LIGHT FROM THE WORD

“But ye are nor in the flesh, but in the Spirit; if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” – Romans 8:9

LIGHT FOR NOW: A fundamental understanding about the leading of the spirit is that God has given every believer his spirit.

Our key text above makes us see that God’s spirit dwells in us. We are His. In verse 14 of Romans 8, Paul says “For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God”. We are led by the spirit of God. “His spirit” used above is a very strong word. It implies partnership, fellowship and oneness. Recall, we are led by his spirit. He will not lead us anymore than He has led us. “Led” here carries the thought of union with another. It is important to note that the spirit dwelling in man was a prophecy under the Old Covenant. Ezekiel in prophecy said “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I clean you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:25-27). The promise of the spirit was fulfilled in Christ and received by faith in Christ/the gospel. The minute a man believes the gospel, he receives the spirit of God.

In Ephesians 1:13, Paul echoes “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise”. At new birth, the Holy Spirit took residence in you; you now house God’s spirit eternally. Paul emphasized this fact to the Corinthian church: “Now we have received, not the spirit which is of God: that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1Corinthians 2:12). “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1Corinthians 6:19). This was in spite of the correction he had given to them earlier in the same chapter, that is, 1Corinthians 3:1 which reads “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ”. They still had the spirit of God. It is a never-ending fact. A believer must accept this fact, hold unto the knowledge of it irrespective of what happened. It is what gives us the confidence of God’s leading everyday and all the time. Glory!

INSTRUCTION: Let your realities occupy your mind.

CONFESSION: I have the spirit of God. It is a never-ending fact. The spirit of God is in me eternally, in Jesus Name, Amen.

QUOTE: God’s spirit in the believer is an eternal reality of his identity.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 1CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 3; EVENING: 1CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 6

“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” – Ephesians 5:8-9

LIGHT FOR NOW: The believer had long gone out of the part of confusion from new birth. Direction is not his problem.

It is very important for the believer to recognize his identity; who he is. Our key text above shows that the believer is light in Him (in Christ). The originals of verse 9 of our key text above rendered “fruit of the light”. We have the fruit of the light. Apostle Paul in Colossians 1:13 says “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son”. We had been delivered from darkness and transferred into the kingdom of sons which shows that we have taken the identity if our new nation. It’s a kingdom of sons and we are the sons, since a nation is made up of its citizens. Observe Apostle Peter’s words in 1Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”. Peter calls it marvelous; this means full of wonders, miracles. Apostle John in 1John 1:5 has this to say “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that god is light, and in him is no darkness at all”. John helps us see a fundamental fact about god here, there’s no darkness in him at all. He is only light. This must certainly also be seen in his offering.

Paul explains even further in 2Corinthians 6:14 which reads, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” Believers are called light. Light means directions. It never lacks it. It gives direction. From the above submission, the believer being light means he doesn’t lack direction. The believer left the path of confusion at new birth. This means a believer is never without what to do and how to do it. We are in him. Direction is our inheritance in Christ. We don’t pray for direction, it’s ours. We however, only pray to know it, that is, to see it and walk in it. You are light. You are of the light. You are an offspring of light. Direction is yours now and always. Glory!  

INSTRUCTION: Fix your gaze on Christ’s accomplishment for you.

CONFESSION: I recognize who I am. I am light in Christ; I do not walk in darkness, in Jesus Name, Amen.

QUOTE: The believer doesn’t have a direction problem.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 2CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 6; EVENING: 1PETER CHAPTER 2

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” – Mark 16:15-18

LIGHT FOR NOW: The believer in Christ has the name of Jesus; that name is his position and possession. He is in the name; he doesn’t get into the name.

Authority in the name of Jesus refers to what is available to us in what he has done. Healing, love, God’s power, dominion over Satan and his works are available in the name. Closely observe Philippians 2:8-11, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. That he gave him a name does not mean the letters have changed but means that he now has an office, an office he never occupied in the four gospels. The name of Jesus confers authority over every believer. Observe closely Mark 16:17-18, “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 of serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands or the sick, and they shall recover”. Notice, the signs above shall follow them that believe; in other words, these signs shall be an accompaniment of the believing ones. Believing doesn’t follow the signs, the signs follow believing. In essence, by virtue of being a believer, these signs accompany you:

• You cast out devils – You expel demons. Demons tremble at your presence.
• You speak with new tongues.
• If poison unknowingly goes through your system, its effect is neutralized because in your system, poison does not work there. The greater one lives inside of you.
• You take up serpents and scorpions or you tread upon serpents and scorpions – that is, you render Satan and his work ineffective and redundant.
• You lay hands on the sick and they recover – so you heal the sick.

You are seated in the place of authority, use your authority. Glory!

INSTRUCTION: Use your authority.

CONFESSION: I am in the name; all things are mine. I do not get into the name, I am in the name. I am a beneficiary of what Christ has done, in Jesus Name, Amen.

QUOTE: Believers don’t follow signs; signs follow believers.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 2; EVENING: EPHESIANS CHAPTER 2

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” – Mark 16:15-18

LIGHT FOR NOW: Authority that is available but not exercised remains useless. Hence, in exercising your authority as a believer, you must speak.

It is important for the believer not just to know he has authority in the name of Jesus but more importantly to know how to use it, that is, how to use the authority. Whatever was written in the bible was first spoken. It was written so that it will be spoken. Hence, words are a symbol of authority. Observe when Jesus was tempted, Jesus spoke the scriptures. The words of the scriptures are for us. Jesus on several actions spoke who he was. He consistently said “I am…” John 14:6 is an instance, it reads “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me”. Similarly, John 6:35 says “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst”. Jesus in the four gospels was spoken of as one with great authority. Matthew 7:29 has this to say “For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes”. Similarly, Matthew 21:23 says “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority?” He was bold to put the words concerning him in his mouth.

Jesus in Mark 11:22-23 shows us something important, it reads “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith”. Jesus uses the fig tree scenario here to explain the use of authority. That is, He took authority over the fig tree by speaking. Authority is exercised by speaking. When you have authority over something, you speak to it. It is what you say and how you say it that defines whether you are using the authority or not. As I speak, I am using my authority. Glory!

INSTRUCTION: Speak from the place of authority.

CONFESSION: What I have in Christ is what he has done for me. What he has done for me is now my position and possession, in Jesus Name, Amen.

QUOTE: Words are authority symbols.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: MATTHEW CHAPTER 8; EVENING: MATTHEW CHAPTER 17