CONTENTS:

• Lift up thy Rod
• The great Emancipator, Jesus Christ (The ministry of Deliverance)
• The Way to the Throne
• Concerning Spiritual Gifts
• Soul winners Unlimited Nigeria

 

LIFT UP THY ROD

“The Lord said unto Moses, lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it”. (Exod. 14:16)

“Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of My hands COMMAND YE ME”. (Isa. 45:11)

These are the words spoken by God to one of His servants when His people were in a desperate situation and it needed a miracle to deliver them at the Red sea. Enclosed by mountains and pursued by their enemies, they also faced the seemingly impossible barrier of the Red Sea and at once the faith of the Children of Israel   vanished and   they cried out in fear and unbelief.

But it was God who had led them into that situation and He was going to use this seemingly impossible situation once again to teach His servant, Moses, a lesson which he would need to lead the people and to deal with the problems of the journey to the Promised Land.

Moses' faith did not fail but he did the wrong thing, although many would feel he did a wise thing. He told the people to 'Stand still and see the salvation of God.' v. 13. He called a prayer meeting. But God had told them to “GO FORWARD” and to call a meeting for prayer in face of such a command was unbelief. 

There are times when a prayer meeting should be called when we need to find out and know the will of God on such problems but not when He has given us a command. There are many prayer meetings among Christians these days that are meeting of unbelief especially when it involves witnessing and evangelism. The Lord has commanded and there should not be need to pray over His instructions. Be sure you do not pray when you should   be marching forward. Do not let us throw the responsibility for a problem back upon God when He has given us clear instructions on what He wants. God rebuked Moses, "Wherefore criest thou unto ME?  vs. 15, "GO FORWARD."

Much time is wasted in murmurings and questionings and prayer meetings when it is the time for FAITH to act in AUTHORITIVE INTERCESSION AND AGGRESSIVE WARFARE, and ACTION.

God is looking for men and women in these crisis days who will recognize the power they already have in them, the Holy Spirit and who will stand in the gap and take command of situations when the enemy is attacking and trying to take control over the people of God.

Moses had been taught right from the beginning that his rod had power when he needed to use it. At least 15 different miracles were performed with that rod by Moses, in bringing deliverance and judgement. It was the Rod of Power when used in FAITH by a man of faith. It had been used to create faith among the Children of Israel, to punish the Egyptians and to deliver the whole nation of Israel. Moses still had that rod but he had forgotten its power. He listened to the cries of the people and he kept his eyes on the natural situation. So God had to remind him again of that same rod.

'LIFT UP THY ROD'

'The power is yours, use it'. The people had been delivered from Egypt and their enemies no longer had any right to them or power over them; yet we must never forget that the enemy will always seek to recover his former slaves, even today.

God saved His people by their faith in the 'BLOOD' in Egypt, now He wanted them to have faith in 'POWER' and that power was expressed in the rod of Moses, which was the Rod of God.

Today God is saying, "Behold, I give you authority over all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19). God expects us to use that power, to exercise it daily in situations which God allows for our training against that enemy. There are far too many prayer meetings concentrating upon begging God for our own personal needs, fears and desires and not enough prayer meetings where we exercise our God given power and take authority over the enemy in the lives of others and in the work which God has committed into our hands that of evangelizing.

'COMMAND YE ME'

Don’t BEG GOD, He asks us to 'COMMAMD' Him. Let us not retire into an 'upper room' and withdraw from the battle and warfare, but let us 'GO FORWARD' and speak to others to 'go forward'. Let our faith in the plan and purposes of God be such that we can speak words which will create faith and cause men and women to move into action instead of hiding in prayer meetings seeking help and protection. The best defence is in attack.

Satan is afraid of those who know of his defeat at Calvary and who exercise their God-given authority and power to 'use their rods' to take command of situations against Satan and to triumph. Satan is not afraid of the majority of church going Christians or those who always attend the prayer meetings and who sincerely pray for things which God has already given us and which we fail to take and use. Satan is afraid of those who, in living union with their Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, know how to use their authority and hold back the forces of darkness till the victory is complete in the lives of men and women today.

In the perilous times of today there is a great increase in the operations and vicious attacks of the forces of darkness and 'prayer meetings' will not deal with them unless we exercise our authority and 'lift up our rod' and command operations against the enemy in attacks against his strongholds.

GO FORWARD

The way of blessing is forward, not looking at the mountains or the enemy or the difficulties. Difficulties are stepping stones to victory, if we know how to use them.

Heavenly responsibility rests upon us today to carry on the war against the enemy and we have no right to throw the responsibility back upon God. As we find the Will of God when we seek Him, then our full responsibility is to 'speak the word of authority' and that enables God to work. He delights in responding to Words of Command from His children when they are spoken in Faith and in His Will and against the powers of darkness. We are 'co-workers' with God in this battle. When we acquire the habit of praying with God and knowing the Will of God, like Moses, then we will be trusted with far more power and authority.

COMMAND DELIVERANCES

Being identified with the Lord Jesus on His Throne now will give us power to command situations and exercise authority, and heaven is at our disposal. What a complete overthrow of the enemy there was when Moses used his rod and authority over the Red Sea in response to God's Word. Once again the Children of Israel saw the power of God and what Faith could do. Once again they were confirmed that God was with Moses and that all their murmuring and unbelief was useless. They believed the Lord, and His servant Moses" vs. 31.

THE SONG OF VICTORY

"Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel' unto the Lord". (Exod. 15:1)

Now came the time for another use of their tongues to speak the voice of triumph and victory. Both instances involved our tongues and Satan hears them both and is powerless when we 'Speak' and 'Command'. Praise liberates more power and stimulates and encourages Faith. Praise and prayer go together and result in the command of faith against the forces of evil.

If the Children of Israel had learned the lessons of Egypt and the many wonderful manifestations of the power of God and that rod, then they ought to have been able to sing before the miracle when the rod stretched out and divided the sea. They too should have known what steps to take to deal with the pursuing enemy forces.

But, like many Christians today, they kept their eyes on natural forces and causes and not on the purposes and power of God.

We need to reassess our attitudes to our prayer meetings. Many of these prayer meetings are centres of unbelief and many tend to develop unbelief by allowing prayers for things already promised us by God and already secured for us by the Lord Jesus, but which we have failed to claim and possess and enjoy.

We tend to resort to holding a prayer meeting for a protection when in trouble, when we all ought to be certain what the Lord wants us to do and then to 'go forward' and not retreat into a prayer meeting.

Prayer meetings should be action meetings. Firing practice for the Lord's people, when we attack the force of darkness and not merely beg God for what we think we need. God has promised to meet ALL our needs, to be with us, to give us power.

Then why pray for hours for these things? CLAIM THEM. They are ours. Then 'lift up thy rod' and exercise that power to challenge, attack and overcome the forces of darkness.

Prayer meetings should be attacking centres, directing authoritative prayer against the plans and devices of the enemy, in the lives of those concerned with the local fellowship, in the resistance against the preaching of the gospel in each area for which the fellowship or group is responsible. You have been filled with the Holy Spirit so that you may be able to carry out this very authority.

No man has ever been called to a divine mission without the anointing of the Holy Spirit to accomplish what he has been called to do.

"Rejoice indeed that you see my Hand in all the happenings and the keepings of the day. Protected, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea; so you too are protected in all things.

Rely on this and go forward. You have now entered upon the stage of success. You must not doubt this. You must see this. Beyond all doubt yon must know it. It is true, it is sure. Have no pity for yourself, nothing but faith and joy and gratitude. In the past you have been near to submerging before the consciousness of rescue. Go forward now and conquer. Go forward unafraid.

THE    GREAT   EMANCIPATOR   JESUS   CHRRIST 

(The Ministry of Deliverers)

THE NEED FOR DELIVERANCE

(a) Satan, as prince of this world, was in control of God's world (Luke 4:5-7, John 14:30).

(b) Man, made by God to have dominion, was a slave to Satan, and sin, under the control of evil powers and unable to deliver himself.

"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God". (Rom. 3:23)

"By the offence of one, judgement came upon all men". (Rom. 5:18)

"The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23), "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to   obey, his   servants ye are".  (Rom. 6:16)

(c) Universal sin; sickness; ignorance; poverty due to man's separation from God. Sin reigned

"Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin". (John 8:34)

"By one-man bin entered the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned". (Rom. 5:12)

(d) No man able to provide deliverance 

The whole world is guilty before God (Rom. 3:9-20).

"All" are under sin. "All" guilty. "All" inexcusable, "all" silent. The whole world is degraded and immoral (Rom. 1:18-3:20).

THE COMING OF THE GREAT DELIVERER, JESUS CHRIST

God sent a man born of a woman to be the Deliverer of man (Gal. 4:4-5).

The Lord Jesus knew His task and accepted that task at His baptism (Matt. 3:13-17).

The Lord Jesus met and overcame the enemy of mankind, Satan, in the wilderness, when He refused to accept the kingdoms offered to Him in return for His submission (Luke 4:1-13).

FULL MANIFESTATION AND RANGE OF DELIVERANCE

He announced His mission on His return from the Battle with Satan.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken hearted...TO PREACH DELIVERANCE TO THE CAPTIVES, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised". (Luke 4:18)

 HIS WORK OF DELIVERANCE

 His mastery over sin

He claimed authority to forgive sin.

“That ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, I say Arise, take up thy bed and walk" (Mark 2:1-12). "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven" (Luke 7:47). "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

He was without sin. He came to conquer and forgive sin.

His mastery over sickness

He dealt with sickness with the same authority as He dealt with sin. He joined them together. He performed 23 miracles of healing. He healed the blind, the lame, the deaf and dumb, the palsied, the lepers, the afflicted in every way. He healed at a distance and by touching those who were sick, and also by His command.

All He asked was that the sick person should have FAITH in Him, He never asked any money or demanded any gifts. He healed them all (Isa. 53:4, Matt. 8:17). "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses." "By whose stripes ye were healed" (I Peter 2:24).

His mastery over the forces of nature

He was the complete master and the wind and waves obeyed Him at His command.

"He arose, and rebuked the winds and there was a great calm. Even the winds and the tea; obey Him" (Matt. 8:23-27).

He walked on the water (Matt. 14:22-36). He cursed the fig tree and it died (Mark 11:12-14).

He was complete master of evil spirits and powers

Demons knew Him and acknowledged His authority and prayed for His favour.

"What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?". (Matt. 8:29)

The Great Deliverer was particular determined to deliver all who were demon possessed and who desired deliverance.

A demoniac liberated (Mark 1:23-28).

A demoniac dumb spirit delivered (Matt. 9:32-33).

An epileptic boy delivered (Matt. 17:14-18).

The Syro-Phoenician's woman's daughter delivered (Matt. 15:21-28).

A demon possessed blind and dumb man delivered (Matt. 12:22).

He was master over poverty and able to supply all needs

He fed 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes (John 6:1-14).

He turned water into wine at a wedding (John 2).

He produced fishes for His disciples when they had failed to find any (Luke 5).

He provided His own and disciples tax when required (Matt. 17:24-27).

He was the master and conqueror of death

He rebuked death and raised Jairus’ daughter (Matt. 9:18-26).

He raised the widow of Nain's son (Luke 7:11-17).

He raised Lazarus after he had been dead for some days (John 11:17-44).

His power over death ranged from a child to an adult.

He Himself eventually conquered DEATH for every man.

The miracles of Christ form part of that warfare which was waged between God and Satan and his kingdom which He was manifest to destroy (I John 3:8). The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan were brought together in opposition to prove who was the master. Man's infirmities and sicknesses, in the eyes of the Lord, were the outward symbols of the sin which was their cause.

The Great Deliverer was showing how He mastered them, because He was teaching His disciples how they too could and should overcome these same problems. A greater than Satan came and demonstrated the power of the Kingdom of God over all sin, sickness and death and Satan; and He has established that authority ONCE AND FOR EVER, FOR ALL.

It was at the Cross that the Great Deliverer demonstrated His complete mastery and power. There He conquered Satan completely. There, He atoned for the sin of the world. There He paid the debt of sin for every man. THE CROSS OF CHRIST IS THE THRONE OF GOD AND THE BASIS OF ALL DELIVERANCE.

The Great Deliverer's commission to His disciples

"Then He called His disciples, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases". (Luke 9:1)

"Behold, I give you power over all the power of the enemy". (Luke 10:19)

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature and these signs shall follow them that believe. In My name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover". (Mark 16:15-18)

"As the Father hath sent Me, so SEND I YOU". (John 20:21)

"Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained". (John 20:23)

"ALL power is given unto ME in heaven and in earth GO YE therefore, I am with you always". (Matt. 28:18-20)

MINISTRY OF THE DELIVERERS

They who had been slaves were liberated and freed from bondage (Greek word used for this is 'exagorazo', redeemed, never to be resold) were now to be trained as deliverers of others and to become master over Satan and all the evil powers.

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His Son". (Col. 1:13)

Peter and John showed they had the power as Deliverers at the Gate Beautiful (Acts 3:1-11) "Look on us" vs. 4.

They retained the sin of Ananias and Sapphira and they both died immediately (Acts 5).

The ministry of Philip (An Evangelist, not an Apostle) brought deliverance to many in Samaria (Acts 8:5-8).

Philip remitted this sins of the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-40).

Ananias (an unknown disciple) delivered Saul of Tarsus who later became the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:10-19).

Peter raised the dead, Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43).

Paul saved the crew in the storm (Acts 27:21-44).

Paul performed many miracles (Acts 19:11-12).

Paul cast out demon at Philippi (Acts 16:16-18).

Peter opened the door of the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10). The Apostles challenged the religious powers and were released (Acts 4). Paul challenged the authorities of ROME and God stood with him.

PRESENT DAY MINISTRY OF DELIVERERS

"As the Father sent Me, so SEND I YOU". (John 20:21)

1. To preach salvation to every man (Mark 16).
2. To minister healing and deliverance to all who seek it. "They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover."
3. To deliver those who are oppressed by the devil and to cast out the evil spirits.
4. To minister peace to all men and to bring peace, joy and love to all who are in distress, by the knowledge of God.
5. To bring deliverance to children of God who have been possessed by demons and who are oppressed as they have accepted outside control of demon evil powers.
6. To learn how to challenge Satan and his authority over men and to release those who are in bondage and who seek deliverance.
7. To deal with the accuser of the brethren as he tries to spread lies, accusations and rumours against the people of God. We are to rebuke him and maintain the Lordship of the Lord Jesus against his activities, particularly against the children of God.
8. To learn how to deny self and use the authority of the Lord Jesus which He purchased for us over all that opposes Him, when He died at Calvary. Only those who have tasted death are freed from death, and can exercise the authority of the Risen Christ. Only crucified men can command Satan and be his masters.
9. To learn how to release funds and means to take the gospel to all nations in obedience to the Master's command.

THE FINAL DELIVERANCE

After the Lord has trained His deliverers (Overcomers.) He Himself will return to this world, to remove them out of the world. That will demonstrate His right and ability to take His own out of this present evil world before He returns-with His army of Deliverers to establish His Kingdom on Earth.

THE WAY TO THE THRONE

"Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it for good". (Gen. 50:20)

"He shall sit as a refiner of silver; He shall purify". (Mal. 3:3)

"The trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold might be found unto the praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ". (I Peter 1:7)

"In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world". (John 16:33)

One of the assurances we have in our Christian life is that we will certainly have tribulation. Another certainty is that the Lord will not allow any tribulation to be too much for us to bear.

Another certainty is that God is ruling through it all and is working out His purposes for our lives. He is using the trials, the testing and the persecution and the troubles that He allows to come upon us, to refine us and test us and to train us for a great future.

God wants the best for every one of His children and He uses Satan and the servants of Satan to develop our faith and character. God is much more interested in developing us for our future work than He is in answering many of our prayers for release and relief from trouble. Life and its problems and troubles are God's instruments to train His children. The present world conditions are God's Bible Training School for His servants. It is only as we learn how to deal with Satan, with persecution, with opposition and hatred that we will triumph and be OVERCOMERS, and fit for the THRONE (Rev. 3:21).

Satan was permitted to use his fullest resources against Job, but they only served to bring Job into a clearer vision of God and to greater prosperity and blessing.

So it was with Joseph. God showed him in a heavenly vision (a dream), a glimpse of His purposes for him, and he innocently revealed it all to his brethren. Hatred and envy was the result and later led to greater sin (Gen. 37:10-11). But God was in control and used even the wrath of men to praise Him (Psa. 76:10).

This article is written for those who are continually facing severe persecution and opposition and hatred because they refuse to conform to the ways of sinners and the world. Especially is this likely to be the experience of many young students and people in our universities and colleges as they face corruption and evil customs and demands. Let the experience of Joseph comfort you and be your consolation. God is using it all to shape your life and character for a future not yet revealed, but which cannot be compared with the sufferings of the present (Rom. 8:18).

1. Joseph was hated by his brethren (Gen. 37:8-11).
2. He was severed from his father and sold into slavery by his own brothers (Gen. 37:20-36). That led to untold suffering for Joseph but through it all he kept his faith in God.
3. Reaching Egypt he was sold as a slave to Potiphar, but even there God was with
4. him and enabled him to be given authority over the house (Gen. 39:1-6).
5. Then came the lying charge of his master's wife  and Joseph was thrown into prison, but
6. even here his life and character soon brought him into authority and he was given charge
7. of all the prisoners (Gen. 39:22). The Lord was with Joseph, no matter how dark seemed
8. the circumstances.

In our own short sighted vision, we forget that God sees the end from the beginning and that He is working everything according to His purposes, and for our good. God permitted the hatred of men to shape Joseph's life.

1. When Joseph did good to the chief butler and he was freed, the butler forgot his promise to Joseph (Gen. 40:23).

Such an experience might have discouraged most of us, but not Joseph He must have continued in fellowship with God, remembering that early dream and promise, until finally came his chance and he was brought out of the prison right into Pharaoh's palace.

Here he was able by God's power to solve a problem for the king which caused the king to realize the qualities of his life and character and he was exalted above all others, to provide for, and govern the whole land of Egypt in readiness for the people of God who would have to come to Egypt in the famine.

A man was needed to handle the crisis in Egypt and note Pharaoh's estimate of Joseph's character. "Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" (Gen. 41:38).

Joseph had gone very far down, but he had never gone out. The path of suffering he trod made him able to bear the high exalted position of authority, not only by the training and faith in God but by the meek and quiet spirit which he had and which lifted him above all the trials and persecutions and troubles others heaped upon him.

His suffering gave him such training as fitted him for his ruler ship of Egypt in the time of his exaltation and his sufferings also made him self-reliant and yet so confident in God and therefore an instrument for God's purposes.

His subsequent actions and wisdom saved Egypt and secured his own position and authority. His meekness and selflessness also helped him when his own brethren came to him as supplicants for help. He bore them no resentment". It was not you, BUT GOD. "God did send me before you".

Now all the suffering was understood and was nothing compared with the glory which followed. The dreams came true and God had got His man on the throne of the most powerful nation in the word at that time, in order to provide for His own people in their need.

It was so in the life of Moses, the deliverer of Israel later. He had to suffer and be tried and tested and hated by his own people before he could exercise the necessary power and authority to lead them out. He had to know that "in himself dwelt no good thing" (Rom. 7:18). He had to learn how to trust completely upon God and His word and promises. Even when he had so miraculously delivered Israel out of bondage, they still accused him of wanting to secure benefit for himself alone but God stood with him and demonstrated His confidence in His servant. Moses knew God and what God wanted and he was trusted with a great task for God.

Likewise, Elijah had to face false accusations and unbelief but he was also able to command deliverance and to bring faith and deliverance to a nation, because he exercised his right to using the authority God had given him.

Likewise, the Lord Himself suffered many things at the hands of His own people, yet "He learned obedience by the things which He suffered" (Heb. 5:8), and because He suffered "being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted" (Heb. 2:18).

It was God who allowed the rage and hatred of His own people, the Jews, to demand the death of His Own Son. It was God who allowed the forces of darkness to express their hatred of His Son.

But the prince of darkness also had to ask permission before he could bring his power against Job or Peter. God was in control. When it was at the darkest hour in the Egyptian prison, then Joseph was nearest to the throne.

The disciples thought all had ended in failure when their beloved Master was put to death, but God had another plan; and it was through that very Cross that God gained back the world, and was able to offer salvation to all men everywhere today. It was because of that Cross, and seeming defeat, that God is able to carry out His wonderful plan of bringing many sons to the throne, to share with the Lord Jesus Christ the right to govern this world, and to exercise the authority of God's Sons over the whole of creation. Because the Lord Jesus submitted to His Father's plan and suffered and died, "God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow" The CROSS BECAME THE THRONE TO GOD.

God gained control of man again from that Cross. Now Jesus is on a throne, exalted and far above all principalities and powers, exercising His authority and training His own brethren for the wonderful task of sharing that same Throne with Him. Jesus Christ is NOW REIGNING FROM THE THRONE.

He has completely conquered sin, and Satan, and is the complete Master of all. It is His plan that we, every single child of God who has been saved and cleansed, shall also occupy that place of victory and government with Him.

"Hath raised us up together and made us sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6).

Now in God's sight we already are placed on that throne. He regards us as already reigning. But in the meantime God is using the forces of evil and darkness, and evil men and opposers of God, to shape us and train us and test us and develop our characters and powers. So that we may ascend the throne in reality.

As the day approaches when the Lord will wind up the present age, the enemy will increase his fierce opposition and his hatred of Christians. But his special effort will be directed against those who, like Joseph, have determined to follow the Lord in purity and honesty,

He will seek to trap us into immorality and evil actions which will spoil our fellowship and intimacy with the Lord and thus spoil our training.

Satan will seek to discourage us by failing us in exams and business and causing the world to hate us. But this is where we are to prove our faith in God and His purposes.

This is where God is now putting us into situations where we can discover our own weaknesses and 'die to ourselves'. Many young people, will suffer severe persecution, even from their own people, when they refuse to take part in evil practices and customs, and they may indeed suffer hardship and the loss of education and benefits. BUT GOD is allowing it for our eventual good. It is the WAY to the THRONE.

God will only trust the governing of others into the hands of those who have suffered and learned all the lessons of the 'pit' and the 'prison' and the Cross, and He is taking a lot of trouble to use 'hired razors' (Isa. 7:20) to teach us how to suffer and endure and grow in FAITH.

Look not at the small amount of suffering we are facing now, but at the THRONE IN HEAVEN. Look not at the hatred or the loss we are enduring from others now that is only material loss: and God is working into us a far greater amount of glory and power and authority. Let us not be discouraged when evil men are allowed to exercise some of their authority over us. God means it for our good, and He is using that person to train us for the time when we shall be given authority and ascend the THRONE.

Joseph was a man who learned dignity, discernment, and exercised authority because he knew that God was in control and that "all things worked for good for those who trust God" (Rom. 8:28).

CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS

"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant". (1 Cor. 12:1)

Paul desired that the church at Corinth should not only know of the existence of spiritual gifts but that they should know their purpose and to go on to exercise them and develop them into spiritual weapons, as weapons of the Holy Spirit in the war against the spirit world.

The Corinthian church already had the gifts, "ye came behind in no spiritual gift " (1 Cor. 1:7), but misused them and failed to reach the full purpose of their bestowal by the

Spirit. So today in Nigeria we are seeing a restoration of the Gifts of the Spirit and this article is written to help those who have been filled with the Holy Spirit, to desire these spiritual gifts; "desire spiritual gifts" and also to know how to use them and become developed and expert channels of the Spirit in them (1 Cor. 14:1).

Many today, say these gifts were withdrawn by the Lord when the Bible was completed. We find no record or hint of this in the Bible. Rather the Lord said, "The gifts and the callings of God are without repentance " (Rom. 11:29) and we have many proofs that the Lord today is restoring these gifts and is once again speaking to His Church through them.

Many state that 1 Cor. 13:8 says, "Whether there be prophecies they shall cease "but this passage plainly states "when that which is perfect is come" and it is certain that this does not refer to the Bible itself for in 1 Cor. 14, it commands us to desire to prophesy and to develop all gifts.

It is clear that the gifts are as necessary today as they were in the early Church when there was an unmistakable proof of many supernatural happenings among the early Christians which could not be explained by normal natural powers. There was praying in the Spirit, singing in the Spirit, and strict guidance from the Spirit as well as various outstanding cases of healing and many miracles of several kinds. The supernatural was the general in the early church, AND THAT SUPERNATURAL IS MISSING TODAY IN THE CHURCH. The Lord Himself spoke to His people and they recognized His voice and obeyed Him.

They all knew how the Holy Spirit came and they had received His fullness and they had all spoken in tongues, the supernatural evidence that He had filled them. It was therefore only natural that He should continue to speak to them and use them to continue the mighty works that Jesus had done, as He had promised.

"Greater works than these shall ye do because I go to the Father" (John 14:12). But the early Christians had to learn how to submit to the Holy Spirit and He had to administer the Gifts among them. Paul said, 'There are diversities or distinct variety of ways that the Holy Spirit works and there are differences of administrations but the same Spirit" (I Cor. 12 5-6).

There are different ways to administer the blessings of the Holy Spirit, different methods of healing but it is the same Lord. All the gifts are part of the blessings which can be part of the normal Christian experiences of every born again child of God who has been filled with the same Holy Spirit. Many mistakes were made in Corinth but they were corrected not stopped.

THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTS

It must be realized that the opposition and the fight against the Church and the work of God is in the supernatural, the spirit realm, and therefore only those powers which operate in the spirit realm are effective in the battle. It is not possible to fight Satan with natural abilities or humanly acquired knowledge or power. He is spirit and must be challenged in the spirit world.

It must also be recognized that the spiritual world is stronger and more important than the physical or material world and most Nigerians are aware of this. The evidence of the power of juju and witchcraft operations prove this. They are activities in the spirit realm and no mental or human power is able to stand against them. It must be a spiritual power to deal with that world.

God can only fight the spiritual battle with spiritual weapons operating through spiritual people who have yielded themselves to the Holy Spirit for Him to use their bodies and faculties and senses to deal with evil spiritual powers.

THERE ARE NINE SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

There are three (GIFTS OF REVELATION) The Gift of the word of Wisdom. The Gift of the Word of Knowledge. The Gift of the discerning of spirits.

There are three (GIFTS OF POWER) The Gift of Miracles. The Gift of faith. The Gift   of healings.

There are three (GIFTS OF UTTERANCE) The Gift of prophecy. The gift of Tongues and the Interpretation of tongues.

None of the Apostles in the book of Acts boasted how many of these gifts they possessed but most of them exercised the gifts at various times for various reasons and needs. Paul certainly manifested that he used them all. Each was a supernatural manifestation for a special reason which could not be acquired by education or learning or human means.

Seek the GIVER and do not demand the Gifts. The Holy Spirit will distribute the Gifts as He sees and finds channels whom He can use and whose nature and abilities lend themselves to His purpose.

"Desire (covet earnestly) spiritual gifts" (1 Cor. 14:1, 12:3)

We shall continue with explanatory articles on each gift in future issues.

SOULWINNERS UNLIMITED NIGERIA (S.U.N.)

CALLING FOR IGBIRRA CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA

We would like all igbirras to realize what God is now doing in their homeland. There are now over 24 established full gospel assemblies working in the Okene District, with their own leaders, local administration and ministry.

There is also a committee working to translate the Bible into the Ebira language. It is now recommended that the language shall be called Ebira and not igbirra.

The gospel has also spread to Eganyi district where assemblies have been established and expanding while the district of Ajaokuta is now calling for the gospel.

They also keen to contact igbirras living in the mid-west because plans are in hand to extend the gospel work to igbirra farm villages there.

There is also a gospel team holding various places. The team comprises members of the Anglican, Baptist, C.A.C and Gospel Assemblies. All Christians should remember to pray for IGBIRRA.

There is a Bible school, with dormitories and classrooms in Agassa, Okene, where they have trained many local evangelists and church leaders.

The work is growing and they are now thrusting out new evangelists across the River Niger into the Koto Karfi district where there are over 300 villages without the gospel.

The demand for the gospel is great and this is a wonderful opportunity for all igbirras to take a share in the work. ALL IGBIRRAS should make sure they contact their Christian brethren at home