FIRST CLASS

NONE OF THIS MANUAL MUST BE

REPRODUCED OR GIVEN TO THIRD PARTIES

MANUAL
WITHOUT THE FULL PERMISSION OF THE
CHURCH. IT IS A PROPERTY OF BELIEVERS
PASTURE CHURCH.
First Class School is fundamental class for all members and new converts in our church structure to
enable to understand the tenets of our vision and for each member’s personal growth in Christ.

As you go through this class, it is our desire that you grow and nurture your spiritual life. We at Believers
Pasture Church welcome you to this growing family of believers. Being part of us, there are things you
need to know about our church.

Our Vision

Raising a generation of radical soul winners with the spirit of faith impacting their world with God’s Word
in building cities, repairing of old cities and turning desolate lands into fruitful ground.

Our Mission

Proclaiming the message of salvation, faith and revealing the nature and character of God’s Word making
God’s people oaks of righteousness planted by God to display His Glory

Our Purpose

Raising Kings and Priests unto God.

Our Slogans

We are the difference, we are the change, “we are a sign and wonder going somewhere to happen because
we are the future.”

BPC

Turning every desolate land into a fruitful ground

BPC

We graze on the Word.

Our Anthem

There is a sweet anointing in Believers’ Pasture Church. There is a stillness in the atmosphere …. O
come lay down the burdens you have carried … (1x)

For in Believers’ Pasture Church, God is here. (2x)

 DEPARTMENTS AND ITS FUNCTIONS

In Believers Pasture Church, there are different departments are arms of the church which helps in the
smooth running of the church and plays a major role for every member to be part of God’s Vision in the
church. Please note that the arrangement of the departments does not connotes an order of importance.

SALVATION AND FAITH ARMY

This is our Evangelism and Prayer team. Here our duty is pray, win and follow new converts. It is a place
where we take the mandate of our vision further by organizing neighborhood campaigns, crusades and
outreach programs.

CHOIR DEPARTMENT (THE PASTURE VOICES)

Pasture Voices is our dynamic choir team. A growing group of young people who want to lead people into
God’s presence.

PROTOCOL TEAM

Protocol Team is the special team who attend to the needs of Our President. They are usually handpicked
by Our President. They follow Our President everywhere.

HELPERS

Helpers are our ushering department in Believers Pasture Church.

MEDIA DEPARTMENT

This is our technical team which helps in our visual and audio set up of our services. They also help in
technical set up of our crusades and campaigns.
 THE PASTURE CAMPUS MINISTRY

Who we are

God has called us to reveal the message of faith and salvation to the youth thereby grounding them in firm
foundation to stand out for Jesus.

What we do?

We go with a holistic package covering biblical, education, entrepreneurial and also ethical standards to
shape the youth into responsible and well-shaped leaders of tomorrow.

We are going into Junior Senior High Schools, Senior High Schools and Tertiary Institutions.

Our Vision

Impacting The Youth with the message of faith and salvation thereby making them effective and radical
change agents in their generation, in building cities repairing of old cities and turning desolate lands into
fruitful ground.
 CHRISTIAN FOUNDATIONS
The purpose of these lessons is to establish the believer in the fundamental truths of God’s Word.

1 Peter 2v2

As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby.

When we become born again, that means, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal Saviour,
we start out as spiritual babies. But God’s plan and purpose is not for us to stay babies but to grow up and
to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. And the way in which we grow up is through the Word of
God. The food for your spirit is the Word of God. One of the key ways in which Christians can grow is
through the knowledge of God’s Word, which is why studying the Word is so important.

2 Timothy 2v15

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.

When we handle the Word of God, it is so important that we rightly divide the Word of God. It implies that
we can wrongly divide the Word. If you wrongly divide the Word, it leads to error. That is why studying
the Word of God is so important, so that you will not need to be ashamed. So be diligent where the study of
God’s Word is concerned and present yourself approved to God and to others.

Find out for yourself what the Word says. Don’t depend on others to do your studying for you. Don’t
depend on others to do your praying for you. When you have a good solid Christian foundation that is built
on the Word of God, you act on what God’s Word says; you will then be able to stand strong when the
storms of life come.

Matthew 7v24-27

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who
built his house on the rock: (25) and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and
beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. (26) But everyone who hears
these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the
sand: (27) and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and
it fell. And great was its fall

When you apply the sayings of Jesus in your life, when you do what God says in His Word, when the
storms of life come, you and God will still be standing. We will be going through the following lessons that
will show you the basic truths of the Word of God.
 1. Salvation
2. Assurance of Salvation
3. Developing a personal relationship with God.
4. The Person of the Holy Spirit.
5. New Kingdom/New Principles
6. Position and authority of the believer.
7. Living the abundant life.
8. The Local Church.

Suggested Reading

Growing up spiritually – Kenneth E. Hagin

The Authority of the Believer – Kenneth E. Hagin

SALVATION
(LESSON 1)
1. What happens when we become a Christian?

The old unregenerate nature moves out of our spirit and the new nature of God moves in. God changes us
from the inside out. You become a new creation. You become a child of God. Your spirit gets recreated on
the inside. Your body on the outside stays the same but your spirit on the inside becomes new.Man is made
up of three parts:

1. Man is a spirit
2. Man has a soul
3. Man lives in a body

2. What is the meaning of Salvation

The New Testament in our Bible was originally written in ancient Greek. So the Greek word for salvation
is “Soteria” which means, “Deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, soundness, wholeness”. This is a
multi-faceted but all-encompassing word.
 3. Why do we need salvation?

The reason why we need salvation is because we have all sinned and as sinners we faced the judgement of
God but now that you are born again and received His salvation, you will never face the judgement of God.
God judged you when Jesus hung on the cross and now He sees you as righteous.

Romans 6v23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This scripture confirms that we need salvation.

Romans 3v23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

So many people have taken this scripture out of context and wrongly divided the Word. They focus so
much on the sin part but the entire passage is talking about righteousness. What it means is; if everyone is
sinners, then everyone qualifies to become righteous. You must get rid of a sin consciousness. Stop being
aware and concerned about your past life, your mistakes, your failures and short comings?

Become God-inside minded.Get rid of all those sin tags. “I am so unworthy. I am no good. I’m a worm for
Jesus. I am sinner saved by grace”. You were a sinner, you were saved by grace but now you are the
righteousness of God. Sin consciousness will keep you defeated as a Christian and it will hinder your
spiritual progress in God. The devil will run over you all the time.

4. How did the fall of man occur?

Genesis 1v26-27

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every
creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of
God He created him; male and female He created them.

God is a Spirit. We have been made in the image of God, so we are spirit beings. When God made man, He
made him perfect with no sin involved. He saw man as righteous, holy and without sin and that is how He
still sees us today. We might struggle to see ourselves that way but God sees us through the blood of Jesus.
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and as a result of their disobedience, sin entered into the world.

Genesis 2v16-17 Genesis 3v1-7 Romans 5v12

Sin is by nature destructive and it tarnishes the image of God. It is normal for people who are sinners and
who have a sinful nature to continually sin. But for us who are born again, it is normal for us not to sin.

We now have the new nature of God in us. Because we are natural descendants of Adam, we inherited the
sin and death which came into the world through Adam.

1 Corinthians 15v21-22

For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

So when you become a Christian, you enter the family of God and you inherit the life of God which came
into the world through Jesus.

5. What is meant by death?

There are two types of death. Physical death and Spiritual death.We all understand what physical death is.
We will all die physically one day. Spiritual death is eternal separation from God. It does not mean that we
cease to exist. It means that people will be separated from the source of Life. Hell was created for the devil
and his evil spirits and not for God’s children.

Isaiah 59v2

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you,
so that He will not hear.

This verse that we read earlier, talks about spiritual death.

Genesis 2v16-17

“die” – means “in dying, you shall die”. In dying spiritually, you will eventually die physically.

But the good news is; God set an amazing plan in place to save us from our sin through the spiritual new
birth.

John 3v16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and the sin that came with him.
1 John 3v8-9

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (9) Whoever has been born of God
does not sin, for His seed remains in Him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

6. How do we receive the new birth?

We receive the new birth by faith. We receive it by believing in our hearts that Jesus died on the cross and
rose from the dead and confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord.

Romans 10v8-10

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of
faith which we preach): (9) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your
heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

And all this is made possible because we receive our salvation through God’s grace. Not because we’ve
done good works. Good works do not get us into heaven.

Ephesians 2v8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9)
not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Through God’s grace we also receive forgiveness of our sins.

Ephesians 1v7

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His
grace.

God has forgiven you of all your sins. He is not holding anything against you. He does not remember your
sins anymore. So God has made us completely new on the inside. We are now the righteousness of God. As
a result of all this, the Holy Spirit can now come and live inside us and seal us as people who belong to
God.

Ephesians 1v13

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom
also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
In this way our relationship with God is now restored.

Ephesians 3v12 Amp

In whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free
access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).

The basis of this restored relationship is that God is now our Father, and we become His children.

John 1v12

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God…

Ephesians 2v19

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and
members of the household of God.

Man is made up of three parts

An egg has three parts: the shell, egg white and the yolk. All three parts combine to make an egg.

1 Thessalonians 5v23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and
body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Spirit

This is the part of man that contacts the spiritual realm.

This is where the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us. It is the part of us that is made perfect when we
receive the new birth. The food for your spirit is the Word of God.

Proverbs 20v27; Psalm 18v28

The Soul

This is the part of man that contacts the intellectual realm.

This part keeps us in contact with the outside world through the five physical senses. Our soul is not made
perfect when we receive the new birth but the soul begins to get saved when we renew our minds on a daily
basis through the Word of God.

Romans 12v2; James 1v21

The Body

This is the part of man that contacts the physical realm.

This is our earth suit or “Egg Shell”. While there is healing available for our body, it will only be saved or
become perfect when we go to heaven and receive a glorified body.

Closing

We now trust that you have a better understanding of your salvation experience.

And if you have not yet received your salvation and experienced the new birth, then pray this prayer. It
will change your life forever.

Prayer for Salvation

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says, “Whosoever shall call on the
name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). I am calling on You. I pray and ask Jesus to come into
my heart and be Lord over my life according to Romans 10:9-10: “If thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.” I do that now. I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that
God raised Him from the dead. I am now reborn! I am a Christian— a child of Almighty God! I am
saved!
 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
(LESSON 2)

1. How do I know that what I have experienced is real?

We need to see what the Word of God has to say about what has happened to you:

Your assurance of salvation is based on the authority of God’s Word, not on intellect or emotional feelings.

James 1v21-25

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the
implanted Word, which is able to save your souls. (22) But be doers of the Word, and not hearers
only, deceiving yourselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man
observing his natural face in a mirror; (24) for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately
forgets what kind of man he was. (25) But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues
in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

We must be doers of God’s Word. We must act on God’s Word. Don’t just hear every week but go and
practice what you hear.

You deceive yourself when you don’t practice the Word of God. The devil does not even have to deceive
you.

2. How do you know you have Eternal Life?

1 John 5v11-13

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (12) He who
has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (13) These things I have
written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal
life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
V11 – Eternal life is in the Son.

V12 – If you have the Son (Jesus), you have eternal life because eternal life is in the Son.

V13 – If you believe on the name of the Son of God. If you believe in the name of Jesus, then you need to
know that you have eternal life.

Amplified says, “With settled and absolute knowledge.” You must settle it once and for all that I have
eternal life. No more debate or discussion about it.

3. How do you know if Christ came into your life?

Revelations 3v20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to
him and dine with him, and he with Me.

If Jesus was knocking on the door of your heart and if you opened the door, then He has come in. If you
prayed the sinner’s prayer, then He came in.

4. How do you know you became a child of God?

John 1v12

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who
believe in His name.

When you received Jesus into your life that is when you became a child of God. Even when you make a
mistake or if you’ve sinned, you are still a child of God.

If you have children and they mess up, they still your children. You love your children on every level. You
don’t wait for them to be perfect and do everything right before you love and accept them. And so does
God.

5. How do you know you have released your sins?

Colossians 1v14

In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

In Jesus we have redemption and through His blood we have been forgiven of our sins. Jesus paid the price
and penalty for our sin. He came and fetched us and paid the debt we owed. He said, “I paid for their sins
and all the wrong they did with my precious blood. You cannot hold their sin against them anymore.”
 6. How do you know Jesus Christ has received you?

John 6v37

All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast
out.

If you have come to Jesus, He will in no wise cast you out.

Amplified says, “I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me.”

Even if He is a murderer, a rapist or someone who has done the worse things you could ever think of. If he
turns to Jesus, even on His death bed, Jesus will receive him. He will not cast him out. He will not reject
him.

7. What have you become in Christ?

You have become a new creature and the old you has passed away. You have become a new species that
never existed before. So if people or the devil reminds you of your past life, what you did or what you were
before you got saved, tell them that that person is now dead, he does not exist anymore, he has passed away
and I am now a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5v17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things
have become new.

8. How do you know that you are a child of God?

I know I am a child of God because the Holy Spirit bears witness with my spirit. He lets me know in my
spirit that I am a child of God.

Romans 8v16

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

9. How do you know that you are born of God and know God?

We know that we are born of God when we love one another. God is love and He comes to live in us,
therefore the love of God is in us. We have the nature of love in us. We have God’s ability to love one
another.
1 John 4v7

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and
knows God.

10. What do you know that Jesus Christ will never do?

Jesus said He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Hebrews 13v5

…For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

11. How does God see me?

2 Corinthians 5v21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God
in Him.

God sees you as righteous. The word “righteousness” means that I can stand in God’s presence without any
sense of fear, guilt, sin, shame or condemnation. So God sees you as righteous. The question is; do you see
yourself the way God sees you?

Hebrews 10v14; 17

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. (17) then He adds,
“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

God does not remember your sins anymore, so why should you? Stop bringing up your sin, stop talking
about all your sins, failures and mistakes. If you keep doing that, it will create a sin consciousness in your
life and it will hinder your spiritual progress and development. It robs you of your joy.

Ask God to forgive you, forget about it and move on. You also need to forgive yourself for the sin that you
committed. God is not a person who keeps a record of all your wrongs in order to play it in slow motion
when you get to heaven.
1 John 1v7

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

We need to walk in the light of what we know. God will not hold us responsible for what we do not know.
But we need to act on what we know.

We need to get to know God more because the more we know God, the more light we walk in, and the
more light we walk in, the more accurately we walk, and the more accurately we walk, the more of God’s
blessings and prosperity is released in our lives.

Romans 8v1

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according
to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

If you are now in Christ, no one can condemn you because God does not condemn you. The devil is the
one who is always bring guilt and condemnation when you sin and miss it.

Especially watch out when you begin to pray. He brings thoughts of accusation, accusing you and
reminding you of your past and mistakes.

12. How does God regard sin?

1 John 5v17

All unrighteousness is sin. All wrongdoing is sin.

James 4v17

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

When you know what is the right thing to do but you don’t do it, to you it is sin.

Romans 14v23

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not
from faith is sin.
Whatever is not of faith is sin. The opposite of faith is fear, doubt.

13. Who tempts us to sin?

The devil is the one who tempts us to sin.

Matthew 4v1

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

A temptation is a solicitation to do evil. You must know and understand that God does not tempt anyone
with evil. He does not bring disasters, tragedies or sickness upon people. He is a good God.

James 1v13-17

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by the God”, for God cannot be tempted by evil,
nor does He Himself tempt anyone. (14) But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own
desires and enticed. (15) Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-
grown, brings forth death. (16) Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. (17) Every good gift and
every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no
variation or shadow of turning.

14. What do we do if we sin?

We must confess our sins.

1 John 1v9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.

Don’t ignore your sin or live in denial. Acknowledge it. When you confess your sin that is not when God
finds out about it, that’s when you get rid of it.
Psalm 32v1-5

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. (3) When I kept silent, my bones
grew old through my groaning all the day long. (4) For day and night Your hand was heavy upon
me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. (5) I acknowledged my sin to You, and my
iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You forgave
the iniquity of my sin.

Proverbs 28v13

He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

15. How can we resist the temptation to sin?

Firstly, you need to understand that God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to
bear. Secondly, you resist sin by submitting to God and resisting the devil.

1 Corinthians 10v13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not
allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of
escape, that you may be able to bear it.

James 4v7

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

True power lies in submission

 DEVELOPING A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH
GOD (LESSON 3)

Baptisms

The Bible speaks and teaches of more than one baptism. In fact it speaks of three baptisms. In

Hebrews 6v2, says, “of the doctrine of baptisms” = meaning plural = more than one.

1. Baptism into the Body of Christ.

You are baptised into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit when you are born again.

Ephesians 4v4-5

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; (5) one Lord,
one faith, one baptism.

2. Baptism in Water

You are baptised by full immersion in water. (not sprinkling or spraying). This is an instruction from Jesus.

Water baptism does not make you a born again child of God. Only receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and
personal Saviour makes you a child of God.

Water baptism does not make you a member of a church.

Matthew 28v19

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
 3. Baptism in the Holy Spirit

You are baptised by Jesus in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.

Matthew 3v11

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I,
whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Mark 16v17

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak
with new tongues.

Acts 2v4

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gave them utterance.

Who is God?

God is a Spirit. There is one true God who has a plural nature – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The
Bible does not teach that there are three Gods, but upholds the doctrine of the Trinity – one God who
reveals Himself in three persons – equal in power and glory.

Matthew 28v19

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

What do the Scriptures tell us about God the Father?

Matthew 7v11

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your
Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

God is a loving Father who wants to give good things to His children. He is saying natural fathers “know”.
It is in them to give good things to their children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good
things to you as you ask Him.
How can you expect your heavenly Father to help you if you think that He is causing all the trouble in your
life? God is not your problem.

John 4v23-24

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and
truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (24) God is Spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship in spirit and truth.

The Father is seeking those who will worship Him. Why? Because when He finds them, He knows that
worship will not change Him but it will change you.

Hebrews 12v9

Furthermore, we have ha human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not
much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

Our natural fathers are “fathers of our flesh” but God the Father is the “Father of spirits”. We are spirit
beings, therefore God is our Father.

Hebrews 12v5-11

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by
Him;

6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”

7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father
does not chasten?

8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate
and not sons.

9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we
not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we
may be partakers of His holiness.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields
the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Our natural fathers disciplined us and corrected us, how much more must we submit when our heavenly
Father corrects us.

What do the Scriptures tell us about Jesus, the Son?

John 8v12

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not
walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Jesus is the Light of the world. If we follow Jesus, we will not walk in darkness.

John 10v14

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

Jesus is the good Shepherd. He is not the bad shepherd. He cares for His sheep. He cares for His own. A
shepherd feeds; leads and protects the sheep.

Hebrews 13v8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus does not change. He remains the same. He can be trusted.

Galatians 3v13

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written,
“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)

Jesus is our Redeemer. He became a curse for us. He has redeemed us from the curse of the law.

What do the Scriptures tell us about the Holy Spirit?

1 Corinthians 3v16

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Your body is the temple of God and the Holy Spirit lives in you. You are a spirit, you have a soul and you
live in a body
John 16v13-14

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not
speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak. He will glorify Me, for He will
take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

He is the Spirit of truth who guides us into all truth.

Romans 8v14; 16

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

Getting to Know Him

If order to get to know someone, you must spend time with them. And in order to get to know God and His
voice, you must spend time with Him in prayer and in His Word.

Matthew 6v33

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

You must learn to put God first, not second or when you have time. Seek first.

Listen! Don’t organise your prayer time around the things you must do, organise the things you must
do around your prayer time.

Otherwise you will always have an excuse as to why you don’t have time to pray.

Colossians 3v1-2

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the
right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Seek those things which are above. Make it a lifestyle to seek God every day. An example of someone who
set her heart on the things of God was Mary.
Luke 10v38-42

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha
welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and
heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and
said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many
things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away
from her.”

Mary made a choice to sit at Jesus’ feet and hear His Word. You are as close to God as you choose to be. If
you feel far from God, then guess who moved?

Psalm 119v2

Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!

You will be blessed when you seek God with your whole heart.

Jeremiah 29v13

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Matthew 5v6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Ask God to make you hungry and thirsty for Him. Ask Him to make you hungry for more of His Word, to
make you thirsty for more of His Spirit.

2 Chronicles 16v9

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on
behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

God is looking for those whose hearts are loyal, devoted to Him.

What are the results of seeking God?

2 Chronicles 7v14
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and
turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their
land.

You will receive forgiveness and healing.

Proverbs 8v17

I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.

The result of seeking God is that you will find Him.

Hebrews 11v6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and
that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

God rewards those who seek Him.

Prayer – How to talk with God

There are some attitudes which we should have in prayer.

Psalm 5v1-3

Give ear to my words, O LORD, Consider my meditation. 2 Give heed to the voice of my cry, My
King and my God, For to You I will pray. 3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In
the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.

Learn to spend time with God first thing in the morning. Pray before your day starts and expect God to
speak to your heart.

Psalm 55v17

Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.

Psalm 62v8

Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 63v1
O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a
dry and thirsty land where there is no water.

When should we pray?

1 Thessalonians 5v17

Pray without ceasing.

It means that God is always with you and that you can pray anywhere. Don’t limit it to only one specific
place.

Philippians 4v6-7 NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank
Him for all He has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can
understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Instead of sitting and worrying about it, pray about it. Give it to God. Make it known to Him. When you
feeling anxious and worried, that is when you pray.

1 Peter 5v7

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Give all your cares, worries and anxieties to the Lord. He will fix it for you.

Mark 1v35

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a
solitary place; and there He prayed.

Oswald Chambers

Unless in the first waking moment of the day you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in,
you will work on a wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in
secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God.

God has promised to answer prayer

Jeremiah 33v3

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
If we call, He will answer. His line will not be engaged. He is a present help in times of trouble.

Matthew 7v7-11

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For
everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or
what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks
for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

God gives good things to His children. He has promised to answer us when we pray. Take authority over
satan and take what belongs to you. Your heavenly Father is not withholding any good thing from you.

Hebrews 4v16

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need.

God is encouraging us to come boldly. Don’t be scared. Don’t be afraid. He is waiting for you to come and
receive mercy, grace and help in your time of need.

Conditions to answered prayer

John 16v23-24

And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father
in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will
receive, that your joy may be full.

In order to receive answers to your prayers, you must ask in the name of Jesus.

John 15v7

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for
you.

Notice the word “if”. When you abide in God and His words abide in you, then whatever you ask, will be
given to you.

Abiding in God will cause your desires to come in line with His desires for your life.

Mark 11v24
Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and
you will have them.

As soon as you said “Amen” to your prayer, that is when you must believe that you received the answer to
your prayer.

This is also the time that you kick doubt out of your life and say, “Doubt I resist you in the name of

Jesus, I refuse to doubt. I am a believer, I am not a doubter.”

Verse 25

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father
in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

You cannot hold onto un-forgiveness and expect your prayer of faith to be answered. Walking in
forgiveness is paramount to seeing your prayers answered.

1 John 5v14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He
hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions
that we have asked of Him.

We must ask according to His will. His Word is His will. If it’s in the Word, then it’s His will.

James 4v2-3 Living Bible

You want what you don’t have, so you kill to get it. You long for what others have, and can’t afford
it, so you start a fight to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is
that you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you do ask you don’t get it because your whole aim is
wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

God knows that if certain things are given to us, it can do us more harm than good. It will destroy us and
draw us away from Him.

So God wants us to have nice things but He wants us to walk more accurately before Him so that we can
handle every blessing that comes into our hands.

Always pray this prayer: “God, before you put something in my hand, first do something with my
heart.”

For whom should we pray?

1 Timothy 2v1-4

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made
for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who
desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

We should pray for those in authority. We must pray for all men because He desires all men to be saved.

Ephesians 6v18

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all
perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

We must pray for the saints. We must pray for one another.

Matthew 9v36-38

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary
and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is
plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers
into His harvest.”

We must pray and continue to ask God to send labourers, so that we can bring in the harvest of souls.

Luke 6v28

Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

We should pray for people who hurt us, who persecute us.

How to hear from God?

God leads us by the inward witness in our spirit. Learn to look to the inside, your spirit to hear God’s voice
speaking to you.

God also uses His Word to speak and confirm His direction in your life.

He also uses people who can speak and confirm something that God is saying to you.

He can use prophecy. But if people prophesy over you, it should always be confirmation, not revelation.

John 10v2-5
But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the
sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings
out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep

follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from
him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.

We follow the voice of our Good Shepherd.

Worship is one of the best ways to prepare our hearts to hear from God.

1 Samuel 16v14-16; 23

But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled
him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16
Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful
player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from
God is upon you, and you shall be well.”

(23) And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and
play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would
depart from him.
 THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
(LESSON 4)

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Godhead.

He is a real Person but more than that, He is a Divine Person. The Trinity is made up of:

The Father (God the Father)

The Son (Jesus Christ)

The Holy Spirit (Spirit of the Living God)

They are all One. They are all in Unity. But they are three Divine Persons. They have different functions,
different responsibilities, but they are three Divine Persons.

The first time we hear of the Holy Spirit is in the book of Genesis.

Genesis 1v2

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of
God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Notice the words “Us”, “Our image”, “Our likeness” in the following verse. This speaks of the three
persons of the Trinity.

Genesis 1v26

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every
creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Our bodies are the tabernacles/the houses/the temples of the Holy Spirit.

When you become a Christian, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you.
In the Old Testament God lived in Solomon’s temple which Solomon built. But God no longer lives in that
temple.

We are now the temple of God and God lives in us by the person of the Holy Spirit. So wherever you go,
you take the Holy Spirit with you.

Why did God give us the Holy Spirit?

Just to live inside of us. No! He was sent to be our Comforter, Counsellor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor,
Strengthener and Standby.

John 14v26 Amp

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy
Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf],
He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your
remembrance) everything I have told you.

Even though the Holy Spirit has been sent to live in us and assist us, we have a responsibility to become
more aware of Him in us. He is a gentleman and He will not force Himself on you. You have to give Him
place in your life.

Ask Him to help you. The Holy Spirit will help you but He will not do it for you. The Holy Spirit will not
do your praying for you and He will not read the Word of God for you. You do it and He comes alongside
you to assist you.

Other Names for the Holy Spirit are:

 Spirit of God (Isaiah 61v1)

 Spirit of Grace (Zechariah 12v10)
 Spirit of Truth (John 14v17)
 Spirit of Holiness (Romans 1v4)
 Spirit of Life (Romans 8v2)
 Spirit of Christ (Romans 8v9)
 Spirit of Glory (1 Peter 4v14)
 Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8v15)
The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

When Jesus returned to Heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit to the earth for a specific purpose.

John 16v7

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the
Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

How can it be to your advantage?

Because Jesus could only be with one person or a few people in one place at one time but if He sends the
Holy Spirit, then He could be with everyone, in any place, at any time.

So wherever you go, God goes with you. He is with you all the time. That is why His name is
“Emmanuel”, which means, “God with us.”

John 14v16

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.

The word “Another” in the above verse means, “The exact same as Jesus.”

Jesus and the Holy Spirit are One. You have Jesus in you, with you all the time in the Person of the Holy
Spirit.

John 14v26

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things,
and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

The Holy Spirit is your Teacher.

He will teach you right from wrong. He will teach you all things. Ask Him to teach you how to love your
husband, or your wife or children. Let Him teach you how to manage your time. How to budget your
finances.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to live our Christian life.

Acts 1v8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to
Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

He gives us power to be a witness. Not just to witness but to be a witness.

Francis of Assissi – We all need to preach the gospel and if necessary, use words.

2 Corinthians 3v2-3

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of
Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of
stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

You are a letter that is being read by all people.

The Holy Spirit leads and guides us.

John 16v13

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not
speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to
come.

The Holy Spirit will lead you in the way you should go. Whatever message He hears from the Father, He
will give it to you. You can rest assured that if God needs you to know something, He will let you know.
Don’t become anxious. Rest in Him.

He will show you or tell you things to come. Things that will happen in the future for you.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

There is a difference between being “born of” the Holy Spirit and being “filled with” the Holy Spirit.

When we receive the New Birth, when we receive Jesus into our lives, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside
of us. In this way we are born of the Spirit.

When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we are filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit no longer just lives
is us, He is now released in our lives and fills us up with Himself.
This is what we call being baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.

So how will we know that you are filled? We will see the evidence when we hear you speak in another
language, a heavenly language.

How do you receive the Holy Spirit? You receive it by Faith, just like you received your salvation.

Acts 8v14-19

You can see they got saved – V16

But then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit – V17

How do we know, because Simon saw the Power, he saw them speak in other tongues and offered money
to also have that gift.

Acts 19:1-6

John baptized unto repentance, salvation.

Paul laid hands to receive the Holy Spirit and they began to speak with other tongues.

Acts 2:1-4

Why should we be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Because we need the power God every day in our lives.

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to
Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

How can a person be filled with the Spirit?

In order to be filled, one must first of all be born again.

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Then ask Jesus to give you the Holy Spirit and receive Him by Faith. Yield to the Holy Spirit and expect to
be filled with Him.

Luke 11:9-13

So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened
to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be
opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks
for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a
scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will
your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!

Jesus is saying, if you ask God to give you the Holy Spirit, then He will not give you a stone or scorpion.
He will not give you a evil spirit.

Must one speak in tongues?

Yes, because when you speak in tongues, you are speaking unto God.

1 Corinthians 14v2

For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him;
however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.

When you speak in tongues you edify yourself.

1 Corinthians 14v14

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

The benefits of speaking in tongues

 For spiritual recharging or strengthening.

1 Corinthians 14v4

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

 To build up our faith

Jude 20

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
  To pray according to God’s will. When we pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit prays through us.

Romans 8v26-28

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we
ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession
for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to
those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

The Holy Spirit will help us pray for something we do not understand properly. So Jesus has given us
everything we need to live a successful Christian life. There are two ways in which we speak in tongues.

Privately

Publicly

When this happens, there must be an interpreter to interpret what He said. It can be himself or it can be
somebody else. He must be able to explain what was said in other tongues or otherwise he will leave
people confused.

1 Corinthians 14v26-28

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has
a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone
speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if
there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.

Prayer to receive salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says, “Whosoever shall call on the
name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). I am calling on You. I pray and ask Jesus to come into my
heart and be Lord over my life according to Romans 10:9-10: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.” I do that now. I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised Him
from the dead. I am now reborn! I am a Christian— a child of Almighty God! I am saved! You also said
in Your Word, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: HOW MUCH
MORE shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13). I’m also
asking You to fill me with the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, rise up within me as I praise God. I fully expect to
speak with other tongues as You give me the utterance (Acts 2:4). In Jesus’ Name. Amen!
Begin to praise God for filling you with the Holy Spirit. Speak those words and syllables you receive—not
in your own language, but the language given to you by the Holy Spirit. You have to use your own voice.
God will not force you to speak. Don’t be concerned with how it sounds. It is a heavenly language!
 NEW KINGDOM NEW PRINCIPLES
(LESSON 5)
As Christians we now live in a new Kingdom with new principles.

Colossians 1v13

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His
love.

WE ARE NOW NEW CREATURES

2 Corinthians 5v17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things
have become new.

OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY IN YOUR LIFE.

Philippians 3v13-14

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things
which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal
for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

FORGET ABOUT YOUR PAST FAILURES AND MISTAKES. FORGET ABOUT THOSE THINGS
WHICH ARE BEHIND. REACH FORWARD TO WHAT GOD HAS AHEAD FOR YOU.

Isaiah 43v18-19

Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers
in the desert.
Lot and his wife

Genesis 19v16-17; 26

And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two
daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.

17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do
not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”
(26) But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Luke 9v62

But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God.”

WHAT IS FAITH?

Faith is a spiritual force by which we operate in God’s Kingdom. It cannot be seen but it does exist.

Hebrews 11v1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH.

Ephesians 2v8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not
of works, lest anyone should boast.
WE LIVE BY FAITH.

Faith is a lifestyle. We live by it every day.

Romans 1v17

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live
by faith.”

We live by what the Word says and not by what our senses tell us.

2 Corinthians 5v7

FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT.

ALL WE RECEIVE IS BY FAITH

Matthew 9v20-30

And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the
hem of His garment.

21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.”

22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith
has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,

24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him.

25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of
David, have mercy on us!”

28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do
you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes
were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.”
Each one has been given a measure of faith.

Romans 12v3

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more
highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Our Faith can grow

FAITH GROWS BY THE WORD OF GOD.

Romans 10v17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Listen to preaching messages on CD’s or Podcasts.

Invest your money in the right things, the Word of God.

Spend time with people who are able to encourage you and nourish you with faith-filled words.

FAITH WORKS BY LOVE

Galatians 5v6

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working
through love.

Mark 11v23-25

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’
and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you
receive them, and you will have them. 25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything
against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

FAITH DOES NOT WORK IN A HEART OF UN-FORGIVENESS.

Release your faith by acting on God’ s Word

James 1v22

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

John 2v1-5

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now
both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the
mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your
concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants,
“Whatever He says to you, do it.”

That’s the key to miracles. Whatever Jesus asks you to do, just do it.

You release your faith by believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth.

Mark 11v22-23

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says
to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes
that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Learn to speak to your mountain. Speak to your problem. Don’t keep talking about the problem and don’t
talk to God about your problem. It says that you must speak to your mountain. Your mountain needs to
hear your voice.

You must believe that those things you said will come to pass.

Romans 10v8-10

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of
faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your
heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

A key element of faith is patience. We do not always immediately see what we ask for, so that is where the
force of patience kicks in. Patience is the gap between spiritually seeing the answer to your faith and
physically seeing the answer.

Faith opens the door to what you are believing God for, then patience keeps the door open until you get it.

What is Hope?
Hope is what we expect to receive in the future. Faith goes out and brings that hope into reality now.

Hebrews 11v1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

What are you hoping for? If you don’t have hope then faith has nothing to work on.

People begin to lose hope when they’ve prayed for something and there circumstances seem not to be
changing for the better.

But you need your hope alive continually, so you need to ask God to fill you with hope.

Romans 15v13

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.

LOVE

What is Love?

This scripture in 1 Corinthians 13v4-8 gives us a good description of what love is and what it is not.

1 Corinthians 13v4-8 Amp

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not
boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated
with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly.

Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self- seeking; it is
not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a
suffered wrong].

6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every
person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without
weakening].

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].
Just like a petrol gauge in your car, you are able to see whether you are walking in love or not.

Love is a fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5v22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The seed of love is sown into your heart when you get born again. You can grow in the love of God, so
don’t be discouraged when you miss it or lose your temper. Just repent and keep on practicing the love of
God in your life.

God’s love is in you.

Romans 5v5

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by
the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Faith and hope work together with love.

1 Corinthians 13v13

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
 THE POSITION AND AUTHORITY OF THE
BELIEVER (LESSON 6)
The Position and Authority of the Believer.

God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.

Ephesians 1v3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

We are seated where those blessings are.

Ephesians 2v6

And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

So we should not pray, “Lord bless so and so”, instead we should pray that they will receive the blessings
that God has already given to them.

That is why Paul prayed the Ephesians prayer for the believers at Ephesus. He wanted their spiritual eyes to
be enlightened, in order for them to see what they have already received in Christ and for them to lay hold
of it.

Ephesians 1v17-23

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you
may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the
saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the
working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and
seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and
might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to
come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

We are seated with Christ in heavenly places far above the enemy and far above every name that is named.

What is your position as a believer?

You need to know who you are and your authority you have in Christ.

Matthew 28v18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on
earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen

Luke 10v19

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the
enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

God has given you authority over all the power of the enemy. All authority is in the name of Jesus. When
you use the name of Jesus, you are exercising your authority over the enemy. You have been given a name
that is above every other name.

Philippians 2v9-11

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of
those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father.

Mark 16v17-18

17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will
speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by
no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

As a believer you can cast out demons. You can cast the devil and his demons out of your affairs.

The Position of the devil

Jesus stripped satan of all his power and authority that he once had.

Colossians 2v15

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over
them in it.

Hebrews 2v14
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the
same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.

1 Peter 5v8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom
he may devour.

The devil is always walking around like a roaring lion. He is not a lion. We are righteous. The righteous are
bold as a lion.

Justification

When you get born again, you become instantly justified or righteous.

2 Corinthians 5v21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God
in Him.

Sanctification

Sanctification on the other hand is a process. Through this process we get rid of habits and ways which are
not of God. This process allows us to grow as Christians and become more like Jesus.

2 Peter 3v18

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 3v18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed
into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Salvation of the Soul

This is still the sanctification process, where our soul is being saved. Your spirit was saved, your soul is
being saved and your body will be saved.

James 1v21

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the
implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
This is where many Christians are. They are saved but they have never taken the time to save their souls.
They continue to live and act as the world does, even though they are new creations in Christ. Their minds
need to be renewed with the Word of God.

Romans 12v1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12v2 NLT

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by
changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and
pleasing and perfect.

God transforms you and changes you into a new person by the way you think.

The mind is the Battle Ground

Your soul is made up of your mind, your will and your emotions. Satan attacks in the mind. He knows that
if you change your mind, your way of thinking, he will not be able to rule over you anymore.

Proverbs 23v7

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you won’t. How do you see yourself? The way you
see yourself will determine the way others see you.

The Life of Gideon

Judges 6v11-16

Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which
belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to
hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The
LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” 13 Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is
with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told
us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us
and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” 14 Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go
in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent
you?” 15 So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in
Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” 16 And the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be
with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”

Gideon saw himself as poor, as the least but that is not how God saw him. God saw him as a mighty man of
valour. Gideon had to change the way he saw himself. You need to change the way you see yourself.

Before, Gideon was in hiding. After he saw who God said he was, he came out of hiding and defeated the
very enemy he was afraid of. Get into the Word and find out who you are and Whose you are.

The Power of the Tongue

Proverbs 18v21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Deuteronomy 30v19

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.
 LIVING THE ABUNDANT LIFE
(LESSON 7)

What type of life did Jesus come to bring?

Jesus came to bring us abundant life. The abundant life which God gives us is superabundant in quantity
and superior in quality.

John 10v10

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have
life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

3 John 2

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

The amount of material prosperity and the level of Divine health that you and I walk in will be dependent
on how much our soul is prospering. Everything God does always starts on the inside first, in our souls and
then works its way to the outside. You have to see yourself prosperous on the inside first before you see
yourself prospering on the outside.

Why don’t we enjoy abundance?

Well! One reason is due to a lack of knowledge. God says that His people are destroyed because of a lack
of knowledge.

Hosea 4v6 

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Not the world, God’s people. Not knowing what God has given you, not knowing your covenant and what
rightfully belongs to you can destroy you. The devil does not have to destroy your life and your household.
Find out who you are and what you have and take authority. Take dominion and stand your ground.

Daniel 11v32

But the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.
We have a new and better covenant

Hebrews 8v6

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better
covenant, which was established on better promises.

If people like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Solomon and David could prosper so abundantly in the Old
Testament (Old Covenant), how much more should we be prospering and live the abundant life because we
have a better covenant (new covenant) that is established upon better promises.

Now listen! It does not mean that if you have not yet experienced all this abundance yet, that it is not
available to you. Lay hold of it and stand your ground.

Before we read these blessings, you need to know that all these same blessings are available for you and
me right now.

Galatians 3v13-14; 29

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written,
“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the
Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

(29) And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

THE BLESSING of Deuteronomy 28 is our blessing! It has “come upon us” through Jesus. If we’ll connect
with it like Abraham did, it will do for us what it’s always done. If we’ll fill our anointed minds with it by
meditating those verses and speaking them over ourselves until we are fully persuaded, no matter how
impossible our circumstances might appear to be, that blessing belongs to us. It will do for us the same
thing it once did for Adam and Eve…and Abraham…and Jesus. It will empower us to be fruitful, multiply
and have dominion in every area of life. – Kenneth Copeland.

Deuteronomy 28v1-14

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe
carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you
high above all nations of the earth.

2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the
LORD your God:

3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
4 “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds,
the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

5 “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they
shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

8 “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your
hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

9 “The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep
the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.

10 Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall
be afraid of you.

11 And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your
livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to
give you.

12 The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its
season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not
borrow.

13 And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be
beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and
are careful to observe them.

14 So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or
the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Part of Abundant living is learning to be content.

Philippians 4v11-13

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know
how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be
full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me.
Paul was saying that you should be content in whatever situation you are in. He never said that you should
be content to stay in that situation. Keep pursuing more of the abundant life that Jesus came to bring you.

1 Timothy 6v6

Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

God wants us to get to the place where we are content with just having Him.

1 Timothy 6v10

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their
greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

You can love Jesus with your money but you can’t love Jesus and money. Money is not evil. The love of
money is evil. You can have money but don’t let money have you. Money is a servant. It is used for goods
and services. Keep it in its proper place.

2 Vital areas of Abundant Living.

Prosperity and Healing

The Kingdom principle of sowing and reaping.

Mark 4v26-29

And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should
sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.

28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the
head.

29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

This verse speaks about the law of gradual increase. There is a process that’s involved. It is not always
instant.

Start sowing seeds. Seeds of love, kindness, honor, respect, friendliness. Set new laws in motion.

Galatians 6v6-10

Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of
the Spirit reap everlasting life.

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the
household of faith.

Tithing

Malachi 3v8-12

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.

9 You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in
this,”

Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such
blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your
sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you
in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts; 12 “And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a
delightful land,” Says the LORD of hosts.

V8 – You cannot rob God. It means that you are robbing God of the opportunity of blessing you.

Some say, “I can’t afford to tithe.” You can’t afford not to.

V9 – You empower the curse when you don’t bring your tithe to Jesus. Curse means, empowered to fail.

V10 – The tithe means a tenth. Bring it into the storehouse, your local church.

V11 – The devourer, satan, is given access to your money affairs when you don’t tithe. Your tithe acts as
an insurance policy against the rest of your 90%. Don’t allow the spirit of fear to stop you from obeying
Jesus. He knows how to pay your bills and He knows how to take good care of you.

Luke 6v38
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over
will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to
you.

You are the one who determines how much you will get back because you are the one who decides how
much you will sow.

Healing

Healing belongs to you. It is part of your covenant right to walk in Divine health.

Ps. 103v1-3

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my
soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.

Isaiah 53v4-5

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by
God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Matthew 8v17

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our
infirmities and bore our sicknesses.”

1 Peter 2v24

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for
righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

So you are healed now. You are righteous now. You are rich now. You are blessed now. You are forgiven
now.

What some people believe about healing

They believe sickness is from God

They believe that God is perhaps trying to teach them something. Sickness is part of the curse and comes
from satan. John Alexander Dowie said, “Sickness is the fowl offspring of its mother sin, and its father,
satan.
God does not get glory out of sickness. The Bible says that people began to rejoice when they saw the lame
healed and the blind seeing.

They believe that God heals some people and not others

Jesus never turned anyone away who came to Him for healing. When you pray for people to be healed,
understand that healing always comes but people need to receive it.

Acts 10v38

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing
good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Some people are waiting on God to do something

Jesus has already done everything that we needed on the cross. We have it now. God is waiting on us to
make a decision and receive it. Take it.

Some people do not know how to receive their healing

We receive it by faith in what Jesus has done for us.

Different ways that one can receive healing

Through anointing oil

James 5v14-15

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the
Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Prayer of Agreement

Matthew 18v19

Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done
for them by My Father in heaven.

Laying on of hands

Mark 16v15-17
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who
believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these
signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new
tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt
them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Gifts of Healing

1 Corinthians 12v9

to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

Prayer of faith

Mark 11v23-24

23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’
and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you
receive them, and you will have them.

It is okay for us to go to medical doctors and specialists (not witch doctors). God placed them there to help
us. But go in faith. If God leads you that way, then God will use doctors and nurses to assist you.

But run to Jesus first and let him lead and guide you as to the steps that you should take.
 THE LOCAL CHURCH
(LESSON 8)

1 Corinthians 12:18

But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him.

God has already set and placed each one of us in the body of Christ, as it pleased Him. Before you
were born into the earth, God already knew where to place you; He already knew which local church you
should be connected to. So God places us in the church as it pleases Him, not as it pleases us.

So it’s not up to us to decide which local church we will go to or where we will get involved in, it is up to
God. Listen: God is not the author of confusion. God will not say “join this church”, then a month later
say, “No, join this church”. God is purpose driven.

You need to realize that the perfect Church does not exist.

Psalm 92:12-14

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be
planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth
fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.

Reasons why we need to find a good church.

Acts 2v41-42

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls
were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in
the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

As a believer you need good teaching (doctrine).

The church you join must have a Statement of Faith.

You need fellowship.

You need the “breaking of bread” or communion.

You need prayer.

Mac Hammond

Properly plugging into the company of believers God has connected you with, will position you to
access the power of God in a way nothing else can, causing increase and growth to come to your life.

So God has a specific place where He wants to set you in the body of Christ, a particular church He wants
you to attend, a particular Pastor to shepherd you. When you are in the right church, you’ll be blessed and
you’ll be a blessing.

Don’t join a church, thinking you’ll straighten them out. No, join a church where you agree with what is
being taught, so you can hook up with what they’re trying to accomplish for the Lord. Get involved in the
church, as if you were the Pastor.

Kenneth E. Hagin

No Pastor can carry out God’s plan alone. He needs the help of loyal people who are supportive of
his vision, willing to work in unity and harmony with him, and committed to the local church
because it takes everyone working together to get the job done.

What to look for in a good church.

Ephesians 4v11-16

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and
teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a
perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be
children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in
the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all
things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together
by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share,
causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Look for a Church with a strong Pastor.

Look for a Church that teaches and trains believers for the work of the ministry. Look for a Church that
teaches and challenges you to grow spiritually.

Look for a Church with a loving atmosphere – loving church family led by a loving Pastor.
The Local Church is part of the Universal Church which is the Body of Christ. Jesus Christ died for the
entire Church. The Church is built on revelation knowledge of what Jesus purchased for us by His death
and resurrection.

Scriptural Organization of the Local Church.

God instituted the local Church. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church.

Colossians 1v18

And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in
all things He may have the preeminence.

Christians/Believers are the body of the Church. We are His “hands and feet” in this world.

Ephesians 1v22-23

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which
is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

The Church has Ministry Gifts

This means that God has given certain spiritual gifts or abilities to specific people to enable the Church to
function correctly.

These ministry gifts are given by God as He chooses to give them to people. They are called the “Five Fold
Ministry” because there are five Ministry gifts which are designed to work together. The ministry gifts are
the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher.

Ephesians 4v4-13

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one
faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”

9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts
of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He
might fill all things.)

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and
teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a
perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Jesus is the “Director of Operations”. As the Head of the Church, He places each Ministry Gift and co-
ordinates their functioning to form a unity.

The Five Fold Ministry is there to equip the Saints for the work of the ministry to bring the unity of the
faith.

Who and What is the Pastor

Jesus is the Chief-Shepherd (we always keep our eyes on Jesus). Hebrews 13v20

The Pastor is the shepherd who works in full co-operation with the Chief Shepherd and he is one of the
ministry gifts to the Church.

He should feed, care, tend, protect and discipline the sheep.

In the Church we also have Elders, Deacons, Ministry of Helps. An Elder or Bishop must be:

A mature, established believer. He can oversee the affairs of the Church. In other words, he or she usually
has some or other leadership/administrative role to play in the Church.

1 Timothy 3v1-7

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop
then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior,
hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not
quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission
with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of
the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same
condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside,
lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Deacons

They have similar requirements to Elders and Bishops. Their role is to Serve the body of Christ. A good
example is an Usher or Hostess who serves communion and receives the tithes and offerings, etc.

1 Timothy 3v7-13

Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and
the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much
wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let
these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. 11 Likewise, their
wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the
husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served
well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in
Christ Jesus.

Ministry of Helps

In modern terms, these are people who assist with ministry work, eg, typing, preparation of venue,
bookshop, sound and any other support function within the local Church.

You must understand that you are important to God’s plan for the local church and that there’s a place there
no one else but you can fill. The Key is to find your position, get plugged in and offer your spiritual supply.
Become a faithful steward of the gift God has entrusted to you by committing your time, talent and
resources to the place it has pleased God to place you.

Fellowship

It is vitally important to attend church every week. This is the place where we can worship God and hear
the Word of God preached. Going to church also means meeting and interacting with other Christians.

Hebrews 10v25

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one
another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Don’t think that you can function alone, on your own. You were designed by God to fit into the structure of
the local church.

Brian Mullins

Stay in a church (a good church) and stay submitted to the leadership of that local church body.
Loners are easy prey for the devil.

If you want to stay on fire for God, stay connected and stay in close fellowship with other believers.

Stay submitted to the leadership of your local church.

We have an opportunity to connect and fellowship with each other and stay connected.

How does the devil work where the Local Church is concerned?
Satan doesn’t want you to plug in and prosper, so he’ll have a strategy designed to cause you to stumble, to
unplug you from your God-ordained position and place. This strategy almost always comes in the form of
strife and division which begins with getting offended. It’s his mightiest tool.

If he can get you in strife, if he can get you offended, then he will try to drive you away from the place that
it pleased God to place you. Satan is out to hurt you-in fact, in his world; the purpose of hurt is to get you
on a detour from God’s best for you.

Ecclesiastes 10:4

If a ruler becomes angry with you, don’t resign your position. If you remain calm, you can make up
for serious offenses.

Look at t he enemy’ s strategy.

Someone in church said something that offended you or perhaps you weren’t invited to be a part of a
group. The pastor couldn’t see you or visit you. You feel bad and you think about it. Bitterness begins to
grow within you. Satan digs at that hurt with accusations like, “They all hypocrites. You don’t need them.”
So you start avoiding them.

That hurt builds in your mind, and you begin to form negative opinions of more people-people not even
involved in the offense! You stop fellowshipping with believers, reading your bible; praying and you’re
hanging out with someone you shouldn’t. One day you wake up to the fact that you bitter toward God, and
ask yourself, “How did I get here?” The problem is that you got hurt but you never did anything to take
care of it. The answer is to forgive those who have hurt you.

Pray for your Pastor and those in authority over you and watch God begin to turn things around in your
favor. Don’t leave the church when you experience times of famine. Don’t make permanent decisions out
of temporary situations.

Tithes and Offerings

In Lesson 7 under the section of Prosperity, we talked about the Tithe ( a tenth of what we earn) as sowing.
We sow seed financially through tithes and offerings. Tithing occurs in both Testaments.

Old Testament (before the law). Genesis 14v18-20; Leviticus 27v30-34

New Testament (in and after the law) Luke 11v42; Hebrews 7v8

The important thing to remember is that your tithe always goes to the storehouse, your local church.

Offerings are given over and above your tithe.

Communion (Breaking Bread)

We must judge ourselves before partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Communion is the time when we
remember what Christ did for us on the cross to remind us of our covenant with God.

We take the bread as symbolic of His body, to provide health and healing for our bodies and our souls, and
the abundant life that Jesus came to bring us. We take the grape juice symbolic of His blood for remission
of our sins.

1 Corinthians 11v23-26

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same
night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,
“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same
manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This
do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink
this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Fulfilling of the Ministry

Every believer should be part of a local Church. This means committing yourself to the local church and
includes filling in a membership form.