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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?

CHRISTIAN PARENTING [PART III]

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Christian Parenting [Part III] by Pastor Godwin Okafor

I am bringing the third part of the excerpts from my soon to be published book dealing with the art of ministering prayers to babies and children, even while they are in the wombs of their mothers.
When children who have been initiated in their mothers’ wombs, because of lack of the type of prayers I suggest in this book grow up, they exhibit characteristics that would normally confuse their parents, who could ignorantly go to the same satanic agents for solution. Of course, the church, whose ministers are the agents of the Kingdom of Light, would just sit down and look in confusion at the fiasco that would normally unfold in such cases. The confusion emanates from our mistake to try to deal with the child according to its age and not according to the age of the spirit inhabiting that child, no matter what the physical age of the child could be.
That’s the reason a little child of less than two years could be so aggressive and rain blows on another timid child of over three years old, and that one could just cry to attract the attention of adults to rescue him or her.
I have been told of how a three year old little girl embarrassed her mother by waving at every pregnant woman they passed on their way to where her mum was going with her. The little girl could see the babies in those wombs and would greet them. She would say to her mother,
“Mummy, see baby…”,
and would wave at the protruding tummy of a woman just passing by. I was told how people who overheard that little girl gathered quickly, and this embarrassed mother had to run for her dear life with her three year old child before she and her little girl were lynched as witches.
I believe the church is yet to seriously consider the plight of our children who have peculiar spiritual challenges, and who present strange behaviours in our midst. In fact, I dare say that children are hardly considered in the Christian Ministry, except in few places where provisions are made for bible based activities aimed at diverting their attention and contain or re-channel their excessive energies, until their parents close from church services.
It is pitiful that children are often times hindered or totally forbidden from coming to the Master, through His ministers to minister to them according to their needs. I was reminded while writing this book that most Christian parents may actually deny that a child in their household who has a peculiar spiritual challenge need special attention by their pastor.
However, the foundation of Christian living ought to be laid at this stage of a child’s development so that he or she grows up never to depart from the ways of the LORD.
Children, including the unborn, usually want to express themselves. It was written of Jacob and Esau that they “struggled” in their mother’s womb before they were born.
Gen 25:21-23: “The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”
Did you know what made John the Baptist leap for joy while in Elizabeth’s womb? He heard the sound of Mary’s voice as she greeted his mother!

Luke 1:40-41,44: “… where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit… As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”
Mary’s voice carried an anointing that could make Elizabeth to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to begin to prophecy, because she was carrying in her womb the one who anointed and still anoints with Holy Ghost and Fire. Did you know that Mary could have spoken to John in the womb to do something she desired? Agents of Satan who carry evil anointing know how to speak to unborn babies in their mothers’ wombs to do their sinister biddings, and they would obey.
Moses’ mother must have started interacting with him while he was in her womb. Therefore, it was easy for her to just look at him after he was born to conclude that Moses was not an ordinary child, and did not fear if Pharaoh found out that she was hiding him from being destroyed and killed her. I believe she had started ministering to him so early (even in the womb), and easily concluded his spiritual training (when Pharaoh’s princess hired her to look after Moses), before surrendering him to Pharaoh’s palace for his princely training.

The LORD, God, will help us in Jesus’ precious name.

Deliverance Teaching:True Prosperity

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Deliverance Teaching: True Prosperity
2Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. [3 John:2 KJV]

Other References: Proverbs10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

God desires our souls prosper. Prosperity is not a once-for-all step into wealth be they material, financial or otherwise. True prosperity is steady progress in the spirit. Your soul is the covering for your spirit. Your soul is the first contact point by the spirit world. Celestial (angels) or terrestrial spirits (powers of darkness and demons) do not directly relate with your body as they are not physical beings, just like we relate with other humans on the surface, what we can see-our senses.

Once evil spirits have kept a man’s soul bound, they [Read more…] about Deliverance Teaching:True Prosperity

Wisdom Fountain 04/18/2010

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The Wise Heart 

23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 [KJV]


26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. [Ezekiel 36:26-27]

The heart is the engine that generates life to the body. It is the strong room where the armouries of battle to keep you going are distributed to your body. [Read more…] about Wisdom Fountain 04/18/2010

Bible Nuggets 0702/2010

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BIBLE NUGGETS 0207/2010 [2 Kings 2:9-10, James 5:17-18 KJV]

 

DOUBLE MIRACLES

 

Elijah and Elisha were two outstanding prophets in the area of signs, wonders and miracles. In the public ministry of these two mighty men of God, their ministry was power-packed with one miracle after another. Counting individual miracles, Elijah had 21 miracles on record and Elisha 41 (in his lifetime). This does not add up mathematically [21×2=42] because Elisha was a servant of Elijah and he, Elisha, asked for a double portion of the spirit of Elijah before Elijah’s translation to heaven. Elijah said this is a hard thing for me to give you but if you see me go to heaven in a chariot of fire, then you will get the double portion. Elisha stuck fast to Elijah. He knew what he wanted and was not going to be discouraged by the fellow prophets. They all were witnesses to what God did through the life of Elijah and even knew from Elijah that it was his last day. He repeatedly told them, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. [2 Kings 2:9-10]

 

 9And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.  10And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

 

The mighty miracles in Elijah’s ministry include: multiplying food like Jesus did with the case of 5 loaves & 2 fishes, feeding 5000 men excluding women and children, with baskets left over. In the case of Elisha, they [the sons of the prophet and Elisha], all heard of the miracles of their master Elijah such as the case of the widow of Zarephat [I King 17: 10-24] who had barrels and barrels of oil to sell and feed from because she believed the man of God who had asked from her a cruise of oil. Elijah also raised her dead son like Jesus did in the case of Lazarus. The 3 years drought resulting from the prayer of Elijah for his pronouncement as a result of the sins of King Ahab was also an outstanding miracle. Elijah and Elisha were men of like passion, having good hearts ready to be used of God. God honoured Elijah’s word because he spoke them by faith – unshakable and solid faith like a rock. After 3 years when He called back rain, it did not appear it would rain. He was not even moved, telling his servant Gehazi to go look 7 times before the servant saw rainy clouds in what appeared to be the hand of a man [1 King 18: 41-46]. Elijah had just completed the disgrace of 400 prophets of Baal, by calling down fire to consume their sacrifice. The triumph of his faith is recorded in the New Testament.

 

James 5:17-18

17Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years

and six months. 18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

 

God performed 41 miracles in the lifetime of Elisha. However, recall that he had received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit who performed 21 miracles. This seeming discrepancy was finally solved when Elisha had died, God empowering the dead bones of Elisha after his death to revive a man who died.

 

2 kings:13:20-21.

20And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.   21And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

 

The word of God is yea and amen and since it cannot return to God unfulfilled, he will bring to pass his promises and blessings upon your life in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

PRAYER OF FAITH

1.       Oh Lord, fill me with a double portion of the Holy Spirit in Jesus Name.

2.      Let your Holy Spirit rest upon me after the order of Elijah and Elisha in the mighty Name of Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 

Living Bread Nugget 1208

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CHRIST OUR PASSOVER LAMB [V]

 Living Bread Nuggets 1208

Scripture Reading: [Colossians 2:14-15; Ephesians 6:10-18]

The Passover – a Spiritual Warfare

The Lords Supper commemorates our triumph in Christ over the works of darkness by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God placed judgment on all the gods of Egypt by the Passover of Moses. Their gods were totally helpless in delivering the Egyptians in their greatest hour of need. Just as their gods could not deliver them from the wrath and judgment of God, the blood of Jesus and the name of Jesus are very powerful in expelling devils from the lives of the oppressed. At the name of Jesus every knee bows and every tongue (including those of principalities and powers) confesses that He is Lord of heaven and earth. [Luke 10:19; Luke 9:1, Mark 16:16-18; Matthew 28:18-20]. So both the blood of Jesus and the name of Jesus are our instruments of wonder in spiritual warfare, doing maximum damage to the kingdom of darkness, and giving us the authority to celebrate the spoiling of principalities and powers by Jesus on the cross.  

Col 2: 14-15  14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Passover in Reverence and Readiness for Heaven

The Apostle Paul gave a whole treatise on the importance of reverence in serving and taking part in the Lord’s Supper, the Christian Passover Meal in 1 Corinthians 11: 20-34. The Old Testament Passover was equally commemorated with utmost reverence [Exodus 12:11]. The Passover was to the children of Israel, the preparation of the journey to the land of Canaan. Similarly, we Christians are on a spiritual journey to heaven. From Eph 6:10-18 we see there are giant evil forces to conquer as the children of Israel conquered before they got to the Promised Land. Let’s review the correlation.

 

Old Testament –  Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s passover.  

New Testament  Eph 6:14-15  14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Their loins were to be girded. Ours are to be girded with truth (Jesus, everything about Jesus for he is the way, the truth and the life). Their shoes on their feet, a mark of full preparedness to move from place to place for the journey to Canaan (beautiful are the feet of those who spread the gospel scripture says). The staff in the hand signifies the rod of authority everyone had, a replica of what Moses was to do signs and wonders. It was to reduce all obstacles to nothingness. We have the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Jesus is the Word and in his name every knee obey and bows. The word is our instrument for spiritual battle and our source of victory. The enemy flees when you use the Word of God by Faith knowing you have a superior weapon just as Jesus used it after the 40 days prayer and fasting in the wilderness (Matthew 4).

Eph 6:16-17 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

While the enemy keeps sending the darts, continue to use the sword of the Spirit which is a mightier weapon, examining and covering yourself, guarding areas where he wants to have a foothold or penetrate into your life. Note that God’s word is not a magical portion but a two-edged sword, it will it will cleanse you bringing you to the point of total obedience and then avenge for you. When you cross this bridge by faith, God’s word will always work for you because you become totally consumed by the will of God [2 Corinthians 10:3-6]. As the word of God says, God does not take pleasure in the burnt sacrifices of bulls and goats but rather in doing the will of God [Heb 10:4-10].

 

The Holy Communion – Christian Passover Meal

Anyone coming to Holy Communion, whether a first timer or a frequent Christian should take it with the attitude of the English idiom that says, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating” which one writer explains that it means ”something new can only be judged
 after it has been tested”.  If you are repenting of your sins and being born anew into the kingdom at the table for the first time, it is better to postpone you taking the meal to another occasion. The Lord supper should be reverentially served and eaten in the following manner by those who are already reconciled to God, that is, those who have confessed Jesus as their Lord and Saviour prior to the meal.

1.     Every person should examine himself or herself that they are in right standing with God (loins girt about with truth). Thoroughly examine yourself; ensure there is no hidden sin that is not confessed. Confess it and receive assurance in your heart that you are forgiven. Otherwise, this could hinder both corporate and personal prayers [2 Corinthians 13:5].

2.     Give God thanks that you have opportunity to take part in it [1 Corinthians 11:24-25], knowing you are doing this in remembrance of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

3.     Exercise your faith to receive whatever you ask God at the meal table because God is a righteous judge. If some eat of the bread and drink the cup bringing damnation on themselves, you can eat and drink reverentially bringing healing and reenacting your physical and spiritual Being here on earth.

4.     It is an opportunity to judge yourself in the spiritual shortfalls you have instead of waiting for God to judge and chastise you which we know is most times not pleasant [1 Corinthians 11:29-32].

5.     The meal should be served and eaten in love, in preference of one another. No form of spiritual or physical gluttony is permitted at the meal table [1 Corinthians 11:33-34].

 

Prayer of Faith

 

1.     Lord thank you for the weapons you have given to me to overcome all obstacles on my journey to heaven.  I equip myself with these weapons and use them to cause maximum damage against the kingdom of darkness in the mighty name of Jesus.

 

2  I celebrate the Lordship of Jesus over all principalities and powers in every department of my life in Jesus Name. Amen and Amen.