04-10-2021, 07:19 AM
RHAPSODY OF REALITIES,
SATURDAY 10TH APRIL 2021.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome
TOPIC: ATTAINING SPIRITUAL MATURITY
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one… (1 John 2:12-13).
The Apostle John, in the opening text, addresses three classes of God’s people: first, the little children, then the young men, and finally, the fathers. “Fathers” in this context isn’t referring to a male parent, but to those who have attained spiritual maturity in Christ; those who have raised others and have been in the Lord long enough to have the experience of God through the Word. It refers to those who have come to spiritual manhood. In them, the Word of the Lord is fulfilled.
Through the Holy Spirit, these ones are able to understand and interpret the mind of God on wide variety of issues and establish His righteousness.
Attaining to this level of spiritual maturity is simply by giving yourself to the Scriptures in study and meditation, knowing God’s Word and living by it every day. In 2 Timothy 2:15 AMPC, Paul admonished: “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.” Also, Jesus said in John 5:39, “Search the scriptures....”
The Scriptures have the capacity to build you unto maturity: “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”*_ (Acts 20:32).
The Word is your life; therefore, yield yourself to the Word to build and nourish you. The Bible says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). The Word is the only ingredient that can transform and build our lives on all three levels: spirit, soul and body.
PRAYER
Dear Father, my heart is opened to receive your Word and live by it today. I’m transformed from glory to glory, and positioned to fulfill your destiny and plan for my life, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY
Mark 12:24
And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
Acts 17:11
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.
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Luke 12:22-48 & Judges 9
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Mark 1:1-13 & Leviticus 10
#AFFIRMATIONTRAIN
I affirm that I am a peculiar treasure unto God; He has made me His pearl of inestimable value. I have a purpose and destiny in life, a destiny of greatness! I am a new creature; an offspring of the Word, I accept my new reality and identity in Christ.
I am a saint, I am holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in God’s sight because I am born again, with the nature of righteousness in my spirit. Life is not a mystery unto me; I live in absolute mastery over the circumstances of life.
Daily, my spirit is open to the Word. I have wisdom for ministry, for my job, my business, finances, health, and family! Divinity is at work in my spirit, soul, and body. This divine life surges through my being, destroying and repelling sickness, disease, infirmity, death, poverty, and everything inconsistent with the provisions of the Gospel of Christ.
I am invincible, indestructible, and impregnable. I function today, and always, in divine wisdom, manifesting the glory and virtues of divinity deposited in my spirit.
I am up and alive; I am aglow with the spirit. Everything I am, everything I do, and everything I have are pledged for the expansion of God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.
Therefore, the blessings of God are manifest in my life, and His glory is revealed in an increasing measure as I lead men and women to righteousness. I am strengthened, energised, and emboldened to preach the Gospel, and I am doing it fervently. Glory to God. Hallelujah!
God bless you
SATURDAY 10TH APRIL 2021.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome
TOPIC: ATTAINING SPIRITUAL MATURITY
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one… (1 John 2:12-13).
The Apostle John, in the opening text, addresses three classes of God’s people: first, the little children, then the young men, and finally, the fathers. “Fathers” in this context isn’t referring to a male parent, but to those who have attained spiritual maturity in Christ; those who have raised others and have been in the Lord long enough to have the experience of God through the Word. It refers to those who have come to spiritual manhood. In them, the Word of the Lord is fulfilled.
Through the Holy Spirit, these ones are able to understand and interpret the mind of God on wide variety of issues and establish His righteousness.
Attaining to this level of spiritual maturity is simply by giving yourself to the Scriptures in study and meditation, knowing God’s Word and living by it every day. In 2 Timothy 2:15 AMPC, Paul admonished: “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.” Also, Jesus said in John 5:39, “Search the scriptures....”
The Scriptures have the capacity to build you unto maturity: “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”*_ (Acts 20:32).
The Word is your life; therefore, yield yourself to the Word to build and nourish you. The Bible says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). The Word is the only ingredient that can transform and build our lives on all three levels: spirit, soul and body.
PRAYER
Dear Father, my heart is opened to receive your Word and live by it today. I’m transformed from glory to glory, and positioned to fulfill your destiny and plan for my life, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY
Mark 12:24
And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
Acts 17:11
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.
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Luke 12:22-48 & Judges 9
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Mark 1:1-13 & Leviticus 10
#AFFIRMATIONTRAIN
I affirm that I am a peculiar treasure unto God; He has made me His pearl of inestimable value. I have a purpose and destiny in life, a destiny of greatness! I am a new creature; an offspring of the Word, I accept my new reality and identity in Christ.
I am a saint, I am holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in God’s sight because I am born again, with the nature of righteousness in my spirit. Life is not a mystery unto me; I live in absolute mastery over the circumstances of life.
Daily, my spirit is open to the Word. I have wisdom for ministry, for my job, my business, finances, health, and family! Divinity is at work in my spirit, soul, and body. This divine life surges through my being, destroying and repelling sickness, disease, infirmity, death, poverty, and everything inconsistent with the provisions of the Gospel of Christ.
I am invincible, indestructible, and impregnable. I function today, and always, in divine wisdom, manifesting the glory and virtues of divinity deposited in my spirit.
I am up and alive; I am aglow with the spirit. Everything I am, everything I do, and everything I have are pledged for the expansion of God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.
Therefore, the blessings of God are manifest in my life, and His glory is revealed in an increasing measure as I lead men and women to righteousness. I am strengthened, energised, and emboldened to preach the Gospel, and I am doing it fervently. Glory to God. Hallelujah!
God bless you