KEY SCRIPTURE: John 12:24-25 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal”.

Our Lord Jesus taught many principles for living. Our key scripture is a major principle for successful living.

It is a principle for a fulfilled life and true self-preservation. In John 12:24 the Lord makes a statement of emphasis, “truly truly or verily verily” implying  it is an established fact and the only way to have a fulfilled life through multiplication of one’s self.

He said “except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone”. There is no multiplication without sacrifice. There can be no any form of higher yields if there is no selfless commitments.

Many people dream of a better future and fulfillment in life, yet they will not make any commitments. Great footballers who attract the admiration of all persons are made, by paying very costly prices. They have personal training and exercises when the rest of the team are resting. They go the extra mile when their colleagues only made one mile. They discomfort themselves today to.be comforted tomorrow.  Great leaders like our Lord JESUS Christ, Apostle Paul and many more achieved so much because they did not   live for themselves but sacrificed their lives for the sake of many. Apostle Paul said in. 1 Corinthians 9:19 “for though I be free from all men, yet have I made my self-servant unto all, that I might gain them all”.

 My father Opanin Kofi Somuah of blessed memory once said to me, “If you would want your enterprise to grow and become large, then you must not be a boss over the establishment but a servant to it “. Everything and everybody appreciates service, and no one likes to be dominated. Anything dominated will soon leave you or find a way of escape, yet that which is served will stay and enjoy the service. The Lord said it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Giving is sacrificing, giving is planting and giving always allows the miracle power in the seed to multiply. There is a power to multiply in every seed, it is called the embryo in biology. It cannot release its potential until the outer casing dies through planting.

Confession

I believe in the law of multiplication which is through sacrifice. I offer my life unto the Lord and allow it to grow and become a blessing unto many.

Further Studies:

Acts 20:35 ” I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive”.

Genesis 8:22 “While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease”.

Prayer point; In the name of JESUS I break my self free from every fear to sacrifice my life and all that I have for the course Christ.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 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”.

In the last part of our key scripture the Lord said, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  This is an aspect of scripture that many Christians have not believed enough to experience all that it entails. Please what does the statement, nothing shall by any means hurt you, mean? Does the scripture mean exactly what it says? As we go through this study may you ask the Lord to take away every tradition and deceptions of the devil (Colossians 2:8)

Dear child of God please understand we are dealing with a very crafty devil. The bible says he is a liar and the father of it. Satan would always want to prove that God’s word is not true.

There is one principle about our heavenly Father that you have to know. God tries our hearts. He seeks that we prove our absolute confident and trust in Him. In Proverbs 17:3 the bible says “The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord trieth the heart”. Gold is proven in the furnace as all its impurities are burnt away by the very high temperature, so the pure gold remains. The trail of our faith also makes our faith true and pure (1st Peter 1:7). Many people give up in times of trial, and the enemy rather takes advantage and punishes them. Maintain your grounds no matter the opposition that cones against you and refuse to give up. Do as 1st Timothy 6:12 says, “Fight the good fight of faith…”

When Lazarus was sick and the Lord was called, He said, this sickness is not unto death. But Lazarus died anyway? (John 11:4, 11).

Can I ask this question? ; Had the word of the Lord failed? Many children of God would have accepted that since Lazarus had died, then it implied the word had failed. The Lord had   said earlier that this sickness was not unto death. The Lord knew that His word had not failed. (Don’t also accept any condition that seems to suggest that what God said has failed). The Lord went on and raised the dead man to life, even after four days.

Satan would always put up a resistance. Staying with God’s word would constantly give us the victory.

  Treading on the devil means challenging Satan with the word and acting on the word. When a Christian accepts what Satan is doing and refuses to oppose or resist the devil with the word, that Christian would be defeated.

 Dear child of God, you would not be hurt by any means as you stick to the word and do what it says..

 CONFESSION

God’s word is His authority. As I stay with the word and act on it, l always win over the devil, who is forever defeated.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death”.

Hebrews 4:2” For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 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”.

In our previous study we learnt that our Lord Jesus gave us authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions.

What are serpents and scorpions? These creatures symbolize Satan and his demons. In Revelation 12:9 the bible said “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan….”

In Revelation 9:10 the following is said in reference to scorpions, “…and there were stings in the tails: and their power was to hurt men five months”.

The serpents and scorpions stand for evil spirits. The Lord said we have the right to trample upon them. To trample means to stop them from menacing around. It also implies destroying their works. The Lord in that statement reveals that the enemy has some power.

 What is the power of the enemy? The power of the enemy is seen in making men sick, poverty, causing accidents, influencing men to disobey God and generally bringing discomfort to mankind. Satan’s power is generalised in the scriptures as darkness. Colossians 1:13. “Who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear son”. Again, what is the real power of darkness? The real power of darkness is the absence of light. The word of God is light and so long as the word of God dominates your life, the power of the devil is empty.

The Lord has given us His word, that tells us, “in Him (the word) was life and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended (over cometh, over power) it not”(John 11:4). The victory of the Christian is a commitment to the word. The word is light, and so long as a child of God stays with the word the power of Satan would dry up into thin air.

The Lord ended with His statement in our   key scripture that, because of the authority given to us. NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS HURT US.

 CONFESSION

I have been given authority by the Lord Jesus, to trample upon devils, and they would never mess up my life, as I apply God’s word to stop them.

FURTHER STUDIES.

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”,

Genesis 1:2-3 and the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Prayer Point: By the word of His power, I command every satanic operation in and around my life to stop in Jesus name.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 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”.

Our Lord Jesus received reports from His disciples about their exploits in evangelism. He remarked by saying, I beheld Satan fall as lightning from heaven. He then added the statement of our key scripture.

Whatever the Lord said to His disciples then, He says the same to you and I today. The Lord said, “behold I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the powers of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you”. This statement is an, assurance of perfect security over the enemy.

 He first said ” …behold I give you power…”. The Lord gives us this ability by speaking forth words. *Every spiritual virtue is given by words and it is accepted by faith. Anyone who hears this statement and accepts it personally actually has it.

Fellow child of God, Jesus says, he has given you power. You receive it by responding positively to him. You do this by believing what He said and then thanking Him verbally. You may say, thank you Lord for giving me power to trample upon serpents and scorpions.

 The word translated power from the Greek language is the word “exousia”. This word in the Greek language is properly translated as authority. Authority is the right or liberty to use power. . We have therefore been given the right or authority over these devils

Behold I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions….” You have the divine mandate to tread or trample under foot every power of the devil. Satan and his demons come against us in all sorts of challenges. Don’t feel victimized any time the enemy comes knocking at your door. (That is, bring a challenge to you)Prepare your mind with this understanding that, no matter the opposition Satan brings, you have been given the right to rule over that devil. Tell yourself I would surely overcome this condition.

 CONFESSION

I have been given the right to trample under my foot all satanic spirits in Jesus name, and they cannot in any way hurt me. I indeed tread on all of them now in Jesus name.

FURTHER STUDIES.

2 Samuel 22:30 “For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall”.

Romans 16:20 “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen”.

Prayer Point: I pray O Lord that my eyes of understanding be enlightened in Jesus name.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:18-19 ” And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

In our last study we said, Satan has no authority to perpetuate his activities. The devils succeed in taking advantage of the people of God when they (the Christian) acts against the word of God. Whenever we speak against the word of God, we are snared by the words of our mouth.(Proverbs 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.).When we speak in unbelief, God cannot stand along with such words. (Romans 14:23)

One other area that God cannot back our actions is when the child of God acts in fear. Fear is a work of the flesh and God does not act on the works of the flesh, rather He acts on the works of the spirit (faith).

In Matthew 16:19 the Lord showed us how to exercise the authority He has given to us. “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”. This verse instructs us to determine how situations and condition must respond. He said whatsoever we bind, prohibit and terminate on earth, heaven or God’s throne would also back us. This gives us a very great assurance to face every opposition of darkness with all the boldness. The Lord said whatsoever we bind on earth. This means we can stop every level of opposition that rises against us. . Any form of attack that comes against you can be stopped.  Every demon including Satan can be stopped. The Lord said the authority of heaven would always back our command.

Your part after you have commanded the condition to comply is to believe in your heart that everything would be as you have said.(Mark 11:23) Stop worrying about the outcome.

 No child of God should be afraid to challenge anything that he or she does not agree. I mean anything that opposes the will of God in your life.

Many of us have not exercised this rights  because of unbelief. Some of us did not know. From today you have been made aware, don’t allow demons to play around your life   Dear child of God the Christian stands in the place of Jesus on the earth, exercise the authority He gave us.

  CONFESSION

As a Christian I have the highest privilege to stop any satanic activity that challenges the work of God and also release or call on the blessings and favour of God into whatever condition that would foster the work of God.

FURTHER STUDIES.

John 14:13-14 “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it”.

Philippians 2:10-11 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.

Prayer Point: O God my father open the eyes of understanding of all Christians to these truths in Jesus name.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:18-19 ” And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

Our Lord Jesus in His introduction of the church to His disciples said among many things that, “I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

This authority was given to the church when our Lord Jesus resurrected from the grave. Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”.

Now the authority was vested in His name, and He gave us the right to use His name. Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues”;

The scope of the authority of His name is stated in Philippians 2:10. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth”;

From these scriptures we understand that the church of God and for that matter the Christian has a very high authority which is superior to that of the devil. If all the authority was given to our Lord Jesus, then none was left for the devil. (Matt 28:18)

 Authority means the right to exercise power. Satan and his demons don’t have that right whatsoever to exercise their powers.

 Whatever Satan does, is illegal and God never sanctions it.

The above teaching explains why the Lord told the church that, with the keys or authority He gives us, we have the right to bind or stop anything that is bad and it would be   bound in Heaven. It means the throne of God backs or sanctions whatever we do in the name of Jesus. With this understanding, it means we have the right to stop any illegality of the devil in our lives, and the lives of others.

This is a very high privilege given to the church. We have to commit our lives to prayer and exercise this authority to see God’s will done in our lives and others as well.

If the devil seem not to yield, please don’t give up, he will certainly bow because the throne of God is backing you.

The right given to the church also says that when we lose anything, like blessings, healing, favor, the throne of God would back it.

This is a high privilege to see God’s will done on earth as it is in heaven.

CONFESSION

The Lord Jesus through his death has obtained a perfect authority for me. I would act by the proper demands of this authority to exercise my right over Satan and his demons.

FURTHER STUDIES.

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”.

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;”

 Prayer Point: In the name of Jesus I command every attack of the devil as well as his acts in my life to end right now. I loose prosperity, favour and healing upon my life.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:18-19 “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

The Lord said that,” the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church”. Men without Jesus are held in chains of darkness. They are bound under Satan’s power (Acts 26:15). These ones must be set free. 2nd Corinthians 4:4 says “in whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not…” Many of those who believe not the gospel have been blinded by the demons of hell. They have all been bound by sin, and many are tormented with sicknesses.

It is our duty to set them free. Prayer, consistent prayer is one main means to break the power of the darkness over these souls. Jesus said my house shall be called the house of prayer (Matthew 21:13). The church must be a place of prayer. The individual Christian is the temple of God and must pray for the salvation of these men. Remember James 5:16 says “The effectual fervent (heart felt, continuous) prayer of righteous man makes tremendous power available and it is dynamic in its working. (Amp bible)

Many people see the church as a place where their prayer needs would be answered. Yes, God answers the request of His children, yet the main purpose of the church is to destroy the works of the devil. This includes saving the lost, healing the sick and virtually every work of the devil in the lives of men must be broken.

If you have been in the church for over one year and all your concern and focus is to ask God to meet your needs ,forgetting about winning the lost, then you have not come to terms with your reason to become a Christian.

It is very unfortunate to find certain churches who do not focus on winning lost souls and for that matter, they do not prepare their members for soul winning and interceding for the lost souls.

Be an intercessor for the souls of men.

 CONFESSION

I have given myself over to interceding and winning the lost. I will depopulate hell to populate heaven.

 FURTHER STUDIES.

1 Samuel 12:23 ” Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way”: Matthew 21:13 ” And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves”.

Prayer Point: In the name of Jesus may all those that Satan has blinded their minds be set free.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:18-19 “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

We continue with our Lords statement to the disciples about the church.

We now look at the third point which is, the warfare and the victory of the church. He said “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church”.

Please note the following about the church. The church presently consists of all believes in our Lord Jesus who are alive and those who are dead and have gone to heaven. (Hebrews 12:23, Ephesians 3:15). All the Christians or saints in heaven are called the church triumphant and those living on the earth presently are called the church militant. This implies that the church is a militant group warring to establish the purpose of God on the earth. The purpose of God is shown in Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith, that is in me”. This message was given by our Lord Jesus to Paul, yet it applies to us too. This is God’s purpose for every Christian. We are at war against Satan and his agents for the souls of men. Please our main warfare is not to secure our comfort, but mainly to set men free. In doing this God secures our comfort, blessing and prosperity. Matthew 6:33.

The Lord said, the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. Gates always symbolized the security of anything. Once the gates are possessed, you have no defense.  Gates are therefore secured with the best security. The gates of hell in our context is the forces of darkness that will stand to oppose us from setting their captives free.

Ephesians 6:12 declares, for we wrestle not   against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.(this kind of conflict is mainly to sway us off our feet, either  to minimise our impact or totally defeat us)

These beings also form the gates of hell. The Lord says they shall never prevail against us.

 Dear child of God, is there any condition defeating you. Please understand that the divine verdict have been established that these beings shall not overcome the church. Don’t let them overcome you.

Maintain your ground and refuse to be defeated.

 CONFESSION

The church of God is engaged in a warfare. A warfare for the souls of men. I have enlisted in this army to seek the salvation and deliverance of humanity from this bondage of hell.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”.

Prayer Point:  I command every power of demons of hell, holding anyone under my sphere of influence to be broken in Jesus name.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:18-19 ” And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

The Lord Jesus said in our key scripture that, He would build His church. The church is owned by the Lord. It is His very temple and body as well. 1st Corinthians 3:16, 1st Corinthians 12:27)

No one must claim any particular congregation is His. Some general overseers speak and say this church or congregation is mine. Please, no one must claim ownership of any church.. Jesus is the sole owner of every Christian organization. All leaders are stewards of His church. Everybody would give an account to Him at that great judgement day. 2nd Corinth. 5:10

Jesus is the builder and the founder of the church. He gave birth to the church after His death and resurrection. (John 20:22–23).He is the teacher of His church. Jesus said in Matthew 4:19 that “…follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. The Lord clearly reveals the task and one main function of the church. It is to be fishers of men. Setting men free from the clutches of sin and satanic bondage. The Lord says we must follow him. The Lord is described as the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews.12:2).

The Lord Jesus is the life of the church. (Galatians. 2:20, Col. 3:4). The church or Christians are physical representatives of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 9:4). The Christian is also one with the Spirit of Jesus (1st Corinthians 6:17). The church in actual fact is Christ who has built himself into us. The Bible says this   is a mystery. Col.1:27 put it 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 you, the hope of glory”.

When the Lord declared that he would build His church, in actual fact He was going to build His very nature, life, power, glory into the church. The church is a mighty force on the earth. The Lord also shows this building process in Ephesians. 4:11-13. Ephesians. 4:13 shows the Lord’s vision for the church and it is “Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”.

Jesus has made us like himself and seeks for us to measure to the full stature of Jesus Christ Himself. No Christian organization must project any other person except our Lord Jesus Christ.

CONFESSION

The Lord Jesus is the builder of His church. He is the life and the author finisher of the faith of the church.

FURTHER STUDIES:

Ephesians 4:11-12 ” And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”

Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:18-19 ” And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

Our Lord Jesus Christ makes mention of the word church in our key scripture for the first time in the New Testament .The word church is the Greek word, ‘Ekklesia’. This word is a joining of two Greek words,’  ‘ek’ which means ‘out of’, or ‘from’, and the other word is ‘kaleo’ and it means to ‘call’. The meaning of the word church is ‘the called out ones’. You have been called out of the world to project the purpose of God on the earth.

From our key scripture the Lord Jesus made the   following points about the church. These thoughts are drawn from our key scriptures. They reveal the church as a supernatural building in dwelt by God to be a representative of His, presence, power and works on the earth.

1. The foundation upon which the church would be built and materials for the building.
2. Who is the builder of the church?
3. The warfare and victory of the church
4. The authority of the church and application of this authority.

We look at each point in detail:

1 The foundation upon which the church would be built and the materials for the building.*

Matthew 16:18a “And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock…”

The Lord said you are Peter; Peter is the Greek word “Petros” which is ‘a stone’ he continued and said; “upon this rock”. The word rock used in this subject is the Greek word “Petra”. This is a bigger rock or a rocky ground. This implies the rock on which he would build the church is not Petros which means Peter but Petra which is a large stone or a rocky ground. Jesus himself is that foundation upon which the church is built. 1st Corinthian 3:11 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus is also the Chief cornerstone (Ephesians. 2:20). As the foundation of the church it means nothing can ever shake us.

The strength of every structure is its foundation. The church is built on an indestructible foundation. The Lord describes this foundational stone in Matthew 21:44 that anything that comes against it shall break up, but if this stone comes against anything that thing would grind into powder.

 Dear child of God as a member of God’s church never consider any condition or situation as impossible to be defeated.

   CONFESSION

The church of God on the earth has the most secured foundation. Nothing can shake it. Nothing can overcome it. Victory is the constant experience of the church.

FURTHER STUDIES:

Matthew 21:44 ” And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder”.

Ephesians 2:20 ” And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;”

 Prayer Point:  In the name of Jesus, I have an indestructible foundation and nothing can overcome me.