 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Praises for this book

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1: It's not about you anymore

Chapter 2: It's all about love

Chapter 3: Don't stay down

Chapter 4: You need some food

Chapter 5: Can you perceive the stink?

Chapter 6: It's not yours, give it up

Chapter 7: The struggle is real, but...

Chapter 8: Tap into your superpower

Chapter 9: Who is the Holy Spirit?

Chapter 10: His presence and your purpose

Chapter 11: Not for you alone
Chapter 12: No longer a baby
Chapter 13: When you suffer for being right

Chapter 14: The string that ties it all together

Finally, be strong in the Lord

References

NAVIGATING YOUR NEW LIFE

A Guide for New and Growing Believers

Mercy Oluwadara Jaiyeola

Copyright © 2020 by Mercy Oluwadara Jaiyeola

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, stored in a database, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, write to the publisher at the email address below:

darajay2008@gmail.com

Scripture notations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc. ® All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture notations marked KJV are taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version. Crown Copyright in the UK.

Scripture notations marked NASB are taken from The Holy Bible, New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Scripture notations marked AMP are taken from The Holy Bible, Amplified® Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631 All rights reserved. http://www.lockman.org

Cover design: Femi Sobayo

Editing: Mercy Oluwadara Jaiyeola

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This book is also dedicated to everyone who will read this book, and that includes you!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I want to thank my best friend, the Holy Spirit, for putting the inspiration for this book in my heart. I am also especially grateful that He walked with me through every chapter of this book. This book is not made up of my words, but His words, and for that I am forever thankful.

I am grateful to friends, family, mentors, and leaders who have contributed their input towards the success of this book.

A big thanks to Mawuli Deegbey (my former WEMMI fellowship president) for his time, corrections, suggestions, and eye for details as regards this book. I also want to thank my Mum, Mrs. E.A. Jaiyeola for her suggestions, corrections, and encouragement throughout this process. Special thanks to the children's pastor at my church (Pinelake Church, Starkville), Ryan Vaughn, for his time and helpful comments. A big 'thank you' also to my pastor back when I was a teenager, Pastor Demola Adegbile for his time and encouragement.

I want to thank Demilade Jaiyeola, David Jaiyeola, and my Dad, Engr. A.E. Jaiyeola for brainstorming with me. Heartfelt thanks to Femi Sobayo, Damilola Aroyewun, Ife Dele-Ajayi, Theresa Odey, Ikeoluwa Olojede, Fisayo Dayo-Samuel, and Theophilus Okunlola for their comments, contributions, prayers, accountability, and support for this book.

I want to specially thank Debola Deji-Kurunmi for yielding to God's calling on her life. Through the Immerse Inner Circle (founded by her), I got tremendous help for the publishing of this book. Thanks to Hephzibah Frances, the CEO of Beautiful Feet Publishing, who also helped this book become a reality.

I want to thank and congratulate myself for not giving up despite the different roadblocks along the way.

Finally, thank YOU for picking up this book. Thank you for sharing with friends and family. Thank you for supporting this project. Thank you for investing in your spiritual journey. I can tell you, for a fact, that investing in your walk with God is never a waste.

God bless you!

FOREWORD

"Just as the author's native name (Olúwádárànínúayémi) depicts, God is a wonder worker. This book is truly a wonderful gift. It is a wonder how the brief pages give a detailed guide to the mysteries of the Christian life using simple spirit-breathed descriptions and stories.

Digging in felt like an enrollment in an exciting school class of 17 amazing modules in form of concise chapters! The 'class modules' would stir up our hearts and ignite our spirit as new or long-time believers! It gives simple profound insights to questions and thoughts like:

  * Why should I give my heart to Jesus?

  * How long can I keep up with the Christian life and not tire out?

  * I have tried it all and I'm tired – I really cannot stick to any bible reading plan

  * Why do I need a community of other Christians?

  * Why do the motives of my requests matter to God?

  * Is God really with us in low times?

  * Do I really have power as a Christian?

  * Who is the Holy Spirit?

  * Why should I and how can I love 'unlovable' folks?

  * How do I grow my faith?

To really glean the juice of this resource and be impacted by it on every fresh read and re-read, we would need to intentionally meditate on the referenced scriptures and use the meditation-inducing questions at the end of every class module a.k.a. chapters!

In this blessed book, there are great resource recommendations – sermons and books to immediately feed on. The book lays emphasis on the fact that we all should enroll in a consistent and continuous Christian journey of rewarding growth. One of my favorite quotes in the book is in the final chapter: "Another reason why we must be consistent and not grow weary is because our enemy, Satan, is not taking a break".

I would say our motto should thus be: We take no breaks as we live by the Romans 12:2 curriculum!

Our author is a woman of divine wisdom that expresses itself in the simplest of forms, which in itself is an unspeakable wonder. She is my sweet 'firebrand friendship' and we are blessed to share our mama in the Lord – Debola Deji-Kurunmi a.k.a. DDK. Oluwadara is a blessed woman of grace and I am daily blessed to know her personally. Thank you Oluwadara for penning down our ABBA father's message to you. Keep shining ever bright my sister, your light lights up our generation!"

  * Oluwadamilola Aroyewun

(Lagos, Nigeria)

PRAISES FOR THIS BOOK

"Sometimes, the process of being shaped by God can be painful and difficult but in this inspiring book "Navigating your new life", the author, Mercy Oluwadara Jaiyeola encourages us to look beyond the challenges of the moment to the joy of knowing that God is crafting us into tools fit for the Master's use"

  * Mrs. E.A. Jaiyeola

(Author's Mum, and Pastor, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ibadan, Nigeria)

'Navigating your new life' is one of the very few books I will recommend to new believers. It presents truths that every believer should know about the new life they now live in Christ. As you read, I encourage you to open your heart to receive from God. My prayer for you as you read this book is that you encounter God through the text in Jesus' name.

  * Ife Dele-Ajayi

(Lincoln, England)

In Navigating Your New Life, the author explains what it means to be saved and the subsequent steps that new converts need to take in order to grow. It outlines some of the questions and challenges that come with spiritual growth: questions and challenges that new converts will have to walk through. However, the book also shows how new converts can surmount these challenges by relying on the knowledge of Christ's abiding presence in them. Indeed, at the core of this book is the commentary on being found in Christ and becoming a disciple of Christ. It is absolutely glorious to be found in Christ, but it is even more important to our Father that we are properly discipled. Jesus' instruction to his disciples is clear in this regard: they are to make disciples of all nations, just the way He did to them. Thus, the commitment of believers is not just to get people saved but to get them properly discipled—a person's spiritual growth is only a reflection of the kind of discipleship they received. It is this intricate balance of being saved and being discipled that this book strikes. If anything, this book admonishes its readers to take heed to their spiritual life and growth.

  * Theophilus Okunlola

(Mississippi, USA)

As stated in 1 Peter 2:2, "Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,". So is the goal of this book - to serve as a head start for every new believer to grow in this lifelong journey of the Christian walk.

  * Mawuli Deegbey

(North Carolina, USA)

PREFACE

God gave me the idea for this book on a summer night in 2017 when He made me understand that it is not enough to help people come to salvation but that they also need a compass for their new-found faith.

This also finds its root in the great commission of Jesus Christ to His disciples:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:19‭-‬20 NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

This commandment does not end at people receiving the gospel, Jesus proceeded to say that His disciples were to teach these new believers everything Christ had commanded them.

I spoke to a lady named Erica at the 2018 Passion Conference venue in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She was a new Christian, and she shared with me how she needed some help and direction about how to live as a Christian. The discussion made me realize that there were probably many others like Erica, and it served as a further confirmation that this book (which I had already started writing) was needed.

I strongly believe that this book will provide a solid foundation for new believers, and I pray that this book will help you find your footing as a Christian and encourage you to great growth in Christ.

INTRODUCTION

This section introduces the truth about sin, death, the gift of eternal life, and how to receive it. If you are not a believer, this will be a great place to start! This section will also be a refresher for believers.

Why must I be saved?

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (saved), he cannot see the kingdom of God". John 3:3 (KJV, emphasis mine)

What is the kingdom of God? It is God's domain, His dwelling place, His empire, all that is under the influence of His rule. It is the place of joy, peace, and everlasting light. It's the place where no one dies, no one is sick, it's the place where there is no pain at all. It is the place where God is! (Revelations 21:3-4). The citizens of the kingdom of God are characterized by the eternal life that they possess. A large percentage of people are uncertain about what their lot will be after death. A lot are even afraid of death. Being saved removes this fear, because being saved makes you a part of this kingdom that lasts forever! Revelations 21:27 (NIV) says this about the kingdom of God:

"Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Am I impure?

Every single one of us was born impure! Ever since our enemy, the devil, deceived Adam and Eve to rebel against God, sin came into the world and affected every one of us. We were separated from God's presence, away from His kingdom and we came under the rule of Satan.

See what the Bible has to say about that:

Romans 3:23 (AMP)

"Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives."

Psalm 51:5 (AMP)

"Behold, I was brought forth in [a state of] iniquity; my mother was sinful who conceived me [and I too am sinful]."

What is the consequence of being separated from God?

The bible refers to our state (of separation from God) as death. Imagine being cut off from that eternally blissful kingdom already described: that's torture! See what the Bible says:

Romans 6:23 (AMP)

"For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord."

I think I need this free gift. Tell me more!

God did not leave us in our sin, bondage, and death, but He loved us so much that He gave us a way out through His Son Jesus! Jesus suffered and died to pay the debt of our sin. He died in our place. He experienced separation from God so that we don't have to! Then He gave us His life instead! He took our death and gave us His life freely!

John 3:16-18 (MSG)

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending His Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in Him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust Him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him."

John 14:6 (AMP)

"Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the father except by (through) Me."

How can I receive the free gift of Christ's life?

All you need to do is believe in Jesus, the Son of God, who was led to His death as a lamb is led to be killed. His blood was shed to cleanse your sin, and because of His resurrection, you are also raised with him to eternal life. Now your name will be written in His book of Life, and you become a citizen of God's kingdom!

Romans 10: 9-11 (NIV)

"If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, "Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame""

If you are ready to receive this gift, please say this prayer out loud:

Dear God, thank you for your love for me. Thank you, Jesus, for giving your life to save me. I admit that I am a sinner and I am not worthy to be in your kingdom. But I believe that your son, Jesus, died to save me and He was resurrected by your Spirit and He now lives forever more. I receive your free gift of your salvation and I declare that Jesus is my Lord and my Savior, and that I now have eternal life through Him. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus name, amen.

So, is that it? Am I saved now?

Yes. It's that simple. Remember, it is a free gift. All you need to do is stretch out your "hands", by faith, to receive it. No more, no less!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

All your past wrongs have been forgiven and totally cleansed. You are a new and righteous person now, no matter what people say.

You are now a child of God, an heir of God, and joint heir with Christ. You have direct access to God. You are a bonafide member of the Kingdom of God. (John 1:12)

You now have the Spirit of God living within you. You have the most powerful person in heaven and on earth INSIDE of you. Invariably, YOU are carrying all that power.

You have the most holy and righteous person in heaven and on earth inside of you. Hence, you are HOLY and RIGHTEOUS.

Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Now that you are saved, what's next?

Let us journey together through this book to answer this question!

Chapter One

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU ANYMORE!

If you are a Christian reading this book right now, I want to say this to you: Congratulations. I am congratulating you because you have been translated from death to life; from darkness to light; from bondage to freedom; and from despair to hope. Your dead spirit has been made alive the moment you accepted Jesus Christ into your life; now you can develop a relationship with God.

Paul describes his salvation in Galatians 2:20 (NIV) as follows: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me".

Something that is worth pointing out from Paul's declaration in the above verse is that: At the point of salvation, there was an exchange. When you and I got saved, we gave up our lives (as we know it) to be crucified with Christ on that cross, and then we resurrected with Him into the new life we have received.

If you forget anything else, please do not forget this: It is not your life anymore. Yes, that's right. It is not your life anymore; it is not my life anymore. It is the life of Christ in us. We do not get to dictate anymore, He does. When we live our new lives, we are not just representing ourselves; we are representing Him. The era of self-government is over. I think this crucial concept has been lost in the modern-day church and I just want to remind you that, as a Christian, it is no longer about you; it is all about God.

Not to worry, you are not doomed; rather, your life just took a turn for the best. This is because your life has just ceased to be under the direction of your short-sighted and imperfect self but is now under the command of the all-knowing, all-seeing, perfect God. He has promised that His plans for you and I are good, and everything will work together to achieve that good purpose in our lives (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28). Now, you can breathe easy and entrust your life to the One who never makes mistakes. What a relief!

As Christians, we have been called to live the life of Christ for His glory on this earth. "So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31 NIV). Our lives are for His glory; we have been created for His pleasure, and we have been saved to show forth His praise.

It is not about us; it is all about God.

Reflection

  1. Do you know who you are now in Jesus? Do you know how God sees you? (Read Ephesians 2, John 1:12, 1 John3:1)

  2. What do you believe the Christian journey entails? Trying to keep a set of rules? Or living out the newness of life you have already been given? (Read 1 John 3:9, Romans 6)

  3. What would it mean for you to truly hand over the control of your life to God? (Galatians 2:20)

  4. Do you really trust that God's plans for you are far better than what you could ever dream up for yourself? (Read 1 Corinthians 2:9, Isaiah 55:8-9, Jeremiah 29:11)

Chapter Two

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE

When you get saved, you become God's baby. He has redeemed you from being an outsider (His creation) to becoming an insider (His child). Just like each party in a romantic relationship feels extremely blessed to have been chosen and loved by their partner and they, in response, love their partners in return, our response to God should be one of gratitude, which culminates into love for Him. This shows that a suitable response to our salvation experience is to commit ourselves to love the One who chose us and poured His love on us.

One specific way that spouses in a love relationship show their love to their partner is trying to be the best they can be for their partner. They want to become a better version of themselves even though they are convinced that their partner loves them just as they are. That is why we see women who try to look their best for their husbands; and husbands who consistently work on pleasing their wives even if that means they won't get to do what they would have initially preferred to be doing. This kind of love that spurs us into wanting to be better for the ones we love is what the newly saved human needs: the love that motivates him to want to shed away everything that wouldn't make his new love (God) happy; the love that would make her begin to do those things that would make God happy. The kind of love that would inspire a transformed lifestyle; a growth into the kind of person we know He desires and deserves.

This love I have described seems like a big deal. Well, it is; but thankfully we have this love in our hearts when we receive Jesus as our Lord, and much more by allowing the Spirit of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5). Love is the summary of a person's experience of salvation. Love made salvation available to us; love is the best way to respond to the giver of Salvation; and love is what would keep us in this Salvation.

Nothing but love could have kept Jesus committed to dying on the cross. Even He (Jesus) said this: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13 KJV). The first thing that you need to know as a new believer is how much God loves you. It might be difficult to try to understand or measure this love, but this is a simple paragraph that sums it up:

God loves you regardless of who you are, where you are from, what you have done or what you will do. You cannot do anything to make Him stop loving you, neither do you need to do anything to win His love. If you are unsure of anything else in this world, one thing you should be sure of and tenaciously hold on to is that God loves you unconditionally, beyond any doubt (whether reasonable or unreasonable).

As Alex Himaya said in his sermon at Pinelake church, Mississippi, United States in July of 2017 [1]; "one of the greatest attacks of the enemy is to make you doubt who you are". That is why it is very important to always remember that you are "the one who is loved by God", as Mike Breaux rightly mentioned in one of his sermons at Pinelake church, Mississippi. An important thing to also note from the verse we read earlier (John 15:13) is the fact that Jesus refers to you as His friend. That is a further assurance of His love for you.

You might be wondering who the enemy in the previous paragraph refers to. This enemy is the Devil, also known as Satan. His main purpose is to separate the believer from God. But do not worry, Christ already overcame him; all the believer needs to do is to walk the salvation walk in the love of Christ. This love sustains the Christian as he goes on this spiritual journey. As earlier mentioned, this love assures us about who and whose we are.

Something that this love causes you to do is to obey God's commands. John 15:14 tells us that as friends of God, obeying him is paramount. Going further to verse 17 of the same chapter, God's commandment to us is to love one another. Can you see the cycle here? Love makes us obey his commands, but His command is to love. Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) says it all: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself". How simple that is! This seemingly simple command of total obedience and love has far-reaching implications. Some are:

  * You would be responding appropriately to God's love for you.

  * You would be treating your fellow humans the exact way God would treat them; therefore, showing them a glimpse of God's love for them.

  * You would be exerting your victory over the enemy of your salvation because the enemy is not permitted to destroy a friend of God. This can be seen in the story of Job in the Bible (Job 1:12)

  * You would be offering your best to the One who saved your soul; and as you do that you would realize that you are evolving into the best you can be, looking more and more like your Savior, Jesus.

Love is extremely essential because: Only the one who loves truly knows God (1 John 4:7-8)

Once you are saved, you recognize that you are the one who is loved by God; the one for whom Christ died; the one whose sins and mistakes are paid for; the one who is justified by the righteous one; the one who has been covered by Christ's righteousness. After receiving this immense love, you only need to start showing this love as spelled out in Galatians 5:1-2 (NIV): "Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children, and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Reflection

  1. Recall this portion of the just concluded chapter: "It is very important to always remember that you are 'the One who is loved by God' ". Also recall John 15:13. Meditate on these and say to yourself as many times as possible: "I am loved by God, and I am His friend." Continue to say this to yourself every day until you believe it!

  2. Think about your life before Christ. Remember how you shut God out, but He never gave up on you. Reflect on how He sees value in you even when you don't and when others don't. Embrace His love and bask in the realization that this love exists and never ends!

  3. Read 1 John 4:15-19. What do you see in those verses? Do you still think that God is waiting to punish you? Do these verses boost your confidence in God's love? Are you inspired to live in this love?

  4. In case you are still skeptical about the importance of love in your Christian journey, check 1 Corinthians 13:8.

Chapter Three

DON'T STAY DOWN

We have already emphasized that as a new believer in Jesus Christ, the ONE thing you need to be fully convinced of is His love for you. This brings us to how this love will help you to maintain the salvation you have received. One thing that I am certain of is this: You are imperfect. You are not perfect, neither am I. And this imperfection is more glaring for you as a baby in Christ. Just as an 11-month old child is imperfect in the art of walking without falling, so is a baby in Christ imperfect in walking the walk of salvation.

Watching an 11-month old walk could be amusing because, on several occasions, she would stumble, sway, or outrightly fall flat on the ground while attempting to walk. This illustration can be likened to your life as a new believer. You are just trying to get the hang of what this new salvation walk entails; and stumbling, swaying or falling is inevitable. You might find yourself thinking, speaking or acting in a manner that's contrary to the way of Christ. When this happens, do not be discouraged. If it is any comfort, even those who have had years of experience walking the Christian walk have found themselves in such situations.

The question now is: What do you do when you find yourself in an un-Christlike situation? When you fall into sin, the Holy Spirit of God in your heart will call your attention to your wrongdoing. Do not ignore Him. Do not wave off His conviction. Be sober and receive His reprimand with humility, and immediately ask God to forgive your sin. Like I mentioned earlier, this is another situation where you need to remember how much God loves you. When you remember His love, you would be assured that He does not hate or condemn you for sinning. Remembering His love would also assure you that He is literally waiting for you to repent, and He forgives you instantly. 1 John 1:9 (NIV) says: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness". When He forgives you, He wipes away that sin from your record and you would appear before Him as though you have never sinned.

At this point when you are down, do not allow the Devil (your enemy who tries to separate you from God) to condemn you. Do not let him lie to you that you are worthless and can never do anything right. Do not let him lie to you that God won't accept your repentance. Do not let him hold that sin against you because God would never hold it against you - He has completely wiped it off your record and off His memory (Isaiah 43:25).

Now that you know that you are forgiven, the next step is to do what the 11-month-old child would do after she falls - get up and keep walking! You would never learn how to walk the salvation walk if you stay down after a fall. Falling is inevitable but getting up after a fall shows your determination to learn how to walk, and this determination can only lead you to progress. Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) says: "For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes". As a righteous child of God, remember to rise anytime you fall.

As Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback church preached in his series "40 days of Love" [2], God is not looking for a perfect person, He is looking for someone who loves Him enough to run back to Him in repentance after a fall. King David in the Bible was loved by God, not because he never sinned, but because he admitted his sins to God every single time and he kept pressing on in his relationship with God. Do not give up on yourself because God would never give up on you!

Furthermore, be encouraged because God can use our biggest mistake to make a difference on earth. In the first chapter of Matthew, we see the genealogy of Jesus outlined, and verse 6 says: "and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife". Solomon was the son of Bathsheba (who was sinfully taken by David from her husband Uriah), and God brought Jesus not through any of David's sons who were born with his legitimate wives, but through the son who was born with the wife David got out of his wrong decisions.

This doesn't imply that we should go ahead and sin because God will use our sin for a greater purpose. No! In fact, we need to know that as a good Father, God will reprimand us for our wrongdoings. This was true for David; he didn't escape the consequence of his actions. The first child he had with Bathsheba died and his family was divided forever (You can read the story from 2nd Samuel chapters 11 and 12). But the good news is that God still brought something great out of the mess David created, and His name is Jesus! We are not infallible, we will make mistakes and take wrong turns, but God is able to take our wrong choices and bring something beautiful out of it. There is one condition though: we must turn back to God. David, after God confronted him with his sins, immediately turned towards God in repentance. He didn't only repent, but he accepted the consequences of His action with grace, and God dealt with the rest. So, there are two conditions you need to fulfill after you make a mistake:

1. Don't stay there. Rather, turn back to God in repentance.

2. Be willing to humbly accept the consequences of your wrong decisions.

Do these, and see God create beauty out of your mess.

Reflection

  1. Have you ever felt frustrated, like you couldn't do anything right? Have you ever felt incapable of fulfilling the various promises and vows that you made to God about turning away from sin? Relax, you are in good company.

  2. It's time to realize that all your good intentions and promises are not enough to bring lasting change. You need more than just good intentions. Read Philippians 2:13, Zechariah 4:6

  3. Meditate on these verses:

    * Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.

John 15:4‭-‬5 NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

  4. In what practical ways do you think you can remain in God so that His power to bear the fruit of righteousness can flow through you effortlessly?

Chapter Four

YOU NEED SOME FOOD

There is something important that a growing child needs for proper physical and mental development: good nutrition (balanced diet). A disease called kwashiorkor is an example of what could happen to a child due to malnutrition. According to Google, some symptoms of this disease are delayed growth in children and frequent infections [3].

Is your growth in Christ stunted? Do you find yourself being infected by sin very often? You might need to check your nutrition plan. What have you been taking in? What have you been reading? What have you been listening to? What have you been watching? Who have you been hanging out with? Where have you been hanging out? Whose advice have you been following? These are the things you feed yourself with; and whether you know it or not, they contribute to your spiritual nutrition (or lack of it). Have you been taking in junk food into your Spirit? Or have you been taking in healthy food into your Spirit?

Maybe you are wondering what kind of food you need to take into your Spirit. 1 Peter 2:2 (NASB) gives us the answer: "Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation". The Word of God is your spiritual food as a follower of Jesus Christ. The word of God is contained in the Bible. Reading the Bible is the healthy food you need to grow.

You might also want to ask how often you need to read the Bible. My answer to you would be in the form of a question: How well do you desire to grow? There is no rule as to when to read the Bible or how much of the Bible you need to read. All you need to do is to come with an open heart and mind, asking God to teach you and help you grow as you read portions of His Word each day. You might not notice immediately but as you read God's Word every day, you grow to become more like Him. God does a work in you, every day, removing those things that are not like Him, and planting those attributes that are like Him in you.

These are some of the changes God's Word brings about in you and for you:

  * You will sin less. Psalm 119:11 (NIV) says: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you". Psalm 119:9 also supports this fact. Note that verse 11 says God's word should be hidden in your HEART, not under your pillow, on your table, or in your bag. God's word cannot help you grow if you don't read it or listen to it.

  * You will always have direction. You will not be confused on your journey through life. Psalm 119:105 (NIV) says: "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path". Psalm 119:130 also corroborates this fact.

  * You will have access to the abundant treasure of God. John 15:7 (NIV) says: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you".

  * You will stand out from the crowd. You would be pure, holy and shine like stars. Philippians 2:14-16a (NIV) says: "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life". (emphasis added)

  * You will have peace, joy, and wisdom. Do you want to be wise? Read God's word. Do you want to be truly happy? Read God's word. Do you want your mind to be at rest? Read God's Word. Psalms 19:7 (NIV) says: "The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple".

From the above, we can see that God's word is indispensable in the life of a child of God that really wants to grow. One thing must not be forgotten, though. When you read God's Word, you should obey. Your love for God would prompt you to obey His commandments always. When God speaks to you through His Word, obey. James 1:22 (NIV) says: "Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says".

Reflection

  1. Have you found it difficult to set aside time to study God's Word? Do you get distracted while trying to study? Why do you think this is the case?

  2. Have you ever felt condemnation about not doing enough, especially when you miss out on spending time with God? Don't beat yourself up. Your heart is already in the right place.

  3. Bible study doesn't have to be rigid or boring. Here are some suggestions:

    * Choose a time of day when you are alert but relaxed. It could be when you are planning for the new/next day or reflecting on a just-concluded day. It could be when you are able to get a quiet moment during a busy day.

    * It is not about quantity but quality. You don't have to try to read 10 chapters in a day. You can start with a verse a day; think about that verse throughout the day and ask God for opportunities to put that verse to practice. Don't forget it's not enough to just read the Bible, we must obey. You can then graduate to one or more chapters per day.

    * You can study with bible plans (the YouVersion Bible app provides many of those). You can use devotionals along with your Bible (don't allow books or devotionals take the place of your Bible). You can decide to do a personal topical study (e.g. a study about Faith). You could also do a book study (e.g. a study of the book of John).

    * Whatever route you choose to go in your Bible study, make it a priority to invite the Holy Spirit to teach you and grow you through His word. It always works! (See John 14:26)

  4. Can you think of other practical ways of studying God's Word and practicing what you study?

Chapter Five

CAN YOU PERCEIVE THE STINK?

"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell."

Mark 9:43-47 (NIV).

What you take in (Your eyes), What you do (Your hands), and Who you spend time with (Your legs) determine how prone you would be to be sinning against God. If you are able to do away with taking in any information/entertainment that could cause you to sin; if you are able to control your actions and reactions such that they do not lead to sin; and if you are able to limit your inner social circle to those that would not influence you to sin against God, then you are on the path to tremendous spiritual growth, looking like Christ, and experiencing eternal life to the fullest.

I had an experience recently, and the Holy Spirit taught me something profound from the occurrence.

I was trying to find somewhere quiet to make an important call and because of my desperation, I went into a room that I couldn't stay in a few minutes earlier (because it stank). I sat comfortably in the room and proceeded to talk on the phone. Within moments, the room didn't smell as stinky anymore (to me), but anyone who tried stepping into that room from someplace else would be appalled by the foul smell.

This scenario describes our situation, sometimes. Out of necessity, compulsion, loneliness or frustration, we find ourselves stuck in unhealthy situations which include (but are not limited to) sinful living, unhealthy friendships, relationships, and alliances. The unfortunate thing about those situations is that left to us, after some time, they become normal. We don't perceive the stink of the guilt, the shame, the abuse, the toxicity and the slow "rotting away" anymore.

This is where other people come in. Someone who stumbles into that situation would catch a whiff of the unpleasant odor of the situation and would be able to alert you to it. This brings me to our need for a healthy support system. As new and growing Christians, we need spiritually healthy, emotionally healthy, and wise people around us who can identify and address any "stink" in and around us immediately. We need those who we can walk with through those corridors; people who would not even allow us to get into the stinky room in the first place!

God admonishes us time and time again in His word about the need for us to have the right people around us. Psalm 1 paints the picture vividly. It says first, Don't WALK in the way of sinners (don't stroll through sin boulevard); second, don't STAND in that way (don't stop to chat with the wicked); then don't go in and SIT (don't get comfortable because when you sit, your senses become dull to the stink of that environment!). So, God has told us who NOT to hang with; unbelievers should not be our support system, they cannot be our closest buddies as new and growing Christians.

Who then are we supposed to stand, walk and sit with? Proverbs 13:20 (NIV) says this: "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm."

Who are these 'wise' people? They are described in Proverbs 11:30 (NIV): "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives."

These wise people are the righteous ones: Those who have been made righteous by Christ because they have surrendered to His Lordship, and who strive every day to produce fruits of righteousness that will lead to the salvation of others.

These are the people being referred to in Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

These righteous (but imperfect) people gather together in churches and fellowships at least once every week. Join a church (that preaches, believes, and obeys God's word), join a fellowship/small group, serve with God's people, walk with them, eat with them, talk with them and spur each other on to love and good deeds, as you deflect each other from distractions and wrong decisions.

Reflection

  1. The Christian journey is personal, but it doesn't have to be lonely. God has blessed us with so many brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers in the family of God. You never have to walk alone.

  2. What step can you take today to plug yourself into a community of fellow believers? Would you switch from online/tv church to an actual physical church gathering? Would you volunteer to join others on a mission trip? Would you join a bible study group? Get involved today; make that call!

Chapter Six

IT'S NOT YOURS, GIVE IT UP!

The story of Abraham going to sacrifice his son Isaac to God is an interesting one (Genesis 22:1-14). Abraham waited 25 years for the fulfillment of God's promise to give him Isaac, and then the same God asks Abraham to kill his 25-year-dream-come-true. I'm glad that Abraham obeyed, and that Isaac didn't get killed but that's not the focus of this chapter. My question in all this is: Why would God want to 'see' whether Abraham would obey His command to kill Isaac?

A lot of times I have seen people ask/beg God for a blessing and then that blessing ultimately distracts them from what matters: God. It happens with our jobs, academics, families, and even ministries. We get that blessing, we hold tight to it, and like a child, we scream "Mine! Mine! Mine!"; unwilling to give up the blessing. What then happens? It's either we hold on so tight to that blessing that we lose sight of God, and ultimately, the blessing becomes a curse because the "Blesser" is out of the picture. Or we gracefully give back the blessing to the Blesser and thus retain possession of both God and the blessing. Thus, instead of saying "Mine", we should say "Yours, Lord". I believe that this was the reason Hannah got her son from God that day at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:1-11). She was no longer about using the child to pay back Peninah (her husband's other wife) for the years of mockery; she was no longer about using the child to "save face" in the community. But when she was about giving the child back to the Giver, she got the child.

God wants to know that we have a very light grip on our lives and everything that makes us "us", and that we are ready to lose it all to gain Him. In the passage below, Jesus is saying that we must be willing to give up our lives (as we know it) if we really want to follow Him.

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?' " (Matthew 16:24‭-‬26 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Also, here is Paul, saying he would give up all his qualifications in a heartbeat for Christ Jesus.

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:7‭-‬8 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

We need to recognize that God is the ultimate prize, worth more than every other thing put together. That is why Matthew 13:44 (NIV) says: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field".

What is holding you back from total surrender to God and His plan for your life? Is it your friendships, your possessions, your status, your job, your relationships? Do not say "Mine" to those things anymore, turn to God and say "Yours". You will be glad you did because really, God is not being cruel, but He is testing our capacity to receive the big-picture blessing. If we go ahead and read verses 15-18 of Genesis 22, we will see how God pronounced long-term blessings on Abraham because he was willing to give up the short-term blessing. If Abraham did not give up Isaac that day, we wouldn't be claiming the blessings of Abraham today. Your surrender will impact much more than you, it will impact generations after you.

What is standing in the way of your total surrender to God? Give it up!

Reflection

  1. Can you boldly declare that Jesus rules every aspect of your life? Or is there a part of your life that you find hard to give up control of?

  2. Is God asking you to do something that sounds really crazy? Do you trust Him enough to look foolish before everyone? Have you truly surrendered wholly to Jesus? Are you ready to lose everything (your friends, family, comfort, plans, etc.) to gain Christ?

  3. Read Matthew 16:26 again. What do you think Jesus was saying about the value of your soul (salvation/relationship with God) in comparison with the value of the whole world? (Hint: An article from 2014 estimated the wealth of all the people in the world to be $241 trillion. Note that this is the wealth of the people. The value of the land, vegetation, and natural resources haven't been included).

  4. Given the above question, how much more valuable do you now feel? Do you think it would be wise to trade your value for this other temporary stuff?

Chapter Seven

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL, BUT ...

These are some of God's promises for us as we go through life:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28 NIV)

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22 NIV)

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." (Isaiah 43:2 NIV)

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:31‭-‬34 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

God knows that worries, struggles, and difficult situations are unavoidable in this life, so He has armed us with the above promises and much more. We are not exempt from trying situations just because we are followers of Christ. We live in a broken world, a world ruled by our enemy the Devil, therefore we will face the same problems as everyone else. The difference between us and others in the world is that these problems, and even death, have no power over us because we have already been given the victory before the battle begins at all.

This was Jesus speaking before He died (and resurrected): "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NIV)

John, the disciple who was closest to Jesus, wrote these:

"Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." (1 John 5:5 NIV)

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1 John 4:4 NIV)

It is important to note that Jesus gave us victory over death when he died and rose again, but that doesn't mean Christians won't die physically. What it means is that even though their bodies are killed, they will not experience the second death by going to hell with the Devil and the fallen angels. That's what our enemy is after; killing our soul and spirit, but we have eternal life in Christ, and we should hold on to it dearly over our physical life and comfort.

I have spoken to a few people who are not Christians and they don't know what will happen to them after they die. Some are scared to think about what waits for them beyond this life, but as children of God, we are assured that we will live and reign together with Christ after we leave this earth. We are promised heaven if we will endure to the end. Life could be hard, full of twists and turns, the struggle is real, and the struggle never really ends. But what should keep us going is that we have Christ; He is with us always; He has given us victory already; He is able to flood our lives with His peace even in the midst of the struggle; He is able to turn impossible situations around; and after this life, we will reign with Him in heaven where there is no pain, struggle, sickness or darkness.

"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' " (1 Corinthians 15:54‭-‬55 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." (Matthew 24:12‭-‬13 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

"To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations — I will also give that one the morning star." (Revelation 2:26‭,‬28 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Just in case you are going through a hellish time right now and you're really looking forward to experiencing heaven, the answer is NOT to kill yourself. Remember: it's no longer your life. Your life is hidden with Christ in God. You're now living the life of Christ. If you are in this situation, kindly get medical and professional help. And most importantly, get God's help; let Him fill your heart with His joy. No darkness of depression can co-exist with the light of His presence because, in His presence, there is the fullness of joy. I know this because God's light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot withstand it! (John 1:5, paraphrased). You are not strong enough, and you don't have to be, because Jesus is strong enough for you. A great place to start will be the message preached by Pastor Louie Giglio of Passion City Church titled "I'm not okay... but Jesus is" [4].

In summary, Romans 14:17 (NIV) says: "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,"

His righteousness, peace, and joy are all we need while going through dark periods.

  * His righteousness: to enable us to stand firm in holiness regardless of how great the temptation to compromise is.

  * His peace: to keep us calm while everything around seems to be crumbling to dust.

  * And His joy: that infuses strength and life into us and keeps us radiating God's love and glory to others regardless of what we are going through.

All these are found in God's kingdom, not outside it. The answer is God, the answer is Jesus, the answer is God's Spirit in you. Don't look to the world and the ways of unrighteousness. They have no hope for eternity, but you do! They have no life to offer, but you have been given eternal life! Seek God's kingdom and you will get all you need, even (and especially) during the tough times!

Reflection

  1. Do you get worried easily? You know God loves you and He promises you a glorious future but when life happens, the stress and pain overshadows the promise? You need the peace of God to just quiet down your many thoughts. Let's meditate on Philippians 4:4-7 to see how we can experience this peace.

    * Verse 4 says to Rejoice in God always. That means you need to have a knowledge of who He is, first. If you know the extent of His power and awesomeness, you will not but rejoice in Him.

    * Verse 5 tells us that God is near. The powerful God isn't far away; regardless of how far you may feel He is. Your Father is close to you. Would you just close your eyes and Rest in His sweet embrace?

    * Verse 6 says to pour out your heart to Him. Request for what you want, because He hears you. We are also to remain thankful. Thankful people are positive and hopeful people, and they complain and worry less. Remember how God brought you through the struggles of the past, and trust that He will show up for you again and again.

    * So, Rejoice, Rest, Request, and Remember. Worry will become a thing of the past!

  2. What other practical steps have you taken, that have helped you maintain the right perspective during tough times?

  3. Remember this quote by John Lennon: "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end." God promises this: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). The Bible also says this: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)

  4. God's got you!

Chapter Eight

TAP INTO YOUR SUPERPOWER

Many people are intrigued by gifted fictional characters like Spiderman, Batman, Wonder Woman, X-Men, Superman, Black Panther: the list is endless. We are not just intrigued by them; we sometimes wish we could have some superpower at certain times in our lives. The good news is that, as Christians, we received the highest and greatest superpower the moment we surrendered to Jesus Christ. Romans 8:11 tells us that the Spirit of God, that raised Jesus from the dead, is living in us. [To understand the extent of the power we possess, note that this Spirit in us raised the One who has the power to raise others from the dead]. We have this great power available to us as children of God.

Now that you are aware that you possess this power, we need to know how to harness it. We see in many stories of Jesus' miracles that He would pray right before the miracle, or he would have spent the previous night alone in prayer. Luke 6:12 (NIV) says "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God". After he prayed, see what happened in verse 19: "and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all".

As children of God, prayer is the way we unlock God's power in our lives and around us. We don't need to be superman or superwoman in situations of life because God is already our superpower. We only need to talk to Him in prayer, and He works it all out with just a single word.

A popular saying goes thus: "A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian". Let me also add that "a prayerless Christian is an inheritance-less Christian". When we became Christians, we became children of God, thus brothers and sisters of Jesus, and consequently, we became joint heirs with Christ Jesus. We all have access to the inheritance of the Father through Jesus (Hebrews 9:15) but unlike earthly inheritance, we do not wait for our Father to die before we claim our portion of the inheritance because God will never die. He is immortal. So, he has given us the free rein to "ask, and it will be given to you" (Matt 7:7a NIV). We ask for our portion of our inheritance through prayer.

You may be wondering what our inheritance includes. God's word is filled with a lot of promises and blessings for His own. For instance, in Matthew 15:26, Jesus said healing is the children's bread. Also, 1 Peter 3:9 (NIV) says: "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." We have become children, so that we can inherit a blessing! Our Father has blessings for us! Our greatest inheritance as children can be seen in 1 Peter 1:3-4. It is not physical; it is not of this world; but it is kept in heaven for us. One of the reasons our enemy, the devil, wants to keep us from reading God's word is so that we are kept in the dark. If we can't see the promises, we can't lay claim to them; and if we can't lay claim to the promises, we can't enjoy them to the fullest!

Apart from harnessing the power and claiming the inheritance available to us, another reason to pray is to draw closer to God. Prayer is simply communication with God; talking to Him and listening to what He has to say like you would with your friend or spouse. As the experts say, communication is very vital to the success of any relationship. There isn't any grand formula for communicating with God, all you need to do is talk to him about what is on your mind (and about what is on His mind too). Nothing is too small or too big to talk to God about.

For instance, it was payday on the last day of January 2018, and I planned to fill my car tank with fuel (gas) before the end of the day. As I passed by the gas station in the morning, I saw that the price per gallon was $2.33, which was a few cents more than it was two days before ($2.29). I wasn't pleased with that fact so I silently asked God that He would let the price go back to what it was, so I could buy my gas at the cheaper rate. By the end of the day when I was set to fuel my car, I realized that the fuel price had gone back to $2.29 per gallon! God listens to even the "silliest" of prayers. Actually, with God, there is nothing like a silly prayer. If you want to enjoy and deepen your relationship with God, communicate with him more frequently, more deeply, and more sincerely.

We might not always have words to say when talking with God but His Spirit in us helps us to pray, as Romans 8:26 tells us clearly. To go deeper in our prayer-walk with God, praying in the Spirit is very important. I have gotten visions, ideas, and revelations of God and His Word by simply praying in the Spirit. I have been empowered in my Spirit to fight spiritual battles against our enemy just by praying in the Spirit. I have been able to pray exactly what God wants me to pray about (and consequently received the answers to those prayers) by praying in the Spirit. These are some of the perks of praying in the Spirit.

When I say, "praying in the Spirit", I mean "praying/speaking in other tongues" like the apostles did when the Holy Spirit came upon them after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Acts 2 speaks about this experience. After the apostles' experience, people who got born again were not only baptized in water but also by the Spirit and they spoke in tongues. We can see instances of this in Acts 10:45-46 and Acts 19:6.

What a blessing God has made available to all His children! Yes, the gift of the Holy Spirit is for all of us. Luke 11:13 (NIV) says "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

The first time I desired this gift was in 2003 and I received it in 2013, whereas my Dad received this gift on the same day He surrendered to Jesus. I have also heard of many instances where a Christian would spend time alone with God in prayer with the resolve not to come out of their place of prayer until they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. A book that helped me in 2013 and which I believe is still helpful to Christians who are seeking this gift is a book by Kenneth E. Hagin titled "Tongues: Beyond the Upper Room". My life was totally blessed by it, and the information within the book prepared my heart, mind, and spirit to receive that gift. Unlike me, you don't have to wait 10 years before you are able to receive the gift of speaking in tongues. As long as you are a child of God, this gift is available to you now. Another book I would highly recommend is: "The Holy Spirit and His Gifts", also written by Kenneth E. Hagin.

In summary, to operate in the fullness of your inheritance, authority, superpower, and relationship with God as a Christian, prayer is needed. Jesus was God, yet He prayed; how much more us!

Reflection

  1. In what way has this chapter changed your perception of prayer?

  2. As I discussed the Bible with a friend, he said this: Purity + Prayer = Power. Take a minute to reflect on this.

  3. Do you now see prayer as communication between two lovers (you and God) rather than just a credit card (to be swiped when you want something from God)?

  4. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Think about how you could practically apply this verse to your life. Perhaps, by praying in the Spirit as we discussed in this chapter? Maybe by tuning your heart and mind into God throughout your day and just talking to Him aloud or quietly every chance you get?

Chapter Nine

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Who is the Holy Spirit? He is the Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity known as 'God the Holy Spirit'. He is God.

For us to maximize our relationship with the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that He is in us. He is to us what Jesus was to the disciples when He was on earth. He is our companion, teacher, helper, and best friend. And we are so blessed that we get to have Him from when we got saved until the end of our lives. Before Jesus had to die, this is what He told the disciples:

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:16‭-‬17 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

How do we know that we have the Holy Spirit when we got saved? Jesus talks about salvation as being "born of the Spirit". In John 3:5 (NIV): "Jesus answered, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.' "

If we go back to Genesis (Genesis 2:7), God molded Adam with clay, but he was lifeless, then God put His breath in Adam, and he was officially born. This was a foreshadowing of what you and I experienced when we were born again (when we were saved). We were all spiritually dead, unable to relate with God, who is a Spirit. Jesus, in John 4:24 (NIV), says "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." The only way our spirit could come alive was by receiving the breath of God's Spirit, and this happened when we were saved. John 3:6 (NIV) says: "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."

The work of the Holy Spirit doesn't end at the point of salvation. It's the Holy Spirit that gives us the assurance that we are now God's children, regardless of the lies of the enemy.

"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." (Romans 8:16 NIV)

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1‭-‬2 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

When we proceed to learn more about Christ, through reading or hearing His word, the Holy Spirit is the One that gives us understanding. He reveals who God is to us as we seek to know Him. He doesn't just give us the general interpretation of portions of the Bible; He gives us interpretations that are uniquely tailored to us. That is why a person will read a verse in the Bible and draw new insights from it, every time. We see how in Acts 8:27-31, the Holy Spirit led Philip to teach a highly ranked man from Ethiopia who was reading a portion of scripture that he didn't understand. The Holy Spirit seeks to reveal the truth of who God is to us on a personal basis, as we study His word. Jesus, in John 14:26 (NIV), said: "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you". Anytime you are reading the Bible and you feel lost, just say a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to teach you. You will be surprised how much understanding He would give you from just one verse of scripture. He has done this for me countless times, and this has helped my bible study life. The Bible is no longer a sleeping tablet but becomes exciting whenever the Holy Spirit is involved. The words of the Bible are just words (and they can easily be misinterpreted) unless the Holy Spirit brings them to life in our hearts and helps us extract His truth from them.

He then reminds us of these truths He has taught us from God's word whenever we need to remember them. When we are discouraged, He reminds us that He is with us and will strengthen us. Whenever we are frustrated and unsettled, He reminds us how Jesus calmed the storm and said: "Peace be still". When we are sick, He reminds us of His promise that He is our healer. Whenever we are poor, He reminds us that we are heirs through Christ and that He owns the silver and the gold. Whenever we are about to give up, He reminds us of His promises to us and renews our hope. And whenever we sin, He reminds us about His commandments, convicts us of our sins (John 16:8), and draws us to repentance.

The help of the Holy Spirit in bringing things to our remembrance is not just limited to the Bible, His work extends to our daily life. As a deep sleeper who finds it almost impossible to wake up at a given time without an alarm, I have prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to wake me up at a certain time, and He would always do so. It is simply amazing. He would remind me about plans I have made for the day, or some item that I need to take along with me as I go out. He would even give me strategies on how to study for a test, or even how to manage my time so that I can meet my deadlines. The Holy Spirit is not just with us for the "spiritual" things, He is with us for the day to day activities of life, only if we are willing to include Him.

He gives us power. In 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV), the Bible says: "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline."

The Holy Spirit equips us with power spiritually. This power enables us to obey His commands to walk in righteousness, it enables us to receive boldness to preach the gospel of Christ with confidence and enables us to stand and fight the enemy of our soul (the Devil) when he tries to tempt us or oppress us. This was why Paul prayed this prayer in Ephesians 3:16 (NIV): "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being". Paul knew that the power our spirit needs can only come from the Holy Spirit, and he was also aware that God is able to do beyond what we ask or think only by this power that the Holy Spirit equips us with (Ephesians 3:20, paraphrased).

He also endows us with physical power. After the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in Matthew 3:16, Jesus was able to go into 40 days of fasting and prayer i.e. he went without any food for that period (Matthew 4:1-2). What seemed physically impossible was made possible through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. This was also evident in the life of a man called Samson. This is what the Bible says about him: "Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done." (Judges 14:5‭-‬6 NIV)‬. Only the Holy Spirit can empower a human being to wrestle with a lion and tear it to pieces with bare hands. The God of Samson remains the same today, He does not change. His Spirit is able to empower us to do mighty things physically for His glory.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Holy Spirit also possesses and supplies creative power. The whole heavens and earth were created with His help. Before and during creation, He was present. Genesis 1:2 (NIV) says: "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters". When it was time to make man, God said: "Let us make man". The Holy Spirit was part of the "us" that created mankind. What about when Jesus was to be born? The virgin who was supposed to give birth to baby Jesus wondered how a baby would be created without sexual relations. Luke 1:35 (NIV) tells us how: "The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God' ". The Holy Spirit can bring things into existence with or without raw materials. And we have Him in us once we were born again. This creative power resides within us; He empowers us to be change agents and innovators for His glory on earth.

He empowers us not only to be physical creators, but spiritual creators also. We can bring others into God's kingdom because the Holy Spirit works on their hearts after we have spoken to them about Christ's love or acted out Christ's love towards them. We can work with God to create a revival in the lives of those who are spiritually dead only through the help of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit Announces and Empowers. When Jesus was 12 years old and he said to his family: "I have to be about my Father's business", they didn't understand what he was talking about (Luke 2:49-50). But when Jesus called the disciples from their lucrative family businesses, they didn't hesitate to leave it all to follow Him (Matthew 4:18-22). What was the difference? In Matthew 3:13-17, at Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and God announced Jesus as His Son. Afterward, in Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights, overcame the enemy and God's Spirit ministered to Him. This was why no matter where Jesus went, the people would come after Him. He didn't have to put an advertisement in the village square; all He did was obey God (by getting baptized though He did not need to be) and get baptized and ministered to by the Holy Spirit.

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him." (Acts 10:38 NIV)

Jesus had been announced by the Father and then empowered by the Spirit, then his ministry began. Once His ministry began, he didn't have to introduce himself to the disciples. He just called them, and they followed. This is a reason why Jesus asked the disciples not to go preaching until they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). He knew that if, as God's Son, He needed the Holy Spirit to fulfill God's calling on His life, His disciples (including you and me) certainly needed the Holy Spirit to fulfill the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20) effectively.

We can see this demonstrated in Acts 2:4 when the disciples were baptized in the Holy Spirit. They didn't need to announce themselves; the people were drawn to them as verses 5 and 6 report. Afterward, the first sermon (after Jesus resurrected) was preached and thousands were saved (vs. 41). Note that through all of this, they hadn't left the house they stayed in at Jerusalem.

Then, of course, they proceeded in the power of the Holy Spirit to go preach the gospel in other cities. It is because of the work of the Holy Spirit that you and I have heard the good news of salvation today.

The Holy Spirit announces His anointed and empowers them to achieve their calling and purpose!

Finally, the Holy Spirit guarantees our inheritance in Christ from when we were saved until our last day on earth.

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13‭-‬14 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

You don't want to make the Holy Spirit unhappy. You don't want to grieve Him. You don't want to ignore Him. You don't want to chase Him away. You don't want to speak against Him (See Matthew 12:31). This is because He is the one who will determine whether we will go into heaven with Christ on that last day. You want to listen to Him because He will help and teach you to be all you need to be in order to please God and make it to heaven.

Even though we know that a seal is supposed to be permanent, we also know that God never imposes His will on us. He would present life and death to us, and then advise us to choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19). But ultimately, the choice is up to us. It is the same choice God presented to us through Jesus' death and resurrection. We were given the choice to believe that he loves us, died for us, restored us to right standing with God, and gives us eternal life. And it was up to us to believe and confess these truths. Because God will never force us to do anything, and the Holy Spirit is God; He will never force us to live a life that guarantees our inheritance in Christ. It is up to us to yield to Him.

You want to gain your inheritance of eternal life while on earth and finally when Christ returns? Listen to the Holy Spirit. If you want to forfeit your inheritance in Christ, don't listen to Him. The Holy Spirit is the source of the power of a powerful Christian. If we are going to tap into the fullness of all we are as children of God, the Holy Spirit is indispensable.

The Holy Spirit is able to do all of the above and much more, only if we will see Him for who He is: a "Him", not an "it"; a "Person" not an "idea". He is real and He lives within those of us who are God's children, but He won't actively involve Himself in our lives if we continually ignore Him, shut Him down, or if we do not invite Him.

Reflection

  1. The Holy Spirit is real. He lives in every child of God (everyone who is born again). He lives in you. Relate with Him as your friend, let Him guide you through life.

  2. Practice: Every time you wake up, say "Good morning" to the Holy Spirit. Any time you are about to study the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand. Whenever you feel stuck or need help with work, school, or any issue at all, call on the Holy Spirit to help you out, and then listen to what He drops in your heart.

  3. Do you want to manifest the power of the Holy Spirit? Do you want to experience the outpouring of God's Spirit and speak in other tongues? All you need to do is to ask God (Luke 11:13 NIV).

  4. Book recommendations for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and relationship with the Holy Spirit: "Tongues: beyond the Upper Room" by Kenneth E. Hagin, "The Holy Spirit and His Gifts" by Kenneth E. Hagin, and "Good Morning Holy Spirit" by Benny Hinn.

Chapter Ten

HIS PRESENCE AND YOUR PURPOSE

All the disciples had the general purpose to preach the gospel. But Paul was called specifically to the Gentiles [foreigners] (Romans 15:14-16, Ephesians 3:7-8) while Peter was called specifically to the Jews [the chosen people of God] (Galatians 2:7-8). Stephen and his friends were also called to preach the gospel, but they were specifically called to assist this assignment by helping to serve food as deacons (Acts 6:1-7).

As much as we are all aware of our general purpose as Christians (the great commission) outlined in Matthew 28:19-20, we need to know how God intends for us to fulfill this purpose. Does He want us to be a missionary to a foreign country or continent? Does He want us to sing melodious songs that will draw the hearts of people to repentance? Does He want us to establish a not-for-profit organization that will take in people who are in need and show His love to them? Does He want us to reveal who He is at our place of employment by living out His principles and individually inviting our colleagues to Jesus? Does He want us to reveal Him to others through our acting skills?

There are multiple ways God intends for us to reach others for His kingdom, and if we are to rely on our own knowledge, we would waste a lot of time in trial and error. The best way to know what exactly God has called us to in life is to ask God Himself. If we are far away from His presence, this will be almost impossible because the distance would prevent us from hearing what He says when He responds.

The distance I am referring to in this situation is not the one caused by sin, but the one that stems from a lack of familiarity. Picture a scenario where a child was conceived, carried in the womb for 9 months, born and clocked 5 years without ever hearing her father's voice. Then her father speaks to her on the phone on her 5th birthday. Do you think she would know that it is her father speaking? Of course not! Even though her father was present at her conception, and she had probably seen his pictures shown to her by her mother, that wouldn't help her recognize his voice unless she had heard him speak over time.

Relating this to us as Christians, God was present at our conception (when we heard the word, got convicted and decided to accept Jesus into our lives as our Savior). We could have also seen pictures of God, as painted by our parents, pastors, teachers or friends. But all these don't help us to recognize His voice when we need critical information as to what He needs us to do on earth. We can only learn His voice, and more importantly, learn His heart, as we spend time talking to Him and listening to Him speak to us (through His word, the Holy Spirit, dreams, and visions, etc). Colossians 1:17 (NIV) says: "He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together". Let us not attempt to find our purpose outside God because only in Him does everything hold together. Whatever we do outside God will not hold together.

Seeking His presence should be our lifelong goal because it is in His presence that information and directions for our life are downloaded. The Psalmist recognized this; therefore, he made several statements about God's presence in the book of Psalms:

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God". (Psalm 42:1 NIV)

"I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord". (Psalm 122:1 NIV)

"You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand". (Psalm 16:11 NIV)

"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple". (Psalm 27:4 NIV)

I have seen God reveal His purpose and plans for my life to me when my only purpose was to seek to know Him and be in tune with what's on His heart. I have seen Him give me instructions for daily living because I have learned to recognize how He speaks.

The process is neither automatic nor perfect; let's not think it is. It takes time, and we would sometimes make mistakes. The difference between the illustration I gave earlier and our relationship with God is that it is easy to recognize a fellow human's voice. While with God, it takes more effort because God is a Spirit, and it takes the spirit in us to hear what He is saying. It is difficult because our spirit was dead before we became Christians, so it would take intentional growing of our spirit man (through God's word - 1 Peter 2:2 and praying in the Holy Ghost - Jude 1:20) for us to hear from God.

Like I said earlier, we are prone to making mistakes in this process so don't be discouraged. I had an experience in 2016 where I strongly believed that God was telling me that someone was going to be the one I would marry but it didn't work out. Does that make God a liar? Of course not! And here I am in 2018, taking another leap of faith to obey what I believe God is saying to me about a journey I need to make. It is super risky (but not illegal). I could get deported, but I will gladly take deportation over disobeying God. Because when I dwell in His presence and He leads me, it is my responsibility to follow.

We cannot tell God that we are ready to do what He says but then run away whenever His instructions present any form of risk. Jesus told God: Father, I choose your will over mine (Luke 22:42, paraphrased) even though it required Him to die. Esther said: "I will go into the king to present the case for the Jews, and if I die, I die" (Esther 4:16, paraphrased). Peter stepped out of the boat on Jesus' invitation even though there was a storm raging and there was a high risk of drowning (Matthew 14: 28-29). Paul went to Jerusalem even though there was a prophecy that he would be arrested there, and everyone pleaded with him not to go. This is what He said: "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 21:13 NIV)

We can spend time with God, learning His voice and His heart, and receiving directions and instructions concerning all He wants us to do; but not obeying as He directs will be a major disaster. And seeing that God examines the motives of our heart, He might not reveal directions to a child who will not follow them. So, we must be ready to do whatever he commands even before we ask Him to give us these instructions.

Reflection

  1. Update: I went on the journey (mentioned in this chapter), my plans and purposes were successful, I had a fulfilling and favor-filled time, and I was not deported! Question: Would you trust God today and take that step of obedience to His instruction, regardless of how uncertain the outcome might be?

  2. Meditate on this quote by Rick Warren: "You never know God is all you need until God is all you have". My twist on this quote is: "You don't have to wait until God is all you have left before you realize that He is all you need." Seek His presence always!

  3. Have you come to the realization that His presence is all you need? Your identity is in Him? All you need lives in His presence? Your sense of purpose and direction in life can only be found in Him?

  4. Read Acts 17:28

  5. The more time you spend in His presence, the more you look like God. You are transformed inside out. You wouldn't need to struggle to become a better person, God does that work in you as you spend time with Him. Read Exodus 34:29-35, Philippians 2:13

  6. Stay connected to His presence and you will discover your life's purpose and walk in it. John 15:5

Chapter Eleven

NOT FOR YOU ALONE

Try to think for a minute about how you got saved. Did someone talk to you about Christ? Did you read a book someone wrote? Did you observe a person's life? Did you hear a sermon? Now that you are saved, are you forever grateful to God for that person (or people) who influenced your decision to get saved? I bet you are! These people shined their lights (of which you are a beneficiary), and that has got you thanking God. This is exactly what Jesus taught in Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV), "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

As a Christian, you have been called from darkness into God's marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). We can compare this light to sunlight. It is a fact that the moon does not manufacture its own light, rather it reflects the light that it has absorbed from the sun. In the same manner, the more exposed you are to God's light (that you have been brought into), the more light you are able to reflect in this dark world; and because you are reflecting God's light, people will thank God for you.

Another twist to this is: You don't want to keep your salvation a secret! Like the bible passage above says, God did not light you up just for you to be hidden under a basket. Reason this out with me: If you discovered a pill that would cause you to live forever, and without any stress, I bet you would swallow the pill and tell your friends and family about it too! The same applies to your salvation; it is such a beautiful and precious gift that you would not want anyone around you to miss out on. God wants you to unapologetically declare that you belong to Him, and boldly invite others to Him, especially now that the devil (your enemy) is fighting so hard to silence the mention of Jesus all around the world.

"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38 NIV)

Another way to declare to the world that you are for Christ is through baptism. We see this modeled for us several times in the Bible (Matthew 3:16, Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12). Even though baptism is not the criterion for eternal life, it is an act of faith on your part, demonstrating your acceptance of Christ's love and salvation and publicly expressing your commitment to Him.

Reflection

  1. Think about this: Can those closest to you testify to the new life you have received? Have they noticed the new you? Can you boldly say you are fulfilling Matthew 5:16?

  2. If you have found it difficult to share your faith or boldly walk righteously, why do you think this is the case?

  3. Just as a reminder, the gospel of Christ is called good news. Remember, nobody keeps good news to themselves!

  4. Have you ever considered getting baptized? Talk to your Bible study leader or pastor about it!

Chapter Twelve

NO LONGER A BABY

Do you want to move from being a baby Christian to being a Christian who is privy to God's will, secrets, and plans? Do you want to become a Christian that is a useful instrument in God's hands, a person of impact, signs, and wonders? Do you want to become a powerful Christian? A Christian who is no longer a baby, but one who knows God, walks with Him, and teaches others to do the same? Hebrews 5:12-14 (NIV) says:

"In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil"

There are three concepts in this passage that will start us on the way to be the powerful and effective Christian who is described above:

  1. Maturity

  2. Constant use

  3. Training to distinguish between good and evil

A baby Christian is unable to handle the deep truths of God, unable to stand strong against false teachers or against the deception of the enemy. Just like a baby doesn't know that the fire is harmful but reaches towards it instead; so it is for an immature Christian. Such a Christian is unable to differentiate between what is good and evil. How will such identify God's voice from the enemy's? Maturity is required in our walk with God and in our work for God. Maturity has nothing to do with how long we have been Christians, but it has everything to do with the next two concepts that will be discussed.

"Constant use" refers to consistency. What is the mature "constantly using" in this verse? This verse is talking about the constant use of God's word to help distinguish between right and wrong. If we won't obey what God asks us to, how would we end up being best friends with Him? We are not expected just to obey, but to do so constantly. Be consistent in your study of God's word, be consistent in prayer, be consistent in loving God and loving your fellow human beings. Consistency brings about maturity in our Christian walk. We can't obey God once a month and expect Him to reveal His plans to us or give us a weighty assignment meant for a trained soldier of the cross.

The third concept refers to the Christian "training themselves". No matter how much your pastor preaches at you, and no matter how much I admonish you, the responsibility falls on you to train yourself (through the help of the Holy Spirit). The Bible admonishes us to work out our own salvation. Paul said in Philippians 2:12 (NIV): "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,".

Our parents, spouses, friends, pastors, or Christian books can't work it out for us. They will all point us to God (if we have godly people around us), but ultimately, it is an individual walk and responsibility. If you cannot hear God for yourself but you need a third party to hear God for you, you are not yet mature. You must train yourself to hear God; you might make mistakes, but who doesn't? No great athlete ever became great overnight, it took months and years of constant training. Nothing and no one can help you grow if you don't decide and take steps to grow to maturity.

Consistent personal training in righteousness is the key to explosive spiritual maturity.

Reflection

  1. Is your salvation truly your own? Do you know God for yourself? Or is your faith something you inherited from someone else? Do you look to a third party for all spiritual guidance and instruction? Can you really say you are mature in your faith?

  2. Do you know that if God can speak to your pastor or to your mum, he can speak directly to you too? These people have paid the price of spending quality time with God. Could it be that you are being lazy and refusing to take responsibility for your own spiritual growth?

  3. If you have been taking steps to grow in your faith, can you truly say you have been consistent? How do you think you can be more consistent in your relationship with God?

Chapter Thirteen

WHEN YOU SUFFER FOR BEING RIGHT

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:17 NIV)

According to 1 Peter 2:20 (NIV), persecution can be defined as "suffering for doing the right thing". So, when you are obeying God and are being punished for it, you are being persecuted. Do not be discouraged, it is not a strange thing. It happened to Jesus, and the first part of 1 Peter 2:21 tells us that we have been called to this: suffering for doing the right thing. How then does God expect us to respond to persecution?

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer, and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1‭-‬3 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

  1. Remember that you are not alone: This verse talks about a great cloud of witnesses. As vast and uncountable as the clouds are, so are the number of those rooting for you. In his book "Following God's plan for your life", Kenneth E. Hagin tells us that the people being referred to in the verse right before Hebrews 12:1 are part of this great cloud of witnesses. These people (in Hebrews 11) were men and women of faith who obeyed God but died without receiving the promise (Jesus). But they are in heaven right now cheering on those of us who have gotten the promise they lived and died for. Not only are these clouds of witnesses surrounding us, we also have God himself walking with us through the persecution. He said in Isaiah 41:10 (NIV): "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

  2. Don't try to save yourself: Jesus told us in Matthew 10:28 (NIV): "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell". In this verse, He was telling us not to attempt to save our own lives at the expense of obeying God. It is hard but Jesus did it; Stephen did it; Jesus' disciples did it; Martin Luther King Jr. did it; many young and old Christians all over the world today are doing it. It is better to lose our physical lives than to lose our eternity with God forever. One death stings more and lasts longer than the other, and that death isn't the physical death. Let's choose wisely.

  3. Fix your eyes on the glory ahead: Remember that the death of our body is not the end for us children of God. Losing friends and family is not the end. Being abandoned and thrown under the bus at work is not the end for us. We have hope because we are looking forward to a glory greater than all our pain. Stephen saw that glory when he was being persecuted, stoned and he was ready to die (Acts 7). Jesus endured that cross because of the glory that was set before him. What is this glory? This glory is us finally seeing God's face, doing life with the lover of our souls forever, being in His majestic presence without interruption, receiving rewards from Him for our sacrifices on earth, living in eternal bliss: no more struggles, no more pain, no more darkness, no more sadness. A life with Jesus is worth dying for, so let's fix our eyes on Him.

  4. Love those who persecute you: Many times, when we are asked to pray for our persecutors, we pray that God should disgrace them or repay them for the evil they did to us, but God wants us to pray prayers of blessing upon them. Carol McLeod said, in her devotional "Holy Emotions - Biblical responses to every challenge" in the YouVersion Bible app, that Love + Prayer = Victory. Stephen was victorious even though he was stoned to death by his persecutors. He loved them till the very end, he forgave them and prayed for them (Acts 7:54-60). Also, 1 Peter 2:23 (NIV) tells us this about Jesus: "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly". That's the higher calling that has been bestowed upon us children of God. We don't love others because they are kind and good to us, we love them because God loves them and wants us to do the same. Yes! Jesus loves your persecutors, and if Jesus loves them, so can you! These are Jesus' words in Luke 6:27-36 (NIV):

27 But to you who are listening, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.

30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.

33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.

34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

It is very important to love and forgive those who have hurt us because our bitterness and unforgiveness will prevent us from receiving the glory we have given everything up for. Jesus gave us the perfect example to follow; he forgave his killers and mockers while he was on that cross (Luke 23:34). Loving our persecutors will also reveal to them (whether now or later) that they dealt with you unjustly. They will seek to know the kind of love you showed them, and they will find Jesus in their quest. Jesus suffered and died so we could find him (even if it would take decades for us to do so), so let's endure the persecution and love the persecutors in the hopes that they will also find Jesus and be saved.

Reflection:

  1. Read Romans 12:19-21. How did those verses say we can overcome evil? How does this strategy compare to what happens in our world today?

  2. See what Martin Luther King Jr. said: "I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

  3. In the end, love wins. That is why you are here today, a child of God.

  4. The first part of 1 Corinthians 13:8 says this: "Love never fails". That applies to any persecution situation you have faced, are facing, or will face. Will you resolve today to let God's love be your response to persecution?

Chapter Fourteen

THE STRING THAT TIES IT ALL TOGETHER

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 5:4‭-‬5 NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Do you believe that He is your Savior? If yes, welcome to the world of faith! The journey of faith begins when we believe that God exists and that He has provided salvation for us through His Son, Jesus Christ. As a child of God, the salvation you have received could not have come without faith.

What is faith?

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

Hebrews 11:1‭-‬2 NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

Hebrews 11:7‭ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

It had never rained before, and I doubt that Noah knew what rain was. But he believed what God said even though everything around him said the opposite. God said it would rain, but everywhere was dry. He said he would wipe people away, but people were actually having fun and throwing parties. He believed in what he hadn't yet seen, because God said it would happen.

Just like Noah, you haven't seen God or Jesus physically, but you believed the gospel. This is faith. (If you haven't received Jesus as your Savior, kindly refer to the 'Introduction' section of this book). Jesus honors faith that believes without physical evidence.

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

John 20:29 NIV

Faith is what starts us on the salvation journey, faith is what keeps us going, and this faith is what will earn us a reward at the end of our lives on earth. You can't start your journey by faith, and then try to navigate the path without faith.

Why do we need faith?

  1. To please God: We were created for His pleasure (Revelations 4:11), and we cannot truly please Him without faith.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

To make God happy, we must have faith. Remember, in Chapter 2, we talked about how we are in a love relationship with God. We said that our goal is to make our lover (God) happy. Guess how we do that? By faith! Faith in His person. Faith in His promises. Faith in His love. Faith in His plans. Faith in Him about things we don't understand. Faith that His laws are for our good. Faith in His Word.

  2. To obey God: We please God by obeying Him. We show our love to Him by obeying Him. But guess what? We cannot obey God effectively without faith! "Anything done apart from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23b). We are automatically disobedient if we don't live by faith. That's humbling!

  3. To grow into maturity: In Chapter 12, we discussed how maturity springs from consistency in our spiritual disciplines. How does faith come into play here?

There are times you don't feel God; there are times you don't hear Him; there are times when your devotion seems to lack the feeling of His presence; there are times when daily life starts to feel dull and monotonous, without any glimpse into what God is currently doing in and for you. Faith tells you that it's not about what you feel, but it's about what He has already said. So, when you don't feel Him, your faith enables you to press on in prayers, study and a daily and moment-by-moment relationship with Him as though He were there, because He IS there! That is what faith does. Faith keeps you consistent regardless of how you feel, so that you can grow to maturity!

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

(James 1:2‭-‬4 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

  4. To experience the miraculous: In Chapter 8, we discussed how we can tap into our superpower through prayer. Again, can you guess what makes our prayers effective? Faith! As children of God, we have been called to a life of signs, wonders, and miracles but we will never see things happen if we don't exercise our faith in prayer. Jesus, in Mark 11:23-24, said this:

"Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours".

The answer to our prayers do not manifest physically until we believe that we have already gotten it. We don't wait till we get it for us to know we have gotten it. Rather, we know we have gotten it before it ever becomes a reality. This was a point that Kenneth E. Hagin emphasized in his book "The Believers' Authority". Our faith keeps us single-minded in our prayer life. We cannot, in one moment, pray something like: "God I know you can do all things, do this for me in Jesus name", and right after prayer, you are already thinking of a Plan B. You are basically saying "In case God doesn't answer this, I have to work it out myself". You are basically saying "God probably can't do everything, really. I trust myself to get it done". I know that sounds really bad, and I know you're thinking "I would never think such". Well, let me tell you this true story that happened to me and my friends in June 2019:

We planned a trip to the beach and then we realized that it was going to be a rainy day, according to the weather forecast. So, a few of us said we needed to start thinking of an alternative. That's the sensible thing to do, right? But somewhere in our minds, we knew that this was the best day to go, since a few of us would be leaving for another state soon after. So, I prayed a simple prayer with the group:

"Father we thank you very much for WEMMI fellowship and for our outing planned for Saturday. Thank you for life, sound health, and provision. Thank you because it is your will that we rest and enjoy the fruit of our labor.

Lord we have planned that we will be going to Orange Beach on Saturday. But the weather forecast says there will be rain. The rain will likely disturb our journey and our ability to have a good time on the beach. So, Father, because you rule over the heavens and earth; because you make the rain to fall and the sun to shine; because you made the sun stand still and you kept rain from falling for three and a half years; we ask that on Saturday, there will be no thunderstorms in Jesus name. Lord we ask for a moderately warm weather. Not too hot, not too cold, not too dry and not wet. A comfortable weather for us to travel and have fun. To the glory of your name.

Thank you Lord because You have heard us, and it is already done. Lord we agree on this and we say it is established in Jesus name, amen!"

After the prayer, the enemy tried to sow seeds of doubt, but I chose to believe that God is greater than the weather forecast, because He is! If we indeed want to see miracles, faith cannot be limited to head knowledge, it has to translate into us taking a stand in conformity with what we believe. I cannot believe that God controls the weather and yet I don't think He can change the weather forecast! If I indeed believe that He can change the weather forecast, my faith will help me to carry on with my plans, knowing that God will take care of the weather. So, I stood firm, I sang songs about God's greatness, I didn't allow myself to think "what if?", and I did not go back to check the weather forecast (to see if anything had changed).

As we approached the beach on the D-day, the weather looked quite gloomy and it rained a bit, but my faith remained firm. I believed that once we got there the weather would work in our favor, and that's exactly what happened. It was a beautiful weather for the rest of the day! Remember what we said earlier? It doesn't matter what reality looks like, once we have believed that we will receive, we will! This is what happened with Abraham:

'Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead.' (Romans 4:18‭-‬19 NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Abraham didn't ignore reality, but he didn't allow reality to weaken his faith!

Our faith makes our prayers effective so that we can experience the miraculous!

  5. To counter the attacks of the enemy: Remember that we said we have an enemy: the devil, whose aim is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). His job is to condemn and accuse believers (Revelations 12:10). He is doing all He can to fight the people of God, to prevent them from enjoying a progressive relationship with God, to prevent them from being everything God has called them to be, to prevent them from living holy lives; he is doing all he can to deceive them, and to lead them astray. But God has already given us victory over Him because:

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1 John 4:4 NIV).

The fact that we already have victory doesn't mean that the devil will not attempt to attack us. So, how do we counter his attacks? You guessed it: Faith!

"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one". (Ephesians 6:16 NIV)

The devil is going to come with lies, condemnation, discouragement, defeat, depression, spiritual attacks, roadblocks etc. He is even going to twist God's word to get you to go astray! He did it to Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11. But how did Jesus counter the enemy? Through faith in God and His Word! When the enemy twists God's Word to deceive you, respond to Him with the correct interpretation of God's Word. When you know the truth, and you believe the truth, your faith will be a shield that keeps the enemy's arrows at bay!

When the devil visited Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, how was he able to overcome them? He got them to doubt God! See what Genesis 3:1-6 says:

'Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?

The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"

"You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.'

God told them: "If you eat it, you will die". The enemy told them: "You will not die". They did not stand firm in their faith, and so they allowed the enemy take over the earth which the Lord rightfully gave us rule over. That's why there is so much pain in the world today: Because man sinned. Man believed the devil's lie instead of countering the devil's lie with their faith in God. So, the enemy took what was rightfully theirs.

To counter the enemy's attacks against us and our relationship with God, we must be unwavering in our faith!

I need more faith!

More Word, more faith!

The more of God's word you have in your spirit, the more your faith will grow.

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." (Romans 10:17 NIV)

Read your Bible more. Fill your mind constantly with God's word, His promises, and records of His greatness and power.

More prayer, more faith!

You can pray for more faith! You can talk to God about anything! (I told Him to delay my menstrual period until after the beach trip I talked about earlier. Guess when it came? The day after the beach trip!).

'The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"' (Luke 17:5 NIV)

I also prayed (and still pray) for a stronger faith, just like the apostles did. I believe that my prayer led me to Kenneth Hagin's book on "The Believers' Authority", and that prayer taught me a practical lesson in faith (the beach story I shared with you).

More testimonies, more faith!

The more you hear and see God at work in your life and in other people's lives, the more your faith grows. Hearing stories of other people's faith and their results helps to strengthen yours. That's a major reason why I have shared my stories. Surrounding yourself with people of faith challenges you to also become a person of faith.

What does faith look like in action?

We have given so many examples of faith in action already. These are other evidences of faith:

Faith looks forward; it is always expectant.

A person of faith knows that no matter how uncomfortable their transition period is, God called us out from where we are because there is a far glorious destination ahead.

If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:15-16 NIV

God is proud of us whenever we resolve to keep pressing on to the glorious future He has for us instead of going back to what is familiar or easier.

Faith ignores distractions.

People in Noah's time must have teased him and called him crazy. They must have called him a fanatic. Some might have even told him that God said something totally different from what he heard. But a person of faith ignores the lies of the enemy. A person of faith doesn't mind standing alone as long as they are standing with God! The devil will always try to derail you from what truly matters: Living for God, Loving Him, Walking with Him, Pleasing Him, Obeying Him. He will bring all sorts of juicy lies: Things that look good but are not from God (the Spirit of God in you will tell you). It might even look like an answer to some questions you feel have not yet been answered. But faith says: "I choose to stick with God's word even though I don't understand some things". Faith says: "I know that, in due time, God will make things clear to me".

What are the rewards of faith?

We will live a miraculous, victorious, and fulfilling life that is pleasing to God while we are on earth.

Finally, we get a crown of life when we see Jesus.

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."

(James 1:12 NIV)

FINALLY, BE STRONG IN THE LORD

At the beginning of the summer of 2017, I decided to lose some weight, so I modified my diet and I exercised regularly. By the end of summer, I had lost almost 20 pounds, and like 2 of my "6 packs" were obvious. But afterward, I went back to my unhealthy eating habits. Fast forward to January 2018, I was showing my sister my tummy (with no packs, obviously) and I tried to tell her I had some packs just a few months ago but she didn't believe me.

This scenario depicts the spiritual lives of some Christians. During one season, they are fervent, and they are having awesome experiences with God, but after a while, they relax and fall into the old patterns of busyness and inconsistency in their Christian walk. At this point, someone who wasn't there when they were on fire for God would never believe that these people were once spiritually fervent.

As a growing Christian, consistency is key. Don't delight in past glories. Your work and walk with God must be constant for it to count. For proper physical growth, you wouldn't eat 10 plates of breakfast on a specific day, and then proceed to starve yourself of breakfast for the next 10 days. You must eat regularly, and in the right proportions, for your nutrition to count. The same principle applies to spiritual growth.

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:8 NIV)

The Christian life is a daily walk with Christ; it's not a once-in-a week church service or a when-I-feel-like-it bible study. The successful athlete knows that she must get up and practice whether she feels like it or not.

"Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.' " (Luke 9:23 NIV)

A word that I love so much in the verse above is "daily". Following Jesus is not a one-time thing. That decision to be Christ's follower didn't end the day you asked Him to come into your heart; rather, Christ said it is an everyday decision.

Another phrase that is worthy of note in Luke 9:23 is "their cross". This tells me that being a Christian is a personal journey; nobody can follow Christ on your behalf. You have to carry your cross and they have to carry theirs. You are ultimately responsible for your spiritual growth; others can only try to help, but your growth in Christ is entirely up to you.

I pray you will resolve today, to take upon yourself the responsibility to follow Jesus every day. Sometimes, the cross will feel light, sometimes it will feel heavy, but thank God for Jesus who is our burden bearer. If you decide that "no matter what my cross weighs, I am getting up today and carrying it", Jesus will show up and help you. This is what He says in Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV): "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light". With Jesus, the burden is never heavy.

Another reason why we must be consistent and not grow weary is because our enemy, Satan, is not taking a break. He is constantly finding ways to wage war against us and separate us from God. Therefore Ephesians 6:11-13 tells us that the best way to stand our ground against our enemy is to take up the full armor of God, because our fight is not against people but against the devil (Satan)! Verses 14 to 18 then goes ahead to tell us what our armor is made up of, a lot of which we have already discussed in previous chapters. Priscilla Shirer preached extensively about this armor at Passion Conference 2018 in her sermon titled "A Life in Alignment" [5]. The key I want to leave you with is this: Do not take off your armor! Do not abandon your cross! And as you keep on pushing, fighting, and standing firm, remember that you are not alone.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. " (Ephesians 6:10 NIV)

References (Cited in book)

[1] <http://pinelake.org/sermon/forgiven-and-free/>

2] [https://pastorrick.com/series/40-days-of-love/

3] [https://g.co/kgs/1k6Uxo

[4] https://youtu.be/kg2BoUjtvY0

5] [https://youtu.be/yOtQ0MSH0vc

About the Author

Mercy Jaiyeola is a child of God with a passion for bringing people to Jesus. She does not only want to see everyone saved; she also wants them to be equipped with the knowledge they need to live the new life. "Navigating your new life" was born out of this passion. In this book, she uses her God-given teaching gift to explain the basics of the believer's new life, drawing from some of her experiences as well. She currently serves with the children ministry at Pinelake Church, Starkville, Mississippi in the United States of America.

About the Book

Do you ever wish you had some foundational information that would put you on a path to a blossoming Christian life and relationship with God? A guide or roadmap that shows you the basic – yet vital – ingredients to successfully walk the believer's journey? "Navigating your new life" is a great place to start! From revealing details about your new identity to offering Bible-based advice and encouragement for navigating this beautiful journey, this book is written in simple language and with clear illustrations to provide a well-equipped toolbox for the believer.

