CONTENT

• What is in Your Hand?
• Satan, Fallen Angels, Demons and How to Have Power Over Them
• Weapons of Our Warfare
• How to Conduct an Open Air Meeting

WHAT IS IN YOUR HAND?

"And he (Moses) said A ROD and (God) said, cast it on the ground and it became a serpent. The Lord said put forth thine hand and take it by the tail and it became a rod." (Exod. 4:2-4)

God's big problem is to find men (and women) with FAITH, who are willing to surrender themselves as instruments to Him and to teach them to do so completely and to use what talents they have.

Whereas God builds FAITH and emphasizes what we have and how He can make use of the natural to perform the supernatural in order to demonstrate His power to convince the unbelieving world, men often emphasize what they cannot do and thus build unbelief. Man usually puts faith in human instruments and means, things that can be seen, heard or handled.

Because of Moses' shallow faith in his ability to convince his own people of the call and the plan of God, God had to teach him to use his ROD as a means to create faith. It was a common ROD, but when used by a man of faith in the service of God, it became a ROD OF POWER - A ROD OF JUDGEMENT.

There are many instances in the Bible where God used the normal and natural to perform the supernatural. Using simple things to create or stimulate faith to meet the normal daily needs of today.

God seems to delight in taking the simple and ordinary and using it and turning it into a miracle to create FAITH. God certainly uses normal, ordinary men and women to perform the miraculous and supernatural and we shall do well to meditate upon these and realise that God wants to do the same today with us and with our simple talents.

God is not restricted to using modern equipment, expensive and clever aids. God uses men, simple men, dedicated men and uses the simple things they hold and possess to work His miracles.

Moses' rod was used to do many remarkable things but the people soon learned that it was not the rod which did them but the man of faith who wielded the rod.

SHAMGAR AND THE JAW BONE (Judges 3:31)

Shamgar a judge of Israel who slew 600 men with an ox goad and thus delivered Israel. He had no modern weapons, just a jaw bone and his faith. 

He became an instrument of deliverance for God’s people. His faith and power must have brought fear to many and in addition to delivering the nation must have been a source of strength for the people. He was a man of FAITH, whom God used with his own simple weapon.

THE WIDOW AT ZAREPHATH (I Kings 17:8-16)

God sent His servant Elijah to live with this poor needy widow, whose only food was a 'handful of meal'. But she gave what she had at the prophet's request and God preserved her and her son because she exercised faith. We do not know her name but we can learn from her faith.

Many Christians feel they want to do a lot for the Lord but lament upon their lack of means. God is waiting for us to use what we have and He can multiply it and provide for us and meet our every need. Do not look at the small amount of money you have, give what you have to God and look to Him to multiply it and provide for you too. It would seem God delights in using poor people and needy ones rather than the rich who would not miss what they could easily give. Let us learn not to limit our faith by what we have, but by what God can do with it.

That widow became part of God's plan to enable Elijah to deliver the whole nation of Israel because she responded to God's challenge for FAITH.

A BOY WITH 5 LOAVES AND 2 FISHES (John 6:9)

In a similar incident the Lord Jesus used what a boy brought to Him. It was humanly speaking only enough for one meal for one person, but in the Lord's Hands it fed a multitude because it was surrendered to Him in faith. A simple meal was to feed thousands because the owner gave it up to the Master Miracle maker. The Lord Jesus used many simple items in His healing ministry.

Water of the pool of Siloam (John 9:7) gave healing to the blind man when he obeyed the Lord's command and washed in it. There was no magical power in the water, it was the obedience of faith which produced the healing as in case of Naaman (II Kings 5).

We never hear of anyone else ever receiving their healing from those same waters, nor of the Lord Jesus ever directing anyone else to those waters for their healing. It was the obedience and faith which gave healing.

The Master actually made clay and anointed the eyes of that blind man but it was certainly not the clay which restored his sight and the Master never gave instructions for anyone to use clay again, nor did He use it Himself. He was demonstrating His power and right to make use of the simple things to work miracles.

The Holy Spirit also used handkerchiefs and pieces of cloth in Acts 19:12 to heal sickness and to cast out demons. But nowhere are we told to continue to use such things. God was merely demonstrating His power to use the simple normal things we each possess in order to bring deliverance.

Another wonderful record of how God used simple things to provide and meet needs is told in II Kings 4:1-7, of the widow of a servant of God whose faith had got so low that she was in serious trouble with creditors who were going to take her sons as slaves. She went to the servant of God, Elisha, who asked her what she had left, "Nothing, save a pot of oil" (Verse 2). That was enough for a man of faith to use to create faith and be the means of meeting their needs. She was commanded to borrow vessels 'not a few' and to 'pour out' until all the vessels were full.

She believed, exercised her faith and obeyed those simple instructions and was soon reaping the rewards of her faith. She had to 'pour out' and continue to 'pour out' until all were filled.

That is the lesson we Christians need to learn. Our own needs, no matter how great or desperate will be met as we use what we have and use it or dedicate it to God's service and 'POUR OUT' for others.

It will be noted that God used all the simple instruments given as examples in this article as means of blessings to others, but in doing so, it blessed the owners or givers. That is a big Christian principle. What we keep for ourselves or use for ourselves, or desire only for ourselves will fail or finish, but when we use what we have for God then He multiplies it for others.

The reason why so many Christians are weak or feeble Christians is that they fail to “pour out” or give out to others. We want to gather all for ourselves and keep it for ourselves. GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE for God's service and He will give it back to you in multiplied blessing. Use what you have in talents, money, time or means for others, and God will not only supply your own needs but will multiply the means.

Nigeria is full of hungry people, hungry for the gospel, hungry for blessing, for forgiveness of sins, for assurance of salvation. We have the knowledge and the power and the means to tell them and if we withhold what we have then we rob ourselves of blessings, as well as becoming guilty of their blood.

Many Christians excuse themselves from witnessing or speaking of Jesus Christ and say "we have no gift or ability to do so." We refrain from praying for the sick because we say we are not pastors or ministers.

We constantly tell people not to look at us, promising them only disappointment if they expect us to help them. We tell them we have nothing.

But that is not what Peter told the man at the Gate Beautiful, "LOOK ON US. Such as I have GIVE I THEE" (Acts 3:4-6).

Peter later explained to the wondering crowd that it was the power of the Lord Jesus. But that POWER WAS IN PETER and he used it, and that same power is in every believer according to Acts 2:39.

You may say 'I am so weak and small' or 'I am only a woman'. That was what Moses said (Exod. 3:11) and Isaiah (Isa. 6:5) and Jeremiah (Jer. 1:6). We may feel like this, yet the weaker we feel the stronger we are in God. "When you are weak then you are strong" (II Cor. 12:10).

We must realize that when we think we are at our weakest then God says we are strong. He is an expert in using simple weak things and vessels. God says He has this 'treasure in earthen vessel'.

We are His vessels, He is our power and when we give Him what we have then He will use us to 'pour out' His power to others.

Let us stop pleading that we have nothing or that we are weak, and let us give ourselves fully to God and ask Him to use us wherever He wishes and for whatever purpose.

Let us also be careful that we do not make the mistake of taking up the things or vessels that God uses and put our faith in them rather than in the Lord Jesus. We should not worship oil or water or clay or cloth because God has used them to bring deliverance to men. That is making them into 'Christian juju' - worshipping 'things', but let us not dictate to God what or whom He uses as long as long as it brings deliverance and blessing to others and glory to the Lord Jesus.

"What have you got in YOUR hand?"

Have you given up yourself FULLY to be a vessel the Lord can use for the salvation of those around you? He can use you if you will give yourself up to Him.

SATAN, FALLEN ANGELS, DEMONS AND HOW TO HAVE POWER OVER THEM

This is a lesson on the origin, nature, operations, defeat and final doom of Satan and all his kingdom.

ORIGIN OF SATAN

Read Isa. 14:12-15, Ezek. 28:1-19.

Satan was known as Lucifer in heaven and as the "anointed cherub that covereth" and reigned as vice-regent there.

He was created by God and had great authority, great wisdom and knowledge and was in obedience to God.

But Satan had great ambitions and later he chose to question God (probably on the question of who should govern the earth) and so he made his great error. We are told that Satan sought to exalt his throne above the stars of God, so as to be ‘like the Most High’ (Isa. 14:13-14).

SATAN'S PLAN FOR HIS OWN KINGDOM

It seems that Satan planned to secure the majority of the angels of heaven and thus be able to control and govern the forces of creation. Satan then planned to establish his own kingdom. It is clear from Dan. 10 than there is a force of evil spirits who seek to interfere with the work of God.

That great force is still operating today and it is this force which seeks to prevent God working out His plan of salvation and also to prevent us as God's people from getting in touch with God or of securing the answers to our prayers. We have to learn how to overcome this force.

SATAN'S PROMISE "YE SHALL BE AS GODS" (Gen. 3:5)

Satan beguiled Eve into doubting God's Word and thus set the pattern of all unbelief. Satan then promised "Ye shall not die" which was a lie. But the deep challenge was "who would be God." Satan desired the position and he tried to deceive man into desiring the position and thus disobey God and become Satan's slave.

Read carefully Psa. 82:6 and John 10:34. It was and still is God's plan for man to be as gods, but only in submission to the Great God and not to Satan. Man has become a slave by trying to become a god apart from God. Man will never learn to govern either himself or the world apart from submission and obedience to God.

SATAN, THE GOD OF THIS WORLD

Jesus called Satan "prince of this world" (John 12:31 and 14:30). Paul called Satan the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4). This means that Satan largely dominates the affairs of this world today. Satan himself claimed this right and the ownership of the kingdoms of this world when he offered them to the Lord Jesus when they met on the mountain (Luke 4:6). The Lord Jesus did not challenge this claim, but chose to redeem man at Calvary by dying for man rather than having them given to him by the usurper, Satan.

Satan has a highly organized, invisible but real kingdom, which is united in one objective, to make war against the kingdom of God (Luke 11:17-18).

SATAN HAS ESTABLISHED HIS OWN RELIGIONS

He intends that mankind shall worship him and not God. Therefore, we have hundreds of counterfeit religions. He willingly agrees for men to worship idols. He is now creating a special cult of Satan and Devil worship (I Cor. 10:20). It is his plan to start special national secret societies which demand loyalty which belongs to God first. We shall see more of these arising in Nigeria because of the growing attraction of the gospel for the educated and cultured.

There are even some 'churches' which have been established to preach the gospel but which have been taken over by Satan and where he now rules.

SATAN HAS HIS OWN MESSIAH READY TO PRESENT TO THE WORLD SOON

The Bible speaks of this coming Messiah as the Man of Sin (II Thess. 2:8-12). Satan will present him at the right time and give him power to work miracles so that he will deceive the world. He will have amazing wisdom and power and will gradually acquire authority over the nations so that in the end they worship him. He will then destroy all that opposes him.

Satan has his own 'prophets' and anoints them with power to heal and reveal the future and to curse and kill. But they are unable to change an evil man into a godly man. The church 'militant' in Nigeria must watch the growth of semi-spiritual groups who profess to have these powers but whose lives and characters are evil. There are men now in Nigeria who claim to be Jesus Christ himself (John 5:43).

SATAN'S DOMINION OVER THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD

Satan has a kingdom already established in the world and it has political, economic, religious and cultural branches. It began as BABYLON and this concept will grow into prominence again soon. There is an attempt now, as there was at the start of Babylon (Gen. 11) to bring about combines and worldwide organizations which will be controlled by Satan. It is Satan's plan to establish a national power or combinations of nations and powers in the end time (Dan. 8:23-24, 11:36).

Christians today should watch carefully the emergence of a world Church which will seek to combine Christian groups and churches but without the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Rev. 14:8-11 we see the collapse of the Gentile world system and is called Political Babylon. There is also a Spiritual Babylon (Rev. 17). Both will be destroyed.

SATAN'S CONSTANT ATTACK ON MANKIND TODAY

The three-fold nature of man provides Satan with a three point opening attack on man. As he attacked the Lord Jesus in the 3 temptations so he attacks man today.

SATAN'S ATTACK ON THE BODY

Satan's most powerful bodily temptation is the sex weapon and bodily passions is ruining many men and women today and even causing many Christians to fall. Read Judges 13-16 for the story of Samson's failure.

Alcohol is bringing ruin too many homes and people. Feasting is still a curse even in Nigeria (Psa. 106:14-15). Fashion and gambling which leads to stealing and murder.

SATAN'S ATTACK ON THE SOUL

Satan uses the good things of life to invite mankind to neglect their eternal welfare thus causing men to trade their souls for a mess of pottage. Remember Esau.

Covetousness is one of the deadliest sins of mankind. Remember Gehazi. Fleeting pleasures of life leads to becoming so involved in the cares and riches of this life and losing the blessings that are eternal.

SATAN TEMPTS THE SPIRITS OF MAN

Pride-ambition. When Satan cannot tempt a man to commit grosser sins, he tempts in his spirit realm, by getting him puffed with self-importance.

SATAN'S ATTACK THROUGH SICKNESS

Satan uses sickness as one of his special weapons against man and in many cases Satan is the direct cause of sickness.

Satan afflicted Job with boils (Job 2:7). Jesus stated that the woman He met in the synagogue had been bound by Satan (Luke 13:16). Peter, when preaching stated that God anointed Jesus in order to heal all that were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38). God called sickness captivity (Job 42:10). The Lord Jesus called it bondage (Luke 4:18, 13:16). The Holy Spirit called sickness oppression (Acts 10:38, Isa. 58:6).

CHRIST'S CHALLENGE TO SATAN

The Lord Jesus challenged sickness and healed all that trusted Him. The Lord Jesus challenged demons and forced them to obey Him and His word and commands. He challenged Satan's right to control the elements and rebuked the wind and storm when it threatened His life and the safety of His disciples.

The Lord Jesus rebuked death and restored a girl, a man, and Lazarus to life after they had died, thus proving He had the final authority. The Lord Jesus challenged the established traditions of the nation as well as the established religious order and system.

THE COMPLETE DEFEAT OF SATAN BY THE LORD JESUS

The Lord Jesus completely defeated Satan at the Cross of Calvary. Once and forever Satan is defeated and is now a defeated enemy. That victory is ours too as we claim it daily. It is necessary for every Christian to daily live and claim that victory and to state to Satan that he has been defeated and cannot now claim any ownership over any child of God and he is a deceiver when he claims to be able to bind us with evil powers or sickness. Jesus Christ is the Victor and as we are in Him, we are victors too.

This must be asserted and claimed daily in all realms.

THE COMING BATTLE AT THE END OF THE 'CHURCH' AGE

Satan has been allowed a measure of freedom and has not yet been completely bound. God makes use of him to train and test His people. God is now training His people to become the master of Satan their former master.

There is a battle near at hand now, between the spiritual forces of Heaven and Satan and the present revival is the opening battle. There will be more intensive opposition by demon powers and spirit cults.

We must deal with this battle on a spiritual basis and not on a natural ground. Only Holy Spirit filled believers can fight this battle. It will end in victory for the believers and the Lord Jesus. There will be growing attempts and movements towards political, economic, and religious unions and federation.

But man can never fight this Satanic revival with human wisdom or powers.

SATAN'S FINAL DOOM

God has already decided that Satan will be bound for at least 1000 years while the Lord Jesus will take over the control and management of this world again. This will be called the Millennium and is the fulfilment of the prayer “Thy Kingdom Come”.

We must use the victory of the Lord Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit to defy Satan and conquer him and thus be trained for our future work of administering the kingdom with the Lord Jesus (Rev. 5:10).

THE WORLD IS BEING PREPARED FOR A NEW GOVERNMENT TO BE SET UP BY THE ANTI-CHRIST

Satan is getting ready now to reveal and introduce a new WORLD RULER whom the Bible calls the Anti-Christ. He will be a super man and he will exercise such power and wisdom that the nations will welcome him because of his supernatural powers, which will be given to him by Satan.

A World Government will be set up; Radio, Television, cinema, the press, will all be used in a worldwide network to control the minds and thinking of people and force them to conform to the one way of life which will be antichristian.

World Commerce

In Rev. 13:16-17 it is foretold that world commerce will one day come under iron control. Nobody will have freedom to buy and sell. Huge combines are forming to control commodities. Trade unions are being formed to gather workers together to enable them to control events and soon it will not be possible to obtain work unless one belongs to a trade union and submits to its laws.

A World Church is being formed. It will be forced upon the churches by events and we are already seeing its start. It will be taken over by the great Anti-Christ for his purposes.

WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

"The truth is that, although of course we lead normal human lives, the battle we are fighting is on the spiritual level. The very weapons we use are not those of human warfare but powerful in God's warfare for the destruction of the enemy's strongholds. Our battle is to bring down every fantasy and every imposing defence that men erect against the true knowledge of God. We even fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ." (II Cor. 10:3-6) (Philips)

"For our fight is not against any physical enemy; it is against organizations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the headquarters of evil." (Eph. 6:12) (Philips)

Because of this very real warfare we often find ourselves in trouble, but this is part of Christian life. But every Christian MUST also get into the warfare. TWO of our weapons in this warfare are PRAYER and FASTING.

PRAYER

There is no magical secret to prayer. We can have our prayers answered. But we must pray in God's way.

Effectual prayer is based upon relationship. We must be a child of God before God can answer our prayers. We must be IN CHRIST and then prayer will become a means of communication with God. He wants to talk to us. Prayer is asking from God our lawful needs, that are promised by God, with the confidence that God will answer us through faith in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER is seeking help from God in matters that are beyond our power. PRAYER is also intercession on behalf of others. God wants us to learn how to pray and ask for big things and HE WANTS to ANSWER US. It is not glorying to God for His people to be in great need and to pray and not to be answered. OUR GOD IS AN ANSWERING GOD.

It is for us to learn how to get those answers and to prove that the Bible promise is right; "If ye ask anything in MY NAME, I will do it" (John 14:13-14).

Very few Christians have really discovered the full power of prayer. Most of our praying is merely talking and we do not expect answers. Many prayers are formal religious exercises and are long dreary discourses about things and preaching. We must learn how to "draw near (to God) with a true heart in FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH (Heb. 10:22).

We must learn what to pray for and not devote so much time to our own selfish ideas and needs.    "Your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" (Matt. 6:31-33). Many baby Christians devote most of their prayers to themselves and their own needs, and they do not know that prayer is one of the most powerful weapons God gives us to fight the enemy and to deliver men and women.

ARE YOU A 'GIVE ME' PRAYER?

God takes time and care to develop His 'prayer warriors' because they are the ones of whom Satan will be afraid. He will not rush to answer them, but will develop FAITH in them and prepare them for the real battle which is coming. When God wanted to reveal His plans to Moses on the LAW (Exodus 24), "Moses went up into the mount and the cloud covered it six days, and the seventh day He called unto Moses" (v. 12-16).

Moses had to wait for God to come and speak to him. He was taught to wait for God. Moses waited and fasted. That is the meaning of Isa. 40:31.

Every 'praying' Christian will soon be taught that we are in a warfare with evil spiritual powers who are determined to prevent our prayers reaching God and being answered.

This is because Satan binds and controls people and he knows that prayer can deliver them. So he tries to prevent us praying. This kind of prayer requires the exercise of authority. The authority to bind and loose (Matt. 16:19) comes by hearing a word from God in the place of prayer on behalf of others.

Answered prayer is the only unanswerable argument against the mockers, sceptics, unbelievers and modernism. People who do not attend church and do not believe the gospel, can be challenged when they see God answering the prayers of His people. Read I Kings 18:36-40.

The world has the right to ask us to prove what we preach and believe and God is waiting to show His favour and blessing to those who will take time to seek Him and prevail in prayer.

SIMPLE GUIDELINES FOR PRAYERS

1. Be sure that your life is right with God (Isa. 59:1-2, Psa. 66:18).
2. Seek to find God's Will on the problems He places upon you.
3. Do not be familiar with God. It is wrong to address God as 'DADDY'. He is our Heavenly Father, but He is also the Almighty ONE.
4. Be ready to let God train you, by trials and testing, to wait in His presence and to
5. develop your FAITH in HIS Word so that you will be able to "move mountains" (Matt. 17:20, Mark 11:23).
6. Do not regard 'delays' as “denials” having done all, STAND in FAITH.
7. Praying is fighting. Do not use your tongue in a wrong way.
8. Have a definite objective in your praying. Do not be vague and pray for everything in general. Concentrate on definite targets and keep on praying until you receive the answer. Remember   that while God wants to answer us and in fact wants to work in partnership with us in regard to the needs of others and the establishment of His glory yet the plan of enemy is to delay and hinder those prayers reaching God. Read Daniel chap. 10 for an account of how prayers are contested by Satan.

8. Read and study your Bible so that you may be well acquainted with the promises of God for salvation, healing, deliverance, protection, safety and provision.

FASTING

"Blow the trumpet in ZION, sanctify a fast." (Joel 2:15)

A new day is dawning in the spiritual life of Nigerians. The slumbering church is awakening and many young Christian are asking the meaning of fasting. It is a day of spiritual renewal. There are searching and enquiries, burdens and longings for a manifestation of real spiritual power and many are prepared to pay almost anything to secure it.

The Holy Spirit is stirring in the hearts, creating desires for power and the ability to deliver men and women. FASTING will play a very big part in this awakening. The truth of fasting is being sought so that we may secure the gifts of the Spirit and be partners with God is His program of deliverance, and that a mighty revival of spiritual power may sweep over Nigeria, with signs and miracles in these last days. FASTING is one of the most powerful of the weapons the Lord Jesus used and He understood that while He was away from us we would fast (Matt 9:15).

He knew that we would meet with some problems which originate in the spiritual world and be solved by a victory in the spiritual world and that in some cases this could only be accomplished by FASTING (Matt. 17:21). In these days of revival, evil forces which have lain dormant in some human beings are being forced to reveal themselves and men can only be delivered by sustained authority acquired through prayer and fasting.

FASTING IS TO FREE THE CAPTIVES

"Is not this, the fast that I choose; to lose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free." (Isa. 58:6)

Fasting should never impose bondage. We ought never to enter a fast because we are told to do so by anyone else except God, and He will not ask us to fast without giving us a definite burden to do so, so that someone who is in bondage can be delivered. Fasting should never be undertaken for selfish reasons.

We cannot use fasting to try to force God to give us something we do not have. Fasting is not a badge of merit we can display or use to persuade God to give us something extra or special. All God's gifts are free and given in GRACE and not because we have fasted for them.

Fasting is too serious a business to be used for personal selfish reasons. Fasting will also stir up the evil spiritual powers to oppose you. But fasting will also produce faith that leads to spiritual power; enables us to enter into a union with God which will give us victory, as well as making us channels of powerful spiritual forces for the deliverance of others.

FASTING

Removes unbelief (Matt. 17:20-21), enables us to conquer the old nature and dedicate ourselves to God for His work (Psa. 35:13).

If you have been brought low through personal defeat; if there is a call in your soul for a deeper life in Christ, to a renewed consecration; if there is a challenge for some new task for which you feel you are not fully equipped, then it is time for you to ask God if He would have you separate yourself from food, family, work and business, to seek His will in fasting.

FASTING

Helps us to express, to deepen and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, including ourselves to the will and work of God.

FASTING MUST BE FOR GOD

"When ye fasted, did ye at all fast unto me, even unto Me?" (Zech. 7:5) (R. V.)

Fasting must be done unto God and not for display before men or church. We may use fasting as a means of self-gratification and praise. This is wrong! Fasting must be God-initiated and God-ordained.

Every child of God must face spiritual battles if he surrenders fully to the Holy Spirit's guidance and training. God will train His children in prayer and fasting experiences, to dispute the control of Satan in the lives of those dear to him and will enable him to pray and fast so that they can be freed and brought into blessing.

God says today "Turn to Me, with all your hearts, and with fasting" (Joel 2 :12-13). This is a command for these last days.

If you have the time and opportunity to pray and fast for the work of God in Nigeria, then we offer you the following special items for which you can fast and pray.

1. For an awakening of the churches in Nigeria.
2. For God's blessing upon all who are sacrificing and working to send the gospel to those who have never heard it.
3. For God's protection, guidance and blessing for all Christians on our University campuses and that more young people will surrender themselves for the task of today.
4. For more men and means to spread the gospel by means of evangelism and literature all over Nigeria.

You may not be a preacher but you can pray. You may not be clever and naturally gifted, but you can fast and pray for others.

HOW TO CONDUCT AN OPEN AIR MEETING

We want to offer a few simple suggestions on how a normal village or street open air meeting should be conducted. The main purpose of any open air meeting should be to awaken listeners and to make known the grace of God and the power of the gospel to men and women who never enter a church and who do not know their need.

It must never be forgotten that an open air meeting is NOT a church service and it should be conducted in an entirely different way. It can be conducted by any capable Christian and not necessarily a recognised minister. In fact, there are advantages when those taking part in any open air meetings are ordinary Christians whose great desire is to tell others what Jesus Christ has done for them. An open air meeting is therefore mainly a testimony meeting.

It should always be arranged who will take part before the actual meeting is started to avoid embarrassing pauses and consultations while people watch and lose interest and go away. The main speaker should be chosen in advance, those who are to be asked to give a testimony should be informed and advised on how long they are to speak and what they should avoid in their testimonies.

There are a few suggestions we would make on what to avoid in any open air meeting.

1. Do not conduct the meetings like a normal church service.
2. Do not sing hymns from a hymn book, this takes too long and does not usually attract listeners. Choruses are more suitable as they are usually brighter and can easily be learned by listeners who wish to stay and sing or listen. But care should be exercised to make sure every chorus used has a definite message and is not a copy of an old juju chorus. Let one of the Christian group lead the choruses and do not stop any chorus singing as long as the group or listeners are enjoying it. Do not try to sing too many choruses or change the chorus too often.

As soon as a group of listeners has been gathered then do not prolong the singing too long.

1. Do not make public readings of the Bible. People are often too busy to stay and listen to a Bible reading. It should also be a custom that every speaker should memorise his texts and quote them and not ask for them to be read out. Keep the interest flowing and do not allow Bible reading to   interfere with the interest of the listeners.
2. Do not preach long sermons. Every message should be brief and personal. The speaker should not preach a sermon but direct his message to the particular needs of the listeners and relate their needs to God's plan of salvation. Do not tell long involved stories, preach the gospel. Do not abuse   the listeners or make comparisons which would give the impression that the speaker is holier than the listeners.

Remember that many of your listeners do not attend church and they often have no respect for church members and so they regard the gospel as a mere exercise of literacy or education. Your message must preach the full gospel.

This is your chance to let them know that the gospel promises forgiveness of sin a change of life and the power to live a holy life and that the Lord Jesus is able to heal those who are sick in answer to prayer. The Lord Jesus gathered His crowds by the exercise of healing and demonstration of the power of the gospel in miracles. God is ready to help you do the same so that men and women come to trust Jesus Christ.

1. Those who are invited to give their personal testimonies should be warned not to take too much time. Make testimonies brief and interesting and to the point. Testimonies should not magnify Satan's work by enlarging on the evil habits of the past. Do not be sensational by relating lurid stories of past evil habits, the people are not helped spiritually in this way.

Testimonies should always glorify the grace of God and the power of the gospel to change lives and satisfy hungry people seeking God.

1. The leader of the meeting should watch how the listeners are reacting and should seek to maintain interest and the preaching of the main message should emphasise the real gospel and the power of the Lord to heal from sickness. Personal experiences of healing or deliverance from evil spirits should be included to make the gospel real to the listeners.

Do not end the meeting without giving a chance for anyone who desires to be prayed for to come forward. Prayer for them should be brief and to the point and trained counsellors should be ready at hand to advise all seekers and to invite them for further counselling, either in the church or a suitable house.

If possible, try to obtain the name and address of anyone seeking spiritual advice or help and they should be visited and advised at their convenience.

Make sure the meeting listeners are informed where they can get further advice or spiritual help and prayer, but make it clear also that it is the Lord Jesus who saves and not any church.

Every open air meeting should seek to uplift the Lord Jesus as the only sufficient Saviour and not any church. But do not attack any church and church members. Do not join the enemy in accusing the brethren.

Do not allow any argument to take place during the meeting and anyone desiring to interfere or start an argument should be asked to remain behind and his questions will be answered. Never speak of money or take up any offering. Let the final prayer be brief but faith building.

SOULWINNER’S UNLIMITED NIGERIA (S.U.N)

“How shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14)

God is moving by His Spirit all over Nigeria but there are still many places and even tribes who have not heard the gospel and it is vain to pray for the Lord Jesus to return until these people have had the chance to accept and reject Him.

We are sending many evangelists into these unreached areas and thus avoiding the accusation the Lord can make against the Nigerian Church, “How shall they hear without a preacher?” 

Yet it is the duty and responsibility of every born again Nigerian to see that his people hear the gospel. God has saved us so that we can lead others into salvation. Many will not be able to spend time in their own towns but everyone is still responsible.

Soulwinner’s Unlimited is able to help you to solve that problem and to relieve you of the responsibility for which you will have to answer at the Judgement Seat of Christ in the very near future.

We are able to put you in touch with evangelists who are now working in places where there are churches but no gospel but where we cannot send evangelists because of the burden of the unreached.

These men need help in support and equipment and the Lord is waiting for YOU to answer your responsibility. We are able to join you with someone who will represent you.

Many Nigerians are being blessed by the Lord right now because they have responded to this challenge and are finding the means to have their own people evangelised. Write for full details of how YOU can do your duty to your people, anywhere in Nigeria.