Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Last week we looked at the ways to deal with evil spirits. Once someone is truly saved and have the revelational knowledge of the power in the name of Jesus; is submitted to God’s authority and finally is armed with whole armour of God he/she can put the devil and his minions to flight!
So many times Christians ask the question, "Why does God permit the devil to do such terrible things on the earth? Why doesn't God do something about the devil?"
There are many things that happen in life that we wonder about. But, really, God is waiting for us to exercise our authority and do something about the devil. His Word stands behind the authority He's given us. But so many times we just bow down and let the devil run over us, waiting for God to do something about the devil, when we just need to take our stand against him with the Word and put him on the run. We need to do something about the adverse circumstances in our own lives by taking authority over Satan and standing our ground against him with the Word, claiming what belongs to us.
Today’s topic is somewhat of a challenge to us! “Believers, not God that must exercise authority over the devil!”
HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?
1. THE PROMISE OF HIS WORDS
Jesus speaking in Matt. 18:18 said "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Emphasis mine.
Jesus has given us the authority. It is whatever we bind and lose not whatever He binds or loses. In other words He is saying, I have given you the authority, you have my backing, go out there and deal with the enemy! This backing is not also limited to pastors and prophets and the likes but to all who are truly born again!

John 1:12 says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Emphasis mine
The One who has all the power (Matt.28:18) has given it to us. Also in Luke 10:19 He said: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
It is therefore us that will trample on snakes and scorpions!

In John 14:12 Jesus said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, 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.”
Jesus while He was on earth exercised His authority over the Devil and his cohorts and He’s promised those that believe that we will do greater works!

James 4:7 says. “Submit yourselves, then, to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you”
It is therefore us that will put the devil to flight! By submitting ourselves to God and resisting the devil!

Mark 16:17 says: “These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils.”
It is us that will cast out the devils, not God! We have the authority in the name of Jesus!

2. GOD HAS GIVEN US THE EARTH
Psalms 115: 16 says: “The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.”
What we, by Adam lost in Eden was by Christ restored on the cross. 1 Cor. 15:21 “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.”
God’s original plan for us has been restored. So we “own” the earth and have dominion over everything on the earth including the devil and his cohorts. The earth is our domain and we are to reign in this life by Christ! (Romans 5:17 – “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”) Kings issue decree and commands (Job 22:28a – “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee”) to all the inhabitants of their kingdom and that includes the Devil!

3. WE HAVE ALREADY OVERCOME!
1 Corinthians 15:57 says: “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”
Rom. 8: 37 says “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
1 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.” Emphasis mine
The word "them" is referring to the Devil. Demons, evil spirits, etc. We have already overcome them because we are in Christ!

CONCLUSION
Some believers seem to have more respect for the devil and his ability and believe in him more than they do in God! That isn’t what should be! We should instead take our place in Christ; stand our ground on God's Word. Be careful about keeping company with people who are always talking about the devil and who don't magnify the Word of God. We have authority over the Devil and his cohorts. The Word of God is clear about it as we have seen! God has given us the earth and the Devil is therefore trespassing! We have the victory over him and the authority to put him to flight. He only pretends to be a roaring lion but he isn’t! So put him in his place – on the run! You don't have to go looking for the devil, but if he shows up, kick him out. You have authority over him in Jesus’ name!

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Last week, we looked at the ways evil spirits invite other evil spirits into the lives of their victims. We saw how they operated and how anger, sin, pornography, unforgiveness, bitterness, tattoos, etc. can serve as doorways for them. Even though the Bible teaches us that we have great power over evil, many of us do not live our lives this way. Today, we shall be looking out how to deal with Evil Spirits. This topic has many similarities with the topic “How to Deal with the Devil” we treated a couple of weeks ago.

1. BE TRULY SAVED
Christians are invincible in the face of evil only when they are in total submission to God. For those who are in union with Christ, evil spiritual powers are nothing but “caged beasts”, unable to touch us. (Luke 10:19)
Satan’s entire forces can only resort to idle threats or bribes to entice us into entering their cage where they can rip us apart. Nevertheless, Satan is such a supernaturally powerful evil genius that he can end up luring into his cage every living Christian. The only sure thing to protect us is what the Bible calls death. No one, no matter how terrifyingly cunning, can threaten or entice a dead person.
As soon as you die with Christ, you rise with him and begin reigning with him, with your every spiritual enemy under your feet.

2. USE THE NAME OF JESUS
When hoping to cast out demons, some people act as if there is something almost magical about using the words “blood of Jesus”. The sobering truth is that such words are powerless – and demons know this – unless they cease to be mere words but we are actually redeemed by the blood of Jesus. The potency in the use of the name of Jesus is the knowledge we have of the name and the belief we have in Him! John 1:12 says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” Emphasis mine

3. STEP OUT OF SLAVERY!
Slaves do not have authority to cast out their masters! John 8:33-34 says: “They answered him, “We . . . have never been slaves of anyone. . . .” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. . . .”
See Proverbs 5:22, Acts 8:23, Romans 7:14, Titus 3:3
You cannot cast out a demon while you are slave to sin. Mark 3:23 says “So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?”

4. SUBMIT TO GOD!
Instead of making sin our master, we must make God our Master! Unless we keep God as our Master, sin and Satan and his hordes are able to enslave us. This is why “Submit yourselves, then, to God” comes immediately before, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Only when we are in complete submission to God can we expect to successfully resist the devil and his deceptive schemes.

5. OVERCOME FEAR!
Fear will come; and it has torment. We can’t avoid it coming to us, but through Christ we need not bow to it. Isaiah 41:10 says: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” So the choice is ours to make if we allow fear overcome us or trust in the Almighty God’s unfailing promise! The simple way to defeat fear when it comes is by faith in God’s word and His promises. However, faith does not remove fear physically but the effect of fear is neutralized by our faith but love casts fear out!  1 John 4:18 says: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 

6. CREATE THE RIGHT EXPECTATION!
Expect a fight (Luke 4:13).
Demons leave only with great reluctance. They will continue to pester us to see if we really believe we have authority over them or whether they can bluff their way into staying by pretending to be stronger than us. Don’t be surprised or think it indicates you are weak when demons put up a fight.
When we read, “. . . Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (in James 4:7b), let’s not get so carried away with the final result (him fleeing) that we forget that the key word is “resist”. If we have to resist, it must be because he and his minions will put up a fight.
There is a possibility of return
Jesus spoke of a demon who left a man and then returned in Matthew 12:43-45: “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
The man happened to have his defences down and so the demon not only re-entered the man but invited seven other demons to join him. It is typical of demons to keep coming back, checking one’s defences to see if they can re-enter.

7. DON’T CARRY THE ENEMY’S BAGGAGE
In John 14:30 Jesus speaking to the disciples said: “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” Emphasis mine.
In other words, he has no hold, no power, and no claim over him!
In Zechariah 3:1-3 Satan came to accuse Joshua the high priest because he had filthy garments on him.

8. ENGAGE IN PRAYER AND FASTING
A spiritual battle must be fought with spiritual weapons. 2 Corinthians 10:4 says: “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” Also in Mark 9:29 where the apostles were unsuccessful in driving a demon out of a boy and afterwards asked Jesus why they could not drive the demon out, Jesus replied and said: "This kind can only be driven out by prayer and fasting."

9. PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF GOD DAILY
“Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:11-13

CONCLUSION
The sons of Sceva attempting to cast out a demon in Acts 19:13-16 is an example of how NOT to deal with evil spirits. That they were sons of the chief of the priests didn’t mean they were truly saved. They knew the name of Jesus but were void of understanding, they also didn’t have God’s authority backing them and were not in submission to God! But we have great power over evil, so let’s arm ourselves adequately and put the devil and his minions to flight!

Contributor: Nosa Osagie

INTRODUCTION
Last week we looked at “Distinguishing the Difference between Oppression, Obsession and Possession”. We were able to clearly differentiate between oppression, obsession and possession. Oppression is an attack against mankind in form of fear, sickness, bad moods, nightmares, trials, persecution, poverty and so on.
Obsession is when an evil spirit get hold of someone`s mind to make it listen to words and suggestions of evil and not God`s word.
Possession is when a demon moves into the soul of a person and takes control of their will, emotions and desires.
Today we are looking at practical ways of how evil spirits let other evil spirits into people. It is important to know that a person can welcome an evil spirit into their soul without even knowing it and it is also important to understand how the enemy works, so that we can better be equipped to stand against his tricks. Paul said that they were not ignorant of Satan's devices... 2 Corinthians 2:11.

THE SPIRITS NEED A BODY
We should know by the Spirit of revelation that in the spirit world, the human body is a house. God sees the human body as a potential dwelling place, which is His original purpose. Scripture calls the body of the believer the temple, house or building of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19. But the devil and his demons sees the human body as a place to live also. What we should understand here is that God`s spirit need a body to dwell in and the devil spirit need a body to dwell in as well.
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” Matthew 12:43-45.
We will notice that the evil spirit refers to that man as his house, meaning having full possession, ownership or in control of him. Evil spirits crave bodies to live in, and to express their nature through. Without such a body they are restless, just like a homeless person. As God will not, cannot, impose Himself on someone, neither will evil spirits. God will come in where He is invited and welcomed, Revelation 3:20 also are evil spirits.

HOW THEY OPERATE
First of all, an higher rank of evil spirit comes into a person`s mind with evil suggestions, evil thoughts, pressure of life, sin etc. (oppression)
Second stage is, if the person allows those evil suggestions and so on to settle in his or her mind (obsession), the evil spirit will now let other spirits in and then gain control (possession) of their lives. For example, if a man allows into his life the suggestion of stealing a pen, that evil spirit will invite the spirits of armed robbery, drugs, drinking, smoking, killings etc. meanwhile it was just a common taking of pen from the start.

HOW EVIL SPIRITS ARE LET IN
Demons cannot just enter into any person that they choose to; there must be an open door for them to have entrance. There are several ways that evil spirits can gain access into a person’s life. We are going to be discussing some of the common openings below.

(i) Anger: Ephesians 4:26-27 says,
 “Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” Anger can simply be an emotion, but if you let it linger, it becomes sin and gives “place to the devil.”

(ii) Un-forgiveness: Having un-forgiveness and resentment towards others is a major open door for evil spirits. In Matthew 18:15-35. At the end of the parable the unforgiving servant is put into a prison to be tormented. Withholding forgiveness from others puts you into a spiritual prison and gives the devil God-given permission to torment you; this is a serious issue and a major root cause for many other pproblems. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11.

(iii) Sin: When we embrace sin instead of repenting of it, we come into agreement with the devil; and this gives him access to an area of our lives. This is not stumbling into sin and then confessing and repenting of it. It`s agreeing with sin, justifying it in our minds, and embracing it. This type of attitude towards sin can open the door for evil spirits.
Romans 7:5-25

(iv) Pornography: One of the most devastating problems that has ensnared many people is the sin of pornography. Many of these same people will testify that they were ensnared with just a “peek.” This one “little fox” led to their downfall. Many, out of curiosity, just went to a site to see what was there. This is one of the devil’s tricks to get people ensnared. Satan is the power behind this attraction to all forbidden sexual images. People that are trapped today can tell you there is an evil “drawing” that compels them to return again and again. Many are desiring to be free, but seem hopelessly gripped by this evil desire. Matthew 5:28. The only way out is, confess to the Lord and ask Him to forgive you and help you out and then talk to the pastor and your partner, parents or guardian. Block all of those sites and take your PC from private rooms to the common rooms and get rid of all those magazines, videos and sinful materials in your possession to be burnt.

(v) Bitterness: When a person turns bitter against anybody, it invites an evil spirit into their system that will aggravate the cells in their body, which will cause abnormal growths, tumours, cancer and such like. Hebrews 12:15.

(vi) Tattoos and Piercings: Tattoos have witchcraft roots and so many people today are having tattoos because of some evil witchcraft influences in their lives that they are unaware of. They do not realize that partaking of these can open the door to wrong and defiling influences in their lives. 1 Kings 18:28, Lev.19:28.

(vii) Others: Evil videos, immoral music, immoral dressing, wicked Internet games, horror videos, wild parties and violent videos are ways the evil spirits want to gain access, control and destroy people, especially our youths. And the list goes on.

CONCLUSION
Believers should not be afraid and think that an evil spirit can come out of a person and enter them. Evil spirits don`t have that right, it`s only when they are invited in or “doors” are opened for them. Our spirit man needs to filled up of God`s fullness which is God`s word, praise, worship and the fruit of the spirit, so that when the evil spirit comes, suggesting evil thoughts there will be no room for him. Ephesians 4:27 says “neither give place to the devil.”

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
In the first and second quarters of this year we looked extensively at the Believer’s Authority; all in preparation for the “practical aspects” of exercising this authority. In this quarter, we will be looking at practical instances of exercising our authority over the devil and his cohorts. To achieve this, it is very important we understand how he takes over people and keeps them in bondage. The primary way Satan tries to gain access to people is through their minds and bodies. The degree to which a person yields to Satan in these areas determines how much Satan is able to influence him or her. Since man is a spirit, he has a soul, and he lives in a body, demons can affect and influence man in his body and soul (mind, will, and emotions), yet not be present in his spirit. To really understand how demons affect people, it's also important to understand the difference between oppression, obsession, and possession. Many people use these terms interchangeably when they are actually referring to three separate degrees of demonic influence.

OPPRESSION
Oppression is the state of being subject to oppressive treatment. Evil spirits can exert a certain amount of influence as they seek to oppress mankind. Evil spirits can oppress anyone, even Christians if they allow it, from within or without their body or soul. Oppression is an attack against us, from the outside, with sickness, trials, persecution, poverty, etc.
Of course, evil spirits have their widest range of influence if they can embody a human because then they can express themselves in the natural realm. If evil spirits can't embody people, they try to exert influence round about people in the spiritual realm. Many times believers, even Spirit-filled believers, can be oppressed by demons from the outside. Satan tries to oppress us by putting all kinds of pressure on us until we are keenly aware of that pressure. There are also degrees of oppression. In other words, a person can be more oppressed or less oppressed.

Forms of Oppression
1. Sometimes oppression can be manifested as a bad "mood" that tries to come over us (our emotions). That can be the direct result of satanic oppression. Like when you hear people say “It just seems like there's a big black cloud hanging over my head." That's satanic oppression. And people are more oppressed at certain times than they are at other times. But as we rebuke that oppression in the name of Jesus, stand against it and resist it, the devil will flee from us (Matt. 18:18; Luke 10:19; Phil. 2:9-11; James 4:7). Believers don't need to live under the oppression of the enemy.
2. Fear is another form of oppression that comes against many Christians and holds them in bondage and causes them to stumble again and again. Fear can take a hold of believers' minds and cause their spirit not to function as they should—that is, not to be in dominion over their soul and body. But the Bible says God has not given us the spirit of fear (2 Tim. 1:7) so that means we have authority over it. We have a right to stand against fear and rebuke it.
3. Physical oppression can be the direct result of an evil spirit afflicting a person's body with sickness. Luke 13:10-16

OBSESSION
Obsession is when the demons take hold of a mind, to make it listen to the words and suggestions of evil, and not the Word of God. Some may be demon obsessed, not knowing they are heeding demonic suggestions, thinking they are doing the will of God. Saul for instance was obsessed with persecuting Christians thinking he was serving God. Acts 8:3
The enemy also follows through from the oppression of bad moods and make its victims to brood and became emotionally upset and increasingly disturbed. The end game is to unconsciously yield to the demon in their minds and emotions.
The enemy tends to make its victims shift their focus from the Word and instead become obsessed with worry. This makes the evil spirit gain more ground in their thinking until their minds are taken over by the evil spirit. This sometimes drive people to a point of entirely losing their minds and become mad and sometimes suicidal!
That's one reason believers need to know how important it is for them to renew their minds with the Word of God and to think God's thoughts instead of thinking on the enemy's thoughts of worry and fear. (Romans 12:2, Phil. 4:8). If they think the wrong thoughts, they can unknowingly open a door to the devil. Believers are not subject to the devil; they instead have authority over him in Jesus' Name. They can resist him (James 4:7), and are not under his dominion in any way, unless they allow him to take dominion over them.

POSSESSION
This is usually the final and deadliest stage of the three. Demonic possession happens when a demon moves into the soul of a person, and takes control of the will. Judas for instance opened his heart to evil—in his case by his greed (John 12:6). So it may be possible that if one allows his or her heart to be ruled by some habitual sin, it becomes an invitation for a demon to enter.
Jesus cast demons out of persons that were possessed. The Lord told us, “these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name, they shall cast out devils." Demons once had a body, but in the former creation (as angels - now fallen angels), their souls were not sent to hell and so they were loose, some are still loose today and they desire to possess a body, to do their evil works through such.

CONCLUSION
It is important to understand these facts about the operations of the enemy and be able to appropriate these truths as we step into what the Lord has called us to do! The enemy starts off by trying to oppress a person by taking control of their thoughts. Thoughts as simple as worry and fear, when the person yields to these thoughts, they become obsessed with them to the point when they finally open the door to the enemy and allow their minds to become possessed with an evil spirit.
Sometimes, obsession is confused with possession, and that makes some think possession can happen to saints. Sometimes, the person is not truly saved, has been pretending, with a religious demon that is good at pretence.
When Jesus dwells in us, the demons cannot move in. True believers are never demon possessed, they may be obsessed or oppressed but never possessed!
 

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

Introduction
We have come to the end of the second quarter of our study of the "Believers Authority" by Brother Kenneth E. Hagin. And by God’s grace, we have learnt, practically discussed, and more importantly applied these teachings in our lives! Today we will be looking at the summary of all the studies since the beginning of the second quarter.
Lesson 8: Exercising Authority Over Others - Limitations Text: Luke 10:19
In this study we learnt that authority is a personal responsibility (Jam.4:7), we also learnt that Authority involves steadfast resistance; 1 Pet.5:8-9. We concluded saying that it is very important we understand the limitations of our authority when dealing with people or situations outside our jurisdictions and that this will prevent us from unnecessary frustrations. Although there are limitations, we still do have authority over all the powers of the devil. We can break the power of the devil if he raises his head anywhere in our own life or the lives of our immediate family or loved ones because we have a legitimate connection with them and they are within our jurisdiction.
Lesson 9: Standing For Baby Christians Text: Ezekiel 22:30, Isaiah 6:8
In this study we learnt that God seeks those who would stand in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30, Isaiah 6:8); especially on behalf of those who can’t help themselves – “Baby Christians.” God permits others to pray for them and carry them on their faith but He expects also that they move away from this stage (Hebrews 5:12-14, 1Cor.13:11)
We learnt the disadvantages of remaining in this stage: cheap prey to the Devil (1Peter 5:8) and victims of false prophets (2 Peter 2:1-3). We concluded by saying: “God wants us to stand for those who are weak (Rom 14:1, 15:1, 1 Thess. 5:14); but His ultimate expectation is that we don’t remain babies forever but that we grow from being weak to becoming strong! That is why He gave gifts in the Body of Christ so that we can grow up into maturity.
Lesson 10: Authority on Earth Text: Ephesians 1:18-23
In this study we were taken back to the mandate God gave man in Genesis 1:27-28 and how he lost it and how Christ came to restore it! We learnt that a major challenge facing the end time church is in rationalising God's word instead of believing and accepting it. And that we should embrace God’s words as little children (Luke 18:16-17)
We also learnt that the extent to which we exercise our Authority in Christ is to the extent of the knowledge of His revealed Word in us. We can't afford to be negligent in the study of the Word of God and expect to just exercise Authority when we are faced with contrary situations. We concluded by saying “We have no business running from the devil. As a matter of fact, we should be on the lookout for challenging situations where the devil has been in charge and put him on the run.”
Lesson 11: Reigning as Kings Text: Rom.5:17
In this study we learnt that the very notion of reigning carries with it the idea of ruling, of dominion, and of having authority. If believers don’t know that we have the authority to rule and reign on earth then Satan is often able to reign, or rule, in the life of Christians and people around them. (Hosea 4:6).
To reign as kings we received abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (Eph.2:8). It is the combination of grace and righteousness that gives us the privilege to escape Satan’s condemnation when we sin. We have the authority to rule and reign and have dominion here and now. God's plan for us is that we rule and reign in life as kings: to rule and reign over circumstances, poverty, disease, and everything else that would hinder us. We are to rule over the sphere of influence God gave us. We should not fold our hands and allow the enemy to keep on doing what is contrary to the will of God for our lives and families. We concluded by saying “God want us to use our authority to put our enemy in his place and enjoy life to the full according to His divine plans for our lives.”
Lesson 12: Humility vs Poverty Text: 2 Peter 1:3, Ephesians 1:3
In this study we learnt that poverty is not a proof of humility! And that living deprived and limited doesn’t equate to humility. It’s not being humble but being ignorant!" God didn't intend us to be poverty-stricken. He said we are to reign in life as kings. The idea of poverty just doesn't go along with kings.
The ultimate attack the enemy deploys against believers is to put them in the place where they “rebel” against God! He thrives when people are ignorant! And when their balance is skewed! The thought of poverty completely negates God’s words of being prosperous and having good success.
We concluded by saying “To continue to live in poverty invariably means we “deprive” the Father of the pleasure He has when we prosper. (Psalm 35:27, Rev. 4:11)  It’s a no brainer; poverty is NOT an indication of humility! Humility is based on the contents of your heart; not what you have or don’t have!
Lesson 13: Exercising Authority in Your Family Text: Acts 16:31
In this study we learnt that to exercise authority, we need to be ready to take responsibility; to stand in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30). We learnt that we should be aware that it may be sometimes difficult to exercise authority at home; because of over familiarity. (Mark 6:4). Also, we learnt that agreement in the family provides a very strong battle weapon against the enemy. The enemy is aware of this so he works hard to break down the unity in the family. (Mark 3:24-25)
Authority operates under authority and within authorities. (Matt. 8:5-13). The more we submit to God‘s kingdom the more authority we‘ll exercise. In conclusion we said: “God didn't intend for the devil to dominate our families. So when he attempts to dominate any member of our family, we should take authority over him; declare that we are the ones ruling over our domains, (our households) through Jesus Christ and put him on the run, and he will run! (James 4:7)
Lesson 14: Learn to be Exalted Text: Ephesians 1:17-23
In this study, we learnt about our exalted position with Christ; that we are already seated with Christ in the heavenly places. Our sitting in heavenly places is based on Jesus Christ's redemptive work that was done, once and for all. (Hebrew 10:10)
The Bible says we are seated "in Christ". So, wherever Christ is seated, that is our location. Why? Because we are seated "In Him" and not beside Him. It is absolutely impossible for you to be in Christ without being seated where Christ is seated. If you are in Christ, you are in this position of Victory because He is in that position.  Instead of trying to win any victory, we need to operate from a victory already won
Lesson 15: The Keys of Authority Text: Revelation 1:18, Isaiah 22:22
In this study, we learnt that keys are only given to those who have authority. (Matthew 16:19). These keys aren’t just the keys to get into the doors of heaven, (salvation) but they are the keys to authority & dominion over every situation in our lives.  It’s access to the throne room. It’s the power to call things as though they are.  It’s the power to overtake the enemy and drive him back.  It’s the power to rip our loved ones out of the enemy’s hands!  It’s the power to call down the blessings and abundance from heaven!
We also looked at requirements we need to meet if we want to operate in God’s authority. Knowledge of the Source of Authority (Matthew 8:8), Obedience to Authority (James 4:7), Faith (Acts 19: 13-16) and the Name of Jesus (Mark 16:17-18).
It is important to note that the enemy tries to discredit the things that give us authority over him such as knowledge, obedience, faith and the name of Jesus but we know better than to trade our access to authority for the trickery of the enemy.
Lesson 16: The Armour of God Text: Ephesians 6:10-17
In this study we looked at the purpose God gave the body of Christ the armour; it is because as Christians we are expected to withstand incredible pressures of life and not be defeated. We cannot possibly stand up against everything the world has to throw at us and still expect to emerge victorious if not for the unbeatable defence, the armour of God! (2 Cor. 4:8-9)
We then looked at the make of the armour; piece by piece. The Belt of Truth - basically knowing the content of God's truth which is absolutely essential for the believer if we must battle successfully against the wiles of Satan, The Breastplate of Righteousness protecting us against false doctrine, false principles, and false information. The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace - suggests that we need to advance into Satan's territory, aware that there will be traps, with the message of peace so essential to winning souls to Christ. The Shield of Faith - our faith in God and what He is capable of doing. The Helmet of Salvation – protecting our minds against discouragement and doubt. The Sword of The Spirit - the word of God, which is a defensive weapon and also capable of deflecting attacks of the enemy. We concluded by saying “In order to live victoriously and never bow down to opposition, we must continually be arrayed with the armour of God.”
 

Contributor: Nosa Osagie

INTRODUCTION
In our last study, we looked at the topic, “The keys of Authority" and we were told that "keys" are given to those who have authority especially to those that have submitted themselves under a greater authority, which is God’s. Today we shall be looking at the topic "The Armour of God"
Ephesians 6:10-17 says:
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"

• THE FOUNDATION
What is an Armour? An Armour is a military equipment used for defence, protection, covering and shielding. Wikipedia defines it as “a protective covering that is used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object during combat``
Apostle Paul is a man we know that is familiar with this Armour; having been frequent with the Roman soldiers. He was arrested, beaten, summoned to courts, and imprisoned by the Roman soldiers so many times because of the Gospel. Paul having stayed in Rome for two years under the watchful eyes of the Roman soldiers, has seen the Roman soldiers arrayed in their armour, understood the function of the armour piece by piece, what purpose it served and why it was important. As the Roman soldiers need the physical armour to fight so Christians need the spiritual armour to successfully fight as well. (Acts 28:30-31)

• THE PURPOSE FOR THE ARMOUR
God gave us the armour because as Christians we are expected to withstand incredible pressures of life and not be defeated. We cannot possibly stand up against everything the world has to throw at us and still expect to emerge victorious if not for the unbeatable defence, the armour of God! 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says:
"We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed"

• THE TYPES OF BATTLES WE FIGHT
No man has ever seen the devil physically to fight with him, so our battles are spiritual in nature. The devil uses three major ways to attack believers, through the world, our flesh and himself. What the devil really uses as attack against believers are tricks, deceptions, lies, strategies, ignorance, craftiness, manipulations, manoeuvring and so on as Ephesian 6:11 says "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." An example of his wiles is his conversation with Eve in the garden of Eden: " . . . did God really say you should not . . .”

• THE ARMOUR PIECE BY PIECE
Apostle Paul identifies six pieces of armour that God arrays His church with to withstand everything the devil throws at us.

The Belt of Truth (Verse 14a) "Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth." The Belt of truth is basically knowing the content of God's truth which is absolutely essential for the believer if we must battle successfully against the wiles of Satan. Without knowing basic biblical teachings, we are subject to being "carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming" (Ephesians 4:14)

The Breastplate of righteousness (Verse 14b): Our mind and emotions are the two areas where Satan most fiercely attacks believers. He wants to cloud our minds with false doctrine, false principles, and false information to mislead and confuse us. Our protection against such attacks is the breastplate of righteousness. (Proverbs 11:4)

The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace (Verse 15): The picture of the preparation of the gospel of peace as shoes suggests that we need to advance into Satan's territory, aware that there will be traps, with the message of peace so essential to winning souls to Christ. The devil has many obstacles placed in the path to stop the propagation of the gospel. (Isaiah 52:7)

The Shield of Faith (Verse 16): This is our faith in God and what He is capable of doing. It’s not our everyday kind of faith but relying on God when faced with battles. (Daniel 3:16-18) verse17 "Our God is able to defend us... (Shield us from the fire)."

The Helmet of Salvation (Verse 17): The head is the seat of our mind, basically Satan throws attacks to our security and assurance in Christ Jesus by ways of discouragements and doubts. The devil points to our failures, our sins, our unresolved problems, our poor health, or to whatever else seems negative in our lives. He wants us to lose confidence in the love and care of our heavenly Father. Let’s reassure ourselves we’ve been saved by grace. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

The Sword of The Spirit (Verse 17b): Apostle Paul clearly states that the sword of the spirit is the word of God, which is a defensive weapon and also capable of deflecting attacks of the enemy. (Hebrew 4:12-13) This is the only offensive weapon mentioned in the armour of God (Jeremiah 23:29) says “Is not my word like fire...”

Praying always with all prayer (Verse 18): When we pray always we maintain and refresh our armour. (Jude 1:20) says "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost"

CONCLUSION
In order to live victoriously and never bow down to opposition, we must continually be arrayed with the armour of God which is to put on the whole of Christ. Romans 13:14 "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
In our last study, we considered the topic; “Learn to be exalted.” We learnt that Our "High Priest" offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, and that He’s now seated in the place of honour at God's right hand. And that our being in Christ entitles us to sit where Christ sits. In today’s study we will consider the topic: “The Keys of Authority”
Revelation 1:18 says; "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."
Isaiah 22:22 says: “And the key of the house of David will I lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”

THE FOUNDATION
A key is (usually) a metal implement that is turned to open or close a lock; start or stop an equipment, cars, and other engines. When reference is made to keys; it can also imply something of crucial importance. So in relation to the “Keys of Authority”, we will refer to that which opens, and gives us access to authority; as well as the crucial understanding we need to possess for the “unlocking” of the authority we have been given.

THE KEY AS A SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY
Usually, keys are only given to those who have authority. And the Bible says He has given us the keys of the Kingdom. Matthew 16:19 says “And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
So the enemy has no authority over us anymore. Instead we have authority over Him in Jesus’ name! We have authority to bind and lose and authority to trample on snakes and scorpions!
Revelation 1:18 says: “I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Jesus Christ took the keys away from the devil, glory to God!
These keys aren’t just the keys to get into the doors of heaven, (salvation) but they are the keys to authority & dominion over every situation in our lives.  It’s access to the throne room. It’s the power to call things as though they are.  It’s the power to overtake the enemy and drive him back.  It’s the power to rip our loved ones out of the enemy’s hands!  It’s the power to call down the blessings and abundance from heaven! 
However, just like these keys, we have to do something with it; we must take action.

PRINCIPAL REQUIREMENTS
Let us consider four principal requirements - keys that can unlock the authority we have been given. We need to meet these requirements if we want to operate in God’s authority.
1. KNOWLEDGE OF THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
Our authority is dependent upon our knowledge and understanding of the situation we are in. Authority operates under authority and within authorities. We must realize that our authority is a delegated authority that comes from God.
The centurion in Matthew 8:8 understood delegated authority.  He had an active faith – not a passive one.  He went to Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant. Jesus said that he would go to him but the centurion stopped him, “no need to go all that way Lord, just say the word and I know it will be done. I have servants under me – I say go they go, do this and they do it.”
He understood authority.  His authority did not come from himself either.  He had a commander over him. The military, and people above him is where his authority came from and he understood that all it took was a word.
2. OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORITY
We must be obedient to God’s will and His authority for us to have authority. We must be submitted to God’s authority in our lives as well as authority He has delegated in leadership.  The world has taken the word submission and made it into a “weak thing”.  So that as soon as the word submission is mentioned, everyone gets into an uproar. If we are not submissive to the divine line of authority in our lives, we will have no authority. Also, if we do not submit, we open ourselves up to the enemy. James 4:7 says: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Submit to God – that’s your line of authority.  You can’t say you are submitted to God and then not be submitted to your pastor; you will be out of the line of authority.
3. FAITH
Faith is involved in exercising spiritual authority by providing access to authority. And authority will not become a force within us until we take God‘s Word to heart and obey it—through Faith. If one does not have faith or believe that they have authority then they would not be able to exercise it. And even if they go out to “exercise authority” without faith, the devil will see through their emptiness as in the case of the sons of Sceva. Acts 19: 13-16: “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, we adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
4. THE NAME OF JESUS
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:17-18 (Emphasis mine)
The name of Jesus has tremendous power and authority (Philippians 2:5–11)! In Acts 16:17–18, we read of how Paul commanded an evil spirit out of a young girl in Jesus’ name. We see the same in Acts 3:6–9, 16.

CONCLUSION
It is important to note that the enemy tries to discredit the things that give us authority over him such as knowledge, obedience, faith and the name of Jesus. That is why he works hard to keep people in darkness (ignorance) – lacking in the knowledge of the authority they have over him (Hosea 4:6)! He makes people resent submissiveness in the name of liberality because he knows that is the only way we can put him to flight (James 4:7)! He beclouds the minds of believers with doubt; negating the potency of faith and dragging them into his zone – the place of reason where he has the advantage and because they have lost the faith needed to exercise authority, they are unable to deal with him! (Mark 11:23)  He has tried to cheapen the name of Jesus and make it into a curse word.  For instance, why don’t people say “Oh, Buddha,” or “Oh, Muhammad”, because there is no power there! So to those he has deceived into treating the name with levity, it becomes nothing to them; like the sons of Sceva. But we know there’s power in that name! (Philippians 2:5–11)
We know better than to trade our access to authority for the trickery of the enemy. So let’s hold on tightly to the keys of our authority in Christ!

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

INTRODUCTION:

In our last lesson, we considered taking authority in our families as body of believers. The need to take responsibily, agreeing as a family (a very strong reason why we should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers) and bringing ourselves under God's authority were discussed, among other things. This week, we will be looking at how we can take and remain at the exalted place where Christ is seated. This, as we will see, is very crucial in maintaining our victorious status here on earth, over all the powers of the enemy.

SEATED (Ephesians 1:20; 2:5-6)

" which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places," [Eph.1:20]

"even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"[Eph.2:5-6]

Paul says in his epistle to the Ephesian church that we are already seated with Christ in the heavenly places. What does this mean since we are still on earth? We will consider the spiritual significance of "seating"in order to have a good and proper understanding of our victorious authority.

In the old testament, there is no mention of a seat in the holy of holies where the priests usually perform their priestly works of cleansing. Why? Because the priests work of sacrificial cleansing of sins was never done and so he could never sit down and rest in the fact that he was finished for good.

"And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." [Heb.10:11-14]

Fast forward to the New Covenant (Testament),

"So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." [John 19:30 Emphasis Mine]

When Jesus said that "it is finished"it comes from the Greek word "teleo" which means to "bring to an end", it is accomplished, to complete. The greek construct of this sentence essentially means "paid in full." It is an accounting term that was used to say "paid in full". That is why Jesus sat down at the right hand of the father according to Mark 16:19;

"So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God"

Jesus Christ's redemptive work was done, once and for all according to Hebrew 10:10;

"By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Our "High Priest" offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. Hallelujah!

TAKE YOUR SEAT (Ephesians 2:4-6)

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus," [Ephesians 2:4-6]

Take note that the Bible did not say we are seated with Christ, beside Christ or because of Christ. The bible says we are seated "in Christ". The insight here is that wherever Christ is seated, that is our location. Why? Because we are seated "In Him" and not beside Him. That is just the truth.

What is the qualification for seating with Him? Our salvation. When a person has repented and placed his trust in Christ, then he's finished all he needs to do to be seated in Christ. The moment we trust in Christ, we are "made alive together with Christ". In contrast to being in Adam where we were all dead, now in Christ we have all been made alive.

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" [1 Cor.15:22]

Now that we have been made to "sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" it simply means that our works are done. We are not saved by works but saved for good works. This is why we are as good as in heaven already and we are essentially already seated there with Christ because God sees things that are not yet as though they already are because in His mind, they are.

 VICTORY IN CHRIST

Following on from our discussion, it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for you to be IN CHRIST without being seated where Christ is seated. If you are IN CHRIST, you are in this position of Victory because He is in that position.  Instead of trying to win any victory, we need to operate from a victory already WON. The battle then, rather than win a victory, is to BELIEVE. Our battle is never to win ground or gain position. Rather, our battle is to believe and HOLD FAST to what Christ has already given us, and to the reality of BEING SEATED IN CHRIST. From a practical standpoint therefore;

• Instead of asking God for a victory, ask Him to bring you into conformity with Christ
• Instead of begging God to do what He has already promised, ask Him to show you what He has already promised, and to do whatever it takes to bring you into oneness with Him over it.
• Instead of you getting depressed over your present trial, realise that the victory is already certain - and that what God wants is for you to refuse any less.
• Finally, victory in Christ is not so much that I have gotten out of trial, or solved it. Rather, victory in Christ is when trial can do nothing to get between myself and God.

CONCLUSION

We Christians must learn that we are seated with Christ. We must learn to be exalted to the place where God wants us. We need to meditate upon these divine truths so that our spirits may fully understand them. Once we do, we'll reap rich rewards and give meaning to our Christian lives. When we have this reverent attitude, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, can lift us into a place where we can see the true meaning of God's revelation. When we understand what belongs to us, we will enjoy the victory Christ has for us. The devil will fight to keep us from getting there, but through stubborn faith in Christ, the victory is ours in Jesus name. Amen

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

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION

Last week’s study dealt with the misconception that equates poverty with humility. We learnt that what God requires from us is modesty and not poverty! God wants us to be humble but not poor! He wants us to reign as kings; but the idea of poverty just doesn't go along with kings! In today’s study titled “Exercising Authority in Your Family.” We will be studying how to apply some of what we have learnt so far in exercising authority in our families. It is important we learn to apply this authority in our families because whatever we permit (loose, release, allow) on earth will be permitted in heaven! (Matthew 18:18-19)
 

Acts 16:31 - “So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.””

1. TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
To exercise authority, we need to be ready to take responsibility; to stand in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30). In Joshua 24:15 (KJV), Joshua took responsibility on behalf of his family when he said:
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Emphasis mine)
We have been taught that there are certain limits in exercising authority over others but these limitations do not exist with our family members. Our authority is over all the power of the devil. We can break the power of the devil if he raises his head anywhere in our lives or in the lives of our family members because in this domain, we have the authority to deal with him!

2. AUTHORITY ON EARTH ALSO MEANS AUTHORITY AT HOME!
Jesus Christ has given us Authority which we now possess, over all the powers and the undue influences of the devil. 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."
This authority holds also in our families! We should be aware that it may be sometimes difficult to exercise authority at home; because of over familiarity. In Mark 6:4 Jesus said:
"A prophet is not without honour except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home."
The enemy usually plays this card too. So we should know how to deal with him when he does. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

3. FAMILY AGREEMENT IS A STRONG WEAPON
Matthew 18:18-19 says: “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. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” (Emphasis mine)
Agreement in the family provides a very strong battle weapon against the enemy. The enemy is aware of this so he works hard to break down the unity in the family.
Mark 3:24-25 (NLT) says: “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart.” (Emphasis mine)

Authority involves steadfast resistance. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (Emphasis mine)
So we are to keep the devil at bay or fend off his advance resolutely and with unwavering faith. Eccl 4:12 (NLT) says:
“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.” (Emphasis mine)

4. AUTHORITY OPERATES UNDER AND WITHIN AUTHORITY
Authority operates under authority and within authorities. In Matt. 8:5-13 we read about the faith of the Centurion. The most distinguishing element of the Centurion‘s faith was his recognition of authority. Our stand as one taking authority must be based on the understanding that the level to which we operate in God‘s authority depends on how much we come under God‘s authority. The more we submit to God‘s kingdom the more authority we‘ll exercise.

5. GIVE NO ROOM FOR THE WORKS OF THE FLESH!
The enemy intends to keep us locked away in the dungeon of sin by making us satisfy our flesh instead of our spirits. He knows that the carnal and double minded man cannot exercise authority over him (Acts 19: 13-16) and neither can he receive anything from God. (James 1:8) So he subtly works at keeping Christians in the “arena of reason”; away from the “arena of faith and the Spirit”.  We need to therefore deal with the devil and his operations by applying the following:
• Don’t entertain unbelief (Mark 11:23)
• Don’t Meddle With Evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
• Counter Temptation with the Word of God! (Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4)
• Run From Sin! (1 Corinthians 6:18a)

CONCLUSION
God didn't intend for the devil to dominate our families. So when he attempts to dominate any member of our family, we should take authority over him; declare that we are the ones ruling over our domains, (our households) through Jesus Christ and put him on the run, and he will run! (James 4:7)
There’s great strength when a family is united. Our adversary knows that “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated” (Eccl 4:21a) so he looks to isolate his victims because he also knows that two can stand back-to-back and conquer. (Eccl 4:21b)  So we should not allow him tear us apart. A clear understanding of who we are, what we have and how we should live makes exercising our authority over and on behalf of our families possible and tremendously effective!

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
In last week’s study, we looked at an interesting topic titled: “Reigning as Kings.” We learnt that the very notion of reigning carries with it the idea of ruling, of dominion, and of having authority. If believers don’t know that we have the authority to rule and reign on earth then Satan is often able to reign, or rule, in the life of Christians and people around them. We can reign because God gave us: abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness.
In many ways, these special gifts from God enable us to be prosperous too! In today’s study we will look at one of the tricks the enemy attempts to play on unsuspecting Christians in a topic titled “Humility vs Poverty.”
It is important to consider this subject because many Christians equate humility with poverty. But that’s simply another trick of the enemy!

2 Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:” Emphasis mine
Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”  Emphasis mine

POVERTY IS NOT A PROOF OF HUMILITY!
Driving an old car, living in a squalor, deprived and limited doesn’t equate to humility. "That's not being humble—that's being ignorant!"
Humility is the quality of having a modest or low view of one's importance. In other words, you have a modest view of your importance “in your own eyes”; but all the time knowing that in the eyes of God you are extremely important! To the point that He sent His only Son to die for you! And He gave you all things that pertain unto life and godliness!
There are those who support their claim; justifying that poverty is a sign of humility by statements such as: "You know, Jesus and the disciples never drove fancy cars!" Well, there were no fancy cars back then; but Jesus rode on a donkey. It was the "fancy car" of that day—the best means of transportation they had.
What is required from us is modesty – not poverty!

GOD’S INTENTION FOR BELIEVERS
Psalm 35:27 says: “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.” Emphasis mine
Note that the Bible DID NOT say “which hath pleasure in the POVERTY of his servant.”
Also, from last week’s study, we learnt that God expects us to reign as kings! (Romans 5:17) So, we should keep that in our minds when we are faced with those who don’t know any better; those blinded by the trickery of the devil wanting to make us believe we should live our lives less than what God intended for us!
Many believers have allowed the devil to cheat them out of every blessing they could enjoy; because of the way they think and the way they believe the promises of the Father.
God didn't intend us to be poverty-stricken. He said we are to reign in life as kings. Who would ever imagine a king being poverty-stricken? The idea of poverty just doesn't go along with kings.

THE PLAN OF THE ENEMY
The ultimate attack the enemy deploys against believers is to put them in the place where they “rebel” against God! He thrives when people are ignorant! And when their balance is skewed! It was his rebellion that drove him from heaven and he wants believers “sent away” from God’s presence by putting us in opposition to what God’s words say. For instance Joshua 1:8b says:
“. . . for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
But the thought of poverty completely negates God’s words of being prosperous and having good success.

CONCLUSION
God wants us to be humble but not poor! He wants us to reign as kings; but the idea of poverty just doesn't go along with kings! How in this world for instance will someone who is poor lend to nations? Deuteronomy 15:6 says:
“For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.”
To continue to live in poverty invariably means we “deprive” the Father of the pleasure He has when we prosper. (Psalm 35:27, Rev. 4:11)
It’s a no brainer; poverty is NOT an indication of humility! Humility is based on the contents of your heart; not what you have or don’t have!

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