Contributor: Alex Alajiki

INTRODUCTION

Last week, we started with the introduction of the books of 1&2 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians was written by Paul in respond to the moral failures of the Corinthian Church. He provided an important model on how the church should handle the problem of sin and other important issues which was misunderstood by the Church. We must have it behind our mind, as we progress in this studies, that the Corinthian Church was a gentile (Non Jewish) Church.

Today, we are looking at the first seventeen verses of chapter one. Paul started with salutation to the Church, followed by commending them that they came short in no spiritual gifts. He then addressed the issue of division in the Church.

1. Greeting: 1 Corin.1:1-3

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul, by the will of God, was the apostle to the gentiles (Non-Jews) and brought the gospel to Corinth (Acts 18:1-8,11). The Church in Corinth was the fruit of his ministry (1 Corin. 9:2;             2 Corin. 3:1-4). He wrote with full authority. His words were not to be ignored.

Paul defined the Church as;

(a) “those who are sanctified (Made Pure) in Christ Jesus, called to be saints (Holy),”

(b) “all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

We clearly see that the Church consist of those who are sanctified in Christ (Blood washed) and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Pray in the name of Jesus our Lord). This is the best way to define those who are members of the Church of Christ and not just members of a local assembly.

Paul emphasised their connection with other Christians, both in Corinth and elsewhere. Some groups in Corinth were acting as if they were the only real Christians (Corin.1:11-12, 14:36).

Paul’s epistle, though addressed to the saints at Corinth, was also written to the church at large (all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours). That is, Paul’s teaching to the saints at Corinth is just as applicable and just as authoritative for the church at Philippi, Ephesus, London, Dublin, Lagos and anywhere in the world (1 Corin. 4:16-17).

2. Spiritual Gifts at Corinth: 1 Corin.1:4-9

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The normal expectation, based on the reports Paul got about the Church, will be to start with rebuke, but Paul was kind to them and he wrote to them in a gentle manner. He knew that they had not been Christians for a long time. Here is a church that has begun to listen to false teachers and who is challenging Paul’s authority. Here is a church which condones immorality and “unconditionally accepts” a man whose sin shocks the unbelieving pagans of that city. Here is a church whose personal conflicts are being aired out before unbelieving eyes in secular courts. How can Paul possibly give thanks?

This should be our attitude toward baby Christians. We should correct them in love (Gal.6:1 “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”)

God’s grace to the saints in Corinth and everywhere was boundless. He enriched them in everything. They were enriched in all speech and all knowledge. The Corinthians had no critical need for which God had not made provision through the apostolic preaching of Christ. God had already provided all that was necessary for “life and godliness” in Christ (2 Pet.1:2-4). No gift was lacking in the church. God had provided just the right gifts for the growth and maturity and ministry of the saints in Corinth. If the church at Corinth was failing, it was not due to any failure on God’s part to provide for their needs, but rather a failure on their part to appropriate these means.

God had begun to do his work in their lives. And Paul was confident that he could trust God to complete that work (Phil. 1:6). God had given them a real relationship with Christ.

3. Arguments about who leads the church; 1 Cor.1:10-12

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.”

There are problems of division in the church which are wide spread and widely known. The quarrels and dissension are due to a party spirit on divisions which focus on personalities—individuals with which certain members have identified—to the exclusion of others. Every one of Paul’s examples is of a person who identifies with a particular person, and thus who stands aloof from others. Each says, “I am of Paul or of Apollos or Cephas or Christ.”

The problem as it is introduced here is a “follower problem” rather than a “leader problem,”

The root problem underlying the Corinthian quarrels and factions is pride. We see this clearly stated by Paul in 1 Corin.4:6. Paul reminded the people in all these groups that Christians belong to Christ. It was Christ who died to save them.

4. Paul’s Correction for Corinthian Conflicts; Cor.1:13-17

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Paul takes us to the core question: Is salvation about the work of men or about the work of Jesus Christ? All four of the groups mentioned by Paul in verse 12 were man-centred. The fourth group was a little more subtle about it, but all of these individuals took pride in themselves, based upon their perceived allegiance. Paul wants to make the point clear and unmistakable: Our salvation is totally about Christ’s work. Those who are man-centred need to be reminded of the gospel and of their salvation, to recall that salvation is Christ-centred. Christ has not been divided, so how can His body, the church, be divided? It was not Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or any other mere man who died on the cross of Calvary; it was Christ whose shed blood cleansed us from all sin.

Conclusion: Jesus assigned each of us to specific assignments in the body like Paul, Apollos and any of the leaders in the Church. They are not to be hero worshiped or become sources of division

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION

This year we will be studying the two “official” letters written by the Apostle Paul to the church at Corinth. Although the Corinthian letters were addressed to a single church and were concerned primarily with local problems existing at that time, they should be of special interest to you and I as seekers of truth and those who want to please the Father.

Paul wrote the 2 letters to the Corinthian church popularly known as 1 & 2 Corinthians.

1 CORINTHIANS

Paul’s authorship of the first epistle is widely accepted in the scholarly community, though it was not the first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthian people (see 1 Corinthians 5:9). We know that the Corinthians misunderstood an earlier letter from Paul (5:10–11), though that letter has not survived. Therefore, it is Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians that we know as 1 Corinthians—the first letter to the Corinthians that God inspired.

Four years prior to writing the letter we know as 1 Corinthians, the apostle had spent eighteen months in Corinth, so he was intimately familiar with the church and many of its congregants. The recipients of the letter must have understood the letter’s significance, not only to their own circumstances but for the church worldwide. In AD 95, Clement, the bishop of Rome, wrote a letter of his own to the Corinthians in which he invoked the authority of Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians. Only a few decades after its origin, this letter to the Corinthians had travelled outside of Corinth and was considered authoritative beyond its initial Corinthian context.

Paul had been in Ephesus for more than two years on his third missionary journey when he received a disturbing report of quarrelling within the Corinthian church, a report he received from people associated with one of its members, Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11). The church he had founded so recently (Acts 18:1–17) had already developed deep divisions, a situation that required immediate action. Paul penned his letter in AD 55, just as he was planning to leave Ephesus for Macedonia (1 Corinthians 16:5–8).

WHY THIS LETTER IS IMPORTANT TO US

First Corinthians contains a frank discussion of the church and the issues that impacted real people in the first century. The Corinthian church was corroded with sin on a variety of fronts, so Paul provided an important model for how the church should handle the problem of sin in its midst. Rather than turn a blind eye toward relational division and all kinds of immorality, he addressed the problems head on. In his bold call to purity within the Corinthian church, Paul made it clear that he was willing to risk the good opinion of some in order to help cleanse the sin that tainted the church.

First Corinthians addresses reports that Paul received from Chloe’s household, as well as a letter he received from the church itself (1 Corinthians 7:1). In this letter to the church at Corinth, Paul covered a number of different issues related to both life and doctrine: divisions and quarrels, sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, marriage and singleness, freedom in Christ, order in worship, the significance of the Lord’s Supper, and the right use of spiritual gifts; he also included a profound teaching on the resurrection.

The line of thought that joins these topics together was Paul’s emphasis on Christian conduct in the local church. The apostle expected that Christian people would live according to Christian ideals, or as he told them, “You have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body” (6:20).

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Corinth was a large, international metropolis, filled with people from different backgrounds. Idol worship to gods such as Aphrodite was particularly prominent in the city, though Corinth contained numerous temptations far beyond her temples. In this sense, Corinth was very much like a modern urban area, containing unending opportunities to engage in sinful behaviour without any apparent consequences.

Such a community clearly had a negative influence on the Corinthian church. But notice that Paul’s instruction to the believers was not to retreat from their city. This was not Paul’s vision for the church then or now. Instead, he directed us to live out our commitment to Christ ever more faithfully in the midst of nonbelievers. Paul expected that we Christians would shine our light into the dark places of their world by worshiping in a unified community that was accountable to one another. He expected that we would settle our problems internally, that we would encourage one another in the pursuit of purity, and that we would strive together by holding tightly to the hope of

our bodily resurrection to come.

2 CORINTHIANS

Paul wrote 2 Corinthians at a vulnerable time in his life. He had learned that the church at Corinth was struggling, and he sought to take action to preserve the unity of that local body of believers. The letter is riddled with personal comments as Paul revealed details about the persecution he had suffered for the sake of Christ as well as about a mysterious thorn in the flesh that kept him reliant on God.

After sending Timothy off from Ephesus to deliver the letter of 1 Corinthians, Paul, in his concern for the church, made a quick visit of his own to Corinth. Afterward, Paul returned to his work in Ephesus, where he wrote a sorrowful letter to the Corinthians that has not been preserved (see 2 Corinthians 2:1–11; 7:8). Paul then departed for Macedonia. Once there, he received a good report from Titus regarding the Corinthians (7:13), which led Paul to write a fourth letter to them, titled “2 Corinthians” in the Bible. The apostle composed this letter near the end of AD 56, possibly in the city of Philippi.

WHY THIS LETTER IS IMPORTANT TO US

This letter offers a great deal of personal insight into Paul’s life that is not present in any other New Testament book. However, in chapters 8 and 9, his letter also clearly reveals God’s plan for His people to give to others. Paul first focused on the generous example of the Macedonian churches, largely Gentile, who gave to their Jewish Christian brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. Then he exhorted the Corinthian believers to make donations of their own to the work in Jerusalem. Several realities about Christian giving become clear in these two chapters: Christians give generously according to, and at times beyond, their financial abilities; Christians give their money across racial and national lines; Christians who make commitments to give should follow through with those promises; and Christians should give cheerfully, rather than under compulsion.

The church at Corinth had recently been struggling with divisions and quarrels. But for a majority of the believers, the problem had been solved by the time Paul wrote 2 Corinthians. Many had repented of their sinful ways and had come back into unity with one another and with the leadership of Paul.

However, Paul still felt the need to articulate a defence of his apostleship and his message. Some in the church had apparently taken his meekness among them to be a sign of moral weakness or lack of authority (2 Corinthians 10:1–2). These accusations led Paul to defend himself by arguing that he was on the same level of importance as the other apostles, that he had deep knowledge of the Christian faith, that he had suffered profound physical punishment in the name of Christ, and that he had received visions and revelations from God (11:1–12:13).

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Just as Paul wrote to the Corinthians in the wake of their repentance from divisions and quarrels, the message for today is clear: living in unity requires us to humbly forgive one another and to follow our leaders. Second Corinthians reminds us that even as Christians, we hurt each other and need to forgive those who wrong us (2 Corinthians 2:7). That Paul was willing to exhort the Corinthian believers to forgive those who had fallen away and repented, even as he defended his own apostleship against a vocal opposition, illustrates the apostle’s commitment to this way of life among God’s people.

In what ways do you struggle to forgive others and/or to follow your godly leaders? An overinflated sense of ourselves often leads us to strike out on our own or hold on to our frustration and anger regarding the choices of others. However, just as Paul reminded us of Jesus’s ministry of reconciliation (5:17–19), we must seek to reconcile relationships in which disunity reigns. Look out for the pitfall of disunity with leaders and other believers in your own life while striving to live among all people in humility.

This overview of 1 & 2 CORINTHIANS was culled from Charles Swindoll’s Insight for Living Website

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION:
In the past few lessons, we have been learning of truth that have strongly challenged what most of us have been taught and believed in the past. We appreciate that many times it becomes difficult to change our mind sets but it is the truth. It is the truth that truly sets us free! Last week we asked ourselves a very important question “Do Christians Wrestle with Demons?” that brought us to another level of understanding of our place and authority in Christ. We looked at the definition of the word “Wresting” and today we are going to expound on this word!
This is important because once believers understand their authority in Christ and begin to appropriate the finished work of the Cross, they will understand exactly what kind of "wrestling" it is that believers are to engage in. We need to know and teach others what the Word says. We need to know and teach others who we and they are in Christ and what our blood-bought covenant rights and privileges are in our redemption. Our authority over the devil and how to use this authority in Christ to deal scripturally with the powers of darkness.

ONLY ONE FIGHT!
We have only been called to fight one fight! The faith fight—trusting God's Word to work for you—is the only fight the Bible says believers are to fight. The Bible says, “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 4:11). We labour to come into God's rest of faith: “For we which have believed do enter into rest....” (Heb. 4:3). Some believers are labouring trying to defeat the enemy when all they need to do is enter into the rest of faith because they believe the Word. Believers don't have to overpower and overcome the devil or "wrestle" him in their own strength. We only "wrestle" demonic forces by our faith in God's Word from a position of victory seated with Christ because we have authority over demons in Christ. That's why the only wrestling we engage in is the faith fight. If we are in any other fight, we are in the wrong fight: “Fight the good fight of faith ….” (1 Tim. 6:12). You see, sometimes you have to "wrestle” to stay in faith, because as long as the devil can keep you in the sense realm where he is god, and you look at the circumstances, he'll whip you every time. But as long as you stay in the faith realm depending on God's Word to put you over, you'll whip him every time.

FROM THE VICTORIOUS POSITION
One of the interesting revelations we have learnt from this study is that we are an “Occupying Army” and not a “Warring Army”. If you are a believer, you are in Christ and you have authority over satanic forces now. You don't have to labour to attain authority over Satan because Jesus provided that in your redemption by defeating those principalities and powers for you. So you are not coming to prayer with the idea that you have to whip principalities and powers. Jesus did that for you on the Cross.
We have been taught in this assembly that the salvation package is a complete one that was made available over 2000 years ago! That by it we were already healed, made whole, prospered, blessed, victorious, more than conquerors, etc.
Yes, these principalities and powers try to come against our lives. As it is in any war; the occupying army still carry guns to protect territories that have been taken. That is why Ephesians 6:11 says: "put on the whole armour of God.” Although we are not “warring”, we are admonished to stay alert and guard our minds and not be “swayed” by naysayers who want to shift us away from, and try to blind our eyes to our victorious position in Christ (1 Cor. 2:6; Col. 2:15).
So when you come to prayer, always pray from the understanding that the same principalities and powers the Bible says we wrestle against in Ephesians 6:12 were thoroughly defeated, dethroned, and stripped of their authority in your life by Jesus Christ (Col. 2:15).

BE STRONG IN THE LORD
The Bible says in Ephesians 6:10 that the believer is to “... be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” You hear folks say, "Well, I'm trying to be strong." But the Bible doesn't say a thing about being strong in yourself. Paul said, “... when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).
Many times in the circumstances we face in life, we can feel weak, empty, and helpless in ourselves. But, thank God, we can lean on the promises of God. We can go to the Rock, and stand fast on His Word. Paul said, “... we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead” (2 Cor. 1:8,9).
The reason you need to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might is so that you can stand your ground against the wiles of the devil "in the evil day" (Eph.4:13). The evil day is when Satan will come to test, try, and tempt you, and you will have to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might so you can take your stand of faith against him. One way you become strong in the Lord is by putting on the whole armour of God (Eph. 6:11-18).

You put on the full armour of God for two reasons:
• For protection in your prayer life. Once you have the armour on, you are ready to pray—you are dressed for prayer. The object of putting on the armour is so you can enter into prayer.
• To help you stand in life against the wiles, tests, and trials of the devil.
We have already extensively studied about the armour of God so today we will have a quick recap.

THE ARMOR OF GOD
The Bible says first, "put on the whole armour of God..." (Eph. 6:11). In Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the word for "put" is enduo. It has the sense of sinking into a garment; to invest with clothing, to array or clothe, to endue, have, or put on something.
So to be strong in the Lord you need to put on or sink into the armour of God as your protection against the wiles of the devil. Then in verse 13, the Bible says, "... take unto you the whole armour of God...." According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the word "take" means to take up. In other words, once you've got the armour of God on, then you've got to do something with it—use it!
Paul used an example of the armour of a Roman soldier here to give us a picture of what the armour of God is like.
The helmet of salvation is the knowledge of your position in God because of your salvation and redemption in Christ. It includes having your mind renewed to know and understand your rights and privileges in Christ and who you are in Christ. The helmet of salvation protects your mind—Satan's chief battleground.
The girdle of truth represents a clear understanding of God's Word. Like a soldier's belt, it holds the rest of the armour in place.
The breastplate of righteousness. That refers to your right-standing with God. When you accept Jesus, you become the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). (Rom. 8:17): "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ"
Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. To be effective in prayer, you must walk in the light of God's Word (1 John 1:7). It's hard to walk when the path before you is dark. But with the light of God's Word, you never have to walk in darkness under Satan's dominion.
The shield of faith. Notice verse 16 says, "above all, taking the shield of faith ... wherewith ye may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."
The sword of the Spirit: Every part of the armour is protective or defensive, except one, and that is the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—is the only part of the armour you fight with.
The scriptural way to deal with forces of darkness is with the sword of the Spirit. That was how Jesus dealt with the devil in His earthly ministry. (Luke 4:1,2). In every temptation, Jesus said, "It is written" (Matt. 4:4,7,10; Luke 4:4,8,12). Jesus Himself quoted the Word of God, using the Word against the devil as a sword. In that sense, Jesus was "fighting" or "wrestling" with the devil. But the only weapon Jesus used against the devil was faith in the Word of God.

CONCLUSION
There is yet one more important truth to be armed with as we “fight” the fight of faith and this is, we can't be strong in the Lord without appropriating the saving power of His blood. Read Colossians 1:13,14. Every benefit and blessing we possess in our redemption, including complete and total victory over Satan, is based on Jesus and His triumph over Satan at the Cross. We have victory over Satan because of Jesus' shed blood. The old-timers in Pentecost understood a truth about the blood of Jesus. They would plead the blood against the devil. That's scriptural.
When you plead the blood against the devil, you are really pleading your covenant rights of protection against the enemy (Isa. 54:17; Luke 10:19; Phil. 2:9,10; Col. 1:13).
Revelation 12:11 says: “And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.”

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

Introduction:

We will continue today in the Spiritual Warfare Series as we discuss and deliberate on another interesting and intriguing question – “Do Christians Wrestle with Demons?” During our discussions last week, we learnt, with appropriate scriptural references that some of what is being taught in the area of spiritual warfare and demonology is scripturally in error. We discovered that most, if not all of the scriptures where war and warfare were mentioned has nothing to do with the Devil but more to do with putting the flesh under and controlling our thought life. We also learnt that we are not a Warring Army but an Occupying Army. Today’s lesson will shed more lights on these truths.

1. Do Christians Wrestle With Demons?
We have been able to see in the epistles, following from last week’s lesson, that the words “war” and “warfare” are used to describe conflicts between the flesh and the mind and between the flesh and the recreated spirit. So what does the Bible have to say about "wrestling"? Does the New Testament teach that believers need to wrestle with demons? 

Ephesians 6:10-17
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 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. 14 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; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Let’s consider this scripture in the context of other scriptural references.

• “Wrestling” denotes strenuous effort, doesn't it? According to these scriptures, we do "wrestle" against the devil; we do have the devil to deal with in life. But read that verse of Scripture in context with the whole counsel of God's Word—that Jesus defeated Satan for us and redeemed us from Satan's dominion.
• Well, does the scriptural word for "wrestling" mean war? No, certainly not. There is a vast difference between wrestling and warring. If you've ever seen a wrestling match, you know there is a vast difference between wrestling and fighting a war.
• One of the meanings of the word "wrestle" in W. E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words is to sway. If we will let him, the enemy will come against us and try to sway us and get us out of faith and into doubt and unbelief about the Word so he can defeat us. But if we stand our ground in faith, he cannot sway us from the Word. Therefore, the "wrestling" we do is not fighting the devil, but it is a "fight" sometimes to hold fast to our faith in God's Word. ["a wrestling" (akin to pallo, "to sway, vibrate"), is used figuratively in Eph. 6:12, of the spiritual conflict engaged in by believers, RV, "(our) wrestling," AV, "(we) wrestle."]
• You see, the term "wrestling" in Ephesians 6:12 is used figuratively, just as the word "run" is used figuratively in Hebrews 12:1: "... let us RUN with patience the race that is set before us." The Bible doesn't use the word "wrestle" to tell believers to get into heavy spiritual combat to wrestle against the devil in prayer. No, the Bible is trying to show believers that our opposition in this life comes from the spiritual realm and that we are not to fight against flesh and blood, but we are to take our stand on the Word of God and enforce our victory against a defeated foe.
• So if you don't read the entire context of this passage in Ephesians chapter 6, but only focus on verse 12, you can become confused and defeated because you'll think, I'm in for it! I've got to wrestle against all those principalities, powers, and forces of darkness in order to try to defeat them.
• By overemphasizing just that one verse alone rather than the whole counsel of God, people place the emphasis not on what Christ has already done for believers, but rather on what the Christian must yet do in order to get victory over the devil. That is unscriptural because every believer already participates in Jesus' victory over Satan.
• For example, read Ephesians 6:12, "We wrestle against principalities and power," and read that scripture with Colossians 2:15: “... having SPOILED principalities and powers, he [Jesus] made a shew of them openly, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM in it [the Cross].” And then look at Luke 10:19: “Behold, I give unto you [the Body of Christ] power to tread on serpents and scorpions [the devil and his evil forces], and over all the power of the enemy: and NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS HURT YOU.”
• Yes, we are in a battle all right, but it's against principalities and powers that Jesus already defeated in his death, burial, and resurrection! Notice also in Luke 10:20 that Jesus admonished the disciples not to rejoice in their authority over the devil but to rejoice in their relationship with God and in the fact that their names are written in the Book of Life. So our focus is not to be on a battle with a defeated enemy, but it is to be on a relationship with a mighty and loving God.

2 Timothy 2: 3-6
"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits."

• In these verses, Paul uses military, athletic, and agricultural terms to illustrate various aspects of the ministry.
• He uses the word "soldier" in verses 3 and 4 to depict the hardiness, discipline, and dedication it sometimes takes to fulfill the call of God.
• The expression, "striving for masteries" in verse 5 refers to winning first place in an athletic event. And the word "husbandman" refers to a farmer reaping a crop.
• So based on these scriptures taken out of context, if we're supposed to be a "militant" Church so we can fight the devil—then based on Second Timothy 2:3-6, we should also be an "athletic" Church and all come to church in sweatsuits, or we should be an "agricultural" Church and come dressed like farmers!

2. Wrestling In the Spiritual Realm
The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ just needs to learn to stay balanced. Overemphasizing just one scripture to the exclusion of others or exalting something other than God's Word, including unbiblical practices, can get believers off on doctrinal tangents. A person can take any Bible subject and overemphasize it and make the Bible say something it really doesn't say. That's what some Christians have done with this issue of "wrestling" the devil. They have resorted to using fleshly tactics such as yelling and screaming at the devil to try to "defeat" him. But the wrestling the believer does against the forces of evil is not done in the natural realm with fleshly tactics. It's done in the spiritual realm by faith in the Word.

Some believers are even taking the scripture about wicked spirits in heavenly places (Eph. 6:12) out of context and advocating that we have to get up higher physically in order to do battle with the wicked spirits in the heavenlies in prayer! What they really need to do is get down where the real battle is—in the mind and flesh!  Not only that, but the Bible says, “... Whatsoever ye shall bind ON EARTH shall be bound in heaven ….” (Matt. 18:18), and “... if two of you shall agree ON EARTH as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 18:19). The Bible says we are to do these things on earth; it never mentions that we have to get up into the spiritual atmosphere to try to deal with the devil! All that Jesus and the disciples accomplished, they accomplished on the earth, not up in heavenlies above the earth. We are already far above principalities and powers in our position in Christ.

“which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” [Ephesians 1:20-21]
“ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” [Ephesians 2:5-6]

 A scriptural reference can be found in Acts 16 where the story is told of Paul and Silas.
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” [Acts 6:25-26]

Right here on earth, at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God, and God heard and delivered them (Acts 16:25). You see, praying and singing praises is a type of scriptural "wrestling" in the spiritual realm because you have to stay in faith to do it! And because God responds to faith (Heb. 11:6), He reached down and shook that old jail and delivered Paul and Silas.

CONCLUSION
We are not at war against the Devil. He is already a defeated foe! Thank God for the victory that Christ has won for us. Remember, we are NOT a “Warring Army” but an  “Occupying” One. All that is required of us is to stand our grounds and refuse to be “swayed” out of faith into unbelief by the Devil’s antics. Also, we don't need to get up into the heavenlies to deal with evil spirits! We ought to be interested in tapping into the power of God that's already available to us as believers right here on earth! Yes, the word "wrestling" shows us that there is a spiritual conflict between the believer and the devil. But the wrestling is done in the arena of faith—in the spiritual realm—not in the natural realm. It is a fight based on standing firmly on the promises in God's Word and on the finished work of our redemption.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Last week we looked at the topic “The Triumphant Church- Not the Militant or Defeated Church” we learnt that Body of Christ shouldn’t yield in cowardice to the forces of darkness or submit to satanic domination but arise boldly in the name of Jesus and take our place in our inheritance as sons and daughters of the Most High God as the triumphant Church. In today’s study, we will find out if we are or should be Wrestling or Resting.
Spiritual warfare is a subject some Christians are overemphasizing today in a way that is not in line with the Word of God. Actually, some of what is being taught in the Body of Christ in this area of spiritual warfare and demonology is scripturally in error. That's why it would benefit us to study the Word to see how to deal scripturally with Satan and his strategies. Many believers become fearful if you talk about the devil, demons, and evil spirits and their activities. Many people seem to think it would be better not to ever mention the devil or evil spirits. But if you don't teach believers scripturally from the Word of God how to deal with the devil, the enemy will just run rampant and hold high carnival in their lives because they won't know their scriptural authority.

2 Corinthians 2:11 says: “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

THE CHALLENGE
We need to know our enemy. The Bible says we are not to be ignorant of Satan's devices. Satan has not changed the least bit in the world. The devil is the same old devil he has always been, and he uses the same tactics he has always used. He is the same devil Paul had to deal with when he penned these words that we aren't to be ignorant of his devices. And one of Satan's devices is to get people off into the extreme, even in the area of spiritual warfare, so they become unfruitful in the Kingdom of God. There is legitimate spiritual warfare, of course. Spiritual warfare is a Bible subject and one that we should be interested in because every one of us must take our stand in spiritual warfare at one time or another in our Christian life. But we see in the world today a number of challenges that seem to negate this

1. Imbalance:
It seems on any Bible subject; it is most difficult for the Body of Christ to stay in the middle of the road. Many believers either get in the ditch on one side of the road or on the other side of the road. In either ditch, they become ineffective because extremes and excesses never produce any fruit to the glory to God.

2. Wrong thinking
Actually, the greatest enemy that has robbed the Church, even in this area of demonology and spiritual warfare, is wrong thinking and wrong believing. That's what initially opens a door to the devil.
There are those who are thinking wrong and believing wrong about the subject of spiritual warfare, and it is going to get the Body of Christ off track unless we get back on the Word of God. Wrong thinking and wrong believing eventually lead to wrong actions. For example, one error wrong thinking and wrong believing has produced in some believers is that they are trying to fight the devil. We need to look at that practice in the light of God's Word to see if it's scriptural. We need to know what the Word of God says on any subject and think and believe and act in line with God's Word. Then we will get Bible results.

3. Lack of Understanding
The truth remains that there is an adversary arrayed against us and that we are in the army of the Lord. However, people often take those truths and run off with them into extremes and error. Their thinking seems to be, "Well, an army fights the enemy to defeat him, so let's fight the devil so we can defeat him." But Jesus already "fought" the devil and won. That's why Jesus said to us, "Occupy, till I come" (Luke 19:13).
We're to take our stand on the Word against a defeated foe. Therefore, we are in the army of the Lord, all right, but it's the occupying army. The occupying army is not in battle. The occupying army is just enforcing the victory that's already been won by our Commander in Chief, the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why believers shouldn't magnify the battle, they should magnify the triumph!

'WAR' AND 'WARFARE' IN THE EPISTLES
Some people emphasize spiritual warfare to the point that you would think it is the only subject taught in the Bible. But you'll find that real spiritual warfare is entirely different from what many people think it is. For example, as you study the New Testament, particularly the epistles, it is amazing how seldom the words "war" and "warfare" are mentioned. It is also amazing to note that when the words "war" or "warfare" are used in the epistles, never once are the words "devil" or "Satan" used in connection with them. Let's look at the words "war" and "warfare" as they are used in the epistles, which were written to us, the Body of Christ.
In First Corinthians 9:7 for instance, Paul asks the question,
"Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?"
Here, Paul isn't referring to combating the devil. He's simply making the point that ministers should be adequately paid.
2Corinthians 10:3-5 is another place in the epistles where the words "war" and "warfare" are used.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

If you take these verses out of their context you can make them say anything you want them to say. 2Corinthians 10:3-5 has been widely used to apply to battling demons over cities and countries. But it's clear by the context that Paul is talking about something different. Paul isn't referring to battling demonic forces over geographical areas. He is admonishing believers to take control of their own thoughts and imaginations so they can prevent the devil's lies from getting a stronghold in their minds.

What else do the epistles say about "war" and "warfare?"

Read 1 Timothy 1:18,19
How did Paul tell Timothy to war a good warfare? By holding faith and a good conscience. In other words, Paul is simply telling Timothy, "Stay in the fight of faith. Fulfil the call of God on your life. That is how you are going to war a good warfare in this life." The devil isn't even mentioned in these scriptures. The statement is simply a challenge to Timothy as a young minister to fulfil his ministry and not be deterred by any opposition he would face. Paul gives another admonition to Timothy in 2Timothy chapter 2 about warring. Read 2 Timothy 2:3-4

When we read the entire context of this passage, we find it has nothing again to do with the devil. Paul is simply saying, "Stay committed to the call of God on your life, regardless of the cost." Paul is telling believers that there's a price to pay to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ; it takes discipline and dedication. Paul is giving Timothy an illustration to remind and encourage him to keep himself free from the cares of this world and from any hindrances that would distract him from serving God and ministering effectively.

Then in James 4:1,2 we see the terms "war" and "wars" used in reference to fights, controversies, and strife which occurred because of believers' uncontrolled flesh problems. Finally, Peter refers to warfare in 1Peter 2:11 when he says,

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."
Again there is absolutely no reference whatsoever to the devil. Just as James did, Peter uses the word "war" to vividly describe the battle between the lusts of the flesh and the soul—the mind, will, and emotions.

CONCLUSION
We have looked at scriptures in the epistles where the words "war" and "warfare" are used. The devil isn't mentioned one single time in any of these scriptures. Yet to hear some people talk, you would think spiritual warfare is the only subject in the Bible! Doctrinally speaking, some people have made a mountain out of a molehill. I suppose that's because some Christians want to blame everything on the devil. But in the epistles, the words "war" and "warfare" primarily have to do with putting the flesh under and controlling one's thought life. He can only do that by the Word of God and with the help of the Spirit of God.
Many believers are trying to get victory in life some other way. But what they need to realize is that genuine spiritual warfare has to do mostly with the mind and the flesh and fighting the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12). Those who wage a good warfare keep their mind renewed and their flesh in check and know how to stand in faith on the promises in God's Word. We need to keep our bodies under subjection and control our thought life instead of allowing the lusts of the flesh run rampant and uncontrolled. No doubt there is a battle; Ephesians 6:12 says

“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.”

But we are fighting from the winning side because of the victory Jesus won on our behalf! We are not a “warring” army but an “Occupying” one! So let us magnify the triumph of Jesus instead of magnifying the battle!

This study was culled from The Triumphant Church by Kenneth E. Hagin

Contributor: Nosa Osagie

INTRODUCTION:
Our study last week titled “Reigning in Life” is a clear picture of our position of authority as believers in Christ. The church to me does not look like one being ruled over and dominated by Satan, demons and their evil schemes. In today`s study we will be seeing the Church as The Triumphant Church Not the Militant or Defeated Church.
The foundation to knowing that we are triumphant in Christ, in this world and in the realm of the spirit is the revelation we have, or know in the word of God in Ephesians. 1:18.
To be triumphant in Rome those days was similar to that of a magnificent procession in honour of a victorious general, and the highest military distinction which he could obtain. While to be defeated means to be subdued in a battle or contest.
There are some people today who are talking about the militant Church. Among them are those who say that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ needs to fight devils in order to be successful. But I'd rather talk about the triumphant Church because that's scriptural. Jesus' triumph over Satan is every believer's triumph. And every believer can enjoy that triumph and victory if he will walk in the light of His inheritance in Christ. Those who continually talk about the militant Church are those who are always trying to fight the devil, they say "we're waging war on the devil. It's going to be tough! we are in for a battle!"

People who talk like that all the time need the eyes of their understanding enlightened to see that the battle has already been won by Jesus Christ. Now they just need to stand in that victory.

FOUNDATION FOR TRIUMPH
Ephesians. 1:17-23 says:
“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, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all”.

The message Apostle Paul gave here is clear, that for us to operate and overcome like Christ, is to have these scriptures settled in our hearts as revelation for ruling and reigning in life. Paul was the Only Apostle that had the full revelation and knowledge of the authority we have and what we stand to enjoy in Christ as believers. Others are:
• Moses: In Exodus 33:12-23 overcame insecurity by revelation.
• Gehazi: In 2 Kings 6:14-17 also overcame fear by revelation.

When the eyes of our understanding have been enlightened to see our rightful position in Christ, that it is a position of victory, then when we do encounter the forces of the devil, we'll know what to do about them. Because of our authority over evil spirits in Christ, we will stand against them with the Word of God and put them in their place. The Body of Christ is triumphant. Thank God we can triumph over sin, sickness, disease, poverty, bareness, depression, ancestral powers and bad habits etc. because of our inheritance in Christ. And we can triumph over the devil, evil spirits, and anything else the enemy would try to bind us with because Jesus has already defeated them for us.
Carnal strength will always fail us if we ever try to apply it to spiritual matters. Believers struggle in battle so many times to get out of sin etc. as Paul did in Romans 7: 14-25. Thank God he cried out for help because his strength had failed him.

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US
What is ours in Christ requires nothing else but the taking or appropriating by faith the word of God. We don't have to struggle to believe for something that already belongs to us. But we do need to know it's ours or we won't take our rightful position in Christ and take advantage of what is already ours.  What Jesus did, He did for us, and Jesus' defeat over Satan belongs to us. So when Satan comes suggesting sin, tell him “sin shall not have dominion over me”, if he suggest poverty, tell him “He became poor that I be rich”, if he suggests sadness, say “The Joy of the Lord is my strength”, if the devil comes suggesting bareness, say “There shall be non barren in our land” and it goes on and on until we live a life of triumph.

CONCLUSION
The Body of Christ never needs to yield in cowardice to the forces of darkness or submit to satanic domination. No, we must arise boldly in the Name of Jesus and take our place in our inheritance as sons and daughters of the Most High God as the triumphant Church!
In 2 Corinthians 2:14, the Bible says:
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.”  

Colossians 2:14 – 15 also says:
“having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

Romans 8: 31-37 says:
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

I would like to ask us the question we were asked last week, with these three scriptures, does this sound like a defeated Church?

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION:
Last week’s study titled “Only The Truth Acted Upon Sets You Free” was a challenge not to be hearers and “knowers” of the truth alone; but doers of the truth. Because knowing the truth and not acting on it does not guarantee our freedom. Today’s study will reveal to us vital truth about our reigning in life. Because of Jesus' victory over Satan at the Cross, instead of being defeated, conquered, and ruled over, now in Christ we reign as kings in this life here in this world. Because we are in Christ, Satan is under our feet. Before we served as slaves to Satan and spiritual death, but now we reign in life through Jesus Christ. This is part of the riches of our inheritance in 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.”

Having read this wonderful verse of scripture, let’s ask ourselves two questions:
1. Does this sound like a Church that is being ruled over and dominated by demons and evil spirits? The obvious answer is - No!
2. When does the Bible say we will reign over Satan and his evil schemes against us? In the sweet by and by? When we all get to Heaven? Again, although not as obvious, the answer remains, No.
Believers reign as kings in the realm of life now. We who are born again have become new creatures in Christ Jesus, and we are now the victorious ones, not the defeated ones. We are the triumphant church, not the defeated Church.
We reign as kings in life through Jesus Christ now.
This is part of the wisdom the Holy Spirit is trying to get over to the Body of Christ in these Spirit-inspired prayers in the Book of Ephesians.
In times past, we served as slaves of Satan, but now we walk in the newness of life (Rom. 6:4). Now because of our joint-seating with Christ in heavenly places, we reign as kings through the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Desire for Us
Ephesians 1:15-18 says:
“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”

The message the Holy Ghost through Paul is endeavouring to get across to the Body of Christ is that
1. God wants the eyes of our understanding enlightened so we can understand that we reign with Christ in this life.
2. God wants us to know we have victory over Satan in every contest and circumstance, even as Jesus had victory over Satan when He was on the earth. We don't have to struggle to be victorious; we just need to stand our ground with the Word against a defeated foe according to what we already possess in Christ.
It doesn't take all day to stand against evil spirits if you know your authority in Christ. Just speak the Word to them in the Name of Jesus, and they have to go. You don't have to fight with them because they've been defeated and dethroned. By standing on the Word against them, you are standing in Jesus' victory.

Taking Responsibility
Luke 10:19 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”

We should not give heed to the devil’s suggestions and even to preachers that teach people to fear the devil: You hear them say things like: "You'd better be careful! The devil might hear you." Or "You'd better be careful. The devil might try to lay sickness and disease on you."
We have authority over ourselves and our households. So if the devil ever comes knocking at your door with sickness, poverty, lack, or oppression, tell him, "Don't come to my house. You'll have to go peddle that junk somewhere else because I won't receive it!"
Ultimately every one of us will have to learn to stand against the devil for ourselves because God expects you to take authority over the devil for yourself.
It is also possible to give someone else permission, to pray for you in faith, but, really, you need to do something about taking authority over the devil for yourself. That's one way you grow in who you are in Christ. Take authority over Satan, sickness, disease, or whatever the enemy is trying to get you to receive. Stand against it for yourself in the Name of Jesus. Believers make a mistake by accepting what the devil brings to them.

The Place of Knowledge
Verse 18 says:
“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”

Knowledge is vital to exercising one’s authority because you will be defeated if you don't recognize who is in you and the authority you have in Christ. By failing to recognize that the Greater One dwells in you, you will allow the devil to take advantage of you.
It's one thing for Satan to dominate unsaved people who are in the kingdom of darkness; they're under his authority. But Satan and his cohorts are dominating too many Christians who don't know their authority or don't exercise their authority.
That's why the believer needs to come to prayer understanding that all those spiritual forces have been defeated by Jesus. When the believer prays, he needs to pray from a position of victory because he is seated with Christ in heavenly places, looking down on a defeated foe.
When you come to prayer, pray from a seated position in Christ far above principalities and powers where you have joint-seating with Christ. Jesus' victory is your victory. Because of what Jesus did, you are free from Satan's dominion.
Too often Christians just hang on and try to do the best they can, not realizing what their inheritance in Christ really entitles them to. Instead of taking their rightful place in Christ as victors, they magnify the devil, and that gives him access in their lives.

Your Thoughts and Words
Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life”
Proverbs 23:7a “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”

You can dwell on the negative side of things and you will become what you dwell on. What you are thinking about and dwelling on is what you are believing. What you are believing is what you are talking about. And eventually what you are believing and talking about is what you will become.
This applies in this area of demons and demonic activity too. If you think the devil's thoughts, you will become depressed, oppressed, and you can go into error. Or you can think on the Word, and your thinking can become enlightened, illuminated, and flooded with light.
You can go around preaching how powerful the devil is, or you can get on the positive side where the eyes of your understanding have been enlightened to see the wisdom of God. Then you will be on the scriptural side and the victory side where you belong as a believer because of your triumph in Christ.
Because I know Jesus defeated the devil, that's what I think on and talk about. And the Greater One puts me over in life and causes me to succeed because I'm giving place to God and the power of His Word, not to the devil.

Conclusion
Some Christians suffer defeat because they believe "greater is he that is in the world than He that is in them." They have it backwards in their thinking. Then they go to confessing that.
Many are defeated in life because they have a negative confession; they're always talking on the negative side of things, and that opens a door to the devil in their life.
They're always telling what they're not and what they don't have and about their weaknesses, failures, and lack. Invariably they go down to the level of their confession.
If you believe and confess that the devil's power is greater than God's power, Satan will defeat you. But if you stand your ground in your blood-bought rights in Christ and confess that, you will rise to the level of your confession and inheritance.
What a change would take place in your life if you stood your ground on the Word of God against every attack of the enemy in every test or trial! What a change would take place if you maintained a positive confession in Christ so you give no ground to the devil in your life!
Then you would rise to the level of your confession—you would take your rightful place in Christ and you would be able to possess what Christ has already wrought for you. You would take your rightful place as the triumphant Church of the Lord Jesus Christ over all the power of the devil.

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

INTRODUCTION

Another gracious opportunity to learn at the feet of the Father. Thanking God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ for the non-scarcity of His word in our midst (Amos 8:11-12). At the last teaching, we considered eight (8) Spiritual Blessings that we as believers in Jesus Christ have received in heavenly places through Christ Jesus. It is very important for us to walk in this consciousness in order to effectively appropriate our authority in establishing and enforcing God’s Kingdom here on earth.
As great as this truth sounds, it is also important to know that we can only derive the benefits of this blessings only if they are acted upon. This is the core of our discussion as we consider the importance of acting on the truths of God’s words in enforcing the freedom that Jesus Christ has already paid for on the cross of Calvary.

1. Knowledge Is Important
Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. [Prov.10:14]
A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; [Prov.24:5]
Consciously or unconsciously, our daily decisions are based on what we do or do not know. This is one of the reasons why the bible says that:
Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet. [Prov.19:2]
This simply means making a decision without appropriate and godly knowledge (where applicable) is sin. God, the creator of Heavens and Earth laments about the people without knowledge. He gives ignorance as a basis of rejection. Need we say more about the importance of knowledge? Success in life is premised on the acquisition of knowledge.

2. Acting On The Knowledge (of the truth) You Know Is Even More Important
Any blessing, right, privilege, or authority can belong to you, but if you don't know about it, you won't act on it. Or if you don't act on what you know and exercise and appropriate what has been given to you, it won't benefit you. It won't become a reality to you even though it's your legal possession. That's why you need to have a knowledge of what belongs to you in Christ. But just knowledge of what belongs to you isn't enough. It's knowledge acted upon that brings results. The devil doesn't want the people of God to find out the authority that actually belongs to them in Christ. This is one way Satan tries to defeat the child of God. He knows when the child of God finds out ( and acts on) his legal, lawful authority in Christ, he will enjoy victory over him That's why Satan tries to obscure this knowledge and blind people's eyes and understanding and keep this vital knowledge from them. But when the child of God knows the truth and acts on that knowledge, he can no longer be dominated by the devil.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”[John 8:32]
You have to know the truth before the truth can make you free. That's what this verse is saying. Then once you know the truth of God's Word about who you are in Christ, it's acting on the truth you know that makes you free.
“But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].
But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a [careless] listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does [in his life of obedience].” [James 1:22, 25 AMP]

Take note of the phrase “actively and continually obeying God’s precepts”. The words actively and continually can be summarised with the term diligently. It is good to note that results are only obtained through diligent and consistent efforts. This simply means that it is only a relentless, unfailing and unwavering acting on God’s words, despite opposing situations, circumstances, tests and trials that result in total freedom. Not an epileptic form of action. The Word you know that you act on makes you free. When you act on the Word you know, you will enjoy victory over satanic forces in every circumstance of life.

3. Some of the Truths Required To Be Acted Upon
Let us consider some vital spiritual truths that we need to consciously act on and live by as victorious believers.
a. Satan Shall Not Have Dominion Over Believers
The passion with which some so-called believers attribute control and power to Satan when faced with challenges is unbelievable. The Bible says we have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God's dear Son (Col. 1:13). Therefore, our inheritance includes the fact that the works of darkness have no legal authority or dominion over us. Paul wrote to the believers at Rome, saying, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14). In a sense, sin and Satan are synonymous terms. Therefore, we could read this verse, "Satan shall not have dominion over you." Another translation reads, "Sin shall not lord it over you." You could read it: "Satan shall not lord it over you." Why can't Satan lord it over believers? Because he's not our lord, and he's been put under our feet! Jesus is our Lord and the Head of the Church, not Satan. So when next you’re in the company of a believer who still attributes their situations to the “power” of the Devil, be prompt to correct such person (in love) with this truth.
b. The Shadow of the Valley of Death [Psalm 23:4]
Once we understand that we have been delivered out of Satan's control and we are no longer under the dominion of Satan or spiritual death, we can understand more clearly what Psalm 23 is saying to us. There is a truth in Psalm 23 that the Body of Christ has failed to receive and appropriate for their lives. You understand, of course, that many of the psalms are prophetic or Messianic. But we are living in Psalm 23 right now. Psalm 23:4 is quoted all the time at funerals, but actually this is referring to Satan's domain here on earth, and it is referring to spiritual death, not physical death. You and I are walking through the valley of the shadow of death in this life because Satan is the god of this world. Spiritual death and its effects are on every side. Sin, sickness, disease, poverty, and everything else that Satan brings surround us in this life. But Jesus declared that we are in the world, but not of the world (John 17:16,18). That correlates with a valuable truth we find in Psalm 23:5: "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies....". Who are our enemies? The devil himself is certainly our enemy; the Bible calls him our adversary (1 Peter 5:8). Evil spirits, demons, sickness, disease, and poverty are all our enemies. Anything that would bind or hinder us is our enemy.

c. The Table of Provision [Psalm 23:5]
In Psalm 23:5, God is telling us that right in the midst of Satan's domain where the devil is ruling over those in darkness as the god of this world and where the effects of spiritual death are all around us—God prepares a table for us in the very presence of those enemies! Yes, demons, devils, and evil spirits are here and we sometimes feel their presence and their effect. But even so, God prepares a table for us right in the midst of them! Why does God prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies? Why don't we just get rid of our enemies? The scripture is very clear about the “tenancy” of the Devil and his demons in Jude 6,7. They are reserved in everlasting chains of darkness for the judgement of the great day. That's why it is so important for believers to stand in their victory and partake of the table of the Lord's provision, because those evil spirits will be here to try to hinder us, tempt us, and keep us from receiving God's best in life.
The reason many Christians are defeated in life is that even though they are seated with Christ in heavenly places at the table of the Lord's provision, they aren't appropriating what belongs to them at that table. All the riches of being in Christ are included at the table of the Lord's provision. Many believers are not even looking at the provisions God has made for them in the Word. Instead of looking at their rights and privileges in Christ, including their authority over the devil, they are looking at the enemy. Their focus in life is on the devil and his works, not on Jesus and His finished work of redemption. They are always talking about devils, demons, and demonic activity instead of the riches of God's abundant grace and the "all spiritual blessings" that belong to them in Christ. They're not standing in the finished work of the Cross as the triumphant Church, reigning in life through Jesus Christ.

Conclusion
We must be relentless in our pursuit of the knowledge of the truth as it relates to every area of our lives. We must also go further in appropriating and acting on these known truths to actualise and activate our already won victory in our spiritual, marital, emotional, financial, physical e.t.c lives in establishing the Kingdom of God in every sphere of lives here on the earth. We need to focus on God and what He has provided, instead of on the devil and what he's doing. We need to focus on the riches of our inheritance in Christ and the rights and privileges that legally belong to us as a result of being in Him. Appropriate for yourself the riches of being in Him. Focus on your heavenly position in Christ where we are seated far above all powers and principalities and all the evil works of the enemy.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
In our last study we considered the topic - The Wisdom of Being in Christ. The study focused on the benefits of being spiritually matured in Christ. That when believers have the eyes of their understanding enlightened, they will understand exactly how complete the plan of redemption really is.
Today’s topic – “Blessed With All Spiritual Blessings in Christ” reveals a list of arsenal that a believer should be armed with in exercising their authority over the enemy. EPHESIANS 1:3 says:
“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

In Jesus' redemption, everything Jesus wrought—everything He bought and secured in His victory over Satan—He did for the Body of Christ—you and I. Jesus' triumph and victory belongs to every single believer. Because we are blessed with all spiritual blessings, that would certainly include triumph and authority over Satan, otherwise it wouldn't be ALL spiritual blessings.

THE BLESSINGS
Verses 4-13 tells us of these blessings:
1. Elected as saints: verse 4 says that He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” God has chosen to make us holy and blameless, and all because of His love, His good pleasure, and His grace (verses 5–6). What a blessing, that “even when we were dead in sins” (Ephesians 2:5), God chose to extend His grace to us and offer us salvation. This is even more amazing when we realize that He made that decision before sin even entered into the world.

2. Adopted as Children: verse 5. Not only has God chosen us to be made holy, but He grants us full status as His children, with all the benefits thereof. John 1:12 says, “As many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

3. Accepted in the Beloved: verse 6, where we are made “accepted in the beloved.” The word is related to grace and gives the idea of making us graceful or favourable through Christ, the beloved of God. When we put on Christ, the Father sees His loveliness when He looks at us. The blood of Christ has taken away the guilt of our sins, and we stand before the Father as perfectly accepted.

4. Redemption through His blood: verse 7 Redemption speaks of buying one's freedom, paying a ransom. The price for our sins, the payment to buy us out of eternal condemnation, was fully paid by the blood of Christ. In Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin, but we become slaves to God. Since we are bought and paid for by His blood, we have an obligation to glorify God in our body and spirit (1 Corinthians 6:20).
5. Forgiveness of sins: verse 7 It is closely related to redemption, but looks at the other side of the coin. In paying the ransom for our sins, the debt of sin was cancelled, and we were forgiven. We no longer have the burden of guilt for violating God's holy laws.

6. Knowledge of the mystery of God’s will Vs 8-10: The sixth spiritual blessing listed is knowing the mystery of His will. God has given us wisdom and insight through His Word and has shown us His desire to bring all things together to glorify Christ. Since all of creation was made by Him and is for His good pleasure (Revelation 4:11), the consummation of His plan is when everything and everyone is brought in line to glorify Him. By aligning ourselves with Him by faith, we become part of His perfect plan and purpose.

7. The Inheritance given through Christ: Verse 11. What is included in that inheritance? “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). The riches of glory, the presence of God, the eternal home – these don't even scratch the surface of all the blessings that belong to our inheritance.

8. The Seal of the Holy Spirit: Verse 13. When we become God's children, He places His mark of ownership on us, guaranteeing our eternal security. This is spoken of as the down-payment of our full redemption, to hold us until the day Christ brings us to Him.
All these spiritual blessings are to keep us continually aware and secure in Him when we exercise our authority over the enemy. People who enjoy the blessings of God, including their rightful authority over the devil, just know how to take advantage of what belongs to them to a greater degree than those who don't appropriate the blessings of God. If you don't know about your inheritance and authority in Christ, you will not be able to partake of what is rightfully yours.

CONCLUSION
Every one of us in the Body of Christ is blessed with all or every spiritual blessing in Christ, so no one has a corner on the authority we possess over the devil in Jesus' Name. The least member in the Body of Christ can be fearless in the face of demons, devils, and evil spirits because of who he is in Christ. No one is blessed with any more spiritual blessings than anyone else in the Body of Christ.
It's to be regretted that every member of the Body of Christ doesn't take advantage of what belongs to him, because his authority over the devil belongs to him whether he knows about it or not. But a person can't take advantage of something he doesn't know about or exercise.

Contributor: Noel Osaghae

INTRODUCTION
In last week’s study we considered the topic: “The Seating and Reigning of Christ”. The study was mostly a truth finding adventure. We learnt that our seating with Christ was a part of our inheritance and that our position as believers is of joint-seating with Christ in heavenly places. Although this may not always be our circumstance, but that is our position. If you want to rise above your circumstances, take advantage of your position in Christ. In the study we stressed that we shouldn’t only find these truths but we should by His grace let them set us free! (John 8:32).
In today’s study we will be looking at the topic: “The Wisdom of Being in Christ.” This study will show us the benefits of being spiritually matured in Christ.
1 CORINTHIANS 2:6,7
“we do discuss 'wisdom' with those who are mature; only it is not the wisdom of this world or of the dethroned powers who rule this world, it is the mysterious wisdom of God that we discuss, that hidden wisdom which God decreed from all eternity for our glory.”

WHAT IS THE WISDOM OF GOD THAT THOSE WHO ARE SPIRITUALLY MATURE IN THE WORD WILL SEE AND UNDERSTAND?
1. It is knowledge of the inheritance that God has already prepared for them in Christ;

It is the wisdom of knowing who they are in Christ. The wisdom of God is that believers only need to stand against demons in the finished work of the Cross—in the victory that Jesus Christ already won for them.
If believers would begin to stand in their position of authority in Christ against a foe that has already been defeated and dethroned, it would solve so many of their problems.
Many well-meaning believers have fallen into the error of thinking they have to do something to overcome the devil. They seem to think that somehow they have to "fight" the devil and conquer him. According to 1Corinthians 2:6, one reason believers have fallen into this error is that they aren't mature in the Word: "We speak the wisdom of God to those who are mature."

People who are wrestling against the devil in their own strength, always trying to defeat a "dethroned power," are not yet mature or full grown in the Word.
The Bible says: "... we speak wisdom among them that are perfect [mature or full grown]: yet not the wisdom of this world.... But we speak The Wisdom Of God ..." (1 Cor. 2:6,7).

2. The wisdom of God is the wisdom of His Word.

Your mind will have to be renewed to the wisdom of God—the wisdom of God's Word—to see what Jesus has already wrought for you in your redemption. That's what will make you mature in your knowledge of being in Christ.
When believers have the eyes of their understanding enlightened, they will understand exactly how complete the plan of redemption really is.
Those who are still waging war on the devil haven't had the eyes of their understanding enlightened to see the wisdom of God. (Ephesians 1:18). But when you are mature in the Word and have the wisdom of God—Bible wisdom—you know Satan and his hosts are already conquered, defeated, dethroned, and deprived of their power and that you are the triumphant one in Christ.
But you will have to stand your ground with the Word of God against Satan because his wiles are deceptive, and he will try to blind your eyes to make you think he has power and authority over you.

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  2 Corinthians 4:4

He will always try to get you out of the realm of faith in God's Word by making you doubt the Word, doubt God, and doubt what God has told you. That's why the fight against him is in the arena of faith—faith in God and faith in God's Word—not in trying to defeat an enemy who is already defeated.

3. The wisdom of God is only seen in its application
One reason many believers are having so much trouble with the devil is that they are always trying to do something themselves about the devil, instead of acting on what the Word says Jesus already did about the devil. That means they aren't doers of the Word. They say, "Let's declare war on the devil!" and they try to carry out some kind of combat against him.
But when you understand that Satan is dethroned, you know war has already been declared on the devil, and the victory has been won by the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ arose the Victor!
So just take your position of joint-seating with Christ in His victory over the devil. Colossians 2:15 says:
“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

If Satan and his cohorts have been dethroned, then why are the hosts of darkness ruling over so many believers? Either believers don't know their authority in Christ, or they aren't exercising their authority in Christ.

CONCLUSION
Satan will keep on ruling people in the world who aren't saved, of course, because they don't know any better. But if believers will preach the gospel to unsaved folks, they'll get saved and come out from under Satan's dominion. The Church is to preach the good news to every creature and tell them that they don't have to be dominated by the devil anymore. That's how we are to "wage war" on the devil! When people get a hold of the good news in Christ and are born again, Satan won't be able to rule over them anymore. That is how believers are to put Satan's kingdom to nought and reduce it to nothing.