Growing In Christ

Walking with Jesus Growing in Christ You must have realized by now that the Christian life is a battle and you are a foot soldier in it. If so, what are some of those battles you have had to fight in your walk with Jesus? How ready were you for those battles? How do you suppose a Christian soldier prepares himself for spiritual battle? How do you think this builds us up for a more faithful and victorious walk with Jesus? Watch and see. Grace, I heard something happened at Yusuf's house yesterday. What? Mariam told me at the village stream, that Yusuf's daughter had convulsions and Yusuf sent for Ganga the Herbal Healer, but Dauda prayed and stopped the convulsions, and healed the girl, before Ganga arrived. (amazed) Dauda? The gang leader? I heard he’s a Christian now. He doesn’t fight any more. This Jesus can really change people's lives. Hey, Lamin! Hey, afternoon everyone! Hello! It seems you are busy. Maybe I should go and come back another time. No, no, no, no we are not busy. You are welcome, sit down. Thank you How is Baba Dauda? He’s gone to see one of the village elders. But hey, did you hear what happened in our house yesterday in the evening? Yeah, Adion was just telling me about it. Mariam told me at the stream. It happened in my presence. Morola convulsed violently. She was almost dying. My husband was about to carry her to Ganga but Dauda stopped him. So before Ganga arrived, Dauda had already prayed and healed the girl? No, no, no. My husband had not even gone. Dauda prayed and the girl got healed. I am surprised Dauda could do that. And he just prayed in the name of Jesus and the thing stopped. Yesterday night, before I went to sleep I went to him to pray for me. You’re so scared. I’m scared for my baby. I don't know why I have these fear all the time. You know if you accept Jesus Christ into your life, you’ll become one of his children and you’ll have nothing to fear. That’s why I am here. You know all these days, I have never taken believing in Jesus very serious until what I saw yesterday evening. You know in Chief's house, I was the first one to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and since then, nothing is the same. Me too. I am so tired of all these worries and fears. I want the joy and peace of Jesus Christ. Are you ready to pray now? Yes. Good. Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, we want to thank you for this particular moment, o Lord. Father, you said when two or three are gathered in your name, you’ll be in the midst of them. Fulfill now, o Lord, our desires and petitions. Tell me something Dauda Your father didn’t come to fellowship yesterday evening. Is he okay? Yeah. He’s fine. I just don’t think he really wanted to come yesterday. Why? Well, he went out to drink with his friends. He stayed with them till very late in the evening. He’ll be fine! I know. He has really changed. He’s much more at peace with himself now. It’s just that he still drinks a lot. Don’t worry. He’ll be all right. Remember, our walk in Christ, is a journey. We grow more and more each day. Ah! Teacher! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha Welcome, welcome, welcome. Please Thank you. Sit down. I thought I’d pay you a visit. Thank you Hello Teacher. Ah Mama how good to see you again. Welcome So, how’s your day? We’ve been harvesting maize. In fact, I should ask my wife to prepare a basket for you. Lamin! Yes Could you please prepare a basket of maize for the teacher? Yes Baba Dauda. Thank you. I’m very grateful. You didn’t come to fellowship the other evening. You promised you would. We were preparing a rousing welcome for you. I’m sorry I met up with friends and I completely forgot about it. You know, accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, is just the beginning. Then you have to grow strong in your faith. Just like our bodies, we need to eat in order to grow strong. So we need spiritual food, in order to grow spiritually. I was amazed to see the power of Jesus deliver my daughter from epilepsy. It was a miracle Teacher! Praise the Lord! God is faithful. And when I watched the film on Jesus the next day, I was convinced to give my life to Christ. And now, you need to, grow in him, and to learn to hear His voice when he speaks to you. How do I do that? Well there are many ways. One of them, is to read His Word, in this book, the Bible. Teacher. I cannot read. Don’t worry about that. Come to our fellowship evenings and hear the Word of God. We meet sometimes at my house. Listen to this. “Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Who said that? A man called David. He was the king of Israel, but he also loved God, and kept the Word of God in his heart. There’s a lot more peace in my life now. We must thank God for that. And now we have started morning and evening prayers at my home. Dauda leads in prayer time. That’s very good. I’m very proud of Dauda. He is growing in Christ. Yes I’ve noticed the change. Prayer is very important. Jesus said, Ask, and it will be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you, for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." I can ask, God for anything that I need? If you ask God for anything in His will, in the name of Jesus Christ, God will do it. Who said that? Jesus said, If you ask anything in my name, it will be done." So I can ask God for everything that I need all the time? May I ask you a question? Yes please. Would you give, a one-year old child a knife if he cries for it? No! That will be foolish. It would be dangerous. But what if you really loved the child? That is why I would not give it to him, because it might injure him. Well, in much the same way you must know that Jesus loves you very much and he doesn’t always give you what you want all the time. I, don’t understand. Well, sometimes God may say "Yes" to our prayers sometimes he may say "No" and sometimes He may say, "Wait, be patient". But when Dauda prayed for Morola, he asked God to heal her, and her convulsions stopped! Yes, you’re right. God answered Dauda’s prayer to show His power. Now I’m beginning to understand. There’s just one more thing before I go. Yes what is it? You know, there are some things you shouldn't do now that you’re a Christian even with your friends. Are you talking about my drinking? Yes. How did you know that was wrong? When I was drinking with my friends yesterday, my spirit was heavy. I felt very sad for the very first time. I knew it was not the right thing to do. The Spirit of God will always guide you. Listen to Him. I’m afraid I must be on my way. Thank you for your time. Oh, thank you Mama. You’re most welcome. Thank you for visiting. Bye-bye. Ah Teacher! Yes? I would like it if you would come to my house to fellowship some time. Yes, of course. We’ll arrange it. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Let’s listen to the Word of Jesus in Luke chapter nine verse twenty-three. And he said to them all if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Jesus also says: And whoever does not bear his cross cannot be my disciple. What does that mean? I have never seen Teacher carrying any cross in the village. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. (with laughter) So tell us, what does it mean? It means to walk with Him daily, by, obeying His word, and following Him. Jesus, is saying That, to follow Him, we need to lay aside our plans for our lives, because he is now our Lord. By dying on the cross, Jesus, accepted God’s plan for him. My cross is what, God wants me to do with my life. Your cross, is what God wants you to do with yours. Now, sometimes, this can be very pleasant, and sometimes it can be very difficult and, unpleasant to do what God wants us to do. So, daily we need to deny our desires and accept His plan. If we don’t do this we can’t be His disciples. Exactly! Dauda is correct. Now, Who is going to tell us something good that God had done in his or her life? Lamin, You go first. Since I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior in Chief's house I have so much peace. I used to fear for my baby, and I used to have many bad dreams. But, now when I have nightmares, I wake up. I tell Jesus about it, and he takes away all my fears. Who else? Ah, Welcome Taye. Thank you for coming. It’s good that young Taye has decided to join us. I have come to fetch the boy. Good evening Baba. What did he do? I am the chief priest of the god of the land. He has defied the gods. Why do you allow this man to destroy our traditions? You are going against the gods! You, the sounding mouth of the village, teaming up with this stranger to pitch the villagers against the gods Odanye please! This man is my guest. And you! You have been telling the villagers to abandon their gods for your modern god. I have never troubled you or your religion. Why are you doing this to us? I have done nothing wrong Baba. You have crossed the boundaries, and I will resist! It is a defiant stubbornness that kills the cat. I haven't done anything against you! Taye is my son and it is his duty to pour the blood of divination on the shrine. He needs to be present at the ritual of slaughtering the goat. Ask him to follow me now, or I will have him dragged to the shrine! But, why did he do it? He keeps talking about this new god. He says it is a sin for him to perform the ritual, or bow before our gods! He needs to do the ritual. Odanye, I don't think it's right for you to force him. Why don't you let him choose? Yusuf, what’s wrong with you? You have no business telling me what to do with my child. I heard that your son is now a follower of this stranger. Good! We shall all watch how this new god of yours is going to help you. Now. You fool! You see how you have brought me to disrepute here! Is that the kind of teachings you give your followers to disobey their fathers? (forcefully) I taught them to obey God. Don't worry, I’ll be ok. Taye, we’re going to pray for you, right now. I don't want you to be disturbed by what you see. Jesus will protect Taye and be with him. Let's pray. Dear Lord, please protect Taye and be with him. I ask you to fill his heart with love and compassion for all those around him. I pray that you will put your loving arms around him. I pray that you make him forgive those who make him suffer. In Jesus name we pray. Amen Jesus, you say in your Word, that you’ve given us power over evil and darkness. You! And you! You are darkness. You cannot hurt me. Jesus has given me power over you. Taye. Are you ready to do what you’re supposed to do? Now, take the calabash with blood and pour it over the shrine. Go ahead! No father. Is that what that man has taught you? To disobey your father, and disregard your duties to the gods? Father, that man taught me to obey my parents, which I do. But, if the choice is between choosing to obey Jesus, and choosing to obey my parents, then I’ll have to choose to obey Jesus. This strange religion, has messed up your head! You were born into this religion. You were named after the god of iron. Your proper name, is Oguni, or have you forgotten that? You have always been part of this annual ritual. Now pour the blood. If you don’t, you’re no longer my son! Your son? But, I’ll always be your son. I am not your father! I will invoke the god of lightning, to strike you dead within twenty-four hours, if you do not bring honor to his name. I will personally, take your charred body to your Teacher and his followers. Now, go ahead and bow before the gods of our fathers. Father, I can't! And why not? Father this is not a true god. I pray against all forces opposing the will of God in this village, against every stronghold of the evil one in the name of Jesus. I lift up Taye before you. Grant him the courage to stand for you, Lord. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Good evening Teacher. Good evening boys. Sit down. Thank you. Teacher Dauda just came to tell me that Taye’s having problems with his father. The Bible talks about persecution. That’s what’s happening in Taye's life right now. I know God will protect him. But, can't we just go to Mr. Odanye's house and rescue Taye? I know his house, and the shrine chamber. No. That’s not such a good idea. Our God, is a mighty God, and he can do a much better job here than all of us put together. Teacher, I’m worried. I wonder what his father is going to do to him. Peter, a disciple of Jesus was arrested and put in prison. The believers prayed for him throughout the night. And at midnight, an angel of God came and rescued him. But that was Peter. We’re talking about Taye now Teacher! Let us put our trust, in the same living God, concerning Taye and let us leave God alone to do his work. Taye ,will be delivered. Amen. Let's agree, to commit him into the hands of the Lord. Have you made up your mind? Yes, father. Good. Father may I ask you a question? If it is a reasonable one. Who is Medaye? That was my grandfather. How did he die? I will not answer that question. And who is Ahru? You are old enough to know that that is my father. Yes father I know. But how did he die? Do you think I can stand here to hear you ask those foolish questions? Father It seems to me that our forefathers serving this priesthood have been dying strangely. What do you mean? Are you not scared, father? Of what? I’m not happy that my own grandfather died a poor old blind man. And my great-grandfather, a famous priest of these gods, died a wretched and miserable man. I’m worried father. I’m worried about what’s going to happen to you, and me father when… What are you talking about? You know what I’m saying father. (very angry) I don't know what you’re saying! Those words are too big for your mouth! Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end. He created the whole universe. Come father. Let us serve the Living God. You must be out of your mind! Father, can’t you see that these gods have failed us? Are you not afraid of failing father? I am the Chief Priest of this land! Father, wouldn't it be better to be a priest of Jesus? He created everything father. He’s always good. He never changes. You will remain locked here, until you come to your senses! Let's go. My son spoke to me the way no one has ever done. He confronted me with the truth. My grandfather died shamefully, in the marketplace, butchered, by a madman. And my gods did not save him. My father died a blind bat in the shrine. I am scared. I don’t know how I’m going to die. Father, can’t you see that these gods have failed us? Are you not afraid of failing, father? I am the Chief Priest of this land! Who’s there? It is me priest. Go to the shrine, and release the boy, ah, give him some food. Yes priest. Taye! Good to see you! God is faithful! Good morning sir. Good morning. Tell me what happened. My father released me last night! He’s not happy that I have left the tradition. But, I understand his struggles. This is our tradition. I know you were praying for me. Father said that I, can continue to serve my God. And I’m beginning to see a change in my father's heart. That’s wonderful! Praise the Lord. I know God has touched my father's heart. I could see it in his eyes. Taye, this evening, you will lead the fellowship! Me? I can’t do that! Taye. I’ve been praying for the Lord to show me people in the village that he’s helping to raise up, so they can share their testimonies with others. I see what he’s doing to you. He’s making you grow into a strong man of God. I want you to tell others, about what God, has done to your life. Ok. I believe you found out from this story how to equip yourself for a victorious walk with Jesus. What are some tools the story suggests God uses to make us strong in our faith? Sometimes, God uses difficult circumstances to prepare us for life’s battles. As you look forward to the coming weeks, begin to pray for victory in areas of your life where you are having challenges. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.