Access to the Kingdom of God pt 4

Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is

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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive

right in. Hey man, it's been a blessing to be

here. I know that some people are trapped in

the exams. You know, and the easiest thing that

they can suspend in their life, the activity

that they believe that they can pause for a while,

probably is coming to church. So I trust that

we'll reach this level where we know our priorities

in life, we know what is more important for us.

At every point in time, we understand, we know

how to arrange our lives, we know how to organize

our lives. And we're able to arrange everything

according to priorities. Hallelujah. I'm going

to be sharing with those an aspect of the believer's

life that is very crucial in manifesting the

kingdom of God. A very, very important aspect

of what we have in the faith. You know, we've

been discussing the access that we have into

the kingdom of God. And we established different

things about two times or three times ago. Amen.

Matthew chapter 16. Matthew chapter 16. Matthew

Matthew 16 · chapter mention Matthew 16 · chapter mention Matthew 16:19

16 verse 19. And I will give you the keys of

the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you bind

on earth will be bound in heaven. And whatever

you lose on earth will be lost in heaven. And

also Romans chapter 14. Romans chapter 14, verse

Romans 14 · chapter mention Romans 14:17

17, to be precise, verse 17. You know, we've

established, we've agreed, or we've seen in Scripture

that this kiss is the Holy Spirit, right? Romans

Romans 14:17

14 verse 17 says, For the kingdom of God is not

in what? Is not in eating and drinking, but in

righteousness and peace and joy. In what? In

the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah. Joy in the Holy

Spirit. So what I will be talking about is the

joy of the kingdom. The joy of the kingdom, because

we have access to the kingdom of God. What we

expect to experience in our life is the joy of

the kingdom. In Romans 14, particularly verse

17, talks about what is obtainable in the kingdom

of God. And we've explained several times that

all the resources that God has blessed us in

the kingdom belongs to everyone that is part

of the kingdom. And we ought to see ourselves

manifesting. We ought to see ourselves enjoying

the privileges and the resources we have as part

of God's kingdom. And one other thing that is

very important to be reflected in the life of

a man or a woman that have access to the kingdom

of God is joy. Hallelujah. What we ought to enjoy

regularly in our lives, every day, per time,

per season, is joy. Because this verse talks

about what the kingdom of God is. It says, it

is righteousness, it is peace, and what? And

joy in the Holy Spirit. So, Matthew 16, 19 says,

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

And we agree that this was a promise, and this

promise was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit was

given To believe us. Now the Holy Spirit. We

said is the key that grant us. This access to

the experiences. That we should have. In our

relationship with God. It gives us access to

experience. The power of God. It gives us access

to experience. The presence of God. The presence

of God. The power of God. And all the realities

that are obtainable. In what Christ has done.

For us. And in Acts chapter 1 verse 8, Jesus

Acts 1:8

declared, he says, you shall receive power when

the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall

be witnesses. And we saw that the coming of the

Holy Spirit was not just to make us look religious.

We saw effectively in the life of the apostles.

And we've prayed today, we've seen examples of

how they vigorously, you know, exemplify the

life that the Holy Spirit will demand of a believer.

So the Holy Spirit is to make us living expressions,

actually, of the kingdom of God on earth. So

as we have the Spirit of God in our hearts, it's

expected by the Spirit of God to walk through

us, to make us, you know, an expression, the

living expression of God's kingdom on earth.

So we saw in scriptures of different people,

men like us that were able to demonstrate what

it means to have access to the kingdom of God

through the power of the spirit of God. They

heal the sick, they cast out devils, they preach

with boldness. You know, the first circumstances,

situations, persecutions. And we could see the

boldness they have because the spirit of God

was standing and walking in them. Now one...

The thing that is very crucial that defines their

life and their living and all the things they

do while they are on earth is joy. Their lives

were marked by joy. Now, when we study through

scriptures, we see in everything they do, they

may not necessarily have everything sorted out

in their lives, but they have this deep sense

of joy, this unshakable joy that flows out of

their relationship with God. This joy is an expression

as a result of their union with God. So whenever

we see in scriptures, it's actually God's desire,

it's God's plan for the believer of the day.

You know, sometimes when we read through scriptures

and we see stories, we see people's experiences,

we think, ah, these people, they are not in our

shoes, right? Or maybe you hear a brother give

testimony of what God has done in his life, what

God is doing in his or her life. And then it

seems as though, you know, these experiences

are not for us because we practicalize our experiences,

the difficulties and the challenges we are facing.

We practicalize and own the temptations and the

trials we are passing through as though they

are unique to us. But the Bible says that there's

no temptation, there's no trial that will come

to you, the believer, that is not common to all.

Hallelujah. It's not new. It has happened to

others. And it will still happen to people. Hallelujah.

It will happen to people. You're not the first

person to experience that. It may be a first

experience for you. Amen. So we have a comfort

and the comfort we have is the presence of God

in us. Hallelujah. So the proof of the access

we have. that we can see one of the proof of

the access we have in the kingdom of God is joy

in the Holy Ghost. Hallelujah. So Romans 14,

17 reveals that the kingdom of God is not in

outward observances. All right? It's not in eating.

It's not in drinking. Now, the context of Romans

14, if we check in Romans 14 from the first verse,

from verse 1, Romans 14. You see that Paul was

dealing with an issue in that church. Sorry.

Paul was dealing with an issue of ceremonial

activities in the church where, you know, for

example, let's read from verse 14 from verse

1. He says, Receive one who is weak in the faith,

but not to dispute over doubtful things because

there were a lot of controversies. The church

is a mixture of Jewish and then Gentiles. So

the Jewish people were trying to enforce regulations,

external activities, you know, on the non -Jewish

people. That you have to do this and do that,

do these activities. You know, verse 2. For one

believes he may eat all things, but who is weak

eats only vegetables. Let not he who eats the

spicy who... does not eat and let not let not

him who does not eat okay let me read verse 3

he said let not him who eats despise him who

does not eat and let not him who does not eat

judge him who eats for God has received him who

are you to judge another man's servant for his

own master he stands or falls indeed he will

be made to stand for God is able to make him

stand all right One person assumes one day above

another, another assumes every day alike. Let

each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who

observes the day, observes it to the Lord. And

he who does not observe a day to the Lord, he

does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the

Lord, for he gives God thanks. And he who does

not eat to the Lord, he does not eat and give

God thanks. For none of us. lives to himself,

and no one dies to himself. Or we live to the

Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore,

whether we live or die, we are the Lord. Then,

jumping down to verse 17, and then we see him

emphasizing, he says, for the kingdom of God,

right, is not comprised of all those external

things. Okay? The things that are done in the

physical. are not the core or the most important.

But he mentioned things that are very, very essential.

He says the kingdom of God is seen in righteousness

and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. And joy

in the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit, you know,

is the environment of the kingdom of God. And

to have a spirit is to have, you know, access

to all the realities that are in the kingdom

of God. And one of the important things that

we can see evidently is the joy that is coming

from the presence of the Holy Spirit within the

believer. Galatians 5 verse 22 talks about the

Galatians 5:22

fruits that the Holy Spirit produces in the believer.

Galatians 5 verse 22 from the NLT from the NLT

Galatians 5:22

says, but the Holy Spirit produces This kind

of fruit in our lives, which means that if you

have the Holy Spirit in you, we should see this

evidence in your life. We should see this evidence

in your life. Love. Of course, we know it is

love. Then joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness. So joy is one of the expressions

of love that should be seen in the believer.

Joy is not just mere happiness. Amen? Happiness,

anybody can be happy. In fact, if you get tipsy

with wine, you can be happy. You can listen to

good music and you are happy. Okay? You can check

your phone and you see an alert and you'll be

happy. Happiness can come from anything external.

But real joy, okay, real joy is actually The

fruit of the spirit in the believer. So it therefore

means that the daily experience of the believer

should be that he experiences joy always. Because

when we become born again, we receive a spirit

and that spirit comes with joy in him, in us.

Hallelujah. So our goal is that we will be able

to know that, see, we have joy in us. And not

only that we know that we have joy in us, that

we are able to at all times express the joy that

God has placed in our hearts. It is a spiritual

signature, that is, joy is a spiritual signature

that marks those who live under the rule of Christ.

That is to say, if you have the Spirit of God

living in you, what would you see significant

about your life? is that you are living the life

of joy. You know, oftentimes we think that Christianity

is about being moody. We assume that when someone

puts a straight face, there's nothing to be happy

about in this life. There's nothing to be joyful

about. We are about our Father's kingdom. We

are so serious and so busy. And then we keep

faces that doesn't represent what we have inside

of us. Hallelujah. And some of us, it's because

our day, we had bad days and then it influences

every part of our life. The believer is not influenced

from the outside. The believer is not influenced

from the outside. The influence of the believer,

the influence of the Christian is from within

him. I'm not trying to write out the realities

of the things we face every day. We're not writing

off our daily living in the world. We live in

a world that is full of challenges. We live in

a world that is full of worries. We live in a

world that is full of trials. We live in a world

with practical problems. But we have the Spirit

of God in us to do what? To uplift us, to strengthen

us, to comfort us. And the joy of God has been

placed in our hearts. Hallelujah. So when we

have access to the kingdom, we have access to

joy. Amen? Having access to the kingdom means

having access to the Spirit of God. And having

access to the Spirit of God simply means that

we have access to the joy of God in us. And this

joy is not dependent on our external circumstances.

What happens in the external is that we are not

saying they are not important. What we are saying

is that beyond what happens in the external,

there is something that regulates us from the

inside, and it is the Spirit of God. And what

we ought to do is to allow the Spirit of God

To find expression in us. And one of the ways

that we can allow the Spirit of God to find expression

in us and through us is what is by expressing

joy at all times. Hallelujah. That we allow joy

to find expression from us at all times is a

mark of a person that is living in the kingdom

of God. It's a mark of the believer. So this

joy is not dependent on the things that happen.

Around and about us, it springs from within,

from the indwelling presence of the Spirit in

the believer. Hallelujah. So, it becomes tragic

for the believer to say he's depressed. Alright?

We keep telling you this every day. To be depressed

is not the believer's... Which word would I use?

It shouldn't be. If you are depressed as a believer,

then it means that an illegal activity is happening

in you. Alright? Because God has given us an

ability to withstand the external circumstances

and experiences that will come from without.

He has given us His Spirit, so we have to give

expression to the Spirit of God that is within

us. Now, I'm not saying that a believer cannot

be depressed. Some of you will fight depression

through with you, will walk through situations

and circumstances with you. But it ought not

to be so, that a believer is always a joyful

person because he has the Spirit of God in him.

Hallelujah. So we see Jesus Christ as the model

of the kingdom joy in Luke chapter 10 verse 17.

Luke 10:17

And we'll see what should be the result, what

should stir up joy from within us. Luke chapter

Luke 10:17

10, verse 17. Luke chapter 10, verse 17. Then

Luke 10:17

the servant returned with joy, saying, Lord,

even demons are subject to us in your name. And

he said to them, I saw Satan. fall like lightning

from heaven. Behold, I give you authority to

trample on serpents and scorpions and over all

the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by

any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice

in this, that the spirits are subject to you,

but rather rejoice because your names are written

where? Are written in heaven. They came back

when they went out to preach the gospel. They

came back rejoicing, you know, because they saw

a lot of miraculous activities happening. They

saw the blind see, they saw demons casted out,

they saw miraculous healings happen, and they

were full of joy because of those things. Then

Jesus shifted their attention to something much

more greater than that, beyond that. All right?

What should stir up joy in you is actually that

you are a child of God. Amen? What should stay

joy in you is the fact that you have access to

the kingdom of God. What should set up joy in

you is something that is eternal, eternally worked

in you, the believer. Amen? And we see Jesus

himself in that hour, verse 21. Jesus what? He

rejoiced in the Spirit. He rejoiced in the Spirit,

Jesus himself. So Jesus was not rejoicing because,

you know, he won a lottery. Okay? He was not

rejoicing because, you know... There's something

excellent that's happened. He's able to see what

God is doing. He's able to see the salvation

of humanity. And then that brought out joy from

him. Hallelujah. At that time, Jesus rejoiced

in the spirit and said, I thank you, Father.

So Jesus is a model for us, all right, of rejoicing.

His joy was anchored, first of all, in his union

with the Father through the Spirit. And it's

based on the kingdom reality of what God will

do. Hallelujah. It's based on the reality of

what he sees God is doing and God will do. And

that becomes a source of his joy. So kingdom

joy is spirit generated. It's not circumstance

based. Alright? It's from our spirit, from our

identity. In John chapter 15 verse 11 we see

John 15:11

that The joy that we share is actually the joy

of Jesus. John chapter 15, verse 11. It says,

John 15:11

These things I have spoken to you that my joy

may remain in you and that your joy may be full.

These things I have spoken to you that my joy

may remain in you and that your joy may be full.

So Jesus shares his joy with all believers. All

right? The joy we have is actually the joy of

God, the joy of Jesus Christ, and by his spirit,

we have that joy, that same joy in us. The joy

of the kingdom is the joy of Christ, you know,

that is reproduced in the believer. So Jesus

Christ himself is a model for us that he lived

a joyful life, and we can see clearly what is

the source of his joy. The source of his joy

is not from the external things, not even from

the miraculous activities that he was doing,

but from a certain fact about what God is doing

or what God was to do in man. Hallelujah. Now,

let's look at the life of the apostles as well.

The apostles also were carriers of this Spirit

of God in them, which means that they also expressed

this joy in diverse ways. All right? Last and

the previous times, we were looking at how they

demonstrated their spirit in signs and wonders.

And intentionally and deliberately, we jumped

these specifics so that we'll come to this point

and focus on it. Acts chapter 5. In Acts chapter

Acts 5 · chapter mention Acts 5 · chapter mention

5, we'll see an instance where the apostles expressed

joy. Acts chapter 5, verse 40. Yes, that's after

Acts 5:40

the apostles were arrested. And they were arrested

not for stealing. They were arrested not for

doing crime. But they were arrested for the sake

of preaching the gospel. Verse 40. And they agreed

with him. That is, the council agreed with Gamaliel.

And they agreed with him. And when they had called

for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded

that they should not speak in the name of Jesus.

And they let them go. So they departed from the

presence of the council. How? They departed what?

Rejoicing. They just gathered adults. Right?

Have you ever seen them flogging an adult before?

Yes. They just gathered adults and they flogged

them, probably 40 minus one. Right? And these

young men, of course they were young men, they

were supposed to be grumbling and complaining.

They were supposed to be, you know, agitating

maybe for their human rights. How their human

rights was violated. How they were treated unjustly.

But from within them, beyond the external experience

that they were having, you know, the Bible says

that they went what? They went rejoicing. They

were full of joy. This joy cannot be an external

joy. Alright? This joy cannot be from any external

experience. But a joy is that they were counted

what? Worthy to do what? To suffer shame. They

were worthy. They counted a privilege to do what?

To suffer shame for the sake of God. So they

were rejoicing for the fact that they were partakers

of shame. Amen? I can imagine, you know, publicly

disgracing and embarrassing them and flogging

them. But they counted this experience as what?

As a privilege, as an honor to be partakers of

this. And they were rejoicing. They were rejoicing

for his experience. After being beaten for preaching

Christ, they rejoiced that they were counted

worthy to suffer for his name. So as I said earlier

on, their joy was not motivated by anything material

or advantageous to them, but based on the kingdom

reality. Okay? And this joy cannot be understood

by the world. That is why the life of the believer

to the unbeliever is a mystery. This is a circumstance

that a normal man should moan about it, a human

being should complain about it. But we see in

their lives the expression of joy. And this joy

is a joy that cannot be explained to the man

that is not born again. And this same spirit

that produces this result of joy in these believers,

It's where? It's resident in you, the believer.

And when we begin to, you know, relate these

experiences with our own experiences, you know,

we begin to wonder the kind of spirit that is

in us. Alright? Your school fees is delayed and

then it ruins your entire week. Your prayer life

begin to have issues. Your relationship with

your housemates become, you know, toxic. In the

family, you become, you know, roots to people.

You become unbearable with people because the

external circumstance around you is not making

sense. Or maybe you're trusting God for something

and it's not happening. Then entirely, you begin

to ask some certain questions that as though

God has left you. Right? it ought not to be so.

That shouldn't be the experience of the believer

because the believer is not controlled from outside.

Are we together? Now, if you know this, let me

tell you, if you are able to establish this foundation

in your life right now as a young person, for

the rest of your life, you live now with ease

and peace. Amen? By the time you know the power

of God that is resident in you, that in all situations

you are calm, And you're full of joy. And you're

full of peace. And it makes you... That's an

age you have over the world. Hallelujah. When

the world are panicking. Right? When the world

are panicking about the economy. When the world

are panicking about earthquake. How many of us

experienced some shake -ups today? Somebody did

not even know that something happened to them.

He didn't know. Okay. But try and know what is

happening. Alright? And we are not panicking

because we know that God is in charge of every

circumstance. Amen? Whether we die with it, right?

To die is for what? It's for Christ. To live

is for Christ. So why are you scared of dying?

If you are living for Christ. If everything is

for Christ. Amen? So, our disposition should

be the disposition of joy at all times. Some

of you just went to write the exam and the question

was a little bit tricky. And then it came out

as though all of us wrote the exam for you. And

then you become angry with the teacher and everybody

around you. Amen. I was telling somebody, I said,

see, some people fail exams. Actually, they read,

though. Some people, it's not that they didn't

read, they read, but they were reading OP. We

call it off point. because they didn't prepare

well. Hallelujah. And then we share that experience

with everybody. We rub it up on people. You know,

we become unbearable. We become people that nobody

will want to be with because of what is happening

in our lives. So what we should see coming out

of every believer's life is a joyful life. When

people come around to you, always complaining,

you complain like a British person. Have you

been close to British people? British people

can complain about the weather, complain about

the sun is too hot, the weather is too, there's

no sun, the tea is too cold, the tea does not

have sugar, the sugar is too much. They complain

about everything. No. Our lips will be full of,

you know, an expression of joy at all times.

Hallelujah. Because we are not externally controlled,

right? We're inspired and influenced by the presence

of the Spirit of God in us. That should be the

actual life of the believer. That is the life

of the believer. Okay? That whatever happens

without us does not influence the way we react,

we conduct ourselves among people. You know,

we demonstrate the stability and the work of

the Spirit of God in us. Hallelujah. And if all

things were full of joy, were joyful, Do you

know that if you're not joyful, it's difficult

to even preach the gospel? All right? It's difficult

to share your gospel. Which gospel are you going

to share to people that you are sad? You're going

to tell a good news with a sad face. It's a sad

news. Amen? It's a sad news. So we are... I don't

use the word marketing, right? But what we do

is that we demonstrate the kingdom of God. When

people see you, they should see the expression

of the kingdom of God. And one way that people

will know that, you know, you've experienced

the kingdom of God is joy. Because joy cannot

be what? Cannot be hidden. Hallelujah. So this

joy is from the work of the spirit of God in

the believer. And you have this spirit in you

that produces this joy. So when you are sad and

heavy, then it's time to look within. Are we

together? It's time to look within from what

God has put inside you and allowed it to manifest.

Alright? It simply means that it's time to do

what? To be in the closet. To be with God. Until

there's an expression of what He has deposited

in you. Hallelujah. Flip. In Acts chapter 8,

Acts 8 · chapter mention

He not only demonstrated joy, but He brought

great joy to a city. Amen? So you believers,

you are not just to express joy. Some of us are

not even expressing joy. We are talking more

of bringing joy to cities. So you are not only

someone that experiences joy, you are not only

somebody that should exude joy, but you should

be able to bring joy to people. When people encounter

you, do they feel lifted? All right? Do they

always want to be around you because you carry

the Spirit of God with you, in you? Do they always

feel encouraged? Do they look forward to meeting

you? Or they change a lot when they see you?

Because the moment they come around you, you

ignite depression. You ignite, you know, heaviness

in their hearts. No, the spirit which we have,

right, and what we have in us is communicable,

all right? We're able to extend it to people

around us. In Acts 8, verse 6 to 8, we'll see

Acts 8:6–8

how, verse 6, it says, And the multitude with

one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip,

hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

For unclean spirits crying with a loud voice

came out of many who were possessed. And many

who were paralyzed and lame were healed. Verse

8. And there was what? Was a great joy. Which

means that people were rejoicing in the city.

Hallelujah. Who were celebrating and rejoicing

in the city? Because of who? Because of one man.

Because of one man. Hallelujah. Now may you be

the source of joy to your nation in Jesus' name.

That wherever you enter as a child of God, with

the Spirit of God in you, that you bring joy

to that place. That in that office, you become

the solution to the things that are going abnormal

in that place. Amen? That people will say, I

bless God that I come in contact with this person.

Ever since I met you, my life has never been

the same again. Whenever people are depressed,

they know the person to call. It happens, right?

Whenever I start feeling abnormal, I know who

to call. I know who to call. I know who will

cheer me up. And if you want to feel depressed,

there are some people that you call them and

they will help you very well to be depressed.

You are in trouble, you call them, they have

nothing to give. They complicate the issues.

Hey, yeah, like this. And, and, and, I mean,

some of them, that is a default setting. All

right? And then you finish talking with them

and you're, you're, why do I? No. Hallelujah.

That shouldn't be our, our reality as believers.

All right? We should be source of joy to people,

right? We should be solution to people's issues.

I'm not adding to the problems. People have a

lot of things they are passing through. Are we

together? A lot of people are depressed. In this

generation, when we're younger, depression is

strange. But nowadays, people easily get depressed.

All right? People easily get depressed. But we

have the Spirit of God in us. Not only that we

carry joy in us, we're able to impart joy to

people, bringing them to the truth of what Christ

has done and ensuring that we're filled with

the Spirit of God and are filled with the Spirit

of God. Hallelujah. So as he preached Christ

to that city, miracles happened, demons fled,

and the city was filled with great joy. The city

was filled with great joy. Now, wherever the

kingdom is manifested, what happens there? Joy

spreads. Amen? Whenever the gospel is preached

and people are born again, there is always joy.

If I give it to you, it was your experience when

you got born again. There was this sense of joy

that was rising from inside you. That joy is

not meant to be just that moment. Don't be like

David. Restore to me the joy of my salvation.

You all have not lost. Amen. You know that joy

you experienced when you got born again? It's

still in you. David can pray that prayer and

then sing that song. Alright? Because that is

his reality and he's honest about his reality.

But you, the believer of today, that joy is permanent

in you. Hallelujah. Not only that you have a

career of joy, but you are able to make people

joyful. So who will come to church here while

trying to mechanically instigate you to rejoice?

And it seems as if you are the savior of the

world with all the problems of the world on your

head. Amen? No. Hallelujah. A believer is joyful

at all times. Say, I'm full of joy. And the joy

of the Holy Spirit finds expressions in my life.

At all times, I am never depressed. I am full

of joy because I have the Spirit of God in me.

I bring joy to nations. I bring joy to people's

life. Hallelujah. Be that kind of a man that

the moment you are out of the house and your

husband just heard your voice, they should thank

God that you've come home. Not the ones that

everybody was out locking his door. See that

something is wrong with your Christianity. Be

that father that when they hear ping -ping from

the gate, what happens? They will come in line

of daddy -daddy, but there are some families

that the moment they hear ping -ping, the line

of the tribe of Judah has arrived. Everybody

will disperse and look for a hiding place. Hallelujah.

Don't be that kind of a parent, all right? Because

you have a different kind of a spirit in you.

And the spirit you have is the spirit of God.

All right? You bring joy and blessings to people.

So we're not talking about things that are strange.

This is the believer's reality. All right? We

don't have to be so theological and so, I mean,

mysterious about speaking about the joy of Jesus.

It's practical. It's practical. Hallelujah. So

we spread joy wherever the kingdom is manifested.

By the preaching of the gospel, we see joy in

expression. And if your name is joy, you have

no reason not to be joyful. Amen. You're obligated

to be joyful. The gospel will keep calling you

joy. So we don't just experience joy in our lives.

We spread joy across nations as we manifest the

kingdom of God. So the same question I ask again,

why do many believers, or why do we often not

experience this joy, this joy that is supposed

to be experienced by the children of the kingdom

of God? Why do believers not walk in the kingdom

joy today? Even though we have access to the

same spirit of God as the apostles. See, there

are hundreds of examples I don't want to go into

because of time. To see, you know, how the believers

were living. They were full of joy. They shared

what they had in common. They were full of joy.

Alright? They would catch them, they would flog

them, they would go singing and thanking God.

There was an instance where they locked two in

the prison and they were what? They were singing

and giving glory to God. Not to talk about the

experience of Paul in prison. Alright? Where

he's supposed to be mourning and asking for help.

Looking for resources to get a good lawyer to

defend him. But she was in prison but exalting

those who are free to be joyful. Countless of

examples. And that is the work of the Spirit

in the life of a man. Hallelujah. And in all

things, in all situations, that we are joyful

and that joy is a joy of the Spirit of God. Amen.

So the reason because we are often, what? Carnally

minded. What consumes us is what? Is bread and

wine. Okay? What consumes our thinking are external

things. Now, those external things might not

necessarily be negative things. They may not

necessarily be sinful things. We are consumed

with the pursuit of the things of the world,

like your education is as good and as important.

All right? Your job is good and is important.

It's necessary that we work. When our lives are

consumed by external things, that we forget about

the things that defines who we are, our identity,

which is a spirit, it becomes difficult for us

to express the joy of the Holy Ghost. So we are

carnally minded often, living by feelings and

emotions and not by the spirit. You know, we

live in a generation where people are so peculiar

about how they feel. And people are so careful

not to hurt the feelings of people. You know?

So we are so emotional and so, you know, we're

not saying that we should suspend our humanity.

That's not what we're saying. But our humanity

should not detect how we live. Because we are

not carnal men. Are we together? We are spiritual

beings. First of all, our identity is that we

are spiritual. We have a spirit and then we live

in a physical body and we interact with our physical

world. So our source of influence should be from

our identity as spirituals. That is why we come

to church, to learn our identity every day. To

learn what God has done in us. And what I'm telling

us today is that... God has put an ability in

us to be joyful at all times. So when you come

to church, for some of you that are new in this

church, when we ask people to rejoice, all we're

trying to tell you to do is that you should manifest

the kingdom of God. When we say you should pray

in tongues, right? It's the same thing as we

tell you to rejoice. It's the same thing as saying,

as we tell you to lay hand on somebody to pray

for the person. This rejoicing is spiritual activity.

Hallelujah. If you cannot rejoice here, it shows

the rose that you are not even rejoicing in your

private life, your corners. So, Galatians chapter

Galatians 5:16

5, verse 16 says, We shall walk in the Spirit,

and we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Romans 8, verse 6 says, To be carnally minded

Romans 8:6

is death. But to be spiritually minded is life

and what? And peace. When our focus is on our

identity, we enjoy the peace that comes from

our identity, which is the Spirit of God. Hallelujah.

We often focus on earthly things, earthly troubles,

rather than our heavenly realities. So our heavenly

realities may become... Things that are not,

they are no longer realities. They are expectations.

They become expectations. And what contributes

more to how we conduct ourselves as believers?

What contributes more? Oftentimes, it's the gospel

we heard when we were born again. And the messages

that come from our churches. Because oftentimes

the kind of gospel we receive and where we come

from is the gospel of coming to God and your

life will be okay. Alright? A gospel that is

materialistic. A gospel that is carnally minded.

A gospel that focuses on your external needs

more. You pray for one hour and... 50 minutes

of what you are praying for is for house, is

for clothes, is for the next promotion, is for

everything. We cannot pray for material things,

alright? But if that is the focus of the life

of a Christian, I can assure you that depression

will be your resting place. But the believer

should focus more on his identity. There's no

place in Scripture where we're not promised that

things will be fine. How do we know that? John

John 16:33

chapter 16, verse 33. Jesus never promised us

a life without troubles. Okay? Jesus never promised

a life without trouble. Because if there was

a life without trouble, we would see it first

of all in his own life. Listen, I've spoken to

you. That in me you may have what? You may have

peace. That in the world you will do what? You

will have tribulations. Alright? So tribulations

is a constant term in the equation of life. It's

spice of life. It's part of your life. It's part

of our lives. We experience tribulation. Okay?

We experience trials and temptations. So it's

not new. Alright? You are not the first to fail

exams. Amen? You are not the first to miss a

semester. Alright? And you will not be the last.

That is not the good news. The good news is that

you have the Spirit of God to help you to work

through it. Hallelujah. That is where the good

news is. In the world you will have tribulations.

But be what? Be of good cheer. Be joyful. Be

of good cheer. I have overcome the world. All

right? And he has put that spirit of his in us.

That we're able to navigate through the challenges

of life and still be what? Be joyful and be cheerful.

Hallelujah. So we are not looking down on your

experience. Okay? We are not annulling what you

are passing through as an individual or a person

who does not understand. Actually, I may not

really understand. But I know that the Spirit

of God understands. Are we together? And if the

Spirit of God inspires in the Word of God that

we should not worry about what to eat or what

to drink, then I will side with the Spirit of

God. Okay? I'll align myself to the Word of God.

I'll be loyal to the Word of God and tell you

what the Word of God says. Alright? Above your

experience is the truth of God's Word. Alright?

Above the facts before you is a truth of God's

word concerning that circumstance. Hallelujah.

So beyond that, we have a reality. And that reality

is spiritual. And then we leverage on the works

of the spirit in us. So we focus on earthly troubles

and heavenly realities. Therefore, we are always

depressed. You know. Some of us think that if

you can just make a million dollars, then all

your problems in this life will be solved. If

you can just make 10 million, then all the problems

in this life will be solved. Go and ask rich,

if you have rich people around you, ask them

whether their problems will be solved in this

life. Some people think that if I just graduate

this school, my life will be... When you graduate...

Another level of talent is waiting for you. Amen?

Every stage comes with its difficulties and challenges.

Some rich people don't enjoy the kind of peace

we enjoy. I'm not speaking from the point of

poverty. Somebody will say it's because you don't

have money. And some people will foolishly say

that it's better to cry in a Royce voice, right?

Ah. Pastor Carson will say, small boy, we will

suffer. Let me tell you, right? What you have

in you, no amount of money can buy. The fact

that you can sleep with your eyes closed and

you're not scared that somebody will come and

knock on your door and steal your life. And still,

of course, in some part of the world, we know

what that is, okay? For the peace that you have

is of the Spirit of God. It's something to be

joyful for. For the health that you have and

you enjoy is something to be joyful and grateful

to God for. For the food you have to eat and

the shelter you have above your head is something

to be grateful to God for. Some of us, do you

know why we are always worrying? It's because

our eyes are on things that we cannot afford.

Right? You begin to see a rich watch and then

you desire it. You are not even an income earner.

You are a dependent. Your parents are your source

of income. But you want to look lavished. You

want to look fancy. You want to look fashionable.

You want to follow trends. There's nothing your

eyes sees that does not want. And some of you,

you begin to manipulate, lie your way through

to your parents because you want to obtain and

enjoy what you see somewhere. But godliness,

what does the Bible talk about godliness and

contentment? The Bible says great gain. You see,

that contentment, right? Contentment is a gift.

It's the workings of the Spirit of God in the

life of man to be contented warriors. And you

have the ability to be contented. Hallelujah.

By then we'll begin to diagnose your source of

sadness. Right? It cannot be because of the burden

for souls that are perishing. It cannot be because

people are dying in Africa. They want to go and

preach Christ to them. It's what? Maybe it's

food. Maybe it's house rent. Maybe it's, I mean,

material and physical things. Because you know

what? That is what consumes our mindset and our

activities. Hallelujah. Of course, we can mingle

with people in the world. People can get us offended.

You know? Especially in this environment, somebody

can just start fighting you for no reason. People

are possessed, so how do you know? Just if suddenly

somebody just starts fighting you, you didn't

say a word, you didn't do anything, it happens.

So what I'm trying to say is that there's a reason

to be angry, there's a reason to be sad, there's

a reason externally, right? Just turn your TV.

And it's enough for you to be depressed. Just

go on. Have you noticed that whenever you score

so much on social media, you become sad? Because

what sells in the media is bad news. Good news

don't sell as much as bad news. It will give

you five bad news, one good news. Ten bad news,

one good news. Because they want you to be greed

is addictive. But we have the Spirit of God in

us. Hallelujah. We are full of joy at all times.

So we must change our focus. Colossians 3 verse

Colossians 3:1

1. We must change our focus and major our focus

on our heavenly reality. Amen. If then you were

raised with Christ, seek those things which are

what? Which are above, which are heavenly. Where

Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Set your mind on what? On the things that are

above and not on the things that are on the earth.

So that must be our focus. Where we neglect fellowship

with the Spirit of God in prayer and in the Word

and obedience, then we don't experience the joy

of the Holy Ghost. Because that is where our

mind is renewed, right? That's where our mind

is renewed by the Word and by prayer and by fellowship.

The carnal mind shuts the door to the manifestation

of the Kingdom of God. But the Spirit -filled

life opens the door to joy, peace, and divine

power. Alright? That is where we experience joy

unspeakable. Joy that words cannot express. That

when you look at your life and you look at what

you are walking through or you are passing through,

you know that it is actually God that is walking

through with you. Because you are leveraging

on the power of God that is in you. Alright?

If you preach the gospel, my brother and sister,

you will be persecuted. Alright? For those who

have decided to live for God, what does the Bible

say will happen to them? They will suffer persecution.

For he who has made up his mind to live a godly

life will be persecuted. So if you continue to

live a godly life, then you need the strength

of the Spirit of God to continue to live the

godly life. All right? And all of us, God has

blessed us with His presence, with His Spirit

in us, to live and enjoy. The leadership of the

Spirit, the power of the Spirit in us. Because

we have access to the kingdom of God. We have

access to the Spirit of God. Therefore, we can

experience joy at all times. Hallelujah. So,

give yourself continually to the Word. And stay

focused on Christ. Because the Word transforms

your mind. We are not going to give you another

step to living a joyful life. There are no steps.

It's the same thing we've been telling you. I

will not stop telling you the same thing. If

you close your Bible, it's a matter of time,

depression will kill you. If you discover you

are being depressed, it's a symptom. You are

getting so, you are just sad and moody. Just

know that it's a symptom, sign and symptom, right?

For a disease. Right? And the cure, is the word

of God and prayer and fellowship. Lock yourself

and spend time with God and pray. Speak in tongues.

You must keep yourself kingdom conscious. Maintain

fellowship through prayer and worship. Jude 1

.20, building yourself up in the most holy faith,

praying the Holy Ghost. Prayer renews joy in

us. Hallelujah. If you read through Scripture,

you see those apostles, they pray and boldness

came and with joy. Alright? When they pray, there's

a renewal of strength within them. So, this is

the formula. There's no new formula to living

a joyful life. And when you master it, when you

master this art, it's a science to read. It's

something that can be repeated. When you master

the act of overcoming sadness and depression,

you know you become sensitive more to the things

of the Spirit. So even if there's a temptation

to get you sad, you know that it is a moment

to leverage on the Spirit of God and experience

joy and peace of God. So prayer renews joy in

us. Worship stays the Spirit within us. Alright?

The scripture says in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse

1 Thessalonians 5:16

16 I think this should be the second to the last

scripture. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 16 quickly.

1 Thessalonians 5:16

1 Thessalonians 5 verse 16 to 19. It says what?

1 Thessalonians 5:16–19

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything

give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ

Jesus for you. Do not quench the spirit. And

one of the ways we quench the spirit is to neglect

allowing joy to find expression in us. It's not

only manifesting gifts of healing and speaking

in tongues. You quench the spirit when you allow

sadness to rule over your heart. You are quenching

the spirit. You are not allowing the spirit to

express himself through you in joy. Hallelujah.

So, in subsequent teachings, we will teach practically

how to rejoice. When we say rejoice, what it

means by calling, what it means to rejoice. We're

going to do that. We'll do that often. But in

Romans 15, verse 13, it says, Now the God of

Romans 15:13

hope fills you with all joy and peace. And that's

my prayer for you, right? That the God of hope

fills you with joy and peace in believing that

you may abound in hope through the power of the

Holy Spirit that works in you. Hallelujah. I

want you to just pray for yourself. As we close,

let's pray for yourself. Say, Father, thank you

for giving me the access to your Spirit. We appreciate

you being here today. We hope you carry this

word with you throughout your week. Don't forget

to check the show notes for additional insights.

Stay connected with us through our website or

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Until next time, stay blessed.