KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 9:35 KJV” Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?”

The act of following up with new believers is an indispensable duty that everyone who has been exposed to enough biblical truth must engage in. Our Lord Jesus was the one who first practiced this all-important work and left it to His disciples to continue.

Every one of the post-resurrection visits of the Lord was to follow up on his disciples, who were becoming fearful and might have given up the task He called them to do. Acts 1:3 KJV “To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:”

He showed Himself to them, by many infallible proofs, so that, their faith in Him and in eternal life would be unshaken. Let’s consider some of the instances He visited them, after His resurrection (John 20:21-23). The Lord showed himself to the disciples when Thomas was not there.  When he was told the Lord visited them, he said, he would not believe it until he had placed his hands into his pierced side and hands. Through Thomas’ actions, we could easily see his faith was at ground zero, and he really needed help. By the next Sunday, Jesus visited them and asked Thomas to place his finger into His side. In all these, the Lord was, following up on them to strengthen them. (John 20:27-28)

After some time, Peter and the rest of the disciples who were told that they would be fishers of men, decided to go back into fishing, because they might be getting discouraged. The Lord visited them at the shore, and helped them to catch more fish but had to encourage Peter to stick to the work of feeding the lambs and the sheep. (John 21:5-19)

Through these follow-up visits the disciples were strengthened to stand because they had encountered Him through many infallible proofs, over a period of forty days. What would have happened to these disciples if Jesus had not revealed himself to them? Would they have been so convinced about the validity of His resurrection and be ready to even die for what they knew was truth? As our master was a master in following up on His disciples, so should every one of us follow up on every new member who joins our congregation.

CONFESSION

I thank God for how far He’s brought me in the faith. I will also give myself to helping younger Christians stand stronger in the Lord, as I reach out to them.

THOUGHT: FOLLOW-UP IS ASSUMING A PARENT AND CHILD RELATIONSHIP TO HELP THE NEW BELIEVER GROW IN THE LORD.

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 1:10,11 KJV” Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;”

Col 4:12 KJV” Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:35 KJV “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of  God?”

Our key scripture reveals that the Lord Jesus heard that, the man He healed from blindness had been cast out of the synagogue. He went looking for him, to strengthen him. Conventional Christianity among many church folks has no place for anything as follow-up. It is the duty of the pastorate to go looking for the sheep and taking care of them. This attitude is wrong. The call to disciple younger or new believers is the duty of every child of God, who has learned the basic disciplines of Christian living and service.  This is what the great commission is about.

Let us consider what the Bible calls the great commission, Matt 28:19, 20 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: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Amen. The great commission is not only about evangelising but is about discipleship. This involves evangelism and follow-up. After one has been introduced to Christ through evangelism, he or she must be followed up and taught the whole counsel of scripture. This is what makes him or her a disciple. Now the call to disciple a new Christian is the duty of every Christian, who has known enough to teach others. Sadly, many Christians only go to church, and at best join a group in the church, like men’s fellowship, or women’s fellowship. This makes the church more of a social organization, than a discipleship-making organization. The church of God is a discipleship-making organisation, and it involves the whole body, not a few people.

In Acts 15:36 Paul and Barnabas discussed the following. Acts 15:36 KJV “And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do. They had preached in a number of cities and towns. They realised they had to go back and strengthen the brethren. They were to follow up on them.

This work of evangelism and follow-up is what is called the work of the ministry. The ministerial offices which include, Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are given to the body of Christ to prepare the children of God, for the work of the ministry including other tasks.

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly father, for enlisting me in the great commission. I diligently evangelise and follow up on the new converts till they become disciples.

THOUGHT: ANY CHURCH THAT LEAVES DISCIPLES MAKING TO THE PASTOR ALONE IS NOT A CHURCH YET.

FURTHER STUDIES

Eph 4:11 KJV” 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:

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 9:28″Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.”

The gospel is preached all over the world. There is so much evidence that  Jesus is alive, and the only Saviour, yet certain people, keep arguing and contending with what is so clear. The gospel has seen supposedly ‘powerful’ fetish priests converted to Christ after they tried to challenge the reality of the gospel. We have encountered people who were Sheikhs in Islam, who opposed the gospel, yet they had personal encounters with the resurrected Christ, and so are now converted to Christ. An example is Sheikh Oyom Ibrahim, who was a teacher of Islamic doctrine, but by the special grace and mercy of God, had an encounter with Jesus.

He is converted to Christianity and is presently a minister of the gospel. There are countless undeniable pieces of evidence about the reality and power of Christ, yet certain people keep arguing and contending against the truth as the Jewish people did.

Why do people blatantly oppose the gospel, although the evidence is non-contestable? The Bible says the God of this world has blinded the minds of them who believe not so that they would not see the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus. 2nd Corinth. 4:4

Dear one, if you are an opposer to the good news, then, I wish to reveal to you that your outright opposition to the non-contestable evidence of the good news is not just your mind but an invisible influence. Eph. 2:2 says there is a prince of the power of the air that works in the children of disobedience. What must you do?

The Lord is calling on you to humble yourself and accept this glorious truth. Jesus is alive, Jesus is real. Jesus took away the sins of the whole world, including your sins. You do not have to be bound to any power of the devil.

Rebel against those lies of the devil, in the face of all these countless pieces of evidence. Today, choose to welcome Jesus into your life. In Revelations 3:20, He says, He is at the door of your heart and knocking. If you would open and welcome Him into your life, he will come in and eat with you. Do not delay any longer. Today is the accepted time. Today is the day of salvation. You can take the following steps:

1. Acknowledge you are lost in your sins

2. Repent and accept Jesus as your Saviour.

3. Confess Jesus as your Lord.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I acknowledge I am lost in my sins. I accept you as my Saviour. I declare that Jesus is the Lord of my life. Thank you, Lord, for saving me.

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 10:9″That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Rev. 3:20″ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:25 KJV” He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or not I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”

The religious leaders asked the healed blind man to give glory to God and ‘forget’ about Jesus because He is a sinner. This man who suffered the pain, humiliation, and isolation of blindness for a number of decades said the following to them. John 9:25 KJV” He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or not, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”

This scenario is still prevailing in our world today. The secular world attempts to tell humanity to forget about Jesus. They seek to portray a view of a Jesus who is not relevant, to modern man. This attempt has failed and will continue to fail.

The Bible says the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Rom 1:16. The gospel is producing results all over the world. Wherever people hear the gospel and believe it, they receive the power to become Sons of God. John 1:12 KJV” But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on his name:” Now the bible says all those who are born of God overcome the world, by their faith 1 John 5:4. Anywhere men receive the gospel in truth, they become overcomers. Many lives have been transformed. Multitudes are healed of all kinds of medically incurable diseases. Homes that were at the point of disintegration are now gloriously bouncing in love, and in appreciation of each other.

I met a young man whose future was been destroyed by alcohol addiction. This man could not practice his trained profession, because he could not control himself against his taskmaster, alcohol. HE gave his life to Jesus and was healed from a distressing sickness.  Today, he is free from alcohol, and he is heartily serving the Lord, as much as perfectly engaged in his dream profession.

What would have been his present state if the gospel had not been given to him? How on earth could some say that the gospel is not relevant?

CONFESSION

The gospel of our Lord Jesus produces the same transforming effect after two thousand years. This is the reality. I have experienced the great power and peace that the gospel gives. No one tastes it and remains the same.

THOUGHT: CHOOSING JESUS IS COMING INTO THE REALITY OF LIFE.

FURTHER STUDIES

Heb 13:8 KJV “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

John 14:6 KJV” Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:22 (KJV) . “These words spake his parents because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.”

The key scripture said that the parents of the healed blind man feared the Pharisees. The Bible says the fear of man brings a snare, but the man who puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe. Many men speak lies because they have the fear of men. The Bible shows us that such actions may have very costly effects over a long time.

Many homes are under the siege of a breakup because there is no trust between the couples. The man hides his telephone calls from his wife, and his wife does the same.  The true personality of each other is not known to either partner. All these are motivated by fear. There are men who have fathered other children outside their matrimonial homes, yet their partners have no knowledge or idea. These things tend to devastate the partner who is not in the known. Why be a stranger to your own partner? Why live a life of lies? Many people are seriously deceiving themselves. Please note that you have all the years to yourself to live as a couple.  Make each moment you live with your partner, your best days on earth. Open up to your spouse, Genesis 2:25 says ” And they both naked, the man and his wife and were not ashamed.” The scripture literally means Adam and his wife were without clothes, yet they were not ashamed of each other. This verse could be explained that couples must be naked or opened to their spouses.

Remember that living in lies means living under fear. Fear always has a snare. This also means you are living in bondage. Why live in bondage with your spouse when you could throw away all the fear and lies and live in freedom?

Truth is liberty. Truth always builds trust among couples.  A couple who speak the truth to each other will have less stress among themselves. They would be happier together and will be making great achievements as a couple. Such couples will have their prayers  being answered because they agree with each other.

Dear one, are you living in truth towards your associates or because you fear , you are always telling lies?

Lies on many occasions become a delay of time, for you must live to face the effect of that lie.

CONFESSIONS

I live to tell the truth. I have no fear for any man. The truth always sets me free. 

THOUGHT: LYING IS LIKE CASTING DARKNESS ON YOURSELF. IT IS THE TRUTH THAT BREAKS THE DARKNESS.

FURTHER STUDIES

Eph 4:15 KJV “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

Prov. 29:25 KJV” The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:20, 21 “His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.”

The parents of the healed blind man were questioned about the healing of their son. They were fully aware of the words of the religious leaders concerning Jesus. They knew if they made certain unguided remarks, it could cost their lives. They, therefore, had to be tactful in their answers. They decided to be simple and straightforward.

Many people have found themselves in unnecessary problems because they either wanted to exaggerate matters or loved the praise of men. In 2nd Kings 1:8-18, the Amalekites who brought the news of Saul’s death thought that if he said I killed King Saul, David would have rewarded him. He said he killed King Saul. King David rather asked that he be killed. 2nd Kings 1:16, “David said unto him, thy blood be upon thy head for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have killed the Lord’s anointed”. Dear one, may you never allow your tongue to lead you into trouble.

According to the Bible, our tongues hold the key to our destiny, both natural and spiritual. We are saved as we believe in our hearts and confess with our tongues that Jesus is Lord. Many problems of people came through the words of their mouths.

James 3 describes the tongue as very small but having the ability to control huge things and systems. It is described as a radar that directs a ship, it is bits in a horse’s mouth, to control it, and can be, a little fire that sets a whole forest on fire. The tongue can be a great blessing if you choose. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Prov. 18:21

Man, Satan, or even God, will have no trouble with you if you speak within the acceptable or right words.

Speak love, speak faith, speak the truth, speak peace, and the scripture says: against such, there is no law. Gal. 23:6

CONFESSION

I speak from the store of truth in my heart. I speak from my knowledge of God. My words bless, inspire encourage, and are always according to the truth. My life goes upward and forward only because I  say the truth, which is the word of God.

FURTHER STUDIES

Eph. 4:15″ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

Prov. 18:21″ Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:19 ” And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?”

When the parents of the man who was born blind were called to be interrogated, they asked, is this your son, who was born blind?” How then does he see now? They were saying in effect, if you were born blind, then it would be impossible to be healed. These people were just not ready to accept the truth about the supernatural, even if the evidence was so clear before them.

Why is this so? Men are fundamentally hardened towards God and His acts because of sin. (Heb. 3:13)”. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Secondly, people get hardened toward God because of philosophy or human wisdom that opposes God. The next is sheer plain deceit. Col. 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit…” The preceding verse says men are deceived through philosophy and vain deceit.

Some are also hardened towards God because of their inability to receive a miracle. They had a need or challenge, but might not have seen any change after they prayed for a while. What some fail to acknowledge is that it is one thing asking God about a thing, and it is also another matter of believing God to receive your request. It is not God, who fails to answer but rather, it is man’s lack of faith

 Man in our modern times is ruled by science and physical tangibility. Science is purely confined to the natural world of space, time, and mass. There is definitely a world beyond the natural. This is the spirit or supernatural realm. This is God’s realm of existence. You would sadly deprive yourself of great blessings from God if you limit yourself to science.

This is what philosophy and some human wisdom hang on to.

The Lord Jesus said it is the spirit that gives life. The flesh profits nothing. John 6:63

Please lift your horizon from these human limitations to accept God’s realm of no limits.

PRAYER

Lord of glory, I submit my will to you and accept your awesome power and love for me. I pray and receive your miracle working power into my life in Jesus’ name.

FURTHER STUDIES

Heb. 4:2″ For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”

John 11:40″ Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:18 KJV “But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. “

Our story above speaks of religious leaders who had great difficulty believing in miracles. Sadly, the situation is not different now. Some even claim miracles are over. Why is it so difficult for people to accept the miraculous power of God working through men who avail themselves to the Lord? The above gives us some answers.

In our story of consideration, the Jewish leaders encountered a man whom all the people claimed had been healed from blindness. All these people who saw the events leading to his healing claimed he had been healed. The scribes and Pharisees would not believe that he was indeed healed from blindness.

Although there are certain ministers who stage-manage miracles, yet there are many true and real miracles that God performs through His anointed ministers across the earth. There are countless undeniable miracles that Jesus performs through His servants. There are instances of raising the dead short legs growing to become normal, and in some cases, women with their wombs taken out through surgery but are now mothers of children now.

Why do certain individuals find it so difficult to believe? It is so because they have made up their minds that these miracles are not real and so cannot happen. Dear one, a man’s perception of issues always depends on his mental state. To really help yourself, just throw away the wrong mental conception and tell yourself I am open up to whatever happens so long as I can investigate its truthfulness.

Every human would one day need a miracle, so do not deprive yourself of God’s blessing of a miracle by raising a mental barrier. Every answer to prayer is a miracle. If you have any pressing need at the moment, why not in childlike faith ask the Lord to give you a miracle?

CONFESSION

Dear heavenly father, you are the God of miracles. Your goodness abounds more and more. My heart is ready to accept your mercies anytime.

THOUGHT: ACCEPT THAT SINCE GOD IS GOD, THEN HE CAN ALWAYS PERFORM MIRACLES.

FURTHER STUDIES

Heb 2:3 KJV” How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

Jer 33:3 KJV Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 9:16 KJV” Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.”

Man’s confusion and challenges proceed from his refusal to accept God’s acts and revelations. Romans 1:18-30 teaches us about how men refused to accept the revelations and acts of God, and so God gave them over to confusion and a reprobate mind. Rom 1:24 KJV” Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:” The Bible says that is the wrath of God against humanity. That is to allow men to go into more confusion which is the path, they have chosen.

In our key scripture, the Jews were involved in a back-and-forth questioning of the man the Lord healed from blindness. They kept questioning how He opened your eyes. The man kept explaining, yet they could not accept his answer. These people could have just believed him and also benefited from the healing grace that was on Jesus.

We are living in a time with the most sophisticated level of technology and is also the fastest time for the acquisition of knowledge, yet men are more worried, fearful, and miserable than in any other period of human history. Man has become a very destructive instrument of himself and, his fellow men. 2nd Timothy 3:1-4 reveals that the last days would be characterised by perilous times, Why? Men have forsaken God and so are very confused.  The present global economic crunch is created by men. The result is man destroying his fellow man. Take it or leave it,  Men are really normal to the degree that they are ready to submit to God.

Just consider the following:

LGBQ+ cannot be accepted to be normal, yet because the world forsakes God, they are ready to punish anyone who opposes and refuses to acknowledge this miserable condition.

I watched a video of a girl who believes she is a dog and a gentleman placed a chain on her neck. As she goes, she would urinate at various points just like dogs do. Is this not confusing? Is it not an inhuman act to place a chain on another human and drag her about?

Dear one, if Jesus is not Lord of your life, then do not delay any further. Make a decision to surrender your life to Jesus.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, without you, we become a threat to ourselves.  I confess that you are my Lord and Saviour. I repent of my confused way to surrender to your Lordship over my life. Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul.

THOUGHT: MAN WITHOUT CHRIST IS FULL OF CRISES

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 1:21-25 KJV” Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 9:11 KJV” He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.”

Welcome back to our series of studies on a walk with Jesus through the gospel of John.

In our key scripture, the Jewish leaders encountered him and asked him how your eyes opened?  Opening blind eyes, especially one born from birth, is not something one can naturally or medically do. They were very much interested in knowing how it came about.

As Christians or children of God, our conversion into the faith is a great miraculous feat. The Bible calls it, being translated from death to life. In the case of the blind man, his healing and change were very evident and remarkable. If the Christian will put his newfound faith into action, the change in his life will also become very evident, and people around him will ask how did you get changed.

Dear child of God, are you living such that people will come to you and ask what has happened to you?

The power of God’s word is very potent and will cause that lead of change that will attract people’s attention. DECIDE YOU WILL SUBMIT TOTALLY TO THE WORD OF GOD.

If you have faithfully submitted yourself to the word of God, then it is your Christian duty to testify to the world about the change that has taken place. The blind man shared about what Jesus did. You have to share with others about the kind of person you were, how you encountered the word, and lastly, the change that has taken place in your life.

Personal testimonies have a greater impact on the lives of the unsaved. The testimony of the woman the Lord Jesus met at the well brought the city to see Jesus.  John 4:30. Let people hear how much Christ has transformed your life.

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly father, for your great salvation. My life is set free from the control of sin and the forces of this life. I am living to manifest the nature of my father. The glory of God is revealed in me.

THOUGHT: Your personal testimony would surely have an impact on others.

Further Studies:

Acts 1:8 KJV” But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Mat 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: