Bible Reading: Psalms 27&63
Topic: The Fellowship which you must not miss
Memory Verse: Psa 27:4 KJV One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
The battle-axe of God must keep on fellowshipping with God. The fellowshipping with God is more important than the exploits which God intends to do through us. Today’s memory verse is the cry of a battle axe of God (David) who will not trade being with God for anything. Jesus Christ also called the disciples to Himself so that they might be with Him (Mark 3:14). Being with Jesus came first before he called them to become His battle-axe which He will use to destroy the devil when He sent them out to preach (Luke 10:19). Jesus told Peter to follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men (Matt 4:19). It means that the following process comes first.
Here is another exciting portion of the cry of David in Psalm 27
Psalm 27:9
When you said, ‘Seek my face’, my heart said to you, ‘O LORD, I will seek your face’.
Do not hide your face from me. Do not angrily turn me away. You have been my help. Do not leave me! Do not abandon me, O God, my savior!
God will use us as His battle axe but He desires us to seek His face the more. If I may ask you a simple question, ‘Do you miss God?’
See the cry of the Psalmist when he missed God in Psalm 63
Psalm 63:1-2
O God, you are my God. At dawn I search for you. My soul thirsts for you. My body longs for you in a dry, parched land where there is no water.
So I look for you in the holy place to see your power and your glory.
Personal Fellowship
At the time the Psalmist wrote this Psalm, you can only worship God at a designated location. David could not go to that place anymore because Saul had chased him into the wilderness of Judah. In that wilderness, David expressed how much he has missed worship. In our dispensation, your personal worship and fellowship with God can be done anywhere. So, you must take time to fellowship with God. During this fellowship, you must sing praises to God and you must pray to Him. I mean all kinds of prayer, you must study the word of God, you must meditate, and you must wait on God to hear his voice.
There are battle axes that God uses in the music ministry who do not have private time devoted to singing to God in our generation. Many are in the prayer ministry who do not have a personal prayer life. I have been long in the church to realise that it is easier to lead prayer in the congregation than to have fellowship in secret. Some also study the word looking for the next revelation or explanation which they can share.
The most critical fellowship is the one that you have with God. Do not trade it for anything. Look for the time you will dedicate without distraction. It is like having a date with the highest and He will always come. It was reported that one of our Pentecostal fathers usually have visitation of the saint of old during His personal fellowship. He has a similar experience that Jesus had on the mountain of transfiguration (Matt 17).
How do you study the Word of God?
I Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
Since we got born again through God’s word, we cannot do without it throughout our journey of faith. Remember, the word of God that got us born again is incorruptible. Indeed, staying in the same world will make us incorruptible in this evil world.
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.
Since the word of God will stand forever, it means anyone standing in the word of God will also stand forever as a battle axe. Tips for studying the word of God (Having a notepad and a pen during any bible study is compulsory):
- You can choose a topic and study all Jesus said concerning it. For example, what are the things Jesus said concerning faith, love, rapture, giving, forgiveness and other issues he discussed while teaching the crowd and the disciples? You will find it in the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).
- You can choose to study a bible character, for example, Joseph, Moses, Paul and others.
- You may study a book, particularly Joshua, all the letters of the new testament.
- Suppose you have not read the Bible through. In that case, you are missing a lot because you lack the average Bible literacy required of a believer. However, if you devote fifteen minutes a day to Bible reading, you can complete it in a year.
- After you hear a preacher or a speaker mention a scripture, you can look into the whole chapter or book in your private moment.
- You can wake up in the night and do a study vigil. Reading and meditating on the word of God in the night season can be refreshing.
- Resources: Get a very easy to read translation of the Bible. I suggest popular ones like the Amplified Bible or New International Version. Your Mobile device gives you access to many translations; all you need is to go to the Appstore to download the bible application
- Be a lover of Sunday School and Bible Study in your local assembly. Ask honest but not controversial questions so you can learn. Discuss the Bible with friends and at work
- Attend the meeting of seasoned anointed Bible Teachers around you. For example, if I am chanced and I am aware of people like Bro Gbile Akaani, Rev Tunde Joda, Rev Olusola Areogun, Rev Gbade Ogunlana, Rev George Adegboye, I will surely attend. I also listen to Pastor W.F Kumuyi on Radio. You can assess many Bible teachers’ materials online. There are links where you can download sermons: https://www.virtualpreacher.org/useful-christian-web-sites-and-blogs/free-sermon-notes-outlines-audios-videos/
I strongly recommend the literature written by these great Bible teachers for your library. Many of them read plenty of Keneth, E Hagin books, and I also recommend any of his books which you find in a Christian bookshop.
Prayer
This is communication with God, and it takes time to master this too. You may desire long hours of prayers, but it takes time to get there. Since it is a time to speak to the father of spirits, it is a spiritual activity. Therefore, it might be necessary to follow some rules:
- Find a place and time that is convenient, quiet, cool and calm. Avoid distractions of cell phones and other issues. During the time chosen, give God all your attention.
- Be consistent about the time and place.
- Make sure that you approach God with His word in prayers
- Start with worship and praise. Sing hymns if you can
- Do not worry when your prayer time anytime seems too short. All you have to do is to study God’s word or worship to make up the desired time.
- Praying in the Holy Ghost
- Listen to God and don’t just talk all the way.
- Prayer fire is contagious; you may n
- eed a prayer partner that has a higher prayer fire
- Learn to pray at nights
- Join a prayer team or intercessory group
Fellowship with other Brethren
The apostles in the early church were also in fellowship with one another. The four Hebrew boys (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and Daniel) are forces to reckon with in the land of Babylon because they fellowship with one another (Daniel 2:17). This does not stop them from fellowshipping with God individually. In fact the holy spirit communicated that Apostles Paul and Barnabas should be set apart for the ministry’s work to the gentiles.
Acts 13:2
Barnabas, Simeon (called the Black), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (a close friend of Herod since childhood), and Saul were prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for me. I want them to do the work for which I called them.”
The Lord could have birthed the ministry of Paul and Barnabas during an individual fellowship with him. But, instead, he chose to do it when brethren meet. The implication of this is that some things may not happen during our personal fellowship with God (Act 2:1, 2:44, &4:31).
Fellowship with brethren must happen everywhere. Just start with two or more, in different places (streets, schools and offices). This is very important because great revival is birthed in such gathering. Do not feel that you are too mature to sit under certain people’s tutelage in a fellowship. Be very humble in the manner in which you approach fellowship. Imagine the baptism of Holy Ghost and fire that took place at the gathering of the followers of Jesus. Jesus could have told them to stay in different areas, but He never did.
Prayer Points
- Oh Lord, I need you more than before in every area of my life in the name of Jesus
- Let my desire for God never go down in the name of Jesus
- I receive divine understanding when I read the word of God in the name of Jesus Christ
- The spirit of prayers and supplications fall upon me in the name of Jesus Christ
- Anytime I am in the place of worship, I will enjoy the sweetness of heaven in the name of Jesus Christ
- I deliver myself from the yoke of prayerlessness in the name of Jesus. Amen
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