KEY SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 7:26 & 27. “For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death”.

Fornication is any form of illicit sexual relationship or act. It includes adultery, incest(sexual relation between close relations, example a brother and his blood sister),homosexuality (sexual relationship between a man and another man),lesbianism sexual relationship between two omen),masturbation(arousing oneself sexually unto orgasm) ,bestiality ( a sexual relationship between a human and an animal).Now I wish to say that these things should not be named among Christians ,yet unfortunately it is happening. Anyone who lives this way has thrown overboard his or her holy walk.  For the purposes of our study, I am restricting myself to the illicit sexual relations between a man and a woman.

The bible says people who do such things would not have a place in the kingdom of God. 1Corinth 6:9 &10

Our key scripture says it has cast down many wounded, and many strong men have been slain by her, it is the road to hell. These days it is becoming a usual thing among many church folks. The youth are the most culprits. There are some pastors who relate with a number of their female members that way. Some have special mistresses with whom they go to certain parties or travel abroad, leaving behind their wives. It is a waterloo for some choir leaders.

Dear Christian brother or sister, this should not be your testimony. Salvation means freedom from sin and the power of the devil. NOW note this truth. The Lord saved you and put you on the earth so you would make the devil a footstool for the Lord. Luke 20:43

“Till I make thine enemies thy footstool” How is God going to make the enemies of the Lord His footstool.? Through the church, and that is you. (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”, Refuse to be cheap for the devil.

CONFESSION

The Lord saved me from the power of Satan including the power of sin. I am free from every power of sin and I am living above the dictates of the flesh. My life is shining and always radiating God’ glory in Jesus name.

 

FURTHER STUDIES

1 Corinthians 6:9.” Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God”.

1Corinthians 6:18. “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:1. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”.

Holiness is dedication to post separation or total dedication   is the meaning of the word holiness in both the Greek language and the Hebrew as well. To experience the life of holiness you must yield your members unto God. Romans 6:19, I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

We considered holiness and our mind. We looked at the Christ consciousness. All these would be of no benefit if you do not yield your members unto the walk of righteousness, producing holiness. The man who steals must steal no more and start working to support the weak and needy. The husband who beats his wife must stop battering his wife and start using kind words and showing acts of love.AS our key scripture says dedicate your body as a living sacrifice unto the Lord.  NOTE; The only vessel God accepts is a sacrificed vessel. You are totally yielded to Him or not. God does not deal with half dedicated vessels.

Every half dedicated vessel is an impure vessel or instrument. The Lord warned His disciples to be careful of the leaven of the Pharisee. Mt 16:6 “Then Jesus said unto them, take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees”. The leaven of the Pharisee is a life of hypocrisy. It is a life that portrays to serve and obey God yet seeks the honour of men and not God. It is a superficial dedication onto God. The essence and joy of living is to please God continually, anything short of this makes life a misery.

God seeks for vessels that are fully yielded to Him so he would show Himself mighty on their behalf (2nd Chronicles 16:9). God is ready to perform great miracles in the lives of all his children yet many are far away in their hearts. Do not rub yourself of God’s blessings. Be true to yourself and dedicate your members totally to Him.

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CONFESSION

I am totally dedicated to God. I have no business giving myself partly to God. The Lord continually shows His power and goodness unto me. Praise be to his name.

FURTHER STUDIES

2Chronicles 16:9. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore, from henceforth thou shalt have wars.”

Romans 6:16. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2Corinth 6:1. We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

The teaching about the grace of God has received a lot misunderstanding since the days of the apostles. Many have gone overboard to teach and act in ways only to project the flesh, all in the name of grace.

Apostle Peter said these people who have no proper knowledge of the scriptures wrest the scriptures. 2 Peter 3:16. “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction”. Apostle Paul said in Romans 5:20b that “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: “Such people claim if grace abound when sin abound then they could go ahead and live as they like and grace would still abound. Such a thought is purely deceptive and proceeds from the devil

Please get this information clearly, God’s demands for holiness does not change under any dispensation. In Luke 20:35b the Lord said the following

“…… But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world”. Note the words, ‘those who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world’. This implies one must meet certain standards for him or her to be counted worthy of that world. It would not be a * wholesale entry but to pass a special* standard. Holiness of life is that standard. This means walking with a pure heart, walking in the light, walking in love towards your fellow man and walking in fairness towards all men. God does not change and would not compromise these standards. The believer in Christ has received the grace of God. Grace is a supernatural provision from God to excel.

 The grace of God is a supernatural vehicle that lifts ordinary weak mortals from their ordinary strengths to supernatural abilities to meet God’s holy demands. The apostle Paul says we must not receive the grace of God in vain. Romans 6:14 reveals the great provision of God’s grace. “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace”. Under God’s grace sin should not have dominion over you.

CONFESSION

I am not under the law to fall short of the standard of God. I have received the grace of God and have GOD’s super power at work in me.

I live a glorious life of purity, love and justice towards all men.

FURTHER STUDIES

Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”.

Romans 6:22 ” But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 5:21. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”.

We continue with our discussion on holiness and our mind. The real power of sin in men is a sin consciousness. Sin consciousness is a man who believes he is a sinner and has no ability to overcome. God’s provision for victory is always by faith. Faith is to accept as a fact what God has declared about us Our ability to win is to continually believe what the bible says about us. No Christian can amount to anything without living by faith. The just indeed must live by faith. This means whenever we believe what God has said, we are justified or counted righteous.

When any man acknowledges Jesus as his Lord and savior, he receives the life of God. This life is called eternal life. 1John 5:12 & 13, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”. This life we received from our Lord Jesus is the nature of God. One aspect of the expression of this nature of God is righteousness. It is the very righteousness of God that is imparted to our spirit. We become righteous just as our Father God is. It is a gift Rom 5:17. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Righteousness is not something we earn by our effort but a gift we receive alongside receiving eternal life. Our key scripture says the Lord Jesus took our sinfulness and gave us his righteousness. We have become THE very righteousness of God. This must be our consciousness. Do not accept that you are a sinner. No matter how deep you have fallen or have been failing believe from now that you are the very righteousness of God. From now reject every suggesting, thought or view that is contrary to your righteous nature. Meditate and convince yourself fully that your very nature is righteousness. Any past life is gone and gone forever; it has no place in your new nature. Maintain a righteousness consciousness always

Stop crying and asking God to make you righteous. It is the worst thing you could do to yourself. Accept that when you were born again you became the very righteousness of GOD and that you can always live right.

CONFESSION

I am the righteousness of God. This is my nature. Sinfulness has no part in me. I am a manufacturer of right things. My past has nothing doing with who I am now. I am a completely new man, one who never existed but proceeding from God Himself.

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 10:3. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Philippians 3:9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 7:25. “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin”.

In our previous study we looked at the place the mind plays in leading a holy life. What information or revelation from God’s word must we have so we could lead that holy life?

 Romans 7 reveals the great struggles most people, or better still a number of Christians. go through. Let’s consider some of the statements Paul made in verses 14 and 15 “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Please note that Paul’s remarks in these verses are referring to his life under the law and not after he received Christ If he said I am carnal sold under sin, then he could not be under grace but under the law. The sad truth is that there are a number of Christians going through such a struggle. The very wrong things they don’t want to do, that is what they do. Paul’s solution is still our solution.

In Romans 7:25 he said the following. “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin”.  Please note a point he made,” with my mind I serve the law of God “What was the information that his mind came to acknowledge? He came to acknowledge his identification with Christ in his death burial and resurrection. In actual fact he maintained what I call the Christ *consciousness*.

The Christ consciousness is revealed in Paul’s statement in Galatians 2:20. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives 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”.*  Apostle Paul says over here that in his mind he accepts that or reckons that it is no longer Paul who is alive in his body but the Spirit of Christ that has taken over his body. If Christ is alive in him then fornication has no power over him. Hatred and evil desires cannot run amok in him. His mind acknowledges the very presence of Christ working actively through him.

Dear child of God you need to hold the Christ consciousness and not Mr. A or B with those weaknesses. Christ has no weakness. Accept by virtue of his presence in you, you also don’t have any of those weaknesses. Decide to live as Christ lived, exhibiting true holiness with ease

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 6:6. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin”.

Romans 6:11& 12. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof”.

KEY ‘SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:2 ” 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”.

The mind of man is the place of accumulation and processing of information. It is the center of influence of the whole being. Our key scripture teaches us, that, when our mind is controlled by the word of God our whole being is transformed.

Evangelist T L Osborn once said ‘ feed your brain and seed your gain. Everybody can lead a life that glorifies God if we would allow the right influence over our mind. To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:6). The will of a man will find something difficult to do or stop doing because the mind accepts it is difficult. The moment the mind is able to accept that that thing is not difficult it will cease to be difficult.

God himself will not stop you from doing what your mind accepts to do. Genesis 11:6 ” And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. “. The Lord says, so long as these people have decided to do or go in a particular direction nothing can restrain them. The homosexual person agrees that, that is how he or she is. So long as she thinks of herself that way there is nothing which can change until she changes that line of thought. Our key scripture says when she changes the way she thinks about herself there would be a corresponding change in her whole body. The book of proverbs says in Proverbs 4:23 that ” Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the

issues of life” The heart in this context can represent the mind. All we do comes from what we have stored in our mind. Allow the word of God to have full dominance over your mind. Please stop complaining about your difficulty to change from your wrong habits. TODAY decide to give attention to God’s word and allow it to change you from the way you think about yourself.

CONFESSION

I am what I think and believe I am. I am a child of God, bearing the nature ability, and potentials of my father. As he is so am I. He is holy, so am I. He is in control of all that is around him, I am also in control thank you Lord I am free.

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 7:25 “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 7:21 ” Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

HOLINESS is simply to do the will of the father. It is the only pass mark that would give you access to heaven. Our key scripture reveals a very serious statement. The Lord Jesus said, not all who say Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven. It is not everyone who carries his or her bible around will make it to heaven.

In the proceeding verse the Lord reveals a scene that would happen on the last day, the day of judgement. Matthew 7:22 ” Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” He said on that fateful day MANY (not a few) will say to Him. Lord admit.us into your kingdom because we healed the sick in your name, we cast out devils in your name, and many more. The Lord said on that day he will tell them go away from me ye workers of iniquity.  Please note the following words, miracles, preaching to save men are all the works OF GOD not the acts of any man.  MORAL UPRIGHTNESS is when you submit your will to him. It is the acts of submitting your will to Him that counts. Satan also works miracles but cannot submit his will to God’s will.

Now the serious aspect of that statement is that, the Lord said, I NEVER KNEW YOU. He is not even saying you were once mine but fell off. How could this be since these people have been in church doing God’s work? It is not necessarily what you do but your MOTIVE.   These people from day one have followed, fame, money, self-glory not Jesus. They claimed they were seeking God but it was something else. Apostle Paul describes such people in the following verse.

Philippians 3:18-19 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

The underlying point is that they mind earthly things. This. becomes the motivation of their actions. Their agenda is not Projecting the Lord Jesus.  On this the Holy Spirit tells me many preachers are falling short. A lot of church members are also wanting in this. Dear, reader, pastor or whoever you are, what are you following? Are you following your belly, the glory of men, the beauties of this world or Christ?

The accusation of the Lord in that statement is these people are not qualified because they are workers of iniquity. Among the many meaning of the word ‘workers’ is the word “traders”. Within this word is to merchandise the Grace of God. Don’t make money your motivation for holding programmes. It is an evil motive. May the Lord help us.

PRAYER

Father, I pray for myself and every other Christian to align our focus well. May we never set our bellies as our God and the earthly glories our focus but to follow you alone.

FURTHER STUDIES

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

Matthew 6:33 ” But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Daniel 1:8 “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore, he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”

The word church is the Greek word ‘Ekklesia is coined out of two Greek words ‘Ek’ which means ‘ out of ‘ and the word ‘Kalio’ which also means ‘to call’. This gives the meaning to the word ‘Ekklesia’ as the called-out ones. Every Christian has been called out of the world. Whenever we do the very things people of the world do, which is contrary to God’s word we defile ourselves and by that we destroy God’s import of separating us from the world.

The word church could also mean the separated ones. This is the meaning of the Greek word for Holy or saints. (i.e. HAGIOS) (1st Corinth 1:2) If you are a child of God then you are a SAINT or a HOLY ONE. You should not defile yourself with what the world sees nothing wrong with yet our Father hates it.

It was nothing wrong to the Babylonians to eat from the Kings table, but to God it was an abomination. That was food offered to the idols. It was a way they fellowshipped with their demon spirits. How could the man with the Spirit of God be party to such a thing.2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

In our modern times it is very normal for a man and a woman who are not married to live together under the same roof. Men call it co-habitation yet God says it is a sin and defiles both parties. Speaking lies via mobile phones is almost becoming universal. Please this is unacceptable to God and to you a SAINT of God.

In our key scripture Daniel passed the test with distinction. HE PURPOSED in his heart not to DEFILE himself.

This is what you must do:

1 Know who you are. You are a saint a HOLY man or Woman.

2.DECIDE you will not defile or make yourself impure by that sinful way.

3. STAY by your decision.

The result was God’s approval and honour

Daniel and his friends became more healthier, wiser and handsome, ten times than all those who ate the food from the kings table.  Take a stand for God and your life would be ultimately promoted far higher than your peers.

CONFESSION

I have decided by the grace of God, not to defile my holiness with the ways of the world. I do not have any challenges from the appeals of the flesh or the world, because my mind is made up and cannot be turned in another direction.

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 12:2 ” 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”.

1 John 2:15-16 ” Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 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.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:8 ” Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

Hebrews 12:14 teaches that we should follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man would see the Lord. Without holiness you have no audience with the Lord. Our key scripture also teaches without purity no man would see the Lord. From these statements we can conclude holiness is equivalent to purity.

Purity from the advance learners’ dictionary is being undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material.   How do we get impure? When we allow our hearts to process or dwell on stuff or material that opposes the word of God. This is how the Lord Jesus put it. Mark 7:21-22 ” For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:”

These things come out of the heart because they are already there and have been given attention to. When the Lord said he who “looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”. (Matt 5:28). This person did not just see the woman, but saw her and used his reasoning faculties to desire her. Job says he has covenanted with his eyes not to think on a maiden. (Job 31:1). How does the eye think? The eye looks and the mind does the thinking. He is saying, I have decided I will not use my mind to think and imaging any wrong desires about a girl.

How does impure information get to us?

1.Demonic suggestions Ephesians 2:2nd Corinth 11:3

2. Materials we watch, read from all kinds of sources. (Mark 4: 24

3.Influence from friends (1st Corinth 15:33)

4 Vulgar music of our modern day attacks our righteous souls.

Now anything that does not agree with the word of God will defile or make you impure if you allow it.

How do we stay pure.?

1.Convince yourself that you have to stay pure and that you can stay pure. (Isaiah 1:18)

2.Do as Job did. Decide not to dwell or think about any material, scene, words or feeling that opposes the word of God.

3.Feed your heart with the word of God (Psalm 119:9&11)

4 Say the word to yourself and practice what you read.

5 Never think you are above been deceived and defiled. Stay prepared.

Remember that, if without purity you can’t see God, then it simply means you have no portion in heaven. YOUR PURITY IS NO. ONE

CONFESSION

I have decided to keep pure so I would not miss heaven. I give no attention to any unwholesome material by refusing to let it dwell on my mind.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 119:9, 11 ” Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”.

2 Corinthians 11:3 ” But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Exodus 28:2 ” And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.”

The Lord commanded Moses to make a special garment for the high priest. It was a holy garment. From our key scripture it was for beauty and glory. Glory and beauty are synonymous. This means they could be used interchangeably. Glory is magnificence, beauty and power, and beauty manifests all these. Without holiness a man is without magnificence, power and beauty. This is the reason holy men are such a great threat to devils. They can’t simply stand their presence. Remember, holiness is purity, absence of evil, perfect light, perfect love and perfect justice.

The Lord exhorts his saints to worship God in the beauty of Holiness. Psalms 96:9 “O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth”. True beauty is not that outwardly but the beauty produced by holiness. When apostle Peter was advising wives about the best way to decorate themselves, he advised them to seek the beauty of the inner man.1 Peter 3:3-4 ” Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

Most woman and specifically wives spend so much money to decorate the outward man. Many of such people are filled with hurts, quarrels, pride producing homes that “burn with fires” of confusion. Apostle Peter says let your focus be wearing the garment of holiness. This is what he calls an ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which in the sight of God is of a very great price.  How glorious and beautiful our homes would be, if husbands and wives will put on this garment of holiness. A meek and quiet spirit would not strive or hold grudges. Husbands will not have girlfriends outside the marital home. Wives will also not be unfaithful. Financial problems in the home will not attract ‘guns and weapons’ but in submission to each other workable ways would be sort to ease the heat generated by absence of money.

Holy men and women always exude or radiate an aura of beauty and glory. I am not talking about pretenders, but genuinely holy men or women carry true beauty.

CONFESSION.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in me, makes me holy. I take advantage of that and walk a life of practical holiness. I carry the beauty of the Lord so His glory and power are seen in me.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 29:2 ” Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”

Psalms 93:5 ” Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, forever.”