Greetings.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you all in the Name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST by whom, through whom, in whom, for whom, of whom and with whom all things subsist.
Greetings to TS Thomson. He is doing well and upgrading the Fellowship as his predecessors in the past two decades had wrought.
I remember TS Joy, Freeborn, Yakubu, Chinedu et al who had all worked with me.
GOD be with them all.
Introduction
The message on Spirituality has left the pulpits owing to the onslaught of modern, liberal, hyper Grace, 21st Century Theology that has left the substance of repentance and godliness and distracted the last day Church with the prosperity- wealth and health teachings.
Our worry is that these modern, noisy and emotional messages from the Word of Faith Movement had not produced the godly character propensities requisite for Christian Ambassadorial positions and qualification for the Rapture which requires Sanctification, holiness of demeanour and perfection as the vision of NIFES anchored on Col 1: 28, to wit: ” to present everyone perfect in CHRISTJESUS “.
I have been on Campus in the past 25 years and I regret to observe that the Spiritual quality of Campus Christianity has been on a downward trend from holiness and righteousness to worldliness and all manner of perversions.
When we were in the UNIBEN PG School in the Christian Union about 30 years ago, exam misconduct among brethren, indecent 👗 dress codes and the scripturally abhorrent celebrations like Valentine/Lovers Day ( with Church comedy, Beauty Contest and other reprehensible things ) were never part of Christianity.
Today the polluted Churches in town have badly affected Campus Christianity that the LORD JESUS is still asking, ” …when the SON of Man comes back to Earth, would HE find Faith?”
I will divide this message into three aspects of biblical Spirituality for easy comprehension.
1. The Biblical Principle of Separation
When we are born again, our spirits are made alive and our souls begin to undergo the washing and regeneration of Titus 3:5 by the cleansing of the Word as inscribed in Eph 5:26.
The constant reading of the Word does this work by the unction of the LORD Holy Spirit as our redeemed ❤️ hearts and minds are transformed, renewed and sanctified.
The next stage is now to present our bodies a living sacrifice (not dead sacrifices like lovers day splash) holy (not defiled like wearing of mini skirts and other worldly adornments) acceptable ( not unacceptable practices like exam misconduct) to GOD, which is our reasonable service. (not unreasonable services like admissions/ hostel accommodation runs) as commanded in Room 12:1-2.
A Christian separates himself/ herself from sin and worldliness.
Modernity can not change His incorruptible and unimpeachable Word.
The Word is the standard not your denomination.
Fornication and secrete romance in the Fellowship would defile your Faith and take you to hell.
Moreover, Lascivious and amorous chatting on your phone with the opposite sex has ruined your destiny irrespective of numerous Annointing services you have attended.
Straightaway, please note that 2 Corr 6:14 demands that a believer should not be unequally yoked with an unbeliever for light does not live with darkness.
If your best friend is an unbeliever, you are insulting the Cross of His propitiation.
Furthermore, 1Jn 2 : 15-17, we have been commanded not to be part of and love this world:
the lust of the eyes, of the flesh and the pride of life.
If you bought a pair of shoes for #2,500 and told your room mate that you bought it for #25,000, you are full of the pride, duplicity and insincerity of this world and needs a fresh touch.
Continuing, James 4:4 says that anyone who loves the world is an enemy of the FATHER.
It therefore means that, if you partake in our Fellowship love feast and go back to your village 🏠 house, to drink alcohol during new yam, masquerade or other heathen festivals, you are GODs enemy despite the fact that you are an Ex Co Member.
A believer does not marry an unbeliever as biblically commanded.
If you are here and you are courting and paring with an unbeliever, you have abused the Cross wherein, we were redeemed.
The first principle of Spirituality is separation.
Note it. No compromises . No negotiated Christianity!
We need to pray and rededicate our lives to Him for continual cleansing.
2. The Principle of Mortification.
In Col 3: 5, et al, we are commanded to put to death, all the members of our bodies, viz:
Every kind of uncleanliness of the tongues ( gossip) ✋ hands ( violence) legs ( ungodly visitations ) genitals ( pornography, masturbation and lesbianism ) hearts❤️ ( bitterness and revengeful thoughts) and appetites ( unrestrained and unbridled eating) should be processed afresh at the Altar .
Mortification connotes putting to death and sacrificing our lives to GOD as a living sacrifice.
In this sacrifice, brethren, you and I are the priests offering the sacrifices and you and I are the sacrifices ourselves, for all of our bodies are going to the Altar!
HalleluJAH.
Angels 👼don’t have bodies and can’t offer this sacrifice for they were not redeemed by the Blood of our Saviour.
But GOD became Flesh and showed us how to offer His Body even, without sin for our redemption.
When I have offered my members, the LORD Holy Spirit is given the latitude to use the benefits of the Cross to strengthen me to live above and to overcome temptations and trials in life.
Our claim to have Victory over Satan by what the LORD JESUS CHRIST did on the Cross receives CREDIBILITY when we have sacrificed our lives and continue to offer our members to serve the living GOD without dead works.
In Heb 9:14, the LORD JESUS offered Himself by the Holy Spirit to cleanse us from dead works and we must follow His steps and offer our members as directed in the Word, on the Altar of Continual Sanctification for Continual Victory over sin and worldliness.
When this is done, we receive the Grace of Charisma and Power to live for and represent CHRIST always in every situation.
Spirituallity does not come by laying of hands or sowing of seed as many Denominations wrongly teach.
It comes by the sacrifice of our lives on His Altar of Consecration through daily Word bath, prayer, obedience and suffering for Him!
When we suffer, Rom 5:3-5, Heb 12:5-11, James 1:2-4, et al says, we endure it and godly character is formed and we generate unashamed hope for the love of GOD is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.
HalleluJAH.
Let us pray.
All my body parts must go back to the Altar now for purification and new BLOOD wash.
My tongue👅, hands✋, legs, heart❤️, genitals etc….
3. The Principle of Mind Transformation.
This principle is predicated on Titus 3:5 where the the LORD Holy Spirit renews and regenerates our minds with the Word to conform to His ineffable Will for His Work.
Continuing, in Rom 12:2, this Transformation kills worldliness and fleshly lusts and establishes strong abstinence, self denial and self abnegation in our lives to the extent that habits that held us captive before are now things of the past.
This kind of spiritual transmogrification kills addictions like watching worldly films, fornication, stealing, bribery, fighting, vengeance, fraudulent acts and backbiting and helps us to refrain from other carnalities, mundanities and profanities.
This principle is vital to developing the godly character with which Heaven can trust you to hold a Public Service Position without embarrassing the LORD JESUS.
Furthermore, it helps us to develop the charisma and Annointing needed to carry the Gifts of the Holy Spirit without causing harm to Heaven when you are under pressure.
If you can not say ” I am sorry, please or thank you” it means you are still living in fleshly pride and needs this transformative regeneration.
Concluding, we need to take our Spirituality very serious because it is the fulcrum that turns the wheel of the Christian race.
Besides, it is the only thing that validates our sonship and qualification for the Rapture.
Let us Pray
Finally.
A new car, house🏠, certificate or spouse can not take me to Heaven.
Only my godly character can.
LORD JESUS, I surrender to you for fresh Sanctification.
Let us pray and sing :
LORD prepare me, a Sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true.
Just as I am, without one plea.
Shalom!