Heavenly Places (Pastor Yakubu Yola) 13-05-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES 

@ Family Worship Centre (FWC), 

Wuye, Abuja 

Friday Prayer Meeting

13th May, 2016 

* Speaker: Pastor Yakubu Yola 

* Topic: Heavenly Places 

* Text: Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-22; 2:1-9

★ John 17:14 →"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world."

* NOTE: As a child of God, you are not of the world 

* One of the ways to study how to live as 'not of the world' is to study the life of Jesus 

→ Nothing could conquer Jesus; the things of the world could not overcome Him because He was not of the world 

* God designed your life as a Christian to overcome every situation

→ Difficult situations can only challenge you, but they cannot overcome you 

* The life of Jesus is testimony of the fact that no situation can challenge and overwhelm you

→ There was always a way out for Jesus under any circumstance 

* As long as you follow and trust in Jesus, there will always be a way out 

* The plan of God is that there should always be provision for your needs & that you'll never be stranded because of the power of God that is at work in you

* God did not design you to be stuck 

* You must not accept and confess anything negative concerning your life 

→ Your confession must always be based on God's finished work of grace in your life  

★ 1 Corinthians 10:13 →''No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." 

→ NOTE: There is always a way out of every situation

* NOTE: You must realize that every difficult situation comes with an imbeded way out!

* We serve a God who always makes a way out of every difficult situation 

* If you are stuck in any difficult situation, God will show you the way out 

* It is wrong for a door to be closed and you give up, thinking that there is no other door of escape 

→ there is always a way out of every situation 

* NOTE: As a child of God, you have the Power of God embedded in you to represent Him properly on earth 

★ 1 John 5:4 →"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." 

* If you are not operating in the power and might of God (as a Christian), something is wrong 

* Every time you are confronted with any situation, (realize that) you have overcome it already - by virtue of the power of God in you! 

* A child of God must never panic, fear or be discouraged when faced with difficult situations 

* God's power invested in you is your empowerment tool to overcome every situation 

★ Ephesians 2:6 →"and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." 

* The design of your ability to overcome in life is determined by where you are 'seated' 

⇒ Christ is not seated there alone; You are also there with Him! 

* NOTE: The moment Christ was raised from the dead, your victory was sealed 

→ He has already accomplished it and you are expected to exercise it by faith 

* You do not have to fight and struggle through demons. You are already seated above them 

→ You don't have to pray about it. It is already yours  

* If you know your position in Christ, there are certain prayers you do not need to pray 

* There is nothing the devil can do about your spiritual position 

→ It has been given by a higher spiritual power - Jesus 

* Many Christians are not aware that spiritual forces recognize and obey authority! 

→ Spiritual powers and forces respond only to spiritual authority 

* There was an election for you to sit in heavenly places: 

→ God was the only electorate, and He voted in your favor! 

→ It was an incontestable decision 

* NOTE: The devil is not in charge in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3)

★ Ephesians 1:22 →"And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church." 

* When one General shows up, He can command an entire legion of soldiers

→ If you are a General in God's army, your orders cannot be contested by Satan, his demons or his agents. They must obey! 

→ One with God is majority 

★ 1 John 4:4 →"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." 

* As a child of God, you need to be aware of your spiritual position and authority at all times 

* You must take your place and the Lord will make a way for you

☆ What is your limitation?

→ Times and seasons 

★ Ecclesiastes 3:1 →"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven." 

→ A true child of God is not limited by times and seasons 

→ Anytime you like, you can get your breakthrough 

* There were men that entered the place of God and determined time:

→ Joshua makes the sun stand still (Joshua 10:13) 

→ Elijah proclaims drought (1 Kings 17:1)  

→ Aaron's staff budded, blossomed & produced fruit overnight (Numbers 17:1-8) 

→ Elizabeth's supernatural conception in old age (Luke 1:18-25) 

* There is no level that faith cannot take you to in life

* There are no limitations to a man who walks by faith and in the power of God  

* You must refuse to be like every other person & fit into a mold of mediocrity 

* You have the grace to: 

→ complete any abandoned project

→ walk in victory 

→ live in perpetual good health 

→ experience financial breakthrough  

The Sacrificial Giving of a Disciple (The Sacrificial Giving of a Disciple) 24-01-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Family Worship Centre (FWC),

Wuye - Abuja, Nigeria

First Service

24th January, 2016

SERMON

* Speaker: Pastor Sarah Omaku

* Topic: The Sacrificial giving of a Disciple

* Theme for 2016: Our Jesus, His Command, Our Vision

* Text: Malachi 3:8-12

 

★ Matthew 19:16-22

★ Matthew 16:24 →"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

★ Acts 4:32-37

★ Acts 2:44-45

* This life we are living in is far inferior compared to where we are going to [Heaven]

★ Matthew 6:19-21

* All your treasures should be stored in heaven, not on earth

* The main aim of a disciple is to please his/her master

* Being a disciple is not your end in itself; your body is not your end.

→ Heaven is your ultimate end!

 

* There is something in-built in a man that propels him to give to God

★ Genesis 8:22 → "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

→ When you give to God, you release a divine emotion

* You must get to the level of Abrahamic giving when the only thing that matters is total obedience to God

* Giving to God existed even before the Law

→ It is no longer fashionable not to give to God

* NOTE: The Law did not come through Moses, but through God

→ The Law has not and it will not pass away.

→ Many Christians use the excuse that they are in a dispensation of grace and not of law, therefore they will not give. This is wrong.

* Tithes, offering and first-fruits, are used to run the Church and expand the Kingdom of God on earth.

★ Matthew 5:17-18 → "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished." 

* Until Jesus comes, nothing in the law will be removed

* Jesus brought a more superior law

★ Matthew 23:23 → "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former."

* What you get is dependent on how much you give

* If you are still [stuck at the level of] giving tithes & offerings, you still lack one thing - total surrender

* NOTE: Jesus never mentioned tithes & offerings. He required that believers should give generously.

 

★ Luke 6:36 → "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

★ Acts 4:32-35

* The early Church lived selflessly and met the needs of all the believers

★ Acts 2:44-45

★ 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

* Today, many believers do not want to share their possessions with others that are in dire need.

 

* Until you give yourself totally to the Lord, you cannot give anything that is acceptable to God. (See: 2 Corinthians 8:5)

* Jesus did not come to earth with the lifestyle of heaven

* A man who is totally surrendered to God will not hesitate to give every thing when he is required to do so.

* The Disciples give everything when there is a need

* You must realise that your blessings are not all about you

* Many believers are distracted the moment then get some blessing from God

* You have to live a high life: Beyond tithes and offerings (which is the minimum)

* Everything that God gives you is in trust

* Until you give everything, you have not given at all

* Jesus expects you to give all because He knows the value of the exchange

* Another house or another car is not what you need. You need to live a sacrificial life and help people around you

* Prayer:

"Father, de-materialize and de-world me"

Our Jesus, His Command, Our Vision (Pastor Sarah Omakwu) 03-01-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Family Worship Centre (FWC),

Wuye - Abuja, Nigeria

First Service

3rd January, 2016

SERMON

* Speaker: Pastor Sarah Omaku

* Theme for 2016: Our Jesus, His Command, Our Vision

* Text: Colossians 3:1-14

★ Matthew 6:33 →"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

* It is important to start the year right

* If you get this message and obey it, you are guaranteed a good life on earth and a greater life in heaven

* Aim at seeking the eternal treasures by setting your mind on things above

* If you substitute your desires for having material possessions with the desire for having eternal treasures, your life will change for the better!

* You must ask yourself how these things that consume you now will affect you in the next 1,000 years

* What does it mean to 'set' something?

→ It means to position something immovable in one place

→ To put into a specific state

* If you set your mind on heaven, no matter what goes on around you, your mind is programed by heaven and nothing else matters

* When heaven is your thermostat, your desires, are conditioned by God's standards

* Setting your mind on heaven means that:

(a) you do not seek the accolades of the world

(b) you have positioned your mind on God's promises

★ John 4:34 →"Jesus told them, “My food is doing the will of the one who sent me and completing his work."

* NOTE: The worst thing in heaven is better than the classiest thing on earth

★ James 4:13-15 →"Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town, stay there a year, conduct business, and make money.” You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you should say, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live—and do this or that.”

* No matter how long your life is, it cannot be compared with the lenght of eternity

→ Many people exhaust the whole of their lives on earth chasing vapor

* You must only mind and pursue things that are eternal

★ Hebrews 11:8-10 →" By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who also inherited the same promise, because he was waiting for the city with permanent foundations, whose architect and builder is God."

* Abraham must have seen something that is still eluding many people on earth today

→ He lived life very light, with eternity in might

* If you live right on earth, you will be entitled to rewards in heaven

→ Not everyone in heaven will get the same rewards

* You must get to the point that the things of earth are not your primary motivation

* You cannot set your mind in two places at the same time

* Where you set your mind determines:

→ how you live

→ your priorities

→ how you spend your resources (time, money, intellect, etc)

★ 1 John 2:15 -17→'' Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father’s love is not in him. For everything that is in the world—the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world and its desires are fading away, but the person who does God’s will remains forever."

* When your mind is set on heaven:

→ it is easy to forgive, be humble, to give, to be kind or help, etc.

→ loving everyone comes easily

→ you do not you struggle to acquire things on earth at all cost

→ sin will not be a problem

★ 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

* Love is the greatest and it is the lifestyle of heaven

* How you respond to the issues of life (good or bad) is determined by where your mind is set

* Your response in love to every situation is what gets you great rewards

* Seek every opportunity to be kind and loving

* You must purpose to do something good for someone everyday

* When any one ask you for help, do not turn them down if you have the capacity to help

* Ensure that your life is not controlled by temporal things

* NOTE: You cannot set your mind on heaven if you are not born again

★ Quotes:

* Fasting does not change God, it changes you

It is Finished (Rev. David Kwamkur) 03-04-2015

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Area 1, Garki - Abuja, Nigeria

Easter Friday

3rd April, 2015

SERMON

* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur

* Topic: It is Finished

* Text: John 19:28-30

* Question: Why do people die?

→ You must know why people are born

→ The same reason why people die is the reason why they live

→ Every person is born with a specific purpose

* As believers in Christ, we must realize that we are merely ambassadors on this earth. At the end of our 'Diplomatic Mission', we will return back to Heaven, our home country

* On earth, people who have material possessions made of gold always brag about it, but in heaven, gold is trampled underfoot on the streets (Revelation 21:21)

* Note: Heaven is far better than even the most beautiful part of the earth!

* Why does God not rapture a person the moment he or she becomes born again?

* The same reason why Jesus came to the earth is the same reason why God leaves believers to walk and work on the earth!

* Question: Was Jesus happy knowing that He Was about to face a terrible death?

→ Ordinarily, people fear the prospect of dying and dread it with all their heart

* Jesus' death was a death with a difference!

→ Yes, Jesus was happy to die for your sins because that is the will of His Father

* Question: is Jesus still happy that he died?

→ By continuing to live in sin, you show that you do not appreciate the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, and this displeases him

* Jesus prayed for (and still desires) the unity of the Church

→ John 17:11

* If a person dies, he or she is eulogised on a tombstone, remembering what the person lived for

→ If you die today, what do you want to be remembered for?

★ 2 Timothy 4:7 - "I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith."

* Before the Lord returns, the gospel must be preached to the whole world

(Matthew 24:14)

* The 2nd coming of Jesus is dependent on the work and efforts of believers (reaching the unreached and those in darkness)

* Just like a good father would not want anything bad to happen to his children, Jesus preferred to die in the place of his children, the believers

* John 10:10b → Jesus came to give us abundant life

* The purpose of Jesus' coming is to bring salvation

→ He knew the will of God for His life and He was determined to fulfil it

* though It was not easy to fulfil God's will, yet Jesus obeyed and endured till the very end, even to death

* The miracle in the death of Christ is more spectacular than his resurrection

☆ The Significance of the death of Jesus:

1. It marks the end of the era of agony and ushers us into the period of triumphant victory

2. It marks the end of bondage from sin

3. It marks the end of the era of fear, and ushers in the era of peace and victory

4. It marks the end of the era of Law and the beginning of the era of grace

* The purpose of Jesus' coming is to bring salvation to mankind

* Jesus left us on earth to:

1. Preach the Gospel of Salvation

→ 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 →"But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation."

2. To be a blessing to others

3. To bring rebels back to Christ

→ Anyone who does not accept Christ is a rebel

* The work of spreading the gospel is not only for Pastors but it is the duty of every believer

* If you cannot go (out to preach the gospel), then, send someone

* life is very short. Stop waiting and start doing something (about what God has called you to do)

* Death is sure, either you die, or the person you were sent to dies

* You should have an urgent disposition towards preaching the gospel

* There are many people who are ready to hear the Good news

* Do not be discouraged by those who do not accept the gospel

* Remember as you preach, that you are not responsible for ensuring that people repent and turn to Christ. Your duty is just to TELL them the good news; the Holy Spirit will do the rest

QUOTE

* "The value of your life does not depend on the money in your bank account or the degrees you have, but on the relationship you have with Jesus Christ"

→ Rev. David Kwamkur