40 DAYS PRAYER & FASTING – JANUARY 2 TO FEBRUARY 11, 2024

POSTED SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2024 by BISHOP DR JOSEPH AGBI 

SERMON: RESEMBLING CHRIST

NAOG Page 408

Read Ephesians 4:1-32

Ephesians 4:11-13 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:Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

 a. Believers were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:19-26)

b.  You need to be fully persuaded and sold to Him (Phil 3:10-12)

c. You start with the basics but be ready to grow exponentially to perfection (Rom. 10:8-10; Heb. 6:1-6)

Seated with Christ in heavenly places. Col. 3:12 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

a) I should always remember that I have been raised with Christ.

b) I should remember His death and resurrection as well as the process of my baptism.

c) I need to keep seeking the things which are above.

d)  I should remember that Christ is above and is seated at the right hand of God.

e) I should remember that one day he will return with great glory and take me home to be with Him forever.

Knowing Christ is your Greatest Gain

Read Phil. 3:7-8.

a) The cross is not an offence to me but a gain.

b) Old things are passed away and all things are become new.

c) I am willing to sacrifice all things so I can win Christ.

d) The surpassing value of knowing Christ cannot be exchanged for anything.

e) I am willing to suffer the loss of all things and count them but rubbish so I may gain Christ.

Read 1 Thess. 1:9-10.

a) I need to turn from to God from idols of the heart to serve the true and living God.

b) I need to expectantly wait for Jesus from heaven.

c) I need to remember the resurrection of Jesus from heaven. d) need to remember that because He is alive and has saved us, rescuing us from the wrath of God to come.

Read 2 Tim. 2:3-4.

a) I am enlisted in the end-time army of God.

b) I should be willing to suffer hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

c) I should not entangle myself with the affairs of this life.

d) I am a good soldier of Christ in active service and will ever remain so.

e) I will please God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit who enlisted me to be His soldier.

How much do we resemble Christ?

Read 2 Cor. 4:11, 16-18.

We resemble Christ in many ways:

a) We suffered persecution of mortal proportion, and we should be ready to do likewise for Him.

b) Since Christ triumphed over persecution, we too will be victorious and triumph in His name.

c) We do not lose heart no matter the persecution we face, we should ask for the grace of God and be ready to bear it.

d) Our outward man is decaying but our inward man is renewed day by day.

e) Our afflictions are light compared to what Christ suffered.

f) Our light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond comparison.

g) We should refocus our eyes and vision from the things which are seen to the things which are not seen, that is things of eternal value.

Heb. 11:25-27 (Moses) chose rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

a) Moses chose to endue ill-treatment with God’s people rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin.

b) He considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.

c) Moses looked forward to the reward for the reproaches he suffered for Christ.

d) By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king. He actually left so he could come back and fight another day (Exod. 2:10-15; the Bible calls it an act of faith). e) Moses endured, seeing Him who is unseen as permitting what was going on in His life.

PRAYER POINTS

WEEK 5  JAN 28 – FEB 03        Praise Worship         Text1 Kings 3:1-28; Luke 2:40-52; Phil. 4:1-23.

John 15:1-11, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the words which I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, you are the branch; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

STRONG CONNECTION TO THE VINE

1. Oh Lord, I thank you for the shed blood of Jesus. Reveal yourself to me in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, thank you for my salvation. Give me grace to witness and win souls for Christ.
3. Oh Lord, fill my heart with wisdom. Wax and cement my spirit strong with your word.
4. I reject every spirit of worldliness. I refuse to corrupt the wisdom of God in my heart.
5. Oh Lord, grant me a heart to discern and keep away from evil in the name of Jesus.
6. Oh Lord, give me a humble and teachable spirit. Engrave your words in my heart.
7. Lord, as you appeared to Solomon in a dream, appear to me. Baptise me with your wisdom.
8. Lord, help me to grow in wisdom and favour with God and people in greater measure.
9. Let your wisdom show in me by the decisions I make that they are very thoughtful.
10. Thank you, Lord for your favour and blessings. Distinguish me with your excellence.
11. Oh Lord, show yourself mighty and strong in my life. Rejoicing shall abound in my life always.
12. Satisfy my hunger and thirst for your righteousness. Help me to hate all besetting sins with perfect hatred. I shall not be foolish but wise. Let your light shine brightly through me.
13. Lord Jesus, fill my heart with your peace, joy, and righteousness. Let your holiness fill all fibre of my being and emit from me convicting others (Rom. 14:17; John 14:27; 16:33).
14. I cast all my worries on Christ. Lord, fill my spirit with godliness, contentment, faith, love, patience, meekness, power, and soundness of mind (1 Tim. 6:6-11; 2 Tim. 1:7; 1 Pet. 5:7).
15. Every power of the enemy troubling my peace, you are wasting your time. I overcome you with the marks of Christ. I am not ashamed of His marks. I wear them proudly (Gal. 6:17).
16. Lord, thank you for your strength. I receive grace to do all things well (Phil. 4:13).
17. Lord, make me a strong branch connected to you and the Father. I am full of sap (Ps 104:16; Jn 15:1)
18. Lord, you said if I abide in you and your word abides in me, I shall ask anything, it will be done unto me. I abide in you by grace. I shall not depart from you nor walk in ungodliness. Evil ways are anathema to my soul. I cleave to you and behold your glory always.
19. Lord, prune me. Make my tree always healthy. Cause my life to bear much fruit abundantly to your glory. I love you, Lord. Let my discipleship of you become better, deeper, and deeper.
20. Make me fruitful in all good works. Fortify me to be productive in all I do (1 Cor. 15:58).
21. Worship God in the Spirit for fifteen to twenty minutes and journal what the Lord tells you!

CLOSE YOUR FASTING EACH DAY AND EACH WEEK WITH THE FOLLOWING CONFESSION:

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.

Rev. 12:11, Amplified And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death.

Jeremiah 1:10 See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.