KEY SCRIPTURE: Psa 23:4 EasyEnglish” I will not be afraid when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. This is because you (LORD) are with me. Your rod and staff make me feel brave.”

The Psalmist King David, who used to be a shepherd himself, wrote that his knowledge of God’s presence makes him fearless even in death-threatening situations. His comfort is the rod and staff, which are meant to ward off enemies and the latter directs or controls the sheep in the path that they should go. God’s word does the same. Satan and his demons try as much as they can to corrupt our minds from the truth of God. They seek to make us worry or be afraid. The word of God is our rod to fight off those lies and a staff to keep us on track. We should never be afraid of demon̈s or satan, for they were defeated through the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. This same Jesus lives right on the inside of each of us. We have learnt from the previous studies that the Lord is always with us. We must never lose sight of these scriptures, which assure us of God’s presence in us and His activities through us. Read and meditate continually on these scriptures and believe them absolutely, enough to act on them.

In Deuteronomy 31:6, Moses, at the latter end of His life, encouraged Joshua, who was to succeed him, to be strong and never to lose sight of the knowledge of God’s presence with him. Deu 31:6 EasyEnglish” Be strong and be brave! Do not be afraid of them because the LORD your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forget you.’” Moses’ word to Joshua applies to us as well. We must never give in to fear or worry. We must rather be strong and very courageous. Our courage proceeds from the fact that our father, who is with us, would never fail nor forsake Moses, continued encouraging Joshua, as shown in verse 8.Deuteronomy 31:8
It is the Lord Who goes before you; He will [march] with you; He will not fail you or let you go or forsake you; [let there be no cowardice or flinching, but] fear not, neither become broken [in spirit–depressed, dismayed, and unnerved with alarm]..Dear one, let these verses stir you up to maintain your confidence and composure in the face of daunting situations.

Refuse to flinch, back down or yield sheepishly to any threats of the enemy. You have the complete complements of the Lord to stand with you and to see you through. Do not doubt His power at work in you by giving attention to any contrary word. Keep God’s word always in your mind and heart, declaring it and rejoicing over it. This is how you allow God’s supernatural power to work through or in you. Anytime you consider or focus on the physical symptoms or negativity, you short-circuit God’s power, like it happened when apostle Peter began to sink into the water as he turned his attention from God’s word to the threat of the billowing seas, Matt 14 28

THOUGHT: God is with me, and that makes me unbeatable

FURTHER STUDIES
Joshua 1:5
“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”

Luk 10:19 ISV” Look! I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to destroy all the enemy’s power, and nothing will ever hurt you.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Heb 13:5 EasyEnglish “Do not want lots of money. Do not live like that. Be happy with the things that you have. Be happy because God has promised to be with you. ‘I will never leave you; I will never let you be completely alone, ’ he said.”

Dear child of God, be fully settled in your heart and mind that you will never be alone. Sadly, many children of God live in fear, worry and anxiety because they think they are all alone when life challenges come against them. Life can be very difficult when we walk alone. Walking alone is relative depending on the understanding or the knowledge of God’s word you have. Our Father never intends that we walk alone. Isa 43:2 EasyEnglish” I will be with you, when you go through (dangerous) waters. And when you go through rivers, they will not carry you away. When you walk through fire, it will not burn you. And the fire will not make a fire out of you.” What a loving Father. He says He would always be with us. He adds that He would not allow any crises of life to overwhelm us, no matter the magnitude of it. Our input to make this possible is to acknowledge that he is with us and would not give up on us. Dear child of God, God wants you to know such scriptures and be well acquainted with them. God also wants us to know that He can help us and that He will help us.

God never takes time off. He is ever with us every minute or second of the day. Psa 121:3 EasyEnglish “He will not let your foot *slide. The one who guards you will not sleep.”His eyes are ever on you since He is forever awake. No problem or challenge is greater than Him. Our Lord Jesus led such a peaceful, triumphant life, although he faced the contradiction of sinners and satanic attacks, because He lived in the consciousness of God’s presence with Him. Joh 8:29 KJV” And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” The Lord gave no place to any difficulty because He continually lived with that consciousness of superiority over every challenge. After all, the father was with Him. The same Father is with you as He was with Jesus. He loves you just as He loved the Son. John 17:23

We should not give in to worry or fear by being fully certain that the Father would always be with us Isa 41:10 KJV “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”,
Why should we be worried or afraid when the Lord assures us of His preservation? If we have absolute faith in His presence, then nothing would ever move or shake us. We must never be afraid, knowing that our heavenly Father is forever with us. Jos 1:9 EasyEnglish Remember that I have told you to do this. So be strong and do not be afraid. Do not be weak, but be brave. I, the Lord your God, will be with you everywhere that you go.’ Please take some moments to reflect on all that has been said

THOUGHT: OUR FATHER MUST BE TRUSTED, BECAUSE HE CANNOT BREAK HIS PROMISES

GOD’S TRACK RECORD OF FAITHFULNESS IS ONE HUNDRED PER CENT

FURTHER STUDIES

Psa 89:34 EasyEnglish” I will not break my covenant (with him) or change any of my promises.”

Num 23:19 KJV God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

KEY SCRIPTURE:2Co 13:5 KJV “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

A knowledge of who you are as a result of who you are related to has a way of boosting your confidence and a sense of importance very high. Our heavenly father’s presence in us is an antidote to worry, fear or discouragement. He lives in us through the Holy Spirit 1Co 3:16 KJV” Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”Dear one, please note that the Holy Spirit answers to the name of our Lord Jesus 2Co 3:17 KJV “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”.Our Lord Jesus, who is the king of kings and the creator of the Universe, lives in us; what a comforting knowledge! ( Revelation 19:16). Why would you ever worry if you know and are certain that that, this same Jesus who conquered Satan and death, actually lives in you?

Just consider what He said, Joh 16:33 KJV “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” He tells us that in this life we would surely face challenges or difficulties, yet we must be of good comfort. Why? Because He has overcome the world.The one who overcame lives in our hearts. He is in us as our very life and Lord. We can’t be less comfortable. Please take time to meditate on this fact.

Whenever we are tempted to worry or to be afraid, we must stop immediately and reflect on the essence and meaning of his presence in us. Think about the magnitude of power and glory in us. Please note that the Lord may speak audibly to you in times of difficulty, although He can do that, yet that is not His normal way of dealing with us. He would certainly speak to you through the scriptures we have kept in our hearts. Anytime a scripture comes to mind concerning a promise from God’s word, then know that it is our Lord Jesus speaking to you directly about His assurance of His presence and works in us. It is our corresponding acknowledgement of such scriptural truths that releases His power in us to do whatever His word talks about. God’s power is released first by believing what His word says and secondly by affirming it audibly ( 2 Corinthians 4:13)

THOUGHT: WE ARE A MILLION TIMES MIGHTIER WITHIN THAN WHATEVER GOES ON OUTSIDE

FURTHER STUDIES

2Co 4:13 KJV” We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

1Jn 4:4 KJV” Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:2Pe 1:3 EasyEnglish ” God is very powerful because he is God. So he has given us everything that we need to live always. We can do good things that make God happy. This is possible because we know him. God has chosen us to be his people because he is so very great and so very good.”

In the following series we would be considering God’s heart towards His children concerning their peace of mind and heart.We would trust the scriptures to help us forsake every tendency to be worried or afraid ,so that we would enjoy the peace God has ordained for us.Joh 14:27 KJV Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The finished work of our Lord Jesus includes an enjoyable life for each of us.It says he has called us unto an abundant life. Do you believe that our Lord Jesus spoke the truth when He said these things? Why would any of us ever worry about anything if we believe this statement? We must and should enjoy life fully and trust God to meet our needs absolutely, regardless of any temporary circumstances we may face.

Our Lord Jesus won a total complete and absolute victory on the. cross at CalvaryHe gave a marvelous promìse guaranteeing that we would live an abundant life if we believe in Him.We can be certain that the victorious Jesus Christ actually lives in us.Take time to meditate on it.Let this understanding cause you to errode every worry from your heart.” Do you not yourself know [ thoroughly by an ever increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you?” 2 Cori nthians 13:5

Many of God’s children are striving ,straining, worrying,struggling and pleading with God to give them things that have already been provided for them.We need to know who we are in Christ.We need to know what God has provided through our Lord Jesus Christ We need to trust completely in our absolute certainty of God”s provision instead of worrying about things that have already been provided for us.

Our Lord Jesus is our Provider.He also is our Shepherd ( John 10:14). Shepherds lead their sheep . Shepherds provided all the need of their sheep.We can be absolutely sure that our Shepherd Jesus has made provision for each of us throughout our entire life. GLORYYYYY!

THOUGHT: GOD ALWAYS PREPARES EVERY NECESSITY BEFORE CALLING US, JUST AS HE DID AT CREATION.

FURTHER STUDIES

Heb 4:3 KJV For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Heb 4:11 EasyEnglish ” So we must do everything possible to receive that rest with God. Nobody should copy the example of those people who refused to obey God. Then, none of us will fail to go in.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Rom 8:32 KJV”٪ He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

I wish to ask you, if you were absolutely certain that our heavenly father will meet every need you have, now and every need you would have in the future, what would be your attitude to the needs and challenges you face?. God our Father has consistently assured us that He will meet every need of ours. Because of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus at the cross of Calvary, he assures us in our key scripture that if He gave Jesus to us, then He would also give every need of ours. God our Father has revealed Himself to us through His word. His word is His bond. He says Ĥe has magnified His word above all His names Ps 138:2.

What must we do?
1 We must pay the price to learn God’s promises to supply every one of our needs
2 We must believe God’s promises wholeheartedly
3 We must decide never to worry about any need because we know that every promise in the bible is absolutely reliable. Heb 6:18 KJV “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:”

God our Father has paid the ultimate price by sending our Lord Jesus, who gave His life for our redemption. Just consider this, if He allowed our Lord Jesus to die for our salvation from eternal condemnation, will He not provide every other need, which is far less in worth compared to the sacrifice of Jesus?

Let’s consider Rom 8:32 ” He who did not withhold or spare [ even] His Son, but gave Him up for us all, will He not with Him also freely and graciously give us all [ other] things.

The first part refers to our eternal salvation. The second part applies to the needs any of us would have at any time throughout our lives. You can personalise this verse by placing your name where it says ‘us’ to make it ‘me’.God has definitely promised to meet all our needs.

On the cross, the last words the Lord Jesus said were, ‘ it is finished’ Every sacrifice for the complete redemption, peace, security, and what have you was finished on the cross that day. John 19:30. We must live in absolute faith in the finished work of our Lord Jesus. Now consider what Jesus said, I came that they may have and enjoy life and have it in abundance( to the full, till it overflows) Please cast away all the wrong religious teachings that project lack and suffering as that which glorifies God. Jesus said If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you will and it shall be done unto you, He added In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit. John 15:7-8.What kind of fruits? Prayer answering fruits, from the context of the two verses.

THOUGHT: BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS SETTLED THE QUESTION OF OUR NEEDS

FURTHER STUDIES

2Co 1:20 EasyEnglish” Everything that God has promised becomes ‘Yes’ because of Christ. That is why, by Christ, we can thank God. By him, we can agree that all God’s promises are true. And we can say how very great and good God is.”

Rom 10:12 KJV” For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Phi 4:6 KJV” Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The import of our key scripture is to help us maintain a peaceful mind. It shows us how to prevent fear or anxiety from robbing us of our peace. Peace in your heart is one of the greatest assets you could have as a human being. Nothing can substitute peace in our hearts. To be at peace is to be of one whole. The Greek word for peace is ‘eirene’, which means to be set at one again. It is derived from the root word ‘eiro’, which also means ‘to join’.To be at peace is to be one with yourself. A person devoid of peace would be one who is not one with himself. In a simple meaning, this individual has a scattered personality. One may have every material blessing that life gives, yet without peace, he is like one who is not truly alive. He exists but is not really living. Anxiety or fear will rob you of this highly indispensable life virtue.

Peace of mind and heart is not a function of challenges or difficulties that you may face. It depends on whether you choose to be anxious or fearful about what happens to you. Challenges come to all men. The degree to which a difficulty or challenge would rob you ofyour peace depends on how much you are ready to act on God’s instructions, as stated in our key scripture.1Co 10:13 KJV There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”According to the verse above, God would not allow a trial that we can not bear. As a child of God, you are able to handle whatever life throws at you. You would be mesmerised by the situation if you choose to respond negatively to it. Decide not to be anxious about whatever comes your way.

How can one stay from being anxious? Grow your relationship with the Lord through devotion to His word and the practice of the word of God. You can not know the Lord on any personal level until you have experienced His power and presence in a personal way. Joh 14:21 KJV” He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” The Lord says if you would keep His word or do the word, He would make His dwelling place with you. He would
also manifest Himself to you. It is the man who knows the Lord who would wax strong and likewise do exploits. ( Daniel 11:32)To do exploits is to stand for the course of the Lord and bring honour unto his name. Your peace depends on your obedience to God

CONFESSION

I live a life of peace because I do not get anxious or fearful about any life challenges I encounter. I know the Lord is ever present with me, and so I allow Him to face every difficulty for me.

FURTHER STUDIES

1Jn 4:4 KJV” Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Pro 3:5 KJV “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Mat 25:25 KJV” And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.”

During the medieval times, a military General was served food by his house help. After eating his meal, the young man told the General that he had poisoned the food with a highly lethal substance. This man concluded that he would die in a few moments. He went into his bed and, after some moments, died in his sleep. There was no poison in the food at all, as the boy later revealed. He proved it by eating the leftover meal of his master. What robbed him of his precious life? Was it the boy, the poison in the meal, or his own fearful persuasions? Your answer is as good as mine. Fear is the worst emotional state to allow your mind to accept.

In our key scripture, the man who received one talent said he was afraid, so he could not invest or work with the talent he received. Mat 25:25 KJV “And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.” How many people are languishing in poverty because they were afraid to take a bold step into the unknown? Some men failed to marry certain ladies who would have been a great blessing to them, simply because they were afraid to propose. What would have happened to David if he had joined the multitude in being afraid of the tantrums of Goliath? He would have been robbed of a kingship opportunity that God had ordained for him.
A great number of the exodus Israelites were robbed of the promised land because of fear.Numbers 14:29
Fear has robbed quite a number of Christian church workers of boldly sharing the gospel with those they encounter. Some of these people who were deprived of the opportunity to hear the gospel died without making any decision for Jesus, just because the one who was to speak the gospel to them failed to do so because of fear.

Fear has inspired lots of wrong behaviours or actions that have led to very negative repercussions. The biblical solution is, Do not be afraid, only believe. Mar 5:36 KJV “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.” Stop focusing on the issue at stake or on yourself. Just place yourself in God’s hands by trusting His word. At the time of David’s encounter with Goliath, the rest of the people looked at the magnitude of Goliath, comparing him to themselves, and even the fact that no living human had ever been able to defeat him. David rather focused on how great God was, and what He has said in His word. Isa 8:13 KJV” Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” He had no grounds to be afraid. He could only see the demise of the giant, and he, being rewarded with marrying the King’s daughter, as well as his family enjoying many blessings. Dear one, be always motivated about the blessings of having things your way and then turn absolutely to the Lord, trusting Him completely. You would not be robbed.
Always remember that God is the one who seeks to reveal his glory and power to men, but requires a human vessel who would believe.

CONFESSION

My confidence in the Lord would surely pay off for me. Nothing can drive me from what is mine because I place my trust in the Lord. Thanks, Lord Jesus

FURTHER STUDIES

Deu 31:6 KJV “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

Eze 2:6 KJV And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Phi 4:6 NET “Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.”

Anxiety is described as a disorder in the psychological world because it poses a threat to the normal living activities of anyone who gives in to it. Although the psychologists say anxiety is not altogether evil because it has a self-preservation tendency. The bible, God’s word, states without mincing words that the child of God, as well as all men, should not be anxious at all. Anxiety is first and foremost a state of the mind that anticipates evil, failure, danger or even death, with no clue in sight for that challenge. From the mental level, it proceeds to the emotional state where one’s feelings get agitated, such that he or she becomes very hurt and confused. The anxious person is often fearful and feels very helpless. Remember, fear is a feeling of helplessness because of an anticipated danger. Fear is basically faith in the power of the devil. Fear is unconsciously a decision not to accept God’s offer of protection but to accept Satan and his deceptive demons’ lies of ultimate destruction. Job 3:25 KJV” For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”

The above statement was said by Job. Meanwhile, Satan told God that he could not attack him because God had protected or hedged him.
Job 1:10 KJV” Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.” Now, from this verse, was Job unsecured? Job believed a lie that he was insecure
His choice to be afraid was unfounded. This was a wrong action and subsequently a sin. The Lord says we should not be anxious or afraid about anything. Do not spend your time and strength worrying over anything. This is not a suggestion
but a command that must be obeyed.

God our Father has continually stated that he would never leave nor forsake us. Heb 13:5 KJV “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” In Isaiah 41:10, the Lord gives a very assuring word that reads as follows: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” The Lord says He will always be with us and that He is our God. As our God, it means He is the creator, the strong and trusted one or the faithful one. He says He would strengthen us, that is, if you are weak and sickly, He would make you strong or heal you. The next word of assurance is to help or assist you when in danger. He would be present to see you through..Lastly, He said He would uphold or lift you up if any challenge has crushed you down. These three areas are the major issues that bring all kinds of emotional torment when men are entangled in difficulties pertaining to them. You have absolute security; do not entertain any fear.

CONFESSION

I do not worry, nor am I anxious about anything. I always sanctify the Lord God and make Him my dread and my fear. Nothing threatens me, so long as I maintain God’s greatness in my consciousness

FURTHER STUDIES

Isa 43:2 KJV” When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

Exo 14:13 KJV And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

Our key scripture shows us in a nutshell how Paul led his life. It also reveals the secret of his success.

Apostle Paul was an outstandingly successful servant of Christ. His success was not the worldly concept of success. The worldly success is to possess wealth and to be of great affluence. He was successful in revealing Jesus to his world. Galatians 1:16 “To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:”

Paul lived as a dead man for Christ. Acts 20:24 ” But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God”.

He did not live to be wealthy, yet he possessed all things and lived to lift the name of Jesus high up in all men. 2 Corinthians 6:10 “As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things”.

He was a deeply spiritual man. Philippians 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”

He was given an abundance of revelations concerning the dispensation of grace. Ephesians 3:2, 4 ” If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you ward:

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ”

To fulfil his mission, he survived a lot of death-threatening circumstances. 1 Corinthians 15:31 ” I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily”.

He never married or had any children, so he could effectively fulfil his mission.1 Corinthians 7:33 ” But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.”

He met his death as a Victor and a fulfilled person. 2 Timothy 4:6-7 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

If a man of like passions has been so successful, why can’t you also be so successful? Take a clue from him and do great things for Jesus.

PRAYER

Father, in the name of Jesus, I receive grace and the heart to live a fearless life for you. Lord, I surrender all to honour your name alone.

FURTHER STUDIES

Phi 1:20 KJV” According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”

Phi 1:21 KJV “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 15:26. Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our key scripture shows us in a nutshell how Paul led his life. It also reveals the secret of his success.

Apostle Paul was an outstandingly successful servant of Christ. His success was not the worldly concept of success. The worldly success is to possess wealth and to be of great affluence. He was successful in revealing Jesus to his world. Galatians 1:16 “To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:”

Paul lived as a dead man for Christ. Acts 20:24 ” But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God”.

He did not live to be wealthy, yet he possessed all things and lived to lift the name of Jesus high up in all men. 2 Corinthians 6:10 “As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things”.

He was a deeply spiritual man. Philippians 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”

He was given an abundance of revelations concerning the dispensation of grace. Ephesians 3:2, 4 ” If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you ward:

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ”

To fulfil his mission, he survived a lot of death-threatening circumstances. 1 Corinthians 15:31 ” I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily”.

He never married or had any children, so he could effectively fulfil his mission.1 Corinthians 7:33 ” But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.”

He met his death as a Victor and a fulfilled person. 2 Timothy 4:6-7 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

If a man of like passions has been so successful, why can’t you also be so successful? Take a clue from him and do great things for Jesus.

PRAYER

Father, in the name of Jesus, I receive grace and the heart to live a fearless life for you. Lord, I surrender all to honour your name alone.

FURTHER STUDIES

Phi 1:20 KJV” According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”

Phi 1:21 KJV “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

KNOW THE PERSUASION OF YOUR ENQUIRER TO RIGHTLY SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH THEM

KEY SCRIPTURE :Acts 28:23 ” And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.”

Apostle Paul finally got to Rome. All the prisoners were put in prison as the law demanded, yet Paul had a whole house to himself, but with a guard. He could receive visitors as much as where he was staying could accommodate them.

Apostle Paul invited the Jewish community in Rome so he could share the word of God with them. Throughout the studies of Paul, we see that it was his custom to first share the word with the Jewish community first before getting to the gentile. CHARITY ALWAYS, BEGINS AT HOME. The following is how Paul communicated to the Jews. Acts 28:23. And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

Paul was speaking to a people whose knowledge was mainly from the laws of Moses and the prophets, so he explained the gospel from that angle to them. We live at a time when we have various influences. The following are some of the persuasions and must share the gospel from scriptures that addresses their particular persuasions.

1. We have religious people to reach out to
2. We have the careless sinners to reach.
3. We have atheists to reach out to.

4 We have those who accept every religion as the way to reach heaven

5. We have the confused to reach

6 We have the deceived Christian sects, e.g., JW’s, LATTER DAY SAINTS) to reach, and many more.

To effectively reach out to these various groups, you would have to rightly divide the word of truth to them. Please find my series of teachings on personal evangelism (SIMPLE TRUTH 2017). Go through that material, and you would learn how to share God’s word effectively to these different persuasions. In the absence of that material, you need a good grasp of the Bible as a° whole. Get to know the °persuasions of these various groups concerned. Look for the relevant scriptures that address their condition Apply the scriptures intelligently trusting the Lord to win them ultimately. Pray much for any group of people you seek to win for Christ.

PRAYER

Lord I pray for all men, that in your mercy you would reveal yourself to all those who stubbornly resist the gospel. Grant me wisdom to win them for your kingdom.

FURTHER STUDIES

2 Timothy 2:15 ” Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”.

2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”