DIG Bible Study Manual (2013 Edition)
What Being “Born Again” Really Means (1)
Text: John 3:3-7
What does being born again really mean? (Discussion question)
Thousands of years ago, Nicodemus asked the Lord Jesus this same question.
There are many in the Church today, who like him, lack a true understanding of
what it means to be born again. Though they claim tobe born again Christians, in
reality they aren’t. You can’t afford to base your Christianity on assumption. It is
extremely important that you know for sure what it means to be born again.
Why knowing the real meaning of “born-again” is important
i. So that you can see the kingdom of God.John 3: 3-5; 1 Corinthians 15:50;
Matthew 5:8
ii. So that you can examine yourself and ascertain that you are truly in
Christ.2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Corinthians 11:27-32, 2 Corinthians 5:17
iii. So that you will not miss the rapture. Make no mistake about it: only real
Christians will be raptured! Luke 13:23-28; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew
25:1-13; 1 Corinthians 10:1-5,12
iv. So that you can claim what belongs to you in Christ.
What Being “Born Again” Really Means (2)
Text: John 3:3-7
Last week, we discovered that an accurate understanding of what it means to be
born again is extremely important if we want to make it to heaven. There are
many in the Church today who say that they are born again, but in reality they
aren’t. As we discovered last week, such false assumptions can have very fatal
consequences. Remember, only real Christians will be raptured! So you must
always examine yourself and ascertain that you really are born again.
The scriptures reveal three fundamental characteristics of a born again believer.
Today we will discuss the first.
The First Fundamental Characteristic of a Born Again Believer
1. A Born-Again Christian is someone who BELIEVES in the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 3: 13-18
What does it mean to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?It means you BELIEVE in
your HEART and CONFESS with your MOUTH that (Romans 10:10):
Jesus is the SON OF GOD: He is your God who came in the flesh.John
3:13; John 20:31; 1 John 4:2-3; 6;13-15; 2 John 1:7-9; John 6:38-40;
(He is not just another prophet, great teacher or religious founder. He
is God!)
Jesus is THE CHRIST: He is your Savior who came to save you from
your sins by His crucifixion and resurrection. John 3:14-17; Matthew
1:21; John 1:29; Romans 3:23-26; Matthew 16:13-18
Jesus is the LORD: He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords; God of gods
- His Name is above all names! John 3:18
Repent of your sinful lifestyle; call on His name and be saved! Acts
4:12; Romans 10:9-13; Philippians 2:9-11; Ephesians 1:19-23
What Being “Born Again” Really Means (3)
Text: John 3:3-7
Last week, we began to examine the fundamental characteristics of a born again
Christian. We learnt that first of all a born again Christian is a person who believes
and receives Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Today, we will discuss the second
fundamental quality of born again believer.
The Second Fundamental Characteristic of a Born Again Believer
2. A Born-Again Christian is a person who FORSAKES his old way of living, and
faithfully FOLLOWS Jesus Christ DAILY. 2 Corinthians 5:17; Luke 9:23; Luke
5:27-28
Note: Being born again is more than making a ONE TIME response to an altar call.
Being born again means making a lifetime commitment to WALK with the Lord
ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE!
How do you FORSAKE your old ways; and FOLLOW Jesus Christ?
i. By departing from sin, and PURSUING HOLINESS. 2 Timothy 2:19;
Hebrews 12:14
ii. By putting off the OLD MAN and putting on the NEW MAN.Ephesians
4:21-24; Colossians 3:8-10; Romans 13:14
iii. By not conforming to the WORLD but renewing your mind with God’s
WORD – by being SPIRITUALLY MINDED not CARNALLY MINDED.Romans
12:2; Romans 8:1-6; Colossians 3:1-2; Galatians 6:7-8
iv. By PURSUING INTIMACY with God and SHUNNING FRIENDSHIP with the
world. James 4:4-8
What Being “Born Again” Really Means (4)
Text: John 3:3-7
So far in our study, we have learnt that a born again Christian is a person who has
FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ, FORSAKES his old life, and FOLLOWS the Lord Jesus
every day. It is not enough to confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You must also
cleave to Him every single day. Today we will look at the last trait of a truly born
again believer.
The Third Fundamental Characteristic of a Born Again Believer
3. A Born-Again Christian is a person who bears FRUIT. Matthew 7:13-21
Notice that the Lord Jesus didn’t say you will know a believer by what they say.
He said you would know them by what they do! He saved you so that you can
bear fruit. John 15:16
Therefore, the most visible mark of a born again Christian is the fruit he bears.
A person, who claims to be born again but lacks fruit, is not truly born again.
According to the Lord Jesus, such a person is false and will suffer the same
eternal fate as an unbeliever (Matthew 7:19).If you claim to be born again, you
must strive to bear fruit all the days of your life!
There are 4 kinds of fruit that the Lord expects every born again believer to
produce:
i. The Fruit of Praise. 1 Peter 2:9-10; Isaiah 43:21; Hebrews 13:14-16
ii. The Fruit of the Spirit.Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:8-11
iii. The Fruit of Good Works. Matthew 5:13-16; Ephesians 2:10; Titus 1:16;
James 1:27
iv. The Fruit of Souls. Proverbs 11:30; Mark 16:15; Daniel 12:3
How to Overcome Fear: The Arch-Enemy of Dominion (1)
Text: 2 Timothy 1:7
It is absolutely impossible for a person who is ruled by fear, to reign in life.
Therefore, to enjoy a life of dominion, you must overcome the spirit of fear. It is
the arch-enemy of dominion. Please understand that every battle of life is won by
faith, but lost by fear! So, you must not tolerate fear in your life for one moment.
In this series we will discuss what fear is as well as the ways to overcome it.
What is Fear?
i. Fear is more than a mere psychological emotion. Fear is an evil
tormenting spirit which enslaves and keeps people in bondage! Romans
8:15; 1 John 4:18; Hebrews 2:15
ii. Fear comes by receiving and believingbad reports or rumors. Numbers
13:31-33; Jeremiah 51:46;Jeremiah 6:24-25; Isaiah 21:2-4(Discussion
question: What are some types of bad reports/rumors that instill fear)
iii. Fear has the power to produce the very ‘thing’ that was feared if it is not
dealt with. Job 3: 25-26
iv. Fear renders a person powerless before the enemy. Deuteronomy
20:3,8; Judges 7:2-3
v. Fear prevents a person from entering into his promised land. Numbers
14:36-38; Hebrews 4:1-2,11
How to Overcome Fear: The Arch-Enemy of Dominion (2)
Text: 2 Timothy 1:7
To reign in life, you must rule over fear. Please understand this, until you are
ready to confront fear, you can’t conquer it. Today, we will begin to discuss what
you must do to confront and conquer every fear in our life.
To Overcome Fear You Must:
i. CULTIVATE intimacy with God.
When you are intimate with God, you will never be intimidated by the
enemy! Isaiah 8:12-13; Psalm 91:1-5; Psalm 27:1-4
The more perfect your love for God, the less fearful you will be! 1
John 4:18
When you know God intimately, nothing will move or terrify you.
2 Timothy 1:12; Philippians 1:28
ii. Choose to ONLY believe what God says, not what you see!
2 Corinthians 5:7; Luke 8:49-55; Matthew 14:24-31
How to Overcome Fear: The Arch-Enemy of Dominion (3)
Text: 2 Timothy 1:7
In the previous study, we discovered that to conquer fear we must cultivate
intimacy with the Lord. A perfect love relationship with Him is the power that
casts out every fear that exists in this world. Today we will conclude this series by
discussing two more things we can do to live above fear.
To Overcome Fear You Must:
iii. CAST down fearful thoughts instantly! 2 Corinthians 10:4-5(KJV)
The battle of fear is fought and won in the mind. Always keep
your mind fixed on God, not on what is happening in the world
around you! Isaiah 26:3-4; Psalm 112:7
When you focus on what is happening around you, you will be full
of fear. Matthew 14:27-30
When you keep your eye on the Lord Jesus, you will always be full
of faith! Hebrews 12:2-3
iv. CELEBRATE and praise God’s word. Psalm 56:3-4,10-11
Praising God’s word means you magnify God’s word above the
situation. When you MAGNIFYGod, your faith will rise, and fear
will fall. But when you magnify the situation, fear will rise, and
faith will fail (God forbid!)
Therefore overcome fear by choosing to magnify God, and
minimize the problem by the power of your praise and worship!
The Blessed House (1)
Text: 2 Samuel 7:28-29
It is God’s will for your family to be a blessed house:a house that is blessed
forever! He wants your home to always experienceGod’s blessings, never curses;
to always enjoytriumph, never tragedy; prosperity, never poverty; honor, never
shame. He wants your household to be a glorious dynasty that endures forever,
always from success to success; honor to honor; glory to glory; strength to
strength; and excellence to excellence! However, there are four things that you
must do if you want your family to be a blessed house. Today we will examine the
first condition.
#1 Condition for Blessed House:
HONOR God with your substance. Ezekiel 44: 30; Proverbs 3:9-10, 33
The blessing of the Lord will not rest on a GREEDY FAMILY! Joshua 7: 18-
25;Acts 5: 1-10
The blessing of the Lord will only rest on a GENEROUS FAMILY!Psalm 112:
1-3,5a; Genesis 22:16-17; 1 Chronicles 29:3, 28
When you bring your offerings into God’s house, He will put His blessing
upon your house! Malachi 3: 8-12; Ezekiel 44: 30
(Discussion Question: What are the kinds of offerings that God expects you to
offer? Malachi 3:10; Psalm 96:8-9; Proverbs 22:9; Proverbs 19:17; Galatians 6:6; 1
Timothy 5:17-18; Exodus 20:12; Exodus 35:4-5)
The Blessed House (2)
Text: 2 Samuel 7:28-29
Last week, we learnt that God wants your family to be blessed forever. He wants
you to always experience His blessings, and never experience curses. However,
there are certain conditions that you must fulfill to have a blessed house. Last
week we discussed the first: Honor the Lord with your substance. Today we will
examinethe second.
#2 Condition for Blessed House:
Your Family must live in HARMONY.Psalm 133
i. God ONLY commands His blessing on a UNITED house, not a DIVIDED
house! Luke 11: 17(He can’t command His blessing on a family where
they are always fighting one another!)
ii. Strife stops a family’s prayers from being answered. 1 Peter 3:7
iii. Strife gives satan a huge advantage over a family.2 Corinthians 2:10-
11
iv. Strife opens the doors to all manner of evil and bondage. Proverbs
17:14,19; Proverbs 18:19; Proverbs 19:13
v. Instead of fighting one another, you should forgive one another,
pray for one another and love one another. James 5: 16; Proverbs
10:12
vi. Instead of criticizing one another, celebrate one another. Philippians
2:2-4; Ephesians 4:29
The Blessed House (3)
Text: 2 Samuel 7:28-29
So far, we have discovered that to have a blessed house, you must HONOR God
with your substance and you must live in HARMONY with one another. God can
only command His blessing on a GENEROUS family, not a GREEDY one; He can
only command His blessing on a UNITED house, not a DIVIDED house. Let us now
examine the third condition for having a blessed house.
#3 Condition for Blessed House:
Your family must HARBOR THE ARK OF GOD.2 Samuel 6:11-12a
What is the ark of the Lord?
The ark of the Lord represents the place where you meet with God to have intimate fellowship with Him - There I will meet with you and, from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of the Testimony, I will speak intimately with you. (Exodus 25: 22AMP)
The Blessing of the Lord will rest on your house when you regularly meet with
God and have family devotions. This was Obededom’s secret!
The Ark of the Lord remaining in Obededom’s house means that both he
and his family sought the Lord, and served Him together. 2 Samuel 6:11;
1 Chronicles 26: 4-12
As long as the ARK of the Lord REMAINS in your family, the BLESSING of
the Lord will REST on your family.2 Samuel 6:11-12a
But the moment the Ark of the Lord DEPARTS from a family, the Blessing
of the Lord will also depart from that family!1 Samuel 4:21
No matter what PLEASE don’t let the ark leave your house! Don’t let
anything stop you from having family devotion.
PS. Family worship doesn’t have to be long and complicated. (Discuss or
share personal experiences of how family devotion can be held in a
practical way, considering today’s hectic pace of life).
Knowing the Voice of God (1)
Text: John 10: 2-4
One of the fundamental keys to enjoying supernatural wisdom is yourability
to know and follow the voice of God. Proverbs 2:6
Please understand that, knowing God’s voice isn’t a special gift reserved for
a few ‘anointed’ people. NO! The ability to hear God’s voice is the covenant
privilegeof all born-again believers. However, your ability to hear God’s voice
depends greatly on the level of your spiritual sensitivity. This is because God
speaks to you through your spirit, not your mind. Proverbs 20:27; Romans 8:16
Today, we will begin this series by discussing 3 ways you can increase your
spiritual sensitivity to the voice of God.
i. Study and Meditate on His Written WORD.
God speaks to us primarily through His word.The voice of God
is really the voice of His word.Job 33:8 [KJV] says, Surely Thou
hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of Thy
words.
With the understanding of His word, comes the hearing of His
voice; the more revelation of the word you have, the clearer
His voice will be to you.Psalm 119:104-105; Isaiah 30:20b-21
ii. Live a lifestyle of WORSHIP.
Worship has the power to make God’s presence real and His
voice clear to you. Isaiah 30: 29-30a; Acts 13: 2a
iii. Always be quick and WILLING TO OBEY what He says to you.
The more submissive you are to God’s Word, the more
sensitiveyou will be to His voice. God doesn’t speak to people
who constantly disregard His instruction. 1 Samuel 28:6;
Matthew 13: 9, 12-14; Isaiah 50: 4b-5
Knowing the Voice of God (2)
Text: John 10: 2-4
Hearing God is one of your greatest assets as a believer. It’s what gives you
access to supernatural wisdom and uncommon honor in life. Proverbs 2:6-11
Please understand that God is a dynamic Father who loves to communicate
with His children in a diversity of ways. Don’t make the mistake of expecting Him
to speak to you in just one way.The various ways that God speaks to His people
can be grouped into two basic categories:
1. He speaks in EXTRAORDINARY or SPECTACULAR ways. 1 Kings 19:11
In an AudibleVoice.Deuteronomy 5:21-22,24; 1 Kings 1:19;
Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5; 2 Peter 1:17; John 12:28-29
In Visions, dreams. Job 33:14-16; Genesis 46:2; Numbers 12:6;
Acts 18:9
By Angelic visitations.Genesis 21:16-18; 1 Kings 19:-8; Acts
8:26; Luke 1:19,26-28
Through the Operations of the Gifts of the Spirit (i.e. gifts of
word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healings, working
of miracles,prophecy, discerning of spirits,different kinds of
tongues and interpretation of tongues).1 Corinthians 12:4-11;
Acts 11:28; Acts 21:10-11
Knowing the Voice of God (3)
Text: John 10: 2-4
In the previous study, we discovered that our heavenly Father speaks to us
in a diversity of ways which can be classified under two broad categories:
EXTRAORDINARY ways and ORDINARY ways. Last week, we discussed the various
extraordinary or spectacular ways by which the Lord speaks to us. Today we are
going to examine the various ordinary or simple ways by which our Father talks to
us. Though simple, they are just as powerful and important as the extraordinary
ways. As a matter of fact, He speaks to us more in simple ways than spectacular!
2. He speaks in ORDINARY or SIMPLE Ways. 1 Kings 19:12-13
By an Inner small still voice or witness. 1 Kings 19:12; Romans
8:16; Romans 9:1
By Strong Stirrings or Impressions in your spirit. Haggai 1:14;
Acts 17:16; Acts 18:5; Acts 2:37; Exodus 35:21: Exodus 36: 2
Through Revelation knowledge gained by studying God’s
word.Psalm 119:104-105
Through Revelation knowledge gained by listening to
inspirational preaching, teaching, songs, books, etc.Isaiah
30:20b-21; Daniel 9:2
Through Wise counsel or advice from trusted people. Exodus
18:17-24; 1 Samuel 25:32-33; Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 15:22
Knowing the Voice of God (4)
Text: John 10: 2-4
In the previous study, we examined the various EXTRAORDINARY and ORDINARY
ways by which our God speaks to us. However, it is important that you
understand that there are 3 basic voices speaking in the earth today: the voice of
man; the voice of satan; and the voice of God. Therefore, you must prove
everything that you hear and make sure it is really God’s voice that you are
hearing. 1 John 4:1
This is important because it is only by knowing and following His voice that His
perfect will can be established in your life.
How you can know for sure that it’s God you are hearing
1. God will never say anything to you that CONTRADICTS His
WRITTEN WORD. God and His Word are ONE!John 1:1; 1 John
5:7-8
2. Godwill never say anything that CONTRADICTS His HOLY
NATURE. Our Good God will not speak evil things! Luke 6: 45;
James 3: 11-12
3. God voice will always instill peace. He will never say anything
that will leave your heart in a state of confusion or fear. His
voice will always bring solution, not compound the problem.1
Corinthians 14: 33; Psalm 85: 8
4. God will CONFIRM His voice by at least two witnesses i.e. any
two of the ways that He speaks which we discussed in our
previous study. Psalm 62: 11; 2 Corinthians 13: 1
Knowing the Voice of God (5)
Text: John 10: 2-4
So far in our study, we have discovered how to increase our spiritual sensitivity to
the voice of God; the various ways in which God speaks to us; and how to be sure
that the voice that we are hearing is really God’s. Today we will conclude this
dynamic series by examining the blessings that you will begin to enjoyin your life,
as you make the wise choice to know and follow the voice of God every day.
Four Powerful Blessings of Knowing & Following God’s Voice - John 10: 3-29
1. You will enjoy intimate INTERACTION with your Heavenly Father. You will
know God intimately! John 10: 3a, 14-16; Exodus 33:11
2. You will enjoyclear DIRECTION from the Father. You will never be confused!
You will always make the right decisions. John 10: 3-4, 9-10; Isaiah 30:21, 23;
Deuteronomy 4:36
3. You will enjoy the Father’s abundant PROVISON. You will never lack! John
10:9-10; Psalm 23:1-2; Isaiah 48:17
4. You will secure the Father’s PROTECTION.You will be saved from all manner of
evil.John 10: 5, 8, 10a, 27-29; John 8:51[KJV]; Exodus 23:22-23
It Shall All Come to Pass: How You Can Activate Your Prophetic Blessings! (1)
Text: Joshua 21:45
Introduction:
Anytime God wants to bless you, He will first send you a prophetic word.
Amos 3:7; Psalm 107:20
His prophetic decree is your key to your promotion and preservation in life.
Hosea 12:13
However, as wonderful as God’s prophecies are, they cannot be fulfilled until
you activate or set them into motion. In this series, we will discuss 3 powerful
forces that you must engage to activate all the wonderful prophecies that God
has spoken over your life! Today we will examine the first force:
The Force of Faith
(Discussion Question: What is faith? Hebrews 11:1; Romans 8:24-25)
How can you apply the force of faith for the fulfillment of the prophecies
that God has spoken over your life?
i. By BELIEVING God and His prophets. Luke 1:45; 2 Chronicles 20:20;
Hebrews 4:1-3,6; Numbers 14:34
ii. By SPEAKING the prophecy out loud with your mouth. Amos 3:7-
8;Romans 10:10; Mark 11: 22-24; 2 Corinthians 4:13
iii. By PRAISING and GLORIFYING God even before the prophecy becomes
fulfilled. Romans 4:20-21; 1 Samuel 1:17-19
It Shall All Come to Pass: How You Can Activate Your Prophetic Blessings! (2)
Text: Joshua 21:45
Introduction:
In our last study, we discovered that for God’s prophecies to be fulfilled in your
life, you must activate them. Last week we discovered that the first force you
must engage to activate your prophecies is the force of faith. Today we will
examine the second force:
The Force of Obedience
i. Your obedience to God’s commands is fundamental to the fulfillment of
His prophetic blessings in your life. Deuteronomy 11:8-9,26-28
ii. God will perform His promise to you ONLY IF you obey His instructions.
Deuteronomy 15:4b-6; Deuteronomy 28:1-15
iii. When a person REFUSES to obey God’s voice, God will also RELENT from
performing His word in that person’s life. Jeremiah 18:9-10; 1 Samuel
12:14-15
iv. People who disobey God’s instructions will ultimately FORFEIT or lose
the prophetic promise that God gave them. 1 Samuel 2:27-30; 1 Samuel
15:22-23,26-28; Joshua 5:6
v. People who obey God’s instruction will always live to experience the
FULFILLMENT of God’s prophecy in their lives. Genesis 18:17-19; Genesis
22:15-18; Joshua 22:1-4
It Shall All Come to Pass: How You Can Activate Your Prophetic Blessings! (3)
Text: Joshua 21:45
Introduction:
So far in this study, we have discovered that for God’s prophecies to be
fulfilled in your life you must activate them by engaging the force of faith and
the force of obedience. Today, we will conclude our study by examining the
third vital force needed to activate every prophetic word that God speaks over
your life:
The Force of Contention
i. To possess what God has promised you, you must contend violently
against the enemy. Deuteronomy 2:24; Matthew 11:12
ii. Every prophetic word over your life will always attract fierce satanic
opposition. Matthew 13:21
iii. The moment God releases His prophecy concerning you; the enemy will
resist it, trying to prevent it from coming to pass. Genesis 37:18-20;
Revelation 12:3-4
iv. Therefore, after you receive a prophetic word from the Lord, don’t just
sit down passively. No! Rise up and go to war! 1 Timothy 1:18
v. To possess your prophecy, you must dispossess the enemy by the power
of prayer and praise! Numbers 33:50-56; Deuteronomy 9:1-3
Deuteronomy 9:1-3; Joshua 23:5
How to Change your Status
Text: Isaiah 61:7
Change doesn’t just happen. Change is made to happen! AsNewton’s law of
motion states, an object will remain at a state of rest until a force is applied to it.
Similarly, things will remain stagnant in your life until you apply the force of
change. There are 3 powerful forces that you must be prepared to apply, if you
want to get the change that you desire in your life. As you apply these forces,
every reproach in your life will be rolled away. Instead of shame, you will have
double honor. Guaranteed! Today, let’s discuss the first force of change:
The Force of Your Mind
i. Change in your lifefirst begins with a change in your mind. The
condition of your life is a direct reflection of the condition of your mind.
Proverbs 23: 7a
ii. To changeyour status, you must ADJUST the way you think. Your
mentality will shape your actual reality. What you see is what you will
get! Jeremiah 1: 12; Genesis 13:14-15
iii. If you don’t change your mentality, God cannot change your
status!Numbers 13: 31-33
(Note: The Israelites still had a slave mentality, even after being
delivered from the bondage of Pharaoh. This is why they saw themselves
as grasshoppers to be trampled on. Because they refused to change their
mentality, God could not change their status)!
iv. Change your mentality by renewing your mind with the word of God.
Have a WORDVIEW not a WORLDVIEW! Romans 12: 2; Ephesians 4: 23
v. Think only the superior thoughts of God, not the inferior thoughts of the
world! Isaiah 55:8-9; 1 Corinthians 1:25; 1 Corinthians 2:11-16
How to Change your Status (2)
Text: Isaiah 61:7
Last week we discussed the first powerful force that’s guaranteed to change your
status: the force of your mind. If you want a change of life, you must first have a
change of mind. Your mentality will shape your reality! Today we will examine the
second powerful force:
The Force of Your Mouth
Your mouth is the ‘steering wheel’ that determines the direction or
course that your life goes.
James 3: 3-6 (Message Translation):A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the
whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a
course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of
no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything - or destroy it! A careless or
wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin
the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole
world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.
If you want your life to take a new turn, you need to change the way you
talk. If you can rule your mouth, you will reign in life.Psalm 34:12-13;
Proverbs 18:21; Matthew 12:36-37; Proverbs 21:23
Your mouth has the power to kill every evil thing in your life.Isaiah 54:
17; Luke 21: 15
Your mouth has the power to bring to life every good thing that God has
purposed for you. Proverbs 18: 20-21
So don’t use your mouth carelessly. Use it carefully and constructively
and your change will come: never say what you see or how you feel,
only say what God’s word says!
- Don’t say I am sick, say I am healed. Isaiah 33: 24
- Don’t say I’m in trouble, say all is well. 2 Kings 4:17-24,26
- Don’t say I am weak, say I am strong. Joel 3:10
How to Change your Status (3)
Text: Isaiah 61:7
So far, in this series, we have discovered that to enjoy a change of status, you
must engage the force of your mind, and the force of your mouth. In short: you
must change the way you THINK and the way you TALK! Today we will conclude
this series by examining the third powerful force of change:
The Force of your Money
Your monetary seed is one of life’squickeststatus-changers and blessing-
releasers! Genesis 22: 16-17
To SPEED UP your change, don’t just pray, SOW a MONETARY SEED!Psalm
20:1-4; Psalm 126: 1-6
Never allow challenging circumstances to stop you from sowing monetary
seeds. Proverbs 20:4; Ecclesiastes 11:1
As a matter of fact, the best time to sow a seed is when you have a need!
Genesis 26:1,12-13; 1 Kings 17: 12-16; 2 Samuel 24: 17-25
God can only MULTIPLY what you SOW. He can’t INCREASE what you don’t
RELEASE! Zechariah 8: 11-13; 2 Corinthians 9: 10
To ‘eat’ your seed is to bankrupt your future. God forbid!Proverbs 11: 24
[NLT]
Staying Hot For Jesus (1)
Text: Revelation 3:14-16
This scripture is a stern warning which the Lord gives not just to the Laodicean
church but also to us. A Christian who is not hot for Jesus will be vomited out of
His mouth.The word vomit means to expel previously eaten food from the body.
Similarly, Jesus will vomit or expel from His Body, so-called believers who are not
hot for Him. This is why you must take His call to be hot for Him very seriously. In
this study we will examine just what it means to be hot for Jesus; how we can stay
hot for Him; and the blessings of staying hot for Jesus.
What does it mean to be Hot for Jesus?
It means to be PASSIONATELY in love with Him.Deuteronomy 10:12; Luke
10:27; Song of Solomon 8:6-7
It means to PERSISTENTLY PURSUE intimacy with Him. Psalm 105: 4; Psalm
27:4;Psalms 84:1-2; Song of Solomon 3:1-4
It means to PURPOSELY seek to PLEASE Him by obeying His word. John
14:15,21; John 15:10; John 8:29
It means to be CONSUMED with His ZEAL– to be totally sold out to the work
of His kingdom. Jeremiah 20:8-9; John 2:17; John 4:34
It means tirelessly PRESS ON for the PRIZE of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus – keeping your eyes set on the joy of your heavenly home.
Philippians 3:13-14; Hebrews 12:1-2; Romans 2:7; Luke 12:35-40
Staying Hot For Jesus (2)
Text: Revelation 3:14-16
From the last study we learnt that if anyone wants to stay in the Lord, they must
stay hot for Him. Our Lord Jesus is very clear about this: cold or lukewarm
Christians will be vomited out! Therefore, we must constantly gauge our spiritual
‘temperature’ to determine whether or not we are hot for our Lord Jesus. We
can’t afford to leave this serious issue to chance or assumption. Our eternity
depends on it! In today’s lesson, we will discuss practical ways to stay hot for the
Lord.
How to Stay Hot for Jesus
i. Give yourself continually, not occasionally to praise, prayer, and
fasting. Prayer is the fire that keeps us hot for Jesus.Exodus 30:1,6-9;
Leviticus 24:1-3; Acts 6:4;Luke 21:36; Luke 22:46
ii. Give yourself to the study and meditation of God’s Word.Prayer is the
fire that keeps us burning for the Lord, but the Word is the wood that
fuels the fire. Where there is no wood of the word, the fire of prayer will
go out!Proverbs 26:20a; Acts 6:4; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:105; Luke 11:
35-36
iii. Stay away from evil. Sin and ungodly associationswill quench your fire
and turn your heart from God. Psalm 97:10-11; Proverbs 12:26; Proverbs
13:9; Proverbs 20: 20; Proverbs 24: 20; 1 Kings 11:1-4
iv. Walkwith other Christians who are on fire for Jesus.Proverbs 13:20;
Proverbs 27:17; Matthew 7:6
v. Stay planted in God’s house. It is easier to quench a burning branch,
than a burning forest. Those who neglect the fellowship of other
believers risk losing their fire and passion for God. Psalm 84:11; Psalm
92:13; Hebrews 10:25
Staying Hot For Jesus (3)
Text: Revelation 3:14-16
In our previous studies, we discussed what it means to be hot for Jesus and how
we can stay hot. You have so much to gain and absolutely nothing to lose when
you make up your mind to stay hot for the Lord Jesus. Today we will examine the
blessings of Staying Hot for Jesus.
The Blessings of Staying Hot for Jesus
1. Your whole life will SHINE ever brighter full of the glory of God.
Job 22: 21,28; Proverbs 4: 18; 2 Corinthians 3:18
The fire is what fuels the glory. If the fire goes down, the glory will go
down with it! God forbid!1 Samuel 3:3;4:21-22; Proverbs 4:19; 2
Chronicles 29: 6-8
2. The enemy will not be able to overcome you.
As flies can’t settle on a hot pot, so also the devil cannot harass hot
Christians. Exodus 14:19-20; Joshua 1:5; Zechariah 2:5
On the other hand, he makes cold Christians to become his casualties
of war! Joshua 7:11-12
3. You will make it to heaven; you will not be vomited out of His
mouth!Revelation 3:18-21; Matthew 25:1-13; Luke 12:31,35-36,43-46
Delivered from Debt (1)
Text: Deuteronomy 15:6
One of God’s promises to us in this year of Blessing is that He will supernaturally
deliver us from debt. He wants us completely and permanently out of debt.
Romans 13:8
Indebtedness is a major enemy of financial prosperity. As long as a person is in
debt, it will be hard for him to flow in the riches and wealth God has ordained for
His people. In this series, we will discuss the issue of indebtedness in detail as
well as how we can be permanently delivered from it. As you obey the wisdom
that God gives us, He will bless you so mightily that you will never again be a
borrower. Rather we will be lenders, even to nations!
(Discussion question: What are some of the causes of debt? 1Timothy 6:9-10;
Proverbs 28:20,22; Luke 14:28; Pro 6:6-8; Hosea 4:6; Proverbs 21:20;Proverbs 6:1-
5; Proverbs 22:26-27; Proverbs 6:10-11;Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 12:24; Proverbs
11:24-26).
Reasons Why God wants you Delivered from Debt:
i. Debt is evil! It is a destroying spirit that has devoured and ruined many
families, marriages, relationships, and driven people to bankruptcy even
to suicide and murder. Job 15:21-23; Malachi 3:11
ii. Debt is Slavery! When you are in debt you become a slave to the person
that you borrowed from. Proverbs 22:7; 2 King 4:1;Nehemiah 5:3-5
iii. Debt is a burdensome weight! It is an extremely heavy burden to carry.
It keeps your mind preoccupied with your financial problems and affects
your joy and peace in your spirit. 2 King 6:5; Hebrews 12:1
Delivered from Debt (2)
Text: Deuteronomy 15:6
It is God’s will that you and I live a debt free life - a life in which we owe no man,
no company a single dime (Romans 13:8)! No matter how deep you are indebt,
according to God’s prophetic promise over us in this our Covenant Year of
Blessing; you will become supernaturally free from all your debts, in Jesus’ mighty
name, amen! For with our God nothing shall be impossible! Luke 1:37
There are both spiritual and practical ways that God has ordained for us to get out
of debt and stay out of debt. Today, we will begin to discuss the spiritual or
supernatural ways of debt cancellation.
Supernatural Ways out of Debt
i. Bind the “strongman” of debt. Take authority overthe destroying spirit
that devours and hinders financial prosperity.To be free from the
burden of debt, first break its yoke from off your neck through prayer
and fasting. Isaiah 10:27; Isaiah 58:6-11; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21-22
ii. Ask the Lord to give you divinely inspired wealth generating ideas,
innovations, and instructions.Isaiah 48:17; Jeremiah 16:6a; Proverbs
8:11-12(KJV); Genesis 31:9-13; Luke 5:4-7
iii. Obey the Holy Spirit in the area of giving. Without giving, freedom from
debt is impossible - The way out of debt is through giving!Luke 6:38; 2
Kings 4:1-7
When you are faithful in your giving, God will rebuke the
destroyer i.e. the spirit of debt. Malachi 3:10-12
When you are faithful in giving, God will bless you with
unprecedented wealth. Proverbs 28:20; Deuteronomy 28:11-13
God can only multiply the seed you sow He can’t multiply the
seed that you withhold!2 Corinthians 9:10; Zechariah 8:12;
Proverbs 11:24
Regardless of your financial situation; don’t stop giving and
sowing financial seeds.Psalm 126:5-6
Delivered from Debt (3)
Text: Deuteronomy 15:6
There are three economic ‘states’ in the world today: the state of lack; the state
of enough; and the state of overflow! It is God’s will for you and I to perpetually
live in the state of overflow – a place where we are completely out of debt, all our
needs are met and we have plenty left over to be a blessing! (2 Corinthians
9:8)This is why He has ordained certain spiritual and practical ways for us to get
out and stay out of debt all the days of our lives. Last week we examined the
various spiritual ways, today we will discuss the practical ways that you can be
debt free – always lending to others, never borrowing at all!
Practical Ways of Getting out and Staying out of debt
1. Have a GOAL or VISION of DEBT FREEDOM.Until you first visualize it, you
can’t realize it. Believe that you will be debt free! Habakkuk 2:1; Proverbs
29:18
2. Make aCLEARLY WRITTEN LIST of ALL your DEBTS.Habakkuk 2:2,
Your list gives your faith a focus.Luke 18:35-43
3. Add NO NEW DEBTS. Make up your mind not to add any new debts while
getting out of debt. It is crucial you stop doing what got you into debt in the
first place.
4. Create an ACTION PLAN and ACT on it ASAP! Habakkuk 2:3-4; Psalm 37:21
Do a personal financial audit of yourself. Take account of what you
currently have. 2 King 4:2(Are you operating on a deficit, balanced or
surplus budget? If your current budget can only cover your basic
needs, get more “jars”; have additional streams of income).
Make sacrifices. Cut off excess and necessary spending.
Locate the “fragments”, otherwise known as ‘loose or extra
change’.Luke 9:17; John 6:12-13
Payoff smaller debts first.
Renegotiate larger debts with high interest rates. Then payoff the
highest, then the next highest etc.
Thanksgiving: The Power that Turns Things Around! (1)
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Thanksgiving is an extremely pivotal force. Absolutely no circumstance or
condition can remain the same when you begin to give God thanks. It will change.
Guaranteed!
This is why it is God’s will for you to give Him thanks in all things. Yes! Even in the
midst of life’s toughest situations. He doesn’t want you to focus on the storm. He
wants you to focus on the Savior. He doesn’t want you to focus on what you don’t
have. He wants you to focus on what you do have and give Him thanks for it.
Today we will begin to examine the powerful things that will happen in your life
as you engage the revolutionary power of thanksgiving, especially during tough
times.
3 Reasons why you should thank God in tough times
1. Thank God because He has already PROVIDED a way out. No matter how
desperate your situation might seem, you are not grounded. You are just
going through! God has provided a way for you to escape out of it!
1 Corinthians 10: 13; Isaiah 43: 1-2,19
2. Thank God because His POWER is greater than every adversary and
adversity of life!1 John 4:4; John 16: 33
God is in you and He has the ABILITY to deliver you. There is nothing to
hard for Him to do. There is no circumstance too hopeless. No situation
beyond His power to save. Jeremiah 32: 17, 27; 2 Chronicles 14: 11
3. Thank God because He is faithful to PERFORM for you what He promised
to do. You can be rest assured that when God says He will do something,
He will do it! Numbers 23:19; 1 Thessalonians 5: 24; Mark 11: 24; 1 John 5:
14-15.
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Indeed, there is no prayer as powerful as the prayer of thanksgiving, worship, and
praise. When you get a revelation of the revolutionary power of thanksgiving, you
will never stop giving thanks to the Lord. You will thank Him no matter what you
are going through. Instead of getting worried, you will worship and bless the Lord!
Psalm 34:1; Philippians 4: 6
Today we will begin to discuss the wonderful things that will happen in our lives
as we embrace a lifestyle of thanksgiving.
5 Blessings Thanking God bring toYou
1. Thanksgiving will boost your faith. When you know how to give God
thanks, your faith will never be weak. It will remain strong no matter how
long you have to wait for your miracle to manifest.Romans 4: 18-21
2. Thanksgiving will bring down the glory cloud of God’s presence. 2
Chronicles 2:13
God’s glory cloud melts the mountains of problem. Psalm 97:5-
6;Psalm 114:5-8
God’s glory cloud brings confusion and destruction to the enemy’s
camp. Isaiah 19:1-3; 2 Chronicles 20: 21-24
God’s glory cloud troubles and scatters the enemy. Psalm 68:1-2;
Exodus 14:23-27
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
It has been rightly said that when you pray God will send His angels, but when you
give God thanks, God will come down Himself! As we discovered from our last
study, thanksgiving is the power that brings down God’s glory cloud. It is His glory
that melts every mountain and scatters all your enemies forever! Therefore, if you
want God’s speedy intervention in your situation, begin right now to give Him
thanks. Don’t wait till the answer comes. Today we will conclude this series by
examining three more blessings that thanksgiving will bring to you.
5 Blessings Thanking God bring to You
3. Thanksgiving brings sudden deliverance.Psalm 50:14-15; Jonah 2:7-10;
Acts 16: 25-26
4. Thanksgiving brings supernatural increase. Everything multiplies in the
hands of thanksgiving! Jeremiah 30:19; Psalm 67:5-7; John 6: 4-11
5. Thanksgiving turns your night into day; your weeping into joy; and your
mourning into dancing. Psalm 30: 4-5; 11-12
Experiencing the Full Blessing of the Gospel of Christ
Text: Romans 15:29
The word ‘gospel’ means ‘good news’. It is the glad tidings of the birth of our Lord
Jesus Christ which has brought good things to all mankind. Luke 2:10-11
However, to experience the fullness of the blessing of Christ’s good news, you
must have a full understanding of what the gospel really means. A partial
knowledge of the gospel only results in partial blessings. But a full understanding
of the gospel will produce the fullness of blessings. In this study, we will examine
the three fundamental aspects ofthe good news of our Lord JesusChrist. In this
glorious Christmas season, and all the days of our lives, we will always enjoy the
fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ, in Jesus’ mighty name, amen!
#1 Dimension of the Gospel:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Good News of SALVATION:
Jesus came to SAVE us from our SINS. Matthew 1: 18-21; Romans 1:16
I. Why Jesus came to save us from Sin
Sin brings curses and pain. Genesis 3:17-19; Jeremiah 30:13-15; John 5:14;
1 Timothy 6:10
Sin brings eternal death and damnation. Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23;
Ezekiel 18:4,20; Revelation 21: 7-8, 27
Sin separates you from God.Genesis 3:22-24; Isaiah 59:1-2; Habakkuk 1:13;
1 John 1: 6-7
II. Only Jesus can save you from your sins! No one and Nothing else can save
you!Acts 4: 12; Titus 3:4-6; 1 Timothy 2: 5-6; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
Salvation from sins comes ONLY by GRACE. And GRACE comes ONLY
through JESUS! John 1:17;Ephesians 2: 4-9
CALL ON JESUS TODAY and be SAVED. Romans 10:13
FOLLOW JESUS EVERYDAY, and STAY SAVED!Luke 9:23-24; Luke 14:27;
Hebrews 3:12-14; Hebrews 10:38-39
Experiencing the Full Blessing of the Gospel of Christ (2)
Text: Romans 15:29
To enjoy the full blessing of the gospel of Christ, you must have a full, not partial
understanding of what the entire gospel of Christ. Remember, there are 3
fundamental aspects of the Gospel. In our last study, we examined the first, which
is that the Gospel is the good news of salvation. This is the aspect of the gospel
that most people are familiar with. However, there is more to the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ than salvation of sins. Today we will continue our study
bydiscussing the second fundamental aspect.
#2 Dimension of the Gospel:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Good News of RECOINCILIATION:
Jesus came to RECONCILE us back to INTIMACY with the Father.
Colossians 1:19-21
i. The word “reconcile” means to restore or bring backformerfriendship
Without Christ, all mankind is estranged, and distanced from God.
Ephesians 2:12; Genesis 3:8-9
Through Christ’s sacrifice we are restoredback into friendship with God.
Romans 5:10 ; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Ephesians 2:13-19
Christ calls you to be a friend of God! John 15:15
Discussion question: what are the key factors in developing a good
friendship with someone? (Hints: Exodus 33:11; Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs
18:24; Proverbs 19:6; Proverbs 27:10; Proverbs 27: 6,9; Proverbs 22:11;
Proverbs 27:17; James 2:23; John 15:13-15)
Now that Christ has reconciled you back to the Father, you must draw
near to Him and fellowship with Him daily. Hebrews 10:19-22
Experiencing the Full Blessing of the Gospel of Christ (2)
Text: Romans 15:29
In this series we have discovered that there is much more to the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ than salvation from sin. Jesus didn’t just come to save us from
our sins; He also came to reconcile us back into intimate fellowship with our
heavenly Father. Today, we will discuss the third important reason why the Lord
Jesus came.
#3 Dimension of the Gospel:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Good News of RESTORATION
Jesus came to RESTORE all that mankind lost through Adam’s fall.
Isaiah 49:6-9
The day Adam fell in the Garden of Eden; Mankind lost 2 precious things:
1. He lost his DOMINION authority. He fell from being a man of dominion, to a
man under satan’s domination - naked and vulnerable to the enemy’s
oppression. Genesis 1:26; Genesis 3:7; Deuteronomy 28:47-48
2. He lost his God-given BLESSING. He fell from living a blessed and abundant
life; to living a cursed and desolate life! Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 3:16-19;
Deuteronomy 28:15
Our Lord Jesus Christ, by His blood sacrifice restored back all that we had lost
and more! Zechariah 9:11-12; Colossians 1:12-14
1. Jesus restored back to us our DOMINION.He gave us authority over all
the power of the enemy so that he could no longerhurt or dominate us.
John 1:12; Ephesians 1:19-23; Ephesians 2:5-6; Luke 10:19; Hebrews
2:14-15
2. Jesus removed the curse and restored back to us the BLESSING. He
restored us back to a life of abundance and joy. He came to restore back
all that satan has stolen from us. Galatians 3:13-14; John 10:10;
Matthew 12:13; Mark 8:25; Isaiah 57:18: Jeremiah 30:17