Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Last week we looked at an interesting topic that answered some of the misconceptions about when believers should exercise their authority. We learnt that although all Christians have been given authority over demons, only very few even understand it, much less use it. There are those who believe we can't exercise any authority until the millennium reign; they think Satan is the one running everything down here and that we cannot do anything about it! We also emphasized one of the greatest tricks the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. Because there are even sincere Christians who believe that demons or the devil do not really exist, but are metaphors for serious human problems. But we know better and in today’s study we will be looking at how to “deal” with the Devil.

1. A SUBTLE WEAPON OF THE ENEMY – “UNBELIEF & DOUBT”
Unbelief and doubt especially against the ability of the Almighty God, His promises and our position in Christ is a subtle weapon the devil uses against us. We usually don’t easily identify it because it’s not aggressive!  But as long as Satan can keep you in unbelief or hold you in the “arena of reason”, he'll beat you in every battle. But if you'll hold him in the arena of faith and the Spirit, you'll whip him every time! He won't and can’t argue with you about the Name of Jesus—he's afraid of that Name. Mark 11:23 (AMP) says: “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and [a]does not doubt in his heart [in God’s unlimited power], but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him [in accordance with God’s will].”
Once the issue of unbelief is dealt with then you can handle the devil and put him where he belongs!

2. DEALING WITH THE DEVIL AND HIS OPERATIONS

Operation #1: He sends evil (temptation) ahead. Targeting our minds and using the weapon of lies and deception (Genesis 3:1-7)

• COUNTER TEMPTATION WITH THE WORD OF GOD!
Just as Jesus countered his temptations with the Word. See Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4. Also John 8:32 says: "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."
• LOOK OUT FOR THE WAY OF ESCAPE (1 Cor.10:13)
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”  There may be a way of escape for temptation but not for sin!

• DON’T MEDDLE WITH EVIL 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (AMP)
“Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].”
Don’t linger, don’t hang around. Don’t give in to your fleshly desires. It is only when you “entertain” evil that sin can get hold of you! James 1:14-15 (NLT) says:
“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”

Operation #2: He sends his agents (demons, sickness) to steal, kill and destroy. Targeting our bodies using the weapon of suffering and afflictions. John 10:10a

• TAKE AUTHORITY OVER THEM!
Luke 10:19 (NIV) says: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
Peter at the Gate Beautiful demanded that the lame man be healed (Acts 3:6).
“Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
When you make the demand, it is not from God; but from the devil. You are exercising your God-given rights when you do. When Jesus made this statement in John 14: "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do... If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it" (vv. 13, 14). He was not talking about prayer. The Greek word here is "demand," not "ask." The Greek actually reads, "Whatever you demand as your rights and privileges."  You don't have to stand there all day long and command devils to come out. All you need to do is to speak the word of faith. They will obey when you tell them to if you know your authority. They have to go once the command is given in faith.

Operation #3: He toils with our emotions – our wills using the weapon of pride

• GIVE NO ROOM FOR THE WORKS OF THE FLESH!
That is why the Bible in Ephesians 4:26-27 (MSG) says:
“Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.”
Instead of allowing anger rest in our bosoms (for instance), forgive. 2 Cor.2:11 says if we forgive, we . . . “. . . Keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”
Pride is usually one of the reasons we are unable to let go and forgive and therefore unable to submit to God. Also, sin in general (when harboured) renders us powerless!
Romans 13:14 says: "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." 
How? Ask yourself these questions
• Where and when, are you usually tempted?
• Is there a particular space that often is harder?
Prepare for that time, remove opportunity for temptation. Avoid situations before you even get in them.

• RUN FROM SIN!
1 Corinthians 6:18a says: “Flee immorality.”
2 Timothy 2:22a says: “Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness”
1 Corinthians 10:14 says: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry”
You don’t get any brownie points for hanging around sin!

Operation #4: Discouragement!

• REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED!
For every battle, we need courage. So the devil comes with discouragement - a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness. Especially by making people focus on their sins, weaknesses and failures because he knows that it's impossible for him to defeat you as long as you keep on fighting, so he tries to persuade you that you're a hopeless case, so you might as well surrender and give up. Deut. 31:8 says: “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you."

Operation #5: He engages himself (but only when you give him a foothold)
• RESIST HIM!
Not by engaging with him but by first submitting to God. James 4:7 (NIV) says:
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
As long as you are submitted to God, the devil is no match for you!

• USE THE BLOOD!
Revelations 12:11 says:
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to the death.” Emphasis mine

• SET HIM UP!
. . . Against the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 59:19b says: “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”

CONCLUSION
To deal with the devil, you have to be adequately equipped. Ephesians 6:13 says: “Therefore take up the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”  In verse 17b of the same chapter, the Bible talks of the one offensive weapon in the entire armour; "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God"!
The Word of God as a matter of fact, is "Quick (alive) & powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword!" (Hebrews 4:12).

Finally, don’t engage the devil in his territory (the arena of reason); but if he dares come into your territory, ensure your lifestyle (the word of your testimony) is right and because we have been made more than conquerors, your victory is sure!

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Last week we looked at breaking the power of the devil. We embarked on an intelligence gathering mission - identifying the operations of the enemy to be able to break his power.
Today we will be looking at an interesting topic that answers some of the misconceptions about when believers should exercise their authority. Christians have been given authority over demons, yet very few even understand it, much less use it. There are those who believe we can't have much of anything now; they think Satan is the one running everything down here and that we cannot do anything about it!

A FEW GROUND RULES
• We must remember that although we are in the world, we are not of the world. (John 17:16)
• Satan's running a lot of what is here on earth, but he's not running everything! And definitely not you and me! (Romans 6:14)
• He's not running the Church. (Matt. 16:18)
• He's not dominating us; we can dominate him. (Luke 10:19)
• We have authority over him! (Luke 10:19)

DEALING WITH IGNORANCE
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. There are even sincere Christians who believe that demons or the devil do not really exist, but are metaphors for serious human problems. Though one does not have to believe in the devil to be saved, such beliefs which are in direct conflict with the Scriptures have to be one of the devil's most effective deceptions. The devil dwells in darkness or hiddenness. If he can make Christians believe that he does not exist, he has certainly been successful at hiding himself. Added to this is the erroneous belief that there is nothing we can do about him! But Ephesians 6:10-18 paints a different picture:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Emphasis mine
In Luke 10:19, Jesus also said:
''Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over ALL the power of the enemy: and nothing [nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing] shall by any means hurt you".
We need to build these truths into our lives by meditating and feeding upon them until they become a part of our consciousness.
Naturally speaking, we eat certain foods every day because doctors tell us we need certain vitamins, minerals, etc., to build strong bodies. There are spiritual "vitamins" and "minerals," so to speak, we need to take every day, too, to be healthy Christians.
John 8:32 (NIV) says:
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

WHY GIVE POWER AND AUTHORITY THAT CANNOT BE EXERCISED?
Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, "...ALL POWER is given unto ME in heaven and in earth." All the authority that can be exercised upon the earth has to be exercised through the Church (you and me), because Christ is not here in person—in His physical body.
The Church in this century does not have less authority than it did right after Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the Father's right hand? If it has less authority today, it would have been better for Jesus not to have died. But no, bless God, we have authority.
Many problems exist because we permit them to—we're not doing anything about them. We're the ones who are supposed to do something about them, but we're trying to get someone else, including God, to do something about them. When we are faced with difficult circumstances we need to remember our authority! There are some situations that require more than only prayers but by exercising our authority. Matt. 18:18 talks about exercising our authority:
“Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Exercising or taking authority implies rebuking, commanding, binding, casting out, loosening and giving orders in Jesus’ name! The devil may try to challenge your authority by his cunning suggestions but we need to know that when a king gives an order, he knows it's going to be carried out.

CONCLUSION
We are the Body of Christ. Even though we have prayed, leaving everything up to Him, He has conferred His authority on the earth to His Body, the Church. And what use is authority if it cannot be exercised when it is needed?
The trouble is that we relegate everything to the future! Most church people believe we will exercise our spiritual authority sometime in the Millennium. If that is so, why does the Bible say Satan will be bound during the Millennium? There won't be any need to exercise authority then, because there will be nothing that will hurt or destroy. It's now that we must exercise the authority we have been given; especially when there is something that will hurt and destroy, that we have authority.
Luke 10:19 (AMP) says:
"Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you." Emphasis mine

Parts of this study was culled from The Believers’ Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin.

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

INTRODUCTION

When generals go to war, one of the tactics used in fighting and advancing over the opposition is using spies to penetrate the camp of the opposition in obtaining their (the enemy) strategies. Once this is accomplished, the battle is half won. We will be considering the topic of Breaking The Power of The Devil from this perspective through the scriptures in this study starting from the creation of the first Adam and the victorious rise of the second Adam (Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ).       

THE FALL OF THE FIRST ADAM - ADAM'S TREASON (Genesis 3:1-6)
"But no one can go into a strong mans house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man, and then he will ransack and rob his house." (Mark 3:27 AMP)

Originally, God made the earth and the fullness thereof, giving Adam dominion over all the works of His hands. In other words, Adam was the god of this world. Adam committed high treason and sold out to Satan, and Satan, through Adam, became the god of this world. Adam didn't have the moral right to commit treason, but he had the legal right to do so. Now Satan has a right to be here and be the god of this world until "Adam's lease" runs out. Satan had the right to rule over us until we became new creatures and got into the Body of Christ, as we see in Colossians 1: "Giving thanks unto the Father... Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son...." (vv. 12,13).
That's why Satan has no right to rule us or dominate us. Yet the average Christian has more faith in Satan's authority and power than in God's! One of the ways to overpower the strong man and incapacitate him is through obtaining knowledge of his strategies. This is being reiterated by Jesus in Mark 3:7. A good understanding of Satan's strategies, which is still being used in deceiving many, will be useful in successfully breaking his power over our lives. An insight into some of his strategies can be found in Genesis 3:1-6. We will consider these in details.

i) Deception (vs 1)
"Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?(Emphasis mine)
This is contrary to what God said in Gen.2:16-17. Satan knows what God said, however, in order to get Eve's attention, he deliberately twisted the truth. The lesson here is never to argue or stay in conversation with the devil. Just KNOW the truth and stand by it, no matter what.

ii) Imperception (vs 3)
"but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die."
It was never mentioned in Genesis 2:16-17 that God said to Adam not to touch the tree. They may have decided that it was safe for them not to touch as a precaution against being tempted to eat of the fruit. Why? Because wisdom dictates that there's no sense in "touching" or fiddling with what you shouldn't "eat". Lesson here is never stay in the vicinity of what you should be avoiding. Sin is subtle and we therefore need to always be sensitive or perceptive. The bible commands that we flee every appearances of evil.

iii) Opposition of the Word (vs 4)
"Then the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die."
Satan will always counter or oppose the Word of God in our lives, howbeit subtly. God said "for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die". The devil however said, "you will not surely die". God says "the wages of sin is death" and Satan says "the wages of sin is pleasure", Does that sound familiar?

iv) Prioritising Pleasure (vs 5)
"For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil". (Emphasis mine)
This is actually true as we see later in verse 7. Sounds good that their eyes will be opened, doesn't it? This is one of the wiles of the devil. He only lay emphasis on the good side (pleasure of sin). Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.(Prov.9:17). As good and true as it sounds, is it God's desire or will? There are many so-called "good" ideas (suggestions, counsels, opinions) which may not necessarily be in line with God's will for us. The fact that others are doing it doesn't make it right. By the way, Adam and Eve were already like God.

v) Abominable becoming Acceptable (vs 6)
 "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate."
How come Eve was just "seeing" that the tree was good for food? The tree has always been there and she's never seen it as good for food until now. When you "walk  in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners and sis in the seat of the scornful" long enough, evil things become naturally good and attractive to you. Notice that Eve had stayed in the devil's presence long enough to begin to perceive abonimable things as acceptable.

As a result of all these, Man lost God's presence as detailed in Genesis 3:23-24;
"therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life."

THE VICTORIOUS RISE OF THE SECOND ADAM (1 Corinthians 15:45-47)
We see in Ephesians 6:12 that ".. .we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" [a marginal note calls them "wicked spirits in the heavenlies"].
The Word of God teaches us that these evil spirits (or demons) are fallen angels who have been dethroned by the Lord Jesus Christ. Our contact with these demons should be with the knowledge that Jesus defeated them, spoiled them, put them to nought (Col. 2:15). And now that Jesus has dethroned them, we can reign over them! Our victory over the power of the Devil is appropriated through the following. 

i) Our New Spiritual Nature (1 Cor.15:45)
"And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit"
Man was created, originally, a spirit-being, in the image of God. After the fall of first Adam, he died by loosing this spiritual nature. Thank God for Jesus Christ, the bible says He become the life-giving spirit.Through this, we have regained our God-nature, our victorious nature.    1 John 5:4 sums this up;
"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" Our faith in Jesus death on the cross, His resurrection, ascension and His seating at the right-hand of God the father is the victory that has overcome the world (the devil and all his works)."

ii) Conferred Power & Authority
"Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you." (Luke 10:19)
Our new creature nature has conferred on us Power and Authority over serpents and scorpions. Serpents and scorpions are symbolic of the inferior power of the enemy (Satan). Take note of the word "have given". This simply means we (believers) already have this Power. We are not going to have it. We have it, praise God!. What for? To break and incapacitate the Power of Satan!

IN CONCLUSION
Our trouble is that we relegate everything to the future! Most church people believe we will exercise our spiritual authority sometime in the Millennium. If that is so, why does the Bible say Satan will be bound during the Millennium? There won't be any need to exercise authority then, because there will be nothing here that will hurt or destroy. You have authority over the power of the Devil. Our part is to exercise this power and authority in the name that is above every other name. The name of Jesus Christ. hallelujah!!!

Part of this study was culled from The Believers' Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION

In the last study titled “God's Mightiest Work”, we considered the source of our authority, that we are seated with Christ and concluded by saying that one of the major challenges being faced in our world today, as Christians is staying balanced. In today’s study we will be continuing from this conclusion by examining the topic “Maintaining Balance” (as it relates to understanding and exercising our authority in Christ Jesus.)

• WHAT IS BALANCE?
Balance can be defined as “a state in which different things occur in equal or proper amounts or have an equal or proper amount of importance or in the correct proportions”. It also refers to an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.

• WHY DO WE NEED IT?
1. We need balance, no doubt – because the lack of it means we are thrown into extremes; and that is where the enemy wants us to be. Because he knows that once he has someone there; they become one-sided (either short sighted or long sighted). Ecclesiastes 7:18 (NIV) says:
“It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all [extremes].”
The Message version renders Ecclesiastes 7:18 thus: 
“It’s best to stay in touch with both sides of an issue. A person who fears God deals responsibly with all of reality, not just a piece of it.”

2. We need balance because anyone can take any subject—including the authority of the believer—push it to the extreme, and it becomes harmful and ceases to bless. It's easy to get into the ditch on either side of the road—into excess, wild fire, and fanaticism.
This is the reason why Paul prayed for wisdom, understanding, and authority over the demonic powers and the problems they create through their constant manipulation of men's minds. It seems like it's the most difficult thing in the world for the Church to stay balanced. Let us look at some examples

• EXAMPLE OF THE NEGATIVE EXTREME
Reverend M. J. Divine, was an African American spiritual leader from about 1907 until his death. After studying these very scriptures we have been studying begin to reason this way: “If we are Christ, then I am Christ. Christ is God, so I am God."
He founded a cult that was very popular and his followers worshiped him.
That is why the Bible admonishes us to “ . . . try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 because according to Matthew 7:21 – “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

• EXAMPLE OF THE “POSITIVE” EXTREME
The only reason why a “positive extreme” may exist is solely because of lack of knowledge. 
Romans 10:2 says “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” Emphasis mine
Prov. 19:2a (NET) warns that: “It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge” Emphasis mine
For instance, in 2004 a Taiwanese man jumped into the enclosure of  lions in a zoo and shouted, "Jesus will save you!" Cable TV stations showed the lion ripping off the man’s jacket as he stood in a grassy enclosure that held two of the animals. Without panicking, the man fell back onto a stone ridge, and the lion then jumped at him, biting him in the arm. It also clawed at his trousers before retreating when the zoo keepers intervened.

• EXAMPLE OF THE BALANCED
John Alexander Dowie, a Scotsman who received a revelation about divine healing while ministering before the turn of the century in Australia, crossed the ocean many times during his lifetime. He encountered many storms, but said every time a storm came up, he did what Jesus did: He rebuked the storm and it always ceased. We should not be amazed by this, because Jesus said,
".. .He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12).
Jesus didn't say that only a select few would do these works; He said those who believe on Him would.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion we will consider how we can maintain balance in our lives as it relates to understanding and exercising our God given authority.

1. Don’t tempt God! Because Jesus said in Luke 10:19 – “that He has given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (Paraphrased). Does not imply that we walk into a cage of snakes and scorpions for the sake of it! Jesus Himself resisted the devil when he suggested the same in Matt.4: 5-7
“Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, it is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

2. If and when we are faced with the opposition of the enemy, we should not be afraid but be confident that we have the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions – both literal and/or figuratively (of the devil, and his principalities and powers, and all his emissaries), and nothing shall by any means hurt us!
3. Know the Word of God for yourself! And “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." You will know them by their fruits. Matt. 7:15
4. Don’t downplay the promise of authority you have over the devil! It is not a myth! It is authority backed by the Almighty God Himself! If we have no regard for the authority we have, we will fail to exercise it and consequently the devil will have authority over us instead of the other way round!
5. Allow the Word of God and gifting in the Body of Christ develop you to the point of maturity so you can become “steady”. Ephesians 4:11-14 says:
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”

Parts of this study was culled from The Believers’ Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin.

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

INTRODUCTION: One of the highlighted points in last week's teaching was that "The value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority. God Himself is the power behind our authority!" What an awesome time it has been since this series began. We also had a deep study on the scriptural analysis of Power and Authority amongst many other topics. It is strongly recommended that you get a copy of the study if you do not have it.
This week, we will continue on the topic of authority as we consider, in more details, how we have become partakers of divine Authority with Christ and the relevance of this gracious divine priviledge to our Christian lifestyle. 

GOD'S MIGHTIEST WORK (Ephesians 1:19-20)
"And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,"
• Notice especially the nineteenth verse: "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. " In other words, there was such an overwhelming display of God's power in raising Jesus from the dead that this actually was the mightiest work of God ever recorded!
• The Resurrection was opposed by Satan and all his cohorts. However, his forces were confused and defeated by our Lord Jesus Christ, who arose, ascended, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, far above them (Col.2:15)
• These are the same demonic powers we have to deal with, but, thank God, Jesus defeated them. Other translations say He "put them to nought" or "paralyzed them." We must daily walk in this consciousness. The devil and his cohorts are no match to us (by His grace).
• In ancient times, victorious kings bringing back captives would have a parade, making a show of them openly. Jesus did this with the devil, putting him on display before three worlds—heaven, hell, and earth—after He defeated him. God gave us this account in the Scriptures so we in this world would know what had happened.
• God wants us to know what happened in the death, burial, resurrection, and seating of Jesus Christ. He wants us to know that He has set Christ "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named...." (Eph. 1:21).

THE SOURCE OF OUR AUTHORITY (Ephesians 2:5-6)
"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"
• The source of our authority is found in the resurrection and exalting of Christ by God.
• The same verb in Ephesians 1:20 that expresses the reviving of Christ from the dead expresses the reviving of His people in Ephesians 2:1. In other words, the act of God that raised Christ from the dead also raised His Body. In the mind of God, when Jesus was raised from the dead, we were raised from the dead!
• Eph. 2:5-6 deals with the conferring of authority. Notice that the Head (Christ) and the Body (the Church) were raised together. Furthermore, this authority was conferred not only upon the Head, but also upon the Body, because the Head and the Body are one. (When you think of a person, you think of his head and body as one.)
• When we realize that the authority that belongs to Christ also belongs to individual members of the Body of Christ and that this is available to us, our lives will be revolutionized! (1 Cor.12:12-14,27)

SEATED WITH CHRIST (1 Corinthians 6:17)
"But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit."
• We are one with Christ. We are Christ. We are seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High. All things have been put under our feet.
• Believers are very "cross" conscious and not "throne" conscious. We should not just remain at the cross. We need to go on to Pentecost, the Ascension, and the throne!
• The cross is actually a place of defeat, whereas the Resurrection is a place of triumph. When you preach the cross, you're preaching death, and you leave people in death. We died all right, but we're raised with Christ. We're seated with Him. Positionally, that's where we are right now: We're seated with Christ in the place of authority in heavenly places.
• We need to be delivered from the bondage of death and walk in the newness of life. We're not at the cross. We died with Christ, but He has raised us up together with Him. Glory to God, learn how to take your place of authority. (Hebrews 1:13)-The right hand of the throne of God is the center of power of the whole universe!
• The elevation of Christ's people with Him into the heavenlies clearly points to the fact that we are to sit with Him, sharing not only His throne but also His authority. That authority belongs to us! (Romans 5:17)

CONCLUSION
One of the major challenges being faced in our world today, as Christians is staying balanced. This is the reason why Paul prayed for wisdom, understanding, and authority over the demonic powers and the problems they create through their constant manipulation of men's minds. Anyone can take any subject—including the authority of the believer—push it to the extreme, and it becomes harmful and ceases to bless. It's easy to get into the ditch on either side of the road—into excess, wild fire, and fanaticism. Let's go down the middle of the road and maintain balance. As we study what the Word of God teaches and educate our spirits about the authority of the believer, I believe we'll be able to walk in this great truth more and more.
This study was culled from The Believers’ Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION

In last week's study we looked at the authority of a believer. We considered the prayers of Paul and learnt that we inherit the Name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we can use it in prayer against the enemy. We concluded by saying that only a few of us have gotten to the edge of the believer’s authority, but there was hope that before Jesus comes again, a whole company of believers will rise up with the authority that is theirs. In today’s study we will look at what this authority is all about; when Jesus said:

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Emphasis mine

SCRIPTURE ANALYSIS
The translators of the King James Version translated many words consistently, but not the Greek words for "power" and "authority". For example, in the King James Version, Jesus says in Luke 10:19,
"Behold, I give unto you POWER to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the POWER of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
Although the word "power" is used twice in this verse, two different words are found in the original Greek. What Jesus actually said was, "I have given you AUTHORITY to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the POWER of the enemy...."

AUTHORITY DEFINED
Authority is defined as delegated power; the power to give orders or make decisions: the power or right to direct or control someone or something.
The value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority. God Himself is the power behind our authority!
It means one has the ability to issue decrees as we see in Job 22:28
“Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”
Also see Matthew 18:18
“Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Policemen who direct traffic during the rush hour just raise their hands and the cars stop. These men don't have the physical power to stop the vehicles if the drivers choose not to stop. But they don't use their own strength to stop traffic; they are strong in the authority that is invested in them by the government they serve. People recognize that authority and stop their cars.

“SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS"
In speaking about "serpents and scorpions," Jesus was talking about the power of the devil—demons, evil spirits, and all his cohorts. We need to realize that we've got authority over them!
The devil and his forces are obliged to recognize our authority because of the power behind our authority!
The believer who thoroughly understands that the power of God is backing him can exercise his authority and face the enemy fearlessly.
Paul told believers to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10). That means you can like the policeman step out in front of the devil, hold up your hand, and tell him not to come any closer. Use your authority!
Ephesians 6:10 says,
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."
Many people read that verse and think the Lord is telling them to be strong in themselves. But the Scripture doesn't say a word about being strong in yourself. It says to be strong in the Lord.

CONCLUSION
First John 4:4 says, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
"He that is in the world" is Satan, the god of this world and the head of principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world. But the power that's in you is greater than the power that's in the world, because the power that backs our authority is greater than that which backs our enemies.

This study was culled from The Believers’ Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin.

Contributor: Alex Alajiki

INTRODUCTION:

The purpose of our studies this year is to build up every believer with the word of God until we are filled with the fullness of God in every area of our lives. We shall accomplish this by focusing on the reality of who we are and what we have in Christ. And how to properly enforce the defeat of the kingdom of darkness so as to advance the kingdom of God on earth.
We shall be using “The Believers' Authority” and “The Triumphant Church”, both books by |Kenneth E. Hagin, among other materials, along with our Bible, to gain knowledge and revelation.

We must deliberately give ourselves to diligent studies if we must gain mastery in things of the Kingdom of God. Ignorance of this subject matter may be very devastating for end time Christians, who are in constant conflict with a defeated, but furious and strategic enemy.
     
1) The Prayers of Paul; Eph.1:16-20; 3:14-19

“do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.”

“ For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

We are encouraged to read, meditatively, the first three chapters of the book of Ephesians, several times, to fully grasp the revelations on the authority of the believer in this book.

• We are encouraged to pray for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.” And for “the eyes of our understanding being enlightened”.  Just like Jesus told Peter in (Matt.16:17 “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”), we all need supernatural insights.
• We are also encouraged to pray “to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man”. According to 1 Sam.2:9 “He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail.”
• We are also encouraged to pray “that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; that we, being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. Without being grounded and rooted in the love of God, we can never be filled with all the fullness of God. John 13:32-33

“No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” 1 John.4:12-13

“I spent about six months praying this prayers during the winter of 1947-48. Then the first thing I was praying for started to happen. I had been praying for "the spirit of wisdom and revelation" (Eph. 1:17), and the spirit of revelation began to function! I began to see things in the Bible I had never seen before. It just began to open up to me. I advanced more in spiritual growth and knowledge of the Word in those six months than I had in 14 years as a minister and in more than 16 years as a Christian. That was one of the greatest spiritual discoveries I ever made.” – Kenneth Hagin.

2) Dominion over Principalities, Powers, Rulers of Darkness & Spiritual wickedness in Heavenly Places; Eph.6:12,

“ For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

We need to realize that we have authority through Christ over all levels of the kingdom of darkness. Our combat with the devil always should be with the consciousness that we have authority over him because he is a defeated foe The Lord Jesus Christ defeated him for us according to Col.2:15 “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

Our wrestling (Struggle), combat or battle is not with human beings, nor against our own corrupt natures, but with evil spiritual forces. We must not shy away from the reality of organised kingdom of darkness that are influencing human affairs on earth. They have strategically corrupted the systems of this world by influencing man against God. They battle to diminish our power and influence on earth and labour to deface the heavenly image in our hearts by making us to focus and be preoccupied with earthly things all day long ( Matt.6:19-21, 25-33). The only opposing forces against them are the true Christians and the forces of the kingdom of God.

Those who live in Christ have been given every spiritual gift and are made alive and enthroned with Christ in the heavenly reality (Eph.1:3; 2:6). His own enthronement in the heavenly reality includes the subjection of every power (Eph.1:20). The evil forces may rule darkness and evil, but we as Christians no longer live there (Eph 5:8,16). Believers have the task in this unseen reality to make God’s wisdom known to the evil spiritual powers (Eph.3:10) and to stand against them (Eph. 6:10–13). Our enthronement with Christ above the evil powers determines how we live on earth. We must realise that our struggle against these evil forces is a struggle against subjected powers.

3) The Authority of the Believer; Luk.10:19-20
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

We receive this authority when we are born again. As we are made new creatures in Christ Jesus, we inherit the Name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we can use it in prayer against the enemy.

Salvation belong to the sinner through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The poor sinner, not knowing this, will have to go to hell even though all of his debts are cancelled according to 2 Cor.5:19.
The sinner doesn't know what belongs to him, so it won't do him any good. By the same token, if Christians don't know the things that belong to them, they won't do them any good. They need to find out about what belongs to them. That's why God put teachers in the Church. That's why God gave us His Word: to tell us what is ours.

We need to know what belongs to us. Jesus said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). In Hosea God says, "My people [not sinners, not the world] are destroyed for lack of knowledge...." (Hosea 4:6). People are actually suffering or destroyed despite the fact that they got everything to prevent them from such fate in life.

Conclusion.
A few of us have barely gotten to the edge of this believer’s authority, but before Jesus comes again, there's going to be a whole company of believers who will rise up with the authority that is theirs. They will know what is theirs, and they will do the work that God intended they should do.

                  Part of this study is from the first chapter of The Believers’ Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin..

Contributor: Alex Alajiki

INTRODUCTION:
This is the last class for this year in our Bible focused studies on kingdom prosperity. We have been able to receive many life changing instructions that can transform our lives, families and Church. But, knowledge is nothing until it is implemented and forced to produce expected results. You never gain mastery in any areas of life without concentrated focus on the subject matter. My advice is for us to go back and find out areas in these studies that we need to know and implement in our lives and families.
 
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”  Matt.7:24-27

Today we are looking at how we can live debt free. One of the reasons why we must not be in debt is because of Prov.22:7 “The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.”

Let us find out the Biblical provisions for us to be able to live debt free.

1) God is our Source and Only Source; Matt.6:31-33, Phil.4:19, 2 Cor.9:8

““Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed? ‘For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek, aim at and strive after first of all His kingdom and His righteousness, His way of doing and being right, and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.”

When God is our source and only source, then everything else become a resource He uses to bless us.
Whenever there is a need, our first point of help should be getting God involved. He already knows what we need even before we ask Him for help. Ps.23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.”

• How do we seek first the kingdom? We give God’s Word first place and final authority in our lives. We must commit yourself to obey whatever we see in the Word at any cost.
“God is the source of my supply. His riches flow to me freely, copiously, and abundantly. All my financial and other needs are met at every moment of time and point of space; there is always a divine surplus.” By Joseph Murphy

2) We must be deliberate in getting out of debt; Rom.13:8

“Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another.”

Why is it important for us to be totally debt free? Because the wealth of the sinner, which the Bible says "is stored up for the righteous," can never come into the hands of the body of Christ until we're debt-free (see Prov. 13:22). Otherwise, it would pass right through our hands and back into the hands of the banks, mortgage companies and credit card companies and other avenues by which debts are taking money away from us.

God delivered us from the bondage of lack and debt when we received salvation. He delivered us from the "power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" (Col. 1:13).

"Deliverance is release from the oppressor, but freedom is deliverance from oppression. In essence, it is possible to be delivered and not to be free." It is possible to be delivered from debt and not be free from it. Why?

The Children of Israel were delivered from slavery, but never free from slave mentality until they were self-destroyed. The reason is that the people never learned to think in accordance with the truth. The Word says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2).

What about us? Do we have slave mentality where money is concerned? Are we unable to see our ways past poverty as a result of having grown up with it? Until we change our thinking, we won't change our circumstances.
Debt is the world method of meeting need while faith and supernatural provision is the Kingdom method of meeting every need.

The process whereby we move from deliverance to freedom starts between our ears. The Lord said to Joshua: "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you" (Josh. 5:9). We know that Egypt is a symbol for bondage or debt. And "reproach," from the Hebrew text, means "shame." We can never be proud of any debt.

3) Steps out of debts; 2 Cor.9:8, Prov.3:5-6

“And God is able to make all grace [every favour and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity.”

a) Study the Word and see how much God wants us to prosper and be debt free (see Jer. 29:11). We renew our mind by studying scriptures on the subject of financial abundance and freedom from debt. We can write them down on cards or phones and carry them with us. Read them aloud and confess them often as God's promises to us (see Rom.10:17).
b) Listen or read books on financial freedom and how to get out of debt. We can take time to listen to Dave Ramsey on YouTube or Podcast on how to take baby steps out of debt. He is one of the best Christian consultant on finance.
c) Make a Quality Decision to Live Debt Free from now on.
A quality decision forever settles the issue. It is a decision of no retreat and no return. It is a memorial that settles all future decisions.
The very moment we make the quality decision to live debt free, God sees us debt free. We settle it      forever that God is our Source—not people and we are not limited to salaries or our sources of incomes.
d) Take practical action like what the Copeland did several years ago;
“We figured out how much we owed. I got my chequebook and wrote out the checks that would pay these debts. We laid hands on them and prayed according to Romans 13:8. “Father, in the Name of Jesus, I am putting these checks in this desk drawer and am believing You to get us out of this mess. I am looking to You for the money to pay all these debts, in the Name of Jesus.”
“I did not mail those checks until the money was in the bank! We figured to the last penny how much it would take to operate our household abundantly, even allowing for unexpected things. We wrote it down and prayed over it in the Name of Jesus.”
“I made up my mind to be single-minded from that day forward. In less than 12 months from that day, we did not owe anything!”
e) Tithe faithfully. Expect the Lord to meet all your needs while He rebukes the devourer for our sake (see Phil. 4:19; Mal. 3:11).
f) We must begin to see ourselves living in abundance. We can't have it if we can't see it.
g) Deliberately sow faith seeds and praise God for multiplying our seeds back to us. Keep a list of seeds sown into God's kingdom. Constantly water the seeds with praise and thanksgiving.
h) Be profitably engaged and be diligent in your assignments (see Prov.10:4).

Conclusion.
Philippians 4:19 (AMP/Greek paraphrase): My God will liberally supply, fill to the full, cram, furnish, satisfy, finish and complete all of your needs, employment, requirements, lack and business according to His riches, His wealth, His money and His possessions in glory by Christ Jesus.

Most parts of this outline are culled from the Book “40 DAYS OF PROSPERITY” by Pastor George Pearsons.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Last week we learnt that aggressive faith and total immersion is what it will take to prosper in these times. Because poverty is an aggressive spirit (a curse as a result of disobedience); it will take faith – an aggressive force that aggressively takes what belongs to it to deal with the spirit of poverty.
In today’s study we shall be considering God’s Formula for Success.
Our Text in Joshua 1:8 says:
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

SUCCESS DEFINED
The dictionary defines success as the favourable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavours; the attainment of wealth, position, honours, or the like. Success is often associated with accomplishments or obtaining things such as lots of money, material possessions, or high positions of power. The more you have the more successful you are viewed by the people around you. This definition of success is based on tangible things and what other people think of you.
But that’s not what true success is! True success is how God views it. I believe that true (godly) success can include the above definition and also much more. Because godly success includes eternal blessings! However, the absence of the above does not mean one isn’t successful!
Genesis 39:2 says:
“The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. He worked in the house of his Egyptian master”
To attain success, we need to understand true success. Success for the believer is based on the Word of God and not only attempts at gaining worldly popularity or material gain.
From the above verse of scripture success is tied to God being with us!
God is a just God who operates by principles! He wants us to succeed in life and has provided the formula:

THE WORD
Interestingly there’s only one formula for success; the Word!
Joshua 1:8 (AMP) says:
“This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.”
So what is important is how we interact with the Word. How we believe in the Word; how we obey the Word and if we live by the Word!

APPLYING THE FORMULA
From Joshua 1:8 we see the following steps:
Step No. 1—Speak and Confess God's Word
Keep God's Word in your mouth at all times.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (NIV): “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
The same command is re-echoed in Deuteronomy 11:18-21 with verse 21 emphasizing the result of speaking the Word: “your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon earth.”

The Bible in Proverbs 18:21 says there’s power in the words we speak.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

• There is no lack in this earth so great and so powerful that it cannot be turned around with words of faith.
• The entire course of nature—your future and destiny, success and prosperity—are controlled by the words you speak.
That’s why Hebrews 10:23 admonishes us:
“Let us hold fast the profession [confession] of our faith without wavering….”

Step No. 2—Meditate on God's Word
“Meditation on the Word enlarges our capacity for faith; it transforms and expands our capacity to believe and receive.” —Kenneth Copeland
Meditation on God’s Word is fixing your mind and setting your heart on the desired result.
Psalm 1:1-3:
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
How to meditate God’s Word
a. Apply the Word personally in your life.
b. Allow the Holy Spirit to make the Word a reality in your heart.
c. Carefully ponder how this Word applies to your life.
d. Dwell on how the Word changes your situation.
e. Place yourself in agreement with what the Word says about you.
f. See yourself as God sees you
g. Realize the integrity in God's Word.

Step No. 3—Act on the Word
2. Luke 6:47-49:
“Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man which built an house and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
The MSG version of verse 48 says:
“If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock.”
It was the same storm that hit both houses but they experienced different results.
Decide not just to be a hearer of the Word but a doer of the Word. See James 1:22
Acting on the Word:
Matt. 6:33, Luke 6:38, Galatians 6:9, 2 Corinthians 9:6, Malachi 3:10, Proverbs 3:9-10, 2 Peter 1:3

CONCLUSION
God wants us to be successful in life. But He doesn’t want us to clamour for it like the world does. Matt. 6:32. So He put in place principles that will guide us to achieving this. We have seen them in the application of the formula. So let us put the formula together.
First, we find out what God's Word says about our financial situations. Then, we speak that Word in faith, believing for the desired result. And then we meditate upon it until the Word becomes greater on the inside then the lack on the outside. And finally, we fearlessly act on what we see in the Word, knowing that no word from God is void or without power. It is easy to act on God's Word if you have been speaking the Word and meditating on the Word. The result is that you will make your way prosperous, deal wisely in the affairs of life and have good success.

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

INTRODUCTION

Continuing in our series of the topic on True Prosperity, we considered the topics The Hundredfold Return and Putting Your Prosperity Angels To Work. We learnt that the hundredfold return is not literally a hundred times return on investment but the greatest possible return on seeds sown. We concluded on the four (4) things required to be done in order to receive an hundredfold returns which are;
• Asking God where you need to sow and going ahead in obedience to sow there.
• Keeping your faith active all the time.
• Confessing positively after sowing
• and finally, putting your prosperity angels to work through positive declarations.

We will continue in this series by considering the importance of Aggressive Faith and Total Immersion in God's word in the realisation of True Prosperity.

AGGRESSIVE FAITH
A. Poverty - An Aggressive Spirit [Deut.28:15-68]
It is important to note that curse is a result of disobedience. Also, poverty is a product of a curse.
1. Poverty is a part of the curse of the law.
2.  Examples of aggressive poverty are;
• You shall plant a vineyard and shall not gather the grapes [vs 30]
• You will carry much seed into the field and shall gather but little in, for the locust shall consume it [vs 38].
• The stranger shall lend to thee and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head and thou shalt be the tail [vs 44].
3. Poverty feeds on hopelessness and fear.
4. Aggressive poverty must be countered with an aggressive faith.
5. It will take a bold, aggressive faith to prosper in these times.

B. Faith Is An Aggressive Force [Heb. 11:32-34]
1. Greek Word for Faith  is PISTIS - which is An aggressive, forward-directed force. Never      
    passive, retreating, backward or shy.
2. The aggressive force of faith in action [vs 32-24]
3. David ran toward the army to meet the Philistine [1 Samuel 17:48]
4. Faith is determined, persistent and stubborn. It refuses to give up and quit—it won’t let go
     and it will not take no for an answer.

C.  Faith Aggressively Takes What Belongs to It [Mark 11:22-24]
1. Greek Translation of Verse 24 - "Believe that you receive them."
• Take with much force
•  Seize with a grip that cannot be shaken off
2. What God has so wonderfully provided through His grace, we must lay hold of, possess
    and take with our faith.
3. How long are you slack to go to possess the land which the Lord God of you fathers has
    given you? [Joshua 18:3]
• Hebrew word for Possess means to take; to claim a territory by attacking it, seizing it,
driving out the inhabitants and occupying it
• NLT: How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land that God has given you?
• MSG: How long are you going to sit around on your hands and put off  taking possession of the land that God gave you?
4. Aggressive faith makes a demand on God’s Word and takes hold on the desired
     result. Aggressive faith speaks!
a. “Spirit of poverty, get out of my way!”
b. “I will either go past you or I am going to go right through you.”
c. “Either way, I am going to aggressively take the prosperity that rightfully
     belongs to me in Christ Jesus!”

TOTAL IMMERSION

A. Do Not Be Conformed To The World [Romans 12:1-2]
1. The attack on the mind in this modern day is immense. The daily challenges and circumstances being experienced very often make people ask, “How are we going to make it during these times?”
2. To Conformed means to shape like another.
• MSG: Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it
            without even thinking.
• PHI: Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.
3. To be Transformed means to undergo a complete change.
• AMP: Be transformed—changed by the entire renewal of your mind by its
             new ideals and its new attitude.
• GW: Change the way you think.
• PHI: Let God remold your mind from within.
4. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee.” [Isaiah 26:3]
• NLT: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose
            thoughts are fixed on you!”
• Stayed means established, focused, totally immersed.

B. The Principle of Total Immersion [Psalm 1:1-3]
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth hisfruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shallprosper.”

1.  “Day and night” is total immersion in God’s Word.
2. Total transformation in your thinking comes from total immersion in God’s Word [e.g    
     Professional Qualification].
3. By constantly immersing yourself in God’s Word, you will flush out all fear of
    failure and become rooted in the truth of your prosperity.
4. This is what it will take to break the lack mentality and establish a new way of
    thinking.

C. Pastor George's Personal Total Immersion Program
Pastor George and his wife Terri prayed and believed the Lord wanted them to sow their house debt free.  The pressure of what to do next began to consume his mind, thereby finding himself living by fear instead of faith. Thereafter, the Lord led him to do three things to totally immerse his thinking and get him back over into faith for prosperity. Pastor George had to totally immersed himself in scriptures that took his limitations off God. The following scriptures were of great benefit to him;

• Is anything too hard for the Lord? NO! [Genesis 18:14]
• Has the Lord’s hand, ability and power become short, thwarted and inadequate? NO! [Numbers 11:23 (AMP)]
• With men, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible. YES! [Matthew 19:26].

In addition to this, He totally immersed himself in Dr. Leroy Thompson’s audio series Money Cometh,and Brother Copeland’s audio series titled The Laws of Prosperity. He listened to them all the time, at home, in the car, on the plane—everywhere! He totally immersed himself in God’s Word by locating and meditating on 21 major ways that God provides along with the total of 191scripture references. As a result of these life transforming exercise,

• His spirit was strengthened.
• His faith was fed.
• His mind was renewed.
• His life was completely transformed.
This is what it will take to prosper in these times.