KEY SCRIPTURE: John 17:18 KJV “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.”

We have been called into the same ministry as our Lord Jesus, except dying for the sins of men. He said the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10. The Lord faithfully committed His life to that mission. As young as twelve years, He was found engaged with the teachers of the law asking and answering questions. His parents asked Him, why have you treated us this way? The Lord answered her as follows  “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? Teaching, preaching, and healing the sick, is the Father’s business. The Lord said “my meat is to do the will of my Father who sent me. and to finish it”

As the Lord responded to the Father’s commission so must we respond to His commission. If we have been sent just like He was sent, then we must also know that we have the same provisions that were given to Him to be successful. These provisions include the Holy Spirit, His same authority through His name. We also have the myriads of angels at our disposal. What is left for us to do, is to learn the way our master went about doing the work and also do the same.

How did the Lord Jesus go about doing the work of the Father? The Lord showed absolute love and dependence on the Father. This He did through His prayer life. After waiting on God in prayer and fasting, He hit the road and started ministering to men right on the road, in the parks, at the marketplaces, and in their homes preaching and healing the sick. He did not wait for a musical group or a beautiful auditorium. He was out there where the sinners were. He fearlessly spoke to them. He spoke to individuals, and healed individuals who came to Him, and He also spoke to the multitude who came thronging on Him. He likewise healed the multitude as well.

We must consider His approach and do as He did. The Lord Jesus loved the Father perfectly and therefore, pleasing Him was His greatest desire. This attitude also attracted the approval of the Father in all He did. John 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.” His instruction was, follow me, or learn my example do as you see me do, and you shall be fishers of men.

THOUGHT: FOLLOW THE LORD AND YOU WILL BE A GREAT FISHER OF MEN.

FURTHER STUDIES

Matt 4:19 KJV” And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matt 28:19 KJV” Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 17:17 KJV “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

The Lord said emphatically that the word is truth. The basis of its truthfulness is that all scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and it is profitable for doctrine, correction, and instruction in righteousness.  2 Timothy 3:16,17. Many in these days have tried to scrutinise the scriptures and so try to discredit it. Well, this is a very big error. What they fail to realise is that the inspiration of the scriptures was not a mechanical dictation by the Holy Spirit. They were moved by the Spirit, yet they wrote from their various background of understanding and culture. When the bible said, Joshua asked the sun to stand still, in actual fact it was the earth that stood still. To Joshua, it was the sun that stood from his perspective. If one argues that how could the Holy Spirit instruct a wrong presentation of a fact? IF you do that, then you are missing the whole point. The fact is that, on that day, the night did not turn up. The truth is that the Spirit of God wrought a great work, and that is what God wants us to see. It is the work of the Spirit which is the main issue.

We see the operation of the Spirit actively involved in all the stories. It is the humble ones who accept the presentation. 1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV” For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God”. The power and truthfulness of the scriptures are the life and dealings of the Spirit that run throughout the scriptures. Those who believe the scriptures have encountered diverse supernatural powers and works of the Spirit. Through believing the scriptures criminals have become saints, amazing miracles like body parts which were removed through surgery have been miraculously replaced, the blind have been restored to perfect health and even dead people have been brought back to life. This is the supernatural hand of God at work throughout the word of God. The scriptures are true because it is a recording of the activities of the Holy Spirit.

Dear one you can always rely on the truthfulness of the scripture. Every promise of the scriptures comes indirectly with an oath from God to honour His word (Heb 6:17). God cannot lie, nor does he lack the ability or power to do what He has promised. You can always trust God to honour every promise He gave about Himself. Every word concerning the future is also reliable. Trust in the Word with all your heart and mind. Follow it through and you will never be disappointed.

THOUGHT: RECEIVE GOD’S WORD AS A BABY AND YOU WOULD LIVE LIKE A GOD.

FURTHER STUDIES

Acts 20:32 KJV “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified”.

Psalms 19:7 KJV “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 17:17 KJV” Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

We continue with our discussion on being sanctified by the word. The world and its system is controlled by its god, who is Satan. The Bible describes him vividly in John 8:44 as follows;” Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it.” The scripture says Satan is a murderer. He murders by deceiving his victims. Whatever he says is a lie, for he is the father of liars. The Bible says he has deceived the whole world. (Rev 12:9). To be free from this gross deceit, you need to be sanctified by the truth, and God’s word is the only truth.

Satan uses deceit to take men captive. Scripture cautions us to be aware lest we are taken captive. Col 2:8. This LGBTQ + craze is a sign that he has grossly deceived mankind. The only way to outwit him is to walk in the truth. The child of God must develop a very strong confidence in the word, as well as a good knowledge of the word of God. A consideration of the armour of God for the Christian is all about applying the word of God, in various ways to defend yourself against Satan’s craftiness and deceit.

One important way of making use of the word is a meditation on the word of God.

Meditation brings you into the world of the word. It establishes the word within your conscious and subconscious mind, as well as filling your heart. This makes applying the word very normal and easy. In meditation, you turn from everything both within and without, to fill your mind and heart with the word. You may do it by saying the word of God, to yourself at a very low tone. Keep repeating that particular word for as long as you choose. Let the word bath you as staying under a waterfall. Repeat this practice at other times. Be very consistent with it. 0n doing this over a considerable length of time, it would simply make you unmovable, and ready to overcome every onslaught of Satan.

THOUGHT: FLOOD YOUR SPIRIT AND SOUL WITH THE WORD, AND YOU WILL MAKE SUCCESS YOUR EXPERIENCE.

FURTHER STUDIES

Jos 1:8 KJV” This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Rom 12:2 KJV” And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 17:17 KJV ” Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

After the Lord stated that, His disciples are not of this world, just as He is also not of this world, He asked the Father to sanctify them by the truth. The word of God is the truth. In our previous study, we said there are three things in this world that make Satan have free access to control men. These traits are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. They are the deceptive tools of the devil because they have a passionate effect on men. The word lust means a driving desire. It is a compelling longing for a wrong thing. According to 2nd Peter 1:4, the lust of the flesh overwhelms men with corruption.

From 2nd Peter 1:4, it is the truth of scripture that transforms us into divine beings, which catapults us out of the realm of corruption caused by lust. The agents of corruption are lusts of various kinds as well as pride. These are all deceptive tools of the devil. Truth is always the answer for lies or deception. Hebrews 3:13 KJV “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” The scriptures admonish us to exhort one another daily with the word of truth.

Lust of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life are all very deceptive and defiling as well. They are not just deceptive but very compelling and may drive one into states that make one helpless. You must go the Jesus way to live above its deceit. When He was hungry and Satan wanted to play the lust of the flesh game on Him, by asking Him to turn stones into bread, He quickly said, It is written. Talk back to the enemy anytime he plays the lust game by saying it is written, and then add what the word says. It is time to be aggressive with the word of God to set yourself free from being defiled.

THOUGHT: YOU CAN’T USE HUMAN WISDOM TO DEFEAT THE ENEMY, USE THE WORD

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 119:11 KJV “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Heb 3:13 KJV “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 17:16 KJV “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

During the Lord’s prayer He said, as He is not of this world, so are His disciples also not of the world.

Dear child of God, you do not hail from this world. The word ‘of’ in Greek is ek, which means out of, proceed from or to hail from. It does not just mean; we are not part of this world. We do not proceed from this world and so we do not function according to the principles of this world. The world was not created by the devil, yet because of sin, he has captured the unregenerated man and as a result he has become the god of this world. The bible calls him the Father of all those who have not given their lives to Jesus. John 8:44.

What is in the world? 1Jn 2:16 KJV” For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” The Spirit of God did not talk about the fashion in the world, the sins of the world, or mindset of the world, but made mention of the following as being the things in the world.

1. The lust of the flesh.

2. The lust of the eyes.

3. The pride of life.

These three tendencies are the foundations of every Satanic influence in men. If the Lord says you do not proceed from the world, then you must not allow any of these to show themselves in your life. The answer to this is to know that you proceed from the Spirit of God, and you are in the spirit. Refuse to live in the flesh. Rom 8:9 KJV “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

Dear child of God, if you do not proceed from this world then you are a product of the word of God. The word is all that matters and means all the world to you. Give attention to the word, believe it and practice the word. Once again refuse to give the flesh any room. Stay in the Spirit and rejoice in the Lord.

THOUGHT: LIVE IN THE WORD AND FULFILL YOUR SPIRITUAL MANDATE

FURTHER STUDIES

1Pe 1:23 KJV  “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

John 3:8 KJV” The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 17:15 ISV” I’m not asking you to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one.”

The first part of our key scripture teaches us that, the Lord Jesus prayed to the Father that, He should not take us out of the world. The reason is that, we were saved for a purpose. We were saved to show the people in darkness the light of God. We are to stay here so we could demonstrate to men the heavenly life and offer men and women the opportunity to live in the kingdom of God. This implies we must diligently commit our lives to this call. It is a great loss to yourself to be around here on earth, and not fulfill God’s desire for saving you and keeping you on this earth. Remember dear one, anyone or anything that does not live to fulfill the original intent for its manufacture is abused.

The second aspect says, the Father should keep us from the evil one. Please dear child of God, get the following understanding about the devil.  Satan has been defeated, yet he is as wise as a serpent. The Lord asked us to pray to be delivered from the evil one, when He taught His disciples the model prayer. Why did He ask the Father to keep us from the evil one, if He knew that through His death and resurrection, He was going to deliver us from the dominion of darkness.? (Col 1:13) What the Lord was praying concerning being delivered from the evil one, was actually referring to the deceptive Prowers of the wicked one. Satan does not have the right and ability to take the believer captive, but through cunning craftiness take many captives.

This statement teaches us to be very alert to the devices of the wicked. 2Co 11:3 ISV” However, I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by its tricks, so your minds may somehow be lured away from sincere and pure devotion to the Messiah.” Please dear child of God, you need to be very diligent in order not to fall into the deception of the wicked one. Jesus says we must continually pray so that we will not be overtaken by the deceptions of Satan. Many Christians take the enemy for granted, only to be enveloped in a satanic crafty web, that makes things very difficult for themselves. The answer is diligence in prayer and strict adherence to the word of God. Dear one never stop praying to be delivered from the tricks of the devil.

THOUGHT: SATAN IS ETERNALY DEFEATED, YET DO NOT TAKE HIM FOR GRANTED.

FURTHER STUDIES

Luk 22:46 KJV “And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation”.

1Th 2:18 KJV” Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 17:14 KJV” I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world”.

Our key scripture says the disciples were hated by the world because of the word of God they had received. God’s word is God expressed in thoughts. It is a revelation of how God thinks, what He does, what He is doing and what He would do. Satan trembles before nothing but before God. The word in any man is God present in that man. Acting on the word means God is working through you. This is why all things are possible to those who believe and act on the word of God. In the light of this, Satan would want to stop you from working out the word.

The bases for all persecutions of believer’s stern from this fact. All the attacks of sicknesses, and every work of darkness is not mainly to destroy or just to inflict pain, but to get you to renounce your trust in the word of God

If Satan or his messengers are to get one believer doubt God’s word or worse still to stop believing in the word, then they have achieved their greatest goal in the Christian. The Lord illustrated satanic attack of the word in the following verse, Mark 4:17 KJV “And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”. The Lord iterated the point once again that, persecution and affliction arise because of the word.

Hebrews 10:35 instructs all Christians never to cast away their confidence in the word, because it has a great recompence of reward. In our key scripture, the Lord said, it is the world that hates the Christians who have the word in them. The world’s hatred for Christians is a remote attack of Satan against the church. Satan works through the hearts of unregenerated men to attack Christians. All these is still intended to break their confidence in God’s word. Maintain a dogged stands on the word, for you would always   come out victorious.

THOUGHT: TURN NOT AWAY FROM THE WORD, FOR GREATER IS GOD IN YOU, WHO WOULD SURELY DEFEAT THE ENEMY

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.”

Heb 10:35 KJV” Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, .that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 17:13 KJV “And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

The Lord in His prayer for the disciples declared that the words He said about them had stirred up joy in their hearts. Joy is not happiness. Happiness is dependent on a happy event. A happy event would make people happy. Joy is based on the word of God it is not a function of what happens around us.  Joy comes when the heart relies on the word of God. The scripture always admonishes us to rejoice in the Lord. To rejoice in the Lord is to count on the finished work of Jesus as yours. Jesus’ victory is our victory. His power is our power and His authority has become our authority. This is one of the areas that we have to rejoice always.

The word of God is the seed that generates Joy in the heart of a child of God. A Christian without joy is in a very pitiful state. It is a sign that he or she is moved by the senses and not by the word of God. Having the word in you will not necessarily produce joy, rather it is the word you submit to which produces faith, and that results in joy in the heart.

Satan would always seek the sorrow and anxiety of the children of God. He should never succeed in making the child of God sorrowful or worried. Remember that Satan is eternally defeated and no matter what he may seem to do, he remains defeated. Remember the scriptural admonishing. It says rejoice always, and again I say rejoice. This is only possible as you keep the word in your heart submitting to it, in all you do. Always sing praises unto God. Be consistently thankful unto the Lord. All these are acts of faith, that would certainly keep you joyful.

THOUGHT: JOY IN YOUR HEART, MEANS SATAN IS UNDER YOUR FEET

FURTHER STUDIES

Phi 4:4 KJV” Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice”.

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

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 17:12 KJV” While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”

The Lord explained from our key scripture that He had kept all that the Father had given to Him, except the Son of perdition. This was Judas, who betrayed the Lord Jesus, and later hanged himself. A few questions arise out of this portion of scripture. Some questions that arise are;

1. Did God plan that Judas should betray the Lord Jesus and later hang himself?

2. If this is so, would God judge him for his actions?

3. If this is also the case as said above, then evil workers are determined before time, and would it be right for God to judge evil workers? These are a few questions that have bothered many and some have even concluded that men should not worry about a righteous God to judge the entire world.

May we consider the first premise upon which the subsequent arguments are developed or determined? It says God has ordained for Judas to betray the Lord Jesus. Please let’s get this fact clear, God has a foreknowledge of all things, yet He does not determine the actions of men. God has given each person a free will. What does God say about the actions and choices of men? Deut 30:19 KJV “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” In that same passage He says in verse 15 that ” See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;” It is the prerogative of men to choose which way to go. God has always known the actions of everyone as well as the ultimate destination of everyone, but He does not influence the actions of men. He may only come to change the course of action of an individual or a group of people when another human intercedes for Him to interfere. In the light of this Judas, was very responsible for His actions.

Dear reader, never blame God for your actions. This same scenario is applicable to Adam and Eve’s fall. God knew about the turn of events, but He did not cause it to happen the way it did.

THOUGHT: GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS, BUT HE DOES NOT DETERMINE THE ACTIONS OF MEN.

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 2:6 KJV” Who will render to every man according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”

Rom 2:9 KJV” Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 17:12 KJV “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”

We continue with the Lord’s prayer for His disciples. He said He has been able to keep or preserve them through the Father’s name. This is a very important lesson for all pastors, church workers as well as every soul winner. Most of the souls won are easily allowed to go back into the world. Most churches would have been very large if they had been able to keep most of the souls if not all of them. God the Father is the one that adds these souls to the churches. Some churches have devised very efficient systems to track and follow up these souls.

The Lord Jesus was very good at following up on the disciples. Just consider the night He left alone to pray. (Matt 14: 23-31) At the fourth hour, which was about 3 a.m. He walked on the water to meet with the disciples, who were having a very tough time with the waves and the storms. He came to them at that odd hour. He kept visiting the disciples over a period of forty days before He left for heaven. He also prayed much for them. The Lord never approached His work in a casual way. He gave every task, His best attention.

Every soul is very important to the Father, and every church must give everything it takes to keep them, and not lose any. The very first requirement is love for the souls. Love would always go to any length to fulfill what it seeks to do, no matter the cost of it.

Always make sure the new soul is visited within the first forty-eight hours of his or her visit. If she or he can be visited because of distance, then make contact through your mobile phone.

Let a church member maintain a consistent follow-up, at least once a week, as he or she is encouraged to come to church.

Get him or her baptized into the Holy Spirit and water baptism, as soon as practicable.

THOUGHT:  SOULS ARE VERY PRECIOUS, DO EVERYTHING TO KEEP THEM.

FURTHER STUDIES

Mat 16:26 KJV” For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Phi 4:1 KJV” Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.”