WEBVTT 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:06.639 Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.660 designed to uplift and strengthen you in your 00:00:09.660 --> 00:00:13.939 walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until 00:00:13.939 --> 00:00:17.879 the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:24.600 right in. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. 00:00:29.380 --> 00:00:31.780 Now, what just happened today is actually what 00:00:31.780 --> 00:00:39.939 I'm going to speak about. And what we do in church 00:00:39.939 --> 00:00:42.380 is that we teach and we practice. Hallelujah. 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:48.079 Or we practice and then we teach. Amen? And Jesus 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:54.719 began to do and what? And he taught. Or he teach, 00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:57.539 he did it and then he practiced. And when we 00:00:57.539 --> 00:01:01.289 come to church, What happens in church is that 00:01:01.289 --> 00:01:04.969 we are brought into the reality of the things 00:01:04.969 --> 00:01:09.450 that we have. When you're born again, what happens 00:01:09.450 --> 00:01:13.909 is that you have access. Hallelujah. You have 00:01:13.909 --> 00:01:16.670 access to all the things that are in the spirit 00:01:16.670 --> 00:01:21.790 as a believer. So whatever thing you see manifested 00:01:21.790 --> 00:01:26.849 today is for the believer. Amen? Matthew 16, 00:01:27.250 --> 00:01:43.980 verse 19. Matthew 16, verse 19. And I will give 00:01:43.980 --> 00:01:48.180 you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And what 00:01:48.180 --> 00:01:50.359 I'll be sharing with us is what we practice, 00:01:50.420 --> 00:01:55.560 as I said, and is the access, the access to the 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:58.959 kingdom of God. Hallelujah. And I will give you 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:02.670 the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever 00:02:02.670 --> 00:02:08.689 you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. And 00:02:08.689 --> 00:02:13.689 whatever you lose on earth will be loose in heaven. 00:02:16.509 --> 00:02:19.009 And contextually, we know that this is Jesus' 00:02:19.129 --> 00:02:24.009 conversation with Peter. The other disciples 00:02:24.009 --> 00:02:27.129 were there and then Peter made a confession about 00:02:27.129 --> 00:02:33.280 Jesus. Especially, In the context of what he 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:38.039 is. And what he was here on earth to do. And 00:02:38.039 --> 00:02:40.740 then we see Jesus making a profound statement. 00:02:41.060 --> 00:02:44.740 He says, I will give you the keys of the kingdom. 00:02:45.879 --> 00:02:50.080 Keys of the kingdom. Now Jesus makes a promise 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:57.419 to give the keys of the kingdom. And we've noted 00:02:57.419 --> 00:03:01.900 several times that the word keys here. It's metaphor. 00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:07.699 It's a metaphor used to explain access. Access 00:03:07.699 --> 00:03:13.240 into the kingdom. Now we mentioned several times 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:17.340 that the word keys is a word class. K -L -E -I 00:03:17.340 --> 00:03:22.879 -S in the Greek. K -L -E -I -S. This is the word 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:26.219 that was translated. The word keys was translated 00:03:26.219 --> 00:03:30.669 from in the Greek. And then it metaphorically 00:03:30.669 --> 00:03:36.229 referred to as power. That is the power to the 00:03:36.229 --> 00:03:39.310 kingdom or authority or access. Access simply 00:03:39.310 --> 00:03:42.009 means, of course, authority. Because if you have 00:03:42.009 --> 00:03:45.310 the keys to this house or to this hall, you have 00:03:45.310 --> 00:03:47.430 the authority over whatever happens in this hall. 00:03:47.430 --> 00:03:49.810 You can open the door for people to come in and 00:03:49.810 --> 00:03:51.569 you can shut the door from people coming in. 00:03:51.909 --> 00:03:53.949 So you have authority. It means that you have 00:03:53.949 --> 00:03:58.449 power. And Jesus says, and I will give you the 00:03:58.449 --> 00:04:04.229 keys. And I will give you the keys. He will give 00:04:04.229 --> 00:04:06.849 the keys because only Jesus can give the access. 00:04:07.090 --> 00:04:10.189 Jesus says that I am the way, right? I am the 00:04:10.189 --> 00:04:15.389 truth and I am the life. Jesus grants the access 00:04:15.389 --> 00:04:18.470 to the kingdom. And all the things we see manifested 00:04:18.470 --> 00:04:21.689 here today are actually the kingdom manifested. 00:04:22.410 --> 00:04:26.240 That hence are laid upon the sick. And they receive 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:31.180 their healings. The prophetic words are received 00:04:31.180 --> 00:04:34.860 and declared unto men. We receive direction by 00:04:34.860 --> 00:04:38.079 the Spirit. All this is actually the kingdom 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:45.420 in manifestation. So what do the keys mean? It 00:04:45.420 --> 00:04:51.019 means access, as we've said. It enables, it will 00:04:51.019 --> 00:04:53.639 enable Peter in this context to open and to close, 00:04:53.680 --> 00:05:01.899 to bind and to loose. Now this key or keys is 00:05:01.899 --> 00:05:04.920 not referring to anything material. First of 00:05:04.920 --> 00:05:07.259 all, we have to establish this, that the keys 00:05:07.259 --> 00:05:10.220 is not referring to anything physical, anything 00:05:10.220 --> 00:05:14.319 material. It is not a physical key because some 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:16.800 people, you know, they go to church to collect 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:19.839 keys from their pastors and that key should give 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:22.199 them every open door in their lives. That's not 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:23.540 the key we are talking about here. Hallelujah. 00:05:24.250 --> 00:05:26.670 And it's not many keys, because in the English 00:05:26.670 --> 00:05:29.730 word we see keys, but actually it's in the singular 00:05:29.730 --> 00:05:33.250 form in the Greek. So these keys is not something 00:05:33.250 --> 00:05:36.449 material. It's not a mantle that you have, you 00:05:36.449 --> 00:05:38.509 know, to have access before you have access to 00:05:38.509 --> 00:05:40.990 this dimension of the Spirit of God. There must 00:05:40.990 --> 00:05:44.329 be a mantle that you will receive. No. It's not 00:05:44.329 --> 00:05:45.750 a handkerchief that you will receive. It's not 00:05:45.750 --> 00:05:48.930 oil that you will receive upon your head before 00:05:48.930 --> 00:05:55.699 you have access. No. It's nothing material. It's 00:05:55.699 --> 00:05:59.160 nothing material, but something immaterial. And 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:01.800 we've been saying that this key or this access 00:06:01.800 --> 00:06:05.339 or this power of this authority is actually the 00:06:05.339 --> 00:06:10.300 Spirit of God. Okay? So the statement Jesus made 00:06:10.300 --> 00:06:14.160 to Peter was a promise of the Spirit. How do 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:16.040 we come to this conclusion that it is a promise 00:06:16.040 --> 00:06:23.069 of the Spirit? John 14, verse 15. We see Jesus, 00:06:23.269 --> 00:06:25.910 when He was with them, He made a promise. John 00:06:25.910 --> 00:06:30.670 14, verse 15 to 21 says, If you love me, you 00:06:30.670 --> 00:06:34.329 keep my commandment. And I will pray the Father, 00:06:34.449 --> 00:06:38.509 and He will give you another helper. Now, we 00:06:38.509 --> 00:06:42.550 know that this another helper simply means of 00:06:42.550 --> 00:06:47.509 the same kind, right? Helper. That He will what? 00:06:47.769 --> 00:06:54.100 Will abide with you forever. The spirit of truth 00:06:54.100 --> 00:06:57.279 whom the world cannot receive. Now, this access 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:01.160 is not for the world. It's for men that believe. 00:07:01.860 --> 00:07:04.319 You see, obeying the commandment we've, Pastor, 00:07:04.420 --> 00:07:06.660 taught us about, you know, obedience, obeying 00:07:06.660 --> 00:07:10.120 God, is actually believing in God. Hallelujah. 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:13.579 So the spirit of truth whom the world cannot 00:07:13.579 --> 00:07:17.759 receive because it neither sees him nor knows 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:22.279 him, but you know him. For he dwells with you 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:27.220 and will be in you. So Jesus was speaking and 00:07:27.220 --> 00:07:30.439 referring to himself being with them and making 00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:34.860 a promise that he will be in them. I will not 00:07:34.860 --> 00:07:38.360 leave you comfortless as orphans. I will come 00:07:38.360 --> 00:07:44.160 to you. A little while longer, the world will 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:47.259 see me no more, but you will see me. Because 00:07:47.259 --> 00:07:51.819 I live, you will live also. And that day you 00:07:51.819 --> 00:07:55.199 will know that I am in my Father, and you in 00:07:55.199 --> 00:08:01.060 me, and I in you. Verse 21. He who has my commandments 00:08:01.060 --> 00:08:05.079 and keeps them. What is the commandment? Believe 00:08:05.079 --> 00:08:07.680 in him. That is the commandment. It is he who 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:12.699 loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by 00:08:12.699 --> 00:08:17.660 my Father. And I will love him and manifest myself 00:08:17.660 --> 00:08:26.339 to him. Jump to verse 25 and 26. 25 and 26. These 00:08:26.339 --> 00:08:29.459 things I have spoken to you while being present 00:08:29.459 --> 00:08:35.440 with you. But the helper, who is the Holy Spirit, 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:39.679 whom the Father will send on the account of all 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:43.120 that I will do in my name, he will teach you 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:45.860 all things. Now, teaching you all things has 00:08:45.860 --> 00:08:50.860 a context. Amen? teaching you all things is contextual 00:08:50.860 --> 00:08:54.159 to all that he has taught them already, and bring 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:55.820 to your remembrance, this is what he's teaching 00:08:55.820 --> 00:08:59.659 you, he will bring to your remembrance all the 00:08:59.659 --> 00:09:02.559 things that I have said to you. So the goal of 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:06.200 the Spirit of God that will be given to them 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:10.639 is not to predict whether Arsenal will win the 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:15.700 Premier League this season. Hallelujah. Amen. 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:19.700 is to bring to their remembrance all that he 00:09:19.700 --> 00:09:28.940 has said to them. Amen. He will bring to their 00:09:28.940 --> 00:09:31.259 remembrance all the things that he has taught 00:09:31.259 --> 00:09:34.220 them. Now the spirit of God is not for anything 00:09:34.220 --> 00:09:36.980 outside the work that God is doing in the life 00:09:36.980 --> 00:09:46.370 of men. Hallelujah. John chapter 16. Verse 5. 00:09:47.210 --> 00:09:50.610 Let's see what the promise is. John chapter 16. 00:09:53.210 --> 00:09:56.950 Verse 5. But now I go away to him who sends me, 00:09:57.029 --> 00:10:01.129 and none of you ask me where you are going. But 00:10:01.129 --> 00:10:04.230 because I have said these things to you, sorrow 00:10:04.230 --> 00:10:07.409 has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you 00:10:07.409 --> 00:10:09.570 the truth, it is to your advantage that I go. 00:10:10.149 --> 00:10:12.250 So the condition for the giving of the Spirit 00:10:12.250 --> 00:10:15.980 is that he has to go. For if I do not go away, 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:19.919 the helper will not come to you. But if I depart, 00:10:20.179 --> 00:10:24.139 I will send him to you. And when he has come, 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:27.679 look at what he will do. He will convict the 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:32.340 world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. 00:10:33.820 --> 00:10:37.559 Of sin because they do not believe in me. Of 00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:40.940 righteousness because I go to my father and you 00:10:40.940 --> 00:10:44.419 see me no more. of judgment because the ruler 00:10:44.419 --> 00:10:48.580 of this world is judged. I still have many things 00:10:48.580 --> 00:10:54.379 to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 00:10:55.879 --> 00:11:04.019 However, when he, the spirit of truth has come, 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:09.080 he will guide you into all truths, for he will 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:12.220 not speak of his own authority, But whatever 00:11:12.220 --> 00:11:17.320 he hears, he will speak and he will tell you 00:11:17.320 --> 00:11:19.759 things to come. What are the things to come? 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:24.519 Amen. What are the things to come? The things 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:31.659 to come is not about whether that candidate of 00:11:31.659 --> 00:11:34.620 yours will win the election. The things to come 00:11:34.620 --> 00:11:36.960 are contextual to what God is doing. Hallelujah. 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:40.740 He will glorify me. This is what the things to 00:11:40.740 --> 00:11:43.779 come will do. He will glorify me, for he will 00:11:43.779 --> 00:11:47.460 take of what is mine, okay, and do what? And 00:11:47.460 --> 00:11:51.220 he will declare it to you. All things that the 00:11:51.220 --> 00:11:55.139 Father has are mine. Therefore, I say that he 00:11:55.139 --> 00:11:59.480 will take of mine and do what? And declare it 00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:04.620 to you. Hallelujah. So we see that the promise 00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:07.799 that God The promise of that peace or the access 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:11.840 into that kingdom of God is actually the Spirit. 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:15.659 And this will be in the resurrection of Jesus 00:12:15.659 --> 00:12:20.259 Christ. This will be when Jesus has died and 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:23.139 then we sang about him being raised again from 00:12:23.139 --> 00:12:25.919 the death. Hallelujah. And then him going to 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:28.940 the Father and then giving us the access to the 00:12:28.940 --> 00:12:36.330 Spirit, which is the key, the access. The Spirit 00:12:36.330 --> 00:12:37.970 is given when Jesus is glorified. John chapter 00:12:37.970 --> 00:12:41.970 7, verse 37. When he is glorified, glorification 00:12:41.970 --> 00:12:45.470 simply means that he is exalted after his resurrection. 00:12:45.970 --> 00:12:49.090 John 7, verse 37, verse 39 says, On the last 00:12:49.090 --> 00:12:51.629 day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood 00:12:51.629 --> 00:12:54.470 and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let 00:12:54.470 --> 00:12:59.149 him come to me and drink. He who believes in 00:12:59.149 --> 00:13:02.730 me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart 00:13:02.730 --> 00:13:06.789 will flow rivers of living water. But this is 00:13:06.789 --> 00:13:10.090 for concerning the spirit whom those believing 00:13:10.090 --> 00:13:13.490 in him will receive. For the Holy Spirit has 00:13:13.490 --> 00:13:18.029 not yet given because Jesus has not yet glorified. 00:13:18.190 --> 00:13:22.309 Hallelujah. So his glorification will give access 00:13:22.309 --> 00:13:25.409 to the kingdom, the spirit of God. Hallelujah. 00:13:29.490 --> 00:13:33.309 So at the resurrection, we see Jesus giving his 00:13:33.309 --> 00:13:37.840 spirit. Now everything that we possessed, right? 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:43.480 Everything that we ever possessed in Christ is 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:50.460 as a result of his resurrection. It is in the 00:13:50.460 --> 00:13:54.620 spirit. It is spiritual. It is by the spirit 00:13:54.620 --> 00:13:58.980 and in the spirit. Alright? Everything that we 00:13:58.980 --> 00:14:02.710 receive is of the spirit, by the spirit. In fact, 00:14:02.750 --> 00:14:07.710 to be born again is by the Spirit. It's a work 00:14:07.710 --> 00:14:09.230 of the Spirit. It's not your will that makes 00:14:09.230 --> 00:14:13.809 you who you are. But the Spirit of God working 00:14:13.809 --> 00:14:18.610 to produce in you the new man that God desires 00:14:18.610 --> 00:14:22.029 to see. So the summary of everything that Jesus 00:14:22.029 --> 00:14:25.590 gave at the resurrection, we can term it as the 00:14:25.590 --> 00:14:29.370 Spirit. Everything. The spiritual. Nothing else. 00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:33.940 We have access to all the resources in the Holy 00:14:33.940 --> 00:14:38.480 Ghost. Hallelujah. Say, I have access. Say to 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:42.120 yourself, I have access to all the resources 00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:46.879 in the Spirit. Jesus said that all that are mine, 00:14:47.100 --> 00:14:50.059 the Spirit will take and declare unto you. Hallelujah. 00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:56.440 So we have all that is in the Holy Ghost. Now 00:14:56.440 --> 00:14:58.820 the indwelling of the Spirit gives us access, 00:14:58.899 --> 00:15:02.649 as we've said, To the kingdom. The access is 00:15:02.649 --> 00:15:05.590 actually the kingdom. John chapter 3 verse 1. 00:15:08.350 --> 00:15:13.009 John chapter 3 verse 1. To verse 8. There was 00:15:13.009 --> 00:15:14.870 a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler 00:15:14.870 --> 00:15:18.309 of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night 00:15:18.309 --> 00:15:20.070 and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are 00:15:20.070 --> 00:15:22.909 a teacher. Come from God. For no one can do these 00:15:22.909 --> 00:15:35.980 signs that you do unless God is with him. So 00:15:35.980 --> 00:15:39.320 he means that Nicodemus saw Jesus manifesting 00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:45.500 the kingdom. Nicodemus asked him, How can a man 00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:48.500 be born when he is old? Can he enter a second 00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:51.840 time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:59.419 answered, which is the spirit, he cannot enter 00:15:59.419 --> 00:16:04.379 the kingdom of God. That which is born of the 00:16:04.379 --> 00:16:07.279 flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit, 00:16:07.399 --> 00:16:11.419 spirit. Do not marvel that I say to you, you 00:16:11.419 --> 00:16:15.360 must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, 00:16:15.539 --> 00:16:18.460 but you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell 00:16:18.460 --> 00:16:21.720 where it comes. from and where it goes. So is 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:24.419 everyone who is born of the Spirit. It simply 00:16:24.419 --> 00:16:26.720 means that it's not something that is carnally 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:29.340 or fiscally designed. You cannot see it happen, 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:32.440 but it happens by the Spirit of God. So when 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:34.620 you become born again, it's the work of the Spirit. 00:16:35.379 --> 00:16:38.240 There's a regeneration that happens in you. There's 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:41.159 a union that you come into by the work of the 00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:43.740 Spirit of God. When you believe the message, 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:46.799 concerning the death, concerning the burial, 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:49.059 concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:52.019 You are brought into this experience of the kingdom 00:16:52.019 --> 00:16:55.120 of God. And all the things we see manifested 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:57.679 this morning, you have access to it. Hallelujah. 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:02.120 So our job as pastors in this church is to bring 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:04.099 you into the realities of things that you have. 00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:07.920 Now when hands are laid on you, the believer, 00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:12.230 we are not giving you a new spirit. Amen? What 00:17:12.230 --> 00:17:14.170 we are doing is that we are stating what is inside 00:17:14.170 --> 00:17:18.049 you to manifest. Because all that is in the Spirit 00:17:18.049 --> 00:17:23.309 is in you. It's in you. Hallelujah. You can prophesy. 00:17:23.589 --> 00:17:26.029 Amen. You can lay hands on the sick, not only 00:17:26.029 --> 00:17:29.690 the pastors. Amen. You can give a word of prophecy. 00:17:30.190 --> 00:17:33.430 Hallelujah. Amen. Because the Spirit of God lives 00:17:33.430 --> 00:17:37.269 in you. In all His various expressions, He lives 00:17:37.269 --> 00:17:45.680 in you. Hallelujah. When you are born again, 00:17:45.779 --> 00:17:48.900 you receive access to the kingdom of God. Ephesians 00:17:48.900 --> 00:17:52.519 chapter 1 verse 13 talks about the seal of the 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:56.579 spirit. It is a permanent thing. In him you also 00:17:56.579 --> 00:17:59.200 trusted. After you heard the word of truth. What 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:01.140 is the word of truth? The word of truth is that 00:18:01.140 --> 00:18:04.000 Jesus died for your sins. And you are forgiven 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.839 of your sins. That is the word of truth. What 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:08.240 happens? The gospel of your salvation. That is 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:10.740 the word of truth. In whom also having what? 00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:14.819 You believe this message. Alright? You are sealed 00:18:14.819 --> 00:18:18.779 with the Holy Spirit of promise. And this sealed 00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:22.920 is what is an eternal sealing of God on you. 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:25.740 Hallelujah. So the believer, you are eternally 00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:28.599 sealed with the Spirit of God. So you eternally 00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:31.779 have the resources of heaven in you. No matter 00:18:31.779 --> 00:18:33.980 the weather, no matter the condition, no matter 00:18:33.980 --> 00:18:36.500 the circumstance, even when the physical is not 00:18:36.500 --> 00:18:38.619 aligning with what is the Spirit, it does not 00:18:38.619 --> 00:18:44.130 deny what has happened in your spirit, man. Hallelujah. 00:18:45.890 --> 00:18:47.630 It doesn't matter where you're coming from, your 00:18:47.630 --> 00:18:50.450 nationality, your country, your culture. It doesn't 00:18:50.450 --> 00:18:52.529 matter even your story, how you were born. It 00:18:52.529 --> 00:18:54.150 doesn't matter even the religion that you came 00:18:54.150 --> 00:18:57.670 from. Oh, it doesn't matter all the things you've 00:18:57.670 --> 00:19:02.230 done before. Some of us don't believe that God 00:19:02.230 --> 00:19:06.130 can walk through us. Some of us don't believe 00:19:06.130 --> 00:19:08.509 that the Spirit of God can live in us. Listen, 00:19:08.609 --> 00:19:11.609 I'm here to tell you that God's system is men. 00:19:13.129 --> 00:19:15.549 Hallelujah. And God's system is not for perfect 00:19:15.549 --> 00:19:20.049 men, but it's for weak men like you. And what 00:19:20.049 --> 00:19:23.369 the Spirit does is that He enables you to do 00:19:23.369 --> 00:19:26.869 what? He empowers you. He enables you to live 00:19:26.869 --> 00:19:30.309 the life that God has called you to live. Galatians 00:19:30.309 --> 00:19:33.329 4, verse 6. We'll see that it is a spirit of 00:19:33.329 --> 00:19:37.289 sonship. You've come into a family. And because 00:19:37.289 --> 00:19:39.849 you have sons, how did you become sons? You became 00:19:39.849 --> 00:19:43.380 sons by believing. God has sent forth the spirit 00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:47.019 of his son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:50.759 Abba, Father is an affectionate call of a father 00:19:50.759 --> 00:19:53.920 and a son. Abba, Father is like saying daddy 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:57.059 to God. That is a union you've come into with 00:19:57.059 --> 00:20:05.640 God. When you became born again, you were born 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:10.180 into authority. Amen? You are born into authority. 00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:13.940 You have access to the fullness of the resources 00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:17.160 that are in the Holy Ghost. Hallelujah. 1 Corinthians 00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:20.160 12, verse 1. The text the pastor has been teaching 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:26.140 us. Helping us to see. 1 Corinthians, yes. It 00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:29.160 says, now concerning spirituals, concerning the 00:20:29.160 --> 00:20:32.740 spiritual life, concerning all that Christ has 00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:36.660 done in you, concerning everything that God has 00:20:36.660 --> 00:20:40.269 done in you by the virtue of you believing in 00:20:40.269 --> 00:20:43.009 the message of salvation concerning everything 00:20:43.009 --> 00:20:46.789 that God has done in Christ. Brethren, I do not 00:20:46.789 --> 00:20:51.690 want you to be ignorant. You know that you were 00:20:51.690 --> 00:20:55.250 dentists carried away to these dumb idols, however 00:20:55.250 --> 00:20:57.849 you were led by them. That was your former life. 00:20:58.150 --> 00:21:01.529 Therefore, I make known to you that no one speaking 00:21:01.529 --> 00:21:04.470 by the Spirit of God calls Jesus a curse. And 00:21:04.470 --> 00:21:07.109 no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the 00:21:07.109 --> 00:21:11.690 Holy Ghost. There are diversities of gifts, right? 00:21:11.930 --> 00:21:14.069 We're talking about all the things that are yours 00:21:14.069 --> 00:21:16.710 in the Spirit. There are diversities of gifts. 00:21:17.029 --> 00:21:19.630 There are varied expressions of the works of 00:21:19.630 --> 00:21:22.009 the Spirit that is inherent in you, the believer. 00:21:22.269 --> 00:21:25.400 But the same Spirit gives this expression. There 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:29.079 are differences of ministries, but the same Lord 00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:31.759 manifests this in you. And there are diversities 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:35.059 of activities, but it is the same God who works 00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:41.079 all through you, the believer. Verse 8. Give 00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:45.779 me verse 8. For to one is given, then we begin 00:21:45.779 --> 00:21:48.599 to see where the pastors have been teaching us. 00:21:48.779 --> 00:21:52.059 So the gifts are inherent in you. Hallelujah. 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:55.039 See. The day you became born again, you will 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:59.519 lack nothing. All that is, all that can ever 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:05.059 be is in you. God did not come into you in instrumentals. 00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:09.980 Amen. God did not come into you gradually. When 00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:12.180 you become more obedient, then God now come fully. 00:22:12.259 --> 00:22:15.019 No, no, no. The entirety of the spirit of God 00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:18.799 inhabits you, the believer. So you have the capacity, 00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:21.859 you have the ability to do what? To manifest 00:22:21.859 --> 00:22:29.240 all the expressions of the Spirit in you. Now 00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:31.619 the access to the kingdom, what is the access? 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:35.160 The Spirit. Amen. When we talk of access, when 00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:37.039 we talk of the key, what are we referring to? 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:39.259 We are referring to the Spirit. Now the access 00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:45.519 to the kingdom enables you to be a witness. It 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:48.700 enables you, the believer, To be a witness, to 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:52.039 be witness simply means you manifest unto God. 00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:56.599 Acts chapter 1 verse 4 to 6. Acts 1 verse 4 to 00:22:56.599 --> 00:23:03.920 8. Acts chapter 1 verse 4 to 8. Acts chapter 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:15.380 1 verse 4. You can see it here. And being assembled 00:23:15.380 --> 00:23:18.619 together with them. He commanded them not to 00:23:18.619 --> 00:23:21.599 depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:24.920 that was before it was given, but to wait for 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:28.940 the promise of the Father. What is the promise 00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:31.000 of the Father? Which he has said to you, you've 00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:35.980 heard from me. For John truly baptized with water, 00:23:36.119 --> 00:23:39.180 but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit 00:23:39.180 --> 00:23:43.920 not many days from now. Therefore, when they 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:46.920 had come together, They asked him, saying, Lord, 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:50.400 will you at this time restore the kingdom to 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:55.119 Israel? Because their eyes is fixed on the carnal 00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:57.680 things of this world. They were thinking that 00:23:57.680 --> 00:23:59.859 the kingdom is a fiscal kingdom. They were thinking 00:23:59.859 --> 00:24:01.900 that what God promised them is something material. 00:24:02.619 --> 00:24:05.299 And he said to them, it is not for you to know 00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:07.200 times or seasons which the Father has put in 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:10.579 his own authority. But look at it. He brought 00:24:10.579 --> 00:24:12.640 their attention to what is promised. Verse 8. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:21.509 Verse 8. But you shall what? Shall receive power. 00:24:21.769 --> 00:24:25.750 Amen. When the Holy Spirit has come upon you 00:24:25.750 --> 00:24:28.950 and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem 00:24:28.950 --> 00:24:33.809 and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends 00:24:33.809 --> 00:24:35.670 of the earth, the uttermost part of the earth. 00:24:37.250 --> 00:24:39.730 So the first thing we see the Spirit comes with 00:24:39.730 --> 00:24:43.809 in the Christian life is power. Power. You have 00:24:43.809 --> 00:24:46.789 power within you. You have power within you. 00:24:47.950 --> 00:24:54.410 And power is meant to put to work. Power is the 00:24:54.410 --> 00:24:56.829 word dunamis, which means ability. There is an 00:24:56.829 --> 00:24:59.029 ability in you. There is an inherent ability 00:24:59.029 --> 00:25:02.750 in the believer. Hallelujah. You have an ability 00:25:02.750 --> 00:25:08.849 in you and the ability enables you to do. You 00:25:08.849 --> 00:25:11.609 have an ability in you and this ability enables 00:25:11.609 --> 00:25:16.170 you to do. An inherent ability residing in the 00:25:16.170 --> 00:25:21.259 believer. by the virtue of your nature. It is 00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:25.140 meant to be exerted out, to be put forth. Now 00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:28.200 the Spirit grants the believer access to the 00:25:28.200 --> 00:25:32.119 authority to be a witness. Pastor was teaching 00:25:32.119 --> 00:25:35.539 us on Wednesday about the word witness. It's 00:25:35.539 --> 00:25:42.440 from a Greek word, matis, M -A -R -T -Y -S. It's 00:25:42.440 --> 00:25:45.980 a legal word that refers to one who is a spectator 00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:49.190 of an event. haven't witnessed something, haven't 00:25:49.190 --> 00:25:51.609 seen, haven't tested, haven't been a firsthand, 00:25:52.170 --> 00:25:55.269 you know, you've seen the event happen firsthand 00:25:55.269 --> 00:25:58.170 by virtue of what God has done in you. You are 00:25:58.170 --> 00:26:01.509 now legally, legally, you have the legal ground, 00:26:01.589 --> 00:26:04.670 you have the legal stand to do what? To prove 00:26:04.670 --> 00:26:08.130 that Jesus is Lord, to prove that Jesus has died, 00:26:08.329 --> 00:26:12.250 he has rose again, and he's alive today. So you 00:26:12.250 --> 00:26:14.809 have that power, you have that ability in you 00:26:14.809 --> 00:26:18.880 to be a witness. So the Holy Spirit gives you 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:23.319 the legal authority to give proofs of who Jesus 00:26:23.319 --> 00:26:27.740 is and what he has done in salvation. Hallelujah. 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:31.440 Now we demonstrate this by the display of power 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:35.640 that is in us. How we do this is what? Is by 00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:39.059 manifesting power. See, it is not by, it is not, 00:26:39.099 --> 00:26:42.220 it is by power. Hallelujah. The kingdom of God 00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:44.660 is by what? It's by power, the display of power. 00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:49.740 And you have inherently in you that power. You 00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:52.980 lack nothing good. You lack nothing. You have 00:26:52.980 --> 00:26:55.680 all it takes to manifest all that God has done 00:26:55.680 --> 00:27:03.200 in you. There's power in you. You can see through 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:05.480 scriptures how the kingdom is manifested. It 00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:07.680 is by the demonstration of power. Matthew chapter 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:11.710 4 verse 23 and 24. You see where Jesus giving 00:27:11.710 --> 00:27:14.509 an example how he manifested the power when he 00:27:14.509 --> 00:27:16.470 was demonstrating and talking and preaching about 00:27:16.470 --> 00:27:18.589 the kingdom. And Jesus went about Galilee, all 00:27:18.589 --> 00:27:22.990 Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching 00:27:22.990 --> 00:27:26.210 the gospel of the kingdom. And what we see healing 00:27:26.210 --> 00:27:30.009 of all kinds of diseases. This is power put to 00:27:30.009 --> 00:27:32.690 use and all kinds of diseases among the people. 00:27:32.789 --> 00:27:37.069 Then his fame went throughout all Syria. And 00:27:37.069 --> 00:27:39.049 they brought to him all the sick people who were 00:27:39.049 --> 00:27:41.170 afflicted with various diseases and torments 00:27:41.170 --> 00:27:44.529 and those who were demon -possessed, epileptics 00:27:44.529 --> 00:27:48.069 and paralytics. Am I saying correctly? Paralytics. 00:27:48.349 --> 00:27:56.750 And he what? He healed them all. We can see also 00:27:56.750 --> 00:27:59.549 Jesus sending out the disciples. The one he called. 00:28:00.390 --> 00:28:03.170 Matthew chapter 10 verse 7. And he gave them 00:28:03.170 --> 00:28:10.410 that authority. As you go, preach, saying the 00:28:10.410 --> 00:28:14.009 kingdom of heaven has come. Hallelujah. The kingdom 00:28:14.009 --> 00:28:16.490 of heaven has come. The kingdom of God has come. 00:28:17.430 --> 00:28:19.369 Heal the sick. That's how we demonstrate it. 00:28:19.450 --> 00:28:22.250 Heal the sick. Cleanse the lepers. Raise the 00:28:22.250 --> 00:28:25.289 dead. Cast out devils. Freely you have received. 00:28:25.390 --> 00:28:27.650 How do you give? You don't put a price to it. 00:28:27.950 --> 00:28:33.650 Freely. That is how the gospel... It's preach. 00:28:33.849 --> 00:28:36.450 That is how we manifest the kingdom. That is 00:28:36.450 --> 00:28:39.390 how we manifest the authority and the access 00:28:39.390 --> 00:28:41.890 that God has given us. You're not too young for 00:28:41.890 --> 00:28:44.910 this. You're not too old for this. You're not 00:28:44.910 --> 00:28:53.089 too young for this. You're not too small. Amen? 00:28:53.890 --> 00:28:56.710 If these men that are not born again in this 00:28:56.710 --> 00:28:58.450 place, these men that are not born again here, 00:28:58.589 --> 00:29:02.420 they can go out and cast devils. Amen? They can 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:04.500 go out and heal the sick. What about you? That 00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:09.220 the Spirit of God resides in you right now. This 00:29:09.220 --> 00:29:11.640 is where our problem is. Knowledge. To know what 00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:13.759 you have. To know what God has done. To know 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:16.119 the capacity that is inherent in you. And that 00:29:16.119 --> 00:29:18.140 is what church is all about. To bring you to 00:29:18.140 --> 00:29:20.819 the fullness. To the knowledge of all that God 00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:23.420 has done in you. And then we see you begin to 00:29:23.420 --> 00:29:26.079 manifest. And when we say we practice here. See, 00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:29.240 in this church we will not stop. You must give 00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:32.940 a word in this church. You must prophesy in this 00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:34.619 church. You must heal the sick in this church 00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:37.440 because that is your right as a believer. That 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:39.680 is who God has called you into. It is not for 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:42.480 some selected people. It's for every believer, 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:45.920 including you. It doesn't matter your history. 00:29:46.140 --> 00:29:48.640 We want to deal with that maybe on Wednesday 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:51.660 about, you know, the flesh, right? But I want 00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:55.400 you to know that God has put in you the totality 00:29:55.400 --> 00:29:57.839 of himself that you will demonstrate this to 00:29:57.839 --> 00:30:05.759 the world to see. Hallelujah. The kingdom is 00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:08.460 manifested by the demonstration of the power 00:30:08.460 --> 00:30:10.839 of the Holy Ghost in the preaching of the gospel, 00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:13.599 accompanied by signs and wonders. Look at the 00:30:13.599 --> 00:30:17.259 instruction in Mark 16, 16 to 18. Mark 16, 16 00:30:17.259 --> 00:30:20.640 to 18. An instruction was given, Mark 16, 16 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:24.259 to 18. It says, he who believes, do you believe? 00:30:24.579 --> 00:30:27.359 Amen. How many of us believe in Jesus as a Messiah? 00:30:28.170 --> 00:30:31.690 If you believe in Jesus as a Messiah, it means 00:30:31.690 --> 00:30:35.049 that you have the ability to preach him in signs 00:30:35.049 --> 00:30:39.529 and wonders following. He who believes and is 00:30:39.529 --> 00:30:42.490 baptized will be saved. Are you saved today? 00:30:43.069 --> 00:30:45.910 We are saved. But he who does not believe is 00:30:45.910 --> 00:30:50.250 condemned. Verse 17. And these signs will follow 00:30:50.250 --> 00:30:52.769 those who believe. In my name they will cast 00:30:52.769 --> 00:30:55.170 out demons. They will speak with new tongues. 00:30:55.410 --> 00:30:59.940 Verse 18. They will take up sapiens and if they 00:30:59.940 --> 00:31:02.859 drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt 00:31:02.859 --> 00:31:05.140 them. They will lay hands on the sick and the 00:31:05.140 --> 00:31:07.680 sick will recover. That is your heritage as a 00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:10.160 believer. That is who you are. That is who God 00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:18.519 has produced in you. See, I have access to all 00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:22.640 that is in Christ. And I manifest all that is 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:29.460 in Christ. This manifestation, I'll keep repeating, 00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:34.619 is given to all. 1 Corinthians 12 verse 7. 1 00:31:34.619 --> 00:31:41.140 Corinthians 12 verse 7. It's to all. But the 00:31:41.140 --> 00:31:43.680 manifestation of the Spirit is given to who? 00:31:43.700 --> 00:31:46.599 To each one of you. To the prophet of all. It's 00:31:46.599 --> 00:31:48.839 given to everybody who is a partaker in this. 00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:56.349 Everybody is a partaker in this. Because the 00:31:56.349 --> 00:31:59.170 gifts of God, you know, there's no finding fault 00:31:59.170 --> 00:32:07.410 in the gift of God. James chapter 1. He doesn't 00:32:07.410 --> 00:32:18.390 find fault. Give me the verse, please. I think 00:32:18.390 --> 00:32:26.349 in the media people are following me. James 1 00:32:26.349 --> 00:32:36.230 verse 5. 17. Okay, let's read 5, then we'll read 00:32:36.230 --> 00:32:39.670 17. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of 00:32:39.670 --> 00:32:43.490 God, who what? Who gives to all liberal renown? 00:32:43.549 --> 00:32:49.049 Look at, this is actually the character of God 00:32:49.049 --> 00:32:52.500 here. He gives. When God gives, he gives without... 00:32:52.500 --> 00:32:56.500 The liberality of God is that God does not look 00:32:56.500 --> 00:32:58.839 for... I like this stripe. This one should take. 00:32:58.940 --> 00:33:02.559 This stripe, no. You don't deserve it. No. Without 00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:05.039 reproach. Without reproach is without finding 00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:08.779 fault. And to be given to him. So all the gifts 00:33:08.779 --> 00:33:14.200 of God. Verse 17. Every good gift and every perfect 00:33:14.200 --> 00:33:17.569 gift is from where? It's from above. Come down 00:33:17.569 --> 00:33:19.910 from the father of light in whom there is no 00:33:19.910 --> 00:33:22.849 word. There is no variation. There is no tribalism. 00:33:23.009 --> 00:33:25.490 There is no change of mind. There is no segregation. 00:33:26.849 --> 00:33:31.769 There is no racism in this. Hallelujah. You have 00:33:31.769 --> 00:33:39.329 all it takes. You have all it takes. And Paul 00:33:39.329 --> 00:33:42.049 will tell the Corinthians church in chapter 1, 00:33:42.170 --> 00:33:46.400 1 Corinthians chapter 12. Not to be ignorant. 00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:53.859 Not to be ignorant. Now, concerning spirituals, 00:33:53.859 --> 00:33:57.259 concerning this spiritual life, brethren, I would 00:33:57.259 --> 00:33:59.420 not want you to be ignorant. And that is a message 00:33:59.420 --> 00:34:01.559 to you, the believer today in this church as 00:34:01.559 --> 00:34:04.019 you are seated. Concerning all that Christ has 00:34:04.019 --> 00:34:06.599 done and all that he has given, God wouldn't 00:34:06.599 --> 00:34:08.840 want you to be ignorant. And I want you to know 00:34:08.840 --> 00:34:13.599 that Paul, you know, the ignorance of this man, 00:34:14.429 --> 00:34:17.150 It's not just that they don't know that these 00:34:17.150 --> 00:34:21.090 things exist. From chapter 1, verse 3 to 7, give 00:34:21.090 --> 00:34:23.309 me chapter 1, verse 3 to 7, we see that these 00:34:23.309 --> 00:34:27.349 men, they understand all that God has given. 00:34:30.570 --> 00:34:33.030 Grace to you, that is to the Corinthian church, 00:34:33.190 --> 00:34:36.230 and peace from our God, God our Father, and the 00:34:36.230 --> 00:34:40.309 Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning 00:34:40.309 --> 00:34:43.730 you. for the grace of God which was given to 00:34:43.730 --> 00:34:46.829 you by Christ. So this means they know the grace 00:34:46.829 --> 00:34:50.110 of God. That you were what? You were enriched 00:34:50.110 --> 00:34:55.750 in everything by Him. In what? Outrance. Outrance 00:34:55.750 --> 00:34:59.010 is a function of the Holy Ghost. Outrance and 00:34:59.010 --> 00:35:05.010 all knowledge. Verse 7. Even as, yes? Even as 00:35:05.010 --> 00:35:06.670 the testimony of your Christ. So that you come 00:35:06.670 --> 00:35:10.349 short. Verse 7. Verse 7. So that you come short 00:35:10.349 --> 00:35:12.610 in no gift. So this means they don't understand 00:35:12.610 --> 00:35:15.690 the gift. They have access to the gift. They 00:35:15.690 --> 00:35:17.949 come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the 00:35:17.949 --> 00:35:19.929 revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. So why would 00:35:19.929 --> 00:35:21.750 you come to chapter 12 and tell them that you 00:35:21.750 --> 00:35:26.010 wouldn't want it to be ignorant? And this ignorance 00:35:26.010 --> 00:35:31.210 is actually about the abuse that they do, even 00:35:31.210 --> 00:35:36.219 in the midst of all that they have. They were 00:35:36.219 --> 00:35:39.039 very much in knowledge and actually manifesting 00:35:39.039 --> 00:35:42.300 the gifts. But the problem with this church is 00:35:42.300 --> 00:35:47.199 that they were not walking in love. They were 00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:48.980 not walking in love. A lot of things happening 00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:51.500 in the church. You are abusing, you know, the 00:35:51.500 --> 00:35:57.059 things that they have. And I said earlier, I 00:35:57.059 --> 00:35:59.260 said one of the biggest challenges with you, 00:35:59.340 --> 00:36:02.380 with me today, is that we don't believe, sometimes 00:36:02.380 --> 00:36:08.260 we don't believe that God walks through us. And 00:36:08.260 --> 00:36:12.960 as a reminder, I want you to know that you are 00:36:12.960 --> 00:36:15.280 the agency by which God will work on the earth. 00:36:16.260 --> 00:36:20.900 Amen? You are the agency by which God will work 00:36:20.900 --> 00:36:24.820 on the earth. Ezekiel chapter 37 verse 3 to 9, 00:36:24.900 --> 00:36:27.219 you see an encounter of the prophet with God. 00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:38.320 Give me Ezekiel chapter 3, 37 verse 3 to 9. And 00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:41.579 he said to him, Son of man, that's God and the 00:36:41.579 --> 00:36:43.880 prophet speaking here. He said to him, Son of 00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:48.599 man, can these bones live? So I answered, O Lord 00:36:48.599 --> 00:36:53.960 God, you know, only you know what you know. Again 00:36:53.960 --> 00:36:57.139 he said to me, prophesy to these bones and say 00:36:57.139 --> 00:36:59.380 to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:03.420 First says the Lord God to these bones, surely 00:37:03.420 --> 00:37:08.199 I will cause breath to enter into you. and you 00:37:08.199 --> 00:37:12.780 shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring 00:37:12.780 --> 00:37:16.920 flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath 00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:20.840 in you, and you shall live. Then you shall know 00:37:20.840 --> 00:37:25.659 that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was 00:37:25.659 --> 00:37:29.300 commanded. As I prophesied, there was a noise 00:37:29.300 --> 00:37:33.280 and suddenly a rattling, and the bones came together 00:37:33.280 --> 00:37:37.519 bone to bone. Hallelujah. Why didn't God speak 00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:41.480 to the bones? But he decided to speak through 00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:45.119 the prophet. Consistently you see through our 00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:48.219 scripture that this is God's method. That whatever 00:37:48.219 --> 00:37:50.599 he does on the earth, he does by the spirit. 00:37:51.639 --> 00:37:55.400 He does by the spirit but through men. Anything 00:37:55.400 --> 00:37:57.599 that God will do on the earth is by the spirit. 00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:01.699 And man is the agency for the manifestation of 00:38:01.699 --> 00:38:05.030 the spirit of God. And you are qualified and 00:38:05.030 --> 00:38:09.909 equipped to manifest everything that God is doing, 00:38:09.969 --> 00:38:13.809 has done, and will do. 2 Corinthians 2, verse 00:38:13.809 --> 00:38:25.170 14. 2 Corinthians 2, verse 14. Now thanks be 00:38:25.170 --> 00:38:28.210 to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ. 00:38:28.929 --> 00:38:33.460 And through who? Say, through me. Personalizes 00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:37.719 through us. Diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge 00:38:37.719 --> 00:38:41.400 in every place. It's true men. Are we together? 00:38:41.619 --> 00:38:44.039 It's true men. That he diffuses the fragrance 00:38:44.039 --> 00:38:47.559 of his knowledge in every place. And this fragrance 00:38:47.559 --> 00:38:49.420 of his knowledge has to do with the work of the 00:38:49.420 --> 00:38:53.340 spirit in all the earth. But true men. Verse 00:38:53.340 --> 00:39:01.849 15. For we are to God the what? The fragrance 00:39:01.849 --> 00:39:04.710 of Christ among those who are being saved and 00:39:04.710 --> 00:39:09.989 among those who are perishing. Amen. So what 00:39:09.989 --> 00:39:13.849 God does on earth? He does it through men. He 00:39:13.849 --> 00:39:17.050 does it through men. God uses men to spread the 00:39:17.050 --> 00:39:19.710 fragrance of his knowledge on the earth. God 00:39:19.710 --> 00:39:24.190 has decided to use man despite his frailty and 00:39:24.190 --> 00:39:30.099 weakness. Despite your limitation as a man, God 00:39:30.099 --> 00:39:33.840 has pre -planned. You see, he started in Adam. 00:39:33.880 --> 00:39:36.760 Adam failed. God didn't change method and say, 00:39:36.800 --> 00:39:38.300 okay, I'm going to bring down angels to do the 00:39:38.300 --> 00:39:42.679 work. No. He still started fresh. Because God's 00:39:42.679 --> 00:39:48.320 method from the beginning is a man. God's plan 00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:52.900 in the beginning was for men. God has no plan 00:39:52.900 --> 00:39:58.739 B. Amen. God has no second plan. You are the 00:39:58.739 --> 00:40:02.940 plan A and the only plan of God. All through 00:40:02.940 --> 00:40:06.539 scriptures, we will see the kind of men God works 00:40:06.539 --> 00:40:11.380 with. From Abraham to Moses and to the apostles, 00:40:11.739 --> 00:40:16.460 these were weak and frail men that God breathed 00:40:16.460 --> 00:40:19.659 his spirit upon. They are full of their shortcomings, 00:40:19.900 --> 00:40:23.519 full of their weaknesses. full of their humanities, 00:40:23.900 --> 00:40:26.300 but we see the Spirit of God dwelling in them 00:40:26.300 --> 00:40:30.860 and God begin to work with them. James 5, verse 00:40:30.860 --> 00:40:34.039 7 makes a comment. It says, Elijah was a man 00:40:34.039 --> 00:40:44.900 of a nature like yours, like mine. And he prayed 00:40:44.900 --> 00:40:47.900 earnestly that it will not rain and it did not 00:40:47.900 --> 00:40:51.219 rain on the land for three years and six months. 00:40:52.780 --> 00:40:54.920 Now the Christian life, I want to remind you 00:40:54.920 --> 00:40:59.619 that it is a supernatural life. Amen. You've 00:40:59.619 --> 00:41:02.780 been brought into a supernatural life. Not only 00:41:02.780 --> 00:41:06.420 a natural life, but a life that is higher above 00:41:06.420 --> 00:41:12.280 the natural. Above the natural. You operate in 00:41:12.280 --> 00:41:16.199 a realm beyond the physical. That is a relationship 00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:19.500 you've been brought into. You operate above the 00:41:19.500 --> 00:41:25.719 physical. Beyond the physical. Because you are 00:41:25.719 --> 00:41:35.139 spiritual. Because you are supernatural. See, 00:41:35.260 --> 00:41:37.619 you cannot believe God and then shy away from 00:41:37.619 --> 00:41:40.519 the supernatural life. You are living a lie. 00:41:42.380 --> 00:41:46.159 You cannot say, I believe in Jesus. Your salvation 00:41:46.159 --> 00:41:49.579 is a supernatural activity. So for you not to 00:41:49.579 --> 00:41:51.760 believe in tongues, not to believe in healing, 00:41:51.940 --> 00:41:54.480 not to believe in all the supernatural activities 00:41:54.480 --> 00:41:58.320 within men, is to live a lie, denying what has 00:41:58.320 --> 00:42:02.519 happened to you. Because you're born again. We 00:42:02.519 --> 00:42:04.440 didn't see you get born again physically. It's 00:42:04.440 --> 00:42:11.159 a supernatural activity. How do we know? We see 00:42:11.159 --> 00:42:13.699 the manifestation by the works of the Spirit. 00:42:15.949 --> 00:42:18.210 From a transformation of your life, suddenly 00:42:18.210 --> 00:42:21.329 you see a man begin to live beyond who he used 00:42:21.329 --> 00:42:27.710 to be. God uses ordinary men to do supernatural 00:42:27.710 --> 00:42:32.750 work. And you are God's chosen person to do the 00:42:32.750 --> 00:42:35.349 work that God has established from the foundation 00:42:35.349 --> 00:42:40.730 of the world. Hallelujah. Let's look at one example 00:42:40.730 --> 00:42:42.269 and then we close. Let's look at the example 00:42:42.269 --> 00:42:48.159 of Stephen. an ordinary man, alright? Whenever 00:42:48.159 --> 00:42:50.460 the story of Stephen is read, sometimes we think 00:42:50.460 --> 00:42:53.340 there is one big apostle, one of the, you know, 00:42:53.400 --> 00:42:56.880 no, no, no, no, no, no. Acts chapter 6, verse 00:42:56.880 --> 00:42:59.000 1. Let's look at who Stephen is. And let's take 00:42:59.000 --> 00:43:00.519 encouragement from there, then we go. Acts chapter 00:43:00.519 --> 00:43:06.159 6, verse 1. Acts chapter 6, verse 1. Now, in 00:43:06.159 --> 00:43:07.760 those days, when the number of the disciples 00:43:07.760 --> 00:43:11.260 was multiplying, there arose a complaint against 00:43:11.260 --> 00:43:14.849 the Hebrews by the Hellenists. Because their 00:43:14.849 --> 00:43:17.690 widows were neglected in the daily distribution 00:43:17.690 --> 00:43:20.610 of food. So whenever you see quarrel in church, 00:43:20.849 --> 00:43:24.750 you can easily trace it to something kind of. 00:43:26.929 --> 00:43:30.630 Whenever you see people, it's something natural. 00:43:30.909 --> 00:43:34.889 It cannot be things of the spirit. It's here, 00:43:34.969 --> 00:43:39.710 it's food. Verse 2. Then the twelve summoned 00:43:39.710 --> 00:43:41.670 the multitude of the disciples and said to them, 00:43:42.880 --> 00:43:45.659 desirable, it is not good, that we should live 00:43:45.659 --> 00:43:49.460 the word of God and serve food. Not that serving 00:43:49.460 --> 00:43:53.159 good food is bad. Therefore, brethren, God is 00:43:53.159 --> 00:43:55.760 a priority. Therefore, brethren, seek out from 00:43:55.760 --> 00:43:59.739 among you seven men of good reputation, full 00:43:59.739 --> 00:44:03.199 of what? The Holy Ghost, which means that Stephen, 00:44:03.400 --> 00:44:06.880 who we'll see later on, is full of the Spirit 00:44:06.880 --> 00:44:11.469 and what? And wisdom. Whom you may appoint over 00:44:11.469 --> 00:44:17.369 this business. What business? Evangelism? No. 00:44:17.530 --> 00:44:22.829 Welfare. Food. Physical thing. But we will give 00:44:22.829 --> 00:44:26.030 ourselves continually to prayer and to what? 00:44:26.130 --> 00:44:30.590 To the ministry of the word. And the saint pleased 00:44:30.590 --> 00:44:33.690 the whole multitude and they chose who? Stephen. 00:44:33.929 --> 00:44:37.750 A man of what? Full of faith. This is a description 00:44:37.750 --> 00:44:42.110 of Stephen. A man full of faith. And the Holy 00:44:42.110 --> 00:44:44.230 Ghost. And Philip. We'll look at Philip maybe 00:44:44.230 --> 00:44:47.829 on Wednesday. And Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, 00:44:47.849 --> 00:44:50.650 Parmenas, and Nicholas. A proselyte from Antioch. 00:44:53.230 --> 00:44:56.730 Verse 6. Whom they set before the apostles when 00:44:56.730 --> 00:44:59.150 they had prayed and laid hand on them. You see 00:44:59.150 --> 00:45:01.849 the laying of hands. Which is important. It's 00:45:01.849 --> 00:45:04.329 a practice of the church. We'll see it even in 00:45:04.329 --> 00:45:07.059 the epistles. Then the word of God spread, you 00:45:07.059 --> 00:45:09.440 see the effect, the word of God spread, and the 00:45:09.440 --> 00:45:11.940 number of the disciples multiplied greatly in 00:45:11.940 --> 00:45:14.639 Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were 00:45:14.639 --> 00:45:19.460 obedient to the faith. He was chosen to serve 00:45:19.460 --> 00:45:24.920 tables, full of grace and power. Look at this 00:45:24.920 --> 00:45:28.380 description in verse 8. Look at verse 8. Stephen 00:45:28.380 --> 00:45:32.920 is full of grace and power, and what? And was 00:45:32.920 --> 00:45:37.159 doing wonders. Stephen, full of faith and power. 00:45:37.880 --> 00:45:40.960 Where did he get the faith and power? The Holy 00:45:40.960 --> 00:45:44.539 Spirit had work in him. He did what? Great wonders 00:45:44.539 --> 00:45:48.739 and signs among the people. Who is this person? 00:45:49.159 --> 00:45:53.360 He's a church member. Alright? He taught a member 00:45:53.360 --> 00:45:57.360 in NACF. He was given the responsibility of serving 00:45:57.360 --> 00:46:02.679 as an usher. In him lies an inherent power. If 00:46:02.679 --> 00:46:05.829 this Stephen was in some of our churches in Africa, 00:46:06.150 --> 00:46:08.190 he would have leave this church and go inside 00:46:08.190 --> 00:46:18.250 the ministry. Because he has arrived. And let 00:46:18.250 --> 00:46:19.949 me announce to you that every believer has arrived. 00:46:20.150 --> 00:46:23.130 Hallelujah. We have come to Mount Zion. Amen? 00:46:24.550 --> 00:46:28.510 We have arrived. It's not a journey. The destination 00:46:28.510 --> 00:46:32.510 has been... we've joined it in Christ and we've 00:46:32.510 --> 00:46:34.849 arrived to the fullness of all that is in Christ. 00:46:35.650 --> 00:46:38.190 So let's look at Stephen briefly, down to verse 00:46:38.190 --> 00:46:44.389 15, and then we pray. And then we pray. And all 00:46:44.389 --> 00:46:50.309 who sat in the council, verse 7, verse 8, yes, 00:46:50.389 --> 00:46:53.349 from verse 8, verse 9, verse 8, and Stephen, 00:46:53.409 --> 00:46:56.670 full of faith and power, did great wonders and 00:46:56.670 --> 00:47:00.570 signs among the people, yes, Then there arose 00:47:00.570 --> 00:47:05.170 from what is called in the synagogue of the freed 00:47:05.170 --> 00:47:08.989 men, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from 00:47:08.989 --> 00:47:13.150 Cilicia and Asia. What were they doing? They 00:47:13.150 --> 00:47:15.710 were disputing with Stephen. Stephen was not 00:47:15.710 --> 00:47:17.909 one of the apostles. I want you to remember. 00:47:18.210 --> 00:47:21.650 Stephen is a church member. I don't like using 00:47:21.650 --> 00:47:24.170 the word church member, but to speak to our today 00:47:24.170 --> 00:47:27.329 language. He was a member of the family of God. 00:47:27.449 --> 00:47:34.000 He was... Not one of the apostles. But this freedman 00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:38.880 came disputing with him. Verse 10. And they were 00:47:38.880 --> 00:47:43.360 not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit 00:47:43.360 --> 00:47:48.139 by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced 00:47:48.139 --> 00:47:50.500 men to say, we have heard him speak blasphemous 00:47:50.500 --> 00:47:52.880 words against Moses and God. Because that's the 00:47:52.880 --> 00:47:55.460 only way they can deal with him. Because he is 00:47:55.460 --> 00:47:57.840 full of wisdom, because the Spirit is in him. 00:47:57.980 --> 00:48:00.300 And they stirred up the people, the elders and 00:48:00.300 --> 00:48:02.880 the scribes, and they came upon him, seized him, 00:48:02.900 --> 00:48:06.239 and brought him to the council. Verse 13. They 00:48:06.239 --> 00:48:08.480 also set up false witnesses who said, This man 00:48:08.480 --> 00:48:11.119 does not cease to speak blasphemous words against 00:48:11.119 --> 00:48:15.559 this holy place and the law. 14. For we have 00:48:15.559 --> 00:48:18.219 heard him say that these treasures of Nazareth 00:48:18.219 --> 00:48:20.539 will destroy this place and change the custom 00:48:20.539 --> 00:48:23.980 which Moses delivered to us. And all who sat 00:48:23.980 --> 00:48:26.199 in the council looking steadfastly at him showed 00:48:26.199 --> 00:48:29.860 his face. And what did they see? His face as 00:48:29.860 --> 00:48:32.519 the face of an angel. There was a glowing on 00:48:32.519 --> 00:48:37.260 his face. Then when we read chapter 7, we will 00:48:37.260 --> 00:48:39.420 see how Stephen, you know, who was not among 00:48:39.420 --> 00:48:45.380 the 12, but can differentiate, we can differentiate 00:48:45.380 --> 00:48:47.480 him from the activities we see in the apostles. 00:48:49.000 --> 00:48:54.539 He eloquently rightfully, accurately explain 00:48:54.539 --> 00:48:57.000 the gospel from Genesis to where they are at 00:48:57.000 --> 00:49:01.980 this point. Read through chapter 7, you will 00:49:01.980 --> 00:49:04.500 see this explanation. One of the most sing -song 00:49:04.500 --> 00:49:07.639 explanations of the gospel I have read in the 00:49:07.639 --> 00:49:10.820 New Testament by a man who is a church member. 00:49:12.519 --> 00:49:17.639 By an ordinary man whom the Spirit lives, dwells 00:49:17.639 --> 00:49:23.019 in. See Stephen's boldness and accurate explanation 00:49:23.019 --> 00:49:26.099 of the message. For sure, he was not the type 00:49:26.099 --> 00:49:30.340 that misses church services. Right? He was not 00:49:30.340 --> 00:49:33.940 the type that he would not attend midweek. Or 00:49:33.940 --> 00:49:38.219 it's a struggle for him to be in cell meeting. 00:49:40.679 --> 00:49:43.019 He's not the type that when they are in groups 00:49:43.019 --> 00:49:44.900 like this, like we're in group today, they say 00:49:44.900 --> 00:49:47.219 pray for your neighbor. Then he's catching his 00:49:47.219 --> 00:49:49.980 teeth. You see, this business is not for stis. 00:49:51.480 --> 00:49:54.239 Amen? When it comes to the things of God, we 00:49:54.239 --> 00:49:56.980 give ourselves to them. He was not a man so full 00:49:56.980 --> 00:50:00.480 of himself. It means that he participated. It 00:50:00.480 --> 00:50:02.659 means that he learned by precepts and by teaching. 00:50:02.920 --> 00:50:05.940 He saw the apostles, he learned from them, and 00:50:05.940 --> 00:50:11.500 then he began to do. So also you, the believer, 00:50:11.559 --> 00:50:14.559 must learn by precepts, by instructions, and 00:50:14.559 --> 00:50:17.519 you must do. And what we are telling you is that 00:50:17.519 --> 00:50:20.260 all is in you. We are not here as showmen, no. 00:50:20.699 --> 00:50:22.860 All that we do, you can do. You can even do greater. 00:50:24.260 --> 00:50:30.659 Hallelujah. You can do greater. You will see 00:50:30.659 --> 00:50:37.059 later, he's watching chapter 7, verse 60. This 00:50:37.059 --> 00:50:38.840 is where the exact words of Jesus on the cross, 00:50:39.059 --> 00:50:42.780 when they were about to kill him, when he was 00:50:42.780 --> 00:50:48.320 dying. And do you know what? Yes. Then he knelt 00:50:48.320 --> 00:50:50.960 down and cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do 00:50:50.960 --> 00:50:53.920 not charge them with this sin. And when he said 00:50:53.920 --> 00:50:59.139 this, he what? He fell asleep. And you know what? 00:51:01.320 --> 00:51:06.219 This Stephen Simon was a Simon Paul heart. Some 00:51:06.219 --> 00:51:08.280 of us thought maybe the encounter Paul had on 00:51:08.280 --> 00:51:10.460 his way to Damascus was, that was how he got 00:51:10.460 --> 00:51:12.559 born again. But can I show you that this was 00:51:12.559 --> 00:51:16.219 a Simon Paul heart. And then it resulted to the 00:51:16.219 --> 00:51:19.420 encounter he had on his way to Damascus. Look 00:51:19.420 --> 00:51:26.039 at chapter 8, verse 1. Chapter 8, verse 1. Then 00:51:26.039 --> 00:51:31.880 we close. Saul was there. It means that Saul 00:51:31.880 --> 00:51:35.960 listened to all his teaching in chapter 7. He 00:51:35.960 --> 00:51:39.920 listened to how Stephen explained about the Christ, 00:51:40.019 --> 00:51:43.690 the entire chapter 7, down to verse 60. Now Saul 00:51:43.690 --> 00:51:46.389 was consenting to his death. Saul was the one 00:51:46.389 --> 00:51:48.550 standing there and what he was watching. That 00:51:48.550 --> 00:51:52.389 means that the seat might have been sworn in 00:51:52.389 --> 00:51:57.170 his heart concerning Jesus. At the same time, 00:51:57.190 --> 00:51:59.289 a great persecution arose against the church 00:51:59.289 --> 00:52:01.269 which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered 00:52:01.269 --> 00:52:03.349 throughout the region of Judea and Samaria except 00:52:03.349 --> 00:52:09.309 the apostles. Stephen was just, I will use the 00:52:09.309 --> 00:52:11.989 word just in quote. He is not just a church member. 00:52:12.840 --> 00:52:15.980 But Stephen was a man of like passion like you, 00:52:16.039 --> 00:52:23.639 like me. God equipped him and we see him witnessing 00:52:23.639 --> 00:52:28.159 with power, with boldness. And will you move 00:52:28.159 --> 00:52:32.099 in obedience? Or will you continue to walk in 00:52:32.099 --> 00:52:35.739 willful disobedience? Will you walk in obedience 00:52:35.739 --> 00:52:40.940 or in disobedience? Disobedience will mean that 00:52:40.940 --> 00:52:43.170 you know this truth. as you've heard under the 00:52:43.170 --> 00:52:45.530 voice of the Lord this morning, this afternoon, 00:52:45.710 --> 00:52:48.650 and then you choose to not, to say, no, this 00:52:48.650 --> 00:52:53.929 thing is not for me. See, that behavior, even 00:52:53.929 --> 00:52:58.789 God cannot help you. Hallelujah. So I want you 00:52:58.789 --> 00:53:01.070 to speak to God this moment as we close. Speak 00:53:01.070 --> 00:53:07.920 to God. Speak to God concerning your life. As 00:53:07.920 --> 00:53:10.019 the word of God has come to us in the prayers, 00:53:10.079 --> 00:53:12.920 we participated and now we hear the word coming 00:53:12.920 --> 00:53:15.199 to assure us of what we've learned, what we've 00:53:15.199 --> 00:53:19.920 done. I want you to pray for yourself. That you 00:53:19.920 --> 00:53:26.539 have the boldness to be a witness. Because you 00:53:26.539 --> 00:53:33.039 have the access to the kingdom of God. You have 00:53:33.039 --> 00:53:36.469 the access by the Spirit. to all the resources 00:53:36.469 --> 00:53:40.230 that are in the kingdom of God. And you can demonstrate 00:53:40.230 --> 00:53:46.469 all that is in the spirit. Pray for boldness 00:53:46.469 --> 00:53:51.650 at all times. I'm quick to give a word. I'm prompt 00:53:51.650 --> 00:53:55.289 to lay hand on the sick, to preach the gospel 00:53:55.289 --> 00:53:59.909 as I go out to preach the gospel. We appreciate 00:53:59.909 --> 00:54:02.630 you being here today. We hope you carry this 00:54:02.630 --> 00:54:18.389 word with you throughout your week. Until next 00:54:18.389 --> 00:54:19.789 time, stay blessed.