.5:8.
(2) Stir up the power in you daily. IITim.1:7,
Ps.80:1-2
(3) Use the power effectively for yourself
and your divine assignment. Eph. 3:20, Eph.1:19-21.
(4) Trust and put confidence in God that is
in you. Ps.37:1-4, Ps. 71:5
(5) Develop an attitude of gratitude in
your relationship with the God in you. Ps.103:1-5, Ps.92:1
(6) Be possessed with the habit of obedience
and submission to him, his voice and his word. Isa.1:19-20, Job36:11-12.
(7) Serve God with all that you possess. Prov.3:9-10,
Ps.126:5-6.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: GAIN OF COMMITMENT TO GOD
God is not a taskmaster, and he has not called
us to put us in bondage. He is our solution and not our problem; He is the
only answer to all our questions.
We are the children of the most high, we
do not belong to him in vain, we will never serve him, love him or call upon
him in vain. He has glorious plans for us corporately and individually. Apostle
Paul says in the book of ITim. 6:6 that "Godliness and contentment is a great
gain". The gain of commitment to God is indeed very great because it will stand the test of time; it is
enduring and it is everlasting.
Job 22:21-22: Acquaint now thyself with him
and be at peace thereby good shall come
unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his
mouth and lay up his words in thine heart.
Most times people get committed because of
their trials and challenges, some others get committed to God because
they want to have an adventure, and they want to check if the things the
preachers are saying are true. Some people are committed because they have
parents, spouses or friends that are committed to God and so they were
positively influenced. Some are also committed because they want to make heaven.
But whatever you are going through,
whatever the question in your heart, whatever your dream in life,
whatever your aspirations, and whatever the battle you are fighting, just get
committed to God and let him run side by side with you in the race of your
life. You will forever be glad you did.
CONSIDER THE GAINS OF COMMITMENT TO GOD
(1) You shall be strong in your decision
making and sin will not be able to put you in bondage. Job 22:23, Rm. 6:14
(2) Your business shall prosper and you
will have more than enough to serve God and to enjoy. Job 22:24, ITim.6:7
(3) God himself will defend you because you
are so important to him. Job22:25, Ex. 14:14
(4) As you experience all of the above,
your zeal and love for God will definitely increase because of your numerous
testimonies. Job22:26, Jn.2:17.
(5) Experience of answered prayers will be
more in your life and that will increase your confidence in taking everything
to prayer . Job22:27, I Jn.5:14.
(6) Your authority will be strong
and you will be full of understanding. Job22:28, Ps.25:14
(7) Evidently before your face, great men
will fade away, very important personalities will die and be forgotten, people
will stop progressing but your testimony will be different. Job 22:29. Ps.91:7
SUNDAY SCHOOL: WAITING ON GOD
Is. 40:31: But they that wait upon the LORD
shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they
shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint.
Man is full of activities both in thoughts
and actions on daily basis. The activities of man directly and indirectly are
life-consuming. As man is involved in his activities on daily basis, he is
getting drained physically and spiritually. No wonder even when a new baby is born,
they say he is a day old, no one is getting younger, but on daily basis, everyone
is getting older.
IICor.4:16: for which cause we faint not,
but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
The natural process of decay has been
ordained for the natural man. Nobody can stop it, but those who are in
Christ belong to God, and are therefore being renewed every day inwardly. We
cannot open our eyes and allow the outward man and the inward man to keep on
perishing on daily basis and eventually waste away in eternal destruction.
The renewal God makes available is for the inward man, and only in his
presence (through waiting on Him) we can obtain it. As we wait upon the Lord, we all have the tendency to be seduced by activities happening around us which may hinder our spirituality.
But wisdom demands that as we have known
the truth, we should learn to live by it. That is when our Christianity will
yield great profit for us.
THE BENEFIT OF WAITING ON GOD
(1) Help will be sent to as we wait in
God's presence. Ps.20:2, Ps.27:13-14.
(2) Our weakness will be exchanged for the
strength of God in the place of waiting on Him. Ps.84:5-8, Ps.27:1
(3)With the strength of God in us, we shall
do great exploits physically and spiritually. Dan.11:32, Eph.3:20
(4) As we wait on God, we are spiritually
transfigured in his presence, we shall never go back the same. Mk.9:2-5, IICor. 3:18.
(5) When we wait on God, we would have
access to divine revelations; the more we wait, the more our inner eyes will be
opened. Act 10:30-31, Act 10:9-11.
(6) In waiting on God, we are washed,
cleansed and quickened in the spirit.
Rm.8:11, Eph.5:26.
(7) Waiting on God increases our speed for
progress and prosperity. Is.40:31, Josh.1:6-8, Is.1:1-3.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: HOW TO MANIFEST THE LOVE OF GOD
Jn.15:12: This is my commandment, That you
love one another as I have loved you.
The love of God toward us is unconditional.
God does not love us because of what we
have done He has decided to love us for who we are. No matter your gender, your language, colour or nationality, he has chosen to love us, to help us,
to deliver us, and bless us even when we don’t know him.
Rm.5:8 says: But God commended his love toward
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
He did not consider the right or the wrong
we have done before he decided to lay down his life for us. He saw beyond all
the wrongs that we have done, he saw far into the right we could do in the future.
He saw beyond who we are presently and what we could become in the
future.
It is better for God to possess us and we
become a blessing and glory to him than for his enemy to possess us and we
become a shame and reproach to the God our maker. So he paid the price of love
and he indeed got the blessings. We serve a great, wise and awesome God.
Therefore, he wants us to see like him and
do what he did so we can also get our reward and be greatly blessed like him
our dear father. He has commanded us in Jn,15:12, saying: This is my commandment, that
you love one another as I have loved you.
MANIFESTING THE LOVE OF GOD.
1.Have mercy on somebody on a daily basis,
and you will get the reward of favour in return. Prov.3:3-5, 3Jn.5-6
2. The nature of love is already in us; let
us go and manifest it. 1Jn.4:7,12, Heb.13:1.
3.God promised the crown of life for those
who love him. Ja.1:12, 1Jn.4:19-21.
4. An attitude of love is a sacrifice to
God. Eph.5:2 1Thess. 3:12-13.
5.Your attitude of love for others is a
proof that Christ is in you. Eph. 3:17, 1Jn. 5:1-3.
6. God has great and awesome plans for
those who love him. 1Cor. 2:9, PS.91:14-16.
7. Love for God and the brethren
will not allow us to live like others. Gal.5:22, 2Cor. 5:14-15
NOTE: We cannot give too much, when it
comes to giving to God, and we cannot love too much when it comes to the
demonstration of the love of God. Liokewise, we cannot praise too much, when it
comes to praising God.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: PREPARING FOR YOUR FUTURE
Prov. 16:1: The preparations of the heart
in man and the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
He who fails to prepare, only prepares to
fail. Winston Churchill says: "Responsibility is the key to greatness". Anyone
who refuses to accept responsibility for his life will end up a liability in
the future.
One of the keys that unlock the door to
greatness is preparation. Henry Ford said "before everything else, preparation
is the key to success". Sometimes, it even takes more time to prepare than the
actual event you are preparing for. "People who desire great rest tomorrow must
work hard today".
Our Lord Jesus Christ spent thirty years to
prepare for his three and half years ministry of salvation and the redemption
of man. No wonder Jesus Christ recorded a tremendous success in his ministry such that
it may be difficult for any book to have all the details.
People who prepare well are those who last
on the scene. Your level of preparation for the future can be seen in your
daily routines.
There are two kinds of future awaiting everyone in life: the one God has designed for you and the one the devil is tirelessly trying to map out for you. What you do (either in the will of God or in your own way) determines which future you will enter.
There are two kinds of future awaiting everyone in life: the one God has designed for you and the one the devil is tirelessly trying to map out for you. What you do (either in the will of God or in your own way) determines which future you will enter.
Everybody wants success in every area of
their lives but only few are willing to pay the price.
No man stumbles into success by accident.
Success doesn't drop on people like pawpaw. The truth is that success is costly
and it commands big price.
We must learn early not to live reactively
to life and its drama. We can be prepared enough to respond intelligently to
life and its challenges.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ABOUT PREPARATION
(1)Success happens when opportunity meets
preparation. Are you prepared to succeed? Josh.1:6-8, Ps.1: 1-3.
(2)A prepared man does not see his enemy as
a wall of hindrance but as a door to his breakthrough. ISam. 17:32, Ex.
14:13-14.
(3)Opportunities are always waiting for the
prepared while the unprepared are always waiting for opportunities. Eccl.9:10-11,
Ja.1:25.
(4)People who are not preparing well today
will burrow tomorrow. Prov.10:3-5, Prov. 13:11.
(5)Champions don't wait for opportunities neither do they miss
opportunities; they are always prepared for emergencies. Prov. 11:27, Heb.11:6.
(6)The disciples retreat from the storm,
while Jesus faced the storm. The disciples did not prepare but Jesus was
prepared for anything. Mk.4:37-40, Mk.14:46-50.
(7)The unprepared people are prey to the
devil's threat, attacks and influences. Prov. 6:10-11, Prov. 20:13.
III Jn.1:2 - Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest
prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
In this scripture, God Almighty connects the prosperity of our health with prosperity of our soul. Jesus simply says, "you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" -Jn.8:32.
In this scripture, God Almighty connects the prosperity of our health with prosperity of our soul. Jesus simply says, "you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" -Jn.8:32.
Deep inside of your mind and your soul, you
must be fully persuaded that God Almighty wants to see you healed from every
sickness, he wants to see you in health and he wants to see you live and not
die. As you were taught that the kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent
takes it by force (Mathew 11:12), healing belongs to you, and so you must be ready to take what belongs to you from
your enemy by force.
You must not get to a time when you think may be it is the will of God for me to be sick and die young; may be God wants to use sickness to test your faith like that of Job; may be it is your own destiny to live like this, may be God wants to punish you for something you have done wrong in the past, or may be it is your family sickness because it was the same sickness that killed your father and your mother, so it is a normal thing in your family. You have forgotten II Cor. 5:17 that says "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new".
You now belong to the family of God where only God is your father. God your father cannot be sick, Jesus your brother cannot be sick; in your new family, there is no sickness. When your enemy brings sickness, be strong and full of good courage to reject it.
You must not get to a time when you think may be it is the will of God for me to be sick and die young; may be God wants to use sickness to test your faith like that of Job; may be it is your own destiny to live like this, may be God wants to punish you for something you have done wrong in the past, or may be it is your family sickness because it was the same sickness that killed your father and your mother, so it is a normal thing in your family. You have forgotten II Cor. 5:17 that says "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new".
You now belong to the family of God where only God is your father. God your father cannot be sick, Jesus your brother cannot be sick; in your new family, there is no sickness. When your enemy brings sickness, be strong and full of good courage to reject it.
SOME BASIC TRUTHS ABOUT HEALING AND HEALTH
(1)From the smallest to the greatest, no
sickness is in the plan of God for his own children. Mt. 79-11, Jer.29:11.
(2)Every sickness that has afflicted the
true children of God are attacks of the devil and personal carelessness. Jn.10:10,
Prov.1:21-31.
(3)Everyone knows there is an enemy, so God
also knows and he has therefore made an adequate provision for the deliverance of
his children. Ex.15:26, Jer.30:17.
(4)The way we are not expected to be living
with a sin, the same way we are not expected to be living with any sickness. Rm.
8:1-2, III Jn. 1:2.
(5)We have what it takes to be healed of
every sickness no matter what they call it. Phil. 2:9-10, Lk.10:19.
(6)We have what it takes to live a healthy
life if we would act on what we are learning. Phill. 4:13, Heb. 4:12
(7)We have what it takes to live long, if
we are willing. Ps.91:16, Ps.118:17.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHARACTER
Character is simply the ability to cope
with hard times or the resilience of an individual to hold on to his convictions
when going through abnormal situations in any area of one's life.
Gal.5:22-23 - But the fruit of the spirit is
love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance, against such there is no law.
Character is an uncommon display of self
control, self discipline or will power. It is an inner strength one draws from
when faced with difficult challenges, decisions or choices.
It is important for us to understand that
mental strength, inner strength, and moral strength are the characters that all
exist in our mind. They are executed or performed by the mind. Mental strength,
moral strength and inner strength work together to build a strong individual
with high strength of character.
Daniel 11:32 - But the people that do not
know their God shall be strong and do exploits.
On the way to the top, it is important to
build your character as you are building your gifts or talents or even more, because there are more crisis at the top
than at the bottom and it takes character to rise above them.
The last battle and the greatest battle
that Jesus conquered was not the battle over the devil, he conquered himself
before he could conquer the devil or the world.
Lk. 22:42 - "....not my will but thine be done". Napoleon Bonaparte said: "The only conquest which are permanent and leave no
regrets are our conquest over ourselves". If a man has conquered the world with
his gifts and talents and has not conquered himself, the devil will soon
conquer him.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
(1)Whatever you don't conquer as a youth will conquer you as an adult. Eccl:12:1,
Prov. 7:6-7
(2)Your talent will open doors of
opportunity for you but only your character will keep the doors open. Rev.3:8, Gal.
6:7
(3)If a man grows outwardly without first
growing inwardly, he will be negatively controlled. Phil.1:9-11, Prov. 2:1-5
(4)Preparation time is not wasted, rather, it is
invested; take time to build yourself. Jude 20, Prov.4:20-23
(5)As what you feed on will affect you for
good or bad physically, so also is it spiritually. IPt.2:2, Ps.119:11.
(6)Note that in wisdom, the time of
preparation is always longer than the time of manifestation. Act 7:9-10, Dan. 1:8-9, 6:1-3
(7)Success, victory, riches, good life will
not be yours by accident, you must personally desire it, prepare for it, pray
for it, be expecting it and pay the price of character to retain it. Ps.37:3-4,
Gal. 6:7
0SUNDAY SCHOOL: FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT 1
Gal.5:22-23 - But the fruit of the spirit is
love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance, against such there is no law.
LOVE; John
15:12 - This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you.
The law of the old testament saints are the
ten commandments according to Ex.20. But the law of the new testament saints is
the commandment of love, which covers all the dos and don'ts of the ten
commandments and even more. When we rise up to obey the commandment of love, we
are no more under the law but we are above the law.
There are three types of love; Neuros,
philco and Agape Love.
Neuros kind of Love is a type of love that only deals with emotional attachment or feelings for one another and
philco is the type of love that deals with affinity, or family relationship
which is beyond emotional feelings or attachment.
But Agape Love may not have anything to do
with emotion or family but it is the love of the brethren beyond family
attachment or emotional attachment and it is the highest level of love, that
the Lord Jesus commanded that we should love ourselves.
It is this love of God that constrains us
to love the unlovable, to forgive others when they hurt us, to be free from
bitterness and not to wish others for evil, not owe anybody anything other than to
love them. It also helps not to fight for ourselves but to allow God to take
over our battles.
It helps us not to fight flesh and blood
but to bind principalities and demon forces that may be using anyone against
us.
It helps us to do to others as we will like
other to do to us. So, our attitude towards others will always be as unto the
Lord (Col.3;23), thereby making us a strong church.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ABOUT THE FRUIT OF
LOVE.
(1)It is the nature of God, to love the
unlovable and to forgive anyone that requests for it. 1John.4:8:16.
(2)As a child of God, we are expected to
possess the nature of God. John.1:12, lJohn. 3:23
(3)Our confidence, boldness and assurance
in the time of Judgement is based on how we responded to the commandment of love. lJn.4:17,
1 Jn. 4:4.
(4)We have the responsibility to grow and
bear fruit of love in our spiritual lives lest we stumble back to darkness. 1Jn.
2;9-11, 1Cor.13:2.
(5When love abide in you and you abide in
him, It is a major secret of victory in spiritual warfare.IJn.4:4, 1Cor.13:8.
(6)It is only good that can conquer evil;
unfortunately for Satan and his agents, they can never love or do good, but we
will put fire on their head by doing
good. Eph. 4:30-32 Rm, 12:17-21.
(7)Giving to God or brethren or even the
unlovable is a major attribute of love and it opens you to great blessings. Jn.3:16,
Prov. 3:9-10
SUNDAY SCHOOL: FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT
JOY- Gal.5:22-23 - But the
fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance, against such that there is no law.
After being born again, we are expected to be
baptized in the holy ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues (Mk.16:17).
The more we give
ourselves to the hearing, reading, meditating, learning, and obedience of the
word of God as a church worker (Ex-23:25), the more our spiritual lives continue to grow.
From the abundance of the grace of God in us we shall continue to bear fruits
spiritually.
Last week we learnt
about the fruit of love in our spiritual fruitfulness. Today we are learning
how our spirit can bear the fruit of joy and the benefits that this will yield
in our lives.
Neh.8:10 - then he said
unto them go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto
them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day Is holy unto our lord; neither
be ye sorry, for the joy of the lord is your strength.
Joy is different from
happiness. Happiness only comes when something good happens. But joy is an act
of faith and confidence in God. When anything happens, either good or bad, our joy must
be in place because it is the secret of our strength. But when people mourn
or grieve, they are weak and weary.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
ABOUT THE FRUIT OF JOY
(1) It is in joy that
the spirit of God moves when you are glad
God is glad. Ps.16:11, Ps. 27:6.
(2) Joy is a proof that your faith is in place, sorrow is a feeling that God has failed. Ps.5:11;Ps.21:1.
(3) Joy generates strength and it rejuvenates, but sorrow brings weariness and weakness. Neh. 8:10; Ps. 42:44-45.
(2) Joy is a proof that your faith is in place, sorrow is a feeling that God has failed. Ps.5:11;Ps.21:1.
(3) Joy generates strength and it rejuvenates, but sorrow brings weariness and weakness. Neh. 8:10; Ps. 42:44-45.
(4)Every believer
should desire and pray for joy, because your enemy hates to see you glad. Ps. 51:12; Ps.132:16.
(5)Joy brings peace
and sorrow brings anxiety and worry. Ps.4:7-8; Prov.15:13.
(6)Your joy has the ability to draw the blessings of God towards you. Is.12:3; Isa.35:1-2.
(7)Your joy, singing and dancing is a major weapon of victory over your spiritual warfare. Ps.149:5-9; Is.61:10b.
(6)Your joy has the ability to draw the blessings of God towards you. Is.12:3; Isa.35:1-2.
(7)Your joy, singing and dancing is a major weapon of victory over your spiritual warfare. Ps.149:5-9; Is.61:10b.
(8)To be full of joy
all the time is an act of obedience to
God’s commandment. Ps.81:1; Phil.4:4.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT -3
PEACE: Gal.5:22-23 - But the
fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance, against such that there is no law.
PEACE means calmness, quietness, stability and
confidence in the midst of confusion, worry and anxiety.
Jesus Christ is the
prince of peace. Peace is a sign that God is absolutely in control of whatever is
happening. When we have peace in our
heart, it doesn't matter what is happening outside or around us, we know God will work it out
for our good even though we may not know how.
If we would yield
ourselves to be well fed in the word of God, and we pray always in the spirit,
we would easily live a peaceful and obedient life.
As we yield ourselves
to grow spiritually, our spirit will start to bear the fruits of peace and the
peace of God will be an umpire over our daily lives and activities. It becomes
difficult to continue to live in sin because every time we sin, we will lose
our peace and unexplainable worry and restlessness will come upon us until we repent that is
when the peace comes back to us.
Also, the peace
becomes like a green light signal as we make decisions on day to day
activities. If we are about to make wrong decisions, we are unexplainably
troubled in our heart, then we take caution and pray more to know what next to
do.
But, when you make
decisions and your peace is not lost, it is a sign that you have made the right decision.
So, you won't need any prophet or prophetess to direct you but the Holy Spirit
himself (Rom.8:14). New testament Christians are not led by prophet and
prophetess but are led by the Holy Spirit as they yield themselves to bear
fruits spiritually.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
ABOUT THE FRUIT OF PEACE
(1)Jesus Christ our
Lord is the prince or the author of peace Is9:6; Lk1:79.
(2)The kingdom of God and all its attributes are of peace. Is.9:6-7; Rm.14:17.
(3)The spirit of God is the spirit of peace and gentleness. Phil.4:7; Rm8:6
(2)The kingdom of God and all its attributes are of peace. Is.9:6-7; Rm.14:17.
(3)The spirit of God is the spirit of peace and gentleness. Phil.4:7; Rm8:6
(4)As a believer, you
are expected to bear fruit spiritually
with the evidence of peace in your life. Col.3:15; IThess.5:12-13. Build up
yourself to the realm of peace.
(5)When you are in
peace, it means all is well and when you lose your peace, you should wait on
the Lord, you may have to go on fasting. ICor.14:33, Is.40:29-31.
(6)Your peace,
calmness and confidence is a proof that your enemies will be destroyed, whatever may be happening, and you will never be conquered. Phil1:28, IIThess.1:6
(7)God desires his
children to be at peace at all times through knowledge. Col.1:2, 2Pet.1:2
SUNDAY SCHOOL: FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT -4
Gal.5:22-23 - But the
fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance, against such that there is no law.
LONGSUFFERING: Christianity
is not a religion of suffering; most importantly, Jesus has suffered for us on
the cross of Calvary. We are not called unto God to come and suffer. But we
must not be a beast that lacks understanding.
The enemy of our soul
monitors us to know what we like, our pride, our comfort, what we don't like to
do without and desires to use those things as a bait to destroy us or hinder
our blessings. You cannot easily kill a fish in the river until you use the
food it likes to catch it. You cannot easily kill a rat until you use the type
of food it likes in a snare to catch it. So also, you cannot easily kill a Christian,
put him in bondage or hinder his blessings until you identify what he likes,
and as he disobeys God in that area, God withdraws, and the enemy strikes. So simple.
But God teaches us to
understand that our blessings and glory are so awesome that if we have to
suffer long to possess it, it is worth it. You cannot afford to allow your enemy
to use some bait to hinder your blessings, destroy your life and your glory
like a rat or a fish.
The enemy always sets
baits like laziness, disobedience in tithing, prayerlessness, sin, wrong word
and lukewarmness to attack believers that hate to endure. We should be ready to
pay any price to possess our possession and bring glory to God.
Longsuffering
is not an eternal suffering, it is just enduring a suffering for a time to
achieve a purpose.
CONSIDER THE
FOLLOWING ABOUT THE FRUIT OF LONG SUFFERING
(1)You must bear fruit
spiritually to understand that suffering is for divine purpose and a great
blessing. Acts 5:41, Acts 9:16.
(2)Jesus Christ
suffered to show example that you must be ready to suffer before you possess
your glory. Act 3:18, Lk.24:45-47
(3)If you identify
yourself with divine suffering as Christ is reigning, you will also reign with
him at your own level. Rm8:17. Heb.11:6
(4)Your suffering
cannot be compared with the blessings and glory that will be released to
you. Rm.8:18, IPt.4:13.
(5)If you don't want
to partake in the suffering of Christ, then you shall be a bastard and be
rejected. Heb.12:8, Rev.3:16
(6)You shall not
suffer as an evil doer as that will not receive divine approval as a fruit of the
spirit. IPet.4:15-16, Jude 7.
(7)Surely there is an
end to every righteous suffering. IPet.5:10, IPet.4:1
SUNDAY SCHOOL: FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT -5
Gal.5:22-23 - But the
fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance, against such that there is no law.
GENTLENESS: Most bible versions
translate gentleness as kindness and Webster dictionary reveals kindness as
favour which means an act of mercy for someone.
Prov. 3:3: Let not
mercy and truth forsake thee, bind them about thy neck, writ them upon the
table of thine heart. So shall thou find favour and good understanding in the
sight of God and man.
To be gentle, kind and
compassionate is an attitude of Christians who are manifesting the fruits of
the holy Spirit. We must give ourselves on daily basis to bless somebody, have
mercy on somebody or to be compassionate to somebody. For every seed of mercy you
sow, you and your children will reap it and it shall be well with you.
It is indeed very
funny that most people desire mercy for themselves and their children but
are never willing to give mercy to anyone. The most wicked human being when
arrested and brought before judgment will request for mercy.
No Christian is expected to receive mercy and not be a channel of God's mercy to others; this charity must begin at home. You have no idea the implacable attitudes that brothers and sisters demonstrate among themselves in the churches or in marriages today and they speak in tongues and call God the father of mercy their heavenly father.
They accepted him as their father but they are not willing to live like him. They never want to care about what happens to others, what is important to them is that they achieve their selfish ambitions.
No Christian is expected to receive mercy and not be a channel of God's mercy to others; this charity must begin at home. You have no idea the implacable attitudes that brothers and sisters demonstrate among themselves in the churches or in marriages today and they speak in tongues and call God the father of mercy their heavenly father.
They accepted him as their father but they are not willing to live like him. They never want to care about what happens to others, what is important to them is that they achieve their selfish ambitions.
If we must bear fruit in our spiritual walk with God, we must
yield to be gentle toward others having mercy on people. plucking them out of
fire and reconciling them to Christ in mercy, in love and friendship. (Jude
22-23)
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
ABOUT THE FRUIT OF GENTLENESS
(1)Sow the seed of
gentleness and mercy towards others, you will surely reap a great harvest of the
same. Gal.6:7-8, Ps.126:5-6
(2)If your heavenly
father is merciful, but you are merciless, callous and not gentle, who do you
resemble? IITim.3:1-5, Lk 6:36.
(3)People who have
mercy on others, when they are cornered by challenges of life, God will surely
show up. Ps.37:23-26, Mt. 5:7.
(4)You are not smart
enough to make it in life, your survival will solely depend on the mercy of
God. Rm. 9:16, Lk.18:11-14
(5)Since you have
obtained mercy, you are expected to give it. IICor.4:1, Heb.8:12.
(6)In the day of
judgment, your act of mercy and gentleness will show up. Ja.2:13, Ps.18:25.
(7)Your act of mercy
towards others should be extended to your willingness in reconciling them to
Christ. Jude 22-23, IITim. 4:1-3.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-6
Gal.5:22-23 - But the
fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance, against such that there is no law.
GOODNESS: Amplified
Bible refers to goodness as Benevolence. Benevolence is an act of kindness or
disposition to do good.
Natural man does not
have these qualities but when one is born again, the grace to be kind to others
will be released to as many as are willing. We are expected to grow spiritually
and bear fruit.
You will agree that love, gentleness, and goodness are closely related among the nine fruits of
the spirit, which means when fruits of the spirit grow in a believer's life,
he or she will show more attributes of love, gentleness and goodness than
ever before. So, we are expected to be better than who we used to be before we became born-again.
If you carefully
observe most born again Christians of our time, they are not different from
people who are not born again in conduct and in many areas because many of
them are born again not by conversion (they are not converted, no inner conviction; they only mentally accept but not with inner decision and
determination). They want to continue the old with the new thereby living a
corrupted Christian life which is completely fake and lie.
If you are not used to
being good or kind as a born-again Christian, you lack the nature of God who is
your father and that will hinder you from accessing the kingdom of God.
CONSIDER THE
FOLLOWING ABOUT THE FRUIT OF GOODNESS
(1)God will abundantly
reward your act of kindness. Ps.37:3, Heb.6: 10
(2)Heroes of faith
manifested this fruit of the spirit. IISam. 9:1-3, Gen.18:22-24.
(3)Moses manifested
fruits of the spirit in his intercession for the Israelites. Ex.32:31-32,
ISam.16:1
(4)Jesus gave us a
golden rule which also could only be carried out by the fruits of the spirit.
Mt.7: 12, Jn.13:34-35.
(5)In our walk with
God, our relationship with others will hold us in high esteem before God.
ICor.13:8, Eph.4:29-32.
(6)God placed a curse
on anyone that rewards good with evil. Prov.17:13, Prov.24:20.
(7)Acquire the
knowledge of God continually, practise and impart the knowledge you acquire.
Prov.23:23, Rev.1:3
SUNDAY SCHOOL: FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT -7
Gal.5:22-23 - But the
fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance, against such that there is no law.
FAITH: Heb.11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not
seen.
Faith is trust and
confidence in God; faith goes beyond believing, it goes beyond somebody telling
you something about God and you agreeing that the person is right or wrong.
Faith is an act
carried out by a person who has a conviction, someone who is fully persuaded.
Your faith must produce an evidence, that evidence is the proof that you
believe.
Faith is believing the
invisible more than the visible. Our God is the God who practises faith and as
we grow in the fruits of the Spirit of God in us, we are expected to grow in our
practice of faith.
The opposite of faith
is doubt. Faith comes by hearing (Rom.10:17). Doubt and fear also comes by
hearing things that are contrary to the word of God.
Our faith in God needs
to be strong in these last days to be able to confront our daily challenges,
pressures and the corruption of our time. There are many negative prophecies
for these last days which have proved the fact that it is only few people that will
survive the evil and wickedness of this age. But if you will hold tightly to
faith, your faith will not fail.
Those who don't have
faith in God definitely have faith in other things or other beings less
than God; their faith will surely fail.
Only those who have
faith in God will be able to stand the test of time, come rain come shine; they
will be unshakeable in the midst of the pressure of these last days.
CONSIDER THE
FOLLOWING ATTRIBUTES OF FAITH
(1)Your faith in God
will put you over every challenge of life one after the other. Heb.11:2,
Mk.11:22-23
(2)Hearing brings
information and revelations, the more knowledge you possess in the word of God,
the more your faith increases. Rom.10:17,
IIPet.1:5
(3)Meditation and
confession of the word of God gives your faith a booster. Rom.10:9-10, Josh
1:6-8
(4)Your faith becomes
so strong by the help of the Holy Spirit. Jude 20, ICor. 14:2, 4,18
(5)Experience and
testimonies increase as you obey and practise the word of God. Heb11:8,
Mark11:20-24
(6)Your faith will be
tried, that is the assignment of the devil. Ja.1:12-14, IPt.1:6-9
(7)Great faith is
known in sacrifice of praise. Rm.4:19, Heb.13:15.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: TAKING ADVANTAGE OF YOUR YOUTHFUL
STRENGTH
The
days of your youth are the days of vigour, strength, adventure, exploration, discovery
and productivity. Youth is the state of being young and it is more of the issue
of your mind. It is
the prime and active age in life when expression of the fulfillment of destiny
of an individual begins.
Everyone should realize that there is only one opportunity to be young, and once the opportunity is gone, it is gone
forever.The sacrifices of our youthful days are
the building blocks we are laying as the foundation for our future.
The better the foundation, the more durable the house. If you establish an early foundation based on strong relationship with God, the strength of God in you will certainly take you through the wilderness of life without being hurt. Neither your enemies nor the circumstances of life can stop you as you forge ahead in life.
The better the foundation, the more durable the house. If you establish an early foundation based on strong relationship with God, the strength of God in you will certainly take you through the wilderness of life without being hurt. Neither your enemies nor the circumstances of life can stop you as you forge ahead in life.
You need to be known for something early in
life, You need to get established in a Godly habit as you lay the foundation for your glorious future.
Luke 4:16 - And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood for to read.
Luke 4:16 - And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood for to read.
What will
make you renown later in life is what you are known for in the days of your
youth. Most successful people in the world are men of one thing. If a man is
not known for one thing he will fall for everything.
- Paul said: "This one thing I do" – Phil. 3:13
- David said: "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;..." - Psm. 27:4
The
understanding of one thing calls for focus, dedication and commitment.
CONSIDER
THE FOLLOWING
(1) Find the one thing that you were designed for and
remain focused on that assignment. Luke10:41-42; Psm. 27:4
Note:
Bill gate said the secret of his success is that he discovered his assignment
right early and gave it all it takes.
(2) Satan cannot stop a fellow who has a deep, vibrant
prayer life. Ja.5:16, Jer. 33:3.
(3) The foundation and pattern of life is laid at
the youthful age Prov.22:6, Eccl.12:1.
(4) Intelligence without diligence will yield no
prominence Jn. 5:17, Prov. 22:29.
(5) Life is full of prices, you are either paying now to
play later or playing now to pay later. Gal.6:7, Psm.126:5-6
(6) Devote your precious time to the service of God. It
will later yield great dividends for your future. Ex.23:25-27, Jn. 12:26.
(7) The more you get involved in the things of God, the
more your value, and your choices change. 2cor.5:17, Rm.12:1-2.
ARISE!
MAKE YOUR DESTINY HAPPEN
Isa.
60:1 – Arise, shine, for thy light is
come and the glory of Lord is risen upon thee.
You have all it takes to be
relevant in this life. The devil has deceived you for too long by putting your
focus on your weakness, your wrongs, your lacks, your poverty, your lack of
education, your lack of connections, your family background, and your
complexes.
You are too connected to be
stranded, You are too strong to be weak, You are too educated to be ignorant,
You are too rich to be poor,. You are blessed beyond the curse, and you are too
anointed to be frustrated.
Start to look inside, to the
Almighty God that lives in You, who has determined to bring Glory to his name
through your own life, and stop looking outside and around you comparing
yourself with others, thinking it is difficult for you. Stop creating thoughts and imaginations
that will limit you. It wasn't totally easy for those that made it in the past,
but they eventually made it because they trusted in God and did not give up. If you too will
not give up you will make it and your testimonies also will be added to their
own.
Ephesians 3: 20. Now unto him
that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the
power that worketh in us.
- If you are willing to know the truth, I will tell you that YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE. The mother of John Wesley gave birth to eighteen children and all of them eventually became global figures; how many children are your own problem?
- Poly Wigglesworth had a stubborn and wicked husband but her intercession turned the man to a global evangelist; has your own husband attempted to kill you before?
- Moses (in the Bible) had a stubborn and disobedient wife, yet she could not stop the destiny of Moses.
- Abraham Lincoln, the former American President was raised in an abject poverty.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt (former US President) had stroke and the doctors said he will never walk, yet he ruled America for twelve years on wheel chair.
- Burnt in an accident was Glen Cunningham who broke Olympic records in 1934 by winning the Olympic outdoor mile race in less than 4 minutes 20 seconds.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING IF YOU DESIRE TO
ARISE
1. Begin in the place of personal prayers and
intercessions. Lk. 18: 1, Ja. 5:16
2. Put passion to the little you know how to do and do not
despise the day of little beginning. Mt.
11:12, Job 8:7.
3. Until you are over-qualified for your present position
you are not promoted to the next level. Job
22: 21-29, Phil. 3: 13 – 14.
4. If you want to get the best of anything, give your
best to it. Lk. 6:10, Is. 41:10.
5. Be strong; you are not alone; you have an helper
and defender. Eph. 6:10, Is. 41:10.
6. Be clothed with humility, proud people will not go
far. Ja. 4: 6-8, Phil. 2: 5-10.
7. Be possessed with the attitude of gratitude because
it will determine your altitude. Ps.
92:1, II Tim. 3:1-2
TURNING
HOPELESS SITUATION AROUND
Blood is so significant
in the activities of the spirit world. In the realm of the spirit, nothing
authentic can be achieved except blood is shed to stir or accelerate an effect.
The kingdom of God on earth and in heaven has exalted
the blood of Jesus for the purpose of manifesting the power of God to
counter attack and neutralize the power of the enemy. Primarily, the blood of Jesus Christ was shed to purify, sanctify and
completely wash humanity from their sins and unrighteousness.
In the physical
world there are different types of blood that are in existence and each carries some measure of power in the realm of the spirit, but the blood
of man is the most powerful of all.
If the blood of all the people in a whole country is shed, the power generated is still negligible compared to the magnitude of power in just a drop of the blood of Jesus Christ which is the blood of God himself. It is incorruptible, unstained, sinless blood that God gave for the victory and dominion of his children on the earth.
If the blood of all the people in a whole country is shed, the power generated is still negligible compared to the magnitude of power in just a drop of the blood of Jesus Christ which is the blood of God himself. It is incorruptible, unstained, sinless blood that God gave for the victory and dominion of his children on the earth.
LET US
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ABOUT THE BLOOD
1. The life of the flesh is in the blood. Deut.
12:23, Lev. 17:11-14
2. It is the blood of divine and eternal covenant. Ex.
24:8, Zech. 9:11, Heb.10:29
3. The blood has a voice in the spirit realm. Gen.4:10,
Heb. 11:4
4. The blood is a sin offering. Ex.30:10, Lev. 4:25
5. It is also a peace offering. Lev. 7:14,33, II Kgs. 16:13 Col. 1:20
6. The blood could be sprinkled. Num. 18:17, Lev. 16:19, Heb.
12:24
7. You can take the blood as a drink, by faith (through Holy
Communion). Num. 23:24, Jn. 6:53-56, I Cor. 11:25
8. We must put our faith in the blood. Rm.
5:9, Rm. 8:30
9. We receive justification by the blood. Eph.
1:7, Col. 1:14
10. Our redemption is by the blood. Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14
11. We are brought near to God by the blood of Jesus. Eph.
2:13
12. We overcome by the blood of Jesus. Rev. 12:11
MAXIMIZING YOUR POTENTIALS
Mk. 14:3 – And being in Bethany in the house
of Simon, the leper as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an
alabaster box of ointment of spikenard, very precious and she break the box and
poured it on his head.
We are like
a precious ointment corked in a vessel,
if our worth is so high that God gave
his only begotten son (the king of glory) to pay for the salvation of
our soul, we can also be referred to as VERY COSTLY or VERY PRECIOUS.
Jn.
12:3 – Then took Mary, a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly
and anointed the feet of Jesus with her hair and the house was filled with the
odour of the ointment.
When
you consider the size of the small bottle of perfume, you will never think what
is inside could affect Jesus for good or the destiny of the owner, until it was
broken.
Jesus
spoke to explain the purpose, that it was meant for a temporary embalment of
his body, so that after he had been beaten, wounded and crucified, he will keep
smelling well till burial.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
a. Until you are willing to be broken,
your grace and potentials will not manifest. Ps. 51:17, 11 Cor.4:7.
b. Mary gave what is costly to her to glorify Jesus; it will be said of
her forever. What will be said of your love for God at your own time. Mt.26:13,
Jn.12:3, Jn.12:7-8.
c. God kept something with Mary for a purpose; the things and the
potentials God kept with you, how will you use them? Gal.2:21, I Cor.15:10, II Cor.6:1.
d. The ointment in a bottle, when it was broken,
immediately filled the whole house. You can’t imagine what God can do with
your gifts and potentials. I Cor.2:9-10, Jn.12:3, Gen.12:2-4
e. Your enemy doesn’t have enough power to contend with
what is in you, if you will allow God to have his way in your life. Eph.3:20, Jn.12:4-7, I Jn.4:4
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