Improving our Spiritual Understanding

True Spirituality (Series 71)

Theme: Righteousness is at  the Level of our Thoughts!

Memory Verse: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts (Isa 55:7).

Beloved

We bless the name of the Lord, for what he is doing for us in this month of completion.

Without Jesus Christ, also called the  Word (John 1:1), our life can never be complete.  The Scripture says: And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power (Col 2:10).

Our memory verse says the wicked should forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts. In Christ Jesus, God wants all his children to be one with him in thoughts, words, actions and purpose. Jesus was completely one with his Father. He tells us that in the book of John, where He states: I and my Father are one (John 10:30).

The only thing that can prevent man becoming one with God in Christ is sin. The eyes of God are too pure to behold sin (Hab 1:13). Truly, God loves sinners but He hates sins with passion. Indeed, it was sin that nailed his Son to the cross. Sin creates a separation between man and him (Isa 59:1-2).

Our God is a righteous God. He loves righteousness with passion.  The Bible says, Jesus who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2Cor 5:21). What else does a  man need from a righteous and holy God? It is clear from this scripture that we can never be righteous on our own. Our righteousness only comes through our faith in Christ Jesus. But if we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour, but we are not like Him in thoughts, words and actions, then we are hypocrites.

According to our memory verse, unrighteousness is at the level of our thoughts. As true believers, no matter how often we go to church, we can not be righteous without ‘filtering’ our thoughts with the word of God, and taking every contrary thought captive until it aligns with the Word (2Cor 10:5). Wickedness is to do with our actions, but unrighteousness is to do with our thoughts.

The secret to righteous and holy living is filling your heart with the word of God; this purifies the heart. David, a man after God’s heart, discovered this secret year ago, hence he was quick to hide the word of God in his heart: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psalm 119:11). Jesus made it clear to us that it is truth in the word of God that cleanses and sanctifies us. He prayed for us: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth (John 17:17). He explained further that evil thoughts comes from unpurified heart: ‘For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts…’ (Matt 15:19).

In one of my previous messages, I received a feedback from one of the readers, suggesting that the Bible as divine instruction manual, has no definition of sin. How wrong!  The entire bible is God’s invitation to man to be one with Him in righteousness, so how would it not define sin? The bible has quite a few definition and explanation of sin.

The one that readily comes to my mind is by brother James: Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (Jam 4:17). The anointing we have received is for goodness, there is no room for ungodly thoughts, words or deeds. The unrighteous person can be easily identified by the words of his mouth, hence same brother James says: For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body (Jam 3:2).

Similarly, the first book of John tells us that: sin is the transgression of the law(1John 3:4). So we sin when we go against the law, whether societal law or divine law. This why every believer need to read the bible regularly and have good understanding of it. We know that even in the secular court, ignorance of the law is not an excuse.

The Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus, that dwells in every true believer is a spirit of righteousness. There is no dot of contamination, errors, impurity or unrighteousness in Him. In heaven and on earth the only pure substance  that can purify  man is the word of God:The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times (Psalm 12:6).

To have increasing spiritual knowledge, requires total fear of God, and  spiritual training in the word of God: Train yourself to be godly(1Tim 4:7-8 NIV).

PRAYER: There is someone reading this message receive the grace of righteousness, as you remain focused on the words of God in Jesus mighty name, Amen!

In the Ministry Of the Word (MOW)-Acts 6:4, we primarily encourage and empower believers to be rich in the words of God: let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom(Col 3:16). The entrance of the WORD is the true source of LIGHT in a dark world (Ps 119:130). We also encourage believers to speak to one another ”in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”(Eph 5:19). We encourage everyone to ”seek first the kingdom of God & his righteousness”(Matt 6:33).”Righteousness exalts”(Prov 14:34). We emphasize that pure Christianity is about True Spirituality in Christ Jesus. We emphasize that the POWER in the blood of Jesus has set us FREE from bondage, and that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2Cor 3:17). Jesus is the Truth(John 14:6). The words of God are spirit & are Life(John 6:63). We allow the Scriptures to answer all questions. We create the awareness that Jesus has made all true believers kings and priests unto God and his Father(Rev 1:6). In addition, as a spiritual body, we also empower unbelievers, using the principles of our Lord Jesus Christ with the understanding that when they witness the power of the living God, they will exalt his holy name (Psalm 46:10). One major objective of MOW is to increasingly improve everyone’s spiritual understanding! Spiritual ignorance is a major cause of human destruction(Hosea 4:6). Indeed, many children of God have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge (Isa 5:13). Please note that the MOW is an initiative and the spiritual arm of Abasi Health Foundation (AHF). AHF is a registered NGO in Nigeria , with the primary objective of empowering all groups of people to optimize their health. It is aimed at encouraging everyone to have increasing awareness of three broad levels of health: Physical, Mental and Spiritual. May God give you the grace of increasing understanding in Jesus Name. Amen. Websites: http//www.ministryoftheword.org; http//www.abasihealthfoundation.org

The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17).