Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
right in. Just appreciate God that you are part
of this plan of God. You are part of this plan
of God. Just open your mouth and pray. Just pray
for some minutes. Pray, pray, pray. And thank
God that you are part of this plan of God. That
from the ages past, God has you in mind. He has
me in mind. He has all of us in mind. And he
has brought us into this plan. And this plan,
we see, is a promise. And this promise is a spirit
of God that has been given to us. Hallelujah.
So just thank God. Thank God for this reality.
That you are not a spectator, but you are a participant.
You are a fellow heir with other believers of
this promise, the promise of God. Hallelujah.
Say, I have access to the kingdom of God by the
spirit of God. I have access to the kingdom of
God. I have access to the kingdom of God by the
spirit of God. I have access to all the resources
of the kingdom of God. I have access to all the
resources of the kingdom of God. I therefore
manifest the kingdom of God. I therefore manifest
the kingdom of God. I preach the gospel in the
demonstration of the Holy Ghost. I preach the
gospel in the demonstration of the Holy Ghost.
I walk in signs and wonders. I operate in the
gifts of the Spirit. My life reflects the Spirit's
lifestyle. My life reflects the Spirit's lifestyle.
I manifest the fruits of the Spirit because I
have access to the kingdom of God. Hallelujah.
And this is our story. This is our song. And
this is our reality. Hallelujah. We're looking
so tired. Is it because it's evening? Amen. Is
your spirit tired? Can the spirit in you be tired?
Hallelujah. Amen. So I just want you to just
be alive as we look into, you know, the things
that are ours in Christ Jesus. The summary of
everything that we said we have. is what we see
in the Spirit. Jesus Christ has given us by the
virtue of his death, his burial, and his resurrection.
So we have access to all the resources. And what
we do when we study the Word of God is that we
learn what Christ has done in this world. We
learn what Christ has done. Hallelujah. In salvation,
we don't need fullness of knowledge. to be born
again. We just have to know that Jesus has died
for our sins and we believe and we are saved.
But once we come into this, you know, this reality,
we'll begin to learn what God has done. We begin
to understand our identity. We begin to understand
the resources. We begin to understand our privilege,
our privileges. We begin to understand our responsibilities.
We begin to understand, you know, the desire
of God. for our conduct as believers. Hallelujah.
Now, you don't become transformed before you
are saved. That is not how it happens. Amen?
You can come to God the way you are, from wherever
you are. Hallelujah. But the moment you become
a believer, we begin to see a transformation
in your life. So what we expect is that the Spirit
of God that lives in you, beginning to walk.
a new lifestyle in you because there's a new
occupant in you. Hallelujah. So we see that the
access to the kingdom of God, you know, enables
the believer to be a witness. So the walking
of the spirit in the believer enables the believer,
empowers the believer to become a witness. Acts
chapter 1 verse 4. Acts chapter 1 verse 4. We'll
continue from our teaching on the access, access
to the kingdom of God. Acts chapter 1, verse
4 to 8. And being assembled together with them,
commanded them, okay, and being assembled together
with them, he commanded them not to depart from
Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the
Father. Hallelujah. And we, we saw in Ephesians
3 that we are part, we've enjoyed, we are partakers
of this promise. They should wait for the promise
of the Father, which he said to you, which he
said, for John truly baptized with water, but
you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not
many days from now. Therefore, when they had
come together, they asked him saying, Lord, will
you at this time restore the kingdom of, kingdom
to Israel? And he said to them, it is not for
you to know. Times, or seasons which the Father
has put in his own authority. But you shall receive
what? You shall receive power. Okay? So the Spirit
of God in us is power. When the Holy Spirit has
come upon you, and you shall be what? You shall
be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea,
and in Samaria, And to where? To the ends of
the earth, to the outermost part of the world.
Hallelujah. So the first thing we see the Spirit
produces within the Christian is what? It's power.
Okay? It's power. And power enables the believer
to act. Alright? Power enables the believer to
do what? To act. It enables the believer to function.
So the Holy Spirit walking in us gives us an
ability. It gives us an ability, gives us an
authority to act. The Spirit grants a believer
access to the authority of God to legislate on
behalf of God, to be a witness for God. Hallelujah.
We have the ability or the authority to be witnesses.
All right? So anything we say later on, I'm just
making a recap of what we saw on Sunday. We said
also that anything that God will do on the earth,
he does it how? How does he do it? He does it
by the spirit, right? But through us, through
men. Not just any man, but through a man that
is born again, a man that has come to believe
in Jesus Christ. So God walks on earth by his
spirit, okay? But he walks by his spirit through
men. So the agency by which God manifests The
works of the Spirit on earth is through men.
We read in 2 Corinthians 2 about how God diffuses
the knowledge. 2 Corinthians 2, verse 14 and
15. 2 Corinthians 2, verse 14 and 15. Now thanks
be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.
who always leads us in triumph in Christ. And
through us, he diffuses the fragrance of his
knowledge in every place. This is the work of
the Spirit in the believer. You know, he diffuses
the knowledge of his... Verse 14, give verse
14 again. Yes. He diffuses... The fragrance of
his knowledge, not in some few places, but in
every place, in every place. Hallelujah. For
we are to God, the what? The fragrance of Christ
among those who are being saved and among those
who are perishing. So God uses ordinary men like
you and I to do supernatural work on the earth.
He does supernatural work on earth, not through
angels, but through men, but through you and
I. We are God's system for his work on the earth.
Through us, God does his work on the earth. Hallelujah.
And God bypassed our frailty, right? Our frailty
simply means our human limitation. Now, we're
not talking about sinfulness here. Okay? Because
first of all, for us to be useful to God, first
of all, he create a capacity in us. And the capacity
is that he take away our sin. In his death, his
burial, and his resurrection. Hallelujah. Then
he places his spirit in us. So the spirit of
God in us is what gives us what? The strength
and the ability, not relying on our strength,
but relying on the strength of the spirit of
God in us to do the work of God. Because the
work of God cannot be done by the flesh. The
work of God cannot be done with the wisdom of
men. The work of God can only be done by the
Spirit and by the wisdom of God working in men.
Hallelujah. Now let's look at an example of a
man. A man, we saw an example on Sunday, of Stephen.
A man of light passion like us. who was able
to do great and mighty works because he has the
Spirit of God in him. Hallelujah. And I believe
that God is also looking up to us in this dimension
that we will cooperate with him, okay, to bring
about his plan and his purpose on earth. Acts
chapter 8, verse 1. Acts chapter 8, verse 1.
Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8 verse 1. We're
going to see another example. Now, Saul was consenting
to his death. Who's death? To Stephen's death,
right? At that time, a great persecution arose
against the church, which was at Jerusalem. And
they were all scattered throughout the region
of Judea and Samaria. except the apostles. Verse
2. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial
and made a great lamentation over him. As for
Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every
house and dragging off men and women, committing
them to prison. You know, later on, Paul will
say that he did this in ignorance. Because as
far as he's concerned, this is the work of God.
He was zealous. Paul was not a non -challenged
person. Amen? He was not a non -challenged person.
Even in ignorance, he was serious in ignorance.
To tell you that God will not work with somebody
that is not serious. Hallelujah. I'll tell you
some people that if you are doing crime, we know
that you are serious by your attitude to everything.
Hallelujah. Even in the world, we see Paul, he
was doing it with all of his mind. And when there
is a diversion to his direction, what do we see?
We see the same equal measure of grace, of what?
Of vigor, of strength in the work of the ministry.
Hallelujah. So, God demands this sense of fervency
from us as we give ourselves to his service.
Hallelujah. Verse 4. Therefore, those who were
scattered went everywhere. They went everywhere.
And when they ran away, what were they doing?
They didn't give up on their faith. They were
preaching the word. Verse 5. Now, this is a matter
I want us to consider. Then Philip went down
to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to
them. And the multitude with one accord. He did
the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing.
What did they see? They see the miracles which
Philip did. Now, when we read about Philip in
the Bible, oftentimes we think that Philip is
a very special man. You know, he's a very special
man and his anointing is a special anointing.
But what I want to bring to our notice is that
Philip... is equally as empowered by the Spirit
of God as you are. Are we together? Now let's
look at what he did in verse 7. It says, For
unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came
out of many, not few, who were possessed, and
many who were paralyzed and lame and were healed.
And there was a great joy in which city? In Samaria
because of the work that Philip did in Samaria.
Hallelujah. So there are some certain things
that I want us to note about Philip, okay? That
Philip was not one of the apostles. Remember
also with Stephen, okay? That he was not one
of the apostles, but he was a disciple of the
apostles. What we call today in court, he was
an ordinary church member. There's nothing like
ordinary church member. But to speak in our language,
he was a church member. All right? No man is
ordinary here. Hallelujah. Nobody here is ordinary.
All of us are valued and are powerful equally
because we possess the Spirit of God in us. Hallelujah.
So he was not one of the apostles, but a disciple
of the apostles. He was a church member. But
what we see is that he was full of the Spirit,
was full of the ridiculous, and of good character.
How do I come to know that he is of good character?
Chapter 6, verse 3. He was among those who were
selected to share food in chapter 6. Acts chapter
6, verse 3 to 5. Therefore, Brennan, seek out
among you seven men of good reputation. All right?
If we make this call in any safe and say, please,
we need five men of good character to come out.
Choose among you seven men of good character.
Will your friend point it out? Your housemates,
will you vote for them and say, this person is
a man of good character? After you cook food
and then you carry the entire pot to your room.
Amen? And then you come here and then we are
shouting hallelujah together. Will your friend
say you are a man of good character? Will your
wife say you are a man of good character? Will
your husband say you are a woman of good character?
Will even your children say you are a man or
a woman of good character? Hallelujah. Because
a spirit indwelling in you should produce a character.
Hallelujah. So see, They asked them to choose
men of good character. All right? Therefore,
brethren, seek out from among you seven men of
good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and
wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer
and to the ministry of the Word, and the same
please the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen,
a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and
who? And this same Philip. Prochorus, Nicanor,
Timon, Parmenas, Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch.
So this means that for him to be of good character,
he followed duly the teachings and emulates the
lives of the apostles. Because this is what produces
the result in his life. It means that he follows
the teachings and emulates the lives of the apostles.
Was it not from Philip's life that he was passionate
and intentional about the preaching of the gospel,
regardless of persecution? They chased them here,
they ran away, they moved to a new town, and
what? They continued the business of preaching
of the gospel. Hallelujah. We are not so sure
whether if we leave Cyprus. Some of you, we want
to establish you to a point that we are sure
that when you leave Cyprus, wherever you are,
we know what you will be doing. Hallelujah. But
sometimes, you know, people when they leave an
environment, when they change the environment,
their lifestyle changes. And their conduct changes.
And they forget that they are ministers. Hallelujah.
I was talking to a brother that left here for
quite a while. yesterday on the phone and I was
asking him, I said, do you remember, do you still
remember who you are? That was what I keep asking
him. Do you still remember who you are? Do you
still remember that you are a minister of God?
Do you still preach the gospel? He said, this
year has been a very difficult year. I said,
it means that you've not been living the life
that we've taught you. It means that you've not
been living according to your identity that we've
been teaching you for all the years that you've
been here. You've been here for over seven years
and we expect you. So it was a time of admonition
and encouragement. Hallelujah. So for all of
us, we see in the life of Philip that he was
passionate. He was passionate about the work
of preaching the gospel. He was intentional.
Regardless of the circumstance of persecution,
he didn't give up. He did this. How? How did
he do it? In the demonstration of the power.
Of the Holy Spirit, verse 5 to verse 8, Acts
8, we'll see the way he demonstrated it. Healing
of the sick, casting out of devils. Particularly,
you know, we see verse 5, verse 6. Verse 5, the
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached
the Christ to them. He preached Christ to them.
All right? And there was a change. A multitude
heeded the things. spoken by Philip, and hearing
and seeing their head and their soul. Amen? So
that is how our ministry should be. People should
hear and also see. All right? The demonstration
of the Spirit of God practically in our lives.
For unclean spirits crying out with a loud voice
came out of many who were possessed, and many
who were paralyzed, lame, and lame were healed.
And there was great joy in that city. Hallelujah.
I want to look at verse 12. Verse 12. But when
they believed Philip, as he preached the things,
what did he preach to them? He preached to them
the things concerning who? Concerning the kingdom
of God and the name of Jesus Christ. All right?
Things concerning the kingdom of God. That and
they is which is, right? Because the things of
the kingdom are not different from the things
concerning the name of Christ, the name of Jesus
Christ. So preaching the things concerning the
kingdom of God, which are in the name of Jesus
Christ, and we see both men and women were what?
Believed. Hallelujah. Both men and women believed.
Amen. Also, Philip hears and understands the
leading of God always. This means he was so intimate
with God and his devotion that he can hear and
know the voice of God and also act in obedience.
This is not for special men. This is not for
pastors. This is not only for leaders. When you're
a leader, then now you need to learn how to hear
God because you have a people you already didn't
know. This should be the life of every believer.
That you ought to learn to know the voice of
God, recognize the voice of God, and live in
obedience to the voice of God. Because that is
the only man, this is the kind of man or woman
that God will use. If a man and a woman or a
woman does not hear, does not understand when
God is speaking, how can you do the will of God?
It's impossible. But we can see it practically
in this man's life. Being a church member. Being
a disciple of the apostles. In Acts 8, verse
26. Let's look at verse 26. Now an angel of the
Lord spoke to Philip. An angel of the Lord spoke
to him. Which means that this man was having
supernatural encounters. Amen? It's not strange
to him to have an encounter with the angel of
God. And the reason is not for you to tell us
that you have an encounter with an angel of God.
Hallelujah. It's not to add to your CV of spiritual
rankings. But rather it's to the end that you
do the work of God. That is the essence. That
is the essence. So we see here there is an angelic
encounter. Now an angel of the Lord spoke to
Philip saying, Arise and go towards the south
along the road which goes down. from Jerusalem
to Gaza. This is desert. So he arose and went,
and behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great
authority under Candace, the queen of Ethiopians,
who had charge of all her treasury, and had come
to Jerusalem to worship, was returning and seated
in his chariot. He was reading Isaiah the prophet.
Then the spirit said to him, to Philip, go in
here and overtake, see. Look at the way the angel
was speaking to him. He moved in obedience. He
reached a certain place. The Spirit of God kneels
down to him. All right? Then the Spirit said
to Philip, Go near and overtake this chariot.
So Philip ran to him and heard him reading the
prophet Isaiah and said, Do you understand what
you are reading? And he said, How can I unless
someone guides me? And he asked Philip to come
up and sit with him. Hallelujah. So we see that
he understands the leading of God, which means
that he has an intimate relationship with God,
which means that he's able to know the heart
and the heartbeats of God at every time, at every
season. That should be the aspiration of every
one of us in this house. You don't need to just
be running to pastors to hear God for you. Pastors
are not native doctors. They go to consult. Hallelujah.
They are not native doctors. Some of you think
that when you come with the gifts, then there
will be clarity on your issue. No. Every man
and woman that has a spirit of God has the potential
to hear the voice of God. Hallelujah. So the
goal of our church meetings is to train us in
hearing and understanding the ways of God that
we'll know when God is speaking. We'll know when
God is leading us. We'll know the will of God
every time, every season, and we'll live in obedience
and doing the will of God. Hallelujah. So Philip
is not only, you know, trained in hearing and
knowing the voice of God. Philip also understood.
The Word of God. Because you cannot know the
voice of God without the Word of God. Hallelujah.
He didn't only know the Word of God, but he was
skilled in what? In preaching the Word of God.
It means he learned well from the apostles. Hallelujah.
It means that in the course of the teachings
on their services and their meetings, he was
there taking notes. and going over to study to
check. When he has questions, he's quick and
eager to ask questions. It means that he was
studious. He understood. See, there is a specific
doctrine that was given to the apostles. There
were no many doctrines. There was a specific
message that Jesus handed over to the apostles.
And from the apostles, we see the continuities
of that to the church and down to us. Hallelujah.
So the message of the gospel will always tell
you, And it's historical. And it's apostolic
in nature. Hallelujah. Meaning that you can trace
from Jesus' teaching to the apostles and down
to us in our generation. So if there's any distortion
along the way, you can easily know that this
is not the message of the gospel. Did Jesus teach
it? Did the apostles teach it? How about the
early church? Do we see them practice those things?
And that formulates The foundation for our own
experience is us also as Christians. Hallelujah.
So Philip understood it. In verse 35, we see
his response. From verse 34. So the Enoch answered
Philip and said, I ask you, of whom does the
prophet say this of himself or of another man?
He didn't begin to breathe about the bush. and
began to tell him stories and fairy tales. Right
from that scripture, that is a skill. And where
do we see this skill from? We can see it in Jesus'
teaching, teaching ministry. Hallelujah. We can
see that in the way the apostles also taught
the scriptures. From this scripture, he interpreted
to the Ethiopian things concerning Jesus Christ.
Then he opened his mouth, verse 35, and beginning
at this scripture, Obviously, we cannot see Jesus
here. When you read, you will not see Jesus here.
Amen? But with the understanding of the interpretation
of the books of the old, and all the things we
have written from Genesis to Malachi were concerning
Christ, were concerning the promises, were concerning
the work of God, were concerning what God will
do in Christ, Philip opened his mouth and beginning
at this scripture, preached who? He preached
Jesus to him, not Miraculous. Amen? Not leadership
because, ah, you can say this one maybe is a
political power. You know, he has political power.
Then I think the message that will feed this
man is leadership. No, no, no, no. He preached
to him, Jesus. Hallelujah. He preached to him,
Jesus. Now, as they went down the road, they
came to some water. And the Enoch says, see,
here is water. What he hinders me from being
baptized. Then Philip said, If you believe, you
see, if you believe with all your heart, you
may. And he answered, I believe that Jesus Christ
is what? That means that in the course of all
this explanation, he was able to preach Jesus
and tell him that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God who came on earth and he died for our sins.
And when we put our trust in him, we will be
saved and receive the gift of the Spirit of God.
That is the conclusion of the message. And he
said, I believe that Jesus is what? He's a son
of God. Hallelujah. So he was killed in what?
In handling the word of God because he learned
from the apostles. Amen. And of course, we see
the experience of the supernatural. Verse 39,
verse 40. And other verses we've read. Now when
they had come out of water, the spirit of the
Lord. Verse 39. Now when they have come out of
water, the spirit of the Lord. Caught Philip
away so that the Enoch saw him no more. And he
went on his way rejoicing. Who was rejoicing?
The African. He went. The African went rejoicing.
This is the first record of the gospel coming
to Africa. And it didn't come by a mighty apostle.
It came by a church member. A member of the church
that the apostles were pastoring. Hallelujah.
This was the first circle we have of Christianity
in Africa. Not the one from Europe. Not the one
from America. But this is the first time Africa
came in contact, as we can see in recorded scriptures,
that the gospel came to Africa. Hallelujah. And
today, we see how the evidence of this work,
of the work of God, even in our own lives, even
in our continent. Hallelujah. So, he experienced
the supernatural. which means that the supernatural
is for every man. The supernatural experiences
is for everyone that believe. For those who believe,
these signs shall follow them. And you believe,
so signs and wonders should follow. The miraculous
should be normal. The supernatural experiences
should be normal. There should be strange happenings
in our midst. Hallelujah. When you experience
the supernatural, it's not a strange occurrence.
It should be the normal experience of the believer.
Not once in a lifetime. Not once in a lifetime.
The supernatural experiences can be always. That
should be our normal disposition. That should
be our normal encounter and normal experiences.
Not only during catatismus. You know why many
a times you feel the move of God during Catholicism?
Because you prepared for it. Amen? You fasted.
You prepared your mind. You put away your schedules.
You adjusted yourself. You bought a brand new...
If you put your effort up to this, you must have
revelation of the word of God. You arrange your
day. Amen? And you are set ready for the supernatural
and the word of God comes and then you begin
to speak in tongues. You give word of... That
should be our normal default, brethren. Hallelujah.
Every Sunday should be a supernatural service
because we have supernatural sons and daughters
of God gathered together for a supernatural relationship,
for a supernatural fellowship. That should be
a norm in our midst. So when a believer walks
into this place, he knows that God is here. Hallelujah.
And the message is preached and healing happens
in our midst. And the unbeliever receives the
message. And the unbeliever believes in the message
of the gospel. Hallelujah. Supernatural is our
experience. And this experience should be always
in our homes, in our houses. It should be our
normal experiences. Hallelujah. Now there's another
man, Acts 9 verse 10. There's another man who
will see examples. Why are we looking at examples?
We're looking at these examples to stay us up,
to stay on faith from us. To know that if this
can happen to ordinary men, these records were
recorded for us. That we, by them, will do what?
We'll learn, alright? That faith will be stayed
in us. That these are ordinary men doing extraordinary
things. Hallelujah. And you, an ordinary man,
can do extraordinary things. Because the Spirit
of God that is in them, It's still the same Spirit
of God that lives in you today. Hallelujah. Acts
chapter 9 verse 10. Acts chapter 9 verse 10.
We see another man, a disciple, not an apostle.
In fact, this man is almost unknown in Scripture
until this particular work that he did that we
now come to know him. Now there was a certain
disciple at Damascus named Ananias. Not the Ananias
and Sapphira. Amen? Not that one. This is a different
Ananias. Now, there was a certain disciple at
Damascus named Ananias. And to him, we see, the
Bible was very clear about who he is. He is a
what? He is a disciple. Okay? They don't used
to call them church members. They used to call
them disciples. He is a disciple. He is a believer.
And to him, the Lord said in a vision, So God
can speak to anybody to do a work for him. Hallelujah.
So the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias,
and he said, here I am, Lord. So the Lord said
to him, arise and go to the street called straight
and inquire at the house of Judas for one cold
soul of Tarsus, for behold his brain. And in
a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias. So
God told Paul about Ananias in a vision. And
God spoke to Ananias in a vision about Paul.
Amen. And in a vision, he has seen a man named
Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him
so that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias
answered, look at the dialogue. This was a dialogue.
Say, Lord, I've heard from many about this man
who How this man has been terrorizing Christians.
How he has been working with Boko Haram, Al -Shabaab,
and all the terrorist organizations. How that
he has done so much harm to the saints in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priest
to ban all who call on your name. But the Lord
said to him, Go for he is a chosen vessel of
mine to bear my name before Gentiles. kings and
the children of Israel. For I will show him how
many things he must suffer for my sake. And Ananias
went his way. See, Ananias did not even argue.
Right? He knows with certainty this is the work
of God. This is the will of God. This is the
word of God. He understands that this is the
word of God. You understand that this is what
God wants. See, this must be a man that understands
the ways of God. This must be a man that has
been working intimately with God. Hallelujah.
And he is not among the apostles. He is a certain
disciple. Like you, like I, like any other person
in this place. Like any other person. He enjoyed
the supernatural. He enjoyed a supernatural walk
with God. In his dialogue, in his conversation,
we can see that he's a man that understands the
works of God. He walked with God. He communed
with God. He has a fellowship with God. And we
see how God used Ananias, a disciple, to minister
to Paul's needs. The great apostle Paul. He was
not apostle Peter or apostle John or any of the
big apostles, but a certain disciple. Hallelujah.
So you're not too small for what God will do
or for what God is doing. Hallelujah. You're
not too small for what God is about to do in
this generation or what he's doing in this generation.
Hallelujah. So why do we find it so difficult
or impossible to manifest the Spirit and the
giftings, the signs and wonders and the miraculous?
Have you asked yourself? Why do we find ourselves
not having similar experiences? Is it that the
Spirit of God has changed his mind concerning
his work in men? Is it that God is no longer
working? Some people concluded that the Spirit
has ceased to function this way. That God only
operated for a certain time, then now is no longer
the time for that operation, for those kind of
operations. As though unbelievers have changed.
As though unbelief has changed, has been reformed.
Do you know that the unbelief of today is more
even difficult than unbelief of before? Technology
has come to suffocate the unbelief of today.
Traveling from one place to another has affected
the unbelief of today. People have exported all
kinds of lifestyle from one. The world has become
a global place. So also wickedness has been globalized.
So if these men will need the help of the Spirit
of God, the demonstration of the Spirit of God,
the demonstration of the power of God in order
to reach their generation, we need that even
more in our generation. Hallelujah. Because the
enemy has become more crafty. He has become more
sophisticated. with information, with knowledge,
and men have become more empowered to do evil.
So we also that must confront our own generation
must rely on the sophistication of the Spirit
of God to reach our own generation. Walkings
of the Spirit or the demonstration of the Spirit
is non -negotiable for the believer of today.
Hallelujah. It's non -negotiable. Through the
level of technological advancement, artificial
intelligence. Brother, if you don't have the
spirit of God, you consult AI. Amen? AI will
become your Lord and Savior. So why do we find
it difficult? Because God is same yesterday.
Is it easy? Same today. And forever. And we have
the same access to the kingdom of God as these
disciples had in the book of Acts. Why don't
we see this manifestation through our lives?
The reason is simple. Because we are often carnally
minded. And we are not working in the spirit.
We are preoccupied with carnal things. Carnal
in the sense that we are preoccupied. by physical
things. The world has been arranged in such a
way that enables us to focus on physical and
material things. So we negate the spirituality
of our identity. Even our spirituality has been
tailored into material things. So when we come
to church, the only thing we are thinking is
material things. So, The carnal man of today
is in church. And his carnality has been rebranded
into spirituality. That even his prayer, if you
pray for one hour, 90 % of what you pray for
is his carnal needs. A new job, a new house,
a new car. You know, my education. Now, we're
not saying these things are wrong or these things
are bad. But a man that will manifest the kingdom
of God. must be different. Because you know what?
The Bible says that even the hidden, God knows
that even the hidden, what do they do? They need
these things, right? God knows that you need
them as the hidden do. So we cannot be worried
and moving on about these things. Hallelujah.
So, in Galatians 5 verse 6, Paul would tell the
Galatians to us. To walk in the spirit. I hope
I have some time, yes. Galatians chapter 5 verse
16. Galatians chapter 5 verse 16 to 18. I say
then, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill
the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against
it. things of the spirit against the spirit and
the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary
to one another. You see, the reason why the believer
of today is finding it difficult to manifest
is because the flesh and the spirit cannot coexist.
There cannot be two influences in your life.
It's either you are influenced by the spirit
of God or you are influenced by the flesh. But
one thing we want to do is I want to do the flesh.
I want to do the Spirit. I want to manifest God.
It's not possible. It's impossible. These are
contrary to one another so that you do not do
the things that you so desire to do. What are
the things you so desire to do? The things of
the Spirit. Hallelujah. You so desire to do the
things of the Spirit. But if you are led by the
Spirit, you are not under the law. All right?
The word work in verse 16, the word work is a
word peripatio. From the Greek, peripatio, P
-E -R -I -P -A -T -O. P -E -R -I -P -A -T -O.
It means, in this context, it means to regulate
one's life or conduct oneself. So what he is
saying is that we should regulate our lives and
we should conduct ourselves by the Spirit. That
is, we should allow the Spirit to regulate and
conduct our life. That is to say, let the Spirit
inspire your living on the earth. And how will
we know that the Spirit of God influences your
living on the earth? It's by your conduct. For
instance, The Spirit cannot lead you to do something
that will harm your brother or your sister. So
when we see you harming your brother, we know
that this one is not by the Spirit of God. Hallelujah.
So our lives must be regulated, must be led by
the Spirit of God. And then verse 16 and 17 shows
two contradicting influences over a man's life.
The Spirit And the flesh. Hallelujah. Two contradicting
influences. The spirit and what? And the flesh.
Now, when we talk about the flesh, we're not
talking about your physical body. Alright? The
word flesh here is the word sarx from the Greek.
Sarx. S -A -R -X. S -A -R -X. And this word can
mean two things. First, It can mean the physical
body of a man, all right? And it can also mean
a spiritual nature. So contextually, in this
verse, it is not referring to your physical body.
Your physical body is not anti -God. You hear
what I'm saying? Your physical body is not anti
-God because God wants your physical body to
manifest on earth. Hallelujah. So your physical
body is not in opposition to the spirit of God.
So, but then there is an influence we call the
flesh. The flesh in this context does not mean
your physical body. It refers to a spiritual
nature. A nature that is spiritual. Because the
spirit and flesh are two forces that influences
the life of the man. Alright? It is the nature
without the influence of God. Flesh is a nature
of the influence of God. It is also called the
world. Right? It is also called the world. Or
you can say worldliness. It is also called the
carnal nature. It is also called the sinful nature.
Sinful nature. Some translation you see to use
the oiled nature. Some translations will use
the word sinful mind or evil nature. Hallelujah.
So there are two influences. The carnal, or what
we call the flesh, the old man, sinful nature,
and also what? The spirit of God. So flesh refers
to the thinking pattern. Flesh, first of all,
is an ideology. It refers to the thinking pattern.
That is, it is ideological but spiritual. Or
let me say it is spiritual but ideological. Because
it is in the mind of man. Alright? Different
from what is of God. It is a mind that thinks
independently of God. That the influence is not
of God, but it's of this world. This nature is
in enmity against God. That for a man to think
or to live independent of God is living in the
flesh, is living under the control and influence
of the flesh. And this nature called the flesh,
the human nature or the sinful nature is actually
in opposition or in enmity with God. Romans 8,
verse 7 talks about that kind of life. Romans
8, verse 7 to 8. Because the carnal mind, what
is the carnal mind? That is the flesh, the sinful
nature there. The carnal mind is enmity against
God. What does it do? It does not subject to
the law of God. That is the law of the spirit.
That is, it does not subject to the spirit of
God. That means that it is not influenced by
the spirit of God. It cannot be. Hallelujah.
Was it? So then, those who are in the flesh,
those who are in the flesh cannot do what? Cannot
please God. Those who are in the flesh cannot
please God. Hallelujah. So, the mindset is influenced
not by God. The thoughts, you know, our brother
read to us in 2 Corinthians chapter, is it chapter
10? Is it chapter 10 you read from? That talks
about the weapon, right? Let me check. Help me.
10 .5, right? I remember. 10 .5. 10 .4. Is it
1 Corinthians? Aha. Because I'm seeing something
here. 2 Corinthians 10. When he was leading us
to pray. 2 Corinthians 10. Verse 4. It says,
for the weapons. No, look at verse 3. Say, for
though we walk in the flesh. Right? We walk in
the physical, this flesh, the first flesh here,
is we walk in the physical body. We do no war
according to the flesh. For the weapons of our
warfare are not what? Are not in the flesh, are
not carnal, but mighty in God for what? For pulling
down of what? Of strongholds. Casting down what?
Arguments. Now, this is the flesh. Arguments.
thoughts, arguments, thoughts, impressions, and
every high thing that exalts itself against the
word, the knowledge of God, and bringing thoughts,
every thought into captivity to the word, through
obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish
all disobedience when obedience is fulfilled.
Hallelujah. So, It's a life influence. The thought
is influenced by, you know, this nature. You
know, whenever you see people think cooperatively,
right? Whenever you see people have a certain
manner of life, they carve for themselves a certain
ideology, a certain mannerism, united in an ideology,
there's always a spirit involved. I can tell
you that some of the philosophies and some of
the ideologies we study in school, they are actually
spiritual ideologies. Because for you to see
men come together, having the same mind, the
same thoughts, I can tell you that the spirit
is involved in that organization. Remember those
men that gathered that they want to build an
altar, a tower. Do you think that they just sat
down and then thought that they just want to
go against God? There is a spirit that would
that's involved in that union. Hallelujah. Please,
let's have attention here. Okay? So, we must
beware that there is a thought pattern that sponsors
the things we see around and about us. Some movements
we see around are not just political. And we
as believers must be careful before we join things
that we don't know. You go to an organization
and they have certain beliefs. Oh, we are here.
Some of those beliefs, they put them under this,
you know, they look good. You know, it's anti
-racism, for example. They call them in this
way, you know, or women's rights, you know. equity
and inclusion. Or the one that I've been studying
recently is about environmental, what do they
call it? Protection and sustainability. And we've
written a lot of academic work in this sphere.
But in the core of those ideologies, there's
a spirit sponsoring it. Because oftentimes, it
brings an ideology and a thought pattern that
seems to exalt the self above God. So we, as
we study, we open our eyes. We know that this
is of God. This is not of God. And we know the
extent and the limits to which we can go as believers.
Hallelujah. But unfortunately, some believers
have become activists, pursuing and propagating
these ideologies, even without knowing the origin
and root of those ideologies. He raised up your
hand, he said, black lives matter. Do you know
the root? Do you know the ideology? Do you know
the drive of that philosophy? Before you say,
I'm an activist for this, make sure that it is
the Spirit of God that is inspiring your activism.
Hallelujah. So that we can live our lives effectively
and not just trying to follow trends because
we want to be trends in this world. Hallelujah.
So the manifestation of the flesh is plain and
obvious. The scripture is not hidden concerning
the manifestation. Galatians 5, verse 19 to 21.
Galatians 5, 19. Now the works of the flesh are
what? They are evident. It means that if you
see flesh in manifestation, you will know. It
means that if we enter this hall and we see somebody
behaving, Pastor Victor will say that he has
been going somewhere. Now this action, the way
you see this sister is dressing like this, the
way you see this brother is dressing like this,
he has been going somewhere. And it's true. You
copy it somewhere. Everybody is a product of
influence. Hallelujah. Everybody is a product
of influence, good or bad. So, when we see, we
know, wherever we know the source, we know where
this behavior is coming from. We know where this
ideology is coming from. When you talk, we know
the inspiration of your speech. Whether it's
of God or it's of the flesh or it's of the world.
So, the works of the flesh are evident. The goodness
says they are plain. They are not hidden. Some
translations will say they are clear to see with
the eyes. How do we know the manifestation of
the flesh? First, in adultery, sexual immorality.
That is the first display we see, at least given
to us, right? Fornication. adultery, okay? Can
you give me this text in NLT? Do you have NLT?
Yes. When you follow the desires of your sinful
nature, I don't like the way they say your sinful
nature. When you follow the desires, they should
have just put, if you follow the desires of the
sinful nature, okay? The results are very clear.
Say the sinful nature is not my nature. But I
can follow it if I want to. Yes. It's not your
nature. We'll see it subsequently. When you follow
the desires of the sinful nature, the results
are what? They are very clear. We'll see what
is manifesting in your life. And some of you
are here, oh, you begin to see this list. You
begin to see yourself in the list. Sexual immorality.
All right? And you are in church. You are speaking
in tongues. Impurity. You are going out for evangelism.
You are lusting. It's lustful pleasure. The next
verse. Idolatry. Okay? Sorcery. You know, they
say they digitalize sorcery and idolatry. They
call it horoscope, right? They call it, they
say, what is your star? They used to call it
zodiac, whatever. You're a believer, you're looking
for zodiac sign. And you think it's a trend.
You don't know that that is for them. It's real
for them. And you think it's a trend. For you,
the believer, your zodiac sign is Christ. Do
you understand? Your nature cannot come from
any moon or from the stars. Your nature is in
Christ. How can a believer be looking for somebody
to read him here in this place? They read him
a cup of coffee, right? Yes, they do it here.
Somebody will take coffee and then they... They
turn it and they'll read to you like they tell
you all the things. And some who can read from
your palm. That is witchcraft. That is a manifestation
of what? Of a life outside Christ. Quarreling.
This one is familiar, right? It's here. It's
not supposed to be here. But it can be here.
Hostility. Jealousy. Alright? You know me, I
have this. We see it in our blood. In our family,
we have anger. It's in our blood. You know, we
can easily get angry. When my father get angry,
I took it from my father. Of course, you are
influenced by what you see around you. Outbursts
of anger. Selfish ambition. What motivates your
ambition? Is it self? Selfishness. Distinctions.
When you are in thought, you are in guru. But
any group, any team you enter, you cause division.
You leave media, you enter evangelism, you cause
division. Why is it every time you enter there
must be a problem? And you think everybody is
bad. You are the one that is operating with another
ideology. It's an influence that you are attending
to that is manifesting the result that we see.
Next verse. Envy. Alright? And drunkenness. And
then you like going to parties, wild parties,
parties that does not align with the purpose
of God. Somebody will tell you that when his
mind is too occupied, he goes to cloud nine to
calm down himself. That's his own fun. That is
his own way of recreation. The believer's recreation
is in the spirit. Hallelujah. We are spiritual
beings. Amen. And ETC, right? Other things like
this. There are many. The Bible is not for this
list. So they just put an like like this. Let
me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone
living that sort of life will not inherit the
kingdom of God. Hallelujah. That is a big issue.
So it is impossible for you, a believer, to see
this manifested in your conduct as a believer.
You are living in immorality and all sorts of
things and then hope that you will manifest effectively.
It's impossible. It is practically impossible
to live under the influence of the flesh and
manifest. It's impossible. These two cannot work.
You cannot effectively manifest the kingdom of
God while under the influence of the flesh. It
is what? It is impossible. The Corinthian church
is a practical example for us, right? Practical
example, 1 Corinthians 1 verse 4. 1 Corinthians
1 verse 4. We see that this is a church that
have experienced the mighty power of God. I thank
my God always. concerning you for the grace of
God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that
you were enriched in what? In everything by him,
in all assurance and all knowledge. Even as the
testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. So
these are believers. So that you come short in
what? In no ritual, in no gift. eagerly waiting
for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So these men are born again, and the Bible says
that they lack in no gifts. This is an entire
church that lacks in no gifts. Now, let's see
their lifestyle. Move to verse 10, same chapter.
Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ. That you all speak the
same thing, which means that there's division
in these thoughts. The Spirit of God is not the
author of division. That you speak the same thing
and that there is no division among you, but
that you be perfectly joined together in the
same mind and the same judgment. For it has been
declared to me concerning you, my brethren, you
call them brethren, by those of class household,
that there are contentions among you. Though
this looks like the list we read earlier on,
that there's contentiousness among them. All
right? Now let's move to chapter 3, verse 1 to
4. Chapter 3, verse 1 to 4. If your Bible is
like my own, the topic they wrote there, the
people that printed this Bible. They wrote the
topic, they say, sectarianism is canon. Verse
1. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as
to spiritual people. Are they spiritual people?
Are they spiritual people? Yes. All right. They
are spiritual. What makes them spiritual? Because
they are born again. So it means that a born
again Christian, you know, this is not a good
sentence, right? A born again Christian can live
in sin. That's what we're trying to say. Okay?
A born again Christian can live in sin and it's
not the will of God for you. It means that you
cannot experience, you cannot manifest the power
of God. Hallelujah. It doesn't mean that the
power of God is not there, but you cannot bring
it out because you are influenced by another
force that is outside you. And I, brethren, could
not speak to you as preachers. But as to carnal,
are they carnal? They are not carnal. But he's
referring to them as carnal because of their
conduct. As to babes in Christ, I fed you with
milk and not with solid food, for until now you
were not able to receive it. And even now you
are still not able, for you are still carnal.
That is not Paul speaking in alignment to what
the identity is. But he's, speaking based on
their conduct. For where there are envy, strife,
divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving
like ordinary men? For when one says, I am for
Paul, another, I am Apollos, are you not all
carnal? Chapter 5, verse 1. Chapter 5, verse
1. Chapter 5. Verse 1. It is actually reported
that there is a sexual immorality among you and
such sexual immorality that even sinners or unbelievers
cannot do. And what is it? That a man will sleep
with his father's wife. Imagine this kind of
thing and he's in the church. and you are puffed
up, and have not rather mourned that he who has
done this deed might be taken away from among
you. For I indeed, as absent in the body, but
present in the spirit, have already judged, as
though I were present with him who has so done
this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
when you gather, when you come together, together,
Allow with my spirit, with the power of our Lord
Jesus Christ, deliver such one to opposition
for the destruction of the flesh. What flesh?
Okay. That his spirit may be saved in the day
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Your glory is not good.
Do you not know that a little leaven leavens
a whole lump? Therefore, pour out the whole leaven
that you may be a new lump. This is a parable
he's speaking here. that you may be a new lamp,
since you truly are unleavened, for indeed Christ
our Passover was sacrificed for us. Therefore
let the feast not with all leaven, nor with the
leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote
to you in my epistle not to keep company, look
at this, not to keep company with the sexually
immoral people, Yet, I certainly did not mean
with the sexually immoral people of this world
or with the covetous or extortioners or idolaters
since you will need to go out of the world. But
now I have written to you not to keep company
with anyone, name what? Let's read verse 11 together.
Let's look up. Let's read verse 11 together.
Is it up? One, two, go. But now I have written
to you not to keep company. Would anyone name
a brother, put over a sister, who is sexually
immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler,
or a drunkard, or an extortioner, not even to
eat with such a person? This is your Bible. If
it's not in your Bible, then your Bible has been
rebranded. For we have, for what I have to do,
okay, rather, For what have I to do with judging
those who are outside? Do you not judge those
who are inside? But those who are outside, God
judges. Therefore, put away from yourself the
word, that evil person. Hallelujah. So, you see,
this and the things we will continue on Sunday.
But I want you to understand, right? That there
is an influence that we can give ourselves to.
that will limit us. And let me tell you, we'll
see one day how this kind of lifestyle influences
us. And we'll see what God has done to this lifestyle.
Hallelujah. So can we open our mouth and begin
to pray? I don't know how much of God's word
you've seen with your eyes, but I want you to
pray for yourself. We appreciate you being here
today. We hope you carry this word with you throughout
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
for additional insights. Stay connected with
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with someone you care about. Until next time,
stay blessed.