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Table of Contents SPIRITUAL DIETS .................................................................................................................................2

INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................2

SALVATION – WHAT REALLY DOES IT MEAN TO BE SAVED?.......................................................................2

UNDERSTANDING OUR NEW NATURE – WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST ...............................................................3

THE NATURE OF OUR WARFARE AND OUR WEAPONS OF WARFARE ............................................................5

UNDERSTANDING HOW TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH ...................................................................8

WHY LOVE IS THE WAY TO VICTORY FOR OUR JOURNEY AS CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS ......................................... 11

PRAYER – FATHER TEACH US HOW TO PRAY ....................................................................................... 13

THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ............................................................................... 15

THE GOSPEL – THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD’S SALVATION FOR MANKIND...................................................... 17

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SPIRITUAL DIETS INTRODUCTION

Ever wondered why we are asked to fight the good fight of faith despite what we wrestle against.

Ephesians 6:12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,

against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Yet the

scriptures still refers to it as the good fight. Hmmm!!! You wonder why? First it is important we know

without a doubt that our Heavenly Father loves us dearly and wants the very best for all of us (Mathew

7:11). Now let’s go on a journey as we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truths of His word in our hearts as

we go along proceeding from our Salvation in the first article all the way to the Second Coming of our Lord in the penultimate article. You are loved.

Bon voyage!

SALVATION – WHAT REALLY DOES IT MEAN TO BE SAVED?

Salvation? I guess you have probably read a message on salvation before. Question- Are you saved? I hope

you answered in the affirmative. Nonetheless, irrespective of the answer you gave we encourage you to

please read further. The gospel of Ephesians chapter 2 verses eight to nine tell s us quite a bit about

salvation. It says “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift

of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast”. Three important terms are thrown up here; grace, faith

and gift. We will come back to these terms shortly. But first, if there is a need to be saved it implies clearly

that there must be some form of danger from which we are being saved. And oh yes there is, for the bible

tells us clearly in Romans 3:23 that “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. And also in

Romans 5:12 - wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed

upon all men, for all have sinned). Now the death referred to here is spiritual death the consequence of

which is a separation from God and this was what happened in the Garden of Eden in Genesis. Spiritual

death also occurs when we walk in the lust of the flesh. Now we know what we are/have being/been

saved from let us now take a look at the three terms earlier mentioned and how some of the necessary

conditions for our salvation is fulfilled. First, we are saved by grace not of works. Grace simply means

God’s unmerited favour and has nothing to do with any form of righteous efforts on our path. That is why

it is also a gift of God made freely available to the whole of mankind as a result of the sacrificial atonement

of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Okay, so then if no righteous effort is required on our part

what do we then need to do to be saved? The next term is faith which requires some action on our path

and that is why we are saved by grace through faith. The scriptures tell us in Hebrews 11:1 that “now faith

is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. It takes faith to believe in the

sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary for our sins and in His resurrection on the third

day. These are historical facts though. Romans 10:9 tells us that if you confess with your mouth the Lord

Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the

heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Here we

see the combination of Faith and Works leading to our salvation. If you confess with your mouth the Lord

Jesus (Works) and believe in your heart (Faith) that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

The Holy Scriptures tell us clearly how to obtain Faith; “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by

the word of God”. The Faith element presupposes repentance from sin as well. Now this is the process for





the salvation that happens instantly upon receiving/accepting the Lords precious gift of salvation and the

outcome of this is 1. The translation from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (Colossians

1:13) and 2 the birth of a new spirit man (John 3:5) hence the term “born again”. The Scriptures also teach

the requirement to be baptized. In our Lord’s instruction concerning the great commission Jesus said he

that believes and is baptized shall be saved (Mark 16:16). Galatians 3:27 also tells us that “for as many of

you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ”.

Now salvation comes with a lot of privileges as well as responsibilities. As we go along in our journey and walk with the Lord we will become more acquainted with these. Hence, there is also a process to being saved which should be distinguished from the one that happens instantly. 1st Corinthians 1:18 tells us “for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”. Furthermore, Hebrews 10:14 says for by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Notice the terms being saved and being sanctified clearly showing that this is a process. It is a life time journey and that is why the scripture says in 2nd Corinthians 3:18 we “are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord”. The outcome of this here on earth will be an increasing more Christ like nature evidenced by the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 which are love (God’s kind of love), joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. An integral part of being saved involves us understanding our new nature in Christ and growing from being babies to mature Christians in Christ who no longer require milk but solid food. Have you accepted the Lord’s free gift of salvation? If yes, great, you can proceed to the next article otherwise we encourage you to please do so.

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe that He died for my sins and was raised from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures. I believe that because of His death, burial and resurrection, God’s precious gift of salvation is available to me. Therefore, I receive and accept this gift by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as my sav ior and I confess Him as my Lord. Thank You Lord. Congratulations and welcome to the family of God.

This leads us to our next article and it is our prayer that our passion for the Lord and His purpose will not wane.

UNDERSTANDING OUR NEW NATURE – WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST

To help us understand our identity in Christ Jesus, we will be paying special attention to the “in Him ”

verses in the Holy Scriptures and others that shed more light on who we are in Christ Jesus. A good

understanding of our nature in Christ Jesus gives us a good foundation upon which we can build and progress in our journey/walk with the Lord for we shall know the truth and the truth w ill set us free.

1. God Loves Us Dearly: John 3:16-17 tells us for God so loved the world that He gave His only

begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God

did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might

be saved. Further, God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,

Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Now He doesn’t just love us He loves us just as much as He loves

Jesus Christ. How do we know this? John 17:23 tells us so. I in them, and You in Me; that they

may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved





them as You have loved Me. So God loved us even while we were yet sinners and even now that

we are His children. Please know without a doubt that our heavenly Father loves us. Now, except

we understand this love and know that the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the

Holy Spirit and as such we have the capacity to love as God loves us we cannot be filled with the

fullness of God. Being filled with the fullness of God is a process and the scriptures tell us the

pathway in Ephesians 3: 17-19 - that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being

rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width

and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you

may be filled with all the fullness of God. At this point, the baptism of the Holy Sp irit is visibly manifest as we will be working in the various gifts of the Spirit.

2. We Are Justified And As Such Declared Innocent: Having accepted our Father’s precious gift of

salvation we are members of the body of Christ and the scriptures declare we are justified and

made right with God and therefore have peace with Him. Romans 5:1 - Therefore, having been

justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. We are Clothed with the Righteousness of Jesus: As Christians in Christ Jesus a great exchange

took place as a result of Christ sacrificial death on the cross of Calvary. Jesus Christ took on our

sin nature and in exchange gave us His righteousness. The following scriptures tell us so.

a. Romans 3:22 - even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on

all who believe. For there is no difference;

b. Romans 3:25 - whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to

demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins

that were previously committed

c. Romans 5:17 - For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more

those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life

through the One, Jesus Christ.

So His gift of righteousness is imputed to us once we accept His precious gift of salvation. This

should not be confused with our works of righteousness though. There is a place for our works

of righteousness for which we will receive rewards at the Judgement Seat of Christ (Romans

14:10).

4. We Are Seated in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:5-6 tells us of our position of

authority in Christ Jesus. It reads “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together

with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together

in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. And the scriptures also tell us in the book of Ephesians

chapter 1 from verse twenty that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father far above all





principality, and power, and might, and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this

world, but also in that which is to come. As such, we have authority over all principality and

powers, sickness, disease etc. Oh yes we do.

5. We are Blessed Beyond Measure in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 1:3 tells us our heavenly Father has

blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Wow is this not wonderful

to know that we have all spiritual blessings without an exception. Furthermore, Romans 8:17 tells

us we are co-heirs with Christ and Mathew 28:18 tells us our Lord Jesus Christ has delegated His

authority to us here on earth and all power and authority belongs to Him. So without a doubt, we

are truly blessed beyond measure, however, with these also comes a huge responsibility. We are

the salt and light of the earth, we are to make disciples of all nations (note nations not just

individuals), we are to judge the world and angels and intercede on behalf of our governments

amongst others.

The outcome of this knowledge of who we are in Christ Jesus should lead us to focus more on bringing

glory to God in all areas of our life while earnestly looking forward to the return of our Lord and

Saviour Jesus Christ. As such, we would have no fear for the future. Furthermore, we have no need to

judge or compare ourselves with others as we seek to please Christ alone as we become more Christ

like bearing the fruits of the Spirit. All things work together for our good and so we would not be

surprised when suffering comes but can be confident it will produce things of eternal value (James

1:3-4 -knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work,

that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing). For further study of “in Him” scriptures please

visit http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=knowing_who_i_am_in_christ

THE NATURE OF OUR WARFARE AND OUR WEAPONS OF WARFARE

Hmmm warfare… Like most people we often think of warfare from a negative perspective especially when

we think of it in the context of our natural world; war is not something anyone wants to experience as

images of suffering, death and hunger amongst others immediately flash through our minds. However, in

the context of Christian warfare we should have an entirely different perspective and we will tell you why.

For a moment, let’s reflect on Paul’s teaching where he specifically instructed us to fight the “Good Fight

of Faith”. Ever wondered why, knowing fully well what we wrestle against (Eph 6:12 - For we do not

wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the

darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places). Now taking Paul’s

instruction in context we begin from verse 10. (Eph 6:10 -12 – For the love of money is a root of all kinds

of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through

with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith,

love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also

called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses . I guess we see why it

is a “good fight” because through this process we grow and develop the fruits of the spirit (love, patience,

gentleness, kindness etc.) and lay hold on eternal life. What is more precious than that? It is so precious

that our heavenly Father had to send His one and only begotten Son to die for us that whoever believes

in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Now this is one reason why it is a good fight, the second is



http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=knowing_who_i_am_in_christ



an outcome of the process of passing through these tests and trails. A very important one at that because

through this process we can also be more effective witnesses for the Lord and win souls for His kingdom

from the camp of the enemy for we know it is not the desire of our Father that any should perish but all

should come to repentance (2nd Peter 3:9). Now we know why this is a good fight despite what we wrestle

against let us get into the nitty gritty of the nature of the battle by first understanding our weapons of

warfare taking heed not to walk in the flesh as canal Christians (1st Corinthians 3:1-4) else we may

unknowingly seemingly help fulfil the enemy’s purpose. Well, as long as we are here on earth we will walk

in the flesh but we should increasingly grow in our consciousness of it especially actions that may

seemingly help fulfill the enemy’s purpose for if we judge ourselves we will not be judged (1st Corth 11:31).

Why the word seemingly, because we know that ultimately all things will work together for our good

(Romans 8:28) if our actions have been motivated by the love for God and people . There is also another

aspect to our test and trials which we believe is more important. The bible teaches us cl early that the Lord

would chastise (Hebrews 12:6) those whom He loves and through His Word we are being sanctified (John

17:17). So it is important we distinguish between both types of tests and trails. But first lets us examine the weapons of our warfare.

We begin this process by taking a look at the image of a Christian Soldier for that is what we are in the

Spirit by reflecting on how our natural soldiers are kitted for war. In like manner, we also ought to be well

kitted soldiers and the scriptures tell us how. We are simply required to put on the whole amour of

God. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor

of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph 6:10-11). Amour of God? What

is that? Well, the good news is the scripture goes on to tell us what the amour of God consist of in verses

14 to 17. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of

righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking

the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take

the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. From these verses we pick

out our defensive weapons and the only offensive weapon. Let us take a further look at these weapons.

OUR DEFENSIVE WEAPONS

BELT OF TRUTH Having girded your waist with truth. What does this mean and what is its function? The belt holds other elements of the amour and so it is important we are always on the side of truth. First we know our enemy Satan is said to be the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Deception is high on the list of things God considers to be an abomination. A “lying tongue” is one of the things He describes as “detestable to Him” ( Proverbs 6:16-17). We are therefore exhorted to put on truth for our own sanctification and deliverance, as well as for the benefit of those to whom we witness. Furthermore, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ tells us in

John 14:16 - “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Hmmm what is the truth? And in John 17:17 while praying to the Father Jesus Christ says “sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 1:1-3 links it all together (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. So Jesus Christ is the truth and is the word which is the truth. As such, our actions and words should line up with God’s word in our daily affairs and most especially in our prayer closets. I emphasize prayer because through personal experiences I realise it is one area of the Christian life the enemy uses for his purpose.



https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%208.44

https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%206.16-17

https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%206.16-17



BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Further, in verse 14, we are told to put on the breastplate of righteousness. In the natural, a breastplate

shields a warrior’s vital organs from blows that would otherwise be fatal. Spiritually though, this

righteousness is not works of righteousness done by men. Rather, this is the righteousness of Christ,

imputed by God and received by faith, which guards our hearts against the accusations and charges of

Satan and secures our innermost being from his attacks. Make no mistake a good part of the warfare

happens in our minds. However, being clothed with the righteousness of God through faith in Christ Jesus

helps guard our hearts (Romans 5:17 - For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one,

much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through

the One, Jesus Christ).

THE GOSPEL OF PEACE – OUR SHOES “having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace”

Imagine a fully armed soldier without his shoes, aside from this being odd, the thought about what he

could step on will also be a form of distraction in the battle field. That is how important our spiritual shoes

are we should joyfully proclaim the good news of God’s salvation for mankind for it is written “how

beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"

(Romans 10:15)

THE SHIELD OF FAITH

Hitherto the other elements of our armor are things we put on; the shield of faith however, is what we

actively have to carry and use. What is faith? The bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1 that faith is the substance

of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen and as such has far-reaching implications. “Substance

is tangible, and evidence is solid proof. Faith is, by definition, not some hazy emotion without any

grounding in reality. It is the irrefutable truth”. Our faith is real and it involves a huge element of trust.

Trust in an unwavering, loving and omnipotent Father who loves us dearly and wants the best for us. So

what are we to do with our faith? We are to quench all the f iery darts of the wicked one. Seeds of unbelief,

fear, hopelessness, doubt and worry amongst others are darts we should fend off with our shield of faith

knowing fully well that the Lord will perfect all that concerns us and cause all things to work together for

our good.

THE HELMET OF SALVATION

The helmet of salvation gives us a hope of an eternal future. Without this helmet we will be unprotected

from the worries and problems of living in this world. It helps keep our minds and thoughts guarded from

the cares of this world and together with other elements of the armour helps us discern between spiritual

truth and spiritual deception.

OUR OFFENSIVE WEAPON

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT – WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD

This is the only offensive weapon we have in our arsenal and a very potent one at that. How do I know

this? The word of God says so as it is described as sharper than a two edged sword in Hebrews 4:12 - For

the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the

division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents o f the

heart. A caution though, our motivation for using this potent weapon has to be the love for God and



https://www.gotquestions.org/breastplate-of-righteousness.html



people otherwise it profits us nothing (1st Corinthians 13: 1-3). It is a skill we master as we grow in the

Lord with the Holy Spirit teaching and guiding us.

Now we are familiar with our weapons it is now time to learn how to fight. We will discuss this in our next

article understanding how to fight the good fight of faith.

For further studies on our armour please visit - http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-

teachings/armor-of-god.htm

UNDERSTANDING HOW TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH Paul in his letter to Timothy encouraged him and us Christians to “Fight the Good Fight of Faith” (1st

Timothy 6:11-12). But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness,

faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art

also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. The questions then are what is

faith? How is faith obtained? How do we fight the good fight of faith? Is there a right way to fight? Who

is the opponent? What is his strategy? What is our own objective as Christians? This write-up seeks to provide answers to these questions from a scriptural perspective.

The scripture tells us in Hebrews 11:1 that Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of

things not seen. The scripture also tells us how to obtain faith in Romans 10:17 – so then faith cometh by

hearing, and hearing by the word of God. In a nutshell, faith is having complete, unwavering trust in God’s

word which encompasses all that was accomplished by His only begotten Son Jesus Christ on the cross of

Calvary. As Christians, why are we encouraged to fight the good fight of faith? It is because the enemy

seeks to create doubt and fear in our mind about the truth of God’s word and most especially about what

was accomplished by God through the death of His one and only begotten Son Jesus Christ on the cross

of Calvary. Also, through this process we grow and develop the fruits of the spirit (love, patience,

gentleness, kindness etc.) and lay hold on eternal life. However, to fight successfully we must understand the following;

Our foundation in Jesus Christ 1st Corinthians 3:11 – For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. He is the Truth (John 14:6), He is the Word (John 1:1-5), He is the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-21).

The new birth - 2nd Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. He is a new spirit being, however, the physical body and the mind remains unchanged at this point. What are we to do with the physical body and the mind? Bring it into subjection to the inward man (our spirit) 1st Corinthians 9:27. But how? By the renewing of our minds 1st Peter 2:2, Philippians 4:8, Joshua 1:8

Knowing who we are in Christ – In Him, we have redemption Hebrews 9:12 - Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. See also Ephesians 1:7-8. Well, you may ask redeemed from what? We have been redeemed from the curse of the law Galatians 3:13 - Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”). We have been redeemed from the kingdom of darkness – Colossians 1:13-14 – Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear



http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-teachings/armor-of-god.htm

http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-teachings/armor-of-god.htm



Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. In Him, we are already blessed (emphasis every) Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. In Him we have the gift of righteousness (freely given not earned) Rom 5:17 – For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. And have also become the righteousness of God 2nd Corinthians 5:21. In Him we have the gift of salvation Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace, you have been saved through faith (in Christ), and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. In Him there is no condemnation Rom 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. In Him we Triumph 2nd Corinthians 2:14 – Now thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. In Him we are Seated in Heavenly Places Ephesians 2: 5-6 - Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Add to all of these amongst others not mentioned the authority which we have in Christ (Mathew 28:18-20, – Then Jesus came and spoke to them saying “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. See also Luke 10:19-20). And we would understand why the enemy will work very hard to prevent people from knowing these truths (see 2nd Corinthians 4:4).

Understanding that Love is the pathway to victory – Why is love the way to victory? Well because

faith works by love Galatians 5:6 – For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision

avails anything, but faith working through love. Further as Christians, whatever we do has to be

motivated by love otherwise, it profits us nothing 1st Corinthians 13:3, - And though I bestow all

my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits

me nothing. And love never fails 1st Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails. But whether there are

prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge,

it will vanish away. Understanding the nature of God’s love and how to apply it practically in our

daily interactions is essential towards fighting the good fight (see also hymn 694 – “Ka wa fi le

segun emi esu Ka sise pelu ife mimo” – to conquer the devil’s spirit we need to work in divine

love), because the enemy (Satan) uses people (both real and imagined and he can speak through

anyone including us yes Christians see Mathew 16:23 hence the need to be well kitted Christian

soldiers Ephesians 6:13-18) although we do not war after the flesh. It is important we understand

this distinction. 2nd Corinthians 10:3 – For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the

flesh. See also Ephesians 6:12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against

principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts

of wickedness in the heavenly places. So the real enemy irrespective of the medium used is Satan.

Our attitude towards people must always be to act in love towards all, speaking the truth in love

and praying that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ be revealed. As Christians we are already

fighting from a position of victory, the victory required in this warfare is primarily to win souls

from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light and we can only be successful in this as we

walk in love (God’s kind of love though).





What really is the contest about? It is the truths of God’s Word versus the lies of the enemy (Satan).

Satan’s primary strategy is to create doubt, fear, cause strife , bitterness (James 3:16) and deception (2nd

Corinthians 11:13-15) with the aim of devouring. No matter what is thrown at us we must avoid the

emotions of strife and bitterness that’s why our Lord Instrusted us to pray for those who despitefully use

us (Mathew 5:44). Yes it is a tough road but the good news is we can overcome (be of good cheer I have

overcome the world – John 16:33). Further, if we must walk in victory this is the only path we can take

that is choosing deliberately to walk in love. One approach the enemy uses to execute His strategy is

primarily by working on our minds which often unfolds in how we pray hence the need to renew our

minds with the truths of God’s word. 1st Peter 5:8-9 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the

devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith,

knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. The antidote to his

strategies is love (divine love) rooted in the truths of God’s word.

Now we know who we are in Christ, what the contest is about and the strategy of the enemy, what are

we to do? Ephesians 6:13-18 tells us. Therefore take up the whole armour of God that you may be able to

withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with

truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of

the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery

darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word

of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all

perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Basically, we have to be well kitted as Soldiers in the

Lord’s Army. In addition, we should be led by the Spirit of God (for as many as are led by the Holy Spirit

these are the sons of God Romans 8:14), cultivate the fruits of the Holy Spirit ( Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit

of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is

no law), flee the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21 - Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:

adultery,[a]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish

ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,[b] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I

also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God) and pay careful attention

to our thoughts (Mathew 15:18-20 - But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a

man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.20 These

are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man). All of these have to be

motivated by our love for the Lord and people (Mathew 22:37-39 - Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your

God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and great

commandment. 39 And the second i s like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’) which would be demonstrated by

a godly divine nature and character (2nd Peter 1:4-8 - But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith

virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness

brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor

unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ). Remember the song – we are soldiers, soldiers of the Cross, in the name of Jesus we shall conquer.

As Christians, it is important to know we are already fighting from a position of victory in Christ Jesus.

Aside from the personal aspects of this to us which is growing in the fruits of the spirit and laying hold on

eternal life, the victory required in this warfare is primarily to win souls from the kingdom of darkness to



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the kingdom of light and we can only be successful in this as we walk in love (God’s kind of love though) for faith works by love (Galatians 5:6).

By His grace our account will be 2nd Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I

have kept the faith. And our Lord’s response on that faithful day towards us will be “Well done thou good and faithful servant” in Jesus name. Amen.

Recommended Reading

1. Understanding How to Fight The Good Fight of Faith by Kenneth E. Hagin

2. Love: The Way to Victory by Kenneth E. Hagin

3. Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer

WHY LOVE IS THE WAY TO VICTORY FOR OUR JOURNEY AS CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

As individual members of the body of Christ, we do have varied experiences about our walk with the Lord

in line with our level of growth and maturity in the Lord. Sometimes, naturally, we may express the feeling

Lord this is beyond me. Well, our Lord Jesus Christ did same at some point (Luke 22:42) so it is not out of

place. The truth is our Father understands perfectly (Romans 8:26 – Likewise the Spirit also helps in our

weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes

intercession for us[a] with groanings which cannot be uttered) and our Lord Jesus His only begotten Son

also understands (Hebrews 4:15 -16 – For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the

feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore

come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help i n time of need.

The good news though is in our Father’s infinite wisdom and love He has made the provision for us to walk

in victory as revealed severally in His word (Mathew 22:37-39, John 3:16, Luke 12:32, 1st Corinthians 13:8 amongst others).

Now in 1st Corinthians 13:8 the bible says clearly that love never fails. Since love never fails, it means love

is always victorious and as such, it is the pathway to victory. Our hymn 694 tells us so too (“Ka wa fi le

segun emi esu Ka sise pelu ife mimo” - to conquer the devil’s spirit we need to work in divine love) .

Furthermore, the New Testament commandments are based on love and the bible tells us also that God

is love 1st John 4:8. Now we see why love never fails and also why it is the way to victory it is important

we understand thoroughly what love is from a scriptural perspective, how to walk in love and how to grow

in love. Indeed, our understanding of these will greatly aid our walk with the Lord and consequently our

spiritual growth and maturity (Ephesians 3:17-19 - That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that

you, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth,

and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that ye might

be filled with all the fullness of God).

Next, what is love from a scriptural perspective? 1st Corinthians 13:4-8 gives a good definition/description.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not

behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but

rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Now we



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know scripturally what love is, how do we as Christians walk in love in our daily interactions, careers,

businesses and family amongst others. It is important we recognize first and foremost that without Christ

we can do nothing (John 15:5 - I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for

without Me you can do nothing). With every journey in life asking for wisdom is always a good way to start

(Ephesians 1:16-20 - do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus

Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your

understanding[a] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His

inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working

of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the

heavenly places). Next, it is important we recognize what we already have. As Christians, we already have the

love of God shed abroad in our heart (Rom 5:5 – Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured

out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us). As such, we have the capacity to love God’s way which is

agape love. 1st Corinthians 13:4-7 also tells us practically what love does and does not do e.g. it is patient

and kind, does not seek its own, does not envy, does not boast etc. Furthermore, the scripture tells us

how to love our “1enemies” in Mathew 5: 44:45 - But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who

curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and

sends rain on the just and the unjust. And Romans 12:17 – 19 – Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for

good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all

men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is

mine, I will repay, says the Lord. In conflict resolution, the bible tells us to speak the truth in love

(Ephesians 4:15-16), admonishes us to put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking

(Ephesians 4:31-32) and judge with righteous judgement (John 7:24 – Do not judge according to appearance but

judge with righteous judgement John 5:30 – I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my Judgement is righteous, because

I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent me). It also cautions us that with what judgement we

judge we will be judged (Mathew 7:1-4).

Finally, the scripture tells us how the Lord demonstrates His love towards us which is a pointer to how we

are also to love people just as he commanded us (Mark 12:31 - And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your

neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Romans 13:10 – Love does no harm

to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law –again we see why love is the way to victory in this verse).Now how

exactly did the Lord demonstrate His love towards us? A popular scripture John 3:16 tells us and verse 17

tells us why (For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him,

should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the

world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Other scriptures such as Romans 5:8-9 – (But God

demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been

justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him) and Ephesians 2: 4-6 (- But God, who is rich in mercy,

because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by

grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus ) also tells

us how the Lord demonstrates His love to us. He then says to us that we should love each other just as He

has loved us (John 13: 34-35 - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have

loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have

love for one another). This, no doubt is the way to victory which for us is winning souls to the kingdom



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(especially those who oppose our Faith hoping and praying that through our acts, conduct and preaching they respond to the

conviction of the Holy Spirit) and bringing glory and honor to the Lord through all we do (Mathew 5:16 – Let

your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven .

Shalom!

1The real enemy though is Satan – Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle not against flesh and blood…

Recommended Reading

1. Love: The Way to Victory by Kenneth E. Hagin

PRAYER – FATHER TEACH US HOW TO PRAY

Prayer serves two very important purposes in our lives as Christians. One, it is through prayer we

communicate with our Heavenly Father and secondly we exercise our divine authority delegated to us by

our Lord Jesus Christ through prayer. As such, it is very important we pray correctly. It is a subject we

would like to encourage everyone to research deeply because it is a tool the enemy so often uses for his

purpose. And I am sure no Christian would deliberately want to misuse his authority in Christ Jesus rather

we would like to use it for kingdom purposes. Alright, so what is the primary purpose of the kingdom? Our

Lord told us clearly when He said “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in

the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I

have commanded you”. Also we know it is the desire of the Lord that none should perish but all should

come to repentance. It is important we keep these perspectives in mind when praying especially when

we are focused on our warfare given that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. As a point of

reflection we should ask ourselves if we have prayed in faith, unbelief and/or fear. Ideally, we should

always pray in faith. And we know that faith cometh by hearing and hearing the word of God. Now let’s take a look at what we have to say about prayer.

Prayer? But why pray? Well, the bible instructs us to pray without ceasing (1st Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Okay… Further, every Christian is engaged in warfare (Ephesians 6:12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh

and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against

spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places). And our offensive weapon for this warfare is the

sword of the spirit (the word of God) which we use through prayer (Ephesians 6: 17-18 – And take the

helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer

and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the

saints). In addition, through prayer, we communicate with our Heavenly Father who provides the answer

to our prayers (Mathew 7:7-11- Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will

be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who k nocks it will

be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he

asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who asks Him!)





Now we know why we should pray and who we expect to answer our prayers let’s now take a look at the

preconditions for our prayers to be acceptable and answered by God. First and foremost our prayers have

to be in line with the will of God which is the Word of God (James 4:3 – You ask and do not receive,

because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures). Secondly, it should have the required

measure of faith (Mathew 8:26 – But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then

He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm.) And we know that faith cometh

by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17). It also has to be motivated by love (1st Corinthians 13:1-8). Whatever we do outside of love cannot be the will of God for us for God is love (1st John 4:8).

Now an important and reoccurring theme in our prayer closet as Christians is “the enemy”. While I agree

that we do sometimes have human beings who are our “enemies” the real enemy is Satan (Ephesians

6:12). Understanding this should help change our perspective and approach to praying for our “human

enemies”. First let’s get an understanding of God’s perspective on human beings who are His enemies.

Romans 5:8-11 provides some insight – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we

were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be

saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the

death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but

we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the

reconciliation. In summary, any human who is yet to accept His precious gift of salvation made available

to the whole of mankind by the shedding of the blood of His Son Jesus on the cross of Calvary is a sinner

and an enemy of God. However, through the scriptures we see clearly God’s love to such humans. It is not

His desire that any should perish but all should come to repentance (John 3:16-17, 2nd Peter 3:9 amongst

others). We also see our Lord’s instruction concerning our “enemies” in (Mathew 5:44-45 – But I say to

you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those

who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes

His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust). See also Luke 9:51-56.

Further Proverbs 24:17-18 says do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.

Given these perspectives, I am convinced that the only prayer a Christian should pray for an unbeliever

even if perceived as an “enemy” is the prayer for the salvation of his soul and prayers that will aid the

accomplishment of this goal. Any other prayer especially those in the negative in my view is not a prayer

that will be answered by God. If answered, I guess you can conclude who would have provided the answer

to such prayers… The question is would we want to be a tool for the advancement of the real enemy’s

objective? I am convinced no Christian would intentionally want to play such a role. Hence, we need to consider carefully how we pray for the “perceived enemy”.

Now some may ask about the actions of the “perceived enemy” and its intended consequences. Again

let’s take a look at what the scripture says. From Isaiah 54:17 we know that no weapon formed against us

shall prosper and every tongue that rises against us we shall condemn as this is the heritage of the servants

of the Lord and our righteousness is from Him. We are also told in Proverbs 30:5 that the Lord is a shield

to those who put their trust in Him. If the Lord is protecting us who then can hurt us? Furthermore, we

know from Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are

called according to His purpose and James 1:2-4 tells us to count it all joy when we fall into various trials

knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience and we should let patience have its perfect work





that we may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. We can see from the above scriptures that

irrespective of the actions of the “perceived enemy” its consequences will be positive for us if we have

the right scriptural attitude. I admit though that sometimes we may feel the need to act to reduce some

of these actions. However, it is important in such instances to recognize the source as being from the real

enemy (Satan) and deal with it from that perspective. For some insights on how to do this, I recommend

you read chapter six of the book the Triumphant Church by Kenneth E. Hagin. Given all of these, does that

mean the Lord will watch perpetually in silence? Definitely not, but I believe our prayers (negative request

on perceived human enemies) cannot initiate that action, in this case, it is what He decides in His

sovereignty. Romans 12:19-20 tells us “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath;

for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy hungers, feed

him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head”. Our place is to

act in love towards all, speaking the truth in love, praying that the blindfold of the enemy over unbelievers

be broken (2nd Corinthians 4:4) and that the Holy Spirit should reveal to us (believers) areas where we are in error while also resisting the real enemy (James 4:7). Shalom!

RECOMMENDED READING

1. The Art of Prayer by Kenneth E. Hagin

2. A Better Way To Pray by Andrew Wommack

3. Secrets of a Prayer Warrior by Derek Prince

4. Triumphant Church by Kenneth E Hagin 5. Revelation 12:11

THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST Opinions are varied as to if and how our Lord would return. As such, the goal is to keep this simple as much as possible by simple referring to relevant scriptures and encouraging everyone to seek further studies and guidance on the subject. Indeed, we should have this same approach to the topics in the earlier articles as well.

QUESTION – IS JESUS CHRIST COMING BACK? Let’s us look at some scriptures by Jesus Christ himself about His second coming. Combining the contents of verses 4,5,11, and 23-27 in Matthew 24 will read as follows; And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Mathew 24:30-31 reads “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other”.





Mathew 36-44 reads But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

So without a doubt yes Jesus Christ is coming back again. He told us so Himself.

WHAT ARE WE TO EXPECT IN HIS RETURN?

1. REWARDS FOR OUR RIGHTEOUS WORKS - As Christians we are to receive rewards for our righteous works which will take place at the judgement seat of Christ. 2nd Corinthians 5:10 tells us for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Corinthians 3:11 – 15 – For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now, if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

2. THE DEFEAT OF THE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL – He will defeat the antichrist, his army and the nations that gather against Israel. The details of this are contained in Revelation 19:11-21.

3. JUDGEMENT OF THE NATIONS – Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ together with His holy angels will judge the nations of the earth. Mathew 25: 31-33 tells us so. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

4. HIS MILLENNIUM REIGN (1000YEARS) – Oh yes the saints will reign with Christ for a 1000years. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. As part of our responsibility we will judge the world and also teach the people the way of the Lord.

HOW SHOULD WE PREPARE FOR HIS RETURN?

We are to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness (Mathew 6:33).





Make disciples of all nations and propagate the good news of the gospel (Mathew 28:19, Romans 10:15).

Diligently work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12, 1st Corinthians 10:12)

Pray for those in authority and all men (1st Timothy 2:1-3)

Understanding that the earth is the Lord’s and as faithful children we ought to take care of it the best way we can in readiness for His return (Psalm 4:1, Revelation 11:18)

Seek to continuously grow in love, in the knowledge of the holy scriptures and the truths contained therein, being more Christ-like in all we do bringing glory to our Father.

Without any iota of doubt the Christian journey is a glorious one, a journey we can only but count ourselves privileged to be part of. It is our prayer that we all finish successfully.

Maranatha Lord Jesus.

THE GOSPEL – THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD’S SALVATION FOR MANKIND

You may wonder why the gospel is described as the good news of salvation. Let’s take a human

perspective. Imagine a father who has children and suddenly wakes up one morning only to discover that

all his children have been taken captive. Think for a moment about the pain and anguish such a father

would have and the desire he would have to see his children return back to him. This is exactly what

happened in the book of Genesis when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. God’s children were taken captive

and became a slave to sin (Romans 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death

by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned)

Now, what would a loving father do? Guess your answer is as good as mine; a loving father will seek to rescue his children from captivity and this is exactly what God accomplished through His son Jesus Christ. Hence, the gospel is the good news of God’s salvation for mankind through the shedding of the blood of His son Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Why is it described as the good news? Because through that singular act, God has made the provision for all His children to return back to Him. The big question then is would you accept His precious and free gift of salvation?

Now, to have a better understanding of what God did and why He did it, let’s take a look at a popular scripture. John 3: 16-17 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. This scripture summarises God’s intent, His desire to give you everlasting life and to save the world. Could you have accomplished this on your own? The answer to that question is no, because if you could there would not have been any need for Him to send us His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross. John 14:6 also provides additional insight - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. See also Ephesians 2: 8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Now we know what God has done and why; we are back to the question would you accept His precious and free gift of salvation?





Again, we take a look at the human perspective. The fact that a father prepares a gift and makes it freely available to his children is no guarantee that the children will accept the gift. Some may accept without question for the simple reason that this is coming from their father, others may be interested in knowing what the gift is about before taking a decision on whether to accept the gift, and others may simply not be interested. It is my sincere prayer that you fall into the category of those who have accepted or will accept God’s precious gift of salvation. But an important point, it is a free choice out of love and not one that is imposed based on fear. Once you have a good understanding of what God has done and what this gift entails you would lovingly accept His precious gift of salvation. If you have done so previously based on the fear of not wanting to go to hell, hopefully this will help change your perspective. The desire to make heaven is a good motivation, but love for God is a far better motivation. It is my prayer that as you go through the next paragraph the entrance of His word would give light (Psalm 119:130).

So what exactly was accomplished on the cross of Calvary by God through His Son Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ received the punishment due to our transgression and iniquities that we in turn might be forgiven and so have peace with God (Romans 5:1 – Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ)

Jesus Christ bore our sicknesses and pains that we through His wounds might be healed (1st Peter 2:24 – who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed.

Jesus Christ was made sin with our sinfulness and so tasted death for everyone that we might be made righteous with His righteousness (Hebrews 2:9 – But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

Jesus Christ died our death that we might receive His life (Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord)

Jesus Christ became poor that we in turn might become rich. He endured our poverty that we might share His abundance (2nd Corinthians 8:9 – For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich).

Jesus Christ bore our shame that we might share His glory. He endured our rejection that we might have His acceptance with the father (Matthew 27:46 – And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying “Eli, Eli lama sabachthani?” that is “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Ephesians 1:5-6 Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved).

Jesus Christ was made a curse that we might enter into the blessing. Galatians 3:13-14 – Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

And all of these is available to us freely just by accepting His gift of salvation For further details please read the attached file below or visit the link (item six on the second

page)





The Divine

Exchange.pdf

My prayer is that may you at this point be eager to accept God’s gift of salvation and asking what shall I do to accept this gift? Romans 10:9-10 gives an insight. It says “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. So, back to our big question, would you accept God’s precious and free gift of salvation? If you answered yes to this question please say the following confession.

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe that He died for my sins and was raised from the dead according to the scriptures. I believe that because of His death, burial and resurrection, God’s precious gift of salvation is available to me. Therefore, I receive and accept this gift by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as my savior and I confess Him as my Lord. Thank You Lord.

Congratulations! And welcome to the family of God. Please attend a bible believing church near you.

This is the beginning of your journey and walk with the Lord. To help you in your walk with the Lord and the path to maturity in Christ dedicated study of the holy bible is uppermost (Psalm 1:1-6); furthermore, please find attached/below a list of resources that would be useful. It contains recommended books and devotionals, list of websites you can visit for various Christian resources, YouTube links to teachings by pastors amongst others. Above all this, the Lord said in John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit (The primary teacher for Christians), whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. It is my prayer that the Lord Himself will teach you through His Holy Spirit and you enjoy your journey as a soldier in the Lord’s army in Jesus name. Amen.

USEFUL LINKS

1. http://www.biblemagazine.com/index.php 2. http://www.awmi.net/ 3. http://www.wallbuilders.com/ 4. http://www.derekprince.org/

5. http://www.rhema.org/ 6. http://www.derekprince.org/Articles/1000132017/DPM_US/Contact_Us/Div ine_Exchange_form/The_Div ine_Exchange.aspx

7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hErbT1JUNwQ 8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgXoXJHzB64 9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IdxMdCbK1Q 10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedde

d&v=ghyWDrlaTnk 11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aikNbkFdt9A 12. http://www.creationevidence.org/

13. http://www.creationworldv iew.org/ 14. http://www.morningstarministries.org/ 15. http://www.josephprince.org/ 16. http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-

teachings/#/awm_1070a_firs t-aidI.mp3 17. http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-

teachings/#/awm_1001a_panic.mp3 18. http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-

teachings/#/awm_1030a_sheep.mp3

19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1fJhsRWP2s&list=PLvwgUlicDKGoDh5TfqqFwwfNA7TmHFFBo

20. http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-teachings/#/awm_1049b_think.mp3

21. http://www.flcbranson.org/listseries.php?xml=rss% 2FMercyOverJudgment.xml

22. http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/

23. http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-teachings/#/awm_1027a_basics.mp3

24. http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-teachings/#/awm_1042a_hypocrites.mp3

25. http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-teachings/#/awm_1033a_blessed.mp3

26. http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-teachings/#/awm_1077a_new.mp3

RECOMMENDED READINGS



http://www.biblemagazine.com/index.php

http://www.awmi.net/

http://www.wallbuilders.com/

http://www.derekprince.org/

http://www.rhema.org/

http://www.derekprince.org/Articles/1000132017/DPM_US/Contact_Us/Divine_Exchange_form/The_Divine_Exchange.aspx



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hErbT1JUNwQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgXoXJHzB64

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IdxMdCbK1Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ghyWDrlaTnk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ghyWDrlaTnk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aikNbkFdt9A

http://www.creationevidence.org/

http://www.creationworldview.org/

http://www.morningstarministries.org/

http://www.josephprince.org/



1. Dispensational Truth or God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages by Clarence Larkin Published by Martino Publishing Mansfield

Centre, CT 2011. 2. The Book of Revelation by Clarence Larkin 3. The Second Coming of Christ by Clarence Larkin

4. The Believer’s Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin 5. The Triumphant Church by Kenneth E. Hagin 6. Love: The Way to Victory by Kenneth E. Hagin 7. Protection From Deception by Derek Prince

8. Understanding How to Fight The Good Fight of Faith by Kenneth E. Hagin

9. Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer

10. A Better Way to Pray by Andrew Wommack 11. Secrets of a Prayer Warrior by Derek Prince

12. The Art of Prayer by Kenneth E. Hagin 13. Spirit Filled Liv ing by Smith Wigglesworth 14. Called and Accountable by Henry & Norman Blackaby 15. You Shall Receive Power by Derek Prince

16. Spiritual Warfare by Derek Prince 17. Overcoming Evil in The Last Days by Rick Joyner 18. The Power of Right Believ ing by Joseph Prince 19. The Believer’s Authority by Andrew Wommack

20. Foundations For Righteous Liv ing by Derek Prince 21. Kingdom Government and the Promise of Sheep Nations by Daniel Duval

RECOMMENDED DAILY DEVOTIONAL STUDY GUIDE

1. Faith Food Devotions by Kenneth E. Hagin 2. Declaring God’s Word by Derek Prince

3. Smith Wigglesworth Devotional

