THE SCHOOL OF FAITH SAMSON ABOLOJE Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from the King James Version copyright© 2010 by Clarentian Publication. i
The School of Faith is the place of power and endless possibilities if we are willing to pay the price: If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: (Isaiah 1:19) THE SCHOOL OF FAITH ISBN: 978-978-995-710-1 Copyright©2021 by Samson Aboloje. Printed and Published by: Associate Talent Managers Limited Shop C-06, Ogun Plaza, BBA, Trade Fair Complex, Badagry Expressway, Lagos, Nigeria. +234 814 372 0258, +234 802 495 0545 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording or any other, without the prior permission of the author. ii
CONTENTS Dedication iv Acknowledgement v Foreward vi Testimonials viii Introduction x Chapter One THE WORD OF GOD 11 Chapter Two THE SCHOOL OF FAITH 48 Chapter Three THE SPIRIT OF MAN 70 Chapter Four THE PLACE OF PRAYER IN THE 82 SCHOOL OF FAITH Chapter Five THE HOLY SPIRIT 109 Chapter Six MY CONCLUDING THOUGHTS 121 iii
DEDICATION To God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, who gave me the wisdom and inspiration to write this book. To my lovely wife and co-labourer in God’s vineyard for her contribution throughout the process of writing this book, and to my amazing boys. iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Thank You Holy Spirit of God for the wisdom and inspiration to write this book. My sincere gratitude to Pastor Tony Okpobrisi, Pastor Shadie Okpako, Pastor Ifeanyi Nwanoro, Apostle Obidi Nwachukwu, Sister Mirabel Denton and my lovely wife, Winifred, for making time to proofread and edit this book. My mentor in the School of Faith and God’s mouthpiece; Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Doyin Jibodu, Pastor Ntia Obong and all the great men of God whose teachings have built and strengthened my faith. May your joy never grow cold, in Jesus Name. To my parents, siblings and in laws, God bless you all. To all those who have in one way or another supported my family and ministry all these years, you are all greatly appreciated. And to my friends and esteemed readers, I say a very big THANK YOU. God bless you all. v
FOREWARD Some of the readers of this book, The School of Faith, might have read several books on faith or have even written books or preached messages on faith. Nevertheless, everyone holding this book is encouraged to read it as the author has painstakingly simplified the word or doctrine of faith to the understanding of lay persons and believers alike. He has taken away the myth of understanding what faith is. For example, just reading Hebrews 11:1; Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” can be mind boggling for someone new to the scriptures. How can a substance be the evidence of things you have not seen? An evidence or substance is something that is tangible. Faith is substantial or solid character or quality of something hoped for. You hope for it in your mind and then with faith you have the evidence that you have got it even though you have not seen it. To the ordinary person, it sounds illogical or foolish or just a mirage. But this is what everybody needs to be able to constantly walk with God. Constantly in the sense that it is not just a one-off thing but continuously. That's what this vi
book The School of Faith has explained by the author. That's why it's a school that has no graduation date. It's also said that there is no knowledge lost, rather, acquiring more knowledge leads to better understanding which in turn brings more wisdom and power. This is why this book is a must read by everybody that comes across it irrespective of whether or not they have read or written books on faith, they are Christians, non Christians, Church Leaders, Church goers, young or old, man or woman. We all need to know and understand the importance and place of faith to humanity. It is my prayer that as many as shall read this book, that God should open their eyes and illuminate their hearts to understand what faith is all about to bring them closer to God on a daily basis and eventually to take them to Heaven at last in Jesus Name. Pastor Shadie Okpako. Global Coordinator Gather The People Ministry (GTPM) Worldwide. vii
TESTIMONIALS This book, The School of Faith, is Holy Spirit inspired and will be a blessing to the body of Christ. Pastor Tony Okpobrisi Pastor in charge, RCCG IBCFParish APICPCSR (LP46) This book is loaded, it is a revealer and I can feel the workings of the Holy Spirit through it. It's a blueprint for today's generation of Christians. Remember, read and apply and your life will never remain the same again. Evangelist (Mrs) Winifred O. Aboloje Co-Lead Evangelist The Word Seed Evangelistic Ministry The book is an easy read that captures and expresses the infallibility of the divine Word of God. Pastor Ifeanyi Nwanoro Director, CIPDI, USA viii
TESTIMONIALS This book is full of spiritual insights and gives you a practical guide on how to grow in your walk with God, and appropriate the victory of the cross in winning life battles. Engr. Obidi Nwachukwu FSE - Siemens Energy CEO - Elvelox Farms The School of Faith takes us to the beginning. It exposes us to the Word and explains the importance of the Word in the building up of our faith. The book sheds clarity into the role the Holy Spirit plays in our walk of faith. In The School of Faith you never graduate but you keep learning. Therefore, this book is for you if you are just starting in the school or you are seeking to build your faith. Sis Mirabel Denton United Kingdom ix
INTRODUCTION The word of God is the most fundamental component in the school of faith. I call it school because our walk with God is a lifelong process whereby we learn to follow His every lead by faith, and we can never get to the level in our walk with Him where we can no longer grow, except we stop following Him. In this school, the word of God is the foundation and faith; the building. Just as the foundation of any building is vital and important, so also is the word of God in the life of anyone who would excel in the school of faith, because it is its foundation. That is why Romans 10:17 says; “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the Word of God.” It is vital to state also that faith is not a one off thing or process. You constantly nurture it and one of the ways to do it is by consistently feeding on the Word of God. So what then is the Word of God? x
CHAPTER ONE 11
THE WORD OF GOD 12
POWER IN THE WORD On the 29th of June, 2012, I went for a vigil at RCCG IBCF Parish, Apapa, Lagos State, Nigeria and the guest speaker spoke on the topic “THE GREAT RELEASE” (what inspired my first book; The Great Release). During the message the Lord opened my eyes and I saw myself tied with chains to the neck in a bush with some ugly creatures standing guard. As though we were acting a script, Mark 11:2-6 came to pass in my own life. Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. (Psalm 105:19-20) After the man of God prayed for me, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulder and I felt peace like I had never felt before. No wonder the Bible says in Psalms 107:20: “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” When the Word of God came for my release, without any struggle I was set free and I have been free since then... Hallelujah! 13
We must have at one point or another made reference to the Word of God, or may have possibly heard someone do so. Even Jesus Who Himself is the Author and Finisher of our faith made several references to it. So what exactly is the Word of God? In order to fully understand what the Word is, it would be expedient for us to compare scriptures with scriptures. That way, we would have a good understanding of what the Word of God is. 1. The Ten Commandments There have been several arguments and debates about the relevance of the Ten Commandments to us today. While some argue that it is no longer relevant to us because we are now in the era of grace, others say it is still important today as it was in the time of old. To address this, it would be wise to hear what Jesus is saying concerning this. In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus made it very clear that He did not come to destroy the law. 14
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” While rebuking the Pharisees and Scribes in Mark 7:9-13, Jesus said that the Word of God is the Commandments that God delivered through Moses. “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death. But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." (NIV) Thereby validating that the Commandments that God delivered through Moses is the Word of God. 15
Having established the above, we can therefore say that the Word of God is God's law and instructions that was documented in scripture for our learning in order to help us fulfill His plans and purpose for our lives. 2. Every Word From God In Matthew chapter 4 and verse 4, while making reference to Deuteronomy chapter 8 and verse 3, we see Jesus saying that every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God is the Word of God. “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” How then do we know the Words that proceeds from the mouth of God? Apostle Paul gave us the answer in his second letter to Timothy: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16) 16
The word “EVERY” according to Deuteronomy and “ALL” in 2 Timothy 3:16 are one and the same, which connotes that both the spoken and written Words, including those things that were revealed to the prophets. So every word that is documented in the Bible is the Word of God because they were inspired by God to instruct us unto righteousness. 3. Jesus Christ Is The Word Of God “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” (Psalms 107:20) The above scripture tells us that God sent His Son to heal and deliver His people from destruction. And John chapter 1 verse 1 tells us the Word was with God and manifested bodily in verse 14 to dwell amongst men in the person of Jesus Christ. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) 17
Let us also look at the prophesy of Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 61 from verse 1 to 4: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.” Jesus in validating the reality of that prophesy being made manifest in Him declared in Luke chapter 4 verse 21: “… This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” And without any doubt, we know that the ministry of Jesus Christ during His time on earth 18
was validated by signs and wonders, thereby not only confirming Him to be the Messiah that was spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah, but also confirming Him to be the Word of God. IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING THE WORD Just like the product manuals that manufacturers put in their products to guide end users of the best way to maximize the use of their products, so is the Bible; God's Word, to man. It is a guide to life, so we cannot fully maximize our purpose here on earth without it. The Bible is like a man's will for his children that until it is opened and studied, his heirs cannot know their inheritance. So is the Word of God for His children, until we study it, we cannot understand our portion in destiny. What are the importance of studying the Word of God? 1. It Helps Us Grow The Word of God is to our spirit what food is to our physical bodies. 19
Back in the day, there use to be the prevalence of kwashiorkor. It left children with big heads, big stomachs and with tiny bodies due to malnutrition. This did not happen because they did not eat but because they lacked proper diet. Apostle Peter in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 2 said: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” We know that babies do not joke with their mothers' breast milk yet we see Peter in the above verse making comparison between the unrestrained desire of healthy babies towards milk and how believers should hunger after God's Word. However, it does not stop at just desiring the Word, we must grow into spiritual maturity. 2. It Provides Solution To Life's Problems The Yoruba people of the South-Western part of Nigeria have an adage that says “ogun laye.” Meaning that life is warfare and Jesus alluded to that fact when He said in John chapter 16 verse 33 that: “… In the world ye shall have tribulation…” 20
The word “tribulation” is another word for trouble, trials, distress, challenges and frustration. And indeed the world is filled with it. However, for us who are saved, we have been given a secret that the children of this world do not have at their disposal. Beloved, it is biblical to be challenged but it is unscriptural to be defeated because Jesus Christ, the King of glory, has overcome the world for us. Hallelujah!!! Brother Job said in Job chapter 14 verse 1: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” But Jesus said “… be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We cannot have access to divine secret if we do not settle down to study the Word. No wonder Prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah chapter 34 verse 16: “Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read…” To seek means to search and to search in this context means to settle down to study the Word of 21
God with all intent because it is the only way to get solution to life's prevailing problems, and most spectacularly, Jesus instructed us to search the scriptures: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39) So we must commit ourselves to searching the scriptures. 3. It Reveals God's Will For Mankind As we have earlier established, the Word of God is His will for His children but until we take our time to study it, we will not understand our inheritance in Christ. There is a divine purpose for which God created every single one of us. This is not talking about the career or business path that we choose or created for ourselves, but that divine specific purpose that God had designed for every single human who has ever walked and will ever walk in the face of the earth. God speaking to Jeremiah in chapter 1 verse 5, told the Prophet clearly: 22
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” In the above passage you will discover that the purpose for the Prophet's life was preordained by God. So it is also with every single human being, including you. But you can never know His will for you outside His Word; the Bible. Even our Lord, Jesus Christ, had to discover His purpose from scriptures as was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah in chapter 61 and verses 1 to 3: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” 23
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18) After discovering God's will for His life, He boldly declared in Luke chapter 4 and verse 21: “… This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” It is our responsibility to search out God's will for our lives in scriptures. 4. It Puts Us In Command Of Our Enemies All through scriptures, there is nowhere it was recorded that the devil does not have power. As a matter of fact, when the devil and his fallen angels; demons, were cast out from heaven, the bible did not say their powers as supernatural beings were taken from them. I have heard people say that the devil has no power and I begin to wonder how they came to such conclusion or where they got that from 24
when Jesus Christ Who is the Lord of hosts declared clearly that the enemy has power. “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19) In verse 18 of the same chapter, Jesus said He beheld satan fall like lightening but never said He saw his power being taking from him. “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” (Luke 10:18) According to bible scholars, what Jesus gave to believers in Luke chapter 10 verse 19 was not power in a sense but “AUTHORITY.” Power is defined as the ability or potential of an individual to influence others and control their actions while authority is the legal or formal right to give orders or commands, and take decisions. However, one's position and office determines the authority of a person. So as believers, we have the legal right in Jesus Christ. In other words, He gave us the right to trample on the enemy but to do that we must know our rights in Him by searching the scriptures. 25
Please note however that this does not mean that we are not empowered. Once we gave our lives to Christ, we became endued with power from on high. “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:” (John 1:12) As believers, we have both been endued with power and have received authority in Jesus Christ over the power of the enemy. When confronted by the devil all Jesus did was counter him with scriptures by declaring that “IT IS WRITTEN.” It is the Word that we know, believe and receive that empowers us. Knowing our rights in Christ through His Word puts us in command. 5. It Empowers Us For Spiritual Warfare The Word of God makes it clear that we are in a battle field, however, our battle is not with flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against 26
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12) In order for us to win this battle, we need an ally who is not only greater but also a Spirit; God! “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) Nevertheless, that we have a Greater ally does not exempt us from the battles of life, that is why Ephesians chapter 6 from verse 11 to 16 tells us what weapons are necessary for the battle and verse 17 specifically says: “… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” (Ephesians 6:17) Our knowledge of the Word of God is a fundamental weapon of warfare that is why it is called a sword. And the man with the sword always renders his enemy helpless. BENEFITS OF STUDYING THE WORD Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12 tells us what a powerful weapon God's Word is in the life of believers, however, we easily lay it aside. 27
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” While the benefits of studying God's Word is quite enormous, many fail to see the Bible as the powerful weapon that it is and some others are simply unaware of the several benefits attached to studying the Word. So what are the benefits? 1. The Word Cleanses The Word of God cleanse our spirits as water cleanse our physical bodies and we know that it is undeniably true that if a man does not take his bath for days he begins to stink! So also it is with our spirits. If we refuse to spend quality time with the Word of God we begin to stink inwardly, hence the need for a regular Word study. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” (Ephesians 5:26) To sanctify means to set apart, declare holy and consecrated. 28
To cleanse is a process by which a person attempts to rid the body of substances regarded as toxic or unhealthy, typically by consuming only water or other liquids. So scripturally, the Word of God is the water that washes away the impurities in us. What the Word does to us when we study it regularly is that it rids us of filth and when we do so consistently, we end up sanctified and set apart for the Lord, that is why Jesus declared in John chapter 17 and verse 17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” A regular Word study cleanses and sets the believer apart. 2. The Word Illuminates The absence of light breeds darkness and where there is light darkness is dispelled. “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5) Jesus is the Light because He is the Word of God that became manifest bodily as the Redeemer of 29
mankind. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) The Prophet Malachi speaking prophetically about Jesus said in Malachi chapter 4 and verse 2: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings…” Jesus validated His Messianic identity with proofs of healing, and when asked by the disciples of John the Baptist if He was the Messiah, He answered by pointing out that the blind received their sight, the lame walked, the lepers cleansed, the deaf heard and the dead rose back to life. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf 30
hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (Matthew 11:4-5) The illuminative capacity of the Word cannot be overemphasized that is why Psalms chapter 119 verse 105 says: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Jesus is the Sun of righteousness and when we receive the Word of God with a ready heart, He illuminates our paths. 3. The Word Guides There are several ways by which God guides us but He does so primarily by His Word because without His Word we may not be sensitive to other ways by which He leads us. As important as the other ways by which He leads us are, the importance of the Word cannot be overemphasized. Just as a map is vital to an explorer who is on a mission to finding lost treasures, so also is God's Word to those who love Him, that is why Proverbs chapter 2 verse 1 to 5 says: 31
“My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” The Word of God is referred to as a Treasure Island in the above verse. Remember the Words of Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 21: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The Word of God is a Treasure Island that holds the key to all of life's issues but until we follow its instructions therein, we would wander aimlessly because only God has the keys to what we seek. “Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” (Isaiah 48:17) “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye 32
turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21) In order to truly live a fulfilled life, we must be guided by God's Word because He alone has the ability to lead us on the right path which ultimately is the path of profiting and we can never miss it in life following Him. 4. The Word Heals And Makes Whole The story was told the great Evangelist, Billy Graham, of a lady who was born with some mental challenges. The lady grew into adulthood still behaving like a child. She was known in their community because during church service she would crawl to the front of the church with saliva dripping from her mouth. But when the Word of God for her healing came, she not only became healed but perfectly whole. After which a young man became interested in her and not only did they get married but also invested heavily in real estate. This testimony is just one of the too numerous testimonies of the healing power of God's Word. There is the account of the Centurion in Matthew chapter 8 verse 5 to 13 whose servant was sick and needed the help of the Master, and when 33
Jesus offered to go with him to attend to him, he humbly requested that the Lord speaks the Word only: “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” (Matthew 8:8) Not only did Jesus commend his so great faith, the Bible recorded that the servant was healed the same hour that Jesus declared his healing: “And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.” (Matthew 8:13) Some time ago, I stumbled on a man whom we both served during my National Youth Service Corps days at a market that was close to my former place of residence. We exchanged pleasantries and he told me that he came to see his mother at her shop. During our discussion he told me that not long after our service year a part of his right arm become numb so he could no longer feel anything there even if pierced with a sharp object and all medical intervention had failed and since he knew me to be a preacher he would appreciate it if I prayed for him. 34
I asked him if he was born again and he said no so I first led him to Christ and prayed a simple prayer asking God for His healing upon him. Not long after that time I was passing by the same place when all of a sudden someone started shouting Pastor! Pastor!! from behind me, I turned to look and saw him seriously smiling. He ran towards me and grabbed me so tightly that God has healed him after I prayed for him. Mark 16:17-18 says: “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.” Even till date the Word of God still heals and makes whole. 5. The Word Gives Wisdom And Understanding The Word of God is the source of all wisdom and understanding. Yes, we can get knowledge from books and other learning materials but divine wisdom and understanding can only come from God but we can never access it without spending 35
time with the Word, and when we do, we become wise, which is why Psalms chapter 111 verse 10 says: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments…” And Proverbs chapter 9 verse 10 says: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” It is only when we spend time with the Word and hear from Him through His Word that we can truly get divine wisdom and understanding. “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.” (Proverbs 4:1) And we know that the Word of God, the Bible, is the book of instruction according to 2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” 36
When we spend time with God through His Word, His light illuminates our hearts and it is that light that births wisdom and understanding. “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (Psalms 119:130) The simple according to the above passage means the upright; the righteous and the godly. 6. The Word Creates The Word of God has creative ability especially when we frame our words and thoughts aright, that is why Hebrews 11:3 says: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” It is by His Words that God created the heaven and the earth including all seen and unseen things. The Bible tells us that the earth was without form, not satisfied with it God said “LET THERE BE LIGHT” and indeed light came – Genesis 1:3. 37
Things may not be going the way they should but we must get our mouths to disagree with our present circumstances, and instead, declare positive affirming words from God's Word. There is a classical example of the creative power of the Word in John chapter 1 verse 1 and 3: “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Remember that we have been able to establish that Jesus Christ is the spoken Word of God that became manifest in flesh according to John chapter 1 and verse 14, and He demonstrated this with the creative miracle as documented in John chapter 11 verses 42 to 45: “And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.” 38
7. The Word Builds Like a child who does not know his rights in his father's house, so also is the child of God who does not know his rights in Christ, anyone can toss him about. But when a man grows into adulthood, no man can get him to relinquish his inheritance to any man, instead, he would rather die to defend his rights. Same is applicable to us as God's children. That is why Paul said in Acts 20:32: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” We can see from the above scripture that it is only those who are built up by God's Word that have access to their inheritance amongst the saints. So when we feast on the Word of God, it builds us up and helps us know our inheritance in the Lord. HOW TO PUT THE WORD TO WORK There are several ways by which we can put the Word of God to work. Amongst them are: 39
1. Receive The Word By Faith It is the Word that we receive by faith that we are empowered to become. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11) What set the Bereans apart was that they received the word with a readiness. The New American Standard Bible translation says that they received the Word with GREAT EAGERNESS and the New Living Translation says they were MORE OPEN MINDED. John chapter 1 verse 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:” The Word of God empowers us to become what we receive by faith. 2. Believe It Whatever we do not believe, we cannot receive. 40
In 2 Kings chapter 2 verse 9, we see a man who believed in the grace and anointing that his master carried and desperately needed a double portion of it which he eventually got. In John chapter 11, we see Jesus speaking to Martha, the sister of His dear friend, Lazarus, said in verse 40: “… Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” We can only become the Word that we believe. 3. Meditate On It To meditate means to have a deep reflection on what we have studied which is different from reading because reading means to scratch or gloss over the surface. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8) When we meditate on the Word, it becomes a part of our subconsciousness and then we begin to 41
manifest it. 4. Visualize It To visualize means to form a mental picture or image of something, but in this case, the Word of God. To put the Word to work, we must go beyond just hearing it to seeing it manifest. In Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 11 and 12, God had to be sure that the Prophet could see beyond his current reality before declaring to make haste to perform it. “Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.” You must be able to see in clear terms what the Word of God says concerning you and any situation you find yourself in, in order to see it manifest. 5. Declare It There is a spiritual force that makes speaking 42
boldly vital because it helps us subdue the enemy, that is why we must be bold in declaring God's Word over any unpleasant situation we find ourselves in because bold declarations always provoke open manifestations. “Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.” (1 Samuel 17:36) “This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” (1 Samuel 17:46) David was bold in declaring what God had done through him and by the time we get to verse 50 we see that Goliath had died. Jesus declared in Luke chapter 21 verse 15 that He would give us “a mouth and wisdom that our adversaries cannot gainsay or resist.” Acts of Apostles chapter 4 verse 29 and Acts chapter 6 verses 9 to 10 says: 43
“Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.” “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,” We must engage the Word by declaring it boldly if we must see it work. 6. Personalize It In putting the Word to work, we must go a step further by personalizing it in order to see it work in our lives. We must see the scripture talking to us personally rather than seeing it referring only to a certain group of people. However, we must also call to mind the context for which the Word was given so that we do not miss the core or the larger narrative which tells us about God's grace being extended to all of humanity. To personalize the Word, using John chapter 3 verse 16 as an instance, we can read it thus: 44
“For God so loved Samson Aboloje, that he gave his only begotten Son, that if Samson Aboloje believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” We must relate it to ourselves personally and to any situation we may be facing. 7. Pray The Word I personally believe that one of the best ways to pray besides praying in the Spirit is to pray the Word. This is because we bring God to remembrance of His Word and of course, it is a Biblical way to pray. To put God in remembrance of His Word does not mean He has forgotten but to prove that we truly know what we are praying about. “Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. (Isaiah 43:26) To pray the Word is to pray as follows; Lord, You said in the book of… You said in… that is, you quote scriptures that align with what you are praying about. 45
The Word of God in Psalms chapter 138 verse 2 says: “… for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” God values His Word and when we remind Him of what He has said, He ensures a fulfillment of it. “Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.” (Isaiah 41:21) We must be able to prove to the Lord why we deserve to be heard, and one of the ways to do so is by presenting to Him what He has said and because He is not a liar He will do what He has promised. 8. Act On The Word Faith is not a function of verbal declaration alone, but a deep conviction that God will do as He has promised and that belief is what draws into the divine nature of God to culminate in the physical manifestation that we call miracles, and it is that conviction that stirs us to act as though we have received our answer even before they manifest. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy 46
mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8) Beyond declaring and meditating on the Word, we must go further to act on the Word that is why it says we must “… observe to do according to all that is written therein…” if we must see it work. 47
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