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Access to the Kingdom of God · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah.
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Now, what just happened today is actually what
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I'm going to speak about. And what we do in church
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is that we teach and we practice. Hallelujah.
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Or we practice and then we teach. Amen? And Jesus
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began to do and what? And he taught. Or he teach,
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he did it and then he practiced. And when we
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come to church, What happens in church is that
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we are brought into the reality of the things
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that we have. When you're born again, what happens
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is that you have access. Hallelujah. You have
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access to all the things that are in the spirit
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as a believer. So whatever thing you see manifested
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today is for the believer. Amen? Matthew 16,
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verse 19. Matthew 16, verse 19. And I will give
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you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And what
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I'll be sharing with us is what we practice,
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as I said, and is the access, the access to the
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kingdom of God. Hallelujah. And I will give you
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the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever
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you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. And
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whatever you lose on earth will be loose in heaven.
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And contextually, we know that this is Jesus'
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conversation with Peter. The other disciples
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were there and then Peter made a confession about
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Jesus. Especially, In the context of what he
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is. And what he was here on earth to do. And
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then we see Jesus making a profound statement.
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He says, I will give you the keys of the kingdom.
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Keys of the kingdom. Now Jesus makes a promise
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to give the keys of the kingdom. And we've noted
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several times that the word keys here. It's metaphor.
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It's a metaphor used to explain access. Access
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into the kingdom. Now we mentioned several times
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that the word keys is a word class. K -L -E -I
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-S in the Greek. K -L -E -I -S. This is the word
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that was translated. The word keys was translated
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from in the Greek. And then it metaphorically
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referred to as power. That is the power to the
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kingdom or authority or access. Access simply
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means, of course, authority. Because if you have
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the keys to this house or to this hall, you have
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the authority over whatever happens in this hall.
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You can open the door for people to come in and
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you can shut the door from people coming in.
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So you have authority. It means that you have
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power. And Jesus says, and I will give you the
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keys. And I will give you the keys. He will give
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the keys because only Jesus can give the access.
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Jesus says that I am the way, right? I am the
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truth and I am the life. Jesus grants the access
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to the kingdom. And all the things we see manifested
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here today are actually the kingdom manifested.
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That hence are laid upon the sick. And they receive
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their healings. The prophetic words are received
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and declared unto men. We receive direction by
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the Spirit. All this is actually the kingdom
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in manifestation. So what do the keys mean? It
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means access, as we've said. It enables, it will
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enable Peter in this context to open and to close,
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to bind and to loose. Now this key or keys is
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not referring to anything material. First of
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all, we have to establish this, that the keys
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is not referring to anything physical, anything
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material. It is not a physical key because some
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people, you know, they go to church to collect
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keys from their pastors and that key should give
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them every open door in their lives. That's not
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the key we are talking about here. Hallelujah.
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And it's not many keys, because in the English
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word we see keys, but actually it's in the singular
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form in the Greek. So these keys is not something
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material. It's not a mantle that you have, you
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know, to have access before you have access to
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this dimension of the Spirit of God. There must
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be a mantle that you will receive. No. It's not
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a handkerchief that you will receive. It's not
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oil that you will receive upon your head before
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you have access. No. It's nothing material. It's
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nothing material, but something immaterial. And
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we've been saying that this key or this access
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or this power of this authority is actually the
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Spirit of God. Okay? So the statement Jesus made
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to Peter was a promise of the Spirit. How do
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we come to this conclusion that it is a promise
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of the Spirit? John 14, verse 15. We see Jesus,
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when He was with them, He made a promise. John
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14, verse 15 to 21 says, If you love me, you
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keep my commandment. And I will pray the Father,
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and He will give you another helper. Now, we
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know that this another helper simply means of
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the same kind, right? Helper. That He will what?
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Will abide with you forever. The spirit of truth
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whom the world cannot receive. Now, this access
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is not for the world. It's for men that believe.
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You see, obeying the commandment we've, Pastor,
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taught us about, you know, obedience, obeying
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God, is actually believing in God. Hallelujah.
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So the spirit of truth whom the world cannot
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receive because it neither sees him nor knows
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him, but you know him. For he dwells with you
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and will be in you. So Jesus was speaking and
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referring to himself being with them and making
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a promise that he will be in them. I will not
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leave you comfortless as orphans. I will come
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to you. A little while longer, the world will
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see me no more, but you will see me. Because
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I live, you will live also. And that day you
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will know that I am in my Father, and you in
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me, and I in you. Verse 21. He who has my commandments
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and keeps them. What is the commandment? Believe
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in him. That is the commandment. It is he who
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loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by
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my Father. And I will love him and manifest myself
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to him. Jump to verse 25 and 26. 25 and 26. These
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things I have spoken to you while being present
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with you. But the helper, who is the Holy Spirit,
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whom the Father will send on the account of all
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that I will do in my name, he will teach you
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all things. Now, teaching you all things has
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a context. Amen? teaching you all things is contextual
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to all that he has taught them already, and bring
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to your remembrance, this is what he's teaching
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you, he will bring to your remembrance all the
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things that I have said to you. So the goal of
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the Spirit of God that will be given to them
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is not to predict whether Arsenal will win the
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Premier League this season. Hallelujah. Amen.
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is to bring to their remembrance all that he
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has said to them. Amen. He will bring to their
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remembrance all the things that he has taught
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them. Now the spirit of God is not for anything
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outside the work that God is doing in the life
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of men. Hallelujah. John chapter 16. Verse 5.
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Let's see what the promise is. John chapter 16.
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Verse 5. But now I go away to him who sends me,
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and none of you ask me where you are going. But
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because I have said these things to you, sorrow
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has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you
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the truth, it is to your advantage that I go.
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So the condition for the giving of the Spirit
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is that he has to go. For if I do not go away,
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the helper will not come to you. But if I depart,
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I will send him to you. And when he has come,
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look at what he will do. He will convict the
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world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.
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Of sin because they do not believe in me. Of
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righteousness because I go to my father and you
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see me no more. of judgment because the ruler
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of this world is judged. I still have many things
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to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
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However, when he, the spirit of truth has come,
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he will guide you into all truths, for he will
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not speak of his own authority, But whatever
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he hears, he will speak and he will tell you
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things to come. What are the things to come?
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Amen. What are the things to come? The things
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to come is not about whether that candidate of
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yours will win the election. The things to come
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are contextual to what God is doing. Hallelujah.
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He will glorify me. This is what the things to
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come will do. He will glorify me, for he will
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take of what is mine, okay, and do what? And
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he will declare it to you. All things that the
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Father has are mine. Therefore, I say that he
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will take of mine and do what? And declare it
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to you. Hallelujah. So we see that the promise
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that God The promise of that peace or the access
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into that kingdom of God is actually the Spirit.
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And this will be in the resurrection of Jesus
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Christ. This will be when Jesus has died and
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then we sang about him being raised again from
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the death. Hallelujah. And then him going to
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the Father and then giving us the access to the
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Spirit, which is the key, the access. The Spirit
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is given when Jesus is glorified. John chapter
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7, verse 37. When he is glorified, glorification
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simply means that he is exalted after his resurrection.
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John 7, verse 37, verse 39 says, On the last
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day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood
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and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let
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him come to me and drink. He who believes in
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me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart
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will flow rivers of living water. But this is
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for concerning the spirit whom those believing
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in him will receive. For the Holy Spirit has
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not yet given because Jesus has not yet glorified.
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Hallelujah. So his glorification will give access
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to the kingdom, the spirit of God. Hallelujah.
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So at the resurrection, we see Jesus giving his
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spirit. Now everything that we possessed, right?
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Everything that we ever possessed in Christ is
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as a result of his resurrection. It is in the
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spirit. It is spiritual. It is by the spirit
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and in the spirit. Alright? Everything that we
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receive is of the spirit, by the spirit. In fact,
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to be born again is by the Spirit. It's a work
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of the Spirit. It's not your will that makes
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you who you are. But the Spirit of God working
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to produce in you the new man that God desires
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to see. So the summary of everything that Jesus
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gave at the resurrection, we can term it as the
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Spirit. Everything. The spiritual. Nothing else.
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We have access to all the resources in the Holy
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Ghost. Hallelujah. Say, I have access. Say to
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yourself, I have access to all the resources
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in the Spirit. Jesus said that all that are mine,
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the Spirit will take and declare unto you. Hallelujah.
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So we have all that is in the Holy Ghost. Now
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the indwelling of the Spirit gives us access,
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as we've said, To the kingdom. The access is
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actually the kingdom. John chapter 3 verse 1.
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John chapter 3 verse 1. To verse 8. There was
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a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler
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of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night
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and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are
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a teacher. Come from God. For no one can do these
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signs that you do unless God is with him. So
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he means that Nicodemus saw Jesus manifesting
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the kingdom. Nicodemus asked him, How can a man
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be born when he is old? Can he enter a second
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time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus
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answered, which is the spirit, he cannot enter
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the kingdom of God. That which is born of the
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flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit,
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spirit. Do not marvel that I say to you, you
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must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes,
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but you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell
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where it comes. from and where it goes. So is
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everyone who is born of the Spirit. It simply
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means that it's not something that is carnally
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or fiscally designed. You cannot see it happen,
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but it happens by the Spirit of God. So when
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you become born again, it's the work of the Spirit.
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There's a regeneration that happens in you. There's
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a union that you come into by the work of the
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Spirit of God. When you believe the message,
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concerning the death, concerning the burial,
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concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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You are brought into this experience of the kingdom
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of God. And all the things we see manifested
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this morning, you have access to it. Hallelujah.
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So our job as pastors in this church is to bring
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you into the realities of things that you have.
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Now when hands are laid on you, the believer,
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we are not giving you a new spirit. Amen? What
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we are doing is that we are stating what is inside
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you to manifest. Because all that is in the Spirit
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is in you. It's in you. Hallelujah. You can prophesy.
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Amen. You can lay hands on the sick, not only
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the pastors. Amen. You can give a word of prophecy.
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Hallelujah. Amen. Because the Spirit of God lives
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in you. In all His various expressions, He lives
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in you. Hallelujah. When you are born again,
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you receive access to the kingdom of God. Ephesians
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chapter 1 verse 13 talks about the seal of the
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spirit. It is a permanent thing. In him you also
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trusted. After you heard the word of truth. What
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is the word of truth? The word of truth is that
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Jesus died for your sins. And you are forgiven
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of your sins. That is the word of truth. What
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happens? The gospel of your salvation. That is
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the word of truth. In whom also having what?
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You believe this message. Alright? You are sealed
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with the Holy Spirit of promise. And this sealed
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is what is an eternal sealing of God on you.
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Hallelujah. So the believer, you are eternally
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sealed with the Spirit of God. So you eternally
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have the resources of heaven in you. No matter
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the weather, no matter the condition, no matter
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the circumstance, even when the physical is not
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aligning with what is the Spirit, it does not
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deny what has happened in your spirit, man. Hallelujah.
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It doesn't matter where you're coming from, your
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nationality, your country, your culture. It doesn't
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matter even your story, how you were born. It
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doesn't matter even the religion that you came
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from. Oh, it doesn't matter all the things you've
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done before. Some of us don't believe that God
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can walk through us. Some of us don't believe
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that the Spirit of God can live in us. Listen,
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I'm here to tell you that God's system is men.
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Hallelujah. And God's system is not for perfect
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men, but it's for weak men like you. And what
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the Spirit does is that He enables you to do
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what? He empowers you. He enables you to live
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the life that God has called you to live. Galatians
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4, verse 6. We'll see that it is a spirit of
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sonship. You've come into a family. And because
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you have sons, how did you become sons? You became
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sons by believing. God has sent forth the spirit
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of his son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
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Abba, Father is an affectionate call of a father
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and a son. Abba, Father is like saying daddy
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to God. That is a union you've come into with
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God. When you became born again, you were born
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into authority. Amen? You are born into authority.
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You have access to the fullness of the resources
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that are in the Holy Ghost. Hallelujah. 1 Corinthians
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12, verse 1. The text the pastor has been teaching
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us. Helping us to see. 1 Corinthians, yes. It
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says, now concerning spirituals, concerning the
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spiritual life, concerning all that Christ has
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done in you, concerning everything that God has
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done in you by the virtue of you believing in
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the message of salvation concerning everything
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that God has done in Christ. Brethren, I do not
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want you to be ignorant. You know that you were
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dentists carried away to these dumb idols, however
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you were led by them. That was your former life.
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Therefore, I make known to you that no one speaking
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by the Spirit of God calls Jesus a curse. And
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no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the
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Holy Ghost. There are diversities of gifts, right?
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We're talking about all the things that are yours
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in the Spirit. There are diversities of gifts.
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There are varied expressions of the works of
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the Spirit that is inherent in you, the believer.
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But the same Spirit gives this expression. There
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are differences of ministries, but the same Lord
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manifests this in you. And there are diversities
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of activities, but it is the same God who works
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all through you, the believer. Verse 8. Give
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me verse 8. For to one is given, then we begin
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to see where the pastors have been teaching us.
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So the gifts are inherent in you. Hallelujah.
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See. The day you became born again, you will
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lack nothing. All that is, all that can ever
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be is in you. God did not come into you in instrumentals.
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Amen. God did not come into you gradually. When
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you become more obedient, then God now come fully.
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No, no, no. The entirety of the spirit of God
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inhabits you, the believer. So you have the capacity,
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you have the ability to do what? To manifest
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all the expressions of the Spirit in you. Now
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the access to the kingdom, what is the access?
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The Spirit. Amen. When we talk of access, when
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we talk of the key, what are we referring to?
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We are referring to the Spirit. Now the access
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to the kingdom enables you to be a witness. It
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enables you, the believer, To be a witness, to
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be witness simply means you manifest unto God.
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Acts chapter 1 verse 4 to 6. Acts 1 verse 4 to
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8. Acts chapter 1 verse 4 to 8. Acts chapter
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1 verse 4. You can see it here. And being assembled
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together with them. He commanded them not to
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depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise
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that was before it was given, but to wait for
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the promise of the Father. What is the promise
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of the Father? Which he has said to you, you've
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heard from me. For John truly baptized with water,
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but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit
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not many days from now. Therefore, when they
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had come together, They asked him, saying, Lord,
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will you at this time restore the kingdom to
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Israel? Because their eyes is fixed on the carnal
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things of this world. They were thinking that
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the kingdom is a fiscal kingdom. They were thinking
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that what God promised them is something material.
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And he said to them, it is not for you to know
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times or seasons which the Father has put in
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his own authority. But look at it. He brought
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their attention to what is promised. Verse 8.
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Verse 8. But you shall what? Shall receive power.
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Amen. When the Holy Spirit has come upon you
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and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem
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and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends
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of the earth, the uttermost part of the earth.
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So the first thing we see the Spirit comes with
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in the Christian life is power. Power. You have
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power within you. You have power within you.
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And power is meant to put to work. Power is the
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word dunamis, which means ability. There is an
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ability in you. There is an inherent ability
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in the believer. Hallelujah. You have an ability
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in you and the ability enables you to do. You
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have an ability in you and this ability enables
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you to do. An inherent ability residing in the
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believer. by the virtue of your nature. It is
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meant to be exerted out, to be put forth. Now
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the Spirit grants the believer access to the
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authority to be a witness. Pastor was teaching
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us on Wednesday about the word witness. It's
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from a Greek word, matis, M -A -R -T -Y -S. It's
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a legal word that refers to one who is a spectator
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of an event. haven't witnessed something, haven't
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seen, haven't tested, haven't been a firsthand,
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you know, you've seen the event happen firsthand
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by virtue of what God has done in you. You are
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now legally, legally, you have the legal ground,
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you have the legal stand to do what? To prove
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that Jesus is Lord, to prove that Jesus has died,
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he has rose again, and he's alive today. So you
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have that power, you have that ability in you
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to be a witness. So the Holy Spirit gives you
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the legal authority to give proofs of who Jesus
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is and what he has done in salvation. Hallelujah.
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Now we demonstrate this by the display of power
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that is in us. How we do this is what? Is by
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manifesting power. See, it is not by, it is not,
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it is by power. Hallelujah. The kingdom of God
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is by what? It's by power, the display of power.
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And you have inherently in you that power. You
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lack nothing good. You lack nothing. You have
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all it takes to manifest all that God has done
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in you. There's power in you. You can see through
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scriptures how the kingdom is manifested. It
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is by the demonstration of power. Matthew chapter
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4 verse 23 and 24. You see where Jesus giving
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an example how he manifested the power when he
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was demonstrating and talking and preaching about
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the kingdom. And Jesus went about Galilee, all
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Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching
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the gospel of the kingdom. And what we see healing
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of all kinds of diseases. This is power put to
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use and all kinds of diseases among the people.
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Then his fame went throughout all Syria. And
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they brought to him all the sick people who were
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afflicted with various diseases and torments
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and those who were demon -possessed, epileptics
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and paralytics. Am I saying correctly? Paralytics.
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And he what? He healed them all. We can see also
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Jesus sending out the disciples. The one he called.
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Matthew chapter 10 verse 7. And he gave them
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that authority. As you go, preach, saying the
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kingdom of heaven has come. Hallelujah. The kingdom
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of heaven has come. The kingdom of God has come.
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Heal the sick. That's how we demonstrate it.
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Heal the sick. Cleanse the lepers. Raise the
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dead. Cast out devils. Freely you have received.
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How do you give? You don't put a price to it.
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Freely. That is how the gospel... It's preach.
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That is how we manifest the kingdom. That is
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how we manifest the authority and the access
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that God has given us. You're not too young for
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this. You're not too old for this. You're not
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too young for this. You're not too small. Amen?
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If these men that are not born again in this
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place, these men that are not born again here,
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they can go out and cast devils. Amen? They can
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go out and heal the sick. What about you? That
29:04
the Spirit of God resides in you right now. This
29:09
is where our problem is. Knowledge. To know what
29:11
you have. To know what God has done. To know
29:13
the capacity that is inherent in you. And that
29:16
is what church is all about. To bring you to
29:18
the fullness. To the knowledge of all that God
29:20
has done in you. And then we see you begin to
29:23
manifest. And when we say we practice here. See,
29:26
in this church we will not stop. You must give
29:29
a word in this church. You must prophesy in this
29:32
church. You must heal the sick in this church
29:34
because that is your right as a believer. That
29:37
is who God has called you into. It is not for
29:39
some selected people. It's for every believer,
29:42
including you. It doesn't matter your history.
29:46
We want to deal with that maybe on Wednesday
29:48
about, you know, the flesh, right? But I want
29:51
you to know that God has put in you the totality
29:55
of himself that you will demonstrate this to
29:57
the world to see. Hallelujah. The kingdom is
30:05
manifested by the demonstration of the power
30:08
of the Holy Ghost in the preaching of the gospel,
30:10
accompanied by signs and wonders. Look at the
30:13
instruction in Mark 16, 16 to 18. Mark 16, 16
30:17
to 18. An instruction was given, Mark 16, 16
30:20
to 18. It says, he who believes, do you believe?
30:24
Amen. How many of us believe in Jesus as a Messiah?
30:28
If you believe in Jesus as a Messiah, it means
30:31
that you have the ability to preach him in signs
30:35
and wonders following. He who believes and is
30:39
baptized will be saved. Are you saved today?
30:43
We are saved. But he who does not believe is
30:45
condemned. Verse 17. And these signs will follow
30:50
those who believe. In my name they will cast
30:52
out demons. They will speak with new tongues.
30:55
Verse 18. They will take up sapiens and if they
30:59
drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt
31:02
them. They will lay hands on the sick and the
31:05
sick will recover. That is your heritage as a
31:07
believer. That is who you are. That is who God
31:10
has produced in you. See, I have access to all
31:18
that is in Christ. And I manifest all that is
31:22
in Christ. This manifestation, I'll keep repeating,
31:29
is given to all. 1 Corinthians 12 verse 7. 1
31:34
Corinthians 12 verse 7. It's to all. But the
31:41
manifestation of the Spirit is given to who?
31:43
To each one of you. To the prophet of all. It's
31:46
given to everybody who is a partaker in this.
31:52
Everybody is a partaker in this. Because the
31:56
gifts of God, you know, there's no finding fault
31:59
in the gift of God. James chapter 1. He doesn't
32:07
find fault. Give me the verse, please. I think
32:18
in the media people are following me. James 1
32:26
verse 5. 17. Okay, let's read 5, then we'll read
32:36
17. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
32:39
God, who what? Who gives to all liberal renown?
32:43
Look at, this is actually the character of God
32:49
here. He gives. When God gives, he gives without...
32:52
The liberality of God is that God does not look
32:56
for... I like this stripe. This one should take.
32:58
This stripe, no. You don't deserve it. No. Without
33:02
reproach. Without reproach is without finding
33:05
fault. And to be given to him. So all the gifts
33:08
of God. Verse 17. Every good gift and every perfect
33:14
gift is from where? It's from above. Come down
33:17
from the father of light in whom there is no
33:19
word. There is no variation. There is no tribalism.
33:23
There is no change of mind. There is no segregation.
33:26
There is no racism in this. Hallelujah. You have
33:31
all it takes. You have all it takes. And Paul
33:39
will tell the Corinthians church in chapter 1,
33:42
1 Corinthians chapter 12. Not to be ignorant.
33:47
Not to be ignorant. Now, concerning spirituals,
33:53
concerning this spiritual life, brethren, I would
33:57
not want you to be ignorant. And that is a message
33:59
to you, the believer today in this church as
34:01
you are seated. Concerning all that Christ has
34:04
done and all that he has given, God wouldn't
34:06
want you to be ignorant. And I want you to know
34:08
that Paul, you know, the ignorance of this man,
34:14
It's not just that they don't know that these
34:17
things exist. From chapter 1, verse 3 to 7, give
34:21
me chapter 1, verse 3 to 7, we see that these
34:23
men, they understand all that God has given.
34:30
Grace to you, that is to the Corinthian church,
34:33
and peace from our God, God our Father, and the
34:36
Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning
34:40
you. for the grace of God which was given to
34:43
you by Christ. So this means they know the grace
34:46
of God. That you were what? You were enriched
34:50
in everything by Him. In what? Outrance. Outrance
34:55
is a function of the Holy Ghost. Outrance and
34:59
all knowledge. Verse 7. Even as, yes? Even as
35:05
the testimony of your Christ. So that you come
35:06
short. Verse 7. Verse 7. So that you come short
35:10
in no gift. So this means they don't understand
35:12
the gift. They have access to the gift. They
35:15
come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the
35:17
revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. So why would
35:19
you come to chapter 12 and tell them that you
35:21
wouldn't want it to be ignorant? And this ignorance
35:26
is actually about the abuse that they do, even
35:31
in the midst of all that they have. They were
35:36
very much in knowledge and actually manifesting
35:39
the gifts. But the problem with this church is
35:42
that they were not walking in love. They were
35:47
not walking in love. A lot of things happening
35:48
in the church. You are abusing, you know, the
35:51
things that they have. And I said earlier, I
35:57
said one of the biggest challenges with you,
35:59
with me today, is that we don't believe, sometimes
36:02
we don't believe that God walks through us. And
36:08
as a reminder, I want you to know that you are
36:12
the agency by which God will work on the earth.
36:16
Amen? You are the agency by which God will work
36:20
on the earth. Ezekiel chapter 37 verse 3 to 9,
36:24
you see an encounter of the prophet with God.
36:28
Give me Ezekiel chapter 3, 37 verse 3 to 9. And
36:38
he said to him, Son of man, that's God and the
36:41
prophet speaking here. He said to him, Son of
36:43
man, can these bones live? So I answered, O Lord
36:48
God, you know, only you know what you know. Again
36:53
he said to me, prophesy to these bones and say
36:57
to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
37:00
First says the Lord God to these bones, surely
37:03
I will cause breath to enter into you. and you
37:08
shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring
37:12
flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath
37:16
in you, and you shall live. Then you shall know
37:20
that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was
37:25
commanded. As I prophesied, there was a noise
37:29
and suddenly a rattling, and the bones came together
37:33
bone to bone. Hallelujah. Why didn't God speak
37:37
to the bones? But he decided to speak through
37:41
the prophet. Consistently you see through our
37:45
scripture that this is God's method. That whatever
37:48
he does on the earth, he does by the spirit.
37:51
He does by the spirit but through men. Anything
37:55
that God will do on the earth is by the spirit.
37:58
And man is the agency for the manifestation of
38:01
the spirit of God. And you are qualified and
38:05
equipped to manifest everything that God is doing,
38:09
has done, and will do. 2 Corinthians 2, verse
38:13
14. 2 Corinthians 2, verse 14. Now thanks be
38:25
to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.
38:28
And through who? Say, through me. Personalizes
38:33
through us. Diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge
38:37
in every place. It's true men. Are we together?
38:41
It's true men. That he diffuses the fragrance
38:44
of his knowledge in every place. And this fragrance
38:47
of his knowledge has to do with the work of the
38:49
spirit in all the earth. But true men. Verse
38:53
15. For we are to God the what? The fragrance
39:01
of Christ among those who are being saved and
39:04
among those who are perishing. Amen. So what
39:09
God does on earth? He does it through men. He
39:13
does it through men. God uses men to spread the
39:17
fragrance of his knowledge on the earth. God
39:19
has decided to use man despite his frailty and
39:24
weakness. Despite your limitation as a man, God
39:30
has pre -planned. You see, he started in Adam.
39:33
Adam failed. God didn't change method and say,
39:36
okay, I'm going to bring down angels to do the
39:38
work. No. He still started fresh. Because God's
39:42
method from the beginning is a man. God's plan
39:48
in the beginning was for men. God has no plan
39:52
B. Amen. God has no second plan. You are the
39:58
plan A and the only plan of God. All through
40:02
scriptures, we will see the kind of men God works
40:06
with. From Abraham to Moses and to the apostles,
40:11
these were weak and frail men that God breathed
40:16
his spirit upon. They are full of their shortcomings,
40:19
full of their weaknesses. full of their humanities,
40:23
but we see the Spirit of God dwelling in them
40:26
and God begin to work with them. James 5, verse
40:30
7 makes a comment. It says, Elijah was a man
40:34
of a nature like yours, like mine. And he prayed
40:44
earnestly that it will not rain and it did not
40:47
rain on the land for three years and six months.
40:52
Now the Christian life, I want to remind you
40:54
that it is a supernatural life. Amen. You've
40:59
been brought into a supernatural life. Not only
41:02
a natural life, but a life that is higher above
41:06
the natural. Above the natural. You operate in
41:12
a realm beyond the physical. That is a relationship
41:16
you've been brought into. You operate above the
41:19
physical. Beyond the physical. Because you are
41:25
spiritual. Because you are supernatural. See,
41:35
you cannot believe God and then shy away from
41:37
the supernatural life. You are living a lie.
41:42
You cannot say, I believe in Jesus. Your salvation
41:46
is a supernatural activity. So for you not to
41:49
believe in tongues, not to believe in healing,
41:51
not to believe in all the supernatural activities
41:54
within men, is to live a lie, denying what has
41:58
happened to you. Because you're born again. We
42:02
didn't see you get born again physically. It's
42:04
a supernatural activity. How do we know? We see
42:11
the manifestation by the works of the Spirit.
42:15
From a transformation of your life, suddenly
42:18
you see a man begin to live beyond who he used
42:21
to be. God uses ordinary men to do supernatural
42:27
work. And you are God's chosen person to do the
42:32
work that God has established from the foundation
42:35
of the world. Hallelujah. Let's look at one example
42:40
and then we close. Let's look at the example
42:42
of Stephen. an ordinary man, alright? Whenever
42:48
the story of Stephen is read, sometimes we think
42:50
there is one big apostle, one of the, you know,
42:53
no, no, no, no, no, no. Acts chapter 6, verse
42:56
1. Let's look at who Stephen is. And let's take
42:59
encouragement from there, then we go. Acts chapter
43:00
6, verse 1. Acts chapter 6, verse 1. Now, in
43:06
those days, when the number of the disciples
43:07
was multiplying, there arose a complaint against
43:11
the Hebrews by the Hellenists. Because their
43:14
widows were neglected in the daily distribution
43:17
of food. So whenever you see quarrel in church,
43:20
you can easily trace it to something kind of.
43:26
Whenever you see people, it's something natural.
43:30
It cannot be things of the spirit. It's here,
43:34
it's food. Verse 2. Then the twelve summoned
43:39
the multitude of the disciples and said to them,
43:42
desirable, it is not good, that we should live
43:45
the word of God and serve food. Not that serving
43:49
good food is bad. Therefore, brethren, God is
43:53
a priority. Therefore, brethren, seek out from
43:55
among you seven men of good reputation, full
43:59
of what? The Holy Ghost, which means that Stephen,
44:03
who we'll see later on, is full of the Spirit
44:06
and what? And wisdom. Whom you may appoint over
44:11
this business. What business? Evangelism? No.
44:17
Welfare. Food. Physical thing. But we will give
44:22
ourselves continually to prayer and to what?
44:26
To the ministry of the word. And the saint pleased
44:30
the whole multitude and they chose who? Stephen.
44:33
A man of what? Full of faith. This is a description
44:37
of Stephen. A man full of faith. And the Holy
44:42
Ghost. And Philip. We'll look at Philip maybe
44:44
on Wednesday. And Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon,
44:47
Parmenas, and Nicholas. A proselyte from Antioch.
44:53
Verse 6. Whom they set before the apostles when
44:56
they had prayed and laid hand on them. You see
44:59
the laying of hands. Which is important. It's
45:01
a practice of the church. We'll see it even in
45:04
the epistles. Then the word of God spread, you
45:07
see the effect, the word of God spread, and the
45:09
number of the disciples multiplied greatly in
45:11
Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were
45:14
obedient to the faith. He was chosen to serve
45:19
tables, full of grace and power. Look at this
45:24
description in verse 8. Look at verse 8. Stephen
45:28
is full of grace and power, and what? And was
45:32
doing wonders. Stephen, full of faith and power.
45:37
Where did he get the faith and power? The Holy
45:40
Spirit had work in him. He did what? Great wonders
45:44
and signs among the people. Who is this person?
45:49
He's a church member. Alright? He taught a member
45:53
in NACF. He was given the responsibility of serving
45:57
as an usher. In him lies an inherent power. If
46:02
this Stephen was in some of our churches in Africa,
46:06
he would have leave this church and go inside
46:08
the ministry. Because he has arrived. And let
46:18
me announce to you that every believer has arrived.
46:20
Hallelujah. We have come to Mount Zion. Amen?
46:24
We have arrived. It's not a journey. The destination
46:28
has been... we've joined it in Christ and we've
46:32
arrived to the fullness of all that is in Christ.
46:35
So let's look at Stephen briefly, down to verse
46:38
15, and then we pray. And then we pray. And all
46:44
who sat in the council, verse 7, verse 8, yes,
46:50
from verse 8, verse 9, verse 8, and Stephen,
46:53
full of faith and power, did great wonders and
46:56
signs among the people, yes, Then there arose
47:00
from what is called in the synagogue of the freed
47:05
men, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from
47:08
Cilicia and Asia. What were they doing? They
47:13
were disputing with Stephen. Stephen was not
47:15
one of the apostles. I want you to remember.
47:18
Stephen is a church member. I don't like using
47:21
the word church member, but to speak to our today
47:24
language. He was a member of the family of God.
47:27
He was... Not one of the apostles. But this freedman
47:34
came disputing with him. Verse 10. And they were
47:38
not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit
47:43
by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced
47:48
men to say, we have heard him speak blasphemous
47:50
words against Moses and God. Because that's the
47:52
only way they can deal with him. Because he is
47:55
full of wisdom, because the Spirit is in him.
47:57
And they stirred up the people, the elders and
48:00
the scribes, and they came upon him, seized him,
48:02
and brought him to the council. Verse 13. They
48:06
also set up false witnesses who said, This man
48:08
does not cease to speak blasphemous words against
48:11
this holy place and the law. 14. For we have
48:15
heard him say that these treasures of Nazareth
48:18
will destroy this place and change the custom
48:20
which Moses delivered to us. And all who sat
48:23
in the council looking steadfastly at him showed
48:26
his face. And what did they see? His face as
48:29
the face of an angel. There was a glowing on
48:32
his face. Then when we read chapter 7, we will
48:37
see how Stephen, you know, who was not among
48:39
the 12, but can differentiate, we can differentiate
48:45
him from the activities we see in the apostles.
48:49
He eloquently rightfully, accurately explain
48:54
the gospel from Genesis to where they are at
48:57
this point. Read through chapter 7, you will
49:01
see this explanation. One of the most sing -song
49:04
explanations of the gospel I have read in the
49:07
New Testament by a man who is a church member.
49:12
By an ordinary man whom the Spirit lives, dwells
49:17
in. See Stephen's boldness and accurate explanation
49:23
of the message. For sure, he was not the type
49:26
that misses church services. Right? He was not
49:30
the type that he would not attend midweek. Or
49:33
it's a struggle for him to be in cell meeting.
49:40
He's not the type that when they are in groups
49:43
like this, like we're in group today, they say
49:44
pray for your neighbor. Then he's catching his
49:47
teeth. You see, this business is not for stis.
49:51
Amen? When it comes to the things of God, we
49:54
give ourselves to them. He was not a man so full
49:56
of himself. It means that he participated. It
50:00
means that he learned by precepts and by teaching.
50:02
He saw the apostles, he learned from them, and
50:05
then he began to do. So also you, the believer,
50:11
must learn by precepts, by instructions, and
50:14
you must do. And what we are telling you is that
50:17
all is in you. We are not here as showmen, no.
50:20
All that we do, you can do. You can even do greater.
50:24
Hallelujah. You can do greater. You will see
50:30
later, he's watching chapter 7, verse 60. This
50:37
is where the exact words of Jesus on the cross,
50:39
when they were about to kill him, when he was
50:42
dying. And do you know what? Yes. Then he knelt
50:48
down and cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do
50:50
not charge them with this sin. And when he said
50:53
this, he what? He fell asleep. And you know what?
51:01
This Stephen Simon was a Simon Paul heart. Some
51:06
of us thought maybe the encounter Paul had on
51:08
his way to Damascus was, that was how he got
51:10
born again. But can I show you that this was
51:12
a Simon Paul heart. And then it resulted to the
51:16
encounter he had on his way to Damascus. Look
51:19
at chapter 8, verse 1. Chapter 8, verse 1. Then
51:26
we close. Saul was there. It means that Saul
51:31
listened to all his teaching in chapter 7. He
51:35
listened to how Stephen explained about the Christ,
51:40
the entire chapter 7, down to verse 60. Now Saul
51:43
was consenting to his death. Saul was the one
51:46
standing there and what he was watching. That
51:48
means that the seat might have been sworn in
51:52
his heart concerning Jesus. At the same time,
51:57
a great persecution arose against the church
51:59
which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered
52:01
throughout the region of Judea and Samaria except
52:03
the apostles. Stephen was just, I will use the
52:09
word just in quote. He is not just a church member.
52:12
But Stephen was a man of like passion like you,
52:16
like me. God equipped him and we see him witnessing
52:23
with power, with boldness. And will you move
52:28
in obedience? Or will you continue to walk in
52:32
willful disobedience? Will you walk in obedience
52:35
or in disobedience? Disobedience will mean that
52:40
you know this truth. as you've heard under the
52:43
voice of the Lord this morning, this afternoon,
52:45
and then you choose to not, to say, no, this
52:48
thing is not for me. See, that behavior, even
52:53
God cannot help you. Hallelujah. So I want you
52:58
to speak to God this moment as we close. Speak
53:01
to God. Speak to God concerning your life. As
53:07
the word of God has come to us in the prayers,
53:10
we participated and now we hear the word coming
53:12
to assure us of what we've learned, what we've
53:15
done. I want you to pray for yourself. That you
53:19
have the boldness to be a witness. Because you
53:26
have the access to the kingdom of God. You have
53:33
the access by the Spirit. to all the resources
53:36
that are in the kingdom of God. And you can demonstrate
53:40
all that is in the spirit. Pray for boldness
53:46
at all times. I'm quick to give a word. I'm prompt
53:51
to lay hand on the sick, to preach the gospel
53:55
as I go out to preach the gospel. We appreciate
53:59
you being here today. We hope you carry this
54:02
word with you throughout your week. Until next
54:18
time, stay blessed.