KEY SCRIPTURE: Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ”.

In our previous study we considered philosophy as one of the ways that some of us children of God are led out of the way and taken captive.

The next weapon of deceit is vain or empty deceit. According to our key scripture these deceptions come from the traditions of men and the rudiment or science or general physical principles of this life.

There are a number of vain deceit that have taken most people captive. One basic deceit is that Jesus is very far away from our day to day experiences. Many Christians would openly state that Jesus is very close by, yet their actions show clearly that they have wholly bought the idea that He is very far. That is the reason for so much unbelief. That is the reason for the fear most Christians express in the face of all kinds of beggarly situations. These attitudes and actions have unconsciously taken most Christians captive

Dear child of God, Jesus is as close today to every one of us as he was when he walked and lived physically on the earth. No situation should instill fear in you, for as he has always assured us of His presence, so is He present with us now.

Why are most Christians not involved in soul winning? Why is the church of God not manifesting the greater works our master.  Jesus spoke about in John 14:12.  Most Christians are deceived vainly.

Many Christians are deceived to believe that church is solely for meeting our needs either emotional, health or any other kind. This has resulted in so many self-centered baby Christians. The truth is that God is a need provider yet that is only one part of His reason for enlisting us. Church is supposed to be a militant force of men and women who are demonstrating the character and the power and love of Jesus Christ in their lives to win the world for the Lord.

What is making your heart cold towards the Lord.? These deceptions affect the impact of the word in us. Mark 4:19 “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful”.

There are countless teachings that are simply vain deceit. They are purely human traditions that make God’s power of none effect. Mark 7:13 says “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition which you have delivered and many such like things do ye”.

Beware lest you are not taken captive by anyone

How to avoid being deceived:

 Approach God’s word objectively.

 Don’t allow old held believes to influence your understanding of scripture. (it may guide you)

 Do whatever God’s word tells you.

CONFESSION

My life is dependent on the word of God. I approach the word objectively and so I am not deceived but always enlightened so I may bless my world.

FURTHER STUDIES:

Revelation 12:9 ” And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”.

Mark 7:9 “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ”.

Apostle Paul in this verse exposes the root of deception that comes to most children of God. He tells us to beware of these traps of the enemy. To be aware is to be on the alert. It involves knowing who your enemy is and the means by which you could be deceived. Satan is a specialised deceiver. This is even an understatement. He is a natural deceiver. Our key scripture says “beware lest any man spoil you…”

We know that the Greek word for man is ‘Anthropos’. In. Colossians 2:8, The word used for man is ‘Tis’, But could also be translated as, a thing or anything whatsoever. This implies you could be taken captive, deceived or spoilt by an event,, a situation, a man, an information from the radio. Simply be on the alert against anything the devil may use to spoil (to carry one away as a booty, a slave, or lead away from the truth) you.  Many children of God are been led away from the truth. Be on the alert.

He tells us the two main (weapons) means by which children of God are deceived.

1. Philosophy
2. Vain deceit

He also adds the sources of these two weapons of deception. They are:

1. Traditions of men
2. The rudiments of this world.

Philosophy means love of wisdom. There are a number of us who by virtue of much learning are prone to human wisdom, using our minds to analyze whatever we are told. These philosophies are rooted in human traditions that is the experiences and beliefs of people which has been passed or transmitted from one generation to another. The second source of these philosophies are the rudiments or the basic principles of this life. This could be related to arts, science and the general physical functions of our world and not faith in Christ.

These things have formed the thinking and world view of most people. Secularism and it’s high level of worldliness is rooted in this   . No amount of human reasoning can contact God except by accepting God’s revelation about Himself.

1st Corinthians 1:18 reads “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the power of God”. According to 1st Corinthians 1:21 the world by wisdom cannot and would not know God.

There have arisen these days a lot of preachers who are motivational preachers. Most of their teachings are human philosophies and not Christ. Be on the alert lest you are carried away as a captive.

CONFESSION

I am committed to Christ, His death and resurrection that has brought me into the kingdom of God. I am aware of the human philosophies that does not save nor blesses anyone.

FURTHER STUDIES:

1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

1 Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Colossians 2:9 “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”.

For in Him (Jesus Christ) dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

The word ‘Godhead’ means deity or divinity. The word ‘fullness’ also means completeness, abundance or filled to capacity. This scripture could be said this way, “he is the manifestation of God in a bodily form”. He is not just a representative of the original but the real divine one in a bodily form.

Jesus is God.

 Colossians 1:15 — 19 throws more light on His deity and the fact that He (Jesus) is the creator of all things. Colossians 1:15 says “Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature”. This issue of Jesus being the first born of every creature has been misunderstood by some people, especially the Jehovah’s witnesses. They claim Jesus is a creature.

 Well to understand the meaning and import of certain statements you must read further.  Colossians 1:16 reads “For by Him were all things created. The word by is the Greek word “En” which means “IN” in English. It could be translated as follows, “for in Him were all things created”. He states “…….that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by Him and for Him”.

Please consider this, how could He be a creature and all things would be created” IN” Him and then “by ” Him. Colossians 1:17 also reads “And He is before all things and by (in) Him all things consist”. Jesus is not a creature but the creator. Col 1:19 also teaches that “For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell”. Note: The whole fullness of deity or divinity dwells in Him in bodily form. He is God in a bodily form. Let’s look at 1st Timothy 3:16 ” And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world, received up into glory”.

Beloved, this scripture undoubtedly refers to our Lord Jesus. He is God in bodily form.

CONFESSION

Jesus is God who became man. He died for me and bought me with His blood. This makes me very precious and my salvation the dearest thing or experience on this earth. I would continue to keep faith with Him and live to glorify His name.

FURTHER STUDIES.

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”.

John 1:1, 3 ” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4:9 “(Now that he ascended, what it is but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?”

Our key scripture shows us one of the important events during the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. The bible said He ascended, yet before He went up to the heavens he first descended into the lower parts of the earth”.

What did He go doing in these places? Please note that whatever our master Jesus went through during His death, burial and resurrection, He did all together with us. He did it in our name. He did it because of us. (Note: The Lord did not need to go through all these things for Himself) He had to go into the lower part of the earth, where Satan dwelt, so He could confront him and overpower him. Colossians 2:15 “And having spoiled principalities and powers He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it”. This victory that the Lord had over the enemy was made together with you and me. We were in Him when He achieved that victory.

Hebrews 2:14 also reveals that “the Lord Jesus through death destroyed him who had the power of death, that’s the devil”. We understand through these revelations that we are no more subject to the activities of the devil. All these have come to the fore because, the Holy Spirit revealed it to him (Paul) that, and our Lord Jesus went down into the abyss of hell to plunder the enemy. In Revelation 1:18 the Lord iterated this victory one more time, saying “I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen, and have the keys of hell and death”. We give praise to our master Jesus for this great victory that He has worn for us.

Satan does not have the keys of hell and death. Keys stand for authority.  He does not have the right to put people into hell. We must know that if we do nothing about the souls of men the enemy would enslave them and finally take them into hell. The church must intercede for these souls and also preach the gospel to them. If the Lord have the keys then we have the great responsibility to stop Satan from running rampage over the souls of men. The church of God through the understanding gained from these revelations must not give place to the devil to exercise his works over us.

Remember the keys of death is not in Satan’s hands, it is in our Lord Jesus hands. Don’t allow the devil to mess up your life.

 CONFESSION

Thank you Jesus that you died for me. In your death you overpowered Satan and his demons together with me. You destroyed him who had the power of death. Thank you Lord that l am free from the control and manipulations of the devil and His demons.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Hebrews 2:14 ” Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”

Luke 10:19 ” Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us”.

Our key scripture reveals a very important truth about the Christian. It says the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. It explains a very important truth in our experience under the new creation.

In John 13:34 the Lord Jesus instructed His disciples about a new commandment to love. It reads “A new commandment I give unto you. That you also love one another”. In all the period prior to our Lord’s death and resurrection, it was commandments and to obey certain laws. After His death and resurrection the laws were fulfilled in us. Romans 8:3,4 reads “for what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the  righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit”.

In the new creation the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us. We are no more trying to obey, we are doers of the word. Our key scripture states that “…..the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us”. Until the Lord died and resurrected the Holy Spirit had not come. Now the Holy Spirit lives in us. All the perfections of God lives in us. We are born lovers. 1st John 4:7, 8 reads “Beloved let us love one another for love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God”. Now we do not just see this commands as external instructions to be obeyed but part and parcel of our very being. We are born that way. Love is shed abroad in our hearts.

We no more walk in hatred. To hate is to abide in death. That is the nature of the enemy and we have passed from death to life. We don’t hate, we can only love. Well, we must hate evil and wrong things but we don’t hate our fellow humans, our relations, our friends and our neighbours. No it is not part of us.

If you are living in bitterness please stop it from this moment. You are importing something strange to your very nature, into your being.

 CONFESSION

The love of God is shed abroad in my heart. I reflect God’s love to all persons I relate to. I do not have hatred and bitterness towards any man.

FURTHER STUDIES

Galatians 5:22” But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith”,

1 John 4:13 “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 3:3 “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words”,)

Some have asked what this Pauline revelation is about. The Pauline revelations are divine insights that the Holy Spirit gave Apostle Paul to be given to the church body as a whole. He writes in Ephesians 3:3 & 4 the following “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery (as I wrote afore in a few words, where when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ).

The death, resurrection of our Lord and other mysteries of the Christian life was to be made known to all Christians .The Lord used Apostle Paul greatly in that light.

  The Lord made the following statement to His disciples before He died in John 16:12, 13 “I have yet many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth”. The Lord Jesus could not tell them a lot of things, those things that concerned the salvation of the gentiles and the subsequent inheritance of their blessings in Christ.

The Holy Spirit revealed these mysteries to all the apostles. Apostle Paul had the greater share of the revelations because he was called to minister to the gentiles. (Galatians 2:7). Apostle Paul commented in Ephesians 3:5 as follows “which in other ages was not made known unto men as it is now revealed to his Holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, That the gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel”. It was the Holy Spirit who revealed these things to the apostles. These revelations concerned the gentiles, (everyone who is not a Jew by birth). It also revealed that the gentiles should be fellow heirs with the Jews and should become joint heirs to God’s heritage in Christ.  Every promise in Christ was the right of everyone who believed, both Jews and gentiles.

All these things which is described as the unsearchable riches in Christ Jesus is what Apostle Paul had a great insight by revelation through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Anytime you read the letters of Paul be patient to discover a number of these mysteries that has not been taught or revealed in earlier aspects of the Bible.

 CONFESSION

Through the Pauline Revelations the Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to who I am and my position in Christ. My life is richer and better as I gain insight into these truths

FURTHER STUDIES.

Galatians 1:12-13 ” For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:”

Ephesians 3:8 ” Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ”;

KEY SCRIPTURE: Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”.

One of the amazing revelations that Apostle Paul had from the Holy Ghost was Galatians 2:20. This had to do with the life of the flesh of the Christian.

Before the Lord Jesus died no one was a Christian. After His death we all died with Him (2 Corinthians 5:14). Apostle Paul through the revelation by the Spirit (Ephesians.3:3) came to understand that the life which he lives in the flesh he lives by the faith of the Son of God. This implies it is not his own natural life that keeps his flesh active and alive but rather the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:15). It is Christ who lives in him. We have the Spirit of Christ living in us. Our life is Christ.

Every Christian is a supernatural being. Whatever happens to you on earth happens directly to Jesus Christ as he sits presently in Heaven. When the Apostle Paul used to persecute the church before his conversion, the Lord appeared to him and said …Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me? (Acts 9:4b). He did not say, why are you persecuting my followers?  The Christian is not just a follower of Jesus Christ, but Christ in a person. This is the reason you should not walk in sin anymore because the Lord Jesus carried away our sins. (John 1:29). In a similar vein the Christian must   not carry sicknesses in his body because the Lord Jesus carried away our sicknesses in His body. Isaiah 53:4 “surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses) and carried away our sorrows (pains)…” He bore and carried away these things. If we suffer them then we are bearing what he carried on the cross. Remember He is our life, and the Lord must not be stricken twice (Hebrews.6:6)

Colossians 1:27 explains Christ in us this way, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in us the hope of glory”. Christ is in you, He is in me and this is the hope of glory. It is the answer to the human questions. Man was taken captive by his former master Satan. When Jesus died and came to live in us, we became masters over the devil. No Christian needs to be afraid of Satan and his works, no matter how frightening it may appear. It is the Master of the masters, Lord of lords and King of kings who is at home in us. No demon, family alter or deity is too strong to mess us up. Christ in us is the answer to overcome all these.

CONFESSION

It is Christ in me. He is my life. The greater one lives in me. Nothing threatens me any longer. I overcome all.

FURTHER STUDIES:

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

Colossians 2:15 “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”.

The Holy Spirit gave an amazing truth concerning the Christian through Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:10

Now let’s take the translation of our key scripture from the amplified bible: “For we are His workmanship (His own master work, a work of art), created in Christ Jesus (reborn from above-spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used) for good works, which God prepared for us beforehand (taking paths which He set), so that we would walk in them (living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us”. This scripture is amazing. One point comes out so clear in these Pauline revelations; and that is, we are made to know who we are. This is very important.

In this very revelation the Holy Spirit makes us see that we are the workmanship of God, God’s own masterpiece and work. On many occasions the quality and performance of any object is dependent on the credibility and track record of the manufacturer. He also said we are reborn from above and are spiritually transformed. We are made of the substance of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must never lose sight of who we are. The Lord Jesus always referred to who he was.  If we are made in heaven and dispatched to this earth like Jesus, then we can also say we are the light and salt of the world (Matthew 5:12-14).

We have been designed for good works. He even said he has prepared the paths for us to walk in. We have been designed for the path of righteousness. We have been designed to bring solutions to the world. We have been designed to conquer the enemy of mankind (Satan and his host) that men would breath an air of freedom.

There is no failure with us. There is nothing that would not glorify God about us. We have to set up our minds this way. We have to meditate on these things to the point that we see ourselves as a special people on this earth with a glorious life. Philemon 1:6 states “that the communication of your faith may become effectual through the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in you, in Christ Jesus”. We have to acknowledge all the wonderful things in us in Christ Jesus. This would cause us to yield very positive results by our faith.

 CONFESSION

I am God’s masterpiece. I am designed for excellence and perfection. I have success, victory and greatness in me. I am a great success in this life.

FURTHER STUDIES.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”.

Ephesians 3:10 “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”,

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:5 “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will”,

From our key scripture, we learn that we have been predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto God. This is according to the good pleasure of His will.

The word for our consideration in this revelation given to Apostle Paul is “adoption “. This word is different in meaning from the usual act of adopting a child from an orphanage or directly from the parent. The word adoption is translated from a Greek word that means “son placing”. It means being given the rights to a son who has come of full age. This picture is clearly stated in Galatians 4:1-6.

Galatians 4:1,2 states, “Now I say, that the heir as long as he is a child, differs not from a servant though he be Lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father”. The bible teaches that when the heir, that is the one who has the right to inherit the throne or estate is a child, he is not different from a servant or a slave. The word used here for a child is “nepios”. This word means not speaking or an infant. Because he is an infant or does not know how to speak he is not different from a slave or servant. He has no access to the estate or throne, rather others dominate and rule over him. (Don’t be a Christian who does not know how to speak the word of God)

When this child grows to the age of responsibility. He is then placed as a son. In the Roman culture this son is officially given the right to his father’s estate. He now inherits whatever is due him. He is said to be adopted as a son.

In our key scripture the Bible says God has adopted us or placed us as sons. He predestinated that when we accept the message of the gospel of our salvation, we become automatic adults’ sons with full rights to all that He has as God.  This is the reason Romans 8:17 says “we are joint heirs with Jesus”. It is our adoption as adult sons that makes us joint heirs with Jesus. *A joint heir is a joint owner. We are not part owners of the father’s estate, but joint owners with full rights to whatever our Lord Jesus has. Romans 8:15 says for ye have not received the spirit of bondage (slavery) again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father”.

Dear child of God, God is our Father just like our Lord Jesus. We have the same Spirit that He has. We share with Him all the rights of His kingdom.

Decide to accept all the provisions of the gospel, stand on your rights and exercise your authority in this life. You have been adopted or placed as an Adult Son.

CONFESSION

I am adopted son of God, having full rights of the throne to exercise dominion in heaven, on this earth and under this Earth. I am a joint owner of all that our Lord Jesus has obtained. All the power of darkness is subjected to me in Jesus name.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Romans 8:17 ” And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Galatians 4:6 ” And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father”.