PERONAL LIFE MANAGEMENT

Where Do You Fit?

Rom. 12:3-5

“But I say to every one of you, through the grace given to me, not to have an over-high opinion of himself, but to have wise thoughts, as God has given to every one a measure of faith.

Rom. 12:3-5

For, as we have a number of parts in one body, but all the parts have not the same use, So we, though we are a number of persons, are one body in Christ, and are dependent on one another” – BBE

I. THE FOUNDATION FOR FINDING WHERE YOU FIT

A.Christ is the head of the church

B. Christ dispensed what he had in him into individual members of his body

I. THE FOUNDATION FOR FINDING WHERE YOU FIT

C. Christ now functions through the church

D. We experience that fullness that is in Christ when we rightly relate to the body of Christ















I. THE FOUNDATION FOR FINDING WHERE YOU FIT

E. The body of Christ is composed of unity in diversity

F. Each member of the body has a place to function in the body

II. HOW TO FIND WHERE YOU FIT

A. You have a place of responsibility and function before the Lord

B. God has made you perfectly suited for the ministry he has called you

C. It is God who equips you with the gifts necessary for you to fulfill your unique ministry

D. Recognize the headship of Christ and be subject to him in all things

II. HOW TO FIND WHERE YOU FIT

E. Recognize that all ministry is service

F. Recognize that no area of ministry is greater than another

II. HOW TO FIND WHERE YOU FIT

G. Recognize that all ministry develops over a period of time

H. Recognize the area of ministry to which God is calling you

II. HOW TO FIND WHERE YOU FIT

I. Success only comes when you are willing to sacrificially apply yourself

J. God is going to give you the anointing of the Holy Spirit to do his will

III.HOW TO FIND WHERE YOU FIT

v You cannot fit into the body of Christ until you are Born Again; believe in and receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord

FAR ABOVE RUBIES

FAR ABOVE RUBIES“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.” (Acts 31:10, NKJV)


I. REVERENCE FOR GOD
A. The fear of the Lord    Hatred of evil
B. Departure from evil
C.Sacrificial desire to please God


II. GRACIOUSNESS
A. Gracious words
B. Purity of heart and grace on the lips
C. Words for necessary edification

III. INDUSTRIOUSNESS
A. She plans her work
B. She plans for her family and the needy
C. She plans her time
D. She plans for herself

REFLECTION:A. What are you doing as a girl/ unmarried woman/ married woman to achieve this noble goal of being worth “far above rubies?”

B. What critical steps will you take today, even right now to adjust your lifestyle in order bring yourself to the place of actualizing these qualities in your life and family?

C. As a boy/ unmarried man/ married man, what roles will you assume under God to begin to function so that the women folk around you turn out to be worth “far above rubies?

NOTE:
Becoming a woman of great value begins with accepting Jesus as your personal Saviour and Lord!

PERSONAL LIFE MANAGEMENT: Understanding Life Management

PERSONAL LIFE MANAGEMENT

Understanding Life Management

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.” (Jn. 15:16, NKJV)

OBSERVATIONS:

God chose you with a purpose in mind

God has appointed you to accomplish a certain work

God’s intention is that your work will live after you

God will help you to fulfill the work

THE NECESSITY OF LIFE MANAGEMENT

To discover how to fit into God’s plan

To understand what God expects from us

To discover your personal vision for life

To learn how to manage your vision for life

To become better steward of resources

To challenge you on Christian character in relation to your vision

To bring glory to God as he helps you to achieve your vision

 THE NUCLEUS OF LIFE MANAGEMENT

Getting a vision from God

Managing the vision

Accomplishing the vision

GOD’S WORD ON LIFE MANAGEMENT

John 15:16

Acts 20:22-24

Romans 12:1-8

1Corinthians 9:24-27

Philippians 3:12-15

2Timothy 2:15-16

2Timothy 4:6-8

2Peter 1:5-11

MOST IMPORTANT!

LIFE MANAGEMENT BEGINS WITH YOU TRUSTING YOUR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD

THE ADVANCING CHURCH: Advancing by the Power of His Resurrection

“And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33, NKJV)

I. IT MAKES A STATEMENT ON THE PERSON AND PRINCIPLES OF JESUS

A. It is the mark of Jesus’ divine sonship
B. It is the seal of the Father’s acceptance of the Son
C. It is the demonstration of Jesus’ victory
D. It is the illustration of incorruptibility

II. IT MAKES A STATEMENT ON THE PERSON OF THE BELIEVER

A. It proves your Justification
B. It illustrates God’s power
C. It provides a High Priest for you
D. It begets a living hope
E. It guarantees your resurrection

God demands that you:

• Courageously witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus
• Courageously live the resurrection life on daily basis

NOTE:
When we witness to the resurrection with great power, God will release great grace upon us!

THE ADVANCING CHURCH. THE MISSIONAL CHURCH.

Acts 1:8

•  “God’s primary activity is in the world, and the church is God’s instrument sent into the world to participate in His redemptive mission”
•  God’s mission calls the church into existence. Therefore, mission forms and informs everything that the advancing church does  
• The missional church does not speak about the church with a program of mission but the church that focuses all its ministry activities towards participating with God in his agenda to redeem the world through Christ Jesus.

 I. OPERATES APOSTOLIC TEAM MINISTRY

•  Jerusalem
•  Samaria 
• Caesarea 
• Antioch in Syria

II. ORGANIZES AROUND SPIRITUAL LEADERS

• Ministered to the Lord
• Sought to hear God  
• Released their spiritual gifts  
• Obeyed the voice of God 
• Commissioned workers

III. OVERSEES THE EXECUTION OF MISSIONS

• Deliberate act of sending into missions
• “where the gospel gets to, it also goes from” – principle 
• Missions report – accountability

 BELIEVE! God has called us to be a SENDING/MISSIONAL church; we exist for the mission of God on the face of the earth .When we obey God, we will experience blessings that are not common in all the dimensions of our lives. True mission starts with giving your life to Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord.

THE ADVANCING CHURCH. SOLVING PROBLEMS IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Acts 1:8

• Problems do exist. They are real in the heavenly realms as well as the earthly realms.
• The devil has been the chief sponsor of problems on earth.
• Regardless the source, problems exist to be solved. The church is one of the agencies that God sent into the world to bring solution to the multitudes of problems that exist.
• The Holy Spirit solves problems with such profundity – intellectual depth, penetrating knowledge, keen insight that defeats the enemy, brings praises to God, puts smiles of joy in the hearts of people, and advances the mission of God in and through the church. 

I. INTERNAL PROBLEM – Acts 6:1-7

• As we depend on the Holy Spirit in problem solving, let us not forget that he is the creative Spirit.In other words, in listening to the Holy Spirit, let us open our minds to the possibility that he can, and he also has the absolute authority to;  lead us to a solution that is altogether new or different from what we might have thought it would be. Responsible church members should see it as a point of duty to report any problem to the leaders. This will help the church to advance in its mission  

II. EXTERNAL PROBLEM Acts 4:1-31; 8:1-3, 4-5; 9:31

•  Hades has several operational ways or methods that it deploys against the church seeking to hinder it from its mission
• As TVCBC we must be – 

1. A praying people
2. A preaching people, and
3. A preparing people

III. EXPANSION PROBLEM – Acts 11:1-18; 15:1-35

• The question is: where and/ or how do the leaders situate or position the different dimensions of the corporate nature of the church?
• Emerging leaders that are not properly placed become a problem to the church. We must keep organizing and reorganizing the church to accommodate the current move of God among us
• Regardless the cause of poverty, the church should deploy the resources that God has given to meet needs
• Giving to the poor is lending to the Lord. And God is faithful to pay back what he borrows from you (Prov. 19:17)

Think!

• Our problems in the church may not be related to partiality, persecution, and placement. Whatever they may be, we should be sincere in our hearts to pray, listen to the Holy Spirit, interact with the  Scriptures and bring about Spirit-inspired solution.

Conclusion
If you are not born again, you are a problem already and the only Spirit-inspired solution that God offers you now is SALVATION. Make haste to receive Jesus
Christ as your personal savior and lord
When you refuse to receive and believe in Jesus, it means accepting the devil, the source of all forms of troubles, into your life. Be born again now!

THE OUTPOURING. THE PURPOSE OF PENTECOST

John 4:27-38

• Pentecost is all about harvest.
• In the former pentecost, the law was written on a stone but now pentecost is written in our hearts.
• Pentecost last for 50days. 
• In the new testament, pentecost marks the giving of power to the church to harvest the nations.

 EVIDENCE FOR THE NEED FOR PENTECOST

•  People who are tired of social discrimination.
• People who are ignorant of the gift of God.
• People who are engaged in mi
• People who are tired of spiritual discrimination.
• nisterial competition.
• People who want the gift of God without the giver.
• People that flatter with praises to divert attention to religious debate.
• People who look for material things to enhance themselves.
• People eho look down on others.
• People who seat on the fence/proscatinate.
• People who are not true labourers.
• People who are blind to the work of God.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CURRENT MOVE OF GOD
True worshippers, true worship, spiritual worship and worship in the truth.
 NOTE: It is not all spiritual worship that is done in truth.

Jesus commands His followers to lift up their eyes to be visioners and burden bearers.

THE ADVANCING CHURCH: Ministry in the Power of the Holy Spirit

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8,NKJV).

• Jesus associated the receiving of the power of God with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the life of the believer after salvation

• It is necessary for believers to be clothe with the power of the Holy Spirit in order to be witnesses of Jesus by proclaiming forgiveness and remission of sin in the name of Jesus

A panorama of power ministry in Acts

• Acts 2:1-4, 22
• Acts 5:12-16
• Acts 6:8
• Acts 8:6
• Acts 9:36-42
• Acts 12; 16:16-34
• Acts 13:4-12
• Acts 15:12
• Acts 19:11-12
• Acts 27:23-26
• Acts 28:2-6, 7-10

There is no doubt that The advancing church fulfills God’s mission as it understands and operates power ministries.


I. JESUS TAUGHT THE EARLY DISCIPLES

1. They were with Jesus
2. They were taught power ministry
3. They were empowered to minister

II. JESUS COMMISSIONED THE EARLY DISCIPLES

1. They proclaimed Jesus, the word
2. They performed works of power
3. They experienced God

NOTE the following:

1. God has not stopped power ministry
2. God wants the whole world saved
3. God is still baptizing believers in the Holy Spirit
4. God is still writing the book of Acts

The CHALLENGE:

1. Believe God and his word
2. Believe the name of Jesus
3. Break the power of unbelief and fear 
4. Brave it! This week and always seek for opportunities to bring God’s power to help people

Very IMPORTANT Note:
Ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit is given only to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. You must be born again. You must have your sins forgiven in the name of Jesus.

You must have your name written the Lamb’s book of Life. Then Jesus will trust you with his name and his Spirit to witness to him before all nations. Amen.

THE ADVANCING CHURCH. Unity of Heart and Soul

Acts 4:32a; 2:42

I. COMMITMENT TO THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE

• Teaching builds the church
• Teaching defines character, behavior & results
• Teaching has an eternal goal

 NOTE:
 PRACTICING THE WORD OF GOD IS THE MEANING OF DEVOTION TO THE TEACHING OF THE APOSTLES.

II. COMMITMENT TO FELLOWSHIP
 
NOTE: 
Fellowship is not just an event that takes place within time and space. Fellowship includes sacrificial, self-giving of ourselves and
our resources to ensure that we provide for the total growth of one another as we face life together in the house of God.

III. COMMITMENT TO THE BREAKING OF BREAD

NOTE: 
The exercise places your mind straight away within the centre of Redemptive history and privileges that Jesus gives to us through the redemption that he wrought by his blood.
NOTE: Life’s major deals are finalized at the table. Come to the Lord’s Table and finalize the issues of your life with him there!

IV. COMMITMENT TO PRAYER

• Acts 1:12-14
• Acts 2:1ff
• Acts 4:24
• Acts 12:5

“HE LOVES ME BEST WHO LOVES ME IN HIS PRAYERS” – Anon.

Prayer is one of the most awesome ways given to us by God to connect the needs of humanity to the incredible power of Divinity.
Prayer is one of the God-given ways to have fellowship with God, who is both in us and yet above us.
When we pray as a church, it is the whole body of Christ as represented by this local assembly that prays.
It evokes a corporate invocation of God’s power on his body. God hears the agreement of heart and soul and responds speedily.
The basis of ALL Christian unity of heart and soul is found in receiving and believing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

THE ADVANCING CHURCH Empowered by the Spirit

(Acts 1:4-5, 8)
I. EMPOWERED FOR PROCLAMATION – (Acts 2:1-12, 14-41)

  We proclaim through the gifts of the Spirit

  We proclaim through preaching

II. EMPOWERED TO PRAY – (Acts 4:23-31)

  O God, empower us to preach your word with more boldness

  O God, stretch forth your hand to heal and to do miraculous signs and wonders in the name of Jesus

III. EMPOWERED TO PERPETUATE REVIVAL – (Acts 8:4-7, 14-17)

  This empowerment is a divine statement that God wants the gospel of salvation to reach all people. God also wants the work to continue from Samaria to other places.

  A cardinal lesson here is: get born again and also receive the empowerment from the Holy Spirit to be an effective witness for Christ.

IV. EMPOWERED TO PARTICIPATE– (Acts 9:17-19; 10:44-48)

  Saul’s conversion

  Cornelius’ conversion

V. EMPOWERED FOR PORTENCY – (Acts 19:1-7)

  God’s power was so visible in the way they believed and acted. The word of God grew mightily that it prevailed over all the works of the devil.

 Jesus owns his church. By his blood he bought us to belong to the Father

 Jesus is the one who empowers every believer in the Holy Spirit

 Jesus still calls people to repentance for the remission of sins and to receive the Holy Spirit.

POWER FOR ADVANCING. The Power of The Name of JESUS (2)

Heb. 13:8


New Testament lifestyle is one that is rooted in 1John 4:4 – “Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world;” developed on the conviction that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus – Rom. 8:37 and thrives on the recognition that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” – Heb. 13:8

I. SALVATION FROM SIN

• Mat. 1:21, 23
• John. 1:12  
• Acts 4:12  
• 1Cor. 6:11

II. BELIEVER’S BAPTISMS

• Baptism into the body of Christ - Rom. 6:3-4; 1Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27-28
•  Baptism into water 
• Baptism into the Holy Spirit – (Mat. 3:11; Mk. 1:7-8; Lk. 3:16; Jn. 1:30-33); Acts 1:5; 2:4; Mk. 16:17

III. PRAYING WITH RESULTS

•  John 14:13-14
• John 16:23-24

IV. HEALING THE SICK

• Acts 3:12-13, 16
•  Acts 9:34  
• James 5:14-15

V. DELIVERANCE FOR CAPTIVES

• Mk. 16:17-18, 20
• Lk. 10:17-20, 21-24 cf. Lk. 9:49-50  
• Acts 16:16-18

VI. DOING ALL THINGS

• Col. 3:17
• Eph. 5:20 
• Acts 4:11, 18

VERY IMPORTANT!

• 1John 3:23 – “And this is his commandment: that we should BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
• The day you repent of your sins and surrender your life to Jesus to be your personal Savior and Lord, that same moment, he gives his name to you.

POWER FOR ADVANCING: The Power of The Name of JESUS

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Heb. 13:8, NKJ).

I. JESUS OBTAINED HIS NAME BY PROPHECY

• The nature of Hebrew names – prophetic projections
• The name of Jesus given by God 
• The name JESUS means “God is salvation.” Among the Jews, it is the same name with Joshua 

II. JESUS OBTAINED HIS NAME BY INHERITANCE

• Heb. 1:1-6
• Heb. 2:9
• Acts 2:25-27, 29-31
• Acts 13:33
• The day God raised up Jesus from the dead was the day Jesus became “begotten of the Father” and entered into his inheritance. 
• Believers reign in life through Christ Jesus, with whom also God made us to be his co-heirs.

III. JESUS OBTAINED HIS NAME BY CONFERMENT

• His self-denial – vv.5-7
• His self-sacrifice – v.8
• His exaltation – vv.9-11
• God still exalts the humble at heart. You can only release the power that is in the name of Jesus when you use it with humility before God.

IV. JESUS OBTAINED HIS NAME BY CONQUEST

• Col. 2:13-15
• Col. 1:3

THE POWER OF THE NAME OF JESUS

• His name is also the symbol of his mission, his authority, and his power. 
• “in the name of Jesus” means summoning into action the authority and power of Jesus based on his mission and in recognition that
• He obtained his name and delegated same to us his followers to use by faith upon the object of our faith or prayer.
• The day your repent of your sins and surrender your life to Jesus to be your personal Savior and Lord, that same moment, he gives his name to you.

POWER FOR ADVANCING: The Power of The Word of God

(2 Timothy 3:15-17)

I. THE WORD OF GOD MAKES WISE FOR SALVATION

• The whole world lies under the vicious cover of foolishness
• Power is needed to change from foolishness to wisdom 
• The word of God is the power that we all need to correct all the foolishness of our lives’ thoughts, behaviors and actions 
• The power of the word of God is so powerful that it performs in the person that receives the word the miracle of all miracles, SALVATION 

II. THE WORD OF GOD IS PROFITABLE TO LIFE

• “This book will keep you away from sin or sin will keep you away from this book” 

4 Dimensions of profiting:

• Teaching/ Doctrine
• Rebuking/ Reproving
•  Correcting
• Instructing/ Training in righteousness
• Any believer that sees their self as being above how we profit from the word of God is an accident waiting to happen. The whole of your life must be lived in the word of God 
• The word of God is powerful to cause you to profit. It is fail-proof and it is also error-free. 

III. THE WORD OF GOD THOROUGHLY EQUIPS FOR EVERY GOOD WORK

• To be Complete - The mature/ complete person is one that lives and advances in life based on the revelation of the word of God 
• Thoroughly equipped – Fully qualified for the good work 
• The power of the word of God equips you to shun mediocre thinking, behavior, and action 
• Every good work – the work of the gospel. It is living and proclaiming the gospel of Christ.

To Release the Power of the Word of God in Your Life –

1. Be born again 
2. Read/ hear the word 
3. Study the word 
4. Meditate on the word 
5. Confess the word 
6. Sing the word 
7. Pray the word and do it. 

POWER FOR ADVANCING. THE POWER OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS

Heb. 9:22

I. RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

• The means Jesus becomes our atonement
• Justifies and saves from wrath
• Brings people near to God
• Brings reconciliation
• Speaks a better word for the believer

II. RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEVIL AND THE WORLD

• Redeems us
• The means we overcome the accuser

III. RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHURCH

• The means by which Jesus purchased us
• It bears witness in the earth

IV. RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU AS A PERSON

• Remits sins
• Gives life
• Causes you to dwell in in Christ and Christ in you
• Grants forgiveness of sins
• Obtained eternal redemption

IV. RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU AS A PERSON

• Cleanses our conscience
• The means we enter the presence of God
• It sanctifies
• Makes you complete
• Cleanses from all sin
• The means Jesus washes us

You must have Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and Lord before you can stand before the courts of heaven and be heard on the basis of the power of the blood of Jesus!

ADVANCE: Essential factors for advancing

Essential factors for advancing

Spiritual Warfare – 2

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

03:16:00

NOTE:

Spiritual warfare is fought and won by bringing YOUR MIND to the obedience of Christ through discernment and discipline

I. SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS FOUGHT AND WON BY BRINGING YOUR MIND TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST THROUGH DISCERNMENT (VV.3-4)

Paul discerned that . . .

• The enemy was operating through the mind of the people
• He must be different in his approach from that of the devil and his accusers

A stronghold is . . .

• A defensive structure that is inaccessible by the enemy – 1 Sam. 23:14, 19 – on David’s stronghold; 2 Sam. 22:1-2; Ps. 9:9; 18:2 – on God as stronghold 

A stronghold is . . .

• An incorrect way of thinking that has become a part of a person’s reasoning 

A stronghold is . . .

• Patterns in the mind that are programmed to think contrary to the truth 

How is a stronghold formed?

• Stronghold is built upon deception and error from many sources that you open your mind to. These may include – 

• Environment
• People
• Demonic influence
• Religious inclinations
• Christian denominations
• Constant reminders of past sins and failures that leave behind a picture of helplessness and hopelessness, etc. 
• Constant reminders of past sins and failures that leave behind a picture of helplessness and hopelessness, etc. 

II. SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS FOUGHT AND WON BY BRINGING YOUR MIND TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST THROUGH DISCIPLINE (VV.4-6)

• Paul’s response to the spiritual warfare in Corinth is unlike the one in Ephesus
• The spiritual battle in Corinth is a mind game

3 dimensions of the devil’s operation in the stronghold of the mind . . .

Arguments/ imagination
Pretentious high knowledge against the knowledge of God
Thoughts

The battle of the mind is won through disciplined approach to keep YOUR mind under the obedience of Christ in the following biblically demonstrated ways . . .

• Renewing your mind 
• Preaching/ teaching sound doctrines
• Submitting to God
• Resisting the devil
• Reckoning of yourself
• As part of discipline, live with the readiness to punish all disobedience because your obedience to Christ is complete/ full
• You can have this discernment and discipline ONLY in Christ Jesus as your Savior and Lord. It is only in him and through him that you can win all your battles in the spiritual warfare and ADVANCE!