KEY SCRIPTURE: Colossians 1:27 ” To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

Our key scripture says the mystery, which has been hidden since the creation of the world, is now made known to men. This mystery is Christ in all those who believe in Him. This experience is the hope of glory.

God, our Father has planned that one day all mankind or all those who will come to faith in Jesus Christ would have the Christ in them. Christ means the anointed one. It also means the anointing. This refers to the Spirit of God that worked in Jesus and did all the works, now residing in men as well.
The scripture said in

Acts 10:38 that,” how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil for God was with Him“.

This anointing that was on Him was to reside in all men who would acknowledge Him as Lord over their lives.
In Luke 4:18, the Lord said the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor… This anointing the Lord talked about was to be in all those who would submit to His Lordship over their lives .They would also have this anointing to preach to the poor, bind up the broken-hearted, preach deliverance to the captives, and many more.
Well, this is news too good to be true. It is indeed a great mystery unveiled.

To appreciate what this implies can turn supermen out of most of us. There is nothing that this anointing can not do. There is no power greater than this anointing. This meant those who come to terms with the real implications of this fact CANNOT be overpowered by any form of satanic oppression of any sort. NB: it is the truth you truly embrace or submit to that totally rule you and manifests completely in you. Christ in you is indeed the hope of glory. You can say with Paul ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me ’.

You can also overcome every challenge through Christ who lives in you (1st John 4:4).

CONFESSION
Christ is in me. What a truth to be aware of. I am made an instant champion in life for He  that conquered in life has now taken His abode in me. Thank you, Jesus.

THOUGHT: CHRIST IN ME GIVES ME A GLORIOUS LIFE.

FURTHER STUDIES.

John 8:12 ” Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life”

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.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Romans 6:14 ” For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye CALLED INTO LIBERTY not under the law, but under grace”.

We look further into living under the law and its implications. What is the law? The law is God’s righteous demands that He expects all men to comply with, but with no divine provisions to do or obey it. (Romans 3:19)
Our key scrioture reveals that since we are living by God’s grace, we have victory over sin, but living by the law makes one a slave to sin

The law demands man’s effort. Grace is obtained through faith. Grace is receiving the ability of the Spirit to function through you. According to Romans 3:19, the law was given to expose the weakness of men, so man could turn to God.

Romans 3:20 reads “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin“.

Why would no man be justified by attempting to live by the law? Men are fallen beings dominated by death.When a man lives by his works, his fallen nature can never produce what God expects.The law exposes man’s weakness, and living by the law is not of faith. It is called the works of the law (flesh). Men are only justified by faith. (Rom 5:1) No man would be justified or declared righteous by his or her attempt to live by the law.

Somebody may ask, is the law evil. No and a big No. As I’ve defined in the definition of the law, it is God’s righteous demands. It is not sinful or evil. Living by the law is not by faith. God’s way of pleasing Him is living by faith because faith takes advantage of all that Jesus is and has done. (Hebrews 11:6). Please listen to something very serious in

Galatians 3:10 ” For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them”.

When is one living under the law? Anytime you do not trust the Spirit of Christ to work through you, rather you act by your own ability. Any child of God who commits sin is not living by grace. Rather, he is living by his own effort. Living by the grace of God makes us super humans. It is living by a higher and superior ability. This is what

Philippians 2:13 says “for it is God which works in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure”.

Living under grace is a great privilege. It makes all the potentials of God available to us. You can’t be defeated living according to His grace.

CONFESSION
I am living by the grace of God. I have therefore received God’s supernatural abilities, causing me to do excellent things. My love life has been catapulted to a glorious state by God’s divine provisions.

THOUGHT:
BY FAITH WE RECEIVE DIVINE ABILITY TO OVERCOME


FURTHER STUDIES.

2 Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”.

Galatians 3:12 ” And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them.”

Galatians 3:24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith”.

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.”

One truth taught by the Holy Spirit is the believer’s righteousness.
After the fall of man, he became a slave to the devil. Spiritual death and all forms of negative things filled him. Man was a total failure. (Rom 3:23). He was constantly dominated by guilt and a sin consciousness. It is sin consciousness that led to the failure of men. It gave birth to sinful habits, fear, and a total submission to Satan.
Men had their way of righteousness, which is by effort. In the Pauline revelations

We learned about God’s righteousness, which comes by faith in God. It is a gift (Rom. 5:17) Righteousness gives us absolutely boldness before the Father. (Proverbs 28:1) It gives us an ability to stand before the father without any sense of guilt. It produces prayer results. This kind of righteousness makes us superior to the devil as it makes us light (John 8:12, Matthew 5:14). Satan is darkness.

In the Pauline revelations, Romans 5:17 says that all those who have received this gift of righteousness reign in life. The word in the Greek language is, they ‘king’ in this life.

Our key scripture shows us that God has made our Lord Jesus to be sin for us, so we would become the righteousness of God in Him. Please think about it. We are the very righteousness of God.  This is the rightness of God imparted to our Spirit. It means we are no more failures but successful people. Think of yourself that way.

God’s righteousness makes us a solution to many who are defeated in sin and tormented by the already defeated devil.  Please note that as a gift, “God’s righteousness is fixed”. We have it in its completed form, just as Jesus and the Father have. It can’t be made bigger or smaller. We must, therefore, produce acts and deeds of righteousness. (Ephesians 2:10). We are designed for one purpose, to do good works.

Produce love deeds, set the oppressed free, and bless our world. This is the path that our father has ordained for us to walk in.

CONFESSION
I am the righteousness’ of God, free from every sense of guilt, condemnation, and defeat. I can’t be defeated in any way, for there is no failure in my nature. I am a success.

THOUGHT: RIGHTEOUSNESS IS A GIFT THAT PRODUCES RIGHT LIVING

FURTHER STUDIES

Philippians 1:11 ” Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God”.

Romans 3:21-22 ” But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference”:

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2:8-9 ” For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”.

One of the truths that sparked off the reformation of the church in the Dark Ages is the statement of Ephesians 2:8, 9. “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourself: it is the gift of God, Not of works, lest any man should boast”.

Martin Luther who came to the understanding of this truth wrote a lot on it. He was ultimately martyred because of it. Many have directly or indirectly taught that one needs to do certain things in addition to believing in Christ to be saved. The scripture added that it is not of works, lest any should boast”. The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that it is not enough to claim that salvation is by grace alone. One must do certain tasks as prescribed by the watch tower society for one’s salvation to be complete. They argue that to claim you have believed in Jesus is not enough.

I think all this confusion has resulted because of people’s lack of appreciation of what this salvation entails. One is not saved because he joins a church or starts carrying the bible around. Salvation is a supernatural birth that takes place in the heart of an individual through believing in Jesus and declaring Him as Lord. (John 1:12, 13, Rom 10:9&10). This birth makes him or her a child of God, just like Jesus Christ. No work or action or deed can cause this to be. Jesus called it being born from above. John 3:3, This is a divine work and it is only by grace, that is God’s doing that can result in this supernatural birth.

 Christians are not just people who have changed their lifestyle, but it is first and foremost an encounter with the Spirit of God that causes a regeneration deep down in your heart. 2nd Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new”.

It is the effect and the results of salvation that show in a changed lifestyle and also good works. Anyone who attempts to add good works to the work of salvation is erring. Good works is the result of salvation and this difference should be made clear.

 CONFESSION

I have been saved by grace through faith and it is never through any works that I did. I have received God’s supernatural nature, making me a child of His and now I manifest his lifestyle in all I do.

THOUGHT: SALVATION IS A SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE RESULTING IN A TRANSFORMED LIFESTYLE

FURTHER STUDIES.

Romans 10:9-10 ” 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. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation”.

John 3:3  ” Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”:

One of the glorious mysteries that the Lord gave Apostle Paul is the statement of our key scripture. This very scripture has very far-reaching implications.

It says that although we are physically on the earth, we are at the same time seated IN Christ Jesus in heavenly places. What makes this possible?  There is an inseparable union between the Christian and the master Jesus (1st Corinth 6:17). This truth also shows the authority of the Christian. We carry the same authority that our Lord Jesus has.

Secondly, the term ‘right hand’ does not necessarily mean the positional right side but a position of highest authority. Ephesians 1:19–21 explains vividly the height of this authority. Ephesians 1:20-21*

 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come”:

Our authority (the right to exercise power or the right to command and be obeyed) and power (that is the ability to get things done or the ability to effect a change).is far higher than every principality, including the devil himself, every dominion, and every name. Beloved Christian Brother or sister, there is a glorious mystery about you that most of us have not discovered as yet. This is the reason the apostle Paul prays for the brethren in Ephesus that their eyes of understanding would be enlightened so that they would see and understand these things.

When the Christian comes to terms with these things, knowing who he is, then he will no more struggle to get his faith working. He knows that when he speaks or commands in the name of the master Jesus, it is done. The Lord Jesus knew who He was, and therefore did not struggle to exercise faith or defeat the enemy anytime He encountered him. We must continually pray that the Spirit of the Lord would open our eyes of understanding and also flood it with light to see and understand these things. (Ephesians 1:17&18)

 The believer ought to draw very close to the Lord in fellowship, so the influence of the flesh that limits the ability of the Spirit in our lives would be stopped Rom 8:6&7. This would enable us to function and operate in our true capacity as representatives of our Lord Jesus on the earth more effectively.

One way to get this done is through fasting, prayer, and studying God’s word. Amen

CONFESSION

I am one with my master Jesus. He represents me in heaven, and I represent Him on the earth. His very authority is what I have, and therefore, every dominion in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth is subjected to me in His name. Thank you, Lord Jesus.

THOUGHT: BE RAISED IN YOUR MINDS OVER EVERY DEVIL

FURTHER STUDIES

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

Romans 8:6-7 ” For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 3:6 ” Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life”.

The writings of Apostle Paul keep revealing powerful truths about the Christian.

 Our key scripture is a completion of the earlier verse which says “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; God is our sufficiency. It is He who makes us qualified for whatever he calls on us to do.  We must not in any way think or suggest that we are sufficient of ourselves. God Himself is our ABILITY. This should take away every pride from our hearts. We must never feel incapable of handling any situation.

 In the light of what he said in verse five, He says we have been made able ministers of the New Testament He exposes that the New Testament is of the Spirit while the Old Testament is the letter. To say the Old Testament is of the letter means the Old Testament has no spiritual provisions that enable us to do what it says.  In verse 6 the scripture says the letter kills. Why does the law kill? The law or the letter gives us instructions, demands, and commands but provides no life or ability to fulfill them. Everyone under the law is helpless and in bondage.

Romans 8:3a states the following “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh…..”. Man because of the fall has sin in his flesh that makes him incapable of doing what the law says. Under the New Testament, we have the ministry of the Spirit and not the letter. Man under the New Testament is not left at the mercy of the law but has the support of the Spirit which gives us life to do what it tells us.

In verse 7 the Bible calls the law the ministration of death. This ministration of death is what came on the face of Moses shining such that the children of Israel could not look on the face of Moses. (Exodus 34:29-30). The scripture added that this glory was done away. The ministration of the Spirit is indeed more glorious. We have a more glorious ministry than Moses had.

Our study teaches that Christians have been specially endowed with Grace and made capable of living by the ability of the Spirit so we would be able to bring glory to our heavenly father.

 CONFESSION

Thank God, for this great life. I have received the ability of the Spirit to live a higher life bringing the glory, power, and praise of my heavenly father into reality among men.

THOUGHT: WITH GOD AS OUR SUFFICIENCY, WE ARE NEVER HELPLESS.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Phi 2:13 KJV “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

Col 1:12 KJV Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints.

In today’s study, we make a comparison between life and encounters in the New Testament and that of the Old.

The ministration of the Old Testament or the law is called the ministration of condemnation. The ministration of the New Testament is also called the ministration of righteousness.

 Some Christians pray and wish we were in the times of Moses and Elijah. Those times according to the revelation of the Holy Spirit given to Apostle Paul is called the ministration of condemnation. Moses walked in the glory and power of God yet that glory was described as a passing glory. (1st Corinthians 3:7)

 If Moses’ era which manifested so much of the glory of God was called the ministration of condemnation, how much more would the ministration of righteousness be more glorious? 2 Corinth 3:8 Romans 8:1 says,” There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit”. The statement ‘who walk not after the flesh ‘ simply means those who live by faith. Living by faith is living by the word of God. The period of condemnation was the period when men lived by their works, they lived according to their self-efforts or by the flesh.

Living by the flesh, which involves living by sight or by human reasoning places you in condemnation. No one can be justified by living according to the senses. The just shall always live by faith. (Rom 1:17) Faith in God places a man in the ministration of the Spirit or ministration of righteousness. Righteousness is the same word for Justification in the Greek language. The life of true glory and power is never by one’s effort but by purely relying on the word of God revealed about our Lord Jesus.

Now please note this; the word ministration also means service or servicing. It also means dispensing as a drug attendant dispenses his drugs.  In the New Testament, we dispense, minister, or serve by the Spirit. Everything about us should never proceed from self-effort. Life under the New Testament is counting on the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ to do all things. It means believing in the Lord Jesus, counting on what he is and has done to be ours. We live by his victory over sin. We live by his carrying away all our sicknesses to live in health. We live by his power to defeat the enemy. This is the glorious ministry of the New Testament.

 CONFESSION

I thank God for the new covenant. Now it is Christ living through me as I count on Him. This is a more glorious Ministry because it’s Christ alive in me working  through me

THOUGHT: IN CHRIST WE HAVE A MORE GLORIOUS MINISTRY

FURTHER STUDIES.

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”.

2 Corinthians 3:10 “For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Galatians 6:14 ” But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world”.

Apostle Paul declares in our key scripture that God forbid that he should glory or boast, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is very revealing. Human nature tends to be proud of their achievements. In this scripture, we are told that every form of boasting outside the cross of our Lord Jesus  is an empty boasting. Why is this so? The Bible reveals that men by our lineage from our first father Adam have all inherited a nature of death and condemnation. Romans 5:12 “wherefore as by one man sin  entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”. This nature is also called “the law of sin and death”(Romans 8:2). Every person born on this Earth has this power called the law of sin and death at work in him: Every human experience outside Christ and the cross is pure misery and failure. All achievements of any man and its subsequent boasting is futile.

The Lord Jesus’ death on the cross was a deliverance for all mankind. His death was the crucifixion of this power that ruled mankind. On the cross, we were all set free. The law of sin and death made us slaves to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that ruled the world. Ephesians 2:2  ” Wherein in time past ye walked according to  the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience “:

Dear child of God, because of Christ’s cross, we are crucified to the world and the prince of the power of the air. This spirit does not have the power to dominate us. Any Christian who lives in sin either does not know the truth or has willingly yielded himself or herself to this prince of the power of air. The cross of Christ spelt our deliverance. The cross is our place of glory. It is God’s instrument for our deliverance into the new life. We do not glory or boast about our achievements but only in Christ’s cross.

Dear reader if you have not given your life to Jesus then you have not passed through this ‘door of deliverance’, you are still a slave to the world, ruled by the prince of the power of the air. If you refuse to make Jesus Lord of your life, you will be with this evil prince in hell. Choose to accept the Lord Jesus today.

PRAYER

Thank you heavenly Father because of our Lord Jesus who died on the cross for us. Today l am free from Satan’s dominance and am an instrument to set others free. In Jesus’ name, I have prayed.

THOUGHT: THE CROSS WAS OUR DOOR INTO  LIFE.

FURTHER STUDIES.

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”.

Romans 7:24-25 ” O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 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”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 3:10. “For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.”

We live in a time under a ministry that excels. The ministry of the New Testament is the Ministry of our Lord Jesus through us. This is why we are called Christians.

Moses and the people under the old covenant had to obey certain laws to be justified. They had to circumcise and make certain blood sacrifices to be forgiven. Anyone who falls short of these laws is disqualified and condemned. I find it very unfortunate for certain people who call themselves Christians to claim they are living under the law.

In this new covenant or the New Testament our Lord Jesus according to Romans 10:4 says “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes”. Praise the Lord. Believing in Jesus automatically makes the law fulfilled in us. This does not mean we live against the law, but we receive life, or the ability to manifest the righteousness of the Law. (Romans 8:3,4).

Once again in the ministry of the New Testament, we have a glory that excels because it is the very glory that our Lord Jesus Himself had (Hebrews 2:10). We have been brought into glory, the very glory of our Lord Jesus. We are the fruits of his planting through death.

Life in the New Testament is purely by faith in Christ to express Himself through us. We demonstrate righteousness by Christ in us. We meet health challenges by the life of Christ in us. This is why we conquer every problem that arises against us. The manifestation of power and authority over the devil is purely by His (Jesus) authority. Oh! What a life. This is a glory that excels. Now do you see that we have a more glorious ministry than that of Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and so on?

Just consider what Jesus said in Matthew 11:11 “Verily I say unto you. Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist, notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”. All Christians are in the kingdom of heaven (Hebrews 12:22). We are greater than all of them.

Please let us stop living ordinary lives but decide to allow Christ in us to reign and express Himself mightily through us to the world.

 CONFESSION

I have a ministry that excels. It is the Ministry of Christ in me and through me. I am greater than every challenge, power, and attack for Christ in me is my life.

THOUGHT: IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, WE DO NOT EARN ANYTHING BY OUR EFFORT, BUT WE INHERIT ALL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST BY FAITH

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.”

Romans 8:37 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”.