13.11.23 ADVISE TO JOHN ADEJOH PRAYER GROUP AT OWOWOLO

Okay. May God keep helping you.

With this your permission, let me advise as follows:

God's intention is to make every new convert to become like Christ. Rm. 8:29. The way into that is listed in Ephesians 4:11 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers.

Ephesians 4:12 His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church),

Ephesians 4:13 [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.

Ephesians 4:14 So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead.

Ephesians 4:15 Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

Ephesians 4:16 For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:17 So this I say and solemnly testify in [the name of] the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness [in the folly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility] of their minds.

Ephesians 4:18 Their moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning is beclouded. [They are] alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the ignorance (the want of knowledge and perception, the willful blindness) that is deep-seated in them, due to their hardness of heart [to the insensitiveness of their moral nature].

Ephesians 4:19 In their spiritual apathy they have become callous and past feeling and reckless and have abandoned themselves [a prey] to unbridled sensuality, eager and greedy to indulge in every form of impurity [that their depraved desires may suggest and demand].

Ephesians 4:20 But you did not so learn Christ!

Ephesians 4:21 Assuming that you have really heard Him and been taught by Him, as [all] Truth is in Jesus [embodied and personified in Him],

Ephesians 4:22 Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion;

Ephesians 4:23 And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude],

Ephesians 4:24 And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another. [Zech. 8:16.]

Ephesians 4:26 When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.

Ephesians 4:27 Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].

Ephesians 4:28 Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it.

Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).

Ephesians 4:32 And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

READ THE PASSAGE IN OTHER VERSIONS/TRANSLATIONS.

Jesus picked ordinary people like fishermen and made them ministers. You, in the village setting, have more of such opportunities than us in the town. 

Let these women that come for prayers  become like Christ over 5 or 6 years of being close to you. Jesus turned ordinary people to spiritual people after being with them for three and a half years.

Discipleship is the work (Mt 28:19-20). See how Moses made Joshua, Naomi made Ruth, Elijah made Elisha and Elisha made none. History of Israel changed as a result. Joshua made none. So the book of Judges came. Even Samson was a man of God then. No Discipleship, no real glory for God. We (ministers) are in the Church to equip God's people for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:11).

Our work is not done till they are no longer children. It's children that keep dreaming the dreams that they testify about in your meetings. Help their dreams to change from seeing Satan/demons to seeing God.

They must learn that they are lights. How can darkness block light or fight it? How can police from another country just come and arrest us from the kingdom of light (Gal. 1:13)?

The work is disciple-making. Teach them about SELF(that old light that is making them experience those things). Tell them of the cross. These were first basic lessons of Jesus. Make them yours.

Luke 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Luke 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

They are still running their lives and they can't follow Jesus that way. See Mt 16:23-24; Mk 8:34; Lk 14:25-33. Let them know what it means to deny self.

Sorry for writing so long. May God help you as you pray about these things (2 Tim. 2:7).