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

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

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

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

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

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

 CONFESSION

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

FURTHER STUDIES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 CONFESSION

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

FURTHER STUDIES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 CONFESSION

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

FURTHER STUDIES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CONFESSION

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

FURTHER STUDIES:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 CONFESSION

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

FURTHER STUDIES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CONFESSION

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

FURTHER STUDIES.

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

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

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1:13-14 ” In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,

Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory”.

Among the many insights that was given to Apostle Paul, was the knowledge that when one believed in Jesus the Holy Spirit did not only come to impart life to us, empower us, or to teach us, rather He also became God’s seal of ownership over our lives. The scripture continued in verse 14 that the Holy Spirit as God’s seal over our lives is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.

The meaning of the verse 14 is that the Holy Spirit is a guarantee or a down payment that God has made awaiting the final appearing of our saviour to fully redeem us. This is very important for us to know how to maintain a very good relationship with the Holy Spirit and not to do things that grieve Him. We must not do things that influence His work in us, to the intent that it may affect our ultimate asses to the kingdom of the Lord.

In Matthew 25:1-13 the Lord Jesus narrated a parable of the virgins. Five made sure they had enough oil (a symbol of the Holy Spirit). The other five had no oil and did nothing about it. Now please understand this, the Christian needs to be filled every day. The cream of getting filled is fellowship with the Spirit. There are various ways to fellowship with the Spirit. Joining other believers in church is one of the ways to get filled up. Personal devotion, prayer, worship studying the word gets you filled up. When the Christian neglects his fellowship with the Lord he gets depleted and lose that influence and in filling of the Spirit.

In that story the Lord, the bridegroom came and the five who were described as wise had their lamps filled, whiles the other five had empty lamps. These five foolish virgins hurriedly went searching for oil, only to come back to find the door locked. You need to have the Holy Spirit filling you more and more every day. Never neglect the fellowship of the Spirit. Do not neglect fellowshipping with the brethren. Do not neglect personal prayer, meditations, fellowship, Bible studying and fastings as well. Note this, it is His presence in our lives that allows Him to be a seal of the father on our lives.

Maintain the seal of the Holy Spirit always over your life. Don’t be a foolish virgin. Be filled with the Holy Spirit always. You do not know when the Lord shall come.

 CONFESSION

The Holy Spirit is God’s seal of ownership over my life. I always maintain a sweet fellowship with the Spirit such that I am always filled up with Him. My life is ever victorious ever ready for the Lord.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Ephesians 5:18 ” And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit”;

Acts 4:31 ” And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 4:25 “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification”.

Our key scripture reveals an information that is very insightful and revealing. It says our Lord Jesus was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification. This statement has two parts.

The first part states that our Lord Jesus was delivered because of our offences. It simply means God gave Him over to take away our sins. (Isaiah 53:5&6, John 1:29.)

The second part is made clearer through the Pauline revelations. It says he was raised again for our justification.

Through the Pauline revelations we get to know that we died with Jesus. According to Romans 6:6, the body of sin which carried the law of sin and death was buried with the Lord Jesus. (Rom 8:2)

The Lord Jesus resurrected with us, giving us a new life. This new life or new man had never existed. It is called a new creature (2nd Corinth 5:7). It is a completely new personality with nothing to do with our past life. The Bible used the word raised for our justification, because the new man which came out of this  resurrection with Jesus is sinless ,therefore it is Justified or righteous.. Please just consider the way our new personality is described in Colossians 1:21, 22 “And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled. In the body of His flesh through death, to present you Holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight”.

Before we came to Christ we were enemies in our minds. We were also by nature dead unto God (Ephesians 2:1). The law of sin and death worked and produced all the wrong things. It produced sin, sickness, failure and many more. Now, after our resurrection with the Lord. We   are described as Holy, unblameable, and unreproveable.  Dear child of God our new nature is completely free from the law of sin and death. Now the law at work in our new man is the law of the Spirit of life”. The product of the law of the Spirit of life is true love for all, good health, success and good deeds. (Romans 8:2).

This is all by the grace of God. Stop calling yourself a sinner, rather the righteousness of God. You are now superior to Satan and his demons. Satan would raise all kinds of things to challenge your position, but stand your grounds and resist him. Live a victorious life, manifesting the very nature of the new man created after God in righteousness and true Holiness.

 CONFESSION

Thank you heavenly Father for giving me life through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am a new man completely free from the negative influences of the old indwelling evil nature. I now manifest Christ nature and victories.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Ephesians 4:24 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”.

Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Philippians 3:14 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.

Apostle Paul besides the many revelations that the Holy Spirit gave to him, also made certain statements that carries so much insight for living a victorious life.

In verse 13 he stated that he does not claim he is perfect or have arrived but he forget those things which are past. This statement has been referred to by a number motivational speakers yet it carries a very deep spiritual truth. Every man no matter your achievements and success needs to keep succeeding and advancing your cause. Winning and succeeding adds up to your life. The moment one stops winning, succeeding or triumphing, his life begins to depreciate.

There is always a glow in the eyes of all who are making strides in life. The Victories they are having give a sparkle to their life. Never stop advancing and making exploits.

Apostle Paul said he does one thing. This one thing has two parts. They are forgetting those things which are behind and striving ahead. It involves even those as you failed. They must all be put aside. The statement “I forget” does not mean forget in the sense of absolute neglect, rather it means put them aside. It also means I refuse to let them occupy me. It can restrict or obstruct you from moving forward so you need to put them aside and get on to higher heights.

Apostle Paul said; I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” There is a place in God that most of us have not known. There is and are places of deep encounter that is barren to most of us. He says I press towards. Paul had a desire, DESIRE IS THE VEHICLE TO ACHIEVEMENT Press in prayer, press in studying the word, press in fasting, press in meditating on the scriptures, press in making sacrificial giving and press in proclaiming your faith to win the lost. It means discomforting yourself. It also means making sacrifices. Note: No pain, No gain. There is no success for the lazy man. There is the need for great diligence. Fear of failure must not be entertained in this affair. Pressing always comes against some oppositions, some barriers, and some people who may not agree with you. He presses towards the mark for the prize. Prizes are not won by sleeping, eating and snoring.  Prizes are won on the field of competition. The first demand to win is the right attitude to win.

Get that attitude and go into the field of competition and win.

 CONFESSION

I am born a winner. I keep moving and never satisfied with what I have. I will keep moving and keep advancing.

FURTHER STUDIES.

John 9:4  ” I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work”.

1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway”.

In our previous study we realized every child of God is united with the master, such that he represents us in heaven and we also represents Him on this earth. This implies we share His authority and power with Him. If this is the case why are most Christians not walking in the power? One major cause is the influence of the flesh.

We must allow the Lord to take over our hearts. This means loving Him with our whole being. The next is to bring our flesh under control.

Among many ways to bring the flesh under control is to employ fastings. Apostle Paul says in 2nd Corinth 11:27 that he fasts often.

 Fasting should be a means of fellowship with the master not only when one needs something from God. David said I humbled my soul with fasting.(Psalms 35:13). This should be coupled with meditation and a continuous life of prayer. You can also do this by reducing your meals to very minimal levels so as to raise your focus on the Lord. Note some people with certain health challenges must seek medical counsel before engaging in such lifestyle.

Satan has used man’s desire for food to control and caused men to get out of course with God. He succeeded with Adam and Eve, Esau lost his birthright and the people of Israel were destroyed in the wilderness because of meat.

Apostle Paul was such a great man of God and says he fasts often. No wonder he was mightily used of God.

These last days are going to be days of great outpouring of the Spirit and as many who raise their spiritual sensitivity would be great instruments in the hands of the master.

Join God’s end time army by being different from the majority.

CONFESSION

My body is an instrument for me to glorify God I am in charge of my body not my body in charge of me.My heart is committed to the Lord and so I take charge of my body so I do not fall short of God standard.

FURTHER STUDIES

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”.

Psalms 35:13 ” But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom”.