The Practice of the Spirit part VI

Welcome to NECF. We're thrilled you're here. Make sure to stay with us till the end,

where we will share some great resources to deepen your faith. Now, let's dive into this

week's sermon.

So James chapter 1 now, verse 22, but be ye doers of the word, and not hear us only deceiving

James 1 · chapter mention

your own selves. For if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto

a man beholding his natural face in a glass. The words that we've been dropping, most especially

the one Christy dropped, because one of the things I just perceive more in my heart, right,

is direction. People are receiving direction. People are receiving direction. People are

receiving direction, direction on what to do, on what to do. I perceive that strongly

in my heart right now, that people are receiving direction. You are not confused. Oh my, God

is mindful of you. God is mindful of you. Even the step that you're taking, don't be

afraid to take it. God is mindful of you. The direction is within you. You see, I will

teach you in the way you should go. The leading of the Lord is in the believer. Hallelujah.

The leading of the Lord is in the believer. He's not outside the believer. The leading

of the Holy Ghost is within you. Just pay attention. Pay attention. Do not allow fear.

Do not allow worry. Do not allow anxiety to overwhelm you. For you will see and hear a

quiet still voice saying, this is the way you should walk daring. God is bringing and

has brought direction to us. Hallelujah. His leading is with us. 24, for he beholden himself

and going his way and straight away forgetten what manner of man he was. 25. But whosoever

looks at him, he shall looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continue daring. He being

not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Hallelujah.

Praise God. And on Sunday, we started by saying the word of God is God breathed. It's inspired

by his spirit. And when we say the word on Sunday, we now accept that that word is logos.

It's the utterances, the sayings of God, inspired by his spirit. The teachings, the doctrines,

the message, not general message but a particular message. And that particular message is about

Christ. His debt, his barrier, and his resurrection. Hallelujah. He said all that is written according

to the scriptures. We read 2 Timothy chapter 3 from verse 14 to 16, Romans chapter 16,

2 Timothy 3 · chapter mention Romans 16:24–26

verse 24 to 26, Luke 24, verse 25 to 26. We read Hebrews chapter 1, verse 1 to 2, right?

Luke 24:25–26 Hebrews 1:1–2

We read 1 Peter, 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 20 to 21, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse

2 Peter 1:20–21 1 Corinthians 15:3–5

3 to 5. But before we continue, let's read 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention 1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

15. Be a hearer and doer of the word. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 from verse 3. He said, for I deliver

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

unto you first. Can we just go from verse 1, please? Can we just go verse 1? Moreover,

brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received

and wherein you are, you stand. Hallelujah. So the gospel that you have heard, that got

you saved, that gospel that you have received, is that gospel that you shall stand in, verse

2, by which also ye are saved. Can you see? The gospel you hear is the gospel that saved

you. Hallelujah. He says something here. He said, but if ye keep in memory what I preach

unto you, unless you believe in what? Unless you believe in vain. For some versions, that

place keep in memory, he said, hold fast to the gospel. Hallelujah. He said, hold fast

to the gospel and continue in it, except you have believed in vain. So the hearing of the

message of the gospel that you have received is not only for you to hear it, but it's for

you to do what? To hold fast unto it and continue in it. So I deliver unto you first of all,

he wants to now go in detail to them, which I also received. How that Christ, you see,

Paul will say that this same gospel that he's saying that I preach to you that you have

received, I also have done what? I also received it. I also was taught. I also heard about

it and I also have held fast unto it. And also I'm standing in the same gospel because

I have not believed in vain. Likewise, you also hold fast unto it, except you have what?

Believed in vain. He said, which also I have what we see how that Christ died for our sins

according to what? According to the scriptures, and that he was buried and that he rose in

again the third day according to what? According to the scriptures and that he was seen of

separs, 10 of the 12th, and that he was seen of both 500 of brethren and ones of whom the

greater part remained unto this present for some hour are falling asleep. How Christ died,

how Christ was buried, how Christ was raised from the dead according to the scriptures.

And we see another evidence of such a statement from Luke 24 about that. Luke 24 verse 25.

Luke 24:25

And Christ spoke this, he said, O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets

have spoken. Hallelujah. Where did the prophets spoke? They spoke from the scriptures. 26

he said, what were their speakings? This now Christ is talking about the speakings of the

prophets according to the scriptures. He said, ought not Christ to have what? To have suffered

these things and to enter into his what? Into his glory. And then now we see it also in

verse 44. And he said unto them, these are the words which I speak unto you while I was

speaking to you. Yet with you that all things must be fulfilled. What are the all things?

All that the prophets have spoken according to the scriptures. The sufferings of Christ.

That Christ will die. That Christ will be buried. And Christ will be raised from the

dead. He will enter into his glory. Hallelujah. But Christ will not only enter into his glory,

but we also are in the glory. Praise God. And then now he said that they must be fulfilled

and they are fulfilled now. Which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and

in the Psalms concerning concerning who? Concerning me. He was speaking about himself. Then he

opened their understanding that they might understand how the scriptures. Hallelujah.

That they might understand the speakings of the prophets. And why will he do that? He

will do that because of what they were already having in their minds. Because already these

people were expecting Jesus to be the one that will come to restore the kingdom back

to Israel. To restore them into the place of dominion on the earth over the other nations.

And Christ had to open their understanding to the scriptures. And then correct their

mindsets. Bring to their mindsets a new knowledge and understanding. That is not a kingdom that

is natural. But a kingdom that is what? That is supernatural. And he said on today verse

forty-six. First it is written. And first it behooves Christ to what? To suffer. Hallelujah.

And to rise from the dead how? The third day. Just like we read in first Corinthians fifty.

And that repentance. So in the midst of all this fulfillment of the scriptures is that

at the end of it when Christ is raised from the dead verse forty-seven now that repentance

and remission of sins will be what? Will be preached. In whose name? In his name. Among

how many nations? Among all nations beginning at where? Jerusalem. And he said something

that is profound now that will be a pivot to our teaching. He said and you are witnesses

of these things. Hallelujah. You are witnesses of these things. Forty-nine. And behold I

send the promise of my father upon you. But he said but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem

until ye be endured with what? With power from on high. So what is Jesus saying here?

He said I promise. I promise of the father. I send the promise. I send the promise. He is talking

about the spirit of God. He's talking about the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is going to come to

them. But you see before them he has already brought an understanding to them. Before them

you are witnesses. Hallelujah. You are witnesses. Every man that comes into Christ is a witness.

Every man that comes into Christ that is saved today is what? Is a witness unto Jesus.

How did the man become witness? The man has become witness as oh by the partaking of the

spirit of God. The indwelling of the spirit of God. And we see him now. Said to them in Acts

chapter one. Everybody Acts chapter one. Acts chapter nine verse eight. He said but you shall

receive power after the Holy Ghost is upon you. And you shall be what? You shall be witnesses

unto who? Unto me. Hallelujah. Unto me but in where? In Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria

and unto the autumn part of where? Unto the autumn part of the earth. Praise God. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. So we can say this. God's word is inspired by his spirit. And what is the promise

God has promised the believer? He said he promised him his spirit. So how do we know that Christ was

talking about his spirit is coming to indwell the believer? How do we know? John chapter fourteen.

See John chapter fourteen now. And then let's connect from there and then we we see how the

Holy Spirit now is helping us to continue. John chapter fourteen. John chapter fourteen. Please

ensure your your your Bible is still on your opening. John chapter fourteen. Still from verse sixteen.

John chapter fourteen. You see I will pray the father and he shall give you what? He shall give you

another comforter that he may abide with you for two weeks. Is it for two weeks? No sir. Okay.

From verse sixteen. And I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may

abide with you forever. See seventeen now everybody. Even the spirit of what? The spirit of truth.

Who the world cannot receive because it feared him how? It feared him not. Neither knoweth him

but you what? But you know him. Hallelujah. So the Holy Spirit is not a stranger to the believer.

Praise God. He said but you know him for he dwelleth in the air in your room. Is that what the

scripture says? For he dwelleth in your neighborhood. Is that what your Bible says? Where is the spirit

of God dwelling? In the believer. Hallelujah. He dwelleth with you and shall be in your room.

He shall be in you. So where is the spirit of truth going to walk? He is going to find

expression from within you. Where is the spirit of God going to quicken the believer from the heart

of the believer? From within the believer. And twenty now. He said at that day ye shall know

that I am in my father and ye in me and I in you. Which day? At the day when I will be raised and

the promise of the father is going to come to you. He will be in you. So every believer that gets

saved or every man sorry that gets saved the spirit of God does not live in his air or in his room

or in his neighborhood or somewhere. The spirit of God dwells the man. Please stay with this

with this context. So you see now. God cannot do anything in the life of a believer without his

spirit. Do you hear what I said? God cannot do anything in your life without what? Without his

spirit. In fact the spirit of God imputes, puts in us, imparts in us, has given us the perfect image

of God. The spirit of God is the spirit of God that's that what that brings us into the perfect

image of God. So when you carry when I say I have the image of God what I'm saying is that I am

carrying the spirit of God as it were and every walk that God will do on the earth if he was here

physically today I am the one that will do it. So when we say the spirit of God is in dwelling the

believer what we are saying is that God is in dwelling the believer. He said on that day

and the father in me and where and I in you. 23 everybody please go to 23 everybody and see

something now. John 14 23. Jesus answered and said unto him if a man loves me he will keep my words

and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode where in him. So God dwells

in me. Jesus is in me. Hallelujah. How by the spirit of God. So when we say Christ in me we

mean God in me. When we say the Holy Ghost in me we mean Jesus in me. So how did God's word come to

us? God's word came to us by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Hallelujah. God's word came to us

how? By the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. So you see we cannot separate God's word from his spirit

because God's word carries the inspiration. So we will say God's word. Amen. We will say God's word

God's word right carries the things of God. Hallelujah. So when we say God's word we are

talking about what? The things of God. So when we are saying the inspiration of God's word is by the

Holy Ghost we are saying that the Holy Ghost has brought the things of God to the believer. So now

all that God has done all that God has fulfilled right in the believer is by his spirit. That

resides where? That resides in us. So the complete Christian life, the complete Christian conduct,

the complete Christian activity is inspired by the spirit of God. Do you hear what I said?

That's the complete Christian life. You see I'm saying complete because when we read James

when we read James chapter 1 now let's go to James chapter 1 now. Now you now know why I'm

James 1 · chapter mention James 1 · chapter mention

using the word complete. In James chapter 1 you see verse 25 he said but whosoever looketh into

James 1 · chapter mention

the what? The law of perfect liberty. If you check the original rendition it's not perfect law of

liberty. It's the law of perfect liberty. Completely. Is it completeness? Is it completeness?

Oh complete please English people help me. It's completed. It's perfected. It's the law that has

set the man free and that salvation is not partial. That salvation is not 50 percent. That salvation

is not 99.9. That salvation is complete. The work of salvation in the believer is perfect.

So the complete Christian life is an inspired life. It is a spirit work. The believer is already

complete in Christ and that is why oh my listen now that the believer should walk daily in the

Holy Ghost. Amen. Do you know what I said? That the believer should walk what? Daily where? In the

Holy Ghost. Galatians 5 16. Galatians 5 16. Galatians 5 16 now. Galatians chapter 5 verse 16.

Galatians 5:16

He said this I say then. Walk in the spirit. Do you think he will be writing to somebody that is

unsafe this kind of sentence? If I say David walk in the spirit what am I saying? I'm talking about

you know something that I'm saying. Is it not? That for me to say walk in the spirit you must

know that there is something about your reality in the spirit. He said and yes shall not fulfill

the loss of what? Of the flesh. So the message of the spirit to David will not be strange.

Hallelujah. And if I'm saying David should walk in the spirit I know of surety that David has an

ability and he knows what I'm talking about. And verse 25 he said if we live in the spirit let us

also walk where? In the spirit. You see so the believer's life the complete life of a believer

must be an inspired life by the Holy Ghost. It must be a life powered by the spirit of God.

It must be a life that completely is a spirit walk not a walk by guessing. Not a walk by calculation.

Not a walk. Yes you have the mind to calculate. You have the mind to analyze. You have the mind

to plan. You have the mind to strategize. Oh my I have this word for somebody now. Your greatest

strategy cannot be compared to the strategy of the Holy Ghost in your life. These are words to

suffer someone now. Your greatest plan. See stretch forth your mind. Take it to the east.

Take it to the north. Bring it to the west. Take it to the south. Oh your greatest plan and your

greatest strategy cannot be compared to the plan of God for your life. We just read this.

Hallelujah. Acknowledge him and he will do what? And he shall direct your path. Not God's path but

your path. So my life is a spirit walk. Your life must be a spirit walk. Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

Let's have another evidence again. He said if we live in the spirit then walk in the spirit.

If we live in the spirit then walk in the spirit. Why? Because all the the the promise that God

gave the believer is the promise of the Holy Ghost. He didn't give us the promise of money.

He didn't give us the promise of fame. He didn't give us the promise of popularity. He gave us

the spirit of God. The very nature of God. The very life of God is what we have as believers.

Romans chapter 8 now. We'll read it. 1 to 11. Let's just read it. He said there is therefore now

Romans 8 · chapter mention

no condemnation. Please, if it's your Bible I would want you to underline everywhere that shows the

Holy Ghost in the believer. The spirit of Christ in you. Oh the spirit in you. Oh God in you. Oh

you have the spirit of God in you. Oh the life of God in you. I want you to underline those places

if it's your Bible. There is now therefore no condemnation to them who are in where? In Christ.

Amen. Number one. In Christ Jesus. Who walk not after the flesh but afterwards after the spirit.

Praise God. You see they are in Christ. They don't walk in the flesh. They walk afterwards.

The spirit. So they live in the spirit and walk in the spirit. Just like we read in Galatians. Amen.

That is what is supposed to be the life of the believer. Two now. For the law of the spirit

of life in Christ Jesus has made heart past. Has made me free from the law of what? Sin and death.

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh. God sending his own son in the

likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condensing where? In the flesh. That the righteousness of

the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh. Can you see? But where? But after

the spirit. Praise God. Five now. For day that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh.

For day that are after the spirit the things of where? The things of the spirit. Praise God.

Six now. For to be cannerly minded is what? Is death. But to be spiritually minded is what?

Is life and peace. Praise God. That is where God has called us. Where would be? Sir can I be

spiritually minded twenty four hours thirty days? Yes ma. You can be spiritually minded all the

days of your life. See now. Seven. Because the cannerly mind is enmity against God. For it is not

subject to the law of God. Neither indeed can it be. Eight. So then. So then day that are in the

flesh cannot what? Cannot please God. So every time I follow after the flesh I cannot please God.

Nine. What you are not in the flesh but you are inside the water. Is that what your Bible says?

But you are not in the flesh. Say I am not in the flesh. Say I am not in the flesh. He said but in

the spirit. You see why you can be spiritually minded till eternity? Because you are not in the

flesh. You are in the spirit. It so be that the spirit of God. You see that is why if we call

you I don't know whether it's Pastor Vito or Pastor Chidi or Pastor Fred. One of the pastors

preach. You know you cannot just wake up or say something someday. I'm trying to remember it.

You can we cannot call you and say we are inviting you to go and pray for somebody say ah sir I need

to fast. Sir you know I'm not. Sir I need to just take like three hours and charge up. You want to

charge what? Are you a battery? You want to charge what? You don't need to charge up. You are in where?

You are in the spirit. The man that is in the spirit is already charged up. I don't know what

you want to charge for two weeks. Let me tell you every time you have an opportunity to pray for the

sick to manifest the things of the spirit and you feel you need to do something before the things of

the spirit happen. You need to apply some works. Some fastings. Some prayers. Some some some some

locks in two hours. You just left the spirit. You want to you want to court the thing with some

works so that you can give yourself some sense of feeling that I did something to see something.

Let me tell you any man that is spiritually minded we can wake you up from three plates of

banku and you will cast out devils. I'm saying this now. We can say now where are you David? He said

sir I am on the road. He said we need you now. You will not tell us I want to branch sir you know. I

need to branch for two hours. I will catch up with you. No I am in the spirit. See what he says now

everybody. He said you are in the spirit. If so be that the spirit of God dwell in you. Hallelujah.

He dwell in us. Now if any man hath not the spirit of Christ he is what? He is none of his and if

Christ be in you the body is dead because of what? Because of sin. But the spirit is live because of

righteousness. We'll stop at eleven now. But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the

dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also become your mortal bodies by his

spirit that dwell where? That dwell in you. See if we keep reading this chapter you keep hearing

spirit spirit Christ Christ spirit spirit Christ. The believer's life is a spirit walk.

Hallelujah. The believer's life is what? Is a spirit walk. Oh everything we have as believers

is the spirit of God living in us. Amen. Everything we have is the spirit of God living in us.

So Christ in us. We in Christ. The spirit in us. We in the spirit. You are not in the flesh.

You are in where? You are in is what we call being born again. Hallelujah. Praise God. The indwelling

of the spirit is what we call what? Being what? Being born again. So how will Jesus do his walks

in the believer by his spirit in us? So do not slip into performance. You know when we talk about

the manifestation of the things of the spirit people think performance. You know I'm about

to prophesy. It's not it's not a season of performance. No don't slip into performance.

Every time aside the spirit of God and his work in the life of the believer every time

he's he's lost then the man will apply human effort. Once the spirit of God is not in view

in your life there will be an application of human effort. I will say this now. Once you don't depend

on the spirit of God when it comes to the things of the spirit you will depend on yourself for the

things you see. You will start performing. You will start applying human effort. Even when there

is effort it has to be spirit inspired. It has to be spirit inspired.

We are building this teaching and we keep moving because we are coming to a place where we are

going to talk about the gifts of the Holy Ghost. All the gifts of the spirit of God. The prophetic

or prophecy. Gifts of prophecy. Interpretation of tongues. The diverse kinds of tongues. Word of

wisdom. Word of knowledge. Why why we take time to pray in tongues before we give a word is not

because it's a code. Neither is it a formula. Neither we are trying to apply something. No no no no no no

no no. We are we all our attention must be on the spirit of God. It has to be purely the spirit of

God. Not our emotions. Not our calculations. Not any mixing of anything anywhere. And you see that

is why Pastor Victor. That is why Pastor Victor can give his wife a word of prophecy by the spirit.

It has nothing to do with familiarity. It has all to do with the spirit work in the life of the

believer. Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians chapter two verse eight to ten. See what the scripture

says now. For by grace I is saved through what? Through faith. And not that and that's not of

yourselves. It is the gift of God. Nine. Not of works. Hallelujah. Not of works. There is nothing

of works. Less any man should work should boast. Every time you sleep into performance when it comes

to the things of the spirit that will be bright. That will be boastfulness. Ten says for we are

is workmanship created way in Christ. Hallelujah. Jesus unto good work. With God had before

day that we should not work. That we should. Sorry. That we should work in them. Hallelujah.

So do not sleep into performance. God's word is inspired by the spirit of God. Hallelujah.

The believer's life is inspired by the spirit of God. The workings of the Holy Ghost in the

life of the believer must be by the spirit of God. The gift of prophecy. The word of wisdom.

The word of knowledge. Everything that you see in the believer's life must be what? Must be by the

spirit of God. It is not of your works. It is the gift of God. Less you should see yourself or less

any man should work should boast. So how will Jesus prophesy through the believer? By his spirit.

How will Jesus heal people? By his spirit. So what should the believer do? The believer must

be spiritually minded always. Hallelujah. Do you hear what I said now? That the believer must be

what? Must be spiritually what? Minded. Why? Because the believer is in the spirit. So we are

God's workmanship. So how is God working? How is God performing? How is God using every man that

we see on the earth that we celebrate plus you plus Pastor Vito, Pastor Frederick, Pastor

Chidi, Pastor Emmanuel, Pastor Kingsley, David, Miracle, the Amanda, Judy, Chastia, Takunda,

Malaika, the Christy, Chris Bull by his spirit because his spirit is the only promise that has

been given to the believer. So when we say do the word of God, what we mean is that give expression

to the things of the spirit. So when we say practice the word of God, we are saying practice

the things of God, practice the things of the spirit because God's word carries the things of God

and the things of God has been inspired by the spirit of God or God's word has been inspired

by his spirit. The things of God inspired by his spirit. So we are not on this platform to receive

power. Hallelujah. We have already received what? We have already received power. The day the Holy

Ghost indwelled us, power indwelled us. Praise God. Oh, I'm about to say something now that is

profound. The day the spirit of God indwelled you, all the things of God indwelled you. You are not

the one searching for prophecy. You are not the one searching to heal. You are not the one searching

to cast out devils. You are not the one. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. The day the spirit of God

indwelled you, all the things of God indwelled you. The authority of Jesus is in you. The power

of Jesus is in you. Why? Because where Jesus is seated above principalities, above powers,

above rulers, that is where we are also what is seated with him. So I carry in my heart

all the things of God. You know, he told them, yes, I receive power. Hallelujah. But we now know

through the epistles that we have power. Praise God. We have power. Say I have power. So don't be

caught. Please, I beg you. Don't be caught praying for power. Power, power, power, power, power.

You know, you say, say, say, fast for me. Oh, my Jesus. You know, I need to say this now, but I

want to say some churches in where I'm coming from, from Nigeria, you will see that, you know,

I encountered the power of God. Have you ever had that kind of statement? I encountered the power of

God after a 16-hour closed-door prayers. Have you had that kind of statement from people? He said,

why you don't have power is because you have not taken time to lock yourself for 16 hours.

Don't, you don't need to lock yourself. The power of God is locked in in your spirit, man.

Hallelujah. The new bad came with the power. Praise God. The new bad came with all of God's

for their off field where in the believer. Praise God. Hallelujah. And I will say this now,

and then we close. Because when we come, I need to keep saying it. I want to keep saying it

until we come to the end of these things that I'm teaching. The things that will stop you

from practicing the things of the spirit, you have written it already, but when we come,

I'll come to it. The things that will stop you from practicing the things of the spirit.

Pastor, Imam talked about one from Thessalonians about quench not the spirit.

When you despise, when you despise, when you treat with content the things of the spirit,

you will never see yourself. You will never see the manifestation of the things of the spirit.

When you treat them with content, when you despise them, when you stifle them,

when you treat them with no account, when you treat them as valueless things.

That is number one. Number two, the company that you keep, please, I beg you,

stay among people that love the things of the spirit. Stay among people that talk about

the supernatural things of the Holy Ghost. Stay among people that desire to see more of the things

of the spirit. If not, if you stay in a company of people that are not following the Holy Spirit,

if you stay in a company of people that are not on fire for it, you will never see them happen.

Wrong doctoring. The things you listen to, the things you see, stay with the doctoring,

stay with the teachings, stay with the training you are receiving from this platform,

from this local church, NECF. Stay with it. And lastly, prayerlessness. Prayerlessness.

Prayerlessness. The man that does not stay, ah, if you want to see more of the things of the Holy

Ghost at work in your life, give yourself to a life of prayer. And please, I will give this as a

prescription. Pray more in tongues. Pray more in what? In tongues. Hallelujah. Pray more in tongues.

Pray more in tongues. The next time we have another opportunity as we continue, we will pray

more in tongues and we will see more of the manifestation of the gifts and the things of

the Holy Ghost. Amen. Praise God. We're thankful you joined us today.

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