Christ Our Wisdom and Power Ministries

1 Cor 1: 24, 30 .... Jesus Christ is our Wisdom, Power, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption

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DEC. 31 2013/2014 NEW YEAR PRAYERS

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DEC. 31 2013/2014 NEW YEAR PRAYERS

Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Psalm 104:23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

Tuesday Dec. 31 2013 [New Year worship/thanksgiving/prayers]
All the prayers should be prayed in Jesus name. Also cleanse yourself regularly with the blood of Jesus.

Praise Worship: Confession Scripture: Psalm 40:1-17 Text: Psalm 99:1-9

1. Praise Him for who He is using the verses of Psalm 99
2. Thank God for your salvation and divine protection for you and your loved ones in 2013 [Psalm 40:1-3].
3. Praise Him for His mighty hand of deliverance from all dangers and troubles in 2013 [Psalm 40:11-17].
4. Thank God for your successes, special blessings, and specific testimonies of 2013
5. Thank God for keeping you in divine health and meeting all your needs [pray, using Psalm 103:1-5]
6. Ask God for more wisdom in 2014. Pray that God make your heart wiser in Jesus’ name [Col 3:16].
7. Ask God for grace to serve Him more faithfully in 2014.

Prayer Session I [Prayer for Increased Spiritual Strength]

Confession Scripture: 2 Peter1:1-12 Text: Psalm 104:1-35

1. Lord, quicken my heart by the power of your Holy Spirit. Make my heart a citadel of power [Acts 2:1-4].
2. Lord, strengthen my inner-being. Refresh and revive me by your Spirit [Psalm 104:30].
3. Oh Lord, build me up. Help me to pursue the virtues of faith, holiness and love [2 Peter 1:5-8].
4. Lord, teach me to hate sin with perfect hatred. Consecrate me and sanctify me [Acts 10:38].
5. Every gift God has given to me; come alive, be stirred up and begin to function [2 Tim. 1:6-7].
6. Lord, cover me with your garment of righteousness and holiness. Make me a flaming fire [Psalm 104:1-4].
7. Lord, make me a healthy tree. Fill me with your sap of love and power in [Psalm 104:16; Psalm 1].

Prayer Session II [Prayer for Abounding Grace and Joy]

Confession Scripture: 2 Cor 4:14-16, Amplified Text: 2 Cor 8:1-24

1. Thank God you for the abundant joy of salvation and ask Him to cloth you with His righteousness [Isaiah 61:10; Isaiah 12:3; Habakkuk 3:18].
2. Ask God to strengthen you spiritually in 2014 so you will do exploits for His kingdom [Dan. 11:32].
3. Ask God to bless the works of your hands & make you a blessing to others [2 Cor. 8:7].
4. Ask God to fill your heart with kindness so you always be a blessing to the distressed [2 Sam 17:27-29].
5. Oh Lord, give me a humble & teachable spirit. Engrave your word in my heart.
6. Thank you Lord for your favour & blessings. Lord, distinguish me with your wisdom & excellence.
7. I receive the promotion, wealth & honour that come from you and you alone in 2014 [Prov. 3:13-18].

Jesus Christ is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption [1 Cor. 1:23, 30]

Church Services & Programs

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You and your loved ones are cordially invited to our church services and programs

in our new sanctuary:

Location:
10706 101 Street Edmonton, AB T5H 2S3

Sunday Church Service:

Time: 10:00 am-12.00 noon

  • Sunday school both for adults and kids
  • Worship Session
  • Prayers
  • Sermon

Mid-week Service: Wednesdays

Bible-Studies/Prayer Meetings

Time: 6 pm  – 7:30 pm

Workers & Choir Meetings/Evangelism: Saturdays

Time: 1 pm  – 3 pm

Night Vigils: Last Fridays of the Month

Time: 10 pm – 12 midnight

COMING SOON: OUR BIBLE SCHOOL CLASSES

COME TO THE HOUSE OF BREAD AND BE PREPARED

TO MEET THE LORD IN A NEW PHASE OF YOUR LIFE

 

 

 

 

THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER THAN I

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The Rock that is higher than I

Psalm 61:1-8 1Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. 2From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 4I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. 5For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. 6Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations. 7He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. 8So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

A huge rock could be compared in strength to a concrete bunker that people hide for protection in times of war. You are at a vantage point when you are protected by a rock or mountain, because a rock signifies something that is stable and unshakeable. When you are faced with the issues of life that overwhelm you, who do you look or run to for help? Go to Jesus because He is the sure foundation. He is the solid rock of ages on which you should build your hope and trust. When we build our lives on Christ, we become unshakeable and immovable. We would not be as the shifting sand without strength overwhelmed and swept away by flood waters [Matt. 7:24-27].

You may wish to compare your life to some bible characters and see how they overcame challenging issues of life. For example, sensing persistent danger, David hid himself in clefts of rocks and caves from king Saul, his avowed enemy, who planned to kill him. His life was spared. Sin and fear will expose a person so he cannot hide in the rock for protection. There is no account David was living in sin and staying within clefts of rocks kept him and his army protected from Saul.

When you trust in Christ He not only becomes your Rock, but you become a rock yourself, because you have your origin in Him.

Isaiah 51:1 reads, Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

Further Scripture Reading
Psalm 31:1-4: 1In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. 2Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. 3For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. 4Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. 5Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Song:
I gonna stay right under th blood
I gonna stay right under th blood
I gonna stay right under th blood
Where the devil can do me no harm
No harm, no harm, no harm
No harm, no harm, no harm
Where the devil can do me no harm

Prayers
1. Lord Jesus, hide me under your mighty protective arms.
2. Lord Jesus, unravel and destroy all the plans and activities of Satan against me by your mighty power.

TRUE RICHES OF THE KINGDOM

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TRUE RICHES OF THE KINGDOM
This is a Bible Study outline prepared by the author and shared in one of our recent meetings. A lot has been said on prosperity and there are many divergent views. However, the Bible is very clear on what prosperity is and what it is not. As I was praying and meditating on the Word of God, I got the following points which I now share with you in questions and answers format.

Memory Verse
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth [3 John v2].

1. What is the meaning of prosperity? True prosperity is a blessing from God. God owns all the resources in heaven and on earth. He wants us to prosper in our body, soul and spirit. However, His love transcends what we have, owe or own. God prospers us so we can be of better service to Him.

2 Cor. 9:8
8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

2. Is it a sin to be prosperous? Prosperity in itself is not a sin. It is the means people used to achieve it that is a sin. Examples are hoarding, stealing, deception, etc.

11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase [Prov. 13:11]

3. What should believers do to prosper? Believers are encouraged to be hardworking, share with others what God has blessed them with, aspire to provide unique services in their vocation and pursue entrepreneurship as God gives you the ability.

4. Does the Bible encourage believers to be wealthy? How can we avoid being deceived? Believers are encouraged to seek the welfare of their soul first. That is the primary goal, having peace with your Maker. We are told not to take advantage of others in other to gain materially [1 Tim 6:17-19]. We are warned to avoid people who go about to deceive others [1 Tim 6:5, 9-11].

5. What is the balanced approach to prosperity? The balanced approach is to seek to live for Christ, glorify Him with all He has given to you but know you are mortal. Prosperity is not all about having a fat bank account which ends anyway when the person breathes his last breath. God is the one who adds His material blessings to you and me therefore it is wrong to hold Him to “ransom” with what He is freely willing to give to us [Matt. 6:19-34; 1 Cor. 4:7].

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

6. Was Jesus Christ really poor or rich? Jesus is the King of kings so He is rich. All the Kings of the earth are subject to Him. He is the Word Incarnate that created Heaven and earth. However, He became poor to save us from our sins [Psalm 2; Heb 1:1, John 1:1, Rev. 19:11-17]

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich [2 Cor. 8:9].

7. Does wealth hinder someone from serving God better and is poverty a blessing? Wealth does not hinder someone from serving God better. However, it can be a big distraction if you remove your focus from the Giver Himself. Examples of Bible Characters who were wealthy are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, etc. Examples of wealthy people who became distracted by their wealth were Lot and the rich young ruler [Gen.13:1-13, chapter 19; Matt 19:16-26]. Examples of rich people who refused to serve God with their wealth or be generous to others were the rich fool, Nabal, the rich man in Jesus’ parable and Ananias and Sapphira [1 Sam. 25, Luke 12:16-21; Acts 5]. There were also those who were poor but devoted their lives to God some by being taught the principle of faith like the widow of Zarephath [1 Kings 17:1-16]. God judges everyone according to the state of his or her heart. How should you handle wealth if you find yourself blessed with an abundance of it? Handle it the way the Scriptures say in Tim 6:17-19 and Matt. 6:19-34. Do not allow the cares and deceitfulness of riches to choke the Word of God in your heart. Give no place to the devil to allow the god of “mammon” to be your master and lord.
The Bible states we should be content with what we have:

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out [1 Tim 6:6-7].

8. What was the approach of the Apostles to prosperity? The apostles were chosen for a specific mission and they each achieved his calling. None of them taught that poverty was a blessing. Neither did they teach greediness. The early church was one where people were encouraged to give according to the measure God had blessed them. Some brought everything to the Apostle’s feet, others did not and suffered the consequences [Acts 4:32-37; Acts 5]. Jesus taught his disciples to be fed by those whom the gospel is preached to [Luke 10:7]. In doing this both the giver and receiver learn to trust God to meet their needs, a lesson taught by Elijah to the widow of Zarephath [1 Kings 17; 2 Chron. 20:15-30, v20]

9. What are the conditions we must satisfy to truly say you are prospering? We are required to fear God, obey His word and serve Him in Love [Deut. 28:1-10].

10. What do we teach our children about prosperity? We should teach our children the fear of God and that they should grow in his wisdom [Prov. 4:1-11]

11. What investments should believers invest in to prosper? Christians should learn how to sow like the farmer. There are many opportunities out there to prosper. However, do not sow into a bag with holes. Prayerfully seek what to invest in. Seek counsel from those who know about wise investments and from your leaders.

12. How do we sow into the work of God? By looking at areas of need in your local assembly, mission field, blessing the Pastors and ministers as the Lord leads you, etc.

13. Tithing? Learn and continue the principle of tithing Principles and accountability to God. Serve God with what you have. What He has given to you is able to sustain you. Proverbs 3:5-10.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it [Mal. 3:10].

14. What is the role of wisdom in Prosperity. Godly wisdom is very important. The wiser we are the more God wants to bless us. He will only entrust true riches to those who would be accountable to Him.
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? [Luke 16:11]

CONCLUSION I hope the study has been a blessing to you with better understanding of what true prosperity is. In conclusion, pursue the things of the Kingdom first. The Lord has promised to add all other things to you. Know that it is God’s utmost priority to bless you as emphasized in 3 John v2, 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. Also know that there are diverse kinds of prosperity from God. At the time the Apostle John wrote this verse in this personal letter to a saint called Gaius, John was in his eighties or perhaps nineties. As he personalized the letter, so God personalizes His prosperity to you and me. He knows what to do and when to do the addition as you diligently serve Him. If you already are already enjoying His grace in this area of life, continue to serve Him and give Him the glory in reverence and awe. Only then will you continue to enjoy His true riches.

1 Cor. 4:7 says: 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalmen

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Citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem!

Isaiah 62: 1-12
For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. 6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, 7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. 8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: 9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. 11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.

This message is to encourage you to think of heaven and how sweet our fellowship with other members of the family of God would be in heaven. In this message you will have an idea of who will be accepted into God’s coming kingdom and who will not.

In Isaiah 62, Zion represents heaven where God resides while Jerusalem represents where the people of God dwell [Psalm 48:1-3]. Zion also represents God’s permanent or immovable throne. Kings and princes, including us believers will stand before Him in judgement in Zion. Zion is not the focus of this exhortation. An explanation of Isaiah 62:1 suffices for now.

Verse 1 in Isaiah 62 may be read as follows:

“For heaven’s sake (Zion, where God’s throne is) will I (God speaking) not hold my peace, and for earth’s sake (Jerusalem, where God’s people resides with His name) I (God speaking) will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.”

Note at the time David spoke Psalm 48, David’s earthly Zion was a stronghold. It was impregnable, that is no enemy could break into it. It was like a fortified garrison, yet he conquered and ruled his big kingdom from Zion.

What about Jerusalem? Zion was where king David dwelt but his subjects lived in Jerusalem [2 Sam. 5:1-10]. Who are those that would live in God’s Jerusalem (illustrated by David’s Jerusalem)? The passage in Isaiah 62 gives us a clue by a seven-sided prophecy, four of which have already been fulfilled. The prophecies when Isaiah the above verses in Isaiah 62 can be extracted from the passage as follows:

1. The coming captivity of Israel and Judah.
2. Their liberation back to their own land.
3. The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
4. The scattering of the Jews & destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and their gathering together in 1948.
5. The second coming of Jesus Christ.
6. Realization of the heavenly Jerusalem which will be an earth-wide tabernacle when God’s kingdom comes to dwell again with men on the earth.
7. The new name which the people of God would have that would grant them access to that heavenly city.

The last three in the above list have not been fulfilled, from which we see that Jerusalem has a special place in end time prophecy and it also connotes the physical abode of believers in the new earth. It has another purpose which has to do with the citizenship and special name of believers at the end of time. The focus of this message is the seventh which is: what will the general name the people of God will have at the end of time? Other scriptures also vividly tell us what our common name will be. This should not be strange because heavenly things can be illustrated by human experiences on the earth.

Have you ever wondered why some people want to perpetuate their names after their death? It is not a bad thing if it is done with good intentions. When a parent has children, he rejoices over the progress of his children. The parent is especially happy that the child is a member of his family and bears the name of that family. In the same way God has His name tag placed on all His children in Heaven. God wants to perpetuate His name on His children throughout all eternity. That is what makes them to be part of His family. These are those whom He has laboured for by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Such people have accepted His salvation and righteousness. In the above passage, God identified the members of the church as His people, both Jews and Gentiles whom He rejoices over. Let God Rejoice over You with His new Name!

Isaiah was an Old Testament prophet but in his time, he received a revelation beyond the forthcoming captivity of Israel. He foresaw not only the freedom from captivity of the people of Israel which happened nearly 200 years after his death, but also the liberation of the redeemed, both Jews and Gentiles from the grips of Satan when God’s Kingdom, the heavenly Jerusalem ultimately becomes a reality on the earth. David lived before Isaiah so Isaiah saw in the spirit some fine details of what David saw. The time for this ultimate redemption is unknown. Only God knows when it will be. However, other scriptures make us understand that the time is very near. The signs of His second coming are all evident, the prevalence of iniquity being one of them. Jesus will come when God is satisfied that His righteousness will be a praise in the earth. That is perhaps why Jesus was not definite, saying only the Father knew the end of the age.
The people of God constitute the general assembly of believers, that is, those believers who have already gone to be with the Lord and those still living [Heb. 12:18-24]. Those who have gone to heaven have already fulfilled their mission on earth. God is already rejoicing over them, not weeping because they have triumphed and are awaiting their rewards in the judgement of the saints.

Someone may ask! Does God weep! Yes He does when He sees His people are being openly led into captivity. Recall that Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people who lived in His time, and we see it continue today in the Judaic world, missed the opportunity of accepting Him as their Messiah (Luke 13-34-35; Luke 19:41; Matt. 23:37-39]. Before destroying the inhabitants of the then world with water in Noah’s time, it grieved God in His heart that He made man, that is God lamented and wept in the heart. God lamented that Israel was being carried away into captivity shortly after Isaiah’s prophecy which was replicated on earth when Jesus wept over Jerusalem, saying the people of that generation would witness His prophecy come to pass. As He said it, so it happened in AD 70.

On the day of Judgement of believers, after Christ second coming, believers will receive His new name or His name becomes their new Identity. It is His identity that you carry that will allow you to dwell with Him in heaven [Isaiah 62:2]. There will be no rebels in heaven. Anyone who does not have His identity will be transported straight to hell fire. The angels God has assigned to do this will carry out this assignment with dispatch, because before God nothing unholy can dwell. If you take the prophecy of Isaiah as a pinch of salt, how about hearing it from the resurrected Christ!

Jesus told the Church of Philadelphia in Rev 3:12
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Someone else may ask, of what use will be the name or how will God distinguish one person from another. Just as Jesus spoke to the church at Philadelphia, He spoke to the church of Pergamos:

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. When we correlate these verses in Revelation with that in Isaiah 62:2, believers will both have a first and last name (or surname). Do you want or look forward to having His new holy name for you? Pray the following prayers.

Prayer of Consecration and Commitment
Oh Lord, fill my up to overflowing measure with your Holy Spirit and power to live a life of holiness and consecration to you and you only. Lord, fill me up with your truthfulness because you are the God of truth. Expose to me every area of imperfection in my heart towards you. Let me have an unending love for you. Remove every form of pride from my heart. Bring across my way, people of like-mindedness. I will not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Let me honour those who have made you their Lord and Master. Thank you for creating me spirit, soul and body. I dedicate my body as your vessel. Make me a vessel of high prize like gold in your household ready to serve other believers. Let me walk with you with a perfect heart and make companionship with those that walk perfectly with you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer Points
1. Oh Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Soak me, drench me, and saturate me with your presence and power in Jesus’ name.

2. Gentle Holy Spirit; make me a friend of God all the days of my life in Jesus’ name.

3. Oh Lord, give me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Let my soul pant for your righteousness like the deer pants for streams of water in Jesus’ name.

4. Lord Jesus, purge my heart with your precious blood. I empty myself of every form of pride. I embrace you with my whole heart. I lay all my burdens on you in Jesus’ name.

5. Lord, make your righteousness to run deep in my heart. Holiness and godliness will be my desire all the days of my life in Jesus’ name.

6. Lord, let your Kingdom reign in every area of my life. Make me a model Christian and form the character of Jesus in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Sin of Apostasy and Reprobate Mind

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The Sin of Apostasy and the Reprobate Mind

Curled from “Living in God’s Kingdom” by Joseph Agbi [my first book]

Scripture Reading:
28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them [Rom. 1:28-32; see also verses 25-27].

I stumbled on this topic when I tried to memorize the book of Romans. The soul can keep God’s law if it is trained to do so, and this is an antidote to sin. The soul naturally gravitates to the sins mentioned above because of the depraved nature of humanity after the fall of Adam and Eve. The mind determines what a man does; when a person has a reprobate mind (v28), such a person’s spirit is highly suppressed by a mind that becomes alienated from all that is righteous and God’s. That person would not want to hear or discuss intelligently about the one and only true God and about His Son, Jesus Christ. Such a person opposes the cause of the gospel and would not want the gospel to progress. Such were the cases of Hymenaeus and Alexander in 1 Tim 1:20, blasphemers who opposed Paul’s preaching, and Jannes and Jambres, two Egyptian magicians who withstood Moses before Pharaoh in Egypt [2 Tim. 3:8; Exod. 7: 11-22].

One who is reprobate has had his mind tested, but rather than love God, his mind pursues evil in preference to good all the time. Apostates have reprobate minds as they have been condemned. This is because there is no better sacrifice that can be paid for anyone’s sin since the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross of Calvary was the final sacrifice for sin. Therefore, they carry on themselves the badge of condemnation and parade themselves around as such, just as condemned prisoners are tagged.

If a man who was earlier a Christian refuses to return, having exhausted the longsuffering and forbearance of God, such a person has removed himself from the fold of the brethren, as Judas removed himself after being in the midst of the disciples of Jesus when he took the thirty pieces of silver to betray his master [Matt 26:14-16; Matt. 27:3-5]. Like Judas, the reprobate man becomes an agent of evil to perpetuate all the evils in the verses listed earlier.

When a Christian man succumbs to temptation, commits a sin which is contrary to his Faith and he refuses to repent or repents casually, not minding what the Spirit of God says, he is subjecting himself to the spirit of apostasy. This is often the case of the backslider.

Just as God will judge us concerning what we think in the privacy of our hearts, we must be careful how we behave in the open so we do not bring reproach to the name of Christ. Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Prayer Points
1. I refuse to be manipulated by the enemy. Satan you have no control over my mind, my will, my emotions and my intellect. I refuse to succumb to all your evil suggestions in Jesus name.
2. Holy Spirit, flood my soul with your word. Let your word direct my thoughts and actions in the name of Jesus.
3. I am an overcomer in the name of Jesus. Satan, I overcome all your temptations in the name of Jesus.
4. You stronghold of besetting sin, be broken in the name of Jesus. You have no hold over my life anymore in Jesus name.