#Healing #Delivernace #Restoration #BOLDNESS #FEARLESSNESS #freedom #SmithWigglesworth #HolySpiritBaptism #GiftoftheSPirit #Meat #Flesh #WorksoftheFlesh #Fruit #FruitoftheSpirit
Sunday, 16th of May 2021
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Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/2K75HUACRa4
Title: Part 23 – The MEAT of the MATTER is the MATTER of the MEAT – (MMMM) How do YOU and I stake up? 7 Self-Transforming Scriptures to Meditate on + Retaining Overflowing State in the Holy Spirit and Avoiding Excesses!
Extended Title – Part 23 – Enough is Enough to CAPTIVITY of Satan and Welcome to FREEDOM in Christ Jesus– The MEAT of the MATTER is the MATTER of the MEAT – (MMMM), How do YOU and I Stake Up on the WORKS of the FLESH Indicators? Seven (7) Self-Transforming Scriptures to Meditate on + Hear Smith Wigglesworth on HOW to remain overflowing in the Holy Spirit and avoiding EXCESSES in ministering the Gift of the Holy Spirit
Dear friends, I welcome you to Part 23 of Enough is Enough to Captivity of Satan and welcome to Freedom in Christ Jesus. Today, we bring you, – The MEAT of the MATTER is the MATTER of the MEAT – (MMMM), How do YOU and I Stake Up on the WORKS of the FLESH Indicators? Seven (7) Self-Transforming Scriptures to Meditate on + Hear Smith Wigglesworth on HOW to remain overflowing in the Holy Spirit and avoiding EXCESSES in ministering the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Last week, we brought you part 22 of the same series titled – Three Critical ACTION Steps to exercising BOLDNESS and FEARLESSNESS Amidst Kidnappers, Armed Robbers, Killer Policemen or Cops, Corrupt Politicians, Liberalism and ALL the Vicissitudes of Life + My Encounter with Armed Robbers + The Story of Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa, How his Baptism in the Holy Spirit transformed the ministry and Smith Wigglesworth battles to secure the real Baptism in the Holy Spirit despite visible anointed successes.
How did todays title come about? During the cause of the week, in a very, very busy and noisy environment, whilst I took my laptop for a software upgrade, I heard this title in my spirit man – “The MEAT of the MATTER is the MATTER of the MEAT – (MMMM).” The message today is a reflection of that message and I pray that YOU and I will profit by it in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen
Need I recount here that we are spirit beings, living in our body or flesh, referred here as MEAT and have a soul which is our sub – MEAT. The scripture continually talk about the fact that the flesh and the spirit are constantly at war – which we will see in a moment from our text hereunder. But before we go into the passages proper, I would like us to consider these two scriptures that sealed the destiny of humanity –unregenerate humanity as follows:
Genesis 3:6
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good (suitable, pleasant) for food and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate.
Luke 4:3-4
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
3 Then the devil said to Him, If You are the Son of God, order this stone to turn into a loaf [of bread].
4 And Jesus replied to him, It is written, Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone [a]but by every word and expression of God.
Isn’t it surprising that the first temptation of mankind by satan was focused on feeding the flesh? Isn’t it super-surprising that the first temptation of Jesus by satan was focused on feeding or satisfying the flesh? I mean satisfying the meat? It means if I am looking for freedom in Christ, I must of necessity master the flesh. If I can master the meat, I can master my life – my spirit. My renewed spirit that the Spirit of God has joined Himself to. So, in all intent and purposes, the meat of the matter is the matter of the meat.
Let’s look at the manifestation, or the indicators of the works of the meat or of the flesh because if I don’t know how the flesh or meat manifest, then how can I master it? We have brought you today 30 classification in behavioral patterns that could help us nail down the works of the flesh so that we can take proactive action by meditating on the seven (7) self-transforming scriptures that can help us reprogram our thought life to conform to the image and likeness of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ by the help of the Holy Spirit. If we find ourselves expressing any of the attributes in the 30 classifications, it means we are in bondage and need the freedom for which Christ died to give us. Ask the Holy Spirit to help YOU and I confirm some of these so that we can be intentional in partnering the Holy Spirit to bring a lasting change.
We will also see how overflowing in the Holy Spirit can keep a check on the works of the flesh or the meat as we hear from Smith Wigglesworth in this writing today on HOW to remain overflowing in the Holy Spirit and avoiding EXCESSES in ministering the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Lets begin, get a pen or pencil and a notepad and lets begin the discovery and healing, deliverance and restoration of Mr.; Mrs.; Miss or Ms. Meat hidden in ourselves in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. For we cannot fight what we do not know or understand. We need light and light chases away darkness anytime, anyplace and anywhere – Knowing why we do what we do – our TRUE motives bring healing, deliverance and restoration!
If we say “yes” to any of these attributes, especially when it has become a habit we can’t break away from, then, we need the help of the Holy Spirit and other trained helpers who can lead us lovingly to wholeness – freedom in Christ!
1)To cope when things aren’t going right or going my way, I tend to…
become self-absorbed (self-consumed) by:
- becoming overly introspective
- feeling sorry for myself
- engaging in self-pity
- getting depressed by stuffing my anger and frustrations
- beating up on myself (hating myself)
- focusing on my suffering and trials to get attention
- playing the role of a victim/martyr
2)withdraw (isolate myself) by:
- becoming aloof (pull away)
- going into a shell
- running and hiding (escape)
- distancing myself from others
- avoiding others (becoming a loner)
- becoming unapproachable
- being overly introverted
- retreating to the silent treatment
- not communicating
3)become obsessed with:
- accomplishments
- recognition
- status
- how I look
- what others think of me
- my physical health
- the past (especially past hurts and past failures)
- a devotion to a cause
- structure, order, rules, regulations
4)escape pain/pressure through:
- carousing
- sex
- drugs/alcohol
- talking
- staying busy
- school
- television
- sleep
- athletics
- religion
- hobbies/games
- reading
- computers
- fantasy
- pornography
- movies
- entertainment
- overeating
- religious activity & service
- becoming a workaholic
- work (career, business, job)
- gloom & doom thinking (refuse to see the positive)
5)become self-disciplined (self-reliant) by:
- becoming a perfectionist
- overcompensating by trying even harder so as not to fail
- becoming legalistic
- living “by the book”
- living by rules (have to’s, should’s, must’s, ought’s)
- becoming too hard and strict on myself and others
- setting unrealistic standards for myself and others
- basing acceptance (of self and others) on performance
- fearing making mistakes
6)become self-indulgent (self-gratifying) by:
- becoming impulsive (hasty)
- buying things to feel better
- assuming “if it feels good, do it”
- becoming compulsive (lacking self-control)
- lusting (craving) for: alcohol, drugs, caffeine, sex, sugar, junk food, cigarettes
7)become anxious (worry and fret) by:
- becoming fearful (apprehensive)
- lacking peace and rest
- becoming paralyzed (go numb)
- becoming paranoid (overly suspicious)
- seeking astrology, horoscopes, fortune telling (tarot cards, palm reading, Ouija boards, etc.) and/or the occult for guidance and strength
8)become dominant by:
- becoming dictatorial (bossy)\
- becoming demanding (pushy)
- becoming overbearing (controlling)
- becoming manipulative
- intimidating others
- demanding my rights
9)try to stay in control through:
- blackmail (making threats)
- manipulation (using coercion)
- profanity (swearing)
- the silent treatment
- passivity (play helpless)
- not eating (anorexia/bulimia)
- use of guilt
- favoritism
10)come across as insensitive
- uncaring
- indifferent
- unsympathetic
11)To cope when things aren’t going right or going my way, I tend to…
become complacent (nonchalant) by:
- saying things like “it doesn’t matter … it’s OK”
12)challenge others by:
- resisting authority
- becoming uncooperative (unteachable)
- causing dissension (strife)
- irritating (aggravating) others
- becoming argumentative, rigid, inflexible, close-minded, stubborn, obstinate, unreasonable or unyielding
13)become pessimistic by:
- lacking confidence and optimism
- becoming skeptical (suspicious)
- distrusting others, myself, God, church, and/or government
- expecting the worst
- assuming the worst case scenario to protect myself from disappointment and pain
- never being satisfied or content
- never being pleased with self/others
- becoming jealous of other’s success and happiness
14)develop a critical attitude by:
- finding fault with others, myself and everything around me
- nit-picking things to death
- becoming judgmental (opinionated)
- becoming prejudiced (intolerant)
- complaining a lot (becoming negative)
15)become hostile (vent my anger) by:
- becoming unfriendly (cynical)
- becoming hateful (malicious)
- becoming harsh (cruel and brutal)
- becoming sarcastic (caustic)
- having a quick temper
16)become self-assured (self-confident) by:
- depending on myself instead of God
- becoming proud (haughty)
- becoming egocentric (acting Pompous)
- bragging (being boastful)
- becoming arrogant (cocky)\
- having a superior attitude (saying in effect: I must always be right…; I must always win…; I must always be the best)
- pretending to know it all
- becoming conceited (smug)
- having difficulty asking for help
17)become self-righteous (self-justifying) by:
- becoming defensive
- covering up and hiding mistakes
- assuming I am never the problem
- pointing to someone or something else as the problem
- avoiding taking responsibility for failure or problems
- becoming critical of others (blaming others)
- having difficulty:
– admitting I was wrong
– apologizing
– asking for forgiveness
– expressing gratitude
18)become tense (nervous and agitated) by:
- finding it hard to relax
- becoming restless (high strung)
- becoming impatient
19)become emotionally insulated by:
- keeping people at a distance
- becoming inhibited (bottling up emotions)
- avoiding intimacy
- denying feelings, having difficulty expressing feelings and opinions openly and honestly
- becoming unable to express love in a meaningful way
20)deny reality by:
- ignoring problems and hoping they will go away
- denying anything is bad or wrong
- lying (mislead)
- deceiving others and myself
- exaggerating (overstate matters)
- playing games to hide real intent
- conning people to get what I want
21)hold a grudge (be resentful) by:
- becoming moody (sulk)
- harboring bitterness
- becoming unforgiving
- keeping a scorecard of wrongs done to me or by me
- trying to get even (seeking revenge)
- wanting others to fail or get hurt
- punishing myself or others
22)fight unfairly (take cheap shots) by:
- becoming slanderous (misrepresent the actual situation)
- gossiping (talking behind other’s backs)
- engaging in passive-aggressive behavior (i.e. using humor to hide real feelings, becoming sarcastic, refusing to communicate, becoming passive, forgetting things, procrastinating, being late, etc.)
23)To cope when things aren’t going right or going my way, I tend to…
put up a front (can’t be real) by:
- faking it (hiding what I really think and feel)
- putting on a show (performing) to get attention and impress others
- becoming pretentious (phony, unreal)
- becoming superficial (plastic)
- becoming gushy (too sentimental)
24)lack compassion:
- kindness, understanding, gentleness and love
25)live by feelings by:
- becoming too subjective (believing that truth is only what I feel)
- believing I’m OK only when I feel okay
- becoming too sensitive to criticism
- becoming hypersensitive
- taking things too personally
- reading in rejection when it isn’t there, or setting things up to bring about rejection
- becoming touchy (irritable)
- being controlled by anger, doubts, emotions, fear, etc.
26)become a pleaser (be nice) by:
- trying to be all things to all people
- trying to do the “proper/correct” thing
- trying to keep everyone happy
- trying to keep peace at all cost
- avoiding conflict at all cost
- becoming a doormat (letting others take advantage of me)
- expressing to others what I think they want to hear
- giving in to others too easily
- becoming controlled by others
- having difficulty: saying no, setting boundaries, standing up for myself
- becoming overly compliant
- becoming too submissive
27)become passive (lack initiative) by:
- quitting too easily (giving up)
- not taking chances
- playing it safe (pulling back and waiting)
- waiting for someone to tell me what to do and how to think
- depending on others instead of God
- vacillating (becoming too changeable)
- becoming indecisive (not making decisions)
- wanting someone else to make the decision for me
- avoiding failure at all cost
- procrastinating (putting things off)
- becoming irresponsible (becoming unreliable)
- becoming lazy, apathetic, lethargic
28)becoming self-deprecating (self-condemning/self-critical) by:
- assuming I am always the problem
- becoming overly apologetic
- becoming too hard on myself
- having difficulty: receiving love, receiving compliments, receiving forgiveness, forgiving myself
- clinging (becoming a leech) to those who finally accept me
- becoming uncomfortable with success
29)become a caretaker (rescuer) by:
- becoming overprotective
- taking responsibility for other’s feelings (becoming overly responsible)
- making decisions for others
- giving unsolicited advice
- trying to prevent other’s failures
- becoming possessive (selfish)
- becoming a busybody (becoming too involved in other’s affairs)
- becoming preachy (lecturing others)
- trying to find someone who needs me and whom I can rescue
- nagging (badgering)
- talking too much and listening poorly
30)becoming overly serious by:
- becoming stoical (unemotional)
- having trouble dealing with feelings
- becoming overly analytical
- becoming stern (solemn/formal)
- lacking joy for life
- not being fun to be with
SEVEN SELF-TRANSFORMING SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON CONCERNING THE WORKS OF THE FLESH
Hereunder are seven self-transforming scriptures that you and I can meditate on to help us keep a check on the works of the flesh.
1 Corinthians 15:50
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
50 But I tell you this, brethren, flesh and blood cannot [become partakers of eternal salvation and] inherit or share in the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable (that which is decaying) inherit or share in the imperishable (the immortal).
Romans 7:18;25
For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but willpower is not enough to accomplish it.
I give all my thanks to God, for his mighty power has finally provided a way out through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! So if left to myself, the flesh is aligned with the law of sin, but now my renewed mind is fixed on and submitted to God’s righteous principles
Romans 8:4-9
So now every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living his life in us. And we are free to live, not according to our flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit!
Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities.
For the sense and reason of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace. In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and refuses to submit to his direction, because it cannot!
For no matter how hard they try, God finds no pleasure with those who are controlled by the flesh But when the Spirit of Christ empowers your life, you are not dominated by the flesh but by the Spirit. And if you are not joined to the Spirit of the Anointed One, you are not of him
For when you live controlled by the flesh, you are about to die. But if the life of the Spirit puts to death the corrupt ways of the flesh, we then taste his abundant life.
1 Corinthians 3:1,3
A Call to Spiritual Maturity
Brothers and sisters, when I was with you I found it impossible to speak to you as those who are spiritually mature people, for you are still dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. And because you are immature infants in Christ, 3 for you are living your lives dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. Ask yourselves: Is there jealousy among you? Do you compare yourselves with others? Do you quarrel like children and end up taking sides? If so, this proves that you are living your lives centered on yourselves, dominated by the mind-set of the flesh, and behaving like unbelievers
1 Corinthians 5:5
release this man over to Satan for the destruction of his rebellious flesh, in hope that his spirit may be rescued and restored in the day of the Lord
2 Corinthians 12:7
Paul’s “Thorn”
The extraordinary level of the revelations I’ve received is no reason for anyone to exalt me. For this is why a thorn in my flesh was given to me, the Adversary’s messenger sent to harass me, keeping me from becoming arrogant
Galatians 5:3-5
The Passion Translation
3 I say it again emphatically: If you let yourselves be circumcised you are obliged to fulfill every single one of the commandments and regulations of the law!
4 If you want to be made right with God by fulfilling the obligations of the law, you have cut off more than your flesh—you have cut yourselves off from Christ and have fallen away from the revelation of grace!
5 But we have the true hope that comes from being made right with God, and by the Spirit we wait eagerly for this hope.
Galatians 5:16-23
The Passion Translation
The Holy Spirit, Our Victory
16 Let me emphasize this: As you yield to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self-life.[a] 17 When your self-life craves the things that offend the Holy Spirit you hinder him from living free within you! And the Holy Spirit’s intense cravings hinder your self-life from dominating you! So then, the two incompatible and conflicting forces within you are your self-life of the flesh and the new creation life of the Spirit.[b]
18 But when you yield to the life of the Spirit,[c] you will no longer be living under the law, but soaring above it!
19 The behavior of the self-life is obvious: Sexual immorality, lustful thoughts, pornography, 20 chasing after things instead of God,[d] manipulating others,[e] hatred of those who get in your way, senseless arguments, resentment when others are favored, temper tantrums, angry quarrels, only thinking of yourself, being in love with your own opinions, 21 being envious of the blessings of others, murder, uncontrolled addictions,[f] wild parties, and all other similar behavior.
Haven’t I already warned you that those who use their “freedom” for these things will not inherit the kingdom realm of God!
22–23 But the fruit[g] produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions:[h] joy that overflows,[i] peace that subdues, patience[j] that endures, kindness[k] in action, a life full of virtue,[l] faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit.[m]
Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.[n]
Luke 14:25-35
The Passion Translation
The Cost of Following Jesus
25 As massive crowds followed Jesus, he turned to them and said, 26 “When you follow me as my disciple, you must put aside[a] your father, your mother, your wife, your sisters, your brothers; it will even seem as though you hate your own life. This is the price you’ll pay to be considered one of my followers. 27 Anyone who comes to me must be willing to share my cross and experience it as his own, or he cannot be considered to be my disciple. 28 So don’t follow me without considering what it will cost you. For who would construct a house[b] before first sitting down to estimate the cost to complete it? 29 Otherwise he may lay the foundation and not be able to finish. The neighbors will ridicule him, saying, 30 ‘Look at him! He started to build but couldn’t complete it!’
31 “Have you ever heard of a commander[c] who goes out to war without first sitting down with strategic planning to determine the strength of his army to win the war[d] against a stronger opponent? 32 If he knows he doesn’t stand a chance of winning the war, the wise commander will send out delegates to ask for the terms of peace. 33 Likewise, unless you surrender all to me, giving up all you possess, you cannot be one of my disciples.
34 “Salt is good for seasoning. But if salt were to lose its flavor,[e] how could it ever be restored? 35 It will never be useful again, not even fit for the soil or the manure pile![f] If you have ears opened by the Spirit, then hear the meaning of what I have said and apply it to yourselves.”
Concerning Spiritual Gifts – Hear Smith Wigglesworth on HOW to remain overflowing in the Holy Spirit and avoiding EXCESSES in ministering the Gift of the Holy Spirit
In 1 Corinthians 12:1 we read, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” There is a great weakness in the church of Christ because of an awful ignorance concerning the Spirit of God and the gifts He has come to bring. God would have us powerful on all lines because of the revelation of the knowledge of His will concerning the power and manifestation of His Spirit. He would have us ever hungry to receive more and more of His Spirit. In times past I have arranged many conventions, and I have found that it is better to have a man on my platform who has not received the Baptism but who is hungry for all that God has for him, than a man who has received the Baptism and is satisfied and has settled down and become stationary and stagnant. But of course I would prefer a man that is baptized with the Holy Ghost and is still hungry for more of God. A man who is not hungry to receive more of God is out of order in any convention.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of being filled with the Spirit. It is impossible for us to meet the conditions of the day, to walk in the light as He is in the light, to subdue kingdoms and work righteousness and bind the power of Satan unless we are filled with the Holy Ghost.
We read that in the early church they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. It is important for us also to continue steadfastly in these same things. For some years, I was associated with the Plymouth Brethren. They are very strong on the Word, and are sound on water baptism, and they do not neglect the breaking of bread service, but have it every Lord’s Day morning as they had it in the early church. These people seem to have everything except the match. They have the wood, but they need the fire and then they would be all ablaze. Because they lack the fire of the Holy Spirit there is no life in their meetings. One young man who attended their meetings received the Baptism with the speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. The brethren were very upset about this and came to the father and said to him, “You must take your son aside and tell him to cease.” They did not want any disturbance. The father told the son and said, “My boy, I have been attending this church for twenty years and have never seen anything of this kind. We are established in the truth and do not want anything new. We won’t have it.” The son replied, “If that is God’s plan I will obey, but somehow or other I don’t think it is.” As they were going home the horse stood still; the wheels were in deep ruts. The father pulled at the reins but the horse did not move. He asked, “What do you think is up?” The son answered, “It has got established.” God save us from becoming stationary.
God would have us to understand concerning spiritual gifts and to covet earnestly the best gifts, and also to enter into the more excellent way of the fruit of the Spirit. We must beseech God for these gifts. It is a serious thing to have the Baptism and yet be stationary; to live two days in succession on the same spiritual plane is a tragedy. We must be willing to deny ourselves everything to receive the revelation of God’s truth and to receive the fullness of the Spirit. Only that will satisfy God, and nothing less must satisfy us. A young Russian received the Holy Spirit and was mightily endued with power from on High. Some sisters were anxious to know the secret of his power. The secret of his power was continuous waiting upon God. As the Holy Ghost filled him it seemed as though every breath became a prayer and so all his ministry was on an increasing line.
I know a man who was full of the Holy Ghost and would preach only when he knew that he was mightily unctionized by the power of God. He was asked to preach at a Methodist church. He was staying at the minister’s house and he said, “You go on to church and I will follow.” The place was packed with people and this man did not turn up and the Methodist minister, becoming anxious, sent his little girl to inquire why he did not come. As she came to the bedroom door she heard him crying out three times, “I will not go.” She went back and reported that she heard the man say three times that he would not go. The minister was troubled about it, but almost immediately after this the man came in, and, as he preached that night, the power of God was tremendously manifested. The preacher asked him, “Why did you tell my daughter that you were not coming?” He answered, “I know when I am filled. I am an ordinary man and I told the Lord that I dared not go and would not go until He gave me a fresh filling of the Spirit. The moment the glory filled me and overflowed I came to the meeting.”
Yes, there is a power, a blessing, an assurance, and a rest in the presence of the Holy Ghost. You can feel His presence and know that He is with you. You need not spend an hour without this inner knowledge of His holy presence. With His power upon you there can be no failure. You are above par all the time.
“Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.” This is the Gentile day. When the Jews refused the blessings of God He scattered them, and He has grafted the Gentiles into the olive tree where the Jews were broken off. There never has been a time when God has been so favorable to a people who were not a people. He has brought in the Gentiles to carry out His purpose of preaching the gospel to all nations and to receive the power of the Holy Ghost to accomplish this task. It is of the mercy of God that He has turned to the Gentiles and made us partakers of all the blessings that belong to the Jews; and here under this canopy of glory, because we believe, we get all the blessings of faithful Abraham.
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” There are many evil, deceiving spirits sent forth in these last days who endeavor to rob Jesus of his Lordship and of His rightful place. Many are opening the doors to these latest devils, such as New Theology and New Thought and Christian Science. These evil cults deny eternal punishment and all deny the deity of Jesus Christ. You will never see the Baptism of the Holy Ghost come upon a man who accepts these errors. Neither will you see a Romanist receive. They put Mary in the place of the Holy Ghost. I would like you to produce a Romanist who knows that he is saved. No man can know he is saved by works. If you ever speak to a Romanist you will know that he is not definite on the line of the new birth. He cannot be. Another thing, you will never find a Russellite baptized in the Holy Ghost; nor a member of any other cult that does not put the Lord Jesus Christ pre- eminent above all.
The all-important thing is to make Jesus Lord: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth JESUS AS LORD, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). “For TO THIS END Christ died and lived again, THAT HE MIGHT BE LORD of both the dead and the living” (Romans 14:9).
Men can grow lopsided by emphasizing the truth of divine healing. Man can get wrong by all the time preaching on water baptism. But we never go wrong in exalting the Lord Jesus Christ, giving Him the pre-eminent place and magnifying Him as both Lord and Christ, yes, as very God of very God. As we are filled with the Holy Ghost our one desire is to magnify Him. We need to be filled with the Spirit to get the full revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s command is for us to be filled with the Spirit. We are no good if we have only a full cup; we need to have an overflowing cup all the time. It is a tragedy not to live in the fullness of overflowing. See that you never live below the overflowing tide.
“No there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit.” Every manifestation of the Spirit is given that we might “profit withal.” When the Holy Spirit is moving in an assembly and His gifts are in operation, everyone will receive profit. I have seen some who have been terribly switched. They believe in gifts, in prophecy, and they use these gifts apart from the power of the Holy Ghost. We must look to the Holy Spirit to show us the use of the gifts, what they are for, and when to use them, so that we may never use them without the power of the Holy Ghost. I do not know of anything, which is so awful today as people using a gift without the power. Never do it. God save us from doing it.
A man who is filled with the Holy Ghost, while he may not be conscious of having any gift of the Spirit, can have the gifts made manifest through him. I have gone to many places to help and have found that under the unction of the Holy Spirit many wonderful things have happened in the midst when the glory of the Lord was upon the people. Any man who is filled with God and filled with His Spirit might at any moment have any of the nine gifts made manifest through him without knowing that he has a gift. Sometimes I have wondered whether it was better to be always full of the Holy Ghost and to see signs and wonders and miracles without any consciousness of possessing a gift, or whether it was better to know one has a gift. If you have received the gifts of the Spirit and they have been blessed, you should never under any circumstances use them without the power of God upon you pressing the gift through. Some have used the prophetic gift without the holy touch, and they have come into the realm of the natural, and it has brought ruin, caused dissatisfaction, broken hearts, upset assemblies. Do not seek the gifts unless you are purposed to abide in the Holy Spirit. They should be manifested only in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord will allow you to be very drunk in His presence, but sober among people. I like to see people so filled with the Spirit that they are drunk like the 120 on the Day of Pentecost, but I don’t like to see people drunk in the wrong place. That is what troubles us, somebody being drunk in a place of worship where a lot of people come in that know nothing about the Word. If you allow yourself to be drunk there you send people away; they look at you instead of seeing God. They condemn the whole thing because you have not been sober at the right time. Paul writes, “For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause” (2 Cor. 5:13). You can be beside yourself. You can go a bit further than being drunk. You can dance, if you will do it at the right time. So many things are commendable when all the people are in the Spirit.
Many things are very foolish if the people round about you are not in the Spirit. We must be careful not to have a good time at the expense of somebody else. When you have a good time you must see that the spiritual conditions in the place lend themselves to help you and that the people are falling in line with you. Then you will find it always a blessing.
While it is right to covet earnestly the best gifts, you must recognize that the all-important thing is to be filled with the power of the Holy Ghost Himself. You will never have trouble with people who are filled with the power of the Holy Ghost, but you will have a lot of trouble with people who have the gifts and have no power. The Lord wants us to come behind in no gift, but at the same time He wants us to be so filled with the Holy Ghost that it will be the Holy Spirit manifesting Himself through the gifts. Where the glory of God alone is desired you can look for every needed gift to be made manifest. To glorify God is better than to idolize gifts. We prefer the Spirit of God to any gift; but we can look for the Trinity in manifestation, different gifts by the same Spirit, different administrations but the same Lord, diversities of operation but the same God working all in all. Can you conceive of what it will mean for our Triune God to be manifesting Himself in His fullness in our assemblies?
Watch that great locomotive boiler as it is filled with steam. You can see the engine letting off some of the steam, as it remains stationary. It looks as though the whole thing might burst. You can see saints like that. They start to scream, but that is not to edification. But when the locomotive moves on, it serves the purpose for which it was built, and pulls along much traffic with it. It is wonderful to be filled with the power of the Holy Ghost, and for Him to serve His own purposes through us. Through our lips divine utterances flow, our hearts rejoice and our tongue is glad. It is an inward power within which is manifested in outward expression. Jesus Christ is glorified. As your faith in Him is quickened, from within you there will flow rivers of living water. The Holy Spirit will pour through you like a great river of life and thousands will be blessed because you are a yielded channel through whom the Spirit may flow.
The most important thing, the one thing that counts is to see that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, filled to overflowing. Anything less than this is displeasing to God. We are commanded by God to be filled with the Spirit, and in the measure you fail of this you are that far short of the plan of God. The Lord would have us moving on from faith to faith, from glory to glory, from fullness to overflowing. It is not good for us to be ever thinking in the past tense, but we should be moving on to the place where we dare believe God. He has declared that after the Holy Ghost is come upon us we shall have power. I believe there is an avalanche of power from God to be apprehended if we will but catch the vision.
Paul wrote at one time, “I will now come to visions and revelations.” God has put us in a place where He expects us to have His latest revelation, the revelation of that marvelous fact, CHRIST IN US, and what this really means. We can apprehend Christ fully only as we are filled and overflowing with the Spirit of God. Our only safeguard from dropping back into our natural mind, from which we can never get anything, is to be filled and yet filled again with the Spirit of God and to be taken on to visions and revelations on a new line. The reason why I emphasize the importance of the fullness of the Holy Ghost is that I want to get you beyond all human plans and thoughts into the fullness of vision, into the full revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you want rest? It is in Jesus. Do you want to be saved from everything the devil is bringing up in these last times? Receive and continue in the fullness of the Holy Ghost, and He will be ever revealing to you that all you need for all times is in Christ Jesus your Lord.
I desire to emphasize the importance of the Spirit’s ministration and of the manifestation of the Spirit, which is given to every man to profit withal. As you yield to the Spirit of the Lord He has power over your intellect, over your heart, and over your voice. The Holy Spirit has power to unveil Christ and to project the vision of Christ upon the canvas of your mind, and then He uses your tongue to glorify and magnify Him in a way that you could never do apart from the Spirit’s power.
Never say that when you are filled with the Holy Ghost you are “obliged” to do this or that. When people say that they are “obliged” to do this or that I know it is not the Spirit of God, but their own spirit moving them on to do that which is unseemly and unprofitable. Lots of people spoil meetings because they scream. If you want to do that kind of thing you had better get into some cellar. That is not to edification. I believe that, when the Spirit of God is upon you and moving you to speak as He gives utterance, it will always be to edification. But don’t spoil the prayer meeting because when you ought to stop you go on. Who spoils the prayer meeting? The man who starts in the Spirit and finishes in the flesh. Nothing is more lovely than prayer, but a prayer meeting is killed if you will go on and on in your own spirit when the Spirit of God is through with you. You say as you come from some meetings, “That was a lovely message if the preacher only had stopped half an hour before he did.” Learn to cease immediately when the unction of the Spirit lifts. The Holy Ghost is jealous. Your body is the temple, the office of the Holy Ghost, but He does not fill the temple for human glorification, but only for the glory of God. You have no license to continue beyond a “Thus saith the Lord.”
There is another side to this. God would have the assembly as free as possible, and you must not put your hand upon the working of the Spirit or it will surely bring trouble. You must be prepared to allow a certain amount of extravagance in young and newly baptized souls. You must remember that when you were brought into this life of the Spirit you had as many extravagances as anybody, but you have now become somewhat sobered down. It is a pity that some do get sobered down, for they are not where they were in the early days. We have to look to God for wisdom that we do not interfere or dampen the Spirit or quench the power of God when He is manifested in our meetings. If you want to have an assembly full of life you must have an assembly full of manifestation. Nobody will come if there is no manifestation. We need to look to God for special grace that we do not move back to looking at things from a natural viewpoint.
The preacher, after he loses his unction, should inwardly repent and get right with God and get the unction back. We are no good without the unction of the Spirit of God. If you are filled with the grace of God you will not be judging everybody in the assembly, you will rather be trusting everybody, you will not be frightened at what is being done, you will have a heart to believe all things, and to believe that though there may be some extravagances, the Spirit of God will take control of things and will see that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is exalted, glorified, and revealed to hungry hearts that desire to know Him. The Lord would have us wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evil, free from distrust, entertaining into a divine likeness to Jesus, that dares believe that God Almighty will surely watch over all. Hallelujah!
The Holy Ghost is the One who magnifies the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who gives illumination of Him. If you are filled with the Holy Ghost, it is impossible to keep your tongue still. Talk about a dumb baptized soul! It is not to be found in the Scriptures or outside of the Scriptures. We are filled with the Spirit in order that we may magnify the Lord, and there should be no meeting in which the saints do not glorify, magnify, praise, and worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth.
I would like to give one word of caution, for failure often comes through our not recognizing the fact that we are always in the body. We will need our bodies as long as we live. But our body is to be used and controlled by the Spirit of God. We are to present our bodies, holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service. Every member in our body must be so sanctified that it works in harmony with the Spirit of God. Our very eyes must be sanctified. God hates the winking of the eye. From the day that I read in the Proverbs what God had to say about the winking of the eye (Prov. 6:13 and 10:10) I have never winked. I desire that my eyes may be so sanctified that they can always be used for the Lord. The Spirit of God will bring within us a compassion for souls that will be seen in our very eyes.
God has never changed the order of things that first, there comes the natural, and then the spiritual. For instance, when it is on your heart to pray, you begin in the natural and your second word will probably be under the power of the Spirit. You begin and God will end. It is the same in giving forth utterances under the Spirit’s power. You feel the moving of the Spirit within and you begin to speak and the Spirit of God will give forth utterance. Thousands have missed wonderful blessings because they have not had faith to move out and begin in the natural, in faith that the Lord would take them into the realm of the supernatural. When you receive the Holy Ghost you receive God’s Gift, in whom are all the gifts of the Spirit. Paul counsels Timothy to stir up the gift that was within. You have power to stir up God’s executive within you. The way you stir up the gift within you is by beginning in faith, and then He gives forth what is needed for the occasion. You would never begin unless you were full of God. When we yield to timidity and fear we simply yield to Satan. Satan whispers, “It is all self.” He is a liar. I have learned this, If the Spirit of God is stirring me up, I have no hesitation in beginning to speak in tongues, and the Spirit of God gives me utterance and gives me the interpretation. I find that every time I yield to the Lord on this line I get a divine touch, I get a leading thought from the Spirit of God and the meeting is moved up on the line of faith.
You attend a meeting in faith, believing that the Lord is going to meet you there. But perhaps the evangelist is not in harmony with God. The people in the assembly are not getting what God wants. The Lord knows it. He knows His people are hungry. What happens? He will take perhaps the smallest vessels and put His power upon them. As they yield to the Spirit they break forth in a tongue. Another yields to the Spirit and there comes forth the interpretation. The Lord’s church has to be fed, and the Lord will take this means of speaking to His people. Pentecostal people cannot be satisfied with the natural message. They are in touch with heavenly things and cannot be satisfied with anything less. They feel when there is something lacking in a meeting, and they look to God and He supplies that which is lacking.
When a man is filled with the Spirit he has no conception of what he has. We are so limited in our conception of what we have received. The only way we can know the power that has been given is through the ministration and manifestation of the Spirit of God. Do you think that Peter and John knew what they had when they went up to the temple to pray? They were limited in thought, and limited in their expression. The nearer we get to God the more conscious we are of the poverty of the human, and we cry with Isaiah, “I am undone, I am unclean.” But the Lord will bring the precious blood and the flaming coals for cleansing and refining and send us out to labor for Him empowered by His Spirit.
God has sent forth this outpouring that we may all be brought into a revelation of our sonship — that we are sons of God, men of power, that we are to be like the Lord Jesus Christ, that we are to have the powers of sonship, the power to lay hold of that which is weak and to quicken it. The Baptism of the Spirit is to make us sons of God with power. We shall be conscious of our human limits, but we shall not limit the Holy One who has come to dwell within. We must believe that since the Holy Ghost has come upon us we are indeed sons of God with power. Never say that you can’t. All things are possible to them that believe. Launch out into the deep and believe that God has His all for you, and that you can do all things through Him who strengthens you.
Peter and John knew that they had been in the upper room, they had felt the glory, and they had been given divine utterances. They had seen conviction on the people. They knew that they had come into a wonderful thing. They know that what they had would be every increasing and that it would be ever needful to cry, “Enlarge the vessel that the Holy Ghost may have more room within.” They knew that all the old things were moved away and they had entered into an increasing and ever increasing knowledge of God, and that it was their Master’s wish that they should be filled with the Spirit of God and with power every day and every hour. The secret of power is the unveiling of Christ, the all-powerful One within, the revelation of God who comes to abide within us. As they looked upon the crippled man at the Beautiful Gate they were filled with compassion. They were prompted by the Spirit to stop and speak with him. They said to the lame man, “Look on us.” It was God’s plan that the man should open his eyes with expectation. Peter said, “Of silver and gold we have none. But we have something and we will give it to you. We don’t know what it is, but we give it to you. It is all in the name of Jesus.” And then began the ministry of God. You begin in faith and you see what will happen. It is hidden from us at the beginning, but as we have faith in God He will come forth. The coming forth of the power is not of us but of God. There is no limit to what He will do. It is all in a nutshell as you believe God. And so Peter said, “Such as I have I give to thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” And the man who had been in that way for forty years stood up, and began to leap, and entered into the temple walking and leaping and praising God.
“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom.” I want you to keep in mind the importance of never expecting the gifts of the Spirit apart from the power of the Spirit. In coveting the best gifts, covet to be so full of God and His glory that the gifts in manifestation will always glorify Him.
We do not know all and we cannot know all that can be brought forth in the manifestation of the word of wisdom. One word of wisdom from God, one flash of light on the Word of God, is sufficient to save us from a thousand pitfalls. People have built without a word from God, they have bought things without a word from God, and they have been ensnared. They have lacked that word of wisdom, which will bring them into God’s plan for their lives. I have been in many places where I have needed a word of wisdom from God and this has been vouchsafed.
I will give you one instance. There is one thing I am very grateful to the Lord for, and that is that He has given me grace not to have a desire for money. The love of money is a great hindrance to many; and many a man is crippled in his ministry because he lets his heart run after financial matters. I was walking out one day when I met a godly man who lived opposing me and he said, “My wife and I have been talking together about selling our house and we feel constrained to sell it to you.” As we talked together he persuaded me to buy his place, and before we said good-by I told him that I would take it. We always make big mistakes when we are in a hurry. I told my wife what I had promised, “How will you manage it?” I told her that I had managed things so far, but I did not know how I was going to get through this. I somehow knew that I was out of divine order. But when a fellow gets out of divine order it seems that the last person he goes to is God. I was relying on an architect to help me, but that scheme fell through. I turned to my relations and I certainly had a wet shirt, as one after another turned me down. I tried my friends and managed no better. My wife said to me, “Thou hast never been to God yet.” What could I do?
I have a certain place in our house where I go to pray. I have been there very often. As I went I said, “Lord, if You will get me out of this scrape, I will never trouble Thee on this line again.” As I waited on the Lord He just gave me one word. It seemed a ridiculous thing, but it was the wisest counsel. There is divine wisdom in every word He speaks. I came down to my wife, saying, “What do you think? The Lord has told me to go to Brother Webster.” I said, “It seems very ridiculous, for he is one of the poorest men I know.” He was the poorest man I knew, but he was also the richest man I knew, for he knew God. My wife said, “Do what God says, and it will be right.”
I went off at once to see him, and he said as he greeted me, “Smith, what brings you so early?” I answered, “The word of God.” I said to him, “About three weeks ago I promised to buy a house of a man, and I am short 100 pounds ($500). I have tried to get this money, but somehow I seem to have missed God.” “How is it,” he asked, “that you have come to me only now?” I answered, “Because I went to the Lord about it only last night.” “Well,” he said, “it is a strange thing; three weeks ago I had 100 pounds. For years I have been putting money into a cooperative system and three weeks ago I had to go and draw 100 pounds out. I hid it under the mattress. Come with me and you shall have it. Take it. I hope it will bring as great a blessing to you as it has been a trouble to me.” I had had a word from God, and all my troubles were ended. This has been multiplied in a hundred ways since that time. If I had been walking along filled with the Holy Ghost, I would not have bought that house and would not have had all that strain. I believe the Lord wants to loose us from things of earth. But I am ever grateful for that word from God. There have been times in my life when I have been in great crises and under great weight of intercession. I have gone to the meeting without the knowledge of what I would say, but somehow or other God would vouchsafe the coming forth under the power of the Spirit of some word of wisdom, just what some souls in that meeting needed. As we look to God His mind will be made known, and His revelation and His word of wisdom will be forthcoming.
SHORT PRAYER FOR SELF-DELIVERANCE.
“Lord Jesus Christ, I believe You died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead. You redeemed me by Your blood and I belong to You, and I want to live for You. I confess all my sins-known and unknown- I’m sorry for them all. I renounce them all. I forgive all others as I want You to forgive me. Forgive me now and cleanse me with Your blood. I thank You for the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses me now from all sin. And I come to You now as my deliverer. You know my special needs-the thing that binds, that torments, that defiles; that evil spirit, that unclean spirit—I claim the promise of Your word, “Whosoever that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.” I call upon You now. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, deliver me and set me free. Satan, I renounce you and all your works. I lose myself from you, in the name of Jesus, and I command you to leave me right now in Jesus’ name. Amen!”
Let it come from your heart and see the salvation of the Lord!
ARE YOU SICK OR A NEED FOR Deliverance and RESTORATION?
For those who are sick or unwell in whatever shape or form, or needing deliverance? Or restoration, kindly touch the dot below in faith (Faith is seeing the precise positive outcome of your current situation, knowing that Jesus has done His part more than 2000 years ago to secure your healing and deliverance, restoration as a down payment, trusting that down payment is available to you to draw from, like a positive balance in your checking account with the bank, no questions asked as we agree with you and pronounce BE HEALED in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen)
By the authority, you have granted unto me and unto them, I exercise that authority now in faith with their anger against the enemy and hunger to get what you have freely given unto them all, I curse every illness, every disease, be it cancer, COVID 19, be it spirit of infirmities, be it demonic possession or oppression, be it the spirit of poverty, setbacks, delayed fulfilment of what God has already determined and released. We come against the anomaly, I bind them, we curse them to their root and we cast them out by authority in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. We call forth a release of healing, deliverances and restoration into their lives in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord for testimonies that are abiding to your glory and honour and adoration. Thank you for souls that are being added to Your kingdom as a result of this message, the miracles that we are already seeing right now and manifesting for your glory in Jesus name, Amen. It is done! Rejoice!
Touch this spot highlighted as a point of contact and confess with your mouth – I AM HEALED, I AM DELIVERED and I AM RESTORED in my Spirit, Soul, Body and all around me in the name of JESUS Christ, Amen!!!
Begin to do what you could not do before and begin to confess until full healing, deliverance restoration becomes a fruit in your life in Jesus name, amen. Stay hungry for all of God, stay angry and take back all that the enemy has held back in Jesus name, amen
Note:
Testify to the healing for God’s glory and to the shame of the enemy! Send us an email or whatsapp us if you still need us to agree with you on the issue. And connect at the equipping series starting next week Thursday. Find detail shortly on our website!
Share wide!
Shalom!
Amb. Monday O. Ogbe
Otakada Cyber Church Ministries Inc
https://www.otakada.org
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info@otakada.org
Originally posted on May 15, 2021 @ 3:18 pm
